LAST CALL: World Premiere of Still Dance The Stars at Chicago Dramatists Must Close Friday

New Light Theater Project and Chicago Dramatists

Present the World Premiere of Jayme McGhan’s

‘STILL DANCE THE STARS’

Written by Jayme McGhan

Directed by Sarah Norris

Closing Friday, September 15th 

Tonight we're finally catching Still Dance the Stars at Chicago Dramatists. Can't wait to ChiIL in Chi, IL at this world premiere that features a cast from across the country including 3 Elmhurst natives who now live and work in New York. 

New Light Theater Project and Chicago Dramatists present the World Premiere of Still Dance the Stars, a highly theatrical story based on the struggles of love in the face of unthinkable loss. Directed by the Founding Artistic Director of New Light Theater Project, Sarah Norris, and written by highly acclaimed American playwright, Jayme McGhan, this work takes on the struggles of marriage in a unique and fictitious manner that has never been seen before on stage. This play is the recipient of the renowned Chicago Dramatists’ Grafting Project, a project designed to partner with theatre companies to produce Resident Playwright’s world-premiere plays. An energy packed performance filled with both romance and comedy that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, Still Dance the Stars is on stage for a limited time engagement at Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W Chicago Ave.

Still Dance the Stars tells the story of James and Anne, the viral Internet proposal sensation couple that has hit a rut in their sixth year of marriage. The night before another nationally televised interview on the proposal story, these two get into a drunkenly infused battle with a box of stuffed animals over the fate of their marriage. One of these stuffed animals, Hope the Hippo, comes to life to make it her quest to save the marriage of James and Anne and rekindle the flame of love they once shared. 

“This play takes the idea of heartache and infuses it with comedy and dance, creating a storyline for the whole audience to enjoy,” says McGhan. “This story brings to life a couple’s biggest struggles and triumphs in a unique yet relatable fashion. It is a performance you will most definitely not want to miss.”



The casting lineup for Still Dance the Stars stuns with actors and actresses nationwide including: Martel Manning (Chicago), Bethany Geraghty (New York City based actress and Chicago native), Ariana Sepúlveda (Philadelphia), Courtney Knysch (New York City based actress and Chicago native), Michael Aguirre (New York City based actor and Chicago native), Carl Jaynes (New York City based actor and Chicago native), Claudia Campbell (New York City), Dana Martin (Los Angeles), and Kaycee Jordan (Chicago).

In addition to the Director Sarah Norris, the creative team also includes Ashlee Wasmund (Choreographer), Ashley Poteat (Set and Costume Designer), John Kelly (Lighting Designer), Andy Evan Cohen (Sound Designer), Becs Bartle (Stage Manager) and Alan Weusthoff (Technical Director).

Jayme McGhan (Playwright) is the author of 20 full-length plays that have been produced across the country. He is a Resident Playwright at Chicago Dramatists, an Associate Artist at Chicago’s Stage Left Theatre, and serves as the Director of the School of Stage and Screen at WCU. He lives in North Carolina with his wife & son.

Sarah Norris (Director) is the Founding Artistic Director of New Light Theater Project. Her work has been seen both around the country (New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fresno, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Maine & Alaska) and around the world (Australia, England, & Ireland). She has worked with: Playwrights Horizons, Theatre Communications Group (TCG), LAByrinth Theater Company, Disney Theatrical Productions, BAMA Theatre Company, The Flea Theater, and The Gallery Players to name a few. She is a proud member of AEA and associate of SDC.

Performances for Still Dance the Stars are as follows: 
Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 6:00 p.m. There will not be a performance on Sunday, Sept 3rd. Performances are at Chicago Dramatists (1105 W Chicago Avenue). Tickets are $35.

To purchase tickets, visit http://stilldance.brownpapertickets.com.


About New Light Theater Project (NLTP)
New Light Theater Project (NLTP) is an ensemble-driven theater company that strives to capture the Little Theater Movement (artistry over commerce; producing new and classic works) in the NYC indie theater community. To accomplish this, NLTP places the ensemble at the center of the process, where all members, regardless of artistic role, bear weight and voice to the stories selected to tell. NLTP devises and develops new work, brings classical texts and revivals to life, and creates a spirit of community for all theatrical collaborations. NLTP illuminates other artists and companies through a network of shared resources, such as The Darkroom Series, while cultivating theatrical partnerships around the world. For more information, visit newlighttheaterproject.com.


About Chicago Dramatists
Since 1979, Chicago Dramatists has been dedicated to the development and advancement of playwrights. Chicago Dramatists nurtures extraordinary playwrights with the space, resources, and collaborators needed to realize new work and thrive as artists. Workshops, readings, classes, and special programs, provide opportunities for beginning and established dramatists to develop their work, expand their professional affiliations, showcase their plays and collaborate with actors, directors, and audiences during the creative process. For more information, visit chicagodramatists.org.

CARIBBEAN SOUNDS KICK OFF CHICAGO SINFONIETTA'S 30th SEASON

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

CHICAGO SINFONIETTA OPENS 30TH SEASON WITH A BANG OF CARIBBEAN SOUNDS, CONTEMPORARY DANCE AND 

TWO WORLD PREMIERES IN

TRADEMARK

Featuring Northern Illinois University Steelband and 

Chicago’s Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre

Wentz Concert Hall, Naperville, September 16

Symphony Center, Chicago, September 18

Chicago Sinfonietta, the nation’s most diverse orchestra, kicks off its 30th anniversary with Trademark showcasing unusual instruments, collaborations, and classical reinterpretations - a trademark of the orchestra’s programming for three decades. This unexpected and adventurous concert experience will include guest performances from the 16-piece Northern Illinois University Steelband led by Liam Teague and Chicago’s own Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre plus two World Premieres as part of the orchestra’s year-long initiative Project W: Commissions by Women Composers. 

The Sinfonietta performs Trademark twice: first in the western suburbs at Wentz Concert Hall at North Central College, Naperville, Saturday, September 16 at 8 pm, and then again in its downtown Chicago home venue of Symphony Center, Monday, September 18 at 7:30 pm.

The concert begins with the World Premiere of emerging composer and violinist Jessie Montgomery’s Coincident Dances and continues with one of Mozart’s best-known works Rondo alla Turca reinvented by the Northern Illinois University Steelband who then joins Sinfonietta’s principal harpist Faye Seeman on her original solo composition Fayed to Blue before switching to the Caribbean sounds of Lord Kitchener’s upbeat Pan in A-minor. The second half opens with the World Premiere of Grammy Award-nominated composer Clarice Assad’s Sin Fronteras, meaning “without borders”, featuring Chicago’s Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre performing a new piece of choreography also commissioned by the orchestra, and concludes with Bedřich Smetana’s symphonic poem Má vlast.

“As Chicago Sinfonietta approaches an important milestone in its history, our programming continues to reflect a pioneering and innovative spirit more than ever, especially through the dedication to showcasing unusual instruments, and our unprecedented commitment to featuring brand new commissions by diverse, prominent women composers," stated Music Director Mei-Ann Chen. "Making the commissions known through the 2019 release of our 16th commercial recording produced with our wonderful partner, Cedille Records, will help this unique organization advance its mission of diversity, equity, and inclusion while showcasing the incredible talent of women composers in America."

Before the concert and during intermission, audience members will have the opportunity to learn to play the steel drum and harp with students from Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Steel Orchestras and The People’s Music School. Archival photos, artifacts, and more from Chicago Sinfonietta’s 30-year history will be on display for patrons to view as well.

Prior to the concert, Chicago Sinfonietta's Associate Board will host its annual fundraising event, Prelude: Start with a Bang!, to celebrate the start of the 30th Anniversary season. A selection from Chicago’s Crafthouse® cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served while attendees take part in a silent auction and raffle, as well as other interactive activities inspired by the Northern Illinois University Steelband. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. at Orchestra Hall of Symphony Center. Tickets are priced at $50 for the reception only and $95 for the reception and a concert ticket to Trademark. Early bird tickets are also available through August 30 at $40 for the reception and $85 for reception and concert. Tickets are available for purchase by calling 312-284-1554 or online at chicagosinfonietta.org/prelude. 

Trademark is sponsored in part by ITW.

Tickets: Tickets range from $20-$99 for concerts at Symphony Center and $49-$62 for concerts at North Central College with special $10 pricing available for students at both concerts. Tickets can be purchased by calling Chicago Sinfonietta at 312-284-1554 or online at www.chicagosinfonietta.org.

Program:     
MONTGOMERY
Coincident Dances
MOZART
Rondo alla Turca
SEEMAN
Fayed to Blue
KITCHENER
Pan in A-minor
ASSAD
Sin Fronteras
SMETANA
Má vlast (My Homeland)
I. Vyšehrad (The High Castle)
II. Vltava (The Moldau)

Mei-Ann Chen, music director and conductor
Faye Seeman, harp
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre 
Northern Illinois University Steelband, steel drum ensemble directed by Liam Teague



About the Sinfonietta
Now in its 30th season, Chicago Sinfonietta and music director Mei-Ann Chen have pushed artistic boundaries to provide an alternative way of hearing, seeing and thinking about a symphony orchestra and are dedicated to promoting diversity, inclusion, racial and cultural equity in the arts. Each concert experience blends inventive new works with classical masterworks, each from a diverse array of voices, to entertain, transform and inspire. In 2016, Chicago Sinfonietta was the proud recipient of the 2016 Spirit of Innovation Award presented by the Chicago Innovation Awards as well as the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s prestigious MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions (MACEI). The MacArthur award recognizes exceptional organizations that are key contributors in their fields. Learn more at www.chicagosinfonietta.org

Chicago Sinfonietta is grateful to its season sponsors including Aon, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Southwest Airlines, Fairmont Hotel, Hotel Indigo and NBC5. Chicago Sinfonietta also thanks its BRIDGE Audience Engagement sponsor Macy's, as well as its season media sponsors including Chicago Tribune, Chicago magazine, Naperville magazine, and WBEZ.

OPENING: IVO VAN HOVE’S TONY-WINNING TRIUMPH A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE OPENS THE GOODMAN'S 2017/18 SEASON

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

GOODMAN OPENS 2017/18 SEASON WITH 

THE CHICAGO DEBUT OF

A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, 

AND YASMINA’S NECKLACE 

BY ROHINA MALIK, 

DIRECTED BY ANN FILMER

***NEW “GOODMAN MEMBERSHIP” OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE 2017/2018 SEASON***

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're looking forward to the 2017/18 season at Chicago's iconic, award winning GoodmanTheatre. They've long been favorites of ours for world class productions. We'll be out first for the press opening of Arthur Miller’s classic A View from the Bridge on September 18th. Check back soon for our full review.

Goodman Theatre announces the casting and creative teams for its 2017/2018 Albert and Owen Theatre season openers. The season kicks-off September 9 with internationally acclaimed Belgian director Ivo van Hove’s “magnetic, electrifying, astonishingly bold” (London Evening Standard) revival of Arthur Miller’s classic A View from the Bridge (September 9 – October 15). Yasmina’s Necklace by Rohina Malik, directed by Ann Filmer, is next (October 20 – November 19), which was developed as part of the Goodman’s New Stages Festival and premiered last fall at 16th Street Theater. In addition, the Goodman’s fall season includes the 14th annual New Stages Festival of new plays (September 20 – October 8) and the 40th annual production of A Christmas Carol, starring Larry Yando in his 10th turn as Ebenezer Scrooge (November 18 – December 31); line-up/casting will be announced soon.

This season, the Goodman introduces a new way to experience Chicago’s world-class theater: MEMBERSHIP. Audiences choose from three levels to suit their preferences, including Classic 8-play, 5-play or 3-play packages; Choice, a personalized package that can include both Owen and Albert productions; and Whenever—the ultimate flexible package, to be used at any time during the season. All Goodman members receive unlimited ticket exchanges, discounted parking, 15% savings at the Goodman bar and gift shop, restaurant discounts and more. To purchase a Membership (5-play ticket packages start at $100) or individual tickets to A View from the Bridge ($25 - $95) and A Christmas Carol ($25 - $107, or the ULTIMATE40 package for $140, which includes Premium seating and special benefits), visit GoodmanTheatre.org or call the Box Office at 312.443.3800. Individual tickets for Yasmina’s Necklace go on sale September 8.

ABOUT THE CASTS AND CREATIVE TEAMS

The Young Vic Production of Arthur Miller’s
A View from the Bridge                                                                               Directed by Ivo Van Hove | September 9 – October 15 
in the Albert Theatre

Visionary Belgian director Ivo van Hove injects a raw, pulsating energy into Arthur Miller’s 1955 classic—recipient of 2016 Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Play and Best Director. Direct from sold-out runs on Broadway and London’s West End comes Ivo van Hove’s revival of Arthur Miller’s famed drama. Brooklyn longshoreman Eddie Carbone welcomes his immigrant cousins to America. But when one of them falls for Eddie’s young niece, Catherine, Eddie’s jealous mistrust exposes an unspeakable secret—one that drives him to commit the ultimate betrayal.

Daniel Abeles…………..Rodolpho
Ian Bedford……………..Eddie Carbone
Catherine Combs. .….....Catherine
Ronald Connor…………Louis
Brandon Espinoza……..Marco
James D. Farruggio. ......Officer
Ezra Knight……………..Alfieri
Andrus Nichols . ………..Beatrice
Jan Versweyveld (Set and Lights), An D’Huys (Costumes), Tom Gibbons (Sound). Jeff James is the Associate Director.

Yasmina’s Necklace
By Rohina Malik
Directed by Ann Filmer | October 20 – November 19 
in the Owen Theatre

The refugee experience is illuminated by this “sweet and hopeful story” (Chicago Tribune ) about love and renewal in the face of past devastation—a 2016 Jeff Award nominee for Best New Work. Challenged by his Iraqi roots, Abdul Samee has obscured his Muslim identity in favor of assimilation—he’s changed his name to Sam, and even tells his co-workers that he’s Italian. But his attitudes change when he meets Yasmina, a refugee from his father’s homeland whose own experiences have hardened her to the possibilities of love. As a tentative relationship between the two blossoms into something more, each begins to find hope in the future, buoyed by the power of family, connection and the embracing of their shared culture.

Salar Ardebili….……….Man
Rom Barkhordar……....Musa
Laura Crotte…………...Sara
Allen Gilmore…………..Imam Kareem
Martin Hanna…………..Amir
Susaan Jamshidi……...Yasmina
Michael Perez………….Sam
Amro Salama…………..Ali
Frank Sawa…………….Officer
Joe Schermoly (Set), Rachel Sypniewski (Costumes), Cat Wilson (Lights) and Barry Bennett (Sound).  

About Goodman Theatre
America’s “Best Regional Theatre” (Time magazine) and “Chicago’s flagship resident stage” (Chicago Tribune ), Goodman Theatre is a not-for-profit organization distinguished by the quality and scope of its artistic programming and civic engagement. Founded in 1925, the Goodman is led by Robert Falls—“Chicago’s most essential director” (Chicago Tribune), who marks 30 years as Artistic Director this season—and Executive Director Roche Schulfer, who is celebrated for his vision and leadership over nearly four decades. Dedicated to new plays, reimagined classics and large-scale musical theater works, Goodman Theatre artists and productions have earned hundreds of awards for artistic excellence, including: two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards, nearly 160 Jeff Awards and more. Over the past three decades, audiences have experienced more than 150 world or American premieres, 30 major musical productions, as well as nationally and internationally celebrated productions of classic works (including Falls’ productions of Death of a Salesman, Long Day’s Journey into Night, King Lear and The Iceman Cometh, many in collaboration with actor Brian Dennehy). In addition, the Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” For nearly four decades, the annual holiday tradition of A Christmas Carol has created a new generation of theatergoers. 

The 2016 opening of the Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement (“the Alice”) launched the next phase in the Goodman’s decades-long commitment as an arts and community organization dedicated to educating Chicago youth and promoting lifelong learning. Programs are offered year-round and free of charge. Eighty-five percent of the Goodman’s youth program participants come from underserved communities.

Goodman Theatre was founded by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth, an important figure in Chicago’s cultural renaissance in the early 1900s. The Goodman family’s legacy lives on through the continued work and dedication of Kenneth’s family, including Albert Ivar Goodman, who with his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton, contributed the necessary funds for the creation of the new Goodman center in 2000.

Today, Goodman Theatre leadership includes the distinguished members of the Artistic Collective: Brian Dennehy, Rebecca Gilman, Henry Godinez, Dael Orlandersmith, Steve Scott, Chuck Smith, Regina Taylor, Henry Wishcamper and Mary Zimmerman. Joan E. Clifford is Chair of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Cynthia K. Scholl is Women’s Board President and Justin A. Kulovsek is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals. 

Visit the Goodman virtually at GoodmanTheatre.org—including OnStage+ for insider information—and on Twitter (@GoodmanTheatre), Facebook and Instagram.

OPENING: Hell in a Handbag Productions' World Premiere BEWILDERED at Stage 773 9/27-11/11

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

World Premiere!

Hell in a Handbag Productions Presents 

BEWILDERED

Book by Ron Weaver 

Music and Lyrics by Aaron Benham & Ron Weaver

Directed & Choreographed by Brigitte Ditmars 

September 27 – November 11, 2017 at Stage 773

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we do enjoy a good parody, and 60's/70's sitcoms make great fodder. We'll be out for the press opening of Chicago's hilarious Hell in a Handbag Productions' latest world premiere so check back soon for our full review. Our noses are twitching in anticipation of this bewitching adaptation. They had me at BEWILDERED. 

 Bewildered-1 (left to right) Caitlin Jackson as Gladys Kravitz, David Cerda as Endora and Elizabeth Morgan as Samantha in a publicity image for Hell in a Handbag Productions’ world premiere musical BEWILDERED. 

Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to continue its 15th Anniversary Season with the world premiere of BEWILDERED, a musical parody of the classic TV sitcom Bewitched, told from the perspective of Gladys Kravitz, Samantha Stephens’ iconic nosy neighbor. Featuring a book by Ron Weaver, music and lyrics by Aaron Benham and Ron Weaver and direction and choreography by Brigitte Ditmars, BEWILDERED will play September 27 – November 11, 2017 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. 

Tickets are currently available at www.handbagproductions.org and stage773.com, by calling (773) 327-5252 or in person at the Stage 773 box office. 

(left to right) David Cerda as Endora, Elizabeth Morgan as Samantha and Caitlin Jackson as Gladys Kravitz 

Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

A parody and reimagining of the beloved ‘60s/‘70s television sitcom Bewitched, this spellbinding throwback is told from the point of view of Gladys Kravitz, the poor, misunderstood neighbor who keeps seeing crazy things at the home of Samantha Stephens, a beautiful witch, and her ‘ordinary family.’ Gladys’ husband Abner has had enough and is about to take drastic measures. Can Gladys prove her visions are real without destroying the Stephens family – or is she doomed to a life of pills and institutions? Gladys finally gets her due in this fun and magical musical parody.

BEWILDERED features ensemble members David Cerda as Endora, Caitlin Jackson as Gladys Kravitz, Ed Jones as Uncle Arthur, Michael S. Miller as Mr. Tumer and AJ Wright as Darrin G. The production also features Steve Kimbrough as Larry Tate, Matt Miles as Abner, Elizabeth Morgan as Samantha, Scott Sawa as Darrin S. and Robert Williams as Tabitha/Louise. Rounding out the cast are Kira Gaudynski, Jennifer Ledesma, Travis Monroe Neese and Sarah Taylor as Magic Stage Hands.

The production team for BEWILDERED includes: Roger Wykes (scenic design), Rachel Sypniewski (costume design), Cat Wilson (lighting design), Sydney Genco (make-up design), Mealah Heidenreich (props design) Becca Holloway (assistant director) and Keith Ryan (wig design). 

(left to right) David Cerda as Endora, Caitlin Jackson as Gladys Kravitz and Elizabeth Morgan as Samantha

Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

Regular run: Thursday, October 5 – Saturday, November 11, 2017
Curtain Times: Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will not be a performance on Sunday, October 15 due to Handbag’s Annual Benefit.

Special Halloween Show: Tuesday, October 31 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: Previews $22 in advance ($25 at door). 

Regular run $34 in advance ($39 at door). 

 (left to right) Caitlin Jackson as Gladys Kravitz and Elizabeth Morgan as Samantha 

Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

About the Creative Team
Ron Weaver (Book, Music and Lyrics) moved to Chicago 18 years ago as an Equity Stage Manager at The Writers Theatre in Glencoe. A long-time fan of Hell in a Handbag Productions, he is currently working as box office manager at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, and on numerous other theatrical projects. Ron holds an MFA in Theatre Technology and Management from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign. This is his first play to be produced.

Aaron Benham (Music and Lyrics) First time in the bag!  Chicago credits: Side Show, Scottsboro Boys, Putting it Together (Porchlight); Xanadu (ATC); The Wild Party (Jeff Award), Carrie (Bailiwick Chicago); Always Patsy Cline, A Tribute to the Andrews Sisters (Jeff Award) (Theo-Ubique); also work with About Face, Chicago Opera Theater, Montana Shakespeare, Second City, Writers. BFA, Emerson College.

Brigitte Ditmars (Director/Choreographer) is a proud Handbag Alumni having performed in several Handbag productions including the original Poseidon! An Upside-Down Musical, multiple Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeers and originated the role of Mary Anderson in the 2006 production of Caged Dames. She provided choreography for countless other Handbag productions including multiple incarnations of Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer, the original Lady X and the 2010 remount of Poseidon! An Upside-Down Musical, for which she received a Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination. Previous directing credits include Rock of Ages (Timber Lake Playhouse); Maybe Baby, It's You and Nunsense (Fox Valley Repertory); Model 736 (Collaboraction). She has received two Joseph Jefferson Awards for Achievement in Choreography for Reefer Madness (Circle Theatre) and Pinafore! (Bailiwick Repertory), as well as three additional nominations. Notable choreography credits include Peter and the Starcatcher (Metropolis Performing Arts Center); Xanadu (American Theatre Company); The Producers (Mercury Theatre); American Idiot (Northwestern University); Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play (Theater Wit); Hey! Dancin'! Hey! Musical! (Factory Theatre); Cinderella (Emerald City Children’s Theatre); Forever Plaid (Fox Valley Repertory); Improbable Frequency (Strawdog Theatre).



About Hell in a Handbag Productions
Hell in a Handbag is dedicated to the preservation, exploration, and celebration of works ingrained in the realm of popular culture via theatrical productions through parody, music and homage. Handbag is a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit.

For additional information, visit www.handbagproductions.org.

OPENING: 10th Anniversary Special, The Men and Their Music at Chicago's Apollo Theatre

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

This Sunday, ChiIL Live Shows will be ChiILin' old school, with Ron Hawking, at the press opening of the 10th Anniversary of The Men and Their Music. Check back soon for our full review.

Ron Hawking, dubbed "Chicago's Entertainer," first created His Way – A Tribune to the Man and His Music in 1998, which paid tribute to Frank Sinatra and his songbook. Expanding on the demand for the musical style of artists like Sinatra, Hawking developed The Men and Their Music, encompassing a variety of personalities and music styles with a refreshed repertoire of iconic numbers from some of the world’s most legendary male vocalists and songwriters, including Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Bobby Darin, Burt Bacharach and more. 



As an entertainer and vocalist, Hawking brings to life a treasure trove of hits from some of music’s greatest artists. Combined with a set list of over 15 songs and medleys, Hawking also surprises audiences with a few impersonations including Willie Nelson, Tom Jones, Joe Cocker and others, capturing the essence of these legendary stars. 





Click HERE for ticket purchasing and further information on show dates and times.

TOP WEEKEND PICKS: Surprise! Death Is Not The End at Links Hall

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Tonight my son and I will be ChiILin' at Chi, IL's Links Hall. We are thrilled to be able to catch this sold out inaugural weekend. Want tickets? Show up early for possible floor seating Saturday & Sunday. Check back soon for our original photo filled recap and review. 


Links Hall
3111 N. Western Avenue, Chicago, IL
773.281.0824
All shows sold out online


For an early heads up on future productions, join the Curious Community on Facebook
  
Featuring the world premieres of...

 

The Death and Life of Billy the Kid
written by Seth Bockley
music by Liz Chidester
directed by Frank Maugeri with Dexter Ellis

AND

Behold Where Stands the
Usurper's Cursed Head
written by Mickle Maher
directed by Vanessa Stalling
inspired by Frank Maugeri

PLUS
the triumphant return of a puppetry classic:

Laika's Coffin
written and conceived by Seth Bockley and Frank Maugeri
music by Kevin O'Donnell
directed by Kasey Foster

AND

The Deep Dark
created by Laura Heit
with original live music by Angela James and Annie Higgins


Artistic collaborators and performers include
Time Brickey, Cynthia Castiglione, Liz Chidester, Greg Hardigan, Annie Higgins, Angela James, Lynne Jordan, Nicole Laurenzi, Danielle Nicholas, Mike Oleon, Andy Sjostrom, Samuel Taylor, Lindsey Noel Whiting, and Andrew Yearick

Puppet and object design by
Evan Barr, Mike Coon, Kass Copeland, Coco Ree Lemery, Andres Lemus-Spont, Jesse Mooney-Bullock, Tom Robinson, Ellie Terrell, and Jackie Valdez

Generous Support From
The Jim Henson Foundation and Puppeteers of America


Support CoCE
Frank Maugeri, former 20 year producing artistic director of Redmoon and current Chicago Children's Theatre Community Programs Artistic Director, has created a new artistic enterprise defined by an ever evolving collective who share in common the ambition to create intimate and experimental events, design unusual and celebratory interactive equipment, and develop stunning and relevant object work. Our mission is new ritual, new celebrations and new experiences.

We need your help to realize our goals of service and beauty. If you can make a donation or cannot attend the event, and would like to support CoCE's mission nonetheless please email Frank Maugeri directly.

SAVE THE DATES: Upcoming “Theatre Thursday” Specials

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

“Theatre Thursday” Event Series via League of Chicago Theatres for 2017-2018 Season

Chicago is synonymous with a world class theatre scene including a breathtaking number of world premieres. Here at ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly) we bring you Chicago theatre news, interviews, original reviews, ticket giveaways, photo recaps, and more. We also adore The League of Chicago Theatres and their Theatre Thursday events. They're a stellar resource for theatre lovin' locals and visitors alike. Note these dates and come to Theatre Thursdays like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often. 

Alias Grace - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble,
The Making of a Modern Folk Hero - The Other Theatre Company,
Welcome to Jesus - American Theater Company,
Puff: Believe It or Not - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company,
Franklinland - Jackalope Theatre,
Breach: A Manifesto on Race in America Through the Eyes of a
Black Girl Recovering from Self-Hate - Victory Gardens Theater,
Anna Karenina - Lifeline Theatre,
Ellen Bond, Union Spy - The House Theatre of Chicago,
To Catch a Fish - TimeLine Theatre Company,
Damascus - Strawdog Theatre Company,
Tilikum - Sideshow Theatre Company, and
Bliss (or Emily Post is Dead!) - Promethean Theatre Ensemble


The League of Chicago Theatres announces the Theatre Thursday event line-up for the 2017-2018 Chicago theatre season, featuring one World Premiere per month. The Theatre Thursday events include works created and performed by a diverse range of playwrights and artists at theatres located in nine Chicago neighborhoods. Additional information for each event is below and ticketing details will be available online at http://bit.ly/theatrethursdays.



The Theatre Thursday initiative, first launched in 2005, strengthens and diversifies the Chicago theatre community by encouraging Chicagoans to explore new venues and companies. In 2015, the League of Chicago Theatres revamped the program to focus on new work with Theatre Thursday events happening once a month. Each monthly event provides audiences with a world premiere production and an inside look at the creative process behind new works, including exclusive access to artists.

“For the past twelve years, Theatre Thursday events have offered theatregoers an affordable theatre experience in various neighborhoods in Chicago. Each evening offers a close look at the production and encourages people to try something new. Each production is a world premiere and the selections this season are exemplary of the diverse, quality work on stages throughout the city and suburbs,” comments League of Chicago Theatres Executive Director Deb Clapp.”

The 2017-2018 Series Includes:

September 7, 2017
ALIAS GRACE
Based on the novel by Margaret Atwood and adapted by Jennifer Blackmer
Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
5779 N. Ridge in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood
Tickets: $15
For reservations, visit https://rivendelltheatre.secure.force.com/ticket and use the discount code “THTH”.

Enjoy appetizers, cocktails and conversation pre-show with playwright Jennifer Blackmer and director Karen Kessler courtesy of Cellars Bar & Grill at 6:30pm in Rivendell’s rehearsal studio then sojourn next door to the theatre for an 8:00pm preview performance of Alias Grace.

About Alias Grace: A world premiere adaptation of Atwood's acclaimed novel, Alias Grace takes a look at one of Canada's most notorious murderers. In 1843, 16-year-old Grace Marks was accused of brutally murdering her employer and his housekeeper. Imprisoned for years, Grace still swears she has no memory of the killings. A doctor in the emerging field of mental health arrives to try to find out the truth of the matter. Alias Grace is a fascinating study of memory, culpability, and the shadowy spaces within the human mind.

October 12, 2017
THE MAKING OF A MODERN FOLK HERO
Written by Martin Zimmerman
The Other Theatre Company at Chicago Dramatists
1105 W. Chicago Ave. in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood
Event and reservation details will be announced closer to the date.

About The Making of a Modern Folk Hero: A congressman entices an old friend (and washed-up actor) to portray a superhero in a publicity stunt designed to stop the unjust bulldozing of a public housing complex. That first stunt proves successful and leaves the crowd enthralled, but what happens when the character the politician created goes rogue? This graphic novel for the stage employs a seamless blend of live actors and shadow puppets to investigate the passions, hopes, and fears that call people to yearn for and believe in the possibility of superheroes.

November 9, 2017
WELCOME TO JESUS
Written by Janine Nabers
American Theater Company
1909 W. Byron Ave. in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood
Event and reservation details will be announced closer to the date.

About Welcome to Jesus: In fictional Hallelujah, TX, football reigns, and the quarterback is king. Janine Nabers’ darkly funny and powerful new play unearths the tyranny of small town life and the power of prejudice to define our fate. Staged in a field of wood chips, about a town in search of some good news, Welcome to Jesus fuses fable and horror in a twenty-first century take on the Southern Gothic tradition. Will Davis kicks off Season 33 in ambitious style.

December 14, 2017
PUFF: BELIEVE IT OR NOT
Written by Eugène Scribe and translated by Ranjit Bolt
Remy Bumppo Theatre Company at the Greenhouse Theater Center
2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood
Event and reservation details will be announced closer to the date.

About Puff: Believe It Or Not: Puff is set in the salon society of 1840s Paris and is packed full of elegant plotting, quirky characters, fanciful fakery, and just downright lying, as it delightfully skewers the worlds of letters, politics and finance.

January 25, 2018
FRANKLINLAND
Written by Lloyd Suh
Jackalope Theatre at the Broadway Armory
5917 N. Broadway in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood
Event and reservation details will be announced closer to the date.

About Franklinland: Philadelphia, 1752. Growing up as the only son of Benjamin Franklin – the greatest scientific mind in the world; inventor of the lightning rod, the odometer, the glass harmonica, bifocal glasses, and, in his spare time, The United States of America – is not all it’s cracked up to be. In the world premiere of this moving new play, Franklinland asks what it’s like to make your way in life knowing your father’s greatest invention wasn’t you.

February 15, 2018
BREACH: A MANIFESTO ON RACE IN AMERICA THROUGH THE EYES OF A BLACK GIRL RECOVERING FROM SELF-HATE
Written by Antoinette Nwandu
Victory Gardens Theater
2433 N. Lincoln Ave in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood
Event and reservation details will be announced closer to the date.

About Breach: What happens when a woman trapped in a dead-end job and a fizzling relationship accidentally gets pregnant by a man that she’s not dating? A coming-of- age story about race, class and motherhood, Breach by Antoinette Nwandu and directed by Lisa Portes, examines how hard it is to love others when it’s you that you loathe most of all.

March 1, 2018
ANNA KARENINA
Based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy and adapted by Jessica Wright Buha
Lifeline Theatre
6912 N. Glenwood Ave. in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood
Event and reservation details will be announced closer to the date.

About Anna Karenina: As a wave of profound upheaval sweeps through Russian society, it is a time of impossible choices. Anna is torn between raising her cherished son and languishing in a lifeless marriage, or sacrificing everything to follow her lover Alexei into disgrace. Konstantin struggles to reconcile his existential torment with his enduring passion for Kitty. Innocents will suffer, hearts will be broken, and families will be torn apart as two couples learn that living truthfully is no simple thing. Travel to the palaces and farms of imperial Russia in a world premiere meditation on the complexities of love based on the 1877 novel by Leo Tolstoy.

April 12, 2018
ELLEN BOND, UNION SPY
Written by Jenni Lamb
The House Theatre of Chicago at the Chopin Theatre
1543 W. Division St. in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood
Event and reservation details will be announced closer to the date.

About Ellen Bond, Union Spy: The year is 1864.  The Civil War has ripped America in half, and while Union forces greatly outnumber the Confederates, Jefferson Davis and his generals doggedly persevere.  Who can help end the war once and for all?  Enter Ellen Bond, Union Spy!  Mary Bowser is the (real!) freedwoman who risked it all to go undercover as "Ellen Bond, dim-witted but able" house slave to Jefferson and Varina Davis. "Ellen" cooks, cleans, and uses her photographic memory to collect military intel from the papers on Davis's desk.  This action-packed new seriocomedy also features contemporary music and dance, illuminating Mary’s exhilarating visions for the end of the Confederacy and the future of America.

May 10, 2018
TO CATCH A FISH
Written by Brett Neveu
TimeLine Theatre Company
615 W. Wellington Ave. in Chicago’s East Lakeview neighborhood
Event and reservation details will be announced closer to the date.

About To Catch a Fish: Inspired by true events, this compelling new play examines how the pursuit of justice—however well intentioned—can devastate a family and a community. In a low-income, residential neighborhood of Milwaukee, Terry Kilbourn has just begun a new job passing out flyers for a discount warehouse. When his bosses start asking more of him, his loved ones begin to question what is really going on. As higher stakes are revealed and relationships tested, the clarity of who to trust and what to believe grows increasingly murky. Both hilarious and heart wrenching, To Catch a Fish walks the line between good intentions and deceit, testing the bonds we have to family and community.

June 7, 2018
DAMASCUS
Written by Bennett Fisher
Strawdog Theatre Company
1802 W. Berenice in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood
Event and reservation details will be announced closer to the date.

About Damascus: Hassan is a Somali-American Super Shuttle driver in Minneapolis, struggling to make ends meet as more and more of his customers switch to Uber and Lyft. So when a stranded teenager at the airport pays Hassan to take him to Chicago, it seems like it’s worth the risk. Until it isn't. A claustrophobic thriller about privilege, paranoia, and the assumptions we make about one another.

July 5, 2018
TILIKUM
Written by Kristiana Rae Colón
Sideshow Theatre Company at Victory Gardens Theater
2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood
Event and reservation details will be announced closer to the date.

About Tilikum: Tilikum was a king, and the oceans of the world were his. Now, he is a captive in a marine amusement park, doomed to live merely as an opportunity for profit. Alone behind bars he forgets the feel of freedom, but when fellow prisoners ignite the fires of his memory, he starts down a path that threatens to consume everything. Ripped from the headlines, Kristiana Rae Colón’s Tilikum explores captivity, savagery and rebellion in a vital and visceral blend of theatre, drumming and dance. Poetic and lyrical, Tilikum calls out the power structures--both corporate and human--that ensure continued oppression, and the complicity of those willing to stand by and do nothing.

August 2, 2018
BLISS (OR EMILY POST IS DEAD!)
Written by Jami Brandli
Promethean Theatre Ensemble at the Athenaeum Theatre
2936 N. Southport Ave. in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood
Event and reservation details will be announced closer to the date.

About Bliss (Or Emily Post is Dead): It’s 1960 in North Orange, NJ. Clytemnestra and Medea are now housewives with a pill addiction, and Antigone is the teenage girl next door who is in love with a black boy. On the surface, they're seemingly blissful to follow the "rules” of Emily Post, the American author famous for writing on etiquette. But that's just the surface. Then Cassandra, a black working girl, moves into their neighborhood and all routines are interrupted. Cassandra is determined to finally break the curse of Apollo, the gorgeous and egotistical god who gave her this “gift” of prophecy but made it so no one would ever believe her. He makes it clear his curse is practically indestructible: yet all she must do is convince someone to believe her. Can Cassandra convince them they now have a choice in this modern era? That they don't have to live a doomed existence? Can all four women escape their ongoing fate?


The 2017-2018 Theatre Thursday event series is sponsored by the Chicago Reader.

About Chicago theater
Chicago theater is the leader in the U.S. with more than 250 theaters throughout Chicagoland, comprising a rich and varied community ranging from storefront, non-union theaters to the most renowned resident theaters in the country, including 5 which have been honored with Regional Tony Awards, and the largest touring Broadway organization in the nation. Chicago’s theaters serve 5 million audience members annually and have a combined budget of more than $250 million. Chicago produces and/or presents more world premieres annually than any other city in the nation. Last year alone Chicago theater companies produced more than 100 world premiere productions and adaptations. Each year Chicago theaters send new work to resident theaters across the country, to Broadway, and around the world. 

The League of Chicago Theatres’ Mission Statement
The League of Chicago Theatres is an alliance of theaters which leverages its collective strength to promote, support and advocate for Chicago's theater industry locally, nationally and internationally. The League of Chicago Theatres Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the art of theater in the Chicago area through audience development and support services for theaters and theater professionals.

For a comprehensive list of Chicago productions, visit the League of Chicago Theatres website, ChicagoPlays.com. Half-price tickets to the current week’s performances as well as future performances are available at HotTix.org and at the two Hot Tix half-price ticket locations: across from the Chicago Cultural Center at Expo72 (72 E. Randolph) and Block Thirty Seven (108 N. State).