Strawdog Theatre Company Presents the World Premiere of Philip Dawkins' MISS MARX: OR THE INVOLYNTARY SIDE EFFECT OF LIVING, Feb. 14 - March 29

Megan Shuchman Makes Her Strawdog Debut Directing This Highly Theatrical Drama About Karl Marx’s Youngest Daughter and Her Conflicts with Life, Love and Injustice in Victorian England.

Press Night is Monday, Feb. 24 at 8 p.m.

CHICAGO - Strawdog Theatre Company and Interim Artistic Director Hank Boland are proud to announce the third production in their 2013 – 2014 season, the world premiere of Philip Dawkins’ Miss Marx: or The Involuntary Side Effect of Living directed by Megan Shuchman, Strawdog Theatre Company is located at 3829 N. Broadway Street. Preview performance tickets are $15 with performances Fridays, Feb. 14 and Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. There is a Board Preview performance, Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m., with $50 tickets that include access to a post-performance reception. Opening/press night is Monday, Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. Industry night is Monday, March 3 at 7 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. Single Tickets are $28 and are currently on sale. Subscriptions, group, senior and student discounts are also available. Tickets may be ordered online at strawdog.org or by calling OvationTix toll-free: 866-811-4111.

Strawdog kicks off 2014 with a world premiere by one of Chicago’s hottest playwrights Philip Dawkins and the Strawdog directing debut of Megan Shuchman.  Miss Marx: or The Involuntary Side Effect of Living examines Eleanor Marx (Dana Black), the youngest daughter of Karl Marx and the flag-bearer to her father's legacy. For Eleanor, fighting social and sexual injustice in Victorian England comes easily on the soapbox, but it's much harder in the bedroom. When her tumultuous common-law marriage to fellow socialist Edward Aveling (John Ferrick*) begins to disintegrate, she turns to loved ones for solace.

Additional cast includes Sarah Goeden* (Eva/Musician) and Justine C. Turner* (Laura/Harry) with Samantha Bailey (Annie Besant/Young woman), Pamela Mae Davis (Nim/Theosophist), Matt Holzfiend (Engles/Young Man) and Benjamin Sprunger (Freddy).

The production crew includes Mike Mroch* (set design,) Jordan Kardasz* (light designer,) Izumi Inaba (costume design,) Chris Kriz (sound design.) Mike Przygoda* (music director,) Jamie Karas (props design,) Eva Breneman (dialect coach,) Sam Hubbard (fight choreographer,) Jarrod Bainter (technical director,) John Kelly (master electrician,) Lindsay Amer (dramaturg,) Sarah Hoeferlin (stage manager,) and Becky Mock (production manager).

*connotes a Strawdog Theatre Company member

ABOUT PHILIP DAWKINS, playwright

Philip Dawkins’ critically-acclaimed plays The Homosexuals and Failure: A Love Story both received Joseph Jefferson Nominations for New Work after their world premieres with About Face Theatre (2011) and Victory Gardens Theater (2012), respectively.  Both plays have enjoyed many subsequent productions across the country.  Dawkins is an ensemble playwright at Victory Gardens Theater and an artistic associate at About Face Theater.  His plays for young people are published through Playscripts, Inc. He teaches playwriting at Northwestern University, Loyola University Chicago (of which he is an alum) and through the Victory Gardens ACCESS Program for writers with disabilities. 

ABOUT MEGAN SHUCHMAN, director
Megan Shuchman serves as associate education director for Steppenwolf for Young Adults. As a director and dramaturge, she has worked with Goodman Theatre, Northlight Theatre, TimeLine Theatre, American Theatre Company, Chicago Dramatists, Lifeline Theatre, side project theatre company and Theatre Seven of Chicago and she is a proud company member of 2nd Story. Most recently, Shuchman directed Our City, Ourselves, a piece on youth violence created with members of the A Red Orchid youth ensemble. Up next, she will direct the world premiere of Shayne Kennedy’s Agreed Upon Fictions at 16th Street Theatre.

ABOUT STRAWDOG THEATRE COMPANY
Since its founding in 1988, Strawdog Theatre Company has offered Chicagoland the premiere storefront theatre experience and garnered numerous Non-Equity Jeff Awards with its commitment to ensemble acting and an immersive design approach. The celebrated Company develops new work, re-imagines the classics, melds music with theatre, asks provocative questions and delivers their audience the unexpected.

The current Strawdog ensemble includes Jenny Avery, Hank Boland, Michael Dailey, Anita Deely, Paul Fagen, John Ferrick, Misha Fiskel, Kyle Gibson, Sarah Goeden, Aly Greaves Amidei, Carmine Grisolia, Kyle Hamman, Tom Hickey, Shannon Hoag, Jordan Kardasz, Anderson Lawfer, Sean Mallary, Kat McDonnell, Joanna Melville, Gregor Mortis, Mike Mroch, Michaela Petro, Mike Przygoda, John Henry Roberts, Justine C. Turner, and Jamie Vann.  Strawdog’s interim artistic director is Hank Boland and the general manager is Mike Mroch. Notable Strawdog alums include Elizabeth Auman (TimeLine), Alexandra Billings (actress, cabaret star), Nancy Bishop (casting director), Chrisanne Blankenship (director), Becca Cardo (voice-over artist), Kristin Caskey (Fox Theatricals), Scott Cummins (actor, director) and James Denton (Desperate Housewives).

All productions, plus ongoing late night offerings, are presented at Strawdog’s space in the heart of Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, 3829 N. Broadway St. Tickets are available at 773.528.9696 or www.strawdog.org. 

The neighborhood has limited paid parking and is easily accessible by public transportation (via the Red Line Sheridan stop, plus 36-Broadway, 80-Irving Park, and 151-Sheridan buses).

Strawdog Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Philip Dawkins’ Miss Marx: or The Involuntary Side Effect of Living directed by Megan Shuchman. Strawdog Theatre Company is located at 3829 N. Broadway St. Preview performance tickets are $15 with performances Fridays, Feb. 14 and Feb 21 and Saturday, Feb 15 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. There is a Board Preview performance, Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m., with $50 tickets that include access to a post-performance reception. Opening/press night is Monday, Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. Industry night is Monday, Mar. 3 at 7 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. Single Tickets are $28 and go on sale on sale now. Subscriptions, group, senior and student discounts are also available. Tickets may be ordered online at strawdog.org or by calling OvationTix toll-free: 866-811-4111.

# # #

Strawdog Theatre Company is supported in part by The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Alphawood Foundation, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, the Illinois Arts Council (a state agency) and the annual support of businesses and individuals.