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5th FLOOR PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS

CHICAGO PREMIERE OF TALLGRASS GOTHIC MAY 14

Melanie Marnich’s Modern-Day Adaptation of The Changeling

CHICAGO – For its inaugural production, 5th Floor Productions presents the Chicago premiere of Tallgrass Gothic by Melanie Marnich to be directed by Writer’s Theatre artistic associate Jimmy McDermott. The production will run May 14 through

June 3, 2008, Sunday-Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. The press performance is Wednesday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m.

Set in the rural, stark and beautiful Americana of the Great Plains, this spare drama is a loose adaptation of the sensual and brutal Jacobean tragedy, The Changeling.  The rules of this isolated small town make reason seem impossible, stifling freedom of expression, and offering no escape for the six young friends trapped there.  Laura, the town beauty, finds herself the object of desire as her friends struggle with their yearning for her. Laura finds herself at a crossroads between lust, loyalty and betrayal and inevitably chooses the most violent resolution. It's a subject whose resonance has proven relevant and undeniable from the 17th century to today's headlines.

Tallgrass Gothic premiered in the Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville in 2004. Melanie Marnich has received two McKnight Advancement Grants and two Jerome Fellowships (The Playwrights’ Center), two Samuel Goldwyn Awards and the Francesca Primus Prize. Her work has been seen at The Guthrie Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, Steppenwolf Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Dallas Theater Center, London’s Royal Court Theatre and the O’Neill Theatre Center. Commissions include The Guthrie Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Arena Stage and the Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis. She is a core member of The Playwrights’ Center.

Jimmy McDermott (Director) is the artistic associate at Writers' Theatre where he recently directed The Frog Prince, A Christmas Carol, 365 Days/365 Plays, The Puppetmaster of Lodz, and The Maids this coming Fall. As an ensemble member with the side project theatre company, he directed The 4th Graders Present an Unnamed Love-Suicide, The Elephant Man, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, Salome and Sweet Pretty Love Jam. Other directing credits include work for The Hypocrites and Collaboraction.  McDermott received his MFA in directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University in 1999.   

In 2007, 5th Floor Productions was founded by actor-producers Sarah Kinsey, Eva Gil and Andrew Jessop, who were unified by a common experience: the Acting Apprenticeship Program at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Working at ATL alongside top professionals in Regional Theatre, they learned first hand what it takes to create imaginative, dynamic, professional theater. That experience, in addition to their own varied backgrounds in producing a combined total of eight full productions and two theater festivals, along with acting in countless professional productions, has resulted in their desire to collaborate here in Chicago.

 5th Floor Productions strives to create an artists’ theater in Chicago, a place in which actors, technicians, designers, writers and directors are all equally valued for their contributions to the production as a whole.

 This project is partially supported by a Community Arts Assistance Program grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

• Title: Tallgrass Gothic
• Playwright: Melanie Marnich
• Director: Jimmy McDermott
• Cast: Eva Gil, Evan Howells, Andrew Jessop, Sarah Kinsey, Sean Patrick Leonard, Travis Williams
• Scenic Design: Jimmy McDermott
• Sound Design: Andrew Jessop
• Lighting Design: Bryan Back
• Location: City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr (EL: Red Line to Bryn Mawr)
• Opening: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.
• Regular Run: May 14-June 3, 2008
• Curtain Times: Sunday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
• Ticket price: $10-$15 – Mondays are Industry Night: $10 with resume
• Online ticketing available at www.5fp.org