| The Addams Family |
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Ford Oriental Theatre |
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| In a prolific career spanning six decades, Charles Addams created several thousand cartoons, sketches and drawings, many of which were famously published in The New Yorker. But it was his creation of characters that came to be known as The Addams Family that brought Addams his greatest acclaim. Now The Addams Family comes to life in a new musical which will make it's world premiere in Chicago in November 2009. |
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Watch a video preview of The Addams Family
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| Alice in Wonderland |
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Chicago Kids Company at
St. Patrick Performing Arts Center- Stahl Family Theater |
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| Follow Alice down the Rabbit Hole and into a land of wonder! Meet the Cheshire Cat, the March Hare, the Mad Hatter, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, the Queen of Hearts, and many more. This hilarious musical version features six original songs and a sing-along with Alice. Expect lots of fun for everyone and audience participation. Recommended for ages 2-12. |
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| All the Fame of Lofty Deeds |
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The House Theatre of Chicago at
Chopin Theatre |
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| While all his contemporaries died tragic, early deaths in the mid century, fictional country music legend Lofty Deeds is alive and bewildered in the present, unsure what to make of the modern-day cartoonish exploitation of his past and his own obsolescence. Sadly reflective and yet hilariously surreal, All the Fame of Lofty Deeds mixes rock biography, live music, puppetry, and stunning visual effects to create a portrait of the demise of country and western’s golden age and the exploitation of its greatest heroes. |
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| Ambrose Bierce: Tales and Times |
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Lincoln Square Theater |
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| Stories of soldiers and civilians and things that can never be. Satirist. Essayist. Poet. Storyteller. Bierce remains one of America’s most original voices. Nine new adaptations demonstrate why his lean stories of war, fantasy and horror still resonate nearly a century after the enigmatic author disappeared into the Mexican desert. Includes excerpts from the ‘Devil’s Dictionary’ and ‘Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge’ described by Kurt Vonnegut as “…the best short story ever written.” |
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| America: All Better! |
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Second City |
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| Its official – the United States is moving forward. We have a new President taking office, sweeping international economic crisis, and the effects of global warming all around us. It’s time to fire up the Rahminator and transplant a little Midwestern charm to Washington making America: All Better! |
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Watch a video preview of America: All Better!
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| The Audacity of Nope or How I Fell for a Pansy Scheme |
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GayCo Productions at
Strawdog Theatre |
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| In their newest comedy, GayCo dives into the gap: The gap between generations, between activists and pessimists, between what we expect and what we get. Skydiving lesbians try to say their vows before they cross state lines; Activists cross the line to Whactivism; young twinks and bitter old queens face-off in a final countdown; and Obama discovers that his BGFF's expect him to make good on his promises (as if!). |
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| Aunt Dan and Lemon |
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BackStage Theatre Company at
Chopin Theatre |
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| BackStage Theatre Company begins its 10th Anniversary Season by asking you to step inside the home of a woman called Lemon. Lemon has a story to tell. What begins as a deceptively simple coming-of-age yarn about her seemingly ordinary family soon becomes a complex meditation on the persuasive power of intimacy. Written by one of the more controversial playwrights of the contemporary American theatre, Aunt Dan and Lemon is a both a mordant comedy and a chilling cautionary tale about the subversive nature of influence. |
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| Banana Shpeel - Cirque du Soleil |
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Cirque du Soleil at
Chicago Theatre |
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| Propelled by crazy humor and intense choreography, Banana Shpeel plunges us into the world of Schmelky, a cruel and irritable producer who dangles fame and fortune in front of Emmett, an innocent and romantic actor who has come to audition for him. Emmett soon finds himself trapped in a flamboyant, anarchic world where Schmelky sows terror and reigns supreme. Emmett falls in love with the beautiful Katie and meets a bunch of absurd characters, including the strange Banana Man. But who is this mysterious Banana Man and how can Emmett escape the clutches of Schmelky and his henchmen? |
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Watch a video preview of Banana Shpeel
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| Bear Down! |
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Pub Theater at Fizz Chicago |
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| Bear Down! is a new comedy from The Pub Theater that asks Bears Fans, “Have you accepted Jay Cutler as your personal savior?” Ghosts of Bears Quarterbacks Past appear to a group of diehard fans who devote their entire lives to the blue and orange during football season. These obsessed fans are ready for a monster year thanks to the Bears new, highly-heralded quarterback, Jay Cutler, but begin to get frustrated, however, as the season takes a turn for the worse. Bear Down! is an over-the-top comedic ride that is a must-see for Bears fans across Chicago. |
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| Becoming Ingrid |
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Rubicon Theatre Project at
Stage Left Theatre |
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| Set in the dank gray moors of Scotland, this fantastical excursion follows a loveable American woman named Christine and her obsessive quest to be close to her favorite author, Ingrid. While narrating with the fervor of an aspiring writer, the humorously skittish Christine attempts to appropriate Ingrid’s character, and in the process is unwittingly forced to deconstruct her own illusions of love and happiness, unpredictably affirming the age-old proverb that you can’t judge a book by its cover. |
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| Beethoven, As I Knew Him |
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Drury Lane- Water Tower Place |
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| Hershey Felder's Beethoven, As I Knew Him is a dramatization of a little known true story as told in 1870, forty-three years after Beethoven's passing, by the person who spent a good part of the maestro's last two years by his side. With a narrative spanning several generations, Hershey Felder combines his acting, piano and musical analytical skills to bring to life the character of Ludwig van Beethoven as he existed through the eyes of one who knew him well. Featuring some of the composer's most famous works, including The Moonlight Sonata, The Pathetique Sonata, selections from Beethoven's Symphonies Nos. 5 and 9, the Grosse Fugue, as well as a movement of Beethoven's great Emperor Concerto, Beethoven, As I Knew Him is a journey through time that will bring audiences closer to the genius of the maestro Ludwig van Beethoven himself. |
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| The Berenstain Bears |
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Northbrook Musical Theatre for Young Audiences at
Northbrook Theatre |
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| There’s always lots to do in Bear Country! There’s a baby cub in the den and Papa Bear has to build a new bed. The treehouse is a mess and Mama Bear wants it cleaned up! Brother Bear is dealing with a neighborhood bully. An indoor soccer game causes trouble for the entire family. And to top it off, Sister Bear is starring in the Bear Country School production of “Grizzlystiltkins” and has stage fright. Northbrook Musical Theatre For Young Audiences brings to life Stan and Jan Berenstain’s delightfully classic Berenstain Bear Books. |
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| Best Of Second City |
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Second City |
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| The Second City Touring Company presents best scenes and songs from the company's 45-year history, plus improv, with a different show each week. |
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| Blue Man Group |
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Briar Street Theatre |
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| Blue Man Group is best known for its award-winning theatrical productions which critics have described as "ground-breaking," "hilarious," "visually stunning" and "musically powerful." These performances feature three enigmatic bald and blue characters who take the audience through a multi-sensory experience that combines theatre, percussive music, art, science and vaudeville into a form of entertainment that is like nothing else. |
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Watch a video preview of Blue Man Group
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| Burlesque Is More |
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Annoyance Theatre |
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| Burlesque Is More is a holiday-themed burlesque show modeled after the very popular and very racy Burlesque/Improv show “Late Night Tit-Bits.” Combining the sexiness of burlesque with the hilarity of quality improv, the only thing more sparse than the clothing are the paper-thin plots - just the way it oughta' be. |
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| buROCKracy: Comedy by Committee |
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Cornservatory |
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| Corn Productions is pleased to announce the winners of The Original Improv Gladiators: Season Seven - buROCKracy. Oh, it was a brutal battle between the warrior improv teams in this hotly contested round, but at the sold-out Grande Finale on August 29th, like cream in a milk jug, buROCKracy rose to the top and captured the title, and we at Corn couldn’t be happier for them! Now they begin their victory lap with their show, buROCKracy: Comedy by Committee. buROCKracy: Comedy by Committee will be two kinds of shows, alternating every week. The first and third weeks will be a long form show with a special guest opener. The second and fourth weeks will be a Comedy Key Party, where invited improvisers will join in and then pull names out of a hat to choose the rosters of teams for that night. |
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| Butch LaRue: Shotgun Wedding Planner |
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Theatre Building Chicago |
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| Sketch comedy group Butch LaRue takes a turn toward the absurd in their third irreverent revue. Foul-mouthed penguins on the lam, out-of-control kids, and way-off-Broadway musical numbers are just the beginning. Expect to laugh out loud at Butch LaRue’s take on relationships and social situations from the bedroom to the boardroom. Anything is fair game for these performers, who will charm you with larger-than-life characters and the occasional tune. The group’s last show at Theatre Building Chicago, Butch LaRue and the Underwear Gang, played to sold-out audiences. Don't miss their return engagement! |
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