The Brown Paper Box Co.
presents

PROUD AT MARY'S: A June Cabaret
an evening of Pride-based stories and songs

Friday, June 13 and Saturday, June 14, 2014
Mary's Attic in Andersonville

Following our successful run of William Finn's A New Brain, we're thrilled to announce our next cabaret series: PROUD AT MARY'S: A June Cabaret. Ticketing information for this evening of Pride-based stories and songs can be found at www.brownpaperbox.org. Tickets on sale now!

It's Pride month 2014 and The Brown Paper Box Co. is ready to celebrate! PROUD AT MARY'S emphasizes taking pride in our identities and sharing our personal stories during such a monumental month in Illinois—June 1st being the first day every county in the state will recognize same-sex marriages. PROUD AT MARY’S is a mix of pop songs, show tunes, personal monologues, and stories about being gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, questioning, and straight.

"After the successes of our first two cabarets in Wicker Park, we wanted to bring a brand new show to Andersonville," says Brown Paper Box Co. executive director and show coordinator M. William Panek. "Musical Director Justin Harner and I are working with amazingly gracious past Brown Paper Box Co. participants to form a touching and fun evening of personal insight and killer musical numbers."

The set list is comprised of surprise song selections from Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lippa, Carole King, Stephen Schwartz, and more ... as well as original numbers! Tickets for the 7:30 P.M.  performances on 6/13 and 6/14 are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Additional information is posted at www.BrownPaperBox.org.

The cast includes Jeanne T. Arrigo (Godspell, The Brown Paper Box Co.; Eastland, Lookingglass Theatre), Johnny Kyle Cook (A New Brain, The Brown Paper Box Co.; Folk Bound, Duplicity Ensemble), Pamela Mae Davis (Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls, The Brown Paper Box Co.; Miss Marx, Strawdog Theatre Company), Megan Ensley (Godspell and 2012's Reefer Madness!, The Brown Paper Box Co.), Justin Harner* (A New Brain and Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls, The Brown Paper Box Co.; The Voodoo Chalk Circle, The State Theatre), David Lipschutz* (The Birds [currently u/s], Hell in a Handbag; The Glorious Ones, Illinois Theatre Center), M. William Panek* (A New Brain, Godspell, To Tree, The Brown Paper Box Co.), Stephanie Rohr* (Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls and Godspell, The Brown Paper Box Co; La Boheme, OperaUpClose), Anna Schutz* (A New Brain, Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls, and Reefer Madness!, The Brown Paper Box Co.; Circle Mirror Transformation, Oil Lamp Theatre), Nick Shoda* ( A New Brain and Godspell, The Brown Paper Box Co.; Pacific Overtures, Porchlight), and Daniel Spagnuolo* (Godspell and A New Brain, The Brown Paper Box Co.; How to Succeed..., Porchlight).

Justin Harner is the evening's pianist and musical director. M. William Panek serves as the evening's host. Original poster design by Charlie Sheets*

*Denotes Brown Paper Box Co. company member.

In the nearly 4 years since our first production of Reefer Madness!, The Brown Paper Box Co. has had a plethora of immensely talented cast members participate in our shows. And by the look of things, they're sure keeping busy! Here's a sampling of shows currently running (and some soon-to open) featuring BPBCo. friends.

Congrats, all!

Who: Pamela Mae Davis (Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls)
What: Miss Marx
Where: Strawdog Theatre Company
When: through April 5, 2014

Who: Luke Grimes (Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls)
What: Burning Rubber
Where: Vivarium Theatre Company
When: through March 23, 2014

Who: Derek Herman (Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls)
What: Good Boys and True
Where: Raven Theatre
When: through May 5, 2014

Who: Andrew Lund (Godspell)
What: Anarchy: Improvised Rock Opera and Lysistrata (in rehearsals)
Where: Studio BE and (re)discover theatre
When: Thursdays in March and April 10 - April 27, 2014

Who: Jake Mahler (Godspell)
What: Road Show
Where: Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
When: through May 4, 2014

Who: Pavi Proczko (Godspell)
What: Dessa Rose
Where: Bailiwick Chicago
When: through April 5, 2014

Who: Sarah Sapperstein (BPBCo. board vice president, Reefer Madness!)
What: Into the Woods
Where: EDGE Theatre
When: March 27 - April 13, 2014

Who: Nick Shoda (Reefer Madness!, Godspell, A New Brain)
What: Carnival
Where: Lost Note Theatre Company
When: through March 29, 2014

Who: Zev Steinberg (BPBCo. co-founder, Reefer Madness!)
What: Fight and Flight Directing Peter Pan (in rehearsals)
Where: Michigan State University
When: April 11 - April 20, 2014

Who: Danny Spagnuolo (Reefer Madness!, Godspell, A New Brain)
What: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (in rehearsals)
Where: Porchlight Music Theatre
When:April 26 - June 1, 2014

Full given name: Pamela Mae Davis

Where you were born/where you were raised? Born in Houston, TX, actually, but raised in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.

Your role within the Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls family: Vice President in charge of dirty jokes, sartorial commentary, and growling. Also I play Vivian.

How would you describe your character? Vivian goes on a great journey in this play. She starts out thinking she understands things - who she is, how the world works, what her place in it is - and then she basically gets hit in the face with how un-understandable these things actually are. Which is sometimes hilarious and fun (for us and for her), and other times it really sucks. It's incredible hard, but she gets her sea legs. I think for me the play is about Vivian getting her sea legs.

Something you're REALLY bad at: Hairstyling

Special hidden talent: Test-taking

Current local show you have been recommending to friends: Jason and (Medea) at (re)discover theatre. Check them out right after us, they open June 20.

Favorite Chicago neighborhood: I'm digging Rogers Park / West Rogers Park these days. The level of diversity is way rad, and it reminds me of home.

Most played song on your iPod: "Can't Be Touched" by Roy Jones Jr.

Who would play you in the Lifetime movie about your life: Samuel L. Jackson

Pop culture guilty pleasure: THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS GUILTY PLEASURE.

Three things you can't live without: This is starting to feel like an OkCupid profile.

Come see Pamela in The Brown Paper Box Co.'s production of Naomi Iizuka's Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls at the Heartland Studio in Rogers Park, May 30 - June 16, 2013.  Please visit www.brownpaperbox.org for tickets and additional information.

Tickets are now on sale for The Brown Paper Box Co.'s upcoming production, ALOHA, SAY THE PRETTY GIRLS, by award-winning playwright Naomi Iizuka. The play will run Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM from May 30-June 16 at the Heartland Studio in Rogers Park (7016 North Glenwood Avenue, Chicago, IL 60626). Tickets can be purchased through www.brownpaperbox.org.

In this quirky comedy, a group of twentysomethings change careers, geographical borders, and even species in a quest to find a place for themselves. ALOHA, SAY THE PRETTY GIRLS questions the nature of love, identity, and evolution in this wild and wonderful world. The play received its world premiere at the 1999 Humana Festival of New American Plays at The Actors Theatre of Louisville.

"This show has some very absurd elements," explains director M. William Panek (Godspell, To Tree, The Brown Paper Box Co.). "People turning into animals and vice-versa, outlandish locales, and cross-gender casting. But the absurd is juxtaposed with these incredibly honest relationships, relatable characters, and natural dialogue. It's hilarious, but then it hits you with really poignant, poetic moments." These seemingly incongruous combinations led The Brown Paper Box Co. to produce the play.

The cast includes Pamela Mae Davis (Failure: A Love Story, Victory Gardens; Cymbeline, RIFF Collective; As You Like It, (re)discover theatre), Luke Michael Grimes (Teddy Ferrara, Goodman Theatre; Fate and Ed, ARCitext Play Festival; Macbeth, TheMASSIVE), Justin Harner (I Begin, Walkabout Theater; WILD, Kid Brooklyn Productions; Caesura: A Butchery, The Plagiarists), Christopher Hart (To Tree, The Brown Paper Box Co.; The Sandman, Oracle Theatre), Derek Herman (Almost, Maine, Chicago College of Performing Arts; Speech & Debate, Artists Repertory Theatre; Landscape of the Body, Profile Theatre), Stephanie Rohr* (Godspell, The Brown Paper Box Co.; Reservoir Dogs, Roundhouse Productions; Jesus Camp: The Musical, The Cornservatory), Anna Schutz* (Reefer Madness, The Brown Paper Box Co.; Epic Proportions, Project 891), and Bob Skosky (Sleeping with Straight Men, Ludicrous Theatre; Our Town, Blank Page Theater; Aesop's Fables, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse).

The production team comprises M. William Panek* (director), Sheila Gleason (set designer), Ian James Anthony* (properties master), Cat Wilson (lighting designer), Laura Wiley (assistant lighting designer), Patrick J. Butterfield* (production assistant), Michelle Kritselis* (dramaturg), and Charlie Sheets* (graphic designer).

About The Brown Paper Box Co.
Founded in 2010 and based in Chicago, The Brown Paper Box Co. creates thought-provoking and accessible theatrical experiences without the glitz of overproduction. This scaled-down approach allows our artists to deliver an elevated focus on the text.

*Denotes Brown Paper Box Co. company member.