The BenchMark

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 12, 2008

PRESS RELEASE

EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews and photos available upon request

NEW PLAY CHALLENGES PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS, RAISES FUNDS FOR LOCAL NONPROFITS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Exclusive Run of "The BenchMark" Raises Awareness of Homelessness, Food Drive

November 2008 (Chicago, IL) Four years after its initial debut, The BenchMark embarks on an exclusive eight-show run to benefit local charities. Performances will be held at Pierce Hall in the Chicago Temple (the home of the Silk Road Theatre). All proceeds go towards homeless-related services provided through the Temple and the interfaith understanding projects of Sacred Space International.

Serving as a reminder of the often neglected homeless inhabitants of the downtown loop area during the holiday season, The BenchMark, penned by award-winning TV producer Rick Roberts, will enjoy an exclusive run of only eight performances beginning Saturday, November 29, 2008.

A poignant satire, The BenchMark follows a homeless man named "Mark" who lives on a bench. The play follows him through three seasons, as the eloquent Mark rails against officials at the public library and a shelter, as well as selling StreetWise newspapers.

The protagonist is a composite character based on the lives of three homeless men, one of whom was Roberts' late father. Two police officers who alternately helped and harassed Robert's father have been combined into the other main character, an African-American cop. Combining social commentary, pathos, and biting humor, the play is an elegy to the misfit in each of us.

Roberts originated the play while producing a PBS documentary on homelessness, The Long Way Home, after filming a bench in Grant Park that had been frequented by his father.

"At first I was uncomfortable," says Roberts, a former Chicagoan of the Year and White House Point of Light Award-winner for his work in addressing poverty issues. "But without that scene, I never would have been inspired to write The BenchMark."

The BenchMark originally premiered in Chicago in 2004, directed by Jonathan L. Thomas, founder of Simple Theatre productions, and produced by Kelly Molchan. The team returns for this production, with actor Jonas Grey portraying the challenging role of "Mark" and Richard Gallion as "The Cop".

Roberts hopes to turn The BenchMark into an independent feature film, with production beginning in 2009. Roberts is the Executive Producer of Horizons Communications Group, an award-winning production company that specializes in working with nonprofits.

WHERE: Pierce Hall at the historic Chicago Temple, 77 W. Washington, Chicago, IL, 60602

WHEN: Saturday, November 29 through Sunday, December 14, 2008
Saturday, Nov 29th at 8:00pm
Sunday, Nov 30th at 4:30pm
Saturday, December 6th at 4:00pm
Sunday, December 7th at 4:30pm
Thursday, December 11th at 8:00pm
Friday, December 12th at 8:00pm
Saturday, December 13th at 4:00pm
Sunday, December 14th at 4:30pm

TICKETS: $25 Underwriter (priority seating), $20 General, 773-271-5809 Tickets are available through www.hcgrp.net/benchmark or http://hcgrp.wordpress.com/. All proceeds go to support homeless charities in Chicago.

ABOUT:
Horizons Communications Group www.hcgrp.net
Rick Roberts has developed and created numerous video and film projects, including The Corner Pub and The Long Way Home, both Emmy-nominated documentaries produced for PBS airings in Chicago. Among his most celebrated projects are the nationally acclaimed and Gracie Award-winning The Hunger Heroes, a look at the insidious problem of hunger in America, and Service Above Self, a one-hour documentary on the history and programs of Rotary International. The BenchMark is his first play.

Simple Theatre: http://simpletheatre.org/
Director Jonathan L. Thomas is the founder of Simple Theatre. Simple Theatre produces fresh, thought-provoking theatre with a point. Past productions have included David Mamet's "Sexual Perversity in Chicago" and "The Sublime Abortion of Man" at Gorilla Tango theatre.

The Chicago Temple: http://www.chicagotemple.org
Chicago's oldest and tallest church, organized in 1831, serves a diverse urban congregation with open hearts, open minds and open doors. The Temple's Pierce Hall theatre seats 100 and is the home of the Silk Road Theatre Project, which promotes multicultural theatre and challenges stereotypes.

Sacred Space International: www.religiousarchitecture.org
Formerly known as the Center for Religious Architecture, Sacred Space International was formed after the events of 9/11 by architect Suzanne Morgan to encourage interfaith dialogue and cultural understanding by sharing sacred space. The nonprofit organization hosts tours and lectures and serves as an educational resource center for religious architecture.