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The Man Who Was Thursday

by Bilal Dardai
adapted from the novel by G.K. Chesterton
New Leaf Theatre | Fall 2009

"TOP TEN PLAYS OF 2009 ... New Leaf’s new adaptation of G.K. Chesterton’s 1908 satire about a man who finds himself tapped by Scotland Yard to infiltrate a council of anarchists was blessed by playwright Bilal Dardai’s deft touch and the shrewd, apparently endless inventiveness of director Jessica Hutchinson."

Kris Vire | Time Out Chicago

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"RECOMMENDED... Jessica Hutchinson’s directing is hip, astute and responsive, with a semi-promenade that makes brilliant use of space..."

Monica Weston | New City

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"RECOMMENDED ... a whip-smart adaptation ... Jessica Hutchinson's inventive staging and an agile ensemble find the right balance..."

Kerry Reid | Chicago Reader

About This Production

For this production, the audience's ticket was a badge that resembled those the seven hapless policemen code-named for days of the week receive when they're welcomed onto the force. They were also given a set of rules, designed to prepare them for the promenade adventure that began and ended in our lobby, and asked them to move about the theatre into different configurations as we traveled through the story. 

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Inspired by Magritte paintings, industrial metal, and Chuck Taylor All Stars, this production was a joyful, ridiculous, and ultimately poignant reminder of what happens when we let smoke and mirrors distract us from the very real dangers facing us as a society. Written in 2009, it's another example of Bilal's deeply insightful and somehow prescient understanding of our world.

photos by Marni Keenan

Featuring

Nate Burger
Ted Evans
Joel Ewing
Sean Patrick Fawcett
Dan Granata
Andy Hager
Patrick Halley
Nick Mikula
Austin Ole
Brian Rooney

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Collaborative Team

Stage Manager: Amanda Frechette
Sound Designer: Nick Keenan
Production Coordinator: Marni Keenan
Lighting Designer: Jared Moore
Scenic Designer: Michelle Lilly
Costume Designer: Rachel Sypniewski
Dramaturg: Jacob Juntunen
Fight Choreographer: Greg Poljacik
Dialect Coach: Lindsay Bartlet
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