Note to Chicago-area people:

Go see The Face of A Ruined Woman by Mia McCullough at Stage Left's Leapfest.

 Showtimes are tonight at 7:30 PM, Sunday 6/27 at 7:30 PM & Saturday 7/3 at 2 PM, at Stage Left's space on 3408 Sheffield.

I haven't seen it yet, but Mia's last play, Lucinda's Bed, at Chicago Dramatists, was one of the best new plays of 2009, in my opinion. It took a funny, sexy and also dark look at sex and monogamy through the lens of childhood fears. And it was a damned good play. Face, which is a monologue play about plastic surgery and the North Shore suburbs is sure to be equally entertaining and complex.

Full disclosure: I took a play-writing class at Northwestern with Mia, and I'm good friends with Zev, (who is in the play and their new co-literary manager) and know a few other Stage Left company members. That doesn't alter the fact that Mia is a gifted playwright with an amazing talent. Go out and support her and Stage Left.