Chicago Theatre Presents 'My Dinner With Amy'

The show will receive its world premiere in New York this December at the renowned American Theatre for Actors (ATA). Under the direction of Michael Bordwell, the show is slated to run Dec. 19-23 at the ATA before making its way to the Windy City this February. My Dinner with Amy runs from Feb. 17 - March 23 at Theatre Building Chicago. Previews performances are Feb. 14, 15 and 16. Tickets are currently on sale.

My Dinner with Amy is a delightful romantic comedy for the 21st century, just in time for Valentine's Day. It tells the story of Tom, a jaded divorcé, who decides to try his luck with online dating. At first his gorgeous mystery date, Amy, seems too good to be true. But when she reveals that she's actually an Evangelical Christian using online dating to spread the Gospel, Tom makes a b-line for the door. Amy, however, pleads with him to hear her witness, and Tom agrees to stay on one condition: if he's not converted before the check arrives, she has to foot the dinner bill. As Amy gives her testimony, Tom challenges her blind notions of faith at every turn, and soon their romantic table for two becomes a heated battleground of ideology. As the battle ensues, however, both Tom and Amy come to realize that they may have more to offer each other than religious debate. A satirical take on both religion and modern dating, My Dinner with Amy is a heartwarming and hilarious winter treat.

"Two of the current cultural phenomena that fascinate me most are internet romance and religious extremism," says playwright Tony Fiorentino. "My Dinner with Amy gave me a chance to explore both from a comedic angle and find the parallels between them. To me, the quest for love and spirituality are one in the same thing: an intense longing for a more meaningful life."

Following the recent success of their past three productions, Diamante Productions is excited to bring My Dinner with Amy to Chicago audiences. Founded in August of 2005, Diamante Productions is a non-profit theatre company, dedicated to the creation of new and original works. Their first production, Lease on Love, premiered at Theatre Building Chicago in March of 2006, followed by the world premiere of Cold, Cold Feet, a classic bedroom farce, in July of 2006. Fraternal Instinct, a domestic drama, premiered in March 2007 at the Athenaeum Theatre.

My Dinner with Amy is written by Tony Fiorentino. The cast features Star Alexis Velazquez as Amy, Tony Fiorentino as Tom, and Phillip M. McFarlane as Nathan.

My Dinner with Amy performance schedule is as follows: Thursdays at 8 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 3 p.m. Press opening is Sunday, Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25. -- www.theatrebuildingchicago.org