REVIEW: Thodos Dance Chicago's A Light in the Dark Enlightens New Generation

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:


MODERN DANCE TELLS CHICAGO'S KIDS HELEN KELLER'S INSPIRING STORY:

CHICAGO CHILDREN'S THEATRE OPENS FALL THEATER, DANCE SEASONS WITH THODOS DANCE CHICAGO'S 

A LIGHT IN THE DARK, 

OCTOBER 15-23

It was our great pleasure to finally catch this acclaimed production that's been around since it's inception in 2012 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. It's been touring nationally, but hasn't been seen in Chicago since 2013. The dancers are absolutely world class story tellers and a joy to see. My high school put on The Miracle Worker, and I still have vivid recollections of auditioning for the parts of both Helen and Anne. Yet many children, my own teens included, are completely unfamiliar with Helen Keller and the incredible true tale of Anne Sullivan's tenacity as her teacher. 

We're thrilled Chicago Children's Theatre is partnering up with Thodos Dance to bring this fabulous story to a new, younger audience. When we caught the opening performance, even the smallest kids were entranced. Their laughter and enjoyment at the stubborn struggles was sheer joy, and the medium of dance is so stunningly effective for this story that this piece is sure to make a lasting impression on all ages. It's a short run, so don't miss this! Highly recommended. ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List.

We're also elated that this coming weekend is ACCESS WEEKEND with shows for differently abled and sensory challenged patrons. Full details are below. Kudos to Chicago Children's Theatre for taking things a step further and enhancing empathy and understanding among the school groups they're hosting, with a disability awareness education outreach program for A Light in the Dark.  

Access Weekend - October 22 and 23

Access Weekend f or A Light in the Dark is Saturday and Sunday, October 22 and 23. Post show Q&As also will be offered after each performance. 

For guests who are deaf or hard of hearing, ASL interpretation will be offered October 22 at 11a.m. Live open captioning will be offered during every performance on October 22 and 23. 

For guests who are blind or with low vision, a pre-show Touch Tour of the set, props and costumes will be offered Saturday, October 22 at 9:15 a.m. Sign-up at chicagochildrenstheatre.org to take part. 

The 11 a.m. performance that follows will offer real-time audio description delivered  via personal headset . 

The sensory friendly performance with quiet room is October 22 at 2 p.m. 

For Access Weekend information, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org/access or contact access administrator Alex Mauney at cmauney@chicagochildrenstheatre.org.

Students to participate in Connections disability awareness education program

On select weekday mornings during the run, Chicago Children's Theatre will welcome student audiences for Thodos Dance Chicago's Connections program, the company's disability awareness education outreach program for A Light in the Dark. 

The program includes selections from A Light in the Dark, demonstrations and interactive student participation to help young children better understand disability issues and how Helen Keller rose to become one of the 20^th century's leading humanitarians. 

Connections presentations are at 10 a.m., Wednesday through Friday, October 12-14, and Tuesday through Friday, October 18-21. For more information, contact GroupSales@chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call (773) 227-0180 x 13.

This collaboration is supported by the Chicago Community Trust, ADA 25 Chicago and NEA Art Works. 

**Public performances are Saturday and Sunday, October 15 and 16 and October 22 and 23 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago.**

A Light in the Dark runs approximately one hour and is recommended for ages 6 and up. Single tickets are $10-$39. 

Even better, Chicago Children's Theatre also offers customizable multi-show Membership Passes including A Light in the Dark for as much as 50 percent off single tickets. For more information, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call (872) 222-9555.

The inspiring story of Helen Keller and her teacher, as told through contemporary dance, will be shared with Chicago-area children and families this fall when Chicago Children's Theatre presents Thodos Dance Chicago's critically-acclaimed story ballet A Light in the Dark: The Story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan.

Co-choreographed by Thodos Dance Chicago Artistic Director Melissa Thodos and Broadway icon Ann Reinking, A Light in the Dark is a family-friendly mix of movement and music that tells the true story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan, the caring teacher who guided the young blind and deaf girl into a life as an internationally acclaimed writer and political activist. 

Thodos Dance Chicago's A Light in the Dark: The Story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan and co-choreographers Melissa Thodos and Ann Reinking. 

"We so look forward to this collaboration with Thodos Dance Chicago, our first ever with a dance company" said Chicago Children's Theatre Co-Founder and Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell. 

"Just think, hundreds of Chicago children, parents, students and teachers will experience the story of Helen Keller in a whole new way. Many will be exposed to modern dance and conversations about disabilities for the first time. And through our scholarship program, hundreds of students from underserved Chicago schools will be given free tickets."

The reimagining of Keller's life through innovative dance aligns perfectly with Chicago Children's Theatre's vision of bold and groundbreaking theatrical experiences with an emphasis on inclusion and accessibility. 

Already, CCT offers numerous programs and services for children who are blind or have low vision, and patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as shows, classes and camps for children on the autism spectrum and with Down's syndrome. 

About  A Light in the Dark and Thodos Dance Chicago

Thodos Dance Chicago premiered A Light in the Dark in 2012 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance to much audience and critical acclaim. The Chicago Tribune called it "old fashioned storytelling art not often seen in choreography today."

Dance Magazine said Thodos and Reinking's work offered "new insight into Helen Keller's world." 

The Chicago Sun-Times called A Light in the Dark "a powerful portrait of the meaning of communication, movement, independence, freedom and love." 

While A Light in the Dark subsequently toured nationally, the piece hasn't been seen in Chicago since 2013.

A Light in the Dark is a full company work featuring 12 dancers, co-choreographed by Melissa Thodos and Broadway and film veteran Ann Reinking, Tony Award-winner for Best Choreography for the 1997 Broadway revival of the Bob Fosse musical Chicago, and a Tony nominee for Best Actress (Goodtime Charley, 1975), Best Featured Actress (Dancin', 1978) and Best Director (Fosse, 1999). Reinking also collaborated with TDC founder Melissa Thodos on the company's first story ballet, The White City: Chicago's Columbian Exposition of 1893, named "Best Dance 2011" by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Thodos Dance Chicago ensemble member Jessica Miller Tomlinson, who originated the role of Helen in 2012, returns as Helen for the CCT run, rotating performances with Melissa Panetta. Ensemble members Abby Ellison and Shelby Moran will alternate as Anne Sullivan. 

Original music is by Bruce Wolosoff. Dance legend Gary Chryst provided original rehearsal and stage direction. Lights are by Nathan Tomlinson. Costumes are by Nathan Rohrer. The original creative team included Christopher Kai Olsen, who produced the documentary film Shine about the making of A Light in the Dark.

Now entering its 25^th season, Thodos Dance Chicago is a dynamic contemporary dance company praised for its athleticism and distinctive choreographic voice, with a unique mission of inspiring expression through equal parts dance performance, dance creation and dance education. Learn more about the company and the balance of its 2016-17 season at thodosdancechicago.org. 

What's Next? A Look Ahead to Chicago Children's Theatre's 2016-17 season

Following A Light in The Dark, Chicago Children's Theatre's 2016-17 season continues Another Snowy Day with Beatrix Potter, Will Bishop's clever sequel to his 2015 CCT world premiere based on the stories of Beatrix Potter. 

Meanwhile, older kids will enjoy CCT's Later Stages premiere of Theatre Unspeakable's Moon Shot, in which seven actors squeeze onto a 21-square foot table to recreate the story of America's Apollo 11 lunar landing. Moon Shot is recommended for ages 10 and up. 

Both shows will rotate performances November 1-20, 2016 on the Ruth Page stage.

With the New Year comes a new take on an all-time favorite with the return of CCT's smash hit musical The Hundred Dresses. Adapted and created by Ralph "Ralph's World" Covert and G. Riley Mills, Sean Graney, artistic director of The Hypocrites, returns to direct this engaging and enlightening musical about a young girl who struggles to fit in with her new home and classmates, and what it takes to stand up to others-even when you're standing alone. Performances are January 17-February 19, 2017.

Next, if your child has ever asked to take a gap year from school, let them find out what it's like with CCT's world premiere of The Year I Didn't Go to School: A Homemade Circus. Created and directed by Lookingglass Artistic Director Heidi Stillman and based on the popular picture book by Giselle Potter, this all-new production will be a thrilling experience for all ages, complete with circus arts. Performances are February 28-March 26, 2017. 

Chicago Children's Theatre will culminate its 11^th season with Brown Bear, Brown Bear & Other Treasured Stories by Eric Carle, presented by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, May 2-28, 2017.

All shows will be presented at Chicago Children's Theatre's performance home, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St. in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood.  The Ruth Page is convenient to public transportation, surrounded by family-friendly restaurants, and is just steps from Chicago's Magnificent Mile.

Subscriber benefits include discounted tickets, reserved seats, flexible ticketing, discounts on CCT classes and camps, no fees and member invitations to CCT events. For memberships, subscriptions or passes, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call (872) 222-9555. 

CCT also offers deeply discounted group rates for schools, playgroups, birthday parties and scouting groups. Email GroupSales@chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call (773) 227-0180 x 13 to learn more.

New home for Chicago Children's Theatre to open in January 2017

In addition to presenting its 2016-17 mainstage season at the Ruth Page, Chicago Children's Theatre is busy transforming the former, 12^th District Police Station at 100 S. Racine Avenue in Chicago's West Loop into a beautiful, mixed-use performing arts and education facility designed to serve all Chicago families.

Slated to open in January, 2017, Phase One of the new Chicago Children's Theatre will house five classrooms for year round courses and camps for ages 0 to 14, a space dedicated to Red Kite year round programs for students on the autism spectrum, and a flexible, 149-seat studio theater ready to host professional performances and student shows.

Stay tuned for more exciting news in the coming weeks about Grand Opening festivities for the company's first-ever permanent home, plus two, must-see live family productions set to premiere in the new Chicago Children's Theatre studio theater in 2017.

About Chicago Children's Theatre

Since its launch in 2005, Chicago Children's Theatre has cemented its reputation as the city's largest professional theater company devoted exclusively to children and young families. 

The company evolved out of Chicago's need for high-quality, professional year-round children's programming to match the quality and significance of theatrical powerhouses such as Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre. 

Likewise, CCT has always believed children should be treated as the sophisticated audiences that they are with high-profile and award-winning talent, inventive production values and compelling stories that challenge, educate and entertain.

Audiences have embraced Chicago Children's Theatre since its inaugural production, A Year with Frog and Toad, at the Goodman Theatre in 2006. Since then, the company's productions have featured everything from black-light scenery to live music to interactive four-dimensional sets to life-size puppets, with performances showcasing the heart of Motown to Vaudeville to contemporary, current and modern styles.

Chicago Children's Theatre also has built a national reputation due to its strong focus on new work, producing 12 world premieres in just the last 10 years including The Selfish Giant, The Hundred Dresses, Jackie and Me, Dot and Ziggy, The Houdini Box, The Elephant and The Whale (in association with Redmoon), Mr. Chickee's Funny Money, Leo Lionni's Frederick, Wonderland, Alice's Rock & Roll Adventure, A Snowy Day with Beatrix Potter and Jabari Dreams of Freedom. These enjoyed highly successful inaugural runs in Chicago, followed by new productions at family theaters across the U.S. 

CCT has always honored a strong commitment to low-income families and children with special needs. In partnership with Chicago Public Schools, the company offers free tickets to more than 5,000 Chicago-area low-income students each season. 

Meanwhile, the company has pioneered immersive theater designed for children on the autism spectrum via its Red Kite Project, and recently expanded programming for children with impaired vision or hearing and Down's syndrome. 

Chicago Children's Theatre also offers a full roster of after school theater classes and summer camps.

Led by Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell, Board Chair Todd Leland and Community Programs Artistic Director Frank Maugeri, Chicago Children's Theatre is supported by a dynamic Board of Directors comprised of dedicated individuals from the fields of entertainment, philanthropy and business. Officers include Jeff Hughes, President; Lynn Lockwood Murphy, Vice Chair and Secretary; David Saltiel, Vice Chair; and David Chung, Treasurer. 

Chicago Children's Theatre is sponsored in part by ComEd and Goldman Sachs Gives. 

For more information visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org, or call (773) 227-0180.

Free Cindy Bandle Young Critics” (CBYC) Program Seeks 10th & 11th Grade Girls - Apply Through 10/21

GOODMAN THEATRE’S 

“CINDY BANDLE YOUNG CRITICS PROGRAM,” 

CELEBRATES A DECADE OF CULTIVATING NEW CRITICAL VOICES

***APPLY NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE 2016/2017 SESSION UNTIL OCTOBER 21***

Goodman Theatre seeks journalistically savvy and theater curious 10^th and 11^th grade girls to apply for its “Cindy Bandle Young Critics” (CBYC) program—now in its 10^th year. Offered completely free-of-charge, CBYC is a free seven-month program designed to immerse and introduce young women to the world of theater and journalism. A joint venture between the Goodman and the Association for Women Journalists (AWJ) Chicago, the young critics attend bi-monthly Saturday workshops in the Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement, where mentors assist help them develop a critical voice and hone professional journalism skills. CBYC participants also interview Goodman artists and staff members for feature stories and attend press opening nights. The first session takes place at the Goodman on Saturday, November 5; applications are due October 21 and are available at GoodmanTheatre.org/Engage-Learn.

CBYC is named for Cindy Bandle (1955-2005), whose tenure as Goodman Theatre’s Press Director spanned two decades publicizing more than 200 productions with artists of note, including Carol Burnett, Brian Dennehy, Arthur Miller, David Mamet, August Wilson and many more. During her time at the Goodman, the theater became one of the most important and respected not-for-profit resident theaters in the country; Bandle represented multiple triumphant Goodman productions, including transfers to New York and abroad, the 1992 Tony Award for outstanding regional theater, the Goodman’s 75^th anniversary season and the campaign for the new Goodman.

Goodman Theatre offers a variety of free programming for Chicagoland learners of all ages to deepen their experience of the work on stage. Artist, educator and activist Willa J. Taylor has led the Goodman’s Education and Engagement programs since 2007 with a team of associates including Elizabeth Rice (School Programs Coordinator), Brandi Lee (Education and Engagement Associate), Anna Gelman (Curriculum and Instruction Associate) and Adrian Azevedo (Education and Engagement Assistant).

About Goodman Theatre

America’s “Best Regional Theatre” (Time magazine) and Chicago’s premier not-for-profit theater, Goodman Theatre is distinguished by the quality and scope of its artistic programming and civic engagement.

Founded in 1925, the Goodman is led by Robert Falls—“Chicago’s most essential director” (Chicago Tribune), who marks 30 years as Artistic Director this season—and Executive Director Roche Schulfer, who is celebrated for his vision and leadership over nearly four decades. Dedicated to new plays, reimagined classics and large-scale musical theater works, Goodman Theatre artists and productions have earned hundreds of awards for artistic excellence, including: two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards, nearly 160 Jeff Awards and more. Over the past three decades, audiences have experienced more than 150 world or American premieres, 30 major musical productions, as well as nationally and internationally celebrated productions of classic works (including Falls’ productions of Death of a Salesman, Long Day’s Journey into Night, King Lear and The Iceman Cometh, many in collaboration with actor Brian Dennehy). In addition, the Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” For nearly four decades, the annual holiday tradition of A Christmas Carol has created a new generation of theatergoers. 

The 2016 opening of the Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement (“the Alice”) launched the next phase in the Goodman’s decades-long commitment as an arts and community organization dedicated to educating Chicago youth and promoting lifelong learning. Programs are offered year-round and free of charge. Eighty-five percent of the Goodman’s youth program participants come from underserved communities.

Goodman Theatre was founded by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth, an important figure in Chicago’s cultural renaissance in the early 1900s. The Goodman family’s legacy lives on through the continued work and dedication of Kenneth’s family, including Albert Ivar Goodman, who with his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton, contributed the necessary funds for the creation of the new Goodman center in 2000.

Today, Goodman Theatre leadership includes the distinguished members of the Artistic Collective: Brian Dennehy, Rebecca Gilman, Henry Godinez, Dael Orlandersmith, Steve Scott, Chuck Smith, Regina Taylor, Henry Wishcamper and Mary Zimmerman. Joan Clifford is Chair of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Cynthia K. Scholl is Women’s Board President and Justin A. Kulovsek is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals. 

Visit the Goodman virtually at GoodmanTheatre.org—including OnStage+ for insider information—and on Twitter (@GoodmanTheatre), Facebook and Instagram.

OPENING: THE MAGIC PLAY Is Set To Astound At Goodman October 21st - November 20th

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:  

ONE-OF-A-KIND PART MAGIC SHOW, PART PLAY, THE MAGIC PLAY BY ANDREW HINDERAKER APPEARS OCTOBER 21 – NOVEMBER 20 AT GOODMAN THEATRE

***ACCLAIMED ACTOR/MAGICIAN/ILLUSION DESIGNER BRETT SCHNEIDER STARS IN THE WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION, TOGETHER WITH FRANCIS GUINAN AND SEAN PARRIS, DIRECTED BY HALENA KAYS***

**Recommended for ages 13+**

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows we are SO excited to catch The Magic Play. Another of my all time favorite female directors is at the helm of The Goodman Theatre's next main stage production, and it's one of my favorite genres! Not only that, there's a great "worlds collide" story with this show too. My teens are both currently in tech week at the Actors Gymnasium and we just got the heads up that AG's Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi been training Sean Parris and his understudy too, and they're offering a ticket discount code.

Via Actors Gymnasium:

Did you know that actors in Goodman Theatre's The Magic Play have been training with us to prepare for their roles? Sean Parris and understudy Patrick Agada worked intensively with Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi. You can see them continuing to perfect their technique in our Monday Gymnastics classes. 

Because of this partnership, we get to offer you half-price tickets to performances October 21-30*! Use promo code ACTORSGYM at GoodmanTheatre.org/Magic to receive the discount. 

What's the Magic Play about?

Deception. Control. Ego. What makes a young magician an incredible showman on stage just might destroy the romance and real magic in his life. Critically acclaimed magician, illusion designer and actor Brett Schneider stars in a mind-blowing spectacle that combines the allure of a live magic show with the poignant punch of Chicago theater. 

*Valid on main floor and mezzanine seating only. Not available on previously purchased tickets or in combination with other offers. Expires 10/31/16.

World-class magic meets a human story of love and loss in the world premiere of The Magic Play by Andrew Hinderaker at Goodman Theatre, October 21 – November 20. Critically acclaimed magician, illusion designer and actor Brett Schneider portrays a rising young magician who must take the stage just hours after his partner has left him. Though a good magician must always be in control of his show, The Magician’s performance begins to unravel, illuminating his offstage life, which may be as fragile as a house of cards. The part magic show, part play experience, directed by Halena Kays, features an astonishing ending with the audience helping to shape the final moments of the play. Chicago favorite Francis Guinan (The Father) and Sean Parris (The Diver) round out the three-person cast. The Magic Play, recommended for ages 13 and up, appears October 21 – November 20 in the Owen Theatre. Opening night is Tuesday, November 1. Tickets ($10 - $40; subject to change) are available at GoodmanTheatre.org/Magic, the box office (170 North Dearborn) or by phone at 312.443.3800.

The Magic Play was originally commissioned by Roundabout Theatre Company and staged in a developmental production at Goodman Theatre’s 2014 New Stages Festival. The Time Warner Foundation is the Lead Supporter of New Play Development. The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation and The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation are Major Supporters of New Work Development. The Glasser and Rosenthal Family and the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust are Supporters of New Work Development. Julie and Roger Baskes, Joan and Robert Clifford, Ruth Ann M. Gillis and Michael J. McGuinnis, Kimbra and Mark Walter and Albert Maria Goodman/The Edith-Marie Appleton Foundation are 2016/2017 Season Sponsors.

“We’re thrilled to produce the world premiere of Andrew Hinderaker’s fascinating new play, unlike any other staged at the Goodman,” said Artistic Director Robert Falls. “His play is both an endlessly entertaining magic show and an investigation of our appetite for that magic, our need to believe the unbelievable. But beyond our responses to The Magician’s work, Andrew delves into the yearnings of The Magician himself, an artist whose increasing quest for mastery of illusion and perfection on stage threatens to destroy the offstage relationships for which he longs within the inevitable intrusion of uncontrollable, messy reality.”

To further blur the lines of reality and the various worlds of the play, the creative team blends elements of lighting, projection, set and aerial technique to evoke a sense of magic, mystery and spectacle. The team includes Lizzie Bracken (Set Designer), Alison Siple (Costume Designer), Maggie Fullilove-Nugent (Lighting Designer), Christopher Kriz (Sound Designer), John Boesche (Projection Designer), Jim Steinmeyer (Magic Designer) and Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi (Aerial Consultant). Kim Osgood is the Production Stage Manager.

“Andrew’s play is a unique theatrical experience that is far from your typical magic show,” said director Halena Kays. “It tells a visceral and mature story that reveals the physical poetry of complicated relationships. It's rare to get a cast with all of my first choices. These three uniquely gifted Chicago actors are the most ideal artists to share the story of The Magic Play. Brett has been an integral artistic voice in the creation of the play, and he attacks his performance with bravery, honesty and charm. Any fan of Chicago theater would be thrilled to simply watch Francis Guinan read the phone book. He is a master and a perfect fit for the complicated and beautiful character of The Magician's father. Sean Parris brings the joy, humor and empathy needed as The Diver. He lights up a room, charms the universe and then punches the audience right in the gut with the depth of his emotional honesty. The entire artistic team of The Magic Play is passionate and brilliant—the script is the best I've read in years. All I need to do now is get out of the way and let the magic happen...literally.”

EVENTS AND ACCESSIBILITY AT GOODMAN THEATRE

October 21, Cocktails and Card Tricks – 6:30pm reception includes close-up magic and artistic presentation, 8pm performance. Visit GoodmanTheatre.org/CardTricks for more details. $10 tickets using promo code CARDS.

October 26, College Night – 6pm; $10 Pre-show reception and artistic presentation using promo code COLLEGE. Student ID required.

November 13, Touch-Tour Presentation –12:30pm; a presentation detailing the set, costume and character elements; Audio-Described Performance – 2pm; the action/text is audibly enhanced for patrons via headset.

November 15, Artist Encounter with Brett Schneider – 7pm; $5 for the general public. Free for Subscribers, Students and Donors.

November 19, Sign-Interpreted Performance – 2pm; professional ASL interpreter signs the action/text as played.

November 20, Open-Captioned Performance – 2pm; an LED sign presents dialogue in sync with the performance.

Visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Access for more information about Goodman Theatre’s accessibility efforts.

TICKETS AND DISCOUNTS

Tickets ($10-$40) – GoodmanTheatre.org/Magic; 312.443.3800; Fax: 312.443.3825; TTY/TDD: 312.443.3829

MezzTix – Half-price day-of-performance mezzanine tickets available at 10am online (promo code MEZZTIX) 

$10Tix – Student $10; limit four, with valid student ID (promo code 10TIX)

Group Sales – Discounted tickets for parties of 10+ – 312.443.3820

Gift Certificates – Available in any amount (GoodmanTheatre.org/GiftCertificates)

Box Office Hours –12noon - 5pm; on performance days, the office remains open until 30 minutes past curtain

About the Artists
Andrew Hinderaker (Playwright) returns to Goodman Theatre, where he was a member of the 2013/2014 Playwrights Unit. During that time he developed The Magic Play, a co-commission between the Goodman and New York’s Roundabout Theatre Company that appeared at the Goodman’s 2014 New Stages Festival. Hinderaker is an ensemble member of The Gift Theatre and an emeritus resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists. His plays include I Am Going to Change the World; Dirty; Kingsville and Suicide, Incorporated, which premiered at The Gift and was subsequently produced off-Broadway at Roundabout. His play Colossal, which features a dance company, drumline and full-contact football hits, received a National New Play Network (NNPN) rolling world premiere from 2014 through 2016. The inaugural production at the Olney Theatre Center received four Helen Hayes Awards, including the Charles MacArthur Award for Best Original Play or Musical. Most recently, Hinderaker worked as a staff writer for John Logan’s Showtime series Penny Dreadful. He holds an MFA in playwriting from the University of Texas at Austin.

Halena Kays (Director) returns to Goodman Theatre, where she previously directed The Magic Play at the 2014 New Stages Festival. Kays is the former artistic director of The Hypocrites theater company and co-founder and former artistic director of Barrel of Monkeys. Chicago credits include Endgame, Ivywild and Six Characters in Search of an Author at The Hypocrites; Lord of the Flies at Steppenwolf Theatre Company; Burning Bluebeard, Pop/Waits, 44 Plays for 44 Presidents, Daredevils, Daredevils’ Hamlet and Fake Lake at The Neo-Futurists (where she is an artistic associate); Roustabout at Concordia College and Buried in Bughouse Square at The University of Chicago. She has received Jeff Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress and Best Direction. Kays also received the 3Arts Award and was named one of the top 50 “players” in Chicago theater by Newcity. She is a founding member of the artistic collaborative The Ruffians, a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and Northwestern University, a former member of the Big Apple Circus Clown Care unit and professor of directing at Middle Tennessee State University.

Brett Schneider (The Magician/Magic Consultant) returns to the Goodman, where he appeared in the New Stages production of The Magic Play and reading of Teddy Ferrara. His other Chicago credits include The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle (Steep Theatre), The Great God Pan (Next Theatre), Homecoming 1972 (Chicago Dramatists), The Glass Menagerie (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Peter and the Wolf (Lookingglass Theatre Company), The Sea (Theatre Mir), Too Much Memory (Sinnerman Ensemble), The Hiding Place  (Provision Theatre), REWIND (The Side Project Theatre) and Rose and the Rime (The House Theatre of Chicago). New York credits include a workshop production of The Magic Play (Roundabout Theatre Company). Los Angeles credits include Orange Lemon Egg Canary (The Complex Theatre). Television credits include You’re So Talented, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Sirens and Vinyl. Schneider's illusion design work has been twice nominated for Jeff Awards for Artistic Specialization and has appeared at Roundabout Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Chicago Children's Theatre, The Strange Tree Group and Strawdog Theatre Company, among others. Schneider is a graduate of Northwestern University and The School at Steppenwolf, and he is a member of the Magic Castle in Los Angeles.

Francis Guinan (The Father) returns to the Goodman, where he previously appeared in Pullman Porter Blues, The Seagull and two seasons of The Second City’s Twist Your Dickens. Chicago credits include East of Eden, The Herd, Grand Concourse, The Night Alive, The Birthday Party, Time Stands Still, The Book Thief, American Buffalo, Balm in Gilead and Say Goodnight, Gracie (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Goldfish (Route 66 Theatre); White Guy on the Bus, Stella and Lou, Season’s Greetings and Inherit the Wind (Northlight Theatre); A Guide for the Perplexed (Victory Gardens Theater, Jeff Award) and Rantoul and Die (American Blues Theatre). Broadway credits include August: Osage County, The Grapes of Wrath and As Is. Film credits include The Last Airbender, Typing, Low Tide and Constantine. Television credits include Boss; The Exorcist (pilot); Eerie, Indiana; Chicago Med; Frasier and several Star Trek franchise episodes. 

Sean Parris (The Diver) ) returns to the Goodman, where he previously appeared in The Solid Sand Below in the New Stages Festival. Chicago credits also include Space Age (Free Street Theatre with Ricardo Gamboa), The Drunken City (The Garage at Steppenwolf Theatre Company), The Whipping Man (Northlight Theatre), Seascape (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company), Pornography (Steep Theatre Company), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), A Girl with Sun in Her Eyes (Pine Box Theater Company) and Letters Home (Griffin Theatre). Television credits include Sickos and Mr. Gamboa’s web series Brujos. He is a graduate of DePaul University’s Theatre School (MFA) and Black Box Acting Academy.

About Goodman Theatre 
America’s “Best Regional Theatre” (Time magazine) and Chicago’s premier not-for-profit theater, Goodman Theatre is distinguished by the quality and scope of its artistic programming and civic engagement.

Founded in 1925, the Goodman is led by Robert Falls—“Chicago’s most essential director” (Chicago Tribune), who marks 30 years as Artistic Director this season—and Executive Director Roche Schulfer, who is celebrated for his vision and leadership over nearly four decades. Dedicated to new plays, reimagined classics and large-scale musical theater works, Goodman Theatre artists and productions have earned hundreds of awards for artistic excellence, including: two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards, nearly 160 Jeff Awards and more. Over the past three decades, audiences have experienced more than 150 world or American premieres, 30 major musical productions, as well as nationally and internationally celebrated productions of classic works (including Falls’ productions of Death of a Salesman, Long Day’s Journey into Night,  King Lear and The Iceman Cometh, many in collaboration with actor Brian Dennehy). In addition, the Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” For nearly four decades, the annual holiday tradition of A Christmas Carol has created a new generation of theatergoers. 

The 2016 opening of the Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement (“the Alice”) launched the next phase in the Goodman’s decades-long commitment as an arts and community organization dedicated to educating Chicago youth and promoting lifelong learning. Programs are offered year-round and free of charge. Eighty-five percent of the Goodman’s youth program participants come from underserved communities.

Goodman Theatre was founded by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth, an important figure in Chicago’s cultural renaissance in the early 1900s. The Goodman family’s legacy lives on through the continued work and dedication of Kenneth’s family, including Albert Ivar Goodman, who with his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton, contributed the necessary funds for the creation of the new Goodman center in 2000.

Today, Goodman Theatre leadership includes the distinguished members of the Artistic Collective: Brian Dennehy, Rebecca Gilman, Henry Godinez, Dael Orlandersmith, Steve Scott, Chuck Smith, Regina Taylor, Henry Wishcamper and Mary Zimmerman. Joan Clifford is Chair of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Cynthia K. Scholl is Women’s Board President and Justin A. Kulovsek is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals. 

Visit the Goodman virtually at GoodmanTheatre.org—including OnStage+ for insider information—and on Twitter (@GoodmanTheatre), Facebook and Instagram.

Annual Cures Gala Raises 4.1 Million For Cancer Research

GATEWAY FOR CANCER RESEARCH

ANNOUNCES $4.1 MILLION RAISED AT ITS 25^TH ANNUAL CURES GALA

“THE GREAT GATEWAY: 25 YEARS OF ILLUMINATING THE WAY TO CURES”

Gateway for Cancer Research, a non-profit dedicated to funding transformational cancer research, raised $4.1 million at its 25^th annual Cures Gala, “The Great Gateway: 25 Years of Illuminating the Way to Cures,” on Saturday, October 15 in the Aon Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier in Chicago. 

Gala co-chairs were Richard J Stephenson, the founder of Gateway for Cancer Research and Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), and his wife Dr. Stacie J. Stephenson, CTCA Chairman, Functional Medicine.

Guests enjoyed an evening of star-studded entertainment including performances by 16-time Grammy-winner® David Foster, 5-time Grammy-winner CeeLo Green, multi-platinum Grammy nominated singer and songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen, Grammy-winning artist Michael Bolton, stand-up comedian Sinbad, platinum-selling artists The Tenors and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Peter Cetera.

Gateway founder, Richard J Stephenson, a recognized philanthropic pioneer whose personal passion following the loss of his mother, Mary, to bladder cancer has changed the face of cancer care, received Gateway’s Impact Award for his contribution and tireless dedication to the Gateway mission. 

Since Gateway for Cancer Research was founded 25 years ago, more than 3,000 patient lives in 140+ Gateway-funded clinical trials at institutions worldwide have been directly impacted, and countless more cancer patients have benefited as a result of this critically important work.  The gala showcased many of Gateway’s 57 patient trials currently underway, including a brain cancer trial led by Dr. Sarah Leary from Seattle Children’s Hospital. Dr. Leary is conducting research with children undergoing brain surgery utilizing “Tumor Paint,” which acts like a molecular flashlight for surgeons. This revolutionary drug is given the day before surgery and attaches to tumor tissue and glows under fluorescent light, so doctors can pinpoint the cancerous cells during surgery.

One of the evening’s most moving moments was the appearance of the Coffman family, whose two-year-old son, Hunter, is a thriving and healthy toddler only a few short months after his Tumor Paint-supported brain surgery with Dr. Leary. Hunter’s mom, Laura, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Gateway for making Dr. Leary’s Tumor Paint trial possible, recognizing that far too many children have very different outcomes from similar brain surgery without the benefit of Dr. Leary’s innovative molecular flashlight.

Proceeds from the event specifically support Phase I and Phase II patient trials across cancer types, including breast, blood, lung and brain cancers.

Guests entered a Roaring 20’s setting and enjoyed a custom “Gatsby inspired” menu, designed by renowned Chef Markus Ford. A silent auction and live paddle raise bidding gave attendees the opportunity to donate at the level of their choice to continue the quest for a cure. Individual tickets to the event were $1,000, and guests also had the opportunity to select higher level sponsorships with deluxe VIP packages.

Gateway for Cancer Research proudly acknowledges its premier sponsors: Capricorn Investment Group, LLC; Madha & Rajesh Garg; Andi & Jim Gordon/The Edgewater Funds; Bill and Annie Stephenson Hostelter; Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP; Kayne Anderson Real Estate Advisors; Darren & Jennie Keller; Robert & Cynthia Mayo Family Foundation; McGuireWoods; N-Jet; Rising Tide Foundation, Riverside; Satter Foundation; Stellar Insurance, LTD; Shawn and Morgan Stephenson; Talent Plus; The Richard Templer Family; and the Thurston Family Foundation.

“Our mission encourages a sense of urgency to accelerate the pace of cancer research,” said Teresa Hall Bartels, president, Gateway for Cancer Research. “Our dedication to investing in novel patient-centric approaches, combined with the growing rate of treatment developments, leads us to believe that together we can conquer cancer in our lifetime.”

About Gateway for Cancer Research℠

Gateway for Cancer Research is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization committed to funding innovative cancer research that helps people with cancer to feel better, live longer and conquer cancer TODAY! Thanks to generous underwriting, 99 cents of every dollar Gateway receives directly funds Phase I and Phase II cancer clinical trials at leading research institutions across the country and abroad. Since 1991, Gateway has supported more than 140 clinical trials and funded millions in breakthrough research. Get involved today by visiting www.GatewayCR.org, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/demandcures and join the conversation on Twitter @DemandCures, #BeAGateway.

WIN 4 Tickets ($60 Value) To Thumbelina, Lifeline Theatre’s KidSeries World Premiere

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Lifeline Theatre KidSeries Presents 

Thumbelina,

World Premiere Adaptation Based on Story 

by Hans Christian Andersen

Opens October 23

**recommended for children ages five and up (children under two not permitted)**

Plus Performance with Touch Tour and Audio Description 

on November 5, 

Performance with Open Captioning on November 12, and Autism/Sensory-Friendly Performance on November 19 

and Stories Come Alive! 

Hour Workshops Every Saturday and Sunday During the Run 

Lifeline Theatre’s KidSeries has long been a favorite of ours at ChiIL Mama. When my kids were small we were season subscribers and they always impressed us with high caliber, book based, professional productions. We're also happy that they're committed to offering many shows for the differently abled, so all Chicago's diverse families can enjoy quality theatre with touch tours & audio descriptions, open captioning and autism/sensory-friendly shows. Lifeline's KidSeries is undoubtedly one of the best family friendly lineups in the city, so we're thrilled to partner up with them again and offer a great giveaway for our readers. 

Enter Here for your chance to win a family 4 pack of tickets ($60 Value) to your choice of show times/dates for Lifeline Theatre’s KidSeries Thumbelina (after Oct 23rd) pending availability. Enter through midnight Oct 22.

Lifeline Theatre’s KidSeries presents Thumbelina, a world premiere production adapted and directed by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Amanda Demheimer Dimond, in collaboration with Mariana Green, Brandi Lee, and Liz Rice; based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen. Born from a flower and stolen away by a greedy toad, tiny Thumbelina never knew a family of her own. Pursued by all manner of woodland creatures eager to possess her, she must make her way through the great big world with nothing but her wits and will to protect her. A series of whimsical and magical adventures unfold as she sets out to find a community to call her own. Let your imagination soar with Thumbelina as she travels over streams, through forests, and on the wings of majestic birds in a powerful, dance-inspired tale about growing up and finding your own path, based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen. 

This production is recommended for children ages five and up (children under two not permitted), and runs approximately one hour with no intermission.

Thumbelina runs Saturday, Oct. 22 – Sunday, Nov. 27 at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. 

Thumbelina runs Saturday, Oct. 22 – Sunday, Nov. 27 at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. Regular performance times are Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., with an added autism/sensory-friendly performance on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. (Previews are Saturday, Oct. 22 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 23 at 11 a.m.) Tickets are $15 and may be purchased at the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, or by visiting www.lifelinetheatre.com.  

Accessible Performances: The Saturday, Nov. 5, 11 a.m. performance will feature a pre-show touch tour of the set at 10 a.m. and live audio description for patrons who are blind or have low vision. The Saturday, Nov. 12, 1 p.m. performance will feature open captioning for patrons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. And there will be a autism/sensory-friendly performance on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. for patrons with social and/or cognitive disabilities. For more information about Lifeline’s accessibility services, please contact Accessibility Coordinator Erica Foster at 773.761.4477 x703 or at access@lifelinetheatre.com.

PLUS: Join Lifeline Theatre every Saturday and Sunday at 12 p.m. during the run of Thumbelina (following the 11 a.m. show, or before the 1 p.m. show) for our Stories Come Alive! Hour. Children will enjoy an interactive storytelling session and on-your-feet theatre games. The cost is only $5 per child. Reservations are recommended, though not required. Contact Lifeline Theatre at 773-761-4477 for more information. 

The complete cast and production team for Thumbelina includes:

CAST: Guest artists Nate Buursma (Ensemble), Brandi Lee (Ensemble), Bryan Bosque (Ensemble), Antoniao Bouie JR (Ensemble), Dominique Watkins (Ensemble), Krystal Ortiz (Ensemble). With understudies Nic Bell, Richie Schiraldi, and Sofia Tew. 

PRODUCTION TEAM: Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Amanda Delheimer Dimond (Director & Adaptor); with guest artists Stephanie Diaz (Puppet Designer), Sarah Espinoza (Sound Designer), Mikhail Fiksel (Composer), Mariana Green (Assistant Director), Izumi Inaba (Costume Designer), Lavina Jadhwani (Casting Director), Jordan Kardasz (Lighting Designer), Brandi Lee (Assistant Director), Jennifer McClendon (Production Manager), Sam Moryoussef (Master Electrician), Jacqueline Penrod (Scenic Designer), Dan Plehal (Choreographer), Liz Rice (Assistant Director), Clare Roche (Stage Manager), and Joe Schermoly (Technical Director).

I'm incredibly grateful to live in Chicago, where the theatre scene is second to none, and fabulous family friendly productions are the norm. My children have grown into theatre loving teens, who are currently in a show at Actors Gymnasium themselves, and I credit much of that to early exposure to excellent shows like Lifeline Theatre’s KidSeries. We have a much treasured series of shots of the kids in Lifeline's oversized lobby chair, that spans about a decade. Here are Sage & Dugan at 7 & 9 and Sage again at 11.

Now Playing: 

Adult Night Out -- I also highly recommend Miss Holmes from the bottom of my feminist heart. I've seen numerous takes on Sherlock over the decades, but I've never seen the iconic character portrayed as a woman. This fantastic history mystery is an absolute must see! The acting, set design and story line are all superb. This is also a good bet for the tough to please teen demographic.

To accommodate extraordinary ticket demand, Lifeline Theatre announces seventeen added performances of its Jeff Recommended and critically-acclaimed production of Miss Holmes, a new play by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Christopher M. Walsh (Non-Equity Jeff nomination: New Adaptation, A Tale of Two Cities), and directed by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Paul S. Holmquist (Non-Equity Jeff Award: Best Production-Play, The Island of Dr. Moreau; Non-Equity Jeff nomination: Director-Musical, The Robber Bridegroom, Griffin Theatre), inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 

Miss Sherlock Holmes, possessor of one of the greatest deductive minds of her generation, finds herself regularly incarcerated for behaviors deemed abnormal in a “respectable” lady. Miss Dorothy Watson struggles to make a difference at the only hospital in England that will hire female doctors. These unconventional women, trapped in an era that refuses to accept them, must forge a bond of trust and work together to uncover the secrets surrounding a corrupt police investigator whose wives have a habit of turning up dead. A thrilling murder mystery that re-introduces familiar characters from the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle under a brand new light, in a world premiere production. The production runs two hours and fifteen minutes with one intermission. A collection of Sherlock Holmes stories is on sale in the lobby.

UPDATED CLOSING DATE: Miss Holmes now runs through November 27 (no performance on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, and no 4 p.m. matinees on Saturday, Nov. 19 or Saturday, Nov. 26) at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. (free parking and shuttle; see below). Performance times are Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 4 p.m.

Ticket prices are $40 for regular single tickets, $30 for active and retired military personnel (with ID), $30 for seniors (age 65+), $20 for students (with ID), and $20 for rush tickets (available half hour before show time, subject to availability). Group rate for 12 or more is available upon request. Tickets may be purchased at the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, or by visiting www.lifelinetheatre.com.

About Lifeline Theatre:  

Now in its 34^th season, Lifeline Theatre is driven by a passion for story. Our ensemble process supports writers in the development of literary adaptations and new work, and our theatrical and educational programs foster a lifelong engagement with literature and the arts. A cultural anchor of Rogers Park, we are committed to deepening our connection to an ever-growing family of artists and audiences, both near and far. Lifeline Theatre – Big Stories, Up Close.

Lifeline Theatre’s programs are partially supported by Alphawood Foundation; Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Chicago Community Trust; The Common Cup; Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; FGMK LLC; Flex Print, Inc.; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; The Grover Hermann Foundation; Illinois Arts Council Agency; MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince; The Polk Bros. Foundation; Rogers Park Social; S&C Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; and the annual support of businesses and individuals.

Arrive Early and Check Out The Whimsical Art Garden in Front of the Theatre