OPENING: MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM at Writers Theatre February 6 – March 17, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Writers Theatre continues 2018/19 Season with 

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, 

Written by August Wilson, Directed by Ron OJ Parson

Featuring David Alan Anderson, Thomas J. Cox, Felicia P. Fields, Jalen Gilbert, Tiffany Renee Johnson, Blake Montgomery, Peter Moore, Kelvin Roston, Jr., A.C. Smith, and Alfred H. Wilson 

February 6 – March 17, 2019

February 13th I'll be ChiILin' with Chi, IL's Writers Theatre for the press opening of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. In Chicago, director Ron OJ Parson's name has become inextricably linked with playwright, August Wilson. I've seen him direct numerous Wilson productions over the years, so it's only fitting that he direct the only play of Wilson's American Century Cycle that is set in Chicago.

 Set in the 1920s, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom chronicles the twentieth century African American experience and deals with issues of race, art, religion and the historic exploitation of black recording artists by white producers. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is the only play in August Wilson’s ten-play American Century Cycle that is set in Chicago. 

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, continues its 2018/19 season with August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, directed by Writers Theatre Resident Director Ron OJ Parson. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom runs February 6 – March 17, 2019 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. 

Director Ron OJ Parson returns to Writers where he previously directed East Texas Hot Links, The Caretaker, The Old Settler, and The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights for Writers Theatre.

Ma Rainey is considered the Mother of the Blues and essentially launched Paramount records, recording almost 100 records from 1923-1928.

This visceral American classic serves as the 1920s chapter of August Wilson's epic American Century Cycle. What begins as a routine recording session becomes more strained as tensions rise between the members of a blues band and the owners of the recording studio. The white producers mean to exploit the talents of the band—especially the gifted and impulsive Levee—but when Ma insists on having things her way, tensions are enflamed and the play builds to an unexpected and searing climax. 

Inspired by the real-life Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, this groundbreaking work is the only play by American icon August Wilson to be set in Chicago. Directed by Writers Theatre Resident Director Ron OJ Parson (East Texas Hot Links, The Caretaker, The Old Settler), Ma Rainey will envelop you in a vision of the Roaring Twenties defined by Wilson’s remarkably beautiful language and an extraordinary dramatic conflict between ambition, desperation and love for The Blues. 

The real life Gertrude “Ma” Rainey on whom August Wilson based his character was very open about her sexuality despite the law, as was somewhat common for blues mavens of the time. Songs such as “Prove It On Me” detail going out on the town with various women, and the cover of the album shows her hitting on two young women while a policeman looks on.  

“Ron OJ Parson’s productions of plays by August Wilson have been some of the theatre-going highlights of my life,” said Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. “When the opportunity to present this play at Writers Theatre came about, I leapt at the chance.  Ron has assembled a brilliant cast, all of whom are passionate about exploring this magnificent and towering piece of writing as staged by arguably the nation’s foremost interpreter of Mr. Wilson’s work.  As Ron has proved time and time again, he has an unwavering ability to direct his productions straight into the audience’s hearts, minds and souls. Writers Theatre audiences have been fortunate to experience the full extent of his gifts with stagings like Harold Pinter's The Caretaker and Eugene Lee's East Texas Hot Links.  Taking full advantage of the Nichols Theatre’s ability to encompass both epic and intimate canvases simultaneously, Ron’s design team draws us dramatically into a 1920’s impromptu recording studio where the explosive events of the play will reach their searing climax. Although there are a hundred years between the imagined events of Wilson’s play and the present day, the themes and circumstances feel terrifyingly familiar."

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom first opened at the Yale Repertory Theater in April 1984, and then moved to Broadway's Cort Theatre. The original cast included Charles S. Dutton as Levee, Joe Seneca as Cutler, Leonard Jackson as Slow Drag, Robert Judd as Toledo, and Theresa Merritt as Ma. Dutton and Merritt were nominated for Tony Awards for their performances.

The cast includes: David Alan Anderson (Toledo), Thomas J. Cox (Sturdyvant), Felicia P. Fields (Ma Rainey), Jalen Gilbert (Sylvester), Tiffany Renee Johnson (Dussie Mae), Blake Montgomery (Policeman), Peter Moore (Irvin), Kelvin Roston, Jr. (Levee), A.C. Smith (Slow Drag), and Alfred H. Wilson (Cutler).

The creative team includes: Todd Rosenthal (scenic), Myrna Colley-Lee (costumes), Jared Gooding (lighting), Ray Nardelli (sound), Regina Victor (dramaturg), Joe Faust (fight director), and Sasha Smith (intimacy director). The production stage manager is Rebecca Pechter.

Tickets are priced $35 - $80. Subscriptions and individual tickets may be purchased online at www.writerstheatre.org, by phone at 847-242-6000 or in person at the box office at 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

August Wilson (Playwright) authored Gem of the Ocean, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Piano Lesson, Seven Guitars, Fences, Two Trains Running, Jitney, King Hedley II and Radio Golf. These works explore the heritage and experience of the descendants of Africans in North America, decade-by-decade, over the course of the twentieth century, forming the complication entitled THE AMERICAN CENTURY CYCLE. His plays have been produced on Broadway, at regional theaters across the country and all over the world. In 2003, Mr. Wilson made his professional stage debut in his one-man show, How I Learned What I Learned. Mr. Wilson’s works garnered many awards including Pulitzer Prizes for Fences (1987); and for The Piano Lesson (1990); a Tony Award for Fences; Great Britain’s Olivier Award for Jitney; as well as seven New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Fences, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, The Piano Lesson, Two Trains Running, Seven Guitars, and Jitney. Additionally, the cast recording of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom received a 1985 Grammy Award, and Mr. Wilson received a 1995 Emmy Award nomination for his screenplay adaptation of The Piano Lesson. Mr. Wilson’s early works included the one-act plays The Janitor, Recycle, The Coldest Day of the Year, Malcolm X, The Homecoming, and the musical satire Black Bart and the Sacred Hills. Mr. Wilson received many fellowships and awards, including the Rockefeller and Guggenheim Fellowships in Playwriting, the Whiting Writers Award, 2003 Heinz Award, was awarded a 1999 National Humanities Medal by President Bill Clinton, and received numerous honorary degrees from colleges and universities, as well as the only high school diploma ever issued by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. He was an alumnus of New Dramatists, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a 1995 inductee into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and on October 16, 2005, Broadway renamed the theater located at 245 West 52nd Street—The August Wilson Theatre. New York Public Radio recorded all ten plays in the THE AMERICAN CENTURY CYCLE at the Greene Space, casting many of the actors that worked on the original productions. PBS aired a documentary on Mr. Wilson entitled, The Ground On Which I Stand, as part of the American Masters series. Mr. Wilson was born and raised in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and lived in Seattle, Washington at the time of his death.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom received the 1985 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best American Play and was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play and the Tony Award for Best Play.

Ron OJ Parson (Director) previously directed East Texas Hot Links, The Caretaker, and The Old Settler for Writers Theatre. Mr. Parson hails from Buffalo, New York and is a graduate of the professional theatre program of the University of Michigan. He is the former co-founder and artistic director of Chicago's Onyx Theatre Ensemble and is currently a resident artist at Chicago's Court Theatre. Ron has worked as both an actor and a director at various theatres in Chicago and regionally. Ron also directed the world premiere of Palmer Park at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario, Canada.

David Alan Anderson (Toledo) previously appeared at Writers Theatre in Witch. Other Chicago credits include Gem of the Ocean (BTAA winner) and The Mountaintop (Jeff Nominee), both with Court Theatre. David is a recipient of the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship sponsored by the Ten Chimneys Foundation. He has over twenty-five seasons with The Indiana Repertory Theatre in Indianapolis, where his many credits include Looking Over the President’s Shoulder, What I Learned in Paris, Julius Caesar, The Whipping Man, Romeo and Juliet, A Christmas Carol and many others. Recent works include Troy in Fences (Indiana Rep, Denver Center, Arizona Theatre Company and Milwaukee Rep), Morning After Grace (Asolo Rep), Radio Golf (Cleveland Playhouse) and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (Indiana Rep and Syracuse Stage). Other regional credits include The Guthrie, Baltimore Center Stage, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, KC Rep, Geva Theatre and many others. Directing credits include MVP, The Color of Justice (Indiana Rep), Topdog/Underdog and Two Trains Running (Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis). He is a company member with Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul, MN. Recent television works include Showtime’s new hit series The Chi. 

Thomas J. Cox (Sturdyvant) is making his Writers Theatre debut. As an ensemble member with Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre Company, he has appeared in many productions since 1988, most recently in 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas, as well as The Jungle, The Odyssey, West, Arabian Nights, The Great Fire, Nelson Algren: For Keeps, Single Day (Joseph Jefferson Nomination, Solo Performance), Old Curiosity Shop (Joseph Jefferson Nomination, Supporting Actor), Winston Smith in 1984 and Hook in Peter Pan (a play), among many others. He has appeared regionally at the Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Court Theatre, The House Theatre of Chicago, The Gift Theatre and Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. Thom also worked for ten years at the Weston Playhouse Theatre in Vermont, performing in productions ranging from Tartuffe to Urinetown, and directing Weston’s Young Company. Film/TV: Chicago Fire (NBC), Brotherhood (Showtime) and Since You’ve Been Gone (Miramax).



Felicia P. Fields (Ma Rainey) returns to Chicago having recently starred in Low Down Dirty Blues (Lone Tree Arts Center) in Colorado. Other theatre credits include productions at The Marriott Theatre, Court Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace, Theatre at the Center, Northlight Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, The Broadway Playhouse and the Goodman Theatre. Ms. Fields earned a Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of Sofia in The Color Purple on Broadway and a 2006 Theatre World Award, two Broadway.com awards, an NAACP nomination and the award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in Sophisticated Ladies. Television/film credits include Slice with Chance the Rapper, Save the Last Dance, Who Gets the Dog, Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, Bad Judge (NBC), Sense 8 (Netflix), Early Edition (CBS), The Knights of Prosperity (ABC) and many commercials/voice-overs to date. She is the recipient of a Clarence Dewitt Award, many Joseph Jefferson nominations and won the Jeff award for her performances in Sophisticated Ladies.

Jalen Gilbert (Sylvester) previously appeared at Writers Theatre in East Texas Hot Links. He will appear as Bowzie in Too Heavy for Your Pocket (TimeLine Theatre). Recent credits include Tru in Hooded (First Floor Theater), John in Mies Julie (Victory Gardens Theater) and Dontrell in Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea (First Floor Theater). Television and Film credits include Chicago Med (NBC), As with Knives and Skin, The Exorcist (Fox) and Solo. Jalen is a proud graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University BFA Acting program. 

Tiffany Renee Johnson (Dussie Mae) is a Chicago native with a BFA from Howard University, and is represented by Gray Talent Group. Her theatre credits include: Flyin’ West (American Blues Theater), Red Velvet (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Saint Joan (Poetic Forum Collective), the US premiere of truth and reconciliation (Sideshow Theatre Company), the world premiere of VANYA (or, “That’s Life!”) (Rasaka Theatre Company), Coming Home (Erasing the Distance), Hairspray (Drury Lane Theatre) and The Nativity (Congo Square Theatre). Regional credits include Race (Next Act Theatre) and The Bluest Eye (Environmental Theatre Space). Television credits include: Chicago Med, Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire (NBC), APB (Fox) and Embeds (Go90). 

Blake Montgomery (Policeman) has previously appeared in What The Butler Saw (Court Theatre), Animal Farm (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), The Life of Galileo (Remy Bumppo), The Crownless King, The Nutcracker (The House Theatre of Chicago) and Seagull, Nina, and Salao (Redmoon Theater). Most recently, he's worked as an understudy at both Chicago Shakespeare and Northlight Theatre. From 2005 to 2013, Blake ran The Building Stage, where he created over a dozen original theatrical pieces, including the Joseph Jefferson Award-winning Moby-Dick and his solo performance in Charles Dickens Begrudgingly Performs ‘A Christmas Carol.’ Again.

Peter Moore (Irvin) is a founding member and the Artistic Director of Steep Theatre in Chicago, where his credits include Linda, Birdland, Hinter, Earthquakes in London, Wastwater, The Few, The Cheats, Brilliant Adventures, The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle, If There is I Haven’t Found it Yet, Love and Money, Festen, A Brief History of Helen of Troy and Harper Regan, among many others over the last 17 years. Other theatre credits include Steppenwolf’s 2017 production of The Crucible, Route 66 Theatre’s The Downpour and Jackalope Theatre’s In the Canyon. TV & Film credits include Chicago Fire, Chicago Justice (NBC), the pilot Convergence and the Bollywood hit Dhoom 3. Pete is a graduate of Bowdoin College and The School at Steppenwolf.

Kelvin Roston, Jr. (Levee) has previously appeared at Writers Theatre in East Texas Hot Links and The Old Settler. Other Chicagoland theater credits include work with Congo Square, Court Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Marriott Theatre, Goodman Theatre, ITC, eta Creative Arts, Black Ensemble Theatre, TimeLine Theatre, Northlight Theatre and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Regional theatres: The Black Rep, The Fulton Theatre, New Theatre Restaurant, MSMT and Baltimore Center Stage. International: Tokyu Theatre Orb and The Royal Festival Hall. Television: Chicago Med, Chicago PD (NBC), KFC and Instant Care commercials. Film: Get a Job, Princess Cyd and Breathing Room. He is a four-time Jeff Award nominee, three-time BTA Award winner and two-time Black Excellence Award winner. He is the winner of the Light in the Darkness Public Education Award from NAMI for his play, Twisted Melodies, written and performed by himself. Kelvin is an Artistic Associate of Congo Square.

A.C. Smith (Slow Drag) has previously appeared at Writers Theatre in A Moon for the Misbegotten and East Texas Hot Links. In Chicago, Smith considers the Court Theatre to be his home where he has worked for the past eight years or so in productions ranging from Moliere to the great August Wilson and a host of other classic works. Smith received the Joseph Jefferson Award for his portrayal of Troy Maxson in Court Theatre’s production of Fences. Regional credits include Clarence Brown Theatre (Knoxville, TN), Portland Stage Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, Peninsula Players Theatre and The Black Rep, where he has been a company member for 21 years and is a nine-time Woodie King, Jr. Award winner. National tour credits include The Piano Lesson directed by Lloyd Richards. Off-Broadway credits include the title role in Jelly Belly (Audelco Award Nomination—New Federal Theatre). Smith has appeared on film, television, radio, voice-over, commercials and in Ebony and Jet magazines.

Alfred H. Wilson (Cutler) has previously appeared at Writers Theatre in East Texas Hot Links. Recent credits include: Old Joe in Radio Gold, Chorus in Agamemnon, Solly Two Kings in Gem of the Ocean, Estrogon in Waiting for Godot, Fielding in Jitney, Wining Boy in Piano Lesson (Court Theatre), Oldest Old Man in Father Comes Home From The Wars, Pullman Porter Blues (Goodman Theatre), Bono in Fences (Kansas City Rep, Nevada Conservatory), Simon in The Whipping Man (Cardinal Stage), Becker in Jitney (West Coast Black Theatre), Toledo in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (University of Wisconsin, Madison), Delbert Tibbs in The Exonerated (The Next Act Theatre), Toledo in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Milwaukee Rep), Travis in The Etiquette of Vigilance (Steppenwolf Theatre), Holloway in Two Trains Running (Geva Theatre Center), Sam in Master Harold and the Boys (Timeline Theatre), Solly Two Kings in Gem of the Ocean, Old Joe in Radio Golf (Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati), and Old Joe in Radio Gold (Pittsburgh Public Theatre). Chicago credits include:  Charlie in Bourbon at the Border (Eclipse Theatre), Becker in Jitney, Memphis Lee in Two Trains Running (Joseph Jefferson Award—Best Actor, Pegasus Players), and Charles in Panther Burn (MMPAACT). He was also a co-founder of Onyx Theatre Ensemble. He has also worked at Victory Gardens Theater.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
From Page to Stage:

BLUES 101 WITH FRUTELAND JACKSON
Sunday, February 10 at 2pm
Hosted by Glenview Public Library  |  1930 Glenview Rd., Glenview

In August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, a tight-knit blues band strives to maintain their artistic integrity against the forces of exploitation and ambition in a 1920s Chicago recording studio. Join us to learn more about the deep roots of the Blues with dynamic award-winning storyteller and musician Fruteland Jackson, who will share the history of blues music through song, lecture, and discussion from its origins to its current popularity. Seating is limited. RSVP at www.glenviewpl.org/programs.

Sunday Spotlight
Sunday, March 3, 2019 at 11:30am

Are you curious about the world that surrounds your favorite plays? Sunday Spotlight offers access to the finest speakers, scholars and cultural leaders. This one-hour event extends the conversation on our stages by featuring an expert in an area connected to the play. Seating is limited. RSVP is required. Save the date.

The Making of... Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Monday, March 11, 2019 at 6:30pm

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of our productions? For each production, we will offer insight into a different aspect of creating theatre. Seating is limited. RSVP is required. Save the date!

Post-Show Conversation: The Word

Join us after every Tuesday evening performance (excluding First Week and any extension weeks) for a 15-minute discussion of the play, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

Post-Show Conversation: The Artist
Join us after every Wednesday evening performance (excluding First Week and any extension weeks) for a 15-minute talk-back featuring actors from the production, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

Pre-Show Conversation: Up Close
Join us at 6:45pm in the Atrium before every Thursday evening performance (excluding First Week and any extension weeks) for a 15-minute primer on the context and content of the play, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

RIDE METRA TO WRITERS THEATRE

In an effort to promote taking public transit to the Theatre, Writers Theatre launched a new promotion in 2013. Any audience member who purchases a ticket to a Writers Theatre production and rides Metra’s Union Pacific North Line to the Theatre may snap a photo of themselves on the train and post it to their Facebook, Twitter or Instagram account with a tag of @WritersTheatre (@Writers_Theatre on Instagram) and #MaRaineyWT, and upon showing the post at the Writers Theatre Box Office, receive $5 in cash to put toward the cost of your fare as a thank you for going green.

This promotion is available for a limited time only and may end without warning. Ticket must have been paid for in advance. Not valid on comp tickets. More information available at writerstheatre.org/metra

WRITERS THEATRE PARTNERS
Writers Theatre is pleased to recognize BMO Harris Bank as the 2018/19 Season Sponsor and ComEd as the Official Lighting Sponsor of the 2018/19 Season. The Student Matinee Sponsor for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is Allstate. The Major Production Sponsors are Gail and Tom Hodges, and the Artists Council Sponsors are Laurie and Michael Petersen. Additional support for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is provided by the Director’s Society Sponsors.

For more information about Writers Theatre’s 2018/19 partners, visit writerstheatre.org/our-supporters.



ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE
For more than 25 years, Writers Theatre has captivated Chicagoland audiences with inventive interpretations of classic work, a bold approach to contemporary theatre and a dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible.

Under the artistic leadership of Michael Halberstam and the executive leadership of Kathryn M. Lipuma, Writers Theatre has grown to become a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called the top regional theatre in the nation by The Wall Street Journal. The company, which plays to a sold-out and discerning audience of more than 60,000 patrons each season, has garnered critical praise for the consistent high quality and intimacy of its artistry—providing the finest interpretations of both classic and contemporary theatre in its two intensely intimate venues. 

In February 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility. This established the company's first permanent home—a new theatre center in downtown Glencoe, designed by the award-winning, internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects, led by Founder and Design Principal Jeanne Gang, FAIA, in collaboration with Theatre Consultant Auerbach Pollock Friedlander. The new facility has allowed the Theatre to continue to grow to accommodate its audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy. The new facility resonates with and complements the Theatre’s neighboring Glencoe community, adding tremendous value to Chicagoland and helping to establish the North Shore as a premier cultural destination.

Find Writers Theatre on Facebook at Facebook.com/WritersTheatre, follow @WritersTheatre on Twitter or @Writers_Theatre on Instagram. For more information, visit www.writerstheatre.org.

Dates:   First performance: Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Press opening: Wednesday, February 13, 2019 at 7:30pm
Closing performance: March 17, 2019

Schedule: Tuesdays – Fridays: 7:30pm (except February 28 & March 7); Saturdays: 3:00pm (except February 9) and 7:30pm; Sundays: 2:00pm and 6:00pm (except February 10, March 3 & 17). Wednesday matinee performances on February 27 & March 13 at 3:00pm.

Open-Captioned performance: Thursday, March 14, 2019 at 7:30pm

ASL-Interpreted performance: Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 7:30pm

Location: The Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre; 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

Prices: Prices for all performances range from $35 - $80; Purchase early for best prices   

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe;  847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

Gang of Four February 2019 Tour Dates; New Album HAPPY NOW Out March 29

New Album HAPPY NOW 

Out March 29

Released through Pledge Music

First Single "Paper Thin" Out Now

Released through AWAL

“We have short memories, maybe the world has not changed so much. Polarization is not new. We had an idea that we moved forward with; but now it’s crumbled and turned to dust. What was solid is now Paper Thin. Once, we could shut the door but we can no longer, the outside world will get to us, constantly, all the time.” - Andy Gill Gang of Four

Pioneering post-punk band, the GANG OF FOUR were formed by guitarist Andy Gill in the bricolage punk rock fallout culture of late seventies Leeds, UK – a place where art was a mirror and guitars were machine guns.

They redesigned rock in the punk aftermath, taking the incendiary energy of the form and crisscrossing it with funk, stripping away the baggage of rock excess and creating a new stripped-down music that was full of energy, heavy grooves, shrapnel guitars and politically charged lyrics matching the harshness of the times.

Gang of Four bounced around the music business releasing a series of albums including 1979’s universally lauded ENTERTAINMENT (which celebrates its 40th birthday in 2019) and they have been a direct inspiration to a diverse selection of bands, from the surrounding post-punk generation to the big bands that followed. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, INXS, R.E.M., U2, Rage Against the Machine, Nirvana and Massive Attack have all spoken of their debt to Gang of Four.

More recently, the band’s influence has become almost universal — now everybody talks about Gang of Four. From Franz Ferdinand to St Vincent, from Sleater-Kinney and James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem to Nine Inch Nails and IDLES, today's leading creators have GO4's influence and imprint all over them. The band is also reaching an urban audience with Frank Ocean sampling them on his latest album and Pharrell name-checking the band in his interviews.

Gang of Four have released a series of albums that emphatically demonstrate their capacity for invention and energy. The line-up now includes bassist Thomas McNeice — who joined in 2008 — and John ‘Gaoler’ Sterry whose fervent vocals sit perfectly alongside Gill’s six-string invention.

Urgent, dangerous and intense with their prolific bass sound, the Gang of Four are, somehow, one of the best young bands in Britain. Except this band is built around its founder and esteemed guitarist Andy Gill, whose pursuit of perfection has left him as the gang of one. Gill is as vital as ever at the heart of the project.



Happy Now
Track-listing 
Toreador
Alpha Male
One True Friend
Ivanka - My Name's On It
Don't Ask Me
Change the Locks
I'm A Liar
White Lies
Paper Thin
Lucky (Bonus Track)

The upcoming album Happy Now is the perfect synthesis between a modern take on the classic GO4 sound — a pop touch with those timeless angular guitar lines and fractured rhythms — with a fast forward vision. It’s this combination of electronics and the jagged guitar lines pursuing 21st century grooves that achieves a striking balance between the band’s fundamental sound and its restless embrace of the now and the new. Exemplified by the first single, the pulsating "Paper Thin," the result is a body of anthemic songs of modern confusion, and Happy Now a record for our times.

Listen to "Paper Thin" here. 

Standout cuts such as opener "Toreador," "Change The Locks," "Ivanka: My Name’s On It," "White Lies" and "I’m A Liar" capture the full energy of their live show which is seriously good. McNeice’s bass is fierce, sharp, full of post-punk grind. He looks sharp and lean, dangerous as well, with his suicide runs across the stage, all the while locking in tight with the dark energy groove provided by Jonny Finnigan and Tobias Humble. Meanwhile Gaoler is delivering his impassioned vocals, complemented by Gill’s steel-eyed resolve.

The 2019 Gang of Four are glorious. They sound enormous. They are exciting and have more than a whiff of danger and revolution about them. Gill radiates intensity and still plays the guitar like it’s sparking with electricity, and his band of young droogs add a youthful exuberance and energy that electrifies the songs and makes Gang of Four a thrilling exercise in reinvention.

Gang of Four’s new single ‘Paper Thin’ is released through AWAL on January 18, 2019 and is available on all major streaming platforms. The new studio album Happy Now is released on March 29, 2019 and is available now on pre-order in all formats from Pledge https://bit.ly/2QHMLXa     

Gang of Four embark on a tour of the USA in February, China, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.  

Gang of Four live in Bucharest photo by Andrei Musat

U.S. TOUR DATES

  Feb 4 Marty’s On Newport Tustin, CA
  Feb 5 The Casbah San Diego, CA
  Feb 6 Roxy Theatre W. Hollywood, CA
  Feb 8 Strummer’s Fresno, CA
  Feb 9 The Chapel San Francisco, CA
  Feb 11 Global Hall Denver, CO
  Feb 12 Slow Down Omaha, NE
       *Feb 13  Space    Evanston, IL
  Feb 14 Shank Hall Milwaukee, WI
  Feb 16 El Club Detroit, MI
  Feb 17 Club Café Pittsburgh, PA
  Feb 19 Once Ballroom Somerville, MA
  Feb 20 Space Ballroom Hamden, CT
  Feb 21 U Street Music Hall Washington, DC
  Feb 22 Underground Arts Philadelphia, PA
  Feb 23 Asbury Lanes Asbury Park, NJ
  Feb 24 The Colony Woodstock, NY
  Feb 25 Rough Trade NYC Brooklyn, NY

PHOTO RECAP: Rachael Yamagata With Special Guests Radnor & Lee at City Winery Chicago January 29 & 30, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Check Out My Full Set Of Live Rachael Yamagata Show Shots In The Slideshow HERE and more favorites Below (City Winery Chicago 1/29/19):

It was my pleasure to catch Rachael Yamagata With Special Guests Radnor & Lee at City Winery and shoot stills for ChiIL Live Shows. Rachael's sultry vocals and witty banter between ballads made this a great date night choice for my husband and me. 

I was interested to learn that Rachael made Chicago her home for a decade and performed her first open mic right here in a little bar on Lincoln Avenue. She laughingly confessed it was an unmitigated disaster and she stopped performing in public for 5 years after that. Fortunately for her fervent fans, she did give it a go again, eventually joining Chicago funk band, Bumpus.

At Tuesday night's show, we got to see Rachael's on stage "bass debut", as well as her stylings on grand piano and guitar. 

She played a number of old favorites, new tunes, and even an excellent encore number of Fleetwood Mac's The Chain, garnering a standing ovation. Check out her site here. 

Radnor & Lee were folky and fun as openers, with a clever vintage suitcase drum and foot tambourine. 

Does Josh Radnor's face look familiar? He's a creative guy, rockin' a bunch of titles: American actor, writer, director, filmmaker and musician. He's most often recognized as Ted Mosby from the Emmy Award-winning CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. He wrote and directed the 2010 comedy drama film Happythankyoumoreplease, which won the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. In 2014, Radnor portrayed Isaac in Tony nominated Broadway play, Disgraced. You may have also seen him as Dr. Jedediah Foster on Mercy Street, the PBS American Civil War drama and as Lou Mazzuchelli in the musical series Rise. Check out Radnor & Lee's Facebook Page Here.

Check Out My Full Set of Radnor & Lee Live Show Shots In The Slideshow HERE and more favorites Below:

Rachael Yamagata
Tuesday-Wednesday, January 29-30
Called “the troubadour of heartbreak,” Rachael Yamagata bears the “old soul” singer/songwriter essence that calls upon Todd Rundgren, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, The Carpenters, and Elton John, while sonically gravitating towards the darker stylings of Nick Cave, Tom Waits, P.J. Harvey, and Danny Elfman. She has toured with The Swell Season, Ray LaMontagne, Ryan Adams, and Sara Bareilles. Yamagata has also opened for David Gray solo at Madison Square Garden; and she has shared the stage at Carnegie Hall with R.E.M. and Patti Smith. She released a new EP, Porch Songs, in October 2018. Yamagata returns to City Winery for two intimate performances.

Yamagata unlocks your pain and gives it permission to breathe.

"Along with the bad-assery, Yamagata brings a world-weary passion to her singing. Her voice is a soul-baring, sultry instrument that commands center stage at all times. She has that deliberate, I’ll-sing-the-note-when-I’m-ready pacing that helped make Amy Winehouse great, and before her Billie Holliday.” Associated Press

"The singer-songwriter unveils a dark fire burning within her obstinate self.” Paste

“Some singer/songwriters wear their hearts on their sleeves. Some of them also make sure they’re dripping with blood. Case in point: the ultra-emotive singer/pianist Rachael Yamagata.” Digital Trends

“Catchy and engaging, but consistently smart to boot” -- Mother Jones

“Like Screaming Jay Hawkins meeting Patsy Cline in a studio built by Sam Phillips and David Gold with Daniel Lanois producing, Tightrope Walker is all soul-fever dreams and bittersweet echoes, Yamagata’s breathy, sensuous vocals leading rumbling drums and swampy guitars, ghostly keyboards, and sorcerer’s tones.” - Electronic Musician

'More classy soul-baring pastorals from upstate New Yorker... a sonically rich experience that repays closer listening... Yamagata’s voice is superb at evoking languid heartache... This is an album of immersive and emotive pleasures’ – Uncut

Opened in 2012, City Winery Chicago is a fully operational winery, restaurant with outdoor patio, concert hall and private event space located in the heart of the West Loop at 1200 W. Randolph, in the historic urban Fulton Market district. Once a refrigerated food distribution warehouse, the 1911 building has been transformed into a contemporary 33,000 square foot haven for those passionate about wine, music and culinary arts. The décor evokes the romance of being in wine country, from the exposed stainless steel fermenting tanks and French oak barrels, to the aroma of fermenting grapes. The West Loop’s only fully operational winery has produced dozens of in-house wines sourced from vineyards in California, Oregon, Washington, Argentina and Chile, including a Wine Enthusiast 92-point 2015 Verna’s Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir. With more than 400 unique producers from around the world City Winery is recognized with 2014 and 2015 Best of Awards of Excellence “for having one of the most outstanding restaurant wine lists in the world” by Wine Spectator. The globally inspired, locally sourced, wine-focused food menu is conceived for pairing and sharing. The concert hall accommodates up to 300 guests, all seated at tables with complete beverage and dining service, ensuring a comfortable “listening room” experience enhanced by a state-of-the-art Meyer Sound system. Riedel is the official and exclusive provider of glassware, showing City Winery’s commitment to enjoying quality wine in a quality vessel. American Airlines is the Official Airline and Virgin Hotels Chicago is the Official Hotel of City Winery. For more information, please visit www.citywinery.com.

More Favorites Show Shots Below:

OPENING: Chicago Premiere of The Father Via Remy Bumppo Theatre Company at Theater WIT January 31 – March 3, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

The Father

Chicago Premiere! 

by Florian Zeller

directed by Kay Martinovich

January 31 – March 3, 2019

Florian Zeller’s internationally acclaimed and award-winning hit, is both a puzzle box mystery and a deeply poignant look at family, aging, and the limits of love.

2016 Tony Nominee for Best Play

Running Time: 1 hour 35 minutes with no intermission

There is no late seating available for this production.

I'll be out for the press opening February 5th, so check back soon for my full review.  

A multi-award-winning hit in Paris, London, and New York, Florian Zeller’s The Father is both a tragi-comic mystery and a deeply poignant, unsentimental look at the cruelties of love, the limits of patience, and the unsettling process of mental decay. January 31 - March 3, 2019.

PHOTO CREDIT: The cast of Remy Bumppo Theatre Company’s production of THE FATHER (Top row, L to R) David Darlow, Alys Dickerson, Linda Gillum, (2nd row, L to R) Anish Jethmalani, Laura Resinger, Bobby Wilhelmson.

CAST
David Darlow – André
Alys Dickerson – Laura
Linda Gillum – Anne
Anish Jethmalani – Pierre
Laura Resinger – Woman
Bobby Wilhelmson – Man

PRODUCTION
Director – Kay Martinovich
Assistant Director – Eileen Vorbach
Stage Manager – Tina M. Jach
Assistant Stage Manager – Kaitlyn Broyles
Dramaturg – Robert Schneider
Production Manager – Ellen Willett
Technical Director – Joe Schermoly
Scenic Designer – Yu Shibagaki
Costume Designer – Jeremy Floyd
Assistant Costume Designer – Elizabeth Galba
Lighting Designer – Brandon Wardell
Original Music and Sound Design – Christopher Kriz
Properties Designer – Jamie Karas

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company is pleased to announce casting for the second show of its 2018 – 2019 season, THE FATHER, playing January 31 – March 3, 2019 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Avenue in Chicago. Florian Zeller’s internationally acclaimed and award-winning hit makes its way to Chicago for the first time and will be directed by Kay Martinovich. 

THE FATHER, both a puzzle box mystery and a look at family, aging, and the limits of love, will feature Remy Bumppo Core Ensemble Members David Darlow and Linda Gillum along with Alys Dickerson, Anish Jethmalani, Laura Resinger, and Bobby Wilhelmson. Remy Bumppo Theatre Company’s production of THE FATHER will be performed January 31 – March 3, 2019 at Theater Wit. 

Stage Manager: Tina M. Jach Assistant Director: Eileen Vorbach Dramaturg: Robert Schneider Scenic Designer: Yu Shibagaki Costume Designer: Jeremy Floyd Lighting Designer: Brandon Wardell Original Music and Sound Design: Christopher Kriz Properties Designer: Jamie Karas 

Cast (in alphabetical order): David Darlow (André), Alys Dickerson (Laura), Linda Gillum (Anne), Anish Jethmalani (Pierre), Laura Resinger (Woman), and Bobby Wilhelmson (Man). 

Location: Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60657 Dates: 

Previews: Thursday, January 31 at 7:30pm, Friday, February 1 at 7:30pm, Saturday, February 2 at 7:30pm, and Sunday, February 3 at 2:30pm 
Press Opening: Tuesday, February 5 at 7:00pm 
Regular Run: Thursday, February 7 – Sunday, March 3, 2019 Curtain Times: Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm Matinee Performances (other than Sundays): Saturday, February 23 at 2:30pm and Thursday, February 28 at 2:30pm 

Audio Description/Touch Tour Performance: Saturday, February 23 (Touch Tour starts at 1:00pm, and the performance starts at 2:30pm) Open Captioned Performances: Wednesday, February 13 at 7:30pm and Thursday, February 28 at 2:30pm Tickets: Previews: $37.75 Regular Run: $37.75 - $62.75 Industry Tickets: $20.00, available Wednesdays – Fridays Student Tickets: $15.00, available day of only Group Discounts: Available for parties of 10 or more, call 773.975.8150

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company is an ensemble based theatre company that believes in the power and beauty of language, the emotional effects of timeless ideas, and conversation as an agent of change. As our motto think theatre suggests, the plays we produce will make you think - actively - about the complex issues we face as people, as a community, and as humankind. Since its inception in 1996, the Company has produced a blend of modern classics, new adaptations, and complex contemporary works, all presented in an intimate setting with clarity, wit and passion. We invite audiences to engage directly with the art through conversation with the artists.

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

REVIEW: La Boheme at Lyric Opera Now Playing Through January 31st, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

LA BOHÈME 

Lyric Opera of Chicago

Through January 31st, 2019

Guest Review
by catherine hellmann

“It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.”-- Rodolfo in “La Boheme.” Actually, those words were written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. But our hero, Rodolfo could have easily stated them as well.  

You know how when you read a particular novel and it speaks to you in the manner of your current frame of mind? If you need hope, perhaps the book provides inspiration; if you are feeling nostalgic from a setback, the same book at a different time can seem poignant. I love how opera can stir up similar reactions in life’s journey. So is my attachment to the beautiful “La Boheme” by Puccini.

The last time I saw a production of Lyric’s “La Boheme,” I was struck by the overall sadness of the piece, the poverty, the struggles of the artists, Mimi’s chronic cough and eventual death. Downer, dude. Gorgeous music, of course, but oh so melancholy. (Did I mention I just had a miscarriage? Yeah, I was in a tough place…) Fast forward twenty years, and the healthy baby boy I eventually went on to have is now a Sophomore in college, and life is good. Hmmm...I did not realize how utterly charming and humorous  Act I of “La Boheme” could be! Opera as litmus test! No wonder this is the opera that Nicholas Cage takes Cher to in Moonstruck. The story and score are swoon-worthy.



Lyric Opera has assembled a marvelous international cast for its current “La Boheme.” Italian Maria Agresta as Mimi and American Michael Fabiano as Rodolfo are adorable flirting together and wowed us with their vocal theatrics this past fall at Millennium Park. Musetta is performed with relish for the role by Australian soprano Danielle De Niese; her Musetta is feisty, sexy, funny, and ultimately very empathetic with a compassionate heart. Her seduction aria to make Marcello jealous places her on a table in a restaurant while she removes her panties to place on his head, something we don’t see often in opera! Zachary Nelson as her on-and-off-again lover Marcello is her match.    

 


The sets and costumes are wonderful, especially the market scene with the crowds, including the Chicago Children’s Choir, out bustling, shopping for toys, perfumes, and corsets. I love the snow constantly falling as a reminder of how pretty snow can be when it is not dirty slush on the streets of Chicago!

And oh, that lovely music! Venezuelan conductor Domingo Hindoyan states that the first time he heard the entire score, “I was in love with every bar.” It is easy to see why. As my guy, who was seeing his first opera, observed,”It is a beautiful tragedy. Rodolfo’s heart is broken, but he has peace.” Rather than running away by breaking up with an obviously ailing Mimi, Rodolfo confesses his deep love for her and is with her to her last breath.

My favorite line in the libretto sums it all up: “You are the dream I’d like to last a lifetime.”

Catherine Hellmann is a teacher, writer, and theater junkie. She has tried to inspire urban and rural middle schoolers for over twenty years. A mother of three, she is thrilled to once again claim Chicago as home.  



Puccini's story of love, loss and the artistic world of 19th-century Paris comes to vibrant life in this stunning production at Lyric Opera of Chicago. A huge hit when it premiered it in 1896, the opera's popularity and power hasn't dimmed since. Featuring strikingly designed sets and costumes, not to mention an exciting cast of singers, including Maria Agresta, Michael Fabiano, Danielle de Niese, Zachary Nelson and more, La bohème finds the poor poet Rodolfo and the painter Marcello drawn into a tangle of love and jealousy after the frail Mimi knocks on their door. These youthful dreamers navigate the complicated maze of romance amid the colorful Bohemian enclaves of the city and its snowy streets, until they realize they can no longer hide from the world's harsh realities.



Click here for Lyric Opera's site, for more information and ticket sales

OPENING: The Chicago Premiere of A Doll’s House, Part 2 Via Steppenwolf Theatre Company January 31 – March 17, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar
Steppenwolf Theatre Company Presents the Chicago Premiere of

A Doll’s House, Part 2

Written by Lucas Hnath

Directed by Robin Witt

January 31 – March 17, 2019

Featuring Steppenwolf’s First Onstage Audience Seating Experience

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the Chicago premiere production of A Doll’s House, Part 2 by award-winning playwright Lucas Hnath, helmed by acclaimed director Robin Witt and featuring ensemble members Celeste M. Cooper (Emmy), Sandra Marquez (Nora) and Yasen Peyankov (Torvald), with Barbara Robertson (Anne Marie). Hnath’s bitingly funny play continues this classic story 15 years after the infamous door slam that ended Ibsen’s original play.

I'll be out for the press performance February 12th, so check back soon for my full review. I've caught Ibsen's original, A Doll’s House, many times in many forms, so I'm eager to catch this Chicago premiere sequel, A Doll’s House, Part 2 by award-winning playwright Lucas Hnath. 

Pictured (L to R) ensemble member Sandra Marquez (Nora), Barbara Robertson (Anne Marie) and ensemble member Yasen Peyankov (Torvald) in rehearsal for Steppenwolf’s Chicago premiere of A Doll’s House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath, directed by Robin Witt in the Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N Halsted St. Performances for A Doll’s House, Part 2 are January 31 – March 17, 2019. Tickets are available at 312-335- 1650 and steppenwolf.org. 

All Rehearsal Photos by Joel Moorman.

A Doll’s House, Part 2 begins previews January 31, 2019 and the production runs through March 17, 2019 in the Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Opening night is Sunday, February 10. Tickets ($20-$99) are on sale now through Audience Services at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

As a door slams in 1879 Norway, a young wife and mother leaves behind her family, freeing herself from the shackles of traditional societal constraints. Now, 15 years later, that same door opens to reveal Nora, a changed woman with an incredibly awkward favor to ask the people who she abandoned. Lucas Hnath's bitingly funny sequel to Ibsen's revolutionary masterpiece unfolds in a series of bristling stand-offs that reveal in Nora's world, much like our own, behind every opinion there is a person, and a slamming door isn't just an end, but also the chance for a new beginning.

 Pictured ensemble member Sandra Marquez (Nora) in rehearsal 

Pictured ensemble member Celeste M. Cooper (Emmy) in rehearsal 

A Doll’s House, Part 2 features a Steppenwolf first: an onstage audience seating experience. To reach the stage, patrons will be escorted through a backstage path historically only used by the crew and actors. Before most performances, onstage ticket holders will have dedicated access to restrooms, concessions and complimentary coat check. Onstage seating is available for $30, which includes accessible options for people who use mobility devices or don’t use stairs. To reserve on-stage seating, call Audience Services at 312-335-1650 or select “Onstage seats” in the “Best Available” ticket selection online to purchase onstage seats for a truly up close and intimate theater experience, steppenwolf.org.

Pictured ensemble member Sandra Marquez (Nora) 

Pictured (L to R) ensemble members Sandra Marquez (Nora) and Yasen Peyankov (Torvald) 

Director Robin Witt shares, “The play is so stunning, funny, and smart. A Doll’s House, Part 2 is an extraordinary, contemporary conversation of how we battle and negotiate the expectations of both our loved ones and our community. The audience does not have to be familiar with the Ibsen source material to recognize the power of Lucas Hnath’s sequel. I’m beyond thrilled to be working with the Steppenwolf ensemble on this sharply provocative play.”

Bios
Lucas Hnath’s plays include A Doll’s House, Part 2 (8 Tony® nominations, including Best Play); Hillary and Clinton; Red Speedo; The Christians (produced by Steppenwolf in 2016); A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney; Isaac’s Eye; and Death Tax. He has been produced on Broadway at the John Golden Theatre, Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop, Playwrights Horizons, Soho Rep, and Ensemble Studio Theatre. His plays have been produced nationally and internationally with premieres at the Humana Festival of New Plays, Victory Gardens and South Coast Rep. He has been a resident playwright at New Dramatists since 2011. Awards include the Kesselring Prize, Guggenheim Fellowship, Whiting Award, two Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award Citations, Outer Critics Circle Award for Best New Play, an Obie and the Windham-Campbell Literary Prize.

Pictured (L to R) ensemble members Sandra Marquez (Nora) and Celeste M. Cooper (Emmy) with director Robin Witt in rehearsal for Steppenwolf’s Chicago premiere of A Doll’s House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath, directed by Robin Witt 

Pictured director Robin Witt 

Pictured (L to R) ensemble members Celeste M. Cooper (Emmy) and Yasen Peyankov (Torvald) with director Robin Witt 

Robin Witt is an American theater director. She is an ensemble member at both the Griffin Theatre and Steep Theatre in Chicago. Witt's directing credits include Cordelia Lynn’s Lela & Co; John Van Druten’s London Wall (Jeff Awards, 2016 Director and Production); Ena Lamont Stewart’s Men Should Weep (Jeff Awards, 2015 Director and Production); Terrence Rattigan’s Flare Path; Dennis Kelly’s Love and Money; Amanda Peet’s The Commons of Pensacola; and the U.S. premieres of Simon Stephens’s Motortown, Wastwater, Pornography and Harper Regan. Witt’s productions have been cited as “Best of the Year” by The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, TimeOut, and Chicago Reader where she has been described as “fearless,” “a powerhouse,” “galvanic,” and “unstinting.” Her international work includes Juliet: A Dialogue About Love at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2013). A graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts (BFA) and Northwestern University (MFA), Witt is currently an Associate Professor of Directing at the University of North Carolina Charlotte.

A Doll’s House, Part 2 production team includes Courtney O’Neill (scenic design), Izumi Inaba (costume design), Christine Binder (lighting design), Thomas Dixon (sound design), and Gigi Buffington (Company Voice and Text Coach). Additional credits include Laura Glenn (stage manager), Elise Hausken (assistant stage manager), JC Clementz (casting director) and Jonathan Berry (artistic producer).

Pictured (L to R) ensemble members Celeste M. Cooper (Emmy) and Sandra Marquez (Nora) 

Ticket Information:
Previews: $20 – $84, Regular Run: $20 – $99. Prices subject to change
Onstage Seating: $30 (includes accessible options for people who use mobility devices or don’t use stairs).

20 for $20: Twenty $20 tickets are available for subscription shows on the day of the performance at 11am (Mon – Sat) and 1pm (Sun), by phone only at 312-335-1650. Limit 2 per person.

Rush Tickets: Half-price rush tickets are available one hour before each show.
Student Discounts: Limited $15 student tickets are available online. (Limit 2 tickets. Must present a valid student ID for each ticket). For additional student discounts, visit steppenwolf.org/students.

Group Tickets: All groups of 10 or more receive a discounted rate for any performance.

Black Card Memberships are for audiences interested in extreme flexibility. Cards include six tickets for use any time, are valid for one year with the option to add additional tickets as needed. Perks include easy and free exchanges, access to seats before the general public, savings on single ticket prices and bar and restaurant discounts.

Red Card Memberships are available for theaterrgoers under 30. More info at steppenwolf.org/memberships

Audience Services: For tickets or more information, contact Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St) at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

Visitor Information
Steppenwolf is located at 1650 N Halsted St near all forms of public transportation, bike racks and Divvy bike stands. The parking facility ($12 or $14, cash or card) is located just south of our theater at 1624 N Halsted. Valet parking service ($14 cash) is available directly in front of the main entrance starting at 5pm on weeknights, 1pm on weekends and at 12noon before Wednesday matinees. Limited street and lot parking are also available. For last minute questions and concerns, patrons can call the Steppenwolf Parking Hotline at 312.335.1774.

Accessibility
Committed to making the Steppenwolf experience accessible to everyone, performances featuring American Sign Language Interpretation, Open Captioning and Audio Description are offered during the run of each play. Assistive listening devices and large-print programs are available for every performance and the Downstairs and 1700 Theatres are each equipped with an induction hearing loop. All theaters feature wheelchair accessible seating and restrooms, and Front Bar features a push-button entrance, all-gender restrooms and accessible counter and table spaces.
Accessible Performances:
American Sign Language Interpretation: Sunday, February 24 at 7:30pm
Open Captioning: Thursday, February 21 at 7:30pm and Saturday, March 16 at 3pm
Audio Description and Touch Tour: Sunday, March 10 at 1:30pm

Sponsor Information
United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf.

Pictured Barbara Robertson (Anne Marie)

Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks
Connected to the main lobby is Steppenwolf’s own Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks, offering a warm, creative space to grab a drink, have a bite, or meet up with friends and collaborators, day or night. Open Tuesdays – Sundays from 8am to midnight, Front Bar serves artisanal coffee and espresso is provided by La Colombe and food prepared by Goddess and Grocer. The menu focuses on fresh, accessible fare, featuring grab-and-go salads and sandwiches for lunch and adding shareable small plates and desserts for evening and post show service. www.front-bar.com.

2019 Year of Chicago Theatre
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is proud to be part of the 2019 Year of Chicago Theatre, presented by the City of Chicago and the League of Chicago Theatres. To truly fall in love with Chicago, you must go to our theatres. This is where the city bares its fearless soul. Home to a community of creators, risk-takers, and big hearts, Chicago theatre is a hotbed for exciting new work and hundreds of world premieres every year. From Broadway musicals to storefront plays and improv, there’s always a seat waiting for you at one of our 200+ theatres. Book your next show today at ChicagoPlays.com.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation’s premier ensemble theater. Formed by a collective of actors in 1976, the ensemble represents a remarkable cross-section of actors, directors and playwrights. Thrilling and powerful productions from Balm in Gilead to August: Osage County and Pass Over—and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony Awards—have made the theater legendary. Steppenwolf produces hundreds of performances and events annually in its three spaces: the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat 1700 Theatre. Artistic programing includes a seven-play season; a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; Visiting Company engagements; and LookOut, a multi-genre performances series. Education initiatives include the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf for Young Adults, which engages 15,000 participants annually from Chicago’s diverse communities; the esteemed School at Steppenwolf; and Professional Leadership Programs for arts administration training. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Anna D. Shapiro is the Artistic Director and David Schmitz is the Executive Director. Eric Lefkofsky is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr. 

Pictured (L to R) ensemble members Sandra Marquez (Nora) and Celeste M. Cooper (Emmy)