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Sara

We so enjoyed Stupid Kids. It was such a high energy, funny, touching show. I only wish there had been a bigger audience there taking advantage of this great show and theatre company.

Go see this show!

Written on Feb 27 2009

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More Information About Stupid Kids

Website

http://aboutfacetheatre.com/onstage.html

Description

By John C. Russell
Directed by Bonnie Metzgar and Megan Carney

Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar and Managing Director Rick Dildine are pleased to announce About Face Theatre's second show of its 2008/2009 season, a dynamic, multimedia adaptation of Stupid Kids by the late John C. Russell. The production, directed by Metzgar and Youth Theatre Program co-founder Megan Carney, will be presented at the Center on Halsted.

"Though set in the late '80s, our production incorporates very contemporary, interactive elements that kids are using today to express who they are -- blogging, social networks, texting, personal video," says co-director Metzgar. "In fact, we will encourage audience members to leave cell phones on during the show and become a part of the action. We wanted to create a live collage of images and impressions from both eras to build a mash-up of these two generations."

To celebrate stupid stories about high school, About Face has launched the Stupid Kids Stuff Blog (http://stupidkidstuff.blogspot.com/), providing an opportunity for visitors to share their personal stories about being a "stupid kid" and to participate in the Stupid Kids Multimedia Art Contest. Winning submissions will be featured in performances of the show and artists will receive complimentary tickets.

"Whoever's the stupidest wins!" says Dildine.

Set in a suburban high school during the late '80s, Stupid Kids is a classic tale of young love in the churning world of adolescence. The play was written by the late John C. Russell, an award-winning playwright and friend of Metzgar who died from complications related to AIDS in 1994. The production represents new artistic director Bonnie Metzgar's directorial debut at About Face Theatre.

Bonnie Metzgar and playwright John C. Russell met at Brown University while Russell was a graduate student studying with Paula Vogel. Russell went on to become a member of the New Works project at Baca Downtown in Brooklyn, NY where Metzgar was Artistic Director. Metzgar planned to produce a play of Russell's, but the collaboration never came to fruition before his death in 1994. The About Face production of Stupid Kids is Metzgar's way of making good on her promise. Before beginning the project, Metzgar reached out to Russell's parents to get their blessing for this new examination of Stupid Kids.

The production features adult actors playing high school students trapped in the 1980's, accompanied by a shadow cast of current high school students. The production includes a rhythmic mix of music, video, slam poetry and dance, creating a chance for About Face Youth Theatre members to explore questions of sexuality and gender in high school.

"We're the stupid kids of today," says 17 year old cast member Scott Jaburek. "We're here to show how the world of high school has changed in the past twenty years."

"This production has been a wonderful opportunity to tap into the vast creative talents of the kids in the Youth Program," says Carney. "It's an inspired group of young people with a wealth of talent. It's been a blast to work with Bonnie and weave that unique creativity into the body of the play. The kids were really drawn to the piece and it's turned out to be an exciting collaboration."

Megan Carney began her career with About Face Theatre in 1998 co-founding the About Face Youth Theatre. Her work with AFYT resulted in nine years of award-winning programming and plays including Up Until Now (2004) and On The Record (2005) both at The Goodman Theatre and The Home Project at Victory Gardens (2006), a two-year theatrical investigation of the issues of homelessness. The Home Project toured the country until 2008.

Megan Carney's credits outside of About Face Theatre include Pittsburgh Project Remix, [Classified], and Turning Corners, which addresses race and racism in Chicago area schools.

Recent awards include a Bard College Voices and Visions residency with Rivendell Theatre Ensemble of Chicago, a TCG Observership Grant, and induction into Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame. Carney has taught in a variety of contexts, including the Urban Studies Program of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest, Roosevelt College, the University of Chicago, and Rhodes College in Memphis.

Bonnie Metzgar joined About Face Theatre as Artistic Director in May 2008. Before taking the helm at About Face, Metzgar was a professor at Brown University, director of the graduate playwriting program and artistic director of Brown's New Plays Festival for three years with Paula Vogel. She is perhaps best known for her collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winner playwright Suzan-Lori Parks on the 365 Festival and her work as founding producer of the famed Joe's Pub venue in New York.