Oracle to Stage THE HAIRY APE

Oracle is proud to announce the opening of THE HAIRY APE by Eugene O'Neill, directed by Monty Cole, who is making his Oracle debut with the first production in Oracle's 2016 season. Cole uses an ensemble of six African-American actors portraying multiple roles to tackle O'Neill's harrowing, expressionistic critique of class stratification.THE HAIRY APE opens January 23, 2016, and runs through March 12, 2016, at Oracle Theatre, 3809 N. Broadway in Chicago. Performances are Friday, Saturday, and Monday nights at 8PM; Sundays at 7PM. Press are invited to attend on January 23 - or any night during the run.

Admission is FREE in Public Access Theatre. Reservations are strongly recommended. All performances are wheelchair accessible. Select performances will feature captioning and ASL interpretation. Visit publicaccesstheatre.org for information

Public Access Theatre is made possible by The Forty 4, a growing population of individuals and local businesses committed to making free art for all. Major donors include: The Reva and David Logan Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, Alphawood Foundation, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Saints, Ronald A. Greene Memorial Fund, Broadway In Chicago, and The MacArthur Foundation.

Yank is the master of his world, shoveling coal on an ocean liner. But when a wealthy woman descends to see life on the lower decks, their encounter propels Yank from the close confines of the engine room and onto the streets of New York City, where he seeks validation, belonging and revenge. Cole's charged staging will capture the caged mind of a young, black man yearning to belong. Oracle's production examines O'Neill's work through the lens of America's ugly legacy of racism and oppression, asking the audience to engage in a conversation that is deeply connected to recent events in Chicago and across the country.

Director Monty Cole notes, "I think what I related to the most in re-visiting APE was seeing this man who doesn't belong even as a hard-working, functioning cog in society. It isn't enough - Yank is squeezed out of existence. He feels as though he's one of the best of his species until he's told he's barely human. He is feared and misunderstood and thus barely worthy of living."

Cast and Creative Team
The ensemble cast features Oracle Company Member Tony Santiago playing Mildred. He is joined by Julian Parker in the role of Yank, Bradford Stevens as Paddy, Rashaad Hall as Long, Michael Turrentine as Mildred's Aunt, Breon Arzell as Secretary and understudy for Yank. Rasell Holt is ensemble understudy.

The ensemble of THE HAIRY APE. Clockwise from left: Rashaad Hall, Bradford Stevens, Julian Parker, Michael Turrentine, Tony Santiago, and Breon Arzell. The design team features costume design by Oracle's Resident Costume Designer, Joan Pritchard, and mask design by Oracle Company Member DeChantel Kosmatka. The design team also features Eleanor Kahn (scenic design), Jeffrey Levin (sound design), John Kelly (lighting design), and Zach Livingston (fight choreography). Breon Arzell is Step Master (also in the acting ensemble). Evelyn DeHais is Resident Graphic Designer and Joe Mazza (Brave Lux) is Resident Photographer. Lauren Yarbrough is Production Manager. Micheal Trzos is Assistant Director. Isaac Gomez is Dramaturg. Company Member Justin Snyder is Technical Director. Lyndsay Kane is Casting Director. Jeremy Clark is Managing Director. Max Truax is Artistic Director of Oracle Theatre. Brad Jayhan-Little is Executive Director of Oracle Productions. Ben Fuchsen is Executive Producer of Oracle Productions.

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