Laura Schellhardt's UPRIGHT GRAND Coming to Citadel This March

Dad tickles the ivories in a dive. His daughter dazzles in concert halls. In between them, the bittersweet dance of parent and child, present and past, dream and disappointment plays out in the key of life. Upright Grand, by Chicago-based playwright Laura Schellhardt, is wonderfully schmaltzy and boldly exposes emotion with old fashioned charm.

Schellhardt, who oversees the undergraduate playwriting initiative in the Department of Theatre at Northwestern University, has enjoyed productions of her plays in many major cities across the U.S., at theatres including Woolly Mammoth Theatre and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Trinity Rep in Providence and ACT in Seattle, among many others. Jeff Award-winner Scott Weinstein (for Theo Ubique's 2016 Rent) will direct the three-person cast of Mark Ulrich, Charlotte Mae Ellison and Matt Edmonds. Weinstein says, "I'm so thrilled to be collaborating with Laura Schellhardt on this beautiful play about the relationship between a parent and child and the music that runs through their lives. I think this play tells a father/daughter story through a lens that people won't have seen on stage before."

The father (called Pops) is a talented pianist and a not-so-talented songwriter. He performs at a piano bar, telling his personal stories in between his renditions of standards. He's loving but insufficiently present for his daughter "Kiddo", who we see evolve from an awkward 12-year-old through her high school years and into adulthood as the play progresses. Upright Grand, which had its world premiere at the Theatre Works' 2012 New Works Festival in Palo Alto, California, includes performances of standards by Gershwin and Kern alongside the drama.

Weinstein's production and design team includes Adam Veness (scenic designer), (Sandie Bacon (scenic artist), Kyle Techentin (lighting director), Alexa Weinzierl (costume designer), Jamie Karas (properties designer), Tessa Schultz (master carpenter), Karli Blalock (Sound Designer) Lynn Baber (casting director), and Samantha Tink (stage manager).

Upright Grand will run March 14 through 26, 2017 with preview performances Tuesday, March 14 and Wednesday, March 15 at 7:30pm. The regular run begins March 16. Performances are Thursdays at 7:30, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm. Additionally, a matinee has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 22 at 11am.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Charlotte Mae Ellison (Kiddo) has appeared around Chicago in: The Divine Sister (Hell in a Handbag); Short Shakes! Twelfth Night (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Pilgrim's Progress (A Red Orchid Theatre); The Diary of Anne Frank (Writers Theatre); SPARK (Adventure Stage Chicago); The 25th Annual Putnam County Spling Bee - Jeff Nomination (Griffin Theatre); and Brewed (Tympanic Theatre and The Ruckus) among others. Regional credits: Circle Mirror Transformation - Kevin Kline Award: Best Ensemble (The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis). Charlotte is a graduate of Emerson College and the Gaiety School of Acting. www.charlottemaeellison.com

Mark Ulrich, who plays Pops, is a proud member of Actors Equity Association, and has appeared in productions at the Goodman, Steppenwolf, Northlight, The Artistic Home, Silk Road Rising and others. Appearing as Kiddo will be Charlotte Mae Ellison, a Jeff Award nominee who has worked with Chicago Shakespeare, Writers, A Red Orchid and Griffin Theatre.

Playing "The Accompanist" will be Matt Edmonds, also a former Jeff Award nominee (for Redtwist's All-American) known for his work in musicals (he played Mark in Theo Ubique's award-winning Rent) as well as straight dramatic roles.

Weinstein's production and design team includes Adam Veness (scenic designer), (Sandie Bacon (scenic artist), Kyle Techentin (lighting director), Alexa Weinzierl (costume designer), Jamie Karas (properties designer), Tessa Schultz (master carpenter), Karli Blalock (Sound Designer) Lynn Baber (casting director), and Samantha Tink (stage manager).

Citadel Theatre (300 S. Waukegan Rd) is a 144-seat venue with a thrust stage and comfortable stadium seating. There is ample, free parking on site. Tickets are available online at www.CitadelTheatre.org or over the phone by calling the Citadel Theatre box office at 847.735.8554. Tickets are $35 Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; $38 Saturdays and Sundays. Discounts are available for seniors, students, theatre industry professionals and groups.

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