Mudlark Theater Company Presents Mudpie

Mudlark Theater Company opens its 7th season with one of its most ambitious undertakings yet, an original production drawn from the works submitted by Evanston students aged 7 to 15. The result is a one-of-a-kind MUDPIE — part comedy, part drama, with a little bit of everything in between. “We asked for short stories, poems, reflections, ramblings, rants and we truly have received all types. Submissions ranged from a story about Sept. 11 to a fantastic fable about how we got chocolate chip cookies to a tale of older superheroes called the Geezer Four,” explains the show’s director, Michael Miro, who hopes that MUDPIE will become an annual tradition that will be around for years to come.  “We want it to get bigger every year until everyone in Evanston feels compelled to see this show and witness the unbridled imagination of the kids in the community.”

Staged with a minimalist set at Musical Offering’s intimate new performance space, Music on Madison, MUDPIE opens 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28 with additional shows at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, and 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30. An additional weekend of shows continues Friday, Nov. 4 through Sunday, Nov. 6, with 7:30 p.m. shows on Friday and Saturday and another 6 p.m. show on Sunday. Music on Madison is located at 625 Madison St. in Evanston. Tickets are $10 for adults; $8 for children and students. Tickets may be purchased at the door or online at www.mudlarktheater.org.

Miro says the company received over 50 submissions from Evanston’s public and private schools, about half of which will be featured in the show. Due to the ultra-condensed six-week rehearsal process, Miro tapped Mudlark stage veterans Jack McCarthy and Emma Soglin to serve as assistant directors and play influential roles in helping adapting these pieces for the stage. With just a few weeks left to go before opening, Miro says he couldn’t be more pleased with the dedication his young cast has shown in bringing these stories to life in such a short time. He sincerely hopes the students who see their submitted works on stage will find the outcome just as rewarding.

“The goal of MUDPIE is to celebrate the creativity of Evanston’s young people so they have a venue to see their work brought to life,” he says. “They will know that these stories they wrote down, whether it was for school or whether they were just doing it on their own, are something to celebrate. It feels good to give them the recognition that maybe they haven’t received for their impulses.”