Wendy Kaplan, President of MadKap Productions, announced today that the riveting new production CLUTTER: The True Story of the Collyer Brothers Who Never Threw Anything Out will make its Midwest Premiere at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N Lincoln Ave., previewing January 19; opening Friday, January 20; and closing March 11, 2012. CLUTTER is written by seven-time Emmy Award winning playwright Mark Saltzman (The Muppets and Sesame Street, Writer's Guild Award nomination, and five L.A. Ovation Award nominations including Best Musical). Wayne Mell, Managing Director at Citadel, will direct the production. CLUTTER originally made its World Premiere at the Colony Theater in Burbank in 2004 to much acclaim.
The World Premiere of CLUTTER received rave reviews. The Los Angeles Times selected the play for the "Critic's Choice" Award stating, "This examination of the Collyer brothers-the world's most famous packrats-is shamelessly entertaining... richly comic... brilliant." The Hollywood Reporter raved that "CLUTTER is charming [and] delightful... wise, generous and witty." KABC enthused that CLUTTER is "a riveting play... As a study in bizarre behavior and obsession, the play is engaging and engrossing... hilarious... an intoxicatingly theatrical milieu... scores a clean dramatic sweep."
CLUTTER is based on the compelling true story of the wealthy, reclusive Collyer brothers who became hoarders in their Fifth Avenue mansion in 1920s Harlem. After years of compulsive collecting, the brothers have become notorious shut-ins in their aristocratic New York neighborhood. Langley Collyer is missing and Homer Collyer is found dead amongst floor-to-ceiling piles of newspapers, books, and junk. The police investigating the case, two brothers with a strained relationship mirroring that of the Collyers, are simultaneously making discoveries about themselves. Narrated by the brothers and the police investigating the bizarre case, this darkly fascinating tale is a poignant and profound exploration of human behavior.
There will be a talkback session immediately following the performances every other Thursday evening beginning on January 19. Dr. Scott Kaplan, an Illinois licensed clinical psychologist, will facilitate talkbacks to address questions about hoarding and other themes addressed in the play.
CLUTTER stars Andrew J. Pond as "Langley Collyer" (Metropolis, Citadel, Piccolo, Redtwist, Blue Heron, and Circle Theatre); Northwestern and University of Chicago graduate Edward Kuffert as "Homer Collyer" (Center Stage, City Lit, Inconceivable, Halcyon, Hubris, GroundUp, Big Noise, Citadel, and Jeff nominated as "Danforth" in The Crucible at Infamous Commonwealth);
Joe Mack as "Sgt. Reilly Dolan"; and
Michael Jay Bullaro as "Patrolman Keven Dolan" (Goodman, Citadel, and Harper Theatre Ensemble). The production also features Jeff Award winner
Stephen M. Genovese (former Artistic Director of Bohemian Theatre Company and Tim Walsh.
The artistic team for CLUTTER is led by director Wayne Mell who has been Managing Director at Citadel since 2009, most recently directing Something's Afoot (which starred CLUTTER leads Andrew J. Pond and Edward Kuffert). Mell began his directing career in 1976, receiving the Talented Student Scholarship from Northern Illinois University, going on to continue his study of directing at Victory Gardens, as well as improvisation at The Second City. He continued to direct at Citadel, Attic Playhouse, and Bailiwick Repertory's Director's Festival.
Sound Design is by Bob Boxer, Lighting Design is by Matthew R. Godlewski, Properties Design is by Mary Odowd and Set Design is by Andrei Onegin.
Playwright
Mark Saltzman, who began his career writing for The Muppets with
Jim Henson, is the winner of seven Emmy Awards for his work on Sesame Street. He has also been nominated for the Writer's Guild Award and five L.A. Ovation Awards, including Best Musical. Notable works include A, My Name is Alice; The Tin Pan Alley Rag; Romeo and Bernadette; and
Mr. Shaw Goes to Hollywood. His work has been shown at
Laguna Playhouse, The Ballroom,
Soho Rep, 13th Street Theater, Village Gate, Pasedena Playhouse, Goodspeed, The
Cleveland Playhouse, Florida's
Maltz Jupiter Theatre, New York's Roundabout Theatre Company, Miami's Coconut Grove Playhouse, and New Jersey's
Paper Mill Playhouse. Film credits include Disney, Showtime, SONY, and Universal, including Mrs.
Santa Claus (starring
Angela Lansbury), The Adventures of Milo and Otis, Three Ninjas Kick Back, and The Red Sneakers. Years after being scolded by his mother, who referred to him as a Collyer brother for having a messy room, Saltzman's research on the famous hoarders inspired him to write CLUTTER.
Producer
Wendy Kaplan has been producing theatre since the age of eighteen. She was previously Managing Director of Stage Two Theatre Company and has produced for many regional theatre companies and worked on various Broadway productions, including Lost in the Stars, The Changing Room, Spofford, and
Leonard Bernstein's Mass. She has also produced many shows at Citadel Theatre Company in Lake Forest, including Something's Afoot, directed by CLUTTER director Wayne Mell.
Performances for CLUTTER will be Thursday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $ 15.00 for students, $30.00 for seniors $30-35 for groups and $40 for general admission. For tickets, call the Greenhouse Theater Box Office at 773.404.7336, or visit
www.greenhousetheater.org. The Box Office is open Wednesday through Saturday 12-8 p.m. and Sunday 12-4 p.m. For group tickets call 312.423.6612 or visit
www.grouptheatertix.com.
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