REVIEW: The? Unicorn? Hour? at The Neofuturarium Through May 20th

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar

EXTENDED & HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Caught The? Unicorn? Hour? [Extended!] yet?! Come to the joy womb, a blanket fort for adults to reconnect with their anger issues in the swear square, release their inner child for a play day, and satiate their wanderlust. This show is part group therapy, letting go of personal fears and embracing what makes you happy, and contains surprisingly multilayered depth in the guise of playful silliness. (I was particularly transported back to childhood days since they miraculously found both a clone of my 70's bedroom daisy lamp fixture for the set & a fair replica of the fanlight globes that replaced it!) The Neo-Futurists The? Unicorn? Hour?-The Neofuturists At the Neofuturarium

Take a sanity break from the endless fake news and political madness of 2017 and follow these hooded mystics who morph into mythical unicorns, on a journey of self discovery. 



Anthony channels a bearded Bacchus or gracious Greenman, while his real life wife, Leah is all guts and girl power, with the unicorn equivalent of a mohawk, and a pinch of PeeWee Herman just for grins. 



I'm still laughing inside about their tea party, where she manspreads like the worst el offenders, while he sits primly. Hilarious. There's some truly great physical comedy and partner acro here, along with a nonverbal challenge to try something that scares you, get out of your comfort zone, and GO already. Explore, expand, embrace adventure!

Come along on this epic journey while you still can. Extended through May 20th. Recommended for teens+ to adults of all ages. Highly recommended. I took both of my teens who enjoyed the show immensely. My 14 year old daughter, Sage's recap sums it all up succinctly: "It was weird... but weird good." Don't miss this! 

THE NEO-FUTURISTS ARE DOING THEIR JOY HOMEWORK IN THE WORLD PREMIERE OF LEAH URZENDOWSKI AND ANTHONY COURSER’S 

THE? UNICORN? HOUR? 

APRIL 6 – MAY 20th (extended)

Adrian Danzig Directs this new Adventure in Discovering and Growing Joy

The Neo-Futurists are proud to present a world premiere created and performed by Leah Urzendowski* and Anthony Courser The? Unicorn? Hour?, directed by Adrian Danzig, April 6  - May 20th, at The Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland. Previews are Thursday, April 6 - Saturday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m. with opening night Monday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. Performances run Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices for previews and Thursdays are pay what you can; for the regular run, tickets are $10-25. Tickets and information are available at neofuturists.org or 773.275.5255.

The? Unicorn? Hour? invites the audience to discover and grow in an atmosphere where joy can float freely. Inspired by childhood favorites like “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” and “Peewee’s Playhouse,” this show claims joy as the core fantastical world of adventure within us.  Joy is an active choice, requiring a shift of perception of the world around you.   

“We became really obsessed and excited with the politics of joy; joy being an activism; that feeling joy, being joy, creating joy is a way to fight against the world and your oppressor.  Joy is a part of the resistance,” said Leah Urzendowski. “The? Unicorn? Hour? refers to the unicorn that lives within all of us - the mythical magical organ in your soul that can be tapped into at any moment you choose. You can “unicorn” at anytime! Seeking joy is refusing woe and accepting the beauty of an unbridled lifting of the spirit.”

“We want to give people the gift of saying yes and delighting in absurd choices; help people tap back into a time before the word ‘no’ was forced on them. We want to be a looking glass of what a world could look like when we choose to eliminate self-doubt and say yes to a sincere playfulness,” added Anthony Courser.   

ABOUT LEAH URZENDOWSKI* creator/performer

Leah Urzendowski* is a founding member of The Ruffians, and an ensemble member with The Neo-Futurists since 2011. Some of Urzendowski’s Chicago credits include Jeff recommended Mr. Burns (Theatre Wit); Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind, Miss Neo Pageant, (both with The Neo- Futurists); Burning Bluebeard (The Ruffians); 500 Clown Trapped, 500 Clown Frankenstein, 500 Clown Macbeth (all with 500 Clown); Moby Dick, Dustbowl Gothic ( both with The Building Stage) and Hunchback (Redmoon). Choreography and movement direction credits include The Magic Play (Goodman), Lord of The Flies (Steppenwolf), Ivywild (Hypocrites), Miss Neo Pageant (The Neo-Futurists) and Burning Bluebeard (The Ruffians, The Neo-Futurists).  TV and film credits include “Chicago PD,” “Chicago Fire,” “ER” and “Operator.” Urzendowski is a teaching artist with The Ruffians, The Neo-Futurists and Team Awesome, specializing in physical theatre, ensemble and partnership building, clown, movement and movement consulting. She received her BFA from Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, and is represented by Stewart Talent.

ABOUT ANTHONY COURSER, creator/performer

Anthony Courser is a founding member of the Ruffians (2013), an artistic associate with The Neo-Futurists (2012) and a teaching artist with Barrel of Monkeys (2001).  Some of Courser’s favorite Chicago credits include Burning Bluebeard (The Ruffians, The Neo-Futurists); Jeff Recommended Ivywild (The Hypocrites); Daredevils Hamlet, Picked Up, The Fool Returns to His Chair, Daredevils (The Neo-Futurists), That’s Weird, Grandma (Barrel of Monkeys); set designer for Analog (The Neo-Futurists).  He was in the performance ensemble of New Belgium Brewing’s Tour de Fat and the Le Tigre Tent. He is a graduate of Dell Arte International School For Physical Theatre and a student of Panchinko Clowning with Sue Morrison at the Canadian Clown Institute.  Courser is a teacher of clown, Physical Theatre, and Ensemble and Partner Building.  He is also a carpenter, but he doesn’t have time to build you a table.

ABOUT ADRIAN DANZIG** director

Adrian Danzig was an early Neo-Futurist (1990) and a founding member of Redmoon Theater, Hubinspoke Theater and is the founding producing artistic director of 500 Clown. His direction/creation credits include Circle of Madness, Action, Not Dead Yet, 500 Clown Get Happy and the earliest versions of 500 Clown Macbeth. Danzig graduated from New York City’s High School of Performing Arts, received his BA from Oberlin College in Government and his MFA from the School of The Art Institute of Chicago in Performance. He has studied clown with Ctibor Turba, Philippe Gaulier, Ronlin Foreman, Dominique Jando, Els Comediants, David Shiner, Avner the Eccentric and was a clown with Big Apple Circus Clown Care for seven years. 
   
* denotes an active member of The Neo-Futurist Ensemble

**denotes a Neo-Futurist Alum

ABOUT THE NEO-FUTURISTS

The Neo-Futurists are a collective of wildly productive writer-director-performers that create theater that is fusion of sport, poetry and living-newspaper. Having created more than 9,775 plays within 28 years of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind and over 65 original, full-length productions within their immediate, non-illusory aesthetic. The Neo-Futurists have grown to become one of the most highly regarded experimental theater companies in the United States. From humble beginnings as the first late-night theater production in Chicago, they launched what became Chicago’s longest running show and today sustain multifaceted programs such as Neo-Access, The Kitchen (a micro-festival on art and performance), Prime Time, Neo-Lab and their ongoing late night show 50 weekends every year. For more information visit www.neofuturists.org. 

The Neo-Futurists are proud to present a world premiere created and performed by Leah Urzendowski* and Anthony Courser The? Unicorn? Hour?, directed by Adrian Danzig, April 6 - May 13, at The Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland. Previews are Thursday, April 6 - Saturday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m. with opening night Monday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. Performances run Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices for previews and Thursdays are pay what you can; for the regular run, tickets are $10-25. Tickets and information are available at neofuturists.org or 773.275.5255.

The Neo-Futurists are partially supported by grants from Alphawood Foundation Chicago, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Network for Ensemble Theaters, The Illinois Arts Council Agency, The Chicago Community Trust, a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, The Field Foundation of Illinois, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and The National Endowment for the Arts.

OPENING: MIDWEST PREMIERE OF PARADISE BLUE AT TIMELINE THEATRE 4/26-7/23

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

TIMELINE THEATRE'S MIDWEST PREMIERE OF DOMINIQUE MORISSEAU’S JAZZ-INFUSED 

PARADISE BLUE, 

DIRECTED BY RON OJ PARSON, APRIL 26 – JULY 23,

TO FEATURE ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSED BY CHICAGO LEGEND ORBERT DAVIS

ChiIL Mama will be ChiILin' at Paradise Blue this Friday night, 

so check back soon for our full review.

TimeLine Theatre Company announces the final production of its 20th Anniversary 2016-17 season—the Midwest premiere of PARADISE BLUE by Dominique Morisseau, directed by TimeLine Company Member Ron OJ Parson and featuring original music composed by Orbert Davis, the co-founder, conductor and Artistic Director of Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, May 4 – July 23, 2017 (previews April 26 - May 3) at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. 

For tickets and information, visit timelinetheatre.com or call the Box Office at (773) 281-8463 x6.

One of Chicago’s most admired jazz artists, Davis’ original music, performed by Davis and members of Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, featuring Rajiv Halim, and recorded and mixed by Roger Heiss at Tone Zone Studio in Chicago, will underscore Morisseau’s jazz-infused drama about a gifted but troubled trumpeter in Detroit’s Black Bottom neighborhood. The involvement of Davis and Chicago Jazz Philharmonic in TimeLine’s production was made possible through the generous support of The Chicago Community Trust.

It’s 1949 in Detroit’s Black Bottom neighborhood, and Blue, the gifted trumpeter and troubled owner of the Paradise nightclub, is contemplating a buyout offer for the city’s urban renewal plan. As the inhabitants of his famed but faltering jazz club ponder their options and dream of a better life, relationships are tested, new challengers emerge, and a mysterious woman arrives to turn their world upside down. As the fate of all their lives looms, they must decide whether to fight to save what’s theirs or risk it all for a chance at redemption. 
PARADISE BLUE is the second TimeLine production of a play written by Morisseau, a 2017 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize finalist for her play PIPELINE, and directed by Parson, following last season’s critically acclaimed SUNSET BABY. Hailed as “intriguing … vibrant … Morisseau is trying to tell a fuller, deeper story about Detroit than the one that is told by headlines" by the Boston Globe, PARADISE BLUE is also the latest in Morisseau’s widely acclaimed cycle of plays about Detroit, proving again why she is one of America’s most urgent playwrights.

CAST AND PRODUCTION TEAM
The cast for PARADISE BLUE includes TimeLine Associate Artists Tyla Abercrumbie (Silver) and Charles Andrew Gardner (P-Sam), with Ronald L. Conner (Corn), Kristin E. Ellis (Pumpkin) and Al’Jaleel McGee (Blue). The production team includes Brian Sidney Bembridge (Scenic and Lighting Design), Christine Pascual (Costume Design), Christopher A. Kriz (Sound Design), Mary O’Dowd (Properties Design), Jared Bellot (Dramaturgy), Taylor Barfield (Assistant Director), and Richard Lundy (Stage Management).

SPONSORS

TimeLine’s Midwest premiere of PARADISE BLUE is supported in part by The Chicago Community Trust and The Pauls Foundation. Additional support is provided by The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE/EVENTS 
PREVIEWS: Wednesday 4/26 through Saturday 4/29 at 8 p.m.; Sunday 4/30 at 2 pm.; Tuesday 5/2 at 8 p.m. and Wednesday 5/3 at 7:30 p.m.
PRESS NIGHT: Wednesday 5/3 at 7:30 p.m.
OPENING NIGHT: Thursday 5/4 at 7:30 p.m.
REGULAR RUN, through July 23: Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. EXCEPTIONS: Additional performance Tuesday 6/20 at 7:30 p.m. No 4 p.m. show on Saturday 5/6. No show on Sunday 6/25. 

DISCUSSION & ACCESSIBILITY EVENTS:
— Post-Show Discussions: A brief, informal post-show discussion hosted by a TimeLine Company Member and featuring the production dramaturg and members of the cast on Wednesday 5/10, Thursday 5/18, Sunday 6/11, Tuesday 6/20, Thursday 7/6, and Sunday 7/9.
— Pre-Show Discussions: Starting one hour before these performances, a 30-minute introductory conversation hosted by a TimeLine Company Member and the production dramaturg with members of the production team on Thursday 6/1 and Sunday 7/2.

— Captioned Performance: An open-captioned performance with a text display of words and sounds heard during the performance on Saturday 6/10 at 4 p.m. Partial support of open captioning is provided by Theatre Development Fund.
— Company Member Discussion: A post-show discussion with the collaborative team of artists who choose TimeLine’s programming and guide the company’s mission on Sunday 5/21.

— Sunday Scholars Panel Discussion: A one-hour post-show discussion featuring experts on the themes and issues of the play on Sunday 6/4.
All discussions are free and open to the public. For further details about all planned discussions and events, visit timelinetheatre.com.

BUYING TICKETS
Single ticket prices are $38 (Wednesday through Friday), $46 (Saturday evenings) and $51 (Saturday and Sunday matinees). Preview tickets are $22. Student discount is $10 off regular price with valid ID. Military Service Discount is $5 off regular price with valid military/veteran ID. Discounted rates for groups of 10 or more are available. Ticket buyers age 18-35 may join TimeLine’s free MyLine program to obtain access to discounted tickets, special events and more. Visit timelinetheatre.com/myline for details.
Advance purchase is recommended as performances may sell out. For tickets and information, visit timelinetheatre.com or call the Box Office at (773) 281-8463 x6.

LOCATION/TRANSPORTATION/PARKING
PARADISE BLUE will take place at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. TimeLine Theatre is located near the corner of Wellington and Broadway, inside the Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ building, in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood.

The location is served by multiple CTA trains and buses. TimeLine offers discounted parking at the Standard Parking garages at Broadway Center ($8 with validation; 2846 N. Broadway, at Surf) or the Century Mall ($9 with validation; 2836 N. Clark), with other paid parking options nearby, plus limited free and metered street parking.

ACCESSIBILITY
TimeLine Theatre is accessible to people with disabilities. Two wheelchair lifts provide access from street level to the theatre space and to lower-level restrooms. Audience members using wheelchairs or who need to avoid stairs, and others with special seating or accessibility needs should contact the TimeLine Box Office in advance to confirm arrangements. See DISCUSSION & ACCESSIBILITY EVENTS above for information about the open-captioned performance for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The cast will feature Tyla Abercrumbie, Ronald L. Conner, 

Charles Andrew Gardner, Kristin E. Ellis and Al’Jaleel McGee

BIOGRAPHIES
Dominique Morisseau (Playwright) was a finalist for the 2017 Susan Smith Blackburn Award for her play PIPELINE. She is an alumna of the Public Theater Emerging Writer’s Group, Women’s Project Lab, and Lark Playwrights Workshop. Credits include SKELETON CREW (Sundance, Lark Barebones, Atlantic Theater Company (Scott Rudin); DETROIT ’67 (Public Theater, Classical Theatre of Harlem/National Black Theatre); SUNSET BABY (TimeLine, Gate Theater, LAByrinth Theatre); FOLLOW ME TO NELLIE’S (O’Neill, Premiere Stages). She has produced other original works with the Hip Hop Theater Festival, Penn State University, American Theatre of Harlem and The New Group. Her 3-play cycle, entitled “The Detroit Projects,” includes DETROIT ’67, PARADISE BLUE and SKELETON CREW. PARADISE BLUE premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in July 2015 starring Blair Underwood and directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Morisseau is currently the Story Editor on the Showtime series SHAMELESS. Other awards include Jane Chambers Playwriting Award, two-time NAACP Image Award, Primus Prize commendation, Stavis Playwriting Award, Spirit of Detroit Award, University of Michigan Emerging Leader Award, Weissberger Award, PoNY Fellowship, Sky-Cooper New American Play Prize, The Graham F. Smith Peace Foundation Award, and the Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama.

Ron OJ Parson (Director) previously directed A RAISIN IN THE SUN and Morisseau’s SUNSET BABY at TimeLine, where he is a Company Member. He is a native of Buffalo, New York, and a graduate of the University of Michigan’s professional theatre program. He is the co-founder and former Artistic Director of Onyx Theatre Ensemble of Chicago and a co-founder and co-director of Ripe Mango Productions. Ron is a Resident Artist at Court Theatre and an Associate Artist with Teatro Vista. Since moving to Chicago from New York in 1994, he has worked as both an actor and director. His Chicago credits include work with The Chicago Theatre Company, Victory Gardens, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Chicago Dramatists, Northlight, Court, Black Ensemble Theatre, Congo Square, Urban Theatre Company, City Lit Theater, ETA Creative Arts and Writers. Regionally, Parson has directed shows at Studio Arena Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Milwaukee Repertory, South Coast Repertory, Pasadena Playhouse, Geva Theatre, Virginia Stage, Roundabout Theatre, Wilshire Theatre, The Mechanic Theatre, CenterStage, St. Louis Black Repertory, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre, Signature Theatre, and Portland Stage, among others. In Canada, he directed the world premiere of PALMER PARK by Joanna McClelland Glass at the Stratford Festival. Acting credits on television and film include ER, EARLY EDITION, TURKS, AMERICAN PLAYHOUSE, VAMPING, BARBERSHOP 2, PRIMAL FEAR, DROP SQUAD and most recently Starz Network’s BOSS. He is a member of AEA, SAGAFTRA, and SDC. For more information, visit ronojparson.com.

Orbert Davis (Original Music Composer) is an Emmy-Award winning trumpeter, composer and educator, and co-founder, conductor and artistic director of Chicago Jazz Philharmonic (CJP), a 55+ piece symphonic jazz orchestra dedicated to bringing together audiences of diverse backgrounds through multi-genre projects. Davis has many composer commissions and has played key roles in major film and television projects, including his work as jazz consultant to Academy Award-winning director Sam Mendes for the film ROAD TO PERDITION. Recent projects include “Home and Away” honoring U.S. men and women in uniform, and an original score for the Emmy Award-winning national PBS documentary DUSABLE TO OBAMA: CHICAGO’S BLACK METROPOLIS produced by WTTW, which garnered Davis an Emmy Award for its soundtrack. His 2004 CD “Blue Notes” was the follow-up to his critically acclaimed “Priority” CD, which garnered an LA Times 4-star review, hit the Top 50 list for “most played on national radio” jazz CDs in 2002, and was named a Top 10 best jazz CD of 2002 by the Chicago Tribune. His 2009 CD of Chicago Jazz Philharmonic’s “Collective Creativity” received rave reviews. Davis’s latest release, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic’s “Havana Blue,” was born from CJP’s relationship with the Cuba’s Universidad de las Artes (ISA). Davis is the longtime radio personality and host of “The Real Deal with Orbert Davis,” a weekly 3-hour program airing on 90.9FM WDCB (also streaming live online at wdcb.org.) For more, visit orbertdavis.com.



ABOUT TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY
TimeLine Theatre Company, recipient of the prestigious 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, was founded in April 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues. To date over 20 seasons, TimeLine has presented 70 productions, including nine world premieres and 30 Chicago premieres, and launched the Living History Education Program, now in its 10th year of bringing the company's mission to life for students in Chicago Public Schools. Recipient of the Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence and the Richard Goodman Strategic Planning Award from the Association for Strategic Planning, TimeLine has received 53 Jeff Awards, including an award for Outstanding Production 11 times. 

TimeLine Theatre’s recently announced upcoming 2017-18 season will include:  
— The Chicago premiere of THE AUDIENCE by Peter Morgan, the imagined story of Queen Elizabeth II’s weekly meetings with England’s Prime Ministers through decades of history and political strife, directed by TimeLine Associate Artistic Director Nick Bowling and starring TimeLine Company Member Janet Ulrich Brooks as Queen Elizabeth II, August 16 – November 12, 2017 at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave.

— IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY, Sarah Ruhl’s Victorian-era tale of a woman’s journey to understand herself and find greater equality in her marriage and the world, directed by TimeLine Company Member Mechelle Moe, October 20 – December 17, 2017 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave.
— The Chicago premiere of BOY by Anna Ziegler, inspired by the real-life story of a boy who claims his true identity after being raised as a girl, and finds love, directed by Damon Kiely, January 10 – March 18, 2018 at TimeLine Theatre.
— And the world premiere of TO CATCH A FISH by Chicagoan Brett Neveu, the first play to be produced that was written and developed through TimeLine’s inaugural Playwrights Collective, about a family and a community torn apart by a flawed search for justice, directed by TimeLine Company Member Ron OJ Parson, April 25 – July 1, 2018 at TimeLine Theatre.

TimeLine is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers, Managing Director Elizabeth K. Auman and Board President John M. Sirek. Company members are Nick Bowling, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Behzad Dabu, Lara Goetsch, Juliet Hart, Mildred Marie Langford, Mechelle Moe, David Parkes, Ron OJ Parson, PJ Powers, Maren Robinson and Benjamin Thiem.

Major corporate, government and foundation supporters of TimeLine Theatre include Alphawood Foundation, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Chicago Community Trust, The Crown Family, Forum Fund, The Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Laughing Acres Family Foundation, MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, The Pauls Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, The Seabury Foundation, and The Shubert Foundation. 

TimeLine is a member of the League of Chicago Theatres, Theatre Communications Group, Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce and Chicago’s Belmont Theater District. 

OPENING: She Loves Me at Marriott Theatre 4/26-6/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

The Marriott Theatre transports audiences back to the Golden Age of Budapest in this delightfully scented case of mistaken identity and unexpected true love.

Tonight ChiIL Mama will be ChiILin' just north of Chi, IL, at the press opening of She Loves Me. Since 1975, The Marriott Theatre has been an award winning asset to Chicago's regional theatre scene, with an impressive track record (500 Jeff Award nominations) and world class productions. We're eager to see their take on She Loves Me.

Set against the lavish backdrop of a 1930s Hungarian perfume shop, the Tony Award-winning musical comedy gem, SHE LOVES ME, continues The Marriott Theatre’s 2017 Season, running April 26 through June 18, 2017 at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. 

Based on Miklos Laszlo’s play, Parfumerie, which then became the inspiration for the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan box office hit, You’ve Got Mail, SHE LOVES ME features a soaring score by Tony Award-winning composers Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof), and book by Joe Masteroff (Cabaret). With musical direction by Matt Deitchman, Marriott Theatre Lead Artistic Director and Jeff Award-winner Aaron Thielen directs and choreographs this euphoric comedy.

“I fell in love with SHE LOVES ME twenty six years ago, when I was cast in the show while attending the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Also in that cast we're soon to be Marriott Theatre alumni Guy Adkins and Tari Kelly. I think it's a brilliant show and am thrilled to get the opportunity to work on it again,” says Director and Choreographer Aaron Thielen. “From the details of the props and costume pieces, to the music’s Hungarian influence, we’re really adding the element of tradition back into this already amazing piece. This production is a nod to the folk tradition of the era.”

A captivating jewel-box of a musical, SHE LOVES ME follows Georg and Amalia, two parfumerie clerks who don’t see eye to eye, constantly quarreling on the job. But once the work day is done, the feuding coworkers find solace in their anonymous romantic pen pals, not knowing their respective correspondents are actually each other.  Chaos ensues as a tangle of mistaken identity and hilarious encounters finally bring the soulmates together, leading Georg to realize the animosity between the two may have been nothing less than love in disguise. SHE LOVES ME radiates pure romance through some of the most iconic songs in the musical theatre canon, including “Vanilla Ice Cream,” “Tonight at 8” and “She Loves Me.”

SHE LOVES ME stars Elizabeth Telford as “Amalia Balash” (The Marriott Theatre: La Cage aux Folles, The Wizard of Oz, On The Town); Jeff Award Winner Alex Goodrich as “Georg Nowack” (The Marriott Theatre: World Premiere of HERO, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, ELF, and On the Town; Northlight Theatre: World Premiere of Shining Lives: A Musical); Jeff Award Winner Terry Hamilton as “Mr. Maraczek” (The Marriott Theatre: How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying; October Sky); Jeff Award Winner David Schlumpf as “Steven Kodaly” (The Marriott Theatre: Evita; Chicago Shakespeare: Sense & Sensibility, As You Like It, and Timon of Athens), Jessica Naimy as “Ilona Ritter” (The Marriott Theatre: How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying; Broadway: Honeymoon in Vegas; National Tour: South Pacific); James Earl Jones II as “Ladislav Sipos” (The Marriott Theatre: She Loves Me, Madagascar, October Sky, Dreamgirls and Full Monty); and sharing the role of “Arpad Laszlo” are Grant Kilian (Marriott Theatre debut!) and Johnny Rabe (Marriott Theatre: Mary Poppins and For The Boys; Broadway: A Christmas Story). SHE LOVES ME also features Lillian Castillo, Aaron Holland, Johanna McKenzie Miller, Jeff Pierpoint, Laura Savage, Allison Sill, Cassie Slater, Jason Slattery, Brandon Springman, Steven Strafford and James Rank.

The production will feature set design by Jeff Kmiec, costume design by Sally Dolembo, lighting design by Jesse Klug, sound design by Robert E. Gilmartin, properties design by Sally Weiss, musical supervision and orchestra conducted by Patti Garwood.

The performance schedule for SHE LOVES ME is Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., Sundays at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., with select Thursday 1:00 p.m. shows. 

Ticket prices range from $50 to $60, including tax and handling fees. Call for student, senior and military discounts. On Wednesday and Thursday evenings there are a limited number of FREE dinners available with the purchase of a full-priced theatre ticket, which can only be purchased through the Marriott Theatre Box Office. 

To make a restaurant reservation, please call 847.634.0100. Free parking is available at all performances. To reserve tickets, please call The Marriott Theatre Box Office at 847.634.0200 or go to www.ticketmaster.com. Visit www.MarriottTheatre.com for more information.


In addition to the presentation of classic American musical theatre, The Marriott Theatre has become a driving force in the development of original and re-imagined musicals.

Today the acclaimed theatre sells more than 400,000 tickets a year, and boasts the largest subscription base of any musical theatre! In all, The Marriott Theatre has presented more than 180 productions to an estimated 11 million people! The Marriott Theatre earns lavish praise from critics, receiving a record 500 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations - Chicago's highest theatrical honor for artistic achievement.

OPENING: Dylan Brody's DRIVING HOLLYWOOD Tour At Chicago's Apollo Theater 5/3-5/20

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

1st Stop CHICAGO!

Dylan Brody's DRIVING HOLLYWOOD Tour 

Pulls Into Apollo Theater May 3rd

"Dylan Brody is funny in ways that don't remind me of anyone... 
the voice is unique and unpredictable... funny and fascinating. I howled.”
-  David Sedaris

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we know Chicago's second to none when it comes to performing arts. Even touring acts often pick our city as ground zero to kick off national and international tours. Acclaimed comedian, Dylan Brody, is no exception. His latest show opens right here in Chi, IL tonight and we'll be out to review tomorrow. Chicago's Apollo Theater is an excellent Lincoln Park venue, with an intimate basement space, perfect for a standout solo show. Come grab a drink at the bar (my personal fav is New Orleans' infamous Abita Turbodog beer) and check out the musings of one of America's top humorists.




Blue Panther Productions presents award winning humorist Dylan Brody in his new solo show Dylan Brody's Driving Hollywood starting at Chicago's Apollo Theater May 3rd running thru May 20th. Nancy Carlin directs. The show's multi-city tour takes off in Chicago before traveling on to Barcelona's Tinta Roja Teatro May 25 thru 27, London's Canal Cafe Theatre June 9 thru 17 and NYC in July with venue TBA.

Driving into Hollywood to meet a big time player that could change the course of his career, Dylan Brody flashes back to his boyhood in Schuylerville New York recalling how he showed off his precociousness by carrying around Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment with a bunch of Marvel comics tucked inside. Continually raising his hand to challenge his teachers' assertions, he was a regular at the principal's office where his father, a professor at Skidmore College, was also called in ostensibly to reprimand his son but instead generously offered to “hear both sides of the story”. With his signature wit and playfulness he goes on to describe early misunderstandings working in the entertainment industry and his adult life as a comic and writer in Los Angeles. In a town where success and fame is constantly almost happening, Brody's uplifting and hilarious stories combine passion and heartbreak with unique humor to leave us with a spark of hope at the intersection of art and commerce.

Actor/comedian and award winning writer Dylan Brody is one of America's leading humorists. He's shared the stage with some of the comedy world's biggest stars including Adam Sandler, Richard Belzer and Jerry Seinfeld. His TV credits include A&E's Comedy on the Road, FOX TV'sComedy Express and Showtime's The Green Room with Paul Provenza. Brody opened three years running for fellow humorist David Sedaris who's said of his work, “Funny and fascinating...Unique and unpredictable”. He has been called “a funny storyteller in the tradition of Mark Twain” by legendary editor Paul Krassner and his writing has been referred to as “brilliant” by Robin Williams. With six comedy albums and four published books Brody's repertoire continues to expand along with his popularity as a live performer.



Nancy Carlin has directed and performed extensively in theaters that include American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Rep, Aurora Theater and San Francisco Playhouse, among others. She's co-author of the new musical Max Understood, which was developed at O'Neill National Music Theater Conference and premiered at San Francisco's Cowell Theater last spring. A member of SDC, AEA, SAG-AFTRA and the Dramatists Guild, she's a theater arts lecturer at UC Santa Cruz and San Jose State.

Laura Lundy is the founder and executive producer of Blue Panther Productions. Blue Panther's productions include award-winning comedienne Alicia Dattner's The Oy of Sex in New York, celebrated Toronto dancer/performance artist Sara Porter's Sara Does A Solo in S. F. and Scott Charles' 2015 drama Dinner with Augie in the S.F. Bay Area. She co-founded and was original artistic director of San Francisco's Virago Theatre Company where she produced and directed Candide, Three Penny Opera,A Taste of Honey and many original plays.She acted in Virago's AROUSAL paired with The Lover (2014) and The Singularity (2015), both of which were performed at NYC's Flea Theater to critical acclaim.

Dylan Brody's Driving Hollywood begins at the Apollo Theater (2540 N Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL) on Wed. May 3 and plays thruSat. May 20. All shows are Wed. thru Sat. at 8PM. Tickets are $25 and $35 for VIP front row seats plus post show meeting and photo op. 

For tickets call the box office at (773) 935-6100 or purchase online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/Apollo-Theater-tickets-Chicago/venue/57346. Also go to http://www.dylanbrodysdrivinghollywood.com for tickets and information.

Chicago Celebrates and Mourns Martha Lavey This Friday With Marquee Dimming

CHICAGO THEATRES TO HONOR 

MARTHA LAVEY

Marquee lights dimmed and a moment of silence to be observed at theatres across Chicago and the suburbs

Friday, April 28, 2017

30 minutes before curtain time

WHAT: Chicago theatres in the city and suburbs will honor former Steppenwolf Artistic Director and ensemble member Martha Lavey by dimming the marquee lights and observing a moment of silence

WHEN: Friday, April 28, 2017, 30 minutes before the start time of the evening production at each theatre

WHERE: Theatres throughout Chicagoland, including Steppenwolf Theatre, Broadway in Chicago, Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Victory Gardens Theater, Northlight Theatre and Writers Theatre, among others.

DETAILS: Martha Lavey, who served as Artistic Director of Steppenwolf Theatre from 1995-2015, is considered to be one of the most important influencers in the history of Chicago theatre. As an actor and Artistic Director, Martha appeared in more than 30 productions at Steppenwolf and was known to support and nurture artists, administrators and other theatres throughout Chicago. She was a champion of the theatre community, and, as such, the community will remember and honor her with the light dimming and moment of silence.
  
OTHER: Steppenwolf’s curtain on Friday is at 7:30pm. The lights will be dimmed and a moment of silence will be observed at 7:00pm.  Member theatres of the League of Chicago Theatres will likewise participate in honor of Lavey’s extraordinary life and legacy.

REVIEW: Three's Company, 3C's Chaos at A Red Orchid Theatre

A Red Orchid's latest, 70's era jiggle show lampoon, Apartment 3C, is cringeworthy in the best way. Every character is fatally flawed, empty inside, and utterly recognizable. As we left the theatre, one patron practically ran over us, and couldn't exit fast enough. We overheard him mutter "Candidate for the worst play of the year." In my book, if a cast can evoke such a strong, visceral reaction, even a negative one, they're doing something right. If you're not disturbed by this production, you're not paying attention. 

All production photos by Michael Brosilow

3C brings to stage the familiar archetypes of the blonde bimbo, androgynous girl, and gay Vietnam vet, with fabulously funny, over the top caricatures, with dark undercurrents of alcoholism, sex addiction, closeted homosexuality, poverty, and more. The lecherous landlord and his flakey wife are also exaggerated and taken to the next disturbing level of actual molester, hitting on his young female and male tenants alike, and suicidal stress ball, too neurotic to stay on her meds, and depressed by her abusive train wreck of a marriage.

Jennifer Engstrom, Christina Gorman

The jokes are truly tasteless and offensive, as is the in your face abuse. And that's really the point. As a society, we've become immune to mild mannered sexism and gay bashing comedy, merrily laughing along, while these portrayals in real life and on popular shows seep into our collective unconscious causing bias among even the best intentioned. Come meet the shopping and sex addicted preacher's kid with an abusive past who just wants to feel beautiful and ends up more alone and unhappy than ever, the androgynous alcoholic who may be in love with her female roommate, the closeted gay boy forced to pretend to be a straight boy pretending to be a gay boy, the shallow swinger friend he's in love with, and the landlords from hell.

Steve Haggard, Lawrence Grimm

Sometimes it takes an over the top, black comedy to wake us up to how absurd and awful it truly is to stereotype others and treat them with an utter lack of respect, and how psychologically damaging it can be to hide your true self and not seek help for crippling issues. We live in a sick society when LGBT sexual identity, naïveté, mental illness, physical traits beyond our control, abusive marriages and addictions become the butt of jokes for our consumption. And not much has changed in four plus decades.

Sigrid Sutter, Nick Mikula

Sutter, Gorman, Engstrom, Mikula, Grimm (standing)

This show is well worth seeing, with high energy performances by the entire cast and creative directing choices by the infamous Shade Murray. Just don't let the disco dancing, psychedelic kaftan, and polyester suits lull you into expecting a lighthearted retro comedy. The first half was laugh out loud funny, with loads of innuendo and bumbling physical comedy, but it turns black fast. This show takes a while to process and it was still consuming my thoughts a day later. I was left musing whether the show would come across as even darker and more disturbing with a ubiquitous 70's sitcom laugh track. Come check out the California dystopian flashback that is 3C for yourself. Recommended. 

BY DAVID ADJMI

DIRECTED BY ENSEMBLE MEMBER SHADE MURRAY

APRIL 20 – JUNE 4, 2017

Inspired by 70’s sitcoms and the political incorrectness of "jiggle television," 3C is a hilarious and horrifying look at identity and what lies beneath the homogeneous perky veneer. Brad lands in L.A. to start a new life. A wild night of partying finds him passed out in Connie and Linda’s kitchen and the three strike a deal that raises the suspicions of the landlords. Complications spiral out of control, taking the show from farce to something... unexpected. 

Dates: 
Red Night Opening: Friday, April 28, 2017 at 8 p.m.

Regular Run: April 29 – June 4, 2017

Schedule:  Thursdays: 8:00 p.m.
 Fridays: 8:00 p.m.
 Saturdays: 8:00 p.m.  
                 Sundays: 3:00 p.m. (except April 23).

Location:A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells Ave.

Tickets: $30-$35 ($30 Thurs, $35 Fri, Sat, Sun)

Box Office: Located at 1531 N. Wells Ave, Chicago, (312) 943-8722; or online www.aredorchidtheatre.org 

The cast of 3C includes Ensemble Members Jennifer Engstrom (Mrs. Wicker), Lawrence Grimm (Mr. Wicker) and Steve Haggard (Terry), with Christina Gorman (Linda), Nick Mikula (Brad) and Sigrid Sutter (Connie). 
The creative team includes Sarah Fabian (Set Designer), Myron Elliott (Costume Designer), Rachel Levy (Lighting Designer), Brando Triantafillou (Sound Designer), Lydia Hanchett (Props Designer) and Jon Martinez (Choreography). The Production Stage Manager is Christa van Baale. 

About A Red Orchid
A Red Orchid Theatre has served as an artistic focal point in the heart of the Old Town community of Chicago since 1993 and was honored this year with a 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Over the past 23 years, its Resident Ensemble has welcomed into its fold an impressive array of award winning actors, playwrights and theatre artists with the firm belief that live theatre is the greatest sustenance for the human spirit. A Red Orchid is well known and highly acclaimed for its fearless approach to performance and design in the service of unflinchingly intimate stories. In addition to its professional season, the company also produces an annual OrKids (youth) project and hosts The Incubator (providing artists with space and time to explore new work, new forms and new artistic collaborations). 


A Red Orchid Theatre is: Lance Baker, Kamal Angelo Bolden, Dado, Mike Durst, Jennifer Engstrom, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Joseph Fosco, Steve Haggard, Mierka Girten, Larry Grimm, Karen Kawa, Karen Kessler, Danny McCarthy, Shade Murray, Brett Neveu, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen, Doug Vickers and Natalie West.

OPENING: The Firebirds Take the Field World Premiere at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble 4/15-5/27

 ChiIL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble Presents

the World Premiere of

The Firebirds Take the Field

by Lynn Rosen

Directed by Jessica Fisch

Featuring RTE Members Meighan Gerachis, Rebecca Spence,

RTE Artistic Director Tara Mallen and RTE’s newest member Jessica Ervin

April 15 – May 27, 2017

 ]
Tonight we'll be ChiILin' on Chi, IL's north side with Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago’s only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core! It press opening time for the world premiere of The Firebirds Take the Field by Lynn Rosen and directed by Jessica Fisch. Check back soon for our full review.

The Firebirds Take the Field runs April 15 – May 20, 2017, at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago. The Firebirds Take the Field is produced with support from the Alfred P. Sloane Foundation and Ensemble Studio Theater and is the second production of RTE’s 2017 Season ‘Exploring the Mind/Body Connection.’



Regular run: April 27 – May 27, 2017

Schedule: Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00pm
Saturdays at 4:00pm (no Saturday performance Saturday May 27)
Town Hall Discussions will follow the Saturday matinees 4/6; 4/13; 4/20

Location: Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago

Tickets: General Admission
Previews: $25
Regular: $38

Student, Senior, Active Military, Veteran:
Previews: $15
Regular: $28

**Pay What You Can: Five seats (10% of the house) are available for each performance. Reservations are made on a first come first served basis.

Box Office: (773) 334-7728 or www.RivendellTheatre.org



It's been 25 years since molecular neuroscientist Avery Kahn left Highland Falls, NY. But when 18 local girls, cheerleaders mostly, are stricken with a mysterious ailment, Avery reluctantly returns home to tackle what the locals derisively call the “girl disease.” As Avery becomes affected—and infected—by the girls, the case becomes more personal than she ever expected. Based on actual events, Firebirds is a fascinating and often hilarious investigation of how women in particular are impacted by the pressures of growing up.

The Firebirds Take the Field was inspired by real events in LeRoy, New York in Fall 2011.  Camera crews descended on the small town when over a dozen teenagers from the same high school developed similar mysterious symptoms, including uncontrollable twitching, tics and verbal outbursts.

The Firebirds Take the Field features RTE Members Meighan Gerachis (Avery), Rebecca Spence (Helen), RTE Artistic Director Tara Mallen (Kathy) and RTE’s newest member most recently honored with a Jeff nomination for Best Actress for her work in last season’s production of Dry Land, Jessica Ervin (Penelope), Margaret Kusterman (Cynthia), Josh Odor (Mark), Aurora Real de Asua (Lucia), and Hannah Toriumi (Agatha).

The Firebirds Take the Field is funded in part by The Ensemble Studio Theatre/ Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science & Technology Project.

“The play takes place in a dying industrial town stunted by years of decay, where going to ‘the game’ and rooting for victory still mean something and winning gives the town worth and hope,” said director Jessica Fisch. “Pretty, athletic, smiling, golden girls are responsible for rallying the spirits of their community, but to be seventeen and believe your value is inextricably tied to your looks, youth, and exuberance is a recipe for destruction. Off the field, the girls are grappling with challenges and instability without the maturity or vocabulary to handle them. The girls bury their concerns and ignore their own grief, trauma, sadness, and hardship, but the weight of their repression proves too much and their bodies begin to rebel. By ignoring those emotions they deny themselves the process of healing. It turns out, the human body will find a way to grieve.”

“I was surprised when researching the real stories of the teens from LeRoy, New York, to learn that their final diagnosis of ‘Conversion Disorder’ was just a new name for ‘female hysteria.’ Women, in particular, who are diagnosed with mental issues are immediately dismissed both from the medical profession and by society as their conditions are not seen as being ‘real’," comments Artistic Director Tara Mallen. “Yet history and myth are filled with stories of girls exhibiting bizarre symptoms around the time of puberty — and doctors have pondered the connection between our mental and physical health for centuries. The cautionary of tale these three girls exemplifies the sometimes devastating results when we disregard this essential connection.”

The creative team includes new RTE ensemble member Joanna Iwanicka (scenic design), with Katherine Scott (choreography), Paul Toben (lighting design), Stephanie Cluggish (costume design), Sarah D. Espinosa (sound design), and Blake Leo Burke (properties). Tanya Palmer is the dramaturg. Sam Mouryessef is the Production Manager; Andra Sturtevant is the Production Stage Manager; and Joan Sergay is the Assistant Director.



ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Jessica Fisch (Director) Recent credits: Straight White Men (Associate Director, Steppenwolf), Trudy, Carolyn, Martha and Regina Travel to Outer Space (Actors Theatre of Louisville, Humana Festival), Fefu and Her Friends (Goodman Theatre/Rivendell Latina/o Celebration) Opulent Complex and That Thing That Time (Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Tens), The Rosenkranz Mysteries: An Evening of Magic (Royal George Theatre), Psychodramatic (A Red Orchid, Incubator Series), Traces (Feast Productions/ Jackalope Theatre), Far Away (SITE Festival), 42 Stories (Raven Theatre, [Working Title] series), Machinal, Spike Heels (Northwestern University). Selected New York credits: The Realm (The Wild Project),  strive/seek/find (Abingdon Theatre), the 2009 Playwrights Horizons Stories on 5 Stories Benefit, Personal History (Ensemble Studio Theatre), The Redheaded Man (Barrow Street Theatre/Down Payment Productions/FringeNYC/FringeEncores), Dressed In Your Dreams (Public Theater/Emerging Writers Group), an adaptation of the cult 1960’s gothic vampire soap opera Dark Shadows (Williamstown Theatre Festival). Jessica was a resident director at Ensemble Studio Theater, the Playwrights Horizons Directing Resident, a member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab, and the founding Artistic Director of Down Payment Productions. MFA: Northwestern University. 

Lynn Rosen (Playwright) has had works produced or developed with: Actors Theatre of Louisville, TheatreWorks (Silicon Valley), Women's Project, New Georges, Ensemble Studio Theatre (two EST/Sloan commissions), Centerstage (Baltimore), Studio Theatre, Working Theater, Barrington Stage, The New Group, The Lark, terraNOVA Collective, New Harmony, GEVA, Fault Line Theatre, The Brick Theater, Red Bull Theatre, Todd Mountain Theater Project, The Lark Development Center (Writing Fellow), 52nd Street Project, among others. Lynn was commissioned in 2016 by UCSB for her new play Bernhard which was just produced in their acclaimed Launch Pad series. She also co-writes and co-created the award-winning web series Darwin, directed by Carrie Preston, with whom she is developing two TV pilots. Darwin was named one of the “Top Ten Best Web Series of 2015” by Paste Magazine and season two is currently in production. Her short piece The Amazing America Auction, originally commissioned for Centerstage, is included in Hal Hartley’s feature film My America. Coming up: Gurley! (a musical about Helen Gurley Brown), TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Writers’ Retreat; I Love You with Playing On Air; Washed Up On The Potomac with The Pool, NYC. Lynn got her B.A. in Theatre Arts from Brandeis University and is currently a Resident Playwright at New Dramatists in NYC.

Meighan Gerachis (Avery) is a founding member at Rivendell and has appeared in their productions of The Electric Baby, Precious Little, The Walls, Elliot: A Soldier's Fugue, Indulgences at the Louisville Harem, Factory Girls, My Simple City, Wrens, and Ten Tiny Fingers, Nine Tiny Toes. Other credits include Blue Skies Process (Goodman), Domesticated, Our Town, The House on Mango St. (Steppenwolf), Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England (Theater Wit), Solstice (A Red Orchid Theater),  Measure for Measure (Chicago Shakespeare); Cloud Nine (About Face), Cigarettes and Moby Dick, Che Che Che (Latino Chicago), The Underpants (Noble Fool); and The Road to Graceland (Lifeline Theatre). Her Regional credits include: Charm (Mixed Blood Theatre) Elliot; A Soldier's Fugue (Stageworks/Hudson); and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Contact Theatre, Manchester, UK). Film credits include Batman v. Superman, At Any Price, and Virginia. Television credits include Chicago PD, Crisis, Bobby & Iza (NBC), Sirens (USA), and Battleground (Hulu).

Rebecca Spence (Helen) joined Rivendell Theatre Ensemble after appearing in These Shining Lives for which she received Equity Jeff Nomination in 2009.  Other RTE credits include Wrens and How the World Began (Equity Jeff Nomination for Best Actress in 2015). Her most recent work was originating the role of Mary Page Marlowe 40/44 at Steppenwolf Theatre Company where her previous credits include: The Crucible, Our Lady of 121st Street and Pacific. Other theatre credits include: In The Garden (Lookingglass Theatre Company); Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West (TimeLine Theatre Company); This (Theatre Wit); The Voysey Inheritance, Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Remy Bumppo - Equity Jeff Nom.); Dracula (Defiant Theatre); Cyrano (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre). Film Credits include Kingfisher, Recke, Not Welcome, Bloomin’ Mud Shuffle, Man of Steel, Fools, Tiger Tail in Blue, One Small Hitch, Contagion, The Dilemma, Audrey the Trainwreck, Earthling, Public Enemies, Grace is Gone and The Break-Up.  Television Credits include Easy (Netflix), Chicago Fire (NBC), Crisis (NBC), Betrayal (ABC), Boss (STARZ), The Mob Doctor (FOX), Detroit 1-8-7 (ABC), The Chicago Code (FOX), The Beast (A&E) and Prison Break (FOX).

Tara Mallen (Kathy) is an actor, director, producer and the Artistic Director at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble.  She was most recently on stage in RTE’s production of Grizzly Mama and  the world premiere production of Lynn Nottage’s Sweat at Arena Stage. Prior to that she was in RTE’s Jeff Nominated, world premiere productions of Look, we are breathing and Rasheeda Speaking. Tara appeared in the Steppenwolf Theatre Company production of How Long Will I Cry: Stories of Youth Violence written by Chicago Journalist Miles Harvey. She was part of the ensemble in Rivendell’s World Premiere, Jeff nominated production of The Walls and played Jolene Palmer (inspired by the true-life story of Aileen Wuornos) in Rivendell’s award winning production of Self Defense, or the Death of Some Salesmen -- both productions part of Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s Visiting Theater Initiative.  For Rivendell, Tara has both produced and acted in over thirty productions. She received a Joseph Jefferson award for “Supporting Actress” for her portrayal of Gwenyth in WRENS as part of that production’s Jeff-winning ensemble. She was nominated the following year for “Actress in a Principal Role” for her work in My Simple City.  Screen credits include Steven Soderbergh’s film Contagion, Boss (STARZ) ,Chicago Fire (NBC), Chicago P.D. (NBC), Sense8 (NetFlix), indie feature FOOLS and the CBS/Sony Pictures pilot Doubt .

Jessica Ervin (Penelope) ,one of RTE’s newest members returns to Rivendell where she was last seen in Dry Land (Ester) and also understudies their touring production of Women at War. Other Chicago theatre credits include touring artist with Erasing the Distance, Herculaneum (Blue Goose Theatre Ensemble), Summer in the Parks production of The Wild (Walkabout Theater Company), 12 Ways to Play Festival (The Public House Theatre), and Collaboraction’s final Sketchbook Festival. She can also be seen in the upcoming feature film Princess Cyd. Jessica is a graduate of Ball State University with a B.F.A. in Acting, and is represented by Gray Talent Group.

Margaret Kusterman (Cynthia) has appeared at Next Theatre where she appeared in The Luck of the Irish and Great God Pan. She understudied the role of Patricia in The Herd at Steppenwolf, where she was also in the Ensemble of No Place Like Home. At Seanachai she was part of the Jeff-nominated ensemble of The Big Picture. She was in Tartuffe at Remy Bumppo and Uncle Vanya at Strawdog. After understudying the role of Meg in The Beauty Queen of Leenane at Steppenwolf, she played the role at Northern Stage in Vermont. Margaret has worked with Jackalope, The Gift, Defiant, Livebait, Lifeline and Center Theatre. She holds a Masters Degree in Theatre from Northwestern University. 

Josh Odor (Mark) most recently performed in Griffin's Winterset, The Hypocrites' You on the Moors Now, Haven Theater's The Distance and The Time of Your Life with the Artistic Home. Josh has also worked at Steppenwolf, The Goodman, TimeLine, Steep, Teatro Vista, The Inconvenience, The House, The New Colony, Collaboraction, LiveWire, Buffalo Ensemble and as a member of Pine Box.  Josh's television work includes Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, Betrayal and Boss.

Aurora Real de Asua (Lucia) is working with the Rivendell Ensemble for the first time. Past Chicago credits include Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (Metropolis), You On the Moors Now (u/s Hypocrites), Twelfth Night (u/s Chicago Shakespeare in the Park), as well as work with the Goodman Theatre and American Myth Project. She recently graduated from Northwestern University.

Hannah Toriumi (Agatha) has performed with such theaters as The Gift, Goodman Theatre, Silk Road Rising, Step Up Productions, and TOTC. She has also made appearances in commercials, film, and television. Hannah is represented by Paonessa Talent, is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf Class of 2015 and holds a BA in Theatre Performance from North Central College.

Parking and Transportation: Free parking is available in the Senn High School parking lot (located a block and a half from the theatre behind the school off Thorndale Avenue). There is limited paid and free street parking in the area and the theatre is easily accessible via the Clark (#22) or Broadway (#36) bus and is a short walk from the Bryn Mawr Red Line El station.

Among the cast are four RTE Members, including Meighan Gerachis, Rebecca Spence, RTE Artistic Director Tara Mallen and RTE’s newest ensemble member, Jessica Ervin, most recently honored with a Jeff nomination for Best Actress for her work in last season’s production of Dry Land.  
The dramaturg is Tanya Palmer, the Goodman’s Director of New Play Development.

**Rivendell fills an important role in the Chicago region as the only Equity theater dedicated to producing artistically challenging and original plays created by and about women.**

About Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Founded in 1994, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble advances women’s lives through the power of theatre. Rivendell cultivates the talents of women artists -- writers, actors, directors, designers and technicians – by seeking out innovative plays that explore unique female experiences and producing them in intimate, salon environments.

Rivendell fills an important role in the Chicago region as the only Equity theatre dedicated to producing artistically challenging and original plays created by and about women. After years of being an itinerant company, we moved into our own theater space in 2010 in Edgewater. As new members of the neighborhood, we are focused on becoming an integral community partner and serving as a catalyst to engage our audiences in a discussion of local social issues.

For more information about Rivendell Theater Ensemble, http://rivendelltheatre.org. Follow RTE on Facebook at Facebook.com/rivendelltheatre and on Twitter @RivendellThtr.

The Firebirds Take the Field was commissioned by Ensemble Studio Theater through support from the Alfred P. Sloane Foundation Grant. Founded in 1934 by industrialist Alfred P. Sloan Jr., the Foundation is a not-for-profit grantmaking institution that supports high quality, impartial scientific research; fosters a robust, diverse scientific workforce; strengthens public understanding and engagement with science; and promotes the health of the institutions of scientific endeavor.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble is supported by generous grants from Allstate Insurance Company; The Lester and Hope Abelson Fund; The Alphawood Foundation; The Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development; The Chicago Community Trust; The Chicago Foundation for Women; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; The MacArthur Funds for Arts and Culture at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; The Reva and David Logan Foundation; The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust; SIF Fund at The Chicago Community Trust; The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; The University of Illinois at Chicago Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement; Cultural Outreach Program Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events; and the Illinois Arts Council Agency.