Annex Theatre Presents TEAM OF HEROES, 4/20-5/19

It's not easy being a superhero- or the teenage daughter of a single mom. In Team of Heroes: Behind Closed Doors poor Melissa is both. Good thing she has a way with floating knives.

Team of Heroes: Behind Closed Doors is a prequel to Alecto: Issue #1, one of the most popular shows in Annex Theatre's 25 year history. The story moves back and forth in time, telling both the story of the Team of Heroes and their first encounter with supervillian Chaos Theory, and the story of teenaged Melissa, who will grow up to become Madame Mayhem.

Written by Alexander Harris, Team of Heroes: Behind Closed Doors reunites many of the original team of Alecto: Issue #1. Jaime Roberts returns to direct, most of the design team are back, and four actors are reprising their roles: Jason Sharp as The Cap'n, Nik Doner as Shock Wave, Rachel Jackson as Chaos Theory, and Tracy Leigh as Madame Mayhem.

Rounding out the cast are a group of actors who may be new to the Team of Heroes universe, but are no strangers to Seattle theater audiences. Angela DiMarco, Ryan Higgins, Jana Hutchison, Danielle Daggerty, Sam Hagen and Ashley Bagwell have been seen on stages all over the city, from beloved fringe staples like Theatre Schmeater, Balagan, and Unexpected Productions, to establishments like Intiman and Village Theater, to park shows with Wooden O and Greenstage.

Although Team of Heroes: Behind Closed Doors is part two in a three part series, the play stands on its own, ready to embrace those new to its shiny shrink-wrapped world of crime fighting and product placement. Returning audience members may be rewarded with an inside joke or two, but those meeting the Heroes for the first time will not be made of aware of what they've missed.

With video segments, puppetry, special effects, colorful spandex, malicious Russians, unenhanced vigilantes, teenage love, adult rivalry, and gorillas, Team of Heroes: Behind Closed Doors will blur the lines between good and evil.

Team of Heroes: Behind Closed Doors Performs April 20th- May 19th Thurday - Saturday 8pm. Tickets $5-$15. All Thursdays Pay-What-You-Can. www.annextheatre.org