Raven Theatre Presents Their Performing Artist Series 1/13-14

Raven Theatre announces a new series, "Raven's Evermore Series", where the brightest emerging artists in theatre, music and dance present a diverse spectrum of performances and discussions throughout the year. Through this program, Raven becomes a cultural anchor for their community by offering performing arts programming from various disciplines in addition to their regular season of theatrical productions.

Kick starting the series is We’ve Got a Badge for That, a one-woman show by Kelli Strickland and break-out hit from Filet of Solo that has toured nationally. Poignant and hilariously funny, this coming of age story recounts near death experiences, puppy love, pyromania and peach schnapps – reflecting one girl's story of the scouts. For more information, visit http://www.raventheatre.com/?q=special-events.

We’ve Got a Badge for That
Written and performed by Kelli Strickland
January 13 and 14, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.
Raven Theatre’s East Stage, 6157 N. Clark
Tickets are $20 ($15 for subscribers, students & seniors)
Free parking is provided in a lot adjacent to the theatre; additional street parking is available
Raven Theatre is handicapped accessible
Tickets/information: www.raventheatre.com or 773-338-2177

Kelli Strickland is best known for her starring role in the feature film Hannah Free, playing young Hannah with Sharon Gless. She is the former Executive Director of Bailiwick’s Lesbian Theatre Initiative. In addition to her stage and film work, Kelli is on faculty in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Loyola University and is the Director of Education and Outreach of Raven Theatre’s TAKE FLIGHT program, serving Chicago Public Schools.

Other early 2012 performances include:

Joel Hall Dance Company (back by popular demand!). March 10 and April 14, 2012.

The mission of the Joel Hall Dancers & Center is to use the arts to enrich the lives of its community members through dance performance and education. We reach out to the community, targeting those who would not otherwise be exposed to the arts by providing performances, classes both with in-school outreach and after-school dance programs along with local, national, and international performances.

"George Goetschel & Friends", an evening of music with an array of Chicago's top musicians curated by Chicago jazz musician, George Goetschel. March 18, 2012.

Born and raised in Chicago, the multi-talented Goetschel graduated from Governor's State University, receiving immediate notice and invitation from musicians touring and working with renown jazz greats. His music credits include collaborations with jazz guitarist John Thomas, former Metropolitan Opera tenor Edward Ruivenkamp, the Elgin Symphony, and regular club appearances as band-leader-director in some of Chicago's leading jazz rooms such as the Jazz Showcase, the Jazz Bulls, and the Green Mill.

Goetschel has written and co-written original theatrical shows and music for NBC-TV, the Improve, Second City, and numerous children's productions for the touring non-for-profit Urban Gateways Group, performing music and drama for Chicago's Public Schools.

WIGGERLOVER [white boy+black dad=grey areas] (also back by popular demand!), the one-man show with James Anthony Zoccoli, returns April 6-7 & April 13-14, 2012.

It’s the totally too-good-to-be-true story of one boy’s life in an interracial family in Chicagoland, 1979: part memoir, part editorial, all comedy. Actor/author James Anthony Zoccoli [JAZ] gives a retrospective account of his life growing up as Little Jimmy: a half-Italian, half-Polish kid who wants to be all Black when his White mother gets remarried to an African-American man. Hilarity ensues!

For more information including a video preview, visit www.jamesanthonyzoccoli.com.