Lifeline Theatre (6912 N. Glenwood Ave. in Rogers Park), Artistic Director Ilesa Duncan, and the artistic ensemble open their 2023-24 season of “Big Stories, Up Close” with a revival of ensemble member John Hildreth’s adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s classic Cat’s Cradle, officially opening September 12 and running through October 22, 2023. The production follows Lifeline Theatre’s mission of exploring, interpreting, and reimagining books and other literary works to create stories that move us beyond the margins of our own lives.
Ensemble member Heather Currie (Dooby, Dooby Moo 2022, So, You Think It’s Easy Being the Tooth Fairy?) directs Hildreth’s (Treasure Island, Watership Down) invigorating adaptation of one of Vonnegut’s most beloved novels for a new generation.
Audiences can join the famed Hoenikker family on the Caribbean Island of San Lorenzo for a satirical tale of how “pure” scientific research, banana republic politics, and an organized religion based on lies bring about the end of the world. Visitors might even be inspired to convert themselves, learn a new way to make love, and make a supreme gesture to God Almighty (if indeed, He is still with us) in this revival of Hildreth’s playful adaptation of Vonnegut’s beloved novel.
Cat’s Cradle
Based on the book by Kurt Vonnegut
Adapted by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member John Hildreth
Directed by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Heather Currie
Dates: September 1 – October 22
Regular tickets: $45; preview tickets $25
Previews: Fridays, September 1 and 8 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, September 2 and 9 at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, September 3 and 10 at 2:30 p.m.
Opening: Tuesday, September 12 at 7 p.m.
Press Preview: September 10 at 2:30 p.m.
Regular Run: September 15 – October 22: Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
TICKET INFORMATION
Season memberships for the 2023-2024 go on sale July 5. To purchase season memberships or for more information call the Lifeline Theatre Box Office at 773-761-4477, or visit www.lifelinetheatre.com.
ABOUT LIFELINE THEATRE
Lifeline Theatre is located at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood. Lifeline is easily accessible by CTA (Red Line Morse stop/buses) and free parking is available at Sullivan High School (6631 N Bosworth Ave, lot located on the corner of Albion and Bosworth) with free shuttle service before and after the show. Street parking is also available. Lifeline is accessible to wheelchair users and visitors who need to avoid stairs.
Founded in 1982, Lifeline Theatre is known for staging innovative adaptations of great works of fiction as well as commissioning original work. In 1987, Lifeline Theatre added KidSeries plays for children and families, and has been producing full seasons of programming for both adults and children ever since. Over the course of forty seasons and over two hundred productions, Lifeline Theatre has made not only an indelible mark on the Chicago theatre scene, but an invaluable contribution to the theatre world at large. Lifeline’s dedicated artistic ensemble has developed one hundred and forty-six world premiere literary adaptations and original plays, nearly forty of which have had a life beyond their Lifeline premieres, with over three hundred subsequent productions spread across over forty U.S. states, six Canadian provinces, plus productions in England, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, and Guatemala. Additionally, four scripts developed at Lifeline Theatre have gone on to U.S. national tours, and over a dozen have been published. Lifeline Theatre has garnered a total of fifty-three Jeff Awards (Equity and Non-Equity), including sixteen for New Adaptation, New Musical, or New Work.