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Every day, Victory Gardens Theater's dream of creating An American Center for New Plays inside Chicago's historic Biograph Theater comes closer to reality. Chicago's number one presenter of new work for more than 30 years, Victory Gardens will open its new Biograph mainstage in September 2006, becoming an important new addition to Chicago's live theater scene, and a thriving new cultural attraction in the heart of Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.
Important dates leading up to the grand opening of the new Victory Gardens Theater at the Biograph include:
Sat, July 22, 2006
Clean-Up
Interior scaffolding will be coming down, electricians will be at work and general clean-up will be underway inside the Biograph, opening the way for the final phases of the $11.3 million reconstruction project: fashioning a beautiful, state-of-the-art semi-thrust stage, 299-seat mainstage auditorium and contemporary interior design inside the legendary former movie house, and outside, restoring the familiar Biograph façade to its original splendor.
History buffs know it was on this day, 72 years ago, July 22, 1934, notorious bank robber John Dillinger was gunned down by FBI agents in front of The Biograph Theater, following a months-long crime spree that captivated the nation.
Sat & Sun, July 29 & 30
Victory Gardens at Taste of Lincoln Avenue
Stop by the Victory Gardens booth directly in front of the Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. Enter to win free tickets and subscriptions, and take home free T-shirts, Biograph magnets and Post-its, and coupons for a complimentary glass of champagne to toast the new Victory Gardens Theater at the Biograph when it opens this fall.
Tues, August 29, noon
Single tickets go on sale for Denmark
Denmark, a world premiere historical drama about freed slave and insurrectionist Denmark Vesey by Playwrights Ensemble member Charles Smith, is the inaugural production at the new Victory Gardens Theater at the Biograph. Victory Gardens Artistic Director Dennnis Zacek directs. Call the Victory Gardens box office, (773) 871-3000 or visit victorygardens.org for tickets and information.
Tues, August 29
Victory Gardens Greenhouse Open House 6-9 pm
Join Victory Gardens for the renaming celebration of its current location at 2257 N. Lincoln Avenue. Enjoy free food and refreshments as resident theater companies including About Face, Eclipse, M'PAACT, Remy Bumppo and Shattered Globe help celebrate the building's new name - the Victory Gardens Greenhouse. They'll perform sneak peek excerpts from their 2006/07 seasons, and raffle free prizes, tickets and subscriptions. And, the Training Center at the Victory Gardens Greenhouse will offer free demonstration classes and raffle a free class.
Thurs, September 7
Unveiling and Lighting Ceremony for the New Biograph Marquee, Sunset (7:15 pm)
Witness the unveiling and first lighting of the new Biograph marquee, a beautiful new, historically accurate replica of the original. This special sunset ceremony will salute ComEd, an Exelon Company, Official Lighting Sponsor of the Victory Gardens Theater at the Biograph Marquee.
Thurs, September 21
Denmark Open Rehearsal, 6 pm
Open rehearsals offer a rare look at how new plays are brought to life at Victory Gardens. Watch cast members rehearse on an unfinished set inside the Biograph, then participate in a talkback with the director and cast.
Sat & Sun, September 9 & 10
Subscriber Open House Celebration, Noon to 5 pm
Subscribers and the general public are invited to take behind-the-scenes tours and test their seats at a weekend Open House celebration at the new Victory Gardens Theater at the Biograph. Events include sneak-peek performances from VGT’s 2006/07 season, a playwrights panel, Training Center demonstration classes, theater games for kids, and free prizes and refreshments from neighboring restaurants.
Sat, September 16
Fall classes begin at the Training Center at the Victory Gardens Greenhouse
The Victory Gardens Training Center has been an important training ground for some of the city's most talented artists. The curriculum is taught by the finest local professionals and is designed to serve both the beginner and the working professional. Unlike most training programs, all classes are held in working theaters—not classrooms. Every time you present a scene, play a theater game, or break down a character you’ll be on stage…stages graced by Julie Harris, William Petersen, Gary Cole, Fritz Weaver, John Mahoney, Sharon Gless, and Irma P. Hall. .
September 29- October 8
Denmark previews
Sat, October 14
Victory Gardens Theater at the Biograph Gala Opening
4 pm : Gala performance of Denmark
7 pm : Cocktails, dinner and dancing in Jonquil Park, at the corner of Lincoln, Wrightwood and Sheffield Avenues
Following Denmark, which closes November 12, Victory Gardens' inaugural season at the Biograph continues with four more world premieres: The Snow Queen, a world premiere musical holiday spectacle based on the book by Hans Christian Andersen, by legendary folk musician Michael Smith with Tony Award-winning director Frank Galati, and visual and puppet design by Blair Thomas & Company (December 1-January 7), Jeffrey Sweet's Court-Martial at Fort Devens, directed by Andrea J. Dymond (February 2 -March 11), Douglas Post's Cynical Weathers, directed by Dennis Zacek (April 6-May 13), and Claudia Allen's new adaptation of I Sailed with Magellan, based on Stuart Dybek's short story collection, directed by Sandy Shinner (June 8-July 15).
Also, next spring, Victory Gardens will co-present with Gilyard Productions LLC a sixth play at the Victory Gardens Greenhouse - Athol Fugard's moving drama My Children, My Africa, starring stage, TV and film actor Clarence Gilyard, directed by Victory Gardens founder Cecil O'Neal, May 3-June 10. Five-play subscriptions to Victory Gardens' inaugural season at the Biograph are on sale now, ranging from $80 to $180. Only subscribers can purchase tickets to My Children, My Africa at the special discounted subscriber price of $20.
One of Chicago's most respected Off-Loop theaters, Victory Gardens is primarily devoted to new work, and has presented more world premiere mainstage productions than any other Chicago theater since 1974. In 2001, Victory Gardens received the Tony Award for Regional Theatre for "displaying a continuous level of artistic achievement contributing to the growth of theater nationally."
Made of red pressed brick and adorned with terra cotta details, the Biograph Theater was designed to give legitimacy to the fledgling film industry, and is one of only two remaining examples of early movie theater design in Chicago. In 1999, the Biograph Theater was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places and was named a City Landmark by the City of Chicago's Commission of Historic Places.
For subscription information, call the Victory Gardens box office, (773) 871-3000 or visit http://www.victorygardens.org