On Monday, First Folio Theatre announced its lineup of 2018-19 shows, including the remounting of its most beloved show, “The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe.”
An original play by executive director David Rice, “The Madness of the Edgar Allan Poe: a Love Story” first premiered in 2006 and earned 3.5 stars from Kerry Reid for its last staging in 2015. (Oct. 3-Nov.4). “It’s clear that Poe’s tales arose from a badly broken heart, beginning with the death of his actress mother when he was 3 to the subsequent death of his foster mother to the passing of his cousin, bride and muse, Virginia (or ‘Sissy’),” wrote Reid of the show’s plot, which connects Poe’s classic and horrifying tales with the agony of these losses. Through the course of the immersive performance, Poe and his wife guide the audience around Mayslake Hall. The production will not return for another five years after this Chicago run.
The second show of the season will be the Chicago professional premiere of “All Childish Things” (Jan. 23-Feb. 24, 2019). The comedy heist by Joseph Zettelmaier will be directed by associate artistic director Melanie Keller and follows a group of childhood friends who decide to steal Star Wars memrobilia.
The indoor season will wrap with “The Firestorm,” a political drama written by Meridith Friedman and directed by artistic associate Rachel Lambert (March 27-April 28, 2019). The show follows Gaby and Patrick, an interracial political power couple who must confront a racist incident from Partrick’s past when it lands in the public eye.
The 2018-19 season will conclude on the outdoor stage with “Henvy V” (July 10-Aug. 18, 2019). Directed by Hayley Rice, the show will feature Diana Coates as the King whose hubris leads him into international turmoil and puts his people at high risk.
All performances will take place at the Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 31st St., Oak Brook.
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