ACT OUT: Tunnel Rat Opening Tonight

Opening:

Tunnel Rat 4/5



A SOLDIER’S STORY IS TOLD BY GENESIS THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS’

U.S. PREMIER OF “TUNNEL RAT”



Tonight we'll be at the opening of Tunnel Rat with Ronnie
Giles, whose life inspired this story.   We'll have a full review for you shortly.           

            In late 1965 after a run-in with the law, 17-year old Ronnie Giles was given the option of joining the Army....or going to jail. He chose the Army-and inevitably-Vietnam.  Because he was short, he was 'volunteered' to go into the Vietcong Tunnels in and around the jungles of Cu Chi.

            Ronnie’s experience in Vietnam forms the basis for “Tunnel Rat,” a U.S. premier by acclaimed Australian playwright Neil Cole.  With a rare, personal story about the war in Vietnam, “Tunnel Rat” explores, with humor and insight, the effects of PTSD on a young and naïve man.

                “Tunnel Rat” will be directed by Brian LeTraunik and features Stefanie Johnsen, Joyce Hshieh and Mark Shallow as Ronnie Giles.

            The technical crew includes Beth Bruins, Stage Manager, Nick Quinn, Set Design, Molly Krall, Costumes, Marly Wooster, Lighting Design,Andrew Dallas, Sound Design and Ashlee Edgemon, Movement.

            Genesis is proud to be  the first outside production to be presented at the National Pastime Theatre’s new home  in the Preston Bradley Center, 941 W. Lawrence, Chicago and opens on Thursday, April 5, 2012.  Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 7pm to April 29.  Tickets are $25.  



Tickets can be ordered online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/213189.  Group rates for 10 or more are available.  For more information call 773-327-7077.

            Discounts for active or retired members of the military are available at the box office only or by calling 773-327-7077.

            A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Ronnie Giles, whose life inspired this story, is a member of the ¾ Cavalry Association, VFW, Disabled American Veterans and Vietnam Veterans of America.

Genesis Theatrical Productions wishes to thank the Australian Consulate of Chicago, the Vietnam Veterans of America and National Pastime Theater for their support of this production.



GENESIS THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS NFP, INC.

THEATER: REIMAGINED, REDEFINED, REINVENTED  

CHI, IL FILM 2012: The Beginning --Sacred Maya Texts and Doomsday Date 12/21/12

 photo credit:   Chicago IONS

An exciting new documentary that a friend of ours edited will have its Chicago premier on Sunday April 15 at 3pm.   "2012: The Beginning" travels the world to examine what the Sacred Maya texts really say about the "doomsday" date of December 21, 2012.  Director Shannon Kring Buset will be there for a q&a after the screening.

Sunday, April 15 
3:00 PM to 5:30 PM

Chicago IONS Presents:
        "2012: The Beginning"  
         A WildHeart Vision Production
        directed by Shannon Kring Buset

Identified by the Maya nearly 1,400 years ago, the year 2012 has become the focus of great curiosity and debate.

Some believe it will bring catastrophic events.
Others, an era of enlightenment.
Or perhaps, as Jose Stevens suggested at our February program, it will contain both destruction and creation.

But what did the ancient Maya themselves believe?  In this new documentary film we travel the world to examine what the Sacred Maya texts really say.

Our journey is guided by noted archaeologists, scholars, and the living Maya, who take us into the field-to the very origins of the Maya Long Count Calendar-and into their lives and sacred ceremonies.  Together, these people from very different worlds shed light on a date that has long been shrouded in mystery and fear.
 
About Shannon Kring Buset, (Writer, Producer & Director):
 In 2007, Shannon Kring Buset was writer, executive producer, and co-star of an Emmy-winning PBS reality-cooking series. The author of award-winning cookbooks and owner of acclaimed restaurants and culinary schools, she walked away from it all and moved to a remote Maya Chorti' village on the Honduras-Guatemala border in 2008.. She brought with her three goals for inner achievement: to heal her heart, to reconnect with her spirituality, and to discover her higher purpose.

Grateful for having lived and worked alongside indigenous elders, spiritual luminaries, world leaders, and other awe-inspiring individuals in places as diverse as Indonesia, Finland, and India, and dedicated to inspiring others to embrace a more soulful existence, Shannon shares the teachings she's honored to carry to us.

Suggested Donation: $10 Doors Open: 2:45 p.m. 
Registration and light refreshments until 3:15 p.m.
Program begins promptly at 3:15 p.m. 

Location: Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago
at the intersection of Howard, Lincoln, and Skokie Hwy. 
(Free parking is available in the building's lot, as well as in the lot next door,(just east of the building), and at the former "Coffee Beanery" lot, just across Lincoln.)   Enter from the East Lot entrance.


Event Website: http://chicagoions.org/programs.html
About IONS: http://www.noetic.org/about/overview/

Exciting News and Philanthropy from Chi-Town Boys, The Shams Band

Here's the latest from one of ChiIL Live Show's local favs, The Shams Band.   They've got a new release coming out, a record fundraiser and a philanthropic project to give back to Chi-town.   Check it out.

Dear Friends and Family,

This summer, The Shams Band will be releasing our first full length vinyl record. Some very exciting music will be coming your way shortly! Leading up to our Record Fundraiser on May 10th at Subterranean, we are gathering friends to help us give back to our great city of Chicago!

Each Sunday, we will be volunteering a few hours of our time to clean the streets of Chicago.
We even created a PSA to help spread the word - CLEAN INTO LOVE - feel free to share on your networks to spread the word :) 

The reason we are doing this is to give back to the people of Chicago for lending us all their support thus far in our career! There is no better way to say "Thank You" than to donate our time to a cleaner city. If you're interested in joining us in the coming weeks, please let us know. We'll have some drinks after to celebrate a good days work.

Instead of creating a Kickstarter campaign, we encourage you to come out to our record fundraising concert on May 10th. It will only be $10 and it will provide us with the money needed to press vinyl records. This can cost us a couple thousand dollars.

Show information:

Thursday, May 10th at Subterranean
2011 W. North Avenue
Chicago, IL, 60647
$10 | 21+ | Doors at 8:30
Reserve Your Ticket Today

Thank you very much for everything. We are very proud of this record, and we think you will be as well.

We look forward to seeing you on May 10th!

Love,

Doug, Donnie, Brian, Paul and Ben

http://www.theshamsband.com
http://www.facebook.com/theshamsband
http://www.twitter.com/theshamsband

The Giver--Adventure Stage Opening Day With Author, Lois Lowry (photos/video feature/review) #GIVEAWAY

Opening day of The Giver, Adventure Stage's latest offering, was fantastic.   Newberry Award winning author, Lois Lowry, flew in for the first show and graciously signed books for a lengthy line of fans at the cupcake social after the show.   We have fond memories of Gossamer, another Adventure Stage/ Lois Lowry adaptation they produced in Nov./Dec. 2009.

We'd been reading The Giver out loud as a family and it was truly magical to see the book transformed to stage in such an adept way.   The baby, Gabriel, was effectively portrayed by a puppet, and the monochromatic, grey, distopia provided the perfect back drop for this cautionary tale.   Highly recommended.  Recommended for ages 9+.   Nobody under 5 will be admitted.  Playing through April 26th.   Check out a full summary, show dates and details below.

Every performance includes a post-show audience talkback with the
cast. * Please note:  Out of respect for our actors and audience members, children under
age 5 are not permitted in the theatre during a performance.

*ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE AT 4 FREE TICKETS FROM CHIIL MAMA/ CHIIL LIVE SHOWS THROUGH MIDNIGHT TOMORROW 4/3/12.   WE'LL ANNOUNCE OUR WINNER ON 4/4.  

• The Giver at Adventure Stage-winners' choice of any Saturday night performance pending availability (That's April 7, 14 & 21 at 7:30pm.

*Wait for Rafflecopter
to load up right here (if you've gone through RSS feed or are
scrolling down the blog and don't see it, click on the actual page
title and it should pop right up).   Entries are easy.   Winning
rocks!   Please include your whole name as you would like it to appear
on the guest list/box office tickets, so there's no delay in reserving
if you win.

Act Out: Midsummer Nights Dream and Taming of the Shrew at Chicago Shakespeare Closing

It's Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's 25th Anniversary Season and they're continuing their impressive world class offerings.   We've been raving about  A Midsummer Night's Dream and Taming of the Shrew, Short Shakespeare since opening night of both shows late last month.   ChiIL Live Shows highly recommends
both.   If you haven't gotten out to see these productions yet, don't
delay.   Shrew and Midsummer close April 7th & 8th respectively.    Both are family friendly, impressive and accessible.   Congrats again to ChiIL Mama's family 4 pack Taming of the Shrew ticket winner, Kathy E.    She'll be checking out the show this weekend.

You could travel the globe and be hard pressed to find a rival for the award winning Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.   In fact, on opening day of Taming of The Shrew, Chi Shakes was playing host to delegates from Shakespeare Fests around the world.         







Short Shakespeare in particular, is designed with families in mind.   They keep the original language and intent in tact, but condense Taming of the Shrew into an action packed romp with a few modern nods, like sunglasses and funky boxer shorts beneath ornate, traditional costumes and contemporary music at transition points.   These additions bridge the historical gap and help the audience more easily grasp the modern relevance of Shakespeare's timeless themes and endearing characters.  We also liked the female director, Rachel Rockwell's take on the "taming", which is sometimes played up as a misogynistic nightmare.   Her take was that Kate was a victim of labeling and self fulfilling prophecy and instead of having her will broken by her new husband, she became more completely herself by someone who could appreciate her spunk and intensity.

Kate, played by Ericka Ratcliff, and Bianca, played by Tiffany
Yvonne Cox, were a true pleasure to see.   On opening day, we ran into another friend and member of the press, who plays "count the black people" with her kids when they go to theatre and movies.  She was elated to see the sisters were played by women of color.  Of course, in an ideal world, skin color would be as irrelevant in casting as eye color, and Chicago is moving in that direction.   Still, I'm amused by her game and agree it's a valid point she makes with her children, as they strive to find role models in entertainment that represent and resemble them.  Kudos to Chicago Shakespeare for casting an interracial leading couple, and letting talent and temperament trump genetics.   The entire cast was impeccable, amusing and adept.

We're big fans of prepping the kids when they're going to see a challenging play.   We try to read the books first, when it's literature based theatre and the kids still love playing the same/different game when we've read a book version or seen a movie version first.   There are numerous adaptations of Shakespeare's works that are age appropriate for a wide range of kids.   This prep can be particularly helpful with younger theatre goers or older kids who have little experience with the language, so they'll know the basic plot going in and be less confused or intimidated if they can't easily grasp the unfamiliar words.    Our absolute favorite children's book version is by author Bruce Coville, who also has a sweet version of The Tempest.   The story and illustrations are amazing.   There's also a fun, early chapter book in the Magic Tree House series that my kids enjoyed in early elementary school.   Here's a link with loads of great suggestions for introducing Shakespeare to Children, including an audio version including both A Midsummer Night's Dream and Taming of The Shrew.

That said, Chicago Shakespeare does a fabulous job with the playbills for their short Shakespeare.  If you don't have time to check out a book or movie version before hand, go early and read the program together.  There's a short form of the story, cool bits of trivia, fun bios, and games, all presented in a colorful, funky, visual way.    







My kids' first live Shakespeare show was Midsummer Night's Dream, performed by Rosebriar Shakespeare Company of Columbus, OH, back in 2009.   A close, family friend was in the outdoor production, Puck was a puppet, and the kids were enamored.   Check out our Midsummer 2009 coverage here.

Midsummer is a great introduction to the bard, as it's colorful, amusing and fast paced.   Chicago Shakespeare Theatre has a much slicker, high budget production, that's truly something to see.   I've seen this play done numerous times over the years and this one was by far the funniest version I've ever had the pleasure of attending!   The audience was laughing enthusiastically throughout the show.   I won't spoil Puck's fabulous reveal, but it was a creative twist, worthy of the bard.  Oberon was so smolderingly sexy that it was easy to believe he bewitched and commanded everyone.   Between the charismatic actors, the gorgeous costumes and sets and the consummate acting, this show makes for a memorable, Shakespeare experience for a first timer or a seasoned aficionado.   Both are highly recommended.

Check out Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's main site for ticket booking, behind the scenes info, photos, education materials and more.

Happy World Theatre Day!

ChiIL Live Shows/ChiIL Mama celebrate Chicago's amazing, world class theatre scene year round, with original video interviews, photo filled features, show reviews and ticket give aways.    We cover adult shows and family friendly offerings and a range from elaborate Broadway in Chicago touring productions to free, quirky store front offerings.   So check in with ChiIL Live Shows/ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.

Here's what ChiIL Live Shows has coming soon  

Original Video Interviews: 

Adventure Stage Theatre--The Giver:  Video footage and a photo filled feature on opening day of The Giver with author Lois Lowry.    
*Also check out our video interview with Tom Arvetis of Adventure Stage right here.      

We have an exclusive interview with Tom Arvetis, Adventure Stage's Producing Artistic Director, and his infant daughter, Vivian.   Check out our video above for insights into balancing creative work and parenting, life after birth with 3 girls under 6, Walk Two Moons, and The Giver.   Walk Two Moons was adapted by Tom, who also expounds on "adapting" to fatherhood & life in theatre.   We continue our series on "How Creatives Parents and How Parents Create".

The House Theatre--Death and Harry Houdini--Original Video Interview with Dennis Watkins, star of Death and Harry Houdini and Magic Parlour.

Also click the links to check out our recent Houdini Box video interviews at Chicago Children's Theatre with:

• Brian Selznick, author (Houdini Box and Hugo Cabret) & Mark Messing, composer 

• Blair Thomas, director & Hannah Kohl, script

Reviews on:

• Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's Midsummer Night's Dream 

& Taming of the Shrew

• Lifeline Theatre-Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed (K)

• Collaboraction's Me Tube
•  Goodman Theatre's Camino Real
• Step Up Productions-The Sweetest Swing in Baseball
• Adventure Stage-The Giver (K)
• Polarity-Tom Jones
• UrbanTheater Company-F***KING A

 *K= kid friendly



For today's World Theatre day events in Chicago, click here.

Prong-Carved Into Stone 4/24 & Chicago 4/20 Show

New Album Carved Into Stone In Stores April 24th on Long Branch Records



Chicago--Save the date and come out to see them live on 4/20 at Cobra Lounge!    ChiIL Live Shows will have an exclusive video interview with the band and we'll be shooting stills at the show.

PRONG are set to release their new album Carved Into Stone April 24th on Long Branch Records. Today the band is premiering a track from the album exclusively on Metal Insider. Get a first listen to the song "Eternal Heat" today and be sure to check out an exclusive interview with Tommy Victor HERE.
 
PRONG will be hitting the road tomorrow for a string of headlining dates with support coming from Black Tusk. This leg runs through March 26th in Fullerton, CA. Following those shows PRONG will be hitting the road with Crowbar and Witchburn. All dates are listed below
 
PRONG has completed work on their Long Branch Records debut with producer Steve Evetts.  PRONG (whose lineup includes bassist Tony Campos and drummer Alexei Rodriguez) has taken a major step forward in their constantly evolving brand of sonic schematics.
 
Carved into Stone is quintessentially PRONG. It stretches into the band's earliest and dirtiest foundations on which the band was founded on New York's Lower East Side to the present as a staple of today's post-metal and rock scenes.
 
PRONG recently unveiled the tracklisting and the album art for Carved Into Stone. The artwork was created by Vance Kelly (Down, The Sword)
 
Carved Into Stone Tracklisting
1) Eternal Heat
2) Keep on Living in Pain
3) Ammunition
4) Revenge ... Best Served Cold
5) State of Rebellion
6) Put Myself to Sleep
7) List of Grievances
8) Carved Into Stone
9) Subtract
10) Path of Least Resistance
11) Reinvestigate
 
See PRONG Live:
3/21: San Diego (Hillcrest) @ Ruby Room
3/22: Los Angeles, CA @ The Viper Room
3/23: Las Vegas, NV @ LVCS
3/24: Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse
3/25: Fresno, CA @ Starline
3/26: Fullerton, CA @ Slidebar
 
With Crowbar and Witchburn:
4/5: Dallas, TX @ Trees
4/6: Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
4/7: San Antonio, TX @ Green Room
4/8: El Paso, TX @ House of Rock
4/11: Hollywood, CA @ The Whisky
4/12: Flagstaff, AZ @ Orpheum Theater
4/13: Gallup, NM @ Slopshot Billiards
4/14: Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
4/16: St. Louis, MO @ Fubar
4/17: St. Paul, MN @ Station 4
4/18: Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's
4/19: Louisville, KY @ Phoenix Hill Tavern
4/20: Chicago, IL @ Cobra Lounge
4/21: Detroit, MI @ Harpo's
4/22: Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
4/23: Little Rock, AR @ Downtown Music Hall
4/24: Shreveport, LA @ Riverside Warehouse
 
For more info visit:
http://www.prongmusic.com
http://www.spv.de
http://www.longbranchrecords.com