Dying City

Photos

Mickey O’Sullivan as Craig/Peter, Laura Matthews as Kelly

Photos by Cody Jolly

Reviews

“Under the crisp direction of Elizabeth Lovelady, The Comrades execute well on every front: From Elyse Balogh’s smart, simple set to Patrick O’Brien’s jangly harp interludes to Emma Deane’s low-key lighting.”

— Windy City Times

“Within an impressive yet static set design (by Elyse Balogh) of a New York City apartment, O’Sullivan does a fine job in making Peter and Craig feel distinct, abetted by some nice nuances by Matthews in helping to clearly denote the separate time frames and relationships.”

— Seth Saint

“Anybody who appreciates technical refinement onstage will want to catch this production…Mickey O’Sullivan has powerful gifts as an actor, and they’re on display here…Kelly, brilliantly portrayed by Laura Matthews…confuses Peter with her icy imperviousness in the face of conflict…When anger comes rippling out of her at the end, it’s a chilling as it is cathartic.”

— Chicago Reader

Director’s Note

Generally, I have a very hard time keeping my mouth shut about whatever surprises are in store for the people who come to see the plays I work on. “It’s not what happens, it’s how it happens,” I justify to myself as I blab about all of the important plot points. After all, most plays do not deal in a currency of suspense.

[This is me keeping my mouth shut about the play you’re about to see.]

I’ll give you some hints: no walls will crash in, no helicopters will land on the stage, and at the very end we won’t discover that everything we just saw was actually someone’s dream. And if suspense is what an audience feels when they inch toward the edge of their seat, eagerly anticipating the delivery of a surprise they suspect is coming, then the next 90 minutes you’ll spend in this theater will be suspense-free.

One sunny afternoon many years ago, I stood outside of Austin Middle School talking to a friend. Out of nowhere and with no warning, a football slammed into the side of my head, knocking me to the ground. Of course, that ball didn’t come from nowhere, and if my attention had been in the right place I could have traced its arc as it came hurtling toward me. This play is like that. And that’s all I’m going to say.

Cast

KELLY: Laura Matthews
PETER/CRAIG: Mickey O’Sullivan

Production Team

Director: Elizabeth Lovelady
Assistant Director: Kate Leslie
Stage Manager: Nate Dion
Set Designer: Elyse Balogh
Costume Designer: Asha McAllister
Lighting Designer: Emma Deane
Sound Designer: Patrick John O’Brien
Technical Director: Becca Venable

Rehearsal Photos