SAVE THE DATES: Circolombia’s ACÉLÉRÉ To Play The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare October 23 – November 4, 2018

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Circus troupe combines jaw-dropping acrobatics with dance 

and music culminating 

Destinos – Chicago International Latino Theater Festival

Circolombia’s

ACÉLÉRÉ

Limited engagement in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, 

October 23 – November 4, 2018

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces a special theatrical event from celebrated Colombia circus troupe Circolombia’s Acéléré, presented for a limited engagement in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, October 23–November 4, 2018.

 All Photos by Roberto Ricciuti

Here at ChiIL Live Shows and ChiIL Mama we've reviewed professional circus shows from around the world, and we're beyond excited to see Acéléré! Tickets are sure to be in high demand for this family friendly, short run, circus extravaganza. Don't miss this.

 



Packed with explosive power and raw skill, the high-energy spectacle features jaw-dropping circus feats from aerialists, acrobats, and contortionists—interwoven with the troupe’s signature live music and dance performances, spanning genres from hip-hop and electro cumbia to drum and bass. Straight from an acclaimed run on the Thames’ South Bank under the iconic London Eye and a sell-out engagement at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Acéléré makes its North American debut as the culminating event of the second annual Destinos – Chicago International Latino Theater Festival.

Acéléré is a “non-stop circus party,” according to UK’s The Stage. TimeOut London called it “an adrenaline-fuelled mix of strength, skill and daring… a great night out.” The Scotsman praises the show’s “high-flying acrobatics that make you gasp out loud…This is the circus performance that shows others how it’s done. Go.”

Direct from the Chicago Sister City of Bogotá, Colombia, Circolombia is no ordinary circus troupe. Taking inspiration from Colombia’s diverse communities, the majority of the company is comprised of top graduates from the country’s national circus school.



Circolombia's Acéléré culminates this year’s Destinos – Chicago International Latino Theater Festival (September 20 – November 4), spearheaded by the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA). CLATA was created in 2016 by Executive Director Myrna Salazar and a consortium of Chicago cultural institutions, led by the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA), International Latino Cultural Center (ILCC), and the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance (PRAA). CLATA aims to celebrate and amplify the voices of Latino theater artists in Chicago. Throughout October 2018, Destinos (translated as destinies, destinations, or fate) will feature works by local Chicago Latino theater companies alongside international artists. The presentation of Acéléré marks the second year that Chicago Shakespeare has participated in the Chicago International Latino Theater Festival.



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

Circolombia's Acéléré is presented in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, October 23–November 4, 2018. Single tickets ($30-$45) will be on sale later this summer. 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.



Circolombia's Acéléré joins previously announced productions in the 2018/19 Season:

Peter Pan, A Musical Adventure
CST’s Courtyard Theater | Now through August 19, 2018
music by George Stiles | lyrics by Anthony Drewe | in a new version by Elliot Davis based on the book by Willis Hall | adapted from the play by J.M. Barrie with permission from Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children | directed & choreographed by Amber Mak

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKS
A Midsummer Night's Dream
touring to neighborhood parks | Now through August 26, 2018
adapted and directed by Barbara Gaines

BIG IN BELGIUM | SKaGeN
BigMouth
Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare | September 12–22, 2018
directed & performed by Valentijn Dhaenens

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Nell Gwynn
CST’s Courtyard Theater | September 20–November 4, 2018
by Jessica Swale | directed by Christopher Luscombe

BIG IN BELGIUM | Ontroerend Goed
Fight Night
The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare | October 23–November 4, 2018
written by Alexander Devriendt, Angelo Tijssens, and the Cast | directed by Alexander Devriendt

Q Brothers Christmas Carol
The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare | November 20–December 30, 2018
written by Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, Jax, Pos) | directed by GQ and JQ | developed with Rick Boynton

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
CST’s Courtyard Theater | December 6, 2018–January 27, 2019
by William Shakespeare | directed by Joe Dowling

BIG IN BELGIUM | BRONKS
Us/Them
Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare | January 22–February 3, 2019
written & directed by Carly Wijs

WORLDSTAGE FROM FRANCE | Compagnie Non Nova
L'après midi d'un foehn
The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare | January 23–27, 2019
created by Phia Ménard | co-presented with Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival

Short Shakespeare! Macbeth
CST’s Courtyard Theater | February 16–March 16, 2019
by William Shakespeare | adapted & directed by Marti Lyons

WORLDSTAGE FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM | National Theatre of Great Britain
An Inspector Calls
The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare | February 19–March 10, 2019
by JB Priestly | directed by Stephen Daldry

WORLDSTAGE WORLDSTAGE FROM IRELAND | Abbey Theatre
Two Pints
CST’s The Pub | March 6–31, 2019
by Roddy Doyle | directed by Caitríona McLaughlin

Hamlet
CST’s Courtyard Theater | April 17–June 9, 2019
by William Shakespeare | directed by Barbara Gaines

WORLD PREMIERE
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare | May 30–July 28, 2019
original music & lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman | book by Brian Hill | new songs & additional music & lyrics by Neil Bartram | based on the Walt Disney film


ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER 
A global theatrical force, Chicago Shakespeare Theater 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 winner, the Theater 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 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 Chicago Shakespeare as the city’s most versatile performing arts venue.

OPENING: Waiting for Godot Via Ireland's Druid Theater Company at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre

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Acclaimed Version of Beckett's Waiting for Godot 

Running Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ireland's prestigious Druid theatre company is back with an enthralling new interpretation of Beckett’s seminal work. In one of the most acclaimed plays of the 20th century, two friends wait on a bare road in the middle of nowhere for the arrival of the mysterious Godot. To pass the time, they debate life’s great unanswered questions, when two figures appear at dusk. Druid, recognized as one of the world’s greatest acting ensembles, returns after its previous CST engagements of The Cripple of Inishmaan and The Walworth Farce with this universally acclaimed production of Beckett’s classic.

Marty Rea as Vladimir and Aaron Monaghan as Estragon. 

All Production Photos by Matthew Thompson.

WAITING FOR GODOT exemplifies Chicago Shakespeare Theater's commitment to importing the world's most exciting theatrical events to Chicago and exporting the Theater's productions to global destinations through WorldStage at Chicago Shakespeare.

Two friends wait on a bare road in the middle of nowhere for the arrival of the mysterious Godot. To pass the time, they debate life's great unanswered questions, until two figures appear at dusk. The Irish Times lauds it as "the freshest, funniest and most affecting production of the play in at least a quarter of a century."

Through its many successes, Druid has maintained a core group of actors, designers, and production crew who work closely on the company's acclaimed artistic program, including long-form projects such as DruidSynge and DruidShakespeare.

 Aaron Monaghan as Estragon. Photo by Matthew Thompson.

Aaron Monaghan as Estragon, Garrett Lombard as Lucky, and Marty Rea as Vladimir. 

THE IRISH TIMES lauds Druid's WAITING FOR GODOT as "the freshest, funniest and most affecting production of the play in at least a quarter of a century."

A. Birkett as Boy and Marty Rea as Vladimir. 

Internationally recognized as a groundbreaking theater company, Druid returns to Chicago Shakespeare after previous engagements of THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN (2011) and THE WALWORTH FARCE (2009). 

 Pictured: Rory Nolan as Pozzo.

To date, WorldStage at Chicago Shakespeare has featured over 1,000 artists from 22 countries spanning five continents--including artists from South Africa, China, India, Belarus, France, Russia, and the UK. 

Marty Rea as Vladimir and Aaron Monaghan as Estragon.

The Waiting for Godot company includes Garret Lombard (Lucky), Aaron Monaghan (Estragon), Rory Nolan (Pozzo), and Marty Rea (Vladamir)-all members of the Druid Ensemble. Joining Garry Hynes on the creative team are Francis O'Connor (Design), James F. Ingalls (Lighting Design), Greg Clarke (Sound Design), and Nick Winston (Movement Director).

WAITING FOR GODOT is directed by Garry Hynes, the first woman to ever win the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play, for her production of Martin McDonagh's debut work THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE, which premiered in 1998.

Marty Rea as Vladimir and Aaron Monaghan as Estragon. 

The Druid theatre company production of Beckett's masterpiece WAITING FOR GODOT takes the stage at Chicago Shakespeare for a limited engagement, May 23-June 3, 2018.

Waiting for Godot exemplifies Chicago Shakespeare Theater's commitment to importing the world's most exciting theatrical events to Chicago and exporting the Theater's productions to global destinations through WorldStage at Chicago Shakespeare. To date, the program has featured over 1,000 artists from 22 countries spanning five continents-including artists from South Africa, China, India, Belarus, France, Russia, and the UK. Many of the globe's most iconic troupes have made Chicago their stage, including: The Abbey Theatre from Dublin, Shakespeare's Globe from London, the Chekhov International Theatre Festival from Moscow, La Comédie Française from Paris, and The Farber Foundry from South Africa.

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

Waiting for Godot will be presented in Chicago Shakespeare's Courtyard Theater for a limited engagement, May 23-June 3, 2018. Single tickets are on sale now for $68-$88 (subject to change). Special discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. 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.

ABOUT Chicago Shakespeare Theater

A global theatrical force, Chicago Shakespeare Theater 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 winner, the Theater 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 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 Chicago Shakespeare as the city's most versatile performing arts venue.

OPENING: Schiller's Mary Stuart at Chicago Shakespeare Through 4/15/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Electrifying new take on storied rivalry

Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots face off in

Schiller's

MARY STUART

at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, beginning February 21, 2018

February 21–April 15, 2018

I'll be out for the press opening March 1st, so check back soon for my full review. We're eager to catch this royal clash between fierce cousins, Mary, Queen of Scots, and her cousin Elizabeth I, Queen of England. Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is renowned for world class productions with brilliant casting, gorgeous costumes, and stunning set design. The two fiercely independent women at the center of the showdown are portrayed by acclaimed actresses K.K. Moggie as Mary and Kellie Overbey as Elizabeth. Don't miss this!

Mary Stuart, Peter Oswald’s electrifying new take on the famously bitter rivalry between Mary, Queen of Scots, and her cousin Elizabeth I, Queen of England comes to Chicago this February. Award-winning director Jenn Thompson, former artistic director of The Actors Company Theater (named “Company of the Year” by The Wall Street Journal), stages the production in CST’s Courtyard Theater, February 21–April 15, 2018.

Mary Stuart is presented in Chicago Shakespeare’s Courtyard Theater, February 21–April 15, 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. 
Accessible performances for Mary Stuart include:
•Open-captioning – Thursday, March 29 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
•ASL Duo-interpretation – Friday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m.
•Audio-description – Sunday, March 18 at 2:00 p.m. (with optional touch tour at 12:00 p.m.)

Two extraordinary women clash in a no-holds-barred power play over the right to rule. Queen Elizabeth I must decide the fate of her imprisoned cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, who is accused of treason. In a single, clandestine meeting where both women’s ambitions are laid bare, the fate of two countries is decided. Seduction, greed, and deception make for a thrilling war of words between the formidable queens—each surrounded by a cadre of men, jockeying for power and influence.

Peter Oswald’s new high-stakes telling of Friedrich Schiller’s nineteenth century drama premiered at the Donmar Warehouse under the direction of the legendary Phyllida Lloyd. Following rave reviews, the production swiftly transferred to the West End and to Broadway for extended runs, garnering multiple Olivier and Tony Award nominations. Variety praises, "This is no stodgy history lesson but a juicy regal smackdown rendered in direct, muscular language." The New York Times said Oswald’s play has "a fierce timelessness in its depiction of political power games."

Bringing the inimitable women to life onstage are K.K. Moggie as Mary Stuart and Kellie Overbey as Queen Elizabeth I. Moggie’s extensive off-Broadway theater credits include performances at MCC Theater, Classic Stage Company, and Atlantic Theater Company. Overbey made her Broadway debut in the Steppenwolf transfer production of Sam Shepard’s Buried Child, directed by Gary Sinise. She has since appeared on Broadway in The Coast of Utopia (Parts 1, 2 and 3), Twentieth Century, QED, and Judgment at Nuremberg.

Full cast and creative team is announced below. For more information, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/mary.

Creative Team

Andromache Chalfant
Scenic Designer
Linda Cho  
Costume Designer
Philip Rosenberg
Co-Lighting Designer
Greg Hofmann
Co-Lighting Designer
Mikhail Fiskel
Co-Sound Designer
Miles Polaski
Co-Sound Designer
Richard Jarvie
Wig and Make-up Designer
Kathryn Walsh
Verse Coach
Marylynne Anderson Cooper
Assistant Director
Cailin Lowans
Dramaturg
Cast

Andrew Chown
Mortimer
Patrick Clear
Melvil/Aubespine
Tim Decker
Leicester
Kai Alexander Ealy
O'Kelly
Kevin Gudahl
Paulet
Robert Jason Jackson
Shrewsbury
Michael Joseph Mitchell
Bellievre/Davison
K.K. Moggie
Mary Stuart
Kellie Overbey
Queen Elizabeth I
Barbara Robertson
Hanna Kennedy
David Studwell
Burleigh
Nathan Calaranan
Ensemble
Jake Elkins
Ensemble


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 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.

OPENING: The Good Fight at City Lit Via Babes With Blades Through February 17th

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

BABES WITH BLADES THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES CHICAGO PREMIERE OF

THE GOOD FIGHT AT THE CITY LIT THEATER,

JANUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 17, 2018

A Remarkable True Chapter in the Struggle for Women’s Suffrage:

The English Suffragettes who Learned Jujutsu

running time is 1 hour and 45 minutes 

including intermission

Babes With Blades Theatre Company (BWBTC) has been a favorite of ours here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows for decades! We adore their female centered period pieces and original works, and we're particularly jazzed to see The Good Fight. We're also completely down with their mission statement:

In each element of their programming, BWBTC embraces two key concepts:

1)     Women are central to the story, driving the action rather than responding or submitting to it

2)     Women are capable of a full emotional and physical range, up to and including violence and its consequences.

The company offers participants and patrons alike an unparalleled opportunity to experience women as heroes and villains; rescuers and rescuees; right, wrong, and everywhere in between: exciting, vivid, dynamic PEOPLE. It’s as simple and as subversive as that.

 I'll be out on MLK Day, Monday the 15th, for the press opening, so check back shortly after for my full review. I love that in the microcosm of Chicago's theatre world, this show is coming on the heels of Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's incredible Women's suffrage version of Taming of the Shrew, conceived and directed by the inimitable Barbara Gaines. It's my least favorite Shakespearian work and I'm still stunned and elated that Barbara was able to work some serious magic with this historically problematic, misogynistic piece and turn it into a feminist masterpiece, while remaining true to Shakespeare's original words and themes.

I can't wait to immerse myself in the women's suffrage era once again, with Babes With Blades, and experience a kick ass element of the movement we never learned in school, The English Suffragettes who Learned Jujutsu.

BWBTC continues its 20th Anniversary Season: “Origins” with the Chicago premiere of The Good Fight, playing at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., January 6 – February 17, 2018.  

Developed in 2011 through BWBTC’s Fighting Words program under the title Deeds Not Words, the play is written by Anne Bertram, executive director of Theatre Unbound, a Minneapolis/St. Paul company devoted to work by and about women. Elizabeth Lovelady, a Jeff Award-winning artist based in Chicago, directs The Good Fight, which features combat by Fight Choreographer Gaby Labotka. Preview performances are Saturday, Jan. 6 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 7 at 3 p.m., Friday, Jan. 12 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 13 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 14 at 3 p.m. Opening Night is Monday, Jan. 15 at 8 p.m. Regular performances are Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Preview tickets are $10, student and senior tickets are $15, early bird general admission (available online through January 15, 2018) are $20 and general admission (after January 15, 2018) are $25. To purchase tickets and for more information, please visit BabesWithBlades.org.

The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), led by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter Christabel, was the primary militant group pushing for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom. Under the slogan "Deeds, not words," the WSPU advocated targeting property as a form of protest, from smashing shop windows to burning and bombing buildings. Imprisoned WSPU members – including Pankhurst – launched hunger strikes, which were initially countered by the authorities with force-feeding; later the government introduced the "Cat and Mouse Act," under which starving suffragettes were released, only to be re-imprisoned once regaining their health. To defend their leaders and comrades, the WSPU established "The Bodyguard" – a secret, all-female security team, trained in jujutsu – and the good fight began.

So what do British women from the early 20th century have to say to today's audiences?

“They had to arrive at answers for questions that sound awfully familiar: When is it OK to use violence? What difference does it make if women are in power? If you believe a law is unjust, should you break it?” said Playwright Anne Bertram. “It’s also good to remind ourselves about the price these women paid to secure women’s voting rights. They were imprisoned, tortured, force-fed. Some died.”  Adds Director Elizabeth Lovelady, "The US has plenty of problems, but we have so many rights and comforts that women in other parts of the world don't enjoy. During our auditions, as an example of how 'this is still happening,' I frequently referenced the fact that women in Saudi Arabia aren't allowed to drive. But since our auditions took place, the law has changed – and the change was largely influenced by women who broke the law and drove, and posted videos of it online. I think there's a lesson there, that you have to resist, but you also have to publicize your resistance to really influence a change. And that's a thing the women in this play do really well.”

Lovelady continues, “Lately there's so much discussion of white feminism (meaning white women who only care about moving themselves forward and don't recognize or try to address the unique issues that women of color face), which has been an issue with feminism since the get-go. So one way that I'm trying to bring this play out of the "history" department and into the "now" department is by casting a diverse array of women. To be clear, it's still set in the original time period, but we are populating the play with a group of women who don't look like you would expect. Instead they look like the people you'd ride the el with, making it speak more to the present. I hope that including women of color in this production will be a reminder that we are all in this together. And her rights are my rights. And if she's oppressed, we all need to stand up and fight.”

The cast of The Good Fight includes Scottie Caldwell, “Gertrude Harding;” Elisabeth Del Toro, "Mary;" Alison Dornheggen*, "Christabel Pankhurst/Edith Garrud;" Delia Ford*, "Harriet Kerr;" David Kaplinsky, "Mr. Dickinson/Charlie/Inspector McBrien/Constable;" Jean Marie Koon, "Emmeline Pankhurst;" Jillian Leff, "Cicely;" Arielle Leverett, "Grace Roe;" C. Jaye Miller, "Hilda;" Taylor Raye, "Emily Wilding Davison/Wardess;" Joseff Stevenson, "Home Secretary McKenna/Constable/Inspector Gray/Jujutsu Demonstrator" and Richard Traub, "Mr. Hunt/Bill/Constable/Prison Guard" with Tina Arfaee and Catherine Dvorak*, understudies.

The production team for The Good Fight includes Anne Bertram, Playwright and Elizabeth Lovelady, Director with Samantha Barr, Production Manager; Lauren Brady, Assistant Stage Manager; Kenya Hall, Dramaturg; Rose Hamill, Stage Manager; Carrie Hardin, Dialect Coach; Gaby Labotka, Fight Choreography; Kimberly G. Morris*, Costume Design; Patrick O’Brien, Sound Design; Rachel Rauscher, Scenic Design; Julia Skeggs, Assistant Director; Arielle Valene, Properties Design and Becca Venable, Lighting Design, Technical Director.

*denotes BWBTC ensemble member

The Good Fight SPECIAL EVENTS
“No Man Shall Protect Us” filming
Throughout January

“No Man Shall Protect Us” is a documentary on a secret society of women who served as bodyguards for the leaders of the radical suffragette movement in England during 1913/14. The documentary was crowd funded via a successful Kickstarter campaign during October 2017.  The production will make use of rare archival media, including photographs and silent film, as well as the narrative device of interview-style monologues by actors portraying key historical figures, such as suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst.  Re-enactment sequences, including action scenes, will be shot during January and February of 2018 and the completed documentary will then be made freely available online as an educational resource, marking the 100th anniversary of women's voting rights in England.

Writer/producer Tony Wolf is the author of the young-reader biography “Edith Garrud: The Suffragette Who Knew Jujutsu” (2009) and the graphic novel trilogy “Suffrajitsu: Mrs. Pankhurst's Amazons” (2015).  He also wrote and co-produced the feature documentary Bartitsu: The Lost Martial Art of Sherlock Holmes (2011).  Wolf has served as a historical consultant for several playwrights writing on the suffragette Bodyguard theme, including The Good Fight author Anne Bertram, as well as for BBC television productions including “Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting: The Rise of Martial Arts in Britain” (2013) and “The One Show” (2014).

The collaboration with Babes With Blades Theatre Company's production of The Good Fight will take place during January of 2018 and will involve shooting scenes from the play, which will then be edited to feature as re-enactment sequences in the documentary. 

Open Caption Weekend
January 25 – 28

All performances this weekend of The Good Fight feature open captioning by Caption Point, on a screen provided by the Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium (CCAC) Accessible Equipment Loan Program. 

“Women’s Suffrage: A Radical Difference in Tactics” – A Post-Show Talkback Sunday, Jan. 28

Emily E. LB. Twarog, PhD (Assistant Professor of History and Labor Studies at the University of Illinois’ School of Labor and Employment Relations - Labor Education Program; Director of the Regina V. Polk Women’s Labor Leadership Conference) and Tony Wolf (author of “Edith Garrud: The Suffragette Who Knew Jujutsu, Suffrajitsu: Mrs. Pankhurst's Amazons;” co-producer of No Man Shall Protect Us) compare and contrast the largely peaceful and law-abiding women's suffrage movement in the US with the radical militancy that characterized the UK movement between the years 1902-1914.

Pay What You Can Performances
Thursdays, Jan. 18 and 25 and Feb. 1 and 8
To reserve a PWYC seat, call 773-904-0391. 

IMPACT Weekend February 15 – 17
The Babes will be taking a post-show collection in honor of IMPACT Chicago at all performances this weekend. IMPACT is committed to ending violence and building a non-violent world in which all people can live safely and with dignity. By teaching self-defense, IMPACT provides women and girls with the tools they need to prevent, minimize, and stop violence.  IMPACT Chicago is committed to making its programs accessible to people of all economic, racial/ethnic, and social groups. For more information on IMPACT Chicago, please go to www.impactchicago.org.

ABOUT ANNE BERTRAM, PLAYWRIGHT

Anne Bertram is a founding artistic associate of Theatre Unbound, a Minneapolis/St. Paul company devoted to work by and about women. She currently serves as its executive director. Her work as a playwright has been seen in venues from off-Off Broadway to middle-school classrooms in Fargo, as well as successful runs with Theatre Unbound, including Murderess (2011) and The Good Fight (2012). Awards and commissions include Northwestern University’s Agnes Nixon Playwriting Award (lovehateforgive), The Playwrights’ Center’s Jones Commission (The Donner Gold), Studio Z’s Playwright in Electronic Residence Commission (St. Luke’s) and the Tennessee Williams One-Act Prize (Liability).

ABOUT ELIZABETH LOVELADY, DIRECTOR

Elizabeth Lovelady is a director, playwright, arts administrator and sometimes performer. She won the 2016 non-equity Jeff for Best Adaptation for D.O.A. with Strawdog Theatre, which she also directed. She is an artistic associate of Red Theater where she directed Prince Max's Trewly Awful Trip to the Desolat Interior and 20% Theatre where she directed Fanny's First Play and Photograph 51. Other favorite directing credits include Lone Star/Laundry and Bourbon, Crimes of the Heart, The Dining Room (Oil Lamp); The War to End War: Los Alamos (The Island) and Off the Spectrum, a devised piece she created as part of Red Tape Theatre’s Fresh Eyes project. She also created and performed the one-woman show A Simple Lesson in Baking with Marie Antoinette. 

ABOUT GABY LABOTKA, FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER

Gaby Labotka previously worked with BWBTC as assistant violence designer and Gloucester/Hartleur/John Bates for Henry V. Most recently, Labotka directed Wasteland Hero for the Reutan Collective and was the violence director for Night in Alachua County presented by WildClaw Theatre. She is currently the fight choreographer/assistant director for 'Twas the Night Before Christmas presented by Emerald City Theatre.  She is an advanced actor combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) and is frequently a teaching assistant for stage combat classes at Movement and Combat Education (MACE), The Actors Gymnasium and regional stage combat workshops. She is a proud member of the Alliance of Latinx Theatre Artists (ALTA).



ABOUT BABES WITH BLADES THEATRE COMPANY

Gender parity is a hot topic, with news clip after article after report documenting how women, and women’s stories, are still underrepresented. Babes With Blades Theatre Company’s response – now, for the past 20 years, and moving forward – is to develop and present scripts focused on complex, dynamic (and often combative) female characters.

In each element of their programming, they embrace two key concepts:

1)     Women are central to the story, driving the action rather than responding or submitting to it

2)     Women are capable of a full emotional and physical range, up to and including violence and its consequences.

The company offers participants and patrons alike an unparalleled opportunity to experience women as heroes and villains; rescuers and rescuees; right, wrong, and everywhere in between: exciting, vivid, dynamic PEOPLE. It’s as simple and as subversive as that.

Babes With Blades Theatre Company (BWBTC) continues its 20th Anniversary Season: “Origins” with the Chicago premiere of The Good Fight, playing at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., January 6 – February 17, 2018.  Developed in 2011 through BWBTC’s Fighting Words program under the title Deeds Not Words, the play is written by Anne Bertram, executive director of Theatre Unbound, a Minneapolis/St. Paul company devoted to work by and about women. Elizabeth Lovelady, a Jeff Award-winning artist based in Chicago, directs The Good Fight, which features combat by Fight Choreographer Gaby Labotka. Preview performances are Saturday, Jan. 6 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 7 at 3 p.m., Friday, Jan. 12 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 13 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 14 at 3 p.m. Opening Night is Monday, Jan. 15 at 8 p.m. Regular performances are Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Preview tickets are $10, student and senior tickets are $15, early bird general admission (available online through January 15, 2018) are $20 and general admission (after January 15, 2018) are $25. To purchase tickets and for more information, please visit BabesWithBlades.org. 

BWBTC’s 2017-18 programming is partially made possible by the kind support of The Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The Illinois Arts Council Agency, and a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.

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.