SAVE THE DATES: Priscilla Queen of the Desert #BroadwayinChicago

Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Theatre : Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, Chicago Illinois
Dates : March 19, 2013 - March 31, 2013



Available now as a Broadway In Chicago Season Show!
Click here.

This spectacular show tells the uplifting story of a trio of friends on a road trip of a lifetime, who hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship in the middle of the Australian outback and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed.

An international hit with over 500 dazzling, 2011 Tony® Award-winning costumes, PRISCILLA features a hit parade of dance-floor favorites including "It's Raining Men," "Finally" and "I Will Survive." The Hollywood Reporter calls PRISCILLA "funny and fabulous! Joyous entertainment with eye-popping visuals and unexpected heart!"

Ticket prices are $28 to $85.

Groups of 15+ On Sale Now! Call 312-977-1710.                                         

What Do Pet Shop Boys, Tavi Gevinson & Cadaver Have In Common?

Check out the Pet Shop Boys cover by fashion icon Tavi Gevinson.  





href="http://vimeo.com/57535059">CADAVERTHEBOOK.COM - HEART - performed by Tavi Gevinson - Pet Shop Boys Cover Song
from Jonah D. Ansell on Vimeo.

The song is being released as bonus material to an award winning animated short and book, Cadaver.  Take a look...

href="http://vimeo.com/57516335">CADAVER - A bittersweet love story (7 min) from Jonah D. Ansell on Vimeo.




href="http://vimeo.com/55622778">CADAVER - The Book - Trailer (2013) from Jonah D. Ansell on Vimeo.

The Last Stand Advanced Screening #review #action

"I told you I'd be back," Schwarzenegger intones in his unmistakable accent, as the previews to The Last Stand begin, and back he is.  This time he's a small town, western sheriff, who's left a trail of dead coworkers from his well decorated LA days, for the quiet life in the desert outside of Las Vegas.



This show is hilarious and bound to be a hit, with it's overabundance of heavy ammunition, array of weaponry, and fast cars.   This is the tale of an inept, fugitive losin' FBI and a ragtag band of unlikely heros who thwart a drug cartel.   The familiar tale of an outnumbered band of scrappy underdogs winning against a well armed, well trained militia has been a favorite cultural myth, all the way back to the founding of our country.   





It was refreshing to have a strong,  female cop character in the otherwise all boys club.   And we got a kick out of Jackass' Johnny Knoxville as the gun hoarding wack job and unlikely hero.  We also liked the intimate, less is more aesthetic, of the mano a mano final combat scene.  

If you're a fan of Schwarzenegger, Johnny Knoxville, Westerns, and/or action flicks, this one's a good bet for some mindless carnage.   

After leaving his LAPD narcotics post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with remorse and regret, Sheriff Ray Owens (Schwarzenegger) moved out of Los Angeles and settled into a life fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction. But that peaceful existence is shattered when Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega), the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the western hemisphere, makes a deadly yet spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy. (c) Lionsgate

My biggest qualm is that The Last Stand plays out like a 147 minute propaganda piece for the NRA--with well armed grannies, lunatics and bumpkins as the last, best line of defense against evil Mexican drug cartels and armies of well trained soldiers. 
  
This show opens right when our country is engaged in the biggest gun battle ever, playing out politically in the form of pro and anti assault weapons legislation.  This idea of vigilant justice plays out well on the large screen, to large laughs and cheers, and provides for an entertaining night of gun fights and fast drives.   But I like both a lot less well when they play out on the streets of Chicago.   Everyone entering the movie theatre had to get screened by a metal detector and have their belongings checked, in case any real life, gun toting lunatics decided to put on a show of their own.   It's unfortunate that fact is fiction and escape reality.   And infamy is easier to achieve than fame. 

The Last Stand opens nationwide Friday 1/18.

Mama Advanced Screening #review #horror

Mama gives "possessed by an evil spirit" a whole new level of disturbing meaning, as this bereft spirit saves the lives of two tiny potential murder victims.   She adopts and nurtures them, but takes the mothering instinct to lethal levels, as her psychopathic jealous streak kicks in.  She's possessive of their affections to a scary degree.  Check out the latest offering by Pan's Labrynth Guillermo del Torro as Executive Producer.

Mama hits theaters this Friday, 1/18, but ChiIL Live Shows got a sneak peek at a screening Tuesday.   Mama is archetypally creepy and compelling.   We dug the multifaceted layers of the creature under the bed, like the Mara of slovic folk tales--the biting night witch who gives you nightmares.  The character, Mama, is both protector and nurturer, as well as angel of vengeance.  Though the nightmares she projects to others are disturbing imagery, they actually make her a more sympathetic character, showing us her real back story.

Despite the PG13 rating, my kids are years away from being ready for this type of tale.   However, every kid is different, and some tweens and teens will no doubt dig it.   There are plenty of startle scares by the lethal creep in the closet or lurking under the bed.   But there are deeper, psychological layers to this disturbing drama as well.

We dug the surrogate parents, punk rock girl, Annabel (Jessica Chastain) and cool, artist uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau).   If anyone could provide a creative, understanding home for the two feral, traumatized tots, these two would be my first choice, far and above the straight laced, meddling aunt.   The kids were a joy to watch and the way they moved was indelibly creepy.   One of the scariest things in Mama, however, was the betrayal by the psychologist, who should have had their safety and security as a priority. He selfishly put his own research above all, and recklessly endangered those he was supposed to be helping heal.



 

There was also a fascinating thread with little girl, Victoria's glasses, and her ability to see.   They broke in the initial car accident, before their abandonment, so she spent 5 years in the woods, nearly blind.   After her rescue and new life begins with a new pair of glasses, she still removes them to see the unseen, and Mama destroys the glasses she goes on a final murderous rage.   We're also intrigued with the black moths, that disturbingly emerged from her corpse and follow her spirit form everywhere, and we're super creeped out that little Lilly EATS them.   

directed by Andres Muschietti 

starring Jessica Chastain

produced by J. Miles Dale and Barbara Muschietti 

with Guillermo del Toro as executive producer

Guillermo del Toro presents Mama, a supernatural thriller that tells the haunting tale of two little girls who disappeared into the woods the day that their mother was murdered. When they are rescued years later and begin a new life, they find that someone or something still wants to come tuck them in at night. The day their father killed their mother, sisters Victoria and Lilly vanished near their suburban neighborhood. For five long years, their Uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his girlfriend, Annabel (Jessica Chastain), have been madly searching for them. But when, incredibly, the kids are found alive in a decrepit cabin, the couple wonders if the girls are the only guests they have welcomed into their home. (c)Universal

Early reviews for Mama are mixed at best, with some critics raving about it and others slamming the lack of cohesive plot, the contrived ending and lack of truly hard core scary scenes.   We liked it, above and beyond buckets of gratuitous blood and stupid teen slasher flicks, and enjoyed the cinematography, creepy locations, and layered plot.  Mama is certainly worth a look...just don't look in the closet.

Kodo 2013: One Earth Tour One Night Only 2/13/13 at Symphony Center

We gave you the heads up about this one months ago, but the show is approaching fast.   If you haven't already, get your tickets for this one night only, all ages, multicultural, feast for your ears.

Kodo 2013:  One Earth Tour The Delicate, Powerful Breath of the Past:  Living Legend Tamasaburo Bando Leads Kodo, Finds Inspiration on Japan’s Sado Island Tour Appearance 02/13/2013, Wed  Chicago, IL (all ages) Symphony Center  220 South Michigan Avenue  Show: 7:30 PM  Ph: 312.294.3000  The visceral intensity, the athleticism, of taiko drumming in the hands of a master group like Japan’s Kodo may feel like the polar opposite of kabuki theater’s controlled, nuanced performances. Yet when Kodo announced it had found a new Artistic Director in kabuki icon Tamasaburo Bando—often referred to simply as “Tamasaburo”—it made perfect sense. They both draw on the deep well of traditional Japanese culture, rooted in a long lineage and sense of place that bring unflagging precision and profound personal commitment to their work. It runs through the explosive power of a giant booming drum stroke and through the most delicate of hand motions, though the harvest celebrations and demon dances to the most refined and urbane stages. Now their joint labors are coming to America in early 2013, with a tour that will feature several re-envisioned and new pieces guided by Tamasaburo’s distinct aesthetic and deep experience.

Tamasaburo, known for his stunning, subtle onnagata (female roles), grew up in a kabuki family, steeped in the art form’s complex movements, visual language, and painstaking stagecraft. A performer since his early teens, the actor rose to prominence, winning a worshipful following worthy of a Hollywood star. He wowed arthouse fans by performing in films by revered European directors such as Andrzej Wajda. He was recently declared a Living National Treasure, one of the highest honors bestowed on prominent Japanese citizens.

Yet the master performer decided to devote himself to an artistic venture located in one of the remotest places in Japan—Sado, an island the size of Okinawa off Japan’s northwest coast—to work with the world’s preeminent drumming ensembles, Kodo. “I have been visiting Sado Island regularly for the past ten years to work with Kodo, directing the performances, as well as appearing on stage alongside the ensemble,” Tamasaburo reflected in a recent statement about his work with Kodo. “Through my involvement with these productions, I realized the importance of confining yourself to one specific place to train. Getting away from the city where you are surrounded by technology, you face yourself, come face to face with your purest form. In the natural surroundings of Sado, you can experience a rare opportunity to get back in touch with your own soul and can even sometimes feel the concealed breath of ancient times on your own skin.” Tamasaburo and Kodo have felt this breath on Sado. The island saw an influx of new inhabitants when gold was discovered during the Edo period, as well as several centuries of artists and intellectuals in exile, extraordinary men banished by Japan’s rulers for political reasons. “Many cultures in turn came to Sado on thousands of ships from all over Japan. That made the island’s culture very complex and interesting,” notes Kodo member Jun Akimoto, who has worked with the group for over a decade. Though intimately tied to the cultural developments on the rest of Japan, remote Sado has retained an astounding level of traditional culture, roots that express themselves in everyday moments. Across the island, for example, foodways long forgotten elsewhere on Japan still thrive, from tiny home noodle parlors to the freshest of sushi. Prized sake is brewed from hand-planted and –harvested rice—agricultural practices learned by every Kodo apprentice to deepen their understanding of traditional culture. On this unique foundation, Sado Island became a haven for artists seeking a different, more communal approach to creativity and tradition in the mid-20th century. Growing from a dedicated community of seekers, Kodo has developed its own way of life, trained hundreds of apprentices, built a remarkable arts village. In Kodo Village, not only do musicians gain intense discipline, commitment, and an enviable skill set; they also work in the fields, perfect their practice of the traditional tea ceremony, or help build sustainable and sleek furniture in the village’s workshop. This organic totality of artistic vision attracted Tamasaburo, who happily set aside urban life for the quiet, almost magical remoteness of Kodo Village. The seasoned artist has grasped his new role as an opportunity to challenge himself, Kodo’s performers, and his audiences more deeply. Tamasaburo envisions Sado’s isolation as a way to connect with some of the performing arts’ most vital currents. “Human beings cannot exist without nature,” he reflects. “That is why we use the arts to communicate nature, and it is only when we become free from impeding thoughts that we can become one with it. Facing the taiko, having acquired sufficient technique and control, players can forget their body, awareness, desires, hopes, and egos the moment they reach that state of oneness, and everyone who is present will share that indescribable sense of transcendence.”

SHOWS ON OUR RADAR: Common Shiner Album Release at Schubas 2/2/13

Chicago-based indie rock band Common Shiner will be celebrating the release of Before They Sold Out (Part 2) with a show at Schuba's Tavern, 3159 North Southport Ave, on Saturday, February 2nd at 10PM CST.  
Click here for tickets and full show details


The album, which was produced by Dan Franklin at Chicago's Strobe Recording, is Common Shiner's "epic rock" follow up to 2011's more intimate, folk-oriented Before They Sold Out (Part 1).

Common Shiner, which formed in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2002, takes inspiration from smart, pop-oriented groups like Death Cab for Cutie and Ben Folds Five but isn't afraid to turn up the volume and tear down the walls just like their more rock/punk influences Rise Against and Motion City Soundtrack.

Called "Absolutely Captivating" by Chicago's influential Fearless Radio, Common Shiner is thinking big in 2013 and Before They Sold Out (Part 2) is the band's "Go Big or Go Home" album.

ACT OUT OPENING: The City & The City February 25 at Lifeline Theatre

Lifeline Theatre Continues its 30th Season with The City & The City, A World Premiere Adaptation of the Contemporary Crime Novel by China Miéville Opens February 25, 2013

Lifeline Theatre presents a world premiere adaptation of China Miéville’s The City & The City, by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Christopher M. Walsh, and directed by Lifeline Theatre Artistic Director Dorothy Milne (Non-Equity Jeff Award and After Dark Award winner).   ChiIL Live Shows will be there for the press opening and we'll have a full review up shortly thereafter.

Inspector Tyador Borlú of the Extreme Crime Squad is assigned to a seemingly open-and-shut case: an American student found dead in the gutters of the city of Beszel. But soon this deceptively simple crime reveals ties to powerful political and corporate factions at the heart of both Beszel and its twin city, Ul Qoma. Forced to cross the divide between two citystates coexisting in the same geographical space yet separated by irreconcilable cultural differences, Borlú must bring to justice the mastermind of the most unusual and dangerous case of his career. A thrilling crime story set in a location both fantastical and eerily real, in a world premiere adaptation. 

A cast of ten actors brings more than twenty characters to life, led by Steve Schine as Inspector Borlú, and Lifeline Theatre ensemble members Patrick Blashill and Chris Hainsworth.

The City & The City runs February 15–April 7, 2013, at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. (free parking and shuttle; see below). Opening night is Monday, February 25 at 7:30 p.m. (Previews are Fridays, February 15 and 22 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, February 16 and 23 at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, February 17 at 4 p.m.)

Regular performance times (February 28–April 7) are Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 4 p.m. Ticket prices are $40 for regular single tickets, $30 for seniors, $20 for students (with I.D.), $20 for rush tickets (available half hour before show time, subject to availability), and $20 for previews. Group rate for 12 or more is available upon request. 

Tickets may be purchased at the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, or by www.lifelinetheatre.com. The production runs approximately two hours and fifteen minutes with one intermission. The book will be on sale in the lobby.

The complete cast and production team for The City & The City includes:

CAST:

Lifeline Theatre ensemble members Patrick Blashill (Bowden/Shukman/Syedr) and Chris Hainsworth (Dhatt); with guest artists Don Bender (Mr. Geary/Ashil), Bryson Engelen (Jaris/Yorjavic/Samun), Marsha Harman (Corwi/Yalla), Jonathan Helvey (Drodin/Aikam/Unif Boy), Millicent Hurley (Mrs. Geary/Nancy), Volen Iliev (Naustin/Buric), Steve Schine (Borlú), and Megan M. Storti (Yolanda/Unif Girl/Raina). With understudies Eduardo Garcia and Alex Kyger.

CREW:

Lifeline Theatre ensemble members Dorothy Milne (Director) and Christopher M. Walsh (Adaptor); with guest artists Leah Cox (Dramaturg), Benjamin W. Dawson (Production Manager), Jesse Gaffney (Properties Designer), Izumi Inaba (Costume Designer), Christopher Kriz (Original Music & Sound Designer), Amanda Link (Assistant Director), Anna Morrell (Stage Manager), Greg Poljacik (Violence Designer), Joe Schermoly (Scenic Designer/Technical Director), and Brandon Wardell (Lighting Designer).

The critics have said: 

“Few American theaters can do this kind of thing – with such imagination, dignity, humor and judicious restraint – quite like the master storytellers at Lifeline.” (Chicago Tribune, 5/12/10) 

"Nobody does it better than Lifeline Theatre when it comes to spinning a rip- roaring yarn full of derring-do and adventure" (Chicago Sun-Times, 9/22/09) 

“Spectacle and story so ambitious and colorful, poetic and vulgar, heroic and homely, it’s like eavesdropping on your favorite author’s waking

dream.” (CenterstageChicago.com, 5/10/10).

Now in its 30th season, Lifeline Theatre specializes in original literary adaptations. Its ensemble of artists uses imaginative, unconventional staging to portray sprawling stories in an intimate space. Lifeline is committed to promoting the arts in its Rogers Park neighborhood and is an anchor of the Glenwood Avenue Arts District. We aspire to create art that is relevant to our culturally diverse, increasingly youthful neighborhood. Lifeline Theatre – Big Stories, Up Close.

Founded in 1982, Lifeline is known for staging innovative adaptations of great works of fiction as well as commissioning original work. Over the course of thirty years and more than one hundred and fifty productions, Lifeline Theatre has made an indelible mark on the Chicago theatre scene and an invaluable contribution to the theatre world at large. Lifeline’s dedicated artistic ensemble has developed a total of one hundred world premiere literary adaptations and thirteen original plays, two dozen of which have had a life beyond their Lifeline premieres, with over one hundred and fifty subsequent productions spread across more than thirty U.S. states, four Canadian provinces, England, and Ireland. Additionally, two scripts developed at Lifeline Theatre have gone on to U.S. national tours, and nine have been published.

Lifeline Theatre has garnered a total of forty-seven Jeff Awards (Equity and Non-Equity), including fourteen for New Adaptation or New Work, and twenty-one After Dark Awards. 

Lifeline Theatre’s programs are partially supported by Alphawood Foundation; Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; CityArts grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events; The Common Cup; FGMK LLC; Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; The Grover Hermann Foundation; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; Ingridion; MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince; Netrix LLC; The Pauls Foundation; The Polk Bros. Foundation; S&C Foundation; Sudler Property Management; The Woman’s Club of Evanston; and the annual support of businesses and individuals.

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. Chicago, IL 60626 773-761-4477, www.lifelinetheatre.com