OPENING: Mad Beat Hip & Gone A newly re-imagined script by Steven Dietz Via Promethean Theatre Ensemble April 27 – June 1, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Mad Beat Hip & Gone

A newly re-imagined script by Steven Dietz

Directed by Jess Hutchinson

At The Edge Theater Off-Broadway

I'll be out for the Press Opening May 5th, so check back soon for my full review. Promethean Theatre Ensemble will close its 2018-19 season with MAD BEAT HIP & GONE, by Steven Dietz, author of LAST OF THE BOYS and PRIVATE EYES and over thirty other plays that have been produced by regional theatres across the country, internationally, and off-Broadway in New York.  MAD BEAT HIP & GONE, which had its world premiere in Austin, Texas in 2013, follows two young Nebraska men who meet beat generation writer Jack Kerouac.  Rejecting the established order of mid-1950s America, they follow Kerouac’s example and hit the open road in search of truth. Do they find it? And what can we learn from their travels?

Promethean’s production of MAD BEAT HIP & GONE will be just the second production of the play and the first to employ revisions Dietz has written since its 2013 world premiere. It will be directed by Jess Hutchinson, Artistic Director of Chicago’s late New Leaf Theatre, where her directorial credits included ARCADIA, THE DINING ROOM, and world premieres of BURYING MISS AMERICA, LIGHTHOUSEKEEPING, and THE MAN WHO WAS THURSDAY. MAD BEAT HIP & GONE will open on Saturday May 4, 2019. It will be one of the first productions to be staged in The Edge Theater Off Broadway, 1133 W Catalpa Avenue, a new performance space in The Edge Theater building.

Hutchinson’s cast will include Pat King and Michael Vizzi as Danny and Rich, the two young Nebraska men on the road; and Hilary Williams as Honey – the girl they meet along the way and both fall for. Ted Hoerl will play Albert and Promethean Ensemble member Elaine Carlson will be Mrs. Fergus. Understudies are Nick Stockwell (Danny) and Annie Cleveland (Honey). The production team also will include Rachel Sypniewski (costume designer), Bec Willett (set designer),  Rachel Watson (properties designer), Sarah Scanlon (intimacy/violence designer), Benjamin Carne (lighting designer), Colin Kovarik (sound designer), Charles Martin (technical director) and Alexa Berkowitz (stage manager).

Top row left to right: Pat King, Hilary Williams, Michael Vizzi.

Lower row left to right: Elaine Carlson, Ted Hoerl.

BIOS
Steven Dietz (playwright) Steven Dietz's thirty-plus plays and adaptations have been seen at over one hundred regional theatres in the United States, as well as Off-Broadway and in twenty countries internationally. His work has been translated into ten languages. 

Mr. Dietz premiered three plays in the 2015-16 season: ON CLOVER ROAD (NNPN rolling world premiere); BLOOMSDAY (Steinberg New Play Award Citation); and THIS RANDOM WORLD (Humana Festival of New American Plays). Mr. Dietz is a two-time winner of the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays Award, for FICTION (produced Off-Broadway by the Roundabout Theatre Company) and STILL LIFE WITH IRIS (the first play for Young Audiences to receive this award). He received the PEN USA West Award in Drama for LONELY PLANET; the Edgar Award for Best Mystery Play for SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL ADVENTURE; and the Edgerton New Play Award for RANCHO MIRAGE (NNPN rolling world premiere). His plays LAST OF THE BOYS and BECKY'S NEW CAR were both finalists for the American Theatre Critic's Steinberg New Play Award.

Other widely produced Dietz plays include YANKEE TAVERN (NNPN rolling world premiere), SHOOTING STAR, JACKIE & ME (from Dan Gutman), GOD'S COUNTRY, DRACULA (from Bram Stoker), PRIVATE EYES, INVENTING VAN GOGH and THE NINA VARIATIONS.

Jess Hutchinson (director) is a dramaturg, director, educator, and producer. As Artistic Director of Chicago’s New Leaf Theatre, her favorite projects included ARCADIA, THE DINING ROOM, and world premieres of BURYING MISS AMERICA, LIGHTHOUSEKEEPING, and THE MAN WHO WAS THURSDAY. After earning her MFA from UT Austin, she was proud to be the 2015-16 NNPN Producer in Residence at Kitchen Dog Theater in Dallas, Texas. Since returning home to Chicago she has been delighted to collaborate on productions, readings, and new play development with 20% Theatre, Rivendell, Route 66, Chicago Dramatists, Remy Bumppo, TimeLine, Governors State, and North Park University.  

The Edge Theater Off Broadway, 1133 W Catalpa Ave. Chicago
April 27 – June 1, 2019
Previews:  April 27 – May 3, 2019

Regular Run:  Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm. Industry Performance Monday, May 13, 2019 at 7:30 pm
Ticket prices: $30.00 general admission, $25.00 seniors, $15.00 students and military.

Tickets available at https://dime.io/events/mad-beat-hip-gone
More info at www.prometheantheatre.org


Steven Dietz's play considers 1950s America, when magnificent poets roamed open highways, accompanied by jukebox jazz. The nation’s youth hit the road, high on full tanks of gas and brimming with unattainable dreams. Two magnificently average young men from Nebraska encounter Jack Kerouac and his friends in a bar. They respond by heading west themselves, trailing the Beat poets all the way to the golden land of California. Youthful exuberance is balanced by the untethered floundering of the older generation and their bittersweet knowledge that all dreams are fleeting. MAD BEAT HIP & GONE marries the realism and sharp dialogue for which Dietz is famous, with the achingly brilliant poetry of the Beat Generation. It’s a road trip you won’t want to miss.

Karen Mason: For the First Time at The Cabaret Room at Drury Lane May 17–19, 2019

The Cabaret Room at Drury Lane Announces 

limited engagement of

Karen Mason: For the First Time

May 17–19, 2019

Chicago favorite and Broadway star Karen Mason debuts at Drury Lane Theatre’s intimate Cabaret Room. Her newest cabaret, Karen Mason: For the First Time will run for only three performances: May 17 and May 18 at 7:30pm and May 19 at 6:30pm in Drury Lane’s beautiful and intimate Cabaret Room located at 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the box office at 630.530.0111 or TicketMaster at 800.745.3000 or online at DruryLaneTheatre.com.  

Featuring uniquely showstopping numbers, For the First Time highlights Mason’s vocal prowess, moving charisma, and overall versatility – few performers transcend seamlessly between television, recording, Off-Broadway, and Broadway as has Karen Mason. This legend has graced the stages of Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Feinstein’s 54 Below, and more, and The Cabaret Room at Drury Lane is thrilled to welcome her back to Chicago.

The Cabaret Room features a special small plates menu including a shareable charcuterie and cheese platter and bacon wrapped dates in addition to cocktails and desserts. Doors open one hour prior to performance time, leaving plenty of time for guests to take advantage of this delectable menu. Gold Circle tickets include front row table seating at $70 and General Admission table seating is $60. There is a $25 food and beverage minimum per person.
The 2019 Cabaret Series will continue August 9-11, 2019, September 27-29, 2019, December 27-29, 2019, and February 14-16, 2020). Performers to be announced at a later date.

For more information or to make a reservation, call the Drury Lane Theatre box office at 630.530.0111 or visit DruryLaneTheatre.com. 

Also playing at Drury Lane
The 2019/2020 season will include two award-winning Regional Theatre premieres – the imaginative Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical (April 26 – June 23, 2019), based on the beloved novel, and the beautifully captivating Gershwin musical An American in Paris (January 31 – March 29, 2020). The thrilling season also includes Agatha Christie’s edge-of-your-seat murder mystery And Then There Were None (July 12 – September 1, 2019); the revival of the exhilarating The Color Purple (September 13 – November 3, 2019), based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel; and the magical musical for all ages Mary Poppins (November 15 – January 19, 2020). 
  
Subscriptions for the 2019/2020 Season are priced from $172 to $203.50 and are currently on sale. Subscribers receive special offers on dining, flexible ticket exchanges, and early notification and priority seating for added events and concerts. For more information, visit DruryLaneTheatre.com. 
  
The performance schedule for all productions during the 2019/2020 season is as follows: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Student group tickets start as low as $35 and Senior Citizens start at $45 for matinees. Dinner and show packages are also available. For individual ticket on-sale dates and ticket reservations, call the Drury Lane Theatre box office at 630.530.0111 or TicketMaster at 800.745.3000 or visit DruryLaneTheatre.com.  



About Drury Lane Theatre    
Under the leadership of President Kyle DeSantis and Artistic Director William Osetek, Drury Lane Theatre is a major force in the Chicagoland theatre scene, presenting world-class productions in collaboration with some of the nation’s leading actors, artists, writers, and directors. Drury Lane has staged more than 2,000 productions and has been nominated for more than 360 Joseph Jefferson Awards. Drury Lane is committed to breathing new life into beloved classics and introducing audiences to exciting new works.   
   
Throughout its 50-year history, Drury Lane has employed more than 7,500 actors and 10,000 musicians, designers, and crew members to entertain upwards of nine million audience members. Originally founded by Anthony DeSantis, Drury Lane Theatre moved to its current Oakbrook Terrace home more than 30 years ago and remains a family-run organization known for producing breathtaking Broadway classics, top-rated musicals, bold new works, hilarious comedies, and unforgettable concert events.   

SAVE THE DATES: TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY'S 23RD SEASON 2019-20

ChiIL Live Shows on Our Radar

TimeLine Theatre Company, acclaimed for presenting plays that explore today’s social and political issues through the lens of the past, is thrilled to announce its 23rd season

The company’s 2019-20 subscription season will feature the previously announced Chicago premiere of J.T. Rogers’ Tony Award-winning OSLO presented at Broadway In Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse. TimeLine’s 2019-20 season continues with an acclaimed but rarely performed 100-year-old play named one of the best of the 20th Century that has never been seen in Chicago, the Chicago premiere of a powerful and provocative play described by the playwright as “an expressionistic buzz saw through the contemporary myth that ‘all lives matter,’” and the world premiere of a new play developed through TimeLine’s Playwrights Collective. 

TimeLine Theatre’s upcoming 2019-20 subscription season includes: The Chicago premiere of the 2017 Tony Award winner for Best Play, OSLO by J.T. Rogers, directed by TimeLine Associate Artistic Director Nick Bowling, a political thriller about the behind-the-scenes negotiations that brought about the 1993 peace agreement between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, presented at the Broadway Playhouse.

The Chicago premiere of RUTHERFORD AND SON by Githa Sowerby, directed by TimeLine Company Member Mechelle Moe, a rarely produced family drama written in 1912 that brings an ahead-of-its-time depiction of class, gender, and generational warfare.

The Chicago premiere of KILL MOVE PARADISE by James Ijames, directed by TimeLine Company Member Wardell Julius Clark, a contemporary portrait of those lost, inspired by the ever-growing list of slain unarmed black men and women.

And the world premiere of RELENTLESS by TimeLine Company Member Tyla Abercrumbie, directed by TimeLine Company Member Ron OJ Parson, a new play developed through TimeLine’s Playwrights Collective that presents a complicated tale of family, legacy, and progress.

Further casting will be announced at a later date.
Save on tickets to TimeLine’s 2019-20 Season with a FlexPass Subscription. Four different tiers, priced from $97 to $235, are now on sale. For more information and to purchase, call (773) 281-8463 x6 or visit timelinetheatre.com.

“On behalf of all of TimeLine’s Company Members I am excited to announce our next season, featuring a thrilling collection of four plays that are all new to Chicago,” said TimeLine Artistic Director PJ Powers. “As TimeLine furthers its mission of exploring today’s social and political issues through the lens of the past, we will take audiences on a journey through different centuries and continents while exploring topics that dominate contemporary headlines and conversations. The season includes acclaimed plays such as Oslo and Kill Move Paradise that have recently been heralded in New York and beyond, alongside the world premiere of Tyla Abercrumbie’s astonishing family drama Relentless, and the resurrection of a groundbreaking feminist play from the early 20th century, Rutherford and Son, marking the long-overdue Chicago premiere of this classic.”

THE 2019-20 TIMELINE THEATRE SEASON IS:
Chicago Premiere
OSLO
by J.T. Rogers
directed by Nick Bowling
September 18 – October 20, 2019 (previews 9/10 – 9/17)
presented at Broadway In Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse, 175 E. Chestnut St.

TimeLine presents the Chicago premiere of the 2017 Tony Award winner for Best Play—a remarkable story about the unlikely friendships, quiet heroics, and sheer determination that pushed two foes to reach something neither thought truly possible—peace. 

When the Israeli prime minister and the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization shook hands on the White House lawn in 1993, the world had no idea what it took to orchestrate that momentous occasion. Behind the scenes, a Norwegian diplomat and her social scientist husband hatched an intricate, top secret, and sometimes comical scheme to gather an unexpected assortment of players at an idyllic estate just outside Oslo. Far from any international glare, mortal enemies were able to face each other not as adversaries, but as fellow human beings. 

J.T. Rogers’ OSLO is a humorous, surprising, and inspiring true story about the people inside politics, and the incredible progress that is possible when we focus on what makes us human—together.

OSLO received the 2017 Tony Award for Best Play, as well as New York Critics, Outer Critics, Drama Desk, Drama League, Lucille Lortel, and Obie awards—a sweep of the 2016-17 New York awards season—and was nominated for the Olivier and Evening Standard awards.

This “riveting political thriller” (Associated Press) is “fast-paced and quick-witted” (The Independent) and “a disarmingly funny masterpiece” (Huffington Post). The Washington Post raved that “its account of intractable foes finding common ground is irresistible and, ultimately, deeply moving,” and the New York Daily News wrote that OSLO is “smart, touching and spiked with spy-novel tension and wry humor.” Variety called it “gripping, compelling, and compulsively watchable,” and The New York Times declared that it is “the stuff of crackling theater.”

Chicago Premiere
RUTHERFORD AND SON
by Githa Sowerby
directed by Mechelle Moe
November 14, 2019 – January 12, 2020 (previews 11/6 – 11/13)
presented at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave.

Named one of the “100 plays of the century” by the Royal National Theatre, Githa Sowerby’s rarely produced family drama is a smart and absorbing twist on a woman’s “place” in a male dominated society.

In the industrial north of England in 1912, the patriarch of the Rutherford family has spent decades building a respected glass works company to pass on to his children, without any say from them. Caught between passion, purpose, and expectation, John, Richard, and Janet struggle to break free from an oppressive and narrow-minded father dead set on writing their stories himself. Less entangled by these family expectations and with ambitions to give her son the life he deserves, John’s young wife Mary is determined to upend the cycle, whatever it takes.  

Playing on the conventions of the period with wit and creative edge, RUTHERFORD AND SON is a play ahead of its time, asking us to question if our “place” in life should be anything but what we ourselves determine it to be.
Originally produced under the pen name K.G. Sowerby, RUTHERFORD AND SON premiered in 1912 at London’s Court Theatre with four performances. It soon re-opened at London's Little Theatre, where it became a massive, critical success. Literary critic Barrett Harper Clark, writing in 1915, declared it "among the most powerful works of the younger generation” and Sowerby’s writing was compared to that of Henrik Ibsen. It was also produced in New York, Canada and Australia, and translated into numerous other languages, including German, French, Italian, Russian, and Bohemian. 

It was only later revealed that the author of the hit play was a woman, which may have been a factor in its fall into obscurity until the 1980s. It has since had successful productions including at the National Theatre in 1994 and New York’s Mint Theatre in 2001, among others, and will be revived at the National Theatre again in May 2019. TimeLine’s production will be the play’s Chicago premiere and among only a handful of productions ever presented in the United States. 
The Globe and Mail has called RUTHERFORD AND SON “engaging and splendid … works magic ... as a family drama.” And the Ottawa Citizen wrote that “the reason it continues to intrigue us is that it is first and foremost a study in character, an examination of how patriarchal despotism and the prevailing culture of the day can ensnare human beings.”

Chicago Premiere
KILL MOVE PARADISE
by James Ijames
directed by Wardell Julius Clark 
February 20 – April 5, 2020 (previews 2/12 – 2/19)
presented at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave.

James Ijames' New York Times Critic Pick play is a powerful and provocative reflection on recent events, illustrating the possibilities of collective transformation and radical acts of joy.

Torn from the world they know without warning, Isa, Daz, Grif, and Tiny discover themselves stuck in a nebulous waiting room in the afterlife. While balancing the reality of their past and the uncertainty of their future, their souls try to find peace from senseless action and hope in the life they left behind. 
Inspired by the ever-growing list of slain unarmed black men and women, KILL MOVE PARADISE is a portrait of those lost—not as statistics, but as heroes who deserve to be seen for the splendid beings they are.   
         
Playwright James Ijames has described his play as “an expressionistic buzz saw through the contemporary myth that ‘all lives matter.’” KILL MOVE PARADISE has been seen at National Black Theatre in Harlem, The Wilma Theatre in Philadelphia, and Know Theatre of Cincinnati, among others. The New York Times wrote that the work “radiates an urgent and hypnotic theatrical energy.” Philadelphia Magazine called it “a deeply touching evening of theater” and wrote that “Ijames’ writing is vividly, singularly his own [and] has something profound and important to tell us. You shall be moved.” And the Cincinnati Inquirer advised audiences to “lean back and allow the impact of it all to wash over you.” 

World Premiere
RELENTLESS
by Tyla Abercrumbie
directed by Ron OJ Parson
May 14 – June 27, 2020 (previews 5/6 – 5/13)
presented at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave.
Developed through TimeLine’s Playwrights Collective, this world premiere is a startling and vibrant look at the secrets we keep to protect the ones we love most.

After the death of their mother, two sisters return home to Philadelphia in 1918 to settle her estate. Annelle is a happy socialite desperate to return to the safe illusion of a perfect life with her husband in Boston. Janet is a single, professional nurse, determined to change history and propel black women to a place of prominence and respect. Upon discovering a series of diaries left by their late mother, they find themselves confronted with a woman they never really knew, exposing buried truths from the pasts that are chillingly, explosively Relentless.

Playwright and TimeLine Company Member Tyla Abercrumbie weaves a mother’s past with her daughters’ present in a complicated tale of family, legacy, and progress.      

This world premiere play was developed through TimeLine’s Playwrights Collective, launched in 2013 to support Chicago-based playwrights in residence and create new work centered on TimeLine’s mission of presenting plays inspired by history that connect to today’s social and political issues. RELENTLESS is the second play developed through the Collective to receive a full production, following Brett Neveu’s To Catch a Fish, which was presented at TimeLine in 2018. RELENTLESS received its first public reading as part of TimeLine’s inaugural First Draft Playwrights Collective Festival in December 2018.

BIOGRAPHIES (in alphabetical order)
Tyla Abercrumbie (Playwright, RELENTLESS) is a TimeLine Company Member and 2016-2018 Playwrights Collective member who has appeared as an actor in PARADISE BLUE and IN DARFUR, served as assistant director of A RAISIN IN THE SUN, and directed the TimePieces reading of REPAIRING A NATION. Her plays include WHO’S AFRAID OF DEEPAK CHOPRA, ASYLUM (AKA LIFE), PSYCHOLOGICAL TERRORISM, NAKED AND RAW, THE STRAW, AFFAIR OF AMBIGUITY, and NORMALITY. Abercrumbie’s work has been produced by Pittsburgh Playwright’s Theatre, MPAACT Theatre and Chicago Cultural Center, and THE STRAW received a professional Staged Reading with Chicago Dramatists. As an actor in the Chicago area, she recently starred in productions of SWEAT (Goodman) and PIPELINE (Victory Gardens), and has also worked at Chicago Shakespeare, Court, Next, and Northlight, among others. She has also worked at Florida’s Asolo Repertory Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Milwaukee Rep and Actors Theatre of Louisville. Television credits include THE CHI (recurring role), PROVEN INNOCENT, CHICAGO PD, CHICAGO MED, SHRINK, EMPIRE, EASY, CRISIS, MOB DOCTOR, DETROIT 187, CHICAGO CODE, SHAMELESS, and PRIVATE PRACTICE. You may also have seen her at comedy clubs around town testing jokes for her stand-up show, NAKED & RAW 3 (The Takers and the Tooken). Her book RED WINE AND THE BLES’SED MONKEY, a collection of prose and poetry, established her as a respected poet invited to showcase her work around the country, and as an opener for keynote speakers like the Reverend Jesse Jackson. She has a BA degree with a focus in Theatre and Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago, and is a member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA.

Nick Bowling (Director, OSLO) was the founding Artistic Director and is now Associate Artistic Director and a Company Member of TimeLine Theatre, where he has directed 30 productions. He is the recipient of eight Jeff Awards for Outstanding Direction (THE HISTORY BOYS, THE NORMAL HEART, FIORELLO!, THIS HAPPY BREED, and THE CRUCIBLE at TimeLine, RAGTIME at Marriott Theatre, SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM at Porchlight Music Theatre, and ANOTHER PART OF THE FOREST at Eclipse Theatre) and also received Jeff Award nominations for BLOOD AND GIFTS, THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION, HAUPTMANN, and THE LION IN WINTER at TimeLine; CLOSER THAN EVER at Porchlight Music Theatre; and CITY OF ANGELS, THE KING AND I, and Man OF LA MANCHA at Marriott Theatre. Other recent credits at TimeLine include MASTER CLASS, THE AUDIENCE, A DISAPPEARING NUMBER, THE LAST WIFE, DANNY CASOLARO DIED FOR YOU, JUNO, and BLOOD AND GIFTS. Other Chicago credits include Marriott’s THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, Paramount's A CHRISTMAS STORY, Northwestern University’s GUYS AND DOLLS and CABARET, Porchlight’s A CATERED AFFAIR, Writers Theatre's BACH AT LEIPZIG, and Shattered Globe Theatre's TIME OF THE CUCKOO and FROZEN ASSETS. His upcoming projects include OLIVER! (Marriott).
Wardell Julius Clark (Director, KILL MOVE PARADISE) is a TimeLine Company Member who will make his TimeLine mainstage directing debut with KILL MOVE PARADISE. He first appeared on stage at TimeLine in A RAISIN IN THE SUN, works as a Teaching Artist with TimeLine’s Living History Program in Chicago Public Schools, and directed the TimePieces play reading of NAT TURNER IN JERUSALEM and the First Draft Festival reading of KENT STATE JACKSON STATE. An actor, director, teaching artist, and social justice activist, Clark’s recent directing credits in Chicago include THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM–1963 (Chicago Children’s Theatre), DUTCH MASTERS (Jackalope), THE SHIPMENT (Red Tape), SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY (Redtwist), and INSURRECTION: HOLDING HISTORY (Stage Left). He was also Associate Director for GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER and Assistant Director for GEM OF THE OCEAN and SATCHMO AT THE WALDORF (Court). His Chicago acting credits include FLYIN’ WEST (American Blues); SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER (Raven); APARTMENT 3A (Windy City Playhouse); SILENT SKY (First Folio); INVISIBLE MAN (Court); THE WHIPPING MAN (Northlight); WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT… and THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JAMES (Victory Gardens); THE BEATS (16th Street); GHOSTS OF ATWOOD (MPAACT), for which he received the Black Theater Alliance Denzel Washington Award for Most Promising Actor; and TOPDOG/UNDERDOG (American Theater Company/Congo Square). Regional credits include OTHELLO, MACBETH, and THE LEARNED LADIES (Theater at Monmouth); THE WHIPPING MAN (Cardinal Stage); CYMBELINE (Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival); and FENCES (Carver Theatre). His television and film credits include SHAMELESS and CHICAGO FIRE. Originally from Fairfield, Alabama, Clark earned his BFA degree in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University. He is represented by Gray Talent Group.
James Ijames (Playwright, KILL MOVE PARADISE) is a Philadelphia-based performer and playwright. He has appeared regionally in productions at The Arden Theatre Company, The Philadelphia Theatre Company, InterAct Theatre Company, The Wilma Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, Mauckingbird Theatre Company, and People’s Light and Theatre. Ijames’ plays have been produced by Flashpoint Theater Company, Orbiter 3, Theatre Horizon (Philadelphia, PA), The National Black Theatre (NYC), Ally Theatre (Washington, D.C.) and have received development with PlayPenn New Play Conference, The Lark, Playwright's Horizon, Clubbed Thumb, Villanova Theater, The Gulfshore Playhouse, Wilma Theater, Azuka Theatre, and Victory Gardens Theater. He is the 2011 F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Artist recipient, and he also won two Barrymore Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play for SUPERIOR DONUTS and ANGELS IN AMERICA, and one Barrymore for Outstanding Direction of a Play for THE BROTHERS SIZE with Simpatico Theatre Company. Ijames is a 2011 Independence Foundation Fellow, a 2015 Pew Fellow for Playwriting, the 2015 winner of the Terrance McNally New Play Award for WHITE, the 2015 Kesselring Honorable Mention Prize winner for THE MOST SPECTACULARLY LAMENTABLE TRIAL OF MIZ MARTHA WASHINGTON and a 2017 recipient of the Whiting Award. He is a founding member of Orbiter 3, Philadelphia’s first playwright producing collective and a mentor for The Foundry. He received a BA degree in Drama from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, and an MFA degree in Acting from Temple University in Philadelphia, Penn. Ijames is Assistant Professor of Theatre at Villanova University and resides in South Philadelphia.

Mechelle Moe (Director, RUTHERFORD AND SON) is a Company Member at TimeLine, where her credits include directing CARDBOARD PIANO and IN THE NEXT ROOM OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY. She has appeared on stage in many TimeLine productions, including BOY, THE APPLE FAMILY PLAYS, MY KIND OF TOWN, THE FRONT PAGE, THE CHILDREN’S HOUR, NOT ENOUGH AIR, and PARADISE LOST. She is co-artistic director of The Yard, a youth-based theater company that produces theater relevant to young people, performed by young people, with whom she directed last year's critically acclaimed production of COLUMBINUS as part of Steppenwolf's LookOut series. Other directing credits with The Yard include MILK LIKE SUGAR, THE 4TH GRADERS PRESENT AN UNNAMED LOVE SUICIDE, and SNACK BREAK (an annual short plays festival). She also recently co-wrote/co-directed a new TYA production of THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF AESOP IN THE LAND OF FABLES for Raven Theatre. Moe is a Jeff Award recipient for Actress in Principal Role for her performance in Machinal (The Hypocrites) and received a Jeff Award nomination for Actress in Principal Role for Stage Door (Griffin). She is an artistic associate of Griffin Theater and a founding member of The Hypocrites. Moe graduated with honors from the University of Illinois Chicago with both a bachelor’s degree in Theater as well as Anthropology.

Ron OJ Parson (Director, RELENTLESS) became a TimeLine Company Member in 2016. His TimeLine credits include Jiréh Breon HOLDER’S TOO HEAVY FOR YOUR POCKET, Brett Neveu’s TO CATCH A FISH, Dominique Morisseau’s PARADISE BLUE and SUNSET BABY, and Lorraine Hansberry’s A RAISIN IN THE SUN. He is a native of Buffalo, New York, and a graduate of the University of Michigan’s professional theater program. He is the co-founder and former Artistic Director of Onyx Theatre Ensemble of Chicago and a co-founder and co-director of Ripe ManGo Productions. Parson is a Resident Artist at Court Theatre and an Associate Artist with Teatro Vista, and an Associate Artist at Writers Theatre. Since moving to Chicago from New York in 1994, he has worked as both an actor and director. His Chicago credits include work with The Chicago Theatre Company, Victory Gardens, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Chicago Dramatists, Northlight, Court, Black Ensemble Theatre, Congo Square, Northlight Theatre, Urban Theatre Company, City Lit Theater, ETA Creative Arts, and Writers. Regionally, Parson has directed shows at Studio Arena Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Milwaukee Repertory, South Coast Repertory, Pasadena Playhouse, Geva Theatre, Virginia Stage, Roundabout Theatre, Wilshire Theatre, The Mechanic Theatre, CenterStage, St. Louis Black Repertory, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre, Signature Theatre (New York), Kansas City Rep, and Portland Stage, among others. In Canada, he directed the world premiere of Palmer Park by Joanna McClelland Glass at the Stratford Festival. He is a member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and SDC. For further information, visit ronojparson.com.

J.T. Rogers (Playwright, OSLO) plays include OSLO (Lincoln Center Theater, then Broadway; National Theatre, London, then West End); BLOOD AND GIFTS (Lincoln Center Theater; National Theatre; Chicago premiere at TimeLine Theatre in 2013); THE OVERWHELMING (National Theatre, then UK tour with Out of Joint; Roundabout Theatre); WHITE PEOPLE (Off Broadway with Starry Night Productions); and MADAGASCAR (Theatre 503, London; Melbourne Theatre Company). For OSLO he won the Tony, New York Critics, Outer Critics, Drama Desk, Drama League, Lortel, and Obie awards, and was nominated for the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards. As one of the playwrights for the Tricycle Theatre of London’s THE GREAT GAME: Afghanistan he was also nominated for an Olivier Award. His works have been staged throughout the United States and in Germany, Canada, Australia, South Korea, and Israel. Rogers’s essays have been published in The New York Times, The Guardian, and the New Statesman.  He is a Guggenheim fellow and has received three NYFA fellowships in playwriting. Rogers is a member of the Dramatists Guild, where he is a founding board member of the Dramatists Legal Defense Fund. He is an alum of New Dramatists and holds an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. 

Githa Sowerby (Playwright, RUTHERFORD AND SON, 1876-1970), also known under her pen name K.G. Sowerby, was an English playwright, children's writer, and member of the Fabian Society. A feminist, she was well-known during the early 20th century for her play RUTHERFORD AND SON, which was received as a work of major importance and became a hit in England, New York, and elsewhere, but lapsed into obscurity in later decades. She spent her childhood in Tyne and Wear in northeast England, where her family was involved in the glass-making business. She moved to London in her early twenties, where it is believed that she wrote RUTHERFORD AND SON, which premiered in 1912. Her plays have been described as exploiting realist techniques to address social and economic problems, often from a feminist perspective. Her other plays include BEFORE BREAKFAST (1912), A MAN AND SOME WOMEN (1914), SHEILA (1917), THE STEPMOTHER (1924), and THE POLICEMAN’S WHISTLE (1934). She also wrote numerous books for children with her elder sister, Millicent, as well as some plays for young audiences.



ABOUT TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY
TimeLine Theatre Company, recipient of the prestigious 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, was founded in April 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues. Now in its 22nd season, TimeLine has presented 78 productions, including 10 world premieres and 34 Chicago premieres, and launched the Living History Education Program, now in its 12th year of bringing the company's mission to life for students in Chicago Public Schools. Recipient of the Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence and the Richard Goodman Strategic Planning Award from the Association for Strategic Planning, TimeLine has received 54 Jeff Awards, including an award for Outstanding Production 11 times.

TimeLine is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers, Managing Director Elizabeth K. Auman and Board President Eileen LaCario. Company members are Tyla Abercrumbie, Will Allan, Nick Bowling, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Wardell Julius Clark, Behzad Dabu, Charles Andrew Gardner, Lara Goetsch, Juliet Hart, Anish Jethmalani, Mildred Marie Langford, Mechelle Moe, David Parkes, Ron OJ Parson, PJ Powers, Maren Robinson and Benjamin Thiem.

Major corporate, government and foundation supporters of TimeLine Theatre include Alphawood Foundation, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Bayless Family Foundation, The Crown Family, Forum Fund, Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Laughing Acres Family Foundation, A.L. and Jennie L. Luria Foundation, MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Pauls Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, and The Shubert Foundation.

New Uptown Home In The Works:



Now Playing:



For more information, visit timelinetheatre.com or Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (@TimeLineTheatre).

Four Performances Only! Comedian JOEL KIM BOOSTER at The Den Theatre May 10 – 11, 2019 in The Janet Bookspan Theatre

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar
Four Performances Only!

The Den Theatre Presents Comedian

JOEL KIM BOOSTER

May 10 – 11, 2019 in The Janet Bookspan Theatre

 Joel Kim Booster. Photo courtesy WME

Comedian Joel Kim Booster brings his stand-up tour to The Den Theatre for four performances only May 10 – 11, 2019 in The Janet Bookspan Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Tickets ($25 general admission) are currently available at www.thedentheatre.com, in person at the The Den box office or by calling (773) 697-3830. Ages 18+.

Joel Kim Booster is a Chicago-bred, Los Angeles-based comedian and writer. As a comedian he has appeared on Conan, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Netflix’s The Fix, Comedy Central’s The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, This Is Not Happening and @midnight, Logo’s Comedy Cabaret and truTV’s Comedy Knockout. In 2017, Joel recorded a stand-up special for Comedy Central’s The Half-Hour, a full-length stand-up album called Model Minority and was listed as one of Esquire’s “10 Comedians to Watch.” Joel recently had the honor of making the Wall Street Journal’s “Young Hollywood Portfolio” highlighting rising stars in Hollywood, Forbes’ 2018 “30 Under 30” list in their Hollywood and Entertainment category spotlighting the next generation of talent, Variety’s 2018 “10 Comics to Watch,” Vulture’s “20 Comedians You Should and Will Know,” and Time Out’s “L.A. Comedians to Watch in 2018.” TV and film credits include Shrill (Hulu), Search Party (TBS), The Week Of (Netflix) and Viper Club (You Tube Premium). His writing credits include Billy on the Street (truTV), Big Mouth (Netflix), The Other Two (Comedy Central) and the pilot for Comedy Central’s Problematic with Moshe Kasher. Follow Joel on Twitter @ihatejoelkim.

Performance Schedule

Friday, May 10 at 7 pm & 9 pm
Saturday, May 11 at 7 pm & 9 pm



About The Den Theatre
Artistic Director Ryan Martin opened The Den in 2010 with a single theatre space. Seven years later, The Den boasts five intimate and unique theaters on two floors ranging from 50 – 200 seats, as well as two additional spaces primarily used for classes and rehearsals. The Den is also equipped with two bars enveloped by a never-ending field of lounge space for audiences and like-minded culture hounds to drink, talk, read, watch, think, listen and live. The Den is home to seven resident theatre companies including First Floor Theater, Haven Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre, The New Colony, Broken Nose Theatre, WildClaw Theatre and Firebrand Theatre. Hundreds of other companies from Chicago and beyond have also called The Den home, utilizing its theaters, studio space and easily convertible cabaret space to accommodate a stream of programming, including plays, musicals, film screenings, classical and jazz performances, dance, improv and stand-up, seminars and speaking engagements. For additional information, visit www.thedentheatre.com.

One Night Only! Vicki Barbolak’s Trailer Nasty Tour Sunday, April 7 on The Heath Main Stage at The Den Theatre

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

 One Night Only!

The Den Theatre Presents

Vicki Barbolak’s Trailer Nasty Tour

Sunday, April 7 on The Heath Main Stage

Top 10 Finalist on 2018 “America's Got Talent”

PHOTO CREDIT: Vicki Barbolak by Deb Friedricks.

Comedian Vicki Barbolak, a fan favorite and Top 10 finalist on 2018’s America's Got Talent, brings her Trailer Nasty Tour to The Den Theatre for one night only, hosted by Mike Vinn and featuring Jesse Egan. Barbolak takes the stage Sunday, April 7, 2019 at 7 pm on The Heath Main Stage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. Tickets ($25 general admission) are currently available at www.thedentheatre.com, in person at the The Den box office or by calling (773) 697-3830. Ages 18+.

Vicki Barbolak was a fan favorite and Top 10 finalist on Season 13 of America's Got Talent on NBC. Howie Mandel told Vicki and America, “I think you just came up with your own sitcom, you’re wonderful I love you.” And Simon said, “I think you’re the best comedian we’ve had on this show.” Since being on AGT, Vicki has embarked on an international tour and launched her own podcast called “Trailer Nasty with Vicki Barbolak.”

When Vicki was 38 years young, she saw an ad for a stand-up comedy class. That class changed her life. Vicki quickly realized that making people laugh gave her more happiness than she ever dreamed possible. After a few years of open mic nights, Vicki was taken under the wing of Mitzi Shore, owner of The Comedy Store where Vicki developed as a Comedian.

In the 20 years since, Vicki 's been named a member of Jay Leno's NBC Laugh Squad, Won Funniest Mom In America on Nick @ Nite, and has been featured by E! Television as the Next Breakout Star to come from The Comedy Store. Vicki's comedy reflects life as Mom, her many marriages, and her love of the Southern California Trailer Park Lifestyle. www.vickibarbolakcomedy.com



About The Den Theatre

Artistic Director Ryan Martin opened The Den in 2010 with a single theatre space. Seven years later, The Den boasts five intimate and unique theaters on two floors ranging from 50 – 200 seats, as well as two additional spaces primarily used for classes and rehearsals. The Den is also equipped with two bars enveloped by a never-ending field of lounge space for audiences and like-minded culture hounds to drink, talk, read, watch, think, listen and live. The Den is home to seven resident theatre companies including First Floor Theater, Haven Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre, The New Colony, Broken Nose Theatre, WildClaw Theatre and Firebrand Theatre. Hundreds of other companies from Chicago and beyond have also called The Den home, utilizing its theaters, studio space and easily convertible cabaret space to accommodate a stream of programming, including plays, musicals, film screenings, classical and jazz performances, dance, improv and stand-up, seminars and speaking engagements. For additional information, visit www.thedentheatre.com.

CANCELLED! Comedian CHRISTOPHER TITUS With Rachel Bradley at The Den Theatre April 11 – 13, 2019

**CANCELLED!**
The Den Theatre Cancels 
Comedian CHISTOPHER TITUS’
Engagement Scheduled for April 11 – 13, 2019 

The Den Theatre today announced the cancellation of comedian Christopher Titus’ Chicago engagement scheduled for April 11 – 13, 2019. For tickets refunds, patrons should contact The Den Theatre box office at (773) 697-3830 or visit the box office in person at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood.

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Five Performances Only!

The Den Theatre Presents Comedian

CHRISTOPHER TITUS

With Rachel Bradley

April 11 – 13, 2019 on The Heath Mainstage

PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Titus by Kimo Easterwood.

Comedian Christopher Titus brings his newest show, AMERIGEDDON, to The Den Theatre for five performances only, April 11 – 13, 2019 on The Heath Main Stage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Rachel Bradley opens. Tickets ($30 general admission, $45 VIP table seating) are currently available at www.thedentheatre.com, in person at the The Den box office or by calling (773) 697-3830. Ages 21+.

Employing what he's labeled “hard funny,” Christopher Titus has released seven, 90-minute albums in as many years. He has six one-hour comedy specials currently running on Comedy Central, and his seventh special, BORN WITH A DEFECT, premiered in 2017. Known for leaving no stone unturned, especially within his own life and family, Titus takes his audience on a 90-minute ride that will leave them exhausted from laughter. To see one of Christopher Titus' shows is to love him. Titus is currently performing his newest show in sold out theaters across the country. He also formed Combustion Films, a production company which produced his last three specials and most recently a full-length film called SPECIAL UNIT, released in 2017.

Performance Schedule

Thursday, April 11 at 8 pm
Friday, April 12 at 7 pm and 9 pm
Saturday, April 13 at 7 pm and 9 pm



About The Den Theatre

Artistic Director Ryan Martin opened The Den in 2010 with a single theatre space. Seven years later, The Den boasts five intimate and unique theaters on two floors ranging from 50 – 200 seats, as well as two additional spaces primarily used for classes and rehearsals. The Den is also equipped with two bars enveloped by a never-ending field of lounge space for audiences and like-minded culture hounds to drink, talk, read, watch, think, listen and live. The Den is home to seven resident theatre companies including First Floor Theater, Haven Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre, The New Colony, Broken Nose Theatre, WildClaw Theatre and Firebrand Theatre. Hundreds of other companies from Chicago and beyond have also called The Den home, utilizing its theaters, studio space and easily convertible cabaret space to accommodate a stream of programming, including plays, musicals, film screenings, classical and jazz performances, dance, improv and stand-up, seminars and speaking engagements. For additional information, visit www.thedentheatre.com.

OPENING: WORLD PREMIERE OF SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY at Citadel Theatre April 23-May 26, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

WORLD PREMIERE

SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY:

A MUSICAL TALE OF LOVE AND WAR

Written and performed by Ross Lehman

Directed by Mark Lococo

Citadel Theatre Company will close its 2018-19 season with the world premiere of a “musical remembrance” written and performed by one of Chicago’s best-loved actors, Ross Lehman.

SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY– a one-man performance piece - is the story of Lehman’s parents.

It weaves the romantic history of their courtship in college at Penn State University, their continued romance throughout WWII when he was an Air Force bombardier held prisoner by the Germans and she was a sophisticated career woman who waited for his return, and their family life during the postwar era of the 1950s when everyone simply wanted to get back to normal after a great depression and a devastating world war.

I'll be out for the press opening April 26th, so check back soon for my full review. 

In the piece, Lehman says that his parents would frequently “come to life upon hearing old songs”- so Lehman’s remembrances will be interspersed with his parents’ favorite songs of the early 20th Century, ranging from hymns to soldiers’ ditties to pop standards like “We'll Meet Again,” “Don't Fence Me In,” and the title song “Sentimental Journey.”

The production will open on Friday, April 26 and play through Sunday, May 26. It will be directed by Mark Lococo, Director of Theatre at Loyola University Chicago. Most recently at Citadel, he directed VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE. In addition to directing many shows at Loyola, he has also helmed productions at theatres across Chicagoland, including Marriott Theatre (A CHORUS LINE), Porchlight (THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND), Northlight (THE MISER) and Citadel (OTHER DESERT CITIES, EDUCATING RITA).



BIOS
Ross Lehman (Writer/performer) has Broadway credits including A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, THE TEMPEST, and ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST and many credits on Chicago’s professional stages. At Chicago Shakespeare Theater he has been seen most recently as the Fool in KING LEAR and Cerimon in PERICLES. Among his other CST roles have been Jacques/AS YOU LIKE IT, Feste/TWELFTH NIGHT, Dudley Marsh and Dromio of Syracuse/THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. He has performed at Steppenwolf in THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER and ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST; At the Goodman Theatre: WAITING FOR GODOT, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Jeff Award), THE ROVER, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and STAGE KISS. At Apple Tree Theatre: A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE (Jeff Award), THE DRESSER (After Dark Award), WHERE'S CHARLEY (Jeff Award) At Writers Theatre: AS YOU LIKE IT, and BACH AT LEIPZIG. His reprise of his role as Koko in THE HOT MIKADO in London’s West End production earned him a Laurence Olivier Award nomination. 

Mark Lococo (Director) Mark is Director of Theatre at Loyola University Chicago. Most recently at Citadel, he directed VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE. In addition to directing many shows at Loyola, he has also helmed productions at theatres across Chicagoland, including Marriott Theatre (A CHORUS LINE), Porchlight (THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND), Northlight (THE MISER) and Citadel (OTHER DESERT CITIES, EDUCATING RITA).

Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 3 pm.
Additional matinees Wednesdays May 1 and 15 at 1 pm.
Preview ticket prices - $20.00. Regular run prices Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays $40.00; Saturdays and Sundays $45.00.
Discounts available for groups, the military, seniors and students.
Citadel Theatre, 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest, IL
Tickets available online at www.CitadelTheatre.org or by phone at 847-735-8554, ext. 1



Citadel Theatre is one of Chicagoland’s premier live theatres, producing hundreds of performances annually and inspiring audiences for over 15 years. Founded by Scott and Ellen Phelps in 2002, Citadel Theatre is comprised of its Main Stage performances, its On Tour programs, and its theatre acting classes for children. A proud member of the League of Chicago Theatres and the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff ArtsLink, Citadel Theatre offers a unique intimate theatre experience that transports you to another setting and leaves you feeling exhilarated and wanting more. A recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Citadel can accept tax-deductible donations. For more information, ticketing, and to make a donation, please visit Citadel online at www.CitadelTheatre.org or call 847.735.8554.