HADES TOWN at Broadway In Chicago's CIBC THEATRE March 2 - March 13, 2022

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

HADES TOWN 

 MUSIC, LYRICS & BOOK BY ANAÏS MITCHELL

DEVELOPED WITH & DIRECTED BY RACHEL CHAVKIN

Broadway In Chicago's

CIBC THEATRE

March 2 - March 13, 2022

“It roars off the stage with a ferocity 

that has not been matched on Broadway in a long while.”

Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune

 

Don't miss this! Hadestown is the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best New Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album. I can't wait to check it out on opening night. Check back soon at ChiILMama.com for my full review.

Part of the 2021-2022 Broadway season, the show will play at Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre from March 2 – March 13, 2022. To purchase single tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com. Hadestown is part of the current Broadway In Chicago 5-show series, which can be purchased at BroadwayInChicago.com or by calling (312) 977-1717. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com. Ticket prices range from $52.50 - $132.50 with a select number of premium tickets available. Learn more about the new touring production at www.hadestown.com/tour.

Hadestown was the most honored show of the 2018-2019 Broadway season. In addition to the show’s eight Tony Awards®, it has been honored with four Drama Desk Awards, six Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical, and the Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical.

The acclaimed new musical is by celebrated singer-songwriter and Tony Award® winner Anaïs Mitchell and developed with innovative director and Tony Award® winner Rachel Chavkin. Hadestown marks the first time in over a decade that a woman has been the solo author of a musical: writing the music, lyrics, and book, and is the fourth time in Broadway history a woman has accomplished this creative feat.

“Hadestown is quite simply one of the most exquisite works of musical storytelling I’ve seen in my more than 25 years as a theater critic.” Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times

Producers Mara Isaacs, Dale Franzen, Hunter Arnold, and Tom Kirdahy said jointly, “Throughout its development, Hadestown has been deeply influenced by audiences around the world. We are thrilled and humbled to now share this beautiful story of hope, faith, and rebirth – written and directed by two amazingly talented women and brought to life by a diverse company of performers – with audiences across North America.”

The show originated as Mitchell’s indie theater project that toured Vermont which she then turned into an acclaimed album. With Chavkin, her artistic collaborator, Hadestown has been transformed into a genre-defying new musical that blends modern American folk music with New Orleans-inspired jazz to reimagine a sweeping ancient tale. The show opened at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway (219 West 48th Street, New York) on April 17, 2019, where it played sold-out houses nightly before performances were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Hadestown resumed performances on September 2, 2021, as one of the first musicals to reopen on Broadway.

The North American touring production of Hadestown stars Drama Desk Award® nominee Nicholas Barasch as Orpheus, Morgan Siobhan Green as Eurydice, Tony Award winner Levi Kreis as Hermes, Kimberly Marable as Persephone, and Olivier Award® nominee Kevyn Morrow as Hades. The Fates are played by Belén Moyano, Bex Odorisio, and Shea Renne. The Workers Chorus features Lindsey Hailes, Chibueze Ihuoma, Will Mann, Sydney Parra, and Jamari Johnson Williams. The swings for the touring production include Kimberly Immanuel, Alex Lugo, Eddie Noel Rodríguez, and Nathan Salstone.

Following two intertwining love stories — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — Hadestown invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers, and singers, Hadestown delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience.

Welcome to the intriguing and beautiful world of “your next musical theater obsession.” Vogue

The creative team features Tony Award® winner Rachel Hauck (set design); four-time Tony Award® nominee Michael Krass (costume design); two-time Tony Award® winner Bradley King (lighting design); Tony Award® winners Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz (sound design); Chita Rivera Award® winner and three-time Bessie Award® winner David Neumann (choreography); Liam Robinson (music supervision and vocal arrangements); Tony Award® winners Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose (arrangements and orchestrations); Ken Cerniglia (dramaturgy); and Stewart/Whitley (casting).

Hadestown electrified audiences with its 2016 world premiere at New York Theatre Workshop, which is the longest-running show in that celebrated theater’s 40-year history. The production then received its Canadian premiere at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre in 2017 and then a 2018 sold-out engagement at the London’s National Theatre. Hadestown was developed with funding from the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center and was further developed by The Ground Floor at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Hadestown was co-conceived by Ben t. Matchstick.

The Grammy® winning Hadestown Original Broadway Cast Recording is now available at Hadestown.com/music. The album is produced by David Lai, Sickafoose, and Mitchell on Sing It Again Records.

BIOGRAPHIES

ANAÏS MITCHELL (Music, Lyrics & Book) is a Tony and Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter whose recordings include the original studio album of Hadestown (2010), Young Man in America (2012), Bonny Light Horseman (2019, as Bonny Light Horseman) and Anaïs Mitchell (2022). She was named to the TIME100 list of the Most Influential People in the World in 2020 and her first book Working on a Song–The Lyrics of Hadestown was published by Plume/Penguin the same year. She headlines shows worldwide and her music has featured regularly on “Best-Of” lists including NPR, The Guardian and The Wall Street Journal. Hadestown is Anaïs’ first musical.

RACHEL CHAVKIN (Director) is a Tony Award-winning director, writer and artistic director of Brooklyn-based collective, the TEAM. Hadestown (NYTW, National Theatre, London) has been one of her greatest joys. Tony and Lortel nominations and Drama Desk Award for Dave Malloy’s Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (Broadway, Ars Nova, A.R.T.). London: Mission Drift (National Theatre), American Clock (Old Vic). Select New York and regional: Marco Ramirez’s The Royale (LCT; Obie Award, Drama Desk and Lortel nominations), Malloy’s Preludes (LCT3), Bess Wohl’s Small Mouth Sounds (Ars Nova and national tour), Carson Kreitzer’s and Matt Gould’s Lempicka (Williamstown Theatre Festival), The Royal Family (Guthrie Theatre) and multiple collaborations with Taylor Mac. Her first film, Remind Me, was an official selection of the Venice and Beverly Hills Film Festivals. 2017 Smithsonian Award for Ingenuity. Proud NYTW Usual Suspect and Member SDC.

DAVID NEUMANN (Choreographer). Film: I Am Legend, Marriage Story (Noah Baumbach). Choreography: An Octoroon and Futurity (Soho Rep); Antipodes (Signature Theatre); Underground Railroad Game (Ars Nova); Hagoromo and Home (BAM); The Antipodes (Signature Theatre). Collaborator and performer: Laurie Anderson, Big Dance Theater, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Doug Elkins. Director: The Object Lesson (NYTW, BAM). Artistic director, Advanced Beginner Group (P.S.122, NY Live Arts, The Kitchen, Symphony Space, Abrons Art Center, The Chocolate Factory, The Whitney, Walker Art Center, MASS MoCA). Recipient of 2020 Obie Award, 2019 Chita Rivera Award, three Bessie Awards for dance/performance, Tony nominee for Hadestown, Lucille Lortel and Helen Hayes Award nominee.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday at 7:30 pm

Saturdays at 2 & 8 pm

Sundays at 2 pm

There will be a performance on Sunday, March 6, at 7:30 pm, and on Wednesday, March 9 at 2 pm.

 

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 21 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country.  A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining more than 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at the Auditorium Theatre.

 

COVID-19 Protocol:  Broadway In Chicago audience members are required to wear a mask, a provide vaccination card, and photo I.D. and valid ticket upon entry to the theatre.  For exemptions or if you are unable to be vaccinated (including children) must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test along with a photo ID and valid ticket. For further information and specifics related to vaccines and tests visit www.broadwayinchicago.com/covid19

 

All Broadway In Chicago schedules, productions, and protocols for attendance will continue to be reviewed as further guidance and recommendations are provided by the CDC, Illinois State, and Chicago Departments of Health. 

For more information about the show, visit www.hadestown.com/tour.

The League of Chicago Theatres Searches For New Executive Director To Replace Deb Clapp Who Is Stepping Down This June

The League of Chicago Theatres announces 

the resignation of  Executive Director Deb Clapp

 

The League of Chicago Theatres has announced that Executive Director Deb Clapp will step down from her position after leading the service organization for 14 years, effective June 30, 2022. The Board of Directors is in the process of engaging a search firm and a formal search for a new executive director will begin immediately.

League Board Chair Heidi Thompson Saunders states, “The League itself and theatres in Chicago are so fortunate to have had Deb’s leadership and vision for the last 14 years. Deb has been a tireless champion of our diverse and dedicated members, consistently advocating for programs and resources that provide for the needs of the entire theatre community. Deb has helped to build a solid foundation for the future of the League, and we look forward to continuing to serve our industry as it evolves. We are fortunate to have had her leadership through the pandemic, and thank her for her sustaining advocacy on behalf of the field.”

During Clapp’s tenure, the League of Chicago Theatres has stabilized finances as it has increased its earned and contributed revenue many times over. In collaboration with the League team and partners across the city of Chicago, Deb has been responsible for the creation and successful implementation of a number of successful initiatives that accomplish the League’s mission. Notable projects include: the Chicago August Wilson Monologue Competition, Chicago Theatre Week, The Year of Chicago Theatre (2019); and three new grant programs, which have distributed more than $2 million in grant funds to theatres. The organization has increased the number and scope of professional development programs to serve the varied needs of the industry and has flexibly pivoted due to changing conditions when necessary. 

Deb Clapp comments, “I am so proud of the work the League of Chicago Theatres has accomplished in the past 14 years. Together with the Board of Directors, the League staff, our member companies, and our amazing partners, we have been able to support and elevate the theatre community and, at times, help navigate the industry through some collective challenges. I will look on with great excitement to see what new energy and enthusiasm brings to the League and to my beloved Chicago theatre community.”

The Board of Directors is: Heidi Thompson Saunders, Managing Director, Court Theatre (Chair); Doreen Sayegh, Producer/General Manager, Pemberley Productions (Vice-Chair); Kate Piatt-Eckert, Executive Director, Steep Theatre Company (Treasurer); Charlique Rolle, Executive Director, Congo Square Theatre (Secretary); Stan Brown, Director of Graduate Studies, Northwestern University; Karen Cardarelli, Executive Director, Facets Multi-Media; Elaine Cohen, John Collins, Managing Director, Goodman Theatre; Alice da Cunha, Co-Artistic Director, Physical Theater Festival Chicago; Cody Estle, Artistic Director, Raven Theatre; Rachel Fink, Executive Director, Lookingglass Theatre; Karena Fiorenza, General Manager, Steppenwolf Theatre; Kirsten Fitzgerald, Artistic Director, A Red Orchid Theatre; Lisa Naparstek Green, Iceberg Enterprises; Ashlee Harris, Executive Director of Marketing, Broadway In Chicago; Jen Hoyt, Director of Special Projects, Steppenwolf Theatre; Emily Jelsomeno; Rachel Kraft; Eileen LaCario, Vice-President, Broadway In Chicago; Kate Lipuma, Executive Director, Writers Theatre; Marcela Muñoz, Managing and Co-Artistic Director Aguijón Theater; Susan Padveen, Associate Professor, Associate Chair, Columbia College Chicago; Tyrone Phillips, Artistic Director, Definition Theatre; Dr. Marcus Robinson, Enrich Chicago; Myrna Salazar, Director, Chicago Latino Theatre Alliance; Roche Schulfer, Executive Director, Goodman Theatre; Michael Patrick Thornton, Founder, The Gift Theatre; and Ivan Vega, Executive Director, UrbanTheater Company.

About Chicago theatre

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

 

League of Chicago Theatres’ Mission Statement

Theatre is essential to the life of a great city and to its citizens. The League of Chicago Theatres is an alliance of theatres which leverages its collective strength to support, promote, and advocate for Chicago’s theatre industry. Through our work, we ensure that theatre continues to thrive in our city.

 

Celebrate Black History Month With Chicago Theatre Week February 17 – 27, 2022

 Chicago Theatre Week marks its 10th year,

February 17 – 27, 2022

Among offerings are productions to celebrate Black History Month

 

There's a black renaissance happening on stages across Chicago and here at ChiIL Live Shows we've seen some amazing openings featuring black narratives, actors, directors, and more that coincide with both Black History Month and great ticket discounts through Chicago Theatre Week. Check out some stellar storytelling from Chicago's impressive black talent pool without breaking the bank. Want more of a deep dive into shows? Check out our original reviews, theatre news, giveaways and more at ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) and ChiILMama.com (family friendly). We've highlighted shows we've seen and recommend in red below.

Chicago Theatre Week (#CTW22), an annual celebration of the rich tradition of theatre-going in Chicago during which visitors and residents can access value-priced tickets, returns for its 10th year and will take place February 17-27, 2022. Tickets, value-priced at $30, $15, or less, are on sale at ChicagoTheatreWeek.com. Book NOW for the best selection. Top shows do sell out fast.

Chicago Theatre Week is back in-person after a quieter and mostly online 2021 theatre scene during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chicago Theatre Week, spanning a week and two full weekends, is heading into its 10th year. As a program of the League of Chicago Theatres, in partnership with Choose Chicago, theatres in neighborhoods throughout the city and suburbs are expected to participate.

Chicago Theatre Week occurs in February each year, coinciding with Black History Month. Several productions honoring the Black experience featuring Black theatres and theatre-makers are participating in Chicago Theatre Week, including:

 

Gem of the Ocean

Goodman Theatre

January 22- February 27, 2022

**Highly recommended--ChiIL Live Shows**

Goodman revives the play that begins August Wilson’s epic 10-play American Century Cycle—on the stage where it premiered in 2003. Tensions flare into riots across Pittsburgh’s Hill District as chaos threatens a city desperate for freedom. It’s 1904, the dawn of the new century—yet slavery’s shadow looms large. There is solace to be found at the home of 285-year-old Ester Tyler, keeper and transmitter of African American history and cleanser of souls. When a suspicious traveler appears at her door in search of a new life, Aunt Ester guides him on a journey of spiritual awakening.

Trial in the Delta

Collaboraction

February 26, 2022

Collaboraction presents a theatrical staged reading of Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till, an adaptation of the trial transcript of the State of Mississippi vs. Milam and Bryant, the men who were found not guilty of murdering Emmett Till. The script was adapted by company members G. Riley Mills and Willie "Prince Roc" Round and produced by Collaboraction and The DuSable Museum of African American History.

 

Ruined

Invictus Theatre Company

February 17- March 20, 2022

This winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize is set in a small mining town in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ruined follows Mama Nadi, a shrewd businesswoman in a land torn apart by civil war. But is she protecting or profiting by the women she shelters? How far will she go to survive? Can a price be placed on a human life?

Relentless

TimeLine Theatre Company

January 21 - February 26, 2022

**Highly recommended--ChiIL Live Shows**

Set in the Black Victorian era, Relentless looks at the deep personal secrets we keep to protect the ones we love most. The year is 1919. After the death of their mother, two sisters come home to Philadelphia 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. After discovering diaries left by their late mother, they find themselves confronted with a woman they never really knew, exposing buried truths from the past that are chillingly, explosively Relentless.

Blues In the Night

Porchlight Music Theatre

February 9 - March 13, 2022

The Blues is one of America’s original art forms and Chicago was the home to some of the greatest Blues performers ever. Set in a history-filled hotel on Chicago’s south side one fateful night in the late 1930s, this Tony Award-nominated celebration interweaves the stories of three women who share their highs and lows of romance through the iconic songs of Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Alberta Hunter, Jimmy Cox, Ida Cox and others.

The SuperAfroWavyDrippyExtraBrilliantDope Show

The Second City

February 1 - March 9, 2022

Black on Black shines as The Second City celebrates the comedy contributions of our BIPOC alumni, including Sam Richardson, Keegan-Michael Key, Amber Ruffin, Tim Meadows, and more. Performed by an all-Black cast who will soon be household names themselves, The SuperAfroWavyDrippyExtraBrilliantDope Show proves the Blacker the berry, the funnier–and doper–the show.

Fireflies

Northlight Theatre

January 20 - February 20, 2022

**Recommended--ChiIL Live Shows**

The Civil Rights Movement has ignited the South, and the charismatic Rev. Charles Grace needs a new speech to galvanize the people. But it is Olivia, his pregnant wife, who writes those fiery speeches, and her tolerance for playing the supporting role to her husband is wearing thin. As the growing weight of secrets threatens her marriage, and a nation’s hatred threatens her child’s future, Olivia must rediscover the place that love has in her world.

 

Queen of the Night

Victory Gardens Theater

January 29 - March 13, 2022

**Recommended--ChiIL Live Shows**

A divorced father and his queer son head to the woods of southeastern Texas to relive the camping trips of earlier, easier days. But even without cell service, certain things are inescapable. Playwright travis tate explores masculinity and queerness through the lens of multi-generational Blackness, offering a hilarious, heart-rending family portrait about reckoning with the wilderness of a shared past, while facing an uncertain future. Staged by Victory Gardens Artistic Director Ken-Matt Martin, Queen of the Night kicks off the 2021/22 Season.

 

Women of Soul

Mercury Theater Chicago

January 28 - March 6, 2022

**Recommended--ChiIL Live Shows**

A celebration of the most powerful women of soul to ever grace the stage. You’ll jump to your feet as we honor incredible women including Whitney Houston, Donna Summer, Diana Ross, Janet Jackson, Janis Joplin, and of course, you’ll get a little of Gladys, Dionne, and Patti. Featuring powerhouse voices singing memorable music including “I Say a Little Prayer”, “I Will Survive” and “Respect.” This review recognizes the struggles and triumphs these women went through to reach the pinnacle of their success. This is a once-in-a-lifetime musical masterpiece that you will want to experience over and over again! 

Chicago Theatre Week is presented by the League of Chicago Theatres in partnership with Choose Chicago. Subscribe to the Theatre Week email newsletter or follow @ChicagoPlays on Twitter for updates and announcements.

The official hashtag for Chicago Theatre Week 2022 is #CTW22. Follow along on social media and tag your own experiences too!

There are limited ticket quantities available for some shows, so it is recommended that you purchase tickets in advance. Most theatres are requiring proof of vaccination and masks in order to attend a performance. Venue-specific COVID-19 policies are listed on Theatre Week show offer pages; however, we recommend checking with the theatre for updates before attending.

About Chicago theatre 

Chicago theatre is the leader in the U.S. with more than 250 theatres throughout Chicagoland, comprising a rich and varied community ranging from storefront, non-union theatres to the most renowned resident theatres in the country, including 5 which have been honored with Regional Tony Awards, and the largest touring Broadway organization in the nation. Chicago’s theatres serve 5 million audience members annually and have a combined budget of more than $250 million. Chicago produces and/or presents more world premieres annually than any other city in the nation. Each year Chicago theatres send new work to resident theatres across the country, to Broadway, and around the world. For more information, visit www.chicagoplays.com. #ChiTheatre

 

The League of Chicago Theatres’ Mission Statement

Theatre is essential to the life of a great city and to its citizens. The League of Chicago Theatres is an alliance of theatres, which leverages its collective strength to support, promote and advocate for Chicago’s theatre industry. Through our work, we ensure that theatre continues to thrive in our city.

 

About Choose Chicago

Choose Chicago is the official sales and marketing organization responsible for promoting Chicago as a global visitor and meetings destination, leveraging the city’s unmatched assets to ensure the economic vitality of the city and its member business community. Follow @ChooseChicago on Twitter and on Instagram @choosechicago. Like us on Facebook. For more information, visit www.choosechicago.com. #CaptureChicagoExcitement | #ChicagoHome | #Only1Chicago

 

OPENING: World Premiere of Wife of a Salesman Via Writers Theatre March 3 – April 3, 2022

 Writers Theatre continues its 2021/22 Season with

the world premiere of

Wife of a Salesman

by Eleanor Burgess

directed by Jo Bonney

featuring Kate Fry, Amanda Drinkall and Rom Barkhordar

March 3 – April 3, 2022

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Interim Artistic Director Bobby Kennedy, continues its 2021/22 Season with the world premiere of Eleanor Burgess’s Wife of a Saleman, directed by Jo Bonney, and in association with Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Wife of a Salesman runs March 3, 2022 – April 3, 2022 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. 

An iconic drama. An imagined meeting. A recentering of where “attention must be paid.” What if a 1950s housewife from a particularly well-known American play drove from Brooklyn to Boston to confront her husband’s mistress? Would the encounter be explosive? Or would the two women discover they have more in common than one might assume? Taking inspiration from Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, this world premiere play imagines how a potentially combustible confrontation brings themes of marriage, duty and division to the surface—and the ways in which the world has, and hasn’t, changed across generations.

Playwright Eleanor Burgess (The Niceties) brings her gift for sharp dialogue and spirited debate to Wife of a Salesman, influenced by interviews with her grandmothers in addition to the work of Arthur Miller. Staged in the intimate Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre, this world premiere co-presentation with Milwaukee Rep is sure to be the must-see theatrical event of the spring!

Wife of a Salesman was commissioned and developed through Writers Theatre’s Literary Development Initiative, in joint partnership with Milwaukee Repertory Theatre.

Interim Artistic Director Bobby Kennedy [he/him] comments, “We are proud to continue Writers Theatre's 30th Anniversary Season with the world premiere of Wife of a Salesman. This play, commissioned and developed in partnership with Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, connects both the past and future of live theatre. Having staged dozens of productions of theatrical classics over the years, it is exciting to now be a place where fresh voices are creating original work in dialogue with dramatic tradition. Eleanor Burgess has written a new play that brilliantly and passionately carves out space for women in a familiar narrative where little existed previously, making a call for attention to be paid not only in the mid-century era defined by male writers like Arthur Miller but in our own time as well. I’m thrilled to be giving this play its debut staging, and to be working with Jo Bonney, one of the foremost directors of new plays, for the first time. With a cast and design team full of both returning artists and newcomers, this production brings the past and future together to create something I think audiences will find extraordinarily refreshing and poignant.”

Kate Fry returns to Writers Theatre where she previously performed in A Minister’s Wife, Oh Coward, The Letters, Hedda Gabler, Marjorie Prime, and Arcadia. Rom Barkhordar performed at WT more than 20 years ago at Books on Vernon in Incident at Vichy and Fallen Angels.

The cast is Kate Fry (The Wife), Amanda Drinkall (The Mistress), Rom Barkholder (Jim/The Radio) with Dekyi Rongé (Angela/The Radio) and Karmann Bajuyo (The Radio). The understudies are Heather Chrisler (The Mistress/Violet), Stacy Stoltz (The Wife/Heather) and Keith Kupferer (Jim).

The creative team for Wife of a Salesman includes Jo Bonney (Director), Heather Gilbert (Lighting Designer), Courtney O’Neill (Scenic Designer), Raquel Adorno (Costume Designer), Sarah Espinoza (Sound Designer), Rae Watson (Properties), Kate DeVore (Vocal Coach) and Courtney Abbott (Violence Designer). The stage manager is Katie Klemme.

 

About the Artists

Writers Theatre previously produced Eleanor Burgess’ play The Niceties in its 19/20 season. Scenic Designer Courtney O’Neill and Lighting Designer Heather Gilbert worked on that production as well.

Eleanor Burgess (Writer) is a playwright whose plays include The Niceties, Start Down, Chill and These Dying Generations. Her work has been produced at Manhattan Theatre Club, McCarter Theatre Center, Geffen Playhouse, Huntington Theatre Company, the Alliance Theatre, the Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Portland Stage Company and Centenary Stage, and developed with The New Group, New York Theatre Workshop, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Alley Theatre, Writers Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Salt Lake Acting Company, the Hermitage Artists Retreat, the Lark Play Development Center and the Kennedy Center/NNPN MFA Playwrights Workshop. She’s also been a member of the Dorothy Strelsin New American Writers Group at Primary Stages, Page 73's writers' group Interstate 73, The Civilians’ R&D Group, and New York Theatre Workshop’s 2050 Fellowship. Originally from Brookline, Massachusetts, she studied history at Yale College and Dramatic Writing at NYU/Tisch.

 Director Jo Bonney is an award-winning director known internationally for her work on world premiere plays.

Jo Bonney (Director) has directed premieres of plays by: Alan Ball, Hilary Bettis, Eric Bogosian, Hammaad Chaudry, Culture Clash, Eve Ensler, Jessica Goldberg, Isaac Gomez, Danny Hoch, Ione Patricia Lloyd, Neil LaBute, Warren Leight, Martyna Majok, Lynn Nottage, Dan O'Brien, Dael Orlandersmith, Suzan-Lori Parks, Darci Picoult, John Pollono, Will Power, David Rabe, Jose Rivera, Seth Zvi Rosenfeld, Christopher Shinn, Diana Son, Universes, Naomi Wallace, Michael Weller. Productions of plays by: Caryl Churchill, Nilo Cruz, Anna Deavere Smith, Charles Fuller, Lisa Loomer, Paul Lucas, Carey Perloff, Lanford Wilson. Productions directed at: ART, Boston; PS 122; The Public Theater NYC; NYTW; Second Stage; Goodman Theatre; La Jolla Playhouse; MCC, NY; Geffen Playhouse; Williamstown Festival; McCarter Theater; Playwrights Horizons; Arena Stage; CTG, LA; Signature, NY; Long Wharf; The New Group; CSC; Humana Festival; Almeida, London; Edinburgh Festival; The Market Theatre, Johannesburg; The Baxter, Cape Town SA, Cine 13, Paris. She is the recipient of two Obie Awards for Sustained Excellence of Direction, Lucille Lortel Best Musical and Lucille Lortel Best Revival, Drama Desk nomination for Direction of By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, and Alliance and Lilly Award. Audelco Award for Father Comes Home from the Wars. Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Cost of Living. Editor of Extreme Exposure: An Anthology of Solo Performance Texts from the Twentieth Century (TCG).

Kate Fry (The Wife) is happy to be back at Writers, where she has performed in A Minister’s Wife, Oh Coward, The Letters, Hedda Gabler, and Marjorie Prime. Elsewhere in the Chicago area she has worked with Court Theatre (over a dozen productions including The Belle of Amherst, Electra, Mousetrap); Northlight Theatre (Outside Mullingar, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Mother of the Maid); Goodman Theatre (The Winter’s Tale, Ah, Wilderness!), Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (As You Like It, Taming of the Shrew, Love’s Labor’s Lost, The Merchant of Venice, Henry IV parts 1 and 2—also at the Royal Shakespeare Company) and Victory Gardens (In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play). Elsewhere, she has worked with Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, McCarter Theatre Center, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and Lincoln Center. Film/TV includes episodes on Boss, Empire, Proven Innocent, and Chicago PD. She is the recipient of 4 Joseph Jefferson Awards, the Sarah Siddons award for Chicago’s Leading Lady, the After Dark Award, and Chicago Tribune’s actress of the year. Kate is married to actor/teacher Timothy Edward Kane. They have two sons.

Amanda Drinkall (The Mistress) makes her Writers Theatre debut. She was most recently seen as Desdemona in The Tragedy of Othello at Court Theatre. Other Chicago credits include: Venus in Fur, A Winter’s Tale, Measure for Measure, Continuity, Bernhardt/Hamlet, and Ah, Wilderness! (Goodman Theatre); Mary Page Marlowe (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); King Charles III (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); White Guy on the Bus, Funnyman, By the Water (Northlight Theatre); Southern Gothic (Windy City Playhouse); Significant Other (About Face Theatre); Dutchman (American Blues Theatre); Pygmalion (Oak Park Festival); Rest (Victory Gardens), The Last Train to Nibroc (Haven Theatre-Jeff Award-Best Actress), Great Expectations (Strawdog), Pride and Prejudice (Lifeline); and more than 20 shows with The Back Room Shakespeare Project, where she is a Partner. As an ensemble member of Red Tape Theatre, her favorite credits include: hamlet is dead. no gravity, The Skriker, Brand, and Pullman, WA. Regional credits: Sheltered (Alliance Theatre); My Father’s War (TheatreSquared), Michigan Shakespeare Festival’s The Comedy of Errors and Romeo and Juliet and North Carolina Shakespeare Festival’s King Lear and Much Ado About Nothing. Film/TV credits include: The View From Tall, Christmas...Again?! (Disney Channel), Chicago Med (NBC), Bobby & Iza (NBC). Ms. Drinkall is represented by Gray Talent Group and is married to actor Gage Wallace.

Rom Barkhordar (Jim/The Radio) is VERY happy to be making a return to Writers Theatre after a 21-year hiatus, where he appeared in Incident at Vichy and Fallen Angels. Chicago credits include: Acts of God, Around the World in 80 Days (Lookingglass Theatre); Yasmina’s Necklace, Ruined (u/s) (Goodman Theatre); The Elephant Man, Homebody/Kabul (u/s)(Steppenwolf Theatre Company); The Who and the What (Victory Gardens Theatre); Mosque Alert, Night over Erzinga (Silk Road Rising); Pravda, Halcyon Days, Not About Nightingales (Timeline Theatre). Regional: Proof (Kitchen Theatre); Disgraced (Virginia Stage Co.); The Who and the What (Huntington Theatre) Around the World in 80 Days (Kansas City Rep.) (Centerstage Theatre). Film: Canal Street, Abi, Roundabout American. Television: Proven Innocent, Chicago Med., Chicago Justice, Mind Games, Chicago Fire, Boss, The Beast.

Cast: Kate Fry (The Wife), Amanda Drinkall (The Mistress), Rom Barkholder (Jim/The Radio) with Dekyi Rongé (Angela/The Radio) and Karmann Bajuyo (The Radio). The understudies are Heather Chrisler (The Mistress) Stacy Stoltz (The Wife) and Keith Kupferer (Jim).

Creative team: Heather Gilbert (Lighting Designer), Courtney O’Neill (Scenic Designer), Raquel Adorno (Costume Designer), Sarah Espinoza (Sound Designer), Rae Watson (Properties), Kate DeVore (Vocal Coach) and Courtney Abbott (Violence Designer). The stage manager is Katie Klemme.

 

Dates:              

First performance: Thursday, March 3, 2022

Press opening: Friday, March 11, 2022 at 7:30pm

Closing performance: Sunday, April 3, 2022

 

Schedule:        

Wednesdays: 3:00pm and 7:30pm

Thursdays: 7:30pm

Fridays: 7:30pm

Saturdays: 3:00pm and 7:30pm

Sundays: 2:00pm and 6:00pm

 

Location: The Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

             

Prices:              

Prices for all performances range from $35 - $90

Purchase early for best prices                                   

Box Office:       

The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe;

847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org 

 WRITERS THEATRE 2021/22 SEASON

The Writers Theatre season began with Dishwasher Dreams, written and performed by Alaudin Ullah, directed by Chay Yew, and produced in association with Hartford Stage. Following Wife of a Salesman, is the Chicago premiere of Athena, written by Gracie Gardner, choreographed by Steph Paul, and directed by Jessica Fisch. The season concludes with the world premiere of Pearl’s Rollin’ with the Blues, a musical revue created by Felicia P. Fields and Ron OJ Parson and directed by Parson.

The 2021/22 Season will see the company return to live performances and celebrate its 30th Anniversary, now firmly at home in its award-winning building at 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe, designed by Studio Gang Architects. Productions will be presented in two spaces in the theater complex including the 255-seat Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre as well as the Gillian Theatre, a 50 to 99-seat flexible theatre space. 

The theatre, along with over 60 other Chicago performing arts organizations, will require patrons to be fully vaccinated and masked when attending performances. Please visit https://www.writerstheatre.org/covid-safety for full details.

 

SEASON PACKAGES

Writers is offering a variety of Classic Subscriptions, which include a ticket to each production throughout the season and includes renewal into fixed seats on set dates once each run is announced.

Subscriptions include three familiar package types that all offer fixed seats to see all four WT productions this season, one ticket to each production. Subscriptions are made for those who are looking to set their schedule in advance and gain access to seating at the top of the Season.

For the 2021/22 Season, Writers will continue the Membership Program, which includes 4 tickets to be used throughout the season as the Member chooses.

There are two types of Memberships: The most flexible option to “Pay As You Go” after an up-front Membership fee, or the option to pay in full for 4 tickets to be used throughout the season (“Up Front Flex”). Memberships are designed for those who want the freedom and flexibility of a more adaptable package.

Classic Subscriptions range in price from $160 to $240. Customizable payment plans are available. A “Pay As You Go” Membership is $35 per ticket after a one-time $60 Membership fee, or patrons may opt for the “Up Front Flex” Membership for $200 up-front 

Season package subscribers receive exclusive benefits including complimentary ticket exchanges by phone and mail (upgrade fees may apply), access to special play readings and lectures, special “subscriber-rate” prices on additional tickets, a year subscription to The Brief Chronicle digital newsmagazine and more. For a complete list of benefits visit writerstheatre.org/join.

Season Packages are available online at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000.

Writers Theatre is pleased to welcome back BMO Harris Bank as the distinguished 2021/22 Season Sponsor, marking the Bank’s ninth consecutive year as season sponsor.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

WT also offers Access Performances, including ASL-interpretation and Open Captioning on select dates for each production. Please visit writerstheatre.org/accessibility for more information.

Writers Theatre is also working with Erika Walker and Maylene Peña of the Walker Thomas Group on workplace culture and equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives. Additional information about this important and ongoing work can be found at writerstheatre.org/working-at-wt.

ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE 

Writers Theatre boldly looks to the future as it begins its 30th season. Having captivated audiences for years with its dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible, the theatre is now a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called “America’s finest regional theater company” by The Wall Street Journal.

Since 1992, Writers Theatre has stayed true to its core values: valuing the power of the written word and uplifting the artists who bring that word to life. The company has produced over 120 productions—everything from inventive interpretations of classics to groundbreaking new work. In 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility designed by the internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects. The new facility has allowed the Theatre to accommodate its growing audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy.

Writers Theatre now welcomes more than 60,000 patrons each season and has helped establish the North Shore of Chicago as a premier cultural destination. Through its Literary Development Initiative, which has been responsible for the nurturing and premiering of over two dozen world premieres, the theatre has established itself as a major originator of new theatrical works. Serving as an extension of the Writers Theatre mission, WT Education programs engage an average 10,000 students each year with active learning opportunities centered around the written word.

SAVE THE DATES: Sean Masterson’s Message in a Bottle at Chicago Magic Lounge Wednesdays beginning April 6, 2022

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

Chicago Magic Lounge Presents

Sean Masterson’s Message in a Bottle

Wednesdays beginning April 6, 2022

**Tickets go on sale February 7, 2022**

Chicago Magic Lounge, Chicago’s home for close-up magic, continues its Artist-In-Residence series with Sean Masterson’s Message in a Bottle, Wednesdays at 7:00pm, April 6 – June 29, 2022. Masterson’s combination of magic and storytelling in this brand new show will amaze and enchant audiences. Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge shows are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com.

The discovery of a message in a bottle makes the past present in Sean Masterson’s very visual and highly deceptive show. Sleight-of-hand magic is seamlessly woven into the true tale of the 19th century battle to decide American’s #1 magician.

In 1912 theatrical impresario Michael B. Leavitt published his 700-page memoir dishing the untold story of this jealousy-fueled battle between his clients, the magic greats Alexander Herrmann and Harry Kellar. Recently, Sean Masterson procured a signed edition of Leavitt’s memoir at auction and together with his research of Harry Houdini’s original archives at the Library of Congress in D.C., he has found the thread that nearly tells the whole tale. All Masterson needs now is a message in a bottle.

Sean’s blend of magic and storytelling have been part of the Chicago theater scene since his 1992 run at Shattered Globe Theater. Since then, he has performed in extended runs at Live Bait Theater, The Actors Gymnasium, The Music Box Theater, and Theater Wit. His close-up magic has been seen at many corporate, social events including Abbott Laboratories, The Chicago Architecture Foundation, Copia Capital and The Driehaus Museum. He regularly performs at the Old Town Art Fair and The Acorn Theater in Three Oaks, MI and has made appearances at Festimagic in Paris and The International Theater Festival of Grenoble, France. Each year Sean makes 40 appearances in local children’s hospitals.

Message in a Bottle will be presented on Wednesdays at 7:00pm, April 6 – June 29, 2022. Tickets are priced $45 (Main Floor) and $50 (Front Row). Tickets go on sale February 7, 2022.

Also Happening at Chicago Magic Lounge

 

Music & Magic

Mondays at 7:00pm

Tickets: General Admission $25

 

The Showcase

Tuesdays at 7:00pm

Tickets: Standard: $35; Front Row: $40

Artist-in-Residence Series

Wednesdays at 7:00pm

 

Kayla Drescher: Magic in Heels, Now through March 30, 2022

Tickets: Standard: $45; Front Row: $50

Ever wonder what the life of a magician is like? Join Kayla Drescher on this wild ride of magic, laughter, and interactive fun. And it’s all done in heels…because “magic in pajamas” was already taken.

Kayla Drescher, based in Los Angeles, brings her interactive show to the Chicago Magic Lounge. She’s performed for clients like Microsoft, IBM, Wells Fargo, and many more. You may have seen her on Penn & Teller’s “Fool Us,” Access Hollywood, or NBC’s “Today Show,” where she was given the title “The Next Great Magician” by David Copperfield. Most recently, Kayla could be seen touring the world with the Champions of Magic. Kayla hosts a popular magic podcast, Shezam, focused on diversity and inclusion within the magic and allied arts communities.

 

The Signature Show

Thursdays-Sundays at 7:00pm, Fridays and Sundays at 10pm

Tickets: Front Row $80, Premium Main Floor (main floor banquette and main floor cabaret) $70, Standard (rail and elevated banquette) $60, Mezzanine $50 

The Signature Show was conceived in 2015 as an homage to the historic, Chicago magic bar scene. Experience close-up magic right at your table during the cocktail hour, followed by an hour of stage magic featuring masters of their craft performing feats of prestidigitation and sleight of hand. Guests who purchase Premium tickets (Front Row, Main Floor Cabaret, Main Floor Banquette) are invited to an exclusive performance of close-up magic directly after the main stage show in our 43-seat close-up gallery, The 654 Club.

Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge performances are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com. Chicago Magic Lounge is a 21+ venue. Ages 16+ allowed to ticketed shows with a legal guardian. 

For the health and safety of our staff, guests and community, you must be fully vaccinated to enter the premises. Ticket holders will be asked to present proof of vaccination status upon arrival.

For a complete schedule of performances and more information about Chicago Magic Lounge, resident and guest performers, and more, please visit chicagomagiclounge.com.

Pay What You Can World Premiere of THIS IS ONLY A TEST Via Broken Nose Theatre February 11 – March 12, 2022

 

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

World Premiere!

Broken Nose Theatre Presents

THIS IS ONLY A TEST

By Eric Reyes Loo

Directed by Toma Tavares Langston 

February 11 – March 12, 2022 at The Den Theatre

Broken Nose Theatre, one of Chicago’s premier Pay-What-You-Can theatre companies, is pleased to welcome back live audiences this winter with the world premiere of Eric Reyes Loo’s drama This Is Only a Test, directed by Toma Tavares Langston. This all-too-prescient view of the future our youth may be inheriting will play February 11 – March 12, 2022 at BNT’s resident home, The Den Theatre (2A), 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. Tickets are currently available at brokennosetheatre.com and thedentheatre.com. Tickets for all Broken Nose Theatre performances are “Pay-What-You-Can,” allowing patrons to set their own price. I'll be out for the press opening February 13th so check back soon for my full review.

Broken Nose Theatre adheres to all CDC, state and local safety guidelines. Additionally, masking is required for all guests during performances. For the most current information on The Den’s COVID guidelines, visit thedentheatre.com/covid19-policy.

 

The cast includes company members RjW Mays* with Zhanna Albertini, Graham Helfrick, Sophia Vitello, Christopher M. Walsh and Austyn Williamson. Understudies: Maureen Azzun, Jeremiah Davis, Tim Huggenberger, Audrey Michaela, Kiefer Otto and Toma Lynn Smith.

It could happen anywhere, at any time, and the faculty at Washington High have decided to take "being prepared" to a whole new level. Through a series of Active Shooter Drills, their students will be trained on how to fight back against intruders. But as they’re asked to quell violence by responding violently, four teenagers begin to wonder: if we’re so prepared, why do we feel even more unsafe? Directed by rising director Toma Tavares Langston (The Light; Hedwig and the Angry Itch), this brand-new play asks us to consider the moment when preparing for the worst tips over into a whole new breed of violence all its own.

Artistic Director E.M. Davis and Managing Director Rose Hamill comment, “When the ensemble first read Eric's darkly satirical play over three years ago, the terrifying but necessary questions it asked were immediately impossible to shake. And now, as we continue to stare into an uncertain future, the conversations it provokes feel all the more prevalent. What sort of world are we passing down to our children? If they can't even feel safe in their place of learning, what haven can we possibly offer them? And worse, when we place the promise of security in the kids' own ability to retaliate, how soon before we exacerbate the issue and push them to their breaking point? We're proud to be partnering with director Toma Tavares Langston to bring this highly original new play to Chicago audiences for its world premiere.”

The production team includes Jessie Baldinger (scenic design), Jessica Van Winkle (costume design), Conchita Avitia (lighting design), Hannah Foerschler (sound design), Charlotte Lastra (props design), Carly Cason (fight director), Sarah Scanlon (intimacy director), David Weiss* (dramaturg), Ben F. Locke* (assistant director), Rose Hamill* (production manager), Evan Sposato (technical director), Liz Gomez* (master electrician), Jac Pytlik (stage manager) and Becca Smith (assistant stage manager).

*Denotes Broken Nose Theatre company members

 

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Cast (in alphabetical order): Zhanna Albertini (Selma), Graham Helfrick (Kramer), RjW Mays* (Woman), Sophia Vitello (Lenore), Christopher M. Walsh (Man) and Austyn Williamson (Wynn).

Understudies: Maureen Azzun, Jeremiah Davis, Tim Huggenberger, Audrey Michaela, Kiefer Otto and Toma Lynn Smith.

Location: The Den Theatre (2A), 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago

Dates: Previews: Friday, February 11 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, February 12 at 7:30 pm

Opening: Monday, February 14 at 7:30 pm

Regular run: Thursday, February 17 – Saturday, March 12, 2022

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm

Industry night: Monday, February 28 at 7:30 pm

Understudy night: Wednesday, March 9 a 7:30 pm

Tickets: Pay-what-you-can. Tickets are currently available at brokennosetheatre.com and thedentheatre.com.

About the Artists

Eric Reyes Loo (Playwright) spent his childhood crafting the perfect comeback during his sixteen years of Catholic school education, where his mother sent him to become a priest. He came out a theatre queen and loudmouth jokester instead. All of this gave him plenty of material as he turned to writing and producing theatre in New York and his native Los Angeles. Eric’s critically-acclaimed play Death and Cockroaches was produced by Chalk Repertory Theatre, where Eric is also a member of the Artistic Circle. In addition, Eric is a television writer/producer who has written on Guidance for AwesomenessTV/Hulu and A.J. and the Queen for Netflix. He also has numerous projects in development.

Toma Tavares Langston (Director) is a Chicago freelance theater director. Notable works include Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Theo Ubique – 2020 Jeff Nomination, Production – Musical) and The Light (The New Colony – 2018 Jeff Nomination, Director – Play). Toma was awarded a 2015 Victory Gardens Theater Director Inclusion Initiative fellowship. Other Chicago works include Sucker Punch (Victory Gardens, Assistant Director), 1980 or Why I'm Voting for John Anderson (Jackalope Theatre, Assistant Director), The Last Five Years, The Shadow Box, For Colored Girls Who Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf. He is currently pursuing his MBA in Public Administration at Southern New Hampshire University. Toma would like to give a special thanks to E.M., Rose, Eric and the Broken Nose Theatre crew for the opportunity to tell this impactful story. 

 

About Broken Nose Theatre

Broken Nose Theatre is a Pay-What-You-Can theatre company. Founded in 2012, BNT was the 2018 recipient of the Emerging Theater Award, presented by the League of Chicago Theatres and Broadway in Chicago. The company has produced and developed 30 full-length plays (including 12 Chicago or world premieres) and over 60 new short plays through our annual Bechdel Fest. We strive to spark conversation, cultivate empathy, and amplify underrepresented voices, and are committed to making new, exciting and relevant theatre that is economically accessible to all audiences. For more information, please visit brokennosetheatre.com. 

Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning RUINED Via Invictus Theatre Company February 17 - March 20, 2022

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

RUINED

by Lynn Nottage

Directed by Ebby Offord

February 17 – March 20, 2022

Invictus Theatre Company's production of Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning RUINED, directed by Ebby Offord, will be performed in their new home venue – the Reginald Vaughn Theatre at 1106 W. Thorndale Avenue in Edgewater (the space formerly known as The Frontier) - from February 17 - March 20, 2022. Offord is a 2019 graduate of Washington University in St. Louis who has studied at Shakespeare’s Globe in London and appeared as Ophelia in Invictus’s fall 2021 production of HAMLET. I'll be out for the press opening February 21st, so check back soon for my full review.

RUINED, a drama originally commissioned by the Goodman Theatre, where it premiered in 2008, is a story of women caught in a civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They find a refuge of sorts with Mama Nadi, a brothel owner who takes victims of sexual violence into her establishment. There, she profits from them but also protects them from the brutality of the world outside her doors.

Leading Offord’s cast as Mama Nadi will be Tekeisha Yelton Hunter. Hunter earned raves for her performance of the title character in Invictus’s 2020 live stream of “NIGHT MOTHER, as did Courtney Gardner, who played the daughter in that two-character play. Gardner will appear in RUINED as Salima, who along with Sophie (Jenise Sheppard) and Josephine (Jemima Charles), are three of the girls taken in by Mama Nadi. The cast will also include Javier Carmona (Mr. Harari), Tamarus Harvell (Fortune), Barry Irving (Simon), Stanley King (Christian), Edward Neequaye (Osembenga), Brandon Boler (Kisembe), Kejuan Darby (Ensemble, U/S Osembenga and Kisembe), Todd Douglas (Ensemble, U/S Simon and Fortune). Additional understudies are Jasmine Robertson (Salima, Sophie), Simmery Branch (Josephine), Barry Irving (Christian), and Jorge Salas (Mr. Harari).

Top row left - right: Takeisha Yelton Hunter, Jemima Charles, Courtney Gardner, Jenise Sheppard.

Second row left - right: Brandon Boler, Javier Carmona, Kejuan Darby, Tamarus Harvell.

Third row left - right: Barry Irving, Stanley King, Edward Neequaye, Simmery Branch.

Bottom row left - right: Todd Douglas, Jasmine Robertson, Jorge Salas.

The production team for RUINED includes Rueben Echoles (Costume Designer), Kevin Rolfs (Set Designer), Levi Wilkins (Lighting Designer), Warren Levon (Sound Designer), Lana Whittington (Fight/Intimacy Designer), Ian R. Q. Slater (Dialect Coach), Jessica Minogue (Stage Manager), Todd Faulstich (Production Manager), Marquecia Jordan (Assistant Costume Designer and Wardrobe Supervisor), and Arlicia McClain (Assistant Director). Charles Askenaizer is Invictus’ Artistic Director.

Offord says RUINED is “a reminder that the decades of violent turmoil in the Congo and other regions of Sub-Saharan Africa have anything but subsided. War is still being waged on women's bodies. Black women especially. Therefore, their stories must continue to be told.”

VARIETY said RUINED “takes us inside an unthinkable reality and into the heads of victims and perpetrators to create a full-immersion drama of shocking complexity and moral ambiguity.” The CHICAGO TRIBUNE praised it as “Sincere, passionate, courageous and acutely argued… a remarkable theatrical accomplishment…In the hands of this talented playwright, what might have been a predictable political polemic instead emerges as a richly stirring and complex drama that even includes generous doses of humor.”

Invictus Theatre Company has, over its five-year history, built a reputation for intimate and honest interpretations of classics with fidelity to the original texts and close attention to character development. The CHICAGO READER’s Albert Williams said the company’s HAMLET was “stellar…storefront Shakespeare at its best.” The READER’s Kerry Reid praised the “fearless and layered performances” of the company’s live stream production of “NIGHT, MOTHER in 2020. Of their 2019 A RAISIN IN THE SUN, Reid said “(director Aaron) Boseman’s production goes for broke with heartfelt zest, spilling over the edge of Kevin Rolfs’s appropriately tiny dingy set.” Nancy Bishop of the THIRD COAST REVIEW said of Invictus’s 2018 MERCHANT OF VENICE that “Charles Askenaizer’s direction results in a smoothly performed production of what is considered one of Shakespeare’s problem plays—and it may make you squirm in your seat as you’re sitting very close to the action.”

Tickets for RUINED are available now at www.invictustheatreco.com/tickets. RUINED will also participate and offer tickets as part of Chicago Theatre Week, a celebration of Chicago’s world-class theatre scene now in its 10th year that will run from February 17-27, 2022.

COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS AND POLICIES

All actors have been vaccinated. All audience members are required to show proof of vaccination at the door and to wear masks throughout the performance.

Previews February 17 – 20, 2022.

Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays 7:00 pm, Sundays 3 pm

1106 W. Thorndale, Chicago

Ticket prices: Previews $25.00 Regular run $30. $25 for students (with valid student ID) and seniors. $1 handling fee for online or credit card purchases. www.invictustheatreco.com/tickets

This winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize is set in a small mining town in the Democratic Republic of Congo., RUINED follows Mama Nadi, a shrewd businesswoman in a land torn apart by civil war. But is she protecting or profiting by the women she shelters? How far will she go to survive? Can a price be placed on a human life?

BIO

Ebby Offord (Director) is a Chicago-based actor, director, and teaching artist. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in Drama in 2019 (Favorite credits include AUNT DAN AND LEMON, PASSING STRANGE, and AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY.) After graduating, Ebby returned to Chicago to teach with the Institute of Reading Development. She now dedicates her time to pursuing art full-time and working as a caretaker for her father. Ebby appeared in Invictus’s HAMLET as Ophelia last fall, and she’s excited to make her professional directing debut with Invictus on RUINED. 

ABOUT INVICTUS THEATRE COMPANY

At Invictus Theatre Company our mission is to create theatre that promotes a better understanding of language: its poetry, its rhythm, its resonance; through diverse works by diverse artists. We respect the power of heightened language: spoken, written, sung; to express the breadth of the human condition. We work to harness the power of language: to promote diversity, to engender respect, to foster collaboration; and to empower our communities to share their voices.

Invictus Theatre Company incorporated in January 2017 and received its 501 (c)(3) nonprofit status in February 2017. A diverse group of Chicago actors and directors founded Invictus with the vision to empower their communities through theatrical productions of heightened language. We are committed to the idea that our productions should reflect the communities we represent, and, to that end, we are committed to non-discriminatory hiring practices. In working with local artists, designers, and production teams, Invictus Theatre Company does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, nationality, citizenship, religion, or any other protected status by law.

Invictus Theatre Company is supported by the MacArthur Funds for Arts and Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency.