"Bus Stop" by William Inge

Des Plaines History Center, 781 Pearson St, Des Plaines, IL | Get Directions »
$18.00

The Guild Theater Company presents

BUS STOP by William Inge

 A lone cowboy and his buddy. A nightclub singer. A college professor. A bus driver. The town sheriff. An awkward teenager. A café owner. Outside of Grace’s Diner, none of these eight lonely people would have had anything to do with each other. But one fateful night, when the nightly bus is forced to make a longer-than-normal stop, they spend an evening together that will change all of their lives in extraordinary ways.  

The Guild Theater presents the classic play Bus Stop, written by William Inge (Picnic, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs). Written in 1955, it is a story about how people both deny themselves and actively seek out the basic human connections that many of us take for granted.  Both funny and occasionally profound, Bus Stop has been entertaining audiences for decades, having been made into a major motion picture starring Marilyn Monroe (in a dramatic turn), adapted into a TV series, and having numerous revivals and performances worldwide. The Guild Theater aims to bring a new intimacy and closeness to the play by performing at the Des Plaines History Center. “Having converted the museum into a 1950s Midwest diner, there’s a sense of existing alongside these characters – not just observing them.” says director Dan Scott. “With the action a few mere feet away from the audience, you’re immersed in their world.”

Bus Stop opens on Friday, March 25 for a four week run, closing on Sunday, April 17. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. at the Des Plaines History Center at 781 Pearson Street in downtown Des Plaines. Seating is extremely limited, so reservations are recommended. Tickets can be ordered in advance by calling (847) 420-8079. Credit Cards (VISA, Mastercard, Discover) will be accepted. The building is wheelchair accessible.

 Featuring Brian Becker, Colleen Lester, Scott Mills, Fred Schutz, Dan Scott, Tim Vana, Becca Williams, and Stephanie Wootten-Austin.  Directed by Dan Scott. 

The Guild Theater Company started in 2008, producing original plays in association with the Des Plaines History Center . The following year, The Guild officially debuted its’ first official production, Steel Magnolias, to sold out crowds and a four week extension.  After a successful run of the play Blackbird by David Harrower at Stage Left Theater in Chicago last August, the Guild  returns to its’ home in Des Plaines with this classic piece of Americana.  With an emphasis on immersing the audience in the world of the play, The Guild strives to connect the theatrical to reality: blurring the lines of the fantastic to reveal an inner humanity to which we can all relate. We aim to create quality professional theatre that entertains and educates. For more information on The Guild Theater, please visit www.theguildtheater.org.