Cast Announced for Definition Theatre Company's Chicago Debut of AN OCTOROON

Definition Theatre Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Tyrone Phillips and Managing Director Neel McNeill, announces casting for the first play of its 2017-2018 season, the Chicago premiere of An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Gloria, Appropriate), produced in association with Goodman Theatre.

An Octoroon is directed by Goodman Theatre Resident Director Chuck Smith and runs July 21 - August 20, 2017 in the Richard Christiansen Theater at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, as part of Definition's tenure in the Victory Gardens Resident Theater Program. The press opening is July 24, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. Single tickets are on sale and may be purchased by calling the Victory Gardens box office at 773-781-3000 or at victorygardens.org.

The cast of An Octoroon includes ensemble members Carley Cornelius, Kelson McAuliffe, Tyrone Phillips, and Chris Sheard with Breon Arzell, Sydney Charles, Danielle Davis, Tiffany Ogelsby, Maya PRentiss and Ariel Richardson.

The creative team for An Octoroon includes Andrew Boyce (Scenic Designer), Kristy Hall (Costume Designer), Jared Gooding (Lighting Designer), Aaron Stephenson (Sound Designer), and Jenna Meyers (Props Designer). The dramaturg is Jared Bellot.

A modern riff on Dion Boucicault's 1859 classic melodrama, The Octoroon, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Obie Award-winning historical satire follows a plantation in financial ruin, the tumultuous love story of its heir apparent, the evil overseer plotting to take it all for himself and the slaves trying to keep it all together. Hilarious, pointed, and provocative, An Octoroon offers up a subversive take on race in America-both then and now.

"Definition is committed to bringing high-quality work to the Chicago community that examines what it means to be American today, and we couldn't be more excited to have Goodman Theatre Resident Director Chuck Smith at the helm of Branden's thought-provoking and resonant play," notes Artistic Director Tyrone Phillips. "An Octoroon marks our first show as a resident company at Victory Gardens Theater. We're thrilled to stage this milestone production at Victory Gardens as they share many of our core values and lead by example in giving a voice to the voiceless."

Definition Theatre Company is part of the Victory Gardens Resident Theater Program. All performances during the 2017-2018 season will take place in the Richard Christiansen Theater at Victory Gardens.

Definition Theatre Company is an ensemble-based Chicago theater founded by six graduates of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Featuring a multi-ethnic core companionship of actors, Definition strives to artistically reflect the myriad of modern America to inspire and engage the communities it represents through contemporary and classical theatrical works. Our mission is to tell language-driven, relationship-oriented, thought-provoking, socially relevant stories.

Definition has been afforded the opportunity to create work that re?ects its unique voice. It shared the words of Academy Award-Winner Tarell Alvin McCraney in The Brothers Size, it grooved with Amiri Baraka's whirlwind story of a chance meeting on a train in Dutchman, and staged its first world premiere production, Genesis, written by ensemble member Mercedes White and inspired by Lorraine Hansberry's iconic masterwork A Raisin in the Sun. Most recently, Definition partnered with The New Colony to produce the world premiere of Byhalia, Mississippi. Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as "wise, funny, thoughtful and true", Byhalia, Mississippi explored a family in turmoil and a small southern town haunted by its racially-charged past.

Ensemble members include Owais Ahmed, Carley Cornelius, Martasia Jones, Kiki Layne, Kelson Michael McAuliffe, Julian Parker, Tyrone Phillips, Christopher Sheard and Mercedes White. Artistic Advisory Board members include director May Adrales, Steppenwolf Ensemble Member Alana Arenas, actress Shannon Cochran, Victory Gardens Theater Managing Director Erica Daniels, actor Brandon Dirden, actor Jason Dirden, Writers Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam, director Pam MacKinnon, professor JW Morrissette, director Ron OJ Parson, professor/lighting designer Kathy Perkins and Tony Award-winning actress and stage director Phylicia Rashad. Tyrone Phillips is the Artistic Director and Neel McNeill is the Managing Director. For additional information, visit definitiontheatre.org and facebook.com/definitiontheatrecompany.

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