LOST REALMS: IMPROVISED MUSICALS FROM BEYOND VIA OTHERWORLD THEATRE Every Friday Starting March 3, 2023

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

OTHERWORLD THEATRE ANNOUNCES CAST, DETAILS FOR “LOST REALMS: IMPROVISED MUSICALS FROM BEYOND”

A Different Genre Musical Performance Every Friday 

Starting March 3, 2023

Otherworld Theatre Company, the premier science fiction and fantasy production company in North America, today announced casting and details for its brand new recurring improvised musical show, LOST REALMS: IMPROVISED MUSICALS FROM BEYOND. Opening March 3, 2023, the show is performed every Friday night at 10 p.m., with no two performances the same.

Each week, LOST REALMS visits a different genre of sci-fi and fantasy, transforming audience suggestions into an entirely original full-length musical packed with comedy, drama, otherworldly spectacle, and epic melodies, featuring live music from in-house band The Lost Band.

Creator and director Keenan Camp has deep experience in the Chicago musical theatre and improv scenes, having performed in productions including THE VERSE: AN IMPROVISED FIREFLY STORY and WHOPROV: IMPROVISED DOCTOR WHO, as well as co-writing and directing ALL THAT JAWS! A SHARKTASTIC MUSICAL, the musical adaptation of cinema classic JAWS. Most recently, Camp has been using his show RIFF: CHICAGO’S MUSIC IMPROV PARTY at iO Theater as a vehicle to teach improv and musical skills to aspiring performers. 

“I don’t believe there’s any type of comedy or theatre out there that’s more difficult to do than an improvised musical. Not only are the performers responsible for creating the plot, characters, and dialogue as they go, but they’re also creating lyrics, melodies, and harmonies all on the spot,” said Keenan Camp, creator and director of LOST REALMS: IMPROVISED MUSICALS FROM BEYOND. “Otherworld has offered us a great opportunity to showcase the profound talents of the LOST REALMS cast, letting us really dive deep into some niche areas of sci-fi and fantasy, all through a musical lens.”

The cast of LOST REALMS rotates from week to week, and includes Austin Packard, Barb Jackson, Ben Hebert, Carlos Rivera, Christian Torres, Cosmo Coniglio, Derek Demkowicz, Hayley Karlson, Hugh Walker, Jono Mammel, Kaitlyn Nibbelin, Kimberly Perry, Lily Ludwig, Margaret Hunsicker, and Will Nicholson. 

LOST REALMS: IMPROVISED MUSICALS FROM BEYOND opens March 3, 2023, and is performed every Friday at 10 p.m. at Otherworld Theatre (3914 N. Clark St.) before being streamed on Otherworld’s YouTube page. Each performance is approximately 90-100 minutes with one intermission. Tickets are $20, with some Pay-What-You-Can tickets available for each performance. Tickets are available online at www.otherworldtheatre.org. 

ABOUT OTHERWORLD THEATRE COMPANY

Otherworld Theatre Company (3914 N. Clark St.) was founded in 2012 to bring a theatrical experience to the science fiction and fantasy genre. The Company’s work celebrates the depth of human imagination by engaging spectators in high quality storytelling. Otherworld Theatre Company stages original works in its pay-what-you-can Chicago, Illinois venue, presents virtual programming online, and produces immersive Live-Action Role Playing events through its partner company, Moonrise Games. For more information: www.otherworldtheatre.org.

More Fun Otherworld Shows On Our Radar:

REDTWIST THEATRE ANNOUNCES THE CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM FOR JACQUELINE GOLDFINGER’S BABEL, MARCH 23 – APRIL 30, 2023

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Redtwist Theatre Presents

Jacqueline Goldfinger's dark comedy 

Babel

MARCH 23 – APRIL 30, 2023

Redtwist presents the winner of the Smith Prize For Political Theater and the Generations Award, the dark comedy Babel, written by Jacqueline Goldfinger and directed by Redtwist Associate Artistic Director Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary, March 23 – April 30, at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. I'll be out for the press opening on March 26th, so check back soon for my full review.

Redtwist Theatre, currently presenting the world premiere of The Great Kahn through February 26, announces the second production of its 2023 season, Babel, written by Jacqueline Goldfinger and directed by Redtwist Associate Artistic Director Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary, March 23 – April 30, at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. The current running time is 90 minutes with no intermission. Previews are Thursday, March 23 - Saturday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. 

The performance schedule is Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for previews and $40 for all other performances with student, military and senior discounts available at RedtwistTheatre.org or by emailing reserve@redtwist.org.

Jacqueline Goldfinger’s Babel paints a dystopian society in the not-so-distant future. Provocative and unsettling, Babel follows two couples as they try to get pregnant in a world in which eugenics is the reality. This dark comedy explores the value society places on a child, on one’s free will and the future generations of the human race. Goldfinger dares to ask questions that press the audience to think deeply about what is really important: our imperfect humanity or the progression of a perfect society? How far are we willing to go and what is the cost of perfection?

Babel Cast includes:

First row: (L to R) Monique Marshaun and Shannon Leigh Webber

Second Row: (L to R) Michael Sherwin and Soleil Pérez

The cast of Babel includes Monique Marshaun (she/her/hers, Renee); Shannon Leigh Webber (she/her/hers, Dani); ensemble member Michael Sherwin (he/him/his, Jamie) and Soleil Pérez (she/her/hers, Ann).

The current creative team of Babel includes Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary (she/her/hers, director); Eileen Dixon (she/her/hers, assistant director); Haley Willits (she/her/hers, dramaturg); Jonathan Berg-Einhorn (he/him/his, scenic designer); Jeff Brain (he/him/his, property designer and technical director); Kathleen Gardin (she/her/hers, costume designer); Cat Davis (she/her/hers, lighting designer) and Jake Sorgen (he/him/his, sound designer).

Babel playwright Jacqueline Goldfinger

ABOUT JACQUELINE GOLDFINGER, playwright

Jacqueline Goldfinger (she/her/hers/them/they/theirs) is a playwright, librettist, poet and dramaturg who grew up in rural North Florida with a love of music and storytelling. Today, they are an artist who seeks out unique collaborations, working across disciplines to create singular works of theater and opera. They began their career as a teaching artist and teaching/mentorship is still a significant part of their process.

Babel director Redtwist Associate Artistic Director Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary

ABOUT RINSKA CARRASCO-PRESTINARY, director

Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary (she/her/hers) is a Dominican-American who is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and Gray Talent Group. Carrasco-Prestinary’s previous Redtwist credits include: Isaac’s Eye, Death Tax and Between Riverside and Crazy. Other credits include Firefly Love (Something Marvelous); The River Ride (Halcyon) with other past selected production credits: Taming of the Shrew (assistant director, Barbara Gaines, director, Chicago Shakespeare) and Romeo and Juliet (directing intern, Marti Lyons, director, Chicago Shakespeare). When she is not directing you can catch her being silly with her baby. 

ABOUT REDTWIST THEATRE

Redtwist is an award-winning theatre company that stages up close and personal contemporary dramas annually in its intimate black box theatre housed proudly within the heart of Edgewater’s Bryn Mawr Historic District.

Intimate performances at Redtwist are designed to place the theatre patron in the midst of the stories being told, making them accessible and riveting. Redtwist strives for excellence with every project and proactively endeavors to take risks while offering opportunities for up-and-coming actors, designers and directors to work with established talent. Redtwist provides the very best Chicago storefront theatre experience from excellence on stage, to warm hospitality in a clean, friendly environment.

REVIEW: MEN ARE FROM MARS – WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS LIVE! Now Playing Chicago's Broadway Playhouse Through February 19, 2023

 MEN ARE FROM MARS – WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS LIVE!

RETURNS TO CHICAGO

FOR A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT

BROADWAY PLAYHOUSE AT WATER TOWER PLACE

February 14 - 19, 2023

“First-person, funny domestic tales and retro stand-up comedy based on The New York Times best-seller.”

- THE NEW YORK TIMES

REVIEW:

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

T'was the night after Valentine's Day when I headed out to see MEN ARE FROM MARS – WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS LIVE! for the first time, with my husband of 22 years. When I sprung the surprise on him, that we were going to a show at Broadway Playhouse, he might have rolled his eyes and sighed a bit, but he got dressed up and joined me without too much grumbling. If less than enthused about attending a play, he was happy to discover the fully stocked lobby bar. Live shows pair well with alcohol, and many reluctant attendees of all genders can be more easily persuaded to relax and have fun outside their comfort zone, with drinks in hand. 

As the lights dimmed, Ryan Drummond opened with, "You've noticed I'm not Amadeo Fusca. He's on a shoot with Robert De Niro and will be back tomorrow." Still, even with an understudy, the audience was in capable hands for this one man show. It's not every night you get to spend the evening with a Baywatch boy and the original voice of  “Sonic The Hedgehog”. Ryan Drummond went on to kill it, and provide a laughter fueled, enjoyable evening for all. 

At one point he called for an audience poll by applause, on how many couples there had been together 0-10 years, 10-20, 20-30, and over 30. I was so impressed at the ever increasing clapping, even in the 30+ years together demographic. Over the years, my husband and I have invented a macabre, tongue in cheek game we call "The Last Couple Standing", a real life reality show/dark comedy where we've seen the vast majority of our friends' relationships and marriages implode and dissolve. Just when I though we were a few divorces away from winning it all, it seems we have more competition for "The Last Couple Standing" than I'd imagined, and they were ALL at the Broadway Playhouse in a post Valentine's Day glow. 

For the past 25 years I've managed to entirely avoid the infamous Mars/Venus book and the stage show, but FOMO (fear of missing out) finally got the better of me and I went to see first hand why the 1992 book has sold in excess of 50 million copies, been translated into 40 different languages, and is one of the most recognizable titles in the world. 

My husband played into the "Martian Man" mythos, checking the score of the hockey game enroute to the show and at intermission, promptly forgetting the specifics of what he found hilarious, being minimalist about clothes, excelling at Tetris skills applied to packing boxes, and embracing a world view aimed at fixing things and problems without complex layers of nuance. Many of the stories and anecdotes were spot on for him. 

I've never been a girlie girl though, and the "Venutian" stereotypes mostly missed their mark for me. The tired tropes about women taking a long time to prep to go out, turning down free street parking for a $55 garage space to avoid wrecking a hairdo, getting overly emotional, etc. just didn't apply. And the neurotrash junk science... Wow. Just wow! 

Several taped cameos by book author, John Gray, about male and female differences in blood flow to the brain and gender based dopamine versus serotonin depletion were just cringeworthy. They almost veered into the realm of parody, but he was so earnest and so many millions are swallowing this swill as gospel truth, that I just can't quite find it credible or even funny.

During the pandemic, Gina Rippon, an actual female neuroscientist, published a book of her own, "The Gendered Brain", debunking Gray's myths on our collective grey matter. Rippon says, "I was trying to dispel the stereotypical myths that men are ‘left-brained’ — logical, rational and good at spatial tasks — and women are ‘right-brained’ — emotional, nurturing and good at verbal tasks. We’re not from Mars or Venus (to quote relationship counsellor John Gray’s 1992 book), we’re all from Earth! I assumed that people would thank me and just move on, but it caused an absolute furor and gave me early exposure to media backlash."

Christina Odone in the The Daily Telegraph in London wrote that Rippon's theory “smacks of feminism with an equality fetish”. She was described as the “poor scientist … who was so wrapped up in her work she hadn’t noticed that men and women are different”. She was even called a “grumpy old harridan”.

Neuroscientist Gina Rippon continues, "The book was well received by those who understood that I was not a sex-difference denier and not arguing for all culture and no biology, and that I wanted to comprehend the entangled relationship between sex and gender. But, unsurprisingly, it was not so well received by those who didn’t understand this." 

While the actual female neuroscientist's 2019 book was panned, Gray followed up his 1992 "MEN ARE FROM MARS – WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS" with 17 MORE books and has become a media darling and one of the most trusted relationship authors today, appearing on the national lecture circuit and on such TV shows as “Good Morning America,” “Oprah” and “Larry King Live.”

So... it seems our society has some 'splainin to do, and more than a passing vested interest in perpetuating biology based differences between the sexes! Maybe that would make a fascinating follow up stage show. *Read more about "The Gendered Brain" here (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-03782-6).

So, back to my review of MEN ARE FROM MARS – WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS LIVE! Were there tired tropes, junk science, and outmoded gender stereotypes? Sadly yes. Was it funny as hell? Also a resounding yes. After all, in his play "No Exit", Jean-Paul Sartre did infamously say "Hell is other people." 

Despite the pseudoscience, anyone who can get my theatre averse spouse laughing that hard and often is a winner in my book. Whether you 100% buy into author John Gray’s differences between the sexes from a quarter of a century ago, treat it like a period piece, or go to see how far we've evolved on gender as a construct, check it out. If it leads to more laughter, leeway, and love in audience relations, then who am I to hate on this hit. MEN ARE FROM MARS – WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS LIVE is a fun way to spend a few hours with friends or significant others, and plays like a casual night out with an extra funny friend. Recommended.

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, artist, and Mama to 2 amazing adults. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly). 

Off-Broadway hit comedy MEN ARE FROM MARS – WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS LIVE! returns to Chicago for the fifth time since 2014 to play eight performances at Broadway In Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse (175 E. Chestnut) from February 14, 2023 through February 19, 2023. Ticket prices range from $59 - $69. Individual tickets are available at www.BroadwayInChicago.com. 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.

MEN ARE FROM MARS – WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS LIVE! is a one-man fusion of theatre and stand-up, and is a light- hearted theatrical comedy based on the New York Times #1 best-selling book of the last decade by John Gray. Moving swiftly through a series of vignettes, the show covers everything from dating and marriage to the bedroom.

ABOUT MEN ARE FROM MARS – WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS LIVE!

After beginning in Paris in 2007, Men are From Mars–Women are From Venus LIVE! has been seen by more than one million people around Europe. It debuted in the United States in February 2013 in Raleigh, North Carolina and will be playing to audiences around the United States and Canada throughout the year.

This hysterical show will have couples elbowing each other all evening as they see themselves on stage. Sexy and fast paced, this show is definitely for adults, but will leave audiences laughing and giggling like little kids!

When Mars and Venus collide, the adventures are earth-shatteringly hysterical. It's a great recipe for a night out: a little storytelling blended with some comedy and a dash of sage wisdom from the book. A delicious evening of entertainment! 

Producer, St. Louis based Emery Entertainment has produced or promoted thousands of events around the globe, including superstar attractions Blue Man Group, David Copperfield and James Taylor.

The talented team assembled for this production continues with the award winning playwright Eric Coble, direction by Broadway veteran Mindy Cooper, and animation & video production by the talented animators at Bazillion Productions.

TICKET INFORMATION

Individual ticket prices range from $59 - $69. Current Broadway In Chicago subscribers can add the show to their packages by calling 312-977-1717. 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 details, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Tuesday, February 14 at 7:30 pm Wednesday, February 15 at 7:30 pm Thursday, February 16 at 7:30 pm Friday, February 17 at 7:30 pm Saturday, February 18 at 2 pm Saturday, February 18 at 7:30 pm Sunday, February 19 at 2 pm Sunday, February 19 at 6:00 pm.

Ryan Drummond 

Born in Ohio, raised in Michigan, and now based in San Francisco, CA, Mr. Drummond is an actor, singer, juggler, mime instructor, and voiceover artist who feels that variety is the spice of a career. He has been performing his whole life, but is most proud of the fact that he has made a living exclusively in “the biz” since 1994. Remember 1994? Cell phones first started, “Pulp Fiction” was in movie theaters, “Friends” was in its first year on television? What a wild ride that lead us all here tonight! 

​A graduate of Eastern Michigan University with emphases on Theatre Arts and Psychology,  Mr. Drummond has been in a world premiere play written by Aaron Sorkin ("The Farnsworth Invention"), made three albums with his acappella quartet ("The A.Y.U. Quartet"), became a certified trainer of Polish and French mime, juggled for orcas and otters at Sea World of San Diego, harmonized mid-ocean on Regency Cruise Lines, tried to audition for  "Pippin" and didn't make the cheer squad in the movie Bring It On, nearly had his nose blown off by a confetti cannon in Kauai, Hawaii (hi ho the glamorous life!), appeared in many commercials (including one where Pat Sajak signed his forehead with a sharpie on the set of Wheel Of Fortune), made his national television debut on BAYWATCH alongside David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson, and was the original voice of  “Sonic The Hedgehog” in millions of videogames across the world for Sega Gaming Corp.

Mr. Drummond is a member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and AGVA, and distinctly remembers reading "Men Are From Mars. Women Are From Venus" as he was taking the train from JFK airport to Manhattan to appear on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" back in December of 1998. Almost 2 decades later, here he is to tell you all about it! 

Amadeo Fusca will return to the role from February 16th on.

Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Amadeo has now performed Men are From Mars Women are From Venus Live! in over 60 cities, over 30 states and in front of 70,000 people and counting. 

In 2013, he won the legendary Friars Club "So You Think You Can Roast?" competition beating out 55 other comedians roasting 80s child star Ricky Schroeder and NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman in the process. As the winner, Amadeo was among the dais to roast Jack Black along with comic legends such as "Roastmaster" General Jeff Ross, Sarah Silverman, Amy Schumer, Bob Saget, Jerry Lewis and more! Amadeo's success at the roast landed him two quotes in Entertainment Weekly's funniest jokes of the event. 

In addition to his theatrical comedy, Amadeo can also be seen in various television and film productions including: Princess Cut on HBO MAX, NCIS on CBS, That Damn Michael Che on HBO MAX, Marvel's Daredevil on Netflix, Boardwalk Empire on HBO, The Holiday Dating Guide on Lifetime, Almost Family on FOX and As the World Turns on CBS. Upcoming in 2023, you can catch him as Lucky Luciano in the new Robert De Niro film Wise Guys directed by Barry Levinson. He currently jumps back and forth between New York and Los Angeles auditioning, writing and performing his new hit character World Renowned Conductor Salvatore Giovanni. 

For more information, please visit his website at www.amadeofusca.com, follow him on Instagram and to access his credit score his Social Security number is 180-54-3...

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and, over the past 22 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.

COVID-19 PROTOCOL

Masks are recommended for all audience members. 

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Follow Broadway In Chicago: Facebook @BroadwayInChicago ● Twitter @broadwaychicago ● Instagram @broadwayinchicago ● #broadwayinchicago

The Chicago Premiere of Is God Is Via A Red Orchid TheatreApril 6 – May 28, 2023

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

A RED ORCHID THEATRE PRESENTS

THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF

IS GOD IS

BY ALESHEA HARRIS

DIRECTED BY MARTI GOBEL

 April 6 – May 28, 2023

A Red Orchid Theatre presents the Chicago Premiere of Is God Is by Aleshea Harris, directed by Marti Gobel. Is God Is runs April 6 – May 28, 2023 at A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N Wells in Chicago. The press performances are scheduled for Saturday, April 15 at 3:00pm and 7:30pm. Single tickets for Is God Is will go on sale on Monday, March 6 at www.aredorchidtheatre.org.

When twins Racine and Anaia receive a letter from the mother they thought was dead, they swear to avenge her — and themselves — with blood. Their “mission from God” spans from the Dirty South to the California desert, from hip-hop to Afropunk, from ancient tragedy to the Spaghetti Western. Winner of the 2016 Relentless Award and the 2018 Obie Award for Playwriting, Is God Is asks us to consider the roots and futility of cyclical violence, and to question ourselves for wallowing so happily in stories that traffic in it.

Dates:            

Previews: April 6 – 14, 2023

Press Performances: Saturday, April 15 at 3:00pm and 7:30pm

Opening: Sunday, April 16, 2023

Regular Run: April 20 – May 28, 2023

 

Schedule:        

Thursdays:     7:30 p.m.

Fridays:          7:30 p.m. 

Saturdays:      3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.  

Sundays:        3:00 p.m.  

 

Location: A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells St.

Tickets: $15-$25 previews, $30-$40 regular run. ($30 Thurs, $35 Fri & Sat Matinee, $40 Sat evening & Sun matinee) 

Box Office: Located at 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago, (312) 943-8722; or online www.aredorchidtheatre.org

 

Ticket Information

FLASHPASS subscribers enjoy ticket flexibility and exchanges, additional ticket discounts, and reserved seating. The Two-show FLASHPASS is $70 and includes one ticket to each of the 2 shows in our 30th Season, excluding Opening Night.  The Preview FLASHPASS is $50 and includes one ticket to a preview performance of each of the 2 shows in our 30th season. 

FLASHPASSES and individual tickets may be purchased online at www.aredorchidtheatre.org. 

A Red Orchid Theatre remains grateful for the support of our board, donors, and loyal audience who continue to champion our ambitious and powerful storytelling. And we welcome you to join our Red League, Founders Circle, or Orchid Visionary members. These philanthropic leaders foster the development of raw and relevant work: creating a platform for our talented Ensemble to reach new audiences, and ensuring that we remain a source for honest, compassionate, and aesthetically rigorous theatre. To learn more, please contact Individual Giving Coordinator Stephanie Shum at stephanie@aredorchidtheatre.org or 312-943-8722.

 

COVID-19 Policies

A Red Orchid will no longer check vaccination status for entry. We do follow the community masking guidelines recommended by Chicago Department of Public Health and CDC Community Risk Levels as outlined below (https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/covid-19/home/covid-dashboard.html).

When Community Risk Level is HIGH (Red)- high quality masks required indoors and in large groups.

When Community Risk Level is MEDIUM (yellow) - Masks are strongly recommended indoors and in large groups. If you are immunocompromised or at higher risk, consider wearing a mask at indoor public settings where vaccination status is unknown.

When Community Risk Level is LOW (green)- masks are optional. If you are immunocompromised or at higher risk, consider wearing a mask at indoor public settings where vaccination status is unknown.

These policies are subject to change based on guidance provided by the CDC, as well as local and state public health authorities. A Red Orchid is grateful for our community’s cooperation in keeping our audiences, artists, and employees safe.

  

About A Red Orchid

A Red Orchid Theatre has served as an artistic focal point in the heart of the Old Town community of Chicago since 1993 and was honored with a 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Over the past 30 years, its Resident Ensemble has welcomed into its fold an impressive array of award-winning actors, playwrights, and theatre artists with the firm belief that live theatre is the greatest sustenance for the human spirit. A Red Orchid is well known and highly acclaimed for its fearless approach to performance and design in the service of unflinchingly intimate stories.  

A Red Orchid Theatre is: Karen Aldridge, Lance Baker, Kamal Angelo Bolden, Dado, Mike Durst, Myron Elliott-Cisneros, Jennifer Engstrom, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Joseph Fosco, Steve Haggard, Levi Holloway, Mierka Girten, Larry Grimm, Karen Kawa, Karen Kessler, Travis A. Knight, Danny McCarthy, Shade Murray, Brett Neveu, Sadieh Rifai, Grant Sabin, Steve Schine, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen, Doug Vickers, and Natalie West.  

THE MOUNTAINTOP Via Invictus Theatre Company February 16-19 Through March 19, 2023

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Katori Hall’s 

THE MOUNTAINTOP

Directed by Aaron Reese Boseman

Reginald Vaughn Theater, 1106 W. Thorndale, Chicago

Katori Hall’s THE MOUNTAINTOP is a fictional play that vividly reimagines the final night of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., before his assassination in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. Aaron Reese Boseman (director of Invictus’s 2020 production of A RAISIN IN THE SUN) will direct the two-hander. His cast will include Mikha’el Amin (previously known as Michael Lewis, and seen at Invictus as Marc Antony in JULIUS CAESAR, Laertes in HAMLET, and Walter Lee Younger in A RAISIN IN THE SUN) as Dr. King, and Ny’ajai Ellison (Ruth Younger in Invictus’s A RAISIN IN THE SUN) as Camae, a mysterious and beautiful maid who delivers a room service order to him in room 306 of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Understudies are Brandon Boler as Dr. King; and Delysa Richards and Monique Marshaun as Camae. THE MOUNTAINTOP will be performed in the company’s Reginald Vaughn Theater at 1106 W. Thorndale Avenue, in Edgewater. I'll be out for the press opening February 20th so check back soon for my full review. Following previews from February 16-19. It will play through March 19, 2023.

Top row left-right: Mikha'el Amin, Ny'ajai Ellison.

Lower row left-right: Brandon Boler, Monique Marshaun, Delysa Richards.

In the evening after Dr. King has delivered his sermon, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,”  King comes into contact with Camae, who delivers his room service order and strikes King's attention immediately. The beginning interactions between the two are filled with flirtation and humor, but through the night their conversation slowly progresses to something much deeper, forming a connection and understanding between the two. The conversation focuses on the fight for civil rights and reaches the climax when Camae reveals her true intentions for walking into King's motel room that night.

THE MOUNTAINTOP premiered at Theatre503 in London in 2009, then transferred to the West End, where it won the Olivier Award for Best New Play in 2010. It later opened on Broadway in October 2011 to critical acclaim in a production starring Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett. THE MOUNTAINTOP will be produced at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles from June 6 – July 9, 2023.

The production team for THE MOUNTAINTOP, in addition to Boseman as director, will include Kevin Rolfs (Set Designer), Ivy Treccani (Props Designer), Marquecia Jordan (Costume Designer/Wardrobe Supervisor), Warren Levon (Sound Designer), Michael N.J. Wright (Lighting Designer), Jay Donley (Fight/Intimacy Designer), Susan Gosdick (Dialect Coach), DJ Douglass (Projectionist), Todd Henry Faulstich (Production Manager), Donica Lynn (Assistant Director), Gabrielle Rooney (Stage Manager), and Charles Askenaizer (Artistic Director). Steve Nordmark is Box Office/Front of House Manager.

As the second play in Invictus’s season exploring the theme “Rhetoric and Groups,” Boseman is “excited to analyze the humanity and strip away the iconography of a beloved giant in an extraordinary circumstance.”

Invictus Theatre Company has, over its six-year history, built a reputation for intimate and honest interpretations of classics with fidelity to the original texts and close attention to character development. Invictus opened its 2022-23 season with JULIUS CAESAR, which Angela Allyn of CHICAGO STAGE AND SCREEN called “shattering and absolutely current.”

The company’s extraordinarily successful 2021-22 season included Askenaizer’s direction of HAMLET, which Albert Williams of the CHICAGO READER called “storefront Shakespeare at its best.” The Jeff Award recommended RUINED, directed by Ebby Offord, was described by NEW CITY’s Ted Fishman as “a treasure to hold on to.” Kathy Hey of THIRD COAST REVIEW said Askenaizer’s WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (also Jeff Recommended) was “raw, tragic, and unforgettable.”

Tickets for THE MOUNTAINTOP are available now at www.invictustheatreco.com. The production is partially sponsored by The Michael and Mona Heath Fund, The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The Saints, the Illinois Arts Council, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) and The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.

February 16 – March 19, 2023

Previews: February 16 – 19, 2023.

Press Opening: February 20, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. 

Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays 7:00 p.m., Sundays 3:00 p.m.

Reginald Vaughn Theater, 1106 W. Thorndale, Chicago

Ticket prices: Previews $25. Regular run: General admission $35, students (with valid student ID) and seniors $30. www.invictustheatreco.com

A gripping reimagination of events the night before the assassination of the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On April 3, 1968, after delivering one of his most memorable speeches, an exhausted Dr. King retires to his room at the Lorraine Motel while a storm rages outside. When a mysterious stranger arrives with some surprising news, King is forced to confront his destiny and his legacy to his people.

Invictus Theatre company is honored to have received 13 nominations in the 2023 Non-Equity Jeff Awards, announced on January 31.

Our Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Ruined were both nominated for outstanding production of a play, director of a play, performances by performers in principal roles of a play, performers in supporting roles of a play, and scenic design. Virginia Woolf was also nominated for Ensemble of a Play.

If you haven't yet seen Invictus Theatre Company in action, here's your chance to check out the work of this rising young company.

BIOS

Aaron Reese Boseman (Director) is a Chicago native and a graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Direction and Acting. He directed Invictus’s acclaimed 2020 production of A RAISIN IN THE SUN and is a Jeff Award nominated actor, Black Excellence Award and Black Theatre Alliance Award nominated director and designer. Boseman, an adjunct professor at Columbia College Chicago, is also co-founder and artistic director of Pulse Theatre Chicago.

Directing credits include IN THE BLOOD, THE COLORED MUSEUM, FABULATION, OR THE RE-EDUCATION OF UNDINE, and A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE.  THE TIGER WHO WORE WHITE GLOVES (eta Creative Arts Foundation), THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT, S'KIN, THE PHILADELPHIA (Columbia College Chicago), AMERICAN SON (Ghostlight Theatre), NT. WRTH: MIXTAPE VOLUME I, Film Series, and upcoming DETROIT '67 (Columbia College Chicago-Mainstage).

Selected regional acting credits include BLUE HEAVEN (Black Ensemble Theater), BIG RIVER (TATC), SHREK THE MUSICAL (Windy City Performs), IN THE HEIGHTS (The Miracle Center, SLATE), VIOLET, BALM IN GILEAD (Griffin Theatre and Loyola University), GOLDEN BOY, DO RE MI (Porchlight Music Theatre), RENT (CCC), and LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Skylight Music Theatre and Citadel Theatre).

Katori Hall (Playwright) is a Pulitzer Prize and Olivier Award-winning playwright and television creator/producer hailing from Memphis, Tennessee. A two-time Tony Award nominee, she won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play, THE HOT WING KING, which she will soon direct for the first time at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre in early 2023. She is currently the showrunner and Executive Producer of the Starz drama series, P-VALLEY, which she adapted from her stage play PUSSY VALLEY. The critically acclaimed and record-breaking series returned for its second season on June 3, 2022.

For Broadway, she most recently wrote and produced the hit musical, TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL, based on the life of the iconic performer, receiving two Tony Award nominations for her work as both playwright for ‘Best Book of a Musical’ and as producer in the ‘Best Musical’ category. For the musical’s acclaimed West End production, she also received an Olivier nomination for ‘Best New Musical.’

Charles Askenaizer (Artistic Director) graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Theatre and Communications. He has worked professionally in Chicago as an actor, director, and teacher for over 10 years. Recent directing credits for Invictus Theatre include JULIUS CAESAR, HAMLET, WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF (Jeff Recommended), THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, and OTHELLO: THE MOOR OF VENICE. Additional credits include readings with Chicago Dramatists, 'NIGHT, MOTHER (Associate Director-Invictus Theatre), TITUS ANDRONICUS (Bare Knuckles Theater), JULIUS CAESAR (Associate Director- Brown Paper Box), TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (Reutan Collective), and THE DIFFERENCE (Reading-Piccolo Theatre). Charles has worked with Citadel Theatre, Teatro Vista, the Artistic Home, City Lit, Raven, Brown Paper Box, Chicago Dramatists, the Side Project and many more.

 

ABOUT INVICTUS THEATRE COMPANY

At Invictus Theatre Company, our mission is to create theater that promotes a better understanding of language: its poetry, its rhythm, its resonance; through diverse works by diverse artists. We respect the power of heightened language: spoken, written, sung; to express the breadth of the human condition. We work to harness the power of language: to promote diversity, to engender respect, to foster collaboration; and to empower our communities to share their voices.

Invictus Theatre Company incorporated in January 2017 and received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in February 2017. A diverse group of Chicago actors and directors founded Invictus with the vision to empower their communities through theatrical productions of heightened language. We are committed to the idea that our productions should reflect the communities we represent, and, to that end, we are committed to non-discriminatory hiring practices. In working with local artists, designers, and production teams, Invictus Theatre Company does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, nationality, citizenship, religion, or any other status protected by law.

Kristoffer Diaz Recipient of the 2022 Blue Ink Award for “Things With Friends”

 American Blues Theater names Kristoffer Diaz 

the recipient of the 2022 Blue Ink Award 

for his play “Things With Friends”

 

Kristoffer Diaz; credit by Christopher Boudewyns

American Blues to host festival reading of the winning script

and feature three finalists:

Audrey Cefaly, Victor Lesniewski, and Gloria Majule.

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, announces the recipient of the 2023 Blue Ink Award is Kristoffer Diaz for his play Things With Friends. As part of the award, Diaz receives a $2,500 cash prize, a staged reading at American Blues Theater, and the opportunity to further develop his script with American Blues Theater.

A staged reading of Things With Friends will be presented this August as part of the 2023 Blue Ink Playwriting Festival, along with new work by finalists Audrey Cefaly (Trouble), Victor Lesniewski (Cold Spring), and Gloria Majule (Uhuru). Details for 50 playwrights named in the 2023 Blue Ink Award are at AmericanBluesTheater.com. Information about the staged reading, including dates and tickets, will be announced at a later date.   

2023 Blue Ink Award winner Kristoffer Diaz notes, “It's truly an honor to receive this year's Blue Ink Award. Wendy Whiteside and American Blues have been an important part of my career dating back to before I even really had a career to speak of. It's fantastic to come full circle. Even though my life and work are based on the east coast these days, I'm proud to consider myself a Chicago playwright.”

“We are thrilled to announce Kristoffer Diaz as the 2023 Blue Ink Award winner,” notes Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside. “Diaz’s voice resonates through every page. He has the ability to surprise through character descriptions and actions, word choice, punctuation, and reveals details only as needed.”

About Things With Friends

Manhattan. Burt and Adele are hosting a dinner party. Steak is on the stove. The George Washington Bridge has collapsed into the Hudson. Kristoffer Diaz has written a play about it. I've already said too much. 

About Kristoffer Diaz

KRISTOFFER DIAZ is a playwright, librettist, screenwriter, and educator. His play The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Other full-length titles include Welcome to Arroyo’s, Reggie Hoops, Hercules, and The Unfortunates. His work has been produced, commissioned, and developed at The Public Theater, Dallas Theater Center, Geffen Playhouse, ACT, Center Theatre Group, The Goodman, Second Stage, Victory Gardens, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival, among many others. Awards include the Guggenheim, Jerome, Van Lier, NYFA, and Gail Merrifield Papp Fellowships; New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award; Lucille Lortel, Equity Jeff, and OBIE Awards; and the Future Aesthetics Artist Regrant, among others. As a screenwriter, Kristoffer has developed original television pilots for HBO and FX, written for the first season of Netflix’s GLOW, and adapted the musical Rent for FOX. Kristoffer teaches playwriting at New York University. He is an alumnus of New Dramatists and a member of its Board of Directors, and the current secretary of the Dramatists Guild Council.

 

Blue Ink 2023

About the Blue Ink Award for playwriting

The nationally-renowned Blue Ink Award was created in 2010 to support new work. Since inception, American Blues Theater has named 13 Blue Ink Award winners, 129 finalists, and 203 semi-finalists. Nearly $10,000 in cash and prizes will be distributed to playwrights in 2023.

Each year American Blues Theater accepts worldwide submissions of original, unpublished full-length plays. The winning play will be selected by Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and the theater’s Ensemble. The 2023 winning playwright receives a monetary prize of $2,500. Cash prizes are awarded to finalists and semi-finalists too.  All proceeds of the administrative fee are distributed for playwrights’ cash prizes. 

Submissions for the 2024 Blue Ink Playwriting Award open August 1, 2023. All submissions must be received by American Blues Theater by August 31, 2023 at 11:59pm. Playwrights may only submit one (1) manuscript each year for consideration.

About American Blues Theater

Winner of the American Theatre Wing’s prestigious 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.  As of 2023, the theater and artists received 226 Joseph Jefferson Awards and nominations that celebrate excellence in Chicago theater and 44 Black Theatre Alliance Awards. The artists are honored with Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize nominations, Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Emmy Awards and numerous other accolades.  

TimeLine Theatre to open 2023-24 season with Chicago premiere production of THE LEHMAN TRILOGY, 2022 Tony Award Winner for Best Play SEPTEMBER 19 – OCTOBER 29th, 2023

SAVE THE DATES:

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

TimeLine Theatre to open 2023-24 season with Chicago premiere production of 

THE LEHMAN TRILOGY

2022 Tony Award Winner for Best Play

BY STEFANO MASSINI, ADAPTED BY BEN POWER, CO-DIRECTED BY NICK BOWLING AND VANESSA STALLING

PRESENTED AT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO’S BROADWAY PLAYHOUSE AT WATER TOWER PLACE, SEPTEMBER 19 – OCTOBER 29 

 

Pictured (from left): Playwright Stefano Massini, adapter Ben Power, and co-directors Nick Bowling and Vanessa Stalling.

TimeLine Theatre Company is pleased to announce that its Chicago premiere production of the internationally acclaimed and Tony Award-winning play THE LEHMAN TRILOGY by Stefano Massini, adapted by Ben Power, will open the company’s upcoming 2023-2024 season.

Co-directed by TimeLine Associate Artistic Director Nick Bowling and Vanessa Stalling, THE LEHMAN TRILOGY will run September 19 – October 29, 2023 at Broadway In Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago. Opening Night is Wednesday, September 27 at 7:30 p.m. Casting for THE LEHMAN TRILOGY, plus details of the three other productions planned for TimeLine’s 2023-2024 season, are still to be announced.

“TimeLine is elated to create a new production of the monumental play THE LEHMAN TRILOGY,” said TimeLine Artistic Director PJ Powers. “Tailor-made for TimeLine’s mission of exploring history, the theatrical ambition of this play is thrilling, yet told in an astonishingly simple way, utilizing only three actors. The opportunity for Nick Bowling and Vanessa Stalling to envision a new production specifically for Chicago audiences is an honor—as is the furthering of our relationship with Broadway In Chicago, with whom we partnered on another epic Tony Award-winning play, Oslo, in 2019.”

Told in three parts over one evening, THE LEHMAN TRILOGY is the quintessential story of western capitalism, rendered through the lens of a single immigrant family. On a cold September morning in 1844, a young man from Bavaria stands on a New York dockside dreaming of a new life in the new world. He is soon joined by his two brothers, and an American epic begins. 163 years later, the firm they establish—Lehman Brothers—spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy, triggering the largest financial crisis in history. Weaving together nearly two centuries of family history, this theatrical event charts the humble beginnings, outrageous successes, and devastating failure of the financial institution that would ultimately bring the global economy to its knees.                      

TimeLine’s production of THE LEHMAN TRILOGY is its Chicago premiere. The Italian theatre production had its world premiere in 2015 at the Piccolo Teatro in Milan, directed by the late Italian theater innovator Luca Ronconi. THE LEHMAN TRILOGY made its English-language debut in London on July 12, 2018 at the National Theatre's Lyttelton Theatre. On October 14, 2021, the play opened on Broadway. Both the London and Broadway premieres were directed by Sam Mendes.                 

Throughout its production history, THE LEHMAN TRILOGY has been met with extraordinary international acclaim. The Guardian proclaimed it “a kaleidoscopic social and political metaphor” and “an intimate epic about the shifting definition of the American Dream.” The Chicago Tribune praised it as “a masterwork” and The New York Times as “a vivid tale of profit and pain.” Vanity Fair raved that it is “true blockbuster theatre that will hold you captive until the final curtain call,” with Time Out New York saying “it leaves you dazzled.” And the Wall Street Journal declared that THE LEHMAN TRILOGY “surpasses all praise.”                                       

THE LEHMAN TRILOGY received five 2022 Tony Awards, including Best Play, plus Drama League and Outer Critics Circle awards, and was nominated for five Laurence Olivier Awards, including Best New Play.

 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE AND LOCATION

TimeLine’s Chicago premiere of THE LEHMAN TRILOGY begins performances on Tuesday, September 19. Opening Night is Wednesday, September 27 at 7:30 p.m. Performances run through October 29, 2023 at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago.

The performance schedule is Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m., Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. (also 2 p.m. matinees on October 4, 11, and 25), Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (except no 7:30 p.m. on October 8, 15, and 29).

 

BUYING TICKETS

The best way to secure seats to THE LEHMAN TRILOGY is to purchase a 2023-2024 TimeLine FlexPass Subscription. Four different tiers of 4-Admission FlexPasses, priced from $119 - $275, will go on sale soon (specific date to be announced). The three other productions of TimeLine’s 2023-2024 season are still to be announced. For more information, call (773) 281-8463 x6 or visit  timelinetheatre.com.

THE LEHMAN TRILOGY will be part of the upcoming Broadway In Chicago season on sale in Spring 2023. Individual tickets for THE LEHMAN TRILOGY will go on sale in July 2023 (specific date to be announced). Group tickets for 10 or more are now on sale by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710. For more information, visit  or  timelinetheatre.com.



ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Stefano Massini (Playwright) is an internationally renowned novelist and playwright who regularly contributes to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica. For several years he has served as artistic consultant at Piccolo Teatro di Milano - Teatro d'Europa. His works, including The Lehman Trilogy, have been translated into 27 languages, and his plays have been performed in more theaters around the world than those of any other living Italian writer, produced as far afield as Iran and Korea, and staged by directors such as Luca Ronconi and Sam Mendes. His most acclaimed works, beyond The Lehman Trilogy, include Intractable Woman, a decades-long international success; Ladies Football Club, which premiered to wide acclaim in Spain; and 7 Minutes, hailed by LeMonde as a "masterpiece" at the Comédie Française. He has won numerous Italian awards, including the Premio Vittorio Tondelli and the Premio Ubu. Qualcosa sui Lehman (The Lehman Trilogy) was among the most acclaimed novels published in Italy in recent years and won the Selezione Campiello Prize, the Super Mondello Prize, the De Sica Prize, the Prix Médicis Essai and the Prix Meilleur Livre Stranger. He is currently creating a new multi-part play about the history of the atomic bomb, entitled Manhattan Project.

Ben Power (Adapter) is a writer for theatre and the screen. For the last 12 years he has worked at the National Theatre as associate director and deputy artistic director and was responsible for the temporary theatre The Shed. Work for the screen includes Munich: The Edge of War and The Hollow Crown (BAFTA nominations for Best Single Drama and Best Mini-Series). Work for the stage includes adaptations of DH Lawrence’s Husbands & Sons, Euripides' Medea and Ibsen’s Emperor & Galilean, all for the National; A Tender Thing for the RSC and Complicite’s A Disappearing Number (Olivier and Evening Standard Awards). He was associate director of Headlong where he adapted Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author and Marlowe’s Faustus. He is currently creating a television series for Working Title and is published by Faber & Faber.

Nick Bowling (Co-Director) was the founding Artistic Director and is now Associate Artistic Director and a Company Member of TimeLine Theatre, where he has directed more than 30 productions. He is the recipient of eight Jeff Awards for Outstanding Direction (The History Boys, The Normal Heart, Fiorello!, This Happy Breed, and The Crucible at TimeLine, Ragtime at Marriott Theatre, Sondheim on Sondheim at Porchlight Music Theatre, and Another Part of the Forest at Eclipse Theatre) and also received Jeff Award nominations for Oslo, Blood and Gifts, The Farnsworth Invention, Hauptmann, and The Lion in Winter at TimeLine; Closer Than Ever at Porchlight Music Theatre; and The Sound of Music, City of Angels, The King and I, and Man of La Mancha at Marriott Theatre. Other recent credits at TimeLine include the Chicago premiere of J.T. Rogers’ Oslo at Broadway In Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse, Campaigns, Inc.; Master Class; The Audience; A Disappearing Number; The Last Wife; and Blood and Gifts. Other Chicago credits include Marriott’s Oliver! and The Bridges of Madison County, Paramount's A Christmas Story, Northwestern University’s Guys and Dolls and Cabaret, Porchlight’s A Catered Affair, Writers Theatre's Bach at Leipzig, and Shattered Globe Theatre's Time of the Cuckoo and Frozen Assets.

Vanessa Stalling (Co-Director) returns to TimeLine, where she previously directed the sold-out, extended production of A Shayna Maidel. She is the director and adaptor of the Jeff Award-winning play United Flight 232. Stalling was the Associate Artistic Director of Redmoon Theater in Chicago, a Michael Maggio Fellow at Goodman Theatre, and has been recognized as one of “The Fifty People Who Really Perform” for Chicago by Newcity magazine. Recent productions include Fen at The Court Theatre, The Great Leap at Asolo Rep, and Roe at the Goodman. She is also the Head of Directing at the University of California San Diego.

ABOUT TIMELINE’S CURRENT 2022-2023 SEASON 

Now playing at TimeLine Theatre is the world premiere of Boulevard of Bold Dreams by LaDarrion Williams, a Los Angeles-based playwright new to Chicago audiences, directed by Malkia Stampley. Set on the night in 1940 that Hattie McDaniel made history at the Oscars, this is a story of dreamers striving to overcome considerable obstacles and fighting for recognition amidst the racism and inequity of Hollywood. Performances run through March 19. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (773) 281-8463 x6 or visit timelinetheatre.com.

Following Boulevard of Bold Dreams, TimeLine has added an exciting fourth production, the first Chicago-based production of What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck, directed by Helen Young, May 10 – June 24, 2023. 

ABOUT TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY

TimeLine Theatre Company, recipient of the prestigious 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, was founded in April 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues. Currently celebrating its 26th season, TimeLine has presented 85 productions, including 12 world premieres and 39 Chicago premieres, and launched the Living History Education Program, which brings the company's mission to life for students in Chicago Public Schools. Recipient of the Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence and the Richard Goodman Strategic Planning Award from the Association for Strategic Planning, TimeLine has received 58 Jeff Awards, including an award for Outstanding Production 11 times.

The company has long been bursting at the seams of its current leased home located at 615 W. Wellington Avenue in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood, where the theatre has been in residence since 1999. In December 2018, TimeLine announced the purchase of property at 5033-35 North Broadway in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood to be the site of its new home. Plans feature an intimate black box theater seating up to 250 audience members, expanded area for the immersive lobby experiences that are a TimeLine hallmark, new opportunities for education and engagement, room to allow audience members to arrive early and stay late for theatergoing experiences that extend far beyond the stage, and more. TimeLine is working with HGA as architect for its new home project, which is expected to be completed in 2024.

TimeLine is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers, Executive Director Mica Cole, and Board President John Sterling. TimeLine Company members are Tyla Abercrumbie, Will Allan, Nick Bowling, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Behzad Dabu, Charles Andrew Gardner, Lara Goetsch, Juliet Hart, Anish Jethmalani, Mildred Marie Langford, Mechelle Moe, David Parkes, Ron OJ Parson, PJ Powers, and Maren Robinson.

Major corporate, government and foundation donors providing season support via TimeLine’s Annual Fund include: Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation; Crown Family Philanthropies; Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation; Laughing Acres Family Foundation; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; The MacArthur Fund for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at Prince; National Endowment for the Arts; Polk Bros. Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; Van Dam Charitable Foundation; and Walder Foundation. TimeLine also acknowledges the support of a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events and a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

For more information, visit timelinetheatre.com or Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (@TimeLineTheatre).

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 22 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 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, James M. Nederlander Theatre, Auditorium Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place. 

For more information, visit BroadwayInChicago.com or Facebook (@BroadwayInChicago), Twitter (@broadwaychicago), and Instagram (@broadwayinchicago), and #broadwayinchicago.