Behind the ‘Line

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What do you really want to know?

Welcome to the second play in TimeLine Theatre’s 18th season—the Chicago premiere and second-ever production of Danny Casolaro Died For You. Playwright Dominic Orlando approaches this story from a very personal perspective. He was a cousin of the real Danny Casolaro, who was found dead with his wrists slashed in a hotel bathtub in 1991, eliciting a swirl of controversy and argument over the official medical ruling of suicide. Several books have been written about ...
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Our all-new 18th season

Welcome to TimeLine’s 18th season! We’re thrilled to share a new collection of plays with you—all new to Chicago. Tonight we open the Chicago premiere of Aaron Posner’s adaptation of Chaim Potok’s beloved novel My Name is Asher Lev. And once again we’re performing 
at ...
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News about a potential new home

As we’ve shared over the past few years, TimeLine has been outgrowing our home at 615 W. Wellington Avenue. For the past four seasons, we have performed one play each year at an alternate venue to accommodate rapidly growing audiences (our 18th season opener My ...
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His name is Alex Weisman

During rehearsals for My Name is Asher Lev, Artistic Director PJ Powers (PJP) spoke with actor and TimeLine Associate Artist Alex Weisman (AW) about his experience portraying the title character. (PJP) How familiar were you with Chaim Potok’s novel before auditioning for the show? (AW) ...
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Looking back, looking forward

The end of a season at TimeLine brings about some natural reflection. The similarities between the first play of our season, A Raisin in the Son, and the last, Juno, are not lost on me. Both feature a fierce matriarch holding a family together, a ...
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Catching up with Marya Grandy

During rehearsals, Artistic Director PJ Powers (PJP) conducted this interview with Juno star Marya Grandy (MG), who portrays the title character in TimeLine’s production of the musical. An edited version of their conversation appears in the Juno Backstory. (PJP) Where’d you grow up? (MG) It’s funny—I get asked that question a lot, and I have yet to come up with a consistent response. I lived in Los Angeles until I was about 14, and then my ...
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A new musical for Chicago

TimeLine is thrilled to bring the musical Juno to Chicago audiences for the first time. Based on the 1924 Sean O’Casey classic Juno and the Paycock, this musical was originally produced on Broadway in 1959. It closed after just 16 performances, never approaching the acclaim ...
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Two sisters talk biology, gender and theatre

Dr. Julie Robinson is the Chief Scientist for the International Space Station. She is also my sister. While working on The How and the Why, which examines not only questions about science and gender but also inheritance and family, I took the opportunity to interview my ...
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A conversation with Sarah Treem

During rehearsals, Artistic Director PJ Powers (PJP) conducted this interview with The How and the Why playwright Sarah Treem (ST). Spoiler alert: Some key plot and character details of the play are discussed. An edited version of this interview appears in The How and the ...
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How and why, then and now

We laugh, we cry, we are born, we die, Who will riddle me the how and the why? How you are you? Why I am I? Who will riddle me the how and the why? The world is somewhat; it goes on somehow; But what ...
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