CITY LIT THEATER ANNOUNCES EXPANDED 2006-2007 SEASON
The world premiere of Frank Galati’s adaptation of a nineteenth-century horror masterpiece, a Christmas revue featuring stories and songs from a host of classic writers, the Chicago premiere of a musical version by Wendy Kesselman of a Grimm’s fairy tale, and a world premiere City Lit adaptation of the 1950s coming-of-age novel Gidget will make up City Lit Theater’s 27th season, its largest ever, artistic director Terry McCabe announced today.
“Our upcoming subscription season of four shows--the first time we have ever done this many--reflects both growth in our subscriber base and City Lit’s having regained its solid fiscal footing during the past year,” McCabe stated. “Our 27th season will be an exciting time at City Lit; we’re growing artistically as a result of growing as an organization.”
Galati's adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde opens the season. Galati adapted the novel in 1979 for a Northwestern University campus project while a faculty member there. McCabe, a graduate student at NU at the time, saw it and has wanted to present the adaptation’s full premiere ever since. In the mid-1990s, Galati granted permission for McCabe to stage it at the old Wisdom Bridge Theatre, where McCabe was resident director, but Wisdom Bridge went out of business before it could happen there. “Frank’s adaptation is perfect for an intimate space like ours,” says McCabe, “as it throws its focus equally on the words of the text, the skill of the actor, and the imagination of the audience. It’s pure chamber theatre at its best.” McCabe will direct City Lit’s world premiere production. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde begins previews on Friday, September 22, 2006, and runs through Sunday, November 5. Press opening is Monday, September 25, 2006, at 7:00 pm.
Christmas As We Grow Older, adapted and directed by McCabe, is a revue of stories, songs, prose and poetry celebrating Christmas from a grown-up perspective. The show’s title comes from a Charles Dickens piece that is included in the show, “What Christmas Is As We Grow Older,” which explores the question of what secular meaning the holiday holds once we leave childhood behind. Some of the other authors represented in the revue are Mark Twain, Edna Ferber, O. Henry, L. Frank Baum and P.G. Wodehouse. The revue also features songs by a variety of songwriters, including Irving Berlin, Ted Snyder, James Pierpont and Chicago theatre stalwart Kingsley Day. Christmas As We Grow Older begins previews on Friday, November 17, 2006, and runs through Sunday, December 24. Press opening is Monday, November 20, 2006, at 7:00 pm.
The Juniper Tree, a tragic household tale, written and composed by Wendy Kesselman, is a musical version of the German folk tale collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm and included in their 1812 book Children’s and Household Tales. Kesselman’s faithful adaptation--suitable for the whole family but not at all children’s theatre--features murder, cannibalism, an evil stepmother and a happy ending. Kesselman is the playwright of My Sister in This House, which won the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for drama, and of the new version of The Diary of Anne Frank recently seen on Broadway. The Juniper Tree begins previews on Friday, February 23, 2007, and runs through Sunday, April 8. Press opening is Monday, February 26, 2007, at 7:00 pm.
Gidget by Frederick Kohner, in a world premiere adaptation by McCabe and City Lit’s new resident director Marissa McKown, closes the season. Based on the true adventures of his 15-year-old daughter at Malibu during the summer of 1956, Kohner’s novel was compared by the critics to A Catcher in the Rye before it inspired three movies and a TV series and lifted the surfing subculture out of obscurity into national prominence. The real Gidget, Kathy Kohner Zuckerman, will consult with McCabe and McKown on the adaptation of her father’s book, which will be directed by McKown. Gidget begins previews on Friday, April 20, 2007, and runs through Sunday June 3. Press opening is Monday, April 23, 2007, at 7:00 pm.
Except for the Monday night press openings, the performance schedule for all shows in City Lit’s 2006-2007 season is as follows: Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 3:00 pm.
City Lit Theater is located in the historic Edgewater Presbyterian Church building at 1020 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, one block west of Sheridan Road and a block and a half east of the Bryn Mawr Red Line L stop. The 84 Peterson bus, the 147 Lake Shore Express bus, and the 151 Sheridan bus all stop near City Lit. Valet parking is available for theatre customers.
City Lit specializes in literate theatre, including stage adaptations of literary material. For subscription information, call 773/293-3682.