Theatre News Wire

Otherworld Theatre Company, the premier science fiction and fantasy production company in North America, announced its 10th season in 2022-23, including original works, classic stories, immersive live-action role playing weekends, special events, and the continuation of fan favorites.

Otherworld Theatre's annual gala returns Friday October 14 after a pandemic hiatus with GOTHIC GALAWEEN, celebrating 10 years of genre performance in Chicago. Patrons will delight in a fully immersive themed dinner while interacting with ghostly gothic characters at Michelle's Ballroom, 2800 W. Belmont Ave., with an afterparty at Otherworld's space. Tickets will go on sale July 15.

"To celebrate our tenth birthday, we're definitely going big and bold with six plays, three continuing late night or comedy shows, a podcast, and two weekend-long immersive LARPs," said Artistic Director Tiffany Keane Schaefer. "Throughout the pandemic, we heard from our community. People want productions that build fellowship, elevate new voices, and bring new perspectives to the world we live in. It's that spirit of exploration that our tenth season comes to life."

The season opens with A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S SCREAM: A Devised Shakespearean Nightmare, running September 30 - November 13, 2022. The show, directed by Otherworld Theatre Artistic Director Tiffany Keane Schaefer, gives Shakespeare's most famous romantic comedy an 80's slasher twist full of mistaken identities, transformations, and blood.

Other season highlights include the Chicago premiere of PUFFS (June 15 - July 23, 2023), Matt Cox's unauthorized tale about a certain school of magic from the perspective of the Puffs, the otherwise overlooked students; LAST SHIP TO PROXIMA CENTAURI (January 27 - February 28, 2023), directed by Jeff Award-winner Carla Stillwell and written by Greg Lam, in which the last escape ship leaving Earth arrives at their new celestial home centuries after its predecessors and are surprised to find a planet inhabited by unimpressed people of color who are not happy to see them; 20,000 LEAGUES, A FEMINIST ADAPTATION (April 1 - May 15, 2023), Bella Poynton's adaptation of the Jules Verne classic, featuring a female Captain Nemo and Nautilus crew; and a trip back to magic school with the weekend-long fully immersive live action role playing (LARP) event ALBION SCHOOL OF SORCERY: OSTARA (March 16 - 19, 2023), the next installment in the popular fantasy series held at the DeKoven Center in Racine, Wisconsin in partnership with Moonrise Games.

Capping off the season is the entirely immersive weekend-long adventure CHRONICLES OF THE REALM: LIAISONS & LEGIONS OF NEW LYSTAR, the next installment in Otherworld and Moonrise Games' popular CHRONICLES OF THE REALM live action role playing game. After working with Otherworld's Game Master to develop their character, players set out on a two-night, three-day adventure, where they will experience high fantasy, political intrigue, a beautiful ball, and an epic battle set amongst exquisite costumes and the historic opulence of the Allerton Park and Retreats in Monticello, Illinois as they complete quests to help defend Amelor against the invading Ingvohl.

Ongoing comedy and late-night shows include PORTAL-PROV!, Otherworld Theatre's weekly improv show dedicated to a new fandom every Sunday at 7 p.m.; STARSHIP EDSEL, an improvised Star Trek satire; and OTHERWORLD(LY) KARAOKE, a monthly nerdy sing-a-long featuring rotating special guests and performances. Also continuing for the 2022-23 season is THE NERD THERAPY PODCAST with hosts Eric Koll and Natalie Jeung, exploring mental health topics through the lens of genre stories, with new episodes releasing the fourth Friday of every month.