St. Bonaventure • 1641 W. Diversey • Chicago, IL 60614 • 773-404-7922 • saintsebastianplayers.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jill Chukerman 773-525-3974
January 18, 2012 jchuk@rcn.com
ADAPTATION OF TWAIN WORKS SET FOR WORLD PREMIERE
Saint Sebastian Players Production Takes Place Feb. 17–Mar. 11
One of America’s most beloved writers will be celebrated when the Saint Sebastian Players present the world premiere of Mark Twain: Patriot, Teacher, Philosopher by SSP company member John Oster. Performances take place February 17–March 11 at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey, Chicago. In addition to the regular schedule, SSP will offer a Theater Thursday performance on February 23.
Mark Twain: Patriot, Teacher, Philosopher is an evening of drama, humor, innocence and wit, including The War Prayer, The Diaries of Adam and Eve, The French Duel, Running for Governor and more. “The emphasis of the text is on Twain’s patriotism, his philosophy and his lifelong quest to change the world and make it a better place as he tries to make the people in it better,” commented Oster. “We want audiences to see the Twain beyond Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. The production features live music that will get your feet stompin’ and your blood pumpin’!”
Making his SSP directing debut is Stephen F. Murray, whose past Chicago directing credits include The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Fall of the House of Usher for City Lit, and Spring Awakening and Our Country’s Good for Promethean Theatre Ensemble, where he was artistic director from 2005 through 2009. The cast includes SSP members Victoria Montalbano and Todd Parkhurst, as well as Keith Glab, Brian Hurst, Kelsi Karch, Dylan Parkes, David Pass, Eric Prahl, Judi Schindler, Jim Shinkle, Catherine Stegemann, Laura Stephenson and Emily Vallillo. David Fink is music director, Ashley Ann Woods is scenic designer, Emma Weber is costume designer, Michael Trudeau is lighting designer, Josh Hurley is props designer, SSP member Jonathan Hagloch is multimedia designer, Jaci Entwisle is stage manager, Renee Keen is assistant director, and SSP member John Oster is producer and sound designer.
SSP began producing theatre in 1982 at its original home, the St. Sebastian parish, located at the corner of Halsted Street and Wellington Avenue on Chicago’s North Side. When the parish closed, SSP relocated to its current home, St. Bonaventure, at 1625 W. Diversey. During its history, the company has produced original and previously produced dramas, comedies and musicals; original audience-participation murder mysteries for special events; and the Monologue Matchup Competition, as well as provided support for smaller Sebastian Studio Projects produced by company members. A complete history and a complete list of mainstage productions are available on SSP’s website.
Mark Twain: Patriot, Teacher, Philosopher runs February 17–March 11, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey, at Marshfield just west of Ashland, in Chicago. Free parking is available in two lots. Full-priced single tickets are $15, $10 for students with valid IDs and $7 for seniors and children younger than 12. Group rates also are available. The “Theater Thursday” performance, which includes refreshments and conversation with production team members, takes place February 23 at 7 p.m. The cost is $20. All programming is subject to change. For information, call 773-404-7922 or visit saintsebastianplayers.org. ###
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St. Bonaventure
• 1641 W. Diversey • Chicago, IL 60614 • 773-404-7922 •
saintsebastianplayers.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jill Chukerman 773-525-3974
January
18, 2012 jchuk@rcn.com
ADAPTATION OF TWAIN
WORKS SET FOR WORLD PREMIERE
Saint Sebastian
Players Production Takes Place Feb. 17–Mar. 11
One of
America’s most beloved writers will be celebrated when the Saint Sebastian Players present
the world premiere of Mark Twain:
Patriot, Teacher, Philosopher by SSP company member John Oster.
Performances take place February 17–March 11 at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W.
Diversey, Chicago. In addition to the regular schedule, SSP will offer a
Theater Thursday performance on February 23.
Mark Twain: Patriot, Teacher,
Philosopher is an evening
of drama, humor, innocence and wit, including The War Prayer, The
Diaries of Adam and Eve, The French Duel, Running for Governor and
more. “The emphasis
of the text is on Twain’s patriotism, his philosophy and his lifelong quest to
change the world and make it a better place as he tries to make the people in
it better,” commented Oster. “We want audiences to see the Twain beyond Tom
Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. The production features live music that will get
your feet stompin’ and your blood pumpin’!”
Making
his SSP directing debut is Stephen F. Murray, whose past Chicago directing
credits include The Legend of Sleepy
Hollow and The Fall of the House of
Usher for City Lit, and Spring
Awakening and Our Country’s Good
for Promethean Theatre Ensemble, where he was artistic director from 2005
through 2009. The cast includes SSP members Victoria Montalbano and Todd
Parkhurst, as well as Keith Glab, Brian Hurst, Kelsi Karch, Dylan Parkes, David
Pass, Eric Prahl, Judi Schindler, Jim Shinkle, Catherine Stegemann, Laura
Stephenson and Emily Vallillo. David Fink is music director, Ashley
Ann Woods is scenic designer, Emma Weber is costume designer, Michael Trudeau
is lighting designer, Josh Hurley is props designer, SSP member Jonathan
Hagloch is multimedia designer, Jaci Entwisle is stage manager, Renee Keen is
assistant director, and SSP member John Oster is producer and sound designer.
SSP
began producing theatre in 1982 at its original home, the St. Sebastian parish,
located at the corner of Halsted Street and Wellington Avenue on Chicago’s
North Side. When the parish closed, SSP relocated to its current home, St.
Bonaventure, at 1625 W. Diversey. During its history, the company has produced
original and previously produced dramas, comedies and musicals; original
audience-participation murder mysteries for special events; and the Monologue
Matchup Competition, as well as provided support for smaller Sebastian Studio
Projects produced by company members. A complete
history and a complete
list of mainstage productions are available on SSP’s website.
Mark Twain: Patriot, Teacher,
Philosopher runs
February 17–March 11, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at
St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey, at Marshfield just west of Ashland, in
Chicago. Free parking is available in two lots. Full-priced single tickets are
$15, $10 for students with valid IDs and $7 for seniors and children younger
than 12. Group rates also are available. The “Theater Thursday” performance,
which includes refreshments and conversation with production team members,
takes place February 23 at 7 p.m. The cost is $20. All programming is subject
to change. For information, call 773-404-7922 or visit saintsebastianplayers.org. ###
St. Bonaventure • 1641
W. Diversey • Chicago, IL 60614 • 773-404-7922 • saintsebastianplayers.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jill Chukerman 773-525-3974
September 23,
2011 jchuk@rcn.com
SAINT SEBASTIAN PLAYERS
OPEN SEASON WITH THE ELEPHANT MAN
Cast Features Actress
Simina Contras as John Merrick
The Tony
Award-winning play The Elephant Man
by Bernard Pomerance opens the Saint Sebastian Players’ 31st season October
21–November 13, 2011 at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey, Chicago. In honor of
those who have served our country in the military, SSP is offering all veterans
free admission on Veterans Day, November 11.
Set
against the backdrop of Victorian England’s Whitechapel, the seedy London
district made famous by Jack the Ripper, The
Elephant Man tells the tale of Joseph Merrick, a side show attraction who
transforms from object of disgust to society darling under the care of
celebrated physician Frederick Treves. In this compelling drama, SSP sheds
light on what it means to express our humanity.
SSP company
member Don Johnson, who has worked with Bloomington
Playwrights Project and Detour Productions (Indiana), Red-Eye Collaboration and
City Stages (Minnesota), Tuma Theatre (Alaska) and GroundUp Theatre (Chicago), makes his SSP directing debut. Johnson
is examining the play through various lenses, applying a Brechtian point of
view and, in some cases, nontraditional casting. Actress Simina Contras, who
has performed at the National Theater of Romania in Sibiu, plays John Merrick.
Douglas Werder, who previously appeared in SSP’s Cash on Delivery and Picasso
at the Lapin Agile, plays Frederick Treves. SSP member Julie Johnson plays
the pivotal role of actress Mrs. Kendall. Other cast members include SSP member
Jim Masini, as well as Sukie McWilliams, Jim Moore, Joe Oggionni, Jake Penzell,
Deepti Ramakrishnan and
Julia Rigby. Chad Bianchi is set designer, Paula Consdorf is costume designer,
Adam T. Dunaway III is lighting/projection designer, Trevor Ketteman is
assistant director/properties manager, and SSP member Jonathan Hagloch is
producer.
SSP began
producing theatre in 1982 at its original home, the St. Sebastian parish,
located at the corner of Halsted Street and Wellington Avenue on Chicago’s
North Side. When the parish closed, SSP relocated to its current home, St.
Bonaventure, at 1625 W. Diversey. During its history, the company has produced
original and previously produced dramas, comedies and musicals; original
audience-participation murder mysteries for special events; and the Monologue
Matchup Competition, as well as provided support for smaller Sebastian Studio
Projects produced by company members. A complete history
and a
complete list of mainstage productions are available on SSP’s website.
The Elephant Man runs October 21–November 13, Fridays and
Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey,
at Marshfield just west of Ashland, in Chicago. Free parking is available in
two lots. Full-priced single tickets are $15, $10 for students with valid IDs
and $7 for seniors and children younger than 12. Military veterans receive free
admission on Veterans Day, November 11, at 8 p.m. Subscription packages for the
three-play season are $30, $20 for seniors. SSP will hold a drawing for a free
season subscription during each performance weekend. Group rates also are
available. All programming is subject to change. For information, call
773-404-7922 or visit saintsebastianplayers.org.
###
St. Bonaventure • 1641
W. Diversey • Chicago, IL 60614 • 773-404-7922 • saintsebastianplayers.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jill Chukerman 773-525-3974
June 23, 2011 jchuk@rcn.com
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE:
SAINT SEBASTIAN PLAYERS
ANNOUNCE 31ST SEASON
CHICAGO—For its
31st season, the Saint Sebastian Players presents a moving drama, an original
adaptation of a well-known author’s works and a farcical comedy.
Opening the season is The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance, based on the life of John
Merrick, who lived in London during the latter part of the 19th century. A
horribly deformed man, victim of rare skin and bone diseases, he has become the
star freak attraction in traveling sideshows. Found abandoned and helpless, he
is admitted to London’s prestigious Whitechapel hospital. Under the care of
celebrated young physician Frederick Treves, Merrick is introduced to London
society and slowly evolves from an object of pity to an urbane and witty
favorite of the aristocracy and literati, only to be denied his ultimate dream:
to become a man like any other. The
Elephant Man won numerous Tony Awards including Best Play. Performances are October 21–November 13,
2011.
Mark Twain: Patriot, Teacher, Philosopher is a world premiere stage adaptation of Twain’s stories, essays and other
writings
by SSP member John Oster. Works include The
War Prayer, The Diaries of Adam and Eve, Letters from the Earth
and more. “The emphasis of
the text will be on Twain’s patriotism, his philosophy and his lifelong quest
to change the world and make it a better place as he tries to make the people
in it better,” commented Oster. Performances
are February 17–March 11, 2012.
The farce Figments
by Billy St. John closes the season. Rick Jacobs is a
playwright with a wild imagination. As he attempts to overcome a massive case
of writer’s block, the audience sees four figments of his imagination play out
the opening scene of his next murder mystery. He—and they—is/are interrupted by
the arrival of his neighbor, Loni, with whom Rick is secretly, and hopelessly,
in love. As Rick’s thoughts bounce between his frustrating love life and his
play, the real people and the figments of Rick’s imagination clash riotously
with the fictional characters in his play. Performances are April 27–May
20, 2012.
SSP began
producing theatre in 1982 at its original home, the St. Sebastian parish,
located at the corner of Halsted Street and Wellington Avenue on Chicago’s
North Side. When the parish closed, SSP relocated to its current home, St.
Bonaventure, at 1625 W. Diversey. During its history, the company has produced
original and previously produced dramas, comedies and musicals; original
audience-participation murder mysteries for special events; and the Monologue
Matchup Competition, as well as provided support for smaller Sebastian Studio
Projects produced by company members. A complete
history and a complete
list of mainstage productions are available on SSP’s website.
Performances of
each production are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at
St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey, at Marshfield just west of Ashland, in
Chicago. Free parking is available in two lots. Subscription packages for the
three-play season are $30, $20 for seniors. Full-priced single tickets are $15,
$10 for students with valid IDs and $7 for seniors and children younger than
12. Group rates also are available.
All programming
is subject to change. For information, call 773-404-7922 or visit saintsebastianplayers.org.
###
