REVIEW: RENT Via Porchlight Music Theatre Now Extended Through December 11, 2022

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE PRESENTS THE INTERNATIONAL SENSATION 

RENT 

NOW PLAYING THROUGH DECEMBER 11th 

AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

The Multiple Award-Winning Musical is Directed by Adrian Abel Azevedo+, Music Directed by Michael McBride+ and 

Choreographed by Laura Savage*

Running time, including the 15-minute intermission, is 2 hours 45 minutes. 

Porchlight Music Theatre has another smash hit on their hands! RENT's due... for a revival, that is, and in Porchlight MT's capable hands, hearts and voices, it shines! Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we love this timeless yet timely piece about love and loss at the peak of the AIDS epidemic, and the still all too relatable struggle to survive and thrive as an artist in America. Don't miss this! Highly recommended. ★★★★ Four out of four stars. 

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

Porchlight Music Theatre presents the Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, RENT, music, lyrics and book by Jonathan Larson, at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., now playing through Sunday, Nov. 27. Porchlight’s production is directed by Adrian Abel Azevedo+, music directed by Dr. Michael McBride+ and choreographed by Laura Savage*. 

The performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3:30 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with weekday matinees Thursday, Nov. 10 at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 17 at 1:30 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 25 at 3:30 p.m. 

There are Post-Show Discussions scheduled Friday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m and Sunday, Nov. 17 at 1:30 p.m. and Open Caption performances Saturday, Nov. 19 and Saturday, Nov. 26 at 3:30 p.m. Subscriptions to Porchlight’s 28th season are now on sale and may be purchased through the Box Office by calling 773.777.9884 or by visiting PorchlightMusicTheatre.org.  Single tickets for RENT start at $25 and are now on sale.

Over the last 25 years, RENT, a Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical based loosely on the 1896 Italian opera La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini, has become a cultural phenomenon with millions of fans around the world. Porchlight’s production celebrates this legacy and adds a new page to the story of a year in the life of a diverse group of artists struggling to survive and create in Lower Manhattan’s East Village under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. In the thriving days of bohemian Alphabet City at the end of the millennium, these friends are determined to follow their dreams without selling out.

The cast for RENT includes Bridget Adams-King* (ensemble/Maureen US); Wesly Anthony Clergé+ (swing/Collins US); Naphtali Curry+ (ensemble/Benny US);  Leah Davis* (ensemble/Joanne US); Caitlin Dobbins* (swing); Lucy Godínez* (Maureen Johnson); Nick Johnson+ (swing/US Angel); Chris Khoshaba+ (ensemble); Nik Kmiecik+ (ensemble/US Mark); Teressa LaGamba* (Joanne Jefferson); Eric Lewis+ (Tom Collins); David Moreland+ (Mark Cohen); Ziare Paul-Emile* (Swing/Mimi US); Alix Rhode* (Mimi Marquez); Abraham Shaw+ (Benjamin “Benny” Coffin III); Josh Pablo Szabo+/^ (Angel Dumott Schunard);  TJ Tapp* (dance captain/ensemble); Brennan Urbi^/+ (ensemble/US Roger) and Shraga D. Wasserman^ (Roger Davis).

The RENT band includes Dr. Michael McBride+ (conductor/keyboard); Jacob Levi Walsh+/^ (guitar 1), Cesar Romero+ (guitar 2), Marcel Bonfim+ (bass) and Lior Shragg+ (drums).

The RENT production team includes Adrian Abel Azevedo+ (director); Laura Savage* (choreographer); Dr. Michael McBride+ (music director/conductor); Frankie Leo Bennett+ (assistant director, producing artistic associate); Isaiah Silvia-Chandley+ (assistant choreographer); Kirsten Baity^ (intimacy designer); Ann Davis* (scenic designer); Gregory Graham+ (costume designer); Maggie Fullilove-Nugent* (lighting designer);  Josiah Croegaert+ (associate lighting designer); Matthew R. Chase+ (sound designer); Smooch Medina+ (production designer); Rowan Doe^ (properties designer); Wilhelm Peters+ (production stage manager); Andrea Enger= (assistant stage manager); Kevin Vilchez+ (assistant stage manager); Johnnie Schleyer+ (scenic supervisor); Rachel West* (lighting supervisor); David Sabbagh+ (audio assistant); Deborah Blumenthal* (dramaturg); Majel Cuza* (production manager); Alex Rhyan+ (production & operations director) and Michael Weber+ (artistic director). 

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

ABOUT ADRIAN ABEL AZEVEDO+, director

Adrian Abel Azevedo is a freelance director, producer and teaching artist in the Chicago area, originally from Southern California. He has worked in this community for over 10 years and is an Artistic Associate with Kokandy Productions where he most recently directed the Chicago premiere of Cruel Intentions. An alumni of Columbia College Chicago, he has directed, produced and taught for Chicagoland theatre companies including Goodman Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Steep Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Kokandy Productions, Teatro Vista and Music Theater Works. He recently directed the regional premiere of Zorro the Musical at Music Theater Works.

ABOUT LAURA SAVAGE*, choreographer

Laura Savage recently choreographed and starred in Porchlight’s Chicago Sings Stephen Sondheim and its 2021 ICONS Gala honoring Chita Rivera. She also appeared in Porchlight productions A Chorus Line, Pal Joey and Porchlight Revisits Call Me Madam. Savage is a Jeff-nominated actress and has appeared in more than 35 Chicago productions. She has choreographed Cruel Intentions at Kokandy Productions and Zorro at Music Theatre Works and has associate choreographed and dance captained at such venues as Marriott Theatre, Paramount Theatre and Drury Lane Theatre. Savage also appeared on and choreographed for Fox’s hit show “Empire.”

ABOUT DR. MICHAEL MCBRIDE+, music director/conductor

Dr. Michael McBride is a Jeff Award-winning music director, internationally-performed composer, performer and educator. Credits include Big Fish (Boho Theatre, Jeff Award); Billy Elliot (Music Theatre Works); Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Robber Bridegroom, Jesus Christ Superstar, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Pippin, What a Wonderful World (workshop), Man of La Mancha, Mamma Mia!, Into The Woods, The Little Mermaid (Timber Lake Playhouse); The Boys and the Nuns (composer & MD), Fun Home, Violet, Cabaret, Tintypes, She Loves Me, Spring Awakening, Hot Mikado, Urinetown, Into the Woods (Loyola University Chicago); PorchlightPalooza, Broadway by the Decade (Porchlight Music Theatre); The Christmas Foundling (composer & MD; Pride Arts Center); Footloose (Wallace Bowl); The Drake Hotel holiday programming and The Cabaret Project in Chicago, St. Louis and Lake Geneva. He is proud to be music director at A Church 4 Me MCC in Chicago. He has been a guest artist at Northwestern University and is also the Area Supervisor of Music Theory, Aural Skills and Music History at North Park University.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE AS A RUTH PAGE IN-RESIDENCE ORGANIZATION

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to be a member of the vibrant Ruth Page Center for the Arts community and an In-Resident Organization. Central to the Ruth Page Center for the Arts’ programming is this program, which is designed to serve organizations looking for a home base while they grow or expand their artistic and organizational capabilities. The Center is committed to nurturing and assisting dance and other performing artists, allowing for exchange and collaborative relationships to develop within the artistic community. The Ruth Page Center for the Arts is a destination for quality performing arts, accessible to a wide community regardless of race, gender, age, education or disability. An incubator of artistic energy and excellence, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts carries forward the vision of its founder, legendary dance icon Ruth Page, to be a platform for developing great artists and connecting them with audiences and community.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE

Porchlight Music Theatre, now in its 28th season, 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.” 

Porchlight's history over the last 27 years 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 49 Jeff awards, as well as 44 Black Theatre Alliance (BTA) nominations and 15 BTA awards. In 2019, Porchlight graduated to the Large Theatre tier of the Equity Jeff Awards and has been honored with seven awards in this tier to date including Best Ensemble for Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies (2019) and Best Production-Revue for Blues in the Night (2022). 

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. In 2021, Porchlight launched its annual summer series, Broadway in your Backyard, performing at parks and venues throughout the city. 

Porchlight Music Theatre presents the Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, RENT, music, lyrics and book by Jonathan Larson, at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., now playing through Sunday, Nov. 27. Porchlight’s production is directed by Adrian Abel Azevedo+, music directed by Dr. Michael McBride+ and choreographed by Laura Savage*. The performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3:30 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with weekday matinees Thursday, Nov. 10 at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 17 at 1:30 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 25 at 3:30 p.m. There are Post-Show Discussions scheduled Friday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m and Sunday, Nov. 17 at 1:30 p.m. and Open Caption performances Saturday, Nov. 19 and Saturday, Nov. 26 at 3:30 p.m. Subscriptions to Porchlight’s 28th season are now on sale and may be purchased through the Box Office by calling 773.777.9884 or by visiting PorchlightMusicTheatre.org.  Single tickets for RENT start at $25 and are now on sale.

Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from  Allstate; Michael Best & Friedrich LLP; Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation; 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. 

Performance Schedule:

Friday, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 5 at 3:30 p.m. 

Sunday, Nov. 6 at 2 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 10 at 10:30 a.m. (Student Matinee) and 7:30p.m.

Friday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. (Post-Show Discussion)

Saturday, Nov. 12 at 3:30 and 8 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 13 at 2 p.m

Thursday, Nov. 17 at 1:30 p.m. (Post-Show Discussion)

Friday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 19 at 3:30 p.m. (Open Caption) and 8 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 20 at 2 p.m.

THANKSGIVING 

Friday, Nov. 25 at 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 26 at 3:30 p.m. (Open Caption) and 8 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 27 at 2 p.m.

Now Extended Through December 11th

World Premiere of Bald Sisters at Steppenwolf Theatre December 1, 2022 – January 15, 2023

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Steppenwolf Theatre presents the World Premiere of

Bald Sisters

By Vichet Chum

Directed by Jesca Prudencio

 

December 1, 2022 – January 15, 2023

The cast of Steppenwolf Theatre’s world premiere of Bald Sisters includes (top, l to r) Francesca Fernandez McKenzie andJennifer Lim (bottom) Coburn Goss, Wai Ching Ho and Nima Rakhshanifar.

 

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation’s premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to continue its 47^th season with the world premiere of Vichet Chum’s Bald Sisters, a brazen, comic examination of the ties that bind multigenerational families of immigrants together. Directed by Jesca Prudencio, Bald Sisters will play December 1, 2022 – January 15, 2023 in Steppenwolf’s stunning new in-the-round Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell, the centerpiece of its recently unveiled Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. 

 

Bald Sisters will feature Francesca Fernandez McKenzie, Coburn Goss, Wai Ching Ho, Jennifer Lim and Nima Rakhshanifar.

 

Ma is dead; now what happens? Vichet Chum’s world premiere follows two sisters – at odds since birth – as they settle the affairs of their strong-willed, wise-cracking mother while reconciling their family’s Cambodian heritage with its ever-so-complicated American present. Where’s the will? A burial or cremation? And what happens with Ma’s teeth? Bald Sisters is an irreverent, comic and ultimately poignant examination of the ties that bind multigenerational families of immigrants together: history, spirituality and humor. 

 

Single tickets for Bald Sisters starting at $20 are now on sale at steppenwolf.org and the Box Office at 312-335-1650.

 

Steppenwolf 2022-23 Flex Memberships are currently on sale: Black Card Memberships with six tickets for use any time for any production, and Red Card Memberships for theatergoers under 30.  

 

Ticket information: Single tickets starting at $20 are now on sale at steppenwolf.org and the Box Office at (312) 335-1650.

 

The production team includes Andrew Boyce (Scenic Design), Izumi Inaba (Costume Design), Stacey Derosier (Lighting Design),Pornchanok Kanchanabanca (Sound Design & Original Music), Mike Tutaj (Projection Design), Gigi Buffington (Company Voice & Text Coach), Tom Pearl (Producing Director), JC Clementz, CSA (Casting Director), Laura D. Glenn (Production Stage Manager) and Jaclynn Joslin (Assistant Stage Manager). For full cast and creative team bios, visit https://www.steppenwolf.org/tickets--events/seasons/2022-23/bald-sisters/.

 

Playwright/Director Biographies:

 

Vichet Chum (Playwright) is a Cambodian-American playwright and theater maker, originally from Dallas, Texas and now living in New York City. His plays have been workshopped at Steppenwolf Theatre, the Magic Theater, the Alley Theatre, the UCROSS Foundation, Fault Line Theatre, Crowded Outlet, Second Generation Productions, Weston Playhouse, Cleveland Public Theatre, All For One Theater, Amios, Florida State University, Merrimack Repertory Theatre and the New Harmony Project. He received the 2018-19 Princess Grace Award in Playwriting with New Dramatists, serves as an Associate Artist at Merrimack Repertory Theatre and is a current board member for the New Harmony Project. This season, Vichet is a part of the 2019 Resident Working Farm Group at Space on Ryder Farm, the 2020 Interstate 73 Writer's Group at Page 73 and the 2020 Ars Nova Play Group. He's currently working on a commission from the Audible Theater Emerging Playwrights Fund and Cleveland Play House. He is a proud graduate of the University of Evansville (BFA) and Brown University/Trinity Repertory Company (MFA). He’s represented by Beth Blickers at APA Agency. vichetchum.com.

 

Jesca Prudencio (Director) is a director and choreographer dedicated to developing new theatrical works that humanize issues nationally and internationally. Upcoming: Dot Dot Dot (TheatreWorks USA), Exotic Deadly; or the MSG Play (The Old Globe). Recent: King Liz (Geffen Playhouse), Can We Now? (La Jolla Playhouse WoW Fest), It’s a Ship Show! (Virgin Voyages), Interstate (Mixed Blood, East West Players). Other credits: The Great Leap by Lauren Yee (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Vietgone, Actually (San Diego Rep); Calling (La MaMa ETC); Man of God (East West Players); A&Q (Pineapple Lab, Philippines); FAN (B-Floor, Thailand). Jesca has developed new work at MCC Theater, Atlantic Theater Company, Cleveland Playhouse, Arena Stage, NAMT and La MaMa. She is a recipient of The Drama League Fellowship and the inaugural Julie Taymor World Theater Fellowship. Jesca is head of directing at SDSU where she is an Associate Professor. BFA: NYU Tisch, MFA: UC San Diego. jescaprudencio.com

 

The Expanded Steppenwolf Campus

Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s trailblazing new 50,000 square foot theater building and education center, the Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center, was designed by world-renowned architect Gordon Gill FAIA of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, with construction by Norcon. The centerpiece of the new Arts and Education Center is the new 400-seat in-the-round Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell—one of its kind in Chicago—with theater design and acoustics by Charcoalblue.

 

The expanded Steppenwolf campus is a cultural nexus for Chicago, offering bold and ambitious opportunities for creative expression, social exchange, unparalleled accessibility, and arts-driven learning for Chicago youth in The Loft, Steppenwolf’s first-ever dedicated education space. The campus expansion also features bright new lobbies and two new full-service bars for socializing designed by fc STUDIO, inc. The $54 million new building is part of Steppenwolf’s multi-phase $73 million Building on Excellence expansion campaign. Learn more about Steppenwolf’s campus expansion at steppenwolf.org/buildingonexcellence.

 

A Safe Return

As the Chicago theatre community continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, Steppenwolf Theatre remains committed to the safety of its patrons and staff. For the most up-to-date information on our venue’s COVID precautions, please visit steppenwolf.org/welcomeback.

 

Accessibility

Steppenwolf offers accessible services to ensure all audience members have access to our work, including American Sign Language interpretation, Spanish Language captions, wheelchair accessible seating and more. With questions, email access@steppenwolf.org.

 

Sponsor Information 

Bald Sisters is generously supported in part by the Laurents/Hatcher Foundation and is the recipient of the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf is also grateful for the significant season support from Northern Trust, Allstate Insurance Company, ComEd, Conagra Brands Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, PNC and Vinci Restaurant. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. This project is partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.

 

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

 

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

 

The Second City’s Holiday Revue Returns to Paramount Theatre November 25-December 23

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

PARAMOUNT READY TO UNWRAP ITS HILARIOUS  HOLIDAY GAG GIFT  THE SECOND CITY'S HOLIDAY REVUE NOVEMBER 25-DECEMBER 23

The Second City's Holiday Revue. Photo courtesy The Second City.  Paramount Theatre is ready to unwrap its annual end-of-year tradition - bringing The Second City’s famous brand of seasonal hilarity to downtown Aurora for the holidays. And this year, Paramount’s gag gift is titled The Second City’s Holiday Revue: I Saw Mommy Kissing The Second City. Have a holly jolly holiday season with Chicago’s famed improv and sketch comedy troupe. I Saw Mommy Kissing The Second City is a new revue starring Second City’s freshest young talent, presented in Paramount’s beautiful, newly-remodeled Copley Theatre, where you’re never more than 70 feet away from this side-splitting, song filled holiday spectacular. Whether you are on the nice list or the naughty list, this show will have you laughing so hard you’ll shoot eggnog out your nose.  So skip the long lines and shipping delays, and give the gift of laughter to everyone you meet this holiday season. Performances are November 25-December 23: Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $38 and are on sale now. Buy early, as these shows will sell out.  The Copley Theatre is located at 8 E. Galena Blvd. in the North Island Center, right across the street from Paramount Theatre, in downtown Aurora. For tickets and information, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office, 23 E. Galena Blvd., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. This production is for audiences 18 years and older due to strong adult language and content. Children under 12 are not allowed.

Paramount Theatre’s Covid-19 commitment to and safety and protocol Paramount Theatre has followed, and will continue to follow, the requirements of the State of Illinois and the Kane County Health Department. Therefore, Paramount is following the guidance of the State of Illinois and recommends, but no longer requires, masks, proof of vaccination or negative COVID test for patrons. Mask wearing is strongly encouraged, but will be optional. For complete details, please read Paramount’s full Covid Policy.

About Paramount Theater Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., is the center for performing arts in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois. The beautiful, 1,843-seat theater, graced with a strong 1930s Art Deco influence and original Venetian décor, nationally known for its high-quality productions, superb acoustics and historic grandeur, has been downtown Aurora’s anchor attraction since 1931. After launching its own Broadway Series in 2011, Paramount Theatre grew to be the second largest subscription house in the U.S. Before Covid, more than 41,000 subscribers from all over Chicagoland and the Midwest were enjoying Paramount’s critically acclaimed, 2019-20 Broadway-caliber productions. In addition, Paramount also presents an array of internationally known comedians, musicians, dance troupes and family shows annually. Paramount Theatre is one of four live performance venues programmed and managed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority (ACCA), along with Aurora’s newly renovated 165-seat Copley Theatre, RiverEdge Park, the city’s 6,000-seat outdoor summer concert venue, and Stolp Island Theatre, an immersive space opening in summer 2023. ACCA also oversees Paramount School of the Arts. Paramount Theatre continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Tim Rater, President and CEO, Aurora Civic Center Authority; Jim Corti, Artistic Director, Paramount Theatre; a dedicated Board of Trustees and a devoted staff of live theater and music professionals. For the latest news from Paramount Theatre, please visit ParamountAurora.com or follow @ParamountAurora on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, @paramountarts on Tik Tok, and on LinkedIn.

Over My Dead Body; Or, How to Distribute Generational Wealth Via Laughing Stock Theatre Now Playing Through Dec. 4 at Chicago’s Athenaeum Center

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Laughing Stock Theatre Presents

Over My Dead Body; Or, How to Distribute Generational Wealth 

Nov. 3-Dec. 4 at Chicago’s Athenaeum Center

A show for all ages and eras, Renaissance Italy comes to 21st Century Chicago in this modern interpretation of the classical commedia dell’arte titled Over My Dead Body; Or, How To Distribute Generational Wealth. Directed by acclaimed Italian director and educator Antonio Fava (from Scuola Internazionale dell’Attore Comico -International School of the Comic Actor in Reggio Emilia, Italy), Laughing Stock Theatre’s skilled commedia actors take on family dynamics and the challenges of capitalism in their newly devised show.

Tomorrow is the wedding of Flaminia and Fulgenzio, but that can wait because today is Pantalone’s birthday. His family and friends plan a surprise to celebrate, but Pantalone mistakes their actions as a plot to kill him! He decides to fake his own death and leave everything to himself... but his family and friends have other ideas. His friends, family, and even a dashing stranger squabble over the various “true” wills they produce, all while being “haunted” by the ghost of Pantalone. Hijinks ensue, but their hilarious and dramatic antics will return to the status quo in the end.

Director Fava, who traveled from Italy to direct this American show, finds something anachronistic and relatable in the modern conundrums the plot produces, saying that the show is “an original, timeless, yet concretely human comedy. In Comedy there is no struggle between Good and Evil, there is instead the struggle for survival, between people…the urgency of a problem… love, money, hunger, or fear. In short, normal people…and the aim is to make the public spend two pleasant hours. Comedy has been doing this for five centuries.”

Producer Aaron Quick says “Laughing Stock is excited to bring one of the world’s foremost scholars and practitioners of the Commedia, our own dear friend and educator, to direct this show straddling the line between classic and modern, comic and dramatic, European and American.”

Quick describes the enduring significance of Commedia dell’Arte framing in their storytelling,“Commedia dell’Arte is often taught as a stepping stone to ‘serious theatre’, but Laughing Stock has dedicated itself to showcasing the modernity it encompasses.” They do this, says Quick, by highlighting the connection between Commedia’s rise in popularity right along with modern capitalism’s influence on society, demonstrating the allure and the absurdity of the enduring eco-system and archetypes remaining the same after all of these years. As a result, Quick says, “The Commedia never died but keeps being relevant.”

Join Laughing Stock Theatre in November for this living demonstration of a theater form that is as hilarious as it is timeless.

 

ARTISTIC TEAM:

Director, Antonio Fava; Lighting and Sound Design, Aaron Quick; Costume Design, Jennifer Mohr; Scenic Design, Claire Hart Proepper.

Performers- Claire Hart Proepper, Jeffrey “JR” Rubin, Jennifer Mohr, Martin Downs, Shea Lee, Helena Scholz-Carlson, Jordan Scherer, and Andy Huttel.

 

SHOW SCHEDULE:

Evenings: Thursday - Saturday @ 8pm

Matinees: Saturday @ 2pm & Sunday @ 3pm

Dates of shows:

11/3 thru 11/6

11/10 thru 11/13

11/17 thru 11/20

12/1 thru 12/4

Doors open 30 minutes before show with a 2 hour run time plus a 15-minute intermission.

 

VENUE:

In Chicago’s Belmont Theater District, at Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture Studio B, 2936 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago, IL.

 

TICKETS AND INFO:

Tickets on sale through Athenaeum Theater Box Office.

TICKET PRICES: 

$25 suggested General Admission; Pay-What-You-Want tickets available for all shows.

TRANSPORTATION:

Street parking and parking lots available (behind the building on Oakdale, and South of the building on Southport), public transportation access via Brown and Purple line (Wellington stop), Accessible by #9 Ashland Bus

ABOUT Laughingstock Theatre:

Laughing Stock Theatre creates and performs substantive, high-quality Commedia dell’Arte that spectacularizes the mundane and delights their audiences. The majority of their programming is pay what you can or free. Founded in 2019, Laughing Stock has performed original commedia dell’arte shows throughout the Chicagoland area including the Towle Theater, at the Chicago Circus & Performing Arts Festival, The Crowd Theater, William Powers State Park, and their first venue: Mrs. Murphy and Sons Irish Bistro. They have taught lectures and workshops for schools and private events in Indiana and Chicago. See LaughingStockChi.com for more information

PRAISE FOR Laughingstock Theatre’s previous show Masquerade

“The tight physical comedy combined with the situational drama ensured that every scene was both hilarious and moved the plot forward.”

“Masquerade was a hilarious romp which managed to stay true to the classic Commedia art form, center queer characters, fit a sword fight into the Crowd Theatre and keep me laughing throughout.”

“Masquerade blew me away with its bawdiness, fast-paced action and stunning masks!”

Rolling World Premiere of Man and Moon Runs October 19-November 13, 2022 at Madison Street Theater

 

Siena Marilyn Ledger’s Rolling World Premiere Man and Moon Opens on October 21 at Madison Street Theater in Oak Park – A Dragonfly Theatre + 16th Street Theater NFP Co-Production –

Info

Peter Danger Wilde as Aaron and Clare Wols as Luna. Photo by Omar Fernandez.

San Diego-based Siena Marilyn Ledger’s National New Play Network rolling world premiere Man and Moon runs October 19-November 13, 2022, at Madison Street Theater, 1010 Madison Street in Oak Park, directed by Hayley Procacci. All tickets are $25, and virtual performances are $10 starting October 27, available online or at 708-795-6704. In addition, The Write Collective’s resident playwrights present free virtual staged readings on Fridays at 7 p.m. CT: October 7, The Queen of Ithaca by Aline Lathrop December 2, Lost Girl by Kathryn Feeney

Man and Moon is set in the waiting room of a hospital oncology unit, where transitioning man Aaron meets 12-year-old middle-schooler Luna, who loves outer space. Together, they learn how to wait and navigate their own changing bodies. The cast for this piece about expansion, connection, grief, and hope includes Peter Danger Wilde (he/they) as Aaron, Clare Wols (she/her) as Luna, and Emma Anderson as Luna’s understudy. “Man and Moon guides us toward our inner children,” said Procacci. “Ledger breathes comedic wit and childlike wonder into this spellbinding two-hander. This play reminds audiences about the importance of community and the feeling of belonging.”    Procacci directs, produces, and devises physical and immersive theater work that dismantles the antiquated ideology of what is traditionally known as “American Theater." Procacci strives to “reflect the stories for and representing all, not just the able, straight, cis, select pool. Through radical inclusivity and a dedication to ensemble, I will tell stories of queerness and gender expression as existent and natural.”   Man and Moon runs October 19-November 13, 2022, at Oak Park’s Madison Street Theater (run time is 90 minutes without intermission). Previews are Wednesday, October 19, and Thursday, October 20 at 8 p.m. Opening night is Friday, October 21 at 8 p.m., and the production runs Thursdays at 8 p.m. (first Thursday is October 27, no Thursday show on November 3), Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. The Saturday, October 29, 4 p.m. show is a free teen matinee. Talkbacks will be held on Sundays, October 23 and November 6 at 2 pm., and Saturdays, October 29 and November 12 at 8 p.m. At 1010 Madison Street, the theater is located near the Forest Park Blue Line stop, and the Harlem/Lake Green Line stop.  Peter Danger Wilde as Aaron and Clare Wols as Luna. Photo by Omar Fernandez. The production’s artistic team includes Angelina Davila (production manager), Omar Fernandez (assistant director), Vibyana Sacluti (stage manager), Stefan Brun (technical director), Adrian Luca Oxoa (set design), Lauren Alyssa Skulley, IV (light design), Payton Kaye (sound design), Scout Gregory (costume design), and Michele DiMaso (intimacy coach). Man And Moon is produced by The 16th Street Theater NFP as a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere, which lets three or more theaters mount the same play within 12 months to allow playwrights to develop work with multiple creative teams across different communities. Other partners are Good Company Theatre (Ogden, UT) and Oregon Contemporary Theatre (Eugene, OR).  Siena Marilyn Ledger Siena Marilyn Ledger (they/them) tells stories with poems, personal video documentaries, and plays including The Empty Space, Inosculation, and Say NO to One Paseo. They graduated cum laude from California State University Fullerton's BFA acting program. Ledger is a member of the Chicago Dramatist's second class of Tutterow Fellows. Hayley Procacci Hayley Procacci (they/she) is director, producer, playwright, and theatre educator. Originally from Orlando, Hayley has worked professionally in New York and Chicago, directed national and international tours with Missoula Children’s Theatre, and is a full time staff member at Lookingglass Theatre Company. Recent credits include A Sign of The Times (NYC, LDK Productions), Games (NYC, SoHo Playhouse), Better Angels (NYC, SoHo Playhouse), My Uncle Sam (CHICAGO, Theater Unspeakable), Angels In America: Millennium Approaches, Silent Sky, Gruesome Playground Injuries, and Fool For Love (University of Alabama at Birmingham).  Peter Danger Wilde Peter Danger Wilde (he/they) is a Chicago-based trans/queer artist who has worked on- and off-stage with Odradek, Redmoon Spectacle Theater, and The Fly Honey Show. Wilde is pursuing a degree in psychology to serve LGBTQ youth through social work, harm reduction and counseling.  Clare Wols Clare Wols (she/her) was most recently seen as Brigitta in alternate performances in The Sound of Music at Marriott Theatre. When she’s not studying musical theater at Ovation Academy in Oak Park, this 12-year-old enjoys reading, writing, and hanging with her dog Buddy.  The 16th Street Theater NFP is partially funded by the Oak Park Area Arts Council, in partnership with the Village of Oak Park, the American Rescue Plan Act, the Illinois Arts Council Agency and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funds are provided by The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, The Driehaus Foundation, The Oak Park River Forest Future Philanthropists Program and The Arts Midwest GIG Fund.

Sam Shepard's Buried Child Via AstonRep Theatre Company October 21 – November 19, 2022 at The Edge Theater

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

AstonRep Theatre Company

Launches 15th Anniversary Season with

BURIED CHILD

By Sam Shepard

Directed by Derek Bertelsen

October 21 – November 19, 2022 at The Edge Theater

 

AstonRep Theatre Company is pleased to launch it 15th and final season with a revival of Sam Shepard’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Buried Child directed by Ensemble Member Derek Bertelsen*, playing October 21 – November 19, 2022 at The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway. in Chicago. Tickets are now on sale at www.astonrep.com or by calling (773) 828-9129. 

The production features Ensemble Members Rian Jairell* and Robert Tobin* with Stephanie Baires, Liz Cloud, Roberto Jay, Jim Morley and Jorge Salas. Understudies include Caleb Gibson, Maxwell Peters and Erica Romero.

Set in America’s heartland, Sam Shepard’s powerful Pulitzer Prize-winning play details, with shocking hilarity, the disintegration of the American Dream. When 22-year-old Vince unexpectedly shows up at the family farm with his girlfriend Shelly, no one recognizes him. So begins the unraveling of dark secrets. A surprisingly twisted look at disillusionment and morality, Shepard’s masterpiece is the family reunion no one anticipated. Winner of the 1979 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. 

The production team includes Jeremiah Barr* (Scenic and Props Designer, Covid Safety Officer), Andrés Mota (Costume Designer), Samantha Barr* (Lighting Designer, Production Manager), Becca Venable (Sound Designer), Robert Tobin* (Fight Choreography), Bethany Hart (Vocal Coach), Anna Vu (Stage Manager) and Miguel Salgado (Asst. Stage Manager).

*Denotes AstonRep Company Members. 

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

 Cast (in alphabetical order): Stephanie Baires (Shelly), Liz Cloud (Halie), Rian Jairell* (Bradley), Roberto Jay (Vince), Jim Morley (Dodge), Jorge Salas (Father Dewis) and Robert Tobin* (Tilden).

Understudies: Caleb Gibson, Maxwell Peters and Erica Romero.

 

Location: he Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway, Chicago

Dates: Preview: Friday, October 21 at 7:30 pm

Press performance: Saturday, October 22 at 7:30 pm

Regular run: Sunday, October 23 – Saturday, November 19, 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 now on sale at www.astonrep.com or by calling (773) 828-9129.

 

About the Artists

Sam Shepard (Playwright) Eleven of Shepard’s plays have won Obie Awards including Chicago and Icarus’s Mother (1965), Red Cross and La Turista (1966), Forensic and the Navigators (1967), The Tooth of the Crime (1972), Action (1974) and Curse of the Starving Class (1976). Shepard was awarded a Pulitzer Prize as well as an Obie Award for his play Buried Child (1979). Fool for Love (1982) received the Obie for Best Play as well as for Direction. A Live of the Mind (1985) won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award in 1986 and the 1986 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Play. As an actor he appeared in the films Days of Heaven, Resurrection, Raggedy Man, The Right Stuff, Frances, Country, Fool for Love, Crimes of the Heart, Baby Boom, Steel Magnolias, The Pelican Brief, Safe Passage, Hamlet and, most recently, Don’t Come Knocking”, also co-written with Wim Wenders. In 1986, Shepard was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1992, he received the Gold Medal for Drama from the Academy, and in 1994, he was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. Mr. Shepard died in 2017.

Derek Bertelsen (Director) This season marks Derek’s 12th season with AstonRep and Buried Child is his twelfth production as a director or co-director. Other AstonRep credits as director include Doubt, Wit, Next Fall, The Leiutenant of Inishmore, The Lyons, The Laramie Project and Equus. Previously he was co-founder/Artistic Director of The Comrades (2016-2020). In addition to his work with these two companies, he’s worked with BrightSide Theatre, Pride Films & Plays (member and Artistic Associate from 2011-2015), GreatWorks, Arc Theatre and Bailiwick Chicago. He’s served as assistant director at Goodman and Steppenwolf Garage. Summer stock credits include Shawnee Summer Theatre in Bloomfield IN, Festival 56 in Princeton IL and five seasons at Timber Lake Playhouse in Mt. Carroll IL.

 

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.