The amazing story of the life of Speech & Debate continues as the show has now been extended for the second time, until May 31. Sadly we know that this will be the last time as the theater has a renter loading in Monday June 2nd, so we have no choice but to close Saturday. We will celebrate the opportunity to continue sharing the show with audiences while we can though, and it will be a treat to close on a Saturday night and be able to celebrate this experience together. The run continues to reward us-congratulatory phone calls and emails from friends, fans, and colleagues from all over Chicago arrive all the time, and we are excited to have some strong interest in transferring the show to other venues.

We had a brush-up rehearsal with the cast Wednesday, and it was fun for us to back getting our hands dirty together for the first time in a while. The cast has grown and found an amazing rhythm together over the course of the run, so it was fascinating to talk over the small changes and adjustments that have taken place as a result. In a couple of instances the actors had found the heart of something in performance which we had been unable to fully pin down in rehearsal. It was good for us to be able to talk those moments over and tinker with them as a result-all in the interest of ensuring the show stays tight and sharp for the remainder of the run. Speech & Debate is in an amazing place. If you haven't seen it since early in the run, I invite you to come back and experience the full force of the show which these talented actors are conjuring night after night.

~Jason Gerace, Assistant Director