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Thursday, March 7, 2013
My Gold Mask Release Party This Weekend + Added Tour Dates
Nylon Premieres My Gold Mask's 'Burn Like The Sun' Video
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INCOMING: Django Django & Night Moves at Metro
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Wednesday, March 6, 2013
INCOMING: Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo C2E2 2013
Check out our original photos from C2E2 2012 Saturday above
R2D2? No....C2E2!!!
Yeah, OK... maybe both. R2D2 @ C2E2
Du-Jay & Sagezilla dug C2E2 and can't wait for 2013
It's bigger on the inside....
This year's Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) will be their biggest by far. Tickets are selling earlier and faster than ever. As of the final week of February, VIP tickets are sold out; 1-Day ticket sales are up 65%; and 3-Day ticket sales are up 78%. This is an overall increase of 64% compared to last year!
**Meanwhile, their exhibit space is also growing...at this point, they are 25% larger than last year.**
This is great news as it means that the Midwest - and Chicago, in particular - is becoming a center for pop culture enthusiasts similar in scale to New York and San Diego.
Have you gotten your tickets yet? Don't miss out. Click here and order your tickets as soon as possible. ChiIL Mama will be there...will YOU?! We'll have photo filled recaps, individual features, hot new releases, reviews, and free downloads for you. So check back with ChiIL Mama/ ChiIL Live Shows like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often!!
C2E2 2013, April 26-28, 2013 at the West Building at McCormick Place.
Check out their main site here for special guests and more.
Our ultra favorite thing about C2E2 isn't one show or genre even...it's mash ups and context! We swung by Micky D's on the way out and it was beyond amusing to see the comic book world superimposed on reality. It's all about context. As realtors are fond of saying...location, location, location.
"Welcome to McDonalds, may I take your order?"
We also love to see the colorful mash ups that organically happen in the crowd as everyone's story lines intermingle.
Steampunk was a growing presence at C2E2 12, and we bought a fabulous corset & a wooden mustache monocle.
We also bought a unique ocarina necklace & a "teacarina" musical, pottery tea cup/instrument among other finds.
Sagezilla and Du-Jay enjoyed the show, and it's fairly family friendly. There were a ton of kids of all ages there, and there was plenty for kids to see and do, particularly for tweens and teens.
Kick Ass fam friendly fun at C2E2
Sure, there's a plethora of the usual comic book boobs n gore...so skip it with the littles if they're very young and easily freaked out, or if you're uber conservative. Otherwise, dress up and come on down!
Of course we're suckers for any excuse to play dress up, and enjoy seeing adults who are reeeeeally into what they're into, and we dig comics, anime, Dr. Who and games. That means C2E2 is right up our alley.
First time we ever quoted Mr. T around Sagezilla, she thought we said "I'm Winnie the Pooh", and used to repeat it in a booming Mr. T impression. To this day I still can't hear "I pity the fool" without laughing.
We saw many fun freaks, and even derby zombies from The Outfit!
There were loads of graphic artists, actors & writers about.
Promises...promises
We're a little bummed. These Romanian artist guys took a steam punk photo of Sagezilla & Du-Jay and said they'd anime the kids and send us the sketch via e-mail after the show, and it never happened. Was that supposed to read get your sketch a year from today?!
We're coming back to find you for C2E2 2013, so start sketching... long haired boy and tiny but mighty grrrrrl, or they'll kick you in the kneecaps!
You can even get inked up permanently, with some new scars, if you're brave & of age. I do have 4 tattoos, but not from C2E2. We just stuck with the kind of ink you turn the pages on!
We also saw another of our big favorites--Threadless--and stocked up on more, cool, artist designed t's! They give back to the community and work with kids for free, at Girls Rock Chicago camps, 826Chi Writing Workshops and more.
Sage spent her "helpful works" cash on a bunch of seriously rockin' handmade fimo necklaces another kid had made. They were one of a kind and one of the coolest thing we saw at the whole show because they were so creative. She also bought a Shawnimal Ninja necklace.
Du-Jay bought Activision Skylanders, one of his Wii favorites.
We also ran into one of our favorite author/artist duos... Kim & Dino, of Traegonia fame.
We gave away a set of their excellent books to one of our lucky readers in December, as part of our huge Holidaze Giveaways.
The Traegonia books are a middle grade, eco-friendly fantasy series our family really digs!! Highly recommended. Check out their main site right here.
Come on out and play. C2E2's a must see for geeks, gamers, pop culture enthusiasts, families and YOU!
BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF FROM DOO WOP TO HIP HOP
Chi, IL live shows on our radar. We haven't had a chance to catch this one yet, but it's high up on our must see list. We've been impressed by Jackie Taylor's work for years.
Black Ensemble Theater presents the world premiere of From Doo Wop to Hip Hop, written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor and Associate Director Rueben Echoles and produced by Jackie Taylor. From Doo Wop to Hip Hop will be presented at the new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, through April 14, 2013.
From Doo Wop to Hip Hop is the story of people who live in the highly affluent neighborhood of Unison Hills. This is an integrated neighborhood made up of people from the music industry. The older folks have all lived their dreams of stardom, and the younger folks are reaching for theirs. The Whites and Blacks who live in Unison Hills have a very special bond, until tragedy hits – a racial tragedy that tears their congenial neighborhood apart. Audiences will hear such great musical classics as “The Great Pretender,” “16 Candles,” “What’s Your Name,” “Our Day Will Come” and “Waterfalls,” just to name a few. Audiences will also enjoy several other musical genres including rhythm and blues, soul, Hip Hop and everything in between. Musical variety is the name of the game and From Doo Wop to Hip Hop serves it up – big time.
Dates: Through April 14, 2013
Schedule: Wed & Thurs: 7:30 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 p.m.
Saturday: 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Sunday: 3:00 p.m.
Location: Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street.
Valet parking is available.
Ticket prices:
Regular Run: $55 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturday matinees; and $65 on Fridays, Saturday evenings, and Sunday matinees.
A 10% discount is available for students, seniors, and groups. Preview tickets are $45.00
Box Office: 773-769-4451 or online at www.blackensemble.org. Click here to order tickets.
From Doo Wop to Hip Hop is part of the Black Ensemble’s 36th Season of Excellence titled, ‘Treasures and Tributes.’ "This Black Ensemble treasure (originally Doo Wop Shoo Bop) is being rewritten and updated for the 2013 production,” says Jackie Taylor. “With this production, we celebrate music that every generation will enjoy. As always at Black Ensemble, we are bringing audiences of different generations and races together to experience a universal story with exceptional music like you won’t hear anywhere else in Chicago.”
As with all Black Ensemble Theater productions, Robert Reddrick will serve as musical director. The Black Ensemble Musicians include Robert Reddrick on drums, Tracy Baker on bass, Herbert Walker on guitar, and Mark Moultrup and Andrea Moore on piano.
The cast includes: David Simmons, Monty Montgomery, Christopher Straw, Dwight Neal, Matthew Payne, Kelvin Roston Jr., Brandon Holmes, Lawrence Williams, Corey Wright, Cynthia Carter, Erin O’Shea, John Keating, Megan Murphy, Lisa Beasley, Danielle Davis and Marquicia Jordan.
The creative team includes Rueben Echoles (Choreography), Daryl Brooks (Production Manager), Dave Ferguson (Set Design), Denise Karczewski (Lights), Mike Pierce and Les Spires (Sound), June Saito (Costumes), Helen Latyak (Props), CoCo Lemry (Scenic Painter). Bekki Lambrecht is the
Technical Director, Emily Wall is the company stage manager and Victoria Spires is the Equity Stage Manager.
Black Ensemble Theater performance times are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 3:00 and 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00.
Ticket prices are as follows:
Previews are $45; Tickets during the regular run are $55 (Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturday matinees) and $65 (Fridays, Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees).
The Five Play Card is a much more flexible way of becoming a subscriber to the theater’s 36th Season of Excellence: Treasures and Tributes. The Five Play Card can be used for one person to see 5 plays or to bring 4 other friends to one show or in any other combination that adds up to five. The Five Play Cards issued in 2013 will be good for one year.
Gold Five Play Card, $247.50, can be used on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturday matinees. The Platinum Five Play Card, $292.50, can be used for any performance.
Tickets and The Five Play Card are available at the box office, 4450 N. Clark Street and by phone, (773) 769-4451. All performances are held at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street.
The Black Ensemble Theater
Founded in 1976, by the phenomenal producer, playwright and actress Jackie Taylor, Black Ensemble Theater is the only African American theater located in the culturally, racially and ethnically diverse north side Uptown community. Through its Five Play Season of Excellence, The Black Ensemble Theater dazzles audiences locally, nationally and internationally with outstanding original musicals that are entertaining, educational and uplifting. The Black Ensemble Theater has produced more than 100 productions and employed over 5,000 artists.
On November 18, 2011, The Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center opened and is able to accommodate larger-scale productions, bigger audiences and a wider range of educational programming. The new facility includes amenities such as a 299-seat main stage theater (double the capacity of the original venue); 14 offices, classroom space; rehearsal hall, dance studio, scene shop, costume shop, and wardrobe rooms; seven dressing rooms; rehearsal room for musicians; front lobby space with concession areas; and an indoor parking garage. The completion of a 150-seat theater, which will serve as an experimental stage for the work of the Black Playwright Initiative (BPI), is expected in 2013.
The mission of the Black Ensemble Theater Company is to eradicate racism and its devastating effects upon society through the theater arts. For more information on the Black Ensemble Theater Company, please visit www.BlackEnsembleTheater.org or call 773-769-4451.
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