Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s WorldStage Series returns with Wise Children’s WUTHERING HEIGHTS January 27–February 19, 2023

Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s WorldStage Series returns with 

Wise Children’s

WUTHERING HEIGHTS

adapted and directed by 

groundbreaking theatermaker Emma Rice

 

The acclaimed international co-production from the United Kingdom in a limited engagement in 

The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare,

January 27–February 19, 2023

 

Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s WorldStage Series returns with groundbreaking theatermaker Emma Rice’s exuberant reimagining of Emily Brontë’s gothic masterpiece, Wuthering Heights. The production combines live music, dance, puppetry, and a dash of impish irreverence to create an intoxicating revenge tragedy for our time. Hailed a Critic’s Pick by The New York Times, this wildly imaginative theatrical event from the UK is a co-production with the National Theatre, Wise Children, Bristol Old Vic and York Theatre Royal in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Wuthering Heights runs as a special limited engagement in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, January 27–February 19, 2023.

The production marks a return of Emma Rice’s boundary-pushing work to Chicago Shakespeare, previously seen in her celebrated Tristan & Yseult with Kneehigh Theatre in 2014 and the presentation of Wise Children’s musical comedy Romantics Anonymous, streamed live from Bristol Old Vic in 2020. Both productions were part of Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s WorldStage Series, which has featured more than 1,300 artists in 96 productions from 22 countries spanning six continents to date. Wuthering Heights marks the return of in-person WorldStage performances after a two-year hiatus of international touring due to the pandemic.

The wild moors of Yorkshire are the setting for an epic story of love, revenge, and redemption. An orphaned Heathcliff is adopted by the Earnshaws and taken to live at Wuthering Heights—where he finds a kindred spirit in Catherine. As they grow up together, a fierce love ignites between them—and when forced apart, a brutal chain of events is unleashed.

London’s The Telegraph declares that the production "unleashes the fire and the fury of Brontë’s masterpiece in a full-throttle show," and BroadwayWorld calls it "audacious, ingenious, and visually stunning…Rice’s ambition is unbounded." The New York Times raves "this music-filled version is an embrace, an envelopment: a feat of storytelling that wraps itself around the audience, pulling us into its silliness and sorrow."

The company features Sam Archer (Lockwood/Edgar Linton/The Moors), Leah Brotherhead (Catherine), Georgia Bruce (Isabella Linton/Little Linton/The Moors), Ricardo Castro (Robert/The Moors), Katy Ellis (Zillah/The Moors), Stephanie Elstob (Swing), Lloyd Gorman (Mr. Earnshaw/ The Moors), TJ Holmes (Dr. Kenneth/The Moors), Jordan Laviniere (The Leader of The Yorkshire Moors), Tama Phethean (Hindley Earnshaw/Hareton Earnshaw/The Moors), Eleanor Sutton (Frances Earnshaw/Catherine Linton/The Moors), and Liam Tamne (Heathcliff). The production’s live music is performed by Sid Goldsmith, Music Director Pat Moran, and Vincent De Jesus, with TJ Holmes and Lloyd Gorman.

In addition to adaptor and director Emma Rice, the creative team includes Composer Ian Ross, Scenic and Costume Designer Vicki Mortimer, Sound and Video Designer Simon Baker, Lighting Designer Jai Morjaria, Choreographer Etta Murfitt, Puppetry Designer John Leader, Fight Director Kev McCurdy, and Music Director Pat Moran.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s WorldStage Series exemplifies a landmark commitment to bring the world’s great theaters to Chicago and Chicago Shakespeare to the world. 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.

Chicago Shakespeare makes its facility and performances accessible to all patrons through its Access Shakespeare programs. Accessible performances for Wuthering Heights include:

Audio-described Performance – Sunday, February 12, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.

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

Open-captioned Performances – Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.

ASL Duo-interpreted Performance – Friday, February 17, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.

All dialogue and lyrics are translated into American Sign Language by two certified interpreters.

More information at www.chicagoshakes.com/wutheringheights or on social media at @chicagoshakes or #WutheringHeights.

Wuthering Heights will be presented January 27–February 19, 2023, in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Single tickets ($59–$106) are on sale now. Special discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com. Chicago Shakespeare’s most up-to-date health protocols can be found at www.chicagoshakes.com/health.

About Emma Rice

Emma Rice is the proud and excited artistic director of her company, Wise Children. She adapted and directed the company’s Bagdad Cafe (The Old Vic), Angela Carter’s Wise Children (The Old Vic/UK tour), and Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers (Bristol Passenger Shed/UK tour). For the ENO she directed Orpheus in the Underworld. As artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe (2016-18), she directed Romantics Anonymous, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Little Matchgirl (and Other Happier Tales). For the previous 20 years, she worked for Kneehigh as an actor, director, and artistic director. Her productions for Kneehigh include The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, Tristan & Yseult, 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, The Wild Bride, The Red Shoes, The Wooden Frock, The Bacchae, Cymbeline (in association with RSC), A Matter of Life and Death (in association with National Theatre), Rapunzel (in association with Battersea Arts Centre), Brief Encounter (in association with David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers Productions), Don John (in association with the RSC and Bristol Old Vic), Wah! Wah! Girls (in association with Sadler’s Wells and Theatre Royal Stratford East for World Stages), and Steptoe and Son. Other work includes the West End production of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Oedipussy (Spymonkey), The Empress (RSC), and An Audience with Meow Meow (Berkeley Repertory Theatre). In 2019 Rice received the UK Theatre Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre.

About Wise Children

Created and led by Emma Rice, Wise Children launched in April 2018 and is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. Based in Bristol, the company makes groundbreaking work with exceptional artists, and tours across the world. In the dark days of 2020, Wise Children led the field in livestreaming, becoming the first UK company to broadcast a fullstaged production, without social distancing, from a UK theatre after lockdown. Alongside shows, the theatre runs a unique professional development programme, The School for Wise Children, training a new and more diverse generation of theatre practitioners. www.wisechildren.co.uk

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

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

HELP OUT: Share Your Parenting Stories With Lyric Opera Through February 28 and Be Part of An Interactive Arts Project

Get involved with Thoughts on Parenthood

*As a special thank you for your time, survey participants can enter to win tickets to special Lyric performances and events!* 

Thoughts on Parenthood is an interactive arts project presented by Lyric Opera of Chicago in conjunction with the upcoming Midwest premiere of Blue. With the help of activist and photographer Tonika Johnson, this project will connect with communities across the city of Chicago, gathering personal stories of parents – their greatest wishes, biggest needs, and proudest moments.

Take the survey HERE: lyricopera.org/ChillMama

How does it work? 
Participating in this project is easy!
Parents are invited to take a short survey capturing stories about their experiences. The deadline for the survey process is February 28. 15–20 respondents will be selected to be profiled on Lyric's website with an interview and portrait by artist and activist Tonika Johnson.

Starting in May, the public is invited to visit Lyric's website to view selected profiles of parents from across the city.

As a special thank you for your time, survey participants can enter to win tickets to special Lyric performances and events!

Meet Tonika Johnson
Tonika Johnson is a visual artist/photographer from Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood. As a trained photojournalist and teaching artist, she has been engaged in building an artistic legacy that gained citywide recognition in the last two years.






Coming this June: Blue
Blue
June 19-28, 2020
Sung in English with projected text
Presented at the Yard at Chicago Shakespeare
Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago
Tickets start at $35

Lyric Opera of Chicago
20 N. Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
United States

Lyric premiere of Blue is made possible by support from Gene and Jean Stark, Allstate Insurance Company, Baker & McKenzie, BMO Harris Bank, Conagra Brands Foundation, the Eisen Family Foundation, Virginia and Gary Gerst, Eric and Deb Hirschfield, the Lauter McDougal Charitable Fund, Magellan Corporation, Drs. Walter and Anne-Marie Bruyninckx, Debbie K. Wright. 

What does "parent" mean?

For the purposes of this survey, a “parent” is defined as anyone who has taken legal and/or social responsibility for a child. The goal of this project is to include as many unique stories of parenthood as possible. So, if you consider yourself to be a “parent,” please feel free to participate!

Examples of parents include, but are by no means limited to:

Biological parents

Adoptive parents

Step-parents

Foster parents

Caregivers (grandparents, aunts/uncles, family friends, etc.)

Parents who conceived through alternative means (surrogacy, IVF, IUI, etc.)

Parents whose children are adults

Estranged parents or parents separated from their children

For more information, you can also go to www.lyricopera.org/parenthood.  

Lyric Opera of Chicago is conducting a project in conjunction with their upcoming production of a new opera by Tazewell Thompson and Jeanine Tesori, Blue. Thoughts on Parenthood is an interactive arts project examining the unique experience of parenthood. With the help of activist and photographer Tonika Johnson, Lyric will connect with communities across the city of Chicago, gathering personal stories of parents – their greatest wishes, biggest needs, and proudest moments. Share your story and personal experience as a parent by completing this short survey: www.lyricopera.org/ChillMama 
   

Chicago Shakespeare Slam 2018 Final Bout in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare on December 10th

More than 300 Chicagoland 

high school students and teachers unite in 

Chicago Shakespeare Slam 2018

Final Bout in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare on December 10

Chicago Shakespeare Theater brings together 300 high school students and their teacher coaches from 40 public, private, and parochial schools across the region for this year’s Chicago Shakespeare Slam. A series of Saturday workshops and regional preliminary bouts throughout the fall culminate in a spirited, fun-filled Final Bout on Monday, December 10 at 6:00 p.m. on the stage of The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Emcees warm up the crowd and an onstage DJ drops beats as nine teams perform, cheered on by a full house of fellow participants, classmates, and friends.

This year’s Final Bout performances will also be witnessed by an accomplished panel of judges, including Chicago Fire’s Eamonn Walker, Hamilton Chicago cast members Ebrin Stanley and Jimmie "JJ" Jeter, Melisa Soledad Pereyra from Chicago Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and multiple Jeff Award-winning actor Heidi Kettenring.

Slam teams advancing to the Final Bout on December 10 include: Chicago High School for the Arts (Chicago), Fenton Community High School (Bensenville), Francis W. Parker School (Chicago), Homewood Flossmoor High School (Flossmoor), Kennedy High School (Chicago), Lindblom Math and Science Academy (Chicago), Mundelein High School (Mundelein), Niles North High School (Skokie), and Warren Township High School (Gurnee).

Inspired by the electric energy of poetry slams, this robust arts-in-education initiative challenges ensembles of 2-8 students to create 5-minute performance pieces in two rounds:

In the first round, a scene chosen from any play in Shakespeare’s canon.
In the second, a creative exploration inspired by one play that the entire Slam community is focusing on that year—the same play that Chicago Shakespeare is abridging and staging for student audiences. This year, students explore Shakespeare’s classic drama, Macbeth. Chicago Shakespeare Slam is first and foremost an ensemble program—building community within each school’s team and also between the many participating teams. Together, students have the opportunity to dive deep into a shared text through the lenses of their own imaginations and experiences.

Chicago Shakespeare Slam is just one component of the Theater’s award-winning education programs, which have impacted two million students to date. Chicago Shakespeare Theater brings Shakespeare’s text to life for thousands of students every year, and offers celebrated professional development programs and curriculum resources for more than 2,500 teachers annually. Chicago Shakespeare’s education programming has been honored with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, presented by First Lady Michelle Obama in a 2014 White House ceremony, and the Folger Shakespeare Library’s national Shakespeare Steward Award for innovative teaching of Shakespeare in classrooms.

More information on the program at www.chicagoshakes.com/slam2018.



The public, private, and parochial high schools participating in Chicago Shakespeare Slam 2018 are:

Addison Trail High School, Addison
Air Force Academy High School, Chicago
Alcott College Prep, Chicago
Benet Academy, Lisle
Benito Juarez Community Academy, Chicago
Carl Sandburg High School, Orland Park
Chicago High School for the Arts, Chicago
Elk Grove High School, Elk Grove Village
Fenton Community High School, Bensenville
Foreman High School, Chicago
Francis W. Parker School, Chicago
George Washington High School, Chicago
George Westinghouse College Prep, Chicago
Glenbrook South High School, Glenview
Hammond Academy for the Performing Arts, Hammond, IN
Homewood Flossmoor High School, Flossmoor
John Hancock College Prep, Chicago
Kennedy High School, Chicago
Kenwood Academy High School, Chicago
Lake Park High School, Roselle
Lincoln Park High School, Chicago
Lindblom Math and Science Academy, Chicago
Multicultural Arts School, Chicago
Mundelein High School, Mundelein
Niles North High School, Skokie
Noble Street College Prep, Chicago
Oak Park and River Forest High School, Oak Park
O-School, Chicago
Our Lady of Tepeyac High School, Chicago
Prosser Career Academy, Chicago
Proviso West High School, Hillside
Racine Creative Center, Racine, WI
Rich Central High School, Olympia Fields
Rickover Naval Academy High School, Chicago
Round Lake High School, Round Lake Park
Senn Arts High School, Chicago
South Shore International College Prep, Chicago
Sullivan House High School, Chicago
Taft High School, Chicago
Warren Township High School, Gurnee
Wolcott School, Chicago

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER:
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, Chicago Shakespeare has redefined what a great American Shakespeare theater can be—a company that defies theatrical category. This Regional Tony Award-winning theater’s year-round season features as many as twenty productions and 650 performances—including plays, musicals, world premieres, family programming, and presentations from around the globe. Chicago Shakespeare is the city’s leading presenter of international work, and has toured its own productions across five continents. The Theater’s nationally acclaimed arts in literacy programs support the work of teachers, and bring Shakespeare to life on stage for tens of thousands of students annually. Each summer, the company tours a free professional production to neighborhood parks across Chicago. In 2017 the Theater unveiled The Yard, which, together with the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater and the Thoma Theater Upstairs, positions Chicago Shakespeare as Chicago’s most versatile performing arts center.

OPENING: Chicago Shakespeare and Teller Team Up On The Scottish Play Through June 24, 2018

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:
MACBETH
Through June 24, 2018

Run time is 2 hours and 20 minutes (including a 15-minute intermission)

Shakespeare's infamous play that must not be named in a theatre is back again, with a few tricks up it's sleeve and we are way beyond excited to see it. Actors can be a superstitious lot and theatre lore states that speaking "Macbeth" aloud in a theatre is akin to a curse on the production. There are loads of well known incidents and accidents that lend some credence to the idea. I can speak it in print or on line with impunity though, so MACBETH MACBETH MACBETH!  

This is like the tradition of saying "good luck" before a theatre production is bad luck, and "break a leg" is good luck. When you work in a profession where your success or failure depends on your personal energy and ability to create story from fiction, and manipulate the energy of a room full of strangers, superstition and the supernatural make as much sense as anything. I'll be ChiILin' at "The Scottish Play" at The Yard with my teen son, for the press opening on May 3rd, so check back soon for my full review.

Macbeth (Ian Merrill Peakes, right) and Lady Macbeth (Chaon Cross) ascend to power, observed by the Weird Sisters (McKinley Carter, Emily Ann Nichelson, and Theo Germaine) in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of Macbeth, adapted and directed by Aaron Posner and Teller, in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, April 25–June 24, 2018. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Aaron Posner and Teller (of Penn & Teller)

stage Shakespeare’s psychological thriller

Macbeth 

in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, now through June 24

Chicago Shakespeare culminates the 2017/18 season with Macbeth, adapted and directed by Aaron Posner and Teller (of Penn & Teller)—the celebrated creative duo behind CST’s The Tempest, winner of the Jeff Award for Best Production in 2015. Starring Ian Merrill Peakes as Macbeth and Chaon Cross as Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s psychological thriller immerses audiences in a world of dark magic and ambition, delving into the twisted psyches of the ultimate power-hungry couple. This haunting drama of political intrigue and personal frailty where "nothing is but what is not" takes the stage of The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, now through June 24, 2018.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the cast and creative team for the theatrical event of the season: Macbeth, adapted and directed by Teller (of Penn & Teller) and Aaron Posner—the celebrated creative duo behind CST’s The Tempest, winner of the Jeff Award for Best Production in 2015. Starring Ian Merrill Peakes as Macbeth and Chaon Cross as Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s psychological thriller immerses audiences in a world of dark magic and ambition, delving into the twisted psyches of the ultimate power-hungry couple.

Pictured: Lady Macbeth (Chaon Cross) is taunted by the unseen Weird Sisters (from left to right: Theo Germaine, McKinley Carter, Emily Ann Nichelson). Photo by Liz Lauren.

Fantastical tale of dark magic and ambition in thrilling culmination of the season in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, beginning April 25

Teller is best known as one half of the famed Penn & Teller, who for more than 40 years have entertained and amazed audiences with their unique brand of magic and comedy—redefining magic’s place in popular culture. The longest-running headline act in Las Vegas history, Penn & Teller have been featured in Emmy-winning television specials, on world tours, and on Broadway; they currently host the hit series Penn & Teller: Fool Us! on The CW Network. Posner, an accomplished playwright and director, has written and adapted more than 20 plays, including Stupid F****** Bird, Life Sucks, My Name Is Asher Lev and The Chosen, among others. American Theatre said the hallmark of his directing is his ability to make classic plays “arresting and luminously accessible.” His work is in demand at major regional theaters nationwide—including credits at Folger Theater, American Repertory Theater, and Atlanta’s The Alliance, where he has garnered multiple Helen Hayes and Barrymore Awards.

Posner shared, “At our core, Teller and I are both populists. We passionately believe in Shakespeare for everyone. And an amazing story like this—full of magic, music, witches, blood and beheadings—is designed to have everyone sitting on the edge of their seats to see what thrills are in store.”

Teller and Posner's wild imaginings are brought to life onstage by a stellar creative team, whose work has been seen on Broadway and stages across the U.S. Legendary magician Johnny Thompson—whom Teller describes as “undisputedly the greatest living source of magical knowledge”—returns as Magic Designer. Scenic Designer Daniel Conway, Costume Designer Mara Blumenfeld and Lighting Designer Thom Weaver have created an immersive visual world where nothing is truly as it seems, bringing new truth to Macbeth’s line “nothing is but what is not.” Sound Designer Andre Pluess composes original music and orchestrations—creating a haunting soundscape with a series of unique instruments invented especially for this production by master percussionist Kenny Wollesen, a longtime collaborator of Tom Waits.

“We’re trying to put you, the audience member, in the same off-kilter position in relation to the production as Macbeth is to his world,” described Teller of their vision for the production. “When something happens on stage that seems to defy the rules of physics—all of a sudden what's happening to you is echoing the story.”

Leading the cast are Ian Merrill Peakes as Macbeth and Chaon Cross as Lady Macbeth. Helen Hayes Award-winner Peakes is a mainstay at the Folger Theatre, where he has taken on some of Shakespeare’s most challenging roles including Iago, Timon, and King Henry VIII. Cross is one of the great leading ladies of Chicago theater, with notable credits at Court Theatre, Writers Theatre, and Steppenwolf. She returns to Chicago Shakespeare, where she most recently appeared as Ellen Tree in Red Velvet.

The trio of Weird Sisters—played by actor-singers McKinley Carter, Theo Germaine, and Emily Ann Nichelson—infuse music and magic into the storytelling.

Also featured in the company of twenty-four multi-talented performers is Andrew White—founding ensemble member at Lookingglass, who recently completed two terms as Artistic Director—as Banquo. Timothy D. Stickney returns to Chicago Shakespeare to perform the role of Macduff. A longtime Shakespearean performer with credits at The Public Theater, The Old Globe, and Stratford Festival, Stickney is also known for playing the recurring character R.J. Gannon on ABC’s One Life to Live for nearly 15 years. Christopher Donahue plays the role of King Duncan. Donahue has notably appeared in Broadway’s Metamorphoses and Measure for Measure at New York Shakespeare Festival, in addition to productions with Goodman Theatre, Court Theatre, and Lookingglass Theatre Company.

For more information, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/macbeth.

Cast

Adam Wesley Brown Malcolm 
McKinley Carter Weird Sister 
Chaon Cross Lady Macbeth
Kyle Curry Donalbain 
Christopher Donahue Duncan/Doctor 
Theo Germaine Weird Sister 
Jennifer Latimore Lady Macduff/Gentlewoman 
Ronnie Malley Ensemble 
Matthew Floyd Miller Porter/Siward 
Austin Molinaro Fleance 
Emily Ann Nichelson Weird Sister 
Reilly Oh Seyton 
Ian Merrill Peakes Macbeth
Sam Pearson Young Siward 
Cage Sebastian Pierre Angus 
Edgar Miguel Sanchez Lennox 
Timothy D. Stickney Macduff 
Samuel Taylor Ross 
Bret Tuomi Bloody Sergeant 
Andrew White Banquo 
Micah Wilson Macduff Son
LiSean “Ling Ling” McElrath Ensemble
Alexander James Poe Ensemble
Dylan Obrochta Ensemble

Creative Team

Aaron Posner Adapter/Director
Teller Adapter/Director
Daniel Conway  Scenic Designer
Mara Blumenfel Costume Designer
Thom Weaver Lighting Designer
Johnny Thompson Magic Designer
Andre Pluess Sound Designer/Composer/Original Orchestrations
Richard Jarvie Wig and Make-up Designer
Susan Felder Verse Coach
Kenny Wollesen Instrument Designer/Wollesonics
Magdelene Spanuello Associate Director

Macbeth is presented in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, April 25–June 24, 2018. Single tickets are on sale now for $48–$88 (subject to change). Special discounts are available for groups of 10 or more, as well as CST for $20 tickets for patrons under 35. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

CST strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons through its Access Shakespeare programs. 

Accessible performances for Macbeth include:

Open-captioning – Thursday, May 17 at 1:00 p.m. and Friday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m.
ASL Duo-interpretation – Friday, June 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Audio-description – Sunday, June 10 at 2:00 p.m. with optional touch tour at 12:00 p.m.

Creator Bios
AARON POSNER (Adapter/Director) returns to Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where he co-directed The Tempest (Jeff Award). Mr. Posner is a director and playwright; a founder and former artistic director of Philadelphia's Arden Theatre Company; the former artistic director of Two River Theater; and an associate artist at the Folger Theatre in Washington DC. His widely produced plays include: Stupid Fucking Bird, Life Sucks, and No Sisters (all re-imaginings of Chekhov plays); District Merchants, a new take on Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice; The Chosen, My Name Is Asher Lev, both adapted from Chaim Potok novels; Sometimes a Great Notion, adapted from Ken Kesey; Mark Twain's A Murder, A Mystery, and a Marriage; an adaptation of three Kurt Vonnegut short stories, entitled Who Am I This Time? (And Other Conundrums of Love); The Gift of Nothing, Me…Jane: The Dreams & Adventures of Young Jane Goodall, both musical for young audiences (with Andy Mitton and Patrick McDonnell); and many others. Mr. Posner has also directed nearly 200 productions at major regional theaters across the country. He has won numerous awards as both a director and playwright, including: a Jeff Award, several Helen Hayes Awards, two Barrymore Awards, two Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, Elliot Norton Award, The John Gassner Memorial Playwriting Award, Outer Circle Critics Award, Theatre Bay Area Award, and more. Raised in Eugene, Oregon, and now living near Washington, DC, Mr. Posner graduated from Northwestern University and is an Eisenhower Fellow.

TELLER (Adapter/Director) returns to Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where he co-directed The Tempest (Jeff Award). Teller has been the smaller, quieter half of the Emmy-winning team Penn & Teller since 1975. With Penn Jillette, he has played Broadway, toured in North America and Britain, and currently is the longest-running headline act in Las Vegas history. Penn & Teller have written and starred in television series and specials, including eight seasons of the Showtime series Penn & Teller: Bullshit!; Penn & Teller Tell a Lie (Discovery); Penn & Teller’s Sin City Spectacular (FX); Behind the Scenes, a PBS children’s series on the arts; The Unpleasant World of Penn & Teller, a magic and comedy series (Comedy Central, UK’s Channel 4); and the current hit series, Penn & Teller: Fool Us (The CW). Teller has written for The Atlantic, Smithsonian, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Esquire, GQ, The New Yorker; as well as three books with Jillette and two on his own. He is a frequent contributor to All Things Considered on NPR. Teller and Aaron Posner co-directed a version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth for Washington DC’s Folger Shakespeare Theatre and he co-wrote and directed the acclaimed stage production Play Dead (Off-Broadway and Los Angeles). Teller made his feature-length film directorial debut with the Oscar-shortlisted and BAFTA-nominated Tim’s Vermeer, a Sony Pictures Classics 2014 release. In 2015, Teller triumphantly returned to Broadway co-starring in Penn & Teller On Broadway. 

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

A global theatrical force, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is known for vibrant productions that reflect Shakespeare’s genius for storytelling, musicality of language, and empathy for the human condition. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, Chicago Shakespeare has redefined what a great American Shakespeare theater can be, putting forward a company that delights in the unexpected and defies theatrical category. A Regional Tony Award-winning theater, CST produces acclaimed plays at its home on Navy Pier, throughout Chicago’s schools and neighborhoods, and on stages around the world. In 2017, the Theater unveiled a new stage, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Together with the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater and the Thoma Theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, The Yard positions CST as the city’s most versatile performing arts venue.

GIVEAWAY: WIN 4 Tickets (up to $136 value) to SHORT SHAKESPEARE! A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM at The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar 

OPENING:

SHORT SHAKESPEARE! A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Abridgment brings Shakespeare’s enchanted comedy 

to students and families in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, beginning February 3rd

Running Time: 75-minutes * Family Friendly

ENTER HERE  for your chance to WIN 
4 tickets (up to $136 value) for your choice of 11am or 2pm on Saturday, February 10, 2018 ONLY. 

SHORT SHAKESPEARE! A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM 

Enter through midnight Monday, February 5th. Winner will be e-mailed and announced on our site and ChiIL Mama's social media networks.

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows we've been fervent fans of Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) for so many decades we've seen them perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream in it's entirety and as a Short Shakespeare 75-minute abridgment, several times over the years. Each production is fresh and new, and this 2018 version is extra exciting, because it's the first Shakespeare play to be performed in their new space, The Yard! Never fear, despite it's name, The Yard is indoors, heated, and awesome. 

Travis Turner as Puck. Photos by Liz Lauren

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream —a 75-minute abridgment of William Shakespeare’s riotous tale of mismatched love among mischievous fairies, young lovers, and an amateur theatrical troupe. Directed and adapted by Jess McLeod and featuring a power-packed ensemble cast, this production will bring the magic to life for more than 1,000 students each day in the innovative, new venue The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare during its six-week run. 

Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed for the public on Saturdays February 3–March 10, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. After each performance, the actors remain on stage for a question-and-answer session before joining the audience in the Lobby for one-on-one conversation and photo opportunities. 

This year, Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream will have an extended run in The Yard, allowing thousands of additional students and families to engage with this education program. The Yard will be configured as an intimate thrust stage, with audiences surrounding the stage on three sides and runway aisles for actor entrances and exits. 

Titania (Christiana Clark) beckons Bottom (Adam Wesley Brown), who has been transfigured into an ass, and her Fairy attendants (Hannah Starr and Lane Anthony Flores). Photo by Liz Lauren.

Jess McLeod makes her Chicago Shakespeare debut with Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream, although her work has reached thousands of audiences as resident director of Chicago’s Hamilton. In 2016, she was awarded the Michael Maggio Fellowship by Goodman Theatre and has directed at a range of local theatres including Victory Gardens, Haven Theatre, and Steppenwolf’s Next Up! Program. McLeod is also a teaching artist at Storycatcher’s Theatre and a program manager for the annual “Louder Than a Bomb” youth poetry festival.

Adam Wesley Brown as Bottom and Christiana Clark as Titania. 

Photo by Bill Burlingham.

The Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream cast features Adam Wesley Brown (Bottom, through March 18), Ally Carey (Helena), Christiana Clark (Titania/Hippolyta), Richard Costes (Snout/Fairy), Lane Anthony Flores (Flute/Fairy), Sean Fortunato (Oberon/Theseus), Jeremy Peter Johnson (Bottom, beginning March 19), Jarett King (Egeus/Quince), Andrew L. Saenz (Demetrius), Faith Servant (Hermia), Christopher Sheard (Lysander), Drew Shirley (Starveling), Hannah Starr (Snug/Fairy), and Travis Turner (Puck).

Collaborating with Jess McLeod to transform The Yard into an enchanted forest setting is Scenic Designer Lauren Nigri, Costume Designer Izumi Inaba, Lighting Designer Greg Hofmann, Sound Designer Mikhail Fiksel, Wig and Make-up Designer Richard Jarvie, Fight Choreographer Jerry Galante, Verse Coach Kathryn Walsh, and Assistant Director Héctor Alvarez.

Chicago Shakespeare’s Short Shakespeare! Series is rooted in the Theater’s steadfast commitment to young audiences, which has resulted in one in four audience members being age 18 or under. Chicago Shakespeare partners with teachers to extend the experience into the classroom, providing show-specific materials and activities in addition to leading free professional development workshops for teachers.



Public Performance Dates:
Saturday, February 3, 2018 – 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 10, 2018 – 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 17, 2018 – 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 24, 2018 – 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 3, 2018 – 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 10, 2018 – 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

For more information, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/ssmidsummer.

Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., February 3–March 10, 2018. Tickets are on sale now for $22–$34 (subject to change). For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

CST strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons through its Access Shakespeare programs. Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream will have an Audio-Described Performance on Saturday, February 17 at 11:00 a.m. and an Open-captioned and ASL Duo-interpreted Performance on Saturday, February 24 at 11:00 a.m.



ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
A global theatrical force, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is known for vibrant productions that reflect Shakespeare’s genius for storytelling, musicality of language, and empathy for the human condition. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, Chicago Shakespeare has redefined what a great American Shakespeare theater can be, putting forward a company that delights in the unexpected and defies theatrical category. A Regional Tony Award-winning theater, CST produces acclaimed plays at its home on Navy Pier, throughout Chicago’s schools and neighborhoods, and on stages around the world. In 2017, the Theater unveiled a new stage, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Together with the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater and the Thoma Theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, The Yard positions CST as the city’s most versatile performing arts venue.

OPENING: Q BROTHERS CHRISTMAS CAROL in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, November 21–December 31

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Highly anticipated return of

Q BROTHERS CHRISTMAS CAROL

in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, November 21–December 31

Tickets on sale now

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 new space, The Yard. This show has multigenerational appeal and may well be one of the funniest holiday shows out there. Don't miss this!

Back by popular demand, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the highly anticipated return of the cheeky holiday classic Q Brothers Christmas Carol, from hip-hop sensations the Q Brothers Collective and developed with CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton. After three wildly successful runs in 2013, 2014 and 2015 to sold-out houses, the raucous and irreverent musical event now takes the stage of the Theater’s innovative third venue, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, November 21–December 31, 2017.

Q Brothers Christmas Carol is on sale now; online at www.chicagoshakes.com or via the Box Office at 312.595.5600.

Written and performed by the Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, Jax, and Pos) and directed by GQ and JQ, Q Brothers Christmas Carol features an irresistible score and a lot of heart. This feisty reinterpretation of the perennial holiday favorite by Charles Dickens is underscored with beats spun live at the turntables, mashing up styles from reggae and dancehall music, to dubstep and epic rock ballads. The production garnered Joseph Jefferson Award nominations for Outstanding New Musical and Outstanding Ensemble. A Chicago Shakespeare production, Q Brothers Christmas Carol is presented by CST and Richard Jordan Productions.

Highlighting the versatility of the dynamic new venue, Q Brothers Christmas Carol will transform The Yard into a festive nightclub with the opportunity for audiences to sit at cabaret tables surrounding the stage, or to watch the performance from traditional theater seating. The party atmosphere of the Q Brothers’ work will be enhanced this year by activating the space surrounding the stage and audience viewing areas with additional bars and seating—perfect for continuing the fun after the show to toast the holiday season.

Q Brothers Christmas Carol joins the previously announced productions in Chicago Shakespeare’s 2017/18 Season: an all-woman The Taming of the Shrew (September 16–November 12, 2017; Courtyard Theater) staged by Artistic Director Barbara Gaines; James Thierrée’s The Toad Knew (September 19–23, 2017; The Yard); Teatro Línea de Sombra’s Amarillo (October 17–29, 2017; The Yard) from México as part of the inaugural Chicago International Latino Theater Festival; Red Velvet (December 1, 2017–January 21, 2018; Courtyard Theater) directed by Gary Griffin; Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream for families and students (February 3–March 10, 2018; The Yard); Schiller’s Mary Stuart (February 21–April 15, 2018; Courtyard Theater); a supernatural new Macbeth (April 25–June 24, 2018; The Yard) staged by Aaron Posner and Teller; and Druid Theatre’s Waiting for Godot (May 23–June 3, 2018; Courtyard Theater) from Ireland.

More information at www.chicagoshakes.com/QChristmas.

Q Brothers Christmas Carol will be presented in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, November 21–December 31, 2017. Tickets ranging from $30 to $52 are on sale now. Special discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
A global theatrical force, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is known for vibrant productions that reflect Shakespeare’s genius for storytelling, musicality of language, and empathy for the human condition. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, Chicago Shakespeare has redefined what a great American Shakespeare theater can be, putting forward a company that delights in the unexpected and defies theatrical category. A Regional Tony Award-winning theater, CST produces acclaimed plays at its home on Navy Pier, throughout Chicago’s schools and neighborhoods, and on stages around the world. In 2017, the Theater unveils a radical new stage, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Together with the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater and the Thoma Theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, The Yard positions CST as the city’s largest and most versatile performing arts venue.

Chicago Shakespeare’s year-round season features as many as twenty productions and 650 performances—including plays, musicals, world premieres, and visiting international tours—to engage a broad, multigenerational audience of 225,000 community members. Recognized in 2014 in a White House ceremony hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama, CST’s education programs support literacy and creativity for 40,000 students each year. Each summer, 30,000 family audiences welcome the free Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour into their neighborhoods across the far north, west and south sides of the city. The Theater is the leading producer of international work in Chicago, and has toured its own plays across North America and abroad to Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East, garnering multiple accolades, including the prestigious Laurence Olivier Awards, among others. Emblematic of its role as a global theater, during 2016 CST spearheaded the Shakespeare 400 Chicago international arts and culture festival, which engaged an estimated 1.1 million people through 863 events at 231 locations across the city—all in celebration of Shakespeare’s rich, 400-year legacy.