American Blues Theater Presents Warren Leight's Tony Award-Winning SIDE MAN, Directed by Jonathan Berry, April 24 - May 24 at the Greenhouse Theater Center

Leight’s “Tender, Deeply Personal Memory Play” (The New York Times) Features American Blues Ensemble Members Kate Buddeke, Joe Foust, Ed Kross, and Michael Mahler.

CHICAGO – Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago’s second oldest Equity ensemble, are proud to announce the Tony Award-winning Side Man, written by Warren Leight, directed by Jonathan Berry, April 24 – May 24, at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. “Pink Previews,” where tickets sales benefit the Lynn Sage Foundation for breast cancer research, are Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 26 at 2:30 p.m. Opening night is Thursday, April 30 at 7:30 pm. The performance schedule is Thursday – Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. with Saturday matinee performances May 16 and 23 at 3 p.m.  Tickets for “Pink Preview” performances are $19. Regular run performances tickets are $29 Thursdays and Fridays and $39 Saturdays and Sundays. Opening night tickets are $49 and include access to the post-show reception. All tickets are currently on sale at 773.404.7336 or AmericanBluesTheater.com.

The Pulitzer Prize-nominated and Tony Award-winner for Best Play Side Man is the heartbreaking story spanning three decades of a splintered family as told through the eyes of Clifford (Michael Mahler*), the only son of Gene (Michael Ehlers), a jazz trumpet player, and Terry (Kate Buddeke*), an alcoholic mother. Alternating between their New York City apartment and a smoke-filled music club, Clifford narrates the story of his broken family and the decline of jazz as popular entertainment. In Side Man “The joy and despair of the musicians is skillfully illustrated,” according to Variety.

The Sideman cast also includes Joe Foust* (Jonesy), Ed Kross* (Ziggy), John Gawlik (Al) and Gail Rastorfer (Patsy) with the production team of Sarah E. Ross* (scenic design), Heather Gilbert (lighting design), Emily McConnell (costume design), Rick Sims (sound design), Christopher Neville* (property design), Ellen Willett (production manager), Michael Trudeau (technical director), Jonathan Nook (stage manager) and Jerico Bleu (dramaturg).

*connotes American Blues Ensemble member or Artistic Affiliates.

American Blues Theater’s TOWN HALLS
American Blues Theater offers a free opportunity for audiences and fans of the theater to learn more about the current presentation. All Town Halls are held immediately following Sunday’s 2:30 p.m. performance, May 3 – May 17.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR Side Man

American Blues Theater is proud to continue “Pink Previews” for this production. Proceeds from preview performances are donated to the Lynn Sage Foundation for breast cancer research. They also partner with Merit School of Music and Chicago Jazz Orchestra.

ABOUT WARREN LEIGHT, playwright

Warren Leight is an American playwright, screenwriter, film director and producer. He is best know for his work on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Lights Out and as the show runner for In Treatment and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. His other plays include No Foreigners Beyond This Point (Baltimore Center Stage premiere); James and Annie (Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati premiere); Glimmer, Glimmer and Shine (ATCA Nomination); Mayor, the Musical (Drama Desk Nomination); Fame Takes a Holiday (co-written); Stray Cats and The Loop. Recent publications include Dark No Sugar. A collection of one acts; Leading Women: Plays for Actress II; DPS’s Outstanding Men’s Monologues 2001-2002; Ensemble Studio Theatre’s Marathon 2000 collection and Dramatics magazine. Leight’s screenplays include The Night We Never Met (starring Matthew Broderick and Annabella Sciorra), which he also directed.

ABOUT JONATHAN BERRY, director

Jonathan Berry is the associate artistic director of Griffin Theatre and is an artistic associate with Steep Theatre Company where he has worked on variety of productions. His work in Chicago includes at Goodman Theatre (The World of Extreme Happiness and The Solid Sand Below),The Gift Theatre (World premieres of Dirty and Suicide, Incorporated), Chicago Dramatists (I am Going to Change the World), Remy Bumppo (The Marriage of Figaro), Theatre Mir (The Sea and Caucasian Chalk Circle) and Lifeline Theater (The Piano Tuner, winner of an After Dark Award for Best Production). He pursued his MFA in Directing from Northwestern University and has taught acting, directing and viewpoints at University of Michigan, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, Act One Studios, Columbia College and The School at Steppenwolf.

ABOUT AMERICAN BLUES THEATER

American Blues Theater is the premier American theater producing visceral theatrical works while engaging its audience in missions of local service agencies. American Blues Theater illuminates the American ideas of freedom, equality, and opportunity in the plays produced and communities served.

The multi-generational and interdisciplined artists have established the second-oldest professional Equity Ensemble theater in Chicago. The 39-member Ensemble has 539 combined years of collaboration on stage. As of 2014, they’ve individually received nearly 150 Joseph Jefferson Awards and nominations that celebrate excellence in Chicago theater including the 2014 Jeff Awards for Production-Musical-Midsize, Hank Williams: Lost Highway; Actor in a Principal Role – Musical, Matthew Brumlow, Hank Williams: Lost Highway; Solo Performance, Gwendolyn Whiteside, Grounded; Music Direction, Malcolm Ruhl, Hank Williams: Lost Highway and Sound Design, Lindsay Jones, Grounded and over 22 Black Theatre Alliance Awards. The artists are honored with Pulitzer Prize nominations, Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Emmy Awards and numerous other accolades.

AMERICAN BLUES THEATER presents Side Man, page 3 of 3

The American Blues Theater Ensemble includes all four Founders Ed Blatchford, Rick Cleveland, James Leaming, and William Payne with Dawn Bach, Matthew Brumlow, Manny Buckley, Kate Buddeke, Sarah Burnham, Dara Cameron, Casey Campbell, Brian Claggett, Dennis Cockrum, Austin Cook, Laura Coover, Lauri Dahl, Kristin DeiTos, Joe Foust, Tom Geraty, Cheryl Graeff, Marty Higginbotham, Jaclyn Holsey, Lindsay Jones, Samantha Jones, Nambi E. Kelley, Kevin R. Kelly, Steve Key, Ed Kross, Warren Levon, Michael Mahler, Kelli Marino, Heather Meyers , John Mohrlein, Jim Ortlieb, Suzanne Petri, Carmen Roman, Editha Rosario, Sarah E. Ross and Gwendolyn Whiteside.

American Blues Theater presents the Tony Award-winning Side Man, written by Warren Leight, directed by Jonathan Berry, April 24 – May 24, at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. “Pink Previews,” where tickets sales benefit the Lynn Sage Foundation for breast cancer research, are Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 26 at 2:30 p.m. Opening night is Thursday, April 30 at 7:30 pm. The performance schedule is Thursday – Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. with Saturday matinee performances May 16 and 23 at 3 p.m. Tickets for “Pink Preview” performances are $19. Regular run performances tickets are $29 Thursdays and Fridays and $39 Saturdays and Sundays. Opening night tickets are $49 and include access to the post-show reception. All tickets are currently on sale at 773.404.7336 or AmericanBluesTheater.com.

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Side Man is made possible, in part, by funding by The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, Arts Work Fund, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Robert R. McCormick Foundation, Actors’ Equity Foundation, Eurex, The Saints, and the Chip Pringle Fund. ComEd is the official lighting season sponsor.