Adventure Stage Chicago Presents AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD, Previews 10/28

Adventure Stage Chicago (ASC) opens their 2010-2011 season with Michael Slade's moving Holocaust drama AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD, directed by ASC Producing Artistic Director Tom Arvetis.

Thirty miles outside Prague lies the city of Terezin, a Nazi-described "Jewish ghetto" and makeshift way station for millions of people awaiting transfer to death camps. Against all odds, a group of courageous children transform their bleak surroundings by creating stories, poetry, drawings, plays, and even an underground newspaper. Incorporating live music, shadow puppetry and actual writings recovered from Terezin after the war, this exquisite play explores the strength, optimism and extraordinary resilience at the core of the human spirit. Recommended for ages 11 and older.

AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD was first presented as a staged reading at New York City's The Lamb's Theatre in 2005 before making its professional world premiere in 2006 at Bend Experimental Art Theatre (B.E.A.T.) in Bend, Oregon. It has since been produced at schools in Germany, Australia, and across the United States. This Adventure Stage Chicago production is the first professional staging of the play since its world premiere.

Michael Slade (playwright) has written several plays for family audiences, including musicals Hansel and Gretel, The Great Brain, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Where's Waldo?, The Swiss Family Robinson, The Three Pigs, Peter Rabbit, Lyle Lyle Crocodile and Superfudge, all of which were produced by Theatreworks/USA and opened in New York City before touring the country. He also wrote the book to Pokemon Live, which opened at Radio City Music Hall prior to embarking on national and international tours. Mr. Slade is currently collaborating with Melissa Manchester and Sharon Vaughn on a new musical, tentatively titled Blue.

Tom Arvetis (director) is the founding Producing Artistic Director of Adventure Stage Chicago, where he has directed world premieres of Katrina: The Girl Who Wanted Her Name Back by Jason Tremblay, The Blue House by Jose Cruz Gonzalez, and I Dream in Blues, which he co-wrote with Chicago blues singer Katherine Davis. Additionally, he recently helmed a workshop reading of Dragon/Sky by Elizabeth Wong at Silk Road Theatre Project. Mr. Arvetis is an Emeritus Company Member with Barrel of Monkeys, has acted in award-winning productions with the Neo-Futurists, Bailiwick Repertory Company and Pyewacket Theatre, and is a veteran sound designer. He is a graduate of Northwestern University.

AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD Performance Schedule
Previews: 10:30 a.m. Oct. 28 & 29
Weekends: 2:00 p.m. Oct. 30, Nov. 6, Nov. 13, Nov. 20 & Nov. 27 (Saturdays) and Nov. 14 & 28 (Sundays)
Weekdays: 10:30 a.m. Nov. 2, 4, 9, 16, 18, 23, 30 & Dec. 2, 7, 9
Evenings: 7:00 p.m. Friday, Nov. 26 only.

Performance Extras
Ice Cream Social! Sat., Oct. 30
Audience is treated to free ice cream from Bucktown's Dairy Queen/Orange Julius after the show.

Behind The Scenes! Sat., Nov. 13
Audience is invited onstage to examine the set and props and receive a backstage tour.

Book Discussions
Wed., Oct. 20 - 6:30pm
Sulzer Regional Library - 4455 N. Lincoln Avenue
Book Discussion of Emil and Karl by Yankev Glatshteyn
Participants receive 2 for 1 coupons to AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD
Call 312.744.7616 x3 to register.

Tues., Oct. 26 - 3:30pm
West Town Library - 1625 W. Chicago Avenue
Book Discussion of The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
Participants receive 2 for 1 coupons to AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD
Call 312.743.0450 to register.

AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD production staff consists of Tom Arvetis, Director; Brian Bell, Assistant Director/Dramaturg; Phillip Claudnic, Stage Manager; Mikhael Fiksel, Sound Composition; Miles Polaski, Sound Design; Jessica Kuehnau, Scenic Designer and Shadow Puppet Designer; David Chrzanowski, Fight Direction; Kat Powers, Props Designer; Brandon Wardell, Lighting Designer; Laura Kollar, Costume Designer; Emily Beaudin, Costume Design Assistant; Lyndsey Lyddan, Lighting Design Assistant; and Erin Miller, Technical Director.

AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD cast is comprised of Stephanie Chavara, Margaret Grace, Kieran Kredell, Conor McCahill, Cara Rifkin, Alex Ring, Matthew Scott and Cassidy Shea Stirtz.

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 seventh season. (The first three seasons were produced under the name Vittum Theater.)

ASC has received numerous honors from local and national organizations since its inception in 2004, including:
Two-time Finalist for the Broadway In Chicago Emerging Theater Award
Participant in the New Visions/New Voices Festival at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Washington D.C.
Zeta Phi Eta WiniFred Ward Award for Outstanding New Children's Theatre Company from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education
Three-time Recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Access to Artistic Excellence Grant
Adventure Stage Chicago is a program of Northwestern University Settlement House, the oldest continually operating settlement house in Chicago. Throughout its 119-year history, the Settlement has remained committed to providing resources that empower our neighbors to overcome the obstacles of poverty. ASC extends this mission by presenting Chicago's young audiences, educators and families with an affordable artistic experience rooted in performance. Last season, ASC served over 5,000 students from 76 schools throughout the Chicagoland area and over 1,500 audience members for our weekend matinees.

Each Adventure Stage Chicago production presents weekday performances primarily for school groups, as well as weekend matinees for the general public. Every performance includes a post-show audience talkback with the cast.

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.

Tickets for all shows are $17.00 for adults, $12.00 children aged 14 and under, $10.00 previews and $8.00 school groups. Other group discounts available. Passport to Adventure subscriptions are available now. For tickets or more information, call (773) 342-4141 or visit www.adventurestage.org.

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