Quench Your Kurios(ity) With Cirque Du Soleil's Phantasmagorical Steampunk Show #Review #HighlyRecommended #ChiILPicksList

We were dazed and bemused. This show is pure genius. Make time to see KURIOS by Cirque du Soleil in Chicago. Don't miss THIS! ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar.

Beyond amazing! #Kurios killed it! If you're debating, GO already. 

This is the real deal. ChiIL Mama's #ChiILPicksList

All Pictures credit: © Martin Girard shootstudio.ca

Costume credit: Philippe Guillotel

From the moment the stage clock locked in at the magical time of 11:11 they had me. I was enthralled, as a ragtag band of 19th century passengers debarked a steam train, and filled the tent with hours of endless wonders, all before the clock clicked over to 11:12! 

Here at ChiIL Mama/ChiIL Live Shows, it was our absolute pleasure to catch the Chicago opening of Kurios-Cabinet of Curiosities. We've seen just about every Cirque du Soleil show, and had high expectations. I'm thrilled to say Kurios greatly exceeded them. This production is visually stunning, crazy creative, and a whimsically welcome break from reality. Highly recommended for all ages. 

Kurios is fast paced and phantasmagorical, with a charming steampunk aesthetic. We adored the nod to the 19th century past, circus side show vibe, with a strong man, a midget, and other iconic jugglers, percussionists, dancers, and characters. 

We were also enthralled with the magical mini acts, like an invisible circus and hand "puppet" show, within the story line. The stunning costumes, grace, and live, original music Cirque du Soleil is renowned for were still present. Yet, Kurios was more playful, edgy and fun than many of their recent productions. The Kurios tunes are earworms of the finest order, and the only cure is to play them again and again.

Written and directed by Michel Laprise, the new touring production will premiere under the iconic blue-and-yellow Big Top at United Center beginning August 6, 2015

**TICKETS, STARTING AT $35, NOW ON SALE!**

Cirque du Soleil returns to Chicago after four years with its newest touring show, KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities™ , performing under the iconic blue-and-yellow Big Top at the United Center parking lot, 1901 W. Madison Street, August 6 – September 20, 2015. Tickets are available for purchase by visiting cirquedusoleil.com/kurios or calling 1-877-9 CIRQUE (1-877-924-7783). Tickets range from $35 - $145.

                    

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL RETURNS TO CHICAGO THIS SUMMER

WITH KURIOS – CABINET OF CURIOSITIES!

                                                           

KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities premiered to the world in Montréal in April 2014 and is Cirque du Soleil’s 35^th production. Since its debut, the critics have been raving: “KURIOS is Cirque du Soleil's strongest act in years…one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen on a stage” (Toronto Star) and "KURIOS is the best Cirque du Soleil show in a long time.” (San Francisco Chronicle).

Written and directed by Michel Laprise, KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities is a tale in which time comes to a complete stop, transporting the audience inside a fantasy world where everything is possible. In this realm set in the latter half of the nineteenth century, reality is quite relative indeed as our perception of it is utterly transformed. The name of the show refers to the humble and strange characters that inhabit the Seeker’s Cabinet of Curiosities.

In an alternate yet familiar past, in a place where wonders abound for those who trust their imagination, a Seeker discovers that in order to glimpse the marvels that lie just below the surface, we must first learn to close our eyes. In his larger-than-life curio cabinet, the Seeker is convinced that there exists a hidden, invisible world – a place where the craziest ideas and the grandest dreams lie waiting. A collection of otherworldly characters suddenly steps into his makeshift mechanical world. When the outlandish, benevolent characters turn his world upside down with a touch of poetry and humor in an attempt to ignite the Seeker’s imagination, his curios jump to life one by one before his very eyes.

Michel Laprise

Michel Laprise worked in theatre for nine years as an actor, director and artistic director before joining Cirque du Soleil in 2000. At Cirque du Soleil, Michel spent five years as a talent scout before taking on, in 2006, the role of Special Events Designer. In that capacity, he directed the act with Quebec diva Diane Dufresne during the Opening Ceremonies of the Montreal 2006 Outgames; the large-scale performance event created for the launch of the Fiat Bravo in Italy (2007); the Cirque du Soleil performance event celebrating Quebec City’s 400^th anniversary (2008); the launch of Microsoft’s Kinect console at the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo, broadcast on MTV; the opening show at the Eurovision Song Contest held in Russia in 2009; and the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 FIBA International Basketball Federation World Championships in Istanbul. In 2012, Michel collaborated with pop star Madonna, providing artistic direction for her performance at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show; he later went on to direct her MDNA tour. In 2013, he directed the musical Robin des Bois – Ne renoncez jamais.

Creative team

The creative team of KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities consists of 17 creators under the artistic guidance of Guy Laliberté (Guide) and Jean-François Bouchard (Creative Guide):

Michel Laprise                   Writer and Director

Chantal Tremblay             Director of Creation

Stéphane Roy                    Set and Props Designer

Philippe Guillotel              Costume Designer

Raphaël Beau                    Composer and Musical Director

Bob & Bill                             Composers and Musical Directors

Yaman Okur                       Choreographer

Ben Potvin                          Choreographer

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui         Choreographer

Susan Gaudreau               Choreographer

Andrea Ziegler                  Choreographer

Jacques Boucher              Sound Designer

Jean-Michel Caron          Sound Designer

Martin Labrecque            Lighting Designer

Rob Bollinger                     Acrobatic Performance Designer

Germain Guillemot         Acrobatic Performance Designer

Boris Verkhovsky             Acrobatic Performance Designer

Danny Zen                          Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Designer

Eleni Uranis                        Makeup Designer

Sponsors and partners

KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities   in Chicago is proud to be presented by  Visa Signature, in association with  United Mileage Plus. We also gratefully acknowledge our official sponsors  XEROX, DHL, ACTIVEON Action Camera as well as Affiliate Partner MEXICO.

Cirque du Soleil

KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities is Cirque du Soleil’s 35^th production since 1984. The company, which celebrated its 30^th anniversary in 2014, has brought wonder and delight to close to 150 million spectators in more than 300 cities on six continents. Cirque du Soleil has close to 4,000 employees, including 1,300 performing artists from close to 50 different countries.

Get Social: Tag your shots on Facebook or Twitter: @Cirque #Kurios 

Hard Rock Hotel Lollapalooza Afterparties #21+

ChiIL Live Shows has been ChiILin' out in Chi, IL at Hard Rock Hotel every summer when Lollapalooza rolls around. It's always a party! In past years I've gotten a complimentary tattoo there (the permanent kind), sweet fest friendly hair styles, and opportunities to see celebs and rock stars perform in a much more intimate setting than the fest stages.

Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos teams up with Culture Collide to present the "Chicago After Parties" – a series of music-infused post-event celebrations – at Hard Rock Hotel Chicago in conjunction with the city's famed festival weekend. Sure to be the weekend's hottest entertainment and lifestyle venue, the Culture Collide Chicago After Parties Series will roll out the red carpet on the nights of July 31, 2015 and August 1, 2015 at Hard Rock Hotel Chicago – the city's most coveted music-inspired destination adjacently located to the festival grounds.

"The after parties at Hard Rock Hotel Chicago have always been the place to see and be seen during the festival weekend, and this year is certainly no exception," says Matt Watts, director of music and marketing at Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos. "With our 10th and most exciting year yet, we're looking forward to continue to build upon this annual party and provide music fans with a truly unique and intimate setting to see performances from an icon like Slick Rick; as well as one of the most exciting new bands this year, Bleachers."

For the tenth year in a row, Hard Rock Hotel Chicago will play home to the most sought-after post-festival event over the weekend long celebration. Keeping music at the forefront, the two-day extravaganza will feature both throwback legends and indie powerhouses. The first night welcomes one of hip-hop's earliest pioneers, the Grammy-nominated Slick Rick, recognized for brilliant lyricism, and hip-hop story telling, as seen in his 1989 smash hit single, "Children's Story." The weekend will close out with an ode to indie culture, with Saturday night featuring emotional melodies by Bleachers, the emerging indie favorite founded by Jack Antonoff of Grammy award-winning band fun.

"Much like Hard Rock, Culture Collide was founded on the belief that music connects us all and we look forward to curating an experience during Lollapalooza weekend that further showcases both our brand's biggest passion – music," says Alan Miller, founder of Culture Collide."

Guests in attendance will enjoy delectable food and wine pairings, as well as creative creations by a fully sponsored open bar. Sponsors of the Culture Collide Chicago After Parties Series include media partners The A.V. Club, as well as Bandsintown, Fender, Shellback Caribbean Rum, E&J and Busy Beaver Button Co., which will be gifting partygoers with custom festival buttons.

Leading up the much anticipated night parties, Hard Rock Hotel Chicago will serve as a retreat where guests enjoy a Vinyl DJ Bar at the main lobby from 5-10 p.m. Presented by Blue Microphones, the Vinyl DJ Bar will provide fans with the ultimate listening experience as a DJ spinning vinyl takes requests and fills the hotel with music. Guests will also have the opportunity to sift through classic vinyl records and experience firsthand what their favorite tracks sound like through premium Blue Mo-Fi headphones, all the while diving into music's treasured vinyl culture.

• Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at culturecollide.com/Chicago (Tell 'em ChiIL Live Shows sent you)
• Interact via Twitter @hardrock and @hrhchicago using #thisishardrock

Culture Collide Chicago After Parties Series:
Dates:	Friday, July 31 and Saturday, August 1
Hours:	10 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Address:	230 N. Michigan Ave
Friday, July 31 Lineup:
10 p.m. – 2 a.m.	Slick Rick Performance Plus Special Guests
Saturday, August 1 Lineup:
10 p.m. – 2 a.m.	Bleachers Performance Plus Special Guests

For more information on Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, please visit hardrockhotels.com, and for more information on Hard Rock Hotel Chicago, please visit hardrockhotelchicago.com.

About Hard Rock International
With a total of 200 venues in 64 countries, including 154 cafes, 21 hotels and 10 casinos, Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, Hard Rock Live performance venues and an award-winning website. HRI owns the global trademark for all Hard Rock brands. The company owns, operates and franchises Cafes in iconic cities including London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney andDubai. HRI also owns, licenses and/or manages hotel/casino properties worldwide. Destinations include the company's two most successful Hotel and Casino properties in Tampa and Hollywood, Fl., both owned and operated by HRI parent company The Seminole Tribe of Florida, as well as other exciting locations including Bali, Chicago, Cancun, Ibiza, Las Vegas, Macau and San Diego. Upcoming new Hard Rock Cafe locations include San Juan, Lagos and Busan, South Korea. New Hard Rock Hotel projects include Daytona Beach, Dubai, Los Cabos, Tenerife, Abu Dhabi, and Shenzhen and Haikou in China. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com

About Hard Rock Hotel Chicago
Stretching 40 stories tall on Chicago's famous Michigan Avenue, Hard Rock Hotel Chicago gives guests a hotel experience unlike any other with a combination of rich architectural legacy and contemporary amenities. Owned and operated by Becker Ventures, Hard Rock Hotel Chicago resides in the Carbide and Carbon Building, a historic Burnham masterpiece fashioned from green terra cotta and black polished granite. As Art Deco meets the art of hospitality, the luxury lifestyle hotel holds 381 modernized guest rooms, including 20 suites, designed to immerse the senses with soothing tones, modern furnishings and atmospheric lighting. Guests enjoy access to some of Chicago's largest meeting space, in addition to the hotel's two onsite restaurants: Mr. Brown's Lounge and Chuck's: A Kerry Simon Kitchen. For more information on Hard Rock Hotel Chicago, visit www.hardrockhotelchicago.com or call 312-345-1000.

Come Celebrate at Neo Nightclub One Last Weekend In Their Iconic Space

Neo Nightclub Loses their Lease  after 37 Years in Lincoln Park Yes, I admit it. I was a weekly regular at Neo in the early 90's. It's sad to see them lose their iconic, alternative space to a preschool! Neo, one of Chicago’s oldest alternative nightclubs, has lost their lease at their current Lincoln Park location and are searching for a new space to move the 37-year old nightclub. The only upside is, maybe they'll move where parking is more plentiful. May we highly suggest Avondale?! photos by Ashok Selvam The current lease was lost due to the landlord not re-signing with the owners of the club, after months of negotiating a new lease. The preschool located in the store front of the building on the 2300 block of North Clark will take over the space where Neo currently resides. You can join Neo for one last hoorah! in their current space this weekend.  The nightclub will kick off their reunion this week on Thursday, July 23rd. Each night will be themed as the nightclub from decades ago. Thursday is ‘Neo in the 80’s,’ featuring DJs Gil Burns, Bud Sweet and Jeff Pazen. Friday, July 24th will be “Neo in the 90’s” and will feature DJ’s RazerX, DJ Abe!, Ryan Bedlem and Carrie Monster. Saturday, July 25th Neo will feature original Neo DJs Glenn Russell, Suzanne Shelton and Bill Saveley. Neo will move their Thursday programming to Debonair Social Club in Wicker Park while they search for a new building for the nightclub. They will also be taking over the basement of Debonair Social Club on Friday’s. Please stay tuned for more information regarding the Debonair Social Club events. Neo has a wide range of fame associated with it, as the name of the main character in the MATRIX trilogy is rumored to be named after the dance club. The establishment has also been favorited by the likes of musician, David Bowie and actor, John Cusack. The definition of a Chicago music club, Neo has been a staple of the alternative scene for over 30 years. Come in and experience a place where the drinks are strong, the music is a way of life, the dancing is unlike anywhere else, and only sin is not being yourself. Serving Chicago’s underground since 1979.

OPENING: Pre-Broadway production of Beaches, A New Musical at Drury Lane 6/24

Cast Announced For Beaches, A New Musical Pre-Broadway Musical Plays Drury Lane Theatre  June 24 – August 16 Drury Lane Productions and Jennifer Maloney-Prezioso (Broadway: Spring Awakening, Rock of Ages) are thrilled to announce the cast for the pre-Broadway production of Beaches, A New Musical, based on the beloved novel by Iris Rainer Dart. Previewing June 24, opening on July 2 and running through August 16, 2015, the original musical is written by Iris Rainer Dart and Thom Thomas, with music by David Austin and lyrics by Iris Rainer Dart. The production is directed by Eric Schaeffer (Broadway: Follies, Million Dollar Quartet). The all-star cast is led by Shoshana Bean as “Cee Cee Bloom,” and Whitney Bashor as “Bertie White.” Bean, a veteran of the Broadway stage debuted in the original cast of Hairspray and starred as the very first replacement for Elphaba, the green-skinned witch, in Wicked. Her independent solo releases have topped the iTunes R&B and Blues charts in the US and UK in peak positions 5, 3 and now #1 with the release of her latest EP Shadows to Light. She also sang back up for Michael Jackson at his 30th anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden and her music has also been featured in TV shows on NBC, MTV, Oxygen and Showtime.   Whitney Bashor (left) and Shoshana Bean (right) Bashor appeared in Broadway’s Tony award-winning Bridges of Madison County and went from the stage to the small screen, appearing on HBO’s critically acclaimed Boardwalk Empire.  The young versions of the characters are played by Presley Ryan as “Little Cee Cee” (How The Grinch Stole Christmas at Madison Square Garden, NBC’s Sound of Music Live) and Brooklyn Shuck as “Little Bertie / Nina” (Broadway: Matilda in Matilda, Annie) Also starring is Travis Taylor as “John Perry” (Lancelot in Camelot at Drury Lane Theatre, Sunday in the Park with George at Goodman Theatre), Nancy Voigts as “Leona Bloom” (Follies at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre), Kelly Anne Clark as “Rose White” (I Love You You're Perfect Now Change - Off Broadway, Victor/Victoria at the Marriott for which she won a Jeff Award), Jim DeSelm as “Michael Barron” (Tony in West Side Story at Drury Lane Theatre, TV: Chicago P.D.), Michael Accardo as “Nathan Bloom” (Full Monty at Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower, TV: Chicago P.D.), Andrew Varela as “Arthur” (Broadway: Les Misérables and Little Women), Samantha Pauly as “Teen Cee Cee” (Godspell at Marriott, TV: Chicago P.D. and Shameless) and Olivia Renteria (Brigadoon at Goodman Theatre, Oliver at Drury Lane Theatre) as “Teen Bertie.” Rounding out the cast are William Carlos Angulo, Heather Brorsen, Josh Kohane, Christine Mild and Holly Stauder. Beaches will be choreographed by Lorin Latarro (Broadway: Waiting for Godot, Scandalous), with musical direction by Brian Nash (Silence!, Kathy Najimy: Lift Up Your Skirt). The production will also feature scenic design by Tony and Emmy Award®-winning Derek McLane (86th Academy Awards, Broadway: Anything Goes, Ragtime), lighting design by Tony Award®-winning Howell Binkley (Broadway: Jersey Boys, West Side Story, Memphis), costume design by Alejo Vietti (Broadway: Beautiful, The Carole King Musical, Jersey Boys), and sound design by Tony Award®-nominated Kai Harada (Broadway: Fun Home, Follies, Million Dollar Quartet). Previews for Beaches begin June 24, opening night is scheduled for July 2, and the production will run through August 16. Tickets are on sale now and available by calling the Drury Lane Theatre box office at 630.530.0111, TicketMaster at 800.745.3000 or visiting www.drurylane.com. The performance schedule is as follows: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. ($45), Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. ($45) and 8 p.m. ($55), Fridays at 8 p.m. ($60), Saturdays at 5 p.m. ($60), and 8:30 p.m. ($60), and Sundays at 2 p.m. ($60), and 6 p.m. ($55). Student group tickets start as low as $30 and Senior Citizens start at $40 for matinees. Dinner and show packages are also available. For more information on Beaches and the rest of the 2015-2016 theatrical season at Drury Lane, please visit www.drurylane.com.

OPENING: Don't Go Gentle at Theater Wit #TheatreChicago

HAVEN THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF 

DON’T GO GENTLE 

BY STEPHEN BELBER

DIRECTED BY CODY ESTLE AT THEATER WIT, JUNE 2 – JULY 12

Tonight, ChiIL Live Shows will be ChiILin' with Haven Theatre Company at one of our favorite storefront spaces, Theater Wit, for opening night of Don't Go Gentle.  Check back with us like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often for loads of original content including theatre and music news, review and interviews, foodie fun, urban lifestyle features, travel, and photo filled event recaps. 

Haven Theatre closes their 2014 – 2015 Season with the Chicago premiere of Stephen Belber’s Don’t Go Gentle, directed by Haven Theatre Company Artistic Associate Cody Estle, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., May 31 – July 12. The regular schedule is Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at

3 p.m. Regular tickets are $28, and senior/industry/student tickets are $15. You may purchase tickets and get more information at www.haventheatrechicago.com or call the Theater Wit box office at 773.975.8150.

Judge Lawrence Driver is a conservative powerhouse on the bench, but a failure at home. Now retired and widowed, and seeking redemption, Judge Driver volunteers to do pro bono legal work with Tanya, a vulnerable ex-con with a troubled teenage son, while working to repair the increasingly complicated relationships with his own adult children.  When his newfound generosity is perceived as condescension, Judge Driver runs the risk of losing everything.

Cast for Don’t Go Gentle includes: Norm Woodel (Judge Lawrence Driver), Echaka Agba (Tanya), Benjamin Sprunger (Ben), Robyn Coffin (Amelia) and Andrew Muwonge (Rasheed).

The production team for Don’t Go Gentle includes: Carol Cohen (producer, costume designer), Ron Whitaker (producer, assistant director), Eli Newell (assistant director), Tara Malpass (stage manager), Allison Grischow (assistant stage manager), Jeff Kmiec (set designer), Jamie Karas (props designer), Chris LaPorte (sound designer), Sarah Hughey (lighting designer) and Sam Hubbard (fight choreographer).

ABOUT DIRECTOR CODY ESTLE

Cody Estle is a Chicago-based freelance director. Select credits include Dividing the Estate, Vieux Carré, Good Boys and True, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Boy Gets Girl and the world premiere of Dating Walter Dante at Raven Theatre; Watch on the Rhine at The Artistic Home; Uncle Bob at Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company and Hospitality Suite at Citadel Theatre Company. He’s had the pleasure of assistant directing at Northlight Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, Court Theatre, Writers Theatre, Next Theatre and Strawdog Theatre. Estle is the associate artistic director at Raven Theatre, artistic assistant at Northlight Theatre and an artistic associate at Haven Theatre. He serves on the faculty of Cherubs at Northwestern University and is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago. 

ABOUT HAVEN THEATRE COMPANY

Haven Theatre Company, led by Artistic Director Josh Sobel and Executive Director and Founder Carol Cohen, presents quality theater to Chicago audiences utilizing some of the most experienced and talented directors, designers and actors.

                                                           

Shawn Maxwell’s Alliance at Jazz Showcase 6/11-6/14/15 #Jazz

Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar

Chicago’s Shawn Maxwell’s Alliance will be doing a weekend residency at Jazz Showcase, Thursday, June 11-Sunday, June 14 (four nights of shows at 8pm & 10pm, along with a special 4pm matinee on Sunday). Shows are all ages. 

SAXOPHONIST SHAWN MAXWELL ‘ALLIANCE’

All Ages

$20 - $35

Jazz Showcase

806 S. Plymouth Ct. 

Chicago, IL

Click here for more information.

OPENING: Good People by Pulitzer Prizewinning Playwright, David Lindsay-Abaire 6/24/15

Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar

Redtwist Theatre presents

The first Chicago storefront production 

of the 2011 Broadway smash hit

GOOD PEOPLE

By Pulitzer Prizewinning playwright, 

David Lindsay-Abaire

Directed by five-time Jeff Award-winner Matt Hawkins from The House Theatre of Chicago

Featuring a cast of Jeff Award-winning Redtwist actors and guest artists

Opens Saturday, June 27, 2015, at 3pm (Press opening)

Thu, Fri, Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 3pm thru Sun, August 2

A funny, poignant, subversive look at what it means to be down on your luck.

THE PLAY  

With Good People, Redtwist is doing what Redtwist does best: staging the first Chicago storefront production of a Broadway hit and a Chicago smash. As with former productions like Man From Nebraska and The Pillowman, Redtwist takes an iconic play and adapts it to the unique signature intimacy of its Bryn Mawr storefront space, creating an entirely new and thoroughly explosive theatrical experience.

    

Good People had its world-premiere on Broadway in March, 2011, with Frances McDormand in the lead role of Margie, for which she received a Tony Award for Best Actress. The play had its Chicago premiere at Steppenwolf in September, 2012. It has since been produced around the world to great acclaim, and is decorated with many accolades and awards, including a Tony nomination for Best Play.

THE STORY 

Margie (pronounced with a hard "g") is a good soul from "Southie" with a string of bad luck. While at ease in her own world of rough-and-tumble south Boston, she seeks an opportunity in the upper crust world of "lace-curtain" Chestnut Hill, in which her old Southie boyfriend has forged his way as a successful doctor with a beautiful wife and new baby. Little does he know that his old gal pal has not come merely to say hello. No no, Margie has a plan, and both their lives are now at a crossroads.

CAST (in alphabetical order)

Jacqueline Grandt (Margie), KC Karen Hill (Jean), Aaron Kirby (Stevie), Kiki Layne (Kate), Mark Pracht (Mike), Kathleen Ruhl (Dottie) 

Understudies: Kona N. Burks (Kate), David Raymond (Stevie) 

STAFF

Matt Hawkins (Director), Scott Wolf (Assistant Director), Allison Queen (Stage Manager), Melissa Nelson (Assistant Stage Manager), Eric Luchen (Set Designer), Kathryn A. Lesko (Lighting Designer), Karli Blalock (Sound Designer), Allison M. Smith (Costume Designer), Jan Ellen Graves (Prop Designer, Graphic Designer, Marketing), Elise Kauzlaric (Dialect Coach), Catherine Miller (Dramaturg, Casting Director), Charles Bonilla (Box Office Manager), E. Malcolm Martinez (Box Office Associate), Johnny Garcia (Box Office Associate, Associate Producer), Jan Ellen Graves & Michael Colucci (Producers)

SCHEDULE 

Opens: Sat, June 27, 3pm (Note: there is no 7:30pm show on June 27, opening day)

Runs: Thu, Fri, Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 3pm (Note: there is no show on July 4)

Closes: Sun, August 2, 3pm

Running Time: Approximately 2:20 total, which includes one intermission

Previews: $15; Wed, Thu, Fri, June 24, 25, 26, at 7:30pm

Tickets: Thursdays, $30; Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, $35 (seniors & students $5 off)

RESERVATIONS  

Call: 773-728-7529 

Website/Tickets: www.redtwist.org

Please reserve 48 hours in advance. Credit cards accepted by phone and online to guarantee seating.

PARKING

Redtwist is located at 1044 W Bryn Mawr, 2 blks W of LSD, 2 blks E of the Red Line EL station.

Valet parking for Redtwist is available across the street in front of Francesca's Bryn Mawr for most performances-hours vary. Dining is not required. 

Limited FREE street parking is available on side streets. There is metered street parking via ParkChicago.com app or 2-hour paybox (days) 3-hour paybox (eves) on Bryn Mawr. 2-hour meters on Broadway and on some side streets. Free on Sundays and after 10pm on weekdays. 

EXTENDED: Piven Theatre Workshop's Melancholy Play: a chamber musical through 6/21 #Review #GuestPost

Piven Theatre Workshop extends Melancholy Play: a chamber musical through June 21, 2015

Playwright Sarah Ruhl to conduct post-show talk-backs June 18 and 21; Ruhl and composer Todd Almond return for Poetry Foundation conversation, June 24   

In this lighthearted farce, bank teller Tilly’s (Stephanie Stockstill) melancholy is of an exquisite quality. She turns her melancholy into a sexy thing, and every stranger she meets falls in love with her. One day, inexplicably, Tilly becomes happy, and wreaks havoc on the lives of her paramours, while Frances, Tilly’s hairdresser, becomes so melancholy that she turns into an almond. It is up to Tilly to get her back. Other members of the Equity production include Chris Ballou (Frank, a tailor who deeply loves Tilly’s melancholia); Lauren Paris (Frances, her hairdresser); Emily Grayson (Joan, the helpless nurse who watches her girlfriend Frances devolve into a nut), and Ryan Lanning (Lorenzo, Tilly’s eccentric therapist from an undetermined European country).  

Review

Guest Post by Flo Mano- Exclusive to ChiIL Live Shows

"Melancholy  play" is an opera worthy musical. Four strings and a piano, come alive as Tilly, is "melancholy" and sees her European "happy" therapist, who has a "transference" on her.

And that starts the "Amelie" like happenstance of happy go lucky with a twist of "almonds". When her path crosses the tailor, who makes daily visits to the bank where she works, they fall in love. Then a hairstylist falls for Tilly, as does her lesbian nurse lover. To the dismay of the psychotherapist, she informs him that she no longer needs his services, because she's happy and leaves him a few hair strands he'd asked her for. So, this strange, outlandish farce takes us through a journey of Tilly becoming "not melancholy", but the now happy Tilly brings despair on those who love her, want her, and fight over her. 

In this utterly unique show, Tilly’s hairdresser gets so distraught, taking a downward emotional plunge, she literally turns into an "almond", A REAL ALMOND! Now her morphing brings sadness to her friends, for her altered state, and the "tears" that brought on the transformation. Yet her friends are not hopelessness or helpless as they band together in their quest to retrieve and reverse, discovering hidden secrets of the past that bond them even more.

So this surrealistic story swerves and spirals, twists and turns, and audiences following the course are anything but melancholy. Recommended.

Piven Theatre Workshop will extend performances of the critically-acclaimed Melancholy Play: a chamber musical by Tony™-nominated playwright Sarah Ruhl, with music by prolific New York composer Todd Almond and direction by Polly Noonan. The production will continue through Sunday, June 21, at Piven Theatre Workshop, 927 Noyes Street in Evanston.  The new musical was originally scheduled to close June 7.

The Piven Theatre Workshop is also pleased to announce that Melancholy Play playwright (and Piven alumna and longtime supporter) Sarah Ruhl returns to the Piven stage for post-show “talk- backs” on both Thursday evening, June 18, and Sunday afternoon, June 21.  She will be joined by the cast, plus members of the creative team on the 18th, and Piven Theatre Workshop Founder Joyce Piven on the 21st. 

Also of note, immediately following the run of Melancholy Play, Ruhl and Almond will discuss their collaboration and the transformation of Ruhl's original text with Almond’s music at the Poetry Foundation, 61 West Superior Street, Chicago, Wednesday evening, June 24, at 7 p.m.  This program is free and open to the public. For more information about this free public program at the Poetry Foundation, please visit: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/programs/event/4453

Sarah Ruhl’s Melancholy Play had its world premiere in 2002 at Piven Theatre Workshop and starred Noonan in the lead role as Tilly.  A decade later, Ruhl teamed up with Almond and developed Melancholy Play as a new chamber musical.  It was workshopped in 2012 via 13p in Brooklyn, and returned to Piven Theatre Workshop for its Midwest Premiere. It will have its official World Premiere at Trinity Rep Theater in Providence, RI, on May 28, 2015.

Noonan, director of the highly acclaimed production of The Language Archive last year at Piven, returns to helm the show she once starred in over a decade ago. 

The designers of Melancholy Play: a chamber musical are Jacob Watson (set), Rachel Levy (lighting), Alex Palma (sound), Stephanie Cluggish (costumes), and Austin Kopsa (properties). Musical Direction is by Aaron Benham.

About the Playwright:

Sarah Ruhl’s plays include In the Next Room, or the vibrator play (Pulitzer Prize finalist, Tony Award nominee for best new play), The Clean House (Pulitzer Prize Finalist, 2005; The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, 2004); Passion Play, a cycle (Pen American award, The Fourth Freedom Forum Playwriting Award from The Kennedy Center); Dead Man’s Cell Phone (Helen Hayes award); Melancholy Play; Eurydice; Orlando, Demeter in the City (NAACP nomination), Late: a cowboy song, Three Sisters, and most recently, Stage Kiss, The Oldest Boy, and Dear Elizabeth.  Melancholy Play, Eurydice, Orlando, Three Sisters, and Late: a cowboy song have all been produced at Piven Theatre Workshop.

About the Composer:

Writer/performer Todd Almond’s work includes the World Premiere of IOWA, an original musical play with playwright Jenny Schwartz and director Ken Rus Schmoll, officially opening at Playwrights Horizons, April 13, 2015.  Other theatrical credits include original music for Ruhl’s Stage Kiss, also at Playwrights Horizons; original music and lyrics for the Public Theater/Public Works’ The Tempest at the Delacorte, in which Almond also starred as Ariel; original book for Girlfriend (music and lyrics by Matthew Sweet) at Actors Theater and Berkeley Rep; original music and lyrics for On the Levee at LCT3; original music and lyrics for Yale Rep’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle; original music and lyrics for The Odyssey at the Old Globe in San Diego; and original music and lyrics for Kansas City Choir Boy, performed by Almond with rock icon Courtney Love as part of the Prototype Festival.

About Piven Theatre Workshop:

With Melancholy Play: a chamber musical, Piven Theatre Workshop continues its ongoing mission of premiering original works, and its history of celebrating the emerging voices of women. Piven Theatre Workshop has excelled as a leader in the arts community for 44 years, maintaining a distinguished legacy in the training of children and adults in the theatre arts. Annually, between onsite and off-site programming, the theatre trains over 1,000 students, provides approximately $30,000 in need-based scholarships, and maintains a professional theatre and numerous outreach programs throughout the Chicago area.

Performance schedule & tickets:

Melancholy Play: a chamber musical will be performed at the Piven Theatre Workshop, 927 Noyes Street, Evanston, through June 21, 2015. The performance schedule is: Thursday, Friday & Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 2:30 p.m.  Tickets are priced from $20-$35, and are available at the box office, by calling 847-866-8049, or online at www.piventheatre.org.

OPENING: THE LITTLE FOXES at The Goodman Theatre 5/2-6/7/15

LILLIAN HELLMAN’S FEROCIOUS, FUNNY AND ENDURINGLY RELEVANT  THE LITTLE FOXES  REVIVED AT THE GOODMAN MAY 2 – JUNE 7 DIRECTED BY HENRY WISHCAMPER  **ALL-STAR CHIGAGO CAST INCLUDES MICHAEL CANAVAN, SHANNON COCHRAN, MARY BETH FISHER, RAE GRAY, JOHN JUDD, STEVE PICKERING, CHERENE SNOW, DAN WALLER, LARRY YANDO AND DEXTER ZOLLICOFFER**  ***SPECIAL READING OF ANOTHER PART OF THE FOREST, HELLMAN’S PREQUEL, SET FOR MAY 16*** Greed and familial betrayal is at the darkly comic heart of The Little Foxes by Tony Award-winning playwright Lillian Hellman—“an expertly constructed, grippingly paced plot machine that pits good against evil and lets evil win” (The New York Times). Artistic Associate Henry Wishcamper directs the classic 1939 play about wealth’s corrupting power—one of Hellman’s most notable works, which was adapted into a 1941 film starring Bette Davis—centering on the Hubbard family’s ruthless pursuit in the South’s post-bellum economic slump. The Little Foxes appears May 2 – June 7 in the Albert Theatre (opening night is Monday, May 11). Tickets ($25-$81; subject to change) are on sale now at GoodmanTheatre.org/LittleFoxes, by phone at 312.443.3800 or at the box office (170 North Dearborn). The Goodman Theatre Women’s Board is the Major Production Sponsor, Ernst & Young LLP and Interactive Health are the Corporate Sponsor Partners and Towers Watson is the Opening Night Sponsor for The Little Foxes. “The Little Foxes is a vivacious, bitingly funny American drama whose central idea—that greed can rot community, family and human beings—transcends the decades that separate us from Hellman’s characters,” said Artistic Director Robert Falls. “Henry has demonstrated an affinity and dexterity with previous classic stage works, including Charles Dickens and August Strindberg, and I’m excited for him to sink his teeth into this juicy masterwork.” A 10-member all-star Chicago cast brings the rapacious Hubbard clan to life. Shannon Cochran, Larry Yando and Steve Pickering portray the well-to-do siblings Regina, Ben and Oscar Hubbard, who aim to compound their family fortune by opening an industrialized cotton mill in their small southern town. The venture, however, will prove impossible without the financial support of Horace (John Judd), Regina’s dying husband. In an attempt to secure the money, Oscar initially suggests Leo (Dan Waller), his son with his troubled wife Birdie (Mary Beth Fisher), marry Regina’s and Horace’s daughter Alexandra (Rae Gray). When Horace refuses to endorse the marriage, an explosive series of betrayals shatters the Hubbard clan’s genteel façade and exposes their merciless intentions. Rounding out the cast is Michael Canavan as William Marshall; Cherene Snow as Addie; and Dexter Zollicoffer as Cal. The creative team includes Todd Rosenthal (set), Jenny Mannis (costumes), David Lander (lighting) and Richard Woodbury (sound). Joseph Drummond is the production stage manager and Neena Arndt is the dramaturg. As a complement to the production, the Goodman presents a reading of Another Part of the Forest—the play Hellman wrote as a prequel to The Little Foxes and a work the theater previously produced in its 1956/1957 season. This one-time special event takes place on Saturday, May 16 at 2pm at the Goodman. Tickets are free but reservations are required via the Goodman box office (contact information above). Though a work of fiction, the environs The Little Foxes depicts were part of Tony Award-winning playwright Lillian Hellman’s (1905 – 1984) formative years. Born into a successful southern family in New Orleans, Hellman spent her childhood shuttling between the South and New York City and later attended New York University and Columbia University. Blacklisted after refusing to sign a loyalty clause with Columbia Pictures, she was summoned to testify in front of the House of Un-American Activities Committee in 1951, but refused to plead the fifth amendment or deny her brief involvement with the Communist party. She memorably delivered a statement in which she wrote, “I was raised in an old-fashioned American tradition…to try to tell the truth, not to bear false witness, not to harm my neighbor, to be loyal to my country… I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions.” Hellman’s celebrated works include The Children’s Hour, Watch on the Rhine, Another Part of the Forest, The Autumn Garden, Toys in the Attic (Tony Award), My Mother, My Father and Me, Montserrat, The Searching Wind and Days to Come. She also won a Tony Award for the book of the musical Candide. Her many accolades include the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, the Gold Medal for Drama from the National Institute of Arts and Letters and the National Book Award for her memoir, An Unfinished Woman. She also subsequently wrote two more volumes of her memoirs, Pentimento: A Book of Portraits and Scoundrel Time. EVENTS AND SPECIAL PERFORMANCES (Contact the Goodman Theatre Box Office for tickets/reservations) May 10, Artist Encounter with Director Henry Wishcamper, 5pm discussion ($5; FREE for Subs/Donors/students) May 13, College Night – 6pm pre-show pizza party, 7:30pm show ($10 promo COLLEGE w/valid student ID) May 13, Sign Interpreted performance, 7:30pm; a professional ASL interpreter signs the action/text as performed May 16, Reading of Another Part of the Forest, 2pm; Lillian Hellman’s prequel play to The Little Foxes May 14 and 19, Student Matinee Performances, 11am (free for students in the Student Subscription Series) May 20, Audio Described Performance, 7:30pm; the action/text is audibly enhanced via a special headset   June 6, Open-Captioned Performance, 2pm; an LED sign presents dialogue in sync with the performance May 15, 22 and 29, June 5, PlayTalks – Pre-show discussions with members of the Goodman’s Artistic Staff Every Wednesday and Thursday evening, PlayBacks – Discussions with actors immediately following the show

OPENING: InFUSION THEATRE'S ANOTHER KIND OF LOVE – A PUNK ROCK PLAY MAY 10 – JUNE 14, AT THE CHOPIN THEATRE

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar

InFUSION THEATRE CO. PRESENTS CRYSTAL SKILLMAN’S 

ANOTHER KIND OF LOVE – 

A PUNK ROCK PLAY

MAY 10 – JUNE 14, AT THE CHOPIN THEATRE

This Dark Comedy About Family, Fame and Rock-n-Roll is Directed by Mitch Golob with Music Direction by Mucca Pazza’s Jefferey Thomas 

and Original Music by Tony-Nominated and Obie-Winner Heidi Rodewald

InFusion Theatre Company is proud to announce Crystal Skillman’s Another Kind of Love, directed by InFusion Artistic Director Mitch Golob with music direction by Jefferey Thomas and original music by Tony-nominated and Obie-winner Heidi Rodewald, lyrics by Caroline Dorsen and Crystal Skillman, May 10 – June 14, at The Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division Ave. 

Preview performances are Sunday, May 10, Monday, May 11 and Thursday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. with the opening/press night Friday, May 15 or Saturday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Preview tickets are $14. Tickets are $28 for general admission, $20 for seniors and $15 for students and industry professionals (Thursdays and Sundays only). Tickets are on sale now at InFusionTheatre.com

After being apart for 15 years, sisters (and band mates) reunite for a one-night concert commemorating the anniversary of their rock legend mother’s suicide. Featuring live performances of an original score by Rodewald, past regrets, present emotions and future doubts converge with punk and family in Skillman’s new play developed around the country this year at IAMA Theatre Company in Los Angeles, LiveWire in Chicago, Live Girls! in Seattle, Women’s Project Theater in New York City and, most recently, at New York Stage and Film as part of the Lark Play Development Center’s retreat this summer.

Another Kind of Love cast includes Alison Hixson, “Max/guitar;” Brady Johnson, “Roger/guitar;” Courtney Jones, “Tanya/bass;” Amber Kelly, “Collin/drums;” Annie Prichard, “Kit/guitar” and Tyler Young, “Nate."

The production staff includes Sarah Watkins, scenic designer; Charles Cooper, lighting designer; Claire Chrzan, co-lighting designer; Rachel Sypniewski, costume designer; Eric Backus, sound designer; Angela Campos, props designer and Rose Sengenberger, dramaturg.

ABOUT CRYSTAL SKILLMAN, playwright and co-lyricist

Crystal Skillman is an award winning Brooklyn based playwright. Her three recent plays, King Kirby, co-written with Fred Van Lente, Geek! and Cut, have all earned Critics Picks from The New York Times. Wild earned three 2014 New York Innovation Theater Award nominations for its sold out production at IRT Theater this spring, (following a critically successful run in Chicago with Kid Brooklyn Productions and Off Broadway in MCC Theater’s Playlabs at the Lucille Lortel.) Skillman’s other plays include: The Vigil or The Guided Cradle, winner of the 2010 New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Full-Length Script and Drunk Art Love, now a web series directed by Sanjit De Silva. She is currently at work on a new play, Rain and Zoe Save the World, about two teenage activists on a cross-country mission. She is writing the books for two musicals with award-winning composer Bobby Cronin: The Concrete Jungle and the musical theater adaption of the film Mary and Max, to be directed by Outer Critics Circle Award-winning Stafford Arima with mask work by Joseph Osheroff. In Chicago her work has also been seen with The New Colony, Collaboraction, DePaul University and LiveWire Chicago Theatre. 

ABOUT MITCH GOLOB, director

Mitch Golob has directed many InFusion productions: the world premieres of The Improv Play, Pluto is Listening, Ghostbox and Créole (nominated for five Black Theatre Alliance Awards), the United States premiere of The Last Supper and the Midwest premieres of Intrigue With Faye, Rhymes With Evil, Soul Samurai, and Fight Girl Battle World and Ithaka. Other directing projects include 8 By Tenn at Hartford Stage Company, working with Tony Award Winners Elizabeth Ashley and Amanda Plummer, the U.S. premiere of Jump to Cow Heaven at Profiles Theatre, And Then They Came For Me at Apple Tree Theatre, and was associate director of the award winning world premiere of Hannah & Martin at TimeLine Theatre.  Golob was also a member of Naked Eye Theatre Company, where he assistant directed the Jeff Award winning production of Waving Goodbye, in a co-production with Steppenwolf.  He has also directed at Pegasus Players, Stage Left Theatre and Chicago Dramatists.  Mitch holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre & Drama from the University of Wisconsin. 

ABOUT JEFFEREY THOMAS, music director

Jefferey Allen Thomas is a composer and guitarist.  He is a founding member of Mucca Pazza, and has worked with Greek composer Michael Karras, Punk legend Excene Cervenka, Cynthia Plaster Caster and Bobby Conn. He has written incidental music for Redmoon Theater, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the Neo-Futurists, as well as dozens of independent films.  His current project is a group of symphonies called “The Work of Jack Daedalus Edwards”.  The first of these symphonies, “Rumour, “premiered at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago in February 2014. 

ABOUT HEIDI RODEWALD, composer

Heidi Rodewald is the Tony Award nominated, Obie Award winning co- composer of the musical Passing Strange, which transferred from The Public Theater to Broadway in 2008. She is a Sundance Institute Alum and the co-writer with Stew of the screenplay "We Can See Today". Rodewald composed music for Karen Kandel's Portraits: Night and Day (2004); Brides of the Moon by The Five Lesbian Brothers (2010) and co-composed music with Stew for Shakespeare’s Othello, Much Ado About Nothing and Romeo and Juliet (2010-12). Rodewald joined the band The Negro Problem in 1997 and has collaborated with Stew in a range of capacities: as a co-composer, producer/arranger and performer. She is the co-composer with Stew of the new musical Family Album, which premiered at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival last summer. She is also the co-composer of their new musical, The Total Bent, which will open in 2015 at the Public Theater. She has two new projects which have been in development at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center and the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA: The Good Swimmer, a pop-opera, co-written with librettist, Donna DiNovelli and The Stacks, a two-person musical co-written by singer- songwriter Mary McBride. She just finished scoring her first film "I Dream Too Much", written and directed by Katie Cokinos. 

ABOUT CAROLINE DORSEN, co-lyricist

Caroline Dorsen is an award winning writer, poet and educator who lives in Brooklyn, NY. A ghost writer for numerous late 1980s/early 1990s bands in the Bay Area, Another Kind of Love marks the first time Dorsen has allowed her name to be linked to her lyrics. She brings to the project an extensive knowledge of the psychology of trauma, loss and addiction. Her experience working in this area is reflected in the authenticity and emotional resonance of her lyrics.

ABOUT INFUSION THEATRE COMPANY

InFusion Theatre Company seeks out new plays and “infuses” them with other elements of entertainment such as music, dance and film. “We strive to create dynamic performances by combining different forms of entertainment that will result

InFusion Theatre Company’s Crystal Skillman’s Another Kind of Love, May 10 – June 14, at The Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division Ave. Preview performances are Sunday, May 10, Monday, May 11 and Thursday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. with the opening/press night Friday, May 15 or Saturday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Preview tickets are $14. Tickets are $28 for general admission, $20 for seniors and $15 for students and industry professionals (Thursdays and Sundays only). Tickets are on sale now at InFusionTheatre.com.

HELP OUT: Option Up! to host Chris’ Birthday Belt-Fest, A Benefit Concert for Howard Brown Health Center, May 10 Featuring Wicked’s Heidi Kettenring, Les Miserables’ Marya Grandy and more!

Option Up!, the acclaimed musical theater cabaret and talk-show, celebrates co-host Christopher Pazdernik’s birthday with Chris’ Birthday Belt-Fest, a concert to benefit Howard Brown Health Center on Sunday, May 10 at 7:30 in The Cab at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Avenue, Chicago. Featuring award-winning musical theater performers from across Chicago, the evening will be music directed by co-host Aaron Benham. Tickets are $10 and available by calling 773.327.5252 or by visiting www.stage773.com.

In February 2014, Jeff Award and Broadway World Award nominees Christopher Pazdernik and Aaron Benham teamed up to create a unique event for the Chicago musical theater scene.  A new show is performed one night each month, featuring both performances and interviews with guest musical theater performers alongside musical theater analysis and trivia. Over the past year, Option Up! has been featured in publications ranging from New City Stage to Glossed & Found, as well as a special mention from renowned theatre historian Peter Filichia.  

For the May 10 edition, leading ladies from every theater in town will join together to belt for a good cause, Howard Brown Health Center, in honor of HBHC’s medical care for Christopher since he was diagnosed HIV+ in 2009. Currently schedule to perform are multiple Jeff Award nominee Heidi Kettenring (Wicked in Chicago), Drama Desk nominee Marya Grandy (Broadway’s Les Miserables and off-Broadway’s The Great American Trailer Park Musical) and Jeff Award winner Alexis J. Rogers (Court Theater’s Porgy and Bess; Porchlight’s Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill) as well as Jeff Award nominee Charissa Armon (Porchlight’s Ragtime), Neala Barron (Griffin’s Titanic), Lillie Cummings (Paramount’s Les Miserables), Jeff nominee Landree Fleming (Drury Lane’s Spelling Bee), Kristen Freilich (Second City’s Jewsical!), Jeff Award nominee Angela Ingersoll (Chicago Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor), Jessica Kingsdale (Paramount’s Grease), Molly Kral (Paramount’s Cats), Jeff Award winner Elizabeth Lanza (Marriott’s South Pacific; Chicago Shakespeare’s Sunday in the Park with George), Samantha Pauly (Marriott’s Godspell), Lauren Paris (Piven’s Melancholy Play), Jeff Award nominee Laura Savage (Porchlight’s Pal Joey), and Wisconsin actress Amanda Petersen Fails, one of Christopher’s life-long best friends. More performers to be announced shortly! (Line-up subject to change.)

About Howard Brown Health Center

Founded in 1974, Howard Brown Health Center (HBHC) is one of the nation's largest health care and research organizations, primarily serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) community and its allies. It is the largest such organization in the Midwest and serves adults youth and children throughout the region. An innovative and patient-centered health home, HBHC provides primary medical care, behavioral health services, and specialty chronic and infectious disease services, and conducts nationally-renowned clinical and behavioral research.

About the Hosts

Previous collaborations between Pazdernik and Benham include four hit cabaret revues at Davenport’s:  It’s an Art: the Songs of Stephen Schwartz; Nobody’s Side: Broadway’s Cult Classics (Vol. I); Un-Type Cast; and Carol and Patti: Together Again for the First Time. They also worked together on Anyone Can Whistle and City of Angels for Porchlight Revists—Porchlight Music Theater’s staged concert series of lost Broadway musicals.

Option Up: Chris’ Birthday Belt-Fest performs one night only on Sunday, May 10, 7:30 PM, at Stage 773—The Cab, 1225 W. Belmont Avenue, Chicago.  Cover charge is $10. Cash bar is available one hour before and after the performance. Tickets are available by calling 773.327.5252 or by visiting www.stage773.com.