Buffalo Theatre Ensemble Concludes Season With ‘The Drawer Boy’
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE) concludes the season with Michael Healey’s “The Drawer Boy” at the McAninch Arts Center, at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, Ill. July 13 – 29.
“The Drawer Boy, “directed by Ensemble member Kurt Naebig, features BTE Ensemble actor and Robert Jordan Bailey (Angus), and guest artists Jacob Abbas (Miles) and Jonathan Kraft (Morgan). Surprisingly funny, tender but tough, “The Drawer Boy” tells the story of two Canadian famers living in self-imposed isolation, who have their lives thrown into confusion by a young actor. The actor asks to observe their routines to prepare for a play when he unwittingly happens on a long-hidden personal story that shaped the lives of the two older men. The New York Times says “ The Drawer Boy’ is affecting precisely because it refuses to squeeze all the sentimental possibilities from the bittersweet history it describes.” One of the most successful plays in Canadian history, “The Drawer Boy” was featured on Time Magazine’s 2001 top ten list of plays as “a new classic.”
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble presents Michael Healey’s “The Drawer Boy” at the McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, Ill. July 13 – 29. A preview will be held Thursday, July 12 at 8 p.m. Press opening is Friday, July 13 at 8 p.m. Performances are Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 to $33. $2 discounts are available for non-COD students and seniors age 60 and over. For more information, call the MAC Ticket Office at (630) 942-4000, or purchase tickets online at www.AtTheMAC.org.
The McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, located 25 miles west of Chicago near I-88 and I-355, houses three performance spaces, an art gallery and classrooms for the college’s academic programming. This unique facility has presented theater, music, dance and visual art to more than 1.5 million people since its opening in 1986 and last year welcomed more than 75,000 patrons from the greater Chicago area to more than 230 performances. The mission of the McAninch Arts Center is to foster enlightened educational and performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community. For more information visit www.AtTheMAC.org
Jacob Abbas (Miles) is from Dixon, Illinois. He earned an Associate’s degree in Theatre from Sauk Valley College and went on to attend the Theatre School at DePaul University where he was seen in 10 productions, most notably as Borachio in Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” directed by Catherine Weidner, and the original production of “In Regards to the Shark,” directed by Greg Allen. Jacob is also very interested writing and doing stand-up comedy.
Chicagoan Robert Jordan Bailey (Angus) is a member of Buffalo Theatre Ensemble and was most recently was seen in BTE’s “Shining City,” directed by BTE Ensemble member Bryan Burke. Other BTE acting credits include “Glass Menagerie” (Jim), “Homeward Bound” (Nick), “Hamlet” (Horatio), “Bedroom Farce” (Malcolm),” Angels in America” (Louis), “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” (Michael),”70 Scenes of Halloween” (Jeff), “Blithe Spirit” (Charles), “Fuddy Meers” (Richard), “Art” (Marc), “Sylvia” (Greg), “Three Days of Rain” (Walker/Ned), “Baltimore Waltz,”” Noises Off” and “The Woman in Black.” Bailey has also been seen in productions at Chicago area theaters including Bailiwick Repertory Strawdog, Borealis and the Playwrights Center. Other regional theater credits include Players’ Theatre in Columbus and Southern Appalachian Repertory.
Indian Head Park’s Jonathan Kraft (Morgan)is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in L.A. and was most recently seen as Simon Able in the Theatre of Western Springs production of Larry Gelbart’s “Sly Fox” As an active member at TWS he has played Andy Tracy in Brian Friel’s “The Lovers” and performed as Mr. Kimber in, “George Washington Slept Here”, directed by Kurt Naebig. Before coming to Chicago, Jonathan did most of his work in California and the Western States with Regional Theatre, Summer Stock, and UCLA Film School. He was awarded Best Actor by the San Gabriel Valley Arts Council for his performance of Roger in Steven Tesich’s, “Division Street” This is Jonathan’s first time performing with BTE and is honored by the opportunity.
Lombard’s Kurt Naebig (Director) is a member of Buffalo Theatre Ensemble and has directed “Moonlight and Magnolias,” “Italian American Reconciliation,” “The Melville Boys,” “Lost In Yonkers,” “Sylvia,” “Fuddy Meers,” “The Country Club,” “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me,” and “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” here. In the city, he has directed “Keely and Du” for Infamous Commonwealth, “The Last of the Red Hot Lovers” with Soul Theatre Company at the Chopin Theatre and “Life and Limb” and “Brilliant Traces” with Swing For The Fences Productions. Kurt is also an actor and graduate of The Juilliard School and has been on stage at Steppenwolf Theatre, Portland Stage, Milwaukee’s Pabst Theatre, National Jewish Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare and A Red Orchid Theatre. Favorite roles include Merrick in “The Elephant Man,” Stanley in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Einstein in “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” and Joe in “Golden Boy.” He has also appeared in such films as “Public Enemies,” “Road to Perdition,” “The Express,” “Witless Protection,” “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer,” “Dillinger,” “Howard Beach: Making the Case for Murder,” and TV episodes of “The Chicago Code,” “Detroit 1-8-7,” “ER” and “Prison Break.” Kurt is a teacher the former artistic director of The Theatre of Western Springs and an Acting Coach at Acting Studio Chicago.