OPENING: Play On! at Oil Lamp Theater March 21 through May 5, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Oil Lamp Theater Announces Upcoming Production of

Play On! 

by Rick Abbot

Directed by Keith Gerth

March 21 through May 5, 2019

Executive and Artistic Director, Keith Gerth and Associate Artistic Director, Stephen Smith of the Oil Lamp Theater in Glenview announce their next production, the uproarious comedy Play On! by Rick Abbot. This production is directed by Keith Gerth and will be performed from March 21st through May 5th 2019 at 1723 Glenview Road in Glenview. 

Play On! takes audiences behind the scenes of a local amateur theater company as it prepares a production of Murder Most Foul, an original murder mystery written by a local playwright.  Abbot’s side-splitting look at the inner workings of amateur theater unfolds in three acts of cascading goofiness. First at a rehearsal less than a week before the show opens, next during the disaster-plagued dress rehearsal, and finally, the show's opening night. 

Geraldine “Gerry” Dunbar (Whitney Minarik) is the long-suffering director who struggles to breathe life into the original script. Her troupe has their work cut out for them. First, the murder mystery script is not very good. And  the set isn’t finished. And the cast is still wobbly on their lines. The good news is that the novice playwright, Phyllis Montague (Nicki Howard), has allowed the company to produce her new play for free. The bad news is that Phyllis keeps changing her script, forcing the cast of amateurs to re-learn their lines over and over again. The biggest mystery of all seems to be whether the company will possibly be able to get this ever-changing production ready in time!

Everyone involved with Murder Most Foul lacks skill and experience, and it shows. As Play On! Opens, the troupe is just four days away opening night. Despite the best efforts of Louise Peary (Jolie LeBell), the company’s omnipresent sound, light and scenic technician, the set is incomplete and technical issues abound. Stage Manager and prompter Aggie Manville (Sarah Myers) has her hands full trying to manage the show’s many sound cues while she stays busy prompting actors who keep forgetting their lines. 

The actors, unsurprisingly, are having their own crises and they are pushing their director and crew to the breaking point. The older married couple and amateur theater veterans, Henry Benish/Lord Dudley (Rob Weinstein) and Polly Benish/Lady Margaret (Suzy Krueckeberg), challenge their director at every turn. Some cast members react to the mounting backstage tension by either by hitting the bottle of getting on each other’s nerves. Saul Watson/Dr. Rex Ford (Travis Monroe Neese), the mystery’s villain, has a special dislike for Polly whom he taunts her with snarky personal insults. Polly -- a bit of a diva herself -- is having none of it and huffs her indignation to everyone within earshot.

Meanwhile, the young ingénues of Murder Most Foul, Billy Carewe/Stephen Sellars (Josh Marshall) and Violet Imbry/Diane Lassiter (Katie O’Neil) are warming to each other in “real life” just as their characters do in the mystery they are rehearsing. They regularly forget to call each other by their scripted character names during rehearsals as their on-stage romance seems increasingly real. Wait… is love blooming right there on stage?

Then of course, there’s Marla “Smitty” Smith (Emrose Seidenberg), the high school student playing Doris the maid. Like everyone else, Smitty worries about keeping her lines and cues straight in the constantly-evolving play, but she has additional concerns that are practical and immediate. Will she ever get tomorrow’s biology homework done? Will her mother be angry if she gets home late because the rehearsal ran over?

Play On!  is a fast-paced frolic that has been called “a love letter to amateur theater.” It affectionately pokes fun at the foibles of a lovable group of thespians who struggle valiantly, and hilariously, toward their big opening night. Their energy and enthusiasm crashes up against looming deadlines, warring egos, missed cues, and an ever-changing script… and the results are both heartwarming and hysterical.



This Oil Lamp Theater production of Play On! will feature Whitney Minarik (Geraldine “Gerry” Dunbar), Nicki Howard (Phyllis Montague), Sarah Myers (Stage Manager Aggie Manville) Jolie LeBell (Sound, Light and Scenic Technician Louise Peary), Rob Weinstein (Henry Benish/Lord Dudley), Suzy Krueckeberg (Polly Benish/Lady Margaret), Travis Monroe Neese (Saul Watson/Doctor Rex Forbes), Katie O’Neil (Violet Imbry/Diana Lassiter), Josh Marshall (Billy Carewe/Stephen Sellers), and Emrose Seidenberg (Marla “Smitty” Smith /Doris the Maid)

Understudies for this production are Grace Hutchings, Gina Phillips and Jared Sheldon.  

Stage Manager for this production is Helen O’Brien

Rick Abbot (Playwright) is one of several pennames used by the prolific playwright Jack Sharkey who was born in Chicago in 1931. Abbot graduated from college with a degree in English with an emphasis on Creative Writing. After serving in the army, Mr. Abbot moved to New York City and began his successful freelance writing career. In 1975 he devoted himself exclusively to writing plays. He wrote and published 83 plays, including thrillers, comedies and musicals – many of which continue to be performed around the world. One of his plays, is Par for the Corpse written under the name Jack Sharkey, has been produced twice on the Oil Lamp Theater stage. He died of cancer in 1992.

Keith Gerth (Executive and Artistic Director) founded Oil Lamp Theater in 2005. Prior to establishing the Theater, which was originally located in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, Keith held a number of positions. After high school, Keith was a carpenter for eight years with Murray Countertops in Streator, Illinois. He left that position in 1989 to obtain a degree in Financial Accounting from Illinois State University. Keith graduated with honors and began working for the global professional services firm of Deloitte in 1991 and became a Certified Public Accountant. He worked at Deloitte for fifteen years in the Audit and Assurance practice, from which he retired in 2005 at the level of Director. Keith was professionally trained in acting at Act One Studios in Chicago, Illinois. Keith has been actively involved in the community and has served on the boards of the Glenview Art League and the Glenview Chamber of Commerce. Keith is married to Carole Flamm. They live in Northbrook.

Performances of Play On! are presented Thursdays through Sundays, with evening performances at 8:00pm and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3:00pm. Tickets are $40 and include complimentary cookies and soft drinks. Student tickets are available for $25. Oil Lamp Theater is BYOB with complimentary corkage and glasses. The complete performance schedule and tickets are available at 847-834-0738 or online at oillamptheater.org. Group rates are available. 


PARKING/TRANSPORTATION

Oil Lamp Theater is located in downtown Glenview, Illinois, at 1723 Glenview Road. Free parking lots are available immediately west of the theater and across the street. Street parking is also available throughout downtown Glenview. Handicap parking is available adjacent to the theater. 

The theater may be reached by car (approximately one mile west of I-94) or by Metra (three blocks east of Milwaukee District/North – Glenview Station).  For more information on traveling to Oil Lamp Theater, visit oillamptheater.org/plan-visit. 



Dates: First performance and press opening: Thursday, March 21, 2019, 8:00pm
Closing performance: Sunday, May 5, 3:00pm
   
Schedule: Thursdays through Sundays. Evening performances at 8:00pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees
                    at 3:00pm. 

Location: Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road, Glenview
Prices: All performances $40 
Group and student rates are available

Box Office: 847-834-0738; oillamptheater.org 



ABOUT OIL LAMP THEATER

Over the past thirteen years, Oil Lamp Theater has been dedicated to the presentation of traditional theater in an immersive, intimate setting. Under the executive and artistic leadership of Keith Gerth, Oil Lamp Theater has welcomed more than 50,000 guests into its unique, inviting venues. In March, 2012, Oil Lamp Theater was incorporated at a not-for-profit theater and established its current 60-seat location in downtown Glenview. The professional company performs plays that present and appeal to core American traditional values relevant to current issues. Oil Lamp Theater welcomes patrons as family, encouraging a personal atmosphere and artist interactions to emphasize human emotional connections. 

In 2017 and 2018 Oil Lamp Theater was awarded the North Shore Choice Award in recognition as the best suburban theater in Chicago.

Find Oil Lamp Theater on Facebook or follow @OilLampTheater on Twitter. For more information, visit oillamptheater.org.

OPENING: My Name is Rachel Corrie Via Jacaranda Collective at The Den Theatre in Chicago

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Jacaranda Collective Presents

MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE

Taken from the writings of Rachel Corrie

Edited by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner

Directed by Sam Bianchini

March 22-April 6, 2019 @ the Den Theatre

The Den Theatre, Chicago: Jacaranda Collective is thrilled to be bringing the words of Rachel Corrie to Chicago in their production of My Name is Rachel Corrie. 

“And what would I write about if I only stayed within the doll’s house, the flower-world I grew up in?”

When a young writer’s growing knowledge of world events leads her to nonviolent activism and human rights observation in the Gaza strip, she witnesses first hand the personal experiences of the people behind the news headlines. 

Taken from the intense and the poetic journals, adapted by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner, My Name is Rachel Corrie boldly poses the question: what do we owe the rest of humanity?  The show opens on March 22nd and will run Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through April 6th, with one performance on Monday the 25th. All at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $25 general admission, $15 student/senior, and available at the door or at The Den Theatre.

On March 16, 2003, Rachel Corrie was crushed to death by a bulldozer at the age of twenty-three, while she was working to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home. My Name is Rachel Corrie is a one-woman show taken directly from Rachel’s writings that paints the portrait of a messy, skinny, articulate, Salvador Dali-loving chain-smoker (with a passion for the music of Pat Benatar), who left home and school in Olympia, Washington, to join hundreds of others in non-violent activism in the tumultuous Gaza Strip.

This will be the first production produced by Jacaranda Collective. 
Associate Artistic Director, Halie Robison, will take on the title role of this one-woman show. Robinson has previously worked with Muse of Fire, Promethean Theatre Ensemble, Midsommer Flight, Ghostlight Ensemble, and Jacaranda Collective.

Artistic Director, Sam Bianchini, has taken on the role of Director. Bianchini has been working as an actress/director/producer/writer in both Film and Theatre around LA, NYC, and Chicago for the past 14 years. Rachel Corrie will be her Chicago debut as a director. She said of the show, “In this extremely polarized time where news is often confined to headlines and sensationalized stories are shared at an alarming rate, Rachel’s story is not only timely but absolutely critical. She asks us to look at the humans behind the headlines, their families, their hopes, their dreams, and implores us to see the consequences of our actions. Her haunting and brilliant words drip with vulnerability, humor, and an urgency that I believe is imperative in this paramount moment in the history of our world.”

Rachel Corrie’s writings have been translated into Arabic, Hebrew, French, Italian and Spanish and are recognized as a powerfully honest insight, not only into one of the most complicated international political conflicts but also into human nature.  

What: Jacaranda Collective is thrilled to bring the powerful and haunting words of Rachel Corrie to Chicago in their production of My Name is Rachel Corrie. The show is composed of Rachel’s own journals, letters, and emails. It details her life as she leaves her home in Olympia, Washington to work as a non-violent activist in the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The show opens on March 22nd and will run Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through April 6th, with one show on Monday, March 25th. All at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $25 and available at the door or at The Den Theatre.

Who: Jacaranda Collective

When: March 22nd- April 6th at 7:30 p.m.

Where: The Den Theatre, Chicago

Tickets: Tickets are $25 and may be purchased at the door or at The Den Theatre. Discounts available for students.

OPENING: World Premiere of Detour Guide Via Silk Road Rising Co-Produced with Stage Left Theatre March 11–April 7, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

March 11–April 7, 2019

Detour Guide

The World Premiere

Co-Produced with Stage Left Theatre

Written and Performed by Karim Nagi

Directed by Anna C. Bahow

** RUN TIME: The performance is approximately 90 minutes 

with no intermission**

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're eager to catch Detour Guide. I'll be out to review on the 16th, so check back soon. In the meantime, grab your tickets to experience Silk Road Rising's latest. In Detour Guide, Karim guides his audience with music, dance, costumes, and language, and he teaches them about the Arab World and Arab America. Come to listen, laugh, and learn.

We go to the theatre to learn about each other. As Karim Nagi says, “I believe familiarity helps people appreciate one another.”

The star of Detour Guide is an Egyptian-born drummer, DJ, composer, and folk dancer. Over the course of his career, Karim has released CDs of this unique brand of Arab House/Electronica, has become well versed in the ultra-traditional styles of Arab music, has promoted the study of Arab dance in the United States, and more. But Karim is also a teacher. 

When Karim Nagi plays the drums, it’s to the beat of both the bustling avenues of American metropolises and the busy streets of Cairo.

When he dances, he moves across space and genre, blending traditions and styles.

When he sings, he does so from the heart, allowing his voice to glide along the waves of emotions, and memories of contradictions, frustrations, and optimisms that come out of his immigrant experience.

Detour Guide is Karim’s musical that takes us on an alternative tour of the Arab World and Arab America. Using lyrics, percussion and an urban soundscape, master storyteller and musician Karim Nagi guides us through a social and political labyrinth, extolling the virtues of revolution, immigration, and hummus along the way.



Who is Karim Nagi?

He is a musician. He is a drummer. He is a DJ. He is a folk dancer. He is a storyteller.

As an artist, he weaves together his many talents to create a unique and captivating experience for his audience.

Karim Nagi is your guide for the world premiere of Detour Guide.

“In Detour Guide, I’m imitating the Arabic rawi storytelling style which relies on hyperbole and exaggeration, rhyme and word play,” says Karim.

For this co-production between Silk Road Rising and Stage Left Theatre Company, Karim pulls from different instrumental voices, world experiences, and the rich cultural traditions of the Arab World and Arab America to assemble a journey, an alternative guide, through some of the most pervasive social and political issues of our time.

“My agenda is to demonstrate the depth of Arab art as exemplified in music and dance. My presentations are highly participatory and entertaining. Arab culture, through the universal language of music, becomes demystified and humanized. The beauty and authenticity of Arabic music and dance serve as a convincing demonstration of the simultaneous exoticism and familiarity of this ancient culture.”

* LOCATION: Our theatre is located in The Historic Chicago Temple Building at 77 West Washington Street, Pierce Hall (lower level). It’s the corner of Washington & Clark, entrance is on Washington Street. Once you enter the building, take an elevator to the lower level. The box office is to your left as you exit the elevator. Please come up to the box office to check in and to receive your program book which will serve as your ticket to the performance.

* PARKING: If you’re driving, we offer a $10 discounted parking at WMW Park, 2 blocks west of the theatre at 172 West Madison Street. Entrance to the parking lot is at the north-east corner of Madison & Wells. Be sure to request a validation coupon from our box office.

* DINING: We have several excellent dining partners—please consider them as you make your dinner plans: Beef & Brandy (diner food) and Bella Bacinos (pasta & pizza). To learn more, visit our dining partners web page at www.silkroadrising.org/dining/

* CONCESSIONS: We will be offering concessions at the theatre and you are allowed to bring concessions purchased at the theater into the performance space. We’ll be selling bottled water, tea, and coffee; as well as sweet and salty snacks. No alcohol or outside food allowed.

* SEATING: As we offer general seating, please arrive 20 minutes prior to curtain to get your seats. The theatre is configured for riser seating. All seating is first come, first served. Late arrivals will be seated at the discretion of house management, if possible.

* SURVEY: A post-attendance survey will be emailed to you. Please help us serve you better by completing the survey within 24-hours of receiving it.

Thank you…is there anything else you’d like to learn about that is not discussed above? If so, just give us a call at 312-857-1234 x201 or email us at boxoffice@silkroadrising.org

TICKET LOTTERY: $25 Tickets Via Digital Lottery for A Bronx Tale and Rush Ticket Policy

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar 

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO ANNOUNCES DIGITAL LOTTERY AND RUSH

TICKET POLICY FOR A BRONX TALE

Book by CHAZZ PALMINTERI, Music by ALAN MENKEN and Lyrics by GLENN SLATER

Directed by ROBERT DE NIRO and JERRY ZAKS

Choreographed by SERIGO TRUJILLO

JAMES M. NEDERLANDER THEATRE

MARCH 12-24, 2019

Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce there will be a digital lottery and rush tickets for A BRONX TALE which will play Broadway In Chicagoกฏs James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph) for a limited two-week engagement March 12-24, 2019.

The digital lottery will begin March 11 at 9AM, and 40 tickets will be sold for every performance at $25 each. The lottery will happen online only the day before each performance.  In addition, a limited number of day-of-show rush tickets will be offered for each performance at $39 each. These will be available at all performances of the run for purchase in-person at the James M. Nederlander Theatre box office beginning when the box office opens daily. Seat locations vary per performance for the digital lottery and day-of show tickets.



HOW TO ENTER THE DIGITAL LOTTERY

Follow this link. Click here for details and to enter the lottery.
Click the Enter Now button for the performance you want to attend.
Fill out the entry form including the number of tickets you would like (1 or 2). Patrons will receive a confirmation email once they have validated their email (one time only) and successfully entered the lottery.
After the lottery closes, patrons will be notified via email within minutes as to whether they have won or not.

Winners have 60 minutes from the time the lottery closes to pay online with a credit card.

After payment has been received, patrons can pick up tickets at the James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph) no sooner than 30 minutes before show time with a valid photo ID.

DIGITAL LOTTERY ADDITIONAL RULES
Limit 1 entry per person, per performance. Multiple entries will not be accepted. Patrons must be 18 years old and have a valid, non-expired photo ID that matches the names used to enter. Tickets are non-transferable. All lottery prices include a $3.50 facility fee. Ticket limits and prices displayed are at the sole discretion of the show and are subject to change without notice. Lottery prices are not valid on prior purchases. Lottery ticket offer cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. All sales final - no refunds or exchanges.  Lottery may be revoked or modified at any time without notice. No purchase necessary to enter or win.  A purchase will not improve your chances of winning.



ABOUT A BRONX TALE
The new musical features a book by Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri, music by Oscar, Grammy, and Tony Award winner Alan Menken, and lyrics by Grammy Award winner and Oscar and Tony Award nominee Glenn Slater, directed by two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro and four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks, with choreography by Tony nominee Sergio Trujillo.

A BRONX TALE premiered at the Tony Award-winning Paper Mill Playhouse to critical and popular acclaim in Spring 2016.

Based on the one-man show that inspired the now classic film, this streetwise musical will take you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he'd love to be. Featuring an original doo-wop score, this is a tale about respect, loyalty, love, and above all else: family.

The design team for A BRONX TALE includes Beowulf Boritt, Scenic Design (Tony Award nomination for T. Raquin, Tony Awards for Act One, The Scottsboro Boys); William Ivey Long, Costume Design (six-time Tony Award winner, Rodgers & Hammersteinกฏs Cinderella, Grey Gardens); Howell Binkley, Lighting Design (Tony Award for Jersey Boys, Tony Award nomination for Hamilton); Gareth Owen, Sound Design (Tony Award nominations for A Little Night Music and End of the Rainbow); Paul Huntley, Hair & Wig Design (Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre, Fun Home, The Visit); Anne Ford-Coates, Makeup Design (On Your Feet!, Disaster!); Tara Rubin Casting, Casting (Aladdin, Les Miserables, Jersey Boys); and Robert Westley, Fight Coordinator (Hand to God, Important Hats of the Twentieth Century). Music Supervision and Arrangements are by Ron Melrose (Jersey Boys), Orchestrations are by Doug Besterman (three-time Tony Award winner, It Shoulda Been You, Bullets Over Broadway) and Musical Direction is by Jonathan Smith (Jersey Boys).

A BRONX TALE evolved from the one-man Off-Broadway play, A Bronx Tale, written and performed by Chazz Palminteri in 1989. During the original Off Broadway and subsequent Los Angeles engagements, Robert De Niro came to see the show, and brought the story and star Palminteri to the screen in 1993, making his film directorial debut in the process. Following the success of the film, Palminteri performed the one-man show A Bronx Tale on Broadway in the 2007-2008 Season.

For more information, visit www.ABronxTaleTheMusical.com

Follow A BRONX TALE: @Twitter, Facebook & Instagram

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesdays at 7:30PM
Wednesdays at 2:00PM & 7:30PM (no matinee on March 13)
Thursdays at 7:30PM
Fridays at 7:30PM
Saturdays at 2:00PM & 8:00PM
Sundays at 2:00PM and 7:30PM (no evening performance on March 24)

TICKET INFORMATION
Individual tickets for A BRONX TALE are on-sale now and range in price from $27-$98 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 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com.  For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com. 

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 19 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 more than 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, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at the Auditorium Theatre.

Broadway In Chicago proudly celebrates 2019 as the Year of Chicago Theatre.

 For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Facebook @BroadwayInChicago 
Twitter @broadwaychicago 
Instagram @broadwayinchicago 
#broadwayinchicago

SAVE THE DATES: Writers Theatre Announces 2019/20 Season

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Season includes Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s 

INTO THE WOODS

directed by Gary Griffin;

THE NICETIES, 

written by Eleanor Burgess and directed by Marti Lyons;

Lydia R. Diamond’s 

STICK FLY 

directed by Ron OJ Parson; and 

MEMENTOS MORI 

created by Manual Cinema

to play in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre

Henrik Ibsen’s 

A DOLL’S HOUSE, 

adapted by Sandra Delgado

and Michael Halberstam and directed by Lavina Jadhwani;

and Anna Ziegler’s 

THE LAST MATCH, 

directed by Keira Fromm

to play in the Gillian Theatre

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're beyond excited for Writers Theatre's upcoming season. They've got a stellar lineup and some of our favorites slated to direct! Save the dates and order early for the best seat selection, or consider a season package.

Writers Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the company’s 2019/20 six play season, opening with Into the Woods, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine, and directed by Gary Griffin in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre. The season will continue with The Niceties, written by Eleanor Burgess and directed by Marti Lyons; Lydia R. Diamond’s Stick Fly, directed by Ron OJ Parson; and Mementos Mori, created by Manual Cinema. A new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, adapted by Sandra Delgado and Michael Halberstam and directed by Lavina Jadhwani, will open the season in the Gillian Theatre, followed by Anna Ziegler’s The Last Match, directed by Keira Fromm.

The 2019/20 Season marks the fourth full season in the company’s award-winning new home at 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe, designed by Studio Gang Architects. Productions will be presented in two spaces in the theater complex including the 255-seat Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre as well as the Gillian Theatre, a 50 to 99-seat flexible theatre space.

From its very first year, Writers Theatre has brought quality and excellence to the stage while maintaining the company’s hallmark intimacy. The last 27 years have seen unprecedented growth in both the artistic and business arenas as the company has garnered national acclaim and recognition, marked by the celebrated opening of the Theatre’s new facility in February of 2016. With a longstanding reputation for consistent artistic excellence and with strong ties to the community, the Theatre has built an award-winning repertoire and serves as a vital and highly regarded company in the Chicagoland theatre community.

Artistic Director Michael Halberstam comments, “We are delighted to present to you the 2019/20 lineup for Writers Theatre. With a refreshing mix of revitalized classics and exciting new voices, we have compiled a season that captures the essential conversations we are having as a nation right now. Art has the primary function of holding the mirror up to nature but, in doing so, it must also entertain and engage. The messages we share with you this coming season are essential and necessary. But they will arrive skillfully and delightfully crafted to draw you into worlds of theatrical magic that encourage you to think about the world with nuance, empathy and, perhaps most importantly, imagination. In other words, we have compiled six “must-see” productions and have invited the Chicago area’s most exciting storytellers to bring them to thrilling and sophisticated life!"

Season Packages are available at the Box Office, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe, 847-242-6000 and www.writerstheatre.org.

Writers Theatre is pleased to welcome back BMO Harris Bank as the distinguished 2019/20 Season Sponsor, marking the Bank’s ninth consecutive year as season sponsor.

The Writers Theatre 2019/20 Season includes:


INTO THE WOODS
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by James Lapine
Music Direction and Re-Orchestrations by Matt Deitchman
Directed by Gary Griffin
August 14 – September 22, 2019
Opening August 21, 2019
Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre | 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

See the classic fairy tale characters you think you know come to magical life in this smart and subversive musical theatre masterpiece by American icons Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine!

When a childless baker and his wife set out to lift their family curse by journeying into the woods, they encounter Jack (with his beanstalk), Cinderella (and her prince) and Little Red Riding Hood (and her wolf)! These familiar characters find themselves in decidedly unfamiliar circumstances and must brave the darkness of the woods in an effort to break the curse, conquer their fears and find out if what they’ve always wished for is what they truly want.

This epic fairy tale adventure will be reimagined in a newly-configured Nichols Theatre to be staged “in the round,” drawing audiences into a theatrical experience unlike anything you’ve seen at WT! With its celebrated score, stirring script and an extraordinary team of artists bringing it all to life, Into the Woods launches WT's 2019/20 Season as the musical theatre event of the summer. Chicago and Broadway Director Gary Griffin (Parade) returns to stage this Tony Award-winning musical about fairy tales, family and what happens after “happily ever after.”


A DOLL’S HOUSE
Written by Henrik Ibsen
Adapted by Sandra Delgado and Michael Halberstam
Directed by Lavina Jadhwani
September 25 – December 15, 2019
Opening October 2, 2019
The Gillian Theatre | 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

This celebrated drama by the playwright of WT’s smash hit Hedda Gabler receives a sleek, streamlined interpretation that is unpredictable, fresh and captivating.

This focused one-act adaptation of the Henrik Ibsen classic reinvigorates the compelling story of the vibrant young Nora Helmer, deeply devoted to her husband Torvald. However, all is not as it appears: when Nora takes action to protect her husband, she unwittingly puts them both in jeopardy, testing the bonds of their marriage and forcing them to take stock of their relationship and ask themselves how well they truly know one another…

Directed by Lavina Jadhwani (Vietgone) and given an intensely intimate staging in the Gillian Theatre, A Doll’s House draws the audience into the middle of a combustible domestic moment as husband and wife must navigate truth and deceit, and determine whether their seemingly perfect life is truly the one they thought they always wanted.


THE NICETIES
Written by Eleanor Burgess
Directed by Marti Lyons
November 6 – December 15, 2019
Opening November 13, 2019
Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre | 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

What happens when theoretical arguments suddenly turn personal in the ivory tower of an elite East Coast university? Don’t miss the thrilling, provocative new play that The Washington Post calls “one of the best plays about who gets to tell the story of America, and how.”

In The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess, an accomplished Ivy League professor holds routine office hours with an ambitious young student to discuss her thesis: if history is written by the victors, who tells the story of the oppressed? Before long, quibbles over vocabulary and Wikipedia citations turn into a dangerous debate as both women passionately defend their perspective and their personal worldview—until one of them puts everything on the line to make her case.

This taut, intelligent new play will make you question your own assumptions and reevaluate whether generation gaps can be bridged while gaps in knowledge—and in experience—remain. Director Marti Lyons (Witch) returns to WT to stage this intellectual thriller of a play that examines equality, revolution and what happens when people set aside the niceties and reveal what’s really on their minds.



STICK FLY
Written by Lydia R. Diamond
Directed by Ron OJ Parson
February 5 – March 16, 2020
Opening February 12, 2020
Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre | 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

Sibling rivalries and parental expectations come to a head as family secrets emerge during a weekend away that becomes more “interrogation” than “relaxation” in this witty and moving rollercoaster of a family comedy-drama.

What begins as a relaxing summer weekend on Martha’s Vineyard escalates when the LeVay brothers bring their new girlfriends home to meet their affluent and imposing parents. But even as the newcomers find themselves under familial scrutiny, long-hidden family tensions bubble to the surface and by the end of the weekend, almost everyone at the Vineyard finds themselves under a microscope as they grapple with arguments about class, race and cultural expectations.

Lydia R. Diamond (Smart People) brings her gift for sharp dialogue, complex characters and relevant themes back to WT with this timely look at African-American elite aristocracy, social assumptions and family dynamics. Directed by WT Resident Director Ron OJ Parson (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, East Texas Hot Links), this bitingly funny comedy is sure to keep you talking long after the lights have come up.


THE LAST MATCH
Written by Anna Ziegler
Directed by Keira Fromm
March 18 – June 7, 2020
Opening March 25, 2020
The Gillian Theatre | 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

With all the passion and tension of a U.S. Open tennis final, The Last Match serves up a thrillingly theatrical look at what motivates our greatest ambitions and fuels our strongest desires.

When a young Russian tennis phenom and an American superstar in his prime meet at center court, it’s a tough call whether the greatest drama is playing out off the court or on! As the swift action volleys between primetime tennis matches and the most pivotal moments in the personal lives of the competitors and their equally driven romantic partners, sharp and insightful playwright Anna Ziegler (Photograph 51) draws you inside the minds of all four as they face challenges in sport, life and love. What results is a fast-paced and moving montage exploring family, the sacrifices we make for success and the legacy we leave behind.

Rising Chicago director Keira Fromm brings her finely-tuned vision to this gripping drama, staged in the intimate Gillian Theatre. You won’t want to miss this engrossing, rapid-fire take on what it means to finally achieve greatness, only to be left wanting more. In The Last Match, there is much more than just a championship on the line!


Writers Theatre presents
MEMENTOS MORI
Created by Manual Cinema
May 6 – June 14, 2020
Opening May 13, 2020
Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre | 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

This whimsical performance piece allows the audience to experience a motion picture created right before their eyes, using creative shadow-puppetry, innovative projections and a live musical score to tell its transformative and charming story about life, death and what comes in between.

When the persona of “Death” unexpectedly finds herself in California, she trades her scythe for an iPhone and wanders Hollywood, “swiping right” on loss and introducing unexpected connections into the otherwise disparate lives of a ghost, a young girl, and an elderly projectionist. This ambitious show uses multiple puppets, seven overhead projectors, two cameras and three screens to create a live “movie” for the audience. Accompanied by four musicians playing an original score, along with live foley sound effects, the result is a rich mosaic of cinematic storytelling!

Recently named the Chicago Tribune’s “Company of the Year” Manual Cinema uses disarmingly simple tools to tell transformative stories. Now they bring their new, feature-length performance to the Nichols stage, giving WT audiences the opportunity to experience this fresh and unique style of intimate storytelling.


SEASON PACKAGES
Writers Theatre season ticket packages provide a convenient theatergoing experience and guarantee access to all of WT’s highly anticipated productions throughout the season. Six-play subscription packages are available, ranging in price from $249 to $389.

Three and four-play “Choose Your Own” Flex packages start at $199.

Season package subscribers receive exclusive benefits including complimentary ticket exchanges by phone and mail (upgrade fees may apply), access to special play readings and lectures, special “subscriber-rate” prices on additional tickets, a one-year subscription to The Brief Chronicle newsmagazine and more. For a complete list of benefits visit writerstheatre.org.

Season Packages are available at the Box Office, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe, 847-242-6000 and writerstheatre.org.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES:
For additional information about the WT Audience Enrichment programs listed below, visit writerstheatre.org/events.

Pre-Show Conversation: Up Close
Join us at 6:45pm before every Thursday evening performance (excluding previews and extension dates) of all productions in the Nichols Theatre for a 15-minute primer on the context and content of the play facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

Post-Show Conversation: The Word
Join us after every Tuesday evening performance (excluding previews and extension dates) for a 15-minute discussion of the play, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

Post-Show Conversation: The Artist
Join us after every Wednesday evening performance (excluding previews and extension dates) for a 15-minute talk-back featuring actors from the production, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

From Page to Stage Series
WT and select North Shore libraries and community partners present the 15th annual From Page to Stage Series. This comprehensive series of special events, lectures, readings and film viewings are designed to enhance and enrich the audience experience of WT productions each season.  All events are FREE of charge and open to the public unless otherwise noted. For more information about the From Page to Stage Series, visit writerstheatre.org/from-page-to-stage-series.

WT also offers Access Performances, including ASL-interpretation and Open Captioning on select dates for each production.  Please visit writerstheatre.org/ accessibility for more information.



ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE
For more than 25 years, Writers Theatre has captivated Chicagoland audiences with inventive interpretations of classic work, a bold approach to contemporary theatre and a dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible.

Under the artistic leadership of Michael Halberstam and the executive leadership of Kathryn M. Lipuma, WT has grown to become a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called the top regional theatre in the nation by The Wall Street Journal. The company, which plays to a sold-out and discerning audience of more than 60,000 patrons each season, has garnered critical praise for the consistent high quality and intimacy of its artistry—providing the finest interpretations of both classic and contemporary theatre in its two intensely intimate venues. 

In February 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility. This established the company's first permanent home—a new theatre center in downtown Glencoe, designed by the award-winning, internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects, led by Founder and Design Principal Jeanne Gang, FAIA, in collaboration with Theatre Consultant Auerbach Pollock Friedlander. The new facility has allowed the Theatre to continue to grow to accommodate its audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy. The new facility resonates with and complements the Theatre’s neighboring Glencoe community, adding tremendous value to Chicagoland and helping to establish the North Shore as a premier cultural destination.

Find Writers Theatre on Facebook at Facebook.com/WritersTheatre, follow @WritersTheatre on Twitter or @Writers_Theatre on Instagram. For more information, visit www.writerstheatre.org.

NEXT FRIDAY: One Night Only Staged Reading of All New Feminist Play "Reap The Grove" March 15th at The Den Theatre

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

REAP THE GROVE

By Caity-Shea Violette

One night only staged reading of an all-new feminist play

Directed by Julie Proudfoot

March 15, 2019 - 7:30 PM 

**Winner of the 2017 Artemisia Fall Festival**

Staged reading of dramedy REAP THE GROVE set for Friday, March 15 at The Den

Caity-Shea Violette’s play of a family of women reconnecting in the face of a life-altering decision was the winner of the 2017 Artemisia Fall Festival

Caity-Shea Violette’s heartbreakingly funny new play is a riveting story about a family of women struggling to reconnect as they react to an unexpected end-of-life decision. This new dramedy was the winner of Artemisia’s 2017 Fall Festival of new plays, earning it this staged reading. Artemisia’s Founding Artistic Director Julie Proudfoot will direct the reading, to be performed at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee, on Friday, March 15 at 7:30 pm.

In REAP THE GROVE, Sandra and Nan have a loving marriage, estranged daughters and a very special problem.  Sandra has decided to end her life on her own terms following a terminal diagnosis.  She summons her two daughters, Judith and Beckah, home to spend her final days with them.  REAP THE GROVE examines this family of women authentically, fearlessly and with a big dose of smart humor.  

Proudfoot’s cast for the reading includes Denise Hoelfich  (Compass Theatre’s WHAT WE’RE UP AGAINST) as Sandra; Justine Serino (of productions with The Gift, Silk Road Rising and many others) as Nan; Tina El Gamal (I CALL MY BROTHERS with Interrobang) as Beckah; and Elisabeth Del Toro (SHE KILLS MONSTERS with The Cuckoo’s Theater Project) as Judith.

Playwright Caity-Shea Violette is a Chicago native currently pursuing her MFA in playwriting at Boston University. She will return to Chicago for this one-night-only reading and participate in a post-reading discussion led by director Julie Proudfoot.  Violette has been working closely on the script with Proudfoot, who is a story analyst for HBO Films and Fremantle Media in addition to her work as a stage director and actress. Violette says, “Artemisia will be a powerful home to nurture this story and further empower me to push my artistic bravery to new heights to discover and honor each layer of these four women."

REAP THE GROVE is another example of Artemisia’s mission to find and develop dynamic and empowering new plays with compelling female characters who have agency, independence, and are the focal point of their own narratives. The company’s development process includes its annual Fall Festival, in which new scripts each year are given public readings; a close collaboration between Artistic Director Proudfoot and the playwright on a developmental workshop with audience discussion of each festival’s winner the following year; and a culminating fully-staged production of that play with a multi-week run the year after that.  Artemisia will stage the Midwest Premiere of SWEET TEXAS RECKONING by Traci Godfrey, winner of Fall Festival 2016, from June 7-30, 2019 at The Den.

Tickets for REAP THE GROVE are $15 and are now on sale at www.artemisiatheatre.org. 

CAITY-SHEA VIOLETTE (playwright) is a Chicago-based playwright and actress. Her national award-winning work has been seen in Washington D.C., New York City, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Toronto, Denver, and Chicago. She holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Minnesota, Duluth and is a graduate of the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists. Caity-Shea is currently pursuing her MFA in playwriting at Boston University and is passionate about exploring trauma, invisible disabilities, and gender-based violence, by creating new work for women.

Caity-Shea’s awards and recognition include: National Award Winner of the 2019 Susan Glaspell Playwriting Festival, Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival New Play Competition (National Finalist), The Kennedy Center's National Partners of the American Theatre Playwriting Excellence Award (Winner), Shakespeare's Sister Playwriting Fellowship (National Semi-Finalist), InspiraTO Playwriting Contest (Winner), Kennedy Center’s Irene Ryan Acting Competition (National Finalist), Kennedy Center's David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award (National Semi-Finalist), Kennedy Center's National Ten-Minute Play Competition (National Finalist, National Semi-Finalist), Kennedy Center's John Cauble for Outstanding Short Play (Regional Runner-Up). More information available at www.caitysheaviolette.com. 


JULIE PROUDFOOT (Director) As Founder and Artistic Director, Julie is the vision behind Artemisia, selecting the plays that are featured each season in the annual fall festival and developing and directing the theatre’s premiere productions.  An actor, director and producer, Julie is proud to be part of the amazing Chicago Theatre community and make the city home to Artemisia.  Julie’s work as an actor was most recently seen on NBC’s popular series CHICAGO MED, and as a performing understudy in TimeLine’s outstanding production of A SHAYNA MAIDEL. Julie has also acted with Shakespeare Project of Chicago, Equity Library Theatre, Nebraska Rep and Artemisia, among others, and has numerous Off-Broadway and regional theatre credits.  Julie is a story analyst for HBO Films and Fremantle Media and has extensive experience developing, directing and producing new work.




The Den Theatre
1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
All seats $15.00
More info & tickets at http://artemisiatheatre.org/plays/



ABOUT ARTEMISIA: A CHICAGO THEATRE
Founded in 2011, Artemisia, A Chicago Theatre is a professional, not-for-profit theatre that produces all-new, dynamic and empowering plays that center on women who have agency, independence, and are the focal point of their own narratives, to create gender parity both onstage and off. Each season, Artemisia produces its Fall Festival of new play readings as well as fully staged productions of new plays it has developed. Artemisia is a 501 c 3 organization and, as such, relies heavily on public support to fund theatre that promotes equality and social justice for all women and girls.  

Artemisia Gentileschi was a Baroque artist whose paintings depicted violence with fierce honesty and elegance. For centuries after her death, her art was attributed to men. Feminist curators in the late 1970’s rediscovered Artemisia, who is now considered the greatest female painter prior to the modern period. A common theme in Gentileschi’s later work is women in moments of power, or triumph, which is why she is the perfect namesake for Artemisia.

OPENING: CHICAGO PREMIERE OF ADMISSIONS AT THEATER WIT MARCH 21-MAY 12, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

WHITE LIBERALS FORCED TO DEFEND THEIR

WHITE PRIVILEGE IN 

ADMISSIONS

THEATER WIT TO PRESENT CHICAGO PREMIERE OF JOSHUA HARMON’S NEW CONTEMPORARY SATIRE, 

MARCH 21-MAY 12

Racial diversity in private schools. College apps and quotas. White liberal guilt. Playwright Joshua Harmon takes aim at all of this along with political correctness of all kinds in his newest play, Admissions.

Theater Wit, Chicago’s “smart art” theater, is excited to announce it will present the Midwest premiere of Admissions, Harmon’s hilarious and scathing family drama, sure to press audience members’ buttons as it tackles hallowed, yet thorny, contemporary issues, skewering them with Harmon’s signature humor and satiric wit.

Performances are March 21-May 12, 2019: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at
8 p.m.; Sunday at 3 p.m. Press opening is Monday, April 1 at 7 p.m. No show April 4.

Theater Wit is located at 1229 N. Belmont Ave., in the Belmont Theatre District in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. Tickets start at $12 and go on sale February 4. For tickets and information, visit TheaterWit.org or call the Theater Wit box office, (773) 975-8150.

Meet Bill and Sherri Mason, the headmaster and head of admissions respectively of Hillcrest, a second-tier New Hampshire boarding school. When this very liberal, very progressive couple arrived 15 years ago, the student population at Hillcrest was 94 percent white. Deeply committed to diversity, Sherri has boosted the number of students of color from six to 18 percent, a figure she still considers embarrassingly low.

However, Bill and Sherri’s dedication to diversity is put to the test when their son Charlie, an outstanding Hillcrest student who has dreamed of attending Yale since he was a child, learns his application has been deferred.

Complicating matters, Charlie’s classmate and best friend Perry, whose father is African-American, has been admitted to Yale even though his academic and extracurricular achievements are nowhere near Charlie’s.

Convinced that Yale based its decisions on race, Charlie claims to be a victim of reverse discrimination. And as their son lashes out, Sherri and Bill are forced to examine just how far their commitment to diversity goes. Are they true disciples? Or total hypocrites.

When Admissions premiered last year at Lincoln Center Theater, The New York Times called it “an extraordinarily useful and excruciating satire - of the left, by the left, for the left - for today.”

The Hollywood Reporter pegged Harmon’s newest play as “a smart, provocative drama with a rich vein of humor that pulls the rug out from under liberal white America.”

Indeed, Admissions is funny, sharp-witted, devastating and shockingly blunt, much like Harmon’s earlier plays Bad Jews, the most successful production in Theater Wit history, which ran an unprecedented eight months in 2015, and Significant Other, a Wit co-production with About Face Theater in 2017.

Admissions is also seductive - and, perhaps, controversial - as it splays open issues that have rarely been explored in the theater, at least not in Harmon’s comedic and biting manner.

"There's only one author who consistently makes me laugh helplessly and flinch in terror simultaneously. Joshua Harmon has done that to me twice now—first with Bad Jews and again when I read Admissions,” explains Jeremy Wechsler, Artistic Director at Theater Wit, who will also stage Wit’s production of Admissions. “Once again, Joshua’s immense compassion and wicked sense of humor is deployed to illuminate some of the key stresses of contemporary life: the intersection of diversity issues, white liberal guilt and privilege in education. His newest work is a keen satire, equally merciless and kind. As such, I hope Admissions sparks the same level of conversation that made our previous collaborations such deep, memorable experiences for our audience."

Theater Wit’s cast and production team for Admissions are to be announced.



About Theater Wit

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.

Currently on stage at Theater Wit is the company’s acclaimed co-production of Will Eno’s The Realistic Joneses with Shattered Globe Theatre, now through March 9. Try and keep up with the Joneses as they muddle through the small beauties, immense fears, and amazing moments of each day. Time is short but there are gift certificates to enjoy, tiny fireworks to light and another perfect summer evening to take for granted. “Very Funny! ★★★ Director Jeremy Wechsler’s production grounds the flightier aspects of the play in a Chicago-style reality,” wrote the Chicago Tribune. “★★★1/2 Sublime! Endless profundity (and marvelous wit),” said the Chicago Sun-Times.

To purchase tickets, a Theater Wit Membership or to inquire about Flex Pass options, visit TheaterWit.org or call the Theater Wit box office, 773.975.8150.

Biographies



Joshua Harmon’s plays include Bad Jews (Roundabout Theatre Company), Significant Other (Roundabout Theatre Company; Broadway/Booth Theatre), Admissions (Lincoln Center Theater); Ivanka (staged readings across the country on Election Eve, 2016) and Skintight (Roundabout Theatre Company). Bad Jews is one of the most produced plays in the United States of the last few years and has received international productions in Australia, Canada, Germany, Israel, South Africa and London’s West End, following sold-out runs at Theatre Royal Bath and the St. James. Fellowships include the MacDowell Colony, Atlantic Center for the Arts, and NNPN. Harmon is an associate artist at Roundabout Theatre Company and under commission from Manhattan Theatre Club. He is a graduate of The Juilliard School. 




Theater Wit’s 2015 hit production of Harmon’s Bad Jews (which featured, from left)
Laura Lapidus, Ian Paul Custer and Erica Bittner. Credit: Charles Osgood



Jeremy Wechsler (director) most recent directing credits at Theater Wit include Will Eno’s The Realistic Joneses, Eric John Meyer’s The Antelope Party, Mitchell Fain’s This Way Outta Santaland, Anne Washburn’s 10 Out of 12, and Mat Smart’s Naperville. Other directing credits include the company’s election night reading of The Trump Card by Mike Daisey, The New Sincerity by Alena Smith, The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence by Madeleine George, Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon, Mr. Burns, a post-electric play by Anne Washburn, Madeline George’s Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England, and that show’s summer remount at Art Square Theatre in Las Vegas. Wechsler also staged Wit’s acclaimed Completeness and The Four of Us (Itamar Moses), Tigers Be Still (Kim Rosenstock), This (Melissa James Gibson), Spin (Penny Penniston), Feydeau-Si-Deau (Georges Feydeau), Men of Steel (Qui Nguyen), Thom Pain (Based on Nothing) (Will Eno), Two for the Show (James Fitzpatrick and Will Clinger) and The Santaland Diaries. A veteran director in Chicago with over 50 productions, his work has been nominated for and won multiple awards for design, performance, adaptation and best new plays.