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Wednesday, September 27, 2017

OPENING: Ibsen & Tegby's GHOSTS & zombies Via Akvavit Theatre at Strawdog Theatre Company

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Casting Announced!
Akvavit Theatre Presents 
GHOSTS & zombies
By Henrik Ibsen & Gustav Tegby
Translated by Chad Eric Bergman
 



Directed by Co-Artistic Director Breahan Pautsch
September 28 - October 29, 2017 at Strawdog Theatre Company

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we're ready for the fall chill in the air and a touch of the macabre. We're also jazzed for Akvavit's latest, an updated spin on Ibsen by contemporary Swedish playwright, Gustav Tegby. I'm descended from Swedes who came to Chicago on a boat so rickety it sank on the return voyage! This is my heritage and ancestry and I adore the Akvavit's poetic mission statement. Can't wait to catch GHOSTS & zombies.

About Akvavit Theatre
Akvavit Theatre is haunted by Nordic visions: deep forests and ice-blue seas, the patience of the glacier, the sudden fury of the volcano, the arctic light and silence. Seeking the universal through the voices of contemporary Nordic playwrights, Akvavit Theatre is a kind of homecoming, a connecting back to the lands whose people and cultures have for generations been a part of the great prairies of North America that we call home. And like our namesake beverage, Akvavit brings a “strong spirit” to the work that we produce. Skål, Skál, Kippis! For additional information, visit www.chicagonordic.org.

Just in time to get you in the Halloween spirit, Akvavit Theatre is pleased to present GHOSTS & zombies, by Henrik Ibsen and Gustav Tegby, in a new American translation by Chad Eric Bergman*, directed by Co-Artistic Director Breahan Pautsch*. This dark and hilarious contemporary Swedish twist on Ibsen’s Norwegian classic Ghosts, will play September 28 - October 29, 2017 at the new Strawdog Theatre Company, 1802 W. Berenice in Chicago. Tickets on sale at chicagonordic.org.

GHOSTS & zombies will feature Marsha Harman as Mrs. Helene Alving, Victor Bayona as Chamberlain Alving, Jeremy Trager as Pastor Manders, Joshua K. Harris as Carpenter Engstrand, Micah Kronlokken* as Osvald and Almanya Narula as Regine with and ensemble including Jessica Kearney, Dylan M. Lainez, Madelyn Loehr*, Christiane Schaldemose, Erik Schiller and Tyler Skafgaard.

GHOSTS & zombies puts a blood-curdling spin on Ibsen's classic drama, Ghosts. As in the original, Mrs. Alving is preparing to open an orphanage in her husband's memory, while welcoming her son home from a long absence. However, things soon take a turn for the weird and scary as their country estate becomes overrun by the un-dead. Haunted by the ghosts of her past, Mrs. Alving now finds herself confronted by zombies that she is forced to stand and fight. GHOSTS & zombies shows us that we can try to bury the parts of our life we would rather forget, but we cannot control whether they walk again – slowly, hungrily – in our direction.

The production team for GHOSTS & zombies includes: Chad Eric Bergman* (set design), Rachel Sypniewski (costume design), David Goodman-Edberg (lighting design), Nigel Harsch* (sound designer), Leticha Guillaud (properties design), Kirstin Franklin* (casting director), Bethany Weise (asst. costume designer), R&D Choreography (violence design), Christiane Schaldemose (music direction), Chris Waldron (asst. director), Amy Hopkins (production manager), Harrison Ornelas (technical director), Hannah Harper-Smith (stage manager) and Katy Grabarski (asst. stage manager).

Location: Strawdog Theatre Company,1802 W. Berenice, Chicago
Dates: Preview: Thursday, September 28 at 8 pm
Regular run: Saturday, September 30 – Sunday, October 29, 2017
Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 4 pm. 
Tickets: Previews: $10. Regular Run: $25. Students/seniors/industry $15. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 1, 2017 available at chicagonordic.org.

*Denotes Akvavit Theatre company members.

Akvavit Theatre is also pleased to announce the addition of new company member Madelyn Loehr and associate company member Maggie Fullilove-Nugent.

Artist Biographies
Gustav Tegby (Playwright) was born in Umeå, Sweden in 1980, where he also grew up. He has written about twenty plays played at, among others, Drama, Malmö City Theater, Uppsala City Theater and a number of different free groups across Sweden, as well as in Finland and the USA. Among the titles noted, Gargantua was released to Bibu in 2014 and Everyone Loves Bernie Madoff, a raid scene version of the true and completely unlikely story of Wall Street's greatest scammers. The latter was set up on three different theaters and was also filmed for SVT's project Pulse in Sweden. As a dramatist, Gustav has been interested in popular culture, and especially for the horror genre – he has among other things given Ibsen's Gengångare an odd twist in his variant Ghosts & zombies, where the infection of Mrs. Alving's son is drawn to something worse than syphilis. In the summer of 2016 he was one of the authors of Sweden's Radio Drama's major success, The Voices of the Dead, a fictional horror documentary in eight parts. Gustav had previously run the Drama Cup for many years. He also works as a dramaturg at the National Theater.

Chad Eric Bergman (Translator) actively collaborates in the Chicago storefront scene having worked with Stage Left, Live Bait, Chicago Dramatists, MPAACT, parker, Plasticene and Akvavit in various artistic ways. He has been an artist in residence at the Ragdale Foundation and the University of Chicago’s Summer Incubator. He spent a year in Finland on a Fulbright exploring bilingual theatre. At North Park University, he has been developing a theatre curriculum that is based on the Chicago storefront theatre model.

Breahan Eve Pautsch (Director) is originally from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. She earned her BA in Theatre and English at UW-Madison and has been working in Chicago as an actor and director since 2003. She has been a company member with Akvavit Theatre since 2011, where she served as Literary Manager and Director of Development for several years before taking the position of co-Artistic Director at the beginning of 2017. She is also a company member with Indie Boots Theatre.  



Tuesday, September 26, 2017

FILMS ON OUR RADAR: MANOLO: THE BOY WHO MADE SHOES FOR LIZARDS NOW PLAYING AT THE MUSIC BOX THEATRE

Music Box Films Presents
MANOLO: THE BOY WHO MADE SHOES FOR LIZARDS
Directed by: Michael Roberts

Now Playing at the Music Box Theatre


"Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world."
– Marilyn Monroe

Manolo is an in-depth portrait of legendary fashion designer Manolo Blahnik, whose extraordinary dedication to his craft set a fashion standard among celebrities, stylists, and industry icons. Longtime fashion journalist Michael Roberts presents this never-before-seen peek into Mr. Blahnik’s world, featuring a ‘who’s who’ of the fashion and entertainment industries including Anna Wintour, Rihanna, Paloma Picasso, Iman, Naomi Campbell, Rupert Everett, Karlie Kloss, André Leon Tally, and more.

Official Website: http://www.musicboxfilms.com/manolo
Official Facebook Handle: @manoloblahnikfilm
Official Twitter and Instagram Handle: @ManoloFilm
Official Hashtag: #ManoloFilm



About Music Box Films:
Founded in 2007, Music Box Films is a North American distributor of acclaimed international, American independent and documentary features. Recent releases include Hannes Holm’s A MAN CALLED OVE nominated for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Achievement in Makeup & Hairstyling at the 89th Academy Awards, Terence Davies’ A QUIET PASSION starring Cynthia Nixon, and François Ozon’s FRANTZ. Current and upcoming releases include Martin Provost’s THE MIDWIFE starring Catherine Deneuve and Catherine Frot, MANOLO: THE BOY WHO MADE SHOES FOR LIZARDS featuring ‘who’s who’ list of some of the most notable figures in the fashion and entertainment worlds, CHAVELA a documentary about the legendary Mexican Ranchera singer Chavela Vargas, AIDA’S SECRETS a moving documentary that unravels a web of family secrets, Cédric Klapisch’s BACK TO BURGUNDY, and VAZANTE Daniela Thomas’ first feature debut.

Music Box Films is independently owned and operated the Southport Music Box Corporation, which also owns and operates the Music Box Theatre, Chicago’s premiere venue for independent and foreign films. For more information, please visit www.musicboxfilms.com.




About The Music Box Theatre:
 For the last two decades, the Music Box Theatre has been the premiere venue in Chicago for independent and foreign films. It currently has the largest theater space operated full time in the city. The Music Box Theatre is independently owned and operated by the Southport Music Box Corporation. SMBC, through its Music Box Films division, also distributes foreign and independent films in the theatrical, DVD and television markets throughout the United States.

Please follow The Music Box Theatre on Instagram @musicboxchicago and Twitter @musicboxtheatre

Saturday, September 23, 2017

TONIGHT: One Night Only at Greenhouse Theater, USE IT OR LOSE IT: An Evening of Short Plays About Your Rights


Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:


Greenhouse Theater Center Presents

USE IT OR LOSE IT: 
An Evening of Short Plays About Your Rights
Saturday, September 23, 2017
A Benefit for the ACLU





PHOTO CREDIT: Greenhouse Theater Center's MC-10 Playwrights Ensemble includes (left to right) Zayd Dohrn, Rebecca Gilman, Lydia Diamond, Julie Marie Myatt, Laura Schellhardt, Sandra Delgado, Brett Neveu, Thomas Bradshaw, Philip Dawkins and Tanya Palmer.


Come on out to Greenhouse Theater Center tonight for some of our favorite playwrights and actors supporting a great cause. Tickets are pay-what-you-want.  All proceeds will benefit the ACLU. We're jazzed about the newly-created MC-10 Playwrights Ensemble, and can't wait to see what they have in store tonight and down the road!

Greenhouse Theater Center is pleased to present USE IT OR LOSE IT: An Evening of Short Plays About Your Rights, original works inspired by contemporary and historic legal battles the ACLU has fought on behalf of Americans' rights and freedoms. Written by members of the Greenhouse's newly-created MC-10 Playwrights Ensemble and directed by Devon de Mayo, Jacob Harvey and Chuck Smith, the short pieces tackle everything from the recent travel ban to the attack on reproductive rights to encounters with the TSA, offering audiences a glimpse into the vast impact and critical importance of the ACLU. 

USE IT OR LOSE IT will play one night only on Saturday, September 23 at 7 pm at the Greenhouse Theater's Downstairs Mainstage, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago.  Tickets are pay-what-you-want and are currently available at www.greenhousetheater.org, in person at the box office or by calling (773) 404-7336. All proceeds will benefit the ACLU. 

USE IT OR LOSE IT features short plays by: Thomas Bradshaw, Philip Dawkins, Sandra Delgado, Zayd Dohrn, Rebecca Gilman, Brett Neveu, Julie Marie Myatt, Tanya Palmer and Laura Schellhardt. 

The cast of USE IT LOSE IT includes: Japhet Balaban, Dana Black, Pat Kane, Jennifer Latimore, Mary Ann Thebus, Dan Waller and Wandachristine. 

The full USE IT OR LOSE IT line-up includes: 

EVERYDAY SUPER HERO
By Laura Schellhardt, directed by Devon de Mayo

January 27th, 2017 – In a backroom office of this mayhem called America, two super heroes strategize their next mission.

THIS IS A MESSAGE FROM PROTECTUS
By Sandra Delgado, directed by Devon de Mayo

Brenda just wants to hear her daughter’s voice and help her with her homework. But Brenda is one of the two-thirds of female inmates who is the parent of a minor child, and no conversation is free, easy or uninterrupted. 

HOLD ON
By Julie Marie Myatt, directed by Devon de Mayo

What do your rights feel like? One woman tries to get inside the emotion of this so-called inalienable thing. 

WONDER NEVER CEASES
By Philip Dawkins, directed by Jacob Harvey

Get inside the mind of a service dog who just wants to be there for his seven-year-old BFF after her school decides he’s a “distraction” and not, you know, an ADHA required necessity. 

GANG MEMBERS UNITE
By Thomas Bradshaw, directed by Jacob Harvey

A veteran Chicago gang member tries to unite fellow gang leaders from across the country for a common cause.

ON THE CLOCK
By Tanya Palmer, directed by Jacob Harvey

When you’re a single working mom it can be hard to find time for yourself. With abortion clinics closing and restrictions on abortions increasing, one woman fights against the clock to end an unwanted pregnancy. 

SPOTers
By Brett Neveu, directed by Chuck Smith

While undergoing additional passenger check training, two TSA employees discover their jobs may require more of them than they previously understood.

BILLIE BOGGS
By Zayd Dohrn, directed by Chuck Smith

Meet Billie Boggs, the most famous homeless black lady in all of history! She and the ACLU fought for her right to live on the streets and won.
  
DEATH FOR GILMORE 
By Rebecca Gilman, directed by Chuck Smith

In 1977, the ACLU fought to save Gary Gilmore from the firing squad. But their biggest obstacle was Gilmore himself.


About the MC-10 Playwrights Ensemble
The Greenhouse Theater's newly-created MC-10 Playwrights Ensemble is a collection of ten of the country’s most sought-after established and mid-career Chicago playwrights and theatre-makers. The ensemble, in residence at the Greenhouse Theater Center, will create new works for its stages. Beginning with the 2018-19 season, the Greenhouse will present one play per season by MC-10 member playwrights, eventually expanding to two MC-10 productions per season. These world and regional premieres aim to expand the scope, diversity and visibility of work happening at the Greenhouse and underscore the institution's commitment to creating new vital works for the American theatrical canon.

In addition to the one to two annual productions at the Greenhouse, MC-10 will curate a series of special events, pop-up performances and provocative conversations aimed at responding directly to issues and needs as they arise in our community. 

The MC-10 Playwrights Ensemble includes: Thomas Bradshaw, Philip Dawkins, Sandra Delgado, Lydia Diamond, Zayd Dohrn, Rebecca Gilman, Brett Neveu, Julie Marie Myatt, Tanya Palmer and Laura Schellhardt.

About the MC-10 Playwrights
Thomas Bradsaw’s play Carlyle premiered at The Goodman Theatre as part of their 2015-16 season. His play Fulfillment co-premiered at American Theater Company (Chicago) and The Flea Theater (New York) in fall 2015. His other plays include Intimacy and Burning (New Group); Mary (Goodman Theatre) Job and Dawn (Flea Theater); The Bereaved (Crowded Fire, Partial Comfort and the State Theater of Bielefeld in Germany); Southern Promises (PS122) and many more. He was the recipient of a 2009 Guggenheim Fellowship, the 2010 Prince Prize, a Foundation for Contemporary Arts award in 2012 and a Doris Duke Implementation Grant in 2016. Mr. Bradshaw has been featured as one of Time Out New York’s “10 Playwrights to Watch” and was named “Best Provocative Playwright” by the Village Voice. A compilation of his work Intimacy and Other Plays was recently published by TCG. Mr. Bradshaw is an Associate Professor at Northwestern University. He is currently under commission from The Royal National Theater in London, Marin Theater Company in San Francisco and The Foundry Theater in New York.

Philip Dawkins is a Chicago playwright whose plays have been produced all over the country and the world. His critically acclaimed works include: The Happiest Place on Earth (Greenhouse Theater Center & Sideshow Theatre Company – Joseph Jefferson Awards for Best Solo Work), Charm (Northlight Theatre – Jeff Award for Best New Work), Le Switch (About Face Theater, The Jungle – Jeff nomination Best New Work and Best Production); Miss Marx: Or The Involuntary Side Effect of Living (Strawdog Theatre – Jeff Award for Best New Work), The Homosexuals (About Face Theater – Jeff nomination for Best New Work) and Failure: A Love Story (Victory Gardens Theatre – Jeff nomination for Best New Work). His musical adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s The Sneetches (with composer David Mallamud) premiered at Children’s Theater Company in Minneapolis this past winter. His play Charm will receive its New York premiere in September at MCC. Philip teaches playwriting at Northwestern University, Loyola University Chicago, his alma mater, and through the Victory Gardens ACCESS Program for writers with disabilities. Most of his plays, including his plays for young performers, are available through Playscripts, Inc. and Dramatic Publishing.

Sandra Delgado is a Colombian-American actor, writer, singer and producer born and raised in Chicago. She received the Theater Communications Group (TCG) Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship in residence at the Goodman Theater in Chicago where she developed her solo show para Graciela, subsequently performed at the Yo Solo Festival. As an actor, her vivid portrayals of strong, smart women such as the iconic Medea in Luis Alfaro's Mojada at Victory Gardens Theatre (named one of the Top Ten performances of 2013 by the Chicago Tribune) to the tough as nails, foul mouthed Veronica in Stephen Adly Guirgis' Motherf**ker with the Hat at the Steppenwolf Theatre, have made her a favorite among critics and audiences alike. Delgado's stage credits include work at Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Victory Gardens, Lookingglass, Actors Theater of Louisville and INTAR. She produced Teatro Vista's and Collaboraction's Yo Solo Festival of Latino Solo Shows and Collaboraction's popular Sketchbook Festival from 2005-2008. She is a founding ensemble member of Collaboraction and an ensemble member of Teatro Vista (Associate Artistic Director from 2006-2008). She has trained in interview-based, collaboratively- generated and physical theater with Tectonic Theater Project, Ping Chong + Company, SITI Company and Cuba's Teatro Buendia. Ms. Delgado was part of the Goodman's Playwright's Unit for the 2015-16 season and is a TCG Young Leader of Color Alum, a two-time Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events grantee, a 3Arts 3AP Project Grantee and served on the National Steering Committee of the Latina/o Theatre Commons, an advocacy group for Latino Theatre artists. In 2015, she received the Joyce Award to develop her documentary play with music, La Havana Madrid, with Teatro Vista. La Havana Madrid made its premiere at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre in April 2017 and is playing at The Goodman Theatre this summer. www.sandradelgado.net

Lydia Diamond’s plays include: Voyeurs de Venus (2006 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Work, 2006 Black Theater Alliance Award for Best Writing), The Bluest Eye (2006 Black Arts Alliance Image Award for Best New Play and 2008 AATE Distinguished Play Award), The Gift Horse (Theodore Ward Prize, Kesselring Prize 2nd Place), Stick Fly (2008 Susan Smith Blackburn Finalist, 2006 Black Theatre Alliance Award for best play), Lizzie Stranton and Harriet Jacobs. Producing theatres include: Arena Stage, The Huntington, New Vic, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Long Wharf, Hartford Stage, McCarter, Playmakers Rep, Providence Black Rep, Chicago Dramatists, Congo Square, TrueColors, The Matrix and Company One. Commissions include: Steppenwolf, Actors Theatre of Louisville/Victory Gardens, McCarter, Huntington and The Roundabout. Stick Fly is published by Northwestern University Press. Ms. Diamond is a 2009 NEA/Arena Stage New Play Development Grant Finalist, and 2006-2007 Huntington Playwright Fellow.

Zayd Dohrn’s plays include The Profane, Want, Outside People, Long Way Go Down, Sick and Reborning. His work is published by Samuel French, and has been produced across the country and internationally, including at Playwrights Horizons, The Vineyard Theatre, Naked Angels, Steppenwolf First Look and The Public Theater / Summer Play Festival. He is the recipient of the 2016 Horton Foote New American Play Prize, the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award, the Kennedy Center’s Jean Kennedy Smith Award, the Sky Cooper American Playwriting Prize, Theatre Master’s Visionary Playwrights Award and Lincoln Center’s Lecomte du Nouy Prize. Zayd attended Brown University, received his MFA from NYU and was a Lila Acheson Wallace Fellow at Juilliard. He currently teaches in the MFA program in Writing for the Stage + Screen at Northwestern. www.zayddohrn.com.

Rebecca Gilman’s plays include Luna Gale, Boy Gets Girl, Spinning Into Butter, Dollhouse, Blue Surge, A True History of the Johnstown Flood, Soups, Stews, and Casseroles: 1976, The Glory of Living, The Sweetest Swing in Baseball, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and The Crowd You’re in With. Her plays have received numerous productions in the U.S. and abroad, including productions at the Goodman Theatre (where she is a member of the Goodman Theatre Artistic Collective), Steppenwolf Theatre, The Acting Company, Royal Court Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Lincoln Center Theatre, Public Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York Theatre Workshop, Seattle Rep, Cleveland Playhouse, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Alliance Theatre, Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre and Manhattan Class Company. Gilman is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award, The Harper Lee Award, The Scott McPherson Award, The Prince Prize for Commissioning New Work, The Roger L. Stevens Award from the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays, The Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright, The George Devine Award, The Theatre Masters Visionary Award, The Great Plains Playwright Award, The Roe Green Award, an Ingram Playwriting Fellowship and an Illinois Arts Council fellowship. Boy Gets Girl received an Olivier Nomination for Best New Play and was included in Time Magazine’s list of “Top Ten Plays of the Decade.” Gilman was named a finalist for the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for The Glory of Living. She is a member of the Council of the Dramatists Guild of America. Gilman is a professor at Northwestern University and teaches in its MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage Program.

Julie Marie Myatt’s play The Happy Ones premiered at South Coast Repertory, and won the LA Drama Critic Circle’s Ted Schmitt Award for Outstanding New Play. Her play Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter premiered at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and the Kennedy Center as part of the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays. Her play Someday, premiered as part of Cornerstone Theater’s Justice Cycle. Her play, My Wandering Boy, premiered at South Coast Repertory in the 2007, was part of Pacific Playwrights Festival, and was also produced in New York as part of the 2007 Summer Play Festival. Boats On A River premiered at the Guthrie Theater, was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and was recorded for the LA Theatre works radio play series, “The Play’s The Thing.” Her ten-minute play, Mr. and Mrs. premiered at the 2007 Humana Festival. Her play The Sex Habits of American Women was produced by the Guthrie Theater, among others, and premiered at the Magic Theatre. Her work has been developed or seen at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Seattle Rep, Cherry Lane, A.S.K. Theatre Projects, LAByrinth Theater Company, Denver Center Theatre Company, ACT Seattle, among others. She received a Walt Disney Studios Screenwriting Fellowship, a Jerome Fellowship at the Playwrights’ Center, a McKnight Advancement Grant, Mark Taper Forum Fadiman Award and a Master Playwright Residency – Michener Center for Writers and Department of Theatre and Dance, UT/Austin. She is currently working on commissions for Yale Repertory and Cornerstone Theatre Company. She is an Alumni of New Dramatists, was the Mellon Playwright in Residence at South Coast Repertory 2013-2016 and teaches playwriting at Northwestern University.

Brett Neveu’s upcoming and recent theatre productions include Miss America with Greenhouse Theater Center (Chicago) and Pilgrim’s Progress with A Red Orchid Theatre (Chicago). Film/TV productions include the short Convo with Breakwall Pictures, the feature The Earl with Intermission Productions and the upcoming The Humbler new content series. Past work includes productions with 59e59 Theatre in New York, The Royal Court Theatre and The Royal Shakespeare Company in London, The Goodman Theatre, Writers Theatre, The House Theatre, The Inconvenience, TimeLine Theatre Company, A Red Orchid Theatre and American Theatre Company in Chicago. A Sundance Institute Ucross Fellow, Brett is also a recipient of the Marquee Award from Chicago Dramatists, the Ofner Prize for New Work, the Emerging Artist Award from The League of Chicago Theatres, an After Dark Award for Outstanding Musical (Old Town) and has developed plays with companies including The Atlantic Theatre Company and The New Group in New York and The Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre and Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago. He is a resident-alum of Chicago Dramatists, a proud ensemble member of A Red Orchid Theatre, an alumni member of TimeLine Theatre Company’s Writers Collective and Center Theatre Group’s Playwrights’ Workshop in Los Angeles. Brett has been commissioned by The Royal Court Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Goodman Theatre, House Theatre, TimeLine Theatre Company, Writers Theatre, Strawdog Theatre, Northlight Theatre and has several of his plays published through Broadway Play Publishing, Dramatic Publishing and Nick Hern Publishing. Brett has taught writing at DePaul University, Second City Training Center and currently teaches writing for the screen and stage at Northwestern University.

Tanya Palmer is a dramaturg and playwright. Her plays include Body Talk, Fatherland, Barbra Live at Canyon Ranch, Spring and Trash and The Memory Tour, and have been developed or produced at Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Hangar Theatre, Solar Stage, the Montreal Fringe Festival, The Harbourfront Centre, HERE and Pivot Arts, and published by Smith & Kraus, Samuel French and Playscripts, Inc. She is the Director of New Play Development at Goodman Theatre, where she coordinates New Stages, the theater’s new play program, and has served as the production dramaturg on a number of plays including the world premieres of 2666 by Roberto Bolaño, adapted and directed by Seth Bockley and Robert Falls; Smokefall by Noah Haidle, The Happiest Song Plays Last by Quiara Hudes and the Pulitzer Prize–winning Ruined by Lynn Nottage. Prior to her arrival in Chicago, she served as the director of new play development at Actors Theatre of Louisville, where she led the reading and selection process for the Humana Festival of New American Plays. She is the co-editor, with Amy Wegener and Adrien-Alice Hansel, of four collections of Humana Festival plays, published by Smith & Kraus, as well as two collections of 10-minute plays published by Samuel French. Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, she holds an MFA in playwriting from York University in Toronto.

Laura Schellhardt’s original works include Ever in the Glades, The Comparables, Upright Grand, Air Guitar High, Auctioning the Ainsleys, The K of D, Courting Vampires and Shapeshifter. Adaptations include The Phantom Tollbooth and The Outfit. She is also the author of Screenwriting for Dummmies. Her work has been produced at The Kennedy Center, TheatreWorks Palo Alto, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Trinity Repertory Company, People’s Light Theatre, The Magic Theatre, Wooly Mammoth Theatre, Boston Court Theatre, ACT and Northlight Theatre, among others. Laura is a recipient of the TCG National Playwriting Residency, the Jerome Fellowship, ACT’s New Play Award, the Best New Play Award NYC Fringe, The AATE Distinguished Play Award and a Dramatist Guild Fellowship. Her work has been developed at the SoHo Rep. Writer/Director Lab, The Ojai Playwright’s Conference, The Denver New Play Summit, The Bay Area Theatre Festival, The Women Playwrights Festival, The Kennedy Center New Voices/New Visions Festival, The Bonderman Symposium, The Goodman Theatre Playwrights Unit and the O’Neill National Playwright’s Festival. Laura received her MFA in Playwriting from Brown University under the direction of Paula Vogel. She currently heads the undergraduate playwriting program at Northwestern University and is a Victory Gardens ensemble playwright. 

About the Greenhouse Theater Center
The Greenhouse Theater Center is a producing theater company, performance venue and theatre bookstore located at 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Our mission is first and foremost to grow local theatre.

The Greenhouse Theater began its producing life in 2014 with the smash hit Churchill, after which came 2016’s much-lauded Solo Celebration!, an 8 month, 16 event series highlighting the breadth and depth of the solo play form. This year, the Greenhouse announced a full subscription season, with a mix of multi-character and solo plays. With a focus on our community, the Greenhouse is also launching the Trellis playwriting residency, an initiative designed to cultivate the next generation of Chicago theatre creators and a two-tiered education program for college and high school students.

As a performance venue, our complex offers two newly remodeled 190-seat main stage spaces, two 60-seat studio theaters, two high-capacity lobbies, and an in-house rehearsal room. We strive to cultivate a fertile environment for local artists, from individual renters to our bevy of resident companies, and to develop and produce their work. In 2016, the Greenhouse announced a new residency program, which offers a reduced rate to local storefront companies while giving the Greenhouse a stake in the resident’s success. We house Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre bookstore, located on the second floor of our complex. 

With new ideas always incubating, the Greenhouse is flourishing. Come grow with us!

LAST CALL: MERCY KILLERS and SIDE EFFECTS at Greenhouse Theater Center Through 10/8

Check out Two Timely "Pay What You Want" one-act plays steeped in America’s controversial relationship with healthcare. Written and performed by Michael Milligan.

Greenhouse Theater Center and Poor Box Theater, in association
with Taffety Punk Theatre Company, present

THE AMERICAN MERCY TOUR:
MERCY KILLERS & SIDE EFFECTS
Written and Performed by Michael Milligan
Directed by Tom Oppenheim
Through October 8, 2017 

MercyKillers (pictured) Actor and playwright Michael Milligan in MERCY KILLERS. Photo by Daylon Walton.


Side Effects-1 (pictured) Actor and playwright Michael Milligan in SIDE EFFECTS. Photo by Teresa Castracane.


Greenhouse Theater Center and Poor Box Theater, in association with D.C’s award winning Taffety Punk Theatre Company, are pleased to present THE AMERICAN MERCY TOUR: MERCY KILLERS and SIDE EFFECTS, two one-act plays steeped in America’s controversial relationship with healthcare. Written and performed by Michael Milligan and directed by Tom Oppenheim, these moving and unapologetic pieces will be presented as a single theatrical event, immersing the audience in the stories of patients and physicians, coming out of the waiting room and into the fray. 

MERCY KILLERS and SIDE EFFECTS will play September 7 – October 8, 2017 at The Greenhouse Theater Center (Upstairs Studio), 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Tickets (pay-what-you-want) are currently available at greenhousetheater.org, in person at the box office or by calling (773) 404-7336.  

In MERCY KILLERS, Joe, a blue-collar red state auto mechanic faced with his wife’s failing health, must grapple with the stark divide between his values and his reality. Pushed to the breaking point by debt, disease and a busted system, Joe must decide what compromises he will make to keep his wife alive. MERCY KILLERS is all at once a tender love story and an unblinking look at those the system leaves behind.

Flipping to the other side of the stethoscope, SIDE EFFECTS follows William, a family practice physician on the brink of burnout. Caught between his ambition to become the healer his father once exemplified and the corporatization of his chosen profession, William must reconcile the art and business of medicine, or be forced to lose his practice. In this Chicago premiere, we see the human side of those who heal us, throwing light onto the turmoil that remain out of sight from the examination table.

“Michael Milligan is one of those rare theatre artists who can combine his craft, intellect and activism in a perfect storm of unapologetically political performance,” comments Greenhouse Theater Center Artistic Director Jacob Harvey. “These pieces and the issues they explore are increasingly important in our political moment, but what truly sets them apart is their unwillingness to simplify. Milligan’s pieces are bi-partisan and in their splendid, terrifying honesty put faces to the statistics and figures we so easily grow numb to.”

History of “The American Mercy Tour”
“I wrote Mercy Killers in response to a number of personal encounters with the healthcare system,” comments Michael Milligan. “A good friend of mine showed up at the Folger Theatre stage door after a show, carrying a small duffle bag, in which he had all of his belongings. He’d been living on the streets for a couple years. I invited him back to my place, where I discovered he also had a number of medical problems, a slipped disk in his neck from a fall and a golf ball size lump on his arm. I took it on myself to try to get him in to see someone. The difficulty of that blew my mind. It was overwhelming. If I lived in any number of other nations, I could have made an appointment and walked my friend to a doctor’s office, and the first question would not have been ‘what insurance do you have.’” 

“The situation for many healthcare workers is also desperate.” Milligan says, “there’s even diagnostic terminology now for it, it’s called ‘moral distress.’ It’s crippling doctors and nurses; many of them are burning out and leaving the profession. The medical literature says that ‘moral distress occurs when one knows the ethically correct action to take but feels powerless to take that action.’ The healthcare system becomes more bureaucratized and corporatized every year, medical decisions are increasingly influenced by claims analysts, hospital administrators, and entitlement bureaucrats, Side Effects is a meditation on the conflicts of interest that arise as a result.” 

The impulse to create Side Effects was similarly visceral. When Milligan was on the road performing Mercy Killers, he started interviewing doctors and nurses in each community. Side Effects has already been well received by the medical community, including a special presentation by the Mayo Clinic. 

"Michael Milligan has captured the sum total of pressures that confront today's physicians in Side Effects. A realistic, engaging and very dramatic portrayal of the life of an average doctor trying to meet the demands of a busy practice as he nearly succumbs to a breakdown and considers leaving the profession he loves so much. Anyone involved in medicine, from the caregivers to the patients we serve, would benefit from seeing this performance." –Robert E McAfee MD, Former President, American Medical Association.

About the Artists
Michael Milligan (Playwright/Actor) Broadway: August: Osage County, La Bete, Jerusalem. Off Broadway: Thom Pain, Mercy Killers. The Golem. Chicago: Iago in Othello and Tug of War: Civil Strife at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Mercy Killers at American Theater Company. Michael will appear in the Goodman’s upcoming world premiere, Blind Date. Michael has performed Shakespeare hither and yon with groups like the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Shakespeare Theater in DC. Alabama, Utah, Colorado, New Jersey, Milwaukee, and Illinois Shakespeare festivals, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and Shakespeare and Company. Regionally, Michael has played at the Guthrie, Westport Playhouse, The McCarter Theater, St. Louis Rep, Cincinatti Playhouse and more. Michael received the 2013 Fringe First award in Edinburgh for Mercy Killers which he has performed 100s of times around the country. Michael’s other plays include Phaeton, Heroin, Urgent: Aliens, The Sea Wolf, and a musical adaptation of Aesop’s Fables commissioned by Circle in the Square in NYC. Television credits include: Law and Order, Person of Interest, The Knick, Chicago Justice, and APB.  Michael is a graduate of the Juilliard Drama Division where he received the John Houseman Prize. When not acting and writing, Michael is director of PR and Marketing for his brother’s knife company, New West Knifeworks and is also the founding artistic person of the Poor Box Theater. Michael lives in Chicago.

Tom Oppenheim (Director) Directorial credits include Michael Milligan’s Mercy Killers, which won the prestigious Fringe First Award at the 2013 Edinburgh Festival Fringe; A Bright Room Called Day off-Broadway, As You Like It by William Shakespeare (with Steve Cook), Songs and Statues by Peter Nickowitz (world premiere), Our Town by Thornton Wilder, What Shall I Give My Children? by Don K. Williams (world premiere), Imagining Heschel by Colin Greer (all for the Harold Clurman Laboratory Theater Company). As artistic director and president of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting for over 15 years, Tom has articulated a mission, engaged top faculty, structured a world-class training program and created a cultural center. He originated the Harold Clurman Laboratory Theater Company in 2002 which has since presented over twenty production including 11 world premieres. He created MAD (the Harold Clurman Center for New works in Movement and Dance Theater) a dance theater company that has resented over 30 new works, the majority of which were commissioned world premieres, and which includes Marie Gillis, Bill T. Jones and Mikhail Baryshnikov on the advisory board. He spearheaded the creation of the Harold Clurman Art Series which has presented artists including Harold Bloom, Edward Albee, John Ashbery, Julianne More and Harold Mabern in events that are free and open to the public.  Under Oppenheim’s leadership, the Stella Adler Outreach Division, a program originally designed to educate urban youth, was created.  Since 2004, the division has provided free theater training to over 5,000 low income New York City citizens.  In addition, the Stella Adler Studio of Acting trains over 500 actors per year. Oppenheim studied acting at the National Shakespeare Conservatory and with his grandmother, Stella Adler. Acting credits include the title role in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” as well as Michael in Buzz McLaughlin’s “Sister Calling My Name”, both with the Harold Clurman Theater Company. Tom co-edited The Muses Go To School (New Press 2012) and his writing is featured in Arthur Bartow’s Training of the American Actor (TCG, 2006).

About the Companies 
The Greenhouse Theater Center is a producing theater company, performance venue and theatre bookstore located at 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Our mission is first and foremost to grow local theatre.

The Greenhouse Theater began its producing life in 2014 with the smash hit Churchhill, after which came 2016’s much-lauded Solo Celebration!, an 8 month, 16 event series highlighting the breadth and depth of the solo play form. This year, the Greenhouse announced a full subscription season, with a mix of multi-character and solo plays. With a focus on our community, the Greenhouse is also launching the Trellis playwriting residency, an initiative designed to cultivate the next generation of Chicago theatre creators and a two-tiered education program for college and high school students.

As a performance venue, our complex offers two newly remodeled 190-seat main stage spaces, two 60-seat studio theaters, two high-capacity lobbies, and an in-house rehearsal room. We strive to cultivate a fertile environment for local artists, from individual renters to our bevy of resident companies, and to develop and produce their work. In 2016, the Greenhouse announced a new residency program, which offers a reduced rate to local storefront companies while giving the Greenhouse a stake in the resident’s success. We house Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre bookstore, located on the second floor of our complex. 

With new ideas always incubating, the Greenhouse is flourishing. Come grow with us!

Taffety Punk Theatre Company’s mission is to establish a dynamic ensemble of actors, dancers and musicians who ignite a public passion for theatre by making the classical and the contemporary exciting, meaningful, and affordable. The company was recently nominated for Helen Hayes Awards in choreography for 2016’s productions of Phaeton and An Iliad. Past awards include the John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company at the 2008 Helen Hayes Awards. The company was also a 2010 finalist for the D.C. Mayor's Arts Award for Innovation in the Arts. 

      The Poor Box Theater
      An actor, an audience, and an empty space.
      Keeping overhead low, we reach high.
      Through simplicity, we delve into complexities.
      Limiting spectacle, we expand imagination.
      A light in dark corners reveals hidden treasures.
      One vulnerable heart redeems the whole world.
      The greatest revolution is empathy.

The Poor Box Theater brings “pop up” performances to theaters, arts centers, church basements, libraries, union halls, medical schools, conferences and living rooms around the country. The Poor Box Theater is committed to bringing challenging, quality theater to out of the way parts of America — Mercy Killers has toured West Virginia, Oregon, Texas, Maryland, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, California and more. From the Mayo Clinic, to bilingual performances with the Living Hope Wheelchair Association in Texas, from the floor of the House of Representatives in St. Paul, to a 16-city tour with the California Nurses Association, the Poor Box Theater sparks needed dialogue about the issues of the day.

OPENING: Becky Shaw at Windy City Playhouse Now In Previews

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

PREVIEWS UNDERWAY FOR GINA GIONFRIDDO’S “BECKY SHAW,” 
DIRECTED BY SCOTT WEINSTEIN, RUNNING THROUGH NOV. 12

Carly Cornelius and Michael Doonan
Photo Credit for all production shots: Michael Brosilow  


Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we've adored Windy City Playhouse since they first opened their doors. Their stellar productions, comfortable swivel seating and drink tables in the front section, and their cozy bar space up front, make for a fabulous night out year round. This is the future of successful storefront theatre. We'll be out for the press opening this coming Thursday, so check back soon for our full review.

Previews continue this weekend for Gina Gionfriddo’s “Becky Shaw,” playing now through November 12. Under the direction of Jeff Award winner Scott Weinstein, the dark “ferociously funny” (The New York Times) comedy stars Carley Cornelius as the titular character, an emotionally-fragile single woman swept up in the chaos of a blind-date gone array. The cast of “Becky Shaw” also features Michael Doonan as Max Garrett, Suzanne Petri as Susan Slater, Michael Aaron Pogue as Andrew Porter and Amy Rubenstein as Suzanna Slater.

Tickets ($15-$55) are on sale now and can be purchased at the Windy City Playhouse Box Office online or by calling the Box Office at (773) 891-8985.


The cast of “Becky Shaw” includes Carley Cornelius as Becky Shaw, Michael Doonan as Max Garrett, Suzanne Petri as Susan Slater, Michael Aaron Pogue as Andrew Porter and Amy Rubenstein as Suzanna Slater. 


                      Michael Aaron Pogue, Amy Rubenstein, Carly Cornelius and Michael Doonan

“’Becky Shaw’ is exactly the type of play that I wanted to produce when I founded Windy City Playhouse,” said Artistic Director Amy Rubenstein.  “It is thought-provoking, insightful and outrageously funny. I also think that our space – utilized in a new configuration that literally positions the audience just inches away from the actors – will make viewers feel as though they are a ‘fly on the wall’ during the performance.”

Windy City Playhouse’s intimate venue aims to make audience members part of the action. Scenic designer for “Becky Shaw” Jeffrey Kmiec has conceived a uniquely immersive, 360-degree viewing experience to make viewing as exclusive as possible. 70 of Windy City Playhouse’s signature club chair-style seats will be integrated into the three-stage modular set that will transform each night into seven unique locations.

In conjunction with “Becky Shaw,” Windy City Playhouse’s Talkback series offers patrons an intimate Q&A experience with an array of artists to learn more about the creative process behind each production. The series begins with Chicago-based Matchmaker “Stef in the City” Stef Safran, who will lead the discussion on the modern world of dating immediately following the 2 p.m. performance on Sunday, October 1. In addition, audiences have the rare opportunity to sit down with “Becky Shaw” director Scott Weinstein following the 3 p.m. performance on Sunday, October 15 to talk about the production from his unique perspective. All talkbacks are complimentary for Windy City Playhouse patrons; no sign-up is required.

The Playhouse continues the weekly post-performance Nightcap series, inviting patrons to grab a drink at the bar and partake in an intimate discussion around “Becky Shaw” with a member of the cast or creative team. The series takes place every Wednesday and Thursday at 9:30 p.m. through the duration of the run. For the complete schedule of special events at the Playhouse, visit WindyCityPlayhouse.com/Becky-Shaw.

No experience at the Playhouse is complete without a trip to their signature bar, and “Becky Shaw” is no different. The production-specific cocktails, available throughout the run, include:

Two Kinds of Trouble – Catdaddy Moonshine, spiced rum, lemon juice, simple syrup, blood orange San Pellegrino, a dash of bitters and an orange garnish

Reality Check – a twist on a Kentucky Sunrise; bourbon, grenadine and orange juice garnished with a lime and cherry skewer

Pocket of Mystery – a bubbly aviation; gin, violet liqueur, lime juice, and tonic served with a sugared rim and lemon or lime garnish

Alternative Redneck – a bittersweet and sexy martini; chocolate liqueur, vodka, cranberry juice and a cherry garnish

Also new at the bar, Windy City Playhouse has partnered with JR Bakery to provide organic sweets such as carrot cake, chocolate decadence cake, red velvet cake, chocolate chip cheesecake and chocolate dipped cheesecake pops for theatre patrons. For the complete beer, wine and cocktail menu, click here.

The Playhouse has just announced its newest program, Monday Mixers, beginning on October 9 at 7 p.m. (cocktails begin at 6:30 p.m.) and continuing on every Monday throughout the run of “Becky Shaw.” Monday Mixers feature a curated list of headliners performing everything from sketch to standup, singer-songwriters to spoken word with a full bar available to those who attend. Tickets are $5 in advance or $10 at the door.

The performance schedule for “Becky Shaw” is as follows: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. For a detailed performance schedule visit WindyCityPlayhouse.com/Becky-Shaw. Tickets for “Becky Shaw” are on sale now and range from $15-$55—with discounts available for seniors and students—and can be purchased by calling 773-891-8985 or visiting WindyCityPlayhouse.com.

The creative team for “Becky Shaw” includes Jeffrey D. Kmiec (Scenic Design), Rachel M. Sypniewski (Costume Design), Brandon Wardell (Lighting Design), Eric Backus (Sound Design) and Jamie Karas (Properties Design). Mara Filler is the Production Stage Manager and Johnnie Schleyer is the Technical Director.

Suzanne Petri, Amy Rubenstein, Michael Aaron Pogue and Carley Cornelius 


About Windy City Playhouse
Windy City Playhouse, Chicago's most sophisticated not-for-profit Equity theater, aims to expand beyond the traditional theatergoing experience by offering audience members a night of high-quality entertainment with a full-service bar, in a lounge-like atmosphere. Windy City Playhouse premiered in March of 2015, with the inaugural production “End Days.” Lauded by audiences and critics alike, Windy City Playhouse promises to rock Chicago's theater scene.
For more information, visit WindyCityPlayhouse.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Thursday, September 21, 2017

REVIEW: Frenetic Kinetic "Toad" Microcosm of Life at The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Through 9/23

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar:
James Thierrée’s The Toad Knew 



The Toad Knew has been one of the hottest tickets in Chi, IL this month. The world famous troupe is in from France, the acclaimed production is a very limited five day run, and this is the inaugural show for Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's exciting new space, The Yard. I caught it last night and consider it a must see, though it won't be everyone's cup of tea. 

Theatre goers who like literal, straight forward, easily digestible shows, may find this a mouthful. There is little dialogue and James Thierrée pushes the boundaries of tolerance with unpleasant static and repetition of sound, to the point of discomfort, before treating the audience to beautiful music and soaring vocals. Much of the choreography is twitchy and jerky, rather than a pleasing fluid and flowing style. The set is grimy and ugly, and there is no discernible plot, yet we found it enthralling, particularly the stunning opener and show close with the massive, shabby, red velvet curtain. I've never seen a curtain call where the cast crawled from beneath the curtain on their bellies! This production is utterly unique, and well worth an evening.

The stamina and training needed to pull off a movement based show of this magnitude is astonishing, and we found the alternating bouts of intense action and complete motionlessness among the characters stunning. In a microcosm of life, The Toad Knew includes repetitive motion and rest, machines, music, the elements, humorous accidentally injuries, cooperation, coexistence, isolation, irritation, elation, and a good dose of humor. We were mesmerized by this frenetic kinetic exploration.



Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) opens the innovative new performance venue The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare with James Thierrée’s The Toad Knew from France as part of CST’s World’s Stage series, September 19–23, 2017.



James Thierrée's The Toad Knew from France All Production Photos by Richard Haughton.

Chicago Shakespeare welcomes back creator and director James
Thierrée after his wildly popular presentations Farewell Umbrella in
2007 and Bright Abyss in 2005. For nearly two decades, Thierrée
has twisted audiences’ imaginations with astonishing, theatrical
creations, including Junebug Symphony and Tabac Rouge. Born to
circus legends Jean-Baptise Thierrée and Victoria Chaplin,
Thierrée made his circus debut at the age of four and has been

performing ever since. His works have toured the world over and have received critical and popular acclaim.

This spectacle premiered at the Edinburgh International Festival, where it was called “flamboyant, hallucinatory and ravishingly beautiful” by The Guardian. Thierrée returns to CST after his magnificent Farewell Umbrella (2007) and Bright Abyss (2005). 



His newest invention, The Toad Knew, intertwines dreams with childhood terrors, burlesque, and realism to explore the wild, wondrous love shared among siblings. A collective of dancers, high-wire artists, and musicians create an intoxicating world evocative of Salvador Dalí and Tim Burton. This is artistry that defies categorization, but promises to stay with you long after you leave the Theater. 

Click HERE to purchase tickets and discover more about the new space and this production.



Cirque nouveau superstar James Thierrée presents The Toad Knew to open Chicago Shakespeare’s innovative third theater The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare in a limited engagement as part of CST’s World’s Stage series September 19–23, 2017. Photo by Richard Haughton.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

OPENING: World Premiere of Immigrant Stories, DON’T LOOK BACK/MUST LOOK BACK Via Pivot Arts 10/20-11/19

Pivot Arts Presents the World Premiere of
DON’T LOOK BACK/MUST LOOK BACK
Conceived by Julieanne Ehre
Written by Tanya Palmer
Directed by Devon De Mayo
October 20 – November 19, 2017

 (left to right) Jin Park, Ashlyn Lozano and Phyllis Liu 
Photo by Austin D. Oie.


Pivot Arts is pleased to present the world premiere of DON’T LOOK BACK/MUST LOOK BACK, a site-specific performance experience in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, conceived by Julieanne Ehre, written by Tanya Palmer, directed by Devon de Mayo and devised by an ensemble of actors and designers. Audience members are taken on an immersive journey inspired by the stories and experiences of Uptown residents, many of whom came to Uptown as refugees. 

DON’T LOOK BACK/MUST LOOK BACK will play October 20 – November 19, 2017 in various Uptown locations starting at the Chinese Mutual Aid Association, 1016 W. Argyle St. The intimate performance experience is limited to 16 audience members per show. Tickets, priced at $35, are currently on sale at pivotarts.org/events/.

DON’T LOOK BACK/MUST LOOK BACK will feature Christopher Acevedo, Samantha Beach, Lucy Carapetyan, Phyllis Liu, Sarah Lo, Ashlyn Lozano, Edward Mawere and Jin Park.

The performance is inspired by stories of escape and loss from local residents who fled their countries and arrived here to make Uptown their home – and the systems and people that they’ve encountered along the way. Blending movement, images and storytelling, Don't Look Back/Must Look Back brings audiences into the experience of making a home in a place where everything is unfamiliar and the sands are constantly shifting beneath your feet. 

The performance also features images from documentary artist James Bowey’s exhibit “When Home Won’t Let You Stay,” a portrait of refugees in America and their stories of hope and perseverance in the face of violence and loss. For additional information, visit https://jamesbowey.atavist.com/home. 

“Don’t Look Back/Must Look Back continues Pivot Arts’ initiative to create site-specific performances where audiences participate in unique experiences,” comments Pivot Arts Director Julieanne Ehre. “Last year’s The Memory Tour took audiences on a journey through memory and Don’t Look Back/Must Look Back uses a similar format. Audiences will have the opportunity to experience the lives of local residents and refugees while moving through various locations.” 

The production team includes Patricia Nguyen (associate director), John Blick (production manager), James Bowey (video and photographs), Connor Ciesil (sound designer), kClare  McKellaston (costume designer), Justine B. Palmisano (stage manager), Giau Truong (lighting and installation designer) and Sammy Ziesel (assistant director). 


(front right) Ashlyn Lozano with (back, l to r) Jin Park, Phyllis Liu, Christopher Acevedo, Samantha Beach, Lucy Carapetyan and Edward Mawere 
Photo by Austin D. Oie.


Location: Begins at Chinese Mutual Aid Association, 1016 W. Argyle St.
Dates: Previews: Friday, October 20 at 7:30 pm
Regular run: Friday, October 27 – Sunday, November 19, 2017
Curtain Times: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 7:30 pm.
Tickets: $35.Tickets are currently available at pivotarts.org/events/.

A special event held on Sunday, October 22 at 5:30 pm at 1027 W. Argyle St. includes a discussion with lead artists on DON’T LOOK BACK/MUST LOOK BACK along with an opportunity to learn more about the work of Chinese Mutual Aid Association and other local organizations who serve refugees. More information can be found at pivotarts.org/events/.

DON’T LOOK BACK/ MUST LOOK BACK is funded in part by an Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts with major in-kind support from Chinese Mutual Aid Association.

About the Artists
Julieanne Ehre is the founder and the director of Pivot Arts. She both leads the organization and curates performances including the Pivot Arts Festival, Live Talk series and conceived/directed The Memory Tour. She was the NEA/TCG New Generations “Future Leaders” Fellow at the Goodman Theatre, where she served as producer on Latino Festival, New Stages Series and conceived of and produced the Goodman’s Artists Talk series. Julieanne served as a delegate to the Santiago a Mil Festival in Chile and the ITI World Theater Congress in Xiamen, China through Theater Communications Group and was the co-chair of the Arts and Culture Committee for Chicago’s 48th Ward. As the Artistic Director of Greasy Joan & Co. for five years, she directed and produced critically acclaimed and premiere adaptations of classic plays and worked as a freelance theater director. Ehre holds an MFA in Directing from Northwestern University.

Tanya Palmer is a dramaturg and playwright. Her plays include Body Talk, Fatherland, Barbra Live at Canyon Ranch, Spring and Trash and The Memory Tour, and have been developed or produced at Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Hangar Theatre, Solar Stage, the Montreal Fringe Festival, The Harbourfront Centre, HERE and Pivot Arts, where she is an Artistic Associate. She is a member of MC-10, a newly formed Playwrights Collective in residence at the Greenhouse Theater Center. Her work has been published by Smith & Kraus, Samuel French and Playscripts, Inc. She is the Director of New Play Development at Goodman Theatre, where she coordinates New Stages, the theater’s new play program, and has served as the production dramaturg on a number of plays including the world premieres of 2666 by Roberto Bolaño, adapted and directed by Seth Bockley and Robert Falls; Smokefall by Noah Haidle, The Happiest Song Plays Last by Quiara Hudes and the Pulitzer Prize–winning Ruined by Lynn Nottage. Prior to her arrival in Chicago, she served as the director of new play development at Actors Theatre of Louisville, where she led the reading and selection process for the Humana Festival of New American Plays. She is the co-editor, with Amy Wegener and Adrien-Alice Hansel, of four collections of Humana Festival plays, published by Smith & Kraus, as well as two collections of 10-minute plays published by Samuel French. Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, she holds an MFA in playwriting from York University in Toronto.

Devon de Mayo is a director, devisor and teacher. Most recently, she directed Harvey at Court Theatre. Other directing credits include: You on the Moors Now (The Hypocrites), Sycamore (Raven Theatre), Animals Out of Paper (Shattered Globe Theatre), You Can't Take it With You at (Northlight Theatre), Jet Black Chevrolet (side project), Lost in Yonkers (Northlight Theatre), Compulsion and Everything is Illuminated (Next Theatre); An Actor Prepares (University of Chicago); and Roadkill Confidential, The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler and Clouds (Dog & Pony). Directing and devising credits include: Guerra: A Clown Play, a collaboration with Mexico City based artists La Piara (performances in Mexico City, Chicago, New York, Bogota, Albuquerque and Madrid); The Whole World is Watching (Dog & Pony Theatre Co. with Chicago Park District), Infiltrating Bounce (San Antonio Luminaria Festival), The Twins Would Like To Say (Dog & Pony at Steppenwolf Theatre), As Told by the Vivian Girls (Dog & Pony). In 2015, she served as Resident Director under Stephen Daldry for The Audience on Broadway. Devon also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University, Loyola University and the University of Chicago. She received her MFA in Theatre Directing from Middlesex University in London.

About Pivot Arts
Pivot Arts produces and presents contemporary and multi-disciplinary performance. They develop new work and present performances throughout the year culminating in a multi-arts festival. Their vision is that of a vibrant community where unique collaborations between artists, businesses and organizations lead to the support and creation of innovative performance events.

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