Mercy Street Theatre, a company founded and led by Columbia College Chicago Theatre Department alumni, is presenting a reading of Swiss absurdist Max Frisch’s 1961 play Andorra on Tuesday, May 30, at 7:30 PM at the Frontier, 1106 W. Thorndale, in Chicago’s Edgewater theatre district. The Frontier is a storefront space operated by Jackalope Theatre Company, which was also founded by Columbia College Theatre Department alumni.

This reading will introduce a new adaptation of Frisch’s play by Columbia College alumnus Ian Michael James 14, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s BA Program in Acting. Directed by alumnus Jake Fruend ’13, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s Theatre Directing program, the reading features Columbia College Theatre Department alums David Stobbe ’16, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s BA Program in Musical Theatre, and Mara Stern ’11 and Nicholas Caesar ’10, both graduates of the Theatre Department’s Acting Program, as well as Theatre Department faculty member Scott Olson.

The reading is part of Mercy Street Theatre’s Beacon Series of readings and workshops. Admission is “Pay What You Can” at the door. (Suggested donation is $10.) The event is BYOB.

With enemies perched along their border and invasion on the horizon, the citizens of a small community are just looking for someone to blame. Frisch’s examination of bigotry and privilege is as unsettling now as it was in 1961.