Oak Park Newspaper

An Evening with King Tut, An Event
You Don't Want to Miss.
Aug. 31, 6 – 9 p.m.,
Field Museum, Chicago

Free Readers Ensemble

An Evening with King Tut, An Event
You Don't Want to Miss.
Aug. 31, 6 – 9 p.m.,
Field Museum, Chicago

The Cast of "Picnic" in Austin Gardens
© Oak Park Journal photo

Picnic
Picnic by William Inge, directed by Kevin Theis, July 13 – August 19, 8pm, Austin Gardens Park, Oak Park, IL. Tickets $17 - $25
review by Ed Vincent

Picnic, by William Inge was written in 1952 and garnered a Pulitzer Prize in 1953 for its powerful portrayal of 1950’s
mores in middle-America, small town USA. The beginning feeling which struck me in the early dialog was reminiscent
of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” one exception being all of the people were alive in this well-crafted drama.

Lots of well written roles for male and female characters.
There were moms, teachers, tramps, tomboys, educated
and simple folk from all walks of life, and the drama of their
characters being defined, developed and transitioning
is worth every piece of paper the original Pulitzer was
awarded on.

The fine writing is brought to life by a cast of very talented actors and actresses. The artistic director of Oak Park Festival Theater, Jack Hickey, even plays a minor role in the second
half of the drama with humor, decision and debate, dancing in
the twilight on stage.

The actors are well cast and directed by Kevin Theis in a timeless tale of love, lust, curiosity, envy and social class-
as just a few of the ingredients to temper the growing pains
of youth.

Bring a group of 15 people and you can even get $ 3.00
off the ticket, you can even get free parking across
the street because the show is over after the ticket
booth closes.

A wonderful drama whether you're a University of Chicago sophisticate or just Arkansas white trash you'll have a fun
time at Picnic on a summer evening.

Jack Hickey reflects on words, actions, and the moment.
© Oak Park Journal photo

Oak Park Festival Theatre Presents
Picnic by American Playwright William Inge

Dates    Previews July 11-12, 8pm; Opening Performance July 13, 8pm: July 18 thru 21, 26 thru 28, and August 1 thru 4, 9 thru 11, 16-19, 8pm. Student Night August 4, 8pm.

What’s new?

Oak Park Festival Theatre presents William Inge’s winner of the 1953 Pulitzer Prize

Synopsis

Picnic is set in mid-century small-town America, in a place and
time when an idyllic veneer masked undertones of sexual repression and desperation. The play examines the lives and loves of a sleepy town whose residents suddenly confront the arrival of an attractive, amorous drifter during a holiday picnic. When Hal falls under the spell of beauty queen Madge, sparks begin to fly throughout the town.

Director    Kevin Theis staged OPFT’s Classics Connections this past fall. He has received three Jeff nominations for directing, and has directed with Lifeline Theatre, the Actor’s Gymnasium, the College of DuPage, Seanachai Theatre. City Lit Theatre, Greasy Joan and Company, and CT2O Ensemble. Kevin is a founding member of Shanghai Low Theatricals, and an ensemble member
of Seanachai Theatre.

Cast

Robbye Lewis as Helen Potts
Billy Simmons as Hal Carter
Jhenai Mootz as Madge Owens
Eliza Burmeister as Millie Owens
Jack Hickey as Howard Bevans
T. Patrick Halley as Bomber Gutzel
Nick Maroon as Alan Seymour
Rosie Newton as Flo Owens
Molly Surowitz as Christine Schoenwalder
Adrianne Cury as Rosemary Sydney
Angelique Westerfield as Irma Kronkite

Artistic Staff Kevin Theis, Director; Robert Behr, Stage Manager; John McFarland, Fight Director; Rebecca Hamlin. Stage Designer: JoEllen Koppenaal. Costume Designer; Jeremy Getz, Lighting Design; Kyle Irwin, Sound Designer and Cecil Averette, Sound Designer/Composer; C. Travis Williams. Technical Director/Master Electrician.

Theatre    OPFT is a professional theatre company, in it’s 31st year presenting Shakespeare and the classics. In the past, its productions were always staged in pastoral outdoor Austin Gardens Park in Oak Park, IL. This year, the company has expanded to include indoor plays, the Sunday Storytelling Series and touring shows such as Classics Connections — Shakespeare: Scenes, Sonnets mid Songs.

Tickets   $17-$25 with group discounts available.
Call 708-445-4440 for reservations, or order tickets online at theatermania.com.

Oak Park Festival Theatre, P. 0. Box 4114, Oak Park, IL 60303 (708) 445-4440
www.oakparkfestival.com
Email festival@oakparkfcstival.com

The Cast of "Picnic" in Austin Gardens
© Oak Park Journal photo

Picnic by William Inge, directed by Kevin Theis, July 13 – August 19, 8pm, Austin Gardens Park, Oak Park, IL. Tickets $17 - $25

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