Congo Square Theatre's Digital Offerings THE CLINIC: Season 3, and THE BLACKSiDE: Season 4 Available Now

The Clinic, Congo Square Theatre Company's (Congo Square) popular old-school radio drama, culminates with its third and final season with all episodes now available online. Congo Square, one of the nation's premier Black theater companies, launched The Clinic in the Fall of 2021 as a way of introducing the serial radio drama genre to a new, streaming audience. Created, written, acted, and produced by Congo Square ensemble members and guest artists, season three of The Clinic includes six drama-filled episodes. All episodes of The Clinic are now available by visiting www.congosquaretheatre.org/audio-series; a donation of $15.00 is suggested.

Additionally, Congo Square's popular online sketch comedy series, THE BLACKSiDE (formerly Hit ‘em on the Blackside), in its fourth season, is now streaming. This season is bigger, blacker and funnier than ever, aiming to answer the question: Is our society headed toward a Black Renaissance or a Black Dystopia? Nine new episodes will be released weekly on Congo Square Theatre'sYouTube channel with the final episode airing on December 9. Episodes from the first three seasons of THE BLACKSiDE are currently available at www.congosquaretheatre.org/theblackside.  

“We are thrilled to continue offering our digital content alongside our mainstage season,” says Congo Square Artistic Director Ericka Ratcliff. “In an increasingly digital world, we are delighted to reach whole new audiences through our online series, while providing unique and artistically fulfilling work to our ensemble and guest artists.”

About The Clinic

The whip smart Dr. Latisha Bradley discovered a life-altering pharmaceutical that was meant to help all, but only helps some. Her discovery will change the world, as long as her nemeses–and her own heart–don't stand in the way. Steeped in the stylings of the original soap-opera radio dramas, the first two seasons tackled themes of betrayal, love, and racism in healthcare. Dr. Bradley's tale concludes in an action-packed third and final season.

Directed by Congo Square's Javon Johnson with showrunner Monifa Days, the cast includes fellow ensemble members Aimee K. Bryant, Aaron Todd Douglas, Tracey N. Bonner, and Will Sims II, with guest artist Jonathan Perkins, Neal Moeller, and Makila Sims. Willow James is the sound engineer.  

About THE BLACKSiDE

Timely, provocative, and always funny,THE BLACKSiDE is a sketch comedy show that covers today's pressing issues with humor and a razor-sharp wit. While the first three seasons introduced fun light-hearted sketches such as Black History Game Show and Black Survivalist, season four promises to bring audiences more suspenseful and darker but still hilarious sketches, including How To Survive a Zombie Apocalypse, and A.I.

THE BLACKSiDE season four writing team includes ensemble members Anthony L. Irons, Ronald L. Conner, Alexis J. Roston, and Kelvin Roston Jr., with guest writers Bair Warburton-Brown, Alexandria Moorman and Jonathan Keaton. The core cast is Ronald L. Conner, Alexis J. Roston, Kelvin Roston Jr., and Alexandria Moorman with guests Wendy Mateo, Esteban Cruz, Danyelle Monson, Jeff Kursyz, Jack DeCesare, Ashli Funches, Marcus Moore, Xaiden Irons, Ayssette Munoz, Kayla Kennedy, Neal Moller, and Diamond, the dog.  The production team is Anthony L. Irons- Showrunner/Director; Ronald L. Conner - Producer/Director; Bair Warburton-Brown - Assistant Director; Tyra Grove - Sound; Jordan Wallace – Boom Operator; Levi Wilkins - Key Grip; Jermaine Jenkins – Production Assistant, Gary Walker – Director of Photography, and Xavier Irons - Apprentice.

About Congo Square Theatre Company

Congo Square Theatre Company is an ensemble dedicated to producing transformative work rooted in the African Diaspora. Congo Square is a haven for artists of color to challenge and redefine the theatrical canon by amplifying and creating stories that reflect the reach and complexities of Black Culture and is one of only two African American Actors' Equity theater companies in Chicago. Founded in 1999 with a mission to provide a platform for Black artists to present work that exemplified the majesty, diversity, and intersectionality of stories from the African Diaspora, Congo Square's guiding principles are radical generosity, radical community, and radical expansion.

Congo Square has risen to become one of the most well-respected African American theaters in the nation. Previously mentored by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson, Congo Square's August Wilson New Play Initiative has cultivated talents such as playwright Chadwick Boseman (Marvel Studio's Black Panther), who penned the 2006 Jeff nominated play Deep Azure, Lisa Langford who's play How Blood Go was premiered by Congo Square in 2023, and playwright Lydia Diamond, who penned the massively successful Stick Fly, a critically acclaimed play that explores race, class, and familial friction. Stick Fly ultimately ran on Broadway and is currently being developed into a full-length series for HBO with Alicia Keys serving as a producer. Congo Square also produced the widely praised Seven Guitars, which won top honors for best ensemble, best direction, and best production at the 2005 Joseph Jefferson Awards. This would earn the theater company the distinction of being the first African American theater company to receive such an honor.

Congo Square's Samuel G. Roberson Next Up Fellowship celebrates young playwrights by providing resources for college and high school aged students to enhance their writing and identity as a playwright. Each selected fellow not only has their ten-minute play workshopped into a full-length play with Congo Square, but they also receive a yearlong writing mentorship with founding ensemble member and playwright, Aaron Todd Douglas. The 2023-24 Fellow is Maria D. Smith.

Congo Square's Community Engagement and Education programs bring the impact of theater to young audiences. Its outreach programs, CORE (Curriculum Objectives Residency Enrichment), and CAST (Congo After School Theater), present and teach theater arts by providing classroom and after-school residencies that provide Teaching Artists to build upon already established Chicago Public Schools literature and art curriculums. CORE and CAST impact students, schools, and community organizations located on the South and West sides of Chicago.

For more information on Congo Square's 2023-24 Season, visit www.congosquaretheatre.org. 

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