Griffin Theatre's BALM IN GILEAD to Run 3/14-4/19 at The Den Theatre

Griffin Theatre Company will continue its 2014-15 season with Lanford Wilson's acclaimed drama BALM IN GILEAD directed by ensemble member Jonathan Berry and featuring an ensemble cast of 27 actors and musicians. BALM IN GILEAD will play March 14 - April 19, 2015 at The Den Theatre, 1329-1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.griffintheatre.com. The press preview is Saturday, March 21 at 7:30 pm.

The ensemble cast of 27 actors and musicians includes: Japhet Balaban as Joe and Ashleigh LaThrop as Darlene with Echaka Agba, Cyd Blakewell, Chris Chmelik, David Cady, Jr., Diego Colon, Joanne Dubach, Armand Fields, Gabe Franken, Havalah Grace, Alexander Lane, Tyshaun Lang, Laura Lapidus, Morgan Maher*, Jack Miggins, Johnny Moran, Johnathan Nieves, Ellie Reed*, Kevin Reyes, Matt Rockwood, Nate Santana, Lynda Shadrake*, Adam Shalzi, Paige Smith and Andrew Swanson. *Denotes Griffin Theatre Company ensemble member.

Enter the world of Frank's café, an all-night coffee shop on Manhattan's Upper West Side frequented by a makeshift community of dealers, junkies, hustlers, prostitutes, dreamers and runaways. BALM IN GILEAD loosely centers on Joe, a cynical drug dealer, and Darlene, a naive new arrival to the big city as their lives intersect over the course of three days. Having previously produced Wilson's The Hot L Baltimore (1990) and Fifth of July (2003), Griffin is pleased to present the celebrated playwright's first full-length work.

In order to illuminate and match the grittier themes of Balm in Gilead, Griffin Theatre has chosen to perform Lanford Wilson's groundbreaking play at The Den Theatre instead of its regular confines at Theater Wit. With a cast of 27, the audience will be in, around and on top of the action. Griffin is also pleased to have Jonathan Berry return to direct another of Wilson's works, having previously co-directed Fifth of July with founding Artistic Director Richard Barletta. Berry plans to honor Wilson's original vision and set the play in 1964-the time in which it was originally set.

The production team for BALM IN GILEAD includes Dan Stratton (set design), Mieka Van der Ploeg (costume design), Lee Fiskness (lighting design) and Matt Chapman (sound design).