Bucktown Theatre Kicks it Up a Notch to Produce 5 Plays/Month

Bucktown's Gorilla Tango Theatre is embarking on a bold new look at producing theatre en masse: Gorilla Tango Originals. The theatre has brought on Executive Producer Ellen Domonkos White (former Managing Director of New Millennium Theater Company) to head up this ambitious new works program, which will see the production of up to five new plays every month starting in March 2017. This will include a series titled, "Hear Our Voice," specifically designed to showcase underrepresented voices and talent in the Chicago theatre community.

The new series makes its debut on March 2, 2017. Productions opening in March include: "Party On, Chicago!: The Choose-Your-Own-Drinking-Adventure" written by Joseph H. White and directed by Cara Winter (opening March 2nd); and "...Because I Love You: A Comedy About Parenting," written by Jenny Seidelman and directed by Jessica Rae Olsen; "Super Jane!" written by Susan & Frank R. Sjodin and directed by Meagan Piccochi, a puppet show geared towards children between ages 0-5; and "Jack and the Beanstalk: A Panto Adventure" written by Jason Peck and directed by Drew Echales, a family-friendly show geared towards children ages 6-12 and adults (all three productions opening on March 4th).

"That's just March," says White. "We already have several other shows in the hopper for the upcoming months, and I'm still meeting new artists almost every day. It's exhilarating."

Ellen is especially excited about working with so many artists. "Chicago is filled with incredibly talented artists, and this high volume process of producing opens up so much opportunity for everyone," says White. "I am very proud of my team of passionate, multi-talented, diverse artists, and I look forward to it continually growing and evolving. Once the program kicks in high gear, we will be paying more playwrights, performers, directors, designers, and full-time administration in the history of Gorilla Tango and most comparable theatres."

Dan Abbate, owner of Gorilla Tango says, "We're all about making this a business. I am an entrepreneur and have consistently struggled to figure out how to make small theatre profitable for everyone involved - venues, producers, and artists alike. I am excited to take this next step in formalizing and scaling our creative processes. This has real potential to add to the economic scene of Chicago theatre. Adding a veteran Chicago producer like Ellen to our team as Executive Producer has made this New Works Program possible."

Gorilla Tango Originals' programming is already in pre-production. The first shows opens on March 2, 2017, with three to five shows opening every month thereafter. For more information about Gorilla Tango Originals or to schedule a review, please contact Ellen Domonkos White, Executive Producer; ellen@gorillatango.com; 773-598-4549. For more information on Gorilla Tango Theatre, please contact Sam Haines, Production & Operations Manager; shaines@gorillatango.com.