Steppenwolf 2016/17 Season Begins With Visiting Edna In Previews Starting September 15th and Opening the 27th

What's On Tap For Steppenwolf

As previously announced, the complete 2016/17 Subscription Season includes the world premiere of Visiting Edna by David Rabe, directed by Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro (September 15 – November 6, 2016); the world premiere of The Fundamentals by Erika Sheffer, directed by ensemble member Yasen Peyankov (November 10 – December 23, 2016); the Chicago premiere of The Christians by Lucas Hnath, directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman (December 1, 2016 – January 29, 2017); the Chicago premiere of Straight White Men, written and directed by Young Jean Lee (February 2 – March 19, 2017); the world premiere of Linda Vista by ensemble member Tracy Letts, directed by Dexter Bullard (March 30 – May 21, 2017); and the Chicago premiere of Hir by Taylor Mac, directed by Hallie Gordon (June 29 – August 20, 2017). 

Dexter Bullard will direct the world premiere production of ensemble member Tracy Letts’s Linda Vista and Hallie Gordon will direct the Chicago premiere of Taylor Mac’s Hir. 

Dexter Bullard last directed Steppenwolf’s critically acclaimed production of Annie Baker’s The Flick this season. Hallie Gordon, who serves as  Steppenwolf Artistic Producer and Artistic Director of Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA), has directed several SYA productions including George Orwell’s 1984 last season. Gordon will also direct next season’s SYA adaptation of Walter Dean Myers’s Monster.

An additional seventh play, the world premiere of Pass Over by Antoinette Nwandu, will be produced in May 2017 in the Upstairs Theatre. Winner of the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award, Antoinette Nwandu is an exciting new voice in the American theater. Pass Over will run in the non-subscription summer slot; however, subscribers will have access to pre-sale tickets. The director is TBA.

With the larger and more diverse selection of programming next season, Steppenwolf is increasing the ways in which audiences can experience the offerings with the new Steppenwolf Black Card, a membership program offering extreme flexibility. The Steppenwolf Black Card provides six ticket credits that can be used at any time for any production at Steppenwolf. The credits are valid for one year, and there is the option to add on additional credits as needed. Additional perks include easy and free exchanges, access to seats before the general public, savings on single ticket prices and bar and restaurant discounts for pre- and post-show socializing. 

The Steppenwolf Black Card is available through Audience Services (1650 N. Halsted) at 312.335.1650 and steppenwolf.org 

Season Subscription Packages are still available and are currently on sale. Packages start at $100. Student, educator and access discount subscriptions also offered. To purchase a 2016/17 subscription, visit Audience Services at 1650 N Halsted St, call 312-335-1650 or visit steppenwolf.org.

Director Bios

Dexter Bullard has strong ties with Steppenwolf, having most recently directed Annie Baker’s The Flick and having directed ensemble member Tracy Letts’s Bug at the Barrow Street Theater, for which he received the 2004 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Direction Off-Broadway. He has directed for Steppenwolf’s First Look Repertory of New Work in 2006 and 2013. Recent directing credits include the critically acclaimed production of Sucker Punch at Victory Gardens Theater, Big Meal at American Theatre Company and Craig Wright’s Grace at Northlight Theatre. He is the head of Graduate Acting and Showcase Artistic Director with The Theatre School at DePaul University.  

Hallie Gordon serves as Artistic Director of Steppenwolf for Young Adults and an Artistic Producer at Steppenwolf. Along with selecting the young adult productions each season, she has created the Young Adult Council, a group of high school students who collectively help to create innovative programming for their peers. Previously as SYA’s Education Director, Gordon worked closely with the Chicago Public Schools to create an environment in which all students and teachers have access to the theater. For Steppenwolf, Hallie has directed George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm, as well as Leveling Up, The Book Thief, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, To Kill a Mockingbird, the world premiere of a new adaptation by Tanya Saracho of The House on Mango Street and Harriet Jacobs, adapted for the stage by Lydia R. Diamond. A world premiere of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, also adapted by Lydia R. Diamond, won a Black Excellence Award from the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago and also transferred Off-Broadway to The New Victory Theatre. She is the recipient of The Helen Coburn Meier & Time Meier Achievement Award. Gordon most recently directed Dry Land at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, playing now through May 28, 2016. For SYA’s 2016/17 season Gordon will direct an adaptation of Walter Dean Myers’s Monster.

About the Steppenwolf Black Card

Steppenwolf is excited to offer a larger and more diverse selection of programming next season, and to that end has increased the ways in which audiences can experience the offerings. Launching next season is the new Steppenwolf Black Card, a membership program offering extreme flexibility. The Steppenwolf Black Card provides six ticket credits that can be used at any time for any production at Steppenwolf. The credits are valid for one year, and there is the option to add on additional credits as needed. Additional perks include easy and free exchanges, access to seats before the general public, savings on single ticket prices and bar and restaurant discounts for pre- and post-show socializing. 

“We have heard from our audiences that they crave both choice and flexibility. The Steppenwolf Black Card will provide insider access to everything we have to offer, making it easier than ever to be a part of Steppenwolf,” shares Managing Director David Schmitz.  

Audiences will be able to choose from three Steppenwolf Black Card options: Anytime ($70 a credit to use any way, any day of the week); Weeknight ($50 a credit to use Sunday evening –Thursday evening) and Preview ($30 a credit to use towards early performances in the run). Steppenwolf Black Cards will go on sale July 15, 2016 through Audience Services at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

The Steppenwolf Black Card is modeled after the popular Steppenwolf Red Card, which offers audiences under the age of 30 the option to purchase six ticket credits at a discounted price to use towards any play, anytime.

Still available will be Steppenwolf’s Season Subscriptions including the Preview Series, Regular Series and Dinner Theatre Series, in addition to discounted Student/Educator Series, Accessible Series and Saver Series. With the new season format, subscribers will see five plays; four in the Downstairs Theatre with the option to choose between two shows in the Upstairs Theatre. Packages start at $100 and are currently available for purchase through Audience Services at 1650 N Halsted St, call 312-335-1650 or visit steppenwolf.org. 

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 1700 Theatre. Formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, Steppenwolf has grown into an ensemble of 46 actors, writers and directors. Beginning in 2016/17, Steppenwolf expands artistic programming to include a seven-play Season; a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; Visiting Company engagements; and LookOut, a new multidisciplinary performance series. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway 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. Anna D. Shapiro is the Artistic Director and David Schmitz is the Managing Director. Nora Daley is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. 

For additional information, visit www.steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre and twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr.

REVIEW: Ultra American Offers Hilariously Insightful Take on Inciteful Topics

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Ultra American: A Patriot Act

Through September 26th 

Azhar Usman's Ultra American is ultra funny, and both witty and wise. He does a stand up job poking fun at the absurdities of latent and blatant racism through his own experiences as an Indian American Muslim in 2016. This show was simultaneously enlightening and laugh out loud funny. Ultra American should be recommended if not required viewing for every American over 13. Highly recommended.

The set design is simple, but highly effective, and more set than we had expected for a 1 man stand up show. Ultra American: A Patriot Act's set has an asymmetrical aesthetic and excellent use of wall sized projections. The open and close features flocks of birds flying in hypnotic patterns, which fits with the show's ultimate take away. People are all similar birds in different cages. The external trappings of skin color, clothing, heritage, race, religion, economics, and culture matter far less than what's on the inside, where we're all more alike than different. It's powerful imagery and easy to grasp. 

Usman also urges everyone to just take the simple step of holding people accountable for their own individual behaviors, beliefs and actions, not those of one's entire race, ethnic background, etc. Simple and effective attitude changes like this across society would help diminish fear and hate crimes immensely. Humor is such an effective tool, too, far beyond preaching or debate. Azhar Usman's a gifted comedian, astute observer of the absurdities of racism and our modern American society, and a true treat to see in action. Don't miss this! 

Smart Comedy With a Razor Sharp Edge. Limited Three Week Run. Famed comedian and former lawyer Azhar Usman uses wit and knowledge to tackle some of America's most pressing issues. Race, identity, and national politics are all fair game in Azhar's comical commentary on what it means to be an Indian American Muslim in 2016. Ultra American: A Patriot Act runs September 5 - 26, Tuesdays thru Sundays. Tickets are $25 General Admission or $15 for Students. All performances held at Silk Road Rising (77 W. Washington St, Lower Level, Chicago, IL) Buy Tickets »

Ultra American Runs Tuesdays Thru Sundays for Only Three Weeks Ultra American: A Patriot Act  Written and Performed by Azhar Usman Directed by Aaron Todd Douglas $25 Adults / $15 Students Performances at Silk Road Rising 77 W. Washington St. | Chicago, IL September 6th - 25th Presidential Candidate Donald Trump has just proposed an ideological litmus test for Muslims and immigrants attempting to enter the United States. According to Trump, "those who support bigotry and hatred” and fail "to embrace a tolerant American society" should be denied visas. Famed comedian Azhar Usman skewers these ironies and more in his brutally honest, one-man show. Ultra American: A Patriot Act explores the tensions and paradoxes surrounding the double consciousness of American Muslims living in an ever-polarizing world. This three-week engagement will run Tuesdays thru Sundays.

Comedians Are Raving About Azhar Usman Azhar Usman has toured the world performing stand-up and opening for a variety of stand-up comics. See what other comedians think of the man CNN calls, "America's Funniest Muslim." "One of the most important, relevant, and hysterically funny guys out there!" -Margaret Cho "Azhar Usman is untouchable. He is like a comedian from the future." -Dave Chappelle "I think Azhar is hysterical." -John Oliver "Azhar Usman is funny. Also, he turned me on to halal bacon, and I thank him for that." -Jim Gaffigan "He's like Zach Galifianakis meets Deepak Chopra and funnier than you'd expect that combination to be." -Russell Peters

From Artistic Director Jamil Khoury:

Yes, there's the fact that Azhar Usman is a critically-acclaimed, nationally renowned stand-up comedian and soon-to-be household name (hint: it has something to do with a television show, that's all I'll say), and yes, there's the fact that he's been crowned "America's funniest Muslim" and that he is, indeed, America's funniest Muslim, and yes, there's the fact that this lawyer turned humorist provocateur is developing his first-ever play at Silk Road Rising (a testament to his impeccable judgement), but all of that notwithstanding, the real reason you need to see Ultra American: A Patriot Act is because you've been to a lot of plays in your day, but you've never seen anything quite like this. I'm telling you, this guy is truly unique and he's super talented. He's Dave Chappelle's opening act for God's sake! He can take W.E.B Du Bois' theory of double consciousness, in all its brilliance, and make it funny AND smart. And if you think Muslims are scary, well—okay, in Azhar's case you just may have yourself a point. But I'm talking edgy, no apologies, in-your-face, raise-the-roof scary. Hell, ISIS tried to recruit this guy. Fortunately, we got him instead.  

Look, it's not easy being Muslim in America. My husband's Muslim. I know the struggle well. And our pal Azhar manages to mine the complexity and irony and insanity from that rocky road he travels. He not only invites us into his journey, he makes us part of his journey, and in the end, well, maybe we should all walk a mile in another person's shoes.

In other words, you need to see Ultra American. Seriously. This guy looks like Taliban #3 straight out of central casting. By his own admission, he's the guy you don't want to board a plane with. I'd even argue that the future of Western Civilization depends on your seeing this show. So come on. You've got three weeks (September 6-25). We're performing Tuesdays thru Sundays. As busy as you may be, surely you have 90 minutes to spare for the United States of America, right? 

REVIEW: Porchlight's In The Heights Intimate and Excellent

ChiIL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

IN THE HEIGHTS 

NOW EXTENDED THROUGH OCTOBER 23 
AT STAGE 773

ALL PHOTOS BY GRETCHEN KELLEY

(full cast) The cast of In The Heights

Chicago's got Lin-Manuel Miranda on the brain... and rightfully so. His work is brilliant! Tickets to Porchlight Music Theatre's In The Heights are selling out fast, but still available, and they won't break the bank like a certain historical hip-hop hit opening imminently at The PrivateBank Theatre. Here at ChiIL Live Shows we had the pleasure of catching the press opening of Porchlight's In The Heights and we can attest that this production makes for an excellently entertaining night out. Highly recommended.

Amid all the Hamilton mania, Porchlight Music Theatre has launched a stellar choice for a season opener, the multi-Tony Award-winning In The Heights, with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda!

You won't even have to break out a sleeping bag and wait all night in line for tickets. We do suggest you book in advance though. Porchlight is a perennial favorite and many dates are sold out or filling fast!

Lin-Manuel Miranda

 (L to R) Michelle Lauto, Missy Aguilar, Lucia Godinez and Leah Davis as "Vanessa," "Daniela," "Nina Rosario," and "Carla”

The women ruled the neighborhood and the show! We're completely enamored with Isabel Quintero's Abuela Claudia and the power vocals and charisma of the female leads. Lucia Godinez (Nina Rosario) and Michelle Lauto (Vanessa) were particular standouts.

 Isabel Quintero as "Abuela Claudia"

We caught the Broadway touring cast of In The Heights when they played Chicago a few years back, and they had nothing on Porchlight. The intimate space at Stage 773 lends a personal feel to this production that's nearly impossible to emulate in a giant theatre. In The Heights, with it's focus on community, family and relationships amid grinding New York poverty is well suited for a smaller audience. The set design is fun, and makes great use of multilevel spaces.

Jack DeCesare as "Usnavi" dances with Ensemble member Elena Romanowski 

(L to R) Lucia Godinez and Keely Vasquez as "Nina Rosario" and "Camila Rosario"

Porchlight has gotten some flack for casting white Italian, Jack DeCesare, as Usnavi, who is supposed to be from the Dominican Republic, but we found his performance to be endearing. Many Chicago companies have long been open minded about casting the best actor for a part, regardless of skin color or racial background. Audiences accept and even expect a cast of many colors, even in "white" classics like A Christmas Carol and much of Shakespeare's body of works. Limiting roles to an exact ethnic match with a script is unrealistic and unnecessary. It's a valuable debate to have, but acting is just that... pretending to be someone else, and we thoroughly enjoyed Jack DeCesare's portrayal of Usnavi. 

 Jack DeCesare as "Usnavi" performs "Finale”

Porchlight's In The Heights features a diverse cast and celebrates the multicultural melting pot that is urban America. The tragedies, triumphs, love and loss of this community make for great theatre. The score is irresistible and Porchlight's energetic and enthusiastic production is a must see.

 Frankie Leo Bennett as "Sonny" performs "96,000" with the cast of In The Heights

Frankie Leo Bennett was a hoot as Sonny. He's quite the charmer with skills. 

Extended And Highly Recommended:

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce an extension of Porchlight’s 22^nd season opener, the multi-Tony Award-winning In The Heights, now playing through Sunday, Oct. 23, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. Directed and co-choreographed by Brenda Didier, co-choreographed by Chris Carter, music directed by Diana Lawrence and assistant directed by Adrian Abel Azevedo, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave.

The regular performance times are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with an added Thursday matinee, October 6 at 1:30 p.m. There are no 7:30 p.m. performances Thursday, Sept. 15 and Oct. 6 and no 4 p.m. performance Saturday, Sept. 17. Tickets for previews are $38 and for the regular run $43 - $51. Single tickets may be purchased at 773.327.5252 or at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org. 

Subscriptions to the entire Mainstage season or Porchlight’s series, Porchlight Revisits, are currently on sale as well as single tickets for the entire season.  Subscriptions are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling 773.777.9884. Groups of ten or more may receive discounts on tickets purchased via Group Theater Tix at 312.423.6612 or grouptheatertix.com.

From the creator of the current Broadway juggernaut Hamilton, and winner of Tony Awards for “Best Musical” and “Best Original Score,” In The Heights tells the universal story of a tight-knit community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood—a place where the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes and dreams, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.

 Missy Aguilar as "Daniela" and the cast of In The Heights perform "Carnaval Del Barrio"

The Porchlight Music Theatre In The Heights acting company includes: Missy Aguilar as “Daniela;” Stephen Allen as “Benny;” Frankie Leo Bennett as “Sonny,” Leah Davis as “Carla;” Jordan DeBose as “Kevin Rosario;” Jack DeCesare as “Usnavi De La Vega;” Stan DeCwikel, Jr. as “El Piraguero;” Lucia Godinez as “Nina;” Kristopher Knighton as “Graffiti Pete;” Michelle Lauto as “Vanessa;” Isabel Quintero as “Abuela Claudia” and Keely Vasquez as “Camila Rosario” with Nicole Lambert, Cisco Lopez, Yando Lopez, Elena Romanowski, Travis Austin Wright and Demi Zaino in the ensemble. The artistic and production staff of In The Heights includes:

Brenda Didier, direction and co-choreography; Chris Carter, co-choreography; Diana Lawrence, music direction; Adrian Abel Azevedo, assistant direction/dramaturgy; Jose Clair, dramaturgy; Isabel Quintero, dialect coach; Diana Martinez, artistic advisor; Gregory Pinsoneault, scenic design; Kate Setzer Kamphausen, costume design; Denise Karczewski, lighting design, Robert Hornbostel, sound design; Mealah Heidenreich, properties design; Jessica Forella, stage management and Aaron Shapiro, production management. 

ABOUT LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, music and lyrics

Lin-Manuel Miranda is an American actor, composer, rapper and writer, best known for creating and starring in the Broadway musicals Hamilton and In The Heights. A MacArthur “Genius” award recipient, Miranda wrote the music and lyrics for the musical In The Heights, which earned him numerous accolades, including the 2008 Tony Award for “Best Original Score” and the 2009 Grammy for “Best Musical Theater Album.”  Miranda's performance in the show's lead role of “Usnavi” also earned him a nomination for the Tony Award for “Best Actor in a Musical” and the show won “Best Musical.” Miranda created the lead role of “Alexander Hamilton” in Hamilton, a musical for which he wrote the book, music and lyrics—and which earned the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2016 Grammy for “Best Musical Theater Album.” Miranda received the 2016 Drama League Distinguished Performance Award for his work in the role. Hamilton was nominated for a record-setting 16 Tony Awards of which it won 11, including “Best Musical.” Miranda also won the Tony Award for “Best Original Score” and “Best Book of a Musical” for Hamilton and earned a nomination for the Tony Award for “Best Actor in a Musical.” Miranda will next star in the Mary Poppins sequel Mary Poppins Returns, directed by Rob Marshall.

ABOUT QUIARA ALEGRÍA HUDES, Book

Quiara Alegría Hudes is the author of a trilogy of plays including Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue (a 2007 Pulitzer finalist); Water by the Spoonful (winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama); and The Happiest Song Plays Last, which premiered at The Goodman Theatre in April 2013 and is now playing Off-Broadway in New York. Hudes wrote the book for the Broadway musical In The Heights, which received the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical, a Tony nomination for Best Book of a Musical, and was a 2009 Pulitzer Prize finalist. In its original Off-Broadway incarnation In The Heights received the Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical. Hudes’ honors include a United States Artists Fontanals Fellowship, the Aetna New Voices Fellowship at Hartford Stage Company, a Joyce Foundation Award, a residency at New Dramatists, and a resolution from the City of Philadelphia. Hudes sits on the Dramatists Guild Council and serves on the board of Philadelphia Young Playwrights, which produced her first play in the tenth grade. She lives in New York with her husband, daughter and son.

ABOUT BRENDA DIDER, director and co- choreographer

Brenda Didier, recently named one of the “major musical theater forces” working in the Chicago area, is a multi-award-winning director/choreographer having received Joseph Jefferson Awards for both direction and choreography, After Dark Awards for choreography, the National Youth Theatre Award for choreography and the 2010 Broadway World Chicago Fan Favorite Award for choreography. Didier has collaborated with Porchlight Music Theatre on eleven productions, including the recently Jeff Award-nominated Dreamgirls, Ain't Misbehavin' (Jeff Award Best Production and Direction) and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum as well as How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Pal Joey, Putting It Together, Ragtime and Once on this Island, all of which earned her Jeff nominations. Her additional credits include work with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Second City mainstage and etc., Mercury Theater Chicago, Cirque Shanghai, Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, Bailiwick Chicago, BoHo Theatre, City Lit, Silk Road Rising, House of Blues, Leo Burnett Worldwide and many industrials and special events. Didier is the owner and director of the Lincolnshire Academy of Dance where her students have completed programs with American Ballet Theatre, the Joffrey Ballet Milwaukee Ballet, Boston Ballet, Ballet Austin, The Rock School, River North, Giordano and Hubbard Street summer intensives. She is most proud of her scholarship program, including the Matt Gunnels scholarship, to help struggling families keep their children in dance classes.

(L to R) Jordan DeBose and Lucia Godinez as "Kevin Rosario" and "Nina Rosario”

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE

Porchlight Music Theatre, now in its 22^nd season, is nationally recognized for developing innovative new works, reimagining classic productions and showcasing musical theatre’s noted veterans and rising stars. Porchlight elevates the genre in Chicago by providing intimate and powerful theatrical experiences for its growing and diverse audiences. With the vision of Artistic Director Michael Weber, Porchlight builds on its role as Chicago’s only Equity not-for-profit company exclusively specializing in music theatre. Porchlight’s rich history includes the staging of more than 60 productions with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. Through Porchlight’s “Off the Porch” new works program, the musicals of the next generation are developed and given a first audience. The School at Porchlight is Chicago’s new center for music theatre training in the areas of performance, writing and appreciation. The company’s many accolades include 15 Black Theatre Alliance nominations and two awards, as well as a total of 126 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations resulting in 35 Jeff Awards including three consecutive Best Production awards for Sondheim on Sondheim (2015), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (2014) and A Class Act (2013) as well as Sondheim on Sondheim being named one of the Chicago Tribune’s “Best Theatre of 2015.”

Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from the Actors’ Equity Foundation, the Arts Work Fund at the Chicago Community Trust, the Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, Cooper’s: A Neighborhood Eatery, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation,  James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation, the MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at the Prince Foundation, the National Association of Realtors, The Saints and the Service Club of Chicago. The season program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency.

Theatre Thursdays Offer World Premiere Productions And Exclusive Access to Artists.

League of Chicago Theatres Announces

Theatre Thursdays Series for 2016-2017 Season

Series Includes Carroll Gardens (16^th Street Theater), A Life Extra Ordinary (The Gift Theatre),

Cinderella at the Theater of Potatoes (The Hypocrites),

The Rip Nelson Holiday Spectacular (Hell in a Handbag Productions),

Mr. and Mrs. Pennyworth (Lookingglass Theatre Company),

The Wolf at the End of the Block (Teatro Vista), The Snare (Jackalope Theatre Company),

Linda Vista (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), and Relativity (Northlight Theatre)

The League of Chicago Theatres announces the Theatre Thursdays line-up for the 2016-2017 Chicago theatre season including world premiere productions of Carroll Gardens (16th Street Theater), A Life Extra Ordinary (The Gift Theatre), Cinderella at the Theater of Potatoes (The Hypocrites), The Rip Nelson Holiday Spectacular (Hell in a Handbag Productions), Mr. and Mrs. Pennyworth (Lookingglass Theatre Company), The Wolf at the End of the Block (Teatro Vista), The Snare (Jackalope Theatre Company), Linda Vista (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), and Relativity (Northlight Theatre).  Additional information for each event is available at http://bit.ly/theatrethursdays.

The Theatre Thursdays initiative, first launched in 2005, strengthens and diversifies the Chicago theatre community by encouraging Chicagoans to explore new venues and companies. Last season, the League revamped the program to focus on new work with twelve Theatre Thursday events, one per month. Each monthly event provides audiences with a world premiere production and an inside look at the creative process behind new works, including exclusive access to artists.

The 2016-2017 series includes:

Thursday, September 22

CARROLL GARDENS

Written by A. Zell Williams

Directed by Ann Filmer

16^th Street Theater at the Berwyn Cultural Center, 6420 16^th Street in Berwyn

Event begins at 6:30 pm, Show begins at 7:30 pm

Tickets $18 at http://boxoffice.printtixusa.com/16thstreet/eventcalendar with promo code: THRTHURS

Join 16th Street Theater for a world-premiere of A. Zell Williams's comedy, Carroll Gardens. Theatre Thursday guests are invited to a pre-show beer tasting courtesy of Oak Park's Kinslahger Brewing Company at 6:30pm. Stay after the show for a conversation with director Ann Filmer and the cast.

Davis and Robby were childhood friends. But that was a long time ago. Now Davis lives in Brooklyn which is a long way from Stockton, CA, in all ways. When Robby shows up unexpected on Davis' doorstep, Robby's brash nature sparks conflicts amongst Davis' new circle spurring debates of race and class and forcing Davis to question who he has remade himself to be and where his loyalty lies.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

A LIFE EXTRA ORDINARY

Written by Melissa Ross

Directed by John Gawlik

The Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee in Jefferson Park

Event details for this Theatre Thursday event will be announced closer to the date.

Annabel Anderson McCafferty is an expectant mother who vanishes from her small Ohio town on Christmas Eve. Both mystery and memory play, A Life Extra Ordinary untangles and re-assembles the moments that make a life.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

CINDERELLA AT THE THEATER OF POTATOES 

Written by Andra Velis Simon

Based on Cendrillon and other compositions by Pauline Viardot-Garcia

Directed by Sean Graney

The Hypocrites at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wicker Park

Event details for this Theatre Thursday event will be announced closer to the date.

Adapted from Pauline Viardot-Garcia’s 1904 opera Cendrillon, and many of her other compositions, Andra Velis Simon’s musical-play is an elegantly irreverent exploration of the classic fairy tale. Here, Cinderella’s version of happily-ever-after does not include acceptance by the Prince. In the actor-as-orchestra style of The Hypocrites’ Gilbert & Sullivan opera work, Artistic Director Sean Graney directs this fun holiday-time show, perfect for the whole family. From the co-adapter of H.M.S. Pinafore and director of All Our Tragic.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

THE RIP NELSON HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR 

Written by David Cerda

Directed by Steve Love

Hell in a Handbag Productions at Mary’s Attic, 5400 N. Clark St. in Andersonville

Event details for this Theatre Thursday event will be announced closer to the date.

We close the year with an old friend and Handbag creation, Rip Nelson played by Handbag favorite, Ed Jones (think, the mutant love child of Paul Lynde, Rip Taylor and Charles Nelson Reilly) in The Rip Nelson Holiday Spectacular, a show that makes The Brady Bunch Variety Hour look like Citizen Kane.

It’s 1982 and a newly sober Rip (ensemble member Ed Jones) manages to land another TV special after the death of his arch-rival, Paul Lynde. Rip is determined to get his career back on track but can he handle the stress of a network television special and stay sober? Luckily he’s got help from a cavalcade of the hottest stars of 1982! Rip pulls every trick in the book to breathe some life in the dying variety series format and save his career but soon questions if his career is worth saving.

Thursday, January 26, 2017

MR. AND MRS. PENNYWORTH 

Written and Directed by Ensemble Member Doug Hara

Puppetry by Blair Thomas

Lookingglass Theatre Company, 821 N. Michigan Ave., Downtown Chicago

Event details for this Theatre Thursday event will be announced closer to the date.

Traveling storytellers Mr. and Mrs. Pennyworth captivate audiences with spell-binding tales. But one day, The Big Bad Wolf mysteriously dies before his story is complete. Fairytales disappear from the pages, characters are utterly forgotten, and Mr. and Mrs. Pennyworth must journey through the stories to restore order before they are lost forever.

Written and directed by Ensemble Member Doug Hara, this world-premiere weaves an exceptional story of adventure, love, and unexpected endings. Influenced by Neil Gaiman and other fantasy writers, Mr. and Mrs. Pennyworth is brought to life through the wondrous puppetry of Blair Thomas and reveals the transformational power of storytelling.

Thursday, February 9, 2017

THE WOLF AT THE END OF THE BLOCK 

Written by Ike Holter

Featuring Ensemble Members Sandra Márquez and Gabe Ruíz

Teatro Vista at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Lincoln Park

Event details for this Theatre Thursday event will be announced closer to the date.

Chicago. Fall. One night, a boarded up bar on the dark side of the block becomes a terrifying crime scene. In the following 48 hours, the neighborhood digs deep into escalating mystery, working against time to separate fact from fiction. But as the clock ticks down, the clues spiral into a razor sharp jigsaw, and what began as a simple mystery quickly twists into a personal, pointed and political thriller. The Wolf at The End of The Block is a full-length play with five characters, three of which are Latino. The play explores the issues of racial profiling, media manipulation and family relationships. Highly charged, Holter’s story is brutally raw, funny and deftly pierces universal truths.

Thursday, March 9, 2017

THE SNARE 

Written by Samantha Beach

Directed by Elana Boulos

Jackalope Theatre Company at the Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway in Edgewater

Event details for this Theatre Thursday event will be announced closer to the date.

Ruth is your average eighth-grader, keeping busy with basketball, preparing for her school’s Civil War Day, and trying to be more like her babysitter. One night, in the quiet of her bedroom, Ruth hears the voice of the devil, telling her to take action. Unprepared, Ruth’s pastor mom and family struggle to walk a path between pragmatism and faith. In this world premiere play about good vs. evil, and growing up, the question is: who will you believe?

Thursday, April 13, 2017

LINDA VISTA 

A world premiere by ensemble member Tracy Letts

Featuring ensemble members Ian Barford and Tim Hopper

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, 1650 N. Halsted in Lincoln Park

Event details for this Theatre Thursday event will be announced closer to the date.

Wheeler is 50. His marriage is over, his job is mundane, and the best years of his life appear to be behind him. A move from the cot in his ex-wife’s garage to his own apartment opens up new possibilities for love and sex—complicated, painful and hilarious. Full of opinions, yet short on self-examination, Wheeler is a modern misanthrope who must reconcile the man he has become with the man he wants to be.

Tracy Letts is a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright, actor and member of the Steppenwolf ensemble. His works include August: Osage County, Superior Donuts, The Man from Nebraska, Killer Joe and Bug, among others. He is also known for his portrayal of Andrew Lockhart in Showtime's Homeland and can be seen in The Big Short and HBO’s Divorce. His play Mary Page Marlowe premiered at Steppenwolf, in March 2016.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

RELATIVITY

Written by Mark St. Germain

Directed by BJ Jones

Featuring Mike Nussbaum

Northlight Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd. in Skokie

Event details for this Theatre Thursday event will be announced closer to the date.

In 1902 Albert and Mileva Einstein had a baby daughter. After 1904 she was never seen or spoken of again. Forty years later, a reporter interviews Einstein about this mysterious piece of his past, revealing shocking secrets about his family and his personal life. While the reporter questions Einstein on his theory of relativity and his decisions, she also poses a query of her own: to be a great man, does one first need to be a good man?

The author of Freud’s Last Session and Becoming Dr. Ruth showcases his signature blend of insight, intellect, humor and heart in this fictional account of a legendary figure.

Please note that Theatre Thursdays event information and dates are subject to change.  Theatre Thursday events for June, July and August will be announced later in the year.

The 2016-2017 Theatre Thursdays sponsors are the Chicago Reader and Chicago Splash.

       

About Chicago theatre

Chicago theatre is a leader in the U.S. with more than 250 theatres throughout Chicagoland, comprising a rich and varied community ranging from storefront, non-union theaters to the most renowned resident theatres in the country, including 5 that have been honored with Regional Tony Awards, and the largest touring Broadway organization in the nation. Chicago’s theatres serve 5 million audience members annually and have a combined budget of more than $250 million. Chicago produces and/or presents more world premieres annually than any other city in the nation. In the 2014-2015 season, Chicago theatre companies produced more than 100 world premiere productions and adaptations. Each year, Chicago theatres send new work to resident theatres across the country, to Broadway, and around the world.

About the League of Chicago Theatres

The League of Chicago Theatres is an alliance of theatres which leverages its collective strength to promote, support, and advocate for Chicago's theatre industry locally, nationally, and internationally. The League of Chicago Theatres Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the art of theatre in the Chicago area through audience development and support services for theatres and theatre professionals.

Additional information about Theatre Thursdays is available at http://bit.ly/theatrethursdays.

For a comprehensive list of Chicago theatre productions, visit the League of Chicago Theatres website, ChicagoPlays.com.  Half-price tickets are available at HotTix.org or at one of three downtown locations.

REVIEW: Stories With Branches Enlighten in I Do Today at Greenhouse Theater Center

THE GREENHOUSE THEATER CENTER 

PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF 

“I DO TODAY” 

Through OCT. 9th

Chicago natives, playwright Sarah Myers and Carin Silkaitis make a stellar story telling team, and this tale has branches and tangents galore. Sarah's family tree has roots and a lineage of Biblical proportions that fills an entire wall! She's delightfully full of contradictions, ordained to marry others, yet cynical about the marriage institution. She's a bisexual woman who has loved other women, yet marries men. Both of her parents are serial divorce/remarriage machines and she's lost track of all the step siblings, relatives never met. Sarah includes an assortment of lovers, crushes, imaginary friends, and religious figures to the mix. Add in the tangle of separating an inescapable Jewish heritage from an optional active Jewish faith, and you've got a unique take on not only Sarah's personal story, but that of modern families as well. 

All photos by Michael Brosilow

Carin does justice to this quirky script with the charisma and character necessary to carry a solo show. The personal is political with this production and I Do Today does an excellent job of highlighting the hypocrisy and hope of society's current marriage issues. I Do Today throws in current legal marriage contradictions, including quotes from "The Notorious RBG", Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and others. Our take away was, stop waiting around and embrace your own unique family past and future. Marry your best friend, someone who accepts the best and worst of you, through doubts, fears and good times. Ultimately this show highlights just how complicated and wonderful relationships, family, religion, sexuality, and the messy business of being human can be. Recommended. 

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Failed relationships, former lovers and half-eaten wedding cake clutters the mind of one Jewish woman determined to track the trajectory of love and loss in her life thus far. As the play builds a constantly confounding and quickly changing family tree of many marriages (and even more divorces), it poses questions about how modern marriage fits in with potentially outdated ideals. Bisexuality, Kabbalah and baby teeth dangle from the many branches of this thoughtful play, exploring how we might use our inheritances to reimagine what's possible.

Carin Silkaitis Stars In a One- Person Play Challenging Old Ideals of Love, Sexuality and Commitment

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we've caught all but 2 of the Solo Celebration Shows so far this season and highly recommend coming out to Greenhouse Theatre for this excellent series. The topics have run the gamut from heartfelt to hilarious and everything in between. All have brought something unique to the table. 

The World Premiere of “I Do Today” will run at the Greenhouse Theater Center (2257 N. Lincoln Ave) through Oct. 9. Co-produced with The Other Theatre Company, written by Sarah Myers and starring Carin Silkaitis, “I Do Today” will be directed by Greenhouse’s Artistic Director Jacob Harvey, making his Chicago directorial debut.   

In “I Do Today,” Silkaitis portrays a Jewish woman determined to uproot a family tree grown wild with multiple marriages, dates and even more divorces. As she delves deeper into her own subconscious, she must grapple with her past, questioning how it has defined her and what it means in this moment. She quickly discovers that she must challenge the notions of love, sexuality and commitment in a world where modern marriage refuses to fit into old ideals.

“This innovative new play about one woman’s internal explorations allows all of us an opportunity to identify and assemble the pieces of ourselves that constitute who we are today and who we might be tomorrow,” said Harvey.  “Myers has crafted a theatrical puzzle that this ensemble of collaborators and I has been able to assemble in an unexpected and captivating evening of theater.”

The performance schedule for “I Do Today” is as follows: Thursday – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.  and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Performances continue through Oct. 9.

Flex passes to the Solo Celebration! series, which offers admissions to three plays for $99 or five plays for $164, are now on sale.  Single tickets, which range in price from $34 – 48 are also on sale.  Flex passes and tickets can be purchased by contacting the box office at 773-404-7336 or by visiting greenhousetheater.org.

Sarah Myers is a Chicago native currently living in Minneapolis. Her work has been produced and developed at the Wild Project (New York); the Side Project with The Other Theatre Company, The Women & Theater Conference (Chicago); FronteraFest, the Off Center, the Blue Theater, the David Mark Cohen New Works Festival (Austin); and Indiana Repertory Theater (Indianapolis), among others. Myers’ published plays include “The Realm” (Bonderman National Youth Playwriting Award), “God of the Gaps” (Pushcart Prize nominee), and “In and Out.” Myers is a former company member of Austin-based theater collective Rude Mechanicals, an associate member of Twin Cities-based Workhaus Collective, and an ongoing collaborator with Sod House Theater, a company that creates adaptations and new works with communities throughout Minnesota.

Carin Silkaitis is the founding Artistic Director of The Other Theatre Company where her credits include “The Realm and Other Letters,” “Others,” “Daughters of Ire” and “Barney the Elf.”  Notable television/film credits include: a co-staring role on “Chicago Fire,” nurse in “Unexpected” and Maggie in the short film “Blood and Water.” Silkaitis recently shot back-to-back commercials for the Arkansas Lottery, a recent spot for The Onion and a commercial for Progressive Insurance and Instant Care. Notable theater credits include Chloe in “Lips Together, Teeth Apart,” “Sons of the Prophet,” Queen Margaret in “Richard III,” Mama/Sherry/Vera in “Distracted” and Izzy in “Rabbit Hole” (Goodman Theatre).

Jacob Harvey is the Artistic Director of the Greenhouse Theater Center. Harvey is also a producer for Your Theatrics International, a full service entertainment production company, specializing in the production of theatrical events around the world. He was awarded the Bret C. Harte Director/Producer Fellowship for Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s 2013/14 Season; served as Associate Producer and Interim Director of Programming for the Drama Desk Award Winning New York Musical Theatre Festival; and served as the Co-Artistic Director of the Ovation Award-Nominated Mechanicals Theatre Group in Los Angeles. He was the co-producer of “Ladyhawks” (NYMF 2013 Best of Fest under the title Volleygirls); the associate producer of Ryan Scott Oliver’s “35MM: A Musical Exhibition” and the director of the Eberhardt and Collyer musical “Right Together, Left Together.”  Other directing credits include, “Mr. Marmalade” (The Theatricians), “The Shape of Things” (Silver Bell Productions), the world premiere of “The Many Selves of Mia Scott” (Carrie Hamilton Theater) and assistant director of the world premiere of Marcus Gardley’s “The House The Will Not Stand” (Berkeley Repertory Theatre). 

About The Other Theatre Company

The Other Theatre Company is dedicated to telling the stories of individuals or groups who are “othered” by systems of oppression. Othering individuals or groups sustains power and privilege and is an "us" vs. "them" mentality often centered around race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, identity, class, religion, and ability. The Other Theatre Company is committed to telling these stories in the hope that we can lessen the amount of discrimination and oppression in our world. 

An Illinois non-profit, TOTC was founded in 2014 in Chicago, Illinois with their first festival titled “Others: A 24 Hour Play Festival.”  Since then, their season has expanded to include three shows a year, including their annual production of “Barney the Elf” (a musical parody of the film Elf starring Will Ferrell). 

About Solo Celebration! 

 “I Do Today” is one of 12 plays featured in Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!,” which includes ten full productions, two limited engagements and other special events running June 2016 through February 2017. Among the other directors connected to solo series are 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-winners Kate Buddeke, Gene Weygandt, Linda Reiter acclaimed British actor Simon Slater, Will Allan 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 and The Other Theatre Company. Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!” is co-produced by Forum Productions and underwritten by the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation.

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 12 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!