REVIEW: Pre-Famous Playwrights Disturb and Delight in Raven's Gentleman Caller

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

EXTENDED: Two Additional Weeks of Performances!

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

 

(left to right) Curtis Edward Jackson and Rudy Galvan. 
All Photos by Michael Brosilow.

Review:
It's a rare treat to catch a glimpse into the lives of the pre-famous. THE GENTLEMAN CALLER does just that, inviting the audience into the 1944 lives of two struggling artists who were soon to change the face of American theatre, Tennessee Williams and William Inge. 

We're privy to the future greats' first meeting, a botched interview slash seduction by unfulfilled teacher turned critic, Inge, and his subject, up and coming playwright Williams, who is at present still a starving artist and virtual unknown, blowing his meager earnings on binge drinking benders. Though seeming opposites in personality, as they get to know one another, the two sense a rare connection and depth of camaraderie in their respective works, and an undeniable sexual spark. The writing is at once playful and powerful, and Galvan and Jackson are a joy to see, embodying the iconic playwrights, as they battle their respective demons and embrace their destinies. 



There's an enticing sense of history and back story playing out in this production, along with spot on universal truths about the artistic temperament, the downside of success, and the intensity of introspection, addiction and self loathing. It's a heady mix and a must see. Highly recommended. 

In the microcosm of Chicago's theatre scene, accidental coincidences in programming and intentional themes happen. Either way, we're elated that productions Tennessee Williams' Suddenly Last Summer at Raven in May and an entire season of William Inge at Eclipse, are so closely following the opening of Raven's excellent world premiere of THE GENTLEMAN CALLER. Check out the details at Raven Theatre's site and at Eclipse Theatre. 

Raven Theatre’s World Premiere of

THE GENTLEMAN CALLER

By Philip Dawkins

Directed by Artistic Director Cody Estle

Extends Through May 27, 2018 

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.

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
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: 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.

OPENING: Midwest Premiere of The Cake by Bekah Brunstetter at Rivendell Theatre Through 5/20/18

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble Announces 

the Midwest Premiere of

The Cake

by Bekah Brunstetter

directed by Lauren Shouse

featuring RTE Founders Tara Mallen and Keith Kupferer, 

RTE Member Krystel McNeil, and Tuckie White

April 8 - May 20, 2018

I'll be ChiILin' with Chi, IL's Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE) for the press opening April 19th. We can't wait to catch this tasty drama from Bekah Brunstetter, Emmy-nominated producer and writer of the hit NBC drama “This Is Us.” Inspired in part by the Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, which is currently in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, this is a topic in need of a platform in the arts.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago’s only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core, announces the Midwest premiere of The Cake by Bekah Brunstetter, directed by Lauren Shouse, and featuring RTE Founders Tara Mallen and Keith Kupferer, RTE Member Krystel McNeil, with Tuckie White.  The Cake runs April 8 – May 20, 2018, at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago.  

The cast of The Cake includes RTE Founders (and real life married couple) Tara Mallen (Della) and Keith Kupferer (Tim), RTE Ensemble Member Krystel McNeil (Macy), and Tuckie White (Jen).

Jen lives in New York but has always dreamed of getting married in her small North Carolina hometown, so she heads down south with her partner to ask Della, her late mother's best friend, to do the honors of making the wedding cake at her bakery. Della's cakes are legendary, even earning her a spot as a contestant on the "Great American Baking Show." She is overjoyed at Jen's request until she realizes there's not just one bride, but two, forcing her to re-examine some of her deeply-held beliefs, as well as her own marriage. Faith, family and frosting collide in this touching and timely new play.

The Cake comes from Bekah Brunstetter, Emmy-nominated producer and writer of the hit NBC drama “This Is Us.” The timely play is inspired in part by the Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, which is currently in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. In the coming months, our nation’s highest court will determine whether it was legal for a Colorado baker to turn away two men who wanted to place an order for their wedding reception. 

The creative team includes RTE member, Janice Pytel (Costume Design), as well as Arnel Sancianco (Scenic Design), Cat Wilson (Lighting Design), Shannon Marie O'Neill (sound design) and Danielle Myerscough (Properties Design). The stage manager is Jenniffer Thusing and the “Cake Designer” is Erin Martin of ECBG cake+pastry studio. 


ARTIST BIOS
Bekah Brunstetter (Playwright) hails from Winston-Salem, North Carolina and currently lives in Los Angeles. Her plays include The Cake (Ojai Playwrights Conference), Going to a Place where you already are (South Coast Repertory), The Oregon Trail (Portland Center Stage Fall 2016, O'Neill Playwrights Conference; Flying V) Cutie and Bear (Roundabout commission), A Long and Happy Life (Naked Angels commission), Be A Good Little Widow (Ars Nova, Collaboraction, The Old Globe), Oohrah! (Atlantic Theater, Steppenwolf Garage, Finborough Theater/London), Nothing is the end of the World (except for the end of the world) (Waterwell Productions), House of Home (Williamstown Theater Festival) and Miss Lilly Gets Boned (Ice Factory Festival). She is an alumna of the CTG Writers Group, Primary Stages Writers Group, Ars Nova Play Group, The Playwright's Realm, and the Women's Project Lab. She is currently a member of the Echo Theater¹s Playwright's Group. She has previously written for MTV (Underemployed; I Just Want My Pants Back,) ABC Family's Switched at Birth and Starz's American Gods. She is currently a Co-Producer on NBC's This Is Us. She received her B.A. from UNC Chapel Hill and her M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing from the New School for Drama.

Lauren Shouse (Director) is a director, dramaturg and teacher. She is currently the Artistic Associate and Literary Manager at Chicago's Northlight Theatre. Her recent directing credits include: The Legend of Georgia McBride at Northlight Theatre, Nice Girl and Betrayal at Raven Theatre, Rapture, Blister, Burn, Superior Donuts, and A Christmas Story at Nashville Repertory Theatre, the world premiere of Long Way Down with 3Ps productions (nominated for American Theatre Critics Association Steinberg New Play Award 2011); the world premiere of Religion and Rubber Ducks with Ovvio Arte; Parallel Lives, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Last Five Years and Chess in Concert with Street Theatre Company; the world premiere of Rear Widow at Chaffin's Barn Theatre, and Sylvia Plath’s 3 Women. As Artistic Associate at Nashville Rep, Lauren directed the Ingram New Works Play Lab and Festival, which developed new works by John Patrick Shanley, David Auburn, Steven Dietz and Victoria Stewart. Lauren also co-founded Ten Minute Playhouse, a company that produces short plays by local playwrights. Before moving to Nashville, Lauren lived in London, UK and worked with Producer/Director Hugh Wooldridge. Her work abroad includes: Production Executive for The Night of 1000 Voices (celebrating John Kander and Fred Ebb and starring Joel Grey with Avenue Q) at The Royal Albert Hall; Production Executive of An Evening with Michael Parkinson at The Theatre Royal - Windsor, Children's Director/Assistant to the Director of A Gift of Music, and Assistant Director of The Night of 1000 Voices at The Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Ireland. Lauren holds an MA in Performance Studies from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill where she adapted and directed The Time Traveler’s Wife. She received her MFA in theatre directing at Northwestern University where she directed Stop Kiss, Eurydice and In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play. In Chicago, Lauren has also worked with Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Rivendell Theatre, Sideshow Theatre, The Gift Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, and Stage Left Theatre.

Tara Mallen (Della) is an actor, director, producer and the Artistic Director at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Tara was most recently on stage in Rivendell’s production of The Firebirds Take the Field. Other recent credits include Lynn Nottage’s Sweat at Arena Stage; Rivendell’s Jeff Nominated, world premiere productions of Look, we are breathing and Rasheeda Speaking; How Long Will I Cry: Stories of Youth Violence at Steppenwolf›s Theatre for Young Audiences; Rivendell’s World Premiere, Jeff nominated production of The Walls and Self Defense, or the Death of Some Salesmen — both productions part of Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s Visiting Theater Initiative. For Rivendell, Tara has both produced and acted in over thirty productions. She received a Joseph Jefferson award for “Supporting Actress” for her portrayal of Gwenyth in WRENS as part of that production’s Jeff-winning ensemble. She was nominated the following year for “Actress in a Principal Role” for her work in My Simple City. Screen credits include Steven Soderbergh’s film Contagion; Boss (STARZ); Chicago Fire (NBC); Chicago P.D. (NBC); FOOLS (Feature film); Sense8 (Netflix); and the CBS/Sony Pictures pilot Doubt. Tara co-conceived and directed the critically acclaimed World Premiere of WOMEN AT WAR, a theatrical exploration of women in today’s military that played to sold out houses in the fall of 2014 and is now touring throughout the mid-west.

Keith Kupferer (Tim) is a founding member of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble where he was most recently seen in their critically acclaimed production of Cal in Camo. Other Chicago credits include The Qualms, Good People, Middletown, South of Settling, Of Mice & Men, Carter’s Way, Men of Tortuga; Things Being What They Are; Jesus Hopped The A Train and Tavern Story at Steppenwolf Theatre; The Humans at American Theatre Company, Men’s Support Group, God of Carnage, High Holidays, Passion Play and The Old Neighborhood at the Goodman Theatre; The Mystery of Love and Sex (where he received a Jeff nomination for “Supporting Actor”), and Death of a Streetcar Named Virginia Wolf at Writer’s Theatre; Hillary and Clinton, Never the Sinner, and Appropriate at Victory Garden’s Theatre; Gypsy at Chicago Shakespeare Theater; End Days at Windy City Playhouse; Execution of Justice with About Face Theatre; Cat Feet and The Old Neighborhood at Northlight; Desire Under The Elms, a co-production between Philadelphia’s Freedom Theatre and Chicago’s Court Theatre; The Unseen, The Meek, Canus Lunis Balloonis, (nominated for a 1998 Joseph Jefferson award for Best Ensemble), and The Physicists for A Red Orchid Theatre; and Big Lake, Big City, Trust and Hillbilly Antigone for Lookingglass Theatre. Film credits include the soon-to be released Widows; The Dilemma; Dark Knight; Public Enemies; The Express; Stranger Than Fiction; Road to Perdition; Finding Santa; Fred Klaus; The Last Rights of Joe May; The Merry Gentleman directed by Michael Keaton, Resurrecting McGinn; and Open Tables. TV credits include Better Call Saul; Empire; Chicago P.D.; Betrayal; Crisis; Chicago Fire; Detroit 187; The Beast; Prison Break; The Jamie Kennedy Experiment and Early Edition.

Krystel McNeil (Macy) is an ensemble member at RTE where she performed in the production WOMEN AT WAR. Most recent credits Include In The Next Room or The Vibrator Play (Timeline Theater Company), Bootycandy (Windy City Playhouse), The Compass (Steppenwolf SYA) , and understudying and performing in Objects in the Mirror and Carlyle at Goodman Theater Company. Krystel also does voiceover work and appeared in an episode of Chicago P.D. She is represented by Big Mouth Talent.

Tuckie White (Jen) most recently appeared in Raven Theatre’s Red Velvet and The Play About My Dad. Over the years, she has been part of productions at Chicago Shakespeare, Steppenwolf, Cock & Bull, Lifeline, Victory Gardens, and Goodman Theatre. Film/TV credits include: The Drunk, After Effect, and Chicago Med. She is a graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University and an alum of iO and Second City. She is represented by Grossman & Jack Talent.

The Cake was originally produced by The Echo Theater Company, Los Angeles, California; Chris Fields, Artistic Director and Jesse Cannady, Producing Director. The Cake received a developmental reading at The Alley Theatre, Gregory Boyd, Artistic Director and Dean R. Gladden, Managing Director. The Cake was developed at The Ojai Playwrights Conference, Robert Egan, Artistic Director/Producer.

Previews: 
April 8 – 14, 2018
Sunday, April 8 at 3:00 pm
Thursday, April 12 at 8:00pm
Friday, April 13 at 8:00pm
Saturday, April 14 at 8:00pm

VIP Opening: Sunday, April 15 at 6:00pm
Press Openings: April 18 & 19 at 7:00pm
Regular run: Thursday, April 19-Sunday, May 20, 2018

Schedule:
Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00pm 
(EXCEPT Thursday, May 10 – no performance that day)
Saturdays at 4:00pm
Sunday, May 6 and May 20 ONLY at 3:00pm
Town Hall Discussions will follow Saturday 4pm matinees on May 5 and May 19 to be moderated by director Lauren Shouse

Friday April 20: Performance to benefit Planned Parenthood of Illinois with $10 of every ticket sold going to PPIL

Friday April 27: Mama’s night – all moms, aunts, friends, etc. are welcome to join us in our rehearsal studio following the show for great conversation and drinks 

Thursday May 3: Open captioned performance - $15 tickets with the code ACCESS 

Location: 
Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago

Tickets:
General Admission
Previews: $28
Regular Run: $38
Student, Senior, Active Military, Veteran
Preview: $18
Regular Run: $28

Pay What You Can: Five seats (10% of the house) are available for each performance. Reservations are made on a first come, first served basis.
Three-show pass: $59-$80 for 3-plays  

Box Office: (773) 334-7728 or www.RivendellTheatre.org

Parking and Transportation: Free parking is available in the Senn High School parking lot (located a block and a half from the theatre behind the school off Thorndale Avenue). There is limited paid and free street parking in the area. The theatre is easily accessible via the Clark (#22) or Broadway (#36) bus, and is a short walk from the Bryn Mawr Red Line El station.



About Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Founded in 1994, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble advances women’s lives through the power of theatre. Rivendell cultivates the talents of women artists—writers, actors, directors, designers and technicians

by seeking out innovative plays that explore unique female experiences and producing them in intimate, salon environments.

Rivendell fills an important role in the Chicago region as the only Equity theatre dedicated to producing artistically challenging and original plays created by and about women. After years of being an itinerant company, RTE moved into its own theater space in 2010 in Edgewater. As new members of the neighborhood, the company is focused on becoming an integral community partner and serving as a catalyst to engage audiences in a discussion of local social issues.

For more information about Rivendell Theater Ensemble, visit http://rivendelltheatre.org. Follow RTE on Facebook at Facebook.com/rivendelltheatre and on Twitter @RivendellThtr.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble is supported by generous grants from: The Lester and Hope Abelson Fund; The Alphawood Foundation; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; The Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development; The Chicago Community Trust; The Chicago Foundation for Women; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; The MacArthur Funds for Arts and Culture at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; The Reva and David Logan Foundation; The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust; The Alfred Pick Jr. Fund; SIF Fund at The Chicago Community Trust; Cultural Outreach Program Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events; and the Illinois Arts Council Agency. 

The Jackie Taylor Drama Series Presented by Black Ensemble Theater and The DuSable Museum April 7 – 22, 2018

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

Black Ensemble Theater and The DuSable Museum present

The Jackie Taylor Drama Series

April 7 – 22, 2018

Photo Credit: Daniel Nicholas

The Black Ensemble Theater and The DuSable Museum of African American History announce The Jackie Taylor Drama Series, presented for nine performances, April 7-22, 2018, at The DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Place, Chicago, in the Illinois Black Legislators Auditorium.

Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online at www.blackensemble.org or by phone at (773) 769-4451.

The Jackie Taylor Drama Series is a partnership between two legendary Chicago institutions—Black Ensemble Theater and The DuSable Museum of African American History. Consisting of three dramatic plays written by members of Black Ensemble Theater’s Black Playwrights Initiative (BPI), an educational incubator for aspiring Black playwrights, The Jackie Taylor Drama Series will feature works that are relevant to current events and speak to the demise of recent racial equity issues.

Plays and performances for The Jackie Taylor Drama Series include:

National Anthem
by Ervin Gardner
directed by Jackie Taylor
April 7 and 8, 2018 (Saturday, April 7 at 3pm & 8pm and Sunday, April 8 at 3pm)
Written by Ervin Gardner, this one act play speaks to the controversy surrounding professional athletes and their right to peacefully protest. 

The Plea
by Reginald Williams
directed by Daryl D. Brooks
featuring Jackie Taylor
April 14 and 15, 2018 (Saturday, April 14 at 3pm & 8pm and Sunday, April 15 at 3pm)
The Plea, by Reginald Williams, addresses the violence epidemic that has engulfed so many Chicago communities resulting in senseless murders, the hopelessness and traumatic mental anguish that has consumed our neighborhoods.

In The Shadow of Justice
by L. Maceo Ferris
directed by Rueben D. Echoles
April 21 and 22, 2018 (Saturday, April 21 at 3pm & 8pm and Sunday, April 22 at 3pm)
In this drama, L. Maceo Ferris intoxicating play depicts how two young Black police detectives, one woman and one man, are forced to face corruption, brutality and murder in a South Side Chicago police precinct where they have been assigned.  Will they accept business as usual or care enough to try and change a racist status quo?

All performances will be followed by a discussion pertaining to the issues presented in each play led by the actors and the playwrights. 

WVON is the official radio sponsor for The Jackie Taylor Drama Series.

For more information about The Jackie Taylor Drama Series or to purchase tickets visit at www.blackensemble.org, or call (773) 769-4451.

About The DuSable Museum of African American History
The DuSable Museum of African American History is one of the oldest institutions of its kind in the country. Our mission is to promote understanding and inspire appreciation of the achievements, contributions and experiences of African Americans through exhibits, programs and activities that illustrate African and African American history, culture and art. The DuSable Museum is a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate. For more information on the Museum and its programs, please call (773) 947-0600 or visit us at www.dusablemuseum.org. The DuSable Museum of African American History gratefully acknowledges the Chicago Park District’s partnership and also thanks United Airlines, the official airline of the DuSable Museum for its support.

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 300 seat theater opened and is able to accommodate larger-scale productions, bigger audiences and a wider range of educational programming. The completion of an additional 150-seat theater inside of the BE Cultural Center will serve as an experimental stage for the work of the Black Playwright Initiative (BPI) is scheduled to be completed in 2018/19.

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.

OPENING: 33 To Nothing Rocks A RED ORCHID THEATRE Through May 27, 2018

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:


A RED ORCHID THEATRE 
CONTINUES 2017-2018 SEASON WITH
33 TO NOTHING
by GRANT JAMES VARJAS

DIRECTED BY TYRONE PHILLIPS 
MUSIC DIRECTION BY JOHN CICORA
FEATURING ENSEMBLE MEMBER STEVE HAGGARD WITH AARON HOLLAND, JEFF KURYSZ, 
AMANDA RAQUEL MARTINEZ AND ANNIE PRICHARD

April 6 - May 27, 2018

As a rock and theatre lover, I'm super stoked for the opening of A Red Orchid Theatre's next production, 33 to Nothing, which takes place during a real-time band practice! I'll be out for the press performance on Saturday, April 14th, so check back soon for my full review.

A Red Orchid Theatre continues its 2017-2018 Season with 33 to Nothing by Grant James Varjas, directed by Tyrone Phillips with music direction by John Cicora. The production features Ensemble Member Steve Haggard (Bri) with Aaron Holland (Gray), Jeff Kurysz (Barry), Amanda Raquel Martinez (Taylor) and Annie Prichard (Alex). 33 to Nothing runs April 6 – May 27, 2018 at A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N Wells in Chicago.

Taking place during a real-time band practice, 33 to Nothing is a play that rocks hard and breaks hearts.  Feeling the incessant call of adulthood, individuals begin to question their role in the ensemble. Ultimately begging the question: to break up or to build stronger?  An anthem of forgiveness, loyalty and resilience when your world is being torn by the seams.


“Consider the people that made you feel like THIS is what you were meant to do; whatever THIS is,” notes Artistic Director Kirsten Fitzgerald. “Perhaps it was their love, some mutual admiration, an actual accomplishment or common fight. Grant's honesty, Tyrone's curiosity and their shared relentless compassion make me feel like 33 to Nothing is the current THIS that we were all meant to do. I am so excited for these artists and our audiences alike to consider what they are meant to do and how this shifts throughout our lives.” 

About the Artists

GRANT JAMES VARJAS is the playwright and composer of 33 To Nothing. His play Accidentally, Like A Martyr was produced by A Red Orchid Theatre in 2015. His work has also been seen in Chicago as part of Headline Theatre Project 3, Bechdel Fest 2016, and Sick By Seven (A Red Orchid Theatre Incubator). His plays have been produced in New York City (Wild Project NYC; Paradise Factory; Planet Connections Festival) where he was nominated for a GLAAD award for Best Play. Grant has worked extensively developing work and acting with Moises Kaufman's Tectonic Theater Project, and is on the board of Tom Noonan's Paradise Factory Theatre.

TYRONE PHILLIPS (Director) is the founding artistic director of Chicago's Definition Theatre Company, which recently produced the Chicago Premiere of An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Directing credits include: the critically acclaimed Byhalia, Mississippi (remounted to open the Steppenwolf 1700 Theatre); Dontrell Who Kissed the Sea (Illinois Theatre); Dutchman (Definition Theatre Company); The MLK Project (Writers Theatre); Amuze Bash (Pavement Group); The Tempest, Lord of the Flies, Our Town, and We the People (Niles North Theatre). Assistant directing credits include: TREVOR the musical, Parade, and The Mystery of Love and Sex (Writers Theatre). Mr. Phillips is a graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He also studied abroad at Shakespeare’s Globe and was an emerging professional resident at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, where he worked on A Raisin in the Sun, The Mountaintop, and Clybourne Park. Mr. Phillips was named one of the Chicago Tribune's “Hot New Faces of 2015” and Newcity's “Players 2016: The Fifty People Who Really Perform for Chicago.” 

JOHN CICORA (Music Director) has Musical Director/Composition/Programming and or Performance credits in: BlockOut, BSide Studio, Chicagoland, Fly Honey Show, Hit The Wall, The Little Things, Standing Room Only, and A Little Bit Louder Now. Through The Inconvenience he has worked within a variety of processes in order to develop a fluid system of assimilating music into the proper context for the given project. His band, Nootka Sound, focuses on his original compositions and plays regularly in Chicago. He is the Musical Director for The Cooke Book: The Music Of Sam Cooke, as well as a keyboardist/guitarist in the Talking Heads Tribute: This Must Be The Band. He has signed publishing/licensing deals with Penguin Publishing and Warner Bros, and recorded two records with Vanguard Records.

ANNIE PRICHARD (Alex/Bass) makes her A Red Orchid Theatre debut. Chicago Credits include The Skin of our Teeth (Remy Bumppo), Another Bone (RedTwist- Jeff nomination: Actress, supporting role), A day in the Death of Joe Egg (Stage Left), American Hero (First Floor), Another Kind of Love (Infusion), Kinfolk (New Colony), Crime Scene (Collaboraction), Counterfeiters, The Whole World is Watching (Dog & Pony); Ride (Under the Rug), Complicated (Three Oaks Festival) The Altruists, Pleasant Dreams (Two Lights). Annie earned an MFA in acting from the Theatre School at DePaul and is proudly represented by Innovative Artists and NV Talent. 

STEVE HAGGARD (Bri/Guitar) – A Red Orchid credits:  3C, Sender, The Mutilated, Accidentally Like A Martyr, The Aliens, Kimberly Akimbo and The Mandrake.  Chicago credits: The Importance of Being Earnest, DOUBT, Old Glory, The Subject was Roses, Our Town (Writers); Tribes (Steppenwolf);  Funnyman, Season’s Greetings and She Stoops to Conquer (Northlight); Wasteland (Timeline);  Alias Grace and Winter (Rivendell); King Lear, As You Like It and Romeo and Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare).  He has worked regionally at Indiana Rep, Milwaukee Rep and American Players Theatre. Steve is an ensemble member of A Red Orchid Theatre.  He is a graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University and represented by Stewart Talent.  

AMANDA RAGUEL MARTINEZ (Tyler/Guitar) is ecstatic to make her Red Orchid Theatre debut! Most recently she was seen at Pasadena Playhouse and Skirball Center in the Hypocrites' adaptation of Pirates of Penzance. Chicago credits include: Cinderella at the Theater of Potatoes, Hypocrites, For the Love Of, Pride Films and Plays, Big Lake, Big City, Lookingglass Theatre Company, As You Like It and Love, Loss and What I Wore, First Folio Theatre, Even Longer and Farther Away, The New Colony, and El Stories: The Holiday Train, Waltzing Mechanics. Regional Credits include: Kitty Hawk, Adrienne Arsht Center, Pirates and The Mikado at Olney Theatre Center, Generation Sex, Teatro Luna. 

AARON HOLLAND (Gray/Piano) makes his AROT debut. Recent credits include: SPAMILTON (Royal George), Madagascar!, Seussical! (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), The Legend of Georgia Mcbride (Cardinal Stage), Wonderful Town, A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre), Xanadu!, Hair (ATC), She Loves Me, Sister Act! (Marriott Theatre), The Color Purple (Mercury Theater), Goodnight Moon, Dot & Ziggy (Chicago Children’s Theatre), Passing Strange (Baliwick Chicago). TV: Chicago Med (NBC), APB (Fox). Mr. Holland received the Kingsley Colton Award at The Kennedy Center in 2003 and holds a BFA in Theatre-Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University. 

JEFF KURYSZ (Barry/Drums) makes his A Red Orchid debut. Other Chicago credits include: Support Group for Men (GoodmanTheatre); The Legend of Georgia McBride (Northlight Theatre) Shakespeare in Love (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre) Romeo and Juliet (Backroom Shakespeare Project); Julius Caesar (Brown Paper Box Co.); As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing (The Arc Theatre); Year of the Rooster, R+J: The Vineyard (Red Theater); Romeo and Juliet (Teatro Vista); One Came Home (Lifeline Theatre); All My Sons (Eclectic Theatre Co.); Amadeus (Boho Theatre); Regional credits include: Richard III,Twelfth Night and The Tempest (Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre). Television credits include Crisis (NBC). He is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf.

Dates:

Previews: 

April 6-8 & 12-14, 2018

Red Night:

Friday, April 20, 2018 at 8:00 p.m.

Regular Run: April 21 – May 27, 2018

Schedule:

Thursdays: 8:00 p.m.

Fridays: 8:00 p.m.

Saturdays: 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.  

Sundays: 3:00 p.m. 

Location:

A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells Ave.

Tickets: $15-$25 previews, $30-$35 regular run.  ($30 Thurs, $35 Fri, Sat, Sun)

Box Office:

Located at 1531 N. Wells Ave, Chicago, (312) 943-8722; or online www.aredorchidtheatre.org 

With our 25th season of ambitious and powerful storytelling, we are thrilled to announce the launch of A Red Orchid Theatre’s Red League. At $1k or more, The Red League represents a donor community of our most committed and impactful cultural investors. Every profound and shocking moment on our stage is made possible through their critical annual contributions. Their philanthropic leadership fosters the development of raw and relevant work, creates a platform for our talented ensemble to reach new audiences, and ensures that A Red Orchid Theatre remains a source for honest, compassionate, and aesthetically rigorous theatre.

About A Red Orchid at 25

A Red Orchid Theatre has served as an artistic focal point in the heart of the Old Town community of Chicago since 1993 and was honored last year with a 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Over the past 24 years, its Resident Ensemble has welcomed into its fold an impressive array of award-winning actors, playwrights and theatre artists with the firm belief that live theatre is the greatest sustenance for the human spirit. A Red Orchid is well known and highly acclaimed for its fearless approach to performance and design in the service of unflinchingly intimate stories. In addition to its professional season, the company is also committed to an OrKids (youth) project and hosts The Incubator (providing artists with space and time to explore new work, new forms and new artistic collaborations).

A Red Orchid Theatre is: Lance Baker, Kamal Angelo Bolden, Dado, Mike Durst, Jennifer Engstrom, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Joseph Fosco, Steve Haggard, Mierka Girten, Larry Grimm, Karen Kawa, Karen Kessler, Danny McCarthy, Shade Murray, Brett Neveu, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen, Doug Vickers and Natalie West.

OPENING: World Premiere of Lettie at Victory Gardens Theater Through 5/6/18

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

Victory Gardens Theater Presents the World Premiere of

Lettie

By Boo Killebrew 

Directed by Chay Yew

April 6 – May 6, 2018

I'll be spending Friday the 13th ChiILin' at Chi, IL's Victory Gardens Theater at  the press opening of the World Premiere of Lettie, written by Boo Killebrew. Victory Gardens Theater continues its 43rd season with the World Premiere of Lettie, written by Boo Killebrew and directed by Artistic Director Chay Yew. Lettie runs April 6 – May 6, 2018.

After serving seven years in prison, Lettie is released and struggles to make a fresh start. Her children, who have been cared for by her half-sister, want little to do with her. Her re-entry job is anything but gentle as she takes on the dark, harsh world of welding. Trying again and again to create a non-criminal life, Lettie is confronted by her past and must make impossible choices to protect her future. Lettie, directed by Artistic Director Chay Yew (A Wonder In My Soul, The House That Will Not Stand) marks playwright Boo Killebrew’s Victory Gardens Theater debut.

​“I'm thrilled to be collaborating with playwright Boo Killebrew on this new work,” said Artistic Director Chay Yew. “Lettie is a moving and profound play that accurately captures the portraits of working-class women dealing with issues of recidivism and challenges in re-entry employment from incarceration, gender and race in the work place, poverty, and motherhood. One of most unique voices in the American Theatre, Boo possesses a remarkable ability to address relevant and difficult social issues through the prism of recognizable and deeply resonant personal relationships." 

The cast of Lettie includes Charin Alvarez (Minny), Matt Farabee (River), Kirsten Fitzgerald (Carla), Ryan Kitley (Frank), Caroline Neff (Lettie) and Krystal Ortiz (Layla).

The creative team includes Andrew Boyce (scenic design), Melissa Ng (costume design), Lee Fiskness (lighting design), Mikhail Fiksel (sound design) and Jesse Gaffney (props design). Jerrell L. Henderson is the assistant director, Cassie Calderone is the production stage manager and Skyler Gray is the dramaturg. 

About the Artists
CHAY YEW (Director) Chay Yew is the Artistic Director at Victory Gardens Theater. Victory Gardens Theater: A Wonder in My Soul, Roz and Ray, The House That Will Not Stand, Hillary and Clinton, Death and the Maiden, An Issue of Blood, The Gospel of Lovingkindness, Mojada, Oedipus el Rey, Universes’ Ameriville. Chicago: Dartmoor Prison, Black N Blue Boys/Broken Men (Goodman Theatre); Where Did We Sit On The Bus? (Teatro Vista/Victory Gardens, Boise Contemporary Theatre); Po Boy Tango (Northlight Theatre). Productions at The Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, The Playwrights Realm, New York Theatre Workshop, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Rattlestick, National Asian American Theatre Company, Ma-Yi Theatre Company. Regional: Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Mark Taper Forum, American Conservatory Theater, South Coast Rep, Long Wharf Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Huntington Theatre Company, Denver Center Theatre, Playmakers Rep, Empty Space Theatre, Mosaic Theatre Company, Curious Theatre Company, Cincinnati Playhouse, Round House Theater, Portland Center Stage, Southern Rep, Geva Theatre Company, Pillsbury Theatre, Gala Hispanic Theatre, Cornerstone Theatre Company, Singapore Repertory Theatre, Theatre at Boston Court, East West Players amongst others. His opera credits include world premieres of Osvaldo Golijov and David Henry Hwang’s Ainadamar (co-production with the Tanglewood Music Center, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic); and Rob Zuidam’s Rage d’Amors (Tanglewood Music Center). Chay is a recipient of the OBIE Award and DramaLogue Award for Direction. As a playwright, his plays include Porcelain, A Language of Their Own, Red, A Beautiful Country, Wonderland, Question 27 Question 28, A Distant Shore, 17, and Visible Cities.His other work includes adaptations of A Winter People (based on Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard), Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba, and a musical Long Season. His performance works include Vivian and Her Shadows and Home: Places between Asia and America. His plays have been produced at The Public Theater, Mark Taper Forum, Manhattan Theatre Club, Long Wharf Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Intiman Theatre, Wilma Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center, Portland Center Stage, amongst many others. Overseas, his plays have been produced by the Royal Court Theatre (London), Fattore K and Napoli Teatro Festival (Naples, Italy), La Mama (Melbourne, Australia), Four Arts (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), Singapore Repertory Theatre, Toy Factory, Checkpoint Theatre, Theatre-Works (Singapore), amongst others. He is also the recipient of the London Fringe Award for Best Playwright and Best Play, George and Elisabeth Marton Playwriting Award, GLAAD Media Award, Made in America Award, AEA/SAG/ AFTRA Diversity Honor, and Robert Chesley Award. His plays Porcelain and A Language of Their Own, and The Hyphenated American Plays are published by Grove Press. He recently edited Version 3.0: An Anthology of Contemporary Asian American Plays for TCG Publications. He was the founding director of the Taper’s Asian Theatre Workshop and producer of Taper, Too. Chay is also an alumnus of New Dramatists and serves on Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events’ Cultural Advisory Council and League of Chicago Theatres.

BOO KILLEBREW (Playwright) Boo Killebrew is a playwright, actress, and co-founder of CollaborationTown Theatre Company.  Boo was a Lila Acheson Playwriting Fellow at The Juilliard School and the recipient of The Paula Vogel Award at The Vineyard Theater. She is a resident of The SPACE Working Farm, an alumni of the Emerging Writers Group at The Public Theater, a recipient of a NYFA Fellowship, an alumni of TerraNova's Groundbreakers, an Affiliated Artist and Kitchen Cabinet Member with New Georges, and a Usual Suspect with New Theater Workshop.  Her plays include MILLER, MISSISSIPPI (The Leah Ryan Prize 2015, Dallas Theater Center 2017); ROMANCE NOVELS FOR DUMMIES (Williamstown Theater Festival, 2016), DAYS LIKE DIAMONDS, THE PLAY ABOUT MY DAD (59e59 Theatres), THE d LIFE, CAVEAT EMPTOR and THE MOMENTUM (NYC Fringe Festival Excellence Award for Overall Production of a Play; GLAAD Media Award Nominee).  Her work has been presented at The Roundabout Theatre, The Public Theater, Williamstown Theater Festival, The Atlantic, New York Theater Workshop, New York Stage and Film, Perry Mansfield, Portland Center Stage, New Georges, Clubbed Thumb, The Huntington Theatre Co., 59e59 Theatres, The New Ohio, The Labyrinth, The Alley Theatre, and Boston Playwright's Theatre. Boo was an Edward F. Albee Foundation Fellow, an Artist in Residence at NYFA, Robert Wilson's Watermill Center, New York Theater Workshop, The MacDowell Colony, Williamstown Theater Festival, and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.  Boo has received two New York Innovative Theater Awards, two Fringe Excellence Awards, and The Bette Davis Foundation Award. She is currently commissioned by Victory Gardens, The Dallas Theatre Center, and Manhattan Theatre Club. Boo is a writer for Longmire on Netflix and created the television pilot Aim High, which is currently in development at AMC.  

CHARIN ALVAREZ (Minnie) Theatre credits include: The Scene (Writer’s Theatre); 2666, Pedro Paramo, El Nogalar, Dollhouse, Electricidad (The Goodman Theatre); Mojada, Oedipus El Rey, Anna in the Tropics, A Park in the House (Victory Gardens Theater);  In the time of the Butterflies, Our Lady of the Underpass,  I put the fear of Mexico in ‘em, Dreamlandia, Another Part of the House (Teatro Vista); Water by the Spoonful (Court Theatre);  Work of Art (Chicago Dramatists); The Clean House (Remy Bumppo); What We Once Felt (About Face Theatre); Kita & Fernanda (16th Street theatre); Esperanza Rising (Chicago Children’s Theatre); Two Sisters and a Piano (Apple Tree Theatre); Generic Latina (Teatro Luna); La Casa de Bernarda Alba (Aguijon Theatre). Film/TV credits include: Easy; Shameless; Chicago Fire; Mob Doctor; Boss; Chicago Code; Approach Alone; Rooftop Wars; Arc of a Bird; Were the World Mine; Chicago Overcoat; First and Only Lesson; Eric’s Haircut; Dogwalker; Rogers Park; Olympia: Manual on how to live your life, Signature Move; En Algun Lugar; Princess Cyd; Single File; Teacher; Hala.

MATT FARABEE (River) Rest (Victory Gardens). Chicago credits include:  Dry Land (Rivendell Theatre), The Burials (Steppenwolf), The Skin of Our Teeth (Remy Bumppo), Bruise Easy (American Theater Company), Mud Blue Sky (A Red Orchid Theatre), punkplay (Steppenwolf Garage Rep), Skylight (Court Theater), Milk Milk Lemonade (Pavement Group), Elizabeth Rex (Chicago Shakespeare), Tigers Be Still (Theater Wit), Abraham Lincoln was a F*gg*t (AboutFace Theatre), The Sweeter Option (Strawdog), and The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek (Eclipse Theatre Company).  Off-Broadway: A Bright New Boise (Partial Comfort).  Regional: Lord of the Flies, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Round House Theatre).

KIRSTEN FITZGERALD (Carla) Victory Gardens: Appropriate (world premiere). A Red Orchid Theatre: Traitor (world premiere), Evening at the Talk House, Pilgrim's Progress (world premiere), Abigail's Party, Mud Blue Sky, The Sea Horse (Jeff Award), etc.  Steppenwolf: Mary Page Marlowe (world premiere), The Qualms (world premiere), Clybourne Park, A Streetcar Named Desire. Other theatres: Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Goodman, Shattered Globe, Remy Bumppo, Plasticene, Prop, Next, Famous Door, Defiant Theatre and more.  Television: The Exorcist, Sirens, Chicago Med, Chicago Justice, Chicago Fire, Underemployed, ER.  Kirsten is the Artistic Director and a member of the Ensemble at A Red Orchid Theatre.

RYAN KITLEY (Frank) Recent credits: Romeo and Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare), Objects in the Mirror (Goodman Theatre), Support Group for Men (Goodman Theatre) Assassination Theater (MBC), Burn This (Shattered Globe) A Few Good Men (Theatre at the Center), Travels With My Aunt (Writers Theatre) Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Shattered Globe) The Big Funk (Clock Productions) Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Meadowbrook Theatre) Amy’s View, Things We Do For Love, King O’ the Moon (Organic Theatre) Dig Two Graves, Guidance, Barbershop II, Hunter, Soul Survivors, Miss March, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Empire, BOSS, Detroit 187, Early Edition, Turks, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Other People’s Children, Embeds.

CAROLINE NEFF (Lettie) Broadway: Airline Highway. Steppenwolf: You Got Older, Linda Vista,The Fundamentals, The Flick, Airline Highway, The Way West, Three Sisters. Goodman: Uncle Vanya. Steep: Wastwater, The Knowledge, Harper Regan, A Brief History of Helen of Troy, In Arabia We’d All Be Kings, Pornography. Northlight: 4000 Miles. Route 66: The Downpour. Griffin: Port. Next: The Metal Children. Yale Rep: Peerless. Film and TV: Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, Public Housing Unit, Open Tables, Older Children.
KRYSTAL ORTIZ (Layla) Chicago credits: La Havana Madrid (Teatro Vista, Goodman Theatre), Thumbelina (Lifeline Theatre), In Love and Warcraft (Halcyon Theatre), Failure: A Love Story, In the Heights (The Theatre School at DePaul University). New York credits: Kid Prince and Pablo (NYSAF, Ars Nova). Film & TV:  Manifest Destiny, The Exorcist. Krystal is represented by Stewart Talent Chicago.

Full Performance Schedule
Previews for Lettie are April 6-12, 2018. Previews are $15-$45. The Press opening is Friday, April 13 at 7:30pm. Regular performances run April 14 – May 6, 2018: Tuesday — Friday at 7:30pm; Saturday at 3pm and 7:30pm; Sunday at 3pm.  Regular performances are $15-$60.

Victory Gardens has partnered with mobile theater ticketing app TodayTix to offer free tickets for the first preview of Lettie. Free Tickets will be available via TodayTix mobile lottery, launching one week before the first preview on Friday, March 30, 2018. Winners will be notified by email and push notification between 12:00pm and 3:00pm on the day of the first preview, Friday, April 6, 2018. To enter, download the TodayTix app on your iOS or Android device.

Accessible Performance Schedule
Word for Word (open captioning): Friday, April 20 at 7:30pm, Saturday, April 21 at 3:00pm, and Wednesday, April 25 at 2:00pm

ASL Interpreted Performance: Friday, April 20 at 7:30pm

Audio Description/Touch Tour: Friday, April 20 at 7:30pm (Touch tour at 6:00pm), Sunday, April 29 at 3:00pm (Touch tour at 1:30pm)

Performances are at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N Lincoln Avenue, in the heart of Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. For tickets and information, call the Victory Gardens Box Office, 773.871.3000, email tickets@victorygardens.org, or visit www.victorygardens.org. Ask the Box Office about student tickets ($15), senior, and Access. For group discounts, call 872.817.9087.

Public Programs
Public Programs is an event series designed to enhance your experience by exploring themes and issues within Victory Gardens’ productions. Connecting our theater to the world beyond the stage and rehearsal room, Public Programs bridge ideas, provoke dialogue, and deepen the relationship between our audiences and our productions. Public Programs are composed of three distinct tracks:

SALON: A post-show performance series bringing local artists, students, and/or organizations into the conversation of the play through their own work. 

PANEL: A post-show conversation with community leaders, playwrights, activists, artists, and educators. These panels use the play's themes to ignite a conversation about our world and the people in it. 

CELEBRATION: Pre- and post-show events celebrating the themes of the play through art, food, and community. 

AFTERWORDS
Post-Show Conversation
After every performance of LETTIE (unless otherwise noted)
Join us for one of our intimate post-show conversations. Led by members from the Victory Gardens community—artistic affiliates, artistic staff, and community partners— reflect on what you’ve seen and share your response.

CELEBRATION: ALL MY WOMEN MAKIN’ MONEY
Pre-Show Reception
April 7 | Saturday | 6:00pm
Support women breaking down equity barriers—and have a great time doing it! Join us for a night celebrating the work of women in traditionally male-dominated fields. Enjoy complimentary refreshments and engage in a discussion about women’s equity in the workforce as we celebrate women workin’ hard and gettin’ paid.

PANEL: A CONVERSATION WITH BOO KILLEBREW
Post-Show Conversation
April 12 | Thursday | 9:30pm
Lettie follows one mother’s incarceration and reentry, but it wasn’t written by a formerly incarcerated mother. How do playwrights tell stories that aren’t their own? For playwright Boo Killebrew, it started with talking to people who lived the experiences she wanted to explore. From interviews to collaboration with these women, join Boo as she discusses her work and process with dramaturg Skyler Gray.

PANEL: THEATRE AS THERAPY
Post-Show Conversation
April 18 | Wednesday | 9:30pm
Since its opening in 1994, the Grace House residential program has provided interim housing, emotional and spiritual support, and professional counseling to women who are exiting the Illinois prison system. Women who have lived at Grace House share their stories of re-entry and how theatre played a role in their healing. 

SOCIAL JUSTICE PANEL: JUSTIS4JUSTUS 
Post-Show Conversation
April 20 | Friday | 9:30pm
Made possible by the support of The David Rockefeller Fund 
After the evening performance join members of Justis4Justus, an organization working to rebuild the lives of exonerees, as we discuss how we, as citizens, grapple with the U.S. prison system and what happens when it fails us. 

SALON: COLLEGE NIGHT: COMEBACKS
Post-Show Performance
April 27 | Friday | 6:30pm & 9:30pm
What do Michael Jordan, Natasha Lyonne, and Lettie from Lettie have in common? They all made a comeback. The journey is often difficult and often inspiring—and famous or not, we love it when the people we love bounce back. Join us after the evening performance of Lettie for a free post-show performances about coming back from adversity written, directed, and performed by college artists from DePaul University, Loyola University, Northwestern University, and Columbia College.

SOCIAL JUSTICE PANEL: STORY CATCHERS
Post-Show Presentation and Q&A
April 29 | Sunday | 5:00pm
Made possible by the support of The David Rockefeller Fund 
While Lettie's experiences and trials are singular, it is important to remember the many hardships faced by her children during her years in prison. As the child of a parent who is incarcerated, there is a unique set of challenges and emotions that accompany that trauma. Victory Gardens Theater has partnered with Storycatchers Theater to share the stories and struggles of young people with current or formerly incarcerated parents. Join us for a short performance and panel discussion with adolescents who have lived this experience and the amazing staff of Storycatchers Theater who help them share their stories, make sense of their world, and heal.

SOCIAL JUSTICE PANEL: RECLAMATION
Post-Show Conversation
May 5 | Saturday | 5:00pm
Made possible by the support of The David Rockefeller Fund 
In Boo Killebrew’s Lettie, we follow the journey of two mothers trying to do their best as they begin the process of mending relationships with their kids, families, and themselves after incarceration. What is the mother’s journey in that process? How can we better support them? Join us for this riveting post-show conversation as we are joined by the Chicago Legal Advocacy for Incarcerated Mothers as we unearth what it means to reclaim space and time.


The Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Commissioning Program Award Recipient
Special support provided by The Edgerton Foundation

Previews:
April 6 – 12, 2018
Press opening:
Friday, April 13, 2018 at 7:30pm
Regular run:
April 14 – May 6, 2018

Schedule: 
Tuesdays - Fridays: 7:30pm 
Saturdays: 3:00pm; 7:30pm
Sundays: 3:00pm

Accessible Performances: Word for Word (open captioning): Friday, April 20 at 7:30pm, Saturday, April 21 at 3:00pm, and Wednesday, April 25 at 2:00pm

ASL Interpreted: Friday, April 20 at 7:30pm

Audio Description/Touch Tour: Friday, April 20 at 7:30pm (Touch tour at 6:00pm), Sunday, April 29 at 3:00pm (Touch tour at 1:30pm)

Location:
Victory Gardens Theater is located at 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, 
in the heart of Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood

Tickets:
Previews: $15 - $45 
Regular run: $15 - $56

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago.
773.871.3000; www.victorygardens.org.

2017/18 Women’s 
Series Major 
Production Sponsors: 
Janice Miller 


2017/18 Women’s 
Series Production 
Sponsors: Doris Conant; Marcelle McVay and Dennis Zacek; Jeffrey Rappin and Penny Brown; Jane M Saks, Nathan Cummings Foundation; and Bill and Orli Staley Foundation 

Major Production Sponsor: Edgerton Foundation, The Venturous Theater Fund of Tides Foundation, Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation

Production Sponsors: Betty Bradshaw, Charles E. Harris, II, Mayer Brown LLP


Playwright’s Society Sponsor: Janice Feinberg, Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation, Jared Kaplan and Maridee Quanbeck


Major Season Support: Allstate, Alphawood Foundation, David Rockefeller Fund, Doris Duke Charitable Trust, Exelon, Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Paul M Angell Foundation, The Joyce Foundation, The Mellon Foundation, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Prince Charitable Trust, The REAM Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Time Warner Foundation  Inc., and The Wallace Foundation

Travel Sponsor: Southwest Airlines 

About Victory Gardens Theater
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Chay Yew and Managing Director Erica Daniels, Victory Gardens is dedicated to artistic excellence while creating a vital, contemporary American Theater that is accessible and relevant to all people through productions of challenging new plays and musicals.  Victory Gardens Theater is committed to the development, production and support of new plays that has been the mission of the theater since its founding, set forth by Dennis Začek, Marcelle McVay, and the original founders of Victory Gardens Theater.

Victory Gardens Theater is a leader in developing and producing new theater work and cultivating an inclusive Chicago theater community. Victory Gardens’ core strengths are nurturing and producing dynamic and inspiring new plays, reflecting the diversity of our city’s and nation’s culture through engaging diverse communities, and in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, bringing art and culture to our city’s active student population.  

Since its founding in 1974, the company has produced more world premieres than any other Chicago theater, a commitment recognized nationally when Victory Gardens received the 2001 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, Victory Gardens Biograph Theater includes the Začek-McVay Theater, a state-of-the-art 259-seat mainstage and the 109-seat studio theater on the second floor, named the Richard Christiansen Theater.

Victory Gardens Ensemble Playwrights include Luis Alfaro, Philip Dawkins, Marcus Gardley, Ike Holter, Samuel D. Hunter, Naomi Iizuka, Tanya Saracho and Laura Schellhardt. Each playwright has a seven-year residency at Victory Gardens Theater. 

For more information about Victory Gardens, visit www.victorygardens.org.  Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/victorygardens, Twitter @VictoryGardens and Instagram at instagram.com/victorygardenstheater/. 

Victory Gardens Theater receives sustaining support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Joyce Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The REAM Foundation, Shubert Foundation, Venturous Theater Fund of the Tides Foundation, and Wallace Foundation. It receives major funding from Crown Family Philanthropies, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, and Polk Bros. Foundation. Major funders also include:Allstate Insurance, Alphawood Foundation, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Edgerton Foundation, Exelon, Field Foundation of Illinois, Illinois Arts Council Agency, David Rockefeller Fund, Bill and Orli Staley Foundation, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Time Warner Foundation Inc., Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. Additional funding this season is provided by: Alliance Bernstein, Charles H. and Bertha L. Boothroyd Foundation, Capital Group Private Client Services, Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, The Chicago Foundation for Women, ComEd, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Golden Country Oriental Foods, John R. Halligan Charitable Fund, ITW, JCCC Foundation, Mayer Brown LLP, The McVay Foundation, Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust, National Endowment for the Arts, Negaunee Foundation, Roberta Olshansky Charitable Fund, Origin Ventures, Pauls Foundation, PNC Financial Services Group, Prince Charitable Trusts, Seabury Foundation, Charles & M.R. Shapiro Foundation, Wrightwood Neighbors Association. In-kind support is provided by:  Dimo’s Pizza, Fiesta Mexicana, Italian Village Restaurants, Southwest Airlines, Roy’s Furniture, Suite Home Chicago, and Whole Foods Market. This project is partially supported by an Incent Ovate Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.