HOW THE WORLD BEGAN Makes Chicago Premiere Tonight at Rivendell Theatre

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago's only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core, announces the third production of its 20th Anniversary Season, the Chicago premiere of How the World Began, written by Catherine Trieschmann and directed by Keira Fromm. The production runs tonight, September 2-October 10, 2015, at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago. The press opening is Wednesday, September 9, 2015, at 7:00pm.

Religion and science collide in a visceral examination of the way in which we navigate interpersonal relationships involving seemingly irreconcilable beliefs-and just how hard it is to truly listen to one another in an increasingly polarized world. Looking to rebuild her fractured life, high school biology teacher Susan relocates from New York City to a small Kansas town reeling in the aftermath of a devastating tornado. Ready for more than a little culture shock, Susan finds herself unprepared for the firestorm that engulfs the town after she makes an off-handed comment about the origin of the universe.

The cast of How the World Began includes RTE members Rebecca Spence and Keith Kupferer, with Curtis Edward Jackson.

IF YOU GO:

How the World Began

Written by: Catherine Trieschmann

Directed by: Keira Fromm

Featuring: RTE members Rebecca Spence and Keith Kupferer, with Curtis Edward Jackson

Previews: September 2 - September 8, 2015

Press opening: Wednesday, September 9 at 7:00pm

Gala opening: Thursday, September 10 at 7:00pm

Regular run: through October 10, 2015

Schedule: Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00pm and Saturdays at 4:00pm

Location: Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago

Tickets: General Admission - Previews: $25; Pre-sale: $32; Walk-up: $35. Student, Senior, Active Military, Veteran - Preview: $15; Pre-sale: $22; Walk-up: $25. Pay What You Can - Five seats (10% of the house) are available for each performance. Reservations are made on a first come first served basis. Flex Pass - $110 ($80 for Student/ Senior/ Active Military/ Veteran) - includes four tickets to use in any combination for the season.

Box Office: (773) 334-7728 or www.RivendellTheatre.org.

Parking and transportation: Free parking is available in the Senn High School parking lot (located a block and a half from the theatre behind the school off Thorndale Avenue). There is limited paid and free street parking in the area and the theatre is easily accessible via the Clark (#22) or Broadway (#36) bus and is a short walk from the Bryn Mawr Red Line El station.

About the Artists:

Catherine Trieschmann (Playwright) Catherine's plays include The Bridegroom of Blowing Rock, Crooked, How the World Began, Hot Georgia Sunday, and The Most Deserving. Her work has been produced Off-Broadway at the Women's Project, the Bush Theatre (London), Out of Joint at the Arcola Theatre (London), South Coast Repertory, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, the New Theatre (Sydney), Florida Stage, the Summer Play Festival, Actor's Theatre of Louisville, American Theatre Company, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, among others. She has received commissions from South Coast Repertory, Manhattan Theatre Club, and the Denver Theatre Center. She is the recipient of the Weissberger Award, the Otis Guernsey New Voices Playwriting Award from the Inge Theatre Festival, and the Edgerton New Play Award. She also wrote the screenplay for the film Angel's Crest, which premiered at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival and was released by Magnolia Pictures.

Keira Fromm (Director) is a Jeff Award nominated director, casting director, and teacher in Chicago. Recent directing credits include the hit TimeLine Theatre production of The How and the Why, Luce (Next Theatre), A Kid Like Jake (About Face Theatre), Charles Ives Take Me Home (Strawdog), Broadsword (Gift Theatre), Fallow (Steep Theatre), Enfrascada (16th Street Theater), and Lobby Hero (Redtwist), as well as staged readings at TimeLine, Steep, About Face, Route 66, and Chicago Dramatists. While living in NYC, Keira served as the Resident Director of the popular off-Broadway shows The Donkey Show and The Karaoke Show and was the Audience Casting Coordinator for the original Broadway production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Keira received her MFA in Directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University. She is a proud member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and an ensemble member of the New York-based theater company Stage 13. She teaches audition and monologue workshops at Green Shirt Studio.

Curtis Edward Jackson lives in Chicago and is originally from Philadelphia. He studied Acting at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire and is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf. Recent credits include: Brilliant Adventures (Steep Theatre Company), Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake) (Jackalope Theatre Company), Men Should Weep (Jeff Award - Best Production), War of the Worlds, and two national tours of Letters Home (Griffin Theatre Company), Tribes, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Richard III, Twelfth Night (Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre); Ghost Bike (Buzz22 Chicago), Shakespeare's R&J (Idle Muse Theatre Company) (Jeff Award nomination - Best Ensemble), Good Boys and True (Kokandy Productions).

Keith Kupferer's Steppenwolf credits include The Qualms, Good People, Middletown, South of Settling, Of Mice & Men, Carter's Way, Men of Tortuga, Things Being What They Are, Jesus Hopped The A Train and Tavern Story. Other recent theater credits include The Humans (American Theatre Company), God of Carnage, High Holidays, Sarah Ruhl's Passion Play and The Old Neighborhood (Goodman Theatre), Appropriate (Victory Gardens Theatre), Gypsy (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), End Days (Windy City Playhouse), Execution of Justice (About Face Theatre), Cat Feet and The Old Neighborhood (Northlight), Desire Under The Elms, a co-production between Philadelphia's Freedom Theatre and Chicago's Court Theatre, and the long running hit Shear Madness. Keith is a founding member of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble where he has performed in nine productions since 1996 and was most recently seen in the world premiere production of American Wee-Pie. Other Chicago credits include The Unseen, The Meek, Canus Lunis Balloonis, (nominated for a 1998 Joseph Jefferson award for Best Ensemble), and The Physicists for A Red Orchid Theatre and Big Lake, Big City, Trust and Hillbilly Antigone for Lookingglass Theatre. Film credits include the latest Ron Howard project, The Dilemma, Dark Knight, Public Enemies, The Express, Stranger Than Fiction, Road to Perdition directed by Sam Mendes, Fred Klaus, The Last Rights of Joe May, The Merry Gentleman directed by Michael Keaton and the soon to be released films Finding Santa, Resurrecting McGinn, and Open Tables. TV credits include ABC's "Betrayal," NBC's "Crisis," "Chicago Fire," ABC's "Detroit 187," A&E's "The Beast," the Fox series "Prison Break," "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" on WB and the CBS series "Early Edition."

Rebecca Spence Theatre credits include: In the Garden (Lookingglass); Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West (TimeLine Theatre Company); This (Theatre Wit); The Voysey Inheritance, Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Remy Bumppo -Equity Jeff Nom.); The Crucible, Household Spirits, Our Lady of 121st Street, Pacific (Steppenwolf Theatre); Twelfth Night (Noble Fool Theatricals); Dracula (Defiant Theatre); Cyrano (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre). She is an ensemble member of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble where she appeared in Wrens and These Shining Lives (Equity Jeff Nomination). Film Credits: Man of Steel, Fools, Tiger Tail in Blue, One Small Hitch, Contagion, The Dilemma, Audrey the Trainwreck, Earthling, Public Enemies, Grace is Gone and The Break-Up. Television Credits: "Chicago Fire" (ABC); Crisis" (NBC), "Betrayal" (ABC), "Boss" (STARZ), "The Mob Doctor" (FOX), "Detroit 1-8-7" (ABC), "The Chicago Code" (FOX), "The Beast" (A&E) and "Prison Break" (FOX).

How the World Began is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

RTE@20: You Are Here - This year Rivendell Theatre Ensemble turns twenty years old. When it came to planning the 20th season, we found ourselves at a crossroads, reflecting back on the journey so far...and looking ahead to the future. So in honor of this milestone anniversary, we've mapped out three exciting new plays. Each work explores the tricky topography of personal choice--and the often uncharted biases that drive how-and why-we make our most life-changing decisions.

The 20th season continues with How the World Began (September 3-October 17, 2015) by Catherine Trieschmann, featuring RTE member Rebecca Spence.

Founded in 1994, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble advances women's lives through the power of theatre. Rivendell cultivates the talents of women artists -- writers, actors, directors, designers and technicians - by seeking out innovative plays that explore unique female experiences and producing them in intimate, salon environments.

Rivendell fills an important role in the Chicago region as the only Equity theatre dedicated to producing artistically challenging and original plays created by and about women. After years of being an itinerant company, we moved into our own theater space in 2010 in Edgewater. As new members of the neighborhood, we are focused on becoming an integral community partner and serving as a catalyst to engage our audiences in a discussion of local social issues.

For more information about Rivendell Theater Ensemble, http://rivendelltheatre.org. Follow RTE on Facebook at Facebook.com/rivendelltheatre, on Twitter @RivendellThtr, and on Instagram at instagram.com/rivendelltheatre.

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