Eyes PLEASE, CONTINUE (HAMLET) YAN DUYVENDAK AND ROGER BERNAT Wide Lights Low

at MCA Apr 25–28, 2019 Thu–Sun Notes Program

Stage Theater Edlis Neeson STAGE MCA

Winter/Spring Please, Continue (Hamlet) 2018–19 running time varies, up to 3 hours with one 20-minute break. Copresented by ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– PLEASE, CONTINUE (HAMLET) YAN DUYVENDAK AND ROGER BERNAT the MCA Stage PERFORMERS FROM THE CURATOR and the Humanities Creation Yan Duyvendak and Please, Continue (Hamlet) is a mock trial “in a new form,” Festival Roger Bernat as our Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) copresenters SUPPORT FOR THIS MCA STAGE PROJECT Hamlet Edgar Miguel Sanchez have called it: each night an actual Chicago judge, Many thanks to Yolanda prosecutor, and defense lawyer tackle the case; the roles Cesta Cursach, and to Gertrude Lily Mojekwu Securitas and the MCA of Hamlet, Gertrude, and Ophelia must be relived anew security team for their flexibility. Thanks also Ophelia Krystal Ortiz by the actors; and you, as a member of the audience, go to Jane M Saks, Karena Fiorenza, and With local attorneys and judges might be selected to serve on the jury. And each night, the casting departments of Steppenwolf Theatre a verdict is pronounced. Yan Duyvendak and Roger Bernat’s and Victory Gardens ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Theater. An additional carefully constructed premise—part real-world, real-time huge thank you goes to LEGAL TEAM CASTING SCHEDULE our legal “guardian trial, part classic drama—reveals something of theater’s angel,” Mark Kadish, for his generous advice and Thu, Apr 25 Judge Joan Lefkow, Kim Foxx fictions inherent in the courtroom, and the powerful coordination support, as and Loukas Kalliantasis well as Scott Falk, (Prosecution), Dena Singer consequences of each word and action, as only the stage Gretchen Helfrich, Nigel F. Telman, Frank (Defense), Chris Knight can illuminate them. I can’t think of a better context than Valadez, Mira Hayward, (Court Clerk), James Filkins Susan M. Weis, and Jeff CHF’s current theme—Power—to frame a show like this, Levine for their (Medical Examiner) contributions to shaping in the United States for the first time, in times like these. the legal team. Fri, Apr 26 Judge Anna Helen What happens when you ask an audience of theatergoers Demacopoulos, Daniel J. Collins (Prosecution), Marc to pass judgement on one another? And to do so in the Kadish and Patricia C. Bobb complicated context of Chicago’s legal, racial, class, and (Defense), Julian Dibbell (Court Clerk), Eric Eason geographic inequities? What does justice look and feel (Medical Examiner) like here, now? Sat, Apr 27 Judge John Robert Blakey, Aileen Bhandari (Prosecution), Seeing Please, Continue (Hamlet) on the MCA Stage just a Catharine O’Daniel and week after Duyvendak’s collaboration with Omar Ghayatt, Michael D. Monico (Defense), SUPPORT FOR THE Natalie Wayne (Court Clerk), Still in Paradise, has been a profound lesson in how theater ARTISTS Eric Eason (Medical Examiner) can create encounters with the uncomfortable repercussions Please, Continue (Hamlet) is a of our otherwise familiar social worlds. Many thanks to coproduction of GRÜ Sun, Apr 28 Judge Arthur Hill Jr., transthéâtre Geneva; Andrianna “Annie” Kastanek former MCA Curator of Performance Yolanda Cesta Phénix National Theatre, Valenciennes; (Prosecution), Nigel F. Telman Cursach, for bringing these two works together with the and Huis a/d Werf (Defense), Michael Utrecht, and was Bornhorst (Court Clerk), conviction that Duyvendak, Bernat, and Ghayatt’s way of support by residencies at Montevideo Theatre, James Filkins (Medical making theater “constructs an ephemeral social architecture” Marseille; Le Carré/Les Examiner) Colonnes, subsidized because “theater is everywhere.” And much gratitude to theatre, Saint-Médard- Apr 25–28, 2019 Thu–Sun Notes Program en Jalles/Blanquefort. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Alison Cuddy and all her colleagues at the Chicago Additional support was PRODUCTION provided by the Ville de Humanities Festival for their curiosity and generosity in Genève, République et Canton de Genève, Set Design in collaboration with taking the plunge with us! Fonds municipal d’art Sylvie Kleiber contemporain–Genève, Loterie Romande, Pro Helvetia Le Caire, Pro Helvetia–Fondation Graphic Design Marie Klara Gonzalez; suisse pour la Nicholas Robel; B.u.L.b grafix Tara Aisha Willis culture–Zurich, Valiart Bern, Fondation Associate Curator of Performance Meyrinoise du Casino, Management Marine Magnin Fondation Leenaards, CORODIS. International Judith Martin—Ligne Directe Development Theater Edlis Neeson STAGE MCA

Production and Charlotte Terrapon Communication Stage Management Eric Mutel Production Dreams Come True/Cie Yan Duyvendak, Geneva ABOUT THE WORK In a working-class suburb of a big city, in the midst of a wedding, a young man kills his girlfriend’s father. She accuses him of murder. He says it was an accident . . . Nearly two years later the trial begins. To preserve the anonymity of the participants, their names have been changed: the accused is called Hamlet, the victim Polonius, the witness Ophelia. A near-universal case, familiar from grade school, based on a true story. A dramaturgy of the real. A story from the realm of great tragedy, transposed to the modern age. ————————————————————————————————————— RELATED PROGRAMS YAN DUYVENDAK AND OMAR GHAYATT Still in Paradise Thu–Sun, Apr 18–21 Tonight’s performance is presented in tandem with Still in Paradise, another work cocreated by Yan Duyvendak, which appeared on the MCA Stage last week and also blurs the boundary between performer and spectator. In that performance, Duyvendak and cocreator Omar Ghayatt invited audiences to join them in questioning the roles we play in consequential encounters between the Middle East and the West, Islam and capitalism. For more information, please visit mcachicago.org. ————————————————————————————————————— ACCESSIBLE EVENTS

ASL-INTERPRETED PERFORMANCE Fri, Apr 26, 7:30 pm

ASL-INTERPRETED PERFORMANCE WITH AUDIO DESCRIPTION AND RELAXED PERFORMANCE Sun, Apr 28, 2 pm

Yan Duyvendak and Roger Bernat, Please, Continue (Hamlet), Théâtre Forum Meyrin, Meyrin, 2014 Photo: © Magali Girardin ABOUT THE ARTISTS

YAN DUYVENDAK (CONCEPT AND ROGER BERNAT (Concept and PERFORMANCE) was born in the Performance) is a Barcelona-based Netherlands, and lives between artist, born in 1968, who creates Geneva and Marseille. Trained at the works of theater shaped in collab- Ecole Supérieure d’Art Visuel in oration with the public. He has Geneva, he has worked in worked with Thierry Salmon and contemporary performance and live Xavier Albertí. Between 1998 and art since 1995. Since then, he has 2001 he directed the company produced a chain of creations and General Elèctrica together with performances at venues including Tomás Aragay and has received Fondation Cartier, Paris; EXIT numerous Catalan Critics’ Awards for performing arts festival, Helsinki; Art his work. In 2008 he began to create Unlimited Basel; Museo Reina Sofia, setups in which the audience takes Madrid; Ménagerie de verre, Paris; center stage. His shows include Public Vooruit, Ghent; Festival d’Avignon, Domain (2008), Purely Coincidental France; Theaterspektakel Zurich; (2009), The Rite of TheaterFormen Festival, Hannover; Spring (2010), Please, Continue (Hamlet) CDN, Montreuil; Wiener Festwochen, (2011), Pending Vote (2012), Vienna; and Foreign Affairs, Berliner and RE-presentation (2013), Festspielen, Germany. Over the course Desplazamiento del Palacio de la of the years, he has increasingly Moneda (2014), and Numax-Fagor-plus become a point of reference in Swiss (2014), which have been performed and European art. His art underlines in over twenty countries. in particular how the overwhelming mass of televised, computer, and LILY MOJEKWU (Gertrude) is mental images, as well as our social delighted to make her MCA Stage codes and other rituals of society, debut in Please, Continue (Hamlet). Lily thicken the curtain between ourselves recently returned from the SXSW film and reality. Yet Duyvendak’s work festival premiere of Saint Frances, never fails to affirm human dignity which received both a Jury Award and reveal the ways that our and the Audience Award. Recent image-dominated society imperils our stage appearances in Chicago include welfare. His latest creations, Made in Dada Woof Papa Hot (About Face Paradise (2008), cocreated with Omar Theatre) and A Christmas Carol and Ghayatt and Nicole Borgeat; Please, Objects in The Mirror (both at the Continue (Hamlet) (2011), cocreated ). Other Chicago with Roger Bernat; Sound of Music credits include work with Chicago (2015), and ACTIONS (2017), cocreated Shakespeare Theater, Lookingglass with Nicolas Cilins and Nataly Theatre Company, Northlight Theatre Sugnaux-Hernandez, are his most (Skokie), Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, political works to date. Duyvendak’s and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. videos are included in numerous Regional credits include six seasons public and private collections, for with Lakeside Shakespeare Theatre instance the Musée des Beaux-Arts in (Frankfort, Michigan). Television Lyon and the Museum der Moderne credits include I Love Dick (Amazon (MdM) in Salzburg. He received the TV), The Chi (Showtime), Chicago Fire Swiss Art Award in three consecutive (NBC), Chicago Med (NBC), Mind years (2002, 2003, and 2004), the Games (ABC) and the web series Namics Kunstpreis für Neue Medien in Brown Girls (browngirlwebseries. 2004, and the Network Kulturpreis in com). Film credits include Widows, 2006. He has also been selected for Drive Slow, Princess Cyd, Rogers Park, several artist-in-residence programs, and the upcoming Saint Frances. which have taken him to Cité des Arts in Paris, Atelier Schönhauser in Berlin, KRYSTAL ORTIZ (Ophelia) is a and Pro Helvetia’s Swiss Artistic Studio Chicago-based actor and playwright in Cairo (2007, 2008, and 2009). In originally from Miami. You can next 2010 he received the most prestigious see her this spring in For Services Swiss award for contempor- ary art, the Rendered at Griffin Theatre Company, Meret Oppenheim Preis. From 2012 Chicago. Her previous Chicago acting to 2017, Compagnie Yan Duyvendak credits include Lettie (Victory Gardens received financial support from the Theater), La Havana Madrid (Teatro City and Canton of Geneva, as Vista, Goodman Theatre), Thumbelina well as from the Swiss Arts Council (), and In Love and Pro Helvetia. Warcraft (Halcyon Theatre). New York Yan Duyvendak and Roger Bernat, Please, Continue (Hamlet), New Classics of Europe, Lodz, 2014 Photo: © Greg Noo-Wak ACCESSIBILITY acting credits include Kid Prince and MARC R. KADISH (Defense Attorney), INFORMATION Pablo (New York Stage and Film Director of Pro Bono Activities and Select MCA Stage Powerhouse; Ars Nova). Television Litigation Training at Mayer Brown performances include open-captioning, credits include: The Exorcist (Fox). Ortiz (1999–2015), and coauthor of the sign-interpritation, received a BFA in acting from The legal brief for the Chicago iteration of listening devices, or Theatre School at DePaul University, Please, Continue (Hamlet) are sensory relaxed. Chicago. She is rep-resented by Please call Stewart Talent. LOUKAS KALLIANTASIS (Prosecutor), 312-397-4010 in advance to reserve Assistant State’s Attorney for Cook seats and inclusive EDGAR MIGUEL SANCHEZ (Hamlet) County services. was born in Dominican Republic, raised in Miami, and received his ANDRIANNA “ANNIE” KASTANEK BFA in acting and minor in sociology (Prosecutor), Assistant United States from The Theater School at DePaul Attorney, and Adjunct Professor at University, Chicago. His Chicago credits Northwestern University Pritzker include Sweat (Goodman Theatre); School of Law, Chicago Macbeth, R&J in the Park, Romeo and –––––––––––––––––––– Juliet, Twelfth Night (Chicago JUDGE JOAN LEFKOW, Senior BUY TICKETS Shakespeare Theater); In The Next United States District Judge of the Room (TimeLine Theatre Company); United States District Court for the ONLINE mcachicago.org/stage Water by the Spoonful and Native Son Northern District of Illinois (); The Wheel BY PHONE (Steppenwolf Theatre Company). MICHAEL D. MONICO (Defense 312-397-4010 Among his regional credits are Fences Attorney), Partner, Monico and AT THE MCA (ATC, IRT, Milwaukee Rep); the title Spevack, Chicago; Past President of the BOX OFFICE role in Hamlet (GableStage); Twelfth American Board of Criminal Defense 220 E Chicago Ave Night, Richard III, Troilus and Cressida, Lawyers; and recipient of the Lifetime Chicago, IL 60611 The Admirable Crichton (American Achievement Award from the Illinois Single performance Players Theatre); and A Midsummer Association of Criminal Defense tickets starting at $30; $10 for students, limited Night’s Dream, Othello, and The Comedy Lawyers availability. of Errors (Oregon Shakespeare Festival). His television and film credits include CATHARINE O’DANIEL (Defense Groups of ten or more save 20% on full-price Sense8, Chicago P.D., and the film Blueprint. Attorney), Law Offices of Catharine tickets; call 312-397-4010. D. O’Daniel, and named a Top Ten AILEEN BHANDARI (Prosecutor), Illinois Leading Female Criminal Assistant State’s Attorney in Defense Attorney by Leading Lawyers Cook County, Criminal Prosecutions FREE MUSEUM Bureau, Felony Trial Division DENA SINGER (Defense Attorney), ADMISSION Founding Partner, Bedi and Singer WITH TICKET JUDGE JOHN ROBERT BLAKEY, United LLP, Chicago; Adjunct Professor at ––––––––––––––––– States District Court Judge for the DePaul University College of Law, Present your MCA Stage ticket stub to Northern District of Illinois Chicago; recipient of the Excellence in receive FREE Pro Bono Service Award. ADMISSION* and 10% PATRICIA C. BOBB (Defense Attorney), off your purchase at the MCA Store.** President, Patricia C. Bobb and NIGEL F. TELMAN (Defense Attorney), Or become an MCA Associates, recipient of the Lifetime Partner, head of employment practice, Member and save 15%. Achievement Award from the Jury and cohead of the Employment Ticket stub is valid Verdict Reporter Awards for Trial Litigations and Arbitration Group, during regular hours Lawyer Excellence, and elected Proskauer Rose LLP, Chicago up to seven days after the performance date. Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers * Not accepted for special ticketed exhibitions. DAN COLLINS (Prosecutor), Managing ** Regular price, in-stock merchandise Partner and Chair of Litigation at only; no other Drinker Biddle, and former federal discounts apply. prosecutor JUDGE ANNA HELEN DEMACOPOULOS, Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County KIM FOXX (Prosecutor), State’s Attorney for Cook County, Illinois JUDGE ARTHUR HILL JR., Associate Judge of the Circuit Yan Duyvendak and Roger Bernat, Please, Continue (Hamlet), Théâtre Forum Meyrin, Meyrin, 2014 Court of Cook County Photo: © Magali Girardin CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SEASON CALENDAR Michael O’Grady PRITZKER DIRECTOR Madeleine Grynsztejn JAMES W. ALSDORF DATE NIGHT CHIEF CURATOR 2019 WINTER/SPRING Michael Darling –––––––––––––––––––– PERFORMANCE Jan 24–27 Mariano Pensotti ASSOCIATE CURATOR Tara Aisha Willis Arde brillante en los bosques ASSISTANT DIRECTOR de la noche (Burning bright Kendall Karg THEATER PRODUCTION MANAGER in the forest of the night) Richard Norwood ASSISTANT PRODUCTION MANAGER Feb 7–10 Ingri Fiksdal and Matt Sharp CURATORIAL Jonas Corell Petersen ASSISTANT Laura Paige Kyber STATE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Anthony Williams –––––––––––––––––––– HOUSE MANAGEMENT Feb 11–13 Ingri Fiksdal ASSOCIATES Phill Cabeen Diorama Cameron Heinze Lacey Whittaker –––––––––––––––––––– BOX OFFICE Mar 21–24 Annie Dorsen MANAGER Matti Allison The Great Outdoors ASSISTANT MANAGER Phongtorn Phongluantum COORDINATOR Apr 18–21 Yan Duyvendak and Molly Laemle VISITOR SERVICES Omar Ghayatt ASSISTANTS Julia Kriegel Still in Paradise Caitlin Joseph ASSOCIATES Stephanie Branco Marisol Escobar. Photo: Herman Hiller. Malcolm Evans Graham Feyl Apr 25–28 Yan Duyvendak and Cagla Gillis Peyton Lynch Roger Bernat Janelle Miller Georgie Morvis Join us for dinner or drinks before or after the theater at Jill Perez Please, Continue (Hamlet) Grace Wellin Marisol, named one of the “hottest restaurants in Chicago” Lisa West by Zagat and one of Vogue's “Six Chicago Restaurants Lacey Whittaker Program notes You Should Know About Now.” Call 312–799–3599 to make May 2–5 Adrienne Truscott compiled by Laura Paige Kyber reservations. THIS –––––––––––––––––––– MCA TECHNICAL PRODUCTION STAFF SOUND ENGINEER May 9–12 Manuela Infante Mati Johnson LIGHTING SUPERVISOR Estado Vegetal Matt Sharp STAGEHAND Lena Aubrey –––––––––––––––––––– THEATER TECHNICIANS Lea Braynan Arianna Brown Danny Drust Mike Goebel Theresa Murphy Megan Turnquist RESTAURANT AND BAR 205 E PEARSON ST Devonte Washington AT THE MCA CHICAGO, IL 60611 SUPPORT FOR ABOUT ENACT ABOUT MCA STAGE MCA STAGE Lead support for the MCA Stage is supported As an internationally renowned institution devoted to contemporary 2018–19 season of MCA by Enact, a group of culture, the Museum of Stage is provided by MCA donors dedicated to Contemporary Art Chicago presents Elizabeth A. Liebman. supporting the museum’s the most thought-provoking visual renowned Stage programs. art and performing arts of our time. MCA Stage is a vibrant series presenting theater, dance, and Generous support Join today for opportunities music by leading artists from the is provided by: to meet artists and gain United States and around the behind-the-scenes access world in the MCA’s three-hundred- Lois and Steve Eisen alongside MCA curators—all seat Edlis Neeson Theater. and The Eisen Family while providing vital support. MCA Stage’s groundbreaking Foundation performances are an integral part Ginger Farley and Circle Donor membership of the MCA’s artist-activated, audience-engaged programming. Bob Shapiro is required to join Enact. Along with the museum’s exhibitions The Martha Struthers Enact donations begin at and educational initiatives, they Farley and Donald C. $1,000 annually. For more encourage a broad and diverse Farley Jr. Family information on benefits community to experience and discuss Foundation or to join, contact us at the work and ideas of living artists. Susan Manning and [email protected] PARKING Doug Doetsch or 312-397-4044. Validate your ticket at the coat Ock Ju Noh check for $12 parking in the MCA garage (220 E Chicago Ave) and Sharon* and Lee Oberlander The MCA is a proud the Bernardin garage (747 North Maya Polsky and member of the Museums in Wabash). The $12 parking is Nicholas Bridon the Park and receives major limited to six hours on the date of Carol Prins and John Hart/ support from the Chicago performance. The Jessica Fund Park District. LOST AND FOUND Ellen Stone Belic To inquire about a lost item, call the museum at 312-280-2660. FOUNDATION SEASON Unclaimed articles are held for Additional support for SPONSOR thirty days. MCA Stage is provided by: SEATING Please switch off all noisemaking Ms. Shawn M. Donnelley devices while you are in the theater. and Dr. Christopher Patrons are seated at the M. Kelly management’s discretion. Food and Nicholas and Nancy open beverage containers are not Giampietro allowed in the seating area. Carol Honigberg REPRODUCTION Cynthia Hunt and HOTEL SPONSOR Unauthorized recording and Philip Rudolph reproduction of a performance are Anne L. Kaplan prohibited. Anne and John Kern GENERAL INFORMATION D. Elizabeth Price and 312-280-2660 Lou Yecies BOX OFFICE 312-397-4010 *Enact Chair VOLUNTEER FOR PERFORMANCES As of March 2019 312-397-4072 [email protected]

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