Darkly Comic Corporate Thriller IDEATION Comes to City Lights

Part dark comedy and part psychological thriller, Ideation takes us behind the closed doors of our corporate world, where motivations get murky and ethics are ambiguous. When a group of consultants come together to work on a mysterious project, they start to question the endeavor's true goals-and each other. Amidst office jargon and whiteboard scribbling that strike a familiar chord in Silicon Valley, Ideation mixes gripping suspense with sharp humor.

Ideation runs Jan. 19-Feb. 19 at City Lights Theater Company, directed by Mark Anderson Phillips, who helmed City Lights' widely acclaimed production of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde last season. Performances are at 529 S. Second St. in San Jose, Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2.

For details and tickets, go to cltc.org or call 408-295-4200. Written by Bay Area playwright Aaron Loeb, who also authored the video game mystery First Person Shooter, Ideation has strong local roots. It was developed in the Just Theater New Play Lab and Bay Area Playwrights Festival. It was first produced at the San Francisco Playhouse before opening at 59E59 Theaters in New York; Mark Anderson Phillips played Brock in both casts.

On both coasts, the play has earned rave reviews, from winning the Bay Area's 2014 Glickman Award for excellence in playwriting to being chosen as a New York Times Critics' Pick. City Lights' nonprofit partner for the show is the Center for Justice & Accountability, to whom it will donate a portion of the box-office proceeds. Based in San Francisco, the CJA works against torture, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other severe human-rights abuses. Cast: Lisa Mallette* (Hannah), George Psarras* (Brock), Tom Gough (Ted), Sunny Moza (Sandeep) and Max Tachis (Scooter). *Member,

Actors' Equity Association Mark Anderson Phillips (Director) has been acting professionally for more than 20 years. His work includes roles with American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, ACT Theatre of Seattle, San Jose Repertory Theatre, TheatreWorks, The Magic Theatre (including the U.S. premiere of Stones in his Pockets), Aurora Theatre and Marin Theatre Company. He has also appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Joan Rivers - a work in progress by a life in progress) and the New York International Fringe Festival (Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party). Phillips is the recipient of three Bay Area Drama Critics' Circle awards for best performance by a male in a leading role, as well as a recent TBA Award for outstanding direction (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at City Lights). He is a member of Actors' Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA.

Designers: Ron Gasparinetti (Scenic), Jane Lambert (Costumes), Nick Kumamoto (Lighting), George Psarras (Sound Design), Christine Sturken (Props). Sponsors and Supporters: These include The Shubert Foundation, Silicon Valley Creates, Applied Materials Foundation, the City of San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and many other individuals, corporations, and foundations. Later shows in City Lights' 2016-17 season are: Kit Wilder's world-premiere adaptation Frankenstein; Gina Gionfriddo's witty Rapture, Blister, Burn; and the Goth-rock musical Lizzie. City Lights also hosts the Lights & Music Concert Series. Next up: jazz singer Amy Dabalos at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 5. More information is at cltc.org/attend-special-events/.