Eclipse Theatre Presents The Fever Chart: Four Visions of the Middle East

Eclipse Theatre Company (www.eclipsetheatre.com), the only theatre company in the Midwest to feature the works of one playwright in one season, concludes their 2011 season featuring the works of Naomi Wallace with "The Fever Chart: Four Visions of the Middle East" co-directed by Eclipse Ensemble Members Steven Fedoruk and Sarah Moeller. This will be the third and final of three productions by one of America's most fascinating and exciting contemporary writers.

The 2011 Naomi Wallace season concludes with the Chicago premiere of The Fever Chart: Four Visions of the Middle East : four multi-faceted stories exploring the urgency and complexity of the Middle East's political landscape, through the voices and experiences of the people who inhabit it. In Vision 1: A State of Innocence, an Israeli soldier encounters a mysterious Palestinian woman in a dreamscape of the Rafah Zoo. Vision 2: Between this Breath and You takes place in a clinic in West Jerusalem, where a Palestinian father, after the death of his son, connects with a young Israeli woman with whom he shares more than either thought. In Vision 3: The Retreating World, an Iraqi bird collector tells of his conscription into Saddam's army and life in the aftermath of the surrender to US forces. Vision 4: No Such Cold Thing explores the American war in Afghanistan in human terms through the story of two afghan teenage sisters divided by conflict, and the US serviceman who finds an intimately human connection to their tragedy.

Eclipse Theatre recently produced One Flea Spare this past spring and is currently running The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek through September 4th.

Naomi Wallace's plays have been produced in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. Her major plays include One Flea Spare, In the Heart of America, Slaughter City, The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek, Things of Dry Hours and The Fever Chart. Her work has received the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, The Kesselring Prize, The fellowship of Southern Writers Drama Award and the Obie Award. She is also a recipient of the MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship. Wallace is currently under commission with The Oregon Shakespeare Festival and The Joseph Papp Public Theatre in New York.

Ensemble member & Jeff Award winning director Steven Fedoruk will direct Vision 1: A State of Innocence and Vision 2: Between this Breath and You. Fedoruk recently directed Eclipse's critically acclaimed production of Arthur Miller's A Memory of Two Mondays in addition to the 2007 Jeff Award Winning production of Pearl Cleage's Blues for an Alabama Sky. Ensemble member Sarah Moeller will direct Vision 3: The Retreating World and Vision 4: No Such Cold Thing. Ms. Moeller directed Eclipse's Jeff nominated production of Pearl Cleage's A Song for Coretta in 2008. She also serves as an ensemble member and producing director of Collaboraction Theatre.

The Fever Chart: Four Visions of the Middle East runs approximately two hours with one intermission. Post-show discussions with the cast and crew will be held following all Sunday matinees except opening and closing weekends (free with paid ticket).

WHERE: The Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60614.
Some street parking; Fullerton El stop (Red, Brown, Purple); Lincoln #11 Bus.
Discounted parking at Children's Memorial Hospital lot, a block north on Lincoln, on weekday evenings after 5 p.m. and all day on weekends. Handicapped accessible.

WHEN: Opens Sunday, September 18th, 2011 at 7 p.m. (reception following)
Runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
Previews on September 15, 16, and 17, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. ($8 industry shows)
Closes on Sunday,October 30, 2011

TICKETS: Call the Greenhouse Box Office at 773-404-7336,
(open 12 to 8 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday, and 12 to 4 p.m. on Sunday) or purchase online at www.eclipsetheatre.com.
$28 for all regular performances (half-price rush tickets available)
$18 for previews; $8 for industry members at all previews with headshot/card
$23 for each ticket in groups of ten or more, $23 for seniors with ID, $18 for students

Additional Details

CAST: Guest artists Jennifer Baker (Alya), Lauren Delfs (Meena), Mouzam Makkar (Tanya), Vincent Mahler (Mourid / Shlomo), Edgar Sanchez (Ali), Amira Sabbagh (Um Hisham), Matthew Scott (Sami) and Arthur Soria (Yuval).

STAFF: Eclipse ensemble members Chris Corwin (Co-Lighting Designer), Steven Fedoruk (Director), Sarah Moeller (Director), JP Pierson (Dramaturg), Kevin Scott (Co-Producer), and Nathaniel Swift (Co-Lighting Designer). Guest artists Kristen Ahern (Costume Design), Lindsay Bartlett (Dialect Coach), Sorin Brouwers (Sound Design), Amelia Lerch (Props Design), Kristin Idaszak (Dramaturg), Lindsey Miller (Stage Manager), Heather Timmerman (Assistant Stage Manager) and Mike Winkelman (Set Design).

FUNDERS: The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (CityArts), The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Saints, and Chase Giving.

Eclipse Theatre Company presents the work of one playwright each season. We offer the audience an opportunity, unique in the Midwest, to journey with us through the playwright's works. Join us in exploring the breadth and depth of a playwright's artistic worlds. One playwright, one season, one illuminating journey.

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