MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET Opens 5/1 at Theatre at the Center

From the urban streets of Buffalo, NY's East Side, comes the story of the working-class Nowak family as they cope with tested faith and life's surprises. Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana, continues their 2014 season of premieres with Tom Dudzick's MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET, running from May 1 through June 1 with a press opening on Sunday, May 4. Dudzick is the writer of the beloved comedy "Over the Tavern", which became a Theatre at the Center hit, and was also previously a long-running commercial success at The Mercury Theater - both under William Pullinsi's direction. Now as Director of MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET, Pullinsi presents the heartfelt and hilarious comedy that follows a supposed visitation by the Virgin Mary to a blue collar working class neighborhood, causing revelations for a family of Polish American Catholics.

MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET follows Mother Clara Nowak (Marilynn Bogetich) and her three grown children: Jimmy (Joseph Popp), a garbage collector, Bev (Erin Grennan), a ketchup bottler, and Ruth (Adria Dawn), who would be a struggling actress if she could only get a part. In 1943, Clara's father had a vision of peace and the Blessed Mother while working in the family barbershop. To commemorate this miracle, he built a twenty-foot shrine of the Blessed Mother, which quickly became a beacon of hope to the neighbors and gave prestige to the family as it grew into popularity across the country.

Flash forward 70 years, where Clara happily runs her soup kitchen and waits for the Pope to give the miracle his seal of approval. The play opens with a family meeting, where daughter Ruth divulges her plan to finally "go public" with the family treasure by creating a one-woman play about the sacred event. During the course of the meeting, Clara's patience and religious faith are tested, and events cause the family legend to unravel - resulting in chaos on South Division Street.

MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET's production team, led by Artistic Director William Pullinsi, includes Set Designer Jeff Bauer, Lighting Designer Shelley Strasser-Holland, Sound Designer Barry G. Funderburg, Props Designer Jessie Howe and Costume Designer Brenda Winstead. The Stage Manager is Rebecca Green and TATC's General Manager is Richard Friedman.

Founded in 1991, Theatre at the Center is a year-round professional theater at its home, The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana. Theatre at the Center is Located off I-80/94, just 35 minutes from downtown Chicago, and has free parking.

Performances are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 2:00 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.; Sundays at 2:30 p.m.; and select Thursday evening and Saturday matinees. Individual ticket prices range from $40 - $44. To purchase individual tickets call the Box Office at 219.836.3255 or Tickets.com at 800.511.1552. Group discounts are available for groups of 11 or more and gift certificates are also available. New 2014 Season Subscriptions are on sale now. New subscriptions range from $150 - $160, Special Subscription Series Events include: the Wine & Theatre Series, the Dinner Theatre Series and the Opening Night Series. For more information on Theatre at the Center, visit TheatreAtTheCenter.com.

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