Chicago playwright and TimeLine Theatre Company Member Tyla Abercrumbie weaves a mother’s past with her daughters’ present in Relentless—her world premiere play developed through the company’s Playwrights Collective and presented as the culmination of TimeLine’s 23rd season, running May 6 – June 27, 2020.
TimeLine Company Member Ron OJ Parson directs Abercrumbie’s vibrant and startling turn-of-the-century tale of family, legacy, and progress. Press opening is Wednesday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Relentless looks at the deep personal secrets we keep to protect the ones we love most. After the death of their mother, two sisters return home to Philadelphia in 1919 to settle her estate. Annelle is a happy socialite desperate to return to the safe illusion of a perfect life with her husband in Boston. Janet is a single, professional nurse, determined to change history and propel Black women to a place of prominence and respect. After discovering a series of diaries left by their late mother, they find themselves confronted with a woman they never really knew, exposing buried truths from the past that are chillingly, explosively Relentless.
Relentless was developed through TimeLine’s Playwrights Collective, launched in 2013 to support Chicago-based playwrights in residence and create new work centered on TimeLine’s mission of presenting plays inspired by history that connect to today’s social and political issues. The play received its first public reading as part of TimeLine’s inaugural First Draft Playwrights Collective Festival in December 2018. Relentless is the second play developed through TimeLine’s Playwrights Collective to receive a full production, following the company’s 2018 world premiere of Brett Neveu’s To Catch a Fish.
The cast for Relentless features Ayanna Bria Bakari (she/her) as Annelle/Mother, Xavier Lee Bleuel (he/him) as Franklin, Amanda Drinkall (she/her) as Mary Elizabeth, Adia Alli (she/her) as Zhuukee/Annabelle Lee, Travis Delgado (he/him) as Marcus, and Marguerite Genard (she/her) as Janet.
The production team includes Jack McGaw (Scenic Designer, he/him), Christine Pascual (Costume Designer, she/her), Heather Gilbert (Lighting Designer, she/her), Mealah Heidenreich (Properties Designer, she/her), Christopher Kriz (Sound Designer, he/him), Mike Tutaj (Projections Designer, he/him), Megan Pirtle (Wig and Hair Designer, she/her), Khalid Yaya Long (Dramaturg, he/him), Dina Spoerl (Lobby Display Designer, she/her), and Tiffany Fulson (Assistant Director, she/her).
Relentless begins previews May 6. Opening Night is May 14 at 7:30 p.m. Performances run through June 27 at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. For tickets and information, visit timelinetheatre.com or call the TimeLine Box Office at (773) 281-8463 x6.
ABOUT RELENTLESS
“I don’t know that this story has ever been told from the perspective of these types of characters, at least not in this genre,” playwright Tyla Abercrumbie said. “Often the part of American history that is labeled Black History—specifically as it relates to how and when Black Victorians existed and were effective—is largely left out, somehow. Either it’s collectively agreed that it didn’t exist, or IF it did exist, its importance to the American landscape is deemed irrelevant or at best insignificant, and therefore a collective demand that it be forgotten or “gotten over” has been nurtured and accepted. Many of the themes the characters in Relentless deal with remain very relevant today—racism, sexism, feminism, poverty, mental illness, infant mortality, police brutality. Those battles have been relentlessly fought over and over, yet here we are in 2020 still fighting against the same injustices.”
Tyla Abercrumbie (Playwright, she/her) is a Company Member at TimeLine, where she has appeared on stage in Paradise Blue and In Darfur. Behind the scenes, she also was assistant director of TimeLine’s A Raisin in the Sun, and directed the TimePieces reading of Repairing A Nation. She was a member of the 2016-18 TimeLine Playwrights Collective, and the resulting play, Relentless, received its first public reading as part of TimeLine’s inaugural First Draft Playwrights Collective Festival in December 2018. Abercrumbie’s other plays include Who’s Afraid of Deepak Chopra, Asylum (aka Life), Psychological Terrorism, Naked and Raw, The Straw, Affair of Ambiguity, and Normality. Abercrumbie’s work has been produced by Pittsburgh Playwright’s Theatre, MPAACT Theatre, and Chicago Cultural Center, and The Straw received a professional Staged Reading with Chicago Dramatists. In addition to her writing, Abercrumbie is a veteran Chicago actor, whose recent credits include Sweat (Goodman) and Pipeline (Victory Gardens). She also has worked at Chicago Shakespeare, Court, Next, and Northlight, among others. Regionally, she has worked at Boston’s Huntington Theatre, Florida’s Asolo Repertory Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, and Actors Theatre of Louisville. Television credits include The Chi (recurring role), Utopia, Proven Innocent, Chicago PD, Chicago Med, Shrink, Empire, Easy, Crisis, Mob Doctor, Detroit 187, Chicago Code, Shameless, and Private Practice. You may also have seen her at comedy clubs around town testing jokes for her stand-up show, Naked & Raw 3 (The Takers and the Tooken). She is also an established poet invited to showcase her work around the country, and as an opener for keynote speakers like the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Cathy Hughes. She has a BA degree with a focus in Theatre and Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago, and is a member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA.
Ron OJ Parson (Director, he/him) is a Company Member at TimeLine, where his credits include Jiréh Breon Holder’s Too Heavy for Your Pocket, Brett Neveu’s To Catch a Fish, Dominique Morisseau’s Paradise Blue and Sunset Baby, and Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun. He is a native of Buffalo, New York, and a graduate of the University of Michigan’s professional theater program. He is the co-founder and former Artistic Director of Onyx Theatre Ensemble of Chicago and a co-founder and co-director of Ripe ManGo Productions. Parson is a Resident Artist at Court Theatre and an Associate Artist with Teatro Vista, and an Associate Artist at Writers Theatre. Since moving to Chicago from New York in 1994, he has worked as both an actor and director. His Chicago credits include work with The Chicago Theatre Company, Victory Gardens, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Chicago Dramatists, Northlight, Court, Black Ensemble Theatre, Congo Square, Northlight Theatre, Urban Theatre Company, City Lit Theater, ETA Creative Arts, and Writers. Regionally, Parson has directed shows at Studio Arena Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Milwaukee Repertory, South Coast Repertory, Pasadena Playhouse, Geva Theatre, Virginia Stage, Roundabout Theatre, Wilshire Theatre, The Mechanic Theatre, CenterStage, St. Louis Black Repertory, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre, Signature Theatre (New York), Kansas City Rep, and Portland Stage, among others. In Canada, he directed the world premiere of Palmer Park by Joanna McClelland Glass at the Stratford Festival. He is a member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and SDC. For further information, visit ronojparson.com.
Ayanna Bria Bakari (Annelle/Mother) returns to TimeLine, where she appeared last season in Too Heavy for Your Pocket and the First Draft Festival reading of Relentless. Other recent Chicago credits include Stick Fly and The Niceties (Writers) and How to Catch Creation (Goodman), as well as productions at Raven, Stage Left, and The Story Theatre, where she is an ensemble member.
Xavier Bleuel (Franklin) is making his TimeLine debut. His previous credits include work at the Goodman Theatre, Playhouse Theatre, Notre Dame Shakespeare, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis, and Island Stage Left, among others.
Amanda Drinkall (Mary Elizabeth) is making her TimeLine debut. A Jeff Award winner for Actress in a Principal Role (Last Train To Nibroc, Haven), her extensive Chicago credits include productions at Steppenwolf, Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, Northlight, and Victory Gardens, among others.
Adia Alli (Zhuukee/Annabelle Lee) returns to TimeLine, where she appeared last season in Cardboard Piano and the First Draft Festival reading of Relentless. Other Chicago credits include productions at The House Theatre, the Art Institute of Chicago, Definition Theatre, Interrobang, Stage Left, and Steppenwolf. She also plays Danielle in the webseries Seeds (Shatterglass Films).
Travis Delgado (Marcus) is making his TimeLine debut. He has been seen on television in Chicago P.D. and Chicago Fire, and on local stages including Sideshow, Jackalope, Lookingglass, Oracle Productions, and the Chicago Fringe Festival.
Marguerite Genard (Janet) is making her TimeLine debut. She has appeared on television in All Hail Beth and Chicago Fire, and her theater credits include work with Theater Wit (Chicago), Theater for the New City (New York), and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (London and Greece).
RELENTLESS PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE/EVENTS
Previews of Relentless are Wednesday, May 6 through Friday, May 8 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 9 at 4 p.m.; Sunday, May 10 at 2 p.m.; and Tuesday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Press Night is Wednesday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Opening Night is Thursday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. Regular performances continue through June 27: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. Exceptions: No 4 p.m. performance Saturday, May 16. Added weekday matinee Wednesday, June 24 at 2 p.m.
BUYING TICKETS
Single tickets to Relentless are now on sale. Preview tickets are $25. Single tickets to regular performances are $42 (Wednesday through Friday), $49 (Saturday evenings) and $57 (Saturday and Sunday matinees). Student discount is 35% off regular price with valid ID. TimeLine is also a member of TCG’s Blue Star Theatre Program and is offering $25 tickets to U.S. military personnel, veterans, first responders, and their spouses and family.
Discounted rates for groups of 10 or more are available. Ticket buyers age 18-35 may join TimeLine’s free MyLine program to obtain access to discounted tickets, special events and more. Visit timelinetheatre.com/discounts for more about Blue Star, MyLine and other available discounts.
For single tickets or more information, visit timelinetheatre.com or call the Box Office at (773) 281-8463 x6.
DISCUSSIONS AND SPECIAL EVENTS:
MyLine Preview Pizza Party: Thursday, May 7, 6:45 p.m. MyLine Members ages 18 to 35 gather in TimeLine’s rehearsal room for pizza, drinks and a special pre-show discussion with TimeLine artistic staff, followed by the 8 p.m. show. Visit timelinetheatre.com/myline to sign up for $15 tickets to MyLine performances and $10 tickets for pre-show Pizza Parties.
Post-Show Discussions: A brief, informal post-show discussion hosted by a TimeLine Company Member and featuring the dramaturg and members of the production team on Sunday, May 17; Wednesday, May 20; Thursday, May 28; Sunday, May 31; Wednesday, June 10; and Wednesday, June 17.
Pre-Show Discussions: Starting one hour before these performances, a 25-minute introductory conversation hosted by a TimeLine Company Member and the dramaturg on Wednesday, June 3, and Sunday, June 21.
Sunday Scholars Panel Discussion: A one-hour post-show discussion featuring experts on the themes and issues of the play on Sunday, June 7.
Company Member Discussion: A post-show discussion with the collaborative team of artists who choose TimeLine’s programming and guide the company’s mission on Sunday, June 14.
All discussions are free and open to the public. For details, visit timelinetheatre.com.
ACCESSIBILITY
Captioned Performances: An open-captioned performance with a text display of words and sounds heard during performances on Saturday, June 6 at 4 p.m. and Thursday, June 11.
Audio-Described Performance and Touch Tour: On Friday, June 19 at 8 p.m., the performance will feature a live narrator giving verbal descriptions of actions, costumes, scenery, and other visual elements via a handheld device. A “touch tour” of the set and props and an artistic discussion will precede the show.
TimeLine Theatre is accessible to people with disabilities. Two wheelchair lifts provide access from street level to the theater space and to lower-level restrooms. Audience members using wheelchairs or who need to avoid stairs, and others with special seating or accessibility needs should contact the TimeLine Box Office in advance to confirm arrangements.
LOCATION/TRANSPORTATION/PARKING
Relentless will take place at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, near the corner of Wellington and Broadway, inside the Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ building.
TimeLine is served by multiple CTA trains and buses. TimeLine offers discounted parking at the Laz parking garage at Broadway Center ($8 with validation; 2846 N. Broadway, at Surf) or the Century Mall ($9 with validation; 2836 N. Clark), with other paid parking options nearby, plus limited free and metered street parking.
ALSO AT TIMELINE THEATRE THIS SEASON
TimeLine is currently presenting the Chicago premiere of Kill Move Paradise by James Ijames, directed by TimeLine Company Member Wardell Julius Clark, now playing through April 5, 2020. Inspired by the ever-growing list of slain unarmed black men and women, Kill Move Paradise is a bold portrait of those lost—not as statistics, but as heroes. For tickets and information, visit timelinetheatre.com or call (773) 281-8463 x6.
TIMELINE THEATRE’S NEW HOME
TimeLine Theatre has purchased property in Uptown—encompassing a five-story, 45,500-square-foot warehouse building plus a vacant lot near the corner of Broadway and Argyle—to be the site of its new home. Preliminary plans feature two intimate and flexible black box theatres seating up to 225 and 125 audience members, respectively. TimeLine’s new home also provides an expanded area for the immersive lobby experiences that are a TimeLine hallmark, new opportunities for education and engagement, room to allow audience members to arrive early and stay late for theatergoing experiences that extend far beyond the stage, and more.
TimeLine has also announced the selection of HGA as architect, furthering its new home project, which is expected to take approximately three years to complete. In the meantime, TimeLine continues to maintain its operations and present the majority of its productions at its current home in Lakeview East.
ABOUT TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY
TimeLine Theatre Company, recipient of the prestigious 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, was founded in April 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues. Now entering its 23rd season, TimeLine has presented 79 productions, including 10 world premieres and 35 Chicago premieres, and launched the Living History Education Program, which brings the company's mission to life for students in Chicago Public Schools. Recipient of the Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence and the Richard Goodman Strategic Planning Award from the Association for Strategic Planning, TimeLine has received 54 Jeff Awards, including an award for Outstanding Production 11 times.
TimeLine is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers, Managing Director Elizabeth K. Auman and Board President Eileen LaCario. Company members are Tyla Abercrumbie, Will Allan, Nick Bowling, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Wardell Julius Clark, Behzad Dabu, Charles Andrew Gardner, Lara Goetsch, Juliet Hart, Anish Jethmalani, Mildred Marie Langford, Mechelle Moe, David Parkes, Ron OJ Parson, PJ Powers, Maren Robinson, and Benjamin Thiem.
Major corporate, government and foundation supporters of TimeLine Theatre include Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, The Crown Family, Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation, Forum Fund, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Irving Harris Foundation, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Laughing Acres Family Foundation, A.L. and Jennie L. Luria Foundation, MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Pauls Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, and The Shubert Foundation.
For more information, visit timelinetheatre.com on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@TimeLineTheatre).