THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA, THE FRONT PAGE Set for Saint Sebastian Players' 37th Season

The Saint Sebastian Players (SSP) announce the company's 37th season: a Spanish drama, a British farce and a Chicago comedy, all set in the 1920s-30s. Performances take place at SSP's home in the lower level of St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey, Chicago.

The season opens with the powerful drama The House of Bernarda Alba by Federico Garcia Lorca, directed by SSP company member Kaitlin Taylor. In this great modern Spanish tragedy, Bernarda is a stern matriarch obsessed with family honor. Just widowed, she announces to her five daughters that they will enter a traditional eight-year period of cloistered mourning. Each daughter desires love, but with the doors clamped shut, they silently turn to other pursuits-except one, who pursues an affair with the betrothed of the eldest daughter. Discovery results in a tragic climax that is unrelenting in its severity and terror. Performances run October 20-November 12, 2017.

Next is the farce Hay Fever by Noel Coward, co-directed by SSP company members Brittany Eude and Steven Walanka. Hoping for a quiet weekend in the country with guests, novelist David Bliss and his wife Judith, a retired actress, find that an impossible dream when their high-spirited children Simon and Sorel appear with guests of their own. A houseful of theatrics waits to be ignited as misunderstandings and tempers flare. With Judith's new flame and David's newest literary "inspiration" keeping company as the children follow suit, the Bliss family lives up to its name as the "quiet weekend" comes to an exhausting and hilarious finale. Performances are February 16-March 11, 2018.

Concluding the season is the gritty newsroom comedy The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, directed by SSP cofounder Jim Masini. A madcap comedy with thrills and derring-do set in a 1920s Chicago newsroom. Star reporter Hildy wants to break away from journalism by getting married and finding a respectable job. After a jailbreak, the escapee falls into Hildy's hands as a hostage. Hildy finds a unique way to conceal his prize and phones his managing editor. Their job then becomes to prevent other reporters and the sheriff from discovering the hiding place and scooping their story. It's a whirlwind wrap-up with Hildy finally making his breakaway-or so he hopes! Performances are April 27-May 20, 2018.

SSP began producing theatre in 1982 at its original home, the St. Sebastian parish, located at the corner of Halsted Street and Wellington Avenue on Chicago's North Side. When the parish closed, SSP relocated to its current home, St. Bonaventure, at 1625 W. Diversey. During its history, the company has produced original and previously produced dramas, comedies and musicals; original audience-participation mysteries for special events; and the Monologue Matchup Competition, as well as provided support for smaller Sebastian Studio Projects produced by company members. For a complete production history, visit saintsebastianplayers.org/Production-History

Performances for each production take place Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. atSt. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey, at Marshfield just west of Ashland, in Chicago. Free parking is available in two lots. Subscription packages for the three-play season are $40, $25 for seniors. Full-priced single tickets are $20; students with valid IDs may purchase $15 tickets at the door; tickets for seniors and children younger than 12 are $12. Group rates also are available.

All programming is subject to change. For information, call 773-404-7922 or visit saintsebastianplayers.org.

Graphic designs by Eryn Walanka.

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