Jenny Lamb, Layne Manzer Lead THE LADY'S NOT FOR BURNING, Opens 9/19

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre announces cast and crew for its first production of the season, "The Lady's Not for Burning," opening September 19 with previews September 17-18. It runs through October 31, culminating with a speciAl Halloween Party performance.

A romantic comedy written in verse by Christopher Fry and set in the Middle Ages, it reflects the world's exhaustion and despair following World War II. The story is about a disillusioned veteran, who wants to be hanged until he is wooed from his desire for death by the happier, accused witch on her way to the stake who wants to live. In form, it resembles Shakespeare's pastoral comedies.
Directing is Fred Anzevino, Theo Ubique's artistic director. The director's position is graciously funded by The Saints of Chicago, volunteers for the performing arts.

Playing the lead roles are Jenny Lamb as Jennet Jourdemayne, the witch, and Layne Manzer as Thomas Mendip, the soldier.

Other roles are: Jeff (Preddie) Predmore as Mayor Hebble Tyson; Adam Kander as Richard, the mayor's copying clerk; Eric Martin as Humphrey Devize, the mayor's nephew; Sonja Field as Alizon Eliot, the future wife of Humphrey; David Weiss as Nicholas Devize, Humphrey's brother; Susan Fey as Margaret Devize, Humphrey's mother; Andrew J. Pond as Edward Tappercoom, and Drew Longo as The Chaplain and Matthew Skipps.

Crew members are: Ben Mason, assistant director and production manager; Nate Crawford, scenic designer; Theresa Ham, costume designer; David Heimann, lighting designer; Ethan Deppe, sound designer; Justin Goh, props master, and Rachael Holiday, stage manager.

Christopher Fry stated in an interview in 2001 at age 94 that the play is based on his memories of World War I veterans as tramps in Army "Great Coats" and their real horror of mankind. He wrote the play in 1948 following World War II and when the House Un-American Activities Committee was underway and uses this play in verse to explore serious social issues underneath the comic exterior.
Performances are 7:30 p.m., Thursdays; 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, and 7 p.m., Sundays at the No Exit Café, a cabaret setting in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. Doors open, dinner is served and the shuttle van starts 1 ½ hours prior to curtain. Tickets are $25, and a show/dinner package is $45. The speciAl Halloween Party performance starts at 5 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 31 and the $70 ticket includes a cocktail period, dinner, costume contest, trick-or-treat bags and show. Tickets can be purchased online through the web site at www.theoubique.org or www.theo-u.org or by calling the ticket service at 800-595-4849. The information line is 773-347-1109.

Free parking is available at the parking lot on the corner of Morse and Ravenswood with free transport on the Lifeline shuttle van to and from the lot. The No Exit Café is by the Morse stop on the Red Line. Special discounts will be offered through Theo Ubique e-news announcements, which are available by signing up through the web site.

To post a comment, you must register and login.