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Showing posts with label Neo-Futurists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Neo-Futurists. Show all posts

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Welcome METROPOLITAN BREWING’S NEW AVONDALE LOCATION With THE NEO-FUTURISTS' THE FOOD SHOW 7/27-9/2

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

THE NEO-FUTURISTS PREMIERE DAN KERR-HOBERT’S THE FOOD SHOW AT METROPOLITAN BREWING’S NEW AVONDALE LOCATION

The Neo’s Ongoing Partnership with Metropolitan Expands with this Full-Length World Premiere About Relationships, Memories and Traditions Created Around The Family Table 

FoodShowEdit - (pictured Dan Kerr Hobert and Caitlin Stainken) photo by Will Sonheim

This makes me grin and not just because it's happening in my awesome Avondale neighborhood. Theatre and food (and beer) make a great paring and this concept sounds like too much fun in the capable creative hands of the Neo-Futurists. Welcome to the hood!

The Neo-Futurists present Ensemble Member Dan Kerr-Hobert’s The Food Show, partnering with Metropolitan Brewing to bring the site-specific world premiere to the brewery’s new Avondale location, 3057 N. Rockwell, July 27 – September 2. 

Previews are Thursday, July 27 – Saturday, July 29 at 7:30 p.m., with opening night Monday, July 31 at 7:30 p.m. Performances run Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices for previews and Thursdays are pay what you can; for the regular run, tickets are $10-25. Tickets and information are available at neofuturists.org or 773.275.5255.

What does it mean to change a family recipe? The Food Show, created by Dan Kerr-Hobert with the help of his cousin and Neo-Futurist alum Caitlin Stainken, explores how food brings us together and sets us apart. An ensemble of five writer-performers get their hands dirty in this celebration and cross examination of food and its relationship to identity. The Food Show honors the traditions of our past and acknowledges our impact on the environment as each generation of eaters must decide what parts to keep and what parts to throw away. Farmers, restaurateurs, writers, musicians and audiences come together to experience the common thread of food and memory in American culture.

“The Food Show was partially inspired by my Grandmother and her sisters and an argument they had over the official family recipe for Arroz con Pollo,” says creator Kerr-Hobert. “We take these stories, and we work and talk and cook and eat. And there is music, and there is dancing. We knew we wanted to make a mess and we didn’t want to do it in a theater. I’m so excited to be making another premiere with such an exciting group of artists, especially at Metropolitan—they’re like family to us. This is really a homecoming.”

The Food Show features performances from Oliver Camacho, Neo Alum Bilal Dardai**, Tif Harrison*, musician Spencer Meeks, and New York Neo-Futurist Kyra Sims, with music composed by Mucca Pazza Artistic Director Ronnie Kuller. The six-week run returns Kerr-Hobert to a Metropolitan brewery, after he directed The Neo-Futurists’ Beer in 2009 at Metropolitan’s original location in Ravenswood. The new Avondale location is expected to open to the public in July.


dougofesthorns -(pictured Doug Hurst) - photo by Tracy Hurst

“We’ve been loyal fans of The Neo-Futurists since long before the brewery opened less than half a mile away from the theater in 2007,” said Tracy Hurst, co-founder and president of Metropolitan. “The original partnership to produce and host Beer just as we were releasing our very first kegs of beer into

the world was a synergy of art, craftsmanship and community. Reviving this collaboration is a true celebration of the growth of both organizations over the past eight years, as well our mutual dedication to the preservation and creation of greatness in Chicago. Neos and Metro for life!”


Dan Kerr-Hobert - photo by Joe Mazza

ABOUT DAN KERR-HOBERT* creator/director
Dan Kerr-Hobert* received his BFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University. He works as an ensemble member of The Neo-Futurists and Blair Thomas and Company and he is the former artistic director of Sans-culottes Theater and Manifest Theatre. As a freelance puppet designer, director, writer, deviser and performer, his work has been seen at The Detroit Institute of Art,  The New York Fringe Festival, The Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, The Steppenwolf Theatre, the Pritzker Pavilion and Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Dad’s Garage in Atlanta, The Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington D.C. and The National Opera of Belgium. Additionally, he has taught at the Art Institute of Chicago and works as an adjunct professor of acting at The Theatre School at DePaul University. Kerr-Hobert holds a regular teaching artist position at Snow City Arts. 

* denotes an active member of The Neo-Futurist Ensemble

**denotes a Neo-Futurist Alum

The Food Show

July 27 – September 2, 2017
Metropolitan Brewing’s new Avondale location, 3057 N. Rockwell

Created by Neo-Futurist Ensemble Member Dan Kerr-Hobert and Neo-Alum Caitlin Stainken

Previews:  Thursday, July 27 – Saturday, July 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Opening Night: Monday, July 31 at 7:30 p.m.
Run: Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.

Ticket Prices: Thursdays and Previews Pay-What-You-Can, Run $10-$25 

Tickets and information are available at neofuturists.org or 773.275.5255

About The Neo-Futurists
The Neo-Futurists are a collective of writer-director-performers creating theater that is fusion of sport, poetry and living-newspaper. Originating over 9,936 plays within the newly launched The Infinite Wrench, 28 years of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, and over 65 full-length productions within their immediate, non-illusory aesthetic, The Neo-Futurists have grown to become one of the most highly regarded experimental theater companies in the United States. From humble beginnings as the first late-night theater production in Chicago, they launched what became Chicago’s longest running show and today sustain multifaceted programs such as Neo-Access, The Kitchen (a micro-festival on art and performance), Prime Time, exchanges with branches in New York and San Francisco, Neo-Lab, and The Infinite Wrench, their flagship ongoing late-night show running 50 weekends every year. For more information visit www.neofuturists.org

About Metropolitan Brewing
German-style lagers have been, and will always be, Metropolitan Brewing's focus, mission, and passion. Since 2007, the Metro team has been producing beer in a 4,500 square foot production facility in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago. In 2017, Metro Brewing will relocate to a ferociously needed 22,000 square foot production facility and taproom in the freshly burgeoning Avondale neighborhood. Metro beers can currently be found on draft and in bottles throughout Illinois and Wisconsin. In the near future, Metro beers will also ship to Indiana, Ohio, and Minnesota.

The Neo-Futurists are partially supported by grants from Alphawood Foundation Chicago, The Chicago Community Foundation, a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, and The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. 

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Too Much Fright Makes The Baby Go Blind One Night Only 10/30

CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN WITH THE NEO-FUTURISTS AT TOO MUCH FRIGHT, SUNDAY, OCT. 30 AT 10:30 P.M.


The Neo-Futurists creep into fall with a chilling Halloween performance of Too Much Fright Makes The Baby Go Blind, 30 plays in 60 minutes, written and performed by The Neo-Futurists, curated by Trevor Dawkins, on Sunday, Oct. 30; doors open at 10 p.m., performance begins at 10:30p.m. This Halloween spin on the long-running sensation Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind is performed at the Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. Tickets are $20 and advanced reservations and costumes are strongly encouraged! For tickets and information visit neofuturists.org or call 773-275-5255. 

The Neo-Futurists brutalize the senses with Too Much Fright Makes the Baby Go Blind, a special Halloween horde of 30 plays performed in 60 merciless minutes that explore the macabre, the strange, the unknowable terrors of the back of your mind. Expect dark humor, heavy metal and existential dread. Also, expect candy. 

The Neo-Futurist Ensemble Member and Too Much Fright Curator Dawkins says, "Too Much Fright is like one of those nightmares you realize is just a nightmare halfway through and then, suddenly you have complete control over it and you can, like, fly and stuff and it's way way less scary and way more empowering and all around awesome.”

The cast for Too Much Fright includes The Neo-Futurists’ Ensemble Members Trevor Dawkins, Ida Cuttler, Lily Mooney, Nick Hart, Bilal Dardai and Malic White.


THE NEO-FUTURISTS
The Neo-Futurists, performers of Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind and creators of over 65 original, full-length productions, are a collective of wildly productive writer-director-performers who are committed to creating immediate, non-illusory, irreproducible events at head-slappingly affordable prices. The Neo-Futurists pioneered a new form of theater in 1988, launching what became Chicago’s longest running show, Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, now in its 28th year. From humble beginnings as the first late-night theater production in Chicago, The Neo-Futurists have grown to become one of the most highly regarded experimental theater companies in America. More than 70 Ensemble-alumni have added thousands of new works to the American theatre canon and today branches bring Neo-Futurism to both coasts in New York City and San Francisco.

The Neo-Futurists Too Much Fright Makes The Baby Go Blind, 30 plays in 60 minutes, written and performed by The Neo-Futurists, curated by Trevor Dawkins, on Sunday, Oct. 30; doors open at 10 p.m., performance begins at 10:30p.m. This Halloween spin on the long-running sensation Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind is performed at the Neo-Futurarium, 5134 N. Ashland Ave. Tickets are $20 and advanced reservations and costumes are strongly encouraged! For tickets and information visit neofuturists.org or call 773-275-5255.


The Neo-Futurists are partially supported by The Alphawood Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, the Illinois Arts Council Agency, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, and The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

OPENING: Neo-Futurists Present World Premiere of SATURN RETURNS

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

THE NEO-FUTURISTS ASK, “CAN YOU LEARN TO BELIEVE?”
IN THE WORLD PREMIERE OF TIF HARRISON’S 
SATURN RETURNS, 
OCTOBER 13 – NOVEMBER 19


Photos by Grace Pisula
Creator and Neo-Futurist Ensemble Member Tif Harrison in the Neo-Futurists’ Saturn Returns

The Neo-Futurists are proud to present the world premiere of Neo-Futurist Ensemble Member Tif Harrison’s Saturn Returns, A Neo-Lab production, supported by The National Endowment for the Arts, October 13 – November 19, at The Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland. Saturn Returns is created by Tif Harrison, directed by Jen Ellison and featuring the writing and performances of: Kurt Chiang*, Tif Harrison*, Lily Mooney*, Kirsten Riiber* and Andrew Tham. Previews are Thursday, Oct. 13 -  Saturday, Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. with opening night Monday, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. Performances run Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices for previews and Thursdays are pay what you can; for the regular run, tickets are $10-25. Tickets and information are available at neofuturists.org or 773.275.5255.


Photos by Grace Pisula (L to R) Andrew Tham, Artistic Director Kurt Chiang, Ensemble Member Kirsten Riiber and  Creator and Neo-Futurist Ensemble Member Tif Harrison

Six months after turning 29, Saturn Returns creatorTif Harrison, received a crash course in loss. Her mother’s cross-country move, the death of her father and a break-up had Harrison reaching into the corners of the universe for anything that would stand still. Saturn Returns is a Neo-Futuristic exploration that asks larger existential questions about time, patience and the vast expanse of an unknowable universe. Tif Harrison and the ensemble look upward and outward, offering observations on the silence and solitude of space, on the uncrossable distances between celestial bodies and the intimacy of standing next to somebody you love. Saturn Returns examines both the astronomical and astrological implications of Saturn’s solar orbit— a 29-year journey— to observe various dramatic changes that have manifested in the lives of the individuals on stage.

Saturn Returns, a part of The Neo-Futurists new work residency Neo-Lab, held open workshops and showings for the past year, culminating in a final workshop performance at The Neo-Futurist Kitchen: a micro-festival on art and performance. Writer and Creator Harrison says, “Taking the time to search for the core of the show, while sharing our progress with audiences along the way, has helped us discover the new questions. This project began with, "Why do we look up?" Spending over a year pondering, the answers have led us to now wonder, "Can you learn to believe?"  and "What do we choose to believe in and what do we dismiss?"”


Photos by Grace Pisula Creator and Neo-Futurist Ensemble Member Tif Harrison in the Neo-Futurists’ Saturn Returns

Tif Harrison* (creator/performer) has been an ensemble member of The Neo-Futurists since 2011. In addition to writing and performing regularly in Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, Harrison was a writer and performed in The Miss Neo Pageant, directed Analog and served as an editor for the company’s most recent book, The Neo-Futurists: Body. She has performed at live lit events like The Paper Machete and Drinking & Writing’s Annual Beerfly Alleyfight. 
Jen Ellison (director) has been performing, writing and directing in Chicago for nearly 20 years.  Directing credits include Trap Door Theatre, WNEP, Collaboraction and The Neo-Futurists where she is an artist associate. As a resident director at the Second City, Ellison has overseen two national touring companies, developed multiple shows for their Outreach and Diversity program and directed Apes of Wrath for the ETC stage. In addition to teaching ethics at DePaul University, she is a member of the Comedy Writing and Performance faculty at Columbia College Chicago.

The Neo-Futurists
The Neo-Futurists, performers of Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind and creators of over 65 original, full-length productions, are a collective of wildly productive writer-director-performers who are committed to creating immediate, non-illusory, irreproducible events at head-slappingly affordable prices. The Neo-Futurists pioneered a new form of theater in 1988, launching what became Chicago’s longest running show, Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, now in its 28th year. From humble beginnings as the first late-night theater production in Chicago, The Neo-Futurists have grown to become one of the most highly regarded experimental theater companies in America. More than 70 Ensemble-alumni have added thousands of new works to the American theatre canon and today branches bring Neo-Futurism to both coasts in New York City and San Francisco.

The Neo-Futurists are partially supported by grants from Alphawood Foundation Chicago, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Network for Ensemble Theaters, The Illinois Arts Council Agency, The Chicago Community Trust, a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, The Field Foundation of Illinois, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and The National Endowment for the Arts.


Neo-Lab and Saturn Returns are supported by The National Endowment for the Arts.

Monday, October 28, 2013

ACT OUT OPENING: CHICAGO’S WEIRD, GRANDMA October 28 – December 2, 2013

We can't wait to monkey around tonight with some of Chi-town's Best and Brightest Performing Arts Companies & Artists and our long time favs, Barrel of Monkeys!   As in "more fun than..."

Chicago's Weird Grandma... and proud of it!   

Come on out and see just how weird and wonderful it is when the unbridled creativity of kids' stories is given a voice, costumes, and a platform!   These guys are some of our favs and it's been too long since we've made it out on a Monday to give them props (...of the word variety... not actual props.   Those they have a treasure trove of).   We'll be there tonight and have a full review up shortly.






All New CHICAGO’S WEIRD, GRANDMA
October 28 – December 2, 2013
The Hypocrites, Manual Cinema, Bailiwick Chicago, The Neo-Futurists and others Transform Stories by Chicago Public School Students 


It's easy to get complacent about long running shows, and Barrel of Monkeys has been at it for over 12 years with their popular Monday night pastime, That's Weird Grandma.  Don't!  If you haven't been or haven't been lately, go already!

Check 'em out LIVE the next 6 weeks, for their annual Chicagocentric version.  Then check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often.  We have an original video interview with Barrel of Monkeys coming soon.

The complete schedule of guest artists and companies for CHICAGO’S WEIRD, GRANDMA:

Monday, October 28 – Manual Cinema
Monday, November 4 – Jessica Hudson
Monday, November 11 – The Neo-Futurists and Bailiwick Chicago Theater
Monday, November 18 – Jyldo
Monday, November 25 – The Hypocrites
Monday, December 2 – About Face Theatre and Noah Ginex Puppet Company

Heck yeah... that's really reasonable:
WHEN: Mondays at 8pm
WHERE: The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland (directions)
TICKETS: $5 for kids, $10 for adults

Just when you thought Monday nights couldn’t get any better, Barrel of Monkeys is partnering with some of Chicago’s best performing arts companies and artists for the second iteration of CHICAGO’S WEIRD, GRANDMA, directed by Artistic Director Molly Brennan, playing Mondays at 8 pm from October 28 – December 2, 2013 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago.  Each guest artist or company will bring their unique talents to transform stories written by Chicago Public School students into entertaining sketches incorporating puppetry, sketch comedy, clowning, music, dance and other disciplines. 

This year’s guest line-up includes: About Face Theatre, Bailiwick Chicago Theater, Jessica Hudson, The Hypocrites, Jyldo, Manual Cinema, The Neo-Futurists and Noah Ginex Puppet Company.  Each guest artist or company will choose from original stories from Barrel of Monkeys’ in-school residencies and adapt them into unique performances. Barrel of Monkeys ensemble members will round out each performance with a rotating line-up of sketches from their long-running revue, THAT’S WEIRD, GRANDMA. The weekly collection of short sketches is equally entertaining for both adults and children. The line-up changes each week by audience vote – so no two shows are ever the same.  


For tickets, reservations and information visit www.barrelofmonkeys.org  or call (312) 409-1954.

*Too late for the littles?!   Don't despair.  After the Chicago shows & holiday special, fam friendly Sunday matinees return Jan 26th -March 30th!

Kids Write It. We Do It. World Saved!
Barrel of Monkeys Warms Up Winter With
THAT’S WEIRD, GRANDMA
Sunday Matinees Return January 26 – March 30, 2014
Monday Night Performances Resume March 2 – 31, 2014

The 8pm start time on a school night was cooked up for the industry peeps, because most shows run through the weekends and many actors have Monday nights off to go see That's Weird Grandma and laugh their booties off.   This winter, though, even the school kids and 9-5ers can sleep in on Sundays and still make it to the matinees.   Be there.

“Every story that you see was written by a child (uh huh). And every child was taught by the Barrel of Monkeys (well well). First we take the stories and perform them in the schools. Afterwards we share them with the world (you are the world).”

So sings the opening song of “That’s Weird, Grandma”—our Monday night public performance where we showcase the amazing talents of our student authors and our company of performers. After teaching creative writing residencies at Chicago Public Schools and working with students to generate literally thousands of creative stories, we have a gigantic repertoire of material to share with you!

Barrel of Monkeys, a Chicago-based arts education theater ensemble now in its 16th season, conducts creative writing workshops with 3rd through 5th grade students in underserved Chicago Public Schools. The ensemble of actor-educators then turns their stories and words into professionally-performed theater, presented both in-school and for the general public through its revues. Barrel of Monkeys annually performs more than 300 student-written stories for the students in their schools and 175 stories on the stage for the general public.

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