Strangers & Romance - "We all know about love..."

A note from our director, Doug Long:


"We all know about love. We know we need it, but we know that miscommunication can sever a relationship or prevent good people from connecting. Madison, Maddie, Miriam, and Mick - the characters in Barbara Lhota’s one-act plays Strangers and Romance – are all at relationship impasses. And it’s Christmas – not the best time to feel unloved or alone. In these plays, Barb explores our universal urge to push past communication breakdowns, and even tragedy, to re-connect and seek love and happiness. One of her talents as a writer is that she does all this with a great deal of humor. This humanizes our four characters - they feel just as fallible and funny as people we know.


Our designers have created the desolate locations for these stories of desolate people – after hours in a train station and chapel – in the appropriately intimate Trap Door Theatre. Interestingly, two of our designers have had weddings during this rehearsal and production process, perhaps a reminder that love and happiness is always possible.


It’s been a pleasure working with Strangeloop Theatre on this show. They are an energetic, well-organized, and talented (fairly) new company in Chicago. They specialize in developing and presenting fresh work. And they’re not the only ones in town who recognize Barb Lhota’s talent. Two other companies, Babes With Blades and 20% Theatre Company, are also producing Lhota plays concurrent with our run. Though she has been writing for more than 20 years, this is her time in Chicago theatre, and we on this production – and you as the audience – have the privilege of being part of it."


Strangers & Romance opens Friday night at Trap Door Theatre, with a special preview on Thursday. Details and tickets at www.strangelooptheatre.org.