Victory Gardens Presents The World Premiere Of RIGHTLYND By Ike Holter

Victory Gardens Theater continues its 44th season with the World Premiere of Rightlynd, written by Ike Holter and directed by Lisa Portes. Rightlynd runs November 9 - December 23, 2018, with press performances on Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 7:30pm and Sunday, November 18, 2018 at 3:00pm at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

Rightlynd is Chicago's 51st Ward. The L doesn't run here anymore and it is full of abandoned storefronts, crumbling apartment buildings, and its fair share of crime.?A powerful real estate conglomerate?is planning a massive redevelopment project that would gentrify the neighborhood and change?Rightlynd?forever. Only one woman stands in the way: Alderman Nina Esposito. In award-winning local playwright Ike Holter's ambitious new work, one woman tries to use her street smarts and raw determination to save the Chicago neighborhood she loves. But will the political machine turn her into the very person she is trying to destroy? ?Lisa?Portes?(BREACH, A Little Bit Not Normal) directs the first play that sets in motion Holter's ongoing seven play saga set in this fictional Windy City neighborhood; the story cycle that includes?previous pieces?Exit Strategy,?Sender,?Prowess, and?The Wolf at the End of the Block.?

The cast of Rightlynd includes Jerome Beck (Applewood/Denizen 1), Robert Cornelius (Robinson/Denizen 5), LaKecia Harris (Amena/Denizen 2), Anish Jethmalani (Platt/Denizen 4), Eddie Martinez (Pac), Monica Orozco (Nina) and Sasha Smith (Manda/Denizen 3).

The Box Office is located at 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago.

773.871.3000; www.victorygardens.org.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Chay Yew and Managing Director Erica Daniels, Victory Gardens is dedicated to artistic excellence while creating a vital, contemporary American Theater that is accessible and relevant to all people through productions of challenging new plays and musicals. Victory Gardens Theater is committed to the development, production and support of new plays that has been the mission of the theater since its founding, set forth by Dennis Za?ek, Marcelle McVay, and the original founders of Victory Gardens Theater.

Victory Gardens Theater is a leader in developing and producing new theater work and cultivating an inclusive Chicago theater community. Victory Gardens' core strengths are nurturing and producing dynamic and inspiring new plays, reflecting the diversity of our city's and nation's culture through engaging diverse communities, and in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, bringing art and culture to our city's active student population.

Since its founding in 1974, the company has produced more world premieres than any other Chicago theater, a commitment recognized nationally when Victory Gardens received the 2001 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, Victory Gardens Biograph Theater includes the Za?ek-McVay Theater, a state-of-the-art 259-seat mainstage and the 109-seat studio theater on the second floor, named the Richard Christiansen Theater.

Victory Gardens Ensemble Playwrights include Luis Alfaro, Philip Dawkins, Marcus Gardley, Ike Holter, Samuel D. Hunter, Naomi Iizuka, Tanya Saracho and Laura Schellhardt. Each playwright has a seven-year residency at Victory Gardens Theater.

Victory Gardens Theater receives major funding from Crown Family Philanthropies, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation.

Major funders also include: Allstate, Alphawood Foundation, Edgerton Foundation, Field Foundation of Illinois, The Illinois Arts Council Agency, David Rockefeller Fund, Time Warner Foundation, Inc.

Additional funding this season Charles H. and Bertha L. Boothroyd Foundation, Capital Group Private Client Services, Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, ComEd, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Golden Country Oriental Foods, John R. Halligan Foundation, ITW, Mayer Brown LLP, The McVay Foundation, Metropolitan Capital Bank and Trust, National Endowment for the Arts, Negaunee Foundation, Roberta Olshansky Charitable Fund, Origin Ventures, Pauls Foundation, PNC Financial Services Group, Prince Charitable Trusts, Charles and M.R. Shapiro Foundation, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Wrightwood Neighbors Foundation.

In-kind support is provided by: Dimo's Pizza, Fiesta Mexicana, Italian Village Restaurants, Southwest Airlines, Roy's Furniture, Suite Home Chicago, and Whole Foods Market.

Capital improvement support from the Performing Arts Venue Fund at the League of Chicago Theaters, with funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

For more information about Victory Gardens, visit www.victorygardens.org. Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/victorygardens, Twitter @VictoryGardens and Instagram at instagram.com/victorygardenstheater/.

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