MUSIC HALL, Starring Jeffrey Binder, Comes to 59E59 Tonight

59E59 Theaters is thrilled to welcome TUTA Theatre Chicago with MUSIC HALL, written by Jean-Luc Lagarce and directed by Zeljko Djukic. MUSIC HALL begins performances tonight, March 25 for a limited engagement through Sunday, April 12. Press Opening is Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30 PM.

The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday at 8:30 PM; Saturday at 2:30 PM & 8:30 PM; and Sunday at 3:30 PM & 7:30 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Single tickets are $25 ($17 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.59e59.org.

MUSIC HALL, in its English language US premiere direct from Chicago, is the funny and deeply moving story of three fading performers who act, sing, and dance every night. Called "a funny, knowing show" by the Chicago Tribune, Lagarce's play explores the vulnerable life of the theater artist, where the line between success and failure is often indistinguishable.

The cast of MUSIC HALL features Jeffrey Binder (Broadway's The Lieutenant of Inishmore, The Lion King, Side Man), Michael Doonan (Chicago Shakespeare, Moscow Art Theatre), and Darren Hill (Steppenwolf).

The design team includes Natasha Djukic (set and costume design); Keith Parham (lighting design Christian Gero (sound design); and Leticia Guillard (prop design). With music direction by Wain Parham; movement direction by Aileen McGroddy; and music consultation by Josh Schmidt (Adding Machine, A Minister's Wife).

Zeljko Djukic (director) is the founding artistic director and co-founder of TUTA Theater Chicago. MUSIC HALL marks the 24th production he has directed for the company over the last fourteen years. He was born in Yugoslavia and taught acting at Belgrade's Drama Art School prior to his move to the United States. Among his productions in the former Yugoslavia are Philoctetes, Woyzeck, Endgame, Don Juan Comes Back from the War and The Taming of the Shrew. In Chicago, he went on to direct The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other, Alice, Rules For Good Manners in the Modern World, Tracks, Romeo & Juliet, Uncle Vanya, The Wedding, Baal, Fulton Street Sessions, The Dumb Waiter, and many more. He also directed Tony Kushner's Homebody/Kabul at The National Theatre in Belgrade, Serbia and First Ladies and Judith at Trap Door Theatre.

Jean-Luc Lagarce (playwright) was one of France's most popular and prolific men of the theater before his death in 1995 at age 38. Author of more than twenty plays, director of works by Feydeau, Gozzi, Ionesco, Marivaux and Moliere, he was also artistic director of Théâtre de la Roulotte in Bensançon. Lagarce was born in Franche Comté, on February 14, 1957. He studied literature and philosophy at the University of Besancon and theater at the Conservatory of Besancon, where he wrote his first plays. From 1985 to 1995, plays and directing jobs followed at a frenetic pace. During the 90's many of his plays were helmed by major French directors such as Norday, Jouanneau, Py, Rancillac and Canterella. His plays were translated into German, English, Spanish, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, and Arabic. He won the Leonardo de Vinci and Centre National de Lettres prizes.

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