The New Colony Sets Winter SIDE STAGE Line-Up at The Den Theatre

The New Colony is pleased to announce its exciting winter line-up of Side Stage programming, a collection of free readings presented on select nights in January and February at its new home, The Den Theatre Upstairs Mainstage, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Side Stage kicks off with a five-year reunion reading of The New Colony's second season smash hit 11:11, followed by readings of three new works: STANLEY IN THE NAME OF LOVE, KIN FOLK and THUMBZ UP. Side Stage programming takes place during off-nights of The New Colony's world premiere musical PLASTIC REVOLUTION, playing January 16 - February 22, 2015. For reservations and additional information, visit www.thenewcolony.org.

The Winter 2015 Side Stage Line-Up Includes:

Monday, January 26 at 7:30 pm
11:11
Written by Evan Linder and Tara Sissom
Featuring Caitlin Chuckta*, Sarah Gitenstein, Evan Linder, Shade Murray, Wes Needham, Whit Nelson, Tara Sissom*, Kevin Stangler and Maari Suorsa

Return to Camp Methuselah Pines for the five-year reunion reading of The New Colony's second season smash hit, 11:11. On the first day of camp, a team of young Christian camp counselors unknowingly drug themselves. As the evening unravels, secrets are shared, temptations explored, and a group of friends realize they don't have the same understanding of the same God.

Monday, February 2 at 7:30 pm
STANLEY IN THE NAME OF LOVE
Written and directed by Mr. Margaret Svetlove
Featuring Christina Boucher, David Cerda, Desmond Gray, Jude Hansen, Ryan Lanning, Michael Peters, Rus Rainear and Kevin Stangler

Get a sneak peek of the next show in The New Colony's 2015 Season! A trailer park fairy decides to become a pornstar because he wants to fall in love. Stanley, his hag and a chorus of gay angels take off on the Road to Love. Along the way, they find Rod Fullalove, a beguiling pornstar, a man with a deep hole to fill. The powers of love and meaninglessness collide in this absurdist gay porn dance pop musical.

Wednesday, February 11 at 7:30 pm
KIN FOLK
Written by William Glick
Directed by Evan Linder
Featuring Kate Carson-Groner, Chris Fowler, Sarah Gitenstein, Andrew Hobgood, Steve Love, Liz Sharpe and Stephanie Shum

After being recently orphaned, Lucy must reimagine her life. She decides to come out of the closet and reveal her true identity to her family: a dragon named Kreeka. After the announcement, Lucy is more alone than she's ever been, and she must ultimately choose between her family and a new community known as Otherkin. On her journey, she meets a young man claiming to be an elf, a giant gnome named Blubberwort, and a werewolf from Montana who shows her what it means to lead a life driven by a belief in the fantastic.

Wednesday, February 18 at 7:30 pm
THUMBZ UP
Written by Matt Beard, Conceived by Stephanie Shum
Directed by JD Cannady
Featuring Shawn Bowers, Wes Needham, Stephanie Shum, Cole Simon, Lauren Sivak, Thomas Sparks and Johnard Washington

The oddball employees of Thumbz Up, an app based tech start up, get quarantined into the worst business meeting of their lives. Trapped, they wait for people in their city to stop dying of an unknown and terrifying disease. Let's hope no one snaps into a murderous rage when rations get low or start making out on the conference table or gets fed to the ebola wolves.

Complimentary food and drink will be provided at each event, courtesy of Side Stage sponsors Honest Tea and Whole Foods Market.

*The Actor is appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.