LIFELINE THEATRE PRESENTS JACOB MARLEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL ONE-MAN SHOW November 29 – December 22, 2024

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LIFELINE THEATRE PRESENTS 

JACOB MARLEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL

By Tom Mula

Performed by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Phil Timberlake

November 29 – December 22, 2024

Lifeline Theatre brings their first MainStage production of the 2024-25 season to the stage with Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol. Tom Mula’s holiday tale is presented as a one-man show, starring Lifeline ensemble member Phil Timberlake.

In Dickens’ Christmas Carol, Scrooge gets a chance to amend his ways, but we never find out what happened to his partner, Jacob Marley. Audiences can find out at Lifeline Theatre’s production of Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol, a one-man show written by Goodman Theatre’s own Scrooge, Tom Mula, and performed by longtime Chicago actor and Lifeline Ensemble member, Phil Timberlake. This holiday tale features one actor, nineteen characters and two hours of good cheer.

Regular tickets $45; preview tickets $25

Previews: November 29 – December 1

(Friday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 2:30 p.m.)

Regular Run:  December 6 – December 22

(Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2:30 p.m.)

Tickets to Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol are on sale at lifelinetheatre.com/performances/2024-2025/christmas-carol/ Season memberships for the 2024-2025 are also available now. To purchase season memberships or for more information call the Lifeline Theatre Box Office at 773-761-4477, or visit 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). 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 its forty-two seasons, Lifeline Theatre has made not only an indelible mark on the Chicago theater scene, but an invaluable contribution to the theater 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 debut of FAT HAM: A GOODMAN CO-PRODUCTION WITH DEFINITION THEATRE JANUARY 11 – FEBRUARY 23, 2025

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TRUMANE ALSTON, SHELDON BROWN, E. FAYE BUTLER, RONALD L. CONNER, VICTOR MUSONI, IREON ROACH & ANJI WHITE CAST IN 

FAT HAM

A GOODMAN CO-PRODUCTION WITH DEFINITION THEATRE

Chicago debut with an all-Chicago cast

JANUARY 11 – FEBRUARY 23

**TYRONE PHILLIPS DIRECTS THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF JAMES IJAMES’S PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING PLAY**

***TICKETS ON SALE NOV. 1 WITH EVENTS INCLUDING PRIDE NIGHT (JAN. 14) AND BLACK AFFINITY NIGHT (FEB. 7)***

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're SO excited for Fat Ham. We dig James Ijames wonderful work. You're in for a treat, whether you're a longtime fan or you're just hearing about this Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award nominated playwright. We've also adored Tyrone Phillips' expert directing skills for years. Don't miss this! 

Come to the barbecue! James Ijames’s Pulitzer Prize-winning, five-time Tony Award-nominated play Fat Ham—an “uproarious reimagining of ‘Hamlet’” (The New Yorker)—makes its Chicago debut with an all-Chicago cast led by Trumane Alston. The Chicago- premiere production is directed by Tyrone Phillips—Founding Artistic Director of Chicago’s famed Definition Theatre, who co-produces Fat Ham at the Goodman—and also features Sheldon Brown, E. Faye Butler, Ronald L. Conner, Victor Musoni, Ireon Roach and Anji White. Fat Ham appears January 11 – February 23. I'll be out for opening night on January 21st, so check back shortly after for my full review. 

Tickets ($25 - $85; subject to change) are on sale November 1 at GoodmanTheatre.org/Ham or by phone at 312.443.3800. Goodman Theatre is grateful for the support of ITW (Corporate Sponsor Partner) and the Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust (Lead Sponsor of IDEAA Programming).

“I am thrilled to bring this production to life with some of Chicago’s finest artists on and off the stage,” said Director Tyrone Phillips. This cast is extraordinary, and I can’t wait to get to be in the room with each one of them as we explore this beautiful coming of age story. I’m also thrilled to collaborate once again with Definition ensemble members Ireon Roach and Victor Musoni.”

A boisterous Southern cookout sets the scene for a Black, queer discovery of self and resilience in this Pulitzer Prize-winning, five-time Tony nominated coming-of-age story. As Juicy grapples with his identity and his family at a backyard barbecue, his father’s ghost shows up asking for revenge—on Juicy’s uncle, who has married his widowed mom—bringing his quest for joy and liberation to a screeching halt. James Ijames has reinvented Shakespeare’s masterpiece, creating what the New York Times hails as “a hilarious yet profound tragedy, smothered in comedy,” where the only death is the patriarchy. 

Special events for the production include Pride Night (January 14), a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community that includes a discounted ticket, specialty drink, light refreshments and music. In addition, Black Affinity Night (February 7) celebrates the richness of Black culture and community at a special pre-show reception and conversation, followed by the evening performance.

James Ijames is a Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award nominated playwright, director and educator. Ijames’ plays have been produced by Flashpoint Theater Company, Orbiter 3, Theatre Horizon, Wilma Theatre, Theatre Exile, Azuka Theatre (Philadelphia, PA), The National Black Theatre, JACK, The Public Theater (NYC), Hudson Valley Shakespeare Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre, Definition Theatre, Timeline Theater (Chicago IL) Shotgun Players (Berkeley, CA) and have received development with PlayPenn New Play Conference, The Lark, Playwright’s Horizon, Clubbed Thumb, Villanova Theater, Wilma Theater, Azuka Theatre and Victory Garden. Ijames is the 2011 F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Artist recipient, and two Barrymore Awards for Outstanding Direction of a Play for The Brothers Size with Simpatico Theatre Company and Gem of the Ocean with Arden Theatre. Ijames is a 2015 Pew Fellow for Playwriting, the 2015 winner of the Terrance McNally New Play Award for WHITE, the 2015 Kesselring Honorable Mention Prize winner for ….Miz Martha, a 2017 recipient of the Whiting Award, a 2019 Kesselring Prize for Kill Move Paradise, a 2020 and 2022 Steinberg Prize, the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Drama recipient and a 2023 Tony nominee for Best Play for Fat Ham. James was a founding member of Orbiter 3, Philadelphia’s first playwright producing collective. He received a BA in Drama from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA and a MFA in Acting from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. James is an Associate Professor of Theatre at Villanova University. He resides in South Philadelphia. 

Tyrone Phillips is a first generation Jamaican-American artist, Founding Artistic Director of Chicago’s Definition Theatre and a proud member of the NAACP, SAG-AFTRA and SDC. Recipient of the 2022 Alumni Association Award for Diversity & Inclusion, he is an honors graduate of the Fine and Applied Arts college at the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) and has studied abroad at Shakespeare’s Globe. Tyrone is currently leading a capital campaign for the development of Definition’s new theater, community center and entrepreneur incubator in Woodlawn. Past directing and associate directing credits include: Purpose (Steppenwolf Theatre), Twelfth Night, I,Cinna (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Fairview (Jeff Nomination), Byhalia, Mississippi (Jeff Nomination), Dutchman (Definition Theatre), An Octoroon (Goodman Theatre/Definition Theatre) and The MLK Project (Writers Theatre). Regional: The Royale (American Players Theatre) and The Tale of Despereaux (Old Globe, Berkeley Rep). Off–Broadway: Trevor, the Musical. Awards and Honorable Mention: Arts Midwest’s Peter Capell Award for Midwestern Creativity & Entrepreneurship (2022) and Newcity Stage Hall of Fame (2024).  

Full Company of Fat Ham (in alphabetical order)

By James Ijames

Directed by Tyrone Phillips

Trumane Alston…Juicy

Sheldon Brown…Larry

E. Faye Butler…Rabby

Ronald L. Conner…Rev/Pap

Victor Musoni…Tio

Ireon Roach…Opal

Anji White…Tedra

Understudies for this production include Blake Hamilton Currie, Marquise De’Jahn, TayLar, Joseph Primes and Jazzy Rush.

Creative Team

Set Designer…..Arnel Sancianco

Costume Designer ……Jos N. Banks

Lighting Designer…..Jason Lynch

Sound Designer….. Willow James

Illusion Consultant…Benjamin Barnes

Fight and Intimacy…Gaby Labotka

Casting is by Lauren Port, CSA. Jared Bellot is the Dramaturg. Patrick Fries is the Production Stage Manager.

ENHANCED AND ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES AT GOODMAN THEATRE

ASL-Interpreted Performance: Friday, January 31 at 7:30pm – Professional ASL interpreter signs the action/text as played.

Touch Tour* and Audio-Described Performance: Saturday, February 1, 12:30pm Touch Tour; 2pm performance – The action/text is audibly enhanced for patrons via headset.

Spanish-Subtitled Performance: Saturday, February 1 at 7:30pm – An LED sign presents Spanish-translated dialogue in sync with the performance.

Open-Captioned Performance: Sunday, February 2 at 2pm – An LED sign presents dialogue in sync with the performance.

ABOUT GOODMAN THEATRE

Chicago’s theater since 1925, Goodman Theatre is a not-for-profit arts and community organization in the heart of the Loop, distinguished by the excellence and scope of its artistic programming and community engagement. Led by Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, the theater’s artistic priorities include new play development (more than 150 world or American premieres), large scale musical theater works and reimagined classics. Artists and productions have earned two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and more than 160 Jeff Awards, among other accolades.

The Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” Its longtime annual holiday tradition A Christmas Carol, now in its fifth decade, has created a new generation of theatergoers in Chicago. The Goodman also frequently serves as a production and program partner with national and international companies and Chicago’s Off-Loop theaters.

Using the tools of theatrical practice, the Goodman’s Education and Engagement programs aim to develop generations of citizens who understand and empathize with cultures and stories of diverse voices. The Goodman’s Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement is the home of these programs, which are offered for Chicago youth—85% of whom come from underserved communities—schools and life-long learners.

Goodman Theatre was built on the traditional homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi Nations. We recognize that many other Nations consider the area we now call Chicago as their traditional homeland—including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo and Mascouten—and remains home to many Native peoples today. While we believe that our city’s vast diversity should be reflected on the stages of its largest theater, we acknowledge that our efforts have largely overlooked the voices of our Native peoples. This omission has added to the isolation, erasure and harm that Indigenous communities have faced for hundreds of years. We have begun a more deliberate journey towards celebrating Native American stories and welcoming Indigenous communities.

Goodman Theatre was founded by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth, an important figure in Chicago’s cultural renaissance in the early 1900s. The Goodman family’s legacy lives on through the continued work and dedication of Kenneth’s family, including Albert Ivar Goodman, who with his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton, contributed the necessary funds for the creation on the new Goodman center in 2000.

Julie Danis is Chair of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Lorrayne Weiss is Women’s Board President and Kelli Garcia is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals.

JEFF AWARD-WINNER CHARLES DICKENS BEGRUDGINGLY PERFORMS ‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ AGAIN RETURNS TO CHICAGO AT THE DEN THEATRE, DECEMBER 5 - 22, 2024

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JEFF AWARD-WINNER 

CHARLES DICKENS BEGRUDGINGLY PERFORMS ‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ AGAIN 

RETURNS TO CHICAGO AT THE DEN THEATRE

DECEMBER 5th - 22nd, 2024

Blake Montgomery Revives His Award-Winning Solo Piece,

Perfect For the 2024 Holiday Season 

Charles Dickens Begrudgingly … is recommended for ages 15+

Jeff Award-Winner Blake Montgomery is proud to present Charles Dickens Begrudgingly Performs ‘A Christmas Carol’ Again, at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave, December 5 - 22. The schedule includes preview performances Thursday, Dec. 5 through Saturday, Dec.7 at 8 p.m. with a press opening Sunday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. The regular performance schedule is Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m., with the exception of the closing performance on Sunday, Dec.22 which will begin at 3 p.m. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, Oct. 29 (general admission: $32; previews: $16) and may be purchased at TheDenTheatre.com or by calling (773) 697-3830. Learn more about the show at DickensAgain.com. 

Reflecting on the revival of his solo performance, Montgomery shared, "Performing a solo show is always a challenge, but revisiting a piece after a decade is a unique thrill. When I re-read the script, it immediately took me back to the heart of the performance—the vibrant connection Charles Dickens forged with his audience. It's lively, passionate, ridiculous, heartfelt, and warm. I knew then that I had to bring it back to the stage this holiday season. I’m excited to step into the wig and coat once again, as Dickens himself, to personally welcome the audience to the theater this December.”

Charles Dickens Begrudgingly … originally charmed audiences during its Chicago debut at The Building Stage in December 2011 and 2012. This one-of-a-kind holiday production, which imagines a still-living Dickens forced to perform his famous A Christmas Carol for the 171st consecutive year, lovingly celebrates and skewers the famous author and our Christmas traditions. Now, ten years after the closing of The Building Stage, former Artistic Director Blake Montgomery revives his Jeff Award-winning solo performance for the 2024 holiday season.

ABOUT BLAKE MONTGOMERY

Blake Montgomery began his career in Chicago directing ensemble clown theater and performing with a variety of non-naturalistic Chicago theaters, most notably Redmoon with whom he collaborated for over a decade. In 2005, Montgomery founded The Building Stage, a theater company and performance space, where he served as Artistic Director until its closing in 2013. The company was known for its ensemble-devised, director-driven creations, particularly in literary adaptations like their Jeff Award-winning Moby-Dick and the poetic, clown-inspired Dawn, Quixote. Montgomery’s artistic approach draws on his training at the École Jacques Lecoq, the Dell’Arte School of Physical Theater, and Middlebury College. A member of Actor’s Equity, his performances in Chicago include work with The House Theatre, Hypocrites, Remy Bumppo, Court Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare, Steppenwolf, and Writers Theatre.

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.

Announcing FREE Tickets With RSVP for Goodman Theatre’s 20th Annual New Stages Festival December 11 – 15, 2024

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ANNOUNCING THE 20TH ANNUAL 

NEW STAGES FESTIVAL 

FEATURING PLAYWRIGHTS DOLORES DÍAZ, LEE KIRK, EDUARDO MACHADO & JACINTA CLUSELLAS, DAEL ORLANDERSMITH AND MARCO ANTONIO RODRIGUEZ

***PUBLIC READINGS OF EACH WORK-IN-DEVELOPMENT TAKE PLACE DECEMBER 11 – 15; FREE TICKET RESERVATIONS OPEN NOVEMBER 15***

Five new works—four developmental plays plus one musical in free public readings—are on tap this December for Goodman Theatre’s 2024 New Stages Festival, under Artistic Susan V. Booth and Director of New Works Kat Zukaitis. The 20th year for this annual celebration of new-plays-in-process kicks off with a new musical, Broken Eggs (based on Eduardo Machado’s plays Broken Eggs and Fabiola) co-adapted by Machado (Book and Lyrics) and Jacinta Clusellas (Music), directed by Henry Godinez, followed by four new play readings: Ashland Avenue by Lee Kirk, directed by Booth; George Washington’s Mexican Birthday by Dolores Díaz; Rave by Dael Orlandersmith, directed by Neel Keller; and a new English-language adaptation of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Marco Antonio Rodriguez, directed by Wendy Mateo. 

In addition, Booth and Zukaitis invite American theater industry professionals to join for “Industry Weekend,” including special events and opportunities for networking. Goodman Theatre’s 20th annual New Stages Festival appears December 11 - 15 in the 350-seat Owen Theatre; reservations for free tickets open on November 15 at GoodmanTheatre.org/Festival or by phone at 312.443.3800 (12noon – 5pm, daily). 

Theater professionals interested in attending Industry Weekend should RSVP by November 25 at GoodmanTheatre.org/Professionals; for questions, contact Lena Romano (312.553.7253 or LenaRomano@GoodmanTheatre.org). 

“It’s exhilarating to meet a play at the beginning of its adventure, when it’s without a pedigree or history to tell us what those before us have felt/thought/experienced, and to have the opportunity to forge meaningful collaboration and dialogue with its creator,” said Artistic Director Susan V. Booth. “I’m proud of the projects that New Stages has helped launch along its own two-decade adventure and am continually inspired by our audiences’ enthusiasm and hunger for new work.”

Over the past two decades, New Stages has offered Chicago audiences a first-look at more than 120 plays—the majority of which have premiered at the Goodman or its peer theaters across the country since 2004. The New Stages Festival is made possible by The Joyce Foundation, which provides Major Support for Diverse Artistic and Professional Development. The Goodman is grateful for the generosity of its New Work sponsors, including: Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation and the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Major Support of New Work; Ruth D. and Ken M. Davee New Works Fund, Major Support of New Play Development; The Glasser and Rosenthal Family, Mayer Brown LLP, and Shaw Family Supporting Organization, Support of New Work.

“I’m thrilled to welcome the emerging and established artists involved in this season’s five New Stages readings, and for Chicago to experience a first-look at their unique plays-in-process—works that are inspiring, trenchant, provocative, hilarious and beautiful,” said Kat Zukaitis, Director of New Works. “Some of the Goodman’s most exciting creative collaborations over the past 20 years have originated in this festival. We’re proud to share the excitement of this celebration with industry professionals from our peer theaters to see these new plays as they begin their journey.” 

THE 2024 NEW STAGES FESTIVAL LINE-UP

Broken Eggs

Book and Lyrics by Eduardo Machado

Music by Jacinta Clusellas

Directed by Henry Godinez

Based on Broken Eggs and Fabiola by Eduardo Machado

December 11 and 13 at 7:30pm

You can’t make an omelet without shattering a few cherished family illusions—especially when your family won’t let go of their idyllic memories of pre-Revolutionary Cuba. It’s 29 years after Sonia’s fairytale wedding in Havana, and now it’s her turn to be the Mother of the Bride. But her husband has left her for a younger woman, her son is perpetually high, and her daughter just wants to be American. In Broken Eggs, composer Jacinta Clusellas teams up with legendary Cuban playwright Eduardo Machado to adapt his 1984 hit play into a new musical about love, loss and learning to let go.

Ashland Avenue

By Lee Kirk

Directed by Susan V. Booth

December 14 at 10am

“Sometimes I sit here, store’s empty, and I think, how is this the same place where there used to be a line around the corner? I’m busy taking care of my customers, same routine, day by day, year by year...until suddenly one day I’m drowning.” Pete was never a Chicago legend. But as the owner of an iconic local chain of television shops, he was the next best thing. Now, there’s just one store left, and he’s struggling to keep it afloat. Playwright and screenwriter Lee Kirk presents a stunning new play that explores dying dreams, new beginnings and the inevitability of change.

George Washington’s Mexican Birthday

By Dolores Díaz

Directed by TBA

December 14 at 2pm

“American Indian or Alaskan Native. Asian. Black or African American. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. White.” These are the five categories U.S inhabitants must navigate on the U.S. census. How does the box you check inform your national identity? Playwright Dolores Díaz explores the intersection of identity for Latine-Americans for whom checking the “right” demographic box can make all the difference. Viewed through the month-long George Washington’s Birthday Celebration in Laredo, Texas, the play explores community, radicalization, and the past, present, and future of fluid identities in the United States.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Adapted by Marco Antonio Rodriguez

Directed by Wendy Mateo

December 14 at 7:30pm

“I have heard from a reliable source that no Dominican male has ever died a virgin. I shall be the first.” Oscar knows that a nerdy Dominican college freshman isn’t anyone’s idea of a romantic hero. But with the encouragement of his new roommate, Yunior, Oscar is going to give love another chance... and then another... and then another. There’s just one problem: a dark “fukú” has haunted his family for generations, following their epic journey from Santo Domingo to the USA. A vivid new stage adaptation based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Junot Díaz.

Rave

By Dael Orlandersmith

Directed by Neel Keller

December 12 at 7:30pm and December 15 at 11:30am

What are you scared to say? What does free speech mean when what you say can cost you your reputation, your livelihood and your place in the world? In her brand-new piece, Rave, Goodman favorite and Pulitzer-Prize finalist Orlandersmith wrestles with whether it is possible to speak truth in a world in which people are unwilling to examine their own beliefs, and where a speaker’s intent counts for less than the hearer’s perception. In her signature poetic style, the playwright and performer asks the audience to reconsider the ideas they may be reluctant to engage with—and why that matters.

ABOUT GOODMAN THEATRE

Chicago’s theater since 1925, Goodman Theatre is a not-for-profit arts and community organization in the heart of the Loop, distinguished by the excellence and scope of its artistic programming and community engagement. Led by Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, the theater’s artistic priorities include new play development (more than 150 world or American premieres), large scale musical theater works and reimagined classics. Artists and productions have earner two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and more than 160 Jeff Awards, among other accolades.

The Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” Its longtime annual holiday tradition A Christmas Carol, now in its fifth decade, has created a new generation of theatergoers in Chicago. The Goodman also frequently serves as a production and program partner with national and international companies and Chicago’s Off-Loop theaters.

Using the tools of theatrical practice, the Goodman’s Education and Engagement programs aim to develop generations of citizens who understand and empathize with cultures and stories of diverse voices. The Goodman’s Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement is the home of these programs, which are offered for Chicago youth—85% of whom come from underserved communities—schools and life-long learners.

Goodman Theatre was built on the traditional homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi Nations. We recognize that many other Nations consider the area we now call Chicago as their traditional homeland—including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo and Mascouten—and remains home to many Native peoples today. While we believe that our city’s vast diversity should be reflected on the stages of its largest theater, we acknowledge that our efforts have largely overlooked the voices of our Native peoples. This omission has added to the isolation, erasure and harm that Indigenous communities have faced for hundreds of years. We have begun a more deliberate journey towards celebrating Native American stories and welcoming Indigenous communities.

Goodman Theatre was founded by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth, an important figure in Chicago’s cultural renaissance in the early 1900s. The Goodman family’s legacy lives on through the continued work and dedication of Kenneth’s family, including Albert Ivar Goodman, who with his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton, contributed the necessary funds for the creation on the new Goodman center in 2000.

Julie Danis is Chair of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Lorrayne Weiss is Women’s Board President and Kelli Garcia is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals. 

HELP OUT: Benefit Performance of Theo Ubique's THE SECRET GARDEN to honor the late Molly LeCaptain November 24th, 2024

THEO UBIQUE CABARET THEATRE AND SARAH SIDDONS SOCIETY ANNOUNCE BENEFIT PERFORMANCE OF 

THE SECRET GARDEN 

IN MEMORY OF CHICAGO ARTIST MOLLY LECAPTAIN

 

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Artistic Director Fred Anzevino and Producing Director Christopher Pazdernik announced today that they will partner with Sarah Siddons Society to honor the late Molly LeCaptain and her contributions to the company and Chicago theatre community.  With the blessing of her family, the Sunday, November 24 6:00pm performance of The Secret Garden will be dedicated to LeCaptain with 50% of all tickets being donated to the Society.

“The Sarah Siddons Society is extremely grateful to Theo and Cathy and Jeff LeCaptain for selecting us as the beneficiary of the November 24th performance of The Secret Garden,” said President Martin Balogh. “The university theatre arts scholarships we fund are a very meaningful way to honor their daughter, Molly.”

Since its inception, the mission of the Society has been to fund scholarships to promising theater arts students at top Chicago area universities including; The Theater Department, Columbia College; The Theatre School at DePaul University; Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and Northwestern University School of Communications. Additionally, they offer support through their Artistic Council. Producing Director Christopher Pazdernik is proud to have recently been asked to join the Sarah Siddons Artistic Council, dedicated to the mission of the Council being a conduit between the Society’s Board of Governors, recent scholarship recipients, and members of the Chicago area professional theater community offering mentoring, networking, and guidance.

LeCaptain passed away January 19, 2024 following a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was born on September 29, 1987 in Green Bay Wisconsin. LeCaptain charmed the Chicago arts scene and crawled into the hearts of Theo audiences in her notable performances in The Bridges of Madison County,  The Fully Monty, and Hello Again. 

 Hello Again (above and below)

The Bridges of Madison County was awarded the Jeff Award for Best Musical. In 2018, she was celebrated for her work in Yank! A WWII Love Story, with a nomination for both a Non-Equity Jeff Award and a Chicago Theatre Award, for Performer in a Supporting Role - Musical /Best Supporting Actor in a Musical. In 2017, she was nominated for a Chicago Theatre Award (Best Actor in a Musical) for her work in Strangest Things! The Musical.

The Bridges of Madison County

“I had the honor of directing Molly LeCaptain in two productions here at Theo - The Full Monty and The Bridges of Madison County,” said Artistic Director Anzevino. “One of the most GLORIOUS voices to ever grace our stage. Molly was charming, talented, humble and hard working. I told her once that she should be singing to sold out crowds in her own concert show at the United Center - she was that gifted. A young beautiful soul gone too soon. We are grateful to be able to honor her memory with this extra special performance in November.” 

 The Fully Monty

All ticket holders are also welcome to join the company for a pre-show reception beginning at 4:30pm Theo’s Howard Street Theatre located at 721 Howard Street. The reception will include a pre-show discussion, light snacks, and cash bar. All tickets and subscriptions can be purchased online at theo-u.com or via phone at 773-939-4101.

Performances of The Secret Garden, directed by Theo Producing Director Christopher Pazdernik, take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 6:00pm November 8-December 22, 2024. There will be no performance on November 28. Single tickets are available and range from $30 to $60. Subscription packages are available featuring 3-pack options for the remaining shows this season.

ABOUT THEO UBIQUE CABARET THEATRE

Theo was founded in 1997 by Artistic Director Fred Anzevino. Productions were first staged at the Heartland Studio Theatre, and from 2004 to May 2018, at No Exit Café, where the company began focusing on musicals and revues, reigniting the cabaret theatre trend in Chicago. The company moved to the Howard Street Theatre, a venue owned and developed for Theo by the City of Evanston, in fall of 2018. Theo has produced more than 60 shows and won 68 Jeff Awards, having received nearly 200 nominations. Learn more at theo-u.com

ABOUT THE SARAH SIDDONS SOCIETY

The Sarah Siddons Society was founded in 1952 by a small group of eminent Chicago theater-goers. Modeled after the fictional Society of the same name featured in the 1950 film “All About Eve”, the Society was named for one of England’s most prominent 18th-century tragediennes, and presented an annual award to the actress and later actors deemed most outstanding in a production based or touring in Chicago. The criteria no longer requires the awardee be featured in a production based or touring in Chicago.

Shortly after its founding, the Society also began sponsoring scholarships for promising local drama students of the Goodman School of Drama (located first at the Art Institute of Chicago and now known as The Theatre School at DePaul University) and, more recently, students of Northwestern University, Columbia College and Roosevelt University.

Recent endeavors include an annual Susan Glick Grant to the Black Ensemble Theatre’s Plays with a Purpose, a series of musical productions reaching hundreds of school children, written to teach children positive life lessons for the purpose of fostering development, self-esteem, confidence and self-respect. In past seasons, the Society supported Chicago Humanities Spring Festival—Stages, Sights and Sounds—exposing disadvantaged students to theatre going experiences.

In addition to presenting these awards and hosting its annual Gala, the Society has organized year-round events for its members, including theater outings with talks, and trips, often involving members of the local and national theater community. Officially incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1960, the Sarah Siddons Society is governed by an elected President and Board of Governors. Membership is open to the public, through an annual membership fee. Learn more at www.sarahsiddonssociety.org.

THE MAGIC PARLOUR IS SET TO THRILL INTO 2025 AS DENNIS WATKINS OPENS A NEW BLOCK OF PERFORMANCES

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

THE MAGIC PARLOUR 

Tickets are now on sale for performances between 

January – March 2025

DENNIS WATKINS OPENS A NEW BLOCK OF PERFORMANCES FOLLOWING UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS IN HIS FIRST YEAR AT 50 W. RANDOLPH

***THIS MONTH, SPECIAL MAGIC SHOWS INCLUDE THE DESTINOS FESTIVAL (THRU OCT. 20) FEAT. SIEGFRIED TIEBER, LUIS CARREON AND MAGO GOZNER, AND WATKINS’ HALLOWEEN STAND, “THE SPIRIT CABINET” (OCT. 30-31)***

The Magic Parlour is recommended for audiences ages 12+; while there is no inappropriate content, this elegant experience is designed for adults

It’s been one year since third generation magician Dennis Watkins welcomed the first audiences to his new custom magic theater, established in partnership with Goodman Theatre and Petterino’s—and opened the doors to unprecedented success. After nearly 300 public and private performances for double the number of audience members served in any previous year, “Chicago’s premiere resident magician” (Chicago Tribune) proudly announces that The Magic Parlour at 50 W. Randolph will continue to astound and delight audiences into the new year: tickets are now on sale for performances between January – March 2025.

In partnership with Chicago Latino Theater Alliance’s 2024 Destinos Festival, Watkins turns the spotlight on three world-class Latine magicians—Siegfried Tieber, Luis Carreon and Mago Gozner—when these artists take over The Magic Parour for Chicago Latino Theater Alliance’s 2024 Destinos Festival, through October 20. Tickets for Siegfried Tieber are $70 (general admission) and $95 (includes a 25-minute VIP Encore Room experience following the show). The 3-Card Monte performance, featuring Tieber, Luis Carreon and Mago Gozner (October 16) is $70. To purchase, call the Goodman Theatre Box Office at 312.443.3800 (12 Noon – 5pm daily) or visit TheMagicParlourChicago.com/Destinos.

This Halloween, Watkins also offers audiences a very special treat as a spookier form of magic that Chicago hasn’t seen in decades creeps into “The Spirit Cabinet.” Dennis Watkins’ two-performance Halloween engagement takes place October 30 at 7:30pm and October 31 at 8pm. Tickets are $95 (general admission) and $125 (includes a 25-minute VIP Encore Room experience following the show).

Performances of The Magic Parlour, now on sale through March 31, 2025, take place every Thursday through Sunday. Tickets are $85 (includes the 90-minute performance + complimentary beverage) or $115 (includes the performance, beverage and “The Encore Room” 25-minute VIP experience). To purchase tickets, call the Goodman Theatre Box Office at 312.443.3800 (12 Noon – 5pm daily) or visit TheMagicParlourChicago.com. 

Hailed as a “star attraction dazzling audiences in an elegant underground Loop parlor” (WBEZ), The Magic Parlour is “90 minutes of mind-boggling fun that would make Houdini proud, offer(ing) warmth, intimacy and a great close-up view of the magic being performed right before your eyes” (WGN Radio). In a first-of-its-kind creative collaboration, Watkins teamed up with Goodman Theatre and Petterino’s restaurant to establish a permanent home for Chicago’s longest-running magic show—an intimate evening of classic magic and mind-reading previously hosted for more than a decade at the Palmer House (opened on New Year’s Eve, 2011). The audience participates in much of the performance as Watkins wows the room with classic sleight of hand, unbelievable mind-reading and magical wisdom passed down from his grandfather. The space at 50 W. Randolph, situated adjacent to the Goodman in Petterino’s transformed lower-level area, continues Watkins’ famed tradition of the VIP experience in The Encore Room, an upgraded ticket option for guests seeking an exclusive 25-minute interaction following the performance. Immediately following the performance, up to 20 guests are escorted to a private space where Watkins performs up-close magic.

A co-founder of The House Theatre of Chicago, Dennis Watkins has collaborated as an actor, writer, director and/or designer on 30+ world-premiere plays with companies including Lookingglass, Steppenwolf and Goodman Theatre. After studying theater at Meadows School of the Arts and the British American Drama Academy in London, he launched The House Theatre with Artistic Director Nathan Allen and cohorts from school on Halloween of 2001. His appearance in the title role of Death and Harry Houdini—including performing Houdini’s infamous Water Torture Cell escape in every show—earned him a Joseph Jefferson Award.

ABOUT THE PARTNERS

The Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) is a leading advocate organization for Latine theater in Chicago. Supporting the development of emerging and established Latine playwrights, actors, directors and theater professionals is central to its mission. CLATA’s goal is to cultivate a vibrant and inclusive theater community, by presenting and producing Latine theater that celebrates and promotes the richness and diversity of our Latinidad. CLATA’s signature program is Destinos, the Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, an annual, citywide festival showcasing Chicago's Latine theater artists and companies alongside top Latine artists from the U.S. and Latin America. This year’s Destinos runs September 30-November 12, showcasing 22 productions from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico the U.S. and Chicago at theaters large and small all over the city. For tickets and information, visit clata.org, or follow CLATA on Facebook, Instagram and Threads at @latinotheater.

Petterino’s has been a beloved downtown icon in the Chicago community for 20+ years, continuing to offer the same spirit and tradition that diners know and love. Enjoy timeless flavors, authentic Italian fare, comfortable interiors and warm hospitality. Our passion for creating memorable dining experiences aligns perfectly with the mystique of magic. The synergy between the culinary artistry of our chefs and the magical prowess of Dennis Watkins promises an evening of unparalleled wonder and flavor. We've joined forces with the Goodman and this talented magician to bring you a dining experience like no other. Blend the flavors of Italy with the wonder of magic, by dining at Petterino’s before or after the show. You may also consider booking a private or corporate event in conjunction with a show. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion, a romantic evening, or simply seeking an escape from the ordinary, our magical collaboration guarantees an enchanting escape into a world where delectable cuisine dances with spellbinding illusions.

Chicago’s theater since 1925, Goodman Theatre is a not-for-profit arts and community organization in the heart of the Loop, distinguished by the excellence and scope of its artistic programming and community engagement. Led by Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, the theater’s artistic priorities include new play development (more than 150 world or American premieres), large-scale musical theater works and reimagined classics. Artists and productions have earner two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards, among other accolades. The Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” Its longtime annual holiday tradition A Christmas Carol, now in its fifth decade, has created a new generation of theatergoers in Chicago. The Goodman also frequently serves as a production and program partner with national and international companies and Chicago’s Off-Loop theaters.

Using the tools of theatrical practice, the Goodman’s Education and Engagement programs aim to develop generations of citizens who understand and empathize with cultures and stories of diverse voices. The Goodman’s Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement is the home of these programs, which are offered for Chicago youth—85% of whom come from underserved communities—schools and life-long learners.

Goodman Theatre was built on the traditional homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi Nations. We recognize that many other Nations consider the area we now call Chicago as their traditional homeland—including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo and Mascouten—and remains home to many Native peoples today. While we believe that our city’s vast diversity should be reflected on the stages of its largest theater, we acknowledge that our efforts have largely overlooked the voices of our Native peoples. This omission has added to the isolation, erasure and harm that Indigenous communities have faced for hundreds of years. We have begun a more deliberate journey towards celebrating Native American stories and welcoming Indigenous communities.

The Goodman was founded by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth, an important figure in Chicago’s cultural renaissance in the early 1900s. The Goodman family’s legacy lives on through the continued work and dedication of Kenneth’s family, including Albert Ivar Goodman, who with his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton, contributed the necessary funds for the creation of the new Goodman center in 2000.

Julie Danis is Chair of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Lorrayne Weiss is Women’s Board President and Kelli Garcia is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals.

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.