Teatro ZinZanni Bringing Love, Chaos, & Dinner Cirque Cabaret To Chicago In April of 2019

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Love, Chaos, & Dinner Premieres in Chicago

Launching this Spring

In Brand New Venue in Chicago Theatre District

 

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're seriously stoked for Love, Chaos, & Dinner to open in Chicago as a long running dinner destination. Circus arts have made a resurgence in new and creative ways, and Chicago's talent pool runs deep. This style of  dinner theatre featuring everything from campy cabaret to breathtaking aerial arts and more, has taken cities by storm. Chi, IL is ripe for The Spiegeltent ZaZou, a Belgian mirror tent filled with historic touches, which will host this self described "Kit Kat Klub on acid". We can't wait!

With great excitement, Teatro ZinZanni today announced the premiere of Love, Chaos, & Dinner, the critically acclaimed show combining the best of cirque, cabaret, spectacle, live music, comedy and fine dining.  Presented by Randolph Entertainment, performances are scheduled to begin on April 5, 2019 at a brand new location in the center of Chicago Theatre District. The Spiegeltent ZaZou, a Belgian mirror tent filled with historic touches, will be located on the 14th floor in the newly opened Cambria Hotel Loop-Theatre District.  The previously forgotten space was discovered in 2017 during the renovation of the hotel when dropped ceilings were removed revealing the original grand space within the 1926 historic building. 







Described as the “Kit Kat Klub on acid, Teatro ZinZanni brings to Chicago an international cast of premier entertainers for its anticipated engagement.  Love, Chaos & Dinner features the master of madcap improv Frank Ferrante, cabaret star Lady Rizo, and acclaimed Chicago natives aerial trapeze act Duo Rose. The company will also feature entertainment from comedians Joe De Paul and Tim Tyler, hoop aerialist Elena Gatilova, Parisian acrobat Domitil Aillot, and the body juggling Anastasini Brothers.  Teatro ZinZanni’s founder Norm Langill will direct the production.  The menu will be designed by Chicago’s own Debbie Sharpe – The Goddess in The Goddess and Grocer.







Broadway In Chicago is will be handling the sales and marketing for Teatro ZinZanni. Group tickets for 10 or more are now available by calling (312) 977-1710 or visiting BroadwayInChicago.com.



About Teatro ZinZanni
Teatro ZinZanni was founded in 1998 launching a wholly original new form of entertainment combining a unique fusion of cirque, comedy, cabaret, spectacle, and live music while serving up a multi-course feast. Inspired by the great cabarets of Europe, a team of creative artists and theatre professionals who have been working together for over 40 years created Teatro ZinZanni led by Founder Norm Langill. Teatro ZinZanni has brought in celebrated artists from the worlds of cirque, clowning, cabaret, music, aerial arts, magic, and illusion.  Performers over the years have included internationally recognized names like Joan Baez and Ann Wilson.  The show in Chicago is presented in the Spiegeltent ZaZou on the 14th floor in the newly opened Cambria Hotel Chicago Loop located in the Theatre District.





About Randolph Entertainment

Randolph Entertainment is a partnership of some 25 people who share in the vision of bringing an extraordinary experience to Chicago. A group of mostly Chicago based individuals; the partnership is committed to being a good neighbor and contributor to Chicago’s vibrant cultural community. Stanley Feig, a veteran of the entertainment industry with a career spanning several decades, manages the partnership. 





About Debbie Sharpe
Two parts rock n’ roll, one part Chicago, and one sassy Aussie, Debbie Sharpe is The Goddess in The Goddess and Grocer. The Goddess got her background in rock n’ roll catering, traveling the globe and feeding some of the most influential musicians of our time including The Rolling Stones, Madonna, U2 and Fleetwood Mac. Instantly falling in love with Chicago, she got off the Paul McCartney tour bus and laid down roots in the Wicker Park – Bucktown neighborhood in 1990. Serving a colorful, globally inspired menu of creative sandwiches, vibrant salads, mix-and-match square meals, and gourmet pantry items, she opened The Goddess and Grocer in 2004 and it was an instant hit. At The Goddess and Grocer, we believe in the power of community, the influence of music, and most of all, we believe great food brings people together.



Love, Chaos, and Dinner
Enter a realm where reality and dreams converge; an experience unlike any other! Teatro ZinZanni is a whirlwind of international cirque, comedy and cabaret served with a multi-course feast.  Described as the “Kit Kat Klub on acid”, the fast-paced action unfolds around, above and alongside guests as world-class acrobats, musicians, divas, illusionists, madmen, and aerialists fill our intimate Spiegeltent ZaZou, a unique jewel box mirror tent. Teatro ZinZanni’s signature blend of Love, Chaos & Dinner has played to sold out audiences in Seattle and San Francisco. Don’t miss the show The New York Times calls, “A feast for the senses” and the “city’s hottest ticket!”



WHERE:
Spiegeltent ZaZou
The Cambria Hotel Loop-Theatre District
32 W. Randolph St.

WHEN:
Begins Performances April 5, 2019
Wednesday-Sunday at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sundays Brunch Matinees at 12:00 p.m.

TICKETS:
Tickets start at $123 and include a 4-course meal
Broadway In Chicago Subscription and Group Sales:  (312) 977-1710
BroadwayInChicago.com  

Individual Tickets – Presale begins November 26, 2018 and General Onsale begins December 7, 2018
ZinZanni.com/Chicago

REVIEW: Nasty, Brutish, and Short: A Puppet Cabaret and The Walls of Harrow House Opening at Chopin Theatre 10/11-11/3/18

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar:

NOW Twice the Capacity in Dual Cabaret Rooms! 

Nasty, Brutish, and Short: A Puppet Cabaret @ Links Hall

Review: 

I'd caught Nasty Brutish & Short several times in past years and first discovered them as part of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival. It was my great pleasure to see them again this September at Links Hall. Their shows were selling out so fast they've expanded to run half of the cabaret in both small theatre spaces simultaneously, with a swap at intermission. Sometimes the work is a bit uneven, ranging from brand new puppeteers to long time pros trying out new material, which is fine by me. I love that Chicago has an outlet that's open and inclusive, where performers with a range of levels and styles can play together. This time around the show was astonishingly polished and beyond excellent, with many breathtaking moments. It was especially fun to catch a sneak peek at scenes and characters from Rough House's upcoming Halloween show, and have a star of Harrow House as the MC! We can't wait to see what's next and will be saving the dates for upcoming Nasty, Brutish, and Short shows. Highly recommended!

Nasty Brutish & Short is an evening of contemporary short-form puppet and object based theater for adult audiences. The cabaret is a low risk environment for artists to perform new and experimental work and foster artistic exchange between puppet artists of different generations and mediums.

Presented by Links Hall and Curated by Grace Needlman and Maddy Low.

Christopher Knowlton as “Atticus Gluteus Maximus”

Rough House co-presents Nasty, Brutish, & Short, a quarterly puppet cabaret at Links Hall.

Contact us at nbspuppetcabaret@gmail.com or check out Roughhouse Theater's site HERE or Nasty Brutish & Short's Site HERE.

This event is funded in part by the Puppet Slam Network (a project of IBEX Puppetry)

www.linkshall.org
Located at Links Hall
3111 North Western Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618

SAVE THE DATES

Next Up: The Walls of Harrow House 

**Recommended for audiences aged 14 and over. Runtime approximately one hour.**

OBSESSION. TERROR. PUPPETS. 

You are invited to a once-in-a-lifetime tour of Harrow House, the secluded home and studio of Milton Harrow, the world’s most influential and reclusive architect. With no guide but your own instincts, you’ll be set loose in the infamous home to discover its secrets, free to pull on whatever threads you encounter and become entangled in the terrifying tale that unspools around you.

Through puppetry, environmental and sonic design, Harrow House will bring you face to face with cosmic horrors, nightmarish to behold and yet…uncannily familiar. Harrow House asks: can we not only face our fears, but meet them? Can we find empathy for those who frighten us?

The Walls of Harrow House
Thu, Oct 11, 2018, 7:00 p.m. - Sat, Nov 3 2018, 11:00 p.m.

Chopin Theatre, 1543 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60642


The performance will start on time – no late entry.
Get your tickets and more info right HERE.

EXTENDED: Vietgone at Writers Theatre Now Extended Through September 29, 2018

Writers Theatre extends the run of

VIETGONE

Written by Qui Nguyen

Directed by Lavina Jadhwani

Original Music & Music Direction by Gabriel Ruiz

Choreographed by Tommy Rapley

Featuring Aurora Adachi-Winter, Rammel Chan, Emjoy Gavino

Ian Michael Minh and Matthew C. Yee

Now through September 29, 2018

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, adds four performances to the run of Qui Nguyen’s Vietgone. The production is directed by Lavina Jadhwani, with original music and music direction by Gabriel Ruiz and choreography by Tommy Rapley. Due to demand, Vietgone now runs through September 29, 2018 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe.

Newly added performances for VIETGONE are as follows: Wednesday, September 26 at 7:30pm; Thursday, September 27 at 7:30pm; Friday, September 28 at 7:30pm; and Saturday, September 29 at 7:30pm.

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

It's 1975 and two young survivors (who may or may not be the playwright's parents) meet in a Vietnamese refugee camp in mid-America shortly after the fall of Saigon. Will this strange new land of cowboys, hippies and bikers allow them to fall in love? Playwright Qui Nguyen’s wildly creative, irreverent style flips stereotypes on their head, remixing history and culture into a sexy, funny and energetic fantasia as he imagines how two soul mates might have found each other in a turbulent time.

Equal parts road-trip adventure, buddy film, romantic comedy and Hamilton-esque rap musical, this epic new play repurposes pop culture from the last forty years to tell its “probably-mostly-true” story. Directed by Lavina Jadhwani, Vietgone takes a no-holds-barred approach, transporting you through time and across the globe to put an innovative spin on a critical moment in our history.

Recommended for ages 14 and up. This production contains strong language and sexual situations, violent images, simulated drug use and vapor cigarettes. Please note that the production incorporates the use of fog and haze, as well as flashing lights.

The cast of Vietgone includes: Aurora Adachi-Winter (Tong), Rammel Chan (Asian Guy/American Guy/Nhan/Khue), Emjoy Gavino (Asian Girl/American Girl/Thu/Huong/Translator/Flower Girl), Ian Michael Minh (Playwright/Giai/Bobby/Captain Chambers/Redneck Biker/Hippie Dude) and Matthew C. Yee (Quang).

The creative team includes: Yu Shibagaki (scenic), Melissa Ng (costumes), Sarah Hughey (lighting), Kevin O’Donnell (sound), Rasean Davonte Johnson (projections), Dwight Sora (assistant director) and Carol Ann Tan (production dramaturg). The production stage manager is David Castellanos.


AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
Sunday Spotlight
Sunday, September 16, 2018 at 11:30am
In Vietgone, playwright Qui Nguyen gives us a dynamic look at the Vietnam War and its aftermath from a rarely observed point of view. At this Sunday Spotlight event, we will be joined by a diverse panel of historians, activists and artists to discuss varying perspectives on this contentious time in history when the country—and the world—was undergoing great change. Seating is limited, RSVP is required.

The Making of... Vietgone
Post-Show Conversation: The Word
Join us after every Tuesday evening performance (excluding First Week and any extension weeks) 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 First Week and any extension weeks) for a 15-minute talk-back featuring actors from the production, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

Pre-Show Conversation: Up Close
Join us at 6:45pm before every Thursday evening performance (excluding First Week and any extension weeks) for a 15-minute primer on the context and content of the play, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

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, Twitter or Instagram account with a tag of @WritersTheatre (@Writers_Theatre on Instagram) and #VietgoneWT, 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 recognize BMO Harris Bank as the 2018/19 Season Sponsor and ComEd as the Official Lighting Sponsor of the 2018/19 Season. The Major Corporate Sponsor for Vietgone is Northern Trust. The Major Production Sponsors are Maryellen and Richard Keyser, and the Artists Council Sponsors are Laurie and Michael Petersen. Additional support for Vietgone is provided by the Director’s Society Sponsors.

For more information about Writers Theatre’s 2018/19 partners, visit writerstheatre.org/our-supporters.

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.


Up Next:

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.

OPENING: THE MIDWEST PREMIERE OF AN OAK TREE​ VIA RED THEATER TO KICK OFF 7TH SEASON 11/1-12/9/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

RED THEATER TO KICK OFF 7TH SEASON WITH

THE MIDWEST PREMIERE OF

AN OAK TREE​ BY TIM CROUCH

Red Theater Chicago announces the start of their 7th season with their upcoming production of An Oak Tree by Tim Crouch, directed by Jeremy Aluma and starring Gage Wallace, both Red Theater company members. Performances run November 1 through December 9, 2018. Performances run at the Athenaeum Theatre in Studio One at 2936 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657.

I'll be out for the press opening on Saturday, November 3 at 8:00pm, so check back soon after for my full review.

THE PLAY
Two Actors. One has rehearsed the play. The second has never even read it. Performed by a different person each night, the second actor will discover the play and their role at the same time as you do. In this Midwest Premiere by Tim Crouch, An Oak Tree asks, how do we transform our world in order to survive our pain? How do we create our own reality? Anything can happen in this play that illuminates the magic of theater – a cheap trick and a genuine spell all at once.

THE FORMAT
The FIRST ACTOR or HYPNOTIST is being played by Gage Wallace. We will announce the actors playing the SECOND ACTOR on the Tuesday prior to each upcoming weekend performances.

WHEN:
Saturday, November 3rd at 8:00 pm (press opening)
Sunday, November 4th at 6:00 pm
Monday, November 5th at 7:00 pm
Friday, November 9th at 8:00 pm
Saturday, November 10th at 8:00 pm
Sunday, November 11th at 6:00 pm
Thursday, November 15th at 8:00 pm
Friday, November 16th at 8:00 pm
Saturday, November 17th at 8:00 pm
Sunday, November 18th at 6:00 pm
Saturday, November 24th at 8:00 pm
Sunday, November 25th at 6:00 pm
Monday, November 26th at 7:00 pm
Friday, November 30th at 8:00 pm
Saturday, December 1st at 8:00 pm
Sunday, December 2nd at 6:00 pm
Thursday, December 6th at 8:00 pm
Friday, December 7th at 8:00 pm
Saturday, December 8th at 8:00 pm
Sunday, December 9th at 6:00 pm (closing)

TICKETS: Tickets are on sale at redtheater.org
PRESS CONTACT: Neil O'Callaghan at marketing@redtheater.org or 617.794.2475

TICKETS, DATES & INFORMATION
An Oak Tree runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 6:00 pm from November 3 through December 9. There are two additional Monday performances on November 5 and November 26 at 7:00 pm. There are no performances on November 8, 22, 23 or 29. Tickets went on sale on September 1, 2018.

An Oak Tree by Tim Crouch will be performed at the Athenaeum Theatre in Studio One at 2936 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657.
The closest “L” stop is the Brown Line at Wellington Ave. Then walk 4 blocks WEST to Southport. Turn LEFT on Southport and go to 2936 N. Southport. The best bus to take is CTA Bus #9. For bus and train schedules, contact the CTA at (312) 836-7000.

There is plenty of free, unrestricted street parking in the area around the theatre west of Southport. Additionally, there is a $2/hour parking lot behind the theatre, which is shared with St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, enter this parking lot on Oakdale St. There is a second parking lot on the corner of Southport Ave. and Oakdale St, enter this parking lot on Southport Ave.

THE PEOPLE
Tim Crouch (Playwright)​ is a UK theatre artist based in Brighton. He writes plays, performs inthem and takes responsibility for their production. He started  to make his own work in 2003. Before then he was an actor. His plays include My Arm, An Oak Tree, ENGLAND, and The Author. His work has been seen at the Royal Court Theatre, the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, the
British Council, Brighton Festival, Singapore Arts Festival, Culturgest in Lisbon, Warwick Arts Centre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. Tim’s work tours extensively to UK and international venues and festivals. timcrouchtheatre.co.uk

Jeremy Aluma (Director)​ is an award-winning, Jewish-American theatre director of Iraqi descent. He founded the internationally touring clown troupe, Four Clowns and served as Artistic Director during their first seven years. Directing credits include: Abraham & Isaac (MuBe Cultural Theatre, São Paulo, Brazil); Pinocchio and Robin Hood (South Coast Repertory, CA);
Sublimity (Theatre Row, NYC); The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (Red Theater, Chicago); Crumble, Lay Me Down Justin Timberlake (Sacred Fools, LA); The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Urban Theatre Movement, LA); Henry’s Potato (REDCAT, LA); In Arabia We’d All Be Kings (Alive Theatre, Long Beach); Jonah (Annenberg, Santa Monica) and Hamlet (American Coast Theater, CA). His original show, Four Clowns toured nationally to La MaMa (NYC); Chopin
Theatre (Chicago); Gremlin Theatre (St. Paul, MN); Exit Theatre (San Francisco); Space 55 (Phoenix, AZ); and Insurgo Theater Movement (Las Vegas). He is the recipient of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Cultural Exchange International Grant, the City of Santa Monica, Annenberg Community Beach House Residency, and the Long Beach Arts
Council Community Project Grant. Aluma is a company member at Red Theater and member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union (SDC). He continues to teach and take classes at The Clown School and is currently pursuing his MFA in Directing at The Theatre School at DePaul University. Upcoming: A Dybbuk or Between Two Worlds by S. Anksy adapted by Tony
Kushner, February 2019. Jeremyaluma.com

Gage Wallace (HYPNOTIST)​ is a Founding and Company Member with Red Theater Chicago. He is also an Ensemble Member with Strawdog Theatre Company. Recent Chicago Credits include: Taste (Jeff Award – Principal Actor), Year of the Rooster, Dylan, and Red Hamlet (Red Theater Chicago); Pillars of the Community, Cymbeline (Strawdog Theatre); You Can't Take It with You (Oak Park Festival Theatre); The White Road (Jeff Award Nomination – Ensemble), In a Little World of Our Own (Irish Theatre of Chicago); Ghosts (Mary Arrchie Theatre Co.). Gage is represented by the incredible people at Shirley Hamilton Talent. www.gagewallace.com

The FIRST ACTOR or HYPNOTIST is being played by Gage Wallace. We will announce the actors playing the SECOND ACTOR on the Tuesday prior to each upcoming weekend performances.

The artistic team includes Alex Casillas (Scenic & Prop Design), Hailey Rakowiecki (Costume Design), John Nichols (Sound Design), Abby Beggs (Lighting Design), Aaron Sawyer (Producer) and Marisa Lehrman (Producer).

ABOUT RED THEATER CHICAGO
Red Theater Chicago, now in its 7th Season, is committed to honoring all audiences by asking
dangerous questions through accessible performances that broaden perspectives and inspire
dialogue.

SHOWS ON OUR RADAR: Theatre at the Center Presents Ghost The Musical Through October 14th, 2018

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar
Theatre at the Center in Munster, Indiana
Presents 

Ghost The Musical

Theatre at the Center (TATC) and Director and Choreographer Linda Fortunato have cast Garrett Lutz in the role of ghostly hero Sam, Donica Lynn as psychic Oda Mae and Courtney Mack in the role of Molly Jensen for Chicagoland’s first regional production of the newly imagined Ghost The Musical. Previews begin September 13 with an Opening Night on September 16 and performances continuing through October 14.

Ghost The Musical features a Book by Bruce Joel Rubin and Music and Lyrics by Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics with Glen Ballard and Bruce Joel Rubin. Based on the hit 1990 romantic fantasy thriller film that starred Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg, the musical had its world premier at the Manchester Opera House in March, 2011. It opened on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontaine Theatre in April 2012 before the first North American tour launched in September 2013.

Garrett Lutz returns to TATC where he appeared in last fall’s Big River. He received Jeff Award Nominations for his roles in Kokandy Productions’ Heathers: The Musical and The Full Monty. Other recent credits include playing Clifford Bradshaw in Cabaret at Paramount Theatre as well as Madagascar at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and James and the Giant Peach at Drury Lane.

Donica Lynn last appeared at TATC in the 2009 hit Footloose the Musical. She recently appeared in Drury Lane Theatre’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, 42nd Street and Smokey Joe’s Café. Lynn won a Jeff Award for Best Actress for Dreamgirls at Porchlight Music Theater. Other credits include Confession of a P.I.M.P. at Victory Gardens and The Color Purple and Barnum at Mercury Theater.

Courtney Mack was seen last season in TATC’s production of Cabaret. Other recent theatre credits include Million Dollar Quartet and Mamma Mia! at Paramount Theatre, Urinetown at BoHo Theatre and Kokandy Productions’ Heathers: The Musical, which won her a Jeff Award for her role as Veronica Sawyer.

Additional cast members include Tony Carter in the role of Carl, Christie Coran as Mrs. Santiago, Jackie Gessert as Clara, Qiana McNary as Louise, Carlos Olmedo as Willie and Kelvin Roston, Jr. and Travis Austin as various ghosts.

Linda Fortunato, director and choreographer of Ghost The Musical, is also TATC Artistic Director. Her TATC credits include directing Steel Magnolias, Big River, The Tin Woman, Cabaret, Annie Warbucks and A Christmas Story. She has been nominated for five Joseph Jefferson Awards for her work as a choreographer and director. She received both the Equity and Non-Equity Jeff Award for Outstanding Choreography in the 2013-14 season, garnering Theatre at the Center its first award for her choreography of 42nd Street.

This musical adaptation of the Academy Award winning film stars a score by Grammy Award winning songwriters and includes the classic “Unchained Melody” as it follows the love story of Sam and Molly. After his untimely death, Sam tries to protect Molly from a threat unknown to her, with the help of a storefront psychic.

"Called 'one of the finest love stories ever to hit the big screen,' Ghost is an iconic film that is not only romantic, but thrilling and funny,” Fortunato said.

“Centered around a love story between this world and the next, we look forward to bringing to the TATC stage the same charm in the Chicagoland premiere of this musical version of the story."

The creative team for Ghost the Musical includes Scenic Designer Sarah Ross, Lighting Designer Guy Rhodes, Sound Designer Mike Patrick, Costume Designer Brenda Winsted and Prop Design is by Amanda Herrmann. Stage Manager is Jessica Banaszak. William Underwood is Music Director.

Fortunato, in her third season as TATC’s Artistic Director, is teamed with Richard Friedman, General Manager, and Ann Davis, Head of Production.

The TATC run of Ghost The Musical includes some new and exciting themed special event opportunities including a Friday and Saturday “Date Night” special $30 ticket price, when purchasing two or more tickets, and features a cash bar in the lobby.

There will also be a fun-filled Oct. 4 Ghost-themed Dinner & Theatre Night in the dining room at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts. The evening includes a pottery wheel exhibition by South Shore Arts with a pottery art sale, wine tasting hosted by Chef Joe Trama featuring the Canyon Road wine line, a table for spiritual readings by Psychic Paige and demonstrations of clay mud beauty mask treatments courtesy of SpaPointe & Hair Studio. Dinner & Theatre night combo tickets are $55 (plus tax).



Founded in 1991, the 410 seat TATC is a year-round professional theater at its home: The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana. TATC is an accessible venue with plenty of free parking. TATC is located off I80/94, just 35 minutes from downtown Chicago.

Performances are 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 7:30 p.m. Fridays: 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays; and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays, with select Thursday and Sunday night performances. Individual ticket prices range from $42-$46. To purchase individual tickets, call the Box Office at 219-836-3255 or Tickets.com at 800-511-1532. Group discounts are available for groups of 11 or more. Student tickets are $20 (not available for Sunday performances) and gift certificates are also available.

For more information on Theatre at the Center, visit www.TheatreAtTheCenter.com.

Actors Courtney Mack and Garrett Lutz star in Ghost The Musical at Theatre at the Center.

SHOWS ON OUR RADAR: Tangles & Plaques Return Engagement Through September 29, 2018

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Tangles & Plaques

at The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Avenue 

A limited three-week return engagement through 

September 29, 2018

It was my great pleasure to catch the world premiere of Tangles & Plaques in October of 2017. This unique glimpse into the world of dementia patients and their caregivers is at once playful and painful, as well as enlightening. For all of us in the sandwich generation, caring for aging parents and children of our own, this is a must see.  



Tangles & Plaques attempts to demystify the experience of dementia in the language of theatre—offering a vivid, poignant, participatory experience that is unique to each audience and different every performance. Ensemble Member Kirsten Riiber and Director Jen Ellison conduct a symphony of impossible tasks and egregious forgery with the help of the audience and a cast including Riiber, Kaitlyn Andrews, Ida Cuttler, Justin Deming, Mike Hamilton, Nick Hart and Dan Kerr-Hobert. The ensemble interrogates the life and death of memories—how they persist, when they depart and the ways they distort over time.

Tangles & Plaques is Neo-Lab’s 2016-17 commission. Neo-Lab is an original works residency at The Neo-Futurist Theater originally launched in 2015 by the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information visit www.neofuturists.org/events/tangles-plaques.

OPENING: THE MADNESS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE: A LOVE STORY VIA FIRST FOLIO THEATRE THROUGH NOVEMBER 4th, 2018

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

THE SENSATIONAL, SMASH HIT PRODUCTION  

THE MADNESS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE: 

A LOVE STORY 

RETURNS FOR A SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT THIS FALL

A perfect evening of madness and macabre, this unique, interactive production transports audience members into the world of Edgar Allan Poe with a backdrop of the historic Mayslake Peabody Mansion.

I'm elated that my first foray out to First Folio and the legendary Mayslake Peabody Mansion will be for the acclaimed production, THE MADNESS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE: A LOVE STORY. My teenage son and I both adore Poe's timeless macabre tales and can't wait to join this journey into the life and literature of the great American horror writer. We'll be out for the press opening on October 6th, so check back soon for my full review. Don't wait to book tickets, though. This run is highly likely to sell out and the show is not slated for a remount for at least 5 years! 

Executive Director David Rice’s captivating piece will return for its only engagement for the next five years with previews October 3, opening October 6, and running through November 4.

A compelling and thrilling story about life and death, love and heartbreak, THE MADNESS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE: A LOVE STORY is returning to the stage this Fall after playing to capacity audiences in 2015. Called "A smart and heartfelt journey!” by The Chicago Tribune, “A masterful take on a master’s work!” by The Daily Herald, and “A perfect storm of theater!” by Chicago Stage Review.

In 1849, two years after the death of his wife Virginia, Edgar Allan Poe is haunted not just by the specter of his beloved, but also by his many macabre stories. During the course of THE MADNESS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE: A LOVE STORY, Poe and his wife Virginia guide the audience from room to room through historic Mayslake Hall, taking them from the garrets to the dungeons and deep into the madness of Edgar Allan Poe. David Rice, received a Jeff Award nomination for New Adaptation for this work in 2007, focusing with sorrowful clarity on Poe's overwhelming obsession with his wife, Virginia, whom Poe married when she was 13 and he was 27.

Directed by Skyler Schrempp, THE MADNESS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE: A LOVE STORY stars Christian Gray as Edgar Allan Poe and Erica Bittner as Virginia Poe.  Ensemble members of the cast include Josh Bernaski, Mbali Guliwe, Joel Moses, Joan Nahid, Sam Pearson, Sarah Scholl, and Helena Whitaker. The artistic team includes Scenic Designer Kyle Gettelman, Costume Designer Rachel Lambert, Original Music & Sound Designer Christopher Kriz, Lighting Designer Michael McNamara, and Movement Designer Michael Goldberg.

All performances of THE MADNESS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE: A LOVE STORY will take place at the Mayslake Peabody Estate, located at 1717 31st St., off Rt. 83, in Oak Brook. First Folio is easily accessible from the East-West Tollway (I-88) or the Stevenson Expressway (I-55). Free parking is available on the grounds. 

Performance times are as follows: Wednesdays at 8 p.m., Thursdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m. Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Preview tickets are $25. Regular priced tickets are $34 Wednesdays and Thursdays (seniors and students are $29) and $44 on Fridays through Sundays (seniors and students are $39). 

Season subscriptions and individual tickets may be purchased by calling the box office at 630.986.8067 or online at www.firstfolio.org.