Photo Flash: First Look at InFusion Theatre's FIGHT GIRL BATTLE WORLD, Opening Tonight

InFusion Theatre Company has announced its second collaboration with award-winning playwright Qui Nguyen with the Midwest premiere of Fight Girl Battle World, directed by InFusion Artistic Director Mitch Golob, now through June 16, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Opening night is tonight, May 17 at 8 p.m. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

From the team that brought you Soul Samurai, comes a new chapter of interspace anarchy from Qui Nguyen, Fight Girl Battle World. Set in a futuristic universe where humanity is nearly non-existent, Fight Girl revolves around E-V (Sheila O'Connor), a hardnosed prizefighter and the last known female human in the galaxy. The New York Innovative Theatre Awards nominated Fight Girl for Best Production of a Play, Best Original Full Length Script, Best Direction, Best Featured Actor and Best Sound Design during its world premiere.

Additional Fight Girl Battle World cast includes BrIan Barber, Rob Grabowski, Kimberly Logan, Josh Hambrock, Michael Harris, Zach Livingston, Meredith Rae Lyons, Elise Mayfield, Kai Young and understudies Maureen Yasko and Kevin Anderson.

The production staff includes David Blixt, fight choreographer; Rasean Davonte Johnson, co-video designer; Anna Henson, co-video designer; Kimberly Morris, puppetry designer, Dave Ferguson, set designer; Charles Cooper, lighting designer, Stephen Ptacek, sound designer; Rachel Sypniewski, costume designer; Cassy Schillo, props designer; Majel Cuza, production manager; Jason Crutchfield*, stage manager and Claire Tuft, casting director. *Connotes InFusion Company Member

Qui Nguyen is a playwright and co-founder/co-artistic director of the OBIE Award- winning Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company of New York City. His plays include She Kills Monsters (currently running in Steppenwolf's Garage Rep and premiering in Boston; originally produced by The Flea in NYC); Krunk Fu Battle Battle (East West Players); Trial By Water (Ma-Yi Theater); Bike Wreck (Ensemble Studio Theatre); Soul Samurai, The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G (Ma-Yi Theater & Vampire Cowboys); Alice in Slasherland; Men of Steel; and Living Dead in Denmark (Vampire Cowboys). Qui is a proud resident artist of New Dramatists, a core member of The Playwrights Center, an alumnus of Youngblood and a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre and The Ma-Yi Writers Lab. Currently, he's the playwright-in-residence at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis.

Mitch Golob has directed InFusion's first eight productions: the world premieres of The Improv Play, Pluto is Listening, Ghostbox and Créole (nominated for five Black Theatre Alliance Awards), the United States premiere of The Last Supper, and the Midwest premieres of Intrigue With Faye, Rhymes With Evil, and Soul Samurai. Some of his other directing projects include 8 By Tenn at Hartford Stage Company, where he worked with Tony Award winners Elizabeth Ashley and Amanda Plummer. He directed the U.S. premiere of Jump to Cow Heaven at Profiles Theatre, And Then They Came For Me at Apple Tree Theatre, and was associate director of the award winning world premiere of Hannah & Martin at TimeLine Theatre.

InFusion Theatre Company seeks out new plays and "infuses" them with other elements of entertainment such as music, dance, and film. "We strive to create dynamic performances by combining different forms of entertainment that will result in both exciting and thought-provoking work and we focus on giving voice to new works, as well as looking at older works in a new way," says Artistic Director Mitch Golob.

Qui Nguyen's Fight Girl Battle World, directed by InFusion Artistic Director Mitch Golob runs May 14 - June 16 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Preview performances are Tuesday, May 14 - Thursday, May 16 at 8 p.m. with the opening/press night Friday, May 17 at 8 p.m. Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Preview tickets are $10. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $15 for students and seniors and $12.50 for industry professionals Thursdays and Sundays only. Tickets are on sale now at infusiontheatre.com or by calling 773-975-8150.

Photo Credit: Johnny Knight

Elise Mayfield, Rob Grabowski and Josh Hambrock

Zach Livingston and Michael Harris

Kai Young, Sheila O'Connor and Kevin Anderson

Rob Grabowski and Sheila O'Connor

Sheila O'Connor

Sheila O'Connor

Sheila O'Connor

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