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Monday, February 25, 2013

LZ2 LIVE Show Shots From Chicago HOB 2/23/13 #photorecap



ChiIL Live Shows had the great pleasure of catching Led Zeppelin 2 in action again at HOB Chicago on 2/23/13 for The Song Remains The Same.






We still got some sweet shots, despite a security guard who decide to kick us out of the photo pit (we did have press/photo credentials) before we could even get a shot off.   Last LZ2 show they were fine about letting us stay in the pit and shoot the whole show, so I assumed they weren't going to boot us after the first 3 songs....which does happen frequently.   Evidently not. 






The band knew I had to come a little late from another shoot, so I did just miss the beginning, but thought I had the duration to shoot.   There were several other photographers still in and shooting.  Oh well.  I made the best of it by trying to shoot a bit from just behind the pit, but I was next to two charming guys who elbowed me over mosh pit style, on purpose, and actually said to each other "Block her.  Don't let any girls squeeze up in here." (Although they were easily tall enough to see over me and I was obviously trying to do my job and shoot the show!)   Nice. 






I know...mr. uber fan.  I'm sure you shoved over a few hundred people to get your rail riding spot.   I'll happily concede the bigger prick award to you.  But, I have the bigger camera.  You have a cell phone.   So, in the future, if you might want some decent shots on line, to remember your favorite shows by later, try not to piss off the photographers and get in the way of them working.



I got a few shots then got outta dodge to hang with friends in the balcony, where the people were far friendlier and I wasn't getting crushed by idiots. 

  



As usual, the show was excellent.  At the risk of adding more stellar examples of humankind to the sardine can of bodies at their sold out shows, LZ2 still makes our highly recommend list.  Catch them as often as you can.   










Want a whole lot more for your LZ2 fix?

Check out loads of our past LZ2 LIVE show shots & review from HOB last year right here.




ACT OUT OPENING: Vigils at The Gift Theatre 2/28



 VIGILS, starring Hillary Clemens, February 28-April 21 at The Gift Theatre. Photo by Joshua Longbrake • http://joshualongbrake.com • @joshualongbrake


THE GIFT THEATRE PRESENTS DARK, FARCICAL FANTASY VIGILS
BY WRITER OF STAND UP GUYS AND DIRECTOR OF A TWIST OF WATER
FEBRUARY 28-APRIL 21, 2013
Chicago’s The Gift Theatre explores the challenges of loss, love and letting go in the darkly comic one-act play Vigils, written by Noah Haidle (Stand Up Guys, Mr. Marmalade) and directed by Erica Weiss (A Twist of Water). In a gently whimsical take on a heartbreaking scenario, a young widow keeps her deceased fireman husband’s soul in a box by her bed, but then has to make a tough choice when the possibility for new love comes into her life. Vigils  runs February 28-April 21 at The Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave (at Lawrence) in Chicago.

The Gift’s staging of the dreamy and surreal Vigils emphasizes the hyper-articulate script at the heart of the surreal play.

"Working in an extremely intimate space with very different design capabilities completely transforms how you approach a piece like Vigils, which has so many elements that could be considered magical or otherworldly,” Weiss explains. “We're guided by the artistic ethos of The Gift ensemble, which is grounded in gritty emotional realism and audience immediacy, so that even though the play consists mainly of memories, our production feels very rooted in the present tense."

Vigils stars The Gift ensemble members Hillary Clemens (Dirty) as Widow, Jim Farruggio (Suicide, Inc.) as her deceased husband’s Body, Jay Worthington (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) as his imprisoned Soul and Kyle Zornes (Stop/Kiss) as a new (and living) Wooer, with special guest Elodie Tougne as Child.
Detroit-based playwright Noah Haidle (Mr. Marmalade, Rag and Bone) is the screenwriter of the new movie Stand Up Guys, starring Christopher Walken, Al Pacino and Alan Arkin. Vigils director Erica Weiss staged Route 66 Theatre Company’s 2011 world premiere, Jeff Award-nominated hit A Twist of Water.

Tickets and Performance Schedule
Vigils runs February 28-April 21 at The Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave (at Lawrence) in Chicago.
Showtimes are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30pm, with Sunday matinees at 2:30pm.
Single tickets, $25-$30, are available at 773-283-7071 or online at www.thegifttheatre.org. Three-play 2013 season subscriptions start at $65.

About Vigils’ Creative Team
Detroit-based playwright NOAH HAIDLE’s plays – Vigils; Mr. Marmalade; Rag and Bone; Kitty Kitty Kitty; Persephone; Saturn Returns; Skin Deep Song – have premiered at The Goodman Theatre, Lincoln Center Theater, The Roundabout Theatre Company and other theaters across the US, Germany, Great Britain and New Zealand. Haidle is the recipient of three Lincoln Center Le Compte Du Nuoy Awards, the 2005 Helen Merrill Award for Emerging Playwrights, the 2007 Claire Tow Award and an NEA/TCG theater residency grant. He wrote the screenplay for Stand Up Guys, currently in theaters, and is developing his next script, Rodeo Clown, to be his motion picture directorial debut. His new play Smokefall premieres this season at Goodman Theatre.
Director Erica Weiss was the director of the World Premiere production of Route 66’s A Twist of Water in Chicago as well as its New York Premiere. She was the founding Artistic Director of Hypatia Theatre Company, where she directed the critically acclaimed World Premieres of Red Georgia Clay and Florida Styx. Weiss served as Assistant Director on the Chicago premiere of Elizabeth Rex at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. As a director, dramaturg and assistant director, she has worked with The Gift, Northlight, American Theater Company, Chicago Dramatists, Stage Left, MPAACT and Victory Gardens, where she was the Dramaturg for the workshop and world premiere of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity by Kristoffer Diaz (Pulitzer Prize finalist, Jeff Award winner). Weiss is Associate Artistic Director of Route 66 Theatre Company.

About The Gift Theatre
The Gift Theatre is dedicated to telling great stories on stage with honesty and simplicity. Previous productions include: TEN 2013; Natural Gas' Jugband Christmas; Dirty; Oh, The Humanity (and other exclamations); Fact & Fiction; Absolute Hell; TEN; Cloud 9; Northwest Highway; Night and Her Stars; Get Behind Me, Santa!; Lonesome West; Suicide, Inc.; One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; Almost, Maine; Santa’s Great American Depression Holiday Show! (2009 & 2010); Summer People; The Ruby Sunrise; Talk Radio; Stop/Kiss; Natural Gas; Streamers; Wit ;The Last Days of Judas Iscariot; White People; Three Sisters; The Beauty Queen of Leenane; Blithe Spirit; 365 Days/365 Plays; The Halloween Show; Long Day’s Journey Into Night; The Glass Menagerie (Remount: Theatre on the Lake); The Good Thief; The Clearing; Hurlyburly; The Glass Menagerie; The Pavilion; A Young Man In Pieces; Language of Angels; 6; County Fair; The Countess; Alcatraz (Abbie Hoffman Festival); Orestes 2.0; Boys’ Life. The theater also sponsors the giftED Ensemble, a rigorous two-year afterschool course for creative and motivated high school students on Chicago’s Northwest side, and the literary program/Salon Series giftLIT.
The Gift’s 2013 Season opened in January with TEN, its annual kickoff celebration of ten-minute plays curated by Gift Co-Founder Michael Patrick Thornton. Later this summer, The Gift dramatically shifts tone with the Chicago premiere of dark thriller Mine by Laura Marks, June 13-August 11. The final production of the 2013 Season is the Chicago premiere of Broadsword by Sons of Anarchy staff writer Marco Ramirez, September 26 (first preview)-November 17. Subscriptions for the entire 2013 season, which includes two Chicago premieres, are available for as little as $65. The Gift subscribers ("Gifters") receive admission to three shows, free parking at Gale Street Inn, free admission to all Wednesday night “Natural Gas” improv shows and an invitations to special subscriber-only special events. Subscribe at http://thegifttheatre.org/ or call 773-283-7071.
The Gift Theatre Company’s 2013 season is made possible, in part, by generous contributions from The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation.
The Gift Theatre is conveniently located at 4802 N. Milwaukee in Chicago’s Jefferson Park neighborhood, and is easily accessible by the CTA Blue Line, the Lawrence and Milwaukee Avenue buses and the Kennedy Expressway. 


ACT OUT OPENING: Never the Bridesmaid at Polarity Ensemble



Lindsey Pearlman as Maria.
Photo: Katie Sikora Photography


POLARITY ENSEMBLE THEATRE PRESENTS WORLD PREMIERE OF BILL JEPSEN'S NEVER THE BRIDESMAID, FEBRUARY 26 – APRIL 7

Never the Bridesmaid has been Jeff Recommended.

Record-Setting Playwright Follows Hit Cadillac with Comic Love Story
Polarity Ensemble Theatre presents the world premiere of Never the Bridesmaid, a sweet, funny, life-affirming comedy by Chicago playwright Bill Jepsen. Directed by award-winning director Richard Shavzin, Never the Bridesmaid runs at the Polarity space at the Josephinum Academy, 1500 N. Bell St. in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, February 26 through April 7, 2013.  Tickets are currently on sale here.

Schedule and Ticket Information

Previews for Never the Bridesmaid are February 26 and 27 at 8 p.m.  Gala premiere night is Friday, March 1 at 8 p.m. The show runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. through April 7. 

*Please note:   There will be no performance Sunday, March 10th.   They have added a Thursday March 7th performance with a post-show discussion. That will be the only Thursday night performance in the regular run.  


Tickets $19 for general admission; $15 for seniors; $10 for students with valid I.D. Tickets are $10 for previews (February 26 and 27) and $35 for Gala Premiere Night (March 1 – no senior or student discounts).
All tickets are available by calling 800-838-3006 or online at  Doors open and box office ticket sales are available at the theatre one half hour before curtain.
Additional discounts may be available for groups of 8 or more and industry professionals.


Maria and Anthony are twins who've been damaged by love. Widowed once and divorced twice, Maria longs for a relationship but feels the stigma of a "three-time loser." Dumped by his fiancé four years earlier, Anthony hasn’t dated since. Each has a lot to say about the other’s love life, but both are floundering in their own—while preparing for the 40th anniversary of their parents’ perfect marriage. Will they find love with the willing partners that surround them? With a stellar cast, an award-winning director and a hilarious script, Never the Bridesmaid promises to be a great night out.
Bill Jepsen's last play, Cadillac, set all-time sales records at Chicago Dramatists in 2008, eclipsing even the premiere of Keith Huff's A Steady Rain. It also proved to be one of the most critically acclaimed shows of Chicago’s 2008 winter season, being “Highly Recommended” by nearly all the critics and nominated for five Joseph Jefferson Awards including Best Original Work. Hedy Weiss of the Sun-Times said: “…Jepsen has a fine feel for his characters, a sharp ear for dialogue and a snappy way with unspooling his plot.…” Kelly Kleinman on WBEZ said: “…it will warm your heart… a lovely, life affirming piece.”
Recently Russ Tutterow, Artistic Director of Chicago Dramatists said: "Chicago Dramatists produced Bill Jepsen’s wonderful play Cadillac a few years ago, with great success. Bill writes accessible, thoughtful and thoroughly enjoyable plays." He added: "Polarity Ensemble has earned a respected place in Chicago theatre for its development of new plays and playwrights over the years."
"The process of bringing Never the Bridesmaid to the stage exemplifies what I love about Polarity," said Artistic Director Richard Engling. "The script was delightful when we selected it for our 2011 Dionysos Cup Festival of New Plays. It has gone through two cycles of development that have made it that much better. Seeing the creative partnerships come together to perfect a home-grown piece of theatre art like this is a real inspiration. And then it's such a pleasure to bring the finished work to the audience."
Polarity has intensified its dedication to developing and producing new work by Chicago playwrights, launching 2012-2013 as a season of All New Plays All the Time, presenting two world premieres, increasing its development scheduling and continuing to expand its annual Dionysos Cup Festival of New Plays.
Bill Jepsen is a Network Playwright with Chicago Dramatists. His play, Cadillac, debuted there in January of 2008 and was nominated for five Joseph Jefferson Awards including Best Original Work. Subsequent performances of Cadillac include productions at Theatre on the Lake, Bloomington Playwright's Project, Theatre of Western Springs and the Beverly Theatre Guild. Never the Bridesmaid was featured and developed in Polarity Theatre Ensemble's 2011 Dionysos Cup Festival of New Plays. Mr. Jepsen lives in Chicago with his wife Jennifer and their two children, Rosemary and Marty.
Richard Shavzin has collaborated with Bill Jepsen on developing Never the Bridesmaid for the past few years. New plays have been a passion throughout his career, and other world premiere credits include Marisa Wegrzyn’s Ten Cent Night (Chicago Dramatists); Defamation, Tops or Bottoms, and Fallout (Canamac Productions); Beat The Jester and Slaphappy (Beat The Jester Productions); Changing Rainbows (Red Wolf Theatre); Klub Kokomo (PS Theatricals); and Studs Terkel's Race (adapted by Jamie Pachino) at Strawdog Theatre, where he was Artistic Director from 1993-1998. Also at Strawdog he won a Jeff for Direction for Burn This, and directed the Jeff Nominated productions of Criminal Hearts; Cat's-Paw; The Big Funk; A Mother, A Daughter and A Gun; Skeletons and Hurlyburly, which won Jeffs for Ensemble, Lead Actor, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress. Other credits include the Chicago premiere of Vick’s Boy for American Theater Company (American Blues), Endangered for Stage Left’s Leapfest, and the workshop production of the musical Any Someone At All at Second City’s Skybox Theater. He is an Associate Artist at Chicago Dramatists and American Blues Theater. As Resident Director for Cinestory's First Read at Second City, Richard directed new screenplays by Groundhog Day author Danny Rubin (featuring Tim Kazurinsky), Jay Stapleton (featuring Martin Mull) and Big Night co-author Joe Tropiano. He was the Casting Director for Poya Pictures’ Three Days (Chicago International Film Festival, 1998) and Love 101 (lead film, Chicago Alt. Film Festival, 1999); and Reigning Pictures’ Lana's Rain (Best Actress, Milan Int’l Film Festival; Chicago Int’l Film Festival, 2002). Richard served on the Board of Directors of the League of Chicago Theatres from 1994-2000 and served two terms, one as chair, on the Theatre Peer Review Panel of the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. He currently serves on the Central Regional Board of Directors of Actors Equity Association, and is a Vice-President of the Chicago local of SAG-AFTRA. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.
The cast of Never the Bridesmaid includes: Kristin Danko, Daria Harper, Catherine Hermes, Nick Lake, Lindsey Pearlman, Brian Plocharczyk and Steve Pringle.
The production team includes: Richard Shavzin (Director), Bill Jepsen (Playwright), Richard Engling (Artistic Director), Charles C. Palia, Jr. (Set Design), Benjamin L. White (Lighting Design), Andrew Dallas (Sound Design), Brenda Winstead (Costume Design), Vivian Knouse (Props Design), Dustin Pettegrew (Technical Director), Jamie Crothers (Stage Manager), Rosie Newton (Assistant Director), Andrea DeLonis (Assistant Stage Manager), Cathleen Ann (Graphic Designer).
Polarity Ensemble Theatre is a professionally diverse group of artists who strive to advance the state of Chicago theater for both local and international audiences by developing new works and bringing new life to the classics through live performance, workshops, and publishing. For more information, visit Pet Theatre.
Cast Bios:
Kristin Danko (Kathleen) trained with iO, The Annoyance, and Profiles Theatre. Past performances include The Dame in Co-ed Prison Sluts, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, and Sister Robert Anne in Nunsense 2. She lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Daria Harper (Doris) moved to Chicago in fall of 2011. Her recent Chicago credits include the role of Marthy in Anna Christie with Rendition Theatre, Lady Pernelle in Tartuffe at Boho Theatre, Cindy in her original one woman piece, Devil in the Dirt at Redtwist theatre, Gertie in Fuddy Meers with Ka-Tet Theatre and understudying the roles of Katherine and Gertie for Timeline theatre's production of 33 Variations. She has a BFA in acting from Carnegie Mellon University and an MFA in acting from the University of Virginia. She also is an Alexander Technique teacher and directs a teacher certification program in Chicago.
Catherine Hermes (Therese) returns to Polarity as an artistic associate, having previously appeared in its production of Tom Jones. She has worked with Redmoon, First Folio Shakespeare Festival, Idle Muse, PRIDE Films and Plays, Chicago Mammals, the Women's Theatre Alliance of Chicago, and Azusa Productions. She is a teaching artist with Li'l Buds Theatre Company and lives in Lake Forest, Illinois.
Nick Lake (Anthony) is a company member with Promethean Theatre Ensemble. Favorite roles include Henry (Henry V, PTE), Aguecheek (Twelfth Night, City Lit), Schmendrick (The Last Unicorn, PTE), Lewis Carroll (Alice's Adventures Underground, City Lit) and Benjamin (FRAT, The New Colony). This spring he will be playing Sherlock Holmes in Promethean's production of A Study in Scarlet, directed by Paul Edwards. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Lindsey Pearlman (Maria) has also worked with Stage Left Theatre, Theatre Seven of Chicago, Mary Arrchie Theatre Company, The Gift Theatre Company, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Theatre Wit, Noble Fool Theatricals, Northlight Theatre, and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Lindsey is a company member of Catharsis Productions, with whom she tours the United States performing SEX SIGNALS. She is a graduate of Chicago's Second City Conservatory Program and lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Brian Plocharczyk (Brian) is an ensemble member at Stage Left Theatre, where he has played roles such as Stephen Bellamy in Farragut North and Justin Hammond in After Ashley, both of which earned Brian Jeff Nominations for Actor in a Principle Role. Brian has also performed with Raven Theatre, First Folio, Chicago Shakespeare, City Lit, Theatre at The Center, Oak Park Village Players, Mortar Theatre and many more. Brian starred in the short film OMG by Revision Entertainment, which recently garnered him a nomination for Best Actor at the Pan Pacific Film Fest and recently won a Platinum Remi award for excellence at the World-Fest Houston. Brian is also a voice-over actor, commercial actor, stage combat and stunt performer, as well as a karate instructor. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Steve Pringle (Elmer) Chicago Theater credits: Annie (Paramount Theatre), Ten Chimneys (Northlight Theatre), The Pitmen Painters (Timeline Theatre), Faith Healer (Buffalo Theater Ensemble), Madness of King George , Taming of the Shrew, Richard III (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Without a Parachute (Pasta Fazool Players); The Passion of Dracula (First Folio Theater). Regional Theater: The Rainmaker (Guthrie Theater); Arms and the Man, Custer, The Farm (Actors Theater of St. Paul, founding member); Mousetrap, Pajama Tops (Old Log Theater); Guys and Dolls, Robber Bridegroom, On Golden Pond (Chanhassen Dinner Theater). Film credits: That Was Then, This Is Now. Television credits: Quincy (CBS); The Police, (PBS). Recipient of the Edwin Booth Award from the American College Theater Festival, by The Players’ Club of New York, 1970. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Margo Chervony (Understudy) most recently acted in New Suit Theatre’s production of Emma, and originated the role of Alex in the world premiere of A Girl’s Guide to Coffee of Eric Coble’s Alexandra Trilogy with Actors’ Summit in Akron, Ohio. Margo has additionally acted with Theatre Mir and Chicago Fusion Theatre in Chicago, and regionally with Cleveland Public Theatre (Fever/Dream), Cleveland Shakespeare Festival (Othello, Love’s Labour’s Lost), and the Riverside Shakespeare Theatre (Richard III). She will be performing in Strangeloop Theatre’s all-female production of The Robbers at The Side Project later this spring and is a proud graduate of Case Western Reserve University’s undergraduate theatre program. She lives in Evanston, Illinois.
Production Team Bios:
Richard Engling (Artistic Director) is an actor, director, playwright, novelist and musician. His books have been published by Penguin/Putnam and Polarity Ensemble Theatre Press. He played drums with a jazz quartet for ten years. With Polarity, he directed Absolute Macbeth and The Good Harvest and adapted and appeared in Antigone. He wrote and directed Ghost Watch and appeared in Hamlet, The Rivals, Peer Gynt and Tom Jones. He has degrees in Theatre and Creative Writing, works as a freelance writer, and has performed with Keyhole Theatre, ShakespeareInc, Chicago Actors Ensemble, the IO and others.
Charles C. Palia, Jr. (Set Designer) is a retired teacher of Theatre, Speech and English. Currently, he is on the Polarity Board of Directors and is the Resident Technical Director. Charles has a B.S. degree from I.S.U. in Communications, an M.A. in Theatre Arts and an M.A. in Educational Administration from N.I.U. He is a free-lance designer and a former member of United Scenic Artists. For Polarity he has designed Kabulitis, Ghost Watch, and The Society of Adventurous Women, which he also wrote. He provided technical direction for Long Day’s Journey into Night. Charles also plays lead guitar in the classic rock group “Union Jack” and bugle in the Chicago Royal Airs Drum and Bugle Corps. He lives in Lisle, Illinois.
Brenda Winstead (Costume Designer) Chicago area credits include 42nd Street, Little Shop of Horrors, Guys and Dolls, The Wiz, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Man of La Mancha, Crazy for You, Leading Ladies, The Producers, Hello Dolly and Fiddler on the Roof (Theatre at the Center), The Price (Shattered Globe), Oliver! (Light Opera Works), The Chicago Landmark Project, Cooperstown, and The Water Engine (Theatre Seven). Regional Credits include Born Yesterday, Rumors, and Mousetrap (Peninsula Players), All Shook Up, and High School Musical (Forestburgh Playhouse), Mother Courage and her Children and Waiting for Godot (Connecticut Repertory Theatre) and Carousel (Sierra Repertory Theatre). Brenda has an MFA from the University of Connecticut and is a company member of Theatre Seven of Chicago. She lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Benjamin L. White, USA† (Lighting Designer) is principal consultant for Oak Park-based White Light Design, Inc. Mr. White's early work in RI and graduate studies at UW-Madison, has yielded an expertise ranging from architectural consulting to live industrial shows, exhibits, theatre, dance, and TV production. Projects include designs for 10 S. LaSalle, Chicago Board of Trade, 1 S. Wacker, Willow Creek Community Church, Ravinia orchestra pavilion, Rick Bayless’ Topolobomba restaurant and numerous high-end residences. In addition, Mr. White has designed in Hong Kong, live international teleconferences from Broadway, London and Boston. Mr. White cherishes the ongoing collaboration with director Richard Shavzin (recently Jakes Women, Slaphappy, Beat The Jester, and Ten Cent Night. Other theatre credits include original musicals for Off-Broadway and the Broadway-based dance company, American Dance Machine. †He is a member of United Scenic Artists, the Union of Professional Designers and Artists for the Entertainment Industry, and lives in Oak Park, Illinois.
Vivian Knouse (Props Designer) has worked with the Organic Theatre Company, Shattered Globe theatre company, and the Factory theater company. Vivian was a 2012 intern with the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and studied at the Moscow Art Theatre in 2009. She holds her BFA from Northern Illinois University, where she graduated with honors in 2011. She lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Andrew Dallas (Sound Designer) is an artistic associate with Polarity Ensemble Theatre and provided sound design for its productions of Tom Jones, Kabulitis and Peer Gynt. Andrew's other sound designs include The First and Last Musical on Mars, Macbeth, Swordswomen of San Gimignano, Predator: The Musical and Point Break Live! He is a graduate of the Audio Art & Acoustics department at Columbia College Chicago with a degree in Live Sound Reinforcement. When he is not working in the theatre, Andrew also freelances as a roadie and live sound engineer as well as a recording engineer.
Jamie Crothers (Stage Manager) recently graduated from Bethel College with a B.A. in Theatre Arts. She is excited to begin her career in Stage Management with Polarity Ensemble Theatre. She hails from Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Rosie Newton (Assistant Director) is a Chicago actor and playwright. She was featured as 'Sister' in Late Nite Catechism for thirteen years, both in Chicago and on the national tour. She has been in various Chicago productions with American Theatre Company, Strawdog Theatre, Apple Tree Theatre for Young Audiences and Babes with Blades. She was last seen in Teatro Vista’s production of Our Lady of the Underpass. Two of her plays, Baby Jesus Goes on Strike and The Clue in the Christmas Stocking (A Nancy Drew parody) have been produced by A Reasonable Facsimile Theatre Company.

SCAMP On The Road Tour With The Heard-Abby Pub 3-9 #SCamp13


Here at ChiIL Live Shows, our SCAMP13 (Summer Camp Music Fest) coverage has been in full swing since the first ticket sales and line up announcements.   Have you gotten your tickets yet?   SCAMP is the perfect party in the park, to kick off the spring/summer music fest season every Memorial Day weekend in Chillicothe, IL.   ChiIL Live Shows has years of original photo and video filled SCAMP features, with more to come, just click here for some of our coverage or hit up the search bar to the right for specific artists and check it out!

Ready to shake off the winter blahhhs and get down with a SCAMP sneak peek? 

Chi, IL Live Shows on our radar:

Come on out to The Abbey Pub on Saturday, March 9.   ChiIL Live Shows will be there...will YOU?!   We'll be shootin' stills and gettin' down.


Summer Camp Music Festival 2013 ON THE ROAD TOUR
The Heard, Herbert Wiser Band, Fresh Hops, EGI, Shapes and Colors, Lakeshore Vibe
Sat, March 9, 2013
Doors: 9:00 pm / Show: 12:00 pm (event ends at 3:00 am)
The Abbey Pub
$5.00
This event is 21 and over






bands on our radar:

We dig great sax as much as anyone!   Have you heard The Heard?

The Heard is a Chicago-based band venerated for its deep pocket, authentic grooves and reverence for legendary funk. The group is known for turning out hot, sweat-drenched sets that stretch into the wee hours every Thursday night at live music Mecca aliveOne, 2683 N Halsted Street in Chicago.

The Heard has played Chicago's top venues, including Metro and Lincoln Hall, and backed former Galactic vocalist Theryl "Houseman" DeClouet. They have shared the stage with national acts Dumpstaphunk, Dragon Smoke, The Mike Dillon Band, Passafire, and The Lee Boys, as well as fellow Chicago bands Sidewalk Chalk and Cole DeGenova & The People's Republic.

The Heard's music features powerful horn melodies delivered with precision and swagger by Adam Gross (trombone) and Lucas Ellman (saxophone), the driving and funky chicken-scratch rhythm guitar playing of Taras Horalewskyj, burning keyboard work by Adam Tierney, and a slamming, lock-step rhythm section comprised of bassist Mike Starr and drummer Reid Muchow.


The Heard plays Alive One every Thursday night at 10PM and will be at The Abbey Pub on Saturday, March 9 for the Summer Camp Music Festival 2013 ON THE ROAD TOUR. 

Haven't heard enough?   Check out the band's main site at The Heard Funk.




The funkiest player in Chitown, The Heard’s Lucas Ellman, getting down with Galactic at the Park West!


Saturday, February 23, 2013

ACT OUT: Get Skooled by Actors Gym Through 3/23 #Review

Dean Evans gives  "class clown" a whole new level of meaning!   With a talented cast of Chi-town's best and brightest circus pros and protégées, Skooled shines.


All photography by Ellen Prather of 8 Eyes Photography. 






Skooled: 

A Study in Circus 

Feb 16 - March 23 
Opens this Weekend! 

Life's lessons come in many forms and some people always end up in detention. This year's winter circus spectacular takes audiences on a journey of eccentric clowning, aerial acrobatics, live music, and devilish pranks.   Featuring the work of Dean Evans, Co-Artistic Directors Larry DiStasi, Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi and an amazing team of designers and performers, this circus production explores the school of hard knocks. Last year's winter circus shows sold-out, so don't wait!  
Fridays @ 7:30pm 
Saturdays 4:30pm & 7:30pm
Sundays @ 3pm

ChiIL Mama had a chance to check out Skooled on opening night and we were wowed and amazed.   Highly recommended family friendly fun for all ages!    Du-Jay & Sagezilla (11 & 9) adored it, and as students of circus arts at CircEsteem for over 2 years, they're well versed in what makes for a good show, and they're harsher critics than I am.   Actor's Gym has a small performance space and shows do tend to sell out, so don't miss out.    




Actors Gym excells in couching excellent examples of circus arts within' compelling plot lines.   Their choice of songs and use of live instruments add depth and layers to elevate performances from showcase to full on show.      
Performances run February 16 - March 23, with shows at 7:30 pm on Fridays, 4:30 and 7:30 pm on Saturdays and 3:00 pm on Sundays (No 4:30 show on 2/16). Ticket prices range from $15-20. Tickets can be purchased online through www.actorsgymnasium.com or by calling the office at 847-328-2795. Please call the office for group ticket pricing and availability.  
The Actors Gymnasium is located at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL - just off of the Noyes purple line 'L' stop. For additional information on The Actors Gymnasium's innovative programming, please visit www.actorsgymnasium.com or call 847-328-2795.
About The Actors Gymnasium
The Actors Gymnasium is dedicated to bringing a new physicality to the American Theatre. Encouraging ground-breaking theatrical exploration, The Actors Gymnasium teaches circus arts, physical theatre and multi-disciplinary performance to children and adults; produces original, daring works of circus-theatre; and serves as a talent resource, providing performance opportunities to our students and innovative professional event entertainment for a wider audience.  At The Actors Gymnasium, people Learn To Fly - physically, emotionally, intellectually and creatively.






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