Raven Announces “Eden Prairie, 1971” Cast and Production Team

Raven Announces “Eden Prairie, 1971” Cast and Production Team

Photo: (left to right) Hayley Burgess, Curtis Edward Jackson and Emily Tate.

Raven Theatre has announced casting for its world premiere of Mat Smart’s drama “Eden Prairie, 1971,” directed by Henry Wishcamper.

The cast includes Hayley Burgess, Curtis Edward Jackson and Emily Tate.

On the same night Apollo 15 lands on the moon, draft-dodger Pete steals home to Eden Prairie, Minnesota, after a 300-mile walk from Canada. He risks arrest but has an important message to deliver to an old friend. In a moment of national and interpersonal tension that mirrors our own, Pete must defend his choices and grapple with the sacrifices he’s made.

“Mat Smart’s Eden Prairie, 1971 takes us back to a time almost 50 years ago when the nation was at war and far from unified – and the military draft was a major issue in the lives of all young men,” said Raven Artistic Director Cody Estle. “Except for the draft, it was a time not too dissimilar from the present. Looking back may help us understand and affect the present. I’m excited to welcome Mat and this new script to Raven Theatre.”

The production team includes William Boles (scenic design), Noël Huntzinger (costume design), Claire Chrzan (lighting design), Sarah D. Espinoza (sound design), Caitlin McCarthy (props design), Megan E. Pirtle (makeup design), Lynn Baber (casting director), Georgette Verdin (associate director), Cole von Glahn (artistic producer), Steph Taylor (assistant costume design), Bobby Huggins (technical director), Liz Gomez (master electrician), Eileen Rozycki (scenic artist), Wilhelm Peters (stage manager) and Molly Weaver (assistant stage manager).

“Eden Prairie, 1971” plays May 7 – June 21, 2020, on Raven’s 85-seat East Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville) in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at raventheatre.com or by calling (773) 338-2177.

About author

PerformInk

PerformInk is Chicago's entertainment industry trade publication.