Pictured: Evie Riojas, and Aaron Sanchez

The New Colony has announced the cast and production team for the world premiere of Michael Allen Harris’ prison drama PUNK.

Co-directed by Diana Raiselis and Katrina Dion, the production features Kyle Encinas, Keyanna Khatiblou, Monette McLin, Evie Riojas, Aaron Sanchez, and Daniel Shivelberg.

Picture (top, l-r): Kyle Encinas, Keyanna Khatiblou and Monette McLin, (bottom, l-r), Evie Riojas, Aaron Sanchez and Daniel Shivelberg.

The production team includes Eleanor Kahn (scenic design), Uriel Gomez, (costume design), Eric Watkins (lighting design), Jeffery Levin (sound design), Sydney Achler (props design), Kyle Encinas (choreography), Ryan Oliviera (dramaturg), Caswell James (technical director), Ali Drumm (production manager) and Rose Hamill (stage manager).

Set in a maximum-security prison in present day America, PUNK is the story of a group of inmates who are protected and housed in a special unit for gay, bisexual and transgender inmates. Tensions rise when Travis, a young man sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a gay man, requests to transfer into the unit. Fear and suspicion hover over the inmates who call this unit home.

PUNK  runs October 4 – November 5, 2017 at The Den Theatre’s Upstairs Main Stage, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. For more information visit thenewcolony.org.