INCOMING: Mudhoney and Hooveriii To Play Chicago's Avondale Music Hall 10/20/23

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

HOOVERIII CONFIRM FALL U.S. TOUR SUPPORTING MUDHONEY Includes New York City On October 28 And Los Angeles November 14 WEST COAST HEADLINE DATES KICK OFF MARCH 21 + TREEFORT MUSIC FESTIVAL MARCH 25 & 26 A Round Of Applause - Out Via Reverberation Appreciation Society Psych-rock band Hooveriii have been confirmed as the direct support for Mudhoney on their forthcoming tour of the U.S. I'll be out to shoot stills at the Chicago show (10/20/23 - Chicago, IL - Avondale Music Hall), so check back with ChiIL Live Shows soon for our photo filled recap. The dates kick off October 13 in Spokane, WA and conclude with a 2-night stand in Seattle, WA on November 18 and 19.  Along the way the tour hits Chicago, New York City, and Dallas, TX.  Hooveriii previously opened for Mudhoney on their 2022 European tour.  On March 21 the band kick off a West Coast headline run in Sacramento, CA that concludes on April 1 with a show at Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneer Town, CA. Hooveriii are also confirmed to play this year’s Treefort Music Festival in Boise, ID on March 24 and 25.   Tickets are on-sale now and all dates are listed below.   Hooveriii (pronounced "Hoover Three") released A Round of Applause in the summer of 2022 and featured the singles “Twisted & Vile, “The Pearl” and the album’s opener “See.”  “a sunny, playful pop song that showcases the six-piece eschewing singer-songwriter self-seriousness in favor of infectious bliss” Flood Magazine "Glossed with studio sweetened guitar slices, a tumbling rhythm, and vocal harmonies the band pushes closer to fellow L.A. compatriots Communicant and Frankie and the Witch Fingers, with echoes of Ty’s widescreen productions of late"  Raven Sings The Blues "Their sound is a unique blend of psych-rock and krautrock, and while the band wears obvious influences like Thee Oh Sees or Can heavily on their sleeves they still provide a fresh take on the genre."  New Noise  "space-rock that’s as boundary-less as space itself."  Buzzbands LA  "(Hooveriii) explore the crossroads of prog and psych... a lot of fun to listen to."   When You Motor Away  Though created in large part by founder Bert Hoover, Hooveriii has grown to include  Gabe Flores (lead guitar and vocals), Kaz Mirblouk (bass and synths), James Novick (synths), and Owen Barrett (drums). Photo by Alex Bulli  Time after time, we all talk about … well, time — often in aphorisms and cliches. X is “a waste of time,” while Y is “time well spent.” We are all apt to lose track of time but, perhaps in equal measure, we have plenty of time on our hands. We think we have all the time in the world -- until we remember that time flies, after which our time runs out and we’re dead (for a long time).  Since 2020, internal clocks have had to be readjusted with the pace of life ebbing and flowing.  For Los Angeles psych-rock sextet Hooveriii (pronounced "Hoover Three") that adjustment seeped its way into their songwriting and ultimately their forthcoming album, A Round of Applause. Though created in large part by founder Bert Hoover, Hooveriii has grown to include  Gabe Flores (lead guitar and vocals), Kaz Mirblouk (bass and synths), James Novick (synths), Casey Sullivan (vocals and synths) and Owen Barrett (drums). Together they looked at this newly found time as a gift. As a result, A Round of Applause isn’t just another “COVID record” that dithers on subjects like isolation and community. Instead, Hoover broadened the scope of the band’s new record by not only reflecting on time as a concept but also allowing the band to flourish creatively. “There's a struggle with what your relationship to time is,” said the chill, amiable and down-to-earth Hoover. “It's a back and forth. On the one hand, it's like, ‘Fuck it, time doesn't matter.’ But then there's also, ‘Oh shit, I’m running out of time, and I'm scared.’ ” (“Out of My Time,” the second song on the record, is its thematic cornerstone). Prior to delving into A Round of Applause — Hoveriii’s second album through The Reverberation Appreciation Society —this band of space voyagers stuck to a routine of issuing about two releases a year (including singles, live albums, etc.). The routine worked well, so why tamper with it? Yet after the rise of a certain five-letter word that starts with a C, they realized that time really shouldn’t be taken for granted, cliché be damned. Finding additional inspiration via Nick Cave, who once said that dabbling with new ideas continues to fuel his near-50-year career, the band decidedly took a different approach with their new album and gave themselves the freedom to explore in the studio.    The end result is A Round of Applause, an expansive and even, at times, experimental record. Across the 11 tracks, Hoover stresses the importance of sequencing, so the record feels inviting instead of jarring - it segue almost seamlessly not only from song to song but within the songs themselves.  Whereas 2021’s Water for the Frogs was akin to a jam-band record — most of its seven songs are about five minutes long, including a closing track that lasts nearly 10 — A Round of Applause has broader appeal. Hooveriii consider the new record, which occasionally pays homage to the Canterbury scene, to be a palette cleanser of sorts.  “I am not really a playlist guy or a singles guy,” Hoover admits. “I’m really into the album experience. … So yeah, we made a pop record. But also, to me, this record is very progressive as well, and I thought that that provides a nice balance.” Hoover previously referred to Water for the Frogs as his band’s equivalent of Iggy Pop’s The Idiot. Playing with that idea he says A Round of Applause is the kindred spirit of Lust For Life.   The record cherrypicks from an array of genres — pop, girl-group ditties, synth-ish keyboards and funk —but the end result is a cohesive long-player with songs that revolve around the Spanish Inquisition (“Stone Man”); or follow “the legendary Peruvians who run long distances in the Andes Mountains (“The Runner”). “I let my imagination run wild,” Hoover said. Elsewhere on A Round of Applause, the Hooveriii frontman finally recorded a song, “The Pearl,” that he wrote in 2017. “It sounds like a Harry Nilsson jingle like to me, a fantasy song,” he continued. “It's more like a nursery rhyme than a song with an important message. You know, it's just like keeping things fun. … Nilsson didn’t take everything so fucking seriously. We want to avoid that self-seriousness. We're a bunch of goofy musicians.”  The aforementioned songs deal with external cultures and circumstances, to a large extent. But on “See,” the opening track, Hoover turns inward. “I got a lot of people in my life, including myself, that I feel take things for granted,” he said. “ ‘See,’ to me, is a song about not doing that.” Finally, Hoover pointed out that “Twisted and Vile” is one of the heavier songs on A Round of Applause. Written around the same time as “The Pearl,” he disclosed that David Bowie’s work inspired the Hooveriii song’s classic-rock-sound. “It’s a song about trying to figure out your place in life,” he said. Hooveriii derived the album title from the late-‘80s Roky Erickson song “Click Your Fingers Applauding the Play.” “That’s too much of a mouthful,” Hoover qualified. “My title, A Round of Applause, just came one day, and we were like, ‘Yo, that sounds like a Gentle Giant record.’” Reflecting the mostly lighthearted and uplifting record, A Round of Applause closes cheekily — but not sarcastically — with the sound of people clapping. Hoover adds graciously: “We've been lucky so far. I don't think we really have a, you know, ‘bad song.’ ” Maybe one will, someday. But Hoover doesn’t dwell on that; after all, his band has more records to make — and time is of the essence. Hooveriii Tour Dates  3/21 - Sacramento, CA - The Starlet Room  3/22 - Arcata, CA - Miniplex 3/23 - Portland, OR - Lollipop Shoppe 3/24 - Boise, ID - Treefort Music Festival  3/25 - Boise, ID - Treefort Music Festival 3/26 - Seattle, WA - Substation  3/28 - Bend, OR - Silver Moon Brewing 3/29 - Redding, CA - The Drip 3/30 - Oakland, CA - Stork Club  4/01 - Pioneer Town, CA - Pappy & Harriet's  Touring with Mudhoney 10/13/23 - Spokane, WA - Lucky You Lounge 10/14/23 - Missoula, MT - Zootown Arts Community Center 10/15/23 - Billings, MT - The Pub Station Tap Room 10/18/23 - Saint Paul, MN - Turf Club 10/19/23 - Milwaukee, WI - X-Ray Arcade 10/20/23 - Chicago, IL - Avondale Music Hall 10/21/23 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Pyramid Scheme 10/22/23 - Detroit, MI - Magic Bag 10/24/23 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop 10/25/23 - Rochester, NY - Photo City Music Hall 10/26/23 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall 10/27/23 - Hamden, CT - Space Ballroom 10/28/23 - New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge 10/29/23 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts 10/31/23 - Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall 11/1/23 - Atlanta, GA - EARL 11/2/23 - Nashville, TN - The Basement East 11/3/23 - Memphis, TN - Hi Tone 11/4/23 - Dallas, TX - Sundown at Granada 11/5/23 - Austin, TX - Antone's Nightclub 11/9/23 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad 11/10/23 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom 11/11/23 - Tucson, AZ - Club Congress 11/12/23 - San Diego, CA - Casbah 11/14/23 - Los Angeles, CA - Teragram Ballroom 11/15/23 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall 11/17/23 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater 11/18/23 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile Showroom (21+) 11/19/23 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile Showroom (All Ages) A Round Of Applause tracklist  See  Out of My Time Twisted and Vile Water Lily Time - The Outlaw My Directive Stone Men Iguana  The Runner Crusin’ The Pearl  Find Hooveriii here: Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook

Bluebird Arts Returns With STUPID F#@*ing BIRD at Theater WIT Saturday, November 4, to Saturday, December 9, 2023

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BLUEBIRD ARTS RETURNS TO CHICAGO THEATRE AFTER THREE-YEAR HIATUS 

WITH AARON POSNER’S

STUPID F#@*ing BIRD

Bluebird Arts, Chicago's only English–Russian Cross-Cultural Theatre is thrilled to announce they are returning to the stage after a three-year hiatus from the COVID-19 Pandemic with AARON POSNER’S Stupid F#@*ing Bird opening SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2023 at THEATER WIT, 1229 W. Belmont Ave, Chicago. They proudly invite the Chicago Media and Theatre Community to their production directed by Bluebird Arts Artistic Director LUDA LOPATINA SOLOMON, which will run from SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, to SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2023. Performances of the play are Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm in STUDIO 1 of Theater Wit. Stupid F#@*ing Bird was originally slated to open in March of 2020 with Bluebird Arts. I'll be out for the opening on November 4th, covering for ChiILLiveShows.com, so check back shortly after for my full review.

ABOUT THE PLAY

An aspiring young director rampages against the art created by his mother’s generation. A nubile young actress wrestles with an aging Hollywood star for the affections of a renowned novelist. And everyone discovers just how disappointing love, art, and growing up can be. In this irreverent, contemporary, and very funny remix of Chekhov’s The Seagull, Aaron Posner stages a timeless battle between young and old, past and present, in search of the true meaning of it all. Stupid F#@*ing Bird will tickle, tantalize, and incite you to consider how art, love, and revolution fuel your own pursuit of happiness.

Directed by Luda Lopatina Solomon, Bluebird Arts’ production will feature Nicholas Barelli (Con), Magdalena Dalzell (Nina), David Fehr (Trig), David Fink (Dev), Dana Muelchi (Mash), Bob Pries (Sorn), and Laura Sturm (Emma). They will be joined by a Creative Team of Angela Kring (Stage Manager), Samantha Rausch (Set Design), Megan Reilly (Lighting Design), Rick Sims (Sound Design), Elizabeth Monti (Costume Designer), Rachel Hartmann (Props Design), Emil Thomas (Movement Coordinator), Matt Ledajaks (Technical Direction), and Jaimelyn Gray (Marketing and Media).

Stupid F#@*ing Bird by Aaron Posner runs Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 3pm, in Studio 1 of Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave, Chicago from Saturday, November 4, to Saturday, December 9, 2023. Tickets are $10 – $30 and can be found at bluebirdarts.org, or by calling the Theater Wit Box Office at 773-975-8150.

Bluebird Arts was founded in 2014 and is a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is: “To enrich, educate and entertain our community by sharing intimate stories of the human condition, focusing on the genuine problems of real people.”

 

NEW ALBUM: HOOVERIII'S POINTE OUT TODAY, OCTOBER 13th, 2023

 

HOOVERIII   NEW ALBUM POINTE OUT TODAY, OCTOBER 13 VIA THE REVERBERATION APPRECIATION SOCIETY / LEVITATION  ON TOUR NOW WITH MUDHONEY

Hooveriii by Alex Bulli

Today Los Angeles-based Hooveriii released their new album Pointe, via The Reverberation Appreciation Society / Levitation. They teased the LP via “Dreaming,” “The Tall Grass,” and “The Ship That I Sail,” a song that teems with fuzzed-out guitar wizardry.  In creating Pointe Hoveriii found themselves drawn to the sounds of ‘60s psychedelic act Pisces to Phil Lynott’s solo releases and pioneering electronic acts like Tangerine Dream. The end result is a collection of songs that is perhaps their most accessible yet.  Thematically the album explores the phenomenon of time, specifically the moment leading up to each decision where, for a brief instant, there are infinite possibilities that have yet to be distilled into a singular outcome.   This week saw Hooveriii hit the road as the direct support for Mudhoney and the runmakes stops in New York City at Le Poisson Rouge on October 28 and at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles on November 14.  The run concludes in Seattle with a two-night stop at The Crocodile Showroom on November 19 (21+) and November 20 (all ages).  All dates are listed below. Watch the video for “The Tall Grass” here:

Watch the video for “The Ship That I Sail” here:

Watch the video for “Dreaming” here:

There’s a moment leading up to each decision where, for a brief instant, there are infinite possibilities that have yet to be distilled into a singular outcome. It’s a phenomenon that has been explored over the years by novelists like Graham Greene and a concept that Hooveriii frontman Bert Hoover also feels inexplicably drawn towards. “I find that period in time to be fascinating, maybe I’m in it often, but a lot of these songs take place in that moment and that moment can last for years,” he explains. This idea lies at the conceptual core of Hooveriii’s fourth album Pointe, a collection of songs that features musicians from the band’s past and present and sees them collectively exploring musical geography that Hooveriii hasn’t explored in the past. “We just wanted to do something different,” Hoover says. “We were feeling a little burnt on guitar rock and really wanted to challenge ourselves.”  The result is an album that was inspired by everything from the ‘60s psychedelic act Pisces to Phil Lynott’s solo releases and pioneering electronic acts like Tangerine Dream, to craft a collection of songs that are more about creating a specific type of feeling than fitting into a specific genre. “I feel like on this album we were bringing a lot of influences to the forefront that we never had the maturity to accomplish before while also leaning into the humor a little bit and avoiding being full-on ‘serious songwriters,’” Hoover adds. Correspondingly, the music roster on Pointe features Hoover, Kaz Mirblouk, James Novick, Owen Barrett, Gabe Flores, Gabriel Salomon, Anna Wallace, Paco Casanova, Matt Zuk, Jon Modaff, Shaughnessy Starr, Olaf Selland and Ari B. Jones and was—and unlike previous Hooveriii releases—was recorded over an extended period of time and was both consciously and subconsciously inspired by the touring the band did in support of 2021’s Water For The Frogs and 2022’s A Round Of Applause. “I’m really grateful for all of the people who contributed to this album and it’s a long list of people but it’s important that they are all listed because we all really pulled together to make this album,” Hoover adds. “Every record is kind of a response to the last record and I like listening to people’s discographies like that,” Hoover explains. “When we finished A Round Of Applause we were in rock mode playing with a lot of rock and psych bands and I was really thinking about what do you do with a fourth record?” The answer turns out to be something more esoteric and less predictable than a guitar-driven album while retaining the core of the band’s sound, which has made the Los Angeles-based act such an exciting act to watch evolve. From the spacey groove of the opener “Prom” to the expansive, synth-friendly ballad “This Rock” and the epic future-folk experimentation of the album’s closer “Dreaming” (which features vocals by Wallace),  Pointe is an album that references the past while stretching toward an unknown future. “I think that our intuition going forward is to keep ourselves surprised and keep people who like us surprised, hopefully without isolating anyone,” he adds. Correspondingly the falsetto-fueled psychedelia of “The Tall Grass” transcends categorization while “The Ship That I Sail” is a nine-minute-long opus teeming with fuzzed-out guitar wizardry.  When it comes to the lyrics for Pointe, Hoover says that while some of these are more personal than his previous material, it’s important for him to leave the actual content up to each listener’s own interpretation. “I like songs where people can admit to being deadbeats even if it is more of a character or you’re reflecting on one aspect of your personality,” he explains. “It’s also a transitional record in a lot of ways because sonically we wanted to drift away for album number four.” Correspondingly, Hoover considers “This Rock” to be a love song. But it could just as easily be about existential dread or the way that another person can change one’s orientation to the universe. Or the countless small decisions that can lead up to an outcome and the way our own smallness can be a catalyst for putting something out into the world that can affect so many other people in unexpected and important ways. Or maybe it is about none of these things, it’s whatever it means to you.  More than anything else Pointe  feels like a full circle moment for Hooveriii, which has evolved from a bedroom solo project into an expansive band that features an army of talented musicians and contributors. “In a lot of ways, Pointe feels like an epilogue to one phase of the band and a prologue to the next one,” Hoover says of how the band’s latest release fits into their musical catalog. Pointe is a collection of songs that weren’t recorded in a linear fashion but that fit together in a way that feels almost cosmic in nature. In other words, it’s Hooveriii at their most creative and undistilled. “I don't really care about trying to push the envelope forward,” However admits, looking back at the long road leading up to completing the album. “I care about making a good record that sounds cohesive—and I feel like with this one, we did a good job.”    Hooverii tour dates (with Mudhoney) Oct 13 - Spokane, WA @ Lucky You Lounge Oct 14 - Missoula, MT @ Zootown Arts Community Center Oct 15 - Billings, MT @ The Pub Station Tap Room Oct 18 - Saint Paul, MN @ Turf Club Oct 19 - Milwaukee, WI @ X-Ray Arcade Oct 20 - Chicago, IL @ Avondale Music Hall Oct 21 - Grand Rapids, MI @ The Pyramid Scheme Oct 22 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Bag Oct 24 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop Oct 25 - Rochester, NY @ Photo City Music Hall Oct 26 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall Oct 27 - Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom Oct 28 - New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge Oct 29 - Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts Oct 31 - Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall Nov 1 - Atlanta, GA @ EARL Nov 2 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement East Nov 3 - Memphis, TN @ Hi Tone Nov 4 - Dallas, TX @ Sundown at Granada Nov 5 - Austin, TX @ Antone's Nightclub Nov 8 - El Paso, TX @ Lowbrow Palace Nov 9 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad Nov 10 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom Nov 11 - Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress Nov 12 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah Nov 14 - Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom Nov 15 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall Nov 17 - Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater Nov 18 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile Showroom (21+) Nov 19 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile Showroom (All Ages)

Pointe Tracklist  1 Prom 2 The Tall Grass 3 This Rock 4 Can't You Hear Me Calling? 5 I Am Alive 6 The Game 7 Circling The Square 8 The Ship That I Sail 9 Dreaming

Find Hooveriii here: Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook

Live Immersive Reading of THE WHITE CITY at Glessner House Via A Theater in the Dark Friday, October 6 and Saturday, October 7th, 2023

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar Live immersive staged reading of  THE WHITE CITY: AN AUDIBLE EXHIBITION ON H.H. HOLMES, MURDERER  at Glessner House October 6 and 7 Original thriller by Rick Kinnebrew about the notorious serial killer of the Chicago World’s Fair will be performed in the Coach House of Glessner House at 1800 S. Prairie House in the South Loop

A Theater in the Dark’s original audio play THE WHITE CITY: AN AUDIBLE EXHIBITION ON H.H. HOLMES, MURDERER, which premiered online in March 2023, will be presented in a live, immersive staged reading with members of the original cast, for two nights only in the Coach House of historic Glessner House, located at 1800 S. Prairie Avenue in Chicago’s South Loop. The play by Evanston-based playwright Rick Kinnebrew will again be directed by Corey Bradberry, Artistic Director of A Theater in the Dark and director of the original audio production. WHITE CITY is a theatrical thriller surrounding the notorious Chicago serial killer H. H. Holmes, who is said to have murdered more than 20 people during the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. The story focuses on the victim of the only murder for which Holmes was convicted, that of his business partner Ben Pitezel.   Kinnebrew is author of the screenplay for the Windy City Film Festival finalist FOG CITY and the play TEN DOLLAR HOUSE. The production features an original musical score composed and performed by Nick Montopoli and sound design created by Jake Sorgen, engineered by Bradberry. Performances are Friday, October 6 and Saturday, October 7 at 8 pm each night. There will be a post-show Q & A with playwright Rick Kinnebrew after each performance.   The original audio production premiered in mid-March with three live performances presented online and was featured on WGN Radio’s “Dean Richards’ Sunday Morning,” ABC Chicago 7’s “Weekender Report,” and WGN Radio’s “Behind the Curtain” podcast hosted by Paul Lisnek. A recording of the production was launched on March 30 and is available online at www.atheaterinthedark.com. Ethan Carlson (left), Keenan Odenkirk (right). Click on image to access file. Ethan Carlson will reprise his role from the audio production as the murderous H.H. Holmes. Holmes’ doomed business partner Ben Pitezel will again be played by Keenan Odenkirk, seen in 2022 as Nick in Invictus Theatre’s Jeff Award-winning WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? Carlson and Odenkirk will be joined by other members of the original cast. Full casting for the immersive reading to be announced. Video teaser for the recorded audio production of WHITE CITY. A Theater in the Dark emerged in fall 2019 with its innovative in-person production of its original noir thriller THREE STORIES UP, performed for audiences sitting in complete darkness, When the COVID pandemic shut down all live performances in 2020, the company was perfectly positioned to pivot to streaming productions of audio plays. Returning to the traditions of the golden age of radio, they received critical acclaim and popular success with their live audio play productions of A WAR OF THE WORLDS, A CHRISTMAS CAROL IN THE DARK, and A WHITE WHALE. Their previous productions of the 2022-23 season are the noir comedy-mystery A MATTER OF RED HERRINGS and the mystery A MURDER IN THE COURT OF XANADU.   The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES said A Theater in the Dark’s 2021 A WHITE WHALE (an original adaptation of Melville’s MOBY DICK) was “packed from stem-to-stern with some of the best, most evocative writing I’ve heard from a theater this year.” The production was honored with the “Critics Choice Award” of the 2021 Atlanta Audio Fringe Festival and the “Best Audio Production” at the 2021 Thornhill Theatre Festival. (L to R):A Theater in the Dark players Christin Prince, Corey Bradberry, Gabe Fries, Logan Connor. Photo provided by A Theater in the Dark. Glessner House presents A Theater in the Dark’s THE WHITE CITY: AN AUDIBLE EXHIBITION ON H.H. HOLMES, MURDERER An immersive staged reading hosted by Glessner House Written by Rick Kinnebrew Produced, Directed and Sound Engineered by Corey Bradberry Original Music Composed and Performed by Nick Montopoli Sound Designed by Jake Sorgen Produced by A Theater in the Dark Coach house of Glessner House,1800 S. Prairie Avenue in Chicago’s South Loop. Friday, October 6 and Saturday, October 7 at 8pm each night Q and A with playwright Rick Kinnebrew both nights. Tickets are $30, available at glessnerhouse.org, $25 for Glessner House members Immersive staged reading of WHITE CITY - a theatrical thriller surrounding the notorious Chicago serial killer H. H. Holmes, who is said to have murdered more than 20 people during the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. The story focuses on the victim of the only murder for which Holmes was convicted, his business partner Ben Pitezel. Corey Bradberry (Director, Producer) is a Chicago-based director and producer, Producing Artistic Director of A Theater in the Dark, and a Faculty Member at The Second City Training Center. Most recently, Corey directed and produced A Theater in the Dark’s fall drama A MURDER IN THE COURT OF XANADU and earlier this year, served as Production Manager for A Red Orchid Theatre’s Equity-Jeff-Award-winning production of The Moors (Best Production, Mid-Sized). In summer 2021, Corey directed SHIPWRECKED!: AN ENTERTAINMENT at Oil Lamp Theatre which won 2021 Broadway World Chicago Awards for “Best Director”, “Best Play”, and “Best Production”. Corey’s audio play A WHITE WHALE, which he wrote and directed, won top prizes at the 2021 Atlanta Audio Fringe Festival and Thornhill Theatre Festival; and also directed A Theater in the Dark’s hit original audio play A WAR OF THE WORLDS. Corey has assistant directed with major institutions including the Second City and Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre. Corey is a 2015 Kennedy Center National Directing Fellow and was awarded the 2013 Emerging Artist Award from the City of Atlanta’s Office of Cultural Affairs. Education: M.F.A. Directing; B.A. Theatre & Performance Studies. Additional Training: Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre, Second City Advanced Directing program. Instagram: @corey.bradberry. www.coreybradberry.com Rick Kinnebrew (Playwright)   As a beloved children’s librarian, Rick tells stories, teaches storytelling, and designs play scenarios. His stage plays and radio plays have reached audiences from Chicago to New Orleans. He is the author of TEN DOLLAR HOUSE (Pride Films & Plays; Broom Street Theater; Mineral Point Opera House). The screenplay FOG CITY--a superhero story set in alt-history California--was a Windy City Film Festival finalist and a top 10% finisher for the Nicholl Fellowship. He is currently enrolled in UCLA’s Screenwriting Program.   About A Theater in the Dark    Inspired by hard-boiled paperback novels and the radio mystery plays of the ‘30s and ‘40s, A Theater in the Dark invites audience members to tune out today’s visual barrage and explore three dimensional soundscapes combining the human voice, recorded sound, and live foley effects to create a theatre experience audiences will never forget. Exceptional in engaging the audience, A Theater in the Dark creates stories through sound - producing both in-person pitch-black theatre experiences and immersive audio plays. Their online audio dramas have broadcast LIVE to listeners in 40 states, 8 Canadian provinces, and 12 countries! Their stories use compelling characters, descriptive language, and stunning soundscapes to pierce through the dark. About Glessner House   Visitors step back in time and immerse themselves in the rich history, art, and architecture of Glessner House. A National Historic Landmark designed by famed American architect H. H. Richardson and completed in 1887, this cultural center and museum is a beacon of innovation, showcasing revolutionary design and celebrating the cultural arts from the late 1800s to the present day. Filled with original artifacts and unique family history, Glessner House is a one-of-a-kind experience.

REVIEW: Lyric Opera's The Flying Dutchman Now Playing Through October 7th, 2023

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Lyric Opera's The Flying Dutchman 

Review 

By Catherine Hellmann, Guest Critic 

Two and a half hours for an opera by Richard Wagner? One act? I’m out the door by 10:00? Sign me up! (I already have my Ring Cycle Merit badge, thank you very much.) 

Tamara Wilson as Senta and Tomasz Konieczny as The Dutchman.

All Photos: Todd Rosenberg

“The Flying Dutchman,” sung in German with English subtitles, as conducted by the charismatic Music Director Enrique Mazzola, is a delight. Based on an old myth about a ghost ship that must sail the seven seas forever, the doomed captain made a deal with the devil (hello, Faust?) during a storm. Now he must find true love to lift the burden of this curse. Every seven years, he is able to reappear and try to convince a woman to love him and break the spell. (My date commented, ”He’s in search of True Love.” I replied, “He has to find a sucker to stop the spell.” Hmmm…maybe I need to check my cynicism.) 

The overture was suspenseful and set the stage for events to come. There is drama on the high seas where there is no promise of return. The Dutchman may be lost forever, and his dismal crew (lit underneath the stage in red lights) will be adrift for eternity. 

Tomasz Konieczny as The Dutchman.

The set by Allen Moyer, who also designed the costumes, is on a disorienting tilt to portray the rocking waves of the water. The singers do a great job of lilting to the sides to simulate the turbulence of the sea. The opera chorus is always fabulous. The men portray the sailors and crew of the ghost trip while the women’s chorus represent the weavers working spinning wheels and the monotony of textile factories. 

Tomasz Konieczny as the Dutchman was powerful and mesmerizing. (Although the “Kool Ghoul” makeup was spooky but odd.) Local hometown star Tamara Wilson was incredible as Senta, the woman who yearns to save the doomed Dutchman (“sucka,” I’m thinking…Don’t do it, Senta!!). Not every opera singer is also a convincing actor, but they both were wonderful. I wasn’t wowed by the costumes, and Ms. Wilson was clearly visible but should ask the wardrobe crew about the Bozo wig.  

By the end of the show, I glanced at my watch and was amazed two hours had passed. That’s a very positive sign for a lengthy opera. The music is glorious. 

Wonderful start to the new Lyric Season.

Catherine Hellmann spends her life at school, the theater, and out walking in the city. 

Mika Kares as Daland, Tomasz Konieczny as The Dutchman,  and the Company of The Flying Dutchman. What You Need to Know About Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman

The Chicago cultural season begins with Music Director Enrique Mazzola conducting his first Wagner opera at Lyric September 23 – October 7, 2023

Wagnerian opera makes a grand return to Chicago whenThe Flying Dutchman docks at Lyric Opera of Chicago from September 23 to October 7, 2023. Considered to be composer Richard Wagner’s first masterpiece,The Flying Dutchman is legendary for its eerie storyline, complex themes of sacrifice and redemption, and soaring melodies. More than 165 musical and dramatic artists — including some of the world’s most sought-after soloists — bring this riveting odyssey to life on Chicago’s biggest stage. Opera’s most thrilling ghost story sets sail. Not seen at Lyric in more than 20 years, The Flying Dutchman is perhaps Wagner’s most haunting opera. This tempestuous work tells the story of a sailor known as the Dutchman, who is doomed to roam the seas forever. The Dutchman’s only hope to break the curse is (*drumroll please*) true love. Senta, a young Norwegian woman, falls quickly and deeply in love with the Dutchman and, well, the story only sinks from there. Through recurring musical themes (known as leitmotifs) and a rich orchestration, Wagner leaves the audience holding their breath to see what comes next for the love-struck couple.  Enrique Mazzola kicks off a season of historic "firsts." In his third season as Lyric’s Music Director, Enrique Mazzola leads the esteemed Lyric Opera Orchestra through a series of momentous firsts. This season opener, brought to life with a 72-piece orchestra, will mark Mazzola’s first time conducting Wagner at Lyric. In January, Terence Blanchard and Michael Cristofer’s Champion will mark his first contemporary work at Lyric, and he finishes Lyric’s opera season with his first-ever production of Aida, which also marks the 100th opera of his storied career. In a final "first" of the 2023/24 Season, Mazzola will conduct Mozart’s Requiem, his first foray into Mozart at Lyric. This diverse season allows Mazzola to showcase his broad repertoire and the Orchestra to display its mastery of a variety of musical styles.  An opera that lets the Chorus shine. Wagner’s score of The Flying Dutchmanhighlights the exceptional Lyric Opera Chorus, with contrasting men’s and women’s (and even ghosts’) choruses throughout the opera. Led by Michael Black, Lyric’s Chorus Director and Head of Music, the powerful 90-member Chorus has a staggering impact on this haunting story.  A star-studded cast comes aboard. Bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny and soprano Tamara Wilson give entrancing portrayals of the Dutchman and Senta. Hailed as "The Breakout Star of the Met Opera’s Ring" by The New York Times, Konieczny returns to Lyric following his acclaimed portrayal of the title role inWozzeck in the 2015/16 Season. Wilson, a stand-out Verdian in recent seasons at Lyric — who was also deemed "quite the Wagnerian" by The New York Times — returns following her most recent headlining role as Elvira in Ernani in the 2022/23 Season. With piercing arias, longing duets, and energizing dialogues, this captivating pair and their fiery vocal power make The Flying Dutchman a must-see. Experienced and emerging artists round out the cast. Renowned bass Mika Kares returns to Lyric as Senta’s father Daland. The cast also features tenorRobert Watson as Erik and mezzo-soprano Melody Wilson as Mary, both in their Lyric debuts. Ryan Capozzo, a third-year member of Lyric’s Ryan Opera Center Ensemble, returns to the mainstage as the Steersman. Sets, costumes, and lighting combine for a theatrically spellbinding production. Director Christopher Alden’s production creates the illusion of a haunted galleon battling raging waters; it is bold and modern while retaining the authenticity of the story itself. (Wagnerian spectacle must run in the family — Alden’s twin brother and fellow opera director, David Alden, directed a new production of The Flying Dutchman at Sante Fe Opera this past summer). Allen Moyer’s creative sets and costumes combine to create a spooky atmosphere, andAnne Militello’s shadowy lighting design gives the production its eerie finishing touches, in her Lyric debut.  Wagner returns to Lyric with drama on the high seas. In an intense return to Lyric, Wagner’s first famous opera does what all of Wagner’s operas do: It draws you in with a captivating story, layered musical composition, and soaring vocal lines written for richly drawn characters. (And at just 2 hours and 20 minutes, it does it all in half the usual time for a Wagner opera.) Ryan Capozzo as Steersman, Tomasz Konieczny as The Dutchman,  and the Company of The Flying Dutchman. Important to know ·        Five chances to see The Flying Dutchman: September 23, 27, October 1 matinee, 4 matinee, and 7, 2023. ·        A running time of 2 hours and 20 minutes; performed without intermission. ·        Sung in German, with easy-to-follow English translations projected above the stage. ·        Information and tickets: visit lyricopera.org/dutchman or call 312.827.5600.

Lyric’s presentation of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman is generously made possible by an Anonymous Donor, Josef & Margot Lakonishok, and Bulley & Andrews. Maestro Enrique Mazzola is generously sponsored by Alice & John Butler, H. Gael Neeson, Sylvia Neil & Daniel Fischel, and the Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation as members of the Enrique Circle. The Enrique Circle is comprised of Lyric's most dedicated supporters who are committed to championing Maestro Enrique Mazzola's exciting artistic vision and legacy. Lyric Opera of Chicago thanks its Official Airline, American Airlines, and acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

About Lyric Lyric Opera of Chicago is committed to redefining what it means to experience great opera. The company is driven to deliver consistently excellent artistry through innovative, relevant, celebratory programming that engages and energizes new and traditional audiences. Under the leadership of General Director, President & CEO Anthony Freud and Music Director Enrique Mazzola, Lyric is dedicated to reflecting, and drawing strength from, the diversity of Chicago. Lyric offers, through innovation, collaboration, and evolving learning opportunities, ever-more exciting, accessible, and thought-provoking audience and community experiences. We also stand committed to training the artists of the future, through The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center; and to becoming increasingly diverse across our audiences, staff, programming, and artists—magnifying the welcoming pull of our art form, our company, and our city. Through the timeless power of voice, the splendor of a great orchestra and chorus, theater, dance, design, and truly magnificent stagecraft, Lyric is devoted to immersing audiences in worlds both familiar and unexpected, creating shared experiences that resonate long after the curtain comes down. Join us @LyricOpera on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, and Facebook. #LongLivePassion For more information, visit lyricopera.org.