Profiles Theatre's HELLCAB Begins Tonight

Profiles Theatre announces that actor Richard Cotovsky returns to the role of the Driver in Profiles Theatre's holiday season revival of Hellcab by Will Kern. Directed by Profiles ensemble member Eric Burgher, a cast of 34 joins Cotovsky as the beleaguered cab driver, a role he played for over two hundred performances during the world premiere run. Profiles' production runs at The Main Stage, 4139 N. Broadway, tonight, November 7, 2014 - January 11, 2015 with the press opening on Thursday, November 13 at 8:00 pm.

For the past two seasons, including the 20th Anniversary production in 2012, Profiles revisited Kern's landmark play for the holiday season. Both productions recevied extended runs and played for over three months. First produced as a late-night show by Famous Door Theatre in 1992, Hellcab was originally scheduled for twelve performances. It ended up running for over nine years, becoming one of the longest running shows in Chicago theatre history. Richard Cotovsky played the Driver for nearly 18 months including return engagements logging in well over two hundred performances to make him one of the longest performing actors to play the Driver during its premiere. Hellcab has been performed all over the U.S. and abroad, including Scotland, Israel, Singapore, and Ireland, winning numerous awards, including a Fringe First at the Edinburgh Festival.

Hellcab presents a day in the life story of a cab driver in for the longest night of his life as he transports a bizarre and mysterious collection of customers through the gritty streets of Chicago. Playwright Will Kern draws from personal experience as a former cab driver to create this alternately frightening, hilarious and poignant journey. Throughout his long shift, the eclectic collection of passengers includes a trio of drug-addicts, a smug lawyer, a born-again couple, and a randy couple on their way to a motel. Set during a bitter cold Christmas Eve, Hellcab presents a rear-view image mirroring the passing parade of humanity.

Directed by Profiles ensemble member Eric Burgher, Hellcab features a cast of 34 Chicago actors. Originally performed by a cast of one driver and six ensemble members playing multiple roles as the passengers, Profiles celebrates the diversity of Chicago by filling each ensemble role with a different actor. In addition to Richard Cotovsky's return as the Driver, the passenger roles are performed by

Charlotte Boer, Dennis Bisto, Amber Calderon, Maryann Carlson, Tamara Chambers, Charlee Cotton, Danon Dastugue, Jeff Dolecek, Carroll Furlough, Mary Franke, Jeff Gamlin, Carly Jo Geer, Drew Halliday, Grant Johnson, Brian Keys, Andrew Kudla, Vic Kuligoski, Laurie Lister, Ramissa Ma'at, Monty Montgomery, Whitney Pipes, Eric Salas, Brian Scannell, Mike Schiff, Judi Schindler, Terence Sims, Paige Taylor, Mari Uchida, Elias Valles, Geno Walker, Johnard Washington, Regina Whitehead-Mays and Jonah D. Winston.

The designers are Katie-Bell Springmann (set), Mike Durst (lights), Jeffrey Levin (sound and original music), and Raquel Adorno (costumes). Kaylee Honkala is the stage manager and Eric Burgher and Miles Mabry and Bradley Mark serve as assistant directors.

Profiles' next productions will be the Midwest premiere of the award-winning play The Other Place by Sharr White, the world premiere of Genius by Kate Walbert, and the Midwest premiere of Our New Girl by Nancy Harris.

Tickets for Hellcab are $35 for Thursdays, $40 for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are available by phone, (773) 549-1815, or online, www.profilestheatre.org. Performances are Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 5:00 and 8:00 pm, Sundays at 7:00 p.m.

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