Play Locally: Shows On Our Hot List TONIGHT! #Giveaway

 Last day of 5th grade and 3rd grade for the punk kin

Today's THE Last Day of School for CPS (except for that odd, optional ONE hour on Thurs morning?!).   Du-Jay & Sagezilla Rock the Wear Anything (Non Uniform) Day.   Buh bye blue polo shirts till August 13th!!

School's out for summer..........If school's also out forever for you, you're likely old enough for our hot 21+ shows.   If not...we've got funky, family friendly recommendations, too.

We adore our kids, but love to get out with AND without them.

Tonight-Tuesday 6/12/12

First for the With:

Act Out-Theatre Opening Tonight

The Nanning Art Theatre-Legend of the Sun at Auditorium Theatre

We've been promoting this one and now it's here, for two days only!!   Don't miss this one.   Du-Jay, Sagezilla and ChiIL Mama will be there for opening night tonight.  Highly recommended.  Get your tickets now, if you haven't already.   Family friendly.



Here are the basics from Auditorium Theatre's site:

The Nanning Art Theatre - Legend of the Sun

Presented by the China Arts & Entertainment Group in
association with Chicago Human Rhythm Project and Chicago Chinese
Cultural Institute

Venue: Auditorium Theatre

Dates: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 - Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Times: 7:30 pm

Price: $55-$17.50

Legend of the Sun, a unique, large-scale dance drama
based on a centuries-old Chinese folk tale, makes its U.S. debut at the
Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Both exquisitely beautiful
and joyously uplifting, this inspired work features more than 60 dancers
while showcasing the songs, dances and traditions of China�s Zhuang
ethnic minority. The piece also incorporates elements of Western modern
dance and music.

Now for the Without:  

Act Out-Theatre Opening Tonight

Henson Alternative Stuffed and Unstrung

Leave the littles at home for this puppet show.   This raunchy improv show is rated R and recommended for 17+ or mature underagers accompanied by an adult.   We can't wait to check it out.    Get your tixs today.   This is a short one week run.   Here's the poop on these potty mouthed puppeteers from our friends at Broadway in Chicago.

 
Stuffed and Unstrung
Theatre : Bank of America Theatre, Chicago Illinois


Dates : June 12, 2012 - June 17, 2012


Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission
 
*This show is rated R and contains language and themes that are not intended for unaccompanied children under the age of 17.

**JUST ANNOUNCED! BRIAN HENSON to perform at Tuesday June 12, Wednesday June 13, and Thursday June 14 shows!**

STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG, a live uncensored show that lets loose the perilous and provocative elements of comedic improvisation on stage with a bunch of puppets. Produced by WestBeth Entertainment and Henson Alternative, STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG was created by award-winning director, producer, and writer Brian Henson and actor and improvisational guru Patrick Bristow and features the Miskreant puppets and The Jim Henson Company's renowned puppeteers.

STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG is a wild romp in which the skilled art of puppetry and spontaneous comedy collide. Unpredictable and irreverent, it's never the same show twice. Expert puppeteers create twisted scenes and songs on the fly, as suggestions from the audience prompt the improvised storylines unfolding on stage. This production delivers "two shows in one" as the hilarious puppet action is projected live on large screens flanking the stage, while the puppeteers race around below - displaying their skills in full view of the audience. With live musical accompaniment and Bristow as host, STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG boasts a cast of six world-class puppeteers in an uninhibited live puppet performance. 

STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG evolved from Henson's production "Puppet Up! -Uncensored," which made its debut at the 2006 HBO Comedy Festival (Aspen, CO) and later toured to the 2006 Edinburgh Festival (Edinburgh, Scotland), The 2007 Comedy Festival (Las Vegas, NV), and Australia's Sydney Big Laugh Comedy Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (both 2007). The 2010 Off Broadway engagement of STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG marked the debut of this completely revamped production featuring all new technical wizardry with original music and staging. STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG appeared alongside Cee-Lo Green and Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2011 Grammy Awards and was featured on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice in 2012.

*This show is part of the TBS Just For Laughs Chicago festival all over our city this week.   Chi-Town will be funny ha-ha and funny weird all week long.     Click the link above for all the venues, shows, and details and see your fav TV shows come to life with the dynamic of LIVE comedy.

**You still have till midnight tonight to enter to win one of 5 pairs of tixs to see Kevin Smith (AKA:   Silent Bob) in a not so silent show at The Chicago Theatre.   Click here to enter.**

photo credit:   8 Eyes Photography




Mucca Pazza CD Sneak Peek Party at Hideout 21+(sold out)   If you had the foresight to snag a ticket, I'll see you there.   If you were a punk slacker and did not, check out ChiIL Mama/ChiIL Live Shows in the very near future for our photo filled recap.  We also have some amazing original live video footage and stills from March Fourth, Portland's version of Mucca Pazza.   We'll be reviewing Mucca Pazza's upcoming release, Safety Fifth and March Fourth's newest as well!


Here's the secret scoop about tonight from Hideout:

Mucca Pazza

• Links

Mucca
Pazza has been called a lot of things in its day - abnormal,
discordant, uncouth, indecorous, malodorous, %$@# crazy - but one word
that's never popped up in any description of those voluminous marching
freaks is 'sneaky'...

...until now!

MUCCA PAZZA is inviting you to the official

SNEAK PEAK RELEASE PARTY

for their new record SAFETY FIFTH
available NOW for PRE-ORDER through Electric Cowbell Records!

You're invited to a once-or-twice-in-a-lifetime event at the Hideout, in
celebration of our new record, Safety Fifth, which will be performed in
its entirety! You've never been this intimate with a marching band
before! There will be brassy spaz-outs, there will be guitar freak-outs,
there will be obscure drum rudiments, there will be absurd cheers,
there will be an accordion, a sousaphone, fish on the wall, beer, there
might even be music stands!

Venue Information:
The Hideout
1354 W. Wabansia Ave
Chicago, IL, 60642
http://www.hideoutchicago.com


 

5 Free Pairs of Tixs to See Kevin Smith on 6/14 #Giveaway

My husband, Dug, & *Joey Lauren Adams--Insomniac With Dave Attell Shoot (boom mic just out of frame)

My husband sticks his hands down celebs shirts for a living.  I shoot rock stars and am in and out of tour buses and back stage green rooms all the time.   Luckily neither of us is the jealous type, and sometimes "it's not what it looks like" really does apply.   It's a cool job sometimes....but it's a job nonetheless.   Sometimes there is a mic or power pack on the end of those hands in the waistband or bra, and the blonde getting off the tour bus really is conducting interviews.   

All the musicians I've met have been completely professional and the line between groupie and working press has never come into question.  It's the guy fans who smirk knowingly at me and quip "What do you have to do to get a photo pass, eh?!"   Hmmmm.   Maybe you have to be a working member of the press or a solid photographer/videographer/writer.   Didn't hear them ask any of the male shooters in the pit next to me....

Dug says the same thing about putting mics on TV and film celebs.  They're the pros....they're used to it and they "get it".  It's the regular people who freak a little at the invasion of privacy.  Fortunately I'm not weirded out that my husband's had his hands on everyone from Julia Roberts to Giuliana Rancic.

Amazingly enough, in 3 days, Dug and I will have been married for 12 years, and we've been monogamously together since 1997.  With the vast majority of our friends divorced, that's an accomplishment.  This August 18th, my parents are celebrating their 50th Anniversary together!

So, in honor of love--long lasting, newly dating, BFF, and whatever configuration works for you....we've got FIVE pairs of tickets for a date night out to see film icon, Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Mallrats).  He will treat fans to a special evening and Q&A, a week from today, Thursday, June 14, at 8pm at The Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State Street.   His appearance is part of the

TBS Just For Laughs Chicago festival


We adore Kevin Smith's prolific and quirky style, and we aren't afraid to admit to having adult friends who collect Jay and Silent Bob dolls and other memorabilia.   We dig his films and his genre crossing creativity.   This is sure to be an amusing night to remember and we're stoked to be able to give away 10 tickets to you...our readers.


Here's his official bio from the TBS Just for Laughs Site:


There's "prolific," and then there's Kevin Smith, who in addition to a
storied film career and being a NY Times Best Selling Author and reality
TV star, hosts the weekly, wildly popular podcast SModcast alongside buddy Scott Mosier. He has spent nearly 20 years as a writer/director making Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Cop Out, Red State,
and a producing several other films, all receiving acclaim and praise.
Plus, he's released three DVDs of Q&A sessions, and several cable
specials, including the EPIX original Kevin Smith: Too Fat For 40. He's published two books full of essays and blog postings (Silent Bob Speaks and the best-selling My Boring-Ass Life), as well as Shooting the Shit with Kevin Smith - a collection of the best material from SModcast.
One of the first filmmakers to venture into cyberspace, Smith has
legions of fans who follow his podcasting and comic book-writing; and
hey, maybe they even visit his comic book store Jay and Silent Bob's
Secret Stash in Red Bank, New Jersey.  

*Wikipedia excerpt Joey Lauren Adams:

...Adams appeared in Mallrats, written and directed by Kevin Smith.
The two started dating during the film's post-production, and their
relationship provided the inspiration for Smith's next movie.

Meanwhile, in 1996, while Smith was finalizing the script for Chasing Amy, she was cast for a role in the slapstick comedy Bio-Dome, which was directed by Jason Bloom. Adams played the role of Monique, girlfriend to Bud Macintosh (Pauly Shore).

In 1997's Chasing Amy, Smith cast Adams in the lead role of Alyssa Jones, a lesbian who falls in love with a man, played by Ben Affleck. Later, Smith would describe Chasing Amy as a "sort of penance/valentine" and a "thank-you homage" to Adams.^[3] In addition to her acting work on the film, Adams wrote and performed the song "Alive" for the movie's soundtrack.

Adams' performance in Chasing Amy earned her both the 1997 Chicago Film Critics Award and Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Most Promising Actress, and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress-Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. From there, Adams was originally slated to play the female lead in Smith's next film, 1999's Dogma, but Linda Fiorentino ultimately got the part.^[4] However, she would later make brief appearances in two other Smith projects: the 2001 film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and the 2004 animated short Clerks: The Lost Scene, featured on the Clerks X DVD. In both of these appearances, Adams reprised the role of Alyssa Jones.

**My husband and the Insomniac crew ran into Joey in her home town of little rock, while shooting with Dave Attell.   Dug can also be seen on screen in that Insomniac episode, sticking a mic down the shirt of Connie Hamzy  AKA:   Sweet Connie of Little Rock (who BTW didn't just interview & shoot bands, but was in fact a groupie who claimed to have sex with numerous bands' members).    Attell burst in on my husband and Connie in the back room. while Dug was placing the mic and teasingly did an improv bit about...."What are you doing?    You're just the sound guy.   You know the order.   She does me, then the cameraman, then you."    When it aired later, he promised me it was only a gag.......  

Hamzy is mentioned in Grand Funk Railroad's song "We're an American Band" ("Sweet, sweet Connie, doin' her act/ She had the whole show and that's a natural fact.")Wikipedia

Click here to purchase tickets to see Kevin Smith at Chicago Theatre 6/14 and for further show information.   

Enter below for your chance to win!

*Wait for Rafflecopter to load up right here (if you've gone
through RSS feed or are scrolling down the blog and don't see it,
click on the actual page title and it should pop right up).    

Please enter with the full legal name you want to appear on the tickets at the box office if you win.  Enter through midnight 6/12 and we'll announce our 5 winners on 6/13.  We'll contact winners by e-mail, but check here as well (sucks to win and find out after the fact--thank you spam filter).  Your tickets will be held at the Chicago Theatre box office.

Enter like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.   Winning rocks!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Giver--Adventure Stage Opening Day With Author, Lois Lowry (photos/video feature/review) #GIVEAWAY

Opening day of The Giver, Adventure Stage's latest offering, was fantastic.   Newberry Award winning author, Lois Lowry, flew in for the first show and graciously signed books for a lengthy line of fans at the cupcake social after the show.   We have fond memories of Gossamer, another Adventure Stage/ Lois Lowry adaptation they produced in Nov./Dec. 2009.

We'd been reading The Giver out loud as a family and it was truly magical to see the book transformed to stage in such an adept way.   The baby, Gabriel, was effectively portrayed by a puppet, and the monochromatic, grey, distopia provided the perfect back drop for this cautionary tale.   Highly recommended.  Recommended for ages 9+.   Nobody under 5 will be admitted.  Playing through April 26th.   Check out a full summary, show dates and details below.

Every performance includes a post-show audience talkback with the
cast. * Please note:  Out of respect for our actors and audience members, children under
age 5 are not permitted in the theatre during a performance.

*ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE AT 4 FREE TICKETS FROM CHIIL MAMA/ CHIIL LIVE SHOWS THROUGH MIDNIGHT TOMORROW 4/3/12.   WE'LL ANNOUNCE OUR WINNER ON 4/4.  

• The Giver at Adventure Stage-winners' choice of any Saturday night performance pending availability (That's April 7, 14 & 21 at 7:30pm.

*Wait for Rafflecopter
to load up right here (if you've gone through RSS feed or are
scrolling down the blog and don't see it, click on the actual page
title and it should pop right up).   Entries are easy.   Winning
rocks!   Please include your whole name as you would like it to appear
on the guest list/box office tickets, so there's no delay in reserving
if you win.

Act Out: The North Plan at Theater Wit (review) #Give Away

(from left) Kate Buddeke is small town redneck Tanya Shepke, Kevin Stark plays wrongly imprisoned U.S. State Department bureaucrat Carlton Berg, reluctantly guarded by Shonda, played by Lucy Sandy, in Theater Wit’s The North Plan
by Jason Wells, directed by Kimberly Senior, playing now through Apr.
1, 2012 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Tickets: theaterwit.org or 773.975.8150. Photo by Liz Lauren.

SENIOR, BUDDEKE MAKE THEATER WIT DEBUTS IN CHICAGO PREMIERE OF JASON WELLS’ HILARIOUS, SCARY, APOCALPYTIC COMEDY THE NORTH PLAN, THROUGH APR. 1



 



On Kevin Stark's actual birthday this year, he was wrongfully imprisoned, beaten, tortured with an electric prod, and ultimately shot...then serenaded in the lobby with chocolate cake and champagne.   Where else could this dichotomy exist but the fabulous Theater Wit?!   Yes, opening night of The North Plan was off with a bang and a birthday.   We had the great pleasure of checking out opening night and now we're stoked to be giving away a pair of tixs to one lucky teen.   

The revolution will not be televised, but it will end up on stage!   From now through April fools day, no foolin', you can check out this action packed, dark comedy.   Kate Buddeke steals the show as accidental anarchist, Tanya Shepke.   Every time I think Theatre Wit's creativity has peaked, they manage to surprise and delight.   I was amused by the press kits--manila envelopes stamped TOP SECRET and Classified, and far more impressed with the show.   Despite the bloody subject matter, the audience was laughing enthusiastically by final curtain call.   The dialogue and plot were simultaneously thought provoking and deeply funny.   Casting was spot on.   Highly recommended for older teens & adults.

ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

**UNDER 21?   We're giving away a pair of tickets to a lucky teen, this week.   Enter like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often and spread the word.  This one's short n sweet.   Enter through midnight this Wednesday.   Winner gets 2 tickets for The North Plan Saturday, March 10th, including pre show snacks at 7pm and a pizza party to follow!**



Theater Wit is reaching out to Chicago’s teens and crafting some unique experiences around The North Plan and their upcoming production of Tigers be Still. These evenings are designed to provide a forum for young adults to gather, exchange views, and meet the artists and each other.
 
For Jason Wells’ The North Plan  Theater Wit is making a special night for teens.  On Saturday, March 10, Wit will open its doors at 7 pm and have a pre-show reception that will have snacks and drinks before the 8 pm show.  After the show teens are invited to stay for pizza and a talk back with the actors. The tickets are just $15.  Just use the code word TEEN when reserving a ticket online or via phone. 

*Wait for Rafflecopter to load up right here (if you've gone through RSS feed or are scrolling down the blog and don't see it, click on the actual page title and it should pop right up).   Entries are easy.   Winning rocks!  

Cirque du Soleil Quidam's Publicist, Jessica-Video Interview With ChiIL Mama & Free Quidam Tickets!

It was our great pleasure to interview Jessica, Publicist for Cirque du Soleil's Quidam.  Quidam is returning to play Hoffman Estates near Chicago February 8-12th only! Jessica tells us about the arena Cirqe shows versus the big top style, how Quidam is family friendly but also great "boyfriend points", and how they get in and out of town "rock and roll" style. Check it out here in our original interview.

**Don't forget to click this link and enter for your shot at 4 free tickets to Quidam!   Entries accepted through midnight 2/2/12.

Cirque Du Soleil's Quidam-Free 4 pack of tickets 

Good for the opening night performance, February 8th at 7:30pm.   Enter through Thursday 2/2 at midnight.

**All our readers are winners!   ChiIL Mama's also got a cool 25% off discount on non-peak performances on all price levels using the promo code “CHILL”.  Non-peak performances are all performances except for those on Friday and Saturday.

Shows are at Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates.   Click here for full show details and a schedule of area pre-show appearances at suburban Whole Foods locations.

 

WITCHES, WIZARDS, SPELLS AND ELVES: The Magic of Shakespeare 1/21 & 22 Only

One weekend-4 shows only, come bring the littles and check out a fanciful hybrid of magic, mythical creatures, Shakespeare and chamber music!  If your kids are anything like ours, they already adore tales about WITCHES, WIZARDS,
 SPELLS AND ELVES.   We have a family 4 pack to your choice of dates, for one lucky winner.   We'll announce our winner on Friday the 13th.   

*Wait for Rafflecopter to load up right here (if you've gone through RSS feed or are scrolling down the blog and don't see it, click on the actual page title and it should pop right up).   Entries are easy.   Winning rocks!   Start your new year off right with music, myth and Shakespearean stage magic!

Win Free Tickets to Primus This Friday-ChiIL Live Shows Has 4 Pairs!

Spend your Friday with the inimitable Les Claypool and Primus!   You've gotta love a band full of consummate musicians with a sense of humor.    Case in point...They have released some of their records on Claypool's Prawn Song Records label, the title of which is a parody of Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label.

With their witty irreverence, these are serious musicians who make for a seriously fun and funny show.   We've seen Primus (and Les Claypool in many other configurations) for years, and they do not disappoint.

This show is all ages, so bring your punk kin and further their rock education, or make it a night out.  

We'll be giving away 4 pairs of tickets this Friday at noon.   Winners names will be on the guest list at the door.   Valid ID required.   Enter at the bottom of this post for your chance to win.   We never share, sell, spam or post contact info on bathroom walls.   Only the winners' first name and last initial will be published.

An Evening with Primus 2011 Tour

Primus is an American rock band formed in 1984, currently composed of guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde, vocalist and bassist Les Claypool, and drummer Jay Lane.Primus originally formed with Claypool, Todd Huth and Lane, with the latter two departing the band before Primus's debut release Suck on This, being replaced by drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander and Larry LaLonde. 

During this lineup, the band released four studio albums: Frizzle Fry, featuring "John the Fisherman", Sailing the Seas of Cheese, featuring "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" and "Tommy the Cat", Pork Soda featuring "My Name Is Mud" and Tales from the Punchbowl, featuring their most commercially successful single, "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver". In 1996, Alexander left Primus and was replaced by Bryan "Brain" Mantia, with whom they would later release Brown Album and Antipop before placing Primus on hiatus in 2000. They were also known for creating the original theme for "South Park" in 1997.

In 2003, Claypool and LaLonde reunited with Tim Alexander and released a DVD/EP, Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People, before touring from 2003 through 2004. In 2010, it was announced that one of the band's earliest drummers Jay Lane had rejoined the band for a cross-country tour, and they later digitally released the free June 2010 Rehearsal EP. An eighth album, titled Green Naugahyde was just released.

An Evening with Primus 2011 Tour

Fri, October 14, 2011

Doors: 7:30 pm / Show: 7:30 pm

$39.50 - $99.50

Tickets

This event is all ages

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