Writers’ Theatre presents Yellow Moon April 16 – August 4 Performed at Books on Vernon

Moon_180x266Writers’ Theatre Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Artistic Director Michael Halberstam announce the Writers’ Theatre production of Yellow Moon, written by David Greig and directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden. The production runs April 16 – August 4, 2013,performed at Books on Vernon – 664 Vernon Ave, Glencoe. 

This is the ballad of Leila and Lee—a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde who learn that they aren’t alone in the world the night that they discover each other. Their wild ramble across the Scottish highlands in search of an absent father is told in a series of lyrical narratives that will immerse audiences in the action, forging a breathless drama of beauty in the darkness.

Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden (Travels With My Aunt, Hesperia) directs this intimate bookstore production.

Stuart Carden comments, “Playwright David Greig is an exuberant and masterful storyteller who articulates the twists and turns of his jaw-dropping narrative with some of the most inventive, muscular, and lyrical language I’ve read by a contemporary playwright.  Little known in the U.S. but celebrated in the U.K. it is a distinct honor to be the first American company to produce Yellow Moon and introduce, within the intense intimacy of our bookstore space, this exciting playwright’s inventive and energetic style of theatre to our audience.

The cast includes: Ashleigh LaThrop (Leila), John Lister (Billy/Frank), Josh Salt (Lee) and Karen Janes Woditsch (Jenni/Holly).

The creative team includes: Kevin Depinet (Scenic Design), Rachel Anne Healy (Costumes), Nick Heggestad (Props), Lee Fiskness (Lighting), Christopher Kriz (Original Music and Sound) and Eva Breneman (Dialect Coach). Becky Pechter is the Stage Manager.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

David Greig (Playwright) David Greig’s award winning work includes The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart (Tron Theatre, National Theatre of Scotland), Midsummer (Traverse Theatre and Soho Theatre/Tricycle Theatre, UK and international tour), Dunisinane (RSC at Hampstead Theatre and National Theatre of Scotland tour), Damascus (Traverse Theatre, Scotland and the Tricycle Theatre), Miniskirts of Kabul (Tricycle Theatre), Brewers Fayre, (Traverse Theatre), Outlying Islands (Traverse Theatre and Royal Court, Upstairs), The American Pilot (RSC, Soho & MTC), Pyrenees (Paines Plough), The Cosmonaut’s Last Message To The Woman He Once Loved In The Former Soviet Union (Donmar Warehouse), The Architect and Europe (Traverse Theatre). Adaptations include The Creditors (Donmar Warehouse and BAM, NYC), The Bacchae (Edinburgh International Festival and Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith), Tintin In Tibet (Barbican, Playhouse Theatre, London and National Tour ), When The Bulbul Stopped Singing(Traverse Theatre), Caligula (Donmar Warehouse) and Peter Pan (NTS, Traverse/ Barbican).

Greig’s work for children and young people includes The Monster in the Hall (TAG Theatre Co. Glasgow/Traverse Theatre), Yellow Moon (TAG Theatre Co. Glasgow/Traverse Theatre and tour), Gobbo(National Theatre of Scotland, Highlands tour) and Dr Korczak’s Example (TAG Theatre Co. Glasgow, Citizen’s Theatre and BAC, London). He has also written extensively for radio.

Greig is currently under commission to the Almeida Theatre and the National Theatre of Scotland. He is also writing the book of the stage musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Warner Bros/ Neal St Productions) and an adaptation for the Broadway producer, John Hart.

He is working with Film Four on a screen adaptation of his stage play Midsummer. Other films include:Vinyan and A Complicated Kindness.

Stuart Carden (Director and Associate Artistic Director) returns to Books on Vernon where he previously directed Travels with My Aunt. Last season he directed Randall Colburn’s Hesperia at Tudor Court. This marks Stuart’s fourth season as the company’s Associate Artistic Director. A new play specialist, Stuart leads Writers’ Theatre’s Literary Development Initiative, which establishes a dialogue between the theatre and noted playwrights in order to commission, develop and produce new and adapted works. Before joining Writers’ Theatre, he was the associate artistic director of City Theatre Company in Pittsburgh. Recent regional theatre directing projects include Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker, In the Next Room (Or the Vibrator Play) by Sarah Ruhl, Crime and Punishment by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus andThe Lieutenant of Inishmore by Martin McDonagh (The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis), Blackbird by David Harrower, Mary’s Wedding by Stephen Massicotte, A Picasso by Jeffrey Hatcher (City Theatre Company),The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh, Martin Crimp’s adaptation of The False Servant and Stones In His Pockets by Marie Jones (Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre). In Chicago with Silk Road Theatre Project, he directed the widely-acclaimed world premiere of Shishir Kurup’s The Merchant on Venice (a South Asian-American and Bollywood inspired adaptation of Shakespeare’s original), the world and regional premieres of Yussef el Guindi’s 10 Acrobats In an Amazing Leap of Faith and Back Of The Throat, as well as the Chicago premiere of David Henry Hwang’s The Golden Child Next season he will direct PigPen Theatre Company’s musical fable The Old Man and the Old Moon at Writers’ Theatre and Nina Raines’Tribes at City Theatre. Carden is an alum of Carnegie Mellon University and a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Ashleigh LaThrop (Leila) makes her Writers’ Theatre debut. Chicago credits include Metamorphoses(Lookingglass Theatre Company), In the Continuum (Pegasus Players), The Twins Would Like to Say (Dog and Pony Theatre Company), Comedy of Errors (Chicago Shakespeare Theater) and Cooperstown (Theatre Seven of Chicago). Regionally she has appeared in Metamorphoses (Arena Stage) and Crumbs from the Table of Joy (Renaissance Theaterworks). She also spent two seasons with American Players Theatre where her favorite productions include As You Like It, The Critic, Taming of the Shrew, The Cure at Troyand Major Barbara. LaThrop is a graduate of the University of Illinois and the School at Steppenwolf.

John Lister (Billy/Frank/Narrator) returns to Writers’ Theatre having previously appeared in Heartbreak House, As You Like It and as a replacement in Hamlet. Chicago credits include Show Boat (Lyric Opera of Chicago), The Crucible (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Guys and Dolls (Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire), six seasons of A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre), Lady Windermere’s Fan, Red Herring, Inherit the Wind, She Stoops to Conquer (Northlight Theatre) and more than a dozen productions with Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Regional credits include productions with American Players Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Peninsula Players, Notre Dame Summer Shakespeare and The International Mystery Writers Festival.  Film and Television credits include Public Enemies (Universal), Prison Break (FOX) andThe Beast (A&E).

Josh Salt (Lee) makes his Writers’ Theatre debut. He recently played “Tim” in Teddy Ferrara (Goodman Theatre) and last fall was seen as “Eric” in Making Noise Quietly (Steep Theatre Company; directed by Erica Weiss). Other Chicago credits include “Cripple Billy” in The Cripple of Inishmaan (Redtwist Theatre; directed by Kimberly Senior) and “Melchior Gabor” in Spring Awakening (Griffin Theatre, Joseph Jefferson Nominated-Best Musical; directed by Jonathan Berry). He is a co-founder of a long-form dramatic improvisation ensemble called The Character Project. Salt is pursuing his BA in Acting from Columbia College Chicago.

Karen Janes Woditsch (Jenni/Holly/Narrator) returns to Writers’ Theatre, where she most recently appeared as Hesione in Heartbreak House. Other Writers’ productions include Shelly in Do the Hustle,Emilia in Othello (After Dark Award Best Performance), Masha in The Seagull, Ann Butley in Butley, Rocket to the Moon, A Phoenix too Frequent and Spite for Spite, among others. Other Chicago credits include Julia Child in the world premiere of To Master the Art (TimeLine Theatre; Joseph Jefferson Nomination – Best Actress), Other Desert Cities, Crumbs from the Table of Joy, A Christmas Carol(Goodman Theatre), Chalk Garden, Pride and Prejudice (Northlight Theatre), Taming of the Shrew andMeasure for Measure (Chicago Shakespeare Theater). She toured one season with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks and has performed in seven seasons with Peninsula Players. Woditsch can be seen in Onion Webisode’s, the feature film Johnson, and will reprise her role as Julia Child in the re-mount of To Master The Art at the Broadway Playhouse in downtown Chicago

TICKET INFORMATION

Performances are April 16, 2013 – August 4, 2013. The press openings are Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at 7:30 and Thursday, April 25, 2013 at 7:30pm. Curtain times are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30pm(with select Wednesday 2pm matinees – May 22 & 29, June 5, and July 3 & 24); Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00pm; Saturdays at 4:00pm and 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:00pm and 6:00pm.  Tickets are $35-$60 and are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe; 847-242-6000 or online atwww.writerstheatre.org.

AUDIENCE ENRICHMENT

Writers’ Theatre is thrilled to announce the expansion of their post-show discussions. Throughout the season they will be offering post-show discussions on select Wednesday evenings following the performance in our Tudor Court space. In the Books on Vernon space they will be offering post-show discussions every other Wednesday evening.

Post-show discussions provide a forum for audience members to ask questions of the

artists in the production and gain new insight into the work.

Post-show discussions for Yellow Moon are every Wednesday evening following the performance: May 8, 22; June 5, 19; and July 3, 17, 31.

Visit writerstheatre.org/enrichment for more information.

TWEET SEATS

Follow Writers’ Theatre on Twitter (Twitter.com/WritersTheatre) and by 3:00pm, when available, Writers’ will Tweet a code that can be used to purchase remaining seats for that day’s performance at a discount. When available, Tweet Seats may be purchased only through the Writers’ Theatre website atwriterstheatre.org.  

WRITERS’ PARTNERS

Writers’ Theatre is pleased to welcome back BMO Harris Bank as Season Sponsor of its 2012/13 Season. The Season Sponsor is Mary Winton Green and the Major Production Sponsor for Yellow Moonis Mary Pat Studdert. The Corporate Sponsor Partner is Consolidated Electronic Wire & Cable.

Writers’ Theatre welcomes back Winnetka’s award-winning Restaurant Michael as Restaurant Partner and Event Sponsor. Writers’ Theatre patrons receive 10% off their guest check when they present their ticket stub when ordering. Just 10 minutes from the theater at 64 Green Bay Road, Restaurant Michael is the perfect fit for any dining occasion. Call 847-441-3100 to make your reservation.

For more information about Writers’ 2012/13 Season Restaurant Partners and offer restrictions visit writerstheatre.org/visitus.

ABOUT WRITERS’ THEATRE

Over the past twenty seasons, Writers’ Theatre has become a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence. Under the artistic leadership of Michael Halberstam and the executive leadership of Kathryn M. Lipuma, Writers’ Theatre has been deemed the “best drama company in the nation” by the Wall Street Journal and achieved twenty years of surplus operations. The company, which plays to a sold-out and discerning audience of 35,000 patrons each season, has garnered critical praise for the consistent high quality and intimacy of its artistry. Prized for the finest interpretations of classic and contemporary theatre in its two intensely intimate venues, Writers’ Theatre’s acclaimed work includes Artistic Director Michael Halberstam’s world premiere in Glencoe and subsequent production of A Minister’s Wife at Lincoln Center Theater; David Cromer’s productions of A Streetcar Named Desire andPicnic; and the commissioning, world premiere and New York premiere of Crime and Punishment, which has received more than 30 subsequent regional theater productions.

In July, 2011, Writers’ Theatre announced the hiring of the award-winning, internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects, led by principle Jeanne Gang, FAIA to design a new home for the Theatre in downtown Glencoe which will once again allow the Theatre to grow to accommodate its audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy. The new facility will resonate with and complement the Theatre’s neighboring Glencoe community and will add tremendous value to Chicagoland and the North Shore as a premier cultural destination.

You can find Writers’ Theatre on Facebook or follow Writers’ Theatre on Twitter at Twitter.com/WritersTheatre. For more information, visit www.writerstheatre.org.

Notes of Interest:

  • Yellow Moon was commissioned by TAG Theatre Company, produced in association with the Citizens’ Theatre, and premiered at the Circle Studio of Citizens’ Theatre, Glasgow, in September 2006. The play re-toured in 2007, including an appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
  • Writer David Greig is currently writing the book for the upcoming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical produced by Warner Bros. at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
  • ·         Greig’s work has been produced recently in Chicago at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart) and Remy Bumppo Theatre (The Creditors).
  • Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden directs in the Writers’ bookstore space for the first time since his hit production of Travels with my Aunt (2010-11).  Like that production, Yellow Moon will transform the space into multiple locations, this time including a small village near the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh, a speeding Land Rover, a placid mountain lake and a small cabin in the Scottish Highlands.
  • Actors Ashleigh LaThrop and Josh Salt make their Writers’ debuts alongside Writers’ veterans John Lister (Heartbreak House, As You Like It) and Karen Janes Woditsch (Heartbreak House,Othello, The Seagull, Butley, and Spite for Spite, among others).