SSP Ends Season With Stoppard's THE REAL THING 4/24-5/17

The Saint Sebastian Players (SSP) conclude their 2008-09 season with Tom Stoppard's provocative contemplation of art and life, The Real Thing. The production runs April 24-May 17, 2009 at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey Pkwy. in Chicago.

The Real Thing focuses upon Henry, Stoppard's alter ego, and his journeys through the battlefields of love, sex and literature. Are we living the real thing or is it just over the horizon, or maybe just in the next scene? A master of modern theatre, Stoppard's use of language, mix of art and philosophy and inventions/inversions with theatrical form will have audiences wondering what "the real thing" is from the play's first few minutes. The SSP production strips away artifice in favor of concentrating on the characters and their struggles. Chicago audiences also have a rare opportunity to compare this production of an early Stoppard work with his newest effort, Rock 'n' Roll, with performances beginning May 2 at Goodman Theatre.

Directing SSP's production of The Real Thing is company member John Oster. The cast features SSP member Renae Stone as Charlotte, as well as Sophie Amoss, Scott Mills, Stephanie Nelson, Eric Prahl, Andrew Strenk and Neal Tucker. Oster is also designing sets and lights, Susan Nordine is costume designer, Lindsay Bartlett is dialect coach and SSP members Al Cerkan and Jonathan "Rocky" Hagloch are stage manager and producer, respectively.

The Real Thing runs April 24-May 17, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., with a preview performance/press night on Tuesday, April 21 at 8 p.m., at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey Pkwy., at Marshfield just west of Ashland, in Chicago. There will be a pre-show discussion at 1:30 p.m. before each Sunday matinee. Free parking is available. Tickets are $15, $7 for seniors and children younger than 12. On Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10, patrons who bring their mothers to the performance pay half price. Group rates are available. All programming is subject to change. Tickets are available by e-mailing tickets@saintsebastianplayers.org, visiting ticketweb.com or calling 773-404-7922.