REVIEW: Steep Summer Shows Continue with Stephens’ Light Falls at Theater Wit Through Aug 14, 2022

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US Premiere of 

Light Falls

By Simon Stephens

Directed by Robin Witt

Now Playing Through Aug 14, 2022 

Guest Review

by Flo Manolis 

Steep Theater's US Premiere production of Tony Award-winning playwright, Simon Stephens' Light Falls validates the quality of the ensemble we have come to applaud. It was a pleasure to meet the playwright on opening night. This show marks Stephens' fifth production with Steep, with Ensemble Member Robin Witt once again serving as director. Witt has also directed Stephen’s Wastwater, Motortown, Pornography and Harper Regan, Steep’s bestselling production. Simon Stephens remains Steep's Associate Playwright.

All Production Photos by Randall Starr

On opening night, the audience entered the theater to a compelling, multilayered, compartmentalized, stage by set designer, Sotirios Levaditis. Various heavy furniture pieces like a china cabinet and desk were elevated on the walls, with a piano to the left and music sheets suspended on the ceiling, mirroring the weightiness of the action about to occur. 

As the lights dim, a woman, Christine (Kendra Thulin) enters in a blue overcoat and holds our attention with her pensive monologue at the moment she dies. Intricate details pull the audience into this story about family, guilt, love, and death, intertwining five relatives, scattered across the north of England. 

Like an illusion, it rains in the entire country, in spite of a clear blue sky, as she takes her last breath! An impressive vision that mesmerized in wonder…

The characters struggle with their own issues. Jess (Stephane Mattos) needs reassurance as she and Michael (Nate Faust) try to establish their relationship. Bernard (Peter Moore), Christine’s husband,  flirts with two women, Emma (Tina El Gama) and Michaela (Cindy Marker). Steven (Brandon Rivera) is insecure and argues with his lover, Andy (Omer Abbas Salem). 

Ashe (Ashlyn Lozano) a single mom, turns Joe (Debo Balogun) away because he suggests their child to live with his family. Ashe is distraught when she sees her mother Christine, who tells her that it gets easier, leading her to ask Christine if she’s really there or if is she a ghost.

By close of the show, the family gathers for her funeral. Ashe appears wearing her mother’s blue coat, and the family sings “Hymn of the North” for a riveting ending.

OUTSTANDING!! Highly recommended!!

Flo Manolis is a CPS elementary teacher/librarian, hairdresser, and theater/film fanatic who catches hundreds of Chicago shows annually. She volunteers at numerous film venues and theaters.

For one clear moment, rain and light fall from a cloudless sky. For one clear moment, Christine sees the lives of her family, her town, her world stretched before her, beyond her. Simon Stephens’ Light Falls is a haunting tale of resilience, hope, and the impossibly strong bonds of family.

More than two years after beginning work on this play, Steep is excited to resume production of Light Falls after it came to a halt in the spring of 2020. Light Falls will be performed at Theater Wit while the sold-out run of Eboni Booth’s Paris plays at Steep's new home at 1044 West Berwyn through July 23rd. In April, Steep purchased the former Christian Science Reading Room, returning to the Edgewater community it has called home since 2008, and a renovation of the space is planned for the coming year.

We first fell in love with this script in 2019, yet somehow Light Falls fully and exquisitely captures what we've been through and where we are now,' said Artistic Director Peter Moore. "Simon has long been an integral part of Steep's story and I'm grateful that we can share his work in this moment.” 

Light Falls will feature Steep Ensemble Members Debo Balogun, Nate Faust, Cindy Marker, Peter Moore, Brandon Rivera, Omer Abbas Salem, and Kendra Thulin, as well as guest artists Susaan Jamshidi, Ashlyn Lozano, and Stephanie Mattos. August Forman will step into the production beginning July 28th. Forman, Jamshidi, and Mattos make their Steep debuts with this production.

  

WHERE:                

Theater Wit

1229 West Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60657

 

WHEN:

July 8 – August 14, 2022

Previews: July 2-7, 2022

Press Opening: Friday, July 8, 7:30pm

 

Schedule:

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 7:30 pm

Sunday matinees at 3pm

Accessible Performances:

-Audio Description & Touch Tour: July 24

-Open Captioning: July 31

Contact us at access@steeptheatre.com or 773-649-3186 for more information.

Ticket Pricing

General Admission: $30

Reserved Seats: $40

Access Tickets: $10 

(Access tickets are our universal discount available to anyone in need of a discount)

Purchase tickets here: https://steeptheatre.com/lightfalls 

About the Playwright

Simon Stephens’ plays include Fortune, Light Falls, Maria, Fatherland, Rage, Heisenberg, Nuclear War, Song from Far Away; Birdland, Carmen Disruption, Blindsided, Morning, Three Kingdoms, Wastwater, Punk Rock, The Trial of Ubu, Marine Parade, Sea Wall, Harper Regan, Pornography, Motortown, On the Shore of the Wide World, One Minute, Country Music, Christmas, Port, Herons and Bluebird. He has adapted Jose Saramago’s Blindness for the stage and also Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. He has written English language versions of Jon Fosse’s I Am the Wind; Odon Von Horvath’s Kasimir and Karoline (titled The Funfair); Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House; Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard and The Seagull and Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s Threepenny Opera. He has presented four series of the Royal Court Playwright’s Podcast. His book “A Working Diary” is published by Methuen. Simon Stephens has been an Associate at the Royal Court, London and Steep, Chicago and a board member of Paines Plough. He has been an Associate Artist at the Lyric, Hammersmith, a Professor of Scriptwriting at Manchester Metropolitan University and an Associate Professor at the Danish National School of the Performing Arts, Copenhagen. 

 

About the Director

Steep Ensemble Member Robin Witt has been at the helm for many of Steep’s most successful UK imports, including Alistair McDowall’s Pomona and Brilliant Adventures; Penelope Skinner’s Linda; Cordelia Lynn’s Lela & Co.; Simon Stephens’ Wastwater, Motortown, Pornography, and Harper Regan; Dennis Kelly’s Love and Money; Jez Butterworth’s Parlour Song; and Laura Wade’s Breathing Corpses. Her Harper Regan is still the best-selling show in Steep history and was named one of the Top Ten shows of 2010 by both the Chicago Tribune and Timeout Chicago; her Lela & Co was named one of the Tribune’s Top Ten Shows of 2017; and her Breathing Corpses was named one of TimeOut’s Top Ten Shows of 2008. In addition to directing numerous productions at Steep, Robin is also an ensemble member of Griffin Theatre Company where her credits include Ferber and Kaufman’s Stage Door, Terrence Rattigan’s Flare Path, Ena Lamont Stewart’s Men Should Weep, John Van Druten’s London Wall, and W. Somerset Maugham’s For Services Rendered. Witt received the 2015, 2016, and 2018 Jeff Awards for Best Director for Men Should Weep, London Wall, and Lela & Co and was nominated in 2014 for Flare Path and 2011 for Stage Door. She has worked at a variety of Chicago area theatres including Northlight, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Writers Theatre, A Red Orchid, and Artistic Home. She is a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts (BFA) and Northwestern University (MFA). Robin is a Professor of Directing at UNC Charlotte.

 

About Steep Theatre

Founded in 2000 by three actors, Steep has grown into a dynamic ensemble of forty-five theatre artists, supported by a dedicated and inspired team of arts administrators and community members.  Described by Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune as "the most fearless theater in town," Steep creates powerful productions of plays by today's most exciting writers and features the work of Chicago's hottest theatre artists in an intimate, accessible space. Steep is known as a home for hard-hitting, finely tuned ensemble work. With each production, the company has shepherded a growing community of audiences and artists into bold new territories of story and performance. Steep Theatre is committed to creating an inclusive and anti-racist environment for making and watching theatre. To learn more, please visit https://steeptheatre.com/antiracism. 

CAST:

Debo Balogunˆ

Nate Faustˆ

August Forman (July 28 - August 14)

Susaan Jamshidi*

Ashlyn Lozano

Cindy Markerˆ

Stephanie Mattos

Peter Mooreˆ

Brandon Riveraˆ

Omer Abbas Salemˆ (July 8 - July 24)

Kendra Thulinˆ

 

CREATIVE TEAM

Director – Robin Wittˆ

Stage Manager – Lauren Lassusˆ

Scenic Designer – Sotirios Livaditis

Costume Designer – Alison Sipleˆˆ

Lighting Designers – Brandon Wardellˆ

Sound Designer – Daniel Etti-Williams

Composer & Music Director – Thomas Dixonˆ

Intimacy Choreographer - Micah Figueroa

Dialect Coach - Adam Goldstein

Production Manager – Catherine Allenˆ

Production Electrician – Haley Carr

Technical Director – Evan Sposato

Assistant Director –Lisa Harriman

Casting Director – Lucy Carapetyanˆ

Graphic Designer - Stu Kiesow

 

ˆ Steep Company Member

 ˆˆ Steep Artistic Associate

* Appearing through an Agreement between Steep Theatre and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

REVIEW: Artist-In-Residence Luis Carreon, La Bestia at Chicago Magic Lounge Wednesdays Through September 28, 2022.

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Chicago Magic Lounge Presents

Luis Carreon, La Bestia

Wednesdays Through September 28, 2022 

Guest Review

by Dugan Kenaz-Mara

Chicago Magic Lounge has once again astounded, mystified, and astonished us with another wonderful magic show by Artist-In-Residence Luis Carreon, La Bestia.

From start to finish, the experience was magical. Even as a returning guest, I enjoyed the lead-in to the main stage area and the history of magic that comes along with it. I could also tell that it was breathtaking for my friend who had never been to the magic lounge before. He was fooled multiple times and was exclaiming about how cool it was the entire way to our seats. 

Once we made it to our places, the staff were incredibly kind and the close-up magicians who came to the tables before the show were also great. The best part is how they were willing to play with us when we engaged them in bits. One table magician, while presenting a deck of cards, told us he was going to perform a card trick. When we responded that calling it a “card trick” was apt and questioned whether he had come up with that himself, he countered by telling us he had a team of writers who came up with it for him. It was fun to joke around with him and better still when it didn’t impede his flawless sleight of hand. 

Then, after already being blown away by the magic lounge’s environment, we were blown even further away by Luis Carreon’s performance. While he has a dramatic flair, his most notable feature is his humor. The show is full of pop culture references and he makes tons of jokes, including ones about his heritage and the stereotypes that come along with it. He engaged the audience throughout the whole show and even played a prank on one volunteer. 

I also loved his ability to improvise with what the audience gave him. Some audience members didn’t play along with his jokes and were contrarian, which he was able to turn into more bits to entertain the rest of the audience. On the other hand, there was an audience member who gave him a small heart-shaped chocolate, which he incorporated into his act alongside other heart-shaped props. 

The use of props was also really intriguing to me. He had some of the obvious magician things, like coins and decks of cards, but he also made use of random objects including a house key from a mesh bag of keys, a cardboard box, a stuffed animal with a sombrero, a picture frame, and a piñata. 

Overall, I would count this experience as a good one and would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in magic or is looking for a fun night of entertainment. 

Dugan is an actor, designer, and photographer studying theatre and psychology at Northwestern University. This summer you can find him on cast at Bristol Renaissance Fair for the 4th season, dancing, singing, performing street theatre, and juggling knives. Contrary to popular belief, he is not a time traveler.

Chicago Magic Lounge, Chicago’s home for close-up magic, continues its Artist-In-Residence series with Luis Carreon, La Bestia, Wednesdays at 7:00pm, July 6 – September 28, 2022. A Chicago Magic Lounge favorite, Carreon showcases his unparalleled skill and mischievous sense of humor in this brand new, Spanish-infused show. Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge shows are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com..

 

What you see is not always what you get. Beneath Luis Carreon's suave and debonair exterior lies La Bestia (The Beast). In his one-man show, Luis combines his jaw-dropping magical skills, his Latin heritage, and off-the-wall comedy to share his real-life experiences, poking fun at stereotypes, cultural differences, and himself. 

 

Luis Carreon is a highly sought-after entertainer, performing magic across the country – from New York City's Monday Night Magic to House of Cards in Nashville to the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. An award-winning and well-respected magician, Luis regularly travels the country teaching other magicians about the art of magic. He is also a regular performer, fan favorite, and co-founding company member of the Chicago Magic Lounge. 

 

Carreon has made numerous television appearances, domestically and internationally. He has been featured on the Univision Evening News and was a semi-finalist on Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento, the Spanish language equivalent of America's Got Talent.

Luis Carreon, La Bestia will be presented on Wednesdays at 7:00pm, July 6 – September 28, 2022. Tickets are priced $45 (Main Floor) and $50 (Front Row). 

Also Happening at Chicago Magic Lounge

Music & Magic

Mondays at 7:00pm

Tickets: General Admission $25

The Showcase

Tuesdays at 7:00pm

Tickets: Standard: $35; Front Row: $40

Artist-in-Residence Series

Wednesdays at 7:00pm

Sean Masterson’s Message in a Bottle, Now through June 29, 2022

Tickets: Standard: $45; Front Row: $50

The discovery of a message in a bottle makes the past present in Sean Masterson’s very visual and highly deceptive show. Sleight-of-hand magic is seamlessly woven into the true tale of the 19th century battle to decide America’s #1 magician.

In 1912 theatrical impresario Michael B. Leavitt published his 700-page memoir dishing the untold story of this jealousy-fueled battle between his clients, the magic greats Alexander Herrmann and Harry Kellar. Recently, Sean Masterson procured a signed edition of Leavitt’s memoir at auction and together with his research of Harry Houdini’s original archives at the Library of Congress in D.C., he has found the thread that nearly tells the whole tale. All Masterson needs now is a message in a bottle.

The Signature Show

Thursdays-Sundays at 7:00pm, Fridays and Sundays at 10pm

Tickets: Front Row $80, Premium Main Floor (main floor banquette and main floor cabaret) $70, Standard (rail and elevated banquette) $60, Mezzanine $50 

The Signature Show was conceived in 2015 as an homage to the historic, Chicago magic bar scene. Experience close-up magic right at your table during the cocktail hour, followed by an hour of stage magic featuring masters of their craft performing feats of prestidigitation and sleight of hand. Guests who purchase Premium tickets (Front Row, Main Floor Cabaret, Main Floor Banquette) are invited to an exclusive performance of close-up magic directly after the main stage show in our 43-seat close-up gallery, The 654 Club.

Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge performances are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com. Chicago Magic Lounge is a 21+ venue. Ages 16+ allowed to ticketed shows with a legal guardian. 

For the health and safety of our staff, guests and community, you must be fully vaccinated to enter the premises. Ticket holders will be asked to present proof of vaccination status upon arrival.

For a complete schedule of performances and more information about Chicago Magic Lounge, resident and guest performers, and more, please visit chicagomagiclounge.com.

REVIEW: Chicago Premiere of Hurricane Diane is A Dionysian Feast!!! Now Playing at Theater WIT Through July 31, 2022

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HURRICANE DIANE 

TO HIT CHICAGO 

PREDICTED TO WREAK TRAGI-COMIC CLIMATE CHANGE HAVOC LIVE ON STAGE 

AT THEATER WIT THROUGH JULY 31 

Madeleine George’s 2019 Obie Award-winning Best Play is a hilarious evisceration of the blind eye we all turn to climate change, even (or especially) in our own backyards

(From left) Theater Wit's Chicago premiere of Hurricane Diane features Lori Myers as Pam, Carolyn Kruse as Carol, Kelli Simpkins as Diane, Jazmín Corona as Renee and Aneisa Hicks as Beth. Photo credit for all: Charles Osgood.

Hurricane Diane is a Chicago premiere by Madeleine George, writer of Theater Wit's past hits Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England and The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence and, now, for Hulu's Only Murders in the Building starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.

Guest Review 

by Flo Manolis

Ahhh!!!! A Dionysian Feast!!!

"Hurricane Diane" by Madeline George, is a modern, witty, satirical comedy with a tragic ending! Diane (Kelli Simpkins-powerful-playful!!) is a landscaper seeking an earthly incarnation from a world doomed, to it's future demise/Inexistence by climate change.

Kelli Simpkins (left) plays Diane and Lori Myers is Pam

Carolyn Kruse (left) plays Carol and Kelli Simpkins is Diane

Diane is hired by Carol (Carolyn Kruse-stern) to design her "dream-HGTV- garden" in the cookie cutter homes in a cul-de-sac, she shares with her three neighbor friends. Diane tells her of the importance of "permaculture"-that Carol ABHORS.

(from left) Lori Myers, Aneisa Hicks and Jazmín Corona

Inherent to her "Mystery cult" of souls. Diane engages the three friends, (Lori Myers-hilarious!! Jazmin Corona-understated, Anesia Hicks-demure-strong vocal voice!!) and scandalizes in a sexual frenzied initiation- possessed in ecstasy by "The God that comes" to be her Maends. It brings joy and divine madness, as they are freed from their self consciousness, fears and oppressive restrains. She is their "Liberator", dancing, draped in ivy garlands. Still, she has to dominate Carol who is a holdout. With a looming hurricane, chaos ensues in a power struggle of wills!!! Destructon!!!

(from left) Lori Myers, Aneisa Hicks and Jazmín Corona

In a nod to traditional Greek theatre, The Maends in Crimson clothing and masks, chant hymns like a Greek chorus lamenting.

Jeremy Wechsler directed an entertaining, gut laughter inducing, applause after each scene and in between, production!! Stellar cast! Versatile stage design! Must see. Don't miss this! ★★★★ (out of 4).

Florence Manolis is a Greek American CPS elementary teacher/librarian, hairdresser, and theater/film fanatic who catches hundreds of Chicago shows annually. She volunteers at numerous film venues and theaters and has called Chicago home since she immigrated here from Greece in early elementary school. 

Kelli Simpkins plays Diane in Hurricane Diane, Theater Wit's new play about a butch lesbian gardener who just might be the Greek god Dionysus.

Hurricane Diane is a hilarious whirlwind of a play about a butch lesbian gardener who just might be the Greek god Dionysus, returned to stick a hot poker in contemporary society’s blind eye to climate change, starting with four housewives on a quiet New Jersey cul-de-sac.

Lori Myers (left) plays Pam and Kelli Simpkins is Diane 

The doomsday clock is already at 11 f**king 45. The flood waters are swelling on Jersey Shore. The Greek goddess Dionysus—in the guise of Diane, a lesbian permaculture landscape gardener—is staging a comeback to save the world from the ravages of climate change.

And where better to ignite a Bacchanalian frenzy than with four housewives living on a quiet cul-de-sac in Monmouth County, New Jersey?

Still, making maenads out of her lady neighbors proves more challenging than Diane could anticipate, as the forces of HGTV square off against the coming apocalypse.

Theater Wit Artistic Director Jeremy Wechsler directs this roof-raising evening about passion, lawns, pawpaw forests, Italian delis, curb appeal, hurricanes, and what happens when we are asked to go outside.

"You all want to believe me when I tell you that Madeleine George's Obie-award winning comedy is going to be the most fun you can have in a theater this summer. It's going to blow Theater Wit apart—and that's not actually hyperbole. Seriously, you want to see this one."

-Director Jeremy Wechsler

Artistic Director, Theater Wit

Tickets and information:

TheaterWit.org or (773) 975-8150

(from left) Hurricane Diane playwright Madeleine George and director Jeremy Wechsler. Kelli Simpkins plays Diane with Jazmín Corona (Renee) Aneisa Hicks (Beth), Carolyn Kruse (Carol) and Lori Myers (Pam).

Hurricane Diane is surging toward its Chicago debut, June 17-July 31, 2022 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Tickets, $25-$48, are on sale now at TheaterWit.org or by calling the Theater Wit box office, (773) 975-8150. 

Batten down the hatches for Theater Wit’s Hurricane Diane, because a category 4 hurricane has hit a quiet cul-de-sac in New Jersey, where the Greek god Dionysus has returned as a butch lesbian gardener to stick a hot poker in society’s blind eye to climate change. Carolyn Kruse (pictured) plays Carol. 

Hurricane Diane is a hilarious whirlwind of a play about a butch lesbian gardener who just might be the Greek god Dionysus, returned to stick a hot poker in contemporary society’s collective blind eye to climate change.

Hurricane Diane marks acclaimed playwright Madeleine George’s third collaboration with Theater Wit, where Chicago audiences and critics first enjoyed her plays Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England and The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence. Now George is writing for the hit Hulu series Only Murders in the Building starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.

Theater Wit Artistic Director Jeremy Wechsler directs this roof-raising evening about passion, lawns, pawpaw forests, Italian delis, curb appeal, hurricanes, and what happens when we are asked to go outside.

Kelli Simpkins leads the cast as charming butch permaculture gardener Diane, returned to the modern world to avert the coming apocalypse. Jazmín Corona (Renee), Aneisa Hicks (Beth), Carolyn Kruse (Carol) and Lori Myers (Pam) portray Diane’s New Jersey neighbors. 

The production team includes Joseph Schermoly (set designer), Mara Blumenfeld and Maddy Low (co-costume designers), Joyce Ciesil (sound designer), Piper Kirchhofer (lighting designer), AnnaMae Durham (properties designer), Courtney Abbott (intimacy director), Andre Pluess (original music) and Ashley Alexander (stage manager). 

Hurricane Diane: The eye of the storm

Kelli Simpkins (left) as Diane and Lori Myers as Pam.

Kelli Simpkins (left) plays Diane and Jazmín Corona is Renee

The doomsday clock is already at 11 f**king 45. The flood waters are swelling on Jersey Shore. The Greek goddess Dionysus—in the guise of Diane, a lesbian permaculture landscape gardener—is staging a comeback to save the world from the ravages of climate change. And where better to ignite a Bacchanalian frenzy than with four housewives living on a quiet cul-de-sac in Monmouth County, New Jersey? Still, making maenads out of her lady neighbors proves more challenging than Diane could anticipate, as the forces of HGTV square off against the coming apocalypse.

Winner of the 2019 Best Play Obie Award, Hurricane Diane is a funny, sobering plea to save the world.The New York Times called it “an astonishing new play that whirls ancient myth, lesbian pulp, ecological thriller, and The Real Housewives of Monmouth County into a perfect storm of timely tragicomedy.” The Vulture wrote “Madeleine George’s fantastic, heartbreaking Hurricane Diane is a comedy in the most ancient, expansive sense...Hilarious, shattering, and full of keen observation and profound human affection, the play both lifts us up and wrings us out.” 

Aneisa Hicks (left) plays Beth and Kelli Simpkins is Diane in Hurricane Diane.

**Footnote: The term “permaculture," a contraction of “permanent” and “agriculture," is an increasingly popular gardening trend at the heart of Diane’s earth-bound business—designing agricultural landscapes, especially home landscapes, in a way that improves and supports the local ecosystem, to make them life-giving for generations.

Tracking Hurricane Diane: Times, dates and ticket information

Tickets to Hurricane Diane are $25-$36, and are on sale now at TheaterWit.org or by calling the Theater Wit box office, (773) 975-8150.

Previews are June 17-26: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., Sunday at

2 p.m. Press opening is Monday, June 27 at 7 p.m. Performances run through July 31: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. Run time is 90 minutes, no intermission.

Theater Wit is located at 1229 W. Belmont Ave., in the Belmont Theatre District in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. Parking is available in a lot across the street from Theater Wit, behind Kubo, for $8 (pay at the Theater Wit box office.) Neighborhood street parking is also available. Theater Wit is accessible via the CTA 77 Belmont bus, and just three blocks west of the CTA Belmont Red/Brown/Purple line stop. 

Note: Everyone (including audience members) at Theater Wit is required to be vaccinated to enter the building. Each audience member must show proof of vaccination and state ID at the door for admittance. Electronic photos and copies are acceptable. Patrons with medical or religious exemptions may be admitted but must contact the box office a minimum of 48 hours before the performance for additional review and guidance. While Cook County is at Medium risk level or above, all audience members must be masked for the duration of their visit. Masks are required for medical and religious exemptions as well. Visit TheaterWit.org for more details.

About Theater Wit

Theater Wit, Chicago’s “smart art” theater, is a major hub of Chicago’s neighborhood theater scene, where audiences enjoy a smorgasbord of excellent productions in its three, 99-seat spaces, see a parade of talented artists and mingle with audiences from all over Chicago. 

In addition to Theater Wit’s production of Hurricane Diane, other summer productions at Theater Wit include Shattered Globe’s Rasheeda Speaking (now through June 4); Remy Bumppo’s The Year of Magical Thinking (now through June 5); TimeLine Theatre’s Chicago premiere of The Chinese Lady (now through June 18); American Blues Theatre’s Fences (July 1-August 6); Steep Theatre Company’s Light Falls (July 2-August 14); and Grippo Theatre Company’s Chagall in School (August 26-October 9).

Theater Wit is located at 1229 N. Belmont Ave., in the Belmont Theatre District in Chicago’s Lakeview community. To purchase tickets to Hurricane Diane, visiting productions, or to inquire about a Theater Wit Membership or Flex Pass options, visit TheaterWit.org, send email to info@theaterwit.org, or call the Theater Wit box office, (773) 975-8150. 

Carolyn Kruse as Carol and Kelli Simpkins as Diane

All Production Photos by Charles Osgood

REVIEW: Collected Stories Via Redtwist Theatre Now Playing Through June 5, 2022

 ChiIL Live Shows on our radar 

R E D T W I S T  T H E A T R E  P R E S E N T S

Collected Stories

by Donald Margulies

Directed by Ted Hoerl

Gossip is a neglected art form.

Guest Review

By Catherine Hellmann

I felt like I was at Windy City Playhouse and was looking for the cheese curls, popcorn, and spray cheese can snacks. The set is Professor Ruth Steiner’s apartment, and the audience members are the eavesdroppers in her living room lined against the walls. For a play about sharing secrets and subsequent indiscretion, the intimacy is perfect. 

Jacqueline Grandt (Ruth) and Jillian Warden (Lisa)

“Write what you know” is the oft-repeated piece of advice to aspiring authors about writing. In Collected Stories by Donald Margulies, Lisa Morrison is a young, ambitious yet uncertain grad student meeting her idol/teacher Dr. Steiner for the first time. Lisa is writing about what she knows in her autobiographical selections that eventually culminate in her first published book, Eating Between Meals. She adores Dr. Steiner from her reputation as an author. Lisa fawns so much initially over her prof that it is cringey. Dr. Steiner is very no-nonsense, a little abrupt, blunt, and describes herself as “Thelma Ritter would play me in the movie.” (I love that line!) 

The first time that Lisa is published, Ruth’s surprise and tinge of jealousy is palpable. She wants her student to succeed, but as a fellow artist, Ruth may not truly want her protege to surpass her. (That Artist Ego is hard to shake.) We see Lisa expand her repertoire as a writer while Ruth’s health declines. But Lisa’s first novel is not a tale she experienced firsthand. Is it still fair game to share with the world?

The book in question is obviously inspired by Ruth’s affair decades ago with a well-known poet many years her senior. Ruth reveals this precious memory of her past when pressed by Lisa. Lisa uses it as a springboard for her novel a few years later. Ruth, understandably, feels betrayed. 

All along, Ruth has stressed that “writers are all rummagers.” Lisa reminds Ruth that she herself taught Lisa to be “ruthless.” But Ruth feels her favorite student has “turned into a spy.” Ruth confesses that watching Lisa’s star ascend reminds Ruth of her own mortality. 

The two actresses are fantastic. Redtwist Company Member Jacqueline Grandt is wonderful in every role. The part of Ruth Steiner is perfect for her. Making her Redtwist debut is Jillian Warden as Lisa. She holds her own next to Ms. Grandt. 

On their first meeting, Ruth is surprised to discover Lisa is not who she thinks she is. “My students match their stories.” Lisa’s first story is too serious, and her personality is just too earnest. For these two writers, they shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.    

Catherine Hellmann is a teacher, mom of teachers, daughter of a teacher…and a self-professed Theater Whore. 

Prominent author Ruth takes her fiction student Lisa under her wing – until Lisa’s success comes in the form of a story that’s much too familiar to Ruth. When her protege publishes a salacious story that can only be traced back to her mentor, their relationship is challenged. Spanning six years, this play takes a searching look at the lives of a pair of writers and the tangled connections between creativity and ideology.

THE CAST

Jacqueline Grandt* (Ruth Steiner), Jillian Warden (Lisa Morrison) Understudies: Jean Marie Koon (Ruth Steiner), Meghann Tabor (Lisa Morrison) THE STAFF

E. Malcolm Martinez (Box Office Manager), Karen Epton, Johnny Garcia & Amanda Grissom (Box Office Associates), Charlie

Marie McGrath (Producing Artistic Director)

*indicates Redtwist staff or company members

THE SCHEDULE

Opens: Sun, May 1, 3pm

Showtimes: Thu, Fri, Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 3pm

Closes: Sun, Feb 13, 3pm

Previews: $15; Thu, Fri, Sat, Apr 28, 29, 30 at 7:30pm.

Runtime: 2 hours, with one intermission

Tickets: Thursdays, $35; Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, $40 (seniors & students $5 off)

RESERVATIONS

Website/Tickets: www.redtwisttheatre.org Call: 773-728-7529

LOCATION/PARKING

Redtwist is located at 1044 W Bryn Mawr, 2 blocks W of LSD, 2 blocks E of the Red Line EL station. Please be aware of the ongoing construction on the Red and Purple lines, which cause delays. Valet parking for Redtwist is available across the street in front of Francesca’s Bryn Mawr for most performances—hours vary. Dining is not required. Parking is also available at Edgewater Mexican Café, with notification of restaurant staff. Dining is not required. Limited FREE street parking is available on side streets. There is paybox street parking via ParkChicago.com app. The paybox is 3-hours on the Redtwist block of Bryn Mawr, and 2-hours on side streets. Paybox parking is free on Sundays, and after 10pm Mon thru Sat.

The safety of our artists and audiences are important to us. During this unprecedented time, we hope to reduce the risk in the theatre-going experience as much as possible. To that end, we are instituting the following policies, effective immediately:

 Masks will be required for audiences inside the theatre.

 Patrons must be able to show proof that they are fully vaccinated via a physical copy of their vaccination card, a clear photo of their full card, or a link to their pharmacy's confirmation of vaccination or vaccination confirmation via their app.

 "Fully vaccinated" means that either 14 days have passed since receiving either the final dose of FDA or WHO authorized vaccines.

 Redtwist will offer exemptions for those unable to be vaccinated, such as children under 5, people with certain medical conditions preventing vaccination, or those with closely held religious beliefs that prevent vaccination. These patrons must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test—within the last 48 hours—before performance start time.

PLEASE NOTE THAT REDTWIST RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ENTRY TO THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE TO MEET THE ABOVE REQUIREMENTS. THE BOX OFFICE WILL BE HAPPY TO RESCHEDULE TICKETS WHEN POSSIBLE IN THAT EVENT.

Thank you for helping us to keep our friends and artists and your fellow patrons as safe as possible during our upcoming season.

REVIEW: BIPOC Circus Alliance Midwest in The Chicago Circus & Performing Arts Festival 2022 at The Den Theatre

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

BIPOC Circus Alliance Midwest

Friday 5:30-7, Saturday 9:30-11 (13+)

REVIEW:

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

When folks think of contemporary circus arts, many think of Europe or French Canadian companies, but circus arts are alive and well right here in the midwest, and include plenty of talented BIPOC performers. Circus skills are a powerfully visual way to explore collective trauma and joy of the lived experiences of people of color today.  

I caught the BIPOC Circus Alliance Midwest's lineup for The Chicago Circus & Performing Arts Festival and it's well worth a look. The ceiling may be low at The Den, but the bar is high, and BIPOC Circus Alliance Midwest's aerial arts are hardly less impressive for happening close to the ground, instead of in the peak of a bigtop tent dozens of feet above. This intimate performance space provides great sight lines and a personal connection to the artists and the content behind their superhuman feats. 

The diverse lineup has a bit of everything from powerful duo acts to a family who incorporated their infant into their straps act! Performers range from a teen juggling/acro act from Actors' Gymnasium, to older performers in the highly impressive and entertaining FUNKBOTNOTS act. We particularly loved the lyra act. The artists were thought provoking, talented, silly, sexy, and deep in turn, providing a full range of interesting, creative acts. Don't miss this. Their show repeats one more time Saturday night. Check it out. 

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, videographer, actress, artist and Mama. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly). 

Our show will be a themed cabaret that tracks the lives of People Of Color as they learn to re-start their lives and re-engage with the outside world two years after the onset of a global pandemic. This is a collection of individual stories depicting a range of human emotions and unique challenges faced by POC in the contemporary American landscape. This show will be stripped down, human, and honest, focusing on communicating feelings through movement. Disciplines will include rope, straps, aerial hammock, diabolo, and silks. Show content is PG-13. Purchase tickets at The Den box office or in advance HERE: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35386/production/1106355.

Lineup:

FUNKBOTNOTS

Valeria Rosero

The Actor's Gymnasium Teen Ensemble

Jessica Bailey

Cruz 

Eric Rodney Robinson

Chris, Amy, & CJ Rooney

Nick Ng

​

BIPOC Circus Alliance Midwest 

The BIPOC Circus Alliance Midwest (BCAM) is a collective of circus practitioners and performing artists dedicated to creating more supportive, inclusive, and representative circus communities by:

- Advocating for equity and inclusion in training, teaching, and performance spaces

- Partnering with circus organizations to implement policy changes designed to increase BIPOC representation and inclusion within customers/students and staff

- Celebrating and amplifying BIPOC stories in circus

- Creating community, support, and mutual positive encouragement for BIPOC circus practitioners and performers

- Creating opportunities for circus practitioners of color to create, collaborate, and perform together

Since our formation in 2020 we have produced performances, facilitated discussions on race and circus with over 20 circus organizations, and provided focused consultation to circus organizations looking to diversify their spaces. 

For more info check out: https://www.facebook.com/BCAMSupporters/

REVIEW: Surface Tension at Chicago Circus & Performing Arts Festival 2022

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar:

Surface Tension

by to x for

(all ages)

Thursday 5:30-7, Friday 7:30-9

at The Den Theatre in Chicago's Wicker Park Neighborhood

Photos tag: @xav13rclaudio

REVIEW:

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

I caught this piece at the opening of the  Chicago Circus & Performing Arts Festival Thursday night and I was completely charmed by Surface Tension.  David and Liam, clad in overalls, embody the childlike curiosity and play of preschoolers, or puppies, with the adult twist of impressive circus skills and control. This lovely exploration of parallel play, competition, bonding, and friendship runs the gamut of positive and negative emotions. Surface Tension includes gift giving and forgiving, the pettiness of fighting and storming off, love, loss, and reconciliation. The friends take turns sharing time in the spotlight, creating, entertaining and supporting one another through juggling, diablo, movement, and partner acro. Highly recommended. Great for all ages. It's a playful, positive piece, full of genuine camaraderie, that's a joy to see. 

It was my pleasure to interview David Chervony as one of our five featured artists for the fest. Check it out, then keep an eye out for Surface Tension and/or ​to x for. I'm hoping this piece is just the first of many to come from ​to x for, contemporary circus company. 

Chicago Circus & Performing Arts Festival kicks off Thursday and runs through Sunday at The Den Theatre! We've picked 5 performers from the upcoming fest to feature and we're asking them all Six Quick Questions. Meet artist, David Chervony, whose show is one of the fest openers at 5:30 Thursday and repeats Friday night as well.

ChiIL Live Shows' Interview 

Your name/pronouns: David Chervony (He/They)

Your show(s) title/dates/times: Surface Tension, Thursday at 5:30p, Friday at 7:30p at the Bookspan Theater

1.  ChiIL Live Shows: Tell me something quirky or unique about yourself?

I have an encyclopedic knowledge of board games.

2. CLS: Why do you personally do circus arts/dance/performing arts?

I have a lot to say and have no idea how to say it. I love being with audiences, with them challenging me and I them. I love doing things that don't make sense. Circus (and all art) has allowed me to do these things.

3. CLS: How has the pandemic impacted and/or changed you as a performing artist?

I've been able to focus on how I want to create as an artist. It is easy to get entirely lost in solo work as a circus artist--especially with juggling, I can practice for hours and never interact with anyone else. But during the pandemic, I re-discovered how important the ensemble is for my creative process. Collaboration and trust allow me to tell stories I can't imagine telling without other artists.

4. CLS: Did you devise your own act or audition? If it’s your own, what sparked the idea for this piece? If it’s a collaboration, what made you want to be part of this act?

Liam Bradley and I first started working together late last year on an elementary school show. Originally, I thought it was just going to be a job--but very quickly, things evolved. We wrote massive amounts of material in a matter of days. We bonded over shared experiences and our thoughts about art. It was, as we both have said, the easiest creation process either of us have ever been in. We decided to create a full-length work, founded our grassroots collective, Company To X For, and debuted Surface Tension at Miniball Fest in Philadelphia in early April. It received a terrific reception and we are so excited to share this intimate, personal, and fun contemporary circus show in the Chicago Circus and Performing Arts Festival.

5. CLS: What type of audience do you envision seeing your show and why?

Our show is about a queer relationship. This show is for anyone who has ever had a close friendship or relationship. This show is for all ages. We truly believe this show has something for everyone.

6. CLS: Any words of wisdom for younger performers who want to follow in your footsteps?

Create what you want and what you need. Find what inspires you. Do things that scare you. And always, always, charge more money for your work. You're worth it.

For more info on the whole fest running this Thursday through Sunday, here's our feature: https://www.chiilmama.com/2022/02/chicago-childrens-theatre-to-present.html

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, videographer, actress, artist and Mama. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly). 

Surface Tension takes a beautiful and daring look at a queer friendship. At points ecstatic, dark, searching, and joyful, this intimate circus show celebrates vulnerable connection through sincere juggling, acrobatics, weight-sharing, object manipulation, and dance. 

Purchase tickets HERE: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35386/production/1106356

Company Info: @CompanyToXFor

​to x for is a new contemporary circus company created by Liam Bradley and David Chervony.    We create intimate work through juggling, acrobatics, and dance that is driven by passion, connection, and pure excitement. We are currently in development of our first work, entitled Surface Tension. The initial iteration of the work was first performed this November, but we have plans to expand it much farther.

David Chervony is a circus artist and creator based in Chicago. He has performed nationally, notably with Midnight Circus, Cirque Us!, Masters of Gravity, and others. He directed AMAZE at the Mickey Gilley Grand Shanghai Theater in Branson, Missouri as well as writing and producing Life of the Party by Low Ceiling Circus. For more information, including his CV and videos, visit DavidDrops.com

Liam Bradley is a juggler, acrobat, and mover from Chicago, IL. Liam is a graduate of Circadium School of Contemporary Circus and he's currently excitedly working on circus projects in his hometown. Liam plays with rhythm, space, and convention to create unique manipulation and movement performances. He’s inspired by old school hip-hop, impressionist paintings, and over-priced food. His goal is to defy expectations and create entirely curious compositions.