EXTENDED: House Theatre's The Last Defender Now On Sale Through June 12!

THE HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO 

THE LAST DEFENDER 

EXTENDS THROUGH JUNE 12

To say we're super stoked about this show here at ChiIL Mama & ChiIL Live Shows is a colossal understatement! I played when they first opened, with my son and a couple of his friends, all high school freshmen. 

We ran out of time and blew up the world, but had a blast! During the first wave of shows in February, we were also excited to partner up with The House and give away 2 pairs of these highly sought after tickets to our readers. The rest is history.

 The Last Defender Production Photo by Johnny Knight

The initial run and extension sold out super fast and my son, Dugan, loved the show so much we bought 6 tickets so he could come back with more friends and play again for his 15th birthday. This series of puzzles is crazy tough to crack (only 22 out of the first 100 teams did it!!) and on Dugan's birthday they were 1 task short of solving it the 2nd time around when they had to strike a "costly compromise" with under 10 seconds to total annihilation. The game was a huge hit for all involved, and one of the most memorable birthdays ever. Oh so highly recommended! 

Dugan & his birthday entourage got to play the ONE HUNDREDTH GAME, on Easter, & have a birthday party too!

Check out our full set of Dugan's Last Defender Birthday shots in the slideshow here and more favorites embedded below:

We're elated about the latest extension because EVERYONE should have a chance to play this live action room escape puzzle. It's great for guys, girls, and geeks ages 14+ and it's SO much fun we're hoping a room escape show becomes part of The House Theater's line up every season. 

We played on Easter afternoon so it was oddly fitting to be following black rabbits down the hole into an alternate near apocalyptic reality. They even left Easter eggs (of the candy filled variety, not the hidden code easter eggs of video game fame) around the playing space as an extra treat and the birthday boy got one in his locker. House Theatre ROCKS!

We even made Dugan a Last Defender 15th Birthday Cake & shared it with cast & crew.

The Last Defender is great for a group of friends, date night, or family fun for high school kids through adults. It's addictive and players are returning in droves to play again and again. Book your tickets NOW before the clock ticks down and all you see on site are the sad words SOLD OUT! Don't miss THIS!

  The Last Defender Production Photo by Johnny Knight

WHAT:              

The House Theater of Chicago is adding 86 new performance times, extending to June 12

WHERE:          

The Chopin Theater Downstairs, 1543 W. Division St.

WHEN:            

Extension Dates: April 24 - June 12

The regular performance schedule is now as follows: Wednesdays at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 7 and 9 p.m., Saturdays at 2, 4, 7 and 9 p.m.

Through April 17: Sundays at 4:30 and 7 p.m.

Starting April 24: Sundays 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.

These added dates and extension go on sale to the public on Monday April 4

                     

MORE:             

A total of 86 performance times have been added for this live action game after selling out over 90% of the existing playtimes. 

The Last Defender Production Photo by Johnny Knight

ABOUT THE LAST DEFENDER 

Artistic Director Nathan Allen and Company Member and D.C. Comics artist Chris Burnham, have teamed up with some of Chicago’s best loved puzzle and game designers in this world premiere. Together, they created a wholly new experiment in immersive story and stagecraft call The Last Defender.  It’s part performance, part puzzle hunt, and part live action game.

Set during the Cold War, The Last Defender draws on the era's sense of paranoia, and fear of nuclear attack to give audiences a one-of-a-kind storytelling experience. Audience members become the

heroes of the story in The Defenders' underground headquarters. The United States and The Soviet Union are still mired in the Cold War. Artificial intelligence has been deployed alongside 8 bit

arcade-style computer technologies to control our nuclear weapons.

The game will present teams of players with a classic "trolley problem” resulting in three possible endings based on their choices and actions: Nuclear War, which is easy to achieve. Nuclear Peace, which is very difficult, and a costly compromise scenario for teams who fail to reach Nuclear Peace but wish to avoid Nuclear War. Players will navigate their own paranoia, as well as the stresses of Mutually Assured Destruction to do the job of The Defenders. Everyone will work as a team to gather information, solve puzzles, and make increasingly difficult decisions in real time. All to complete The Defenders' mission and save the world.

Photo Favorites: Dugan's Last Defender Birthday 

Dugan and I both bought these rockin' Last Defender tee shirts after we played in February! And everyone who plays get a free surprise packet to take home.

The geek in me loves that they're keeping game stats & standings:

OPENING: The World Premiere of UNITED FLIGHT 232 at The House Theatre

THE HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO ANNOUNCES THE WORLD PREMIERE OF 

UNITED FLIGHT 232 

ADAPTED AND DIRECTED BY VANESSA STALLING AND BASED ON THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED BOOK BY EVANSTON’S LAURENCE GONZALES

The Production Runs March 11 – May 1 at the Chopin Theatre

Opening Night is Sunday, March 20 at 7 p.m.

The House Theatre of Chicago is proud to announce the world premiere adaptation of Laurence Gonzales’ book Flight 232, adapted and directed by Vanessa Stalling. United Flight 232 tells the story of the harrowing July 19, 1989 flight bound for Chicago’s O’Hare airport. United Flight 232 runs March 11 – May 1, plays at Chopin Theatre’s Upstairs Theater, 1543 W. Division St.  Previews begin Friday, March 11 at 8 p.m. and run through Saturday, March 19, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. 

Regular performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m., from March 25 – May 1. Preview tickets are $15 and regular run tickets range from $30 to $35. $10 same-day tickets for students and industry professionals are available for all dates, seats permitting. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.thehousetheatre.com or call 773.769.3832.

“I love you, hurry home. I love you.” On July 19, 1989, a DC-10 headed for O’Hare with 296 aboard is paralyzed mid-air. For 44 minutes, the aircraft descended towards an emergency landing and crashed at Sioux City Gateway airport. To the astonishment of all who witnessed the event, 184 of 296 passengers and crew survived. Drawing on the interviews and research conducted by Evanston author Laurence Gonzales for his critically acclaimed book, Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival, this brand new play, United Flight 232, is a reflection on how to comprehend tragedy and celebrate human ingenuity in the face of overwhelming challenges.

The House Theatre of Chicago Company Members Brenda Barrie and Johnny Arena join the cast, along with guest artists Echaka Agba, Alice de Cunha, Elana Elyce, Rudy Galvan, James Doherty, Kroydell Galima, and Michael Martin.

San Francisco Chronicle called Laurence Gonzales’ book, “A richly detailed story that is equal parts heartbreaking [and] inspiring…”

 The Washington Post said, “Flight 232 stands alone for its absolutely riveting depiction of the flight’s last minutes and the horrendous aftermath: for its vivid sympathetic portraits of many of those aboard the plane, the crew most particularly.”

The Chicago Tribune called it, “Astonishingly in-depth…”

To learn more about Laurence Gonzales’ book, please visit his website at laurencegonzales.com/232.html.

United Flight 232 was commissioned and developed by The House Theatre of Chicago and the Chicago Performance Lab through the Theatre and Performance Studies Program at the University of Chicago.

ABOUT LAURENCE GONZALES, author

Laurence Gonzales was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in Houston and San Antonio, Texas. His book about the crash of United Flight 232 at Sioux City, Iowa, July 19, 1989, Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival, from W.W. Norton, was published on July 7, 2014. He is the author of numerous books, including the bestseller Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why and the sequel, Surviving Survival: The Art and Science of Resilience (both from W.W. Norton). Gonzales has won many awards, including two National Magazine Awards and the Distinguished Service Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. He has appeared as a speaker before groups ranging from the Santa Fe Institute to Legg Mason Capital Management, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also on the adjunct faculty at Northwestern University in the Medill School of Journalism. His most recent novel is Lucy (Alfred A. Knopf). His essays are collected in the book House of Pain (University of Arkansas Press). He is a fellow of the Santa Fe Institute.                                                

ABOUT VANNESA STALLING, adapter and director

Vanessa Stalling is a Chicago freelance director. Recently, Stalling directed The America Play at Oracle Productions and Mutt, by Christopher Chen, a co-production between Stage Left and Red Tape. Other recent work includes Circuscope, Actors Gymnasium, The Normal Heart, Boston University and Pullman W.A, Illinois State University. She is most known for her work as associate artistic director at Redmoon, where she enjoyed directing and choreographing several productions including a remount of The Cabinet, Last of My Species, Winter Pageant, Princess Club, and Twilight Orchard. She is adjunct faculty at Columbia College Chicago and University of Chicago. She is a recipient of the Outstanding University Teacher Award and an Impact Award for her service as an Instructor at Illinois State University.

ABOUT THE HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO
The House is Chicago's premier home for intimate, original works of epic story and stagecraft. Founded and led by Artistic Director Nathan Allen and driven by an interdisciplinary ensemble of Chicago’s next generation of great storytellers, The House aims to become a laboratory and platform for the evolution of the American theatre as an inclusive and popular artform.

The House was founded in 2001 by a group of friends to explore connections between Community and Storytelling through a unique theatrical experience. Since becoming eligible in 2004, The House has been nominated for 60 Joseph Jefferson Awards (21 wins), became the
first recipient of Broadway in Chicago’s Emerging Theater Award in 2007, and was awarded a
2014 National Theatre Company Grant by the American Theatre Wing, founder of the Tony Awards. Now in its 14th year of original work, The House continues its mission to unite Chicago in the spirit of Community through amazing feats of Storytelling.

ACT OUT: Don't Miss Season on the Line, A Moby-Dick Adaptation at The House Theatre Through Oct 26th

THE HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE 

OF SEASON ON THE LINE, 

A MOBY-DICK ADAPTATION, 

WRITTEN BY VETERAN HOUSE COMPANY MEMBER SHAWN PFAUTSCH AND DIRECTED BY JESS MCLEOD THROUGH OCTOBER 26 

AT THE CHOPIN THEATRE

It's their lucky 13th year over at The House Theatre and they're kicking it off with a whale of a tale. Here at ChiIL Live Shows we're huge fans of the fabulous works The House Theatre presents and we make a point to try to catch all their productions. This one's high on our must see list, but don't wait around for us. Go already! It's Jeff Recommended, pulling in rave reviews, and geared toward adults and teens. 

PS They also have the coolest t-shirts & swag of any local company we've seen! Get 1... or 3. Click here to check out their store & support the arts.

They also have Monday night shows (which is generally a dark day in the theatre world) if your fall weekends have been as crazy busy as ours. If you're in the industry or a student, they'll even make you a smokin' deal on Sun/Mon tickets & day of tickets, seats permitting.

"4 STARS"
- TimeOut Chicago

"VERY FUN NEW SHOW... startlingly frank and expansive....[It] took considerable guts."
- Chicago Tribune (If you like meta, come read this!)

"READER RECOMMENDED! Its smart pleasures are open to everybody."
- Chicago Reader

Written by Shawn Pfautsch
Directed by Jess McLeod
Based on Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick

PRICES: $25 and 35 for Regular Run
TIMES: Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays and Mondays at 7:00pm.
RUN TIME: Three one-hour acts and 2 intermissions (Don't worry! As our Reader Recommended review says, "The 200-minute running time may sound long, but I can't imagine what I’d cut." )
PARENTS' GUIDE: Season on the Line is recommended for adults and teens, and you can read more in our Parents' Guide!

Buy Tickets
Save up to 40% right here!

Post by The House Theatre of Chicago.

Melville’s Pequod crew is transformed into the fictional Bad Settlement Theatre Company, beleaguered by a dilapidated building, strained finances, and an aging artistic director with a singular focus: the first-ever perfect production of Moby-Dick. Still reeling from a scathing review and badly failed production of his Moby-Dick 20 years prior, the director is hell-bent on mounting the perfect new vision to vindicate himself and save his company from ruin. A novice assistant stage manager joins the ranks at the top of the company’s make-or-break season, and is thrown quickly into the fray. Mirroring Melville’s unconventional forms, the play swings from soliloquy to encyclopedic investigation to action-adventure story.  Season on the Line is our young narrator’s look back at the industry he has grown to love, even as those around him pay the ultimate price in pursuit of their great white whale.

Leonora Dickson is the Production Sponsor for Season on the Line. Development of Season on the Line has been supported in part by the Boeing Company and University of Chicago's Summer, Inc. residency.

Show Dates: through Oct 26 2014 

Location: Chopin Theatre

1543 W. Division St, Chicago

The House Theatre of Chicago presents Season on the Line, the first production of the company’s 13th season, at the Chopin Theatre Upstairs Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., through Sunday, Oct. 26. The play, a world premiere adaptation of Herman Melville’s Moby- Dick, is written by Company Member Shawn Pfautsch and directed by Jess McLeod, in her debut at The House.

Regular performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays and Mondays at 7pm. The running time is approximately 2 hours, 45 mintues. Regular run tickets range from $25 – 35. 

*$10 Student and Industry same-day discounted tickets are available for all dates, seats permitting. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.thehousetheatre.com or call 773.769.3832.

Pfautsch’s modern adaptation, Season on the Line, is a love letter to American theater featuring a 19 person cast. Melville’s story of the hunt for the white whale is transformed into the Bad Settlement Theatre Company, beleaguered by a dilapidated building, strained finances and a tyrannical artistic director with a singular focus: the first-ever perfect production of Moby-Dick. A novice assistant stage manager joins the ranks at the top of the company’s make-or-break season and is thrown quickly into the fray. Mirroring Melville’s unconventional form, Season on the Line is the young narrator’s look back at the industry he has grown to love, even as those around him pay the ultimate price in pursuit of their own great white whale.

The cast for Season on the Line features Equity guest artists Thomas J. Cox* as Artistic Director Ben Adonna, and Maggie Kettering* as his right-hand and stage manager, Day Starr. Guest artist Ty Olwin steps into the role of our narrator, mirroring the reflections of Melville’s Ishmael. House Company Member Marika Mashburn (last seen in Death & Harry Houdini) steps into the role of Elizabeth, a company director helming a wacky avant-garde production in the company’s season. House Company Member Abu Ansari (also last seen in Death & Harry Houdini) appears as a Ugandan actor and voice of reason. Returning guest artists Christopher M. Walsh and Mary Hollis Inboden both play designers stretched to their limits by the outrageous demands of the season. Guest artists Danny Bernardo, Tiffany Yvonne Cox, Shane Kenyon, Bob Kruse, Andy Lutz, Molly Lyons, Marvin Quijada, Jessica Dean Turner, and Rawson Vint fill the ensemble with actors, designers, and technicians. Sean Sinitski completes the ensemble as the primary object of obsession, the chief theater critic.

The production team features work from House company members Shawn Pfautsch (Playwright), Lee Keenan (Scenic and Lighting design), Kevin O’Donnell (Composer/Sound Designer); with guest artists Jess McLeod (Director), Izumi Inaba (Costume Designer).

ABOUT SHAWN PFAUTSCH
Pfautsch is a veteran company member with The House Theatre of Chicago having joined the company in 2000. Two of Pfautsch’s full-length plays have been produced at The House: Hatfield & McCoy and The Attempters. His short plays and one-acts have been produced in Chicago as well as Texas, Florida and Iowa.

With The House, he has worked or starred in Death & Harry Houdini (all incarnations), The Terrible Tragedy of Peter Pan, all three entries in the Valentine Trilogy, Cave With Man, The Boy Detective Fails, the first production of Dave DaVinci Saves the Universe, Thieves Like Us and Cyrano. He has also travelled with The House to the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami twice, taking the stage with The Sparrow and Death & Harry Houdini.

As a member of The Hypocrites avant garde Gilbert & Sullivan Rep, Pfautsch has been performing The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado to audiences in Chicago (at the Chopin Theatre and Steppenwolf Garage) and around the country (at American Repertory Theatre in Boston and Actors Theatre of Louisville) since 2010.

Elsewhere in Chicago and abroad, he has been on stage with: Steppenwolf Theatre (Theatrical Essays), Chicago Shakespeare (Julius Caesar), Chicago Childrens’ Theatre (A Year With Frog and Toad), Lakeside Shakespeare in Michigan (Henry V, Love’s Labors Lost, King Lear, As You Like It), Signal Ensemble (Old Wicked Songs) and the Dallas Theatre Center (South

Pacific). Pfautsch also had a role as the recurring character Alan Devlin on FOX’s “Mob Doctor.”

ABOUT JESS McLEOD
McLeod directs for the first time with The House Theatre of Chicago. She is an Associate Artist at The Music Theatre Company, where her credits include The Pajama Game, Fugitive Songs in Concert, and the Young Artist Program productions of Mill Girls, Zanna, Don't!
and YAPbook '11. Other Chicago: Funeral Wedding: The Alvin Play (Strange Tree Group), L-Vis Live! (Victory Gardens), Kin (Griffin Theatre), The Wedding Singer (Haven Theatre), and Venus at Steppenwolf, co-produced by Northwestern's M.F.A. directing program, through which McLeod also directed In Trousers and Mourning Becomes Electra and co-created "Master Clash," the M.F.A. Writer/Director short play festival. From 2005-08, McLeod served as Director
of Programming for The New York Musical Theatre Festival, where she oversaw all curating and directed pop/musical theatre fusion concerts including The Unauthorized Musicology of Ben Folds. She has also directed workshops of new plays and musicals for American Theater Company, The Music Theatre Company, The American Music Theatre Project and The House, and heads
Timber Lake Playhouse's Summer Playwrights Lab.

Leonora Dickson is the Production Sponsor for Season on the Line. Development of Season on the Line has been supported in part by the Boeing Company and University of Chicago's Summer, Inc. residency.

ABOUT THE HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO

The House is Chicago's premier home for original works of physical and spectacle storytelling. Founded and led by Artistic Director Nathan Allen and driven by an interdisciplinary ensemble of Chicago’s next generation of great storytellers, The House aims to become a laboratory and platform for the evolution of the American theatre as an inclusive and popular artform.

The House was founded in 2001 by a group of friends to explore connections between Community and Storytelling through a unique theatrical experience. Since becoming eligible in 2004, The House has been nominated for 60 Joseph Jefferson Awards (19 wins) and became the first recipient of Broadway in Chicago’s Emerging Theater Award in 2007. Now in its 12th year of original work, The House continues its mission to unite Chicago in the spirit of Community through amazing feats of Storytelling.

REVIEW: House Theatre's Dorian & Post Show Dance Party May 10th #Theatre

This Saturday 5/10: DJ Bouncy Castle (aka Zeke Sulkes) will be spinning the best of the best in techno, disco, hip-hop, and house music! Come ready to play, and be prepared to leave your clothes on the dance floor. The party starts at 8pm with a performance of DORIAN, with its onstage cash bar and lush, dance-fueled, promenade staging. At 10pm, DJ Bouncy Castle takes the stage for a dance party with the cast and crew of the show. The cash bar remains and the dancing continues!

Admission is FREE with your ticket to DORIAN, and you're welcome to come when the party starts at 10:00 PM! Industry folks get half price anytime with code "IMAKEART" and a proof of industry at will call.

Dorian Review: ChiIL Live Shows had a chance to check out Dorian on opening night and this unique production is well worth a look. Do note, there is brief nudity, and stage violence, so this show is recommended for mature audiences and not appropriate for those under 16.   Now for the rest of you...  The set of DORIAN is like an art gallery opening, and to reflect this, DORIAN is staged in promenade. Audience members experience the show by walking and standing with the actors throughout the stage space. There will be places to perch during scenes, but not regular theatre seats. With promenade staging you are encouraged to move about the stage however you like, which gives you some exciting choice in exactly how you experience this show.  For this show there's also a large bar on stage, which means during intermissions you won't have to go far for a drink! If you know you won't be able to stand for a duration, just let the theatre know and they'll arrange seating for you. Other limited seating is available... first come first served. Current run time for DORIAN is 2 hours including one intermission. Doors open 30 minutes before showtime, and The House Theatre encourages you to come early and enjoy the on-stage cash bar, and mingle with the performers.  (Do note, unfortunately only 2 specialty show drinks are available at the on stage bar. For good Polish beer & other options, purchase in the lobby and bring it in with you!) Promenade It's become all the rage and sometimes rightfully so. Promenade staging (or shows where the audience stands and mingles in the performance space and follows the action, moving as needed) was used to great effect for The Hypocrites runaway hit, The Mikado (coming back again this winter--yay).  We've honestly never seen the 3rd wall so effectively broken down. The Mikado was playful, fun, interactive and highly effective as a promenade style piece.  There's currently a promenade style Midsummer Night's Dream at Strange Loop Theatre and Red Moon Theatre's latest, Bellboys, Bears and Baggage, is billed as a promenade style spectacle, too. Now for Dorian... We have mixed feelings about the success of this style here. On the up side, most of the action is in the New York art party scene so it makes sense to have the audience included as party goers & every night the audience is different & can truly alter the show.  Yet, promenade style can be intimidating for those more reticent audience members, and a cast of art snobs is not the most welcoming by nature. The cast in character was rude and snobbish, pushing through the audience to get to their hot, new favorite, leaving the party guests/audience members feeling brushed off at best and excluded and in the way, at worst.  The sight lines were also bad for shorter people in much of the space. Maybe they've tweaked it since the opening and this isn't such an issue, but a big percentage of the audience literally fled for the minimal seating after the first couple scenes. The sight lines looked better there (although I can't be sure as we stuck it out on the floor), but the behind the bar seating seemed problematic and a bit blocked off and detached from the action as well.   An even bigger obstacle to the Dorian promenade success is the big obstacles... ie: large set pieces. There are huge chunks of stage being shifted in and out of the space routinely, so that we were completely distracted from the dialogue and action on stage.  It felt like we were constantly in the way and every few minutes someone was saying excuse me and barreling down on us with a big, rolling hunk of set.   Plot & Characters Dorian starts slow and for all the sordid plot points, it is a stylized piece without a lot of action. We dug the giant, evolving portrait and thought that was highly effective. Otherwise the set and costumes were fairly unremarkable. There seemed to be a lot of extraneous rushing about from the art snobs, that didn't appear organic or seem to have much point.  Last December we saw We Three Lizas by About Face Theatre at Stage 773. It's been over 4 months and I'm STILL laughing about Andy Warhol's entourage club scene, and replaying it in my head. It was incredibly spot on hilarious!  Dorian left me wishing for this level of pretentiousness and parody. That said, it's an interesting enough piece. Though not one of our favorites from The House, Dorian is macabre, dark, refreshingly new, and worth a look. A DANCE-FUELED THRILLER OF VICE AND VIRTUE By Ben Lobpries and Tommy Rapley Directed and Choreographed by Tommy Rapley Adapted from the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde PRICE: $20-$39 for Regular Run. TIMES: Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 8:00pm, Sundays at 7:00pm RUN TIME: 2 hours, including one intermission New to the big city, a young, beautiful, and fragile Dorian Gray is greedily embraced by a group of artists and art critics. Frustrated and sensitive painter Basil Howard creates a stunning portrait of the young Dorian.  But wild gallery parties, heart-broken lovers, and desperate violence wreak havoc on the portrait, reflecting the scars on Dorian’s soul. Yet the man himself remains flawless for decades. What crime can ultimately break the spell? This boldly modern adaptation reveals depth, pain, and longing beneath the surface of Wilde’s morality tale. Just like Dorian’s picture, this classic story about the creation of a masterpiece is transformed into a lush, dance-fueled stage production. DORIAN is staged in promenade, with actors and audience sharing the stage space. If you want to join us, but won't be able to stand and move easliy, just let us know and we'll work it out. DORIAN contains brief nudity, adult topics, and a bar on stage. Leave the kids at home on this one! Thinking about bringing your teen? Check out our Parent's Guide for more content info.  “A stunning achievement” -Windy City Times “No question, Rapley’s appropriately stylized revision is THRILLING stuff, aesthetically consistent with Wilde… while PERFECTLY TUNED into the overkill of American affluence.” -Chicago Free Press Show Dates: Apr 4 2014 to May 18 2014  Location:  The Chopin Theatre 1543 W. Division St., Chicago, IL Click or call 773-769-3832, use Industry code IMAKEART Can't make it this Saturday? Advance Industry tickets for ANY performance are HALF-PRICE!  Use code IMAKEART.

Performed in promenade, driven by dance, and with a bar right on stage.

DORIAN performs Thursdays - Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm at The House Theatre's home, The Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. in Chicago.

ACT OUT OPENING: The Rose and the Rime at House Theatre (ages 6+)

THE HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO RETURNS TO MODERN MYTH-MAKING WITH ROSE AND THE RIME AT THE CHOPIN THEATRE, JANUARY 17 – MARCH 9

**Although designed for adults, The Rose and the Rime is suitable for kids six and up.** 

The run time is 85 minutes with no intermission--so make sure your kids can handle it, if you're considering bringing the littles. 

The House Theatre has long been a top favorite of ours here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows.   We can't wait to see their latest original play, The Rose and the Rime!   Last month we saw The phenomenal House Nutcracker for the 3rd or 4th time, and the kids still begged to see it yet again.   It's become a beloved annual tradition.   Before that, our whole family thoroughly enjoyed The Crownless King.   We'd been eagerly waiting a YEAR for The Stag King sequel.   And of course the incomparable Dennis Watkins' magic has no equal.   We've been raving about his Death and Harry Houdini, The Magnificents and Magic Parlour shows for years.   Click here for some of our past House Theatre related coverage including video interviews, reviews, and photo filled features.   Then don't take our word for it.   Buy your tickets before they sell out and GO already.   We'll be there this Sunday for the press opening and will have a full review up shortly.    

Artistic Director Nathan Allen Leads Cast of Ten in Re-imagined Production

The House Theatre of Chicago presents the all-ages original play Rose and the Rime at the Chopin Theatre Upstairs Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Friday, Jan. 17 – Sunday, March 9. The play is created by Company Members Chris Matthews, Jake Minton and Artistic Director Nathan Allen, who will also serve as the production’s director, and has choreography by Company Member Tommy Rapley and music by Company Member Kevin O’ Donnell. 

The Rose and the Rime Schedule

Previews begin Friday, Jan. 17 through Saturday, Jan. 25 and play on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m.  Regular performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. 

Preview tickets are $15, Regular Run tickets range from $20 to $40 and $10 Student and Industry Same-Day discounted tickets are available for all dates, seats permitting. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.thehousetheatre.com or call 773.769.3832.

Rose and the Rime

House Theatre Chicago 1/17/14 - 3/9/14. 

“…This whole intensely creative show—which deals with a plucky young girl who stares down
an evil witch, only to confront the ambivalence of power—is relentlessly optimistic. That’s one of the great pleasures of The House.” – Chicago Tribune

“Wonderfully imaginative stagecraft and a unique approach to movement." – Chicago Sun-Times

ROSE AND THE RIME will transfer to The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County starting April 23, 2014 for a five-week run, in a continuing partnership between Arsht and The House.

The multi-talented ensemble of The House Theatre of Chicago utilizes their signature style that blends music, swirling acrobatic dance, spectacle, and stage craft to spin the cautionary tale of their favorite myth, Rose and the Rime. Set in Radio Falls, “a little town by a big lake," young Rose (played by Company Member Paige Collins) must risk her life to rescue a magic coin from the icy clutches of the Rime Witch (played by Ericka Ratcliff), her only hope in saving her friends and family from the spell that keeps them frozen in perpetual winter. When the coin is returned, the freezing spell is lifted, and for a moment, Radio Falls appears rescued from their icy fate. But the coin's power inspires bigger dreams, and greed creeps slowly into the thawed Townsfolk. Rose must finally fight to keep the coin from falling into the wrong hands. But can she bear the power herself? Originally developed at Hope College in 2008, Rose and the Rime won the honor of playing the Kennedy Center as Best Original Work in the KCACTF festival. Re-staged by The House in 2009, Rose and the Rime tackles big themes considered central to many of the stories told at The House.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
ROSE AND THE RIME is written by Nathan Allen, Chris Mathews and Jake Minton, and directed by Nathan Allen. Tommy Rapley leads the ensemble in the dance-like movement as Choreographer, and Kevin O'Donnell lends the score.

Company Members Michael E Smith and Joey Steakley return to their roles as Uncle Roger and Charlie, respectively. Company Member Paige Collins (The Nutcracker, The Crownless King) will take on the title role as Rose, and Company Member Christine Mayland Perkins also appears in the ensemble. Last seen in 2007's The Nutcracker, Equity actress Ericka Ratcliff returns to The House in the title role of the Rime Witch, complete with wire work and new original songs to make Rose's encounter with the Witch particularly spellbinding and heartbreaking.

Guest artist Brandon Holmes (recently seen in Steppenwolf's Three Sisters) appears as Rose's love interest, Jimmy. The ensemble is rounded out by returning guest artist Kara Davidson, and new faces Jeremy Sonkin, Dan Toot, and Tamara White.

Company Member Collette Pollard designs a new space for this re-imagined production, creating a darker, more isolated world for each resident of Radio Falls, where tiny homes stand in solitary snow storms day after day. With seating on three sides of the stage, the audience is a part of the snowy world. 

Company Member Melissa Torchia bundles the cast up for the icy weather, in an urban Midwestern palate. Company Member Lee Keenan designs lights that transport us from Rose's dreamy, childhood visions, to the harsh realities of life in a broken town. Jeff Award-winning composer and Company Member Kevin O’Donnell shares a score influenced by doo-wop, harkening to the show's Michigan roots. Company Member Joshua Horvath completes the team as sound designer.

HELP OUT:

Benefit - The Red Rows Spectacular

Recovery on Water

Feb 12th 7p -2nd Annual Benefit performance to raise funds for ROW (Recovery on Water) a rowing program for breast cancer survivors.  Tonight's entertainment includes live comedy, exotic burlesque performances, feats of strength and more!  Cocktails and light hor'doueves at 7p with performances at 730pm.

Tickets - $25

ABOUT THE HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO 
The House is Chicago's premier home for original works of physical and spectacle storytelling. Founded and led by Artistic Director Nathan Allen and driven by an interdisciplinary ensemble of Chicago’s next generation of great storytellers, The House aims to become a laboratory and platform for the evolution of the American theatre as an inclusive and popular artform.

The House was founded in 2001 by a group of friends to explore connections between Community and Storytelling through a unique theatrical experience. Since becoming eligible in 2004, The House has been nominated for 60 Joseph Jefferson Awards (19 wins) and became the first recipient of Broadway in Chicago’s Emerging Theater Award in 2007. Now in its 12th year of original work, The House continues its mission to unite Chicago in the spirit of Community through amazing feats of Storytelling.

ACT OUT OPENING: The Crownless King at The House Theatre 8/30

THE HOUSE THEATRE PRESENTS 'THE CROWNLESS KING' A CONTINUATION OF THEIR EPIC TRILOGY The Crownless King is one of the shows we're most looking forward to this fall here at ChiIL Live Shows/ ChiIL Mama.   This original trilogy is not children's theatre, but it's fine for savvy tweens & teens.   Last fall our whole family caught opening night and the kids (9 & 11 at the time) were enthralled and caught up in the myth, magic and puppetry. We can't wait to see what part 2 brings! Click here to check out our prior Iron Stag King review. The House Theatre's Shows are always high on our must see list and they do not disappoint.   We'll have a full review for our readers after we check it out, but here's the scoop.   Catch a preview for a bargain and/or book your tickets NOW.   House Theatre shows sell out! **If in doubt... Check it out: Learn more about bringing kids to the show with House Theatre's PARENT’S GUIDE.** Brenda Barrie and Blake Montgomery join 7 returning cast members for second installment The House Theatre of Chicago launches its 12th Season with a fantasy action-adventure on the high seas. This second installment of the trilogy began last fall with The Iron Stag King and comes from Artistic Director Nathan Allen and collaborator and Company Member Chris Mathews. The Crownless King begins performances August 30, 2013 at The Chopin Theatre (1543 W Division St.) THE CROWNLESS KING By Chris Mathews and Nathan Allen Directed by Nathan Allen Original Music by Kevin O’Donnell August 30- October 20, 2013 SHOWTIMES: Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 8:00pm, Sundays at 7:00pm The performance will run approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes with an intermission. LOCATION: The Chopin Theatre, Upstairs Theatre (1543 W. Division St., Chicago, IL) TICKETS: Previews (Aug 30 - Sept 7) are $15. Regular run (Sept 8 - Oct 20) $20-$40 On sale now at www.thehousetheatre.com or by phone at 773.769.3832, $10 Student and Industry Same-Day tickets available at all performances if seats are available. Tickets are on sale now. ABOUT THE PLAY Artistic Director Nathan Allen and frequent collaborator and Company Member Chris Mathews embark on the darkest chapter of their three-play journey in the continuing saga of Casper Kent and the kingdom he builds. Inspired by the legend of King Arthur, hero myths, and the rich tapestry of early American history, the trilogy explores themes of American identity, including the nature of leadership, governance, and the struggle to balance personal liberty with sacrifice for a greater good. In the first installment last fall (The Iron Stag King), young Casper Kent (Brandon Ruiter) discovers he is heir to a magical hammer. Once lifted, the Hammer proves him King and unites the Land. But in achieving this destiny he learns he is ruler of all but his own story. In this second installment, the Golden Age of the Iron Stag King has taken root. Yet King Casper soon finds himself buffeted by forces on all sides. Grappling for control, the exiled black dragon, Irek Obsidian (voiced once again by Pulitzer Prize and Tony winner Tracy Letts,) cunningly lures Casper away from the throne. Our band of heroes ventures to the sea where the hooded pirate Davy Boone (Blake Montgomery) commands a fleet of Crownless rebels. All the while, Hap the Golden (as reprised by company member Cliff Chamberlain) fights to maintain his hold over the royal tale. As storytellers Hap the Golden and Irek Obsidian each seek to impose their versions of the story, who will step forth to rule as the Crownless King? This trilogy marks The House's first foray into the genre of High Fantasy. Most defined by Tolkien, Dungeons & Dragons gaming, and lately revived by the work of R.R. Martin, these tales are often set in a mythic, medieval world of European influence. But Allen and Mathews have aligned their story with our own evolving nation at the turn of the nineteenth century. Writers and ensemble alike have created a rich world with its own unique, deep history. Replete with magic, dragons, quests, and team-building, The Crownless King continues The House's work exploring the hero's journey through original, engaging myth. The Plot Thickens An orphan boy learns he is the rightful heir to the throne, and after a hard-fought battle, young Casper Kent takes his place as the ruler of the Folk. Yet King Casper soon finds himself buffeted by forces on all sides. Seizing for control, the exiled black dragon, Irek Obsidian (voiced by Pulitzer Prize and Tony winner Tracy Letts,) cunningly lures Casper away from the throne. Our band of heroes ventures to the sea where the hooded pirate Davy Boone commands a fleet of Crownless rebels. All the while, Hap the Golden wrests to maintain his hold over the royal tale. As storytellers Hap the Golden and Irek Obsidian each seek to impose their versions of the story, who will step forth to rule as the Crownless King? Join in on Twitter or Facebook for updates. And follow the production process on Tumblr SPECIAL EVENTS Staged Readings of last season’s The Iron Stag King September 14 at 4pm September 15 at 3pm  Audiences can immerse themselves in the world of The Folk, The Land, and the Hammer at these complete events! First, a re-visit of The Iron Stag King, followed by dinner with the cast, and finally the evening performance of The Crownless King! Two epic events for this epic tale! Saturday 9/14 - This VIP package includes tickets to the 4pm staged reading and the 8pm production as well as a delicious buffet dinner at Frontier Restaurant, featuring signature cocktails and whole-animal service. The cast and artists will join guests in the private dining room between 6 and 7pm for more exclusive sneak-peeks into the world of the trilogy. Tickets for this complete evening are $125 per person inclusive, and space is limited to 50 guests. Sunday 9/15 – This package includes tickets to the 3pm staged reading and the 7pm production. In between, guests are invited to bring a picnic dinner or order an advanced boxed meal to enjoy on stage or in the various nooks and parlors in the Chopin Theatre. The authors and artists will be on hand to answer questions about the extensive and imaginative back-stories woven into the trilogy. Tickets for this evening are $45. Pre- and Post-Play Discussions Audiences can connect with the artistic team and learn more about the development of the trilogy. Friday 9/20 - Post-Play Talkback with the actors immediately follows the 8pm performance. FREE Sunday 9/22 - Insider Intro: A pre-show conversation with writers Nathan Allen and Chris Mathews. Lots of references to Star Wars, Back to the Future, and Lord of the Rings are guaranteed! Talk begins at 6:15 before the 7pm performance. FREE ABOUT THE ARTISTS Company Member Cliff Chamberlain (The Sparrow, The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz, Hatfield and McCoy) returns to the trilogy as Hap the Golden, a powerful storyteller that shapes our young hero’s journey. Also returning from The Iron Stag King are guest artists Brandon Ruiter (Rose and the Rime, All the Fame of Lofty Deeds) as the unassuming hero, Casper Kent, Paige Collins (The Nutcracker, 2012) as Rienne, Casper’s soon-to-be Queen, John Henry Roberts (Wilson Wants It All) as the stoic, secretive Hollow Thom, Kay Kron as Irek’s right hand girl, July of the Seven Foxes, and Ben Hertel now in the ensemble. Also returning to The House are guest artists Brenda Barrie (The Nutcracker, 2012) as long-lost survivor, Lady Olympia of The Grass, and Blake Montgomery (The Nutcracker, 2010) as the masked pirate Davy Boone. Guest artists Christopher Walsh (Lifeline Theatre), Morgan Maher (Griffin Theatre), and Kara Davidson round out the cast. Tony Award-winning actor Tracy Letts returns, lending his voice as the dragon Irek Obsidian. Company Member Collette Pollard returns us to her immersive in-the-round set on the Chopin Mainstage, inviting the audience into a night around the campfire. Company Member Lee Keenan swiftly transports us through the varied landscapes of the Land as Lighting Designer. Jeff Award-winning composer and Company Member Kevin O’Donnell once again creates a rich, epic score to frame our heroes’ shifting world. Company Member Tommy Rapley returns as the Movement Director. Guest artist Melissa Torchia returns as Costume Designer, and is joined by Rachel Watson (Puppets) and Josh Horvath (Sound). Kelly A. Claussen is stage manager. Join The House for the fantasy action-adventure of The Crownless King, playing August 30 through October 20, 2013.

Click here to check out ChiIL Live Shows' video interview with Dennis Watkins, who puts the MAGIC in Magic Parlour and who just finished another awe inspiring run of Death and Harry Houdini. 

Mark Your Calendars

SEASON 12

THE CROWNLESS KING

A fantasy action-adventure on the high seas

By Nathan Allen and Chris Mathews

Directed by Nathan Allen

August 30- October 20, 2013

ROSE AND THE RIME

A modern myth for the Middle West

By Chris Mathews, Jake Minton, and Nathan Allen

Directed by Nathan Allen

January 17 – March 9, 2014


DORIAN

A vivid fantasy of horror and beauty

By Ben Lobpries and Tommy Rapley

Based on the novel ‘A Picture of Dorian Gray’ by Oscar Wilde

Directed and Choreographed by Tommy Rapley

April 4 – May 18, 2014

ALSO

THE NUTCRACKER

Our magical story for Christmas

Book by Jake Minton and Phillip Klapperich

Music by Kevin O’Donnell, Lyrics by Jake Minton

Based on the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann

Directed and Choreographed by Tommy Rapley

November 8 – December 29, 2013


THE MAGIC PARLOUR

at The Palmer House Hilton Hotel

an intimate evening of classic magic with Dennis Watkins

every Friday night