WIN a 47 Ronin iTunes Digital HD Code #giveaway #movie #ad

Disclosure: We're thrilled to partner up with Universal Home Entertainment again and have been given a blu-ray combo to review and a 47 Ronin iTunes Digital HD code for our readers.

47 Ronin is now available on Blu-ray/DVD from Universal Home Entertainment.  To celebrate, ChiIL Mama/ChiIL Live Shows is giving away one (1) 47 Ronin iTunes Digital HD code.  

ENTER HERE through midnight April 15th for your chance to win. The iTunes code is only for US residents. 

47 Ronin is available now on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD. 

Sure, 47 Ronin may not make it to the epic, elite of the marshal arts classics, but this movie is a visual feast and a lot of fun. We've long been fans of the genre and the PG13 rating means our tween & teen could watch, too, without too much gratuitous gore.  And the mythical beasties are well worth a look. It's a modern take on a classic story, and this plot line has stood the test of time. The final dragon battle is definitely cool. This is a fun one to own, and great for a lazy night of mindless popcorn gorging on the couch. 

47 RONIN

KEANU REEVES STARS IN THE 3D EPIC ACTION-ADVENTURE

47 RONIN

BE THE FIRST TO OWN IT ON DIGITAL HD MARCH 18, 2014

AND BRING HOME THE BLU-RAY™ COMBO PACK INCLUDING

BLU-RAY, DVD & DIGITAL HD WITH ULTRAVIOLET™ ON APRIL 1, 2014



NOW MOVIE FANS CAN WATCH 47 RONIN ANYWHERE ON THEIR FAVORITE DEVICES

 

Keanu Reeves (The Matrix trilogy, The Day The Earth Stood Still) stars in a reimagining of one of Japan’s timeless tales, 47 Ronin, available on Blu-ray™ 3D and Blu-ray™ Combo Packs, DVD, DIGITAL HD including UltraViolet^™ and On Demand on April 1, 2014, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.­­­

 

Based on an epic story, this extraordinary tale of inspiring courage has its origins in the early 18^th century. After a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind, 47 leaderless samurai vow to seek vengeance and reclaim their honor. Transformed into a thrilling, visually stunning 3D film by director Carl Rinsch, 47 Ronin tells the story of a small group of warriors, or ronin, on a quest to avenge the death of their master. Battling across a savage world of mythical beasts, shape-shifting witches and wondrous terrors, the ronin must seek help from kai (Reeves), an enslaved half-breed they once rejected – in their ultimate fight for redemption.

 

Keanu Reeves leads an international cast that includes Hiroyuki Sanada (Sunshine, The Last Samurai) as Oishi, the leader of the ronin; Tadanobu Asano (The Wolverine, Thor: The Dark World) as Lord Kira, the treacherous villain who will stop at nothing to destroy his enemies; Academy Award^®-nominated actress Rinko Kikuchi (Babel, Pacific Rim) as the Witch, a siren who executes Kira’s deadly plans; and Ko Shibasaki (The Lady Shogun and Her Men, One Missed Call) as Mika, the forbidden love of Kai’s life.

 

The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD with UltraViolet^™. 

·           BLU-RAY™ disc unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6x the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.  

·           DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.

·           DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet^™ lets watch movies anywhere, on any device. Users can instantly stream or download movies to watch on iPad®, iPhone®, Android™, smart TVs, connected Blu-ray players, game consoles and more.

EXCLUSIVE 3D BLU-RAY™ COMBO PACK AND BLU-RAY™ COMBO PACK BONUS FEATURES:

·           KEANU & KAI — Keanu Reeves embodies one of cinema’s most richly imagined heroes as Kai, the outcast who leads a small band of rebels against an army and supernatural enemies. Along with Reeves, director Carl Rinsch and other key voices from the filmmaking team reveal how this adventure would not be possible without Reeves’ mastery of martial arts and total immersion in the role.

·           STEEL FURY: THE FIGHTS OF 47 RONIN — This featurette explores the intense research, choreography and rehearsals that went into creating the film’s unique action sequences, including Kai’s epic battle against the silver Samurai and the heart-stopping Kirin hunt sequence. 

·           MYTHS, MAGIC & MONSTERS:  THE FX OF 47 RONIN — 47 Ronin’s world-class creative team reveals the technological magic it used to bring to life the creatures of ancient Japanese folklore, including The Kirin (a giant hybrid beast with the head of a dragon and the body of a deer), the Kitsune witch, the Oni troll and the demonic Tengu Monks.

 3D BLU-RAY, BLU-RAY and DVD BONUS FEATURES:

·           RE-FORGING THE LEGEND — The story of 47 Ronin is one of Japan’s most time-honored legends. The filmmakers talk about how they brought this “dream world” to the big screen, from script to costumes, visual design, and culture.



·           DELETED SCENES

CAST AND FILMMAKERS:

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi, Ko Shibasaki

Directed by: Carl Rinsch

Screenplay by: Chris Morgan, Hossein Amini

Story by: Chris Morgan, Walter Hamada

Producers: Pamela Abdy, Eric McLeod

Director of Photography: John Mathieson

Production Design by: Jan Roelfs

Editor: Stuart Baird

Costumes by: Penny Rose

Original Music by: Ilan Eshkeri

TECHNICAL INFORMATION – 3D BLU-RAY™:

Street Date: April 1, 2014

Copyright: 2014 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Selection Numbers: 61131766 (U.S), 61131767 (CDN)

Running Time: 1 Hour 59 Minutes

Layers: BD-50

Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 2.40:1

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, and thematic elements

Technical Info: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1/DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital2, DTS Digital Surround 5.1 (Spanish, French)

Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French

TECHNICAL INFORMATION – BLU-RAY™:

Street Date: April 1, 2014

Copyright: 2014 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Selection Numbers: 61130457 (U.S), 61131189 (CDN)

Running Time: 1 Hour 59 Minutes

Layers: BD-50

Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 2.40:1

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, and thematic elements

Technical Info: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1/DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital2, DTS Digital Surround 5.1 (Spanish, French)

Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French

TECHNICAL INFORMATION – DVD:

Street Date: April 1, 2014

Copyright: 2014 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Selection Numbers: 61119170 (U.S), 61131190 (CDN)

Running Time:  1 Hour 59 Minutes

Layers: Dual Layer

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, and thematic elements

Technical Info: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1/DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital2, DTS Digital Surround 5.1 (Spanish, French)

Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French

Below is a look at 47 Ronin’s amazing cast! 

Keanu Reeves (Kai)

Reeves is a Canadian actor that has starred in many popular, fan-favorite movies such as Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Speed, and The Matrix trilogy. In 47 Ronin, Reeves plays the role of Kai, an outcast half-Japanese, half-British man who longs to be accepted. Due to unforeseen circumstances, he gets his chance to prove he has what it takes to be a samurai.

Hiroyuki Sanada (Ôishi)

Born in Tokyo, Sanada is a critically acclaimed actor who has starred in various films such as The Wolverine and The Last Samurai, as well as hit TV shows like “Lost.” In 47 Ronin, he portrays the dedicated samurai leader Ôishi.

Ko Shibasaki (Mika)

Ko, the rising Japanese star was born in Tokyo, and started her career at 14 when she was discovered. Her rise to fame was launched in the cult favorite films Battle Royale, and One Missed Call. Shibasaki portrays Mika in 47 Ronin, Kai’s love interest.

Rinko Kikuchi (Witch)

Global star Rinko Kikuchi has stolen her way to our hearts with her outstanding performances in independent films like The Brothers Bloom and Norwegian Wood, as well as award-winners like Babel, and blockbuster hits like Pacific Rim.  Kikuchi plays the Witch in 47 Ronin who uses her spells to manipulate fate.

About Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

47 Ronin, now available on Blu-ray™ 3D and Blu-ray™ Combo Packs, DVD, DIGITAL HD including UltraViolet^™ and On Demand from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

Disclosure: We're thrilled to partner up with Universal Home Entertainment again and have been given a blu-ray combo to review and a 47 Ronin iTunes Digital HD code for our readers.

ACT OUT: MICHAEL CERA, KIERAN CULKIN AND TAVI GEVINSON TO STAR IN THIS IS OUR YOUTH

MICHAEL CERA, KIERAN CULKIN AND TAVI GEVINSON TO STAR IN PRE-BROADWAY

THIS IS OUR YOUTH

BY KENNETH LONERGAN, 

DIRECTED BY ENSEMBLE MEMBER ANNA D. SHAPIRO

PERFORMANCES ARE JUNE 10 – JULY 27, 2014, IN STEPPENWOLF’S UPSTAIRS THEATRE

**Tickets to This Is Our Youth ($20 – $82) go on sale to the public on Friday April 25 at 11am, and can be purchased online at steppenwolf.org or through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St) at 312-335-1650.**

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is pleased to announce the addition of This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan to this summer’s line-up. Directed by ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro, the production features Michael Cera (Arrested Development, Juno), Kieran Culkin (Igby Goes Down, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World) and Tavi Gevinson (Enough Said) in the Upstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St), June 10 – July 27, 2014. Tickets ($20 - $82) go on sale to the public on Friday April 25 at 11am, and can be purchased online at steppenwolf.org or through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St) at 312-335-1650.

The Steppenwolf Theatre Company production of This Is Our Youth will be produced on Broadway by Scott Rudin, with performances beginning Monday August 18 at the Cort Theatre, and an opening night scheduled for Thursday, September 11^th.

Set in New York in 1982, This Is Our Youth follows forty-eight hours in the lives of three very lost young souls: Warren, a dejected nineteen year old who has just stolen $15,000 from his abusive, tycoon father; Dennis, his charismatic drug-dealing friend who helps Warren put the stolen money to good use; and Jessica, the anxiously insightful young woman who Warren yearns for. Funny, painful and compassionate, This Is Our Youth is a living snapshot of the moment when many young people go out into the world on their own, armed only with the ideas and techniques they developed as teenagers—far more sophisticated than their parents realize, and far less effectual than they themselves can possibly imagine. 

Artistic Director Martha Lavey vividly remembers the first time she saw This Is Our Youth in New York. “The play speaks so eloquently of its time,” Lavey notes, “that moment when the children of the ‘60s were parents themselves and had landed in Reagan’s America, and of a time in one's life—that confusing period of early adulthood before one has made a mark in the world. Kenny Lonergan has captured, with great wit and pathos both the timeless generational struggle and a moment in our country’s history that continues to affect our sense of who we are.”

Anna D. Shapiro is currently directing Of Mice and Men, (opening April 16, 2014) at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre. She was nominated for a 2011 Tony Award^® for her production of Stephen Adly Guirgis’ award-winning play, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, and was awarded the 2008 Tony^®, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Direction of a Play for her production of Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County. Anna has been a Steppenwolf Ensemble member since 2005. Her Steppenwolf directing credits include A Parallelogram and Tracy Letts’ adaptation of The Three Sisters, among others. Other recent directing credits include Domesticated (Lincoln Center Theatre), A Parallelogram (Mark Taper Forum), A Number (American Conservatory Theatre) and The Drawer Boy (Paper Mill Playhouse). Shapiro is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and Columbia College. She is a full-time professor in Northwestern University's Department of Theatre and has served as the Director of the Graduate MFA Directing Program since 2002.

Kenneth Lonergan’s plays include The Starry Messenger, Lobby Hero (Drama Desk Best Play Nominee), and The Waverly Gallery (2001 Pulitzer Prize finalist). Lonergan has also garnered critical acclaim for his screenplays, including Gangs of New York (2002 Academy Award Nominee for Best Original Screenplay), You Can Count on  Me (2001 Academy Award Nominee for Best Original Screenplay) and Analyze This.

Pre-sale tickets are currently available to 2014/15 season Subscribers. Call Audience Services at 312-335-1650 for more information. 20 for $20: twenty $20 tickets are available through Audience Services beginning at 11am on the day of each performance (1pm for Sunday performances). Rush Tickets: half-price rush tickets are available one hour before each, show pending availability. Student Discounts: a limited number of $15 student tickets are available online. Limit 2 tickets per student; must present a valid student ID for each ticket. For additional student discounts, visit steppenwolf.org/students Group Tickets: all groups of 10 or more receive a discounted rate for any performance throughout the season. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org/groups.

Accessible performances include a touch tour and audio description on July 26 at 3pm; closed captioning on July 19 at 3pm; and American Sign Language interpretation on July 18 at 7:30pm. For more information, visit steppenwolf.org/access.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is America’s longest standing, most distinguished ensemble theater, producing nearly 700 performances and events annually in its three Chicago theater spaces—the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat Garage Theatre. Formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, Steppenwolf has grown into an ensemble of 43 actors, writers and directors. Artistic programming at Steppenwolf includes a five-play Subscription Season, a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season and two repertory series: First Look Repertory of New Work, and Garage Rep. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Off-Broadway, Broadway, London, Sydney and Dublin. Steppenwolf has the distinction of being the only theater to receive the National Medal of Arts, in addition to numerous other prestigious honors including an Illinois Arts Legend Award and 12 Tony Awards. Martha Lavey is the Artistic Director and David Hawkanson is the Executive Director. Nora Daley is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre and twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr.

Currently on stage are The Way West by Mona Mansour, directed by ensemble member Amy Morton (through June 8, 2014) in the Downstairs Theatre; Russian Transport by Erika Sheffer, directed by ensemble member Yasen Peyankov (through May 11, 2014) in the Upstairs Theatre; and Garage Rep 2014, featuring The New Colony’s reWILDing Genius, Prologue Theatre Company’s Saturday Night/Sunday Morning and Walkabout Theater Company’s The Wild (through April 20, 2014) in the Garage Theatre.

The 2014/15 Subscription Season includes The Night Alive by Conor McPherson, directed by Henry Wishcamper (September 18 – November 16, 2014) in the Downstairs Theatre; Airline Highway by Lisa D’Amour, directed by Joe Mantello (December 4, 2014 – February 8, 2015) in the Downstairs Theatre; Marie Antoinette by David Adjmi, directed by Robert O’Hara (February 5 – May 10, 2015) in the Upstairs Theatre; and The Herd by Rory Kinnear, directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman (April 2 – June 7, 2015) in the Downstairs Theatre. One remaining title will be announced at a later date.

HOZAC BLACKOUT FEST! 3 Day Passes Sold Out/ Single Day Available

Chi, IL Live Shows on Our Radar:

May 15-17 @ the Empty Bottle with The Boys (UK), The Dictators NYC, Counter Intuits
SHOCKED MINDS, FIRST BASE,  A GIANT DOG,  999999999, NONES, TOUPEE, THE MAN, RAINBOW GUN SHOW

We've got UNBELIEVABLE headliners at this year's HoZac Blackout Fest! This will be THE BOYS (UK) first show in America in over six years and only their fourth ever US gig! Legendary protopunk band THE DICTATORS NYC are hitting the Bottle for the first time since the year 2000 and their debut album, Go Girl Crazy!, was recently named #1 in Uncut Magazine’s  “50 Greatest American Punk Albums!” Thursday's Art Show headliner, COUNTER INTUITS, features Columbus, OH punk hero RON HOUSE, formerly of THOMAS JEFFERSON SLAVE APARTMENTS, and ADAM ELLIOTT of TIMES NEW VIKING.

Also playing this year's fest is FIRST BASE (Toronto, HoZac), SHOCKED MINDS (ex-CARBONAS, NYC, HoZac), 999999999 (ex-TUNNEL OF LOVE, MA, HoZac), A GIANT DOG (members of OBN III's/Bad Sports, TX), NONES (debut LP release show on HoZac), TOUPEE (Rotted Tooth, Chicago), THE MAN (debut EP release show, HoZac), and RAINBOW GUN SHOW (Chicago, HoZac).

Three Day Passes are already SOLD OUT, but you can still get individual show tickets RIGHT HERE!

ACT OUT: CHICAGO COMMERCIAL COLLECTIVE TO PRESENT THE NEW COLONY’S “5 LESBIANS EATING A QUICHE” MAY 1 – June 8 AT THE CHOPIN THEATRE

Save the Dates:

The Cult Hit and Critics’ Darling Returns to Chicago Featuring the Original Off-Broadway Cast

The hilarious send-up of 1950s cold war repression and kitsch culture, “5 Lesbians Eating Quiche” was an original critically-acclaimed creation by The New Colony.  This remount featuring the original off-Broadway cast is presented by the Chicago Commercial Collective, running May 1 to June 8 at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division Street.  Tickets ($15 - $40) are on sale now.  The press performance will be Tuesday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m.

“5 Lesbians Eating Quiche,” co-written by Andrew Hobgood and Evan Linder and directed by Sarah Gitenstein, finds five women assembled in a church basement (along with the audience) for the 1956 annual meeting of the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein’s annual quiche breakfast.  The normally idyllic gathering, where the motto is “no men, no meat, all manners,” is upended when the Society’s matriarchs must confront the startling revelation that an atom bomb may be falling on their fair city.   As fears are confronted and confessions fly, the chipper ladies stay firm in their commitment that the quiche is a mighty thing and that one must “respect the egg.”

Following the upward trajectory from its debut as a short play presented at Collaboraction’s Sketchbook Festival in 2010 to a full production during The New Colony’s 2011 season, “5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche” enjoyed a meteoric rise with audiences and critics.  Reviewing for the Chicago Tribune, Kerry Reid said, "The New Colony's show dishes up high-spirited theatrical comfort food with a bit of a saucy kick."  After wowing Chicago where Time Out Chicago called it “smart, sharp and hysterically funny,” the comedy went on to play a sold-out engagement at the 2012 New York International Fringe Festival, winning a “Best Overall Production” award.  This was soon followed by a successful off-Broadway run at New York’s SoHo Playhouse.  The New York Times said the work’s “raw and magnetic dementia seems destined to attract a cult following.”

“Giving new attention and life to successful productions like ‘5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche’ is what the Chicago Commercial Collective is all about,” said Collective Producer Brian Loevner.  “The show had an incredible following here and then brought Chicago’s raucous take-no-prisoners brand of live theater to New York.  We look forward to bring a great cast to Chicago so that an even larger audience can enjoy this wonderful show.”

The titular “5 Lesbians” are played by Caitlin Chuckta (Ginny), Rachel Farmer (Lulie), Kate Carson Groner (Dale), Megan Johns (Wren) and Thea Luxe (Vern).

Performance Schedule and Ticket Information
“5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche” will be performed at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division Street, Chicago.  Previews run May 1 at 7:30 p.m, May 2 at 7:30 p.m., May 3 at 7:30 p.m. and May 4 at 2 p.m.  Following the opening night performance on Tuesday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m., shows will run May 8 – June 8 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Ticket prices range from $15 - $40, with 15 for $15 rush tickets available for each performance and 20% off for groups of 10 or more.  They are on sale now at 5lesbianseatingaquiche.com or 773.404.7336 (open 12 noon to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays through Saturdays and 12 noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays).

About Playwrights Andrew Hobgood and Evan Linder
Andrew Hobgood is the founding artistic director of The New Colony where his work includes writing and directing the new musicals “Tupperware: An American Musical Fable,” “That Sordid Little Story,” and “Rise of The Numberless.”  His directing credits include “Amelia Earhart: Jungle Princess;” the original and commercial productions of “FRAT;” “Hearts Full of Blood,” which won Outstanding Script at the 2010 New York International Fringe Festival, and “B-Side Studio,” a four-episode sitcom produced in collaboration with The Inconvenience and the University of Chicago TAPS program.  His most recent play “reWILDing Genius” was commissioned by the University of Chicago and made its world premiere as part of the 2014 Steppenwolf Garage Rep Series.

Evan Linder is a founding member and co-artistic director of The New Colony. A playwright and actor, Linder teaches playwriting at the University of Chicago and has had the pleasure of working with Victory Gardens, The Inconvenience, Collaboraction, Bailiwick Chicago, the side project and Bohemian Theater Ensemble since moving to Chicago. Other works include “FRAT,” “11:11,” “The Warriors,” “The Bear Suit of Happiness” and “B-Side Studio.” He was recently listed in Chicago Magazine’s 2013 Power List of Theater Scene-Stealers.

About Director Sarah Gitenstein
Sarah Gitenstein is the associate artistic director at The New Colony and company member at Collaboraction Theater. She is a native of Washington, DC, and a Cum Laude graduate of Kenyon College with a degree in theater. She is the former casting director at Collaboraction where she worked on “The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow,” “Jon” and the Sketchbook Festival.  Gitenstein has directed for various theaters in Chicago, including Curious Theater, American Theater Company (Big Shoulder's Festival), The Mammals, Pavement Group (Amuse Bouche), and Victory Gardens Theater (One Minute Play Festival). Gitenstein directed the Off-Broadway and national tour of “5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche,” and most recently she directed the Jeff Recommended production of The New Colony's “Kate and Sam Are Not Breaking Up.”

About the Chicago Commercial Collective
The Chicago Commercial Collective is a commercial theater company focused on producing Chicago theater of incredible quality and commercial appeal, thereby helping Chicagoans discover the finest of their city’s vibrant theater scene and worthy Off-Loop productions find larger commercial success.   Recent projects include the successful commercial remount last fall of TimeLine Theatre Company’s “To Master the Art” at Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse. The Collective is also presenting The Off-Loop Tour, which will export some of the best of Chicago theater throughout the Midwest in 2014-15. Productions on the tour include “there is a happiness that morning is” by Mickle Maher (originally produced by Theater Oobleck), “A Steady Rain” by Keith Huff (originally produced by Chicago Dramatists), “Unveiled” by Rohina Malik, “Honeybuns” by Dean Evans and “Crime Scene: A Chicago Anthology” by Anthony Moseley (both originally produced by Collaboraction).

The Collective’s goal is to support a thriving small and mid-sized commercial theater scene. The Collective focuses on producing theater with proven popularity and builds upon the interest already generated during their original production runs. For investors, the Collective provides opportunities to partner on exciting projects with reasonable financial returns on their investments, while non-profit theater companies enjoy the benefits from their original successful productions that, due to scheduling issues or theater availability, may end before they have reached the audiences they deserve. Further, artists who question if Chicago’s theater job market can provide stability and fair wages can rely on the Collective to transform the local industry with the development of mid-sized commercial theater and consistent employment opportunities.

The Chicago Commercial Collective is also presenting The Inconvenience’s “Hit the Wall” at the Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, April 22 to June 29. Tickets ($20 -$55) are on sale now at greenhousetheater.org, 773.404.7336 or the Greenhouse Theater Box Office (open 12 noon to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays through Saturdays and 12 noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays).

Chicago Commercial Collective is located in the historic Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave, Suite 525, Chicago, IL  60605. For more information call (312) 724-7604 or visit chicagocommercialcollective.com.

About The New Colony
The New Colony, the 2011 recipient of the Broadway In Chicago Emerging Theater Award, strives to contribute original material to the American artistic canon and develop a new kind of theater going audience. Through collaboration with emerging artists of all disciplines, The New Colony continually develops new work and fresh perspectives. With the goal of exploring enticing subject matter and the common language of experience, The New Colony will cultivate the next generation of arts supporters.  More information at thenewcolony.org.

ACT OUT EXTENDED: The Sound of Music at Lyric Opera

Four additional weekend performances announced for

Lyric Opera of Chicago’s

new production of the beloved Broadway musical

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Tickets are selling FAST, so get yours in advance! New extension dates announced. Don't miss this grand-scale Lyric production.  ChiIL Mama will be there... will YOU?!

Performances added on May 23, 24, and 25 for

Memorial Day Weekend

All-star cast includes

Film star Billy Zane as Captain von Trapp

Broadway star Jenn Gambatese as Maria

TV/Stage veteran Edward Hibbert as Max Detweiler

with international opera stars

Christine Brewer as Mother Abbess and

Elizabeth Futral as Elsa Schraeder

Lyric Opera of Chicago General Director Anthony Freud announced today four additional performances due to popular demand for Lyric Opera of Chicago’s new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's beloved Broadway musical The Sound of Music, April 25-May 25, 2014, at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive. Additional performance dates are Friday, May 23 at 7 p.m., Saturday, May 24 at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 25 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets start at $29 and are available now at lyricopera.org/soundofmusic or at 312-827-5600.

The production’s all-star cast is led by Billy Zane, star of James Cameron’s international blockbuster Titanic and critically acclaimed for his portrayal of Billy Flynn in Broadway’s Chicago, as Captain von Trapp and Broadway star Jenn Gambatese as Maria. Also featured are Broadway and TV star Edward Hibbert as impresario Max Detweiler, renowned operatic sopranos Christine Brewer as the Mother Abbess and Elizabeth Futral as Elsa Schraeder, and local talents Betsy Farrar (Liesl), Brady Tutton, (Friedrich), Julia Schweizer (Louisa), Michael Harp (Kurt), Isabelle Roberts (Brigitta), KyLee Hennes (Marta), Nicole Sciemeca (Gretl), and Zach Sorrow (Rolf).

The new production will be conducted by Rob Fisher (Lyric debut), directed by Marc Bruni (Lyric debut), designed by Michael Yeargan, choreographed by Denis Jones (Lyric debut), with lighting by Duane Schuler and costumes by Alejo Vietti (Lyric debut). Michael Black is chorus master.

In addition to the stellar cast, 37 members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra will perform with a 25-member choral ensemble (including 12 members of the Lyric Opera Chorus). This company premiere is the second work in Lyric’s American Musical Theater Initiative, which launched last season with a new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!

The new Lyric Opera production of The Sound of Music is generously made possible by Exclusive Corporate Sponsor Northern Trust. Cosponsors: An Anonymous Donor, Brent and Catherine Gledhill, Robert S. and Susan E. Morrison, Mrs. Herbert A. Vance and Mr. and Mrs. William C. Vance, Mr. and Mrs. W. James Farrell, Jim and Vicki Mills/Jon and Lois Mills, and The Neundorf Trusts in Memory of Maynette V. Neundorf and John K. Neundorf.

For more information on the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, please visit lyricopera.org/soundofmusic.

ACT OUT EXTENDED: Cock at Profiles

PROFILES THEATRE EXTENDS

HIT PRODUCTION OF

COCK BY MIKE BARTLETT

Profiles Theatre announces an extension for their Midwest premiere of Cock by Mike Bartlett, directed by Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox. The production opened February 20, 2014 and will extend for an additional seven weeks through May 25, 2014. Original cast members Eleni Pappageorge, Christopher Sheard and Jake Szczepaniak continue their roles with Torrey Hanson joining the cast beginning April 10, 2014. Performances are held at The Main Stage, 4139 N. Broadway.

In this tense comedy about sexual identity, Cock explores one man's choices about which path of love to pursue. When John takes a break from his longtime boyfriend, the last thing he expects is to fall in love with a woman. Trapped between two lovers, John feels the physical and emotional tug as neither party wants to lose the battle for his heart. John must make a choice as he navigates his sexuality, selfhood, and the intersection of the two.

Cock received its World premiere at London’s Royal Court Theatre, selling out its entire run in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs before opening in November 2009. Directed by James Macdonald, it won the 2010 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre as well as a nomination for Best Play at the 2010 Evening Standard Theatre Awards. The American premiere, also produced by Royal Court and staged by Macdonald, opened off-Broadway in May 2012 and received a nomination for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play from the Outer Critics Circle Awards and Outstanding Play for the 2013 Lucille Lortel Awards. Mike Bartett won the Old Vic New Voices Award for Artefacts at the Bush Theatre while Contractions at Royal Court received a nomination for the TMA Best New Play Award. Bartlett, a Pearson Playwright in Residence at the Royal Court in 2007, currently works as Associate Playwright at Paines Plough.

Tickets for Cock are $35 for Thursdays, $40 for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are available by phone, (773) 549-1815, or online, www.profilestheatre.org. Performances are Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 5:00 and 8:00 pm, Sundays at 7:00 p.m.

FACTS

Title:  Cock

Playwright:  by Mike Bartlett

Directed by: Darrell W. Cox

Featuring: Guest Artists Torrey Hanson, Eleni Pappageorge, Christopher Sheard, Jake Szczepaniak

           

            Dates: Extended through May 25, 2014

Schedule:        Thurs., Fri.:                  8:00 p.m. 

                        Saturday:                     5:00 p.m. and 8:00p.m.

                        Sunday: 7:00 p.m.

Location:          Profiles Theatre, The Main Stage, 4139 N. Broadway

                        Parking is available for $14 - $20 at 4100 N. Clarendon

(One block east of the theatre at the corner of Clarendon and Belle Plaine)

Ticket prices:    Thursdays are $35, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are $40; Students and Senior Citizens receive a $5 discount on all performances; Group rates are available.

Box Office:       Buy online at www.profilestheatre.org

or call (773) 549-1815

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

MIKE  BARTLETT (Playwright) is currently Associate Playwright at Paines Plough. In 2011 he was writer-in-residence at The National Theatre and in 2007 he was Pearson Playwright in Residence at the Royal Court Theatre. His play Love, Love, Love won Best New Play in the 2011 Theatre Awards UK, and his play Cock won an Olivier Award in 2010 for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre; he won the Writer's Guild Tinniswood and Imison prizes for Not Talking and the Old Vic New Voices Awards for Artefacts. Additional theatre credits include 13 (National Theatre), Decade (co-writer), Earthquakes in London, Contractors and My Child. His radio credits include: "The Core," "Heart," "Liam," "The Steps," "Love Contract," "Not Talking," and "The Family Man," all on BBC. Mike’s screen credits include "Earthquakes in London" and "Hometown." His directing credits include Honest by DC Moore. Mike is currently under commission from Headlong Theatre, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Hampstead Theatre and The Royal Court Theatre.

DARRELL W. COX (Director) is the Co-Artistic Director of Profiles Theatre and most recently directed the holiday season revival as well as last year's 20th Anniversary productions of Hellcab by Will Kern. Prior to that, he directed the Midwest premiere of Bachelorette by Leslye Headland, the American premiere of The Wonderful World of Dissocia by Anthony Neilson, Profiles’ Midwest premieres of This is How it Goes, “Coax” and the titular piece from Things We Said Today and Profiles’ long running hit, Autobahn, all by Neil LaBute. Mr. Cox has directed numerous productions for Profiles over the years including the Midwest premieres of The Radiant Abyss by Angus MacLachlan and Wonder of the World by David Lindsay-Abaire. Other directorial credits for Profiles include The Water Engine, How the Other Half Loves and The Twilight Zone: The Series.

TORREY HANSON (F) is making his Profiles Theatre debut in Cock. He most recently appeared in Chicago in Language Archive at Piven Theater Workshop. Other Chicago credits include Paulus with Silk Road Rising Theater, Spoon River Anthology with Provision Theater, Julius Caesar, Elizabeth Rex and Madness of King George with Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Never The Sinner at Northwestern University. Torrey’s regional and international credits include Seattle Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, A Contemporary Theatre, The Empty Space Theatre, The Cleveland Play House, Indiana Repertory Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival (five seasons), Utah Shakespeare Festival, Madison Repertory Theatre, Subaru Theater Company, Tokyo, and seventy-five productions in seventeen seasons at Milwaukee Repertory Theater. His television credits include Crisis, Chicago Fire, Cheers and Wings.

ELENI PAPPAGEORGE (W) is makes her Profiles Theatre debut in Cock. She is a Waltzing Mechanics company member focusing these past few years on developing and performing original documentary theatre including EL Stories and Over My Dead Body. She’s also had the pleasure of working with Northlight, The Chicago Dramatists, Remy Bumppo, Second City, Chemically Imbalanced Comedy, North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, Circle Theatre and The Pre-Post Humanists. She is a graduate of the Second City Conservatory and holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

CHRISTOPHER SHEARD (John) is makes his Profiles Theatre debut with Cock. He was last seen in Chicago in SS! Romeo and Juliet with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and A Christmas Carol for Metropolis PAC. His regional credits include Skylight, Troilus and Cressida, Les Liaisons Dangereuses  and Antony and Cleopatra with American Players Theatre as well as Henry IV Part One and A Midsummer Night's Dream with the Great River Shakespeare Festival. He is a graduate of Florida State University with a BA in Theatre and received his MFA from The University of Illinois PATP.

JAKE SZCZEPANIAK (M) appears with Profiles Theatre for the first time. He was last seen in Unwilling and Hostile Instruments with Theater Seven, Burn This with Shattered Globe, Changes of Heart with Remy Bumppo and Girl You Know It’s True with Pavement Group. He has also worked with Baliwick Chicago, Circle Theater, Red Tape Theater, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Pride Films and Plays and (re)Discover theater. Jake is a graduate of the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana acting program and an artistic associate with Pavement Group. 

ABOUT PROFILES THEATRE

Profiles Theatre, founded in 1988 by Artistic Director Joe Jahraus, joined shortly thereafter by Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox, was formed as an actor-driven theatre ensemble dedicated to creating provocative and emotionally truthful productions. Passionate about shaping an original vision for new works, they focused on performing World, American and Midwest premieres as well as rarely performed plays. Critically acclaimed hits, such as BLACKBIRD, FAT PIG, GRACELAND and the multiple Jeff Award-winning KILLER JOE, established Profiles as a destination for challenging and edgy theatre. Their unique collaboration with playwright Neil LaBute led the ensemble to perform an entire season of his plays in 2007-2008. Now a Resident Artist at Profiles, LaBute remains an unequivocal artistic influence on the ensemble.

After performing at 4147 North Broadway for more than two decades, Profiles acquired an adjacent theatre at 4139 North Broadway in 2012. Profiles’ new theatre, The Main Stage, with its larger seating capacity, increased performance space and higher ceilings, accommodates more ambitious and technically demanding productions. Their long-time venue, renamed The Alley Stage, continues as the home for plays strengthened by a more intimate staging. Driven by an undiminished appetite for creating honest and resonant theatre, Profiles still seeks to present work that illuminates the determination and resiliency of the human spirit.

Northlight Theatre's First Selections For Their 40th Season

Northlight Theatre announces the first selections for its 

40^th Season

including Amanda Peet’s New York hit The Commons of Pensacola

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap

and World Premieres by Bruce Graham

and Jessica Thebus, Andre Pluess and Amanda Dehnert

Our 2014/15 season includes two world premieres, two Midwest debuts, and a classic whodunit that's been running in London's West End for 62 years!

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces the first four selections of its 40^th Anniversary Season.  The celebratory season kicks-off with the current Off-Broadway hit The Commons of Pensacola, which is expected to be the first regional production.  The season continues with Agatha Christie’s mystery The Mousetrap, which is the world’s longest-running play.  Playwright Bruce Graham (Stella & Lou, The Outgoing Tide) returns to Northlight for the World Premiere of White Guy on the Bus. Shining Lives: A Musical, based on Melanie Marnich’s play, commissioned by Northlight and written by Jessica Thebus (book & lyrics), Andre Pluess and Amanda Dehnert (music) will make its World Premiere in the Spring.  An additional title is yet to be announced.

Artistic Director BJ Jones comments, “I have been with Northlight as an actor and director since it was the Evanston Theatre Company and I am proud and honored to serve as Artistic Director as we celebrate our 40^th Anniversary. In recent years, Northlight's hallmark has been our embrace of new work by great playwrights—from Jason Robert Brown, Larry Gelbart and Craig Wright, to Bruce Graham and Christian O'Reilly. Additionally, we have presented refreshed classics, intense dramas and great comedies. We have enjoyed a large, loyal audience for 40 years because they enjoy the quality and range of theater Northlight has come to represent. Our 40^th Anniversary mirrors our desire to continue to reflect our community, bringing the world to Northlight—and Northlight to the world.”

The 2014-15 season includes:

The Midwest Premiere of

The Commons of Pensacola

by Amanda Peet

September 12 – October 19, 2014

Judith is a woman in exile, relegated to a Florida condo after her husband’s Madoff-like crimes have expelled her from a luxurious life.  Family ties are tested when her daughter Becca comes to visit for Thanksgiving, joined by Becca’s filmmaker boyfriend and rebellious niece.   Guilt by association, lost wealth, and questionable motives make trying to love your family an uncommonly difficult challenge in this funny, incisive and timely new drama.

The Mousetrap

By Agatha Christie

November 7 – December 14, 2014

On a snowy night at Monkswell Manor, newlyweds Mollie and Giles welcome a group of strangers to their guest house, only to discover news of a murderer in their midst! A police investigation reveals the sordid details of each guest’s mysterious past, but not soon enough to stop the killer from striking again. Agatha Christie’s masterful whodunit weaves an intricate plot filled with nerve-rattling suspense, all leading up to the ultimate final twist!

Renowned mystery writer Agatha Christie is not only the best-selling author of all time, but The Mousetrap is the world’s longest-running play, now at 62 years on London’s West End!

The World Premiere of
White Guy on the Bus
by Bruce Graham

January 23– March 1, 2015

Ray, a successful white business executive, rides the bus past the state penitentiary every Saturday.  On his weekly ride he befriends Shatique, a young black woman putting herself through school and struggling to raise a son on her own.  The threads that tie these disparate individuals together gradually unravel in a complex and explosive examination of race, intent, and racial biases from a candid and unexpected perspective.

Bruce Graham, the award-winning playwright and screenwriter behind Northlight’s highly successful The Outgoing Tide and Stella & Lou, has never been sharper than in this fresh, surprising, and gutsy world premiere.

The World Premiere of
Shining Lives: A Musical

book & lyrics by Jessica Thebus
music by Andre Pluess & Amanda Dehnert

Based on the play These Shining Lives by Melanie Marnich

May 8 – June 14, 2015

It’s 1922 and the young women of Chicago’s Radium Dial Company are living a dream— earning good wages and beaming with new-found independence.  After years of hand painting watch dials, the so-called "harmless" radium that provided for so much joy leads to tragic results.  Four courageous women upend their lives with a determination to change the future in this compelling new musical, the transcendent tale of heroic lives that glowed with promise.

This world premiere musical, developed through Northlight’s Interplay Series, is adapted from the play These Shining Lives, both commissioned by Northlight Theatre.

Northlight offers the following Engagement Events for each production:

POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS
Northlight artistic staff lead a conversation about the play and the artistic process immediately following select performances.

BACKSTAGE WITH BJ

This behind-the-scenes discussion with Artistic Director BJ Jones and other special guests is offered for each show while still in rehearsal.  2014-2015 dates are to be announced and will be available online at northlight.org/events.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Northlight partners with community organizations to offer enrichment opportunities ranging from panel discussions with local experts to scene selections and conversations with the cast and/or director.  Frequent locations include the Skokie Public Library and Wilmette Public Library, among others.  2014-2015 dates are to be announced, and will be posted in the theatre lobby for each production, as well as online at northlight.org/events.

INTERPLAY

Northlight’s Interplay Reading Series gives audiences the opportunity to witness the early stages of play development, as a new play evolves from first draft to full theatrical production.  Since its inception in spring 2006, Interplay has staged readings of 29 new plays, 25 of which have gone on to full productions at Northlight, in Chicago, and around the country.  Readings are open to the public and include a post-show discussion with the playwright. 

Interplay readings will be posted in the lobby and online as they are scheduled.  For more information and upcoming dates, visit northlight.org/interplay.

Curtain times are: Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Subscriptions to the 2014-15 Northlight Season are available through the box office, 9501 Skokie Boulevard in Skokie, by phone at 847.673.6300 or online at northlight.org.  Renewals are currently available.  New subscriptions will be available beginning in May 2014.  With its wide range of ticket prices, discounted subscription packages and complimentary parking, Northlight remains of one of the best theatrical values in Chicagoland. 

Subscriptions range in price from $105-$240.  A limited number of season subscriptions for the Opening Night performances (also includes a reception with the cast) are available for $320, subject to availability.  Northlight subscribers will have the first chance to purchase additional tickets before they go on sale to the general public. For more information, visit northlight.org.

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 entering its 40^th season, the organization has mounted over 200 productions, including more than 40 world premieres.  Northlight has earned 151 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 28 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 BMO Harris Bank; Cramer Krasselt; Draft FCB; the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; ComEd, An Exelon Company; Edgerton Foundation for New American Plays Award; Evanston Community Foundation; First Bank and Trust; The Homestead Hotel; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Melvoin Award for Playwriting; Modestus Bauer Foundation; North Shore Center for the Performing Arts Foundation; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; Plante Moran; Pioneer Press; Quince at the Homestead; Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation; Room & Board; Sage Products; Sanborn Family Foundation; Shubert Foundation; Skokie Fine Arts Council; Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; Sullivan Family Foundation; Tom Stringer Design Partners; and the Venturous Theater Fund.