World Premiere

May 21 – June 22, 2019

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Life On Paper

By Kenneth Lin 

Directed by Gus Menary 

Fearuring: Mary Williamson, Guy Wicke, Josh Odor, and Satya Jnani Chavez

After his proof for the Riemann Hypothesis (one of the world's last great math puzzles) disastrously flames out, Mitch Bloom, a brilliant mathematician finds himself working as a consultant using complex algorithms to set the value of human lives in wrongful death cases. His knack for de-valuing lives has made him the darling of the insurance companies, but what will he do when the wrongful death of a billionaire philanthropist crosses his desk, and the future of a small town hangs in the balance?

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★★★1/2! (out of 4) "Lovely... directed with just the right combination of persistence and kindness...  this is a play with a lot to say about how we value one life over another."

- Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune

 

"Lin’s play captures the sheer delight of agile minds at work... a pleasure... and it’s beautiful." - Newcity

 

"A warm nuanced production... This show is another reminder that you don't see better acting on any Chicago stage than Jackalope's."

- Chicago Reader

 

"A thoroughly charming world premiere at Jackalope... wholly winning in Gus Menary’s beautifully acted production. "

- Storefront Rebellion

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"Lin has a way with concept and dialogue... gently unraveling individual problems until we see how our problems are always connected to, and might in fact be solved by, the lives of other people."

- Theatre by Numbers

 

★★★★ (out of 4)

"Fantastic acting... a fascinating story of a man’s return from the brink."

- Third Coast Review

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