Factory Theater Launches 20th Anniversary Season

As Factory Theater prepares to open our 2012 20th Anniversary Season, the company announces three milestones:

Launching a "Best of Factory" Season, remounting three hit productions;
Welcoming five new ensemble members into our company of writers and performers; and
Celebrating "The Factory Theater is Turning 20" with past and current ensemble members over our 20-year history.

BEST OF FACTORY - 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY SEASON

The Factory Theater will present three of our biggest hit productions during the 2012 20th Anniversary Season:
White Trash Wedding and a Funeral by Mike Beyer and Bill Havle. April 27th - June 2nd, 2012 (previews 4/20 - 4/22)
RenFaire! A Fistful of Ducats! By Matt Engle. July 27th - Sept 1st, 2012 (previews 7/20 - 7/22)
Toast of the Town By Scott OKen and Ernie Deak. Nov 9th - Dec 15th, 2012 (previews 11/2 - 11/4)

WHITE TRASH WEDDING AND A FUNERAL -
Written in 1995 by ensemble member Mike Beyer and Bill Havle, this is our second remount of White Trash, after a widely successful production at Mary Arrchie in 2001. Called "A marriage not made in heaven" by The Chicago Tribune, it was heralded as "perversely hilarious". Nick Green from the Reader posed, "White Trash Wedding and a Funeral sticks a boot in the ass of Middle America while placing a mirror to 'polite' society. At its dumbest moments, the laughs are both uncomfortable and infectious".
The Factory is thrilled to be bringing back the boot in April of 2012.

RENFAIRE! A FISTFUL OF DUCATS! -
Written in 2008 by ensemble member Matt Engle, RenFaire! is the type of broad, over-the-top comedy that Factory Theater fans know and love: ridiculous, crude, and tons of fun. A Four Star Critic's Pick in Time Out Chicago, RenFaire! was the hit of the summer. "In the hands of anyone other than Factory, a show about dueling themed Summer Fairs would be, in all likelihood, just dumb. But this is Factory, so RenFaire! is almost certainly blissfully, hilariously, so dumb-it's-brilliant dumb". Well said, indeed. July 2012 will never be the same.

TOAST OF THE TOWN -
Written in 2005 by Factory Artistic Director Scott OKen and ensemble member Ernie Deak, The Chicago Tribune likened this summer hit to "Noises Off on Crack". The Sun Times cheered this 18-person ensemble, stating, "beneath the lunacy is a fair amount of sophisticated satire that almost shocks because it seems so unexpected." See what all the fun is about in November 2012.

NEW ENSEMBLE MEMBERS
The Factory Theater is proud to welcome five new ensemble members. Mike Ooi, Scott Pasko, Jill Oliver, Phil Claudnic and Esteban Cruz.

Mike Ooi - A long time Factory friend, Mike has been seen in Mop Top Festival, 1985, and our latest smash hit, Black and Blue. He has worked throughout the city with such companies as Lifeline Theatre, The House Theatre, The Hypocrites and Strawdog Theatre. He has also directed and produced for "The GameShowShow & Stuff" and "Eric and Andy's Reveiws You Can Iews".

Scott Pasko - A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Scott has been seen in such Factory hits as Siskel and Ebert Save Chicago, Mop Top Festival, Dead Wrong, and Easy Six, before joining our ensemble. Scott is also a proud member of Will Act For Food, where he serves as the Executive Director.

Jill Oliver - Jill debuted with Factory last spring in the critically acclaimed Factory blow out Hey! Dancin'! as well as the summer hit,The League of Awesome. She is also a member of EnSolo, writing and producing performance pieces throughout the city. A Columbia College graduate, she hails from the Northwest suburbs.

Phil Claudnic - A graduate of the B.A. Theatre Studies program of Northern Illinois University, Phil has stage managed for Factory on such productions as Hey! Dancin!, The League of Awesome, Easy Six, and our upcoming The Grey Girl, opening this fall.

Esteban Andres Cruz - A Berwyn native, Esteban is a graduate of both iO and the School at Steppenwolf. Also a part of the Factory hit, Hey! Dancin! Esteban was last seen last fall in Factory's Easy Six. A choreographer, director, singer, and actor, Esteban received the 2009 Non-Equity Jeff Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Angel Cruz in Raven's production of Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train. Recently, Esteban was invited to Williamstown Theatre Festival, to join the Equity Company of actors in David Cromer'sStreetcar Named Desire, after reprising his role from the Writers' Theatre production. Esteban has also worked with the Lyric Opera, Victory Gardens, Strawdog, the Hypocrites, the House, Piven, Teatro Vista, Theatre at the Center, Village Players, Scooty & Jojo, RTG Dance, Hedwig Dances, Zephyr Dance Ensemble, Ballet West, The Cincinnati Ballet, Chicago Festival Ballet and has worked as a choreographer at the Steppenwolf, Halcyon, Oak Park Shakes, The Factory, The Guild Complex, New Leaf Theatre and at Mary's Attic. His one-man show, Stuffed by Esteban played to sold out houses at Strawdog and Raven and at the Lakeshore Theatre, standing in for Janine Garafolo. His film, A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, in 3D! comes out this fall.

THE FACTORY THEATER IS TURNING 20!

Coming in Summer of 2012, The Factory Theater will celebrate 20 years of original work with a retrospective show featuring past and current ensemble members and highlights from some favorite shows. We're digging into the archives here, and bringing in our family from all over the country. This show should not be missed.

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