DRINKING & WRITING VOL. IV: THE 12 STEPS OF XMAS

DRINKING & WRITING VOL. IV:  THE 12 STEPS OF XMAS RETURNS TO THE VICTORY GARDENS BIOGRAPH LOBBY BAR, LATE NIGHT FRIDAYS, NOV 28-DEC 19

Deck the walls with 99 bottles of beer and raise your glasses to Drinking & Writing Vol. IV:  The 12 Steps of Xmas, Chicago's most intoxicating late-night holiday show, back by popular demand for the 2008 holiday season at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater.

Star and creator Steve Mosqueda returns to his barstool with a new co-host -fellow drinker, writer, and Neo-Futurist Phil Ridarelli - for a second round of exploring that addictive holiday called Christmas.

A special re-gift from Victory Gardens Theater's Fresh Squeezed series, Drinking & Writing Vol. IV: The 12 Steps of Xmas will be presented Friday nights at 10:30 pm, November 28 through December 19, in the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater lobby bar, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago.

Enjoy the spirit(s) of the holidays as Mosqueda and Ridarelli, with the help of Bukowski, Kerouac, Capote, Fitzgerald, Cheever and others, uncork seasonal myths and traditions by stylishly mixing literature, seasonal inebriation, and anecdotes from their own past holiday alcoholic adventures.
Audience participation, free prizes, salty snacks, and cameos by Kate the Bartender are all part of this funny, smart, late-night homage to classic writings about the holidays.  Yes, the bar is open throughout the show, with specials including a $4 dry-hopped holiday ale brewed by Pete Crowley of Chicago's Rock Bottom Brewery, $2 Pabst Blue Ribbons, and more.

Time Out Chicago called last year's debut of Drinking & Writing Vol. IV: The 12 Steps of Xmas "...the most convincing 'the theater's shut down and the kids have come in to play' vibe I've ever seen."   Tickets are only $20. Early reservations are recommended.   To purchase tickets, call the Victory Gardens box office - 773.871.3000 - or buy tickets online at http://www.victorygardens.org

To make a night of it, pick your ticket up early at the Victory Gardens Biograph box office, and present it for special pre-show discounts at neighboring Lincoln Avenue restaurants including a free appetizer at Lincoln Station or Zig Zag Café (one per table), 10 % off at Kyoto, 20 % off food at The Spread, and 25 % off food at Clarke's Bar & Grille (all offers are day-of-show only).  For a complete list of restaurant partners and offers, go to http://www.victorygardens.org and click on box office.

The Victory Gardens Biograph Theater is located in the heart of Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, at 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, 1/2-block north of Fullerton. Discounted parking is available one block south at Children's Memorial Hospital.  Metered street parking is available. Mind the neighborhood restriction signs.  By CTA, take the Red, Purple and Brown lines to Fullerton.   Walk east on Fullerton, then north on Lincoln 1/2 block.   The #8 Halsted, #11 Lincoln,  #37 Sedgwick/Ogden, and #74 Fullerton buses all stop at Fullerton, Lincoln and Halsted, 1/2 block south of the theater. See http://www.transitchicago.com for times and routes.

(Note to calendar editors:  Performances of Drinking & Writing Vol. IV:  The 12 Steps of Xmas, follow the Friday, 7:30 pm performances of Victory Gardens' mainstage holiday musical, The Snow Queen.)

ABOUT VICTORY GARDENS FRESH SQUEEZED SERIES

Drinking & Writing Vol. IV:  The 12 Steps of Xmas is being presented by the Drinking and Writing Brewery in association with Victory Gardens' new Fresh Squeezed series of late night and offbeat events targeting younger audiences, part of a New Audiences for New Plays initiative funded by a
Wallace Foundation Excellence Award.  Check out the Fresh Squeezed blog http://www.vgfreshsqueezed.wordpress.com - to tap the juice and interact with Victory Gardens throughout the season, pulp lovers and non-pulp lovers alike.

Next up in Victory Gardens' Fresh Squeezed series:

Arlene Malinowski's solo show What Does the Sun Sound Like?, about her experiences as a hearing daughter growing up in a deaf family and culture, presented in association with the Victory Gardens Access Project, February 15 and 16 at 7:30 pm;

Literally Sexy II: Because It Feels Good, a late night variety show featuring Chicago's most exciting ensembles turning their attention to sex, back for its second year Friday, April 3 and 10, 2009 at 10:30 pm;

and, storyteller Margot Bordelon's one-woman travelogue You Are Here: The Margot Bordelon Project, about her experiences traveling the U.S. in this politically charged time, Sunday, April 19 and Monday, April 20 at 7:30 pm.

In addition, Victory Gardens has introduced a Fresh Squeezed mainstage subscription series, boasting low prices, free beer and pizza, and a pre-show craft beer tasting hosted by the boys from Drinking & Writing. Fresh Squeezed Night for Victory Gardens' hit holiday musical The Snow Queen is Friday, November 28, reception at 6 pm, 7:30 pm show.  Single tickets are $30.  A 5-play Fresh Squeezed subscription is only $120, or $80 for audiences under 30. Call (773) 871-3000 or visit http://www.victorygardens.org/freshsqueezed for complete information.

ABOUT DRINKING & WRITING:

The series began in 2002 with Drinking & Writing, a play exploring the connection between creativity and alcohol, originally written and performed by Mosqueda, SEan Benjamin, and Diana Slickman, members of The Neo-Futurists, a Chicago collective of writers/producers/ directors best
known for their long running hit Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. Drinking & Writing Vol.ume II: The Noble Experiment and Vol. III:  To Cure a Hangover followed.  After a sold-out performance of Vol. III in the Victory Gardens Biograph bar last August, Mosqueda and Benjamin created Drinking & Writing Vol. IV:  The 12 Steps of Xmas and debuted their new holiday show
last winter at the Victory Gardens Biograph.

The success of the series has also spawned The Drinking & Writing Brewery, which works to keep the tradition of the hard-drinking writer alive, and to continue the exploration of the connection between creativity and alcohol. Tune into the The Drinking & Writing Brewery RADIO SHOW the 1st Sunday of every month on WLUW 88.7 FM.  For complete information, go to http://www.drinkingandwriting.com

 

 

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