OPENING: GASLIGHT DISTRICT The Second City e.t.c.'s 42nd REVUE

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we know Chicago style improv and sketch comedy is second to none. We'll be ChiILin' at Chi, IL's renowned Second City this Friday for the press opening of GASLIGHT DISTRICT, The Second City e.t.c.'s 42nd REVUE. These are some seriously funny actors and we can't wait.  

From aliens to the alienated, savage roasts to distorted boasts, The Second City e.t.c.’s 42 revue invites you along on a frenzied frolic that translates our modern world into the common language of laughter.  Clear your mind, open your eyes and hail one wild rideshare to a place where the truth isn’t just out there, it’s waaaay out there.

PERFORMANCES:
Thursdays at 8pm
Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm and 11pm
Sundays at 7pm

This performance runs about 2 hours with one 10 minute intermission and should be considered rated R.

Groups of 16 or more can visit our Group Events page for party package options. Contact our Group Sales Department for more information on rates and catering options. Phone: 312-337-3992. E-mail: groups@secondcity.com

For more information and to book your tickets click HERE.

The cast for the 42nd revue:
Returning ensemble members Sayjal Joshi, Alan Linic, Andrew Knox, Jasbir Singh Vazquez, and Jacob Shuda (Musical Director) will be joined by new cast members Emily Fightmaster and Katie Kershaw.

Second City Touring Company director Anneliese Toft will direct her first resident company revue.

OPENING: Tony Award Winning MEMPHIS Via Porchlight Music Theatre 4/19/18 – 6/3/18

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE BRINGS 

MEMPHIS, 

AN ORIGINAL STORY OF LOVE, SOUL AND ROCK ‘n’ ROLL, 

TO CHICAGO AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS, APRIL 19 – JUNE 3

The 2010 Best Musical Tony Award-winner Features Book and Lyrics by 

Joe DiPietro and Music and Lyrics by David Bryan and is Directed for Porchlight Music Theatre by Daryl D. Brooks, Assistant Directed and Choreographed by Christopher Carter and Music Directed by Jermaine Hill

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're eager to see Porchlight's take on this Tony winner. We'll be out for the press opening, so check back soon for my full review. This show will be at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, as Porchlight Music Theatre continues as their Artist In-Residence company this season.

Porchlight Music Theatre’s Mainstage 2017-2018 season concludes with Memphis, April 19 – June 3, at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Memphis, book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro and music and lyrics by David Bryan, is directed by Daryl D.  Brooks, assistant directed and choreographed by Christopher Carter, music directed by Jermaine Hill and assistant choreographed by Reneisha Jenkins. 

Previews are Thursday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 20 and Saturday, April 21 at 8 p.m., Sunday, April 22 at 6 p.m. and Tuesday, April 24 at 7:30pm. Opening night is Wednesday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. The regular run performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 6 p.m. (April 29 and May 6) and 2 p.m. (May 13, May 20, May 27 and June 3) with weekday matinees Wednesday, May 9, Wednesday, May 16 and Thursday, May 24, at 1:30 p.m. and a open-captioned performance Saturday, May 12 at 4 p.m. There is no 4 p.m. performance Saturday, April 28 and no 7:30 p.m. performance on Thursday, May 24. 

Tickets are $33 - $60 and are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.

From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes the Tony Award-winning Best Musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. Inspired by actual events, Memphis is the story of a white radio DJ who wants to change the world and a black club singer who is ready for her big break. This incredible journey, written by DiPietro (author of Nice Work If You Can Get It, All Shook Up, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change and others) is filled with laughter, soaring emotion and a roof-raising musical score by David Bryan of the band Bon Jovi.

The cast of Porchlight Music Theatre’s Memphis includes: Stephen Allen, Jr., (ensemble/Wailin' Joe);  Todd Aulwurm, (ensemble); Shantel Cribbs, (ensemble); Gilbert Domally, (Gator); Ryan Dooley, (ensemble/White DJ/Mr. Collins/White Father/Gordon Grant);  Ariel M. Dorsey, (ensemble);  Jared David Michael Grant, (ensemble/Black DJ/Reverend Hobson); Graham Hawley, (ensemble); James Earl Jones II, (Bobby); Kayla Kennedy, (ensemble), Nicole Lambert, (ensemble); Bernell Lassai III, (ensemble); Ivory Leonard IV, (ensemble); Mallory Maedke, (ensemble);  Liam Quealy, (Huey Calhoun); Casiena Raether, (ensemble/Clara/White Mother/Dance Captain); Lorenzo Rush Jr., (Delray Jones); Isaiah Silvia-Chandley, (ensemble/Buck Wiley/Martin Holton); Aalon Smith (ensemble); Koray Tarhan, (ensemble/Perry Como/Frank Dryer); Jacob Voigt (Mr. Simmons); Nancy Wagner, (Gladys Calhoun) and Aeriel Williams, (Felicia Farrell). Additional ensemble members to be announced soon.

The Memphis production team includes Daryl Brooks, director; Chris Carter, choreographer and assistant director; Jermaine Hill, music director; Reneisha Jenkins, assistant choreographer; Robert Hornbostel, sound designer; Bill Morey, costume designer; Denise Karczewski, lighting designer;  Jacqueline Penrod and Richard Penrod, scenic designers; Andrew Hatcher, props designer; Matthew McMullen, stage manager; Aaron Shapiro, production manager and Johnnie Schleyer; technical director.

Hill is also conductor and pianist with musicians Anthony Rodriguez,
clarinet/flute/sax; Cesar Romero, electric and acoustic guitar; Michael Gore, drums and Steve Manns, bass.

ABOUT DARYL D. BROOKS, director
Daryl Brooks is making his Porchlight Music Theater directorial debut. Brooks has been a visible part of the Chicago theatre scene since 1999 having performed and directed all over the city. He is currently the associate director at The Black Ensemble Theater where recent projects include writing and directing Hail, Hail Chuck: A Tribute to Chuck Berry, Sammy: A Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr., The Black Pearl: The Story of Josephine Baker (winner Best Production and Director, Black Excellence Awards 2017), Men of Soul (Jeff-nominated for both Best Production - Revue and Best Director and the winner of the Black Excellence Award for best director.) 

ABOUT CHRISTOPHER CARTER, choreographer and assistant director
Christopher Carter is a graduate of Grand Valley State University with a liberal arts degree in dance. Carter has traveled extensively performing, directing and choreographing. Some of his credits include Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing Our Song; Dreamgirls, In The Heights and Chess at Porchlight Music Theatre; Five Guys Name Moe (Court Theater); Hair (Mercury Theater); The Legend Of Georgia McBride (Northlight Theater); as well as Sweeney Todd, Godspell, Secret Garden and Pirates Of Penzance (Grand Valley State University); Show Boat and Oklahoma (Lyric Opera Chicago); Show Boat (San Francisco and Houston Grand Opera); Hairspray (Drury Lane Oakbrook), Joseph… (Paramount Theater); Duke Ellington’s Queenie Pie (Chicago Opera Theater); Oliver, Carousel and Brigadoon (Light Opera Works); The Wiz, 42nd Street and Guys and Dolls (Theatre at the Center); Smokey Joe’s Café (Circle Theatre); The Wild Party (Actor’s Theater). Carter has been the choreographer for the Grand Rapids Civic’s SRT for the past five years. He was a Debbie Allen Dance Academy 
Scholarship student and has additional credits including national tours, commercial, industrial and concert work.

ABOUT JERMAINE HILL, music director
Jermaine Hill, originally from New York City, received his Bachelor of Music from Ithaca College and a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory.
Recent Chicago credits include serving as musical director and piano/conductor for Ragtime (Griffin Theatre) and Madagascar (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), 
performing onstage in Breathe With Me (Erasing the Distance), and a recent guest spot on “Chicago Med.” Equally at home on theatrical and concert stages, he has appeared at New York’s Carnegie Hall, Boston’s Jordan Hall, Chicago’s Symphony Hall, The Lost Colony (NC), Rome Capitol Theatre (NY), and the Aldeburgh Festival in the U.K. He is an assistant professor and music director for the theatre department at Columbia College Chicago. He is a member of the Chicago Federation of Musicians and is proudly represented by Gray Talent Group.



ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE AS RUTH PAGE ARTIST IN-RESIDENCE
Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to be a member of the vibrant Ruth Page Center for the Arts community and an Artist In-Residence. Central to the Ruth Page Center for the Arts’ programming is the Artists In-Residence program, which is designed to serve organizations looking for a home base while they grow or expand their artistic and organizational capabilities. The Center is committed to nurturing and assisting dance and other performing artists, allowing for exchange and collaborative relationships to develop within the artistic community. The Ruth Page Center for the Arts is a destination for quality performing arts, accessible to a wide community regardless of race, gender, age, education or disability. An incubator of artistic energy and excellence, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts carries forward the vision of its founder, legendary dance icon Ruth Page, to be a platform for developing great artists and connecting them with audiences and community.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE
As the home for music theatre in Chicago now in its 23rd season, Porchlight Music Theatre is nationally recognized for reimagining classic productions, developing new works and showcasing musical theatre’s noted Chicago veterans and rising stars. Porchlight elevates the genre by providing intimate and powerful theatrical experiences of music theatre through the lens of the “Chicago Style.” The 2017–2018 year marks a milestone for Porchlight as the company becomes an Artist In-Residence at the historic Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago’s Gold Coast. Porchlight’s rich history includes the staging of more than 60 productions with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. Through Porchlight’s “Off the Porch” new works program, the musicals of the next generation are developed and given a first audience. The School at Porchlight is Chicago’s center for music theatre training in the areas of performance, writing and appreciation including the launch of a youth summer “Make Your Own Musical” Camp in 2017. The company’s many accolades include 22 Black Theatre Alliance nominations and seven awards, as well as a total of 139 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations resulting in 42 Jeff Awards including five consecutive Best Production awards for The Scottsboro Boys (2017), Dreamgirls (2016), Sondheim on Sondheim (2015), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (2014) and A Class Act (2013).

Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from the Bayless Family Foundation, Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation, Actors’ Equity Foundation, Chapman | Spingola, Attorneys at Law, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation, Lou Malnati’s on State Street, the MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at the Prince Foundation, Q Chicago, The Saints and the Topfer Family Foundation. The season program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency and by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events. 

OPENING: Chicago Premiere of Obie Award-Winning Play Guards at the Taj at Steppenwolf Theatre 5/31/18-7/22/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:  

Ensemble Member Amy Morton Directs

Chicago Premiere of Obie Award-Winning Play

Guards at the Taj

Written by Rajiv Joseph

designed by David Masnato

 May 31 – July 22, 2018

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the Chicago premiere production of Guards at the Taj by acclaimed playwright Rajiv Joseph, directed by ensemble member Amy Morton. A stunning tale about the search for beauty in desperate circumstances, the Steppenwolf production features the original cast members, Omar Metwally (Humayun) and Arian Moayed (Babur), whom Amy Morton directed in the Off-Broadway world premiere which received rave reviews when it premiered in 2015 and won the 2016 Obie Award for Best New American Play.

Guards at the Taj begins previews May 31, 2018 and the production runs through July 22 in the Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N Halsted St. Press performances are Monday, June 11 at 7:30pm and Wednesday, June 13 at 7:30pm; opening night is Monday, June 11. Single tickets ($20-$89) are currently on-sale through Audience Services at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

India 1648. The dawn will reveal for the first time the extraordinary beauty of the Taj Mahal, built as a tribute to the ruler who demanded its construction. But for two hapless imperial guards, the morning light brings with it an unspeakable task that will shake their faith in God, the empire and their lifelong friendship. This boldly funny and deeply moving play examines the true meaning of beauty and the cost of transcendence in a world that confuses the value of both. 

Rajiv Joseph’s (Playwright) play Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo was a 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Drama and also awarded a grant for Outstanding New American Play by the National Endowment for the Arts. His play Guards at the Taj was a 2016 Obie Winner for Best New American Play and 2016 Lucille Lortel Winner for Best Play.  His play Archduke, received its World Premiere last spring at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles; and his play Describe the Night premiered last fall at Alley Theatre, followed by an Off-Broadway run at the Atlantic Theater. Other plays include Gruesome Playground Injuries, The Monster at the Door, Animals Out of Paper, The Lake Effect, The North Pool, Guards at The Taj, and Mr. Wolf. Rajiv has been awarded artistic grants from the Whiting Foundation, United States Artists and the Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust.  He is a board member of the Lark Play Development Center in New York City, where he develops all his plays. He served for three years in the Peace Corps in Senegal and now lives in Brooklyn, NY. 



Amy Morton (Director) has been a Steppenwolf ensemble member since 1997 and directed several Steppenwolf productions including Clybourne Park, American Buffalo, Dublin Carol, The Pillowman, among others. She directed the world premiere of Guards at the Taj at the Atlantic Theater Company in 2015 and returns with the original cast for the Chicago debut.  She has performed in more than 30 Steppenwolf productions, including the recent production of Taylor Mac's Hir, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (also on Broadway, Tony nomination) and August: Osage County(also at the National Theatre and Broadway, Tony nomination). Currently she stars as Trudy Platt in the NBC drama series Chicago P.D.



Omar Metwally (Humayun) Steppenwolf: Homebody/Kabul. Broadway: Sixteen Wounded (Tony and OCC nominations). Off-Broadway: Guards at the Taj (Obie Award; Atlantic Theater); As You Like It, The Fever Chart (The Public); Tumacho (Clubbed Thumb); Beast on the Moon (Century Center). Regional: American Hero (Williamstown), as well as work with The Long Wharf, ACT, Magic Theatre, Campo Santo and others. Film: Rendition (Chopard Trophy, Cannes Film Festival), Non-Stop, Munich, Miral, Complete Unknown, Breakable You, among others. TV: Vik on The Affair, Mr. Robot, The Slap, Dig, Fringe, The Good Wife, Grey's Anatomy, Virtuality, Harry's Law. Education: MFA from the American Conservatory Theater. 



Arian Moayed (Babur) is a Tony nominated actor, an arts educator, an award winning writer/director, and an Artistic Director of Waterwell. Notable theater includes: Tony Award Winning The Humans (Drama Desk Award), Guards at the Taj (Obie), and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (Tony nom., Drama League nom., Theater World Award). With numerous credits in film and television some highlights include working alongside Bill Murray in Rock the Kasbah (dir Barry Levinson), Rosewater with Jon Stewart, and a recurring role on Madam Secretary. With Waterwell, a company he co-founded with Tom Ridgely in 2002, Mr. Moayed has helped devise numerous original productions including Hamlet (Sheen Center), Blueprint Specials (Public), GOODBAR (Public Theater) and The|King|Operetta (Barrow Street). Through the Waterwell Drama Program, Mr. Moayed administers one of the best public school arts programs in the country as part of the Waterwell Drama Program. With hundreds of students from all economic backgrounds, WDP partners with the Professional Performing Arts School, offering 6-12th graders in New York City the highest quality theater training in the country absolutely free of charge. As a filmmaker and partner of Waterwell Films, Mr. Moayed is currently in post-production for his thriller TV series called The Accidental Wolf, starring Kelli O’Hara, Laurie Metcalf, Denis O’Hare, Amy Landecker and many more.

The Guards at the Taj production team includes Tim Mackabee (scenic design), Bobby Tilley (costume design), David Weiner (lighting design), Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (sound design and original music) and Matt Hawkins (Fight Choreographer). Additional credits include Briana Jo Fahey (stage manager), Cassie Calderone (assistant stage manager), JC Clementz (casting director) and Aaron Carter (artistic producer).


Location: Upstairs Theatre, 1650 Halsted St
Dates: May 31 – July 22, 2018
Previews: May 31 – June 10, 2018
Press Performances: Monday, June 11 at 7:30pm  and Wednesday, June 13 at 7:30pm

Opening: June 11, 2018
Regular Run: June 13 – July 22, 2018
Accessible Performances:
American Sign Language Interpretation: Sunday, June 24 at 7:30pm
Open Captioning: Saturday, June 23 at 3pm
Audio Description and Touch Tour: Sunday, July 8 at 1:30pm
Curtain Times: Tuesday – Friday at 7:30pm, Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm and 7:30pm

Ticket prices:
Previews: $20 – $54, Regular Run: $20 – $89. Prices subject to change
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, for any production including the LookOut Series. The tickets 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 for pre- and post-show socializing.

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.

Remaining 2017/18 Season
Next up is The Doppelgänger (an international farce) by Matthew-Lee Erlbach, directed by ensemble member Tina Landau (April 05 – May 27); followed by Guards at the Taj by Rajiv Joseph (May 31 – June 22, 2018); and The Roommate by Jen Silverman, directed by Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad (The Cosby Show, A Raisin In The Sun, Tracy Letts’s August: Osage County). In The Roommate a comically mismatched pair of roommates leads to a surprising and touching friendship (June 21 – August 5, 2018).

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.

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

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.

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 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.   

Prop Theatre: FREE Weekly Church of the New Play

Every Sunday

11am - 2pm w/ a talk back after!

​​@ Prop Thtr (3502 N Elston)

​Coffee and tea provided

Church of The New Play is a weekly reading series featuring new work by local Chicago writers, devisers, and text generators of all performance forms. In each session, a new piece is read or presented followed by a talkback tailored to the artists' needs. This is an alternative to a script submission policy in that it gives creators' the space to present their work as it's meant to be experienced: live and out loud. Check it out! More info here.

OPENING: World Premiere of THE GENTLEMAN CALLER Via Raven Theatre Now Extended Through May 27th

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

EXTENDED: Two Additional Weeks of Performances!

Raven Theatre’s World Premiere of

THE GENTLEMAN CALLER

By Philip Dawkins

Directed by Artistic Director Cody Estle

Extends Through May 27, 2018 

I'll be ChiILin' at Chi, IL's Raven Theatre for the press opening on Monday, April 2nd. Check back soon for my full review.

After selling out more than half its run prior to opening, Raven Theatre is pleased to announce a two week extension for its world premiere of Philip Dawkins’ provocative drama THE GENTLEMAN CALLER, directed by Artistic Director Cody Estle, now playing through May 27, 2018 in Raven’s intimate 55-seat West Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville) in Chicago. Tickets for all performances are currently available at www.raventheatre.com or by calling (773) 338-2177. 

PHOTO CREDIT: (left to right) Curtis Edward Jackson and Rudy Galvan in Raven Theatre’s world premiere of THE GENTLEMAN CALLER by Philip Dawkins, directed by Artistic Director Cody Estle. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

THE GENTLEMAN CALLER features Rudy Galvan as Tennessee Williams and Curtis Edward Jackson as William Inge. 

Although now regarded as two of history's finest American playwrights, back in 1944, William Inge and Tennessee Williams had yet to experience anything close to success. Before the Chicago premiere of The Glass Menagerie, Inge, a dissatisfied newspaper critic, invites Williams to his St. Louis apartment for an interview. This fraught, sexy rendezvous sparks a relationship which radically alters the course of their lives and the American Theatre.

Comments Raven Artistic Director Cody Estle, “I am thrilled to bring Raven Theatre its first commissioned play in 35 years, and even more excited to be working with the exceptionally talented Philip Dawkins. The Gentleman Caller is based on the true story of the meeting, friendship and sexual tryst of Tennessee Williams and William Inge. Philip has written a play that poignantly depicts two writers struggling to find their purpose and grappling with the consequences of that purpose. It’s both intoxicating and harrowing – much like the lives of Williams and Inge. Philip’s writing is a gift, and I’m delighted to have this phenomenal team bring his play to life.”

The production team for THE GENTLEMAN CALLER includes: Jeffrey D. Kmiec (scenic design), Melissa Ng (costume design), Michelle E. Benda (lighting design), Kevin O’Donnell (sound design), Claire Stone (properties design), David Woolley (fight choreography), Elise Kauzlaric (dialect coach), Eli Newell (assistant director), Isabel Thompson (assistant to the playwright), Tara Malpass (stage manager) and Destiney Higgins (assistant stage manager).


Location: Raven Theatre West Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville), Chicago

Dates: Previews: Wednesday, March 28 at 8 pm, Thursday, March 29 at 8 pm, Friday, March 30 at 8 pm, Saturday, March 31 at 8 pm and Sunday, April 1 at 3:30 pm 

Regular run: Friday, April 6 – Sunday, May 27, 2018

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 3:30 pm. Please note: there will not be a performance on Thursday, April 5.

Tickets: Previews $32 ($29 if purchased online). Regular run $46 ($43 if purchased online). Seniors/teachers $41 ($38 if purchased online). Students/active military and veterans $15. Every Thursday is “Under 30 Thursday,” when patrons under age 30 can purchase tickets for $15. Single tickets and season subscriptions for the 2018-19 Season are currently available at www.raventheatre.com or by calling (773) 338-2177.

Group tickets: Groups of 10 or more are $30 per person for Thursday and Friday performances and $35 per person for Saturday and Sunday performances. Student groups are $15 per person.

About the Artists
Philip Dawkins (Playwright) is a Chicago playwright whose plays have been produced throughout the country and the world. His works Miss Marx: or The Involuntary Side Effect of Living (Strawdog Theatre) and Charm (Northlight Theatre at the Steppenwolf Garage) both won the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Work. His critically-acclaimed plays The Homosexuals, Le Switch (both produced by About Face Theatre) and Failure: A Love Story (Victory Gardens Theater), all received Joseph Jefferson Nominations for New Work, and he is the recipient of Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Solo Performance for his play, The Happiest Place On Earth (Side Show Theatre). His play, Charm, received its extended New York premiere with MCC this last year. Philip is an artistic associate at About Face Theatre, Side Show Theatre and MC-10 as well as an ensemble playwright at Victory Gardens Theater. He teaches playwriting at Northwestern University as well as at his alma mater, Loyola University Chicago.

Cody Estle (Director) is the newly appointed Artistic Director of Raven Theatre. Directing credits include Five Mile Lake at Shattered Globe Theatre; By The Water at Northlight Theatre; The Assembled Parties, A Loss of Roses, Dividing the Estate, Vieux Carré (named by Chicago Tribune as one of the Year's Best in 2014), Good Boys and True, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Boy Gets Girl and Dating Walter Dante at Raven Theatre; American Hero at First Floor Theatre; Scarcity at Redtwist Theatre; The Seagull and Watch on the Rhine at The Artistic Home; Don't Go Gentle at Haven Theatre; Uncle Bob at Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company and Hospitality Suite at Citadel Theatre. He’s had the pleasure of assistant directing at Steppenwolf Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Marriott Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, Court Theatre, Writers Theatre, Next Theatre and Strawdog Theatre. Estle is an associate member of SDC and a graduate of Columbia College Chicago.

Plan Your Visit: 
Free parking is provided in a lot adjacent to the theatre – additional street parking is available. Nearest El station: Granville Red Line, Buses: #22 (Clark), #36 (Broadway), #151 (Sheridan), #155 (Devon), #84 (Peterson).

About Raven Theatre
Raven Theatre tells stories of today and the past that connect us to our cultural landscape. Through its plays as well as its educational programming, Raven is committed to serving our communities’ needs through the arts.

Raven Theatre Company is funded in part by the Alphawood Foundation, Dramatists Guild Fund, Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, Polk Bros. Foundation, The Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development, S&C Electric, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the PAV Fund and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

REVIEW: Sugary Taste of Things To Come Is Sweet But Lacks Substance

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Review of “A Taste of Things to Come” 
By Catherine Hellmann, guest reviewer

                       “Whip cream makes everything better.” 

This philosophy of life guides housewife extraordinaire and mother of six (and counting?) Dottie O’Farrell, the cliche, harried, over-the-top mom in the cast of four female friends in A Taste of Things to Come. Maybe the ushers should hand out sundaes at intermission; the show needs something.

Oh, it is an adorable show, don’t get me wrong, and probably a crowd-pleaser for those who want a fun, light, amusing musical about women friendships. But the storyline is as sugary as whip cream and largely predictable, as are the other three characters as well: Joan Smith, the happily married hostess with modest career ambitions of being a writer, Connie, the very pregnant, unhappily married friend, and single Agnes, who dreams of escaping their Illinois suburb for New York, fame, and fortune.

Act One opens in the 1950’s in Winnetka where the ladies are planning to enter, and hopefully win, the Betty Crocker cooking contest. (According to my mom, who actually raised children in the 1950’s, all the women in her neighborhood were way too busy with their families to ever meet other ladies for a cooking/gossip/wine session. Ok, it is theater/fantasy and not necessarily based on fact...)  The musical numbers are delightful and cleverly staged. I especially liked the tribute to “Dear Abby” and the gossippy “Didja Hear?” Agnes dreams and sings “I’m Outta Here,” while the ladies blend some adult beverages into their cooking with “Happy Hour.”

Act Two jumps ahead ten years into the 60’s so Joan can wear her short skirt and white go-go boots, and her friends can enter her pad with the groovy beads in the doorway. (There is a wonderful bit where Dottie falls out of Joan’s giant beanbag chair.) Each of the quartet is a “type” of female fulfillment. Joan is still happily married and writing, Connie, minus the husband,  lives out of the country with her beau and their biracial baby (radical!), and Agnes has followed her heart to NYC where she has succeeded in tv soap operas (and discovered her secret Latina heritage--huh?). Then there is sweet Dottie, the PTA president, feeling marginalized and unimportant with her growing family, next to her accomplished friends.

By the end, this very-disparate group of friends will bond once more, (Who is really still close with their high school friends or has anything in common with them two decades later? Ok, I am being a realist again...) and affirm everyone’s choices, pointedly singling out Dottie that having a family/being a mom is an excellent career in itself. It’s like we are being reminded: The women’s movement was about choices! Joan, you have it all; it’s ok you don’t have children! Agnes, career girl without a man! Connie, you and your multicultural family unit are welcome back to the U.S.! Ugh.

The cast does an exceptional job pulling off a cheesy plot. They are very talented women with impressive bios. Libby Servais, as Connie, just finished a run as Glinda in Wicked on Broadway. Cortney Wolfson has been in Kinky
Boots on Broadway and is wonderful as Joan, our hostess. Linedy Genao, as Agnes, returns to Chicago where she professionally debuted in  On Your Feet! at the Oriental Theater. Marissa Rosen as Dottie is especially adorable; she just did a production of The Marvelous Wonderettes Off-Broadway.

Another stand-out is the band itself, comprised of all women musicians,
which is rare and super-cool for a show about female empowerment. That was one aspect of the show which seemed truly radical and made a serious statement; I just wish the storyline about the strengths of women had more breadth and texture...and less sugar.

CHICAGO PREMIERE!

MARCH 20-APRIL 29, 2018

BROADWAY PLAYHOUSE AT WATER TOWER PLACE

Broadway In Chicago and the producers of A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME are delighted to announce that individual tickets for A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME, a slice-of-life original musical comedy, will go on sale tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. This delicious musical makes its Chicago debut at Broadway In Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut) for a limited six-week engagement March 20 through April 29, 2018.

THE 1950s: It’s the beginning of rock n’ roll, the racial barrier begins to crack, the Korean War is over, and husbands are returning home. Ronald Reagan is a model for Lifebuoy Soap and Rock Hudson is “the World’s Most Eligible Bachelor.”
And women are getting antsy.

Meet Joan, Connie, Dottie, and Agnes. Four best friends living in Winnetka, IL. They meet every Wednesday for a Betty Crocker cooking contest, imagining how the prizes might change their lives. Their weekly gathering isn’t just about cooking, but a time to confide secrets and share frustrations.

Usually, it’s LIFE Magazine that’s read cover to cover in between mixing, sifting, and chopping. However, a different kind of reading material arrives. Shocked but inspired by the Kinsey report, their lives take an interesting turn.

A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME is a fabulously fun romp tracing the changing lives of these four Winnetka women from the 1950s to the sexual revolution of the 1960s. This homage to prior generations of women who blazed new trails features a rollicking original score of ‘50s and ‘60s music with great harmonies, all backed by an all-female rock n’ roll band.

Written by Debra Barsha and Hollye Levin, with direction & choreography by Lorin Latarro, A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME is a slice-of-life original musical comedy following four friends whose Betty Crocker cooking club becomes a turning point in their lives.



TICKET INFORMATION
Individual tickets for A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut) are on sale now and range from $30-$75 with a select number of premium seats available. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710. Tickets are available at all Broadway In Chicago Box Offices (24 W. Randolph St., 151 W. Randolph St., 18 W. Monroe St. and 175 E. Chestnut), the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at (800) 775-2000 and online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 17 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country.  A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining well up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, Oriental Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Facebook @BroadwayInChicago ● Twitter @broadwaychicago ● Instagram @broadwayinchicago ● #broadwayinchicago

OPENING: STEPHEN SONDHEIM’S COMPANY To Kick Off Grand Opening of Mercury Theater Chicago's Venus Cabaret Theater

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

Mercury Theater Chicago Announces Grand Opening of

Venus Cabaret Theater and cast of

STEPHEN SONDHEIM’S COMPANY

April 5 – June 3, 2018

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're beyond excited for the grand opening of Mercury Theater Chicago's Venus Cabaret Theater. I'll be ChiILin' at this stellar space, next door to Mercury Theater's main stage, for the press opening on April 15th, so check back soon for my full review. I've attended quite a few afterparties in this sweet space and can't wait to see the launch of their lineup of shows. Mercury and Venus are out of this world, with a fun lineup of annual favorites.

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport Avenue – is pleased to announce the opening of VENUS CABARET THEATER with a uniquely intimate production of Stephen Sondheim’s COMPANY, running from April 5th through June 3rd. Press opening is the weekend of April 13th-15th. Named for the planet next to Mercury, Venus Cabaret is a versatile new performance space offering food and drinks to complement each production. Audiences at COMPANY will be welcomed to Bobby’s 35th Birthday Party and will be treated to party appetizers, a cash bar and even birthday cake. Making his Mercury Theater Chicago debut, David Sajewich will be featured in the role of Bobby. The production will be led by Jeff Award winners L. Walter Stearns (Director) and Eugene Dizon (Musical Director).

Set in a swinging New York City, Stephen Sondheim’s game-changing musical is a sophisticated and honest look at modern adult relationships. On the night of his 35th birthday, confirmed bachelor, Robert, contemplates his unmarried state. Over the course of a series of dinners, drinks and even a wedding, his friends – “those good and crazy people, his married friends” – explain the pros and cons of taking on a spouse. Robert is forced to question his life choices and what it means to be alive.

From musical theater’s most renowned composer, COMPANY is regarded as a trailblazer of the dark-comedy, modern-musical genre and the winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Music and Lyrics (Stephen Sondheim) and Best Book (George Furth). With popular and familiar songs such as “Another Hundred People,” “Marry Me a Little,” “The Ladies Who Lunch,” and “Being Alive,” COMPANY is just as entertaining, relevant, and relatable as it was when it debuted in 1970.

Audiences will be immersed into the action as they are welcomed at the door and immediately whisked into the world of Bobby’s Birthday Party. The characters will joke around and socialize with attendees as they wait for the big birthday surprise. All of the senses will be dazzled with food and drink offerings tailored to the show. Venus Cabaret Theater was designed to put the audience right in the middle of it all – everyone is a part of the story.

COMPANY will feature David Sajewich as “Bobby” and his cast of married friends will include Nicole Armold, Jenna Coker-Jones, Nicole Cready, Hannah Dawe, Greg Foster, Frederick Harris, Derek Self, Steve Silver, Ryan Stajmiger and Heather Townsend. The girlfriends in Bobby’s life include Kyrie Courter, Kiersten Frumkin and Allison Sill. The costume design is by Robert Kuhn, lighting design is by Dustin L. Derry and projection design is by Liviu Pasare. The stage manager is Richard Lundy.

After two years in the making and a $1M renovation, VENUS CABARET THEATER at Mercury Theater Chicago is finally ready for its grand opening. This versatile, state-of-the-art performance space seats 80 people in a flexible theater/dining space. The renovation was designed and built by Trent Zilmer (Z Design Build Group) with interior décor by Dianne Green Moen and theatrical technology by Mike Ross and Matt Gajowniczek (Sound Production and Lighting). The Mercury/Venus theater and restaurant complex is located in the heart of the Southport Corridor, a sophisticated neighborhood of restaurants and boutiques just steps from Wrigley Field. A delightful theater destination, Mercury Theater Chicago takes care of its guests from the moment they arrive with valet service and dining at its adjoining restaurant, Grassroots.

The performance schedule for COMPANY is Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sundays at 2:30pm. Wednesday evening performances at 7:30pm will be offered beginning on May 16th.

Individual tickets are $65 each, include appetizers and dessert, and are available online at MercuryTheaterChicago.com, over the phone at 773.325.1700, or in person at 3745 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago.

Last Call: 

Extended and highly recommended tribute to Gilda Radner ending April 15th. We adored Bunny Bunny and can't recommend it highly enough. This poignant and powerful show is unconventionally and absolutely a love story. Don't miss this!

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