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Performance Thu Jan 07 2010
Theatre Zarko performing @ Next Theatre Company
Theatre Zarko: Puppet Symbolist Theatre is exactly that. Combining puppets, surrealism and unique storytelling, Theatre Zarko aims to provide Chicago with a broader vision of the art form of the puppet by creating a venue for experimental puppet theatre and eventually opening a school of puppetry arts. Their latest show, The Sublime Beauty of Hands and Klown Kantos, ran this past fall to sold-out houses, but is getting a two-week run this month at Evanston's excellent Next Theatre Company.
The Sublime Beauty of Hands "explores the vicious cycle of destruction and repair caused by our modern technologies" using original puppetry and surrealistic images. The second half of the evening, Klown Kantos, offers a collection of physical comedy pieces, lighter in tone but no less challenging. Both shows were written and directed by Theatre Zarko Artistic Director Michael Montenegro, who is also a Jeff Award winner for his work on Writer's Theatre's production of The Puppet Master of Lodz.
Theatre Zarko is the first company showcased in Next's new Dark Night Series, which offers non-traditional artists Next's 130-seat theatre on nights when their regular productions are not running. This gives Next the freedom to keep admission prices low while offering diverse performance artists a venue to expand their audience.
Theatre Zarko's The Sublime Beauty of Hands and Klown Kantos runs through January 17 at Next Theatre Company in the Noyes Cultural Center (927 Noyes Street) in Evanston. Performances start at 7:30 on Fridays and Saturdays and 3pm on Sundays. Tickets start at $20 but discounts are offered to groups, attendees 25 years and younger, and full-time students. Purchase them online by calling the box office at (847) 475-1875 x2.
Puppet Symbolist Theatre. Seriously. When else are you going to see that?