US Premiere of Bowie in Warsaw Via Trap Door Theatre May 18–July 1, 2023

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Trap Door Theatre Presents the US Premiere of

Bowie in Warsaw

By Dorota Masłowska Translated by Soren Gauger 

Directed by Paweł Świątek 

May 18–July 1, 2023

Trap Door Theatre is thrilled to round out its 29th season with the US premiere of Bowie in Warsaw, Dorota Masłowska’s absurd comedy about freedom of self expression in Soviet era Poland. This new translation by Soren Gauger was exclusively commissioned for Trap Door Theatre. Directed by guest director from Poland Paweł Świątek, Bowie in Warsaw will play May 18 – July 1, 2023 at Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W Cortland St. in Chicago. Tickets are now on sale at trapdoortheatre.com or by calling (773)-384-0494. I'll be out for the press opening May 18th, so check back soon for my full review. 

The cast includes Holly Cerney, Emily Lotspeich, Miguel Long, David Lovejoy, Laura Nelson, Emily Nichelson, Tia Pinson, Keith Surney, and Bob Wilson.  

The women of Warsaw tremble with the rumor of a strangler on the prowl... Set in the landscape of a true crime story from 1970’s Poland, Bowie In Warsaw is an absurd comedy about the repression of self expression and love in a Soviet era Poland. Playwright Dorota Masłowska creates an atomic-era Polish landscape, which might even inspire a visit from David Bowie himself.

Trap Door is honored to invite Polish director Paweł Świątek to direct our third Dorota Masłowska play after our successful productions of A Couple of Poor Polish Speaking Romanians and No Matter How Hard We Try. Dorota Masłowska is one of Poland’s most exciting and influential young novelists and playwrights.

The production team includes Anna Klos (Stage Manager), Merje Veski (Scenic Designer), Richard Norwood (Lighting Designer), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Designer), Danny Rockett (Original Music and Sound Designer), Syd Genco (Makeup and Hair Designer), Milan Pribisic (Dramaturg), Emily Townley (Dramaturgy Intern), Tom McLees (Production Assistant), and Michal Janicki (Graphic Designer).

   

 PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Cast (in alphabetical order): Holly Cerney (Mother), Emily Lotspeich (Mrs. Nastka), Miguel Long (Uncle Jurek), David Lovejoy (David Bowie/Mr. Kozełko), Laura Nelson (Bogumiła/Karolinka/Judyta), Emily Nichelson (Regina), Tia Pinson (Aunt Wacia/Wife), Keith Surney (Platoon Leader Wojciech), and Bob Wilson (Director).

Location: Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland St. Chicago, IL 60622

Dates: Regular Run: Thursday, May 18 –Saturday, July 1, 2023

Please note there will be no performances on the weekend of June 1st-3rd. Bowie in Warsaw has been invited by the NY Polish Cultural Institute to perform at the Rehearsal for Truth Festival in New York City and JCTC in New Jersey.

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00 pm.

Tickets: $25 with 2-for-1 admission on Thursdays. Tickets are currently available at trapdoor.ticketleap.com/bowie-in-warsaw or by calling (773) 384-0494.

Please note, there will be a talk back with playwright Dorota Masłowska and a small reception after the performance on Saturday, May 20th. This performance’s ticket price will be $35.

Group tickets: Special group rates are available. For information, call (773) 384-0494 or email boxofficetrapdoor@gmail.com.

Plan your visit:

Free street parking is available.

Buses: #9 (Ashland), #50 (Damen), #72 (North), #73 (Armitage). Metra: Clybourn metra stop.

About the Artists

Dorota Masłowska (Playwright) (b. 1983) is one of the most renowned Polish writers and playwrights. Her first novel translated into English as Snow White and Russian Red, was published while she was still a teenager and made her an instant literary sensation in her native country. The novel detailed the growing pains of marginalized small-town youth. In 2005, Masłowska published her second book, The Queen’s Peacock, a 150 page rap poem in prose. Both of these books were adapted for the stage in Poland, Germany and Great Britain. Masłowska wrote her first play, A Couple of Poor-Polish Speaking Romanians, in 2006 (Staged by Trap Door in 2009) and her second one, No Matter How Hard We Try, or We Can Exist on the Best Terms We Can, in 2008. In 2012, Masłowska published another novel, Honey, I Killed our Cats, and in 2014 released her first music album, The Society is Mean, a mixture of punk, rap and dance music with lyrics commenting on current social issues. Masłowska’s writing is characterized by her ironic, pessimistic worldview and extraordinary linguistic power; as a postmodern writer she confronts, disturbs and subverts sacred ideas of selfhood and nationhood.

Paweł Świątek (Director) graduated from the directing department of the Kraków Drama School in Poland. He was a student of Kristian Lupa's and worked as an assistant with influential European directors, among them Renne Pollesch and Maja Kleczewska. Over 30 of the plays Paweł has directed have taken part in important international festivals like ‘Divine Comedy’ in Krakow, and ‘Warsaw Theatre Meeting’. He usually directs classical plays or contemporary adaptations of novels. Paweł is a multiple minister's scholarship recipient. For the last ten years, he has directed in the most notable theaters in Poland: National Old Theatre (Paw Królowej/Queen Peacock, Gyubal Wahazar), Słowacki’s Theatre (Wojna Polsko-Ruska/Polish-Russsian War, Botticelli), Szaniawski’s Theatre in Wałbrzych (Historical play: Narutowicz), Jaracza Theatre in Łódź (Książę Niezłomny/Steadfast Prince), Kochanowski’s Theatre in Opole (Sen Nocy Letniej/Midsummer Night's Dream‚ Szczęśliwe Dni/Happy Days) Impresario Theatre (Cappella Cracoviensis), and IMKA Theatre. Since 2017 Paweł has been a member of the Underground Theatre Wrocław Artistic Council. He prepared with Wrocław’s group an interactive performance based on Nicole Machiavelli entitled "Prince". He has also participated in international projects in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Essen.

About Trap Door Theatre

Trap Door Theatre is committed to seeking out challenging and obscure works. Whether a forgotten European classic, an international project rarely seen in the United States, or an untarnished piece of American literature, Trap Door seeks diverse voices and presents them through innovative expression. We mix established and imaginative techniques to illustrate the absurdities of living in today’s society.

Bowie in Warsaw is generously sponsored by Regina Bowgierd and John Kulczycki. Bowie in Warsaw is additionally supported by the Polish Cultural Institute New York.

Trap Door Theatre is funded in part by The Paul M Angell Family Foundation, The Illinois Arts Council Agency, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The John R Halligan Charitable Fund, The Reva and David Logan Foundation, The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and the generosity of individual donors.

For additional information, visit trapdoortheatre.com

OPENING: Chicago Premiere of Being Seen at The Den Theatre June 14 - July 2, 2023

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“FAN FAVORITE” OF THE NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL FRINGE FESTIVAL 

BEING SEEN

COMES TO CHICAGO STARRING WILL CLINGER AND KELLY ANNE CLARK 

FOR A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT, JUNE 14 - JULY 2, AT THE DEN THEATRE

The Chicago Premiere of Being Seen 

Written and Directed by Richard Gustin 

Enjoyed a Sold Out Run during its New York Premiere

Voted “Fan Favorite” (one of 12 out of 180+ productions so honored) at the New York International Fringe Festival, Being Seen, written and directed by Richard Gustin and starring Will Clinger and Kelly Anne Clark makes its Chicago premiere, June 14 - July 2, in the Crosby Theatre at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave.  The preview date is Wednesday, June 14 at 8:00. I'll be out for the press opening June 15th, so check back shortly after for my full review.

The regular performance schedule is Wednesdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets for Being Seen are $35 with $20 tickets available to seniors, industry and students. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased through the box office by calling 773.697.3830 or by visiting TheDenTheatre.com.  

This captivating, fast-paced comedy by Richard Gustin looks at launching a “fresh start.” An actor answers the audition notice of a highly acclaimed director and finds herself navigating his outlandish creative process. This tour de force comedy asks the question: “What would you do for a dream?” 

The original production at the New York International Fringe Festival starred Broadway actor William Youmans and Allison Minick and premiered at the 2015 New York International Fringe Festival to critical and audience acclaim. “The most nonstop laughs at FringeNYC this year (2015) were provided by a show about theatre… simultaneously comedic and thought-provoking,” said HYReviews.com about the New York production and Theatre in The Now wrote, “the script Gustin has written is wickedly smart. The dialogue is snappy, the conversations are genius. . . There was never a dull moment and every beat has a purpose. The storytelling is sharp and precise.”

Note: This production includes themes of power imbalance and is recommended for ages 15 and older.

The Chicago production proudly features Will Clinger and Kelly Anne Clark in the lead roles. 

Being Seen’s creative team includes Richard Gustin (director), Lydia Goble LaGue (production stage manager), Guy Wicke (male understudy), Gabrielle Johnsen (female understudy), Gabe Gorsline (lighting designer), Max McNeal Martin (media consultant) and Vanessa Ellis (production intern).  

ABOUT RICHARD GUSTIN, writer and director

Richard Gustin (he/him/his)  is an emerging playwright whose plays include Being Seen, Surviving the Cycle, A Sparrow Falls, Leviathan, Circle 7, Mercy, Flat World, Someone Like Me, Concentric Circles, Found Objects, Switch, CruciFiction and an original adaptation of Everyman. As an Equity actor Gustin has been featured in major roles at various regional theaters including Kansas City Repertory Theater, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Virginia Museum Theatre, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, First Stage Milwaukee, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Chicago’s Ivanhoe and Blackstone Hotel, and Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theatre. For more information on Richard Gustin visit www.richardgustin.com 

ABOUT WILL CLINGER, performer

Will Clinger (he/him/his) is an award-winning actor, producer, writer and TV show host. Beloved for his role as host and segment producer for WTTW’s “Wild Chicago,” he has also a wide range of stellar acting credits in feature films “Witless Protection,” ”Stranger Than Fiction,” ”Something Better Somewhere Else,” ”Camp Manna,” ”B-Roll,” ”After Effect,” ”No Sleep ‘Til Madison,” ”Stash” and ”Serious Business,” as well as the short films ”Stealing Kisses,” ”Hit and Run,” ”Rain Rain” and ”Train Town” (which won a Silver Award at the 2007 Chicago International Film Festival and a 2008 Best of the Midwest award for Best Short Film). Klinger’s work in ”Train Town” was nominated for a 2008 BMA Award for Best Actor.  He has also guest-starred on a number of network and cable television shows, including “Fargo,” ”Chicago P.D.,” ”Sirens,” ”Play by Play,” “ER,” ”Early Edition,” ”America's Most Wanted” and ”The Untouchables,” as well as the pilots ”Peep Show” and ”JimMortal.” For more information on Will Klinger visit ​​www.willklinger.com.

ABOUT KELLY ANNE CLARK, performer

Kelly Anne Clark (she/her/hers) is an award winning actress who has lived and worked in the Chicago area for more than 25 years. Her credits include “Jeanette Guerre” in the U.S. Premiere of The House of Martin Guerre (Goodman Theater), “Norma Cassidy” in Victor/Victoria (Jeff Award), “Mabel” in The Pirates of Penzance, “Rosemary” in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre), “Rose White” in Beaches the Musical, “Mary Turner” in Of Thee / Sing, “Philia” in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (Jeff Nomination) and “Minnie Faye” in Hello Dolly! (Drury Lane Oakbrook Theater) among numerous other credits. 

SEASON ANNOUNCED: Raven Theatre's 41st Season To Kick Off With Night Watch In October and Include 2 World Premieres

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Night Watch

By Lucille Fletcher

Directed by Georgette Verdin

 

World Premiere!

brother sister cyborg space

By Paul Michael Thompson

 

World Premiere!

Untitled: The Third Installment of the “Grand Boulevard Trilogy”

By Joshua Allen

 

 

Chicago playwrights and directors featured in Raven Theatre’s 2023-24 season

include (left to right) Georgette Verdin, Paul Michael Thomson and Joshua Allen.

 

Raven Theatre is excited to announce its 41^st Season, kicking off this fall with an ingenious and hair-raising revival of Lucille Fletcher’s drama Night Watch directed by Georgette Verdin. The 2023-24 season continues next winter with Paul Michael Thomson’s captivating and nuanced world premiere brother sister cyborg space, commissioned by Raven. The season concludes next spring with another Raven commission, a yet-to-be-titled world premiere by Chicago playwright Joshua Allen, the third and final installment of his “Grand Boulevard Trilogy,” which also includes The Last Pair of Earlies and The October Storm.

 

Raven Theatre is located at 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville) in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood. A variety of flexible 2022-24 subscription packages are currently available at raventheatre.com or by calling (773) 338-2177.

 

Comments Raven Interim Artistic Director Sarah Slight, “In our 41^st Season, Raven will continue to produce a combination of revivals and new plays that speak to our current moment. In addition to the gripping revival of the 1970 hit Broadway play Night Watch, we will produce two of our four commissioned plays. Thank you to the generous donors who support our new play fund for making these exciting world premieres possible. I cannot wait to share all three of these plays with you!”

 

Raven Theatre’s 2023-24 Season:

 

October 5 – November 12, 2023

Night Watch

By Lucille Fletcher

Directed by Georgette Verdin

Press opening: Monday, October 9, 2023 at 7:30 pm

 

What’s more nightmarish: not being able to trust those around you… or not being able to trust yourself? Moonlit streets, a restless mind and a large window have become Elaine’s nightly routine in her luxurious city townhouse. But insomnia is the least of her worries when a dead body appears in the window of an abandoned, squalid unit across the street. To make matters worse, the body disappears before her husband, best friend or maid have a chance to witness the atrocity. This suspenseful revival is filled to the brim with tricks and twists, leaving audiences on a psychological rollercoaster until the very. last. second.

 

February 8 – March 17, 2024

brother sister cyborg space – World Premiere!

By Paul Michael Thompson 

Press opening: Monday, February 12, 2024 at 7:30 pm

 

In the too-close-for-comfort future, an environmental justice organizer named Giselle and her billionaire baby brother Elon are (unsurprisingly) at odds. She believes the earth and her people are worth saving; he marvels at the potential in starting over somewhere new. Meanwhile, his virtual assistant Ava has some very nuanced opinions of her own. (Who programmed her to talk so much?!) Set against the backdrop of a rapidly-accelerating climate crisis, brother sister cyborg space explores political divisions within families, an expanding definition of humanity and what we'll do when time runs out.

 

April 26 – June 9, 2024

Untitled: The Third Installment of the “Grand Boulevard Trilogy” – World Premiere!

By Joshua Allen

Press opening: Monday, May 6, 2024 at 7:30 pm

 

From the writer that brought you The Last Pair of Earlies and The October Storm comes the third and final installment in The Grand Boulevard Trilogy. Chicago writer Joshua Allen continues to explore the complex and rich history of Black families living on Chicago’s South Side throughout the 20^th century. Set in 1919 during the Chicago Race Riots, this world premiere play explores one woman’s conflicting allegiances – to a promising career with a controversial lover or to the home her family has worked hard to build.

 

About the Artists

 

Lucille Fletcher (Playwright, Night Watch) was born in Brooklyn, NY, in 1912 and was a frequent recipient of literary prizes throughout her early education and at Vassar College. Fletcher started off with a modest job at CBS typing scripts, acting as a music cataloger and writing publicity notices. Fletcher wrote and broadcast more than twenty radio plays, many inspired by actual events in her life, such as The Hitch Hiker and Sorry, Wrong Number. Fletcher wrote novels and stories long after Radio's Golden Age had given way to television. Her books include And Presumed Dead, The Strange Blue Yawl, The Girl in Cabin B54, Blindfold, and her final novel Mirror Image. She passed away on August 31, 2000.

 

Georgette Verdin (Director, Night Watch, she/her) is a queer, Cuban-American director based in Chicago. She currently serves as the Associate Artistic Director of Northlight Theatre and is a proud company member with Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Recent directing credits include: A Mile in the Dark (Interrobang Theatre Project/Rivendell Theatre), Enough to Let the Light In (Teatro Vista) and Chagall in School (Grippo Stage Company). 

 

Since 2015, she has served as Managing Artistic Director of Interrobang Theatre Project, an award-winning storefront theatre known for its gutsy productions that tackle socially-relevant and morally ambiguous subject matter. Georgette was recently profiled in the Chicago Reader's Best of Chicago 2022 by Kerry Reid and as one of 50 artists in Newcity Magazine’s 2023 edition of “Players: Who Really Performs for Chicago Right Now.” In 2022, she was named the Michael Maggio Directing Fellow at Goodman Theatre, and received Joseph Jefferson Award nominations for Director of a Play (Midsize) for both the Chicago premiere of This Wide Night (Shattered Globe/Interrobang Theatre Project) and the world premiere of Spay (Rivendell Theatre). Georgette holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA and a Master in Directing from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. She was a 2021 recipient of a 3Arts Make-A-Wave grant and is an associate member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Learn more at georgetteverdin.com

 

Paul Michael Thomson (Playwright, brother sister cyborg space, he/him) is a Chicago-based theatre artist, producer and interdisciplinary scholar. His plays include: What a Time to Be Alive (You Say That Every Time) (Definition Theatre, Great Plains Theatre Commons); Fremont Junior High Is NOT Doing Oklahoma! (Good Company Theatre, Live Theatre Workshop); The G.O.A.T., or Who Is Ximone? (Theatre L'Acadie); Same Sects! (Haven Theatre, North Central College, Other Theatre Company); Artemis Books & the Well-Meaning Man (Avalanche Theatre, Live Theatre Workshop); (and i feel fine) (The Impostors Theatre Co.), and Leave Me Alone! (The Story Theatre). As an actor, he has worked with Steppenwolf Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre and The Story Theatre, among others. Paul Michael is proud to be a founding Governing Ensemble member of The Story Theatre, an award-winning storefront company dedicated to developing and producing world-premiere plays. Currently pursuing his PhD in Afro-American Studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Paul Michael has been awarded research fellowships from the Black Metropolis Research Consortium and the W.E.B. Du Bois Center. He is deeply grateful to Raven Theatre for the commission of and belief in brother sister cyborg space, and he cannot wait to share this story with Chicago. paulmichaelthomson.com

 

Joshua Allen’s (Playwright, Untitled: The Third Installment of The Grand Boulevard Trilogy, he/him) plays include The October Storm, The Last Pair of Earlies and Chrysalis. His work has been produced and developed at Raven Theatre, Hudson Stage, Cape Cod Theater Project, Primary Stages, The Lark Play Development Center and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. An alumnus of New Dramatists, he has also been a member of the Ars Nova Play Group and the Dorothy Strelsin New American Writers’ Group at Primary Stages. His television writing and producing credits include Hostages (CBS), Empire (FOX), Almost Family (FOX), From Scratch (Netflix), In Treatment (HBO) and The Morning Show (Apple TV). Joshua is a graduate of the University of Southern California and the Juilliard School. 

About Raven Theatre

 

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

 

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

 

 

Chicago Premiere of ANTONIO’S SONG/I WAS DREAMING OF A SON at Goodman's Owen Stage April 28 – May 28, 2023

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ANTONIO EDWARDS SUAREZ STARS IN 

ANTONIO’S SONG/

I WAS DREAMING OF A SON

HIS TOUR-DE-FORCE SOLO WORK, CO-WRITTEN WITH PULTIZER PRIZE FINALIST DAEL ORLANDERSMITH

***MARK CLEMENTS DIRECTS THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF THIS “DEEP AND PERSONAL DIVE INTO THE FORMATION OF A MAN” (MILKWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL) IN THE OWEN THEATRE, APRIL 28 – MAY 28***

Poetry, music and movement unite on the Owen Stage to bring an “honest and empathetic look at fatherhood” amidst the implications of identity, art and culture in Dael Orlandersmith and Antonio Edwards Suarez’s Antonio’s Song/I Was Dreaming of a Son, directed by Mark Clements. Following an accomplished run at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, the acclaimed solo piece makes its Chicago debut and features Antonio Edwards Suarez as he considers—using his own lived experiences—the immense weight of raising a son in a world rife with ethnic and gender stereotypes. Antonio’s Song/I Was Dreaming of a Son appears April 28 – May 28, 2023 in the 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre.

I'll be out for opening night, Monday, May 8th, so check back shortly after for my full review. Tickets ($15 –$50, subject to change) are available at GoodmanTheatre.org/Antonio or by phone at 312-443-3800. The Goodman is grateful for the support of The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust (Lead Funder of IDEAA Programming).

“Having my son, I thought to myself, 'this is going to be tough, raising a boy in today’s world'," said Antonio Edwards Suarez.  “So much of what is shown on television and the news are boys and men struggling and acting out many of those struggles in destructive ways. My son’s birth also made me start to reflect and examine how I was raised, my mother and father’s hopes and dreams, how were they raised, the boys, girls, men and women who influenced me and the generations of neighborhoods we all grew up in. Am I going to pass some of the destructive behaviors I experienced on to my son? Will he, my son, go through what I went through?”

Dael Orlandersmith, Goodman Artistic Associate and Alice Center Resident Artist who co-wrote the piece with Suarez, said, “We rarely see men portrayed vulnerably. We rarely see men question themselves and grapple with parenting the way this character does—recognizing how he must break the chains of the past.”

From Brooklyn to Massachusetts to Russia, Antonio struggles to reconcile multiple ethnic identities. He wrestles with the legacy of stereotypes of masculinity while discovering there is beauty in manhood and becoming a father. Powerful poetry intermixed with original movement, music and projected imagery creates an evocative, wholly unique performance. The creative team includes Luciana Stecconi (Set Design); Peggy McKowen (Costume Design); John Ambrosone (Lighting Design); Andre Pluess (Sound Design); Jared Mazzocchi (Projection Design); Alexandra Beller (Movement Direction). Malkia Stampley is the Line Producer and Patrick Fries is the Production Stage Manager.

Dael Orlandersmith’s plays include Stoop Stories, Black n’ Blue Boys/Broken Men, Horsedreams, Bones, The Blue Album, Yellowman, The Gimmick, Monster and Forever. Orlandersmith was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and Drama Desk Award nominee for Yellowman and the winner of the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for The Gimmick. Dael is the recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts grant, The Helen Merrill Award for Emerging Playwrights, a Guggenheim, along with several other awards and honors. Her play, FOREVER, was commissioned and performed at the Mark Taper Forum/Kirk Douglas Theatre in Fall 2014, followed by performances at the Long Wharf Theatre in Winter 2014/15, New York Theatre Workshop in Spring 2015 and at Portland Center Stage in Winter 2016. Her play Until the Flood appeared at St Louis Repertory in Fall 2016, Rattlestick Theatre in 2018, Milwaukee Rep in 2019, Portland Center Stage, ACT Seattle, the Arcola Theatre in London, the Galway Arts Festival at the Druid Theatre and the Traverse at Edinburgh Festival. The play was performed in Berlin at the Schaubuhne Theatre in April 2022 and at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC in June 2022. Ms. Orlandersmith is working on a commission for Rattlestick Theatre called Watching the Watcher and had two plays opening at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre in 2022: New Age directed by Jade King Carroll and Antonio’s Song/I Was Dreaming of a Son, directed by Mark Clements. Orlandersmith‘s new play Spiritus/Virgin’s Dance, commissioned by Merrimack Theater in Massachusetts will be appear at CATF Theatre in West Virginia in Summer 2023 and Rattlestick and Merrimack Theaters in 2024. Orlandersmith is currently working with writer/performer David Cale and director Robert Falls on a play called You Don’t Know the Lonely One. Ms. Orlandersmith received a Doris Duke Award in 2020. She is currently working on two commissions for Artists Repertory Theatre in Portland and Milwaukee Repertory Theatre.

Antonio Edwards Suarez’ Broadway credits include American Buffalo, directed by Robert Falls. New York credits include Chaucer in Rome (Lincoln Center Theater), directed by Nicholas Martin; Entertaining Mr. Sloane; The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui; Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth; The Trial (Phoenix Theatre Ensemble); This One Girl’s Story (New York Musical Theatre Festival, Award for Best Ensemble); Points of Departure (INTAR) and Richard III (National Black Theatre). Other credits include Food Acts (Lions Theatre); The Hamlet Project (Mac Wellman Theater); Trespass (Producers Club II); Fuente (Cherry Lane Alternative); Waiting for Godot (Chashama) and Mother (La MaMa E.T.C.). International and regional credits include Antonio’s Song/I Was Dreaming of a Son (Milwaukee Repertory Theater and Contemporary American Theater Festival); Leandro in the international tour of The King Stag (directed by Andrei Serban, choreographed by Julie Taymor); The Night is a Child (Milwaukee Rep); A Midsummer Night’s Dream; The Taming of the Shrew; The Tempest; Julius Caesar (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company); Havana is Waiting (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park); Spinning into Butter (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis) and Idiots Karamazov (American Repertory Theater). Film and television credits include The EndGame; The Tested; Elementary; several episodes of Law & Order; The Good Wife; Rookie Blue; Person of Interest; One Life to Live; As the World Turns; Flight of the Conchords (HBO); Curb Your Enthusiasm and Stan the Orderly (recurring) on Royal Pains (USA Network).

Mark Clements is a multi-award-winning international theater director whose work has appeared in over 100 major theaters throughout Europe and the United States. He began his tenure as artistic director of Milwaukee Rep, with the 2010/11 season, by bringing musicals to the mainstage and introducing the John Jack D. Lewis New Play Development Program, a vibrant and eclectic new works initiative that seeks to produce one new work in each of the Rep’s three performance spaces per season. This includes Antonio’s Song, which he developed in collaboration with Contemporary American Theatre Festival. Milwaukee Rep directing credits include the world premieres of One House Over; his own adaptation of the current A Christmas Carol in the Pabst Theatre; Five Presidents and American Song; Things I Know To Be True; Junk; The Glass Menagerie; Of Mice and Men; Othello; Death of a Salesman; The History of Invulnerability; End of the Rainbow; Clybourne Park and Bombshells. Select New York and international work includes Speaking in Tongues for Roundabout Theatre Company and Hampstead Theatre in London; The Milliner; Blunt Speaking; Obie Award winning musical The Thing About Men, in addition to creating and directing the West End and UK National Tours of Soul Train. Prior to joining Milwaukee Rep, Mark served as an associate artistic director for several UK theater companies, but most notably, as artistic director for the award-winning Derby Playhouse in the UK from 1992-2002, where he directed over 40 productions. He has been nominated for an Olivier Award and several UK Theater Awards, and has won three Barrymore Awards from his time at Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. Mark is currently working with Ayad Akhtar on adapting his critically acclaimed novel American Dervish for the stage to make its world premiere at Milwaukee Rep in an upcoming season, along with Run Bambi Run, an original new rock musical penned by Eric Simonson and Gordon Gano from the Violent Femmes.

THE COMPANY OF Antonio’s Song/I Was Dreaming of a Son 

Antonio ……Antonio Edwards Suarez

Set Design by Luciana Stecconi

Costume Design by Peggy McKowen

Lighting Design by John Ambrosone

Sound Design by Andre Pluess

Projection Design by Jared Mazzocchi

Movement Direction by Alexandra Beller

Line Production by Malkia Stampley

Patrick Fries is the Production Stage Manager.

ENHANCED AND ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES

Visit Goodmantheatre.org/Access for more information about Goodman Theatre’s accessibility efforts.

Touch Tour and Audio-Described Performance: Sunday, May 21, 12:30pm Touch Tour; 2pm performance – The action/text is audibly enhanced for patrons via headset. NOTE: Touch Tours for the 2022/2023 Season will not have access to the stage due to current health and safety protocols, but will feature alternate pre-show sensory introductions.

ASL-Interpreted: Saturday, May 27 at 2pm – An American Sign Language interpreter signs the action/text as played.

Spanish Subtitles: Saturday May 27 at 8pm.

Open-Captioned: Sunday, May 28 at 2pm – An LED sign presents dialogue in sync with the performance.

ABOUT GOODMAN THEATRE

Chicago’s theater since 1925, Goodman Theatre is a not-for-profit arts and community organization in the heart of the Loop, distinguished by the excellence and scope of its artistic programming and community engagement. The theater’s artistic priorities include new play development (more than 150 world or American premieres), large scale musical theater works and reimagined classics. Artists and productions have earner two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and more than 160 Jeff Awards, among other accolades. The Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” Its longtime annual holiday tradition A Christmas Carol, now in its fifth decade, has created a new generation of theatergoers in Chicago. The Goodman also frequently serves as a production and program partner with national and international companies and Chicago’s Off-Loop theaters.

Using the tools of the theatrical profession, the Goodman’s Education and Engagement programs aim to develop generations of citizens who understand the cultures and stories of diverse voices. The Goodman’s Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement is the home of these programs, which are offered free of charge for Chicago youth—85% of whom come from underserved communities—schools and life-long learners.

Goodman Theatre was founded by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth, an important figure in Chicago’s cultural renaissance in the early 1900s. The Goodman family’s legacy lives on through the continued work and dedication of Kenneth’s family, including Albert Ivar Goodman, who with his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton, contributed the necessary funds for the creation on the new Goodman center in 2000.

Today, Goodman Theatre is led by Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director/CEO Roche Schulfer. Theater leadership also includes the distinguished members of the Artistic Collective: Rebecca Gilman, Dael Orlandersmith, Henry Godinez, Steve Scott, Kimberly Senior, Chuck Smith and Mary Zimmerman. Jeff Hesse is Chairman of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Fran Del Boca is Women’s Board President and Craig McCaw is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals.

For World Circus Day, Cirque du Soleil Announces Global Cast of Corteo, Returning to Chicagoland After 4 Years

ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List

FOR WORLD CIRCUS DAY, CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

ANNOUNCES GLOBAL CAST OF CORTEO

Production represents 27 different nationalities, 18 languages,

and has toured to 20 countries

Here at ChiIL Mama, we've been covering Cirque du Soleil shows since 2008 and we missed their touring extravaganzas so much during the past few pandemic years. Both of my children grew up loving  Cirque du Soleil and their stellar shows inspired by kids to take circus arts at Actors Gymnasium, Cirque Esteem, and MSA. We've been fortunate to do many video interviews with Cirque du Soleil and shoot rehearsals as well as behind the scenes tours at many of their productions over the years. We adore the multicultural casts and world class skills of Cirque du Soleil shows. Corteo tickets are a great gift for all ages, and an excellent opportunity to make multigenerational memories. It's a short run, so don't miss this! I'll be catching opening night, so check back shortly after for my full review.

In honor of World Circus Day today, Cirque du Soleil announces the global cast of one of its most beloved productions, Corteo. This unique production, directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, features cast and crew from 27 different countries around the world who speak in 18 different languages. First premiered in Montreal in April 2005, and debuted under the Big Top in Chicago the following year, Corteo has amazed over 10 million spectators, in 20 countries, on four continents. Cirque du Soleil returns to Chicago for the first time since 2019 with the joyous Corteo in five performances only, from Thursday, June 1 to Sunday, June 4, 2023 at the NOW Arena (5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates).

Corteo is an international, multicultural production that unites talent from around the globe. The nationalities represented among the Corteo cast and crew members include Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Finland, France, Italy, Hungary, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, United States, United Kingdom, and Uzbekistan.

Corteo Artistic Director Alison Crawford says, “Corteo is a dive into the circus arts and the world of the clown, the favorite universe of its creator and director Daniele Finizi Pasca. We immerse ourselves in the images that say so much about the circus, the strength of its tradition, each day renewed.” 

The history of circus as a popular form of entertainment has roots in Europe, Asia, and North America. Reflecting the global origins of circus artistry, Corteo features rigging, costumes, and set design inspired by many different cultures that are manufactured and transported across numerous countries for the tour.

The show’s spectacular, Italian drape curtains—which are the largest in North America at 58 feet wide by 37 feet high—were inspired by the Eiffel Tower and hand-painted by Jean Rabasse, whose style is influenced by painters from France, Spain, and Italy. The curtains were sewn in Canada and sent to France to be painted.

Inspired by the Chartres Cathedral in France, the stage is central in the arena and divides the venue, with each half of the audience facing the other half, giving a unique perspective not only of the show, but also a performer’s eye view of the audience; an atmosphere like never seen before in Cirque du Soleil arena show.

The setting and story of Corteo come together to illustrate the humanity that is within each of us. Set in a magical world between heaven and earth, the show unravels as the clown pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere. Surrounded by angels who watch from above, Corteo juxtaposes the clown’s strength with fragility, the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic, and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection. Lyrical and playful music carries Corteo through a timeless celebration in which boundaries are blurred and illusion teases reality.

 

TICKET INFORMATION 

Tickets for Corteo at NOW Arena are available online at cirquedusoleil.com/corteo. 

 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Thursday, June 1, 2023, at 7:30pm

Friday, June 2, 2023, at 7:30pm

Saturday, June 3, 2023, at 3:30pm & 7:30pm

Sunday, June 4, 2023 at 1pm

Follow #CORTEO and #cirquedusoleil on social media: TikTok | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

OFFICIAL PARTNER Cirque du Soleil wishes to thank Air Canada, its official partner.

About Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil has redefined how the world views the circus; from small town talent to a household name. Based in Montreal (Qc), the Canadian organization went on to become a global leader in live entertainment with the creation of world-class immersive and iconic experiences, across 6 continents. Cirque du Soleil connects with audiences by being genuine, human and inclusive. Privileged to work with artists from 64 countries bring their creativity to life on stages around the world, the company aims to make a positive impact on people, communities and the planet with its most important tools: creativity and art. Over the years, more than 220 million people have been inspired, in over 70 different countries. For more information, visit cirquedusoleil.com. 

 

The Gospel at Colonus Via Court Theatre May 12 – June 11, 2023

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

Court Theatre presents 

The Gospel at Colonus 

Adaptation and Original Lyrics by Lee Breuer 

Adapted Lyrics by Lee Breuer and Bob Telson 

Music by Bob Telson 

Directed by Mark J.P. Hood and Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell 

With Associate Director TaRon Patton 

May 12 – June 11, 2023 

Court Theatre - under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Angel Ysaguirre, Executive Director - is overjoyed to present the fourth and final production of its 2022/23 season: The Gospel at Colonus. Featuring Lee Breuer’s adaptation and original lyrics, adapted lyrics by Lee Breuer and Bob Telson, and music by Bob Telson, this exuberant, celebratory musical will be directed by Mark J.P. Hood and Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell, with Associate Director TaRon Patton and Associate Music Director Mahmoud Khan. The Gospel at Colonus runs May 12 – June 11, 2023 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. I'll be out for the press opening, Saturday, May 20th, so check back soon for my full review. 

The cast of The Gospel at Colonus includes Kelvin Roston Jr. (Oedipus); Timothy Edward Kane (Creon); Aeriel Williams (Antigone); Kai A. Ealy (Polyneices); Ariana Burks (Ismene); Mark Spates Smith (Theseus); Shari Addison (Choragos/Soloist); Eric A. Lewis (Choragos); Juwon Tyrel Perry (The Friend/Chorus); Jessica Brooke Seals (Evangelist/Chorus); Jerica Exum (Chorus); Shantina Lowe (Chorus); Isaac Ray (Chorus); Eva Ruwé (Chorus); and Cherise Thomas (Chorus).  

The music team will be led by director Mark J.P. Hood, who is also serving as the production’s Music Director, and Mahmoud Khan (Associate Music Director). 

The creative team includes John Culbert (scenic design); Raquel Adorno (costume design); Keith Parham (lighting design); Sarah Ramos (sound design); Cristin Carole (movement design); Wenke (Coco) Huang (production dramaturg); Gabrielle Randle-Bent (Oedipus Trilogy dramaturg); Becca McCracken (casting); Kate Ocker (production stage manager); and Natalie Cohen (assistant stage manager).  

Soulful and stirring, The Gospel at Colonus reimagines the story of Oedipus as the centerpiece of an African American Pentecostal church service. A redemptive celebration, this one-of-a-kind theatrical event breathes new life into a classic myth with a score of powerful gospel music. A bold collaboration from an extraordinary team of artists led by Mark J.P. Hood and Charles Newell, The Gospel at Colonus builds upon the strengths and experiences of its artists to bring this smash hit to life with new clarity on Chicago’s South Side. 

Individual tickets are on sale now. Tickets are available by calling the Box Office at (773) 753-4472, or online at CourtTheatre.org. 

Dates:           

Previews: May 12 – 19, 2023 

Press Opening: May 20, 2023 at 7:30pm 

Regular Run: May 21, 2023 – June 11, 2023 

  

Schedule:

Wed/Thurs/Fri: 7:30 p.m.

Sat/Sun: 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. 

  

Accessible 

Performances:   Audio description on June 10, 2023 at 2:00pm/Touch Tour at 12:30pm  

Open captioning on June 11, 2023 at 2:00pm  

ASL interpretation on June 11, 2023 at 7:30pm  

 

Location: Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. 

Tickets:        

$28.50-$66 previews

$40.50-$82 regular run

Student, group, and military discounts available 

Box Office: Located at 5535 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago; (773) 753-4472 or www.CourtTheatre.org. 

Court Theatre is the Tony Award-winning classic theatre of the University of Chicago. 

OPENING: TONY AWARD-WINNING PIPPIN VIA MUSIC THEATER WORKS JUNE 1 - 25, 2023

ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List

MUSIC THEATER WORKS ANNOUNCES CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM FOR THE TONY AWARD-WINNING 

PIPPIN

 JUNE 1 - 25 AT THE NORTH SHORE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IN SKOKIE

Music Theater Works’ 43rd Season Continues with the Musical That Won Four Tony Awards Including Best Musical Revival, Directed by Producing Artistic Director Kyle A. Dougan and Music Directed by Justin Akira Kono

Run time, including the intermission, is 2 hours and 50 minutes.

Tickets: $39 to $106, tickets for guests 25 years old and younger are available for half-price.

Music Theater Works, recently launched its 43rd season with the highly recommended Avenue Q, today announces the cast and creative team for its second production in the 2023 season, Pippin in the North Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts In Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, June 1 - 25. The Tony Award-winning musical comedy with book by Roger O. Hirson, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, directed by Producing Artistic Director Kyle A. Dougan, assistant directed by Sasha Gerritson and Patrick Tierney, co-choreographed by Mollyanne Nunn and Kaitlyn Pasquinelli and music directed by Justin Akira Kono. 

Here at ChiIL Mama, we adored Music Theater Works' Avenue Q and can't wait to see their take on crowd pleaser, Pippin. I'll be out to review the first week of June so check back shortly after for our full coverage.  

The performance schedule includes a preview performance Thursday, June 1 at 1 p.m. with press opening Friday, June 2 at 8 p.m. The running time, including the intermission, is currently, including the intermission, 2 hours and 45 minutes. The performance schedule is Wednesdays at 1 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. with a Saturday matinee, June 10 at 2 p.m. Complete performance schedule is included at the end of this release. Tickets are now on sale from $39 to $106 with tickets for guests 25 years old and younger available at half-price at  MusicTheaterWorks.com or by calling the Music Theater Works box office at the North Shore Center, 847.673.6300. Group discounts are available for groups of 10 or more by contacting 847.920.5360.

The unforgettable score of Pippin has shown multiple generations how to forge their own path in the world. Imaginatively presented through multiple revivals of a young person’s journey to self, join Music Theater Works’ staging among the toys and games that defined childhood. Winner of four 2013 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival with some of the most infectiously memorable music from Broadway by four-time Grammy winner, three-time Oscar winner and musical theater giant Stephen Schwartz.

“All of us at Music Theater Works are excited to share with audiences this Broadway classic where we pay homage to the games and memories of our youth,” said Director Kyle A. Dougan. “The North Theatre at the North Shore Center allows us an opportunity to present all the songs of this beloved show and put our own spin on it.”

The cast of Pippin includes Sonia Goldberg (Leading Player); Connor Ripperger (Pippin); Kathleen Puls Andrade (Berthe); Thomas M. Shea (Charlemagne); Savannah Sinclair (Fastrada, Leading Player U/S); Andrew Freeland (Lewis); Desiree Gonzalez (Catherine) and Di’Aire Wilson (Theo).

The Pippin ensemble includes, alphabetically, Jenny Couch (ensemble, Catherine U/S); Ciara Hickey (ensemble); Alex Iacobucci (ensemble); Lacey Jack (ensemble), Samira Jasmine (ensemble); Katie Kotila (ensemble, Fastrada U/S); Justin Payton Nelson (ensemble, Lewis U/S); Mollyanne Nunn (ensemble); Jordan “J.Ro” Ordonez (ensemble); Kaitlyn Pasquinelli (ensemble); Dane Strange (ensemble) and Eustace J. Williams (ensemble, Pippin U/S).

The Pippin understudies and swings are Jenny Rudnick (Berthe U/S); Bob Sanders (Charlemagne U/S) and John Locke (Theo U/S) with Adeera Harris (swing) and Wilson Paul Hicken (swing). 

The Pippin creative team currently includes Kyle A. Dougan (director); Patrick Tierney (assistant director); Sasha Gerritson (assistant director/chorus master); Justin Akira Kono (music director); Amber Wuttke (intimacy and fight choreographer); Nathan Lamp (dramaturg); Mollyanne Nunn (co-choreographer); Kaitlyn Pasquinelli (co-choreographer); Allison Gonzales (stage manager); Lily Landoch (assistant stage manager); Shane Cinal (scenic director); Ellen Markus (properties designer); Jazmin Aurora Medina (costume designer); Kristen Brinati (assistant costume designer); Alice Salazar (hair, wig, and makeup designer); Melanie Saso (assistant hair, wig, and makeup designer); Andrew Meyers (lighting designer); Chelsea Lynn (ME/lighting programmer); Matthew R. Chase (sound designer); Forrest Gregor (production sound engineer); David Sajewich (media designer); Anthony Churchill (projections designer); Will Hughes (scene shop technical director); Ben Lipinski (paint charge); Ethan McIntosh (lighting board), Chris Chase (production manager) and Jennifer King Russell (company manager). 

Health Safety Procedure:

All guests are recommended to wear face masks during the performance regardless of vaccination status.

ABOUT PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR KYLE DOUGAN, DIRECTOR

Kyle Dougan worked as casting associate and events manager for Music Theater Works, and rejoined the company in 2018 as producing artistic director, following a two-year stint in academia. He relocated to Chicago in 1999, after completing his Masters in Musical Theatre at Goldsmiths, University of London, where he produced and directed a workshop of new musicals. He also stage managed a series of new musicals with Perfect Pitch: New Musicals at Trafalgar Studios. In the Chicago area Dougan has directed, associate-directed and assistant-directed shows for Chamber Opera Chicago, Theatre at the Center, Big Noise Theater and The Music Theatre Company. He has served as artistic producer of a series of new musicals with Midwest New Musicals, as executive director of FWD Theatre Project and as co-owner of Style Theatrical Casting, a professional casting company in Chicago.

ABOUT JUSTIN AKIRA KONO, MUSIC DIRECTOR

Justin Akira Kono is a percussionist, pianist, conductor and orchestrator of uncommon range. After studying at DePaul and Northwestern Universities, he started transitioning into leadership and music direction roles. Previously at Music Theater Works, he has music directed Zorro the Musical, Legends of the 50s and 60s and MAMMA MIA! He frequently worked with Porchlight Music Theater and has music directed Spring Awakening, their traveling show Broadway in your Backyard and has played drums for Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Chicago Sings Rock and Roll Broadway and Billy Elliot. Other regional credits include All Shook Up, Freaky Friday (Williams Street Rep) and Kiss Me Kate (The Marriott Theater). He has also music directed at The Chicago College of Performing Arts. He serves as a music director at First Congregational Church in Downers Grove. He is the piano player for the Midwest’s premiere ABBA tribute band, Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute and plays drums in Piano Man: A Tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel. 

ABOUT MUSIC THEATER WORKS

Music Theater Works is a resident professional not-for-profit music theater founded in

1980. During its 42-year history it has presented more than 150 productions and intimate

presentations. Music Theater Works is a professional theater company whose mission is

to present works for the musical stage including historic repertoire, revitalizing the Golden Age of Broadway and earlier works, celebrating the Great American Songbook and introducing modern classics. 

JOYCE SAXON is the 2023 Music Theater Works Season Sponsor.

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar:

Preview: Thursday, June 1 at 1 p.m.

Press Performance: Friday, June 2 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 3 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, June 4 at 2 p.m.

Wednesday, June 7 at 1 p.m.

Friday, June 9 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 10 at 2 and 8 p.m.

Sunday, June 11 at 2 p.m.

Wednesday, June 14 at 1 p.m.

Friday, June 16 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 17 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, June 18 at 2 p.m.

Wednesday, June 21 at 1 p.m.

Friday, June 23 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 24 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, June 25 at 2 p.m.

Music Theater Works Box Office: (847) 673-6300

Website: MusicTheaterWorks.com