GRACELAND Makes Its World Premiere At The Profiles Theatre 5/22-6/28

Profiles Theatre concludes its 20th Anniversary Season with the World premiere of the comedy/drama Graceland by Ellen Fairey, directed by Matt Miller. The production runs May 22-June 28, 2009, at Profiles Theatre, 4147 N. Broadway. The press opening is Thursday, May 28, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

Chicago's oldest cemetery is the backdrop for Graceland, the story of four lonely Chicagoans whose lives collide one August weekend while the Blue Angels airshow is in town. As fighter jets buzz the skies from dusk till dawn, estranged brother and sister Sam and Sara try to make sense of their father's recent suicide. Sara's one night stand with Joe, an aging lothario, brings further trouble in the form of Joe's mercurial teenage son, Miles. Graceland is a World premiere comedic drama about the loneliness of family, the tenderness of strangers and the unexpected benefits of bad decisions.

Ms. Fairey's first full length play, GIRL, 20, was named one of the "Top Ten Most Promising Plays of 2006" by the Chicago Tribune in its World Premiere production by Serendipity Theatre. The production subsequently moved to Los Angeles, where it received rave reviews and was nominated for two 2007-2008 LA Weekly Theatre Awards for Best Director (Matt Miller) and Best Ensemble.

This is the fifth and final production of Profiles Theatre's 20th Anniversary Season following its acclaimed productions of The Wonderful World of Dissocia by Anthony Neilson, Great Falls by Lee Blessing, The Thugs by Adam Bock and Men of Tortuga by Jason Wells. The titles for Profiles' 2009-2010 season will be announced soon.

The Cast of Graceland features Profiles' ensemble members Somer Benson (The Wonderful World of Dissocia, The Thugs), Eric Burgher (The Wonderful World of Dissocia, Men of Tortuga) and Darrell W. Cox (Great Falls, Men of Tortuga). The cast also includes Brenda Barrie as Sara and Jackson Challinor as Miles, both making their Profiles debuts.

"Profiles, to me, is such a distinctly Chicago theatre company- the whole vibe, the work they do- it's honest and tough," says playwright Ellen Fairey. "When they told me they were interested in Graceland, I was thrilled. What better place for a play about Chicago? Although I've recently moved to Los Angeles, Chicago remains my close to my heart and Graceland is, in a way, a kind of love letter to the city that shaped the way I write plays and who I want to write plays about."

"Ellen continued the development of Graceland last year with Profiles in mind, and we have watched the play grow beautifully as she has revised it throughout the season," says Profiles Artistic Director Joe Jahraus. "This is the first time in our 20 year history that we have worked so closely with the playwright on the development of a script."

The designers are William Anderson (set), Jessica Harpenau (lights), Ricky Lurie (costumes), and Misha (sound and original music). The assistant director is Profiles ensemble member Tyler Gray and the stage manager is Darcy McGill.

ELLEN FAIREY (playwright) is the author of GIRL,20 named one of the Top Ten Plays of 2006 by the Chicago Tribune and nominated for two LA Weekly awards in 2007. Her plays TUNING IN EL PASO and CHILL IS GOOD were both award winners at Collaboraction's Sketchbook Festival '00 and '06. Other works have been read as part of Chicago Dramatists Saturday Series and her short play ALOHA FROM PALM SPRINGS was part of Edward Albee's Last Frontier Theatre Conference in 2004. She is currently developing a full length version of TUNING IN EL PASO as well as writing a new play about Michigan. GRACELAND marks Ms. Fairey's third production with Matthew Miller as director. She is a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

MATTHEW MILLER (director) has previously collaborated with Ellen Fairey on her plays TUNING IN EL PASO for CollaborAction's Sketchbook and the Chicago and L.A. productions of GIRL, 20 (Best Director & Best Ensemble nominations, LA Weekly Theatre Awards) for Serendipity Theatre. Other recent directing credits include BIBLE B-SIDES with the SiNNERMAN Ensemble, THIS IS OUR YOUTH with Pine Box Theatre, and Hans Holsen's one man musical DENNIS TAR, HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS STAR! at The Annoyance Theatre & I.O. Matt is a proud company member of both the Serendipity Theatre Collective and of Barrel of Monkeys, an ensemble of artists that teaches creative writing in Chicago public elementary schools.

BRENDA BARRIE (Sara), making her Profiles debut, has appeared in the title role in the world premiere of Mariette in Ecstasy with Lifeline Theatre, the female understudy for Of Mice and Men at Steppenwolf and Blanche Dubois in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE with Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. As an Ensemble Member with Backstage Theatre Company, she's performed as Li'l Bit in How I Learned to Drive, Florrie in Waiting for Lefty and Lauren Chickering in the Chicago premiere of Beauty on the Vine, as well as work Silk Road Theatre Project, Chopin Theatre, and the American Theatre Company. She received her BFA from the University of Indianapolis and studied theatre at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland.

SOMER BENSON (Anna) is an ensemble member of Profiles Theatre. She was most recently seen as Lisa in the American Premiere of THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISSOCIA and as Diane in Profiles' Midwest Premiere of THE THUGS by Adam Bock. She was also seen as Steph in a reading of REASONS TO BE PRETTY, part of Profiles' AN EVENING WITH Neil LaBute: LIVE AND IN PERSON. Last season, she appeared in "Coax", a short play from the Midwest premiere of THINGS WE SAID TODAY by Neil LaBute. Some of her other favorite productions include PROOF, COLLECTED STORIES, and COME BACK TO THE FIVE AND DIME, JIMMY DEAN, JIMMY DEAN. She was also the Assistant Director for Profiles' acclaimed productions of GREAT FALLS by Lee Blessing and IN A DARK DARK HOUSE by Neil LaBute. Somer is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (CA), studied at Waubonsee Community College with Dr. Maria Bakalis and has also studied at Profiles Theatre.

ERIC BURGHER (Sam) is an ensemble member of Profiles Theatre. He was most recently seen as Guard 2 and various roles in Profiles' American premiere of THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISSOCIA and as Fletcher in Profiles' first full Chicago production of MEN OF TORUGA. Prior to that, he appeared in THIS IS HOW IT GOES by Neil LaBute and "Land of the Dead" as part of Profiles' Midwest Premiere of LaBute shorts, THINGS WE SAID TODAY. Eric also appeared as Carter in the Midwest Premiere of FAT PIG by Neil LaBute. Eric received an After Dark Award for Outstanding Ensemble in "Bench Seat" as part of Profiles' Midwest Premiere of AUTOBAHN. He was also seen as Steve in THE GLORY OF LIVING, Steve Enloe in THE RADIANT ABYSS, and as Dan in NOISE. Eric is a graduate of Columbia College, where he is now on the adjunct faculty.

JACKSON CHALLINOR (Miles), making his Profiles debut, has appeared in the critically-acclaimed production of A VERY MERRY UNAUTHORIZED CHILDREN'S SCIENTOLOGY PAGEANT at A Red Orchid Theatre, A NEW NATION at Prop Thtr, LET THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN at Apple Tree Theatre, HAROUN AND THE SEA OF STORIES at Halcyon Theatre, Roosevelt University's production of the opera TURN OF THE SCREW and many productions at the Dempster Street Theatre including PETER PAN, OKLAHOMA and THE MUSIC MAN

DARRELL W. COX (Joe) is an ensemble member of Profiles Theatre. He was most recently seen in Profiles' Midwest premiere of GREAT FALLS and as Taggart in Profiles' first full Chicago production of MEN OF TORTUGA. Prior to that, he was seen in the Chicago Premiere of Leigh Fondakowski's THE PEOPLE'S TEMPLE at American Theatre Company as Jim Jones and Stephan Jones. He has been seen at Steppenwolf in the World Premiere of MEN OF TORTUGA (where he originated the role of Taggart), the Midwest Premiere of ORANGE FLOWER WATER (which traveled to the Galway Arts Festival), and the World Premiere of WENDALL GREENE. Darrell has also appeared at the Goodman in THE SHAWL and HOME as part of the David Mamet Festival and the World Premiere of MARTIN FUREY'S SHOT at TimeLine Theatre, among others. He has received three Jeff Awards for Principal Actor for his performances in Profiles' productions of BLACKBIRD, SOME VOICES and EYE OF GOD. In addition, he has received two After Dark Awards for Outstanding Performance for his work in Profiles' POPCORN and CARNAL KNOWLEDGE. Other recent performances at Profiles include IN A DARK DARK HOUSE, APPLE, FAT PIG and THE GLORY OF LIVING.

Tickets for Graceland are $25 for Thursdays and Sundays; $30 for Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are available by phone, (773) 549-1815, or online, www.profilestheatre.org. Performances are Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 7:00 p.m.

Profiles Theatre is a not-for-profit professional theatre company founded in 1988 by five Eastern Illinois University alumni and has since been continually producing plays. Profiles brings new works to Chicago that illuminate the determination and resiliency of the human spirit. The company produces World, US and Midwest Premieres by new playwrights, as well as established writers whose work has been seen across the country and around the world. Profiles is particularly drawn to playwrights with a unique narrative style and use of language and the company takes pride in carefully selecting scripts that combine integrity with risk. Profiles Theatre is committed to producing plays that tell a story in a captivating way with productions that complement The Ensemble and speak to its audience.

Dates: Previews: May 22, 23, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.

March 24 at 7 p.m.

May 25, 26, 27 at 8:00 p.m.

Dates: Press opening: May 28, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

Regular run: May 28 - June 28, 2009

Schedule: Thurs, Fri, Sat: 8:00 p.m.

Sun: 7:00 p.m.

Location: Profiles Theatre, 4147 N. Broadway

Parking is available for $10-$12 at 4100 N. Clarendon

(One block east of the theatre at the corner of Clarendon and Belle Plaine)

Ticket prices: Fridays and Saturdays, $30; Thursdays and Sundays, $25; Students and Senior Citizens receive a $5 discount on all performances; Group rates are available.

Box Office: Buy online at www.profilestheatre.org

or call (773) 549-1815

Profiles Theatre, founded in 1988, is celebrating its 20th Anniversary Season.

 

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