Free North Side theater sampler features
excerpts from local companies Feb. 19
The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs invites audiences for an imaginary ride on the Howard and Kimball lines of the CTA to various theaters located on the North Side of the city Thursday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m. as part of the North Side Theater Sampler in the Claudia Cassidy Theater and G.A.R. Hall of the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph St.
This one-night only event offers the chance to view short scenes from shows produced by several of Chicago's veteran and emerging North Side theater companies. Represented are venues that contain 150 seats or fewer, and that are located within the street boundaries of Howard Ave. to the north, Diversey Ave. to the south, Lake Shore Drive to the east, and Western Ave. to the west.
Performances will be divided into two stages, with the Neo-Futurists' Artistic Director Greg Allen and Mark Sutton of Hook and Mouth Productions as the emcees.
Featured performance excerpts include members of The Northside Theater Collective as well as other North Side theaters. American Theater Company performs a scene from their production that opens April 21, "Strictly Dishonorable," by Preston Sturges, a piece that features a young woman in the prohibition era caught between two men. Azusa Productions presents an excerpt from "French Gray," a one-woman play about the French Revolution seen through the eyes of Marie Antoinette, one of its most controversial figures.
Cupid Players perform musical sketch comedy from the show "Cupid Is as Cupid Does," currently playing at Improv Olympic. Curious Theatre Branch incorporates video in "(Not) Another Day," an exploration of the way time is experienced, a funny and sad new piece by Jenny Magnus, performed by Beau O'Reilly. Corn Productions performs from its long-running hit "Floss!", a combination of dance and improv as nomadic people search for their homeland.
Defiant Theatre previews its upcoming show "The Pirates." LID Productions excerpts a scene of fantastical comedy from its touring show, "Kapoot," that fuses traditional clowning with performance art. Live Bait Theater performs a scene from "Us or Them," which is based on the writings and improvisations of Live Bait Theater's Police-Teen Link program that unites Chicago police officers and teens through creativity.
MethaDome Theater presents "Damn it, Florence," a two person improvised scene. The Neo-Futurists give a brief performance of "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind," the company's acclaimed open run featuring 30 plays in 60 minutes. New Millennium Theatre performs a medley of original songs from the 2003-2004 season including selections from the original casts of "Evil Dead! The Musical," and "Miyagi! A Karate Kid Musical."
Pegasus Players present a scene from the Young Playwrights Festival. The Playground Improv Theater performs a short improvised scene based on the audience's suggestion. Prop Thtr showcases a monologue from "Struggling Truths," by Peter Mellencamp, a fable dealing with the origins of Tibet's conflicts with China.
Rivendell Theatre Ensemble presents a scene from "Cairo," by Andrea Stolowitz, a piece about caring for an aging parent that makes its Midwest premiere Feb. 26 at Victory Gardens.
Saint Sebastian Players perform an excerpt from "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial." Scrap Mettle Soul performs part of "Finding Ms. Thomas," a piece about a cross-dressing garbage man. Theatre Building Chicago presents an excerpt of "The Prairie," a contemporary musical inspired by William Shakespeare's "Tempest," set in a threatened prairie in Illinois.
In addition to the excerpted performances, the GAR Rotunda will feature light refreshments throughout the evening, information booths highlighting participating companies and an exhibition on the landmark Uptown Theater.
The North Side Theater Sampler is a part of the Act On It weekend Feb. 19 - 22, a weekend celebration of Chicago theater. Act On It will take place as part of Chicago Winter Delights, the city's annual winter-long celebration, offering the best in cultural entertainment, family attractions, shopping, hotel deals and hospitality packages.
For more information on the North Side Theater Sampler, call (312) 744-6630 or visit chicagoculturalcenter.org. |
