Dog & Pony Theatre Presents DEAD LETTER OFFICE at Storefront Theatre, 6/9-7/18

Dog & Pony Theatre Company, in association with Chicago DCA Theater, presents the world premiere of DEAD LETTER OFFICE. The production, conceived by Ben Viccellio, written by Philip Dawkins, and directed by DieteRich Gray, comes to Chicago DCA's Storefront Theater at 66 E. Randolph Street, from June 9 to July 18, 2010.

In an examination of the changing nature of language in our digital culture, each staff member at the postal service's DEAD LETTER OFFICE tries to communicate but always seems to miss. Instead, they are stuck sorting the backlog of the postal system and searching for anything of value among the written letters. But when a newcomer joins the group, she uncovers a secret - a secret buried deep within the walls of the post office and threatened to be lost with the building's imminent destruction.

DEAD LETTER OFFICE playwright Philip Dawkins is a Chicago-based playwright and educator. He is a graduate of Loyola University, Chicago. His play, Yes to Everything! has been performed nationally in Chicago, New York, California, and Washington, D.C. Other credits include Perfect (The Side Project); You Gonna Eat That? (HealthWorks), Ugly Baby (Chicago Vanguard/Strawdog Theatre Company), A Still Life in Color (T.U.T.A. Company), and Saguaro (Estrogen Fest; Estrogenius Festival, NY; 16th Street Theatre, Berwyn; Painted Filly, Ireland.). His writing has been published in The Stranger and The Packington Review and his children's plays are published with Playscripts, Inc. Dawkins is a founding member of Chicago Opera Vanguard, and he teaches playwriting in public schools through Chicago Dramatists. He also teaches martial arts to children through Rising Phoenix Kung Fu.

DieteRich Gray directs DEAD LETTER OFFICE. Gray has been a Dog & Pony company member since 2006. His directing credits include: Veuve Clicquot (Dog & Pony) and You Wouldn't Want To Take It With You Even If You Could (Piven) as part of Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Days/365 Plays Festival; Lanford Wilson's A Betrothal (Theatre Lab, ISU), and David Ives' All In the Timing (Carl Sandburg Theatre). His acting credits include Mr. Marmalade, Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake), and Osama The Hero (Dog & Pony); King Lear starring Stacy Keach, dir. Robert Falls (Goodman and Shakespeare Theatre Company); Sarah Ruhl's Passion Play, dir. MarK Wing-Davey (Yale Repertory); Mother Courage, The Royal Family, and I Just Stopped By To See The Man (Steppenwolf); Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice and Great Expectations (Piven, ensemble member). Film credits include DogJack, Rocketship, and the recent Maverick release, 8 of Diamonds, opposite Eric Roberts.

 The cast of DEAD LETTER OFFICE features Kristen Magee, John Fenner Mays, Susan Price, and Josh Volkers.*

The production team includes Steve Ptacek* (sound design), Cathy Tantillo* (costume design), Aaron Weissman* (lighting design), Katie Rook (props design), Hannah Fenlon (assistant director), Simone Gianfrancesco (stage management), Shelby Wilson (assistant stage management), Ezra Bookman (production assistant), John Blick* (producer), and Krissy Vanderwarker* (artistic director).

Founded in 2002, Dog & Pony Theatre Company is committed to producing vital works by new and emerging playwrights whose use of language and convention are daring and highly imaginative. As an eclectic collective of artists with backgrounds in theatre, public broadcasting, political activism, and religious studies, Dog & Pony is particularly drawn to work with social and cultural relevance. The company has presented 12 full productions in six years including Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake), which received an encore performance at Theater on the Lake, As Told By The Vivian Girls, recipient of three After Dark Awards, and most recently the Jeff recommended The Twins Would Like to Say as part of Steppenwolf's Garage Rep series. The productions of Mr. Marmalade, The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabbler, and God's Ear were all nominated for non-Equity Jeff Awards.

 

Performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm. and Sunday afternoons at 3 pm. There will not be a show on Sunday, July 4, due to the holiday. A post-show discussion will follow the performance on Thursday, June 17.

Tickets for Dead Letter Office are $22 for general admission and $17 for students and seniors. The preview performances on June 9 and 10 as well as all Thursday and Sunday performances are pay-what-you-can shows. Discounts are available for Chicago Cultural Center Mosaic Members, theater industry affiliates, military personnel, ADA companions, and large groups. All tickets are available by calling 312.742.TIXS (8497), visiting www.dcatheater.org, or stopping by the box office, open Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 6 pm; Sundays, noon to 4 pm; and one hour prior to each performance.

 

For more information about Dog & Pony Theatre Company's DEAD LETTER OFFICE and Chicago DCA Theater, call 312.742.TIXS (8497) or visit www.dcatheater.org. The enhanced website features more about DCA Theater performances and programs, including a blog, photo galleries, and visitor information. More information on Dog & Pony Theatre Company is available at www.dogandponychicago.org.

 

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