AMERICAN BLUES THEATER CLOSES THEIR 2012-2013 SEASON WITH COLLECTED STORIES BY PULITZER PRIZE WINNER DONALD MARGULIES APRIL 19 – MAY 19
American Blues Theater, Chicago’s second oldest Equity ensemble, proudly closes the Ensemble’s 27th season with the Broadway version of the script Collected Stories by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies, co-directed by the mother and daughter team of Mary Ann Thebus and Steppenwolf Theater Associate Artist Jessica Thebus, runs April 19 – May 19 at Victory Gardens’ Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue. Previews are Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 22 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets range from $10 – $49. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 19 at 12 p.m. Performances run Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. There are two Saturday matinees at 5 p.m., May 11 and 18. For more information or tickets, go to www.americanbluestheater.
Collected Stories chronicles the relationship between two female writers: Ruth Steiner (Carmen Roman), a celebrated New York author with a dry wit and a distinguished career and her bright-eyed young protégé, Lisa Morrison (American Blues Theater’s Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside). The story examines their relationship, both personal and professional, as it changes over the course of six years via six scenes with the line between fact and fiction blurring resulting in an explosive conclusion. The New Yorker declares Collected Stories is an “Engaging tale of aesthetics and ethics with intelligence and sharp, literate humor.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Mary Ann and Jessica Thebus to the Blues family,” says Gwendolyn Whiteside, ABT producing artistic director. “Many times, our ensemble has worked with these powerhouse women but never on the same project. Their artistic insights, experiences and natural talent add complex levels to Margulies’ rich text.”
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
DONALD MARGULIES (playwright) plays include Time Stands Still, Brooklyn Boy, Dinner with Friends, Sight Unseen, Collected Stories, The Loman Family Picnic, God Of Vengeance, The Model Apartment, What’s Wrong with this Picture? and Found a Peanut.
Margulies has won a Lucille Lortel Award, an American Theatre Critics Award, two Los Angeles Drama Critics Awards, two OBIE Awards, two Dramatists Guild Hull-Warriner Awards, five Drama Desk Award nominations, two Pulitzer Prize nominations and one Pulitzer Prize. His works have been performed on and off Broadway; at major theatres across the United States and in Paris, London, Rome, Madrid, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Sydney, Berlin, Vienna and many other cities around the world. Margulies has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, The New York Foundation for the Arts, and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. In 2005 he was honored by the American Academy of Arts and Letters with an Award in Literature and by the National Foundation for Jewish Culture with its Cultural Achievement Award and was the recipient of the 2000 Sidney Kingsley Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Theatre by a playwright. Margulies is an alumnus of New Dramatists and serves on the council of The Dramatists Guild of America. He is an adjunct professor of English and Theatre Studies at Yale University
JESSICA THEBUS (co-director) is a multiple Jeff Award-nominated director and an Associate Artist at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where her credits include Intimate Apparel, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, No Place Like Home, When the Messenger is Hot (also at 59 E. 59th in New York City) Sonia Flew and Sex with Strangers (First Look Repertory of New Work). Thebus’ credits across Chicago include the world premiere of Feast: An Intimate Tempest at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Stage Kiss at Goodman Theatre and productions for Victory Gardens Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Court Theatre and About Face Theatre. She is a faculty member in the Directing Program at Northwestern University and an artistic associate at The Corn Exchange in Dublin, Ireland.
MARY ANN THEBUS (co-director) has been a Chicago-based award-winning actor for almost thirty years. She’s performed roles in regional theatres and appeared in film and television shows. Thebus has also long been a teacher of acting both privately and at The Artistic Home where she conducts a Master Class for working actors. Recent appearances on the Chicago stage include After The Revolution with Next Theatre Company and Elizabeth Rex at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.
ABOUT AMERICAN BLUES THEATER
American Blues Theater’s multi-generational and inter-disciplined
artists comprise all aspects of theater, television, and film. American Blues Theater is the second-oldest Equity Ensemble theater in Chicago. Our 38-member Ensemble has over 456 combined years of collaboration on stage. As of 2013, American Blues Theater received over 120 Joseph Jefferson Awards celebrating excellence in Chicago theater and 19 Black Theatre Alliance Awards. We’ve also received honors from The Pulitzer Prizes, Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Emmy Awards, and numerous other accolades.
The American Blues Theater Ensemble includes all four Founders Ed Blatchford, Rick Cleveland, James Leaming, and William Payne with Dawn Bach, Matthew Brumlow, Manny Buckley, Kate Buddeke, Sarah Burnham, Dara Cameron, Casey Campbell, Brian Claggett, Dennis Cockrum, Laura Coover, Lauri Dahl, Kristin DeiTos, Joe Foust, Tom Geraty, Cheryl Graeff, Marty Higginbotham, Jaclyn Holsey, Lindsay Jones, Samantha Jones, Nambi E. Kelley, Kevin R. Kelly, Steve Key, Ed Kross, Warren Levon, Michael Mahler, Kelli Marino, Heather Meyers , John Möhrlein, Jim Ortlieb, Suzanne Petri, Carmen Roman, Editha Rosario, Sarah E. Ross, and Gwendolyn Whiteside.
Collected Stories by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies, co-directed by Mary Ann Thebus and Jessica Thebus, runs April 19 – May 19 at Victory Gardens’ Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue. Previews are Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 22 at 2:30 p.m. The press opening for Collected Stories is Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $10 – $49. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, March 19 at 12 p.m. Performances run Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. There are two Saturday matinees at 5 p.m., May 11 and 18. For more information or tickets, go to www.americanbluestheater.
COLLECTED STORIES is made possible in part by funding by The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Actors Equity Foundation, Eurex, and the Book Club sponsors. ComEd is the official lighting season sponsor.