Akvavit Theatre to Present Jon Fosse's GJENGANGER, 2/28-3/24

Akvavit Theatre presents two Chicago and one United States premieres of the work of Europe's most-produced living playwright, Norway's Jon Fosse, under the unified title of Gjenganger, February 28 - March 24, 2013 at the DCASE Storefront Theater, 66 East Randolph St.

The "short full-length" plays, presented in rotation (two per night and all three Sundays) are: Winter, directed by Paul S. Holmquist, Autumn Dream, directed by Breahan Eve Pautsch,* and A Summer's Day, directed by Wm. Bullion.* Original musical arrangements for the three plays are by Dag Juhlin of Poi Dog Pondering. The performance schedule for Gjenganger is Thursdays (A Summer's Day/Winter), Fridays (Winter/Autumn Dream) and Saturdays (Autumn Dream/A Summer's Day) at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays (all three plays) at 3 p.m. ("Gjenganger" is the Norwegian word for "those who walk again.")

Opening/press night for Gjenganger is Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. (A Summer's Day/Winter.) Members of the press are invited to see the third play of the triptych (Autumn Dream Friday/Saturday, Mar. 1-2.) Each night the two plays run approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes with one intermission and the Sunday presentation lasts approximate 3 hours and 30 minutes with two intermissions. Regular ticket prices are $15 for single tickets Fridays and Saturdays, $22 for Sundays, and $10 any performance for industry/students. Tickets are currently on sale and available online at www.tix.com, by phone at 800.595.4849 and at the door the night of performances. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.akvavittheatre.org.

NOTE SPECIAL PERFORMANCE: The performance on Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. is given in conjunction with the League of Chicago Theater's "Theater Thursdays" program, and includes a talkback and reception to follow the performance.

The work of Jon Fosse has rarely been produced in the United States and never in Chicago. Most recently, Fosse's A Summer's Day had its United States premiere at Rattlestick Playwright's Theater in New York, starring Karen Allen, and was praised by The New York Times as "exert[ing] a strong but stealthy undertow, a distinctive dramatic momentum unlike any other in New York theater these days." Akvavit Theatre's production of Winter has been produced once in Los Angeles and Autumn Dream is making its U.S. premiere.

CAST: Winter: Corey Noble and Bergen Anderson*. Autumn Dream: Mark Litwicki*, Kirstin Franklin*, Beau Forbes, Susan Fey and Deborah Craft. A Summer's Day: Jan Sodaro, Marcia Kazurinsky, Marika Mashburn, Mandy Walsh, Joshua Harris* and Linsey Falls.

CREW: Kyle Korynta (translator - on a commission from Akvavit Theatre,) Chad Eric Bergman* (scenographer,) Matthew Isler* (production manager,) Kristina Carr (costumes,) JaRed Moore (lighting designer,) Nigel Harsch (sound) and Dag Juhlin (composer/arranger).
*Indicates Akvavit Theatre company member.

Jon Fosse (Playwright), the Norwegian dramatist, novelist and poet, was born on the west coast of Norway and now resides in Bergen. The author of some thirty books and twenty-six plays that have been translated into more than 40 languages, he is perhaps the most provocative, celebrated and produced contemporary playwright in Europe right now. Since 1993, Fosse has focused primarily on playwriting. His plays, including And We'll Never Be Parted, Night Sings Its Songs, The Guitar Man, Autumn Dream, Girl on the Sofa and deathvariations, have been produced on major stages across Europe, as well as around the world. His works are characterized by poetic minimalism and musicality of language and thus have been compared to Samuel Beckett and Thomas Bernhard.

Akvavit Theatre is a young company with a mission to investigate and encourage discussion about what "Nordic" means and how it is perceived through translated theatre performance. The plays Akvavit produce give Nordic countries a strong voice in North America while contributing to the vibrant intercultural theatre scene already thriving in Chicago.

Gjenganger runs February 28 - March 24, 2013; Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. at the DCASE Storefront Theater, 66 East Randolph St. Opening night is Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. Each night the two plays run 2 hours and 20 minutes with one intermission and the Sunday presentation of all three plays runs approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes with two intermissions. Regular ticket prices are $15-22 for single tickets, $10 for students/industry. Tickets are currently on sale and available online at www.tix.com, by phone at 800.595.4849 and at the door the night of performances. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.akvavittheatre.org.

Pictured: (top) Jan Sodaro (Older Woman), Marika Mashburn (Younger Woman). (side) Deborah Craft (Gry), Beau Forbes (Man), Kirstin Franklin (Woman), Susan Fay (Mother). Photo Credit: Sooz Main.