Shattered Globe Presents HER NAKED SKIN, Now thru 6/3

As part of Shattered Globe Theatre's 20th Anniversary Season, the Stage 773 resident company presents the Midwest premiere of HER NAKED SKIN by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, directed by Artistic Director Roger Smart, playing tonight, May 1 through June 3, 2012 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Tickets for HER NAKED SKIN are currently available online at www.stage773.com or www.shatteredglobe.org or by calling (773) 327-5252. The press opening is Friday, May 4 at 8 pm.

HER NAKED SKIN features Shattered Globe Ensemble Members Kate LoConti, Alice Pacyga, Linda Reiter, Drew Schad, Angie Shriner, Dan Wilson and Brad Woodard, as well as members of the Shattered Globe Protégé Program, Trina McGee, Kelsey Melvin, Matthew Nerber and Jesse Thurston. The cast also includes Graham Brown, Maya Friedler, Andy Gwyn, Kevin Kenneally, Tim Newell, Shelia O'Connor and Melissa Reimer.

London 1913. Militancy in the Suffragette Movement is at its height. Thousands of women of all classes serve time in Holloway Prison in their fight to win the vote. Amongst them is Lady Celia Cain, who feels trapped by both policies of the day and the shackles of a frustrating marriage. Inside, she meets a young seamstress, Eve Douglas, and her life spirals into an erotic but dangerous chaos.

"Shattered Globe's 20th Anniversary season reflects both the theatre's history and its future," comments Artistic Director Roger Smart. "We continue that theme with the production of the first full length play written by a living female playwright to be seen on the Olivier stage at The National Theatre in London, illustrating SGT's expanding global perspective. While this play focuses on historical events, at its core is a love story and various questions that are very much questions of today," adds Smart.

The creative team for HER NAKED SKIN includes: Andrew Hildner (scenic design), Lindsay Schmeling (costume design), Charles Jolls (lighting design), Christopher Kriz (sound design), Vivian Knouse (props design), Judy Anderson (production manager), Jacob Watson (assistant director), Erin Scheffler (dramaturg), Greg Poljacik (fight choreographer), Lindsay Ricketts (stage manager) and Amanda Rozmiarek (technical director).

Performed at The National Theatre in London in 2008, Her Naked Skin was the first play to be performed on the Olivier stage by a living female playwright. Rebecca Lenkiewicz was inspired to write the play after reading the book Shoulder to Shoulder by Midge Mackenzie. The book documents the lives and works of some of Britain's leading suffragettes, including many excerpts from their speeches, diaries, letters and memoirs. Of the book Lenkiewicz said, "from devouring that book came my urge to write about the period and a desire to put those women into the foreground once more; their bravery and brilliance." In addition to The National Theatre, Lenkiewicz has written plays staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Edinburgh Festival, Arcola Theatre and the SoHo Theatre.

Hailing from England, Roger Smart (director) is one of the original members of SGT, performing in the first production of Frozen Assets, before going on to direct and design Talk Radio and a number of other productions for the company. He has directed extensively in Chicago and Southern California. Credits include A Streetcar Named Desire, Saint Joan, The Road to Mecca, The Trial, In a Pig's Valise, Œdipus, Scenes From an Execution, The Life of Galileo, Dylan, The Women; Road, suburbia, Duet For One; A Map of the World, Six Characters in Search of an Author, Julius Caesar and Romeo & Juliet. Roger served as the Director of Education & Training at Court Theatre. He has an MFA in Directing from the University of California, Irvine, and is currently completing PhD research into psychophysical modalities of training actors at the University of London, Goldsmiths College. Roger He is a certified Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework and has taught directing, acting and voice in theatre programs in England and the States.

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