CHICAGO ( May 5, 2015 ) — About Face Theatre is pleased to continue its 2014-15 season with the Chicago premiere of Abraham Lincoln was a F*gg*t by Bixby Elliot, directed by Artistic Director Andrew Volkoff, playing June 5 — July 5, 2015 at the Greenhouse Theater Center ( Upstairs Studio ), 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently on sale at www.aboutfacetheatre.org, by calling ( 773 ) 404-7336 or in person at the Greenhouse Theater Center Box Office. The press opening is Thursday, June 11 at 7:30 pm.
Abraham Lincoln was a F*gg*t will feature Dana Black, Matt Farrabee, Jessie Fisher, Lane Flores, Nathan Hosner and Derrick Trumbly.
17-year-old Cal thinks his favorite president was gay, just like him. In his quest for proof, he takes a road trip to the nation's capital and encounters budding high-school romance, Ellen DeGeneres, party girl Mary Todd and sex in a 19th century mattress store. Discover the truth lurking just beneath the stovepipe hat in this time-jumping, pop music-infused play about history, family and the importance of heroes… then and now.
"I'm thrilled to share Bixby Elliot's irreverent and insightful comedy with Chicago audiences," comments AFT Artistic Director Andrew Volkoff. "His unique voice and theatrical sensibility brings just the right touch of humanity to understanding what it means to be a hero and what it means to need one."
The production team for Abraham Lincoln was a F*gg*t includes Brian Prather ( scenic design ), Michael Stanfill ( projection design ), John Kelly ( lighting design ), Bob Kuhn ( costume design ), Jeffrey Levin ( sound design ), Wayne Smith ( props design ), Rich Ashworth ( choreography ) and Helen Lattyak ( stage manager ).
Details
Title: ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS A F*GG*T
Playwright: Bixby Elliot
Director: Artistic Director Andrew Volkoff
Cast: Dana Black ( Actor 6 ), Matt Farrabee ( Cal ), Jessie Fisher ( Susan/Mary Todd ), Lane Flores ( Skylor ), Nathan Hosner ( Geoff/Abraham ) and Derrick Trumbly ( Buck/Shua/Derickson ).
Location: Greenhouse Theater Center ( Upstairs Studio ), 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago
Dates: Previews: Friday, June 5 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, June 6 at 3 pm & 7:30 pm and Sunday, June 7 at 3 pm
Press opening: Thursday, June 11 at 7:30 pm
Regular run: Friday, June 12 — Sunday, July 5, 2015
Curtain Times: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 3 pm & 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm.
Tickets: Previews: $20 adults/$10 students & seniors. Regular run: $35 adults/$20 students & seniors. Discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Tickets are currently on sale at www.aboutfacetheatre.org, by calling ( 773 ) 404-7336 or in person at the Greenhouse Theater Center Box Office.
Biographies:
Bixby Elliot's ( Playwright ) work has been produced in New York, Chicago, Seattle and Edinburgh. His plays include Blueprint ( world premiere NYC: SPF ), Abraham Lincoln was a F*gg*t ( finalist: O'Neill Theater Conference 2010, New Dramatists, Seven Devils Development Conference, winner: Pandora New Play Competition ) and Girl You Know It's True ( semi-finalist: O'Neill Conference 2011, Princess Grace Award ). Other plays include Birds Do It ( semi-finalist: Princess Grace Award ), Treasure Island, FL ( semi-finalist: O'Neill Conference 2012, winner: SouthernRep New Play Festival ), PN1923.45 LS01 volume 2: The Book Play ( New York Premiere: NYC International Fringe Festival ), Hotel Oracle ( New York premiere: Walkerspace/SoHo Rep ) and I Am Not Peter Pan ( New York premiere: Cherry Lane Theater; Edinburgh Fringe Festival — Best of Fest ). Bixby holds an MFA in playwriting from Columbia University, is a proud company member of InViolet Rep and is co-curator of The Brooklyn Generator, a project that supports writers in creating new work.
Andrew Volkoff ( Director ) joined About Face Theatre in 2013 as Artistic Director. He is also a freelance director specializing in new and contemporary works and has directed numerous productions ( including several world and regional premieres ) in New York, across the U.S. and abroad. Andrew served as Associate Artistic Director of Barrington Stage Company ( BSC ) in Massachusetts for five years and Genesius Theatre Group in New York City for three years. He also acted as the Co-Artistic Director of the Hangar Theatre Lab for one season. Andrew has worked as the Associate Director on Ella for Rob Ruggiero at Dallas Theatre Center and other regional theatres, is a Drama League Directing Fellow, and an SDC member. Proud to be the first director chosen to participate in the U.S./Bulgaria Directors Exchange Project, Andrew directed the Bulgarian premiere of John Kolvenbach's Lovesong in Sofia at the Nikolai Binev Theatre, where it is in its second year of repertory. He is currently developing several plays and musicals. He attended Macalester College in St. Paul, MN.
Supported by the Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation.
About Face Theatre creates exceptional, innovative, and adventurous plays to advance the national dialogue on gender and sexual identity, and to challenge and entertain audiences in Chicago, across the country, and around the world.
