ChiIL Live Shows

SCamp13 Is Imminent & Thursday Pre-Party Choices From Chicago & Beyond @summercampfest #SCamp13

2013-05-21T11:20:00.003-07:00

SCamp12 Thursday/Friday ChiILLiveShows.com

We'll be going off line and into the woods for Summer Camp Music Festival--the annual kick off to the Summer Music Festival Season this Thursday through Memorial Day Monday. Once again, we have press credentials this year and both of our sites (ChiILLiveShows.com & ChiILMama.com) will go dark for 5 days so we can give our full attention to photographing, interviewing and covering SCamp in the wilds of Chillicothe, IL at 3 Sisters Park.

Here's our ginormous... full set... slideshow from SCamp 2012 broken down by days starting with Thursday/Friday last year. This is the first time we've put the good, the bad & the ugly out there unedited. We generally break our shots into smaller features by band, theme, etc. and the public only ever sees a tiny fraction of what we shoot. But... just in case you & your friends or your fav bands are in there and didn't make the "best of" cut, we're putting the whole thing out there for you, just this once. Enjoy!

*Click here for loads of ChiIL Live Shows & ChiIL Mama's past SCamp Coverage going back

years!

Les Claypool rockin' SCamp12

ChiIL Picks List Thursday (pre-party) 2013

Shows on our radar: Cornmeal--8 Starshine & 11:30-1 Soulshine Stage Caravan of Thieves--9 Campfire Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band--11:30 Campfire Stage Quixotic--12:45 Red Barn.

Kellar Williams--one of our all time favs--is back this year.

Click HERE for ChiIL Mama's original video interview with Kellar & More photo filled past Kellar coverage.

Thursday Chicago bands playing: Lakeshore Vibe--5 Camping Stage Family Groove Company--6:30 Starshine Stage Digital Tape Machine--9:15 Starshine Future Rock 2:30-4 Red Barn

*Photo Credit: Bonnie Kenaz-Mara for ChiILLiveShows.com/ ChiILMama.com.

FULL LINEUP 2013: Click on the band names for more details. Wanna see the full line up for 2013 by stage/time/full description etc? Click right here.

PLUS

THE AVETT BROTHERS

THIEVERY CORPORATION

ZEDS DEAD

BIG GIGANTIC

YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND

MEDESKI MARTIN & WOOD

KELLER WILLIAMS WITH MORE THAN A LITTLE

TAJ MAHAL TRIO

Chi town favs & scamp regulars, VAN GHOST, will be back again for 2013:

THE SOUL REBELS MIKE DILLON BAND MAPS AND ATLASES

COSBY SWEATER FEATURING JOEL CUMMINS OF UMPHREY’S MCGEE

Gypsy punks Gogol Bordello was a high energy highlight of SCamp 2012

JOE MARCINEK BAND
MILK N COOKIES

DJ MCFLY

THURSDAY PRE-PARTY LINEUP

Summer Camp Music Festival Photo Filled Feature Sunday 2012 @summercampfest @SCamp12 @SCamp13

2013-05-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

SCamp12 Sunday/Monday

Calling all SCamp's and Scoundrels.... ChiIL Live Shows will be scampin' to the beat this Thurs-Sunday... will YOU?!

We'll be going dark on line this Thursday through Monday at both of our sites, and takin' to the woods, for 4 full days of photo filled coverage of SCamp13!

The slideshow above features our full, unedited photo coverage from Sunday/Monday at Summer Camp Music Fest 2012. Enjoy!

Summer Camp 2012 was a blast, from a multi band stellar lineup of orchestrated improv in the Red Barn...

to a burlesque tent show...

and a main stage extravaganza by infamous alt rock legend, Perry Farrell and Jane's Addiction.

Here's Perry telling the glo stick throwing ravers & jam band kids just where they can stick 'em!

*Click here for loads of ChiIL Live Shows & ChiIL Mama's past SCamp Coverage going back years.

All photos are by Bonnie Kenaz-Mara for ChiILLiveShows.com/ ChiILMama.com.

ACT OUT OPENING: InFusion Theatre Co. Presents Fight Girl Battle World at Theater Wit #review

2013-05-19T13:15:00.001-07:00

ChiIL Mama and Sagezilla (10) had a chance to check out opening night and Fight Girl Battle World rocks. This show is the good kind of cheese--a campy, kooky space romp with a kickin' grrrrrl power protagonist, effective use of multimedia screens, scale model space toys, and puppetry with creepy manipulators in head to toe black spandex. Highly recommended!

Sheila O'Connor as E-V kicks some serious alien butt as the last human girl in the known universe

Visiting Company InFusion Theatre Co.

Fight Girl Battle World

by Qui Nguyen

directed by Mitch Golob

Now playing through June 16, 2013

Critic's Pick in Time Out Chicago!

Recommended in the Chicago Reader!

Theater Pick in Chicago Magazine!

The costumes and alien characters were particularly fun, although Sagezilla really dug this one and felt sorry for his defeat.

We'd rate this one PG13, for stage violence, minor language and some "sex talk", but it's basically appropriate for tweens & teens and up. There's nothing too violent or over the top and we both thoroughly enjoyed the two level stage combat, the creative costumes, grrrrrl power, and clever script. Though the stage combat, choreography and "martial arts" are relatively simplistic, there's enough campy humor and colorful characters to carry the show.

Sarcastic playwright robots and vengeful pink haired generals round out the colorful, hilarious cast.

Theater Wit

1229 W. Belmont Avenue

Chicago, IL 60657

Tickets are $25; $15 for students & seniors, $12.50 industry tickets on Thursdays & Sundays

Regular Run (through June 16):

Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 8:00 pm, and Sunday at 3:00 pm

Here's what InFusion has to say:

From the team that brought you our hit production of Soul Samurai, comes an action-packed sci-fi saga that blends punch-ups and parody into one delicious mix. Set in a futuristic universe where humanity is nearly non-existent, Fight Girl revolves around E-V, a hardnosed prizefighter and the last known female human in the galaxy. We infuse video projection, puppetry, stage combat, and much more in this raucous Midwest premiere.

Running Time: 1 hour 50 minutes with intermission

InFUSION THEATRE CO. PRESENTS THE MIDWEST PREMIERE OF QUI NGUYEN’S FIGHT GIRL BATTLE WORLD,

MAY 14 – JUNE 16

InFusion Theatre's Artistic Director Mitch Golob Blends Stage Combat, Multi-Media, and Puppetry In An Action-Packed Sci-Fi Comedy At Theater Wit

InFusion Theatre Company is proud to announce its second collaboration with award-winning playwright Qui Nguyen with the Midwest premiere of Fight Girl Battle World, directed by InFusion Artistic Director Mitch Golob, May 14 – June 16, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Preview tickets are $10. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $15 for students and seniors, and $12.50 for industry professionals Thursdays and Sundays only. Tickets are on sale now at infusiontheatre.com or by calling 773-975-8150.

From the team that brought you Soul Samurai, comes a new chapter of interspace anarchy from Qui Nguyen, Fight Girl Battle World. Set in a futuristic universe where humanity is nearly non-existent, Fight Girl revolves around E-V (Sheila O’Connor), a hardnosed prizefighter and the last known female human in the galaxy. The New York Innovative Theatre Awards nominated Fight Girl for Best Production of a Play, Best Original Full Length Script, Best Direction, Best Featured Actor and Best Sound Design during its world premiere.

Additional Fight Girl Battle World cast includes Brian Barber, Rob Grabowski, Kimberly Logan, Steve Thomas, Michael Harris, Zach Livingston, Meredith Rae Lyons, Elise Mayfield, Kai Young and understudies Maureen Yasko and Kevin Anderson.

The production staff includes David Blixt, fight choreographer; Rasean Davonte Johnson, co-video designer; Anna Henson, co-video designer; Kimberly Morris, puppetry designer, Dave Ferguson, set designer; Charles Cooper, lighting designer, Stephen Ptacek, sound designer; Rachel Sypniewski, costume designer; Cassy Schillo, props designer; Majel Cuza, production manager; Jason Crutchfield*, stage manager and Claire Tuft, casting director.

*Connotes InFusion Company Member

Boyish women (or are they curvy males?!) and regenerating megalomaniacs add to the drama. All Production Photos by Johnny Knight

ABOUT QUI NGUYEN

Qui Nguyen is a playwright and co-founder/co-artistic director of the OBIE Award-winning Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company of New York City. His plays include She Kills Monsters (currently running in Steppenwolf’s Garage Rep and premiering in Boston; originally produced by The Flea in NYC); Krunk Fu Battle Battle (East West Players); Trial By Water (Ma-Yi Theater); Bike Wreck (Ensemble Studio Theatre); Soul Samurai, The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G (Ma-Yi Theater & Vampire Cowboys); Alice in Slasherland; Men of Steel; and Living Dead in Denmark (Vampire Cowboys). Qui is a proud resident artist of New Dramatists, a core member of The Playwrights Center, an alumnus of Youngblood and a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre and The Ma-Yi Writers Lab. Currently, he’s the playwright-in-residence at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis.

ABOUT MITCH GOLOB

Mitch Golob has directed InFusion’s first eight productions: the world premieres of The Improv Play, Pluto is Listening, Ghostbox and Créole (nominated for five Black Theatre Alliance Awards), the United States premiere of The Last Supper, and the Midwest premieres of Intrigue With Faye, Rhymes With Evil, and Soul Samurai. Some of his other directing projects include 8 By Tenn at Hartford Stage Company, where he worked with Tony Award winners Elizabeth Ashley and Amanda Plummer. He directed the U.S. premiere of Jump to Cow Heaven at Profiles Theatre, And Then They Came For Me at Apple Tree Theatre, and was associate director of the award winning world premiere of Hannah & Martin at TimeLine Theatre.

ABOUT INFUSION THEATRE COMPANY

InFusion Theatre Company seeks out new plays and “infuses” them with other elements of entertainment such as music, dance, and film. “We strive to create dynamic performances by combining different forms of entertainment that will result in both exciting and thought-provoking work and we focus on giving voice to new works, as well as looking at older works in a new way,” says Artistic Director Mitch Golob.

Qui Nguyen’s Fight Girl Battle World, directed by InFusion Artistic Director Mitch Golob runs May 14 – June 16 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $15 for students and seniors and $12.50 for industry professionals Thursdays and Sundays only. Tickets are on sale now at infusiontheatre.com or by calling 773-975-8150.

ACT OUT KIDS EXTENDED: The Silent Language at TUTA Studio Theatre

2013-05-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

NOW EXTENDED

"★★★★...Critic's Choice" -Timeout Chicago

"Highly Recommended" - Chicago Reader

April 19-June 9, 2013

The Silent Language by Miodrag Stanisavljevic

Directed by Jacqueline Stone

THIS is The Silent Language:

*RESERVE SPOTS NOW!

*CHECK OUT CHIIL MAMA'S PAST COVERAGE ON THE SILENT LANGUAGE

*READ ALL REVIEWS

NEW!

The Reviews are in...The Silent Language is a MUST SEE!

The Silent Language Interview Series

A Gift Of Kindness and Support

TUTA Theatre Chicago & Serbian-American Museum bringHomebody from Belgrade, Serbia! Read all about it!

Press Release: Artistic Changes at TUTA

TUTA is now using social media - connect with us on Facebook and Twitter to get all the latest news!

You can also catch up with our blog.

The Silent Language By Miodrag Stanisavljevic @ TUTA Studio Theatre

"The Silent Language", a U.S. premiere, by Serbian playwright Miodrag Stanisavljevic, translated by Zoran Paunovic, is a highly musical and darkly comedic fairy tale. Written in the 1981, "The Silent Language" is an adaptation of an old Serbian folk tale originally called Nemusti Jezik. It follows the journey of a young village servant named Poor Gasho as he gains the ability to understand the "the silent language." As defined in this story, it is the language that only animals can speak and understand. On a larger scale, the script also speaks to the things we see and hear in everyday life, but fail to recognize due to our inabilities to listen and focus on details.

Stanisavljevic's structure is exciting and risky, marking a departure from the typical "alls-well-that-ends well" fairy tale structure. It's very open and at times, exposes the harsh realities of both good and evil. A large forest provides a backdrop for countless discoveries, facing your fears, and finding secrets in unexpected places.

"The Silent Language" will mark two big milestones at TUTA. It will be the U.S. premiere of a rarely produced Serbian play and it will mark the directorial debut at TUTA of their newly appointed Artistic Director, Jacqueline Stone. Stone, a co-founder and longtime company member, brings a wealth of experience and a unique understanding of TUTA's mission and desire to bring innovative international works to American audiences. The Silent Language is an ensemble piece, and will draw upon the long tradition and commitment TUTA has to working with its company members. It's musical in both form and content, and there will be a continued exploration of TUTA's commitment to original and rearranged forms of music.

The production features the talents of company member Jaimelyn Gray, and guest artists Sean Ewert, Laurie Larson, Carolyn Malloy, Max Lotspeich, Aaron Lawson, and Angela Bullard, under the direction of Jacqueline Stone (co-founder). Design and technical collaborators include: Original Music and Musical Direction by Wain Parham; set design by Michelle Lilly; costume design by Branimira Ivanova; lighting design by Keith Parham; sound design by Joe Court; prop design by Joel Lambie; and stage management by Allison Raynes.

Artistic Director and Co-Founder Jacqueline Stone directs "The Silent Language", which makes this the 13th production she has been artistically a part of for the company over the last eleven years. As an actress, she has appeared in numerous TUTA productions including The Wedding (1996, 2010, 2011), The Hour, Alice, Little Prince, Still Life in Color, Uncle Vanya (2008, 2009), Baal, and Fulton Street Sessions. Other Chicago theatre she has worked with include Chicago Dramatists, The Second City, Prop Thtr, 20% Theatre Company, WNEP Theatre, New Leaf Theatre, Backstage, Brown Couch, and io (formerly Improv Olympic). Stone recently directed the world premiere of Chelsea Marcantal's Devour at 20% Theatre Company, in addition to Jenny Siedelman's August 8, 1974. She directed the world premiere of Dee Bolos' acclaimed one woman show Southside (Prop Thtr, NYC Fringe, Seattle Fringe). In addition she directed the world premiere of Don't Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus! (Apollo,Touring company, and Millennium Park) and the Midwest première of Junie B. Jones at Emerald City Theatre Company.

"The Silent Language" will perform at TUTA Studio Theatre, 2010 W. Fulton Avenue, from April 19 to June 9th, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 4pm (no show Saturday, May 4, Sunday May 12, Saturday June 1, or Friday, June 7). There is an additional 8pm show on Sunday, June 2nd. Preview performances are Thursday, April 11, to Thursday, April 18. Opening press nights are Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 at 8 p.m. Spots are "Pay-what-you-can" for previews and a suggested donation of $25 for adults and $15 for industry/students/children under 18 for the regular performances. Spots are extremely limited, and reservations are highly recommended. To reserve spots to The Silent Language: Call 1-800-838-3006 (24 Hours) or buy here online. For more information on TUTA, visit www.tutato.com.

ACT OUT OPENING: BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER PRESENTS AIN’T NO CRYING THE BLUES (IN THE MEMORY OF HOWLIN WOLF)

2013-05-19T09:21:00.000-07:00

BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER PRESENTS

AIN’T NO CRYING THE BLUES

(IN THE MEMORY OF HOWLIN WOLF)

WRITTEN BY FOUNDER AND CEO JACKIE TAYLOR

DIRECTED BY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR RUEBEN ECHOLES

THE NEW BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER CULTURAL CENTER

JUNE 1 – AUGUST 11, 2013

Black Ensemble Theater announces Ain’t No Crying the Blues (In The Memory of Howlin Wolf), written by Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor, directed by Associate Director Rueben Echoles, and starring Rick Stone, one of the stars of the classic movie Cooley High. Ain’t No Crying the Blues will be presented at the new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, June 1 – August 11, 2013. The official press opening is scheduled for Sunday, June 9, 2013 at 3:00PM.

When Rick Stone first performed as Howlin Wolf at Black Ensemble, Hedy Weiss of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "It's Rick Stone who consistently knocks your socks off in his terrifically sustained performance. And as he moves through Wolf's hits—Red Rooster, Goin' Down Slow, I Ain't Superstitious, Baby Please Don't Go and more—it's the audience that begins howlin' loudest." Now Rick Stone returns to do it again with this brand new script, reflecting the life and times of one of the greatest blues singers the world has ever known—Howlin Wolf.

Howlin Wolf’s was born “Chester Arthur Burnett” and became one of the greatest and most influential blues singers that ever lived. Wolf was inducted into the Blues Foundations Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. His musical influences can be heard in the country singers of the 1950’s to the punk blues bands of the 1990’s. Wolf was highly known for his dynamic stage energy and presence – from crawling around the stage to climbing up the stage curtains. No performance would be complete without his infamous howl.

“No one can bring Howlin Wolf to life better than Rick Stone. Rick, who also played the famous Howlin Wolf at Black Ensemble in a different script in 2003, is Wolf reincarnated. In bringing Howlin Wolf back to the stage there was just one man who could give the role justice and that’s Rick Stone,” says Jackie Taylor. “This production takes us to a different place and time—and takes place in the mind of Howlin Wolf. The cast and company, including director Rueben Echoles and the BE Band led by Robert Reddrick, is the perfect team for this new production.”

The, headlined by Rick Stone, includes Kylah Williams as Wolf’s wife Lillie, Dwight Neal as Wolf’s nemesis Muddy Waters, and Rashawn Thompson as Wolf’s lifelong guitar player Hubert Sumlin. The ensemble includes Claudia Cunningham, Cesil Jones, Raymond Wise, Theo Huff, Cynthia Carter, Danielle Davis, Michael Reckling and Mark Hood, all playing various roles.

Ain’t No Crying The Blues is produced and written by BE Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor. Associate Director of Black Ensemble Rueben Echoles is the Director, with Daryl Brooks, also an Associate Director of BE, serving as Assistant Director. The creative team also includes Denise Karczewski (Lights), Kristy Leigh Hall (Costumes), Helen Latyak (Props), and CoCo Lemry (Scenic Painter), Bekki Lambrecht is the Technical Director and the Stage Manager is Emily Wall.

As with all Black Ensemble Theater productions, Robert Reddrick will serve as musical director. The Black Ensemble Band includes Robert Reddrick on drums, Tracy Baker on bass, Herbert Walker and Oscar Brown on guitar, and Mark Moultrup on piano.

Black Ensemble Theater performance times are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 3:00 and 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00. Ticket prices are as follows:

Previews are $45; Tickets during the regular run are $55 (Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturday matinees) and $65 (Fridays, Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees).

The Five Play Card is a much more flexible way of becoming a subscriber to the theater’s 36^th Season of Excellence: Treasures and Tributes. The Five Play Card can be used for one person to see 5 plays or to bring 4 other friends to one show or in any other combination that adds up to five. The Five Play Cards issued in 2013 will be good for one year.

Gold Five Play Card, $247.50, can be used on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturday matinees. The Platinum Five Play Card, $292.50, can be used for any performance.

Tickets and Five Play Cards are available at the box office, 4450 N. Clark Street and by phone, (773)

769-4451. Performances are held at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street.

FACTS

Title: Ain’t No Crying the Blues (In The Memory of Howlin Wolf)

Written by: Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor

Directed by: Associate Director Rueben Echoles

Assistant Director: Associate Director Daryl Brooks

Musical Director: Robert Reddrick

Featuring: Rick Stone (Howlin’ Wolf), Kylah Williams (Lillie Wolf), Dwight Neal

(Muddy Waters), and Rashawn Thompson (Hubert Sumlin), with Claudia Cunningham, Cesil Jones, Raymond Wise, Theo Huff, Cynthia Carter, Danielle Davis, Michael Reckling and Mark Hood.

Orchestra: Tracy Baker (bass), Robert Reddrick (drums), Herbert Walker (guitar), Oscar Brown (guitar), Mark Moutrup (piano)

Other Creative Team: Denise Karczewski (Lights), Kristy Leigh Hall (Costumes), Helen Latyak (Props), CoCo Lemry (Scenic Painter), Bekki Lambrect (Technical Director), Emily Wall (Stage Manager)

Dates: June 1 – August 11, 2013

Schedule: Wed & Thurs: 7:30 p.m.

Friday: 8:00 p.m.

Saturday: 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Sunday: 3:00 p.m.

Location: Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street.

Valet parking is available.

Ticket prices: Previews: $45

Regular Run: $55 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturday matinees; and $65 on Fridays, Saturday evenings, and Sunday matinees.

A 10% discount is available for students, seniors, and groups. Preview tickets are $45.00

Box Office: 773-769-4451 or online at www.blackensemble.org.

Direct link - http://boxoffice.printtixusa.com/blackensemble/eventcalendar

The Black Ensemble Theater

Founded in 1976, by the phenomenal producer, playwright and actress Jackie Taylor, Black Ensemble Theater is the only African American theater located in the culturally, racially and ethnically diverse north side Uptown community. Through its Five Play Season of Excellence, The Black Ensemble Theater dazzles audiences locally, nationally and internationally with outstanding original musicals that are entertaining, educational and uplifting. The Black Ensemble Theater has produced more than 100 productions and employed over 5,000 artists.

On November 18, 2011, The Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center opened and is able to accommodate larger-scale productions, bigger audiences and a wider range of educational programming. The new facility includes amenities such as a 299-seat main stage theater (double the capacity of the original venue); 14 offices, classroom space; rehearsal hall, dance studio, scene shop, costume shop, and wardrobe rooms; seven dressing rooms; rehearsal room for musicians; front lobby space with concession areas; and an indoor parking garage. In addition, a 150-seat studio theater, which will serve as an experimental stage for the work of the Black Playwright Initiative (BPI), is in development as part of a long range strategic plan for the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center.

The mission of the Black Ensemble Theater Company is to eradicate racism and its devastating effects upon society through the theater arts. For more information on the Black Ensemble Theater Company, please visit www.BlackEnsembleTheater.org or call 773-769-4451.

Batman Backwards Opens at Six Flags Great America #mediaday #originalphotos

2013-05-17T12:33:00.001-07:00

It was our great pleasure to meet "the caped crusader" at our favorite theme park during Media Day at Six Flags Great America last week.

I dig a man who can pull off spandex! And he had gorgeous grey blue eyes, too... and a sweet ride.

We also interviewed quite a few huge coaster fanatics who were there for the ribbon cutting and multiple rides. We even caught up with 10 year old Draven who has been on coasters all over the country with his dad.

Check back with ChiIL Mama & ChiIL Live Shows for our Batman Backwards ride footage, video interviews and more in the very near future.

Today we have stills from the day for you. It was a pleasure to see Theresa from the Local Tourist with her entourage.

The highlight of the day was riding the coaster in the press seat, where we were filmed DURING THE RIDE! We even wore mic packs so you can hear the screams.

Click here to check out our original video interviews and footage from the X Flight Coaster grand opening last season.

I grew up near Kings Island in Ohio, coaster capital of the midwest for much of the 80's, and I've been on The Beast (the largest-fastest coaster when it was built), The Bat (a hanging coaster they took out for safety reasons), a looping coaster that goes forward & backward, and The Racer (their old wooden classic with red & blue racing coaster tracks--one forward/ one backward. At some point during my teen years I was talked onto all of them at least once, by friends and boyfriends, so I'm no stranger to riding backwards and looping at high speeds.

In spite of all that I'm really not a coaster person and even ski lifts freak me out a little. The whole drive out to press day at Great America I tried to advance justify wussing out on the Batman Coaster (where you hang from the track and do flips, a G force turn and a 10 story drop)... backwards.

I made excuse after excuse saying I'm too old, coasters make my muscles sore, I don't have to prove anything to anyone.... I almost wimped out a bunch of times on the way there, but when it came to crunch time, I DID IT and got video footage to prove it!



Even the coaster fanatics declared the Batman coaster extra intense backwards.   It's rare as moms and/or mature adults, that we get to do something physical that scares us, and I felt an actual sense of accomplishment when I braved up and went for it.

Honestly, it was more like flying than falling and the view was spectacular! I'm glad I went and would do it again... though I was dizzy enough when I got off that I had to wait a few minutes before I could grab my camera and shoot straight. Batman Backwards is  some heroic fun.

BATMAN: The Ride Stats:

- Opened in 1992 as the world’s first suspended looping roller coaster

- Given more than 28 million rides

- Travels up to 50 mph through 2,700 feet of track

- Features hairpin turns, vertical loops, corkscrews and a zero-g roll

- One of the most popular coasters in the world

Go Big. Go Backwards! For a limited time only, the world’s first suspended looping coaster, BATMAN: The Ride, will be more intense than ever when riders dare to take on an all new experience – going backwards!

As the roller coaster climbs the 10-story lift hill, riders will take in the full scope of BATMAN: The Ride’s track as they anticipate the adventure that lies ahead. The train will reach speeds of 50 mph and travel through 2,700 feet of track, all while maneuvering hairpin turns, vertical loops, corkscrews and a zero-g roll. The excitement is magnified since guests cannot see the maneuvers that await.

“BATMAN: The Ride will open for its 21st season this spring, offering our guests an entirely different ride experience by going backwards. No matter how many times you have been on BATMAN: The Ride, nothing compares to the thrill of racing down 10 stories facing the other direction,” said Hank Salemi, Six Flags Great America park president. “You literally have no idea what is coming next. This is a tremendous new experience for our guests and one to take advantage of quickly since it will only be available for a limited time.”

Since opening in 1992, BATMAN: The Ride has given more than 28 million thrilling rides and reigns as one of the most popular roller coasters in the world. BATMAN: The Ride backwards launched on Saturday, May 4 – the park’s opening weekend – and be available for a limited time this summer.

About Six Flags Great America

Six Flags Great America and Hurricane Harbor are two great parks that guests can experience for one low price. Located between Chicago and Milwaukee, Six Flags Great America offers endless adventures for the entire family with 14 heart-pounding roller coasters, a FREE 20-acre water park, spectacular shows, a nighttime firework and pyrotechnics extravaganza and three children’s areas.

Six Flags Great America is pleased to present the premiere of igNIGHT ― Grand Finale, a mesmerizing and immersive nighttime spectacle bursting with energy, vivid colors, brilliant visual effects, lively performances, fascinating imagery, and pure imagination. Learn more about igNIGHT ― Grand Finale at sixflags.com.

About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest regional theme park company with over $1 billion in revenue and 18 parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada. For more than 50 years, Six Flags has entertained millions of families with world-class coasters, themed rides, thrilling water parks and unique attractions including up-close animal encounters, Fright Fest® and Holiday in the Park®. For more information, visit sixflags.com.

About Warner Bros. Consumer Products

Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

About DC Entertainment

DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world. In January 2012, DC Entertainment, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and Time Warner divisions, launched We Can Be Heroes―a giving campaign featuring the iconic Justice League super heroes―to raise awareness and funds to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa.

BATMAN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics.

(s13)

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They're busy getting the park summer ready!

So go already!!

OPENING TODAY: Sightseers at Music Box #review #film #blackcomedy

2013-05-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

Films on our radar. Highly recommended.

Sightseers Opens in Chicago Today, Friday, May 17th at The Music Box!

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we caught a sneak peek at Sightseers and highly recommend it if you dig dark humor. This welcome addition to the road trip killers genre ala Bonnie and Clide and Natural Born Killers follows a benign looking but lethal English couple on a cross country killing spree.

It's a charmingly cathartic wish fulfillment movie in that the couple kills anyone that annoys them. I'm reminded of the Talking Heads line from Psycho Killer "...I hate people when they're not polite." Who can say they've never fantasized about "accidentally" offing rude strangers. Fortunately most of us stop far short of acting on those thoughts. Still, the concept makes for a hilarious film.

Amid the downright banality of a museum tour road trip to such winning locals as Crich Tramway Museum, the Ribblehead Viaduct, and the Keswick Pencil Museum, trigger tempered Chris inadvertently creates an avid disciple. When Tina discovers her new beau is a psycho killer, instead of doing the sensible thing like fleeing and turning him in, she embraces his unfortunate habit and becomes a jealous, dognapping murderess herself, much to his chagrine.

The scariest thing about this film is the utter normality of the protagonists. They could easily be the couple camped out next to you this summer.

Sightseers

A FILM BY BEN WHEATLEY STARRING ALICE LOWE, STEVE ORAM, EILEEN DAVIES

“A wicked little pic in which a tacky couple discovers that cross-country road-tripping makes it surprisingly easy -- and fun! -- to knock off the more obnoxious characters they encounter en route.”

–Peter Debruge, Variety


Fri, May 17	2:15pm · 5:00pm · 7:15pm · 9:30pm
Sat, May 18	2:15pm · 5:00pm · 7:15pm · 9:30pm
Sun, May 19	2:15pm · 5:00pm · 7:15pm · 9:30pm
Mon, May 20	5:00pm · 7:15pm · 9:30pm
Tue, May 21	5:00pm · 7:15pm · 9:30pm
Wed, May 22	5:00pm · 7:15pm · 9:30pm
Thu, May 23	5:00pm · 7:15pm · 9:30pm

Music Box Says:

This week we’re opening Sightseers, the new film from director Ben Wheatley (Kill List). In this gleefully gory laugh riot, Chris wants to show girlfriend Tina his world, but events soon conspire against the couple and their dream caravan holiday takes a very wrong turn. Produced by Shaun Of The Dead creator Edgar Wright and co-written & starring members of The Mighty Boosh and Garth Merenghi’s Dark Place, this black comedy is not to be missed! Check out The Playlist’s 5 Reasons You Must See Sightseers

About the film

A pair of sad-sack lovers turns into a frumpy Bonnie and Clyde as their romantic getaway to the English countryside turns into a bloody killing spree.

Directed by Ben Wheatley (Kill List), Chris (Steve Oram) wants to show Tina (Alice Lowe) his world and he wants to do it his way - on a journey through the British Isles in his beloved Abbey Oxford Caravan. Tina's led a sheltered life and there are things that Chris needs her to see - the Crich Tramway Museum, the Ribblehead Viaduct, the Keswick Pencil Museum and the rolling countryside that accompanies these wonders in his life.

But it doesn't take long for the dream to fade. Litterbugs, noisy teenagers and pre-booked caravan sites, not to mention Tina's meddling mother, soon conspire to shatter Chris's dreams and send him, and anyone who rubs him up the wrong way, over a very jagged edge...

Dir. BEN WHEATLEY | English | 88m |

Film details.
What: Sightseers
Where: The Music Box Theatre
When: Opens Friday, May 17th

More at Music Box:
Our Orson Welles matinee series continues this weekend with The Trial. Welles and Anthony Perkins star in this gripping adaptation of Franz Kafka’s tale of a nightmarish totalitarian state. Given 4 stars by Roger Ebert, the Music Box is thrilled to give our patrons the rare chance to see this film on the big screen!

This weekend, cult classics come out at midnight. On Friday, it’s The Room, director/writer/“actor” Tommy Wiseau’s bizarre drama about love and betrayal (Purchase advance tickets now). Then, on Saturday night, it’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Grab a virgin kit and join the Midnight Madness shadow cast for a party that’s been going on for over 35 years (Purchase advance tickets now).

ACT OUT OPENING: HOLY BOUNCING BOOBIES! A BATMAN BURLESQUE Opens Midnight June 1

2013-05-17T08:37:00.000-07:00

photo by Greg Inda

Our favorite hero hotties and sexy sidekicks at Gorilla Tango are back with another playfully fun and creatively quirky geek burlesque show! ChiIL Live Shows will be there to review opening night. We love to rock a great theme so we were pretty stoked to recently ride Batman backwards at Great America's media day, and now here's this. We'll have our coaster antics footage plus our original on site interviews up in the near future. GT Burlesque shows are a fun date night, girls night out, or girlie night out.

Riddle me this: What pastied production goes bounce in the night?

Answer: HOLY BOUNCING BOOBIES! A BATMAN BURLESQUE, running in the suburbs for the past year, FINALLY opens in Bucktown on Saturday, June 1st (midnight).

Holy parody burlesque Batman! Gorilla Tango Burlesque - known for ribald parodies of nerd-friendly pop-culture topics – brings a taste of the 1960s Batman to Bucktown through its latest parody burlesque show! HOLY BOUNCING BOOBIES! A BATMAN BURLESQUE - which has performed in the suburbs continually since September 2012 - will now open in Bucktown Saturday June 1st.

HOLY BOUNCING BOOBIES will perform Saturdays at 11:59pm at Gorilla Tango Theatre Bucktown (1919 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago Il 60647). 18 and over only; tickets are $28-35 and available for purchase online at www.gorillatango.com or by calling 773-598-4549.

In this campy, sexy and silly parody, Batman and Robin are put to the ultimate test of intellect when they learn that Batgirl has been captured by the reprehensible Riddler! Now the Dynamic Duo must travel through the streets of Gotham to retrieve the Riddler’s clues from all of Batman’s enemies before midnight. Join the Caped Crusaders on this quest, featuring sultry burlesque numbers and a full roster of vile villains (including Catwoman, Two-Face, The Penguin, and even Egghead!)

Writer Jeremy M. Eden quotes, "It's a show that combines three of my favorite things: Batman and boobs. It's the perfect blend of action, satire, and camp. Generations old and new can find humor in it, whether it be a laugh of nostalgia or detached irony. And hopefully it will help people appreciate the oft-maligned series from the 60's."

Adds Director/Choreographer Juicy Lucy (a veteran performer of GTB, including boob-clapping Mola Ram in TEMPLE OF BOOBS: AN INDIANA JONES BURLESQUE, and debonair Han Solo in A NUDE HOPE: A STAR WARS BURLESQUEE) adds “We're so pleased to be opening in Bucktown after our extended run in the suburbs. The costumes (by Kristen Ahern) keep the classic 1960s Batman authenticity while giving it the old burlesque sparkly and sexy spin. Jeremy Eden's script uses some classic and deep track references for the fan boys and girls but still plays with contemporary comedic conventions. I've been fortunate enough to be able to surround myself with an extremely talented cast and production team who are all a part of this hilarious, sexy show that will surely bring some light into all of our dark knights."

Critical acclaim from the suburban production includes:

"The whole cast show sexy confidence and solid comedic timing, creating a Gotham City that's a lot more fun than Christopher Nolan's."

-Chicago Reader

"There's no better use of your time, money, and airline miles than getting out to see this thing at least once. A rich, pop-geek-friendly comedy show."

-Kickingtheseat.com

"This isn't Shakespeare, and it isn't a strip club. But it is a barrel of sexy fun! I laughed. I laughed some more. I drank beer. I laughed even more. And I saw lots of boobies. As good as Christopher Nolan's latest Batman installment is, this show made a far more memorable evening. Enthusiastic thumbs up!"

-Ray's Chicago Area Burlesque

"A genuine good night out and a hilarious storyline to follow; complete with colorful costumes, awesome props like a handmade Batmobile, human penguins and killer sexy dance moves. It was ridiculous in the best way possible."

-Skokie Patch

Directed by Juicy Lucy

Choreographed by Hazel Hellbender, Crystal Paradise, and Juicy Lucy.

Written by Jeremy M. Eden (3G1R, EEK! Theatre).

Costumes by Kristen Ahern

MORE ABOUT GORILLA TANGO BURLESQUE

Gorilla Tango Burlesque has gone from the debut of the surprise hit “Boobs & Goombas: A Super Mario Burlesque” in October 2010 to a local burlesque/comedy powerhouse with literally thousands of audience members through the door to see unique burlesque parodies of everything from Star Wars to Indiana Jones, from superheroes to 1990s pop-culture phenomena -- and that's just a small selection of what they have available for-- as their slogan states-- "the Discerning Nerd." GTB’s smash Halloween hit, “Boobs of the Dead: A Walking Dead Burlesque” brought sexy to local zombies this past October, and recently its burlesque sequel, “The Empire Brings Sexy Back” has Star Wars fans flocking for more!

Gorilla Tango Theatre (GTT) provides year-round theatrical venues where audiences of all ages can consistently go to see a wide variety of talented artists. GTT exists to provide artists with an opportunity to produce their work in professional environment. GTT was created by Dan Abbate and boasts two venues: an 80-seat performance space in Bucktown and a 150-seat performance space in Skokie. GTT Bucktown is conveniently located at the intersection of Western and Milwaukee in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood. Easily accessible by public transportation, GTT is steps away from the Western Blue Line stop and the #49 Western, #73 Armitage and #56 Milwaukee buses. Street parking is readily available. With shows for all ages, all GTT performances are on a rating system, similar to the one used in movie theatres. GTT offers a variety of affordable beer and wine for purchase. Consult the website for show details, rating information, tickets, and more.

ACT OUT OPENING: In the Company of Men at Profiles Theatre TONIGHT Through June 30th

2013-05-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

Profiles Theatre to open the World premiere

of Neil LaBute’s revised stage version of

In the Company of Men

Profiles Theatre Artistic Directors Darrell W. Cox and Joe Jahraus announce the World premiere of Resident Artist Neil LaBute’s revised stage version of In the Company of Men, opening at The Main Stage, 4139 N. Broadway on May 19, 2013.

We first gave you the heads up about In the Company of Men, back in January and it's finally here. This one's high on our must see list. We have 2 other events conflicting with the press opening tonight, so we won't have a review for you just yet, but we hope to get there soon.

Tickets for this limited run of In the Company of Men are $35 for Thursdays, $40 for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Students and Senior Citizens receive a $5 discount on all performances; Tickets are available by phone, (773) 549-1815, or online, www.profilestheatre.org . Performances are Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 5:00 and 8:00 pm, Sundays at 7:00 p.m.

May 16 – June 30, 2013

Schedule: Thurs., Fri.: 8:00 p.m.

Saturday: 5:00 p.m. and 8:00p.m. (no 5pm show during previews)

Sunday: 7:00 p.m.

Location: Profiles Theatre, The Main Stage, 4139 N. Broadway

Parking is available for $10 - $12 at 4100 N. Clarendon

(One block east of the theatre at the corner of Clarendon and Belle Plaine)

In the Company of Men, directed by Profiles Resident Artist and Steppenwolf ensemble member Rick Snyder, runs through June 30, 2013. The previously announced production of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon will be performed at a later date.

Profiles Theatre presents the professional debut production of Neil LaBute’s revised stage play, In the Company of Men. The script, performed in various incarnations as a play at earlier stages of LaBute’s writing career as both a student and otherwise, was eventually made into the acclaimed film released in 1997 launching the careers of star Aaron Eckhart and Neil LaBute as a filmmaker and playwright. When it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, In the Company of Men created a firestorm of controversy with wildly divergent yet passionate opinions. It received the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay, the Filmmaker's Trophy at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival and The New York Film Critics Award for Best First Feature.

Two frustrated young executives vent their pent-up rage via a childish prank and end up paying a price in the psychological dark comedy, In the Company of Men. Former college buddies Chad and Howard, now in their late 20s, work for the same company. When the two begin expressing their mutual frustration regarding their lack of rapid advancement at work and their recent bad luck with women, they hatch a nasty scheme: Find a vulnerable young woman to court, slather with affection, and then callously dump. They choose a lovely, hearing-impaired typist named Christine, but soon their scheme creates escalating tension and psychological games not only with hapless Christine, but also with each other.

Resident Artist and Steppenwolf ensemble member Rick Snyder directs the World premiere production of the revised script of In the Company of Men following his acclaimed Profiles productions of A Behanding in Spokane, reasons to be pretty and the Jeff Award-winning Killer Joe (Production, Director, Principal Actor). Guest Artists include Jordan Brown as Chad, Brennan Roche as Howard and Jessica Carleton as Christine. Appearing in ensemble roles are Dennis Bisto, Alex Fisher, Kroydell Galima, Shelby Garrett, Poppy Golland, Sarah Herndon, Joseph W. Moore III and Laura Leonardo Ownby.

"I'm so excited to be putting this early work of mine into the hands of my trusted collaborators over at Profiles Theatre,” says playwright Neil LaBute. “The film was a fantastic experience for me personally, but I've always hoped that the script would make its way back to the stage. I’ve truly enjoyed the creative process of adapting the original play for the screen and now turning it back into a play again. I think it's in perfect hands with Joe, Darrell and Rick. I feel that these characters will still resonate with audiences and I know that Profiles will take In the Company of Men for the ride that it deserves--they never pull punches at Profiles and I love the artistic relationship that we have fostered together over the past few seasons. I consider myself a lucky man to still get work done regularly in Chicago and I believe I have a genuine home for that work at Profiles."

Profiles Theatre began its relationship with Neil LaBute in 2006 with the Midwest premiere of autobahn, followed by their long-running hit, Fat Pig. In 2007, Profiles devoted an entire season to the works of LaBute that included the Midwest premieres of In a Dark Dark House, Some Girl(s), This is How it Goes, and a collection of short works entitled Things We Said Today followed by the Midwest premiere of The Mercy Seat in 2009 and the Chicago premiere of reasons to be pretty in 2011. Last season, Profiles produced the American premiere of In a Forest, Dark and Deep as the inaugural production of their newest venue, The Main Stage. The playwright twice participated in benefit evenings of readings and conversation to support the theatre’s productions.

The stage version of In The Company of Men is produced by special arrangement with LaBute’s longtime collaborator and one of the film’s original producers, Stephen Pevner of Stephen Pevner, Inc and Company One Productions.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

NEIL LABUTE (Playwright) is a Resident Artist at Profiles Theatre and has been working with them since their 2006 production of Autobahn. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree in dramatic writing from New York University and was the recipient of a literary fellowship to study at the Royal Court Theatre, London and also attended the Sundance Institute’s Playwrights Lab. His films include: In the Company of Men (New York Critics’ Circle Award for Best First Feature and the Filmmakers’ Trophy at the Sundance Film Festival), Your Friend and Neighbors, Nurse Betty, Possession, The Shape of Things (a film adaptation of his play by the same title), The Wicker Man, Lakeview Terrace and Death at a Funeral. His plays include Bash: Latter-Day Plays, The Mercy Seat, The Distance From Here, Autobahn, Fat Pig, Wrecks, Some Girl(s), This is How it Goes, In a Dark Dark House, The Break of Noon and In a Forest, Dark and Deep. Reasons to be Happy, a follow-up to his acclaimed play reasons to be pretty, opens at MCC in May 2013. reasons to be pretty premiered off-Broadway in 2008, receiving three Drama Desk Award nominations including Outstanding Play. It became Neil LaBute’s first play ever to be staged on Broadway when it opened in 2009 and was nominated for three Tony Awards, including Best Play. LaBute is also the author of several fictional pieces that have been published in “The New York Times,” “The New York Times Magazine,” “Harper’s Bazaar,” and “Playboy” among others. “Sec-onds of Pleasure,” a collection of his short stories, was published by Grove Atlantic.

RICK SNYDER (Director) is a Resident Artist at Profiles and a Steppenwolf ensemble member. He returns to Profiles after directing their hit productions of A Behanding in Spokane, reasons to be pretty and the award-winning Killer Joe (2010 Jeff Awards for Outstanding Production, Director and Actor). Other recent directing credits include God of Carnage at the Goodman Theatre, Oleanna and Speed-the-Plow at American Theatre Company, Mauritius at Northlight Theatre, The Lion in Winter and Bus Stop at Writers’ Theatre, Aristocrats at Strawdog Theatre, St. Scarlet at ATC, and The Actor, Jolly and The Disappearance of the Jews at the Goodman Theatre. His directing credits at Steppenwolf include Art, Betrayal, Last of the Boys, Tavern Story, Things Being What They Are, Orange Flower Water (which traveled to the Galway Arts Festival), and The Fall to Earth. As an actor, Rick appeared in August: Osage County, The Unmentionables, Man From Nebraska and I Never Sang For My Father at Steppenwolf. He has appeared at the Goodman Theatre in As You Like It, Down the Shore and as Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Rick’s film credits include The Tuskegee Airmen, The Net starring Sandra Bullock, Whiteboys, The Human Stain, Soul Survivors and U.S. Marshals. Rick has taught acting classes at Northwestern University and DePaul and currently teaches Directing 1 at Columbia College in Chicago. Rick has been a member of the Steppenwolf ensemble since 1983, and an instructor for The School at Steppenwolf and Associate Artist at Steppenwolf for the last twelve years.

DENNIS BISTO (Ensemble) was most recently seen in Profiles' 20th Anniversary Production of Hellcab. Dennis is a Saint Louis native who moved to Chicago last year after a brief stint in Boston where he performed in the World Premiere of The First Annual Northern Maine Arts Festival.

JORDAN BROWN (Chad) is making his Profiles Theatre debut. His New York credits include River Valley Rep's The Light in the Piazza, Oberon Theatre Ensemble's Much Ado About Nothing, and an episode of As The World Turns for CBS Television Studios. His regional credits include A Skull in Connemara at Centerstage Theatre in Baltimore and West Side Story at Ravinia. Other Chicago credits include Sense and Sensibility at Northlight Theatre, The Pitmen Painters at Timeline Theatre Company, A Christmas Carol at The Goodman Theatre and Congo Square Theatre’s production of The Fall of Heaven by Walter Mosley. Jordan is a graduate of The North Carolina School of the Arts.

JESSICA HONOR CARLETON (Christine) is making her debut at Profiles Theatre. Her Chicago credits include Mick Kelly in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter at Steppenwolf Theatre, Chekov's Emerging Women at Piven Theatre, and Crippled Sisters in the New Stages Series at Goodman Theatre. Jessica is an original ensemble member, head writer, and puppet/makeup designer on the national children’s TV show Green Screen Adventures (MeTV/WCIU). Last year, she won a National Daytime Creative Arts Emmy. Jessica graduated from Northwestern University in Theatre and Creative Writing for the Media. She began learning American Sign Language when she was 12-years-old, and brings her respect for Deaf culture to this process.

ALEX FISHER (Ensemble) was most recently appeared in Profiles Theatre’s 20th anniversary production of Hellcab. Her recent credits include The Lion in Winter with Idle Muse Theatre and Peer Gynt directed by Jeremy Wechsler with Polarity Ensemble Theatre. Alex is a graduate of Lake Forest College.

KROYDELL GALIMA (Ensemble) is working with Profiles Theatre for the first time. Recently, he appeared with TimeLine Theatre in their production of Concerning Strange Devices From The Distant West directed by Lisa Portes and In The Small Dark Room with Erasing The Distance. Kroydell has also worked with Proud Kate Theatre Project in their production of November at The Greenhouse Theatre, Theatre Seven of Chicago in The Chicago Landmark Project, Adventure Stage Chicago’s The Giver and Ghosts of Treasure. He appeared in the Ignition Festival 2010 at Victory Gardens and The Pathetic, a web series. He is a BFA graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University.

SHELBY GARRETT (Ensemble) is making her Profiles debut with In the Company of Men. Shelby just recently finished her year long run as Sharon in Chicago's debut of Girl's Night: The Musical. Other Chicago credits include Chicago Kid's Company's Chicken Little and Metropolis Performing Arts Center's A Christmas Carol. She has also studied at Improv Olympics and Profiles Theatre. Shelby’s regional credits include Prairie Fire Children's Theater, Shadowbox LIVE, & Zipper Theater in New York. Shelby is a graduate of Wright State University.

POPPY GOLLAND (Female Ensemble) is excited to be appearing with Profiles for the first time. She is from the Bay Area in California, and has most recently worked with Baby Crow Productions in their gender blind production of True West directed by Remy Ortiz, Back Room Shakespeare Project’s Back Room Chekhov, as well as having played Julie in Vintage Theater Collective’s Miss Julie, directed by Jason Economus. Poppy recently traveled to Los Angeles during the winter to film her first feature length film About Ashley directed by Stefan Pavlovic.

SARAH HERNDON (Ensemble) is appearing with Profiles for the first time. Regional acting work includes multiple credits with the Theatre of Western Springs in Western Springs, IL. Roles at TWS include Mina in Dracula directed by Rick Snyder, Nina in The Quick Change Room, and Nellie Ewell in Summer and Smoke. In addition to acting, Sarah has also written two produced plays, The Real Mrs Jones and Spurse Change. Sarah holds a degree in Theatre Performance from the University of Evansville, IN.

JOSEPH W. MOORE III (Ensemble) was last seen at Profiles in their 20th Anniversay production of Hellcab by Will Kern. He is currently attending Columbia College Chicago where he appeared in Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet,The Shipment, Love SongVignettes and A Raisin in the Sun. He is also a collective member of For Youth Inquiry.

LAURA LEONARDO OWNBY (Ensemble) is making her Profiles debut with In the Company of Men. Regionally, Laura has appeared in Noises Off! with Theatre at the Center. Locally, she has worked with First Folio Theatre on Unnecessary Farce as an understudy, Ghost in the Machine, where she was first directed by Rick Snyder, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and Summer and Smoke at the Theatre of Western Springs, and A Voice of my Own and Arrow of Love with Evergreen Theatre.

BRENNAN ROCHE (Howard) retuns to Profiles after appearing in their 20th Anniversary production of Hellcab and understudying the role of Steve in The Dream of the Burning Boy. He is a Chicago native and has studied at Piven Theatre Workshop where he was a part of the Young People's Company. He graduated from Loyola Marymount University with credits including The Shape of Things, Proof, and The Odd Couple.

ABOUT PROFILES THEATRE

Profiles Theatre, founded in 1988 by Artistic Director Joe Jahraus, joined shortly thereafter by Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox, was formed as an actor-driven theatre ensemble dedicated to creating provocative and emotionally truthful productions. Passionate about shaping an original vision for new works, they focused on performing World, American and Midwest premieres as well as rarely performed plays. Critically acclaimed hits, such as BLACKBIRD, FAT PIG, GRACELAND and the multiple Jeff Award-winning KILLER JOE, established Profiles as a destination for challenging and edgy theatre. Their unique collaboration with playwright Neil LaBute led the ensemble to perform an entire season of his plays in 2007-2008. Now a Resident Artist at Profiles, LaBute remains an unequivocal artistic influence on the ensemble.

After performing at 4147 North Broadway for more than two decades, Profiles acquired an adjacent theatre at 4139 North Broadway in 2012. Profiles’ new theatre, The Main Stage, with its larger seating capacity, increased performance space and higher ceilings, accommodates more ambitious and technically demanding productions. Their long-time venue, renamed The Alley Stage, continues as the home for plays strengthened by a more intimate staging. Driven by an undiminished appetite for creating honest and resonant theatre, Profiles still seeks to present work that illuminates the determination and resiliency of the human spirit.

TONIGHT 5/16 FREE Advanced Screening Tickets for THE WAY, WAY BACK (PG13)

2013-05-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama and a free, advanced screening of The Way, Way Back! Screening is TONIGHT, Thursday, May 16, at 7 pm at the Kerasotes Showplace Icon.

Thanks to Fox Searchlight and Gofobo for providing the link to advanced screening tickets for our readers. We are excited to announce the release of THE WAY WAY BACK starring Steve Carell (The Office, Crazy, Stupid, Love.) and Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense, Little Miss Sunshine).

To download tickets for this screening simply go to:

www.gofobo.com/rsvp

And enter the code:

MOMSW5Y0

tickets are first come first served and not guaranteed

Synopsis:

THE WAY, WAY BACK is the funny and poignant coming of age story of 14-year-old Duncan’s (Liam James) summer vacation with his mother, Pam (Toni Collette), her overbearing boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), and his daughter, Steph (Zoe Levin).

Having a rough time fitting in, the introverted Duncan finds an unexpected friend in gregarious Owen (Sam Rockwell), manager of the Water Wizz water park. Through his funny, clandestine friendship with Owen, Duncan slowly opens up to and begins to finally find his place in the world - all during a summer he will never forget.

Majical Cloudz FREE streaming Impersonator in its entirety #freestreaming

2013-05-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

Did you catch Majical Cloudz at Chicago's Metro last night?!

Devon Welsh of MAJICAL CLOUDZ

Photo Credit: Denis Nazarov

In anticipation of the release of their Matador debut next Tuesday, May 21st, Majical Cloudz are streaming Impersonator in it's entirety on Pitchfork Advance.

Click Here To Stream Impersonator

Comprised of Devon Welsh and Matthew Otto, Majical Cloudz have been receiving praise for their intense, vocally driven songs and their intimate, powerful live show.

New single "Bugs Don't Buzz" garnered a Best New Track from Pitchfork, who write how it's, "defined by its directness--that Devon Welsh is singing to you, or, if you present this song to a loved one, it's you singing to them. It's indeed a love song that feels like a confession of a devotion that one wouldn't feel comfortable sharing with more than one person." Click Here To Download "Bugs Don't Buzz"

In a recent interview with the duo, Stereogum write, "it’s hard to imagine that anyone will release an album this year as lovely - or as harrowingly intimate - as Majical Cloudz’s soon-to-be-released debut, Impersonator." SPIN compare the pair as a cross between James Blake and Antony Hegarty, calling "Bugs Don't Buzz" "incredibly intense."

NYC Peeps Click Here For Glasslands Record Release Show Ticket Link

Currently finishing a national tour with Youth Lagoon, Majical Cloudz will be playing a record release show at Brooklyn's Glasslands on May 21st with support from Gobby and unannounced surprise guests, a special live set after the duo's two sold out New York dates last week. They will also be playing select dates with Grizzly Bear this summer, as well as sets at Montreal's Osheaga Festival and later at Hopscotch Music Festival, with all dates below.

Remaining Summer Tour Dates /

5/16: Majestic Theater, Madison, WI *

5/17: Fine Line, Minneapolis, MN *

5/20: Other Music (8 PM - Free,) New York, NY

5/21: Glasslands, Brooklyn, NY #

6/18: The Fillmore at Jackie Gleason, Miami Beach, FL @

6/19: The Ritz Ybor, Tampa, FL @

8/02: Osheaga Festival, Montreal, QC

9/07: Hopscotch Music Festival, Raleigh, NC

* with Youth Lagoon
# with Gobby and Special Guests
@ with Grizzly bear

Quotes /

"A patient, minimal sound that avoids the pitfalls of style or genre by subscribing to none at all. It's something many artists strive for but few achieve. 'Childhood's End' is one of the most compelling and singular attempts at it I've heard in some time-- calmly expressive, charged and moving." Pitchfork

"It's hard to imagine that anyone will release an album this year as lovely - or as harrowingly intimate - as Majical Cloudz' soon-to-be-released debut, Impersonator." Stereogum

"James Blake meets Antony Hegarty" SPIN

"The gritty lyrics fill every corner of the song, and those who weren't aware of Welsh's commanding presence soon will be." Billboard

"The track relies on little more than some methodical strings, the low rumble of percussion, and Welsh’s voice. But in the all-but-barren soundscape, Welsh’s baritone is rich with the ache of forlorn, eschewing words in some sections to transcend into pure, unfettered emotion." Consequence of Sound

"Haunting debut...clear, even, rich and utterly transfixing" Village Voice

"The ten torchy, moody songs on the upcoming follow-up, Impersonator, embed Welsh’s Michael Hutchence-esque tenor voice in arrangements that smooth out II’s rough, busy edges and replace them with a mannered but warm electronic minimalism. The album is sure to amplify the buzz surrounding the group by several notches at least." Chicago Reader

"It's pleasing in the most elemental way possible, luxuriating in deep emotional focus as he trains his voice on melody lines that are catchy for the very reason that they're smartly simple." FADER

"Welsh's deep, charismatic voice over simple, catchy and melancholic melodies makes Majical Cloudz a band worth getting excited about." Interview Magazine

Impersonator Tracklisting /

01. Impersonator
02. This Is Magic
03. Childhood's End
04. I Do Sing For You
05. Mister
06. Turns Turns Turns
07. Silver Rings
08. Illusion
09. Bugs Don't Buzz
10. Notebook

Press

Pitchfork Best New Track for "Bugs Don't Buzz"

Majical Cloudz Video for "Childhood's End"

Stereogum Interview with Majical Cloudz

Pitchfork Best New Track for "Childhood's End"

Spinner Feature Interview with Majical Cloudz

Majical Cloudz Performs "Turns, Turns, Turns" For Yours Truly

Exclusive Mixtape & Interview For FADER

Interview Feature with Dazed & Confused

Majical Cloudz Interview On Dummy Mag

Interview Magazine Feature on Majical Cloudz

Noisey Interview Feature on Majical Cloudz

Live Majical Cloudz SXSW Review on Pitchfork

Click Here for Majical Cloudz Biography

Links /

Majical Cloudz on Facebook

Follow Majical Cloudz on Twitter

Majical Cloudz Official Soundcloud

Majical Cloudz Tumblr

Matador Records

Impersonator Pre-Order Link

TONIGHT: Avondale Restaurant Trolley Crawl 5/15 Just $20!

2013-05-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

The Northwest Arts Connection, a rockin' non profit, is launching their first major event tonight--a trolley ride restaurant hop around my artsy, happenin' neighborhood, Avondale!!

Northwest Arts Connection is a group dedicated to making Chicago's Northwest Side known as a destination for the arts - visual, performing, horticultural, and culinary.

Check it out. Tickets are just $20! Click here to order.

Bard Badges Abound During Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Citywide FREE Tour of The Comedy of Errors

2013-05-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks Program Expanded

Photo by Michael Litchfield.

The cast of The Taming of the Shrew performed for more than 700 people at South Shore Cultural Center on Sunday, July 29, 2012 at the launch of Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks, which toured July 29– August 19, 2012 throughout the Chicago Park District.

FREE FOR ALL

July 25–August 25, 2013

27 Performances in 18 Neighborhood Parks

Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced today the expanded Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks program as part of the City’s “Night Out in the Parks” initiative. Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST), the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District and leaders of Chicago’s corporate community partner to expand the Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks program, after its inaugural success in 2012.

Photo by Michael Litchfield.

Baptista Minola (Robert Joseph Miller) pronounces a match between his daughter Katherina (Ericka Ratcliff) and Petruchio (Matt Mueller) as Gremio (Mick Weber ) looks on in the Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks production of The Taming of the Shrew, adapted and directed by Rachel Rockwell, which toured July 29–August 19, 2012 throughout the Chicago Park District.

The citywide tour of The Comedy of Errors travels to neighborhood parks across Chicago, FREE FOR ALL, July 25–August 25, 2013. From Humboldt Park to Garfield and Loyola Park to South Shore, this summer’s Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks will break down barriers to arts participation and give Chicagoans direct access to their City’s cultural resources by bringing 27 free Shakespeare performances into 18 different neighborhood parks.

“Chicago Shakespeare Theater brings Shakespeare to life at Chicago’s Navy Pier, in our neighborhoods and in our schools," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. "The return of the Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks program will make Chicago’s neighborhood parks come alive with the thrill and magic of live theater. This is a fitting way to honor Shakespeare, and I thank Chicago Shakespeare Theater.”

The expanded citywide tour is made possible by a renewed civic, cultural and corporate partnership between Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District and The Boeing Company. Additional support for the program is provided by production sponsor for The Comedy of Errors BMO Harris Bank and the Chicago Shakespeare Trust, as well as Mayor Emanuel’s commitment to support the Chicago Park District’s programs and provide family activities throughout the city’s parks.

“The arts are essential to building strong communities,” said Lianne Stein, Vice President for Global Corporate Citizenship at Boeing. “This initiative brings innovative arts programming to Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods and supports local artists and arts organizations."

Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks is inspired by the open air setting in which Shakespeare’s plays were originally performed more than 400 years ago, and Joseph Papp’s twentieth century American initiative that brought free Shakespeare to urban communities. Beginning its summer tour on July 25 through each of the Park District regions, a specially equipped truck will roll into each park, a stage will unfold and CST actors will perform a 75-minute production of The Comedy of Errors. Staged and adapted by Jeff Award-winning director and choreographer David H. Bell, The Comedy of Errors is one of the Bard’s most popular plays about mistaken identities.

Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks will kick-off at Gateway Park at Navy Pier on Thursday, July 25. Additional parks scheduled to be visited, rain or shine, include Chicago Park District North Region Parks: Frank J. Wilson Park, Loyola Park, Riis Park and Welles Park. Central Region Parks: Eckhart Park, Douglas Park, Dvorak Park, Garfield Park Conservatory, Humboldt Park and Piotrowski Park. South Region Parks: Gage Park, Hamilton Park, Marquette Park, Ridge Park, South Shore Cultural Center, Tuley Park and Washington Park.

Touring to neighborhoods across the City, the free performances of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors will contribute to the activation of parks this summer with programming that attracts families, breaking down barriers to arts participation and encouraging young family members to take part in Chicago’s Summer of Learning program. The initiative represents an innovative public-private coordination to infuse learning into summer programs that young people across the city can attend when school is out of session.

Summer programs throughout the Chicago Park District are participating—including Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks, which will offer young audience members an opportunity to learn about the art of storytelling in the context of a professional theatrical production. After seeing the play, students will be prompted to reflect on their experience and respond to their favorite elements of the production through take-home questions printed in the program. Completion of the activities will earn each young person a “Bard Badge.”

“Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks furthers the Summer of Learning initiative as it will expose youth in our parks to one of the world’s greatest writers,” said Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Michael P. Kelly. “The program also reinforces our commitment to working with our partners to provide citywide cultural programming in our community parks.”

Chicago Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Barbara Gaines said, “We’re privileged to build on the inaugural success of Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks and announce the expanded tour for this year’s production of The Comedy of Errors. We thank Mayor Emanuel for his support of the arts throughout our city and we are absolutely thrilled to be touring one of Shakespeare’s funniest plays that I know will tickle audiences of all ages and motivate students to earn a ‘Bard Badge.’”

For more information on Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/parks. A complete Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks map and schedule may be downloaded here. For more information about “Night Out in the Parks,” visit www.nightoutintheparks.com. For more information about Chicago’s Summer of Learning and earning badges, please visit www.chicagosummeroflearning.org.

Imminent Sonic Destruction - Breaking Through LIVE at Reggies Rock Club #livevideo

2013-05-14T11:23:00.001-07:00

Imminent Sonic Destruction performing Breaking Through at Reggie's in Chicago, May 10, 2013. Opening for Pain of Salvation and Kingcrow via gladcarrot

IMMINENT SONIC DESTRUCTION

Wrap Up First Ever North American Tour!

IMMINENT SONIC DESTRUCTION recently wrapped up their North American tour with Pain of Salvation and Kingcrow It was quite an experience for everyone involved and ISD would like to share their gratitude for those who came out to support them and all the new fans that were made

"So, as we say in ISD, "Here, it's over." The tour is done and we're all back home. What an absolutely amazing experience this has been. We were floored every night by the reception of the incredible fans who came to see Pain of Salvation, but were also eager to soak up all the new music we were bringing them. We made so many new friends along this tour, there's nothing like an open-minded prog/metal crowd to make you feel at home! Also, we want to say a huge THANK YOU to the guys in Pain of Salvation and Kingcrow for pushing us to up our game at every show, and for being such outstanding people. We couldn't have asked for a better group of guys to tour with. Not to mention the tour manager, Brian, who ran himself ragged but kept it all rolling, and Milton at Intromental for having the crazy idea to ask us to join this tour in the first place! It means the world to us, and we're only looking to improve and grow from this point forward! The end of the tour, but if feels like the beginning of a new, better chapter in ISD. THANKS!! \m/(><)\m/"

And remember if you missed any of the updates, the complete blog from the tour can be viewed at the ISD Facebook Page.

IMMINENT SONIC DESTRUCTION released their debut Recurring Themes in 2012. The album was produced by Roy Z (Halford, Bruce Dickinson), and features nine original tracks that showcase the band's vocal harmonies soaring over original progressive-metal riffing, melodic compositions and the rhythms of ex-Tiles drummer, Pat DeLeon. Recurring Themes was financed entirely by the band and is available for purchase via the band's website, iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, Lasers Edge, Dearborn Music and is now available through Nightmare Records.

IMMINENT SONIC DESTRUCTION is:

Tony Piccoli - Lead Vocals, Guitars

Pat DeLeon - Drums, Percussion

Scott Thompson - Guitars, Vocals

Pete Hopersberger - Keyboards, Vocals

Bryan Paxton - Bass, Vocals

For more information on Imminent Sonic Destruction, please visit:

www.imminentsonicdestruction.com

www.facebook.com/imminentsonicdestruction

www.reverbnation.com/imminentsonicdestruction

ACT OUT OPENING: The Actors Gymnasium Circus in Progress 5/18 Only #circus

2013-05-14T10:27:00.002-07:00

The Actors Gymnasium Announces

Circus in Progress Performers

The Actors Gymnasium announces performance acts for its May 18th show, Circus in Progress: An Evening of Daring New Work.

We've long been fans of the fantastic circus work and aerial arts at The Actors Gymnasium. Their two show only spring showcase looks to be stellar. Check out some of our highly recommended favs in the circus arts world--Dean Evans (solo clown), Jill Heyser (trapeze), Willem McGowan (diabolo juggling).

Chicago theatre and circus lovers of all ages delight in this popular sneak peek at some of Chicago's most exciting new works of circus art. This cabaret style performance series focuses on the development of new acts, showcasing many Chicagoland area circus and variety arts professionals as well as advanced students from The Actors Gymnasium's classes.

Further performer announcements will continue throughout May through the company's social media, but the following acts are confirmed: Dean Evans (solo clown), Anna Hartje (contortion), Jill Heyser (trapeze), Willem McGowan (diabolo juggling), Rackim Ramsey (lyra), The Actors Gymnasium Intermediate Aerial Class (rope & harness w/ silks), The Actors Gymnasium Teen Ensemble (silks w/ straps), Vox 3 (acapella choral song), Andi Wywiorski (lyra), Aerial Dance Chicago (sling), Kevin Brown and Jason Hanggi of Be The Groove (percussion).

Tickets can be purchased through event's facebook page or through www.actorsgymnasium.com. There are a limited number of tickets available for each performance and tickets are first come, first served. Check early for the best selection. Tickets are available online only. Once online sales are closed, 1.5 hours prior to the show start time, the on location box office will be open. For group reservations and general questions call 847-328-2795.

Two Performances Only! This one day only event performs on May 18, 2013 with shows at 4:30 & 7:30 pm.

The Actors Gymnasium is located at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes Street, Evanston, Illinois - just off of the Noyes purple line 'L' stop. For additional information on The Actors Gymnasium's innovative programming, please visit www.actorsgymnasium.com or call (847)328-2795.

Circus in Progress Spring 2013 trailer

About The Actors Gymnasium

The Actors Gymnasium is dedicated to bringing a new physicality to the American Theatre. Encouraging ground-breaking theatrical exploration, The Actors Gymnasium teaches circus arts, physical theatre and multi-disciplinary performance to children and adults; produces original, daring works of circus-theatre; and serves as a talent resource, providing performance opportunities to our students and innovative professional event entertainment for a wider audience. At The Actors Gymnasium, people Learn To Fly - physically, emotionally, intellectually and creatively.

The Actors Gymnasium

at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center

927 Noyes Street ~ Evanston, Illinois 60201~ (p) 847-328-2795 ~ (f) 847-328-3495

INCOMING: DAVID SEDARIS 11/2 Presale Discount Code Before Friday Only

2013-05-13T16:24:00.001-07:00

Click here for tickets

ACT OUT OPENING: SPEECH & DEBATE AT ATC

2013-05-13T12:17:00.001-07:00

AMERICAN THEATER COMPANY CONCLUDES 2012-2013 SEASON

WITH THE REPRISE OF

SPEECH & DEBATE

Written by Stephen Karam

Directed by Artistic Director PJ Paparelli

Oregon. 2007. In the midst of controversy and scandal three misfit teens form their high school's first debate club. This hilarious and touching comedy walks the fine line between adolescence and adulthood. ATC Artistic Director PJ Paparelli remounts his 2008 critically-acclaimed production, written by columbinus co-author and 2012 Pulitzer Prize finalist Stephen Karam.

American Theater Company concludes 2012-2013 Season with a revised remount of Speech & Debate, written by Stephen Karam, and directed by Artistic Director PJ Paparelli. Speech & Debate will run May 10 – June 23, 2013, at American Theater Company, 1909 W Byron St, Chicago, IL.

Speech & Debate is a quick-witted and timely comedy that tells the story of three misfits who team up to expose their teacher's online secrets while forming their high school's first Speech and Debate club. With a searing script by columbinus co-writer Stephen Karam, Artistic Director PJ Paparelli remounts this hysterical yet touching tale of three teens' quest for fame and free speech. Under newly-appointed Artistic Director PJ Paparelli’s direction, Speech & Debate made its Chicago Premiere at ATC in 2008 to critical and popular success, garnering 3 Jeff Award nominations for Best Mid-Size Play, Best Director, and Best Actress for Sadieh Rifai’s portrayal of Diwata.

This production replaces the previously announced restored & revised Hair, which has been moved to Spring 2014.

"Stephen Karam’s Speech & Debate was my first show in Chicago and the first time I worked with Ensemble member Sadieh Rifai – and there are not two funnier artists to collaborate with then Stephen & Sadieh,” Says Paparelli. “It is a unique theatrical experiment to produce this play right after our work together on columbinus. Both of Karam’s plays are searches for identity-- one extreme tragedy, one extreme comedy-- but both speak directly to American adolescent experience."

The production will feature original cast member Sadieh Rifai reprising her original role (Diwata), as well as Patrick Riley (Howie), Janet Ulrich Brooks (teacher/reporter), and Will Allan (Solomon) in their ATC debuts.

The creative team of Speech & Debate includes William Boles (Set Designer), Sally Dolembo (Costume Designer), Jesse Klug (Lighting Designer), Scotty Iseri & Lindsay Jones (Original Sound Design)

Andrew Wheatley (Sound Designer), Rasean Davonte Johnson (Projection Design). Deborah Chesterman is Stage Manager.

Sadieh Rifai (Diwata) is an ensemble member at American Theater Company where she has performed in columbinus, The Catholic Rep: Doubt and Agnes of God, The Amish Project, The Original Grease, Welcome to Arroyo’s, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Distracted, and Speech and Debate for which she won an After Dark Award for Outstanding Performance.

Other credits include The Piano Teacher (Next Theater), Merchant of Venice (Silk Road Theatre), Ski Dubai (Steppenwolf Theatre First Look) and understanding the role of Johanna Monevata in August: Osage County (Steppenwolf Theatre). Sadieh is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf. Film credits include: the award winning The Wise Kids (New Fest, Out Fest and NYC LGBT Film Festival) and the feature film Nate and Margaret. She’s also a recurring character in the mockumentary Bad Sides, which was recently a finalist in the Chicago Comedy TV Pilot Competition. Sadieh was most recently awarded the Princess Grace Theater Award.

Will Allan (Solomon) is making his American Theater Company debut with Speech & Debate. His recent Chicago credits include The Whale (Victory Gardens); Good People, The March, and A Separate Peace (Steppenwolf); The Seagull and Dartmoor Prison (Goodman); The History Boys (TimeLine Theatre - Jeff Award for Ensemble and Production); The Goat Or, Who Is Sylvia? (Remy Bumppo - Jeff Award for Production); and Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing (First Folio). Will is an Associate Artist with TimeLine Theatre Company, a graduate of North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, and this fall, he will begin working toward his M.F.A. in Acting at the Yale School of Drama.

William Patrick Riley (Howie) is very excited to be making his Chicago theatre debut at American Theater Company. Regional credits: The Tempest (Hartford Stage); Ah, Wilderness! (Arena Stage); Hoover Comes Alive! (La Jolla Playhouse); Measure for Measure (A Noise Within). Other credits include: The Tempest, Twelfth Night, As You Like It (Shakespeare Santa Cruz); The Seagull, Camino Real, The Misanthrope, As You Like It (UCSD). Recent TV credits include appearances on Chicago Fire, Torchwood, 90210 and the HULU series Pretty/Tough. He is the co-founder and former Artistic Director of Lonesome No More! Theatre in Los Angeles, where he most recently directed a highly acclaimed production of Spring Awakening. Education: MFA, University of California, San Diego.

Janet Ulrich Brooks (reporter/teacher) was recently seen at Victory Gardens in Failure: A Love Story and Jacob & Jack. She is a TimeLine Company Member and has appeared there in more than 10 productions, most recently A Walk in the Woods and All My Sons. Other credits include South of Settling (Steppenwolf Theatre), Ten Chimneys (Northlight Theatre), The Original Grease (American Theater Co.), Pony (About Face Theatre), The Seagull and A True History of the Johnstown Flood (Goodman Theatre). Other Chicago credits include Golda’s Balcony (Pegasus Players, Non-Equity Jeff Award – Outstanding Solo Performance) and work with Strawdog Theatre, Steppenwolf for Young Adults, Writers' Theatre and Collaboraction. Janet's film credits include Fools, Conviction, Polish Bar, I Heart Shakey, and One Small Hitch, and her television credits include Boss, Underemployed, The Chicago Code and The Playboy Club.

Synopsis:

Title: Speech & Debate

Written by: Stephen Karam

Directed by: Artistic Director PJ Paparelli

Featuring: Sadieh Rifai, Will Allan, Patrick Riley, and Janet Ulrich Brooks

Dates: May 10 – June 23, 2013

Press Performance: Monday, May 13, 2013 at 7pm

Schedule: Thursdays & Fridays: 8:00pm

Saturdays: 2:00pm & 8:00pm

Sundays: 2:00pm

Location: American Theater Company, 1909 W Byron St., Chicago

Tickets: Previews: $33

Regular run: Thurs, Sat matinees, Sun matinees $38

Fri & Sat evenings $43

Opening night including post-show reception $50

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 1909 W Byron St., Chicago;

773.409.4125; www.atcweb.org

AMERICAN THEATER COMPANY

American Theater Company is an ensemble of artists committed to producing new and classic American stories that ask the question, “What does it mean to be an American?”

American Theater Company is supported by a CityArts Program 2 Grant and a Cultural Outreach Program Grant from the City of Chicago Office of Tourism & Culture, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Illinois Arts Council, Pauls Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and the generous support of Prince Charitable Trusts and Barbara Kipper.

GENESIS THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS TO TAKE UP RESIDENCY AT THE NATIONAL PASTIME THEATER IN THE PRESTON BRADLEY CENTER

2013-05-13T11:48:00.001-07:00

GENESIS THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS TO TAKE UP RESIDENCY AT THE NATIONAL PASTIME THEATER IN THE PRESTON BRADLEY CENTER

Genesis Theatrical Productions, whose mission is to find, develop and produce works that are new to Chicago, has announced that it will take up residency in the National Pastime Theater space in the Preston Bradley Center, 941 W. Lawrence, Chicago.

Genesis produced their production, of TUNNEL RAT, a the National Pastime space in 2012 and is planning both a staged reading series and a main stage production to go into the space beginning in late summer of 2013.

Genesis will become part of the efforts of National Pastime Theater and Alderman James Cappelman to create an arts center at the Preston Bradley Center and assist in the further development of the Uptown community in order to bring the arts to a highly diverse neighborhood.

For more information about Genesis Theatrical Productions, go to www.genesistheatricals.com or email info@genesistheatricals.com.

ACT OUT OPENING: CHICAGO DRAMATISTS PRESENTS “HOMECOMING 1972” 5/16

2013-05-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

CHICAGO DRAMATISTS PRESENTS “HOMECOMING 1972”

BY RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHT ROBERT KOON

Four-Time Jeff Award Nominee and Associate Artist Kimberly Senior
Directs a World Premiere about a Young Veteran Coming Home

Chicago Dramatists proudly closes its 34th season with Robert Koon’s “Homecoming 1972,” directed by Associate Artist Kimberly Senior, May 16 – June 23, 2013.

In “Homecoming 1972,” Frank limps out of the war in Vietnam and back into the world. In his small Midwestern hometown, he finds that his once-mundane world of football, cars and Sunday dinners has turned suddenly strange and threatening. Caught between the realities of war and the retrospective absurdities of his old life, he stares down the iconic celebration of returning local heroes at the high school homecoming game.

The source material for “Homecoming 1972” hits close to home for playwright Robert Koon whose family has a history of military service dating back to the Revolutionary War. “Like many Americans, I have strong military connections within my family and despite this play’s Vietnam-era setting I think modern audiences will have plenty to connect with,” he said. “We are no strangers to the uncertain realities of wartime and I hope ‘Homecoming 1972’ will call attention to veteran’s issues like mental health and unemployment.”

“As a longtime admirer of Chicago Dramatists’ fervent commitment to incubating important new works, I could not be more thrilled to be returning to bring Robert’s remarkable play to life with this outstanding group of collaborators,” says director Kimberly Senior. “Plays like ‘Homecoming 1972’ are vital to the theatrical landscape as they shed new light on important societal issues.”

“Homecoming 1972” marks Resident Playwright Robert Koon’s second production with Chicago Dramatists, which produced his play “St. Colm’s Inch” in 2005. About that production, The Chicago Tribune’s Chris Jones raved, “Few playwrights write the family fight as well as Robert Koon.” In 2005, Chicago Dramatists published another of Koon’s works, “Vintage Red and The Dust of The Road” in the anthology “New Plays from Chicago.”

“Homecoming 1972” will be directed by four-time Jeff Award nominee and Chicago Dramatists Associate Artist Kimberly Senior, whose innumerable Chicago-area and regional directing credits include the world premiere of Aline Lathrop’s “Feast” for Chicago Dramatists in 2007, “Want” and “The North Plan” for Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and “After the Revolution” and “The Overwhelming” for Next Theatre. In October 2012, Senior made her Lincoln Center Theater debut with a well-received production Ayad Akhtar’s “Disgraced” after directing its world premiere at Chicago’s American Theatre Company in January 2012. The New York Times’ Charles Isherwood praised the “sleek production directed by Kimberly Senior,” which starred The Daily Show’s Aasif Mandvi, as “a continuously engaging, vitally engaged play.”

About the Production

“Homecoming 1972” is written by Robert Koons and directed by Kimberly Senior featuring Matt Holzfeind as Frank, Greta Honold as Maria, Brett Schneider as Joe, Julian Hester as The Kid, and Molly Glynn as Darla.

“Homecoming 1972” will begin previews May 16. Press openings will be Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25 at 8 p.m. Performances are Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. through June 23. Tickets are $32 and student tickets are $15 for all Thursday performances. To purchase tickets or for more information visit www.chicagodramatists.org or call 312-633-0630. Both opening night performances are sponsored by Branch 27.

About the Playwright

Robert Koon is a Resident Playwright at Chicago Dramatists, where he also serves as the company dramaturg. Chicago Dramatists produced his play “St. Colm's Inch” and published his play “Vintage Red and The Dust of The Road” (Joseph Jefferson Award Citation for New Work, American Theatre Critics Steinberg Award nominee) in their anthology New Plays from Chicago. Robert's other work includes “Odin's Horse” (Joseph Jefferson Award nominee, 2004 national award for ecodrama), “The Point of Honor,” “Changing Attire,” “Solstice,” and “Looking West from Fira.” His most recent play, “Menorca,” was produced at 16th Street Theatre in the fall of 2010.

Robert's work has been featured at the Ashland New Plays Festival, Playwrights Week at the Lark Theatre (New York), the Dayton Playhouse FutureFest, Stage Left Theatre's (Chicago) LeapFest, Mirror Stage's (Seattle) Feed Your Mind Series, Earth Matters On Stage, the Pittsburgh Ecodrama Festival, and Estrogen Fest in Chicago. He has been awarded creative residencies at the Ragdale Foundation in Lake Forest, Illinois, and the William Inge Center for the Arts in Independence, Kansas. He teaches regularly in the Playwrights Studio at Chicago Dramatists, and has also taught at The Theatre School at DePaul University, Aurora University, Independence (Kansas) Community College, Northlight Theatre's Open Door Ensemble, The Off-Campus Writers Workshop, Theatre of Western Springs, Timber Lake Playhouse, and the Ashland (Oregon) New Plays Festival. Dramaturgical credits include Stageworks Theatre in Tampa, Florida and Indiana Theatre Works. He is a member of The Dramatists Guild of America.

About the Director

Kimberly Senior is an Artistic Associate at Next Theatre, Strawdog Theatre, and Chicago Dramatists. As a director, Kimberly’s Chicago credits have earned her four Joseph Jefferson nominations and include “Want” and “The North Plan” at Steppenwolf, “Madagascar,” “The Overwhelming” and “The Busy World is Hushed” at Next, “Waiting for Lefty” at American Blues, “Old Times,” “The Conquest of the South Pole,” “Uncle Vanya,” “Cherry Orchard,” “Three Sisters,” “Fuddy Meers” and “Knives in Hens” at Strawdog, “Bad Dates” and “Mouse Cop” at Fox Valley Repertory, “Bug” and “The Pillowman” at Redtwist, “Thieves Like Us” at The House, “All My Sons” and “Dolly West's Kitchen” at TimeLine, among others. Upcoming Chicago productions include “The Whipping Man,” currently playing at Northlight Theatre through February 24, 2013.

As an educator, Kimberly spent 10 years as both an administrator and Resident Artist with Steppenwolf for Young Adults. In addition, Kimberly either ran programs or taught for Court Theater, Northlight Theater, Redmoon Theater, Roadworks Productions, Victory Gardens, Metropolis, Act One Studios, and Acting Studio Chicago. At Columbia College she teaches Chekhov, Dramaturgy and Text Analysis. She is the recipient of Columbia College's 2010 Excellence in Teaching Award. Kimberly has served as Program Director and as a dramaturg for Steppenwolf's First Look Repertory of New Work.

About Chicago Dramatists

Since 1979, Chicago Dramatists has been dedicated to a single mission—the development and advancement of playwrights and new plays that contribute to the American theatre repertory and enrich the lives of audiences across the country. Simply put, Chicago Dramatists is a safe and creative place where playwrights, theatre artists, audiences, producers, and donors can join forces to build the theatre of the future.

Through workshops, readings, classes, and special programs, we provide opportunities for beginning and established dramatists to develop their work, expand their professional affiliations, showcase their plays to the theatre marketplace, and collaborate with actors, directors, and audiences during the creative process. And by the same token, we offer theatres and audiences a convenient central resource to discover the plays and playwrights that will shape the theatre of the twenty-first century.

ACT OUT OPENING: BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER PRESENTS “IN MEMORY OF HOWLIN WOLF”

2013-05-13T09:35:00.000-07:00

BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER PRESENTS

“IN MEMORY OF HOWLIN WOLF”

(AIN’T NO CRYING THE BLUES)

AT THE BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER CULTURAL CENTER

June 1 – August 11, 2013

Black Ensemble Theater announces In Memory of Howlin Wolf (Ain’t No Crying the Blues), written by Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor, directed by Associate Director Rueben Echoles, and starring Rick Stone one of the stars of the classic movie Cooley High . In Memory of Howlin Wolf will be presented at the new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, June 1 – August 11, 2013. The official press opening is scheduled for Sunday, June 9, 2013 at 3:00PM.

When Rick Stone (Cooley High) first performed as Howlin Wolf, Hedy Weiss of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "It's Rick Stone who consistently knocks your socks off in his terrifically sustained performance. And as he moves through Wolf's hits—Red Rooster, Goin' Down Slow, I Ain't Superstitious, Baby Please Don't Go and more—it's the audience that begins howlin' loudest." Now Rick Stone returns to do it again in this new story reflecting the life and times of one of the greatest blues singers the world has ever known - Howlin Wolf.

Title: In Memory of Howlin Wolf (Ain’t No Crying the Blues)

Written by: Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor

Directed by: Associate Director Rueben Echoles

Featuring: Rick Stone

Dates: June 1 – August 11, 2013

Press Performance: Sunday, June 9, 2013 at 3:00 p.m.

Schedule: Wed & Thurs: 7:30 p.m.

Friday: 8:00 p.m.

Saturday: 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Sunday: 3:00 p.m.

Location: Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street.

Valet parking is available.

Ticket prices: $55 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturday matinees; and $65 on Fridays, Saturday evenings, and Sunday matinees. A 10% discount is available for students, seniors, veterans and groups.

Box Office: Buy online at www.ticketmaster.com or call (773) 769-4451

The Black Ensemble Theater

ACT OUT OPENING: Chicago Premiere Reverb at Redtwist

2013-05-13T09:29:00.001-07:00

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we're looking forward to Reverb and can't wait to check it out. They had me at darkly comic... Redtwist is one of our local favs and they consistently impress with high caliber offerings in their intimate black box space.

REVERB

By Leslye Headland

Directed by Jonathan Berry

Opens at Redtwist Theatre Saturday, May 18, at 3pm

Redtwist announces the Chicago premiere of Reverb, a darkly comic, brutal dissection of the deadly force of wrath in the playwright's cycle of the Seven Deadly Sins

Featuring Redtwist company member and two-time, Jeff Award-winner, Peter Oyloe

PLAY

Jeff-Award winning director, Jonathan Berry, directs the Chicago premiere of Reverb, the story of a rising young musician and his girlfriend/muse as they try to clear the decks of their own dysfunctional pasts, while the reverberations keep these soulmates locked in a vicious maze of loving tenderness and mortal combat.

CAST

Brittany Burch (Lydia), Chris Chmelik (Shane), Ashley Neal (Ivy), Peter Oyloe (Dorian), Nick Vidal (Hank), Mary Williamson (June)

STAFF

Jonathan Berry (Director), Will Crouse (Assistant Director), Allison Queen (Stage Manager), Olivia Baker (Assistant Stage Manager), Elizabeth Penrose (Assistant Stage Manager), Sarah Burnham (Production Manager), Frank Sjodin (Tech Director), Joe Schermoly (Set Designer), Brandon Wardell (Lighting Designer), Christopher Kriz (Sound Designer), Peter Oyloe and Christopher Kriz (Original Music) Emily McConnell (Costume Designer), Jeff Shields (Prop Designer), Ryan Bourque (Fight Designer), Mary Reynard (Vocal Coach), Kevin McDonald (Dramaturg), Garvin Jellison (Master Electrician), Alan Weusthoff (Set Assistant), Peter Oyloe (Graphic Designer), Jan Ellen Graves (Marketing), Charles Bonilla (Box Office Manager), E. Malcolm Martinez (Box Office Associate), Johnny Garcia (Associate Producer), Michael Colucci & Jan Ellen Graves (Producers)

SCHEDULE

Opens: Sat, May 18, 3pm

Runs: Thu, Fri, Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 3pm

Note: no evening performance on Sat, May 18 and no performance on Sun, May 19

Closes: Sun, June 23

Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes, no intermission

Previews: $15; Wed, Thu, Fri, May 15, 16, 17, at 7:30pm

Tickets: Thursdays, $25; Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, $30 (seniors & students $5 off)

Group Rates: Special discounts for groups of 10 or more, and groups of 25 or more

DETAILS

Call: 773-728-7529

Website/Tickets: www.redtwist.org

ChiIL Picks for Mother's Day: BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER PRESENTS SPECIAL MOTHER’S DAY CONCERT

2013-05-11T13:23:00.000-07:00

BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER PRESENTS

SPECIAL MOTHER’S DAY CONCERT

TO MOTHER – WITH LOVE (A CONCERT JUST FOR HER)

FEATURING PERFORMANCES BY THE STARS OF BLACK ENSEMBLE

Sunday, May 12 at 3 p.m.

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and Executive Director Jackie Taylor announces a special Mother’s Day concert, To Mother – With Love (A Concert Just For Her), featuring the stars of Black Ensemble. The one-day-only concert will be held on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12 at 3 p.m. at the new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago.

To Mother – With Love will feature the Black Ensemble's star performers singing love songs dedicated to “Mom.” Featured performers include Rashawn Thompson, Melanie McCullough, Dawn Bless, Meghan Murphy, Lyle Miller, and more.

Tickets, priced at $50, are available by calling (773) 769-4451 or online at www.blackensembletheater.org.

The Black Ensemble Theater

On November 18, 2011, The Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center opened and is able to accommodate larger-scale productions, bigger audiences and a wider range of educational programming. The new facility includes amenities such as a 299-seat main stage theater (double the capacity of the original venue); 14 offices, classroom space; rehearsal hall, dance studio, scene shop, costume shop, and wardrobe rooms; seven dressing rooms; rehearsal room for musicians; front lobby space with concession areas; and an indoor parking garage. The completion of a 150-seat theater, which will serve as an experimental stage for the work of the Black Playwright Initiative (BPI), is expected in 2013.

The Elephant & The Whale Ticket Giveaway & Original Video Interview With Three of The Creative Masterminds Behind The World Premier #originalvideointerview #giveaway #review #ad

2013-05-11T08:07:00.001-07:00

ChiIL Out with ChiIL Mama. Pop a bowl of popcorn and get ready to see something amazing. We're so excited to bring you our original video interview with the Co-Directors of The Elephant and The Whale, Frank Maugeri (Redmoon) & Leslie Buxbaum Danzig (500 Clown) and with actor, David Catlin (Lookingglass). All 3 are parents and theatre professionals and they graciously took time out of their busy lives for an interview with us about the show. They also shared their insights on "How Creatives Parent and How Parents Create" for ChiIL Mama's long running series on the theme.

We generally try to keep our original videos around 15 minutes, but these three had some seriously sweet gems of info on parenting and great stuff about The Elephant and The Whale, so we're going to go ahead and run it as a longer feature. I'll also break the material down into shorter 15 minute individual interviews at a later date, to add to our Creative Parenting series.

Win 4 Free Tickets:

ChiIL out with free tickets to Chicago Children's Theatre & Redmoon's stellar collaboration! Our last giveaway was so successful, we're going to do it again! Enter now through midnight on 5/13. This giveaway is short, sweet & hard to beat. We highly highly recommend you catch this show before it closes May 26th.

Click The Rafflecopter Link Below For Your Chance to Win 4 Tickets To The Elephant & The Whale AND a free pizza party Thurs, 5/16, 6:30 pm.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ChiIL Live Shows caught the opening weekend of The Elephant & The Whale at Chicago Children's Theatre and we were enormously impressed by this mammoth undertaking. We've long been fans of Redmoon's mission statement "engineering wonder" and of the fabulous physical comedy and energy of 500 Clown. These world collided in a BIG way for this show and adults and hard to please tweens and teens will dig this one, too! Yes, Chicago Children's Theatre is not only for the littles, my friends. A lot of blood, sweat & prep went into this production, but the end result is pure magic.

Credit for all Production Photos Charles Osgood

Click here for ChiIL Mama's past coverage of The Elephant and The Whale including ticket links, show times and plot points as well as more show footage & stills.

Check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often for loads of original content, fabulous happenings and great giveaways.

**Final footage footnote: It took me longer than I'd hoped to don my editor's hat and finish the interview above. There were so many insightful comments in the interviews that I tried to chop it to about 20 minutes for days, and finally surrendered, and decided that this needs to be published as a longer piece... at least once.

We also got caught up in crazy busy parenting land over here, with two kids in and out of their own performances with CircEsteem, 2 Roller Derby halftime shows, a school variety show and 2 gymnastics team showcases. And I had a 4 day International film fest to cover, and a German filmmaker to interview.

Thanks for your patience.   It's worth the wait!

SPECTACLE IN MINIATURE TELLS THE TALE OF A GIANT FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE LARGEST ANIMALS ON OUR PLANET, APR. 10-MAY 26 AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER

This all-new family fable features sea voyages, wild mechanical objects, circus songs, panoramic paintings, exquisite shadow puppets and an innovative sound design. Performances through May 26, 2013 at Chicago Children's Theatre's new home, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn, Chicago.

The Elephant and The Whale is recommended for all ages.

Schedule through May 26: Tuesday at 10 a.m.; Wednesday at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.; Thursday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Friday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Saturday at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 2p.m.

Run time is approximately 60 minutes with no intermission.

FREE PIZZA PARTIES ON THURSDAYS & ART PARTIES FRIDAY

As if you need any more reasons to see this show...

Note: Family-friendly 6:30 p.m. Thursday shows are preceded with a free pizza party starting at 5:45 pm. Thursday evenings are $25 for dinner and show. On Friday evenings, families are encouraged to kick off their weekend at the 6:30 p.m. show, and stay after for a fun post-show craft party. Friday evenings are $25 for show and party.

Regular single tickets are $26 for children, $36 for adults. To purchase, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call (872) 222-9555. For discounted school, scout, playgroup, extended family and other group rates, visit GroupTix.net or call (773) 327-3778.

Disclaimer: Thanks to the fabulous folk at Chicago Children's Theatre for giving us family 4 packs of tickets to share with our readers. All opinions are our own.

Stages Sights & Sounds 2013 Kick Off Party Photo Filled Feature #originalphotos

2013-05-09T21:01:00.000-07:00

Paige in Full and Kick Off Party for The Chicago Humanities Fest's Stages, Sights & Sounds 2013 at the MCA.

It was a true pleasure to mix and mingle...

We were even given a thought provoking "homework" assignment to go on our name tags. It proved to be a good ice breaker and conversation starter. We were asked to provide the first theatre-music-art-or event that "sparked" or inspired your love of the arts. (even if the love of my life did write Evel Knievel)...

We met the masterminds behind the fest...

And we got to catch a sneak peek at the excellent Paige in Full show...

We were even sent home with sweet goody bags full of tasty treats from another of our Chi-town favs, Vosge's Chocolate!

Click here for full listings and more of our past coverage on the fest. Shows run for the next two weeks.

INCOMING: John Waters This Filthy World at The Harris Theater

2013-05-08T06:20:00.002-07:00

May 21, 2013 at 7:30 pm

Back by popular demand after a sold out 2010 engagement!

Filmmaker, author, actor and cult icon John Waters returns to the Harris Theater to perform "This Filthy World". Waters is famously known for his films

Hairspray, Pink Flamingos, Cecil B. DeMented and A Dirty Shame.

Meet the “Pope of Trash”

Join John Waters for an exclusive after-party benefit on the Elizabeth Morse Genius Stage immediately following the performance. Only 100 tickets available!

Performance: $55-$75

After-Party: $100 (includes specialty cocktails & dinner)

All after-party proceeds support the Harris Theater Mission

Buy your tickets now!

www.HarrisTheaterChicago.org

312.334.7777