FEST ALERT: THE 30th ANNUAL RHINOCEROS THEATER FESTIVAL RUNS JANUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 24 AT PROP THTR

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

CURIOUS THEATRE BRANCH AND PROP THTR PRESENT THE 30th ANNUAL RHINOCEROS THEATER FESTIVAL, 

JANUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 24, 2019 AT PROP THTR 

(L to R)  Heather Riordan, Beau O'Reilly, Jenny Magnus, T-Roy Martin and Vicki Walden of THE CROOKED MOUTH, part of the 30th ANNUAL RHINOCEROS THEATER FESTIVAL, photo by Jeffrey Bivens

Chicago’s Longest Running Fringe Festival Returns with Six Weeks of Performances and Special Events Including Full Moon Vaudeville and a Celebration of Poet and Teacher John Starrs

Curious Theatre Branch and Prop Thtr are proud to announce the 30th annual Rhinoceros Theater Festival (Rhinofest), January 12 – February 24, 2019 at Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston Ave. The 2019 Rhinofest includes six weeks of new plays, dance, devised works, variety shows, comedy, live podcasting, fresh takes on classic texts, and more. Tickets go on sale Friday, Dec. 21 at 12 p.m. Performances are $15 or pay-what-you-can, and run daily except Tuesdays. A complete performance schedule with performances, dates and times is available at RhinoFest.com.

Julia Williams of SKRIKER, part of the 30th ANNUAL RHINOCEROS THEATER FESTIVAL, photo by Jeffrey Bivens

(L to R) Beau O'Reilly, Patrick Ford, Bethany Arrington, Emily Rich, Barry Lohman and Julia William of SKRIKER, part of the 30th ANNUAL RHINOCEROS THEATER FESTIVAL, photo by Jeffrey Givens 

First organized in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, Rhinofest, the longest-running multi-arts fringe festival in Chicago is unique among national fringe festivals in that artists are never charged a fee to participate, and each year programs are individually curated by a rotating selection committee composed of Curious and Prop artistic leaders, led by Beau O’Reilly, rather than selected on a lottery basis. The Rhinofest provides production and exhibition opportunities to hundreds of artists, from Chicago companies and national artists alike, drawing thousands in attendance each year.

The 30th Rhinofest begins Saturday, Jan. 12 at 8 p.m. with Full Moon Vaudeville, featuring The Crooked Mouth, piloted by Curious co-founders Beau O’Reilly and Jenny Magnus with special musical guests Matt Test, Jeff Kowalkowski, Mac Modean Greenberg, Leo Brün and more. 

Rhinofest2019-5 - Violet of BI-POLAR BITCH, part of the 30th ANNUAL RHINOCEROS THEATER FESTIVAL, photo by Larry Hart

(L to R) Diane Hamm, Robert Puig Cuevas, Violet and Kelly Anchors of BI-POLAR BITCH, part of the 30th ANNUAL RHINOCEROS THEATER FESTIVAL, photo by Larry Hart

Fiercely independent and committed to discovery, Rhinofest this year features many young performing companies including The Neighborhood Collective, El Bear, Uploose Odditorium, and others along with festival veterans including beloved Chicago playwright Barrie Cole (performing from her latest work in a two-evening engagement), animator Chris Sullivan, Susan Parenti and Mark Enslin (of the School for Designing a Society), Charles Pike (performing a new monologue by David Hauptschein), and Prop Thtr co-founder Scott Vehill. 

Littlebrain Theatre premieres a new devised adaptation of Vittoria de Sica’s Bicycle Thieves written by Zach Barr, Tara Branham directs Tanuja Jagernauth’s new interactive work Lockpickers, and Rob Onorato performs Night of a Million Barbras, a drag monologue and political paean to the enduring star. Curious Theatre Branch premieres Matt Rieger’s new razor-sharp comedy My Dinner with... Joe and a staging of Caryl Churchill’s dark fairytale The Skriker, while Prop Thtr produces a weekly live taping of Ben Moroney and Rahim Salaam’s arts and culture podcast “What About Chicago?!” And on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m., during the final week of Rhinofest, a special event celebrates John Starrs, the Chicago poet and teacher who has appeared in every Rhinofest since 1988.

Diane Hamm of CABARET PROP'D, part of the 30th ANNUAL RHINOCEROS THEATER FESTIVAL, part of the 30th ANNUAL RHINOCEROS THEATER FESTIVAL, photo by Beast Women

About Prop Thtr
The Prop Thtr is a DIY incubator for new performance work in all disciplines, and is a charter member of both The League of Chicago Theaters and the National New Play Network. Prop Thtr produces new plays, special events, rolling world premieres with their NNPN members; they also helped launch The New Play Exchange and co-produce the annual Rhinoceros Theater Festival. Prop Thtr is a renter of performance and rehearsal space and camp/class space and collaborates with productions on location and around the city. Prop Thtr is an Illinois Not-For-Profit 501c3 Organization that benefits from support by the MacArthur Fund of the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and The Illinois Arts Council, in addition to being supported by artists and audiences of Illinois.

About Curious Theatre Branch
Founded in 1988 by Jenny Magnus and Beau O'Reilly-as the Curious Theatre "Branch" of the alt-rock cabaret act Maestro Subgum and the Whole-Curious has consistently worked with an ensemble of artists in a non-hierarchical decision-making process, through which the philosophy of collaboration as a social force is explored on every level.

Curious Theatre Branch has produced more than 100 full productions of world-premiere shows in 30 years. Curious has developed its own recognizable style, using an economy of means and production to make deeper and deeper, rather than larger and larger, work. 

Curious Theatre Branch and Prop Thtr are proud to announce the 30th annual Rhinoceros Theater Festival (Rhinofest), January 12 – February 24, 2019 at Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston Ave. The 2019 Rhinofest includes six weeks of new plays, dance, devised works, variety shows, comedy, live podcasting, fresh takes on classic texts, and more. Tickets go on sale Friday, Dec. 21 at 12 p.m. Performances are $15 or pay-what-you-can, and run daily except Tuesdays. A complete performance schedule with performances, dates and times is available at RhinoFest.com.

OPENING: Chicago Premiere of I CALL MY BROTHERS Via Interrobang Theatre Project January 5 – February 2, 2019 at Rivendell Theatre

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Chicago Premiere!

Interrobang Theatre Project Presents

I CALL MY BROTHERS

By Jonas Hassen Khemiri

Translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles

Directed by Abhi Shrestha 

January 5 – February 2, 2019 at Rivendell Theatre

Interrobang Theatre Project is pleased to continue its ninth season, exploring “identity/crisis” with the Chicago premiere of Jonas Hassen Khemiri's drama I CALL MY BROTHERS, a day in the life of an Arab-Swedish man who must dodge suspicion after a car bomb rattles Stockholm. Translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles and directed by guest director Abhi Shrestha, I CALL MY BROTHERS will play January 5 – February 2, 2019 at ITP’s new resident home, Rivendell Theatre, 5779 N. Ridge Ave. in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. Tickets are currently available at www.interrobangtheatre.org or by calling (312) 219-4140. 

I'll be out for the press opening January 7th, so check back soon for my full review. 

I CALL MY BROTHERS will feature ITP Ensemble Member Salar Ardebili* with Tina El Gamal, Chris Khoshaba and Gloria Imseih Petrelli.

Stockholm, Sweden. A car bomb rocks the peaceful city and leaves the Arab-Swedish Amor on guard and on edge. But he doesn’t have time to let his fear get the best of him; he’s gotplaces to be. As Amor attempts to run his errand and grapple with his own anxieties, we follow him through a fraught 24 hours, cautiously navigating the city he calls home. Balancingparanoia and humor, Jonas Khemiri's nuanced account dares us to question our own perceptions and prejudices, while offering a singular and harrowing take on the labyrinth of global identity politics.

Comments Director Abhi Shrestha, “At the heart of I Call My Brothers, is a beautiful and tragic interrogation of how a community navigates fear. At a point in time where my community feels explicitly under attack – doing this play is scary... but it is a ritual, it is a love letter to my MENASA community saying ‘I hear you, I see you, you are not alone’ – and a challenge to folx outside the community to examine their own complicity and ask themselves ‘What do you do when the wind howls?’” 

The production team for I CALL MY BROTHERS includes Eleanor Kahn (scenic design, props design), Michelle Benda (lighting design), Jeffrey Levin (sound designer), Alec Silver(movement dramaturg), Nadya Nauman (dramaturg) and Shawn Galligan* (stage manager).

*Denotes Interrobang Theatre Project Ensemble Member or Artistic Associate.

Cast (in alphabetical order): Salar Ardebili*, Tina El Gamal, Chris Khoshaba and Gloria Imseih Petrelli.

Location: Rivendell Theatre, 5779 N. Ridge Ave., Chicago
Dates: Previews: Saturday, January 5 at 8 pm and Sunday, January 6 at 8 pm
Press opening: Monday, January 7, 2019 at 8 pm
Subscriber/Board opening: Thursday, January 10 at 8 pm
Regular run: Friday, January 11 – Saturday, February 2, 2019
Curtain Times: Thursdays, and Fridays at 8 pm; Saturdays at 3 pm & 8 pm: Mondays at 8 pm.

Tickets: 
Previews: $16. 
Regular run: $32. Students $16 with ID. Group discounts available. Tickets are currently available at www.interrobangtheatre.org or by calling (312) 219-4140.

About the Artists:
Jonas Hassen Khemiri (Playwright) is a celebrated author and playwright based in Stockholm. His novels have been translated into over 20 languages and his plays have been performed by over a hundred international companies on stages from Stockholm to Berlin to New York to London. Khemiri was awarded a Village Voice Obie Award for his first playInvasion!, which premiered in New York in 2011. His second play God Times Five toured Sweden and his third play The Hundred We Are received the Hedda Award for best play in Norway. Khemiri’s play ≈ [Almost Equal To] premiered at Dramaten in Stockholm in October 2014 to rave reviews and has been performed in Germany, Norway, Iceland and the U.S. His play I Call My Brothers began as an essay published in Dagens Nyheter in December 2010, one week after a suicide bombing in central Stockholm that shook the nation. The book was published to great acclaim and later became a lauded play that toured Sweden with Riksteatern in 2013 (directed by Farnaz Arbabi) and premiered in New York in January 2014. It has also been performed in Norway, Denmark, Germany (multiple theatres), Australia, San Francisco, France, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland and at the Gate Theatre in London, UK.

Rachel Willson-Broyles (Translator) is a freelance translator based in St. Paul, Minnesota. She received her BA from Gustavus Adolphus College and her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her other translations include Jonas Hassen Khemiri’s novels Montecore and Everything I Don’t Remember and plays INVASION! and I Call My Brothers, Malin Persson Giolito’s novel Quicksand and Jonas Jonasson’s novels The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden and The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old-Man.

Abhi Shrestha (Director) is a Chicago based director, movement dramaturge, and educator originally from Kathmandu, Nepal. Working at the intersections of decolonization and queer brown narratives, they are the Literary Manager and Director of Public Programming for Haven Theatre, the Education Associate at Steppenwolf Theatre, the Resident Dramaturge and Community Organizer for the Chicago Inclusion Project, and a Content Curator for RESCRIPTED. They are currently working on exploring a personal history of the world as told by brown grandmas, in a performance installation called The Brown Grandma Project (working title).  



About Interrobang Theatre Project
Now in its ninth season, Interrobang Theatre Project, under the artistic leadership of Georgette Verdin, has been hailed by the Chicago Tribune as a “company to watch” and by Time Out Chicago as “one of Chicago’s most promising young theatre companies.” Chris Jones called Foxfinder, which kicked off Interrobang’s 2017-18 season, “...a ripping good yarn,” earning it 3.5 stars from the Chicago Tribune. Foxfinder also garnered seven non-Equity Jeff Awards nominations including Best Director and Production of a Play, and took home two awards for Best Original Music and Set Design. The company also earned seven non-Equity Jeff Nominations for their seventh season, including Best Director, Production of a Play, Solo Performance and acting nominations for Lead Actor, Actress (win) and Actor in a Supporting Role (win). Productions have included the world premiere of Calamity West’s Ibsen is Dead (Jeff Recommended), the Jeff Recommended The Pitchfork Disney, Orange Flower Water, Recent Tragic Events, The North Pool, The Amish Project, Falling and Grace. Director James Yost’s critically-acclaimed Really Really was one of six shows chosen for Chicago Tribune’s “Best of 2015 in Chicago Fringe Theater.”

What’s an interrobang?
An interrobang is the combination of a question mark and an exclamation point, joining the Latin for “question” (interro) with a proofreading term for “exclamation” (bang). Through the plays we produce, Interrobang Theatre Project aims to pose worthwhile and exciting questions which challenge our understanding and assumptions of who we are and the world in which we live.

For more information, please visit www.interrobangtheatreproject.org.

Tickets On Sale Today: RACHAEL YAMAGATA, THE HIGH KINGS, AND MORE AT CITY WINERY CHICAGO

 ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

CITY WINERY CHICAGO ANNOUNCES

SEASONED VOCALIST AND PIANIST 

RACHAEL YAMAGATA 

AND MULTI-PLATINUM IRISH FOLK BAND 

THE HIGH KINGS

PLUS: SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE AND 4-DECADE ARTIST 

JD SOUTHER & KARLA BONOFF 

AND GENRE-BLENDING ARTIST 

MARTIN SEXTON

PUBLIC TICKETS ON SALE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13

City Winery Chicago, 1200 W. Randolph Street, announces acclaimed singer/songwriter Rachael Yamagata, multi-instrumentalists The High Kings, beloved songwriters JD Souther & Karla Bonoff, and more. The following shows go on sale to the public on Thursday, December 13 at noon. All tickets will be available at citywinery.com/chicago.

Rachael Yamagata
Tuesday-Wednesday, January 29-30
$32/$35/$42/$45
Called “the troubadour of heartbreak,” Rachael Yamagata bears the “old soul” singer/songwriter essence that calls upon Todd Rundgren, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, The Carpenters, and Elton John, while sonically gravitating towards the darker stylings of Nick Cave, Tom Waits, P.J. Harvey, and Danny Elfman. She has toured with The Swell Season, Ray LaMontagne, Ryan Adams, and Sara Bareilles. Yamagata has also opened for David Gray solo at Madison Square Garden; and she has shared the stage at Carnegie Hall with R.E.M. and Patti Smith. She released a new EP, Porch Songs, in October 2018. Yamagata returns to City Winery for two intimate performances.



JD Souther & Karla Bonoff
Sunday, March 3; 5:00 and 8:00 p.m.
$38/$42/$45/$48
JD Souther’s solo country-rock hits and collaborations with The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, and James Taylor include "Best of My Love," "New Kid in Town," "Prisoner in Disguise," "Faithless Love,” "You're Only Lonely" and "Her Town Too." The Detroit-born/Amarillo-raised Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee is recognizable to new fans as songwriter Watty White on TV’s Nashville.

Karla Bonoff has been described as one of the finest singer/songwriters of her generation. With a career spanning four decades, Bonoff has enjoyed enduring popularity and the unwavering respect of her peers. Three of her tunes – ''Someone to Lay Down Beside Me, ''Lose Again'' and ''If He's Ever Near'' – were recorded by Linda Ronstadt. Bonoff's self-titled debut was released in 1977, featuring ''Home'' (later recorded by Bonnie Raitt) and ''Isn't It Always Love?'' Also in '77, she toured the nation solo and as an opening act for Jackson Browne. Prior to ''Step by Step,'' Bonoff's ''Somebody's Eyes'' appeared on the Footloose soundtrack.



The High Kings
Tuesday-Wednesday, March 12-13
$30/$32/$35/$38
Ireland’s Folk Band of the Year The High Kings – Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy, George Murphy, and Darren Holden – showcase their incredible versatility and skills as multi-instrumentalists, playing 13 instruments between them and bringing a rousing acoustic flavor to old and new songs alike. Coming from accomplished musical pedigrees, The High Kings grew up in households soaked in the Irish musical tradition and each member of the band witnessed firsthand the power of well-crafted Irish music on an audience. Their impressive 2013 album Friends for Life features tracks written by the lads plus old favorites. The High Kings continue to live up to their reputation as a phenomenal live band, serving up laughter, good times, and even the odd sing along.



Martin Sexton
Friday-Saturday, April 12-13
$45/$55/$58/$65
Martin Sexton is an American singer/songwriter and has released 9 studio albums blending soul, gospel, country, rock, blues, and R&B. His most recent album, Mix Tape of the Open Road, is a musical cross-country trip, blazing through all territories of style. Sexton considers the record is a charm bracelet of twelve gems all strung together with the golden thread of what Rolling Stone calls his "soul marinated voice." At his return to City Winery Chicago, Sexton will perform tunes from Mix Tape as well as Sexton classics.

City Winery Chicago also announces Kevin Burt opens for Shemekia Copeland on Dec. 26-27; and NIKO IS and K'Valentine open for Talib Kweli on Jan. 5.

All City Winery Chicago events are open to all ages and start at 8 p.m., unless noted.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on December 13 at noon. Members of City Winery Chicago’s signature VinoFile™ program have advanced access to ticket sales in addition to receiving: a waiver of ticket service fees; free valet parking; Restaurant Loyalty Rewards, such as a free pair of VIP concert tickets for every $500 spent on food & beverage in the restaurant; exclusive membership-only events; and access to the proprietary City Winery Virtual Sommelier™, which helps make suggestions for wines one might enjoy based on past consumption at the venue.

Rachael Yamagata, JD Souther & Karla Bonoff, The High Kings, Martin Sexton, Kevin Burt, NIKO IS and K'Valentine join a diverse mix of the most respected names in pop, rock, jazz, blues, world music, theater, dance, spoken word and comedy presented at City Winery Chicago, including previously announced headliners and supporting acts: 

Los Lobos (Dec. 11-12);  Art Garfunkel (Dec. 14-15); Vienna Teng with Katie Rose (Dec. 16); Tab Benoit with Whiskey Bayou Revue feat. Damon Fowler & Eric Johanson (Dec. 17-18); Kurt Elling (Dec. 19-20); Michael McDermott with Heather Lynne Horton (Dec 21-22); Michael McDermott with Christmas Carolers (Dec 23); Christmas for the Jews (Dec. 25); Shemekia Copeland (Dec. 26-27); Macy Gray (Dec. 28-29); Avery*Sunshine (Dec. 30; Dec. 31, 7:30 & 11p; Jan. 1, 5p); Musiq Soulchild with Kameelah Williams (Jan. 3-4, 7:30 & 10p); Talib Kweli (Jan. 5, 7p & 10p); Sons of the Never Wrong with Michael Smith (Jan. 6, 7p); Dan Tedesco (Jan. 7, 7:30p); Shane Koyczan (Jan. 8); Slice screening with director Austin Vesely (Jan 10); Three Women and the Truth (Jan. 11); Maysa (Jan. 12, 7 & 10p); Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues featuring Tracy Nelson (Jan. 13, 7p); Steve Earle (Jan. 14-15); EagleMania (Jan. 16); Paris Combo (Jan. 17); Melanie Fiona (Jan. 19, 7 & 10p); Jodee Lewis & Jonas Friddle (Jan. 20, 7p); Let Freedom Ring, Chicago! (Jan. 21, 7:30p); The Hot Sardines (Jan. 23); Randy Bachman (Jan. 24-25); Susan Werner (Jan. 27); Trey McLaughlin & The Sounds of Zamar (Jan. 28, 7p); Alejandro Escovedo with Don Antonio Band  (Jan. 31-Feb. 2); Langston Hughes Birthday Celebration (Feb. 3); Ms. Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton (Feb. 4-5); Marcus Johnson with Kathy Kosins (Feb. 6); Marc Roberge of O.A.R. (Feb. 8, 7 & 10 p);Anders Osborne (Feb. 9, 7 & 10p); Anita Wilson with Dante Hall (Feb. 10, 7p); Ruen Brothers (Feb. 11); Hudson Taylor (Feb. 12); Patrizio Buanne (Feb. 13); 10,000 Maniacs (Feb. 14-16); Kandace Springs (Feb. 17); Donavon Frankenreiter (Feb. 18, 6:30 & 9p); Procol Harum (Feb. 20-21); Bobby McFerrin & Gimme 5 (Feb. 22-23, 7 & 10p); The Four C Notes (Feb. 24, 2:30p); Steve Earle (Feb. 25-26); Ann Hampton Callaway (Feb. 27); We Banjo 3 (Mar. 1);  Kasim Sulton's Utopia (Mar. 7); Ron Pope with Caroline Spence (Mar. 8); Ron Pope with Emily Scott Robinson (Mar. 9); Eilen Jewell (Mar. 15); Los Lonely Boys (Mar. 16-17); Michael Smerconish: (Mar. 17, 2p); Chris Difford with Steve Smith (Mar. 18); Christopher Cross (Mar. 19-20); The Tim O’Brien Band (Mar. 27); The Verve Pipe (Mar. 29);  John Parr (Apr. 10); Dave Davies (Apr. 21) The Spring Quartet (May 1, 2p); and Herb Alpert & Lani Hall (May 4-5).

Opened in 2012, City Winery Chicago is a fully operational winery, restaurant with outdoor patio, concert hall and private event space located in the heart of the West Loop at 1200 W. Randolph, in the historic urban Fulton Market district. Once a refrigerated food distribution warehouse, the 1911 building has been transformed into a contemporary 33,000 square foot haven for those passionate about wine, music and culinary arts. The décor evokes the romance of being in wine country, from the exposed stainless steel fermenting tanks and French oak barrels, to the aroma of fermenting grapes. The West Loop’s only fully operational winery has produced dozens of in-house wines sourced from vineyards in California, Oregon, Washington, Argentina and Chile, including a Wine Enthusiast 92-point 2015 Verna’s Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir. With more than 400 unique producers from around the world City Winery is recognized with 2014 and 2015 Best of Awards of Excellence “for having one of the most outstanding restaurant wine lists in the world” by Wine Spectator. The globally inspired, locally sourced, wine-focused food menu is conceived for pairing and sharing. The concert hall accommodates up to 300 guests, all seated at tables with complete beverage and dining service, ensuring a comfortable “listening room” experience enhanced by a state-of-the-art Meyer Sound system. Riedel is the official and exclusive provider of glassware, showing City Winery’s commitment to enjoying quality wine in a quality vessel. 

American Airlines is the Official Airline and Virgin Hotels Chicago is the Official Hotel of City Winery. For more information, please visit www.citywinery.com.

INCOMING: Paris Combo To Play City Winery Chicago 01/17/2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Swing Français Live and Remixed: 

Paris Combo 

Comes Back to the US for a Tour and with a Red-Hot Remix Album

Called “marvelously eclectic” by the LA Times, Paris Combo are returning to the US for their 20th tour in January 2019. The musically devious Parisians will be showcasing songs from their latest studio release Tako Tsubo, as well as favorites from their previous six albums, and their set will once again highlight their signature blend of swinging gypsy jazz, cabaret, French pop, Latin and Middle Eastern rhythms.

Featuring the vocals of charismatic chanteuse Belle du Berry, the line-up also includes founder-members, the Django-influenced guitarist Potzi, Australian-born trumpeter & pianist David Lewis, drummer-crooner François Jeannin, as well as virtuoso bassist, Benoit Dunoyer de Ségonzac. They are also joined by Rémy Kapriélan on percussion, vocals and sax for some dates.

Paris Combo's musical roots run deep and varied – Belle du Berry began her musical career in post-punk bands of the late eighties but also cites influences such as Arletty, the French singer-actress of the ’30s, the Surrealists and a panoply of more recent artists including the B-52’s. Potzi’s guitar has multiple influences including Django Reinhardt and his own North African heritage and this, along with François’ ska or Latin grooves creates a fascinating, toe-tapping blend.

Lewis, who previously played with a wide variety of Paris-based bands including Manu Dibango and Arthur H, attributes the group’s approach to Paris’ cosmopolitan atmosphere. Belle, Potzi and François first performed together in Paris as members of a quirky retro revue, “Les Champêtres de Joie” which went on to collaborate at the closing ceremony of the Albertville Winter Olympic Games in 1992. Du Berry and David Lewis met while performing together at the “Cabaret Sauvage” revue and in 1995 the group began to hone their sound playing in cafés and barges along the Seine under the name Paris Combo.

Paris Combo’s eponymous 1997 debut disc arrived as the swing revival was in full bloom, yet the band’s wide-ranging mix of musical influences instantly set them apart from other groups in the genre, winning critical praise and appealing to international audiences.

The mainstream success of their second album Living Room (1999) gave the group unique status as a French indie band capable of drawing crowds not only in France, where the album went gold, but also in Australia and the USA where they performed their songs – always in their native French - to growing audiences, culminating in 2004-5 with three concerts at the Hollywood Bowl.

Returning to performing in 2011 after a five-year hiatus, the group made their US comeback, again at the Hollywood Bowl with symphony orchestra, and went on to release their fifth album, simply entitled 5 on DRG Records.  Media response was enthusiastic and in 2013-14, they sold out venues across the country with their first US tours in a decade and a triumphant return to Australia in 2015. 

Following the 2017 release of their sixth album Tako Tsubo in the US on the DRG/eOne label, the group successfully toured the US, Australia / New Zealand and Europe. On their new record, the chanteuse Belle du Berry leads us through a deliciously varied collection of musical atmospheres, ranging from the intimacy of the live combo to more lush orchestral settings and beautiful 60's retro à la Bacharach with near-psychedelic overtones. The lyrical leitmotif of the album - suggested by the song titles, “Mon Anatomie,” “Spécimen,” “Anémiques Maracas,” “ID d'Heidi,” “Profil” - is the human physique and the way our emotional and physical beings interact. “Tako Tsubo,” the lounge-tinged title track, is inspired by a rare condition known also as “broken-heart syndrome." (Thank goodness Paris Combo have the cure!) Songwriter Belle du Berry indeed sees the human body as kind of « machine », capable of feeling, permuting and expressing an infinite gamut of emotions.

In April 2018 they released Remixed, an original collection remixes of their songs by some of France's most inspired DJ's to coincide with an electrifying, celebratory show at La Cigale in Paris. “After releasing 5 and Tako Tsubo, we gave some of our songs to remixers in our immediate entourage, giving them carte blanche so they could reinterpret them, and in particular, our best-known song “Living Room,” says David Lewis. “We loved the result.”  Fans are sure to feel the same.

01/17/2019 - City Winery Chicago, Chicago, IL at 8:00 pm

Ticket Purchasing or by Phone: (312) 733-9463

Ticket Price(s):
$35-$48

Venue:
City Winery Chicago 1200 W Randolph Street

Concert Start Time: 8:00 pm/ Doors Open: 6:00 pm

OPENING: Between Riverside and Crazy at Redtwist Theatre January 12 - February 10, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Between Riverside and Crazy

Written by Stephen Adly Guirgis

Directed by Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary

Opens Saturday, January 12, 2019, at 3pm

(this is also the press opening)

Runs Thu, Fri, Sat at 7:30pm; Sun at 3pm, through Sunday February 10, 7:30pm

In this stunning 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winner, we meet Pops, an ex-cop and widower clinging to one of the last rent-controlled apartments in NYC, dealing with a never-ending swirl of demands from family, friends, former colleagues, and a shady church lady...until he resolves to draw the line and make some demands of his own.

Featuring Redtwist company members Adam Bitterman as Lieutenant Caro, Johnny Garcia as Oswaldo, and  KC Karen Hill as Detective O'Connor,

THE CAST (in order of appearance)
Johnny Garcia (Oswaldo), Kenneth D. Johnson (Walter "Pops" Washington), Almanya Narula (Lulu), Kevin Tre'Von Patterson (Junior), Adam Bitterman (Lieutenant Caro), KC Karen Hill (Detective O'Connor), Gabrielle Lott-Rogers (Church Lady)

Understudy Cast: (in order of appearance)
Cesar Gonzales (Oswaldo), Arch Harmon (Walter "Pops" Washington), Kylie Anderson (Lulu), Vincent Williams (Junior), Casey Freund (Lieutenant Caro), Sissy Anne Quaranta (Detective O'Connor), Derin Adesida (Church Lady)

THE STAFF
Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary (Director), Arik Vega (Assistant Director, Fight Choreographer), Megan Gray (Stage Manager), Chelsea Allen (Assistant Stage Manager), Julia Skeggs (Casting Director), Elise Kauzlaric (Dialect Coach), Sarah Scanlon (Intimacy Choreographer) Nicholas James Schwartz (Scenic Designer and Technical Director), Cat Davis (Lighting Designer), Jeffrey Levin (Sound Designer), Uriel Gomez (Costume Designer), Christian A. Kurka (Props Designer), Brian Keys (Dramaturg), Ari Craven (Graphic Designer), Jan Ellen Graves (Marketing Consultant), E. Malcolm Martinez (Box Office Manager), Charles Bonilla (Box Office Associate), Brennan T. Jones, James Fleming, & Michael Colucci (Producers)

THE SCHEDULE 
Opens: Sat, January 12, 2019, 3pm (note: there is no evening performance on opening day)
Showtimes: Thu, Fri, Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 3pm
Understudy Show: Tuesday, February 10, 7:30pm
Closes: Sunday, February 10 (7:30pm show)
Previews: $15; Wed, Thu, Fri, January 9, 10, 11, at 7:30pm
Tickets: Thursdays, $35; Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, $40 (seniors & students $5 off)
        
RESERVATIONS 
Tickets: www.redtwist.org
 Call: 773-728-7529  



Redtwist is located at 1044 W Bryn Mawr, 2 blks W of LSD, 2 blks E of the Red Line EL station. 

Valet parking for Redtwist is available across the street in front of Francesca's Bryn Mawr for most performances-hours vary. Dining is not required. 

Limited FREE street parking is available on side streets. There is metered street parking via ParkChicago.com app or 3-hour Paybox on Bryn Mawr Av and 2-hour Paybox on side streets. Free on Sundays, and after 10pm Mon thru Sat. 

HELP OUT: FREE FRIENDRAISER EVENT AT THE MAC DEC. 14 FOR BUFFALO THEATRE ENSEMBLE

BUFFALO THEATRE ENSEMBLE CELEBRATES 

NEW AND OLD FRIENDS AT FREE 

“GIVE STORIES LIFE” 

FRIENDRAISER EVENT 

AT THE MAC DEC. 14

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE), the professional Equity company in residence at the McAninch Arts Center, hosts a “Give Stories Life” Friendraiser benefit BTE at the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., on the campus of College of DuPage, Dec. 14, 6-8 p.m.

This event will serve as an opportunity for the public to learn more about BTE and join members of the BTE Ensemble and Board as they celebrate BTE’s joining of the Glen Ellyn Chamber, and acknowledge Dr. Donald G. Westlake’s enduring support of the company. This event is free and open to the public. RSVPs are requested but not required. To RSVP or for more information email ab@btechicago.com.

The evening begins at 6 p.m. with a reception featuring light refreshments and beverages. A ceremonial ribbon cutting will take place at 6:30 p.m. to mark BTE’s inaugural year with the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce. The evening will also provide a quick look back via trailers of moments from some of BTE's recent productions and, at 7 p.m., a program by Dr. Donald G.  Westlake, featuring some of his memoirs, including regarding BTE. The evening will conclude with a look at the scenic build in process for BTE’s next production, “Defiance” by John Patrick Shanley, directed by BTE Ensemble Member, Kurt Naebig (Jan. 31-March 3) and a backstage tour.

“Don has seen all of our productions, since BTE's inception, and has been a strong advocate for us, always, including our 2016 return to our residence at the MAC. We would not be who and where we are without his enduring support,” BTE Artistic Director Connie Canaday Howard.

Westlake, currently a resident of Wheaton, grew up in Elburn Ill. and received his B.S. in Ed. from Northern Illinois University. He was a mathematics and physical education teacher in his home town before becoming an analytical chemist at Argonne and, then, in the U.S. Army. He received his Ph.D. in Metallurgy from Iowa State University before returning to Argonne in 1959. Dr. Westlake retired in 1984 as a Senior Scientist in the Materials Science Division of the Argonne National Laboratory. As an author he has written two books co-authored with his late wife Helen Gum Westlake, plus a book of poetry, “Elburn: Forty-four Miles to Chicago,” which received the Studs Terkel Award from the Illinois Humanities Council. His stories can be heard on the podcast “Reflections from the Cloud.”



Buffalo Theatre Ensemble

The mission of Buffalo Theatre Ensemble is to provide a forum in which artists, scholars, writers, students and community members explore new ideas and provocative issues through the production of high-quality theater for the enjoyment of its audiences. Since 1986 BTE has staged more than 117 productions. For more information about BTE visit btechicago.com.

BTE thanks the DuPage Foundation for their generous support in the reinstatement and continued operation of Buffalo Theatre Ensemble. BTE also thanks the Norm Woodel Inspiration Fund for its assistance in the rebirth and further development of Buffalo Theatre Ensemble.

2018-2019 shows include Chicago Premiere of “The Dingdong, or How the French Kiss,” a new adaptation by Mark Shanahan from “Le Dindon” by Georges Feydeau (Sept. 6-Oct.7); “Defiance” by John Patrick Shanley, directed by BTE Ensemble Member, Kurt Naebig (Jan. 31-March 3) and “Miracle on South Division Street” by Tom Dudzick, directed by Steve Scott (May 2-June 2). For tickets or more information, visit AtTheMAC.org or call 630.942.4000.

ONE NIGHT ONLY: Nasty, Brutish & Short: A POCI Puppet Cabaret

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Rough House Theater's quarterly puppet cabaret 

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're all about inclusion and access for people and puppets! Diversity in the arts makes for stellar storytelling, and everyone deserves a voice. So, we're jazzed that this month's quarterly puppet cabaret will focus on Puppeteers of Color Incubator (POCI) artists. Check it out!

Nasty, Brutish & Short: A POCI Puppet Cabaret
Co-Curated by: Jamillah Hinson & Nik Whitcomb
Monday, December 10 | 7:30pm Tickets: $8-$40 

Nasty Brutish & Short is Links Hall and Rough House Theater's quarterly puppet cabaret. It offers four annual evenings of contemporary short-form puppet experiments and object based theater to SOLD OUT adult audiences. 

This past August, in partnership with the Art Leaders of Color Network (ALCN), Links Hall and Rough House launched the Puppeteers of Color Incubator (POCI). A cohort of nine puppeteers were selected to participate in a six month program designed to support the development and creation of new short form puppet works by artist of color. Lead by ALCN members Jamillah Hinson & Nik Whitcomb December's Nasty Brutish & Short marks the first public showing of the POCI artists' new projects! 

The POCI Cohort includes: Rasaan Booker, Sheri Flanders, Allyson Gonzalez, Jerrell Henderson, Maddie Hong, Margaret Kemp, Louise Loeb, Jose Nateras, Chris Pow. 

"The Puppeteers of Color Incubator (POCI) exists to give puppeteers and artists of color a space to explore, experiment, and develop their tools as puppeteers while deepening their understanding of their own individual artistry. POCI seeks to expand the art of puppetry within the community and create a network of artists for support and further creative opportunities." --- Jamillah Hinson & Nik Whitcomb, POCI Co-Curators