Opening of Premiere Theatre's 'Seven Doors (Sieben Türen)'

Premiere Theatre & Performance, now in it's sixth season, presents the American premiere of Botho Strauss' 1988 dark comedy 'Seven Doors (Sieben Türen),' translated by the late Peter K. Jansen (University of Chicago professor emeritus), sponsored by the Goethe-Institut Chicago. 'Seven Doors (Sieben Türen)' has an incendiary take on modern life and the beyond, across ten separate scenes about ordinary people in extraordinary situations. This series reveals brief glimpses into grotesquely tragic lives, including a newly married couple who sit alone at their wedding reception - so preoccupied with their own love and happiness, they forgot to invite any guests. The least significant person in the world is handed a package which holds the key to world power. At the cusp of his biggest triumph, an ingenious researcher commits suicide for fear of leaving any traces of his dangerous discovery behind, but in the afterlife he is greeted by Nothingness, which he forever will endure. Within Strauss' short segments, where reality and pretense clash, comedic sparks fly. The show runs about 90 minutes with one intermission.

From the prologue of 'Seven Doors (Sieben Türen)' (translation by Stefan Brun): "Sometimes, during lengthy moments, the great hurry-hurry of our regular lives seems to dance at the fringe of the fire. Then, instead of seeing a door, seven of them are standing half-opened there. This could portend the true end: exits being hopelessly in the majority. Not a free exit but rather a series of free and equal exits allowing us no chance to strike out in the single right way. Considering the coughed-up secrets - considering an arena of half-opened, tempting doors - staying seated is the most common conclusion in the world. And then, just a little later, the illusion loosens: it was just a shrewd trick the devil allowed himself with our senses. This is not limbo, here, not the milder hell here and the devil lies only in the limping comparison."

'Seven Doors (Sieben Türen)' will be performed at Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston Ave., Chicago, IL 60618 (Addison Blue Line El Stop, Addison Bus; Handicapped accessible).  The show opens Sunday, October 5, 2008, at 7 p.m., with a reception following, and closes Sunday, November 2, 2008 (Daylight Saving Time ends this day).   'Seven Doors (Sieben Türen)' runs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. (no Saturdays except preview).  Previews will take place on October 1 and 2 at 8 p.m., and October 4 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., and there will be an added show on Monday, October 20, 8 p.m.

For tickets call 773-250-7055 or visit www.ptapchicago.org.  Regular tickets are $20; $15 for student, senior (with ID) and group tickets (10 or more for group), and $10 for previews, plus for industry members (with ID) on Thursdays.  2-for-1 tickets on added October 20, 8 p.m. show.  Added group shows can also be scheduled on request at 773-250-7055.

'Seven Doors (Sieben Türen)' features the talents of Patrizia Acerra (Director), Timothy Spencer (Set Design), Carol Blanchard (Costume Design), Bradford Chapin (Sound Design), Mac Vaughey (Lighting Design), and Heather Stayton (Stage Manager), and well as Brian Conley, Robert Dean, Jeff Dolocek, David Ello, Lila Frazier, Hank Hilbert, Allison McGrath, Michael Norton, Gary Saipe, and Anna Stevens. 

BIO

During his more than three decades at Chicago, Peter K. Jansen's research focused heavily on German drama of the 19th and 20th centuries, including the works of von Kleist, Friedrich Grabbe, Georg Büchner and Bertolt Brecht. Born in Essen, he also studied the German novel, realism, naturalism, German comedy and August von Kotzebue. His research appeared in Modern Philology, the Journal of English and Germanic Philology, Germanic Quarterly, and the Journal of Religion. Jansen was also an accomplished literary translator, who taught the theory and practice of translation at Chicago. His translation of three plays by the Austrian writer Thomas Bernhard, done in collaboration with his longtime colleague Kenneth Northcott, was first published in the collection Histrionics in 1990. The translation has been used in performances in England and Canada. "Clearly theater was one of Peter's loves," said Santner, "and he often traveled far and wide to see new experimental theater."

Botho Strauss was born in Naumburg/Saale in 1944, the son of a chemist. He studied German literature, drama history and sociology for several semesters in Köln and Munich, as well as working as a supernumerary at the Munich Kammerspiele alongside his studies. From 1967 to 1970, Strauß worked as an editor and critic on the periodical 'Theater Heute' and, from 1970 to 1975, as a dramaturg for Peter Stein at the Schaubühne am Halleschen Ufer in Berlin, where he contributed to productions and wrote adaptations that had a crucial influence on German theatre in the 1970s, such as 'Peer Gynt,' 'Kleists Traum vom Prinzen von Homburg' ('Kleist's Dream of the Prince of Homburg') and 'Sommergäste' ("Summer Guests"). The productions of his own works (such as 'Die Hypochonder' ['The Hypochondriacs'], 'Trilogie des Wiedersehens' ['Three Acts of Recognition'], 'Groß und klein' ['Big and Little'], 'Kalldewey, Farce, 'Der Park' ['The Park'] and 'Schlusschor' ['Final Chorus'] by Peter Stein and Luc Bondy are just as highly regarded as some of the most important in modern German theatrical history.

NEXT: 'Anung's First American Christmas,' a co-production with Vitalist Theatre in November, directed by Elizabeth Carlin-Metz and adapted for the stage by Robin Metz, runs November 18, 2008, to January 4, 2009, at Theatre Building Chicago. Based on the work of novelist Carl Nordgren, this world premiere dramatizes a magical legend of the Anishinaabe People, as Waabanong Anung embarks upon his Vision Quest and hero's journey in search of the Greatest Chief. Through the guidance of Turtle, Bear, and Trumpeter Swan, Anung learns to persevere in this multicultural tale of personal and spiritual growth. Drawing upon Vitalist's fusion of resonant narrative and compelling physical theatre, the story combines live action with puppetry to create a unique holiday vision of human courage, generosity, celebration and sacredness. This production marks Premiere's second collaboration with Vitalist, after last spring's acclaimed production of 'A Passage to India.'

'Yoni Ki Baat,' directed by Lavina Jadhwani, at Strawdog Theatre from January 2-February 1, 2009 (opening January 4, 7 p.m., running Thursdays-Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m.), PTAP's first collaboration with Rasaka Theatre Company. Inspired by 'The Vagina Monologues,' 'Yoni Ki Baat' is an exploration of what it means to be a woman in South Asian culture. By combining spoken word, music and dance, Rasaka presents an exploration of the ultimate forbidden zone, with a twist uniquely desi (South Asian immigrants and their descendants). 

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