We’ll Be Friends

Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play”

Bringing humor and hilarity with such catchy songs as “Lucky to See You,” “Ice Cream Hero,” “Elephant in the Room” and the sweetly sincere, “We’ll Be Friends,” ELEPHANT & PIGGIE’S “WE ARE IN A PLAY” is festival of fun for the entire family. And in this new production by Young People’s Theatre of Chicago, which opens their new Friendship and Adventure Season, audiences experience a fun-filled musical comedy about  two best buddies.

You Gotta Have Friends

Wish You Were Here

Both brutally frank and brashly funny, Iranian-American playwright Sanaz Toossi’s comic drama presents a truth universally acknowledged. No, it’s not, as Jane Austen claimed, that “a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Although that may be true, Toossi’s play is a celebration of confidants, companions and chums. Friends, as someone once said, make life brighter, funnier and a whole lot more memorable. In this exquisite one-act, by the Pulitzer Prize winner in Drama for ENGLISH, audiences should get ready to smile, laugh and maybe even shed a tear amid the beautiful chaos of, as Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, the “gift you give yourself.” Because, as Bette Midler sang, You Gotta Have Friends. And being Friends is what this play is all about.

Farm Aid Turns 40

September 22, 1985 the first Farm Aid was held in Champaign, Illinois. What was supposed to be a one time event has turned 40 with the need just as relevant as it was back then.  And on September 20 the event took place for the first time in Minneapolis  at Huntington Bank Stadium  to an energized crowd of 40,000 fans gathered for the music and mission. And what a day it was. 

The Legacy of William Shakespeare

The Book of Will

Lauren Gunderson’s historical drama is filled with information, warmth and a lot of unexpected humor.  The play was inspired by the true story behind the creation of Shakespeare’s inclusive First Folio. Still missing their friend, several of his peers gathered at a pub shortly after the Bard’s passing to remember him and mourn his death. They knew that there would never be any more beautifully poetic plays and poems from his pen. Even sadder, most of Shakespeare’s scripts had been destroyed in a fire. Only the great actor, Richard Burbage, a man who had played all of Shakespeare’s leading roles, remembered each word of every play. But, alas, Burbage wasn’t immortal either. Wouldn’t it be wonderful, the friends imagine, if somehow all of Shakespeare’s plays could be recovered and published, exactly as he wrote them? And if the more than 30 plays could appear in one, complete volume, how thrilling would that be for the Theatre World?

Daddy Issues

Gangsta Baby

When walking into Open Space Arts, theatergoers will need to select their seats while working around a skimpily-clothed young man shadowboxing in the middle of the intimate theater space. The man’s name is Junior and he lives in Hastings, England. Dripping with sweat, Junior is built like a gymnast, all muscles, quick physical responses and sharp punches and jabs. And, although you might miss them because they blend in with the theatergoers, seated among the audience are three other actors. They will eventually enter the ring, as it were, and morph into the other characters who populate Junior’s world. Some are in the present; others are from his past. This is the corporeal and violent world of GANGSTA BABY.

Out, Loud and Proud

TL; DR: Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix

Theo Ubique continues their praiseworthy mission to present and support new, groundbreaking musicals with this Midwest Premiere. This musical (with the strange title) is a riff on the iconic 1991 film, “Thelma & Louise.” The show features a book by EllaRose Chary, Music by Brandon James Gwinn, with Lyrics co-written by both Chary and Gwinn. The musical, which had its World Premiere at the Diversionary Theatre in San Diego just a year ago, is part Punk Rock concert and Garage Band performance, and partly an exploration of what it means to recognize who you are. The musical weighs in on a person having the courage to come out as gay, while still feeling comfortable in their own skin. In all, the show is an irreverent, dynamic, in-your-face piece that’s presented from a feminist viewpoint. It also looks at various representations of being queer, while also challenging who gets to enjoy a happy ending in their story. The musical’s most definitely out, loud and proud.

You’ve No Idea What I’m Capable Of

Misery

Just in time for the Halloween season, Citadel Theatre presents this horrifying, tension-filled one-act drama. With its slow build, MISERY is almost relentless in its emotional terror. Written by Highland Park-born screenwriter and playwright, William Goldman (“The Princess Bride”), adapted from Stephen King’s acclaimed psychologically suspenseful novel and Rob Reiner’s tense 1990 film, this riveting ninety-minute thriller grabs hold of the audience and never lets go until the very end. 

Between Holding on and Letting Go

Ashland Avenue

Welcome to Pete’s Television and Radio. For forty years, Pete’s owned and managed fifteen branches of his popular business, in addition to the main branch which is located on Ashland Avenue, on Chicago’s North side of the city. Pete’s known for his homey friendliness and his over-the-top television commercials. Because the world turns and things continually change, progress has affected Pete’s business dynasty. New rival competition and the popularity of online shopping have resulted in the closure of the branch locations, leaving only his main store in operation. But the Ashland Avenue shop hasn’t seen a customer all week and so its future is in jeopardy.  

Let the Good Times Roll

Blue Heaven

And I guess that’s why they call it the Blues. This powerful genre of music, that we call the Blues, emerged from the oppressed and economically disadvantaged African-American communities in the rural South. This musical style’s often believed to have originated during the 19th century, following the end of the Civil War. Blues singers and composers were descendants of slaves, but elements of their music can be traced back to its origins in Africa.