Rob Riley Leads 'QED' Chicago Premiere, Opening Tonight, 10/24

theatre4humanity, in association with Collaboraction Theatre, will present the Chicago Premiere of "QED" by Peter Parnell, a day in the life of maverick physicist Richard Feynman. Featuring Rob Riley as Feynman, "QED" opens tonight, October 24 at 8 p.m. at Collaboraction Theatre, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave., 3rd Floor. For tickets visit
www.theater4humanity or call 866-212-4077.

Written by Peter Parnell, "QED" is an up-close and personal portrait of Feynman, Nobel laureate in physics, lifelong advocate for creativity and originality in science, as well as founder of the field of nanotechnology, and inspiration to young and aspiring scientists the world over. "QED" relives a day in the life of Feynman, storyteller extraordinaire, artist, musician, and well-loved character in 20th century science. theatre4humanity founder Maureen Payne-Hahner directs.

"I consider myself a scientist first and a theater producer second," said Producer Dr. Christoph Hahner. "This play shows the many dynamic and artistic sides of Richard Feynman. It demonstrates how closely related art and science are, as both require creativity, an open mind, curiosity, the willingness to experiment and to push the limits. Feynman was a scientist who established a milestone for the science world and ultimately the world we live in."

Riley first portrayed Feynman in the 2010 production of "QED" produced by ETOPiA, The Engineering Transdisciplinary Outreach Project in the Arts, at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University. Payne-Hahner also directed that production.

In addition to Riley as Feynman, Grace Wagner portrays his student Miriam Field. Additional production crew includes Courtney O'Neill (scenic designer), Michael Stanfill (lighting designer), Matthew Grayson (sound designer) and Emily Sater-Murray (costume and prop design) and Kara Karstad (choreographer).

Maureen Payne-Hahner (Director) is currently directing "The How and The Why" with ETOPiA productions at Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. She has also directed "Cloud 9" by Caryl Churchill, (Jeff recommended) with The Gift Theatre Company (2011), the off-Broadway remount of "A Number" by Caryl Churchill i/a/w NAATCO (2011) at The Cherry Lane Theatre, NYC, "QED" for ETOPiA (2010), "Talk Radio" (Jeff recommended) by Eric Bogosian for The Gift Theatre Company, "Copenhagen" by Michael Frayn for ETOPiA. "The Countess" (Chicago Premiere) at Victory Gardens Theatre i/a/w The Gift Theatre Company, and (Assistant Director) Summer Cabaret at Yale University. Payne-Hahner has directed numerous European productions including "Copenhagen"(Munich, Vienna, Zagreb) and "Sweet Phoebe," "Two Conversations," "Dark Pony," "Litko" and "Epilogue" (Munich). She is founder of theatre4humanity and holds a BA with distinctio from Mary Baldwin College.

theatre4humanity combines art with humanitarian work, strives to give charities a platform while donating proceeds to selected entities.

The Chicago Premiere of "QED" runs Thursday, October 25 through Sunday, December 9 with performances Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. at Collaboraction Theatre, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave., 3rd floor. Tickets are $25, $20 for students and seniors and $18 per person in groups of 10 or more. Previews are October 20 at 8 p.m., October 21 at 3 p.m. and October 22 at 8 p.m. Preview Tickets are $10. For tickets visit www.theatre4humanity.org or call 866-212- 4077.

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