Piven Theatre Workshop opens it 2012-13 season with the American premiere of “Tusk Tusk.” The play features Bryce Lunksy, Olivia Cygan, Gabriel Stern, Austin Moore, Joanne Underwood and Jeff McLane. Piven’s Artistic Director Jen Green returns to the Piven stage to direct “Tusk Tusk,” a striking play by British new-comer Polly Stenham featuring a cast of young actors largely new to the Chicago theatre scene. “Tusk Tusk” tells the explosive story of London siblings left to fend for themselves after their bipolar mother goes missing.
“This is a pitch-perfect production for Piven, considering our history as an acclaimed training center for young talent,” says Ms. Green. “With ‘Tusk Tusk,’ we are combining incredibly authentic young voices in a piece of drama that is startlingly relevant for the community. With young people facing a world of upheaval and change, it’s crucial that stories like these, about resilience in the face of adversity, are available to them. And it’s always exciting and important for us to introduce a new playwright to the scene, especially one with a voice as edgy and poetic as Polly Stenham’s.”
Ms. Stenham is the youngest playwright to ever have a work premiere at Britain’s Royal Court Theatre, and Piven says it is excited to have the opportunity to introduce this fresh new voice to the American theatre-going public.
The creative team includes Jessica Forella (production stage manager), Chad Bianchi (scenic design), Mac Vaughey (lighting design), Jim Frazier (sound design), R&D Choreography LLC (violence design), Kate DeVore (dialect coach), Skye Geerts (costume design) and Claire Shavzin (assistant stage manager/design intern). Marti Lyons is the production manager. The production will run Sept. 8 – Oct. 7 (except Sept. 15 at 2:30 p.m.) at Piven Theatre Workshop, 927 Noyes St. Tickets and other information are available at 847-866-8049 or online www.piventheatre.org.