RON OJ PARSON TO HELM PEARL CLEAGE’S POWERFUL FRONTIER SAGA, FLYIN’ WEST
March 8 – April 8, 2007

CHICAGO, Feb 12, 2007 – Court Theatre continues its exploration of classic plays by African American playwrights with Pearl Cleage’s moving story of African American pioneers on the Kansas prairie, FLYIN’ WEST. Court Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson, lauded for Court’s critically acclaimed, Jeff Award winning production of August Wilson’s FENCES, will direct the production. Cleage’s play, which looks at a little known chapter in American history, offers new insight into “How the West Was Won.”

Previews of FLYIN’ WEST begin Thursday, March 8, 2007. Press opening is Saturday, March 17 at 8pm. Tickets to FLYIN’ WEST range from $28-$54 and are on sale now at the Court Theatre Box Office, (773) 753-4472, and online at www.CourtTheatre.org. Performances run Wednesday to Sunday until April 8, 2007 in the intimate, 251-seat Abelson Auditorium at Court Theatre (5535 S. Ellis Ave., in Hyde Park on the University of Chicago campus. Free parking is available.) The production is made possible in part by the Chicago Community Trust and Kirkland & Ellis.

A modern classic, FLYIN’ WEST tells the story of four African American homesteaders who move West to escape racial violence in the post-Civil War South. They settle in the all-black town of Nicodemus, only to find their independence subject to new threats. The rash of lynching in the late 19th century prompted the Memphis journalist Ida B. Wells to encourage her readers to “save our money and leave a town which will neither protect our lives and property, nor give us a fair trial in the courts, but takes us out and murders us in cold blood when accused by white persons.” More than just a dramatic account of “the Exodus of 1879”, FLYIN’ WEST is a richly compelling portrait addressing issues of family, community, domestic violence, and racial identity. FLYIN’ WEST draws upon the 1860 Homestead Act which enabled settlers – including thousands of African American men, women and children, many of whom had been born into slavery - to own land.

Court began its exploration of the African American canon with FENCES, which the Wall Street Journal raved was “produced with supreme skill.” Court hopes to build on this momentum, presenting FLYIN’ WEST in a season that kicked off with RAISIN, the musical based on Lorraine Hansberry’s South Side classic, A RAISIN IN THE SUN. Parson will reunite with FENCES set designer Jack Magaw and lighting designer Kathy Perkins to draw from the play’s classic narrative style, richly poetic text, compelling character development and historic roots to create a riveting production.

Court Theatre is pleased to announce that playwright Pearl Cleage will be doing a post-play discussion at Court Theatre immediately following the performance of FLYIN’ WEST on Saturday, March 24th at 8:00pm. Ms. Cleage will also participate in a book signing at Borders Books in Hyde Park on March 24th in conjunction with Court’s production of FLYIN’ WEST and with Eclipse Theatre’s production of BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY.

The production features a superb cast of Chicago talent including Tyla Abercrumbie, Cheryl Lynn Bruce (Steppenwolf’s Intimate Apparel), Monét Butler, Greg Holliman (Comedy Central’s Strangers with Candy), Brandon Miller and TaRon Patton (Congo Square’s Joe Turner’s Come And Gone).

Ron OJ Parson (Director) is a Resident Artist of Court Theatre and the Co-founder and former Artistic Director of The Onyx Theatre Ensemble of Chicago. He hails from Buffalo, New York, and is a graduate of The University of Michigan Professional Theatre Program. Since relocating to Chicago in 1994, Ron has directed Let Me Live at The Goodman Theatre, Wedding Band at Steppenwolf as part of a co-production with Congo Square, Jesus Hopped the “A” Train and Hambone at Victory Gardens, The Piano Lesson with Congo Square, Ali by Jeffrey Ewing which he performed in and co-directed and Short Eyes with Urban Theatre Company. Ron has also worked extensively with Black Ensemble Theatre and Eta Creative Arts Foundation, most recently directing Robert Johnson: Trick the Devil. For Onyx, Ron directed East Texas Hot Links, Sty of the Blind Pig and Flyin’ West to name a few. Regionally Ron has directed Fences at Portland Stage Company, Yellowman at Virginia Stage Company, A Raisin In The Sun at Studio Arena Theatre, One Red Flower at Village Theatre in Issaqua, Washington and Topdog/Underdog at Madison Repertory Theatre. Also an accomplished actor, Ron has worked at various theatres in the U.S. and abroad. Some TV and film credits include E.R., Early Edition, Turks, Primal Fear, Ali, Barbershop 2, and Drop Squad. Ron most recently directed Fences at Court Theatre, which received 4 Joseph Jefferson Awards including one for Best Production.

The design team for FLYIN’ WEST includes Jack Magaw (Set), Christine Pascaul (Costumes) and Kathy A. Perkins (Lights), Ray Nardelli (Sound & Original Music) and Joshua Horvath (Sound & Original Music).

Jack Magaw (Scenic Design) works as a professional scenic and lighting designer and also teaches design at The Theatre School of DePaul University in Chicago. Recent design credits include Lettice and Lovage and Fences at Court Theatre, Loving Repeating directed by Frank Galati for About Face Theatre, Frozen at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Anna Christie and Our Town, at Madison Repertory Theatre, Much Ado About Nothing for Milwaukee Shakespeare, Julius Caesar for Illinois Shakespeare Festival, The Illusion at Berkshire Theatre Festival, The Chosen and Bus Stop at Writers’ Theatre and Two Trains Running for Pegasus Players - for which he was awarded a Jeff Citation. He recently received Joseph Jefferson Award nominations for his design work on Fences and Bus Stop and an “Outstanding Season” After Dark Award in recognition of his work over the 2004-05 season. Upcoming projects include Half of Plenty for American Theatre Company and Henry V at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival.

Christine Pascual (Costume Design) is making her Court Theatre debut as a costume designer for Flyin' West. Recently she has designed: Joe Turner's Come and Gone for Congo Square at the Goodman Theatre, The African Company Presents Richard III at Congo Square, Elliot: A Soldier's Fugue - a co-production with Teatro Vista, Rivendell and Steppenwolf, Another Part of the House for Teatro Vista and Black Caesar for Pegasus Players. Other theatres Christine has designed for are Goodman, Apple Tree Theatre, A Red Orchid Theatre, Defiant Theatre, TimeLine Theatre, Victory Garden Theater, Lifeline Theater and Steppenwolf.

Kathy A. Perkins (Lighting Design) has designed throughout the United States, Europe and South Africa. In the New York area her work has been seen off-Broadway with such theatres as The New Federal Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club and in such venues as Carnegie Hall and Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). For two seasons she was resident designer for the Los Angeles Theatre Center (LATC). Regionally, Kathy has designed for such theatres as The Goodman, Alliance, Mark Taper Forum, St. Louis Black Repertory, Steppenwolf, A Contemporary Theatre, Indiana Repertory, Seattle Repertory, Congo Square, Missouri Repertory, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Berkeley Repertory, and Studio Arena. She is the editor/co-editor of four anthologies focusing on African/African Diaspora women. Kathy chairs the lighting design program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This is Kathy’s third production at Court, having designed Desire Under the Elms (2000) and last season’s award winning Fences.

Ray Nardelli (Sound Design, Original Music) Past Court credits include Man of La Mancha, Endgame, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Fräulien Else (which was nominated for a Jeff Award). Ray has composed music and designed sound at Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, Northlight Theatre, Apple Tree, Lookingglass Theatre, Victory Gardens, The Gift Theatre, Northwestern Theatre, DePaul Theatre, Notre Dame Summer Shakespeare, Meadow Brook Theatre, Oak Park Festival Theatre, Dolphinback Theatre, American Girl Theatre, Skylight Opera, and Wright State University Theatre. He has assistant sound design credits at Goodman, Steppenwolf, Manhattan Theatre Club and Next Theatre. Ray has recorded, mixed and produced CDs for the musicals The Sound of One, Hillbilly Antigone and La Luna Muda. Film credits include Stray Dogs, Pretty Ladies, and Crush. Ray also teaches sound design at DePaul University. Other work includes sound and music used on NPR, PBS, NBC’s The Today Show and Jeff Gorden Racing, a CD-ROM game. Memberships include ASCAP, IATSE #2 and USA #829.

Joshua Horvath (Sound Design, Original Music) Chicago credits: Goodman, Steppenwolf, Court, Chicago Shakespeare, Northlight, Next, Congo Square, and Timeline. Regional credits: Madison Rep, Milwaukee Rep, Milwaukee Shakespeare, The Alley, Kennedy Center, and the Robey Theatre (LA). Film composition: Stray Dogs and Pretty Ladies: the Super8explosion. Recent and upcoming shows: Lettice and Lovage (Court Theatre), Richard II (Milwaukee Shakespeare), Crumbs From The Table of Joy (Goodman), A Number (Next), and A Raisin in the Sun (Hartford Stage). Joshua has been nominated for three Joseph Jefferson awards and received one (Electricidad, Goodman Theatre). Mr. Horvath is a company member of Lookingglass, teaches sound design at DePaul University, and is co-founder and owner of Aria Music Designs, LLC.

Pearl Cleage (Playwright) Pearl Cleage is an Atlanta-based writer whose works include three novels: What Looks Like Crazy On An Ordinary Day (Avon Books, 1997), I Wish I Had A Red Dress (Morrow/Avon, 2001), and Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do, (Ballantine/One World, August, 2003); a dozen plays including Flyin' West, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Hospice and Bourbon at the Border; two books of essays: Mad at Miles: A Blackwoman's Guide to Truth and Deals With the Devil and Other Reasons to Riot; and a book of short fiction, The Brass Bed and Other Stories (Third World Press). She is also a performance artist, collaborating frequently with her husband, Zaron W. Burnett Jr., under the title Live at Club Zebra. The two have performed sold out shows at both the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and The National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta, Georgia.

Charles Newell (Artistic Director) has been Artistic Director of Court Theatre since 1994, where he has directed over 25 productions. He made his Chicago directorial debut in 1993 with The Triumph of Love, which won the Jefferson Award for Best Production. Directorial credits at Court include The Glass Menagerie, Man of La Mancha, The Importance of Being Earnest, Travesties, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Cyrano, Guys and Dolls, James Joyce’s “The Dead”, Hamlet, Piano, The Invention of Love, The Little Foxes, The Cherry Orchard, and Nora. Mr. Newell has also directed at the Guthrie Theatre (Resident Director: The History Cycle, Cymbeline), Arena Stage, John Houseman's The Acting Company (Staff Repertory Director), the California and Alabama Shakespeare Festivals, Juilliard, and New York University. He is the recipient of the 1992 TCG Alan Schneider Director Award and is a multiple Jeff Award recipient/nominee. He served on the Board of Directors of Theatre Communications Group, as well as on several panels for the National Endowment for the Arts. His opera directing credits include the Lyric Opera of Chicago with Marc Blitzstein’s Regina, and Rigoletto at Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Up next, Mr. Newell will travel to Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven to remount Court's critically acclaimed production of Man of La Mancha.

FLYIN’ WEST will be presented March 8 – April 8, 2007 in the intimate, 251-seat Abelson Auditorium of Court Theatre (5535 S. Ellis Ave., in Hyde Park, on the University of Chicago campus). Previews run from March 8 to March 16 on Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm; Friday and Saturday at 8 pm; and Sunday at 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm. Preview ticket prices are $28 - $34. Press opening is Saturday, March 17, 2007, at 8:00pm. Regular performances run from March 18, 2007 to April 8, 2007 with the following show times: Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm; Friday at 8:00 pm; Saturday at 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm; and Sunday at 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm. Regular performance ticket prices are $36 - $54. Groups are welcome at all performances; discounted rates are available for groups, students and seniors. Call Diane Osolin at (773) 753-4472 for group discounts. Limited half-price student rush tickets are available on performance day, and subject to availability. Free, covered parking is available in the parking garage just north of the theatre. Call the Court Theatre Box Office, (773) 753-4472, stop by 5535 S. Ellis Ave., or visit Court online at www.courttheatre.org for tickets and information. Court Theatre is partially supported by a CityArts Program IV grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs; and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

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