Writers' Theatre: News

Writers' Theatre Presents The Revival of Nixon's Nixon, Directed By Michael Halberstam, Featuring William Brown and Larry Yando

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

               Contact: Cathy Taylor / Schoenly Hixson
               Cathy Taylor Public Relations, Inc.                                   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
               773-564-9564                                                                      July 23, 2008
               cathy@cathytaylorpr.com
                                                                                                                ELECTRONIC PHOTOS AVAILABLE

                                                  WRITERS’ THEATRE PRESENTS THE REVIVAL OF
                                                                                 NIXON’S NIXON
                                                            DIRECTED BY MICHAEL HALBERSTAM,
                                                  FEATURING WILLIAM BROWN AND LARRY YANDO,
                                                                            ALREADY EXTENDED!

Glencoe, IL– Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma proudly announce the revival of Nixon’s Nixon by Russell Lees, directed by Michael Halberstam. The production runs August 19-October 19, 2008, at Writers’ Theatre, 664 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe. The official press openings are August 27 and 28, 2008, at 7:30 p.m.

This is the strongest presale in the history of Writers’ Theatre as ticket sales exceeded 80% of the goal in presale to season ticket holders. The production has already been extended by three weeks and must close October 19, 2008.

Just in time for the elections, Writers’ brings back its critically-acclaimed, award-winning production of Nixon’s Nixon. This box office record-breaking production returns to our most intimate theatre for a limited engagement. Artistic Director Michael Halberstam will once again direct William Brown and Larry Yando as they reprise their tour-de-force performances as Kissinger and Nixon in this thrilling, hilarious and brilliantly imagined story of what might have happened in the Lincoln sitting room the night before Nixon resigned.

“With our revival of Nixon’s Nixon, Writers’ Theatre proves that the word and the artists combined with an intimate setting make for an amazing theatrical experience,” says Michael Halberstam, “while also providing a vehicle for some truly dynamic conversation in this especially intense political season!” He continues, “Larry Yando and William Brown, two of the cities finest artist. reprise their award-winning roles in the same performance venue as the original production. They thrillingly demonstrate how world class theatre can happen in humble environments – which is after all, what truly places Chicago Theatre at the creative forefront of the nation!”

The designers are Jack Magaw (scenic), Josh Schmidt (sound), Keith Parham (lighting), Sarah Heberlein (costume).

Michael Halberstam (Artistic Director) and co-founder of Writers’ Theatre, where he has directed Love & Lunacy, A Play on Words, Dear Master, Not About Heroes (starring Nicholas Pennell), Diary of a Madman, My Own Stranger, Marriage & Bears, Blake, Memoir, Private Lives, Look Back in Anger, Candida, Fallen Angels, Nixon’s Nixon, Spite for Spite, The Father, A Phoenix Too Frequent, Rough Crossing, Crime and Punishment, Benefactors, The Doctor’s Dilemma, Seagull, The Uneasy Chair, The Duchess of Malfi, Othello, and most recently The Savannah Disputation. Michael appeared in the Writers’ Theatre productions Two by Shaw, Oscar Remembered, Damon, Ring & F. Scott, In the Heart of Winter, the title role in Richard II, pInteracts, Loot and Misalliance. Previously, he spent two years at The Stratford Festival in Ontario and performed in Timon of Athens, The Knight of the Burning Pestle (title role), Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It and Macbeth. Halberstam’s other Chicago acting credentials include productions with Wisdom Bridge, Court Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. He spent two-and-a-half years teaching Shakespeare at The Theatre School at DePaul University. Elsewhere he directed Pledge of Allegiance (American Theatre Company), The Gamester (Northlight Theatre), A Man for All Seasons (Peninsula Players Theatre), Hamlet (Illinois Shakespeare Festival), Candida (Jean Cocteau Repertory in New York City, NY) and Ten Little Indians (Drury Lane Oakbrook), a highly acclaimed revival of Crime And Punishment, which Writers’ Theatre produced Off-Broadway at 59E59 Theatres in New York and most recently, Enchanted April (Milwaukee Repertory Theater). His forays into opera have included The Rape of Lucretia (Chicago Opera Theater), Francesca da Ramini featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Christoph Eschenbach and Le Freyschutz, a Berlioz adaptation of the Weber opera conducted by Christoph Eschenbach in its North American Premiere (Ravinia Festival). Halberstam has received awards for excellence in theatre management and artistic achievement from The Chicago Drama League, The Arts & Business Council and the Chicago Lawyers for the Creative Arts. Halberstam will direct State of the Union at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, in their Powerhouse venue this September. Also, Halberstam will direct Nixon’s Nixon and the world premiere musical A Minister’s Wife, based on Candida by George Bernard Shaw, as part of the 2008/09 Season.

William Brown (Henry Kissinger) returns to reprise his Joseph Jefferson winning portrayal of Henry Kissinger in Nixon’s Nixon at Writers’ Theatre where he also previously appeared as Dr. Lyman in Bus Stop. Directing credits at Writers' Theatre include last season’s As You Like It and Joseph Jefferson nominated productions of Another Part of the Forest, Our Town, Rocket to the Moon, Misalliance and The Glass Menagerie, among others. At Northlight Theatre he has directed productions of She Stoops to Conquer (After Dark Award), The Chalk Garden, and Lady Windermere’s Fan, a play he also directed at Milwaukee Repertory Theater. At American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin he has directed Night of the Iguana, Shaw’s You Never Can Tell, Antony and Cleopatra, All’s Well That Ends Well, The Cherry Orchard, Twelfth Night and Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker. At TimeLine Theatre, he has directed the Midwest premiere of Tennessee Williams’ recently discovered prison drama Not About Nightingales, (six Jeff Citations including Best Play and Best Director), Halcyon Days, and Paragon Springs. Brown is the Associate Artistic Director of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks where he has directed Heartbreak House, Cymbeline, Much Ado About Nothing, The Winter’s Tale, Love’s Labours Lost, The Comedy of Errors, and The Country Wife. He most recently directed A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre.

Larry Yando (Richard Nixon) will reprise his Joseph Jefferson nominated role as Richard Nixon in Nixon’s Nixon after last season’s unforgettable portrayal of Jaques in As You Like It, directed by William Brown. Other credits include Bach at Leipzig and Rock¬et to the Moon at Writers' Theatre; Titus Andronicus at Defiant Theatre; The Two Noble Kinsmen, Cymbeline, The Tempest, All’s Well That Ends Well, Timon of Athens, Two Gentlemen of Verona, King Lear, Henry IV, Parts I and II and Antony and Cleopatra at Chicago Shakespeare Theater; and Travesties, Ghosts, The Importance of Being Earnest, An Ideal Husband, Electra, Measure for Measure and Travels with My Aunt at Court Theatre. He has also appeared at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Marriott Theater in Lincolnshire, Apple Tree Theatre, and the Royal George Theatre. Regionally, he has appeared at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Madison Repertory Theatre. Yando also appeared as Scar in a 3-year run with the national tour of The Lion King.

Previews are August 19-26, 2008. The opening press performances are on August 27 and 28, 2008, at 7:30 p.m. The production runs through October 19, 2008. Curtain times are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. There will be no show on Tuesday, September 9 and 30, 2008. Wednesday matinees will begin at 2 p.m. on September 10 and October 1, 2008.

Tickets are $60-$75 (Writers’ Theatre subscribers receive a 10% discount) and are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe; 847-242-6000 or online at www.writerstheatre.org.

Discussions with artistic staff and cast members will follow the performances on September 2, 3, 23 and 24, 2008. A pre-show lecture, designed to make the Writers’ Theatre experience even more enjoyable, will be given by Michael Halberstam or other members of the artistic staff on September 7 at 5 p.m.

DiPescara is the Writers’ Theatre 2008/09 Season restaurant partner. Patrons can enjoy dinner before the show at Di Pescara (2124 Northbrook Court, Northbrook), one of the North Shore’s top restaurants, named among the city’s best new restaurants by Chicago magazine. This Lettuce Entertain You restaurant, conveniently located at Northbrook Court (just five minutes from the theatre), is offering a three-course pre-theatre meal for $29.95 (excluding tax and gratuity). Contact Di Pescara at 847-498-4321 to make your reservation and mention Writers’ Theatre to receive your special offer.

The production sponsor is Philip and Janice Beck.

The Writers’ Theatre season is underwritten, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Writers’ Theatre is a professional company focusing on the Word and the Artist. Remaining true to the intention of the playwright and nurturing the artist stand at the center of the mission. Now in its 17th season, the company both revives classic scripts and cultivates new works and adaptations while invigorating them with fresh energy in the intimacy of its venues. Founded in 1992, Writers’ Theatre performed exclusively at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Avenue for the first 12 years. In the fall of 2003, the organization opened a new 108 seat performance venue at 325 Tudor Court. Today, Writers’ theatre continues to produce in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences. Since 2000, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 to more than 5,300 today. With an operating budget of $3.2 million, Writers’ Theatre is supported by a staff of 16 full-time employees and a 29-member Board of Trustees.

FACT SHEET
NIXON’S NIXON

Just in time for the elections, Writers’ brings back its critically-acclaimed, award-winning production of Nixon’s Nixon. This box office record-breaking production returns to our most intimate theatre for a limited engagement. Artistic Director Michael Halberstam will once again direct William Brown and Larry Yando as they reprise their tour-de-force performances as Kissinger and Nixon in this thrilling,hilarious and brilliantly imagined story of what might have happened in the Lincoln sitting room the night before Nixon resigned.

                          Title:                         Nixon’s Nixon
                          Written by:               Russell Lees
                          Directed by:            Artistic Director Michael Halberstam
                          Featuring:               William Brown and Larry Yando

                          Dates:                     Previews: August 19-26, 2008
                                                           Press opening: August 27 and 28, 2008, at 7:30 p.m.
                                                           Regular run: August 29 – September 28, 2008
                                                           Extension Dates: September 30 – October 19, 2008
                          Schedule:              Tuesdays & Wednesdays: 7:30 p.m.
                                                           Thursdays & Fridays:       8:00 p.m.
                                                           Saturdays:        4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
                                                           Sundays:   2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
                                                           Wednesday Matinee:  2:00 p.m., September 10 and October 1, 2008

                                                          There will be no show on Tuesdays, September 9 and 30, 2008.

                           Special events:    Pre-show lectures:  September 7, 2008, at 5:00 p.m.
                                                           Post-show discussions: September 2, 3, 23 and 24, 2008

                           Location:               Writers’ Theatre, 664 Vernon Avenue
                           Tickets:                 Tickets for all performances will range from $60 -                                                       $75. Season ticket holders receive a 10% discount on tickets.
                          Box Office:             The Box Office is located at 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe;
                                                           847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

Notes of Interest:
• Nixon’s Nixon is playing in Chicago for the second time ever. The first Chicago production was at Writers’ Theatre in 2000. The production was also directed by Michael Halberstam and featured the same cast.

• William Brown won the Jeff Award for his portrayal of Henry Kissinger in 2000. Larry Yando was nominated for a Jeff Award for his portrayal of Richard Nixon in this same production.

• William Brown and Larry Yando worked together at Writers' Theatre in As You Like It, directed by William Brown with Larry Yando with an unforgettable performance as the melancholic Jaques. They will again work together later this year for the Goodman’s A Christmas Carol, directed by William Brown, featuring Larry Yando as Scrooge, and with the world premiere of Old Glory by Brett Neveu at Writers' Theatre, directed by William Brown and Larry Yando in a six-person ensemble.

• William Brown will direct the world premiere of Old Glory by Brett Neveu at Writers’ later this year.

• This spring, Michael Halberstam will direct A Minister’s Wife, a world premiere musical based on George Bernard Shaw’s Candida. He will team with Josh Schmidt (music), Jan Tranen (lyrics) and Austin Pendleton (adaptation). Michael is also slated to direct State of the Union at Milwaukee Rep this season.

THE LION WINTER Extended Through August 17th

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

                  Contact: Cathy Taylor / Schoenly Hixson
                               Cathy Taylor Public Relations, Inc.                                            July 18, 2008
                               773-564-9564
                               cathy@cathytaylorpr.com

                                                               DUE TO HIGH TICKET DEMAND
                                             WRITERS’ THEATRE ADDS A SECOND EXTENSION TO
                                                                     THE LION IN WINTER
                                                                THROUGH AUGUST 17, 2008

Glencoe, IL– Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma once again announce additional dates for James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter directed by Rick Snyder due to record ticket demand. The production will now run through August 17, 2008, at Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe.

Weekly sales for The Lion in Winter have broken box office records and nearly doubled the previously set record held by As You Like It. This is the second show to extend this season for Writers’ Theatre due to high demand. The Lion in Winter has become the highest grossing production in Writers’ Theatre history.

It is Christmas in England, 1183, and the aging monarch, Henry II, brings his wife Queen Eleanor out of exile in order to discuss his plans for succession. Also present are his three sons that include future kings of England John (famous for the Magna Carta) and Richard the Lionheart (who was to lead the crusades). Themes of mortality, romance, power and politics all collide. Goldman scribes fiction from the circumstances of the past, crafting a wholly modern telling of deliciously historic times. Director Rick Snyder brings touches of the gritty authenticity to this classic drama.

                                      Title:                    The Lion in Winter
                                      Written by:          James Goldman
                                      Directed by:        Rick Snyder
                                      Featuring            Robert Belushi, Michael Canavan, Shannon Cochran, Lea Coco,
                                                                   Laura Coover, Michael Fagin and Christopher McLinden

                                      Dates:                  Regular run: June 4-August 3, 2008
                                                                    Extension: August 5-17, 2008

                                      Schedule:           Tuesdays & Wednesdays:      7:30 p.m.
                                                                   Thursdays & Fridays:                8:00 p.m.
                                                                   Saturdays:                                   4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
                                                                   Sundays:                                      2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
                                                                   There will be no 6:00 p.m. performances on July 27
                                                                   Wednesday Matinees:              2:00 p.m. July 23 only

Location: Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

Tickets: Regular run (through August 3): $40-$70
Extension (August 5-17): $50-$70

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe;
847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

2008/09 SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Contact: Cathy Taylor
(773) 564-9564
cathy@cathytaylorpr.com                                                                                EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE
                                                                                                                              ON TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2008

Writers’ Theatre announces 2008/09 season,
to include the world premiere musical adaptation of Shaw’s Candida,
the world premiere of Brett Neveu’s Old Glory;
Picnic; and The Maids plus
a late summer revival of Nixon’s Nixon
and the holiday classic A Christmas Carol

Glencoe, IL—Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the company’s 17th season, which includes two world premieres: the world premiere musical adaptation of Candida (as yet untitled) by George Bernard Shaw with music by Josh Schmidt, book by Austin Pendleton, lyrics by Jan Tranen and conceived and direction by Michael Halberstam; and Brett Neveu’s Old Glory, directed by William Brown. The subscription season also includes Picnic by William Inge, directed by David Cromer; and Jean Genet’s The Maids translated by Martin Crimp, directed by Jimmy McDermott. For the first time in Writers’ Theatre history, three non-subscription shows will be produced, including an election season revival of Nixon’s Nixon by Russell Lees, directed by Michael Halberstam, featuring the original cast of William Brown and Larry Yando; Michael Halberstam’s one-man dramatic staged reading of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol; and a family production to be determined.

Writers’ Theatre performs in two performance spaces in Glencoe – its 50-seat venue at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Ave, and its 108-seat theatre at 325 Tudor Court in the Woman’s Library Club. Subscriptions and Memberships are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe, 847-242-6000 and www.writerstheatre.org.

“I look at this season as a coming of age for Writers’ Theatre” says Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. “The company has enjoyed a long-time collaborative relationship with artists like William Brown, David Cromer, Josh Schmidt and Larry Yando. This year, we showcase them all in an extraordinary lineup of productions. Two world premieres, a new musical, a revival of one of our most successful productions, an American chestnut dusted off to be brought into new light and a contemporary French masterpiece all combine to make theatrical alchemy.”

THE 2008/09 WRITERS’ THEATRE SEASON IS:

The revival of
Nixon’s Nixon
By Russell Lees
Directed by Michael Halberstam
Featuring William Brown and Larry Yando
Performance Venue: 664 Vernon Avenue

Previews: August 19 – 26, 2008
Regular Run: August 30 – September 28, 2008
Press Openings: August 27 & 28, 2008 at 7:30 pm

Tickets are currently only available to 2008/09 season ticket holders and will be on sale to the public on June 20, 2008.

Just in time for the presidential elections, Writers’ brings back its critically acclaimed, award-winning production of Nixon’s Nixon. This box office record-breaking production returns to our most intimate theatre for a limited engagement. Artistic Director Michael Halberstam will once again direct William Brown and Larry Yando as they reprise their tour-de-force performances as Kissinger and Nixon in this thrilling, hilarious and brilliantly imagined story of what might have happened in the Lincoln sitting room the night before Nixon resigned.

Picnic
By William Inge
Directed by David Cromer
Featuring Marc Grapey
Performance Venue: 325 Tudor Court

Previews: September 16 – 23, 2008
Regular Run: September 26 – November 16, 2008
Press Opening: September 24, 2008 at 7:30 pm

This American classic is staged by Chicago’s own David Cromer whose previous work for Writers’ Theatre includes The Price and Booth and whose highly acclaimed production of The Adding Machine is enjoying a successful run in New York. When a charismatic young drifter arrives in a small Kansas town on the eve of a Labor Day picnic, the simmering repressions of its residents come rapidly to a boil. Frequently hilarious and profoundly moving, Inge’s masterpiece chronicles the hopes and despairs that lie between the realization of adulthood and the eternal optimism of youth.

The Maids
By Jean Genet
Translated by Martin Crimp
Directed by Jimmy McDermott
Performance Venue: 664 Vernon Avenue

Previews: November 18 – December 2, 2008
Regular Run: December 6, 2008 – April 5, 2009
Press opening: December 3 & 4, 2008 at 7:30 pm

When the mistress is away, the maids will play. Two women in service to a younger socialite pass the moments of their day in playacting and fantasy. As the line between fantasy and reality begins to disintegrate, their games take a deadly turn. Jealousy, resentment, sexual tension and murder converge in this 1947 classic French thriller. Jimmy McDermott, one of the city’s most exciting young directors, brings his trademark edginess to this seminally rebellious play.

A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Michael Halberstam
Featuring Michael Halberstam
Performance Venue: 325 Tudor Court

Regular Run: December 14 – 23, 2008
Press opening: December 13, 2008

Artistic Director Michael Halberstam gives another solo tour-de-force performance of the greatest ghost story ever written. Available for a limited engagement, our 13th annual reading of Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey over the course of one magical Christmas Eve has become a holiday tradition.

The world premiere of
Old Glory
By Brett Neveu
Directed by William Brown
Performance Venue: 325 Tudor Court

Previews: February 3 – 11, 2009
Regular Run: February 14 – March 29, 2009
Press Opening: February 12, 2009 at 7:30 pm

William Brown, director of last season’s triumphant As You Like It turns his attention from the old to the new. One of the country's hottest young playwrights, Brett Neveu, brings us the world premiere of Old Glory. This gripping drama in which a family confronts loss as a consequence of war is brought intensely to life through Neveu’s direct yet poetic language. No government, no politics, just people. Razor sharp wit and fiercely emotional confrontation combine as this viscerally powerful mystery unfolds.

A new musical adapted from Candida by George Bernard Shaw (as yet untitled)
Music by Joshua Schmidt
Lyrics by Jan Tranen
Adapted by Austin Pendleton
Conceived and Directed by Michael Halberstam
Performance Venue: 325 Tudor Court

Previews: May 19 – June 3, 2009
Regular Run: June 6 – July 19, 2009
Press Opening: June 4, 2009 at 7:30 pm

After his unanimously acclaimed New York debut, The Adding Machine, Writers’ Theatre Associate Artist Josh Schmidt has become the most eagerly anticipated young musical theatre composer in the country. His second creation adapted from Candida by George Bernard Shaw in collaboration with artistic director Michael Halberstam, playwright Austin Pendleton and lyricist Jan Tranen, receives its world premiere in Glencoe. A poet, a preacher and his wife enter into a delicious conflict when a fantastical suspicion turns an ordinary day topsy turvy.

Family Programming
Following the success of this season’s The Frog Prince, Writers’ will continue its family programming with a play yet to be determined. The family production will open March 14 and will run through April 19 with performances on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and Sundays at 11:00 a.m.

TICKET INFORMATION:

Writers' Theatre season ticket packages provide a convenient theatergoing experience to accommodate busy lives. The Writers’ Theatre Membership is $180 and provides ultimate flexibility. The Subscription is $200
and offers patrons a preset schedule with the guarantee of the same seat to their originally scheduled performances. Each Membership and Subscription includes one ticket to Picnic, The Maids, Old Glory and the new musical adaptation of Candida.

Both season packages offer exclusive pre-sale access to tickets for Nixon’s Nixon, A Christmas Carol, Family Programming and special behind-the-scenes events. The Rain Checks is a new benefit that gives Members and Subscribers the opportunity to make up a missed performance at no cost. Members and Subscribers also receive free ticket exchanges by phone, mail and fax, show reminders by email before each scheduled performance and a one-year subscription to The Brief Chronicle newsmagazine.
Subscriptions and Memberships are available at the at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe, 847-242-6000 and www.writerstheatre.org.

SPECIAL SERIES:
Pre-Show Lecture
Writers’ Theatre guest artists will guide patrons through the inner-workings of each production. By providing details that enhance the Writers’ Theatre experience, each lecture will increase audience appreciation for the production to follow. The pre-show lectures begin at 5:00 p.m. and are offered at no additional cost with select Sunday evening performances.

Post-Show Discussions
Writers’ Theatre artistic staff and cast members will host lively post-show discussions. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions about the process, the characters and the production. Post-show discussions are offered at no additional cost and are available with select Tuesday and Wednesday evening performances.

About Writers' Theatre
Writers' Theatre is a professional company focusing on the Word and the Artist. Remaining true to the intention of the playwright and nurturing the artist stand at the center of the mission. Now in its 17th season, the company both revives classic scripts and cultivates new works and adaptations while invigorating them with fresh energy in the intimacy of its venues. Founded in 1992, Writers’ Theatre performed exclusively at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Avenue for the first 12 years. In the fall of 2003, the organization opened a new 108 seat performance venue at 325 Tudor Court. Today, Writers’ theatre continues to produce in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences. Since 2000, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 to more than 5,300 today. With an operating budget of $3.2 million, Writers’ Theatre is supported by a staff of 16 full-time employees and a 29-member Board of Trustees.

THE LION IN WINTER

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Contact: Cathy Taylor / Schoenly Hixson
Cathy Taylor Public Relations, Inc.
773-564-9564
cathy@cathytaylorpr.com
                                                                                                                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                                                                                     April 28, 2008

WRITERS’ THEATRE PRESENTS JAMES GOLDMAN’S
THE LION IN WINTER
DIRECTED BY RICK SNYDER

Glencoe, IL– Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma proudly announce James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter directed by Rick Snyder. The production runs May 27- August 3, 2008, at Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe. The official press opening is June 4, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.

It is Christmas in England, 1183, and the aging monarch, Henry II, brings together his exiled wife Queen Eleanor and his three sons in order to plan for his succession. The ensuing power struggles and attempts to craft political alliances engage you in the dramatic exploration of the ultimate family gathering. Goldman creates a modern fiction from the circumstances of the past resulting in a deliciously witty and resonant evening of theatre. Director Rick Snyder brings a wonderfully authentic touch to this very contemporary play.

“Rick has put together an incredible cast and design team,” comments Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. “In such capable and fearless hands I look forward to a classic Writers’ Theatre revival in which a familiar American classic gets a visceral, earthy, first class staging in our intimate theatre. The dramatic family dynamics that Rick explored as an actor in August: Osage County will very much compliment the dangerous and yet highly entertaining circumstances of Goldman’s play. It’s perfect summer viewing!”

The cast includes Robert Belushi (John), Michael Canavan (Henry II, King of England), Shannon Cochran (Eleanor), Lea Coco (Richard), Laura Coover (Alais Capet), Michael Fagin (Philip Capet, King of France) and Christopher McLinden (Geoffrey).

The designers are Jack Magaw (scenic), Josh Schmidt (sound), J.R. Lederle (lighting), Nan Zabriskie (costume) and Meredith Miller (properties).

The Lion in Winter is sponsored by JP Morgan Chase Bank, NES Rentals and Scott Byron Co.

The Lion in Winter

Rick Snyder (Director) recently appeared in August: Osage County and The Unmentionables with Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Recent directing credits are The Actor at the Goodman Theatre, Aristocrats at Strawdog Theatre, Betrayal at Steppenwolf, Jolly and The Disappearance of the Jews at the Goodman, St. Scarlet at American Theatre Company, Bus Stop at Writers’ Theatre and Last of the Boys at Steppenwolf. Other directing credits at Steppenwolf include Tavern Story, Things Being What They Are, Orange Flower Water (which traveled to the Galway Arts Festival) and The Fall to Earth. Recent acting credits are Man From Nebraska and I Never Sang For My Father. Other Steppenwolf acting credits include Wedding Band, The Time of Your Life, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in London and on Broadway, Sideman in Galway, Ireland, David Copperfield, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Slaughterhouse Five, Molly Sweeney, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, the Tony Award-winning Grapes of Wrath, The Road to Nirvana and A Walk in the Woods. He has appeared at the Goodman Theatre in As You Like It, Down the Shore and as Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. At Northlight Theatre he appeared in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolff and The Rear Column. Television credits include Crime Story, First Steps, Lady Blue, Legacy of Lies, The Woman Who Loved Elvis, Overexposed and guest starring roles on Early Edition, Profiler, Chicago Hope, Angel Street, The Untouchables, Missing Persons and Mind of the Married Man. Rick has appeared in the films Meet the Applegates, The Tuskegee Airmen, Alien Nation Millenium, The Net starring Sandra Bullock, Whiteboys and Soul Survivors. He appeared as agent Frank Burrows in U.S. Marshals and recently appeared in The Human Stain. He has taught acting classes at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN, as well as advanced acting classes at Northwestern University and DePaul University. He currently teaches Directing 1 at Columbia College in Chicago. Rick has been a member of the Steppenwolf ensemble since 1983, and an instructor for The School at Steppenwolf and Associate Artist at Steppenwolf for the last ten years.

Robert Belushi (John) comes to Writers’ Theatre direct from Las Vegas, where he was performing with Second City Mainstage in their new revue. He has performed improvisation and sketch comedy throughout Chicago, most notably as an understudy for the Second City National Touring Company, at the IO Theater, in the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival and the Chicago Improv Festival. Other theater credits include Marty in Ellen Fairey's Girl, 20 with Serendipity Theater Collective (World and West Coast Premiere) and as Warren in This Is Our Youth with Pine Box Theatre (remounted at the Theater on the Lake). Film credits include Riff Raff (Best Supporting Actor, Tenerife International Film Festival) and The Christians (Splitpillow). Rob graduated from Wesleyan University with an Honors BA in Film Studies and the School at Steppenwolf.

Michael Canavan (Henry II, King of England) previously appeared at Writers’ Theatre in The Father. Other Chicago credits include Mizlansky/Zilinsky at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and The Dying Gaul at Apple Tree Theatre. He recently appeared off-Broadway in Bug by Tracy Letts. Other New York credits include working with Joseph Papp Public Theatre, Theatre for the New City and Riverside Shakespeare Company. Regional credits include Prelude to a Kiss, Reckless, Jitters, Cold Sweat, Ghost in the Machine, Oleanna at South Coast Repertory, De Donde? at New Mexico Repertory Theatre and a season with the Pittsburgh Public Theater. He also played Vershinin in Three Sisters at Teatro Popular de Bogota in Colombia, South America. Film projects include Flags of Our Fathers, The Island, Hidalgo and Murder By Numbers, among others. He has guest-starred on dozens of television programs including Bones, Shark, Entourage, Brother & Sisters, Criminal Minds, Big Love and has had recurring roles on 7th Heaven and General Hospital. He is a produced playwright and has directed productions for Pegasus Repertory in Aspen, CO, and Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell, MA.

Shannon Cochran (Eleanor) returns to Writers’ Theatre having last appeared in The Father, also opposite Michael Canavan. She received an Obie Award and a Theatre World Award for the role she created in Bug by Tracy Letts. She just completed a national tour of Top Secret: The Battle For The Pentagon Papers with John Heard. Other recent theatre credits include the world premiere of Bruce Norris’ The Unmentionables at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Private Lives at the Long Wharf Theatre and System Wonderland at South Coast Repertory Theatre. Her film credits include The Ring, Star Trek: Nemesis, The Babe and she is cast in Oliver Stone’s Pinkville. She currently has a recurring role on the upcoming Fox series The Oaks. Her recent guest-starring appearances include Grey’s Anatomy, The Unit, The Office, Without a Trace, Close to Home and Law & Order: SVU.

Lea Coco (Richard) makes his debut at Writers’ Theatre. He has appeared in productions at About Face Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Madison Repertory Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company (with Shannon Cochran), Utah Shakespeare Festival, City Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Blue Man Group (as a Blue Man) and the Public Theatre (New York Shakespeare Festival). He has appeared in a few movies and TV shows. He is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon.

Laura Coover (Alais Capet) joins Writers' Theatre for the first time. She recently received her BFA in acting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Favorite roles include Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at the Great River Shakespeare Festival, Joan in The Lark at Krannert Center at Universtiy of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Martha Cratchit in A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre.

Michael Fagin (Philip Capet, King of France) makes his professional theatrical debut at Writers’ Theatre. A native Chicagoan and 2007 graduate of Loyola University Chicago’s theatre program, Michael has appeared in stage shows at Navy Pier, the Abbie Hoffman Festival at Mary Arrchie Theatre Company and a night of live radio productions at Strawdog Theatre Company with Bentlight Theatre Company.

Christopher McLinden (Geoffrey) returns to Writers’ Theatre where he previously appeared in Seagull and The Duchess of Malfi. Other Chicago credits include Last of the Boys, The Diary of Anne Frank (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Short Shakespeare! Taming of the Shrew (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Vincent in Brixton (Appletree Theatre, After Dark Award), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (First Folio Shakespeare Festival), Lady from the Sea (Greasy Joan & Co.), The Vortex (Boxer Rebellion Ensemble), The Old Lady Shows Her Medals, Man Of Destiny and You Never Can Tell (Shaw Chicago Theatre Company). McLinden received his BFA from Northern Illinois University and has also studied at the Moscow Art Theatre.

Previews are May 27 - June 3, 2008. The opening press performance is on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. The production runs through August 3, 2008. Curtain times are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. There will be no 6:00 p.m. performances on June 15, July 13 and July 27. Wednesday matinees will be available on June 11, July 9 and July 23, 2008 at 2 p.m. There are no performances scheduled for July 3 and 4, 2008.

Tickets start at $40 and are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe; 847-242-6000 or online at www.writerstheatre.org.

Discussions with artistic staff and cast members will follow the performances on June 17 and 18, July 15 and 16, 2008. A pre-show lecture, designed to make the Writers’ Theatre experience even more enjoyable, will be given by Michael Halberstam or other members of the artistic staff on June 22 and 29 at 5 p.m., in the dining room at the theatre (325 Tudor Court).

Morton’s The Steakhouse is the Writers’ Theatre restaurant partner. Patrons can enjoy a meal at Morton’s, before the show, consisting of a salad, entrée, dessert and a glass of wine for $83, including tax! For more details or to purchase your meal, contact the Box Office.

The Lion in Winter

The Writers’ Theatre season is underwritten, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Writers’ Theatre is a professional company focusing on the word and the artist, with the playwright at the center of its mission. The 16-year-old company produces classic scripts and cultivates new works including literary adaptations, second productions and rarely or infrequently produced works of classic writers, invigorating them with new energy and a new approach. For its first 12 years, Writers’ Theatre performed in the anteroom of “Books on Vernon” at 664 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe. In the fall of 2003, the company opened its new 108-seat thrust stage performance venue at 325 Tudor Court, continuing its tradition of bringing audiences face to face with literature’s greatest creators and creations in an intimate environment.

The company continues to produce works in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences while growing annual attendance to more than 30,000. In the past seven years, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 in 2000 to more than 5,200 in 2007. With an operating budget of more than $3 million, Writers’ Theatre is supported by a staff of 16 fulltime employees and a 28-member Board of Trustees.

Fact Sheet / The Lion in Winter

                                                Title:                   The Lion in Winter
                                                Written by:         James Goldman
                                                Directed by:       Rick Snyder
                                                Featuring:          Robert Belushi, Michael Canavan, Shannon Cochran,
                                                    Lea Coco, Laura Coover, Michael Fagin and Christopher McLinden

                                                Dates:                Previews: May 27-June 3, 2008
                                                                            Press opening: June 4, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.
                                                                            Regular run: June 4-August 3, 2008

                                               Schedule:          Tuesdays & Wednesdays:              7:30 p.m.
                                                                           Thursdays & Fridays:                        8:00 p.m.
                                                                           Saturdays:                                           4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
                                                                           Sundays:                                              2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
                        There will be no 6:00 p.m. performances on June 15, July 13 and July 27
                                                                           Wednesday Matinees:                      2:00 p.m.

June 11, July 9 and July 23 only

                                                                         *There will be no performances on July 3 and 4

                                              Special events: Pre-show lectures:            June 22 and 29 at 5:00 p.m.
                                                                           Post-show discussions:  June 17 and 18, July 15 and 16

Location: Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

Tickets: $40-$65

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe;
847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

NOTES OF INTEREST:
• Director Rick Snyder is a Steppenwolf ensemble member who was most recently seen onstage in the original cast of August: Osage County. Rick declined the offer to appear on Broadway as he chose to spend his year teaching at Columbia College and directing in Chicago, including a piece in the Goodman’s Horton Foote Festival and this production at Writers’ Theatre. This is Rick’s second production at Writers’. Previously, he directed William Inge’s Bus Stop.

• The Lion in Winter is sound designer Joshua Schmidt’s first project since opening The Adding Machine in New York. Audiences may remember the elaborate and detailed set designs for Bus Stop and The Subject was Roses. Schmidt is also currently working with Artistic Director Michael Halberstam, Austin Pendleton and Jan Tranen on the musical adaptation of Candida, titled A Minister’s Wife, to premiere next season. Designer Jack Magaw once again teams up with Writers’ Theatre and Rick Snyder for this project.

• Robert Belushi, a second generation Chicago actor, comes to Writers’ Theatre direct from Las Vegas, where he was performing with Second City in its new revue.

• Real-life husband/wife team Michael Canavan and Shannon Chochran previously appeared together at Writers’ in The Father; Shannon also appeared at Writers’ in Private Lives. Shannon is also known to Chicago audiences from her roles in Tracy Letts’ Bug and The Man from Nebraska, which also featured Rick Snyder.

• Christopher McLinden returns to Writers’ Theatre where he previously appeared in Seagull and Duchess of Malfi. Lea Coco, Michael Fagin and Laura Coover are all working at Writers’ Theatre for the first time.