Rivera's Calderon Adaptation Sueno Plays Chicago in Spring

As part of its eleventh year of producing innovative productions of classic plays, Greasy Joan & Co. will present the Chicago premiere of SUEÑO, an original adaptation of Pedro Calderon de la Barca's play Life's a Dream. Written by Obie Award-winning playwright José Rivera and directed by Greasy Joan Artistic Director Julieanne Ehre, SUEÑO will play The Athenaeum Theater, 2936 N. Southport in Chicago, for a limited engagement April 12 through May 20, 2007.
 
"The mystical, haunting and humorous world of Pedro Calderon de la Barca's Life's a Dream, as re-imagined by playwright José Rivera comes alive in SUEÑO.  When King Basilio's son Segismundo is born, his horoscopes predict he will become a tyrant.  In an attempt to undo fate, the King locks his child in a tower for 25 years in hopes of preventing catastrophe. Twenty-five years later, Basilio decides to rewrite his son's destiny and hatches a plan for the young man to be released and crowned the new King of Spain.  If Prince Segismundo behaves like a tyrant, he will be brought back to prison and told that his newly found freedom was a dream.  Once crowned King, Segismundo acts out the violence predicted by his horoscope and Basilio orders his son be returned to captivity.  Ultimately, the Prince overcomes his fate through the power of free will and reason; and the future of Spain is secured.  Rivera takes inspiration from Spanish Golden Age master, Calderon de la Barca, while creating his original and contemporary spin on this classic tale of the nature of living," state press notes.
 
The cast of SUEÑO includes Madrid St. Angelo (Basilio), Jason Huysman (Don Clotaldo), Kristina Klemetti (Rosauro), Kelly Breheny (Estrella), Desmin Borges (Clarin), Carlo Garcia (Segismundo), Robert Kauzlaric (Astolfo) and Eric Evenskaas (Servant/Soldier).
 
SUEÑO is written by José Rivera and directed by Greasy Joan Artistic Director Julieanne Ehre.  The design team includes: Kevin Depinet (set design), Charles Cooper (lighting design), Alison Heryer (costume design), Nick Keenan (sound design/music composition), Leah Batt (stage manager) and Jaclynn Jutting (production manager).

José Rivera (playwright) is a recipient of two Obie Awards for playwriting (Marisol and References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot ).  His screenplay for The Motorcycle Diaries, directed by Walter Salles, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. For television, he co-created and produced the NBC series Eerie, Indiana. In 2006, he wrote and directed the short film The Tape Recorder (with Sona Tatoyan).  In progress are screen adaptations of On the Road (produced by Francis Ford Coppola and directed by Walter Salles), Composition in Black and White (Sony Classics), The State Boys Rebellion (Dreamworks), and Three Apples Fell From Heaven (Door/Key Productions).  Celestina, a film based on Cloud Techtonics , will mark his debut as a feature film director.  Premiering at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival is Trade (Lionsgate Pictures, with Kevin Kline).  Massacre (Sing to Your Children) will premiere in March 2007 at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. 
  
SUEÑO plays the Athenaeum Theater, 2936 N. Southport, April 12 through May 20, 2007.  The performance schedule is as follows: Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3pm.  Post-play discussions are held every Thursday and Sunday.
 
Tickets for SUEÑO are priced at $20 ($10 for preview performances on April 12 & 13).  Tickets are available by calling Ticketmaster at (312) 902-1500, at ticketmaster.com or at the door.  Groups of 10 or more can receive a discount by calling (312) 458-0718.  For more information on Greasy Joan & Co., call (312) 458-0718 or go to www.greasyjoan.org.