BENEATH THE WILLOW TREE Opens At The Den Theatre In Chicago This September
By: A.A. Cristi Jul. 25, 2024
Fresh off its first Jeff Award winning season, Pulse Theatre Chicago celebrates their 10th Anniversary with the world premiere of a new play, Beneath The Willow Tree by Jeff Award Winner, Isis Elizabeth.
Through its inaugural New Play Initiative, Pulse Theatre Chicago will produce Beneath The Willow Tree. Isis Elizabeth's play is a spiritual family drama that centers around the dysfunctional Bordeaux Family, in its matriarchal family home of three black women in a Louisiana Bayou. When Willow Bordeaux comes home from NYU with an unexpected new love interest, unearthed family secrets unfold a visceral and spiritual story of unpacked family trauma and trampled traditions. The Bordeaux women must begrudgingly move towards a path of healing, acceptance, and new identity. The family drama will be workshopped during the Spring and Summer of 2024 for a full production in the Fall. Beneath the Willow Tree will be helmed by Pulse Theatre Chicago's Artistic Director, acclaimed director- Aaron Reese Boseman (Topdog/Underdog, The Mountaintop, A Raisin in the Sun- Invictus Theatre, Once on This Island- Pulse Theatre Chicago).
The vagabond theatre company is the 2024 Jeff Award Recipient for Best Ensemble (Short Run) for its critically acclaimed production and reimagining of Once on This Island. The production was also nominated for Best Production (Short Run). Pulse Theatre Chicago's mission is to ambitiously tell stories with a unique outlook and visceral honesty to the human experience. Pulse seeks to break the barriers of archetypes and convention in American Theatre. They also seek to cultivate the next generation of artists with a specific focus on BIMPOC and Queer communities through innovative programming and creating a safe space while challenging audiences and collaborators alike. Isis Elizabeth joins Pulse Theatre Chicago as its new Producing Artistic Associate.
The world premiere previews September 6 & 7, 2024; opening night is September 8, 2024 at 8pm at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL. 60622 with a limited run through September 29, 2024. For tickets ($25-$45), call The Den Theatre's Box Office at 773.697.3830 or visit www.pulsetheatrechicago.org. Regular run Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm and Saturday & Sundays Matinee at 3pm.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
The principal cast of Beneath The Willow Tree features ASH (A Raisin in the Sun-Invictus Theatre) as Ree , Sierra Coachman (Relentless- Goodman Theatre, Fen- Court Theatre) as Willow Bordeaux, Monique Marshaun ( LookOut Series- Steppenwolf, Wolves- RedTwist) as Gloria Bordeaux, Dylan Rogers (An Educated Guess- Definition Theatre, Relentless- Goodman Theatre) as Dantè/ Moses, and Jeff Award nominee, Yahdina U-Deen as Betty Bordeaux. Jeff award winner, Maliyah Brown (Once on This Island-Pulse Theatre Chicago) & Deyani Wilson will alternate as Young Gloria. The production will also feature Kenyatah Austin, Kemati J. Porter, Karli Scott, David Taylor, and Chartamia Turner as understudies.
The award winning creative team includes Kevin M. Rolfs (Scenic Design), Levi J. Wilkins (Lighting Design), Ethan Korvne (Composer), Terri Devine (Costume Design), Warren Levon (Sound Design), Gregory Geffrard (Intimacy & Violence Direction), Susan Gosdick (Dialect Coach), and Kenya A. Hall (Dramaturgy). The production stage manager is Ollie Van Den Huevel and the stage manager is Theo Wampuszyc.
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