Travel back in time to The Great Depression where eleven desperate tenants refuse to leave their house on Studebaker for fear of being locked out for good. This original production will bring a smile to your face as it uietly
breaks your heart.
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past. There will be no loyalty, except loyalty toward BEAR NATION. There will be no love, except the love of Papa Bear. Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on Packers & the like who are helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot shuffling across a human face... Forever! Bear Down!
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.
St. Patrick Performing Arts Center- Stahl Family Theater
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.
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.
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.”
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!
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!).
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Bye Bye Liver is an over-the-top comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of Chicago's favorite past time. Complete with interactive drinking games that pit audience versus cast, male versus female, you get the picture.
Based on an extraordinary true story, Calls to Blood tells the darkly comic tragedy of the perfect American couple and their seemingly impenetrable happiness – even as they struggle to conceive the child they want so desperately. But in trying to find a solution to this continual failure, they unearth the one truth that can destroy everything upon which their perfect lives have been built. Staged in the intimate environment of the Royal George’s studio theater, the audience will be no more able to escape the emotionally powerful debate over the couple’s future than the couple’s own best friends and family.
Silent Theatre Company welcomes visitors into the mysterious underground world of a traveling carnival. In the midst of fire breathers, fortune tellers, bestial tamers and natural freaks, a somber secret lies – a curse that binds them all together. With a live band and physical acts of carnival performance, this original dark fable by Gillian Hastings combines the styles of Tim Burton and Edward Gorey in a thrilling and enchanting ride through a world of whimsy and macabre.
Chair is an absurdist comedy about a pretentious drama about a chair that does nothing and the people who have paid to see it. Chair was written and directed by Chris Churchill. This is the first of two shows that will be produced by the CGOS in association with NNWAC at the St. Paul’s Cultural Center this winter.
There are many adaptations of A Christmas Carol out there, but there's only one Broadway version! The whole family will enjoy this musical version of Charles Dickens' classic story of Scrooge and Tiny Tim, originally presented by Radio City Entertainment at Madison Square Garden. With a book by Mike Ockrent and Lynn Ahrens, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, the stunning score tugs at the heartstrings and is sure to put everyone into a holiday mood!
A Christmas Carol tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly old man, who receives a Christmas Eve visit from the ghost of his partner, Jacob Marley, warning him to mend his selfish ways. During the night three spirits appear before Scrooge, showing him visions of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future, finally revealing the possible results of his unloving, uncaring life. He promises to change as he's not the man he was. This all time favorite play with music is a holiday treat for the whole family.
Based on Charles Dickens' 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol is the tale of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who is opposed to holiday cheer and indifferent to the sufferings of the poor in Victorian London. Scrooge is visited by four ghosts who offer him the opportunity to sympathize with his fellow man. Dickens' famous characters include Scrooge's kind-hearted clerk, Bob Cratchit, and his family, including Tiny Tim; the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future; the merry-making Fezziwig couple; and the Ghost of Jacob Marley. Throughout its history at the Goodman, over 1 million people have experienced A Christmas Carol and the production has hosted six directors, seven Scrooges, 27 Tiny Tims, and nearly 20,000 "Bah, Humbug!"s.
his holiday season, the Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences presents A Christmas Carol, The Musical. It is the endearing combination of a treasured tale with the soaring music by a Disney musical genius - and the result is breathtaking. Composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin) infuses the Dickens holiday classic with music the whole family will cherish.
The Christmas Schooner has quickly become a beloved Chicago holiday classic, a wonderful look at families and traditions. This holiday classic tells the story of Peter and Alma Stossel, whose pioneering spirit is full of the energy and dreams of America in the 19th century. With the help of Peter's young son Karl, and the companionship of his father, Gus, from the old country, Peter decides to take Christmas Trees from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan across the icy waters to post-fire Chicago.
Return of company's flagship show. Inane residents of a prison live in fear of the arrival of The Clown...and the big fight never disappoints. Ellen Stoneking reprises the role of Dame Toulouse, joined by a cast of some of the brightest performers on the Chicago comedy scene.
It’s the summer of 1962, and Jackie Robinson is about to be the first black inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame. That doesn’t mean much to Junior Murphy, a black restaurant manager who can’t get a promotion, and whose little sister has her own history-making plans for the big weekend. When a Midwest minor-leaguer comes to town chasing his idol, the collision of race, love and baseball turns a sleepy New York town upside down.
Cuba and His Teddy Bear, Reinaldo Povod’s explosive drama about the relationship between a small time drug dealer and his son, receives its Midwest premiere in a co-production by UrbanTheater Company and PEOPLE*S THEATER of Chicago.
In this high energy holiday romp, based off a fictional Christmas Special that never was, audiences will be treated to a star-studded tribute to the classic Andy Williams Christmas Specials of the 70s. This one of kind variety show spectacular features the kind of star power that only ‘Ziggy Stardust’ can command. This year, character appearances by Mick Jagger, Annie Lennox, Iggy Pop, Marianne Faithfull, Paul Lynde and Charo are just the tip of the iceberg; a special appearance by the Ghost of Freddy Mercury will remind us all of the joy of brotherhood and spirit of giving that the holiday and Solstice season brings. And when the mysterious Bizarro Bowie appears to reveal his jaded past, it’s a race for time to save the holidays from the ultimate universal implosion. Although, with so many celebrities on board, what could possibly go wrong?
Filled with love, power, intrigue, and murder, this rarely produced work from one of America's premiere female playwrights, tells the story of a priveleged Midwestern family who must wrestle with the opposing forces of organized labor and union busters when employees at their small factory go on strike -- threatening their fortune, their friendships, and possibly their very existence. Exploring the intersection between the political and the personal, Days to Come examines the struggle for self-determination and the potential fallout that ensues when the disempowered begin to question traditional notions of class and gender.
Arthur Miller's quintessential masterpiece depicts an ordinary man, Willie Loman, a traveling salesman, in desperate pursuit of the American Dream for himself, his sympathetic wife, Linda and his two sons, Biff and Happy. Michael Menendian directs this revival, featuring Co-Artistic Director JoAnn Montemurro and Raven Ensemble Member Chuck Spencer as Linda and Willie Loman.
In the political society of Washington in the spring of 1875, two beautiful American women must decide whether to marry two dashing American men, knowing they will also marry what their men believe about America, religion, truth and success. Linney's theatrical adaptation of two novels mixes Henry Adams' tales of love and ambition in Washington with scandals from the Ulysses S. Grant administration. This insightful vision of American democracy is scathing, funny and surprisingly relevant.
In a series of monologues, interspersed with video segments that illuminate those “Keys to Better Living,” the audience is introduced first to Dr. Harlon Stewart, and then to ten people who subscribe to the image-conscious behavior that he's espousing - people like Greg Woodside, a father determined to get the perfect Christmas card picture of his infant son; Irving Cloyd, an elderly booking agent fighting obsolescence; Trey Oliver, a socialite and international traveler; Bobby Velour, a take-no-prisoners nightclub entertainer; and Ken Liederman, a down-on-his-luck mattress salesman.
When Elvis knocks, will you be ready? The Stein's are having an identity crisis: Mom has been "born again" and spends all day chatting with Jesus in the kitchen; Dad hasn't gotten out of his pajamas in weeks and is starting to smell; and 16 year old Rachel is coping by going "goth." Who will save this family? Jesus? Stephen Hawking? Or Rachel's awkward new classmate who shows up at their door in his Elvis jumpsuit? To everyone's surprise, the invasion of his big heart and blind optimism might be their best hope for a new beginning.
Sumptuous sets reflecting moorish Spain at its most magnificent! More than 250 fabulous costumes! A rip-roaring Victor Hugo story! And the power of Verdi and full throttle! If you love rousing choruses that pulse with patriotism, full-blooded arias that pin you to the back of your seat, and big stars who create the kind of performance you never forget — then Ernani's a must-see for you.
Erica Watson – “big, bold and beautiful" actor, comedian, director and commentator for the Oxygen Network and BET – returns to her hometown Chicago with the solo show “Fat Bitch!” This five-night only run is a funny yet thought-provoking look at how society’s obsession with weight, race and class have formed the way the world views her shape, and includes her interactions with men, from the boardroom to the bedroom. Written and performed by Watson as a hybrid of theatre and stand-up, “Fat Bitch!” explores how black women and their bodies have always been subjected to admiration and ridicule, and shares images of “Mammy” and “Hottentot Venus.”
A jolly group of itinerant actors sing of themselves in The Glorious Ones, a new musical about the roistering life of the clowns who paved the streets of 16th-century Italy with sight gags and sex jokes. Based on the novel by Francine Prose, the musical tells how the troupe came to be and how it captured the public's adoration with its bawdy comedy, before changing artistic fashion altered its life.
Listen to "Talk Theatre In Chicago" for an interview with music director Nick Sula and cast members Dana Tretta and Danni Smith from Boho Theatre's production of The Glorious Ones. Listen
Chicago's oldest cemetery is the backdrop for Graceland, the story of four lonely Chicagoans whose lives collide one August weekend while the Blue Angels airshow is in town. As fighter jets buzz the skies from dusk till dawn, estranged brother and sister Sam and Sara try to make sense of their father's recent suicide. Sara's one night stand with Joe, an aging lothario, brings further trouble in the form of Joe's mercurial teenage son, Miles. Graceland is a World premiere comedic drama about the loneliness of family, the tenderness of strangers and the unexpected benefits of bad decisions.
From the tip-top of its super teased coif, to the bottom of its dynamic dancing toes, “You Can’t Stop the Beat” of this Broadway musical comedy phenomenon that inspired a major motion picture and won eight Tony awards, including Best Musical. Set in Baltimore in 1962, Hairspray is the story of the pleasantly plump teen, Tracy Turnblad, who will do whatever it takes to appear on the popular Corny Collins show and win the heart of Link Larkin, all without denting her ‘do. Direct from Broadway where it’s played for over 2,300 performances, Hairspray brings its hipness and hilarity to the Marriott stage.
Showcasing more than 30 artists over three weeks, The Happy Family Series is a brimming collection of big-hearted demonstrations exploring “harmonic antagonisms,” the awkward equilibriums, true or false, that we forge with our loved ones/enemies. With performative lectures, scroll storytellings, multi-media monologues, live music ranging from cabaret to country, one-act plays, videos, puppetry, improvisational bits and more, the series is a veritable vaudeville of delivery systems coming together to tackle a common theme: P.T. Barnum’s famous American Museum exhibit, “The Happy Family.”
When life gets difficult, Paul Beaumont responds to betrayal and despair by slamming the door on a life of culture and science and running away….to join the circus! In a provincial French town in the early 19th century, Beaumont is re-incarnated as HE WHO GETS SLAPPED, a clown who can endure 100 slaps in the face, and have the audiences begging for more. However, Paul’s sad past comes back to haunt him, and new entanglements bring tragedy to the family of “artistes” that have made him one of their own among the aerialists, lion tamers and stunt people of this mesmerizing one-ring circus.
Tom Stoppard's translation of Gerald Sibleyras' play won the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. It's 1959 and Philippe, Gustave and Henri, three veterans from WWI keep each other company on the back terrace of a retired soldiers' home. Through a series of witty scenes, the men goad one another into new adventures. The men's cantankerous camaraderie becomes strained as they plot an expedition to Indochina, or at least as far as the poplar trees on the distant hill.
Listen to "Talk Theatre In Chicago" for an interview with Mike Nussbaum, one of the stars of Heroes. Listen
This darkly comic and boisterous look at growing up in the Chicago suburbs during the early sixties is the story of 13-year old Billy Roman and the rollicking, anxiety-riddled preparations for his Bar Mitzvah. When Billy’s rebellious older brother returns from college during the Jewish high holidays, his family—the little Roman Empire—begins to wobble and crack as it is forced to examine some hard truths about coming of age in America.
Relieve the stress of the holiday season with the misfit characters of "Holy $#!%, it's Christmas! Where did Jesus Go? In the fourth installment of this hit sketch comedy revue, Jack Frost pitches his own reality show, Mrs. Claus plans a sexy night for Santa, and Tiny Tim pledges a fraternity. You'll forgive yourself for not making it to church, you'll never forgive yourself for missing Holy $#!%, it's Christmas!
Horrible, a romantically dark comedy for the holidays, is a story about love, death, cannibalism…and flowers. If you’re looking for an escape from sugarplum faeries you came to the right place.
Lauded as "an enigmatic, cool and entirely original play" by nytheater.com, the story begins on a deserted stretch of highway where a traffic cop pulls over two young men, only to find himself swept up in a web of lies that land him on the wrong side of the law. How far will he go to protect himself? Logan Brown and Matthew Benjamin's How to Act Around Cops is a hilarious take on the classic cop caper, with drugs, guns and bodies in car trunks. Weaving dark threads of casual violence with quick-fire dialogue and twisted humor, the play takes a wicked route down the traditional cops-and-robbers path with its intelligent examination of blame, innocence, and all shades of grey in between -- and will appeal to anyone who feels guilty as hell whenever they walk past a policeman.
If you had to disappear from your life, would you be able to delete yourself from Facebook? In this thrilling new play, a young advertising executive reaches the breaking point and decides to buck the system. He turns to an expert who can give him a detailed lesson in the art of escape. The mission? To dispose of everything that defined his former self. It's an adrenaline-charged, apocalyptic journey to the edge of existence. HOW TO DISAPPEAR will have you questioning everything that makes us who we are in the 21st Century.
Wanda Petronski speaks strangely, has a funny last name, and lives in the wrong part of town. Who would believe she has a closet full of one hundred beautiful dresses? The kids at Franklin Elementary School sure don't believe her. In The Hundred Dresses, Maddie Martin and Peggy Hawthorne learn first-hand the danger of stereotypes and harsh words. The Hundred Dresses is a poetic tale about the power of words and finding the courage to stand up for others, even if you are standing alone. For everyone ages 6 and up.
Factory Theater's new comic thriller is set in Haneyville, Texas, in 1975 -- a time and place when life was easier, and the good life meant something good on the television, a fresh meal and a warm house. But in Hunky Dory, that quest for the good life goes crazily awry.
Bank of America Theatre (formerly LaSalle Bank Theatre)
This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were thirty! JERSEY BOYS features their hit songs “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Rag Doll,” “Oh What a Night” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”
The Lion in Winter provides a fictional glimpse into the lives of England’s King Henry II and his dysfunctional family in 1183. The play focuses on the battle between Henry and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, over which one of their three sons will become the successor to the throne. It is a clever story of scheming and manipulation with a very funny script.
With their father serving as a chaplain in the Civil War, The March daughters grow up under the care of their mother in somewhat trying circumstances. Through trials and tribulations the sisters learn time and again that the love within their family is superior to material wealth. They persevere through squabbles and tragedies, but the bond only strengthens as marriages and new families emerge. This heart-warming tale of the endurance of family is perfect for the holidays and beyond. Circle's new adaptation will focus on the first part of the classic American novel, telling the story of a year in the life-- from Christmas to Christmas-- of the March sisters.
The musical Man of La Mancha holds significant importance to one of our theatre's key backers, Michael James (his father was the original producer). Now come see what a production of Man of La Mancha means in the 21st Century!
Adapted from G.K. Chesterton's 1908 novel by Neo-Futurist ensemble member and New Leaf collaborator Bilal Dardai, The Man Who Was Thursday is part espionage thriller, part comedy of manners, part outright farce. Directed by New Leaf Artistic Director Jessica Hutchinson, The Man Who Was Thursday interrogates who we really are, where our loyalties lie and how far we’ll go to defend them.
In a time of national tragedy, the world changes overnight. On September 12, 2001, Ben Harcourt finds himself in the downtown apartment of his lover, Abby Prescott. Over the course of the night, Ben and Abby explore the choices now available to them in an existence different from the one they knew just the day before. LaBute presents the brutal realities of their relationship and explores whether one can be truly opportunistic in a time of universal selflessness.
The Message Is In The Music (God Is A Black Man Named Ricky) is Black Ensemble’s new look at an old story, the fight of good against evil and the struggle between love and hate, where the battlefield is the universe and beyond. “The Message Is In The Music” tells an old story with a new twist, and in true Black Ensemble fashion, although we already know the ending, the road is paved with rollicking laughter, devilish dance and a whole lot of heavenly sounds.
On December 4, 1956, an auspicious twist of fate brought together Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley. The place was Sun Records’ storefront studio in Memphis. The man who made it happen was the “Father of Rock-n-Roll,” Sam Phillips, who discovered them all. The four legends-to-be united for the only time in their careers for an impromptu recording session that embodied the birth of rock ‘n’ roll and has come to be known as one of the greatest rock jam sessions of all time.
In a new holiday tradition, Porchlight Music Theatre presents a world-premiere production based on the classic story Miracle on 34th Street. When a white-bearded gentleman claims to be the real Santa Claus he brings about a genuine ‘Miracle on 34th Street,’ spreading a wave of love throughout New York City, convincing a divorced, cynical single mother, her somber daughter, and the entire state of New York that Santa Claus is no myth.
In the midst of the Franco-Prussian war, Ingolstadt’s substitute doctor is not exactly what he seems to be. Victor Frankenstein is brilliant, yes, but not a traditional physician by any means. Pastor Friedmann already has deep suspicions, but when Elizabeth, Victor’s fiancé, arrives unexpectedly, she ignites a dangerous spark that pits science against religion for the very souls of Ingolstadt, and possibly the world. Passions are high as Victor is convinced science will usher in a brave new world; but this has dangerous repercussions for the institutions of church and state. Elizabeth, as well as the audience, is caught in the middle, forced to consider the dangerous implications of a seemingly impossible future.
Like their heroes Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, it's wee lads Mojo and Mickybo against the world in this bittersweet tale of innocence lost. Two actors play 17 characters in Owen McCafferty's rollicking and poignant thrill ride through 1970 Belfast.
Ding dong! Ding dong! Do you hear the school bell ring? What shall we learn about today? Science? Geography? How about soul-crushing reality? Or what happens when a monkey meets a toaster? Oh, so much to learn! Welcome to Mrs. Gruber’s Ding Dong school!
The story involves two couples living in a quiet suburban neighborhood where beneath their middle-American exteriors lurks something truly rotten. The diabolical plot continues to thicken throughout the performance until the final tense showdown between a murderer and an aggrieved widow. With performances held at the intimate setting of the Grotto in the Gorton Center, audience members will get up close and personal with these sensational characters.
Set in French Guiana, a region where on Christmas Eve the temperature has graciously dropped to 104 degrees, three amiable convicts are employed as roofers above the Ducotel's general store. The roof winds up being the least of the family's troubles. On the way from France is Henri - an evil-minded cousin and owner of the flailing store, and his nephew Paul - who recently jilted the Ducotel's fanciful young daughter. The three warm-hearted convicts are passionate believers in true justice, and decide it's their job to take the visitors on as they plot to set matters right. A captivating and comedic holiday treasure also known as "We're No Angels."
Two actors take on innumerable dramatis personae in Ludlum's high-camp quick-change act. Vep satirizes all that is ridiculous in Gothic horror, Victorian melodrama, classic film, and conventional theater--and it's also a contender for the funniest American play of the last quarter-century.
With script and lyrics by Jack Schultz and 11 new songs written by Kathleen Dooley and Jack Schultz, the play is based on the classic movie Night Of The Living Dead by George Romero and John Russo. The play tells the story of seven people trapped in a rural house by re-animated corpses who hunt down the living to subsist on human flesh. Victims of these undead creatures also become reanimated and turn on their living counterparts.
This timeless Nutcracker tale comes alive on horseback. This unique production features a dreamy young girl, a magic prince, a mysterious old man, and a cast of beautiful horses. The Nutcracker on Horseback captures the whimsy and magic of Tchaikovsky's original.
Taking its source material from ETA Hoffman's tale and the famous ballet, A Nutty Nutcracker Christmas remixes the story for a whole new generation of theatergoers. This new spin follows Fritz, a video game obsessed boy, and a heroic female Nutcracker as they chase down and stop the dastardly Mouse King from ruining Christmas. Suited for families with children ages 3 and up.
You’re invited to a marvelous party! Weaving together songs and literary delights, Oh Coward! celebrates one of the theater’s greatest entertainers, Noel Coward. His effervescent music and charming quips combine for an unforgettable evening of the most memorable tunes of the 20th century.
Besides Thanksgiving, November is a boring month…stuck between Halloween and Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza etc etc…So why not get into some improv competition with The Original Improv Gladiators – Season Eight! On the heels of the success of TOIG – Season Seven comes a fun filled packed season of great improv teams, great improv judges and of course great improv gladiators, all here to get your comedy juices going!
A story of monsters, gods and true love, Perseus and Medusa takes the audience on a wild ride through a world of slightly skewed Greek mythology. Deceived by an evil king and desperate to win the heart of the beautiful Princess Andromeda, the brave Perseus sets off on a quest to retrieve the head of Medusa, whose very glance turns men to stone. Along for the ride are two bait-shop boys, a wisecracking god, and the clueless Dame. Will Perseus survive the quest and return home in time to rescue his mother from the evil king? Will his bravery prove his love to the Princess? His fate rests in the hands of the gods and the audience!
Robert David MacDonald’s translation captures the dramatic beauty and power of Racine’s original French poetry. Based on ancient myths, the tragedy examines how love and unabated passions can destroy us all. “Phèdra” is cursed by the gods to love her step-son, Hippolytus, who hides a secret love affair of his own. Emotional, turbulent and sexy, Phèdra is a mythical soap opera for the contemporary audience. Directed by theater movement specialist Alison Henderson, the production will be based on movement theorist Rudolf Laban’s movement analysis
A spellbinding drama with pitch dark humor about a writer accused of perpetrating the very acts depicted in his murderous stories. Featuring Redtwist’s Associate Artistic Director, Andrew Jessop, as the writer, and Jeff Award-winner (for Equus), Peter Oyloe, as his slow-witted brother. Tom Hickey, from Strawdog, and Redtwister, Johnny Garcia, are the good and bad cops respectively.
The Forever Plaid four part harmony group returns thanks to a heavenly phone call from Rosemary Clooney! The heaven-sent boys (Sparky, Smudge, Jinx, and Frankie) are back to sing songs of the 30's, 40's, 50's, and a "Plaid-erized" version of Christmas specials to fulfill their mission of creating a little harmony in a troubled world. Includes a hilarious tribute to the Ed Sullivan Christmas Spectaculars featuring the Rockettes, the Chipmunks, The Vienna Boys Choir and more!
Dexter Twain has planned a funeral of discovery for his friends in rural Minnesota. His death has left a lot of questions that need to be answered, and many answers left in fortune cookies. As Dexter meets up with his parents and other friends in the afterlife, it turns out he has a lot to discover himself as his funeral approaches. This comedy, with its hilarious twists and turns, will be sure to keep audience members laughing.
The story of three friends and musicians knocked about by the caprices of the music industry (and each other), REWIND is partly a “time capsule” for Eason, who (along with fellow Lookingglass Theatre ensemble member Joy Gregory) played at venues including the Metro, the Double Door and the now-defunct Lounge Act and recorded tracks for Sweet Pea Records as bass player for Chicago indie rock act Tart. REWIND is also a personal exploration - told in reverse chronological order - of the dark side of success, inspired by the private struggles and often public self-destruction of some of her musical idols.
CST Artistic Director Barbara Gains opens the season with this epic history of Shakespeare's most fascinating villain. Fueled by a relentless ambition and savage wit, the hunchbacked Richard, Duke of Gloucester, seduces and murders his way to the English throne in a treacherous tale that has captivated audiences across the centuries.
Hamlet, Shakespeare’s greatest drama, is retold from the perspective of his schoolmates, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, in Tom Stoppard’s comedic masterpiece. Equal parts Laurel and Hardy, Waiting for Godot and classic Shakespeare, Stoppard’s scintillating wit, far-reaching imagination and astonishing skill with words traces the journey of these fascinating characters as they struggle to avoid the inevitability of the Bard’s tragic conclusion.
A collection of sketch comedy and improvisation from Second City and iO actors, “Santa’s Great American Depression Holiday Show! America 2: Son of Santa’s Great American Depression Holiday Show! America” is an entirely original sketch comedy revue about the words in it's title.
Margy is one of the most in-demand ladies on the block, and makes plenty of jack to keep herself in furs and gin. However, when her pimp Rocky tries to work over a visiting society dame, Margy's left in a tough spot with the police. She flees Montreal to follow the British fleet with her long-time customer Lieutenant Gregg. In a Trinidad nightclub (complete with rip-roaring live music), Margy meets the kind of man she never expected to love: one who doesn't know about her past. She must decide if she can give up her wild ways for the straight life with a boy who loves her, or if she'll always be just what she is.
Break out the eggnog and the leggings! MidTangent Productions presents its spectacle sequel Snow White and the Drag Queen who Stole X-Mas, a holiday extravaganza in two acts on the Hydrate Nightclub stage. Come experience this drag-tastic mash-up of holiday specials. Snow White and her Seven Drag Queens are belting out live some of your favorite chestnuts roasted over a draggy fierce fire! Our story of Snow White continues as Madame Grinch sets out to steal X-Mas from our family of queens. Emily Rogers stars as Snow White, who Chicago Reader describes as “redefining fierce in Boystown.” Set in the heart of Halsted, this musical fuses storefront fringe theater with danceclub decadence. As we shift into Act II, the ferocious fun explodes as our Family of Queens brings down the house with their ever-changing Ever After Show.
The comedic and musical true story of Florence Foster-Jenkins: a New York socialite whose tin ear couldn't keep her off the stage at Carnegie Hall. Seen through the eyes of her beloved accompanist, Souvenir is a touching and comic tribute to Ms. Jenkins' sincerity, ambition, deep love of music and complete lack of talent, all of which brought a very unique joy to thousands.
This retelling of Maxim Gorky's "The Lower Depths" has been adapted by Peter Christensen and Yasen Peyankov, head of UIC's acting program. It begins on the eve of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, when police herd prostitutes to the city's ramshackle outskirts. Four of them are left in a dilapidated barracks that once served as a mental hospital. Under the control of a jailer, her police-officer son and a brutal fifth prostitute, they tell their stories of family betrayals and class divisions in a communist society.
On the corner of North & Wells, a crowd gathers to laugh, relax and enjoy a cast of six talented actors take the piss out of what our world has become and how we got here. We've lost many things, but one thing will always stay the same – Chicago. We'll always have crooked politicians, civic pride and that crazy guy at Foster & Broadway.
Set in coastal Maine and Fallujah , Iraq in the summer of 2004, Summer People is about what happens behind the Home Front with a girl about to grow up, a family about to rebuild, and a soldier about to return.
"Is it real? Or isn't it?," marvels the Chicago Tribune. So will you, when you experience this funny and slightly creepy one-man show by Neil Tobin, Necromancer that explores the true stories of Chicago's paranormal past, and brings them to life for the audience through interactive demonstrations of psychic magic. It all takes place in the landmark (and reputedly haunted) Excalibur nightclub. Now in its fourth year of weekly performances.
On the heels of the government’s apology to African-Americans for slavery, the Reparations Movement was born. The movement was successful, checks were written to the descendants of slaves and the seeds for a new America were sown. Ten Square is one of the cities that emerged in "New America" and the life of the African-American community has been forever altered. We watch Roosevelt, a soldier duty bound to protect the new world order and a resident of Ten Square, negotiate his obligations to his lover, his family and his government.
Melanie Marnich’s play chronicles the real lives of women who worked at the Radium Dial Company in Ottawa, Illinois and their fiercely fought battle-as part of a class-action lawsuit-to hold the Radium Dial Company accountable for its negligence involving radium poisoning.
Thoroughly Modern Millie tells the humorous story of a young girl from Kansas who takes New York City by storm as she flaps, taps and Charlestons her way into the Roaring ‘20s. Millie experiences the hustle and bustle of Jazz Age Manhattan at a time when women were just entering the workforce and rewriting society’s rules. A funny, romantic story about following dreams and falling in love, Thoroughly Modern Millie was hailed as "a thoroughly delightful experience" by USA Today. The show features new hits including "I Turned the Corner,” "They Don't Know,” and "Long As I'm Here with You."
It’s a race to the finish—but who will win? The “Slow and Steady” Tortoise or the “Fast and Furious” Hare? Cheer along with a cast of crazy animals as two contestants race across town. This musical version of the fable features five original songs, including two sing-alongs. Expect lots of fun for everyone and audience participation. Recommended for ages 2-12.
Developed, written, and originally performed by Vietnam veterans (Vincent Caristi, Richard Chaves, John DiFusco, Eric E. Emerson, Rick Gallavan, Merlin Marston and Harry Stephens, with Sheldon Lettich), this powerful play focuses on the difficult and devastating experiences of the Vietnam War. We are challenged to remember, to honor, to question, and ultimately to try to understand what it means to go to war—and what it takes to come home.
Based on the tremendous critical and artistic success of last years Chicago premiere and in the spirit of other’s Christmas Carol and Santaland Diaries, the Pageant is back. With many of the original cast members as well as new faces on stage, this year promises to be hugely entertaining, surprisingly enlightening and just a bit disturbing. An anonymous company of merry children gather on a cold winter night to rejoice in telling the story of Scientology founder and hero L. Ron Hubbard. This satirical musical explores the magic of Dianetics, the fascinating E-meter, the immortal Thetans, and the entrancing story of Xenu with the straightest of faces.
Travel to Paris in 1923 for this gorgeous and incredibly funny portrait of legendary dancer Isadora Duncan. The so-called mother of modern dance is desperate to keep herself financially solvent and to realize her dream for retirement: the chance to inspire young dancers with her art. With a multi-lingual script of great heart and appeal, Sherman mixes the high comedy of a colorful cast of characters with a poignant view of the importance of the arts to move and inspire us. Through the eyes of those in Duncan’s life we glimpse her greatness and how she touched so many lives when she danced.
Winter Pageant 2009 will take audiences on a visual, dream-like journey that explores collective universal themes: nature, humanity, ritual, storytelling, by creating a theatrical experience that's intimate and interactive, involving and inspiring spectators in a shared, live event. An event that is memorable both by critics (2008 Jeff Nominated Production) and by audience members (6,500 people over 6 weeks). This year's Winter Pageant will gradually reveal a fanciful journey for audience members through the four seasons beginning with summer, traveling through autumn and winter and culminating with the rising of the sun in spring.
Can your in-laws top the Sycamores? This family is excited to hear of daughter Alice's engagement to Wall Street heir Tony Kirby. However, Alice doesn't want to introduce Tony to her mother's bad plays, her father's hand-made fireworks, and her sister's horrible ballerina skills. As the two families get to know each other over dinner, disaster ensues causing Alice and Tony's engagement to be on the rocks. Can the ordinary and dull Kirbys learn to love the extraordinarily bizarre Sycamores? "You Can't Take It With You" is an uproarious tale of love and strange circumstances that shows why family is so important in this fast moving country.
The classic Mel Brooks movie is ALIVE! The sensational cast delivers favorite moments from the classic film, plus brand-new numbers for the stage. This inspired re-imagining of the Frankenstein legend follows bright young Dr. Frankenstein as he attempts to create a monster—but not without scary and hilarious complications. The brains behind the laughter is mad genius and three-time Tony Award-winner Mel Brooks who wrote the music and lyrics and co-wrote the book—along with his record-breaking team from The Producers.
