OPENING: "ROSE" Brings Post Chappaquiddick ROSE FITZGERALD KENNEDY to Solo Celebration series at the Greenhouse Theater Center

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

“ROSE,” 

LAURENCE LEAMER’S BIOGRAPHICAL PLAY ABOUT ROSE FITZGERALD KENNEDY, TO PLAY GREENHOUSE THEATER CENTER UNDER THE DIRECTION OF STEVE SCOTT, AUG. 19 – SEPT. 25

Award-Winning Actress Linda Reiter Portrays Kennedy Family Matriarch in the Hours Following the Chappaquiddick Tragedy

As part of the Solo Celebration series, the Greenhouse Theater Center (2257 N. Lincoln Ave.) will present “Rose,” the Chicago area premiere of best-selling Kennedy biographer Laurence Leamer’s one-woman play about Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, Aug. 19 – Sept. 25.  The play is directed by Goodman Theatre Producer and Artistic Collective Member Steve Scott and will star six-time Joseph Jefferson Award recipient Linda Reiter.  The press performance is Wednesday, Aug. 24 at 7:30 p.m.

Based on 40 hours of previously unreleased interviews Rose Kennedy made while working on her ghost-written autobiography, “Rose” is the Kennedy story as told by the matriarch who lived it all. The intimate, one-character drama is set in 1969 at the Kennedy's Hyannis Port compound after Teddy's fateful accident at Chappaquiddick. As Rose struggles with all the tragedies the Kennedys have overcome, she also uncovers new questions about the choices that led to the construction of an American dynasty. “Rose” tells her extraordinary story, in her own words, taking the audience on a fascinating and unexpected journey through our not-so-distant political past.

“The Kennedys are arguably the most fascinating family in American history,” said Greenhouse Artistic Director Jacob Harvey.  “Laurence Leamer was granted unprecedented access to the candid, unflinching words of Rose Kennedy as she speaks to the triumph and tragedy of a life in the public eye.  Steve Scott and Linda Reiter are an unrivaled team of artists who are beautifully bringing this story out of the interview formant and onto the stage.”

Chicago-born author Laurence Leamer is an award-winning journalist and historian who has written fourteen books, many of them bestsellers.  He is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost experts on the Kennedy family, having written three best-selling books telling their story: “The Kennedy Women,” “The Kennedy Men” and “Sons of Camelot.” He has also written best-selling biographies of other American icons, including Johnny Carson, the Reagan family, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Steve Scott is the Producer of Goodman Theatre, where he has overseen more than 200 productions; he is also a member of Goodman’s Artistic Collective.  His Goodman directing credits include “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” Horton Foote’s “Blind Date,” “Rabbit Hole,” “Binky Rudich and the Two-Speed Clock” and “No One Will Be Immune” for the David Mamet Festival, “Dinner With Friends,” “Wit,” the world premiere of Tom Mula’s “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (co-directed with Michael Maggio) and the 2011 and 2012 editions of “A Christmas Carol.”  He also has directed at Silk Road Rising, American Blues Theatre, A Red Orchid Theatre, Redtwist Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Shattered Globe Theatre, The Next Theatre Company, and many others. He is the recipient of five Jeff nominations, an After Dark Award, the Illinois Theatre Association’s Award of Honor and Eclipse Theatre Company’s Corona Award. 

Linda Reiter debuted in her first solo performance in “The Testament of Mary” at Victory Gardens Theater, for which she received a Joseph Jefferson nomination for best solo performance. She is an ensemble member of Shattered Globe Theatre where she has performed in 41 productions in their 25 years, last appearing in “Marvin's Room.” She has garnered Joseph Jefferson Awards in the non-equity category for the roles in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” “All My Sons,” “Les Liaisons Dangereuses,” “Invitation to a March” and “Bondagers.” She received nominations in the equity category for “Come Back, Little Sheba,” “The Price” and “The Road to Mecca.” She also has performed at Court Theatre, Remy Bumppo Theatre, Goodman Theatre and Live Bait Theatre.

The creative team includes: Scenic Designer Kevin Hagen, Lighting Designer Cat Wilson, Costume Designer Rachel Lamber, Sound Designer Christopher Kriz and Stage Manager Ashley Bowman.

The preview performance schedule for “Rose” is as follows:  Aug. 19 – 21 at 7:30 p.m. The press performance will be Wednesday, Aug. 24 at 7:30 p.m.  Regular performances are Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Flex passes to the Solo Celebration! series, which offers admissions to three plays for $99 or five plays for $164, are now on sale.  Single tickets, which range in price from $34 – 48 are also on sale.  Flex passes and tickets can be purchased by contacting the box office at 773-404-7336 or by visiting greenhousetheater.org.

 About Solo Celebration! 

 “Rose” is one of 12 plays featured in Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!,” which includes ten full productions, two limited engagements and other special events running June 2016 through February 2017. Among the other directors connected to solo series are Goodman Theatre Producer and Artistic Collective Member Steve Scott, Writer’s Theatre Resident Director Kimberly Senior, Directors Lab Chicago Artistic Director Elizabeth Margolius and Remy Bumppo Artistic Associate Linda Gillum. Some of the performers confirmed to star in solo works include Jeff Award-winners Kate Buddeke, Gene Weygandt, Linda Reiter acclaimed British actor Simon Slater, Will Allan and Carin Silkaitis. Most productions will be produced in their entirety by Greenhouse, while other plays will be stated with co-producers including Sideshow Theatre Company and The Other Theatre Company. Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!” is co-produced by Forum Productions and underwritten by the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation.

About the Greenhouse Theater Center. 

The Greenhouse Theater Center is a nonprofit performance venue located at 2257 N Lincoln Ave, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Our complex offers two newly remodeled 190-seat main stage spaces, two 60-seat studio theaters, an in-house rehearsal room, and Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre book store.

Our mission at the Greenhouse is first and foremost to grow local theatre. We strive to cultivate a fertile environment for local artists, from individual renters to our bevy of resident companies, to develop and produce their work. In 2014 alone, The Greenhouse Theater Center provided space for almost 1,000 ticketed performances, serving more than 54,000 patrons. Among these events were at least 30 productions by our resident companies, including the celebrated American Blues Theater and Remy Bumpo Theatre Company. Through our Trellis Program, we offer the community affordable access to our work by housing Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre bookstore, located on the second floor of our complex, as well as offering a free reading series each Tuesday night where local artists workshop their latest scripts. Additionally, we also continue to play an active role in cultivating and nurturing our community through continued partnerships with the League of Chicago Theaters and local Chambers of Commerce.

As of 2016, the Greenhouse Theater Center embraced the true spirit of growth and launched its producing entity. With the announcement of our 8 month long Solo Celebration Series, helmed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey, we will produce 12 solo plays from June 2016 to February 2017. Through this inaugural effort, we hope to expand the solo play cannon while also cultivating a larger conversation about the possibilities of the one-person play.

With new ideas always incubating, the Greenhouse Theater Center is flourishing. Come grow with us!

OPENING: US Debut of 1 Man Murder Mystery "Bloodshot" at Greenhouse Theater Center's Solo Celebration!

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

"Bloodshot" at Solo Celebration

8/10-9/10

“Bloodshot” makes its U.S. debut at the Greenhouse Theater Center (2257 N. Lincoln Ave.) Aug. 10 – Sept. 10 as part of Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!” series. Starring acclaimed international actor, the multi-talented Simon Slater, written by award winning Chicago playwright Douglas Post and directed by Patrick Sandford, “Bloodshot,” is a one-man murder mystery following the character Derek Eveleigh, a photographer in 1957 London. The thriller is co-produced by Ingenious Purpose Ltd. 

“In curating the Solo Celebration series, we were searching for plays that not only celebrated the form but redefined what it could do. Douglas Post has done all of that and more with his one-man thriller,” says Jacob Harvey, Artistic Director. “We are honored to host the premiere of the international efforts of a local playwright, and are thrilled that it brings acclaimed artists Simon Slater and Patrick Sandford to our city.”

The one-man murder mystery “Bloodshot” tells the story of Derek Eveleigh as he is hired by an anonymous client to follow a mysterious showgirl in the streets of London. After witnessing the woman’s murder by an unknown assailant, he begins an investigation through the bowels and backstreets of London where he finds himself falling in love with a dead woman he’s never even met.

Post was commissioned by Slater to write a play  to showcase his diverse talents as a singer, actor, magician and musician (equally adept on multiple instruments,) and the product of their partnership was “Bloodshot,” one of the only solo thriller plays written. Charles Spencer of the The Telegraph praised the play, saying “the ingenious writing of Douglas Post … has so cleverly reinvented the possibilities of the stage thriller.” Spencer called the show “a thriller that genuinely holds the spectator in its thrall.” Touring in England and throughout Europe, “Bloodshot” has amazed, thrilled and rattled audiences since 2011.

Simon Slater is an award-winning composer of more than 200 original scores for theater, film, television and radio. As an actor he is a familiar face on British television, as well as having appeared in films and many critically-acclaimed theater productions in London and abroad. Recently, Slater’s theater credits include “Chariots Of Fire,” “Wonderland,” “Bloodshot” (St James' Theatre London, Vertigo Theatre Calgary), “Viva Forever,” and “Mamma Mia!” Slater was nominated for a Betty award in the category of “best performance in a drama” for his role in “Bloodshot.” Slater’s film appearances include “The Iron Lady,” “Dealers,” “The Fool,” and the award winning short film “Detour.” Most recently he was nominated for an Olivier Award for his music for “Constellations,” “Great Expectations,” “Raving,” “The Lady and the Van” and “Romeo and Juliet.”

Doulas Post is a Chicago-based award winning playwright. Post has written works including “Cynical Weathers,” “Blissfield,” “Drowning Sorrows,” “Earth and Sky” and “Murder in Green Meadows.” Post has also written several musicals, which include “God and Country,” “The Real Life Story of Johnny de Facto” and “The Wind in the Willows.” His work have been produced in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Canada, England, Wales, Germany, Austria, Russia and China. He has also been commissioned to write screenplays for Warner Bros. and NBC, teleplays for WMAQ­TV, and several radio adaptations of his scripts. On three occasions, he has been selected to develop his work at the O'Neill National Playwrights Conference and once at the O'Neill National Music Theater Conference. He has received the L. Arnold Weissberger Playwriting Award, the Midwestern Playwrights Festival Award, the Cunningham Commission Award, the Blue Ink Playwriting Award and three Playwriting Fellowship Awards from the Illinois Arts Council, and has been nominated for a Jeff Award and an Emmy Award.

Patrick Sandford is a British producer, director and artistic director. Sandford won the UK Theatre Managers Association award for Best Director for “The Winter Wife,” a play by Claire Tomalin, and for Shakespeare's “Much Ado About Nothing.” He has worked extensively across the UK and in London, both in the West End and on the Fringe. His recent work includes “Bully Boy,” a new play by Sandi Toksvig. His production of Chekov's “Three Sisters” was nominated Best Touring Production. He directed A “Midsummer Night's Dream” in Capetown shortly after the ending of Apartheid, “Oedipus Rex” in the ancient outdoor amphitheater in Paphos, Cyprus, and “Twelfth Night,” in French at the Theatre des 2 Rives in Rouen, France.

About Solo Celebration! 

“Bloodshot” is one of 12 plays featured in Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!,” which includes ten full productions, two limited engagements and other special events running June 2016 through February 2017. Among the other directors connected to solo series are Goodman Theatre Producer and Artistic Collective Member Steve Scott, Writer’s Theatre Resident Director Kimberly Senior, Directors Lab Chicago Artistic Director Elizabeth Margolius and Remy Bumppo Artistic Associate Linda Gillum. Some of the performers confirmed to star in solo works include Jeff Award-winners Kate Buddeke, Gene Weygandt, Linda Reiter acclaimed British actor Simon Slater, Will Allan and Carin Silkaitis. Most productions will be produced in their entirety by Greenhouse, while other plays will be stated with co-producers including Sideshow Theatre Company and The Other Theatre Company. Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!” is co-produced by Forum Productions and underwritten by the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation.

About the Greenhouse Theater Center. 

The Greenhouse Theater Center is a nonprofit performance venue located at 2257 N Lincoln Ave, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Our complex offers two newly remodeled 190-seat main stage spaces, two 60-seat studio theaters, an in-house rehearsal room, and Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre book store.

Our mission at the Greenhouse is first and foremost to grow local theatre. We strive to cultivate a fertile environment for local artists, from individual renters to our bevy of resident companies, to develop and produce their work. In 2014 alone, The Greenhouse Theater Center provided space for almost 1,000 ticketed performances, serving more than 54,000 patrons. Among these events were at least 30 productions by our resident companies, including the celebrated American Blues Theater and Remy Bumpo Theatre Company. Through our Trellis Program, we offer the community affordable access to our work by housing Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre bookstore, located on the second floor of our complex, as well as offering a free reading series each Tuesday night where local artists workshop their latest scripts. Additionally, we also continue to play an active role in cultivating and nurturing our community through continued partnerships with the League of Chicago Theaters and local Chambers of Commerce.

As of 2016, the Greenhouse Theater Center embraced the true spirit of growth and launched its producing entity. With the announcement of our 8 month long Solo Celebration Series, helmed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey, we will produce 12 solo plays from June 2016 to February 2017. Through this inaugural effort, we hope to expand the solo play cannon while also cultivating a larger conversation about the possibilities of the one-person play.

With new ideas always incubating, the Greenhouse Theater Center is flourishing.

Come grow with us!

REVIEW: Cathy Schenkelberg's “SQUEEZE MY CANS” at Greenhouse Theater's Solo Celebration

GREENHOUSE THEATER CENTER'S SOLO CELEBRATION PRESENTS  LIMITED ENGAGEMENT RUN OF 

“SQUEEZE MY CANS,” 

JULY 14 – JULY 24

Takes Audiences Through the No-Holds-Barred Tale of Surviving Scientology

It was my great pleasure to catch opening night of Cathy Schenkelberg's “Squeeze My Cans” last Thursday. She's a mom, actress, singer, writer, recovering Scientologist, and all around funny gal. This marks the 3rd show in Greenhouse Theater's excellent Solo Celebration series. 

One woman shows are challenging and intense to write and perform and Schenkelberg pulls it off with humor, grace and style. This piece is particularly compelling because it's even harder for someone to admit she's been conned, and speak of the vulnerability of losing her religion, a small fortune, and a support network of folks she thought were trustworthy long term friends. 

Cathy's brave and crazy enough to share her journey with us in this excellent production. Her downward spiral into the financial, and mental toll of an obsession with Scientology reminded me of a gambling addiction or a high stakes, real world claw game. The more time, money and energy she invested, the more she had to stay in the Scientology game, hoping for rewards and spiritual pay outs. We highly recommend “Squeeze My Cans,” as a must see, cautionary tale, and a highly entertaining and enlightening adult night out.

Tickets are affordable and the talent is terrific. “Squeeze My Cans,” is a short 10 show run, so don't miss this. Check back early and often for the scoop on the coolest theatre, arts and entertainment and more in Chi, IL and beyond. 

The Greenhouse Theater’s “Solo Celebration!” continues with “Squeeze My Cans,” a limited engagement autobiographical solo-play written and performed by Cathy Schenkelberg and directed by Shirley Anderson. Making its Chicago premiere, Schenkelberg shares a glimpse behind the velvet curtain of Scientology in this strangely hilarious and unbelievable story of resilience, loss, and extraterrestrials. “Squeeze My Cans” runs July 14 – July 24 at The Greenhouse Theater Center (2257 N Lincoln Avenue); the press performance is July 14 at 7:30 p.m.

“Cathy’s brave journey through Scientology is at once humorous and shocking, detailing her nearly 20-year experience with America’s foremost intergalactic faith. Through Cathy’s lens, audiences are offered a rare glimpse into this secretive religion, re-living her account of coming into and getting out of the Church of Scientology,” said Artistic Director of the Greenhouse Theater Center, Jacob Harvey. “Together with Shirley and their entire team, Cathy has crafted an intimate story of survival and the power of perseverance, refusing to stay silent.”

“Squeeze My Cans” asks audiences: What do you do if the “carrot of spiritual freedom” was dangled in front of you, waiting to be seized? In this cautionary tale, we learn what chasing the “carrot” got Cathy Shenkelberg, and how after studying and searching to become “more herself,” she could be found blowing alien life forms off her body farther than ever from the person who she had hoped to be.

”Squeeze My Cans” received its first developmental workshop production at Lifeline’s Filet of Solo Festival.

Performance Schedule: 

Thursday, July 14 at 7 p.m.; Friday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 16 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, July 21 and Friday, July 22 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 23 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, July 24 at 2 p.m. For tickets and additional information, click here.

Flex passes to the Solo Celebration! series, which offers admissions to three plays for $99 or five plays for $164, are now on sale.  Single tickets, which range in price from $25 – $30 are also on sale.  Flex passes and tickets can be purchased by contacting the box office at 773-404-7336 or by visiting greenhousetheater.org.

Cathy Schenkelberg (Performer/Playwright) is a Nebraska native and Chicago/LA-based actress, singer, and voiceover talent. Early on in Chicago, she has been seen in productions such as "Jacque Brel," "Working," "Little Shop of Horrors,” "Noises Off" and "Moms the Word." Schenkelberg also played Chrissy in the National tour of “Hair” and Pepper the Clown on WGN’s “Bozo Show.” She has worked as a dancer/singer at clubs and cruise ships - even impersonating Dolly Parton, Madonna and Marilyn Monroe (all at the same time). In her recent return to the stage, she had the good fortune to play Madame Thenardier in “Les Misérables,” Violet, Zuzu and Ma Hatch in “It’s A Wonderful Life,” and Sue Ellen in “Honky Tonk Angels” at Sierra Repertory Theatre in Sonora CA, as well as Veronica in “God of Carnage” at American Stage in St. Petersberg, Fl. But it has been her work in spoken-word at such venues as Write Club LA, Spark off Rose, and Louder than a Mom where “Squeeze My Cans” was conceived.

Shirley Anderson (Director) is a Northwestern alum who spent the 90s in Chicago, adapting, producing and performing a solo adaptation of Dorothy Parker’s short story “Big Blonde,” at the Red Lion Pub, then in jazz clubs, colleges and theaters in Chicago, Edinburgh and Los Angeles.  Anderson has written and performed as a solo performer ever since in Chicago and Los Angeles.  In 1993, Anderson collaborated with Molly McNett on “Sculpture in Vitro: Growing Up Female in the Age of Liposuction” at Live Bait Theater after premiering the work in cooperation with Lookingglass Theatre and before touring the show to high schools and colleges. She has collaborated with Lookingglass Theatre Company, Plasticene and Studio 108 in Chicago and Sacred Fools, Theater Movement Bazaar, Zoo District, Son of Semele and Theater of NOTE in Los Angeles, where she currently lives and directs business operations for Blum & Poe art gallery. 

About Solo Celebration!

“Squeeze My Cans” is one of 12 plays featured in Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!,” which will include ten full productions and two limited engagements running June 2016 through February 2017. Among the other directors connected to solo series are Goodman Theatre Producer and Artistic Collective Member Steve Scott, Writer’s Theatre Resident Director Kimberly Senior, Directors Lab Chicago Artistic Director Elizabeth Margolius and Remy Bumppo Artistic Associate Linda Gillum. Some of the performers confirmed to star in solo works include Jeff Award-winner Kate Buddeke, acclaimed British actor Simon Slater, Karen Rodriguez and Carin Silkaitis.  Most productions will be produced in their entirety by Greenhouse, while other plays will be stated with co-producers including Sideshow Theatre Company and The Other Theatre Company.  Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!” is co-produced by Forum Productions and underwritten by the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation.

About the Greenhouse Theater Center

The Greenhouse Theater Center is a nonprofit performance venue located at 2257 N Lincoln Ave, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Our complex offers two newly remodeled 190-seat main stage spaces, two 60-seat studio theaters, an in-house rehearsal room, and Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre book store.

Our mission at the Greenhouse is first and foremost to grow local theatre. We strive to cultivate a fertile environment for local artists, from individual renters to our bevy of resident companies, to develop and produce their work. In 2014 alone, The Greenhouse Theater Center provided space for almost 1,000 ticketed performances, serving more than 54,000 patrons. Among these events, were at least 30 productions by our resident companies, including the celebrated American Blues Theater and Remy Bumpo Theatre Company. Through our Trellis Program, we offer the community affordable access to our work by housing Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre bookstore, located on the second floor of our complex, as well as offering a free reading series each Tuesday night where local artists workshop their latest scripts. Additionally, we also continue to play an active role in cultivating and nurturing our community through continued partnerships with the League of Chicago Theaters and local Chambers of Commerce.

As of 2016, the Greenhouse Theater Center embraced the true spirit of growth and launched its producing entity. With the announcement of our 8 month long Solo Celebration Series, helmed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey, we will produce 10 solo plays from June 2016 to February 2017. Through this inaugural effort, we hope to expand the solo play cannon while also cultivating a larger conversation about the possibilities of the one-person play.

With new ideas always incubating, the Greenhouse Theater Center is flourishing. Come grow with us!

OPENING: “SQUEEZE MY CANS” Continues Solo Celebration at Greenhouse Theater

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

GREENHOUSE THEATER CENTER'S SOLO CELEBRATION PRESENTS  LIMITED ENGAGEMENT RUN OF 

“SQUEEZE MY CANS,” 

JULY 14 – JULY 24

Cathy Schenkelberg Takes Audiences Through the No-Holds-Barred Tale of Surviving Scientology

Tonight we'll be ChiILin' out at Greenhouse Theater for the 3rd show in their Solo Celebration series. Tickets are affordable and the talent is terrific. “Squeeze My Cans,” is a short 10 show run, so don't miss this. Check back early and often for the scoop on the coolest theatre, arts and entertainment and more in Chi, IL and beyond.

The Greenhouse Theater’s “Solo Celebration!” continues with “Squeeze My Cans,” a limited engagement autobiographical solo-play written and performed by Cathy Schenkelberg and directed by Shirley Anderson. Making its Chicago premiere, Schenkelberg shares a glimpse behind the velvet curtain of Scientology in this strangely hilarious and unbelievable story of resilience, loss, and extraterrestrials. “Squeeze My Cans” runs July 14 – July 24 at The Greenhouse Theater Center (2257 N Lincoln Avenue); the press performance is July 14 at 7:30 p.m.

“Cathy’s brave journey through Scientology is at once humorous and shocking, detailing her nearly 20-year experience with America’s foremost intergalactic faith. Through Cathy’s lens, audiences are offered a rare glimpse into this secretive religion, re-living her account of coming into and getting out of the Church of Scientology,” said Artistic Director of the Greenhouse Theater Center, Jacob Harvey. “Together with Shirley and their entire team, Cathy has crafted an intimate story of survival and the power of perseverance, refusing to stay silent.”

“Squeeze My Cans” asks audiences: What do you do if the “carrot of spiritual freedom” was dangled in front of you, waiting to be seized? In this cautionary tale, we learn what chasing the “carrot” got Cathy Shenkelberg, and how after studying and searching to become “more herself,” she could be found blowing alien life forms off her body farther than ever from the person who she had hoped to be.

”Squeeze My Cans” received its first developmental workshop production at Lifeline’s Filet of Solo Festival.

Performance Schedule: 

Thursday, July 14 at 7 p.m.; Friday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 16 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, July 21 and Friday, July 22 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 23 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, July 24 at 2 p.m. For tickets and additional information, click here.

Flex passes to the Solo Celebration! series, which offers admissions to three plays for $99 or five plays for $164, are now on sale.  Single tickets, which range in price from $34 – 48 are also on sale.  Flex passes and tickets can be purchased by contacting the box office at 773-404-7336 or by visiting greenhousetheater.org.

Cathy Schenkelberg (Performer/Playwright) is a Nebraska native and Chicago/LA-based actress, singer, and voiceover talent. Early on in Chicago, she has been seen in productions such as "Jacque Brel," "Working," "Little Shop of Horrors,” "Noises Off" and "Moms the Word." Schenkelberg also played Chrissy in the National tour of “Hair” and Pepper the Clown on WGN’s “Bozo Show.” She has worked as a dancer/singer at clubs and cruise ships - even impersonating Dolly Parton, Madonna and Marilyn Monroe (all at the same time). In her recent return to the stage, she had the good fortune to play Madame Thenardier in “Les Misérables,” Violet, Zuzu and Ma Hatch in “It’s A Wonderful Life,” and Sue Ellen in “Honky Tonk Angels” at Sierra Repertory Theatre in Sonora CA, as well as Veronica in “God of Carnage” at American Stage in St. Petersberg, Fl. But it has been her work in spoken-word at such venues as Write Club LA, Spark off Rose, and Louder than a Mom where “Squeeze My Cans” was conceived.

Shirley Anderson (Director) is a Northwestern alum who spent the 90s in Chicago, adapting, producing and performing a solo adaptation of Dorothy Parker’s short story “Big Blonde,” at the Red Lion Pub, then in jazz clubs, colleges and theaters in Chicago, Edinburgh and Los Angeles.  Anderson has written and performed as a solo performer ever since in Chicago and Los Angeles.  In 1993, Anderson collaborated with Molly McNett on “Sculpture in Vitro: Growing Up Female in the Age of Liposuction” at Live Bait Theater after premiering the work in cooperation with Lookingglass Theatre and before touring the show to high schools and colleges. She has collaborated with Lookingglass Theatre Company, Plasticene and Studio 108 in Chicago and Sacred Fools, Theater Movement Bazaar, Zoo District, Son of Semele and Theater of NOTE in Los Angeles, where she currently lives and directs business operations for Blum & Poe art gallery. 

About Solo Celebration!

“Squeeze My Cans” is one of 12 plays featured in Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!,” which will include ten full productions and two limited engagements running June 2016 through February 2017. Among the other directors connected to solo series are Goodman Theatre Producer and Artistic Collective Member Steve Scott, Writer’s Theatre Resident Director Kimberly Senior, Directors Lab Chicago Artistic Director Elizabeth Margolius and Remy Bumppo Artistic Associate Linda Gillum. Some of the performers confirmed to star in solo works include Jeff Award-winner Kate Buddeke, acclaimed British actor Simon Slater, Karen Rodriguez and Carin Silkaitis.  Most productions will be produced in their entirety by Greenhouse, while other plays will be stated with co-producers including Sideshow Theatre Company and The Other Theatre Company.  Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!” is co-produced by Forum Productions and underwritten by the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation.

About the Greenhouse Theater Center

The Greenhouse Theater Center is a nonprofit performance venue located at 2257 N Lincoln Ave, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Our complex offers two newly remodeled 190-seat main stage spaces, two 60-seat studio theaters, an in-house rehearsal room, and Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre book store.

Our mission at the Greenhouse is first and foremost to grow local theatre. We strive to cultivate a fertile environment for local artists, from individual renters to our bevy of resident companies, to develop and produce their work. In 2014 alone, The Greenhouse Theater Center provided space for almost 1,000 ticketed performances, serving more than 54,000 patrons. Among these events, were at least 30 productions by our resident companies, including the celebrated American Blues Theater and Remy Bumpo Theatre Company. Through our Trellis Program, we offer the community affordable access to our work by housing Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre bookstore, located on the second floor of our complex, as well as offering a free reading series each Tuesday night where local artists workshop their latest scripts. Additionally, we also continue to play an active role in cultivating and nurturing our community through continued partnerships with the League of Chicago Theaters and local Chambers of Commerce.

As of 2016, the Greenhouse Theater Center embraced the true spirit of growth and launched its producing entity. With the announcement of our 8 month long Solo Celebration Series, helmed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey, we will produce 10 solo plays from June 2016 to February 2017. Through this inaugural effort, we hope to expand the solo play cannon while also cultivating a larger conversation about the possibilities of the one-person play.

With new ideas always incubating, the Greenhouse Theater Center is flourishing. Come grow with us!

Additional A-List Talent Announced for Greenhouse Theater’s Solo Celebration!

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

STELLAR LIST OF CHICAGO ACTORS 

COMPLETE CASTING IN 

GREENHOUSE THEATER CENTER’S 

“SOLO CELEBRATION!” 

PRODUCTIONS

Gene Weygandt, Linda Reiter and Will Allan Join Previously Announced “Solo Celebration!” Actors, Including Simon Slater, Carin Silkaitis, Philip Dawkins and Kate Buddeke  Casting is now complete for the Greenhouse Theater’s Solo Celebration!, as Artistic Director Jacob Harvey announced the remaining performers to be featured in solo works being presented now through February 2017. The A-list group of Chicago performers joining the Solo Celebration include: Linda Reiter as Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy in “Rose,” directed by Steve Scott and running August 19 – September 25; Gene Weygandt as Matty in “Uncle Phillip’s Coat,” directed by Elizabeth Margolius and running November 27 – December 31; and Will Allan as Chester in “Circumference of a Squirrel,” directed by Jacob Harvey and running January 13 – February 12, 2017.  “I am thrilled to complete the lineup of performers for Solo Celebration series with such a diverse and celebrated group of Chicago actors. Linda, Gene, and Will join a phenomenal group of collaboartors working to bring audiences innovative and challenging new solo plays,” said Artistic Director Jacob Harvey. “One of the greatest joys of curating this series has been the opportunity to bring artists from different companies and parts of the city together to create on our stages.” Starring in the Chicago premiere of the off-Broadway hit “Rose” in August, Linda Reiter portrays the stalwart Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy in the hours following the tragedy at Chappaquiddick. Reiter debuted in her first solo performance in “The Testament of Mary” at Victory Gardens Theater, for which she received a Jeff nomination for Best Solo Performance. Reiter is an ensemble member of Shattered Globe Theatre, where she has performed in 41 productions in their 25 years, last appearing as Bessie in “Marvin's Room.”  Reiter has garnered Jeff Awards in the non-equity category for the roles of Eleanor Iselin in “The Manchurian Candidate,” Martha in “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” Kate in “All My Sons,” Mme. De Merteuil in “Les Liaisons Dangereuses,” Dee Dee in “Invitation to a March” and Sarah in “Bondagers.” Gene Weygandt (a favorite of ours here at ChiIL Mama & ChiIL Live Shows!) stars as Matty in the Chicago premiere of “Uncle Phillip’s Coat,” this November, in a time traveling journey of self-discovery. Weygandt is best known as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in “Wicked” in Chicago, and on Broadway. More recently, he starred as Jean Shepherd in “A Christmas Story, The Musical.” Also on Broadway, Weygandt originated the role of Paul in “Big: The Musical.” He is a three-time Jeff Award recipient for “A Day in Hollywood/A Night in The Ukraine,” and “Me and My Girl” at The Marriott Theatre, and for “Little Shop of Horrors.” He received an After Dark Award for his role as Max in the long-running hit, “Lend Me a Tenor” at The Royal George Theatre. Other credits include “Inspecting Carol” at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, “The Taming of the Shrew” at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and principal roles in “Old Jews Telling Jokes,” “The Miser,” “Arthur: the Musical,” “The Light In The Piazza,” “Hairspray,” “The Music Man,” Don’t Dress for Dinner,” “Little Me,” and “The Man Who Came To Dinner.” Weygandt’s TV and film credits include “The Birdcage,” “The Babe,” and “The Pager,” “Chicago Fire,” “Betrayal,” “Boss,” “Mind Games,” “The Beast,” “Home Improvement,” “Cybill,” “Murphy Brown,” “Drew Carey,” and more. In January, Will Allan stars as Chester in “Circumference of a Squirrel,” a savagely comic story of growing up with a father who developed a rabid hatred for squirrels that eventually infected every aspect of his life. Allan was last seen in Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s production of Annie Baker's ”The Flick.” Previous Chicago credits include “Good People,” “The March,” “Animal Farm,” and “A Separate Peace” (Steppenwolf); “The Seagull” and “Dartmoor Prison”(Goodman); “The History Boys” (TimeLine Theatre); “The Whale” (Victory Gardens); “The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?” (Remy Bumppo); “Speech and Debate” and “It's a Wonderful Life” (American Theater Company); “Romeo and Juliet” and “Much Ado About Nothing” (First Folio); and “Red Noses” and “Good Soul of Szechuan” (Strawdog). Regional credits include The “Mousetrap” (Milwaukee Rep) and “Red” (Human Race Theatre Co.). Other actors appearing in Solo Celebration include Cathy Schenkelberg in “Squeeze My Cans,” July 14 -24, Cameron Pfiffner in “The Portrait,” July 15 – Aug. 4, Melinda Buckley in “Mother (and Me),” Aug. 4 – 14, Simon Slater in “Bloodshot,” August 10 – Sept. 10, Carin Silkaitis in “I Do Today,” Sept. 2 – Oct. 9, Phillip Dawkins in “The Happiest Place on Earth,” Sept. 17 – Oct. 23 and Kate Buddeke in “Miss America,” Jan. 6 – Feb. 12. About “Solo Celebration!” The Greenhouse Theater Center presents “Solo Celebration!,” includes ten full productions, two limited engagements and other special events running June 2016 through February 2017. Most productions will be produced in their entirety by Greenhouse, while other plays will be staged with co-producers including Sideshow Theatre Company and The Other Theatre Company. Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!” is co-produced by Forum Productions and underwritten by the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation. More information and the full lineup, click here.    About the Greenhouse Theater Center The Greenhouse Theater Center is a nonprofit performance venue located at 2257 N Lincoln Ave, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Our complex offers two newly remodeled 190-seat main stage spaces, two 60-seat studio theaters, an in-house rehearsal room, and Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre book store. Our mission at the Greenhouse is first and foremost to grow local theatre. We strive to cultivate a fertile environment for local artists, from individual renters to our bevy of resident companies, to develop and produce their work. In 2014 alone, The Greenhouse Theater Center provided space for almost 1,000 ticketed performances, serving more than 54,000 patrons. At least 30 productions by our resident companies were produced, including works by the celebrated American Blues Theater and Remy Bumpo Theatre Company. Through our Trellis Program, we offer the community affordable access to our work by housing Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre bookstore, located on the second floor of our complex, as well as offering a free reading series each Tuesday night where local artists workshop their latest scripts. Additionally, we also continue to play an active role in cultivating and nurturing our community through continued partnerships with the League of Chicago Theaters and local Chambers of Commerce. As of 2016, the Greenhouse Theater Center embraced the true spirit of growth and launched its producing entity. With the announcement of our 8 month long Solo Celebration Series, helmed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey, we will produce 10 solo plays from June 2016 to February 2017. Through this inaugural effort, we hope to expand the solo play cannon while also cultivating a larger conversation about the possibilities of the one-person play. With new ideas always incubating, the Greenhouse Theater Center is flourishing.  Come grow with us!

Solo Celebration Growing at Greenhouse Theater With Addition of Two More Special Events

GREENHOUSE THEATER CENTER ADDS TWO SPECIAL EVENTS TO “SOLO CELEBRATION!” LINEUP

“Greenhouse: LIVE” and “The Voice Bank” to be Presented This Summer

The Greenhouse Theater Center (2257 N. Lincoln Ave) announced two special events that have been added to the “Solo Celebration!” series. “Greenhouse: LIVE,” featuring the ensemble of The LIVINGroom in an evening of storytelling, will be presented for one-night-only on July 22 at 8 p.m. “The Voice Bank,” a new play written by and starring Andrea Caban, tells the story of a theatrical dialect coach who finds new meaning in her work when she is tasked with working with a woman who has been diagnosed with ALS to battle the loss of her voice to the disease.  “The Voice Bank” runs August 9 and 10 at 9 p.m.

“A key component of the Greenhouse’s mission is to support the development of new work and provide a platform that allows emerging artists to showcase their talents,” said Artistic Director Jacob Harvey.  “With this in mind, it was only fitting that we open our doors to allow the storytellers from The LIVINGroom and Andrea Caban of ‘The Voice Bank’ to utilize our theater to tell their compelling stories.”

“Greenhouse: LIVE,” produced by Greenhouse Theater Center's Artistic Apprentice, Nick Thornton and curated and directed by The LIVINGroom artistic director Laura Reitsma, is a night of highly theatrical Chicago stories, inspired by true events, and performed by Eileen Tull, Ian Randall, Anna Rose Wolfe, Ryan Howell, Carly Jo Geer, Reeny Hofrichter, Joel Reitsma and Rachel Copel.  The event will be recorded live on the “Your Chicago” podcast. “Greenhouse: LIVE” will be presented for one night only on Friday, July 22 at 8 p.m.

“The Voice Bank” tells the story of a woman who defies her ALS diagnosis to fight to keep speaking by working with a theatrical dialect coach.  Based on Caban’s experiences, the actress plays both herself and Terry, a woman with an indomitable spirit and a passion, as they work together to manage Terry’s progressing symptoms through voice and accent training. Written and starring Caban, and directed by Amanda McRaven, the play is based on more than 40 hours of actual transcriptions from voice and accent sessions between Caban and Terry, and real conversations between Terry and her doctors. “The Voice Bank” will be presented for two nights only, Tuesday, August 9 and Wednesday, August 10 at 9 p.m.  The Voice Bank is presented in partnership with terraNova Collective. In an effort to make this story as accessible as possible, two for one tickets are being made available to people and families affected by ALS.

Tickets for “Greenhouse: LIVE” are priced at $10.  Tickets for “The Voice Bank” are priced at $25. For tickets or Solo Celebration series flex passes, contact the box office at 773-404-7336 or visit greenhousetheater.org.

About The LIVINGroom

Some of the most intimate, truthful and exciting moments happen in living rooms. The LIVINGroom is an assembly of individual performances that blend true life with elements of theater to connect the performer’s experiences to the audience. The LIVINGroom shares living, breathing, highly theatrical stories about events that really happened.

About Your Chicago

Your Chicago is the podcast that gets to know the people who make Chicago go. Each month, Stefania (Sox fan) and Arden (Cubs fan) get to know the Chicagoans who bring the city legendary food, one-of-a-kind shows, unforgettable festivals, unique music and so much more.

About Andrea Caban

Caban is the Associate Director and designated Master Teacher of Knight-Thompson Speechwork™. She is Head of Voice & Speech at Cal State University, Long Beach, training mid-career actors in a unique Performance Pedagogy MFA program and serving an exciting and diverse undergraduate BA program. Prior to that, Caban was on the faculty at UC Irvine and CSU Fullerton, and has been an artist-in-residence at University of Cape Town, Penn State University, the MotherTongue Project-South Africa and SWEAT- South Africa (Sex-Workers Education and Task Force), among others. In 2016 she culminated a three-year documentary theatre collaboration with the Carpenter Center for Performing Arts in Long Beach, where she worked with CSULB Theatre Arts students and Long Beach high school students in created theatre pieces where they engaged their family, their communities and the world.

About “Solo Celebration!”

The Greenhouse Theater Center presents “Solo Celebration!,” which includes 12 full productions and other special events running through February 2017. Most productions will be produced in their entirety by Greenhouse, while other plays will be staged with co-producers including Sideshow Theatre Company and The Other Theatre Company. Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!” is co-produced by Forum Productions and underwritten by the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation. More information and the full lineup, click here.

About the Greenhouse Theater Center

The Greenhouse Theater Center is a nonprofit performance venue located at 2257 N Lincoln Ave, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Our complex offers two newly remodeled 190-seat main stage spaces, two 60-seat studio theaters, an in-house rehearsal room, and Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre book store.

Our mission at the Greenhouse is first and foremost to grow local theatre. We strive to cultivate a fertile environment for local artists, from individual renters to our bevy of resident companies, to develop and produce their work. In 2014 alone, The Greenhouse Theater Center provided space for almost 1,000 ticketed performances, serving more than 54,000 patrons. Among these events, were at least 30 productions by our resident companies, including the celebrated American Blues Theater and Remy Bumpo Theatre Company.  Through our Trellis Program, we offer the community affordable access to our work by housing Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre bookstore, located on the second floor of our complex, as well as offering a free reading series each Tuesday night where local artists workshop their latest scripts. Additionally, we also continue to play an active role in cultivating and nurturing our community through continued partnerships with the League of Chicago Theaters and local Chambers of Commerce.

As of 2016, the Greenhouse Theater Center embraced the true spirit of growth and launched its producing entity. With the announcement of our 8 month long Solo Celebration Series, helmed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey, we will produce 10 solo plays from June 2016 to February 2017. Through this inaugural effort, we hope to expand the solo play cannon while also cultivating a larger conversation about the possibilities of the one-person play.

With new ideas always incubating, the Greenhouse Theater Center is flourishing. Come grow with us!

Polarity Ensemble's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM Through 5/22 at Greenhouse Theater Center

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar

Polarity Ensemble Theatre Presents Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, 

April 20 - May 22, 2016

Director Ann Keen's Production Brings Magic, Transformation and Music of the 60's 

Chicago's abiding bard love continues with one of his most popular and accessible shows, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. Here at ChiIL Mama/ChiIL Live Shows it's one of our Shakes favs. Check out this groovy 1960's style version of the classic.

Polarity Ensemble Theatre presents an innovative interpretation of Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, the bard's most popular comedy. Director Ann Keen sets the production in an America of the early 1960's, a time of distinctive transition in our culture, as music, morality, and racial relations began a revolution. Like Ann's HAMLET (which won Polarity the honor of Best Emerging Theatre Company from the Chicago Reader) and her A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, this production will be infused with music. 

The production is running now through May 22, 2015 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614, where the eleven year old Polarity is a resident company. Tickets are available at www.petheatre.com or by calling the box office at 773-404-7336. 

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM features: Charles Askenaizer Snout, Jos N Banks Lysander, Joey Banks Oberon, Bryan Breau Demetrius, Keith Cavanaugh Bottom, Madisen Dempsey Mustardseed, James Dolbeare Snug,Kevin M. Grubb Quince, Hilary Holbrook Hermia, Charley Jordan Egeus,McKenna Kirchner Peasblossom, Jen Mathews Hippolyta, Jessica McCartneyStarvling, Jennifer Nickell Moth, Hallie Peterson Cobweb, Miriam Reuter Puck,Nicola Rinow Helena, Roy Samra Philostrate, Anastasia Spalding First Fairy,Laura Sturm Titania, Jeremy Thompson Theseus, Aaron Wertheim Flute. 

About the play: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM was written around 1594 or 95. It portrays the adventures of four young lovers and a group of amateur actors, their interactions with woodland fairies and a duke and duchess. This production takes place in a mythical 1960's America and an enchanted forest with a crafty fairy king, an outraged parent, an interracial love story, a bumbling weaver transformed into a half-donkey, and fairies who sing in 1960's harmony. It's a magical, music-filled celebration of love. But as Puck knows, falling in love can make fools of us all. 

The production team for A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM includes Ann Keen (director), Nicole Lewter (production manager), Buck Blue (set design), Alaina Moore (costume design), Claire Chrzan (light design), Bob Kretz (sound design), Charley Jordan (props design), Dave Gonzalez, (fight director), Ali Helland (text/vocal coach), Hazel Marie (stage manager), Aaron Pepple (Assistant Stage Manager), Abigail Epperson (casting director), and Richard Engling (artistic director). 

SCHEDULE AND TICKET INFORMATION 

Title: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

Written by: William Shakespeare

Director: Ann Keen

Location: The Greenhouse Theater Center 2257 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

Regular Run: Sunday, April 24 through Sunday, May 22, 2016

Curtain Times: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 PM, Sunday at 3:00 PM

Tickets: Regular Run: $25. Students: $10, Seniors: $20. Tickets are available at www.petheatre.com and 773-404-7336 

About the Director

Polarity Ensemble Theatre co-founder Ann Keen received her B.A. from Saint Mary's University and her M.F.A. in acting from Arizona State University. She has done a lot of acting and voice over work in the Chicagoland Area. Her favorite roles include Clytemnestra in The Oresteia, Emilia in Othello, Lucetta in Two Gentleman of Verona and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth. Most recently, Ann was in the play Unnecessary Farce at Fox Valley Repertory. She directed Polarity's productions of Antigone, Hamlet and A Streetcar Named Desire and most recently, Crimes of the Heart at Steel Beam Theatre. She is especially brilliant at working with playwrights on developing new scripts. Ann and her husband John are the proprietors of The Spice House in Geneva. 

About Polarity Ensemble Theatre

Founded in 2004, Polarity Ensemble Theatre is a professionally diverse group of artists who strive to advance the state of Chicago theater for both local and international audiences by developing new works and bringing new life to the classics through live performance, workshops, and publishing. For more information, visit www.petheatre.com.