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

Well we are about to enter the second full weekend of the run after opening and I am really enjoying being around the cast these days. Of course I always love being around them, but one can feel the energy radiating off of these actors, especially when they are together, because they know they have hit their stride-and that is pretty intoxicating. The cast had a 10 am matinee yesterday for a couple of school groups and standing in the lobby one would have thought there was a rock concert going on inside...the students and teachers alike were in love with this play and these characters from the beginning and stayed right with them to the end. There was so much hooting and hollering during "Freedom" the cast felt like they were in a burlesque show. We even had one of the most engaging post-show discussions I have ever seen afterwards. The buzz on the street is clearly good because tickets continue to fly out the door. If you have not booked your tickets yet do it soon because sooner than later there will not be ANY left. Of course the glowing reviews and the Jeff recommendation the show received have helped. You can read some of the raves about Speech & Deabte by following the links below:

Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/2008/04/speech-and-deba.html

Barbara Vitello, Daily Herald
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=185268

Christopher Piatt, Time Out Chicago
http://www.timeout.com/chicago/articles/theater/29256/speech-and-debate

Catey Sullivan, Windy City Times
http://www.windycitytimes.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=18251

Tom Williams, Chicagocritic.com
http://www.chicagocritic.com/html/speech_and_debate.html

Or click this link to find all these and more in one place:

http://www.theatreinchicago.com/review.php?playID=2242

~Jason Gerace, Assistant Director

The audience is always the last element added to a production, and especially with a comedy it is a very important one. We have been through two previews now, and the injection of the final element has been tremendously exciting and energizing for us. The audience for our second preview last night was with us right from the start-laughing, clapping, smiling, cheering-we could feel the energy coming from them, rooting on these characters. The lobby was truly buzzing afterward. People were just so turned on by this show that they didn't want to leave-they wanted to stay emmersed in the aura surrounding everyone who had just been through the experience of this performance together. Sure the pizza and beer had something to do with it-but I heard people talking about tears rolling down their faces and peeing their pants with laughter. I heard people saying they couldn't wait to come back and see it again. It was a scene which we would be very fortunate see repeated, and that I feel confident will happen over and over through the run of this show.

We were also joined by the playwright of Speech & Debate, Stephen Karam, yesterday afternoon and for the preview. He was firing questions at me a mile a minute on the drive back from the airport, but as he walked in the theater and saw the set his nervous energy transformed into enthusiasm, and even more so once he was able to see the way we are using the projections in this production. His response to the performance was tremendously positive and he told me himself that he is in love with this cast. We are glad to have him with us through the opening. Just a couple of days to opening...bring it on!

~Jason Gerace, Assistant Director

Well we spent over 20 hours at the theatre teching Speech & Debate from Friday night through Sunday, and while we had at least our fair share of hang-ups and snafoos I am happy to report that we have emerged unscathed and excited about what is about to happen in this last week before opening. Thank the heavens for our amazing team or this whole process could have been truly challenging to the will and heart of each of us involved...the best thing about working with people of this caliber is that every time you think you have had it, someone comes through with a truly beautiful artistic contribution that reminds you why you are there in the first place, reenergizes everyone in the room, and inspires all to charge on. The set continues to prove itself dynamic and interesting, the lights are sexy, the sound design spot on, the video projections are fabulous. We have a very exciting vomiting effect that I know everyone is excited about, and as is always the case, the costumes really bring the characters alive. Everyone was so nimble and flexible all weekend-it is a marvel of collaboration.

And where, I ask you, would we be without our cast who through it all was able to keep a smile on their faces and keep everyone in the room laughing, down to the last hour? Thinking back to how exhausted I was leaving the theater last night well after 1AM, I am amazed at the fire that is burning in my stomach as I think about getting back to it tomorrow night. I guess I am just eager to see where I know this thing can go.

~Jason Gerace, Assistant Director

What a week! We have been rehearsing hard and we were able to not only get the entire show staged, but even a first run of the show in by Sunday! Considering that most of us met Jared on Tuesday this is a huge triumph! We even did a little cast bonding, taking Jared out for his first Chicago style pizza experience (Lou Malnati's) on Saturday night, and sharing a large table full of mexican food and several large pitchers of margaritas on Sunday after the run. I guess we all had a good time too because we were planning other outings for the near future-a Cubs game seems to be high on the list. I was extremely impressed with the work these actors are doing under very trying circumstances. Jared was off book for an entire play he had in his possession less than a week, and Sadieh, Patrick, and Cheryl were knocking scenes out of the park that we haven't touched in two weeks. More than anything though, I just can't get over how funny this play is. It really says something about the writing, but also about the talent of the cast. The fact that PJ and I, along with our Stage Managers are still laughing to the point of tears on a very regular basis is really something. It makes me so excited for the opening!

The set is looking great as well, and it has been nice to be able to work on the rake, lockers, and chairs-and we are all eager to see the lights and projections, and start working with the costumes (especially the tear-away pieces). The actors are putting on their dancy-pants tonight to polish up "Freedom" and then we are back to the nitty-gritty.

~Jason Gerace, Assistant Director