THE NANCE at Pride Films and Plays Extends to 8/13

Pride Films and Plays' Jeff -recommended Chicago Premiere of Douglas Carter Beane's Tony Award-nominated play THE NANCE - a hit among critics and audiences alike - will be extended beyond its originally announced closing of July 30, and will now play through Sunday, August 13, 2017.

Douglas Carter Beane's Tony Award-nominated play The Nance recreates the naughty, raucous world of burlesque's heyday and tells the backstage story of a gay performer, Chauncey Miles, whose role in the burlesque show was to brazenly exploit gay stereotypes of the time in a most suggestive manner. Chauncey's uproarious antics on the stage at a time when it was easy to play gay on stage stand in marked contrast to his offstage life, where the "gay lifestyle" had to be lived clandestinely. The New York Times called The Nance "A heartfelt new play set in the twilight of burlesque." It ran on Broadway in 2013 starring Nathan Lane as Chauncey Miles and was nominated for five Tony Awards, winning two. The Nance is directed for Pride Films and Plays by Artistic Associate John Nasca, with musical direction by Robert Ollis and choreography by Nathan Mittleman.

Nasca's cast is led by Vince Kracht, an actor/improvisor who has returned to Chicago after three years playing Wilbur in Hairspray opposite Jim J. Bullock, on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas (a production that was featured live on the 66th Annual Tony Awards). Vincent was also a performer in "Throw Me a Line" - the ship's signature improv comedy show. Before getting his sea legs, Vincent performed throughout the Chicagoland area. He portrayed Yvan in "Art" for Open Door and with Boho Theatre Ensemble. Vincent was also an ensemble member with Gayco; and an improviser with The Comedy Shrine in Naperville and Aurora, and with ImprovAcadia in Bar Harbor, Maine. He was a founding ensemble member of The Free Associates.

Playing Ned, the young man Chauncey meets and becomes involved with personally and professionally, is Royen Kent, whose credits include Henrik in A Little Night Music at Writers Theatre, Harold Bride in Griffin's Titanic and Teddy Slaughter in Kokandy's The Full Monty.

Douglas Carter Beane (playwright) has written the screenplays for To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar; Advice From a Caterpillar (Best Film, Aspen Comedy Festival, Best Feature, Toyota Comedy Festival) and Skinner's Eddy. His plays include As Bees In Honey Drown (Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Playwriting Award, Drama Desk Best Play Nomination); The Country Club (LA Times Critics' Choice & Dramalogue Awards); Music From A Sparkling Planet; Advice From A Caterpillar (Outer Critics Circle Award Nomination); White Lies; Devil May Care and Old Money. His new musical, The Big Time (with music and lyrics by Douglas J. Cohen) was just produced by Drama Dept. The Little Dog Laughed which transferred from Second Stage Theatre was his Broadway debut. Beane wrote the book for Xanadu, a stage musical adaptation of the 1980 film of the same name, adding new plot twists and humor parodying the original movie. Beane won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical. In 2011, Beane was hired to 'doctor' the book for the musical Sister Act alongside Bill and Cheri Steinkellner for which he was nominated for a Tony. Beane wrote the book of the Broadway Musical Lysistrata Jones and rewrote the book for a new adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. Beane has also revised the libretto for the Metropolitan Opera's new production of the operetta Die Fledermaus which will be performed in 2013- 2014. Beane is currently the artistic director of the Drama Dept. Theater Company in New York.

John Nasca (director) is an Artistic Associate of PFP and co-founder and Artistic Director of Glitterati Productions. His directing credits include Gypsy, Mr. Shaw Goes to Hollywood, Beautiful Thing, The Ritz, The Glass Protege, Heavenly Evening and Moon Over Buffalo. He has been nominated 6 times for a Jeff Award and recently won for his costume work for PFP's Design for Living. He is also the proud recipient of an After Dark Award and three Broadway World Awards. His costume work includes Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Boy From Oz,Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Anyone Can Whistle, Noises Off, Metropolis, Phantom, Die! Mommie, Die!, Poseidon: An Upside-Down Musical, Follies, Guys and Dolls, Chicago, Me and My Gal, The Little Foxes, Rigoletto, The Great White Hope, Tintypes, The Women, On the Waterfront and Something's Afoot.

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