EXTENDED: The Band’s Visit at Writers Theatre Now Playing Through March 24, 2024

Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

Writers Theatre adds a week of performances to the

critically acclaimed, hit production of

The Band’s Visit

MUST CLOSE MARCH 24, 2024

Adam Qutaishat, Dana Saleh Omar, Dave Honigman

All production photos by Michael Brosilow

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Artistic Director Braden Abraham, announces an additional week of performances to the run of The Band’s Visit, featuring music and lyrics by David Yazbek, book by Itamar Moses, and based on the screenplay by Eran Kolirin. The Writers Theatre production is directed by Zi Alikhan with music supervision by Andra Velis Simon and choreography by Sebastiani Romagnolo. The Band’s Visit will now run through March 24, 2024, in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe.

Following the blockbuster success of Once, Writers Theatre ventures into another immersive and engaging musical production. This co-production with TheatreSquared, Fayetteville, AR, is directed by Zi Alikhan, who has previously helmed productions at Geva Theatre Center, Paper Mill Playhouse, Olney Theatre Center, Pasadena Playhouse, and Primary Stages. Music Supervisor Andra Velis Simon returns to WT after previously working on Next to Normal in the 2018/19 season.

Armand Akbari, Adam Qutaishat, Jonathan Shaboo, Rom Barkhordar

In a small Israeli desert town where every day feels the same, a lost bus arrives carrying an Egyptian Police Band. With no hotel and no buses until morning, the musicians are taken in for the night by the locals. Under the spell of the desert sky, these misplaced musicians bring everyone together in the way that only music can. Winner of ten Tony Awards, including Best Musical, The Band’s Visit is a beautifully intimate show, perfectly suited for the Nichols Theatre, about the unifying power of music.

Sophie Madorsky, Rom Barkhordar, Armand Akbari

“The Band’s Visit is a warm and inviting piece that subverts our expectations about the kinds of stories musicals can tell. The emphasis is on individual connections between a group of strangers from different cultures over one enchanted night,” comments Artistic Director Braden Abraham. “The circumstances invite a more careful listening, and the result is a modicum of recognition and the beginning of a tenuous bond - one which allows for these characters to share their passions, quiet disappointments, and the longing for something more.”

Becky Keeshin and Sam Linda. Armand Akbari (back)

The cast includes: Armand Akbari [he/him] as Haled, Jacob Baim [he/him] as Sammy, Rom Barkhordar [he/him] as Tewfiq, Harper Caruso [she/her] as Telephone Guy, Jordan Golding [he/him] as Zelger, Dave Honigman [he/him] as Itzik, Marielle Issa [she/her] as Anna, Becky Keeshin  [she/her] as Julia, Sam Linda [he/him] as Papi, Sophie Madorsky [she/her] as Dina, Michael Joseph Mitchell [he/him] as Avrum, Dana Saleh Omar [she/her] as Iris, Adam Qutaishat [any/all] as Camal, and Jonathan Shaboo [he/him] as Simon. The understudies are Rae Robeson [she/her], David Sajewich [he/him] and Jordan Tannous [any/all].

Rom Barkhordar, Sophie Madorsky

The band includes: Emily Beisel (they/them) reeds, Jocelyn Butler-Shoulders (she/her) cello, Lior Shragg (he/him) percussion, and Matt Ulery (he/him) bass.

Sophie Madorsky

The creative team includes: Zi Alikhan (Director), Andra Velis Simon (Music Supervisor & Additional Orchestrations), Sebastiani Romagnolo (Choreographer), Jason Burrow (Music Director), Afsoon Pajoufar (Scenic Designer), Raquel Adorno (Costume Designer), Solomon Weisbard (Lighting Designer), Willow James (Sound Designer), Smooch Medina (Projections Director), Greg Geffrard (Intimacy Director), Sammi Grant (Dialect Coach), Celia Villacres (Associate Music Director & Conductor), and Faith Hart (Assistant Director). The stage manager is Miranda Anderson and the assistant stage managers are Natalie Cohen and Zachary Crewse.

Dana Saleh Omar, Jonathan Shaboo, Dave Honigman, Michael Joseph Mitchell

Tickets are now on sale at Writers Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org.

Dates: First performance: February 8, 2024

Press opening:  Friday, February 16, 2024 at 7:30pm

Closing performance:  March 24, 2024

Harper Caruso with Adam Qutaishat

Performance Schedule:  

Wednesdays: 3:00pm and 7:30pm,

except no matinee on March 20, 2024

Thursdays: 7:30pm

Fridays: 7:30pm

Saturdays: 3:00pm and 7:30pm

Sundays: 2:00pm and 6:00pm

Location: Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

Prices: Prices for all performances range from $35 - $90

Purchase early for best prices.              

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org.

 

WRITERS THEATRE 2023/24 SEASON

The remainder of the season includes Monsieur Chopin, written by and starring Hershey Felder and directed by Joel Zwick; and The Hot Wing King, written by Katori Hall, directed by Lili-Anne Brown.

The 2023/24 Season will see the company now firmly at home in its award-winning building at 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe, designed by Studio Gang Architects. Productions will be presented in the 255-seat Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre. Masks are strongly encouraged, but not required, in all Theatre spaces. Please visit https://www.writerstheatre.org/covid-safety for full details.

Writers Theatre is pleased to welcome back BMO Harris Bank as a 2023/24 Season Sponsor, marking the Bank’s tenth consecutive year as season sponsor. Writers Theatre also acknowledges Capital Group Private Client Services as a Lead Production Sponsor.

Season Packages are available online at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000.

 

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

WT offers Open Captioning on select dates for each production. Please visit writerstheatre.org/accessibility for more information.

Writers Theatre is working with Erika Walker and Maylene Peña of the Walker Thomas Group on workplace culture and equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives. Additional information about this important and ongoing work can be found at writerstheatre.org/working-at-wt.

ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE 

Writers Theatre boldly looks to the future as it begins its 31st season. Having captivated audiences for years with its dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible, the theatre is now a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called “America’s finest regional theater company” by The Wall Street Journal.

Since 1992, Writers Theatre has stayed true to its core values: valuing the power of the written word and uplifting the artists who bring that word to life. The company has produced over 120 productions—everything from inventive interpretations of classics to groundbreaking new work. In 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility designed by the internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects. The new facility has allowed the Theatre to accommodate its growing audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy.

Writers Theatre now welcomes more than 60,000 patrons each season and has helped establish the North Shore of Chicago as a premier cultural destination. Through its Literary Development Initiative, which has been responsible for the nurturing and premiering of over two dozen world premieres, the theatre has established itself as a major originator of new theatrical works. Serving as an extension of the Writers Theatre mission, WT Education programs engage hundreds of students each year with active learning opportunities centered around the written word.

Rom Barkhordar as Tewfiq

Porchlight Music Theatre's Anything Goes Extended Through March 10, 2024

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE PRESENTS COLE PORTER’S 

ANYTHING GOES

STARRING MEGHAN MURPHY 

NOW EXTENDED THROUGH MARCH 10th 

AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS 

This 90th Anniversary Production of the Porter Classic with a New 2022 Libretto, Directed by Artistic Director Michael Weber, Choreographed by Tammy Mader and Music Directed by Nick Sula Must Close March 10

(center) Meghan Murphy with the cast of  ANYTHING GOES from Porchlight Music Theatre,  now playing through March 10 at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. All Production Photos by Liz Lauren

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we've been following Meghan Murphy's career for years and can't wait to catch her “Reno Sweeney” in Porchlight's Anything Goes! We enjoyed her talents on Chicago stages for ages and in recent years have traveled along vicariously on social media, as she's taken the world by storm. We may not have the weather of tropical resort destinations, or cruise ship chic, but Chicago will not be short on style this winter! We're beyond lucky to have "Big Red" back in town. Don't miss this! 

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce that due to popular demand, the 90th Anniversary production of Cole Porter’s crown jewel musical comedy, Anything Goes, music and lyrics by Cole Porter, original book by P.G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton and Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse and a new book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman, is now extended through March 10 at the Ruth Page Center, 1016 N. Dearborn St. 

Members of the cast of ANYTHING GOES

 (L to R) Meghan Murphy and Jackson Evans

Starring internationally renowned powerhouse Meghan Murphy as “Reno Sweeney” and featuring the Chicago debut of a newly commissioned 2022 libretto, Anything Goes is Jeff Award Recommended and directed by Porchlight Music Theatre’s Artistic Director Michael Weber, choreographed by Tammy Mader and music directed by Nick Sula. The performance schedule is Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m, Thursdays at 7:30 p.m, Fridays at 7:30 p.m, Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Open caption performances are Saturday, Feb. 3 and Saturday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. with post-show discussions immediately following the performances on Friday, Feb. 2 and Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Subscriptions and single tickets are currently available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org/Anything-Goes or by calling 773.777.9884.

 (L to R) Luke Nowakowski and Meghan Murphy

Chicago will get a kick out of this 90th anniversary production of Cole Porter’s smash-hit musical comedy, Anything Goes starring the Chicago-based international sensation Meghan Murphy as “Reno Sweeney.” Launching Porchlight Music Theatre’s 29th season, this legendary toe-tapping voyage across the Atlantic is filled with laughs, romance and intrigue. Porter’s iconic score includes a shipload of tunes that built the Great American Songbook including "Anything Goes,” “Friendship,” "You're the Top" and "I Get a Kick Out of You.” 

Anything Goes is the centerpiece of Chicago’s Cole Porter Festival - A Celebration of the Man and his Music, the recently launched live and digital, multi-partnered festival commemorating the career of one of America's greatest composers and songwriters. 

 (L to R) Steve McDonagh and Meghan Murphy 

Pronoun Key: + (he/him/his); * (she/her/hers); ^ (they, them, theirs). = (any with respect)

The cast of Anything Goes, in alphabetical order, includes Logan Becker+ (Ensemble); Tommy Bullington+ (Ship's Purser); Rachael Dec* (Charity); Tafadzwa Diener* (Erma); Nick Dorado+ (Ship’s Captain); Jackson Evans+ (Lord Evelyn Oakleigh); Josiah Haugen+ (Henry T. Dobson, Ensemble); Ciara Hickey^ (Dippy); J. Christian Hill+ (Ensemble); Kelsey MacDonald* (Ensemble); Steve McDonagh+ (Moonface Martin); Emily Ling Mei* (Chastity); Meghan Murphy* (Reno Sweeney); Luke Nowakowski= (Billy Crocker); Emma Ogea* (Hope Harcourt); Hannah Remian* (Virtue); Nataki Rennie* (Purity); Jenna Schoppe* (Ensemble, dance captain); Gabriel Solis+ (Spit); Mack Spotts^/+ (Ensemble); Jerod Turner+ (Ensemble); Genevieve VenJohnson* (Evangeline Harcourt), Anthony Whitaker+/^ (Elisha J. Whitney) and Noah Wood+ (swing).

The Anything Goes band includes Linda Madonia* (conductor/piano); Greg Strauss+ (trumpet); Cara Strauss* (reeds 1); Sophie Cruetz* (reeds 2); Justin Akira Kono+ (percussion); Marcel Bonfim+ (bass) and Stephanie Lebens* (trombone).

The creative team of Anything Goes includes Michael Weber+ (director, artistic director); Tammy Mader* (choreographer); Nick Sula+ (music director); Jeffrey D. Kmiec+ (scenic designer); Milo Bue+ (associate scenic designer); Rachel Boylan* (costume designer); Kevin Barthel+ (wig designer); G. Max Maxin IV+ (lighting designer, projection designer); Matthew R. Chase+ (sound designer); Patrick McGuire+ (properties designer); Kristi Martens* (production stage manager, AEA); Drew Donnelly+ (assistant stage manager); Andrea Enger= (assistant stage manager); John McTaggart+ (technical director); Danny Carraher+ (assistant technical director); Wendy Ann Huber* (scenic charge); Josh Derby+ (master carpenter/spot 1); Tina Stasny* (costume director); Rachel West* (lighting director); Samantha Anderson*/^ (assistant lighting supervisor / spot 2); Matt Reich+ (audio/video director); Joe Court+ (A1); Christine Burquest* (A2); Jack Zanger+ (wardrobe supervisor); Amanda May* (hair and makeup supervisor); Gabrielle Lux*/^ (wardrobe assistant); Heather Lynn Gervasi* (production manager); Majel Cuza* (director of production) and Frankie Leo Bennett+ (producing artistic associate).

 (center) Luke Nowakowski and Emma Ogea  

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE’S 29th SEASON

Porchlight’s 29th season includes Anything Goes and Porchlight in Concert: Sunday in the Park with George, Saturday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 12 at 2 p.m. at the Studebaker Theater, 410 S. Michigan Ave., ass well as the Cole Porter Festival - A Celebration of the Man and his Music and the return of our special event, Chicago Sings Broadway Pop II, Monday, April 15, 2024 at 6 p.m. at the House of Blues Chicago, 329 N. Dearborn St. Subscriptions are on sale now for $150 which includes Anything Goes and Porchlight in Concert: Sunday in the Park with George. Chicago Sings Broadway Pop II may be added to the subscription at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or 773.777.9884. Sponsorship opportunities for Porchlight’s 29th Season are available by contacting Development Associate Kellie Buffington at kellie@porchlightmusictheatre.org.

(center) Meghan Murphy

ABOUT MEGHAN MURPHY, “Reno Sweeney”

Meghan Murphy is an actor/singer/producer/cabaret and recording artist currently based in Chicago. Her multifaceted talents have been showcased on many different stages in the worlds of theater, music, travel and cabaret. As an actor, she is a six-time Joseph Jefferson Award nominee for Chicago credits such as: Mamma Mia! (“Tanya,” Marriott Theater), Spamalot (“Lady of the Lake,” Mercury Theater Chicago), The Who's Tommy (“Acid Queen,” Paramount Theater), Smokey Joe's Cafe (“Patty,” Drury Lane Theater), City of Angels (“Oolie”/”Donna,” Marriott Theater) and And The World Goes Round (“Woman 3,” Marriott Theater). Film and TV credits: Honey Nut Cheerios (national commercial), “Captive State” (Focus Features). As a singer, you may have seen her in countless concerts and festivals throughout the country, including many appearances in the Chicago Humanities Festival and Chicago Sings. As a cabaret artist, she’s had sold out shows in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, London and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and has been touring her critically-acclaimed one woman show, The Big Red Show, around nationally and now internationally with Vacaya, Brand g Vacations, Azamara, RWS Entertainment and Blackburn International. As a recording artist, Murphy has two self titled EP albums of her Chicago-based blues/soul band Everybody Says Yes available on all streaming platforms and her holiday album “Big Red & The Boys, Live” at Feinstein’s/54 Below, available at bigredandtheboys.bandcamp.com.

ABOUT MICHAEL WEBER, director

Michael Weber is Porchlight Music Theatre’s artistic director. Most recently, he directed Cabaret at Porchlight and this summer co-directed Broadway in your Backyard. Previously the artistic director of Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place (now The Broadway Playhouse) and Theatre at the Center, his Porchlight productions of Sweeney Todd, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Pal Joey, Assassins and Side Show as well as Grand Hotel at Drury Lane and She Loves Me at Theatre at the Center were each nominated for the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Production-Musical. Directing credits include Living the History-125 Years of The Auditorium Theatre starring Patti LuPone and John Mahoney, Fifth of July and Talley’s Folly at the Oak Park Festival Theatre, The Petrified Forest at Theatre at the Center, Beauty and the Beast at Marriott Theatre, Over the River and Through the Woods at The Mercury Theater, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Pheasant Run Theatre and Cirque du Symphony at Sears Center Arena. The recipient of two Joseph Jefferson Awards, he wrote and directed twelve Joseph Jefferson Awards ceremonies (2006-2018). Weber’s regional acting credits include Annie Get Your Gun and Gypsy (both starring Patti LuPone) at Ravinia, Disney’s My Son Pinocchio at First Stage Milwaukee, Around the World in 80 Days at Cleveland Playhouse, The Winter’s Tale and Henry V at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, It Had To Be You (starring Cindy Williams and Eddie Mekka) at Little Theatre on the Square, Angel Street at First Folio Shakespeare and The Gifts of the Magi at Indiana Repertory. Weber is proud to serve as a pledge host on WTTW, Channel 11 and is author of the play, War of the Well(e)s.

ABOUT TAMMY MADER, choreographer

Tammy Mader is a proud member of SDC, the union of professional Stage Directors and Choreographers. Credits include: Bye Bye Birdie, Hairspray (Jeff Award), Next To Normal, Sunset Blvd., Gypsy, Spamalot, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (Jeff Nomination), Buddy; The Buddy Holly Story, Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jeff Award), Meet Me In St. Louis, Kiss Me Kate (Jeff Nomination), Anything Goes (Jeff Nomination), and My One And Only (Jeff Award) at Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace; Buddy; The Buddy Holly Story, Meet Me In St. Louis, Grand Hotel and The Full Monty at Drury Lane Water Tower Place; Guys & Dolls and Invisible Man at Court Theatre; Singin' In The Rain, My One And Only (Jeff Nomination) , 42nd St. (Jeff Award), Beauty and the Beast for Marriott’s Lincolnshire Theatre; Animal Crackers for Baltimore’s Center Stage, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? for Drury Lane Theater in Evergreen Park; She Loves Me, Singin’ In The Rain (Jeff Nomination), Grand Hotel, 42nd St., Meet Me In St. Louis, and Swingin’ On A Star: The Johnny Burke Musical at Theater at the Center, Elizabeth Rex at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and Porchlight Music Theatre’s Mack And Mabel and Assassins.

ABOUT NICK SULA, music director

Nick Sula is a pianist, arranger, and award-winning music director for theater and cabaret, and is thrilled to return to Porchlight. Music Direction credits include Sweeney Todd (Kokandy Productions, Jeff Award); Ghost Quartet (Jeff nomination), Nevermore, Amour, Coraline (Black Button Eyes); Myths & Hymns, The Glorious Ones (Jeff nomination), Pippin (BoHo Theatre), His & His, Broadway at the Broadway (Pride Films and Plays); Merrily We Roll Along, Head Over Heels, The Pajama Game, The Pirates of Penzance (CCPA). Sula can be seen performing with vocalists at theaters and cabaret venues around Chicagoland such as Davenport’s Piano Bar and the Skokie Theater. As a professor of musical theatre, he serves as a music director, instructor and vocal coach at the Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA) at Roosevelt University.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE

Porchlight Music Theatre is the award-winning center for music theatre in Chicago. Through live performance, youth education and community outreach, we impact thousands of lives each season, bringing the magic of musicals to our theatre home at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in the Gold Coast and to neighborhoods across the city. Porchlight has built a national reputation for boldly reimagining classic musicals supporting new works and young performers, and showcasing Chicago’s most notable music theatre artists, all through the intimate and powerful theatrical lens of the “Chicago Style.”

Porchlight's 29-year history includes more than 70 mainstage works with 16 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. Porchlight’s commitment to the past, present and future of music theatre led the company to develop the Porchlight Revisits and New Faces Sing Broadway program series, both quickly becoming audience favorites.

Porchlight's education and outreach programs serve schools, youth of all ages and skill levels and community organizations, most notably the ongoing collaboration with Chicago Youth Centers. Porchlight annually awards dozens of full scholarships and hundreds of free tickets to ensure accessibility and real engagement with this uniquely American art form.

The company’s many honors include 192 Joseph Jefferson Award (Jeff) nominations and 48 Jeff awards, as well as 44 Black Theatre Alliance (BTA) nominations and 12 BTA awards. In 2019, Porchlight graduated to the Large Theatre tier of the Equity Jeff Awards, and was honored with eight nominations in both technical and artistic categories and won three awards in its inaugural year in this tier, most notably Best Ensemble for Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies.

The cast of ANYTHING GOES

Porchlight Music Theatre’s 90th Anniversary production of Cole Porter’s crown jewel musical comedy, Anything Goes, music and lyrics by Cole Porter, original book by P.G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton and Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse and a new book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman, is now playing through February 25, 2024, at the Ruth Page Center, 1016 N. Dearborn St. Starring internationally renowned powerhouse Meghan Murphy as “Reno Sweeney” and featuring the Chicago debut of a newly commissioned 2022 libretto, Anything Goes is directed by Porchlight Music Theatre’s Artistic Director Michael Weber, choreographed by Tammy Mader and music directed by Nick Sula. The performance schedule is Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m, Thursdays at 7:30 p.m, Fridays at 7:30 p.m, Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Open caption performances are Saturday, Feb. 3 and Saturday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. with post-show discussions immediately following the performances on Friday, Feb. 2 and Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Subscriptions and single tickets are currently available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org/Anything-Goes or by calling 773.777.9884.

(L to R) Gabriel Solis and Ciara Hickey

Ruth Page Center for the Arts

1016 N. Dearborn Ave., Chicago

Single Tickets start at $20

Running time including intermission is currently 2 hours and 45 minutes

Website: PorchlightMusicTheatre.org/Anything-Goes

Box Office: 773.777.9884    

 

(L to R) Emily Ling Mei, Rachael Dec, Hannah Remian and Nataki Rennie

Performance Schedule:

Friday, Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 20 at 2:00 p.m.        

Sunday, Jan. 21 at 2:00 p.m.                       

 

(center) Meghan Murphy and the cast in ANYTHING GOES 

Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m.    

Thursday, Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m.                   

Friday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m.              

Saturday, Jan. 27 at 2:00 p.m.                    

Saturday, Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m.                     

Sunday, Jan. 28 at 2:00 p.m.          

 

Luke Nowakowski

Thursday, Feb. 1 at 2:00 p.m.          

Thursday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m.           

Friday, Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m.    (post-show discussion)

Saturday, Feb. 3 at 2:00 p.m. (open caption performance)        

Saturday, Feb. 3 at 7:30p.m.            

Sunday, Feb. 4 at 2:00 p.m.           

 

Emma Ogea

Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. (post-show discussion) 

Thursday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m.          

Friday, Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m.   

Saturday, Feb. 10 at 2:00 p.m. (open caption performance)                  

Saturday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m.         

Sunday, Feb. 11 at 2:00 p.m.

 

 (L to R) Logan Becker, Jenna Schoppe, Geneiveve VenJohnson and Emma Ogea

Wednesday, Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 17 at 2:00 p.m.         

Saturday, Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2:00 p.m.

 

Anthony Whitaker

Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 25 at 2:00 p.m. 

 

(L to R) Luke Nowakowski and Steve McDonagh

FINAL ADDED DATES

Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 2 at 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 3 at 2:00 p.m. 

 

(L to R)  Tafadzwa Diener, Mack Spotts, Logan Becker, Jerod Turner, J. Christian Hill and Josiah Haugen in ANYTHING GOES from Porchlight Music Theatre,  now playing through March 10 at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts.

Wednesday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 9 at 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 10 at 2:00 p.m.

REVIEW: “TALES FROM THE WANDERING WYVERN INN” EXTENDED UNTIL FEBRUARY 19th, 2023

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

Otherworld Theatre Company's

The Wandering Wyvern Inn Now Extended Due To Popular Demand

Guest Review 

by Dugan Kenaz-Mara

When traveling through the realm of Amelor, my party of five adventurers came across a cozy inn. Some invited there by old friends, some seeking answers, and others just looking to have a good time. Little did we know that in the span of 90 minutes, we would make decisions that could change the fate of the world…

Tales From The Wandering Wyvern Inn is a fun, immersive experience where you and your party get to gather information from the characters, find clues, solve puzzles, and decide on a path to follow to solve a mystery about a fantasy world. 

The show is a fun activity for everyone regardless of previous LARP (live action role play) experience. My party consisted of a good mix of people with a wide variety of experiences. A few of us have worked at Bristol Renaissance faire and had plenty of background in immersive theatre. Others are experts at TTRPGS but had never experienced them in person, and others still are not involved in theatre whatsoever. All of us had a fantastic time. 

The adventure starts with a quest board, listing the names of the NPCs you will encounter once the experience starts. The participants are given a brief insight into who the characters are and what they are like before choosing one of the quests to follow. This gives the participants an easy entrance into the world of the show and gives each one a sort of NPC companion to start off the show with. Nobody feels left out, and because everyone chooses which questline to follow, they often end up with an NPC who they feel like they can trust and identify with. One friend who was new to immersive experiences ended up getting to just hang out with one NPC who was just in the story to have fun and didn’t have to get wrapped up too tightly in the lore of the world. 

Anyone looking for a well-constructed world can find that here too. The Wandering Wyvern Inn’s characters have secrets, conflicting motivations, and lore about themselves and the world that the players get to discover through conversation. They also bring some of that character lore to the whole group after it’s revealed, heightening the tensions and helping nudge the story along naturally. With 5 players maximum and 5-6 NPCs, the world feels full without being too chaotic, and intimate without being overbearing. 

The set is very fun and quite immersive, including a bar where you can exchange fantasy coins for real drinks, shelves of magical trinkets, and additional spaces that get revealed as the story progresses. Some characters even grow and change as you progress their individual questlines! While it’s marketed as a hybrid LARP/escape room/immersive theatre experience, I would say that it skews more heavily into LARP than the other two. While there are still puzzles to solve it’s much more story driven than an escape room, and while it is completely immersive, the main focus is building relationships and interacting with characters rather than following a plot. 

On top of all of that, there are multiple storylines (some apparently covering more intense material than others), so players who enjoyed the experience can return to the world to solve new puzzles and interact with new characters, making each adventure unique. I would highly recommend this show to anyone who enjoys role-playing or audience-centered experiences. ★★★★ Four out of four stars. 

Dugan is an actor, designer, and photographer studying theatre and psychology at Northwestern University. Contrary to popular belief, he is not a time traveler.

Audiences Embark on Ever-Changing Quests, 

Ensuring No Two Shows are the Same

Don't miss this! Shows are selling out fast. Get your tickets today. 

Otherworld Theatre Company has announced the extension of TALES OF THE WANDERING WYVERN INN: A One-Shot Immersive LARP, a hybrid Live Action Role Play (LARP), escape room, and immersive theatre that has enjoyed a sold-out run since opening December 9. The show, originally slated to close January 29, will now run through February 19, 2023 at their storefront at 3914 N. Clark St. 

TALES FROM THE WANDERING WYVERN INN: A One-Shot Immersive LARP is a 90-minute adventure set in the world of the popular multi-day CHRONICLES OF THE REALM LARP series. Rumors abound about the quaint Wyvern Inn, nestled quietly at the foothills of the Alden's Gate Mountains in Amelor. It is the first stop for many who make the pilgrimage up to Heightswatch. The tavern itself seems unassuming - without the smoke stack you might even miss the structure. However, at night, there is no mistaking the glow from a single orb that beckons travelers to its doors. As you approach, you see the famed Wyvern himself to greet you, holding his magical sphere and whispering through the winter wind that you should come inside for at least the night. 

Grab a quest off the wall, an adventure awaits! Be a mage outlaw, a Strykarrian assassin on the job, a Druid on a journey to find the life-saving antidote for your feverish friend, and more - the Quest Board changes daily so no two experiences are ever the same. Limited to five players, this intimate experience is a hybrid between LARP, escape room, and immersive theatre. Shows run Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 5:30 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.; tickets are $65 and include a beverage (alcoholic and non-alcoholic options available). The next installment in the LARP series, CHRONICLES OF THE REALM: LEGIONS & LIAISONS, is a weekend-long event July 21 - 23, 2023, held in Monticello, Illinois.

TALES FROM THE WANDERING WYVERN INN features a cast of Non-Player Characters (NPCs), whose roles change show by show depending on that evening’s Quests. The cast includes Blake Hood, Ross Myers, Lilly Bolduc, Shaun Hayden, Sean Buckley, Kyra Young, Vhenan Strange, Ginny Weant, Jono Mammel, Jenna Kappers, Abbey Schnell, Alex Campbell, Chelsea Cox, and Sam Santos. Players are guided on their quests by these NPCs, with new storylines unfolding based on the players’ choices.

Tickets for TALES OF THE WANDERING WYVERN INN and CHRONICLES OF THE REALM: LEGIONS AND LIAISONS are available at www.otherworldtheatre.org. 

ABOUT OTHERWORLD THEATRE COMPANY

Otherworld Theatre Company (3914 N Clark St.) was founded in 2012 to bring a theatrical experience to the science fiction and fantasy genre. The Company’s work celebrates the depth of human imagination by engaging spectators in high quality storytelling. Otherworld Theatre Company stages original works in its pay-what-you-can Chicago, Illinois venue, presents virtual programming online, and produces immersive Live-Action Role Playing events through its partner company, Moonrise Games. For more information: www.otherworldtheatre.org

EXTENDED: Trap Door Theatre's Medea Material Extended by Popular Demand June 23-July 2, 2022

Get excited for 2 more weeks of Medea Material! 

Join us June 23-July 2 for our extension!

Medea Material

Written by: Heiner Müller Translated and Adapted by: Sarah Tolan-Mee Directed by: Max Truax

Music Composed by: Jonathan Guillen

Heiner Müller (Playwright) was one of the most important playwrights of the twentieth century European theater; he was also one of the most controversial and outspoken artists of his time. He was born in 1929 in Saxony, a state in eastern Germany and, apart from writing plays and directing shows, he was a journalist, critic, poet, and philosopher. He received many literary prizes including the Lessing Prize, Germany’s highest literary honor. Müller’s work emerged from the rubble of postwar Europe and its political and economic decay. The division of Germany, the Cold War, and the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 were important events that contributed to his literary oeuvre. His theatrical models include the ancient Greek tragedians, Shakespeare, and Brecht, but he will be best remembered as the creator of the post-dramatic, non-linear, image-driven synthetic fragment intended to disintegrate the “fourth wall.” Müller’s themes concern human beings in a state of flux due to sociopolitical displacement and, like Brecht, he wanted his audience to ponder and, if necessary, to choose. His best-known plays are Cement (1972), The Hamletmachine (1977), The Mission (1979), Quartet (1981), Medea Material (1982) and Death Destruction Detroit II (1987). Müller died in 1995.

Medea Ensemble. Photo by J. Michael Griggs

Max Truax (he/him/his) has been a Resident Director at Trap Door since 2008. For Trap Door, he has directed many critically acclaimed productions, including No Matter How Hard We Try, The Balcony, They Are Dying Out, A Couple of Poor Polish-Speaking Romanians, and No Darkness Round My Stone. His production of A Couple of Poor Polish-Speaking Romanians went on to perform in both Poland and Romania. He also directed Trap Door's 2011 production of Heiner Muller's Hamletmachine, which he conceived as an opera in collaboration with composer Jonathan Guillen. Max served as Artistic Director for Oracle Productions from 2011 to 2016, where he directed No Beast So Fierce, The President, The Mother, Woyzeck, Ghost Sonata, and Termen Vox Machina. His production of The Mother received 7 Jeff Awards, including awards for “Best Production”, “Best Adaptation”, and “Best Ensemble”. In addition to Chicago, Max has directed for multiple stages in Los Angeles and at the Krannert Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He studied visual art, performance art, and choreography at Oberlin College and he received his MFA in theater directing from California Institute of the Arts. Max currently serves as Artistic Director for Red Tape Theatre.

Assistant Director and Choreography: Claire Bauman / Set Designer: J. Michael Griggs / Lighting Designer: Hannah Wein / Music Composer: Jonathan Guillen / Costume Designer: Rachel Sypniewski / Sound Designer: Danny Rockett / Make-up Designer: Zsofia Otvos / Graphic Designer: Michal Janicki / Stage Manager: Audrey Ney / Assistant Stage Manager: Shannon Rourke

Steven Schaeffer, Miguel Long, Keith Surney, and Emily Nichelson. Photo by J. Michael Griggs

Runs: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8PM, and Sundays at 7PM beginning May 15

Admission: $25, with 2 for 1 admission on Thursdays. https://trapdoor.ticketleap.com/medea-material/

Where: Trap Door Theatre is located at 1655 W. Cortland St.

What: Resident Director Max Truax returns to Trap Door to direct another Heiner Müller piece, after his triumphant production of Hamletmachine, which “calculated chaos and mastered madness with purpose, conviction, theatrical artistry, and artistic integrity.”

Medea Material explores the story of Euripedes’ Medea and its surrounding mythology, and will engage Müller’s poetry and complex intersectionality in a dance theatre spectacle.

Alexis DawTyne and Miguel Long. Photo by J. Michael Griggs

“Under Max Truax’s able direction, this group of actors makes often complicated feelings utterly palpable. I don’t know how they did that and don’t want to ask, but I’m grateful to them for working their dark magic.” -Dmitry Samarov, Chicago Reader  

Featuring: Venice Averyheart, Alexis DawTyne, Catrina Evans, Miguel Long, Emily Lotspeich, Laura Nelson, Emily Nichelson, Steven Schaeffer, and Keith Surney.

Chicago and Trap Door COVID-19 Protocol:

To view the current Trap Door COVID-19 protocol, please visit:

https://trapdoortheatre.com/chicago-and-trap-door-covid-19-protocol/

This protocol is subject to change as the League of Chicago Theaters updates their recommendations for indoor theater performances.