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A Bright Room Called Day
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By Tony Kushner
Set against the backdrop of 1930's Germany, this gripping drama follows a group of artists and activists as they navigate the rise of fascism and the erosion of democracy. As their personal lives intertwine with the political upheaval of the time, they must confront the unfortunate parallels to our contemporary world. Kushner's always-poignant exploration of power, resistance, and the human spirit resonates more than ever in today's turbulent times, offering both a haunting reflection on history and a powerful call to action.
This production is made possible by our generous season sponsors, Michael and Mona Heath.
Praise for "A Bright Room Called Day"
"Blank Theatre, a non-Equity company that has mostly produced musicals since its founding in 2017, takes a big swing with this heady political drama, directed by Danny Kapinos. The resulting production proves that the young company also has serious dramatic chops, drawing out the humanity of Kushner’s characters even when the text is dominated by fierce polemical debates.” - Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune
"Even for viewers whose politics don’t neatly align with any of these characters, everyone who opposes fascism should listen to them… To say it’s prescient almost sounds cliché now." - Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune
The ghostly presence of Ann James’s mysterious and increasingly malevolent Die Alte (the Old Woman)... and Ben Veatch’s sterling one-scene appearance as Gottfried Swetts (but you can call him Old Scratch, if you like) are among the many highlights in this intellectually rich, sometimes confounding, and ultimately wrenching reminder of how easy it is to tear people apart and away from each other—and their values—when we fail to recognize the evil within and around us." -Kerry Reid, Chicago Reader
"Director Danny Kapinos does a masterful job of merging past and present and his talented cast brings the story of artists facing exile with daring and humor." -Nancy S Bishop, Third Coast Review
"With our recent election, many Americans can see this same sort of movement mirrored in our country today... This is why, in a respite from all the light, happy holiday fare, Blank Theatre Company’s finale to their 2024 season is a difficult, yet very timely and important work for today."
-Colin Douglas, Chicago Theatre Review
Cast
Agnes Eggling: Katherine Schwartz
Gregor Bazwald: Grant Carriker
Paulinka Erdnuss: Brandy Miller
Vealtninc Husz: Raúl Alonso
Annabella Gotchling: Shannon Bachelder
Zillah: Lilah Weisman
Roland: Grayson Kennedy
Die Alte: Ann James
Rosa Malek: Hadar Zusman
Traum: Alex Levy
Gottfried Swetts: Ben Veatch
Understudies: Alex Albrecht, Brice Baron, Peyton Hooks, Sonya Shea Robinson, Jeffrey David Thomas, and Natalie Younger
Production Team
Director: Danny Kapinos*
Assistant Director: Sophie Murk
Stage Manager: Kyle Aschbrenner
Costume Design: Cindy Moon
Lighting Design: Ellie Humphrys
Scenic Design: Marcus Klein
Composer: James Allen
Projection Design: Alex J. Gendal
Props Designer: Reiley Duffy
Technical Director: Line Bower
*Denotes Blank Company Member
December 6th, 2024 - January 5th, 2025
Greenhouse Theatre Center
2257 N Lincoln Ave.
Run time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission
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