SAVE THE DATE: Black Flag FREE Kids' Show at Reggies 6/17 & Lawsuit Settled

Real punk for the punk kin... Hey punk rock moms and dads, ChiIL Mama's got the word there'll be a FREE KIDS SHOW with none other than punk rock royalty BLACK FLAG!!! Yes, that's right, your child can meet Greg Ginn and the other members of Black Flag and hear some rockin' awesome stripped down Black Flag songs LIVE, for FREE! The date is June 17th at Record Breakers at Reggies at 6 pm and they'll have free hot dogs and sweet, sweet sugary soda for the kids! Afterward you can go home and have a TV Party! This is for real, this is not a joke, this is awesome. Last year we caught both Black Flag and Flag on tour.  This year we'll be back with the punk kin in tow. Can't wait! On a related note: The suit brought by SST Records and Greg Ginn against the members of Flag, which was filed in August 2013, has been settled, in an agreement signed by Greg Ginn, SST Records, and former Black Flag members Henry Rollins, Keith Morris, etc. The pertinent settlement points are as follows: · The ownership of all of the recordings of Black Flag have been confirmed to Greg Ginn and SST Records. · All rights in the Black Flag name and logo have been confirmed to Greg Ginn and SST Records. · Henry Rollins and Keith Morris, who had surreptitiously attempted to register the Black Flag logo (the “bars’’) with the U.S. Trademark Office, have conveyed any rights they had in that trademark to Greg Ginn and SST Records. . Flag wil cease use of the Black Flag logo.  "As was inevitable, this little bump in the road is out of the way and BLACK FLAG will continue as planned without the confusion."   ...Mike Vallely, singer BLACK FLAG.

PHOTO RECAP: Chris Greene Quartet Album Release at Green Mill 3/8/14 #OriginalPhotos

Goin' Greene!

It was our great pleasure to catch Chicago's own Chris Greene's Music Appreciation album release party at The iconic Green Mill in March. We were elated to hear the new material live and shoot stills as well.  Click here to check out our past coverage.



Check out ChiIL Live Shows' photo recap. Our favorites are embedded below, and a full set is available as a slideshow right here.  ChiIL Live Shows was there... were YOU?!  If not, you can experience it vicariously via our live show shots. If you were, there, relive it with us.

Full Set: 

CD Release Party for “MUSIC APPRECIATION” on Single Malt Recordings

featuring:

Chris Greene – saxophones

Damian Espinosa – piano

Marc Piane – bass

Steve Corley – drums

We can't think of a better venue for a smokin' jazz quartet.  The Green Mill has atmosphere to spare and a storied history as a speakeasy with underground tunnels to let partiers out into the bank across the street in case of a raid.  

No raids for the release night--and plentiful beer.  

The Chris Greene Quartet celebrates Music Appreciation at The Green Mill

Local saxophonist and composer Chris Greene and his quartet have a new CD entitled Music Appreciation that draws from all eras of jazz, as well as 70s soul and 80s progressive pop acts from Prince to The Police and Yellow Magic Orchestra. CGQ celebrated the release with a show at the legendary Green Mill on Saturday, March 8th, 2014. 

Click here to sample a few tracks.   

http://chrisgreenejazz.com/

Our Favorite Shots:

ACT OUT: Look Back in Anger at Redtwist #OnSaleNow

Look Back in Anger

By John Osbourne 

Directed by Jonathan Berry 

Opens Saturday, May 17, at 3pm 

The seminal British drama of the 20th century, Look Back in Anger, exploded onto London's post-war theatrical landscape in the midst of silly comedies and splashy musicals. It took no prisoners and gave no quarter, mercilessly skewering the leftover relics of the Edwardian class system while blazing a trail for every British dramatist who followed. In a recent Entertainment Weekly poll, it was voted #17, among the 50 Greatest Plays of the Past 100 Years.

SCHEDULE 

Opens: Sat, May 17, 3pm (there is no evening performance on this date)

 Runs: Thu, Fri, Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 3pm

Closes: Sun, June 15 

Running Time: Approximately 2:20 minutes, which includes one intermission

Previews: $15; Wed, Thu, Fri, May 14, 15, 16, at 7:30pm

Tickets: Thursdays, $30; Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, $35 (seniors & students $5 off)

RESERVATIONS  

Call: 773-728-7529 

Website/Tickets: www.redtwist.org

PLAY 

This is the post-war British drama that started it all, said it best, and influenced every British playwright who came after it. In the play, Jimmy Porter, a bright, educated young man of working-class roots, is railing incessantly against the status quo and the vestiges of the desiccated social strata of the Edwardian ethic. When his long-suffering, upper-middle-class wife, Alison, has had her fill of his diatribes, things explode in every direction. The teetering couple, estranged and in extremis, flanked by his best buddy and her best friend, realize that amidst the despair and anger, they have one last thing that may save their souls. This is the long-awaited revival of a post-war classic...directed by post-modern maestro, Jonathan Berry.

CAST

Japhet Balaban (Cliff Lewis), Larry Baldacci (Colonel Redfern), Baize Buzan (Alison Porter), Lucy Carapetyan (Helena Charles), Joseph Wiens (Jimmy Porter)

UNDERSTUDY CAST

Nick Freed (Jimmy Porter), Rachel Griesinger (Helena Charles), Jerry M. Miller (Colonel Redfern), Mickey O'Sullivan (Cliff Lewis), Annie Sauter (Alison Porter) 

  

STAFF 

Jonathan Berry (Director), Kristen Johnson (Assistant Director), Allison Queen (Stage Manager), Joe Schermoly (Set Designer), Izumi Inaba (Costume Designer), Eric J. Vigo (Lighting Designer), Chris Kriz (Sound Designer), Ryan McCain (Props Designer), Elise Kauzlaric (Dialect Coach), Chris Rickett (Violence Designer), Kevin McDonald (Dramaturg), Sara Dickey (ASM Intern), Felicia Soler (Production Assistant), Jessie Chappe (Casting Director), Jan Ellen Graves (Graphic Design, Marketing), Charles Bonilla (Box Office Manager), E. Malcolm Martinez (Box Office Associate), Johnny Garcia (Box Office Associate/Associate Producer), Michael Colucci & Jan Ellen Graves (Producers)

Redtwist is located at 1044 W Bryn Mawr, 2 blks W of LSD, 2 blks E of the Red Line El station. Street parking (paybox/meters until 10pm, Free on Sundays) is available on Bryn Mawr, side streets, and Broadway. Please reserve 48 hours in advance. Credit cards accepted by phone and online to guarantee seating.  

ACT OUT OPENING: Mud Blue Sky at A Red Orchid

A RED ORCHID THEATRE PRESENTS 

THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF 

MUD BLUE SKY  

BY MARISA WEGRZYN

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we've long turned to A Red Orchid for consistently cutting edge, world class productions.

Regular Run: April 18 – May 25, 2014

Schedule:     Thursdays: 8:00 p.m.

Fridays: 8:00 p.m.

Saturdays: 8:00 p.m. (4pm matinee added on Saturday, April 19)  

Sundays: 3:00 p.m. (No performance on Easter Sunday, April 20) 

Location: A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells Ave.

Tickets: $25-$30 regular run.  ($25 Thurs, $30 Fri-Sun)

Box Office: Located at 1531 N. Wells Ave, Chicago, (312) 943-8722; or online www.aredorchidtheatre.org 

A Red Orchid Theatre presents the Chicago Premiere of Mud Blue Sky written by Marisa Wegrzyn and directed by Ensemble Member Shade Murray. The production will feature AROT Ensemble Members Natalie West, Mierka Girten and Kirsten Fitzgerald, and will run April 9 – May 25, 2014 at A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells.

A high school pot dealer abandons his prom night to crash the hotel room reunion between three flight attendants (all old enough to be his mother). Booze is poured, herb is smoked, the room blurs and futures, careers, and kindness snap sharply into focus. We suggest that you keep your seat belt fastened throughout the performance, as you are certain to experience turbulence. Local Playwright Marisa Wegrzyn's profoundly compassionate and fiercely witty play makes its Chicago Premiere. 

“Mud Blue Sky is both fierce and compassionate,” comments Artistic Director Kirsten Fitzgerald. “I find these two qualities at the core of Marisa’s work and am thrilled to be collaborating with her and with my fellow Orchids to bring it to Chicago. The previous work we have all done together allows us to challenge each other and the play all the more.”

Mud Blue Sky features Ensemble Members Kirsten Fitzgerald (Angie), Mierka Girten (Sam) and Natalie West (Beth), with Matt Farabee (Jonathan). Fitzgerald, Girten and West were last seen together at A Red Orchid together in the Company’s smash-hit production of Abigail’s Party, also directed by Shade Murray. West, Fitzgerald and Murray also collaborated on Wegrzyn’s Butcher of Baraboo in 2012.

The creative team for Mud Blue Sky includes Jackie Penrod (scenic), Ensemble Member Karen Kawa (costumes), Ensemble Member Mike Durst (lighting), Brando Triantafillou (sound), Corinne Bass (props), Stephanie Heller (stage manager), Jessie Roth (assistant director) and Brian Sauer (technical director).

Marisa Wegrzyn (playwright) Productions include The Butcher of Baraboo (A Red Orchid Theatre & Steppenwolf Theatre's First Look Rep); Diversey Harbor; Killing Women; The Chicago Landmark Project: State & Madison; The Grid (Theatre Seven); Hickorydickory; Ten Cent Night (Chicago Dramatists); Psalms of a Questionable Nature (Rivendell Theatre).Her plays have been produced Off Broadway at Second Stage, at Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival, Moxie Theatre (San Diego), The Road Theatre (Los Angeles), CENTERSTAGE Baltimore. She's been commissioned by Yale Repertory Theatre and Steppenwolf Theatre. Chicago Reader named her Best Playwright in the 2008 "Best of Chicago" issue, and she received the 2009 Wendy Wasserstein Playwriting Prize. She was a writer for the TV drama "Mind Games" on ABC, a contributor to The Paper Machete Live Magazine, a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists, and a founding company member of Theatre Seven of Chicago.

Shade Murray (Director) directed Annie Baker’s The Aliens and Nick Jones’ Trevor at A Red Orchid as well as The Butcher of Baraboo, Abigail's Party (Jeff Nomination, Director) and Kimberly Akimbo.  He recently had the pleasure of directing Annie Bosh is Missing for Steppenwolf Theatre’s First Look.  Other credits include End Days at Next Theatre, The Chosen (Jeff Nomination, Director), The Subject Was Roses at Writers' Theatre, Fatty Arbuckle... at Second City, The Petrified Forest, The Good Soul of Szechuan, R.U.R., Marathon '33 (Jeff and After Dark Awards, ensemble), Detective Story (Jeff Award, Production, Director, Ensemble), WRLS #5, and Our Country's Good at Strawdog Theatre, Stupid Kids (Jeff Nomination, Director), Some Explicit Polaroids, Santaland Diaries, Never Swim Alone at Roadworks as well as productions at the MCA, Shattered Globe, About Face, Colbalt, Shakespeare's Motley Crew, Timberlake Playhouse and dance theatre in collaboration with MK and Birgitta Victorson. Shade is an MFA candidate in directing at Northwestern University, an associate artist with A Red Orchid and Strawdog Theatre Companies and has taught at Northwestern University, DePaul University, Act One Studios, National Louis University, National High School Institute, Piven Workshop and the Actor's Gym.

Matt Farabee (Jonathan) Chicago credits include:  punkplay (Steppenwolf Garage); Skylight (Court Theater); MilkMilkLemonade (Pavement Group); Elizabeth Rex (Chicago Shakespeare); Tigers Be Still (Theater Wit); The Shadow Over Innsmouth(WildClaw Theatre); The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek (Eclipse Theatre Company).  Off Broadway: A Bright New Boise (Partial Comfort). Regional: Lord of the Flies; One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Round House Theatre).  He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Kirsten Fitzgerald (Angie) is a member of the Artistic Ensemble at A Red Orchid and the current Artistic Director.  Her performances here at home include The Butcher of Baraboo, The New Electric Ballroom, Abigail's Party, The Sea Horse [Jeff Award], Pumpgirl, Weapon of Mass Impact, Mr. Bundy, The Killer and more. Other Chicago credits include Appropriate (Victory Gardens), Clybourne Park, The Elephant Man, and A Streetcar Named Desire (Steppenwolf Theatre); Major Barbara (Remy Bumppo); Romeo and Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage (Defiant Theatre);  A Moon for the Misbegotten (Circle Theatre) in addition to work with Next, Goodman, Shattered Globe, Famous Door, Plasticene and the Utah Shakespeare Festival among others. Kirsten teaches acting at DePaul University and Columbia College.  She can be seen on TV right now in Sirens (USA- Thursdays 9:00c) and has worked on Chicago Fire (NBC), ER (NBC) and Underemployed (MTV).

MIERKA GIRTEN (Sam) was last seen in Trevor and in Simpatico at A Red Orchid Theatre where she is an ensemble member. Off-Broadway, she was seen in Mistakes Were Made with Michael Shannon and Sam Deutsch, after doing the world premiere right here at home. Also at A Red Orchid: Abigail’s Party, Weapon of Mass Impact, The Meek, Kimberly Akimbo and The Treatment. Other Chicago credits include:  her one woman show With or Without Wings, The Walls at Rivendell Theatre Company, A View From The Bridge at ATC, The Book Of Liz with Roadworks, The Danube, Edmond, Marat Sade and A Blood Wedding with The Hypocrites, Into The Woods at Porchlight, Marathon 33 and Subterranean Love Story at Strawdog Theatre, in addition to work with Appletree, Circle Theatre, Livebait, Illinois Theatre Center, Provision, and Cobalt Ensemble.  Mierka toured the country in The Secret Garden and has been heard nationally, as an announcer and jingle singer on many radio and television commercials. Film credits include: The Manson Family, The Lake at Evening and The Drunk. Mierka is the founder of The Mookie Jam Foundation, benefiting artists with Multiple Sclerosis - because she is a daily warrior against the disease. Perseverance furthers. 

Natalie West (Beth) is a member of the ensemble at A Red Orchid. She most recently appeared in Sons of the Prophet at American Theatre Company. Previous productions include Side Man (Steppenwolf), The Man Who Came to Dinner (Steppenwolf and The Barbican in London), House and Garden (Goodman), How I Learned to Drive (Northlight), God of Hell (Next), The Guys (Piven), and several shows with Remains Theatre where she was an ensemble member for many years. Natalie was a regular on the television show Roseanne as Crystal. Films include Nate and Margaret, Poker House, Life Sentence and Bushwhacked. Natalie is the recipient of three Jeff Awards for supporting actress for Butcher of Baraboo and Abigail's Party at A Red Orchid and Life and Limb at Wisdom Bridge. She holds a MSW from Loyola University Chicago and a BA in Theatre from Indiana University. She also attended Webber Douglas Drama Academy in London.

About A Red Orchid 

Since 1993 A Red Orchid Theatre has been an artistic mainstay of the Chicago theatre community; known and praised for its powerful ensemble, creative design and its gripping, intimate productions.  It was named Best Theatre of 2010 by Chicago Magazine. The resident Ensemble maintains the conviction that live theatre is the greatest sustenance for the human spirit, and the 2013-2014 subscription season promises to bring Ensemble and audience even closer together.

A Red Orchid Theatre is: Lance Baker, Kamal Angelo Bolden, Dado, Mike Durst, Jennifer Engstrom, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Joseph Fosco, Steve Haggard, Mierka Girten, Larry Grimm, Karen Kawa, Karen Kessler, Danny McCarthy, Shade Murray, Brett Neveu, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen, Doug Vickers, Natalie West and Craig Wright.

WIN a 47 Ronin iTunes Digital HD Code #giveaway #movie #ad

Disclosure: We're thrilled to partner up with Universal Home Entertainment again and have been given a blu-ray combo to review and a 47 Ronin iTunes Digital HD code for our readers.

47 Ronin is now available on Blu-ray/DVD from Universal Home Entertainment.  To celebrate, ChiIL Mama/ChiIL Live Shows is giving away one (1) 47 Ronin iTunes Digital HD code.  

ENTER HERE through midnight April 15th for your chance to win. The iTunes code is only for US residents. 

47 Ronin is available now on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD. 

Sure, 47 Ronin may not make it to the epic, elite of the marshal arts classics, but this movie is a visual feast and a lot of fun. We've long been fans of the genre and the PG13 rating means our tween & teen could watch, too, without too much gratuitous gore.  And the mythical beasties are well worth a look. It's a modern take on a classic story, and this plot line has stood the test of time. The final dragon battle is definitely cool. This is a fun one to own, and great for a lazy night of mindless popcorn gorging on the couch. 

47 RONIN

KEANU REEVES STARS IN THE 3D EPIC ACTION-ADVENTURE

47 RONIN

BE THE FIRST TO OWN IT ON DIGITAL HD MARCH 18, 2014

AND BRING HOME THE BLU-RAY™ COMBO PACK INCLUDING

BLU-RAY, DVD & DIGITAL HD WITH ULTRAVIOLET™ ON APRIL 1, 2014



NOW MOVIE FANS CAN WATCH 47 RONIN ANYWHERE ON THEIR FAVORITE DEVICES

 

Keanu Reeves (The Matrix trilogy, The Day The Earth Stood Still) stars in a reimagining of one of Japan’s timeless tales, 47 Ronin, available on Blu-ray™ 3D and Blu-ray™ Combo Packs, DVD, DIGITAL HD including UltraViolet^™ and On Demand on April 1, 2014, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.­­­

 

Based on an epic story, this extraordinary tale of inspiring courage has its origins in the early 18^th century. After a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind, 47 leaderless samurai vow to seek vengeance and reclaim their honor. Transformed into a thrilling, visually stunning 3D film by director Carl Rinsch, 47 Ronin tells the story of a small group of warriors, or ronin, on a quest to avenge the death of their master. Battling across a savage world of mythical beasts, shape-shifting witches and wondrous terrors, the ronin must seek help from kai (Reeves), an enslaved half-breed they once rejected – in their ultimate fight for redemption.

 

Keanu Reeves leads an international cast that includes Hiroyuki Sanada (Sunshine, The Last Samurai) as Oishi, the leader of the ronin; Tadanobu Asano (The Wolverine, Thor: The Dark World) as Lord Kira, the treacherous villain who will stop at nothing to destroy his enemies; Academy Award^®-nominated actress Rinko Kikuchi (Babel, Pacific Rim) as the Witch, a siren who executes Kira’s deadly plans; and Ko Shibasaki (The Lady Shogun and Her Men, One Missed Call) as Mika, the forbidden love of Kai’s life.

 

The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD with UltraViolet^™. 

·           BLU-RAY™ disc unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6x the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.  

·           DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.

·           DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet^™ lets watch movies anywhere, on any device. Users can instantly stream or download movies to watch on iPad®, iPhone®, Android™, smart TVs, connected Blu-ray players, game consoles and more.

EXCLUSIVE 3D BLU-RAY™ COMBO PACK AND BLU-RAY™ COMBO PACK BONUS FEATURES:

·           KEANU & KAI — Keanu Reeves embodies one of cinema’s most richly imagined heroes as Kai, the outcast who leads a small band of rebels against an army and supernatural enemies. Along with Reeves, director Carl Rinsch and other key voices from the filmmaking team reveal how this adventure would not be possible without Reeves’ mastery of martial arts and total immersion in the role.

·           STEEL FURY: THE FIGHTS OF 47 RONIN — This featurette explores the intense research, choreography and rehearsals that went into creating the film’s unique action sequences, including Kai’s epic battle against the silver Samurai and the heart-stopping Kirin hunt sequence. 

·           MYTHS, MAGIC & MONSTERS:  THE FX OF 47 RONIN — 47 Ronin’s world-class creative team reveals the technological magic it used to bring to life the creatures of ancient Japanese folklore, including The Kirin (a giant hybrid beast with the head of a dragon and the body of a deer), the Kitsune witch, the Oni troll and the demonic Tengu Monks.

 3D BLU-RAY, BLU-RAY and DVD BONUS FEATURES:

·           RE-FORGING THE LEGEND — The story of 47 Ronin is one of Japan’s most time-honored legends. The filmmakers talk about how they brought this “dream world” to the big screen, from script to costumes, visual design, and culture.



·           DELETED SCENES

CAST AND FILMMAKERS:

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi, Ko Shibasaki

Directed by: Carl Rinsch

Screenplay by: Chris Morgan, Hossein Amini

Story by: Chris Morgan, Walter Hamada

Producers: Pamela Abdy, Eric McLeod

Director of Photography: John Mathieson

Production Design by: Jan Roelfs

Editor: Stuart Baird

Costumes by: Penny Rose

Original Music by: Ilan Eshkeri

TECHNICAL INFORMATION – 3D BLU-RAY™:

Street Date: April 1, 2014

Copyright: 2014 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Selection Numbers: 61131766 (U.S), 61131767 (CDN)

Running Time: 1 Hour 59 Minutes

Layers: BD-50

Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 2.40:1

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, and thematic elements

Technical Info: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1/DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital2, DTS Digital Surround 5.1 (Spanish, French)

Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French

TECHNICAL INFORMATION – BLU-RAY™:

Street Date: April 1, 2014

Copyright: 2014 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Selection Numbers: 61130457 (U.S), 61131189 (CDN)

Running Time: 1 Hour 59 Minutes

Layers: BD-50

Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 2.40:1

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, and thematic elements

Technical Info: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1/DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital2, DTS Digital Surround 5.1 (Spanish, French)

Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French

TECHNICAL INFORMATION – DVD:

Street Date: April 1, 2014

Copyright: 2014 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Selection Numbers: 61119170 (U.S), 61131190 (CDN)

Running Time:  1 Hour 59 Minutes

Layers: Dual Layer

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, and thematic elements

Technical Info: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1/DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital2, DTS Digital Surround 5.1 (Spanish, French)

Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French

Below is a look at 47 Ronin’s amazing cast! 

Keanu Reeves (Kai)

Reeves is a Canadian actor that has starred in many popular, fan-favorite movies such as Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Speed, and The Matrix trilogy. In 47 Ronin, Reeves plays the role of Kai, an outcast half-Japanese, half-British man who longs to be accepted. Due to unforeseen circumstances, he gets his chance to prove he has what it takes to be a samurai.

Hiroyuki Sanada (Ôishi)

Born in Tokyo, Sanada is a critically acclaimed actor who has starred in various films such as The Wolverine and The Last Samurai, as well as hit TV shows like “Lost.” In 47 Ronin, he portrays the dedicated samurai leader Ôishi.

Ko Shibasaki (Mika)

Ko, the rising Japanese star was born in Tokyo, and started her career at 14 when she was discovered. Her rise to fame was launched in the cult favorite films Battle Royale, and One Missed Call. Shibasaki portrays Mika in 47 Ronin, Kai’s love interest.

Rinko Kikuchi (Witch)

Global star Rinko Kikuchi has stolen her way to our hearts with her outstanding performances in independent films like The Brothers Bloom and Norwegian Wood, as well as award-winners like Babel, and blockbuster hits like Pacific Rim.  Kikuchi plays the Witch in 47 Ronin who uses her spells to manipulate fate.

About Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

47 Ronin, now available on Blu-ray™ 3D and Blu-ray™ Combo Packs, DVD, DIGITAL HD including UltraViolet^™ and On Demand from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

Disclosure: We're thrilled to partner up with Universal Home Entertainment again and have been given a blu-ray combo to review and a 47 Ronin iTunes Digital HD code for our readers.

ACT OUT: MICHAEL CERA, KIERAN CULKIN AND TAVI GEVINSON TO STAR IN THIS IS OUR YOUTH

MICHAEL CERA, KIERAN CULKIN AND TAVI GEVINSON TO STAR IN PRE-BROADWAY

THIS IS OUR YOUTH

BY KENNETH LONERGAN, 

DIRECTED BY ENSEMBLE MEMBER ANNA D. SHAPIRO

PERFORMANCES ARE JUNE 10 – JULY 27, 2014, IN STEPPENWOLF’S UPSTAIRS THEATRE

**Tickets to This Is Our Youth ($20 – $82) go on sale to the public on Friday April 25 at 11am, and can be purchased online at steppenwolf.org or through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St) at 312-335-1650.**

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is pleased to announce the addition of This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan to this summer’s line-up. Directed by ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro, the production features Michael Cera (Arrested Development, Juno), Kieran Culkin (Igby Goes Down, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World) and Tavi Gevinson (Enough Said) in the Upstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St), June 10 – July 27, 2014. Tickets ($20 - $82) go on sale to the public on Friday April 25 at 11am, and can be purchased online at steppenwolf.org or through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St) at 312-335-1650.

The Steppenwolf Theatre Company production of This Is Our Youth will be produced on Broadway by Scott Rudin, with performances beginning Monday August 18 at the Cort Theatre, and an opening night scheduled for Thursday, September 11^th.

Set in New York in 1982, This Is Our Youth follows forty-eight hours in the lives of three very lost young souls: Warren, a dejected nineteen year old who has just stolen $15,000 from his abusive, tycoon father; Dennis, his charismatic drug-dealing friend who helps Warren put the stolen money to good use; and Jessica, the anxiously insightful young woman who Warren yearns for. Funny, painful and compassionate, This Is Our Youth is a living snapshot of the moment when many young people go out into the world on their own, armed only with the ideas and techniques they developed as teenagers—far more sophisticated than their parents realize, and far less effectual than they themselves can possibly imagine. 

Artistic Director Martha Lavey vividly remembers the first time she saw This Is Our Youth in New York. “The play speaks so eloquently of its time,” Lavey notes, “that moment when the children of the ‘60s were parents themselves and had landed in Reagan’s America, and of a time in one's life—that confusing period of early adulthood before one has made a mark in the world. Kenny Lonergan has captured, with great wit and pathos both the timeless generational struggle and a moment in our country’s history that continues to affect our sense of who we are.”

Anna D. Shapiro is currently directing Of Mice and Men, (opening April 16, 2014) at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre. She was nominated for a 2011 Tony Award^® for her production of Stephen Adly Guirgis’ award-winning play, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, and was awarded the 2008 Tony^®, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Direction of a Play for her production of Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County. Anna has been a Steppenwolf Ensemble member since 2005. Her Steppenwolf directing credits include A Parallelogram and Tracy Letts’ adaptation of The Three Sisters, among others. Other recent directing credits include Domesticated (Lincoln Center Theatre), A Parallelogram (Mark Taper Forum), A Number (American Conservatory Theatre) and The Drawer Boy (Paper Mill Playhouse). Shapiro is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and Columbia College. She is a full-time professor in Northwestern University's Department of Theatre and has served as the Director of the Graduate MFA Directing Program since 2002.

Kenneth Lonergan’s plays include The Starry Messenger, Lobby Hero (Drama Desk Best Play Nominee), and The Waverly Gallery (2001 Pulitzer Prize finalist). Lonergan has also garnered critical acclaim for his screenplays, including Gangs of New York (2002 Academy Award Nominee for Best Original Screenplay), You Can Count on  Me (2001 Academy Award Nominee for Best Original Screenplay) and Analyze This.

Pre-sale tickets are currently available to 2014/15 season Subscribers. Call Audience Services at 312-335-1650 for more information. 20 for $20: twenty $20 tickets are available through Audience Services beginning at 11am on the day of each performance (1pm for Sunday performances). Rush Tickets: half-price rush tickets are available one hour before each, show pending availability. Student Discounts: a limited number of $15 student tickets are available online. Limit 2 tickets per student; must present a valid student ID for each ticket. For additional student discounts, visit steppenwolf.org/students Group Tickets: all groups of 10 or more receive a discounted rate for any performance throughout the season. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org/groups.

Accessible performances include a touch tour and audio description on July 26 at 3pm; closed captioning on July 19 at 3pm; and American Sign Language interpretation on July 18 at 7:30pm. For more information, visit steppenwolf.org/access.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is America’s longest standing, most distinguished ensemble theater, producing nearly 700 performances and events annually in its three Chicago theater spaces—the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat Garage Theatre. Formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, Steppenwolf has grown into an ensemble of 43 actors, writers and directors. Artistic programming at Steppenwolf includes a five-play Subscription Season, a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season and two repertory series: First Look Repertory of New Work, and Garage Rep. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Off-Broadway, Broadway, London, Sydney and Dublin. Steppenwolf has the distinction of being the only theater to receive the National Medal of Arts, in addition to numerous other prestigious honors including an Illinois Arts Legend Award and 12 Tony Awards. Martha Lavey is the Artistic Director and David Hawkanson is the Executive Director. Nora Daley is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre and twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr.

Currently on stage are The Way West by Mona Mansour, directed by ensemble member Amy Morton (through June 8, 2014) in the Downstairs Theatre; Russian Transport by Erika Sheffer, directed by ensemble member Yasen Peyankov (through May 11, 2014) in the Upstairs Theatre; and Garage Rep 2014, featuring The New Colony’s reWILDing Genius, Prologue Theatre Company’s Saturday Night/Sunday Morning and Walkabout Theater Company’s The Wild (through April 20, 2014) in the Garage Theatre.

The 2014/15 Subscription Season includes The Night Alive by Conor McPherson, directed by Henry Wishcamper (September 18 – November 16, 2014) in the Downstairs Theatre; Airline Highway by Lisa D’Amour, directed by Joe Mantello (December 4, 2014 – February 8, 2015) in the Downstairs Theatre; Marie Antoinette by David Adjmi, directed by Robert O’Hara (February 5 – May 10, 2015) in the Upstairs Theatre; and The Herd by Rory Kinnear, directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman (April 2 – June 7, 2015) in the Downstairs Theatre. One remaining title will be announced at a later date.

HOZAC BLACKOUT FEST! 3 Day Passes Sold Out/ Single Day Available

Chi, IL Live Shows on Our Radar:

May 15-17 @ the Empty Bottle with The Boys (UK), The Dictators NYC, Counter Intuits
SHOCKED MINDS, FIRST BASE,  A GIANT DOG,  999999999, NONES, TOUPEE, THE MAN, RAINBOW GUN SHOW

We've got UNBELIEVABLE headliners at this year's HoZac Blackout Fest! This will be THE BOYS (UK) first show in America in over six years and only their fourth ever US gig! Legendary protopunk band THE DICTATORS NYC are hitting the Bottle for the first time since the year 2000 and their debut album, Go Girl Crazy!, was recently named #1 in Uncut Magazine’s  “50 Greatest American Punk Albums!” Thursday's Art Show headliner, COUNTER INTUITS, features Columbus, OH punk hero RON HOUSE, formerly of THOMAS JEFFERSON SLAVE APARTMENTS, and ADAM ELLIOTT of TIMES NEW VIKING.

Also playing this year's fest is FIRST BASE (Toronto, HoZac), SHOCKED MINDS (ex-CARBONAS, NYC, HoZac), 999999999 (ex-TUNNEL OF LOVE, MA, HoZac), A GIANT DOG (members of OBN III's/Bad Sports, TX), NONES (debut LP release show on HoZac), TOUPEE (Rotted Tooth, Chicago), THE MAN (debut EP release show, HoZac), and RAINBOW GUN SHOW (Chicago, HoZac).

Three Day Passes are already SOLD OUT, but you can still get individual show tickets RIGHT HERE!