Magic Immersive Heading For Chicago December 3rd, 2021

ChiIL Live Shows on Our Radar

Here at ChiIL Live Shows and ChiIL Mama, we adore magic and illusion. As we enter the magic of the holiday season, we're thrilled that Chicago is about to be home to Magic Immersive, from the innovators behind the blockbuster Immersive Van Gogh exhibition seen by over 3.5 million visitors since its North American debut last year. I've seen the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit three times now and covered the show, their visually stunning morning yoga classes in the event space, and their evening concerts and wine tasting series. The Immersive Van Gogh exhibit is truly a treat and I can't wait to see what Lighthouse Immersive does with the element of magic and superstar, Jamie Allan. We're also big fans of experiential gift giving, like show tickets that create memories instead of clutter. Don't snooze on Magic Immersive, an exhilarating magic experience just in time to ignite the holiday season. Tickets are on sale now. 

This December, Lighthouse Immersive and the famed British illusionist Jamie Allan invite audiences into a world of intrigue, mystery and wonder with Magic Immersive. Consisting of a series of rooms, stages and interactive displays, Magic Immersive transports visitors to different eras in time, revealing the evolution of magic acts throughout history and the secrets of the world’s greatest magic performers. Tickets are on-sale now at magicimmersive.com. 

This first-of-its-kind installation will occupy the third and fourth floors of 360 N. State St., the venue that hosted The Art of Banksy in the fall and is also the home of Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications. The official name for the exhibition space is “The Illusionarium at Magic Immersive.” Magic Immersive features dozens of acts from engaging close-up parlor magic to one of the largest touring illusions in the world: the Mega Drill, all spread across two whole floors worth of immersive performance space, engaging audiences in 360 degrees of experiential magic while revealing amazing feats from the history of stage magic along the way. The venue additionally houses a bar and the Palais Royal VIP theater, which features an exclusive parlor for close-up magic performances.  

Some members of magic royalty delivered their own magic for the exhibit. One exclusive experience includes a pre-recorded illusion presented by the world-renowned comedic magic duo Penn and Teller just for Magic Immersive audiences, while a separate display from David Copperfield allows visitors to capture a selfie of themselves being levitated by him. In addition, world-renowned daredevil and escapologist Jonathan Goodwin personally designed and built his modern version of Houdini’s “Water Escape,” adding an especially thrilling moment. These experiences simply scratch the surface of what Magic Immersive offers. From death-defying escapes to sleight of hand magic to vanishings and levitations; the Illusionarium  features one of the most ambitious assemblies of magic performances ever presented. 

“Magic Immersive was, in many ways, born of my own lifelong love of magic as well as from the circumstances of the pandemic,” says co-producer Corey Ross of Lighthouse Immersive. “I had intended to bring Jamie’s iMagician stage show to Toronto last December, but when it became clear that wasn’t possible, he and I began to ask ourselves what could be possible in this new world. What we have come up with is infinitely exciting, and demonstrates how amazing ideas can be born from challenge.”  

“Magic Immersive is completely unique in seamlessly blending technology and practical magic – I have been combining magic and technology since I was a boy, but this takes that passion to a whole new level,” says creator Jamie Allan (iMagician). “I am so thrilled to debut this experiential work in Chicago in a venue that is quickly becoming known as an exhibition space.” 

Tickets for Magic Immersive start at $45, VIP options and add-ons are also available. Tickets are on-sale now for showings from Dec. 3 to Jan. 2 at 360 N. State St. For more information on Magic Immersive, and to purchase tickets, visit  magicimmersive.com. Follow Magic Immersive on social media on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. 

ABOUT JAMIE ALLAN

Jamie Allan is world-renowned for fusing magic with high technology. As the UK’s original technology magician, he premiered his iMagic creation on ITV’s “This Morning” in 1995 when he was just a teenager. Since then, he has been performing and designing incredible modern illusions using leading edge technology and innovative methods including working with iPads, holograms, laser beams, 3D video mapping, 4D lasers, drones and interactive social media to engage and amaze his audiences.  

He also holds the accolade of being the most televised British illusionist of the last decade and has become known as the iMagician. Jamie performed his signature iPad illusion “Digital Art” to close the BBC One Show live to millions of viewers, an illusion he has repeated live on ‘Grand Cabaret Du Monde’, ‘BBC Breakfast’, ‘The Slammer’ and the ‘Penn and Teller: Fool Us’ television series. He has also been seen as a star mentor on the ITV1 prime-time show ‘Get Your Act Together’ and was a winner of ITV’s prime-time show ‘The Next Great Magician.’  

Jamie’s award-winning production iMagician opened at the Garrick Theatre in London’s West End in 2015. In 2017, he was chosen by his peers to headline the world’s largest magic convention in front of 3,500 magicians. In the same year, he was bestowed the highest honour of The Magic Circle; invited by the President, he became one of the very few members of The Inner Magic Circle. Jamie joined the ranks of Harry Houdini, David Copperfield and Derren Brown in this exclusive, internationally acclaimed and historic society. iMagician debuted in the United States in 2018 becoming the highest selling magic show ever in the history of Chicago theatre district during his residency at the Harris Theatre.  

ABOUT LIGHTHOUSE IMMERSIVE

Founded in 2019 by Toronto-based producers, Corey Ross and Svetlana Dvoretsky, Lighthouse Immersive is the first experiential entertainment multi-plex, aiming to cultivate community and creativity through large-scale events and exhibitions of all art forms. With locations across North America, Lighthouse Immersive offers versatile spaces for creators to present their work while engaging audiences around the globe in unique art experiences that encourage dialogue and inspire new artistic creations. The home of the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit, Lighthouse Immersive blends state-of-the-art technology with breathtaking imagery and animation for experiential experiences that visitors will not soon forget.  

OPENING: Tracy Letts' BUG Returns to Steppenwolf With Original Cast Including Carrie Coon Through December 12, 2021

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

BUG

Steppenwolf welcomes audiences back to the theater with acclaimed production by ensemble member Tracy Letts,

directed by David Cromer, 

with ensemble members

Randall Arney, Carrie Coon and Namir Smallwood

reprising stunning performances

 

November 11 – December 12, 2021

**Note: We acknowledge that everyone's comfort level and maturity varies as far as subject matter goes. That said, heads up for the young and/or sensitive. If you're thinking of bringing the kids, this production contains nudity, drug use, violence and intense themes better left to the 17+ crowd.  

Ensemble member Carrie Coon in "Bug" at Steppenwolf. 

Photo by Michael Brosilow

In a seedy Oklahoma motel room, a lonely waitress begins an unexpected love affair with a young drifter. And then they see the first bugs… 

I caught Bug just before the covid-19 bug sent people scuttling to quarantine and shelter in place and I'll be back out to review again at the press opening, November 16th. I'm eager to see Tracy Letts’s mind-bending cult classic back on stage in our new era of covid caution and heightened mental illness, government suspicion, and contagion. I imagine it will play differently and if anything, more intensely. BUG is the type of production to get under your skin. I can't fathom how challenging it is for the actors to inhabit this headspace night after night for the run of the production. 

*Click HERE to check out my review of BUG at Steppenwolf from February 2020.*

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation’s premier ensemble theater company, is thrilled to welcome audiences back for in-person performances for the first time in 20 months with its acclaimed and extraordinary revival of Bug by Pulitzer Prize and Tony award-winning ensemble member Tracy Letts, in the Downstairs Theater November 11 – December 12, 2021 (opening November 14). Directed by Tony award winner David Cromer with ensemble members Randall Arney, Carrie Coon and Namir Smallwood alongside Jennifer Engstrom and Steve Key reprising their roles, the production was shut down before the end of its run in March 2020 due to the pandemic, and the show’s return to stage is Steppenwolf’s bold refusal to let the disaster of COVID-19 rewrite its story.

 

Ensemble member Carrie Coon and Namir Smallwood in "Bug" at Steppenwolf. 

Photo by Michael Brosilow

Featuring the original cast, this luridly funny tale of love, paranoia and government conspiracy welcomes back audiences to the Steppenwolf they know and love: brave, brazen and defiant.

Namir Smallwood returns to the Steppenwolf stage fresh off his widely acclaimed performance in Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu's Pass Over, which was the first play to reopen Broadway this past summer. Carrie Coon returns to the stage having most recently filmed HBO’s Julian Fellowes Series, The Gilded Age. She can also be seen on screen in Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife premiering this month.

Single tickets for Bug ($20 – $110) are available at steppenwolf.org or 312-335-1650. Discounts available, including new Artists & Essential Workers discount, expanded 20-for-$20 program, Pay-Your-Age performances, $5 teen tickets through the Teen Arts Pass, and more. Classic and Flex Memberships to the 21/22 Comeback Season are currently available and offer first access to seats and easy exchanges, learn more steppenwolf.org/memberships.

The Bug creative team includes Takeshi Kata (Scenic Design); Sarah Laux (Costume Design); Heather Gilbert (Lighting Design); Josh Schmidt (Sound Design); Matt Hawkins (Fight Choreographer); Tonia Sina (Intimacy Choreographer); Sydney Charles (Dramaturg); Gigi Buffington (Company Voice, Text & Dialect Coach); Tom Pearl (Director of Production); JC Clementz, CSA (Casting Director); Christine D. Freeburg (Production Stage Manager). 

Steppenwolf raises the curtain once again on its blistering and extraordinary revival of Bug by ensemble member Tracy Letts, featuring ensemble members Randall Arney, Carrie Coon and Namir Smallwood. In a seedy Oklahoma motel room, a lonely waitress begins an unexpected love affair with a young drifter. And then they see the first bugs… Tracy Letts’s mind-bending cult classic is a luridly funny tale of love, paranoia and government conspiracy. These stunning performances—and this award-winning production—will once again reverberate throughout the building and welcome back audiences to the Steppenwolf they know and love: brave, brazen and defiant.

Single tickets start at $20 and are available at steppenwolf.org or 312-335-1650. Discounts available including new Artists and Essential Workers discount, expanded 20-for-$20 program, Pay-Your-Age performances, and more. Members who wish to see this award-winning production again can add this show to their season package at an exclusive member price. Learn about the complete 2021/22 Comeback Season here.

YOUR SAFE RETURN

Steppenwolf is part of the growing coalition of more than 70 Chicagoland arts venues and producers that have agreed upon Covid-19 Vaccination and Mask Requirements through the end of 2021. All attendees are required to wear a mask and show proof of vaccination or negative test upon entry. Everyone who works at Steppenwolf is in compliance with these requirements to further ensure the safety of our guests and company members. We have overhauled our HVAC, expanded the lobby areas and engaged MyBindle, a user-friendly phone app for quick entry. 

Steppenwolf has worked over the past year with our operations team, public health advisors and HVAC consultants to prepare its facility to safely welcome patrons back for performances. The addition of the new Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center has expanded the square footage of the lobbies to nearly twice the previous amount of space offered to guests. Two additional elevators and multiple stairways have also been added to Steppenwolf’s campus for ease of transition between seating levels. The HVAC systems have undergone upgrades to allow for increased filtration and a higher percentage of circulated fresh air across all three theaters. For more details, visit steppenwolf.org/welcomeback.

As part of Steppenwolf's campus expansion, patrons will experience a transformed Downstairs Theater lobby and two new bars—a wine bar and a tap room! Front Bar will be back up and running as well with a full cocktail menu and light fare.  

Trailblazing new 50,000 square foot Arts & Education Center now open to audiences with two new bars for socializing

Audiences will return in November not to the same building they left, but to a stunning new 50,000 sq. ft. theater building and education center on Halsted Street. As the world came to a pause in 2020, the walls of Steppenwolf’s state-of-the-art Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center continued to rise, symbolizing hope for the entire Chicago arts community. Bug audiences will be the first to explore the new building and experience a brand-new theatergoing experience. 

Designed by world-renowned architect Gordon Gill of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the expanded Steppenwolf campus features bright new lobbies and two new bars for socializing designed by fc STUDIO, inc. The transformed 1650 N. Halsted Street lobby space seamlessly connects Steppenwolf’s existing building with the new Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center, while the second-floor lobby of the Downstairs Theater has been renovated to house a stylish bar and gathering space. The new building’s downstairs lobby features an additional craft beer-focused bar that connects to an outdoor patio area. These two new full-service bars join Steppenwolf’s popular Front Bar (1700 N. Halsted Street), offering audiences, artists and community welcoming new spaces for socializing in the Halsted Corridor of Lincoln Park. 

At the heart of Steppenwolf’s new Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center is an intimate and state-of-the-art 400-seat theater in the round, one of its kind in Chicago, with theater design and acoustics by Charcoalblue. Named the Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell, this new performance venue will open to audiences with the Steppenwolf for Young Adults world premiere adaptation of Eve L. Ewing’s 1919 in February 2022, followed by a grand public opening of the theater with ensemble member Yasen Peyankov’s adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s Seagull featuring an all-ensemble cast, April-June 2022. 

The new building also features Steppenwolf’s first-ever dedicated education space, The Loft, encompassing the entire fourth floor of the Arts and Education Center. Steppenwolf was founded more than 45 years ago by a circle of students who craved a space to call their own. The Arts and Education Center continues and amplifies that vision, growing the reach of Steppenwolf’s education programming from 20,000 to 30,000 students annually.

For more information on the new Arts and Education Center and Steppenwolf’s campus expansion, visit steppenwolf.org/buildingonexcellence.

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 live play. Assistive listening devices and large-print programs are available for every performance and all three theaters are equipped with an induction hearing loop and feature a push-button entrance. 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.

 

Sponsor Information

United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf is also grateful for the significant season support from Allstate Insurance Company, ComEd, JPMorgan Chase, PNC, and Vinci Restaurant.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is a Chicago theater that is home to America’s ensemble. The company began performing in the mid-1970s in the basement of a Highland Park, IL church—today Steppenwolf is the nation’s premier ensemble theater with 49 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Deeply rooted in its ensemble ethos, the company is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and making the Steppenwolf experience accessible to all. Groundbreaking productions from Balm in Gilead and August: Osage County to Downstate and Pass Over—and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony® Awards—have made the theatre legendary. Artistic programming includes a main stage season; a Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; LookOut, a multi-genre performance series; and the Steppenwolf NOW virtual stage. The nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education engages more than 20,000 participants annually in Chicagoland communities promoting compassion, encouraging curiosity and inspiring action. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. 2021 marks the opening of Steppenwolf’s landmark Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts & Education Center—deepening the company’s commitment to Chicagoland teens and serving as a cultural nexus for Chicago. Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis are the Artistic Directors and E. Brooke Flanagan is Executive Director. Eric Lefkofsky is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees.

Steppenwolf’s Mission: Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.   

OPENING: David Strathairn In Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski at Chicago Shakespeare Theater Through November 14, 2021

 Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents

Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski

Starring Academy Award-nominee David Strathairn in timely story of moral courage now playing in limited engagement through November 14, 2021

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents Emmy Award-winner and Academy Award-nominee David Strathairn

Following each performance, audiences are invited to stay for a 20‐minute talkback with David Strathairn, Derek Goldman, and Clark Young

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we've enjoyed David Strathairn's talents on screen for decades, and we're looking forward to catching him on stage on opening night. We've been binge watching Blacklist for weeks, now that it's streaming on Netflix, so it'll be great to see Strathairn embodying a decidedly less insidious character at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Can't wait to see Strathairn capture the remarkable life of the self-described “insignificant, little man” who spoke truth in the halls of power in a timely story of moral courage. I'm eager to hear more of Jan Karski's story and glad his bravery has not been lost to history. Check back soon for my full review. 

Joining Goldman on the creative team are Scenic Designer Misha Kachman, Costume Designer Ivania Stack, Lighting Designer Zach Blane, Assistant Lighting Designer Peter Leibold, Original Music and Sound Design by Roc Lee, Movement by Emma Jaster, and Production Stage Manager Andrew Neal.

The central figure of the play is Jan Karski, a courier for the Polish Underground resistance during World War II. In 1942, Karski volunteered to walk through the Warsaw Ghetto and a Nazi extermination camp before traveling to London to report to the Allied Nations on the conditions of occupied Poland and, specifically, the Holocaust. He personally delivered his eyewitness account—and urgent appeal for intervention on behalf of the Jewish people—to British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, and later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House. His report was ignored. After the war, Karski earned his PhD at Georgetown University, where he was a beloved professor in the School of Foreign Service for 40 years. Karski didn’t share his story for decades until filmmaker Claude Lanzmann persuaded him to speak of his experiences for the first time in the celebrated documentary Shoah. Karski was made an honorary citizen of Israel and was awarded the distinction “Righteous Among the Nations” by Yad Vashem. Karski died in Washington, DC, in July 2000. He was awarded a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony on May 29, 2012.

On Monday, November 8, at 7:00 p.m., Chicago Shakespeare partners with the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, Illinois, to present a free event: “Performing Memory and Witness: The Lesson of Jan Karski.” Live performances of selections from the play serve as the backdrop for a panel discussion about how theater can serve as a powerful call to action. Panelists include Remember This artists David Strathairn, Derek Goldman, and Clark Young, as well as Devika Ranjan, a Chicago-based theater-maker, ethnographer, and educator, and Della Pollock, Professor Emerita at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Event registration linked here.

Best known for acclaimed performances in Good Night, and Good Luck, Nomadland, and Lincoln, David Strathairn takes on the role of real-life World War II hero Jan Karski. After surviving the devastation of Poland by Nazi Germany, Karski risks his life to carry the first eyewitness reports of the Holocaust to the White House,

Chicago Shakespeare strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons through its Access Shakespeare programs. 

Accessible performances for Remember This include:

• Open-captioned Performances – Thursday, November 11, 2021, at 7:45 p.m.

A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.

• ASL Duo-interpreted Performance – Friday, November 12, 2021, at 7:45 p.m.

All dialogue and lyrics are translated into American Sign Language by two certified interpreters.

• Audio-described Performance – Sunday, November 14, 2021, at 3:00 p.m.

A program that enables patrons who are blind or have low vision to more fully experience live performances by providing spoken narration of a play’s key visual elements.

More information on the production at www.chicagoshakes.com/rememberthis or on social media at #cstRemember.

 Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski is now playing through November 14, 2021 in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Run time is 90 minutes (no intermission), followed by a 20-minute talkback with the artists. Single tickets ($43–$75) are on sale now. Special discounts will be available for groups of 10 or more. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

A Regional Tony Award recipient, Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a year-round season—featuring plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside nationally recognized education programming, each year serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners. Founded in 1986, the Theater’s onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. Dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers, one in four audience members is under the age of eighteen. As a nonprofit organization, Chicago Shakespeare works to embrace diversity, prioritize radical inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On the Theater’s three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted cultural hub—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire us. www.chicagoshakes.com

THE COUNTDOWN TO REOPENING BEGINS

“Come Together” Event Series

STREAMING THE WORLDSTAGE

Ontroerend Goed’s TM 

a WorldStage production from Belgium directed by Alexander Devriendt

on Chicago ShakesSTREAM

January 2022

STUDENTS IN CONVERSATION WITH SHAKESPEARE

Chicago Shakespeare SLAM

in high schools across the region and onstage at Chicago Shakespeare

January 2022

PRE-BROADWAY WORLD PREMIERE

• Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks presents DREAM: A Community Reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream – August 24–September 4, 2021

• Screening of Othello: The Remix at Shakespeare’s Globe – September 14, 2021

• No Malice Film Celebration in partnership with Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation and the Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation – September 19, 2021

• Re-lighting of the Marquee – October 6, 2021

10th YEAR OF CREATIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks presents DREAM:

The Notebook

music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson | book by Bekah Brunstetter | based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks |

directed by Michael Greif and Schele Williams

In The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

March 15–April 24, 2022

SPRING INTO SHAKESPEARE IN THE COURTYARD

All’s Well That Ends Well

by William Shakespeare | directed by Shana Cooper in the Courtyard Theater

April 22–May 29, 2022

WORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL EVENT

It Came from Outer Space

book, music and lyrics by Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blair | directed by Laura Braza

in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare

May 25–June 26, 2022

LEADING DIRECTOR HELMS NEW PRODUCTION

The Tempest

by William Shakespeare | directed by Sheldon Epps

September–October 2022

A Community Reimagining of A Midsummer

Night’s Dream

created with Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel, Cage Sebastian Pierre, GQ, Joriah Kwamé, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Me’Lo The Generation Hero and DJ Jeremy Heights, Englewood • Move Me Soul, Austin • Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, Hermosa • Javier “Rese” Torres, Little Village • Alexis Willis, West Pullman • Yin He Dance, Chinatown

with designs by Fulton Street Collective, West Town

in Chicago Park District Parks across the city

August 24–September 4, 2021

EXTENDED BY POPULAR DEMAND

As You Like It

by William Shakespeare | adapted & directed by Daryl Cloran conceived by Daryl Cloran and the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

in the Courtyard Theater

now playing through December 5, 2021

WORLD-CLASS ARTISTRY ON OUR STAGES

Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski

by Clark Young and Derek Goldman | directed by Derek Goldman | starring David Strathairn

in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

November 3-14, 2021

THE HOLIDAY TRADITION CONTINUES

Q Brothers Christmas Carol

written by Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, Jax, Pos) | directed by GQ and JQ | developed with Rick Boynton

in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

December 7-23, 2021

CELEBRATING THE TALENT OF OUR CITY’S ARTISANS

Holiday Artisan Market @ Chicago Shakespeare

Virtual pop-up shop with 100% proceeds to local artists

December 2021

REVIEW: World Premiere of The Last Pair of Earlies Via Raven Theatre Now Playing Through December 12, 2021

Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar

Raven Theatre Presents the World Premiere of

THE LAST PAIR OF EARLIES

By Joshua Allen

Directed by Wardell Julius Clark

October 27 – December 12, 2021

(left to right) Jonny Morrison and Marcus D. Moore in Raven Theatre’s world premiere of The Last Pair of Earlies. All Photos by Michael Brosilow.

REVIEW:

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Dozens of pairs of shoes line the walls and lay beneath the set of Raven Theatre's latest period piece drama, set in 1939, forming an apt foundation for this fabulous world premiere. Under the capable direction of Wardell Julius Clark, The Last Pair of Earlies gives us a glimpse into the quiet desperation of a forced relocation and the unresolved grief of losing a child. The fallout of systemic racism, sexism, and violence collides head-on with determination, desires, and conflicting life goals to make for a compelling storyline.

(left to right) Shadana Patterson and Marcus D. Moore in Raven Theatre’s world premiere of The Last Pair of Earlies. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

Alhough the narrative is split between the present in 1939 and flashbacks to 1921, this is one of the easiest productions to follow through timeline jumps. Staging of the early Mississippi years takes place on ground level, closest to the audience, while the later years are all set on stage, inside Wayland and Della Rose Early's Southside Chicago apartment. 

(left to right) Demetra Dee and Jonny Morrison in Raven Theatre’s world premiere of The Last Pair of Earlies. 

We were particularly struck by the complicated dynamic and friendship between Tarina Bradshaw (Myrna Lee Franklin) and Shadana Patterson (Della Rose Early). The casting, set design, and production as a whole is excellent. Despite a good smattering of toxic masculinity, overwhelming loss, and a run of tough luck, this production and makes for an enlightening and entertaining evening. 

(left to right) Tarina Bradshaw and Shadana Patterson in Raven Theatre’s world premiere of The Last Pair of Earlies.

(left to right) Tarina Bradshaw and Shadana Patterson in Raven Theatre’s world premiere of The Last Pair of Earlies. 

(left to right) Shadana Patterson and Tarina Bradshaw in Raven Theatre’s world premiere of The Last Pair of Earlies. 

Kudos to Raven Theatre for making space in their lineup to tell a more diverse variety of stories than the white male canon, with this stellar script by Joshua Allen, a black playwright raised in Chicago. Nineteen months after Raven Theatre's stage lights went dark as the pandemic raged, this indomitable company is back with an all too human tale of heartbreak, love, loss, betrayals, female friendship, entrepreneurial spirit, struggles, and strength. Here at ChiIL Live Shows we loved The Last Pair of Earlies. 

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theater critic, photographer, videographer, actress, artist and Mama. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly). 

(left to right) Keith Illidge and Shadana Patterson in Raven Theatre’s world premiere of The Last Pair of Earlies. 

Raven Theatre, Chicago’s newest Equity-affiliated theatre, is pleased to welcome back audiences this fall with the world premiere of Joshua Allen’s The Last Pair of Earlies, directed by Wardell Julius Clark. This new drama, which follows the hardships and hopes of Wayland and Della Rose Early as they chase a sweet Southern dream on the South Side of Chicago, will play October 27 – December 12, 2021 on Raven’s 85-seat East Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville) in Chicago. Single tickets and a variety of 2021-22 subscription packages are currently available at raventheatre.com or by calling (773) 338-2177. 

 

(left to right) Jonny Morrison, Demetra Dee, Keith Illidge, Marcus D. Moore, Tarina Bradshaw and Shadana Patterson in Raven Theatre’s world premiere of The Last Pair of Earlies. 

The production features Tarina Bradshaw, Demetra Dee, Keith Illidge, Marcus D. Moore, Jonny Morrison and Shadana Patterson.

Please note: Raven Theatre will require proof of vaccination and masking at all performances through the end of 2021. For all of Raven’s COVID-19 and vaccination information, visit raventheatre.com/covid-19.

 

Ever since he was a teenager in Mississippi, Wayland Early could count on two things – his talent for making handmade shoes, and the love of his bride, Della Rose. But danger forces them to flee north to Chicago. Before they know it, nearly two decades have passed, and both Wayland and Della find themselves increasingly unable to count on anything, including their marriage. As they each contend with the weight of their spent youth and unrealized dreams, a life-altering question comes to the surface: are we still enough for each other? Joshua Allen emerges from the award-winning writers’ room of Empire with a hometown world premiere. 

 

Comments Raven Artistic Director Cody Estle, “We are excited to welcome playwright Joshua Allen to our theater. Joshua is a Chicago native and will be joining us during the creative process and we look forward to introducing his work to Chicago's theater community and to our audiences. We are equally excited to open our doors and get back to doing what we do best – making plays!”

 

The production team includes Sydney Lynne (scenic design), Alex Rutherford (costume design), Sim Carpenter (lighting design), Christopher Kriz (sound design and original music), Caitlin McCarthy (props design), Jyreika Guest (intimacy director), Olivia Canaday (assistant director), Lorenzo Blackett (production manager), Alan Weusthoff (technical director), Liz Gomez (master electrician), Eileen Rozycki (charge artist) and Wilhelm Peters (stage manager).

Cast: Tarina Bradshaw (Myrna Lee Franklin), Demetra Dee (Young Della Rose), Keith Illidge (Jimmy Riley), Marcus D. Moore (Wayland Early), Jonny Morrison (Young Wayland) and Shadana Patterson (Della Rose Early).

 

Location: Raven Theatre East Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville), Chicago

 

Regular run: Through Sunday, December 12, 2021

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will not be a performance on Thursday, November 25 (Thanksgiving).

Tickets: Previews $30. Regular run $40. Students/active military and veterans $15. Tickets are currently available at raventheatre.com or by calling (773) 338-2177.

 

Touch Tour/Open Captioned performance: Sunday, November 28, 2021 at 3 pm. Touch tour begins at 1:45 pm.

 

Group tickets: Special group rates are available. For information, call (773) 338-2177 or e-mail info@raventheatre.com.

(left to right) Marcus D. Moore and Shadana Patterson in Raven Theatre’s world premiere of The Last Pair of Earlies. 

 

Plan Your Visit:

 

Free parking is provided in a lot adjacent to the theatre – additional street parking is available. Nearest El station: Granville Red Line. Buses: #22 (Clark), #36 (Broadway), #151 (Sheridan), #155 (Devon), #84 (Peterson).

 

About the Artists

 

Joshua Allen (Playwright) is a Chicago native whose plays include The Last Pair of Earlies, The October Storm, Chrysalis and About Monday Morning. His work has been produced and developed at Hudson Stage, the Cape Cod Theater Project, Primary Stages, the Lark's Playwrights' Week and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. An alumnus of New Dramatists, he has also been a member of the Ars Nova Play Group and the Dorothy Strelsin New American Writers’ Group at Primary Stages. Joshua is a graduate of the University of Southern California and the Juilliard School. His television credits include In Treatment (HBO), Empire (FOX), Almost Family (FOX) and the upcoming From Scratch (Netflix).

 

Wardell Julius Clark (Director) is an award-winning actor, director, producer, activist who hails from Fairfield, Alabama but now calls Chicago home. He earned his BFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University. Wardell is a Company Member with TimeLine Theatre. He is also an Ensemble Member at Sideshow Theatre. Wardell recently returned from Williamstown Theatre Festival where he directed the world premieres of Black Moon Lilith, A Ghost in Satin and don't get got this summer a part of the Solo Play Festival Celebrating the Black Radical Imagination. Select Chicago directing credits include Michael Jackson and The Devil's Book, Whitney Houston and The Devil's Book (Jackalope Theatre Company), Kill Move Paradise (Timeline Theatre - 2020 Jeff Award Winner - Best Director (Large), Sheepdog (Shattered Globe), His Shadow (16th Street), The Shipment (Red Tape), Dutch Masters (Jackalope). Select acting credits include The Whisper's Apprentice and Once in a Bleu Moon (Sideshow Theatre), Flyin’ West (American Blues), Suddenly Last Summer (Raven), Silent Sky (First Folio), Othello (Theater at Monmouth) and The Gospel According to James (Victory Gardens). His television and film credits include Proven Innocent, Shameless and Chicago Fire seasons 1 & 4. wardelljuliusclark.com

 

About Raven Theatre

 

Raven Theatre tells stories of today and the past that connect us to our cultural landscape. Through its plays, as well as its educational programming, Raven is committed to serving our communities’ needs through the arts.

 

Raven Theatre Company is funded in part by the The MacArthur Fund for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at Prince, Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, Polk Bros Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, S&C Electric Company Fund, Paul M. Angell Foundation, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

(left to right) Marcus D. Moore and Shadana Patterson in Raven Theatre’s world premiere of The Last Pair of Earlies. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

OPENING: US Premiere of Queen C at Trap Door Theatre October 28 through December 4, 2021

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

TRAP DOOR THEATRE 

is proud to present the US Premiere of... Queen C

Written by: Laura Ruohonen Translated by: David Hackston Directed by: Michael Mejia

Featuring: Maureen Azzun, Neema Lahon, David Lovejoy, Gavin Rhys, Faiz Siddique, Carl Wisniewski

Laura Ruohonen creates her own special world in her plays, whether depicting a seventeenth-century court or a modern apartment block. Ruohonen’s texts are both poetic and down-to-earth, combining humour and tragedy into an organic whole. In her plays, people are inextricably bound to their environment, and an individual’s inner and outer life reflect one another, sometimes getting blended in the process. Ruohonen writes on many levels, and her works can be interpreted in many different ways. At the heart of her works lies a strong ethical core. From 2008 to 2013 Laura Ruohonen was the Professor in Drama of the Theatre Academy Helsinki.

Michael Mejia (they, them, theirs) is extremely excited to be making their main stage directing debut with Trap Door Theatre! Michael studied acting and music performance at Indiana University before coming to Chicago. Michael is the Company Manager for Trap Door Theatre, where they are also a proud ensemble member. Trap Door Directing credits: ALAS and Decomposed Theatre Episode 3. Acting credits: The White Plague, Father; Love and Information, Actor; The Killer, Architect; The Old Woman Broods, Waiter; Monsieur d’Eon is a Woman, Beaumarchais/Wilkes (Trap Door Theatre); Proxy, Doug (Underscore Theatre); Kingdom, Alexander (Broken Nose Theatre); Little Shop of Horrors, Audrey 2 (Stoughton Village Players); Hair, Hud (Harper Ensemble Theatre). Michael is also a musician who plays guitar, piano and writes. Michael would like to thank Trap Door Theatre and this amazing cast for allowing them to take this beautiful journey. www.mejiah.com

Costume Designer: Rachel Sypniewski / Lighting Designer: Richard Norwood / Set Designer: Michael Griggs / Sound Designer: Deon Custard / Make-up Designer: Zsofia Otvos / Graphic Designer: Michal Janicki / Stage Manager: Anna Klos

Opens: Thursday, October 28th at 8PM (CST) Closes: Saturday, December 4th at 8PM (CST)

Runs: 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. No show on Thanksgiving day, with an added show at 7 p.m. on Sunday, November 28th.

Admission: $20 on Thursdays and Fridays, $25 on Saturdays, with two for one admission on Thursdays. https://trapdoor.ticketleap.com/queen-c/

Where: Trap Door Theatre is located at 1655 W. Cortland St.

What: In Queen C, a Queen pushes back against being defined by the obligations she was born to fulfill.

  

Chicago and Trap Door COVID-19 Protocol

PROOF OF VACCINATION FOR INDOOR PERFORMANCES

Trap Door Theatre has joined with a consortium of over 60 Chicago area performing arts venues and producers to follow safety protocols for protecting our patrons, artists, staff, and volunteers in the face of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting September 1st, all performances at Trap Door Theatre will be requiring patrons to be fully vaccinated and masked for entry into the theatre. Persons are considered “fully vaccinated” when 14 days have passed since receiving the second dose of FDA or WHO authorized double-dose vaccines (such as Moderna or Pfizer) or that 14 days have passed since receiving the single dose of FDA or WHO authorized single-dose vaccines (such as Johnson & Johnson).

Those who cannot be vaccinated due to a medical condition or closely held religious belief, or for those for whom the vaccine is not yet approved (i.e. children under 12), the theatre will require proof of a negative test from within 72 hours of the show.

Proof of vaccination can be showed at the door by showing a vaccination card or a photo of a vaccination card.

These protocols will remain in effect until December 31, after which they will be reevaluated based on current trends. The theatre has additionally required vaccination for all staff and artists working in the building.

Please direct any questions to 773-384-0494 or boxofficetrapdoor@gmail.com

STREAMING: LOVE IN THE TIME OF JONESTOWN – A Radio Play November 21 – December 12, 2021

 New Dates Announced!

The New Coordinates Present the World Premiere of

LOVE IN THE TIME OF JONESTOWN – A Radio Play

By Ensemble Member Omer Abbas Salem

Directed by Sophiyaa Nayar

Streaming November 21 – December 12, 2021

The New Coordinates, formerly The New Colony, has announced new dates for its world premiere Love in the Time of Jonestown – A Radio Play, streaming on demand from November 21 – December 12, 2021 at thenewcoordinates.org. Sinister and seductive, this brand-new audio experience by Ensemble Member Omer Abbas Salem and directed by Sophiyaa Nayar explores the splendid ache of acceptance and the profound bliss of betrayal. 

Tickets ($15) are currently available at thenewcoordinates.org. 

Love in the Time of Jonestown will feature Tina El Gamal (Reporter), Niko Kourtis (Henry), Tommy Malouf (Ahmed, Congressman Ryan), Omer Abbas Salem* (Rassoul), Stephanie Shum* (Wendy) and Mary Williamson (Jim Jones).

We want you to be safe – to feel supported. We want to create space for everything about you because we love you exactly as you are. We want to break oppressive systems and rebuild a world that not only accommodates all of us, but celebrates and fosters our beautiful individuality. All we ask is that you come with an open mind, an open heart, and a willingness to dialogue. Welcome to Jonestown, we hope you'll stay. 

The production team includes Eric Backus (sound design and original music), Nadya Naumaan, (associate director), Catherine Miller (dramaturg) and Devonte E. Washington (production stage manager).

*Denotes The New Coordinates Ensemble Member

About the Artists

Omer Abbas Salem (Playwright) is a Chicago actor and playwright. As an actor, he's worked with The New Coordinates, Jackalope Theatre, Steep Theatre, Silk Road Rising, Griffin Theatre, The House, Bailiwick Chicago, Actors Theatre of Louisville and The Atlantic Theater. His play Mosque4Mosque was developed through the National Queer Theater and then chosen for further development through Steppenwolf Theatre's SCOUT Program. The Secretaries was workshopped through The New Coordinates, a semi-finalist in Definition Theatre's Amplify Commission, and developed through the Goodman Theatre's Future Labs. Pretty Shahid was commissioned as part of Jackalope Theatre's 2020/21 New Frontier Series. He is a member of the 2021/22 Goodman Playwrights Unit and is the recipient of the 2021 Cunningham Commission through DePaul University. He was an apprentice of the Actors Theatre of Louisville (17/18) and a proud ensemble member with Steep Theatre and The New Coordinates. He is represented by DDO Artist Agency and the Gersh Agency. More at www.omerabbassalem.com.

Sophiyaa Nayar (Director) is from New Delhi, India. Most recently, she directed Shakuntala by Lavina Jadhwani (Future Labs, Goodman Theatre). She is a member of the Women’s Project Lab 2020-22, an ensemble member with Definition Theatre, member of Director's Lab Chicago 2017 and was a resident in Milwaukee Rep’s 2017/18 season. She is part of the SDC Foundation’s Observership Class, through which she worked on Soft Power by Jeanine Tesori and David Henry Hwang at The Public. Recent work includes: Good Years by Ada Alozie (Definition Theatre), Being Julia Roberts by Omer Abbas Salem (Jackalope Theatre), MLK Project by Yolanda Androzzo (Writers Theatre), EthiopianAmerica By Sam Kabede (Definition Theatre) which won BTA Awards for Best Play, Featured Actor and Actress and a Jeff Award for Fight Choreography. She just finished workshopping a screenplay with Sundance Collab under Jessica Sharzer. Learn more about her on sophiyaanayar.net

 

About The New Coordinates

The New Coordinates (formerly The New Colonyd) develops New Art and New Artists in order to educate and build New Audiences. Now in its 13th year, The New Coordinates has established itself as “one of Chicago’s essential off-Loop companies” (Chicago Tribune). Through the development of countless new plays and musicals, 32 world premieres, and a conscious shift toward becoming an anti-racist theatre, The New Coordinates has cultivated a diverse audience of theatergoers eager to have a voice in the storytelling. Conversation, collaboration and innovation remain at the heart of everything they produce. The New Coordinates' work has been honored with five non-Equity Jeff Awards, Broadway In Chicago’s 2011 Emerging Theatre Award, and their shows have gone onto productions across the country and beyond. Learn more at thenewcoordinates.org.

OPENING: PUMP BOYS & DINETTES VIA PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS, OCTOBER 30 - DECEMBER 12

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE 

ANNOUNCES CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM FOR 

PUMP BOYS & DINETTES 

ITS RETURN TO LIVE PERFORMANCES AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS, OCTOBER 30 - DECEMBER 12

 

Tickets are now on Sale for Pump Boys & Dinettes, Directed by Daryl Brooks+, Music Directed by Robert Reddrick+ and Choreographed by Rueben D. Echoles+

 

Award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre returns to live performances and the launch of its 27th Mainstage season with Pump Boys & Dinettes, October 30 - December 12 at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St. 

Created by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Tony winner Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel, and Jim Wann

Pronoun Key: + (he/him/his); * (she/her/hers); ^ (they, them, theirs). = (any with respect)

Directed by Daryl Brooks+

Music Directed by Robert Reddrick+

Choreographed by Rueben D. Echoles+

October 30 - December 12

The Ruth Page Center for the Arts

1016 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago

Previews: Saturday, Oct, 30 at 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 31 at 2 and 6:30 p.m.,  Wednesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. (Industry Night), Thursday, Nov. 4 at 1:30 p.m.

Press opening is Thursday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m.

The regular run performance schedule is: 

Thursdays at 7:00 p.m.

Fridays at 8 p.m.

Saturdays at 3:00 and 8 p.m. and 

Sundays at 2 p.m. 

Weekday matinees:

Thursday, Dec. 2 at 1:30 p.m.

Ticket Price: $45 – 74

Website: PorchlightMusicTheatre.org

Created by John Foley+, Mark Hardwick+, Tony winner Debra Monk*, Cass Morgan*, John Schimmel+ and Jim Wann+, directed by Daryl Brooks+, music directed by Robert Reddrick+ and choreographed by Rueben D. Echoles+, Pump Boys & Dinettes’ previews are Saturday, Oct. 30 at 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 31 at 2 and 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. and Thursday, Nov. 4 at 1:30 p.m. with the press opening Thursday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. 

I'll be out to catch the show Sunday, November 21, so check back soon for my full review. The regular run performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:00 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3:00 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with weekday matinee Thursday, Dec. 2 at 1:30 p.m. Single tickets are $45 - $74 and subscriptions to the entire 2021 - 2022 season are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.

One of the longest running shows in Chicago Theatre history, Pump Boys & Dinettes is a music theatre phenomenon filled with toe-tapping music on guitar, piano, bass and a kitchen utensil or two! This North Carolina dinette is your home off the highway and located just across the street from the filling station. Run by Prudie and Rhetta Cupp, beloved sisters who are always ready with a cup of Joe, a slice of pie, a homespun song and a “Welcome back!” The New York Times said “It doesn’t merely celebrate the value of friendship and life’s simple pleasures, it embodies them.”

“Being raised in Waynesboro, Virginia (a small town off of Highway 81), I relate to Pump Boys & Dinettes in a whole different way. The connection of community and values really strikes a chord with me. Today, times have changed and people have changed, but not the sense of community,” said Pump Boys & Dinettes Director Brooks+. “When Porchlight asked me to direct Pump Boys, I realized that it was time to show off the diversity not just in the people, but the music! At every turn, this show will be a slice of comfort and excitement, just like a piece of my grandma’s lemon meringue pie!” 

The cast of Porchlight Music Theatre’s Pump Boys & Dinettes includes: Rafe Bradford+ (Eddie - Bass); Shantel Cribbs* (Prudie Cupp); Ian Paul Custer+(Jim - Rhythm Guitar & U/S L.M); Frederick “Ricky” Harris= (L.M - Piano); Melanie Loren* (Rhetta Cupp) and Billy Rude+ (Jackson - Lead Guitar) with Caitlin Dobbins* (Standy by Rhetta and Prudie Cupp); J.J. Smith+ (Stand by Jim and Jackson); Kelan Smith+ (Stand by Jim and Eddie)

Pump Boys & Dinettes’ production team includes: Daryl Brooks+, (director); Robert Reddrick+, (music director), Rueben D. Echoles+, (choreographer/costume designer); Jennifer Aparicio*, (production manager/SM swing); Eric Backus+, (co-sound designer) Gianni Carcagno*/=, (assistant stage manager/assistant audio engineer); Matthew R. Chase+, (audio engineer); Andrea Enger=, (assistant stage manager/wardrobe manager); Deya Friedman*, (production stage manager, AEA); Denise Karczewski*, (lighting designer); Sydney Lynne*, (scenic designer); Caitlin McCarthy*, (properties designer); Johnnie Schleyer+, (technical director); Stefanie M. Senior*, (co-sound designer); Rachel West*, (lighting supervisor), Rashaad A. Bond+, (producing artistic associate); Alex Rhyan+, (production and operations director) and Michael Weber+, (artistic director).

ABOUT DARYL D. BROOKS+, director 

Daryl D. Brooks is a Chicago  based director, writer and actor who was born and raised in Waynesboro, Virginia. He is currently the producing managing director of the Black Ensemble Theater. His musical revue, You Can’t Fake the Funk: A Journey Through Funk Music, premiered at Black Ensemble Theater and earned him an African American Arts Award, Black Theater Alliance Award and the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Musical/Revue. His production Men of Soul also received multiple awards and nominations including the Chicago BroadwayWorld nomination for Best Director for a Musical/Revue, a Jeff Award Nomination for Best Director of a Review, and was selected for production at The National Black Theater Festival. He has directed over fifty productions and some credits include; Black Pearl: A Tribute to Josephine Baker, Women of Soul(Black Ensemble Theatre), Memphis (Porchlight Musical Theatre), Million Dollar Quartet(Theatre At the Center), Akeelah and the Bee and Fast Food Chain (Adventure Stage and Northwestern Settlement). In 2019 Brooks received the Chicago Defender’s “Men of Excellence Award” for building diversity and equity within the Chicago theater community. 

ABOUT ROBERT REDDRICK+, music director 

Robert Reddrick is the music director and drummer for Chicago’s Black Ensemble Theater. He is a seven-time recipient of the Black Theater Alliance award and five-time nominee for the Joseph Jefferson award for best music director.  Additionally, he has been music director for projects at Steppenwolf Theatre (Traffic series), University of Illinois, Free Street Theater, as well as drummer for many other productions throughout Chicago.  In the late 1990’s he toured with “The Platters featuring the Legendary Monroe Powell” and travelled worldwide with them.  He also has his own band, “The R2Project featuring Bonnie Phillips” with CD’s available online. Reddrick has performed, produced and engineered many recordings for local Chicago artists. 

ABOUT REUBEN D. ECHOLES+, choreographer/costume designer

Rueben D. Echoles is an accomplished playwright, director, choreographer and designer. He is an associate artistic director for Black Ensemble Theater and has been since 2005. Echoles has had the pleasure of working with many theater companies across the country and in the Chicagoland area such as ETA creative Arts Foundation (director/choreographer/costume designer, Showfolk TYA, Co playwright with Euseni Eugene Perkins Voices of HIV) Congo Square, Refuge, Porchlight Music Theater (costume designer), Paramount (asst. wig designer) and Studio One Dance Theater (playwright, director creative consultant 2003 – present), just to name a few. His most recent projects include Call Me Madam (costume design PMT), A New Attitude, In Tribute to Patti Labelle, My Brothers Keeper: The Story of the Nicholas Brothers and The Last Dancer Standing.

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 In-Resident Organization. Central to the Ruth Page Center for the Arts’ programming is this 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

Porchlight Music Theatre is the award-winning center for music theatre in Chicago. Through live performance, youth education and community outreach we impact thousands of lives each season, bringing the magic of musicals to our theatre home at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in the Gold Coast and to neighborhoods across the city. Porchlight has built a national reputation for boldly reimagining classic musicals, supporting new works and young performers, and showcasing Chicago’s most notable music theatre artists, all through the intimate and powerful theatrical lens of the “Chicago Style.” 

Now in its 27th season, Porchlight's quarter-century production history includes more than 70 Mainstage works with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. Porchlight’s commitment to the past, present and future of music theatre led the company to develop the Porchlight Revisits and New Faces Sing Broadway program series, both quickly becoming audience favorites. 

Porchlight's education and outreach programs serve schools, youth of all ages and skill levels and community organizations, most notably the ongoing collaboration with Chicago Youth Centers. Porchlight annually awards dozens of full scholarships and hundreds of free tickets to ensure accessibility and real engagement with this uniquely American art form. 

The company’s many honors include 178 Joseph Jefferson Award (Jeff) nominations and 45 Jeff awards, as well as 33 Black Theatre Alliance (BTA) nominations and 12 BTA awards. In 2019, Porchlight graduated to the Large Theatre tier of the Equity Jeff Awards, and was honored with eight nominations in both technical and artistic categories and won three awards in its inaugural year in this tier, most notably Best Ensemble for Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies. 

Through the global pandemic, Porchlight emerged as one of Chicago’s leaders in virtual programming, quickly launching a host of free offerings like Sondheim @ 90 Roundtables, Movie Musical Mondays, Porchlight by Request: Command Performances and WPMT: Classic Musicals from the Golden Age of Radio. For the 2020-2021 season, Porchlight’s fall schedule included all-new ticketed virtual programs including Broadway by the Decade, New Faces Sing Broadway 1987, Chicago Sings Rock & Roll Broadway, New Faces Sing Broadway 1961 and the return of The Ruffians’ Burning Bluebeard as well as collaborations with Hershey Felder and L.A. Theatre Works. Porchlight recently launched its first summer performance schedule including a sold-out performance of New Faces Sing Broadway 1979 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, the premiere of its outdoor music series Broadway in your Backyard, performed throughout Chicagoland this summer and special appearances at Sundays on State and Navy Pier’s Chicago Live Again.

Award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre returns to live performances and the launch of its 27th Mainstage season with Pump Boys & Dinettes, October 30 - December 12 at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St. Created by John Foley+, Mark Hardwick+, Tony winner Debra Monk*, Cass Morgan*, John Schimmel+ and Jim Wann+, directed by Daryl Brooks+, music directed by Robert Reddrick+ and choreographed by Rueben D. Echoles+, Pump Boys & Dinettes’ previews are Saturday, Oct. 30 at 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 31 at 2 and 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. and Thursday, Nov. 4 at 1:30 p.m. with the press opening Thursday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. The regular run performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:00 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3:00 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with weekday matinee Thursday, Dec. 2  at 1:30 p.m. Single tickets are $45 - $74 and subscriptions to theentire 2021 - 2022 season are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884. (Please note: complete performance schedule is available at the end of this release.) 

Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from ; Allstate; Michael Best & Friedrich LLP; Chapman | Spingola, LLP; Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation; Glimpse Vision; James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation; Hearty Boys; The MacArthur Fund for Culture, Equity and the Arts at Prince; the Pritzker Traubert Foundation; Ryan and Spaeth, Inc.; Daniel and Genevieve Ratner Foundation; The Saints and Dr. Scholl 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 with funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.. 

Porchlight Music Theatre wishes to thank members of the Matching Gift Corporate Program including abbvie; Allstate; CDW, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Peoples Gas; Pepsico; Polk Bros Foundation,The Saints, State Farm, U.S. Cellular and We Energies.