Music Theater Works Presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee March 7 - 31st, 2024

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MUSIC THEATER WORKS ANNOUNCES THE CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM FOR 

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE

MARCH 7 - 31, AT THE NORTH SHORE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IN SKOKIE

Perfect for All Ages, with Adult Only Performances, Spelling Bee Invites Audiences to Join This Group of Unique and Dedicated Students as they Compete for the Spelling Bee Championship in this Hilarious Musical 

Tickets Only $25 for those Younger than 25 Years Old.

Music Theater Works is proud to announce the cast and creative team for the first production of its 2024 season, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, in the North Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts In Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, March 7 - 31. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, additional material by Jay Reiss, music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Rachel Sheinkin, is directed and choreographed by Christopher Pazdernik, assistant directed and choreographed by Keely Vasquez and music directed by Michael McBride. The schedule includes a preview performance Thursday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. I'll be out for the press opening March 8th so check back soon for my full review. 

The performance schedule is Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Wednesdays at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 16 at 2 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. The two performances: Saturday, March 23 and March 27 at 7:30 p.m., are for guests 18 years old and above as words spelled will be of an adult nature and may not be suitable for children.Tickets are now on sale from $39 to $106 with tickets for guests 25 years old and younger available at half-price at MusicTheaterWorks.com or by calling the Music Theater Works box office at the North Shore Center, 847.673.6300. Group discounts are also available for groups of 10 or more by contacting 847.920.5360.

Winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has won the hearts of theatergoers across the country with its mix of wit, wills, and audience participation. Join this group of unique and dedicated students as they compete for the spelling bee championship that celebrates the pursuit of the ultimate prize while finding the joy of being oneself.

The cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee includes Neala Barron (she/her, Rona Lisa Peretti); Zach Kunde (he/him, Douglas Panch); Michael Davis Arnold (he/him, Mitch Mahoney); Will Koski (he/him, William Barfée); Rachel Guth (she/her, Olive Ostrovsky); Jamie Dillon Grossman (she/her, Logainne  Schwartzandgrubenierre); Mai Hartwich (she/her, Marcy Park); Joe Lewis (he/him, Leaf Coneybear) and Brandon Acosta (he/him, Chip Tolentino). The understudies include Joselle Reyes (she/her, Marcy/Olive U/S); Kevin Parra (he/him, Leaf/Chip U/S); Dane Strange (he/him, Barfee/Mitch U/S); Lilli Galuzzo (she/they, Logainne/Rona U/S) and Bryson Howard (he/him, Panch U/S). 

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’s creative team is Christopher Pazdernik (any with respect, director/choreographer); Keely Vasquez (she/her, assistant director and assistant choreographer); Michael McBride (he/him, music director); Amber Wuttke (she/her, fight & intimacy choreographer); Allison Gonzales (she/her, stage manager); Ethan Colish (he/him, assistant stage manager); Ben Lipinski (he/him, scenic designer/paint charge); Ab Rieve (they/them, props designer); Kristen Brinatti (she/her, costume designer); Melanie Saso (she/her, asst. hair, wig and makeup designer); Levi K. Wilkins (he/him, lighting designer); Forrest Gregor (he/him, sound designer) and Andersonville Scenic Studios (scene shop).

ABOUT CHRISTOPHER PAZDERNIK, DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER

Christopher Pazdernik returns to Music Theater Works after making his debut with 2023’s Avenue Q. Pazdernik is best-known for his work as artistic director of Refuge Theatre Project (Jeff Awards, Best Director and Best Production of a Musical, High Fidelity); a long association with Porchlight Music Theatre--including directing eight Porchlight Revisits productions; three years of directing Who's Holiday at Theater Wit and his current role as producing director at Theo. Also an openly HIV+ artist, Pazdernik is the creator and producer of the benefit concert “Belting for Life” and co-captain of Team Option Up! for AIDS Run/Walk Chicago.

ABOUT KEELEY VASQUEZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER

Keely Vasquez is an actor, singer, teacher and voiceover artist.  Recent acting credits include: Dear Evan Hansen (First National tour), Spamalot (Mercury Theater Chicago) and Next to Normal (Writers Theatre). Other Chicago theatrical credits include shows at Porchlight Music Theatre, Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre and The Broadway Playhouse. She has served as casting associate for Mercury Theater Chicago since 2021. For nearly a decade, she toured the world singing with Barry Manilow. 

ABOUT MICHAEL MCBRIDE, MUSIC DIRECTOR

Dr. Michael McBride is a Jeff Award-winning music director, internationally-performed composer, performer and educator. He is excited to return to Music Theatre Works after music directing Lerner & Loewe’s Brigadoon and Billy Elliot. Credits include Big Fish (Boho Theatre, Jeff Award); Revolution(s) (Goodman Theatre); Grease (Drury Lane Theatre); The Scarlet Pimpernel (Engeman Theatre, NY); Rent, New Faces Sing 1951, PorchlightPalooza, Broadway by the Decade (Porchlight Music Theatre); Passing Strange (Theo Ubique); 49th Annual Jeff Awards Ceremony; Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Robber Bridegroom, Jesus Christ Superstar, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Pippin,What a Wonderful World (workshop), Man of La Mancha, Mamma Mia, Into The Woods, The Little Mermaid (Timber Lake Playhouse); The Boys and the Nuns (composer & MD), Fun Home, Violet, Cabaret, Tintypes, She Loves Me, Spring Awakening, Hot Mikado, Urinetown, Into the Woods (Loyola University Chicago); The Christmas Foundling (composer and music director; Pride Arts Center); Footloose (Wallace Bowl); The Drake Hotel holiday programming and The Cabaret Project in Chicago, St. Louis and Lake Geneva. He is proud to be music director at A Church 4 Me MCC in Chicago. Having earned a DM in composition from Northwestern University, He has served on faculty of Northwestern University, Loyola University Chicago and North Park University where he is a visiting assistant professor.

MUSIC THEATER WORKS 2024 SEASON

Subscriptions are now available at MusicTheaterWorks.com for its 44th season including 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, March 7 – 31, 2024, followed by Carousel, August 8 – August 18, 2024, Little Shop of Horrors, October 24 – November 17, 2024 and concludes with Legally Blonde: The Musical, December 19 – 29, 2024. All performances are at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd. Single tickets go on sale for the 2024 Season Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 12 p.m. 

ABOUT MUSIC THEATER WORKS

Music Theater Works is a resident professional not-for-profit music theater founded in 1980. During its 44-year history it has presented more than 150 productions and intimate presentations. Music Theater Works is a professional theater company whose mission is to present works for the musical stage including historic repertoire, revitalizing the Golden Age of Broadway and earlier works, celebrating the Great American Songbook and introducing modern classics. 

JOYCE SAXON is the 2024 Music Theater Works Season Sponsor.

Preview: Thursday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. 

Opening Night Performance: Friday, March 8 at 7 p.m. 

Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m. (Post Show Discussion: Behind the Scenes with Tom Shea)

Wednesday, March 13 at 2 p.m.

Friday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 16 at 2 p.m.

Saturday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. 

Sunday, March 17 at 2 p.m. (Post Show Discussion: Behind the Scenes with Tom Shea)

Wednesday, March 20 at 2 p.m.

Friday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m. (Adults Only) *

Sunday, March 24 at 2 p.m.

Thursday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. (Adults Only) *

Sunday, March 31 at 2 p.m. 

Tickets: $39 to $106, tickets for guests 25 years old and younger are available for half-price.

Music Theater Works Box Office: (847) 673-6300

Website: MusicTheaterWorks.com

Top Weekend Picks: Chicago's Renowned Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade Returns Saturday, October 21, 6-8pm

 

ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List: 

Free Family Friendly Fun

Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade

Arts in the Dark is presented by LUMA8 and the City of Chicago and is co-sponsored by Barry Callebaut and HARIBO, with Major Support from the Chicago Loop Alliance. 

Saturday, October 21, 6-8pm

With pre-parade candy giveaway starting at 5pm

 

This Saturday ChiIL Mama will be ChiILin' on Chicago's historic State Street, catching the 9th Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade, a family-friendly happening featuring unique floats, spectacle puppets and all forms of creative performance taking place Saturday, October 21, from 6-8pm. Check back soon after for our photo filled recap right here at ChiILMama.com, and come experience this fabulous spectacle in person if you can.

Attendees are urged to arrive early to find a good spectating spot and attend a pre-Parade candy giveaway starting at 5pm featuring HARIBO’s Goldenbear and more. Spectators are also encouraged to come dressed in their own colorful and creative costumes to join in the festive fun. 

  CELEBRATES HALLOWEEN AS THE “ARTISTS’ HOLIDAY”

This magical evening procession celebrates Halloween as the “artists’ holiday” and draws together participants from major cultural organizations, inspiring youth programs, and aspiring artists in every field. Named ‘One of the best Halloween celebrations in the world’ by UK-based Wanderlust magazine – this dazzling production annually delights an audience of 50,000+ gathered along historic State Street, from Lake to Van Buren Streets.

PARADE TO FEATURE SOME 90 ARTS & CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS;

This year’s Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade holds a record number of applicants, with a selection of approximately 90 arts organizations participating. Families can expect to see well over 4,000 parade participants with virtually every neighborhood in Chicago represented. Colorful costumes, masks, installations, lighting, fire, acrobatics, puppetry and spectacle, dance moves and choreography, music, theatrical performances, street arts, circus arts, and cultural traditions will fill State Street.

Mark Kelly, Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade co-founder and artistic director, is thrilled to see the explosion of creative ferment as the parade groups prepare for their State Street performance. “I am very excited to have the League of Chicago Theatres, in partnership with BandWith Chicago, leading the parade,” he shared. On some of the specific featured groups, he commented, “Reinvent Ability and their wheelchair dancers will join over 40 dance organizations, while several striking IATSE film locals will remind us of their importance to the cultural life of our city. The amazing creative life of our city is truly captured in this playful and singular event.” 

As the parade celebrates the Halloween holiday by representing thousands of Chicago artists, it’s fitting that the parade, located in the ‘Candy Capital of North America,’ is co-sponsored by two giants of the candy industry: Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, and HARIBO, the world's leading manufacturer of gummi products.

“Barry Callebaut is proud to again sponsor this iconic Chicago event,” said Ben De Schryver, President, North America, Barry Callebaut. De Schryver added, "Given that Chicago is the home of our North American headquarters, it is important to us to support events, like the Arts in the Dark Parade, that honor the diversity and contributions of our community and bring people together to celebrate the sweet joys of Halloween.”

“We’re thrilled to be part of the Arts in the Dark Parade to support our local Chicago community and put the ‘happy’ back in ‘Happy Halloween!” said Seth Klugherz, Vice President of Marketing, HARIBO. “HARIBO is committed to giving back to the places where we live and work, and we’re excited to bring Goldbears to the Parade to infuse fun and treats for families and friends to share while enjoying inspiring live performance.”

FIRST-EVER BILINGUAL EMCEE TO PROVIDE ENGLISH & SPANISH-LANGUAGE PARADE COMMENTARY

This year marks the parade’s inaugural bilingual emcee, Spanish-speaking WGN-TV journalist and co-anchor Lourdes Duarte, who will provide commentary on the parade from her staging between Monroe and Adams Streets.  This year’s parade will feature close to a dozen Mexican contingents, many of which choose to represent their cultural heritage by showcasing the traditions surrounding Dia de los Muertos. Noteworthy as well are the remarkable contributions of Chicago’s Black cultural organizations and traditions to the parade. A wide array of other ethnic and cultural traditions will be represented as well, including Brazilian, Columbian, Irish, Indonesian, Peruvian, Caribbean, Jamaican, Polynesian, and Indigenous groups.

Chicago’s diverse dance community will be well represented with a selection of 40 dance organizations including Reinvent Ability dance group and their wheelchair dancers, The Joffrey Ballet, Forward Momentum Chicago, Ballet Folklorico de Chicago, Astronaut Flee, Trinity Dance School, Aztec Dance,  and more. Dance genres will include footwork, tango, hip hop, house, stepping, clogging and ballet. And this year, audiences can expect a collection of 12 marching bands and drumlines and several music ensembles. Select music groups include everything from the South Side Jazz Coalition to the Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles. The parade showcases a variety of music genres including hip-hop, jazz, gospel, opera, Mariachi, house, pop, steel pan, rock, punk and more.

LUMA8 President & CEO Sharene Shariatzadeh is delighted that her company will provide over $70K in grants to parade groups who might not otherwise be able to participate.  “Our priority is to ensure that Arts in the Dark is a true reflection of Chicago’s diverse cultural and ethnic community,” she says. “Thanks to the support of our sponsors and a 2023 Chicago Presents Grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), we are able to offer the assistance that allows organizations from every corner of Chicago to celebrate together in the heart of the city.” 

Arts in the Dark is presented by LUMA8 and the City of Chicago and is co-sponsored by Barry Callebaut and HARIBO, with Major Support from the Chicago Loop Alliance.  It is produced in partnership with DCASE and is a proud recipient of a 2023 Chicago Presents Grant. Additional support is provided by Choose Chicago, Harris Theater for Music and Dance at Millennium Park, and William Blair.

 

About LUMA8 (Light Up My Arts)

LUMA8 (Light Up My Arts) is an independent not-for-profit that strives to elevate Chicago as a focal point of artistic innovation to enrich the lives of its citizens and create economic impact. www.luma8.org

 

About Barry Callebaut Group

With annual sales of about CHF 7.2 billion (EUR 6.6 billion / USD 7.9 billion) in fiscal year 2020/21, the Zurich-based Barry Callebaut Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products – from sourcing and processing cocoa beans to producing the finest chocolates, including chocolate fillings, decorations and compounds. The Group runs more than 60 production facilities worldwide and employs a diverse and dedicated global workforce of more than 13,000 people.  The Barry Callebaut Group serves the entire food industry, from industrial food manufacturers to artisanal and professional users of chocolate, such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs, bakers, hotels, restaurants or caterers. The global brands catering to the specific needs of these Gourmet customers are Callebaut® and Cacao Barry®, Carma® and the decorations specialist Mona Lisa®.  The Barry Callebaut Group is committed to make sustainable chocolate the norm by 2025 to help ensure future supplies of cocoa and improve farmer livelihoods. It supports the Cocoa Horizons Foundation in its goal to shape a sustainable cocoa and chocolate future. www.barry-callebaut.com

 

About HARIBO

HARIBO is the world's leading manufacturer of gummi products, most famous for our classic Goldbears. Globally, the business employs nearly 7,000 Associates and operates 16 production sites in 11 countries. A family-owned business with a century-long heritage, our founder, Hans Riegel, built HARIBO on a foundation of quality and inspiring moments of childlike happiness through our products. Established in 1920, HARIBO is the acronym that comprises our founder's name and the city in which the company was born (Bonn, Germany): HAns RIegel BOnn. We pride ourselves on making playful gummies that are meant to be shared so our inner child can always experience joy through sweet treats. HARIBO global headquarters is in Grafschaft, Germany and its U.S. headquarters operates out of Rosemont, Ill. www.haribo.com 

About the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is dedicated to enriching Chicago’s artistic vitality and cultural vibrancy. This includes fostering the development of Chicago’s non-profit arts sector, independent working artists and for-profit arts businesses; providing a framework to guide the City’s future cultural and economic growth, via the 2012 Chicago Cultural Plan; marketing the City’s cultural assets to a worldwide audience; and presenting high-quality, free and affordable cultural programs for residents and visitors. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca.html

About Chicago Loop Alliance

Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA)’s mission is to create, manage and promote positive and inclusive programs that attract people to the Loop and accelerate economic recovery. CLA is a membership organization as well as the sole service provider for Special Service Area#1-2015, and the Chicago Loop Alliance Foundation produces public art projects and events. www.loopchicago.com.

For more information visit www.artsinthedark.org, LUMA8.org.

 

Chicago Shakespeare Theater Presents THE WALK WITH LITTLE AMAL a Free Event on September 28, in Partnership with Navy Pier

ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List THE WALK WITH LITTLE AMAL Featuring Uniting Voices, with A.B.L.E. (Artists Breaking Limits and Expectations), Chicago Children’s Museum,  and the Syrian Community Network The 12-foot-tall puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee child has travelled over 5,500 miles to nearly 100 cities and will make her first Chicago appearance at Chicago Shakespeare

Chicago Shakespeare Theater welcomes The Walk with Little Amal, the internationally celebrated 12‑foot‑tall puppet of a 10‑year‑old girl, as part of her epic 6,000‑mile journey across the United States this fall. Amal will make her first appearance in Chicago at the Theater’s iconic marquee on Navy Pier, proceeding from Lake Michigan toward the city’s skyline, in a free event for all ages on September 28 at 5:30 p.m. Presented in partnership with Navy Pier, the event will feature a performance by Uniting Voices (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir), along with appearances by A.B.L.E. and Chicago Children’s Museum, in collaboration with the Syrian Community Network. As she arrives in Chicago, Amal will ask, “What city, friends, is this?”—echoing Shakespeare’s poignant line from Twelfth Night—and explore belonging in a new place through the vibrancy and joy of art and expression. Audiences of all ages will join performers and partners to welcome Amal, helping her turn an overwhelming arrival in an unfamiliar place into a celebration of her own capacity for creating beauty and finding community. Her journey on the Pier will begin in front of Chicago Shakespeare and will conclude at Polk Bros Park. At the event, audiences will have the opportunity to learn more about and donate to local groups working to support asylum seekers in Chicago. Amal’s visit to the Pier will begin outside Chicago Shakespeare with a traditional welcome by the Syrian Community Network, followed by an invitation to engage with performers from A.B.L.E. near Navy Pier's Wave Wall. During a stop outside Chicago Children’s Museum, Amal will greet the 16‑foot‑tall “Flyboy” sculpture by Chicago artist Hebru Brantley, a tribute to the importance of childhood for all to realize every child’s potential. The event coincides with a puppet-themed Free Family Day at the Museum from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In Amal’s final stop at the Pier, more than 70 members of the youth choir Uniting Voices will perform their original song “We All Live Here” in Polk Bros Park. Amal’s time in Chicago is part of her Walk Across America, for which more than 35 towns and cities from Boston to San Diego and more than 1,000 artists and arts organizations will create hundreds of events to welcome her. Amal’s journeys of art and hope celebrate the rich stories of refugees, immigrants and displaced people, and the communities that welcome them. Everyone is welcome to walk with Amal. The Walk with Little Amal is part of Chicago Shakespeare’s WorldStage Series, which has featured more than 1,300 artists in 97 productions from 22 countries spanning six continents to date. The series has welcomed some of the globe’s most exciting theatrical events, affording theatergoers prime opportunities to experience different cultural traditions and must‑see international shows without leaving Chicago. This free event, presented in partnership with community organizations, is also a component of Chicago Shakespeare CoLab, the Theater’s ongoing engagement initiatives that include cornerstone program Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks; co-created workshops and events with arts partners and community-based organizations; and opportunities for partner arts organizations to share Chicago Shakespeare’s stages. More information about this event can be found at www.chicagoshakes.com/littleamal or on social media at @chicagoshakes and @walkwithamal. The Walk with Little Amal will be presented September 28, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. beginning outside the Chicago Shakespeare Theater marquee on Navy Pier (800 E. Grand Avenue). Free admission for audiences of all ages; no tickets or advance reservations required. For more information, contact the Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com. ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER Regional Tony Award-recipient Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season—plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside nationally recognized education programming serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners each year. Founded in 1986, the Theater’s onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. Chicago Shakespeare is dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers; one in four of its audience members is under the age of eighteen. As a nonprofit organization, the Theater works to embrace diversity, prioritize inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On the Theater’s three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted cultural hub—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire. www.chicagoshakes.com. ABOUT OUR PARTNERS Little Amal Little Amal is the 12‑foot‑tall puppet of a 10‑year‑old Syrian refugee child at the heart of The Walk. She has become a global symbol of human rights, especially those of refugees. Since July 2021, Amal has travelled over 5,500 miles to nearly 100 towns and cities in 15 countries and been welcomed by more than a million people on the street, including hundreds of artists and civil society and faith leaders, as well as by tens of millions online. Her journeys are festivals of art and hope that draw attention to the huge numbers of children fleeing war, violence and persecution, each with their own story. Her urgent message to the world is “Don’t forget about us”. Learn more at www.walkwithamal.org. Navy Pier Navy Pier is the People’s Pier, Chicago’s lakefront treasure, welcoming all and offering dynamic and eclectic experiences through partnerships and programs that inspire discovery and wonder. Since its reopening in 1995, more than 180 million guests have come to enjoy the Pier’s 50 acres of unparalleled attractions and experiences. In 2023, Navy Pier continues to evolve into an accessible, year-round centerpiece for Chicago’s diverse arts and cultural treasures. Learn more at www.navypier.org. Uniting Voices Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) is a nonprofit organization that empowers and unites youth from diverse backgrounds to find their voice and celebrate their common humanity through the power of music. Founded in 1956 and inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, Uniting Voices Chicago provides accessible music education to youth ages 6-18 from every zip code of Chicago. With hundreds of choirs across 80+ Chicago schools; achievements that include international tours and collaborations with world renowned artists; and, a network of more than 50,000 alumni around the globe, Uniting Voices is taking the next step to empower a new generation of changemakers. More information at www.unitingvoiceschicago.org. A.B.L.E. (Artist Breaking Limits and Expectations) A.B.L.E.—Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations—is celebrating their 7th anniversary of creating theatre and film projects for, with, and by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A.B.L.E. engages actors ages 13 and up through performance ensembles, specialized workshops, and outreach programming. Whether in person or online, all A.B.L.E. programs strive to foster agency, and nurture lifelong skills like communication, collaboration, and creativity. A.B.L.E.’s ensembles have produced more than 25 projects for the stage and screen, ranging from adaptations of theatrical classics by Shakespeare, Dickens, and Gilbert & Sullivan, to original pieces. A.B.L.E.’s feature films have been recognized by several local and international festivals. By placing people with disabilities in the spotlight, A.B.L.E.’s work strives to shift societal preconceptions, and build more inclusive, empathetic communities. For more information about A.B.L.E., please visit www.ableensemble.com and find them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Chicago Children’s Museum The mission of Chicago Children's Museum (CCM) is to improve children’s lives by creating a community where play and learning connect. CCM is dedicated to young children and the important adults in their lives. Play-filled experiences, including more than 15 interactive exhibits and daily programming, tap into how kids learn, and engage from ages 0-10 to develop the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. In its last fiscal year, CCM hosted more than 400,000 visitors. For more information, please visit www.ChicagoChildrensMuseum.org. Syrian Community Network The Syrian Community Network is a refugee and immigrant support organization that builds community and serves families by addressing their evolving needs. SCN envisions a United States that is welcoming to all immigrants and refugees. We define this as a United States that unapologetically advocates for the safety, autonomy, and agency of all — extending to the most marginalized in our communities. More at www.syriancommunitynetwork.org.

One Day Only: Cabinet of Curiosity to present Out Loud! Out Spoken! Sunday October, 1, 2023

 

ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List Cabinet of Curiosity to present  Out Loud! Out Spoken!  Chicago’s first human-powered, bicycle-centric spectacle, Sunday, October 1, inside a heliport in Pilsen

Chicago spectacle event enterprise Cabinet of Curiosity announces Out Loud! Out Spoken!, Chicago’s first human-powered intimate spectacle, Sunday, October 1 from 3 to 6 p.m.  Out Loud! Out Spoken! will be presented at Vertiport Chicago, 1339 S. Wood St., inside a huge heliport hangar in Pilsen. Residents of Pilsen’s 60018 zip code are invited to experience Out Loud! Out Spoken! for free. $20 tickets are on sale now for the general public at cocechicago.com. This family-friendly, one-day-only civic event is happening rain or shine, so be the first to experience Cabinet’s radically new, environmentally sound and spiritually potent public ritual. You’ll witness: Poetry workshops with instructors led by Anya Zamiar and engineering workshops led by artists from the School of the Art Institute.  Chicago Printmakers Collaborative displaying their large panoramic machines while poets narrate three-to-five-minute intimate poems. Participating artists include Deb Lader, Kass Copeland and Mike Coon. Performers hand cranking giant panoramic visual stories created by local painters, set to poetry written by students from Benito Juarez High and other nearby schools. Recumbent bicycle-powered record players. Typewriter stations for guests to write personal poems. Bonus: Cabinet will even mail those poems for its guests! Artists illuminated by candlelight while operating ingenious mechanical devices. The voices of professional writers, emerging artists, and untrained poets reflecting publicly about the day’s themes of hope and endurance. The climactic moment, when artists pedal  bicycles and one arm machine to power audio amplification as poets read their works on a staircase 15 feet above the crowd.  Out Loud! Out Spoken! is devised by Cabinet of Curiosity Artistic Director Frank Maugeri, Community Liaison Brandon Boler, and members of Cabinet’s community collective and board of directors. The event embraces the company's primary mission:  Empower and pay local community members to make art and ritual. Create original interactive rituals that are meaningful and reflect the community's ambitions and needs. Encourage healthy living, comfortable exercise, confident authorship and dynamic expression Use highly engineered items to ignite the public's curiosity and serve as instruction in science, technology, engineering, art and math. Focus on the theme of Hope and stories of Redemption. Poets include Siah Berlatsky, Big Mama, Jenny Bienemann, Chelsea Bonner, Jack Dwyer, Rachel Johnson, Justus Pugh, Dion Randle, Angel Rivas, Elisabeth Seonwoo, Eddie Skinner, Vira Waegel, Kay Williams, Alexis Willis, Anya Zamiar and day of audience members. Partners for Out Loud! Out Spoken! include the Chicago Humanities Festival, Chicago Park District, Chicago Printmakers Collaborative, School of the Art Institute, Slow & Low: Chicago Low Rider Festival, Streets Calling, Skinner West Elementary School, Redline Services and Working Bikes.  “We organized these partners to design and execute a unique, human, and audience-powered spectacle, highlighting personal expression and alternative energy sources,” said Maugeri. “We are combining engineering, landscape installation, exercise, and personal and public expression to create an unforgettable civic ritual created for and by Chicagoans. Don’t miss it.” For 25 years, Maugeri was the Producing Artistic Director of Redmoon Theater, where he led celebratory events indoors and outdoors for President Obama, the City of Chicago, the Chicago Park District, multiple major museums including the Field Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Intuit Gallery, Spertus Museum, along with events in 35 wards of Chicago, three Mayors, several other cities and Europe.  After Redmoon's demise, Maugeri launched a new collective called Cabinet of Curiosity. In six years, they have cultivated new relationships with the Art West (North Lawndale), Theatre Y (North Lawndale), Sheila McNary and The Homan Square Community Center (Homan Square), ChiBuck (Englewood), Shedd Aquarium, the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago Children's Theatre, the University of Chicago, Indiana State University, the Clayco Foundation and more to design and execute transcendent, original ceremonies and rituals in unexpected and unused spaces. For more, visit cocechicago.com, or follow the company on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Q Brothers Christmas Carol is Back at Chicago Shakespeare Theater Through December 23, 2021

ChiIL Mama’s Chi, IL Picks List 

Q BROTHERS & Chi Shakes bring all the joys to The Yard!

Chicago Shakespeare Artists and Audiences come together for the holiday season

Q BROTHERS CHRISTMAS CAROL

Hip hop holiday hit returns in limited engagement. 

December 7-23, 2021

This is one of our all time top favorites in the Christmas genre. Chicago's own world renowned Q Brothers are truly a treat to see in action. We highly recommend Q BROTHERS CHRISTMAS CAROL and we adore The Yard, Chi Shakes' newest space. This show has multigenerational appeal and may well be one of the funniest holiday shows out there. We've caught every year this show has been performed since they workshopped the first version of this show back around 2012 or 13 and it's become a beloved family tradition of ours. Don't miss this!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater is once again the ultimate destination for the holiday season. The 80-minute hip hop holiday hit Q Brothers Christmas Carol, created by Chicago sensations the Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, Jax, and Pos) and developed with Creative Producer Rick Boynton, is back in a limited engagement in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, December 7-23, 2021. The Theater will again host the popular virtual Holiday Artisan Market, December 2-5, 2021, in support of local theatermakers and community artists. Nearly 20 Chicago-area artisans will showcase more than 250 handcrafted wares in an online pop-up shop—perfect for holiday gift-giving. One hundred percent of proceeds will directly benefit the artisans.

The wildly entertaining Q Brothers Christmas Carol remixes the Charles Dickens classic, mashing up musical styles ranging from reggae and dancehall music, to dubstep and epic rock ballads. Fully decked out in the holiday spirit with stage-side cocktail tables and theater seating, the Theater is strewn with more than two miles of twinkling lights as the Ghosts of hip hop Past, Present, and Future lead Scrooge on a journey of rhythm, rhyme, and redemption.

The internationally acclaimed Q Brothers Collective fuses hip hop and theater—adapting classic stories with a wholly original style of performance that has amassed a cult following of fans in Chicago and beyond. The Q Brothers Collective pioneered the concept of "ad-rap-tation" with their Off-Broadway hit The Bomb-itty of Errors. Their award-winning collaborations with Chicago Shakespeare Theater Creative Producer Rick Boynton include Othello: The Remix—which premiered at Shakespeare’s Globe and toured to sold-out houses in London, Australia, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Off Broadway—and Funk It Up About Nothin’, which garnered the Jeff Award for Outstanding Ensemble and the Dress Circle Award for Best Musical Production at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Q Brothers Christmas Carol features the members of the Q Brothers Collective portraying all of the roles in the timeless story: GQ (Scrooge), JQ (Marley / Belle / Present / Lil’ Tim), Jax (Fred / Dick Wilkins / Mama Cratchit), and Pos (Bob Cratchit / Past / Martha Cratchit)—joined by DJ Clayton Stamper spinning live beats live onstage. The creative team features Scenic and Costume Designer Scott Davis, Lighting Designer Jesse Klug, Sound Designer Stephen Ptacek, Associate Sound Designer Ralph Loza, and original Wig and Make-up Designer Melissa Veal, with Choreography by Anacron. Q Brothers Christmas Carol is written by the Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, Jax, and Pos) with music by JQ. A Chicago Shakespeare production, Q Brothers Christmas Carol is presented by CST and Richard Jordan Productions.

In its ongoing commitment to accessibility, Chicago Shakespeare offers accessible performances for Q Brothers Christmas Carol:

Audio-described performance – Sunday, December 12, 2021, at 3:00 p.m.

A program that provides spoken narration of the play’s key visual elements for patrons who are blind or have low vision.

Open-captioned performance – Wednesday, December 15, 2021, at 7:00 p.m.A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.

Run time is 80 minutes (no intermission). Single tickets ($38–$56) are on sale now with special discounts available for groups of 10 or more. For more information, visit chicagoshakes.com/qchristmas or engage on social at #QChristmas.

HOLIDAY ARTISAN MARKET

Virtual pop-up shop with 100% of proceeds benefiting local artists, December 2-5, 2021

Back by popular demand, Chicago Shakespeare’s Holiday Artisan Market will feature more than 250 one-of-a-kind goods from nearly twenty local artists. All of the participating artisans are members of the creative sector—including onstage performers, backstage technicians, designers, and community partners from the Theater’s annual Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks program. From jewelry and ceramics to knitwork and more, the virtual Holiday Artisan Market is not only a one-stop-shop for bespoke and beautifully made gifts, but also celebration of the talent and resilience of our city’s creative community.

Featured artisans include:

Taí Ramírez, a youth musician with Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center who appeared in Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks DREAM in 2021, with her whimsical jewelry creations.

Actor Nick Harazin who has appeared in in six Chicago Shakespeare productions, sharing his woodworking skills with unique wooden jewelry and furniture pieces.

Brittany Taylor, member of Greater Englewood Chamber of Commerce’s Business Development Cohort, and her hand-poured Black Luxe candles.

Three-time Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks Green Show performer Noelle Klyce and cozy items from her crochet line Hook Me Up, Design Co.

Chicago Lighting Designer Travis Shupe and his hand-thrown pottery creations, which are both functional and beautiful.

Theatrical costume maker Maggie Hoffman (SIX, Macbeth, Nell Gwynn) delights with holiday-themed goods in her PaisleyAndGlue shop.

Participating artisans to date include: Maggie Hoffman – PaisleyAndGlue; Emma Lyons – Emma Lyons Art; Beth Uber – Betherella; Dail Kirkpatrick – Dail Kirkpatrick Art; Nikki Way; Brittany Taylor – Black Luxe Candle Co; Taí Ramírez – Atabey; Cass Westover – Homegrown Wrappings; Elizabeth Flauto – Elizabeth Millinery; Nicholas Harazin – Kindred Woodworks; Travis Shupe – Ceramics by Travis; Jen Smith – JenSmithGlass; Karen Avery; Robin Power; Catherine Daniels – CDaniels Design.

The pop-up shop will be live December 2-5, 2021 at chicagoshakes.com/market with one hundred percent of proceeds going directly to the artisans.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

A Regional Tony Award recipient, Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a year-round season—featuring plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside nationally recognized education programming, each year serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners. Founded in 1986, the Theater’s onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. Dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers, one in four audience members is under the age of eighteen. As a nonprofit organization, Chicago Shakespeare works to embrace diversity, prioritize radical inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On the Theater’s three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted cultural hub—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire us. chicagoshakes.com