Theatre-on-the-Hill's 'Den of Thieves is 'Great Comedy'

Editor's Note: The following article was by Theatre-on-the-Hill Director/Producer Craig J. Engel.

You know something very cool is happening when you’re allowed to sit in on a rehearsal and the actors are still cracking each other up with dialogue that they’ve already been rehearsing for more than a month. 

And that’s precisely what’s going on a Bolingbrook’s Theatre-on-the-Hill, as cast and crew rehearse for their Oct. 28 opening of “Den of Thieves.”

Larceny, twelve-step programs, mob ties, romantic train wrecks and donuts all play crucial roles, as the plot speeds toward it’s unpredictable conclusion. 

“We’re having so much fun doing this,” said Seneca Lee Evenesen, of Glen Ellyn. “This is the first time I’ve been in a play and I can’t believe how much I enjoy the process. I love my cast mates and the script is just a riot. I so look forward to every rehearsal.” 

Playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis has long been a darling of the New York theater scene.

His recent Tony-nominated “The MotherF*cker With the Hat” set New York abuzz with it’s lightning bolt dialogue, smart comedy and remarkable insight into the weaknesses of the human condition.

He was also one of the primary writers on HBO’s hit series, “The Sopranos.” 

Theatre-on-the-Hill’s President and resident Director/Producer Craig J. Engel discovered Guirgis’ work three years ago and immediately set out to stage his fascinating opus, “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot,” which became one of Theatre-on-the-Hill’s greatest successes, creating incredible buzz throughout the Chicago-area and generating standing room only performances for the company. He’s been a fan ever since.

“Mr. Guirgis’ work just seems to have a special something extra. You get a jolt of adrenaline from reading his work. There aren’t many playwrights you can say that about," Engel said. “I try to find scripts that will push my abilities. I love giving my audiences a show that makes them feel as if they experienced something that’s truly different, almost as if they are part of the ‘In-Crowd,’ knowing about something that’s about to explode on the scene and being among the first to know about it.” 

The cast of "Den of Thieves" includes Bolingbrook residents such as William Smith, Cameron Nowicki, Jason Gavin, and Paul Garrisonall; and Jacqueline Schultz of Warrenville, Lori Rohr of Palatine, Seneca Lee Evensen of Glen Ellyn, Wheaton’s Joseph Mennella, and Adam Krause of Hanover Park. 

Den of Thieves opens Oct. 28 and continues through Nov. 20 at stage, 375 W. Briarcliff Rd., behind the Town Center building.

Friday and Saturday shows start at 8 p.m.; Sunday matinees begin at 3 p.m.. Tickets cost $15 for adults; $12 for students and seniors.

You can also reserve tickets by emailing the theater company.

For more info call 630-908-2538 or visit tothbolingbrook.com.

Have you ever seen a Theatre-on-the-Hill production? What did you think?