Fiction, reality blurr in Ghostlight's production of 'Six Characters in Search of an Author'

CHICAGO - Feb. 8, 2017 - PRLog -- Ghostlight Ensemble announces the cast and creative team for its spring show, Luigi Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author, and an accompanying festival celebrating the playwright's 150th birthday.

The cast is: Joshua Arroyo, Jean E. Burr*, Ana Dragovich, Nellsyn Hill, Heather L. Jencks, Miona Lee*, Matthew Lloyd, Emma Palizza, Jason Pereira, Chuck Quinn IV, Andy Ricci, Kara Rivera and Alejandra Vivanco.

The production team includes: Maria Burnham* (Director), Chad Wise* (Producer), Lisa Uhlig* (Stage Manager), Katy Vest (Costume Designer), Tim Lee (Set Designer) and Carolyn Minor (Props Designer).

In Pirandello's classic metatheatrical play, six characters come looking for life and find the theatre world acutely unable to make them real. Ghostlight Ensemble's production will examine the institutional racism and biases found in modern theatre and leaves the audience wondering if they were watching a show, or were they, in fact, the show.

Six Characters in Search of an Author (http://www.ghostlightensemble.com/six-characters) — which looks at the relationship between authors, characters, actors, directors and audience — takes on new relevance in this age of reality television when fiction is often realer than reality.

"Pirandello said theatre should not be archeology, it should be adapted to contemporary ideas," said director Maria Burnham. "He wanted his work to remain relevant. With Six Characters we have this unique opportunity to use a play that has been performed for more than 90 years to examine what is happening in Chicago theatre today without any significant changes to the text."

Six Characters in Search of an Author is being produced in conjunction with Voice of the City.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Pirandello's birth and Ghostlight will commemorate the milestone with a short play festival in May, Six Authors in Search of a Character (http://www.ghostlightensemble.com/six-authors-in-search-o...), in which six Chicago authors pen 10-minute plays around the "missing" character in The Mountain Giants, Luigi Pirandello's final, unfinished play.

"Pirandello continues to inspire artists 150 years after his birth, and this play festival will be an ideal opportunity for people to see that inspiration made reality," Burnham added.

The festival is curated by Ghostlight Ensemble Member Miona Lee.

Tickets are now available for Six Characters in Search of an Author, which runs April 7 through May 7 at Voice of the City in Logan Square.

Patrons are encouraged to reserve their tickets in advance at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/six-characters-in-search-of-an-author-tickets-31602755693. There is no charge to reserve a seat, however there is a suggested donation of $15, which can be paid at the door via cash or credit. This helps us cover the cost of rehearsal and performance spaces, as well as costumes, props and set construction.

Ghostlight Ensemble is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit theatre whose mission it is to shed light on the human experience and provoke communal connections beyond the edge of the stage. More information is available on our website at GhostlightEnsemble.com.

*Denotes a Ghostlight Ensemble Member.