Writers Theatre opens the 2019 tour of The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights With FREE MLK Day Chicago Performance at the Chicago History Museum

Writers Theatre opens the 2019 tour of

The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights

By Yolanda Androzzo

Directed by Tasia A. Jones

Featuring Angela Alise

Free performance at the Chicago History Museum

on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

January 21, 2019

10:30am

Writers Theatre opens its 13th annual tour of The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights, written by Yolanda Androzzo, directed by Tasia A. Jones and featuring Angela Alise. A special Martin Luther King, Jr. Day public performance will take place at 10:30am on January 21 at the Chicago History Museum, 1601 N Clark Street in Chicago. The kickoff event also includes a post-show community discussion. The event is free and open to the public, and audience members will also receive free museum admission for the remainder of the day.

Weaving together poetry, hip hop and history, The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights is a one-woman show that follows Chicago student Alaya’s personal transformation through studying the Civil Rights Movement. Alaya uses her fists as an outlet for anger. After interviewing local heroes of the Movement, she discovers she can put “anger into action” and that her power is in her voice and her hip hop, not violence.

Seen by more than 77,000 students, this dynamic, cross-cultural, multi-media performance interlaces personal interviews of Chicago-based Civil Rights activists, featuring both celebrated and unsung heroes of the Movement, such as Reverend Samuel “Billy” Kyles, Founder of the DuSable Museum of African American History Dr. Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs, Reverend Jesse Jackson and Puerto Rican poet and activist David Hernandez, among others. 

The 2019 production will tour to more than 35 venues during its 6-week run, including  Chicago Public Schools, community centers, and juvenile detention centers.  All performances on the tour include a post-show discussion and a study guide with wrap-around curriculum.

Writers Theatre will also feature two special onsite performance of The MLK Project on Saturday, February 2nd, 2019 at 4:00pm and 7:00pm. Tickets for this performance are $20 for adults and $10 for students and may be purchased by calling the WT Box Office at 847-242-6000 or https://www.writerstheatre.org/the-mlk-project-the-fight-for-civil-rights.

Dates: Monday, January 21, 10:30am – Chicago History Museum (Free)
Saturday, February 2nd, 4:00pm & 7:00pm – WT’s Gillian Theatre   (Paid: $20 adults; $10 students)

The 2019 tour of The MLK Project is made possible in part by support from Allstate, Major Corporate Sponsor.  Additional supporters of The MLK Project and Writers Theatre’s education programs in 2019 include: The Crown Family, Northern Trust Charitable Trust, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Petersen Aluminum Corporation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Dr. Scholl Foundation, and The Seabury Foundation.

Writers Theatre Education Programs are aimed at exploring text, nurturing the creativity of young people and instilling appreciation of the arts for future generations. Through comprehensive programming in schools, on-site and through community-based initiatives, WT Education’s curriculum is designed to emphasize collaboration, cultivate self-expression, encourage imaginative inquiry and promote civic responsibility and social justice.

Additional Writers Theatre’s Education Programs include:

Write On! a flexible artist-in-residence program customized for each school and group of students. Write On! pairs teaching artists with schools and community organizations in dynamic explorations of performance and text with a focus on encouraging young people to find their creative voices.  Writers Theatre has provided after-school drama programs, in-depth Shakespeare or mythology workshops, ethnographic performance and dramaturgy units, and poetry and writing classes in collaboration with CPS schools, community organizations and juvenile detention centers.

The Novel Series, a cutting-edge theatre and literary arts curriculum designed to allow students to explore literature and the art of bringing text to life. Under the guidance of a Writers Theatre Teaching Artist, students engage in a layered study of a book and enter a rigorous artistic process that merges writing, discussion, and vocabulary with arts-integrated theatre projects. Residencies culminate in a final performance of student-created work as students use voice, body, and imagination to make new and exciting connections to the text.

ACTIVATE is Writers Theatre’s wraparound residency designed to deepen students’ engagement with the art on our stages. Students and teachers involved in ACTIVATE attend an exclusive student-only matinee performance of a play in our season, prepare for and extend their experience at the theatre through in-school pre and post-performance participatory workshops designed to investigate contextual information and the major themes in the play, and participate in a post-show discussion with WT artists and educators.

Writers Theatre Youth Council, an artistic leadership advisory board for motivated, passionate high school students interested in hands-on, in-depth exposure to arts administration. Council members get behind-the-scenes access to Writers Theatre productions, artists, and programs, participate in play readings and artistic discussion groups, host youth nights at the theatre, and develop artistic leadership skills. Youth Council members attend after-school meetings, performances at the theatre, and workshops. Youth Council members represent a valued voice in theatre operations.

Writers also began offering Onsite Theatre Classes for young people in Fall 2017. Classes each session will mirror WT’s mission of the word and the artist with creative themes that highlight each of these theatrical tenants created specifically for young artists at the heart of the process. Held in our state-of-the-art theatre center, these customized classes are the perfect way to introduce children to the arts through creative and active collaboration.


All of Writers Theatre’s education programs are aligned with state and national Common Core standards. To learn more visit www.writerstheatre.org/education.

ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE
For 25 years, Writers Theatre has captivated Chicagoland audiences with inventive interpretations of classic work, a bold approach to contemporary theatre and a dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible.

Under the artistic leadership of Michael Halberstam and the executive leadership of Kathryn M. Lipuma, Writers Theatre has grown to become a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called the top regional theatre in the nation by The Wall Street Journal. The company, which plays to a sold-out and discerning audience of more than 60,000 patrons each season, has garnered critical praise for the consistent high quality and intimacy of its artistry—providing the finest interpretations of both classic and contemporary theatre in its two intensely intimate venues. 

In February 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility. This established the company's first permanent home—a new theatre center in downtown Glencoe, designed by the award-winning, internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects, led by Founder and Design Principal Jeanne Gang, FAIA, in collaboration with Theatre Consultant Auerbach Pollock Friedlander. The new facility has allowed the Theatre to continue to grow to accommodate its audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy. The new facility resonates with and complements the Theatre’s neighboring Glencoe community, adding tremendous value to Chicagoland and helping to establish the North Shore as a premier cultural destination.

Find Writers Theatre on Facebook at Facebook.com/WritersTheatre, follow @WritersTheatre on Twitter or @Writers_Theatre on Instagram. For more information, visit www.writerstheatre.org.

REVIEW: CHICAGO DANCE CRASH'S EVIL & GOOD

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

All Photos by Ashley Deran

Evil&Good-(front to back) Kelsey Reiter, Porscha Spells, KC Bevis, and Kaitlin Webster

It was our great pleasure to catch opening night of Dance Crash's Evil & Good, and it was an exhilarating evening. New members were seamlessly introduced into the mix, and it was exciting to see this world premiere testing it's sea legs. Chicago Dance Crash now has a travel ready, full-length conceptual piece they can pack in a plane or take on the road. We're unbelievably lucky we got to see it first, since these innovative modern dancers call Chicago home. Evil & Good utilizes the company’s signature blend of concert dance and hip-hop in innovative ways, and I do believe Dance Crash's street dance aesthetic makes their shows more appealing and accessible to a diverse audience demographic.

With all the recent chaos, violence, and racial tension in the news this summer, Evil & Good is a welcome respite and an all too timely exploration of the world’s constant struggle between its angels and demons. If we have any chance of understanding the human condition, embracing beauty and strength, and healing as a society, I fully believe it will come through the arts. Evil & Good has an impressively talented cast with a range of genders, races, body types and skills. This production brings wisdom coupled with vital energy and youthful enthusiasm to the table, at a time when understanding and empathy are in short supply and desperately needed. We highly recommend checking out their work. They'll be performing in Chicago once again August 20th in Dance for Life, so save the dates. 

Evil&Good-(L to R) Zak McMahon, Kaitlin Webster, Brian Humpherys, and Porscha Spells

Save the Dates:

Future Chicago Dance Crash Events

Dance For Life –  August 20 – Chicago

General Auditions for 2017 company – November 6 - Chicago

Selected Repertory  – September 13-15 – Milwaukee 

Evil & Good  – September 16 – St. Louis 

Selected Repertory  – September 25-27 – Boston.

Evil&Good-ChicagoDanceCrash_Evil&Good3- Humpherys)

Evil&Good-David Ingram

CHICAGO DANCE CRASH PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE HIP-HOP HEAVY 

EVIL & GOOD AT THE VITTUM THEATRE, 

JULY 8 – 16

Three Choreographers Team up to Tackle the Adrenaline Pumping Concept Show Inspired by the Struggle Between Right and Wrong

Chicago Dance Crash (CDC) and Artistic Director Jessica Deahr are proud to announce the world premiere of Evil & Good, fit for all ages, playing at The Vittum Theatre, 1012 N. Noble St., July 8 – 16. Evil & Good is choreographed and directed by Deahr with additional choreography by CDC Senior Company Kaitlin Webster and Culture Shock Chicago Artistic Director Christopher Courtney. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with a matinee performance Sunday, July 10 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased by calling 773.342.4141 or visiting www.chicagodancecrash.com.

Evil&Good-(left to right) Brian Humpherys, David Ingram, Kelsey Reiter, Kaitlin Webster, Zak McMahon, Porsche Spells

Inspired by a growing demand for Chicago Dance Crash’s street dance aesthetic, Evil & Good utilizes the company’s signature blend of concert dance and hip-hop, offering a boiled down alternative to its summer annual movement play: sheer, pulse-raising dance.  Throwing CDC’s movement capacity into overdrive, Deahr, Webster and Courtney team up to choreograph this explosive full-length conceptual piece featuring a hip-hop blend and is inspired by the world’s constant struggle between its angels and demons. 

The cast for Evil & Good includes: The Chicago Dance Crash 2016 Performance Ensemble of Kaitlin Webster, David Ingram, KC Bevis, Brian Humpherys, Zak McMahon, Kelsey Reiter, and Porscha Spells. 

The artistic team for Evil & Good includes: Jessica Deahr (director & co-choreographer), Christopher Courtney (co-choreographer), Kaitlin Webster (co-choreographer) with Lighting Design by Erik Barry and original sound design by Johnny Nevin.

About Jessica Deahr, Chicago Dance Crash Artistic Director and Co-Choreographer

Jessica Deahr took over the creative reigns of Chicago Dance Crash in January 2012, shortly after the completion of the company’s 10^th Anniversary Season, when she served as its resident choreographer. Graduating from Wesleyan University with a B.A. in sociology and a minor in dance, Deahr’s creative background is as diverse as the company she represents. A musical theatre-lover by day and hip hop “B-girl” by night, her eclectic movement background has contributed to performance credits ranging from Frank Chaves to Vanilla Ice. She has danced professionally across the Caribbean, both coasts of the United States, Mexico, Canada, Europe, South Korea and locally in Chicago. Outside of CDC, Deahr continues to choreograph Jazz, contemporary and tap works for local professional companies while preserving her undying affection for vintage 90’s hip-hop.

About Kaitlin Webster, Co-Choreographer

Kaitlin Webster is a CDC senior company member and rehearsal director. With Crash, she has performed in Duets for My Valentine. She graduated Cum Laude from Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography and received both the Merce Cunningham and Kreielsheimer Scholarships. While in Colorado, she trained with the Boulder Jazz Dance Workshop at the University of Colorado and performed with Interweave Dance Theater. While in Seattle she worked with Iyun Harrison, Nancy Cranbourne, Deb Wolfe, Christy McNeil, Pat Hon and Wade Madsen.

About Christopher Courtney, Culture Shock Chicago Artistic Director and Co-Choreographer

Christopher Courtney has served as Culture Shock Chicago’s artistic director for nine years and is a long time artistic associate of Chicago Dance Crash. He boasts performances with Kanye West and Busta Rhymes, battles with Joel Hall, a record four KTF Championships and fifteen shows with Chicago Dance Crash. Courtney has emerged as one of the city’s premier break dancing talents, performing with Stick and Move and Five Star Boogie, as well as establishing himself as an accomplished drummer and choreographer.

About Chicago Dance Crash

Chicago Dance Crash is a multi-disciplined, contemporary dance company committed to both exploring and exploiting the potential of human response and athleticism through live performance. The company develops a wider appreciation within the community for dance as an influential art form and as an accessible form of entertainment.

Founded in 2002 by Marissa Moritz, Mark Hackman, and Charlie Cutler, CDC has emerged as a critical staple of the Chicago scene, engaging audiences and broadening the exposure of contemporary dance. With a unique union of styles both classic and contemporary, including ballet, capoeira, breakdance, acrobatics and contemporary dance, CDC burst onto the scene in its first season with the new and innovative movement play concept and has grown to receive critical acclaim throughout its 14 years of groundbreaking dance.

OPENING: The Q Brothers' OTHELLO: THE REMIX Is Back At Chicago Shakespeare Theatre 4/12-5/8

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents the return of

The Q Brothers'

OTHELLO: THE REMIX

Highlight of Shakespeare 400 Chicago, April 12–May 8

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, we're thrilled this production is back in sweet home Chicago. I caught it back in 2013, and can't wait for my 15 year old son to see it with me this time. Othello: The Remix is a modern, hip hop version of Othello that does Shakespeare proud. It's revitalized this production and made it accessible and fun for the masses. It was pure magic to see the multigenerational appeal of this show, that extends well beyond fans of the genre. It's so rewarding to see youth actually enjoying and understanding Shakespeare. The Q Brothers' knack for timing, rhythm and wordplay is their true genius. Highly recommended. We'll be there for the press opening tonight and we'll have a full review of the 2016 OTHELLO: THE REMIX redux up shortly. 

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents a highlight of Shakespeare 400 Chicago—The Q Brothers’ 90-minute hip-hop adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Othello: The Remix, spun out and lyrically rewritten over original beats. Developed by hip-hop sensations GQ and JQ with CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton, this production has toured widely since its world premiere at Shakespeare’s Globe as part of the 2012 London Cultural Olympiad. It returns after playing to sold-out houses of multi-generational audiences in Edinburgh, London, Australia, Germany, South Korea and Poland. 

Othello: The Remix is presented in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, April 12–May 8, 2016.

Othello: The Remix returns in April, the month of Shakespeare’s birthday and the anniversary of his death, an exciting contribution to Shakespeare 400 Chicago. The yearlong festival is spearheaded by Chicago Shakespeare Theater, inviting the city’s world-class institutions and leading artists from around the globe to interpret and reimagine Shakespeare’s work in 850 events on stages and in museums, parks, schools, neighborhoods and even restaurants across the city throughout 2016.

The Q Brothers’ Othello: The Remix has captivated audiences globally and garnered acclaim and multiple honors—including Edinburgh’s Musical Theatre Matters Award for Best New Musical Theatre Show and the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Ensemble. Most recently, The Q Brothers’ production traveled to Australia’s Arts Centre Melbourne, to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates with Art for All, and to New Zealand for the Auckland Arts Festival. It now returns to Chicago Shakespeare, where the production previously enjoyed a twice-extended twenty-week run in 2013.

Othello: The Remix is written, directed and composed by The Q Brothers, GQ and JQ, siblings born and raised in Chicago. The production is one of three collaborative “ad-rap-tations” with Creative Producer Rick Boynton. The Daily Telegraph (UK) gave it five stars and called it “a triumph from beginning to end.” It comes highly recommended by the Chicago Sun-Times and was praised as “well-paced, sophisticated and very funny” by The Guardian. The cast of this critically acclaimed production includes Postell Pringle as Othello, with GQ, JQ and Jackson Doran filling multiple roles and DJ Clayton Stamper spinning from the turntable.

The award-winning design team includes Scenic and Costume Designer Scott Davis, Lighting Designer Greg Hofmann—with original lighting designs by Jesse Klug—and CST’s resident Wig and Make-up Designer Melissa Veal. Directed by GQ and JQ, Othello: The Remix is presented in association with Richard Jordan Productions. 

  

Othello: The Remix is presented in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, April 12–May 8, 2016. Tickets start at just $35 and as little as $20 for anyone under age 35 through Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or online at www.chicagoshakes.com.

ABOUT SHAKESPEARE 400 CHICAGO
Shakespeare 400 Chicago explores Shakespeare’s enduring legacy across languages and disciplines including theater, dance, literature, music, cuisine and spectacle. The yearlong international arts festival brings together the city’s resident world-class institutions, and welcomes leading artists from around the globe to celebrate, interpret and reimagine Shakespeare’s work. Upcoming highlights include: the Art Institute of Chicago’s Supernatural Shakespeare exhibit (April 11–October 10); Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s performances of Berlioz’s Romeo and Juliet (April 7–9) and Falstaff (April 21–26); Northwestern University Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities and Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art’s screening of the 1974 Othello adaptation Catch My Soul (April 22); Northwestern University Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities’ presentation of the interactive Shakespeare video game Play the Knave, created by University of California Davis Professor Gina Bloom and the ModLab (April 28); Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Art Institute of Chicago’s concert CSO at the AIC: A World of Characters (May 1); and Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s debut of Tug of War: Foreign Fire, the first of a two-part, six-play Shakespeare history cycle directed by Artistic Director Barbara Gaines (May 12–June 12).

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
Chicago Shakespeare Theater is a global theatrical force, known for vibrant productions that reflect Shakespeare’s genius for storytelling, language and empathy for the human condition. Throughout 2016, CST is spearheading the international arts and culture festival, Shakespeare 400 Chicago, a citywide celebration of the playwright's 400-year legacy. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, CST is dedicated to creating extraordinary production of classics, new works and family programming; to unlocking Shakespeare’s work for educators and students; and to serving as Chicago’s cultural ambassador through its World’s Stage Series. CST serves as a partner in literacy to Chicago Public Schools, working alongside English teachers to help struggling readers connect with Shakespeare in the classroom, and bringing his text to life on stage for 40,000 students every year. And each summer, 30,000 families and audience members of all ages welcome the free Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour into their neighborhoods across the far north, west and south sides of the city. Reflecting the global city it calls home, CST is the leading producer of international work in Chicago, and has toured its plays abroad to Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Canada/North America and the Middle East.

OPENING TOMORROW: ChiIL Mama's Video Interview With The Flying Steps From Red Bull's Flying Bach #VideoInterview

ChiIL Mama's ChiIL Picks List:

It sounds like a wacky mash up straight out of a sitcom or children's book. 3 B-Boys (hip-hop break dancers from Germany) hook up with a Swedish ballerina and hit the road, on tour with modern street dance to a score by Bach! Believe it or else... it's true. This show is opening right HERE in Chicago THIS Friday, and they've been playing all over the world to rave reviews. 

Check out their insights on how this show is uniting old and young audiences and fans of quite divergent genres, and bringing packed houses back in cities where theatre and dance had been dying off. We also asked them "What's in your ipod?" and more. Catch our interview and clips from a hip-hop class they taught below:

ChiIL Mama was invited to Joffrey Tower earlier this spring, to do a video interview with 4 of the dancers. 

WHO:  Four dancers from the Berlin-based dance crew The Flying Steps, four-time break dance world champions, including Swedish contemporary dancer Anna Holmström and break dancers Mikel, KC-1 and Lil’ Ceng…



These fierce 4 were a treat to meet. They were personable and incredibly talented. 





We chatted off camera a bit,too, after the formal interview, and asked the B-boys if they lived for touring and if it kind of sucked to have to teach classes or vice versa, since teaching and taking the stage sometimes require different talents and personalities. Of course, the guys admitted they dig performing and touring the world, but they also said one of their favorite things to do is teach hip-hop to KIDS in Berlin! Love it. They've even run their own school since 2007! I bet they're fantastic at it, too.

WHAT:  Talk to press and host break dance workshops with local troupes and students at downtown Chicago dance studios including beginner and advanced sessions with high school and college students. 

We can NOT wait to see their show opening THIS Friday 6/20, and we'll be there to review opening night. Check out our exclusive video interview and photos from their workshop right here. Then get your tickets to see them LIVE. They're here for SIX performances ONLY. We've been promoting this show since way back in March, but if you're still hesitating, don't. This is one multicultural, genre defying mash up you must see to believe. 



Here's the Scoop:

DISCOVER THE HIGH ART OF GETTING DOWN.

High culture meets urban art: In the clash of cultures Red Bull Flying Bach turns a international classical world upside down. Their creative performance visualizes and revives Johann Sebastian Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier crossing the borders of serious music and youth culture. Note by note. Step by step. With piano, harpsichord and electronic beats.

• When: June 21-22 & June 27-29 (Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30pm, Sunday afternoons at 2pm)
• Where: Civic Opera House
• Cost: $24 to $88 via Ticketmaster or at the Civic Opera House box office

This June, Chicago scores a major coup in the arts & performance sphere: The Flying Steps, four-time break dance world champions, perform Red Bull Flying Bach, a show making its exclusive U.S. stop in Chicago only for six performances at the prestigious Civic Opera House, June 20-29.  This follows a sweeping tour with sold-out shows in over 24 European cities plus Japan, Australia, Canada and Chile.

Red Bull Flying Bach blends eye-popping urban dance – power moves, head spins, flairs, freezes, popping & locking – with live classical music performed by Christoph Hagel, opera director and pianist extraordinaire.  Swedish ballerina Anna Holmström joins the seven international members of The Flying Steps.  German-Lebanese b’boy Vartan Bassil is the show’s lead choreographer.  The music?  J. S. Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, of course, plus electronic beats.  Two disparate genres like classical music and break dance come together in amazing and surprising ways.

EXCLUSIVE U.S. ENGAGEMENT

of Red Bull Flying Bach Brings World-Renowned Dance Crew The Flying Steps

to Chicago for six performances only, June 20-29

For the first time in the United States after three seasons of sold out performances around the world, the celebrated and distinguished dance crew The Flying Steps will bring Red Bull Flying Bach to Chicago, making its debut in an exclusive U.S. engagement for six performances only downtown at the historic Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, June 20 – 29, 2014.

Bach and breakdance don’t go well together? The four-time breakdance world champions The Flying Steps and opera director Christoph Hagel prove the contrary with their breathtaking performance, Red Bull Flying Bach. With their interpretation of Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, they shift and overcome the borders between classical and urban culture. By combining Bach’s classical masterpiece with modern electronic beats and clever choreography, the audience of each performance truly experiences a powerhouse production invoking visual amusement with delightful sound.

Red Bull Flying Bach has sold out theaters around the world, such as Sweden, Australia, Germany, Iceland, Chile, Russia, Japan and Austria. The show itself is a beautiful blend of the minds of Artistic Directors Vartan Bassil (choreography) and Christoph Hagel (piano, musical director). The Civic Opera house, playing host to this one-of-a-kind performance, is eager to have the show debut on its famed stage later this year.

“We're really excited to host Flying Bach for their U.S. premiere this June,” said Rich Regan, Director of Facilities at the Civic Opera House.  “It's a groundbreaking blend of traditional and contemporary entertainment that will be completely new to Chicago audiences.”

Swedish ballerina Anna Holmström joins the seven male break-dancers of The Flying Steps, fusing key elements of urban dance culture with precision ballet.

Tickets, ranging from $24 – $88, are now on sale by visiting at: http://www.ticketmaster.com/Red-Bull-Flying-Bach-tickets/artist/1595623 or by visiting the Civic Opera House box office. Red Bull Flying Bach will be performed over two weekends only:  Friday and Saturday evenings, June 20, 21, 27 & 28, at 7:30pm, and Sunday afternoons, June 22 & 29, at 2pm.

ChiIL Mama's Photo Favs:

ABOUT RED BULL FLYING BACH

High culture meets urban art: In this clash of cultures, Red Bull Flying Bach turns the international classical world upside down. The creative performance visualizes and revives Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier crossing the borders of serious music and youth culture. Note by note. Step by step. With piano, harpsichord and electronic beats. With head spins, power moves and freezes. With visuals and a storyline, 70 minutes long.

ABOUT THE FLYING STEPS

The Flying Steps are consecutively one of the most successful urban dance crews worldwide with breathtaking shows and one-of-a-kind choreographies, appealing to a diverse audience. The group was founded by Vartan Bassil and Kadir “Amigo” Memis in 1993 in Berlin. The Flying Steps specialize in urban dance styles like b-boying and popping-and-locking, and have won several world championships, like the Battle of the Year and Red Bull Beat Battle.

In 2007, they opened their own dance school in Berlin – The Flying Steps Academy. With a mission to guide the next generation of urban dance and offer young prospects an opportunity with social projects, the Academy is how the Flying Steps set the stage for the next generation of dance.

KINDIE LAND FREE TICKETS: Rock N Pop Circus 2pm on 2/2 #Giveaway

 ***COME JOIN THE ROCK-N-POP CIRCUS!!!!!***

IMW Presents Family-Friendly Concert of Chicago's Best Kid Bands,

With Special Guests JOHN STIRATT of WILCO and Hip-Hop Legend PSALM ONE

ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama.   We're giving away a free 4 pack of tickets.   Enter below for your chance to win.   Open through midnight January 31. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

On Saturday, February 2^nd, The Intonation Music Workshop will present its annual Rock-N-Pop Circus, an afternoon showcase featuring student bands THE POP TOTS, WHITE DIAMOND and THE SCORPS at Chicago's famed Lincoln Hall. This all-ages concert is by kids, for kids, and features lots of activities to keep the whole family entertained – the perfect way to spend a winter afternoon!

Joining White Diamond will be Wilco’s John Stirratt, who has been mentoring the up-and-coming rock band at IMW's Fosco Park location. Also appearing will be legendary Chicago MC Psalm One and her students in RHYMESCHOOL (a joint program with IMW focused on hip-hop) and kid-friendly indie pop from Future Hits!

The family-friendly musical extravaganza will also offer Rock Star Face Painting, a Celebrity Photo Booth, a "Musical Petting Zoo"and more!

Rock-N-Pop Circus

Saturday, February 2, 2:00 PM

Lincoln Hall

2424 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago IL

Tickets for adults are $5 in advance, $7 at the door.  Kids are $3 in advance, $5 at the door.  Children under 5 are free! 

The students in the after-school Intonation Music Workshop program -- all between the ages of 6 and 17 -- learn the rudiments of the instruments in rock music, form bands, and begin to play shows for their communities and beyond.  Past Intonation bands have performed on stages at Lollapalooza, Millennium Park, and the Bud Biliken Parade, to name a few. Currently serving around 400 students a year at 12 sites around the city, IMW provides a safe and positive environment for kids who have few other options. “There's a movement underway to restore arts and music to the schools", says Simons, “and organizations like ours are helping lead the way. Our workshop exists not only to teach kids music, but also all the other things that playing music instills in us - confidence, teamwork, the satisfaction of setting a goal and achieving it.”

For more information, please visit www.intonationmusicworkshop.org.