REVIEW: ROCKIN' RETRO FUN WITH PORCHLIGHT REVISITS THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG March 6-8th, 2018

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE’S PORCHLIGHT REVISITS,

“LOST” MUSICALS IN STAGED CONCERT SERIES, 

CONTINUES ITS FIFTH SEASON WITH 

THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG, 

STARRING SHARRIESE HAMILTON AND LORENZO RUSH JR.

AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 

MARCH 6 - 8

All Production Photos by Austin Packard

Review:

I just discovered a new favorite format for musical theatre... 

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we've been promoting Porchlight revisits shows for years, but I'd only ever seen their main stage productions. Now that I caught THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG, I'm hooked! 

Porchlight revisits shows are just a few nights, not off book, encamped on the main stage set, and utterly charming. They crackle with the improv energy of anything's possible. The pre-show history slide show, back story, and pop cultural placement of the piece is a hoot and a must see. They're Playing Our Song is retro relatable and too much fun. Earworm alert: The title tune is so catchy, your brain is likely to be "playing our song" on auto repeat for at least a few days after the last notes fade on stage. 



I've caught Lorenzo Rush Jr in Five Guys Named Moe (Court Theater) and Little Shop of Horrors (American Blues Theater), and Sharriese Hamilton in Rock of Ages (Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre); Wonderful Town (Goodman Theatre),Thaddeus and Slocum (Lookingglass Theatre) Pericles (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); and We Three Lizas (About Face Theatre), so it was quite fun to see them together. The rapport between Sharriese Hamilton and Lorenzo Rush Jr was truly a treat. Don't miss this. 

The Tony Award-nominated Musical Features Book by Neil Simon, Music by Marvin Hamlisch and Lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager and the Production is Directed and Choreographed by Christopher Carter and Musical Direction by Andra Velis Simon 

Porchlight Music Theatre announced that Lorenzo Rush Jr has replaced James Earl Jones II in Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing Our Song, music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager and book by Neil Simon, with direction and choreography by Christopher Carter and musical direction by Andra Velis Simon. Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing our Song is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, March 6 through Thursday, March 8 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight’s Merrily We Roll Along (previews begin January 26) at Porchlight’s new home, The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Tickets for They’re Playing Our Song are $35. All tickets include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multimedia presentation, created and hosted by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Director Michael Weber that discusses the evening’s production including the show’s creative history, juicy backstage gossip and the state of the art on Broadway that season. Single tickets to They’re Playing Our Song and subscriptions for the entire series are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office at 773.777.9884. 

Due to a scheduling conflict, James Earl Jones II is unable to perform in this production. Rush assumes the role of “Vernon Gersch” and joins Sharriese Hamilton in Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing Our Song, a romantic musical comedy about the affair (both professional and romantic) of a wisecracking composer and an aspiring, offbeat lyricist. Creatively, their relationship works great, but personal trials and tribulations lead them toward finding a new way to make harmonious music together in this laugh-a-minute romantic charmer. The show features musical hits “Fallin’,” “If He Really Knew Me” and “Just For Tonight.”

The cast of Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing Our Song includes: Sharriese Hamilton (Sonia Walsk), Lorenzo Rush Jr. (Vernon Gersch) and Anastasia Arnold, (voice of Sonia Walsk); Kiersten Frumkin, (voice of Sonia Walsk); Yando Lopez,  (voice of Vernon Gersch); Billy Rude, (voice of Vernon Gersch); Tyler Symone, (voice of Sonia Walsk) and Koray Tarhan, (voice of Vernon Gersch).

The production team includes Christopher Carter, director; Andra Velis Simon, music director; Lucia Lombardi, stage manager; Joaquin Gomez, assistant stage manager and Samantha Treible, wardrobe supervisor.

The musicians are Chel Hernandez, bass; Tony Scandora, drums and Page Kallop, guitar.

ABOUT CHRISTOPHER CARTER, director and choreographer
Christopher Carter is a graduate of Grand Valley State University with a liberal arts degree in dance. Carter has traveled all over performing/directing and choreographing. Some of his credits include Dreamgirls and In The Heights at Porchlight Music Theatre; as well as Sweeney Todd, Godspell, Secret Garden and Pirates Of Penzance (Grand Valley State University); Show Boat and Oklahoma (Lyric Opera Chicago); Show Boat (San Francisco and Houston Grand Opera); Hairspray (Drury Lane Oakbrook), Joseph… (Paramount Theater); Duke Ellington’s Queenie Pie (Chicago Opera Theater); Oliver, Carousel and Brigadoon (Light Opera Works); The Wiz, 42nd Street and Guys and Dolls (Theatre at the Center); Smokey Joe’s Café (Circle Theatre); The Wild Party (Actor’s Theater). Carter has been the choreographer for the Grand Rapids Civic’s SRT the past four years. Other credits include national tours, commercial, industrial and concert work. As a scholarship student of The Debbie Allen Dance Academy in California, he moved to Chicago in 2009 to expand his mind and resume.  

ABOUT ANDRA VELIS SIMON, music director

Andra Velis Simon returns to Porchlight, where she music directed last year’s Porchlight Revisits On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. Most recently she was the music director for the Firebrand production Lizzie. Regional credits include: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, A.R.T. in Cambridge, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Skirball at NYU, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Berkeley Rep and Olney Theatre Center in Maryland. In Chicago, her credits include Chicago Children’s Theatre, Firebrand, The Goodman, The Hypocrites, Theater Wit and many others. Velis Simon is an adjunct faculty member at Columbia College Chicago, where she has taught musical theatre performance since 2008.

ABOUT SHARRIESE HAMILTON, “Sonia Walsk”

Sharriese Hamilton returns to Porchlight Revisits where she last starred in On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. She hails from Okemos Michigan with a BA in Theatre from Michigan State University and has been seen at Porchlight Music Theatre in How To Succeed, Ain’t Misbehavin, Pal Joey and A Class Act. Her Chicago credits include Sleeping Beauty, Madagascar, The Velveteen Rabbit, Sister Act (Marriott Theatre); Rock of Ages, James and the Giant Peach (Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre); Wonderful Town (Goodman Theatre),Thaddeus and Slocum (Lookingglass Theatre) Pericles (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); The Wild Party, See What I What I Wanna See and Passing Strange (Bailiwick Chicago); All Shook Up (Theatre at the Center) Jesus Christ Superstar (Theo Ubique), and We Three Lizas (About Face Theatre). Regional credits include HAIR (McLeod Summer Playhouse) Spamalot, Working, The 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee, and Buddy:The Buddy Holly Story (Timber Lake Playhouse).

ABOUT LORENZO RUSH JR., “Vernon Gersch”

Lorenzo Rush Jr returns to Porchlight Music Theatre where he appeared in Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Jeff Award Nomination) and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He has also performed in Five Guys Named Moe (Court Theater) Jesus Christ Superstar (Paramount Theater), Dreamgirls, City of Angels (Marriott Theater), Little Shop of Horrors (American Blues Theater), and Parade (BoHo Theater). Rush’s TV/Film credits include: “Sirens” on USA Network. Rush received his BFA in Musical Theater at Western Illinois University.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT REVISITS

Continuing to forge its role as “Chicago’s Music Theatre,” Porchlight launched the exciting new series Porchlight Revisits in 2013; especially created for the die-hard music theatre aficionado. Each season, Porchlight Music Theatre shares with audiences the rare opportunity to visit three musicals that opened on the Great White Way but have since gone “unsung.” The finest music theatre artists in Chicago dust off these neglected treasures and, with script in hand and minimal staging, escort audiences to a world of Broadway long past. Previous Porchlight Revisits productions include: (2016/17) The Rink, Little Me, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever; (2015/16) Chess, Applause, Babes in Arms; (2014/15) Bells Are Ringing, City of Angels, Mack & Mabel and (2013/14) Anyone Can Whistle, Golden Boy, Fade Out-Fade In.

Future Porchlight Revisits Final Performance in its 2017 – 2018 Series:

Do Re Mi 

May 22 – 24

Book by Garson Kanin

Music by Jule Styne

Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green

Direction and Choreography by Christopher Pazdernik

Music Direction by David Fiorello

Starring Nancy Voigts and Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber

Originally created for the comic style of the great Phil Silvers and Nancy Walker, this is the story of “Hubie Cram,” a minor-league conman endlessly scheming to win big who, at the urging of his long-suffering wife, “Kay,” decides to go (somewhat) straight by moving into the jukebox and music promotion business as he concocts his biggest score ever. Featuring the hits: “Make Someone Happy,” “Fireworks” and “I Know About Love.”

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE AS RUTH PAGE ARTIST IN-RESIDENCE

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to be a member of the vibrant Ruth Page Center for the Arts community and an Artist In-Residence. Central to the Ruth Page Center for the Arts’ programming is the Artists In-Residence program, which is designed to serve organizations looking for a home base while they grow or expand their artistic and organizational capabilities. The Center is committed to nurturing and assisting 

dance and other performing artists, allowing for exchange and collaborative relationships to develop within the artistic community. The Ruth Page Center for the Arts is a destination for quality performing arts, accessible to a wide community regardless of race, gender, age, education or disability. An incubator of artistic energy and excellence, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts carries forward the vision of its founder, legendary dance icon Ruth Page, to be a platform for developing great artists and connecting them with audiences and community.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE

As the home for music theatre in Chicago now in its 23^rd season, Porchlight Music Theatre is nationally recognized for reimagining classic productions, developing new works and showcasing musical theatre’s noted Chicago veterans and rising stars. Porchlight elevates the genre by providing intimate and powerful theatrical experiences of music theatre through the lens of the “Chicago Style.” The 2017–2018 year marks a milestone for Porchlight as the company becomes an Artist In-Residence at the historic Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago’s Gold Coast. Porchlight’s rich history includes the staging of more than 60 productions with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. Through Porchlight’s “Off the Porch” new works program, the musicals of the next generation are developed and given a first audience. The School at Porchlight is Chicago’s center for music theatre training in the areas of performance, writing and appreciation including the launch of a youth summer “Make Your Own Musical” Camp in 2017. The company’s many accolades include 22 Black Theatre Alliance nominations and seven awards, as well as a total of 139 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations resulting in 42 Jeff Awards including five consecutive Best Production awards for The Scottsboro Boys (2017), Dreamgirls (2016),Sondheim on Sondheim (2015), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (2014) and A Class Act (2013).

Porchlight Music Theatre continues its fifth season of Chicago’s “lost” musicals in staged concert series with Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing Our Song, starring Sharriese Hamilton and Lorenzo Rush Jr., music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager and book by Neil Simon, with direction and choreography by Christopher Carter and musical direction by Andra Velis Simon. Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing our Song is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, March 6 through Thursday, March 8 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight’s Merrily We Roll Along (previews begin January 26) at Porchlight’s new home, The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Tickets for They’re Playing Our Song are $35. All tickets include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multimedia presentation, created and hosted by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Director Michael Weber that discusses the evening’s production including the show’s creative history, juicy backstage gossip and the state of the art on Broadway that season. Single tickets to They’re Playing Our Song and subscriptions for the entire series are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office at 773.777.9884.

Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from the  Bayless Family Foundation, Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation, Actors’ Equity Foundation, Chapman | Spingola, Attorneys at Law, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation, the MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at the Prince Foundation, The Saints and the Topfer Family Foundation. The season program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency and by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events. 

OPENING: World Premiere of The Doppelgänger (an international farce) at Steppenwolf April 5 – May 27, 2018

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Rehearsals Have Begun for Steppenwolf’s World Premiere of

The Doppelgänger (an international farce) 

By Matthew-Lee Erlbach 

Directed by Ensemble Member Tina Landau

April 5 – May 27, 2018

Ensemble Member Celeste M. Cooper Joins the 11-Person Cast Featuring Actor and Comedian Rainn Wilson from NBC’s The Office

A Side-Splitting Farce about First-World Greed and Backroom Deals

Rehearsals kicked off today for Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s highly anticipated world premiere comedy, The Doppelgänger (an international farce) written by Chicagoland native Matthew-Lee Erlbach (Showtime’s Masters of Sex, Off-Broadway’s Handbook for an American Revolutionary). Directed by ensemble member Tina Landau (SpongeBob Squarepants: The Broadway Musical), this hilarious farce features an 11-member cast led by actor and comedian Rainn Wilson, well-known for his role as “Dwight Schrute” on NBC’s award-winning comedy The Office, in the role of Thomas Irdley/Jimmy Peterson. Steppenwolf’s newest ensemble member Celeste M. Cooper joins the cast of fellow ensemble members—Audrey Francis, Ora Jones, Sandra Marquez and James Vincent Meredith—alongside acclaimed actors Michael Accardo, Whit K. Lee, Andy Nagraj and Karen Rodriguez. Previously announced ensemble member Alana Arenas is no longer in the cast due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict.

In the dangerous back channels of international resource politics, a wealthy British businessman suffers an untimely accident just before a critical African copper deal is signed. So when his unwitting (and witless) American doppelgänger is thrust into negotiations to avert intercontinental disaster, chaos erupts, leaving us wondering: whose side are we supposed to be on...and who will save Africa?? The Doppelgänger (an international farce) is a hilarious, irreverent and timely look at the back-room deals that shape our world and the unlikely cast of characters who make them.

Previews begin April 5 (opening is Sunday, April 15) and runs through May 27, 2018 in Steppenwolf’s Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N Halsted St. Press performances are Sunday, April 15 at 6pm and Tuesday, April 17 at 7:30pm. Single tickets ($20 - $109) are available through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St), 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.



Rainn Wilson is an Emmy nominated and SAG award-winning actor with Chicagoland roots (he graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Ill.) who has found himself in a variety of comedic and theatrical roles throughout his career. His first breakthrough role came when he played assistant mortician “Arthur Martin” in HBO’s Six Feet Under, winning him and the cast a Screen Actors Guild Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.” Wilson is best known for playing the inimitable “Dwight Schrute” for nine seasons on NBC’s Emmy award-winning comedy The Office. Among Wilson’s film credits are the Netflix feature Shimmer Lake; Hesher, opposite Natalie Portman and Joseph Gordon-Levett; Super, with Kevin Bacon, Liv Tyler, and Ellen Page; and the acclaimed comedies Juno and Almost Famous, among others. Next up, Wilson co-stars in Warner Bros adventure feature The Meg opposite Jason Statham. Wilson has an MFA from NYU’s Graduate Acting Program at the Tisch School of the Arts, and spent 10 years doing theatre in New York before moving to Los Angeles. He was on Broadway in The Tempest with Patrick Stewart, and the Tony nominated London Assurance. Wilson worked off-Broadway at The Public Theater and Playwrights Horizons, and performed regularly at The Arena Stage, The Guthrie, and with the touring repertory theater The Acting Company. The comedy show he created, The New Bozena, had a successful Off-Broadway run at The Cherry Lane, and later played in Los Angeles at The Hudson Guild and The Tiffany. Most recently, Wilson performed the critically acclaimed one-person monologue Thom Pain (Based on Nothing) at The Geffen. He founded the YouTube channel Soul Pancake, which has 2.5 million subscribers. In 2015 he published his memoir, The Bassoon King: My Life in Art, Faith, and Idiocy.

Casting note: The role of Thomas/Jimmy will be played by Eric Slater, in place of Rainn Wilson, for the following performances: April 22, 7:30pm; April 24, 7:30pm; May 6, 3pm and 7:30pm; May 20, 3pm; May 22, 7:30pm.

Newly announced ensemble member Celeste M. Cooper (Rosie Guerekoyame) joins the cast after her acclaimed performance as “Imani” in Aziza Barnes’s BLKS this past December. The cast also features ensemble member Audrey Francis (Beatrix Geddes-Renwick) is currently on stage in You Got Older (through March 11); ensemble member Ora Jones (Lolade Másarágba) was most recently in Steppenwolf’s The Wheel and Three Sisters, and in last season’s Broadway revival of Les Liasons Dangereuses; ensemble member Sandra Marquez (Theresa Irdley) most recently in Mary Page Marlowe at Steppenwolf and directed Teatro Vista’s production of FADE at Victory Gardens; and ensemble member James Vincent Meredith (Michel Másarágba) most recently performed in Steppenwolf’s The Minutes. Michael Accardo (General Stanley Harcourt) was recently seen onstage in Drury Lane Theatre’s production of Chicago and onscreen in Shameless and Chicago P.D.; Whit K. Lee (Wen Xiaoping) was in Off-Broadway productions of Attack of the Evis Impersonators and Junie B. Jones’ Essential Guide to School and the Netflix series Orange is the New Black; Andy Nagraj (Prince Amir Abdullah) recently played Ed Knight/Isaac Jaggard in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts production of The Book of Will and was recently in Court Theatre’s production of Harvey as Duane Wilson; Dan Plehal (Body) Karen Rodriguez (Marina) was most recently seen on Steppenwolf’s stage in The Rembrandt and in the critically acclaimed one woman show The Way She Spoke at Greenhouse Theater Center.

About the Playwright
Matthew-Lee Erlbach is an actor/playwright from Chicago and NYC whose plays include his critically acclaimed solo play, Handbook for an American Revolutionary (Gym at Judson) and Eager to Lose, a Burlesque Farce in Rhyming Verse (Ars Nova). Other plays include Kevin Lamb, King George III, Revelations, A Neighbor in the Area, and Electronic Persons, which have been developed with The New Group, Vineyard, Ars Nova, MCC, Williamstown, NYTW, SPACE on Ryder Farm and the Orchard Project, among others. A recipient of the 2016 Humanitas Prize New Voices Award, Puffin Foundation Grant, and member of Ars Nova’s 2014/15 Play Group, he has written for Showtime's Masters of Sex as well as for Nickelodeon, MTV, WWE, and The Huffington Post. He is a graduate of the public school system from K-College, a team leader for Habitat for Humanity Global Villages program, and runs a writing program for The Midnight Mission.

About the Director
Tina Landau is a writer, director, and teacher whose work includes directing/conceiving SpongeBob Squarepants: The Broadway Musical (currently on Broadway), Tarell McCraney’s Head of Passes (Steppenwolf, The Public and the Mark Taper Forum), WIG OUT! (Vineyard Theatre), and In the Red and Brown Water (The Public), Bill Irwin/David Shiner’s Old Hats and Chuck Mee’s Big Love and Iphigenia 2.0 (all Signature Theatre), Paula Vogel’s A Civil War Christmas (New York Theatre Workshop), and her musical Floyd Collins (also bookwriter/additional lyrics, Playwrights Horizons.) On Broadway, Landau has also directed Tracy Letts’s Superior Donuts and the revival of Bells Are Ringing. At Steppenwolf, where she is an ensemble member, directing credits include The Wheel, Hot L Baltimore, The Brother/Sister Plays, The Tempest, The Time of Your Life (also Seattle Rep, ACT), The Diary of Anne Frank, The Cherry Orchard, The Ballad of Little Jo, Berlin Circle, and her own play Space (also Mark Taper Forum, the Public.) Landau has co-authored The Viewpoints Book with Anne Bogart and has taught regularly at such schools as Yale, Columbia, Harvard, and Northwestern. Upcoming projects include a follow-up book with Bogart, Viewpoints on Viewpoints, and the premiere of the new musical Dave this spring at Arena Stage.

The Doppelgänger production team includes Todd Rosenthal (scenic design), Clint Ramos (costume design), Scott Zielinski (lighting design), Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (sound design). Additional credits include Malcolm Ewen (stage manager), Christine D. Freeburg (assistant stage manager), JC Clementz (casting director), Gigi Buffington (company vocal coach) and Jonathan Berry (artistic producer).

Tickets & Membership Info
Single tickets ($20-$109) are available through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St), 312-335-1650, steppenwolf.org. Black Card Memberships are still available for the remainder of the 17/18 season. They are designed for audiences interested in extreme flexibility with six tickets for use any time for any production. Perks include easy and free exchanges, access to seats before the general public, savings on single ticket prices and bar and restaurant discounts for pre- and post-show socializing. Red Card memberships are available for theatergoers under 30.  To purchase a Flex Card Membership, visit Audience Services at 1650 N Halsted St, call 312-335-1650 or visit steppenwolf.org/memberships.

Remaining 2017/18 Season
Currently playing is the Chicago premiere of You Got Older by Clare Barron, directed by Jonathan Berry (January 25 – March 11) and Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ production of The Burn by Philip Dawkins, directed by Devon de Mayo (last performance March 10). Following The Doppelgänger (an international farce) is Guards at the Taj by Rajiv Joseph, a story about the search for beauty in desperate circumstances (May 31 – June 22, 2018) directed by ensemble member Amy Morton who returns to direct the cast from the acclaimed Off-Broadway production; and The Roommate, by Jen Silverman, directed by Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad (The Cosby Show, A Raisin In The Sun, Tracy Letts’s August: Osage County). In The Roommate, a comically mismatched pair of roommates leads to a surprising and touching friendship (June 21 – August 5, 2018).

Accessibility
Committed to making the Steppenwolf experience accessible to everyone, performances featuring American Sign Language Interpretation, Open Captioning and Audio Description are offered during the run of each play. Assistive listening devices and large-print programs are available for every performance, and the Downstairs and 1700 Theatres are each equipped with an induction hearing loop. All theaters feature wheelchair accessible seating and restrooms, and Front Bar features a push-button entrance, all-gender restrooms and accessible counter and table spaces.

Visitor Information
Steppenwolf is located at 1650 N Halsted St near all forms of public transportation, bike racks and Divvy bike stands. The parking facility ($12 or $14, cash or card) is located just south of our theater at 1624 N Halsted. Valet parking service ($14 cash) is available directly in front of the main entrance at 1650 N Halsted St starting at 5pm on weeknights, 1pm on weekends and at 12 noon before Wednesday matinees. Limited street and lot parking are also available. For last minute questions and concerns, patrons can call the Steppenwolf Parking Hotline at 312.335.1774.

The Doppelgänger is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as United Airlines and PwC. United Airlines is the Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf and ComEd is the Official Lighting Sponsor for the 17/18 season.

Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks
Connected to the main lobby is Steppenwolf’s own Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks, offering a warm, creative space to grab a drink, have a bite, or meet up with friends and collaborators, day or night. Open Tuesdays – Sundays from 8am to midnight, Front Bar serves artisanal coffee and espresso is provided by La Colombe and food prepared by Goddess and Grocer. The menu focuses on fresh, accessible fare, featuring grab-and-go salads and sandwiches for lunch and adding shareable small plates and desserts for evening and post show service. www.front-bar.com

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation’s premier ensemble theater. Formed by a collective of actors in 1976, the ensemble represents a remarkable cross-section of actors, directors and playwrights. Thrilling and powerful productions from Balm in Gilead to August: Osage County—and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony Awards—have made the theater legendary. Steppenwolf produces hundreds of performances and events annually in its three spaces: the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat 1700 Theatre. Artistic programming includes a seven-play season; a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; Visiting Company engagements; and LookOut, a multi-genre performances series. Education initiatives include the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf for Young Adults, which engages 15,000 participants annually from Chicago’s diverse communities; the esteemed School at Steppenwolf; and Professional Leadership Programs for arts administration training. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Anna D. Shapiro is the Artistic Director and David Schmitz is the Executive Director. Eric Lefkofsky is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

OPENING: Pay-What-You-Can World Premiere of KINGDOM Via Broken Nose Theatre Through 4/7/18 at The Den Theatre

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

World Premiere!

Broken Nose Theatre Presents

KINGDOM

By Resident Playwright Michael Allen Harris

Directed by Kanomé Jones

March 8 – April 7, 2018 at The Den Theatre

I'll be out to review Broken Nose Theatre's KINGDOM on March 15th, for ChiIL Live Shows, so check back soon for my full review. I can't wait to catch this JEFF recommended world premiere! 

Broken Nose Theatre is pleased to launch its 2018 Season with the world premiere of resident playwright Michael Allen Harris’ kitchen sink comedy KINGDOM, directed by Kanomé Jones. The new play about an all-LGBTQ African American family in Orlando will play March 2 – 31, 2018 at BNT’s new resident home, The Den Theatre (Upstairs Main Stage), 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. 

Tickets for KINGDOM on sale at brokennosetheatre.com. Tickets for all Broken Nose Theatre productions are available on a “pay-what-you-can” basis, allowing patrons to set their own price and ensuring theatre remains economically accessible for all audiences. 

KINGDOM features BNT and artistic associates Watson Swift+ and RjW Mays+ with Byron Coolie, Christopher K. McMorris and Michael Mejia-Beal.

When the state of Florida legalizes same sex marriage, Arthur and Henry (his partner of fifty years) come to terms with their differing opinions on the necessity of becoming husbands, even as their son Alexander finds himself wading through some rough new waters of his own. KINGDOM is the story of an entirely-LGBTQ African American family that lives in the near-literal shadow of Orlando’s magical kingdom, as they struggle to create a life together that captures a little bit of that same magic.

“We’ve been in love with this script for two years, and could not think of a better way to kick off our sixth season than a homegrown world premiere by one of our resident playwrights,” says BNT Founding Artistic Director Benjamin Brownson*. “Michael’s voice is Tennessee Williams meets August Wilson with a dash of Dan Savage for good measure. He has written a new kind of family dramedy that is lyrical, queer, fresh, timely, resonant and hilarious. We can’t wait to share it with Chicago.”

KINGDOM was developed in conjunction with The Paper Trail, BNT’s new play development program.

The production team for KINGDOM includes: Caswell James (scenic design, technical director), Marci Rodriguez (costume design), Michael Joseph (lighting design), Grover Hollway (sound design) Devon Green+ (props design), Rylee Freeman (hair and make-up design), Chloe Baldwin (fight director), Elizabeth Gomez (master electrician), Rose Hamill* (production manager), and Echaka Agba* (assistant director) and Nikki Marquardt (stage manager) and Julia Farrell (asst. stage manager).

* Denotes BNT company member
+ Denotes BNT artistic associate


About the Artists
Michael Allen Harris (Playwright) As a writer, Michael has collaborated with Chicago Theatre companies such as Broken Nose Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, Arc Theatre, Stage 773, Fine Print Theatre, Chicago Home Theater Festival and The New Colony. His play Rocky Road received its world premiere at the New Studio Theatre of Columbia College Chicago and was directed by Chicago actor/playwright/director Tom Mula. It was the first production featured in the Main Stage season that was authored by an alumnus. His play The Velvet Tabernacle was featured in a development series on behalf of Fine Print Theatre. One of his most recent plays, Kingdom, was nourished in a season-long development on behalf of Broken Nose Theatre, and received a staged reading at the Richard Christiansen theatre space of Victory Gardens in June 2016. In the fall of 2017, his play Punk received its world premiere on behalf of The New Colony, where he recently became an ensemble member. In December of 2016, Michael became the first Resident Playwright of Broken Nose Theatre. His other plays include Ascension. Short plays include: The Woman Who Stared into The Eyes of the Red Horseman, House of Samurai, They Let Him Bleed, Project Agatha (a collaboration project based on Regina Taylor’s play Stop. Reset.) and Bind. As an actor, he has worked with numerous Chicago theaters such as Adventure Stage, Eclipse Theatre, Gift Theatre, Teatro Vista, The-Massive, Stone Soup Theatre Project, Infusion Theatre, Broken Nose Theatre and Cold Basement Dramatics. He is an artistic ensemble member of Eclipse Theatre Company. Michael is currently pursuing his MFA in Dramatic Writing at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Kanomé Jones (Director) has been performing and working in Chicago for over five years. She works with several theater companies here in the city, wearing different hats for each one. She is the Casting Director for Strawdog Theatre Company and the Associate Producer for Midsommer Flight. She also works with Stage Left Theatre and Waltzing Mechanics as an ensemble member. In the past, Kanomé has worked with Broken Nose Theatre as a performer in their first Bechdel Fest and as a director in their second iteration. She has also directed an installment of EL Stories with the Waltzing Mechanics.  Other recent performance credits include Building the Wall and The Firestorm (Stage Left Theatre), understudy in The Book Club Play (16th Street Theatre) Twelfth Night (Midsommer Flight) and Titus Andronicus (Babes with Blades Theatre Company). She is proud alumni of the Professional Training Company at Actors Theatre of Louisville and BFA graduate of Missouri State University. 



BROKEN NOSE THEATRE is Chicago’s premiere Pay-What-You-Can theatre company. Founded in 2012, BNT has produced and developed 10 full length plays (including 7 Chicago or World Premieres) and over 40 new womencentric short plays through our annual 
Bechdel Fest. We strive to spark conversation, cultivate empathy, and amplify underrepresented voices, and are committed to making new, exciting and relevant theatre that is economically accessible to all audiences. For more information, please visit brokennosetheatre.com.

Welcome SHOUT Marketing & Media Relations' New Addition, Jeffrey Ward, Restaurant Aficionado

SHOUT MARKETING & MEDIA RELATIONS

ANNOUNCES ADDITION OF NEW PARTNER, JEFFREY WARD

Jeffrey Ward, Formerly of Lettuce Entertain You and Agency H5, Brings Additional Expertise to SHOUT and Expands the Company’s Restaurant Division
CHICAGO - Founding Partners James Juliano and Jill Evans La Penna (Evans) are proud to announce the addition of Jeffrey Ward to their firm, SHOUT Marketing & Media Relations (SHOUT). For 10 years, SHOUT has specialized in providing media relations and marketing services to a wide variety of clients in Chicago’s lifestyle and entertainment worlds. 

With the hiring of Ward, SHOUT plans to expand its restaurant clientele as he has worked with some of the most recognizable names on the culinary scene and is a leader in Chicago’s culinary and hospitality marketing industry. Ward most recently was the director of marketing and communications for the fine dining division of Lettuce Entertain You and the senior strategist for the culinary and hospitality division at Agency H5. His specialties include concept openings and promotional launches as well as long-term management campaigns designed to keep culinary brands in the public eye and marketplace.

“Having collaborated with James and Jill on a variety of projects over the years, I have always admired SHOUT and its depth of clients from both the food and entertainment worlds. I look forward to the opportunity to continue SHOUT’s growth as I have always been passionate and dedicated to the Chicago’s arts and entertainment as well as the restaurant industry. I now have the rare opportunity to unite those interests while gaining the rewarding experience of growing with a small business,” said Ward.

Evans added, “SHOUT’s dedication to working with Chicago’s theatre community is well known and we have always loved our restaurants clients, which include and have included, Bistro Campagne, Lockwood Restaurant in the Palmer House Hilton, the Radical Larder at Ipsento 606, J. Paul’s Restaurant & Wine Lounge within The Kirby Hotel, Big Jones, Venicci and Hannah’s Bretzel. With the addition of Jeffrey, we are able to expand the restaurant division and our roster of clients.”

This year marks a decade of SHOUT delivering unique and effective campaigns. SHOUT has established itself as experts in amplifying the unique voices of its clients - placing them in the spotlight on a variety of platforms and delivering on-brand messages. Current clients of SHOUT include Babes With Blades Theatre Company, Bistro Campagne, Chicago Fringe Festival, Chicago Tap Theatre, Factory Theater, Folks Operetta, International Voices Project, Jay Paul Deratany and The Deratany Law Firm, The Kirby Hotel, Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce, Lifeline Theatre, Near death Experience, The Neo-Futurists, Pegasus Theatre Chicago, Porchlight Music Theatre, Piaf: LIVE at the Athenaeum Theatre, The Ruth Page Center of the Arts, Strawdog Theatre Company and The House Theatre of Chicago.

SHOUT’s office is located within the Level Office Building, 73 W. Monroe St., and in addition to Juliano, Evans and Ward, SHOUT employs two marketing assistants, Kelsey Hoff and Megan McDonald. To learn more about SHOUT visit www.shoutchicago.com. 

OPENING: SMART PEOPLE at Writers Theatre 3/21-6/10/18

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

Writers Theatre presents

SMART PEOPLE

Written by Lydia R. Diamond

Directed by Hallie Gordon

Featuring Kayla Carter, Erik Hellman, Deanna Myers and Julian Parker

 

March 21 – June 10, 2018

**Advisory: Recommended for ages 18 and up. This production contains use of profanity and sexual situations.**

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're elated to see Chicago's theatre scene embracing themes of racism and racial tensions, and sparking much needed discussions. We're also eager to see Hallie Gordon's inaugural opportunity directing at Writers Theatre. We've thoroughly enjoyed her insightful direction at Steppenwolf and Rivendell for years.

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, presents Smart People, written by Lydia R. Diamond and directed by Hallie Gordon. Smart People runs March 21 – June 10, 2018 in the Gillian Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Wednesday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Four intelligent, attractive and opinionated young urban professionals—a doctor, an actress, a psychologist and a neurobiologist studying the human brain’s response to race—search for love, success and identity while also attempting to navigate the intricacies of racial and sexual politics. This whip-smart new play taps into current cultural conversation in an enthralling and provocative way, taking on deep questions of the nature of prejudice with razor sharp wit.

Smart People premiered at the Huntington Theatre in Boston in May of 2014 under the direction of Peter DuBois.

Staged in WT’s intimate Gillian Theatre, this sexy, serious and fiercely funny new play explores the inescapable nature of racism and other tricky topics with rapid fire dialogue, shattering assumptions about our culture’s ingrained attitudes of racism, sexism and classism. Audiences will be captivated by one of the smartest new plays of its time.

Lydia Diamond’s plays have received national attention and acclaim, receiving the Lorraine Hansberry Award for Best Writing, an LA Weekly Theater Award, and a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award. She has taught playwriting at DePaul University, Loyola University, Columbia College Chicago, and Boston University. She is also a Huntington Playwright Fellow and a Resident Playwright at Chicago Dramatists.

“Smart People manages to be a progressive provocative and sophisticated conversation about race while also being thoroughly entertaining and even hilarious,” said Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. “This combination of superlatives defines the work of playwright Lydia Diamond. She is uncompromising in how she engages with her subject matter and yet remains completely generous to the audience, never forgetting the reasons we choose to go to the theatre in the first place.  We are delighted to welcome director Hallie Gordon, making her Writers Theatre debut, with a first rate cast and superb design team.  I invite you to stay around in the lobby for a drink and some conversation following the performance.  There will be SO much to talk about!"

Hallie Gordon is directing at Writers for the first time. She recently directed Cal and Camo and Dry Land at Rivendell Theatre Company and HIR, The Rembrandt and Monster at Steppenwolf.

The cast includes: Kayla Carter (Valerie Johnston), Erik Hellman (Brian White), Deanna Myers (Ginny Yang) and Julian Parker (Jackson Moore).

The designers are Collette Pollard (scenic), Izumi Inaba (costumes), Kathy A. Perkins (lighting), Deidre Searcy (projections) and Richard Woodbury (original music & sound). The dramaturg is Bobby Kennedy and the intimacy director is Sasha Smith. The production stage manager is Rebecca Pechter.

Tickets are priced $35 - $80. Subscriptions and individual tickets may be purchased online at www.writerstheatre.org, by phone at 847-242-6000 or in person at the box office at 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Lydia R. Diamond (Playwright) has written a number of award-winning plays including: Smart People, Stick Fly, Voyeurs de Venus, The Bluest Eye, The Gift Horse, Harriet Jacobs, The Inside, and Stage Black. Theatres she has worked with include: Arena Stage, Cort Theatre (Broadway), Chicago Dramatists, Company One, Congo Square, Goodman Theatre, Hartford Stage, Huntington Theatre Company, Jubilee Theatre, Kansas City Repertory, Long Wharf, Lorraine Hansberry, McCarter, Theatre Mo’Olelo Performing Arts Co., MPAACT, New Vic Theatre, Playmakers Repertory, Plowshares Theatre Company, Second Stage Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company and TrueColors. Commissions include: Arena Stage, Steppenwolf (4), McCarter, Huntington, Center Stage, Victory Gardens and The Roundabout Theatre Company. A recipient of many playwriting awards, Lydia was also an 2005/06 W.E.B. Du Bois Institute non-resident Fellow, a 2007 TCG/NEA Playwright in Residence at Steppenwolf Theatre, a 2006/07 Huntington Playwright Fellow, a 2012 Sundance Institute Playwright Lab Creative Advisor, is a Board Member with Chicago Dramatists and a 2012/13 Radcliffe Institute Fellow. Lydia is a graduate of Northwestern University (Class of 1991), has an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from Pine Manor College and was 2013/14 Playwright in Residence at Arena Stage. Lydia is on faculty at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she teaches playwriting.

Hallie Gordon (Director) most recently directed Cal and Camo and Dry Land at Rivendell Theatre Company, where she is also an ensemble member. She serves as Artistic Producer for Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where she most recently directed HIR, The Rembrandt and Monster. She is the recipient of The Helen Coburn Meier & Tim Meier Achievement Award.

Kayla Carter (Valerie Johnston) has worked with The Shakespeare Project of Chicago and Artemisia. Regional credits include River City (NNPN World Premiere, Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte and Phoenix Theatre Indianapolis), the World Premiere of The Patron Saint of Losing Sleep and Passing Strange (Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte). TV credits include Chicago Med (NBC) and APB (Fox). She is a graduate of University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Erik Hellman (Brian White) previously appeared at Writers Theatre in Marjorie Prime, Hesperia, and The Frog Prince. Recent work includes The Burn and The Crucible (Steppenwolf SYA), One Man Two Govnors, The Good Book, Tartuffe, The Misanthrope, Proof (Jeff Nomination, Supporting Actor), The Comedy of Errors, The Mystery of Irma Vep (Jeff Nomination, Lead Actor), Titus Andronicus, Arcadia (Court Theatre), Luna Gale (Goodman Theatre), Miss Bennet (Jeff Nomination, Lead Actor), Shining Lives, The Commons of Pensacola, Lost in Yonkers (Northlight Theatre), The Madness of  King George III, The Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, Edward II (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Honest, The Elephant Man,  Huck Finn (Steppenwolf), Eastland (Lookingglass Theatre Company), All My Sons (TimeLine), as well as shows at Next Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, Remy Bumppo, The House Theatre of Chicago and as a company member of Strawdog Theatre Company. Outside of Chicago, Erik has appeared at Milwaukee Repertory, Geva Theatre Center, Syracuse Stage, Indianapolis Repertory, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Houston’s Stages Repertory and Off-Broadway at The Mirror Repertory. Film/TV work includes The Dark Knight, The Chicago Code, Boss, Betrayal, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and the upcoming feature Walden. Erik is married to actress Jessie Fisher, with whom he co-hosts the Erik and Jessie and Everyone You Know Variety Show which performs regularly at the Steppenwolf 1700 space.

Deanna Myers (Ginny Yang) previously appeared at Writers Theatre in The Scene. Selected Chicago credits inlcude: That’s Weird, Grandma! (Barrel of Monkeys), Two Mile Hollow (First Floor Theatre), You on the Moors Now (The Hypocrites), The Chicago and Miami Productions of The Hammer Trinity (The House Theatre), SideShow (Porchlight Music Theatre), The New Stages Production of King of the Yees, The White Snake (Goodman Theatre), The Golden Dragon (Sideshow Theatre) and The Three Musketeers (Lifeline Theatre).  TV/Film Credits include: Hot Date, Chicago Fire and The Drunk. Deanna is a proud company member at Barrel of Monkeys, where she finds her favorite young playwrights among the students in CPS classrooms. She is a perpetual student at the Actors Gymnasium.

Julian Parker (Jackson Moore) has been previously seen at Writers Theatre in Julius Caesar and Hamlet, as well as in collaboration with The Chicago Inclusion Project: Saint Joan. He is a co-founding member of Definition Theatre Company and received his BFA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Steppenwolf Theatre Company credits include: Pass Over, Gospel of Franklin, Head of Passes (u/s) (First Look Series) and BlackTop Sky (Garage Repertory). Other credits include: Genesis, Dutchman The Brothers’ Size (Definition Theatre Company), Prowess (Jackalope Theatre), The Hairy Ape (Jeff Award Recipient for Actor in Principal Role, Oracle Productions), Charm (Northlight Theatre) and The Royale (American Theatre Company). TV/Film credits include: Pass Over (Presented at Sundance Film Festival; Directed by Spike Lee), The Chi (Showtime), Chicago PD and Chicago Fire (NBC).

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT

Accessible Performances
ASL-Interpreted performance: Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 7:30pm
Open-Captioned performance: Friday, June 1, 2018 at 7:30pm

Sunday Spotlight— Sunday, May 13, 2018 after the matinee performance
Are you curious about the world that surrounds your favorite plays? Sunday Spotlight offers access to the finest speakers, scholars and cultural leaders. This one-hour event extends the conversation on our stages by featuring an expert in an area connected to the play. Seating is limited. RSVP is required. Save the date!

The Making of… Series— Monday, May 21, 2018 at 6:30pm
Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of our productions? For each production, we will offer insight into a different aspect of creating theatre. Enjoy a short and lively presentation by our actors, designers or other experts who will walk you through the process of preparing for and executing a production. Seating is limited. RSVP is required. Save the date!

Post Show Conversation: The Word
Join us after every Tuesday evening performance (excluding previews and extensions) for a 15-minute discussion of the play, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

Post Show Conversation: The Artist
Join us after every Wednesday evening performance (excluding previews and extensions) for a 15-minute talk-back featuring actors from the production, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

For more information about Writers Theatre Audience Enrichment programs visit writerstheatre.org/events.

RIDE METRA TO WRITERS THEATRE
In an effort to promote taking public transit to the Theatre, Writers Theatre launched a new promotion in 2013. Any audience member who purchases a ticket to a Writers Theatre production and rides Metra’s Union Pacific North Line to the Theatre may snap a photo of themselves on the train and post it to their Facebook or Instagram page or their Twitter feed with a tag of @WritersTheatre and #[the title of the show], and upon showing the post at the Writers Theatre Box Office, receive $5 in cash to put toward the cost of your fare as a thank you for going green.

This promotion is available for a limited time only, and may end without warning. Ticket must have been paid for in advance. Not valid on comp tickets. More information available at writerstheatre.org/metra

WRITERS THEATRE PARTNERS
Writers Theatre is pleased to welcome back BMO Harris Bank as the 2017/18 Season Sponsor, and ComEd as the Official Lighting Sponsor of the 2017/18 Season. The Major Production Sponsors of Smart People are Sara and Dan Cohan and Mary Winton Green. Artists Council Sponsors are Jane and Richard Lipton, Laurie and Michael Petersen, and Marilynn and Carl Thoma. Additional production support for is provided by the Patricia Dodson Family Foundation.

ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE
For more than 25 years, Writers Theatre has captivated Chicagoland audiences with inventive interpretations of classic work, a bold approach to contemporary theatre and a dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible.

Under the artistic leadership of Michael Halberstam and the executive leadership of Kathryn M. Lipuma, Writers Theatre has grown to become a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called the top regional theatre in the nation by The Wall Street Journal. The company, which plays to a sold-out and discerning audience of more than 60,000 patrons each season, has garnered critical praise for the consistent high quality and intimacy of its artistry—providing the finest interpretations of both classic and contemporary theatre in its two intensely intimate venues. 

In February 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility. This established the company's first permanent home—a new theatre center in downtown Glencoe, designed by the award-winning, internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects, led by Founder and Design Principal Jeanne Gang, FAIA, in collaboration with Theatre Consultant Auerbach Pollock Friedlander. The new facility has allowed the Theatre to continue to grow to accommodate its audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy. The new facility resonates with and complements the Theatre’s neighboring Glencoe community, adding tremendous value to Chicagoland and helping to establish the North Shore as a premier cultural destination.

Find Writers Theatre on Facebook at Facebook.com/WritersTheatre, follow @WritersTheatre on Twitter or @Writers_Theatre on Instagram. For more information, visit www.writerstheatre.org.


Schedule:
Tuesdays – Fridays: 7:30pm
(with select 3:00pm Wednesday matinees)
Saturdays: 3:00pm and 7:30pm
Sundays: 2:00pm and 6:00pm
Open-Captioned performance: Friday, June 1, 2018 at 7:30pm
ASL-Interpreted performance: Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 7:30pm

Location:
The Gillian Theatre
325 Tudor Court, Glencoe
             
Prices: Prices for all performances range from $35 - $80
Purchase early for best prices                                    
             
Box Office:
The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe;
847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

OPENING: NEIL TOBIN, NECROMANCER: NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE AT CHICAGO'S ROSEHILL CEMETERY 3/10-5/6/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

INTERACTIVE THEATER, DEAD-SERIOUS FUN COMES TO ROSEHILL CEMETERY IN 

NEIL TOBIN, NECROMANCER: NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE, 

MARCH 10 – MAY 6 

Interactive, Magical Theatre about Life and Death in a Once-in-a-Lifetime Setting

Tobin's Award-Winning Exploration of Mortality and Mystery will Make You Laugh, Ponder and Wonder

Photo Credit: Daniel Axler

Direct from winning the IndyFringe Theatre Festival's Audience Choice Award, Neil Tobin, Necromancer: Near Death Experience is bringing thought-provoking theatre to Chicago's historic Rosehill Cemetery. Chicago-area writer/producer/ performer Neil Tobin performs six interactive, magical, site-specific solo shows about mortality at the rarely open to the public May Chapel on the grounds of Rosehill Cemetery, 5800 N. Ravenswood Ave. Performances are 60 minutes and begin at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 10; Sunday, March 11; Saturday, April 14; Sunday, April 15; Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6.  Tickets are $25 - $30 and available at neardeathx.com.



This is no horror show or cheap, spooky thrill. Tobin maintains a sophisticated tone, deftly fusing mortality and mystery into a life-affirming experience that's smart, darkly humorous, never scary and completely entertaining. According to Tobin, “this show is ultimately about the good that comes from improving our relationship with mortality.” So, though it does contain magical performance elements, this is no children's show.

Underscoring this exploration of life and death is the exceptional location: one of the most history-rich cemeteries in the nation. Rosehill Cemetery is on the National Registry of Historic Places; and its Gothic and Romanesque designed May Chapel — built in 1899 and rarely open to the public — provides a fitting setting for the proceedings.

Photo Credit: David Linsell

Chicago-area writer/producer/performer Neil Tobin has a long track record of employing interactive magical and psychic performance skills to involve audiences in larger narratives and serious subjects (hence the “necromancer” title). Previous shows include Palace of the Occult (Eclectic Full Contact Theatre/Prop Thtr), which immersed guests in the world of a Jewish psychic entertainer trying to survive during the rise of the Nazis in 30s Berlin, and Supernatural Chicago, another site-specific piece which ran weekly for 10 years at Chicago's reputedly haunted Excalibur nightclub.

As magic advisor for the Mercury Theater, Tobin was on the creative team for the Jeff Award-winning The Addams Family and the Jeff Award-nominated Barnum. He's also the recipient of two Presidential Citations from the Society of American Magicians, and has served on the board of directors for the Psychic Entertainers Association.