Girl You Know It's True
Pictured L-R: Sentell Harper as Rob and Armand Fields as Fabrice (Milli Vanilli). Photo by Ben Chandler.
Girl You Know It's True
John Zinn as Bixby. Photo Credit RE Casper.
Tonight's the night. We've been promoting both of these via FB and Twitter for weeks. We'll have a full theatre review and photo filled band feature for you in the near future. But nothing beats being there! Here's the deal:
ACT OUT: CHI IL LIVE THEATRE-OPENING TONIGHT
Girl You Know It's True
Pavement Group
Chopin Theatre
"Girl You Know It's True" will play the Chopin Theatre April 12 - May 13.
PAVEMENT GROUP PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF
BIXBY ELLIOT’S “GIRL YOU KNOW IT’S TRUE”
APRIL 12 – MAY 13, 2012 AT THE CHOPIN THEATRE
Pavement Group presents the world premiere of “Girl You Know It’s True” at the Chopin Theatre downstairs studio April 12 – May 13, 2012. Written by a dangerous new voice in American Theatre, Bixby Elliot, and directed by Pavement Group Artistic Director David Perez, “Girl You Know It’s True” is a hilarious and bold indictment of the institution of theatre and true intent behind the act of creation.
When a forty-something, Caucasian male playwright fails to get his work produced he conjures up a radical new identity for himself. Instantly his stand in - an African American Lesbian woman in a wheelchair - shoots to fame. Told in tandem with the infamous Milli Vanilli scandal, “Girl You Know It’s True” is a divisive new play that is certain to provoke discourse. Inspired by the rise and fall of the pop/rock duo Milli Vanilli, “Girl You Know It’s True” was a semi-finalist for the O’Neill Conference in 2011, finalist for New Harmony, finalist for Kitchen Dog Theater New Works and an advanced round entry for PlayPenn 2011.
“Girl You Know It’s True” features Samantha Bailey, Cyd Blakewell, Eli Branson, Armand Fields, Sentell Harper, Alexander Lane, Keith Neagle, Michael Salinas, Jake Szczepaniak and John Zinn. Scenic design is by John Wilson, lighting design is by Janna Webber and Tim Schoen, sound design is by Jeff Kelley, prop design is by Aimee Plant and costume design is by Emma Cullimore.
Performances will run April 12 – May 13, 2012, Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Press opening is Monday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. and there will be an additional industry night performance Monday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m. All performances will be at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at www.pavementgroup.org.
Bixby Elliot’s work includes “Blueprint” (produced by Tony Award-winning producer Arielle Tepper Madover as part of her new works Summer Play Festival (SPF) under the direction of Drama Desk Nominee Jonathan Silverstein and starring Emmy Award-winner Peter Strauss), “Abraham Lincoln was a Faggot” (developed by Epiphany Theater, finalist for the O’Neill Theater Conference in 2010, finalist for New Dramatists, Seven Devils Development Conference, Pandora New Play Competition and a semi-finalist for New Harmony Workshop), “Treasure Island, FL” (SouthernRep New Play Festival Winner, New Orleans); “PN1923.45 LS01 volume 2: The Book Play” (New York Premiere: NYC International Fringe Festival, director Stephen Brackett), “Hotel Oracle” (New York premiere at Walkerspace/SoHo Rep, director Stephen Brackett) and “I Am Not Peter Pan” (New York premiere: Cherry Lane Theater; Edinburgh Fringe Festival Best of Fest Winner, director Cary McClelland). Bixby is a graduate of the MFA playwriting program at Columbia University. Current projects include work on two original television projects and a new play titled “Birds Do It.” Visit bixbyelliot.com.
David Perez is the founding artistic director of Pavement Group. He is a Chicago-based director and playwright. Local credits include: “punkplay,” “fracture/mechanics,” “Lipstick Traces” and 365 Days/Plays for Pavement Group. Additionally he has worked with Empty Space Theatre, Angry Blvd, Steppenwolf, Teatro Vista, Collaboraction, American Theatre Company, Washington Ensemble Theatre, Around The Coyote and About Face Theatre. In fall 2012 he will direct Pavement Group's world premiere of "Breaks and Bikes." David was also controlled by the internet and twitter for seven days on behalf of Leo Burnett at the Cannes Advertising festival. It was pretty popular. You should check out the insanity at davidondemand.com. He also hosts Leo Burnett's web series #askdavid. David is a proud graduate of Cornish College of The Arts.
About Pavement Group
Founded in 2006, Pavement Group is a Chicago based collaborative of theatre artists who look nationally for emerging voices to produce fresh plays that make contact with new audiences. The company is committed to immediate and immersive work that is thought provoking, not thought providing. Pavement Group unlocks a conversation between the audience and their humanity. Pavement Group was founded by Brittany Barnes (Managing Director), Julia Dossett Morgan, David Perez (Artistic Director) and Tim Schoen. The company now also includes Jeff Kelley, Mary Krupka (General Manager), Keith Neagle, Chip Davis, Heidi Koling and Jeremy Smith. Artistic Associates include Mallery Avidon, Cyd Blakewell, Matt Farabee, Alexander Lane, Jessica London-Shields, Aimee Plant, Cassy Sanders and Janna Webber.
For more information visit www.pavementgroup.org.
Red Baraat-Schubas
ChiIL Live Shows will be there to shoot the show. Can't wait!
Schubas says: It’s a sound so powerful it has left the band in its own utterly
unique and enviable class. These days you are as likely to find Red
Baraat throwing down at an overheated and unannounced warehouse party in
their Brooklyn neighborhood as you are at the Barbican or the Montreal
Jazz Festival, or Lincoln Center. It’s a band unquestionably on the
ascent playing some of the most prestigious festivals and theatres
worldwide, and keeping their chops razor sharp in basements and sweaty
sold out clubs across New York City. Leading an audience as diverse and
joyful as the band itself, Red Baraat has subsumed a plateful of global
infuence, fused it, and is now exporting it Brooklyn-style to the
world.
*Can't make it to Schubas tonight or you're under 18? You have another chance to catch RED BARAAT, THE INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED DHOL 'N' BRASS PARTY BAND in Elgin this Friday, 4/20!
ECC ARTS CENTER FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY,FRIDAY, APRIL 20
Children ages 5+ are welcome at many ECC events, but do need to purchase a ticket. Contact the venue for age guidelines/restrictions specific to Red Baraat.
Red Baraat comes to the ECC Arts Center’s Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Friday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. Known for its explosive stage performances, Red Baraat melds North Indian rhythm Bhangra with a host of sounds including brass, funk, go-go, Latin, and jazz to create a wildly exciting musical experience. The Wall Street Journal calls Red Baraat “a big band for the world,” and the Chicago Reader hails them as “fun as hell.” The April 20 performance will include selections from their upcoming album, “Shruggy Ji.”
