Babes With Blades Theatre Company’s The S Paradox

CHICAGO – Babes With Blades Theatre Company’s (BWBTC) 2024 season opens with The S Paradox, written by Joining Sword & Pen International Playwright Competition and Margaret W. Martin Award Winner Jillian Leff, directed byMorgan Manasa with fight direction by Samantha Kaufman, April 7 – May 18, at The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St. Previews are Thursday, April 11 – Saturday, April 13 at 8 p.m., Sunday, April 14 at 3 p.m. and Thursday, April 18 and Friday, April 19 at 8 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with select performances available for streaming. Tickets are $28 – $35 and are on sale now at   BabesWithBlades.org.

Babes With Blades Theatre Company says why wait for summer for the spy and sci-fi thrillers? Experience the action and mystery this spring with The S Paradox. BWBTC, known for using thrilling stage combat skills as a storytelling tool on Chicago stages for more than 20 years, is jumping down the rabbit hole to see if the character of ‘S’ can jump back in time to prevent the wrongs she made as her naïve younger self, Sloane. Complete with an interwoven storyline featuring our protagonist at two very different points in her life, a hilarious tech-nerd sidekick, and the wisdom of Sloane’s level-headed, librarian girlfriend, the audience witnesses Sloane as she works with the hope of making positive changes versus what the future is telling her.

“Babes With Blades Theatre Company’s audiences have consistently asked for more sci-fi adventures over the years and our new audiences have also embraced these productions,” states Artistic Director Hayley Rice. “Sadly, theater is still suffering from the after effects of the pandemic and audiences are reluctant to venture out on a new script or production that they are not familiar with. However, we hope that BWBTC’s reputation for taking risks both with stage combat and with storytelling will remind people why Chicago has continued to be the epicenter of new play development.” 

The ensemble cast of 12 artists includes Elisabeth Del Toro (she/her, Dez); Luz Espinoza (she/her, Dez U/S and Older Dez); Cat Evans (any with respect, Ava); Kayla Marie Klammer (she/her, Sloane); Sonja Lynn Mata (she/her, Older Dez); Deanna Palmer (she/her, Nameless 1, Sloane U/S); Steve Peebles (he/him, William); Jessica Pennachio (she/her, Nameless 2, S U/S); Thomas Russell (he/they, Nameless 4, William U/S); Emily Sturges (she/they, Nameless U/S) Hershey Suri (she/her, Nameless 3, Ava U/S); and Maureen Yasko* (she/her, S.)

The production team includes BWBTC Ensemble Members Line Bower* (they/them, technical director), Jillian Leff* (she/her, playwright) and Morgan Manasa* (she/her, director) as well as Evy Burch (they/her, props designer), Rose Hamill (she/her, production manager), Rose Johnson (they/them, scenic designer); Samantha Kaufman (she/her, fight choreographer), LJ Luthringer (he/him, sound designer); Payton Shearn (she/they, production assistant), Taylor Stageberg (she/they, stage manager); Rachel M. Sypniewski (she/her, costume designer) and Laura J. Wiley (she/her, lighting designer).

*connotes member of Babes With Blades Theatre Company ensemble member.