Caffeine Theatre Presents WILD NIGHTS WITH EMILY

Following on the heels of the success of their acclaimed production of Under Milk Wood, Caffeine Theatre is thrilled to present Wild Nights With Emily, by Madeleine Olnek, directed by Meghan Beals McCarthy.

Much of Emily Dickinson's life remains a mystery; she was only published a handful of times while she was alive, and rarely left her room in her later years. Upon her death, hundreds of poems were found hidden away, just as much of her existence had been. As the people closest to her compete to tell their version of her story, another side of Emily Dickinson emerges: the nature of her relationship with her dearest friend and eventual sister-in-law Susan Gilbert was one that literature books don't generally acknowledge.

A queer quirky comedy about a reclusive poet's secret life, Wild Nights With Emily skips around in time and space, switching narratives in an energetic and comical exploration through the life, the forbidden love, and the death of Miss Emily Dickinson.

Performances will take place at Lincoln Square Arts Center (at Berry Methodist Church), 4754 N. Leavitt, on Fridays at 8PM, Saturdays at 3PM & 8PM, and Sundays at 7PM, March 6-April 11 (no show Friday, April 2). Members of the press are invited to a preview March 6 at 8PM. Tickets are $15-$20, available at www.caffeinetheatre.com or 312-409-4778.

Cast: Jessica Bennett, Dana Black*, Carey Lee Burton*, Annie Calhoun, Amanda Hartley, Ian Novak, Ian Randall, and Lauren Vitz
*Caffeine Theatre Artistic Associate

Director: Meghan Beals McCarthy has helmed productions, workshops and readings in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Edinburgh, working with companies such as Goodman, Steppenwolf, Northlight, Chicago Dramatists, Collaboraction, Pavement Group and Theatre Seven (Chicago) and the Women's Project, Abingdon Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre and The Pearl (New York). Previously she served as Program Assistant for Steppenwolf's First Look Repertory of New Work, and presently serves Northlight Theatre as their Literary Manager and Resident Dramaturg. Before Chicago, Meghan was the Artistic Associate at The Pearl Theatre Company in New York City; she served as casting director and manager of the resident acting company's extensive research and development programs. Meghan earned her MFA in Directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University and her BA in Theatre from the University of Southern California. She is an Associate Artist with Chicago Dramatists and a Trustee of Caffeine Theatre.

Playwright: Downtown New York playwright/director Madeleine Olnek, has often worked with the comic performers Dennis Davis, Cynthia Kaplan, Nancy Giles, and Deb Margolin. Her low-budget, largely underground NYC productions, described by playwright Paula Vogel as "incredible contemporary masterpieces" in American Theatre Magazine, include Wild Nights With Emily, Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same, and You Call For The Fireman and The Arsonist Comes (which premiered at Joe's Pub at the Public Theater). She is a co-author of A Practical Handbook for The Actor (foreword by David Mamet). Hold Up is her first film.

Special Events:
Emily Dickinson Coffeehouse, March 2010: Caffeine Theatre seeks short original performance pieces of all kinds (music, dance, theatre, spoken word, poetry, etc.) for an event celebrating the work of American poet Emily Dickinson. Any and all pieces inspired by Dickinson's life, work, or themes are welcome. Please email a 1-2 page proposal (or, if the written piece already exists, send that) to Artistic Director Jennifer Shook at jen@caffeinetheatre.com including (with understanding that transformation occurs in process) a description of your proposed piece, how many people you expect to be involved, estimated length, and any required resources. (Consideration will be given to minimal pieces with brief setup and small spatial needs.) Please use "Coffeehouse submission" in the subject heading.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: February 18, 2010.
Accepted pieces will be notified by February 25, 2010.

Dwelling in Possibility: Poetry to Take Your Head Off competition:
Submissions may include any size or style of poem, as long as it is inspired in some way by Emily Dickinson's life or work, or in some way speaks in conversation with that life or work. Winners will be posted on Caffeine's website and performed at the Emily Dickinson Coffeehouse in March. Any new or previously written poem may be submitted (provided it can be republished/ recorded/performed).
TO SUBMIT: Email poem(s) and 3-5 sentence description of relation to Emily Dickinson to Caffeine Theatre Artistic Director Jennifer Shook at jen@caffeinetheatre.com with "dwelling in possibility" in the subject heading.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: February 28, 2009.

To post a comment, you must register and login.