Pictured Jillian Miller and Bev Spangler. Miller. Lisa Rock and Hana Anderson. And Sapna Kumar, Jim Farruggio, Johanna Sandoval, Lucas Peterson, Hana Anderson and Todd Neal. Jillian Miller, Hana Anderson and Lucas Peterson. Photos by Hal Baim. More pics online at www.HalfLifePlay.com .
In case you missed the posters and ads around town, the play Half Life, based on a self-published book I wrote, is now playing at American Theater Co., in a co-production by Awaken! Performances and Half Life Productions. It opened last Friday and runs through Sept. 18, with info and tix at www.HalfLifePlay.com, or tickets at (773) 275-2036, ext. 2. Shows: Wed. and Thurs 7 p.m., Friday and Sat. 8 p.m., Sat. and Sun. matinees 3 p.m. (no shows this Saturday and Sunday).
The play is a fiction based on true stories about gays and lesbians serving in the 1991 Gulf War. It is also a love story about a career military woman who falls for a lesbian journalist as they both investigate the mysterious attack on a small troop in the war.
Since this is a work based on my own, I knew it would be impossible to assign a Windy City Times writer or critic to give their view. Even if they tried to be objective, readers would have a hard time believing it was objective. Just like when the Tribune reports on the Cubs, it's simply hard to avoid the appearance of conflict. So instead, we're running some photos here, and hope you get a chance to read the reviews in other papers. Plus, of course, I would love to have input from readers who see the work, a world premiere. Even I see things I would adjust and change given more time or a second staging.
But one thing I will say is how amazed and proud I am of the cast and crew behind this project. From writer/co-star/co-producer Bev Spangler to director Jenna Newman, to co-star and costumer Jillian Miller, this was a true collaboration, with all the good and bad that comes with working so intensely on a project like this. I have learned so much from so many of these hardworking professionals. There are almost too many to thank, but I want to at least attempt.
Thanks to my partner Jean Albright, Bev, and Jenn. To dramaturg/assistant director Julie Levenson; scenic designer and technical director Melania Lancy; lighting designer Jared Moore; sound designer and sound board op Miles Polaski; stage manager Becki Learned; and assistant stage manager and prop master intern Jessica Goforth. All of the rest of the crew: Jennifer Cihla, Rebecca C. Peters, Rebecca Solano, Katy Peterson, Mike Korczyk, Demetrios Raftopoulos, and Louisa Heinrich. Plus administrative staff and consultants Lindsay Beacham, Jessica Stiver, Carol Fox & Associates, Amanda Hosking, Vanessa Korczyk, Laura Sturm and Lindy Emser. Plus my dad Hal Baim for the great promotional photos, and Materville Studios for Web and video work. And Vicki Quade from Chicago Group Sales.
Now for the cast. What incredible work they did to pull this off in such a short time, all wonderfully directed by Jenna Newman. In alphabetical order: Jeannie Affelder, Hana Anderson, Jim Farruggio, Sapna Kumar, Jillian Miller, Todd Neal, Lucas Peterson, Lisa Rock, Johanna Sandoval, Bev Spangler, Mike Thrower and Juan Francisco Villa.
To all of these folks, and many more, including those who attended opening weekend, I can never thank you enough for your support, hard work and dedication to this play. — Tracy Baim