ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar
7 of many
Explore the Full Program for This Year’s
Physical Theater Festival
Tickets Available Now!
The 12th edition of the Physical Theater Festival is taking place June 2–8! We’ve curated a vibrant week of performances and can’t wait to see you there—enjoying the shows, connecting with one another, and experiencing some of the best contemporary, visual, and physical theater from around the world. Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, we've covered every one since their inception and highly recommend checking out this fabulous fest. Don't miss this! Full lineup HERE: www.physicalfestival.com.
Monday, June 2nd kicks off the fest with their beloved Scratch Night, followed by the debut of their brand-new Being Made in Chicago series. This exciting initiative features two local companies presenting 30–40 minute works-in-progress as they develop full-length productions. Our long-term vision is to launch a fully-fledged incubator program to support Chicago artists in creating original physical theater works.
As the week unfolds, you’ll experience international award-winning productions from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Iceland, Scotland, and the UK, plus a critically acclaimed clown show from Minneapolis. On Sunday, June 8, they will debut another Chicago show: Adventure Sandwich: A Sandwich Adventure!—a delightful live-action-cartoon musical made for people and sandwiches of all ages.
Below you’ll find details on each of the incredible International shows & local Chicago favorites, too.
Get your tickets in advance HERE so you won't have FOMO when they sell out: https://www.physicalfestival.com/tickets
BEING MADE IN CHICAGO PRESENTS: WELL-BALANCED DADS + SENSATION(S)
60 min / All Ages
Tuesday, June 3 at 7pm
The new Being Made in Chicago series offers two local artists or companies up to 40 minutes each to showcase new work developed from pieces previously presented at Scratch Night. The inaugural Being Made in Chicago will present Well-Balanced Dads by Brit Anderson & Richie Schiraldi + Sensation(s) by Amanda Raquel Martinez.
https://www.physicalfestival.com/beingmadeinchicago
UN POYO ROJO (Argentina)
Directed by Hermes Gaido, with Alfonso Barón & Luciano Rosso
60 min / Ages 12+
Wednesday, June 4 & Thursday, June 5 at 7pm, Friday, June 6 at 9pm, Saturday June 7 at 7pm
Two men and a live radio in a dressing room face off—challenging, fighting, and seducing one another. Un Poyo Rojo is a compelling fusion of dance, sport, and sexuality. Using only body language, the performers push the boundaries of contemporary movement and its interpretations. It’s a provocation, an invitation to laugh at ourselves, and—at the same time—to recognize our full humanity. With a dynamic mix of acrobatics and humor, Un Poyo Rojo can be seen as kitsch, cliché, or a striking expression of the physical and spiritual possibilities of the human body.
https://www.physicalfestival.com/unpoyorojo
REWIND (Brazil, Colombia, Iceland & UK)
by Ephemeral Ensemble
65 min / Ages 12+
June 5, June 6 at 8pm & Saturday, June 7 at 3pm & 8pm
One of The Guardian's top 10 best theatre shows of 2024
REWIND invites you to witness the investigation of a long-buried crime. In a whirlwind of powerful live music, energetic physical theater, and striking imagery, the show takes you on an intimate, backward journey into the life of Alicia—a young woman who dares to resist.
https://www.physicalfestival.com/rewind
KNIGHT, KNIGHT (USA)
by Madeleine Rowe
60 min / Ages 16+
June 5 & June 7 at 9pm
★★★★★ "Belly-laugh funny" The Crumb
"One of the best clown shows ever" - LMAOnaise
Fresh from their smash hit run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe and a sold out New York premiere at Union Hall, Gaulier-trained clown Madeleine Rowe brings their iconic and iconoclastic Medieval romp to Physical Theatre Festival Chicago. “The funniest take on Arthurian legend since Monty Python” (Steve Bennett, Chortle), Knight, Knight is a wild one-person clown show about courage, determination, brotherhood, grief, and most of all, horses.
https://www.physicalfestival.com/knightknight
BLACK IS THE COLOR OF MY VOICE (Scotland & USA)
by Apphia Campbell
60 min / Ages 10+
June 6 at 7pm & June 8 at 2pm
Winner: Best Theatre Award, Adelaide Fringe 2024
‘Nothing short of sensational… will make you cheer for her, smile with her and then sting your eyes with tears’ ★★★★★ Broadway Baby
Inspired by the life of Nina Simone, and featuring many of her most iconic songs performed live. Apphia Campbell’s acclaimed play follows a successful singer and civil rights activist as she seeks redemption after the untimely death of her father. She reflects on the journey that took her from a young piano prodigy destined for a life in the service of the church, to a renowned jazz vocalist at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement. The show has toured the UK and Australia to standing ovations and played sell-out seasons in Shanghai, New York, Edinburgh and the West End of London.
https://www.physicalfestival.com/blackisthecolorofmyvoice
ADVENTURE SANDWICH: IT'S A SANDWICH ADVENTURE (Chicago)
by Adventure Sandwich
50 min / All Ages
June 8 at 11am
Adventure Sandwich: A Sandwich Adventure! is a new live-action-cartoon musical made for people and sandwiches of all ages. Join Hoagie (a sandwich) and Lily (a human) as they make their way from the streets of Possibilopolis to the depths of the Several Seas and beyond. Will they find the secret recipe for Imaginnaise? Will they escape Dr. Distracto’s Den of Diversions? Or will they get stuck in The Buffer Zone? Find out on June 8th at the Physical Theater Festival!
https://www.physicalfestival.com/adventuresandwich
Also, check out our Workshop offerings for this year at https://www.physicalfestival.com/workshops
