Bailiwick Chicago's Season to Include VIOLET, PASSING STRANGE, et al.

On behalf of the Bailiwick Chicago Collective, Executive Director Kevin Mayes announced today details of the theater company's 2010/11 Season. Planned productions include: DEPARTURE LOUNGE, a new musical by Dougal Irvine; VIOLET, music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by Brian Crawley; PASSING STRANGE, book and lyrics by Stew, music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald, created in collaboration with Annie Dorsen; and THE NORTH / SOUTH PLAYS, two original works developed in association with Teatro Luna.

"Following an intense and artistically satisfying summer, we are very excited to continue the momentum we've created with four challenging works that explore self-image and identity," said Mayes. "Each of these diverse shows has something unique and provocative to say about some of the universal questions of our time: Who am I? What is my purpose? And where do I fit into this world? This season will be a fantastic journey for all the artists in our company, and we can hardly wait to share these pieces with our audiences."

DEPARTURE LOUNGE, with book, music & lyrics by Dougal Irvine and produced in association with Hilary A. Williams and Andy Barnes, follows four less-than-innocent 18-year olds caught between adolescence and adulthood who are delayed at Malaga Airport after a week in the sun to celebrate their graduation from school. As they reminisce about their time together, it soon becomes clear that their individual memories of the holiday are at odds, particularly when it comes to romance and the girl on all their minds. Is she as innocent as we're led to think, and will the boys friendships hold firm as they all face a coming of age? With a progressive pop score, close four-part harmonies, and a wicked sense of humor, DEPARTURE LOUNGE was a hit at the Edinburgh Festival and Summer Play Festival in New York, and will have its first commercial run in London opening later this September. Directed by Artistic Advisor Tom Mullen with Musical Direction by Executive Director Kevin Mayes, the show will begin previews on October 28 at the Royal George's Cabaret Theater.

VIOLET, with music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, is set in 1964 in the Deep South during the early days of the Civil Rights Movement. The story follows the growth and enlightenment of a bitter young woman accidentally scarred by her father. In hopes that a TV evangelist can cure her, she embarks on a journey by bus from her sleepy North Carolina town to Oklahoma. Along the way, she meets a young black soldier who teaches her about beauty, love, courage and what it means to be an outsider. Directed by Artistic Advisor Elizabeth Margolius, VIOLET will open in late February, location to be announced soon.

PASSING STRANGE, book and lyrics by Stew, music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald, and created in collaboration with Annie Dorsen, is the third planned production in the season. From singer-songwriter and performance artist Stew comes a daring new musical that takes audiences on a journey across boundaries of place, identity and theatrical convention. Loaded with soulful lyrics and overflowing with passion, the show takes us from black, middle-class America to Amsterdam, Berlin and beyond on a journey towards personal and artistic authenticity. PASSING STRANGE electrified Broadway in 2008, winning a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical and numerous other awards. Directed by Collective member Lili-Anne Brown, PASSING STRANGE will open in mid-April, location to be announced soon.

THE NORTH / SOUTH PLAYS: Bailiwick Chicago partners with Teatro Luna in producing two original plays in co-development with theatre companies from Mexico and Canada that explore the explosive and controversial issues surrounding the United States' border with our North and South neighboring countries. Presented in repertory, this promises to be the dramatic event of the summer. Opens in July, location to be announced soon.