GOODMAN THEATRE HONORS THE LIFE OF CHICAGO LEGEND LORRAINE HANSBERRY WITH CELEBRATION APRIL 30 – JUNE 5

GOODMAN THEATRE HONORS THE LIFE OF CHICAGO LEGEND 

LORRAINE HANSBERRY 

THROUGH A CITY-WIDE CELEBRATION OF THE ACCLAIMED PLAYWRIGHT’S WORKS AND LEGACY

  

**CELEBRATION EVENTS INCLUDE A SOUTH SIDE BUS TOUR, SCHOLARLY DISCUSSIONS, LORRAINE HANSBERRY DAY” (MAY 19) AND THE HANSBERRY AWARDS (MAY 24), HONORING FIVE DISTINGUISHED AFRICAN AMERICAN CHICAGO WOMEN WHO HAVE MADE INDELIBLE IMPACTS ON THE AMERICAN THEATER**

***THE SIGN IN SIDNEY BRUSTEIN’S WINDOW, DIRECTED BY OBIE AWARD WINNER ANNE KAUFFMAN, KICKS OFF THE LORRAINE HANSBERRY CELEBRATION (APRIL 30 – JUNE 5)***

 In conjunction with a production of playwright Lorraine Hansberry’s final work, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, Goodman Theatre presents a Lorraine Hansberry Celebration (April 30 – June 5), curated by Goodman Resident Director Chuck Smith. Honoring Hansberry’s life and career, the celebration will consist of programs and performances that focus on the author’s Chicago roots, the forces that shaped her groundbreaking work and her legacy. In addition to scholarly discussions and events designed to highlight her life and career, the celebration will culminate in two major events: Lorraine Hansberry Day as proclaimed by the City of Chicago (May 19), commemorating what would have been Hansberry’s 86^th birthday and The Lorraine Hansberry Awards (May 24), honoring five African American women, all natives of Chicago and contemporaries of Hansberry, whose work helped transform the American theater. For celebration information and tickets, visit: GoodmanTheatre.org/Hansberry. Blue Cross Blue Shield and Proskauer Rose are Contributing Sponsors, and Mesirow Financial is the Discussion Series Sponsor.

At the center of the celebration is Obie Award winning director Anne Kauffman’s revival of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, Hansberry’s final work which premiered on Broadway just three months before her death at age 34 in 1965. Set in Greenwich Village 1964—a magnet for ideals and activism of every stripe—the work eerily reflects today’s political climate, holding up a mirror to the injustice and corruption of the contemporary world. As Sidney gets increasingly swept up in the radical issues of the day, however, he ignores the equally dangerous tension mounting between himself and his wife Iris, the one person he holds most dear. The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window appears in the Goodman’s 856-seat Albert Theatre starting April 30. Tickets ($25-$75, as well as special $10 student tickets) are on sale now; visit GoodmanTheatre.org, call 312.443.3800 or purchase in person at the Box Office at 170 N. Dearborn. Goodman Theatre Women’s Board is the Major Production Sponsor; Edelman and ITW are Corporate Sponsor Partners; and WBEZ 91.5 is the Media Partner.

“During her all-too-brief life and career, Lorraine Hansberry left an indelible mark on the American theater. It has been an honor and a pleasure to curate the celebration of this great literary giant—and one of my personal heroes," said Smith, who directed a major revival of A Raisin in the Sun at the Goodman in 2000. "The rich history of the Hansberry family in Chicago is always worthy of discussion. Since performances of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window are scheduled throughout May, the month of Lorraine’s birth, a celebration seemed in order. Highlights include exploring Lorraine’s lesser-known works like Les Blancs and To Be Young, Gifted and Black. I’m looking forward to sharing a fascinating journey through the life and works of this legendary artist."

EVENTS
Events take place at Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn) unless otherwise noted

The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window directed by Anne Kauffman

April 30 – June 5

$20 - $75 ($10 Student tickets), Full schedule, tickets and more info: GoodmanTheatre.org/TheSign

The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window follows Sidney Brustein in Greenwich Village, 1964—a magnet for ideals and activism of every stripe. At its center is Brustein’s apartment, the gathering place for an eclectic group of bohemians during a time of rapid change. As Sidney gets increasingly swept up in the radical issues of the day, however, he ignores the equally dangerous tension mounting between himself and his wife Iris, the one person he holds most dear.

The Chuck Smith Lecture Series: “In Her Own Words: The Lorraine Hansberry/Studs Terkel Interview”
Monday, May 2 | 7pm

FREE, Reservations Required

After the historic Broadway premiere of A Raisin in the Sun, legendary Chicago journalist Studs Terkel spoke with Lorraine Hansberry, resulting in one of her most incisive and personal interviews. Revisit this extraordinary look into Hansberry’s life and art with Northwestern University professor and Hansberry scholar Harvey Young and Goodman Resident Director Chuck Smith.

Artist Encounter: The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window

Sunday, May 8 I 5pm

$5 for the general public; Free for Subscribers, Donors and students

Join Anne Kauffman, director of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, and Joi Gresham, executive director of the Lorraine Hansberry Literary Trust, as they discuss the complex historical, political and social themes of Hansberry’s final play.

Scholar Discussion: A Raisin in the Sun and The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window

Tuesday, May 10 | 7pm

FREE, Reservations Required

Harvey Young analyzes Lorraine Hansberry’s first and last plays, focusing on the author’s social activism and the political movements each work predicted. Noted Chicago actors read excerpts from each play will be read by some of Chicago’s most noted actors.

Carl Hansberry: His World and Legacy | A Bus Tour of South Side Chicago

Saturday, May 14 I 10:30am Departure from the Goodman Theatre; Tour lasts approximately two hours

$15 for the general public; $10 for Subscribers, Donors and Students

Architecture critic and writer Lee Bey leads a bus tour of the South Side neighborhoods where Hansberry grew up—and tells the inspiring story of her father, realtor and activist Carl Hansberry, and his fight against some of the most restrictive housing laws in the country.

Scholar Discussion: The Drinking Gourd and What Use Are Flowers?

Monday, May 16 I 7pm

FREE, Reservations Required

Director and writer Coya Paz leads an in-depth look at two of Hansberry’s unproduced works: the teleplays The Drinking Gourd and What Use Are Flowers? The evening will feature excerpts from these rarely-performed works, as well as contextual discussions of race, justice and the power artists hold to incite change.

Scholar Discussion: Les Blancs

Tuesday, May 17 | 7pm

Arts Incubator (301 E. Garfield Blvd.)

FREE, Reservations Required

Completed after her death and not performed until 1970, Les Blancs, Hansberry’s complex chronicle of race, oppression and an Africa on the brink of colonial revolt is discussed by Northwestern University professor Ivy Wilson, author of Specters of Democracy: Blackness and the Aesthetics of Nationalism. Scenes from the play will be performed by local actors.

“Lorraine Hansberry Day,” Proclaimed by Rahm Emanuel in honor of Hansberry’s birthday

Thursday, May 19 | Schedule below

The Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement, Goodman Theatre
FREE, Reservations required

On what would have been her 86^th birthday, the City of Chicago and Mayor Rahm Emanuel proclaim May 19, 2016 “Lorraine Hansberry Day” in Chicago in honor of her life, legacy and impact on the city of Chicago and the American Theater. Enjoy special events at the new Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement at the Goodman. Check the web site for activities on this day including a free screening of A Raisin in the Sun.

  

Scholar Discussion: To Be Young, Gifted and Black: How Much Has Changed?

Monday, May 23 | 6:30pm

Harold Washington Library Pritzker Auditorium (400 S. State St.)

FREE, Reservations Required

Director and critic Dani Snyder-Young explores Hansberry’s autobiography in an interactive analysis of Hansberry’s background as it relates to contemporary urban education, intersections between race and class and the ways in which African American women learn to navigate public life. Excerpts from the book will be performed by playwright and actor Lydia R. Diamond.

The Lorraine Hansberry Awards | Hosted by Chuck Smith and Woodie King, Jr.

Tuesday, May 24 I 7pm

Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St.; Accessible Entrance at 77 E. Randolph St.)

FREE, Reservations Required I LIMITED AVAILABILITY
Presented by Goodman Resident Director Chuck Smith, New Federal Theatre Artistic Director Woodie King, Jr. and members of the Hansberry family, these one-time-only awards honor the unique cultural contributions of five Lorraine Hansberry contemporaries—African American women who were raised and educated in Chicago, and who went on to make indelible impacts on the American theater. Goodman Theatre is proud to honor these artists, whose work and legacies mirror the pioneering spirit of Hansberry.

These distinguished honorees include: 

• Micki Grant, singer, actress and composer
• Lynn Hamilton, actress
• Shauneille Perry, playwright and director
• Dr. Glory Van Scott, actress, dancer and educator
• Camille Yarbrough, musician, actress, poet, producer and activist

About Lorraine Hansberry

Born in Chicago, Lorraine Hansberry made history in 1959 as the first African American female playwright to have a work produced on Broadway with A Raisin in the Sun.  The play’s success led Hansberry, at age 29, to become the youngest American playwright, the fifth woman and the only African American to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play of the Year. In addition to earning a Tony Award nomination for the play, Hansberry wrote the screenplay for its 1961 film adaptation, which won a special award at the Cannes Film Festival and earned Hansberry a Writers Guild of America Award. Her second play to be produced on Broadway, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, was in its early run when Hansberry died of cancer at age 34 in 1965.  To Be Young, Gifted and Black, an autobiographical portrait in her own words adapted by her former husband and literary executor Robert Nemiroff, was posthumously produced in 1969. In 1970, Les Blancs,  her play about African colonization, ran on Broadway to critical acclaim. At her death, she left behind file cabinets holding her public and private correspondence, speeches, journals and various manuscripts including an almost complete novel. Her published writings also include The Drinking Gourd; What Use Are Flowers?; and The Movement, a photo history of the civil rights movement. 

About Chuck Smith

A member of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees and Goodman Theatre’s Resident Director, Chuck Smith is also a resident director at the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe in Sarasota, Florida. Goodman credits include the Chicago premieres of Pullman Porter Blues; By the Way, Meet Vera Stark; Race; The Good Negro; Proof and The Story; the world premieres of By the Music of the Spheres and The Gift Horse; James Baldwin’s The Amen Corner, which transferred to Boston’s Huntington Theatre Company, where it won the Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Award for Best Direction; A Raisin in the Sun; Blues for an Alabama Sky; August Wilson’s Two Trains Running and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; Ain’t Misbehavin’; the 1993 to 1995 productions of A Christmas Carol; Crumbs From the Table of Joy; Vivisections from a Blown Mind and The Meeting. He served as dramaturg for the Goodman’s world-premiere production of August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean. He directed the New York premiere of Knock Me a Kiss and The Hooch for the New Federal Theatre and the world premiere of Knock Me a Kiss at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater, where his other directing credits include Master Harold... and the Boys, Home, Dame Lorraine and Eden, for which he received a Jeff Award nomination. Regionally, Mr. Smith directed Death and the King’s Horseman (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Birdie Blue (Seattle Repertory Theatre), The Story (Milwaukee Repertory Theater), Blues for an Alabama Sky (Alabama Shakespeare Festival) and The Last Season (Robey Theatre Company). At Columbia College, he was facilitator of the Theodore Ward Prize playwriting contest for 20 years and editor of the contest anthologies Seven Black Plays and Best Black Plays. He won a Chicago Emmy Award as associate producer/theatrical director for the NBC teleplay Crime of Innocence and was theatrical director for the Emmy-winning Fast Break to Glory and the Emmy-nominated The Martin Luther King Suite. He was a founding member of the Chicago Theatre Company, where he served as artistic director for four seasons and directed the Jeff-nominated Suspenders and the Jeff-winning musical Po’. His directing credits include productions at Fisk University, Roosevelt University, Eclipse Theatre, ETA, Black Ensemble Theater, Northlight Theatre, MPAACT, Congo Square Theatre Company, The New Regal Theater, Kuumba Theatre Company, Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, Pegasus Players, the Timber Lake Playhouse in Mt. Carroll, Illinois and the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He is a 2003 inductee into the Chicago State University Gwendolyn Brooks Center’s Literary Hall of Fame and a 2001 Chicago Tribune Chicagoan of the Year. He is the proud recipient of the 1982 Paul Robeson Award and the 1997 Award of Merit presented by the Black Theater Alliance of Chicago.

About Goodman Theatre

Called America’s “Best Regional Theatre” by Time magazine, Goodman Theatre has won international recognition for its artists, productions and programs, and is a major cultural, educational and economic pillar in Chicago. Founded in 1925 by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth (an important figure in Chicago’s cultural renaissance in the early 1900s), Goodman Theatre has garnered hundreds of awards for artistic achievement and community engagement, including: two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards (including “Outstanding Regional Theatre” in 1992), nearly 160 Joseph Jefferson Awards and more. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Robert Falls and Executive Director Roche Schulfer, the Goodman’s artistic priorities include new plays (more than 150 world or American premieres in the past 30 years), reimagined classics (including Falls’ nationally and internationally celebrated productions of Death of a Salesman, Long’s Day’s Journey into Night, King Lear and The Iceman Cometh, many in collaboration with actor Brian Dennehy), culturally specific work, musical theater (26 major productions in 20 years, including 10 world premieres) and international collaborations. Diversity and inclusion have been primary cornerstones of the Goodman’s mission for 30 years; over the past decade, 68% of the Goodman’s 35 world premieres were authored by women and/or playwrights of color, and the Goodman was the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” Each year, the Goodman’s numerous education and community engagement programs—including the innovative Student Subscription Series, now in its 30^th year—serve thousands of students, teachers, life-long learners and special constituencies. In addition, for nearly four decades the annual holiday tradition of A Christmas Carol has led to the creation of a new generation of theatergoers in Chicago.

Goodman Theatre’s leadership includes the distinguished members of the Artistic Collective: Brian Dennehy, Rebecca Gilman, Henry Godinez, Steve Scott, Chuck Smith, Regina Taylor, Henry Wishcamper and Mary Zimmerman. Joan Clifford is Chair of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Swati Mehta is Women’s Board President and Gordon C.C. Liao is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals.

Visit the Goodman virtually at GoodmanTheatre.org, and on Twitter (@GoodmanTheatre), Facebook and Instagram.

REVIEW: Last Chance to See Acclaimed Drama Mosque Alert Extended Through May 15

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar: Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we caught the opening of Mosque Alert and were amazed by the complexity of the characters and issues presented. Mosque Alert goes well beyond taking sides on a zoning issue and manages to offer an enlightening and thought provoking production that touches on racism, fear, friendship, politics, greed, religion, sexism and so much more. Mosque Alert is beyond timely and broaches the issues of our day in a compelling way that isn't heavy handed. Highly recommended. “The issues of ‘Mosque Alert’ are large, real and occurring here and now, so attention must be paid.” - Windy City Times SILK ROAD RISING ANNOUNCES EXTENDED RUN OF  BOLD, HARD-HITTING DRAMA  MOSQUE ALERT Silk Road Rising’s timely world premiere of Jamil Khoury’s Mosque Alert has been playing to enthusiastic houses since opening. By popular demand, performances of Mosque Alert have been extended through May 15th.  This extension adds eight new opportunities to see what Hedy Weiss of the Chicago Sun-Times calls “precisely the right recipe for a solid argument play." Inspired by the "Ground Zero Mosque" controversy in New York City, Mosque Alert opens a window into the world of three fictional families living in Naperville, Illinois, whose lives are interrupted by a proposed Islamic Center on the site of a beloved local landmark. Mosque Alert is extended through May 15, 2016, and performs in Pierce Hall at The Historic Chicago Temple Building, 77 W. Washington St, Lower Level, in Chicago.  Learn more about the play by visiting www.mosquealert.org. PERFORMANCES & TICKETS The production runs through Sunday, May 15th. Curtain times are Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 8:00 pm, Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 4:00 pm. Tickets are $35.00. Tickets can be purchased at www.mosquealert.org or by phone: 312.857.1234 x201. PRAISE FOR MOSQUE ALERT “Khoury shows a Kushneresque knack for complicating already complicated realities.” - Chicago Reader “Searing writing...[Mosque Alert] captures the temper of our time.” - Chicago Sun-Times “Articulates the issues with passion and...eloquence. ‘Mosque Alert’ ultimately is a plea for understanding and compassion that takes aim at the anti-Muslim forces.” - Chicago Tribune “It is the dexterous cast of this professional world premiere who make his play... believable and compelling—performances that make a show of standard running time pass in a blink. ‘Mosque Alert’ exhibits a thoroughgoing treatment of issues that strike the bone.” - Huffington Post “Mosque Alert, an explosive world premiere, is seen—and felt—from all sides. Khoury’s kickass script and vital play remains exemplary in its civic-minded bridge-building.” - Stage and Cinema “Mosque Alert is significant for its insistence that discussion of Islam’s place in America be reasoned, honest, well-informed, and treat humans as unique individuals instead of abstractions or targets of collective blame.  - ChicagoCritic.com “But what makes Mosque Alert so compelling are the nuances within each family...revealing the weaknesses in all of its characters and in doing so, pointing out the humanity in all of them as well.” - Third Coast Review “The ambitious Mosque Alert is a commendable piece of theater. Khoury writes eloquently and with conviction. He expresses viewpoints (even the most odious), boldly and comprehensively.” - Daily Herald Silk Road Rising’s new work by Jamil Khoury understands the destructive power of hate...the territory is rife with drama and pertinent questions about the modernity of Islam and the nature of bigotry.” - Newcity Stage “There is an unquestionable urgency to sharing stories like Mosque Alert with the world. The production’s timing is undeniably pertinent.” - PerformInk “Mosque Alert tackles a range of contemporary subjects, from fear of Islam, to the crooked politics of zoning laws, to national and individual responses to acts of terror. Strong performances anchor this spirited debate with no easy answers.” -Theatre1234 PRODUCTION TEAM Mosque Alert is written by Jamil Khoury and directed by Edward Torres. The cast of Mosque Alert includes: Rengin Altay*, Rom Barkhordar*, Amy J. Carle*, Mark Ulrich*, Sahar Dika, Nina Ganet, Rula Gardenier, Riley McIlveen, Andrew L. Saenz, Frank Sawa, and Steve Silver. The design team includes: Caitlin Roper* (Stage Manager), Dan Stratton (Set Designer), Elsa Hiltner (Costume Designer), Lindsey Lyddan (Lighting Designer), Thomas Dixon (Sound Designer & Composer of Original Music), Michael Stanfill** (Video Designer), Alec Long (Props Designer), and Annaliese McSweeney (Dramaturg). * Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.  ** Denotes member of United Scenic Artists, the union of professional designers, artists, and craftspeople. PRODUCTION SPONSORS The World Premiere production of Mosque Alert is proudly sponsored by: The Bass Fund, ComEd, Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust, and The Left Tilt Fund. ABOUT SILK ROAD RISING Silk Road Rising creates live theatre and online videos that tell stories through primarily Asian American and Middle Eastern American lenses. In representing communities that intersect and overlap, we advance a polycultural worldview.

GIVEAWAY: WIN 2 Tickets To The King and I at Lyric Opera

Lyric Opera’s grand-scale production of

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 

The King and I 

opens tonight, April 29

Performances through May 22

at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Dr.

 All Production Photos by Todd Rosenberg


Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows we're elated to offer our readers a fabulous Mothers' Day giveaway. We are partnering up with The Lyric Opera to offer a FREE pair of tickets to The King and I for one of our lucky readers. Our winner may select one of the following performances: May 7 at 1:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.; May 8 at 6:30 p.m.; or Tuesday, May 10 at 7 p.m. Enter early and often through midnight May 2nd. 

ENTER HERE

We'll be there for the press opening this Saturday, so check back soon for our full review. The Lyric Opera has long been a favorite of ours for world class productions and incomparable talent, costumes and sets. We can't wait to see the beloved classic, The King and I!

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents a stunning production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I, featuring Broadway stars Kate Baldwin and Paolo Montalban as Anna Leonowens and the King of Siam. Lyric Opera’s The King and I runs April 29 through May 22 (press opening April 30), with 25 performances at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. Tickets start at $29 and are available at lyricopera.org/king or at 312-827-5600. 

The King and I is the fourth Rodgers and Hammerstein musical to be presented as part of Lyric’s American Musical Initiative. Lee Blakeley, who staged the production’s 2014 premiere at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, makes his Lyric directorial debut teaming up with distinguished Broadway conductor David Chase, who conducted Lyric’s acclaimed Carousel last season, and choreographer Peggy Hickey. The creative team also includes costume designer Sue Blane (debut), scenic designer Jean-Marc Puissant (debut), lighting designer Rick Fisher (debut), sound designer Mark Grey, and chorus master Michael Black.

The King and I  features Broadway artists Ali Ewoldt (Tuptim), Alan Ariano (The Kralahome), and Rona Figueroa (Lady Thiang), along with Sam Simahk (Lun Tha) and Chicagoland artists Charlie Babbo (Louis Leonowens), Jomar Ferreras (Interpreter), John Lister (Captain Orton), David Parkes (Sir Edward Ramsay), Peter Sipla (Phra Alack) and Matthew Uzarraga (Prince Chulalongkorn). All but Lister make their Lyric debuts with The King and I.

The all-Chicagoland children’s ensemble for the production includes Sophie Mieko Ackerman, Alexis Aponte, Lilly Fujioka, Avonlea Hong, Leila Koss, Evangelyn Lee, Liliana Martens, Lucy Martens, Rika Nishikawa, Ana Joy Rowley-Mathews, Benedict Santos Schwegel, A’naam Singh, Zachary Uzarraga and Sophia Woo. These young performers range in age from 5 through 14.

Click here to learn more about this production. Follow the conversation on Twitter and Instagram: #LyricKing.

The Lyric premiere of The King and I is generously made possible by The Negaunee Foundation, two Anonymous Donors, Robert S. and Susan E. Morrison, and Northern Trust.

The April 30 performance of The King and I will be broadcast on 98.7WFMT and streamed on wfmt.com on Sunday, May 1, at 7:00pm.

About Lyric

Lyric Opera of Chicago’s mission is to express and promote the life-changing, transformational, revelatory power of great opera. Lyric exists to provide a broad, deep, and relevant cultural service to Chicago and the nation, and to advance the development of the art form.

Founded in 1954, Lyric is dedicated to producing and performing consistently thrilling, entertaining, and thought-provoking opera with a balanced repertoire of core classics, lesser-known masterpieces, and new works; to creating an innovative and wide-ranging program of community engagement and educational activities; and to developing exceptional emerging operatic talent.

Under the leadership of general director Anthony Freud, music director Sir Andrew Davis, and creative consultant Renée Fleming, Lyric strives to become The Great North American Opera Company for the 21st century: a globally significant arts organization embodying the core values of excellence, relevance, and fiscal responsibility. Visit www.lyricopera.org for more information.

Polarity Ensemble's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM Through 5/22 at Greenhouse Theater Center

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar

Polarity Ensemble Theatre Presents Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, 

April 20 - May 22, 2016

Director Ann Keen's Production Brings Magic, Transformation and Music of the 60's 

Chicago's abiding bard love continues with one of his most popular and accessible shows, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. Here at ChiIL Mama/ChiIL Live Shows it's one of our Shakes favs. Check out this groovy 1960's style version of the classic.

Polarity Ensemble Theatre presents an innovative interpretation of Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, the bard's most popular comedy. Director Ann Keen sets the production in an America of the early 1960's, a time of distinctive transition in our culture, as music, morality, and racial relations began a revolution. Like Ann's HAMLET (which won Polarity the honor of Best Emerging Theatre Company from the Chicago Reader) and her A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, this production will be infused with music. 

The production is running now through May 22, 2015 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614, where the eleven year old Polarity is a resident company. Tickets are available at www.petheatre.com or by calling the box office at 773-404-7336. 

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM features: Charles Askenaizer Snout, Jos N Banks Lysander, Joey Banks Oberon, Bryan Breau Demetrius, Keith Cavanaugh Bottom, Madisen Dempsey Mustardseed, James Dolbeare Snug,Kevin M. Grubb Quince, Hilary Holbrook Hermia, Charley Jordan Egeus,McKenna Kirchner Peasblossom, Jen Mathews Hippolyta, Jessica McCartneyStarvling, Jennifer Nickell Moth, Hallie Peterson Cobweb, Miriam Reuter Puck,Nicola Rinow Helena, Roy Samra Philostrate, Anastasia Spalding First Fairy,Laura Sturm Titania, Jeremy Thompson Theseus, Aaron Wertheim Flute. 

About the play: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM was written around 1594 or 95. It portrays the adventures of four young lovers and a group of amateur actors, their interactions with woodland fairies and a duke and duchess. This production takes place in a mythical 1960's America and an enchanted forest with a crafty fairy king, an outraged parent, an interracial love story, a bumbling weaver transformed into a half-donkey, and fairies who sing in 1960's harmony. It's a magical, music-filled celebration of love. But as Puck knows, falling in love can make fools of us all. 

The production team for A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM includes Ann Keen (director), Nicole Lewter (production manager), Buck Blue (set design), Alaina Moore (costume design), Claire Chrzan (light design), Bob Kretz (sound design), Charley Jordan (props design), Dave Gonzalez, (fight director), Ali Helland (text/vocal coach), Hazel Marie (stage manager), Aaron Pepple (Assistant Stage Manager), Abigail Epperson (casting director), and Richard Engling (artistic director). 

SCHEDULE AND TICKET INFORMATION 

Title: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

Written by: William Shakespeare

Director: Ann Keen

Location: The Greenhouse Theater Center 2257 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

Regular Run: Sunday, April 24 through Sunday, May 22, 2016

Curtain Times: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 PM, Sunday at 3:00 PM

Tickets: Regular Run: $25. Students: $10, Seniors: $20. Tickets are available at www.petheatre.com and 773-404-7336 

About the Director

Polarity Ensemble Theatre co-founder Ann Keen received her B.A. from Saint Mary's University and her M.F.A. in acting from Arizona State University. She has done a lot of acting and voice over work in the Chicagoland Area. Her favorite roles include Clytemnestra in The Oresteia, Emilia in Othello, Lucetta in Two Gentleman of Verona and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth. Most recently, Ann was in the play Unnecessary Farce at Fox Valley Repertory. She directed Polarity's productions of Antigone, Hamlet and A Streetcar Named Desire and most recently, Crimes of the Heart at Steel Beam Theatre. She is especially brilliant at working with playwrights on developing new scripts. Ann and her husband John are the proprietors of The Spice House in Geneva. 

About Polarity Ensemble Theatre

Founded in 2004, 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 www.petheatre.com. 

Solo Celebration Play Selections Announced Via Greenhouse Theatre Center

GREENHOUSE THEATER CENTER ANNOUNCES PLAY SELECTIONS FOR “SOLO CELEBRATION!” RUNNING JUNE 2016- FEBRUARY 2017 12-Play Series Includes Works by Chicago Playwrights Douglas Post, Philip Dawkins,  Susan Padveen and Brett Neveu As Well as Critically Acclaimed Work  From London and Off-Broadway    Creative Teams Include Jeff and Tony Award Winners and Nominees

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're excited about the upcoming Solo Celebration featuring some of our favorite Chicago-based playwrights including Isaac Gomez, Brett Neveu, Douglas Post, Susan Padveen and Philip Dawkins (who will also be performing his solo work). Joining these local artists are award-winning authors Stacyann Chin (who will also star in her autobiographical piece), Laurence Leamer, John Walch, Sarah Myers andMatty Selman.  The series will include ten full productions and two limited engagements. 

Among the directors connected to solo series are Emmy, Tony and Grammy Award-winner Cynthia Nixon, Goodman Theatre Producer and Artistic Collective Member Steve Scott, Writer’s Theatre Resident Director Kimberly Senior, Directors Lab Chicago Artistic Director Elizabeth Margolius and Remy Bumppo Artistic Associate Linda Gillum. Some of the performers confirmed to star in solo works include Jeff Award-winner Kate Buddeke, acclaimed British actor Simon Slater, Karen Rodriguez and Carin Silkaitis.  Most productions will be produced in their entirety by Greenhouse, while other plays will be stated with co-producers including Sideshow Theatre Company, The Other Theatre Company and Rosie O’Donnell. Jacob Harvey, Artistic Director of the Greenhouse Theater Center, announced the 12 plays that will be presented as part of the “Solo Celebration!” series, running June 2016 – February 2017.  “I was surprised at the breadth of submissions we received, not only in genre and sheer volume, but also in the exciting ways in which playwrights are experimenting with the form of the one-person play,” said Harvey. “Each of the works that we have selected for full production possesses something special that we think contributes to the national conversation about solo-plays, as well as creates a diverse and robust series. Our series encapsulates everything from comedy to tragedy, and features new works by both local and national playwrights that have crafted compelling and challenging new roles for each show’s solo-actor.” The 12 plays included in this series are as follows: “MotherStruck!”                                            Chicago Premiere of the Off-Broadway Hit Written and Performed by Staceyann Chin; Originally Directed by Cynthia Nixon Co-Production with Rosie O’Donnell, Robert Dragotta and Culture Project June 10 – July 17 Audaciously funny and powerful, “MotherStruck!” is Staceyann Chin’s Off-Broadway hit exploring her deeply personal journey to motherhood, as a single woman, lesbian and activist who does not have health insurance or a ‘serious, stable financial set up.  Told through Chin’s uniquely poetic lens, her magnetic performance takes audiences on a bullet train adventure as she reflects on how the process changed her life and making peace with what she learned along the way. “The Way She Spoke: A Docu-mythologia”’                     World Premiere Written by Isaac Gomez; Directed by Laura Baker; Starring Karen Rodriguez June 10 – July 10 When an actress enters an empty warehouse to read a new play about the missing and murdered women of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, she embarks on an expedition through the broken roads of a city offering far more questions than answers. With thousands of women disappearing every year, who is responsible for these crimes? “The Way She Spoke: A Docu-mythologia” is a daring solo-performance piece pulling from hundreds of interviews collected down a rabbit hole of drug cartels, ex-convicts, unsavory reporters and resilient women; asking audiences, “what lies in the shadows of telling a story that isn't yours?”  “The Portrait”                                                                       World Premiere Written and Directed by Susan Padveen Co-Production with The Neopolitans July 15 – August 14 Gustav Klimt, the famous Viennese painter of The Kiss, crafted a multitude of beloved and enigmatic works while struggling to support his family in a world that did not yet recognize his genius. This provocative new play renders a portrait of the artist as he tries to win an attractive young woman’s interest and a sizable commission, as he wrestles with a decision that could alter the trajectory of his life. Torn between duty and defiance how will Klimt navigate the tumultuous decisions ahead? “Bloodshot”                                                               U.S. Premiere of the London Hit Written by Douglas Post; Directed by Patrick Sandford; Starring Simon Slater August 5 – September 11 Taut and suspenseful, “Bloodshot” is a one-man murder mystery following photographer Derek Eveleigh, as he is hired by an anonymous benefactor to pursue a showgirl through the streets of 1957 London.  After witnessing the young woman’s murder by an unknown assailant, he embarks on an investigation to find her killer that takes him through the bowels and backstreets of London, to find the young woman’s killer.  Along the way he meets hustlers, musicians and magicians and begins to find himself falling in love with a dead woman that he’s never met. “Rose”                                                            Chicago Premiere of the Off-Broadway Hit Written by best-selling author Laurence Leamer; Directed by Steve Scott August 19 – September 25 "There will be great presidents again, but there will never be another Camelot." In this intimate portrait of Camelot’s queen-mother, we meet a stalwart 79-year old Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy just after the tragedy at Chappaquiddick, which led to the accidental death of Mary Jo Kopechne at the hands Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Alone with her invalid husband in the house in Hyannis Port, Rose attempts to retrace the rise and fall of this great family that traversed continents, shaped history, and inspired a people. The Kennedy’s story is the story of our nation, as it implores audiences to access the costs of creating a political dynasty. “I Do Today”                                                                          World Premiere Co-Production with The Other Theater Company Written by Sarah Myers; Directed by Jacob Harvey; Starring Carin Silkaitis September 2-October 9, 2016 Failed relationships, former lovers and half eaten wedding cake clutter the mind of one Jewish woman determined to track the trajectory of love and loss in her life. “I Do Today” builds a constantly confounding and quickly changing family tree of many marriages (and even more divorces), posing questions about how modern marriage fits into old ideals.  Bisexuality, kabbalah and baby teeth dangle from the branches of this thoughtful play exploring how we might use our inheritances to re-imagine what’s possible.  “The Happiest Place on Earth”                                          World Premiere Co-Production with Sideshow Theatre Company Written and Performed by Philip Dawkins; Directed by Jonathan L. Green September 17-October 23 Once upon a time in an Anaheim, California orange grove, a magical kingdom was built and dedicated to America's history, dreams and wildest hopes. Eight years later, one family’s American prince died on live television while delivering the Albuquerque sports scores, leaving his four daughters and their mother behind. Left reeling from the loss of their patriarch, the family underwent a quest to reach the magical kingdom and seek solace and recovery. Now, more than fifty years after their journey, acclaimed playwright and storyteller Philip Dawkins retraces and illustrates the true story of the women in his family, exploring their history and asking if there really is a place where the dream that we wish can come true. “Uncle Philip’s Coat”                                                           Chicago Premiere Written by Matty Selman; Directed by Elizabeth Margolius November 27 – December 31, 2016 When Matty, an unemployed actor, inherits an old, decrepit coat from his recently deceased great-uncle Philip, he is unsure whether he has been given an heirloom or a heap of rags. Through his attempts to find the answer he travels across time, territories and tragedies in an effort to uncover the history of an unfaltering dreamer. “Uncle Philip’s Coat” takes Matty on a journey of self-discovery that poses larger questions of family, mythology and the inheritance of a Jewish son. How did a man who made it to the land of opportunity become a homeless wanderer, and what can he teach us about the stories that we tell to surround ourselves and keep away the cold? “Miss America”                                                                     World Premiere Written by Brett Neveu; Directed by Linda Gillum; Starring Kate Buddeke January 6-February 12, 2017 The Midwest sits, still and silent, between two oceans in the center of a continent, and beneath we find “Miss America” in a cold and cluttered basement. Written for award-winning actress Kate Buddeke, Brett Nuveu’s stark and entrancing sketch of an ordinary woman will leave you shaken and unsure, as she uncovers the artifacts of her youth and comes to terms with the forces that have made her who she is today.  “Circumference of a Squirrel”                                            Chicago Premiere Written by John Walch; Directed by Jacob Harvey January 13 – February 12, 2017 An inner-tube, a bagel, a donut, a lifesaver, a holiday wreath, a tire-swing, a cycle of abuse: circles. And at the center of them all sits an enigmatic squirrel. Orbiting that squirrel is Chester, a self-described “rodentophobe” who spins the outlandish, funny, and bruising tale of growing up with a father who developed a rabid hatred for squirrels that eventually infected every aspect of his life. Pursued by memories of his father’s intolerant legacy, Chester is pulled into the black hole at the center of his own life, unsure of how he will break free from the darkness that encircles him in this savagely comic one-man show. Limited Engagments “Squeeze My Cans”                                                               Chicago Premiere Written and performed by Cathy Schenkelberg Directed by Shirley Anderson July 14-July 24 Limited Engagement Have you ever wondered if Bozo was a suppressive person? Have you ever considered what it might be like to audition to be Tom Cruise’s girlfriend? What do you do if the” carrot of spiritual freedom” was dangled in front of you, waiting to be seized? Writer performer Cathy Schenkelberg decided to chase it and what she found was Scientology, America’s foremost intergalactic theology. After studying and searching to become “more herself” she found herself blowing alien life forms off her body and moving farther from than ever from who the person she had hoped to be. Now she is sharing the story in this no holds barred cautionary tale of how she survived the pseudoscience. *”Squeeze My Cans” received its first developmental workshop production at Lifeline’s Filet of Solo Festival. “Mother (and me)”                                        Chicago Premiere of FringeNYC Award-Winner Written and performed by Melinda Buckley As originally directed by Kimberly Senior August 4 – 14 Limited Engagement A larger-than-life Hungarian “Mama Rose” is slowing slipping into dementia as her Broadway baby, Melinda slips into “de’middle age.”  A brilliantly funny and touching story of two women who are losing everything they’ve ever been—in very different ways—as they lose each other. This one-woman tour-de-force by Broadway performer and comedian Melinda Buckley was an award-winner at the 2014 New York International Fringe Festival. The play asks “who’s it harder for?  The one who can’t remember?  Or the one who can’t forget?” Performance Schedule and Ticket Information The performance schedule for each play will be announced at a future date.  Most plays will be performed Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and Saturday and Sunday matinees.  The press opening dates will be announced at a future date.  All performances will take place at one of the venues within the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. Flex passes are on sale now.  Flex passes provide guests with admissions to five different full-production plays at a cost of $160 (or $32 per performance).   Flex pass-holders may also purchase tickets for additional plays for $32, and may purchase tickets for limited engagement productions for $20 (a 33% savings).  Flex passes can be obtained by visiting or calling the Greenhouse Theater box office at 773-404-7336 or by visiting greenhousetheater.org. Additional casting, special events and appearances, including musical performances and comedians, will be announced at a future date. About the Greenhouse Theater Center The Greenhouse Theater Center is a nonprofit performance venue located at 2257 N Lincoln Ave, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Our complex offers two newly remodeled 190-seat main stage spaces, two 60-seat studio theaters, an in-house rehearsal room, and Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre book store. Our mission at the Greenhouse is first and foremost to grow local theatre. We strive to cultivate a fertile environment for local artists, from individual renters to our bevy of resident companies, to develop and produce their work. In 2014 alone, The Greenhouse Theater Center provided space for almost 1,000 ticketed performances, serving more than 54,000 patrons. Among these events, were at least 30 productions by our resident companies, including the celebrated American Blues Theater and Remy Bumpo Theatre Company. Through our Trellis Program, we offer the community affordable access to our work by housing Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre bookstore, located on the second floor of our complex, as well as offering a free reading series each Tuesday night where local artists workshop their latest scripts. Additionally, we also continue to play an active role in cultivating and nurturing our community through continued partnerships with the League of Chicago Theaters and local Chambers of Commerce. As of 2016, the Greenhouse Theater Center embraced the true spirit of growth and launched its producing entity. With the announcement of our 8 month long Solo Celebration Series, helmed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey, we will produce 10 solo plays from June 2016 to February 2017. Through this inaugural effort, we hope to expand the solo play cannon while also cultivating a larger conversation about the possibilities of the one-person play. With new ideas always incubating, the Greenhouse Theater Center is flourishing. Come grow with us!