ACT OUT OPENING: Buzzer at The Goodman's Owen Theatre Space 2/8

"A study of sex and the city in post-racial times" (Minneapolis Star Tribune), Buzzer follows three young people as they move into a newly-rehabilitated building—one with broken buzzers—in a lower-class, urban neighborhood that is grappling with the effects of gentrification and can be dangerous. 

February 8 - March 9, 2014 In the Owen

Love. Race. Fear. Money. This dark comedy from Tracey Scott Wilson pushes every button.

Jackson is a young, successful African American attorney determined to build a life in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of his youth. When he returns “home” with his girlfriend and troubled best friend—both white—in tow, the trio are soon forced to confront the simmering racial and sexual tensions that exist both inside their home, and outside their apartment.

Groups of 10+ can reserve specially priced tickets for Buzzer. Learn more on our Groups page or email Groups@GoodmanTheatre.org for details.

RACIAL AND SEXUAL TENSIONS SIMMER IN THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF BUZZER BY TRACEY SCOTT WILSON JESSICA THEBUS DIRECTS A PIERCING, DARK COMEDY ABOUT FRIENDS AND LOVERS LIVING TOGETHER IN A DAUNTING TRANSITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD, FEBRUARY 8 – MARCH 9 IN THE OWEN THEATRE Love, race and class take center stage in Buzzer, Chicago native Tracey Scott Wilson’s intimate, darkly comic 21st-century exploration of the effects of a changing neighborhood on three cohabitating twenty-somethings—“a study of sex and the city in post-racial times” (Minneapolis Star Tribune). The trio is forced to confront the racial and sexual tensions that exist both inside their home and outside their apartment in a changing Brooklyn neighborhood. As previously announced, the cast of director Jessica Thebus’ Chicago-premiere production includes Eric Lynch (Broken Fences at 16th Street Theatre, Blacktop Sky at Theatre Seven, part of Steppenwolf’s Garage Rep); Lee Stark (The Iceman Cometh, Disgraced at American Theater Company); and Shane Kenyon (Big Love at Strawdog Theatre Company, Trainspotting USA with Book and Lyrics Theatricals).  Buzzer runs February 8 – March 9 in the Owen Theatre; opening night is Tuesday, February 18. Tickets ($10 - $40; subject to increase) are available at GoodmanTheatre.org/Buzzer, by phone at 312.443.3800 or at the box office (170 North Dearborn). Bank of America is the Owen Season Sponsor, the Goodman Scenemakers Board is a Sponsor Partner and Heidrick & Struggles is a Contributing Sponsor.  “Tracey has made a name for herself through her incisive, explosive dramas that deal with issues surrounding the contemporary African American experience. Her terrific new play, Buzzer, opens the door for thoughtful discourse about the conversations we have—or don’t have—about race, class and how best to treat each other,” said Artistic Director Robert Falls. Hailed a "singular new voice" by the New Yorker, Wilson's work has been seen at venues across the country; the Goodman has produced The Story (2005) and The Good Negro (2010), both directed by Chuck Smith, and Buzzer was included in the 2012 New Stages festival, directed by Thebus. A co-commission of Minneapolis’ Guthrie Theater and Pillsbury House Theater, Buzzer made its world premiere at the Pillsbury House in 2012; critics unanimously endorsed the play as timely, important and simultaneously hilarious and tragic. It was remounted in a sold-out run at the Guthrie in 2013, directed by Marion McClinton. “I have lived in neighborhoods that have been gentrified, and I have gentrified neighborhoods; the issue is always there,” said Tracey Scott Wilson. “The characters in Buzzer are of a generation that has been raised on the Disney Channel, in a very multicultural world where Beyoncé and Jay-Z are considered the biggest stars. It’s very different from someone who grew up when there were not many black characters on TV. Especially in the ‘post-racial Obama age’ we’re entering, there are the things we are supposed to say, the things we actually say and the things we really believe.” Buzzer follows three young people as they move into a newly-rehabilitated building—one with broken buzzers—in a lower-class, urban neighborhood that is grappling with the effects of gentrification and can be dangerous. Jackson (Eric Lynch), a successful African American attorney who grew up in this neighborhood, has returned home, determined to enjoy its renaissance and build a life there. Having attended Exeter, then Harvard and Harvard Law School, Jackson managed to avoid much of the neighborhood’s strife in his younger years. Suzy (Lee Stark), his girlfriend and a teacher at a tough inner-city school, and his troubled boyhood best friend Don (Shane Kenyon)—both white, and who have a history of their own—move in with him. Don hails from a privileged background, but has extensively battled drug addiction; as a result, he is more street-smart than Jackson. The neighborhood and its newest residents’ emotional entanglement take a toll, and the apartment becomes a kind of crucible in which the ever-present urban landscape has devastating results. Director Jessica Thebus, who previously directed Sarah Ruhl’s The Clean House and Stage Kiss for the Goodman, works with Wilson for the first time. “Tracey challenges our assumptions; we’re surprised and invigorated by her argument, and we’re illuminated by the intimacy of this story. The economy of just these three very real people invites you to ask yourself, who am I judging and why? Who’s doing what? Whose side am I on? And you’re not sure quite where to position yourself as the story unwinds.” The design team for Buzzer—Walt Spangler (set), John Culbert (lights), Mikhail Fiksel (sound) and Birgit Rattenborg Wise (costumes)—incorporates elements of Wilson’s former Brooklyn neighborhood to create a realistic setting. Added Thebus, “Don, Jackson, and Suzy are always dealing with the outside, which feels a little unstable. From the cars driving by—questioning, ‘was that a car backfire or was that a gunshot?’—to the guys on the corner to the radio, we have extraordinary designers who will make us feel like the presence of that neighborhood is there.” EVENTS AROUND BUZZER POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS Following each Wednesday performance of Buzzer, stay for a discussion about the play with members of the artistic team. Goodman Theatre | FREE COLLEGE NIGHT Enjoy pizza, pop and the opportunity to mingle with other students and Goodman artists before a performance of Buzzer. Tuesday, February 12, 6pm | Goodman Theatre | $10 with promo code COLLEGEBUZZ (must redeem with valid student ID) ARTIST ENCOUNTER A discussion with playwright Tracey Scott Wilson and director Jessica Thebus. Sunday, February 16, 5pm | Goodman Theatre | FREE Reservations are required. Call 312.443.3800 to reserve your seats. BUZZER AND BREWS Mingle with cast members and Goodman artists in the theater’s rehearsal space before and after a performance of Buzzer. Thursday, March 6, 6pm Reception / 7:30pm Performance| Goodman Theatre | $60

ACT OUT OPENING: THE PITCHFORK DISNEY by Interrobang Theatre Project

Interrobang Theatre Project Continues Fourth Season:

THE PITCHFORK DISNEY

By Philip Ridley 

Directed by Co-Artistic Director Jeffry Stanton

February 6 – March 2, 2014

Following its critically-acclaimed, Jeff Award-nominated production of Terminus, Interrobang Theatre Project is pleased to continue its 4th season with Philip Ridley’s dark comedy THE PITCHFORK DISNEY, directed by Co-Artistic Director Jeffry Stanton, playing February 6 – March 2, 2014 at The Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport in Chicago, where it is now a resident company.  Tickets for THE PITCHFORK DISNEY are on sale through the Athenaeum Theatre Box Office at www.athenaeumtheatre.org  or by calling (773) 935-6875.  

THE PITCHFORK DISNEY features Fred Geyer, Aislinn Kerchaert, Mark Lancaster and Kevin Webb.

How easy it is to stop living. Not to die, but to stop being alive.”

Cosmo Disney, THE PITCHFORK DISNEY

Ten years ago, something dreadful happened to Presley and Haley. Ever since, the grownup siblings have hid in their dead parents’ flat keeping the big bad world at bay on a diet of chocolate, drugs, fractured memory and fantasy. But one night their feral isolation is threatened by the arrival of the sinister cockroach-munching Cosmo Disney and his mute mate Pitchfork Cavalier.

The 1991 debut of Philip Ridley’s gothic fairytale is the stuff of legend sparking debate, horror and a renaissance of British playwriting. At its heart, THE PITCHFORK DISNEY is the story of two innocents, a modern day Hansel and Gretel, staring down a cruel, chaotic world in which money is all, fear sells, truth lies and existence is survival of the sickest. 

23 years after it came kicking and screaming into the world, director Jeffry Stanton takes on this contemporary classic revealing THE PITCHFORK DISNEY has finally come of age. Or perhaps our age has simply come to reflect Ridley’s prophetic nightmare. 

A spine-chilling pitch black comedy for our anxiety-ridden era!

The production team for THE PITCHFORK DISNEY includes: Stephen Carmody (Scenic Designer), Noël Huntzinger* (Costume Designer), Claire Chrzan* (Lighting Designer & Production Manager), Christopher LaPorte* (Sound Designer), Josh Hurley (Props Master), Lindsay Bartlett (Dialect Coach), Julia Rohed* (Stage Manager) and Justin Snyder (Technical Director).  *Denotes Interrobang Theatre Project Company Member.

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title:  THE PITCHFORK DISNEY

Playwright:  Philip Ridley 

Director:  Co-Artistic Director Jeffry Stanton

Featuring:  Fred Geyer (Presley Stray), Aislinn Kerchaert (Haley Stray), Mark Lancaster (Pitchfork Cavaliere) and Kevin Webb (Cosmo Disney). Understudies: Eric Feltes (Cosmo Disney) and Matthew Dealy (Presley Stray).

Location:  The Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport in Chicago

Dates:  Preview: Thursday, February 6 at 8 pm

Opening: Friday, February 7, 2014 at 8 pm

Special understudy performance: Saturday, February 22 at 3 pm.  All tickets $10

Regular run: Sunday, February 9 - Sunday, March 2, 2014. 

Curtain Times:  Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will be added 3 pm performances on Saturday, February 15, 22 and March 1; there will be an added 8 pm performance on Wednesday, February 12.

Tickets: Previews: $12. Regular run: $20 Fridays and Saturdays evenings, $18 Thursdays, Saturday and Sundays matinees. $12 students and industry tickets (with ID).  Tickets are available through the Athenaeum Theatre Box Office at www.athenaeumtheatre.org  or by calling (773) 935-6875.  Note: all ticket prices include a $2 Athenaeum Theatre restoration fee.

About the Playwright

Philip Ridley was born in the East End of London where he still lives and works. In addition to three books for adults and the highly acclaimed screenplay for the The Krays feature film (winner of The Evening Standard Best Film of the Year Award), Ridley has written eight adult stage plays: The Pitchfork Disney, the multi-award-winning The Fastest Clock in the Universe, Ghost from a Perfect Place, Vincent River, the highly controversial Mercury Fur, Leaves of Glass, Piranha Heights and, most recently, the hugely successful Tender Napalm (nominated for the London Fringe Best Play Award), plus several plays for young people: Karamazoo, Fairytaleheart, Moonfleece, Sparkleshark and Brokenville. He has also written many books for children, including Scribbleboy (shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal), Kasper in the Glitter (nominated for the Whitbread Prize), Mighty Fizz Chilla (shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award), ZinderZunder, Vinegar Street, Zips’Apollo and the bestseller Krindlekrax (winner of both the Smarties Prize and WH Smith’s Mind-Boggling Books Award), the stage play of which, adapted by Philip himself, was premiered at the Birmingham Rep Theatre in the summer of 2002. He has also directed three feature films from his own screenplays: The Reflecting Skin (winner of eleven international awards, including the prestigious George Sadoul Prize), The Passion of Darkly Noon (winner of the Best Director Prize at the Porto Film Festival) and, most recently, Heartless (winner of The Silver Meliers Award for Best Fantasy Film), starring Jim Sturgess and Noel Clarke. Philip has won both the Evening Standard’s Most Promising Newcomer to British Film and Most Promising Playwright Awards; the only person ever to receive both prizes. He also studied painting at St. Martin’s School of Art and his work has been exhibited widely throughout Europe and Japan.

About Interrobang Theatre Project

Founded in 2010, Interrobang Theatre Project (Jeffry Stanton and James Yost, Co-Artistic Directors) produces visceral and timely plays that are not readily seen on other Chicago stages. Interrobang upholds live theatre and the act of collective imagining as a powerful means to change our world one play at a time. Interrobang is not recommended for audiences who prefer theatre to be benign or familiar.

Interrobang Theatre Project’s third season opened with the “scintillating revival” (Time Out Chicago) of Paula Vogel’s Hot ‘N’ Throbbing. The Chicago Tribune hailed Interrobang “a company to watch,” Time Out Chicago’s 5-star review claimed, “as the production barrels to its shocking finale, it’s clear (Jeffry) Stanton and his impeccable cast are in complete control,” and Newcity Stage exclaimed, “Interrobang Theatre Project, guns ablaze, dives headfirst into the play’s challenging themes, and offers a rare production in which every element onstage is as robust and capable as every other.”  Other Interrobang Theatre Project productions include the one-man Here Lies Henry by Daniel MacIvor, the Midwest premiere of The Argument by Gregory Moss, Orange Flower Water by Craig Wright, a co-production with BareBones Theatre and most recently, Mark O’Rowe’s critically acclaimed Irish drama Terminus.

What’s an interrobang?

An interrobang is the combination of a question mark and an exclamation point, joining the Latin for “question” (interro) with a proofreading term for “exclamation” (bang). Punctuation expresses an attitude, an idea, an attempt to make things clearer. Through the plays we produce, Interrobang Theatre Project poses muscular questions. Navigating through the dark together with our audience we attempt to arrive at new understandings and fresh perspectives of who we are and the world in which we live.

For more information on Interrobang Theatre Project, visit www.interrobangtheatreproject.org  or www.facebook.com/interrobangtheatreproj. 

ACT OUT OPENING: The Rose and the Rime at House Theatre (ages 6+)

THE HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO RETURNS TO MODERN MYTH-MAKING WITH ROSE AND THE RIME AT THE CHOPIN THEATRE, JANUARY 17 – MARCH 9

**Although designed for adults, The Rose and the Rime is suitable for kids six and up.** 

The run time is 85 minutes with no intermission--so make sure your kids can handle it, if you're considering bringing the littles. 

The House Theatre has long been a top favorite of ours here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows.   We can't wait to see their latest original play, The Rose and the Rime!   Last month we saw The phenomenal House Nutcracker for the 3rd or 4th time, and the kids still begged to see it yet again.   It's become a beloved annual tradition.   Before that, our whole family thoroughly enjoyed The Crownless King.   We'd been eagerly waiting a YEAR for The Stag King sequel.   And of course the incomparable Dennis Watkins' magic has no equal.   We've been raving about his Death and Harry Houdini, The Magnificents and Magic Parlour shows for years.   Click here for some of our past House Theatre related coverage including video interviews, reviews, and photo filled features.   Then don't take our word for it.   Buy your tickets before they sell out and GO already.   We'll be there this Sunday for the press opening and will have a full review up shortly.    

Artistic Director Nathan Allen Leads Cast of Ten in Re-imagined Production

The House Theatre of Chicago presents the all-ages original play Rose and the Rime at the Chopin Theatre Upstairs Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Friday, Jan. 17 – Sunday, March 9. The play is created by Company Members Chris Matthews, Jake Minton and Artistic Director Nathan Allen, who will also serve as the production’s director, and has choreography by Company Member Tommy Rapley and music by Company Member Kevin O’ Donnell. 

The Rose and the Rime Schedule

Previews begin Friday, Jan. 17 through Saturday, Jan. 25 and play on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m.  Regular performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. 

Preview tickets are $15, Regular Run tickets range from $20 to $40 and $10 Student and Industry Same-Day discounted tickets are available for all dates, seats permitting. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.thehousetheatre.com or call 773.769.3832.

Rose and the Rime

House Theatre Chicago 1/17/14 - 3/9/14. 

“…This whole intensely creative show—which deals with a plucky young girl who stares down
an evil witch, only to confront the ambivalence of power—is relentlessly optimistic. That’s one of the great pleasures of The House.” – Chicago Tribune

“Wonderfully imaginative stagecraft and a unique approach to movement." – Chicago Sun-Times

ROSE AND THE RIME will transfer to The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County starting April 23, 2014 for a five-week run, in a continuing partnership between Arsht and The House.

The multi-talented ensemble of The House Theatre of Chicago utilizes their signature style that blends music, swirling acrobatic dance, spectacle, and stage craft to spin the cautionary tale of their favorite myth, Rose and the Rime. Set in Radio Falls, “a little town by a big lake," young Rose (played by Company Member Paige Collins) must risk her life to rescue a magic coin from the icy clutches of the Rime Witch (played by Ericka Ratcliff), her only hope in saving her friends and family from the spell that keeps them frozen in perpetual winter. When the coin is returned, the freezing spell is lifted, and for a moment, Radio Falls appears rescued from their icy fate. But the coin's power inspires bigger dreams, and greed creeps slowly into the thawed Townsfolk. Rose must finally fight to keep the coin from falling into the wrong hands. But can she bear the power herself? Originally developed at Hope College in 2008, Rose and the Rime won the honor of playing the Kennedy Center as Best Original Work in the KCACTF festival. Re-staged by The House in 2009, Rose and the Rime tackles big themes considered central to many of the stories told at The House.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
ROSE AND THE RIME is written by Nathan Allen, Chris Mathews and Jake Minton, and directed by Nathan Allen. Tommy Rapley leads the ensemble in the dance-like movement as Choreographer, and Kevin O'Donnell lends the score.

Company Members Michael E Smith and Joey Steakley return to their roles as Uncle Roger and Charlie, respectively. Company Member Paige Collins (The Nutcracker, The Crownless King) will take on the title role as Rose, and Company Member Christine Mayland Perkins also appears in the ensemble. Last seen in 2007's The Nutcracker, Equity actress Ericka Ratcliff returns to The House in the title role of the Rime Witch, complete with wire work and new original songs to make Rose's encounter with the Witch particularly spellbinding and heartbreaking.

Guest artist Brandon Holmes (recently seen in Steppenwolf's Three Sisters) appears as Rose's love interest, Jimmy. The ensemble is rounded out by returning guest artist Kara Davidson, and new faces Jeremy Sonkin, Dan Toot, and Tamara White.

Company Member Collette Pollard designs a new space for this re-imagined production, creating a darker, more isolated world for each resident of Radio Falls, where tiny homes stand in solitary snow storms day after day. With seating on three sides of the stage, the audience is a part of the snowy world. 

Company Member Melissa Torchia bundles the cast up for the icy weather, in an urban Midwestern palate. Company Member Lee Keenan designs lights that transport us from Rose's dreamy, childhood visions, to the harsh realities of life in a broken town. Jeff Award-winning composer and Company Member Kevin O’Donnell shares a score influenced by doo-wop, harkening to the show's Michigan roots. Company Member Joshua Horvath completes the team as sound designer.

HELP OUT:

Benefit - The Red Rows Spectacular

Recovery on Water

Feb 12th 7p -2nd Annual Benefit performance to raise funds for ROW (Recovery on Water) a rowing program for breast cancer survivors.  Tonight's entertainment includes live comedy, exotic burlesque performances, feats of strength and more!  Cocktails and light hor'doueves at 7p with performances at 730pm.

Tickets - $25

ABOUT THE HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO 
The House is Chicago's premier home for original works of physical and spectacle storytelling. Founded and led by Artistic Director Nathan Allen and driven by an interdisciplinary ensemble of Chicago’s next generation of great storytellers, The House aims to become a laboratory and platform for the evolution of the American theatre as an inclusive and popular artform.

The House was founded in 2001 by a group of friends to explore connections between Community and Storytelling through a unique theatrical experience. Since becoming eligible in 2004, The House has been nominated for 60 Joseph Jefferson Awards (19 wins) and became the first recipient of Broadway in Chicago’s Emerging Theater Award in 2007. Now in its 12th year of original work, The House continues its mission to unite Chicago in the spirit of Community through amazing feats of Storytelling.

ACT OUT OPENING: The Drowsy Chaperone at Bailiwick Chicago

Bailiwick Chicago Presents

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

February 4 – 8, 2014 at Stage 773

Actors Bid For Roles at Annual CHICAGO CASTING AUCTION

It’s no ordinary cast!  Dozens of competitors bid for roles in a professionally produced stage production of the hit musical comedy parody THE DROWSY CHAPERONE at Bailiwick Chicago’s annual Chicago Casting Auction.  Now, they’re ready to take the stage for six performances only, February 4 – 8, 2014 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago.  With book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE is directed by Bailiwick Chicago Managing Director Geoff Bleeker* with music direction by Robert Ollis*.  Tickets are currently available at bailiwickchicago.com.

The cast of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE includes Andy Lambros (Man In Chair), Paula Goedert (Drowsy Chaperone), Jill Renn (Janet Van der Graff), Rusty Rector (Robert Martin), Jerry Hickey (George), Varris Holmes (Adolpho), Nancy Studenroth (Mrs. Tottendale), Herb Quinde (Underling), Larry Blust (Feldzeig), Laura Ladeweski (Kitty), Leatrice Berman Sandler (Trix), Christine Hadley and Amy Robbins (Gangsters), Myles Tobin (Superintendent), Penny Reynolds and Peg Wander (Reporters) with a special guest cameo by Noodles The Wonder Dog.  The ensemble includes Michelle Bibergal, Mary Burke, Stuart Burstein, Carol Christensen, Jenny Davis, Denise Doherty, Maria Harrigan, Deb Hayes, Kim Klein, Marcelline Klestil, Corey Krol, Diana Lynch, Bliss McMahon, Linda Effinger-Quinde, Fred Snow, Eileen Sweeney and Nora Winsberg. The teen and youth chorus includes youth from Bailiwick Chicago’s partner school, Franklin Fine Arts Center, and the Chicago area. The youth chorus includes: Dylan Lainez, Joshua Steinfels-Saenz and Bennett Van York with Franklin Arts Center students Abbie Branda, Annie Goldenberg, Haley Goldenberg, Rory Kopplin, Rory Normal, Thomas Serges, Emily Smagacz, Myles Tanzer and Khilah Turnipseed.  

A rare combination of unprecedented originality and blinding talent, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE boldly addresses a great unspoken desire in all of our hearts: to be entertained. It all begins when a die-hard musical-theater fan plays his favorite cast album on his turntable, and the musical literally bursts to life in his living room, telling the rambunctious tale of a brazen Broadway starlet trying to find, and keep, her true love. If you've ever sat in a dark theatre and thought, "Dear Lord in heaven, please let it be good," this is the show for you!

THE CHICAGO CASTING AUCTION

Bailiwick Chicago’s annual Chicago Casting Auction is a unique opportunity for non-professionals to experience the thrill of being on stage in a professionally produced Chicago stage production. More than 35 roles were auctioned off during the November 2, 2013 event at Chicago’s Dank Haus German American Cultural Center Grand Ballroom, 4740 N. Western Ave. Contenders for leading and major supporting roles took the stage during the nail-biting live auction, often edged on by the crowd to show off their vocal and dancing talents. Additional supporting and chorus roles were won via silent auction. The event raised more than $60,000 for Bailiwick Chicago.  Last year’s auction, which culminated in a sold-out public run of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, raised $75,000 (including ticket sales to the production itself) to support Bailiwick Chicago programming.

The production team for THE DROWSY CHAPERONE includes: Chris Kristant* (scenic design), D.J. Reed  (costume coordinator), Jessica Carson (lighting design), Alex Heika (choreographer), Jon Martinez (asst. choreographer), Kyle Pollio (vocal director), Kate Garassino* (youth choir director/producer), Casi Maggio (associate youth choir director), Varris Holmes* (assistant director) and Heather Stuck* (stage manager).

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title:  THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

Book: Bob Martin and Don McKellar

Music & Lyrics: Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison

Director:  Managing Director Geoff Bleeker

Music: Robert Ollis*

Musicians: Robert Ollis* (Keyboard I, Conductor), Diane Hansen (woodwinds), Derek Fitting (trumpet), Deb Johnson (bass) and Lindsay Williams (percussion).

Location:  Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago

Dates:  Previews: Tuesday, February 4 and Wednesday, February 5 at 7:30 pm

Regular run:  Thursday, February 6 – Saturday, February 8, 2014

Curtain Times:  Thursday at 7:30 pm; Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 2 pm & 7:30 pm

Tickets: Previews: $20. $15 children 12 & under. Regular run: $45. Tickets are currently available at bailiwickchicago.com.

*Denotes Bailiwick Chicago Collective Member.

Bailiwick Chicago is a non-profit professional company with a mission to produce contemporary musicals and plays, reinvent classic musicals and develop new work, while sharing a powerful and authentic theatrical experience. The company celebrates and engages our community through diverse programming, artistic partnerships and outreach opportunities. In its first three seasons Bailiwick Chicago has garnered 44 award nominations, including 10 Non-Equity Jeff Award Nominations in its first Jeff-Eligible season (2011-12).  For additional information, visit www.bailiwickchicago.com. 

Bailiwick Chicago Staff:

Artistic Director: Lili-Anne Brown

Executive Director: Kate Garassino

Creative Director: Eric Martin

Managing Director: Geoff Bleeker

INCOMING: The Wild Feathers Play Double Door 2/16 (21+) #FreeDownload

Chi, IL Live Shows on Our Radar: 

The Wild Feathers Announce Winter Headline Tour Presented By Filter "The Ceiling" Wins Sirius Spectrum Award Selected As One of Amazon's Rising Stars of 2014

The Wild Feathers have announced a winter headline tour presented by Filter. The North American run kicks off January 22nd in Austin, TX, and runs through SXSW. Full tour dates are below. Saints of Valory and Jamestown Revival will support. JAM Productions and Double Door Welcome The Wild Feathers Saints of Valory, Jamestown Revival Sunday Feb 16, 2014 Doors: 8:00 PM Show: 9:00 PM 21 and over $14 This year has been an impressive one for the Nashville five-piece, who released their Jay Joyce (Cage the Elephant, Emmylou Harris)-produced debut album August 13th via Warner Bros Records. They have played well over 200 shows, with Gary Clark Jr, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Dawes, Dwight Yoakam and ZZ Ward,.and more, and stopped at the Austin City Limits festival,  San Francisco's Outside Lands, Sasquatch and Hangout Festivals, Milwaukee's Summerfest, Louisville's Forecastle Festival and Nashville's Live on the Green. The Wild Feathers performed their acclaimed single "The Ceiling," which the Minneapolis Star Tribune called "perhaps the most elegantly crafted song of the year" on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and the track just won the Sirius Spectrum Award for Best Song Discovery. Amazon has selected The Wild Feathers for their "Rising Stars of 2014" campaign, which runs from December 25th to January 31st.  The program features a free download of the band's new single "Got It Wrong," which they performed on Rachael Ray December 10th.   Critical response to The Wild Feathers has been effusive. Rolling Stone declared the album "something that fans of heartland artists like the Avett Brothers and My Morning Jacket will appreciate while it recalls the magic of Tom Petty and Neil Young," Relix called it "boisterous and impassioned, reverberating with a raw, live quality," Baeble Music said, "Electrifying, soul stirring, and utterly reverent rock and roll...they're The Wild Feathers and they're pretty much here to kick your ass," and  the NY Daily News gave the album four stars, declaring "the Feathers have the vulnerability and beauty of the Jayhawks...the chemistry they found has the 'eureka' effect of the great American harmony-rock bands, from Buffalo Springfield to Poco." The Wild Feathers North American Tour Dates: WED      1/22/14  Austin, TX            Stubb's THU       1/23/14  Houston, TX        Warehouse Live FRI         1/24/14  Dallas, TX            as Monkey FRI         1/31/14  Mobile, AL            Soul Kitchen SAT        2/1/14    Atlanta, GA          The Loft SUN        2/2/14    Athens, GA           The Melting Point TUE        2/4/14    Washington, DC  U Street Music Hall THU       2/6/14    New York, NY      Mercury Lounge FRI         2/7/14    Philadelphia, PA  World Café Live SUN        2/9/14    Boston, MA          Brighton Music Hall MON      2/10/14  Montreal, QC       Belmont WED      2/12/14  Toronto, ON         Horseshoe Tavern THU       2/13/14  Ann Arbor, MI     Blind Pig FRI         2/14/14  Indianapolis, IN   Radio Radio SAT        2/15/14  Madison, WI        Majestic Theatre SUN        2/16/14  Chicago, IL           Double Door TUE        2/18/14  St. Paul, MN         Turf Club WED      2/19/13  Lawrence, KS       Granada Theatre FRI         2/21/14  Denver, CO           Bluebird Theatre SUN        2/23/14  Boise, ID               Neurolux TUE        2/25/14  Portland, OR         Star Theater WED      2/26/14  Seattle, WA           The Crocodile THU       2/27/14  Vancouver, BC     Media Club SUN        3/2/14    Sacramento, CA  Harlows Night Club MON      3/3/14    San Francisco, CA               The Independent TUE        3/4/14    Solana Beach, CA               Belly Up Tavern      *Saints of Valory will not perform on Seattle, Vancouver and Sacramento dates                        www.thewildfeathers.com / www.facebook.com/wildfeathers

INCOMING: GoldFord Plays Lincoln Hall 1/31

Chi, IL Live Shows on Our Radar:

GoldFord will be direct support for Caleb Hawley (record release show) at Lincoln Hall on Friday, Jan. 31:

Shoeshine Boy Productions presents:

Caleb Hawley (Record Release)

GoldFord

Tall Walker

Mighty Fox

8:00 PM   21+   $12 Doors

It's almost too easy for Caleb Hawley to win over an audience. With his lightning guitar licks, irreverent choice of covers (Spice Girls?), and a voice - from soothing folk to powerhouse soul - that placed him in the final 50 on American Idol (2011), the shaggy-haired, blue-eyed soul singer is irresistible. So irresistible, that it's easy to overlook the power and truth in his songwriting. Raised outside Minneapolis, Caleb discovered his songwriting voice after earning a degree in jazz composition. Based in New York City since 2007, his self-described "folk infused rock 'n' soul" is sweeping songwriting contests across the country. Caleb is in currently in the final stages of his fourth studio album.

Jeffrey Goldford didn’t realize until he was 20 years old that he had a gift. College life loaned itself to a happy accident, when a group of his roommates overheard him singing to himself in the shower. Little did they know such a simple accidental discovery would unearth a once-in-a-lifetime kind of voice.

Tall Walker is a three-piece indie rock faction from Chicago, IL with a sound that is pop sensible, rock friendly and sonically reminiscent of early U2. From the soft and sensitive, to the raucous and fuzzy, they entice with powerful delivery and thought provoking lyrics. Brought to life by recent Chicago transplant Nick Bays and Chris Hershman, Tall Walker spent most of 2012 in the fetal stages. With the addition of Ben Johnson on drums the trio has started recording selections from their catalog and is building a fan base in Chicago and Bays’s home state of South Carolina.

Mighty Fox isn't just a musical project but rather a journey. As an up-and-coming group based in Chicago that has already gotten industry professionals stirring, it’s clear that this project is more than just a “band” but rather a way of life for the musicians involved. Each song has the listener noticing the many different artists that influence Mighty Fox and how they’ve effected the lives of the members. With bands like Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, U2, Mumford & Sons, and Go Radio being considered substantial influences, Mighty Fox has a very well rounded sound that anyone and everyone can relate to and enjoy. Don’t let the names fool you though. Mighty Fox has definitely found a sound of their own which translates incredibly to their live show.

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Click here for tickets and full show details http://lincolnhallchicago.com/Shows/01-31-2014+Caleb+Hawley

http://www.goldfordmusic.com/

INCOMING: Chicago's North by North Debut Double LP Release at Empty Bottle 1/23 #FreeStreaming

Chi, IL Live Shows on Our Radar:

Chicago’s North by North will celebrate the release of their debut, double LP, Something Wicked, with a show at the Empty Bottle on Thursday, Jan. 23: http://emptybottle.com/show/3933594/.

The album streams at http://northbynorth.bandcamp.com/.  

Harnessing a love of gritty, classic rock and dance music, THE IVORYS a trio of young Chicago whipper-snappers who walk the line between power pop, indie-rock and good ol' rock'n'roll. The band has played Chicago extensively and toured around the U.S. with stops at SXSW over the past two years while building a steady fan base her at home and around the country. Come witness THE IVORYS' animated, electrifying live show with your own eyeballs and remember to clean the drool off your face. 

Another power-trio of sorts, Chicago's NORTH BY NORTH veer in a completely different direction, playing more angular, heavy rock that's veers in spastic-but-anthemic directions. Tonight the band is celebrating the release of their first LP, Something Wicked, which is the perfect titled for the ball of hook-laden, noisey fury they've created in all EIGHTEEN songs. Fans of fuzzy, bluesy rock'n'roll aren't gonna want to miss their set tonight - be sure and pick up a copy of the record on your way out. 

Opening tonight's show and making their EB debut is AKTAR AKTAR, a Chicago four-piece who meld Brit-pop with American folk-rock on their debut LP, Mothershipman. The album was released in late 2011 and we're excited to hear what new tunes they'll have for us tonight.

Thu Jan 23 2014

9:00 PM

• The Ivorys
• Official WebsiteFacebookYoutube
• North By North (record release)
• FacebookBandcamp
• Aktar Aktar
• Official WebsiteFacebook

$8.00