TimeLine Company Member Mechelle Moe will direct the long-overdue Chicago premiere of this British classic family drama—a play rarely produced in the United States which, while written in 1912, still brings a smart and absorbing twist on a woman’s “place” in a male dominated society. Named one of the “100 plays of the century” by the Royal National Theatre, Rutherford and Son is an ahead-of-its-time depiction of class, gender, and generational warfare.
Francis Guinan, the veteran Chicago actor and Steppenwolf ensemble member, will make his TimeLine debut as the family patriarch, Rutherford. Joining Guinan (he/him) in the cast are Jeannie Affelder (Ann/Mrs. Henderson, she/her), Matt Bowdren (Martin, he/him), August Forman (Richard, they/them), Christina Gorman (Janet, she/her), Michael Holding (John, he/him), and Rochelle Therrien (Mary, she/her).
From left: Rutherford and Son cast members Francis Guinan, Jeannie Affelder,
Matt Bowdren, August Forman, Christina Gorman, Michael Holding, and Rochelle Therrien.
TimeLine’s Rutherford and Son production team includes Michelle Lilly (Scenic Designer, she/her), Alexia Rutherford (Costume Designer, she/her), Brandon Wardell (Lighting Designer, he/him), Andrew Hansen (Sound Designer, he/him), Vivian Knouse (Properties Designer, she/her), Lucas Garcia (Co-Dramaturg, they/them), Maren Robinson (Co-Dramaturg, she/her), Dina Spoerl (Lobby Designer, she/her), Jeri Frederickson (Stage Manager, she/her), Eva Breneman (Associate Director and Dialect Coach, she/her), and Fatima Sowe (Assistant Director, she/her).
Rutherford and Son begins12 previews on November 6. Press Night is Wednesday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. Opening Night is November 14. Performances run through January 12, 2020 at TimeLine Theatre,
615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. For tickets and information, visit www.timelinetheatre.com or call the TimeLine Box Office at (773) 281-8463 x6.
ABOUT RUTHERFORD AND SON
In the industrial north of England in 1912, the patriarch of the Rutherford family has spent decades building a respected glass works company to pass on to his children, without any say from them. Caught between passion, purpose, and expectation, John, Richard, and Janet struggle to break free from an oppressive and narrow-minded father dead set on writing their stories himself. Less entangled by these family expectations and with ambitions to give her son the life he deserves, John’s young wife Mary is determined to upend the cycle, whatever it takes. Playing on the conventions of the period with wit and creative edge, Sowerby challenges audiences, then and now, to question if our “place” in life should be anything but what we ourselves determine it to be.
Originally produced under the pen name K.G. Sowerby, Rutherford and Son premiered in 1912 at London’s Court Theatre with four performances. It soon re-opened at London’s Little Theatre, where it became a massive, critical success. Literary critic Barrett Harper Clark, writing in 1915, declared it “among the most powerful works of the younger generation” and Sowerby’s writing was compared to that of Henrik Ibsen. It was also produced in New York, Canada and Australia, and translated into numerous other languages, including German, French, Italian, Russian, and Bohemian.
It was only later revealed that the author of the hit play was a woman, which may have been a factor in its fall into obscurity until the 1980s. It has since had successful productions at the National Theatre in 1994 and New York’s Mint Theatre in 2001, among others, and a recent revival at the National Theatre again in May 2019. TimeLine’s production will be the play’s Chicago premiere and among only a handful of productions ever presented in the United States.
The Globe and Mail has called Rutherford and Son “engaging and splendid … works magic ... as a family drama.” And the Ottawa Citizen wrote that “the reason it continues to intrigue us is that it is first and foremost a study in character, an examination of how patriarchal despotism and the prevailing culture of the day can ensnare human beings.”
Githa Sowerby (Playwright, 1876-1970), also known under her pen name K.G. Sowerby, was an English playwright, children's writer, and member of the Fabian Society. Little is know about her early years, other than she spent her childhood in Tyne and Wear in northeast England, where her family was involved in the glass-making business. A feminist, Sowerby moved in her early twenties to London, where it is believed that she wrote Rutherford and Son. It premiered in 1912, was received as a work of major importance, and its author became an overnight sensation for writing such a remarkable work, and, in particular, writing it as a first outing after having previously only penned fairytales for children. Yet in interviews at the time, she did not seem to realize that she had accomplished anything out of the ordinary, telling one journalist “Well, I just wrote it … the characters are from Northumberland. I spent my flapperhood there.” Ultimately, Rutherford and Son became a hit in England, New York, and elsewhere, but lapsed into obscurity in later decades. All of her plays, including Before Breakfast (1912), A Man and Some Women (1914), Sheila (1917), The Stepmother (1924), and The Policeman’s Whistle (1934), have been described as exploiting realist techniques to address social and economic problems, often from a feminist perspective.
Mechelle Moe (Director, she/her) is a Company Member at TimeLine, where her credits include directing Cardboard Piano and In the Next Room or the vibrator play. She has appeared on stage in many TimeLine productions, including Boy, The Apple Family Plays, My Kind of Town, The Front Page, The Children’s Hour, Not Enough Air, and Paradise Lost. She is co-artistic director of The Yard, a youth-based theater company that produces theater relevant to young people, performed by young people, with whom she directed last year's critically acclaimed production of columbinus as part of Steppenwolf's LookOut series. Other directing credits with The Yard include Milk Like Sugar, The 4th Graders Present an Unnamed Love Suicide, and Snack Break (an annual short plays festival). She also recently co-wrote/co-directed a new TYA production of The Amazing Adventures of Aesop in the Land of Fables for Raven Theatre. Moe is a Jeff Award recipient for Actress in Principal Role for her performance in Machinal (The Hypocrites) and received a Jeff Award nomination for Actress in Principal Role for Stage Door (Griffin). She is an artistic associate of Griffin Theater and a founding member of The Hypocrites. Moe graduated with honors from the University of Illinois Chicago with both a bachelor’s degree in Theater as well as Anthropology.
Francis Guinan (Rutherford) has been a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble since 1979. He has appeared in more than 30 Steppenwolf productions including True West (2019), The Herd, The Night Alive, Tribes, The Birthday Party, The Book Thief, Time Stands Still, Endgame, American Buffalo, Fake, The Seafarer and August: Osage County. In December 2018, he performed in a staged reading of Will Allan’s Campaigns, Inc. as part of TimeLine’s First Draft Playwrights Collective Festival. Rutherford and Son marks Guinan’s TimeLine mainstage debut. He has also appeared in productions at Northlight, Goodman, Writers, Victory Gardens, and American Blues Theater. Television appearances include The Exorcist, Boss, Mike and Molly, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Frasier and several Star Trek episodes. Film work includes roles in The Last Airbender, Typing, Low Tide, and Constantine.
Jeannie Affelder (Ann/Mrs. Henderson) is familiar to TimeLine audiences for originating the role of Simone Beck in To Master The Art, William Brown and Doug Frew's critically acclaimed play about Julia Child. She also played Lucy in the world premiere of Lynda Barry's The Good Times Are Killing Me (City Lit), and was Jeff-nominated as Best Actress for The Little Flower of East Orange (Eclipse).
Matt Bowdren (Martin), an actor and director new to Chicago, is a founding member and Co-Artistic Director of The Story Theatre. He has performed locally with The Shakespeare Project of Chicago in As You Like It, Women Beware Women, and Titus Andronicus.
August Forman (Richard) has worked with Babes With Blades (The Lady Demands Satisfaction), Oak Park Festival Theatre, Broken Nose, (re)discover theatre, Midsommer Flight, 16th Street, Idle Muse, and 20% Theatre Company. They are a Core Ensemble Member and Facilitator with Imagination Theater, a touring company addressing social issues with young people, and an Artistic Associate with Oak Park Festival Theatre.
Christina Gorman (Janet) is a member of Shattered Globe, where she recently played Hannah Arendt in Hannah and Martin. Other recent credits include The Tall Girls and In the Heat of the Night (Shattered Globe), The River and Cyrano de Bergerac (Bohemian Theatre Ensemble), and The Crucible (Steppenwolf for Young Audiences).
Michael Holding (John) has worked around Chicago with Steppenwolf (We Are Proud to Present…), Steep (Posh), and 16th Street (Koalas), as well as Lakeside Shakespeare Theatre, Sideshow, Interrobang, Irish Theatre of Chicago, Organic, First Folio, and Gorilla Tango, among others.
Rochelle Therrien (Mary) played the frustrated wife Catherine Givings in TimeLine’s 2017 production of In the Next Room or the vibrator play. Elsewhere, Therrien received a Jeff Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical in Aspects of Love (Theo Ubique). Other credits include Noises Off (Windy City Playhouse), Linda (Steep), Ah, Wilderness! (Goodman), and London Wall (Griffin).
RUTHERFORD AND SON PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE/EVENTS
Previews of Rutherford and Son are Wednesday, November 6 through Friday, November 8 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, November 9 at 4 p.m.; Sunday, November 10 at 2 p.m.; and Tuesday, November 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Press Night is Wednesday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Opening Night is Thursday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Regular performances continue through January 12, 2020: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. Exceptions: No 4 p.m. show on Saturday, November 16. No shows Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving); Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas); and Wednesday, January 1 (New Year’s Day). There are added holiday weekend late matinee performances on Friday, November 29; Friday, December 27; and Friday, January 3 at 4 p.m.
DISCUSSION & ACCESSIBILITY EVENTS
MyLine Preview Pizza Party: MyLine Members ages 18 to 35 gather in TimeLine’s rehearsal room for pizza, drinks and a special pre-show discussion with TimeLine artistic staff on Thursday, November 7 at 6:45 p.m., before the 8 p.m. performance. Visit timelinetheatre.com/myline to learn more and sign up for access to $10 tickets for this event.
Post-Show Discussions: A brief, informal post-show discussion hosted by a TimeLine Company Member and featuring the production dramaturg and members of the cast on Wednesday, November 20; Sunday, November 24; Thursday, December 5; Wednesday, December 18; Thursday, December 19; and Sunday, December 29.
Pre-Show Discussions: Starting one hour before these performances, a 25-minute introductory conversation hosted by a TimeLine Company Member and the production dramaturg on Wednesday, December 11; and Sunday, January 5.
Company Member Discussion: A post-show discussion with the collaborative team of artists who choose TimeLine’s programming and guide the company’s mission on Sunday, December 8.
Captioned Performance: An open-captioned performance with a text display of words and sounds heard during performances on Saturday, December 7 at 4 p.m. and Thursday, January 9.
Sunday Scholars Panel Discussion: A one-hour post-show discussion featuring experts on the themes and issues of the play on Sunday, December 15.
Unless noted, all discussions are free and open to the public. For further details about all planned discussions and events, visit www.timelinetheatre.com.
BUYING TICKETS
Single tickets to Rutherford and Son go on sale September 10 at 12 p.m. Preview tickets are $25. Single tickets to regular performances are $42 (Wednesday through Friday), $49 (Saturday evenings) and $57 (Saturday and Sunday matinees). Student discount is 35% off regular price with valid ID. TimeLine is also a member of TCG’s Blue Star Theatre Program and is offering $25 tickets to U.S. military personnel, veterans, first responders, and their spouses and family.
Discounted rates for groups of 10 or more are available. Ticket buyers age 18-35 may join TimeLine’s free MyLine program to obtain access to discounted tickets, special events and more. Visit www.timelinetheatre.com/discounts for more about Blue Star, MyLine and other available discounts.
To purchase a FlexPass, single tickets or for more information, visit www.timelinetheatre.com or call the Box Office at (773) 281-8463 x6.
SPONSORS
TimeLine’s Chicago premiere of Rutherford and Son is supported in part by Sonia T. Marschak.
LOCATION/TRANSPORTATION/PARKING
Rutherford and Son will take place at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, near the corner of Wellington and Broadway, inside the Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ building.
TimeLine is served by multiple CTA trains and buses. TimeLine offers discounted parking at the Laz parking garage at Broadway Center ($8 with validation; 2846 N. Broadway, at Surf) or the Century Mall ($9 with validation; 2836 N. Clark), with other paid parking options nearby, plus limited free and metered street parking.
ACCESSIBILITY
TimeLine Theatre is accessible to people with disabilities. Two wheelchair lifts provide access from street level to the theatre space and to lower-level restrooms. Audience members using wheelchairs or who need to avoid stairs, and others with special seating or accessibility needs should contact the TimeLine Box Office in advance to confirm arrangements. See DISCUSSION & ACCESSIBILITY EVENTS above for information about the open-captioned performance for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing.
ALSO AT TIMELINE THEATRE DURING THE 2019-20 SEASON
In addition to Rutherford and Son, TimeLine Theatre’s 2019-20 subscription season includes:
The Chicago premiere of the 2017 Tony Award winner for Best Play, Oslo by J.T. Rogers, directed by TimeLine Associate Artistic Director Nick Bowling, a political thriller about the behind-the-scenes negotiations that brought about the 1993 peace agreement between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. Oslo is presented at Broadway in Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse, 175 E. Chestnut St., September 10 – October 20, 2019.
The Chicago premiere of Kill Move Paradise by James Ijames, directed by TimeLine Company Member Wardell Julius Clark, a contemporary portrait of those lost, inspired by the ever-growing list of slain unarmed black men and women, February 12 – April 5, 2020.
The world premiere of Relentless by TimeLine Company Member Tyla Abercrumbie, directed by TimeLine Company Member Ron OJ Parson, a new play developed through TimeLine’s Playwrights Collective that presents a complicated tale of family, legacy, and progress, May 6 – June 27, 2020.
Save on tickets to TimeLine’s 2019-20 Season with a FlexPass Subscription. Four different tiers, priced from $97 to $235, are now on sale. For more information and to purchase, call (773) 281-8463 x6 or visit www.timelinetheatre.com.
TIMELINE THEATRE’S NEW HOME
In December 2018, TimeLine Theatre announced that it had purchased property in Uptown—encompassing a five-story, 45,500-square-foot warehouse building plus a vacant lot near the corner of Broadway and Argyle—to be the site of its new home. Preliminary plans feature two intimate and flexible black box theatres seating up to 250 and 150 audience members, respectively. TimeLine’s new home also provides an expanded area for the immersive lobby experiences that are a TimeLine hallmark, new opportunities for education and engagement, room to allow audience members to arrive early and stay late for theatergoing experiences that extend far beyond the stage, and more.
In July, TimeLine announced the selection of HGA as architect, furthering its new home project, which is expected to take approximately three years to complete. In the meantime, TimeLine continues to maintain its operations and present the majority of its productions at its current home in Lakeview East.
ABOUT TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY
TimeLine Theatre Company, recipient of the prestigious 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, was founded in April 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues. Now entering its 23rd season, TimeLine has presented 79 productions, including 10 world premieres and 35 Chicago premieres, and launched the Living History Education Program, which brings the company's mission to life for students in Chicago Public Schools. Recipient of the Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence and the Richard Goodman Strategic Planning Award from the Association for Strategic Planning, TimeLine has received 54 Jeff Awards, including an award for Outstanding Production 11 times.
TimeLine is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers, Managing Director Elizabeth K. Auman and Board President Eileen LaCario. Company members are Tyla Abercrumbie, Will Allan, Nick Bowling, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Wardell Julius Clark, Behzad Dabu, Charles Andrew Gardner, Lara Goetsch, Juliet Hart, Anish Jethmalani, Mildred Marie Langford, Mechelle Moe, David Parkes, Ron OJ Parson, PJ Powers, Maren Robinson, and Benjamin Thiem.
Major corporate, government and foundation supporters of TimeLine Theatre include Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The Crown Family, Forum Fund, The Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Laughing Acres Family Foundation, A.L. and Jennie L. Luria Foundation, MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Pauls Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, and The Shubert Foundation.
For more information, visit www.timelinetheatre.com or Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (@TimeLineTheatre).
2019 YEAR OF CHICAGO THEATRE
TimeLine Theatre Company is proud to be part of the 2019 Year of Chicago Theatre, presented by the City of Chicago and the League of Chicago Theatres. To truly fall in love with Chicago, you must go to our theatres. This is where the city bares its fearless soul. Home to a community of creators, risk-takers, and big hearts, Chicago theatre is a hotbed for exciting new work and hundreds of world premieres every year. From Broadway musicals to storefront plays and improv, there’s always a seat waiting for you at one of our 200+ theatres. Learn more at www.chicagoplays.com/year-of-chicago-theatre/.