Reading staged for bike shop drama

 Last week, Active Trans was thrilled to be the guest of honor at a reading of a new play by Chicagoan Neil Connelly, RIDE, at the revered Logan Square bike shop Oscar Wastyn Cycles.

While the performance was free, the organizers were requesting donations on behalf of Active Trans.

If you have never been to Oscar Wastyn Cycles, it's a standout among Chicago's bike retailers. The shop has been business for over 100 years and functions as much as a museum as it does a place for new bikes and repairs.

Lining the walls are gleaming relics from Chicago's past: track bikes with wooden rims, vintage Schwinn commuters, a world-record-setting tandem from the 1880s, and autographed, framed glossies of Chicago's long lineage of cycling royalty.

A large crowd turned out to see a reading of this drama about a bike shop owner's recent death on his bike and how it affects his family members, the business and two employees.

It’s a cycling-framed, humanist take on death, family tensions and the daily battles of running a small business. Think Clerks with more bikes and less profanity, while plumbing harsh philosophical lessons about what defines success.

Characters include a victim-blaming sister who can't figure out why anyone would ride a bike in the street, and the wise shop mascot/wrench who sleeps on a cot in the back. There’s also sly neighborhood intersection references and a mention of Old Style Beer and Chicago-style hot dog breakfasts (no ketchup).

Beneath it all is a strident call for action to make Chicago's streets safer for cycling.

Playwright Connelly said the work reflects his own experiences from the bike lane — and behind the wheel. While the script is still in progress, Connelly said he's looking forward to more readings — possibly at other shops, and staging it in the near future.

A heartfelt thanks to Neil Connelly, the directors Jackson Doran and GQ, and the cast for their performance and generosity. Thanks also to the audience for donations to Active Trans to help us continue our work of making the roads in Chicagoland safer for biking.

To learn about possible future readings/stagings of the play, get in touch with Neil Connelly at jneilconnelly@gmail.com.