Polarity Ensemble Theatre and Azusa Productions Present ADRIFT, Now thru 8/26

Polarity Ensemble Theatre in association with Azusa Productions presents ADRIFT, a new play by David Alex, directed by Maggie Speer, playing tonight, July 26 – August 26, 2012 at the Greenhouse Theater Center Upstairs Studio, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. ADRIFT features James Eldrenkamp, Colin Fewell, Gary Murphy and Eric Swanson. Tickets for ADRIFT are available by calling the Greenhouse Theater Center Box Office at (773) 404-7336 or online at www.greenhousetheater.org. The press performance is Friday, July 27 at 7:30 pm.

Isaac Abbas, a devoted andloving son, wanders in search of an answer, "How can I forgive myself for the choice I made?" We see Isaac's reverence as a child, flippancy as a teen and sincere compassion as an adult. The memory of his father, Jack, a Naval Officer who suffered from post-traumatic stress, continues to haunt him. As a high school teacher, Isaac attempts to help his student, Tom, reconcile with his father who also serves as Isaac's principal. Fathers and sons grow and learn from each other as they confront and make decisions concerning definitions of truth, loyalty, honor and accountability. Do our life experiences determine their definitions or does our definition of them direct our life?

A special post show discussion regarding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with Dr. John Mundt, a staff psychologist at Chicago's Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, will be held on Sunday, August 5 following the 2:30 pm performance. Dr. Mundt will focus on a range of issues and problems impacting returning veterans.

David Alex has received three Grant Awards from the Illinois Arts Council in Recognition in Playwriting (including Adrift) and a Grant from the Pilgrim Foundation. His full-length works include By the Rivers of Babylon, Corpus Delicti, Endangered, Ends, Eroica, Heart of the Sufferer, Onto Infinity, The Humble Constant, The Lutwidge Canvass, The Second-Oldest Profession and The Tinker Wins, in addition to 17 one-act plays. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild and former Secretary of the Chicago Alliance for Playwrights and the Illinois Theatre Association. For additional information, visit www.davidalex.net.

Maggie Speer is Artistic Director of Azusa Productions, where she previously produced David Alex's Onto Infinity and most recently directed Michael Alessandro's adaptation of Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. Other Azusa directing credits include Sam Shepard's Chicago and Icarus's Mother (co-director), Fool For Love, Killer's Head, La Turista, The Unseen Hand (co-director), A Lie Of The Mind (co-director), Jesse & The Bandit Queen (co-director) and both the original and the reprise of Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (co-director). Maggie is also currently the Managing Director of Polarity Ensemble Theatre where she recently directed David Hammond's adaptation of Henry Fielding's Tom Jones and Richard Engling's play Absolution, as part of Polarity's 2011 Dionysos Cup Festival. She also served as Artistic Director of Waukegan's Bowen Park Theatre, where, in addition to presenting great classics of the theatre, she proudly brought new work of Chicago playwrights to the North Shore. For ten years, Maggie taught theatre classes at Lake Forest College where her favorite class remains "Shakespeare to Tarantino: why violence endures and flourishes in theatre, film and literature."

The production team for ADRIFT includes: Dennis Mae (scenic design), Staci Weigum (costume design), Jake Bray (lighting design) and Jenna Moran (sound design).

Title: ADRIFT
Playwright: A new play by David Alex
Director: Maggie Speer
Featuring: James Eldrenkamp (Jack), Colin Fewell (Isaac), Gary Murphy (Judd) and Eric Swanson (Tom)

Location: Greenhouse Theater Center Upstairs Studio
2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago
Dates: Preview: Tonight, July 26 at 7:30 pm
Press performance/Opening: Friday, July 27 at 7:30 pm
Regular run: Saturday, July 28 – Sunday, August 26, 2012
Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 2:30 pm
Tickets: $20; $12 students, seniors & industry.
Greenhouse Theater Center Box Office at (773) 404-7336 or online at www.greenhousetheater.org.

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