ASC Presents GHOSTS OF TREASURE ISLAND

Adventure Stage Chicago (ASC) presents the final production of their 2009-2010 season: the Midwest Premiere of THE GHOSTS OF TREASURE ISLAND, adapted by Eric Schmiedl from Robert Louis Stevenson's classic 1883 adventure novel Treasure Island. THE GHOSTS OF TREASURE ISLAND features music and lyrics by the band Captain Bogg and Salty and is directed by Amanda Delheimer (The Cay, The Ash Girl).

Sail the high seas with the crew of The Hispaniola! THE GHOSTS OF TREASURE ISLAND is a rollicking new musical that follows young cabin boy Jim Hawkins as he fights to survive on a mysterious island. Accompanied by the singing shenanigans of a raucous band of pirate ghosts, Jim races to find notorious Captain Flint's fabled treasure before mutinous shipmates steal the fortune for themselves. Faced with danger at every turn, Jim persists on his quest armed with nothing but an old treasure map and an endless supply of courage.

THE GHOSTS OF TREASURE ISLAND is recommended for ages 9 and older, and every performance ends with a curtain conversation during which children may ask any question they like of the cast. This safe, permissive atmosphere encourages a child's thoughtful curiosity and spurs ongoing family discussions long after leaving the theatre.

Previews begin at 10:30am on April 8 & 9. Shows will take place at 2pm every Saturday during run, and on weekdays at 10:30am. There is a special evening performance at 7pm on Friday, May 7.
*The Sat., April 24 performance is part of ASC's annual benefit SPRING FLING: A Pirate Party, featuring an after party complete with refreshments, live music, family activities and a silent auction. Tickets for this show ONLY are $50 adults, $25 kids 14 and under.

Eric Schmiedl (script) created THE GHOSTS OF TREASURE ISLAND with the Portland, Oregon, pirate rock band Captain Bogg and Salty for the Oregon Children's Theatre, where it premiered in April 2008. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. Schmiedl's plays have been produced at theaters across the country, including The Denver Center Theatre Company, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, The Cleveland Play House, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, TheatreVirginia, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Chicago's BackStage Theatre and the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. His acclaimed adaptation of Kent Haruf's novel Plainsong won the 2008 Westword: Best of Denver Award for Best Dramatization of a Novel, and his adaptation of Haruf's novel Eventide premieres at The Denver Center on January 29, 2010. Mr. Schmiedl is a member of The Cleveland Play House's Playwrights' Unit and is on the faculty of the Low-residency Master of Fine Arts in Writing program at Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. He is also the recipient of the Lisa Toishigawa Inoye Playwriting Award.

Captain Bogg & Salty (music and lyrics) is a pirate-themed rock band from Portland, Oregon, and a representative of the subgenre of pirate rock. Founded in 1999 by Kevin Hendrickson and Loren Hoskins, the band now consists of several members with diverse backgrounds in musical theater, sketch comedy and children's theater. Captain Bogg and Salty's albums include "Emphatical Piratical," "Pegleg Tango," "Prelude to a Mutiny," and their debut album, "Bedtime Stories for Pirates." Captain Bogg & Salty regularly performs in both schools and rock clubs, and they also headline the annual Portland Pirate Festival. In addition to composing the music and lyrics for THE GHOSTS OF TREASURE ISLAND, the band performed onstage as the band of pirate ghosts during the musical's 2008 world premiere at Oregon Children's Theatre.

Amanda Delheimer (director) is a freelance director, choreographer, writer and educator. She previously directed Sideways Stories from the Wayside School, And Then They Came For Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank, The Ash Girl and The Cay for ASC, where she is a teaching artist. She has worked with Steppenwolf, Court, Next, Pegasus Players, Redmoon, Collaboraction, Roadworks, Strawdog, Serendipity, Red Hen Productions, Teatro Vista, and Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, among others. Ms. Delheimer is the Artistic Director of Serendipity Theatre and an Artistic Associate with Collaboraction Theater. Ms. Delheimer has also trained in a variety of schools of physical theater - including Viewpoints, Suzuki, Lecoq and Commedia dell 'Arte - and endeavors to infuse her work with the physical and visceral immediacy that has drawn her to those schools of training.

FAMILY WORKSHOP SERIES
Saturdays at 1pm, April 10 and May 15
Adults are encouraged to join their smaller companions in a succession of interactive activities designed to prepare kids for the themes inherent in the show they are about to see. Tickets are $5 per participant, and the workshop is recommended for ages 9-14.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE EXTRAS
Ice Cream Social! Sat., April 10
Audience is treated to free ice cream from Bucktown's Dairy Queen/Orange Julius after the show.
Raffle Day! Sat., April 17
Audience is automatically entered in a free raffle to win an ASC Gift Pack.
Behind The Scenes Day! Sat., May 1
Audience is invited onstage to examine the set and props and receive a backstage tour.

TREASURE ISLAND BOOK DISCUSSION
Wed., April 7, 6:30-7:30pm
Sulzer Regional Library, reservations at 312-744-7616 x3.
Join us for a book discussion on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel and receive 2-for-1 tickets to ASC's production of THE GHOSTS OF TREASURE ISLAND.

PARTNERSHIP WITH ROCK FOR READING
ASC has partnered with Rock For Reading, a local organization that promotes literacy through music, for a book drive during the run of THE GHOSTS OF TREASURE ISLAND. All patrons who bring a new or gently used book will receive $1 off their ticket price. (Patrons may bring as many books as they like, but the discount remains $1 per person.) For more information on Rock For Reading, please visit www.rockforreading.org.

THE GHOSTS OF TREASURE ISLAND features cast members Kroydell Galima, Merrina Millsapp, Brian Bell, Reginald Kent Robinson Jr., Dan Krall, Mike Ooi, James Zoccoli, Adam Verner, Tim Martin, Linsey Falls, Glenn Stanton and Matt Kahler, as well as musicians Eric Engelson, Michael Przygoda and Paul Foster.

THE GHOSTS OF TREASURE ISLAND production staff consists of Amanda Delheimer (director), Ellen Willett (stage manager), Kyle Land (sound engineer/electrician/carpenter), Mikhael Fiksel (music & sound director), Chelsea Warren (scenic designer), Kat Powers (props designer), Brandon Wardell (lighting designer), Laura Kollar (costume designer), Matt Hawkins (fight choreographer) and Erin Miller (technical director).

Adventure Stage Chicago creates dynamic and transformative theatre for young audiences that activates the imagination, inspires dialogue and strengthens community among families, educators and artists. ASC strives to become Chicago's premier destination for theatrical productions and programming designed for young people aged 9 to 14 and the adults in their lives. We aim to be leaders in theatre education through professional development workshops, residencies and resources that offer innovative ways to infuse theatre into the classroom. We seek to cultivate and create challenging new work as well as produce celebrated stories. This is ASC's sixth season. (The first three seasons were produced under the name Vittum Theater.)

All shows are performed at Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble St., in the heart of Chicago's West Town neighborhood. Street parking is available, and the theater is close to the Noble St. stop on the #56 Milwaukee bus line and the Division stop on the CTA Blue Line. The theater is wheelchair accessible.

THE GHOSTS OF TREASURE ISLAND tickets are $17.00 for adults, $12.00 for children aged 14 and under, $10.00 for previews and $8.00 for school groups. Other group discounts are also available. For tickets or more information, call (773) 342-4141 or visit www.adventurestage.org.

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