Windy City Playhouse Sets THINGS YOU SHOULDN'T SAY PAST MIDNIGHT Cast

Windy City Playhouse, Chicago's newest Equity theater, announces the cast for its third production, the riotous Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight: A Comedy in Three Beds from Peter Ackerman, co-author of 20th Century Fox's hit animated film Ice Age. This contemporary sex farce is directed by William Brown, fresh off his successful run of Doubt at Writers Theatre. Brown directs a stellar cast of Broadway veterans and rising stars including Emily Tate, Peter Meadows, Patrese McClain, Shane Kenyon, Chris Sheard and Robert Spencer. Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight runs August 12-October 4 at Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park. Opening night is Saturday, August 15. windycityplayhouse.com/things/

It's three a.m. in New York City. Grad student Ben (Peter Meadows) and girlfriend Nancy (Emily Tate) are having passionate, unbridled sofabed sex until Nancy's bizarre dirty talk leads to a mood-killing argument. Nancy leaves the apartment to seek council from her best friend Grace (Patrese McClain) who's having a hard time seducing her rough-hewn new boyfriend Gene (Shane Kenyon). They call Grace's therapist Mark (Chris Sheard) - who has company of his own (Robert Spencer) - in order to get his perspective. In a Love Actually meets La Ronde series of revelations and connections - romantic and otherwise - Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight delves into the truths that sex really exposes.

"In Windy City Playhouse's premiere season, our directors were given the freedom to interpret this idea - theater as entertainment - and what that meant to each of them. For director William Brown, it meant something fun, sexy, extremely physical and wildly comedic. Though different in tone from each of the first two shows, this is another exciting play for our audiences, and after the drama that was Stick Fly, we're looking forward to sharing something much more lighthearted," said Windy City Playhouse Artistic Director Amy Rubenstein.

The Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight design team includes Kevin Depinet (set), Jesse Klug (lights), Rachel Ann Healy (costumes), Kevin O'Donnell (sound), Jamie Karas (props) and Alex Rhyan (production manager).

THE CAST

Emily Tate (Nancy) most recently appeared in Step Up Productions' Chicago premiere of DEAD ACCOUNTS. Other Chicago credits include: THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE (Piven Theatre Workshop)? BEDROOM FARCE (Eclipse)? OPUS (Redtwist, Jeff nominated for Best Ensemble and Best Production)? SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (Northlight Theatre) and LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES (Remy Bumppo). She has appeared regionally at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, and was a member of the 2006-2007 Actors Theatre of Louisville Acting Apprentice Company, where she appeared in several productions throughout the season, including THE OPEN ROAD ANTHOLOGY, a Humana Festival world premiere. She is a proud native of Louisville, Kentucky and graduated from Centre College with a BA in Dramatic Arts and Psychology.

Peter Meadows (Ben) is an LA-based TV comedy writer and actor. This production of THINGS... marks his return to the theater after a "short" 15-year hiatus. In that time, he's written for TV comedians (Joel McHale, Rob Riggle, Kristen Bell, Key & Peele), some surprisingly funny athletes and musicians (Blake Griffin, Drake, Shaquille O'Neal) and some less-than-hilarious politicians (Barack Obama, Mitt Romney). But Peter still considers the theater (and Chicago) his first home. He received a BFA in Drama from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, studied with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and The Groundlings.

Patrese McClain (Grace) most recently appeared in Northlight Theatre's world premiere production of WHITE GUY ON THE BUS. Originally from Chicago, she has worked with many theater companies here including: the Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Collaboraction and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Her recent credits include: SPUNK (Jeff nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress); TARTUFFE and MISANTHROPE (Court Theatre)? FOR COLORED GIRLS and NO CHILD... (St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Best Actress, The Black Rep)? TWO TRAINS RUNNING (Geva Theatre Center); and CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY (Kevin Kline nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress, Mustard Seed Theatre). Recent TV credits include: Chicago Fire (NBC), Sirens (USA), Detroit 187 (ABC). In addition to her work on stage and screen, McClain is the Executive Director of Pure Art, a nonprofit dedicated to facilitating arts education outreach programs in underserved communities. She is a proud member of Actors' Equity, company member of Collaboraction Theatre and a resident teaching artist with Court Theatre.

Shane Kenyon (Gene) recently appeared in Goodman Theatre's hit production, BUZZER. Other Chicago Credits include: SHINING CITY, THE SEAFARER and SHADOW OF A GUNMAN (Irish Theatre of Chicago, Ensemble Member); IF THERE IS I HAVEN'T FOUND IT YET (Steep Theatre)? HUSHABYE, WHERE WE'RE BORN, BETRAYAL, SEX WITH STRANGERS (u/s), DUBLIN CAROL (u/s) (Steppenwolf Theatre)? TRAINSPOTTING USA (Book & Lyrics)? BIG LOVE, THE PETRIFIED FOREST (Strawdog Theatre Co.)? JAILBAIT (Profiles Theatre)? MARY'S WEDDING (Rivendell Theatre); and HAMLET, ROMEO & JULIET, MACBETH and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (Lakeside Shakespeare Theatre). Film and TV credits include: Empire (FOX), Jessica (Folded Rose Productions), Mind Games (ABC) and The Chicago Code (FOX). Shane received his BFA in Theatre Performance from The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

Chris Sheard (Mark) most recently took the stage in Profiles Theatre's production of COCK. Other Chicago credits include SS! MACBETH and SS! ROMEO AND JULIET (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre) and A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Metropolis PAC). Regionally, he appeared in: a staged reading of BOY by Anna Ziegler (Ensemble Studio Theatre in NYC)? ROMEO AND JULIET, THE SEAGULL, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES, ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, HAMLET, SKYLIGHT and TROILUS AND CRESSIDA (American Players Theatre); and two summers with the Great River Shakespeare Festival. He received his BA from Florida State University and his MFA from The University of Illinois PATP.

Robert Spencer (Mr. Abramson). In 1957, at the age of 19, Robert moved to New York to pursue a career on Broadway where he appeared in the original Broadway cast of BYE BYE, BIRDIE as well as ENTER LAUGHING, VIA GALACTICA and SEXTET and Off Broadway in THE FANTASTICKS, SING MUSE and THE MANHATTAN ARRANGEMENT. Spencer is originally from Chicago and has acted and directed at regional theaters throughout the country, including 14 seasons at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

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