Profiles Theatre

Profiles Theatre continues its 2010-2011 Season with reasons to be pretty by Neil LaBute, directed by Steppenwolf ensemble member Rick Snyder. Previews are January 21-26, 2011 and the production runs through March 13, 2011 at Profiles Theatre, 4147 N. Broadway in Chicago.

In reasons to be pretty, Greg's tight-knit social circle is thrown into turmoil when his offhand remarks about a female coworker's pretty face and his own girlfriend Steph's lack thereof get back to Steph. But that's just the beginning. Greg's best buddy, Kent, and Kent's wife, Carly, also enter into the picture, and the emotional equation becomes exponentially more complicated. As their relationships crumble, the four friends are forced to confront a sea of deceit, infidelity, and betrayed trust in their journey to answer that oh-so-American question: How much is pretty worth?

reasons to be pretty, produced by MCC Theater and directed by Terry Kinney, premiered off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theater in June 2008. It received three Drama Desk Award nominations including Outstanding Play. reasons to be pretty became Neil LaBute's first play ever to be staged on Broadway when it opened in March 2009 at the Lyceum Theatre. The comedy-drama was nominated for three 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Play and received the 2009 Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite New Off-Broadway Play.

Profiles will also present a special one night only event, An Evening With Neil LaBute: Live and in Person on January 8, 2011. The theatre began its relationship with Neil LaBute in 2006 with the Midwest premiere of autobahn, followed by their long-running hit, Fat Pig. In 2007, Profiles devoted an entire season to the works of LaBute that included the Midwest premieres of In a Dark Dark House, Some Girl(s), This is How it Goes, and a collection of short works entitled Things We Said Today followed by the Midwest premiere of The Mercy Seat in 2009.

"Having watched reasons to be pretty grow from a show running off-Broadway into a production that had to deal with all the excitement and difficulties of playing on Broadway, I'm thrilled to see it in the kind of space that I really love-the intimacy of the Profiles house," says playwright Neil LaBute. "I'm never happier than when my work is in the safe hands of the artists who make up the Profiles company."

Directed by Steppenwolf ensemble member Rick Snyder (Killer Joe), the cast of reasons to be pretty features Profiles' ensemble members Somer Benson (Killer Joe, Graceland) and Darrell W. Cox (Kid Sister, Killer Joe) along with guest artists Darci Nalepa (Company at Griffin Theatre) and Christian Stolte (Orange Flower Water at Steppenwolf).

The designers are Stephen Carmody (set), Jessica Harpeneau (lights), Jeffrey Levin (sound and original music) and the stage manager is Corey Weinberg.

reasons to be pretty is the next production of Profiles Theatre's 22nd season, following the Midwest premiere of Jailbait by Deirdre O'Connor (returning for a limited engagement beginning January 13, 2011 at The Second Stage) and the World premiere of Kid Sister by Will Kern. The season will conclude with the Midwest premiere of Fifty Words by Michael Weller, opening in April 2011.