REVIEW: Bo Thomas and the Case of the Sky Pirates at Babes With Blades a Must See

We were wowed once again by Babes With Blades' latest, and highly recommend you check out this rockin' world premier.   How can you beat dirigibles, girl knife & gun fights, witty repartee, and orphanage arson?!   This show is aimed at adults but fine for theatre savvy tweens and teens as well.

My tweens sat front row for an extra adrenaline rush and both loved the show!   In Raven Theatre's intimate space, the knife play literally happens within arm's reach of the audience.   This awesome period piece has so many of our favorite elements... cool fight choreography, smart, strong women, clever writing and a quirky plot.   If you haven't checked it out, go already.

Check out our prior coverage here including all the pertinent show details.

Must close Saturday, 9/21...    Don't miss BWBTC's Production of Eric Simon's Bo Thomas and the Case of the Sky Pirates!   "If there were a Jeff Award for Most Adorable Production this should win." - The Dueling Critics "The fights are, as one expects with the Babes, top-notch stuff (JKChoreograpy - the team of Jay Burckhardt and Kim Fukawa - provided the violence design), and Schemmel's Bo is a saucy delight as a pastiche female Philip Marlowe." - Chicago Tribune Come see what the buzz is about! TICKETS ON SALE NOW At the Raven Theatre, West Stage 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago (Lot parking / easy street parking)  Use this link for more information.  For special pricing and events during the show run, please visit our website. BWB Photo 2: Megan Schemmel,  Kelly Yacono  Swords for Rusty Broads (& Gents) - Presenting Neo-Commedia! Saturday 9/14, 11am-5:30pm At the Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston, 60618 In preparation for our upcoming production of L'Imbecile (see below for more details!), we're offering a workshop in the fight style we'll be using in the show. For more information and to register, check out our website. Announcing Auditions for the Spring 2014 World Premiere of L'Imbecile  By Aaron Adair   A decadent, gender-twisted take on Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto.    Wed 9/25 and Thu 9/26, 2013 6:30-10pm (Invited Callbacks to take place Sat 9/28, 10am - 5pm) Non-Equity.  Male and Female roles are available All Ethnicities, All Ages are invited to audition.  Experience in stage combat, Commedia, and other physical work a plus. Auditions will be held by APPOINTMENT ONLY in the City Lit rehearsal room (1020 W. Bryn Mawr, 3rd floor)   Please prepare 1 monologue, no longer than 2 minutes, classical or other heightened language, comic preferred For an appointment contact spark@babeswithblades.org. Fighting Words Our 2013 new plays development series continues!  Want to be a part of the creative process? Please join us for the public readings of these exciting new plays and give your input. Patchwork Drifter by Jennifer L. Mickelson* Reading #2 + fight: 9/29, 1pm at Profiles Alley Stage (4147 N. Broadway, Chicago)    ...and the winner of Joining Sword & Pen 2013-14:  Witch Slap by Jeff Goode Reading #1: 10/27, 1pm at Profiles Alley Stage (4147 N. Broadway, Chicago)  Reading #2 + fight: 12/8, 1pm at Profiles Alley Stage (4147 N. Broadway, Chicago) Want to know more about Fighting Words?  Go here. Check Out These Babes Dawn Alden and Kathrynne Wolf can be seen on the new web series, "Dark Age" - http://www.darkage.tv.    Brooke Elliot is starring in Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva as Jane/Deb. Check it out!  Amy Harmon, Morgan Manasa and Mary Ann Bowman will be appearing in an enhanced staged reading of 180 Degree Rule by M.E.H. Lewis and fellow Babe Barbara Lhota, presented by Pride Films & Plays on Saturday, September 14 at 7pm at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted. Lisa Herceg will appear as Det. Jules Rossi in Stage Left Theatre's production of Barbara Lhota's Warped at Theatre Wit, 1229 W. Belmont.  Previews are 9/4 and 9/5; opens 9/6 and runs Thursdays - Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm through 10/6.  For tickets and more information: http://stagelefttheatre.com/.     Kimberly Logan is appearing in All American at Redtwist Theatre, which closes 9/9 (performances are Saturday at 3:00pm and Sunday/Monday at 7:30pm). Industry tickets available for every show at the door ($10). Elizabeth MacDougald is appearing for one more weekend in Idle Muse Theatre Company's production of Enchanted April, running through 9/8 at Rivendell Theatre, 5779 N. Ridge.  For tickets: http://idlemuse.org/ Megan Schemmel is currently kicking butt, taking names, and solving crime as the titled character of BWBTC's production of Bo Thomas And The Case of The Sky Pirates. In addition, Wolf Point Media's web series premiered its pilot episode of The Scarlet Line on August 31, where Megan plays 'Naomi', the crime-fighting-scarlet gone vigilante. Fighting crime is in the blood, but flipping sides is where the fun's at!  Calling all active & emeritus Babes: please keep us up-to-date on your activities! Email notgonnalie@babeswithblades.org about a listing in the Babes With Blades BroadSheet! Fabulous Women (and Friends) At Work   Valerie Meachum stars in period horror short Witchfinder, which screened at the Dragon*Con Film Festival on September 1 and will also be shown at the Halloween Horror Picture Show in Tampa on September 28.  Is your organization providing opportunities for women in theatre or film? Want the Babes to promote your work? Email postal@BabesWithBlades.org about a listing in the Babes With Blades BroadSheet!

ACT OUT: Babes With Blades Theatre Company Presents the World Premiere of Bo Thomas and the Case of the Sky Pirates

“She's one mean cracker jack with a pointy surprise inside.”

A detective agency’s Girl Friday is the real brains behind the operation in a production directed by Leigh Barrett

Babes With Blades have been favs of ours for years and this World Premier is high on our must see list.

All photos by Steven Townshend BWB Photo 1: Megan Schemmel

In a world premiere production, Babes With Blades Theatre Company is proud to present Bo Thomas and the Case of the Sky Pirates, by Eric Simon, at Raven Theatre West Stage, 6157 N. Clark St.  The show will run Thursdays-Saturdays at 8PM and Sundays at 3:30PM from August 17-September 21.

Bo Thomas and the Case of the Sky Pirates is directed by BWBTC Artistic Director Leigh Barrett*, and the cast features Mark Lancaster, Jennifer L. Mickelson*, Megan Schemmel*, Kelly Yacono*, and Maureen Yasko*. The violence design is by JKChoreography (Kim Fukawa* and Jay Burkhardt).

 About the Play

Girl Friday Bo Thomas has been doing the bulk of the detecting for the Sam Lowell Detective Agency, squeaking by on nickel-and-dime petty theft jobs, waiting for that first big case. When reclusive heiress Lydia Day asks the agency to investigate a strange arson at an area orphanage, it seems like a shot at the big time, but things aren't always what they seem….

Bo Thomas and the Case of The Sky Pirates is a veteran of BWBTC’s Fighting Words program (2010). For more information about Fighting Words, please see BWBTC’s website here. 

Tickets:

$20 general admission

$12 students and seniors

Available at babeswithblades.org or 773-904-0391.

 The design and production team of Bo Thomas and the Case of the Sky Pirates includes Lauren Angel-Nichols (Scenic Design), Rachel Ellis (Assistant Stage Manager), Diane Fairchild (Lighting Design), Ticha Guillaud (Props Design), Kjerstine Humiston* (Assistant Director), Michael Kunc (Sound Design/Original Music), Kimberly Logan* (Production Manager), Lindsey Miller (Stage Manager), Kimberly Morris* (Costume Design), Megan Turnquist (Assistant to Lighting Designer), and Jon Woelfer (Technical Director).

 *denotes BWBTC ensemble member

About the company

Babes With Blades Theatre Company uses stage combat to place women and their stories center stage. Through performance, script development, training, and outreach, our ensemble creates theatre that explores the wide range of the human experience, and cultivates broader perspectives in the arts community and in society as a whole.

BWB Photo 2: Megan Schemmel,  Kelly Yacono 

WHAT: Babes With Blades Theatre Company presents Bo Thomas and the Case of the Sky Pirates by Eric Simon, directed by Leigh Barrett.

WHERE: Raven Theatre West Stage, 6157 N. Clark in Chicago

WHEN: 

RUN:  August 17-September 21

Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8PM

Sundays at 3:30PM

TICKETS: babeswithblades.org or 773-904-0391

Tickets $20, Students/Seniors $12, Previews $8

Cast: Mark Lancaster, Jennifer L. Mickelson*, Megan Schemmel*, Kelly Yacono*, and  Maureen Yasko*

Production Team:

Director: Leigh Barrett*

Assistant Director: Kjerstine Humiston*

Production Manager: Kimberly Logan*

Violence Designer: JKChoreography (Kim Fukawa* and Jay Burkhardt).

Stage Manager: Lindsey Miller

Assistant Stage Manager: Rachel Ellis

Technical Director: Jon Woelfer

Costume Designer: Kimberly Morris*

Set Designer: Lauren Angel-Nichols  

Sound Designer: Michael Kunc

Lighting Designer: Diane Fairchild

Assistant Lightning Designer: Megan Turnquist 

Props Designer: Ticha Guillaud

 *Denotes BWBTC ensemble member

All photos by Steven Townshend.  

BWB Photo 3: Megan Schemmel, Kelly Tacono