Theatre Horizon to Continue Season with Regional Premiere of GRAND CONCOURSE

Theatre Horizon continues its 12th season with the regional premiere of Heidi Schreck's Grand Concourse. This funny and insightful play runs February 3-26, 2017.

In conjunction with Grand Concourse will be Imagine No Hunger, a social service project and art exhibit exploring issues related to food insecurity in the Theatre Horizon lobby.

Opening Night of Grand Concourse is Wednesday, February 8 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20-$35. Theatre Horizon is located at 401 DeKalb Street. Tickets and more information are available online at www.theatrehorizon.org or by phone at 610-283-2230.

In Grand Concourse, Shelley runs her church's soup kitchen in the Bronx with unsentimental efficiency. Lately, though, her faith is wavering. Emma is a reckless young woman with a secret. When Shelley and the two men she works with, Oscar and Frog, accept the mysterious Emma as a new volunteer, she careens into their world, pushing everyone to their breaking point. Heidi Schreck's funny and insightful play navigates the limits of forgiveness and the pursuit of something resembling joy.

Theatre Horizon is one of the first theatres in the nation to premiere this challenging piece, following performances at theatres including Playwrights Horizons and Steppenwolf Theatre. This new production questions the limits and bounds and faith, as Theatre Horizon asks audiences to engage with four everyday people trying to grapple with the enigma of forgiveness.

Beth Lopes makes her Theatre Horizon debut as the director of the show. Her cast includes Barrymore Award Winner David Bardeen, Randy Nuñez, Samantha Rosentrater, and Ariella Serur. Sheryl Liu is the Set Designer. Mike Inwood is the Lighting Designer. Toby Pettit is Sound Designer. Caitlin Cisek is the Costume Designer. John Wendling is the Props Master.

During the run of Grand Concourse, Theatre Horizon encourages the community to Imagine No Hunger in Montgomery County. There are 88,000 people struggling with hunger here in the second wealthiest county in Pennsylvania. In conjunction with the production of Grand Concourse, audiences can take a photographic journey through the issues related to food insecurity in the lobby.

Theatre Horizon's work frequently tackles pressing social issues. In 2015 they carried out a project called Imagine No Homelessness, which, alongside their production of In the Blood, filled a stated need in Montgomery County for public dialogues (which Theatre Horizon hosted nightly) about homelessness. Throughout the run of In the Blood, individuals from vastly different backgrounds and circumstances talked, argued respectfully, and learned from each other, and thanks to programs like this, Theatre Horizon has become a space for unlikely encounters.

Imagine No Hunger was inspired by Imagine No Homelessness, and will build on the success of that program. Imagine No Hunger is an innovative arts and human services project that utilizes Theatre Horizon's production of Grand Concourse to shine a spotlight on the plight of the those facing food insecurity in our area and the individuals who work every day to help them, and to reaffirm Montgomery County residents' shared commitment to compassion. Artists, students, and the passionate workers who feed the hungry will come together to put a face on hunger prevention in Montgomery County. Through the revealing lobby displays and post-show discussions with community members and experts in the field, audiences will help imagine changing the story of hunger and learn what steps we can take together. Imagine No Hunger is part of Theatre Horizon's ongoing commitment to showcase a diversity of voices, focus on social justice, and use theatre to promote public dialogue on pressing issues and generate action.

"When audiences come to see Theatre Horizon's production of Grand Concourse by Heidi Schreck, they will not only get to see one of the most thought-provoking and funny plays we've read in years, but also experience a journey through the lives of people who are food insecure and the heroes who work every day to feed them. That journey will include photography, informative displays, discussions after weekend performances, and more. 12.5% of Pennsylvanians are food insecure. That means that 1 out of every 8 people struggle to feed themselves, and often, their families. We want to ask: how can we be part of the solution? We hope our audiences will too," said Artistic Associate Rebecca Flowers.

The Associate Honorary Producers of the show are Lis and Mike Kalogris. The Artistic Sponsor of the show is Christina Kind. Theatre Horizon's Season Sponsors are iCeutica, Bright Light, Brandywine Realty Trust, Montgomery County College Lively Arts Series, Gretz Beer, and Beneficial Bank.

Theatre Horizon brings Philadelphia's finest actors to Norristown, staging a three-show season and teaching drama to over 900 children per year. Located on Arts Hill in the heart of Montgomery County, Theatre Horizon is an award-winning company dedicated to the revitalization of Norristown. Theatre Horizon is also known for pioneering a unique drama program that uses actors to teach socialization skills to children with autism. For more information about Theatre Horizon, call 610.283.2230 or visit www.theatrehorizon.org.

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