Strawdog Theatre Company

Strawdog Theatre Company of Chicago announced their 21st anniversary season of presenting "the whole wide world in a little black box," with the three mainstage plays, including Karel Capek's R.U.R.-Rossum's Universal Robots, Arthur Miller's All My Sons, and Peter Barnes' Red Noses.  These productions, plus on-going late night offerings, will be held at Strawdog's space in the heart of Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood at 3829 N. Broadway Street.

Strawdog Artistic Director Nic Dimond said, "These Season 21 selections all center on a catastrophic event.  There is the robot rebellion and inevitable obsolescence of humanity in R.U.R.; a wartime suicide which heralds the total destruction of an important family in All My Sons; and the horrors of the Black Plague in Red Noses. Other than providing instant dramatic appeal, this concentration reflects the growing idea that the numbers of natural and man-made disasters we are exposed to every day are becoming numbing, and these explorations are meant to rip the scab off our coping skills.  With our signature blend of brains and brawn, Strawdog continues to emphasize a true ensemble-based acting attack, as well as a design approach that immerses our audiences into the worlds where each of these stories live."

Strawdog Theatre Company was formed in 1988 by a group of actors who had performed together in a production of Euripides's Helen at a (now defunct) theatre on the west side.  The group took their name from Sam Peckinpah's movie "Straw Dogs" (Theatresaurus Rex was, thankfully, the runner-up), and they produced their first show, Len Jenkin's Five of Us at a (now defunct) space in Bucktown.  At the time, the Chicago Reader said "Strawdog Theatre Company's inaugural production brings … truth home with a vengeance," and Skyline Chicago added "The Strawdog troupe shows us what an ensemble can do."  Twenty-one years later, Strawdog Theatre Company has survived the ups and downs of Chicago theatre, and is still dedicated to bringing the truth to audiences through the committed work of an award-winning ensemble of actors and designers.

Strawdog will open their 21st anniversary season with Karel Capek's classic R.U.R.- Rossum's Universal Robots which runs September 18-October 25, 2008.  Originally debuted in 1921, Czech playwright Capek dramatizes the rise of robots over the human race.  Strawdog welcomes back company member Shade Murray, director of Strawdog's Detective Story (Jeff Award-winning Best Production, Director and Ensemble in 2003) and Marathon '33 (Best Ensemble 2006).  Murray was recently assistant director for Steppenwolf's smash production August: Osage County. He also won a 2006 Jeff Award for The Chosen at Writer's Theatre.

The second production of Strawdog's 2008-2009 season is Arthur Miller's All My Sons, directed by Strawdog company member Kimberly Senior, which runs February 19-March 28, 2009.  One of the most celebrated classics of American drama, this play tells the story of the Keller family, reunited after the war only to uncover the secrets that will tear them apart.   Senior returns to Strawdog after directing their critically acclaimed Three Sisters in 2005 (remounted at Theatre on the Lake in 2006), who has also directed The Busy World is Hushed for Next , and TimeLine's Dolly West's Kitchen.

The season will close with British playwright Peter Barnes' Red Noses, directed by House Theatre's Matthew Hawkins in his Strawdog directing debut, which , runs April 16-May 23.  It's the 1300s, and a quarter of Europe is dead from the plague, pestilence is everywhere, and humanity is convinced this is Armageddon.  A priest receives a command from God to gather a group of believers, teach them and send them off into the world to be clowns among men. A frequent Strawdog collaborator, Hawkins' directing credits include House's Hatfield and McCoy, and On My Parent's One Hundredth Wedding Anniversary for The Side Project.

Strawdog Late Night features a variety of programming (The Game Show Show and Stuff, live music, comedy, improv, roasts) in the newly-renovated Hugen Hall Cabaret space within the theatre, following each Friday and Saturday night mainstage performance at 11 p.m.  Admission for Late Night is free with paid mainstage ticket (or $5 for just the Late Night), and there is a cash bar available. 

For more information and tickets call 773-528-9696 or visit www.strawdog.org