Michael Shannon and A Red Orchid Theatre to Host A DAY AT THE RACES!, 5/11

A Red Orchid Theatre (AROT) announces A Day at the Races!, a benefit for the Company's upcoming production of Simpatico by Sam Shepard in celebration of the 20th Anniversary Season. The intimate event will be held in the Secretariat Suite at Arlington Park, 2200 W. Euclid Avenue in Arlington Heights, on Saturday, May 11 from noon to 4:00PM.

Tickets, priced at $150, include a live performance from Simpatico by Founding Ensemble Members Guy Van Swearingen and Academy Award NomineeMichael Shannon (HBO's "Boardwalk Empire," Man of Steel); a buffet lunch from 12:30 - 2:30PM; open bar (wine & beer) from 12:30 - 3:30PM; and an in-suite betting station with a panoramic view of the Thoroughbred racing action.

A Day at the Races! Is hosted by A Red Orchid Theatre in celebration and support of its upcoming production of Sam Shepard's Simpatico directed byDado, the cast of which includes Ensemble Members Guy Van Swearingen, Michael Shannon, Kristin E. Ellis, Mierka Girten, Jennifer Engstrom, and Doug Vickers.

Each year A Red Orchid's critically acclaimed theatrical productions attract diverse audiences from across the country. With the funds raised through the event, AROT will advance its commitment to creating exceptional Ensemble-based theater, and fostering new theatrical works, both at home in Chicago and on the national stage.

A Red Orchid Board of Directors includes Christian Chadd Taylor, Michael Fatall, Darren Guccione, Pam Harrington, Steve Kreynin, Ann McCartney, Michael Shannon, Giulia Sindler, Tamara Solarich, Mollie Stromberg, and Guy Van Swearingen.

A Day at the Races! will take place on Saturday, May 11, 12:00 - 4:00PM at the Secretariat Suite at Arlington Park, 2200 W. Euclid Avenue, Arlington Heights. Tickets: $150. Space is limited, call A Red Orchid Theatre at (312) 943-8722 or purchase tickets online at https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/923478.

Featuring: A scene from Simpatico by Sam Shepard, performed by Founding Ensemble Members Guy Van Swearingen & Academy Award Nominee Michael Shannon; buffet lunch from 12:30 - 2:30PM; open bar (wine & beer) from 12:30 - 3:30PM; and an in-suite betting station with a panoramic view of Thoroughbred racing action.

A Red Orchid Theatre closes out its 20th Anniversary Season with Simpatico, written by Sam Shepard and directed by Ensemble Member Dado featuring Ensemble Members Michael Shannon and Guy Van Swearingen. The production will run July 4 - August 25, 2013 at A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells. Press Opening is Monday, July 8, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets, priced $15-$30, are available at the Box Office, 1531 N. Wells Ave, Chicago, by calling (312) 943-8722, or online www.aredorchidtheatre.org

High society meets low life in the slippery netherworld of Thoroughbred racing. This tragic-comedy explodes when a simple phone call threatens to undo years of blackmail and false identities. Loyalties run fierce or run completely a-muck as Vinnie and Carter reunite in hopes of settling an old score.

Simpatico features A Red Orchid Founding Ensemble Members Michael Shannon, who most recently appeared at AROT in the world premiere of Craig Wright's Mistakes Were Made; and Guy Van Swearingen, most recently seen in the world premiere of Brett Neveu's The Opponent.

Michael Shannon, an Ensemble Member of A Red Orchid Theatre since 1993, currently plays the role of Agent Nelson Van Alden on HBO's celebrated drama "Boardwalk Empire." Michael recently starred in the award winning film Take Shelter and was nominated for an Academy Award for Revolutionary Road. He will be playing the role of villain General Zod in the upcoming Superman movie Man of Steel. Michael originated the role of Peter in Tracy Letts'Bug, which had its Chicago Premiere at A Red Orchid before playing off-Broadway and being adapted into a major motion picture, also starring Shannon. He has performed on numerous Chicago stages and is currently appearing in Uncle Vanya at New York's Soho Rep. In the fall of 2012, he will perform in the Broadway production of Grace, a play written by fellow Red Orchid Ensemble Member Craig Wright. Michael will return to A Red Orchid's stage in the 2012-13 Season to perform in Sam Shepard's Simpatico.

Guy Van Swearingen is a founding Ensemble Member and former Artistic Director at A Red Orchid Theatre. He was last seen at A Red Orchid in The Opponent. Other credits include The Time of Your Life (Steppenwolf, Seattle Rep, A.C.T.), Taking Care (Steppenwolf), Eleven Rooms of Proust(Lookingglass), Come Like Shadows (Plasticene), Cleansed (Defiant Theatre) and Beyond Mozambique (Mary-Arrchie). Other A Red Orchid appearances include The New Electric Ballroom, Blasted, The Seahorse, Bug, Gagarin Way, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, The Cut, Tis' Pity She's a Whore, The Questioning of Nick³, Victims of Duty, The Killer, Cops, The Removalists and The Connection. Television credits include episodes of Chicago Fire,Underemployed, Detroit 1-8-7, The Beast, Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, Early Edition and TURKS. Film work includes: The Dilemma, Take Shelter, Janie Jones, Public Enemies, The Merry Gentleman, Mad Dog & Glory, The Negotiator, Ali, The Weatherman and Adam Rapp's independent filmBlackbird.

A Red Orchid Theatre has long served as an artistic focal point in the heart of the Old Town community of Chicago. Chicago Magazine named Red Orchid Chicago's Best Theatre Company of 2010. Over the past 20 years, its Resident Ensemble has welcomed into its fold an impressive array of award winning actors, playwrights and theatre artists. A Red Orchid is well known for its highly-acclaimed experimental and cutting edge productions. In addition to its professional season, the company also now maintains an exciting youth programming wing.

A Red Orchid Theatre is: Lance Baker, Dado, Jennifer Engstrom, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Joseph Fosco, Steve Haggard, Mierka Girten, Larry Grimm, Karen Kawa, Karen Kessler, Danny McCarthy, Brett Neveu, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen, Doug Vickers, Natalie West and Craig Wright.

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