The Enlightenment of Percival von Schmootz

Brief Description of the Show: The Enlightenment of Percival Von Schmootz Fed up with a world filled with plagues, pestilence, and poor personal hygiene, a ridiculously optimistic young man sets out on a quest to end the Dark Ages. As he attempts to bring the light of hope to the world, Percival von Schmootz meets with hilariously disastrous results at every turn. It is only when things look the blackest that Percival is able to discover what true enlightenment means. A cross between Monty Python and Candide, this outrageous satirical comedy examines the ways we search for hope in our impossibly dark circumstances. The American Music Theatre Project will produce a 12-day writers residence/workshop of Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond’s The Enlightenment of Percival von Schmootz on Northwestern University’s Evanston campus. This time will allow Kooman and Dimond the opportunity to leave with a complete draft of the show. During their time in Evanston, Kooman and Dimond will work with a cast of eight Northwestern University actors, along with acclaimed Chicago director Scott Weinstein. AMTP is excited to continue the development of this piece within a university setting, as the show was originally commissioned and workedshopped by the Canadian Music Theatre Project at Sheridan College. At the close of the writers residency/workshop, AMTP will host an invited staged reading of the piece.