OPENING: Chicago premiere of DONTRELL, WHO KISSED THE SEA Via First Floor Theater at The Den Theatre

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

First Floor Theater Presents the Chicago Premiere of

DONTRELL, WHO KISSED THE SEA

By Nathan Alan Davis

Directed by Chika Ike

March 4 – 31, 2018 at The Den Theatre

First Floor Theater is pleased to continue their sixth season with the Chicago premiere of Nathan Alan Davis’s poetic and poignant drama, DONTRELL, WHO KISSED THE SEA, directed by Chika Ike. DONTRELL, WHO KISSED THE SEA will play March 4 – 31, 2018 at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently on sale at firstfloortheater.com.

The cast includes First Floor company member Shariba Rivers, with Brianna Buckley, Jerome Beck, Kayla Raelle Holder, Brian Nelson Jr., Destiny Strothers and Jalen Gilbert as Dontrell.

Eighteen-year-old Dontrell Jones the Third decides it is his duty and destiny to venture into the Atlantic Ocean in search of an ancestor lost during the Middle Passage, but his family isn’t ready to abandon its prized son to the waters of a mysterious and haunting past.

Blending poetry, humor, wordplay and ritual, DONTRELL, WHO KISSED THE SEA is a modern-day hero’s quest exploring the lengths and depths we must go to redeem history’s wrongs. The play has been called “a mesmerizing blend of magical realism and poetic social comment” by The Los Angeles Times and “the most important play on DC stages” by The DC Theatre Scene.

The production team for DONTRELL, WHO KISSED THE SEA includes Eleanor Kahn (scenic design), Uriel Gomez (costume design), Rachel Levy (lighting design), Sarah D. Espinoza (sound design), Samantha Myers (props design), Breon Arzell (choreography), Bobby Huggins (technical director), Cole von Glahn (production manager) and Kayla Menz (stage manager).

About the Creative Team



Nathan Alan Davis (Playwright) is a playwright based in New York. His plays include Nat Turner in Jerusalem (NYTW), Dontrell Who Kissed the Sea (NNPN Rolling World Premiere; Steinberg/ATCA New Play Citation) and The Wind and the Breeze (New Harmony Project Residency; Blue Ink Playwriting Award; Lorraine Hansberry Award). He is currently developing projects with The Public Theater, McCarter Theatre, Arena Stage and Williamstown Theatre Festival. Nathan is a Lecturer in Theater at Princeton University, a Usual Suspect at NYTW and a 2016 graduate of Juilliard’s Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program. MFA: Indiana University. BFA: University of Illinois.  

Chika Ike (Director) is a Chicago-based freelance director. She is also an ensemble member at The Gift Theatre Company and has received the SDCF Gielgud Directing Fellowship, the Victory Garden Directing Initiative Fellowship, and the Bret. C. Harte Directing Fellowship at Berkeley Rep. She has worked with many Chicago and regional theatre companies, including Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Victory Gardens, The Gift Theatre Company, American Blues Theatre Company, Eclipse Theatre, and Prologue Theatre Company. Her most recent productions: A Swell in the Ground by Janine Nabers for The Gift Theatre, Lloyd Suh’s Franklinland for Jackalope Theatre Company.



About First Floor Theater
First Floor Theater stages stories of individuals facing moments of radical change. Through a process of collaborative dramaturgy, FFT expands these stories to ask urgent social questions. FFT was named the "Best New Theater Company" in the Chicago Reader's Best of 2013 Reader's Pick edition. First Floor Theater is a Resident Company at The Den Theatre.

For more information on First Floor Theater, visit firstfloortheater.com.

REVIEW: America's Sweetheart Stalker Returns in LOVE NEVER DIES at CADILLAC PALACE THEATRE 3/4/18

CHICAGO PREMIERE OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S LOVE NEVER DIES, SEQUEL TO THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA AT CADILLAC PALACE THEATRE 

Review: 

On my way to opening night of Love Never Dies in Chicago, my social media tweets were met with an instant reply:

I was intrigued. In nearly a decade of reviewing theatre I've never heard of a show with it's own hate group! It seemed like a lot of energy to put into dissing a show. After seeing Love Never Dies, I'm not quite ready to join up, but I do concede they have a point.

On the positive side, the score was lovely, and the show was cast well. Meghan Picerno as ‘Christine Daaé,’ Karen Mason as ‘Madame Giry,’ Sean Thompson as ‘Raoul,’ Mary Michael Patterson as ‘Meg Giry,’ and Casey Lyons and Jake Heston Miller sharing the role of ‘Gustave’ were all standouts. There were some lovely moments between mother and child and between the boy and the phantom. We adore circus and the macabre, so I was excited to see this production based on the photos. The costumes and freak show concepts were visually fun, but the set was fairly simplistic for a Broadway touring show, and the circus arts were minimal. 

On the down side, Christine needs a #metoo moment. The phantom, though not actively murderous in this production, is still a disturbing character. I found the original Phantom problematic as a great romantic figure since he's a mass murdering, stalker who lurked around, spying into women's dressing rooms without their knowledge and ultimately kidnapped Christine. This is criminal, not passionate, endearing behavior to be revered. 

In Love Never Dies, the phantom outdoes himself by kidnapping Christine's entire family, threatening to harm her 10 year old son if she doesn't sing, and tricking her husband into abandoning her. This is on top of his usual tricks of lurking behind dressing room mirrors spying on Christine, locking her in rooms, dominating and bullying her. If this is idealized as romantic love, our culture is doomed.

This production fails the Bechdel test, which asks whether a work of fiction features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man, miserably. Despite being a highly successful, world famous opera singer, Christine's entire existence and lyrics revolve around the phantom, her son, and her husband, in that order. 

Furthermore, the plot does contradict the closing scene of the original Phantom, which may bother super fans. The storyline also seems contrived and unbelievably convoluted. The best we can give this one is a somewhat recommended.

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S LOVE NEVER DIES MAKES ITS CHICAGO PREMIERE

THE SPELLBINDING SEQUEL TO THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

CADILLAC PALACE THEATRE

FEB. 14th  through MAR. 4, 2018

Broadway In Chicago and Andrew Lloyd Webber's LOVE NEVER DIES are delighted to announce that LOVE NEVER DIES will play Chicago for the very first time in a limited three-week engagement at Broadway In Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph) February 14 through March 4, 2018.



Broadway In Chicago and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s LOVE NEVER DIES are delighted to announce the spellbinding sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, will play Chicago for the very first time in a limited three-week engagement at Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph) February 14 through March 4, 2018.

Direct from the highly successful production of LOVE NEVER DIES in Hamburg, Germany, Gardar Thor Cortes will portray the man behind the mask, ‘The Phantom,’ with Meghan Picerno as ‘Christine Daaé,’ Karen Mason as ‘Madame Giry,’ Sean Thompson as ‘Raoul,’ Mary Michael Patterson as ‘Meg Giry,’ and Casey Lyons and Jake Heston Miller sharing the role of ‘Gustave.’ The trio of Phantom’s henchmen include Katrina Kemp as ‘Fleck,’ Richard Koons as ‘Squelch,’ Stephen Petrovich as ‘Gangle,’ Gardar Thor Cortes is appearing with the permission of Actors' Equity Association. The Producers gratefully acknowledge Actors' Equity Association for its assistance of this production.

The ensemble includes Chelsey Arce, Erin Chupinsky, Diana DiMarzio, Tyler Donahue, Yesy Garcia, Alyssa Giannetti, Michael Gillis, Tamar Greene, Natalia Lepore Hagan, Lauren Lukacek, Alyssa McAnany, Rachel Anne Moore, Bronson Norris Murphy, Dave Schoonover, Adam Soniak, John Swapshire IV, Kelly Swint, Lucas John Thompson, Correy West and Arthur Wise.


   
LOVE NEVER DIES is a dazzling new production, which takes audiences on a thrilling rollercoaster ride of intrigue, obsession and romance. Audiences will be seduced by the beautiful; sometimes magical and poetic; sometimes joyful; and occasionally melancholic score. Don’t miss this magnificent continuation of one of the world’s greatest love stories. The new touring production reflects an extensive re-working of the material by an Australian creative team for the original Australian premiere in 2011. Described by Chris Boyd in The Australian as “The best thing Lloyd Webber has written in the quarter century since The Phantom of the Opera”.

Directed by Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical) with new set and costume designs by Gabriela Tylesova, choreography by 2011 Astaire Awards winner Graeme Murphy, lighting design by Nick Schlieper and sound design by Mick Potter, the show is one of the few instances of a major West End musical being given a complete makeover for subsequent productions.
Lloyd Webber said he knew about five minutes into seeing its first run-through that he and the new production team had achieved something special. “I have the great joy of being able to say that I think this production is probably the finest one I could ever, ever hope for.”

LOVE NEVER DIES features music by the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater, book by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton, additional lyrics by Charles Hart, and orchestrations by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The year is 1907. It is 10 years after his disappearance from the Paris Opera House and The Phantom has escaped to a new life in New York where he lives amongst the screaming joy rides and freak shows of Coney Island. In this new, electrically charged world, he has finally found a place for his music to soar, but he has never stopped yearning for his one true love and musical protégée, Christine Daaé.

Now one of the world’s finest sopranos, Christine accepts an invitation to travel from Paris to New York to perform at a renowned opera house. Christine's marriage to Raoul is suffering at the hands of his drinking and gambling and they desperately need the financial rewards that America can give them.

In a final bid to win back Christine’s love, The Phantom lures her, Raoul, and their young son Gustave, from Manhattan to the glittering and glorious world of Coney Island - not knowing what is in store for them.

Since its premiere in 2010, LOVE NEVER DIES has enjoyed productions worldwide in London, Australia, Denmark, Japan and Germany, as well as multiple recordings including a concept album and a London cast recording. A DVD release of the Australian production has delighted fans globally, and now the North American tour brings the musical to the US for the first time.
For more information, please visit www.loveneverdies.com.


PERFORMANCE DATES
Tuesdays at 7:30PM
Wednesdays at 2:00PM & 7:30PM
Thursdays at 7:30PM
Fridays at 7:30PM
Saturdays at 2:00PM & 8:00PM
Sundays at 2:00PM
*No matinee on Wed., Feb.14
*Additional matinee on Thurs., Feb. 15 & evening performance on Sun., Feb. 18



TICKET INFORMATION
Individual tickets for LOVE NEVER DIES at the Cadillac Palace Theatre will go on sale Friday, Dec. 8 and range from $35-$100 with a select number of premium seats available. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710.  Tickets are available at all Broadway In Chicago Box Offices (24 W. Randolph St., 151 W. Randolph St., 18 W. Monroe St. and 175 E. Chestnut), the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at (800) 775-2000 and online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com.  



ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 17 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country.  A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining well up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago's Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, Oriental Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University.

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
Facebook @BroadwayInChicago Twitter @broadwaychicago Instagram @broadwayinchicago #broadwayinchicago

REVIEW: Haven Theatre's Brutal Brechtian Wake Up Call at The Den Theatre Through March 11th, 2018

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar: 

Haven Theatre Presents

FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH

By Bertolt Brecht

Translated by Eric Bentley

Directed by Artistic Director Josh Sobel

(left to right) Simon Hedger and Joe Bianco 

 All Photos by Emily Schwartz.

Running time: 2:45, including intermission.

Review:
A bit over a half century ago, German politics looked eerily like American politics circa 2018. A struggling working class thought Hitler would make their country great again and they went down a rabbit hole of rabid nationalism, racism, jackboot domestic terrorism, and war that shocked the world. Thankfully we have historians, poets and playwrights who documented the atrocities so there's hope that we can fight Fascism and won't be doomed to repeat history.

(front, l to r) Niko Kourtis, Elizabeth Dowling and Alexis Randolph in Haven Theatre’s production of FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH. 

I enjoyed Haven's austere, authoritarian staging of Bertolt Brecht's FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH, with a raised stage wending around sunken pits of audience members. Hard benches with thin pads line the walls in a modified theatre in the round configuration, for additional audience seating. Do note, the seating is as uncomfortable as the subject matter. After the nearly 3 hour run time, an older gentleman next to me, stood painfully and was heard to grumble, "Fear & Misery of my ass...". I spent intermission padding my seat with my coat and fleece. If a lack of cushy seating isn't a deal breaker, this production is well worth a look.

(left to right) Alys Dickerson and Alexis Randolph in Haven Theatre’s production of FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH. Photo by Emily Schwartz.

(front, l to r) Alexis Randolph, Jessica Dean Turner, Alys Dickerson and Kyla Norton with (back) Simon Hedger

(left to right) Jessica Dean Turner and Kyla Norton

In a series of Brechtian scenes featuring everyday Germans from the wealthy elite, to Jews on work crews and in concentration camps, this play is a jolting reminder of the damage fear and racism can wreak on a country. The complacent are complicit. And even the formerly superior can quickly tumble when the rules change, as a wealthy Jewish wife realizes, as she flees the country for her life. The locations and timeline on the far wall are as helpful as they are haunting, in hindsight. 

In light of our current problem with rising Fascist groups, immigrant ICE deportation forces and detention centers, race based violence, and economic struggles, this play is too timely and a welcome wakeup call. Ready to turn enlightenment into action? Pick up a flier at the show close, for concrete actions you can take and great resources to RESIST FASCISM. FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH is recommended and running through 3/11/18.

Regular run: Thursday, February 15 – Sunday, March 11, 2018
Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 3 pm

Tickets: $18 are currently available at haventheatrechicago.com.

Haven Theatre is pleased to continue its 2017-18 Season with Bertolt Brecht’s unsettling and unflinching drama FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH, translated by Eric Bentley and directed by Artistic Director Josh Sobel, playing February 8 – March 11, 2018 at The Den Theatre's Janet Bookspan Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently availale at haventheatrechicago.com. 

As Germany careens toward war, an entire society begins to crack, and the seeds of chaos and tragedy take root in the minds of its citizens. Josh Sobel (We're Gonna Die) helms an ensemble-driven production of Brecht's 1938 classic with a contemporary eye – a warning of how insidiously a culture can make space for atrocity, and a call to never allow it to happen again.

(front) Alexis Randolph with (back, l to r) Amanda De La Guardia, Kyla Norton and Elizabeth Dowling

FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH features Joe Bianco, Amanda De La Guardia, Alys Dickerson, Elizabeth Dowling, Simon Hedger, Niko Kourtis, Kyla Norton, Siddhartha Rajan, Alexis Randolph and Jessica Dean Turner.

BETRAYAL
Man - Kyla Norton
Woman - Alexis Randolph

CHALK CROSS
SA Man - Siddartha Rajan
Worker - Jessica Dean Turner
Parlor Maid - Alys Dickerson
Cook - Kyla Norton
Chauffer - Amanda De La Guardia

PRISONERS MIX CEMENT
Social Democrat - Elizabeth Dowling
Communist - Alexis Randolph
Non-Political Man - Niko Kourtis
Pastor - Jessica Dean Turner
SS Guard - Joe Bianco

WORKING MAN ON AIR
Announcer - Joe Bianco
Old Worker - Siddartha Rajan
Woman Worker - Elizabeth Dowling
Worker - Amanda De La Guardia
SA Man - Simon Hedger

THE BOX
Woman - Alys Dickerson
Worker - Jessica Dean Turner
Young Wife - Alexis Randolph
Child - Kyla Norton
SA Man - Simon Hedger

PHYSICISTS
X - Elizabeth Dowling
Y - Kyla Norton
Listeners - Alexis Randolph, Amanda De La Guardia, Niko Kourtis, Jessica Dean Turner

THE JEWISH WIFE
Wife - Alys Dickerson
Husband - Joe Bianco

IN SEARCH OF JUSTICE
Judge A - Amanda De La Guardia
Inspector - Simon Hedger
Prosecutor - Siddartha Rajan
Attendant - Alys Dickerson
Maid - Alexis Randolph
Judge B - Niko Kourtis

THE INFORMER
Wife - Alexis Randolph
Husband - Niko Kourtis
Boy - Joe Bianco
Maid - Elizabeth Dowling

THE MAN THEY RELEASED
Man - Kyla Norton
Wife - Jessica Dean Turner
Released Man - Siddartha Rajan

THE OLD NAZI
Dairy Woman - Elizabeth Dowling
First Woman - Alys Dickerson
Second Woman - Amanda De La Guardia
Tradesman - Simon Hedger
Young Fellow - Joe Bianco
Butcher's Wife - Alexis Randolph

TWO BAKERS 
1st Baker - Jessica Dean Turner
2nd Baker - Niko Kourtis

CHILDRENS SHOES
Mother - Alexis Randolph
Daughter - Alys Dickerson

A FARMER FEEDS HIS SOW
Farmer - Simon Hedger
Farmer's Wife - Elizabeth Dowling

WINTER RELIEF
Old Woman - Amanda De La Guardia
Young Woman - Kyla Norton
1st SA Man - Siddartha Rajan
2nd SA Man - Joe Bianco

SERMON ON THE MOUNT
Dying Man - Simon Hedger
Wife - Amanda De La Guardia
Son - Niko Kourtis
Pastor - Siddartha Rajan
Buriers - Kyla Norton, Joe Bianco, Jessica Dean Turner, Alexis Randolph, Elizabeth Dowling, Alys Dickerson

A MOTHER SINGS
Woman - Jessica Dean Turner
and Ensemble

PLEBISCITE
Woman - Kyla Norton
Younger Worker - Jessica Dean Turner
Older Worker - Elizabeth Dowling 

(front, l to r) Alys Dickerson and Siddhartha Rajan with (back) Amanda De La Guardia 

Comments Artistic Director Josh Sobel, "As the world finds itself in the midst of its next great cultural shift, Brecht's examination of the common citizen and how a society can be led to accept the inhumane feels strikingly immediate. Brecht wrote this play reflecting and pulling back the curtain on the news of the day as it was happening around him, providing an unnerving and – in our current moment – all too important call to confront injustice as it happens and to firmly and proudly say: No. With this production we seek to serve one of Haven's core values – the Future – through an intimate and personal look at our past and how such fatal mistakes were allowed to take place."

(front right) Simon Hedger with (back, l to r) Joe Bianco, Amanda De La Guardia and Alys Dickerson

The production team for FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH includes Yu Shibagaki (scenic design), Izumi Inaba (costume design), Claire Chrzan (lighting design), Sarah D. Espinoza (sound design), Jeffrey Levin (original music), Sasha Smith (movement design), Abhi Shrestha (dramaturg, associate movement director), Angela Salinas (production manager), Madisen Dempsey (assistant director), Anna Sung-En Medill (assistant director) and Corbin Paulino (stage manager).

Artist Biographies
Bertolt Brecht (Playwright) 1898-1956, playwright, poet and director, was born in Augsburg, Germany in February 1898. He established himself as a playwright during the 1920s and early 1930s with plays such as Baal, Man is Man, The Threepenny Opera and The Mother. In 1933, as Hitler came to power in Germany, Mr. Brecht fled to Scandinavia before eventually settling in the USA where he remained until 1947. During the war years, he wrote many of his best-known plays, including The Life of Galileo, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Mother Courage and Her Children and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. He returned to Europe in 1947 and shortly after his arrival formed the Berliner Ensemble. He died in Berlin on August 14, 1956 but remains a hugely influential theatre practitioner.

Eric Bentley (Translator) was born in England in 1916, became an American citizen in 1948, in 1998 was inducted into the (American) Theatre Hall of Fame, and in 2011 won a gold medal from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Scholar, critic, teacher, performer, translator and, finally, playwright, he has had many books published and many plays and adaptations performed, the latter feature making him a star of the Samuel French catalogue. Several of his critical works have become classics, notably The Playwright as Thinker, Thinking about the Playwright and The Life of the Drama. Today, nine of his plays are published by Northwestern University Press in three volumes entitled Rallying Cries, Monstrous Martyrdoms and The Kleist Variations. Four more Bentley titles have recently been published by Broadway Play Publishing Inc: Round One, Round Two, A Time to Die and A Time to Live and The Sternheim Trilogy.

Josh Sobel (Director) is a Chicago-based director and Artistic Director of Haven Theatre Company. Recent credits include We're Gonna Die at Haven, Bobbie Clearly at Steep (Jeff Award winner, Best New Work), The Long Christmas Ride Home and Hunting of the Snark (also Edinburgh Fringe) at Strawdog, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead at Metropolis and The Importance of Being Earnest featuring Lisa Tejero at Iowa Summer Rep, University of Iowa. Additional credits include work at Chicago Dramatists, Red Orchid, Victory Gardens, Sketchbook, The Ruckus, Greenhouse Theater Center, Abbie-Fest and New Leaf. From 2010-2013 Josh served as Associate Director of the National Theater Institute summer "Theatermakers" program at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. Recipient, Stage Directors and Choreographers (SDC) Observership, Hamlet at Writers' Theatre. Associate member, SDC. 

About Haven Theatre:
NEXT GENERATION. NEW CANON. SOCIAL PROFIT.

We exist to be a Haven for The Future. We achieve this through championing the next generation of playwrights, directors and actors by producing and promoting plays and performances that are staking their claim as the immediate future of this art form, and by investing in those at the very beginning of their professional journeys. Through this inspiration, we seek to ignite in each audience member a hope for the Future - the Future of theatre and performance, the Future of each other, the Future of our community.

SAVE THE DATES: 2018 Season Announced for Hell in a Handbag Productions

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Hell in a Handbag Productions Announces 2018 Season:

(left to right) AJ Wright, Ed Jones, Adrian Hadlock and David Cerda in Hell in a Handbag Productions’ 2017 production of THE GOLDEN GIRLS – THE LOST EPISODES, returning for Handbag’s 2018 season. Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

L’IMITATION OF LIFE

Adapted by Ricky Graham and Running with Scissors

Directed by Stevie Love

THE GOLDEN GIRLS: The Lost Episodes, Vol. 2

By Artistic Director David Cerda

Directed by Becca Holloway

THE ARTIFICIAL JUNGLE

By Charles Ludlam

Directed by Shade Murray

THE GOLDEN GIRLS: Bea Afraid – The Halloween Edition

By David Cerda

Directed by Becca Holloway

Plus: a soon-to-be-announced Holiday Production!

Season Subscriptions Now On-Sale!

(pictured) Ed Jones in Hell in a Handbag Production’ 2013 production of L’IMITATION OF LIFE, returning for Handbag’s 2018 season. Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to announce its 2018 season, kicking off this spring with a revival of its 2013 hit L’IMITATION OF LIFE, a dead on parody of the 1959 film Imitation of Life about race, mothers and daughters – and looking fabulous! Adapted by Ricky Graham and Running with Scissors and directed by ensemble member Stevie Love, ensemble member Ed Jones and Robert Williams reprise their roles as Lana Turner and Annie Johnson.

This summer, Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia return for THE GOLDEN GIRLS: The Lost Episodes, Vol. 2. Following last year’s sold-out, seven-month run, Handbag’s parody of the beloved TV sitcom is back with all new adventures written by Artistic Director David Cerda and directed by Becca Holloway. THE GOLDEN GIRLS will feature Chazie Bly, David Cerda, Adrian Hadlock, Ed Jones, Michael S. Miller and Grant Drager.

This fall, Handbag’s 16th season continues with Charles Ludlam’s comedic throwback to the age of film noir: THE ARTIFICIAL JUNGLE, directed by Shade Murray. The cast includes ensemble members David Cerda, Sydney Genco, Ed Jones and David Lipschutz 

For Halloween, Handbag conjures up a special treat: THE GOLDEN GIRLS: Bea Afraid! Our heroines return for seven spooky performances guaranteed to scare you out of your housecoat. 

The season will conclude with a soon-to-be-announced holiday production! 

Handbag’s 2018 Season will be staged at Mary’s Attic (5400 N. Clark St., Chicago) and Stage 773 (1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago). Season subscriptions and single tickets will be available shortly at www.handbagproductions.org.

Hell in a Handbag Productions’ 2018 Season includes:


(front to back) Robert Williams and Ed Jones in Hell in a Handbag Production’ 2013 production of L’IMITATION OF LIFE, returning for Handbag’s 2018 season. Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

March 31 – May 6, 2018
L’IMITATION OF LIFE
By Ricky Graham and Running with Scissors
Directed by Stevie Love
Featuring ensemble member Ed Jones (Lana Turner) with Robert Williams (Annie Johnson). Additional casting to be announced.
at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago

In this hilarious parody of the1959 film Imitation of Life, Lana Turner is determined white widow and single mother with aspirations of becoming a Broadway sensation. When Lana meets Annie Johnson, a struggling single African-American mother, the two team up and take on the world as Lana does “whatever it takes” to make it in show business – while Annie takes care of the homestead and raises both daughters.

The two women face insurmountable challenges led by their daughters. There's the blonde, perky and “so white it's frightening" Suzie, daughter of Lana Turner, and the raven-haired rebellious light-skinned beauty,  Sara Jane, daughter of Annie. Sara Jane learns the hard truth about acceptance and the color of your skin- especially when she tries to “pass” as white. 

June 19 – September 7, 2018
THE GOLDEN GIRLS: The Lost Episodes, Vol. 2
By David Cerda
Directed by Becca Holloway
Featuring ensemble members Chazie Bly (Ensemble), David Cerda (Dorothy), Adrian Hadlock (Sophia), Ed Jones (Rose), Michael S. Miller (Ensemble) and Grant Drager (Blanche).
at Mary’s Attic, 5400 N. Clark St., Chicago

When Handbag opened THE GOLDEN GIRLS – THE LOST EPISODES in June 2017, it was supposed to be short summer treat for Handbag audiences but quickly turned into a sold-out, seven month run! Now, these lovely women from the classic TV sitcom return with new stories of friendship, love and cheesecake – all with the Handbag twist audiences have come to love!

September 20 – October 28, 2018
THE ARTIFICIAL JUNGLE
By Charles Ludlam
Directed by Shade Murray
Featuring ensemble members David Cerda (Mother Nurdiger), Sydney Genco (Roxanna), Ed Jones (Chester Nurdiger) and David Lipschutz (Zachary Slade). Additional casting to be announced.
at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago

THE ARTIFICIAL JUNGLE is Charles Ludlam’s last play and a perfect vehicle for Hell in a Handbag! Chester Nurdiger is a mild-mannered fellow who lives in the back of the pet shop he runs with his sultry wife Roxanna and his overly protective mother. Roxanna is bored to death, but when a handsome drifter walks into their lives, things get interesting… perhaps even deadly?! Part Double Indemnity, part The Postman Always Rings Twice, THE ARTIFICIAL JUNGLE is throwback to the classic age of film noir by the master and founder of the Ridiculous Theater movement. 

October 6, 2018 – November 3, 2018
The GOLDEN GIRLS: Bea Afraid – The Halloween Edition
By David Cerda
Directed by Becca Holloway
Featuring ensemble members Chazie Bly (Ensemble), David Cerda (Dorothy), Adrian Hadlock (Sophia), Ed Jones (Rose), Michael S. Miller (Ensemble) and Grant Drager (Blanche).
at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago

It’s not Halloween without a Handbag show, so Artistic Director David Cerda is conjuring up a special edition of its hit TV sitcom parody. Better get your tickets early – Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia are only back for seven wig-raising performances. Bea afraid, Bea very afraid!

About Hell in a Handbag Productions
Hell in a Handbag is dedicated to the preservation, exploration, and celebration of works ingrained in the realm of popular culture via theatrical productions through parody, music and homage. Handbag is a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit.

OPENING: Hail Hail Chuck Kicks Off Black Ensemble Theatre's 2018 Movers and Shakers Themed Season Through 4/1/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER OPENS 2018 SEASON WITH

HAIL, HAIL CHUCK: A TRIBUTE TO CHUCK BERRY

WRITTEN BY L. MACEO FERRIS

DIRECTED BY DARYL D. BROOKS

February 17 – April 1, 2018

Once again, ChiIL Live Shows will be out for the press performance on Sunday, February 25th, so check back soon for my full review. We adore Black Ensemble Theater (BET) and their world class original musicals. They are a true Chicago treasure.  

Black Ensemble Theater opens its 2018 Season (Movers and Shakers) with Hail, Hail Chuck: A Tribute to Chuck Berry, written by L. Maceo Ferris a senior member of the Black Ensemble Theater's BPI (Black Playwrights Initiative) and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Associate Director Daryl D. Brooks. Hail, Hail Chuck: A Tribute to Chuck Berry will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, February 17 – April 1, 2018. 

Hail, Hail Chuck pays tribute to a man that revolutionized the music industry in an era of overt racism enforced by Jim Crowe laws. With songs like “Maybellene,” “Roll Over Beethoven” and “Johnny B. Goode,” the Black Ensemble pays tribute to one of the greatest rock and roll artists of our lifetime.

The cast of Hail, Hail Chuck: A Tribute to Chuck Berry includes Ivan Ellis (Young Chuck Berry), Lyle Miller (Older Chuck Berry), Rueben Echoles (Younger Johnny Johnson), Kelvin Davis (Older Johnny Johnson), Kylah Williams (Themetta), Cynthia Carter (Otha Mae), Jeffrey Wright (Leonard Chess), David Stobbe (Teddy Reig), John Wesley Hughes (Taylor Hackford) and Dwight Neal (Muddy Waters). The Ensemble includes Lemond Hayes, Brandon Lavelle, Trequon Tate and Christopher Taylor.

The creative team includes Bekki Lambrecht (set design / stage manager), Denise Karczewski (lighting), David Samba (sound) and Alexi Rutherford (costumes).

As with all Black Ensemble Theater productions, Hail, Hail Chuck: A Tribute to Chuck Berry features live musicians led by musical director/arranger Robert Reddrick (drums). Musicians include Adam Sherod (keys), Gary Baker (guitar) and Mark Miller (bass).

Tickets are available at the Black Ensemble Box Office located at 4450 N. Clark St in Chicago, or online at www.blackensemble.org, or by phone at (773) 769-4451. Tickets are $45 for previews (February 17, 18, 23 and 24); $55 (Thursdays and Saturday matinees) and $65 (Fridays, Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees). A 10% discount is available for students, seniors, and groups.

The Black Ensemble Theater is also selling the Five Play Card which allows the holder to see all 5 plays of the 2018 Season or bring five friends to one play or any combination of 5. In honor of Black History Month during the month of February the Five Play Card will be sold for a historical low of $200 which represents a $40.00 ticket. Purchased After February the Five Play Card will cost only $225.00 which represents a $45.00 ticket price equaling a savings of $25.00 off a full price ticket. For more details or to purchase a Five Play Card contact the box office at 773-769-4451. 

Dates:                            

February 17 – April 1, 2018

Previews: February 17, 18, 23 and 24

Schedule: 

Thursdays: 7:30 pm

Fridays: 8:00 pm

Saturdays: 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm

Sundays: 3:00 pm

Location: Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street, Chicago

Valet parking is available.

Ticket prices: $45 Previews

$55 on Thursdays and Saturday matinees;

$65 on Fridays, Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees

A 10% discount is available for students, seniors, and groups.

Box Office: Buy online at www.blackensemble.org or call (773) 769-4451

The Black Ensemble Theater

Founded in 1976, by the phenomenal producer, playwright and actress Jackie Taylor, Black Ensemble Theater is the only African American theater located in the culturally, racially and ethnically diverse north side Uptown community. Through its Five Play Season of Excellence, The Black Ensemble Theater dazzles audiences locally, nationally and internationally with outstanding original musicals that are entertaining, educational and uplifting. The Black Ensemble Theater has produced more than 100 productions and employed over 5,000 artists. 

The BPI (Black Playwrights Initiative)

The Black Playwrights Initiative (BPI) was created in 2005 by Jackie Taylor, the Founder and Executive Director of the Black Ensemble Theater.  The BPI enhances the skills of new and seasoned playwrights, provides them producing opportunities, technical and financial resources and exposure on a local and national level.  The purpose of the BPI is to increase the pool of African American Playwrights for the general theater community while developing scripts specifically for the Black Ensemble Theater. 

The mission of the Black Ensemble Theater Company is to eradicate racism and its devastating effects upon society through the theater arts.  For more information on the Black Ensemble Theater Company, please visit www.BlackEnsembleTheater.org or call 773-769-4451.

OPENING: Six Corners Via American Blues Theater at Stage 773 Through March 24th

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

American Blues Theater 

announces casting for the World Premiere of

Six Corners

written by Keith Huff

directed by Gary Griffin

Production features Brenda Barrie, Ensemble member Manny Buckley, Grier Burke, Peter DeFaria, Monica Orozco, and Byron Glenn Willis

February 16, 2018 – March 24, 2018

American Blues Theater announces casting for the World Premiere of Six Corners, written by Keith Huff and directed by Gary Griffin. The production features Brenda Barrie, Ensemble member Manny Buckley, Grier Burke, Peter DeFaria, Monica Orozco, and Byron Glenn Willis. Six Corners runs February 16, 2018 – March 24, 2018 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. 

I'll be catching Six Corners February 23rd, so check back soon for my full review. With a script by Emmy Award nominee Keith Huff, this creepy drama sounds intriguing and we're eager to check out American Blues Theater's take on this world premiere. Mysteries are one of my favorite genres and this one was awarded a 2017 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award.

Penned by Emmy Award nominee Keith Huff (Broadway’s A Steady Rain) and directed by Gary Griffin (Broadway’s The Color Purple): late one night, two burnt-out violent crimes unit detectives try their damnedest to close the puzzling murder of a CTA employee. What should be a simple open-and-shut case, however, evolves into a horrifying mystery and unearths a legacy of violence stretching back years. 

The creative team includes Joe Schermoly (scenic), Alex Ridgers (lights), Janice Pytel (costumes), Lindsay Jones (sound), and Mary O’Dowd (props). The stage manager is Kate Ocker.

Playwright Keith Huff comments, “It’s a great privilege and an honor to be working with Peter DeFaria and Gary Griffin once again. Peter, as many know, co-starred in both the Chicago Dramatists and The Royal George productions of A Steady Rain (with Jeff Award winner Randy Steinmeyer), and Gary directed the world premiere of The Detective’s Wife (with Jeff Award winner Barbara Robertson). Having the co-star of the first play and the director of the second both working on the third is an accidental poetry that Blues Artistic Director Wendy Whiteside made happen and just seems right – an artistic coup.”

Featuring:  
Brenda Barrie (Amanda Brackett), Manny Buckley (Carter Hutch), Grier Burke (Katie Yates), Peter DeFaria (Nick Moroni), Monica Orozco (Bernadette Perez), Byron Glenn Willis (BJ Lyles) 

Creative Team:
Joe Schermoly (scenic), Alex Ridgers (lights), Janice Pytel (costumes),
Lindsay Jones (sound), Mary O’Dowd (props), and Kate Ocker (stage manager)

Dates: February 16, 2018 – March 24, 2018
Previews: February 16 – 21, 2018
Regular Run: February 23, 2018 – March 24, 2018

Schedule: 
Wednesdays:  7:30pm (February 21 and March 21 only)
Thursdays:  7:30pm
Fridays:  7:30pm
Saturdays:  3:00pm (March 3, 17 and 24 only) & 7:30pm (except March 24)
Sundays:  2:30pm
Additional performance on Monday, March 5 at 7:30pm
Free post-show discussions on Sundays

Location: Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago

Ticket prices: $19 - $49

Box Office: Buy online at AmericanBluesTheater.com or by calling 773.327.5252.

About American Blues Theater
Winner of the American Theatre Wing’s prestigious 2016 National Theatre Company Award, American Blues Theater is a premier arts organization with an intimate environment that patrons, artists, and all Chicagoans call home.  American Blues Theater explores the American identity through the plays it produces and communities it serves.

The diverse and multi-generational artists have established the second-oldest professional Equity Ensemble theater in Chicago.  The 36-member Ensemble has 530+ combined years of collaboration on stage. As of 2017, the theater and artists received 195 Joseph Jefferson Awards and nominations that celebrate excellence in Chicago theater and over 35 Black Theatre Alliance Awards. The artists are honored with Pulitzer Prize nominations, Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Emmy Awards and numerous other accolades.  

American Blues Theater programs and activities are made possible, in part by funding by The MacArthur Funds for Arts & Culture at Prince, the Shubert Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, SMART Growth Grant, Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council Agency, Anixter Foundation, Actors’ Equity Foundation, and the Chip Pringle Fund. ComEd is the Season Lighting Sponsor.

OPENING: World Premiere of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina at Lifeline Theatre Through 4/8/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Lifeline Theatre Presents the World Premiere of 

Anna Karenina, 

February 16 – April 8, 2018

Performances with Open Captioning on March 10 and 23

Performance with Touch Tour and Audio Description on March 11

Running Time: 2.5 hours/1 intermission

The novel will be on sale in the lobby.

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we'll be ChiILin' at Anna Karenina with Chi, IL's Lifeline Theatre on Monday, February 26th. Check back soon for our full review. 

Lifeline Theatre presents the world premiere of Anna Karenina, adapted by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Jessica Wright Buha and directed by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Amanda Link, based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy. 

As a wave of profound upheaval sweeps through Russian society, it is a time of impossible choices. Anna is torn between raising her cherished son and languishing in a lifeless marriage, or sacrificing everything to follow her lover Alexei into disgrace. Konstantin struggles to reconcile his existential torment with his enduring passion for Kitty. Innocents will suffer, hearts will be broken, and families will be torn apart as two couples learn that living truthfully is no simple thing. Travel to the palaces and farms of imperial Russia in a world premiere meditation on the complexities of love based on the 1877 novel by Leo Tolstoy. 

Anna Karenina runs February 16 – April 8, 2018 at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. (free parking and shuttle; see below). Opening night is Monday, Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. (Previews are Fridays, Feb. 16 and 23 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, Feb. 17 and 24 at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 18 at 
4 p.m.) 

Regular performance times (March 1 – April 8) are Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 4 p.m. Ticket prices are $40 for regular single tickets, $30 for active and retired military personnel (with ID), $30 for seniors, $20 for students (with ID), $20 for rush tickets (available half hour before show time, subject to availability), and $20 for previews. Group rate for 12 or more is available upon request. Tickets may be purchased at the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, or by visiting www.lifelinetheatre.com. 

Accessible Performances: The Saturday, March 10, 4 p.m. performance and the Friday, March 23, 7:30 p.m. performance will feature open captioning for patrons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. The Sunday, March 11, 4 p.m. performance will feature a pre-show touch tour of the set at 2:30 p.m. and live audio description for patrons who are blind or have low vision. For more information about Lifeline’s accessibility services, please contact Accessibility Coordinator Erica Foster at 773.761.4477 x703 or at access@lifelinetheatre.com.



The complete cast and production team for Anna Karenina includes:

CAST: Guest artists Dan Cobbler (Stiva & ensemble), Lindsey Dorcus (Betsy & ensemble), Eric Gerard (Vronsky), Gay Glenn (Countess Vronskaya & ensemble), Dan Granata (Levin & ensemble), Aneisa Hicks (Dolly & ensemble), Brandi Lee (Kitty & ensemble), Jason Pereira (Kapitonich & ensemble), Michael Reyes (Karenin & ensemble), Michele Stine (Seryohza & ensemble), and Ilse Zacharias (Anna). With understudies Ashley Agbay, Diana Coates, Isabella Karina Coelho, Zoë DePreta, Blake Holen, Rachel Mock, Bruce Phillips, and Roy Samra. 

PRODUCTION TEAM: Lifeline Theatre ensemble members Jessica Wright Buha (Adaptor), Diane D. Fairchild (Lighting Designer), and Amanda Link (Director); with guest artists Eric Backus (Sound Designer), Abigail Cain (Properties Designer), Savannah Clements (Assistant Stage Manager), Stephanie Diaz (Puppet Designer), Kasey Foster (Movement Designer), Collin Helou (Master Electrician/AV Supervisor), Izumi Inaba (Costume Designer), Joanna Iwanicka (Scenic Designer), Lavina Jadhwani (Casting Director), Jennifer McClendon (Production Manager), Hailey Rakowiecki (Costume Assistant), Joe Schermoly (Technical Director), Colleen Schuldeis (Stage Manager), Zev Valancy (Dramaturg), and Emily Wills (Assistant Director).

Regular performance times (March 1 – April 8) are Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 4 p.m. Ticket prices are $40 for regular single tickets, $30 for active and retired military personnel (with ID), $30 for seniors, $20 for students (with ID), $20 for rush tickets (available half hour before show time, subject to availability), and $20 for previews. Group rate for 12 or more is available upon request. Tickets may be purchased at the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, or by visiting www.lifelinetheatre.com. 

Lifeline Theatre is accessible by CTA (Red Line Morse stop/busses) and free parking is available at Sullivan High School (6631 N Bosworth Ave, lot located on Greenview Ave. just south of North Shore Ave.) with free shuttle service before and after the show.  Street parking is also available. Lifeline is accessible to wheelchair users and visitors who need to avoid stairs. 



Now in its 35th season, Lifeline Theatre is driven by a passion for story. Our ensemble process supports writers in the development of literary adaptations and new work, and our theatrical and educational programs foster a lifelong engagement with literature and the arts. A cultural anchor of Rogers Park, we are committed to deepening our connection to an ever-growing family of artists and audiences, both near and far. Lifeline Theatre – Big Stories, Up Close. 

Lifeline Theatre’s programs are partially supported by Alphawood Foundation; A.R.T League Inc.; Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; Chicago CityArts, a grant from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events; Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; FGMK LLC; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; The Michael and Mona Heath Fund at The Chicago Community Foundation; The Grover Hermann Foundation; Illinois Arts Council Agency; Illinois Humanities Council; Lagunitas Brewing Co. Community Grant Program; MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince; The PAV Grant Fund; The Polk Bros. Foundation; Poubelle Fund, a Donor Advised Fund of Renaissance Charitable Foundation; Rogers Park Social; The Saints; S&C Electric Company Fund; The Shubert Foundation; and the annual support of businesses and individuals.