TWO NIGHTS ONLY: Belgium's Theater Zuidpool Presents Alt-Rock MACBETH at Chicago's Thalia Hall

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

★★★★ Combines audio play, hardrock, pop concert and theatre   

Theater Kant

Shakespeare 400 Chicago comes to historic concert venue

Belgium's Theater Zuidpool presents

MACBETH

Alternative rock concert of the Scottish Play at Thalia Hall, 

August 21 & 22

Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Thalia Hall present Theater Zuidpool's alt-rock concert Macbeth at Thalia Hall as part of Shakespeare 400 Chicago, August 21 & 22 at 8:30 p.m. Photo by Raymond Mallentjer. 

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) and Thalia Hall partner to present a two-night-only concert event from Belgium as part of the yearlong Shakespeare 400 Chicago celebration—Theater Zuidpool’s Macbeth. A dynamic and feverish production bordering between underground opera and rock concert, this Macbeth is a music theater deconstruction of one of Shakespeare’s most recognizable works with an original score in English by two of Belgium’s greatest alternative musicians, Mauro Pawlowski (of dEUS) and Tijs Delbeke(of Sir Yes Sir). 

Performed in English
      at Thalia Hall,
      1807 S. Allport Street
      Chicago

  Run Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
     (no intermission)

 Tickets start at $28
     To purchase by phone, call
     the Thalia Hall box office
     at 866.777.8932

The musicians weave together various rock, folk, alternative and operatic musical styles to create a dialogue between Macbeth and his wife, telling the story of their bloody takeover of the Scottish throne. This wholly unique musical experience is presented at Pilsen’s famed concert venue Thalia Hall, August 21 & 22 at 8:30 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.).

The visceral rendering of the Bard’s chilling tragedy has entranced music critics and Shakespeare lovers alike. Belgium’s DeMorgen raves “never seen anything like this before...Theater Zuidpool transforms Shakespeare’sMacbeth into an underground-like opera, provocative and modulating with an arsenal of musical genres, and poetry used as a weapon.” Cutting Edge says, “The ensemble brings Shakespeare’s musical poetry to life. ThisMacbeth shows how you can move the boundaries of theatre." De Standaard calls it “a startling Zuidpool-creation... Not often is the dim discomfort of Macbeth so precisely touched upon.”

Known for its surprising and uncompromising works, Theater Zuidpool is a professional Belgian theater company led by Artistic Directors Jorgen Cassier, Koen van Kaam and Sofie Decleir—all actors, musicians, directors, translators and writers. Zuidpool works with material from a wide variety of eras, traditions and media. Since 2005, they've created more than 20 co-productions, ranging from the classical Greek repertoire to Shakespeare, Goethe, Beckett and Fosse.

The dynamic Macbeth company includes actor-musicians Jorgen Cassier, Sofie Decleir, Arne Leurentop,Femke Heijens, Sjoerd Bruil and Koen van Kamm.

ABOUT SHAKESPEARE 400 CHICAGO

Shakespeare 400 Chicago is a yearlong international arts festival in 2016 celebrating the vibrancy, relevance and reach of Shakespeare as the world commemorates the four hundred years since the playwright’s death in 1616. Spearheaded by Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the festival unites 60 of the city’s world-class institutions, and welcomes scores of leading artists from nations around the world including Australia, India, Mexico, the United Kingdom and beyond. Events spanning theater, opera, music, dance—even cuisine—celebrate, interpret and reimagine Shakespeare’s work. Shakespeare 400 Chicago will engage more than 500,000 Chicagoans and visitors to our City through 850 events. With leading support from the Julius Frankel Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Pritzker Military Museum & Library, this quadricentennial celebration is the world’s largest and most comprehensive celebration of Shakespeare’s enduring legacy.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

CST is a leading international theater company, known for extraordinary productions; unlocking Shakespeare’s work for educators and students; and serving as Chicago’s cultural ambassador through its World’s Stage Series. Throughout 2016, CST is spearheading the international arts and culture festival, Shakespeare 400 Chicago, a citywide celebration of the playwright’s 400-year legacy. CST serves as a partner in literacy to Chicago Public Schools, working alongside English teachers to help struggling readers connect with Shakespeare in the classroom, and bringing his text to life on stage for 40,000 students every year. And each summer, 30,000 families and audience members of all ages welcome the free Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour into their neighborhoods across the far north, west and south sides of the city. Reflecting the global city it calls home, CST is the leading producer of international work in Chicago, and has toured its plays to Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and the Middle East. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, CST was the recipient of a Regional Theatre Tony Award. Its work has been recognized internationally with three of London’s prestigious Laurence Olivier Awards, and by the Chicago theater community with over 80 Joseph Jefferson Awards for Artistic Excellence. CST’s work with Chicago Public School students and teachers was recognized by the White House in 2014 with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award.

OPENING: BUFFALO THEATRE ENSEMBLE BACK WITH MUSICAL WINNER “DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER”

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar: BUFFALO THEATRE ENSEMBLE OPENS 2016-2017 "YEAR OF THE PHOENIX" SEASON WITH MARC CAMOLETTI’S TONY-NOMINATED COMEDY “DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER”  DIRECTED BY KURT NAEBIG SEPT. 8 – OCT. 9 After a three-year hiatus Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE) opens its 2016-2017 “Year of the Phoenix” Season in the McAninch Arts Center’s intimate Playhouse Theatre with Marc Camoletti’s “Don’t Dress for Dinner,” directed by BTE Ensemble member Kurt Naebig,* Sept. 8 – Oct. 9. This production marks the return of the professional Equity company as the MAC’s resident theater company. There will be a preview performance on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 8 p.m.; press opening is Friday, Sept. 9 at 8 p.m. Performances run through Sunday, Oct. 9. Hidden identities and outrageous situations take center stage in this hysterically funny sequel to Camoletti’s “Boeing Boeing.” The Chicago Tribune has hailed “Don’t Dress for Dinner” as “…a comedy of confusion that almost collapses under the weight of duplicity, mistaken identity, and extramarital affairs, but somehow stays in the air like a precarious but well-built soufflé;” and the Guardian lauds,“Hurtling along at the speed of light, this breathtaking farce is a near faultless piece of theatrical invention.”  “Don’t Dress for Dinner” was a smash hit in Paris, under the title of “Pyjamas Pour Six” where it played for more than two years. After London producer Mark Furness commissioned playwright Robin Hawdon to do a rewrite of the play, it was retitled “Don’t Dress for Dinner” and went on to run for six years at the U.K.’s Apollo and Duchess Theatres. It has since played in theaters throughout the English-speaking world and had its Broadway debut in 2012, where it was nominated for two Tony Awards and two Outer Critics Circle Awards and featured Jennifer Tilly in the role of Suzanne.

“Don’t Dress for Dinner” is set in a country house in France on the evening when Bernard’s wife, Jacqueline, is scheduled to be out of town visiting her mother. Bernard takes advantage of the situation and plans a dinner for himself, his mistress, Suzanne, and old friend Robert. Bernard is unaware that Robert is having an affair with Jacqueline, who immediately cancels her visit to her mother when she learns of Robert’s arrival.

Catering the dinner is the smart and sassy Suzette. Due to the similarity in Suzette and Suzanne’s names, Robert mistakenly assumes Suzette is Bernard’s mistress, and the things quickly spiral into a quagmire of suspicions and farcical old-fashioned hanky-panky, ultimately culminating in each character gaining a new sense of respect and commitment to the relationships in their lives. Says director Naebig, “What a blessing it is to have the talented BTE Ensemble together again!  The dedication these theater artists have to their craft, coupled with their desire to help to teach and boost the careers of budding actors in the COD theater program, is something quite extraordinary. I’m so excited BTE is back up and running, and I’m especially pleased to have the honor to direct one of the funniest plays of the last 30 years. Both our loyal supporters and new subscribers are going to love this show.”   The cast for “Don’t Dress for Dinner” includes Chicago’s Robert Jordan Bailey* (Robert); Downers Grove’s Connie Canaday Howard* (Jacqueline); Chicago’s Nick DuFloth (George); Chicago’s Rebecca Cox (Suzette); LaGrange’s Laura Leonardo Ownby (Suzanne) and Western Spring’s Brad Walker (Bernard). The design team includes Lombard’s Kurt Naebig* (Director); Aurora’s Michael Moon* (Set Design); Addison’s Kimberly Morris (Costume Design); Glen Ellyn’s Jon Gantt* (Lighting Design); Lenox, Iowa’s Galen Ramsey* (Sound Design); Chicago’s Brad Sauper and Jillian Luce (Properties Design) and Muncie, Ind.’s Jon Tovar (Fight Choreographer). Tickets: Buffalo Theatre Ensemble presents Marc Camoletti’s “Don’t Dress for Dinner” directed by Kurt Naebig in the Playhouse Theatre of the McAninch Arts Center, located at 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of College of DuPage Sept. 8 – Oct. 9. There will be a preview performance on Thursday, Sept. 8; press opening is Friday, Sept. 9. Performances are Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m. (Sept. 17 and Sept. 30 at 8:30 p.m.) and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $35. Rush discounted priced tickets (subject to availability) may be purchased in person at the box office from noon – 2 p.m. on the day of the performance. For tickets or more information visit AtTheMAC.org or call 630.942.4000. In addition to “Don’t Dress for Dinner,” Buffalo Theatre Ensemble’s 2016-2017 three-play “Year of the Phoenix” season includes David Lindsay-Abaire’s “Good People” directed by Connie Canaday Howard (Feb. 2-March 5) and Alan Ayckbourn’s “Improbable Fiction” directed by Bryan Burke (May 4-June 4). Throughout this “Year of the Phoenix” Season BTE seeks to build financial stability, establish a sustainable structure through engagement with manifold communities. BTE Company members and visiting artists are a vital part of both the college’s educational mission and the fabric of the community through programming that includes producing a three-show season beginning with the 2016-2017 season, creating master classes for students, presenting demonstrations of theater arts, hosting performance talk backs and subscriber nights, and participating in community outreach.    Since 1986 BTE has staged more than 110 shows. In 2013, BTE went on hiatus, following the College of DuPage’s decision to not house BTE. This past April, following a strong more than two year campaign by BTE supporters, the COD board reconsidered. Currently, BTE is scheduled to receive a financial commitment from COD for the first two years of operation while BTE establishes itself as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization for fundraising purposes, and the relationship will be reviewed. For more information about BTE visit BTEChicago.com. * Denotes Buffalo Theatre Ensemble Company member  The McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage is located 25 miles west of Chicago near I-88 and I-355, and houses three performance spaces (the 780-seat proscenium Belushi Performance Hall; the 236-seat soft-thrust Playhouse Theatre; and the versatile black box Studio Theatre), plus the Cleve Carney Art Gallery, classrooms for the college’s academic programming and the Lakeside Pavilion. The MAC has presented theater, music, dance and visual art to more than 1.5 million people since its opening in 1986 and typically welcomes more than 75,000 patrons from the greater Chicago area to more than 230 performances each season. The mission of the MAC is to foster enlightened educational and performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community. For more information about the MAC, visit AtTheMAC.org, facebook.com/AtTheMAC or twitter.com/AtTheMAC. The McAninch Arts Center is supported in part by the College of DuPage Foundation. Programs at the MAC are partially supported through funding from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

REVIEW: Nuanced Noir And Magnificent Misdirection Prevail in Bloodshot

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Bloodshot at Solo Celebration

I caught opening night with my 15 year old son and we both loved it! This show is full of magic, mystery, misdirection, miscreants, swallowed razor blades and a few sweet sax solos in the mix too. I've got to admit, Bloodshot is one of our favorites of all the productions currently running citywide. Highly recommended.

THE GREENHOUSE THEATER CENTER PRESENTS THE U.S. PREMIERE OF THE HIT FROM LONDON’S WEST END, 

“BLOODSHOT,” 

RUNNING THROUGH SEPT. 10

Written by award winning Chicago playwright Douglas Post and directed by Patrick Sandford

Greenhouse’s Solo Celebration! Continues with a Thriller Written By Chicago Playwright Douglas Post and Starring Simon Slater. 

Simon Slater was born to play this role... literally. In a part custom written to show off his skills, this jaded 1950's gumshoe takes audiences on a wild ride that runs the gamut from banjo strumming and Vaudeville schtick to nuanced noir and convoluted plots that will captivate till the final curtain call! If you haven't seen it yet, what are you waiting for?! GO already. Highly recommended. 

“Bloodshot” makes its U.S. debut at the Greenhouse Theater Center (2257 N. Lincoln Ave.) Aug. 10 – Sept. 10 as part of Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!” series. Starring acclaimed international actor, the multi-talented Simon Slater, written by award winning Chicago playwright Douglas Post and directed by Patrick Sandford, “Bloodshot,” is a one-man murder mystery following the character Derek Eveleigh, a photographer in 1957 London. The thriller is co-produced by Ingenious Purpose Ltd. The press performance for “Bloodshot” is Saturday, August 16 at 7:30 p.m.

“In curating the Solo Celebration series, we were searching for plays that not only celebrated the form but redefined what it could do. Douglas Post has done all of that and more with his one-man thriller,” says Jacob Harvey, Artistic Director. “We are honored to host the premiere of the international efforts of a local playwright, and are thrilled that it brings acclaimed artists Simon Slater and Patrick Sandford to our city.”

The one-man murder mystery “Bloodshot” tells the story of Derek Eveleigh as he is hired by an anonymous client to follow a mysterious showgirl in the streets of London. After witnessing the woman’s murder by an unknown assailant, he begins an investigation through the bowels and backstreets of London where he finds himself falling in love with a dead woman he’s never even met.

Post was commissioned by Slater to write a play to showcase his diverse talents as a singer, actor, magician and musician (equally adept on multiple instruments,) and the product of their partnership was “Bloodshot,” one of the only solo thriller plays written. Charles Spencer of the The Telegraph praised the play, saying “the ingenious writing of Douglas Post … has so cleverly reinvented the possibilities of the stage thriller.” Spencer called the show “a thriller that genuinely holds the spectator in its thrall.” Touring in England and throughout Europe, “Bloodshot” has amazed, thrilled and rattled audiences since 2011.

Simon Slater is an award-winning composer of more than 200 original scores for theater, film, television and radio. As an actor he is a familiar face on British television, as well as having appeared in films and many critically-acclaimed theater productions in London and abroad. Recently, Slater’s theater credits include “Chariots Of Fire,” “Wonderland,” “Bloodshot” (St James' Theatre London, Vertigo Theatre Calgary), “Viva Forever,” and “Mamma Mia!” Slater was nominated for a Betty award in the category of “best performance in a drama” for his role in “Bloodshot.” Slater’s film appearances include “The Iron Lady,” “Dealers,” “The Fool,” and the award winning short film “Detour.” Most recently he was nominated for an Olivier Award for his music for “Constellations,” “Great Expectations,” “Raving,” “The Lady and the Van” and “Romeo and Juliet.”

Doulas Post is a Chicago-based award winning playwright. Post has written works including “Cynical Weathers,” “Blissfield,” “Drowning Sorrows,” “Earth and Sky” and “Murder in Green Meadows.” Post has also written several musicals, which include “God and Country,” “The Real Life Story of Johnny de Facto” and “The Wind in the Willows.” His work have been produced in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Canada, England, Wales, Germany, Austria, Russia and China. He has also been commissioned to write screenplays for Warner Bros. and NBC, teleplays for WMAQ­TV, and several radio adaptations of his scripts. On three occasions, he has been selected to develop his work at the O'Neill National Playwrights Conference and once at the O'Neill National Music Theater Conference. He has received the L. Arnold Weissberger Playwriting Award, the Midwestern Playwrights Festival Award, the Cunningham Commission Award, the Blue Ink Playwriting Award and three Playwriting Fellowship Awards from the Illinois Arts Council, and has been nominated for a Jeff Award and an Emmy Award.

Patrick Sandford is a British producer, director and artistic director. Sandford won the UK Theatre Managers Association award for Best Director for “The Winter Wife,” a play by Claire Tomalin, and for Shakespeare's “Much Ado About Nothing.” He has worked extensively across the UK and in London, both in the West End and on the Fringe. His recent work includes “Bully Boy,” a new play by Sandi Toksvig. His production of Chekov's “Three Sisters” was nominated Best Touring Production. He directed A “Midsummer Night's Dream” in Capetown shortly after the ending of Apartheid, “Oedipus Rex” in the ancient outdoor amphitheater in Paphos, Cyprus, and “Twelfth Night,” in French at the Theatre des 2 Rives in Rouen, France.

About Solo Celebration! 

“Bloodshot” is one of 12 plays featured in Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!,” which includes ten full productions, two limited engagements and other special events running June 2016 through February 2017. Among the other directors connected to solo series are Goodman Theatre Producer and Artistic Collective Member Steve Scott, Writer’s Theatre Resident Director Kimberly Senior, Directors Lab Chicago Artistic Director Elizabeth Margolius and Remy Bumppo Artistic Associate Linda Gillum. Some of the performers confirmed to star in solo works include Jeff Award-winners Kate Buddeke, Gene Weygandt, Linda Reiter acclaimed British actor Simon Slater, Will Allan and Carin Silkaitis. Most productions will be produced in their entirety by Greenhouse, while other plays will be stated with co-producers including Sideshow Theatre Company and The Other Theatre Company. Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!” is co-produced by Forum Productions and underwritten by the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation.

About the Greenhouse Theater Center. 

The Greenhouse Theater Center is a nonprofit performance venue located at 2257 N Lincoln Ave, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Our complex offers two newly remodeled 190-seat main stage spaces, two 60-seat studio theaters, an in-house rehearsal room, and Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre book store.

Our mission at the Greenhouse is first and foremost to grow local theatre. We strive to cultivate a fertile environment for local artists, from individual renters to our bevy of resident companies, to develop and produce their work. In 2014 alone, The Greenhouse Theater Center provided space for almost 1,000 ticketed performances, serving more than 54,000 patrons. Among these events were at least 30 productions by our resident companies, including the celebrated American Blues Theater and Remy Bumpo Theatre Company. Through our Trellis Program, we offer the community affordable access to our work by housing Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre bookstore, located on the second floor of our complex, as well as offering a free reading series each Tuesday night where local artists workshop their latest scripts. Additionally, we also continue to play an active role in cultivating and nurturing our community through continued partnerships with the League of Chicago Theaters and local Chambers of Commerce.

As of 2016, the Greenhouse Theater Center embraced the true spirit of growth and launched its producing entity. With the announcement of our 8 month long Solo Celebration Series, helmed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey, we will produce 12 solo plays from June 2016 to February 2017. Through this inaugural effort, we hope to expand the solo play cannon while also cultivating a larger conversation about the possibilities of the one-person play.

With new ideas always incubating, the Greenhouse Theater Center is flourishing.

Come grow with us! 

OPENING: "ROSE" Brings Post Chappaquiddick ROSE FITZGERALD KENNEDY to Solo Celebration series at the Greenhouse Theater Center

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

“ROSE,” 

LAURENCE LEAMER’S BIOGRAPHICAL PLAY ABOUT ROSE FITZGERALD KENNEDY, TO PLAY GREENHOUSE THEATER CENTER UNDER THE DIRECTION OF STEVE SCOTT, AUG. 19 – SEPT. 25

Award-Winning Actress Linda Reiter Portrays Kennedy Family Matriarch in the Hours Following the Chappaquiddick Tragedy

As part of the Solo Celebration series, the Greenhouse Theater Center (2257 N. Lincoln Ave.) will present “Rose,” the Chicago area premiere of best-selling Kennedy biographer Laurence Leamer’s one-woman play about Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, Aug. 19 – Sept. 25.  The play is directed by Goodman Theatre Producer and Artistic Collective Member Steve Scott and will star six-time Joseph Jefferson Award recipient Linda Reiter.  The press performance is Wednesday, Aug. 24 at 7:30 p.m.

Based on 40 hours of previously unreleased interviews Rose Kennedy made while working on her ghost-written autobiography, “Rose” is the Kennedy story as told by the matriarch who lived it all. The intimate, one-character drama is set in 1969 at the Kennedy's Hyannis Port compound after Teddy's fateful accident at Chappaquiddick. As Rose struggles with all the tragedies the Kennedys have overcome, she also uncovers new questions about the choices that led to the construction of an American dynasty. “Rose” tells her extraordinary story, in her own words, taking the audience on a fascinating and unexpected journey through our not-so-distant political past.

“The Kennedys are arguably the most fascinating family in American history,” said Greenhouse Artistic Director Jacob Harvey.  “Laurence Leamer was granted unprecedented access to the candid, unflinching words of Rose Kennedy as she speaks to the triumph and tragedy of a life in the public eye.  Steve Scott and Linda Reiter are an unrivaled team of artists who are beautifully bringing this story out of the interview formant and onto the stage.”

Chicago-born author Laurence Leamer is an award-winning journalist and historian who has written fourteen books, many of them bestsellers.  He is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost experts on the Kennedy family, having written three best-selling books telling their story: “The Kennedy Women,” “The Kennedy Men” and “Sons of Camelot.” He has also written best-selling biographies of other American icons, including Johnny Carson, the Reagan family, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Steve Scott is the Producer of Goodman Theatre, where he has overseen more than 200 productions; he is also a member of Goodman’s Artistic Collective.  His Goodman directing credits include “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” Horton Foote’s “Blind Date,” “Rabbit Hole,” “Binky Rudich and the Two-Speed Clock” and “No One Will Be Immune” for the David Mamet Festival, “Dinner With Friends,” “Wit,” the world premiere of Tom Mula’s “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (co-directed with Michael Maggio) and the 2011 and 2012 editions of “A Christmas Carol.”  He also has directed at Silk Road Rising, American Blues Theatre, A Red Orchid Theatre, Redtwist Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Shattered Globe Theatre, The Next Theatre Company, and many others. He is the recipient of five Jeff nominations, an After Dark Award, the Illinois Theatre Association’s Award of Honor and Eclipse Theatre Company’s Corona Award. 

Linda Reiter debuted in her first solo performance in “The Testament of Mary” at Victory Gardens Theater, for which she received a Joseph Jefferson nomination for best solo performance. She is an ensemble member of Shattered Globe Theatre where she has performed in 41 productions in their 25 years, last appearing in “Marvin's Room.” She has garnered Joseph Jefferson Awards in the non-equity category for the roles in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” “All My Sons,” “Les Liaisons Dangereuses,” “Invitation to a March” and “Bondagers.” She received nominations in the equity category for “Come Back, Little Sheba,” “The Price” and “The Road to Mecca.” She also has performed at Court Theatre, Remy Bumppo Theatre, Goodman Theatre and Live Bait Theatre.

The creative team includes: Scenic Designer Kevin Hagen, Lighting Designer Cat Wilson, Costume Designer Rachel Lamber, Sound Designer Christopher Kriz and Stage Manager Ashley Bowman.

The preview performance schedule for “Rose” is as follows:  Aug. 19 – 21 at 7:30 p.m. The press performance will be Wednesday, Aug. 24 at 7:30 p.m.  Regular performances are Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Flex passes to the Solo Celebration! series, which offers admissions to three plays for $99 or five plays for $164, are now on sale.  Single tickets, which range in price from $34 – 48 are also on sale.  Flex passes and tickets can be purchased by contacting the box office at 773-404-7336 or by visiting greenhousetheater.org.

 About Solo Celebration! 

 “Rose” is one of 12 plays featured in Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!,” which includes ten full productions, two limited engagements and other special events running June 2016 through February 2017. Among the other directors connected to solo series are Goodman Theatre Producer and Artistic Collective Member Steve Scott, Writer’s Theatre Resident Director Kimberly Senior, Directors Lab Chicago Artistic Director Elizabeth Margolius and Remy Bumppo Artistic Associate Linda Gillum. Some of the performers confirmed to star in solo works include Jeff Award-winners Kate Buddeke, Gene Weygandt, Linda Reiter acclaimed British actor Simon Slater, Will Allan and Carin Silkaitis. Most productions will be produced in their entirety by Greenhouse, while other plays will be stated with co-producers including Sideshow Theatre Company and The Other Theatre Company. Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!” is co-produced by Forum Productions and underwritten by the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation.

About the Greenhouse Theater Center. 

The Greenhouse Theater Center is a nonprofit performance venue located at 2257 N Lincoln Ave, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Our complex offers two newly remodeled 190-seat main stage spaces, two 60-seat studio theaters, an in-house rehearsal room, and Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre book store.

Our mission at the Greenhouse is first and foremost to grow local theatre. We strive to cultivate a fertile environment for local artists, from individual renters to our bevy of resident companies, to develop and produce their work. In 2014 alone, The Greenhouse Theater Center provided space for almost 1,000 ticketed performances, serving more than 54,000 patrons. Among these events were at least 30 productions by our resident companies, including the celebrated American Blues Theater and Remy Bumpo Theatre Company. Through our Trellis Program, we offer the community affordable access to our work by housing Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre bookstore, located on the second floor of our complex, as well as offering a free reading series each Tuesday night where local artists workshop their latest scripts. Additionally, we also continue to play an active role in cultivating and nurturing our community through continued partnerships with the League of Chicago Theaters and local Chambers of Commerce.

As of 2016, the Greenhouse Theater Center embraced the true spirit of growth and launched its producing entity. With the announcement of our 8 month long Solo Celebration Series, helmed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey, we will produce 12 solo plays from June 2016 to February 2017. Through this inaugural effort, we hope to expand the solo play cannon while also cultivating a larger conversation about the possibilities of the one-person play.

With new ideas always incubating, the Greenhouse Theater Center is flourishing. Come grow with us!

OPENING: September 1 Clock Theater is Set To Open The Broadway in former Profiles Space

CLOCK THEATER TO OPEN THE BROADWAY 

   (FORMERLY PROFILES THEATRE)

    PART OF THE PRIDE ARTS CENTER

Clock Theater will be the first theater company to make use of The Broadway, (formerly Profiles Theatre) at 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago, part of the Pride Arts Center

Artistic Director of Clock Theater, David Denman, was a company member of the National Pastime Theater which resided in the space for many years prior to Profiles moving in.  Says Denman, “ It is very ironic that as a former resident of the space with National Pastime, my theater is returning to the space once again.”

Clock’s production of “Irrational Tales” includes a number of vignettes based on stories of terror.  Included in the stories are “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Gorgon” by Aston Clarke Smith,  “A Diamond as Big as the Ritz” based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald and “Reflections.”

The production opens September 1 and runs to September 18 with performances on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm.  Tickets are $15.

Appearing in the production, which is produced and adapted by David Denman and directed by Lesley Fisher Chapman, are CJ Chapman, Jennifer Cheung, Amanda Forman, David Meldman, Sarah Mergener, Whitney Pipes and Mark West.   Stage Manager is Amber Mandley, Costume Design by Arin Mulvaney, Lighting  and Mask Design by Ben Dionysus, Sound Design by Sheri Tatar, Fight Choreography by Danielle Stahl and Scenic Design by David Denman. 

Tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2556728.

Review & Back Stage Photo Feature: Cirque du Soleil's TORUK in Chicago at The United Center

ChiIL Mama's Adventures 

Behind The Scenes at TORUK

It was my great pleasure to visit the United Center on the afternoon of opening night for rehearsal and a behind the scenes photo tour. The kids and I then went back for opening night that evening and loved it! Highly recommended. 

We were also thrilled to catch Australian puppeteer and father of two, Nick Barlow, for an exclusive video interview! Nick sets the bar high for world class puppetry on a massive, arena show scale, while balancing fatherhood. 





Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Nick studied Visual and Performing Arts at the Victorian College of the Arts, in addition to puppetry, dance, physical theatre, circus, voice, Chinese Lion dance, and Japanese 'taiko' drumming.

Prior to joining TORUK – The First Flight, Nick’s first show with Cirque du Soleil, he was working with the giant puppet company Snuff Puppets.  As part of the company he was performing, touring, and building puppets.  Most recently he worked as a physical performer with Polyglot Theatre, and was a puppeteer on the Australian tour of 'War Horse'.

Beyond performing, Nick trains in Chinese Lion Dance, which uses kung-fu, acrobatics, puppetry, dance and music.  

Avatar movie fans will adore this live, stage version of the first TORUK flight with a rider, long before humans discovered the planet Pandora. Even if you haven't seen Avatar, the show stands alone as a visual feast full of world class acro acts, tissue (silks) acts, Spanish web, and stunning costumes, lights, and sets. Don't miss this! The arena shows are in and out of town fast. This one's only here for a short 5 day run, so get your tickets today! 

Check out my full set of photos right here in the slideshow. More favorites are embedded below.

Cirque du Soleil's TORUK 

in Chicago at The United Center

I love to see the process behind productions. So much work goes into making the magic and I find it fascinating to see the costumes and props up close. Cirque du Soleil puts an incredible amount of thought into every detail, from the custom designed fabric choices to the shorts to cover harnesses. 












The yarn weaves on the wigs are detachable for easy cleaning and replacement when necessary. And all the wigs and costumes feature earthy, natural items that could be found in the wild or made from natural fibers and materials like seashells, beads, beetle shells, and wood. 








It's truly a treat to see the actors in action during rehearsals too. Many are learning new acts so they can be understudies in case of injury or illness. The whole cast is in every show so they have to shuffle actors around to cover any gaps since they don't travel with extra performers.

Tickets for TORUK can  be purchased at https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/toruk. 

The show

Inspired by James Cameron’s AVATAR, TORUK – The First Flight transports you to the world of Pandora in a visually stunning live setting. Experience a storytelling odyssey through a new world of imagination, discovery, and possibility.

Through a riveting fusion of cutting-edge visuals, puppetry and stagecraft buoyed by a soaring cinematic score, Cirque du Soleil applies its unique signature style to James Cameron’s imaginary world and “makes the bond” between two kindred artistic visions that capture the imagination.

This live immersive experience also bears the distinct signature of directors and multimedia innovators Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon. It is a living ode to the Na’vi’s symbiotic coexistence with nature and their belief in the basic interconnectedness of all living things.

Narrated by a “Na’vi Storyteller” and populated by unforgettable characters, TORUK – The First Flight is a mythical tale set thousands of years before the events depicted in the film AVATAR, and before any humans ever set foot on Pandora.

When a natural catastrophe threatens to destroy the sacred Tree of Souls, Ralu and Entu, two Omaticaya boys on the brink of adulthood, fearlessly decide to take matters into their own hands. Upon learning that Toruk can help them save the Tree of Souls, they set out, together with their newfound

friend Tsyal, on a quest high up in the Floating Mountains to find the mighty red and orange predator that rules the Pandoran sky. Prophecy is fulfilled when a pure soul rises among the clans to ride Toruk for the first time and save the Na’vi from a terrible fate.

Creative team

TORUK – The First Flight comprises 13 creators under the artistic guidance of Guy Laliberté (Guide) and Jean-François Bouchard (Creative Guide) for Cirque du Soleil, and James Cameron, Jon Landau, Kathy Franklin and Richie Baneham for Lightstorm Entertainment:

Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon                Show Writers and Directors, Multimedia Directors

Neilson Vignola                                                 Director of Creation

Carl Fillion                                                           Set and Props Designer

Kym Barrett                                                        Costume and Makeup Designer

Tuan Le and Tan Loc                                        Choreographers

Bob & Bill                                                             Composers and Musical Directors

Jacques Boucher                                              Sound Designer

Alain Lortie                                                         Lighting Designer

Patrick Martel                                                    Puppet Designer

Germain Guillemot                                          Acrobatic Performance Designer

Pierre Masse                                                      Rigging and Acrobatic Equipment Designer

Sponsors and partners

TORUK – The First Flight in Chicago is proud to be presented by Visa Signature®, in association with United MileagePlus®. DHL is the official sponsor. The show is being created through a licensing arrangement with 20th Century Fox.

In an effort to bring audience members involvement to a whole new level, Cirque du Soleil will be launching a first-of-its-kind app for TORUK – The First Flight.  Working with long-time technology partner SAP, the app will enhance the overall show experience and enable audience members to be a part of the action before, during and after the performance! The app can be downloaded HERE. 

Here at ChiIL Mama, we did all try the app during the show with mixed results. It was somewhat distracting, and I felt a bit naughty, opening my phone during a show, but it was fun to be part of some key moments, and seeing large numbers of people in the stadium adding to the show's effects was empowering. My son's older android phone wouldn't run the app at all. The girls and I have iPhone 5s & 6s which worked, but were a bit glitchy. It may be that our T-Mobile signal wasn't stellar inside United Center or that too many people were on their phones simultaneously. Once we got in the fireflies part at the beginning, none of us could get out without shutting the app down altogether. Mine froze up at 2 points during the show and just gave me the welcome screen, not the action for the scene. Still, it was an interesting concept and I hope they improve and expand on it.

Follow us at www.facebook.com/torukthefirstflight, Twitter @cirque | Instagram @cirquedusoleil | Snapchat @CirqueSnap | #TORUK #Avatar #CirqueduSoleil

Cirque du Soleil

TORUK – The First Flight is Cirque du Soleil’s 37th production since 1984. The company has brought wonder and delight to more than 155 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.

For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit https://www.cirquedusoleil.com.

To find out more about the ONE DROP Foundation, visit https://www.onedrop.org.

More of ChiIL Mama's TORUK Photo Favs:

 

Aloft Set To Open Circus Arts Classes And Shows in 109 Year Old Logan Square Church

Nation's Third Largest School 

for Circus Arts 

Set to Open in 109 Year Old 

Logan Square Church

You're never too old to join the circus 
or get fit in an fabulously fun way!

Aloft Circus Arts will teach classes to all ages 

Classes for adults and, for the first time in Aloft's history, children, begin Tuesday, Sept 6.

Here at ChiIL Mama & ChiIL Live Shows, we've adored Aloft Circus, El Circo Cheapo, and fearless leader, Shayna Swanson's various circus arts endeavors for years. I can't even express how excited and overjoyed we are to have Aloft Circus Arts as a near neighbor! My daughter is literally hanging by her heels in anticipation for the long awaited kids classes to begin. Check these guys out. Oh SO highly recommended!

Classes begin for all ages September 6 at 3324 W. Wrightwood, Chicago, IL in trapeze, aerial silks, pole, trampoline, hand-balancing, clowning, acrobatics, and more, including circus-based fitness classes. Aloft will offer 90-minute taster classes ($10) from August 29-Sept 4, giving people an opportunity to try out different classes before they enroll in an eight-week session. Taster classes are for students 18 years and older. Children will be permitted to take a free test class during our regularly scheduled class sessions. For more info, check out www.aloftloft.com.

For the last eight years, Aloft Circus Arts has been training amateur and professional circus artists in aerial and earth-bound acrobatics from a rented loft in a west-side industrial warehouse. And in those eight years Aloft has grown into one of the largest and most renowned circus schools in the United States, drawing 250 students per week. Now, with the purchase of a 109-year-old church in Logan Square, Aloft is poised to put down roots that will allow it to launch a new phase of growth. 

"When our landlords told us they wouldn't be renewing our lease, I was really scared for the future of circus arts in Chicago," says Aloft's founder Shayna Swanson, an internationally acclaimed performer with more than 20 years of circus experience. Swanson founded Aloft in 2005 in a small Humboldt Park garage. Since moving from the garage to a Fulton Street loft, the studio has expanded to include circus arts classes for adults at all levels of fitness and skill, as well as a rigorous and selective professional training program and a performing company. 

Aloft teachers are veterans of Cirque du Soleil and myriad other world-class troupes. Aloft's monthly El Circo Cheapo showcase performances routinely sell out, and in 2014 Aloft helped host the first-ever Chicago Contemporary Circus Festival. But last summer all they'd accomplished seemed in jeopardy -- until Swanson found the former First Evangelical Church at the corner of Kimball and Wrightwood.

"As soon as I walked in, I knew we had to move there," she says. "I'm really proud of the fact that a small arts organization was able to purchase this beautiful building and keep it active in the community." Now, after a successful crowdfunding campaign that raised $60,000 to go towards a state-of-the-art rigging system, the church is set to become Chicago's permanent home for contemporary circus.

Interest in contemporary circus is booming in the U.S., and across the globe. Aloft's classes are small and taught progressive manner, allowing students with no previous experience in circus or acrobatics to master challenging physical skills and experience the excitement of this joyful art form, which has been proven to boost self-esteem and fitness in both children and adults.

About Aloft Circus Arts

Aloft is a Chicago-based physical performance company dedicated to telling original stories through world-class circus arts. Aloft combines visual art, urban space, physical movement, modern dance, and aerial performance to build a cohesive emotional tale. In productions meant for theaters, the street, or the open sky, Aloft Circus Arts is changing the limits of what's physically possible in storytelling. 

Animal-free and accessible for all audiences, Aloft Circus Arts is at the forefront of what modern circus is growing into, pushing the limits and leaving old ideas of "circus" in the dust.