Susan Swayne and the Bewildered Bride

By: Reina Hardy

World Premiere!

A victorian woman pins another woman, face down, to the ground

About the Show

Meet Susan Swayne and the Society of Lady Detectives – aside from their interest in swordplay, they’re all perfectly proper Victorian women. Or are they? When the distraught Isabelle Fontaine-Kite insists that a member of the S.O.L.D. is actually her missing husband, Eric, Susan Swayne is on the case!

Originally submitted to BWBTC’s inaugural Joining Sword & Pen competition in 2005, Swayne began as a one act, and held the seeds of a story that we wanted to see grow. The script went through our New Plays Development Program in 2009, becoming a full-length in the process. And now, we’re delighted to present the world premiere!

WHERE Lincoln Square Theatre
4754 N. Leavitt, Chicago
(in the basement of the Berry Memorial UMC)
WHEN August 11 – September 22, 2012
SHOWTIMES Thursdays, Fridays
and Saturdays at 8:00pm
Saturday matinees at 2:00pm (9/1, 8 & 15)
PREVIEWS August 11, 17, 2013
PRESS OPENING Saturday, August 18, 2012 at 8:00pm
CLOSING NIGHT Saturday, September 22, 2012 at 8:00pm
PAST PRODUCTIONS

Reviews

About the Script

Cast & Staff

Events & Discounts

Venue & Dining

AUDIENCE ALERT
This production uses realistic staged violence in the telling of the story.

RUN TIME
1 hour, 45 minutes with intermission

DIRECTOR
Dan Foss*

VIOLENCE DESIGN
Libby Beyreis*

* Denotes BWBTC Ensemble Member

***Ticket sales end 3 hours before curtain. Seats may still be available even if it says no longer available.***

9/20 – 9/22, be taking a post-show collection for Howard Brown at all 3 performances.

PLAYWRIGHT: Reina Hardy

DIRECTOR: Dan Foss

VIOLENCE DESIGN: Libby Beyreis*

CAST: Kathryn Acosta (Madeline/Charles), Lisa Herceg* (Susan Swayne), Kimberly Logan* (Isabelle Fontaine-Kite), Megan Schemmel* (Adelaide/Fred/Bartholomew), Justine Serino (Lady Bomberry), Kelly Yacono* (Katherine Denn)

STAFF: Leigh Barrett* (Lighting Design), Matthew Cummings (Props Design), Alison Dornheggen* (Production Manager), Gillian N. Humiston* (Assistant Violence Design), Christopher Kriz (Sound Design), Kathy Logelin (Dialect Coach), Dennis Mae (Scenic Design), Tara Malpass (Stage Manager), Kjers McHugh* (Assistant Director), Kimberly Morris (Costume Design)

* = BWBTC ensemble member
Susan Swayne postcard front
Two women fighting, one on the ground with a foot to the stomach or a woman attacking with a knife
Two women grapple face-to-face
A victorian woman pins another woman, face down, to the ground
4 women fighting in pairs with small swords
Two women in a bind, fighting with small swords
Two people looking out a window
Two victorian women sit by some stairs
Two women facing each other parrying small swords

Press photos by: Steven Townshend.

Production photos by: Johnny Knight.

“It’s a mystery that…makes good use of dramatic irony, a farce that has some poignancy, and a feminist show with elements obviously geared toward men. Anyone who enjoys watching impressive swordplay by attractive women will naturally delight in this show, but it has a much broader appeal. I challenge anyone to attend and not come away with a smile.” — CHICAGO THEATER BEAT

“Susan Swayne and the Bewildered Bride… is an energetic two-act play that manages to insert some provocative thoughts around gender identity and independent thinking… As played by the formidable and wry Lisa Herceg, Swayne comes across as a Mary Poppins type if Poppins had given up nanny work and settled for a cracker jack career of crime fighting… These ladies will cut a bitch, corsets or not.” —CHICAGO THEATER ADDICT
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