Jackalope Theatre Seeks Submissions for 'The Pioneer Series'; Kicks Off with TRACES This Month

Jackalope Theatre Company (JTC) is proud to announce The Pioneer Series, hosted in their newly upgraded storefront studio, The Frontier, located at 1106 W Thorndale in Chicago.

The Pioneer Series is Jackalope's continuous initiative to cultivate bold new theatre in Chicago. JTC will curate a season of work produced by guest theater companies for a primetime four week run. JTC is currently seeking proposals for plays that are Chicago premieres, with flexible technical requirements, and with a focus on intimate story telling. Jackalope is interested in working with diverse teams of actors, directors, and designers who see spacial limitations as something that sets them free.

Selected companies will receive artistic and administrative support from Jackalope, as well as an affordable rental rate for their rehearsals and performances in The Frontier. Applications are now being accepted for the 2015-16 season, beginning in the summer of 2015. Companies can go to www.jackalopetheatre.org to learn more about the series and the application process, and completed applications can be submitted to thefrontier@jackalopetheatre.org.

"We are so excited to discover perspectives and voices that are new to Jackalope and to Chicago, and to provide a platform of support for companies and writers to explore daring and innovative storytelling," says JTC Artistic Director AJ Ware. "The Pioneer Series will be a home for innovators, and we are thrilled to give Chicago theatre artists a safe place to take big risks."

"Jackalope has come a long way since our founding, but not without the support of those who believed in us and the producing opportunities they provided," adds JTC Associate Artistic Director, Kaiser Ahmed, who oversees the Pioneer Series application process. "The Pioneer Series is a small way for us to give back to the loving and vibrant Chicago Theater community that has kept us inspired."

The Pioneer series kicks off with Traces, presented by Feast Productions, written by Shannon Pritchard, and directed by Jessica Fisch. Traces runs March 6 through March 28 in The Frontier, 1106 W Thorndale.

Traces features Patrick Budde, Kristen Johnson, Will Kiley (Jackalope Company Member, Maximillian Lapine, Stella Martin and Sasha Smith.

Jenny is a typical Chicago girl, but lately getting lunch from food trucks, seeing shows at iO and drinking PBR isn't cutting it. Then she meets Tom at the Lincoln Park Farmer's Market. Tom's different, mysterious - and disappears after one perfect day. When Jenny discovers their night together left her with more than she bargained for, she sets out on an epic journey in search of answers. With her memories mysteriously hazy, Jenny retraces her steps through the Windy City sprawl. Inspired by the Scottish folk ballad Tam Lin, Traces is an urban faerie tale that questions when to let go, and when we should hold on.

The creative team for Traces includes Emily Tarleton, Lindsey Lyddan (lighting design), Stephanie Cluggish (costume design), Ray Rehberg (sound design), Sarah Burnham (props), and Patrick Budde (composer).

The production team for Traces includes Sam Garrott (stage manager), Jackie Bautista (assistant stage manager), Hannah Fisher (assistant director), Max Cove (graphic designer), Dylan Pickus, and Louis Schermerhorn (producers for Feast Productions).

The Frontier holds a Performing Arts Venue (PAV) licence and is located at 1106 W. Thorndale just steps away from the Thorndale Red Line Station and from Jackalope's primary performance venue in Broadway Armory Park. With a unistrut lighting grid, this 40-seat flexible blackbox is ideal for special events, rehearsals and limited-engagement performance rentals to the public. What was once a staple deli in the Edgewater neighborhood, this storefront sat untouched for three years before Jackalope began occupying, renovating and using the space to rehearse their productions. Jackalope has been committed to fostering an artistic and cultural community within the Thorndale corridor in Edgewater. We cultivate theatre that manifests the adventure deeply rooted in the American mythos. For more information, visit www.jackalopetheatre.org.