STADIUM DEVILDARE Plays Red Tape Theatre, Now thru 2/23

Red Tape Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of STADIUM DEVILDARE by Ruth Margraff, beginning tonight, January 17 and running through February 23, 2013.

In ancient gladiator style, and based on polls from viewers like yourselves, we have relocated our most patriotic finale to one of America's actual war zones. During these events you will witness five of your favorites battle to defeat each other for the highest honor. Don't miss the sporting event of the year as Reiko throws down with the boys for the ultimate prize, which has nothing to do with a trophy. Karen Yates directs this Chicago premiere by Ruth Margraff. STADIUM DEVILDARE questions love, power and loyalty against the backdrop of world war.

Featuring Ensemble members: Nicholas Combs and Carrie Drapac with Bryan Bosque, Sabrina Conti, Matt David Gellin, Julian Hester, Andy Lutz, Lyndsay Kane, Mark Penzien, Nicole Rudakov, and Derek Van Barham

Production Team: Karen Yates (Director), Mike Mroch (Scenic Design) Izumi Inaba (Costume Design), Jacob Bray (Lighting Design), Chelsey Shilling (Projections Design), Casey Shillo (Props Design), Rachel Spear (Sound Design), Greg Poljacik (Fight Choreography), Paige Sawin (Assistant Director), Molly Mullen (Dramaturge), Majel Cuza (Production Manager), Jarrod Bainter (Technical Director), James D Palmer (Producer)

Previews run tonight, 1/17-1/19, with opening night slated for 1/21. The production closes on 2/23. The regular run plays Thursday to Saturday at 8:00pm, and Sunday at 7:00pm. Industry Night will be Monday, January 28 at 8pm.

Tickets are $25 regular; $15 Student/Industry; $15 Preview. To purchase, go online at www.redtapetheatre.org or at the box office. Red Tape Theatre is located at 621 W. Belmont, Chicago, Ill.

Karen Yates works in theater as a director, writer and actor. In 2012 she directed the critically well-received Ironmistress at Oracle Theater and has directed or assistant directed at Piccolo, Actors Revolution Theater, ATC, TUTA, Stage Left, Overdog, Chopin, among others. She is Associate Artistic Director of Chicago Opera Vanguard, and in 2011 directed two workshops of their new opera, The Suitcase, one of which took place in Belfast, Northern Ireland. She is now writing a libretto for a new COV opera that will employ interactive technology. Yates has studied movement and devising with Complicité, Siti Company, Goat Island, and Antonio Fava. Her play, American Bacchae, will have a workshop production at Rhino Fest in 2013. In fall 2012 she will be an actor in the new David McVicar production of Elektra at the Lyric Opera Chicago. For more information, go to www.karen-yates.com.

Ruth Margraff has toured with her Café Antarsia Ensemble throughout the world and has been produced at numerous New York City venues such as Ice Factory Festival, BAM's Next Wave Festival, Guggenheim Museum, Hourglass/PS122, the Apollo, HERE Arts Ctr, Cooper Union, Lincoln Ctr, Kitchen; nationally at Rude Mechanicals, Salvage Vanguard, CentralTrak Gallery/ProjectX/Undermain, Club Dada, Theater of Note, Bottom's Dream, Overtone Industries, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Cincinnati Playhouse, Red Eye, Frank/Walker Art Center. In Chicago, Ruth has worked with Trap Door, World Music Festival/Navy Pier, Chicago Cultural Institute, Viaduct, Silk Road, Chopin, etc. Ruth has received awards from Rockefeller, McKnight, Jerome, Fulbright foundations, Arts International, TMUNY, NEA/TCG, NYSCA, Illinois Arts Council among others and her work is widely published. She has taught at Yale School of Drama, Brown, UTexas/Michener Ctr and will spend her sabbatical from the Art Institute of Chicago writing in France, Serbia, Greece, Turkey and Austria. Ruth is an alumnae of New Dramatists, member of Theater Without Borders and in residence at Chicago Dramatists. Visit www.RuthMargraff.com for more information.

Red Tape Theatre Company, now in its ninth season, is committed to the creation of new and experimental work. Red Tape's plays invite our audiences to reimagine their world. Red Tape's work serves a vital purpose in our community: to arrest attention and create empathy. Our ensemble collaborates with playwrights, musicians, dancers, and visual artists on our three annual productions. This work is supported by our Fresh Eyes Playwrights Workshop and the Chicago Fringe Artist Networking Night, both of which are produced annually. Red Tape is housed in St. Peter's Episcopal Church. The unique performance space allows us to continually reinvent the audience/artist relationship.

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