Mercy Street Theatre Presents BURN

Mercy Street Theatre Company Presents the World Premiere of BURN

by Ian Michael James

Directed by J. Cody Spellman

March 4 - 19, 2016

CHICAGO (January 28, 2016) - Mercy Street Theatre continues its second season with the world premiere of BURN, written by ensemble member Ian Michael James. The show runs March 4 - 19, 2016 at 1914 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Preview performance tickets are $10 with performances on Friday, March 4 at 7:30 pm and Sunday March 6 at 3 pm. Press performance will be Tuesday, March 8 at 7:30 pm. The regular performance schedule will be Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Saturday and Sundays at 3 pm. Single tickets are $15 and are currently on sale. Student and industry discount are also available. Tickets are available for purchase online at brownpapertickets.org.

If this were the last day of your life, how would you spend it? Sam is stuck in the middle-of-nowhere with a middle-of-nowhere job as an ice cream man. While Sam grapples with the idea of leaving his hoarder father behind to start a new lifestyle, he receives news that sets his world ablaze. Theoretical astrophysics, broken box fans, and ice cream sandwiches all collide in BURN.

Directed by J. Cody Spellman, the production will feature Olivia Charles (Barb), Alex Gudding (Sam), Scott Olson (Dad).

The production team for BURN includes Elyse Balogh (Scenic and Props Design), Chloe Cappuccilli (Costume Designer), Grover Holloway (Sound Designer), Slick Jorgensen (Lighting Designer) and Danielle Stack* (Production Manager).

*Denotes Mercy Street Theatre Company Member

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: BURN

Playwright: Ian James Michael

Director: J. Cody Spellman

Cast: Scott Olson (Dad), Alex Gudding (Sam), and Olivia Charles (Barb).

Location: 1914 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Dates: Previews: Friday, March 4 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, March 6 at 3 pm

Press performance/Opening: Tuesday, March 8 at 7:30 pm

Regular run: Thursday, March 10 - Saturday, March 19, 2016

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Saturday and Sundays at 3 pm.

Tickets: Regular Run: $15. Discounts: students $10 and industry $10. Tickets on sale now at www.brownpapertickets.com.

About the Playwright:

Ensemble member IAN MICHAEL JAMES is an actor, playwright, and dramaturg living and learning in Chicago. Ian graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a BA in Theater (Concentration - Acting) and a Minor in Playwriting. As an actor, Ian appeared in All My Sons (as George), The Arsonists (as Beidermann), A Thousand Clowns (as Nick) and Cass Rose’s Dictionary Project, Vol II. Ian’s dramaturgy credits include The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (No Stakes Theater Project), Rotpeter (Mercy Street Theatre Company), Travesties (asst., Remy Bumppo) and Hairspray (Columbia College Chicago). Ian has had several plays developed and produced as a part of Columbia’s Fresh Ink and Manifest Performance Festivals (‘13, ‘14). Ian is the Resident Dramaturg for No Stakes Theater Project.

About the Director:

J. Cody Spellman is a Chicago based freelance director. Cody received his BA in Theatre with a concentration in Directing from Columbia College Chicago in 2013. Directing Credits Include: #Matter (Jackalope Theatre Co. Living Newspaper Festival), Public Parts (Blood Oath. Comedy - The Second City), Root Sin (Jackalope Theatre Co. Living Newspaper Festival), Bury The Ratchet (Blood Oath Comedy, The Second City), The Blue Room (Stage 773), Waiting for Grimace (The Neapolitans Theatre Co.), The Pillowman, The Glory of Living, 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, Wind Mills (Columbia College Chicago). Cody has also directed Solo (A short film), and a sketch comedy pilot with Blood Oath. Assistant Directing credits include: Death of A Streetcar Named Virginia Woolf (Dir. Michael Halberstam, Stuart Carden, Writers Theatre), My Name Is Asher Lev (Dir. Kimberly Senior, TimeLine Theatre Co.), The Knowledge (Dir. Jonathan Berry, Steep Theatre), The Receptionist (Dir. Joanie Schultz, Steep Theatre), The Sweeter Option (Marti Lyons, Strawdog Theatre Co.) Floyd Collins (Dir. Tom Mula, Columbia College Chicago). Cody is the executive producer of Chicago’s only Late-Night talk show, Good Evening with Pat Whalen.

Mercy Street Theatre (Julia Rohed, Artistic Director; Danielle Stack, Producing Director; Jake Fruend, Associate Artistic Director) is an ensemble driven theatre dedicated to telling stories that examine the modern myth; stories of everyday interaction with the epic, iconic and divine. Mercy Street seeks to produce work that transcends the familiar by bringing the spectacular to life on stage, and scrutinizes the orthodox by putting key ideas and events of our world on display. By providing stories from unfamiliar places, cultures and times, MSTC aims to cultivate unity. Finally, MSTC strives to bring the house down by presenting an entertaining theatrical experience. For more information, please visit www.mercystreettheatre.org.

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