THIS SUNDAY 12/10: FREE SUNDAY SCHOLARS LINE-UP FOR IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY AFTER 2PM MATINEE

TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY AMPS UP

FREE SUNDAY SCHOLARS LINE-UP FOR

IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY

DR. LAUREN STREICHER, TERRI KAPSALIS TO TACKLE FEMALE “HYSTERIA” THEN AND NOW, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10 AT STAGE 773

(top, from left) Dr. Lauren Streicher, Terri Kapsalis,

and (bottom) Rochelle Therrien and Melissa Canciller in TimeLine Theatre Company’s

IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY. Production photo credit: Lara Goetsch

Noted women’s sexual health expert and TV personality Dr. Lauren Streicher, and educator Terri Kapsalis, author of "Hysteria, Witches, and The Wandering Uterus, Or Why I Teach 'The Yellow Wallpaper'" will headline TimeLine Theatre Company’s “Sunday Scholars” panel connected to IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY, Sunday, December 10 at 4:30 p.m. at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Avenue, Chicago.

Catch the buzz at TimeLine’s free Sunday Scholars event, which follows immediately after the 2 p.m. matinee of its current hit production of Sarah Ruhl’s intimate and humorous play about a Victorian era doctor, his sexually repressed wife, and the invention of a new piece of electrical machinery meant to treat the common affliction of female “hysteria.”

Streicher is an Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University’s medical school, The Feinberg School of Medicine; the medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause; and a noted TV personality.

Kapsalis is the author of Jane Addams’ Travel Medicine Kit, The Hysterical Alphabet, and Public Privates: Performing Gynecology from Both Ends of the Speculum; a co-founder of Theater Oobleck; and a collective member at Chicago Women’s Health Center.

Both will bring their deep expertise to TimeLine’s “Sunday Scholars,” and delve into the story and themes of sexual awakening and female equality found in Ruhl’s IN THE NEXT ROOM, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award nominee for Best Play.

TimeLine Company Member Maren Robinson, who served as dramaturg on the production, will moderate the panel, followed by audience Q&A.

Rochelle Therrien and Anish Jethmalani in TimeLine Theatre Company’s IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY. Credit: Lara Goetsch

Inspired by the book The Technology of Orgasm by Rachel P. Maines, Sarah Ruhl’s IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY is set in the 1880s, when Thomas Edison’s invention of the electric light began to change the fabric of daily life. Inspired by Edison’s discovery, scientist and inventor Dr. Givings experiments with a piece of machinery to treat the increasingly common affliction of female hysteria. When he starts to see a new patient regularly, his wife’s curiosity with the invention and what occurs “in the next room” grows, leading to discoveries of her own. This intimate and humorous story of self-discovery reveals that human connection is not simply a means to an end, but a vital part of life itself.

ChiIL Live Shows' Review: TimeLine Theatre Company In the Next Room, or the vibrator play

**Wow! Hysterical historical gem on sexuality science vs. sensuality at the dawn of the electric light! ** 

When I heard what playwright Sarah Ruhl was tackling IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY, I was excited to see it. I enjoy her thought provoking writing style immensely. She has the wit and wisdom to delve deeply into the psychology of human behavior and relationships while keeping things delightfully funny. 

We were drawn in by the great lobby display of a vintage vibrator and hilarious ads. Since the 773 space is shared by several shows simultaneously Timeline couldn't do their customary full blown lobby installation, so there's an on line component, which is an up side for those not in Chicago, or theatre goers who want to learn more, or were short on time to peruse the lobby at show time.

It's thrilling that Ruhl’s IN THE NEXT ROOM is now a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award nominee for Best Play. This is an era and an area of study woefully underrepresented on stage, particularly from women's point of view and it's at once enlightening and amusing how much sexually bumbling and clueless male scientists presumed they knew about women physically, emotionally and mentally. It's funny that many men still haven't caught up, in over a century!

It's particularly striking that the 1880's were bringing illumination in the form of the brand new electric light, and how the fears and excitement over this advent mirrored the evolution of vibrators. There were naysayers who wanted to maintain the relative darkness and mystique of candlelight and thought that romance and gentility would be lost in the bright wash of electric light. Some thought it would be dangerous or harmful. Yet, once lights became more familiar, people found them quite useful and superior to the dangers and drawbacks of candlelight.





The Victorian era costumes in Timeline Theatre's production are absolutely delightful, as is the attention to detail in the set design and props. All "treatments" are tastefully and modestly done, so the production never crosses into exploitive or prurient realms, and stays story based. The entire cast is phenomenal, making this period piece a joy to see. The chemistry on stage is palpable and it's fascinating to see the relationships developing among unlikely friends. This production brings in racial tensions, class issues, motherhood, lesbian attractions, the agonies of having to hire a wet nurse and having to be one, infant love and loss, loneliness, orgasms, and maladies, real and perceived. Even the link between creativity, creative blocks, loss, and sexual tension are explored. Ultimately, women take charge of their own methods and means of satiation, and the tightly wound doctor learns the sensual joys of letting go and doing something out of character and out of doors, one snowy evening with his passionate wife. This is an utterly satisfying play and a unique night out. Highly recommended.



Here’s what the critics are saying about TimeLine’s fresh new staging of IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY:

"Plugged in and amped up...it's like director Mechelle Moe

took the show and gave it a firmer shove toward the

right spot for the here and now. 3 stars!”

-Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, full review

"A charming and titillating look at life

in the bad old 19th century…

where clueless men misunderstand female sexuality.”

-Nancy Bishop, Third Coast Review, full review

“Hot stuff, fundamental stuff

and surprisingly funny stuff."

-Jonathan Abarbanel, Windy City Times, full review

IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY runs through December 16 at Stage 773. Single tickets are $42.50-$56.50. Student discount is 35% off regular price with valid ID. TimeLine also offers $25 tickets to U.S. military personnel, veterans, first responders, and their spouses and family. Discounted rates for groups of 10 or more are also available. For tickets and information, visit timelinetheatre.com or call the Stage 773 Box Office at (773) 327-5252.

Stage 773 is located one-half block west of the corner of Belmont and Racine and immediately east of Theater Wit in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood. The theater is accessible via the CTA El stop at Belmont (Red/Brown/Purple lines). CTA bus #77-Belmont stops at Racine. Valet parking is available for $12 and there is also limited free and metered street parking nearby. Visit timelinetheatre.com for complete directions and parking information. Stage 773 is accessible for people with disabilities.    



TimeLine’s IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY is directed by TimeLine Company Member Mechelle Moe. The cast features TimeLine Associate Artist Anish Jethmalani (Dr. Givings), Edgar Sanchez (Leo Irving), Dana Tretta (Annie), Melissa Canciller (Sabrina Daldry), Joel Ewing (Mr. Daldry), Krystel McNeil (Elizabeth) and Rochelle Therrien (Catherine Givings).The production team includes Sarah JHP Watkins (Scenic Designer), Alison Siple (Costume Designer), Brandon Wardell (Lighting Designer), Andrew Hansen (Original Music / Sound Designer), Vivian Knouse (Properties Designer), Katie Cordts (Wig Designer), Eva Breneman (Dialect Designer), Maren Robinson (Dramaturg), Jared Bellot (Assistant Director), Daniel Parsons (Production Assistant), and Miranda Anderson (Stage Manager).

What's the buzz about TimeLine's Theatre's

IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY?

Watch the teaser video:

A peek at IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY

PANELIST BIOGRAPHIES
Theater maker and educator Terri Kapsalis is the author of Jane Addams' Travel Medicine Kit, The Hysterical Alphabet, and Public Privates: Performing Gynecology from Both Ends of the Speculum. As a collective member at Chicago Women’s Health Center, she co-founded TGAP (Trans Greater Access Project) and the Integrative Medicine Program. Since 2000, she has taught a renowned course at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago titled "The Wandering Uterus: Journeys through Gender, Race, and Medicine." Her essay “Hysteria, Witches, and The Wandering Uterus: A Brief History, or Why I Teach ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’” was published on Literary Hub in April 2017. A co-founder of Theater Oobleck, she has performed in over 35 productions.  

Lauren Streicher, MD is an Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University’s medical school, The Feinberg School of Medicine and the medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause. Her clinical interests include all aspects of women’s health but Dr. Streicher has a particular interest and expertise in menopause and sexual health. She frequently speaks and writes about the history of medicine including her recent lecture at a national medical conference on The History and Current Medical Use of the Vibrator. She is the author of Sex Rx: Hormones, Health and Your Best Sex Ever which includes a chapter on the history of the vibrator. Dr. Streicher has also published The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy. She appears weekly on WGN Morning News and is a frequent guest on shows such as The Dr. Oz Show, The Steve Harvey Show, The Today Show and Good Morning America. She is a Fellow in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a member of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America, Inc., The International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health, The Scientific Network on Female Sexual Health and Cancer, and is a Certified Menopause Practitioner of The North American Menopause Society.  

FREE Open House Event Featuring FIVE ORIGINAL WORKS-IN-PROCESS via House Theatre at Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts

THE HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO 

HOSTS 

FREE OPEN HOUSE EVENT 

FEATURING 

FIVE ORIGINAL WORKS-IN-PROCESS 

AS PART OF THE UCHICAGO PERFORMANCE LAB SATURDAY, AUGUST 5

13 Works Have Been Supported by The House this Summer in Partnership with University of Chicago at their Logan Center for the Arts for the Fourth Year Running.

The House Theatre of Chicago, in partnership with University of Chicago’s Theatre and Performance Studies Program and their Logan Center for the Arts, presents an afternoon Open House touring new works in development. Guests will have the opportunity to see short selections from five projects, and meet the creative artists spearheading them. The audience in attendance will break into small groups and tour each project in various creative spaces in the state-of-the-art Logan Center.  

The Open House is held Saturday, August 5 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E 60th St, Chicago IL on the University of Chicago campus. Refreshments to follow. 

**Admission is Free with RSVP via The House’s website, thehousetheatre.com.**

The House is providing varying levels of support for 13 projects through the UChicago Performance Lab in the summer of 2017. Five of those are featured in the Open House event on August 5.

WHAT: Open House featuring five theatrical works in development in five spaces of the Logan Center for the Arts. Guests will be lead on a guided tour stopping at each project’s station for a short presentation.

WHO: Company Members and guests artists of The House Theatre of Chicago will present short selections. The public is invited to attend. The event is recommended for ages 10 and up.

WHERE: The Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E 60th St, Chicago IL on the University of Chicago campus.

WHEN: Saturday, August 5, from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. with refreshments following


Projects to be Featured at the August 5 Open House
Verboten
By Brett Neveu and Jason Narducy
Directed by Nathan Allen
The story of how punk rock saved a lost kid's present and future life. It’s 1982. After making the long flight from Seattle, Dave and his parents head to his cousin Tracey’s home in Evanston for a summertime visit. Tracey and her teenage bandmates, all serious punk rockers stuck in suburbia, blow Dave away with their stories, their brashness, their ability to overcome damaging family crap with their overall punk excellentness as they head toward playing a make-or-break show.

Ellen Bond, Union Spy
Written by Jenni Lamb
Music, Lyrics & Movement by Tanji Harper & Blu Rhythm Collective
Conceived & Directed by Jess McLeod
*Included in The House’s upcoming Season 16*
The year is 1864. The Civil War has ripped America in half, and while Union forces greatly outnumber the Confederates, Jefferson Davis and his generals doggedly persevere. Who can help end the war and free slaves once and for all? Enter Ellen Bond, Union Spy! Mary Bowser is the (real!) freed former slave woman who risked her life to go undercover as "Ellen Bond, dim-witted but able servant" inside the Confederate White House. "Ellen" cooks, cleans, and uses her photographic memory to collect military intelligence from the papers on Davis's desk to help win the war and free American slaves. Meet Mary/Ellen, her fellow spies, and the generals and gentility of the Confederacy in this new multi-genre serio-comedy featuring contemporary music and fantastical breakout dance sequences!

Hatfield & McCoy
By Shawn Pfautsch
Music by Matt Kahler and Shawn Pfautsch
Directed by Matt Hawkins
**Included in The House’s upcoming Season 16**
Murder and moonshine! Hoe-Downs and Holy Rollin’! It’s the true tale of the most infamous family feud in American history. Gunplay and romance erupt between the Hatfields and McCoys, served up with a heaping helping of bluegrass and bloody revenge. Shawn Pfautsch’s love letter to Romeo and Juliet in a philosophically polarized America was originally produced in Season 4. This revised piece now features a new score, expanded to included a wide variety of Americana music styles from blues, to gospel, to pop, and of course, bluegrass.

Little Girl, Don't Fall
By Jesse Roth, with music by Matthew Muñiz
An adaptation of the Bluebeard fairytale, Little Girl, Don’t Fall is a heroine’s journey, a gothic ghost-story, and a fairytale mash-up musical for young women who don’t know how to fall in love–and are too chippy to listen to those who try to tell them.

Nova to Lodestar
By Nathan Allen, Lee Keenan, Sandor Weisz
Nova to Lodestar is a live, asymmetric, cooperative game played by two teams in two separate rooms. Lead by the creators of Season 14’s The Last Defender, this all-new adventure will once again set audience-teams to work on challenging puzzles and collaborations.  Players will take on the roles of space miners set adrift after their ships collide, and must learn to spend resources between their two ships to get everyone home safely.

Additional projects receiving support from The House this summer as part of the UChicago Performance Lab include Pinocchio, by Ben Lobpries and Joey Steakley, Thatcher Woods by Monty Cole, Borealis by Bennett Fisher, The Violet Sequence by John Henry Roberts, TONY KUSHNER CONSIDERS WRITING A GAY FANTASIA BASED ON NATIONAL THEMES: A FANTASIA BY CALAMITY WEST by Calamity West with director Seth Bockley, The Ragged Claws  by Lina Patel in collaboration with Silk Road Rising, Kissing by Abigail Boucher, and Saved by the Bell by Marika Mashburn. 

FREE Staged Reading of Sarah Ruhl’s In The Next Room, or the vibrator play

The Chicago Inclusion Project

announces casting for upcoming reading of 

Sarah Ruhl’s In The Next Room, 

or the vibrator play

in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company and 

The League of Chicago Theatres

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we thoroughly enjoy both Sarah Ruhl's writing and TimeLine Theatre Company's productions. Even though this one's just a staged reading at this point, it sounds intriguing. 

Chicago Inclusion Project Founder and Producer Emjoy Gavino is pleased to announce the cast of the next of The Chicago Inclusion Projects reading series, In the Next Room, or the vibratory play by Sarah Ruhl.

The reading, presented in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company and The League of Chicago Theatres, will take place on Tuesday, August 9, 2016 at 7pm at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago.

The reading of Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room, or the vibrator play at TimeLine will feature an inclusive cast of actors, including Rom Barkhodar (Dr. Givings), Joseph Anthony Foronda (Mr. Daldry), Mildred Marie Langford (Catherine), Melissa Chanciler (Mrs. Daldry), Anthony DiNicola (Leo), Jennifer Glasse (Stage Directions), Ginneh Thomas (Elizabeth) and Dana Tretta (Annie). The production will be directed by TimeLine Company Member Mechelle Moe, with Maren Robinson serving as Dramaturg and Charlie Hano as Assistant Dramaturg.

The reading is free and open to the public, but seating is very limited and reservations are required. Seats may be reserved HERE or by calling the TimeLine Theatre box office at 773-281-8463 ext 6.

“When we first sat down with the artistic staff at TimeLine over a year ago, we discussed the challenges that arise in casting choices, particularly when it comes to addressing historical context,” says TCIP Founder and Producer Emjoy Gavino. “It is an issue that many directors who tackle shows set in a specific time period often struggle with. It has been a joy to approach such a beloved text with the idea of ’open casting,’ releasing the decision makers from any pre-conceived notions of what the characters have been or ‘are supposed to be.’ We are excited at how the choices will open the play up.” 

“TimeLine Theatre Company is proud to partner with the Chicago Inclusion Project,” added TimeLine Artistic Director PJ Powers. “We are inspired by their mission and work, and we join them in the quest for inclusivity and bringing people together for shared theatre experiences that ignite conversation and new points of view. Under the direction of TimeLine Company Member Mechelle Moe, we look forward to bringing a diverse group of artists and audience members to our home on Wellington Avenue for a reading of Sarah Ruhl’s wonderfully funny and provocative In the Next Room, or the vibrator play), and we look forward to fostering an invigorating conversation.”

For information about future TCIP programming, sign up for the mailing list at www.thechicagoinclusionproject.org or follow The Chicago Inclusion Project on Facebook.

ABOUT THE CHICAGO INCLUSION PROJECT

Founded by Actor/Casting Director Emjoy Gavino, The Chicago Inclusion Project is a collective of artists, committed to creating inclusive theater experiences by bringing together Chicago artists and audiences normally separated by ethnic background, economic status, gender identity, physical ability and countless other barriers. By deliberately choosing the unexpected, both in play choices and non-traditional casting, cultivating a diverse audience by bringing new combinations of artists to as many communities in Chicago (and it surrounding suburbs) as possible, choosing facilities for the multiple projects that are handicap accessible and keeping price of tickets affordable, The Chicago Inclusion Project programming aims to unite diverse collections of Chicagoans.

For more information, visit www.thechicagoinclusionproject.org.

ABOUT TIMELINE THEATRE

TimeLine Theatre Company, recipient of the prestigious 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, was founded in April 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues. To date over 19 seasons, TimeLine has presented 67 productions, including nine world premieres and 27 Chicago premieres, and launched the Living History Education Program, now in its ninth year of bringing the company's mission to life for students in Chicago Public Schools. Recipient of the Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence and the Richard Goodman Strategic Planning Award from the Association for Strategic Planning, TimeLine has received 52 Jeff Awards, including an award for Outstanding Production 11 times.

LAST CALL: Don't miss this. Chimerica is highly recommended and a favorite of ours here at ChiIL Live Shows. Even the lobby is uber impressive and interactive. And the show is thought provoking to say the least!

Now playing at TimeLine is the Chicago premiere of Lucy Kirkwood’s acclaimed Chimerica, directed by Associate Artistic Director Nick Bowling. Twenty years after the iconic image of one man standing alone in front of a military tank in Tiananmen Square captivated the world, a photojournalist searches for the truth about that mysterious “Tank Man” in an epic, global adventure that explores the complex relationship between China and the United States. Chimerica, winner of the 2014 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play, runs through July 31, 2016.

TimeLine is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers, Managing Director Elizabeth K. Auman and Board President John M. Sirek. Company Members are Nick Bowling, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Behzad Dabu, Lara Goetsch, Juliet Hart, Mildred Marie Langford, Mechelle Moe, David Parkes, Ron OJ Parson, PJ Powers, Maren Robinson and Benjamin Thiem. For more information, visit timelinetheatre.com.

ABOUT THE LEAGUE OF CHICAGO THEATRES

The League of Chicago Theatres is an alliance of theatres which leverages its collective strength to promote, support, and advocate for Chicago's theatre industry locally, nationally, and internationally. The League of Chicago Theatres Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the art of theatre in the Chicago area through audience development and support services for theatres and theatre professionals. For a comprehensive list of Chicago productions, visit the League of Chicago Theatres website, ChicagoPlays.com. Half-price tickets are available year-round at HotTix.org.

FREE Theatre: 7th International Voices Project Brings Nine Readings to Victory Gardens Biograph Theater 4/9-25

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

INTERNATIONAL VOICES PROJECT ANNOUNCES 2016 DATES AND LINEUP OF STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD AT THE VICTORY GARDENS BIOGRAPH THEATER, APRIL 9 – 25

The Seventh Season Includes Nine Readings Featuring Plays from 

Britain, Italy, Poland, Austria, Norway, Germany, Pakistan, and Lebanon Performed by Lookingglass, Akvavit, Rasaka, TUTA, Vitalist, Trap Door and More

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're greatly anticipating this year's International Voices Project (IVP)! Chicago is so fortunate to have such a rich, international collection of stories coming to us, with concert-style readings by some of the top local companies. As if that's not exciting enough, shows are FREE with RSVP! So go already. What are you wating for?!

International Voices Project (IVP) is proud to present the seventh season of play readings by playwrights from around the world. The series is presented in collaboration with consulates and cultural institutions throughout Chicago. The 2016 engagement’s represented countries include Great Britain, Italy, Poland, Austria, Canada, Norway, Germany, Pakistan, Lebanon.  

The readings take place at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, McVay Theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave, April 9 – 25  Saturdays at 3 p.m. and Sundays — Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. A reception follows each evening’s reading. The International Voices Project is the largest event of its kind in the country and introduces Chicago audiences to some of the most exciting voices on the international theater scene. Performances are free to the public and reservations are requested. For more information about IVP, or to reserve your seat, visit IVPChicago.org or call 773.250.7055.

Presented in collaboration with each country’s consulate general and/or a country’s cultural institution, the International Voices Project celebrates the voices of international playwrights with nine premiere concert-style readings. A professional cast performs each play to allow audience members’ imaginations create the world of the play. After each reading, there is a post-performance discussion with the cast and audience, followed by a reception.

IVP 2016 Schedule is below and can also be viewed by clicking here.

Saturday, April 9 at 2 p.m.:

From Great Britain, IVP presents John Hollingworth’s Multitudes, presented in collaboration with Vitalist Theatre, and directed by Liz Carlin-Metz.

On the eve of a Conservative Party Conference the country is in turmoil and one of its most multicultural cities awaits a visit from the Prime Minister.

Sunday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m.

From Italy, IVP presents Saverio La Ruina’s Dust, translated by Thomas Simpson, directed by Anna Bahow.

In a sequence of short scenes between two characters, Dust tracks the development of an abusive relationship between a man and a woman, focusing especially on the violence hidden in the silences behind apparently banal words and actions.

Monday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m.

From Poland, play Trash Story by Magda Fertacz presented in collaboration with Trap Door Theatre, translated by Benjamin Paloff, and directed by Monica Payne.

An award-winning anti-war play, Trash Story is the harrowing tale of a Polish family living on land that once belonged to Germany. Told through the eyes of a 10-year-old girl, the play poses important questions about violence, both present and past, and the secrets it leaves behind.

Tuesday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m.

From Austria, IVP presents Ewald Palmetshofer’s the unmarried woman, presented in collaboration with TUTA Theatre, translated by Neil Blackadder, and directed by Andy Hager.

Three women, three generations, an unresolved past that stinks of betrayal and blind obedience: the unmarried woman connects April 1945 with the present. The woman is old and has an alienated daughter and a grand-daughter whom she feels closer to, even though the young woman is digging through her past. A female chorus of four completes the ensemble through which Palmetshofer uncovers who might have done what, and why.

Monday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m.

From Norway, IVP presents Fredrik Brattberg’s The Returning, presented in collaboration with Akvavit Theatre, translated by Henning Hegland and directed by Breahan Pautsch.

In The Returning we meet a mother and a father grieving the loss of their son, Gustav, whom they assume to be dead. The funeral is breath-taking, where they have filled the coffin with tings reminding them of Gustav. After a while daily life returns. The parents manage to go on with their life. One day there is a knock on the door…

Tuesday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m.

From Germany, IVP presents Woman in Berlin, presented in collaboration with Lookingglass Theatre, adapted by Eva Barr, and directed by Tracy Walsh.

The memoir, A Woman in Berlin, by Anonymous, is one woman's account of her experiences during the first eight weeks of the Russian invasion of Berlin in April, 1945.  This adaptation visits the material as if it is in the process of being staged as a play with a three-person acting company and a director some twenty years after the events described, and six years after its original publication, and subsequent suppression, in Germany in 1959.  The memoir was first published in the United States in 1954.

Sunday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m.

From Pakistan, IVP presents Iftikar Hassan’s Voiceless Melodies, presented in collaboration with Pakistani Consul General and Rasaka Theatre, adapted by Judy Veramendi and directed by Puja Mohindra. 

Shazia, a lovely young Punjabi girl with a determined vision of how her life must unfold, moves through light and shadow before coming into her glory. Experience her story, and her world, through songs, dances and celebrations of love and marriage, interwoven with the Voiceless Melodies of her ancestors.

Monday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m.

From Lebanon, IVP presents Issam Mahfouz’s The Dictator, translated by Robert Myers and Nada Saab, and directed by Warner Crocker.

Absurdist political play by Lebanon’s most renowned playwright Issam Mahfouz. Takes place during an offstage, and perhaps imaginary, coup directed by a general and his faithful assistant, Saadoun.

International Voices Project (IVP) is proud to present the seventh season of play readings by playwrights from around the world. The series is presented in collaboration with consulates and cultural institutions throughout Chicago. The 2016 engagement’s represented countries include Great Britain, Italy, Poland, Austria, Canada, Norway, Germany, Pakistan, Lebanon. The readings take place at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, McVay Theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave, April 9 – 25 Saturdays at 3 p.m. and Sundays — Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. A reception follows each evening’s reading. The International Voices Project is the largest event of its kind in the country and introduces Chicago audiences to some of the most exciting voices on the international theater scene. Performances are free to the public and reservations are requested.  For more information about IVP, or to reserve your seat, visit IVPChicago.org or call 773.250.7055.

FREE Shakespeare in The Parks Schedule #Theatre #Travel #Chicago

ChiIL Mama's ChiIL Picks List: Free Fam Friendly Fun in Chi, IL

Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

FREE FOR ALL

by William Shakespeare

directed and adapted by David H. Bell

July 18–August 17, 2014

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows we ADORE Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. They have high caliber, professional, world class productions.  And if that's not enough to get you out to a show, every summer they take it to the parks for FREE.  Yes, outside... for free. Bring a picnic and chiIL out in Chi, IL this summer with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's fabulous fantasy, A Midsummer Night's Dream.  All ages welcome.

Click here for our Midsummer Night's Dream review & photo filled recap.

Here were our prior predictions on this production when it was performed in schools across the city & publicly in a sold out run at Chicago Shakespeare's Navy Pier home:

• A new generation is realizing Shakespeare wasn't as snooty as they thought and he wrote about wacky, cross dressing, unfaithful, confused, hilarious, murderous, magical characters.

• A zillion jr high and high school students are crushing on the charismatic cutie, Puck (Steven Lee Johnson)! It was already starting with the tweens as early as opening day-- "No... you go talk to him..." "No, YOU. Giggle giggle."

• More than a few students are inspired to see more theatre and/or try their hand at writing plays and poetry.

• More than a few students are inspired to check out more circus arts, thanks to the best. wall. ever. and his uber creative block juggling work. Kudos to you!

The complete performance listing for the Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks production of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, touring FREE FOR ALL to 18 neighborhood parks across Chicago is below.  Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks A Midsummer Night’s Dream Back by citywide demand! Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks returns this summer and brings William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, FREE FOR ALL, to 18 neighborhood parks across Chicago. A specially equipped truck rolls into each park, a stage unfolds and a company of professional actors shares the delight of Shakespeare with families and neighbors of all ages.  In this popular Shakespearean comedy, a quartet of mismatched lovers, a gaggle of hapless actors and mischievous sprites cross paths with the king and queen of the fairies, entangled in their own domestic dispute. Audiences will be transported to a wondrous wood brimming with paramours and possibilities where the inexplicable magic of falling in love—and the marvel of waking up from the sweetest of dreams—is discovered. Director David H. Bell has adapted this Shakespeare favorite into an acrobatic and riotously entertaining version of the play. PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE  Gateway Park South Lawn, Front of Navy Pier Friday, July 18, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 19, 6:30 p.m. 600 E. Grand Ave. Garfield Park Conservatory Sunday, July 20, 3:00 p.m. 300 N. Central Park Ave. Tuley Park Tuesday, July 22, 6:30 p.m. 501 E. 90th Pl. Dvorak Park Wednesday, July 23, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 24, 6:30 p.m. 1119 W. Cullerton St. Loyola Park At the Farwell Avenue Entrance Friday, July 25, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 26, 6:30 p.m. 1230 W. Greenleaf Ave. Washington Park East of the Pool, 5531 S. Russell Dr. Sunday, July 27, 4:00 p.m. 5531 S. Martin Luther King Jr Dr. Riis Park Uphill Near the Picnic Groves Tuesday, July 29, 6:30 p.m. 6100 W. Fullerton Ave. Piotrowski Park Wednesday, July 30, 6:30 p.m. 4247 W. 31st St. Gage Park Thursday, July 31, 6:30 p.m. 2411 W. 55th St. Hamilton Park Friday, August 1, 6:30 p.m. 513 W. 72nd St. Frank J. Wilson Park Saturday, August 2, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, August 3, 4:00 p.m. 4630 N. Milwaukee Ave. Humboldt Park Near the Boathouse Wednesday, August 6, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, August 7, 6:30 p.m. 1440 N. Sacramento Ave. Welles Park Friday, August 8, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, August 9, 6:30 p.m. 2333 W. Sunnyside Ave. Columbus Park Sunday, August 10, 4:00 p.m. 500 S. Central Ave. Marquette Park Adjacent to Rose Garden and Tarkington School Tuesday, August 12, 6:30 p.m. 6743 S. Kedzie Ave. Ridge Park Wednesday, August 13, 6:30 p.m. 1817 W. 96th St. South Shore Cultural Center Thursday, August 14, 6:30 p.m. Friday, August 15, 6:30 p.m. 7059 S. South Shore Dr. Eckhart Park Saturday, August 16, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, August 17, 4:00 p.m. 1330 W. Chicago Ave.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater 800 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611 Box Office: 312.595.5600 • chicagoshakes.com

SAVE THE DATES: Breaking News FREE TICKETS FOR 8th ANNUAL CHICAGO DANCING FESTIVAL TO BE RELEASED JULY 8 & 9

Chicago Dancing Festival: August 20-23, 2014

FREE Programming features Top Ballet, Modern & Hip-Hop Dancers, including a

WORLD PREMIERE Festival Commission by Kyle Abraham

This incredible annual festival is FREE and tickets are highly sought after.  Mark the show dates and ticket release dates on your calendar now and get ready to reserve you spots!

Tickets for the 8^th annual Chicago Dancing Festival, the free Festival at venues across downtown Chicago, will become available to the general public July 8 and 9.  Co-produced by internationally renowned choreographer and native Chicagoan Lar Lubovitch and highly esteemed Chicago dancer Jay Franke, the 2014 Chicago Dancing Festival features top ballet, modern and hip-hop companies from Chicago and across the country, set to take place August 20 – 23.

All events are free but tickets for indoor events must be reserved in advance through each venue’s box office. 

Tickets for the August 20 program at the Harris Theater will be released July 8 at noon, available in person at the Harris Theater Box Office, 205 E. Randolph Drive, or by calling (312) 334-7777.  Limit two (2) tickets per order; tickets ordered by phone will be held at Will-Call.

Tickets for the August 22 programs at the Museum of Contemporary Art will be release July 9 at noon, available in person at the MCA Stage Box Office, 220 E. Chicago Avenue, or by calling (312) 397-4010.  Limit two (2) tickets per order; tickets ordered by phone will be held at Will-Call.

No tickets are needed for the outdoor Pritzker Pavilion events, including the Opening Night Simulcast on August 20 and the Grand Finale performance on August 23. 

Any empty seats or tickets unclaimed at 15 minutes prior to curtain time will be released to those in a Stand-by line.  Stand-by lines begin one hour before each performance, in person only.  All seating is general admission. 

Chicago Dancing Festival 2014 Schedule

Wednesday, August 20 – 7 pm

Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Street

The Chicago Dancing Festival opening night program will be simulcast on the outdoor screen of the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. 

A Gala Benefit on the Harris Terrace follows the free indoor program.

• Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, CDF original commission by Kyle Abraham    
• The Juilliard School, The Jig Is Up by Eliot Feld
• Martha Graham Dance Company, Errand into the Maze by Martha Graham
• Stars of American Ballet*, Fancy Free by Jerome Robbins

Friday, August 22 – 6 pm and 8 pm

Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Avenue

An evening of duets

• Adam Barruch, Belladonna by Adam Barruch
• The Joffrey Ballet, Bells (excerpt) by Yuri Possokhov
• Martha Graham Dance Company, Errand into the Maze by Martha Graham
• Pam Tanowitz Dance*, Passagen by Pam Tanowitz (live music)

Saturday, August 23 – 7:30 pm

Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph Street

“Celebration of Dance” Grand Finale

• The Joffrey Ballet, Nine Sinatra Songs by Twyla Tharp
• The Juilliard School, The Jig Is Up by Eliot Feld
• Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Falling Angels by Jiří Kylián
• Rennie Harris Puremovement*, Students of the Asphalt Jungle by Dr. Rennie Harris
• Stars of Washington Ballet Brooklyn Mack and Maki Onuki, pas de deux from Le Corsaire by Marius Petipa

Additional events and artists for the 2014 Festival to be announced!

All programs are subject to change.

*CDF Debut

About the Chicago Dancing Festival

Established in 2007, the Chicago Dancing Festival was founded to elevate awareness of dance in Chicago, to increase accessibility to the art form and to provide inspiration for local artists.  Its mission is to present a wide variety of excellent dance, enrich the lives of the people of Chicago and provide increased accessibility to the art form, thereby helping create a new audience.  Its vision is to raise the national and international profile of dance in the city, furthering Chicago as the “dance capital of the world” (as Mayor Rahm Emanuel put it at the 2012 Chicago Dancing Festival). 

Lar Lubovitch (Founder, Artistic Director) is one of America's most versatile and highly acclaimed choreographers and founded the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company 45 years ago.  In the years since, he has choreographed more than 100 dances for his New York-based company, which has performed in nearly all 50 American states as well as in more than 30 foreign countries.  Born in Chicago, Mr. Lubovitch was educated at the University of Iowa and the Juilliard School in New York.

Jay Franke (Founder, Artistic Director) began his formal training at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, Texas.  In 1993, he was selected as a Finalist for the Presidential Scholar in the Arts and accepted into the Juilliard School.  Upon receiving his BFA in Dance from the Juilliard School, Mr. Franke went to work with the Twyla Tharp Dance Company, “THARP!”  Mr. Franke has since danced with The 58 Group, Lyric Opera Ballet Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and was a leading dancer in the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company from 2005 to 2010.

The Chicago Dancing Festival is grateful for its 2014 supporters including: InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, Official Hotel Partner; Museum of Contemporary Art; Harris Theater for Music and Dance; City of Chicago, Millennium Park; The Robert and Jamie Taylor Foundation; David Herro and Jay Franke; Illinois Arts Council; National Endowment for the Arts, Art Works; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Chicago Community Trust; Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development; The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince; The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust; and the Irving Harris Foundation. The Harris Theater is proud to have the support of The Northern Trust Company as its 2014-2015 season sponsor.

For more information on the Chicago Dancing Festival, its history and programs, visit www.chicagodancingfestival.com.

FREE Chinese Fine Arts Society Concert: Five Elements Project: Earth and Wood

CHINESE FINE ARTS SOCIETY CONTINUES 30^TH ANNIVERSARY WITH SECOND CONCERT IN THE THE FIVE ELEMENTS PROJECT:

“EARTH AND WOOD”

A free concert featuring three Chicago Premieres and musicians of the CSO

Preston Bradley Hall of the Chicago Cultural Center, May 18

Here at ChiIL Mama, we believe one of the best perks of living in a city the size of Chicago, is the amazing array of multicultural events! This one is family friendly and FREE. April was for water, and now May is Earth and Wood. Come experience The Chinese Fine Arts Society's Five Elements Project!

The Chinese Fine Arts Society (CFAS), Chicago’s resource for experiencing and appreciating the art, music and culture of China, continues its 30^th anniversary celebration with the second installment in its year-long series Forces of Nature: The Five Elements Project, a musical survey of China's varied natural environment themed around “Earth and Wood” featuring three Chicago Premieres.  The “Earth and Wood” concert is presented in the Preston Bradley Hall of the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington Street, Sunday, May 18 at 3 pm.  The concert is free and no tickets are required.

From the Gobi desert to bamboo forests, from sweeping grasslands to mountain vistas, the majestic landscapes of China and its inhabitants are the inspiration for the “Earth and Wood” concert.  The concert primarily features both Chinese and western string instruments – violin, viola, erhu, gaohu, zhonghu – all made of wood. 

In a rare performance, Chicago erhu virtuoso Betti Xiang performs on three different pieces of the huqin family of traditional Chinese bowed string instruments.  The concert also features traditional folk music, contemporary arrangements and original compositions by world-renowned composers, including Pulitzer Prize-winner Zhou Long, renowned New York-based composer Huang Ruo, lauded San Diego-based composer Lei Liang and esteemed Beijing-based composer Ye Xiaogang.  The works are brought to life by virtuosic musicians including acclaimed Chicago pianist Winston Choi, renowned Central Conservatory-trained guzheng player YuQi Deng, along with a string quartet comprised entirely of members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  The full program includes:

·        Traditional Chinese Tune: Birds on  a Desolated Mountain

Featuring Betti Xiang, erhu

·        Traditional Chinese Tune: Birds Dash Back to Forest

Featuring Betti Xiang, gaohu

·        Traditional Chinese Tune: On the Grassland

Featuring Betti Xiang, zhonghu

·        Spring in the Forest by Ye Xiaogang

Featuring YuQi Deng, guzheng

·        Tree Without Wind by Huang Ruo (Chicago/Midwest Premiere)

Featuring Winston Choi, piano

·        Gobi Canticle by Lei Liang (Chicago/Midwest Premiere)

Featuring Qing Hou, violin; Weijin Wang, viola

·        Chinese Folk Songs by Zhou Long (Chicago Premiere)

String quartet led by Qing Hou

Inspired by late CFAS founder Barbara Tiao, who many considered a “force of nature,” The Five Elements Project is themed around the five elements found throughout Chinese art, science and philosophy: earth, fire, metal, water and wood.  The Five Elements Project is curated by Qing Hou, Chicago Symphony Orchestra violinist and CFAS artist-in-residence. 

More Five Elements Project Events

The Forces of Nature: The Five Elements Project continues with the third concert in the series, “Fire and Metal,” presented free at the Pritzker Pavilion of Millennium Park, Sunday, August 10 at 6:30 pm as part of the annual “Rhythms of China” festival.

The series finale concert takes place in Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston, Friday, November 14 at 7:30 pm.  Tickets for this concert start at $20, $5 for students.

About the Chinese Fine Arts Society

Founded in 1984, the Chinese Fine Arts Society (CFAS) is dedicated to promoting Chinese culture, music, dance and visual arts in Chicago through performance and education, thus enhancing cultural exchange.  Its core programming consists of three areas: Professional Concerts, Young Artist Development and Community Engagement.  Julie Tiao Ma, daughter of founder Barbara Tiao, serves as President of the Board of Directors.

The history of CFAS has been a true “American Dream” success story, beginning when Barbara Tiao, a Shanghai native who fled the country in 1949, eventually settling in Chicago in 1984.  She established herself as a piano teacher and a “cultural ambassador,” sharing her beloved culture with other students and the surrounding community.  This passion was Tiao’s inspiration to start the Chinese Fine Arts Society.  Tiao passed away in 2008, having realized her dream: an organization that has bloomed into a professional entity in Chicago’s artistic scene.  Since its founding, CFAS has been the leading champion of Chinese arts in Chicago, from traditional to contemporary.  CFAS has established itself with widely attended and critically acclaimed cultural events in various venues throughout Chicagoland.

To learn more about the Chinese Fine Arts Society and its programs, visit chinesefinearts.org.