THE LAST BARBECUE Runs 7/9-8/8 At Berwyn Cultural Center
16th Street Theater, a part of the North Berwyn Park District, is proud to announce its production of the remount of Brett Neveu's The Last Barbecue directed by Artistic Director Ann Filmer. The Last Barbecue will run July 9 - August 8, 2009 at the Berwyn Cultural Center, with a press opening of Saturday July 11 at 5:00 PM.
An audacious and dark comedy about a ten-year reunion of a son's high school graduation that coincides with the one-year anniversary of the next-door neighbor's death. Non-equity Jeff-Nominated Nancy Friedrich (The Dastardly Ficus and Other Comedic Tales of Woe and Misery!) joins four out of the five original cast from The Aardvark's 2000 production: Ashley Bishop, Matthew Brumlow (recently in Topdog/Underdog and True West at ATC), Ann James and Don Blair as Ted.
Brett Neveu has worked with many theatres, including The Goodman Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club. Plays include Gas For Less, Eric LaRue and American Dead. Full bio below.
Ann Filmer and Neveu first met and worked together at the very first Collaboraction Sketchbook where Filmer directed his Two Women on the Train Talking About Depression back in 2000. A bond quickly developed and that following fall Filmer presented Neveu's first full Chicago production: The Last Barbecue produced by The Aardvark at Mary-Arrchie's Angel Island. In 2002 the two joined again for the critically-acclaimed Eric LaRue featuring Kate Buddeke and Will Clinger at A Red Orchid Theatre.
"The folks on the sidelines, the ones on the margins -- how they stack up against the big machines of life creates the spark of story I like to hang my plays on. Characters battling their way toward a modicum of resolution or facing buried obstacles presents real drama and also helps plant the seeds of tension-driven humor. Mystery, honesty, lyricism and silence fill in the rest of the docket as I try to build something that, when presented, lives as a full theatrical collaboration."
Brett Neveu's recent productions include Old Glory with Writer's Theatre, American Dead with Rouge Machine, and Gas for Less with The Goodman Theatre. Past work includes productions with The Royal Shakespeare Company, A Red Orchid Theatre, Strawdog Theatre, TimeLine Theatre Company, American Theatre Company, Spring Theatreworks, The Aardvark and 29th Street Rep.
Recent films include The Earl with Sikorafilms and Exit, Clowny with Jon Pon Flims. He is the recipient of the Ofner Prize for New Work, the Emerging Artist Award from The League of Chicago Theatres, an After Dark Award for Outstanding Musical ("Old Town") and has developed plays with The New Group, The Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Victory Gardens, The 42nd Street Workshop, The Marin Theatre and is a resident-alum with Chicago Dramatists.
Brett is an ensemble member of A Red Orchid Theatre and has been commissioned by The Royal Court Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club (Sloan Commission), Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Goodman Theatre, TimeLine Theatre Company, Writers' Theatre, Strawdog Theatre and has several of his plays published through Broadway Play Publishing and Dramatic Publishing. Brett has taught writing at Northwestern University, DePaul University, Second City Training Center and currently lives in Los Angeles. He is originally from Newton, Iowa, home of the 1980 State Champion Cardinal football team.
The design team includes: Scenic designer Ian Zywica (The Ascension of Carlotta and Kita y Fernanda), Resident Lighting Designer Mac Vaughey (MACHOS, Fires in the Mirror, Kita y Fernanda), Sound designer Ed Reardon (The Last Barbecue), Costume designer Karen Kawa (Neveu's Weapons of Mass Impact for A Red Orchid and who was a part of The Aardvark company), and Props designer Jesse Gaffney (Fires in the Mirror and Unveiled). Stage manager is Devhan Bridgett. The play is directed by Ann Filmer. Full bios and photos available at www.16thstreettheater.org
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