Mark Pracht
Actor - Playwright - Musician
Photo By Brave Lux Photography
News
Mark's adaptation of Jack Schaefer's
classic western novel SHANE is NOW OPEN!
Running to October 4th, 2026
CLICK HERE for Tickets!
Reviews are coming in!
‘Shane’ Is A Classic Western With A Fresh Perspective
"What sets this show apart, though, is that it is narrated by Bob, the Starretts’ son...bringing an unexpected sense of levity to the high-stakes drama around him. As an adolescent, he sees Shane and the events around him with a naivete that makes many of his lines particularly funny."
Alli Doubek - entertainingchicago.com
City Lit’s Shane Saddles Up a Classic Western With Fresh Heart
"In a contemporary landscape where masculine energy is often framed negatively, this tale highlights what it means to be a man of integrity: placing the needs of others first and standing up for what is right despite fear...In that same spirit, Shane learns to see himself as more than the past he ran from. By choosing to protect a family and a home he cares about, his ultimate victory on stage allows us, much like Bob, to recognize our own capacity for growth and virtue."
Angelo Campos- Buzz Center Stage
“Shane” Reviewed by Julia W. Rath
"Pracht’s retelling of this tale is done with finesse. The play capitalizes on our fascination with a bygone era inherent to the American frontier just before the turn of the 20th century. While watching the gun-toting men provides us with some escape from today’s realities, the story shows us what can happen when wealthy interests feel entitled to trample on the “common man”, who becomes more and more impoverished as his traditional way of life is being threatened. "
Julia W. Rath - Around the Town Chicago
Shane at City Lit centers the violence and beauty of the American west
"It would be interesting to see a version of Shane which explored fully its homoeroticism: Bob’s describing Shane as “magnificent,” Joe and Shane’s desire for Marian as a substitute for their passion for each other. For now, it’s enough that this version provokes the thought. "
SHANE review- Gunslinging at City Lit Theater Company, Chicago
"When the audience peers below the surface, which often generates laughter, one sees there is a deeper aspect. There is Shane’s reluctance to pull any sort of trigger...he cannot forget the men he’s killed, the brand he’s created, and this is the real lesson of SHANE. When the smoke clears, all that’s left is death, not valor."
Debra Davy - Splash Magazines
City Lit’s “Shane” Brings the Western Novel to the Stage
"Pracht says that the concept of manhood has now been weaponized, with the “manosphere” making masculinity into a reason for cruelty and domination. In “Shane,” Pracht instead presents his heroes as hard-working men who respect others, while knowing that there is a time when you can’t back down."
Mary Wisniewski - New City Stage
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Photo by Brave Lux Photography
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