May 2-25: In an era that often defies reason, we present the first annual
Theater of the Absurd Festival
with 8 Darkly Comedic Tales.
Fridays & Saturdays:
3 rotating plays
Sundays:
2 plays, lecture and food
Tickets $45/day. $25/show
Click More Info for Full Schedule
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5/2 - 5/25
Zoo Story by Edward Albee (Dir. Tommy Thams) - Two men meet on a park bench; one has a plan, the other has a book, and neither will leave unchanged.
Action by Sam Shepard (Dir. Grayson Kennedy) - Everyday life: coffee, chores, paranoia, existential collapse.
Line by Israel Horovitz (Dir. Ellie Thomson) - Five strangers queue up for something that may not exist, proving that order is just chaos in a straight line.
The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter (Dir. Jason Pavlovich) - Two hitmen in a basement receive mysterious instructions, questioning authority and reality itself.
Catastrophe - Samuel Beckett's dedication to Vaclav Havel. The Mistake (tr. Rychetsky) - response by Havel years later.
Muzzled - Reza Shirmarz response to both. (Dir. Prof. Michael Brown and Sami Ismat, Columbia College).
The compilation is a beautiful conversation on the dynamics of power and oppression. Together 40 mins.
The Police by Slawomir Mrozek (Dir. Prof. Kay Martinovich, Northern Illinois University). The comic masterpiece of the last political dissident declaring obedience and leaving the police jobless. World Premiere of new translation
(Dr. Joanna Trzeciak Huss. Kent State. Translator of Nobel Laureate W. Szymborska).
SCHEDULE
| Friday, May 2 |
7p Action by Sam Shephard (Dir. Grayson Kennedy) 8p Zoo Story by Edward Albee (Dir. Tommy Thams) 915p Line by Israel Horovitz (Dir. Ellie Thomson) |
| Saturday, May 3 |
7p The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter (Dir. Jason Pavlovich) 8p Zoo Story 915p Action |
| Sunday, May 4 | 4p Action 445p Lecture - Prof Yasen Peyankov (UIC/Steppenwolf Theatre 530p Line |
| Friday, May 9 | 7p The Dumb Waiter 8p Zoo Story 915p Line |
| Saturday, May 10 | 7p Action 8p Zoo Story 915p The Dumb Waiter |
| Sunday, May 11 | 4p The Dumb Waiter 5p Lecture - Prof. Mary Zimmerman (Northwestern Univ/Lookingglass Theatre) 545p Zoo Story |
| Friday, May 16 | 7p Action 8p Line 9p The Dumb Waiter |
| Saturday, May 17 | 7p Catastrophe by Samuel Beckett, The Mistake (tr. Rychetsky) by Vaclav Havel; Muzzled by Reza Shirmarz (Dir. Prof Michael Brown) 8p Line 9p The Police by Slawomir Mrozek (Dir. Prof. Kay Martinovich) |
| Sunday, May 18 | 4p The Police 5p Lecture - Dr. Kay Martinovich (NIU) and Dr. Joanna Trzeciak Huss (Kent State) 545p The Dumb Waiter |
| Friday, May 23 | 7p The Dumb Waiter 8p Catastrophe; The Mistake (tr. Rychetsky); and Muzzled 9p Action |
| Saturday, May 24 | 7p Zoo Story 8p The Police 915p Catastrophe; The Mistake (tr. Rychetsky); and Muzzled |
| Sunday, May 25 | 4p Catastrophe; The Mistake (tr. Rychetsky); and Muzzled 5p Lecture - Prof Michael Brown (Columbia College) 545p The Police |
Author
Edward Albee; Sam Shepard, Israel Horovitz, Harold Pinter, Samuel Beckett, Vaclav Havel, Reza Shirmarz and Slawomir Mrozek
Director
Tommy Thams; Grayson Kennedy; Ellie Thomson; Jason Pavlovich; Michael Brown, Sami Ismat, Kay Martinovich
Performers
Grayson Kennedy; Bob Webb; Tommy Thams; Ellie Thomson; Maddie Hillock; Caleb Petre; Annalie Ciolino; Jasono Pavlovich; Derek Ray; Kason Chesky;
Chris Anthony; Paige Larkowski; Avery Bowne; Jamaque Newberry; Ellen Campbell; Brian Shaw; Nigel Brown, Julie Hunicutt, Michael Brown, Luis Crespo
Lecturers: Prof Yasen Peyankov (UIC/Steppenwolf Theatre); Prof. Mary Zimmerman (Northwestern Univ./Lookingglass Theatre); Dr. Kay Martinovich (NIU);
Dr. Joanna Trzeciak Huss (Kent State) and Prof. Michael Brown (Columbia College)
Production
Eileen Vorbach (Asst Director); Eleanor Kahn (Scenic Consultant); Sam Bessler (Lighting Design); Frances Maggio (Costume Designer); Jeremy Floyd (Costume Designer); Elias Dennis (Costume Assistant); Briona Blosser (Fight Choreographer); Tommy Thams (Sound Design); Corey Smith (Sound Design); Emil Clausing (Stage Manager); Megan Thompson (Stage Manager); Krzysztof Babiracki & Zygmunt Dyrkacz (Graphic Design).
