First Folio Theatre to Host MAYHEM IN THE MANSION, 10/31

First Folio Theatre presents Mayhem in the Mansion, a special Halloween event filled with spooky activities and a bone-chilling performance of THE GRAVEDIGGER on Friday, October 31, 2014, with festivities beginning at 8:30 p.m. Hosted by First Folio Theatre's Young Professionals Board, Mayhem in the Mansion will kick off with a cocktail reception, followed by tours of the purportedly haunted Mayslake Peabody Estate, Halloween-themed activities, and a costume contest. At 11 p.m., the eerie evening will continue with a special late-night presentation of the World Premiere of THE GRAVEDIGGER, which was hailed by the Chicago Tribune as "A gloomy delight! ???½!" The production is written by First Folio Artistic Associate Joseph Zettelmaier, who recently opened the World Premiere of his play Salvage at First Folio Theatre to sold-out audiences. Tickets for Mayhem in the Mansion are limited and will sell out. To purchase a ticket, please visit call 630-986-8067 or visit www.firstfolio.org.

Mayslake Peabody Estate, the Tudor Revival style mansion built in 1921, serves as the perfect backdrop for the scary tale having long been rumored to be haunted by its original owner, Francis Stuyvesant Peabody. This tale of Frankenstein's Monster takes place in the 18th century in one of Bavaria's forgotten cemeteries, where the original novel leaves off. The spooky tale begins when a lone gravedigger finds a hideously scarred man hiding in a fresh grave. Told from the Monster's perspective, both men soon realize how interconnected they are as their shared, gruesome pasts slowly unfold. THE GRAVEDIGGER is a chilling psychological drama made for those who love the classic Monster story.

Playwright Joseph Zettelmaier, who has a penchant for haunting tales and drama, worked on the script for THE GRAVEDIGGER for five years. He first read Frankenstein in high school and found it so engaging that he wanted to continue the story. His plays have been described by American Theater Magazine as "....infused with an idiosyncratic sense of humor, but he never shies away from darker emotions." He is a four-time nominee for the Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association Award for best new play: 2006 for All Childish Things, 2007 for Language Lessons, 2010 for It Came From Mars, and 2012 for Dead Man's Shoes. Other plays include Ebenezer, Salvage, And The Creek Don't Rise, The All Childish Things Trilogy, Dr. Seward's Dracula, Snow Angels, Blackwater Ballad, Night Blooming, Point of Origin, Invasive Species, Gravedigger, and The Stillness Between Breaths. Zettelmaier was also recently accepted for publication by Sordelet Ink publishing.

Jeff Award nominee Alison C. Vesely (First Folio's A Moon for the Misbegotten) directs the production. The cast is led by Craig Spidle (Brigadoon at The Goodman Theatre, Twelfth Night at First Folio Theatre, Fiddler on the Roof at Drury Lane Theatre) as "Kurt" (The Gravedigger), Joshua Caroll as "Anton" (The Monster), Simina Contras as "Nadya" (A Gypsy), and Doug MacKechnie as "Victor" (The Creator). The 18th century-style set of one of Bavaria's spooky cemeteries is designed by Angela Miller (The Merry Wives of Windsor, Salvage and Rough Crossing at First Folio Theatre). The artistic team also includes lighting design by Michael McNamara (Jeff Award for The Turn of the Screw at First Folio), costumes by Rachel Lambert (Cymbeline and The Merchant of Venice at First Folio), and sound design by Christopher Kriz (Jeff Award for The Turn of the Screw at First Folio.)

First Folio Theatre is entering its 19th season of bringing high-quality performances of Shakespeare and other classics to the stage. During that time, the theater has expanded from an annual summer production to a year-round operation with three separate and distinct stages at the historic Mayslake Peabody Estate. The Shakespeare Book of Lists names First Folio Theatre one of the "150 Great Places to See a Shakespeare Play." The Chicago Tribune raved that their Shakespeare Under the Stars summer series "offers something Navy Pier can't...plenty of greenery, gentle breezes and the chance to stretch out on a blanket with family and friends while being transported to Shakespeare's otherworldly romance."?

THE GRAVEDIGGER runs through November 2, 2014. All performances take place at the Mayslake Peabody Estate, located at 1717 W 31st St., off Rt. 83, in Oak Brook. First Folio is easy to get to from via the East-West Tollway (I-88) or the Stevenson Expressway (I-55). Free parking is available on the grounds. Preview tickets are $22. Regular priced tickets are $29 Wednesdays and Thursdays (seniors and students are $25), and $39 on Fridays through Sundays (seniors and students are $35). Three and four show subscriptions are available for $55-$105 (subscribers will receive $5 off each subscription if they are purchased by August 15, 2014). Season subscriptions and individual tickets may be purchased by calling the box office at 630.986.8067 or online at www.firstfolio.org.

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