ACT OUT ENDING: There Is A Happiness That Morning Is #review

Catch it while you can.  Happiness is fleeting and Theatre Oobleck's remount is ending this weekend after an extension through April 7th.   The show's upstairs at The Biograph Theatre-Victory Gardens.   

We'll be back at The Biograph for the press opening of The Whale on the 15th--not to be confused with The Elephant and The Whale (at CST-Chicago Children's Theatre).   We're covering their opening Friday the 12th and have some sweet video interviews and a 4 ticket giveaway in the works!

We sat in on an early rehearsal of The Whale, just 3 days in and had an excellent talk back with the actors.   I love to see a piece evolve.   This show has a Mormon (who has friends who went to serve in Africa... like a certain hit Broadway musical), a snarky teenage girl, school papers by an estranged child (like Dream of the Burning Boy), and a gay, obese protagonist who is already a challenge to play in an authentic, truthful way that won't evoke ire.   I'm so intrigued to see where they go with this show!

Back to There is a Happiness, it was an interesting segue to go from Completeness at The Wit on Friday to this show on Saturday.   It was a nerd love fest of a weekend.   This show's a bit more intellectual and esoteric, so less accessible unless you're a true disciple of William Blake's works.   The scenario is a hoot and the characters' responses provide an interesting dynamic, and lend fresh eyes to staid literary staples.  It's certainly worth a look.

Of course Dillinger didn't experience much happiness after seeing a show at The Biograph with The Woman in Red (Ana Sage)  that infamous day in 1934, so my husband and I left our daughter, Sage Ani, at home and had a great time with another woman in red, our long time friend, Cath.

No theatre goers were harmed in the making of this feature.

 

More Happiness!

There Is a Happiness That Morning Is

  "a not-to-be-missed remount" - "soul shaking" - "Killer."
Yes, that one, has been extended until April 7th!
Tickets available here
More info here

There Is a Happiness That Morning Is

by Mickle Maher

“. . . richer, funnier, and more heartbreaking than ever… If the American theater harbors a precedent for Mickle Maher’s astonishing 2011 play There Is a Happiness That Morning Is, I’ve never found it . . .”

–Chicago Reader

“The most remarkable mix of poetry and drama you are ever likely to see.”

-WBEZ

“MAHER’S MOST POWERFUL PLAY TO DATE… SOUL SHAKING”

–Chicago Reader

“an enjoyably lunatic endeavor”

–Chicago Tribune

“Goosed by precise, masterful performances, Maher’s text is almost endlessly engaging and frequently hilarious.”

–Time Out Chicago

“FUNNY, WITTY, LITERATE, and PROFOUND… It’s the actors who make it a slam-dunk”

–Windy City Times

JANUARY 31-MARCH 10, 2013
EXTENDED THROUGH APRIL 7
Thursday-Saturday at 8pm
Sunday at 3pm
(no shows Thursdays March 28 & April 4)
INDUSTRY NIGHT: MONDAY APRIL 1st at 8pm

VICTORY GARDENS BIOGRAPH THEATER
2433 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago
773.871.3000

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

$15 suggested donation*
More if you got it,
free if you’re broke.

Theater Oobleck revives Mickle Maher’s comedy in rhymed verse told via two lectures on the poetry of William Blake: one given in the morning by Bernard, a middle-aged, barely published poet of scant scholarship, on the Songs of Innocence, and the other in the afternoon by his lover, Ellen, a reputable Ph.D., on the Songs of Experience.

Having engaged the evening before in a highly inappropriate display of public affection on the main lawn of their rural New England campus, the two undergraduate lecturers must now, in class, either apologize for their behavior or effectively justify it if they want to keep their jobs.

Featuring Diana Slickman, Colm O’Reilly, and Kirk Anderson.

The script of There Is A Happiness That Morning Is is also available as part of the book of Oobleck plays More If You’ve Got It. Purchase it directly from us.

*Quick ticket explanation: You can get your “more if you’ve got it, free if you’re broke” tickets (as per Theater Oobleck tradition) by calling the box office 773-871-3000. For on-line tickets, click on the link above, then click on the day you want. Then in the next screen you indicate how many tickets you want. Then in the NEXT screen you are given the option of a “Regular Price” (that would be $15), a $10, or a $1 ticket.

Check out this audio link to an interview with Mickle Maher about how he wrote the play.   Then go already.   This weekend is your last shot at Happiness!   

Happiness playwright Mickle Maher talks about the power of public sex, the actor’s prerogative, and why the play was almost about mummies in this half-hour podcast from Talk Theatre in Chicago. Includes bonus stale bread metaphors!

How does a play get written? In particular, how does a verse play about two college English teachers lecturing on the poetry of William Blake to save their jobs after having public sex on the campus green get written? Mickle Maher joins Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the genesis of his play, There Is A Happiness That Morning Is, which is currently being remounted by Theater Oobleck at Victory Gardens; and about drafts and redrafts, writing in verse, and finding one's voice as a writer. Listen: (MP3) Time: 31:53

ACT OUT EXTENDED: Columbinus at ATC #review

Columbinus aims a lens at teen behavior, from normal angst and achievement to the murderous, real life rampage of a budding psychopath and his accomplice.

DUE TO TICKET DEMAND,

ATC EXTENDS ITS HIT PRODUCTION OF COLUMBINUS

THROUGH APRIL 7

LIMITED-ENGAGEMENT REMOUNT OF STEPHEN KARAM’S SPEECH & DEBATE

TO REPLACE HAIR IN SPRING ’13 SLOT

ChiIL Live shows caught opening night of Columbinus and highly recommend it.  This timely and timeless production is thought provoking and opens necessary dialogue about gun violence in our schools and our society.  Actual families of survivors of the Columbine massacre were there for the opening, insuring the actors made a tactful and truthful portrayal.   

We've seen a number of productions in this genre, regarding the twin towers tragedy and the beating death of a gay college student among others.  Unlike ad nauseum news reports and exposes, documentary tragedy theatre acts as a memorial, and art.   Mostly it makes people think instead of tuning out, because they've made a conscious choice to be there.

Columbinus is a tasteful and compelling must see.   The staging and acting combine into a powerful piece that will stay with you long after the  light come on.   Book your tickets now, before the final weeks of Columbinus sell out.

 

American Theater Company (ATC) announces new performance dates for its world premiere production of the revised version of columbinus, written by Stephen Karam and PJ Paparelli, with dramaturgy by Patricia Hersch, and conceived and directed by Artistic Director PJ Paparelli. The production is now extended through Sunday, April 7, 2013 at American Theater Company, 1909 W Byron St, Chicago, IL. columbinus has garnered rave critical reviews of its new third act, which premieres material devised from recent interviews with survivors of the Columbine High School Shootings, families of victims and residents of Littleton, Colorado. The new material includes never-before-released information on the shooters and their families and first-hand accounts of both the Columbine and Aurora shootings. 

Production photo credit:   Michael Brosilow 

columbinus 

 

Written by Stephen Karam and PJ Paparelli 
Directed by PJ Paparelli 
American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron (map) 
thru March 10  |  tickets: $33-$43   |  more info 
        
Check for half-price tickets  

Tickets for the extension are now on sale through the box office, www.atcweb.org and 773.409.4125.

Littleton, Colorado. 1999.  Two teenagers devastate a community and shock the country when they walk into their suburban high school and kill twelve students and one teacher.  Based on interviews with teenagers across the country and survivors and community members in Littleton, this haunting drama takes a hard look at modern teenagers through the lens of the most infamous high school shooting in American history. 

ATC further announces that its musical production, a restored & revised Hair, will be moved from its current position to the spring 2014 spot.  The ambitious revival, to be directed by Paparelli, will now close out the Company’s 29^th season. In its place, a revised remount of Stephen Karam’sSpeech & Debate will run from May 13 – June 10, 2013, also directed by PJ Paparelli.  Speech & Debate made its Chicago Premiere at ATC in 2008 to critical and popular success; the limited-engagement production will feature original cast member Sadieh Rifai reprising her original role, as well asWill Allen in his ATC debut. 

“We are so pleased to offer Chicagoans a longer run of columbinus.  When looking at a shorter extension and a compromised production of Hair, we decided it was so important to run columbinus as long as possible and allow audience to experience this revised version of Hair as author Jim Rado and I envision it,” says Artistic Director PJ Paparelli. “Audience members have asked me so many times if we were ever going to remount Speech & Debate, and I always have said no.  However, this unique situation allows us to bring this show back to Chicago with some script revisions and a new production design.  I’m thrilled that Stephen and I will be working together again on this wickedly funny play.”

Speech & Debate is a quick-witted and timely comedy that tells the story of three misfits who team up to expose their teacher's online secrets while forming their high school's first Speech and Debate club.  With a searing script by columbinus co-writer Stephen Karam, Artistic Director PJ Paparelli remounts this hysterical yet touching tale of three teens' quest for fame and free speech.

AMERICAN THEATER COMPANY

American Theater Company is an ensemble of artists committed to producing new and classic American stories that ask the question, “What does it mean to be an American?” We provide a truly intimate home for the community to experience meaningful stories.  We foster a nurturing environment for artists to take risks and create essential work. 

American Theater Company is supported by a CityArts Program 2 Grant and a Cultural Outreach Program Grant from the City of Chicago Office of Tourism & Culture, the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Illinois Arts Council, Illinois Humanities Council, Polk Bros. Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and Prince Charitable Trusts.

ACT OUT: Get Skooled by Actors Gym Through 3/23 #Review

Dean Evans gives  "class clown" a whole new level of meaning!   With a talented cast of Chi-town's best and brightest circus pros and protégées, Skooled shines.

All photography by Ellen Prather of 8 Eyes Photography. 

Skooled:  A Study in Circus  Feb 16 - March 23  Opens this Weekend!  Life's lessons come in many forms and some people always end up in detention. This year's winter circus spectacular takes audiences on a journey of eccentric clowning, aerial acrobatics, live music, and devilish pranks.   Featuring the work of Dean Evans, Co-Artistic Directors Larry DiStasi, Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi and an amazing team of designers and performers, this circus production explores the school of hard knocks. Last year's winter circus shows sold-out, so don't wait!   Fridays @ 7:30pm  Saturdays 4:30pm & 7:30pm Sundays @ 3pm ChiIL Mama had a chance to check out Skooled on opening night and we were wowed and amazed.   Highly recommended family friendly fun for all ages!    Du-Jay & Sagezilla (11 & 9) adored it, and as students of circus arts at CircEsteem for over 2 years, they're well versed in what makes for a good show, and they're harsher critics than I am.   Actor's Gym has a small performance space and shows do tend to sell out, so don't miss out.

Actors Gym excells in couching excellent examples of circus arts within' compelling plot lines.   Their choice of songs and use of live instruments add depth and layers to elevate performances from showcase to full on show.

Performances run February 16 - March 23, with shows at 7:30 pm on Fridays, 4:30 and 7:30 pm on Saturdays and 3:00 pm on Sundays (No 4:30 show on 2/16). Ticket prices range from $15-20. Tickets can be purchased online through www.actorsgymnasium.com or by calling the office at 847-328-2795. Please call the office for group ticket pricing and availability.   The Actors Gymnasium is located at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL - just off of the Noyes purple line 'L' stop. For additional information on The Actors Gymnasium's innovative programming, please visit www.actorsgymnasium.com or call 847-328-2795. About The Actors Gymnasium The Actors Gymnasium is dedicated to bringing a new physicality to the American Theatre. Encouraging ground-breaking theatrical exploration, The Actors Gymnasium teaches circus arts, physical theatre and multi-disciplinary performance to children and adults; produces original, daring works of circus-theatre; and serves as a talent resource, providing performance opportunities to our students and innovative professional event entertainment for a wider audience.  At The Actors Gymnasium, people Learn To Fly - physically, emotionally, intellectually and creatively.

ACT OUT EXTENDED: The Aliens at Red Orchid #Review

DUE TO TICKET DEMAND,

A RED ORCHID THEATRE EXTENDS THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF

THE ALIENS

Playwright, Annie Baker knows how to get inside your head.  She's not afraid of pauses, lengthy silence and OCD rants designed to make the audience squirm.   And once her plays get under your skin, they stay there.   Come see the highly recommended Chi-town premiere of The Aliens, now extended due to high ticket demand.   

ChiIL Live Shows caught opening night and we were blown away.  Context makes a huge difference in perception and pacing is everything.   If someone sits in meditation as a monk, they're revered and respected.   If someone does the same behind a dumpster, they're a bum.  A highly ritualized tea ceremony performed for enlightenment is derelict or desired, just because the who and where changes.   The Aliens truly takes you on a deep, tangent filled journey with it's troubled trio of entirely endearing characters.

This familiar journey of failed musicians, writers and intellectuals unfolds in a "secret garden" of barren land, behind the stinking dumpsters of the Green Sheep Coffee House.   It's striking and perfect that the friends hang out in back by choice, since they hate the conventional music and vibe inside.   They choose instead to create their own space, and rituals, mentally and physically, in the land outside.

We highly recommend catching The Aliens.   You'll never hear the word ladder the same way again.

The Chicago Premiere of The Aliens by Annie Baker Directed by Artistic Associate Shade Murray Featuring Ensemble Member Steve Haggard with Brad Akin and Michael Finley. January 17-March 16, 2013 Shows Thursday-Saturday at 8:00pm and Sunday at 3:00pm Click To Purchase Tickets or call the box office at (312) 943-8722

A Red Orchid Theatre announces new performance dates for its hit Chicago Premiere production of Annie Baker’s The Aliens, directed by Shade Murray.  Due to high ticket demand, the production is now extended through Saturday, March 16, 2013 at A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells. Tickets for the two-week extension are now on sale through the box office, (312) 943-8722 and www.aredorchidtheatre.org.

All day every day, two slackers hang out behind a coffee shop by the dumpsters.  These guys have elevated loitering to an almost Buddhist “tea ceremony” level, where music, Bukowski, sex, travel, philosophy, friendship, and ambition - or lack thereof - are intensely meditated upon while the busy world rushes by.  Enter a 17 year-old barista-cum-disciple, and so begins a summer where no one moves but everything changes. 

The Aliens features A Red Orchid Ensemble Member Steve Haggard (Jasper), with Brad Akin (KJ), and Michael Finley (Evan).

Title:               The Aliens

Written by:        Annie Baker

Directed by:      Artistic Associate Shade Murray

Featuring:         Ensemble Member Steve Haggard, with Brad Akin and Michael Finley

Dates:              

                                    Regular Run:               January 22 – March 3, 2013

           

EXTENSION:   Now extended through Saturday, March 16, 2013.

Schedule:         Thursdays:                  8:00 p.m.

                        Fridays:                       8:00 p.m.

                        Saturdays:                   8:00 p.m.         

Sundays:                     3:00 p.m.

Location:          A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells Ave.

Tickets:            $15 previews, $25-$30 regular run.  ($25 Thurs, $30 Fri-Sun),

$50 Red Night Opening & Reception on January 25 at 8 p.m.

Box Office:       Located at 1531 N. Wells Ave, Chicago, (312) 943-8722; or online www.aredorchidtheatre.org

About A Red Orchid

Since 1993 A Red Orchid Theatre has been an artistic mainstay of the Chicago theatre community; known and praised for its powerful ensemble, creative design and its gripping, intimate productions.  The resident Ensemble maintains the conviction that passionately committed theatre will draw passionately committed audiences, and the 2012-2013 subscription season promises to bring Ensemble and audience even closer together.

A Red Orchid Theatre is: Lance Baker, Dado, Jennifer Engstrom, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Joseph Fosco, Steve Haggard, Mierka Girten, Larry Grimm, Karen Kawa, Karen Kessler, Danny McCarthy, Brett Neveu, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen, Doug Vickers, Natalie West and Craig Wright.

Are YOU Game For Boobs & Goombas at Gorilla Tango? #Review

Photo by K Leo, www.mirthandbeauty.com

"Mario and Luigi on the run in Level 2."

ChiIL Live Shows came out to play with the Gorilla girls last night at midnight, for opening night of the return of Boobs and Goombas, 

A Super Mario Bros Burlesque, and we can honestly say the show was a hoot.

Once you play their version of Mario Brothers, you'll never look at those mustachioed characters quite the same way again.   This is the production that started it all for Gorilla Tango.   So like the video games that sparked this colorful, fun burlesque show, these characters are going back to the beginning and enjoying a new life.   All GT burlesque shows are 18+, $35, and many do sell out, so advanced tickets are strongly suggested.   

It's worth the ticket price to see the creative, custom pasties!   These girls know how to rock a theme.  The costumes are hilarious and add a playfully fun touch to this super show.  There are some talented dancers in the cast and the choreography, creative plot and character acting elevate this show above the average bump n grind.   Just be forewarned...you may have Mario tunes on the brain for a while after the show.

If you're a newbie to burlesque, or considering going to Gorilla Tango for the first time...you might be pleasantly surprised the audience isn't just drooling guys.   Loads of couples, girls night out groups, and a wide range of ages and types people each audience.   Gorilla Tango is the reigning queen of nerdy burlesque, and great for lighthearted, late night fun.

TIPS:   

Street parking is pretty easy to find.   

There's a small bar in the lobby and you can bring beer & wine back to your seats that you purchase there .   

Bring a pocket full of singles & fives.   There's no stuffing G-strings here, but if you kick em a few extra bucks in the mystery box, you'll unlock new levels and alternate endings.

Gamers, geeks and girlie burlesque lovers 18+.   Oh-a-YES! After voyaging far and wide (including an ongoing stint in New Orleans!) Gorilla Tango Theatre is proud to announce that the show that started it all - BOOBS AND GOOMBAS: A SUPER MARIO BURLESQUE – is back at its Bucktown venue! 

BOOBS AND GOOMBAS: A SUPER MARIO BURLESQUE will perform Saturdays at 11:59pm, beginning February 2, 2013 at Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave.  Tickets are $35; group rates (8 or more) available – see website for details. To purchase tickets call 773-598-4549 or visit www.gorillatango.com. Ages 18 and over.

Click here to check out our prior, photo filled coverage and full show details.