Second Thought Theatre to Conclude 2016 Season with A KID LIKE JAKE

Second Thought Theatre brings its thrilling 2016 season to a close with the area premiere of A Kid Like Jake, by Daniel Pearle. Matthew Gray returns to Second Though for the first time since the theater's 2012 production of Pluck the Day to direct this play about a young couple struggling to do what Is best for their gender fluid son. A Kid Like Jake begins with previews on Wednesday, June 29 and runs through Saturday, July 23. All performances of A Kid Like Jake will take place at Bryant Hall on the Kalita Humphreys Campus, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd. Tickets to A Kid Like Jake can be purchased online at 2TT.co.

"Mathew Gray has long been a great contributor to the Dallas-Fort Worth theater community and I could not be more excited to welcome him back to Second Thought Theatre to direct A Kid Like Jake," said STT Artistic Director Alex Organ. "The subject matter of this play is a hot-button topic in Texas and across the country. Matthew's ability to explore sensitive material with grace and nuance will bring a special touch to our timely production of A Kid Like Jake."

All parents want the best for their children and that includes making sure they get a top-notch education. But what happens when a child doesn't necessarily fit the mold of what's expected at one of the most exclusive private schools in Manhattan? A Kid Like Jake follows two parents as they try to determine what's best for their four-year-old son, who happens to prefer Cinderella to G.I. Joe.

Jenny Ledel (Othello; Belleville) and Ian Ferguson (Bull; Booth) lead the cast as parents Alex and Greg, eager to find the right place for their son's education. Christie Vela (director, Bull) is making her STT stage debut as Judy, an advisor to Alex and Greg as the couple works on Jake's applications and interviews for several prestigious schools. Making her STT debut and rounding out the cast is Kia Boyer as the Nurse.

"I am thrilled to be back at Second Though Theatre to direct A Kid Like Jake," said Gray. "Every parent agonizes about making the right decisions for their children with the goal of providing a safe and warm environment for them to thrive. The idea that this becomes increasingly complicated due a need to categorize a child as one thing or the other is a common topic of conversation in politics and in gossip circles. A Kid Like Jake tackles this head on and gives us all of us the opportunity to ask ourselves what matters most when trying to plan for a child's future."

In addition to directing, Gray is also serving as scenic and sound designer for the play. Jennifer Ables (Othello; Booth; Gruesome Playground Injuries) and Aaron Johansen (The Great God Pan; Martyr) are the costume designer and lighting designer, respectively, and Bart McGheehon is projection designer.

A Kid Like Jake opens with previews on Wednesday, June 29 at 7:30p. Opening and press night is Friday, July 1 at 8:00pm. The PWYC performances of A Kid Like Jake will take place on Wednesday, June 29; Thursday, June 21; Wednesday, July 6; Monday, July 11 and Monday, July 18 at 7:30p. PWYC tickets are available at the box office one hour prior to the start of the performance and are subject to availability. A Kid Like Jake runs through May 14. Tickets to A Kid Like Jake are on sale now at 2TT.co and can be purchased for $25.

ABOUT SECOND THOUGHT THEATRE:

Second Thought Theatre provides an intimate and unique theatrical experience by empowering top local theater artists to take risks and by showcasing writers who boldly tackle the difficult and demanding questions of our rapidly changing world.

Kia Boyer (Nurse) is very grateful and excited to be making her Second Thought Theatre debut! She has made Dallas a home since 2012 and is thankful to the theatre community for keeping her busy! Some of her favorite past productions include Faust (The Drama Club); Sweet Charity (WaterTower Theatre); Pippin (Theatre Three); and most recently WaterTower Theatre's production of The Big Meal. Kia continues to grow through ballet, yoga, and frequent visits to the cinema!

Ian Ferguson (Greg) is honored to be working again with the artists at Second Thought Theatre - having appeared in Steven Walters' Booth in 2014 and Bull last year. Ian has appeared on professional stages across DFW, including: Stage West (Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play), Kitchen Dog Theater (The Arsonists), Theatre Three (On The Eve, Present Laughter, The Farnsworth Invention), WaterTower Theatre (Honky, The Lieutenant of Inishmore), Shakespeare Dallas (Romeo & Juliet, The Winter's Tale, Twelfth Night), and more. In addition to theatre work, Ian is a musician playing in Dallas-based bands - Mur, and Veteran Children.

Jenny Ledel (Alex) was born in Fort Worth, TX. She is an alumni of STT with such productions as The Glory of Living, Pluck the Day, Belleville and Othello under her belt. She is a member of the Acting Company at Kitchen Dog Theatre. Other theatrical credits include Trinity Shakespeare Festival, The Undermain Theatre, WaterTower Theatre, Theatre Three, Kitchen Dog Theatre, Texas Shakespeare Festival, The Dallas Museum of Art, Shakespeare Dallas and Shakespeare in the Bar. Jenny is a multiple recipient of the DFW Critics Forum Award for Best Actress. Her Film and Television credits include Karma Police, Spider Veins, and One Tree Hill.

Christie Vela (Judy) is a member of DTC's Brierley Resident Acting Company, where her acting credits include: Romeo and Juliet; Sense and Sensibility; Medea; The Book Club Play; A Christmas Carol; LES MISERABLES; Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure; King Lear; God of Carnage; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat; The Beauty Plays and Henry IV. Most recently, she directed DTC's 2015 A Christmas Carol and will be directing Gloria by Branden Jacob-Jenkins next season. Christie is also a member of Dallas' Kitchen Dog Theater Company where she was last seen in The Motherf**ker with the Hat and where she has directed many shows including PEN Award-winner Se Llama Cristina by Octavio Solis; The Turn of the Screw; Boom; and The Pillowman. She proudly made her Second Thought Theatre directing debut last February with Bull as part of the Elevator Series and is thrilled to finally be making her acting debut with one of her most favorite theater companies in town. Christie is represented by The Mary Collins Agency.

Matthew Gray (Director, Scenic, and Sound Designer) is thrilled to be working with Second Thought Theatre again. His Second Thought shows include: Humpty Dumpty, Snake Eyes and Pluck the Day. Matthew is a former member of the Brierley Resident Acting Company at Dallas Theater Center Matthew's shows included: To Kill A Mockingbird; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; The Taming of the Shrew; A Christmas Carol (Actor and Director); The Misanthrope; Glengarry Glen Ross; Death of a Salesman; Henry IV; Dividing the Estate; and The Shape of Things (Director). He has acted and directed for many companies in the metroplex and regionally including: Kitchen Dog Theater; Dallas Children's Theater; Circle Theatre; Tide Water Rep and Oklahoma City Repertory. With his wife Emily, Matthew founded and served as the Co-Artistic Director for Classical Acting Company for four seasons. For the last five years he has been producing and directing live events, video and digital media of all kinds. He is currently a producer for Abernethy Media Professionals.

Drew Wall (Scenic Design, Producer, Technical Director) is currently the Director of Operations for Second Thought Theatre and has been working with the company since 2007. During that time, he has served as an Actor, Designer, Producer, Production Manager, and Resident Artist. Second Thought acting credits include The Great God Pan, Belleville, Nocturne, Booth, Red Light Winter, A Behanding in Spokane, The Bombitty of Errors, A Skull in Connemara, The Country Wife, and Lobby Hero. Drew holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from Baylor University, is represented by the Kim Dawson Agency, also a company member of Kitchen Dog Theater, and would like to thank his friends, family, and Abbey Magill for their constant love and support.

Jennifer Ables (Costume Design) Alabama Shakespeare Festival: Good Night Moon; Charlotte?s Web; Dallas Theater Center: The Book Club Play, Sherlock Holmes, The Final Adventure, Oedipus El Rey, Red, To Kill A Mockingbird, Henry IV; Second Thought Theatre: Othello, Booth, Gruesome Playground Injuries, Thom Pain (based on nothing); Oklahoma Shakespeare Festival: Macbeth, Winter?s Tale; University of Texas at Dallas: Dr. Caligari?s Cabinet, Comedy of Errors; Watertower Theater: As You Like It; Risk Theater Initiative: The Last Days of Judas Iscariot; Jennifer has been the costume shop manager at Dallas Theater Center since December 2008 and holds an MFA in costume design from Florida State University.

Aaron Johansen (Lighting Design) STT: The Great God Pan; Martyr; Othello; Belleville; Bull; Booth; Nocturne; Cock; Pluck the Day. Dallas Theater Center: Oedipus el Rey; Red; The Second City Does Dallas; A Christmas Carol. Before moving to Dallas six years ago, Aaron received his B.S. in theatre design and technology with an emphasis in lighting design from Ball State University. Lighting credits include: Ruth, Turn of the Screw and Macbeth (Kitchen Dog); Baby, the Musical (PFamily Arts); 2010-2011 Gala and numerous parties and dinners (DTC); Hair; J.B.; Coppelia; Cabaret; Erratica; The Colored Museum and numerous dance pieces (Ball State)

Bart McGeehon (Projection Design) New to Second Thought, but not to the Dallas Theater scene, Bart's production design work is being seen on many Dallas stages, including his critically acclaimed design for Hedwig & The Angry Inch, the award winning projection design for Songs for a New World and SOHO Cinders, and the upcoming Toxic Avenger for Uptown Players, A Midsummer's Night Dream, Romeo & Juliet & the Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) at Shakespeare Dallas, The Old Time Music Show & Albert's Anthology at Theatre Britain. Bart currently serves as the Director of Production for Dallas Children's Theatre, where his design work has included over 25 shows.

Laura Colleluori (Stage Manager, Asst. Director) is thrilled to be working on her first show at Second Thought! Stage management: Fly Babies (Wingspan); Self-Help Guide to Killing Your Boss (Actors' Co.); Blood Wedding, blu (Cara Mia); Catholic School Girls (ASM, Contemporary); Fili della memoria (Cantharide); The Goat... (Dickinson). Directing: Deferred Action (Asst. Director, DTC); Red, The Vagina Monologues, BFF (Dickinson). Laura is the Education Fellow at Dallas Theater Center, and a freelance dramaturg and teaching artist. She holds a B.A. in Theatre & Italian from Dickinson College, with additional coursework from Duke University, Yale University, and the University of Bologna.

Alex Organ (Artistic Director) is in his second year as the Artistic Director for Second Thought Theatre and has been working with the company as an artistic associate since 2012. He is also a member of DTC's Brierley Resident Acting Company. DTC: The Rocky Horror Show, LES MISERABLES, The Fortress of Solitude, Fly By Night, A Christmas Carol. Local/Regional: Second Thought Theatre (The Great God Pan, Red Light Winter); Undermain Theater (The Flick; Profanity); Lyric Stage (The Most Happy Fella); Theatre Three (The Farnsworth Invention); WaterTower Theatre (Putting it Together, Little Shop of Horrors); Trinity Shakespeare Festival; Shakespeare Dallas; Epic Theater Ensemble; Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; and the Elm Shakespeare Festival. Film/TV: Law & Order: SVU and Second Guessing Grandma. Alex has directed A Behanding in Spokane and c*ckfor Second Thought. MFA Yale Drama.

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