The Ruckus Announces Season 3 In Chicago, Kicks Off With CONK AND BONE

The Ruckus Theater announces Season 3 in Chicago, following a successful year of sold-out performances on the storefront theater scene in Chicago. Artistic Director Allison Shoemaker, Associate Artistic Director Joshua Davis and Managing Director Jeffrey Fauver released today a season of six new plays-all performed at The Side Project Theatre in Rogers Park (1439 W Jarvis Ave). In the fall, Kyra Lewandowski directs a workshop of Conk and Bone by Joe Musso (September 18, 26 and 27, 2011) in repertory with ensemble member Katie Canavan's workshop production of Dumb Angel by Ruckus cofounder Seth Miller (September 19, 20 and 25, 2011).

Kicking off the New Year, Allison Shoemaker directs the world premiere of Little Triggers by Tympanic Theatre Company Artistic Director Daniel Caffrey (January 13 - February 12, 2012). In April 2012, The Ruckus workshops two one-act plays in tandem: Perfect Crash by Aaron Dean and Allison Shoemaker, directed by Brian Ruby, and Rung by playwright/composer Matt Test, directed by Timo Aker (April 8 - 11, 2012). Completing the season next spring is the world premiere of The Thing About Chekhov, developed by the Company, written by CalamiTy West, directed by Karie Miller (June 22 - July 22, 2012). Further details regarding The Ruckus: Season 3, including casting and ticket information will be announced in the coming weeks.

Please visit www.ruckustheater.org for more information.

"We're incredibly excited about the lineup we have in place for our third season, and the roster of remarkable artists who are along for the ride," said Artistic Director Allison Shoemaker. "We're psyched to have new work by local playwrights like Tympanic's Dan Caffrey, CalamiTy West and our own Matt Test, as well as out-of-towners Joe Musso and Ruckus cofounder Seth Miller. It's our goal to become a home for playwrights who want to experiment, who want to develop their work, and who are eager to get their hands dirty with a killer ensemble of multi-disciplinary artists-I think this season is a reflection of that.

The Ruckus welcomes Ruth McCormack as its newest company member in Chicago in the role of Business Manager and Production Advisor. New Ruckus Ensemble Members include Katie Canavan, Stevie Chaddock Lambert, Elise Mayfield, Karie Miller and Matt Test. Bios available at www.ruckustheater.org.

20011/2012 SEASON @ The Side Project Theatre
CONK AND BONE by Joe Musso | directed by Kyra Lewandowski
September 18, 26 and 27, 2011

Somewhere in Louisiana, two men and a triggerless trombone await Death, who brings the cargo they are to ferry across the river Styx. This time, though, things are different. There are two souls instead of one-a headless girl with wings, and a fallen and furious hero. While Conk and Bone wait to make their perilous passage, Achilles finds a sword, the girl disappears and a long-dormant secret creeps closer to the surface. Help playwright Joe Musso, director Kyra Lewandowski and The Ruckus take Conk and Bone a step further on their journey toward a special kind of hell during this workshop staged reading. Audience talkbacks led by guest dramaturgs follow each performance.

DUMB ANGEL by Seth Miller | directed by Katie Canavan
September 19, 20 and 25, 2011

A chord is a complex thing. It changes and grows, and more often than not, it's the discordant note that brings it to life, for better or worse. Part transcript, part collage and part explosion of the American image of happiness, Dumb Angel explores madness, meaning and the torment of an artist on a quest for auditory joy beginning with the tumultuous recording session for The Beach Boys' 1965 number-one hit single, 'Help Me, Rhonda'. Join playwright Seth Miller, director Katie Canavan and The Ruckus as we tumble into a rabbit hole of BrIan Wilson's phantasmagoria, and watch the boys of summer try to get the syncopation right. Audience talkbacks led by guest dramaturgs follow each performance.

LITTLE TRIGGERS by Daniel Caffrey | directed by Allison Shoemaker
January 13 - February 12, 2012

Once upon a dark and blustery Christmas Eve, a young man namEd Martin sits waiting. In the corner of the office, a printer spits, smokes and hisses in a way that would seem malevolent if Martin didn't know better. He waits for the repairman and watches the clock tick, and wonders what it is that he's doing with his life. Little does he know that before the evening's out, a series of mysterious strangers will force him to confront his ideas about success, happiness and failure-and they're starting with what's hidden in the back of his draweR. Martin has to find the through-line for his story, and he had better do it fast, because the snow won't stop falling, and the printer's out for blood.

PERFECT CRASH by Aaron Dean and Allison Shoemaker | directed by Brian Ruby
RUNG by Matt Test | directed by Timo Aker
April 8 - 11, 2012

These two very different one-act plays explore in tandem the necessity of progress. Perfect Crash. In a windowless room, two people sit on an ugly green couch and plot their next move. How much momentum will get the wheel down the track, and how much more is needed to walk out the door? Playwrights Aaron Dean and Allison Shoemaker, and director Brian Ruby devise themselves out of a corner and discover the best kinds of failure in a marvelous machine. Rung. A body needs a voice-verbal or nonverbal, we require communication. But what happens when a voice needs a body, and you can't keep sharing yours? Playwright/composer Matt Test, director Timo Aker, are helping Norbert Grover Norquist uncover what to do with this spare voice he's got rattling around in his head.

Big things happen, strange and sad and wonderful things, but still-the machine needs building. Help The Ruckus and these talented artists make progress with these two new plays. Audience talkbacks led by guest dramaturgs follow each performance.

THE THING ABOUT CHEKHOV
devised by the Company | written by CalamiTy West | directed by Karie Miller
June 22 - July 22, 2012

Life is a story, but it's not a short one. It has many acts, and they never quite end the way we predict. Built through a collaborative six-month process, The Thing About Chekhov prompts playwright CalamiTy West, director Karie Miller and a band of fearless actors to try to see the Cherry Orchard for the trees in this company-devised work: an exploration of realism, tragicomedy and never quite arriving in your personal Moscow.

About The Ruckus Theater
We're here to create, to examine, to invent, to explode-to create a ruckus. Our aim is to break down the old models of new work development in order to nurture new forms, great plays and better and smarter artists. We believe in creating our process for every project from the ground up, with each plan centered around the needs and heart of the project before us. We explore the cultural landscape for unexpected resonance, in hopes that our detective work will lead both artist and audience down the road less traveled. The Ruckus Theater is led by Artistic Director Allison Shoemaker, Associate Artistic Director Joshua Davis and Managing Director Jeffrey Fauver.

See how we make a ruckus all over the interweb on our blog, iruckus.blogspot.com; fan us at facebook.com/theruckustheater

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