Chicago Premiere of When We Were Young and Unafraid Via AstonRep Theatre Company May 13 – June 12, 2022 at The Edge Off-Broadway Theater

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Chicago Premiere!

AstonRep Theatre Company Presents

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND UNAFRAID

By Sarah Treem

Directed by Sara Pavlak McGuire

May 13 – June 12, 2022 at The Edge Off-Broadway Theater

AstonRep Theatre Company is pleased to conclude its 2020-21 season with the Chicago premiere of Sarah Treem’s courageous drama When We Were Young and Unafraid, directed by Sara Pavlak McGuire*, playing May 13 – June 12, 2022 at The Edge Off-Broadway Theater, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.astonrep.com or by calling (773) 828-9129. I'll be out for the press opening Saturday, May 14th, so check back shortly for my full review. 

The cast includes JoAnn Birt, Halle Hoffman, Sean Kelly*, Julie Partyka and Claire Allegra Taylor. Understudies include Tess Galbiati, Hilary Hensler, Maddy Moderhack, Jack Rodgers and Effie Rose.

*Denotes AstonRep Company Members.

In the early 1970s, before Roe v. Wade, before the Violence Against Women Act, Agnes has turned her quiet bed and breakfast into one of the few spots where victims of domestic violence can seek refuge. But to Agnes’s dismay, her latest runaway, Mary Anne, is beginning to influence Agnes’s college-bound daughter Penny. As the drums of a feminist revolution grow louder outside of Agnes’s tiny world, Agnes is forced to confront her own presumptions about the women she’s spent her life trying to help.

Director Sara Pavlak McGuire* comments, “Against the backdrop of the early 1970s, Treem's play shines a light on the faces of women who fought (each in their own ways) to create lasting and powerful change in America. At the same time, this play provides a cautionary tale for today's woman of how close she may be to witnessing an oppression that this generation has not yet seen. And so we hope it provokes her to continue to fight; whether it be quietly from her home or loudly from the front lines. May she be inspired by the women in this story to use her voice and to help the women around her. After two years, we are honored to finally present the story of these four women and are thrilled to premiere it here in Chicago.”

The production team to date includes Jeremiah Barr* (scenic, props and specialty make-up design), kClare McKellaston (costume, hair and wig design) Samantha Barr* (lighting design, production manager), Robert Tobin* and Melanie Thompson* (sound design), Claire Yearman (intimacy director), Kathryn Greenlea (costume assistant), Maryah Paige (assistant lighting designer, assistant stage manager) and Kristi Roshto (stage manager).

COVID protocol: AstonRep is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable theatre-going experience. At this time, we will require all patrons to provide proof of vaccination when entering the theatre and patrons will be required to wear a face mask during the performance. As this guidance is rapidly evolving, so may our protocols, so please check our website for the most up to date information

Location: The Edge Off-Broadway Theater, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave., Chicago

Dates: Preview: Friday, May 13 at 7:30 pm

Press performance: Saturday, May 14 at 7:30 pm

Regular run: Sunday, May 14 – Sunday, June 12, 2022

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

Tickets: Previews: $10; Regular run: $20. Student/seniors discounts available. Tickets are currently available at www.astonrep.com or by calling (773) 828-9129.

About the Artists

Sarah Treem’s (Playwright) A Feminine Ending premiered at Playwrights Horizons and went on to productions at South Coast Repertory and Portland Center Stage, among others. Her play The How and the Why premiered at the McCarter Theater starring Mercedes Ruehl (with Emily Mann directing) and went on to productions at Interact Theatre and Trinity Repertory, among others. Sarah’s other plays include Empty Sky (Bloomington Playwrights Project), Orphan Island (Sundance Theater Lab), Human Voices (New York Stage and Film) and Mirror Mirror. She has been commissioned by Playwrights Horizons, Southcoast Repertory and Manhattan Theater Club, and developed work at the Ojai Playwrights Festival, the Screenwriters Colony, Hedgebrook and Yaddo. In addition to her theater career, Sarah wrote and produced all three seasons of the acclaimed HBO series In Treatment, for which she won a WGA award and was nominated for a Humanitas award. She was also a writer/producer for the HBO series How to Make it in America. She has taught playwriting at Yale University, where she earned her B.A. and M.F.A.

Sara Pavlak McGuire (Director) has been a company member with AstonRep since 2013, where she
serves as a member of the Artistic Core Leadership. Working primarily as an actor in Chicago, Sara has worked with many different companies around the city; namely Windy City Playhouse, Timeline Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Oak Park Festival Theatre, Filament Theatre, Hubris Productions, Spartan Theatre and of course her home at AstonRep. She is a two-time Jeff Award nominee (2011, 2018). She received the award in 2011 for her work in Agnes of God, with Hubris Productions. She has assistant directed several productions with AstonRep (Wit, The Lyons, The Laramie Project) and has served as casting director for the past seven years. Sara holds an MFA in acting from Western Illinois University.

 

About AstonRep Theatre Company

AstonRep Theatre Company was formed in the summer of 2008. Since then, the company has produced numerous full-length productions, along with their annual Writer’s Series. They are currently in residence at The Edge Theater. AstonRep Theatre Company is an ensemble of artists committed to creating exciting, intimate theatrical experiences that go beyond the front door to challenge audiences and spark discussion where the show is not the end of the experience: it is just the beginning. 

PORCHLIGHT REVISITS PASSING STRANGE THREE PERFORMANCES ONLY AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS, MAY 18 AND 19

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE ANNOUNCES CAST FOR PORCHLIGHT REVISITS PASSING STRANGE 

THREE PERFORMANCES ONLY AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS, MAY 18 AND 19

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

Tickets are Now on Sale for this Rarely Seen Broadway Rock Musical Exploring an Artist’s Journey of Self Discovery with Book and Lyrics by Stew+, Music by Heidi Rodewald* and Stew+, Directed by Donterrio+, Music Directed by Justin Akira Kono+ and Choreographed by Terri K Woodall*

Porchlight Music Theatre concludes the eighth season of its “lost” musicals series with Porchlight Revisits Passing Strange, book and lyrics by Stew+, music by Heidi Rodewald* and Stew+, direction by Donterrio+, music directed by Justin Akira Kono+ and choreography by Terri K Woodall*, May 18 and 19. Porchlight Revisits Passing Strange is presented for three performances only: Wednesday, May 18 at 7 p.m. and Thursday, May 19 at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Performed live in a limited run each performance includes a pre-show “Behind the Show Backstory” historical multimedia presentation by Artistic Director Michael Weber+ introducing the evening’s production including the show’s creative history, backstage stories and much more. Tickets are $49 and are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office at 773.777.9884. I'll be out on the 19th at 1:30 p.m. so check back shortly for my full review.

From L.A. to Amsterdam to Berlin, a young musician chases youthful dreams and spiritual clarity against a shifting backdrop of locales and acquaintances as he rebels against his conservative upbringing. This hit rock musical, loaded with soulful lyrics and passion, debuted to critical acclaim on Broadway in 2008, winning both the Tony and Drama Desk Awards and went on to be a critically acclaimed motion picture filmed by Spike Lee+ in 2009. The New York Times said about its Broadway debut,“Call it a rock concert with a story to tell ... Or call it a sprawling work of performance art ... I’ll just call it wonderful.”

Top Row: Donterrio, director; Justin Akira Kono, music director; Terri K. Woodall, choreographer, Michael Maurice Ashford, ensemble; Rueben Echoles, ensemble

Bottom Row: Reniesha J. Jenkins, ensemble; MJ Rawls, ensemble; Nolan Robinson, ensemble; Byron Willis, ensemble and Jasmine Lacy Young, ensemble; 

The ensemble cast of Porchlight Revisits Passing Strange, in alphabetical order, includes: Michael Maurice Ashford+, Rueben Echoles+, Reneisha J Jenkins*, MJ Rawls*, Nolan Robinson+, Byron Willis+ and Jasmine Lacy Young*.

The production team includes: Stew+, lyrics and book; Heidi Rodewald* and Stew+, music; Donterrio+, director; Justin Akira Kono+, music director; Terri K Woodall*, choreography; Jyreika Guest*, intimacy director; Rachel West*, lighting designer; Gregory Graham+, costume designer; Matthew R. Chase+, production manager; Frankie Leo Bennett+, producing artistic associate; Alex Rhyan+, production and operations director and Michael Weber+, artistic director.

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

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT REVISITS

Continuing to forge its role as “Chicago’s Music Theatre,” Porchlight launched the Porchlight Revisits series, the only of its kind in the city, in 2013, especially created for the die-hard music theatre aficionado. Each season, Porchlight Music Theatre shares with audiences the rare opportunity to visit musicals that opened on the Great White Way and beyond but have since gone “unsung.” The finest music theatre artists in Chicago dust off these neglected treasures and escort audiences to the worlds of Broadway and off-Broadway’s past. Previous Porchlight Revisits productions include:

(2021) Nunsense;

(2019/20) Call Me Madam;

(2018/19) 1776, Can-Can, Minnie’s Boys;

(2017/18) Do Re Mi, They’re Playing Our Song, Woman of the Year; (2016/17) The Rink, Little Me, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever; (2015/16) Chess, Applause, Babes in Arms;

(2014/15) Bells Are Ringing, City of Angels, Mack & Mabel; (2013/14) Anyone Can Whistle, Golden Boy, Fade Out-Fade In.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE AS AN IN-RESIDENCE ORGANIZATION AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to be a member of the vibrant Ruth Page Center for the Arts community and an Artist In-Residence. Central to the Ruth Page Center for the Arts’ programming is the In-Residence Organization 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 in 2021 that included 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.

Porchlight Music Theatre concludes the eighth season of its “lost” musicals series with Porchlight Revisits Passing Strange, book and lyrics by Stew+, music by Heidi Rodewald* and Stew+, direction by Donterrio+, music directed by Justin Akira Kono+ and choreography by Terri K Woodall*, May 18 and 19. Porchlight Revisits Passing Strange is presented for three performances only: Wednesday, May 18 at 7 p.m. and Thursday, May 19 at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Tickets are $49 and are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office at 773.777.9884.

Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from Actors’ Equity Foundation; Allstate; Michael Best & Friedrich LLP; Chapman | Spingola, LLP; Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation; Gen Ops Plus; Elegant Event Lighting; Glimpse Vision; James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation; Hearty Boys; A.L. and Jennie L. Luria Foundation; 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.

Porchlight Music Theatre wishes to thank members of the Matching Gift Corporate Program including Abbvie; Allstate; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Peoples Gas; Pepsico; Polk Bros Foundation and The Saints.

A Red Orchid Theatre's World Premiere of LAST HERMANOS April 21 – June 12, 2022

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

A RED ORCHID THEATRE PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF 

LAST HERMANOS 

BY EXAL IRAHETA 

DIRECTED BY ISMAEL LARA, JR. 

 

April 21 – June 12, 2022 

 

 A Red Orchid Theatre  presents the World Premiere of Last Hermanos by Exal Iraheta, directed by Ismael Lara, Jr.. Last Hermanos runs April 21 – June 12, 2022 at A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N Wells in Chicago. I'll be out for the press performance April 30th, so check back soon for my full review. Single tickets for Last Hermanos are on sale now at www.aredorchidtheatre.org. 

Reunited and on the run, Miguel and Julio are fleeing an America where being Latinx is a life sentence. Sequestered in a Texas state park, the arrival of a sympathetic deserter, Shepherd, brings the conflict between Julio’s desire for revolution and Miguel’s longing for normalcy into sharp focus. Recorded last season as an audio play and now in its theatrical world premiere, LAST HERMANOS is a story of tenacious brotherhood and love in a not-so-distant future that asks: which path promises the better future?  

The cast includes Eddie Martinez (Miguel), Roberto Jay (Julio), and Chris Sheard (Shepherd).  

The creative team includes Ismael Lara, Jr. (Director), Mara Ishihara Zinky (Scenic), Johan Gallardo (Costumes), Josiah Croegaert (Lights), Joe Court (Sound), Erin Gautille (Props), Alden J. Vasquez (Stage Manager), Lauren Krohn (Assistant Stage Manager), Corey Bradberry (Production Manager), Valen-Marie Santos (Assistant Director), and Leean Kim Torske (Dramaturg). 

“On the heels of the incredibly rewarding collaborations of The Moors, I am thrilled to be reaching further outside ourselves to nurture collaborations with some of the most exciting new-to-us artists I have ever encountered,” says Artistic Director Kirsten Fitzgerald. “The pandemic certainly interrupted many a process and collaboration.  I think that makes our journey with Exal and his play Last Hermanos even more special.  From draft to draft to audio play and back to stage, the relationship between these brothers and the world of Last Hermanos continues to reveal new truths that bring us face to face with our own humanity.  Exal’s generosity in sharing this story is matched beautifully by the generosity of spirit, curiosity, and creative genius of our Director, Ismael Lara Jr.  With these two artists at the helm, Last Hermanos breathes deeper at every turn, unearthing both the power and the fragility of family and its function in our ever-shifting environments.”  

 

About the Artists 

EXAL IRAHETA (Playwright) is a Chicago-based Salvi-American playwright & screenwriter by way of Houston, TX. His work explores the intersections of belonging, family, queerness, Latinx identity, violence, and sexuality. Exal is The Chance Theatre’s 2022 Resident Playwright, was a 2020/2021 Goodman Theatre's Playwrights Unit member, and a selected playwright in the 2018 Fornés Playwriting Workshop. In 2019, his play They Could Give No Name was chosen for Victory Gardens' Ignition Festival and an honorable mention in the American Playwriting Foundation's 2019 Relentless Award. Exal earned an MFA from Northwestern University's Writing for the Screen and Stage program and a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. On the weekends, Exal enjoys walks with his husband Chris. 

ISMAEL LARA, JR. (Director) is a Mexican director, educator, and producer, who focuses on bridging the gap between institutions and the Latiné community. He has developed plays in collaboration with Cleveland Public Theatre’s Entry Point, Playwrights Local CLE, Kane Rep, Rec Room Arts, Creede Repertory Theater, Lake Forest College, The Lark, and National Queer Theatre. Selected credits include In His Hands (NU), The Displaced (NU Audio), Tomas & The Library Lady (NU), El Guayabo (Creede Rep), The Thing I Hold (Hangar Wedge), And All the Dead Lie Down (Convergence-Continuum), Aunt Leaf (Cleveland Play House Academy), and The Elephant Man (French Creek). Chicago assistant credits include American Mariachi (Goodman), I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter (Steppenwolf), and The Leopard Play, or sad songs for lost boys (Steep). Ismael is a recipient of the Hangar Drama League Fellowship, the current Northlight Artistic Fellow, and an MFA Directing candidate at Northwestern University. 

EDDIE MARTINEZ (Miguel) is a Teatro Vista ensemble member seen in Parachute Men, Fade, and Hope (Victory Gardens and Den Theatre). Other credits include: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, Our Lady of 121st Street (Steppenwolf); Native Gardens (Old Globe); Fade (Denver Center, Cherry Lane, TheatreWorks); As You Like It (Denver Center); Big Lake Big City, Cascabel (Lookingglass); Rightlynd (Victory Gardens); and Romeo y Julieta (Chicago Shakespeare). Film/TV credits include: Sense8 (Netflix), Sirens (USA), Chicago Fire (NBC), Shameless (Showtime), and The Dilemma (Universal). 

ROBERTO JAY (Julio) is humbled to make his AROT debut in Last Hermanos. Other Chicago credits include Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberly (Northlight Theatre), The Royal Society of Antarctica (The Gift Theatre Ensemble), The Laramie Project (Aston Rep), and a reading of The Hours are Feminine by Jose Rivera (Goodman Theatre). Prior to working in Chicago, Roberto apprenticed at Actors Theatre of Louisville and was featured in several productions, including A Christmas Carol, Girlfriend by Todd Almond, and 27 Ways I Didn’t Say Hi to Laurence Fishburne directed by Meredith McDonough. Film credits include Blame, Alex/October, and festival circuit pick Moon Talk, which he also wrote and produced. TV credits include Showtime's American Rust. Roberto is represented by Big Mouth Talent and Management by Morgan. 

CHRIS SHEARD (Shepherd) is thrilled to be making his A Red Orchid Theatre debut! Chris is an ensemble member with Definition Theatre (An Octoroon, A Doll’s House) and has performed at Chicago theatres such as Goodman Theatre (A Christmas Carol for four years, The Winter’s Tale), Writers Theatre (The Last Match, Arcadia), Chicago Shakespeare Theater (Nell Gwynn, SS!), Remy Bumppo, Steppenwolf, American Blues, TimeLine, and Windy City Playhouse. Regional credits include five seasons with American Players Theatre (Romeo and Juliet, The Seagull, A Phoenix Too Frequent), Third Avenue Playhouse, and Great River Shakespeare. He is represented by Grossman & Jack Talent. He received his MFA from the University of Illinois and his BA from Florida State and is back in school again for social work. 

Dates:

Previews: April 21 – 29, 2022 

Press Performances: Saturday, April 30 at 3:00pm and 7:30pm 

Regular Run: May 5 – June 12, 2022 

 

Schedule:    

Thursdays: 7:30 p.m. 

Fridays:  7:30 p.m.  

Saturdays: 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.   

Sundays:  3:00 p.m.   

Location: A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells St. 

Tickets: $15-$25 previews, $30-$40 regular run.  ($30 Thurs, $35 Fri & Sat Matinee, $40 Sat evening & Sun matinee)  

Box Office: Located at 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago, (312) 943-8722; or online www.aredorchidtheatre.org.

 

Covid 19 Policies 

A Red Orchid is part of a growing coalition of more than 70 performing arts venues and producers across Chicagoland who have agreed upon Covid-19 Vaccination and Mask Requirements for audiences. This unified COVID-19 protection protocol requires audience members to provide proof of vaccination or negative test certification upon entry and to wear masks.   

These venues and their performers, backstage crew and staff will comply with vaccination requirements and testing protocols to further ensure the safety of all guests and company members. The current protocols were developed by the coalition in consultation with public health officials. They will be reviewed regularly and may include an extension or relaxation of certain provisions if the science dictates.  

All patrons will need to be masked and fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized vaccine in order to attend a performance at A Red Orchid Theatre and must show proof of vaccination and identification at their time of entry into the venue with their valid ticket. “Fully vaccinated” means the performance date must be at least 14 days after the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, or at least 14 days after a single-dose vaccine. Where negative tests are accepted, guests may provide proof of a COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the performance start time, or a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken within 6 hours of the performance start time. This includes accommodations for children under 12 and people with a medical condition or closely held religious belief that prevents vaccination. All patrons will have to wear a mask throughout the performance and during their time in the theatre. Refreshments and all concessions will not be served this season at A Red Orchid.   

 

About A Red Orchid 

A Red Orchid Theatre has served as an artistic focal point in the heart of the Old Town community of Chicago since 1993 and was honored with a 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Over the past 29 years, its Resident Ensemble has welcomed into its fold an impressive array of award-winning actors, playwrights, and theatre artists with the firm belief that live theatre is the greatest sustenance for the human spirit. A Red Orchid is well known and highly acclaimed for its fearless approach to performance and design in the service of unflinchingly intimate stories.   

A Red Orchid Theatre  is: Karen Aldridge, Lance Baker, Kamal Angelo Bolden, Dado, Mike Durst, Myron Elliott-Cisneros, Jennifer Engstrom, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Joseph Fosco, Steve Haggard, Levi Holloway, Mierka Girten, Larry Grimm, Karen Kawa, Karen Kessler, Travis A. Knight, Danny McCarthy, Shade Murray, Brett Neveu, Sadieh Rifai, Grant Sabin, Steve Schine, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen, Doug Vickers, and Natalie West.   

SAVE THE DATES: Destinos 5th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival to return September 15-October 16, 2022

Fest Alert

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Destinos 5th Chicago International 

Latino Theater Festival 

(left) New Orleans performance artist José Torres-Tama performed Aliens, Immigrants & Other Evildoers at the National Museum of Mexican Art in 2019 as part of Destinos, 3rd Chicago International Latino Theater Festival (credit: J Taviesa). (right) Adriel Irizarry (front) and Wanda Baez starred in Chicago's Visión Latino Theatre's premiere Y Tu Abuela, Where is She? at The Den Theatre at last year's 4th Destinos (credit: Dylan Cruz)

Mark your calendar!

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we've been covering Destinos, Chicago International Latino Theater Festival since their inception and we've seen some incredible, world class talent and some amazing story telling over the years. Save the dates and check out Destinos, 5th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival.

Destinos, Chicago’s citywide international festival bringing together and showcasing Latino theater artists and companies from Chicago, the U.S. and Latin America, will return, live and in-person, September 15-October 16, 2022.

For five weeks this fall, Destinos will give Chicagoans and visitors to the city the chance to experience a rich, diverse multitude of Latino-themed shows, panels and student performances presented at marquee venues downtown, neighborhood storefront theaters and cultural institutions throughout the Chicago area.

“Do not miss the fifth annual Destinos,” said CLATA Executive Director Myrna Salazar. “Vibrant solo performances, spoken word, and large scale productions from Chicago and U.S. Latino companies, plus visiting artists and productions from Mexico, Puerto Rico and Latin America, will all be on display on Chicago’s top stages, each celebrating the Latino experience.”=

Stay tuned later this spring for the initial Destinos line-up. Until then, visit clata.org for more information and to sign up for CLATA’s weekly e-newsletter. Also, follow Destinos at @latinotheater on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to receive first notice of all festival events.

Destinos is produced by the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA), a transformative cultural engine helping drive the city’s local Latino theater community to international prominence.

CLATA was founded in 2016 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization by Myrna Salazar and Chicago’s three most prominent Latino arts organizations: the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA), the International Latino Cultural Center (ILCC), and the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance (PRAA).

For more, visit clata.org or call (312) 631-3112.

CLATA gratefully acknowledges ongoing support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Joyce Foundation, Ford Foundation, Walder Foundation, Arts Work Fund, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, Illinois Humanities, Shubert Foundation, a CityArts grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Illinois Arts Council Agency, National Endowment for the Arts, Wintrust, Allstate, ComEd and Comcast/Xfinity.

(left) Corazón de Papel by Puerto Rico's Agua, Sol y Sereno, a powerful depiction of Puerto Rico, post-Hurricane Maria, had its Chicago premiere in 2021 at Chopin Theatre as part of Destinos, 4th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival (credit: George Riveron). (right) Chicago’s UrbanTheater Company premiered Back in the Day: An ‘80s House Music Dancesical in 2019, as part of the 3rd Destinos (credit: J Taviesa)

Catch Mia Park's Live and Zoom Hybrid Event, Let Me Tell You, Monday, May 2 , 2022

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

MIA PARK

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY 

PRESENTS LET ME TELL YOU: STORIES OF ASIAN AMERICAN AUTHENTICITY, 

MONDAY, MAY 2 AT UPTOWN’S BEZAZIAN LIBRARY 

IN COMMEMORATION OF ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

Curator and Host Mia Park

A Live And Zoom Hybrid Event, Let Me Tell You Shares Stories of Healing, Mourning and Remembering

Admission is free, no RSVP required. Seating capacity is 65 people. Streaming options are available at MiaPark.com.

Mia Park has long been a Chicago favorite of ours here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows. When my kids were young, we joined her dance party for the CAN-TV show “Chic-A-Go-Go”. Since then I've seen her on stage in numerous productions. She's a Chicago treasure and we're happy to spread the word about her latest event. It looks like she's got a great lineup of talent slated. Don't miss this one night only event in person or streaming. 

Mia Park, in partnership with the Chicago Public Library, presents a one night only event, Let Me Tell You: Stories of Asian American Authenticity, Monday, May 2, 6 - 7:30 p.m. at Bezazian Library, 1226 W. Ainslie Street. This is a free event commemorating Asian Pacific Heritage Month, which lasts throughout May, and designed to amplify the voices of Asian Americans in Uptown and throughout Chicago. 

Mia Park developed the theme of Let Me Tell You: Stories of Asian American Authenticity, an evening to share personal stories of healing, mourning and remembering in response to Anti-Asian sentiment in today’s Chicago. Dr. Ada Cheng was commissioned to teach the craft of storytelling, free of charge, to Asian American and Asian Pacific Island Desi Chicagoans who wanted to share and perform their personal narratives at this event. The performers, Hannah Ii-Epstein, Minky Kim, Thavary Krouch, Sangi Ravichandran, Peter Ruger, Jihar Shah and Giau Minh Truong represent mixed race, adopted, immigrant, and American born individuals from the diaspora. The performances are directed by Daniella Wheelock.

Park said, “It’s common in Asian cultures to suppress asking for help to force a harmonious society. The challenges of living in Chicago are not unique to this group, but the recent spike in anti-Asian violence is exclusively disturbing. Learning to share individual experiences can make the storyteller whole along with their community.”

This project is partially supported by a Neighborhood Access Program Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events to support the cultural vitality of the Uptown neighborhood and Barbara Levy-Kipper.

Top Row (L to R): Dr. Ada Cheng, Thavary Krouch, Hannah Ii-Epstein

Second Row (L to R): Minky Kim, Mia Park, Sangi Ravichandran, Peter Ruger

Bottom Row (L to R): Jigar Shah, Giau Minh Truong, Daniella Wheelock

Participants include:

ABOUT DR. ADA CHENG, storytelling instructor

An educator-turned artist, storyteller, and creator, Dr. Ada Cheng (she/her/hers) has been featured at storytelling shows and done her two solo performances all over the country. She has utilized storytelling to illustrate structural inequities, raise critical awareness and build intimate communities. 

Committed to amplifying and uplifting marginalized voices, she has created numerous storytelling platforms for BIPOC and LGBTQIA community members to tell difficult and vulnerable stories. 

Dr. Cheng has been a speaker for Illinois Humanities Speakers Bureau since 2019. She is currently a visiting associate professor with the Asian American Studies Program at Northwestern University as well as an adjunct faculty at Dominican University. Her interests encompass academia, storytelling/performance, and advocacy. 

 

ABOUT HANNAH II-EPSTEIN, performer 

Hannah Ii-Epstein (she/her/hers) was born and raised on the North Shore of Oahu, received her MFA in Writing for the Screen + Stage at Northwestern University in 2018. She is a creative writer, dramatist and artistic director of Nothing Without a Company. Ii-Epstein is a founding member of BearCat Productions, a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists, A 50th season writer at Kumu Kahua Theatre, a board member at Aloha Center Chicago and a member of the Ke Ali`i Victoria Ka`iulani Hawaiian Civic Club and Ke Kula Kupaa O Ka Pakipika hālau. She is a 2021 recipient of 3Arts Make a Wave grant and About Face Theatre’s Playwright Artist Grant.

ABOUT MINKY KIM, performer

Minky Kim (them/their/theirs) is a queer, non-binary transmasculine Korean personal trainer in Chicago. They founded Han Training (formerly LiftyBoi Training) early summer of 2019 after recognizing the lack of inclusive and accessible fitness trainers/spaces that align with the progressive and radical dismantling of white supremacy, queer/transphobia, fatphobia, ableism and classism. 

ABOUT THAVARY KROUCH, performer

Thavary Krouch (she/her/hers) has an MFA in Writing/Directing from Columbia College Chicago. Her most recent short film, “Bitter Melons” (2020) screened at various film festivals such as the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and the Asian American International Film Festival in New York. She’s currently making a short documentary about the role of music and storytelling in healing. She is also a refugee from Cambodia. 

ABOUT MIA PARK, curator and host

Mia Park is a multi-dimensional artist based in Chicago, IL. Her boundless enthusiasm and energy fuel her community engagement through acting, producing events, teaching yoga, and more. She has hosted the cult favorite CAN-TV show “Chic-A-Go-Go” since 1998 and has played in several rock bands. Park is passionate about the potential in everyone and in the power of community. 

ABOUT SANGI RAVICHANDRAN, PERFORMER

Sangi Ravichandran (she/her/hers//they/them/theirs) is a queer crip femme Desi immigrant artist, scholar, healer, grower and seed enthusiast. Their life’s work is geared towards building a world free from punishment and violence. Towards this end, their artistic practice brings together words, seeds, dyes, textiles, spinning, weaving and sewing, to explore the intersections between healing, community, growth, freedom and reimagining a newly transformed world. They see art as existing in the material world to make place, challenge, document, provide for and transform communities.

ABOUT PETER RUGER, performer

Peter Ruger (he/him/his) is honored to be a part of this amazing event. Born in Korea and adopted into a family in Oak Park, Ruger is proud to be a part of the Chicago theater community and has worked with amazing companies like Music Theater Works, Porchlight Theater, Black Button Eyes Theater and Underscore Theater among others.  

ABOUT JIGAR SHAH, performer

Jigar Shah (he/him/his) is the festival director of Chicago South Asian Film Festival. He is passionate about the connection between stories, films and community. He aims to share perspectives through films and art by providing a platform for talents who are overlooked, as he empowers each of us to see our inner artist. Shah holds several leadership titles and is an advisory board member to several nonprofits. He serves as a jury member in other international film festivals. Working in a leadership role in a global healthcare financial firm, he is a technology security leader who holds advanced degrees in Engineering, MBA (Chicago) and Law (Pritzker School of Law, Northwestern, Chicago).

ABOUT GIAU MINH TRUONG, performer

Giau Minh Truong (he/him/his) was born in Vietnam and arrived in the USA in 1982 as a refugee. He studied film at Columbia College and he has conceptualized, acted in and directed numerous shows/events throughout the United States. Thruong is currently Links Hall's Tech director/associate curator focusing on developing use of tech in performance.

ABOUT DANIELLA WHEELOCK, director

Daniella Wheelock (she/her/hers) is a Chicago-based mixed race queer theatre maker. Wheelock is an outspoken activist and is passionate about increased diversity in the theatrical room, from the casting room to the season selection committee.

Mia Park, in partnership with the Chicago Public Library, presents a one night only event, Let Me Tell You: Stories of Asian American Authenticity, Monday, May 2 from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at Bezazian Library, 1226 W. Ainslie Street. This is a free event commemorating Asian Pacific Heritage Month, which lasts throughout May, and designed to amplify the voices of Asian Americans in Uptown and throughout Chicago. Free admission, no RSVP required. Seating capacity is 65 people. Streaming options are available at MiaPark.com.

This project is partially supported by a Neighborhood Access Program Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events and by the generous underwriting of Barbara Levy Kipper.

First Sip Cafe at 1057 W. Argyle St. is the cafe sponsor for this event. Stop by and mention the event for a discount.

Furama, an Uptown mainstay serving authentic Chinese cuisine and dim sum since 1985, 4936 N Broadway St. is the restaurant sponsor for this event. Mention attending the performance and receive a 15% discount before and after the show dining.

OPENING: THE PAVILION Via The Artistic Home April 30 – June 5, 2022 at The Den Theatre

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

The Artistic Home Presents

 THE PAVILION

Written by Craig Wright

Directed by Ensemble Member Julian Hester

April 30 – June 5, 2022 at The Den Theatre

 

The Artistic Home is pleased to present Craig Wright’s drama The Pavilion, directed by ensemble member Julian Hester*, playing April 30 – June 5, 2022 at The Den Theatre’s Upstairs Mainstage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. Tickets are currently available at thedentheatre.com or by calling (773) 697-3830. I'll be out for the press opening Thursday, May 5 so check back soon for my full review.

The cast includes ensemble members Kristin Collins*, John Mossman* and Todd Wojcik*. Understudies include Jason Ahlstrom, Ariel Dooley and Jenna Steege.

Peter and Kari haven’t seen each other in decades – since they were high school sweethearts. Tonight is their reunion, and they are suddenly thrust back together under a canopy of stars, but closer to the center of the universe than they realize. The laws of time and space were broken in their youth, and they only have one night to set things right.

Comments director Julian Hester, “Craig Wright’s play drew me in over the pandemic – a time when all of us were kept from one another, and life felt at a standstill, not knowing when we could connect again. As we come back together to rediscover theater, this story is of people who haven’t seen each other for 20 years – and asks if they can reconnect at all, even if it means restarting their universe." 

The production team includes Chas Mathiew (scenic design), Zach Wagner+ (costume design), Levi Wilkins (lighting design), Petter Wahlback+ (sound design), Devon Carson* (assistant director), Tom McNelis (technical director), Andrew Snyder (stage manager) and Zola Lopes (assistant stage manager).

COVID guidelines: In the interest of keeping patrons and staff safe, and in accordance with the League of Chicago Theatres, The Den will continue to require proof of vaccination to attend any event for the indefinite future. While masking is no longer required, The Den strongly encourages patrons to continue wearing a mask when not eating or drinking. For the most current information on The Den’s COVID guidelines, visit thedentheatre.com/covid19-policy.

  

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

*Denotes The Artistic Home ensemble members +Denotes The Artistic Home artistic associates

Cast: (in alphabetical order): Kristin Collins* (Kari), John Mossman* (Peter) and Todd Wojcik* (Narrator).

Understudies: Jason Ahlstrom, Ariel Dooley and Jenna Steege.

Location: The Den Theatre’s Upstairs Mainstage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago

Dates: Previews: Saturday, April 30 at 7:30 pm, Sunday, May 1 at 3 pm and Wednesday, May 4 at 7:30 pm.

Press opening: Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 pm

Regular run: Friday, May 6 – Sunday, June 5, 2022

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

Tickets: Previews $15. Regular run $35.Students/seniors $15. Tickets are currently available at thedentheatre.com or by calling (773) 697-3830.

 

About the Artists

Craig Wright (Playwright) is a playwright, television producer and writer from Puerto Rico. He is best known for his plays Grace, Mistakes Were Made and Recent Tragic Events. He was a producer for the TV series Lost and created some series himself such as Dirty Sexy Money and Greenleaf. He lives in Los Angeles and New York City.

Julian Hester (Director) has appeared in The Artistic Home productions of Les Parents Terribles, The Seagull, Macbeth, Time of Your Life, Interrogation and The Late Henry Moss, for which he received a Jeff Nomination for Actor in a Supporting Role. He also has worked around Chicago at Chicago Shakespeare, Chicago Dramatists, Theater Wit, Arc Theatre, Prop Theater. He is a graduate of DePaul University. Represented by Paonessa Talent, Julian is thrilled to have his home at AH, and cherishes anytime he gets a chance to grow and learn alongside AH's artistic family. 

 

About The Artistic Home

The Artistic Home creates theatre that explores and celebrates the truth within us. Through extraordinary acting, we seek to ignite an audience’s imagination, to reach deep into the primal to send tremors through the intellect, to give birth to unforgettable moments by working in an intimate space, to touch audiences who are increasingly distanced from human contact. We readdress the classics and explore new works with passion. We give artists a home where they can shape, develop and strengthen their artistic voice.

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo at Northwestern University's Wirtz Center April 22 – May 1, 2022

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

Northwestern’s Wirtz Center closes season with bold dramas

“Bengal Tiger” and “Water by the Spoonful” 

provide relevant connections to our time

I'll be checking out Rajiv Joseph's Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo on the 23rd, with my son. I reviewed this play at Chicago's Lookingglass Theatre back in January of 2013 and still recall the deep impact it made. I just reviewed the world premiere of Rajiv Joseph's new smash hit at Steppenwolf last month (King James Review) and can't wait to see Northwestern's take on his award winning words.

"GROUNDBREAKING… I'm tempted to call it the most original drama written so far about the Iraq war, but why sell the work short? The imagination behind it is way too thrillingly genre-busting to be confined within such a limiting category."

—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times

The complexities of our current times are reflected in two bold dramas set to take the stage at Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts on the Evanston campus this spring. “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo” blends the realities of war and humor as a tiger haunts the streets of present-day Baghdad seeking the meaning of life. The second offering, “Water by the Spoonful,” is a Pulitzer prize-winning drama about forgiveness, redemption and family in a precarious, virtual world that reverberates in real life.

“Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo”

April 22 – May 1

Josephine Louis Theater

“Bengal Tiger at Baghdad Zoo” is based on a real-life incident at the Baghdad Zoo involving two U.S. Marines and an Iraqi translator who encounter a tiger. The play unfolds to reveal how war influences each of these characters.

“When I picked this play, there was no war,” said director Hamid Dehghani, a master’s degree candidate in the School of Communication. “But now, we are unfortunately dealing with a terrible war in Ukraine, making this show even more relevant.”

“Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo” was written by Steppenwolf Theater ensemble member Rajiv Joseph, and appeared on Broadway in 2011 starring Robin Williams as the Tiger in the actor's Broadway debut.

“I think Rajiv Joseph realized that a play all about war and violence is a challenging play to watch — it does have its moments that are quite intense,” said Ph.D. student Keary Watts, dramaturg for the production. “Joseph layers in comedy and absurdist elements to give the audience a break, in some sense, but also to show that these characters have levity and that these characters are more than just a type. They're more than just soldiers or interpreters, or animals, they are fully formed beings capable of being serious in one moment and lighthearted in the next.”.

Performances of "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo" are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. in the Josephine Louis Theater, 20 Arts Circle Drive, on the Evanston campus.

 

“Water by the Spoonful”

May 20 – 29

Ethel M. Barber Theater

“‘Water by the Spoonful’ is a heartfelt, poetic meditation on people at the brink of redemption and self-discovery that takes place during a time of heightened uncertainty,” said director Ji Won Jeon, a master’s degree candidate in the School of Communication.

“This play is especially relevant given the impact of human connections and the virtual aspects related to the pandemic these past few years,” he said.

Playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes, Tony-nominated for “In the Heights” and screenwriter for the film, tells the story of two families — one connected by birth, one discovered online — who struggle with human connection but reveal that honest relationships are the lifeline in our brutal world.

“‘Water by the Spoonful’ paints a vivid portrait of addicts' struggles,” said Lia Christine Dewey, dramaturg and Northwestern Ph.D. candidate. “It's all about human connections and failing the people you care most about.” 

Performances of "Water by the Spoonful" are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. in the Ethel M. Barber Theater, 30 Arts Circle Drive, on the Evanston campus.

 

Tickets

More information and tickets for both shows are available on the Wirtz Center website. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 847-491-7282 or in-person at the Wirtz Center box office, located in the lobby of the Ethel M. Barber Theater, 30 Arts Circle Drive on Northwestern's Evanston campus. Box office hours are Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday’s from noon to 4 p.m.  The box office is closed Sundays and Mondays.

The Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts is a member of the Northwestern Arts Circle, which brings together film, humanities, literary arts, music, theater, dance and visual arts.