Running Time: 2 hours including one 15-minute intermission

Maple & Vine is Jeff Recommended!

Join us on November 20th for a special post-show discussion with with Northwestern History professor Lane Fenrich, who will speak about the sexual politics of the 1950's. Lane Fenrich is a cultural historian of the twentieth-century United States with a special interest in gender and sexuality. He received his Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1992 and has taught there since 1994. He is currently at work on a book entitled Fear of Spying: Learning to be Normal in America's Queerest Decade. 

Download our Dramaturgy Packet on our blog: The Great Debate!

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Maple and Vine Gallery

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Featuring:

Damon Kiely (Director) is happy to return to Next Theatre, having directed the Chicago premiere of Lisa Kron's Well. Damon served as the Artistic Director of American Theater Company from 2002 to 2007 where he directed Oklahoma! (Nominated for 6 Jeff Awards including Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical), The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, and the midwest premiere of Jordan Harrison's Kid-Simple. He has also directed for TimeLine Theatre, A Red Orchid, and Route 66. He is a full time professor at the Theatre School at DePaul where he looks forward to directing his own adaptation of Nancy Drew, The Sign of the Twisted Candles.  He lives in Edgewater with his wife Jennifer and their children, Isabella and Finnegan.

Jenny Avery (Ellen, Jenna)

Paul D’Addario:  (Roger/Omar) is thrilled to be making his Next Theatre debut.  He is a member and Associate Artistic Director of The Gift Theatre.  Favorite plays with the Gift have inluded Language of Angels, Hurlyburly and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot.  He is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf 2001 and continues to study with Mary Ann Thebus.

Molly Glynn: (Katha/Kathy) is delighted to return to Next where she was last seen in The Boarding House. Other Chicago credits include: Middletown and Orange Flower Water (Steppenwolf Theatre); Permanent Collection (Northlight Theatre); The Uneasy Chair (Writers’ Theatre); Heritage and Strictly Dishonorable (American Blues Theatre); Kate in Short Shakes! The Taming of the Shrew (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); as well as work at Apple Tree, Famous Door, First Folio, Remy Bumppo, Seanachai, and others. Film and TV credits: Something Better Somewhere Else, No Sleep ‘til Madison, Early Edition. This winter, Molly will be appearing in Unnecessary Farce at First Folio, with her husband, actor Joe Foust.

Lawrence Grimm: (Dean) is pleased to make his Next Theatre debut. He is a founding ensemble member of A Red Orchid Theater and co founder of its Youth Ensemble where he has appeared in numerous productions including "Mr. Kolpert", "Abigail's Party" and this Spring's "Megacosm" by Brett Neveu. Previous credits include Court Theatre ("Orlando"), Steppenwolf ("A Fair Country", "I Never Sang for My Father"), Lookingglass ("The Brothers Karamazov"), Piven Theatre ("Late: A Cowboy Song", "Two by Pinter") and Raven Theatre ("The Glass Menagerie" - Supporting Actor Jefferson Citation).

Peter Sipla: (Ryu) was recently seen as Kris Diaz in Collaboraction’s EVOLUTION.  Other Chicago area theater credits include TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT (Writers’ Theatre), YEAR ZERO (Victory Gardens Theater), PASSION (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG (Fox Valley Repertory), PACIFIC OVERTURES (Porchlight Music Theatre), MACBETH and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (First Folio Theatre), FAIRWAYS!, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, HONK!, and A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Steel Beam Theatre). Peter can be seen and heard in numerous commercials and voice overs.  He is a proud North Central College alum.   

The Chicago Press likes Maple and Vine:

“a very clever and entertaining piece of new writing, bops along very intriguingly and will surely spark post-show conversation.”
-Chicago Tribune

“...it achieves real resonance.”
-Chicago Tribune

Read the full review here

"Maple and Vine a most desirable address."
-TimeOut Chicago

Read the full review here

 “Maple and Vine,” Jordan Harrison’s exceptionally clever play about dealing with the present by seeking refuge in a past that might have been something less than it was cracked up to be, nostalgia is neither easily dismissed nor wholly glorified."
-Chicago Sun-Times

“wonderfully off-kilter”
Recommended
-Chicago Sun-Times

Read the full review here

"Theater is designed to entertain and yet make you think- this one does both with just the right touch."
-Alan Bresloff, Around the Town Chicago
Read the full article here