Jackalope Theatre Company continues its 16th season at Edgewater’s Berger Park, 6205 N. Sheridan Rd., with the announcement of the cast and creative team for the world premiere of The Singularity Play, May 19 – June 22, by Jay Stull, directed by Georgette Verdin. Previews are Sunday, May 19; Monday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m. with the press opening Thursday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional performances on Mondays, June 10 and June 17 at 7:30 p.m. The accessibility performance with both audio description and live captioning is Sunday, June 9 at 3 p.m. The running time is currently 95 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $15 - 35 with student and Edgewater resident discounts available. For more information or tickets go to JackalopeTheatre.org or call/text the box office at 773.340.2543.

In an unused room at the Google offices in Manhattan, a theater troupe has gathered to rehearse a new play written by an advanced AI named "Denise." In an art that relies so substantially upon our human-ness, what does it mean to cede the stage to artificial intelligence? Who are we when reflected by the intelligence we’ve created?

“Jackalope couldn't be prouder to assemble these enormously talented artists behind this sharp, original and surprising script.,” Artistic Director Kaiser Ahmed remarks, “The intimate design and powerful ensemble will transport audiences to the edges of their imagination in this rapidly unfolding mystery of the human-AI condition. I invite you to be among the first to laugh and gasp at this new play from the brilliant mind of Jay Stull.”

The Singularity Play’s cast includes, in alphabetical order: Lucy Carapetyan (she/her, Alice/Royal); Kroydell Galima (he/him, Jason/Quinn);Christina Gorman (she/her, Lauren/Hollis); Anelga Hajjar (she/her, Denise/Dennis); Madison Hill (they/them, Henry/Finley); Jennifer Jelsema (she/her, Dawn); Ashley Neal (she/her, Heidi/Emily/Jules); Patrick Newson Jr. (he/him, Greg/Salem);Paloma Nozicka (she/her, Skyler) and Collin Quinn Rice (they/them, Ocean). The understudies are Kaiser Ahmed (he/him, Ocean U/S); Katie Bevil (they/it), Lauren/Hollis/Henry/Finley U/S); Maddy Brown (she/her, Heidi/Emily/Jules U/S); Christina Gorman (she/her, Dawn U/S); Gavin Rhys (he/him, Greg/Salem/Jason/Quinn U/S) and Yourtana Sulaiman (she/her, Denise/Dennis/Alice/Royal U/S).

The creative team includes Jay Stull (he/him, playwright); Georgette Verdin (she/her, director); Becca Smith (she/her, production manager); Lucy Carapetyan (she/her, casting director); Warren Duncan (he/him, assistant director); Grace Reasoner (she/her, stage manager); Jonah Fezler (he/him, assistant stage manager); Amal Salem (she/her, assistant stage manager cover); Karina Patel (she/her, production dramaturg); Ryan Emens (he/him, scenic designer); Isa Noe (they/them, prop designer); Eric Watkins (he/him, lighting designer); Izumi Inaba (she/her, costume designer); Christopher Kriz (he/him, sound designer); Gaby Labotka (any with respect, intimacy and fight director); Collin Quinn Rice (they/them, movement director). And, from Jackalope: Kaiser Ahmed (he/him, artistic director); Megan Wildebour (she/her, managing director); Ben Stacy (he/him, season production manager) and Amira Danan (she/her, development manager). 

ABOUT JAY STULL, PLAYWRIGHT THE SINGULARITY PLAY

Jay Stull (he/him) is a theater-maker from New York City. His work has been developed or produced by Ars Nova, The Alliance Theater, The Amoralists, The Bloomington Playwrights Project, New York City Center Off Center, the New Light Theater Project, New York Theatre Workshop, Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, the Gym at Judson, PlayCo, Roundabout, The Tank and the Theater, Dance, and Media concentration (TDM) at Harvard College. His written work has been supported by Yaddo, the New York Foundation for the Arts and the New York State Council for the Arts and the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. He is an alumnus of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab, The Civilians R&D Group and the Early Career Directing Fellowship at Clubbed Thumb and received his MFA from Columbia.

ABOUT GEORGETTE VERDIN, DIRECTOR THE SINGULARITY PLAY

Georgette Verdin (she/her) is a Cuban-American freelance director, the associate artistic director of Northlight Theatre and a member of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Recent directing credits include: Dial M for Murder (Northlight Theatre); the revival of Night Watch (Raven Theatre); the United States premiere of The Writer (Steep Theatre); the world premieres of A Mile in The Dark (Interrobang Theatre Project/Rivendell Theatre Ensemble); Enough to Let the Light In (Teatro Vista); Chagall in School (Grippo Stage Company) and Spay (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble). Verdin is a three-time Jeff nominated director and was the 2022 Michael Maggio Directing Fellow at Goodman Theatre. From 2015-2023, she served as artistic director of Interrobang Theatre Project, an award-winning storefront theatre known for gutsy productions that tackled socially-relevant issues. She was profiled in NewCity’s 2023 “Players: Who Really Performs for Chicago Right Now” and in Chicago Reader’s “Best of Chicago 2022.” She is an associate member with Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

ABOUT JACKALOPE THEATRE

Jackalope Theatre Company expands the definition of American Identity by engaging with communities to produce works that celebrate diverse perspectives. Jackalope is a premier home for new and exciting Off-Loop Theatre based in Chicago's Edgewater and Rogers Park neighborhoods. They are committed to cultivating new voices that contribute to an expanding American culture and mythology. Each season, Jackalope produces full-length plays, new play development programming and provides free classes in partnership with the Chicago Park District.

Jackalope Theatre Company continues its 16th season at Edgewater’s Berger Park, 6205 N. Sheridan Rd., with the announcement of the cast and creative team for the world premiere of The Singularity Play, May 19 – June 22, by Jay Stull, directed by Georgette Verdin. Previews are Sunday, May 19; Monday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m. with the press opening Thursday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional performances on Mondays, June 10 and June 17 at 7:30 p.m. The accessibility performance with both audio description and live captioning is Sunday, June 9 at 3 p.m. The running time is currently 95 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $15 - 35 with student and Edgewater resident discounts available. For more information or tickets go to JackalopeTheatre.org or call/text the box office at 773.340.2543.