Victory Gardens Theater

Join Victory Gardens Theater as Chicago's #1 presenter of new plays throws open the doors to its recently renovated Biograph Theater mainstage for its second annual Open House celebration, Saturday, August 11th from noon to 5pm. 
 
Enjoy a free day of family fun, backstage tours, sneak peek performances from the company's upcoming 2007-2008 season productions, theater class demonstrations, music, food and refreshments, all inside Chicago's historic Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, in the heart of Lincoln Park. 

Excerpts from six exciting new plays will be performed on Victory Gardens' beautiful new Biograph mainstage throughout the afternoon.  On tap are scenes from:

The Defiant Muse
Nicholas Patricca's provocative new drama about Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz (September 21-October 28, 2007);

A Park in Our House
Pulitzer Prize-winner Nilo Cruz' poetic drama about a family caught in Castro's Cuba in the 1970s, in a co-production with Teatro Vista (October 26-December 9, 2007)

A Big Blue Nail
Carlyle Brown's phantasmagorical tale about explorer Robert Peary, whose fame as the first man to reach the North Pole obscured the contributions of Matthew Henson, his African American cohort who could rightfully claim the title (January 25-March 2, 2008)

Four Places
Joel Drake Johnson's dark family comedy (March 28-May 4, 2008)

Relatively Close
James Sherman's new comedy about three sisters who return to their family vacation home on the shores of Lake Michigan (June 6-July 13, 2008);

The Snow Queen
By Michael Smith and based on the tale by Hans Christian Anderson, returning for its second year with a magical new scenic design (November 30-December 23, 2007). 

Five-play subscriptions to Victory Gardens' new season will be on sale, starting at only $80.
 
Children's activities will take place in the Biograph's second floor Prince Charitable Trusts Rehearsal Room throughout the day, including theater games, arts and crafts and special performances.  In addition to keeping the kids entertained, parents will witness Victory Gardens' education staff demonstrating the same types of activities integral to the theater's new Family Saturday program - a wonderful new opportunity for parents who would love to see more live theater, but don't get the chance due to the cost and hassle of finding childcare.   With Family Saturdays, "we watch kids ages 5-12, while their parents get to watch a play in our beautiful Biograph Mainstage," according to Victory Gardens Managing Director Marcelle McVay. One Saturday 5 pm matinee is designated Family Saturday during the run of Victory Gardens' five subscriptions show next season.
 
The magic comes courtesy of P.T. Murphy and David Parr, stars of this summer's hit show The Magic Cabaret, recently extended due to popular demand, now running Tuesday nights through September 25 on the second floor of the Biograph Theater.  Murphy and Parr will work the crowd, treading the tightrope between illusion and reality with their unique style of parlor magic.
 
In addition, teachers and students with the Victory Gardens Training Center will host free class demonstrations and readings of new works developed in the Training Center's playwriting workshops.  Open House guests can also take backstage tours of Victory Gardens' state-of-the-art new Biograph mainstage, and enjoy free food and refreshments from neighboring restaurants.
 
For information, contact the Victory Gardens Box Office - (773) 871-3000 - or go to www.VictoryGardens.org