Theater Northwest celebrates 50th anniversary with production of Reckless
Theater Northwest, the performance company of the Indiana University Northwest Department of Performing Arts, will celebrate its 50th anniversary with its fall production, Reckless, Nov. 10-13.
New to IU Northwest this semester, Assistant Professor of Acting and Directing Mark Baer is directing the dark comedy, which will be IU Northwest's first production at a new venue, Theatre Northwest at Arts on Grant. Originally from Canton, Ohio, Baer's professional work as an actor and director has taken him all over country. He currently resides in Normal, Ill., where he earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from Illinois State University.
"The new space is really electric," Baer said. "With only 80 seats and the audience less than five feet from the stage, it will create a very intimate, intense theatre experience. I think it's ideal for the sharp comedy and subtle drama of Reckless."
Reckless, by Craig Lucas, takes place on Christmas Eve 1983. Rachel, mother of two, is deliriously happy. That is, until she discovers that her husband has taken a contract out on her life. What follows is the absurdly dark, insanely funny story of Rachel's reckless ride through guilt, game shows and the gutter in search of serenity and redemption.
The cast consists of IU Northwest students Talia Anderson of Portage; Demetrius Clark, Brandon Hearne and Kimberly Wehr of Gary; Carson Buchanan of Hebron; Ashley Nicole Thompson of Whiting; Lexie Itczak of Lowell; Andrew Becker of Demotte; and IU Northwest alumna Andrea Creasbaum of Highland.
The performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10; Friday, Nov. 11; Saturday, Nov. 12; and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13.
Tickets are $10. Reservations are suggested by calling 219-980-6808.
Theatre Northwest at Arts on Grant is located just west of the IU Northwest campus in the Village Shopping Center at 37th Avenue and Grant Street in Gary.
About Theatre Northwest:
Theatre Northwest is an accessible performance venue serving the communities of Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland now in its 50th year of producing drama, comedy, mystery, children's theater and more. The theater also serves as a platform for the up-and-coming talent of the Department of Performing Arts, the only public theater degree program in Northwest Indiana.
