FEST ALERT: Lifeline Theatre Presents 28th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival November 8 - November 17, 2024

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Lifeline Theatre presents 28th Annual 

Fillet of Solo Festival 

two-week festival of storytelling performances

November 8 - November 17, 2024

Lifeline Theatre presents the 28th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival, a vibrant celebration of Chicago's premiere storytelling and live lit scene. The festival spans from November 8- November 17, 2024 at Lifeline Theatre (6912 N. Glenwood Ave.) and Rhapsody Theater (1328 W Morse Ave.) in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood. Featuring a diverse array of performers, including a dozen storytelling collectives and numerous solo artists, the festival offers two weeks of powerful personal stories. Spanning comedy, drama, and more – the festival makes up a rich tapestry of Chicago's storytellers.

Fillet of Solo performances take place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at both venues. See the full festival schedule at www.lifelinetheatre.com. Tickets are $12 for single entry and $60 for a Festival Pass, granting access to any performance

Festival performance returning favorites include 80 Minutes Around the World: Immigration Stories with Nestor Gomez, featuring stories of Immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers; Sweat Girls, Chicago’s mighty monologue mavens’ performance of Don’t Rush Me; and Goodman's GeNarrations. 

I've been storytelling with GeNarrations myself for 3 sessions now, and it's been a joy to get to know fellow storytellers. The talent pool is deep! I'm sure the storytellers chosen for Fillet of Solo will be spectacular. Though I didn't submit a piece for this one, I was thrilled to recently have one of my GeNarrations pieces selected for Lobby Stories, during Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

ABOUT THE SHOW 

Join this year’s GeNarrations cohort as they dare to confront schoolyard bullies, dastardly sheep, life changing loss, and at least one very famous dog. 

16 storytellers spread across 2 unique shows. Join us on November 9 at 1:00PM to see performances by Regan Burke, Shirley Fastner, Norman Field, Doris Laser, Lefty Lyons, BJ Parker, Pamela Schumacher, and George Szostkowski. Then come back on November 17 at 2:30PM to hear from Robert Collin, Kathy Cunningham, Susan Carlotta Ellis, Kathy Moroz, John Norris, Bettina Rousos, Andy Solomon, and E.J. Wade.

I do plan to catch my current GeNarrations instructor's one woman show, Michiganderish. Julie Ganey will be performing at Lifeline November 10th and 15th as part of Fillet of Solo. Don't miss this! 

Other noteworthy performances this year include Hand, Foot, Hand by Deborah Kent, the first blind student who had ever been enrolled at her 8th grade school, who tells a story about searching for footholds in a world that is not always welcoming and discovering handholds in the most unexpected places; Between Two Poles by Klaudia Siczek discusses a daughter being pulled between her two ideologically opposite families from Poland. Patrick Curtin’s Who Do You Think You Are? starts off with Patrick as a young boy who wants to be a priest, experiences rejection and then works to find community and purpose. 

I've also seen Eileen Tull's fabulous Too Fat To Run, when she performed at Scratch Night earlier this year, and recommend checking it out.  

A FREE Kick-Off Event will also take place on November 6, 2024 at Rhapsody Theater at 7:00pm where. The event will provide insights into the festival's history, storytelling forms, and Chicago's dynamic storytelling nights. Festival Passes are available at a discounted rate of $45 during the Kick-Off event (regularly $60).

For more information, contact the Lifeline Theatre Box Office at 773.761.4477 or www.lifelinetheatre.com.

ABOUT LIFELINE THEATRE

Lifeline Theatre is located at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood. Lifeline is easily accessible by CTA (Red Line Morse stop/buses) and free parking is available at Sullivan High School (6631 N Bosworth Ave, lot located on the corner of Albion and Bosworth) with free shuttle service before and after the show. Street parking is also available. Lifeline is accessible to wheelchair users and visitors who need to avoid stairs.

Founded in 1982, Lifeline Theatre is known for staging innovative adaptations of great works of fiction as well as commissioning original work. In 1987, Lifeline Theatre added KidSeries plays for children and families, and has been producing full seasons of programming for both adults and children ever since.  Over the course of forty seasons and over two hundred productions, Lifeline Theatre has made not only an indelible mark on the Chicago theatre scene, but an invaluable contribution to the theatre world at large. Lifeline’s dedicated artistic ensemble has developed one hundred and forty-six world premiere literary adaptations and original plays, nearly forty of which have had a life beyond their Lifeline premieres, with over three hundred subsequent productions spread across over forty U.S. states, six Canadian provinces, plus productions in England, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, and Guatemala. Additionally, four scripts developed at Lifeline Theatre have gone on to U.S. national tours, and over a dozen have been published. Lifeline Theatre has garnered a total of fifty-three Jeff Awards (Equity and Non-Equity), including sixteen for New Adaptation, New Musical, or New Work.

Chicago Premiere of Perfect Pie Via The Gwydion Theatre Company November 1st-November 23rd, 2024

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Gwydion Theatre Company presents

Perfect Pie 

by Judith Thompson

Directed by Ensemble Member, Maddie Hillock

Running at The Greenhouse Theatre Center’s ‘Studio 44’ space 

Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:30pm 

from November 1st-November 23rd

Content Advisory: mentions of sexual violence and abuse ; depictions of seizures

About the show: Set in rural Ontario, "Perfect Pie" follows the revisitation of the childhood friendship between two women; one who has chosen to stay on her
farm and the other who, driven by small town torment as a child, chose to
escape. While the adults are recollecting their past, the story of the girls at
both ten and fifteen drives inexorably forward to the same event which scarred
and shaped the lives of the adult women. When the past meets the present, realizations are made that will force these women to question everything they previously thought to be true. Click here for more show information and tickets.

Cast:

Patsy: Tricia Rogers Francesca: Talia Langman Patsy (Young): Ellory Jezuit* Marie: Sydney Feldman

Directed by Maddie Hillock* Assistant Directed by Ellie Thomson* Lighting Design by Sam Bessler* Sound Design by Morgan Wilson* Set Design by Grayson Kennedy*+

* - Denotes Ensemble Member +- Denotes Artistic Director

About Gwydion: The Gwydion Theatre Company was formed in Los Angeles, CA by a group of actors following their completion of training in 2019. It started with doing Shakespeare in parking lots, apartments, parks, to then tackling full scale productions during the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Following the pandemic, a decision was made to move operations to Chicago, IL in order to connect with a more artistic theatre landscape. Since officially incorporating in Illinois, The Gwydion Theatre Company has committed its resources to producing a three show season, consisting of ‘The Zoo Story’, an original translation of Dario Fo’s ‘Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay!’, and finishing with the American Classic ‘Waiting for Lefty’ by Clifford Odetts. Now a resident company of The Greenhouse Theater Center, Gwydion Theatre Company is proud to present the Chicago Premiere of Perfect Pie. 

Lynn Nottage’s BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK Via The Artistic Home at The Den Theatre from October 12 through November 17, 2024

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 The Artistic Home to present Lynn Nottage’s sly satire 

BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK 

October 12 – November 17 at The Den Theatre

Chicago actress Risha Tenae to direct – full casting announced

The Artistic Home announced today that it will present BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK, by the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, at The Den Theatre from October 12 through November 17.  A juxtaposition of screwball comedy and satire, it concerns a woman who while serving as maid to an aging Hollywood starlet in the 1930’s breaks into the movie business as an actress. Like other African American actors of the period, however, she is relegated to playing roles as domestics and is forced to compromise her values in order to maintain a successful career. BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK has been called “a smart satire that takes a piercing look at the damage done by early Hollywood representations of people of color, and the legacy that echoes forth today.” I'll be out for the press opening October 17th, so check back shortly after for my full review.

BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK will be directed by Risha Tenae, a Chicago-based Theatre, Television and Film Actor whose Chicago stage credits include roles at Lifeline, Black Ensemble Theatre, Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, and First Floor Theatre. The title role will be taken by Ashayla Calvin, while Gloria Mitchell, the aging starlet once known as “America’s Little Sweetie-Pie,” will be played by Caitlin Jemison. The other five members of the cast are Bryant Hindsman (Leroy Barksdale/ Herb Forrester), Justice Ford (Lottie McBride/Carmen Levy-Green), MarieAnge Louis-Jean (Anna Mae Simpkins /Afua Asssata Ejobo), Martin Holt (Fredrick Slasvick/Brad Donavan), and Dan Evashevski (Maxmillian Von Oster /Peter Rhys-Davies). Understudies are Jordan Taylor (u/s Vera Stark), Charlie Irving (u/s Gloria Mitchell), Nathaniel Vangine ( u/s Leroy Barksdale/ Herb Forrester), Jada Rice (u/s Lottie/Carmen), and Peter Ash (u/s Maxmillian Von Oster /Peter Rhys-Davies).

Top row L-R: Ashayla Calvin, Dan Evashevski, Justice Ford, Bryant Hindsman.

Middle Row L-R: Martin Holt, Caitlin Jemison, MarieAnge Louis-Jean, Peter Ash.

Lower row L-R: Charlie Irving, Jada Rice, Jordan Taylor, Nathaniel Vangine.

The production team includes Savaun Stokes (Assistant Director), Andrew Snyder (Stage Manager), Kevin Hagan (Scenic Design/Production Manager/Graphic Design), Rachel Lambert (Costume Design), Marquecia Jordan (Wig/Make-up Design), Petter Wahlbäck (Sound Design), Ellie Fey (Lighting Design), Mark Bracken Jr (Projection Design), David Blixt (Intimacy Direction), Randy Rozler (Properties Design), Justice Ford (Dramaturgy), Tom McNelis (Technical Director), Kathy Scambiatterra (Producing Artistic Director), and Kristin Collins (Casting Director).

Director Risha Tenae says, “I am Vera Stark. In many ways. Every play I work on is significant for me. However, this show is the most important show of my career. I spent thirteen years in Hollywood. The first three years were dedicated to Drama school and intensive actor training (this is where Vera and I differ). The 10 years after were solely dedicated to pursuing a career as an actor--and finding ways to survive in the meantime. I understand Vera and the world she lives in so well that it hurts. So much so that I have never really spoken about my time or experiences in Hollywood, until now. Vera has helped me find my voice. I think that is why her story is so important to me. And, why I feel so compelled to share her story with the world.”

The Artistic Home performs at The Den Theatre, and also maintains an acting studio and rehearsal space at 3054 N. Milwaukee Avenue in the Avondale/Logan neighborhood. Tickets are regular performances: $35 general, $20 students/seniors, $20 previews all seats at www.theartistichome.org.

 Production Details:

October 12 – November 17, 2024

Previews Saturday, October 12 at 8:00 pm, Sunday, October 13 at 3:00 pm and Wednesday, October 16 at 8:00 pm

Press Opening Thursday, October 17 at 8:00 pm

Regular run performance times Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sunday at 3:00 pm.

The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago

Ticket prices: Regular performances:  $35 general, $20 students/seniors; $20 previews all seats. 

Tickets available at www.theartistichome.org, or by phone at 773-697-3830

It’s The Golden Age of Hollywood, and the streets of Los Angeles teem with aspiring starlets. When Vera Stark—maid to “America’s Little Sweetie Pie” Gloria Mitchell—lands a groundbreaking role in an antebellum epic, she turns Hollywood on its head and paves the way for future generations of Black actresses. Seventy years later, film buffs still wrestle with the life and legacy of this controversial star, for whom fame and fortune could only be achieved by joining the apparatus of a deeply racist industry. Hilarious and incisive, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage’s juxtaposition of screwball comedy and sly satire is both satisfying and timely.

BIOS

Lynn Nottage (playwright) Lynn Nottage is a playwright. a screenwriter and installation artist. She is the first, and remains the only, woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice. Her plays have been produced widely in the United States and throughout the world. Most recently, Nottage premiered MJ THE MUSICAL, directed by Christopher Wheeldon and featuring the music of Michael Jackson, at the Neil Simon Theater on Broadway, CLYDE'S directed by Kate Whoriskey at Second Stage Theater on Broadway and an opera adaptation of her play INTIMATE APPAREL composed by Ricky Ian Gordon and directed by Bart Sher, commissioned by The Met/Lincoln Center Theater and co-curated with Director Miranda Haymon the Performance Installation THE WATERING HOLE at the Signature Theater.   

Her other work includes, FLOYD'S (retitled- CLYDE'S - Guthrie Theater), the musical adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's novel THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES, with music by Duncan Sheik and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead (The Almeida Theatre/The Atlantic Theater), MLIMA’S TALE (Public Theater/ Kiln), BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK (Lilly Award, Drama Desk Nomination, Second Stage/Signature Theater), RUINED (Pulitzer Prize, OBIE, Lucille Lortel, New York Drama Critics’ Circle, Audelco, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Award - MTC/Goodman Theater); INTIMATE APPAREL (American Theatre Critics and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards for Best Play Center Stage/SCR/ Roundabout Theater); FABULATION, OR THE RE-EDUCATION OF UNDINE (OBIE Award - Playwrights Horizons/Signature Theater); CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY; LAS MENINAS; MUD, RIVER, STONE; POR’KNOCKERS; and POOF!

Risha Tenae (director) is a Theatre, Television and Film Actor that has been involved with Theater and Theater education since high school. She graduated from the Alabama School of Fine Arts, attended Miami University B.A. theater program, and graduated from The California Institute of the Arts M.F.A. Theater program where she focused on performance. Theatre and TV credits include: BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY (Angel), KING LEAR (Cornwall), 24 HOURS THE MUSICAL (Shawnna), IN THE BLOOD (Welfare/Bully), THREE SISTERS (Irena), THE MUSIC MAN (Alma), KING HENRY V (Kate), THE COLORED MUSEUM (Woman #3). DON'T MAKE ME OVER (Cissy Houston), SINGLE BLACK FEMALE (SBF 2), JULIUS CAESAR (Portia), THE SEAGULL (Masha), FRANKENSTEIN (Caroline), URBAN LOVE STORY (Ms. Marion), THE COLOR PURPLE; directed by Gary Griffin (PA), THE PROJECTS (Doreen), WHEN WE HEAL and THE CHI. 

In addition to acting, Risha finds joy in being a Teaching Artist. She taught Theatre for grades K-12 in multiple schools around Los Angeles County during her time there and is currently on the faculty of Acting Studio Chicago and teaching Theatre at other schools around Chicago.

ABOUT THE ARTISTIC HOME

The Artistic Home is noted for their innovative and intimate presentations of rarely produced classics as well for developing new works. The company has been frequently honored in the Jeff Awards. For 2023, they received nine nominations, including a nomination for Production of a Play (DYING FOR IT) and win for Kevin Hagan’s scenic design of DYING FOR IT. In 2022, they received nine nominations and two wins – one for New Work (MALAPERT LOVE, written by artistic associate Siah Berlatsky) and one for Supporting Actor in a play (Todd Wojcik – in THE PAVILION). The company’s 2022 nominations also included two for Best Play production (MALAPERT LOVE and THE PAVILION). The Artistic Home was one of the big winners in the 2019 Jeff Awards, with four awards including Production of a Play, Director of a Play, Principal Performer in a Play, and Sound Design, all for REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT. Brookelyn Hebert won a Jeff as Principal Performer in a Play for the company’s 2020 production of ADA AND THE ENGINE. The company was nominated for Jeff Awards in 2019 for ROCK ‘N’ ROLL, and in 2018 for HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE.

Other memorable productions of recent years include 2017’s WEDDING BAND, BY THE BOG OF CATS and THE SCHOOL FOR LIES; their Jeff-nominated productions of THE SEAGULL, WATCH ON THE RHINE, MACBETH and THE LATE HENRY MOSS; and their 2013 Jeff Award-winner THE GODDESS. Other Artistic Home productions include the Jeff-Award-winning production of JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK, which also received three After Dark Awards, the Jeff-Nominated SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH, THE TALLEST MAN, LANDSCAPE OF THE BODY, NATURAL AFFECTION, FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS, AFTER THE FALL and PEER GYNT (which also received an After Dark award for Direction).

For more than 26 years, The Artistic Home has consistently produced compelling theatre in Chicago. First formed in 1998 with the belief that the actor is at the heart of great theater, the company strives to give birth to unforgettable moments; to touch audiences who are increasingly distanced from human contact; to readdress the classics and explore new works with passion.

Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company Present Falsettos November 8 – December 8, 2024

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Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company present

Falsettos

Music and Lyrics by William Finn

Book by William Finn and James Lapine

Directed by Nick Bowling, TimeLine Theatre Associate Artistic Director

November 8 – December 8, 2024

Court Theatre (under the continuing leadership of Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, with interim artistic leadership from Associate Artistic Director Gabrielle Randle-Bent and Managing Director Heidi Thompson Saunders) and TimeLine Theatre Company (under the leadership of Artistic Director PJ Powers and Executive Director Mica Cole) are thrilled to present William Finn and James Lapine’s Falsettos, a tribute to family and its many forms; a playful interrogation of faith and identity; and a celebration of the beauty, complexity, and necessity of love. This production will run November 8  – December 8, 2024 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. 

The cast of Falsettos includes Stephen Schellhardt (Marvin); Jack Ball (Whizzer); Sarah Bockel (Trina); Charlie Long (Jason, alternating); Eli Vander Griend (Jason, alternating); Jackson Evans (Mendel); Sharriese Hamilton (Dr. Charlotte); and Elizabeth Stenholt (Cordelia).

The creative team includes Otto Vogel (music director); William Carlos Angulo (movement director); Arnel Sancianco, with Associate Lauren Nichols (scenic design); Theresa Ham (costume design); Maggie Fullilove-Nugent and Josiah Croegaert (lighting design); Stephanie Farina and Sarah Ramos (sound design); Deborah Blumenthal (production dramaturg); Becca McCracken, CSA, with Associate Celeste M. Cooper (casting); Kate Ocker (production stage manager); and Katrina Herrmann (assistant stage manager). 

Marvin has left his wife, Trina, for his male lover; Trina has married Marvin’s therapist; and their son, Jason, is grappling with his parents’ divorce and his looming bar mitzvah. Everyone’s world has been upended and now they must explore what their new lives may hold. Featuring a sung-through score and set against the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic, Falsettos is a humorous and heartbreaking web of ex-spouses, co-parents, new lovers, and the lesbians next door.

TimeLine Theatre Associate Artistic Director Nick Bowling (The Lehman Trilogy) returns to Court Theatre – where he began his career almost thirty years ago – with this celebratory musical. Groundbreaking in its depiction of queerness, Falsettos shines with ingenuity and contemporary relevance.

“This is Marvin’s story, a man coming out of the closet in the late 1970s,” explains Director and TimeLine Associate Artistic Director Nick Bowling. “The production celebrates a time of adventure and self-expression, set against the sexual revolution, the disco era, and the very first days of the AIDS epidemic. In writing about Marvin, William Finn and James Lapine have created one of the very first musicals celebrating a ‘normal’ gay life, which, of course, turns out to be equally flawed and fabulous.” 

“We are proud to present Falsettos together,” share Court Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, TimeLine Artistic Director PJ Powers, and TimeLine Executive Director Mica Cole in a joint statement. “This city has a remarkably supportive, expansive, and uniquely literary theatre community, so a collaboration between two of Chicago’s most dramaturgically rich companies simply makes sense. Court reimagines classic theatre to illuminate our current times. TimeLine explores stories that connect history with the sociopolitical issues of today. Falsettos is a natural intersection of our complementary and mission-driven organizations. We can’t wait for you to join us in Falsettoland.”

Individual tickets and Court subscription packages including this production are on sale now. Tickets and subscriptions can be purchased by calling the Court Box Office at (773) 753-4472 or online at CourtTheatre.org. 

FlexPass subscriptions for TimeLine’s 2024/25 season, including Falsettos, are also available; details at TimeLineTheatre.com.

Falsettos is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com.

About the Artists

WILLIAM FINN (Music, Lyrics, Book) received two Tony Awards—Best Book of a Musical (with James Lapine) and Best Original Score—for Falsettos. He has also written and composed In Trousers, March of the Falsettos, and Falsettoland (Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, two Los Angeles Drama Critics Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, the Lucille Lortel Award and Guggenheim Fellowship in Playwriting), and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which won two Tony Awards, ran more than 1,000 performances on Broadway, has been produced nationally and internationally, and is currently one of the most performed musicals in the United States according to Theatre Communications Group. 

JAMES LAPINE (Book) is a leading American theatrical director, librettist, and playwright. Among Lapine’s most notable works is Sunday in the Park with George, created in collaboration with Stephen Sondheim. It won two Tony Awards, numerous Drama Desk Awards, and the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Lapine and Sondheim collaborated again on Into the Woods (Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score). He collaborated with William Finn on March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland (Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score), which were later presented on Broadway as Falsettos. In 2011, he was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.

NICK BOWLING (Director, TimeLine Associate Artistic Director) was the founding Artistic Director and is now Associate Artistic Director and a Company Member of TimeLine Theatre, where he has directed more than 30 productions. With Falsettos, he returns to Court Theatre, where he served as Associate Artistic Director nearly 30 years ago alongside then Artistic Director Charles Newell, to make his Court directorial debut. Assorted directing credits at TimeLine include The Lehman Trilogy (with Vanessa Stalling); Oslo; Campaigns, Inc.; The History Boys; and many others. Other Chicago credits include 1776 (Marriott), A Christmas Story (Paramount), Guys and Dolls (Northwestern University), A Catered Affair (Porchlight), and others. Bowling is the recipient of eight Jeff Awards for Outstanding Direction.

OTTO VOGEL (Music Director) is a music director and conductor hailing from New Hampshire. A recent graduate from Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Voice and Opera Performance. While at Bienen, his highlights from behind the baton included The Prom and The Dolphin Show’s Kinky Boots. He made his professional debut as a music director this summer with Marriott Theatre’s Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! He has also directed two one-act operas and assistant conducted Chicago Fringe Opera’s production of Fizz & Ginger.

WILLIAM CARLOS ANGULO (Movement Director) is a director, choreographer, playwright, and arts educator from Chicago. His work centers the creation of culture, using music and dance to explore, express, and celebrate third-culture identity. Theater credits include MTC, Roundabout, Bushwick Starr, Ars Nova, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, Ford’s Theatre in DC, The Muny, PCLO, and more. He is a proud member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) and the Alliance of Latine Theatre Artists (ALTA), and he currently serves as Director of Education for Dance Lab New York where he mentors emerging choreographers. Current commissions: LIMÓN2, Lincoln Center, and Portland Center Stage.

JACK BALL (Whizzer) is making his Court and TimeLine Theatre debut! Chicago area credits: Little Shop of Horrors (Paramount); The Coast Starlight (Milwaukee Rep); Hansel and Gretel (Broadway in Chicago); Hit the Wall (Inconvenience); Dunsinane (RSCo/Natl. Theatre of Scotland at Chicago Shakespeare). Broadway: The Book of Mormon. TV: Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire; Chicago Justice; Somebody, Somewhere; and Sirens. Film credits include Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party, Room Six, What Rhymes with Magdalena, Kill the Monsters, and An Acceptable Loss. 

SARAH BOCKEL (Trina) is making her Court and TimeLine Theatre debut! Chicago area credits: Into The Woods and Cinderella (Paramount); Parade (BoHo); Into The Woods (The Hypocrites). Broadway: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. North American Tour: Beautiful and Tina: The Tina Tour Musical. Regional: Beautiful (Ogunquit Playhouse). TV: The Equalizer. She is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University and is represented by Stewart Talent. 

JACKSON EVANS (Mendel) is making his Court and TimeLine Theatre debut! Chicago credits: The Full Monty, Beauty and the Beast (Jeff Nomination – Performer in a Supporting Role), School of Rock (Paramount); Guys and Dolls (Drury Lane); Anything Goes (Jeff Nomination – Performer in a Supporting Role, Porchlight); Ride the Cyclone (Chicago Shakespeare); Fiddler on the Roof (Lyric); Boys in the Band (Windy City Playhouse). Touring: The Realish Housewives (The Second City). Film: Christmas is Canceled. TV: Paper Girls, Chicago P.D., Sirens. 

SHARRIESE HAMILTON (Dr. Charlotte) is making her Court and TimeLine Theatre debut! Credits include: The Nacirema Society, Wonderful Town (Goodman); It Came from Outer Space, Pericles (Chicago Shakespeare); Emmet Otter’s Jug-band Christmas (Studebaker); Rock of Ages, James and the Giant Peach (Drury Lane); A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Porchlight); Thaddeus and Slocum (Lookingglass); Rock of Ages (Mercury); Passing Strange, The Wild Party (Bailiwick); Come from Away (Broadway National/Australian Tour). TV: Chicago Fire, Empire.

CHARLIE LONG (Jason, alternating) is thrilled to be making his Court and TimeLine Theatre debut! Recent credits include Charlie Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Paramount); Billy Elliot, School of Rock, The Sound of Music (Paramount); The Music Man (Marriott); and Matilda (The Fireside). He is represented by Paonessa Talent Agency. 

STEPHEN SCHELLHARDT (Marvin) is making his Court and TimeLine Theatre debut! Chicago credits include Fun Home, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Into the Woods (Paramount); The Full Monty, Little Women, Cabaret (Marriott); The Hot Mikado (Drury Lane). National Tours: Altar Boyz. International credits: Persuasion (Chamber Opera Chicago). Stephen is a Jeff Award-winning artist and proud graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama. 

ELIZABETH STENHOLT (Cordelia) is so happy to make her Court and Timeline Theatre debut with this beautiful show! Elizabeth is a recent Jeff Award-winner for her role as Medium Alison in Fun Home at Paramount Theatre. Some of her other Chicago credits include Grease, Shrek, A Christmas Carol (Drury Lane); The Wizard of Oz, Fun Home (Paramount); Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure (Chicago Shakespeare); Airline Highway, Love Kills (Steppenwolf); Arcadia, TREVOR the musical (Writers). 

ELI VANDER GRIEND (Jason, alternating) is honored to make his Court and TimeLine debut. Eli was last seen as Bruce in Matilda the Musical (Fireside Dinner Theatre). Chicago credits include Billy Elliot, School of Rock (Paramount); and A Christmas Carol (Metropolis). Eli is a member of the ETC Tap Company. He trains in tap, ballet, contemporary, and hip-hop at Extensions Dance Center in Chicago. He is represented by Talent X Alexander. 

Production Cast and Creatives

Featuring: Stephen Schellhardt (Marvin); Jack Ball (Whizzer); Sarah Bockel (Trina); Charlie Long (Jason, alternating); Eli Vander Griend (Jason, alternating); Jackson Evans (Mendel); Sharriese Hamilton (Dr. Charlotte); and Elizabeth Stenholt (Cordelia).

Creatives: Otto Vogel (music director); William Carlos Angulo (movement director); Arnel Sancianco, with Associate Lauren Nichols (scenic design); Theresa Ham (costume design); Maggie Fullilove-Nugent and Josiah Croegaert (lighting design); Stephanie Farina and Sarah Ramos (sound design); Deborah Blumenthal (production dramaturg); Becca McCracken, CSA, with Associate Celeste M. Cooper (casting); Kate Ocker (production stage manager); and Katrina Herrmann (assistant stage manager). 

 

Dates:           

Previews: November 8 – 15, 2024

Press Opening: November 16, 2024 at 7:30pm

Regular Run: November 17 – December 8, 2024

 

Schedule:

Wed/Thurs/Fri: 7:30 p.m.

Sat/Sun: 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

 

Accessible Performances:

ASL Interpretation at 2:00pm on December 7, 2024

Touch Tour at 12:30pm, Audio Description at 2:00pm on December 8, 2024

Open Captioning at 2:00pm on December 8, 2024 

Location:      Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave.

 

Tickets:        

$42.00 – $72.00 Previews

$58.00 – $90.00 Regular Run

Student, group, and military discounts available

Box Office:    Located at 5535 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago; (773) 753-4472 or www.CourtTheatre.org.

Court Theatre reimagines classic theatre to illuminate our current times. In residence at the University of Chicago and on Chicago’s historic South Side, we engage our audiences with intimate and provocative experiences that inspire deeper exploration of the enduring questions that confront humanity and connect us as people

TimeLine Theatre Company presents stories inspired by history that connect with today’s social and political issues. Our collaborative organization produces provocative theatre and educational programs that engage, entertain and enlighten.

Invictus Theatre Company’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH Playing at the Windy City Playhouse October 29 – December 15, 2024

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Invictus Theatre Company’s Cast announced for 

THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

playing October 29 – December 15

Invictus Theatre Company today announced the cast and production team for its season-closing presentation of THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, Shakespeare’s tale of the seductive nature of power that combines Scottish history with magical realism. The tragedy’s three witches who warn Macbeth about his future will make their first appearance just before Halloween, with previews beginning on October 29,  leading up to an opening on Monday, November 4 at 7 pm and playing through December 15. 

THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH will be directed by Sarafina Vecchio, a Chicago-based actor and director, an educator with Acting Studio Chicago, and an adjunct professor at Chicago College of the Performing Arts. Vecchio earned a Post-Graduate Award in Teaching Shakespeare from The University of Warwick (UK, in conjunction with the Royal Shakespeare Company) and has been a guest instructor to Ontario, Canada's Stratford Festival. CHICAGO STAGE AND SCREEN’s Angela Allyn praised Vecchio’s text coaching for Invictus’ JULIUS CAESAR for being “as modern sounding as your favorite political podcast. You have heard these speeches before but never like this. This is a Caesar for everyone.” I'll be out for the press opening November 4th, so check back shortly after for my full review.

Vecchio’s cast will be led by Mikha’el Amin as Macbeth, seen most recently in the title role of Lincoln in Invictus’s TOPDOG/UNDERDOG. His previous roles with Invictus include Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in THE MOUNTAINTOP and Marc Antony in JULIUS CAESAR. Lady Macbeth will be played by Carolyn Kruse, whose experience in playing wicked women includes her role as Madame Defarge in Lifeline’s A TALE OF TWO CITIES, along with many other roles for such Chicago companies as The Artistic Home, Irish Theater of Chicago, and Redtwist Theatre. Also in the cast are Christy Arington  (Witch 1), Tessa Dougherty (Witch 2), Julia Rowley (Witch 3), Michael B. Woods (Macduff), Diego Longoria (Malcolm), Joshua Razavi (Lennox), Aimee Kleiman (Rosse), Charlie Diaz (Banquo), Amber Dow (Servant), Joseph Beal (Seyton), Robert Koon (Actor 1: Duncan/Murderer 2/Old Siward), Michaela Shapiro (Actor 2: Kid Macduff/Young Siward/Lord/Soldier), Whitney Minarik (Actor 3: Captain/Lady Macduff/Doctor/Lord), and Layke Fowler (Actor 4: Lords/Soldiers/Fleance). Understudies are Steve Peebles (Macbeth), Laura Resinger (Lady Macbeth/Actor 3/Servant), Joshua Razavi (Banquo), Charlie Diaz (Macduff), Amber Dow (Rosse/Witch Swing), Layke Fowler (Malcolm), Alexandria Bressette (Actor 2/Actor 4/Witch Swing), and Craig Duff (Actor 1/Seyton/Lennox).

Top row (I-r): Mikha’el Amin, Christy Arington, Joseph Beal, Charlie Diaz, 

Second row (I-r): Tessa Dougherty, Amber Dow, Layke Fowler, Aimee Kleiman, 

Third row (l-r): Robert Koon, Carolyn Kruse, Diego Longoria, Whitney Minarik

Fourth row (l-r): Joshua Razavi, Julia Rowley, Michaela Shapiro, Michael B. Woods

Bottom row (l-r): Alexandria Bressette, Craig Duff, Steve Peebles, Laura Reisinger

The production team includes Jeff Award winner Petter Wahlbäck (Sound Designer), Cindy Moon (Costume Designer), Grace Weir (Stitcher), Hannah Wien (Lighting Designer), Hannah Bolstad (Master Electrician), Manuel Ortiz (Scenic Designer), Barbie Brown (Props Designer), Jay Donley and Amber Wuttke of Violent Delights (Fight/Intimacy Designers), Brandon Boler (Assistant Director), Rooney G. (Production Manager), Desiree Stypinski (Stage Manager), Becca Holloway (Casting Director), Mary Carroll Dougherty (Marketing Manager) and Ana Schedler (Graphic Designer). Charles Askenaizer is Artistic Director and Todd Henry Faulstich is Executive Producer.

Vecchio says, “Even though the production is set 1000 years in the past, the play’s many themes are still very current; especially the theme of unchecked ambition. My hope is this production will spark a rich conversation about what might drive a person to make dangerous choices in the name of success; and how we may avoid these events in the future.”

Invictus Theatre Company has been one of the most notable success stories among Chicago’s storefront theatres in spite of the challenges facing the theater community in recent years, When the pandemic shut down in-person performances just three years after the company’s founding, they responded with a thrillingly intimate Zoom production of ‘NIGHT, MOTHER. They returned from the pandemic by acquiring their own space – the former Frontier Theater, which they renamed in honor of the late founding company member Reginald Vaughn. In that space, they continued to build a reputation for intimate and honest interpretations of classics with fidelity to the original texts and close attention to character development. The company’s extraordinarily successful 2021-22 season netted the company five Jeff Awards for its 13 nominations.

The company continued its upward trajectory with its 2022-23 season. That season began with intimate, yet full-scale, stagings of the epics JULIUS CAESAR and THE CRUCIBLE along with the two-hander THE MOUNTAINTOP. After a fire in July 2023 made the Reginald Vaughn Theatre unusable, the company relocated in 2024 to the Windy City Playhouse, where it has produced the critically acclaimed and popular hits TOPDOG/UNDERDOG (“…intense, grueling, and hilarious” – TALKIN’ BROADWAY), THREE SISTERS (“performances are universally first-rate” – CHICAGO READER) and the Chicago premiere of NETWORK (“a memorable production of an important and illuminating play” – NEW CITY).

Tickets for Invictus's THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH are $25 for previews October 29 - November 3, and all Mondays (except opening night November 4); and $38 for general admission opening night and Fridays through Sundays for the regular run. Tickets are on sale now at https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/invictus-theatre-company/.

THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

by William Shakespeare

Adapted and Directed by Sarafina Vecchio

October 29 – December 15, 2024

Previews: Tuesday 10/29/24, Friday 11/1/24, Saturday 11/2/24 @ 7pm; and Saturday 11/2/24, Sunday 11/3/24 @ 2pm.

Press Opening Monday 11/4/24 @ 7pm

Regular performances Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays @ 7pm and Saturdays, Sundays @ 2pm through 12/15/24

Performances at Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago

Ticket prices: $25 for previews and Mondays (except opening night November 4), and $38 for general admission opening night November 4 and Fridays through Sundays for the regular run.

Info at www.invictustheatreco.com

Tickets at https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/invictus-theatre-company/

One of Shakespeare's most popular and enduring tragedies. A brave Scottish general named Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the Scottish throne for himself. Forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion, he soon becomes a tyrannical ruler. The bloodbath and consequent civil war swiftly take Macbeth and Lady Macbeth into the realms of madness and death.

BIOS

Sarafina Vecchio (Director) is an actor, director, and educator who has worked in Chicago and the surrounding area for over 25 years. She holds a Post-Graduate Award in Teaching Shakespeare from The University of Warwick in conjunction with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Coventry, England. She earned her Bachelor's in Theatre from Roosevelt University and studied classical acting at Richmond College in London. She is a long time faculty member with Acting Studio Chicago and is also an adjunct professor at Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. She is also honored to have been invited as a guest instructor to Ontario, Canada's Stratford Festival, where she taught their acting company techniques in Shakespeare instruction. As a performer and creative, Sarafina has worked locally with many companies, including: Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Shattered Globe, Lakeside Shakespeare, Drury Lane, TimeLine, Remy Bumppo, Irish Theatre of Chicago, Oak Park Festival Theatre, Invictus, Speaking Ring, The Other Theatre Company, Steel Beam, and Janus. She is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA.

Charles Askenaizer (Artistic Director) is the Founding Artistic Director of Invictus Theatre. He won the 2022 Jeff Award (Non-Equity Wing) for his direction of the company’s WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, which also won Jeff Awards for Production of a Play, Scenic Design (Kevin Rolfs), and Performer in a Supporting Role – Play (Rachel Livingston). Other recent directing credits include THREE SISTERS, NETWORK, THE CRUCIBLE, JULIUS CAESAR, and HAMLET (Invictus Theatre), readings with Chicago Dramatists, 'NIGHT, MOTHER (Associate Director-Invictus Theatre), THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (Invictus Theatre), OTHELLO: THE MOOR OF VENICE (Invictus Theatre), TITUS ANDRONICUS (Bare Knuckles Theater), JULIUS CAESAR (Associate Director- Brown Paper Box) , TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (Reutan Collective), and THE DIFFERENCE (Reading-Piccolo Theatre). Charles has worked with Citadel Theatre, Teatro Vista, the Artistic Home, City Lit, Raven, Brown Paper Box, Chicago Dramatists, the Side Project and many more.

Charles graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Theatre and Communications. He has worked professionally in Chicago as an actor, director, and teacher for over 10 years.

ABOUT INVICTUS THEATRE COMPANY

At Invictus Theatre Company, our mission is to create theatre that promotes a better understanding of language: its poetry, its rhythm, its resonance; through diverse works by diverse artists. We respect the power of heightened language: spoken, written, sung; to express the breadth of the human condition. We work to harness the power of language: to promote diversity, to engender respect, to foster collaboration; and to empower our communities to share their voices.

Invictus Theatre Company incorporated in January 2017 and received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in February 2017. A diverse group of Chicago actors and directors founded Invictus with the vision to empower their communities through theatrical productions of heightened language. We are committed to the idea that our productions should reflect the communities we represent, and, to that end, we are committed to non-discriminatory hiring practices. In working with local artists, designers, and production teams, Invictus Theatre Company does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, nationality, citizenship, religion, or any other status protected by law.

REVIEW: North American Premiere of El Brote from Argentina October 2-5 at The Den Theatre

Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar

The North American premiere of 

El Brote 

   Roberto Peloni in El Brote, Compañia Criolla, Argentina, October 2-5 at The Den Theatre

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

A ghost light, two wooden chairs, a stage curtain backdrop, and 3 rows of footlights grace the otherwise sparse set, on the 2nd floor of Chicago's Den Theatre. Roberto Peloni has spent at least 11 hours on a plane, traveling 5,598.95 mi (9,010.64 km) from  Buenos Aires, Argentina to present his 1 man show, and we're here for it. 

As the footlights spring to life, a Latino man enters, and for a whirlwind 90 minutes, the action doesn't stop as Roberto Peloni plays a struggling actor in a traveling troupe, as his bit parts take a back seat to escallating real life drama. We were engrossed by his high energy monologue of life imitating art and recommend catching this short run. We won't drop too many spoilers, but El Brote embraces human nature, and runs the gamut of the best and worst of human emotions and actions. We're struck by how universal and entirely relatable this piece is. El Brote is for anyone who has ever experienced a love of performing, passion, jealousy, anger, fear, professional and financial struggles, questionable judgement, and/or unexpected success stemming from a catastrophic occurrence. 

Pros: Roberto Peloni puts on an engrossing, high energy show. He's mesmerizing to watch and the plot to his one man show is quite entertaining with universal appeal. 

Cons: This show is dialogue heavy with little action for context. It's presented in Spanish with English subtitles, projected on a screen that's unfortunately far stage left for this Chicago rendition
. If you don't understand Spanish well or speed read, you might want to reconsider catching this one. The extent of my Spanish is 1 year of high school and 2 semesters of college intro to Spanish classes, over 30 years ago, so I'm far from fluent at a conversational pace. Thankfully I do read quickly, and found this show entirely enjoyable, despite spending more time than I wished, reading the screen and not the actor's face. 
El Brote is the first show we're reviewing as part of Destinos 2024 - 7th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival and Chicago's so fortunate to have such a stellar lineup of world class, award winning productions right on our doorstep. Whether you speak Spanish or not, or are of all/some/no Latino descent, take a chance and embrace the multicultural. Destinos Fest is an excellent opportunity to explore traditions and immerse yourself in new and different perspectives from far-flung countries. Get out and see some shows!

Don't miss this. Check out El Brote and the rest of the 22 offering this year: http://chiilliveshows.com/2024/10/fest-alert-destinos-7th-chicago.html.

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, artist, and Mama to 2 amazing adults. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly).

El Brote 
Presented by Compañía Criolla, Argentina. 
North American Premiere. 
Written and directed by Emiliano Dionisi. 
Starring Roberto Peloni. 
At The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wicker Park
October 2-5: Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., four shows only.
 
Presented in Spanish with English subtitles
. 90 minutes. 
Ages 15+. 
Tickets: $21-$31
.

The lines between fiction and reality begin to blur for an actor, and now he cannot even be sure who is writing the events in his own life. What kind of character are we in this story? 

“Excellent, a creative beauty” -- Carlos Pacheco, La Nación Newspaper
“A show that takes your breath away!” -- Mercedes Mendez, Clarin Newspaper
“Sublime, theater at the highest” -- Victor Hugo Morales, AM750

Awards:
Premios ACE 2023 (Best Actor + Best Playwright)
Premios EEBA 2023 (Best Actor + Best Director + Best Playwright)
Premios ESTRELLA DE MAR (Best Director + Best Playwright)

La Compañia Criolla was founded in 2009 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and has performed shows including Huesito Caracú, Memories at Siesta Time, The Blue Bridge, Cyrano de más acá, El Apego, Los Monsters, The Comedy of Errors, Eyes that Don't See, Pocket Romeo and Juliet, Losing You Again and Short Legs. National and international awards and distinctions include ACE, ESTRELLA DE MAR, TEATRO DEL MUNDO, ATINA, CERTAMEN BARROCO (Almagro, Spain), FLORENCIO SÁNCHEZ (Uruguay) and HUGO. La Compañia Criolla participates in dozens of theater festivals, congresses, art fairs and official cycles. Since 2013, it has been carrying out the “Teatro Itinerante” program, performing shows in schools, prisons, neighborhoods, centers for the disabled and nursing homes. It also develops its own artistic training programs, which it teaches at different institutions both inside and outside of its country. ciacriolla.com. 
El Brote has the support of the Consulate General of Argentina.

El Brote is one of 22 productions being presented as part of Destinos 2024 - 7th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, Chicago’s annual, citywide festival showcasing local Latine theater artists and companies alongside top artists from the U.S. and Latin America. This year’s Destinos runs September 30-November 17, 2024, and features a diverse array of bilingual, Latine-themed shows, panels and student performances at marquee venues downtown, as well as storefront theaters and cultural institutions in predominantly Latine neighborhoods throughout the city. 



Destinos is produced by the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA). For tickets and information, visit clata.org or follow CLATA on Facebook, Instagram and Threads at @latinotheater.

World Premiere! Hell in a Handbag Productions Presents The Mystery of The Haunted Bush October 10 – November 3, 2024 at The Chopin Theatre

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

World Premiere!

Hell in a Handbag Productions Presents

The Golden Girls Meet The Skooby Don’t Gang:

The Mystery of The Haunted Bush

Pictured (left to right) Grant Drager, David Cerda, Ed Jones, Ben Meneses, Josh Kemper, Tyler Anthony Smith,Caitlin Jackson and Elizabeth Lesinski. Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

By Artistic Director David Cerda

Directed by Frankie Leo Bennett

October 10 – November 3, 2024 at The Chopin Theatre

Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to conclude its 22nd season with the world premiere of The Golden Girls Meet The Skooby Don’t Gang: The Mystery of The Haunted Bush, bringing together two beloved Handbag parodies in one chilling Halloween tale. The girls – Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, Sophia (and their whacky friends) – enlist the help of America’s favorite 30-something teenage detectives to help solve a mystery in this all new episode written by Artistic Director David Cerda and directed by Frankie Leo Bennett. The Mystery of The Haunted Bush plays October 10 - November 3, 2024 on The Chopin Theatre Mainstage, 1543 W. Division St. in Chicago. Tickets are now on sale at handbagproductions.org or bit.ly/hauntedbush. I'll be out for the press opening October 13th, so check back soon for my full review. 

Rose’s (Ed Jones*) nephew Fred (Tyler Anthony Smith*) is coming for a visit with his amateur sleuth friends, Daffy (Liz Lesinski*), Velva (Caitlin Jackson*), Skaggy (Josh Kemper) and their dog Skooby (Ben Meneses). While Rose is excited, she’s also hiding the real motive for inviting them: she’s being haunted by a big, scary bush – or is it a tree? There’s seems to be some confusion about that. 

Meanwhile, the Skooby gang is in awe of their idol and Sophia’s (Ryan Oates*) best friend, Nancy Drew (Danne W. Taylor*), particularly Skaggy, who takes things a step further. Can the gang help the girls solve the mystery of the haunted bush before it devours Rose? Will Velva and Daffy reveal their special secret? Will Dorothy (David Cerda*), Blanche (Grant Drager*) and Sophia survive the spooky hijinks?

Join Miami’s favorite roomies in a spine chillingly ridiculous tale, that combines Handbag’s signature biting humor with a heart. 

The production stars original cast members David Cerda*, Grant Drager*, Ed Jones* and Ryan Oates* as the Geriatric Fab Four, joined by Caitlin Jackson*, Josh Kemper, Elizabeth Lesinski*, Ben Meneses and Tyler Anthony Smith* as the Skooby Don’t gang. Rounding out the cast are Michael S. Miller*, Scott Sawa* and Danne W. Taylor*. Understudies include Frankie Leo Bennett, Kelly Bolton, Nick Dorado, Al Duffy, Wendy Hayne, Brandon Nelson, Eric James Norman, TJ O'Brien, Jenny Rudnick and Coco Sho'Nell.

The production team includes Marcus Klein (Scenic Designer), Madeline Felauer (Costume Designer), Liz Cooper (Lighting Designer), Danny Rockett (Sound Designer), Maggie O'Brien (Props Designer), Syd Genco* (Make-Up Designer), Keith Ryan* (Wig Designer), Kate Lass (Violence Choreographer), Scott Sawa* (Assistant Director), Morgan Laszlo (Assistant Scenic Designer), Tom Daniel (Technical Director), Jackson Mikkelsen (Electrician), Tim Paul (Graphic Designer) and Veronica Kostka* (Stage Manager).

*Denotes Handbag Ensemble Member

 

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Cast (in alphabetical order): David Cerda* (Dorothy), Grant Drager* (Blanche), Ed Jones* (Rose), Josh Kemper (Skaggy), Caitlin Jackson* (Velva) Elizabeth Lesinski* (Daffy), Ben Meneses (Skooby), Michael S. Miller* (Rita Claxton), Ryan Oates* (Sophia), Scott Sawa* (Stan), Tyler Anthony Smith* (Fred) and Danne W. Taylor* (Nancy Drew).

Understudies: Frankie Leo Bennett, Kelly Bolton, Nick Dorado, Al Duffy, Wendy Hayne, Brandon Nelson, Eric James Norman, TJ O'Brien, Jenny Rudnick and Coco Sho'Nell

Location: The Chopin Theatre Mainstage, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago

Previews: Thursday, October 10, Friday October 11 and Saturday, September 12 at 8 pm

Opening/Press performance: Sunday, October 13 at 7 pm

Regular run: Thursday, October 17 – Sunday, November 3, 2024

Curtain Times: Thursday, Fridays and Saturday at 8 pm; Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will be added performances on Sunday, October 20, Sunday, October 27 and Wednesday, October 30 at 8 pm.

Tickets: $29 previews, $38 advanced general admission, $45 general admission, $48 at the door, $60 VIP/reserved seating with drink ticket. Group rates $35 for 10 or more. Tickets are now on sale at handbagproductions.org  or bit.ly/hauntedbush.

 

About the Artists

David Cerda (Playwright) is a founding member and Artistic Director of Hell in a Handbag Productions, now celebrating its 23rd  year anniversary. As resident playwright, he has written many Handbag productions as well as acted in them. His play, The Drag Seed was recently produced at LaMaMa Experimental Theater and his Golden Girls Lost Episodes parody shows have been produced around the country and was featured in Golden Con: Thank you for being a Fan, the world’s first fan convention dedicated to all things Golden Girls at Chicago’s Navy Pier. Cerda is a proud inductee into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame and recipient of a Jeff Award for lifetime achievement for his 23 years (and counting) of work and service to the community. He lives in Chicago with his partner, Christopher.

Frankie Leo Bennett (Director, he/him) is an award-nominated Chicago-based theatre multi-hyphenate, returning to Handbag after previously directing The Golden Girls Save XMAS and associate directing on The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes: Vol. 3. Handbag acting credits: Christmas Dearest, Poseidon! An Upside-Down Musical, The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes: Bea Afraid!  Regional Direction: Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree (co-), RENT (asst.), multiple editions of New Faces Sing Broadway. Broadway In Your Backyard and Chicago Sings (Porchlight Music Theatre). Regional Acting: Kokandy Productions (Jeff nominee - Best Principal Performer/Musical - The SpongeBob Musical); Porchlight Music Theatre; Theo Ubique. Composer/Playwright - Resident Services: A Crossed-Up Animal Musical. He currently serves as Producing Artistic Associate at Porchlight Music Theatre.

About Hell in a Handbag Productions

Hell in a Handbag is dedicated to the preservation, exploration, and celebration of works ingrained in the realm of popular culture via theatrical productions through parody, music and homage. Handbag is a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit. For additional information, visit handbagproductions.org.

NEW RELEASE: AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS Album Cartoon Darkness Out October 25, 2024

 AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS

“BIG DREAMS” 

NEW SINGLE & VIDEO FROM CARTOON DARKNESS 

FIRST NEW ALBUM IN THREE YEARS OUT OCTOBER 25, 2024

Photo by John Angus Stewart 2024 @phcfilms

“Sometimes, you wonder: 'Is this show gonna be as good as I hoped?'… Other shows you walk out dragging your jaw on the floor behind you, gesturing vaguely as you try to return to earth after having gotten blown clean out of the atmosphere… Amyl and the Sniffers are that band.” — THE PITCH

“One of the most exhilarating bands to emerge over the past decade” — CONSEQUENCE

Amyl and The Sniffers offer up a sweetly melodic new dimension of their sonic onslaught with “Big Dreams,” the newest advance offering from their upcoming third album Cartoon Darkness, out October 25 via B2B Records / Virgin Music Group. 

Following in the footsteps of Pitchfork Hot Link / BBC Radio 1 Hottest Record “Chewing Gum” and Brooklyn Vegan / Consequence / Paper / Paste / Under the Radar Song of the Week “U Should Not Be Doing That,” “Big Dreams” is shot through with a previously unheard vulnerability, one that hints at the new heights and depth achieved on Cartoon Darkness. Speaking on how exactly Amyl and The Sniffers crafted the closest they’ve ever come to a straight-up ballad, singer Amy Taylor said:  

"I am writing this before 'Big Dreams' comes out, and I am actually a bit nervous that it's a single, because it's so different from a lot of people's expectations of us. This song was written because a lot of people in my life are struggling financially, and it's really hard to make your dreams come true when you're trying to get by day-to-day. But when I think of my friends doing what they love, and I see how good they are at it, I just know they've never been dull, they've always been lit, and there's nothing that will break that or take it away from them. 

The video we shot in the desert, it was the first clip we shot for this album, and it was fun as hell.”

The “Big Dreams” video can be seen at https://youtu.be/ipZSqcFA0Z0. Directed by PHC Films and shot in one continuous take, the epic clip sees the song’s sublime strains serving as soundtrack for the band’s quasi-apocalyptic desert motorcycle ride.      

Cartoon Darkness was recorded with producer Nick Launay (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Yeah Yeah Yeahs) at Foo Fighters’ 606 Studios in Los Angeles in early 2024. The album will be available in multiple formats, including limited edition glow in the dark vinyl with alternate artwork.  

Having spent the summer in North America ricocheting between stadium supports and a sold-out headline tour, Amyl and The Sniffers will embark on a UK / EURO tour in November, and will be main support for Fontaines D.C. at Finsbury Park on July 5th, 2025. 

  

UK / EURO DATES BELOW 2024 / 2025

NOV 5TH – DUBLIN – NATIONAL STADIUM

NOV 6TH – GLASGOW – 02 ACADEMY (SOLD OUT)

NOV 7TH – NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE – NX (SOLD OUT)

NOV 9TH – MANCHESTER – MANCHESTER ACADEMY (SOLD OUT)

NOV 10TH – BIRMINGHAM 02 – ACADEMY

NOV 11TH – BRISTOL – 02 ACADEMY (SOLD OUT)

NOV 13TH – LONDON – ROUNDHOUSE (SOLD OUT)

NOV 14TH – LONDON – ROUNDHOUSE (SOLD OUT)

NOV 15TH – LONDON – ROUNDHOUSE (SOLD OUT)

NOV 17TH – BRUSSELS – ANCIENNE (SOLD OUT)

NOV 18TH – UTRECHT – TIVOLIVREDENBERG (SOLD OUT)

NOV 19TH – COLOGNE – CARLSWERK VICTORIA (SOLD OUT)

NOV 21ST – COPENHAGEN – VEGA (SOLD OUT)

NOV 22ND – HAMBURG – GROBE FREIHEIT 36 (SOLD OUT)

NOV 23RD – BERLIN – COLUMBIAHALLE (SOLD OUT)

NOV 25TH – MUNICH – TONHALLE

NOV 26TH – LAUSANNE – LES DOCKS

NOV 27TH – PARIS – OLYMPIA

NOV 29TH – ATHENS – FLOYD

THE SECOND CITY PRESENTS SHE THE PEOPLE October 5 – November 23, 2024 in The Second City’s UP Comedy Club,

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

THE FUTURE IS FUNNY

LEGENDARY COMEDY THEATER THE SECOND CITY PRESENTS

SHE THE PEOPLE

Here at ChiIL Live Shows and ChiIL Mama, we've seen several iterations of She The People and we love it! Bring your besties and enjoy this fiercely funny, female powered show that will have you laughing, empathizing, and shouting "me too".  Just in time for election season, SHE THE PEOPLE is in the house. Don't miss this!

ChiIL Mama, Bonnie Kenaz-Mara and Kathleen Roman

Catherine Hellmann & ChiIL Mama, Bonnie Kenaz-Mara 

Brat summer is over. Now it’s time to Fall, Patriarchy! Laugh, cheer, and rise up as The Second City proudly presents, SHE THE PEOPLE – a theatrical revolution loaded with a dynamic blend satirical sketch comedy, epic original songs, and razor-sharp improv delivered by The Second City’s fearlessly funny queens of comedy. 

She the People isn’t just a hilarious show, it empowers audiences to take a stand and make real changes. This diverse and supercharged Second City ensemble drops an electric, unapologetic, and high-key hilarious CELEBRATION of the strength, resilience, and brilliance of women everywhere. She the People is NOW.

Photo Credit: Bonnie Kenaz-Mara 

She The People is written by the casts of The Second City with Carly Heffernan, Carisa Barreca, and Marla Caceres and features Lexi Alioto, Alex Bellisle, Marla Caceres, Mary Catherine Curran, Sayjal Joshi, and Daryn Robinson. The music director is Lisa McQueen and stage managers are Izzy Patt and Bree Bartman.

Photo Credit: Bonnie Kenaz-Mara 

The producing team includes Ed Wells (CEO), Parisa Jalili (COO/CRO), Elizabeth Howard (VP of Production), Jen Ellison (VP, Head of Creative), Jeremy Smith (Assistant General Manager & Managing Producer)

SHE THE PEOPLE plays for a limited run Saturday nights at 8 p.m. October 5 – November 23.  in The Second City’s UP Comedy Club located at 230 W North Ave, 2nd Floor of Piper’s Alley, Chicago. Tickets, starting at $29, are available at The Second City Box Office (230 W. North Ave, 1st Floor, Piper's Alley), by phone at 312-337-3992 or online at www.secondcity.com.  

 

About The Second City

The Second City opened its doors in 1959 as a small comedy cabaret and has since grown to become the world's most influential name in improvisation and comedy. It celebrates its 65th year in business on December 16th, 2024. The Second City's stages, Touring Companies, and Training Centers across North America have proudly been the launch pad and artistic home for many of the funniest performers, writers, directors, and comedic minds on the planet.

For more information on The Second City, visit www.secondcity.com and follow The Second City on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Credit: Bonnie Kenaz-Mara