First Folio Theatre Presents: ROUGH CROSSING January 29 - March 2

OAK BROOK, IL — First Folio Theatre
(Mayslake Peabody Estate, 31st St. & Rt. 83) presents Tom Stoppard’s
hysterical farce ROUGH CROSSING previewing January 29, opening Saturday,
February 1 at 8 p.m., and running through March 2, 2014. Directed by Jeff Award
nominee and First Folio Theatre favorite Alison C. Vesely, ROUGH CROSSING
is a musical romp on the high seas. Jeff Award winner Christopher Kriz (“The
Turn of the Screw”) will be composing three new jazz songs to Stoppard’s
original lyrics.

The Jazz Age musical is set in the
early 30’s aboard the S.S. Italian Castle on its way to New York, while two
playwrights struggle to finish their latest musical hit as they maneuver around
a jealous composer, the screen star he loves, and her lothario co-star. 
Aided by the most inept steward ever to tread the deck of a cruise ship, the
trio must save both their show and their stars from disaster.

The Chicago Tribune raved that ROUGH CROSSING is
“Filled with verbal pyrotechnics, shameless puns, outrageous literary
allusions…ineffably charming!” Written by Tony and Academy Award winner Tom
Stoppard, ROUGH CROSSING is based on “Play at the Castle” by Ferenc
Molnár. Stoppard has written several highly acclaimed plays such as “Arcadia”
and “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” and has been named one of the
greatest living English playwrights by several publications, including The
New York Times. 

The production features First Folio
Theatre Artistic Associates Kevin McKillip (The Merchant of Venice, The
Turn of the Screw and Unnecessary Farce at First Folio Theatre, Making
God Laugh at Theatre at the Center), René Ruelas (Hamlet, A Midsummer
Night’s Dream, and Design for Living at First Folio), Christian Gray
(The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe and The Jeeves Trilogy at First Folio) and
David Rice (H.C. Curry in The Rainmaker, Knuckles McCann in Jeeves
Takes a Bow, and Boolie in Driving
Miss Daisy at First Folio Theatre).  It also features First
Folio favorites Gail Rastorfer (Twelfth Night at First Folio, Ten
Chimneys at the Cleveland Playhouse, and You Can’t Take it With You
at Asolo Rep) and Jeff-Award winner Alex Weisman (Jimmy Curry in The
Rainmaker at First Folio, The History Boys and The Normal Heart
at Timeline Theater). 

Scenic Design is by Angela Weber
Miller with Sound Design by Christopher Kriz and Costume Design by Rachel
Lambert. Ethan Vail is the Lighting Designer and Cassy Schillo is the Props
Designer. Lynne M. Harris serves as Equity Stage Manager, Brian Claggett as
Technical Director, Ricky Harbecke as Master Electrician, and Sarah West as
Assistant Stage Manager.

First Folio Theatre is entering its 18th
season of bringing high-quality performances of Shakespeare and other classics
to the stage. During that time, the theater has expanded from an annual summer
production to a year-round operation with three separate and distinct stages at
the historic Mayslake Peabody Estate. The Shakespeare Book of
Lists names First Folio Theatre one of the “150 Great Places to See a
Shakespeare Play.” The Chicago Tribune raved that their “Shakespeare
Under the Stars” summer series “offers something Navy Pier can’t...plenty of
greenery, gentle breezes and the chance to stretch out on a blanket with family
and friends while being transported to Shakespeare’s otherworldly romance.”


ROUGH CROSSING runs January 30 through March 3. All
performances take place at the Mayslake Peabody Estate, located at 1717 W 31st
St., off Rt. 83, in Oak Brook. First Folio is easy to get to from via the
East-West Tollway (I-88) or the Stevenson Expressway (I-55). Free parking is
available on the grounds. Preview tickets are $22.  Regular priced tickets
are $30 Wednesdays and Thursdays (seniors and students are $26), and $37 on
Fridays through Sundays (seniors and students are $32).  Three and four
show subscriptions are available for $57-$105 (subscribers will receive $5 off
each subscription if they are purchased by August 1, 2013).  Season
subscriptions and individual tickets may be purchased by calling the box office
at 630.986.8067 or online at www.firstfolio.org.