REVIEW: Skeleton Crew Skewers As Impressive Detroit Cycle Conclusion

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Northlight Theatre continues its 2017-18 season with

Skeleton Crew

Written by Dominique Morisseau

Directed by Ron OJ Parson

Featuring Bernard Gilbert, Kelvin Roston Jr., AnJi White and Jacqueline Williams

Skeleton Crew Photo credit: Charles Osgood Photography

Review:

Here at ChiIL Live Shows it's been a great pleasure to catch all 3 plays in Dominique Morisseau's acclaimed trilogy, directed by Ron OJ Parson. The concluding show, Skeleton Crew, did not disappoint. I was particularly struck by the amazing set design, sound design, and lighting that effectively evoke both the relentless, rhythmic cacophony of a Detroit auto stamping plant, and the desolate refuge of the break room, of a dying industry and it's desperate workers. The production is poignant, powerful and incredibly well cast. Jacqueline Williams (Faye) is a particular standout, well supported by Bernard Gilbert (Dez), Kelvin Roston Jr. (Reggie), and AnJi White (Shanita).

This is a rare glimpse into the struggle for survival so many blue collar workers face. With insufficient healthcare and precarious job security, most of these hardworking Americans are just a paycheck or less away from homelessness. The large and small indignities, acts of kindness, addictions, small comforts, and dynamics between coworkers evoke a rollercoaster of emotions, as we're privy to the lives of a scrappy, homeless cancer survivor, a pregnant single mom, an aspiring businessman, and their boss who is caught between management and his past, struggling to do right by everyone. 







Skeleton crew humanizes the unseen lives behind the ubiquitous cars we're surrounded by on a daily basis. Morisseau effectively skewers the sometimes heartless corporations that give and take livelihoods, and worship the bottom line, despite human casualties. Highly recommended. 

Through March 3, 2018

Skeleton Crew is part of a 3-part cycle of plays by Dominique Morisseau set in Detroit Previously, Detroit ‘67 was produced at Northlight and Paradise Blue was produced locally at TimeLine. Ron OJ Parson directed all of them.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, continues its 2017-18 season with Skeleton Crew, written by Dominique Morisseau and directed by Ron OJ Parson. Skeleton Crew runs January 25 – March 3, 2018 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. 

At the start of the Great Recession, rumors of impending closure surround one of the last auto plants in Detroit. The nation’s financial crisis gets personal as each of the workers confronts the life-altering choices they must make if their plant goes under, while the supervisor is torn between allegiances to his makeshift family of co-workers and management’s “cost-saving” demands. When pushed to the limits of survival, how far over the lines are people willing to cross?

Playwright Dominique Morisseau was one of the Top 20 Most Produced Playwrights in America in 2015–16, with ten productions of her plays being produced. She is a two-time award winner of the NAACP Image Award, which celebrates the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts, as well as those individuals or groups who promote social justice through their creative endeavors.

The third play in Dominique Morisseau’s Detroit trilogy, Skeleton Crew was named one of Time Magazine’s 10 Best Shows of the Year. BJ Jones comments, “Several years ago Northlight introduced playwright Dominique Morisseau to Chicago with Detroit '67, the first installment of her Detroit trilogy. Paradise Blue was produced at Timeline Theatre in 2017, and Skeleton Crew completes the trio. 

Her triptych spans decades of a sociopolitical evolution in her home city. With Skeleton Crew, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Morisseau looks at life on the assembly line—which feels like a conveyor belt to oblivion. Set in 2008, the diminishing workers are in a race to stay ahead of the collapsing economy, fighting for their financial lives. While much of the country has their eyes set on Wall Street, more concerned with their portfolios than their neighbors, the working majority don’t own stock and struggle to pay the rent. Dominique re-focuses our gaze on the majority, whose hourly wage becomes more precious by the day.” 

The cast of Skeleton Crew includes Bernard Gilbert (Dez), Kelvin Roston Jr. (Reggie), Jacqueline Williams (Faye) and AnJi White (Shanita).

The creative team includes Scott Davis (Scenic Design), Samantha C. Jones (Costume Design), Keith Parham (Lighting Design), and Ray Nardelli (Sound Design). The production stage manager is Rita Vreeland.

Northlight’s production of Skeleton Crew is supported in part by The Chicago Community Trust, National Endowment for the Arts, The Pauls Foundation, Carol and Steve Mullins, Bill and Eleanor Revelle, Hagerty Consulting, and Alan Zunamon and Nancy Cunniff.



ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Dominique Morisseau (Playwright) is the author of The Detroit Project (A 3-Play Cycle) which includes the following plays: Skeleton Crew (Atlantic Theater Company), Paradise Blue (Signature Theatre), and Detroit ’67 (Public Theater, Classical Theatre of Harlem and NBT). Additional plays include: Pipeline (Lincoln Center Theatre), Sunset Baby (LAByrinth Theatre); Blood at the Root (National Black Theatre) and Follow Me To Nellie’s (Premiere Stages). She is also the book writer on the new musical Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations (Berkeley Repertory Theatre). Dominique is alumna of The Public Theater Emerging Writer’s Group, Women’s Project Lab, and Lark Playwrights Workshop and has developed work at Sundance Lab and Eugene O’Neil Playwrights Conference. Her work has been commissioned by the Hip Hop Theater Festival, Steppenwolf Theater Company, Women’s Project, South Coast Rep, People’s Light and Theatre, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival/Penumbra Theatre. She recently served as Co‐Producer on the Showtime series “Shameless.” Awards include: Stavis Playwriting Award, NAACP Image Award, Spirit of Detroit Award, Weissberger Award, PoNY Fellowship, Sky-­‐Cooper New American Play Prize, TEER Spirit Trailblazer Award, Steinberg Playwright Award, Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama (Detroit ’67), Audelco and OBIE Award (Skeleton Crew).

Ron OJ Parson (Director) is a native of Buffalo, New York and is a graduate of the The University of Michigan’s professional theatre program. He is a resident artist at Court and former co-founder and artistic director of The Onyx Theatre Ensemble. Chicago credits include Court, Timeline (Company Member), Victory Gardens, Northlight, Teatro Vista (Associate Artist), Goodman, Black Ensemble, ETA, Congo Square, Chicago Dramatist, Urban Theatre Company, Steppenwolf, Chicago Theatre Company, City Lit, and Windy City Playhouse. Regional credits include Virginia Stage Company, Portland Stage, Studio Theatre, Studio Arena Theatre, Roundabout, Mechanic Theatre, Center Stage Baltimore, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Milwaukee Rep, St. Louis Black Rep, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre, Geva Theatre, Signature Theatre (New York), Alliance Theatre, South Coast Rep, Kansas City Rep, and Pasadena Playhouse. Ron has also directed at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Recent directing credits include Apt. 3A, East Texas Hot Links, Paradise Blue, Blues For An Alabama Sky, 5 Guys Named Moe, and Fences. Ron is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA, AEA, and SDC.

Bernard Gilbert (Dez) makes his Northlight debut. His other theatre credits include The Royale (The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; and City Theatre, Pittsburgh), the world premiere of Man in the Ring (Court), Letters Home (Griffin Theatre), and Our Lady of 121st Street (Eclipse Theatre). Bernard is a graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul.


Kelvin Roston, Jr. previously appeared at Northlight in Morisseau’s Detroit ’67. He most recently appeared in the acclaimed production of Five Guys Named Moe at Court Theatre. 

Kelvin Roston Jr. (Reggie) returns to Northlight where he was last seen as Sly in Dominique Morisseau’s Detroit ’67.  Kelvin most recently played Four-eyed Moe in Court’s Five Guys Named Moe. Chicago credits: Congo Square, Court, Paramount, Marriott, Goodman, ITC, Eta, Writers, Black Ensemble, Timeline, Northlight, and Steppenwolf. Regional: The Black Rep, Fulton, New Theatre Restaurant, MSMT, and Baltimore Center Stage. International: Orb, Festival Hall. TV: Chicago Med, Chicago PD, KFC, and Instant Care.  Film: Get a Job, Princess Cyd, and Breathing Room. He is a 4-time Jeff Award nominee, Jeff winner (Best Ensemble, East Texas Hotlinks, Writers), 3-time BTA Award winner, and 2-time Black Excellence Award winner. He wrote and performed the play Twisted Melodies for which he won the Light in the Darkness Public Education Award from NAMI. Kelvin is an Artistic Associate of Congo Square, a proud member of AEA, and represented by Paonessa Talent.

AnJi White (Shanita) makes her Northlight debut. Chicago credits include Monticello (Aurora Works Theatre); Great & Terrible Wizard of Oz (House); The Last Wife, Sunset Baby (Timeline); The Project(s), Rent (ATC); Fabulation, or the Re-education of Undine (Pulse Theatre); Forgotten Future Remount (Collaboraction Theatre); Mud, River, Stone (Eclipse Theatre); Ithaka (Infusion Theatre) and Soul Samarai (Infusion Theatre). TV & Film credits: Chicago PD, Empire, Home for the Weekend (Pilot), and Hope Springs Eternal. Represented by Paonessa Talent, AnJi has received 3 BTAA nominations, 1 Jeff nomination and received the BTAA for Best Actress for Timeline’s Sunset Baby. 

Jacqueline Williams recently returned from Los Angeles where she reprised her role of Mae, opposite Phylicia Rashad, in Academy Award winner Tarell McCraney’s Head of Passes at Mark Taper Forum.

Jacqueline Williams (Faye) returns to Northlight after reprising her role of Mae in Academy Award winner Tarell McCraney’s Head of Passes at Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles opposite Phylicia Rashad. Northlight appearances include The Miser, Gees Bend, and Po’ Boy Tango. Broadway: Young Man From Atlanta. Off Broadway: From The Mississippi Delta (Oprah Winfrey co-produced), Talented Tenth, Mill Fire. Select Chicago credits include The Christians, Airline Highway, Head of Passes, Brother/Sister Plays (Steppenwolf); Man in the Ring, Gem of the Ocean, Fences, Caroline, or Change (Court); The House That Will Not Stand, A Wonder In My Soul (Victory Gardens); Pullman Porter Blues, stop.reset, Camino Real, Trinity River Plays and many more (Goodman). She has worked extensively regionally including tours with the Johannesbug’s Market Theatre and Crowns. TV/Film: Turks, recurring on Chicago Fire, PD, and Med; Empire, Prison Break, Heartlock, The Break Up, The Lake House. Her many awards/nominations include Jeff, Helen Hayes, BTAA, American Arts Council, Lunt-Fontanne (Shakespeare) Fellow and Excellence in the Arts. 

The Box Office is located at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Boulevard, in Skokie. Box Office hours are Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm, and Saturdays 12:00pm-5:00pm. On performance days, the box office hours are extended through showtime. The Box Office is closed on Sundays, except on performance days when it is open two hours prior to showtime.

Curtain times are: Tuesdays: 7:30pm (January 30 only); Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except February 21) and 7:30pm; Thursdays: 7:30pm; Fridays: 8:00pm; Saturdays: 2:30pm (except January 27) and 8:00pm; and Sundays: 2:30pm and 7:00pm (January 28 and February 25 only).



Northlight is continuing its popular special event series in conjunction with each production. All events are free.

Backstage with BJ: Skeleton Crew
Friday, January 19 at noon
at Northlight Theatre
9501 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie, IL
Backstage with BJ is a mid-day discussion with Artistic Director BJ Jones, featuring special guest artists, actors, directors and designers, offering behind-the-scenes insight into each production while it is still in rehearsal. Backstage with BJ for Skeleton Crew will last approximately one hour. The event is free but reservations are required. Visit https://northlight.org/events/backstage-with-bj/ to reserve your spot.

Inside Look: Skeleton Crew
Tuesday, February 6 at 2:00pm
 
Evanston Public Library
1703 Orrington Avenue, Evanston, IL
Explore the social and historical context of Skeleton Crew through a discussion and Q&A session with artists related to the production.

Community Panel Discussion
Saturday, February 10 at 3:00pm
Curt’s Café
 2922 Central St, Evanston, IL
The play portrays employees on the brink of probable unemployment, facing the pressures of mortgage payments, raising children, and potential homelessness. Northlight's Artistic team will engage with community organizations to discuss the relevance of the play's themes to Chicago's North Shore and what we can do to make a difference. Panelists include: Karen Tollenar Demorest, Executive Director, Youth Job Center; Andi Drileck, Vice President of Workforce Services, National Able Network; and Sue Loelbach, Manager of Advocacy, Connections for the Homeless.

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community. 

Now in its 43rd season, the organization has mounted over 200 productions, including nearly 40 world premieres. Northlight has earned 203 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 34 Awards. As one of the area’s premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality. 

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from Allstate Insurance; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Robert & Isabelle Bass Foundation; BMO Harris Bank; Henrietta Lange Burk Fund; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Chicago Community Trust; ComEd, An Exelon Company; The Davee Foundation; Edgerton Foundation for New American Plays Award; Evanston Community Foundation; Full Circle Foundation; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Melvoin Award for Playwriting; Modestus Bauer Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; Niles Township; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; Room & Board; Sanborn Family Foundation; Dr. Scholl Foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Inc.; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; The Sullivan Family Foundation; and Tom Stringer Design Partners.

Dates:
Previews: January 25 – February 1, 2018
Regular run: February 3 – March 3, 2018

Schedule:
Tuesdays: 7:30pm (January 30 only)

Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except February 21) and 7:30pm
Thursdays: 7:30pm 
Fridays: 8:00pm
Saturdays: 2:30pm (except January 27) and 8:00pm
Sundays: 2:30pm and 7:00pm (January 28 and February 25 only)

Location: Northlight Theatre is located at the North Shore
Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd,
Skokie

Tickets: Previews: $30-$57
Regular run: $30-$81
Student tickets are $15, any performance 
(subject to availability)

Box Office:The Box Office is located at 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie.
847.673.6300; northlight.org

OPENING: The 4th Annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL ViA Underscore Theatre Company Slated For February 6-16th at Greenhouse Theatre

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Underscore Theatre Company Presents

The 4th Annual

CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL

February 6 – 16, 2018 at Greenhouse Theater Center

Underscore Theatre Company is pleased to present its 4th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL, created to showcase and support the growing field of musical theatre creators from Chicago and beyond. This year’s Festival, featuring full productions of seven new musicals plus two staged readings, will play February 6 – 16, 2018 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Each full production will receive at least four performances during the Festival. Single tickets are currently available at www.cmtf.org. 

I'll be out for the press “Sneak Preview,” featuring a sampling of songs from the 2018 Festival on Monday, February 5. Get your tickets early and at a discount for CTW! 

The 4th annual Festival takes place during the League of Chicago Theatres’ annual Chicago Theatre Week, with discounted tickets available to all Theatre Week performances!

Since its inception in 2014, the CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL has brought 35 new musical to Chicago stages. The festival provides much-needed artistic resources for emerging composer/lyricist teams to have their work supported, explored and most importantly – performed!

Production Schedule & Tickets:

Curtain times: Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8 pm; Fridays at 7:30 pm & 10 pm; Saturdays at 12 pm, 3 pm & 8 pm; Sundays at 12 pm, 3 pm & 6 pm. For a detailed scheduled of productions, please visit www.cmtf.org.
Tickets: $20 ($15 during Chicago Theatre Week). Tickets are currently available at www.cmtf.org.




The full line-up for the 4th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL includes:

THE BUTCHER'S SON
Book, Music & Lyrics by Vi Nhan H. Tran
Directed by Mackenzie Goodwin Tran, Music Direction by Ben Byard 
Cast: Todd Aulwurm, Jennifer Cheung, Carolyn Plurad, Diana Lee, Vi Tran and Michael Van Pham

Born in Vietnam and raised in southwestern Kansas, Vi Nhan H. Tran is torn between the mysterious secrets of his heritage and the waving wheat fields of his adopted home. A poignant and humorous folk musical memoir, The Butcher’s Son chronicles the Tran family’s escape from Vietnam, imprisonment by the Khmer Rouge and resettlement in the cattle country of America. Tran weaves a thrilling refugee story and All-American tale of how family stories become family lore and where one family's search for a home ends.

GRINDR The Opera
Book, Music and Lyrics by Erik Ransom
Directed by Rachel Klein, Music Direction by Oliver Townsend
Choreography by Rachel Klein and Shawn Quinlan
Cast: Connor Baty and Nathan Cooper. Additional casting to be announced.

Four gay men, seeking different types of connection, intersect to hilarious and calamitous results in this sung-through musical parody that puts the notorious gay hook-up app into the exaggerated world of opera. With musical styles ranging from contemporary pop to baroque, GRINDR The Opera is a daring, humorous look at the changing landscape of gay relationships, and the greatest catalyst for the shift: GRINDR.

IRON IRENE: A MUSICAL FABLE
Book by Liz Falstreau, Lyrics by Liz Falstreau and Ashley Flanagan, Music by Ashley Flanagan, Orchestration by Asher Carlson
Directed by Chris Causer, Choreography by Kira Christoforidis
Cast: Rena Ahmed, Luciana Bonifazi, Raymond Cleveland, Dylan Connelley, Casey Daniel, Liz Falstreau, Josh Greiveldinger, Tim Huggenberger, Josiah Robinson, Carly Sue Skankey, Maiko Terazawa and Elliot Watts

Set during the years following the American Civil War, Iron Irene tells the story of two sisters and their fight for family, equality and a better world. Upon the death of their parents, Cassie DeLanie is sent from her home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to live in southwestern Wyoming with her sister, Irene. Together, the sisters must learn to adjust to this new world while still attempting to maintain the beliefs and identities of their childhood. Their adventures will lead them to Wyoming’s shining moment: being the first U.S. territory to grant women’s suffrage.

LIBERATORS: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL
Book and Lyrics by Eric C. Jones, Music by Bradley Dean Whyte and Alex Winkler,
Orchestrations by Nate Weil
Directed by Allison Heinz, Music Direction by Samantha Westlake
Choreography by Jaime Raglow
Cast: Isabel Breanahan, Caitlin Dobbins, Shelby Edwards, Chris Furrer, Luke Halpren, Alex Iacobucci, Jillian Jocson, Kate Jordan, Natalie Kreft, Lynette Li, Cari Meixner, Emily Moon, Mike Movidio, Gage Peterson, Christopher Ratliff, Colton Schied, Kati Schwaber, Allison Taylor, Thomas Tong and Evan Wilhelm

A powerful rock musical about forgiveness, restoration, the power of friendship and what it means to be a family. This moving tale intersects and moves back and forth throughout 70 years and tells the story through the viewpoints of three unlikely men from different religious and ethnic backgrounds who are connected through a priceless family heirloom: a gold pocket watch. From the start of WWII to post-911 America, the lives of these characters will forever be changed during the historic liberation of Buchenwald and Dachau. Liberators: An American Musical encourages you to believe that even the most unlikely person can make a difference.

MUSICAL THERAPY
Music and Lyrics by Joey Katsiroubas, Book by Dan Hass
Directed by Madison Smith, Music Direction by Joey Katsiroubas
Choreography by Katelyn Stoss
Cast: James Bleecker Jr., Kirby Gibson, Matt Lamson, Alex Madda, Tommy Ross, Sophie Scanlon and Ashlyn Seehafer

Theresa is a young, single couples’ counselor in Chicago. While she’s great (well, okay) at keeping couples together, she can’t seem to lock down a guy for herself. And the fact that she tends to get attached (well, neurotic) after just one date doesn’t help either. Cut to Mr. Wonderful moving into the office next door: beautiful, bulgy-biceped Will. It’s obsession at first sight, and no obstacle or girlfriend is going to keep Theresa from being with him. She’ll ruin relationships, sabotage dates, push people out of the closet – mixing and matching her clients until it’s just Wonderful and her. Forever. And ever. 

THE BALLAD OF LEFTY & CRABBE
Book by Brian Huther, Ben Auxier and Seth Macchi, Music and Lyrics by Ben Auxier and Brian Huther, Arrangements and Music Direction by Ryan McCall
Cast: Ben Auxier, Molly Denninghoff, Ryan Hruza, Brian Huther, Nellie Maple, Mike Ott, Shea Pender and Elise Poehling

Set in the 1920s during the decline of Vaudeville and the rise of Hollywood, The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe tracks the journey of an ultra-sharp but down-on-their-luck comedy duo as they navigate the rapidly changing world of entertainment. With a cast of eight portraying nearly fifty characters, audiences will quickly lose themselves in this absurd and delightful comic world and leave with smiles on their faces.

“TRU” 
Book, Music, and Lyrics by David Gosz and Leo Fotos
Directed by Max Cervantes, Music Direction by Erik Pearson
Cast: Bradley Atkinson, Chuckie Benson, Kiko Laureano, Nic Mains, Hannon McEldowney, Meredith Kochan, Randolph Johnson, Marssie Mencotti, Marissa Pattullo and Marco Tzunux

Through intricate characters and intimate music, “TRU” paints a picture of how hauntingly beautiful life can be. “TRU” explores the joys and challenges of the many relationships that are formed throughout one’s life, testing the various forms of love – between a man and his father, between a granddaughter and her grandmother, between a woman and her art, between a student and his teacher, between a man and himself. Walking hand in hand with reality, “TRU” toes the line between what is unbelievable and what is true.

Workshop Productions:

Monday, February 12 at 8 pm
MURDEROUS INNOCENT
Book by Tommy Jamerson, Music and Lyrics by Mark Contorno

Jacob Freeman seems to have it all; a thriving career, a bestselling novel, and an adoring wife. But when his past comes to haunt him in the form of his estranged seventeen year old daughter, Jacob’s perfect life is suddenly turned on its head and secrets long since buried begin to rise to the surface yet again.

Monday, February 19 at 8 pm
NOTES AND LETTERS
Book, Music and Lyrics by Annabelle Revak

Joe Loula departs war-torn Bohemia for Chicago in 1917 seeking a new job and a new independence. He quickly befriends Charlie, Nora and Olivia at Williams’ Custom Pianos. As the foursome become inseparable, the U.S. plunges into the World War I: businesses, relationships and pride are put to the test. A true story set to a jazz score, Notes and Letters chronicles the attempt to find an even beat in a world where the meter is constantly shifting. 

Are you a die-hard musicals fan? Do you want to see some terrific new shows and get invited to some exclusive events? Buy a festival pass and save!
​
What do I get?

1 ticket to all 7 festival full-length shows
Save 25% on your tickets, with no single-ticket fees
Exclusive invite to our February 5th press preview night to get a sneak-peek at all of this year's shows
Exclusive invite to our closing awards ceremony on February 25th
Stand at the FRONT of the line for every show, to make sure you get the best seats in the house
​
How much does it cost?
A 7-show festival pass costs only $120. Buy one HERE.
​
Once I get my pass, how do I use it?
Go to buy a ticket just like normal. Once you log in, you will be prompted to use your pass like any other payment method.

About Underscore Theatre Company 
Founded in 2011, Underscore Theatre Company is a team of producing artists dedicated to exploring stories of power and resonance through a musical lens; fostering the development of new musicals; and bolstering Chicago’s role as a national leader in musical theatre. Since its creation, Underscore has produced 44 new musicals in Chicago. Underscore is proud to be Chicago's home for new musicals.

REVIEW: Nice Girl Sketchy Butcher at Raven Theatre Through 3/11/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar: 

Chicago Premiere!

Raven Theatre Presents 

NICE GIRL

By Melissa Ross

Directed by Lauren Shouse

Through March 11, 2018


Production Photos by Michael Brosilow

Running time: 2 hours, including intermission

Review:  

Raven Theatre's latest, the Chicago premiere of Nice Girl, is written and directed by women and has multiple strong female relationships depicted on stage. We enjoyed this nostalgic nod to 80s fashions and foibles, from laughably awkward pre-Tinder singles bars to awful bow blouses. 

Nice Girl sweeps the audience back 30+ years to the 1984 childhood home of a bright, Jewish, suburban Boston girl, who never quite left the nest. The accents are instantly recognizable, as are the universal character types, emotional exchanges, and little life dramas.

We enjoyed the relationship between grown 37 year old daughter, Josephine Rosen (Lucy Carapetyan) and her mother, Francine (Lynne Baker) who both alternate between annoyance and attachment with each other. Jo gave up a scholarship to Radcliffe in her Freshman year of college and came home to care for her dying father, and never went back. Now she's been stuck for 20 years, living with her mother who is healthy, but willfully dependent and homebound by choice. Her life consists of a dead-end secretarial job, jazzercise, and sparring with and mothering her mother. Jo does the cooking, cleaning and financial support, even scheduling doctors appointments her mother choses to miss.

I've been seeing the sandwich generation portrayed for decades, late marrying couples stuck caring for both their young children and aging parents. Recently, however, I've seen quite a few shows that even stop short of that phenomenon. This genre explores young adults who came home, sometimes to care for ailing or dying parents and got stuck, never getting their own love lives or careers off the ground. As college loans and the cost of living soar, and nursing home/home costs skyrocket as well, this is a familiar dilemma to many.

Nice girl is full of fun characters including the wacky work friend, smack talking, free spirit, Sherry (Stella Martin), who also has a thinly veiled aching loneliness and vulnerability under her hilarious exterior. Then there's the butcher, good looking, flirty former classmate and separated father of two teens, Donny (Benjamin Sprunger). 

Without giving away some delicious plot twists, suffice it to say, Donny's a player with a regrettable past and squandered potential of his own to deal with. Nice Girl is a delightful adventure about learning to say yes to getting out of your comfort zone and getting unstuck, while still trusting your instincts when it's time to say no. Come find out when getting stood up for a date is actually the best thing that could possibly happen.

Catch Nice Girl through 3/11/18 in Raven Theatre's intimate 105-seat East Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville).

CAST

Lucy Carapetyan as Josephine

Lynne Baker as Francine

Stella Martin as Sherry

Benjamin Sprunger as Donnie

Understudies

Katherine Swan

Anne Wrider

Devri Chism

Mike Newquist

Raven Theatre is pleased to continue its 35th anniversary season with the Chicago premiere of Melissa Ross’s humorous and heartfelt play NICE GIRL, directed by Lauren Shouse, playing January 24 – March 11, 2018 in Raven’s East Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville) in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.raventheatre.com or by calling (773) 338-2177. 

NICE GIRL features Lynne Baker, Lucy Carapetyan, Stella Martin and Benjamin Sprunger.

It’s 1984 and Josephine Rosen finds herself stuck in her job, her spinsterhood and her mom’s house at age 37. But when a new friendship and a budding romance bring her the possibility of change, she takes tentative steps towards a new life with one powerful word: Yes. A play about the tragedy and joy of figuring out who you are, and letting go of who you were supposed to be.

The production team for NICE GIRL includes: Lauren Nigri (scenic design), Nöel Huntzinger (costume design), Rebecca Jeffords (lighting design), Sarah Putts (sound design), John Buranosky (properties design), Jason Martin (dialect specialist), Sydney Achler (scenic artist), Jordan Pokorney (assistant director) and Wilhelm Peters (stage manager).

Location: 
Raven Theatre East Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville), Chicago

Dates: 
Regular run: Friday, February 2 – Sunday, March 11, 2018
Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm. 

Tickets: Previews $32 ($29 if purchased online). Regular run $46 ($43 if purchased online). Seniors/teachers $41 ($38 if purchased online). Students/active military and veterans $15. Every Thursday is “Under 30 Thursday,” when patrons under age 30 can purchase tickets for $15. Single tickets and season subscriptions for both the 2017-18 Season and 2018-19 Season are currently available at www.raventheatre.com or by calling (773) 338-2177.

Group tickets: Groups of 10 or more are $30 per person for Thursday and Friday performances and $35 per person for Saturday and Sunday performances. Student groups are $15 per person.

Plan Your Visit: 
Free parking is provided in a lot adjacent to the theatre – additional street parking is available. Nearest El station: Granville Red Line, Buses: #22 (Clark), #36 (Broadway), #151 (Sheridan), #155 (Devon), #84 (Peterson).

About the Artists
Melissa Ross’s (Playwright) Plays include Thinner Than Water, A Life Extra Ordinary, Nice Girl, An Entomologist’s Love Story and Of Good Stock. Thinner Than Water and Nice Girl were both originally produced by LAByrinth Theater Company. Thinner Than Water is included in the anthology “New Playwrights: Best Plays of 2011” by Smith and Kraus. Nice Girl was a finalist for the Francesca Primus Prize and is in Applause’s  “Best Plays of 2015.” Of Good Stock received its world premiere at South Coast Repertory as a part of the Pacific Playwrights Festival followed by a production at Manhattan Theater Club. A Life Extra Ordinary premiered with The Gift Theatre Fall of 2016. An Entomologist’s Love Story is an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Commission and an Edgerton New Play award recipient, and will premiere at The San Francisco Playhouse Spring of 2018. Her short play Jack was a part of Summer Shorts 2017 and will be published by Dramatists Play Service. Melissa’s plays have been developed with The Amoralists, The Cherry Lane Theater, Colt Coeur, Dorset Theater Festival, The Gift Theatre, Iama Theatre Company, The Juilliard School, Labyrinth Theater Company, LCT3, Manhattan Theater Club, Montana Rep, New York Stage and Film, The New Group, South Coast Repertory, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater and the TheatreWorks Palo Alto New Works Festival. She is twice commissioned by both South Coast Repertory and Manhattan Theater Club. Melissa is a graduate of Bennington College and the Lila Acheson Wallace Playwriting Program at The Juilliard School, a two-time winner of the Le Comte de Nouy Prize and a proud member of LAByrinth Theater Company.

Lauren Shouse (Director) is the Artistic Associate and Literary Manager at Northlight Theatre. Her recent directing credits include: The Legend of Georgia McBride at Northlight Theatre, Betrayal at Raven Theatre, Rapture, Blister, Burn, Superior Donuts and A Christmas Story at Nashville Repertory Theatre, the world premiere of Long Way Down with 3Ps productions (nominated for American Theatre Critics Association Steinberg New Play Award 2011); the world premiere of Religion and Rubber Ducks with Ovvio Arte; Parallel Lives, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Last Five Years and Chess in Concert with Street Theatre Company; the world premiere of Rear Widow at Chaffin's Barn Theatre and Sylvia Plath’s 3 Women. As Artistic Associate at Nashville Rep, Lauren directed the Ingram New Works Play Lab and Festival, which developed new works by John Patrick Shanley, David Auburn, Steven Dietz and Victoria Stewart. Lauren also co-founded Ten Minute Playhouse, a company that produced short plays by local playwrights. Before moving to Nashville, Lauren lived in London, UK and worked with Producer/Director Hugh Wooldridge. Her work abroad includes: Production Executive for The Night of 1000 Voices (celebrating John Kander and Fred Ebb and starring Joel Grey with Avenue Q) at The Royal Albert Hall; Production Executive of An Evening with Michael Parkinson at The Theatre Royal - Windsor, Children's Director/Assistant to the Director of A Gift of Music, and Assistant Director of The Night of 1000 Voices at The Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Ireland. Lauren holds an MA in Performance Studies from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill where she adapted and directed The Time Traveler’s Wife. She received her MFA in theatre directing at Northwestern University where she directed Stop Kiss, Eurydice and In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play. In Chicago, Lauren has also worked with Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Rivendell Theatre, Sideshow Theatre, Route 66, Chicago Dramatists, The Gift and Stage Left Theatre.www.laurenshousedirects.com

About Raven Theatre
Raven Theatre tells stories of today and the past that connect us to our cultural landscape. Through its plays as well as its educational programming, Raven is committed to serving our communities’ needs through the arts.

Raven Theatre Company is funded in part by the Alphawood Foundation, Dramatists Guild Fund, Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, Polk Bros. Foundation, The Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development, S&C Electric, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the PAV Fund and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

OPENING: Non-Equity Chicago Debut of Speech & Debate Via Brown Paper Box Co at The Edge Theater Through 3/4/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Non-Equity Chicago Debut of

Speech & Debate



by Tony-winner Stephen Karam

directed by David Lipschutz

Running Time: 90-minutes 

February 2 - March 4, 2018


The Edge Theater in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood

We'll be ChiILin' with Brown Paper Box Co at The Edge Theater for the press opening of Speech & Debate on 2/4/18. Check back soon for our full review. 

Following their Jeff Award Recommended run of They’re Playing Our Song, Brown Paper Box Co. concludes their 2017/2018 season with the non-Equity Chicago debut of Tony Award winner Stephen Karam’s Speech & Debate. BPBCo. Board President David Lipschutz* helms the timely dark comedy at The Edge Theater (5451 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60660).

Three teenage misfits in Salem, Oregon discover they are linked by a sex scandal that's rocked their town. When one of them sets out to expose the truth, secrets become currency, the stakes get higher, and the trio's connection grows deeper in this fiercely funny dark comedy with music. ​More information - including ticketing, group & student sales, LGBTQ+ tie-ins, and behind-the-scenes insights - can be found at www.BrownPaperBox.org. 

Where: The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60660
Preview: Friday, Feb 2, 2018 @ 7:30pm

Opening Night: Saturday, Feb 3, 2018 @ 7:30pm

Press Performances: Sunday, Feb 4, 2018 @ 3:30pm and ​Monday, Feb 5, 2018 @ 7:30pm


Regular Run: Friday, Feb 9 - Monday, Feb 12, 2018
Friday, Feb 16 - Sunday 18, 2018
Thursday, Feb 22 - Understudy Performance
Friday, Feb 23 - Sunday, Feb 25, 2018
 
Thursday, March 1 - Sunday, March 4, 2018
Tickets: On sale now at www.BrownPaperBox.org

“I am excited to stage Speech & Debate with BPBCo. because I’ve been performing, coaching, and judging at forensics competitions for over twenty years,” says director Lipschutz.  “The play holds a special spot in my heart since these high school misfits form an unforeseen friendship after starting their speech and debate team. This is reminiscent of my own high school experience as many of my closest and longest friendships began on the very same teams.”

Speech & Debate stars Trevor Bates (Howie), Austin Book (Howie u/s), Michael Brigance (Solomon u/s), Molly Coleman (Diwata u/s), Elise Marie Davis (Teacher/Reporter), Lauren S. Deaton (Teacher/Reporter u/s), Darren Patin (Solomon), and Deanalís Resto (Diwata).

The production staff and design team includes David Lipschutz* (Director), Sally Baker (Casting Assistant), Zach Dries* (Photographer/Videographer), Jeanine Fry (Costume Designer), ​Sara Heymann* (Properties Designer). Becca Holloway (Ass’t Director/Choreographer), ​Torrey Meyer (Scenic Designer), ​M. William Panek* (Box Office Manager), Erin Pleake (Lighting & Projection Designer), ​Deanna Satin (Stage Manager), Anna Schutz* (Production Manager), Charlie Sheets* (Graphic Designer), Daniel Spagnuolo* (Casting Associate), Gin To (Production Intern), and ​Becca Venable​ (Sound Designer).





Artist Bios

Stephen Karam (Playwright) plays include The Humans (Tony Award, Obie Award for Playwriting and Pulitzer Prize finalist), Sons of the Prophet (Pulitzer Prize finalist), and Speech & Debate. His adaptation of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard premiered on Broadway as part of Roundabout’s 2016 season; his film adaptation of The Seagull starring Annette Bening will premiere in 2017. Recent honors include two Drama Critics Circle, Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards; a Lucille Lortel Award, Drama League Award and Hull-Warriner Award. Stephen is a graduate of Brown University and grew up in Scranton, PA.



David Lipschutz* (Director)  BPBCo. member. David has directed with Hell in a Handbag (company member), Underscore Theatre, Generic Theatre Company, and several high schools throughout Chicagoland (where he ironically also coached and judged at speech and debate competitions). He recently assistant directed The Clockwork of the Lonely Soul with Runaways Lab Theatre's DDADIS Festival, and understudied/performed in At the Table (Non-Equity Jeff Award, Best Play) with Broken Nose Theatre. Next up, David is directing The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes, Holiday Edition with Handbag. Thanks to BPBCo. for this incredible opportunity and to BC/KJOC.

Trevor Bates (Howie) is an actor, dancer, writer, and sketch comedian. Recent acting credits in Chicago include The Tempermentals (About Face, u/s); Jerker (Pride Films and Plays); The Wig Bullies (Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival at Stage 773) and The Merchant of Venice, Peter Pan & Wendy, and Metamorphosis (The Theatre School at DePaul) TV: "Play by Play." Love to his family, his vegan tribe, and all brave actors out there.

Elise Marie Davis (Teacher/Reporter) is very happy to be working with Brown Paper Box Co. for the first time! She is the Associate Artistic Director and Casting Director of Broken Nose Theatre, where she was last seen in the recent Jeff Award Winning production of At The Table. Elise is also a company member with The Factory Theater. Her Chicago acting credits include the Lyric Opera, Artemisia, Strawdog, Route 66, The New Colony, Midsommer Flight, Level 11, American Blues, Hobo Junction, and Pride Films and Plays. As a playwright, she has had her work performed at First Floor Theater, BNT, and Arc Theatre, while her play, A Phase, has been taught at the University of Chicago. She is represented by Big Mouth Talent Agency.

Darren Patin (Solomon) ​is excited to be making his Brown Paper Box Co. debut as Solomon in Speech & Debate! A recent BFA Musical Theatre Performance graduate of Columbia College Chicago, his credits include: David Heard (Choir Boy – Raven Theatre), Marco/John Paul understudy/Dance Captain (Little Fish -Kokandy Productions), Male Swing (The Wiz - Kokandy Productions), “Mohawk Guy” (High Fidelity – Refuge Theatre Project), and “CB” (Dog Sees God – CCC). He would like to thank his amazing family and friends for their constant love and support!



Deanalís Resto (Diwata) is a Pennsylvania-Rican teatrista who earned her Musical Theatre degree from Ithaca College. Having previously worked with BPBCo. (They’re Playing Our Song, "Positively Present") she is stoked to be back with the BPBCo. family! Deanalís has also worked with BoHo Theatre, Refuge Theatre Project, Theo Ubique, Oracle, Emerald City Theatre, Teatro Luna, Free Street Theater, & Rabid Bat Theatricals. She has also spent the last four years working as an actor, deviser, and teaching artist with For Youth Inquiry (FYI) at the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH), which designs participatory plays and theatre-based workshops for youth about sexual health and reproductive justice.

About Brown Paper Box Co.
Brown Paper Box Co. creates challenging and inspiring theatre that focuses on the text. By employing a smart, simple aesthetic in intimate spaces, we connect audiences directly to the heart of the story. For more information, please visit www.BrownPaperBox.org.

*Denotes Brown Paper Box Co. members


REVIEW: Bomb Shelters and Barbecues Reign In Cold War Comedy We’re Gonna Be Okay

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

American Theater Company opens the Chicago premiere of

We’re Gonna Be Okay

Directed by Artistic Director Will Davis

Written by Basil Kreimendahl

Now playing through March 4, 2018

Review:

In a new era of bomb threats and cold war posturing in 2018, it's fascinating to see this Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy era period piece through the lens of Trump's America. We’re Gonna Be Okay is as funny as it is disturbing. I loved the unique casting choices which made the production edgy and contemporary while making the 1960's gender stereotypical roles even more glaringly apparent. This suburban dystopia is visually fun, with larger than life, playful pop art backdrops. 

The basic takeaway is, you never really know your neighbors, or yourself till you're under duress and under ground. This psychological exploration of life under the shadow of a looming missile crises, and in the close confinement of a shared shelter, is a darkly funny wake up call. The entire cast was excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed Adithi Chandrashekar (Leena), Saraí Rodriguez (Deanna), Avi Roque (Jake), Kelli Simpkins (Efran), BrittneyLove Smith (Mag) and Penelope Walker (Sul) and their portrayals of the American dream turned nightmare. The teens were particular standouts, as they  fumbled about, coming to grips with mortality, sexuality and gender identities, on the cusp of adulthood.

ATC is one of our storefront favorites, with a thought provoking, edgy lineup. They've been pushing gender identity and race assumptions in exciting, cutting edge ways, with unique casting choices. We can't wait to see what's next. 

We’re Gonna Be Okay at American Theater Company. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

American Theater Company (ATC) opens the Chicago premiere of Basil Kreimendahl’s We’re Gonna Be Okay tonight, Monday, January 29. Artistic Director Will Davis directs a cast featuring Adithi Chandrashekar (Leena), Saraí Rodriguez (Deanna), Avi Roque (Jake), Kelli Simpkins (Efran), BrittneyLove Smith (Mag) and Penelope Walker (Sul).

We’re Gonna Be Okay plays now through March 4, 2018, at American Theater Company (1909 W. Byron Street, Chicago). Single tickets are $38 and are available by calling the ATC box office at 773-409-4125 or visiting www.atcweb.org.

In the midst of the Cuban Missile Crisis, President Kennedy addressed the nation, “My fellow citizens: let no one doubt that this is a difficult and dangerous effort on which we have set out... But the greatest danger of all would be to do nothing.” Well, Efran and Leena and Mag and Sul are thinking about doing something. Something big. Straight from Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival of New American Plays, Basil Kreimendahl’s We’re Gonna Be Okay confronts the fears of the American middle class as two families wrestle with macrame, female empowerment and a shared property line.

Performance schedule:
Press Opening: Monday, January 29 at 7 p.m.
Regular Run: Feb. 1- March 4: Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m. (except for Feb. 3) and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m.

ARTIST BIOS
Adithi Chandrashekar (Leena) is an actor and writer based in Chicago. She has most recently worked with The Hypocrites, Jackalope Theatre, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company and Silk Road Rising. Adithi is currently working on her one actor/multi-media ensemble driven play, Open Season, which was the inaugural project selected to pilot The Gift Theatre Company's 4802 Residency, the theater's new play research and development wing. Adithi is a proud 2015 graduate of the School at Steppenwolf, and has trained at the Second City Training Center, iO Theater, Green Shirt Studios and the Acting Studio Chicago. She has appeared on ABC's Betrayal and NBC's Chicago Med. Adithi is represented by Stewart Talent Agency.
​
Saraí Rodriguez (Deanna) thanks you for making the time to come see this show, her first production back at ATC since Men on Boats. Chicago theatre companies she has worked with include: The Hypocrites, Victory Gardens, Teatro Vista, Steep Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Silk Road Rising, Goodman Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, First Floor Theater, Emerald City Theatre Co., and even a few defunct ones, too. She is proudly represented by Gray Talent.
​
Avi Roque (Jake) (Gender Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs) is beyond thrilled to be returning to American Theater Company and working with Will Davis! Avi, a San Francisco native, received their B.A. in Theatre from California State University, Fullerton, and moved to Chicago to nurture their artistic spirit. Today, Avi is proud to say that they are a multi-disciplinary artist and a Latinx gender non-conforming/trans individual. Their most recent credits include: Men on Boats (American Theater Company) and The Crucible (Steppenwolf For Young Adults). They also recently worked with Damon Kiely as Assistant Director for Boy (TimeLine Theatre Company). Avi is a company member with Collaboraction, First Floor Theater and Pride Films & Plays. They are represented by Gray Talent.
​
Kelli Simpkins (Efran) is a company member of Tectonic Theater Project and is one of the original creator/performers of The Laramie Project directed by Moises Kaufman (Off-Broadway, Denver Center, Berkeley Rep., LaJolla Playhouse). Theater credits: Charm at MCC in NY, directed by Will Davis; T. and Men on Boats at ATC; The Secretaries, The Kid Thing (Jeff nomination: Principle Actor), Execution of Justice and Pony at About Face Theater; Cocked at Victory Gardens; Spill (dramaturg/performer) at EST and Timeline Theater; Teddy Ferrara at Goodman Theatre; In Darfur at Timeline; Late: A Cowboy Song at Piven; Celebrity Row at ATC; Fair Use, Good Boys and True and One Arm at Steppenwolf Theatre; The People’sTemple at the Guthrie, Perseverance and Berkeley Rep.; I Think I Like Girls at LaJolla and Cherry Lane. Directing credits: Good Death, an original play that she directed and co-wrote with students at Western Michigan University. Film/TV credits: Slice, Chicago Fire, Patriot, Betrayal, A League of Their Own, Chasing Amy, Law & Order: C.I. and HBO’s The Laramie Project (Emmy nomination: Ensemble Writing). Kelli is a proud recipient of a 2013 Chicago 3Arts Award.
​
BrittneyLove Smith (Mag) is glad to be back at ATC. BrittneyLove was most recently Prix in Eclipse Theatre's production of Breath Boom. BrittneyLove was also Jane Eyre in both the original and remounted production of the Hypocrites production of You On The Moors Now. She was Bradley in ATC's Men On Boats. She also appeared in Secretaries (About Face Theatre) and the four-time Jeff nominated production of Charm (Northlight Theatre) over at the Steppenwolf garage. BrittneyLove played Salima in the critically acclaimed and Jeff nominated production of Ruined (Eclipse Theatre company) earning her a BTAA nomination for Best Supporting Actor. She recently appeared in the new Nash Edgerton feature Film Gringo. You can hear her on the WBEZ podcast series Pleasure Town where she is a series regular.
​
Penelope Walker (Sul) is happy to return to ATC to work with Artistic Director Will Davis. She last worked at ATC with former Artistic Director PJ Paparelli on The Project(s), Agnes of God & Doubt. Also at ATC she did People's Temple. Recent Chicago credits include: A Christmas Carol, The Story, Crowns and Wit; The House That Will Not Stand at Victory Gardens Theatre; Love & Information at Remy Bumppo Theatre Company; Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England at Theatre Wit; Will You Stand Up? at Erasing the Distance; Laura Jacqmin’s 10 Virgins and Lydia R. Diamond’s world premiere production of Voyeurs de Venus at Chicago Dramatists; Eclipsed, Gee’s Bend and Bee-luther-Hatchee at Northlight Theatre; Life Sucks & J. Nicole Brooks’ world premiere production of Black Diamond: The Years the Locusts Have Eaten at Lookingglass Theatre Company; Don DeLillo’s Love Lies Bleeding at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and the Kennedy Center; Omnium Gatherum at Next Theatre Company; Chris-T at MPAACT; The Clink at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble and Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery at Chicago Theatre Company. She also wrote and starred in her own solo piece, How I Jack Master Funked the Sugar in My Knee Caps! Ms. Walker has appeared regionally with the Alliance Theatre, Arena Stage, Hartford Stage and the Alley Theatre. She has appeared in national commercials and voice overs. She was in the web series Matching Pursuit; the television pilot SouthSide for Comedy Central; Chicago Justice and Chicago Fire for NBC; Showtime's Boss; the feature film Olympia: An Instruction Manual for How Things Work, Severed Ties; and the film short Something Better Somewhere Else.

Basil Kreimendahl (Playwright) is a resident playwright at New Dramatists. Their plays have won several awards, including the Rella Lossy Playwright Award and a National Science Award at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Kreimendahl has been commissioned by Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s American Revolutions program, and by Actors Theatre of Louisville for Remix 38 (2014 Humana Festival). Their play Orange Julius was developed at the 2012 O’Neill National Playwrights Conference and will have its New York premiere at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, in a co-production with P73. Kreimendahl’s plays have also been produced or developed by New York Theatre Workshop, American Theater Company, Victory Gardens Theater, The Lark, La Jolla Playhouse, and Labyrinth Theater Company. They have been a Playwrights’ Center Jerome Fellow and McKnight Fellow, won an Art Meets Activism grant from the Kentucky Foundation for Women, and will be a visiting writer at Williams College in 2017. Kreimendahl’s work has been published by Dramatic Publishing and HowlRound. They received their M.F.A. from the University of Iowa in 2013.

Will Davis (Director) is a trans-identified director and choreographer focused on physically adventurous new work and old plays in new ways. He is also the artistic director of American Theater Company (ATC). Recent and upcoming projects include: Bobbie Clearly by Alex Lubischer for The Roundabout; Charm by Philip Dawkins for MCC; Welcome to Jesus by Janine Nabers for ATC; a queer re-imagining of Picnic by William Inge for ATC; Evita, re-conceived for the Olney Theatre Center, for which he received a Helen Hayes Nomination for Best Direction; Men on Boats by Jaclyn Backhaus for Clubbed Thumb’s Summerworks, Playwrights Horizons and ATC, for which he received a Lucille Lortel Nomination for Best Direction; Duat by Daniel Alexander Jones for Soho Rep; Mike Iveson’s SORRY ROBOT for PS122’s COIL Festival; and two productions of Colossal by Andrew Hinderaker for Mixed Blood Theater and the Olney Theatre Center, for which he won a Helen Hayes award for outstanding direction. Davis has developed, directed and performed his work with NYSF, New York Theatre Workshop, Clubbed Thumb, the New Museum, the Olney Theatre Center, the Alliance Theatre, the Playwright’s Realm, the Fusebox Festival, the Orchard Project, the Ground Floor Residency at Berkeley Rep and the Kennedy Center. He is an alum of the Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab, the NYTW 2050 Directing Fellowship and the BAX (Brooklyn Art Exchange) artist in residence program. He is a member of the TCG board and the Jubilee planning committee. He holds a BFA in Theatre Studies from DePaul University and an MFA in Directing from UT Austin.

About American Theater Company
American Theater Company (ATC) challenges and inspires its community by exploring stories that ask the question, "What does it mean to be an American?" ATC’s Ensemble includes Patrick Andrews, Kareem Bandealy, Jaime Castañeda, Kelly O’Sullivan, Tyler Ravelson, and Sadieh Rifai.

American Theater Company is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, the MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, the Shubert Foundation, ArtsWork Fund, Actors’ Equity Foundation, The Pauls Foundation and Robert & Isabelle Bass Foundation.

REVIEW: Score One For Flying Elephant's We The People at Stage 773 Through 2/10/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

World Premiere!

Flying Elephant Productions Presents

WE THE PEOPLE: The Anti-Trump Musical 

Book by Sean Chandler 

Music and Lyrics by Leo Schwartz

Directed by Derek Van Barham 

Music Direction by Ty Miles

 Dwayne Everett with (back, l to r) Carmen Fisher Risi, Elizabeth Rentfro, Timothy Swaim, Alyssa Soto and Bradley Halverson

 All Photos by Michael Brosilow.

The election of 2016: Disappointment, Chaos, Intrigue, Anger, Response! 

Award winners Leo Schwartz (music/lyrics) and Sean Chandler (book) take six actors through fifty-five characters in this new political musical song cycle: We The People!

Run time: 70 minutes, no intermission

Review:
Still reeling from a year of Trump's America? Then this is the show for you. This musical has a spot on score as funny as it is thought provoking. Don your pussy hats and protest garb and come on out to We the People and commiserate. You'll enjoy 70 minutes of fun songs sung by a talented cast of 3 women and 3 men. 

(left to right) Bradley Halverson, Elizabeth Rentfro, Timothy Swaim and Alyssa Soto

The set design is minimal and the box theatre small, but this cast has a big message to share and they belt it out well. They also make great use of projections on a sparkling fringe backdrop, with Washington DC in a clever silhouette cut out. It's always exciting to see new theatre companies popping up on the Chicago scene and Flying Elephant Productions is off to a fun and relevant start that's a great fit for politically blue Chicago.

Bradley Halverson

(left to right) Alyssa Soto, Carmen Fisher Risi, Dwayne Everett, Timothy Swaim, Elizabeth Rentfro and Bradley Halverson

We enjoyed the witty writing and recognition laughs, and left the theatre feeling more empowered and validated. America may have lost it's sanity, dignity, and the possibility of sensible, humane legislation with this past election, but protest music, theatre and art are flourishing. We declare this one a win. 

January 26 – February 10, 2018 at Stage 773

When politics gives you Trump, make a musical! Here at ChiIL Live Shows we're ready for a laugh after a year of cringeworthy executive decisions by 45. Flying Elephant Productions is ready to bring it, with the world premiere of WE THE PEOPLE: The Anti-Trump Musical, to launch their first season. 

Flying Elephant Productions is pleased to launch its inaugural season with the world premiere of WE THE PEOPLE: The Anti-Trump Musical, a political musical song cycle about the turbulent 2016 election, with six actors playing 55 characters. This powerful new musical features a book by Sean Chandler, music and lyrics by Leo Schwartz, direction by Derek Van Barham and music direction by Ty Miles. WE THE PEOPLE will play through February 10, 2018 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at stage773.com, by calling (773) 327-5252 or in person at the Stage 773 box office. 

(left to right) Elizabeth Rentfro, Bradley Halverson, Alyssa Soto, Carmen Fisher Risi, Timothy Swaim and Dwayne Everett

This new political musical song cycle takes audiences from the party conventions through election night and its immediate aftermath into the realization of “Trump’s America.” It all culminates with a call to action from “We The People.”

(left to right) Alyssa Soto, Carmen Fisher Risi and Elizabeth Rentfro

Comments Flying Elephant Productions Executive Director Leo Schwartz, “Often, an artist’s job is to light dark corners and elucidate a way to a new understanding of the world. We see life differently and we passionately express our vision. Whether it’s to expose the workhouses of Victorian London in Dickens’ Oliver Twist, or the ravages of the Spanish Civil War in Picasso’s Guernica, or the social upheaval of the ‘60s with Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?, art inspires us to reconsider, to act, to challenge. We the People is a call to action to save those things which we hold most dear, our country and our freedom.”

The production team to date includes: Theron Wineinger (scenic design), Cat Wilson (lighting design), G. Max Maxin IV (projections design) and Neill Kelly (stage manager).



Location: Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago
Dates: Preview: Friday, January 26 at 8 pm
Regular run: Sunday, January 28 – Saturday, February 10, 2018
Curtain Times: Thursdays at 7:30 pm; Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 3:30 pm. 
Tickets: Preview $30. Regular run $40. Thursdays “Industry Night” $10 with headshot/resume.

(front left) Elizabeth Rentfro and the cast of Flying Elephant Productions’ world premiere musical WE THE PEOPLE: The Anti-Trump Musical.

(front right) Carmen Fisher Risi with (back, l to r) Timothy Swaim, Alyssa Soto and Bradley Halverson

Tickets are currently available at stage773.com, by calling (773) 327-5252 or in person at the Stage 773 box office.



About The Creative Team
Sean Chandler’s (Book) works include At The Flash (Pride Films and Plays Great Gay Play and Musical Contest Winner, Oscar Wilde Best New Work Nomination – Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, Outstanding Solo Performance – New York Fringe Festival), Running: A New Musical, Radical Morality (Nicholl Fellowship Quarter-Finalist, Creative World Awards Semi-Finalist, PFP Great Screenplay Contest Semi-Finalist), Kissing The Frog Prince (Scriptoid Writers Challenge, All Access Screenwriters Competition & The Screenplay Festival Semi- Finalist) and The Pack (Creative World Awards Semi-Finalist). Host of the Theater Podcast “Your Program Is Your Ticket”. Sean resides in New York City and is a proud member of The Dramatists Guild. www.seanwchandler.com

Leo Schwartz (Music & Lyrics) won the Jeff Award for Best New Work in 2013 in addition to numerous other awards and recognition for his works of musical theatre and film scores. His works of theatre and concert music have been presented all around the world by various theatres and organizations. Among his successful musicals are Under A Rainbow Flag, The Book of Merman, PEN, TILL and NAUGHTY!. He is the Executive Director of Flying Elephant Productions. www.leoschwartz.com
  
Derek Van Barham (Director) is an Artistic Associate with Pride Films & Plays, a member of the Red Tape Theatre ensemble and a former Artistic Director of The Ruckus. For PFP, he has directed Angry Fags (Steppenwolf Garage Repertory), Songs from an Unmade Bed (Jeff nomination: Best Director of a Musical or Revue), PRISCILLA, Queen of the Desert: The Musical and Terrence Mcnally’s Some Men (co-directed by David Zak). He also wrote, directed and choreographed BITE: A Pucking Queer Cabaret and Kill Your Boyfriends. Other directing credits include Miracle! by Dan Savage and Skooby Don't (Hell in a Handbag), Three Days of Rain (Boho Theatre), Trash and Deep in the Heart of Tuna (New American Folk Theatre) and From These Fatal Loins (The Ruckus). He has choreographed for Black Button Eyes (Coraline the Musical, Goblin Market, Amour), The Plagiarists, Inappropriate Theatre, Brain Surgeon Theatre and Salonathon. He can currently be seen improvising with the LGBT team Baby Wine (Fridays at The Annoyance). He was recently named one of Windy City Times 30 Under 30, recognizing individuals from Chicago's LGBTQ community. MFA: Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. 

Ty Miles (Music Director) is so excited to be working again on such a timely work. Classically trained in music composition and piano performance, Ty has written original songs and incidental music for several theater works including Derek Van Barham’s adaptation of Aristophanes’ Wealth and Dan Caffery’s play Gregor and the Squonk. He is also proud to have worked with Leo Schwartz before as assistant music director for the last two summer’s productions of We The People and PEN. 



About Flying Elephant Productions
Nothing is more challenging than getting a creative career off the ground. In many ways, it would be easier to get an elephant to fly. Flying Elephant Productions is dedicated to presenting new works, musicals and plays, that are dynamic, impassioned, and, in our belief, prone to fly. We not only give them first voice, but will also work with the creators to market and promote their work further. Our success at production and our entrepreneurial experience make us a uniquely qualified voice in theatre. For additional information, visit www.flyingelephantproductions.com.