Lifeline Theatre's 17th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival Set for 1/3-19

Lifeline Theatre Artistic Director Dorothy Milne announces the 17th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival, running January 3-19, 2014. Celebrating the breadth of Chicago's enduring storytelling and live lit scene, Lifeline brings 10 solo performers and 13 storytelling collectives together for a three-week, multi-venue selection of powerful personal stories. The festival will feature the work of:

· 2nd Story (2ndstory.com): A collective of story-makers and story-lovers working together to build community through the power of storytelling. 2nd Story hosts events that fuse page, stage, and sound to deliver a unique, live, literary/ theatrical experience.

· The BYOB Story Hour (byobstoryhour.com): An intimate night of storytelling and live music. Once a month, six of Chicago's best storytellers take the stage to share personal narratives based on that month's theme. In addition to hearing some incredible stories, they also feature a live musical performance by local Chicago musicians.

· enSOLO (facebook.com/EnSoloPerformance): An ensemble of solo performers who write together and perform alone. A little bit of non-fiction, story telling, and performance art with no 4th wall. Everything biographical. enSOLO strives to find universal truth through specificity and brutal honesty.

· the kates (thekates.org): An all-female comedy group that encompasses the distinct voices of up and coming Chicago performers. The kates provide an intimate night of comedy with pieces ranging from darkly amusing musical numbers, the awkward art of clowning, absurd solo performances, and uproarious stand up comedy.

· The Lifeline Storytelling Project (lifelinestorytellingproject.com): The Lifeline Storytelling Project produces monthly live music & storytelling events designed to develop and showcase young artists affiliated with Lifeline Theatre.

· Stir-Friday Night! (stirfridaynight.org): "We are Asian. We do comedy." Based in Chicago and one of the nation's premier Asian-American sketch comedy troupes. Having worked with The Second City and iO, Stir-Friday Night! has become a fixture in Chicago's illustrious comedy scene.

· Story Club (storyclubchicago.com): Story Club is like Fight Club, only they tell stories instead of punching each other and everyone talks about it. Story Club mixes the spontaneity of an open mic with the experience of Live Theatre.

· Story Lab (storylabchicago.com): Story Lab Chicago is a storytelling series that has put over 200 new or first-time tellers on stage. Everyone has a story, and everyone, regardless of experience or background, is encouraged to tell it.

· Story Sessions (storysessionschicago.com): Story Sessions is a collection of performers sharing true personal stories that tug at your heart strings, tickle your funny bone and take your mind on a wild adventure.

· Sweat Girls (sweatgirls.org): The Sweat Girls speak with honesty, authenticity and humor about the human condition as they've experienced it. They have been writing and performing storytelling shows in Chicago for over 20 years.

· Tellin' Tales Theatre, featuring Tekki Lomnicki (tellintalestheatre.org): Tellin' Tales Theatre builds community through story - adult solo performances as well as "Six Stories Up,, a mentoring program and show featuring kids and adults, with and without disabilities. Tekki Lomnicki is a solo performer, playwright, director and educator.

· Write Club (writeclubrules.com): Two opposing writers.Two opposing ideas. Seven minutes apiece. The audience picks a winner. Write Club is bare knuckled lit. Write Club is literature as blood sport. Write Club does good without being annoying about it. Write Club features a rotating lineup of Chicago's most audacious and fearsome writer/performers.

· You're Being Ridiculous (yourebeingridiculous.com): A group of real people telling real funny stories about their lives with a theme as their guide. They laugh at themselves and with each other. Everyone has a story to tell - what's yours?

· With solo performances by Liz Baudler, Jamie Black, Eve Brownstone, Katherine Chronis, Marsha Estell, Kim Morris, Andrew Reilly, Amanda Rountree, Penelope Walker, and Eric Warner; plus storytelling panels and workshops led by Amanda Delheimer Dimond and Julie Ganey from 2nd Story, and Deanna Moffitt and Story Sessions alums.

The 2014 Fillet of Solo festival will perform January 3-19, 2014, in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood at Lifeline Theatre,

6912 N. Glenwood Ave. and Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave. (Free parking and shuttle; see below). Performance times are Fridays at 7, 8, 9, and 10 p.m.; Saturdays at 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 p.m.; and Sundays at 4, 5, 6, and 7 p.m. Ticket prices are $10 for regular single tickets, and $30 for a Festival Pass (allows admission to any performance, workshop, or panel, January 3-19, 2014). Tickets may be purchased at the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, or by visiting www.lifelinetheatre.com.