Top Weekend Picks: Gene Siskel Film Center's Benefit May 13 With Jeremy Piven and Kevin Spacey

CHICAGO NATIVE JEREMY PIVEN LEADS INTIMATE DISCUSSION WITH

KEVIN SPACEY AT THE GENE SISKEL FILM CENTER’S ANNUAL BENEFIT MAY 13

“Kevin Spacey: Renaissance Man,” Features In-Depth Conversation with Golden Globe and

Emmy Award-Winner Piven and Spacey at The Four Seasons Chicago

Chicago’s own Jeremy Piven will lead an in-depth discussion with Gene Siskel Film Center Renaissance Award recipient evin Spacey at this year’s annual benefit “Kevin Spacey: Renaissance Man,” Saturday, May 13 at The Four Seasons Chicago (120 E. Delaware). This special evening begins with a cocktail reception followed by the featured discussion between Spacey and Piven paying tribute to the actor’s accomplishments on the screen while providing insights into his creative process and influences, favorite roles, upcoming projects and more. A retrospective of film clips from some of his most memorable performances will accompany the conversation highlighting his illustrious career. 

“It will be a rare treat to have Chicago native Jeremy Piven on stage with one of the most versatile actors of our time in what is sure to be a dynamic conversation between two gifted artists,” said GSFC Executive Director Jean de St. Aubin. “Both Piven and Spacey bring a unique charisma to each role they embody and I am sure that guests will be treated to that same charisma in addition to an evening filled with laughter, behind-the-scenes insight and possibly a few surprises throughout the night!” 
  
Each year, the GSFC celebrates the art of film by honoring a filmmaker who advances the art of cinema. Past Renaissance Award honorees have included some of the most respected actors and directors working in the film industry today, such as William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman, Michael Mann, Nicole Kidman, George Lucas, Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson.

The benefit is co-chaired by longstanding GSFC supporters and Advisory Board members Eda Davidman and Melissa Sage Fadim. The chair of the GSFC Advisory Board is Ellen Sandor. All proceeds support the Gene Siskel Film Center’s curated film programming as well as lecture series and discussions with visiting scholars and filmmakers. This programming provides the opportunity for students and the Chicago community to experience the best in film presentation. The annual fundraiser is the primary event that ensures that the GSFC can continue to present the highest quality films and film-related events in Chicago.

To date, benefit sponsors include The Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Foundation, Sage Foundation, MacLean-Fogg, Marlene Iglitzen and Gene Siskel Charitable Foundation, Nordstrom, CME Group, Ariel Investments, BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois, Sheridan Road Charitable Foundation, Joe and JaCee Trpik, Averill and Bernard Leviton, Jamie and Margo Koval and Southwest Airlines.

The Renaissance Award was designed specifically for the Gene Siskel Film Center by R.S. Owens & Company, creator of the Oscar® statuette.

About Jeremy Piven
Chicago native Jeremy Piven stars in the upcoming film “All-Star Weekend,” Jamie Foxx’s scripting and directing film debut, alongside Foxx and Eva Longoria. He was most recently seen as fellow Chicagoan Harry Gordon Selfridge in the fourth season of the popular MASTERPIECE/PBS series, “Mr. Selfridge.” Among his many notable roles, Piven is best known as movie agent Ari Gold in the hit HBO series “Entourage,” which aired for eight seasons and won Piven three Emmy® Awards and a Golden Globe®. In 2015, Piven reprised the fan-favorite role in the “Entourage” feature film released by Warner Bros. He was also seen in “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” from directors Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez, as well as opposite Tom Cruise in the Doug Liman film “Edge of Tomorrow.” Piven’s extensive career in television also includes the satirical “Larry Sanders Show.” In film, he starred in Mark Pellington’s drama “I Melt with You,” Gaby Dellal’s heart wrenching “Angels Crest,” Gary Fleder’s “Runaway Jury,” Todd Phillips’ hit comedy “Old School,” Ridley Scott’s “Black Hawk Down,” Peter Chelsom’s “Serendipity,” Brett Ratner’s “The Family Man,” Peter Berg’s “Very Bad Things” and “The Kingdom,” Cameron Crowe’s “Singles,” Joe Carnahan’s “Smokin’ Aces,” Guy Ritchie’s “RocknRolla” and “The Player” for director Robert Altman.

In 2005, Piven returned to his theater roots starring in the Off-Broadway hit “Fat Pig” by Neil LaBute, for which he received a Distinguished Performance Honor from the Drama League. He also appeared as Bobby Gould on Broadway in “Speed-the-Plow.” As a child growing up in Chicago, the eight-year-old Piven climbed on stage at the Piven Theatre Workshop, founded by his father, Byrne, and mother, Joyce Piven. He is still very active with this workshop and returns to Chicago frequently to help keep his parents’ dream alive.

About Kevin Spacey
Award-winning producer and actor Kevin Spacey currently serves as executive producer and stars as Francis Underwood in the Netflix original series "House of Cards.” Spacey has won Academy Awards® for his performances in “The Usual Suspects” and “American Beauty." He was most recently seen opposite Michael Shannon in "Elvis & Nixon,” and will next be seen in "Billionaire Boys Club,” Edgar Wright’s “Baby Driver" and "Rebel In The Rye.” Through his former production company Trigger Street, he produced "Captain Phillips” starring Tom Hanks, “The Social Network” and "21.” For television, he produced “Recount” and “Bernard & Doris” for HBO, both of which garnered double-digit Emmy Award® nominations. For more than a decade, Spacey served as the Artistic Director of The Old Vic Theatre Company in London where he also appeared on stage in productions of “National Anthems,” “The Philadelphia Story,” “Speed the Plow,” “Inherit the Wind,” “A Moon for the Misbegotten” and the acclaimed production of the one-man show, "Darrow." He won the Evening Standard and Olivier Awards for Best Actor for his role in “The Iceman Cometh,” as well as a Tony Award® for Best Supporting Actor in Neil Simon’s “Lost in Yonkers.” Spacey has also starred in the Broadway and West End productions of “Long Day’s Journey into Night,” opposite his mentor Jack Lemmon; as well as the title role in the Sam Mendes production of “Richard III,” touring to 12 cities around the world as part of the three-year Old Vic/BAM/Bridge Project. Spacey has often launched initiatives to help young people get their start in the competitive worlds of film and theatre, including: The Kevin Spacey Foundation, which offers support to young actors, writers, directors and producers; and the short film competition "Jameson First Shot,” awarded writer/directors from South Africa, Russia and the US, Canada and other countries with the opportunity to direct a short film starring a major actor. Most recently Spacey was awarded an Honorary Knighthood and was made a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) by Her Majesty the Queen for his work at the Old Vic, and in education and philanthropy. 

Tickets and More Information
The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago proudly presents the Renaissance Award Gala in honor of Kevin Spacey Saturday, May 13 at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, 120 E. Delaware Pl. Single tickets range in price from $500 to $1,000 (VIP). Table sponsorships range in price from $10,000 to $50,000. Call (312) 846-2072 for tickets, tables or more information.

About the Gene Siskel Film Center
Since 1972, the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago has presented cutting edge cinema to an annual audience of 80,000. The Film Center’s programming includes annual film festivals that celebrate diverse voices and international cultures, premieres of trailblazing work by today’s independent filmmakers, restorations and revivals of essential films from cinema history, and insightful provocative discussions with filmmakers and media artists. Altogether, the Film Center hosts over 1,600 screenings and 200 filmmaker appearances every year. The Film Center was renamed the Gene Siskel Film Center in 2000 after the late, nationally celebrated film critic, Gene Siskel. Visit www.siskelfilmcenter.org to learn more and find out what’s playing today.

About the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
For more than 150 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists, designers and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts graduate program consistently ranking among the top programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago museum, on-campus galleries and state-of-the-art facilities. SAIC’s undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world—as seen through notable alumni and faculty such as Michelle Grabner, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Murray, Richard Hunt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cynthia Rowley, Nick Cave, Jeff Koons and LeRoy Neiman. www.saic.edu

The Gene Siskel Film Center and SAIC are part of The Art Institute of Chicago. For more information about the Art Institute please visit www.artic.edu

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.