Milwaukee Native in World Premiere of New Comedy “Chagall in School”

Grippo Stage Company is proud to present Chagall In School, a world premiere comedy by James Sherman (Beau Jest, The God of Isaac, The Ben Hecht Show) and directed by Georgette Verdin. The play, inspired by the real story of the famed artist, Marc Chagall, runs September 6 - October 9, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave.

Chagall in School is set in 1920, a few years after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. Marc Chagall is asked to head a school for artists in his Russian hometown of Vitebsk. By gathering together other noted artists of the time including Yuri Pen, Vera Ermolaeva and El Lissitsky and with the support of his loving wife, Berta, Chagall endeavors to realize his dream of a free school for anyone who wishes to explore their artistic aspirations. His goals are quickly complicated by the clash of personalities and differences between these artists, as well as Chagall’s own inherent inability to take on the role of a stern administrator. When the most impressive artist of the time, Kazimir Malevich, arrives to join the faculty, the artistic soul of the school and Chagall’s own future as an artist are contested.

John Drea, a Milwaukee native, plays main character Marc Chagall in Chagall in School. Drea attended Marquette University High School as a youth and went on to graduate from Loyola University Chicago. His credits include Goodman Theatre’s The Sound Inside with Director Bob Falls and Griffin Theatre Company’s Solaris. Accolades include press coverage for Solaris, The Sound Inside, and Whose Body?

Opening night is Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. The regular performance schedule is Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are now on sale from $38 - $42 and information is available at 773.975.8150 or at www.TheaterWit.org.