Neil Simon's THE GOOD DOCTOR Opens Tonight at Jedlicka Performing Arts Center

Jedlicka Performing Arts Center is pleased to launch its 2014-15 season with Neil Simon's hit Broadway comedy THE GOOD DOCTOR, co-directed by Steven Calzaretta and Max Cervantes, playing tonight, September 12 - 27, 2014 at Jedlicka Performing Arts Center, 3801 S. Central Ave. in Cicero.

Tickets are available at www.jpactheatre.com or by calling (708) 656-1800. The press performances are Friday, September 12 and Saturday, September 13, 2014 at 7:30 pm.

THE GOOD DOCTOR features an ensemble cast in multiple roles including Natalee Cooney, Christie Coran, Matthew Dunn, Megan Gotz, Ross Magyar and Josh Mattingly.

In Neil Simon's Tony Award-winning comedy, an unnamed writer (obviously meant to represent Anton Chekhov himself) suffers from writer's block and his own artistic temperament as he narrates to the audience several of his stories: a fiesty old woman storms a bank and upbraids the manager for his gout and lack of money; a father takes his son to a house where he will be initiated into the mysteries of sex, only to relent at the last moment and leave the boy more perplexed than ever; and let's not forget the classic tale of a man who offers to drown himself for three rubles. The stories are droll, the portraits affectionate, the humor infectious and the fun unending.

The production team for THE GOOD DOCTOR includes Michael Nedza (scenic designer/multimedia design), Dante J. Orfei (lighting design), Michael Kott (sound design) and Sabrina Zeidler (stage manager).

Steven Calzaretta (Co-Director) previously directed Jedlicka's Dial M for Murder and has performed on the JPAC stage. He toured with country legend Kenny Rogers as asst. tour manager and featured vocalist and with the Paul Chapman Project (former lead guitarist for multiplatinum band UFO) as tour manager and vocalist. As an actor, Steve has performed at regional theatre throughout the U.S. including the Marriott Theatre and Drury Lane Oak Brook, as well as four great months on Broadway. Steve has done many voice-overs and appeared in several television shows and movies. Most recently he was the Company Manager and Casting Director at the historic Fulton Theatre in Lancaster, PA. He recently joined JPAC as Managing Director.

Max Cervantes (Co-Director) has called The Jedlicka Performing Arts Center home since taking the stage in Peter Pan when he was nine years old. Since then, having studied Drama (Musical Theater) at Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, Max has found involvement in both the New York and Chicago theater scenes. As a teaching artist, Max has worked with students in a wide array of classrooms - from the Bronx to his Alma matter, Fenwick High School. As a director, he most recently directed BAMtheatre's College Intensive Production of RENT. Max has been on staff at BAMtheatre for the past six years, having directed over two hundred actors in a given summer season. Max also finds involvement in Redmoon Theater Chicago as a featured performer. As an actor, some of Max's favorites roles include Kenickie in Grease (NYU's New Studio on Broadway), Simon in Marie (Dixon Place Theater NY) and Gomez in The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (JPAC). He looks forward to meeting new people and working with familiar faces.

Jedlicka Performing Arts Center strives to bring audiences a variety of theatrical pieces, from the classics to premiere works, providing an environment of excitement and discovery for its patrons while maintaining a unique performance venue for its artists. For additional information, visit www.jpactheatre.com.

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