World War II is going poorly for Hitler and the Nazi party. So the Fueher decides the best way to turn the tide in the war is to kidnap Santa Claus and take control of Christmas and all of Santa's magical secrets. The only thing standing in the way of their evil plot is a misunderstood elf, a misfit toy and a couple of hit men reindeer. Will that be enough to save Christmas? Find out when The Hot Karl presents, "Santa Claus Conquers the Nazis: The Musical."
"People expect us to do a dirty funny show, so that's nothing new. But thanks to musical director Steph McCullough and a cast of thousands -- actually a nine-person chorus -- it's a real holiday musical with real songs," said Hot Karl member Zach Thompson. "You should really come see it." It's only going up five times, every Saturday from Nov. 21 to Dec. 19. Shows start at 11:59pm at Comedy Sportz, 929 West Belmont. Tickets are $10, and you can get 'em here or call 312-559-1212.
Fin Kennedy came up with the idea for How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found after stumbling across the UK missing persons website, which features a gallery of faces with brief descriptions of what they were last seen doing. Curious, he contacted the people behind the site, and they told him that most of these cases are not the products of abductions or murders. Instead, most of these people wanted to disappear. They wanted to start over. When he asked what sorts of people do this, they told him that a lot of them are young professionals--usually men in their late twenties, early thirties, with good jobs. Sure, maybe a little depressed, but they seemed to live relatively charmed lives. Kennedy based the protagonist of his play on this model. Charlie, (played by Carlo Lorenzo Garcia,) is an average man with short brown hair who wears a suit to work at an ad agency.
When I first witnessed the union of hip-hop and opera years ago through violinist Miri Ben Ari, I remember being amazed at how beautifully the two genres of music blended together. In Hopera: A Fallen Hero, the magic of hip-hop and opera exists to tell the tale of the challenges faced by many inner-city youth.
Hopera (hip hop and opera) is set in Chicago and centers around many of the struggles young inner-city families deal with on a regular basis. The story chiefly follows Obadiah (Donald Manuel) and the relationship he has with his single mother, Erica (Amanda Renee Davis). Theirs is a story that confronts the issues a single woman contends with trying to raise a teenage son. She frequently discourages and insults him ("You're lazy just like your daddy" and "You need to get a job to help out around here") but on the other hand laments, through a beautiful operatic number (that could only be heard intermittently due to the awesome live band playing a bit too loudly), "I can't raise him and teach him to be a man."
Chicago's sinner concentration isn't any higher than say, San Francisco's, but God's Pottery will do their best to -- satirically -- save some souls when they hit The Lakeshore Theater on Thursday.
"It would be nice if we could say honestly that all the heathens were located in one place, but unfortunately, there are desperate souls spread out across the land," said Gideon Lamb, half of the screwball duo that spreads their God-fearing message through music and motivational spoofs.
"The truth is, there are people sprinkled all over this country who need our help and that's why we're on the road," said duo's other Christian caricature, Jeremiah Smallchild. "Really, our work is never done."
The real truth is that God's Pottery is promoting their new book, What Would God's Pottery Do? released on the heels of their attention-grabbing run on NBC's "Last Comic Standing." They've also been busy making "Christ'd" episodes, sort of like "Punk'd" but with good-natured pranks, and hitting audiences over the head with their twisted theology.
The way the current season is going, Chicago Bears fans could certainly use a laugh right now, and the players at The Pub Theater Company have something in store that is sure to tackle the blues.
Bear Down! is a comedy based on super Bears fans (and some fairweather ones, too) and their faith in new quarterback Jay Cutler to take the team all the way; in fact, their faith is so strong they ask, "Have you accepted Jay Cutler as your personal savior?"
So, if you want to laugh with other diehard Bears fans who share your pain, rush to see Bear Down! when it opens at 8pm this Wednesday, Nov. 11 (through Wednesday, Dec. 16) at The Pub Theater, 3220 N. Lincoln. Tickets are $8-$10 and can be purchased through the box office or by calling 773.904.8777.
Typically, a mere mention of a teddy bear evokes smiles and happy childhood memories; however, this is not the case for everyone. In Reinaldo Povod's Cuba and His Teddy Bear, we learn the "bear" isn't always cuddly; sometimes, it can be downright grizzly.
"Cuba," a family drama with themes of "redemption, accountability and forgiveness," is the story of the relationship between a son and his drug-dealing father and the challenges they face with keeping their family together.
Although this story is being told via a theatrical performance, it is a harsh reality that exists for many families.
Cuba and His Teddy Bear opens Friday, Nov. 6 and runs through Dec. 13 at The Batey Urbano Performance Space, 2620 W. Division St. Show times are Thursday through Saturday, 7:30pm; Sundays, 6pm. No performance is scheduled Thanksgiving Day; instead, a performance will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $10-$20 and can be purchased at the box office or by calling 773.347.1203.
A distinguished member of the dancing world, Isadora Duncan has touched the lives of millions. Known as the mother of modern dance, she rejected traditional ballet and stressed improv, emotion, and human form in her dance techniques. She thought ballet was too strict and focused on form and posture, so she created her own school of dance where her loyal followers could learn from the master.
In a new play from TimeLine Theatre Company, When She Danced is the story of Isadora Duncan portrayed in early 1920s Paris. In this heartfelt and humorous production, Isadora is a struggling artist trying to stay financially stable and figure out what to do when she retires from dance: Her hope is to inspire young dancers with her art. Playwright Martin Sherman mixes the comedic presence of the characters with the importance of art and dance to create an inspiring play that reminds one how influential Isadora was "when she danced."
Previews of the play begin tonight, Nov. 4 and continue through Friday, Nov. 6. The regular run starts Saturday night, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. and ends Dec. 20. Check the theatre's website for ticket and show time information.
Family members can be the hardest to love, but the easiest to hate, and performance pieces in The Happy Family Series explore those "harmonic antagonisms." Presented by The Magpies, the pieces all take their cues from P.T. Barnum's controversial American Museum exhibit, The Happy Family, originally sold as "a miscellaneous collection of predators and prey, living together harmoniously in one large cage, each of them being mortal enemy of every other, but contentedly playing and frolicking together, without injury or discord."
Curated by Shawn Reddy and emceed by H.B. Ward (aka "The Tamer"), the lineup showcases more than 30 artists in three weeks. Performances range from multi-media monologues to cabaret and country music to good old-fashioned acting. For a detailed list, click here.
Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm and Sundays at 3pm, Nov. 13 through Dec. 6 (except Thanksgiving weekend). Tickets -- $12 each or three shows for $30 -- are available from The Viaduct or at 773-296-6024.
It is no secret that Chicago has experienced a major upsurge in youth violence; recently, I sat down with Messiah Equiano, filmmaker and founder of Operation Safe Passage, to find out what he and his organization are doing to address this issue.
Tell me about Operation Safe Passage.
Messiah Equiano: Operation Safe Passage was incorporated in June 2009. I'm also a filmmaker, and I did a documentary about a little girl who was killed in the Englewood neighborhood at her own birthday party. I've been following this youth violence issue for about three years now, which obviously, is continuing to be a problem, especially with hundreds of young people having been shot in Chicago the last two years. Seeing this devastation, I wanted to be a solution to the problem. I would see marches, rallies, etc., but in my opinion, with this generation, those things weren't necessarily working.
You came up with the idea to address this ugly reality through the theatre -- how do you hope to connect to youth in ways the marches and rallies have not?
No offense to anyone, but I wanted to try to reach them differently -- through scholarships, mentoring programs, and life-changing media productions, which is what drove my decision to write a stage play, Dreams Deferred. Also, people like to be entertained, so I wanted to create a message through entertainment.
I don't think I'm the only person who has a deep philosophical interest in carny culture. Otherwise, why would the Department of Cultural Affairs organize a month of carny-related arts programming? The DCA, in conjunction with Silent Theatre Company, is putting on a play of sorts, called Carnivale Nocturne, surrealistically recreating the underground world of a traveling carnival. With a live band and physical acts of carnival performance, this original dark fable by the STC ensemble, directed by Tonika Tordova, combines the styles of Tim Burton and Edward Gorey, telling the story of a curse between a group of fire breathers, fortune tellers, bestial tamers and natural freaks.
A New York Times article features Lisa Leingang, a senior vice president at Comedy Central, saying great things about Chicago's own Improvised Shakespeare Company.
In case you aren't registered on the NYT site, here's how it goes down: The Q&A has turned to what Leingang looks for when she's scouting for talent:
Q. How do you keep from becoming jaded?
A. You just see one performer for every 50 who is just bizarre, irreverent, who has some sort of take that you have never seen. Not to sound Mary Sunshine, but it's rejuvenating. It reaffirms why I do it.
Q. Who was the last person who made you have that reaction?
A. The group Improvised Shakespeare; I brought them to Bumbershoot. They improvise a Shakespeare play based on a suggestion by the audience. It starts with rhyming couplet; it ends with rhyming couplet. The way they worked together is amazing. Every show had a standing ovation. It was one of those things where I'm crying laughing: just, how did they do it? That's the feeling that I like to have, and it's very validating. You can't translate that to TV. But we can try.
The story: A socialite determined to be famous by any means necessary, despite her talent (or lack thereof)...
"The Paris Hilton Story," you ask?
Not quite--instead, it's Souvenir, "a touching and comic tribute" about socialite Florence Foster-Jenkins, a singer who would be, if she were alive today, ripped to shreds by "American Idol's" Simon Cowell. Not convinced? Here's a listen:
Even though Foster-Jenkins' voice was uh, "pitchy," this soprano somehow managed to endear audiences with her "deep love of music" that had them crying (figuratively speaking) for more.
Souvenir begins Thursday, Nov. 12 and runs through Sunday, Dec. 20 (show times vary) at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts (Northlight Theatre), 9501 Skokie Boulevard, in Skokie. For ticket information, visit the theatre's website or call 847.673.6300.
I'll admit it, I know all the words to There Is Nothin' Like A Dame, and the ones that I don't know to Bali Ha'i I add lib as I go along. I grew up in a household where Rodgers & Hammerstein provided a near-constant soundtrack, becoming to me what sad violin music was to Frankenstein's monster - whenever I hear it I am compelled to find the source.
New York's Lincoln Center Theater has revived the 60 year-old musical, with its eerily current storyline of a country at war and the ever-relevant theme of race relations, and is bringing it to the Rosemont Theatre for one glorious week in November. I attended Tuesday's preview of the show at Gibson's Steakhouse, where a select audience was serenaded by bass-baritone David Pittsinger, who plays the part of Emile de Becque, and who previously appeared in Tosca at the Met playing the part of Angelotti. Oh yeah, he's got the pipes. As he sang Some Enchanted Evening we made eye contact, and it was like he was singing only to me. Later he broke into the heartbreaking This Nearly Was Mine, and I swear I saw real tears welling up in his eyes.
Bring your hankies, this one is going to be good.
South Pacific is playing at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road for a limited one-week engagement, November 24-29. Tickets are $39.50-$79.50 and can be purchased at the Rosemont Theatre Box Office and at Ticketmaster. For information and tickets call 877-447-7849, or visit Rosemont Theatre or South Pacific On Tour.
Robot vs. Dinosaur, a writer-centric improv ensemble that originated in New York and was brought to Chicago in 2007, is enjoying a run of their show: Mrs. Gruber's Ding Dong School, at Gorilla Tango Theatre. A series of sketches loosely based around a preschool classroom, the show opens strong but loses focus. The premise of a school as a reference point seemed unnecessary, and even the best sketches ran too long, losing steam before they ended.
Some genuinely funny moments were had, but if this show were a national holiday it would be Canada Day, not the 4th of July - no fireworks but plenty of sparklers, and a few standout roman candles in the forms of Erin Morrill, Andrew Kraft, and Anthony Ellison, who came across like younger versions of Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell and Bill Murray.
Stop by a haunted fundraiser gala on Oct. 22 to support Split Pillow, a non-profit motion picture production and media literacy education company.
The ghoulish benefit takes place from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 22 at the home of Split Pillow's founder, Jason Stephens (400 E. Randolph #40A, Chicago) and will feature a meet and greet with cast members, a silent auction, cocktails, hors d'ouvres and maybe some special and otherworldly guests.
The evening also celebrates the upcoming release of Split Pillow's feature films, Eye of the Sandman and Life as Lincoln.
Tickets are $60. Reserve yours or find out more information at www.splitpillow.com.
This should be fun- the folks down at The Hideout are putting on their own, probably even more twisted, version of Little Shop Of Horrors, produced, directed by, and starring Hideout staff, friends, and family. I am particuarly exited to see local poet and incredible soul/funk/Americana singer Marvin Tate play Audrey II "The Plant."
There will be six showings, one every evening Oct. 22-25th, and 3pm showings on the 24th and 25th. Tickets are $15. The Hideout: 1354 W. Wabansia. 773-227-4433. 21+
Every good play should have sex, drugs, and timeless moral lessons. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom has all three, plus good jokes and even better music.
August Wilson's 1984 play, part of his Pittsburgh cycle, describes the plight of the black musician in depression-era Chicago. The story is masterfully directed by Ron OJ Parson and equally well executed by a small team of talented actors. Wilson's story is a quintessential drama, simultaneously timeless and modern, drawing from traditions of storytelling that go back to biblical times, and building up to an explosive ending.
Jackie Taylor is definitely a legend in the Chicago theater community; from writing to directing to producing to acting, this Windy City native and founder of the Black Ensemble Theater does it again with her latest production, The Message Is In the Music (God Is A Black Man Named Ricky).
The play tells the story of "the fight of good against evil and the struggle between love and hate" and features classic soul music including The Drifters,
Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield.
Preview performances will be held on Oct. 16 and 17; the official opening is Sunday, Oct 18 at 3pm. Thereafter, the show will run indefinitely on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets can be purchased ($40.00 for preview shows; $45.00 for regular shows) by calling the Black Ensemble Theater at 773.769.4451 or via Ticketmaster.
Free fun like the beach, parks and festivals are packing up and leaving town for the winter. Luckily, chilly frugal times can be just as fun as mild frugal times.
Free Night of Theater starts Oct. 15. It is your ticket to plenty of free performances in Chicago.
Here is how it works: Visit www.freenightoftheater.net, click on "Find a Show" and search for shows playing in and near Chicago. You reserve your free tickets and pick them up at the door.
Free Night of Theater is nationwide, so even if you go out of town, you can still enjoy an entertaining evening on the cheap.
Kathleen Puls Andrade's one-woman show, currently running at the Greenhouse Theater Center, is a biographical account of her experience with infertility, but she stresses that its not just for couples who struggle with the issue. Kathleen, who can also be seen in Put The Nuns In Charge, the long-running sequel to Late Night Catechism, hopes that by exploring the issue of infertility onstage it will start to lose some of its stigma and begin to make its way into more discussions. "It's a comedy meant to entertain although it does have a message," she says, "and it's not just for women either. It has a universal appeal with universal themes of hope, frustration, regrouping and moving on."
In life, we all go through various phases that affect us; if we're lucky, we even learn a thing or two along the way. In the play "The Cycle", a perspective on "why every individual acts, thinks and chooses different paths in life" is explored.
"The Cycle," written and produced by Chicago native Kenya Renee, is playing one day only, with two shows on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 3pm and 7pm, at the Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive. Tickets are $25 for general admission (buy 3, get 1 free) and $10 for seniors. This is the show's final run in Chicago before it goes on tour.
For more information, please contact producer Kenya Renee at 773.406.7663 or by email, fambreaksthecycle@hotmail.com.
I arrived at the ViaDuct Theater ready to see a Russian play. Even though I had known Ivanov had some comic flavor, I was very much prepared for something tragic and depressing. Ivanov did not disappoint in the least. A midlife crisis story, written in the late 1800s about a landowner and his high-faulting friends, Ivanov is riddled with bad love, greed, betrayal, and lots of Vodka. This is not the play to attend if Blue Man happens to be sold out, but it is definitely worth a once over.
"Fake," written and directed by Eric Simonson, is currently showing at the Steppenwolf Theatre; to celebrate the play's run, Simonson and other Steppenwolf ensemble members present: "The World of Fake."
This event is part of a series that celebrates all the fake concepts from their various shows, and will also feature "tales of fake" from Field and Chicago History Museum experts, stories from The Onion and performances by Chicago's own, The Handsome Devilz.
Bonus: The event is free--and there will be free food and drink, too!
"The World of Fake" is playing Friday, Oct. 2, at 5:30pm, at The Steppenwolf Garage, 1624 N. Halsted. Although the event has complimentary admission, you must RSVP with the Steppenwolf Audience Services at 312.335.1650.
If you enjoyed harassing cats as a child, you're going to love this. Samantha Martin, a Chicago based animal trainer, has created a feline circus in which cats begrudgingly perform tasks for treats. She has trained cats to jump through hoops, ride skateboards, and even play in a band, the RockCats. Martin and her Amazing Acro-Cats will perform Saturday, October 10 (2pm & 4pm) and Sunday, October 11 (1pm & 3pm), at Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee. Tickets are $12; to purrrchase tickets in advance, call (773) 598 4549 or visit the theater's website.
Fear is a fantastic hour of anxiety. The Neo-Futurists' season opener dredges up unease, tension, apprehension and concern but does it in such an interesting and well-executed way that even the most lily-livered of ticket holders will love the thrill.
Creator and curator Noelle Krimm -- and the countless people involved in the production -- do great work to "put the fun back into being completely creeped out." Tours of about 20 are led from room to haunted room of The Neo-Futurarium, from a forlorn boudoir to a raving slaughterhouse. There are three hosts who lead the tours, which start at set times throughout the night. Sophie Ostlund plays up tragic honesty as a gauze-masked, makeup-smeared bride, and Aimee McKay and Rawson Vint put their own spins on human affliction.
Fear leads the audience through the world of Edgar Allen Poe, but doesn't rest on "gotcha" gimmicks to make the audience squirm. Its horror profile, from anthropomorphized pigs to frigid rooms and unsettling illuminations, is layer upon layer of madness and sin and horror.
You couldn't find a better venue for Theater Oobleck's An Apology For the Course and Outcome of Certain Events Delivered by Doctor John Faustus on This His Final Evening than the lower level of the Chopin Theatre. From the comfort of an anteroom filled with overstuffed chairs and eclectic art, the audience waits and watches for the door of the theatre - a huge thing on rollers, to rumble open revealing a spare set of two chairs placed at a distance of about fifteen feet, facing each other, and two hanging lamps lighting the actors - Colm O'Reilly in the role of John Faustus, and David Shapiro as his servant of twenty-four years, Mephistopheles. There are only four rows of seating, two on either side of the set, limiting the choice of where to spend the next ninety minutes of your life to either: close to the stage, or even closer.
In October, About Face Theatre will take on a one-night-only production of historic proportions. Just one month after the 1998 death of Matthew Shepherd, playwright Moises Kaufman and Tectonic Theater traveled to Laramie, Wyo. and created the Laramie Project based on what they learned, a play that was both a tribute and an artistic and political response to the tragedy. (Since 2000, more than 50 million people have seen the play, which was also made into an HBO film.)
A decade after the murder, Tectonic's artists returned to Wyoming and interviewed dozens of residents about the long-term impact of the killing. The result is The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later. According to the press release "it explores how the town has changed and how the murder continues to reverberate in the community. The play... includes new interviews with Matthew's mother Judy Shepard and Matthew's murderer Aaron McKinney, who's serving two consecutive life sentences. The writers also conducted many follow-up interviews Laramie residents from the original piece. "
(More in the New York Times.)
About Face will represent Chicago by performing a reading at The Goodman, simultaneously with Tectonic at Lincoln Center in New York, and more than 100 other theaters across the country. Mayor Daley acts as honorary chair of the event, and proceeds benefit About Face Theatre.
Performance details:
About Face Theatre presents
A one-night only world premiere reading
October 12, 2009
Reading begins promptly at 6:45pm Central time
VIP reception begins at 5:30pm
Owen Theater at the Goodman
170 North Dearborn Street
For ticket information, visit www.aboutfacetheatre.com or call (773)784-8565.
Project 891 is going to perform "King Kong, the Radio Show" this Thursday, September 24th at 7:00 pm at The Spot, 4437 N. Broadway. Tickets are $10 at the door. They promise "live sound effects and commercials" so it should be fun!
Rogers Park is offering a pass via Rogersparkflexpass.com to see four plays at four theaters for just $50, and you can get discounts at dining places around there too. The season runs through July 31, 2010.
Ticketmaster, being Ticketmaster, charges fees for this service. And for small storefronts offering cheap tickets to begin with, a half-price ticket starts looking like an almost-full-price ticket. The League's Deb Clapp explains why Ticketmaster is still The One. Read the comments for alternate solutions.
If you want to spend an evening enjoying laughter--and free cocktails with appetizers--the Annoyance Theatre has something for you.
This week marks the first run of Lights Out Alma!, a "spooky, dark comedy" that depicts the story of three women who engage in "betrayal and murder in the name of sisterhood". In addition to the treats, audience members are invited to stay after the show for a conversation about the production with director Irene Marquette and the cast.
The show starts this Thursday, Sept. 24 at 8pm (food and cocktails begin at 7pm) at the Annoyance Theatre, 4830 N. Broadway in Chicago. The show runs every Thursday thereafter through Oct. 29.
Tickets to Lights Out Alma! are $10 and can be purchased online or by calling 773-561-4664. Be sure to say "Theater Thursdays" if you buy your tickets by phone.
Get your dose of laughter and giveaways this Friday at Macy's on State Street for Laugh Out Loud Day.
Cast members from Goodman Theatre's Animal Crackers will deliver a sneak peak of the new show at noon this Friday at the State Street Macy's for Laugh Out Loud Day.
As if the merriment wasn't enough, meet Groucho Marx and get a free pair of his signature glasses. Other treats include Animal Crackers-inspired balloon animals and a free Estee Lauder consultation and gift with any purchase. Laughers enter a raffle to win a four-pack of tickets to the show when they buy anything at the Macy's Express Desk.
The Marx mayhem continues around the Loop --including Borders and Petterino's--throughout the day before Groucho makes his way for the first performance of Animal Crackers at Goodman Theatre at 8 p.m. that night.
Animal Crackers runs September 18 - October 25, 2009 in the Goodman's Albert Theatre.
Tickets range from $25 to $76. Buy them at www.goodmantheatre.org, at the box office at 170 N Dearborn or by calling 312-443-3800. Student and group rates are also available.
"Fondly Do We Hope" showcases Tony award-winning dancer Bill T. Jones' interpretation of the many complexities and contributions of Abraham Lincoln, as told through interpretative dance and song. The performance will examine Lincoln's legacy and "will expose the great distance between what is and what could have been."
Each show is $12 (more if you've got it, free if you're broke) and will be held at 7:30pm in The Chopin Theater's opulent downstairs foyer. Keep tabs on the subject-to-change schedule and get tickets here.
How does a scrappy British scamp rise above the hardships of poverty and support his father in the midst of a mining strike? Ballet, obviously. (With a little help from Elton John.) Watch it unfold for yourself when Billy Elliot lands in Chicago this March.
Tommy Batchelor, Giuseppe Bausilio and Cesar Corrales beat out 1,500 boys to play the lead character. If your kid didn't make it the cut, there's another chance to fulfill stage mom fantasies at this weekend's open auditions.
Let's take a quick straw poll. Would you rather see:
A) A complex adaptation of Friedrich Schiller's Die Jungfrau Von Orléans.
B) A dynamic black actress show off an astounding range, from a Polish Holocaust survivor to a poetic junkie to a teenage Puerto Rican punk.
If you picked A, you're out of luck. The Goodman Theatre scrapped Joan D'Arc because it "needed time for artistic development." In its place, they slotted Stoop Stories.
Playwright and Pulitzer Prize finalist Dael Orlandersmith takes the stage on her own playing 11 characters in a sizzling, fierce symphony of voices that make up her Harlem neighborhood. The show's coming off a white-hot Washington, D.C. debut, where critics threw around words like "spellbinding" and "triumph."
Stoop Stories opens at the Goodman's Owen Bruner Theatre on Sept. 12 for a month-long run. Tickets are $10 to $40 and available from The Goodman Theatre.
MPAACT (MAAT Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theatre) is a theatre troupe based in Chicago who notes in its mission that, "It is important to us as a company that we, in everything we do, pull from the disparate cultural elements which unite artists in the Afrikan Diaspora."
If you're a fan of films from the 1970s "blaxploitation" era, you'll definitely want to check out MPAACT's "You Know How We Deux, The Best of Blax."The play, directed by Kevin Douglas and Jonathan Keaton, is billed as "a collection of original sketch performances that are unabashedly courageous and provocative in their take on race, class, and American politics."
The last run of "You Know How We Deux" is playing this Saturday, September 12, 10pm, at The Playground Theater (3209 N. Halsted). Tickets are only $10 and are available at the box office or by calling (312) 409-6724.
Have you ever wondered what Walter from The Big Lebowski (the angry Vietnam vet played by John Goodman) would look like wearing pasties? Well, how about if Walter were played by a burlesque professional by the name of Wham Bam Pam? Titillating, perhaps?
If "Texas Sheen" were an hour-long show, it would be absolutely delightful, however at an hour-and-a-half it overstays its welcome just a bit. "Texas Sheen" is Chemically Imbalanced Comedy's latest production, a goofy melodramatic western cum romance novel. The show is full of punchy jokes, however they're given too much breathing room and the show lags at times. Director Karisa Bruin is terrific at making the most of writer Anthony Ellison's most over the top moments, giving a wink and a nod to popular western and sex scene clichés, and they prevent the show from feeling nearly as long as it could.
The cast is full of piss and vinegar, all of them eager to jump on the fun that's going on onstage. Though they are given exaggerated caricatures to play with, they still manage to deliver the goods while giving their characters an air of humanity. The show's romantic leads, Scott Morehead and Sarah Tolan-Mee are both charmingly charismatic- Morehead is like a clean-cut 50's dreamboat and Tolan-Mee is like the ingénue of a Rodgers and Hammerstein show.
Though the show runs a tad on the long side, it picks up whenever you think things are slipping, so it still makes for a fun night of entertainment. Chemically Imbalanced Comedy is BYOB, so there's no reason not to throw a few back while you're having a laugh. CIC is one of a few theatre companies who make a commitment to producing original comedic works, so it's always a pleasure to see what they'll come up with next.
"Texas Sheen" is playing at Chemically Imbalanced Comedy (1420 W. Irving Park) through October 3rd. Tickets are available online or by calling (800)838-3006.
What could be more fun than Hebrew school? How about a bunch of naughty Jewish girls displaying a heck of a lot of chutzpah?
"Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad," a humorous mix of comedy, music, and burlesque, is playing at Lakeshore Theater this weekend. The show includes a rotating cast of women who have been featured on Comedy Central, HBO, and MTV, and have been wowing crowds everywhere with this over-the-top performance.
The show follows the "badass chosen chicks" as they deconstruct years of tradition, rebeling against the expectations of their religion. These are the girls who smoked at Hebrew school, got drunk at BatMitzvahs, and prefer schtuppa rather than the chupah. And if that is not enough to entice a crowd, their rendition of "L'chaim" will certainly do it.
The show begins Friday, September 4 at 7:30 p.m. There will be two performances on Saturday, September 5, 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. These girls have been selling out shows everywhere, so get your tickets quick! Lakeshore Theater: 3175 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60657, 773-472-3492
When the musical debuted in Chicago in 2007, the role of Celie, first made famous in the film version by actress Whoopi Goldberg, was played by actress Jeannette Bayardelle; however, Fantasia returns to the stage to reprise the starring role.
If you missed the show in 2007, you'll have to hurry if you want to catch it this time around; it is only in Chicago for a limited run.
The Color Purple opens today, September 2, at the Arie Crown Theater, and will run through Sunday, September 6. Showtimes vary; tickets are $47.50-$83 and may be purchased through Ticketmaster or 800-745-3000, or colorpurple.com.
The weekend also includes two shows on Saturday and Sunday.
Dashiell Hammett's fifth and final novel, The Thin Man, was and is a significant piece of literature. Known for his hardboiled detective novels, Hammett is regarded as one of the best mystery writers of all time. Now his final masterpiece is being presented on the stage in the world premiere City Lit Theatre Company adaptation of the novel.
The story takes place in prohibition-era New York City and follows the lives of former private detective Nick Charles and his young wife, Nora. Against his will, Nick is pulled into investigating a murder, forcing him to interact with a slightly grotesque family, the Wynants. Throughout the story, Nick and Nora attempt to solve the case while sharing witty banter and dialogue, as well as lots of alcohol.
The play version, adapted by artistic director Terry McCabe and directed by Adrienne Cury, previews this weekend, August 28-30. The regular run starts September 1 and goes until October 11. It shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. City Lit Theatre: 1020 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, Chicago, IL 60660. Phone number: 773-293-3682
It takes High Fidelity's anti-hero nearly two hours to figure out that he's dangerously close to being "The Most Pathetic Man In The World," but to anyone watching it's pretty clear from the first curtain.
Scrounging up sympathy for Rob, this guy who cheats on his girlfriend, whines about his record store and makes inconsequential lists about music and other ways life has done him wrong is not only impossible, it's infuriating — especially when all the interesting stuff is going on behind him.
That's the rub about High Fidelity, the "rock musical about falling in love, hating your job and your all-time 'Top Five.'" You're supposed to find some humanity in this prick and root for him to reunite with his upwardly mobile ex-girlfriend, but what you really want to do is fast-forward for more hijinks from his entourage of awkward audiophiles.
Don't miss a David Bowie-inspired inter-planetary rock 'n roll revolutionary love story, inspired by his 1971 album Hunky Dory. That sounds like Bowie.
Hunky Dory plays at the Strawdog Theatre, 3829 N. Broadway, on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 28 and 29, at 11pm and Sunday and Monday, Aug. 30 and 31, at 8pm. $5 donation.
Let's hope the it has also been inspired by those tight pants.
To the Noble Fool Theater this weekend to witness the marriage of Erin and Paul. Come ready to sing and dance as Married ALIVE, A Love & Marriage Musical takes the stage. Just opening this week, Married ALIVE has received high praise for its humorous and witty portrayal of married life. The play follows two couples--newlyweds Erin and Paul and a more seasoned couple--as they deal with the trials and tribulations of modern marriage. Audiences will enjoy laughing at the pleasures and downfalls all too familiar in the life of a married couple, including babies, jobs, sex, and empty nests.
Showtimes are Thursdays & Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 5 and 8:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $28-$39, and there are also dinner packages available from $44. Call the box office for tickets: 630-584-6342. Noble Fool Theater: 4051 East Main Street St Charles, IL 60174
The New Colony, a recent arrival to the Chicago storefront theater scene, is urging fellow Chicago theaters: Buck up. Think big. The New Colony's blog is publishing Goals for the Future of Chicago Theater, which thus far is a call-to-arms for Chicago theater companies to dust off their economy-addled selves, stop playing it safe, and make new work that matters.
Follow along here, and look out for their upcoming season.
If you're sick of fake-speaking in tongues to impress your fundamentalist friends at small group pot-lucks or anti-gay protests, look no further. The Best Church of God has come to save your soul from eternal damnation--and it's Boystown adjacent in case that doesn't take.
The church*, whose letterhead reads, "We read the bible, so you don't have to," returns to Chicago with a rapture-ready, apocalypse-retardant word of God starting Sunday, September 20th and will run through October at Lakeshore Theater, 3175 N. Broadway.
For ticket information on the critically acclaimed *religious satire Sunday services, visit BestChurchofGod.org. The "suggested tithing" is $10 and shows are "open to all of God's children--even the unborn."
You could describe it as "Dancing with the Stars" and the "The Price is Right" meets the American Kennel Club.
Local non-profit canine rescue shelter, The Dog Saving Network (DSN), has quite a show for Chicago this month, entitled, "Life's Ruff," packed with basketball-playing Beagles, trivia question-answering Australian Shepherds and a prize wheel-spinning Shar-Pei mix, to name a few. The "game show" style dog show had DSN training not only amateur dogs, but their owners as well--the goal being to show regular dog owners of Chicago the benefits of positive-reinforcement training.
The performances, set at the intimate Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., took DSN three months to train for as they rehearsed in parking garages and city parks all over the city. With a new reality-based dog show in the works to generate awareness, DSN hopes to develop a state-of-the-art "Rescue and Rehabilitation Center" to expand on their outreach programs and services.
"Life's Ruff," rated G for ages 5 and up, will be on Saturdays at 4 pm and 6 pm, August 15 - 29. Tickets can be purchased online or by phone: (773)598-4549.
In today's cash-strapped climate, trying to get some good cultural bang for your buck can be a daunting task. You can only second act "Jersey Boys" so many times, and after frequenting the Art Institute on one of its free days, sometimes it can feel as if you've exhausted your possibilities for artistic enlightenment. Enter emptywallet.org.
Empty Wallet bills itself as a catch-all for Chicago area free and pay-what-you-can art and performance events. The site hopes to, "encourage and enable a wider range of individuals to take part in and experience art in all forms," and though its still in its infancy, it boasts a rather comprehensive listing that includes listings that range from family events to acting master classes. The site separates listings by category, and also has a handy searchable calendar that lets you see events by date.
The 5th Annual First Look Repertory of New Work begins tonight at Steppenwolf Theatre. The theatre is committed to finding new plays for American Theatre, and this event helps showcase three productions in rotating repertory from July 22 to August 9. The repertory consists of: Honest, Sex with Strangers, and Ski Dubai. The first of the three plays premiering tonight, Honest, written by ensemble member Eric Simonson, tells the story of Guy, a best-selling memoir author who comes face-to-face with a prying reporter keen on uncovering a scandal. The argument between these two characters about truth and creative license leads to some interesting revelations about both their lives.
Sex with Strangers, showing tomorrow night July 23, is a romance for the blogosphere. Ethan, a young scenester who documents his sexual encounters in an online journal, hooks up with Olivia, a writer whose career has come to a screeching halt. Their relationship develops from purely sexual to something more, but their internet lives may interfere with their newfound bond.
The final play, showing on Friday July 24, is Ski Dubai. The play documents the story of Rachel, an environmentalist who moves to Dubai to live on a man-made island. While trying to maintain her "green" morals, she deals with numerous internationals traveling through as they face loneliness in this capitalist and fast paced modern city.
All three plays will be showcased in the Garage Theatre, and will switch nightly except on weekends when all three will play on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets for each show are $20. Steppenwolf Theatre 1650 N. Halsted St. Chicago, IL 60614 312-335-1650.
All the performances take place in the first floor performance space at the museum; enter at the north end of the building. Tickets are available online or at the museum.
Are you a Doubting Thomas with a sharp tongue and a penchant for reilgious satire? If so, the Best Church of God may be looking for you!
The local sketch comedy group has been a favorite of audiences and critics alike, and they recently were part of Chicago's inaugural Just for Laughs festival. They're hoping to expand their congregation of writer/performers as they prepare to begin a run at the Lakeshore Theater. Audition information is below:
Auditions for Best Church of God
Monday, July 20th from 6-10pm
Location: The Theater Building at 1225 W Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60657
Call Backs: July 21st from 6-8pm at the Theater Building
Email resume to: auditions@BestChurchofGod.org
Best Church of God, the critically acclaimed, hard-hitting religious satire is adding ensemble members. You must have at least 1 year of improv and/or professional theater experience. Comedic writing skills a plus. Prepare two (2) contrasting 1-minute comedic pieces; at least one must be original. You may also prepare 30 seconds of a song (optional). Accompanist provided. Email resume (include any writing credits) and availability to secure a spot. BCOG will run Sundays at 1pm beginning September 6th at the Lakeshore Theater. No pay.
It is hard enough to break into the acting scene without having to deal with searching for and deciphering audition requests. Now Chicago actors and actresses are getting some help from TheatreInChicago.com and its new Auditions Page. A comprehensive list provides Equity and Non-equity theater and film auditions throughout Chicago, making it easy for actors to find job opportunities.
The Auditions Page is updated frequently, and each listing shows all the information actors need such as audition material, time commitment, locations, play and character summary, and who to contact. Right now there are auditions separated into Equity, Non-equity, Dance, and Film, but another section for technicians, directors, etc. will be debuted soon. On top of auditions and job postings, there will be a Resources Page available to locate head-shot photographers, acting classes, and various other networking tools.
No sign-up or registration is necessary to use this web page, so actors can start using it today. For further questions, inquiries, or suggestions, please email auditions@theatreinchicago.com.
Love knows no age. But when a passionate affair occurs between a 12-year-old girl and a 40-year-old man, love is questioned. Blackbird, written by Scottish playwright David Harrower, is the story of two unlikely lovers reunited 15 years after their forbidden relationship. After six years in prison, Ray changed his name and moved to another area away from Una, the young girl with whom he became sexually involved. When she sees his picture in a magazine, she traces him to where he works. The two are confronted with old feelings, pain, and resentment about their past. The play raises questions and confusion about sexual abuse, as well as the dynamic relationship between these two tormented individuals.
Blackbird received immense praise after its premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2005, and it even won the 2007 Olivier Award, beating out competitors like Tom Stoppard's Rock 'n' Roll, and Peter Morgan's Frost/Nixon. Now the play is coming to Chicago. And with it the return of Chicago native William Peterson. This is only the second theater production Peterson has done since leaving CSI:Crime Scene Investigation, and now he is joining director Dennis Zacek (The Old Man's Friend) to perform as the guilt-ridden character of Ray. Joining him on-stage as Una is Mattie Hawkinson, a talented actress with a long list of credits in Chicago, including The Snow Queen and Half and Half.
Previews of Blackbird will start this weekend, July 3, at Victory Gardens Theater, and run until July 12. Regular showtimes will begin July 13 and go until August 9. For more information about this play or other productions visit the Victory Gardens website.
It doesn't take much to imagine a play date. Everyone has at least one in their memory.
Depending on where you lived or who was present, several elements might be guaranteed: dress-up, singing, cops and robbers, changing the rules halfway into the game and little regard for tomorrow.
500 Clown and the Elephant Deal, loosely based on Bertolt Brecht's Man is Man, seems also to be based on one of these play dates gone just slightly wrong.
This Thursday at iO (3541 N. Clark St), local improv group 1,2,3, Fag! begins their run of Qweirdo, a totally gay, totally hilarious showcase that features homosexual performers from Chicago's comedy scene. The men of 1,2,3, Fag! are Kellen Alexander, Seth Dodson, and John Hartman, who met at The Playground and began improvising together this spring. Though the members of 1, 2, 3, Fag! are all gay, they do not set out to promote any type of political agenda when they perform. "1, 2, 3, Fag! sets out to entertain the audience and make them laugh, just like any other comedy group," says Dodson. "However, being three young gay men in a scene where we are a minority, our own viewpoints, opinions and feelings are undoubtedly going to be expressed."
Says the Chicago Reader: "Few shows I've ever seen have sent me into a deeper swoon than TUTA's Uncle Vanya." Translation: TUTA Theatre Chicago puts on an effing good show. Get a peek at their upcoming season, plus hear live music, score some raffle or auction goodness and imbibe some culture at the Mars Gallery (a bona fide energy vortex) this Sunday.
Tickets are $50 for the gala, or $70 for the gala plus a 3pm performance of Uncle Vanya at the Chopin. More info.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
6:30pm - 10:00pm
Mars Gallery
1139 W. Fulton Market (in the West Loop)
Ample free street parking is available.
Pets are important to their owner, but when the beloved cat of a fanatical INLA member is killed love is taken to a new extreme. Martin McDonagh, writer and director of the Oscar-nominated film In Bruges, presents a deviant yet comedic look into the reactions of death with his 2001 play The Lieutenant of Inishmore. A hit in London, the Skokie theater Northlight has brought McDonagh's hit play stateside for it's Illinois premiere. A family struggles as they try to find creative ways to soften the blow of the death of Padriac's best feline friend Wee Thomas. Padriac himself is a reckless man, who finds the tactics of the IRA "too soft" and readily dismembers people for selling weed to good Catholic children. Is there any good way around the situation? What follows is a bloody trail of severed limbs, cow mutilation, and solid black comedy. If you like the violence of Quentin Tarantino films and good Shakespearean drama, it might be worth scooting out to Skokie to catch one of the play's final screenings.
The Lieutenant of Inishmore has been playing at the Northlight since April and closes June 7th. Tickets range from $25-45. With performances Tuesday through Sunday, there's still plenty of time to catch it before it's run ends.
The Mary-Arrchie Theatre company has a new glimmer of hope for our cynical world with the Midwest debut of Kevin Huff's play Mud People. Set in a small-town diner in the middle of rural town USA, Mud People tells a story of a disparaged community whose life is turned around when a mysterious stranger enters their lives. Huff's work has played elsewhere in Chicago including the Steppenwolf, LiveBait, and Chicago Dramatists. The play itself has won numerous awards, including an Illinois Arts Council Fellowship for playwriting. Mud People runs through July 12th from Thursday through Sunday at Angel Island (735 W. Sheridan Rd.).
Gapers Block and Mary Arrchie Theater are giving away two pairs of tickets to Mud People's preview performances, one to the June 2nd performance and one to June 3rd. Email contests@gapersblock.com with "Mud People" in the subject line with your date preference. Two winners will be selected at random at 5pm Wednesday, May 27. Good luck! UPDATE: Congratulations to Casey and Jeremy, our winners!
IPod? On. Earbuds? Firmly inserted. One, two, three -- press play. And you're off on a winding, interactive journey through a house on the lake, guided by voices through the twists and turns of a ghost story.
The basic story: The eccentric Walter Burke recorded every sound in his life -- washing machine, grandfather clock, refrigerator -- and after his death, his entire cassette tape collection was found by a young couple, Margaret and Will. The mystery of Walter Burke and his wife Millie unravels as Margaret and Will listen to each tape, leading listeners on a guided tour of Walter and Millie's unusual life and ghostly encounters.
It's kind of like being inside an episode of This American Life, except the people on the radio are talking directly to you. The production quality of the headphones tour is outstanding, and the performances of the storytellers are so good that I forgot I was listening to fiction. I won't say more, because small treats and surprises are scattered throughout the tour.
The performance, by Sansculottes Theater Company, takes place at the North Lakeside Cultural Center and runs most Fridays and Saturdays through May 30th, with tours starting on the half hour from 7:30 pm onward. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.
In the wake of the American Theater Company ensemble's walkout, the theater blogosphere has been buzzing with even more talk of priorities. Buying a building vs. paying artists more is a recent debate, started at the New York City-based 99Seats with chime-ins from several Chicagoans and others around the country.
It has been quite some time since I have seen a stage performance as exciting, engaging, and as well performed as Babes With Blades rendering of Macbeth. I am not going to spend anytime speaking to the plot; Macbeth is pretty standard fare for high school English class. What made this performance was the cast. I suppose I'm supposed to mention that the cast is comprised entirely of ladies; that is, however, irrelevant. These are really good actors.
I was pulled into the story from the first scene and it remained this way throughout the performance. Macbeth offers intrigue, excitement, and tragedy, and this cast delivered that--in spades. I found myself leaning forward in my seat, totally engrossed in the action, hanging on each word between each actor in every scene. The acting is a wonderful mix of physical and emotional; the sword play was excellent (and not overdone); the actors created emotional believability with their characters and the interaction between them was very believable. I was upset when the play stopped for an intermission, and paced around impatiently for fifteen minutes until it resumed.
While I believe the entire cast was wonderful, I would like to point out three actors for their exceptional performances. Nika Ericson (Lady Macbeth) was the anchor of this performance. She was raw and emotional, and although the character of Lady Macbeth is hard to like, I connected with her. She commanded the stage whenever she was present and gave the performance a "soul" if you will. Kathrynne Wolf (Macbeth), Stephanie Repin (Banquo) and Amy E. Harmon (Macduff) also stand out brightly. The interactions between these three actors throughout the performance were very solid. The final scene in which Macbeth and Macduff fight to the death was a wonderful interaction (with great sword play) between Kathrynne and Amy.
In short, go see this performance. It is well worth it.
When: Opens on Monday, April 27, 2009, 8 p.m. (reception following)
Closes on Saturday, May 30, 2009
Where: La Costa Theatre (note venue change from Dream Theatre)
3931 N. Elston Ave., 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60618
Street parking; CTA: Blue Line L Irving Park/Pulaski stop, #80 Irving Park bus
Tickets: $20 for general admission
$13 for students and seniors with ID
773-880-0016, Babes With Blades Box Office; HotTix
Pay-What-You-Can Thursdays (except closing weekend May 28)
Play Money accepted (good at multiple theatres throughout Chicagoland - available
through the League of Chicago Theatres, chicagoplays.com)
Serendipity Theatre's 2nd Story Festival is on now, and as always, it involves great stories told over great wine on the second floor of Webster Wine Bar, 1480 W. Webster. The second week of the festival starts Thursday, April 30, with four pieces on the theme of "The Story I'll Never Tell." Performances run the 30th through May 2nd and May 7 through May 10. Here's a little taste of what you might expect:
The Sinnerman Ensemble, comprised of a group of the school at Steppenwolf, put on a sometimes wonderful, sometimes audacious, and sometimes "reaching" performance of their production, Bible B-Sides, which is a collection of lesser known Old Testament stories.
The performance consists of 10 of these stories, plus an opening sequence. My personal favorites were the Story of Lot and his daughters, the Story of David and Bathsheba, and the Story of Hosea, Gomer and God. The strongest piece is the Story of Deborah, which is done to a rock and roll theme and features a musical performance at its conclusion which was very exciting.
At times this performance was very strong; at other times it had a contrived "over the top" feel to it. The talent of the actors varies, which accounts for the variance in pieces. However, I think that this troupe has a bright future and this show is definitely worth seeing. It closes this week, so go check it out!
Where: Viaduct Theatre, 3111 N. Western Ave.
When: Closes April 25th - Runs Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm
Tickets: $20 (student/industry discount $15)
Actor's Equity Association, the union that represents stage actors and stage managers in the US, has purchased a four story building near the downtown theatre district to house the Central region's operations. Chris Jones in the Trib reports that AEA may even move some of the national office's activity to our fair city. Who would have guessed that an actor's pension might be safer than the UAW?
Chemically Imbalanced Comedy's latest production, Cartoon, runs about an hour long, which seems too short to showcase all of the talent in its young cast. There is a rich cast of performers, but author Steve Yockey's busy script fails to deliver sufficient opportunities for the players to showcase their stuff. He comes close with his development of the character Winston, but he is helped greatly by the endearing but oh-so-sad performance of Chris Froseth. It's also hard to take your eyes off of Brian Kash as the mischevious instigator Trouble, who commands the stage anytime he enters a scene. Another standout is Leslie Nesbit, whose anime girl Yumi is as vulnerable as she is tough as she is funny.
Though the stage is small for a cast of eight, director Angie McMahon and combat choreographer Elizabeth Styles never overwhelm the audience. McMahon is skilled at creating stage pictures that add subtext to what's going on, and Styles staged an epic anime battle that was fast and funny without overpowering the intimate performance space. Composer Jay Gish provides some catchy tunes, as well as designing some delightfully crude stage projections. Steve Yockey's script reads like an odd cross between Mao's Little Red Book and Toy Story, which is amusing at times and confusing at others. The author has created the foundation for some very dynamic characters, and perhaps he would benefit from further fleshing them out instead of chasing the plot.
Cartoon is running through May 10th at Chemically Imbalanced Comedy (1420 W. Irving Park). You can find their performance schedule and order tickets through their website.
The Chicago Opera Theater is offering a free pair of season subscriptions in its first ever YouTube contest. Contestants have to upload a video explaining why they deserve free COT tickets, and the video that gets "favorited" most wins.
COT is so Web 2.0 right now it hurts -- from their bloggy-fresh web design to their presence on Twitter. And it's kind of refreshing, especially when general director Brian Dickie is slightly self-effacing about it on his blog. He called the contest a "marketing gimmick," but then quickly added, "We shall see what happens with this little bit of fun... Someone has to be the smart one who wins free tickets for COT."
And with a limited number of entrants so far (the contest ends April 1), why shouldn't it be you?
Greg Allen could do 165 plays in the time it takes to get through Strange Interlude, the 5-1/2 hour saga that will conclude the Eugene O'Neill Festival at the Goodman Theatre this March. The founding director of the Neo-Futurists, whose signature show Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind runs through 30 plays in 60 minutes, is at the helm of O'Neill's epic about Nina Leeds, a woman who falls in love with the doctor who aborted her possibly-mentally-ill baby, then impregnated her as a cover up. Characters in the play regularly reveal their inner thoughts as asides to the audience -- hence the length.
"No director in his right mind would take this on," Allen says. "Therefore it's the perfect impossible task for me." Allen spent three months rehearsing the show, which stars Neo-Futurists Joe Dempsey and Dean Evans, Barrel of Monkeys company member Brennan Buhl, and Merrie Greenfield and Jeremy Sher as Nina Leeds and the doctor.
The play won a Pulitzer Prize in 1928 but hasn't been seen on stage since the 1980s, probably due to its massive length. The March 6 show at the Goodman's Owen Theatre has three intermissions, the March 7 and 8 performances start at 2pm and include a dinner break. A dinner break!
Tickets are still available for all three performances. You can get them online or by calling 312-443-3800.
That Elle Woods just won't quit! Broadway In Chicago is bringing the tenacious blonde to the Chicago stage for a four week engagement. Yes, folks: Legally Blonde the Musical will play at the Oriental Theater from May 12 to June 6. Tickets go on sale March 6.
If you weren't already aware of the MTV reality series documenting the search for the Broadway version of Reese Witherspoon, now might be a good time to catch up. Spoiler alert: the show winner doesn't perform in the touring cast, but two of the show's runners up do (though not as Elle). Can't stop torturing yourself with pug-nosed, kill-em-with-kindness blondes? Check out the touring Elle's blog.
Brian Dennehy practiced a lot of banana-peel-induced near-pratfalls this summer in Krapp's Last Tape in Stratford, Canada. Maybe that's what prepared him for Tuesday night's performance in Desire Under the Elms at the Goodman. During a pivotal scene, with a baby in his arms, Dennehy took a step too far and fell off the stage. Stage construction prevented him from landing in the audience and the "baby" in the scene was just a doll. Still, house lights came up and stage hands rushed out, but the tenacious Dennehy (he's 70!) waved them away and continued with the show. He did two shows on Wednesday, too. As one poster so eloquently summed up yesterday on Chris Jones' blog, "You won't catch Jeremy Piven doing that."
The main reason for going out to see a play is getting yourself away from TV land, from Facebook, from yourself, and from the diseases of the postmodern age that haunt you and debilitate your humanity (think Internet-infused meltdown by way of believing that the world you encounter online is real). That's why I went and saw the play Slaphappy recently. Written by Gary Slezak and directed by Richard Shavzin, the show is mounted at the Theatre Building Chicago until March 15. Although the three-act play contains none of movingly cathartic or deeply thoughtful elements I gravitate towards I enjoyed its whimsical element. And like every former (or current) American expat in Europe or frequent traveler to Paris I got a kick out of poking fun at the pate-obsessed French.
The story wraps itself around two middle-aged American expatriates in Paris coming to terms with lost love, divorce, binge drinking and overdoses on pessimistic nihilism and depression. The fact that the play confronts these heavy issues through the lens of light comic farce deserves merits.
Here's what I liked:
* The set. It's a pretty picture of a Paris hotel, with the token French windows leading out to a balcony view of the Eiffel Tower. All of my visits to Paris were spent at crappy hotels, which while cheap and dingy, afforded some kind of awesome view, either a tiny window balcony, or picturesque view of street scene.
* I like how the play through its characters appeals to all ages. Older folks can relate to the middle-aged divorcees -- the boozy and beautiful Lauren (Judy Blue) and her anguished, intellectual ex-husband Stanek (Mitchell Joseph). For younger viewers, the strapping young Philippe, the French bellboy played by Lucas Neff is easy on the eyes and does a smashing good accent and convincing character portrayal. Barely dressed French Cherie (Annie DiMaria) appeals to men of all ages and women who secretly fantasize of running around a French hotel in various revealing negligees throwing themselves at men.
* The interwoven story about saving the ducks from the evil French who don't care enough about the cruelty involved in fattening the livers of male ducks and geese for their beloved foie gras. I don't care what anybody says -- I agree with Philippe. Let's save the ducks!
* I loved the character of Philippe, who asks everyone "How can I make you happy?" then does his utmost to live up to this life mission.
* The point that tortured artists like to be tortured and in fact derive a kind of bizarre happiness from it.
What I didn't like:
* It's a busy play, with the characters all over the stage. And I'm not a big fan of romantic comedies, unless there's some black comedy or intellectual pondering involved. Yet I took heart in the play's message. "Better than being careful is to be pure in art!"
500 Clown Theater, founded in 2000 and made a non-profit in 2007, presents "500 Clown Madame Barker's Cabaret," a celebration of Chicago talent hosted by Molly Brennan as Madame Barker of "500 Clown and the Elephant Deal," as a lead-up to the full production opening at Steppenwolf in June.
Those of you with coulrophobia can relax, as there are NOT 500 clowns in in a 500 Clown show. Generally performing feats of derring-do with an ensemble of three(ish), this cabaret evening brings a variety of new performers into the crazy 500 Clown world, including: John Fournier (piano/vocals), Dennis Watkins (magic), Happenstance (DC vaudeville), Jessica Hudson (burlesque), Cliff Chamberlain (guitar/voice), Tim Simeone (clown solo), Marika Mashburn (torch song), Pam Chermansky (original music), Galaxie Girls (dance), and Joseph Schupbach (as JonBenet Ramsey).
In most of their shows, 500 Clown uses action-based performance, improvisation, and circus arts to produce theatre that (quite literally) catapults the performers into extreme physical and emotional risk. The work shifts the audience from passive to active observers and creates a charged environment that celebrates the unpredictable power of the moment. It'll be interesting to see what happens when you throw in burlesque dancers and musicians into the mix.
The cabaret takes place one night only on Saturday, Feb. 28, 10:00 p.m. at the Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are $5 at the door.
In 1952, playwright Lillian Hellman was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Unwilling to name names of those she knew with Communist affiliations or plead the fifth, thereby incriminating them, Hellman wrote a personal statement that read in part, "I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashion."
That statement's resonance in the days of Guantanamo is not lost on the audience at Scoundrel Time, City Lit Theatre's recent adaptation of Hellman's play recounting her time during the Hollywood blacklist. But some of Scoundrel's subtleties do get lost in City Lit's adaptation of the text-heavy script, which becomes a mouthful at times for actress Sheila Willis (playing Hellman). Granted, the script is ripe with semicolons and appositives and thus reads more like a written memoir than a play, but monologue-driven, prose-ish selections is what City Lit is known for, so you'd think they'd do a better job of animating Hellman's work.
Artistic director Terry McCabe decided to do Scoundrel with a cast of two: Willis as Hellman, and Jerry Bloom as a pantheon of blacklist-era players -- Dashiell Hammet, Elia Kazan, Joseph Rauh, Clifford Odets, and others. Bloom does his best with the changes and cuts an eerily accurate Hammet, but some characters get lost in the shuffle: the audience is sometimes unsure just who is refilling Hellman's whiskey glass at the moment.
In a theatrical collaboration with Walkabout Theater Company and Collaboraction, Chicago's own ageless indie rock icon Jon Langford pulled together pieces of his solo work, a Mekons song and a folk tune to create the story of an immigrant Everyman in the musical Goldbrick. The result is a moving and effective statement on the promise and peril of immigrating to America.
Larry Yando as Everyman inhabits a heartbreakingly optimistic Welshman who, after his mother's death, decides to stake his fortunes on a trip to the New World. I will admit to a swell of patriotism as upon his arrival in New York, the recitation of "Give me your tired, your poor..." had me a bit misty.
Through the ages and a series of hard manual labor jobs (including one critical job in Florida, "home of the newly wed and the nearly dead," Everyman finds himself on the wrong side of the job market, and in desperation takes a position along The Fence -- an immigrant working to keep out immigrants. His cool is finally blown by the sight of a young woman and her infant, both dead from the passage.
His partner, his foil and his conscience are all portrayed by Tawny Newsome, whose voice is a beautiful contrast to Yando's and who accurately speaks in more dialects than Chicago has neighborhoods.
The grimy, sparse set designed by rising talent Courtney O'Neil is enhanced with projections on the back wall and floor, along with a gratuitous live camera shot from a sink of water. Neat to watch, but I'm unsure how much it enhanced the storytelling. Plus it provided us with a bit too close a look at Yando's head cold, as a drop of snot clung perilously to the tip of his nose while he hovered over the sink/camera. But, one must admire his commitment to the moment.
Although watching someone traverse the path from idealist to cynic can be disheartening, Langford's music provides enough edge and bounce to keep us out of the pit of despair, while the book, written by Loren Crawford, is able to make effective grand political statements by deeply personalizing the experience.
Goldbrick is running at The Building Stage, 1044 W. Kinzie St., until March 1. Visit Collaboraction's website for tickets.
These Shining Lives, the Jeff-recommended play directed by Rivendell Theatre Ensemble's Rachel Walshe, closes this weekend. Shows are sold out, but an additional show has been added, today at 4pm. Tickets can be purchased until 3pm today. Go to the website to purchase tickets online.
If you can make it, I highly recommend attending. Throughout the play's over two-hour duration my eyes were glued to the stage, my ears listening attentively. Even if theater is not your thing, you will enjoy this show. Based on Ross Mulner's book, Deadly Glow: The Radium Dial Worker Tragedy, appropriately published by the American Public Health Association, the play written by Melanie Marnich chronicles the story of four women affected by what is known as the radium dial worker tragedy.
Although the tragedy is perhaps not as commonly known as the epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus, it's an important chapter of American history, especially pertinent due to the fact that the last radium dial worker that died from radium poisoning is documented as 1983 in Mulner's book.
Discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in the early 1900s, radium was heralded for its astonishing ability to glow in the dark. In 1902, William J. Hammer, an American electrical engineer, invented a paint using minute amounts of radium that when used on watches and scientific instruments, could be read in the dark. Due to its high cost, however, the commercial benefits of this discovery were not pursued until 1917, when America's entry into WWI created the demand for radium-treated devices.
Hundreds of women gained lucrative employment as dial painters, using a finely pointed brush to apply the paint to watches and other instruments. To speed up the application, the women commonly tipped the brush to their tongue, which over time led to them absorbing the radium that caused their premature deaths.
In These Shining Lives, the story centers on Catherine, a young mother and wife who finds happiness, good pay, and friendship through her work as a radium dial worker at an Ottawa factory during the 1920s, but who ultimately becomes poisoned with radium. Faced with an inevitable fatality, Catherine has to decide between telling the truth to the public about her employer's misdeeds, or accepting her lot with resignation.
Ultimately, the play's theme of "shining" examines the paradoxical beautiful and tragic nature of life. Rebecca Spence (Catherine) shows her husband that her skin is actually glowing in the dark, a foreshadowing of further debilitation, yet the four women enjoying the glowing sun at Lake Michigan suggest that life and death are intrinsically interwoven. Spence conveys a luminosity in this role, with a gentle smile and affecting grace. All the actors are superbly cast and highly endowed performers, with the women in particular successful in drawing audience sympathy.
Clearly director Walshe pays close attention to the development of character. Spence admirably "shines" as the seemingly gentle but surprisingly strong Catherine and Justine C. Turner displays noteworthy acting chops as Charlotte, the tough-as-nails but ultimately vulnerable friend and co-worker.
"You're my hero," Charlotte tells Catherine, in a scene that culminates the play's exploration of how women are affected by history.
The Rivendell Theatre, which focuses on plays about women, has two plays in store for the next half year: The Walls, directed by Lisa Dillman, to debut April 8, 2009, and Fresh Produce, coming in July 2009.
In case you missed it at Steppenwolf in 2007, Broadway in Chicago says it's bringing back Tracy Letts' Pulizer-Prize winning August, Osage County in 2010 for a limited run at the Oriental Theatre. The planned dates are Feb. 2-14 (yeah, that's 2010 -- you have a two-year planner, don't you?) and Estelle Parsons, who does the role on Broadway, will play the drug-ravaged matriarch Violet Weston.
The first time anyone saw True West in Chicago, John Malkovich and Gary Sinise were playing the lead roles at Steppenwolf. It's your classic Sam Shepard family odyssey: two brothers come together, innocuously at first, but after 70 minutes one obliterates a typewriter with a golf club and the other tries to strangle him. And while one version of American Theater Company's True West is probably similar to the 1982 Steppenwolf production (just replace the word "typewriter" with "MacBook"), the other is decidedly different: the two brothers are black.
Okay, I know what you're thinking, and fear not: this isn't exactly a case of an all-white ensemble attempting a shot at diversity by simply casting black actors in a typically all-white play. ATC and Congo Square Theatre have collaborated on two plays, one with a typically all-white cast, the other all-black, presenting two versions of each: one traditional, the "alternate" with the races reversed.
Is the volatile arts climate is having its effect on Chicago theater administrations? Last week Court Theatre executive director Dawn Helsing announced her resignation. On Tuesday Redmoon Theater's executive and artistic directors, Jim Lasko and Christopher Schram, announced theirs.
While it may be easy to blame the recent moves on today's shaky financial scene, it should be noted that under Helsing's direction Court increased its annual budget from $2.5 to $3.2 million and saw its biggest hit to date in Caroline, or Change (which was on seemingly everyone's top 10 list last year). Redmoon may not be sitting as pretty -- the company announced it is contracting in size and will produce fewer shows on their home stage this year -- but its current production, Winter Pageant Redux, recently extended.
It's no picnic to lead an arts organization through an economic downturn, especially for administrators who'd rather focus on making plays for audiences than making spreadsheets for board members. (As Lasko's open resignation letter states, "I relish the opportunity to focus more purely on my artistic practice. Organizational leadership, like parenting, is a heavy load.") So it seems likely that this recent trilogy of arts administrators won't be the only ones to get shaken out of the trees, nor will their successors be the only fresh faces on the Chicago theater scene once this crisis is behind us.
One-man show. To the casual theater-goer the phrase is an immediate buzzkill: it conjures images of a spotlight, an endless monologue, perhaps some pointless nudity. It also screams vanity project.
And upon entering the Athenaeum and seeing the elevated box, framed in chicken wire, where Anthony Nikolchev begins his self-written one-man show, you think, "Is he going to do the entire play from inside there?"
But within the first two minutes Nikolchev jumps out and flips the 10-foot-tall contraption loudly on its side, revealing the kind of stage instrument that dialogue can transform into a podium, a gallows, a jail cell, or a truck.
It looks like now Rob Roy: The Musical may not be making its North American debut at the Arie Crown Theatre, 2301 South Lake Shore Drive, this February. Chris Jones reported today that a spokesperson for the performance, "refused to comment on whether the show was still going to happen."
Ticketmaster, which has been selling tickets to the performance since December, lists the show as canceled.
As one Theater Loop commenter suggested, "The Celtic-wave thing is so 90s. Maybe they can transplant the story from Scotland to turn of the century Mexico and rename it Zapata: The Musical. I'd give that a better chance of survival than a story set in cold, soggy Scotland."
Either way, patrons who purchased the $52-$82 tickets may want to review Ticketmaster's cancellation policy, or call the Arie Crown Theatre box office at 312-279-6190.
If you haven't seen The Wooster Group, they're in Chicago this week only, waiting for your sweet little eyes to pop open wide at their interpretation of Eugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones. Based in New York, this ensemble has influenced theater companies around the nation (including our hometown Neo-Futurists) with their carefully calibrated anarchy and their smart mixture of low-tech/high-concept/anything goes/yes even that too. The production is part of the Goodman's O'Neill festival, which continues into the spring.
Chicago actor and "Entourage" star Jeremy Piven has dropped out of the current Broadway revival of Speed-the-Plow by David Mamet due to mercury poisoning, after missing the Tuesday night show and Wednesday matinee. Apparently Piven's regular sushi consumption has left the Emmy Award-winning actor too sick to fulfill his commitment to the run, for which he was scheduled until Feb. 2009.
In the Dec. 17th online version of Variety, playwright David Mamet was quoted saying, "I talked to Jeremy on the phone, and he told me that he discovered that he had a very high level of mercury...So my understanding is that he is leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer."
No word yet on celebrity replacements and whether or not he'll be recuperating at his mom's place in Evanston.
David Cromer's hit adaptation of Our Town most recently mounted by the Hypocrites' in The Chopin Theatre's basement space, appears headed for the NYC stage. Cromer is teaming up with NY producer Scott Morfee, it is reported, to bring his critically acclaimed, surprisingly caustic version of Thorton Wilder's classic to New York. The Chicago actors involved in the Hypocrites' production have "been invited to come" to NY, says Cromer. For more info about the potential move, check out Chris Jones' article in The Trib.
William Petersen, the native Evanstonian actor better known to most as "that dude from CSI" (didja know he's also an Executive Producer?) has been named as a new member of Steppenwolf's prestigious ensemble, which includes other Chicago theatre and film luminaries such as Joan Allen, Frank Galati, John Mahoney, John Malkovitch, Gary Sinise and a host of others.
"We are delighted to welcome our long-time friend, William Petersen, into the Steppenwolf ensemble," comments Steppenwolf Artistic Director Martha Lavey. "Billy was one of the founding members of Chicago's Remains Theatre, an ensemble theater that, like Steppenwolf, helped define the storefront theater life of Chicago in the 1980s. He currently appears in Steppenwolf's Dublin Carol and previously appeared in our productions of Balm in Gilead and Fool for Love. We are delighted that Billy is a friend from our past, present and a part of our future."
For more info about Steppenwolf's Ensemble including a full list of ensemble members past and present, check out the 'Wolf's website.
To write, stage and perform a collection of original plays. Their Fourth Annual 24 Hour Project begins at 9 PM on Friday, January 9th, and culminates in a performance at 8 PM at Vittum Theatre on January 10th.
This seasons 24 Hour Project topic is nature-- four playwrights have 12 hours to write four plays, and four musicians also take 12 hours to compose original works to precede each play. In the remaining 12 hours, the actors and directors rehearse their play to prepare for the performance.
For more info or to purchase tickets, check out Infamous Commonwealth's website or call 312-458-9780
Each year, as the holiday season approaches, theatre goers are inundated by a number of holiday themed performance options. There's always the standard fare: Scrooge this and that, nuts cracking, etcetera. Wouldn't it be nice to see an unusual holiday themed show? This is an option well within reach of Chicago theatre fans. Some non-traditional holiday performance options for this season include:
And many, many more. Don't write off the theatre this holiday season just because you're sick of Santa. For a full listing of upcoming holiday shows, check out Theatre in Chicago's comprehensive list of upcoming "seasonally appropriate" performances. And, if you find yourself stuck at some overly schmaltzy holiday show, a flask of egg nog always helps.
Collaboraction announces its call for submissions for their 9th Annual Sketchbook short play festival, this year to include a special Sketchbook Jr. component, highlighting works intended for young audiences. Collaboraction is also looking for directors, choreographers, and various other artists for the festival. The deadline for submissions for the 9th annual SKETCHBOOK Festival is Monday, Dec. 22, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. To submit your work, visit Collaboraction's website.
Well, the star part isn't guaranteed, but you have an opportunity to play a walk-on role during a performance of Wicked. To be eligible, go to the Oriental Theatre lobby on November 19 or December 3 from 5:30pm-6:30pm and make a $20 donation to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. As a bonus, you'll get $20 off that evening's show. Full details at Broadway in Chicago's website.
With Chicago Theatres' level of customer service. "In this rough economy," he says, "you'd think theaters would take care of their paying customers. But as with airlines and restaurants, the level of customer service at Chicago theaters varies. Drastically." To read his full assessment of the situation and leave him your own $.02, check out The Tribune's website.
Broadway in Chicago will announce today the world premiere of "The Addams Family," a new musical based on the original Addams Family cartoons. Check out the suitably creepy photo of Mr. Addams himself below for a taste of what's in store. It opens on November 13, 2009. For more information, check out Broadway in Chicago's website.
If you're a dedicated shower-singer, karaoke enthusiast, or recall fondly your star turn as "Tree #4" in your 3rd grade play, Victory Gardens is offering a chance to show the whole world your stellar talent. Grab your checkbook and and buy your way to stardom at Victory Gardens Theater's 27th Annual Casting Auction, Saturday, November 15th at 6 pm at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater. This year, Mame is the classic musical up for bid, with more than 50 roles up for grabs to the highest bidder. After all, isn't buying your way to stardom the American Way? You won't even have to visit the Casting Couch. For more information or to purchase tickets visit Victory Gardens' website.
A fter eight years, Stage Left Theatre's Artistic Director Kevin Heckman is now the Managing Director for Evanston's Next Theatre. Taking Heckman's place at Stage Left are "Interim Co-Artistic Directors" Drew Martin and David Alan Moore. Martin held the position for eight years prior to Heckman, who remains an active member of the Stage Left ensemble. At the same time, John Sanders, who served as Director of New Play Development, has moved on to focus on his own acting career, and Laura Blegen has been hired as the theatre's new full-time Managing Director in charge of all business operations. As Stage Left gears up for its 27th season with the Chicago premiere of After Ashley by Gina Gionfriddo on October 14, Moore and "After Ashley" director Greg Werstler spoke with Joe Stead of the website Theatre in Chicago about the artistic shakeup, the challenges and rewards of collaboration, and the mission of producing new and exciting work in Chicago. For the full scoop and other Chicago theatre news, add Theatre in Chicago to your daily web jaunts.
Broadway In Chicago is encouraging all Chicagoans to vote and celebrate the election of the 44th President by offering theater patrons an opportunity to purchase any seat for $44 on Election Day, November 4, 2008, by using the code VOTE. The special ticket price applies to the international stage hits Dirty Dancing, Jersey Boys and Wicked. Theater goers will be able to hear election returns during intermission and at the close of the show. Performances for all shows on Tuesday, November 4th begin at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are available at Broadway In Chicago box offices (18 W. Monroe St., 24 W. Randolph St. and 151 W. Randolph St.), through the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at 312-902-1400, and via Ticketmaster. More details here.
The 2007-2008 Jeff Awards ceremony, held last night at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, honored the best of the best from the 07-08 theatre seasons. Awards were presented in 35 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions which opened between August 1, 2007 and July 31, 2008. Beginning with this season, the Jeff Awards acknowledged the work of Large and Midsize theatres in separate categories for productions and technical elements. For a full list of nominees and winners, visit the Jeff Awards website.
Victory Gardens Theatre's Family Saturday series aims to solve the age-old dilemma of finding a sitter for your kids so you can get out to see some theatre. The Family Saturday series kicks off Saturday, October 18 at 5 pm with Victory Gardens' season opener, Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl. VGT education professionals will keep children 4 and up entertained, while their parents watch the show and have some much needed grown-up time .
Apple Tree Theatre's Eileen Boevers will be receiving a special Jeff Award in recognition of her dedication to fostering Apple Tree's educational outreach program. Boevers, who recently retired as Apple Tree's Executive Artistic Director, will be honored for her work at the Jeff Awards' ceremony at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie on October 20th. For more information about the Jeff Awards or to purchase tickets to the ceremony, visit the Jeff Awards' website . Stay tuned to A/C for a full roundup of the Jeff Awards' the day after the ceremony.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I must begin this review with a troubling admission: I have never seen any of the Halloween movies. Not a one. That being said, I went into the performance of Scooty and JoJo's Carpenters Halloween hoping that my lack of knowledge of the films wouldn't hamper my enjoyment of the show. You see, Carpenters Halloween is the story of the original Halloween film, set to the music of The Carpenters. As in, Karen and Richard Carpenter. If that isn't enough to pique your curiosity, here's a few other facts about this show: there are puppets, men in drag, and the show takes place in Mary's Attic, the small space above Hamburger Mary's in Andersonville, on Clark. That means, that while you are watching a man in drag singing "Rainy Days and Mondays" to a puppet, while being leered at by a dude in a hockey mask, you can also have a drink, or two. And order off the appetizer menu. During the show. Need I go on?
Collaboraction, a Chicago theatre institution known best for their annual Sketchbook short play festival, has clearly been watching their CNN recently. In light of the current economic conditions, which can be best described as sucky, they are offering $50 "Bail Out" tickets to their upcoming annual fundraiser Beggar's Banquet on October 11th, which offers a good portion of the night's excitement for a more "budget friendly" price. After all, did any of you all get checks from that $700 Billion Dollar bailout? I sure didn't--and neither did any Chicago theatre companies.
One part fundraiser, and several parts gloriously debaucherous bacchanalia, this year's Beggar's Banquet at Park West features "The Greatest Rock Songs of All Times performed by Prairie Cartel and Scott Lucas of Local H, Over 40 interactive groupies and rock stylists treating you like the rock star you are! As well as an Open Bar and Trolley service to Rednofive for After party of debauchery!!!!!", according to their website. The $50 tix get you in the door at 9:00 for the booze and groupies, and into the afterparty as well. Hit up their website for tickets and more information.
Looking for some fun Halloween-y theatre? The Incurable Theater is staging the world premier of In the Curious Hold of the Demeter: Count Orlock at Sea at Studio Theater Chicago Cultural Center, 77 East Randolph St., tonight through Oct. 25.
The play, inspired by F.W. Murnau's 1922 silent film Nosferatu, was written by Jill Summers. Follow the struggles of Count Orlock as he travels by sea, stowed away on the Russian schooner "The Demeter." As he travels to a foreign land to begin life anew, his debilitating insomnia brings to life his insecurities and nightmares. The show combines puppetry, masks, live actors, shadowplay and projections to tell its darkly comic tale.
Tonight's preview performance is just $10. Friday and Saturday performances Oct. 3 through Oct. 25 are $15 (students and seniors are $10). All shows are at 7:30pm. Purchase tickets here.
Season three has begun! Impress These Apes is an eight week talent competition cruelly masterminded by three hyperintelligent apes from the future (long story). It's no big deal, really -- it's just the future of humanity at stake. Each week eight contestants (drawn from Chicago's rich pool of improv, sketch, and stand-up talent) must rise to the occasion of a new talent challenge.
In seasons past, those talents have included short film projects, favorite movie scene re-enactments, biographical songs, music videos, and stand-up with puppets. (Yeah, puppets.) The show's winner waltzes off with $500, a grab bag of prizes, and the distinction of being called "least pitiful human."
Season one winner Jamie Buell has nothing but great things to say about his experience as a contestant. "Apes was great. It was one of the most rewarding things I've done creatively. Plus it was exciting to have to be so focused to get each challenge done, it didn't leave any room to doubt or second guess." Was it weird to be judged by three giant simians in a comedy context? Yes. "I was surprised by how hard I took it the first time I didn't get a good score from the Apes," Buell said. "Even though the judging aspect is totally ridiculous - three guys in ape masks - it still stung when they didn't like something I'd done."
Season two winner Kristen Studard agrees that Apes was a great experience. What was her favorite week? "Stand-up with a puppet. It was a lot of work making the puppet and I had no idea how my act would go over, but it was really fun to perform. Someone told me after the show that week, 'I've never seen someone sexually harass themselves.' I'll take that as a compliment."
Impress These Apes is a production of Chicago's own Blewt! Productions, who capped off a four year run of the comedy game show Don't Spit the Water with a trip to Los Angeles, where they pitched that show and other ideas to execs at Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and other networks.
Impress These Apes season three continues for the next seven Mondays at 8:30 at the Lakeshore Theater. Tickets are $15.
Cruel ape overlords Steve Gadlin, Paul Luikart, Tyler Lansdown:
Season three contestants:
More photos and videos from last Monday's season opening show after the jump.
Continuing the grand tradition of turning a campy movie into an even campier musical, Xanadu is rollerskating its way towards the Windy City. The musical, which opened on Broadway in 2007 to surprisingly favorable reviews, and reached its peak popularity when Whoopi Goldberg was a cast member this summer, is closing at the Helen Hayes Theatre in NYC two weeks early. Producers cited general economic sluggishness as the reason for the early closing. It will open in Chicago in January for a six-month run at Drury Lane Water Tower. My recommendation? Hit the storied Coq D'Or bar at the nearby Drake Hotel pre-show for an interesting contrast between the stoic class of the Coq D'or and the glittery disco explosion that is Xanadu.
For those interested in checking it out for themselves, tickets for the Chicago engagement are $67.50 to $87.50 and may be purchased through Ticketmaster or Broadway in Chicago's website
In Lifeline Theatre's production of The Picture of Dorian Gray -- a world premiere of the adaptation by Robert Kauzlaric from Oscar Wilde's novel -- the eponymous character (played by Nick Vidal, pictured here, left, with the elder Lord Henry [Sean Sinitski]) manages to stay forever young by sloughing off the painful consequences of his many and increasingly detestable sins onto a painting of himself. Everyone around him ages, and everyone he touches is drawn into "the depths of depravity," but he remains unchanged. It seems that in such a story, the audience must be fascinated with Dorian, but I found myself focusing on everyone but. I left the theater feeling that the play was an extraordinary success, but I never felt Dorian's charisma, which is really the linchpin of the story. In theory, nothing makes sense without understanding the world's unshakable adoration of Dorian Gray; but Lifeline certainly pulled through.
People's Temple, currently running at American Theatre Company and written and directed by Leigh Fondakowski, provides a more detailed look at an American tragedy which has oft been condensed to a mere soundbite. The deaths of hundreds of People's Temple members in Jonestown, Guyana has been reduced to a catchphrase in our culture: "drinking the kool aid". Fondakowski's docudrama, cleanly and minimally staged at ATC, explores the heartwrenching details of this event which have been sadly overlooked.
Melissa Veal, known as "Maloo" to her friends, makes wigs. Lots of them. Like, she has a room full of 360 wigs. And she's very much in demand backstage at Chicago Shakespeare's latest production, Amadeus. Time Out Chicago profiles her cool job, and teaches us terms like "wig lace" and why yak hair is awesome.
Creativity will thrive 24 hours a day in Wicker Park next week.
From September 7 through 13, theatre artists and alumni from the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Theater Institute (NTI) will collaborate with established members of Chicago's theater community for Element: A New Plays Festival, a script development intensive that was conceived and produced by recent NTI graduates Taylor Bibat and Alexis Randolph.
And creative energy and activity for 24 hours a day is the goal, as the artists will spend the week in a communal living and working environment at the newly-opened St. Paul's Cultural Center in Wicker Park. The space includes a kitchen, rehearsal rooms (or "think tanks"), and performance space. The rare communal aspect of the festival is meant to encourage and establish a heightened level of intensity, intimacy, and focus.
Element kicks off with a workshop and orientation, followed by six days of rehearsals and nightly public readings. Doors open to the public each night at 7 p.m. Highlights of each evening will include a pre-reading activity where the audience and other festival participants may plant sunflower seeds they received as publicity material; a post-reading talkback; and an eat, drink, meet, and greet.
The festival hopes to encourage and support continued relations that will result in future full-scale productions by theater companies across the country.
We could get into a long conversation on the subject of why I'm not usually drawn to dance that promises to "de-mystify" and "de-titillate" the "objectification of women." But when Breakbone DanceCo promises to mock themselves, mock a lot of the heavy-handed social commentary out there, and encourage the audience to laugh during this de-titillation, my interest is piqued. The "De-evolution of MUDWOMAN (an evening of dance exile, fashion, and humor)" begins with a "superficial poptart diva"--representing today's female role models--who de-evolves into the primordial female, complete with head-to-toe mud. The show is filled with entertainment, including a couture fashion show and videography, and is punctuated by commentary from three "expositors" who critique the goings-on throughout the evening.
Breakbone uses a unique, athletic style, and the MUDWOMAN choreography explores a movement-as-language standpoint with diverse sources, from sign language to "primal body posturing" to more standard dance techniques. The concert features work by award-winning choreographers Colleen Halloran and Atalee Judy, and former Hubbard Street Chicago dancer Cheryl Mann.
So if you want to participate in a high-energy and humorous journey toward the appreciation of the female form in its "most beautiful, raw, and primal state," go check out Breakbone at the Viaduct Theater, 3111 N. Western Ave., Chicago. It's running for two more weeks: August 28, 29, 30, and September 4, 5, 6, all shows at 9:00. $18 ($15 students and seniors). Click here for tickets or visit Breakbone's website for more information.
This weekend, some of Chicago's most beloved local stand-ups will be getting together to throw a farewell and benefit show for Angelica Busque and the Illinois chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America. Busque is a local artist and stand-up superfan well known to the many who comics who make their bones in Chicago's backroom stand-up comedy scene. Ms Busque suffers from chronic lupus and is leaving our lovely city and her adopted home to convalesce among family in Michigan. And local luminary stand-ups like Ricky Carmona, the screamingly funny C.J. Sullivan and Sean Flannery (who host the best sports-in-quotes, or "sports" talk show on the internet, Visitor's Locker Room), among others like recent emigre Renee Gauthier are all coming out to honor a super fan and have some fun raising money for a good cause. So what're you gonna do on Saturday?
Doors for "Angel's Farewell Show" open at 7:30 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. on August 23, 2008, in the back of the Lincoln Restaurant (4008 N. Lincoln Ave.). Suggested donation is $10; all proceeds go to benefit the Lupus Foundation of America, Illinois Chapter. Raffle tickets for tons of good swag from Early to Bed, the Comic Vault, the Lincoln Lodge, 42 Degrees N. Latitude, The Amazing Tomas, Adventure Stage Chicago (Vittum Theater), and Michelle L'Amour will be available for purchase. Angel will also be raffling off an original piece of her art. This particular work was featured as the main promotional piece for Artwalk Ravenswood 2007.
In a couple weeks, the Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co. will stage it's 20th annual free-spirited "performance mashup" known as the Abbie Hoffman Died for Our Sins Theatre Festival. Beginning Friday, August 22, at 2 p.m. and ending late on Sunday, August 24 (or, let's be honest, Monday morning), this action-packed, pleasantly absurd theatre extravaganza pays tribute to the spirit of Woodstock. No, not this Woodstock. This Woodstock.
This year's lineup features more than 30 theatre companies and performers, including Mary-Arrchie, A Red Orchid Theatre, The Hypocrites, The Plagiarists, The Telepaths, Speaking Ring Theatre, Bruised Orange Theatre, and many more. The fest takes place at the Angel Island Theatre (kind of like the Yasgur's Farm of East Lakeview). Tickets range from $10-$20 and can be purchased on Ticketweb.
Metroblogging Chicago has posted an interview with one of the founders of the Chicago Theater Database, a site that aspires to be the IMDB of local dramatic endeavors. A labor of love since 2007, the site has gradually accumulated profiles on more than 200 companies and 700 productions, in addition to information about venues, reviews, awards, and all kinds of things that someone interested in theater may be interested in knowing about. The database recently went into Beta and its creators are working to develop an interface through which users can contribute content. Currently, however, it's only open for browsing. If you're interested in learning more about the creation of the CTDB and what's still to come, check out the blogs of founders Dan Granata and Nick Keenan.
There's a new sketch comedy (with music da@mm^t) opening at the Conservatory in August. It is entitled, "Sing D@mm^t" and features six actors (all Chicago sketch and improv veterans), one piano, and nine songs. They will cover, among other things, sex, political corruption, marital dysfunction, and uh, sex. You'll have to wait for about a month, d@mm^t, but tickets go on sale July 18th. This troupe will be worth the wait. By the way, this production is put on by Backe Productions and Corn Productions.
Where: The Conservatory 4210 N. Lincoln Ave. (312) 409-6435 (BYOB)
When: Fridays from August 8th to September 12th at 8:00 p.m. on the first three Fridays and 11 p.m. on the last three Fridays.
Cost: $12 for adults; $10 for students (with valid ID) and groups over 8.
Chris Jones, the Tribune's theater critic and blogger, was in a tizzy today about the news that Jersey Boys has removed all depictions of smoking from their show. There's currently no artistic exception to the smoking ban (though one was considered) and apparently an audience member complained about the characters lighting up. Cue the police, entering stage left, to warn the production about being in violation of the law.
Jones huffs and puffs about this injustice more than a two-pack-a-day addict. He throws around words like "authenticity" and "truth" and claims that enforcement of this law not only injures Chicago's reputation as a world-class cultural center but also violates artists' constitutional right to freedom of expression. Methinks this drama critic is being overly dramatic.
Superior Donuts, the new Tracy Letts play now running at Steppenwolf, has all the components of a fine piece of theatre. Fine acting chops, yes. A stunning set design that appears vividly, crisply real. Yet something is strangely lacking.
The story centers on a Polish donut storeowner's struggle to hold onto the past and resist the temptation to sell his store to a very persistent Russian who dreams of opening the electronics emporium of the neighborhood. The setting is Uptown, in the present, yet there's something distinctly retro about this story. The female cop who lusts after the protagonist feels reminiscently Hill Street Blues. And the donut lady — the shop’s one consistent customer — is funny but in a predictable way, like a character on the hit '70s T.V. show "Alice."
What’s missing in this play is some emotional bravery. The first act develops nicely, and the juicy dialogue (“Is Anyone Paying Attention in America?”) is entertaining. Yet there’s not a character like Deanna Dugan from Letts’s superior play, August Osage Country, that swept the audience into her tidal wave of debilitation and psychotic derangement. What we have here is a man that Letts slowly exposes as weak and ultimately uninteresting. Even when he sticks up for himself in the fight scene (the most compelling scene of the play), you can’t help but feel sorry for him. It’s a universal story of what happens to someone when they let their life pass them by yet this story fails to stir the audience or provide a resolution. And Franco (Jon Michael Hill), the African American co-worker who gets maimed by the bookie thugs and has his Great American novel torn to shreds, feels clichéd.
No, this is not a lost play by Horace. It is a wonderful, radio-style play that is being put on by the Oracle Theatre. Inspired by the life of Lev Termen, a Russian inventor and spy no less, the play utilizes a pre-recorded sound, pantomime and other on-stage devices to portray a fantastic and fictional dramatization of its subject. You'll have to wait until Saturday to see it, but I believe it's worth the wait. Go check it out!
Where: The Oracle Theatre 3809 N. Broadway (773) 244-2980
When: June 28th through August 3rd
Price: $18
Watch out Steppenwolf, here comes Theater Oobleck. Yes, The Strangerer is heading to New York this summer, to debut at the off-Broadway Barrow Street Theatre on July 9. The show, which ran last year at venues like Links Hall (where I saw it), currently has an extended run at the Chopin Theatre (Thu, Fri, Sat at 8pm; Sun 3pm) until June 29.
The play takes a stab at the strangely void and inexplicable psyche of Mr. George W. Centered on a surreal Bush/ Kerry debate in 2004, it's revealed that Bush is the type of man that kills without purpose or knowledge. If you’ve read The Stranger by Albert Camus (apparently Bush did summer of '06) you’ll understand playwright Mickle Maher’s attempt to draw parallels between the President and the main protagonist in the book, a man who commits a senseless murder and is incapable of showing remorse. If you haven’t read the book, you’ll still have plenty to sink your teeth into. Original cast members Maher, Guy Massey, Colm O’Reilly, and Brian Shaw star in the local show as well as the one that's hitching a ride to the Big Apple next month. Go see it here before it's gone.
Brett Neveu's newest play Gas for Less, up now at The Goodman, chronicles one family's struggles to maintain a small business amidst a sea of gentrification. Neveu got his start in Chicago, and for more of his work, or for some bite-sized reading during your lunch break, check out his blog, Little Scripts.
The Strawdog Theatre is gearing up for their twenty-first season. The season is entitled "The Whole Wide World in a Little Black Box" and is comprised of three mainstage plays, all of which center around catastrophic events. The season's first play, "Rossum's Universal Robots," by Karl Capec, is about a robot rebellion and how that relates to the twilight of humanity. "All My Sons" by Arthur Miller focuses on the destruction of a family triggered by a suicide, and "Red Roses" by Peter Barnes deals with the devastation and dread of the Black Plague.
Strawdog has been around since 1988 and is centered on performing strong human stories. Their current venue in Lakeview provides the type of theatre that I love; the intimate kind. It seats seventy people, so if you really want to connect with the action, this is your type of experience. In addition to the mainstage performances, the Strawdog also offers a variety of late-night performances including live music, improv, and comedy for all of you night-owls.
The details:
3829 N. Broadway (773) 528-9696
Ticket prices vary, so visit the website or contact the box office.
"R.U.R." by Karel Capek, directed by Shade Murray, runs September 18–October 25, 2008 (previews September 18 and 19 at 8 p.m., gala benefit on September 20 at 7 p.m., opens September 21 at 7 p.m.)
"All My Sons" by Arthur Miller, directed by Kimberly Senior, runs February 19–March 28, 2009 (previews February 19 and 20 at 8 p.m., gala benefit on February 21 at 7 p.m., opens February 22 at 7 p.m.)
"Red Noses" by Peter Barnes, directed by Matthew Hawkins, runs April 16–May 23, 2009 (previews April 16 and 17 at 8 p.m., gala benefit on April 18 at 7 p.m., opens April 19 at 7 p.m.)
Late Night: Friday and Saturday night mainstage performance at 11 p.m. Admission for Late Night is free with paid mainstage ticket (or $5 for just the Late Night).
Considered one of the most bold and pivotal plays of its time, "A Taste of Honey," written by the famous British playwright Shalegh Delany is a bold and avant guard piece about poverty, sex, race and family that pushes the boundaries about acceptable societal norms. It was earth shattering when it debuted on the big stage in 1959 and Shattered Globe's rendition of this riveting and socially provocative work is absolutely solid.
The play centers around Josephine or Jo (Helen Sadler), a seventeen year old girl from a working class home and her mother, Helen (Linda Reiter) a sexually indiscriminate and vulgar person who leaves Jo for a wealthy, younger man, Peter (Jeremy Van Meter. Add to the mix Jo's relationship to and subsequent pregnancy with a black sailor, Boy (Bryson Engelen), her temporary destitution, and Jo's relationship with her gay roommate, Geoff (Kevin Viol), an art student who becomes a father figure for Jo during her pregnancy.
The Shattered Globe troupe does a tremendous job presenting the conflict and emotional strain of the various social taboos addressed in this work. A danger of a play of this nature is that it may not seem realistic; that is not the case here. Helen Sadler's performance is simply riveting. She is both fragile and powerful as she navigates through crisis after crisis, demonstrating the duality that exists in women confronted with abandonment, forbidden love, privation and hope. She anchors the performance and allows the audience to identify with her by giving them a glimpse into her core being.
Linda Reiter is adorably deplorable as a self-absorbed and opportunistic bad mother. Just as you begin to completely despise her, she shows glimpses of love for her daughter that demonstrate the complexities of her character. Kevin Viol's performance is brilliant as he serves as Jo's societal father figure while living a bohemian and socially unaccepted lifestyle. Bryson Engelen rounds out the performance as a young, passionate lover who due to his profession, is unavailable to Jo during her greatest time of need.
Everything about this play is wonderful. The British accents are authentic and good throughout, the set is well done and the jazz music played throughout adds the perfect underscore to the story and to the characters. You'll feel for Jo, cry with Jo, and hope for Jo. This is absolutely a must see.
When: Through July 5th
Where: Victory Gardens Greenhouse Theatre
2257 North Lincoln Ave. (773) 549-5788
Price: $27-$35
This weekend and next, you'll get the chance to see some acrobatic dancers create a story in the air using ... giant lampshades. And picture frames and clotheslines and boots, oh my! Aloft Aerial Dance presents The Dinner of our Discontent, in which they tell the story--which "veers from heartbreaking to hilarious"--of five estranged sisters returning home after the sudden deaths of their parents. The company has spent some time in China since their last full-length show, and they picked up some tricks from Chinese acrobats who make use of every-day objects to create their art.
The show is May 16-18 and 23-25, 8:00 p.m. at the Aloft Loft, 941 N California Ave. (down the alley, in the back). Go to Brown Paper Tickets for...well...tickets at $20-$30.
As a side note--if you've ever wanted to join the circus but don't want to leave Chicago, you can learn how to be a trapezist right here! Check out the Aloft Loft for all the classes Aloft has to offer.
Over at the theater blog An Angry White Guy in Chicago, a debate rages about the nature of art criticism. Blogger Don Hall claims that "most theater people just want affirmation and aren't really interested in criticism, constructive or otherwise but we all claim to want honest evaluation from our peers." Check the comments section for the response from the theater community.
The Cubs will not be in town this weekend, but you still have a reason to experience wonderful Wrigleyville in the spring. Stage Left Theatre, known for tackling tough social issues in its productions is currently performing Omniscience, a play about the psychological and emotional trauma suffered by living in a quasi police state. The play follows a documentary producer and his military officer wife as he attempts to bring to light the truth of war and the suppression of expression by corporate and government forces intent on maintaining "control" of its populace.
When: Through May 24th; Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 3:00pm
Where: Stage Left Theatre, 3408 N. Sheffield Ave.
Price: $20.00
Box Office: (773) 883-8830
If you haven’t cleared your calendar for the MCA’s upcoming Hip Hop Live + Reel, you might want to get on that. Born of New York City’s Hip Hop Theater Festival, Live + Reel is a four-day bonanza of hip hop culture. Artists from both coasts – including New York’s Reggie Watts and Bay Area lyricists The Suicide Kings – will be joining forces with local performers like Deja Taylor, whose work from Louder Than a Bomb has been recorded for Chicago Public Radio, and Teatro Luna, Chicago’s all-Latina theater company.
“This new format – two days of film and two days of live performances – creates a mini-festival atmosphere,” says MCA House Manager Surinder Martignetti. “The strength of combining local artists with national performers offers people such a great opportunity to see what’s happening out there and to really get involved.”
With all four days boasting a packed line up of spoken word performances, outstandingly original films and, of course, music (and only $5 for tickets to the films! Five! For the whole night!), the MCA is encouraging everyone to try to make the whole series. If you can only make one, though, I recommend aiming for Saturday, when The Suicide Kings’ In Spite of Everything, a startlingly timely play revolving around a school shooting, will be performed. Louder Than a Bomb 2008 winner Kuumba Lynx will also perform, and beatboxer Yuri Lane will close the night with an excerpt from his show From Tel Aviv to Ramallah: A Beatbox Journey.
Film night tickets are $5 for all screeings; performance nights are $16 member/$20 non-member. Student pricing is available. To see the full list of performances or to buy tickets on line, visit the MCA’s website, or call the box office at 312.397.4010 for more information.
Tonight (April 11) marks the kick-off of comedienne/writer/actress Sarah King's new one-woman show, "good crazy/bad crazy," which runs at the Apollo Studio Theater every Friday until May 2. In addition to dancing, lots of audience interaction, and a general exploration of the idea that "everyone is crazy, but some people are just better at hiding it," the show features words of wisdom from King's parents, who hail from Sugar Land, Texas (whose Town Crazy isTom DeLay) and provide their own insights on what "crazy" means. For a preview, here's a video featuring King's mom and dad, clad in matching pink sport shirts, chatting about "bad crazy drivers" and picking up cans. 8 p.m. $12, $10 for students. 2540 N. Lincoln Ave. For more info, call 773-935-6100 or visit the Website.
This weekend at the MCA, you can see what one of America's great modern dance companies has to say about our "mediatized" world, touching on morality, humanity, and violence, the judicial process, and prison. The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company has been a major force in American modern dance for nearly 25 years. In this visit to Chicago, they will be presenting Chapel/Chapter, a performance that retells two "high-visibility" news stories and one company member's "reminiscence/confession." The music is performed live, the set plays a role, and video and spoken words are involved, all contributing to the choreographer's desire to create a "self-enclosed world." The show promises to be both intellectually and visually fascinating.
Shows are at the MCA, 220 E. Chicago Ave., on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30. Tickets are $35-$40 ($28-$32 for MCA members). For tickets and more information, including a video preview, visit the MCA's website.
This is your last chance to see a great play, Next Stop Spinsterland, showing at the Athenaeum Theatre in Lakeview. Two single girls are teleported to Spinsterland where they have 24 hours to find a husband or else spend eternity there. It closes April 6th. Go check it out!
Where: Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave (312) 902-1500
When: Sat, April 5th at 8pm. and Sunday April 6th (final show) at 3pm.
For the next few days, the Live Bait Theatre is staging Heat Wave, a dark comedy chronicling the events of the 1995 Chicago weather disaster. Based on Eric Klineberg's book Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago, it is a moving examination of the tragedy that took the lives of over 700 Chicagoans. A must see.
You can catch it Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00pm and Sunday at 3:00pm in the Pegasus Player's Theatre, 1145 W. Wilson Ave. Tickets run from $17-25.
Here are some options for this weekend (starting tonight!).
Chicago Moving Company presents Dance Shelter, CMC's annual artist-in-residence concert. March 27, 28 and April 3, 4 @ 7:30. $15 ($12 students), Hamlin Park Fieldhouse Theater, 3035 N Hoyne Ave. Click here for more info and to purchase tickets.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Spring Series opens tonight. If you were to see only one Chicago company this year, I'd say these are the folks to see. Consistently fantastic performances, consistently accessible to a wide audience. Various dates, tonight through April 5. Their site has all the info you could need.
The final event in Links Hall's Choreographing Coalitions (see earlier GB entries about the series here and here) is Denise Uyehara's Big Head, an interdisciplinary performance piece that "revisits the treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II and considers current-day treatment of those perceived as 'the enemy now.'" March 28, 29 @ 8:00, March 30 @ 7:00. $15 ($12 students). 3435 N. Sheffield, #207
Chicago's storefront theater scene rivals that of anywhere in the country. But still, critically acclaimed shows struggle to fill their houses and actors keep on eating rice with soy sauce for every meal. A group of theater bloggers, here and around the country, chose today to tackle the big question, "What is the value of theater?" -- and they attempt to dissect why theater matters to people who aren't in the industry.
Chicago-based In These Times magazine features an interview with a young, up-and-coming playwright, Christopher Shinn. When asked his advice about where an artist should begin, he responded in a way that made me think about my own artistic perspective, saying: "Any artist needs to come up with a theory of human nature. And mine has to do with an inherent vulnerability in people, and their attempt to escape that vulnerability through a narcissistic denial of reality. That’s been around since the Greeks and Shakespeare’s tragedies."
The festival aims to "blend all forms of art, dance, text, music, and visual art into performances that capture and stimulate the mind." And media isn't the only diverse aspect of the festival. Take a peek at the subject matter. McIlvain's "dance for the camera," Three Men in Two Parts, follows three young men through a night in a bar. Shabam!'s West Side Story Redux views today's racism and division through the lens of the eponymous musical. Munch's Rubber Coated Chlorine takes a stab at "political speak" while the audience hears recordings of Adlai Stevenson at the United Nations in 1962. Performances will range from political and serious to light and warm-hearted, while subjects range from a Baptist church, to mid-life discovery, to death. There are even promises of belly dancing and traditional Butoh dancing!
Tickets are $15 ($10 students). Shows are March 13 and 14 at 7:30 at the Hamlin Park Fieldhouse Theater, 3035 N. Hoyne. 773-486-8261
There is still time to see the Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) on Navy Pier's presentation of Othello, which ends on April 6th. It is not as easy as it looks to adapt Shakespeare to a modern audience, but having seen the CST in action during their production of Troilus and Cressida in 2006, I can tell you that this Chicago troupe makes it happen in a big way.
They deliver engaging and exciting performances that captivate their audiences and keep them coming back for more. If you haven't seen a Shakespearean play performed live, this would be a great introduction. If you're a Shakespeare veteran, the CST will provide a great "shot in the arm."
If you want to see great acting, great costumes and a wonderful production, go check them out!
When: Saturdays : 8pm
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays : 7:30pm (ends April 6)
Where: Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier: 800 E. Grand Ave.
Presented by the Signal Ensemble Theater, a Chicago nonprofit professional company, this performance of the Tony Award-winning musical was commendable. The story is well known. It is the summer of 1776 and the Continental Congress is debating what will become the seminal moment of our nation: the signing of the Declaration of Independence. There is bitter division and political infighting. The outcome is unclear and the future of the colonies and a nation hangs in the balance.
What makes 1776 amazing is two-fold. The acting and singing in this performance were both strong and seamless. I was pleasantly surprised to see that neither the singing nor acting was compromised by the other. The performance was strong and engaging throughout the nearly three-hour event. I immediately connected with the plight of John Adams (played by Phillip Winston) as he struggles to convince the holdouts in the Congress to share in his ideal vision of a free America, all the while longing to be reunited with his wife Abigail (Lindsay Naas). Benjamin Franklin (Vincent Lonergan) added humor to the performance as well the pragmatism that Adams desperately needs. All of the actors were exceptional but there was a standout performance by Jeremy Trager who sang "Molasses to Rum" as Edward Rutledge of South Carolina. The song was complex, required a tremendous amount of range and energy, and Trager nailed it cold. Although the song was essentially a defense of slavery, it mas a moving reminder of what regrettably helped build this nation. I felt that the audience was uncomfortable with the subject, but that they, too, were amazed at the execution.
The venue was also integral to the performance. The intimacy of the Chopin Theater made me feel that I was a part of the action. The actors were so close you could see them sweat. They moved on and off of the stage via the audience entries, which made it feel even more familiar. This is a great way to see great theater.
In the American cultural landscape, tap dancing has fought hard to be regarded the same as other dance forms. Lane Alexander, founder and director of the Chicago Human Rhythm Project (CHRP), explains tap's global impact, and why it is finally... Read this feature »
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