Project 891 Theatre Company to Present JIM AND DAVE ('S BLOOD MEETS JUPITER), 6/13-7/6

Jim and Dave ('s Blood Meets Jupiter), directed by Michael Rashid, is a Musical Outer Space Buddy Comedy of Intergalactic Proportions.

Jim and Dave are a couple of longtime beer-drinking buddies who spend their evenings hanging out and watching football at a local bar. They are abducted by bumbling aliens and whisked through the far reaches of space, encountering several species of aliens; some are hostile, some are groovy, and some are truly bizarre. Finally, the two friends must make a decision of on behalf of all humanity. Audiences will enjoy the fast-paced comedy, the upbeat music, and all of the cosmic visual effects that go along with a show that is set in outer space.

Director Michael Rashid states, "To say Jim and Dave is "one-of-a-kind" is an understatement of cosmic proportions; I can't honestly think of another folk-rock outer- space buddy- comedy sci-fi musical. If there are any out there, I doubt they're as good as this, or are so full of such pure joy.

Jim and Dave ('s Blood Meets Jupiter) is a tremendous undertaking for the small, itinerant Project 891 Theatre Company. "It's out first production of an original work and our first musical." stated Artistic Director Ron Popp. "We try to focus on newer and lesser known theatrical pieces and as such, this project fits perfectly within our mission statement."

An outer space musical is a huge undertaking and is being produced independently by authors Steve Clark, Kalena Victoria Dickerson, and Ed Plough in collaboration with Project 891 Theatre Company. This team has been writing musicals together for eight years. Director Michael Rashid helped work shop the original Jim and Dave script years ago and has been looking for a way to mount the production for years.

Rashid states, "With Jim and Dave ('s Blood Meets Jupiter) Kalena, Steve and Ed have given us their most purely joyful, and most accessible, work yet. Although its plot is one-of-a-kind, its tone is one that I relate most closely to a couple contemporary, hugely successful musical theatre masterpieces: Avenue Q and The Book of Mormon. All three shows share a great sense of humor, extremely fun characters and music you'll hum leaving the theatre, but also have a huge beating heart they are unashamed to wear on their sleeves. They are shows where spectacle and theatre magic are very much present, but are secondary to the great characters, dialogue, and music. But mostly (and this has become more and more rare in contemporary theatre) they are all shows that an audience leaves not just with a smile on its face, but with a wonderful message of true friendship; of what it means to live with joy on this world, and in all the worlds beyond.

Jim and Dave('s Blood Meets Jupiter) features Chicago actors Pete Navis, Joe Lugosch, Conor Clark, Amy Gray, Gabriel Fries, Mike Mazzocca, Jorge Jose Bolanos, James Stanton, Hillary Gokenbach, Kathleen Dennis, Kalina Kitten McCreery and Gracia Gillund.

Dates & Times: Sunday, June 13 - Sunday, July 6, 2014

Performances for Jim and Dave ('s Blood Meets Jupiter) are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. Preview performances will be held Friday, June 13 and Saturday, June 14 at 8 pm, with the official press opening on Sunday, June 15 at 3:30 pm

Tickets: 773-338-2177 or visit raventheatre.com.

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