The return of Rivendell...
The Rivendell Theatre Ensemble returns to the Chicago Cultural Center’s Studio Theater, 77 E. Randolph St., and presents John Orlock’s “Indulgences in the Louisville Harem,” opening on Thursday, May 30, at 7 p.m.
Following last year’s production of Faulkner’s “Bicycle” in the Studio Theater, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble chose this comic drama. Set in the Victorian era, the play features a pair of spinster sisters who defy 1902 mores by ordering escorts from “Mrs. Whiting’s New Book of Eligible Gentlemen.”
Playwright John Orlock’s works have been produced at major regional theaters including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; The Cleveland Play House; Alley Theatre, Houston; Cricket Theatre, Minneapolis, where he served as literary manager; Arizona Repertory Theatre; the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival; Remains Theater, Chicago; and the Focus Theatre, Dublin, Ireland.
“Indulgences in the Louisville Harem” runs through Saturday, June 29 ,at the Studio Theater. For additional information and to purchase a ticket ($15) call (773) 472-1169.
More, more, more...
Court Theatre’s excellent production of “My Fair Lady” has been extended three more weeks and now runs through June 16 at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, 777 N. Green St. (a block west of Halsted St. and a block south of Chicago Ave.)
The two-piano version of Lerner and Lowe’s classic musical stars Kate Fry as Eliza Doolittle, and co-stars Kevin Gudahl as Henry Higgins, John Reeger as Colonel Pickering, Bradley Mott as Alfred P. Doolittle, Ora Jones as Mrs. Pearce, Ned Noys as Freddy and several other cast members.
Based on the George Bernard Shaw classic “Pygmalion,” it tells the story of a poor girl who sells flowers in London’s Covent Garden, accidentally meets up with phonetician Henry Higgins and agrees to take speech lessons from him. Her dream is to have proper speech and to elevate herself so that she can some way work in a flower shop. Higgins boastfully agrees and makes a bet with his chum Colonel Pickering that he can bring Eliza’s social status so high that no one will know she was once a flower girl.
The surprise success of this musical has brought hope to other small theaters that they can one day tackle the job of presenting a major musical in a smaller space.
The wonderful music and rich voices make this show a success, thus its three week extension. Songs include “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t it be Loverly,” and “I Could Have Danced All Night.”
If you have an opportunity, don’t think twice about seeing this delightful, heartwarming, very well acted and sung musical. Court Theatre has done it again!
PAC + SAIC = Goat Island...
Performing Arts Chicago (PAC) and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) have collaborated to present the U. S. premiere of the Goat Island Performance Group’s “It’s An Earthquake in My Heart.” The show opens on Thursday, May 30, and will continue through Saturday, June 8, at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave.
This performance is the first as PAC’s resident performance ensemble and the final performance in the 2001-02 season.
Performed through the spoken word and movement sequences, the story is a series of connected scenarios including moments from a childhood, a revelatory hallucination, an instructional radio show, a dialogue with a dying man, a call from a phone box, and a church ceremony.
For this show, the audience sits on the Athenaeum stage with the performers surrounding them on all sides to create an intimate theater experience.
Created in 1987, Goat Island has performed in art festivals around the world such as The Kitchen (New York); Theater Festival Basel (Basel, Switzerland); Eurokaz International Festival of New Theater (Zagreb, Croatia), NOW Festival (Nottingham, England); and Podewil (Berlin).
For additional information about “It’s an Earthquake in My Heart,” show times and dates, call (773) PAC LINE, (773) 722-5463, or contact them on-line at pachicago.org. A ticket to any performance is $20.
Bread and Roses Benefit...
Rainbow House, a nonprofit organization working to end domestic violence, presents its 17th annual Bread & Roses benefit on Sunday, June 2, at the Drake Hotel.
The gala begins at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception, silent auction, followed by an awards presentation, dinner, desserts prepared by Chef Kocoa Scott-Winbush of Kocoa’s Kitchen, Pastry Chefs Anna Jarosz and Floria Hernandez from Kendall School of Culinary Arts, plus Anthony Hargrove, Jennie Brown and Roxana Hernandez, students of the Gallery 37 Culinary Arts Apprentice Program. An exciting live auction will be held after dessert and it includes some spectacular vacations.
The award ceremony takes place prior to dinner and awards are given to community members and local corporations for support and dedication in raising awareness of domestic violence and its prevention.
The Corporate Support Award will be awarded to Richard Jaffee, Chairman, Oil-Dri Corp. of America; the Advocacy Award to Jody Raphael, Director of Research, Center for Impact Research in Chicago, and author of “Saving Bernice: Battered Women, Welfare and Poverty”; plus The Team Service Award to Wayne Hummer Investments, Chicago.
Co-Chaired by Meg Fitzpatrick and Barb Rublein, the Bread and Roses benefit costs $150 per ticket; call (312) 935-3430.
In 2001 Rainbow House provided 12,175 days of emergency shelter to 654 women and children, the Domestic Violence Prevention and Education Program educated 943 people, the Community Resource Program gave support services to 490 women and children and the Crisis Line counselors responded to 2,651 calls from women.
Star Studded Night...
Who is the fairest of them all? Is it the gorgeous actress Nicole Kidman or Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert? I hope you’re thinking Kidman!
The fabulous Nicole Kidman, this year’s two-time Golden Globe Winner and Oscar Nominee, will attend the “Sophisticated Ladies” Gala at The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute’s benefit on Wednesday, June 5, at the Film Center’s outstanding facilities at 164 N. State St. Ms. Kidman will be honored along with two other gorgeous, glamorous, and slick ladies: the late but great Oscar Award winning actresses Audrey Hepburn and the late Serene Highness of Monaco, Grace Kelly.
The 50s gala begins at 6 p.m. with a lavish buffet dinner provided by George L. Jewell Catering and cocktails from the menus of Sardi’s, The Russian Tea room, the Pump Room, Trader Vics and other restaurants from the 50s era.
The highlight comes mid-way through the evening when Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert hosts a discussion with Ms. Kidman.
To go along with the evening’s festivities, special exhibitions will be on view in the Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Gallery including photographs, clothing and accessories from the Audrey Hepburn Collection; a photo and poster exhibition with surrounding images from the Golden Age of Hollywood; and the permanent installation by Chicago’s most celebrated celebrity photographer, Victor Skrebneski, of “Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down,” a photo of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert.
Piano music will be played by Stanley Paul and the evening includes a raffle and silent auction. To get into the mood, appearances by Tiffany & Co. Audrey Hepburn look-alike models.
The event co-chairs are Averill Leviton and Bill Marovitz and benefit committee chair is Ellen Sandor. Also key in organizing the event were Randy Adamsick, executive director of the Film Center; Tony Jones, president of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; and Barbara Scharres, the Film Center’s director of programming.
The Gene Siskel Film Center had its dedication on May 31, 2001. It houses a 191-seat theater, and a 61-seat theater. Both have Dolby Digital EX surround sound play and Digital Theater Systems (DTS), plus other technical formats.
For general information about the Gene Siskel Film Center call (312) 846-2600. For information about the Sophisticated Ladies Gala or to purchase a ticket, call the hot-line at (312) 846-2800. A ticket which includes the live presentation in theater 1 with Nicole Kidman and Roger Ebert is $500. A ticket for the simulcast presentation in theater 2 is $250, and a ticket to the simulcast in the Café Gallery is $125 and entry will begin at 8 p.m for that price ticket.
In conjunction with the benefit, the film series “Sophisticated Ladies” will be shown through June 6 at the Siskel Film Center. They include Audrey Hepburn’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “Charade,” “Funny Face,” “Sabrina,” “Roman Holiday,” and others. Films of Grace Kelly include “Dial M for Murder,” “High Society,” “Mogambo,” “Rear Window,” and “To Catch a Thief.”
The Gene Siskel Film Center is named for the late film critic Gene Siskel who wrote movie columns with the Chicago Tribune, and then worked on the syndicated television series with Roger Ebert titled “Siskel & Ebert.” Not only was he an ardent movie fan, but he was a friend to so many people.
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