Citadel To Stage Chicago Suburban Premiere Of Jen Silverman's Comedy THE ROOMMATE

Citadel Theatre will produce Jen Silverman's acclaimed dark comedy THE ROOMMATE, from February 1 through March 3, according to Artistic Director Scott Phelps. The production will feature Actor's Equity members Ellen Phelps and Laurie Carter Rose as the middle-aged unmarried women who find themselves living together as housemates. Citadel co-founder Ellen Phelps will play Sharon, the shy, divorced Iowan who takes in a roommate to bring in some additional income.

Laurie Carter Rose will play the far-more-worldly New Yorker Robyn who moves to Iowa City for a fresh start. As Robyn learns how to adapt to the more conservative rules of Sharon's home, Sharon starts to think she might like to reinvent herself to be more like Robyn. Beth Wolf, the founding artistic director of Midsommer Flight, a Chicago theatre company that has been staging productions of Shakespeare in Chicago's parks since 2012, will direct.

Silverman's comedy was a standout when it premiered at the 2015 Humana Festival. Since then, THE ROOMMATE has been produced at such leading regional theatres as California's South Coast Repertory, San Francisco Playhouse, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and just this past summer, at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre. Reviewing the South Coast Rep production, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES said "Silverman is an emerging talent to be reckoned with. Particularly impressive is her unsentimental insight into the risks of radical reinvention." LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE's review of the Humana Festival production said " THE ROOMMATE tugs at the heartstrings as much as it tickles the funny bone."

Ellen Phelps last appeared on stage at Citadel as the neurotic Sonia in Christopher Durang's VANYA AND SONIA AND NASHA AND SPIKE. Some of her other roles at Citadel include 'TIL THE FAT LADY SINGS, PRISONER OF 2ND AVENUE, SOMETHING'S AFOOT, SIRENS, OTHER DESERT CITIES, AND A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM. Laurie Carter Rose was seen most recently at Citadel as the stage diva Irene Livingston in Moss Hart's LIGHT UP THE SKY. Her career includes roles in the London production of SUNSET BOULEVARD directed by Trevor Nunn, and a national tour of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

The production team will include Eric Luchen (Scenic Designer), Karen Kenyon (Costume Designer), Bob Boxer (Sound Designer), Marissa Geocaris (Lighting Designer), Mark Holley (Properties Designer), Samantha Tink (Stage Manager), Courtney Winkleman (Scenic Painter), Nick Peebles (Master Carpenter) and Pat Murphy (Production Manager).

Tickets available online at www.citadeltheatre.org or by phone at 847-735-8554, ext. 1

Sharon, in her mid-fifties, is recently divorced and needs a roommate to share her Iowa home. Robyn, also in her mid-fifties, needs a place to hide and a chance to start over. But as Sharon begins to uncover Robyn's secrets, they encourage her own deep-seated desire to transform her life completely. A dark comedy about what it takes to re-route your life - and what happens when the wheels come off.

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