ATC Opens 2012-13 Season with The Catholic Repertory: DOUBT and AGNES OF GOD, 9/27-11/4

American Theater Company announces two American classics never-before-paired on a single night-The Catholic Repertory: Doubt & Agnes of God-directed by ATC Artistic Director PJ Paparelli and featuring Ensemble Member Sadieh Rifai, Lance Baker, Penelope Walker and Kate Skinner.

The productions, which will be performed together nightly Thursday through Sunday, will run starting September 27 and must close November 4, 2012 at American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron St. The press opening Monday, October 1, 2012 at 7:00PM: Doubt begins at 7:00PM and Agnes of God begins at 8:45PM.

American Theater Company continues its tradition of repertory productions with a unique pairing of two Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning classics that test the power of faith: John Patrick Shanley'sDoubt and John Pielmeier's Agnes of God. Three actresses tackle both plays in an explosive evening of unforgettable drama, performed together for the first time.

Doubt

The Bronx. 1964. A Catholic school principal takes matters into her own hands when she suspects the beloved parish priest is guilty of improper conduct with a male student.

Agnes of God

Upstate New York. 1984. A court-ordered psychiatrist battles with a Mother Superior when she attempts to discover the truth concerning a young novitiate who is accused of an unimaginable crime.

"The Catholic Rep is an unprecedented theatrical event. Never before has a group of actors tackled these plays back-to-back each night," says Artistic Director PJ Paparelli. "It is an evening of riveting drama that digs to the heart of the nature of faith. In a practical, explainable world, the repertory offers a few hours of reflection on the unexplainable...and leaves us a little bit different from when we walked in."

The Catholic Repertory features Kate Skinner (Sister Aloysius/Mother Miriam Ruth); ATC Ensemble Member Sadieh Rifai (Sister James/Sister Agnes); Penelope Walker (Mrs. Muller/Doctor Livingstone); and Lance Baker as Father Flynn.

The creative team for The Catholic Repertory includes Scott Davis (Scenic Designer), Jesse Klug (Lighting Designer), Sally Dolembo (Costume Designer), and Andre Pluess (Sound Designer). Ashley Nguyen is the Properties Master and Katie Klemme is the Stage Manager.

Previews run September 27 – September 30, 2012 and press opening is set for Monday, October 1, 2012 at 7:00pm. The regular run continues October 4 – November 4, 2012 according to the following schedule:

Thursdays: Doubt 7:30pm, Agnes 9:15pm
Fridays: Doubt 7:30pm, Agnes 9:15pm
Saturday Matinees: Doubt 2pm, Agnes 3:45pm
Saturday Evenings: Doubt 7:30pm, Agnes 9:15pm
Sunday Matinees: Doubt 2pm, Agnes 3:45pm

Tickets: Previews: $33; Regular run: Wed., Thurs. & Sat./Sun. matinees $38; Fri. & Sat. evenings $43. Shows are ticketed separately. Special offer: Purchase tickets by October 1 for one show at full price and get the second show half-off. The Box Office is located at 1909 W Byron St., Chicago. Call 773.409.4125 or visit www.atcweb.org.

John Patrick Shanleyis from The Bronx. His plays include Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Savage in Limbo, The Dreamer Examines His Pillow, Italian American Reconciliation, Four Dogs and a Bone, Beggars in the House of Plenty, Psychopathia Sexualis, Cellini, Where's My Money?, Dirty Story, Doubt, Sailor's Song (Drama Desk Award Outstanding New Play), Defiance, Romantic Poetry (co-written with Henry Krieger), Pirate, and Storefront Church. In the arena of screenwriting, he has eight movies to his credit, most recently Live From Baghdad for HBO, for which he received an Emmy nomination. Other films include Five Corners (Special Jury Prize, Barcelona Film Festival), The Waltz of the Tulips, Doubt, Alive, and Joe Versus the Volcano, which he also directed. For his script of Moonstruck he received both the Writers Guild of America Award and an Academy Award for best original screenplay.

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