Tuesday, April 7, 2015
CIMMfest Bands: ChiIL Live Shows on Our Radar #ChiILPicksList
Chi, IL Live Shows on Our Radar
So you've got your CIMMFest 2015 4 day pass squared away and you've picked up or downloaded the mindblowingly huge Chicago International Movies & Music Festival Program (pdf) which features over 100+ FILM & LIVE MUSIC events, & over 4 rocking days & nights (April 16-19). Now what?!
Follow your bliss, and when in doubt check back with ChiIL Live Shows and ChiIL Mama for some sweet leads on some must sees. Here's a few of our LIVE band favs to get you started. Mark your calendars.
The Luck of Eden Hall headlines Moe’s Tavern, 2937 N Milwaukee, on Saturday, April 18: http://cimmfest.org/the-luck-of-eden-waxworks-chicago-semisweet/. Check out our original TLoEH live show shots here.
And our blast from the past original video interview with TLoEH's Curvey on How Creatives Parent and How Parents Create. Our interview also includes his daughter Seda, 7 at the time, in 2012.
HELP OUT:
They have a great Kick Starter campaign going on right now. Kick in some cash if you can!
Our goal today is $220. Preorder our new album The Acceleration of Time on CD, LP, limited edition Pop-Up CD for a $20,...
Posted by The Luck of Eden Hall on Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Nashville singer-songwriter Rorey Carroll will be direct support for Todd Snider at City Winery on Sunday, April 19 at 6PM: http://cimmfest.org/city-winery-and-cimmfest-present-todd-snider-with-special-guest-rorey-carroll/
Carroll was born in Chicago to a rather normal American family brought up as a typical, middle class kid. It was this upbringing along with a fascination with alternative culture that led her towards the great American love affair, the counterbalance to the American Dream. At a young age, she lived in her car in cities all around the county, she hiked the Appalachian Trail, hopped freight trains. She made money playing music to anyone who would listen, from the subways of New York City to the streets of Ohio. She became a living paradox, somewhere between running from the law and running from the normality of a Midwestern suburban lifestyle. In her words, ‘You have to trust everyone in that world… You’re all fighting for the same thing. But at the same time, you don’t trust anyone.’ While the hardness of the streets broke her down, another world picked her up. Appalachian songs, bluegrass and country patterns cemented in her mind, and perhaps most importantly - she inhaled the great spirit of rock and roll.
Finally, Laura Joy will take part in Get Off the Couch at The Hideout on Sunday, April 19 at 6PM: http://cimmfest.org/get-off-the-couch-at-cimmfest-no-7-dickie-frances-luke-accord-fee-lion-laura-joy/
GET OFF THE COUCH (GOTC), hosted at The Hideout Inn, is Chicago’s longest running singer/songwriter showcase for area artists. Performed Nashville-style, it's typically held on the first Sunday of every month and hosted by Sam Wahl.
Now GOTC and CIMMfest are bringing the show to you with headliner DICKIE (Dick Prall) and other showcase artists Frances Luke Accord, FEE LION, Laura Joy, and special guest host Myles Hayes.
http://getoffthecouchchicago.com/
Chicago-based singer-songwriter Laura Joy has been known to quell dark, angry bars full of ornery old Irishmen with her brand of acoustic pop. Drawing comparisons that range from Joni Mitchell to Alison Krauss, Laura’s percussive finger picking and buoyant voice have graced audiences from as far as the Sun Belt to the streets of Manhattan.
Laura’s EP, “Between Our Words,” was released on March 5, 2015. It was produced by Chicago veteran, Will Phalen, at Cold Ghost Studios. The album features James Gallagher on drums (Kapsalis Trio, Weepin’ Willows, Republic of Lights), David Gallagher on guitar (Belleisle, Weepin’ Willows), and Will Phalen on bass (Stereo Addicts, Julie Meckler).
Laura is a frequent performer on the Midwest festival scene. She has played at the Independent Chicago Songwriter Festival, Metamora Folk Festival, Lakeshore Arts Festival, Cain Park Arts Fest, and Ravenswood Remix. In January, 2013, she was awarded as a top finalist in the Broward Folk Club Songwriter Competition in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Laura has also opened for Hammel on Trial, Staceyann Chin, and Greg Klyma.
Friday, April 3, 2015
OPENING: Melancholy Play: a chamber musical at Piven 4/30 - 6/7
Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar
Piven Theatre Workshop presents the Midwest Premiere of
Piven Theatre Workshop presents the Midwest Premiere of
Melancholy Play: a chamber musical by Sarah Ruhl
Rare musical offering at Piven to be performed
April 30-June 7, 2015
Piven Theatre Workshop proudly announces the Midwest Premiere of Melancholy Play: a chamber musical by Tony™-nominated playwright Sarah Ruhl, with new music by New York composer Todd Almond and direction by Polly Noonan. The production will run April 30 – June 7, 2015 at Piven Theatre Workshop, 927 Noyes Street in Evanston.
Dates:
Previews: April 30 & May 1, 2015
Regular run: May 2 – June 7, 2015
Schedule: Thursday, Friday & Saturday: 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: 2:30 p.m.
Location: Piven Theatre Workshop, 927 Noyes St., Evanston
Tickets: Pay-what-you-can preview performances; $20-35 regular run performances
Box Office: Located at 927 Noyes St., Evanston; 847-866-8049 or online www.piventheatre.org.
Sarah Ruhl’s Melancholy Play had its world premiere in 2002 at Piven Theatre Workshop and starred Noonan in the lead role as Tilly. A decade later, Ruhl teamed up with Almond and developed Melancholy Play as a new chamber musical. It was workshopped in 2012 via 13p in Brooklyn, and will return to the Piven Theatre Workshop stage for its Midwest Premiere.
“We rarely present musicals but knew we had to jump at the chance to work with Sarah again and share this gem with Chicago audiences. She has taken this quirky, lovely story to a new and different level from when it was first staged here in ‘02. We’ve got Chicago’s rising musical theater talent performing to Todd’s gorgeous score, accompanied by a live chamber ensemble. This is going to be a special night out for Piven audiences to discover,” said Piven Theatre Workshop artistic director Jennifer Green.
In this lighthearted farce, bank teller Tilly’s (Stephanie Stockstill) melancholy is of an exquisite quality. She turns her melancholy into a sexy thing, and every stranger she meets falls in love with her. One day, inexplicably, Tilly becomes happy, and wreaks havoc on the lives of her paramours, while Frances, Tilly’s hairdresser, becomes so melancholy that she turns into an almond. It is up to Tilly to get her back. Other members of the Equity production include Chris Ballou (Frank, a tailor who deeply loves Tilly’s melancholia); Lauren Paris (Frances, her hairdresser); Emily Grayson (Joan, the helpless nurse who watches her girlfriend Frances devolve into a nut), and Ryan Lanning (Lorenzo, Tilly’s eccentric therapist from an undetermined European country).
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Noonan, director of the highly acclaimed production of The Language Archive last year at Piven, returns to helm the show she once starred in over a decade ago.
“I love this play,” said Noonan. “If plays are blueprints, catalysts, then this play is a recipe for joy. When Sarah and Jessica (Thebus) invited me to play Tilly (in 2002) I had given up acting, so Melancholy Play brought me back to the theatre. There is so much humor in the play mixed in with the melancholy. I am thrilled that Piven is producing such an ambitious project—five actors and five musicians! It’s so wonderful to think of the Piven Theatre enlivened again with the sounds of Melancholy Play.”
The designers of Melancholy Play: a chamber musical are Jacob Watson (set), Rachel Levy (lighting), Alex Palma (sound), Stephanie Cluggish (costumes), and Austin Kopsa (properties). Musical Direction is by Aaron Benham.
About the Playwright:
Sarah Ruhl’s plays include In the Next Room, or the vibrator play (Pulitzer Prize finalist, Tony Award nominee for best new play), The Clean House (Pulitzer Prize Finalist, 2005; The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, 2004); Passion Play, a cycle (Pen American award, The Fourth Freedom Forum Playwriting Award from The Kennedy Center); Dead Man’s Cell Phone (Helen Hayes award); Melancholy Play; Eurydice; Orlando, Demeter in the City (NAACP nomination), Late: a cowboy song, Three Sisters, and most recently, Stage Kiss, The Oldest Boy, and Dear Elizabeth. Melancholy Play, Eurydice, Orlando, Three Sisters, and Late: a cowboy song have all been produced at Piven Theatre Workshop.
About the Composer:
Writer/performer Todd Almond’s work includes the World Premiere of IOWA, an original musical play with playwright Jenny Schwartz and director Ken Rus Schmoll, officially opening at Playwrights Horizons, April 13, 2015. Other theatrical credits include original music for Ruhl’s Stage Kiss, also at Playwrights Horizons; original music and lyrics for the Public Theater/Public Works’ The Tempest at the Delacorte, in which Almond also starred as Ariel; original book for Girlfriend (music and lyrics by Matthew Sweet) at Actors Theater and Berkeley Rep; original music and lyrics for On the Levee at LCT3; original music and lyrics for Yale Rep’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle; original music and lyrics for The Odyssey at the Old Globe in San Diego; and original music and lyrics for Kansas City Choir Boy, performed by Almond with rock icon Courtney Love as part of the Prototype Festival.
About Piven Theatre Workshop:
With Melancholy Play: a chamber musical, Piven Theatre Workshop continues its ongoing mission of premiering original works, and its history of celebrating the emerging voices of women. Piven Theatre Workshop has excelled as a leader in the arts community for 44 years, maintaining a distinguished legacy in the training of children and adults in the theatre arts. Annually, between onsite and off-site programming, the theatre trains over 1,000 students, provides approximately $30,000 in need-based scholarships, and maintains a professional theatre and numerous outreach programs throughout the Chicago area.
INCOMING: The New Switcheroo EP Release at Tonic Room 4/11 (21+) #IndieFolk
Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar
Chicago’s The New Switcheroo will celebrate the release of their debut EP, Heartless Sky, with a show at Tonic Room on Saturday, April 11th. Click here for tickets and show details.
*Please join us for this very special event, as The New Switcheroo release their first studio EP, "Heartless Sky." A copy of the CD is included in the ticket price.*
The New Switcheroo [Album Release Party]
The New Switcheroo is a 4-member indie folk rock band based in Chicago. Featuring sublime vocal harmonies layered over lush instrumental arrangements, they create a rich sound, guaranteed to warm your insides, tickle your fancy, and rock you right out of your boots!
Originally formed in 2011 as an 8-person, project-oriented acoustic group, The New Switcheroo have plugged in and evolved into an emerging band working the Chicago circuit. With their clear love for what they do and for each other, they make new friends and gain new fans everywhere they go.
For the latest news, upcoming shows, and to listen to their music, please visit their official website, join the mailing list, and "Like" or "Follow" them on the platform of your choice.
The New Switcheroo are:
Kathryn Diana - Violin, Mandolin, Vocals
Claire Feeney - Piano, Harmonica, Vocals
Tim Hill - Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Joanna P. Lind - Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Thursday, April 2, 2015
INCOMING: Chicago's Razorhouse EP Release at Schuba's Tavern (21+) 4/29/15
Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar
Chicago’s Razorhouse will be celebrating the April 7 release of the *Codex Du EP with a show at Schuba’s Tavern on Wednesday, April 29: $8, 8pm, 21+. Check out their site here for more details.
Chicago’s Razorhouse follows up 2013's Codex Jun with Codex Du, scheduled for release on Tuesday, April 7.
Codex Du collects the previously released singles "Neu Sensation" and "Girl Like a Hand Grenade" alongside the tracks "Distance Wheel," "Regan’s Song," "If You Find Heaven" and "St. Teresa."
Razorhouse takes its name from the Mayan spiritual teachings in the Popul Vuh and the term "Codex" refers to a section of the Mayan writings. The band combines elements of industrial rock and hard glam with the distinctive voice and songwriting of group leader Mark J. Panick (The Bonemen of Barumba, Chac Mool, Revolting Cocks), whose work is encoded with beautiful daydreams and dirty ideas.
While earlier incarnations of Razorhouse included members of RevCo, KMFDM, and Sister Machine Gun, Panick has more recently opted for a rotating lineup with players recruited specifically for recordings, shows and tours. Codex Du features production by Danny McGuinness and Howie Beno, vocals by Mark Panick, guitars by Panick, Danny Shaffer, John McCurry and Tommi Zender, bass by Beno and John Abbey and drums by David Suycott. Bob Ludwig, well known for his work with Led Zeppelin, The Police and Nirvana, mastered the EP.
SIGNAL ENSEMBLE THEATRE PRESENTS THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF THE DROWNING GIRLS, APRIL 30 – JUNE 6
Chi, IL Live Shows on Our Radar
Save the dates for Signal Ensemble Theatre's latest, the Chicago premiere of The Drowning Girls by Beth Graham, Daniela Vlaskalic and Charlie Tomlinson. The show will be directed by Signal Ensemble Member Melanie Keller at Signal Ensemble Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice Ave., April 30 – June 6. Tickets are on sale now. ChiIL Live Shows will be there for opening night, so check back for our full review after May 1.
Previews are Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1 at 8 p.m. Opening/Press night is Saturday, May 2 at 8 p.m. Regular performances are Thursday – Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Ticket prices are $23 for single tickets, $15 for industry/students/seniors/groups and $12 for previews. Tickets may be purchased by calling 773.698.7389 or by visiting www.signalensemble.com.
*NOTE: There will be no performance on Sunday, May 3 and there will be an added industry night performance on Monday, June 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Bessie, Alice and Margaret have two things in common: they are married to George Joseph Smith, and they are dead. Surfacing from the bathtubs they were drowned in, the three breathless brides gather evidence against their womanizing, murderous husband by reliving the shocking events leading up to their deaths. Reflecting on the misconceptions of love, married life, and the not-so-happily ever after, The Drowning Girls is both a breathtaking fantasia and a social critique, full of rich images, a myriad of characters, and lyrical language.
The cast and production team for The Drowning Girls includes:
CAST: Meghan Reardon (Alice), Katherine Schwartz (Bessie) and *Anne Sheridan Smith (Margaret)
*Indicates Signal Ensemble Theatre Member
*Indicates Signal Ensemble Theatre Member
CREW: *Melanie Keller (director), William Collins (assistant director), *Michelle Sellers (stage manager), *Buck Blue (set designer), Rachel Lambert (costume designer), Christopher Neville (properties designer), Amanda Herrmann (assistant properties designer), Brian Sidney Bembridge (lighting designer), *Anthony Ingram (sound designer), Tyler Rich (violence), Elise Kauzlaric (dialect coach), Brenna Schafer (assistant stage manager) and Joe Pindelski (dramaturg) *Indicates Signal Ensemble Theatre Member
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Melanie Keller is a member of Signal Ensemble Theatre, where her first appearance with them was as Beatrice in their Much Ado About Nothing. She was the winner of a Jeff Award for Best Principal Actress for her work in East of Berlin and The Russian Play, and was nominated for a Jeff Citation for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The Weir. She also appeared in Signal's world-premiere production of Landslide, and played Kate Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer. She was the Chicago Fellow at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada and is also an artistic associate of First Folio Theatre. Melanie’s credits include roles at Northlight Theatre, Michigan Shakespeare Festival, Next Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, BackStage Theatre Company, Strawdog Theater Company, Goodman Theatre, Seanachai Theatre Company (now Irish Theatre of Chicago), Breadline Theatre, Shaw Chicago Theater Company, and Lifeline Theatre, among others. Melanie trained at the Birmingham Conservatory of Stratford, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University.
ABOUT THE CREATORS
Beth Graham is a co-creator of The Drowning Girls, which premiered at Alberta Theatre Projects’ 2008 PlayRites festival, went on to tour nationally, was published by Playwrights Canada Press, was nominated for the Carol Bolt Award, and received the Gwen Pharis Ringwood Award for Drama. Other co-creations include: Comrades,Mules and Victor and Victoria’s Terrifying Tale of Terrible Things. She is a graduate of the University of Alberta’s BFA acting program and is currently a member of The Playwright’s Forum at The Citadel Theatre in Edmonton.
Daniela Vlaskalic is an actor and playwright who has performed in many theatres across Canada. Daniela began collaborating with Beth Graham and Charlie Tomlinson in 1999 with The Drowning Girls. In 2008, a new full-length version of The Drowning Girls premiered at Alberta Theatre Projects as part of the Enbridge PlayRites Festival and received four Betty Awards (Calgary). Daniela continued collaborating with Beth on several plays including; Comrades, nominated for four Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards (Edmonton), The Last Train, which won the Alberta Playwrights Network Write-to-Win competition in 2003 and premiered at Shadow Theatre in their 2004/2005 season. Their most recent play Mules premiered at the 2006 Edmonton Fringe Festival.
Charlie Tomlinson is a teacher, director and actor who lives in St John’s, Newfoundland. He is the former artistic director of c2c theatre. He has worked at theatres from Newfoundland to the Yukon and has taught in Ontario, Alberta, and Newfoundland.
Signal Ensemble Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of The Drowning Girls by Beth Graham, Daniela Vlaskalic and Charlie Tomlinson and directed by Signal Ensemble Member Melanie Keller at Signal Ensemble Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice Ave., April 30 – June 6. Previews are Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1 at 8 p.m. Opening/Press night is Saturday, May 2 at 8 p.m. Regular performances are Thursday – Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Ticket prices are $23 for single tickets, $15 for industry/students/seniors/groups and $12 for previews. Tickets may be purchased by calling 773.698.7389 or by visiting www.signalensemble.com.
Street parking available on Ravenswood and Berenice (runs one way going west) CTA Brown line EL stops Irving Park and Addison. CTA busses #80-Irving Park, #152-Addison, #50-Damen, #11-Lincoln. The theatre is handicapped accessible.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
CASTING CALL: We Gotta Bingo #Chicago #Theatre
“WE GOTTA BINGO,” THE HILARIOUS INTERACTIVE DINNER THEATER EXPERIENCE,
BLOWS INTO THE WINDY CITY SUMMER 2015
New Chicago Theater Works Venue Joins Belmont Theater District
Start warming up your vocal chords and get ready to shout “BINGO!” when the hilarious, interactive dinner theater experience “We Gotta Bingo,” makes its Chicago debut in June of 2015. In the spirit of “Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding,” “We Gotta Bingo” invites guests to the new Chicago Theater Works (1113 W. Belmont)—located in the heart of the Belmont Theater District—for a night of raucous fun. This exciting new show, directed by Ross Young, allows guests to mix and mingle with a lively cast of characters while eating, drinking and playing bingo all night long!
“After years of searching for the perfect venue, we have finally found the right home to bring this truly unique show to life,” said “We Gotta Bingo” Creator and Producer Bill Collins. “Born and raised in Chicago, it has been a long-time dream of mine to introduce Chicago audiences to the hilarious, wacky cast of characters that were created from my own experiences growing up in the city and going to a catholic school with a mix of Irish and Italian families. This show fits so well into the Chicago culture and we are truly thrilled to be creating this brand new theater space in the Belmont Theater District, where innovative theater is continuously being produced.”
The fun, interactive premise of “We Gotta Bingo” allows audience members to be immersed in a dynamic, riotous show filled with music, comedy and of course, bingo! As guests enter into the German beer hall known as “Der Brew-Ha-Ha,” they are greeted by the lively house polka band as well as the rousing, colorful cast of characters that soon become their dinner dates and bingo partners for the evening. Guests soon learn that they are amongst two rival Chicago parishes, one Italian and one Irish, who are set to merge with one another—against their wishes—and are participating in this bingo bonanza in order to raise money for the imminent union. In between exhilarating games of bingo, all in attendance are treated to an Italian dinner, drinks, dancing, music, mayhem and more.
“We Gotta Bingo” was first presented by the Actors Theater of Minnesota in 2004. Since then, the show has played in various venues throughout the Midwest including Playhouse Square in Cleveland and has delighted more than 100,000 theatergoers of every age. The Star Tribune hails the show as “a hilarious night of Bingo and Beer. ‘We Gotta Bingo’ is great fun!” The Stillwater Gazette states that “We Gotta Bingo” is “a tremendous play” and Lavender Magazine calls it “a wild affair.”
“We Gotta Bingo” is currently casting the Chicago premiere. Please visit wegottabingo.com for more information.
Bill Collins, Creator and Producer
Bill Collins is the Chief Manager of N-42 Productions, Sole Member and Chief Manager of WGB Creative, LLC, and Creator/Producer/Writer of “We Gotta Bingo.” Collins co-founded Actors Theater of Minnesota in 1999 and serves as its Managing Director and Board Chair. Since then he has produced or co-produced over 50 professional stage productions. He has numerous theatrical, commercial and corporate industrial credits to his name and has also worked as a consultant to NBC television where he took shows from pitch to pilot. He founded and currently is the majority shareholder in a very successful night club and cabaret in Saint Paul, Minnesota; Camp Bar & Cabaret.
Michael Dunne, General Manager
Michael Dunne’s introduction to the theater industry came in 1991. After spending more than 15 years in hospitality management and consulting, Dunne was contracted to develop an upscale urban bistro as part of a live theater/restaurant complex in Minneapolis called Hey City Stage and Café. Upon completion, Dunne stayed on at Hey City Stage Company as the Director of Business Operations. Over the course of 11 years with Hey City, Dunne held the positions of vice president and executive director for all Hey Companies and was responsible for the production of numerous theatrical presentations in several US cities, most notably, the runaway interactive hit, “Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding,” which, under Dunne’s leadership enjoyed multi-year runs in Minneapolis, Portland, Oregon and Cleveland. Among Dunne’s other theatrical credits are “Forever Plaid,” “Beehive,” “The ‘60s Rock-n-Roll Musical,” “Smokey Joe’s Café,” “Nunsense A-Men” and “Triple Espresso.” After leaving Hey City in 2002, Dunne formed Amuse-Bouche, LLC, a highly specialized management company to the entertainment and hospitality industry. In 2005, Dunne came to the Actors Theater of Minnesota to assist in the development of “We Gotta Bingo.” He continues to operate Amuse-Bouche, LLC for a variety of hospitality and entertainment clients.
About Chicago Theater Works
The new Chicago Theater Works makes its home in the heart of the Belmont Theater District at 1113 W. Belmont. Designed by Obora and Associates with interior design by Matthew Murray, this versatile space will be transformed into a 200-seat German beer hall known as “Der Brew-Ha-Ha.” The space will be a new staple in the Chicago theater scene run by Bill Collins and Michael Dunne.
Performance and Ticket Information
“We Gotta Bingo” opens June 2015 at the new Chicago Theater Works (1113 W. Belmont). Shows are Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m.; Saturdays at 8:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 5 p.m. Tickets ($57 - $75) go on sale at a later date to be announced. Discounted tickets for groups of 16 or more are currently available at GroupTix by calling 773.327.3778 or visiting grouptix.net. For more information about “We Gotta Bing,” visit wegottabingo.com.
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