TRAINSPOTTING USA to Play Chicago's Theatre Wit, 10/12-11/25

Irvine Welsh's classic novel Trainspotting, which in 1996 was adapted as both a feature film by Academy Award-winning director Danny Boyle and a play by Harry Gibson, will come to the Chicago stage in October in a new American adaptation of Gibson's play. This new version of Welsh's graphic and uncompromising story of young heroin addicts living in Edinburgh, Scotland has been re-imagined and set in Kansas City, Missouri.

Now called Trainspotting USA, the new play was written and will be directed by Chicago director Tom Mullen and will include new material by Welsh.

About Trainspotting

Welsh's story of a group young hopeless heroin addicts has had a devoted following since the release of Boyle's film version. Today, the Trainspotting Facebook page has over 1.4 million followers and the film has been ranked 10th on the list of "Top 100 British Films of All Time" by the British Film Institute. Welsh has written additional stories and novels concerning Trainspotting's characters, including the sequel, Porno; Skagboys – a prequel to be released in Fall, 2012, and Bad Blood, a short film based on a section of Trainspotting.

Trainspotting was initially adapted for the stage by Harry Gibson and first produced in 1996 by the Citizens Theatre of Glasgow. This adaptation has been performed frequently across the U.K. and has also been produced in the United States.

About Tom Mullen
Chicago director Tom Mullen directed the 2011 off –Broadway production of the musical Tomorrow Morning, which received Outer Critics Circle Award and Off-Broadway Alliance Award nominations. The musical premiered in Chicago and won the 2010 Jeff Award for Best Musical - Midsize. Mullen's previous Chicago credits include Urinetown at The Mercury Theatre, F**king Men by Joe DiPietro, and the American premiere of the musical Departure Lounge by Dougal Irvine.

About Irvine Welsh

Irvine Welsh is the author of twelve works of fiction, including Trainspotting, The Acid House, Ecstasy and Filth, all of which have been adapted for stage and screen. Additionally, Glue and Marabou Stork Nightmares have been adapted for stage. He has written three original works for theatre: Headstate, You'll Have Your Hole and Babylon Heights, the latter with Dean Cavanagh, whom he has collaborated with on a number of film and TV projects. From Edinburgh, Scotland, he lives in Chicago and Miami.

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