LOWER DEBT

WORLD PREMIERE
by Joshua Aaron Weinstein*
Directed by Rebekah Scallet

March 6 - April 4, 2010
at The Viaduct

FEATURING
Tamara Anderson (AMES & CO-WORKER 2)
Malcolm Callan (CLAUDE & CASHIER)
Brian Cicirello* (CW)
Kristin Collins (EXECUTIVE)
Melissa diLeonardo (VAL & HR REP)
Josh Johnson (RASH & CO-WORKER 1)
Noah Lepawsky (BUMM)
Earliana "Earl" McLaurin (PATRICIA & PASSENGER)
Glenn Proud* (DAMON & MANAGER)
Miriam Reuter (LEAH & GIRLFRIEND)
and Annie Rix (WENDELL)

PRODUCTION TEAM
Scenic Design Team: Anders Jacobson* & Judy Radovsky*
Lighting Designer: Eric Branson*
Costume Designer: Emma Weber
Sound Designer: Daniel Black
Film Designers: WCProductions
Fight Choreographer: David W.M. Kelch
Stage Manager: Amber Hilgenkamp*
Assistant Stage Manager: Mark Macoun
Assistant Lighting Designer: Bailey Scott
Production Manager: Cory Conrad*
Technical Director: Joseph Stafford
Assistant Director: Chris Zdenek*


REVIEWS
"Weinstein's muscularly poetic dialogue... neo-Brechtian epic theater."
-- Justin Hayford, Chicago Reader

"Noah Lepawsky scores as the piece’s holy fool; Malcolm Callan’s brutish landlord is happy to abandon civility. Brian P. Cicirello captures the voice of compassion; Earliana McLaurin amuses as the smarmy voice of governmental intervention that everyone needs but resents."
-- Lisa Buscani, Newcity Stage

"Following their lovely work on Redtwist’s "The Pillowman," Anders Jacobsen and Judy Radovsky design a splendidly decrepit environment... LiveWire is surely right to think that theater should grapple with the harsh realities of today’s economics."
-- John Beer, Time Out Chicago

"A 21st Century Grapes of Wrath." -- Tom Williams, ChicagoCritic.com

"Rebekah Scallet's staging is clear and always interesting to watch, Cicirello and Earliana McLaurin give engaging performances, and Anders Jacobson and Judy Radovsky's set is very evocative." -- Zev Valancy, Centerstage

"Noah Lepawsky connects as Bumm, a basketball-obsessed panhandler who manages to strike a comedic balance between a heart of gold and a chip on his shoulder."
-- Kerry Reid, Chicago Tribune


DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
LiveWire developed Lower Debt at the Chicago DCA Theater as part of their INCUBATOR series. A showcase event of the workshop was presented at the Chicago Cultural Center on October 19, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.



Featuring: Erin Barlow*, Suzanne Bracken*, Brian Cicirello*, Cory Conrad*, Deborah Craft*, Allison Dana, Monica Dionysiou, Andrea Gilkey, Will Kinnear, Sarah Kinsey, Sapna Kumar, Madeline Long*, Allison McNeela* and Glenn Proud*

Lighting Designer: Eric Branson*
Stage Manager: Amber Hilgenkamp*

"After a well-paced, thoughtful and language filled hour and fifteen minutes of “Lower Debt”, the audience readily stayed in their seats to talk about what they had just seen, and to offer feedback about the changes that could be made before LiveWire Chicago Theatre launches a fully produced version in Spring 2010." -- DCA Blog Post: LiveWire Theatre captivates audience with a modern Everyman tale


PHOTO GALLERY (PRODUCTION)
PHOTO GALLERY (DCA INCUBATOR)