Huzzah! Time Travel Back to The Renaissance at Bristol, Voted Country's Best Ren Faire

Bristol Faires Well on Brink of Next 

Quarter-Century

“Country’s Best Renaissance Faire” Announces 26^th Season, July 6 - Sep. 2

ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama in merry olde England this summer.   Click here to check out loads of our original photo filled past Bristol Renaissance Faire coverage.   The faire has been a hotly anticipated fav of ours for years.   For jousts and jesters, sword fights and silks, turkey legs and tea ceremonies... Bristol has it all!   We can't wait for opening day and we'll have a new photo filled recap for you.

Voted Best Renaissance Faire in the country in 2012, this summer’s 26^th annual Bristol Renaissance Faire will open Saturday, July 6, for nine weekends through Labor Day Monday, Sep. 2. While more than 200,000 visitors immersed themselves in the multi-sensory revelry of last summer’s Bristol Renaissance Faire, partaking in an eclectic array of 16^th Century arts, games, food, music, comedy and dance that earned top national honors from subscribers of Renaissance Magazine and the Renaissance Festival Podcast, Bristol’s producers were not content to rest on their bum-rolls. This summer’s creative team has again hit it out of the joust yard, with new construction on the 30-acre Faire site, enhanced immersive experiences for patrons, and an A-list of nationally-touring acts and artisans rivaling any season to date.

“Over the past two and a half decades, we have hosted a thousand thrilling jousts, variety performances by the hundreds, trained more than 20,000 actors, and served too many turkey legs and pints of ale to count,” said Linda McFeters, general manager and co-producer of the Bristol Renaissance Faire. “We are committed to building upon the unprecedented history, fantasy,

merriment and spectacle that is the Bristol Renaissance Faire, as we kick off the next 25 years!”

More Kid-Friendly Fun

The Bristol Renaissance Faire is filled with kid-inspired experiences, including more than 30 games and rides, shows that make kids laugh, and special play areas bursting with whimsy and photo-snapping charm. Always entertaining and engaging, Bristol’s Kids Kingdom boasts a climb-aboard pirate ship, giant sandbox, crafts and games activity center, its own theater and a full cast of beloved fairy tale characters. Magic shows, story-telling and interactive role-playing adventures take center stage throughout the day, and at 4:30 p.m., Queen Elizabeth herself shows up in Kids Kingdom for the celebrated Knighting Ceremony, at which she personally dubs all attending children lords and ladies.

Other popular, kid-friendly diversions include mad-cap tea parties with Lady Ettie, kid pike drills at the Military Encampment, toy ship sailing on Mouseboro Pond, and chance encounters with the Faire’s most elusive inhabitants, curious faeries known as Fantastikals. 

Fire-Whips and Bagpipes

Sixteen Bristol entertainment stages feature nonstop music, merriment, feats of daring and an eclectic assortment of comedic performers who invite their audiences to become part of the act. Joining Faire favorites, including Dirk and Guido, the comedic sword-fighting duo known as “The Swordsmen,” ropewalker, juggler and foolish mortal MooNiE the Magnif’Cent, Guinness World Record-holding fire whip artist Adam Crack, the Barely Balanced acrobatic comedy troupe, and the Sturdy BeggarsTM Mud Show^®, will be newcomers Iris and Rose, singing sisters whose bawdy humor promises to have Faire-goers splitting their doublets, and, returning to Bristol for the first time in a number of years, hammered dulcimer virtuoso Glenn Morgan.

Long-time Bristol jousters Steve Cowan (Sir Mauldron) and Matthew Mansour (Sir Maxmillian) will be putting a new twist on the Faire’s most popular spectator sport this summer with ever-changing tests of skill guaranteed to keep man and horse at their competitive peak, and audiences on the edge of their seats. Hard-hitting and exquisitely choreographed, these new stylized jousting exhibitions will take place at various times throughout each Faire day.

Among this summer’s special musical guests, the explosive Celtic group, Tartanic, will appear during the Faire’s first three weekends, and the Dread Crew of Oddwood, a folk-punk pirate band that’s coined the genre “heavy mahogany,” will perform the final two weekends.  Making their Bristol debuts in 2013 are the sea shanty crooning Crimson Pirates (July 6-7), Jamila Lotus Bellydance Carnivale (July 13-14 and 20-21), the Iron Hill Vagabonds acoustic music duo (July 13-14, 20-21 and 27-28), and VaNa MaZi, with their unique brand of Gypsy

Jazz (final four weekends, Aug. 10 through Sep. 2).

Beyond Turkey Legs

As iconic as a giant, barbecue sauce-slathered turkey leg is to the Renaissance faire experience, Bristol patrons enjoy an extensive, and often unexpected, array of epicurean delights, ranging from Teriyaki chicken to Cornish pasties, and bakery-fresh scones to Italian strawberry gelato dipped in chocolate. New to this summer’s Faire is Shehadeh Mediterranean cuisine, featuring falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, and other vegetarian delicacies.

A large, new coffeehouse will bring specially-blended Old World Italian coffees to the Bristol beverage mix, which includes imported, domestic and non-alcoholic beers and ales, wines and mead, sassafras, lemonade and other popular selections. A perfect complement to the Faire’s new hookah smoking tent, a variety of international sipping beverages, such as Turkish raki, a grape brandy, will be offered for the first time at this summer’s Faire. 

One-of-a-Kind Wares

Bristol’s ever-expanding Marketplace offers a breadth and depth of unique shopping experiences that can’t be found anywhere outside the country’s top Renaissance faires. Nearly 175 artisans and crafters display wares ranging from stage-combat-approved swords and handmade chain maille to Scottish kilts, handcrafted leather masks, tapestry wall hangings, sterling silver jewelry, rare-edition books, hand-caned brooms, bamboo flutes, even steampunkery and jester socks. Often, patrons have the chance to watch potters, glass blowers, bowyers, blacksmiths and other working artisans create their wares on-site.    

Back by popular demand, the annual Bristol Marketplace Weekend is scheduled for Aug. 3-4 this summer. Shoppers spending $200 in one day can show their receipts at the Guest Services Gazebo and receive two free tickets to return to the Faire another 2013 weekend.

Live Action Fantasy-Play

Among the most anticipated events of this summer’s Faire, Bristol’s live action fantasy-play game, RenQuest, will return with an epic conclusion to its Chaos Trilogy. Originating in 2008, RenQuest brings the worldwide popularity of massively multiplayer online role-playing games, like World of Warcraft, into the live action dimension of the Renaissance Faire. The interactive theatrical gaming experience offers players an unprecedented opportunity to experience the Faire through completing quests, honing skills and defeating evil villains. The game spans the entire 30-acre Faire site and employs 30 non-playing characters dedicated to enriching the fantasy experience for patron-players.

            

**Kids Quests provide the Faire’s younger patrons, ages 5 to 11, with two daily opportunities to embark on their own, age-appropriate adventures. The 30-minute adventures are led by Willow Spellworthy and Astrid Treeswift, and their pet trolls, Stirling and Bucket, as they set out to fight the evil Snifflewort. 

Weekends to Remember

Once-a-summer events create special opportunities to enjoy the Bristol Renaissance Faire in new and different ways. Debuting in 2013, Swashbuckler Weekend will unleash a booty of Buccaneer-themed revelry, July 13-14, while Bristol’s nod to ladies night, Wenches Weekend, sets participants on a self-guided wine tasting tour of the Faire, Aug. 10-11. Among notable events returning to this summer’s Faire, Bristol’s third-annual Steampunk Invasion is slated for July 21-22, and the ever-popular “Renaissance Runway” Costume Contest will celebrate all expressions of character couture, from lords and ladies in full Renaissance regalia, to Trekkies and Greek gods, July 27-28.

Steampunk Invasion is one of our family favs!!   We caught the first one ever.

Taking its framework from the summer day in 1574 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth visited the English hamlet of Bristol, the Bristol Renaissance Faire is located on 30 wooded acres, just west of I-94’s Russell Road exit, near Kenosha, Wis. Open rain or shine, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., every Saturday and Sunday, July 6 through Sep. 2, and on Labor Day Monday, Sep. 3, tickets are $19.95 for adults and $9.50 for children, ages 5 to 12. Advance ticket discounts are available at renfair.com or by calling (847) 395-7773.

Free Streaming THE CUSTODIAN - New Album Streaming in Full #free #progrock

Available TODAY via The Lasers Edge THE CUSTODIAN is the UK's newest and most exciting progressive rock band. Formed in late 2012, the band is already primed to release their debut offering Necessary Wasted Time this June 18th via The Lasers Edge.  The album is available for pre-order on Amazon. Today Gun Shy Assassin is hosting an exclusive full album stream of Necessary Wasted Time.  Get a first listen to the record in its entirety HERE. The band's video for the song "Stop Talking" can be viewed HERE. The song "Other People's Lives" is available to stream HERE. THE CUSTODIAN band is lead by British musician Richard Thomson, better known as the vocalist of progressive metal group Xerath. The project was initially started in a bedroom in Warwickshire and has now, after several years of lying dormant due to other commitments, become a fully-fledged band ready to take the prog rock world by storm.  Commenting on the release, Richard states "I love so many types of music, it was impossible for me not to start something completely different from my other band. I have a particular affection for progressive music from the 70's and wanted to create something in that vein, and hopefully, something new and exciting!" The band takes influence not only from prog rock, but anything and everything else that fits. Expect lots of beautiful acoustic passages, warm synth, tasteful leads, complex drumming and great production.  The album was recorded by the band in their home studio, mixed by Danish producer Jacob Hansen and mastered by Bob Katz. The artwork was created by British artist Colin Marks of Rainsong design.  THE CUSTODIAN are: Richard Thomson: Drums, Vocals, Synth Michael Pitman: Bass, Vocals Owain Williams: Lead Guitar Nariman Poushin: Electro Acoustic Guitar For More Info Visit: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreTheCustodians https://www.lasercd.com

AS THEY BURN PREMIERE NEW MUSIC VIDEO & European Tour Dates (6/17) #metal

AS THEY BURN have premiered a new music video for the song “Medicine 2.0” from their album Will, Love, Life, which features the Parisian metalheads performing live to a sea of banging heads at Hellfest Open Air 2012 in Paris, France. The first track on the album, “Medicine 2.0” is classic AS THEY BURN with atmospheric melodies, groove-inspired riffs and aggressive vocals. Keyboardist, Bastien Jacquesson comments, “’Medicine 2.0’ is first time we used the classic verse/ chorus/ verse/ chorus/ bridge/ chorus song structure. The epic chorus keeps it from being simply another deathcore song.”

Catch AS THEY BURN as they journey across twenty-one cities throughout Europe for their headlining tour beginning September 5^th in Pau, France. See a full listing of tour dates here.  Order your copy of Will, Love, Life at VictoryMerch.com or through iTunes.

For more information on AS THEY BURN:
http://www.victoryrecords.com/artists/astheyburn
http://www.facebook.com/ASTHEYBURN
“Dream Collapse” Music Video
“F.R.E.A.K.S” Music Video
“Medicine 2.0” Music Video

                                               

“Songs like “Medicine 2.0” and “Origin” boasts resonant, undulating chords and djent drumming that’s so rattling, they could make your teeth fall out” – Outburn

“An exhilarating head rush of skull-splitting force and speed that unites the tech death brilliance of Meshuggah with Obituary’s classic carnage.”  - Big Cheese

“Stunning and at times wonderful, the bounce of the rhythm and delivery of the electronics that are a subtle surprise have made even the harshest critic of this genre fall into disbelief. “ –About.com/heavymetal

For Fans Of: MESHUGGAH, CHIMAIRA, EMMURE and GOJIRA

Tour Dates:
9/05 – Pau, FR @ Showcase
9/08 – Madrid, ES @ Wrulitzer Ballroom
9/09 – Barcelona, ES @ SalaMonasterio
9/10 – Albufeira, PT @ Legacy
9/12 – Aveiro, PT @ Bar do Estudante
9/13 – Vigo, ES @ Sala Rouge
9/15 – Bordeaux, FR @ Heretic Club
9/16 – Toulouse, FR @ Saint des Seins
9/17 – Montepellier, FR @ Black Sheep
9/18 – Milan, IT @ Ligera
9/19 – Will, CH @ Gare de Lion
9/20 – Ljublijana, SI @ Orto Bar
9/21 – Sarajevo, BA @ Art Cinema Kriterion
9/22 – Belgrade, SK @ BigzScena
9/23 – Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert
9/24 – Vienna, AT @ Shelter
9/25 – Berlin, DE @ MIKZ
9/26 – Koln, DE @ Underground
9/27 – Mainz-Kastel, DE @ Reduit
10/02 – Ieper, BE @ JOC
10/03 – Liege, BE @ 6k Fest
10/05 – Paris, FR @ La Boule Noire

ACT OUT OPENING: The Chicago premiere of Mine at The Gift Theatre

Hillary Clemens as Mari (center), Gabriel Franken as Peter and Alexandra Main as Joan in The Gift Theatre’s Mine

The Gift Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of Mine

Contemporary thriller with age-old roots by Laura Marks, directed by Marti Lyons

Playing now through August 11, 2013

New mother Mari has a devoted husband, a reassuring midwife and a mom who can’t wait to babysit. But she can’t shake the feeling that there’s something strange about her newborn daughter. Chicago’s The Gift Theatre Company births a world of new motherhood, where doubt and certainty blur, in the Chicago premiere of Laura Marks’ thrilling, haunting and terrifying Mine, directed by Marti Lyons. Mine makes its Chicago premiere now through August 11, 2013, at The Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Avenue (at Lawrence) in Chicago. Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Single tickets are $25-$30 and subscriptions start at $50. To purchase tickets or for more information, please call 773-283-7071 or visit www.thegifttheatre.org.

“One of the many remarkable things about Laura Marks' work is her use of heroines,” says director Marti Lyons. “Her leading ladies are charming and unflinchingly loyal—and when faced with any threat to their families, they are fierce warriors with an inexhaustible drive and strength. The protagonist in Mine, Mari, is no exception. Though at times she’s conflicted, Mari's investigation over the course of the play is driven by the uncompromising strength of her maternal instinct and love for her child. The Gift’s space allows us to see both her external and internal conflict; the close proximity to all the actors enables the audience to understand the truest motivations, conflicts and resolve at the heart of every character.”

Hillary Clemens as Mari and Gabriel Franken as Peter in The Gift Theatre’s Mine, playing now through Aug. 11, 2013. Photos by http://clairedemos.com.

New York-based, Kentucky-born playwright Laura Marks made an explosive off-Broadway debut earlier this year with Bethany, which starred America Ferrera, was a New York Times Critic's Pick and garnered Marks a Lucille Lortel nomination for Outstanding Play. The New Yorker subsequently called the recent Juilliard School grad and mother of two “a real talent to watch.” Marks wrote Mine shortly after completing Bethany, while still a student at Juilliard. Mine director Marti Lyons (Maria/Stuart) previously worked at The Gift as assistant director on Will Eno's Oh, the Humanity (and other exclamations) for Michael Patrick Thornton in 2012 and twice directing short plays for TEN. She is the Literary Manager and Company Dramaturg for Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre.

Mine stars The Gift Ensemble members Hillary Clemens (Vigils, Dirty) as Mari, Gabriel Franken (Northwest Highway) as her husband and Alexandra Main (Wit, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest) as the midwife. Returning to The Gift are SiNNERMAN Ensemble and Pavement Group’s Cyd Blakewell (TEN) as a mysterious stranger and Rendition Theatre’s Deborah Ann Smith (The Last Days of Judas Iscariot) as Mari’s mom.

Hillary Clemens as Mari and Cyd Blakewell as Amy in The Gift Theatre’s Mine

About The Gift Theatre

The Gift Theatre is dedicated to telling great stories on stage with honesty and simplicity. Previous productions include: Vigils; TEN 2013; Natural Gas' Jugband Christmas; Dirty; Oh, The Humanity (and other exclamations); Fact & Fiction; Absolute Hell; TEN; Cloud 9; Northwest Highway; Night and Her Stars; Get Behind Me, Santa!; Lonesome West; Suicide, Inc.; One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; Almost, Maine; Santa’s Great American Depression Holiday Show! (2009 & 2010); Summer People; The Ruby Sunrise; Talk Radio; Stop/Kiss; Natural Gas; Streamers; Wit ;The Last Days of Judas Iscariot; White People; Three Sisters; The Beauty Queen of Leenane; Blithe Spirit; 365 Days/365 Plays; The Halloween Show; Long Day’s Journey Into Night; The Glass Menagerie (Remount: Theatre on the Lake); The Good Thief; The Clearing; Hurlyburly; The Glass Menagerie; The Pavilion; A Young Man In Pieces; Language of Angels; 6; County Fair; The Countess; Alcatraz (Abbie Hoffman Festival); Orestes 2.0; Boys’ Life. The theater also sponsors the giftED Ensemble, a rigorous two-year afterschool course for creative and motivated high school students on Chicago’s Northwest side, and the literary program/Salon Series giftLIT.

The Gift’s 2013 Season opened in January with TEN, its annual kickoff celebration of ten-minute plays curated by Gift Co-Founder Michael Patrick Thornton, then shifted tone with the Chicago revival of Vigils, directed by Erica Weiss. The final production of the 2013 Season is the Chicago premiere of Broadsword by former Sons of Anarchy staff writer Marco Ramirez, October 3 (first preview)-November 24. Subscriptions for the remainder of the 2013 season, which includes two Chicago premieres, are available for as little as $50. The Gift subscribers ("Gifters") receive admission to three shows, free parking at Gale Street Inn, free admission to all Wednesday night “Natural Gas” improv shows and invitations to special subscriber-only special events.

The Gift Theatre Company’s 2013 season is made possible, in part, by generous contributions from The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation. The Gift is conveniently located at 4802 N. Milwaukee in Chicago’s Jefferson Park neighborhood, and is easily accessible by the CTA Blue Line, the Lawrence and Milwaukee Avenue buses and the Kennedy Expressway. For more information about The Gift Theatre’s productions and programs, visit www.thegifttheatre.org.

BMX Tricks in Chi-Town in June With King BMX Stunt Show at MB Financial Park in Rosemont

We just watched Nitro Circus on Netflicks on Father's Day (Dad's choice) and everyone enjoyed the extreme tricks.
   

They are doing a LIVE US Tour but so far there's not a visit to Chicago listed.   In the mean time, if you want to see some extreme BMX bike flips and tricks this month you're in luck.

June 28-29: King BMX Stunt Show

Visitors to MB Financial Park at Rosemont will enjoy summer thrills with the arrival of the King BMX Stunt Show. King BMX Stunt Show riders have amazed crowds all over the country with their bicycle performance that features high-flying aerial stunts such as back flips and tail whips. These mind-boggling technical maneuvers will be executed on the ground and ramps that will be set up and personalized to the terrain of MB Financial Park.

Schedule for King BMX Stunt show:

Friday June 28: 7 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Saturday, June 29: 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.

SPEND THE SUMMER IN ROSEMONT!
 
MB FINANCIAL PARK AT ROSEMONT BRINGS
LIVE MUSIC, COMEDY, NIGHTLIFE AND MORE TO CHICAGO’S NORTHWEST SUBURBS

This summer, MB Financial Park at Rosemont will be abuzz with the ultimate in dining, entertainment, charity events, and a free summer music festival.  The Village of Rosemont will host a free, summer-long music festival Rockin’ in the Park that begins June 6, and King BMX Stunt Show rolls into MB Park June 28. 

 
Rockin’ in the Park: Free Summer Concert Series
The 2013 Rockin’ in the Park festival will be a summer-long concert series, beginning on Thursday, June 6 and continuing through Thursday, August 15. The festival will feature eleven live bands, fireworks and food and beverage tents on the great lawn in the center of new MB Financial Park at Rosemont.
 
Throughout June, July, and August, there will be a variety of live music including 7^th Heaven, Hi Infidelity, Kashmir, Spazmatics, Arra, Libido, Funk Circus, 16 Candles, American English, Modern Day Romeos, Infinity and Breakfast Club. On June 6, July 3, and August 8, a spectacular fireworks show will directly follow the accompanying music act. Admission is free, parking is free with validation and outside coolers cannot be brought into the park.

Thursday, June 20: Kashmir – Seeking to re-create the experience of a 70's Zeppelin show utilizing authentic vintage stage gear, costumes and special effects, Kashmir prides themselves on playing Zeppelin as it was. They only use the equipment from the era with songs reproduced with great respect and admiration for the legendary band."It's not about us, it's about Led Zeppelin.”

Thursday, June 27: Spazmatics – Bringing all the awesome sounds, styles and way cool dance steps from the 1980's, the Spazmatics recapture all the best of the worst. Outstanding musicianship combined with creative flair and style makes for an evening of pure energy and entertainment, complete with skinny ties, Brill Creamed-hair and horn-rimmed glasses.

 
About The Village of Rosemont, Illinois: Rosemont, Illinois, Chicagoland’s business and entertainment suburb, is conveniently located five minutes from O’Hare Airport and twenty minutes from Chicago’s downtown. Rosemont is home to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, a wide variety of hotel and dining options, the Allstate Arena, the Rosemont Theatre and a host of entertainment and retail venues including MB Financial Park at Rosemont. Rosemont continues to grow and evolve based on the new vision of Mayor Bradley A. Stephens. The newest addition to the Rosemont community, set to open in August 2013, will be the Fashion Outlets of Chicago For more information visit www.rosemont.com.

About The MB Financial Park at Rosemont: MB Financial Park at Rosemont is a 200,000 square-foot entertainment and dining complex that will house eight venues offering upscale international cuisine, live music and comedy, state-of-the-art film, bowling and more. Conveniently located near O’Hare International Airport, MB Financial Park at Rosemont is easily accessible from Chicago as well as the suburbs. The address is 5501 Park Place, a new looping street situated west of River Road between Bryn Mawr and Balmoral Avenues.  A 20-minute drive from Chicago’s Loop, MB Financial Park at Rosemont is walking distance from the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, the CTA Blue Line Rosemont station and Rosemont Theatre. Convenient parking is available.

About Charles Tillman Cornerstone Foundation: The mission of the Charles Tillman Cornerstone Foundation is to provide opportunities and resources to children and their families who are in need.  Since 2005, Charles Tillman's charitable efforts have impacted the lives of over one million Chicago-area children.  For more information, please visit www.charlestillman.org.

About King BMX Stunt Show:King BMX Stunt Shows is a full service BMX entertainment company. Its founder, Kieth King, has been involved with BMX Freestyle since 1985. One of the top stunt shows in the nation, clients range from the NBA, Nascar, IRL, and State Fairs to small town festivals, colleges and high schools as well as shopping malls and company events. King BMX riders have competed at the X Games, Gravity Games and Dew Action Sports Tour, have been featured on Fox Sports and Monday Night Football, and were featured on multiple episodes of the 2012 season of NBC's America's Got Talent (as the American BMX Stunt Team). Videos of their daring performances can be found at youtube.com/user/kingbmxstuntshow.
 

ACT OUT CLOSING: The Hypocrites Ivywild and Romeo Juliet FREE Night Out in the Parks #review

ChiIL Live Shows highly recommends Ivywild.   This weekend marks your final shot at seeing this rambunctious ride!   We finally got to check out Ivywild, The Hypocrites latest and it's pure magic. Who else would attempt to recreate an entire turn of the century amusement park complete with audience participation rides and flamboyant owners in the basement of The Chopin Theatre! These consumate story tellers pull it off masterfully! 

The costumes are a hoot and a half, as is the delightful acting.   This production has hints of 500 Clown and Barrel of Monkeys, other long time favs of ours, and understandably so with Jay Torrence writing and acting and Halena Kays directing!

Anthony Courser does steller physical comedy as Princess, the trunkless, alcoholic, philosophic elephant.  Put this on your must see list then go already. (Aimed at adults but fine for tweens & up.)

Click here for tickets.   Final shows are 7:30 today and 3pm Sunday.

Critics:

"IVYWILD is really 20% history and 80% lighted-hearted frolic. And it adds up to 100% entertainment from another amusing Kays-Torrence ride." ChicagoNow

"...reminds us that as adult realities, responsibilities and wrongdoings accrue, so too 

does our longing to  

return to childhood." NewCity      

"Anthony Courser (who is just fantastic, and truthful, as Princess the elephant)" Chicago Tribune

"Ivywild, the new play by the ever-audacious The Hypocrites, is part carnival, part Chicago history lesson. And it is a delightful 90 minutes of fact mixed with fantasy." Gapers Block

"People who would like this show are people who like amusement parks, yellow shoes, and pickles. People should go see this show because it is funny, sad, and lets you go on amusement park rides." Ada Grey, Age 8 

Audience reactions: 

"If you like Fellini, you'll like this production. The set, costumes, and performances were all 

evocative of one of the master's films. Very cleverly done."

"Ivywild is another excellent production by @thehypocrites. Looking forward to seeing yet more in the future."

"unique and entertaining! The performers did an amazing job portraying each of the characters. It was fun to learn about Bathhouse John and Ivywild. A great fun evening out!'

"story shows the truth behind the fleeting nature of this 

world's amusement and entertainment...The actors 

did a phenomenal job and really allow the small space to 

come alive."

"Very unusual production...wonderful choreography!"

"Incredible visual and sonic feast...Funny, educational, well-performed and with a sense of the period of these things that we get when we see old photographs."

"amazing, imaginative, and unique show... This was probably one of the most involving and complete theater pieces I've ever seen...funny, physically impressive, challenging, all-encompassing ...Brilliantly done and wonderfully memorable. I've lived in Chicago for 15 years now and have never seen anything like it."

"Go see Ivywild! It was a stunning and wild 

ride from top to bottom!" 

"A beautiful play. I walked in not knowing anything about it, other than the connection with Chicago history...The playwright, Jay Torrence, uses physicality and language beautifully, makes his and others' words pop off the page, full of breath and life..."

"Strange and charming, beautifully performed!"  

"My face hurt from smiling & laughing so much at Ivywild. 

Loved the aesthetic & storytelling."

  

"One of the best world premiere new plays I've seen. 

Not to be missed!" 

"If, like me, you always enjoy The Hypocrites, 

this won't be an exception." 

UPCOMING:

Rahm Emanuel announced that City of Chicago is kicking off the Night Out in the Parks campaign which includes The Hypocrites' 2012 production of  Romeo Juliet!

Walter Briggs, Tien Doman, Lindsey Gavel and Zeke Sulkes are back to bring you Sean Graney's Jeff nominated adaptation of these star-crossed lovers like you've never seen it before. And it is free!

This initiative allows us to bring our work to different neighborhoods in unconventional spaces. Tickets will go fast so make sure you tell your friends now. 

Click here for calendar and to reserve your tickets now.

INCOMING: Cellist Ian Maksin, Flamenco & Las Guitarras de Espana at City Winery June 21 #multicultural

Shows on our radar:

Russian-born/Chicago-based cellist Ian Maksin will join Las Guitarras de Espana for an evening of flamenco, world music, Spanish folk and classical music at City Winery on Friday, June 21.   Click here for advanced tickets. 

After individual sold-out debuts at Chicago's hottest new live music venue, cellist Ian Maksin and Las Guitarras de Espana will be returning to City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St., on Friday, June 21st with a brand new collaborative project. Showtime is 8PM; doors open at 6PM; tickets are $20. 

Las Guitarras de Espana will present a brand new program, a unique fusion of classical, flamenco and world music unified by Ian Maksin's cello playing. The performances will range from intimate solos by Maksin and small duo and trio numbers to the culminating set by a full 10-piece band, including flamenco dancer Wendy Clinard and Senegalese tama ("talking drum") player Mamadou Diop. In addition to original compositions and traditional folk songs from Spain and Cuba, Maksin and Las Guitarras will perform some of their own renditions of works by such classical composers as Granados, Albeniz and de Falla. 

In an addition to having an international career as a classical musician, Ian Maksin is one of the few contemporary cellists performing flamenco and world music. He performs over 100 concerts annually in the USA and Europe, and his performances have been broadcast on NPR and PBS. In 2012 the Chicago Symphony Orchestra named him "Citizen Musician" for his contribution to the city's musical life. Maksin has performed and recorded with such artists as Andrea Bocelli, Sting, and Gloria Estefan.

Las Guitarras de Espana (The Guitars of Spain) is a "world music" ensemble, with a "Spanish guitar twist," that performs a fusion of Cuban son, rumba, R&B, Latin-jazz, blues and African percussion with an underlying flamenco music and dance focus. From the start, the ensemble has presented traditional Spanish guitar music along with traditional flamenco forms in collaboration with music and musicians from other genres and cultures. The ensemble has sought to unite music, dance, travel, poetry, and culture in recordings and performances.

Additional artist information is available here:

http://www.ianmaksin.com/fr_home.cfm

http://www.lasguitarrasrocks.com/