Victory Gardens Presents Crip Slam: A John Belluso Retrospective
By: Gabrielle Sierra May. 12, 2011
Victory Gardens presents Crip Slam: A John Belluso Retrospective, a free, one-night only evening of readings and discussions curated, co-directed and conducted by Mike Ervin and Tanya Palmer as part of Crip Slam, a component of Victory Gardens Access Project. The performance is Sunday, May 22, 2011 at 7:30PM in the Richard Christiansen Theater at the Victory Gardens Biograph, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park.
Playwright John Belluso said he found the topic of disability to be "endlessly fascinating." Up until his death in 2006 at age 36, the rising star playwright explored the disability experience with intensity, humor, and an authenticity rooted in his own experience as a wheelchair user. His plays Pyretown and Henry Flamethrowa were workshopped and produced at Victory Gardens. Educated at NYU, John thought of himself as a writer "born of the contemporary disability civil rights movement of the mid-to late 1970s".Victory Gardens Access Project Co-director Mike Ervin and Goodman Theater Literary Manager Tanya Palmer, who knew and worked with Belluso, curate and conduct this reading and discussion of scenes from five Belluso plays: beginning with Gretty Good Time, one of his early plays, through The Poor Itch, his last, unfinished play.
Tickets are complimentary, but reservations are required, and space is limited. For reservations, (773) 871-3000; TTY: (773) 871-0682; tickets@victorygardens.org.
Access Project Mission
Now in its 17th year, the Access Project is a nationally recognized model outreach effort designed to involve people with disabilities in all aspects of theater, both on and off the stage. Part of the Victory Gardens Access Project, Crip Slam is a series of performances, readings, movies and other events that promote, explore and celebrate disability culture.
A John Belluso Retrospective is an ACCESS PERFORMANCE and will feature captioning for the scenes and sign language interpretation of the discussion for patrons who are deaf or hearing impaired.
Victory Gardens is the winner of "Best Accessible Theater" Deaf Illinois Awards 2009. Visit www.victorygardens.org and click on "Enhance Your visit" for information and other Access services including large print and Braille programs, assisted listening devices, and artist development workshops.
Parking
$11 valet parking is available for all performances. Discounted parking is available one block south at Children's Memorial Hospital for all shows except weekday matinees (no overnights). Metered and street parking is available, but mind the neighborhood parking restrictions.
Public transit
By CTA train, take the Red, Purple or Brown lines to the Fullerton stop. Walk east on Fullerton to Lincoln, then north 1/2 block to the theater. The #8 Halsted, #11 Lincoln, #37 Sedgwick/Ogden, and #74 Fullerton CTA buses all stop at the corner of Fullerton and Halsted, 1/2 block south of the theater. See transitchicago.com for times and routes.
Pre- and post-show dining
See www.victorygardens.org for a list of Victory Gardens' neighborhood dining partners. Each is within walking distance of the Biograph, and all offer a special discount to patrons who present a Victory Gardens ticket stub.
About Victory Gardens Theater
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Dennis Za?ek and Executive Director Jan Kallish, Victory Gardens Theater is home to the bold voices of world premiere theater. The company features the work of its own 14-member Playwrights Ensemble, as well as that of exciting playwrights who are changing theater in the U.S. and abroad. Since its founding in 1974, the company has produced more world premieres than any other Chicago theater, a commitment recognized nationally when Victory Gardens received the 2001 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. The company's dedication to developing, supporting and producing new work makes Victory Gardens an American Center for New Plays.
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