THE GRAVITY DEFYING ONE-MAN SHOW "LEO" MAKES ITS CHICAGO AREA PREMIERE AT THE ECC ARTS CENTER OCT. 26-27
Tickets for This Internationally Acclaimed, Best of the Edinburgh Festival Winner Are Now On Sale to the General Public
Elgin Community College (ECC) Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Dr, Elgin, Ill. presents the Chicago area premiere of the internationally renowned Circle of Eleven's critically-acclaimed one-man gravity defying show "LEO," Friday, Oct. 26 and Saturday, Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m.
"LEO," starring the multi-talented performer Tobias Wegner is a surprising, hilarious, and moving show sure to be a hit with audiences age 8 to 80. Based on an original idea by and performed by Wegner and directed by Daniel Brière, "LEO" uses an ingenious combination of stage design and video projections to create an unexpected environment for extraordinary feats of acrobatic theater in which "our hero" literally loses his sense of gravity and departs on a logic-defying adventure. .
"LEO" is the newest creation of the Berlin-based production company Circle of Eleven. Directed by the Montréal-based actor and director Daniel Brière, it won several major awards at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe festival including the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award, the Three Weeks Editors Award and The Scotsman Fringe First Award. When "LEO" made its U.S. debut in New York City this past January Time Out New York called it “an eye-teasing, grin-inducing, deeply impressive work of sustained absurdist magic”
and The New York Post raved, "Alternately funny and poetic... 'LEO' soars."
The ECC Arts Center engagement is the only Chicago area site currently scheduled for the "LEO" fall 2012 North American Tour.
Tobias Wegner (performer/creator) completed his acrobatic training at the Belgium University of Contemporary Circus Arts (E.S.A.C.) in Brussels. His professional career has taken him to, among other places, Brazil, Spain, and India. He has also performed at the Southbank Centre (London), the Théâtre de la Cité Internationale (Paris), the Schauspiel Frankfurt, and the Staatsoper unter den Linden (Berlin). In 2008, Tobias won the European competition "Jeunes Talents Cirque Europe" with the project AIUAIO and his own company of the same name.
Daniel Brière (director) is co-artistic director of the Nouveau Théâtre Expérimental in Montreal, where he has created new work since 2003. He has directed more than 20 theater productions, including "LÉO," which was created in Berlin, won three awards at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and has since toured to New York, New Zealand, Singapore, Brazil, and elsewhere. As an actor, Brière has appeared in film and played a variety of roles in Quebec and overseas. His television include the popular TV comedy "The Parent Family," for which he was awarded the 2011 Artis Prize for a male lead.
The design team includes Flavia Hevia (set and lighting design), Heiko Kalmbach (video design); Ingo Panke (animation); and Heather McCrimmon (costume design). Creative Producer is Gregg Parks.
Tickets may be purchased online by clicking here or at the ECC box office located in the arts center. Box office hours are noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 5 p.m. Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. To purchase tickets by phone, call 847-622-0300. All major credit cards are accepted.
For more information about the ECC Arts Center, visit elgin.edu/arts. Video clips of upcoming artists and events can be found at youtube.com/ECCArtsCenter. Connect and talk to the arts center on Standing Room Only, a blog at eccartscenter.com. The arts center also can be followed on Twitter at twitter.com/ECCArtsCenter. Become a fan of the arts center on Facebook at facebook.com/ECCArtsCenter.
"LEO" makes its Chicago area premiere at the ECC Arts Center
1700 Spartan Dr,
Elgin, Ill.
Friday, Oct. 26 and Saturday, Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m.
"LEO" is appropriate for theatre goers of all ages and recommended for those 8 and up.
Tickets are $33 for adults / $20 for children 12 and under and on sale now to the general public.
