Category: PLAY STATUS – EVENT
House Theatre: The Magic Parlour extends to open-run
The House announces an Open-Ended Run of The Magic Parlour
Originally intended to be a one-night-only benefit for The House Theatre of Chicago, The Magic Parlour has already proven to be so successful that The House is producing the show as Chicago’s only weekly late-night magic show!
Dennis Watkins, a third-generation magician, currently performs his one-man comedy magic show for corporate events and colleges all across the country. The performance contains some of his favorite pieces of magic, alongside some brand new routines in an hour-long show packed with mind-reading, levitations, escapes, and a ridiculous new adaptation of the classic “Card Stab” during which Watkins climbs inside of a fully inflated 7 foot balloon!
The show, intended for an audience of approximately 50, is hugely interactive. Guests of The Magic Parlour will participate by having their minds read, offering every day objects such as money, rings, or watches to be used as props, and even performing unexpected miracles through out the show.
The downstairs cabaret at The Chopin offers the perfect setting for this slightly timeless, quirky and unique event. With its comfortable seating, intimate stage and off-beat décor, the cabaret is the perfect venue for this style of magic.
Beer and wine are served before and after the performance.
When I was a kid my grandfather was my teacher. This show is a collection of some of the magic we developed together over the years. It’s also sprinkled with tidbits of his magical wisdom and some material he’s never seen, but would have really loved. It’s light, it’s fun, and it’s totally mind-boggling,” says Watkins.
WHEN: Every Friday night at 10:30 pm – STARTING SEPTEMBER 10
WHERE: The Chopin Theatre: 1543 W. Division, Chicago, IL
TICKETS: $25, available online at www.thehousetheatre.com or via phone at 773.769.3832
The Magic Parlor: An intimate evening of classical magic with Dennis Watkins
More info at www.thehousetheatre.com
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Next Theatre announces their 30th-Anniversary Season
Scene from last season’s “The War With the Newts” ★★★½
Next Theatre announces their
30th-Anniversary Season
Next Theatre Company announces their 30th anniversary season, complete with three main stage plays receiving their Midwest premieres, along with their What’s Next Series focusing on new Chicago artists. All productions, plus the What’s Next Series, are presented at Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes Street in Evanston.
Main Stage Shows
November 4 – December 5, 2010
| The Piano Teacher | |
| Written by Julia Cho Directed by Lisa Portes |
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| Midwest Premiere | |
| When the sweet, cookie loving Mrs. K, the epitome of the caring grandmotherly piano teacher, reaches out to her old students, she discovers a chain of startling secrets that she can no longer keep hidden inside her piano bench. With breath-taking theatricality and stunning language, Julio Cho takes us on a journey of discovery that brings international responsibility into the sanctity of our family kitchen. | |
January 20 – February 20, 2011
| Madagascar | |
| Written by J.T. Rogers Directed by Kimberly Senior |
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| Midwest Premiere | |
| Director Kimberly Senior and internationally recognized playwright J.T. Rogers, the pair who brought you The Overwhelming, team up again to offer audiences another gripping thriller. In the same hotel room overlooking the Spanish steps in Rome, three Americans across three different moments in time find themselves alone. A sister, a mother and a family friend grapple with loss, regret, and the nature of truth. Using his trademark cunning insight and grippingly eloquent characters, J.T. Rogers weaves a haunting story about the mysterious disappearance of a loved one, and the unexpected consequences that bring a family closer together. | |
April 14 – May 8, 2010
| The Metal Children | |
| Written by Adam Rapp Directed by Joanie Schultz |
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| Midwest Premiere | |
| What responsibility do artists have for the impact of their work? Provocative New York playwright and Pulitzer Prize finalist Adam Rapp offers a powerful portrait of small-town censorship and the American divide over family values in his newest play fresh from a sold-out Off-Broadway run, The Metal Children. A gifted New York writer attempts to defend his young adult novel to the same small American town hell bent on banning his work, causing an explosive encounter from which no one in the small Midwestern town will recover. | |
Tickets
All tickets for Main Stage shows are $20 – $40 with subscriber and student discounts available. Tickets may be purchased at nexttheatre.org or by calling 847-475-1875 x2.
After the fold (click on “Read more”):
- 30th Anniversary Season new programming
- “What’s Next Series” schedule
- “What’s Next” Lab
- Panel Discussions
Dean Evans in last season’s “Magical Exploding Boy” ★★★
Chicago Shakespeare announces 2010-2011 Season
Taming of the Shrew, performed in the Courtyard Theater through June 2010
Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces their
2010-2011 Season
As Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) finishes the run of its acclaimed world-premiere family musical The Emperor’s New Clothes (our review ★★★½) this month, it looks forward to the season ahead. Further information for all of the productions listed below is available on the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com or by calling the CST Box Office at 312.595.5600.
Mainstage Shows
September 15–November 21
| Romeo and Juliet | |
| By William Shakespeare Directed by Gale Edwards In the Courtyard Theater |
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| Opening the 2010/11 Subscription Series, world-renowned Australian director Gale Edwards stages William Shakespeare’s iconic romantic tragedy in her CST debut. Edwards, whose work has been seen at the Royal Shakespeare Company and in theaters across America, has assembled a talented ensemble including Canada’s Dora Award winner Jeff Lillico and Joy Farmer-Clary in the title roles. CST veterans returning for Edwards’ production include: Ora Jones, last seen in Twelfth Night (our review ★★★½), as Nurse; Brendan Marshall-Rashid, who delivered Richmond’s memorable final soliloquy in Richard III (our review ★★★★), as Paris; Judy Blue as Lady Capulet; Steve Haggard as Benvolio; and David Lively as Friar Laurence, who previously played King Henry IV in CST’s Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, marking the Theater’s debut at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2006. An award-winning creative team joins Edwards for this landmark production, including Scenic Designer Brian Sidney Bembridge, Costume Designer Ana Kuzmanic, Lighting Designer John Culbert, Original Music and Sound Designer Lindsay Jones, Wig and Makeup Designer Melissa Veal, Properties Master Chelsea Meyers, Fight Director Rick Sordelet and Verse Coach Barbara Robertson. | |
 Jeff Lillico and Joy Farmer-Clary will play the title roles in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Romeo and Juliet from September 15–November 21, 2010. Photo by Peter Bosy. |
January 5 – March 6, 2011
| As You Like It | |
| By William Shakespeare Directed by Gary Griffin In the Courtyard Theater |
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| CST Associate Artistic Director Gary Griffin directs Shakespeare’s beloved pastoral comedy set in the magical Forest of Arden. This season marks Griffin’s ten-year anniversary with CST, an illustrious history that includes his acclaimed CST Olivier and Jeff Award-winning Sondheim musicals and productions of Private Lives (review ★★★) and Amadeus. | |
April 13 – June 12, 2011
| The Madness of George III | |
| By Alan Bennett Directed by Penny Metropolus In the Courtyard Theater |
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| The three-play Subscription Series concludes with The Madness of George III by Olivier and Tony Award-winning playwright Alan Bennett (The History Boys). This masterpiece of royal intrigue about a monarch’s slide into insanity will be directed by Penny Metropolus, whose work has been seen for nearly two decades at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The production marks Metropolus’ return to CST, where she staged The Two Gentlemen of Verona in 2000. | |
World’s Stage and CST Family
Below the Fold: World’s Stage productions from Scotland and Ireland, and a CST export to Australia. Additional CST Family programming includes an abridged Shakespeare production and family concerts.
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Adventure Stage Chicago announces 2010-2011 Season
Adventure Stage Chicago Announces 2010-2011 Season
for Young Audiences
Adventure Stage Chicago (ASC) proudly announces their 2010-2011 season for young audiences, comprised of three thrilling plays making their Chicago debuts: a moving Holocaust drama, an action-packed magical adventure and a comedic physical theater event.
October 30 – Dec. 9, 2010
And a Child Shall Lead by Michael Slade
Directed by ASC Producing Artistic Director Tom Arvetis
Chicago Premiere!
| Thirty miles outside Prague lies the city of Terezin, a Nazi-described "Jewish ghetto" and makeshift way station for millions of people awaiting transfer to death camps. Amid such bleak surroundings, a group of courageous children create stories, music, poetry, drawings, plays, puppets, and even an underground newspaper to craft a dream world of hope and beauty in a place where neither exist. Incorporating actual poems and other writings recovered from Terezin after the war, this exquisite play explores the strength, optimism and extraordinary resilience at the core of the human spirit. Recommended for ages 11 and older.
Performance Schedule:
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March 19 – April 16, 2011
Sinbad: The Untold Tale by Charles Way
Directed by Amanda Delheimer
U.S. Premiere!
| Ittifaq, the pampered daughter of famed sailor Sinbad of the Seven Seas, bristles under her father’s overprotective care and longs for an adventure of her own. Young Sinbad, an orphaned porter, lives on the streets and relies on his clever wit to survive. The two meet by chance just before a bitter sorceress casts a poison cloud over the city of Baghdad. Rendered sick by the witch’s curse, the elder Sinbad bids his daughter and the porter to set sail in search of the poison’s antidote. On their quest, the unlikely duo form a reluctant bond as they encounter good and evil genies, daring swordfights, magic boats and flying carpets. But can Sinbad and Ittifaq defeat the sorceress in time, or will their beloved city be destroyed forever? Recommended for ages 9 and older.
Performance Schedule:
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May 3 – May 21, 2011
500 Clown Nose
- A co-production between Adventure Stage Chicago and 500 Clown Theater
- Created by 500 Clown Theater, conceived by Adrian Danzig and directed by Paola Coletto
| World Premiere! | |
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Experience 500 Clown’s signature mix of high physicality, raw emotion and powerful storytelling with content accessible to an all-ages audience. In 500 CLOWN NOSE, three clowns stumble into a quagmire and soon find themselves jailed in a barren landscape. Their attempts at escape encompass slapstick mishaps, vaudevillian turns, clown acts and daring physical feats. Their desperate search for a way out relies on ingenuity and resilience. When they find the exit, freedom comes at the price of leaving the fun world they’ve created. Featuring 500 Clown founder Adrian Danzig with Timothy Heck and Lea Pascal.
Performance Schedule:
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Tickets for all shows are $17.00 for adults, $12.00 children aged 14 and under, $10.00 previews and $8.00 school groups. Other group discounts available. Passport to Adventure subscriptions are available beginning in mid-September. For tickets or more information, call (773) 342-4141 or visit www.adventurestage.org.
All shows are performed at Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble St., in the heart of Chicago’s West Town neighborhood. Street parking is available, and the theater is close to the Noble St. stop on the #56 Milwaukee bus line and the Division stop on the CTA Blue Line. The theater is wheelchair accessible.
Each Adventure Stage Chicago production presents weekday performances primarily for school groups, as well as weekend matinees for the general public. Every performance includes a post-show audience talkback with the cast.
Raven Theatre announces 2010-2011 Season
Raven Theatre announces
A Season With The Masters
Williams, Wilson, Chekhov
Producing Artistic Director Michael Menendian and Co-Artistic Director JoAnn Montemurro announce Raven Theatre’s 2010/2011 Season, which includes Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams, Radio Golf by August Wilson and The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov. Each story illuminates intimate, personal conflicts amidst massive cultural shifts, whether it is within the family unit, the local African American community or the entire nation. (more info at the Raven Theatre website)
October 17 – December 19, 2010
| Cat on a Hot Tin Roof | |
| Written by Tennessee Williams Directed by Michael Menendian |
| Big Daddy’s birthday brings out the true colors of the wealthy Pollitt family. At the heart of the story is Maggie, the beautiful daughter-in-law, who struggles with a lack of emotional honesty from her husband, Brick, and with the judgment of Brick’s brother and his wife. Lies, deception, false loyalty, and greed play characters as big as Big Daddy himself in one of Williams’ most loved dramas. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1955 and was made into a major motion picture in 1958. |
February 27 – April 9, 2011
| Radio Golf | |
| Written by August Wilson Directed by Aaron Todd Douglas |
| Radio Golf, written in 2005, was August Wilson’s last play before his untimely death (August 2005). It is also the final chapter in The Pittsburgh Cycle. In this stirring drama an Ivy League educated entrepreneur, Harmond Wilks, and his banking executive friend plan to convert a blighted neighborhood into an expansive shopping mall. Their ultimate goal is to use Wilks’ success as a developer to leverage him into becoming Pittsburgh’s first African American mayor. It’s a dirty political business that includes back room deals and zoning loop holes. When they discover that a building cited for demolition has a history that affects their heritage, these two modern men are forced to get in touch with their past. Radio Golf won the 2007 New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play. |
June 5 – July 23, 2011
| The Cherry Orchard | |
| Written by Anton Chekhov Directed by Michael Menendian |
| Chekhov’s last play tapped the history of his own family’s home and the fall of the aristocracy. In The Cherry Orchard, the Ranevsky family is facing financial ruin, largely due to the spendthrift ways of the family matriarch and her devotion to a parasitic lover. The family attempts to come up with a solution so that the estate won’t be sold, but none of the plans lead to action. | |
Character Dynamics
The dynamics that define the characters in these plays are similar to those that drive our own lives today. Williams’ masterpiece, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, centers on the legacy of Big Daddy’s enormous wealth, which was amassed by exploiting cheap labor to create one of the largest plantations in the South. Radio Golf, August Wilson’s final work in his ten-play cycle about the Black culture in Pittsburgh, delves into the ambitions of the rising middle class in pursuit of their American Dream. In the genteel comedy The Cherry Orchard, foreclosure of an estate threatens a family’s way of life that has remained unchanged for decades.
Photo from last seasons critically acclaimed Death of a Salesman (our review)
Photo from last season’s critically-acclaimed Twelve Angry Men. (our review)
American Blues announces 25th-Anniversary Season
announces its
* 25th-Anniversary Season Productions *
Includes the regional premiere of Rantoul & Die by Mark Roberts (“Two and a Half Men”) and the new annual Blue Ink Playwriting Contest.
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Pictures from most recent production, critically-acclaimed Tobacco Road |
November 26 – December 31, 2010
| It’s a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph! | |
| Directed by Marty Higganbotham In the Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln, Chicago Featuring ABT Ensemble members Kevin Kelly, Ed Kross, John Mohrlein and Gwendolyn Whiteside |
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| From the original director and Ensemble that brought this holiday tradition to Chicago in 2004. Join the American Blues family as we take you back to a 1940s radio broadcast of Frank Capra’s holiday classic It’s a Wonderful Life, with live Foley sound effects, an original score, and a stellar cast of seven that bring the entire town of Bedford Falls to life. From the moment you walk through the doors, you will be transported back to the Golden Age of Radio, and experience the story of George Bailey like never before. Critics called this production “perfect Christmas theater” and “first class holiday fare.” |
March 2011
| American Blues – Collected One Acts | |
| by Tennessee Williams In the Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln, Chicago Directed by Dennis Zacek, Steve Scott, Brian Russell, Damon Kiely and Heather Meyers |
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| This one-night benefit performance celebrates American playwright Tennessee Williams’ 100th birthday. These five short plays were selected by Williams’ in the rarely produced 1948 collection entitled “American Blues” to showcase his commitment to the blue-collar worker. ABT is thrilled to work with directors who have made significant contributions to the success and livelihood of the Blues’ Ensemble theater throughout the 25 years. ABT will announce the winner of the first annual “Blue Ink” Playwriting prize at this event. |
April 15 – May 29, 2011
| Rantoul & Die | |
| Written by Mark Roberts i/a/w Stephen Eich and Don Foster In the Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln, Chicago Directed by Erin Quigley Featuring ABT Ensemble members Kate Buddeke, Cheryl Graeff, and Lindsay Jones. With guest artists Steppenwolf Ensemble members Francis Guinan and Alan Wilder. |
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| From the writer and executive producer of “Two and a Half Men” comes a new play with four of the funniest, ugliest, and most heartbreakingly real characters ever, all crammed together in a grimy little world that makes the local Dairy Queen and Dante’s Inferno seem one and the same. The Hollywood reporter calls Rantoul & Die “original and devastatingly funny!” Regional premiere. |
| from Tobacco Road (our review ★★★) |
Collaboraction announces 2010-2011 Season
Collaboraction announces their 15th-Anniversary Season
* including their 11th annual SKETCHBOOK Festival *
From the critically-acclaimed 2005 production of Guinea Pig Solo
Anthony Moseley, Collaboraction’s executive and artistic director, has announced the line-up for the company’s 15th season to be staged in its entirety at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division Avenue:
September 13 – October 10, 2010
1001
World premiere by Jason Grote
Directed by Seth Bockley
The Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division Street
Seth Bockley takes the directing reins of the season’s first production, Jason Grote’s ambitious 1001, a wild time-bending re-imagining of The Arabian Nights. Interweaving Scheherazade’s tales with contemporary Manhattan, 1001 examines East and West in the post-9/11 world.
This Chicago premiere takes the audience on a surrealist politically charged, Monty Python-esque journey through the precarious world of the 21st Century.
March 21 – April 17, 2011
Guinea Pig Solo
By Brett C. Leonard
Directed by Anthony Moseley
The Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division
The season continues with Collaboraction’s revival of its 2005 critically acclaimed production of Guinea Pig Solo by Brett C. Leonard. The play is loosely based on Buchner’s “Woyzeck” and follows the difficult return to society of Iraq War veteran Jose Solo. The remount will feature Dale Rivera and Sandra Delgado reprising their original roles as Jose and Marie. (pics below are from the 2005 production)
Anthony Moseley directs the revival as part of the “The Woyzeck Project”, a collaborative exploration around Buchner’s seminal work anchored by full length productions by Collaboraction, About Face Theatre and The Hypocrites, as well as featuring short plays, visual art and film.
From the critically-acclaimed 2005 production of Guinea Pig Solo
Jun18 – July 3, 2011
11th Annual Sketchbook Festival
Collaboraction rounds out the season with the 11th-annual SKETCHBOOK Festival of short plays, visual art, video and music, also at the Chopin Theatre. Since 2000, this unique festival has provided an incredible platform for emerging and established playwrights, actors, directors, videographers, musicians, artists and more.
SKETCHBOOK is Collaboraction at its best: breaking down the walls that divide theater, music, visual art, video, and the internet. Selected from hundreds of submissions, SKETCHBOOK once again brings together the collective talents of more than 200 pioneering directors, designers, actors, musicians, and artists from Chicago and around the country for a jaw-dropping evening of creativity, experimentation, and celebration.
Flex Pass Tickets Now Available
Collaboraction’s season Flex Pass, which grants tickets to every performance of the 2010-2011 season, is now available. If subscribers miss a production, the tickets can be applied to any of the performances in the rest of the season. A four-pack of tickets is available for $75 and a 10-pack for $150. Reservations must be made in advance and tickets are subject to availability. To purchase a Flex Pass, call 312.226.9633 or go to collaboraction.org.
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Pictures from Sketchbook 9
About Face announces 2010-2011 Season, future plans
Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar Announces 15th Season
Including Three World Premieres, New Artistic Associates, and XYZ Festival
Celebrating the 15th anniversary of About Face Theatre, it looks like Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar and new Executive Director Jason Held have upped the ante for the start of their next 15 years. Included in the upcoming season is Float by Patricia Kane, Pony by Sally Oswald and The Homosexuals by Phillip Dawkins, are their second annual XYZ Festival of New Works,
About Face is excited to roll out our 15th anniversary with a season that examines individuals at the precipice of change,” says Bonnie Metzgar. “As our organization and society at large both make pivotal choices, this season looks at the risks and exhilarating possibilities available to us in periods of transformation.
October 2010
XYZ Festival
The XYZ Festival will introduce Chicago audiences to the most innovative LGBTQA artists and artworks at all stages of development. Presented over the month of October, projects will include a workshop production of TINY ROOMS by Carson Kreitzer, and new works from AFT About Face Artistic Associates Tanya Saracho and Patrick Andrews, as well as a performance lounge series featuring AFT Artistic Associate Dan Stermer’s performance art/dance trio Double DJ, curated by AFT Marketing Director Jane Beachy. From the hundreds of scripts received for the XYZ Readings Series, four new plays by acclaimed emerging playwrights round out the festival.
November 11 – December 12
Float
FLOAT, a new play written by About Face Theatre (AFT) Artistic Associate Patricia Kane and directed by 500 Clown founder Leslie Danzig with dramaturgy by Jessica Thebus. The all-female cast includes Wendy Robie, Adrianne Cury, Peggy Roeder, Rengin Altay and AFT Artistic Associate Amy Matheny. FLOAT will run from November 11 – December 12 at Theater Wit (1229 West Belmont).
April-May 2011
Pony
In April/May, About Face Theatre will present the world premiere of PONY by Sally Oswald, a play inspired by Georg Büchner, at the Chopin Theatre. Directed by Bonnie Metzgar, PONY will be featured as part of The Woyzeck Project, a city-wide festival hosted by About Face Theatre, The Hypocrites, and Collaboraction in which artists around the city will produce hybrid works inspired by the classic anti-war play. Set near the location of the famous murder scene in Woyzeck, PONY is a tale of shifting gender roles and the dangers of obsessive love.
June/July 2011
The Homosexuals
About Face Theatre will conclude its season in June/July with The Homosexuals by Chicago playwright Phillip Dawkins, starring Patrick Andrews at Victory Gardens Studio. The Homosexuals presents the interwoven lives, friendships, and relationships among six homosexual men over six years. Set at present time in a Midwestern city, Dawkins’ comedic and heartbreaking work examines the fears, doubts, and hope among the gay community in a 21st century perspective on the queer classic, The Boys in the Band.
About Face Theatre’s 15th Anniversary Season exemplifies how far the LGBTQ community has come from being defined by one issue to being seen as complex. In our 15 years, AFT has given voice to that changing dialogue around issues facing the queer community. As we move forward, we understand the need to bring the conversation around sexuality and gender to all people,” says Executive Director Jason Held.
Chicago Fringe Festival announces Pilsen play line-up
CHICAGO FRINGE FESTIVAL 2010
Pilsen Lineup and Venues, September 1st – 5th
The Chicago Fringe Festival has announced the complete lineup for its inaugural performing arts festival, slated for September 1st through the 5th in the Pilsen neighborhood. In the spirit of fringe festivals worldwide, 46 productions were selected by lottery from a total of 156 applicants. The final schedule will be released on August 1, 2010.
13 states will be represented at the uncensored festival, including New York, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Colorado and Nevada. In addition, 2 international productions will make an appearance at the festival, with works from Israel and Canada making their Chicago debut. All told, 198 performers will participate in this landmark event.
Local Chicago artists will have a strong showing at the festival, with many acts looking forward to performing for a hometown crowd. New Millennium Theatre Company will present a revival of The Texas Chainsaw Musical, directed by Artistic Director Chad Wise. Genesis Ensemble, a two-year-old performance collective, will present sweet, half-darkness.
"Pilsen’s vitality and connection to the arts made it a natural fit for the festival," says Executive Director and Founder, Sarah Mikayla Brown. "We’re excited to push both artistic and geographical boundaries as we introduce our audience to new works in what may be a new neighborhood to them."
Fringe Central
At the heart of the festivities will be Fringe Central, located near Racine and 18th Street. Live music, entertainment and outdoor exhibits will be accompanied by delicious food provided by local favorite Honky Tonk BBQ. "Fringe Central will be ground zero for participants and audience alike to kick back, relax, and enjoy thesights and sounds of Pilsen. We’re excited to provide a place where folks can share ideas, network and just enjoy good company," says Associate Producer Vinnie Lacey.
Fringe Central will also play host to the Chicago Fringe Preview Party on August 28, 2010. Attendees will get an early taste of festival offerings as selected performers preview their Chicago Fringe productions.
8 Venues
All eight venues have been announced, including the Chicago Art Department Gallery, Dream Theatre, Temple Gallery, EP Theater, Chicago Arts District Galleries, Casa Aztlan and Simone’s Bar. Six of the venues are non-traditional spaces, and the Festival is currently raising capital to ensure premium flooring, lighting, sound equipment and technicians are in place to transform each space into a premiere performance venue.
MidwestFringe Circuit
The Chicago Fringe Festival will also mark the last stop of the first annual MidwestFringe Circuit, featuring three other American fringe festivals: Kansas City, Minnesota and Indianapolis. Four productions from each festival were selected by lottery to tour all four cities.
Guarenteed production slots at the 2010 Chicago Fringe Festival:
LOCAL
- Shanna Shrum – Skinny Dipping – Not Your Mama’s One Woman Show!
- Timothy Mooney Repertory Theatre – Moliere Than Thou
- Lincoln Square Theatre – The Parenticide Club
- Shakura World Theatre – Columbine & Roses
- Piel Morena Contemporary Dance – Machito Pichon
- Rebecca Kling – Uncovering the Mirrors
- 2nd Story Theatre – Cabinalysis… or, Build Your Own Damn Cabin!
- Citadel Theatre Company – 5 Times 10 – A Collection of 10 Minutes Plays
- Les Enfants Terribles – Believe in Nothing, Mock Everything
- The Consortium Project – Knee-Jerk
- Megan Rhyme – Inner Cartography
- Ripettes Burlesque – The Ripettes Burlesque in… Peter Panties: A Neverland Burlesque
- Hubris Productions – Annee Pocalypse
- The Anatomy Collective – TBD – Untitled Anatomy Collective Project
- New Millenium Theatre – The Texas Chainsaw Musical
- No Small Productions – What To Expect
- Weber & Einstein – Please Love Me, High School Boyfriend
- Jason Economus – The Steve Show
- Genesis Ensemble – sweet, half-darkness
- Terra Mysterium – Finding Eleusis
- Patchwork Woman Performance – Bridges
- The Hollow Tree – Scenes of a Love Like Nature
- The Talking Cure – The Talking Cure Presents
NON-LOCAL
- Theater Undeclared – Grind: The Musical
- Swanderwoman Productions – Driving the Body Back
- No Snowcones Productions – That Greek Thing
- Jeff Kreisler & Up Top Productions – Get Rich Cheating
- Meddlin’ Productions – Girls and Dolls
- Adam Theater – Hansel & Gretel the end of a fairy tale
- Terri Cyrmes – Single Girl in a Gay Man’s World
- Pantea Productions – Silken Veils
- Nicole Kearney Productions – And Ya Don’t Stop a hip hop play
- Les Kurkendaal – Christmas in Bakersfield
- RE/Dance – The Lonely Visitors
- Paul Diem – Mulatto Child – Voices From the Margins
- Evan O’Sullivan – Evan O’Television Presents: Double Negatives
- BITE Theatre – KRAIGSLIST
- La Rinascita – The Fugitives
- Howard Petrick – Rambo: The Missing Years
- Gemma Wilcox – The Honeymoon Period is Officially Over
- Opium, Fireworks and Lead – Exhausted Paint: The Death of Van Gogh
- Patrick Devine – Breaking Down in America
- Maire Clerkin The Bad Arm – Confessions of a Dodgy Irish Dancer
- And Giggles Productions – The Playdaters
- Tiberius Productions Touch My App
- What’s a Girl to Do Productions – Drunk with Hope in Chicago
Emerald City Theatre announces 2010-11 season
Emerald City marks 15th Anniversary
with exciting new season
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Emerald City Theatre Artistic and Executive Director Karen Cardarelli has announced the company’s 2010-2011 season lineup of family theater, which marks the organization’s 15th anniversary season and includes two beloved classic productions and two Chicago premieres.
The season commences with the Midwest premiere of Pinkalicious, direct from a sold out run Off Broadway.
Emerald City celebrates the holiday season with a new take on an old favorite-a rocked out version of L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz.
2011 begins with a bang as Emerald City Theatre presents the world premiere of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, based on the Caldecott Award-winning books by Mo Willems. This brand new adaptation by Associate Artistic Director Ernie Nolan marks the company’s 28th world premiere production and continues the work of The PlayGround, formed in 2008 and dedicated to the development of world-class scripts for early learners. Since its inception, Emerald City original scripts have been produced at 17 theatre companies nationwide. Most recently, Co-Founder and Artistic Associate Alyn Cardarelli‘s hit How I Became a Pirate was produced at Imagination Stage in Washington D.C, Dallas Children’s Theatre, and Stages Theatre in Minneapolis.
The 2011 Season ends on a delicious note with Roald Dahl’s beloved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, directed by Ernie Nolan.
September 18 – December 31, 2010
Pinkalicious
Book: Elizabeth Kann & Victoria Kann
Music/Lyrics: John Gregor
Lyrics: Elizabeth Kann & Victoria Kann
Based on the book "Pinkalicious" by Victoria & Elizabeth Kann
Directed by Ernie Nolan
The season commences with the Midwest premiere of Pinkalicious, direct from a sold out run Off Broadway.
When Pinkalicious Pinkerton eats one too many pink cupcakes, she catches a serious case of Pinkititis and turns pink from head to toe! To cure her condition, Pinkalicious’ organic-eating parents and broccoli-loving little brother must teach her the importance of a balanced diet. A Midwest premier, directed by Associate Artistic Director Ernie Nolan, this heartwarming musical’s Gateway Theme of healthy eating is sure to strike a chord among parents and picky eaters alike. Families are invited to hear the original story, make pink crafts and enjoy pink treats at Pinkalicious’ Cupcake Tea Parties, special events beginning in late September. Recommended for ages 3+.
November 18, 2010 – January 2, 2011
The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum
Music/Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg
Adapted for the Royal Shakespeare Company by by John Kane
Directed/Choreographed by Ernie Nolan.
When Dorothy Gale and her beloved dog Toto are swept away to a land somewhere over the rainbow, they discover the true meaning of home. In this rocked out version of the classic story, you’ll hear favorites like "If I Only Had a Brain" and "Follow the Yellow Brick Road." Bring your munchkins to Oz this holiday season for one of the most memorable stories ever created Recommended for ages 3+
January 15, 2011 – April 10, 2011
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
World Premiere!
From the Books by Mo Willems
Adapted by Ernie Nolan
Directed by Jacqueline Stone
Based on Mo Willems’ Caldecott-winning favorite, this highly interactive play puts the audience in the driver’s seat as everybody’s favorite pigeon asks to drive the bus, eat a hot dog, have a puppy, and stay up late. It’s up to you to decide what he can do. You’ve never met a pigeon like this before! Recommended for ages 3+
February 12, 2011 – May 8, 2011
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
By Richard R. George
From the fantasy by Roald Dahl
Directed by Ernie Nolan
Mysterious Willy Wonka is opening the gates to his coveted and curious chocolate factory- and only five children will be let inside! When good-hearted dreamer Charlie Bucket unwraps his lucky golden ticket, he and his grandfather are whisked away into a world of pure imagination. A tasty treat for the entire family! Recommended for ages 3+
About the PlayGround
The PlayGround is Emerald City’s formal new works process, created in 2008 and lead by Associate Artistic Director Ernie Nolan. The PlayGround manages the selection of concepts for adaptation, organizes the internal creative input and produces table and staged readings. Additionally, it researches the needs of young audiences and how those needs can be supported through theater.
"Emerald City Theatre has become one of Chicago’s largest Gateways to the Arts for young children," says Associate Artistic Director Ernie Nolan. "Understanding the difference between how a 4-year old learns from a play and how a 10-year old learns takes a lot of time and research. The PlayGround frames the work we have been doing to combine the understanding of our audience with the work our artists are creating."
