Chicago,
IL—The House Theatre of Chicago continues its 10th anniversary season
with an all-new re-imagining of the company’s inaugural production and
first ever hit, Death and Harry Houdini, opening on January 29, 2011 at
The Chopin Theatre (1543 W. Division St.).
Artistic
Director Nathan Allen returns to his very first script having spent the
last decade developing The House’s voice. The House’s original
production featured magic, music, dance, and film. Now Allen, along with
The House’s incredibly diverse ensemble of artists, bring their
experience in creating ensemble theater and devising story to the life
of history’s greatest magician, while reaching deep into its bag of
tricks to create an altogether new theatrical event.
Company
Member, actor and nationally renowned magician Dennis Watkins brings a
lifetime of creating magic to the character of Harry Houdini. Watkins
has designed a magical landscape for The House to play in that includes
many of Houdini’s original creations, as well as an onslaught of classic
magic driving the story’s narrative.
Additionally,
Watkins performs Houdini’s most infamous stage escape, The Water
Torture Cell, in which he is locked upside down in a tank of water, with
only as much time to escape as he has air in his lungs. The Water
Torture Cell, as performed by Houdini, is a rarely-seen stage escape.
Furthermore, The House boasts the first-ever recorded performance of The
Water Torture Cell in the round. This escape gives the audience the
one-of-a-kind opportunity to witness magical history from inches away!
House
Company Member Carolyn Defrin takes on the role of Houdini’s wife, Bess
and Company Member Shawn Pfautsch (recently seen as Cyrano at The
House) plays Houdini’s brother, Theo. Company Member Marika Mashburn
plays Houdini’s mother, Cecilia. Visiting artists Abu Ansari, Kevin
Stangler, Trista Smith join the cast. The ensemble is led by Company
Member Johnny Arena as The Ringmaster.
The
show features the work of an all-star Company Member Design Team.
Collette Pollard has designed a bold industrial set, which is lit by Ben
Wilhelm. Composer Kevin O’Donnell brings a new sound to the show and
Lee Keenan designs costumes.
Located conveniently at 1543 W. Division Street, Wicker Park's beautiful Chopin Theatre was built in 1918, and has served as an anchor of Chicago's Polish community for years. This historic venue hosts 500 presentations per year on the main stage (seats up to 226) and the more intimate black-box studio (with room for 175). 
Death and Harry Houdini
Got an Opinion? Leave some feedback!