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Showing posts with label help out. Show all posts
Showing posts with label help out. Show all posts

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Review: Hell in a Handbag's Hilarious Holiday Special Perfect Panacea For Pandemic Blues

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

Hell in a Handbag Productions Presents 

The World Premiere of

THE RIP NELSON HOLIDAY 

QUARANTINE SPECIAL

By Artistic Director David Cerda

Directed and Choreographed by Stevie Love

Now Streaming Through January 9, 2021

Grant Drager as Bing Crosby, Sydney Genco as Vampira, Tyler Anthony Smith as Bernadette Peters and David Lipschutz as Doug Henning in a publicity image forHell in a Handbag Productions’ world premiere of The Rip Nelson Holiday Quarantine Special. All Photos by Rick Aguilar Studios.

AND

THE GOLDEN GIRLS: The Lost Episodes

The Holiday Edition, Vol. 2 recorded in 2019
Now streaming through December 31st

(*Virtual General Admission $15.00 +$2.55 Fee. Choose your amount to donate as all monies got to Groceryland in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago)


REVIEW: THE RIP NELSON HOLIDAY 
QUARANTINE SPECIAL

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

H... E... double toothpicks. H... E... double holiday shows. Yes, the intrepid drag queens, singers and comedians of Chicago's Hell in a Handbag have just the pill for your quarantine ills. They have not one, but two holiday shows now streaming and the best news is neither one is A Christmas Carol! Make it a double. 

I invited a friend over for the press opening of The Rip Nelson Holiday Quarantine Special, and though we were masked and 6 feet apart, things almost felt normal. It was fun ChiILin' in Chi, IL in my heated back yard tent, getting my holiday Hell in a Handbag Productions fix, streaming another David Cerda original, projected on a 10' screen. I could almost see the steep, creaking stairs to the cozy confines of Mary's Attic, and taste the martinis. On the bright side, audience members don't have to make it to Chicago anymore to experience Hell in a Handbag's unique brand of hilarity. They've been at it for 18 years now, and aren't about to let a little thing like a worldwide pandemic stop the fun.

The Rip Nelson Holiday Quarantine Special is a brand new production, perfect for all the adults out there who've spent the last 9 months in quarantine exhausting everything on Netflix and cable and are about to resort to DIY puppet shows with their pandemic snacks, in desperation for something new. This green screen extravaganza is a welcome relief from the flood of Zoom theatre productions now streaming and allowed for lots of creative backgrounds, and even an exaggerated hourglass figure for Vampira. It is the darkest time of the year after all, and what's a holiday special without a touch of the macabre? The only ghosts of Christmas past are dead celebrities, and this 70's style variety show lineup is capably and campily played by a host of Handbag regulars. 

Coming along for the strange ride is Rip’s stage manager Tony (Michael S. Miller*) and his line-up of celebrity guests: Bing Crosby (Grant Drager*), David Cassidy (Nicky Mendelsohn), Shari Lewis and Lambchop (Caitlin Jackson*), Ella Fitzgerald (Robert Williams*), Charlton Heston (Michael Rashid*), Bernadette Peters (Tyler Anthony Smith*), Vampira (Sydney Genco*), Quentin Crisp (Danne W. Taylor*) Lucie Arnaz (Alexa Castelvecchi), and her mother, Lucille Ball (David Cerda*) – or at least that’s who Rip thinks they are.

The wacky plot is a kitschy nod to the star laden holiday shows of the past, with a dose of covid angst, and a Wizard of Oz twist at the end. This is a show best served to an all adult audience with copious amounts of booze and/or edibles. 

RipNelson-1 (left to right)Alexa Castelvecchi as Lucie Arnaz,David Cerda as Lucille Ball andEd Jonesas Rip Nelson in a publicity image forHell in a HandbagProductions’ world premiere of The Rip Nelson Holiday Quarantine Special. Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

Sure, quarantine times are strange, and we miss live theatre passionately, but till we can safely meet again, we suggest this double feature as a fun alternative and a great way to forget about 2020 for a few hours. Highly recommended! 

(left to right)Tyler Anthony Smith as Bernadette Peters andNicky Mendelsohn as David Cassidy. 



(pictured)Ed Jones as Rip Nelson. Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

Bonnie Kenaz-Mara is a Chicago based writer-theater critic-photographer-videographer-actress-artist-general creatrix and Mama to two terrific teens. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly). 



 MORE ON THE RIP NELSON HOLIDAY QUARANTINE SPECIAL

Hell in a Handbag Productions celebrates the holidays with the return of America’s favorite funnyman, Rip Nelson (Ed Jones*), in the star-studded world premiere of The Rip Nelson Holiday Quarantine Special, streaming through January 9, 2021 via Vimeo. The world premiere is written by Artistic Director Cerda* and directed and choreographed by Stevie Love*, with music and lyrics by David Cerda and Scott Lamberty. Tickets ($25) are currently available at handbagproductions.org or stage773.com. The show streams at designated performance times (see schedule below). 

It’s 2020 and Rip is in the hospital after an ill-advised gig on a Pride cruise. Rip’s devoted make-up woman and confidante Gladys (Lori Lee*), is worried sick, but Rip is more upset that Ryan Seacrest is taking over as host of his annual television holiday special! Rip’s not going to let anything, including the overbearing Nurse Ursula (Terry McCarthy*), stop him from being on that show! A determined Rip makes it to the studio with a little help from trippy magician, Doug Henning (David Lipschutz*) and soon finds himself in his weirdest television special ever.

“Our production will be filmed in a large warehouse combining a physical set and green screen techniques to ensure the safety of the cast and crew,” comments playwright and Artistic Director David Cerda. “Many people look forward our holiday shows with a combination of absurd humor and heart. This show provides both – and addresses trying to stay sane in 2020.”

Performance Schedule:

Thursdays and Friday at 8 pm

Saturdays at 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm

Sundays at 3 pm

Please note: shows stream at designated performances times. There will be an added performance on Wednesday, December 23 at 8 pm; there will not be a performance on Friday, January 1 (New Year’s Day).

The production team includes Peter Neville/Image Control Unit* (filming and editing), Pamela Parker* (scenic and props design), Liz Cooper (lighting design), Beth Laske Miller (costume design), Sydney Genco (make-up design), Jabberwocky Productions (puppetry), Keith Ryan* (wig design), Michael Rashid* (production manager) and Drew Donnelly* (stage manager).

*Denotes Handbag ensemble members and artistic associates


(pictured)David Cerda as Lucille Ball 


Hell in a Handbag Productions Presents
THE GOLDEN GIRLS: The Lost Episodes
The Holiday Edition, Vol. 2
By Artistic Director David Cerda
Directed by Ensemble Member Stevie Love

Celebrate the season in sunny Miami as Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia return for brand new holiday episodes in THE GOLDEN GIRLS: The Lost Episodes – The Holiday Edition, Vol. 2. Written by Artistic Director David Cerda* and directed by ensemble member Stevie Love*, the latest installment of Hell in a Handbag Productions’ long-running parody of the beloved TV sitcom recorded in 2019 at Mary’s Attic, in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood. 

THE GOLDEN GIRLS: The Lost Episodes – The Holiday Edition, Vol. 2 features ensemble members Ed Jones* as Rose, David Cerda* as Dorothy and Grant Drager* as Blanche with Ryan Oates as Sophia. The cast also includes ensemble members Lori Lee*, Michael Miller* and Michael Rashid* with Steve Kimbrough and Tyler Anthony Smith.

THE GOLDEN GIRLS: The Lost Episodes series began in 2017 and has been going strong ever since. Chicago loves Handbag’s long-running parody of the classic TV sitcom with original scripts.

The production team includes Chris Rhoton (scenic design), David Cerda* (costume design), Liz Cooper (lighting design), DJ Douglass (sound design), Pamela Parker (prop designer), Keith Ryan* (wig design), Sydney Genco* (make-up design) and Jeremy Hollis (technical director, additional scenic design).

*Denotes Handbag ensemble member.

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: THE GOLDEN GIRLS: The Lost Episodes – The Holiday Edition, Vol. 2
Written by: Artistic Director David Cerda*
Directed by: ensemble member Stevie Love*

Cast (in alphabetical order): David Cerda* (Dorothy), Grant Drager* (Blanche), Ed Jones* (Rose), Steve Kimbrough (Ensemble), Lori Lee* (Ensemble), Michael Miller* (Ensemble), Ryan Oates (Sophia), Michael Rashid* (Ensemble) and Tyler Anthony Smith (Ensemble).

About the Artists     

David Cerda (Playwright, Music & Lyrics) is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Hell in a Handbag Productions, now in its 18th year. As the resident playwright, his plays include POSEIDON! An Upside-Down Musical, Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer, Caged Dames, Christmas Dearest, Sexy Baby, Lady X- The Musical, The Drag Seed, and many more. Cerda was in inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 2016 and received an honorary lifetime Jeff Award in 2017 for his contribution to Chicago theatre. 

Stevie Love (Director/Choreographer) most recently played Nonnie in Hell a Handbag’s Poseidon! and Annie/Shelly in Evil Dead the Musical (Black Button Eyes Productions) which earned a 2019 Jeff Award nod for Supporting Actor. Other credits (directing, choreography, acting): Disney Cruise Lines, Steppenwolf Garage, Northlight Theatre, Ensemble Theatre Company, Pride Films and Plays, National Pastime Theater, Red Tape Theater, The New Colony, and many Handbag shows (notably: Helen in MIRACLE! which garnered Jeff and BroadwayWorld Award nominations).

Scott Lamberty (Music) is a composer, arranger, sound designer and audio engineer who has

been bringing sound and music to the Chicago theater scene since the early 1990s. He has written and produced musical scores for more shows than he can count including The Bad Seed The Musical and The Passion Follies at Corn Productions; and POSEIDON! An Upside Down Musical, The Birds and Rudolph The Red-Hosed Reindeer at Hell in a Handbag Productions. His work as an audio engineer has included the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera, Chicago a capella, Music of the Baroque and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. He is the recording engineer for the Ravinia Steans Music Institute.

About Hell in a Handbag Productions

Hell in a Handbag is dedicated to the preservation, exploration, and celebration of works ingrained in the realm of popular culture via theatrical productions through parody, music and homage. Handbag is a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit. For additional information, visit handbagproductions.org.


Wednesday, March 18, 2020

HELP OUT: Live Stream Fundraiser Thursday 3/19/20 To Star DIANA DeGARMO, ACE YOUNG And More

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar
Season of Concern Chicago Fundraiser
The Beautiful City Project 


With nearly all of Chicago's theater productions shuttered, one of the first fundraisers primarily aimed at a streaming audience has been put together by The Beautiful City Project, a Chicago-based musical theater company that exists solely as a fundraising arm for local charities and nonprofits.

This live stream-only event featuring American Idol and Broadway alums Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young, who were in town for the new HIT HER WITH THE SKATES at The Royal George Theatre, will be simulcast on The Beautiful City Project's Facebook and Instagram accounts Thursday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. CST/8:30 p.m. EST.

The stream is completely free, with a suggested donation to Season of Concern Chicago, via a link from the feed, to help local artists most in need from the recent upending of the theater landscape.

The evening, musically directed by David Fiorello, also features a starry Chicago cast of Broadway veterans, multi-Jeff Award winners and a diverse crop of local favorites. Jessica Needham, Executive Director, The Beautiful City Project, will be monitoring the live stream and responding to questions and comments in real time.

The Beautiful City Project is committed to using musical theater as a tool to give back to the Chicago community, intent on building a promising tomorrow for a beautiful city. Cabaret performances highlight a different organization every month, while the mainstage programming of musicals in concert take a community issue head-on, raising awareness and funds to be given directly to an organization in need, making an immediate impact. A city-wide campaign of beautification and positivity will be the hallmark of a project intent on taking real action in our beautiful city. For more, visit thebeautifulcityproject.com.

Season of Concern Chicago provides short-term emergency financial assistance to local theatre practitioners who are unable to work due to illness or injury. 

Thursday, January 30, 2020

HELP OUT: WINDY CITY PLAYHOUSE TO PRESENT SPECIAL “THE BOYS IN THE BAND” PERFORMANCE FEBRUARY 13 TO BENEFIT LAMBDA LEGAL

This performance will also feature a post-show conversation with acclaimed photographer Tom Bianchi



Windy City Playhouse (3014 W. Irving Park Rd.) announce a special performance of their upcoming immersive production of Mart Crowley’s groundbreaking play “The Boys in the Band” to benefit Lambda Legal, a national organization dedicated to achieving and upholding the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those living with HIV. Directed by Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Carl Menninger, “The Boys in the Band” helped spark a revolution by putting gay men's lives onstage during the pre-Pride era. Fresh off its Tony Award-winning Broadway revival, this landmark play comes to Chicago for the first time in 20 years to celebrate the piece’s 50th anniversary.

In addition to the performance, theatregoers will enjoy a special post-show conversation with celebrated photographer and activist Tom Bianchi, who achieved widespread acclaim for his photographs, poems and essays focusing on the gay male experience.

Tickets for the performance are on sale now at windycityplayhouse.com/lambda.

Preview performances for “The Boys in the Band” begin January 29, followed by opening night on February 6. Patrons who are unable to attend the benefit performance but want to contribute can enter the code “LAMBDA” at ticket checkout for other shows to receive $10 off each ticket purchase, with $10 donated directly to Lambda Legal.

“At Windy City Playhouse, we value equality, diversity and inclusion, and believe strongly in the work Lambda Legal does in Chicago and across the globe,” said artistic director Amy Rubenstein. “We’re incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to support and partner with this organization to give back to these communities.”

The cast of “The Boys in the Band” includes Sam Bell Gurwitz as Harold, Christian Edwin Cook as Alan, Jordan Dell Harris as Donald, Jackson Evans as Michael, James Lee as Larry, Kyle Patrick as Cowboy, Ryan Reilly as Hank, Denzel Tsopnang as Bernard and William Marquez as Emory.

The creative team for the show includes William Boles (Scenic Designer), Uriel Gomez (Costume Designer), Erik Barry (Lighting Designer), Sarah Espinoza (Sound Designer), Mealah Heidenreich (Properties Designer & Set Dressing), Max Fabian (Violence & Intimacy Diretor), Jenniffer Thusing (Production Stage Manager), Spencer Fritz (Assistant Stage Manager), Jonah White (Master Electrician), Jonathan Schleyer (Technical Director) and Ellen White (Production Manager).

Set in 1968, the play takes place at the birthday party of Harold, who is turning 32. Luckily, friend-enemy Michael is there with six mutual friends to help him ease into the big three-two. The party is all jokes and quips until the host proposes a harmless game of truth or dare. Suddenly, each must reckon with his sexual identity -- out, closeted, flamboyant, or "passing" -- in an oppressive world where self-love is a luxury. At this party, the cake tastes like truth, and everyone gets a slice.

In true Playhouse fashion, guests will be invited to sit on the various couches, chairs and love seats that make up the quintessentially mid-Century, sunken living room in which the show takes place. Patrons will be welcome to move from seat to seat as they wish but will be otherwise seated throughout the show. Guests will be offered small cocktail samplings (with non-alcoholic options available) and party snacks will be available for the taking throughout the show.

The 2018 Broadway revival production of “The Boys in the Band” won the 2019 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. Variety said, “It not only reminds us of where we’ve been, it also serves as a warning about whatever forms of social oppression are still here and yet to come.” Reviewing the recent revival, Dave Quinn of People raved, “If there were ever a time to revisit ‘The Boys in the Band,’ it’s now.”

The performance schedule for “The Boys in the Band” is as follows: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets ($75-$95) are on sale now.

  

About Windy City Playhouse
Windy City Playhouse is a professional theater and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, located on Chicago's northwest side. Premiering in March of 2015 with a mission to present contemporary, relevant, and approach art, the Playhouse has quickly become a mainstay of the Chicago theater scene. In 2018, its runaway hit, the immersive SOUTHERN GOTHIC, solidified the Playhouse as the first choice in Chicago theater for one-of-a-kind audience experience. "Experience driven. Audience first."

For more information, visit WindyCityPlayhouse.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Saturday, December 7, 2019

HELP OUT: “Hams4Hams” Holiday Fundraiser Via Hell in a Handbag Productions

Hell in a Handbag Productions Launches
Annual 
“Hams4Hams” Holiday Fundraiser


Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to bring back its annual Hams4Hams fundraiser during the company’s two holiday productions. Since launching the initiative in 2012, Handbag has raised over $40,000 for Groceryland, which provides food and nutritional counseling for those impacted by HIV and AIDS in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood and on the North Side. Groceryland was started by the longtime Chicago LGBTQ+ advocate and activist Lori Cannon, who started feeding people during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s through Open Hand/Chicago.

Comments Handbag Artistic Director David Cerda, “We want to continue to support the community that has given us so much over the years. Due to City budget cuts, Lori Cannon and Groceryland need our help more than ever. Our audience have been extremely generous over the past seven years, so we hope they’ll join us again this year to help feed our neighbors.”

Hell in a Handbag will be collecting for Groceryland during its two holiday shows: THE GOLDEN GIRLS: The Holiday Edition, Vol. 2 (November 27 - December 28, 2019) and BETTE: XMAS AT THE CONTINENTAL BATHS (December 6 – 31, 2019) at Mary’s Attic, 5400 N. Clark St. in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood. For tickets and information, visit handbagproductions.org. All donations collected will go directly to Groceryland.

About Hell in a Handbag Productions
Hell in a Handbag is dedicated to the preservation, exploration, and celebration of works ingrained in the realm of popular culture via theatrical productions through parody, music and homage. Handbag is a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit.

Friday, October 11, 2019

HELP OUT: Hell in a Handbag Productions' Annual Benefit THE RIP NELSON CELEBRITY ROAST Returns Saturday, November 9, 2019


Hell in a Handbag Productions’ Annual Benefit
THE RIP NELSON CELEBRITY ROAST
Saturday, November 9, 2019 
at Ebenezer Lutheran Church


Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to present its annual benefit, THE RIP NELSON CELEBRITY ROAST on Saturday, November 9, 2019 from 6 – 11 pm at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W. Foster Ave. in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood. Tickets ($75 in advance) are currently available at www.handbagproductions.org (via Brown Paper Tickets) or by calling (800) 838-3006.

The stars – dead and alive – are coming out in droves to roast everyone’s favorite Hollywood has-been, Rip Nelson (Ed Jones*), described as a mash-up of Paul Lynde, Charles Nelson Reilly and Rip Taylor. The celebrity line-up includes Lucille Ball (David Cerda*), Bette Midler (Caitlin Jackson*), Liza Minnelli (Alexa Castelvecchi), Doug Henning (David Lipschutz*) and Dame Maggie Smith herself (Danne Taylor*). The star-studded evening also includes a full course of your favorite TV dinner-style comfort foods by Chef’s Joey Chiapetta and Adam Ordish with hearty helpings of Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and other favorites, desserts from Bubbie’s kitchen (Nancy Lipschutz) and refreshments, plus games, raffles, silent auctions and a few surprises.

All proceeds benefit Hell in a Handbag Productions, Chicago’s leading camp and parody theater company.

EVENT DETAILS:

Name: THE RIP NELSON CELEBRITY ROAST

Date: Saturday, November 9, 2019

Time: Doors open at 6 pm, dinner is served from 6:30 – 8 pm; celebrity roast at 8:15 pm.

Location: Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W. Foster Ave., Chicago
Tickets: $75 in advance; $85 at the door. Includes food, two drink tickets and the roast. Industry tickets are now available here- https://handbagbenefit2019.bpt.me/.

*Denotes Handbag Ensemble Members

About Hell in a Handbag Productions

Hell in a Handbag is dedicated to the preservation, exploration, and celebration of works ingrained in the realm of popular culture via theatrical productions through parody, music and homage. Handbag is a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit. For additional information, visit www.handbagproductions.org.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

HELP OUT: CLLAW XXXIV: Good vs. Evil Saturday, November 2, 2019 Benefiting Sideshow Theatre Company & Girls Rock! Chicago

The Chicago League of Lady Arms Wrestlers Presents
CLLAW XXXIV: Good vs. Evil
Saturday, November 2, 2019 at Logan Square Auditorium


(left to right) Shredy Lamar vs. Cousin Becky at the Chicago League of Lady Arms Wrestlers’ CLLAW XXXIII match at Logan Square Auditorium. All Photos by Trainman Photography.

Benefiting Sideshow Theatre Company & Girls Rock! Chicago

The Chicago League of Lady Arm Wrestlers (CLLAW) returns  this fall with its 34th match CLLAW XXXIV: Good vs. Evil on Saturday, November 2, 2019 at Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 N. Kedzie Ave. in Chicago. CLLAW’s benefit match will feature Chicago’s biggest, baddest lady arm wrestlers, live musical entertainment from indie rock band Roxy Swain and a cash bar. Doors open at 9 pm with the first match beginning at 9:30 pm. Tickets, priced at $25, are available in advance at www.cllaw.org or at the door (the ladies will gladly take cash or credit at the door). The event is 21+.

All proceeds from CLLAW XXXIV will benefit Sideshow Theatre Company and Girls Rock! Chicago.


(left to right) Sun Rae vs. Liberaunchy 


(left to right) Cousin Becky vs. The Barbarian Librarian 


The Main Event 
Freddie Mercury Poisoning, Sir Elton Brawn, Aunt Nance… and the reigning champion The Barbarian Librarian. Their names echo through the ages. They come from all corners of Chicago, united only by one dream: to elbow their way through the competition and wrestle their way to the top. Joined by CLLAW’s Mistress of Ceremonialisms Harry Scaray, referees Beau K and Dick Douchee and commentator Vallery Dolls, the line-up of not-so-lady-like ladies in outrageous costumes volunteer their time to vie for that most cherished prize – the bedazzled CLLAW gloves. Who will leverage their way up the bracket? Or bribe their way to the top? All these questions and more will be answered, and all of Chicago is invited to bear witness.


(left to right) Nitty Gritty vs. Stone Cold Jane Austen 

CLLAWdience Participation and Prizes 

Not content to leave the fun in the arms of its competitors, CLLAW XXXIV gets everyone in on the action. Audience members have the opportunity to purchase CLLAWBUX, the official currency of CLLAW, throughout the night. With their CLLAWBUX, onlookers can bet on their favorite wrestlers to prevail, and maybe slip a few to the referees to even the score. All CLLAWBUX purchased also go towards fantastic raffle prizes. Half-priced CLLAWBUX are available in advance.

All for a good CLLAWSE

A portion of CLLAW XXXIV proceeds will benefit Girls Rock! Chicago, committed to building socially just community with girls, transgender youth, and gender non-conforming youth by developing leadership, fostering self-esteem, and encouraging creative expression through music. For additional information, visit girlsrockchicago.org.

Proceeds also benefit CLLAW’s creator and producer, Sideshow Theatre Company. Since its first match in 2009, Sideshow’s CLLAW events have helped fundraise for numerous Chicago based non-profits including the GirlForward, Chicago Women's Health Center, {she crew}, The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE), Barrel of Monkeys, C4 - Community Counseling Centers of Chicago, Girls Rock! Chicago, Marwen, Rock for Kids, About Face Youth Theatre, 826CHI, CAPE (Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education), Ayodele Drum and Dance, The Chicago Human Rhythm Project and others.




(left to right) The Barbarian Librarian vs. Mother Earth





EVENT DETAILS:

Title: CLLAW XXXIV: Good vs. Evil 
Date: Saturday, November 2, 2019
Time: Doors open at 9 pm, first match begins at 9:30 pm   
Location: Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 N. Kedzie Ave., Chicago                     

Tickets: $25 in advance at www.cllaw.org or at the door (cash or credit). Half-priced CLLAWBUX are available with advance ticket purchase: $30 includes 10 CLLAWBUX, $35 includes 20 CLLAWBUX. Cash and credit cards are accepted for tickets, CLLAWBUX and CLLAW merchandise. A cash-only bar is available.


(left to right) Sun Rae vs. The Barbarian Librarian 


Benefiting: Sideshow Theatre Company and 
Girls Rock! Chicago.

About Chicago CLLAW and CLAW USA
CLLAW is a member of CLAW USA, the national Collective of Lady Arm Wrestlers. It is the mission of CLAW USA to empower women and strengthen local communities through theatre, arm wrestling, and philanthropy. CLLAW includes a compendium of female-identified participants and seeks to create a safe space for all participants and audience. We seek to mirror the diversity of our greater society and welcome participation from people of diverse identities by age, race, class, ability and gender definition.

About Sideshow Theatre Company:
Sideshow Theatre Company: Theatre for the Curious. It is the mission of Sideshow Theatre Company to mine the collective unconscious of the world we live in with limitless curiosity, drawing inspiration from the familiar stories, memories and images we all share to spark new conversation and bring our audiences together as adventurers in a communal experience of exploration.

Over its 10+ year history, Sideshow is proud to have distinguished itself as a vital member of the Chicago theatre community. Sideshow was awarded the 2016 Broadway In Chicago Emerging Theatre Award by the League of Chicago Theatres. Sideshow is a multiple Jeff Award-winning theatre and has been listed on the “Best of” lists in 2012, 2013 and 2014 by Time Out Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times. Sideshow continues its multi-year residency at Victory Gardens in the historic Biograph Theater in the 2019/20 season.

Sideshow is also the producer of Chicago League of Lady Arm Wrestlers (CLLAW), a wildly popular fundraiser held in benefit of Sideshow Theatre Company and other local community organizations. CLLAW has been featured in local and national press, including The Washington Post, Reuters and the Chicago Sun-Times and on WGN Morning News, ABC 7’s Windy City Live and CBS 2. For more information about CLLAW, visit cllaw.org.


(left to right) Nitty Gritty vs. Stone Cold Jane Austen vs. at the Chicago League of Lady Arms Wrestlers’ CLLAW XXXIII match at Logan Square Auditorium. Photo by Trainman Photography.

For additional information on Sideshow Theatre Company, visit sideshowtheatre.org.

Monday, October 7, 2019

HELP OUT: Raven Theatre Presents THE BENGSONS: A Benefit Concert Wednesday, October 16, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar:
One Night Only!
Raven Theatre Presents
THE BENGSONS: A Benefit Concert
Wednesday, October 16, 2019


Raven Theatre is pleased to present THE BENGSONS: A Benefit Concert on Wednesday, October 16 at 6:30 pm on Raven’s 85-seat East Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville) in Chicago. Enjoy an evening of music with the award-winning folk duo who composed the music for Raven’s season opener SUNDOWN, YELLOW MOON (playing October 3 – November 17, 2019). The one-night-only event includes drinks, a buffet dinner and dessert.

Tickets ($125) are currently available at www.raventheatre.com or by calling (773) 338-2177. All proceeds benefit Raven’s mainstage plays and education program.

The Bengsons, married duo Shaun & Abigail Bengson, are composers and performers who have appeared at such venues as Joe’s Pub (NYC), MASS MoCA (North Adams, MA) and the Market Theater (Johannesburg, South Africa). Their music has been featured on “So You Think You Can Dance” (FOX), and in Hundred Days (La Jolla Playhouse, New York Theatre Workshop, The Public Theater, Know Theater, Z Space, US Tour), The Lucky Ones (Ars Nova), Sundown, Yellow Moon (Ars Nova/WP), Anything That Gives Off Light (Edinburgh Theatre Festival, US Tour), Hurricane Diane (New York Theatre Workshop, Two River Theatre), You’ll Still Call Me By Name (New York Live Arts, Jacob's Pillow), The Place We Built (The Flea) and Iphigenia in Aulis (Classic Stage Company). They have been nominated for the Drama Desk, Drama League and Lucile Lortel awards. Abigail Nessen Bengson has toured as a member of tUnE-yArDs, including an appearance on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” 

About Raven Theatre
Raven Theatre tells stories of today and the past that connect us to our cultural landscape. Through its plays as well as its educational programming, Raven is committed to serving our communities’ needs through the arts.

Raven Theatre Company is funded in part by the The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, Polk Bros Foundation, S&C Electric Company Fund, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.


Wednesday, April 17, 2019

HELP OUT: CALLING ALL PLUCKY LUSHES! LUCKY PLUSH BENEFIT PARTY AND ROOMING HOUSE​, DANCE THEATER WORK PERFORMANCE IS MAY 23, 2019 AT VENUE WEST CHICAGO

LUCKY PLUSH PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS ​
ROOMING HOUSE​, 
DANCE THEATER WORK PERFORMANCE, ON MAY 23 ALONGSIDE BENEFIT PARTY AT VENUE WEST CHICAGO


Lucky Plush Productions present​ Rooming House​ alongside P​lucky Lush​ benefit bash at Venue West Chicago. ​Rooming House ​is to be presented one night only on May 23rd at 7:00pm. 

Rooming House​ is co-created by founder and artistic director Julia Rhoads and collaborating director Leslie Buxbaum Danzig (formerly of 500 Clown). ​Rooming House​ premiered in 2017 at the Steppenwolf 1700 Theatre to 12 sold out shows. Lucky Plush returns from a spring tour across the East Coast–including shows at the ​Kennedy Center ​in Washington D.C.–for this final presentation of Rooming House on our home turf. We could not be more thrilled to hold this year's Plucky Lush bash at​ Venue West​, a chic industrial space in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, with heavy apps provided by J&L Catering, beer provided by Revolution Brewing and Lagunitas, wine and alcohol. Drinks at the Plucky Lush fundraising bash will be bottomless and there will be a variety of fun activities and games.

Rooming House​ begins with an intimate conversation among friends, slipping easily between Spanish and English, as they recall stories of people who’ve taken actions with potentially devastating costs. When the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is mentioned, varied interpretations propel the group into a physically and psychologically complex game of whodunit, taking them down a rabbit hole into the lives of everyday people who do extraordinary things—from life endangering rescues, to defecting from Cuba, to letting go of someone you love. Playful and personal, the work synthesizes contemporary dance and theater to create a dynamic blueprint for exploring the question: what makes a person do something that could have life-changing consequences?

In ​Rooming House​, the myth and game structure offer familiar anchors that allow the audience to form expectations, which then can be broken as performers follow their idiosyncratic preoccupations and wrestle with the conditions of the performance – often being a source of comedy and delight for the audience.
   
“Lucky Plush Productions deeply values creating a welcoming relationship between stage and audience, delivering relatable content without compromising complexity. Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre is an ideal venue to create this intimate relationship, and we are incredibly excited to being one of the first dance events on its intimate stage as part of Steppenwolf’s LookOut series,” said Lucky Plush Artistic Director and Rooming House​ co-creator Julia Rhoads.

“Lucky Plush also values laughter and finds that it functions as an important release, a non-precious way to tackle difficult issues and a generator of excellent energy between performers and audience,” added Rhoads’s frequent collaborator Leslie Buxbaum Danzig.

TIckets for just the performance of Rooming House are $15-$40. Student tickets are $15. Industry tickets are $25. Seniors 62+ are $30. Regular performances are $40. Tickets to attend both the ​Plucky Lush benefit bash and ​Rooming House a​ re $100. For ticket information, please visit https://www.luckyplush.com/venuewest/​.

Venue West Chicago, 221 N. Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60612, is a chic, modern, industrial space located in the heart of the west town neighborhood of Chicago. Venue West boasts over 12,000 square feet of entertainment space with a state-of-the-art on-site kitchen provided by J&L Catering. Beyond catering, J&L supports many parts of the Chicago community. From education, homeless support, recycling, food donations, theater groups and the LGBT community among others, J&L Catering is proud to take part in the experiences of local groups and organizations that help Chicago thrive as a city.

Rooming House​ features Lucky Plush ensemble members Kara Brody, Michel Rodriguez Cintra, Elizabeth Luse, Rodolfo Sánchez Sarracino, A. Raheim. White and Meghann Wilkinson. ​Original music is by Michael Caskey. Lighting design by Alexander Ridgers. Stage management by Rachel Damon.



About the Creators
Julia Rhoads​ is the founding artistic director of Lucky Plush Productions. She has created more than 25 original works with Lucky Plush, several of which have toured extensively throughout the U.S. Additional directing and choreography credits include projects with Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Lookingglass Theatre, Walkabout Theater, River North Dance Chicago, and Redmoon, among others. Rhoads is the recipient of an Alpert Award in Dance and fellowships/awards from Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography, Chicago Dancemakers Forum, Cliff Dwellers Foundation, Illinois Arts Council, and the Jacob K. Javits Foundation, and she received a Fractured Atlas Arts Entrepreneurship Award for spearheading Creative Partners, an innovative nonprofit financial model. Rhoads is a former member of San Francisco Ballet and ensemble member of XSIGHT! Performance Group. She received her BA in History from Northwestern University, her MFA in Performance from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and she has taught in the dance and theater programs of several Chicago-area colleges and universities. She is currently Director of Dance and Lecturer at University of Chicago’s Department of Theater and Performance Studies.

Leslie Buxbaum Danzig ​is a collaborating director with Julia Rhoads/Lucky Plush Productions where she co-created​ The Better Half​,​The Queue ​and Rooming House,​and is currently collaborating on​ Rink Life​.For over a decade, Leslie was co-founder and resident director of the Chicago-based physical theater company 500 Clown, whose shows performed in Chicago and throughout the US. Other directing credits include Third Coast Percussion’s ​Paddle to the Sea​ and ​Wild Sound​, composed by Wilco’s Glenn Kotche, with performances at MCA Chicago, Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC), National Forum of Music (Wroclaw)

Lucky Plush presents ​Rooming House​ May 23, 2019 and De Doelen (Rotterdam), and a number of productions in Chicago at The Actors Gymnasium, House Theatre, Redmoon, Chicago Children’s Theater, About Face Theater, and in New York, at New Victory Theater and PS 122, among others. Prior to turning to directing, Leslie toured nationally and internationally as an actor with NYC’s Elevator Repair Service. Leslie is Assistant Professor of Practice in Theater and Performance Studies, University of Chicago. She is currently developing a circus-puppet-theater adaptation of the myth of Atalanta with the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival.



About Lucky Plush Productions
Now entering its 19th season, Lucky Plush Productions (​LuckyPlush.com​) is a Chicago-based dance theater company led by founder and artistic director Julia Rhoads. Lucky Plush is committed to provoking and supporting an immediacy of presence – a palpable liveness – shared by performers in real-time with audiences. A unique hybrid of high-level dance and theater, Lucky Plush’s work is well-known for carefully crafting dramatic and rhythmic arcs, pushing its artists to move beyond the predictable by earning the exciting slippage between – and surprising coherence of – pedestrian action, realistic dialogue, abstract choreography and humor. Though rigorously composed, much of the company’s work feels like it is generated spontaneously.

Since 2000, Lucky Plush has created 30+ original dance-theater works. In addition to regularly performing in the Chicago area, the company has presented work in 50+ US cities from Maine to Hawaii, and its international partners span from New Zealand to Cuba. Commissioning and development partners include the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Krannert Center at University of Illinois, The Yard (MA), Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (MD), Flynn Center for the Performing Arts (VT), Door Kinetic Arts Festival (WI), and Links Hall Chicago. Presenting partners include the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston (MA), Joyce Theater (NYC), ODC (CA), TITAS (TX), Spoleto Festival/USA (SC), NC State LIVE (NC), Portland Ovations (ME), and Skirball Center (NYC), among others, and the company will have its debut performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts this season.
Lucky Plush Productions is the first and only dance company to receive the prestigious MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, a recognition of the company’s exceptional creativity and impact. Other awards include creation, residency, and touring awards from National Endowment for the Arts, National Dance Project, and National Performance Network; exchange awards from the MacArthur Foundation International Connections Fund; a presentation award from MetLife Foundation; and an achievement award from the Lester and Hope Abelson Fund for the Performing Arts at The Chicago Community Trust.

Press features include the ​Boston Globe's​ "10 Best Dance Performances of 2013," ​Chicago Public Radio's "Best of 2011"; the ​Chicago Reader's​ "Best of Chicago 2010"; ​Time Out Chicago's​ "The Decade's 10 Best Original Dance Works"; the ​Chicago Tribune's​ "Best of Dance 2008"; ​Chicago Sun Times'​ "Lasting memories in Dance" for 2005 and 2007, and a ​Time Out Chicago​ cover story "5 reasons to love dance in Chicago," among others.

Lucky Plush managing director Kim Goldman ​works in tandem with artistic director Julia Rhoads to carry out the company’s mission. ​The current ensemble includes ​Kara Brody, Michel Rodriguez Cintra, Elizabeth Luse, Jacina Ratcliffe, Rodolfo Sánchez Sarracino, A. Raheim White and Meghann Wilkinson​.

Monday, April 16, 2018

HELP OUT: CHRIS’ 4th Annual BIRTHDAY BELT FEST Is Raising Funds for Howard Brown Health 5/15/18

Help Out:
CHRIS’ BIRTHDAY BELT FEST CELEBRATES 
4TH ANNIVERSARY, MONDAY, MAY 14 AT UPTOWN UNDERGROUND

The 2018 Chris’ Birthday Belt Fest is “CO-ED,” and Features, For the First Time, Male Soloists Joining Chicago’s Top Music Theater Performers 
Raising Funds for Howard Brown Health

Jeff Award-nominee and HIV+ director/producer Christopher Pazdernik is pleased to announce the 4th annual Chris’s Birthday Belt Fest, a benefit concert for Howard Brown Health, Monday, May 14 at 8 p.m. at Uptown Underground, 4707 N. Broadway. Tickets are $30, in advance; $40, at the door on the night of the performance, and are available at uptownunderground.net or by calling 773.867.1946. Uptown Underground is a 21 years old and older venue and advance reservations are strongly recommended.

Pazdernik’s journey with Howard Brown Health began in 2009, when he was diagnosed HIV+. He has been receiving his treatments at Chicago’s health and wellness center ever since and has even become the Community Advisory board chairperson. In 2015, Pazdernik was looking for a way to give back to Howard Brown Health and raise much needed funds for the organization. As a popular and respected member of Chicago’s theater community, Pazdernik asked his friends - who happen to be many of Chicago’s leading talents – to donate their time and celebrate his birthday singing high-energy songs from musicals with 100% of the ticket proceeds going directly to Howard Brown Health and Chris’ Birthday Belt Fest was born. Since its inception four years ago, Belt Fest has raised more than $5,000 for Howard Brown and each year the concert’s audience and amount raised has increased. 

This year, Aaron Benham returns as music director and pianist for the evening and, for the first time, Belt Fest goes “CO-ED” featuring male soloists joining the “who’s who” of performers including Missy Aguilar (Porchlight Music Theatre’s In The Heights); Stephen Allen, Jr. (Porchlight Music Theatre’s Memphis); Justin Brill (original Broadway cast member of High Fidelity); Aaron Choi (Marriott Lincolnshire’s Honeymoon in Vegas); Nathan Cooper (Paramount Theatre’s Sweeney Todd); Max DeTogne (Jeff Award-nominee, Refuge Theatre Project’s High Fidelity); Nick Dryzbanski (Jeff Award-nominee, Refuge Theatre Project’s High Fidelity); Billy Dwyer (Pride Films & Play’s Yank!); Amanda Falls (Wisconsin actor and director and Pazdernik’s childhood friend); Nicole Michelle Haskins (Refuge Theatre Project’s The Spitfire Grill); Angela Ingersoll (Jeff Award, Porchlight Music Theatre’s End of the Rainbow); Callie Johnson (Jeff Award, Porchlight Music Theatre’s Pal Joey); Molly Kral (Boho Theatre’s Urinetown); Ryan Lanning (Haven’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch);  Michelle Lauto (Jeff Award, Chicago cast Spamilton); Eric Lewis (Jeff Award, Porchlight Music Theatre’s Dreamgirls); Yando Lopez (Jeff Award-nominee, Chicago cast Spamilton); Donica Lynn (Jeff Award, Porchlight Music Theatre’s Dreamgirls); Adam Michaels (Paramount Theatre’s Rent); Lauren Paris (Refuge Theatre Project’s The Spitfire Grill); Samantha Pauly (Marriott Lincolnshire’s Honeymoon in Vegas);  Laura Savage (Jeff Award-nominee, BoHo Theatre’s The Spitfire Grill); Andrew Sickel (Kokandy Production’s Heathers) with additional performers to be announced. 

About Howard Brown Health
Founded in 1974, Howard Brown Health is one of the nation's largest health care and research organizations, primarily serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) community and its allies. It is the largest such organization in the Midwest and serves adults youth and children throughout the region. An innovative and patient-centered health home, Howard Brown provides primary medical care, behavioral health services, and specialty chronic and infectious disease services, and conducts nationally renowned clinical and behavioral research.

About Christopher Pazdernik
Christopher Pazdernik is a director/choreographer with "a near encyclopedic knowledge of musicals" (Newcity). He is best known for the critically acclaimed production of High Fidelity (Jeff Awards for Best Director and Best Production of a Musical) at Refuge Theatre Project, where he also serves as artistic director. Recent credits include Carrie (Ohio Northern University), Wicked City (Chicago Theatre Workshop), Planted (Chicago Musical Theatre Festival), Make Me a Song (Eclectic Theatre Co.) and Story of A Story (The Untold Story) (Underscore Theater Co.). He is also a frequent cabaret director and curator including Broadway's Cult Classics at Davenport's Piano Bar and the His & His series at Pride Films & Plays.  At Porchlight Music Theatre, Pazdernik is a proud artistic associate, and serves as company manager and casting associate and has directed, choreographed and assistant directed many productions. An openly HIV+ artist, Pazdernik was a 2016 Windy City Times 30-Under-30 honoree for his contributions to Chicago's LGBTQ community and he currently serves on the Ambassador Committee for the AIDS Run/Walk Chicago and as chairperson on the Community Advisory Board for Howard Brown Health, one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ organizations.



Photo by Matt Percy

Sideshow Theatre To Honor Chicago Women’s Health Center with the 2018 SIDESHOW IMPACT AWARD

HELP OUT: “In Bloom” Gala To Benefit Sideshow Theatre Company on Sunday, April 29, 2018

Sideshow Theatre To Honor 
Chicago Women’s Health Center with the
2018 SIDESHOW IMPACT AWARD
at “In Bloom” Gala on Sunday, April 29, 2018

PHOTO CREDIT: Chicago Women's Health Center volunteers at Sideshow Theatre’s Company’s bi-annual fundraiser The Chicago League of Lady Arm Wrestlers (CLLAW).

Sideshow Theatre Company is pleased to announce the Chicago Women's Health Center is the recipient of its 2018 Sideshow Impact Award for Community Enrichment. CWHC is being honored for its significant contribution to the Chicago community by providing accessible, affordable healthcare and health education to women and trans people. CWHC has partnered with Sideshow for the interactive philanthropic event, The Chicago League of Lady Arm Wrestlers (CLLAW).

Comments Sideshow Executive Director Stephanie Weddell, "Sideshow's partnership with the Chicago Women's Health Center for our CLLAW matches has been an incredible and educational experience. The work that CWHC is doing is vitally important and aligns closely with CLLAW's mission to empower women and trans people. We are delighted to recognize an organization making such a difference in the Chicago community." 

Chicago Women's Health Center will be honored at Sideshow Theatre's annual gala, In Bloom, on Sunday, April 29, 2018 from 12 – 4 pm at A New Leaf, 1818 N. Wells St. in Chicago. Guests are invited to sip Bloody Marys and mimosa and enjoy a delicious brunch menu amid the exotic beauty of Chicago’s premier florist. The event also includes musical improv performances by a singing/piano-playing duo, on demand poetry and an impressionist portrait artist, along with prizes and a silent plant auction. Tickets, priced at $100, are currently available at www.sideshowtheatre.org/inbloom. All proceeds benefit the work and art of Sideshow Theatre Company.

The Sideshow Impact Award for Community Enrichment is presented annually to an organization for significant contributions towards the advancement of the local arts community and the larger Chicago community as a whole through education, resources and programming.

About Chicago Women's Health Center
CWHC’s mission is to facilitate the empowerment of women and trans people by providing access to health care and health education in a respectful environment where people pay what they can afford. For additional information, visit chicagowomenshealthcenter.org. 

About Sideshow Theatre Company:
Sideshow Theatre Company: Theatre for the Curious. It is the mission of Sideshow Theatre Company to mine the collective unconscious of the world we live in with limitless curiosity, drawing inspiration from the familiar stories, memories and images we all share to spark new conversation and bring our audiences together as adventurers in a communal experience of exploration.

Over its 10+ year history, Sideshow is proud to have distinguished itself as a vital member of the Chicago theatre community. Sideshow was awarded the 2016 Broadway In Chicago Emerging Theatre Award by the League of Chicago Theatres. Sideshow is a multiple Jeff Award-winning theatre and has been listed on the “Best of” lists in 2012, 2013 and 2014 by Time Out Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times. Sideshow continues its multi-year residency at Victory Gardens in the historic Biograph Theater in the 2017/18 season.

Sideshow is also the producer of Chicago League of Lady Arm Wrestlers (CLLAW), a wildly popular fundraiser held in benefit of Sideshow Theatre Company and other local community organizations. CLLAW has been featured in local and national press, including The Washington Post, Reuters and the Chicago Sun-Times and on WGN Morning News, ABC 7’s Windy City Live and CBS 2. The next CLLAW match is Saturday, July 21, 2018 at Logan Square Auditorium. For more information about CLLAW, visit cllaw.org.

For additional information on Sideshow Theatre Company, visit sideshowtheatre.org.




Tuesday, March 20, 2018

HELP OUT: One Night Only: “THE CHI” ACTOR KIARA LANIER AT SILENT FUNNY SATURDAY, MARCH 24 IN CHICAGO ARTIST THELONIOUS STOKES’ NEW EXHIBIT, GATES AND FENCES: THE PERFORMANCE

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:
Art Beat


CUR(8)CHICAGO PRESENTS CHICAGO ARTIST 
THELONIOUS STOKES’
 NEW EXHIBIT, GATES AND FENCES: THE PERFORMANCE, 
FEATURING “THE CHI” ACTOR KIARA LANIER 
AT SILENT FUNNY SATURDAY, MARCH 24

Images curtesy of CUR(8)Chicago: Kiara Lanier.

Southside Chicago Natives Collaborate to Help Fund the Historic Opportunity for Stokes to be the Youngest African-American Student to Attend the Esteemed Florence Academy of Art

CUR(8)Chicago and Silent Funny are proud to present the 22-year-old multidisciplinary, identity based performance artist and Chicago native in collaboration with Kiara Lanier at Silent Funny, 4106 W. Chicago Ave., Saturday, March 24. Stokes is the first African-American student to attend the prestigious Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy with a handpicked class of highly skilled artists. This event is one of two exhibits planned to provide financial support for this historic opportunity to study with master painters and nurture Stokes’ natural gifts as an artist. Doors open at 7 p.m., the seated performance begins at 8 p.m. and event ends at 10 p.m. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased at bit.ly/gatesandfences.



Thelonious Stokes with his work “Captive Girl on Green,” oil on linen in artist’s frame, 36 inches x 36 inches x 10 inches.


In an intimate performance featuring singer/songwriter/actress Kiara Lanier of TV’s “The Chi,” Stokes juxtaposes family safety and mass incarceration. “Gates and Fences” elucidates the notion of transformational rehabilitation utilizing art, music and the muses of Stokes and Lanier. Both performers are Southside Chicago natives and utilize the performance medium to provide a platform to inspire others. Presented by CUR(8)Chicago and hosted at Silent Funny on Chicago’s West side, the raw warehouse will be transformed into a landscape of American civilization fighting systematic injustice with the performance depicting a scene from a dining table in an urban home. In the discussion between a mother and son surrounded by symbolic fencing and the presence of lives affected by the criminal justice system, Stokes will unveil this conceptual ground, simultaneously showing the first piece of the Thelonious Stokes “Caged Black Paintings” collection and the “White Fence Paintings” collection. Stokes and Lanier have collaborated to compose an original score that will be sung by Lanier. The Three-part performance will culminate with Stokes’ call to action, urging the audience to support organizations committed to social justice and incarceration reform.

Stokes says he became an artist for no reason other than to thrive. He utilizes art as a vehicle to reform systematic injustice and redefine our contextual beliefs of what it means to be a man. “Being the first African American to attend the school makes me feel grateful,” expressed Stokes. “Grateful yet aware of the relevance of institutional racism. By being exposed to the beauty of oil painting, I am now able to break the barriers of being defined as Black in America. I want to not only impact art itself, I ultimately want to share light with the inconsistencies of ethics and morale.”


“New Lisa; Captive Girl on Green” by Thelonious Stokes. Oil on linen, 36 inches x 36 inches, unframed.


ABOUT THELONIOUS STOKES
Thelonious Stokes describes himself as a multidisciplinary, identity-based performance artist from Chicago. He uses performance as an objective medium, extracting black expectations as conversation for cultural extremes to re-conceptualize the black experience as foreign stationery, as a displaced individual likening one to being a foreigner. In his first collection, "The Caged Black Paintings," Stokes houses his multi-dimensional, chiaroscuro-style oil paintings in hand-welded metal cages, redefining the frame around art. His work stands out with each piece housed behind metal bars, reminiscent of cages looked at as housing devices to gesticulate a Western reference.

Stokes is the founder of Thelovism, his production company where he serves as director and editor, producing videos for buzzing rap artists Taylor Bennett, Joey Purp and his younger brother Satchel Stokes, a blossoming performer who has been a source of inspiration for his art. He also works with Campaign for Youth Justice as a national spokesperson working to ensure that youth are not tried, sentenced or incarcerated in the adult criminal justice system.

Named after American jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk, Stokes was born to create. He grew up influenced by his mother, jazz singer Vikki Stokes, his cousin, artist Dale Washington and some of Chicago's most celebrated talents like Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mars Williams, DJ Jesse De La Pena, Jazz Singer Bobbi Wilson and the late great composer William Russo.

ABOUT KIARA LANIER

Chicago native Kiara Lanier is a vocal performance artist, songwriter and model who lives by her grandfather's mantra, "The only purpose of the tongue is to teach and heal." Using mixed media musical installation and sound healing in her performance, Lanier’s spiritual, soulful and sultry work covers themes of identity and ancestry with vocal loops, field samples and experimental choreography. Lanier studied performance art with The Meredith Monk Foundation, collaborated in David Bowie’s Film ‘Station to Station,’ released a two part album “Tongues and Teaspoons” in September 2017 and has starred in television shows “American Idol,” “Empire” and most recently “The Chi.” 

ABOUT CUR(8)Chicago

CUR(8)Chicago, an event production and experience design company, founded by Josephine Lauer Washuk.  Washuk is a creative strategist who meets the needs of a diverse client portfolio. With a mission to discover and develop authentic talent, brands and organizations, her vision is that all individuals and organizations fulfill their highest potential. 

ABOUT SILENT FUNNY

Silent Funny is a 501(c)(3) arts space and community hub in Chicago's West Humboldt Park neighborhood. The organization believes that everyone can have life-changing experiences with the arts and strives to create a haven where art, artists and everyday people connect in a contemporary and active space that is inclusive and inspiring. www.silentfunny.org

ABOUT THE FLORENCE ACADEMY OF ART

The Florence Academy of Art was founded in 1991 by Daniel Graves to provide the highest level of instruction in classical drawing, painting and sculpture. Graves' vision of the Academy is its potential to train a select group of highly skilled Realist painters and sculptors. Since 1991, the Academy has grown to nine studio locations in three countries, 25 principle instructors, ten assistant instructors and six administrative staff, giving instruction and service to 150 students from 35 countries. To date, 600 students have attended The Florence Academy of Art for at least one trimester; this number includes 325 students who have completed the full program of study and are considered graduates. In January 2015, the Academy opened its second branch at Mana Contemporary in Jersey City, NJ. Jordan Sokol is the academic director and Richard Greathouse and Amaya Gurpide are Principal Instructors. Their mission is to provide the highest level of instruction in classical methods of drawing, painting and sculpture for students wishing to pursue careers as professional artists in the Realist tradition.

CUR(8)Chicago and Silent Funny are proud to present the 22-year-old multidisciplinary, identity based performance artist and Chicago native Thelonious Stokes and his exhibit “Gates and Fences: The Performance” in collaboration with Kiara Lanier at Silent Funny, 4106 W. Grand Ave., Saturday, March 24. Stokes is the first African-American student to attend the prestigious Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy with a handpicked class of highly skilled artists. This event is one of two exhibits planned to provide financial support for this historic opportunity to study with master painters and nurture Stokes’ natural gifts as an artist. Doors open at 7 p.m., the seated performance begins at 8 p.m. and event ends at 10 p.m. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased at bit.ly/gatesandfences.

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