The Brown Paper Box Co. Presents World Premiere of TO TREE Thru 1/29

The Brown Paper Box Co. is presenting the world premiere of award-winning writer Aaron Golden's TO TREE through January 29, 2012 at Bohemian Theatre Ensemble's Heartland Studio in Rogers Park.

Following their sold-out runs of Reefer Madness! The Musical, The Brown Paper Box Co. is thrilled to present this two-man world premiere. Set in a rural Indiana field over the course of several months, TO TREE is a funny, deeply thought-provoking piece about friendship, metamorphosis, and the human experience, presented through the genre of magical realism.

"After staging the satirical zaniness of last year's Reefer Madness!, I'm beyond excited to tackle this introspective two-person premiere," says director M. William Panek. "Aaron's script is rich in topical themes and frank, natural dialogue. I love its inability to be categorized as simply a 'realistic' or 'absurdist' play. There is a line we straddle with TO TREE which presents absurdity with an real-world sense of honesty."

"The play's about a lot of things," says Golden, writer of the award-winning independent film, Falling Overnight. "Idealism, loss of identity, personal responsibility. In one corner we have Pete; excited, confident, and curious, hungry for life, a bright future ahead of him. In the other corner we have Julian; introspective, quiet, and brooding, having lost faith in humanity and society. But in the end, there's one central question...what do you do when your buddy decides to become a tree?"
Aaron Golden's TO TREE is directed by M. William Panek* and features the design talents of Ian James Anthony* (Scenic Design), Eric Phillips (Lighting Design), Michelle Kritselis* (Dramaturg), and James Riley (Original Score). Performances run January 12-29, 2012. Press Opening is January 13, 2012. To Tree runs Thursday-Friday at 8PM and Sunday at 3PM. All performances are at the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble's Heartland Studio, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago, IL 60626. Tickets are $15 on Thursdays, $20 Friday-Sundays, and all performances offer $10 Industry tickets. Please bring hs/r or business card for proof of Industry status.

The casting of Julian and Peter will be announced shortly after auditions in mid-November.

M. William Panek* (Director) graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BFA in Stage Direction in 2007. Most recently, he directed Reefer Madness! The Musical at the Viaduct Theater and its one-night-only remount at Studio BE. Past directing and assistant directing credits include And Then They Came For Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank, Pippin, Nine, The Last 5 Years, and performing in Leonard Bernstein's Mass. William was an artistic associate with The Orchard Project's 2007 session in Hunter, NY, a production assistant for 2008's The 24-Hour Musicals at Joe's Pub, and the business management assistant for the Williamstown Theatre Festival's 2011 season in Williamstown, MA.

Aaron Golden (Playwright) is the author of plays (Labor Pains, To Tree), short films (Friendly Faces, Fracas At The Docks), and most recently, the multiple award-winning independent film Falling Overnight, currently touring the global film festival circuit. Originally from London, Ontario, Canada, and Chicago, IL, Golden graduated from the University of Illinois before moving to Los Angeles in 2008. His screenplay, Dead Black Clown, was a semi-finalist in the 2009 Scriptshadow screenwriting contest, and he is currently developing a new script, The Insanely Unpleasant Experiences of Alex Muik's 24th Summer.

* Denotes The Brown Paper Box Co. company members

Founded in 2010 and based in Chicago, The Brown Paper Box Co. creates thought-provoking and accessible theatrical experiences without the glitz of overproduction. This scaled-down approach allows our artists to deliver an elevated focus on the text.

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