Title: Return of Political Theater at Mess Hall
Location: Mess Hall, 6932 North Glenwood, Chicago, IL
Description: Political theater throughout history has always had a considerable influence on public consciousness and enhanced social changes. Economic crisis, war, invasion, the rise of religious fundamentalism, violence, poverty and natural disasters are the dominant subjects of today’s human history. Through the exploration of such universal themes the political theatre is trying to find its flourishing ground once again.

Mess Hall will conduct a play reading series with a meticulous selection of plays written by regional playwrights every season. The February 28 reading is dedicated to the Middle East.

Ezzat Goushegir, playwright will present a selection of four short plays written by Caryl Churchill, Deb Margolin and hers. The reading is free and open to public.

Seven Jewish Children by Caryl Churchill

In response to last year Israel’s bombing attack and ground invasion of the Gaza Strip which killed over thousand Palestinian and left many seriously injured, Caryl Churchill the prominent British playwright wrote this controversial 10-minute play, Seven Jewish Children, a play for Gaza.

CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION WITH CARYL CHURCHILL, Deborah S. Margolin wrote SEVEN PALESTINIAN CHILDREN, a 10-minute play for the other, portraying seventy years of the history of Palestine under Israeli occupation.

You’re Not a Man! By Ezzat Goushegir, a 15-minute play about the invasion of Afghanistan.

Ahmad, an Afghani translator, and two American interrogators working for a military base in Afghanistan, speak about an innocent young farmer and taxi driver who was shackled and brutally tortured for four days at Bagram prison, a detention center 40 miles north of Kabul.

Two Iranian Children By Ezzat Goushegir, a 15- minute play about two Iranian twin sisters coming together after twenty two years of separation caused by theocratic regime of Islamic Republic of Iran. This play was written on January 8th the International Symbolic Work Strike, in Solidarity with Iranian people.

The plays will be directed by Ezzat Goushegir and acted by Cheryl Snodgrass, Laura Welsh Berg and Jeremy Cohn.

Cheryl Snodgrass focuses on the production of new works. She was last in Roanoke to direct Rosalee Was Here, by Maura Campbell. Cheryl has been a guest artist at Lawrence University and was a founding member of No Shame Theatre, The Unusual Cabaret, Les Enfants du Mais, and C’est Destine.

Laura Welsh Berg has been in Arms and the Man at Stage Center and Mill Fire at Sheil Park Theater. Before moving to Chicago, Laura was a company member of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival in Boise, Idaho and Great Lakes Theater Festival in Cleveland, Ohio where she has appeared in The Crucible, Macbeth, and many other plays.

Jeremy Cohn a graduate of the Boston University B.F.A. Acting program currently living and working as an actor in Chicago. His most recent projects include the title role in “Sunday in the Park with George” at Village Players Theatre, as well as appearances with the Jeff Nominated “A Moon for the Misbegotten”.

Start Time: 2:00 pm
Date: 2010-02-28
End Time: 5:00 pm

This entire post, except for the photo, was taken directly from the Mess Hall website.
photo credit: House of Cards