Sideshow Theatre Company Sets 10th Anniversary Season
By: Tyler Peterson May. 18, 2016
THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH, co-produced by Greenhouse Theater Center and the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation, will be presented at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at greenhousetheatre.org. GIVE IT ALL BACK and truth and reconciliation will be presented at Sideshow's resident home, Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Tickets will go on sale at a later date. For additional information and updates, visit sideshowtheatre.org.
"As we celebrate a decade of bringing new plays to Chicago, it is fitting that we focus on premieres from some of the most exciting local and international voices in our tenth season," comments artistic director Jonathan L. Green. "We're also proud that two of the works, The Happiest Place on Earth and Give It All Back, started as commissions from Sideshow's new play development program, 'The Freshness Initiative,' now concluding its second year."
Sideshow Theatre Company's 10th Anniversary Season:
September 17 - October 23, 2016
THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH - World Premiere!
Written and performed by Philip Dawkins
Directed by artistic director Jonathan L. Green
Co-produced by Greenhouse Theater Center and the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation
The Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago
Press opening: Thursday, September 22 at 7:30 pm
Once upon a time in an Anaheim, California orange grove, a magical kingdom was built and dedicated to America's history, dreams and wildest hopes. Eight years later, one family's American prince died on live television while delivering the Albuquerque sports scores, leaving his four daughters and their mother behind. Left reeling from the loss of their patriarch, the family underwent a quest to reach the magical kingdom and seek solace and recovery. Now, more than fifty years after their journey, acclaimed playwright Philip Dawkins retraces and illustrates the true story of the women in his family, exploring their history and asking if there really is a place where the dream that we wish can come true.
November 20 - December 18, 2016
GIVE IT ALL BACK - World Premiere!
By Calamity West
Directed by artistic associate Marti Lyons
Featuring artistic associate Andrew Goetten and ensemble member Matt Fletcher
Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago
Press opening: Friday, November 25 at 7:30 pm
In a swank French hotel room in the mid-1960s, an artist hides out from a world that's turned on him. As a cavalcade of familiar faces tries to break down his door, he smokes, talks, drinks and tries not to think about acoustic versus electric. But when a prime career opportunity lands on the table, he has to decide which version of himself he wants to be, and how to keep the past from bubbling up beneath him. Calamity West delivers a hilariously sardonic examination of how you hold on to your art when everyone else thinks that it's theirs.
March 12 - April 16, 2017
truth and reconciliation - U.S. Premiere!
By debbie tucker green
Directed by artistic director Jonathan L. Green
Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago
Press opening: Thursday, March 16 at 7:30 pm
South Africa, Northern Ireland, Rwanda, Bosnia and Zimbabwe. Five devastating conflicts, thirty years, one room and one burning question: can reconciliation be found when the reluctant truth is finally spoken? Twenty-two actors bring debbie tucker green's sixty-minute unblinking exploration of loss to life. Stories from across the world weave together in a search for justice, as victims and perpetrators alike struggle for meaning in the aftermath of crime.
About the Playwrights:
Philip Dawkins (The Happiest Place on Earth) is a Chicago playwright whose plays have been produced all over the country and the world. His critically acclaimed works include Charm (Northlight Theatre) and Miss Marx: Or The Involuntary Effect of Living (Strawdog Theatre), which won the Joseph Jefferson Award for new work, as well as The Homosexuals (About Face Theatre) and Failure: A Love Story (Victory Gardens Theater), both of which received Joseph Jefferson nominations for new work. His play, Le Switch, just concluded a sold-out run with About Face Theatre, where he is an artistic associate. He is also an ensemble playwright at Victory Gardens. Philip teaches playwriting at Northwestern University, Loyola University Chicago, his alma mater, and through the Victory Gardens ACCESS Program for writers with disabilities. Most of his plays, including his plays for young performers, are available through Playscripts, Inc. and Dramatic Publishing.
Calamity West (Give It All Back) is a Chicago-based award-winning playwright and a proud company member of Jackalope Theatre Company. She is currently developing new plays for the Goodman and Steep Theatre Company. Her Kilroys-cited play Give It All Back was developed with Sideshow Theatre Company and Victory Gardens Theater in 2015. Her full-length plays include: Rolling (2016, Jeff Award-nominated for best new work), Ibsen is Dead (2014), The Peacock (2013, Kilroys honorable mention), The Gacy Play (2012) and Common Hatred (2012). Calamity's short plays have been seen with Victory Gardens Theater, The Inconvenience, Chicago Dramatists, Rhinofest, Abbie Fest, Commission Theatre Company, LiveWire, The Chicago One-Minute Play Festival, Jackalope Theatre Company, Broken Nose Theatre Company, Fight Night, First Floor Theatre Company and The Good Night Ladies. She is represented by The Gersh Agency.
debbie tucker green (truth and reconciliation) won a 2011 Obie award for the U.S. premiere of born bad at Soho Rep, NYC. UK writing/directing credits include nut (Royal National Theatre - Shed) and truth and reconciliation (Royal Court Theatre). Select UK playwriting credits include: random (Royal Court Theatre), generations (Young Vic,; trade (RSC New Work Festival - Stratford), stoning mary (Royal Court Theatre Downstairs), born bad (Hampstead Theatre) and dirty butterfly (Soho Theatre). TV/film: second coming (writer/director); random (writer/director), which won a 2012 Bafta Award for Best Single Drama; heat (writer/director) and spoil (writer). Radio credits include: gone, random, handprint and freefall (BBC Radio 3); to swallow (BBC Radio 4).
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