OPENING: RED VELVET at Chicago Shakespeare Theater 12/1/17-1/21/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Ira Aldridge (Dion Johnstone) made history as the first black actor to play Othello on the London stage in 1833, explored in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of Red Velvet, directed by Gary Griffin, in CST’s Courtyard Theater, December 1, 2017–January 21, 2018. 

Extraordinary life of trailblazing African-American actor

whose Othello shocked nineteenth-century London

RED VELVET

award-winning drama staged by Gary Griffin

featuring celebrated Stratford Festival actor Dion Johnstone

begins performances December 1

We can't wait to catch Chicago Shakespeare Theater's next production, the stirring historical drama Red Velvet, staged by Broadway and Chicago director Gary Griffin and starring celebrated Shakespearean actor Dion Johnstone! It's tough to be the first in any field, and we're eager to see the inspirational story of Ira Aldridge come to life on stage. 



Presented in CST’s Courtyard Theater December 1, 2017–January 21, 2018, the award-winning play by Lolita Chakrabarti shines new light on the seldom-told, true story of Ira Aldridge.

In 1833 at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, Edmund Kean, the greatest actor of his age, collapses on stage while performing the lead in Othello. He is replaced by a young, black American actor, Ira Aldridge—a first for the role on London's West End, sending shockwaves through the streets as a bill promoting the abolition of slavery is debated in Parliament. After breaking barriers on the London stage, Aldridge went on to forge a remarkable decades-long career performing across Europe—garnering acclaim in roles like Shylock, Macbeth, and King Lear.

Photo by Liz Lauren.

In what is sure to be a career highlight, Dion Johnstone takes on the role of theatrical trailblazer Ira Aldridge across the span of his storied career. Johnstone is celebrated for his portrayals of some of the most demanding roles in Shakespeare’s canon: he has appeared in nine seasons at Canada’s Stratford Festival, and recently made his off-Broadway debut in the title role of Coriolanus. He returns to Chicago Shakespeare after appearing as Marc Antony in Julius Caesar, and Helicanus in Pericles. Now, after having performed the role of Othello twice, Johnstone explores the pivotal figure who made history by taking on the role.

On portraying Aldridge, Johnstone shared, “Ira Aldridge used his platform on the stage to convince European audiences that people of color had souls and intellects as wise and as deep as theirs. His struggle resonates powerfully today—and yet he’s a part of American and European history that has almost been forgotten. It’s a privilege to be able to bring Ira’s voice to life, and I hope this production helps elevate him to the status he deserves.”

Award-winning director of Broadway and Chicago stages Gary Griffin returns to Chicago Shakespeare, where he stages his twenty-fourth production. Griffin’s work has been seen on Broadway in Honeymoon in Vegas, The Color Purple and The Apple Tree. The ten-time Jeff Award winner’s CST directing credits feature a diverse body of work spanning musicals (Gypsy, Road Show, Follies); Shakespeare plays (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It); and classics (Private Lives, Amadeus). His landmark production of Pacific Overtures at Chicago Shakespeare went on to the Donmar Warehouse in London, where it garnered the Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production and a nomination for Best Director.

A leading lady of Chicago theater, Chaon Cross portrays the legendary stage actress Ellen Tree, who appears as the ill-fated Desdemona opposite Aldridge’s Othello. Cross makes her highly anticipated return to Chicago Shakespeare, where she has memorably appeared as Celia in As You Like It, Sybil in Private Lives, Imogen in Cymbeline and Cressida in Troilus and Cressida. Michael Hayden depicts Charles Kean, an aspiring actor in the shadows of his famous father, Edmund Kean. Hayden notably garnered Olivier and Drama Desk nominations for his portrayal of Billy Bigelow in the Royal National Theatre/Lincoln Center Theatre production of Carousel, and gained acclaim for performing the title roles of Henry V and Richard II in repertory for DC’s Shakespeare Theatre Company.

Greg Matthew Anderson appears as Pierre LaPorte, the entrepreneurial theater manager who propels Aldridge into the role. The Red Velvet company includes Jürgen Hooper (Casimir/Henry), Tiffany Renee Johnson (Connie), Roderick Peeples (Bernard Ward/Terence), Annie Purcell (Margaret/Halina), and Bri Sudia (Betty).

Collaborators on the Red Velvet creative team are Scenic Designer Scott Davis, Costume Designer Mara Blumenfeld, Lighting Designer Christine Binder, and Sound Designer Chris Kriz. Davis has designed over 25 Chicago Shakespeare productions, including most recently Shakespeare in Love, The Book of Joseph and the Tug of War saga. A four-time Jeff Award winner, Blumenfeld is a frequent collaborator with Griffin, having previously designed King Charles III, Sunday in the Park with George and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at CST. Binder’s designs have graced opera and theatre stages internationally. Kriz has been honored with three Jeff Awards for his Sound Design and original compositions. Award-winning composer and lyricist Jenny Giering creates new music score for the production. Joining Gary Griffin on the directing team is Associate Director Tyrone Phillips, who was named to the Chicago Tribune’s “Hot New Faces of Theater” in 2015. Rounding out the creative team are Dialect Coach Eva Breneman and Fight Choreographer David Woolley.

For more information, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/velvet.

Red Velvet will be presented in Chicago Shakespeare’s Courtyard Theater, December 1, 2017–January 21, 2018. Single tickets are on sale now for $48–$88 (subject to change). Special discounts are available for groups of 10 or more, as well as CST for $20 tickets for patrons under 35. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

CST strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons through its Access Shakespeare programs. Red Velvet will have Open-captioned performances on Thursday, December 21 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; an ASL Duo-interpreted performance on Friday, January 12 at 7:30 p.m.; and an Audio-described performance on Sunday, January 14 at 2:00 p.m. (with optional touch tour at 12:00 p.m.).

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
A global theatrical force, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is known for vibrant productions that reflect Shakespeare’s genius for storytelling, musicality of language, and empathy for the human condition. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, Chicago Shakespeare has redefined what a great American Shakespeare theater can be, putting forward a company that delights in the unexpected and defies theatrical category. A Regional Tony Award-winning theater, CST produces acclaimed plays at its home on Navy Pier, throughout Chicago’s schools and neighborhoods, and on stages around the world. In 2017, the Theater unveiled a radical new stage, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Together with the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater and the Thoma Theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, The Yard positions CST as the city’s most versatile performing arts venue.

REVIEW: Frenetic Kinetic "Toad" Microcosm of Life at The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Through 9/23

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar:

James Thierrée’s The Toad Knew 

The Toad Knew has been one of the hottest tickets in Chi, IL this month. The world famous troupe is in from France, the acclaimed production is a very limited five day run, and this is the inaugural show for Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's exciting new space, The Yard. I caught it last night and consider it a must see, though it won't be everyone's cup of tea. 

Theatre goers who like literal, straight forward, easily digestible shows, may find this a mouthful. There is little dialogue and James Thierrée pushes the boundaries of tolerance with unpleasant static and repetition of sound, to the point of discomfort, before treating the audience to beautiful music and soaring vocals. Much of the choreography is twitchy and jerky, rather than a pleasing fluid and flowing style. The set is grimy and ugly, and there is no discernible plot, yet we found it enthralling, particularly the stunning opener and show close with the massive, shabby, red velvet curtain. I've never seen a curtain call where the cast crawled from beneath the curtain on their bellies! This production is utterly unique, and well worth an evening.

The stamina and training needed to pull off a movement based show of this magnitude is astonishing, and we found the alternating bouts of intense action and complete motionlessness among the characters stunning. In a microcosm of life, The Toad Knew includes repetitive motion and rest, machines, music, the elements, humorous accidentally injuries, cooperation, coexistence, isolation, irritation, elation, and a good dose of humor. We were mesmerized by this frenetic kinetic exploration.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) opens the innovative new performance venue The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare with James Thierrée’s The Toad Knew from France as part of CST’s World’s Stage series, September 19–23, 2017.

James Thierrée's The Toad Knew from France All Production Photos by Richard Haughton.

Chicago Shakespeare welcomes back creator and director James
Thierrée after his wildly popular presentations Farewell Umbrella in
2007 and Bright Abyss in 2005. For nearly two decades, Thierrée
has twisted audiences’ imaginations with astonishing, theatrical
creations, including Junebug Symphony and Tabac Rouge. Born to
circus legends Jean-Baptise Thierrée and Victoria Chaplin,
Thierrée made his circus debut at the age of four and has been

performing ever since. His works have toured the world over and have received critical and popular acclaim.

This spectacle premiered at the Edinburgh International Festival, where it was called “flamboyant, hallucinatory and ravishingly beautiful” by The Guardian. Thierrée returns to CST after his magnificent Farewell Umbrella (2007) and Bright Abyss (2005). 

His newest invention, The Toad Knew, intertwines dreams with childhood terrors, burlesque, and realism to explore the wild, wondrous love shared among siblings. A collective of dancers, high-wire artists, and musicians create an intoxicating world evocative of Salvador Dalí and Tim Burton. This is artistry that defies categorization, but promises to stay with you long after you leave the Theater. 

Click HERE to purchase tickets and discover more about the new space and this production.



Cirque nouveau superstar James Thierrée presents The Toad Knew to open Chicago Shakespeare’s innovative third theater The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare in a limited engagement as part of CST’s World’s Stage series September 19–23, 2017. Photo by Richard Haughton.

OPENING: All-Woman Cast Stage Suffragette Shrew at Chicago Shakespeare 9/16-11/12/17

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

All-woman cast takes on Shakespeare's 

raucous comedy 

The Taming of the Shrew

Staged by Barbara Gaines, 

September 16–November 12, 2017

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) Artistic Director Barbara Gaines stages Shakespeare’s raucous comedy The Taming of the Shrew with a powerhouse, all-woman cast—setting up a witty and thought-provoking debate on politics, power, and love. Framed as a performance by a band of Suffragettes with additional dialogue by Second City’s Ron West, The Taming of the Shrew launches Chicago Shakespeare’s 2017/18 Season in the Courtyard Theater, September 16–November 12, 2017.

This concept makes my feminist heart proud. I can't wait to check out this version of The Taming of the Shrew in the capable hands of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines! We'll be out for the press opening so check back soon for our full review. 

The year is 1919 and, amidst suffrage marches in Chicago, a women’s theater troupe is convening to rehearse their upcoming comedy: The Taming of the Shrew. In the play, fortune-seeking suitors compete for the hand of the demure Bianca, but her father has decreed that her fiery and tempestuous sister Katherine must first wed. Petruchio takes on the task of wooing and winning her—and so begins the notorious battle of wits. Along the way, the Suffragettes re-examine the characters in Shakespeare’s story, as well as their own status as women in society.

“There is a supreme power in reclaiming this story to be told by women, particularly now,” Director Barbara Gaines notes. “Looking at this play through a woman’s eyes brings the play’s themes into sharp focus with wit, wisdom, and humor, and sheds new light on Shakespeare’s characterizations of both men and women, and their relationships. These women are wickedly smart, and strong—and they will not be tamed.”

Each actress in the ensemble cast performs dual roles: as one of the suffragettes presenting the play, and as a character in their performance of The Taming of the Shrew. Leading the company are Alexandra Henrikson (Mrs. Louise Harrison/Katherine) and Crystal Lucas-Perry (Mrs. Victoria Van Dyne/Petruchio). Henrikson appeared on Broadway in Larry David’s Fish in the Dark and was nominated for a Helen Hayes award for her role in Ironbound at Round House Theatre. Lucas-Perry performed off Broadway in Storm Still: A King Lear Adaptation, and in Lincoln Center’s Bull in a China Shop. Olivia Washington (Mrs. Emily Ingersoll/Bianca) appeared off Broadway as Laura in The Glass Menagerie; and on film in Lee Daniels’ The Butler and Robert De Niro’s The Comedian.

Six-time Jeff Award-winner E. Faye Butler (Dr. Fannie Emmanuel/Baptista) has appeared in multiple national touring productions (Mamma Mia!, Ain’t Misbehavin, Nunsense), and on stages from coast to coast, including The Kennedy Center, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and Signature Theatre. Hollis Resnik (Miss Judith Smith/Gremio) is a twelve-time Jeff Award-winner, including a win for her performance as Carlotta in Chicago Shakespeare’s Follies. She has also appeared in the national touring casts of Les Misérables, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Jeff Award-winner Heidi Kettenring (Mrs. Dorothy Mercer/Tranio) returns to Chicago Shakespeare in her eighth production, after having appeared in the Tug of War saga, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and The School for Lies. Tina Gluschenko (Mrs. Beatrice Ivey Welles/Hortensio) was a member of CST’s collaboration with the Second City: Hamlet the Musical, which later played in New York at Ars Nova. Other Chicago credits include Candide and A Little Night Music at the Goodman Theater. Kate Marie Smith (Mrs. Olivia Twist/Lucentio) appeared in Chicago Shakespeare’s productions of King Charles III and Twelfth Night, and on Chicago Fire.

Rounding out the cast are Lillian Castillo (Mrs. Lucinda James/Biondello), Cindy Gold (Mrs. Sarah Willoughby/Vincentio), Ann E. James (Mrs. Elizabeth Nicewander/Pedant), Rita Rehn (Mrs. Mildred Sherman/Grumio), and Faith Servant (Mrs. Barbara Starkey/Curtis).

Ron West creates additional dialogue for the production, setting the Suffragette’s story alongside Shakespeare’s play. West’s illustrious career spans over two decades, having written for shows like Whose Line Is It Anyway?, as well as serving as a writer and associate artistic director at The Second City. West previously collaborated with Gaines on The Comedy of Errors in 2008, which garnered Jeff Awards for Best Production and Best Adaptation. West also wrote the book, music, and lyrics for The Second City’s Romeo and Juliet Musical: The People vs. Friar Laurence, The Man Who Killed Romeo and Juliet, which had a wildly popular run at Chicago Shakespeare in 2005.

Joining Barbara Gaines on the creative team are Scenic Designer Kevin Depinet and Costume Designer Susan Mickey. Depinet returns to Chicago Shakespeare, where he has designed more than a dozen productions, including most recently Love’s Labor’s Lost, The Heir Apparent, and Sense and Sensibility. Jeff Award-winning designer Mickey is best known for her sumptuous and playful costumes—exemplified in her previous CST designs for Shakespeare in Love, Sense and Sensibility, and The School for Lies. Chicago Shakespeare’s resident Wig and Make-up Designer Richard Jarvie completes the character’s looks with period hairstyles. Lighting Designer Thomas Hase is a veteran designer for international opera and theater stages, including the 2006 Broadway revival of Company. David van Tieghem, who most recently worked on CST’s Measure for Measure, leads the production’s sound design. Completing the creative team are Rinska Carrasco as Assistant Director and Kevin Gudahl as Verse Coach.

For more information, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/shrew.

The Taming of the Shrew will be presented in Chicago Shakespeare’s Courtyard Theater, September 16–November 12, 2017. Single tickets are on sale now for $48–$88 (subject to change). Special discounts are available for groups of 10 or more, as well as CST for $20 tickets available for patrons under 35. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

CST strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons through its Access Shakespeare programs. The Taming of the Shrew will have an Audio-described performance on Sunday, October 22 at 2:00 p.m. (with optional touch tour at 12:00 p.m.); Open-captioned performances on Thursday, November 2 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and an ASL Duo-interpreted performance on Friday, October 27 at 7:30 p.m.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a leading international theater company and the recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award®. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, CST is dedicated to creating extraordinary production of classics, new works and family programming; to unlocking Shakespeare’s work for educators and students; and to serving as Chicago’s cultural ambassador through its World’s Stage Series. Through a year-round season encompassing more than 650 performances, CST attracts 225,000 audience members annually. One in four of its audience members is under eighteen years old, and today its education programs have impacted the learning of over one million students. CST is proud to take an active role in empowering the next generation of literate, engaged cultural champions and creative minds. During 2016, CST spearheaded the Shakespeare 400 Chicago festival in addition to announcing the creation of an innovative performance venue, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare.

OPENING: The Toad Knew from France Opener for The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar:

The Toad Knew

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) opens the innovative new performance venue The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare with James Thierrée’s The Toad Knew from France as part of CST’s World’s Stage series, September 19–23, 2017.

James Thierrée's The Toad Knew from France All Production Photos by Richard Haughton.

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, we've been eagerly awaiting the opening of Chicago Shakespeare Theater's new space, The Yard. The time has finally arrived and what a send up the opening production will be, with high-wire artists, dancers, contortionists and Thierrée’s extraordinary physical prowess! 



This spectacle premiered at the Edinburgh International Festival, where it was called “flamboyant, hallucinatory and ravishingly beautiful” by The Guardian. Thierrée returns to CST after his magnificent Farewell Umbrella (2007) and Bright Abyss (2005). 

THE PLAY

This fall, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's new third theater, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, is home to a realm of wonder and enchantment as we welcome back cirque nouveau superstar James Thierrée (creator of CST’s sold-out runs of Farewell Umbrella and Bright Abyss). For nearly two decades, Thierrée has teased and twisted audiences’ imaginations with astonishing, theatrical creations—sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, always extraordinary. 

His newest invention, The Toad Knew, intertwines dreams with childhood terrors, burlesque, and realism to explore the wild, wondrous love shared among siblings. A collective of dancers, high-wire artists, and musicians create an intoxicating world evocative of Salvador Dalí and Tim Burton. This is artistry that defies categorization, but promises to stay with you long after you leave the Theater. 

Click HERE to purchase tickets and discover more about the new space and this production.



Cirque nouveau superstar James Thierrée presents The Toad Knew to open Chicago Shakespeare’s innovative third theater The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare in a limited engagement as part of CST’s World’s Stage series September 19–23, 2017. Photo by Richard Haughton.

Chicago Celebrates and Mourns Martha Lavey This Friday With Marquee Dimming

CHICAGO THEATRES TO HONOR 

MARTHA LAVEY

Marquee lights dimmed and a moment of silence to be observed at theatres across Chicago and the suburbs

Friday, April 28, 2017

30 minutes before curtain time

WHAT: Chicago theatres in the city and suburbs will honor former Steppenwolf Artistic Director and ensemble member Martha Lavey by dimming the marquee lights and observing a moment of silence

WHEN: Friday, April 28, 2017, 30 minutes before the start time of the evening production at each theatre

WHERE: Theatres throughout Chicagoland, including Steppenwolf Theatre, Broadway in Chicago, Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Victory Gardens Theater, Northlight Theatre and Writers Theatre, among others.

DETAILS: Martha Lavey, who served as Artistic Director of Steppenwolf Theatre from 1995-2015, is considered to be one of the most important influencers in the history of Chicago theatre. As an actor and Artistic Director, Martha appeared in more than 30 productions at Steppenwolf and was known to support and nurture artists, administrators and other theatres throughout Chicago. She was a champion of the theatre community, and, as such, the community will remember and honor her with the light dimming and moment of silence.
  
OTHER: Steppenwolf’s curtain on Friday is at 7:30pm. The lights will be dimmed and a moment of silence will be observed at 7:00pm.  Member theatres of the League of Chicago Theatres will likewise participate in honor of Lavey’s extraordinary life and legacy.

SEASON ANNOUNCED: Chicago Shakespeare Theater's 2017-18 Season To Include 3rd Stage, The Yard

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces

2017/18 Season

Including the introduction of innovative third venue:

The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

Here at ChiIL Live Shows and ChiIL Mama, we're elated about Chicago Shakespeare Theater's new season and new stage, a third Navy Pier performance venue, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare! We can't wait to check it out.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces nine productions of the 2017/18 Season—which will engage audiences with timeless stories in transformational settings. The season also marks the introduction of the Theater's new and innovative third performance venue, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Additional productions are to be announced this summer.

Artistic Director and Carl and Marilynn Thoma Endowed Chair Barbara Gaines said, "On the heels of the Theater's 30th Anniversary and the yearlong Shakespeare 400 Chicago festival, we have curated a season that reflects upon historic moments with radically fresh eyes—and at the same time blazes a trail forward by reimagining Shakespeare’s plays for today’s audiences. These works give voice to our collective soul, and serve to unite us in a time when the world feels more divided than ever.”

Regarding the opening of The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, Executive Director Criss Henderson shared, "We are thrilled to introduce audiences this season to The Yard—a forward-thinking venue that is one-of-a-kind in terms of its flexibility and artistic vision. In concert with our existing spaces in the Courtyard Theater and Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, The Yard allows us to best serve our artists and audiences with a dynamic range of spaces that will be responsive to theater-makers for generations to come."

Opening in the 2017/18 Season,The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare redefines the traditional, fixed relationship between artist and audience—offering a radically versatile theatrical platform. Repurposing the footprint of Navy Pier's former Skyline Stage with an enclosed, year-round theater space, this third performance venue connects to Chicago Shakespeare's two existing spaces—the Courtyard Theater and the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare—through expanded lobbies. The innovative design features a series of mobile towers that allow the space to be configured in a variety of shapes and sizes with audience capacities ranging from 150 to 850. The new space allows the Theater to expand its programming, host a wide range of international productions, and double its service to students and teachers.

Kicking off the season, Barbara Gaines re-examines Shakespeare's notorious "battle of the sexes" in The Taming of the Shrew (September 16–November 12, 2017; Courtyard Theater) with an all-woman company. Gaines partners with playwright Ron West (CST's The Comedy of Errors, 2008) to frame Shakespeare's story as a performance by a group of Suffragettes in 1919—on the eve of the passing of the 19th Amendment.

In The Yard is James Thierrée's The Toad Knew (September 19–23, 2017; The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare), presented by his La Compagnie du Hanneton from France as part of CST’s World’s Stage series. Blending together the artistry of dancers, contortionists, and high-wire artists with Thierrée's extraordinary physical prowess, this spectacle premiered at the Edinburgh International Festival, where it was called "flamboyant, hallucinatory and ravishingly beautiful" by The Guardian. Thierrée returns to CST after his magnificent Farewell Umbrella (2007) and Bright Abyss (2005). Tickets for The Toad Knew will go on sale later this summer; CST subscribers and donors will have early access to this limited engagement.

Chicago Shakespeare then partners with the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) in its inaugural International Latino Theater Festival (Fall 2017; Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare) with a Latin American production as part of the World’s Stage series to be announced. Founded through an alliance between the National Museum of Mexican Art, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, and the International Cultural Center, CLATA aims to celebrate and amplify the voices of Latino theater artists in Chicago.

A theatrical revolution comes to the stage in Red Velvet (December 1, 2017–January 21, 2018; Courtyard Theater), staged by leading Broadway and Chicago director Gary Griffin. The award-winning play by Lolita Chakrabarti chronicles the seldom-told, true story of Ira Aldridge, an African-American actor who challenged convention by taking the London stage as the first black Othello in 1833—sending shockwaves through the city at a time when anti-abolition protesters rioted in the streets.

In 2018, the abridged Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream (January 24–March 10, 2018; The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare) introduces Shakespeare's mystical comedy to family and student audiences in a new production in The Yard, where its extended run will serve thousands of additional students and teachers next year.

Two resolute rulers—Queen Elizabeth I of England and Mary, Queen of Scots—face off in a struggle for the faith of the nation in Schiller's Mary Stuart (February 21–April 15, 2018; Courtyard Theater), with an electric adaptation by Peter Oswald. The production is staged by acclaimed director Jenn Thompson, former artistic director of The Actors Company Theater (TACT), which was named "Company of the Year" by The Wall Street Journal during her tenure.

Celebrated director and playwright Aaron Posner and Teller (of famous duo Penn & Teller) join forces with a new production of Macbeth (April 25–June 24, 2018; The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare), returning after their Jeff Award-winning production of The Tempest at Chicago Shakespeare in 2015. This supernatural thriller dives into the psyches of the power-hungry Macbeth and Lady Macbeth with astounding magic to immerse audiences in the storytelling.

Featured as part of Chicago Shakespeare's World's Stage series is Samuel Beckett's masterpiece Waiting for Godot (May 23–June 3, 2018; Courtyard Theater), presented by Ireland's Druid Theatre and staged by Tony Award-winning director Garry Hynes. The Irish Times called it, "the freshest, funniest and most affecting production of the play in at least a quarter of a century." This production marks the company's third return to Chicago Shakespeare following The Cripple of Inishmaan (2011) and The Walworth Farce (2009).

Touring to neighborhood parks across the City in Summer 2017 in partnership with the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District, Boeing and production sponsor BMO Harris, Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks presents FREE performances of Shakespeare's timeless Romeo and Juliet (July–August, 2017; neighborhood parks across Chicago) in a gripping 75-minute production, adapted and directed by Marti Lyons.

These productions join the previously announced summer family musical, Madagascar – A Musical Adventure (July 13–August 27, 2017; Courtyard Theater). Based on the DreamWorks Animation motion picture, this wild new musical is directed and choreographed by Matt Raftery at the Theater's home on Navy Pier.

For information on purchasing tickets, visit www.chicagoshakes.com or call the CST Box Office at 312.595.5600. A variety of flexible packages start at just $180—offering savings over single tickets, and guaranteeing your seat at every production you choose to see. Discounted tickets are also available for groups of 10 or more; Access Shakespeare patrons; and anyone under age 35 through the CST for $20 initiative.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater's 2017/18 Season (at press time)

Madagascar – A Musical Adventure

in CST's Courtyard Theater

July 13–August 27, 2017

based on the DreamWorks Animation Motion Picture

book by Kevin Del Aguila | original music and lyrics by George Noriega & Joel Someillan

directed and choreographed by Matt Raftery

Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks

Romeo and Juliet

in neighborhood parks across Chicago

July–August, 2017

by William Shakespeare

adapted and directed by Marti Lyons

The Taming of the Shrew

in CST's Courtyard Theater

September 16–November 12, 2017

by William Shakespeare

adapted and directed by Barbara Gaines

additional dialogue by Ron West

from FRANCE | La Compagnie du Hanneton

The Toad Knew

in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

September 19–23, 2017

by James Thierrée

International Latino Theater Festival

Title to be announced

Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare

Fall 2017

Red Velvet

in CST's Courtyard Theater

December 1, 2017–January 21, 2018

by Lolita Chakrabarti 

directed by Gary Griffin

Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream

in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

January 24–March 10, 2018

by William Shakespeare

Schiller's Mary Stuart

in CST's Courtyard Theater

February 21–April 15, 2018

in a new version by Peter Oswald

directed by Jenn Thompson

Macbeth

in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

April 25–June 24, 2018

by William Shakespeare

adapted and directed by Aaron Posner and Teller

from IRELAND | Druid Theatre

Waiting for Godot

in CST's Courtyard Theater

May 23–June 3, 2018

by Samuel Beckett

directed by Garry Hynes

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a leading international theater company and a recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award®. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, CST is dedicated to creating extraordinary production of classics, new works and family programming; to unlocking Shakespeare's work for educators and students; and to serving as Chicago's cultural ambassador through its World's Stage Series. Through a year-round season encompassing more than 650 performances, CST attracts 225,000 audience members annually. One in four of its audience members is under eighteen years old, and today its education programs have impacted the learning of over one million students. CST is proud to take an active role in empowering the next generation of literate, engaged cultural champions and creative minds. Throughout 2016, CST spearheaded the international arts and culture festival, Shakespeare 400 Chicago, a yearlong, citywide celebration of the playwright's 400-year legacy.

OPENING: The Book of Joseph at Chicago Shakespeare Theater

World Premiere Chicago Shakespeare Commission

THE BOOK OF JOSEPH

One family's remarkable story spanning occupied Poland to present-day America

featuring Chicago favorite Francis Guinan

ChiIL Live Shows will be out for the press opening, so check back soon for our full review. In these tumultuous times, when even the president of the United States doesn't mention all the Jews that died during World War II on Holocaust Remembrance Day, it's more important than ever to tell the stories. We're very much looking forward to this world premiere production.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. George Santayana

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the cast and creative team for the world premiere of The Book of Joseph, a new play by award-winning playwright Karen Hartman chronicling three generations of the Hollander family in a sweeping story that spans history from occupied Poland to present-day America. Directed by CST Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and developed with Creative Producer Rick Boynton, The Book of Joseph debuts in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, January 29–March 5, 2017.

Richard Hollander was devastated when his parents were killed in an accident. While cleaning out their attic, he discovered a suitcase of letters written in Polish and German during World War II by a family he never knew—depicting day-to-day life under the most painful of circumstances in occupied Poland. Richard went on to discover that, at the time the letters were written, his father Joseph was fighting the United States government to avoid deportation and death—a campaign that involved such historic figures as Eleanor Roosevelt, Secretary of State Cordell Hull, senators and judges. He was astounded to learn that his father saved the lives of many but, despite heroic efforts, could not save his own family. Richard published his father's story and the collection of letters in the book Every Day Lasts A Year.

Chicago Shakespeare, working alongside the Hollander family, has commissioned Karen Hartman to adapt this deeply resonant and historically significant story into a new play that not only paints a compelling portrait of a family torn apart by war, but also shines a light on the immigrant experience across the globe. The production features Francis Guinan as the present-day Richard and Sean Fortunato as his father Joseph.

Hartman’s work includes Goliath, Donna Wants, Going Gone, Troy Women and others that have been commissioned and staged by dozens of theaters across the nation. This season alone, Hartman has three world premiere plays in four productions from coast to coast—including, most recently, Roz and Ray at Victory Gardens Theater.

Longtime Chicago favorite Francis Guinan leads the cast as Richard Hollander, who makes the fateful discovery of his family’s letters and digs into the past to unearth his father’s secrets. Guinan has appeared on Broadway in August: Osage County, The Grapes of Wrath and As Is. A member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble, he has also appeared in productions at Northlight Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Writers Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company. Sean Fortunato plays Joseph, Richard’s father and the subject of his story—portrayed in flashback during his harrowing escape from occupied Poland to seeking asylum in America. Fortunato returns to Chicago Shakespeare, where he has appeared in over twenty productions, most recently in King Charles III. Representing the third generation of Hollanders is Adam Wesley Brown as Richard’s young adult son Craig. Brown returns to Chicago Shakespeare; his past credits include The Tempest, Julius Caesar and Henry VIII.

At the heart of Joseph’s family in Poland are courageous women: his mother, sisters and their husbands and children. The Hollander clan is led by the matriarch Berta—portrayed by Glynis Bell. A longtime veteran of New York stages, Bell has appeared on Broadway in Therese Raquin, Looped and Amadeus. Joseph’s three sisters are portrayed by Amy J. Carle (Mania), Gail Shapiro (Klara) and Patricia Lavery (Dola). Ron E. Rains (Salo) returns to Chicago Shakespeare, after most recently appearing in The Tempest. Brenann Stacker (Genka) and Mikey Gray(Lusia) portray the youngest members of the Hollander family.

The production comes to the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare with the creative talents of Scenic Designer Scott Davis in his 25th CST production, after most recently designing sets for the epic Tug of War marathon. Also on the creative team are Costume Designer Rachel Healy, who previously designed Short Shakespeare! Twelfth Night, and Lighting Designer Phillip S. Rosenberg in his 15th Chicago Shakespeare production. Co-Sound Designers Misha Fiksel and Miles Polaski make their CST debuts. 

Rounding out the creative team are multiple Jeff Award-winning Projections Designer Mike Tutaj and Chicago Shakespeare’s resident Wig Master Richard Jarvie. Jarvie has designed 29 productions in CST’s history, including most recently King Charles III, and has worked extensively with Stratford Festival, The Guthrie Theater and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Matt Raftery joins the team as choreographer and assistant director.

Highlighting the Theater’s commitment to new work, The Book of Joseph is Chicago Shakespeare’s 19th world premiere in a season with six other projects in development. 

Creative Producer Rick Boynton oversees the development of a wide spectrum of new work—with many works receiving extended productions in 2016. The CST-commissioned Othello: The Remix, a hip-hop adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy from The Q Brothers, opened to rave reviews in an off-Broadway production presented by John Leguizamo. The new musical Ride the Cyclone, which was developed with CST, is also in the midst of an off-Broadway run at MCC Theatre directed by Rachel Rockwell, and was named to the “Best Theatre of 2016” list by The New York Times. In Summer 2016, Paul Gordon’s sweeping musical adaptation of Sense and Sensibility made its West Coast premiere at the Old Globe Theatre, in a production staged by Barbara Gaines and featuring many of the original CST cast members.

In partnership with the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, Richard Hollander and CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton will discuss the development process in an event at the Museum on January 26.

For more information about the production, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/Joseph.

The Book of Joseph will be performed at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, January 29–March 5, 2017. Tickets are on sale now for $38–$58 (subject to change). Special discounts are available for groups of 10 or more, as well as CST for $20 tickets available for patrons under 35. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

CST strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons through its Access Shakespeareprograms. The Book of Joseph will have an Audio-described performance on Sunday, February 12, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. (with optional Touch Tour at 12:00 p.m.) and an Open-captioned performance on Friday, February, 24, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.

OPENING: King Charles III at Chicago Shakespeare Theater Through January 15th

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Mike Bartlett's West End and Broadway sensation

Winner of the 2015 Olivier Award for Best New Play

KING CHARLES III

Featuring Downton Abbey's Robert Bathurst in the title role

Tonight we'll be ChiILin' at Chi, IL's renowned Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier for opening night of King Charles III. Robert Bathurst, Downton Abbey's Sir Anthony Strallan is cast in the lead. We can't wait to check it out! 

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the cast and creative team for the Chicago premiere of Mike Bartlett’s new West End and Broadway sensation King Charles III, directed by Gary Griffin as part of the Theater’s 30th Anniversary Season. 

Queen Elizabeth II is dead. Long live the King—that is King Charles III. With Camilla at his side—and William, Kate and Harry anxiously looking on—Charles tries to take his rightful place in a long line of British monarchs. Appearing in the title role is Robert Bathurst, best known by American audiences for playing Sir Anthony Strallan on the hit series Downton Abbey. Winner of London’s Olivier Award for Best New Play in 2015 and nominated for five Tony Awards in 2016, King Charles III is performed at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, November 5, 2016–January 15, 2017.

Called “the most insightful and engrossing new history play in decades” by The New York Times and “bracingly provocative and outrageously entertaining” by The Independent, Bartett’s compelling new comedy–drama blurs the line between truth and tragedy. In the aftermath of the death of England’s present-day monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles ascends to the throne. His first official act is to rubberstamp Parliament’s bill restricting freedom of the press, but Charles refuses in a provocative act of conscience. England is thrown into crisis, absurdly escalating with tanks guarding the palace gates. In the midst of plays for power, how will Charles rule over his once-united kingdom? Written in blank verse and sprinkled with rousing soliloquies and rhyming couplets, King Charles IIIinvokes the heightened stakes of Shakespeare’s greatest works in an inventive present-day setting.

Stage and screen actor Robert Bathurst makes his Chicago Shakespeare debut in the title role as the beleaguered monarch-to-be. He is best known to US audiences as Sir Anthony Strallan on the hit PBS series Downton Abbey, in which he appeared regularly throughout the first and third seasons. Throughout his distinguished 30+ year career, he has performed extensively at the National Theatre, on the West End and on tour, as well as at the Lyric Hammersmith, London Playhouse and Bath Theatre Royal. Among his many popular television and film roles, Bathurst has had leading roles in My Dad's the Prime Minister, Coup!, The Stepfather, The Pillars of the Earth mini-series and the BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma. He stars in the cult classic series Cold Feet, which ran for five seasons 1997–2003—and reprises his role alongside the original cast in a sixth season this year.

Leading director of Broadway and Chicago stages, Gary Griffin returns to Chicago Shakespeare where, as Associate Artistic Director, he stages his twenty-third production. The ten-time Joseph Jefferson Award winner’s CST directing credits feature a diverse body of work spanning musicals (Gypsy, Road Show, Follies); Shakespeare plays (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It); and modern classics (Private Lives, Amadeus). His landmark production of Pacific Overtures went on to the Donmar Warehouse in London, where it garnered the Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production and a nomination for Best Director. Griffin’s work has also been seen on Broadway in Honeymoon in Vegas, The Color Purple and The Apple Tree, as well as at Canada’s Stratford Festival and the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Portraying members of the Royal Family, Jordan Dean and Amanda Drinkall make their Chicago Shakespeare debuts as Charles’s eldest son Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton, both set on carrying forward tradition. Dean has been seen on Broadway in American Psycho, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Mamma Mia!, and in Lincoln Center Theater’s Cymbeline. Drinkall has appeared on Chicago stages at Steppenwolf Theatre, the Goodman Theatre and Victory Gardens. Alec Manley Wilson portrays a conflicted Prince Harry who must find his role in the new family dynamics; he has previously appeared at American Repertory Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club. Rae Gray—with credits at Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre and on Showtime’s Shameless and HBO’s Boardwalk Empire—plays Jess, Harry’s working-class love interest who is met with disapproval from the Royal Family. Kate Skinner performs the role of Camilla; Skinner is a regular at Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC and has appeared on Broadway in The Graduate and Uncle Vanya. Sarah Chalcroft, recent London transplant to Chicago, makes an appearance as Princess Diana.

In his 23rd Chicago Shakespeare production, Sean Fortunato appears as England’s Prime Minister, Mr. Evans. David Lively portrays Mr. Stevens, the head of the opposition party, in his 22nd CST performance. Jonathan Weir(James Reiss), Lawrence Grimm (Clive/Sir Gordon/Speaker of the House) and Demetrios Troy (Spencer/Paul) all return to Chicago Shakespeare. Jen Johansen (Sarah/TV Producer) and Sam Pearson (Couttsey/Sir Michael) make their CST debuts. Grant Niezgodski, Jeff Parker, Tyrone Phillips and Megan Storti make up the ensemble.

Costume Designer Mara Blumenfeld channels the real-life fashions of the British Royal Family, from highly ornamental state uniforms to the daily wear of Kate, Harry and William. Blumenfeld is a frequent collaborator with Griffin, having previously designed Road Show, Sunday in the Park with George and A Midsummer Night’s Dreamat CST. Scenic Designer Scott Davis, along with Associate Scene Designer Alan Schwanke, creates a world that evokes the distinctive settings of the play—including Buckingham Palace, the British Parliament, and 10 Downing Street. King Charles III is Davis’ twenty-fifth production at Chicago Shakespeare, an extensive history that includes Tug of War: Foreign Fire and Civil Strife, Ride the Cyclone, Pericles and Road Show. Also on the award-winning design team are Lighting Designers Philip Rosenberg and Joel Shier and Sound Designers Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen. King Charles III is Rosenberg’s 15th production, including recent designs for Othello, Henry Vand Gypsy. Milburn and Bodeen have been collaborators for over thirty years, with joint credits on and off Broadway. The duo was recently awarded New York’s Lucille Lortel for Outstanding Sound Design in 2016. King Charles III marks the return of Wig and Make-Up Designer Richard Jarvie, who with this production takes over as Chicago Shakespeare’s resident Wig Master. Jarvie designed 28 productions in CST’s early history, most recently The Tempest in 2002. Jarvie has also worked extensively with Canada’s Stratford Festival, the Guthrie Theater and was with the Lyric Opera of Chicago for 28 years—11 of them as Wig Master and Make-up Designer. Rounding out the creative team is Assistant Director Lavina Jadhwani and Dialect Coach Eva Breneman.

For more information about the production, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/KingCharlesIII.

King Charles III will be performed at Chicago Shakespeare Theater November 5, 2016 – January 15, 2017. Tickets are on sale now for $48–$88 (subject to change). Special discounts are available for groups of 10 or more, as well as CST for $20 tickets available for patrons under 35.For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

CST strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons through its Access Shakespeare programs. King Charles III will have an Audio-described performance on December 4, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. (with Touch Tour at 12:00 p.m.), Open-captioned performances on December 29, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. and December 30, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. and an ASL Duo-interpreted performance on Friday, January 6, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a leading international theater company and a recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award®. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, CST is dedicated to creating extraordinary production of classics, new works and family programming; to unlocking Shakespeare’s work for educators and students; and to serving as Chicago’s cultural ambassador through its World’s Stage Series. Through a year-round season encompassing more than 650 performances, CST attracts 225,000 audience members annually. One in four of its audience members is under eighteen years old, and today its education programs have impacted the learning of over one million students. CST is proud to take an active role in empowering the next generation of literate, engaged cultural champions and creative minds. During 2016, CST has spearheaded the Shakespeare 400 Chicago festival in addition to announcing the creation of an innovative performance venue, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare.