REVIEW: Significant Brilliance at AFT and Theater WIT's Significant Other

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Midwest Premiere!

About Face Theatre and Theater Wit Present

SIGNIFICANT OTHER

By Joshua Harmon

Directed by AFT Artistic Associate Keira Fromm

November 3 – December 9, 2017 at Theater Wit



(left to right) Alex Weisman, Cassidy Slaughter-Mason, Amanda Drinkall and Tiffany Oglesby in About Face Theatre and Theater Wit’s Midwest premiere of SIGNIFICANT OTHER. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

Review:

With a brand new Jeff Award in hand, for Best Actor in Victory Garden's smash hit, Hand to God, and a Broadway role secured for spring, Alex Weisman seems like the last guy in town to convincingly play a down on his luck, angry, depressed guy who's jealous of his friends. Yet, he hits the mark in spectacular fashion in Significant Other. Alex and the entire cast more than do justice to this witty script by Joshua Harmon. We enjoyed Theater Wit's production of playwright Joshua Harmon's acclaimed comedy, Bad Jews, and caught it several times, so we are excited to see more of his work hit Theater Wit this season. 

(left to right) Amanda Drinkall, Alex Weisman and Tiffany Oglesby 
Photo by Michael Brosilow.

The energy on stage is palpable, and the rapport between all four friends and between Alex and his grandma is quite believable and a joy to see. The characters are quirky and interesting, with a bond to each other forged from long term friendships full of shared past adventures, inside jokes, traditions, and often recounted stories. This makes the growing pains of aging and changing relationships all the more wrenching. I particularly loved the parallels of a young, gay man longing for a lifelong partner and a family, striking out in the relationship department, and his grandmother's loneliness as a widow, on the other end of the romance spectrum, a rarely examined theme.

Significant Other hit hilarious high notes of friendship, adventure, and love counterweighted with universal lows of rejection, fear, loneliness, jealousy and self hatred. Even the grey areas where multiple emotions coexist and collide, are explored with humor and heartfelt bravery. Alex Weisman is a standout as Jordan Berman, as is his trio of girlfriends, and his grandmother, Ann Whitney. There's also a sweet dose of eye candy in the shape of lust interests, Benjamin Sprunger and Ninos Baba.

 (left to right) Alex Weisman and Benjamin Sprunger 

Photo by Michael Brosilow

SignificantOther-4 (left to right) Alex Weisman, Tiffany Oglesby and Ninos Baba 

Photo by Michael Brosilow

For anyone who's ever longed for love, laughed with friends, or felt conflicted/angry/lonely at others' happy events, this is a must see. We highly recommend Significant Other, now playing through December 9th at Theater WIT.

(left to right) Alex Weisman and Amanda Drinkall

Photo by Michael Brosilow

About Face Theatre and Theater Wit are pleased to present the Midwest premiere of the romantic comedy 

SIGNIFICANT OTHER 

by Joshua Harmon, 

playwright of the hit comedy Bad Jews. 

Directed by AFT Artistic Associate Keira Fromm, SIGNIFICANT OTHER will play November 3 – December 9, 2017 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently on sale at aboutfacetheatre.com or theaterwit.org, by calling (773) 975-8150 or in person at the Theater Wit Box Office. 

Significant Other is the last chance for Chicago audiences to see Alex Weisman as a local, albeit playing a New Yorker, before he actually heads out to New York and dons Hogwarts Robes for his new gig on Broadway! Get your tickets ASAP, before the run is sold out. This is sure to be a hot ticket.   

The cast of About Face Theatre and Theater Wit’s Chicago premiere of SIGNIFICANT OTHER (top, l to r) AFT Artistic Associates Benjamin Sprunger and Alex Weisman with Ninos Baba (bottom, l to r) Amanda Drinkall, Tiffany Oglesby, Cassidy Slaughter-Mason and Ann Whitney.

SIGNIFICANT OTHER features AFT Artistic Associates Benjamin Sprunger and Alex Weisman with Ninos Baba, Amanda Drinkall, Tiffany Oglesby, Cassidy Slaughter-Mason and Ann Whitney.

Jordan Berman is a single gay man in New York City. Mr. Right is nowhere on his horizons. As he's nearing his 30s, his close group of girlfriends begin getting married en masse. What happens when you feel like life is leaving you behind but you're still expected to be at the forefront cheering on your friends on their perfect wedding day? Significant Other is a bittersweet comedy about friendship, single-hood and hoping you're not the one choking on car exhaust as the "Just Married" sign disappears from view. 

(left to right) Alex Weisman, Benjamin Sprunger and Amanda Drinkall 

Photo by Michael Brosilow.

In 2015, Joshua Harmon's play Bad Jews hit Theater Wit and performed to capacity crowds for eight months. A breakaway playwright of his generation, Harmon's work offered a unique and searingly funny look at a new generation of American Jews. Now, with Significant Other he turns his compassion and considerable wit to marriage.

"This feels like the perfect moment to be bringing Significant Other to the stage," comments Director Keira Fromm. "On the surface, Significant Other is a very funny play about single-hood and friendship. On a deeper level, our protagonist, Jordan, is enduring an existential crisis. On the brink of turning 30 and recognizing that being gay today no longer means you're immune to expectations of marriage, Jordan is failing at the task of finding his soulmate. He begins to feel that life is passing him by and finding his way in the world starts to feel like a gargantuan undertaking. In our increasingly alienating world, I find that quest intensely moving and relatable.” 

"I am very excited to join About Face Theatre in presenting the Midwest premiere of Joshua Harmon’s newest work,” comments Theater Wit Artistic Director Jeremy Wechsler. “I think Josh is a remarkably original writer with a gift for showing us the utterly real and utterly unexpected. His plays are always about deeply human characters with a writerly perspective we've not seen previously dramatized, and Significant Other is no exception. Bad Jews was a legitimate theatrical event of 2015 – and Significant Other promises, in its writing and casting, to be another for 2017."

(left to right) Cassidy Slaughter-Mason, Benjamin Sprunger, Alex Weisman, Ninos Baba and Tiffany Oglesby

Photo by Michael Brosilow

The production team for SIGNIFICANT OTHER includes Jeff Kmiec (scenic design), Noël Huntzinger (costume design), John Kelly (lighting design), Christopher Kriz (sound design), Pauline Oleksy (props design), Catherine Allen (production manager) and Helen Lattyak (stage manager).

Location: Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago
Dates: Previews: Friday, November 3 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, November 4 at 7:30 pm, Sunday, November 5 at 7 pm and Tuesday, November 7 at 7 pm.
Press opening: Wednesday, November at 8 at 7 pm
Regular run: Friday, November 10 – Saturday, December 9, 2017
Curtain Times: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will not be a performance on Thursday, November 9 or Thursday, November 23 (Thanksgiving); there are added performances on Wednesday, November 15 at 7:30 pm, Sunday, Saturday, November 25 at 3 pm and Sunday, November 26 at 7 pm and Saturday, December 9 at 3 pm.

Tickets: Previews: $15. Regular run: $20-$38. Discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Tickets are currently on sale at aboutfacetheatre.com or theaterwit.org, by calling (773) 975-8150 or in person at Theater Wit Box Office.

Artist Biographies
Joshua Harmon’s (Playwright) play Bad Jews received its world premiere at Roundabout Underground and was the first production to transfer to the Roundabout's Laura Pels Theatre (Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Award nominations, Best Play). It became the third most-produced play in the U.S. during the 2014-15 season and transferred to London’s West End after sell-out runs at Theatre Royal Bath and the St. James Theatre. His newest play, Significant Other, opened at Roundabout this summer. His work has been produced and developed by Manhattan Theatre Club, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Hangar Theatre, Ars Nova, and Actor's Express, where he was the 2010-2011 National New Play Network Playwright-in-Residence. He has received fellowships from MacDowell, Atlantic Center for the Arts, SPACE at Ryder Farm, and the Eudora Welty Foundation. Joshua is a recent graduate of Juilliard and at work on commissions for Roundabout Theatre Company and Lincoln Center Theater.

Keira Fromm (Director) is a Jeff Award nominated director, a casting director and a teacher based out of Chicago. Favorite recent directing credits include: Bright Half Life (About Face Theatre), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Hospital of New York City (Route 66 Theatre Company) The Columnist (American Blues Theater), How the World Began (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble), A Kid Like Jake (About Face Theatre), Luce (Next Theatre), Charles Ives Take Me Home (Strawdog), The How and the Why (TimeLine Theatre), Broadsword (Gift Theatre) and Fallow (Steep Theatre). Keira is a proud Artistic Associate with About Face Theatre. She received her MFA from DePaul University and her BFA from Boston University. She is a member of SDC, as well as the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab. Keira is a frequent guest director at DePaul, as well as Roosevelt University. 

SIGNIFICANT OTHER was developed during a residency the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center's National Playwrights Conference in 2013. Preston Whiteway, Executive Director; Wendy C. Goldberg, Artistic Director.

About The Theatres 
About Face Theatre creates exceptional, innovative, and adventurous theatre and educational programming that advances the national dialogue on sexual and gender identity, and challenges and entertains audiences in Chicago and beyond.

Theater Wit, Chicago’s “smart art” theater, is a major hub of the Chicago neighborhood theater scene, where audiences enjoy a smorgasbord of excellent productions in three, 99-seat spaces, see a parade of talented artists and mingle with audiences from all over Chicago. 

“A thrilling addition to Chicago’s roster of theaters” (Chicago Tribune) and “a terrific place to see a show” (New City), Theater Wit is now in its seventh season at its home at 1229 N. Belmont, in the heart of the new Belmont Theatre District in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. The company’s most recent hits include 10 Out of 12 and Mr. Burns, a post-electric play by Anne Washburn, Naperville by Mat Smart, The New Sincerity by Alena Smith, Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon, The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence and Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England by Madeleine George, and Completeness and The Four of Us by Itamar Moses. 

In 2014, Theater Wit was awarded the National Theatre Award by the American Theatre Wing for strengthening the quality, diversity and dynamism of American theater. Theater Wit also brings together Chicago’s best storefront companies at its Lakeview home, including 2017-18 resident companies About Face, Kokandy Productions and Shattered Globe. 

(left to right) Amanda Drinkall, Alex Weisman, Tiffany Oglesby and Cassidy Slaughter-Mason in About Face Theatre and Theater Wit’s Midwest premiere of SIGNIFICANT OTHER. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

Bluebird Theatre's Clever Little Lies at Athenaeum Theatre Through 12/16/17

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

Bluebird Arts is proud to open its 2017-18 Season with Midwest Premiere of

"CLEVER LITTLE LIES"

by “Tony Award”® Winner Joe DiPietro.

Bluebird Arts brings the Smash Off-Broadway hit to the Athenaeum Theatre with direction by Luda Lopatina Solomon.

Bluebird Arts – Chicago's only English–Russian Theatre – proudly announces "Clever Little Lies," by Joe DiPietro, will open the theatre's Fourth Season. The Midwest Premiere begins its month-long run at the Athenaeum Theatre, Studio Two, on Thursday, November 16, 2017. We'll be out to review on the 30th so check back soon after.

Performances are Thursday – Saturday at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 2pm from November 16 - December 16, 2017. Artistic Director Luda Lopatina Solomon will direct a cast including Lawrence Garner (Bill Sr.), Kathleen Burke (Alice), Andrew Garcia (Billy), and Alyssa Ratkovich (Jane). The production team includes Caroline Grebner (Set Design), Michael Rathbun (Lighting Design), Brandon Reed (Sound Design), Bisa (Costume Design), Michael Zimmer (Set Design and Technical Direction), Rick Frederick (Marketing and Media), Karly Hanna (Stage Management), and Jaimelyn Gray (Production Manager, and Marketing and Media).

Shattering and hilarious, "Clever Little Lies" is a comedy of long-term love and marriage… for better… and for worse.

About the Playwright: Joe DiPietro has won two Tony Awards, a Drama Desk Award and two Outer Critics Circle Awards. His historical drama "The Second Mrs. Wilson", recently debuted at Long Wharf Theatre and plays George Street Playhouse this fall. Broadway: "Nice Work if You Can Get It"  (Tony nom., Best Musical); "Memphis"  (Tony winner, Best Musical); "All Shook Up"; "Living on Love". Off-Broadway: "The Toxic Avenger"; "The Thing About Men"; "Over the River and Through the Woods"; and "I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change" (Westside Theatre). Recent regional credits include "Chasing the Song" (La Jolla Playhouse); "Ernest Shackleton Loves Me" (Arts Emerson); "The Last Romance"  (Old Globe); and "Creating Claire" (George Street Playhouse). He sits on the board of Only Make Believe, a charity dedicated to bringing interactive, therapeutic theatre to chronically ill children.

About the Director: Luda Lopatina Solomon studied acting and directing in Russia at the Leningrad Institute of Music, Theatre and Film and earned her Ph.D (WD) in teaching acting at the St. Petersburg State Academy of Dramatic Arts. She worked as an actress at Leningrad Studio Theatre. As a member of European Repertory Company, Luda directed Chekhov's "Ivanov" (Jeff Nominated); Bulgakov's "Zoyka's Apartment"; Chekhov's "The Duel", adapted by Frank Galati; Carlo Gozzi's "Princess Turandot"; and Vasili Sigarev's "Black Milk". Also with European Repertory Company Luda co-directed, with Yasen Peyankov, Galin's "Stars in the Morning Sky" and Nikolay Kolyada's "Go Away, Go Away "(Jeff Nominated). Other directing credits include Stephen Schwartz's "The Baker's Wife" with One Theatre Company, Galin's "The House that Swift Built" co-directed with Dale Goulding for Red Square Theatre Company, and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf: at Theatre Volhonka, Ekatirenburg, Russia (Translated to Russian; Bravo award). She has taught acting at the School at Steppenwolf, Act One, and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Bluebird Arts was founded in 2014 and is a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to enrich, educate and entertain our community by sharing intimate stories of the human condition, focusing on the genuine problems of real people. They showcase Chicago's talent by promoting a cross-cultural exchange, taking Chicago theatre and artists to Europe and bringing European theatre to the Chicago community. Uniquely they serve both the English and Russian speaking populations by producing plays in both English and Russian.
Bluebird Arts has a sister theatre in Volhnka, Ekatirenburg, Russia.   

OPENING: Agency Theatre's Hellcab at The Den

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

BACK FOR THE HOLIDAYS! 

AGENCY THEATER COLLECTIVE PRESENTS THE RETURN OF THE CHICAGO CLASSIC WILL KERN’S HELLCAB STARRING 

RUSTY SCHWIMMER AND PLAYING AT THE DEN THEATRE, 

NOVEMBER 11 – DECEMBER 17

Sommer Austin directs the Storied Chicago Production Inspired by Playwright Kern’s Experiences as a Cab Driver During Chicago’s Holiday Season

**Run Time: 90min/no intermission**

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we've seen many iterations of Hellcab from the initial production to frequent recent holiday remounts. We'll be out for the press opening November 16th to check out Agency Theater Collective's take on this hilarious, edgy, Chicago holiday classic. Check back soon for our full review.



The Agency Theater Collective announces Hellcab, starring Rusty Schwimmer, written by Will Kern and directed by The Agency’s Managing Director Sommer Austin playing at the Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., November 11 – December 17. Previews are Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 12 at 3 p.m., Monday, Nov. 13 and Thursday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Opening night is Friday, Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are pay-what-you-can for all performances. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.wearetheagency.org or call the Den Theatre Box Office at 773.697.3830.

A Chicago classic returning to the stage, Hellcab is the story of a day in the life of a Chicago cab driver who experiences a drawn out, nightmarish night of fares from some of the city’s oddest collection of customers on a cold, snowy day just days before Christmas. Drawn from real experiences from playwright Will Kern’s days as a cab driver, the list of characters the cabbie encounters include: a dangerous trio of druggies, a piggish mini-capitalist, a benumbed rape victim, an argumentative pair of fellow cabbies, a drunken woman on welfare, a smug lawyer, a randy couple on the way to a motel, and two boisterous New Yorkers out on the town. With every encounter, we see through the cab driver’s eyes humor, terror, longing and more as she navigates all areas of the Windy City.

In addition to Rusty Schwimmer* as “Cab Driver,” Molly Lyons will perform the role at select performances**, the Hellcab cast includes George Ellzey Jr., Harsh Gagoomal, Gabrielle Gulledge, Sean Higgins, Kate Jacobsen*, Diana Lee, Manuela Rentea, Delysa Richards, Sara Richmond*, Reginald Robinson, Jack Schultz*, Tim Touhy*, Ethan Walles* and Marie Weigle. Understudy cast: Teresa Champion, Mark Mocarski, PJ Walker, Hannah Tarr, Anna Yee and Joseph Zaki.

*The Actor appears through the courtesy of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

**Molly Lyons' performances as “Cab Driver:” Friday, Nov. 25 and Saturday, Nov. 26 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 27 at 3 p.m.

The production team for Hellcab includes: Will Kern, playwright; Sommer Austin+, director; Cait Manning, production manager, Colleen Schuldeis, stage manager; Alex Meyer, assistant stage manager; Alex Molnar and Cordie Nelson, assistant directors;  Jamie Macpherson, fight and intimacy director; Elyse Balogh, scenic designer;  Ellie Humphrys+, lighting designer; Hailey Rakowiecki, costume designer;  Shea Messinger, properties designer; Brian Foster+, technical director; Cody Lucas+, Indiegogo campaign manager and graphic designer, Andrew Gallant+, artistic director and Tim Touhy+, company manager.

+Denotes company member of The Agency

ABOUT WILL KERN, playwright

Will Kern’s writing credits, in addition to Hellcab, include Kid Sister and Mothers and Tigers: True Stories of Korean Women. As a screenwriter, Kern wrote the film adaptation of “Hellcab,” the award-winning short films “Pain Chain,” and “Lost in Rome.” His travel writing and essays have been published in numerous magazines and newspapers around the world. His first novel “Ballet for Guys” is built around Billy Jim Hauck, a political conservative and self-described “fat ass with brown teeth and a scraggly Yosemite Sam mustache.”

ABOUT SOMMER AUSTIN, director

Co-founder and Managing Director of The Agency Theater Collective, Sommer Austin also directs and acts with them. She is a certified instructor of the Meisner Approach to Acting and co-founder/owner of Green Shirt Studio. Austin has made her mark in the improv/comedy, theatre and production worlds and has worked with theatre superstars including Mary Overlie, Ping Chong and Dr. Jonathan Miller. She was assistant director to Michael Patrick Thornton on the world premiere of David Rabe’s Good for Otto at The Gift Theatre and to Dexter Bullard on Annie Baker’s The Flick at Steppenwolf Theatre. For The Agency she has directed Chagrin Falls, co-directed Nautilina and acted in Paradise Lost, Out of Tune Confessional (which she also co-wrote) and At The Center. She received her Bachelor’s in Theatre Arts from the University of Iowa and has a Master’s of Fine Arts degree in Acting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

ABOUT RUSTY SCHWIMMER, “Cab Driver”

Rusty Schwimmer is thrilled to be back in her hometown of Chicago where the weather is perfect, the sausages are plentiful and the Cubs win. Schwimmer is best known for her roles in the feature films A Little Princess, Twister, EdTV, The Perfect Storm, Runaway Jury and North Country. She has also enjoyed working on the television series, “Louie,” “The Guardian,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Picket Fences” and “Six Feet Under.” On stage, Schwimmer was last seen in Los Angeles at the Mark Taper Forum in their production of House of Blue Leaves and in Chicago in Race at Lookingglass Theatre. Upcoming Film projects include Blood Stripe and Wild Honey.

ABOUT AGENCY THEATER COLLECTIVE

Founded in 2010, The Agency Theater Collective creates relevant, authentic work with a focus on new or rarely produced plays. Past productions include Copi’s Four Twins, Clifford Odets’ Paradise Lost, Out of Tune Confessional, I Wish to Apologize to the People of Illinois, At the Center, Truth in Context (Non-Equity Jeff Award nominee for Best New Work in 2015/2016), The Spirit of ’76, and Chagrin Falls (Non-Equity Jeff Award nominee for Best Supporting Actor in 2016/2017). The Agency also hosts “No Shame Theatre,” a weekly theatrical open mic, every Saturday night at The Lincoln Loft. The Agency Theater Collective holds these principles sacred: revelation, paradox, humor, mischief and collaboration.

The Agency Theater Collective announces the Chicago holiday classic Hellcab, starring Rusty Schwimmer, written by Will Kern and directed by The Agency’s Managing Director Sommer Austin playing at the Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., November 11 – December 17. Previews are Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 12 at 3 p.m., Monday, Nov. 13 and Thursday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Opening night is Friday, Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are pay-what-you-can for all performances. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.wearetheagency.org or call the Den Theatre Box Office at 773.697.3830. 

OPENING: Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Ernest at Writers Theatre 11/8-12/23/17

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST 

Written by Oscar Wilde

Directed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam

November 8 – December 23, 2017

Press Opening: Wednesday, November 15 at 7:30 pm

Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre | 325 Tudor Court, Glenco

November 8 – December 23, 2017
**Run Time: 2 hours 30 minutes/ 2 intermissions**

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we can't wait to catch this Oscar Wilde classic. I first read it way back in the day, in high school, and adored the witty wordplay, but I've never caught it on stage. We'll be out November 21st, so check back soon for my full review.


The cast includes: Anita Chandwaney (Miss Prism), Shannon Cochran (Lady Bracknell), Aaron Todd Douglas (Rev. Canon Chasuble), Alex Goodrich (Jack Worthing), Steve Haggard (Algernon Moncreif), Rebecca Hurd (Cecily Cardew), Jennifer Latimore (Gwendolyn Fairfax) and Ross Lehman (Lane/Merriman).

One of the cleverest comedies by one of the greatest writers in the English language, The Importance of Being Earnest introduces us to Jack and Algernon, two charming bachelors who are each living a double life, aided by a fictional alter ego called “Ernest.” But when they fall truly in love with a pair of proper young women, will they be able to bring an end to the charade and convince the formidable Lady Bracknell that they are suitable candidates for marriage? After all, “the one charm about marriage is that it makes a life of deception absolutely necessary for both parties.”

Oscar Wilde (Writer) 
Michael Halberstam (Director)
Pedro Castillo Garcia (Dramaturg) 
Mara Blumenfeld  (Costume Designer)
John Culbert (Lighting Designer)
Josh Schmidt (Sound Designer)
Scott Dickens  (Properties Master)
David Castellanos (Production Stage Manager)
Peter Andersen (Assistant Director)
Janelle Boudreau (Assistant Stage Manager) 

Artistic Director Michael Halberstam brings his talent for refreshing the classics to this effervescent comedy of manners. Filled with Wilde’s sparkling wit, piercing social satire and trademark wordplay, this well-loved classic is certain to delight this holiday season!

Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre | 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe
Tickets: $35 - $80
(847) 242-6000
http://www.writerstheatre.org/

FEST ALERT: CIMMfest Is Back This Thursday Through Sunday November 9-12th

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we live for rock/punk/metal and love film, so it's no wonder we've been covering CIMMfest from the start! Now entering year 9, we'll be back again, shooting stills, and reviewing shows. Got your tickets? You can do a full on festival pass good for everything, like we have, or catch individual showings, and a few hybrid passes in between.



Thankfully, everyone's taste in tunes is different, and CIMMfest has something for everyone, happening simultaneously, all over town. Click HERE to check out the full lineup. Then check back with ChiILLiveShows.com early and often, on line and social media, for our top picks, recaps, and more.

 

Highlights Opening Night: 

Friday: 

 

Saturday:

 Sunday:

Click Image And Get Yours: 

Chicago International Movies & Music Festival (CIMMFest) No. 9 Announces Full Film Lineup

The Annual Four-Day Festival Runs November 9-12 Throughout Chicago

Penelope Spheeris 2017 BAADASSSSS Award for Lifetime Achievement Honoree and Film Retrospective, Celebrating Daptone Records and Remembering Chicago’s Classic Neo Era

The Chicago International Movies & Music Festival (CIMMfest) announces its full movie and music lineup for the ninth edition, running November 9-12, 2017, centered at the Davis Theater and running across multiple  venues throughout Chicago, including Martyrs’, Old Town School of Folk, GMan Tavern, Subterranean and others. Individual tickets for most events start at $10; 4-day festival passes start at $79. Festival passes and a la carte tickets are available at CIMMfest.org.

This year’s multimedia festival features more than 40 events including two world premieres, 4 U.S. premieres, 5 Chicago premieres and 8 Midwest premieres; musical acts representing a wide variety of genres; and CIMMcon, CIMMfest’s dynamic professional and creative industry conference.

On Thursday Nov. 9, CIMMfest and CHIRP Radio present opening night with the Midwest Premiere of Living on Soul, a heartfelt hybrid documentary/concert film which wraps the story of soul-music powerhouse Daptone Records around electric Apollo Theater performances by label stalwarts like Antibalas, Budos Band, and the late Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones. The screening at Martyrs' will be followed by the official opening night afterparty, featuring a  live performance by Chicago soul diva Lili K, paying tribute to Sharon Jones, and DJing by Daptone co-founder Neal Sugarman.

Actress and podcaster Aisha Tyler makes her feature directorial debut with Axis, also screening on opening night at 7 p.m. at the Davis Theater. With an original score by Silversun Pickups, Axis stars Irish actor Emmett Hughes as a reformed Hollywood bad boy who finds his life unravelling in a series of phone calls as he drives across LA.

The weekend’s Penelope Spheeris’ retrospective begins with the first two installments of her Decline of the Western Civilization trilogy, playing back to back at 7:15 p.m. & 9:30 p.m., respectively, at the Davis Theater. 

Rounding off opening night is the story of John Lydon’s arguably more influential second band, told largely by Mr. Rotten himself, in the documentary The Public Image Is Rotten. Director Tabbert Fiiller joins PiL drummer-turned-Chicago music maven Martin Atkins for a post-screening conversation, at the Davis Theater. 

Full Schedule:

Films with strong Chicago ties include 2350 Last Call: The Neo Story, The Chicago Mixtape, It Never Ends, Karl Wirsum, Red Line Lounge, Bill's Records, Do U Want It?, Electric Heart, Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together, Psychogenic Fugue, Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution and Horn From the Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story, the first comprehensive screen portrait of one of Chicago blues' greatest native sons and CIMMfest No. 9’s closing film (Davis Theater, Sunday, November 12, at 7:30 p.m.). Join director John Anderson (Born in Chicago, Sam Lay in Bluesland) and producer Sandra Warren for a post-film Q&A. 

Closeup: Tank and the Bangas, a short doc about one of New Orleans’s most acclaimed new bands, will be screened in tandem with NOLA?, in which Big Easy artists, writers, and scene mainstays talk about the city’s musical past and post-Katrina present. A Q&A with Closeup director Charlie Steiner will follow the films, which screen at 2:40 p.m. on Sunday, November 12.

MOVIES AND MUSIC

This year’s films accompanied with Live Music Performances include:

Living on Soul 

Thursday, November 9

See Opening Night listing above.

Hello Hello Hello : Lee Ranaldo : Electric Trim

Friday, November 10

An intimate portrait of a bold musical mind at work as the Sonic Youth guitar genius collaborates with novelist Jonathan Lethem, fellow axe innovator Nels Cline, and other creative fellow travelers to produce his new album Electric Trim. Q&A with filmmaker Fred Riedel to follow screening at the Davis Theater. Prior to the screening, Lee Ranaldo will perform at Subterranean on November 5.

Six Strings of Separation / Dark Star Originals

Saturday, November 11

Six Strings of Separation documents how luthier Tom Lieber, who began his career apprenticing with Jerry Garcia’s guitar maker, commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead with a custom line of axes modeled on Jerry’s classic “Wolf” and “Tiger” guitars. Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Originals, featuring John Kadlecik, Mike Maraat, Kevin Rosen, Ahmer Nizam, and special guest John Kattke, will perform after the screening at Martyrs.

Tom Rush: No Regrets

Sunday, November 12

Folk troubadour Tom Rush takes residence at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk on CIMMfest’s closing day and evening with a screening of the documentary Tom Rush: No Regrets at 2 p.m, featuring a Q&A with the iconic singer, and an intimate live performance at 7 p.m., both in Old Town’s Szold Hall.

2350 Last Call: The Neo Story

Sunday, November 12

A recollection of the iconic Lincoln Park club that was a haven for goths, punks, and adventurous misfits for more than three decades before closing in 2015. There will be a Q&A with filmmaker Eric Richter, and longtime Neo DJs Suzanne Shelton, Jeff Moyer, and Scary Lady Sarah will spin after the screening at Gman Tavern on closing night.

The Third Root 

Sunday, November 12

Co-presented with the Chicago Latino Film Festival

Mexican guitarist Camilo Nu goes adventuring in search of his musical roots, crossing the Atlantic to find the Andalusian, Arab, and African antecedents of son jarocho, the traditional folk style of his native Veracruz. Camilo Nu will give a short acoustic performance after the 7 p.m. screening at the Davis Theater.

The Last Hot Lick / Cowboy Drifter

Saturday, November 11

Americana takes center stage at the Davis Theater with these back-to-back narrative films, beginning at 3:10 p.m.. The Last Hot Lick features Jaime Leopold, the charter bassist for psychedelic jug band Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, playing a fictionalized version of himself in this sweet, sad drama about an aging troubadour on a never-ending tour. Post-screening Q&A with Mahalia Cohen, producer Deborah Cohen, Jaime Leopold, and Jennifer Smieja, followed by a live performance by Leopold and Smieja at the Davis Theater.

Cowboy Drifter is the tale of a boozing, brawling rogue who gets more than he bargained for when he heads west in search of his old man, a failed country singer who abandoned his family decades ago. The killer soundtrack features the Revivalists, the White Buffalo, John Hiatt, Taj Mahal, and co-star Aubrey Peeples, formerly Layla Grant of TV’s Nashville. Post-screening Q&A with Peeples, writer/star Chuck Carrington, director Michael Lange, and producer/music supervisor Jonathan McHugh. 

Later that evening, Jaime Leopold and his band, the Short Stories, will perform at the Grafton Pub, followed by an intimate set by Aubrey Peeples.

A full list of CIMMfest’s movie and music events, in addition to the CIMMcon roster, can be found  at CIMMfest.org.  

Highlights of confirmed films and musical acts at CIMMfest No. 9 are below:

 ________

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9

OPENING NIGHT

Axis (USA) MIDWEST PREMIERE

Thursday, November 9, 7 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Aisha Tyler 

83 minutes

With an original score by Silversun Pickups, Criminal Minds and Archer co-star Aisha Tyler's directorial debut is a taut drama about a Hollywood bad boy who finds his life unravelling in a series of phone calls as he drives across LA. 

The Decline Of Western Civilization (USA) 

Thursday, November 9, 7:15 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Penelope Spheeris 

100 minutes

A preeminent artifact of American punk and one of the most influential music docs ever made, Spheeris's first feature unflinchingly captures the scene that emerged from Hollywood’s subterranean art culture of the late 1970s and the furor it spawned. Featuring concert footage and memorable interviews with punk pioneers Black Flag, X, the Circle Jerks, Catholic Discipline, Fear, and the sweet, sad, brilliant wreck that was Darby Crash and the Germs. 

Forty-Five: The Search for Soul (USA) 

Thursday, November 9, 7:30 p.m. (with Living on Soul)

Martyrs, 3855 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Anthony Ladesich

11 minutes

Johnny Starke is a DJ on a mission: to dig in every dusty thrift-shop record crate he can find until he unearths the great lost soul dance single. 

The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (USA) 

Thursday, November 9, 9:30 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Penelope Spheeris 

93 minutes

Spheeris's follow-up to her stunning documentary on Los Angeles punk depicts LA's metal scene from 1986 to 1988, when hair bands ruled the Sunset Strip. While tracking the fortunes of would-be glam gods like Odin, Seduce, and London, Decline II features interviews with actual hard-rock gods like Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Steven Tyler, Lemmy, and Paul Stanley and notoriously captures the era's aura of excess, misogyny, and sleaze.

The Public Image Is Rotten (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Thursday, November 9, 9:15 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Tabbert Fiiller 

104 minutes

When the Sex Pistols imploded in early 1978 after a disastrous gig at Winterland in 

San Francisco, their controversial and misunderstood frontman ditched his Rotten 

nom de punk for his birth name and formed Public Image Ltd. John Lydon chronicles 

his own journey from sickly kid in a London council flat to international music 

legend, leading the postpunk cult band that was arguably more influential than his 

notorious first group. Post screening Q&A with director Tabbert Fiiller & former PiL drummer Martin Atkins.

Living On Soul (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Lili K plays Sharon Jones / Neal Sugarman DJ Set

Thursday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Martyrs, 3385 N Lincoln Ave

96 minutes

In December 2014, Daptone Records celebrated its 20th anniversary with a three-night revue at the Apollo Theater, the first multi-night residency at the historic Harlem hall since James Brown did it in the ’70s. Anchored by galvanizing performances by Antibalas, Budos Band, Como Mamas, and the dearly departed Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones, this concert film/documentary blend tells the Daptone story in words and music and captures the family dynamic driving this funk/soul powerhouse. Lili K plays Sharon Jones / Neal Sugarman DJ Set to follow. 

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10

The Chicago Mixtape (USA) 

Friday, November 10, 6 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Paola Piers-Torres

27 minutes

Opening CIMMcon Friday evening, this short documentary spotlights the teen poets of Louder Than a Bomb, fusing hip hop performance and social activism in the footsteps of mentors like Rhymefest and Chance the Rapper. Q&A with Kevin Coval and others after the screening. CIMMcon opening reception to follow. 

It Never Ends (France)  

Friday, November 10, 6:10 p.m.

Constellation, 3111 N Western Ave

Directed by Thomas Carillon

32 minutes

Drummer Avreeayl Ra, an acolyte of Sun Ra and an anchor of Chicago's free-jazz scene for decades, takes a tour of the city places that shaped his life and music in this short documentary. Q&A with Thomas Carillon and Avreeayl Ra to follow. 

The Decline Of Western Civilization Part III (USA) 

Friday, November 10, 7:30 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Penelope Spheeris 

86 minutes

Largely unseen for nearly two decades after its brief release, the third installment of Spheeris's Decline trilogy chronicles homeless teenage "gutter punks" living on the streets of Los Angeles and explores her relationship with one such kid, called Eyeball. While retaining the LA music frame of its predecessors, Decline III is as much about a generation deeply alienated from mainstream society, and Spheeris’s own journey toward becoming a foster parent to her once-blighted subjects. Introduction by Penelope Spheeris. 

Dudes (USA) 

Friday, November 10, 9:40 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Penelope Spheeris 

90 minutes

Introduced by Penelope Spheeris. 

Hello Hello Hello : Lee Ranaldo : Electric Trim (USA)  MIDWEST PREMIERE

Friday, November 10, 7:15 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Fred Riedel

76 minutes

An intimate portrait of a bold musical mind at work as the Sonic Youth guitar genius collaborates with novelist Jonathan Lethem, fellow axe innovator Nels Cline, and other creative fellow travelers to produce his new album Electric Trim. Q&A with filmmaker Fred Riedel to follow screening. 

Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution (Germany) MIDWEST PREMIERE

Friday, November 10, 9:30 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Yony Leyser

83 minutes

John Waters, Kathleen Hanna, and Peaches features in this kinetic fanzine of a doc tracing how a pair of Toronto underground filmmakers created a musical and cultural movement that opened up punk to radical queers. Q&A to follow with director Yony Leyser.

The Nth Power / Ghost Note / MonoNeon

Friday, November 10 at 9 p.m.

Martyrs, 3385 N Lincoln Ave

________

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11

How They Got Over (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 11:30 a.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Robert Clem

86 minutes

A long-overdue look at journey of young black men who found a way out of poverty through spiritual music in the first half of the 20th century. Tastefully mixing vintage clips, archival images, and interviews with members of the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Soul Stirrers, the Dixie Hummingbirds, and other groups, this is the quintessential history of gospel music’s legendary quartets and their enduring influence on rock, soul, and R&B.

Cassette: A Documentary Mixtape (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 12 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Zack Taylor, Georg Petzold

92 minutes

A deep dive into the rise, fall, and future – yes, we said future – of “music’s worst format” (the filmmakers’ words, not ours): the clunky, crap-sounding, revolutionary cassette, the first technology that made your tunes portable and shareable. Cassette limns the pre-digital joy of mix-making and the way cheap tapes gave early indie rockers and rappers a crucial path to market, but it transcends sprocket nostalgia in its portrait of the now-elderly Dutch engineer who invented the goddamned things.

Geordie Jazz Man (UK) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 1:30 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Abi Lewis

50 minutes

Keith Crombie was the cranky, contrarian spirit of Newcastle jazz, presiding for decades over the English city’s premier dive — Jazz Café, a home away from home for anyone from Eric Burdon and Wynton Marsalis to generations of young Geordie misfits. This atmospheric portrait recounts his early adventures in the music business (and, just maybe, the mob) and celebrates a life dedicated to keeping the blue note beat alive. Post screening Q&A with director Abi Lewis.

Red Line Lounge (USA) 

Saturday, November 11, 1:30 p.m. (with Geordie Jazz Man)

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Jens Ericson

9 minutes

A portrait of Chicago drummer Dave Russell, a former Son Seals and Jimmy Johnson sideman who’s fallen on hard times. Now homeless, he keeps the music alive with the Red Line Lounge Band, providing daily entertainment for Chicago commuters.

Scream for Me Sarajevo (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 2 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Tarik Hodzic

94 minutes

In a city besieged by shelling and sniper fire, it seemed a fantastical rumor: Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson was coming to Sarajevo play. An unlikely and inspiring story of people who risked their lives to perform for people who risked their lives just to live them.

The Icarus Line Must Die (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 3:10 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Michael Grodner

82 minutes

Fifteen years ago, the Icarus Line was rocketing to the top of the LA underground with a hot debut album and a major-label deal. Now frontman Joe Cardamone is 36 and broke, and the record companies won’t touch his new stuff. Plus, he’s getting death threats by text. Cardamone wrote the script and plays a thinly veiled version of himself in this No Wave-style noir about navigating the modern music biz, co-starring Ariel Pink and Keith Morris. Post screening Q&A with director Michael Grodner.

The Last Hot Lick (USA) WORLD PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 3:10 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave 

Directed by Mahalia Cohen

86 minutes

Jaime Leopold, the charter bassist for psychedelic jug band Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, plays a fictionalized version of himself in this sweet, sad drama about an aging troubadour on a never-ending tour. Post-screening Q&A with Mahalia Cohen, producer Deborah Cohen, Jaime Leopold, and Jennifer Smieja, followed by a live performance by Leopold and Smieja.

We Sold Our Souls For Rock ‘N Roll (USA) 

Saturday, November 11, 4:00 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave 

Directed by Penelope Spheeris

90 minutes

This nooks-and-crannies exploration of Ozzfest played a handful of film fests upon release and his been virtually unseen since. Spheeris captures everything, from the observations of fans, groupies, tour-bus drivers, and pyrotechnicians to Ozzy’s backstage oxygen treatments, Slipknot visiting the Lincoln Memorial in full regalia, and performances by Black Sabbath, Primus, System of a Down, and many more. A rare treat for devotees of metal and backstage tour docs. Introduction and post-screening Q&A with Penelope Spheeris.

Cowboy Drifter (USA)  CHICAGO PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 5:30 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Michael Lange

103 minutes

A soulful Americana soundtrack featuring the Revivalists, the White Buffalo, and Keb’ Mo’ accents this brooding, dark-humored drama about an aging rogue looking to shake the legacy of his dissolute country-singer dad. Q&A to follow with writer/star Chuck Carrington, co-star Aubrey Peeples, director Michael Lange and producer/music supervisor Jonathan McHugh.

Gregory Porter: Don't Forget Your Music (UK/USA)  MIDWEST PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 7:50 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Alfred George Bailey

85 minutes

A personal, visually striking chronicle of the soft-spoken, sartorially splendid singer's rise from Bakersfield to Brooklyn to late-blooming global fame as one of the most distinctive voices in jazz.

Six Strings of Separation (USA) 

Saturday, November 11, 8 p.m.

Martyrs, 3855 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Robert Liano

26 minutes

Acclaimed luthier Tom Lieber, who began his career apprenticing with Jerry Garcia’s guitar maker, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead with a custom line of axes modeled on Jerry’s classic “Wolf” and “Tiger” guitars. Performance by Dead tribute band Dark Star Originals to follow.

Covadonga (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 10 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Sean Hartofilis

70 minutes

Martin Ravin lives alone in a secluded lake house, mourning his murdered wife and consoling himself with Irish airs. One night he spies a trysting young couple commandeering his canoe for a moonlight ride; when only the boy returns, Martin takes matters into his own hands. Is he seeking justice? Vengeance? A way to keep his past at bay? A brisk, surprising thriller marked by dark humor and beautifully sinister musical interludes. Post- screening Q&A with Director/writer/actor Sean Hartofilis.

Electric Heart (USA) NORTH AMERICA PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 9:45 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Benjamin Mattingly

75 minutes

The first EDM-powered "silent" narrative film uses a wall-to-wall soundtrack (featuring Dash Berlin, Armin van Buuren, and many more) rather than spoken dialogue to steer a story about two Portland buds on a very trippy road trip to a big Vegas music festival. Post-screening Q&A with director Benjamin Mattingly, actors Amick Vicciello and Johnna, producer Scott Little.

Live Performance by Matt Muse

Saturday, November 11 at 5:00 PM

Gideon Welles, 4500 North Lincoln Avenue

NEWVICES / Various Blonde / Mesha Arant

Saturday, November 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Oromo Cafe, 4703 North Lincoln Avenue

Dark Star Originals / Six Strings of Separation

Saturday, November 11 at 8 p.m.

Martyrs, 3385 N Lincoln Ave

Lera Lynn

Saturday, November 11 at 8 p.m.

Old Town School, 4544 N Lincoln Ave

________

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12

Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together (USA) 

Sunday, November 12, 12 p.m.

Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Stevenson J. Palfi

76 minutes

Made for public television, this effusive documentary gathered three generations of New Orleans piano legends — blues and boogie man Tuts Washington; his protégé, R&B pioneer Professor Longhair; and the great songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint, a Longhair disciple — for an historic keyboard summit. A film as rich in flavor as New Orleans's musical culture itself that will have you grooving and bouncing in your seats.

June Falling Down (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 12 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Rebecca Weaver

115 minutes

A young artist eking out an aimless existence in San Francisco tries to sort out a battery of conflicting emotions upon returning to her small Wisconsin hometown, a year after her father’s death, for her best friend’s wedding. Weaver, who also wrote, edited, and stars as June, makes an assured feature debut in this sharply observed seriocomic character study; her husband, Wisconsin singer-songwriter Chris Irwin, composed the rootsy score. Post screening Q&A with director/writer/actor Rebecca Weaver, producer/composer Chris Irwin.

Covers (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 12 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Malcolm M. Mays

96 minutes

Writer/director Mays, currently co-starring in Snowfall, and rapper/actor Tristan “Mack” Wilds (of The Wire and Adele’s “Hello” video) are X and Nisha, childhood friends from South Central who turn a game of crooning smooth R&B versions of rock and pop classics into a series of viral tracks. A canny mix of urban drama, romance, bromance, and cautionary tale on the perils of returning to the ’hood.

Tom Rush: No Regrets (USA) 

Sunday, November 12, 2 p.m.

Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Rob Stegman, Todd Kwait

85 minutes

The New England troubadour credited with launching the singer-songwriter movement and introducing audiences to the work of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and Jackson Browne tells the story of his musical life. Tom Rush will take part in a Q&A after the screening and before his Nov. 12 live performance at the Old Town School.

It Must Make Peace (Canada/Mali) US PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 2:15 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Paul R. Chandler

82 minutes

Oxfam America and CIMMfest present a journey deep into the music and dance traditions that have framed life in Mali for generations but are under threat from poverty and war. A panel on Oxfam's work in Mali will follow the film, including a Q&A with Bob Ferguson and Jackie Nelson of Oxfam America.

NOLA? (Spain) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 2:40 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Fermin Muguruza

65 minutes

A people’s history of New Orleans culture wrapped in a making-the-album doc as Basque rocker and filmmaker Muguruza – known in Spain for his radical politics and multiculti musical blending – records in NOLA with local luminaries ranging from Preservation Hall to zydeco great Sunpie Barnes to bounce queen Katey Red. Between sessions, Big Easy artists, writers, and scene mainstays talk about the city’s musical past and post-Katrina present. Post screening Q&A with director William Miller.

David Bowie: The Last Five Years  (UK) 

Sunday, November 12, 4:30 p.m.

Comfort Station, 2579 N Milwaukee Ave

Directed by Francis Whately

90 minutes

Screening for free at Comfort Station, this BBC music doc goes behind the scenes at the making of Bowie's The Next Day and Blackstar albums, offering an intimate look at the final phase of one of the defining creative lives of our time.

Straight Into a Storm (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 4:45 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by William Miller

106 minutes

Let’s all go to the bar! Deer Tick’s 10th-anniversary gig on New Year’s Eve 2015 provides the spine for this time-shifting, beer-soaked chronicle of the indie rockers’ evolution into one of America's premier cult bands. Q&A to follow with filmmaker William Miller.

Do U Want It? (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 5 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Sam Radutzky, Josh Freund

96 minutes

Papa Grows Funk was the quintessential Crescent City groove band, a supergroup of local players who drew fans from around the world for their renowned Monday-night residency at the Maple Leaf Bar. Percolating with electric performances, this doc wraps the tale of the band and its breakup into a larger story about New Orleans music, crystallizing the tension between the ease of being a working musician in a city that supports homegrown talent like no other and the frustration that can come with wanting more than that.

The Third Root (Mexico) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 7 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Reed Rickert and Camilo Nu

68 minutes

Mexican guitarist Camilo Nu goes adventuring in search of his musical roots, crossing the Atlantic to find the Andalusian, Arab, and African antecedents of son jarocho, the traditional folk style of his native Veracruz. Followed by a performance by Camilo Nu.

2350 Last Call: The Neo Story (USA) WORLD PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 7 p.m.

GMan Tavern, 3740 North Clark Street

Directed by Eric Richter

46 minutes

Opened in 1979 as Chicago's first alternative dance club, Neo reigned for 36 years as a sanctuary for misfits, weirdos, and outcasts and ground zero for an explosion of fashion and music trends. Richter's labor-of-love documentary debut is a true testimonial of a club that not only outlasted its competitors but never lost its attitude, or its reputation as a place where people celebrated their individuality and danced their asses off. Q&A with Director Eric Richter, Neo DJs Suzanne Shelton, Jeff Moyer, and Scary Lady Sarah, Metro/Gman Tavern owner Joe Shanahan. Presented with CHIRP Radio.

Horn From The Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story (USA) 

Sunday, November 12, 7:30 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by John Anderson

96 minutes

Live Performance by Rich Jones and Fess Grandiose

Sunday, November 12 at 5:00 PM

Gideon Welles, 4500 North Lincoln Avenue

Individual advance tickets range between $6-$12 for festival screenings and events. Stay tuned for more information on cimmfest.org and by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL MOVIES AND MUSIC FESTIVAL (CIMMfest)

The Chicago International Movies and Music Festival (CIMMfest) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to bringing together filmmakers, musicians, artists, industry leaders and audiences from diverse cultures around the world. In addition to producing year-round film screenings, concerts, and professional development programming, the organization produces one of Chicago’s most highly anticipated and largest cultural events of the year: CIMMfest. The four-day, 100-plus multimedia event features film premieres, live concerts and a dynamic professional and entrepreneurial industry conference. CIMMfest serves a growing, diverse community of artists, industry and fans, in order to reveal the transformative power of music to foster creativity and communication,educate, enlighten, and entertain.