After MISS JULIE and knowing we would be going into SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO it became clear that as a company we needed to look at relationships through a modern lens to contrast with 100 or 40 years ago. REASONS TO BE PRETTY does exactly that.  It’s been on our shortlist for a couple years but essentially got mothballed after we did THE SHAPE OF THINGS because I didn’t feel like we could do the same author again so quickly. But this particular set of circumstances has made it work. 
 
I’m personally very drawn to the simplicity of the argument that sets off this play: he says something he thinks is a compliment, she hears the same words but with a different intent and sparks fly.  Labute has a terrifying ability to make us think of his plays in terms of our own relationships and this script is no different.

Last summer Bethany, our resident stage manager, insisted that I had to see a little film from the 80s called “About Last Night.” After the credits rolled and the dialogue started, I looked over at her and exclaimed, “I know this, it’s Sexual Perversity in Chicago.”  And from that point on Bethany insisted it had to be part of this year’s staged reading series.  To be fair, I didn’t take a whole lot of convincing.
 
In many ways Sexual Perversity is the perfect compact representation of David Mamet and his singular writing style.  From the rapid-fire witty dialogue to the exceptionally not politically correct black humor, he manages to entertain you while exploring relationships between men and women through his own twisted lens.  We’ve had an absolute blast working on this script and hope you enjoy the show.