the side project's historic 15th season will begin in November with a haunting two-show repertory in the spirit of the fall season. The plays, by local playwright Scott T. Barsotti and NY-based Mary Hamilton, will be helmed by Devon de Mayo and Josh Sobel, respectively -- two first-time collaborators for the side project who have gained attention in recent months as directors to watch.
In Barsotti's Jet Black Chevrolet, the large and mysterious eponymous car is parked across the street and Julie doesn't like the looks of it. Sam seems unfazed. At least by that. Planes fly overhead, an errant daughter-in-law pays a few visits, and then everything becomes clear. Or more unclear, in this world premiere directed by Devon de Mayo, who won critical and popular success plus a Best Play Jeff Award nomination for her production of Lost in Yonkers at
Northlight Theatre this past spring. The cast includes Diana Slickman (Theatre Oobleck's There is a Happiness that Morning Is), Kathryn Acosta (The Artistic Home's Beaten) and
Rob Koon (People We Know at the side project and Heddatron by Sideshow Theatre Company in Steppenwolf's Garage Rep), who is also a heralded local playwright.
Scott T. Barsotti is a resident playwright at
Chicago Dramatists and recently named to the
Goodman Theatre Playwrights Unit. His plays, including Facing Angela, Brewed, Kill Me, Tell Me Who You See, The Mystery of the Pirate Ghost, The Revenants, The Body Snatcher and Your Teacher Is Out Today, have been produced in Los Angeles, Boston and Australia as well as all around Chicago. An earlier version of Jet Black Chevrolet was workshopped by Curious Theatre Branch in 2009 and a later version had a reading at Steep Theatre in 2012.
Meanwhile, in
Mary Hamilton's We Three, a little girl has gone missing and the whole town searches for answers. But are they asking the right questions? Who exactly is Dustin? What does Daisy really want? And what did Grace see, or not see? This five-character drama featuring a mysterious, other-worldly quality mixed with authoritarian menace, reminiscent of
Harold Pinter-cum-Twin Peaks. Directed by Strawdog Theatre Literary Manager Josh Sobel, the cast includes Stevie Chaddock,
Ann James,
Andy Luther, and
Adam Shalzi. Sobel, also the newly named artistic director of Haven Theatre Company, recently returned from Edinburgh having taken his critically acclaimed production of The Hunting of the Snark to the 2014 Fringe.
Mary Hamilton has developed plays in Iowa City, Philadelphia, Chicago and New York City. The recipient of the Iowa Provost's Fellowship, she participated in the 2010 Unplugged Festival at American Theater Company, 2009 Play Penn conference, 2008 Wordbridge Playwriting Conference and 2002
Young Playwrights Incorporated. Her work has been a finalist for the Yale Drama Series, Lark Pony Fellowship, the O'Neill Playwrights Conference, the Princess Grace Award, and the Lila Acheson Wallace Playwriting Program at Julliard.
"I am so thrilled to have these two exciting directors on board for these amazing plays that speak so emphatically to each other, it's as though we commissioned them specifically for our space to run side by side," Artistic Director Adam Webster said. "Further, it solidifies a few long-time desires of ours: Getting to produce Scott's work, having Devon direct for us, and to produce We Three, after having seen a reading of it at ATC."
World Premiere!
JET BLACK CHEVROLET
By Scott T. Barsotti
Directed by Devon de Mayo
Previews:Thursday, November 20 at 7:30 pm ($5.00) and Saturday, November 22 at 3 pm. ($10.00)
Opening: Sunday, November 23, 5 pm
Run: November 23-December 21, 2014 (No performance Thursday, November 27)
Schedule: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 3pm and Sundays at 5 pm
WE THREE
By
Mary Hamilton
Directed by Josh Sobel
Previews: Tonight, November 19 at 7:30 pm (Tickets $5.00) and Saturday, November 22 at 5 pm (Tickets $10.00)
Opening: Sunday, November 23 at 7:30 pm
Run: November 23-December 21, 2014
Schedule: Sundays through Tuesdays at 7:30 pm and Saturdays at 5 pm
Tickets: $20 General Admission ($3 off with code "chevy" for JET BLACK, "believe" for WE THREE); $15 Senior/Student; $10 Rogers Park Rush (all unsold tickets at the door with 60626 or 60645 ID). General Admission 2-for-1s for performances November 24, 25 and 26. Group discounts available. Call 773-340-0140 or visit www.thesideproject.net for information/reservations.
the side project is located at 1439 W. Jarvis St., Chicago, IL 60626.
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