Pride Films and Plays
Presents The World Premiere of
Directions for Restoring the Apparently Dead
By Martin Casella
Directed by David Zak
October 4 – November 10, 2013 at Stage 773
Pride Films and Plays is pleased to launch its 2013-14 Season with the world premiere of Martin Casella’s drama DIRECTIONS FOR RESTORING THE APPARENTLY DEAD directed by David Zak. Winner of PFP’s 2013 Great Gay Play Contest, running through November 10, 2013 at Stage 773’s thrust stage, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. For tickets visit www.stage773.com, in person at the Stage 773 Box Office or by calling (773) 327-5252.
DIRECTIONS FOR RESTORING THE APPARENTLY DEAD features PFP Ensemble Members Patrick Rybarczyk and Nicholas Stockwell with Alanda Coon and Patrick Gannon.
This play (in its world premiere production here) is extremely timely. The theme is important. The idea is relevant. The cast is seasoned. And Pride Films and Plays, along with writer Martin Casella and director David Zak, have been doing good work for a long while. – New City
In DIRECTIONS FOR RESTORING THE APPARENTLY DEAD, long-time friends take a vacation in England’s Lake Country after life-changing events. As past and present overlap and intersect, they examine the origins of their relationship and the limits of it. The play explores marriages and relationships, gender and sexuality, and the time-tested bonds of friendship.
The Critics have said:
“HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. It is not very often I am caught off guard by a production, but Pride Film and Play’s World Premiere production of Martin Casella’s Directions for Restoring the Apparently Dead did just that. Movingly directed by David Zak, Directions for Restoring the Apparently Dead touches on an authenticity of relationships that is rarely seen. Pride Film and Plays is emerging s a unique and important voice which has been missing of late in the Chicago theatre scene. This play, their best to date, is a must-see and will surely make you think about your life choices when you walk out of theater.” – ShowBiz Chicago
This play (in its world premiere production here) is extremely timely: a story about “coming out” that asks if an entire life is a lie if one can’t embrace his or her sexuality or overcome the stereotypes. The theme is important. The idea is relevant. The cast is seasoned. And Pride Films and Plays, along with writer Martin Casella and director David Zak, have been doing good work for a long while. – New City
Now is the time to purchase your tickets here.
Production Details
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Title: Directions for Restoring the Apparently Dead
Playwright: Martin Casella
Director: David Zak
Cast: Ensemble Members Patrick Rybarczyk (Griff) and Nicholas Stockwell (Richard) with Alanda Coon (Bea) and Patrick Gannon (Jinx).
Production team: Ensemble members Ashley Ann Woods (scenic design), John Nasca (costume design) and Raphael Schwartzman (lighting design).
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Location: Stage 773 (thrust stage), 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago
Dates: Previews: Saturday, October 4 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, October 5 at 3 pm
Press performance/opening: Tuesday, October 8 at 7:30 pm
Regular run: Thursday, October 10 – Sunday, November 10, 2013
Curtain Times: Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm
Tickets: Previews: $20. Opening $30 (includes reception). Regular Run: Thursdays $25 (all seats), Friday, Saturdays and Sundays $30 (center section) and $25 (side sections). Students and seniors: $5 off all performances. Industry: $10 during previews. Tickets go on sale Saturday, August 10 at www.stage773.com, in person at the Stage 773 Box Office or by calling (773) 327-5252.
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About
About the Playwright:
Martin Casella’s plays include The Irish Curse (Off-Broadway, London, Edinburgh, Dublin; L.A. – GLAAD nomination; FringeNYC – Outstanding Playwriting Award, Vancouver; published by Samuel French); Scituate (Best New Play, SCFTA); Mates (L.A. WEEKLY, Dramalogue Awards, Best New Play), Paydirt, Desert Fire, Beautiful Dreamer, Grand Junction, The Big Enchilada and George Bush Goes to Hell. He wrote the book for the musicals Paper Moon, Happy Holidays, Taking Care of Mrs. Carroll, Saint Heaven, Doo-Dah!, and co-wrote the book for the musical Play It Cool (Off-Broadway, GLAAD and Outer Critics Circle nomination for Best Off-Broadway musical). His plays have been seen regionally across the U.S., England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada and Japan.
His most recent play is The Report, an adaptation of Jessica Francis Kane’s novel about the official investigation into London’s worst civilian accident during World War II. He is currently writing Miss Maude, a play about the life-changing meeting in 1951 between South Carolina midwife Maude Callen and Life Magazine photojournalist Eugene Smith. Also in the works is the jazz musical Club Dangerous, and another musical collaboration with Play It Cool director Sharon Rosen.
In film/television, Casella has written for Steven Spielberg, Kerry Washington, Anthony Edwards, Disney, Universal, Warner Brothers, CBS, ABC and HBO. Casella recently wrote Tom’s Dad, to be directed by three-time Oscar-nominee Lasse Hallstrom, starring Will Ferrell. He adapted David Johnson’s play Busted Jesus Comix for the screen and is working on the British animated film Reds and Grays. As an actor, Casella can be seen in the Spielberg/Hooper classic Poltergeist; and in RobotCop II, Six Weeks and My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Errol Flynn Story.
He currently teaches a playwriting at the Harvey Milk High School in NYC. He previously taught playwriting at his alma mater, California Institute of the Arts. He is a proud member of The Dramatists Guild, the Writer’s Guild of America, Actors’ Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild.
About the Director:
David Zak has won seven Jeff Awards in Chicago, including four for Directing (Animal Farm, Dr. Sex, Parade, Pope Joan), two for writing (The Hiroshima Project, The Count of Monte Cristo) and a special Jeff for “Fostering Diversity in Chicago Theater.” He has directed in London (The Irish Curse), Seoul (Dollhouse, Fanta Stick, The Ghost’s Cookbook), Dublin (Oh, Holy Allen Ginsberg), Boston (Sin: A Cardinal Deposed), Los Angeles (Dr. Sex, At The Flash) and New York (Marlowe and Poseidon: An Upside Down Musical). He is Executive Director of Pride Films and Plays, Chicago, and Artistic Director of Summer Pride Fest at Chandler (VT). His productions of the American Premieres of Jerry Springer – The Opera and Sir Peter Hall’s Animal Farm were named Best Musical, as were his production of Parade, Pope Joan and Dennis DeYoung’s Hunchback of Notre Dame. He has recent projects throughout Chicagoland have ranged from one-man shows (At the Flash) to epics with a cast of 100 (Evita). His most recent Chicago production, the world premiere of Under A Rainbow Flag, earned five Jeff nominations, including Best Musical and Best Director. He was Artistic Director of Bailiwick Repertory for 27 years, and is an educator and journalist.
