WICKER PARK — "High Fidelity: The Musical," based in part on the film starring John Cusack, is coming to a pop-up storefront theater modeled after a record store from the 2000 cult classic.
Located at 1415 N. Ashland Ave., the storefront will be named “Refuge Records” for the six-week run, which will begin in late January and play through March 5, Refuge Theatre Project announced on Wednesday.
This will be the first production of the musical to be performed in Wicker Park, the setting of the movie adaptation that starred John Cusack, his sister Joan Cusack and another Chicago native, Lili Taylor.
The musical, which is also based on Nick Hornby’s 1995 novel of the same name, first debuted in River North last January and was praised by critics, who called it "undeniably entertaining" (Chicagoist) with a set "bedecked with treasure-filled record crates" (Reader).
The musical, with a score by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Amanda Green, tells the story of Rob, the owner of a vintage record shop called Championship Vinyl. Rob tries to make sense of his recent split with girlfriend Laura by reviewing the “top five breakups” of his life.
"High Fidelity" will again be directed and choreographed by Christopher Pazdernik, recently named Artistic Director of the two-year-old Refuge Theatre Project founded by Ross and Morgan Egan.
Performances will be at 3:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 6 p.m. Sundays from Jan. 27 through March 5th. Tickets, which cost $30 plus applicable fees, can be ordered online at refugetheatre.com.
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