Signal Ensemble Theatre Opens 2011-12 Season, Begins With East of Berlin

Signal Ensemble Theatre announces the first production in their 2011-2012, ninth anniversary season, two one-acts in one show by Hannah Moscovitch: the Chicago premiere of "East of Berlin" and the American premiere of "The Russian Play," directed by co-artistic director Ronan Marra.

In the first piece "East of Berlin," it's been seven years since Rudi left his family and their Nazi past behind him. He stands outside his father's study in Paraguay, working up the courage to enter. Questioning redemption, love, guilt and the sins of the father, this play is a tour-de-force that follows Rudi's emotional upheaval as he comes to terms with a frightening past that was never his own.

Set amidst the doomed men and rotten ideals of Stalinist Russia, the bill's second presentation is "The Russian Play," which tells the story of a flower-shop girl who falls in love with a gravedigger - a bleak, bittersweet and darkly satiric ode to the dangerous joys of love.

The show will run about two hours and ten minutes with one intermission, and $5 from every ticket sold on November 5th will benefit www.SeasonofConcern.org

WHERE: Signal Ensemble Theatre, 1802 West Berenice Ave., Chicago, IL 60613-2720
Street parking available on Ravenswood and Berenice (runs one way going west) CTA Brown line EL stops Irving Park and Addison
CTA busses #80-Irving Park, #152-Addison, #50-Damen, #11-Lincoln
Handicapped accessible

WHEN: Opens Saturday, October 15, 2011, 8 p.m. (with post show reception)
Closes Sunday, November 13
Runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m.
Added 7 p.m. shows on Mondays, October 24 and November 7
Previews on October 13 and 14 at 8 p.m.
Daylight saving ends Sunday, November 6

TICKETS: 773-698-7389 (new number); www.signalensemble.com
$20 for regular single tickets
$15 for industry members at all shows with resume/headshot/card
$15 for students/seniors (with ID); also for groups of 15 or more
$10 for preview tickets, and for veterans on Vets Day, November 11

STAFF: Ensemble members Ronan Marra (Director), Stephanie Ehemann (Stage Manager), Melania Lancy (Scenic Design), and Anthony Ingram (Sound Design); Artistic Associate Mark J. Hurni
(Lighting Design) with guest artists Elsa Hiltner (Costume Design) and Mary O'Dowd (Property Design).

CAST: "East of Berlin" - Ensemble member Melanie Keller (Sarah), with guest artists Billy Fenderson (Rudi) and Tom McGrath (Hermann).

"The Russian Play" - Ensemble Member Melanie Keller (Sonya), with guest artists Billy Fenderson (Kostya), and Tom McGrath (Piotr).

FUNDER: Productions Plus is the exclusive corporate sponsor of Signal Ensemble Theatre's
2011-2012 season.

BIO: Hannah Moscovitch is a Canadian playwright, dubbed "an indie sensation"
by Toronto Life Magazine, "the wunderkind of Canadian theatre" by CBC Radio, and "irritatingly talented" by Eye Weekly. The Globe and Mail hailed "The Russian Play" as "that rarest of all theatrical experiments: a clever satire with a beating heart," while Variety Magazine's glowing review of "East of Berlin" noted that "[Moscovitch is] not afraid to plunge right through areas that others might consider poor taste in order to come out the other side in search of a deeper truth." www.catalysttcm.com/hannahmoscovitch.html

NEXT: World Premiere of "Motion," January 28-March 3, 2012, by Ronan Marra, directed by AaRon Snook.

Chicago Premiere of musical "Hostage Song," May 5-June 9, 2012, by Clay McLeod Chapman and Kyle Jarrow, directed by Ronan Marra.

MISSION: Founded in 2003, award-winning Signal Ensemble Theatre's mission is to inspire our audience with a kaleidoscope of compelling theatre, while continuing to challenge and support our distinguished ensemble in their artistic growth.

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