16th Street Theatre Presents GRAVEYARD EMPIRES

16th Street Theater is proud to present the world premiere of GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES written by ELAINE ROMERO and directed by KEVIN CHRISTOPHER FOX March 26 - May 2, 2015 at North Berwyn Park District's 16th Street Theater, 6420 16th Street in Berwyn, with a press opening on Thursday, April 2 @ 7:30 PM.

General Admission: $18 Group Tickets $15 for 8+ and can be purchased at: http://wp.16thstreettheater.org, or (708) 795-6704, or in person at North Berwyn Park District, 1619 Wesley Ave., Berwyn

Graveyard of Empires is the first in Romero's war trilogy. The world premiere of A Work of Art, Elaine's second play in the trilogy, will be produced by Chicago Dramatists in association with the Goodman Theatre, following 16th Street's production.

Software Engineer Drew Snider has a mind that remembers every moment of his life. Maybe that's why he can't let go of his ex-wife, Shanti, and why he still remembers the software he developed for unmanned flying vehicles for the U.S. military. Their son Nathan grew up feeling inferior to his dad and volunteered to go to war. Nathan once met Ramiro Enriquez, a pilot who never gets to fly, but fires weapons in the Middle East from a desert in Nevada. When Ramiro is held responsible for a predator-drone friendly-fire incident, can the survivors piece together a future while absorbing a wounded past?

"Sometimes plays convey our dreams and sometimes plays share our nightmares," states Artistic

Director Ann Filmer. "Graveyard of Empires does a little of both". Elaine's play traces the roles of many in one soldier's death while examining the cost of killing to an individual solider. "I have experienced the pride of military service in my family and the pain of the loss," shares playwright Romero.

"Elaine's writing in Graveyard of Empires offers us gorgeous poetry from normal people in extraordinary situations," adds Director Kevin Christopher Fox. "Playing with time and space, she makes impossible scenes between characters not only possible but essential in her story."

The cast for GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES is Katherine Keberlein (About Face's A Kid Like Jake), Joe Dempsey (Victory Gardens' Samsara), Karen Rodriguez (16th Street's Our Holiday Stories), newcomer George Booker, Nelson Rodriguez (Pride Film and Plays' Some Men) and Artistic Associate Robert Koon (Steep Theater's A Small Fire).

As the second offering in 16th Street's Season Eight 2015: FATHERS DAUGHTERS MOTHERS SONS, Graveyard of Empires follows the critically-acclaimed, sold-out The Art of Disappearing.
It has a running time of 90 minutes with no intermission. Moderated post-show dialogues follow Thursday and Friday night performances.

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