OPENING: WORLD PREMIERE OF SAVING THE WORLD VIA CHICAGO TAP THEATRE AT STAGE 773 JUNE 8 – JUNE 30, 2019

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CHICAGO TAP THEATRE RETURNS TO STAGE 773 WITH THE WORLD PREMIERE OF

SAVING THE WORLD, 

JUNE 8 – JUNE 30 

 Photo Credit for all: Josh Hawkins

A Near-Future Apocalyptic Story Told through Tap Dance, Original Live Music and Narration by Slam Poetry Creator Marc Kelly Smith

Artistic Director Mark Yonally and Chicago Tap Theatre (CTT) are proud to present Saving The World, a science fiction tap dance story show set to all-original music composed and performed live by Diana Lawrence, directed by Raphael Schwartzman, written by Slam Poetry Creator Marc Kelly Smith and choreographed by Yonally, June 8 – June 30, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Opening night is Saturday, June 8 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.  Tickets are $40 for adults, $30 for seniors, students and dancers. Group discounts are also available. For tickets, go to ChicagoTapTheatre.com or call the Stage 773 box office at 773.327.5252. 

Saving The World is Chicago Tap Theater’s first all new story show in three years since 2016’s award-winning Time Steps and 2017’s box office smash Changes. From the creative team behind Time Steps, comes a show about pride, arrogance and demagogues. CTT Writer-in-Residence (and creator of the world-wide Slam Poetry genre) Marc Kelly Smith weaves a brand new tale of the near future.  As a corporation begins to aid those hit by every-increasing natural disasters, a collision between helping those who need it most and profiting mightily from them is looming. Throughout the performance tap dancers, with the aid of video projection, will be embodying the natural disasters, including tornadoes and tsunamis.

“Marc Smith has really laid it all out there for this one,” said Yonally, “I feel since we first started working together there were themes that recurred through his work, and this show is, in many ways, is the culmination of all of his work with Chicago Tap Theatre.” Yonally continued, “We are working with a new director for this production, and he, along with the script by Marc, are pushing us to try truly new and innovative things. Even if you’ve seen every story show, you will see a LOT of new ideas on stage.”

That new director, Raphael Schwartzman, is a noted movement theater director creating his first tap opera with Chicago Tap Theatre. Schwartzman brings a fresh new approach to narrative dance, along with a stronger focus on emotional resonance and depth of character. CTT is proud to work with composer/Music Director Diana Lawrence, who is creating an all-original score for Saving The World that features live performances by her and two other musicians. This score veers from rock opera to folk to 80s chip tune.

The cast includes: Jennifer Pfaff Yonally, Kirsten Uttich, Isaac Stauffer, Aimee Chase, Mark Yonally, Christopher Matthews, Anabel Watson, Bailey Caves, Heather Latakas, Sterling Harris, Case Prime and Molly Smith .The production staff includes Sarah Lackner, production and stage manager; Dustin Derry, projection design; Emma Cullimore, costume design; Jimmy Jagos, set and prop design



ABOUT MARC KELLY SMITH, writer

Marc Kelly Smith is the creator of the international Poetry Slam movement and has performed weekly at the Uptown Poetry Slam (now the Uptown Poetry Cabaret) since 1986. He has chalked up over 3,000 national and international engagements and is highly sought after as the authority on performance poetry. In the past seven years he has created six all-original shows with Chicago Tap Theatre as their Writer-in-Residence, including Eyes Without a Face, LoveTaps, TightWire, Mama’s Boy and the award winning TimeSteps (Top 10 Dance Events of the Year, Chicago Tribune and Best New Production of 2016, Dance Magazine Reader’s Poll).

ABOUT RAPHAEL SCHWARTZMAN, director:

Raphael Schwartzman is over the moon to direct Saving the World with Chicago Tap Theatre. A graduate of Butler University in Indiana, Schwartzman has worked in the Chicago theatre scene for the better part of the last decade.  He's also trained and made theatre in the UK, Russia, and Italy.  Chicago directing credits include The Curse on Mordrake House (Chicago Fringe Festival), Thinking Sacks of Meat (Piccolo Theatre), and Visiting Hours (MadKap Productions). 

ABOUT MARK YONALLY, choreographer

Mark Yonally is the founder and Artistic Director of Chicago Tap Theatre, one of the most critically well-regarded dance companies in Chicago. They perform an annual three-show season in Chicago and tour both throughout America and Europe. Their performances have been chosen as the Top Ten Dance events of the year by the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, SeeChicagoDance and Windy City Media. Their 2016 Time Travel Story Shoe, “TimeSteps” was selected as the Best New Production of 2016 by the Dance Magazine Reader’s Poll. Yonally has developed a national and international reputation as a performer, with solo performances in Chicago, Helsinki, Barcelona, New York, Amsterdam and Paris. He has been blessed to have Sam Weber, Sarah Petronio, Dianne Walker, Bill Evans and Billy Siegenfeld as mentors. He has also recorded with live musicians, including an appearance with the Polyphonic Spree on their song “Mental Cabaret” and on stage with them at Lollapalooza.

ABOUT DIANA LAWERNCE, music director 

As a music director and improviser, Diana  Lawernce has worked with organizations such as The Second City, the Goodman Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Lawernce created original music for Steppenwolf Theatre’s 2016 premiere of Mary Page Marlowe, and her musical, Mill Girls, was granted a 2018/19 Incubator workshop at the O’Neill Theatre Center. Lawerence is also a teaching artist with Storycatchers Theatre, where she creates musical theater with incarcerated youth. L

ABOUT CHICAGO TAP THEATRE

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

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

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

TWO SHOWS ONLY! 

CHICAGO TAP THEATRE AND THE ATHENAEUM THEATRE PRESENT 

TAPPED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME 

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

All photos by Josh Hawkins

  

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ONE NIGHT ONLY! Catch LIAISON, a Multicultural Tap Collaboration at the Athenaeum Theatre

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

CHICAGO TAP THEATRE REUNITES WITH FRANCE’S TAPAGE AND SPAIN’S TAP OLÉ IN 

LIAISON, 

SATURDAY, MARCH 25, AT THE ATHENAEUM THEATRE

In its Third Installment this International Collaboration Featuring New Music, Fan Favorites and Live Music Celebrates the World of Tap Dance

Artistic Director Mark Yonally and Chicago Tap Theatre (CTT) present Liaison, an international exploration of tap dance featuring three of the most critically acclaimed companies from Europe and the United States for one performance only, Saturday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport. Tickets are $37 for adults, $30 for seniors and $23 for students and dancers. For tickets or more information visit chicagotaptheatre.com or call 773.935.6875. Group discounts are also available. 

In Liaison, Tapage, from Toulouse, France, Tap Olé from Barcelona, Spain and Chicago’s Chicago Tap Theatre come together for the third installation of this international partnership established in 2004. The 2016 production includes new work, the return of fan favorites and live music. The companies perform together and in individual pieces highlighting the breadth and depth of tap performance including an updated version of the theme from Time Steps, by composer Kurt Schweitz and the first act closes with all three companies performing in “Somebody to Love,” from Chicago Tap Theatre’s hit 2016 production We Will Tap You! Each company has been given the music and instructions on which sections to choreograph, some of which will be together, some alone. The first time the three sections will be performed together will be here in Chicago. After the Chicago engagement, Liaison will be traveling to the south of France and the north of Spain for an extended tour in fall 2017.

The first time Tapage performed in Chicago was in April 2004, Lucia Mauro of the Chicago Tribune said, “to get a clearer sense of Tapage, try to envision the well-crafted fusion that would result if Martha Graham and Marcel Marceau created a tap company.” Chicago Tap Theatre and Tapage went on to tour the south of France and performed together in Chicago three additional times to critical and commercial successes.  In 2013, the two companies added Tap Olé to Liaison’s roster of performers

“Tapage director Valérie Lussac is at the forefront of where tap dance is going.  For the past 15 years, she has been applying her uniquely French aesthetic to the American art of tap dance and creating pieces that are completely different from anything you’ll see here in the States,” says Chicago Tap Theatre Artistic Director Mark Yonally. “Tap Olé is bridging the gap between Spanish guitar and dancing with tap dance. They are an amazing mix of precise technique, hot rhythms and a genuine sense of humor. Chicago Tap Theatre is excited to continue to develop these relationships and show Chicago and the world what is happening in Tap today and the possibilities of what the future holds.” 

ABOUT CHICAGO TAP THEATRE

Founded in 2002, Chicago Tap Theatre (CTT) is a growing and vibrant dance company dedicated to preserving the quintessentially American dance form of tap while taking it to the next level of creativity, innovation and quality. CTT performs exclusively with live music provided by some of Chicago’s finest musicians playing everything from Duke Ellington to David Bowie and many artists in between. Under the dynamic direction of master teacher and performer Mark Yonally, CTT has gained a loyal and sizable following in Chicago and continues to tour both nationally and internationally. Having pioneered the “tap opera” format, which tells stories with compelling characters and intriguing plots, CTT has used the language of tap dance, live music and narration to move Chicago audiences for over 10 years.  During 2016, CTT and its productions were included in the “Best of 2016” lists for dance from Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Windy City Times, Dance Magazine and SeeChicagoDance.com. 

ABOUT TAPAGE

La Compagnie Tapage was founded in 1991, first with children before evolving into a professional tap company. Today, the company’s objective is to convey an original approach to the art of tap dancing, and is known for the energy and originality they bring to their performances. Tapage is proud of its collaboration over the years with foreign artists including Deborah Brockus and her company “Brockus Dance” based in Los Angeles and its ongoing relationship with sister company Chicago Tap Theatre.  They have performed in concert, at private events, in outdoor festivals and events throughout France as well as international tours to Spain and the United States.

ABOUT TAP OLÉ

Tap Olé is an international fusion of cultures and styles, mixing Spanish music and American Tap dance to demonstrate that this mixture is a universal language capable of creating new destinies and sensations.  The company presents an explosion of rhythm and energy, which combines the virtuosity and passion of Spanish guitar with the precision and elegance of tap choreography along with the spontaneity of improvisation. Tap Ole have performed in Spain and internationally including the New York Tap Festival, International Festival of Valladolid in 2004 (Audience Award); "Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2005", "International Feet Beat Tap Festival 2006" in Helsinki and throughout Spain.  The tap dancers Guillem Alonso and Roser Font are renowned international soloists who have traveled throughout Europe and the United States performing and teaching master classes.