Curious Theatre Branch Announces Cast For HIT ME LIKE A FLOWER, December 15 - January 21

Curious Theatre Branch, currently celebrating its 35th Anniversary Season, will present the revival of Hit Me Like a Flower, written and directed by Beau O'Reilly and assistant directed by Chris Zdenak, December 15 - January 21, at Facility Theatre, 1138 N. California Ave. Opening night is Friday, Dec. 15 at 8 p.m.

It's 2003: Bush's Iraq War is in full swing and in the small east coast town of Little Chicken Mountain, it's been raining hard for weeks, a bear is on the attack, Jackie's therapy office is in full swing, William has had a stroke and even the skateboarding activists are looking for love.

The cast of Hit Me Like a Flower includes Paul Brennan (he/him), Jayita Bhattacharya (she/her), Steve Lehman(he/him), Shaun Rosten (he/him), Allison Gruber, Mike Amandes (he/him), Kristin Garrison, Hannah Johnstonand Beau O'Reilly (he/him). 
The production team includes Beau O'Reilly (he/him), playwright and director; Chris Zdenak (he/him), assistant director and Charlotte Lastra (she/her), technical director. 

Beau O'Reilly is a founding member and co-artistic director of the Curious Theatre Branch and the bands Maestro Subgum and the Whole and The Crooked Mouth, as well as a curator of the Rhinoceros Theater Festival for 30 years. His work has appeared at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Poetry Foundation and on “This American Life.” The author of more than 80 original plays, O'Reilly is also a working actor who teaches playwriting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His latest solo album, “Thrifty,” was released on Uvulittle Records in 2021.

Curious has been holding up their end of the Chicago theater scene since 1988, creating new works of the imagination, works focused on language and creatively expressing the difficulties of being human. Curious Theatre Branch is dedicated to the creation of new plays and performances and to the production of its annual Rhinoceros Theater Festival.

Curious aims to promote innovative works of the imagination in the performing arts from a broad and inclusive spectrum of artists and are also devoted to mentoring programs that engage emerging artists as a way to enrich and expand our artistic community. Curious is committed to creating and producing new plays and performances in a collaborative manner, encouraging our members as artists to share decision making and responsibilities, while expanding their skills as writers, actors, designers, directors and arts administrators.  

Curious also is committed to the idea that a pay what you can pricing policy is sustainable and will suffice over the long term as an economic model.

Curious Theatre Branch, currently celebrating its 35th Anniversary Season, is proud to present the revival of Hit Me Like a Flower, written and directed by Beau O'Reilly and assistant directed by Chris Zdenak, December 15 - January 21, at Facility Theatre, 1138 N. California Ave. Opening night is Friday, Dec. 15 at 8 p.m.

The performance takes place Friday, Dec. 15 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 17 at 3 p.m. as well as Friday, Jan. 5, 12, 19 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 6, 13, 20 at 8 p.m. and Sunday Jan. 21 at 3 p.m. Tickets are priced on a “pay what you can” scale, with a suggested price of $20. For more information about Hit Me Like a Flower visit CuriousTheatreBranch.com. NOTE: Hit Me Like a Flower replaces the previously announced The Rose is Off The Bloom.

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