The Petrified Forest
In a sand-swept diner on the edge of 200 miles of untamed desert, in a country past the edge of financial collapse, a young waitress yearns for an artist’s life in France whilst stuck amidst men who prefer to remember what life used to be. But this night, her world is upended by two desperate men: one a penniless English drifter who had and lost the life she dreams of, the other a cold-blooded gangster with a trail of bodies behind him. Strawdog Artistic Associate Shade Murray, whose work on our production of Detective Story won him the Jeff Award for Director (not to mention Production and Ensemble), breathes new life into another American classic, a violent, funny, romantic play that was the basis of the film that launched Humphrey Bogart to stardom.
“HIGHLY RECOMMENDED”
— Chicago Sun-Times
“RECOMMENDED … slick, darkly comic noir”
— Chicago Reader
“CRITIC’S PICK … everyone should go see this play”
— Kelly Kleiman, WBEZ
Cast
Ashley Alvarez
as Paula
Jerry Bloom
as Legion Commander
Walter Brody
as Gramp
David Daniels
as Deputy
Paul Fagen*
as Squier
Ted Hoerl
as Jason
Shane Kenyon
as Boze
John Moran
as Jackie
Caroline Neff
as Gabby
Janice O’Neill*
as Mrs. Chisholm
Jim Poole
as Mr. Chisholm
Travis Porchia
as Pyles
Mark Pracht
as Sheriff
Brandon Saunders
as Joseph
Adam Shalzi
as Ruby
Jamie Vann*
as Duke
Creative Team
Shade Murray
Director
Nic Dimond
Set Design
Heather Gilbert
Light Design
Aly Renee Amidei*
Costume Design
Sarah Burnham
Props Design
Mikhail Fiksel
Sound Design
Brandon Bruce
Fight Choreographer
Eva Breneman
Dialects
Matt Buettner
Technical Direction
Jordan Muller
Stage Manager
Tyler Wilsey
Production Manager
Aaron Cannon
Master Electrician
* Strawdog Theatre ensemble member