Synopsis

Based on a true story, Seven Out spans three decades following the story of newly transplanted second generation Japanese-Americans. Their quest to achieve the American dream leads them to the upper circles of Chicago's organized crime. Rebuilding their lives on the fringes of society, they are soon surrounded by money and power. With their sharp wits and natural talents leading the way, they find themselves drawn into the cyclone which will ultimately compromise their friendships, their loves and their sense of self.

Based on Real-Life

Historical Connection:
The following is an article from the Chicago Tribune regarding the man Ken Eto (whose life is the inspiration for the play Seven Out).

Chicago Tribune
ETO BLAMES UNION AIDE FOR ATTEMPTED MOB HIT
By Ronald Koziol and John O'Brien.
April 23, 1985
Wearing a hood to protect what was said to be a new identity, Ken Eto, a former gambling boss who survived a mob assassination attempt in 1983, told the President's Commission on Organized Crime Monday that Vincent Solano, an official of the Laborers' International Union of North America, ordered him killed. Solano, who sat nonchalantly in the hearing room in the Dirksen Federal Building as Eto testified, invoked his 5th Amendment protection against self- incrimination, declining to answer questions when he was called to the witness stand.
Eto, 64, identified Solano as a North Side crime syndicate rackets boss as well as president of Local 1 of the mob-linked Laborers' Union. Asked to identify the mob's "ultimate source of power," Eto said, "Being able to corrupt and bribe city officials, politicians and policemen and instill fear in the general public by threats, intimidation and murder." In other testimony, a former vice president of the Laborers' Union said that the Elmwood Park man who heads the union threatened to kill him at a union dinner in 1981. "You're dead, you're dead," Robert E. Powell quoted Angelo Fosco, union president, as telling him in the Hay-Adams Hotel in Washington, D.C.
The commission began three days of hearings on mob penetration of unions and businesses with testimony on the 625,000-member Laborers' Union. Fosco joined Solano and several others in declining to testify. Fosco's lawyer handed out a 10-page statement criticizing the hearings and accusing the government of subjecting Fosco to illegal electronic eavesdropping.
Another union official who refused to testify was Salvatore Gruttadauro. The commission sought to question him about his ties to AAA Chemical Toilet Co., which holds city and Chicago Park District contracts to supply portable toilets for outdoor events.
At the start of the hearings, commission member Thomas McBride said the federal government has determined that four labor organizations are controlled by organized crime: the Laborers' Union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the International Union of Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartenders and the International Longshoremen's Association.
The commission will focus Tuesday on the 1.4 million-member Teamsters union. Jackie Presser, Teamsters president, is scheduled to appear. Presser's lawyer asked that Presser be allowed to appear at a later date. The request was denied by Samuel Skinner, commission vice chairman and a former U.S. attorney in Chicago who was presiding in the absence of the chairman, U.S. Appeals Court Judge Irving Kaufman of New York.
Powell said that Fosco threatened him shortly before a Laborers' Union election as rumors circulated that Powell would seek the union presidency. Powell, then the union's first vice president, said Fosco apparently didn't believe his denials. Powell said that as aides pulled Fosco away, he was overheard telling them, "I'll break his (Powell's) legs." Powell said he took the threats seriously and often carried a gun and wore a bulletproof vest. He said he was aware that Fosco, who succeeded his father, Peter Fosco, as union president in 1975, was connected to mob interests in Chicago.
Eto indicated that Solano ordered him killed for fear that he would spill mob secrets. Eto said he had been indicted by a federal grand jury on gambling charges and faced a prison term if convicted. During about 45 minutes of testimony, Eto provided a rundown of crime syndicate business deals from the 30 years he operated in the mob.
Among his disclosures:
-- Anthony Accardo is still the "boss of bosses" in the Chicago crime syndicate, but Joey Aiuppa and Jackie Cerone run the day-to-day operations.
-- Eto once sought mob permission to open a strip joint in suburban Lyons but was turned down because Lyons "was considered sacred territory by Aiuppa." Aiuppa reportedly controls Lyons' "sin strip."
-- At one time on behalf of the mob, he owned a nightspot called Bourbon Street at 936 N. Rush St. Eto added that he was ordered to sign over the bar to Solano's son. Though promised "compensation" for giving up the business, he said he never received any.
Eto was not the only witness to wear a hood. A former official of the Laborers' Union in New York, now a building contractor, also hid his identity. While Eto gave his name, the former union official remained anonymous and kept his voice secret by whispering testimony to another hooded witness who relayed it to the commission. The witness said that corrupt union officials regularly allowed mobsters onto construction sites to operate betting games and engage in loan sharking. As the witness testified, all that could be seen of him were his eyes and his hands. He wore a gold pinkie ring on each hand.
A deposition from another former Laborers' Union official contended that organized-crime families in New York control all construction contracts there worth $500,000 to $100 million.
Copyright 1998, The Tribune Company.

Cast & Crew

PRODUCTION:

TROY FUJIMURA: Lighting & Set Designer

Troy Fujimura attended Virginia Tech because of an early interest in technology and the arts. These interests culminated into Troy receiving both a BS in computer science and a BA in theatre arts. Since his move to Chicago he has become the Managing Artistic Partner for TriArts, now in their sixth season! This is Troy's second production with dueEast Theatre company. Recent productions include: Abraham's Calling, Theory of Everything, Heartbreak Waltz, and Hobble.

MICHELLE L'AMOUR: Choreographer

Michelle L'amour, choreographer and star of Lavender Cabaret, has been doing burlesque for 2 years. She has combined her talents in ballet, jazz, hip hop, and bellydance to create a neo-burlesque style of dance. She has performed in burlesque festivals in LA, New York and Toronto. She also teaches strip tease classes at Crunch Gym and G-Boutique. Michelle has also made a stag film series called Boas and Eros. For more information on performances and classes, go to www.lavendercabaret.com.

VALERIE MEACHUM: Costume Designer

Valerie Meachum (Costume Designer) has dressed productions ranging from the Roman-era Britain of Cymbeline to a Gilligan's Island-inspired Tempest. She received Little Theatre Off Broadway's "Babs Award for Costume Design" for their Titanic, as well as numerous presentation and workmanship awards at costuming and science fiction conventions over the last fifteen years. Also an actress, she was recently seen in The Enchanted with The Simple Theatre and 1984 with Theatre Entropy.

ALLEN HOPE SERMONIA: Director

Allen Hope Sermonia is Artistic Director for dueEast Theatre Company. Brought up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Allen started training as an actor at the age of 15 at Virginia's Governors School for the Arts. Afterwards, he would go to Wright State University and Virginia Tech. He then spent the next three years as a traveling actor doing everything from Children's Theatre to Shakespeare. He has been in Chicago's off-loop theatre as an actor and administrator since 1997. He has filled both posts with Wing and Groove Theatre Company and TriArts, Inc. He then embarked upon the creation of a Pan-Asian theatre company that would support and develop Asian American performing artists. Not only this, dueEast works to present stories that chronicle the Asian American experience. By reaching out to the Chicago community, dueEast strives to expand perceptions and contexts about Asian Americans and their history. He directed dueEast Theatre Company's inaugural production of Prince Gomolvilas' mid-west premiere of The Theory of Everything at The Wing and Groove Theatre in 2003. In addition to this, he has coordinated a play reading series and Allen is proud to offer Seven Out to the Chicago theatre going public. It's a story not often told. And if it is (or ever was), it is only a simple footnote to Chicago's criminal history.

LEVITICUS D. TURNER: Stage Manager

Leviticus D. Turner, Stage Manager, is a product of the BFA program at The Theatre School of DePaul University. She has enjoyed working with Chicago theatres such as Simple Theater, the Vittum Theater, Child's Play Touring Theatre Company, and the Auditorium Theatre Council.

KEITH UCHIMA: Playwright

Keith is a native Chicagoan, born in the Clark and Division neighborhood and raised in Uptown. His first play "Autumn and Spring" was produced twice by Mina Sama No/Organic Theater Greenhouse in the '80s. His musical "Jade Monkey King" was produced by Angel Island Theater/Roosevelt University/AT&T and was featured nationally on WGN-TV's "The Bozo Show." One of the musical's songs was nominated for best song at the International Denmark Musical Competition. As a screenwriter, he was the principal writer for WMAQ-TV's Emmy award-winning "Nothing is Simple." One of his goals is to capture the unique rhythms, speech patterns and multicultural flavor of his Chicago upbringing in every project he creates. Uchima currently owns A&R Recording House, where he produces music and voice-overs for rising artists. In addition to being a SAG/AFTRA actor, Keith has extensive experience as a pawnbroker and is a G.I.A. Graduate Gemologist. Further info at keithuchima.com or aandr.info

PAUL YAMADA: Sound Designer

Paul Yamada has been writing and researching American popular music and culture for over 30 years. He has published numerous essays and reviews and has also made contributions to events put on by the Smithsonian Institute and the Washington Performing Arts Society.

CAST:

SAM DYER: Dennis

Sam is excited to work with dueEast on the world premier of Seven Out. Before coming to Chicago, Sam spent 8 months living and studying in Beijing, China. Previously, Sam was seen in the Jeff Recommended Production of The Shadowbox by Tinfish Theatre Co. and Streamers by Blindfaith Theatre Co.

JASON LLAMAS: Kent

Jason Llamas is thrilled to be working with Due East on such an interesting piece, and would like to thank Allen for the opportunity and Keith for the wonderful script. Most recently, Jason was seen alongside Helen Young in "Struggling Truths" at Prop Thtr and in the ABC Network Showcase last summer.

MICHAELLE PUREZA: Sato

This is Michaelle's second collaboration with DueEast. The first one was in the play, The Theory of Everything, staged early last year. Michaelle considers acting as a great hobby so he finds time outside of his work as an Inventory Planner at Caremark to take part in the Chicago theatre scene. He's an active member of the Pintig Cultural Theatre Group and has been involved in their several productions such as: The Bells of Balangiga: A Musical, Alien Citizen, Nanay Isog and Her Children, Dreamweavers, and Alamat.

JENN REMKE: Nadia

Jenn Remke received her BFA in Acting from the University of Central Florida before moving to Chicago. A few of her Chicago credits include: Gay Black Woman, Magpies, Offending Shadows, and Heartbreak Waltz with TriArts Inc, (company member), Parallel Lives and Three Blondes Walk into a Bar with Euphemism Here Productions (founding member), Savage in Limbo with Infamous Commonwealth Theatre, and the Enchanted with Simple Theatre.

JOEL ROSAL: Apollo

This is Joel's first production with dueEast Theatre Company. Joel was last seen as Ma in Yama Works' production of "Dance and the Railroad". Shortly after graduation from DeVry University's BSTM program, Joel will spend November in Los Angeles receiving acting training at the New York Film Academy's Universal Studios Campus.

CY SHIM: Quentin

Cy Shim was last seen in Boys with Tea Company. Along with performing in Seven Out and writing screenplays, he is also currently filming an independent film. He has received training at ActOne Studios.

LOUIE SISON: Toshi

Louie Sison is honored to be part of the wonderful cast of Seven Out for dueEast Theater. He is a member of the Filipino theater group, Pintig in which he has acted and directed in several productions. He currently works at an architectural firm in Chicago.

BRAD STEVENS: Crush

Brad Stevens is a graduate of the DePaul Theatre School, where he earned an MFA in Acting. His stage credits include: Trojan Women at the Goodman Theatre, The Talented Tenth with Over Flow Theatre Company and understudying Top Dog/Under Dog at Steppenwolf.

BEN VEATCH: Lizzy

Ben Veatch is ecstatic to have the opportunity to perform for you and work with dueEast Theatre Company again. He was last seen in dueEast's The Theory Of Everything in the part of Nef. Ben is a co-founder, writer, and performer for AfterTaste, a sketch comedy group. A few of his Chicago credits include: Ledge, Ledger and the Legend, Much Ado About Nothing and Our Town with Wing & Groove Theatre, Scary Godmother with Runamuck Productions, and St. Valentine's Day Massacre with Theo Ubique Theatre Company.

JASON WILLIAMS: Victor

Jason Williams: Upon completing Second City's Conservatory Program, Jason co-founded The Acquaintances. Previous roles include Eddie from a Question of Mercy and The Visitor in Picasso At the Lapin Agile and Adolph Hitler's HEAD in 2004's Curmudgeons. He also directed Three Blondes Walk Into a Bar, Welcome to Andromeda and Magpies.

HELEN YOUNG: Mia

Helen Young is new to the Chicago stage. She just finished Struggling Truths at Prop Thtr and was in Boys at Tea Company last summer. Helen has also worked in commercials, TV and film. Her most recent work on a short film, The Indoor Apprentice, appeared at the 2003 Great lakes Film Festival.

About Due East

Dedicated to Asian American performing artists, dueEast works to present stories that chronicle the Asian American experience. By reaching out to the Chicago community, dueEast strives to expand perceptions and contexts about Asian Americans and their history. In their 2003 inaugural season, dueEast produced the Midwest premiere of Prince Gomolvilas' The Theory Of Everything at the Wing & Groove Theatre Company. It also held staged readings of new works at the Perfect Cup and showcased a variety of Asian artists at a dueEast benefit at Smallbar. In 2004, in addition to Seven Out, dueEast is staging readings of various Asian American works, and is engaged in a variety of community service and outreach projects.
For more information, please call (773) 353-5979 or e-mail info@dueEast.org. Visit our website at www.dueeast.org.

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