OPENING: GRACE Via The Interrobang Theatre Project at The Athenaeum Theatre 5/4-6/3/18

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

Interrobang Theatre Project Presents

GRACE

By Craig Wright

Directed by Co-Artistic Director Georgette Verdin

May 4 – June 3, 2018 at The Athenaeum Theatre

ChiIL Live Shows will be ChiILin' with Chi, IL's Interrobang Theatre Project for the press opening on May 7, so check back shortly for my full review. 

Interrobang Theatre Project is pleased to conclude its 2017-18 Season, exploring the urgent question “What is Truth?,” with a revival of Craig Wright's darkly funny and deadly serious Broadway hit GRACE, directed by Co-Artistic Director Georgette Verdin. GRACE will play May 4 – June 3, 2018 at The Athenaeum Theatre (Studio 2), 2936 N. Southport Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.interrobangtheatre.org, by calling (773) 935-6875 or in person at The Athenaeum Theatre Box Office.

GRACE features Walter Brody as Karl, Evan Linder as Sam, Joe Lino as Steve and ITP ensemble member Laura Berner Taylor* as Sara.

Steve and Sarah have a plan. With nothing more than a little start-up cash and a lot of faith, the couple picks up from their Minnesota home to start a new life in sunny Florida, opening a chain of evangelically-themed motels to spread the good Word while reaping some divine financial benefits. Meanwhile, their new neighbor Sam is in an existential quandary of his own: recently widowed and badly injured, he's faithless, bitter and hardly in the mood for new friends, sent by God or otherwise. As their lives become entwined, and their destinies made clear, all three will come to question their own beliefs and fears. 

The production team for GRACE includes: Pauline Oleksy (scenic design), Noël Huntzinger* (costume designer), Richie Vavrina (lighting design), Erik Siegling (sound design/original music), Melanie Hatch (props design), Brynne Barnard* (assistant director), Lindsay Bartlett (dialect coach), Jeremiah Barr (make-up design), Claire Yearman (violence direction) and Melanie Kulas (stage manager).

*Denotes Interrobang Theatre Project Ensemble Member or Artistic Associate.

Location: The Athenaeum Theatre (Studio 2), 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago
Dates: Previews: Friday, May 4 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, May 5 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, May 6 at 2 pm

Regular run: Thursday, May 10 – Sunday, June 3, 2018
Curtain Times: Thursdays, and Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 2 pm & 7:30 pm: Sundays at 2 pm. Please note: there will not be a performance on Sunday, May 20 due to Interrobang’s annual benefit.

Tickets: Previews: $17. Regular run: $32. Students $17 with ID. (Ticket prices include $2 Athenaeum Theatre restoration fee). Tickets are currently available at www.interrobangtheatre.org, by calling (773) 935-6875 or in person at The Athenaeum Theatre Box Office.

About the Artists:
Craig Wright (Director) is the author of Mistakes Were Made, which played at A Red Orchid Theatre, Hartford Stage, and the Barrow Street Theater; Blind, which played at Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre; The Gray Sisters, which played at Third Rail Rep; The Unseen, which was produced at Actors Theater of Louisville and Stages Rep with Lady, which was commissioned by and received its world premiere from the Northlight Theatre, and was subsequently produced at Rattlestick and around the country; Grace, which premiered at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (nominated for the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding New Play); Recent Tragic Events, which debuted at Woolly and was produced at Playwrights Horizons (finalist for the American Theatre Critics New Play Award and the Helen Hayes Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play); Melissa Arctic, a contemporary adaptation of The Winter’s Tale, which premiered at the Folger Theatre (2005 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding New Play) and was done at Two River Theater; Main Street, commissioned and premiered by the Great American History Theatre; Orange Flower Water, produced at Steppenwolf (Chicago Sun-Times named it one of the Best of the Year); Molly’s Delicious, which debuted at the Arden Theatre (Barrymore nomination for Best New Play) and played at Arizona Theatre Company; The Pavilion, which had dozens of productions around the country, including an extended run at Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre (Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding New Play). Mr. Wright received an Emmy nomination for an episode he wrote of Six Feet Under. He also wrote for Twilight, and served as writer and producer for Lost, Brothers & Sisters, United States of Tara, and his own series on ABC Dirty Sexy Money. A graduate of United Theological Seminary, Mr. Wright lives in Los Angeles and New York.

Georgette Verdin (Director) is Co-Artistic Director of Interrobang Theatre Project, as well as a freelance director, arts educator and arts integration specialist. She was the founding theatre teacher at Polaris Charter Academy, an Expeditionary Learning School in West Humboldt Park where she taught full time for eight years, in addition to teaching speech at the collegiate level. Her recent Interrobang credits include the 2013 Yale Drama Series Winner Still by Jen Silverman, Recent Tragic Events also by Craig Wright (Jeff Recommended) and Katrina: Mother-In-Law of ‘Em All by Rob Florence. Last spring she directed Time Stands Still (Jeff Recommended) for Aston Rep and will be returning to direct Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen as part of their Four by Tenn short play festival honoring Tennessee Williams. Other upcoming projects include assistant directing Lookingglass’ production of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Georgette holds a Bachelor's in Theatre Performance from McNeese State University and a Master's in Directing from Roosevelt University. 



About Interrobang Theatre Project
Now in its eighth season, Interrobang Theatre Project, under the artistic leadership of Georgette Verdin and James Yost, has been hailed by the Chicago Tribune as a “company to watch” and by Time Out Chicago as “one of Chicago’s most promising young theatre companies.” Chris Jones called Foxfinder, which kicked off Interrobang’s 2017-18 season, “...a ripping good yarn,” earning it 3.5 stars in the Chicago Tribune. Season seven earned seven non-Equity Jeff Nominations, including Best Director, Production of a Play, Solo Performance and acting nominations for Lead Actor, Actress and Actor in a Supporting Role. Productions have included the world premiere of Calamity West’s Ibsen is Dead (Jeff Recommended), and the Jeff Recommended The Pitchfork Disney, Orange Flower Water, Recent Tragic Events, The Amish Project, The North Pool and Falling. Director James Yost’s critically-acclaimed Really Really was one of six shows chosen for Chicago Tribune’s “Best of 2015 in Chicago Fringe Theater.”

What’s an interrobang?
An interrobang is the combination of a question mark and an exclamation point, joining the Latin for “question” (interro) with a proofreading term for “exclamation” (bang). Through the plays we produce, Interrobang Theatre Project aims to pose worthwhile and exciting questions which challenge our understanding and assumptions of who we are and the world in which we live. 

For more information, please visit www.interrobangtheatreproject.org.

SAVE THE DATES: TAPPED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME AT THE ATHENAEUM THEATRE TWO NIGHTS ONLY 6/23 & 6/29

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

TWO SHOWS ONLY! 

CHICAGO TAP THEATRE AND THE ATHENAEUM THEATRE PRESENT 

TAPPED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME 

AT THE ATHENAEUM THEATRE, JUNE 23 AND 29 AT 7:30 P.M.

All photos by Josh Hawkins

  

Chicago Tap Theatre Celebrates the Conclusion of Pride Month and Returns to the Athenaeum for an All-new Program of Dance Inspired by Divas and Featuring Live Music by the JC Brooks Band, the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus and other Special Guests

Artistic Director Mark Yonally and Chicago Tap Theatre (CTT) present Tapped for the Very First Time at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave.,  Saturday, June 23 and Friday, June 29 at 7:30 p.m. Tapped for the Very First Time coincides with the end of Pride month and is a celebration of divas and their music that have inspired all of us to dance for decades including Patti Labelle, Whitney Houston, Madonna and others. Tapped for the Very First Time is hosted by the incomparable Mattrick Swayze and has performances with all new arrangements and live music by the JC Brooks Band and featuring special appearances by the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus. 

Doors will open at 7 p.m. and the running time is two hours with one fifteen minute intermission. Tickets are $24 - $65 for reserved admission seating and may be purchased at www.athenaeumtheatre.org or by calling 773-935-6875 or at the door. Group discounts are also available for groups of 10 or more. A preview rehearsal is open to the press at the Joel Hall Dance Center, 5965 N. Clark St. on Sunday, June 10 at 2 p.m.



“Two years ago we presented our first Pride-focused evening, We Will Tap You, to the music of Queen, and it was a HUGE success,” said Artistic Director Yonally. Indeed, that year’s production ended up on the Chicago Tribune and Windy City Times “10 Best Dance Events of the Year” list, with the Chicago Tribune saying, “an entertainment that, in under two hours, brought everybody to a new plane of joy and love.” Also, worth noting, three of the four reviews specifically asked for this to be an annual production!

“To make the 2018 performances even bigger, we have added the JC Brooks Band who are arranging and performing the music live. If you have never seen JC Brooks in person, you are in for a treat. I am also thrilled to be partnering with the Athenaeum Theatre to present TWO performances this year,” Yonally continued.

“Audiences who saw “We Will Tap You” remember CTT”s big over-the-top moments with unexpected guest artists, humor and passion. They have chosen to reprise the Act One closing scene, “Somebody to Love,” which left the audience and even many on stage with tears running down their face. Showcasing artists such as  Cher, Chaka Kahn, Janet Jackson, Tina Turner and others, gives the company many opportunities for more over the top madness and rhythmic sublimity.”

Chicago Tap Theatre is also pleased to bring back one of the most talked-about elements of We Will Tap You - host Mattrick Swayze. According to the Chicago Tribune, “Gay pride…reached new heights here, thanks in part to the extensive contributions of Swayze, backed by the Swayzettes. Truly funny, outrageously sexy, he not only offered various factoids on Freddie Mercury (which he found on the internet, so of course "they're all true!") but devised burlesque vignettes”

Tapped for the Very First Time features choreography by Mark Yonally and Kirsten Uttich. Dancers include Mark Yonally, Jennifer Yonally, Kirsten Uttich, Isaac Stauffer, Aimee Chase, Sara Anderson, Emily Broeker, Bailey Caves, Anabel Watson and Chris Matthews. Music will be arranged and performed by the JC Brooks Band, with guest artists including the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, the Lakeside Pride Freedom Marching Band and many surprise guests.

ABOUT MARK YONALLY
Mark Yonally is currently the artistic director of Chicago Tap Theatre, one of the most critically well-regarded companies in Chicago. Yonally has developed a national and international reputation as a performer, with solo performances in Chicago, Kansas City, Albuquerque, Amsterdam and Paris. He has been blessed to have Sarah Petronio, Dianne Walker, Bill Evans and Billy Siegenfeld as mentors. As a company member of the Bill Evans Dance Company and Especially Tap Chicago (ETC), Yonally performed at such prestigious festivals as the St. Louis Tap Festival, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, the Gus Giordano Jazz Dance World Congress and at the Royal Opera House in Helsinki, Finland. Furthermore, Yonally has gained the plaudits of major dance critics for his innovative approach to tap choreography. His works have been commissioned and performed by the Bill Evans Dance Company, ETC and Hope College, among others. Yonally also maintains a longstanding professional relationship with Valérie Lussac, Artistic Director of Tapage of Toulouse, France. Yonally is a noted educator and has taught at festivals throughout the U.S. and has served on the faculty at Oklahoma City University and Hope College. He is sought after for his multidisciplinary approach to tap teaching, which includes history, basic music theory and an emphasis on jazz music, and has taught in France, Germany, Switzerland and the United States. Yonally is also a published author, with pieces appearing in Dance Spirit, Dance Teacher and Dance Magazine.

ABOUT MATTRICK SWAYZE
Mattrick Swayze AKA Matthew Hollis is a long-time friend and fan of Chicago Tap Theatre.  As a dancer, Swayze has had the pleasure of performing for Hedwig Dances, The Seldoms, Joe Goode Performance Group and Mary Zimmerman.  As a choreographer, he has been a recipient of The Chicago Dancemakers Forum Grant and has presented his work throughout the world.  As a fitness expert, Swayze is a personal trainer and the co-creator of POMSQUAD Fitness which has been featured on WGN “Midday Fix,” NBC’s “1st Look” and WCIU’s “You  & Me in the Morning.”  Swayze is also a sassy mouthed high heel wearing host and late night fixture with The Chicago Dance Crash’s long running dance battle KTF. Mattrick recently competed on Wheel of Fortune, where he won fabulous cash and prizes.

ABOUT JC BROOKS
JC Brooks is a musician and actor who's main pastime is writing love letters to the Chicago arts scene. He makes a unique brand of "indiesoul" with some of Chicago's best musicians in an eponymous project (formerly The Uptown Sound). Sometimes you can catch him with electro-r&b duo, the K.i.D., or as a solo singer/poet.  He's played several Chicago venues from sweaty dance parties at the gritty Door#3 to laidback cabaret nights at City Winery to a sold out House Of Blues. Beyond Chicago he's been tapped for a week-long residency in Brooklyn at a one-of-a-kind multimedia salon called Nightcap Riot and also to play in Milan for its mayor's reception dinner for their new sister city, Chicago. He'll be releasing a brand new EP this upcoming April- find out where you can catch him at: www.JCBrooksBand.com.

ABOUT CHICAGO TAP THEATRE
Founded in 2002, Chicago Tap Theatre is a growing and vibrant dance company dedicated to preserving the quintessentially American dance form of tap while taking it to the next level of creativity, innovation and quality. CTT performs exclusively with live music provided by some of Chicago’s finest musicians playing everything from Duke Ellington to David Bowie and many artists in between. Under the dynamic direction of master teacher and performer Mark Yonally, CTT has gained a loyal and sizable following in Chicago and continues to tour both nationally and internationally. Having pioneered the “tap opera” format, which tells stories with compelling characters and intriguing plots, CTT has used the language of tap dance, live music and narration to move Chicago audiences for over 10 years.

REVIEW: For The Loyal Tackles Reality and Morality In Football Coach Pedophilia Scandal

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Interrobang Theatre Project Presents

FOR THE LOYAL

By Lee Blessing

Directed by Co-Artistic Director James Yost

Through February 4, 2018 at The Athenaeum Theatre

(left to right) Matthew Nerber, Rob Frankel and Sarah Gise in Interrobang Theatre Project's Chicago premiere of FOR THE LOYAL. Photo by Emily Schwartz.

Review:
Interrobang Theatre's at it again, challenging perceptions and pulling no punches. There are plenty of plot twists in this cleverly crafted drama, where 5 characters run through an entire playbook of possible outcomes, when a talented coach is caught making illegal choices with a child.

There are many truth bombs here about complicity and why society often gives a pass to role models suspected of sketchy behavior. We teach our children to beware of strangers when we should teach them to beware of heroes! When beloved coaches, teachers, community leaders, doctors, friends and family abuse the trust of children and adolescents, it's beyond complicated to find hard evidence, rip lives apart, and destroy the good being done, in order to protect current and future victims. People don't want to look under rocks. It's easier to be naive than to be disloyal and believe horrific truths about those we trust with our children. When loyalty to a team or a family is sacred, it's beyond bravery to go against that bond.

Even in the "Me Too" era, it's often easier to look away from the abyss than to deal with the repercussions of whistle blowing, from not being believed to being fired or retaliated against. This show also goes well beyond knee jerk reactions to taboos like pedophilia and incest, to explore why victims stay silent, even calling into question the cringeworthy grey areas where some actually welcome the money or crave the attention of their abusers and feel ambiguously responsible.


(left to right) Sarah Gise and Richard David in Interrobang Theatre Project's Chicago premiere of FOR THE LOYAL. Photo by Emily Schwartz.

For the Loyal also explores the morality of taking extreme measures to protect our children. Is another illegal act like murder justifiable to stop a serial child molester who'll likely never stop? Is a sympathetic pregnant mother above the law and justified in protecting her children and others by any means necessary? Is an organization complicit in cover ups, if it turns a blind eye to protects it talent pool from ugly accusations? Is lying to the police and powers that be an acceptable crime when livelihood is on the line? 

We recommend checking out this intricate and excellent production. 

Presented as part of Interrobang Theatre Project’s 'RAW Series'

exploring the urgent question “What is Truth?”. As we begin 2018, few things are as American as football and sex abuse scandals, so this on stage exploration is more than timely.

Important Info: Due to strong language, not recommended for all ages. Performance lasts 78 minutes without intermission.

Running time: 80 minutes, no intermission.

Photos by Emily Schwartz.

Sarah Gise, Rob Frankel & Matthew Nerber

Following its hit production of FOXFINDER, Interrobang Theatre Project is pleased to continue its 2017-18 Season, exploring the urgent question “What is Truth?,” with the Chicago premiere of Lee Blessing's shocking and thought-provoking new play FOR THE LOYAL, directed by Co-Artistic Director James Yost*. FOR THE LOYAL will play January 6 – February 4, 2018 at The Athenaeum Theatre (Studio 1), 2936 N. Southport Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.interrobangtheatre.org, by calling (773) 935-6875 or in person at The Athenaeum Theatre Box Office. 

FOR THE LOYAL features ensemble members Sarah Gise* as Mia and Matthew Nerber* as Toby with Richard David as The Boy, Rob Frankel as Carlson and Josh Zagoren as Hale.

For Toby and Mia, college football and family are one and the same; he has a new coaching job for a top team, and they are happily expecting their first born. But when Toby gets Mia enmeshed in an unseemly team secret, she is forced to decide where her loyalties truly lie. Inspired by the Penn State sexual abuse scandal, FOR THE LOYAL takes an unconventional and provocative look at how one woman traverses a no-win situation. 

FOR THE LOYAL is presented as part of Interrobang's RAW Series. Think of it a bit like theatrical sashimi. Big ideas, bold flavors – everything you’ve come to expect from Interrobang Theatre Project – without the trimmings. We’ve stripped down the classic stage elements to put the story front and center. The RAW Series features passion-projects and bucket-list productions spearheaded by our talented ensemble. In addition to our regularly scheduled plays, the RAW Series aims to bring concise, actor-driven theater to the Chicago stage. 

The production team for FOR THE LOYAL includes: Pauline Olesky (scenic design), Rebecca Bartle (lighting design), Christopher Aaron Knarr* (original music), Hannah Wolff (asst. director), Elana Elyce* (artistic producer) and Shawn Galligan* (stage manager).

*Denotes Interrobang Theatre Project Company Member. 

Location: The Athenaeum Theatre (Studio 1), 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago

Regular run: Thursday, January 11 – Sunday, February 4, 2018
Curtain Times: Thursdays, and Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 2 pm & 7:30 pm: Sundays at 2 pm. 

Tickets: Regular run: $32. Students $17 with ID. (Ticket prices include $2 Athenaeum Theatre restoration fee). 
Tickets are currently available at www.interrobangtheatre.org, by calling (773) 935-6875 or in person at The Athenaeum Theatre Box Office.

About the Artists:

Lee Blessing’s (Playwright) play A Walk in the Woods was produced on Broadway and London's West End. His Off-Broadway productions include A Body of Water, Primary Stages; Going To St. Ives, Primary Stages (Outer Critic’s Circle Award, Best Play, Obie for ensemble performance); Thief River, Signature Theatre (Drama Desk nomination, Best Play); Cobb, Lucille Lortel Theatre (Drama Desk award, best ensemble); Chesapeake, New York Stage and Film at Second Stage; Eleemosynary, Manhattan Theatre Company and Down the Road, the Weissberger Group at the Atlantic Theatre. The Signature Theatre dedicated its 1992-93 season to his work, consisting of Fortinbras, Lake Street Extension, Two Rooms and the world premiere of Patient A. Other world and regional premieres include an adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s Heaven's My Destination, which had its world premiere at the Cleveland Play House, Great Falls in the Humana New Play Festival of the Actors Theatre of Louisville, A Body of Water at the Guthrie Theater and the Old Globe Theatre, Lonesome Hollow, Flag Day and Whores at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival, The Scottish Play at La Jolla Playhouse, Black Sheep at Florida Stage and The Winning Streak at George Street Playhouse. Other plays include Independence, Riches, Oldtimers Game, Nice People Dancing To Good Country Music and Perilous Night. Productions of Blessing’s plays have earned awards such as The American Theater Critics Circle Award, the L.A. Drama Critics Award, The Great American Play Award, The Humanitas Award, and the George and Elisabeth Marton Award, among others. He has received nominations for Tony and Olivier awards, as well as the Pulitzer Prize. He heads the graduate playwriting program at Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University.

James Yost (Director) is a Joseph Jefferson Award nominated director and the Co-Artistic Director of Interrobang Theatre Project. He previously served as the producing artistic director for BareBones Theatre Group, a company he co-founded in 1998. Selected credits include: Mr. Marmalade, Psycho Beach Party, Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical, Skylight, The Graduate, The Play About the Baby, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Drift, bash; the latter-day plays, Squirrels, The Wizard of Oz, Lend Me A Tenor, Orson's Shadow, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Pitchfork Disney and Noises Off.  For ITP, credits include Orange Flower Water (Jeff nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Joseph Wiens), Ibsen is Dead, The North Pool (Jeff nominated for best production and best director), Falling (Jeff nominated actors: Justin Tsatsa and Amy Johnson) and last season's critically acclaimed REALLY REALLY (named one of the best shows of 2015 by the Chicago Tribune). Other credits include True West by Sam Shepard for Shattered Globe. This summer he will direct Boeing Boeing for Davidson College. He teaches acting, directing, production design and film at the high school and collegiate level. He is published in Teaching Theatre Journal, a publication of Dramatics Magazine.

About Interrobang Theatre Project
Now in its eighth season, Interrobang Theatre Project, under the artistic leadership of Georgette Verdin and James Yost, has been hailed by the Chicago Tribune as a “company to watch” and by Time Out Chicago as “one of Chicago’s most promising young theatre companies.” Season seven earned seven non-Equity Jeff Nominations, including Best Director, Production of a Play, Solo Performance and acting nominations for Lead Actor, Actress and Actor in a Supporting Role. Productions have included the world premiere of Calamity West’s Ibsen is Dead (Jeff Recommended), and the Jeff Recommended The Pitchfork Disney, Orange Flower Water, Recent Tragic Events, The Amish Project, The North Pool, and Falling. Director James Yost’s critically-acclaimed Really Really was one of six shows chosen for Chicago Tribune’s list "Best of 2015 in Chicago Fringe Theater.”

What’s an interrobang?
An interrobang is the combination of a question mark and an exclamation point, joining the Latin for “question” (interro) with a proofreading term for “exclamation” (bang). Through the plays we produce, Interrobang Theatre Project aims to pose worthwhile and exciting questions which challenge our understanding and assumptions of who we are and the world in which we live. 

For more information, please visit www.interrobangtheatreproject.org.

OPENING: FOR THE LOYAL Lee Blessing's Shocking New Play Via Interrobang Theatre at The Athenaeum

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Interrobang Theatre Project Presents

FOR THE LOYAL

By Lee Blessing

Directed by Co-Artistic Director James Yost

January 6 – February 4, 2018 at The Athenaeum Theatre

Presented as part of Interrobang Theatre Project’s 'RAW Series'

Important Info: Due to strong language, not recommended for all ages. Performance lasts 78 minutes without intermission.

Running time: 80 minutes, no intermission.

Tonight we're eager catch the press opening of For The Loyal, the latest in Interrobang Theatre Project’s 'RAW Series' exploring the urgent question “What is Truth?”. As we begin 2018, few things are as American as football and sex abuse scandals, so this on stage exploration is more than timely. Check back soon for our full review.

Photos by Emily Schwartz.

Sarah Gise, Rob Frankel & Matthew Nerber

Following its hit production of FOXFINDER, Interrobang Theatre Project is pleased to continue its 2017-18 Season, exploring the urgent question “What is Truth?,” with the Chicago premiere of Lee Blessing's shocking and thought-provoking new play FOR THE LOYAL, directed by Co-Artistic Director James Yost*. FOR THE LOYAL will play January 6 – February 4, 2018 at The Athenaeum Theatre (Studio 1), 2936 N. Southport Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.interrobangtheatre.org, by calling (773) 935-6875 or in person at The Athenaeum Theatre Box Office. 

FOR THE LOYAL features ensemble members Sarah Gise* as Mia and Matthew Nerber* as Toby with Richard David as The Boy, Rob Frankel as Carlson and Josh Zagoren as Hale.

For Toby and Mia, college football and family are one and the same; he has a new coaching job for a top team, and they are happily expecting their first born. But when Toby gets Mia enmeshed in an unseemly team secret, she is forced to decide where her loyalties truly lie. Inspired by the Penn State sexual abuse scandal, FOR THE LOYAL takes an unconventional and provocative look at how one woman traverses a no-win situation. 

FOR THE LOYAL is presented as part of Interrobang's RAW Series. Think of it a bit like theatrical sashimi. Big ideas, bold flavors – everything you’ve come to expect from Interrobang Theatre Project – without the trimmings. We’ve stripped down the classic stage elements to put the story front and center. The RAW Series features passion-projects and bucket-list productions spearheaded by our talented ensemble. In addition to our regularly scheduled plays, the RAW Series aims to bring concise, actor-driven theater to the Chicago stage. 

The production team for FOR THE LOYAL includes: Pauline Olesky (scenic design), Rebecca Bartle (lighting design), Christopher Aaron Knarr* (original music), Hannah Wolff (asst. director), Elana Elyce* (artistic producer) and Shawn Galligan* (stage manager).

*Denotes Interrobang Theatre Project Company Member. 

Location: The Athenaeum Theatre (Studio 1), 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago

Regular run: Thursday, January 11 – Sunday, February 4, 2018
Curtain Times: Thursdays, and Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 2 pm & 7:30 pm: Sundays at 2 pm. 

Tickets: Regular run: $32. Students $17 with ID. (Ticket prices include $2 Athenaeum Theatre restoration fee). 
Tickets are currently available at www.interrobangtheatre.org, by calling (773) 935-6875 or in person at The Athenaeum Theatre Box Office.

About the Artists:

Lee Blessing’s (Playwright) play A Walk in the Woods was produced on Broadway and London's West End. His Off-Broadway productions include A Body of Water, Primary Stages; Going To St. Ives, Primary Stages (Outer Critic’s Circle Award, Best Play, Obie for ensemble performance); Thief River, Signature Theatre (Drama Desk nomination, Best Play); Cobb, Lucille Lortel Theatre (Drama Desk award, best ensemble); Chesapeake, New York Stage and Film at Second Stage; Eleemosynary, Manhattan Theatre Company and Down the Road, the Weissberger Group at the Atlantic Theatre. The Signature Theatre dedicated its 1992-93 season to his work, consisting of Fortinbras, Lake Street Extension, Two Rooms and the world premiere of Patient A. Other world and regional premieres include an adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s Heaven's My Destination, which had its world premiere at the Cleveland Play House, Great Falls in the Humana New Play Festival of the Actors Theatre of Louisville, A Body of Water at the Guthrie Theater and the Old Globe Theatre, Lonesome Hollow, Flag Day and Whores at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival, The Scottish Play at La Jolla Playhouse, Black Sheep at Florida Stage and The Winning Streak at George Street Playhouse. Other plays include Independence, Riches, Oldtimers Game, Nice People Dancing To Good Country Music and Perilous Night. Productions of Blessing’s plays have earned awards such as The American Theater Critics Circle Award, the L.A. Drama Critics Award, The Great American Play Award, The Humanitas Award, and the George and Elisabeth Marton Award, among others. He has received nominations for Tony and Olivier awards, as well as the Pulitzer Prize. He heads the graduate playwriting program at Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University.

James Yost (Director) is a Joseph Jefferson Award nominated director and the Co-Artistic Director of Interrobang Theatre Project. He previously served as the producing artistic director for BareBones Theatre Group, a company he co-founded in 1998. Selected credits include: Mr. Marmalade, Psycho Beach Party, Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical, Skylight, The Graduate, The Play About the Baby, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Drift, bash; the latter-day plays, Squirrels, The Wizard of Oz, Lend Me A Tenor, Orson's Shadow, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Pitchfork Disney and Noises Off.  For ITP, credits include Orange Flower Water (Jeff nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Joseph Wiens), Ibsen is Dead, The North Pool (Jeff nominated for best production and best director), Falling (Jeff nominated actors: Justin Tsatsa and Amy Johnson) and last season's critically acclaimed REALLY REALLY (named one of the best shows of 2015 by the Chicago Tribune). Other credits include True West by Sam Shepard for Shattered Globe. This summer he will direct Boeing Boeing for Davidson College. He teaches acting, directing, production design and film at the high school and collegiate level. He is published in Teaching Theatre Journal, a publication of Dramatics Magazine.

About Interrobang Theatre Project
Now in its eighth season, Interrobang Theatre Project, under the artistic leadership of Georgette Verdin and James Yost, has been hailed by the Chicago Tribune as a “company to watch” and by Time Out Chicago as “one of Chicago’s most promising young theatre companies.” Season seven earned seven non-Equity Jeff Nominations, including Best Director, Production of a Play, Solo Performance and acting nominations for Lead Actor, Actress and Actor in a Supporting Role. Productions have included the world premiere of Calamity West’s Ibsen is Dead (Jeff Recommended), and the Jeff Recommended The Pitchfork Disney, Orange Flower Water, Recent Tragic Events, The Amish Project, The North Pool, and Falling. Director James Yost’s critically-acclaimed Really Really was one of six shows chosen for Chicago Tribune’s list "Best of 2015 in Chicago Fringe Theater.”

What’s an interrobang?
An interrobang is the combination of a question mark and an exclamation point, joining the Latin for “question” (interro) with a proofreading term for “exclamation” (bang). Through the plays we produce, Interrobang Theatre Project aims to pose worthwhile and exciting questions which challenge our understanding and assumptions of who we are and the world in which we live. 

For more information, please visit www.interrobangtheatreproject.org.

Bluebird Theatre's Clever Little Lies at Athenaeum Theatre Through 12/16/17

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

Bluebird Arts is proud to open its 2017-18 Season with Midwest Premiere of

"CLEVER LITTLE LIES"

by “Tony Award”® Winner Joe DiPietro.

Bluebird Arts brings the Smash Off-Broadway hit to the Athenaeum Theatre with direction by Luda Lopatina Solomon.

Bluebird Arts – Chicago's only English–Russian Theatre – proudly announces "Clever Little Lies," by Joe DiPietro, will open the theatre's Fourth Season. The Midwest Premiere begins its month-long run at the Athenaeum Theatre, Studio Two, on Thursday, November 16, 2017. We'll be out to review on the 30th so check back soon after.

Performances are Thursday – Saturday at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 2pm from November 16 - December 16, 2017. Artistic Director Luda Lopatina Solomon will direct a cast including Lawrence Garner (Bill Sr.), Kathleen Burke (Alice), Andrew Garcia (Billy), and Alyssa Ratkovich (Jane). The production team includes Caroline Grebner (Set Design), Michael Rathbun (Lighting Design), Brandon Reed (Sound Design), Bisa (Costume Design), Michael Zimmer (Set Design and Technical Direction), Rick Frederick (Marketing and Media), Karly Hanna (Stage Management), and Jaimelyn Gray (Production Manager, and Marketing and Media).

Shattering and hilarious, "Clever Little Lies" is a comedy of long-term love and marriage… for better… and for worse.

About the Playwright: Joe DiPietro has won two Tony Awards, a Drama Desk Award and two Outer Critics Circle Awards. His historical drama "The Second Mrs. Wilson", recently debuted at Long Wharf Theatre and plays George Street Playhouse this fall. Broadway: "Nice Work if You Can Get It"  (Tony nom., Best Musical); "Memphis"  (Tony winner, Best Musical); "All Shook Up"; "Living on Love". Off-Broadway: "The Toxic Avenger"; "The Thing About Men"; "Over the River and Through the Woods"; and "I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change" (Westside Theatre). Recent regional credits include "Chasing the Song" (La Jolla Playhouse); "Ernest Shackleton Loves Me" (Arts Emerson); "The Last Romance"  (Old Globe); and "Creating Claire" (George Street Playhouse). He sits on the board of Only Make Believe, a charity dedicated to bringing interactive, therapeutic theatre to chronically ill children.

About the Director: Luda Lopatina Solomon studied acting and directing in Russia at the Leningrad Institute of Music, Theatre and Film and earned her Ph.D (WD) in teaching acting at the St. Petersburg State Academy of Dramatic Arts. She worked as an actress at Leningrad Studio Theatre. As a member of European Repertory Company, Luda directed Chekhov's "Ivanov" (Jeff Nominated); Bulgakov's "Zoyka's Apartment"; Chekhov's "The Duel", adapted by Frank Galati; Carlo Gozzi's "Princess Turandot"; and Vasili Sigarev's "Black Milk". Also with European Repertory Company Luda co-directed, with Yasen Peyankov, Galin's "Stars in the Morning Sky" and Nikolay Kolyada's "Go Away, Go Away "(Jeff Nominated). Other directing credits include Stephen Schwartz's "The Baker's Wife" with One Theatre Company, Galin's "The House that Swift Built" co-directed with Dale Goulding for Red Square Theatre Company, and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf: at Theatre Volhonka, Ekatirenburg, Russia (Translated to Russian; Bravo award). She has taught acting at the School at Steppenwolf, Act One, and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Bluebird Arts was founded in 2014 and is a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to enrich, educate and entertain our community by sharing intimate stories of the human condition, focusing on the genuine problems of real people. They showcase Chicago's talent by promoting a cross-cultural exchange, taking Chicago theatre and artists to Europe and bringing European theatre to the Chicago community. Uniquely they serve both the English and Russian speaking populations by producing plays in both English and Russian.
Bluebird Arts has a sister theatre in Volhnka, Ekatirenburg, Russia.   

Midwest Premiere of FOXFINDER Via Interrobang Theatre Project At The Athenaeum Theatre Through 11/5

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Midwest Premiere!

Interrobang Theatre Project Presents

FOXFINDER

By Dawn King

Directed by Margaret Knapp

September 28 – November 5, 2017 at The Athenaeum Theatre

(left to right) Jack Olin, Alexandra Fisher and David Anthony Marshall in Interrobang Theatre Project's Midwest premiere of FOXFINDER. Photo by Emily Schwartz.

Interrobang Theatre Project launches its 2017-18 Season, exploring the urgent question “What is Truth?,” with the Midwest premiere of Dawn King's darkly comic and politically relevant British drama FOXFINDER, directed by Literary Manager Margaret Knapp. FOXFINDER will play September 28 – November 5, 2017 at The Athenaeum Theatre (Studio 2), 2936 N. Southport Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.interrobangtheatre.org, by calling (773) 935-6875 or in person at The Athenaeum Theatre Box Office. 

FOXFINDER features Alexandra Fisher, David Anthony Marshall, Jack Olin and Alanna Rogers.

In the not so distant future, the economy is failing, food is scarce and paranoia is in the air. Samuel and Judith Covey live in rural England, maintaining their government-controlled farm – in constant fear of losing it all. After an anonymous tip, William Bloor, a "Foxfinder," arrives to investigate a suspected contamination, threatening to uncover secrets of desire and regret that will change all of their lives forever. 

Comments Director Margaret Knapp, "Although it flirts with thematic elements like the examination of a police state in today's society, the effects of global warming, and religious zealotism, at it's core Foxfinder is about the battle against the forces of nature, both external and internal, and how when these forces threaten to overwhelm us, we look for someone, or something, to blame."

The production team for FOXFINDER includes: Eric Luchen (scenic design), Melissa Perkins (costume design), John Kelly (lighting design), Jesse Case (sound design), Pauline Oleksy (properties design) Georgette Verdin* (asst. director), Claire Yearman* (fight choreographer), Lindsay Bartlett (dialect coach) and Victoria Bustoz (stage manager).

*Denotes Interrobang Theatre Project Company Member. 

(left to right) Jack Olin, David Anthony Marshall and Alexandra Fisher 
Photo by Emily Schwartz.

Location: The Athenaeum Theatre (Studio 2), 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago

Regular run: Thursday, October 5 – Sunday, November 5, 2017
Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 2 pm. 

Tickets: Previews: September 28: pay-what-you can, October 1: $17. Regular run: $32; Students $17 (with ID), Seniors $17. (Ticket prices include $2 Athenaeum Theatre restoration fee). 


Tickets are currently available at www.interrobangtheatre.org, by calling (773) 935-6875 or in person at The Athenaeum Theatre Box Office.

About the Creative Team

Dawn King (Playwright) is an award-winning writer working in theatre, film, TV and radio. Currently, Dawn is working on two plays; The Light and Salt, which is a commission from the National Theatre and will be performed by youth theatre groups around the country in 2018. She is also adapting her stage play Ciphers into a screenplay for Cowboy Films. Ciphers made the Brit List of the best ‘yet to shoot’ screenplays as selected by the UK film industry in 2016. Dawn is also redrafting the blacklisted screenplay Randle is Benign for Echo Lake Productions in the U.S. Dawn’s previous work for the stage includes; an adaptation of Aldous Huxley’s novel Brave New World, a co-production between the Royal and Derngate, Northampton and the Touring Consortium which toured the UK in 2014; Ciphers, a co-production between Out of Joint, Exeter Nothcott and The Bush Theatre which toured the UK in 2013/2014; and Foxfinder, produced by Papatango Theatre Company at The Finborough in 2011. Foxfinder won the Royal National Theatre Foundation Playwright Award 2013, the Papatango New Writing Competition 2011 and Most Promising Playwright, Off West End awards 2012. Dawn’s short film The Kármán Line won 17 awards including the BIFA for Best Short and was BAFTA nominated in 2014.

Margaret Knapp (Director) is new to the Interrobang Theatre Project family and is happy to be working as the Literary Manager for the company, as well as directing her first ITP production. A proud Equity actor since 1992, Margaret has acted at various theaters in the Midwest such as the Apollo here in Chicago, Drury Lane-Oakbrook, The Unicorn Theater and Kansas City Rep in Kansas City, MO and The Human Race Theater in Dayton, OH. Her directing credits include: Uncle Vanya, Honey Brown Eyes, The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow, Rhinoceros, Museum by Tina Howe and The Eight: Reindeer Monologues starring TV and film actor Richard Kind. A graduate of UW-Madison (BA in Communications) and UMKC (MFA in Acting/Directing), Margaret also teaches Speech, Acting and Comparative Literature at various colleges in Illinois.

(left to right) Jack Olin and Alexandra Fisher in Interrobang Theatre Project's Midwest premiere of FOXFINDER. Photo by Emily Schwartz.

About Interrobang Theatre Project

Now in its eighth season, Interrobang Theatre Project, under the artistic leadership of Georgette Verdin and James Yost, has been hailed by the Chicago Tribune as a “company to watch” and by Time Out Chicago as “one of Chicago’s most promising young theatre companies.” Season seven earned seven non-Equity Jeff Nominations, including Best Director, Production of a Play, Solo Performance and acting nominations for Lead Actor, Actress and Actor in a Supporting Role. Productions have included the world premiere of Calamity West’s Ibsen is Dead (Jeff Recommended), and the Jeff Recommended The Pitchfork Disney, Orange Flower Water, Recent Tragic Events, The Amish Project, The North Pool, and Falling. Director James Yost’s critically-acclaimed Really Really was one of six shows chosen for Chicago Tribune’s list "Best of 2015 in Chicago Fringe Theater.”

What’s an interrobang?
An interrobang is the combination of a question mark and an exclamation point, joining the Latin for “question” (interro) with a proofreading term for “exclamation” (bang). Through the plays we produce, Interrobang Theatre Project aims to pose worthwhile and exciting questions which challenge our understanding and assumptions of who we are and the world in which we live. 

For more information, please visit www.interrobangtheatreproject.org.

ONE NIGHT ONLY: STEPHANIE MILLER‘S SEXY LIBERAL RESISTANCE TOUR PLAYS CHICAGO’S ATHENEAUM THEATRE 10/14/17

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

STEPHANIE MILLER‘S SEXY LIBERAL RESISTANCE TOUR 

FEATURING STEPHANIE MILLER, JOHN FUGELSANG AND FRANGELA , COMES TO CHICAGO’S ATHENEAUM THEATRE SATURDAY, OCT. 14 AT 8 P.M.

US Representative Jan Schakowsky Joins the Sexy Liberal Resistance Tour 

for its Chicago Engagement 

Ridicule, satire and comedy have always been one of the most important elements of political protest, and as a result, Stephanie Miller’s Sexy Liberal Resistance Tour makes a stop in Chicago at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Saturday, Oct. 14 at 8 p.m.  The tour, featuring Stephanie Miller, John Fugelsang, Frangela and special guest United States Representative Jan Schakowsky, hears the cries of America and stands with all Americans protecting our rights and demanding our government act for the benefit of us all.   The Sexy Liberal Resistance Tour is a show for every American who's uneasy with putting a landlord with a reality show in charge of fighting ISIS.  

Tickets for the Sexy Liberal Resistance Tour range from $52 - $92 and may be purchased at SexyLiberal.com. Tickets to the performance that includes a VIP meet and greet reception following the performance are $150.

Stephanie Miller, John Fugelsang and Frangela return in 2017 as the Sexy Liberal Resistance Tour, fully aware of the probability their taxes will be audited.  Touring for several years as the Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour, the election forced the cast  to rethink early retirement and return to the stage for a multiple city tour.  They face Washington and laugh out loud at the tragic comedy of politics and throw their finest, most scathing satire at the feet of our not so elected politicians.  To fight on with comedy ... to offer the real fake news … to offer true alternative facts. Stephanie Miller's Sexy Liberal Resistance Tour promises a rainbow blend of an America that is great now.

Stephanie Miller's Sexy Liberal Resistance Tour 2017 is:


Stephanie Miller

National television and talk radio star Stephanie Miller is a wildly popular performer with a huge and fervently devoted audience. Morning drive radio’s “The Stephanie Miller Show” is heard nationally, reaching more than three million-plus listeners weekly. She is ranked #12 on influential industry publication Talkers Magazine’s “Heavy Hundred” list.

The show also airs on SiriusXM Satellite radio’s national network of 31 million subscribers.  Her e-book “Sexy Liberal! Of Me I Sing” immediately became #1 on Amazon in political, humor and memoirs, and has just been issued in paperback by popular demand. Miller’s three comedy albums all entered the Billboard Comedy charts in the top positions, as well as chart topping on Amazon, ITunes and Googleplay.



John Fugelsang

John Fugelsang hosts “Tell Me Everything" weekdays on SiriusXM Insight #121 and PAGE SIX TV for the FOX network.  He once got George Harrison to give his last live performance on VH1 and, in the quip heard round the world, got Mitt Romney's advisor to call Mitt an 'etch a sketch' on CNN. He's been murdered on “CSI,” hosted “America's Funniest Home Videos” and Bill Maher called him “one of my favorite comedians.”   He's been a regular on CNN, MSNBC, FOX News and has performed for US troops, including the humanitarian mission in Haiti.   His new film "Dream On," a road trip in search of the American Dream, was named "Best Documentary" at the NY Independent Film Festival and recently premiered on PBS.


Frangela

Frangela is Frances Callier and Angela V. Shelton, real life best friends and America’s BFF’s.  As avowed Afro-Saxons™ and lovers of all things political and pop culture, they have been featured contributors on VH1’s “Best Week Ever,” NBC's “The Today Show,” “Dateline,” “Showbiz Tonight,” “Access Hollywood,” CNN's “Headline News,” AXS TV's “Mockpocalypse,” NPR and “AM Joy” on MSNBC. They hosted their own radio show, “The Week According To Frangela” and are regular chair-dancing guests of “The Stephanie Miller Show.”  They were featured on “The Oprah Show” in the “Best Standups in America” episode and have enjoyed touring colleges doing their brand of pop-cultural infused standup. Frances and Angela also brought hilarity to the big screen in the hit film “He’s Just Not That Into You” and most recently “Slow Learners.” They play Margaret and Betty on the hilarious Hulu show “Quickdraw.”

Jan Schawkowsky

Jan Schawkowsky is the U.S. Representative for Illinois’ 9th congressional district.

Representative Schakowsky has been a lifelong consumer advocate and a champion for, what she sees as, the disappearing middle class. From her days as a young housewife who led the campaign to put expiration dates on food products to the 2008 passage of legislation she helped write making children's products and toys safe, Jan has worked to make life better for working and middle class Americans. Schakowsky was elected to represent Illinois' 9th Congressional District in 1998, after serving for eight years in the Illinois General Assembly. She is in her tenth term, serving in the House Democratic Leadership as Chief Deputy Whip and member of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. She is a member of the House Budget Committee, as well as the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where she serves as Ranking Member of the Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee, and as a member of the Health and Oversight & Investigations Subcommittees.      

OPENING: Fringe Fest Hit, “BLACK!,” A ONE MAN SHOW Comes To Athenaeum Theatre

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

MICHAEL WASHINGTON BROWN,

 IN ASSOCIATION WITH 
ATHENAEUM THEATRE PRODUCTIONS, PRESENT 
“BLACK!,” A ONE MAN SHOW 

EXPLORING DIFFERENT VOICES AND PERSPECTIVES IN THE BLACK GLOBAL COMMUNITY, 
JULY 20 – 30

A Hit at Fringe Festivals Around the Country,

 “BLACK!” Comes to Chicago for a Limited Engagement.

Opening Night is Thursday, July 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Michael Washington Brown, in association with Athenaeum Theatre Productions, present “BLACK!,” July 20 – 30, in Studio 2 at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Opening night is Thursday, July 20 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. The running time is 100 minutes including a 10-minute intermission. Tickets are $25 and available at AthenaeumTheatre.org or 773.935.6875.

Brown, was born in England and created “BLACK!” in 2016. The production has been included in the Asheville Fringe Festival, the FRIGID Fringe Festival in New York City and the Seattle Fringe. It will be performed at the Tempe Center for the Arts and the San Francisco Fringe Festival in September 2017.

In “BLACK!,” Brown inhabits an array of characters from Africa, the United States, England and Jamaica, performing each person’s individual perspective and sharing his experiences. The production highlights the nuances and life perspectives of various people who are from the Black global community.  Many stereotypes currently exist which seem to ‘mesh’ all black people and their stories together.  The truth is that there are distinct differences and very definite similarities between Black people from all walks of life.  In addition, each carries their own distorted and often exaggerated opinions about the other, which is a way to distinguish a separation, even though in truth, they are more alike than they believe. “BLACK!” uses the power of language and performance to delve into these characters to reflect on this communities’ history and their future as well as what they do and do not share of the global Black experience.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share this show, its voices and a global ‘Black’ perspective with the Chicago community,” Brown said.  “Chicago is embedded in a rich history filled with a melting pot of cultures, along with its extensive support of the theatre and arts. It is my mission and purpose to share this show as far and wide as I can.  Chicago is an obvious choice in my journey…I am grateful to have the Athenaeum Theatre, supporting my debut of “BLACK!” in this vibrant and intoxicating city, ” he concluded. 

ABOUT MICHAEL WASHINGTON BROWN
Michael Washington Brown was born in London, England. He is the first generation born outside of his family’s direct heritage of the Caribbean (Jamaica & Barbados). In 1992 at 19, he left London for the shores of California, a place he fell in love with from his initial visit as a child at age 10. He knew even at this young age that he would ‘one day’ make America his home.

In 1994, he began studying scene classes in San Francisco and knew instantly what he wanted to do and be…an actor. He gradually found himself working his way up the local scene and then eventually performing in productions at: The Magic Theatre, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Marin Theatre Company and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. He moved to New York City to continue his journey and landed a variety of New York City productions that began at the Ensemble Studio Theatre. Theatre has always been Brown’s passion, but deep down he always felt there was ‘more to give’. Brown wanted to tell stories that were not being told. It was at the Cherry Lane Theatre in 2012 when he saw a one-man show and was inspired beyond anything he had previously experienced. He realized in this moment what his ‘more to give’ would be: “To write and share my own stories and perspective.” Brown discovered that his love of reading had laid the foundation and allowed the ease of his own voice, to reveal itself to him. 

ABOUT ATHENAEUM THEATRE PRODUCTIONS
Athenaeum Theatre Productions, a not-for-profit 501c3 arts organization, is firmly committed to providing the Chicago non-profit performing arts community a welcoming shared space to incubate new projects and collaborations by providing high quality and below cost performance, rehearsal, office and reception space supported by a staff of theatre professionals. Founded in 1911, the Athenaeum Theatre is Chicago’s oldest, continuously operating off-loop theatre.  Home to 15 not-for-profit performing arts groups and four stages including its 984-seat main stage.

OPENING: BETTE DAVIS AIN’T FOR SISSIES at ATHENAEUM THEATRE 6/15-7/2

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

ACCLAIMED ONE WOMAN SHOW 

BETTE DAVIS AIN’T FOR SISSIES 

PLAYS JUNE 15 – JULY 2 AT THE ATHENAEUM THEATRE

Created and Performed by Jessica Sherr, the 5-Star Reviewed Show Portraying Legend Davis at the 1939 Academy Awards Has Delighted Audiences All Across the U.S.A. and the United Kingdom

Photos that feature Jessica Sherr as Bette Davis courtesy of Jessica Sherr

This Thursday, we'll be ChiILin' in Chi, IL at the opening night of Jessica Sherr's one-woman show, Bette Davis Ain’t for Sissies, at The Athenaeum Theatre. We're looking forward to catching this acclaimed personification of a still beloved Hollywood icon. Check back soon for our full review.

Jessica Sherr is proud to announce the limited Chicago engagement of her smash hit one-woman show Bette Davis Ain’t for Sissies, June 15 – July 2, at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Created and performed by Sherr, the 5-star reviewed show has performed in Edinburgh, Scotland, had a run at The St. James London, a sold-out off-Broadway run at 59E59 Theaters and toured performing arts centers throughout the United States. Opening night is Thursday, June 15 at 7:30 p.m. Performances are Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. with matinees Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $24 - $34 and available at AthenaeumTheatre.org. For more information on the production go to BetteDavisAintForSissies.com.



It’s the 1939 Academy Awards and the Los Angeles Times have leaked the winners early:  Bette Davis will lose to Vivien Leigh. With newspaper in hand, Davis decides to leave the awards ceremony early. Once at home, Davis, disillusioned and frustrated; now grapples with memories of past lovers, confidants and mentors. She experiences what happens when someone who always wins…loses.  Bette Davis Ain’t for Sissies offers audiences a rare insight into the mind of one of Hollywood’s greatest stars.  With humor and unabashed frankness Sherr journeys into Bette Davis’ battle to win freedom from the grip and control of the Hollywood studio moguls, studio executives, and her mother Ruthie in a “dynamic performance” that is “mesmerizing to watch” (Edinburgh Guide) and “worthy of an Oscar” (Mumble Theater). “The magnificently witty” (The List) and “tour de force” (Quotidian Times) performer and creator Sherr introduces audiences to a previously unseen side of Hollywood’s Bette Davis: one that is vulnerable, insecure and imprisoned by ambition.

In addition to Sherr, the company includes Isabelle Color, costume design and Robert Perillo, voice and diction.



ABOUT JESSICA SHERR, Creator and Performer
Sherr grew up in El Cajon, California and has long been called a creative.  At age 3, she found herself tap dancing to “Frosty the Snowman” and by age 5 she was choreographing dance pieces to Mickey Mouse’s “Splash Dance.” Sherr’s theatre credits include Almost, Maine and As Bees in Honey Drown and The Great Gatsby at Hudson Theatre Ensemble and The Blue Room directed by Carl Ford. Her film and television credits include Columbia Pictures’ Annie starring Jamie Foxx, HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, Netflix’s Team Toon as Miss Faltine, and Rock Dove (Winner at Flagstaff and Washington Gorge Film Festivals.) Her short film Great Expectations won Best Short Comedy at The Brightside Film Festival and is nominated for Best Ensemble Cast at "Hang Onto Your Shorts" film festival in Asbury Park. She holds a BA in English and Dramatic Arts.