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Saturday, May 11, 2013

ChiIL Picks for Mother's Day: BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER PRESENTS SPECIAL MOTHER’S DAY CONCERT




BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER PRESENTS
SPECIAL MOTHER’S DAY CONCERT
TO MOTHER – WITH LOVE (A CONCERT JUST FOR HER)
FEATURING PERFORMANCES BY THE STARS OF BLACK ENSEMBLE

Sunday, May 12 at 3 p.m.

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and Executive Director Jackie Taylor announces a special Mother’s Day concert, To Mother – With Love (A Concert Just For Her), featuring the stars of Black Ensemble. The one-day-only concert will be held on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12 at 3 p.m. at the new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago.

To Mother – With Love will feature the Black Ensemble's star performers singing love songs dedicated to “Mom.”  Featured performers include Rashawn Thompson, Melanie McCullough, Dawn Bless, Meghan Murphy, Lyle Miller, and more.

Tickets, priced at $50, are available by calling (773) 769-4451 or online at www.blackensembletheater.org.

The Black Ensemble Theater
Founded in 1976, by the phenomenal producer, playwright and actress Jackie Taylor, Black Ensemble Theater is the only African American theater located in the culturally, racially and ethnically diverse north side Uptown community. Through its Five Play Season of Excellence, The Black Ensemble Theater dazzles audiences locally, nationally and internationally with outstanding original musicals that are entertaining, educational and uplifting. The Black Ensemble Theater has produced more than 100 productions and employed over 5,000 artists.

On November 18, 2011, The Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center opened and is able to accommodate larger-scale productions, bigger audiences and a wider range of educational programming. The new facility includes amenities such as a 299-seat main stage theater (double the capacity of the original venue); 14 offices, classroom space; rehearsal hall, dance studio, scene shop, costume shop, and wardrobe rooms; seven dressing rooms; rehearsal room for musicians; front lobby space with concession areas; and an indoor parking garage.  The completion of a 150-seat theater, which will serve as an experimental stage for the work of the Black Playwright Initiative (BPI), is expected in 2013.

The mission of the Black Ensemble Theater Company is to eradicate racism and its devastating effects upon society through the theater arts.  For more information on the Black Ensemble Theater Company, please visit www.BlackEnsembleTheater.org or call 773-769-4451.


The Elephant & The Whale Ticket Giveaway & Original Video Interview With Three of The Creative Masterminds Behind The World Premier #originalvideointerview #giveaway #review #ad





ChiIL Out with ChiIL Mama.   Pop a bowl of popcorn and get ready to see something amazing.  We're so excited to bring you our original video interview with the Co-Directors of The Elephant and The Whale, Frank Maugeri (Redmoon) & Leslie Buxbaum Danzig (500 Clown) and with actor, David Catlin (Lookingglass).   All 3 are parents and theatre professionals and they graciously took time out of their busy lives for an interview with us about the show.  They also shared their insights on "How Creatives Parent and How Parents Create" for ChiIL Mama's long running series on the theme.



We generally try to keep our original videos around 15 minutes, but these three had some seriously sweet gems of info on parenting and great stuff about The Elephant and The Whale, so we're going to go ahead and run it as a longer feature.   I'll also break the material down into shorter 15 minute individual interviews at a later date, to add to our Creative Parenting series.




Win 4 Free Tickets:

ChiIL out with free tickets to Chicago Children's Theatre & Redmoon's stellar collaboration!   Our last giveaway was so successful, we're going to do it again!  Enter now through midnight on 5/13.   This giveaway is short, sweet & hard to beat.    We highly highly recommend you catch this show before it closes May 26th.

Click The Rafflecopter Link Below For Your Chance to Win 4 Tickets To The Elephant & The Whale AND a free pizza party Thurs, 5/16, 6:30 pm.


a Rafflecopter giveaway







ChiIL Live Shows caught the opening weekend of The Elephant & The Whale at Chicago Children's Theatre and we were enormously impressed by this mammoth undertaking.   We've long been fans of Redmoon's mission statement "engineering wonder" and of the fabulous physical comedy and energy of 500 Clown.   These world collided in a BIG way for this show and adults and hard to please tweens and teens will dig this one, too!   Yes, Chicago Children's Theatre is not only for the littles, my friends.   A lot of blood, sweat & prep went into this production, but the end result is pure magic.






Credit for all Production Photos Charles Osgood


Click here for ChiIL Mama's past coverage of The Elephant and The Whale including ticket links, show times and plot points as well as more show footage & stills.

Check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often for loads of original content, fabulous happenings and great giveaways.   

**Final footage footnote:  It took me longer than I'd hoped to don my editor's hat and finish the interview above.  There were so many insightful comments in the interviews that I tried to chop it to about 20 minutes for days, and finally surrendered, and decided that this needs to be published as a longer piece... at least once.
   
We also got caught up in crazy busy parenting land over here, with two kids in and out of their own performances with CircEsteem, 2 Roller Derby halftime shows, a school variety show and 2 gymnastics team showcases.   And I had a 4 day International film fest to cover, and a German filmmaker to interview.

Thanks for your patience.   It's worth the wait!   






SPECTACLE IN MINIATURE TELLS THE TALE OF A GIANT FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE LARGEST ANIMALS ON OUR PLANET, APR. 10-MAY 26 AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER  


This all-new family fable features sea voyages, wild mechanical objects, circus songs, panoramic paintings, exquisite shadow puppets and an innovative sound design. Performances through May 26, 2013 at Chicago Children's Theatre's new home, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn, Chicago.

The Elephant and The Whale is recommended for all ages.



Schedule through May 26:  Tuesday at 10 a.m.; Wednesday at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.; Thursday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Friday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Saturday at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 2p.m. 

Run time is approximately 60 minutes with no intermission.



FREE PIZZA PARTIES ON THURSDAYS & ART PARTIES FRIDAY

As if you need any more reasons to see this show...

Note:  Family-friendly 6:30 p.m. Thursday shows are preceded with a free pizza party starting at 5:45 pm.  Thursday evenings are $25 for dinner and show. On Friday evenings, families are encouraged to kick off their weekend at the 6:30 p.m. show, and stay after for a fun post-show craft party.  Friday evenings are $25 for show and party.

Regular single tickets are $26 for children, $36 for adults. To purchase, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call (872) 222-9555. For discounted school, scout, playgroup, extended family and other group rates, visit GroupTix.net or call (773) 327-3778



Disclaimer:  Thanks to the fabulous folk at Chicago Children's Theatre for giving us family 4 packs of tickets to share with our readers.   All opinions are our own.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Stages Sights & Sounds 2013 Kick Off Party Photo Filled Feature #originalphotos



Paige in Full and Kick Off Party for The Chicago Humanities Fest's Stages, Sights & Sounds 2013 at the MCA.   



It was a true pleasure to mix and mingle... 




We were even given a thought provoking "homework" assignment to go on our name tags.   It proved to be a good ice breaker and conversation starter.   We were asked to provide the first theatre-music-art-or event that "sparked" or inspired your love of the arts.   (even if the love of my life did write Evel Knievel)...

We met the masterminds behind the fest... 





And we got to catch a sneak peek at the excellent Paige in Full show... 











We were even sent home with sweet goody bags full of tasty treats from another of our Chi-town favs, Vosge's Chocolate
  






Wednesday, May 8, 2013

INCOMING: John Waters This Filthy World at The Harris Theater



May 21, 2013 at 7:30 pm

Back by popular demand after a sold out 2010 engagement!
Filmmaker, author, actor and cult icon John Waters returns to the Harris Theater to perform "This Filthy World". Waters is famously known for his films 

Hairspray, Pink Flamingos, Cecil B. DeMented and A Dirty Shame.

Meet the “Pope of Trash”
Join John Waters for an exclusive after-party benefit on the Elizabeth Morse Genius Stage immediately following the performance.  Only 100 tickets available!

Performance: $55-$75
After-Party: $100 (includes specialty cocktails & dinner)
All after-party proceeds support the Harris Theater Mission

Buy your tickets now!



Monday, May 6, 2013

ARTIZAN New Album Ancestral Energy Streaming in Full #melodicmetal




ARTIZAN New Album Ancestral Energy Streaming in Full on GuitarWorld.com  

New Album Ancestral Energy Available May 10th on Pure Steel Records  

Jacksonville Florida's melodic metal quartet ARTIZAN will release theier sophomore effort Ancestral Energy May 10th via Pure Steel Records.Founded in 2008 by drummer Ty Tammeus, ARTIZAN have established themselves as one of the premier acts in their genre. 

Today the band has teamed up with GuitarWorld.com the online home of Guitar World Magazine for an exclusive full album stream of Ancestral Energy.  Check out the album in its entirety HERE.

Although they have created a truly unique sound for themselves, many comparisons to classic Iron Maiden, Queensryche and Fates Warning have been made. Clean, multi-octave vocals, classic riffing, spirited melodies and a touch of progressive elements are woven into the seven tracks on the new album. Matt Barlow (Ex-Iced Earth) is a special guest on the epic 10 minute title track. The album illustration was created by Berlin based artist Eliran Kantor (Testament,Evile,Hatebreed,Atheist,Sigh)

Ancestral Energy will be released on May 10th via Pure Steel Records.

Pre-order in North America here: http://artizanmetal.com/store.html


Ancestral Energy Tracklisting:

1. I Am the Storm
2. The Raven Queen
3. The Guardian
4. The Death of Me
5. Deep Ocean Dreams
6. You Can't Take the Metal
7. Ancestral Energy

ChiIL Mom's Day Blu-Ray Giveaway With Warner Bros #giveaway #BestofWB #ad



We’re proud to announce the Best of Warner Bros. Mother’s Day Movie Night Blog App!

Something old... something new.   Cinema Classics meet new Blu-ray technology here at ChiIL Mama's cool Mother’s Day Giveaway!   

Thanks to Warner Brothers and ChiIL Mama, you can chiIL out and watch some classics while the kids treat you like a star!   Here at ChiIL Mama, we're excited for the release of The Best of WB 100 Film Collection and jazzed to be able to offer a free Blu-ray for YOU. 

One of our lucky readers will win one of the following Blu-ray titles (Prize will be chosen randomly from the titles below!)
- A Star is Born (1976) (Blu-ray)
- Cabaret (1972) (Blu-ray)


We think that most can agree... Moms are the best - and they do a lot for us! Now it’s time to return the favor and celebrate this Mother’s Day by giving mom the movie night she deserves! Celebrate Sunday, May 12th in the best way possible by spending quality time with your family and watch one of YOUR favorite classic films! Watching a classic flick together tells the story of a different time and place, and is the perfect opportunity to catch up and share stories with your family... tell them something that they never knew about Mom!    

Enter to win:  Click the Rafflecopter Link below to enter.   Entries accepted through midnight on Mother's Day 5/12.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Feeling Playful?

•    Guess-the-Scene Game! - How well do you know the silver screen’s most famous love stories and sing-a-longs? Play the Guess-the-Scene game to test your knowledge on the world’s greatest films! The quicker you pick, the more points you score. Ready? Action!


•    Words in Film! - Select your mood and let quotes and images from film express how you’re feeling!


•    Movie Night Conversation Starters! - Watching a classic flick together is the perfect opportunity to catch up and share stories... this Mother’s Day make it a point to connect with your family and give them a chance to learn something about mom they never knew!  Here are some conversation starters to get you started.


Win Extra Entries! 
•    Post your results from the Guess-the-Scene Game in the comments below. 


•    Share your favorite classic film, romance or musical flick from when YOU were a kid in the comments below.




•    Share our contest on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter 






Disclosure:  Thanks to Warner Brothers for supplying us with a Blu-ray for our giveaway. 


ACT OUT OPENING: Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE) presents “Trumbo—Red, White and Blacklisted” Through May 19




BUFFALO THEATRE ENSEMBLE CONCLUDES 2012-2013 SEASON WITH
“TRUMBO — RED, WHITE AND BLACKLISTED” MAY 3-19, 2013


This timely drama is high on our must see list here at ChiIL Live Shows.   


Trumbo - Red, White and Blacklisted
McAninch Arts Center
425 Fawell Blvd Glen Ellyn

Presented by Buffalo Theatre Ensemble

Thru - May 19, 2013

Thursdays:
8:00pm
Fridays:
8:00pm
Saturdays:
8:00pm
Sundays:
2:00pm

Price: $25-$33
Show Type: Drama
Box Office: 630-942-4000

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE) concludes its 2012-2013 Season with  Christopher Trumbo’s “Trumbo – Red, White and Blacklisted" directed by Ensemble Member and Lombard’s own Kurt Naebig. The two-man cast will feature BTE Ensemble Member and Glen Ellyn’s  Bryan Burke as Christopher Trumbo, and Chicago’s Ben Werling as Dalton. All performances take place at the Building K Theatre on the College of DuPage Campus, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, Ill. through May 19. 
 
In 1947, Dalton Trumbo, author of the classic films “Spartacus,” “Roman Holiday” and “Exodus” refused to testify to the House Un-American Activities Committee. He was found in contempt of Congress and was sent to prison and blacklisted as one of the infamous “Hollywood Ten.” Written as homage to his father, Christopher Trumbo’s two-man show, “Trumbo-Red, White and Blacklisted” is inspired by Dalton’s brilliant and razor-sharp letters written to family, friends, former friends, and acquaintances, and sheds new light on how the Dalton took on Congress, Hollywood, and the Red Scare -- and won. "Positively sizzles with wit...sweet, sad and ultimately uplifting,” says Variety.
 
“This play is about rising above adversity for the greater good, with little regard for what the cost may be to oneself,” says director Naebig. “It’s about holding onto ones core beliefs, and fighting for truth…what’s right for the country and those who live in it. I’m hoping this play gives the audience some good food for thought, even encourages a little soul searching and inspires some good conversations in those car rides home after the show as only theater can do.”

Other members of the design team include Westmaont’s Galen G. Ramsey (set, projections, property and sound design), Aurora’s Michael W. Moon (lighting design), and Chicago’s Allison R. Amidei (costume, hair & makeup design). Jill Yetsky is stage manager.
 
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble presents “Trumbo – Red, White and Blacklisted" through May 19.  Performances are Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 to $33. $2 discounts are available for non-COD students and seniors age 60 and over. For more information, call the MAC Ticket Office at (630) 942-4000, or purchase tickets online at www.AtTheMAC.org.
 
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, under the direction of artistic director Connie Canaday Howard and associate artistic director Amelia Barrett is a professional Equity theater company in residence at the McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage. It is rooted in the idea that an acting ensemble and company, who have a history of working together and have developed a sense of trust and community, can create better art.  It is committed to the American tradition of creating believable characters in the context of the production's style. BTE’s 2011-2012 26th season includes David Rambo's "The Lady with All the Answers" (Sept. 7 - 23), "The Underpants," by Carl Sternheim, adapted by Steve Martin  (Jan. 18 - Feb. 3) and Christopher Trumbo's "Trumbo-Red, White & Blacklisted"  (May 3 - 19).
 
The McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, located 25 miles west of Chicago near I-88 and I-355, houses three performance spaces, an art gallery and classrooms for the college’s academic programming. This unique facility has presented theater, music, dance and visual art to more than 1.5 million people since its opening in 1986 and last year welcomed more than 75,000 patrons from the greater
 
The MAC began major renovations in fall 2012 that will update the major performance spaces, address significant infrastructure needs and improve several academic program areas. Scheduled completion date is spring 2014. The project will cost $35 million and is funded by the $168 million referendum that voters of District 502 passed in November 2010. Other projects beginning this year include the renovation of the Physical Education Center, Student Resource Center and Seaton Computing Center, and construction of the Campus Maintenance Center. The mission of the McAninch Arts Center is to foster enlightened educational and performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community. For more information click here.
 
Profiles
 
Bryan Burke*+ (Christopher Trumbo) is a member of Buffalo Theatre Ensemble's acting ensemble. BTE acting credits include George in “Moon Over Buffalo,” Francis Hardy in Bradley Armacost’s staging of Faith Healer, “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune” as Johnny in “Italian-American Reconciliation” as Huey, “Sleuth” as Andrew Wyke, “The Melville Boys” as Lee, “Seascape with Sharks and Dancer” as Ben, “Noises Off” as Fredrick Fellows/Phillip Brent and “Visiting Mr. Green” as Ross Gardiner. Other acting credits with BTE include “The Trip to Bountiful,” “The Lonesome West,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “The Living,” “Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” “Look Homeward Angel,” “Warrior and Hamlet.” BTE directing credits include BTE‘s 2011-2012 Season Opening production of “Shining City,” “Love Song, Stones In His Pockets,” “The Weir” and “Three Days of Rain.” He was also a founding member of Chicago's Cactus Theatre Company. Acting credits with The Cactus Theatre Company include “Golden Boy,” “Fishing,” “Paradise Lost” and “Waiting for Lefty.” He also directed their production of “Hurly Burly.” Burke is also a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
 
Ben Werling (Dalton) is proud to be a member of the Shattered Globe Theater Ensemble. Dalton began his Chicago career 20 years ago with SGT in their critically acclaimed very first production (in the space next to the Gaslight on Halsted), of “ Talk Radio” (for which he received the Joseph Jefferson Citation for Actor in a Principle Role as abusive talk show host Barry Champlain). Other favorite Chicago roles include: Biff in Raven Theater’s “Death of a Salesman”; a member of the Ensemble in “A clockwork Orange” at Steppenwolf; Dracula in “The Passion of Dracula” at First Folio Theater; the evil Villeforte in ‘The Count of Monte Cristo” at Bailiwick; Prosecutor Challee in A Red Orchid’s “The Caine Mutiney Court Marshall”; and The Cabbie in Famous Door Theater’s long running “Hellcab.” Regional credits include: three consecutive seasons at The Illinois Shakespeare Festival as Claudius in”Hamlet,” Orsino in “Twelfth Night,” Banquo in “Macbeth”, and Brutus in “Julius Caesar;: and as Bernard Nightingale in Indiana Repertory’s production of Tom Stoppard’s “Arcadia.”
 
Kurt Naebig*+ (Director) is a BTE Ensemble member and has performed in many BTE shows. A Juilliard Graduate, he has also studied at Moscow School of the Arts in Russia and has worked at Steppenwolf, Portland Stage, Milwaukee’s Pabst Theatre, National Jewish Theater, and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.  Favorite Roles include Stanley in “Streetcar,” Merrick in “The Elephant Man,” Einstein in “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” and Joe in “Golden Boy.”  Film/TV roles include “Public Enemies,” “The Express,” “Witless Protection,” “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer,” He has appeared in “Chicago Fire,” “The Chicago Code,” “Detroit 1-8-7” and multiple episodes of “Prison Break” and “ER.”  Naebig directed “The Drawer Boy, “ “Moonlight and Magnolias,” “Italian American Reconciliation,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Nocturne,” “Fuddy Meers,” “Sylvia” and “Lost in Yonkers” at BTE. He is a former artistic director of The Theatre of Western Springs, and a teacher and Acting Coach at Acting Studio Chicago.
 
* Denotes BTE Ensemble member
+ Denotes Member of Actors Equity Association


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