Profiles Theatre opens 26th Season with the Midwest Premiere of Reasons to Be Happy by Resident Artist Neil LaBute Directed by Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox August 22 – October 12, 2014
Profiles Theatre opens its 26th Season with the Midwest Premiere of Reasons to Be Happy by Resident Artist Neil LaBute, directed by Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox. The production runs August 22 – October 12, 2014 at Profiles Theatre’s The Main Stage, 4139 N. Broadway.
Reasons to Be Happy is the companion piece to Neil LaBute’s widely praised, 2009 Tony-nominated reasons to be pretty, a long running hit at Profiles in 2011. Three years after a contentious break-up, Steph and Greg wonder if they can make a fresh go of it. Trouble is, she’s married to someone else and he’s just embarked on a relationship with Steph’s best friend, Carly –a single mom whose jealous ex-husband, Kent, has trouble articulating his feelings. Navigating the rocky landscape of conflicting agendas and exploding emotions isn’t going to be easy for any of them. Reasons to Be Happy, a funny, surprising, and poignant new comedy, explores the choices and sacrifices we make in the pursuit of that often elusive ideal – happiness.
Reasons to Be Happy, produced by MCC Theater and directed by LaBute, premiered off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theater in June 2013. The critically acclaimed production, starring Jenna Fisher, received an extended run along with a Lucille Lortel Award Nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play for Fred Weller. This marks Profiles Theatre’s eleventh premiere by Resident Artist Neil LaBute. Previous productions include the American premiere of In a Forest, Dark and Deepand acclaimed Midwest premieres of Wrecks, The Mercy Seat and Fat Pig as well as the World premiere of his revised stage version of In the Company of Men, recipient of a Joseph Jefferson Nomination for Best New Adaptation.
ABOUT PROFILES THEATRE
Profiles Theatre, founded in 1988 by Artistic Director Joe Jahraus, joined shortly thereafter by Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox, was formed as an actor-driven theatre ensemble dedicated to creating provocative and emotionally truthful productions. Passionate about shaping an original vision for new works, they focused on performing World, American and Midwest premieres as well as rarely performed plays. Critically acclaimed hits, such as BLACKBIRD, FAT PIG, GRACELAND and the multiple Jeff Award-winning KILLER JOE, established Profiles as a destination for challenging and edgy theatre. Their unique collaboration with playwright Neil LaBute led the ensemble to perform an entire season of his plays in 2007-2008. Now a Resident Artist at Profiles, LaBute remains an unequivocal artistic influence on the ensemble.
After performing at 4147 North Broadway for more than two decades, Profiles acquired an adjacent theatre at 4139 North Broadway in 2012. Profiles’ new theatre, The Main Stage, with its larger seating capacity, increased performance space and higher ceilings, accommodates more ambitious and technically demanding productions. Their long-time venue, renamed The Alley Stage, continues as the home for plays strengthened by a more intimate staging. Driven by an undiminished appetite for creating honest and resonant theatre, Profiles still seeks to present work that illuminates the determination and resiliency of the human spirit.
For more information about Profiles Theatre, visit www.profilestheatre.org.