Citadel Theatre in Lake Forest submitted the following information about its final performance of the 2009-2010 season:
Lake Forest, Illinois (April 14, 2010)-- The final show of Citadel Theatre’s 2009/2010 season will open on Friday, April 30, with the production of Independence by Lee Blessing. A mother and her three grown daughters make up an unforgettable cast of characters in this gripping tale set in small town Independence, Iowa.
While the daughters strive to find their own independence, they come to discover that family ties are deeper than they realized. Blessing’s critically acclaimed script addresses the complexity of female relationships, and in particular, the unique connection between mothers and daughters. Independence will open on Friday, April 30, and close on Sunday, May 16. The show stars Chicagoans Catherine Marcroft, Amber Page, Laura Rauh, and Holly Robison. Citadel’s Artistic Director Scott Phelps of Lake Forest is directing and Jo Ann Avellone of Lake Bluff is producing. Citadel will be collecting donations throughout the run of the show for the Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in honor of one of Citadel’s founding members, Kristin Spangler, who lost her battle with the disease last year. The entire production of Independence is dedicated to her memory.
Independence first premiered to critical acclaim in 1984 as part of the Humana Festival of New American Plays at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. The play takes place in the home of Evelyn Briggs. Briggs is the mother of three grown daughters who are living very separate lives. Kess,
the oldest, is a university professor in Minnesota; Jo, the middle child, is an incurable romantic; Sherry, the youngest, is a rebellious teenager whose only goal is to finish high school and move out of her mother’s home. The play revolves around the drama that unfolds when all three daughters come together out of concern for their mother’s mental health. Blessing’s well developed characters and masterful storytelling illuminate the challenges women face in their efforts to understand and support each other while also trying to maintain their independence and lead their own lives.
Citadel Theatre has planned a number of special events that pay tribute to the play’s focus on female connections:
Thursday, May 6: Citadel Theatre and The Grille on Laurel will be doing a joint ladies night promotion. The theatre is offering buy-one-get-one-free tickets for female patrons who bring their mother, sister, daughter or girlfriend to the May 6 performance. The Grille will offer Citadel patrons a free appetizer with the purchase of two entrees when presenting your tickets for that night’s performance.
Sunday, May 9: In honor of Mother’s Day, Citadel is offering a $10 discount for mothers who attend the performance on May .
Thursday, May 13: 10% of the proceeds from this night’s performance will be donated to Elmhurst College in honor of Kristin Spangler, one of Citadel’s founding members who passed away last year. Spangler directed another Lee Blessing piece titled Eleemosynary for Citadel Theatre in 2004. The entire production of Independence is dedicated to her memory.
Independence will be in production from Friday, April 30, through Sunday, May 16. Performances are on Thursdays (except for opening weekend), Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Performances are at the Grotto in Gorton Community Center, 400 East Illinois Road, Lake Forest. Tickets are $25, $22 for students and seniors. Group discounts are available. Tickets can be purchased on Citadel’s website at www.citadeltheatre.org or you may call 847-735-8554.
Citadel Theatre is a professional, non-equity theatre company and 501(c)3 organization now celebrating its seventh season in the intimate, studio setting of the Grotto at the Gorton Center in Lake Forest. Citadel Theatre produces comedies and dramas, both classic and contemporary, as well as cutting edge new works.
*Parental guidance suggested for children under 15 due to infrequent use of strong language and suggestive themes.
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