THE WHOLE SEAMUS THING Opens In April 11 At Bramble Arts Loft

THE WHOLE SEAMUS THING will run for six performances only, from April 11th thru April 19th at Bramble Arts Loft, 5545 N Clark St, Chicago.

The work of leaders is not to create followers but to create more leaders, or so the saying goes, but anyone who's ever had to pretend that their boss is absolutely amazing knows that the person at the top is also responsible for everyone else on staff pretty much losing their minds on a daily basis.

In the case of Mel, the fundraiser at the center of the new comedy THE WHOLE SEAMUS THING, the day has finally come where she can't pretend a second longer, even as she is charged with polishing the great man's crown one more time in order to save the organization, also one more time, as they prepare for an event they're hosting for the last time, one more time. Which they'll do again next year. But only one more time.
Written by Ben Auxier and L.C. Bernadine and opening April 11th at Bramble Arts Loft, THE WHOLE SEAMUS THING is a send-up of life in a nonprofit organization where staffers would be perfectly happy if  "good" were only the enemy of "great" instead of being almost impossible to achieve, given the fact that they have only one working marker, more folding chairs than they can possibly fold, and nowhere near enough money. At least they have Seamus, beloved founder and legendary lute player-- or they did until the board put him on leave for something he may or may not have done.

THE WHOLE SEAMUS THING was the audience favorite in Bramble Theatre's 2023 Festival of Unfinished Work. Some of the cast members from that developmental workshop are returning for this full production, along with Director Spencer Huffman. Huffman, a Bramble ensemble member, has worked with the writers on a number of other projects since the Festival, most recently on a staged reading of Bernadine's play TRANSPORT at Raven Theater in which Auxier was a featured actor, and with Bernadine on an independent production of UNCLE VANYA in a northside factory this winter. 

"THE WHOLE SEAMUS THING will be a relief after Vanya... no existential angst here," Huffman said. "Just an evening of whip-smart comedy."

The new play is also an independent production, something the three collaborators champion in addition to their support of established theaters.

“Independent productions offer opportunities, keep artists working, and drive revenue and audiences to the theaters whose stages get rented," said Bernadine. “We're grateful to the donors and our colleagues at Bramble, City Lit and other companies that have supported this particular project--- even if the play pokes fun at what running any kind of organization requires."

Bernadine and Auxier both have experience running and marketing nonprofit organizations and related causes, where sometimes promoting larger-than-life leaders is a force of habit and sometimes a necessity for survival.

"Which figures people choose to defend or despise always fascinates and frustrates me," said Auxier, "and in my experience, the things that bring up those specific feelings are what you should be writing about so you don't explode."

Cast and designers working on the show with Huffman, Auxier and Bernadine include Alexander Attea, Gabriel Fries, Olivia Lindsay, and Lydia Moss as colleagues at the teetering nonprofit called Strings & Swings; Raquel Dwight is providing Set Design, Jack O'Connor Lighting Design, and Megs Flanery is Production Stage Manager.

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