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Naperville native's Antarctica journey inspires play

Mat Smart has always liked traveling.

The Naperville native and Waubonsie Valley High School graduate has visited all 50 states and six of the seven continents.

Being outside his comfort zone — being without comfort altogether — doesn't bother the playwright, who chose for his most recent excursion, one of the most isolated places on earth: the McMurdo Station, the U.S. research center in Antarctica.

Smart, 35, spent three months in this “cruel, beautiful, inhospitable environment,” cleaning bathrooms and sweeping floors 10 hours a day, six days a week.

His experience inspired “The Royal Society of Antarctica,” a fictionalized account of a young woman born at the station, who returns as an adult to uncover the reasons for her mother's disappearance. The production begins previews Thursday, Feb. 26, at The Gift Theatre.

This marks the first time Smart has worked with the Chicago company, which staged a Smart one-act in January.

“Everything that is right with Chicago theater is exemplified by The Gift,” said Smart, whose play “Naperville,” about a son who returns home to help his mother, opened off-Broadway in November.

A company has to have a spirit of adventure to tackle an unproven play, especially one with eight characters that unfolds in three acts, over three hours, he said. That “Royal Society” requires designers and actors to recreate Antarctica makes it especially demanding. But The Gift embraced the project.

“Nobody ever said, 'it's too long' or 'it's too hard,'” said Smart. “They're excited by the challenge and the theatricality we'll have to (employ) in order to create this world.”

Working on this production is bittersweet for the company because it marks the last production ensemble member Sheldon Patinkin worked on before his death in September at age 79.

“Sheldon passing away is a big loss to The Gift and the Chicago community,” said Smart. “I was very much looking forward to working with him.”

At the time of his death, Patinkin, the longtime chair of Columbia College Chicago's theater department and a force in Chicago comedy and theater for half a century, was slated to direct “The Royal Society of Antarctica” and was working with Smart on revisions.

“He loved the play, but he had some questions,” said Smart of Patinkin, who suggested the second act needed more of a cliffhanger. “He did read the new draft and thought it was moving in the right direction.”

Among the many theater artists Patinkin mentored was John Gawlik, the Gift ensemble member and Wheaton native who took over directing “Royal Society” after Patinkin's death.

“He (Patinkin) is very much alive in the room,” said Gawlik, artistic director for Fox Valley Repertory in St. Charles. “In the cast there are seven of us who worked with him. He's always there.”

Having spent his childhood poring over National Geographic, Gawlik was the natural choice to helm the production.

“Working with Mat has been terrific,” he said. “He's still exploring what the play is about and he's great about listening to the actors about what speaks to them.”

Among the biggest challenges has been conjuring Antarctica within the company's long, narrow Milwaukee Avenue storefront. The space worked to the company's advantage when it came to depicting the close living quarters at the station, which has a work-hard, play-hard atmosphere that brings out the best and worst of the scientists, researchers and support staffers who live and work there.

“We went with the idea that when the population swells to 1,200, people are living on top of each other so we created bunk beds or barracks as an essential element,” Gawlik said.

“The play has got a lot of wonderful elements,” he said. “At its core, it explores identity ... where people fit in the universe, and it's all happening in the most inhospitable place on earth.”

As for Smart, he's grateful for how The Gift embraced “The Royal Society of Antarctica.”

“I really appreciate that they were unafraid ... That passion and boldness meant a lot to me,” he said.

“I think it will be especially exciting if we can make people feel they've gone on a journey to the bottom of the world.”

Aila Peck, left, and Brian Keys rehearse a scene from The Gift Theatre's world premiere of "The Royal Society of Antarctica," by Naperville native Mat Smart. Courtesy of Claire Demos
Director John Gawlik, a Wheaton native, and Brian Keys discuss a scene from Naperville native Mat Smart's play "The Royal Society of Antarctica." It begins previews Feb. 26 at The Gift Theatre in Chicago. Courtesy of Claire Demos
Brian Keys, left, and Aila Peck, rehearse for The Gift Theatre's world premiere of "The Royal Society of Antarctica" by Naperville native Mat Smart. Courtesy of Claire Demos

“The Royal Society of Antarctica”

<b>Location: </b>Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. (773) 283-7071 or <a href="http://thegifttheatre.org">thegifttheatre.org</a>

<b>Showtimes: </b>7:30 p.m. Thursday to Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday; from Thursday, Feb. 26, to Sunday, April 26

<b>Tickets: </b>$25-$35

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