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Monday, October 2, 2023
INCOMING: FRANKIE AND THE WITCH FINGERS AT BOTTOM LOUNGE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3rd, 2023
Rough House relocates House of the Exquisite Corpse III to Steppenwolf’s Merle Reskin Garage Space Opening Friday the 13th
ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar
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Saturday, September 30, 2023
The Rhapsody Theater Announces Second Season of Theatrical Magic Performances
ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar
The Rhapsody Theater
a 200-seat venue in Rogers Park, Chicago
is unveiling its Second season of theatrical magic performances
following a highly successful inaugural season that started in June 2023
Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're huge fans of theatrical magic, and adore the Rhapsody Theater as well as Northwestern professor, Dr. Ricardo Rosenkranz, founder and owner of the Rhapsody Theater, who performs as the Physician Magician. We've been out to cover the grand opening and several shows since, and can attest that it's always a mystifyingly fun time at Rhapsody. In fact, we'll be back again October 8th to cover The Zabrecky Hour.
Dr. Ricardo Rosenkranz is thrilled to announce the second season of the Rhapsody Theater, the chief inspiration for a new generation of long format theatrical magic productions, as renowned artists from all over the world present brand-new shows created specifically for the venue. Ten full length theatrical magic productions will be presented during the 2023-2024 Season. Six productions are new and created for the Rhapsody Theater, and four are already critically acclaimed and premiered at the Rhapsody Theater Stage in Season One. This season will offer many new shows, and reprise beloved performances, enhanced with new material and magic content.
Magic Castle Stage Magician of the Year, Zabrecky will hold the coveted October Residency at the Rhapsody Theater with his show The Zabrecky Hour. The production is a perfect autumn night out featuring the bizarre, wonderfully strange, and oddly beautiful magic of one of the most sought-after magicians of our day. Performances are from September 28th- October 31st. Shows are Thursdays through Sunday at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm. Ticket prices range from $20 to $80.
Dr. Ricardo Rosenkranz will perform the critically acclaimed Physician Magician show throughout the year multiple select performances every month.
November brings renowned British Magician Andi Gladwin and his brand new, made for Rhapsody Theater production: Shuffled. A Close up show for forty audience members with a very special seating arrangement and never-seen-before magic. Andi is one of the most respected and beloved magicians in the world. Performances from November 9th – November 19th. Shows are Thursdays through Sunday at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm. Ticket prices range from $20 to $80.
Jamie Allan, known to Chicago Audiences as the iMagician who last sold out the Harris Theatre in 2018, returns to Chicago for the holiday season from Thanksgiving through early January. Amaze, Jamie’s new production exclusive to Rhapsody Theater, is entirely different. At once intimate, personal, and interactive, Amaze will delight audiences of all ages at Rhapsody Theater during the holiday season. Performances are from November 24th – January 7th.
January kicks off with Kayla Drescher in In Your Head. Kayla, a Champion of Magic, and highly respected leader in the magic community premier’s a brand new, Rhapsody Theater production. Kayla comedically explores expectation, coincidence, and what’s really going on in our heads (‘cause you’re all thinking it, she’s just saying it). Performances from January 11th – February 11th. Performances from November 9th – November 19th. Shows are Thursdays through Sunday at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm. Ticket prices range from $20 to $80.
In February, Award winning French magician Alexandra Duvivier stars in Extraordinaire. A brand new, Rhapsody Theater produced show designed by Alexandra and featuring original magic created by her. These are Alexandra’s first full length shows in the United States. Audiences will see why Alexandra is one Europe’s greatest magical performers. Performances from February 22th – March 10th.
In April, Joshua Jay returns to the Rhapsody Theater with Look Closer, the show he premiered at Rhapsody theater to great acclaim in April 2023. The 2024 installment will include new illusions created by Joshua for this next installment. Performances from April 4th – April 28th.
Beloved and highly admired magician David Williamson will premier his new show created for Rhapsody Theater called Ridiculous. David has toured with the Illusionists and Circus 1903 and brings his brilliance to Rhapsody Theater with a show centered on one word: Ridiculous! Performances from May 17th – June 30th.
In addition, Ross Johnson will reprise his masterful mind reading show “A funny thing happened… tomorrow” with various dates every month and Larry Hass will return with Magical Life for selected dates in the Winter of 2024.
The second annual McBride’s Magic Festival will occur from May 30th-June 2nd, 2024, and feature multiple shows and lectures for magicians and magic afficionados alike.
Season Subscriptions available:
In Season Two: Subscription packages will be available for multiple shows with special perks and discounts.
More Surprises to come:
Chef’s Table Séance. In Mid-October, Rhapsody Theater will begin presenting séance dinners. Rhapsody Theater will offer a unique experience for ten guests that includes dinner from award winning chefs and a private séance created bespoke for the Rhapsody Theater. Tickets are $150 per person including dinner.
More magic, more live music:
In coming weeks Rhapsody Theater will announce many new musical events and more magical performances as well.
Dr Rosenkranz added, “We are so proud of what we have achieved in our first year of operations. Audiences have loved our space, our performances, and our staff. We are delighted to give life to this “Jewel of a Theater” (as characterized by the Chicago Tribune) that sits in beautiful Rogers Park. Bringing the performing arts and musical culture to the neighborhoods of Chicago is in our DNA. We can’t wait to share Season Two with everyone. Let’s make wonderful magic and music Two-gether! In Season One, The Rhapsody Theater in Chicago quickly established itself as the one of the best venues for theatrical magic in the world and the only venue providing the commitment, infrastructure, and support for multiple long format theatrical magic. Some of the World’s best magicians performed in Season One, achieving rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. The proof of concept complete, The Rhapsody Theater is becoming the buzz of the magic world, and some of the world’s best are eager to create shows exclusive to Rhapsody Theater”.
To purchase tickets or for additional information, visit https://rhapsodytheater.com or call the box office at (888) 495-9001.
Thursday, September 28, 2023
One Night Only: Chicago Opera Theater’s 50th Anniversary season opener Soldier Songs Thursday, October 5, 2023
ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar
David Adam Moore steps into role of The Soldier for
Chicago Opera Theater’s 50th Anniversary season opener
Soldier Songs
Chicago Opera Theater announces a casting change for its upcoming 50th Anniversary Season opening concert of David T. Little’s one-man theatrical cantata Soldier Songs. World-renowned baritone David Adam Moore joins the production one week before the performance, filling in for previously announced baritone Nathan Gunn who has withdrawn due to a family emergency. I'll be out to cover this performance for ChiIL Live Shows, so check back soon for my full review.
Moore has sung Soldier Songs with multiple companies across the country. He also sang The Soldier for the 2013 critically acclaimed commercial recording of the work, released by Innova Recordings. Currently working at the Metropolitan Opera at the house premiere production of Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, Moore has obtained special permission from the Met to come to perform in Chicago. He will arrive on October 4, a little over 24 hours before the performance.
“I'm very sorry that Nathan Gunn will be unable to join us next week in Chicago, but grateful that the Metropolitan Opera has released David Adam Moore to step into the role,” said composer David T. Little. “David is among the leading interpreters of my music. His countless performances of Soldier Songs, beginning in 2008, show him to be a singer of remarkable depth, intelligence, and skill. He knows the role better than anyone, and I'm excited for the COT community to hear him bring it to life.”
Edlis Neeson General Director Lawrence Edelson added, “Nathan and his family are in our thoughts at this difficult time. While it is always disappointing when a beloved artist must withdraw from a performance, we are truly fortunate that David Adam Moore is able to join us to help launch COT’s 50th Anniversary Season.”
GRAMMY-nominated Soldier Songs is a haunting, heavy-metal infused work about the psychological impact of war. Serving as both composer and librettist, David T. Little drew on the experiences of veterans of five different wars from his family and circle of friends to craft Soldier Songs. Little’s recorded conversations with these veterans serve not only as a basis for the work’s libretto but are also featured in the electronic components of the score. Presented in three stages of a soldier’s life- Youth, Warrior, and Elder- the result is a bold examination of the trauma of war, the exploitation of innocence, and the difficulty many veterans experience in talking about their service. COT Elizabeth Morse and Genius Music Director Lidiya Yankovskaya conducts.
Performance schedule and tickets
Chicago Opera Theater’s Soldier Songs is one night only, Thursday, October 5 at 7:00 PM at Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S Ashland Ave. General admission tickets are $60 and VIP tickets are $175 and are available for purchase at chciagooperatheater.org. VIP tickets include reserved cabaret style seating and exclusive access to a post-show reception with David Adam Moore and David T. Little. The proceeds from VIP ticket sales directly support COT’s mission of presenting new opera. Discounted tickets are available for season subscribers as well as active military personnel. A limited number of free tickets are available to veterans through Vet Tix.
Soldier Songs is a 60-minute production presented without intermission. It is sung in English with English supertitles.
About The Artist
David Adam Moore performs as a leading baritone with major opera houses and orchestras worldwide, including the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Teatro alla Scala, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Salzburg Festival, Carnegie Hall, Teatro Colón Buenos Aires, Théâtre du Châtelet, Bunkamura (Tokyo), Grand Théâtre de Genève, Israeli Opera, LA Opera, New York City Opera, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, LA Philharmonic, Orchestra of St. Luke's, American Symphony Orchestra, and many others. His performances have been broadcast on BBC, Arte television, NPR, Radio France, RAI, ORF, and Radio Netherlands, and recorded by Erato, BMG, GPR, and Innova records.
With a repertoire of over 60 principal roles, he is best known for his portrayals of Billy Budd, Don Giovanni, Eugene Onegin, Rossini’s Barbiere, Joseph DeRocher in Dead Man Walking, Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, Prior Walter in Angels in America, Zurga in Les pêcheurs de perles, Schubert’s Winterreise, Carmina Burana, Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro and the Soldier in David T. Little’s Soldier Songs, which Moore premiered and recorded. A celebrated interpreter of contemporary music, he has created roles and premiered works for some of today’s most important living composers, including Thomas Adès, Peter Eötvös, David T. Little, Holly Herndon, John Eaton, Ricky Ian Gordon, Conrad Cummings, Martin Hennessey, and Tom Cipullo, while simultaneously garnering critical acclaim for his interpretations of opera, art song, and concert works from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern eras. Moore’s Metropolitan Opera debut performance as Colonel Gomez in Thomas Adès’ The Exterminating Angel was broadcast in theaters worldwide and is available on DVD.
About Chicago Opera Theater
Celebrating its 50th Anniversary season in 2023/24, Chicago Opera Theater is a company laser-focused on living its values: expanding the tradition of opera as a living art form, producing high-quality works new to Chicago audiences, identifying top-tier casts and creative talent at the beginning of grand operatic careers, and following through on commitments to equity and access – behind the scenes, on the stage, and in the audience. Since its founding in 1973, COT has grown from a grassroots community-based company to a national leader in an increasingly vibrant, diverse, and forward-looking art form. COT has staged over 155 operas, including 81 Chicago premieres and 47 operas by American composers. COT is led by Yankovskaya and Edelson who began his tenure as General Director in the summer of 2023.
The Vanguard Initiative, founded in 2018 and celebrating its fifth anniversary this Spring, is COT's fully comprehensive program for composers ready to delve into the world of opera. This immersive two-year residency includes participation in all COT productions, sessions with top industry leaders, extensive study of repertoire and vocal writing, and direct insight into administrative and other behind-the-scenes processes, culminating with the development of a full-length opera commissioned by the company. The program is guided and overseen by Elizabeth Morse and Genius Music Director Lidiya Yankovskaya, with Composer Advisors Jake Heggie, Kamala Sankaram, and Gene Scheer. The program has renewed funding from the Mellon Foundation for the 2023/24 season. The 2023/24 Vanguard Composers are Gillian Rae Perry (second year) and Carlos R. Carrillo (first year).
Chicago Opera Theater’s season continues with the Chicago Premiere of The Nose December 8 & 10, the Midwest Premiere of Book of Mountains and Seas January 27 & 28, the Vanguard Initiative concert premiere of The Weight of Light April 27, and the World Premiere tour of Before it All Goes Dark with Music of Remembrance May 25 & 26. Ticket subscriptions are on sale now, single tickets go on sale on September 15.
For more information on Chicago Opera Theater productions, visit chicagooperatheater.org/
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
REVIEW: The Innocence of Seduction at City Lit Now Playing Through October 8, 2023
ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar
THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION
Written and directed by Mark Pracht
WORLD PREMIERE
August 25- October 8, 2023
REVIEW
Regular run Through October 8, 2023
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm; Mondays Sept 25 and Oct 2 at 7:30 pm.
Regular run ticket prices $34.00, seniors $29.00, students and military $12 (all plus applicable fees)
Performances at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Chicago 60660
Info and tickets at www.citylit.org and by phone at 773-293-3682.
Left to right: Brian Bradford, LaTorious Givens.
Cast and crew for world premiere of Mark Pracht’s THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION
Pracht to direct the second part of his FOUR-COLOR TRILOGY of plays
about the comic book industry
Left to right: Sean Harklerode, Charlie Diaz
Left to right: Zach Kunde, Chuck Munro, Sean Harklerode, Charlie Diaz, Paul Chakrin
Full casting and production team have been announced for City Lit’s forty-third season opener - the world premiere of THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION by Chicago playwright Mark Pracht. It is the second play in his projected “Four-Color Trilogy” of plays set during the early years of the comic book industry. The first play in the trilogy, THE MARK OF KANE, opened City Lit’s forty-second season. THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION examines the 1950s Congressional investigation into the supposed link between comic books and juvenile delinquency, and the effect of the investigation on the careers of three persons: William Gaines, the originator of the horror genre of comic books; Matt Baker, a Black closeted gay artist of romance comics; and Janice Valleau, creator of a pioneering comics feature starring a woman detective.
Left to right: Zach Kunde, Laura Coleman, Sean Harklerode
Leading the cast will be Sean Harklerode (THE MARK OF KANE, The Artistic Home’s REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT) as William Gaines), Brian Bradford (City Lit’s FUENTE OVEJUNA and THE BLOODHOUND LAW) as Matt Baker, and Megan Clarke as Janice Valleau. Also in the cast are Charlie Diaz (Invictus Theatre’s THE CRUCIBLE) as Al Feldstein, Frank Nall (Invictus Theatre’s THE CRUCIBLE, The Artistic Home’s MALAPERT LOVE) as Dr Frederic Wertham, Zach Kunde (Invictus Theatre’s THE CRUCIBLE) as Lyle Stuart, Artistic Home ensemble member Laura Coleman as Shirley Norris, Ron Quade (Citadel Theatre’s BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS) as Max Gaines, LaTorious Givens (Invictus Theatre’s THE CRUCIBLE) as Connie, John Blick (Promethean Ensemble Theatre’s BLUE STOCKINGS) as Archer St John and Henry Valleau, Invictus Theatre Company member Chuck Munro as Judge Charles F Murphy and Barry Walsh, Paul Chakrin (THE SAFE HOUSE and many other roles at City Lit) as John L Goldwater and Senator Robert C Hendrickson, Robin Trevino (Invictus Theatre’s WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF) as Everett M "Busy" Arnold and Senator Estes Kefauver, Andrew Bosworth as Frank Guisto, Reed Crandall and Jack Davis, and Jessica Lauren Fisher (Black Button Eyes’ MARY ROSE) as Jessie Gaines and Gertrude St John.
Left to right: Andrew Bosworth, Robin Treviño, Megan Clarke
The production team includes G. "Max" Maxin IV (Scenic, Lighting and Projection Design), Beth Laske-Miller (Costume Designer), Petter Wahlbäck (Composer and Sound Design), Alison Dornheggen (Violence and Intimacy Design), Jeff Brain (Props Design), and Zachary Osterman (Stage Manager).
Frank Nall
Single tickets for THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION are priced at $30 for previews and $34 for regular performances and are on sale now at www.citylit.org or by phone at 773-293-3682. Senior prices are $25 for previews and $29 for regular performances. Students and military are $12.00 for all performances. City Lit Season 43 subscriptions are available at $99.00, good for all performances, or $77.00 for preview performances.
Left to right: Robin Treviño, Sean Harklerode, Paul Chakrin
HEALTH PRECAUTIONS AT CITY LIT
City Lit requires masks for the Sunday matinee performances. Masks are encouraged but no longer required for Friday, Saturday and our two Monday performances. City Lit staff will continue to mask for all performances. City Lit will of course comply with the full set of whatever official health guidelines are in place at any time.
ABOUT MARK PRACHT
Mark Pracht (Playwright, Director) has worked as an actor, director and playwright in Chicago since 2001. THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION is part of his Four-Color Trilogy, which also include THE MARK OF KANE, which premiered at City Lit in fall 2022, and THE HOUSE OF IDEAS, about the 1960s rise of Marvel. He has appeared on stage at City Lit in the title role of PROMETHEUS BOUND, as The Creature in FRANKENSTEIN, and as Milt Shanks in THE COPPERHEAD, among other roles. Most recently, he appeared as John Proctor in THE CRUCIBLE with Invictus Theatre Company. He was a company member of the Shelterbelt Theatre in Omaha, where he helped develop and produce seven world premiere productions, including his own full-length play, NEON.He is an ensemble member of The Artistic Home, where he won a Jeff Award for Leading Performer in a Play for REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT.
ABOUT CITY LIT THEATER COMPANY
City Lit is the seventh oldest theatre company in Chicago, behind only Goodman, Court, Northlight, Oak Park Festival, Steppenwolf, and Pegasus theatres. It was founded in 1979 with $210 pooled by Arnold Aprill, David Dillon, and Lorell Wyatt. For its current season, its 43rd, it operates with a budget slightly over $260,000. It was the first theatre in the nation devoted to stage adaptations of literary material. There were so few theatres in Chicago at the time of its founding that at City Lit’s launch event, the founders were able to read a congratulatory letter they had received from Tennessee Williams.
For four decades and counting, City Lit has explored fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoirs, songs, essays and drama in performance. A theatre that specializes in literary work communicates a commitment to certain civilizing influences—tradition imaginatively explored, a life of the mind, trust in an audience’s intelligence—that not every cultural outlet shares.
City Lit is located in the historic Edgewater Presbyterian Church building at 1020 West Bryn Mawr Avenue. Its work is supported in part by the MacArthur Funds for Arts and Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Ivanhoe Theater Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council Agency and is sponsored in part by A.R.T. League. An Illinois not-for-profit corporation and a 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt organization, City Lit keeps ticket prices below the actual cost of producing plays and depends on the support of those who share its belief in the beauty and power of the spoken written word.
