"THE PILLOWMAN" coming to the QC...

My Verona Productions to present “The Pillowman” May 26 – June 3

My Verona Productions, the area’s premiere independent theatre company that has brought you last season’s smash hit drama “Closer” and David Sedaris’ hilarious “Santaland Diaries,” is starting their summer off with a bang. Join them as they produce the Midwest independent theatre debut of Martin McDonagh’s “The Pillowman.”

“The Pillowman” is an exhilarating and viciously funny new comedy-drama about a fiction writer who is interrogated about the gruesome content of his short stories, and their similarities to a number of bizarre incidents occurring in his town.

Written by Tony/Oscar winning playwright/director Martin McDonagh, the play is a brilliantly idiosyncratic, Kafka-esque exploration of the role of artists and artistic responsibility in contemporary culture. Set in a totalitarian state, a series of child murders spurs authorities to arrest and detain a horror writer, Katurian, whose works parallel the gruesome details of the murders. But did Katurian do it? That's the big question.

“The Pillowman” had its world premiere on November 13, 2003 at The National Theatre, where it quickly became one of the most sought after theatrical events in London's West End. It received the 2004 Olivier Award and an Evening Standard Award nomination for Best New Play. “The Pillowman” made its critically acclaimed US premiere on April 10, 2005 at the Booth Theatre in New York starring Jeff Goldblum and Billy Crudup. McDonagh's heart pounding drama received 6 Tony nominations, including Best Play.

The Rock Island production comes months before the Chicago and Minneapolis mountings making My Verona’s production the Midwest independent theatre debut. “It’s exciting to see our area getting a show before Chicago,” co-founder Tristan Tapscott said. Co-Founder and Director Sean Leary added, “We are thrilled to bring this exhilarating work to our audience.” “I have been working with Dramatists Play Service in New York since the show closed on Broadway (in September) to make this happen. We finally got the official word in February and we were ecstatic,” Tapscott added.

“We will be the first non-professional ‘indie’ theatre to obtain the rights in 2006,” Leary said. Tapscott added, “When we get the show it will have only played in London, New York, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Houston, and New Brunswick.” Leary quickly noted that, “After we produce it, the show will then play throughout the next year in Chicago, Portland, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and several locations in Canada.”

My Verona’s “The Pillowman” will feature "SantaLand Diaries" star Adam Michael Lewis as Katurian, Circa ’21 favorite Tom Walljasper as Ariel, local theatre mainstay Chris Browne as Tupolski, MVP co-founder Tristan Tapscott as Michal, and newcomer Carrie Clark as the Little Girl. MVP co-founder and award winning writer/critic Sean Leary will direct the production.

“The Pillowman” will open May 26 and run through June 3 at Comedy Sportz Theater in the District.

“The Pillowman” is rated R.

Shows are 10:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at Comedy Sportz Theater, 1818 3rd Ave., Rock Island. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. Tickets will be $12. For more info call (309) 786-7733, ext. 2.
Check out www.myveronaproductions.com, seanleary.com, or
www.myspace.com/myverona for further information

My Verona is paid solely by its founders, Sean Leary and Tristan Tapscott. Why? For the fun of it, for the creative experience and because they want people to see these excellent shows. All the shows we bring in are area, if not regional or Midwest, debuts.