Love and Tear Gas

World Premiere by Ken Levine
Directed by Craig Gustafson
performances: ​May 5 - 21, 2023

GreenMan Theatre Troupe is pleased to announce its next show – the world premiere of Love and Tear Gas, by Emmy Award winning writer Ken Levine (Cheers, Frasier, M*A*S*H, The Simpsons, etc.)  Levine’s plays are riotously funny (literally, with this one), and with a depth of human awareness.  Recent productions of Levine’s Upfronts and Personal and America’s Sexiest Couple at Aurora’s Riverfront Playhouse have been highly successful, artistically and financially.  Directing will be GreenMan regular Craig Gustafson, winner of the 2022 Broadway World - Chicago Best Director Award for his production of Levine’s Upfronts and Personal.
 
Cast for Love and Tear Gas:

Kim, the glamorous young movie star, will be played by Chicago actor Annie Murtha. Murtha plays a performer who is willing to risk her career to learn how to help people.

Actor Joe Gomez of Palos Park will perform the role of Walter, a young man who is a sincere, smart, and a dedicated activist.

As the voice of reason and an equally dedicated smartass, who also knows a Surprising Secret, Larry will be played by Jay Battles of Chicago Ridge.

SYNOPSIS – a comedy taking place in Los Angeles in 1969 amidst rioting and Hollywood glamor.   Movie star Kim Carlisle hooks up with political activist Walter Arbogast and moves from her mansion in Bel-Air to Walter’s shabby, dangerous house.  Their relationship gets a bit rocky when Kim tries to reconcile her old life with her new one, with the assistance of handyman Larry.  The rats are disturbing, her new political awareness endangers her movie career and then Walter says, “Oh by the way, I thought a baby would help our relationship,” and hands her a newly adopted baby.  Will Kim survive any of this?
 

​Photography by Ken Beach