For Immediate Release

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WORLD PREMIERE OF SKY GIRLS

TAKES FLIGHT AT NORTHLIGHT THEATRE,

JANUARY 29 – MARCH 9, 2003

 

 

January 2, 2003 -- Northlight Theatre is proud to present the World Premiere of SKY GIRLS, the new historical drama by Chicago playwright Jenny Laird about five fictional World War II female fliers, united in their hopes of becoming WASPs (Women Air Force Service Pilots) for the United States.  Under the direction of BJ Jones, SKY GIRLS begins performances at Northlight Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Boulevard, January 29 and continues through March 9, 2003. The official press opening night is Tuesday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m.

SKY GIRLS is set in 1944, at Avenger Field, an Army Air Force base in the dusty, weather-beaten town of Sweetwater, Texas. The final class of trainees for the WASPs struggles to earn their wings as they battle internal sabotage, media frenzy, misguided public concern and a crucial, pending Congressional vote to militarize the once-lauded program--or disband it altogether.  Merging fact and fiction, the five SKY GIRLS characters train under real life aviation legend, Jacqueline (Jackie) Cochran, who rose from a poverty-stricken childhood to create the WASP program in 1943, earning her the Distinguished Service Medal for services to her country during World War II.

Portraying the SKY GIRLS company are: Michele Graff as Bishop, an ace pilot and the reluctant leader of the group; Paula Stevens as Breeny, a delicate, wonder-struck Midwesterner; Jen Engstrom as Mags, a tart-tongued, sexy tomboy from Chicago’s south side; Julie Ganey as Lil, an optimistic “mother hen” from Tennessee; Ana Sferruzza as DeLang, a poet-introvert with unfailing navigational skills; and Lia Mortensen in the role of Cochran.  

 

SKY GIRLS was written by Jenny Laird, the recipient of Northlight Theatre’s 2001 Selma Melvoin New Play commission.  Laird was also the recipient of a Y2001 Illinois Arts Council Playwriting

Fellowship, the Cunningham Prize for Playwriting, and most recently, an NEA Grant for a production of ONLY THE SOUND at Chicago Dramatists, where she is a Resident Playwright.  BALLAD HUNTER, another Laird work at Chicago Dramatists, received a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for Best New Play.  Her plays have also been developed and produced at The Women's Project, Horizon Theatre Company, The Utah Shakespeare Festival, The Asylum, The Road Theatre, API, and Stage 3. She received an M.F.A. in Playwriting from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and currently teaches playwriting at DePaul University.

 

The SKY GIRLS creative team is led by director BJ Jones, who is currently serving his fifth season as Northlight Theatre Artistic Director.  SKY GIRLS is the first work Jones has commissioned as Artistic Director. In addition to directing productions at Northlight, this Joseph Jefferson Award nominated director has piloted productions at Steppenwolf Theatre, the Alliance Theatre (Atlanta), the National Jewish Theatre, Body Politic, and Wisdom Bridge.  A two-time Jeff Award-winning actor, he has appeared on virtually every stage in Chicago. Jones’ most recent credits include directing ROUNDING THIRD at Northlight Theatre and co-starring in THE GUYS at the Goodman Theatre (in a Northlight Theatre co-production).   Joining him behind the scenes are designers including Todd Rosenthal (sets), Nan Zabriskie (costumes), John Culbert (lighting), Lindsay Jones (sound), and Marla Lampert (movement).

 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE AND TICKET INFORMATION

 

SKY GIRLS runs January 29 – March 9, 2003, at Northlight Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie just south of Golf Rd. on Skokie Blvd., adjacent to Old Orchard Shopping Center.  The performance schedule is as follows:

 

For preview performances Wednesday, January 29 – Monday, Feb. 3:  Wednesday – Saturday evening at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 2:30 and 7 p.m.; and Monday at 7:30 p.m. 

 

Official opening night performance is Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 7:30 p.m.

 

For regular performances Wednesday, Feb. 5 – Sunday, March 9: Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

 

Please note the following exceptions: there will be no performance Wednesday, Feb. 5, or Tuesday, March 4; there will be no matinee on Saturday, Feb. 22; and there will be no evening performance on Sunday, Feb. 16, March 2 and March 9.     

 

Single tickets for previews are priced at $32 - $38 and single tickets for regular performances range from $34 - $46.  Single tickets for the opening night performance Tuesday, Feb. 4, are priced at $50.

 

Single tickets are available by calling the Northlight Theatre box office at 847-673-6300 or visit Northlight's web site, http://www.northlight.org. If available, student rush tickets are $20 two hours prior to the start of each show. Seniors receive $3 off single tickets. Group discounts are available by calling 847-679-9501, ext. 3104.  Parking at Northlight is free and plentiful, and convenient to nearby restaurants and shopping.

Northlight Theatre is the resident producing theater at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. Following SKY GIRLS, Northlight's next play is Charles Ludlam's comic farce THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP, a hilarious high camp spoof of mock gothic mystery (March 19 - April 27, 2003.) Northlight's 2002/2003 finale (May 14 - June 22, 2003) is AT WIT’S END, the award-winning musical by Chicago lyricist and playwright Cheri Coons and composer Michael Duff about the founding of The New Yorker magazine, directed by Joe Leonardo.

Northlight Theatre, celebrating its 28th season in 2002/2003, is partially supported by the Illinois Arts Council, Chicago Community Trust, Shubert Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, the Patrick & Anna M. Cudahy Foundation and the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation. Northlight Theatre received a 2003 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant for the production of SKY GIRLS.  American Airlines is the official airline of Northlight Theatre.

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Press Contacts:                        Beth Silverman/Betsy Brennan

                                                The Silverman Group

                                                312.932.9953/312.932.9954

                                                bsilverman@slgpr.com/bbrennan@slgpr.com