Lyric Opera’s The King and I Boasts An All Chicagoland Children's Ensemble

Chicagoland children’s ensemble announced for Lyric Opera’s grand-scale production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I  April 29 – May 22, 2016 ChiIL Mama will be there for the opening and we can't wait to see Chicago's talented kids in their element, bringing this story to life in epic splendor, and sharing the stage with Broadway stars! Got your tickets yet? This classic has multigenerational appeal and it's a great way to create lasting family memories. The King and I is also a fabulous introduction to opera/musical hybrids for children who are old enough to sit quietly and take it all in. Lyric Opera of Chicago announced an all-Chicagoland children’s ensemble for its grand-scale production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I, featuring Broadway stars Kate Baldwin and Paolo Montalban as Anna Leonowens and the King of Siam. Children’s ensemble casting includes: Sophie Mieko Ackerman, Alexis Aponte, Lilly Fujioka, Avonlea Hong, Leila Koss, Evangelyn Lee, Liliana Martens, Lucy Martens, Rika Nishikawa, Ana Joy Rowley-Mathews, Benedict Santos Schwegel, A’naam Singh, Zachary Uzarraga and Sophia Woo. These young performers range in age from 5 through 14. Lyric Opera’s The King and I runs April 29 through May 22 (press opening April 30) at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. Tickets start at $29 and are available now at lyricopera.org/king or at 312-827-5600.  As previously announced, principal casting for The King and I also includes Broadway artists Ali Ewoldt (Tuptim), Alan Ariano (The Kralahome) and Rona Figueroa (Lady Thiang), along with Sam Simahk (Lun Tha) and Chicagoland artists Charlie Babbo (Louis Leonowens), Jomar Ferreras (Interpreter), John Lister (Captain Orton), David Parkes (Sir Edward Ramsay), Peter Sipla (Phra Alack) and Matthew Uzarraga (Prince Chulalongkorn). All but Lister make their Lyric debuts. The King and I is the fourth Rodgers and Hammerstein musical to be presented as part of Lyric’s American Musical Initiative. Lee Blakeley, who staged the production’s 2014 premiere at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, makes his Lyric debut teaming up with distinguished Broadway conductor David Chase, who conducted Lyric’s acclaimed Carousel last season. The creative team also includes choreographer Peggy Hickey (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), costume designer Sue Blane and scenic designer Jean-Marc Puissant (both making their Lyric debuts). BIOS Sophie Mieko Ackerman is making her professional theatrical debut in this production. Although she has been acting for less than a year, she has already been cast in commercials for T. Rowe Price and Mondelez International.  Sophie spends most of her days singing, playing the piano, looking for unicorns, and getting into trouble with her sister Isabel.  Alexis Aponte has appeared at The Marriott Theatre as a Royal Child/The King and I and Ngana/South Pacific (a portrayal subsequently seen at Light Opera Works). She has also performed at Wilmette Children’s Theater (eight productions) and Skokie’s Devonshire Theater. Alexis appears in Four Productions’ official trailer for Malcolm Bridges’s book Cry the Fables. Lilly Fujioka has appeared as a Royal Princess in The Marriott Theatre’s The King and I. She has trained with numerous Chicago-area organizations, including the Metropolis School of the Performing Arts, where she has played Tiny Tim/A Christmas Carol, Heart Child and White Flower/Alice in Wonderland, and Munchkin, Ozian, and Flying Monkey/The Wizard of Oz. Avonlea Hong’s first name may sound familiar to fans of Anne of Green Gables; it is the beautiful, idyllic town where the story is based. The King and I is the ten-year-old’s first professional production, but she has performed onstage as a member of the Chicago Children's Choir and the Frances Xavier Warde School choir. She also loves sports and is a purple belt in taekwondo. Leila Koss, who is making her professional debut in this production, is a student at the University of Chicago Laboratory School. She has performed in The Nutcracker; in ballet, violin, and cello recitals; and as a participant in the Emerald City Summer Camp. She is currently a member of the Pre-Team of CITY Club Gymnastics. Evangelyn Lee has been seen in numerous commercials (BMO Harris Bank with the Blackhawks, Art Van Furniture, Brookfield Zoo, safety video for United Airlines), and in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Elk Grove Village’s Spotlight Theatre). She has studied cello for two years, is skilled in taekwondo, loves to draw, and speaks fluent Cantonese. Liliana Martens, who is making her professional debut, appeared last summer with Chicago’s Forevermore Dance and Theater Arts in The Little Mermaid Jr. (Ensemble member). A St. Vincent Ferrer Parish School student, she studies both cello and violin at Gasse School of Music, piano with Priscilla Mendoza, and gymnastics at Tri-Star Gymnastics. Lucy Martens, who is making her professional debut, appeared last summer with Chicago’s Forevermore Dance and Theater Arts in The Little Mermaid, Jr. (Seagull #3, Ensemble member). A St. Vincent Ferrer Parish School student, she studies cello at Gasse School of Music, piano with Priscilla Mendoza, and gymnastics at Tri-Star Gymnastics. Rika Nishikawa portrayed Princess Ying Yaowalak/The King and I at The Marriott Theatre. She has also been seen at Griffin Theatre, the Ruth Page Civic Ballet, and with DePaul Prelude Choir, Compass Creative Dramatics, and Urban National Academy. Her work in print advertising includes projects with the YMCA and The Second City. Ana Joy Rowley-Mathews is making her professional debut in this production. She is currently a member of the DePaul Neighborhood Choir division of the Chicago Children’s Choir. Ana Joy has trained in theater in Chicago in the summer camps of the Emerald City Theater (2009) and Louisa May Alcott School (2010, 2011, 2012). Benedict Santos Schwegel (u/s Louis Leonowens) has been seen in Gypsy! (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), The Rose Tattoo (Shattered Globe), The Nutcracker (Ballet Chicago), and Oliver! (Light Opera Works). Film, industrial, and voiceover credits include Happy Hour, Kmart, Whirlpool, and Kindermusik. Benedict was recently treble soloist/Elijah with the Apollo Chorus and Elmhurst Symphony. He attends Skinner North Classical. A’naam Singh (u/s Prince Chulalongkorn) has appeared on television’s Noodle and Doodle and in The Story of Us for Chicago’s Independent Films. He portrayed the Enlightened Boy/The Life of Gautama Buddha, directed by Lushin Dubey, and played a soccer star in a 2013 commercial for Child Abuse of America. In concert he has opened for Nickelodeon TV star Drake Bell. Zachary Uzarraga debuted at Lyric earlier this season as Marie’s Son/Wozzeck. He has been seen as Tam/Miss Saigon (Paramount Theatre); in Billy Elliot (Drury Lane Oakbrook) and The King and I (The Marriott Theatre); in Toys R Us industrials; and in commercials for Build-a-Bear, National Children’s Hospital, Kmart, and Ronald McDonald House, among others. Sophia Woo previously appeared in The King and I at The Marriott Theatre. She has been seen in numerous productions at Chicago’s Edge of the Wood Theatre (Choir and Ensemble/The Man Who Came to Dinner, Lady Merrill/Once Upon a Mattress, Lamb/Charlotte’s Web, Kanchi/The Secret Garden) and Raven Theatre (title role/Minny Pinny, Mouse, Cousin, Fox/Aesop’s Fables, Ensemble/The Mitten).  The King and I Preview: April 29 Opening Night: April 30 Dedicated Student Performance: May 4 (Learn more about Lyric's school programs) by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II Photo: Marie-Noëlle Robert The King and I production created by the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris on June 13, 2014. General Director: Jeanluc Choplin.  “The music is so entrancing, the lyrics so enchanting, the characterizations so rich, that it’s no puzzlement why The King and I endures.” - The Guardian A glorious spectacle of unforgettable songs, marvelous costumes, and opulent scenery is coming to Lyric this spring with an “elaborate...brightly colored...dazzling” (The New York Times) production of one of the most beloved musicals of all time, The King and I. This Tony-winning musical that tells the story of a British schoolteacher who is hired by the King of Siam to tutor his wives and children will capture your heart as they discuss, debate, and ultimately grow in understanding and respect. A cast of Broadway’s brightest led by Kate Baldwin, who “casts a warm glow whenever she sings” (The New York Daily News) and Paolo Montalban, who “rules the stage with flawless timing and a perfect sense of entitlement” (The Washington Post) will illuminate the Lyric stage and delight with one familiar song after another, including “Shall We Dance,” “Something Wonderful,” “Getting to Know You,” “I Whistle a Happy Tune,” and more. Don’t miss the limited engagement of this hit Broadway musical! Performance running time: 3 hours including 1 intermission Lyric Opera premiere generously made possible by The Negaunee Foundation, two Anonymous Donors, Robert S. and Susan E. Morrison, and Northern Trust.  Rodgers & Hammerstein's THE KING AND I  Music by Richard Rodgers   Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II   Based on Anna and the King by Margaret Landon   Original Orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett   Original Dance Arrangements by Trude Rittmann   Original Choreography by Jerome Robbins    The Lyric premiere of The King and I is generously made possible by The Negaunee Foundation, two Anonymous Donors, Robert S. and Susan E. Morrison, and Northern Trust. About Lyric Lyric Opera of Chicago’s mission is to express and promote the life-changing, transformational, revelatory power of great opera. Lyric exists to provide a broad, deep, and relevant cultural service to Chicago and the nation, and to advance the development of the art form. Founded in 1954, Lyric is dedicated to producing and performing consistently thrilling, entertaining, and thought-provoking opera with a balanced repertoire of core classics, lesser-known masterpieces, and new works; to creating an innovative and wide-ranging program of community engagement and educational activities; and to developing exceptional emerging operatic talent. Under the leadership of general director Anthony Freud, music director Sir Andrew Davis, and creative consultant Renée Fleming, Lyric strives to become The Great North American Opera Company for the 21st century: a globally significant arts organization embodying the core values of excellence, relevance, and fiscal responsibility. Visit www.lyricopera.org for more information.

Calling Comedian Kids Ages 12-17 For The Chicago Youth Comedy Festival (YouCom) May 7th!

YOUNG ASPIRING COMICS ARE INVITED TO LAUGH, LEARN, AND PLAY ALL DAY AT THE CHICAGO YOUTH COMEDY FESTIVAL

Registration is now open for students ages 12-17 to participate in the first-ever festival uniting young, up-and-coming comedians May 7

Here at ChiIL Mama we love to see new opportunities for kids to try their hand at improv, sketch comedy and more. We're happy to spread the word about YouCom, and hope it becomes and annual workshop series for Chicago's kids.

Stage 773 producers of The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival and Chicago Women’s Funny Festival are thrilled to introduce The Chicago Youth Comedy Festival (YouCom), a brand new, one-day extravaganza for young comedians on May 7 from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. YouCom features top-notch workshops led by professionals from Chicago’s notable comedy institutions as well as engaging experiences for over 100 young comic hopefuls to learn, play, and perform together. YouCom 2016 focuses on physical improv and sketch comedy with standout performances by the all-silent, all-funny trio Bri-Ko and the hip and humorous Comedy Dance Collective. Individual students and groups ages 12-17 are invited to register by visiting http://stage773.com/ChicagoYouthComedyFestival.

“There’s nothing – at all – like this offered in the city, especially for young performers! Training in physical comedy is incredibly exciting and we are thrilled to bring professional education and performances to students. They’ll walk out with a solid skill set and a new way of thinking about performance.”

-- Brian Posen, Creative Director at Stage 773

YouCom presents the opportunity to learn physical comedy from highly skilled professionals in age-appropriate workshops as well see exclusive performances by two of the amusing, laughter-loaded shows highlighted in Stage 773’s The Inoffensive Theatre Series. As Chicago’s go-to for weekend family fun, The Inoffensive Theatre Series delivers comedy-crammed entertainment at popular prices and a dynamic line-up showcasing spectacles such as Bri-Ko and the Comedy Dance Collective.

Experience the upbeat world of an award-winning, non-verbal performance by the outright hilarious trio Bri-Ko. This interactive clowning-meets-sketch-comedy adventure strikes a full-blown, soundless frenzy when simple tasks become severely complicated. With eye-popping costumes, mind-blowing visuals, and can’t-miss silent outbursts, Bri-Ko is widely appealing and enjoyable at any age.

Delight in a visually hilarious celebration of movement-based comedy as the current, former, and almost dancers of the Comedy Dance Collective take the stage at YouCom. With creativity and wit, this clever crew successfully discovered an unconventional, offbeat approach to sketch comedy that includes and illuminates physical elements. The exhilarating assortment of comedic art forms extends from group dances to monologues with flashes of puppets, props, and technology flaunted throughout. This flawless fusion of motion and humor promotes originality while declaring the Comedy Dance Collective an instant sensation.

Registration for The Chicago Youth Comedy Festival is $125 for students ages 12-17 and $65 for chaperones. The cost includes all workshops and performances, lunch, snacks, a YouCom t-shirt, as well as two tickets for a complimentary return visit to The Inoffensive Theatre Series at Stage 773. Additional information is available online at www.Stage773.com, by phone 773.327.5252, and in person at the Stage 773 box office, located at 1225 W. Belmont.

Teachers:

Ron Scot Fry is writer, performer, director, artist, and teacher of Commedia dell’arte. Ron has written over fifty scripts for theatres, festivals, and schools as well as directed over seventy-five productions for the Optimist Theatre and Renaissance Entertainment Productions (also known as the Ren Faire in Bristol, WI). His teaching background includes Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Bristol Academy of Performing Arts, Columbia College Chicago, and Milwaukee Public Theatre. Ron uses his fine art painting and sculpting skills to create larger-than-life parade puppets and stilt characters, bringing over fifty characters to life for audiences of all ages and size.

Precious Jennings is a performer and teacher of Physical Theater in Chicago. She has performed with companies such as The Humans and Chicago Moving Company and has created in collaboration with Ayako Kato, K.J. Holmes, Amelia Charter and Julia Antonik. As a teacher, in the Theater Department at Columbia College Chicago Precious utilizies vocal and physical directives in developing her practice which assists artists work and create. Her practice and research includes Body-Mind Centering® , Lucid Body technique and Grotowski-based practices. Zrecious’s work is driven by the development in clarity of relationship and collaboration with those she works with as mirrored by the physical, energetic and vocal body. She is a certified Massage and Thai-bodywork practitioner as well as a Certified yoga teacher. 

Tim Soszko is a writer, performer, and teacher of Comedy Writing who creates scenes using the tools of improvisation and sketch. He teaches with Second City, Barrel Of Monkeys, IO Chicago, Emerald City Theatre Co., Elmhurst Children’s Theater, After School Matters, and Columbia College just to name a few. Tim is an alumnus of The Cupid Players and now writes and performs with Bri-Ko as well as The Tim and Micah Project. Additionally, he is attempting to make millions as a voiceover artist.

About Stage 773

Stage 773 is a vibrant anchor of the Belmont Theatre District and home to Chicago’s finest off-Loop talent. As a performance and tenant venue, our four stages provide entertainment for everyone: comedy, theatre, dance, musicals and more. We are a not-for-profit, connecting and catalyzing the theater community, while showcasing established artists and incubating up-and-coming talent.

Frank Maugeri of Redmoon Fame Joins Chicago Children's Theatre as Community Programs Artistic Director

CHICAGO CHILDREN'S THEATRE APPOINTS FRANK MAUGERI 

TO NEW POSITION OF 

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

WORLDS COLLIDE ALERT: Here at ChiIL Mama/ChiIL Live Shows we love it when our friends play well together. So, we were beyond excited to hear about Chicago Children's Theatre's new hire. We've interviewed Frank Maugeri when he collaborated with Chicago Children's on The Elephant and The Whale (check it out below). And we've been shooting stills, including builds and behind the scenes tours, and covering Redmoon's works from their inception through their final, closing production. Click here and scroll down for 31 of our original Redmoon features.

The same goes for Chicago Children's Theatre, where we've been reviewing and relishing their works since their inaugural production. Click here and scroll down for 35 of our original Chicago Children's Theatre features. We can't wait to see what they'll create together, going forward!

Chicago Children's Theatre, the city's largest professional theater company devoted exclusively to children and young families, announced it has hired Frank Maugeri in the new position of Community Programs Artistic Director (CPAD).

Maugeri comes to Chicago Children's Theatre (CCT) after serving as Producing Artistic Director for Chicago's Redmoon Theater for two decades. His chief responsibility in his new role will be to guarantee that "education comes first" at CCT, particularly as it relates to the company's first-ever, permanent home, currently under construction in Chicago's West Loop.

Frank Maugeri Credit: Nguyen Tran

In his new position, Maugeri will report to Chicago Children's Theatre's Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell and Interim Managing Director Steve Abrams. He will support Russell's artistic season by designing and implementing innovative classroom activities, dynamic curriculum development and audience engagement opportunities that reflect the theater's overall programming.

With new opportunities for growth presented by CCT's new home, Maugeri will focus on the construction and implementation of CCT's expanded educational programs, create a fresh brand identity to support the education department's goals and vision, serve as the primary spokesperson for CCT's educational programming and community outreach, and broaden fundraising, partnership engagement and program support.

"We are so thrilled to officially welcome Frank into the Chicago Children's Theatre family. He is such a beloved, respected leader in Chicago's theater community because he brings so much energy, artistry and passion to everything he sets out to accomplish," said Russell. "Frank has had countless, incredible experiences working with Chicago children, creating hands-on, interactive learning experiences that not only entertain, but empower children, help them boost their creativity and confidence, and help gain a competitive edge by teaching life skills like how to think fast, solve problems, and be better team players."

"I have been offered an incredible opportunity with Chicago Children's Theatre. This new position meets many of my core values, including my interest in service, commitment to education, and devotion to my city and our youth," Maugeri responded. 

"I look forward to the opportunity of helping transform a past police station into a performing arts home. I can't wait to develop curriculum, train teachers, create cutting-edge artistic projects for young people of many backgrounds and abilities, establish partnerships, develop a think tank for youth art and education, cultivate education stakeholders, and more than deploy theater instruction, develop creative education opportunities that integrate science, technology, engineering, and math into our curriculum. I hope to expand the theater's work to include teens, and perhaps even create some family events and experiences."

The new Chicago Children's Theatre is an adaptive re-use of the former, 12^th District Police Station at 100 S. Racine Avenue in Chicago's West Loop, which is now being transformed into a beautiful, mixed-use performing arts and education facility designed to serve all Chicago families. 

Phase one, slated to open in January, will include classrooms and support space, where CCT's educational programming will be headquartered and start up immediately. Phase one also includes a flexible, 149-seat studio theater for student performances, Red Kite interactive theater for students with autism and professional shows. Phase two will be completed in 2020, and will boast a second, state-of-the-art, 299-seat mainstage theater. 

More about Frank Maugeri

Maugeri has dedicated his life to being an artist whose highly visual, interactive theatrical work ranges from the miniature to the mammoth. Additionally, throughout his career Maugeri has doubled as an expert collaborator, community builder, ritual maker, educator and inventor of innovative curriculum and artistic programming.

For two decades, Maugeri served as Producing Artistic Director of Redmoon Theater where he mentored hundreds of young designers, artists, performers, and educators from across the nation, while helping guide the institution's art, education and community engagement. 

He established Redmoon's first Youth Board, a team of young committed professionals who pursued the mission of free public art for all, managed its Neighborhood Arts Program leaders for almost a decade, helped oversee the company's branding and messaging, and supervised Redmoon For Hire.

As a Redmoon artist, Maugeri served as a conceiver, director, and designer of countless spectacles and interactive events, including inventing family favorites like The Youth Spectacle, Skelebration, and serving as artistic director of several Winter Pageants. He also was the artistic leader of every Spectacle Lunatique, each of the theater's famous Halloween events, Boneshaker, and all of their New Years events, Revolution. 

He additionally co-directed large-scale outdoor spectacles like Sink, Sank, Sunk... in Chinatown's Ping Tom Park, and was a core collaborator and community organizer of all of the famed All Hallow's Eve ritual celebrations in Logan Square. He created Redmoon's longest running production The Cabinet, and co-directed its final production, The Devil's Cabaret.

Collaborative credits include the direction of Once Upon a Time, which toured to The World Puppet Theatre Festival in Charleville-Mézières, two works for the Chicago Children's Humanities Festival at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Laika's Coffin and Cape and Squiggle, as well as Astronaut's Birthday, a large-scale animation, graphic novel projected on the Museum of Contemporary Art's façade, and co-direction of the critically acclaimed world premiere of The Elephant and The Whale with Chicago Children's Theatre, Shadow Swan Lake with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Salao: the worst kind of unlucky and The Feast: an intimate Tempest, both at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. 

Maugeri also co-directed such Chicago-centric events as the closing ceremony of the Great Chicago Fire Festival, elements of the groundbreaking ceremonies for Millennium Park and components of the grand opening of Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago. He also has been commissioned to create art and experience for The White House, The Chicago Park District, The City of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Los Angeles Music Center, Chicago Ideas Week, Lollapalooza, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, RedBull, JAM Productions, and many more.

Maugeri is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago and is trained in animation, sculpture and object design. After college he spent seven years in the mental health field working with mentally ill adults. He currently makes his teaching home at The University of Chicago. He is a native of Chicago and resides in Oak Park with his wife, Susan, and their nine-year-old twin children Samson and Frida. 

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 believes 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. Chicago Children's Theatre 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.

Audiences have embraced Chicago Children's Theatre since its inaugural production, A Year with Frog and Toad, at the Goodman Theatre in 2006. The company also has had a strong focus on new work producing 12 world premieres 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.  Chicago Children's Theatre productions feature everything from black-light scenery to live music to interactive four-dimensional sets to life-size puppets, and performances showcase the heart of Motown to Vaudeville to contemporary, current and modern styles.

Chicago Children's Theatre offers a full roster of after school theater classes and summer camps. It also honors a strong commitment to low-income families and children with special needs. In partnership with Chicago Public Schools and Target, the company has offered free tickets and transportation to more than 5,000 Chicago-area low-income students each season. 

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

Led by Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell and Board Chair Todd Leland, the company 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, Goldman Sachs Gives and Target. 

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

20th Anniversary Taste Of Randolph 2016 Music and Restaurant Lineup

Taste Of Randolph 2016 

Shares Music and Restaurant Lineup

Friday June 17th thru Sunday June 19th.

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're particularly jazzed that the 20th Anniversary of Taste Of Randolph this summer will include a Red Rocks Stage! We've been to Red Rocks and it's one of the most breathtaking venues in the entire country. We're also pretty stoked a couple of our favorite Chicago bands, Akasha and Bailiff, are slated to grace the Red Rocks Stage in the WXRT “Road to Red Rocks” show, competing to win a chance to perform at the real Red Rocks Amphitheater in July! Don't miss this.

To celebrate Taste of Randolph's 20th Anniversary, the iconic street festival has teamed up with VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau in Denver, CO to construct the Denver Live on the Rocks stage – a scale replica of the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater, itself celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year. The stage will feature national headliners who originated in Colorado as well as daily chances for festival attendees to win an all-expense paid trip to Denver, including tickets to a concert at Red Rocks. 

On Sunday, June 19, four local Chicago bands - Zaramela, Akasha, Bailiff, The Ivorys - will play the WXRT “Road to Red Rocks”  show, on the Denver Live on the Rocks Stage, to win a chance to perform at the real Red Rocks Amphitheater in July. The two wings of the scale reproduction will each stand some 70 feet long and 30 feet high, and will be hand-sculpted and hand-painted to mimic the venue’s iconic monoliths and red sandstone striations. 

Commemorating the iconic street festival's 20th Anniversary, StarEvents and WLCO brings together the biggest and brightest names in Chicago dining, featuring over 20 restaurants exemplary for delectable menus and irresistibly unique flavors. Taste of Randolph features a musical lineup of legendary headliners and rising stars, as well as the biggest names in Chicago house music, performing on two stages and a DJ stage, to entertain guests on their culinary adventure. 

Fest guests can enjoy Taste of Randolph in style! The VIP ticket package includes VIP lounges, reserved concert seating, private bathrooms, and beer discounts. Taste of Randolph benefits the West Loop Community Organization, which has been advocating for the West Loop neighborhood since 1991, supporting local businesses and economic development.

  

Food: Alhambra | Bar Siena | belly Q | Chicken Shop I Soho House | City Winery | Cone Gourmet | Forno Rosso | Grange Hall | Gus's Fried Chicken | Hello Tacos | La Sardine | La Sirena Clandestina | Mad Social | Nandos Peri Peri | Nicholas Quality Meats | Nonnas | Pork Chop | Publican Quality Meats | Cemitas Puebla | Wishbone | Vivo |

Bands: Peter Bjorn & John | Ms Mr | Atlas Genius | Devotchka | The Motet | Patrick Watson | Eryn Allen Kane | Michael Menert & The Pretty Fantastics | Turkuaz | Joshua Davis Trio | The Record Company | Kevin Garrett | Sunsquabi | Holly Bowling | Cornmeal | Stop Light Observations | Growler | JJ & Dre | Nick and the Ovorols | Save the Clocktower | Chinola | Guy King | Earphorik |

WXRT's Road to Red Rocks: Bailiff | The Ivorys | Akasha | Zaramela |

DJs: Mark Matras | Spence Young | Teri Bristol | Psycho B! | Papa G | Rae Chardonay | Mario Romay | Vic la Rok | Bomba con Buya | FLX | Sean Alvarez | David Sabat | Fathom | Soulphonetics | Peace | Julius the Mad Thinker | Czarina | Milty | Diz | Louie Gomez & Jesse Rivera |

West Loop Community Organization: West Loop Community Organization (WLCO) is a recognized delegate agency for the City of Chicago. Formed in 1991, WLCO is a membership organization that represents the business and residential communities within the West Loop boundary. Promoting local businesses, supporting economic development and advocating for continued growth are ways in which the organization works to improve the quality of life in the West Loop.

StarEvents: For 20 years Star Events has been producing captivating events and festivals celebrating the best food, music, and culture Chicago has to offer. Dedicated to Chicago citizens and their communities - Star Events has generated over 10 million dollars for Chicago neighborhoods, charities, and non-for-profits.

Silver Wrapper: With 15 years of producing and organizing club shows, concerts and festivals under their belt, Silver Wrapper has established themselves as Chicago's preeminent fan and artist first independent concert promoter. The Silver Wrapper team is grateful for the continued growth within their organization & live music community, and are proud to recognize “It's not a party with out the people!”, over and over again.  

Red Rocks: Recognized for its star-studded concert roster and ambience, Red Rocks Amphitheater is the only naturally-occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world; and 2016 marks the venue’s 75th Anniversary. The Denver Live on the Rocks Stage will be a scale model of the awe-inspiring site, and some of Colorado’s best visual artists will hand carve and paint the 30 foot tall, 70 foot long replicas of the two monoliths that form the original amphitheater.

History: For nearly two decades, Taste of Randolph Street Festival has provided some of Chicago’s best restaurants with an unparalleled opportunity to show of their greatest dishes to the city’s hungry masses.

Location: 900 W. Randolph St. Peoria, Chicago.

Music: National and Local acts ranging from Rock to Dance.

Entrance: A $10 donation is suggested for admission to benefit the West Loop Community Organization, where residents, visitors and businesses have an active voice in decisions affecting the neighborhood parks, development, schools, traffic, safety and more.

StarEvents, the West Loop Community Organization, and Silver Wrapper have shared the Music and Restaurant Lineup for Taste of Randolph Festival 2016. 

WIN A FAMILY 4 PACK OF TICKETS ($68 value): Sight Unseen at Adventure Stage Chicago (Ages 8+)

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Adventure Stage Chicago Presents the World Premiere of 

“Sight Unseen” 

Prequel to Adventure Stage's Critically Acclaimed “Spark” (2014)

**Adventure Stage Chicago performances are best enjoyed by audiences 8 and older. Cada función presentada con subtítulos en español.** 

Adventure Stage Chicago’s (ASC) Spring production tackles the issues of social inequality and familial, generational, and environmental responsibility in its world premiere of “Sight Unseen: Chapter Two of The Prometheus Project,” written by ASC Producing Artistic Director Tom Arvetis and directed by Rives Collins. 

Disclosure: Thanks to Adventure Stage for partnering up with ChiIL Mama for years and providing giveaway tickets for our readers and tickets for my family for review purposes. As always, all opinions are my own.

Here at ChiIL Mama we loved Spark and can NOT wait to check out the prequel. We'll be bringing the whole family and reviewing shortly. We're also giving away a family 4 pack of tickets  ($68 value) to 1 lucky reader for Saturday April 9th at 4pm. Enter early and often through midnight Thursday 4/7. Recommended for ages 8+.

ENTER HERE

This highly-anticipated prequel reunites the playwright and director from 2014's critically- acclaimed “Spark.” Developed with community input, this piece continues ASC's commitment to exploring the concerns and aspirations of Chicago youth. 

In “Sight Unseen” audience members will follow young brothers Zeph and Kegan in a dystopian future as they struggle to keep their family together in Shambles, a lawless land kept apart from those living in the privileged, fortressed Tower. Their father, Mel, has succumbed to a mysterious illness afflicting only adults. In this world of haves and have-nots, they must navigate a set of ever-changing rules, and determine who is friend or foe on their heroic journey to a place called Sanctuary, which promises a better life. 

Inspired by Greek mythology and personal stories from young people gathered from Chicago classrooms, “Sight Unseen” explores themes of power, allegiance, and our responsibility to past and future generations. 

“With ‘Sight Unseen,’ we explore a world set in the future, but many of the issues it addresses are the same one families and communities struggle with today,” says Arvetis. 

 Johnny Knight, photographer

Sarah Cartwright, Al Evangelista

Adventure Stage Chicago (ASC), a program of Northwestern University Settlement House, is a professional theatre production company that creates new work and tells heroic stories about young people. 

All productions of “Sight Unseen” take place at Vittum Theatre, 1012 N. Noble Street in the West Town neighborhood. Each performance is framed by Curtain Conversations, pre- and post-show discussions moderated by ASC that encourage curiosity and reflection long after leaving the theater. 

March 26 – April 16, 2016 

Johnny Knight, photographer

From left: Matt Daniels, Michael Anthony Rawlins, Sarah Cartwright

Five public performances:
Saturday, March 26 at 4:00PM (Preview) Saturday, April 2 at 4:00PM (Opening night) Saturday, April 9 at 4:00PM
Friday, April 15 at 7:00PM
Saturday, April 16 at 4:00PM (Closing night) 

Website

Sight Unseen Information

Box office contact information: 773-342-4141 or boxoffice@adventurestage.org 

Remaining School weekday matinee performances:

April 5, 6, 7, 12, 14, 19
Matinee performances begin at 10:30AM.
Contact for school group bookings: dani@adventurestage.org 

Performed by: 

Janice, Ensemble Sarah Cartwright 

Zeph Matt Daniels 

Kegan Al Evangelista 

Mel, Ensemble Michael Anthony Rawlins 

Teena, Theia, Ensemble Allison Latta* 

Hunter, Ensemble Michael Steele 

Female Understudy Christine Williams 

Male Understudy Terry Bell 

Scenic Design Simon Lashford 

Costume Design Rachel Sypniewski 

Lighting Design Rebecca Barrett 

Original Music & Sound Design Michael Huey 

Production Manager Aaron Shapiro 

Stage Manager Phil Claudnic 

*ASC Ensemble Member 

About Adventure Stage Chicago: 

Adventure Stage Chicago (ASC) creates and tells heroic stories about young people. Uniquely involving our West Town neighbors into the creation process, ASC’s original productions contain themes and ideas that are developed with input from community members. ASC also offers: the in-classroom arts residency program Neighborhood Bridges; Trailblazers, a youth mentoring program for ages 11-15; summer drama camps and drama instruction in Head Start. This is its 12th season. 

ASC is a program of the Northwestern University Settlement House. The Northwestern University Settlement House opened its doors to its neighbors in 1891 in order to provide an opportunity for a better future. The Settlement’s success results from a commitment to treating every person who enters its doors with dignity and respect, while supporting them with transformational programming designed to interrupt the cycle of poverty. The Settlement has adapted its programming throughout the past century in response to changes in the community, economy and society. The Settlement has led the way in innovative programming by offering residential science and environmental education for inner-city youth, launching successful charter schools and adding a theater so children and teens have a forum for expressing their life experiences. The Settlement’s Adventure Stage Chicago (ASC) is one of the only theaters in Chicago to develop and present works specifically for the middle school–age audience.

Adventure Stage Chicago is a member of IPAY (International Performing Arts for Youth), League of Chicago Theatres, Theatre Communications Group (TCG), and TYA/USA. 

Disclosure: Thanks to Adventure Stage for partnering up with ChiIL Mama for years and providing giveaway tickets for our readers and tickets for my family for review purposes. As always, all opinions are my own.

FREE PIVEN THEATRE WORKSHOP QUALITY OF MERCY PROJECT & DEAD MAN WALKING PRODUCTION

PIVEN THEATRE WORKSHOP LAUNCHES MAJOR 

QUALITY OF MERCY PROJECT

PUBLIC PROGRAMMING INVITES DISCUSSION OF JUSTICE AND FORGIVENESS IN TANDEM WITH PRODUCTION OF DEAD MAN WALKING

PUBLIC PROGRAMS - PREDOMINANTLY FREE - TAKE PLACE NOW THROUGH MAY 2016;

FIVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS SUPPORT PRODUCTION OF TIM ROBBINS’ DEAD MAN WALKING APRIL 14 - MAY 15 AT PIVEN THEATRE WORKSHOP

In conjunction with its upcoming production of Tim Robbins’ Dead Man Walking, April 14-May 15, 2016, Piven Theatre Workshop proudly announces The Quality of Mercy Project, an expansive three-month public programming initiative inviting discussion of the complex issues arising from the themes of the play, including, but certainly not limited to: forgiveness, compassion, the death penalty, mass incarceration, racial inequity, and social justice.  Among highlights of The Quality of Mercy Project are panel discussions addressing Life and Death in the Criminal Justice System, Finding a Path Where Forgiveness and Justice Can Intersect, and The Black Male Experience in Evanston; a screening and discussion of The Innocent, a documentary about men and women wrongly sentenced to death who lived to tell about it; and a special reading and book signing with Sister Helen Prejean whose best-selling book, Dead Man Walking: The Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty That Sparked a National Debate, has been adapted for the stage.

The majority of The Quality of Mercy Project programming is free of charge and open to the public, and will be presented at a variety of venues in Evanston, IL, through May 2016.  

The Quality of Mercy Project is a collaborative effort of Piven Theatre Workshop with five key community partners: The Chicago Innocence Center, Evanston Art Center, Literature for All of Us, James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy, and Evanston Township High School.   Each week during the run of Dead Man Walking, Piven Theatre Workshop will highlight the work of one of these featured partners. During these weeks, members of the organization will participate in talk-backs after a performance, a night of the week will have a special ticket price in which a portion will go to support the partners' programs, and audience members will have a chance to learn more about what these venerable institutions are doing to effect change within the community. 

“Our work celebrates the human spirit and The Quality of Mercy Project is a meditation on justice and social responsibility.  This is an unprecedented collaboration and one we hope to continue. Engaging the community in wider discussions elevates our work and elevates public dialogues," said Jennifer Green, Piven Theatre Workshop Artistic Director.

Following are among programming initiatives; the most current The Quality of Mercy Project schedule can be found HERE

SPECIAL EVENTS (free unless otherwise noted)

(PANEL DISCUSSION) Life and Death in the Criminal Justice System

Illinois is at the epicenter of both profound corruption and reform in criminal justice. We lead the nation in false confessions, yet our state made international news by ending the death penalty. What is it like to be on the front lines of defending clients in death penalty cases? What happens to innocent people on Death Row? Hear the firsthand accounts from an attorney and an investigative journalist: Tom Verdun was a 15-year member of the Murder Task Force who defended numerous clients facing the death penalty and now serves as Senior Staff Attorney of the James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy. Pamela Cytrynbaum is an investigative reporter who has covered death penalty cases around the country and is now the Executive Director of the Chicago Innocence Center.

Sunday, April 3, 2:30pm, at Evanston Art Center, 1717 Central Street, Evanston

(READING) Reading and Book Signing with Sister Helen Prejean

A reading and discussion with the woman whose story has inspired millions. Sister Helen Prejean has been instrumental in sparking national dialogue on the death penalty and helping to shape the Catholic Church’s vigorous opposition to state executions.  Since 1984, Sister Helen has divided her time between educating citizens about the death penalty and counseling individual death row prisoners.

Saturday, April 16, 1-2:30pm, at Bookends & Beginnings

(FILM SCREENING) The Innocent by Lauri Feldman Fisher

A screening and discussion of The Innocent, a documentary about men and women wrongly sentenced to death who lived to tell about it. The director, subjects of the film, and members of the justice community will be present for a discussion immediately after the screening. Premiered at Chicago International Documentary Film Festival where it was chosen as audience favorite.                                                                

Tuesday, April 19, 7:00pm, at Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave., Evanston                                                   

(PANEL) Compassion in the Court? Can Mercy Meet Justice?

The American criminal justice system is a system of retribution, vengeance, and punishment. This important panel discussion addresses: What does that mean for the guilty, the innocent and the victims left behind? And what of mercy, of forgiveness, of rehabilitation and redemption? Religious traditions and global models of restorative justice offer alternative paths of healing and transformation by expanding the intersection of mercy and justice. Moderator Pamela Cytrynbaum, Director of the Chicago Innocence Center, is joined by a diverse panel of experts working for justice from a wide range of theologies and perspectives including: Jeanne Bishop, murder-victim's sister, veteran defense attorney and author of Change of Heart; Gilo Kwesi Logan, diversity consultant, educator, writer & speaker; Brant Rosen, Regional Director of American Friends Service Committee and Rabbi from Tzedek Chicago; and Rev. Taurean Webb, Assistant Pastor at the Second Baptist Church of Evanston.

Wednesday, April 20, 6:30–8:30pm, at Rotary International Auditorium, 1560 Sherman Avenue, Third Floor, Evanston                        

(PANEL) The Black Male Experience in Evanston

This discussion asks the question: What is it like to be a Black male in Evanston? and explores the history of the black male in Evanston, their current experience, as well as challenges and opportunities this poses for Evanston in the future. Personal testimonies will be shared as well as what the latest research says of race relations among Evanston families, in its institutions, and across its communities.  Panelists include Lionel Jean-Baptiste, Circuit Court Judge of Cook County; Bennett Johnson, President, Path Press, Inc.; Nathan Norman, Youth/Young Adult Outreach Worker, City of Evanston; Dino Robinson, Founder of Shorefront and the Shorefront Legacy Center; and Dereck Woods, 28-year volunteer coach of F.A.A.M. (Fellowship of Afro-American Men), and co-founder, Black Men Against Violence.

Saturday, April 23, 4-6p.m. at Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Avenue, Evanston

(PANEL) Curt’s Café Community Conversation- Youth, Stereotyping, and Criminalization: How our Community is Affected

This moderated conversation showcases a panel of young men from Curt’s Café North, designed to provide training to at-risk youth in Evanston in both food service and life. To be discussed are the ways criminalization occurs in our community, its lasting effects, and alternatives to the current model for ensuring safety.  Conversation will be centered on the stories of young people and how their lives have been impacted by the criminal justice system.

Monday, April 25, 6p.m. at Curt’s Café North, 2922 Central Street, Evanston

(READING) A First Look Reading of #LOVESTORIES: Inspired by BLACK LIVES MATTER with Fleetwood-

Jourdain Theatre

#LOVESTORIES: Inspired by BLACK LIVES MATTER by Gloria Bond-Clunie, Marsha Estell and Tania Richard is a play in three parts exploring the breadth of love in a world of deadly conflict. Each playwright takes her turn sharing her gift of writing to tell a story of LOVE. This is a special sneak peek of a world premiere play commissioned by Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre.

Sunday, May 8, 3pm, at Evanston Public Library

               

COMMUNITY PARTNER OF THE WEEK SERIES

Each week during the run of Dead Man Walking (April 14 – May 15), Piven Theatre Workshop will highlight the work of one of its featured partners:

April 14-17, 2016: The James B Moran Center for Youth Advocacy provides low income Evanston youth and their families with integrated legal and social work services to improve their quality of life at home, at school, and within the Evanston community. A talk back with Tom Verdun, currently Senior Staff Attorney of the Moran Center, who was a member of the Murder Task Force in Illinois and defended numerous clients on capital cases, takes place following the performance Sunday, April 17. The special ticket price for this performance is $35, with $5 from each ticket going to support the Moran Center's programming.

April 21-24, 2016: Evanston Art Center is dedicated to fostering the appreciation and expression of the arts among diverse audiences by offering extensive and innovative instruction in broad areas of artistic endeavor through classes, exhibitions, interactive arts activities, and community outreach.  A talkback with a local artist discussing their work and how art can highlight and address areas of social justice in the community takes place following the performance Saturday, April 23. The special ticket price for this performance is $35, with $5 from each ticket going to support the Moran Center's programming.

April 28 – May 1, 2016: Literature for All of Us brings the rewards of reading and writing through book group discussions to teen parents and other young people in underserved neighborhoods. Since January, youth from LFAOU, the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, Curt’s Café, and seven alternative Chicago high schools have been working side-by-side with professional writers to create responses to its curricula centering on the theme "Dead Man Walking: Transforming Justice.”   Literature for All of Us is proud to produce a published journal of poetry based on this work and LFAOU staff members will perform two poems from the curricula they created after the performance Saturday, April 30.   The special ticket price for this performance is $35, with $5 from each ticket going to support LFAOU's programming.

May 5-8, 2016: Evanston Township High School (ETHS) is a premier high school, serving more than 3,300 students and their families in Evanston and a portion of Skokie.  Ranked in the top 2% of high schools in the nation, ETHS is committed to inspiring a lifelong passion for learning through a lens of equity and excellence.  ETHS dedicates itself to educating all students to their fullest potential and empowering them to build a vision of what it takes to be successful today, and in the future.  A special talk back features several ETHS students who participated in a unique partnership between the high school, Piven Theatre and community organizations.  Throughout the rehearsal process, students in ETHS’ History and Social Science classes engaged in extensive research and inquiry about themes present in Dead Man Walking, in order to inform and enhance the production design elements of the show. A number of student leaders will talk about what it was like to research Louisiana prisons, the history of the death penalty in America, and more, after the performance Saturday, May 7. The special ticket price for this performance is $35, with $5 from each ticket going to support ETHS programming.

May 12-15, 2016: Chicago Innocence Center investigates cases in which prisoners may have been convicted of crimes they did not commit, with priority to murder cases that resulted in sentences of death or life without parole. Led by its Executive Director, Pamela Cytrynbaum, an alumna of Piven Theatre Workshop, the Center does not represent clients in criminal cases, but after its investigation is completed, outside counsel may bring new evidence of innocence to court; their fundamental goal is to expose and remedy wrongdoing by the criminal justice system. Cytrynbaum and exonerees who have worked with the Chicago Innocence Center participate in a talkback following the performance Saturday, May 14, to educate the public on wrongful incarceration and the effect on our community. The special ticket price for this performance is $35, with $5 from each ticket going to support Chicago Innocence Center work.

ONGOING PROGRAMMING

A is for Activist!  Exhibit at Evanston Art Center with Literature For All Of U

Literature for All of Us is partnering with the Evanston Art Center and the Juvenile Temporary Detention center to produce an art installation based on participant work, including an "A is for Activist" themed quilt with patches designed by program participants and assembled by local artist Margaret Ann Crain.  Also on display will be a project of #dearevanston, a multi-platform social media campaign designed to examine issues of violence in Evanston and explore ways to prevent it.  The two-month campaign, in April and May, seeks to engage the entire Evanston community in creative and powerful conversations about the causes of violence, ways in which violence affect us all and what part each of us can play to end it. 

April and May at Evanston Art Center

Dead Man Walking: Transforming Justice—A Journal

Literature for All of Us is proud to produce a published journal of poetry based on work with constituents in their literature-based programs in Evanston and Chicago. Students writing side-by-side with professional writers create responses to its curricula centering on the theme "Dead Man Walking: Transforming Justice.”  The journal will be available for sale at all performances of Dead Man Walking and copies will also be available at Bookends & Beginnings and at all public programs as part of the Quality of Mercy Project.

PIVEN THEATRE WORKSHOP PRESENTS TIM ROBBINS’ DEAD MAN WALKING

Serving as the centerpiece of The Quality of Mercy Project is Dead Man Walking, a play by Tim Robbins, adapted from the 1993 best-seller Dead Man Walking: The Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty That Sparked a National Debate by Sister Helen Prejean. Robbins’ powerful adaptation tells the story of Sister Helen’s journey through this country’s system of capital punishment. Through the lens of her role as spiritual advisor to a death row inmate, the play meditates on the deeper issues of justice and mercy and the implication that we are all involved in the human consequences of our justice system: the condemned, the bereaved, the executed, the executioner, the individual, the community. Dead Man Walking, directed by Mikalina Rabinsky, will be performed at Piven Theatre Workshop, 927 Noyes Street in Evanston, April 14-May 15, 2016.  Tickets, which range in price from $15-$35, are now available by calling 847-866-8049 or by visiting www.piventheatre.org.

About Piven Theatre Workshop:

With Dead Man Walking, Piven Theatre Workshop continues its ongoing mission of presenting literary adaptations, and its history of exploring issues of empathy and community. Piven Theatre Workshop has excelled as a leader in the arts community for 45 years, maintaining a distinguished legacy in the training of children and adults in the theater arts. Annually, between onsite and off-site programming, the theater trains more than 1,000 students, provides more than $40,000 in need and merit-based scholarships and maintains a professional theater and numerous community partnership programs throughout the Chicago area. For more information on The Quality of Mercy Project or Piven Theatre Workshop, please visit www.piventheatre.org.