{"id":45914,"date":"2022-05-02T10:17:19","date_gmt":"2022-05-02T15:17:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/?p=45914"},"modified":"2022-05-02T10:17:19","modified_gmt":"2022-05-02T15:17:19","slug":"chicago-premiere-the-gift-theatre-presents-at-the-vanishing-point","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/?p=45914","title":{"rendered":"Chicago Premiere! The Gift Theatre Presents AT THE\u00a0VANISHING\u00a0POINT"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chicago Premiere!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Gift Theatre Presents<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0AT THE\u00a0VANISHING\u00a0POINT<\/p>\n

Written by Naomi Iizuka<\/p>\n

Directed by Lavina Jadhwani<\/strong><\/p>\n

April 28 \u2013 May 22, 2022 at Filament Theatre<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

CHICAGO<\/strong>\u00a0(May 2, 2022) \u2013 The Gift Theatre <\/strong>is pleased to welcome back live audiences with the Chicago premiere of Naomi Iizuka\u2019s <\/strong>drama At the Vanishing Point<\/em><\/strong>, directed byLavina Jadhwani<\/strong>, playing April 28 \u2013 May 22, 2022<\/strong> at Filament Theatre<\/strong>, 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.thegifttheatre.org<\/a> or by calling (773) 283-7071. Season subscriptions packages are also available. The press opening is Sunday, May 1 at 3 pm<\/u>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The cast includes Ensemble Members Paul D\u2019Addario*,<\/strong> Jennifer Glasse*<\/strong> and Kenny Mihlfried*<\/strong> with guest artists Nico Fernandez,<\/strong> Paula Hlava<\/strong>, Kieran Jethmalani<\/strong>, Tricia Rodriguez<\/strong>, Dwight Sora<\/strong>, Watson Swift<\/strong> and Raquel Torre<\/strong>. Understudies: Al Hermann<\/strong>, Huy Nguyen<\/strong>, Sierra Phan<\/strong> and Risha Tenae<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How do we remember a part of our history at the moment that it’s slipping away? How do we give voice to the ghosts that haunt us as individuals and as a community?\u00a0This stunning portrait of a community weaves together historical fact, myth and memory to give voice to people who would otherwise exist only as faded images in an old photo album.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Gift\u2019s new Co-Artistic Directors Brittany Burch*<\/strong>, Emjoy Gavino* <\/strong>and Jennifer Glasse*<\/strong> comment, \u201cNaomi Iizuka’s\u00a0At the Vanishing Point<\/em>\u00a0is equal parts celebration and requiem.\u00a0It canonizes the ordinary while searching for answers amongst its rich stories and familiar storytellers.\u00a0It asks \u2018How do we remember a part of our history at the moment that it’s slipping away? How do we give voice to the ghosts that haunt us as individuals and as a community?\u2019\u00a0This is a stunning portrait of a community,\u00a0weaving together historical fact, myth and memory to give voice to people who would otherwise exist only as faded images in an old photo album. In a moment where our own time feels indeterminate, this play feels more relevant to us than when we first read it as a company.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Director Lavina Jadhwani<\/strong> adds, I’ve had the gift of sitting with this play for over two years now, and one of the things that struck me when I first read it in 2019 was how much it speaks to the idea of how people can be connected across great distances, especially across time and generations. For me today, it’s also a piece about how community can be connected in isolation. I’m really excited to be diving into rehearsals with this acting company and at Filament’s beautiful space, still engaging with the Jefferson Park community and a space that has a special history with The Gift Theatre.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The production team includes Linsday Mummert<\/strong> (scenic design), Izumi Inaba<\/strong> (costume design), Becca Jeffords<\/strong> (lighting design), Daniel Etti-Williams<\/strong> (sound design), Camille Toshiko<\/strong> (props design), Parker Molacek<\/strong> (projections design), David Preis<\/strong> (technical director) and Sarah Luse*<\/strong> (production manager, stage manager).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*<\/strong>Denotes The Gift Theatre Ensemble Member<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PRODUCTION DETAILS<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p>\n

Title: At the Vanishing Point<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Playwright: Naomi Iizuka<\/strong><\/p>\n

Director: Lavina Jadhwani<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cast: (in alphabetical order): Paul D\u2019Addario* <\/strong>(Photographer), Nico Fernandez <\/strong>(Pete Henzel), Jennifer Glasse*<\/strong> (Ronnie Marston), Paula Hlava<\/strong> (Girl), Kieran Jethmalani <\/strong>(Boy), Kenny Mihlfried* <\/strong>(Ben Sollee), Tricia Rodriguez <\/strong>(Nora Holtz), Dwight Sora <\/strong>(Martin Kinflein), Watson Swift<\/strong> (Frank Henzel) and Raquel Torre<\/strong> (Maudie Totten).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Understudies: Al Hermann<\/strong>, Huy Nguyen<\/strong>, Sierra Phan<\/strong> and Risha Tenae<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Location: Filament Theatre<\/strong>, 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago<\/p>\n

Dates: Previews<\/u><\/strong>: Thursday, April 28 at 7:30 pm, Friday, April 29 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, April 30 at 7:30 pm.<\/p>\n

Press opening<\/u><\/strong>: Sunday, May 1 at 3 pm<\/p>\n

Regular run<\/u><\/strong>: Thursday, May 5 \u2013 Sunday, May 22, 2022<\/p>\n

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm.<\/p>\n

Tickets<\/u>: Previews $20. Regular run $40 – $50. Tickets are currently available atwww.thegifttheatre.org<\/a> or by calling (773) 283-7071. Season subscriptions packages are currently available.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Captioned performances: Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8 at 7:30 pm<\/p>\n

Sensory-friendly performance: Friday, May 7 at 7:30 pm<\/p>\n

Touch tour & conversation with the cast: Sunday, May 15 at 3 pm (touch tour begins at 2:15 pm)<\/p>\n

Come Closer Series<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Join The Gift on Sunday, May 15, 2022*<\/strong> for return of the Come Closer<\/em><\/strong> conversation series, which provides an intimate look at the artistic process behind the production, and the important topics this story addresses. Explore At The Vanishing Point<\/em> with the cast, crew and special guests following the matin\u00e9e. Moderated by Co-Artistic Director Brittany Burch<\/strong> in conversation with Director Lavina Jadhwani<\/strong>, actor and musician Sierra Pham<\/strong>, Charles Kim<\/strong>, musician, composer and teaching artist at the Old Town School of Folk Music, and Ensemble Member Kenny Milhfried<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*<\/strong>The Come Closer<\/em> series is exclusive to guests attending the performance on May 15 and subscribers.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

About the Artists<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Naomi Iizuka<\/strong> (Playwright) is a nationally recognized contemporary playwright whose plays include The Last Firefly<\/em>, 36 Views<\/em>,\u00a017 Reasons (Why)<\/em>, Polaroid Stories<\/em>,\u00a0Language of Angels, Anon(ymous), Aloha<\/em>,\u00a0Say the Pretty Girls<\/em>, Tattoo Girl<\/em>, Skin<\/em>,\u00a0Ghostwritten<\/em>,\u00a0After a Hundred Years<\/em>,\u00a0Strike-Slip<\/em>,\u00a0At the Vanishing Point<\/em>,\u00a0Hamlet: Blood on the Brain<\/em>\u00a0(a collaboration with CalShakes and Campo Santo at Intersection for the Arts)\u00a0 and\u00a0War of the Worlds<\/em>\u00a0(written in collaboration with Anne Bogart and SITI Company). Her plays have been produced around the United States and internationally, including at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Campo Santo at Intersection for the Arts in San Francisco, Dallas Theater Center and Undermain Theatre in Dallas, FronteraFest at Hyde Park Theatre in Austin, Texas, Printer\u2019s Devil Theater and Annex Theatre in Seattle, The Public Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Soho Rep and Tectonic Theater Project in New York, Sledgehammer Theatre in San Diego, Edmonton\u2019s Northern Light Theatre and Montreal\u2019s Alternate Theatre in Canada, and the Edinburgh Festival. Her plays have been published by Overlook Press, Playscripts, Smith and Kraus, Dramatic Publishing, Sun and Moon Press and Theatre Communications Group. lizuka is an alumna of New Dramatists and the recipient of a PEN\/Laura Pels Award, an Alpert Award, a Joyce Foundation Award, a Whiting Writers\u2019 Award, a Stavis Award from the National Theatre Conference, a Rockefeller Foundation MAP grant, an NEA\/TCG Artist-in-Residence grant, a McKnight Fellowship, a PEN Center USA West Award for Drama, Princeton University\u2019s Hodder Fellowship, and a Jerome Fellowship. She currently heads the MFA Playwriting program at the University of California, San Diego.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lavina Jadhwani<\/strong> (Director) is a Chicago-based director, adaptor and activist. As a second-generation immigrant, Lavina constantly investigates the question, \u201cWhat does it mean to be an American?\u201d and through her work, she strives to expand the definition of that word to include more minority voices. Favorite directing credits include\u00a0As You Like It\u00a0<\/em>(Guthrie Theater),\u00a0Roe\u00a0<\/em>(Asolo Repertory Theatre), Gloria\u00a0<\/em>(Mixed Blood Theatre),\u00a0Great Expectations\u00a0<\/em>(Silk Road Rising\/Remy Bumppo Theatre Company), Gruesome Playground Injuries, Much Ado About Nothing,\u00a0Yoni Ki Baat<\/em>\u00a0(Rasaka Theatre Company),\u00a0Cherry Smoke<\/em>\u00a0(the side project) and\u00a0Romeo and Juliet<\/em>\u00a0(Teatro Vista \u2013 BroadwayWorld nomination, Best Production for Young Audiences).\u00a0Her adaptations include\u00a0The Sitayana<\/em>\u00a0(a solo performance piece based on the Hindu epic, The Ramayana<\/em>), Vanya<\/em>(adapted from Chekhov) and Shakuntala: An East-Meets-West Love Story<\/em>\u00a0(an a cappella musical, adapted from Kalidasa).\u00a0Proud graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University (M.F.A., Directing), Carnegie Mellon University (B.F.A., Scenic Design; Masters, Arts Management) and the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

About The Gift Theatre<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Since 2001 and over 70 productions, The Gift Theatre has been dedicated to telling great stories onstage with honesty and simplicity by being the most intimate professional Equity theatre in the country, leading to national acclaim for both the theatre and ensemble and creating a cultural revolution on Chicago\u2019s northwest side.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chicago Premiere! The Gift Theatre Presents \u00a0AT THE\u00a0VANISHING\u00a0POINT Written by Naomi Iizuka Directed by Lavina Jadhwani April 28 \u2013 May 22, 2022 at Filament Theatre \u00a0 CHICAGO\u00a0(May 2, 2022) \u2013 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,41,245,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music-news","category-features","category-musical-theatre","category-reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=45914"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45914\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/45915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=45914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=45914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=45914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}