Chagrin Falls by NU alumna, Mia McCullough explores psychology of working in a slaughterhouse, on death row

Play written by NU alumna explores psychology of working in a slaughterhouse, on death row
by Hayley Krolik, Reporter, The Daily Northwestern
October 27, 2016

"McCullough originally wrote “Chagrin Falls” in the ‘90s, and it was produced in 2001 at the Stage Left Theatre in Chicago. She explained, at the time, theaters were prioritizing world premieres over subsequent productions, and “Chagrin Falls” was not brought back to the stage until its current rendition.
The new version came together after McCullough met Austin in an all female stand-up comedy class in Chicago. They worked together on a few comedy projects over the years, and Austin said she thought of McCullough and her writing when she needed to pick a new play for the Collective.
“This play is just really near and dear to my heart, and it’s so nice to see it having a life again,” McCullough said. “It was really hard back in the early 2000s when ‘Chagrin Falls’ was a huge success, but all anybody wanted to do was my other plays. We playwrights called it ‘world premiere-itis.’”
McCullough said she enjoys writing plays like “Chagrin Falls” that relate to social or political issues, but added that she focuses on the characters rather than the issue itself. She also employs humor to lighten the mood while emphasizing the darker topics she tends to write about.
One of McCullough’s favorite aspects of the play’s cast is its ability to find the humor mixed into the sadness of the play, she said. Jennifer Cheung, who plays Patrice, said McCullough’s support has been one of the main reasons the rehearsal process has gone smoothly."
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Chagrin Falls by Mia McCullough is playing at The Agency Theater Collective
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