Theater events: Den Theatre hosts 'Hindrance and Hysteria'

Posted August 20, 2018 11:00 pm

• iO Chicago celebrates prolific alumni with its first Bentwood Comedy Festival. Named for the familiar bentwood stage chair, the festival showcases improv, stand-up, sketch and experimental comedy. iO headliners scheduled to perform include: TJ Jagodowski and Dave Pasquesi; Beer Shark Mice (with Mike Coleman, Pete Hulne, Pat Finn, Paul Vaillancourt, David Koechner and Neil Flynn); Scott Adsit and Jet Eveleth; and Cards Against Humanity. The festival runs Friday, Aug. 10, through Aug. 19 at 1501 N. Kingsbury St., Chicago. Individual tickets for headliners range from $20 to $25. See bentwoodfestival.com.

• Muse of Fire Theatre Company celebrates its 10th season with a future-set, outdoor production of William Shakespeare's "Richard III" about the ill-formed villain who sets his sights on England's throne. Performances are at 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays beginning Saturday, Aug. 11, at Ingraham Park, 2100 Ridge Ave., Evanston. No outdoor shows on Aug. 25 and 26. Indoor performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 24-25 at the Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave., Evanston. Admission is free. See museoffire.org.

• Saint Sebastian Players and Subtext Theater Company collaborate on a staged reading of STC founder Leigh Johnson's "Boys in the Valley," about an imagined meeting between President Lyndon Johnson and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley during the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago. The reading comes on the 50th anniversary of the contentious convention, which descended into what was later described as a police riot. A fundraiser for the two companies, the reading takes place at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 12, at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey Parkway, Chicago. Tickets are $25. See saintsebastianplayers.org or subtextnfp.org.

• Paradigm on the Terrace and Collaboraction host One City, a 21-and-older fundraiser running from 1 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Aug. 11, at Estate Rooftop, 1177 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. The festival features house music DJs Lee Foss, Lady D and Diz along with live performances by Ric Wilson, Pinqy Ring, Makia, Phenom and the Emcee Skool and Daybreaker. A portion of the proceeds benefits Collaboraction's Peacebook, a citywide festival of theater, dance and spoken-word performances rooted in establishing a more peaceful Chicago. $10-$25. See paradigmpresents.ticketfly.com or collaboraction.org.

• The Neo-Futurists' campaign to raise $24,000 this summer concludes with a 7 p.m. performance/fundraiser on Sunday, Aug. 12, of "The Infinite Wrench" consisting of 30, two-minute plays, all of them written within a 24-hour period. Tickets are $150 and include refreshments. Proceeds from the fundraiser help to keep the theater affordable throughout the year. The performance takes place at 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. (773) 878-4557 or neofuturists.org.

• Chicago's Silk Road Rising, Victory Gardens Theater and the Theatre School at DePaul University host the Consortium of Asian-American Theaters & Artists' sixth National Asian American Theater Conference and Festival taking place Monday, Aug. 13, through Aug. 18. The festival consists of fully staged productions from New York City's Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, Austin's Generic Ensemble Company, Brooklyn's Kyoung Pacific Beat, an evening of sketch comedy and music, a multimedia performance by Pratik Motwani and a dance performance by dancer/choreographer Christopher K. Morgan. Single tickets are available for $25 and $10. See CAATA.net for a complete schedule.

• The Den Theatre hosts "Hindrance and Hysteria," a monthly, adults-only, neo-vaudeville cabaret that includes dance, music, comedy and burlesque. Performances are at 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13, and Sept. 17 and Oct. 15 at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See thedentheatre.com.

• Pride Films and Plays kicks off its 2018-2019 season with a party beginning at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13, at My Buddy's, 4416 N. Clark St., Chicago. Tickets to We are Family - Pride Films and Plays 2018-2019 Season Kickoff Party are $25 and include a beverage coupon and a door prize coupon. The evening includes a meet-and-greet with artistic director Nelson A. Rodriguez and the directors of the five plays that make up PFP's season. (773) 857-0222 or pridefilmsandplays.com.

• Exit 63 Theatre, a newcomer on the Chicago theater scene, opens its second production, "TreeFall," an examination of gender identity by Henry Murray, on Thursday, Aug. 16, at Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland Ave., Chicago. The action unfolds as the world ends, when three young male survivors adopt the roles of Mommy, Daddy and Junior until a stranger offers a revelation that upends their newly re-created order. See exit63theatre.com.

• The Annoyance Theatre, 851 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, presents "Black Boy Joy," a sketch-comedy show written and performed by Devin Middleton and Jordan Stafford, known as Teen Cudi. It opens at 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, and runs Thursdays through Sept. 27. (773) 697-9693 or theannoyance.com.

A member of the Nautilus crew walks on the ocean floor in Lookingglass Theatre's "20,000 Leagues Under the Seas," which has been extended to Sept. 9. Courtesy of Liz Lauren

• Lookingglass Theatre announced a second extension of its hit show "20,000 Leagues Under the Seas" adapted by David Kersnar and Steve Pickering from Jules Verne's science-fiction-adventure novels. The story centers on the adventures of a renowned scientist who finds herself on board the underwater vessel the Nautilus captained by the mysterious Nemo. Performances run through Sept. 9 at Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. (312) 337-0665 or lookingglasstheatre.org.

• Victory Gardens Theater has initiated a season-long partnership with the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie to advance their shared goals of "combating hatred, prejudice and indifference." "We're extremely proud to embark on this yearlong partnership," said Victory Gardens artistic director Chay Yew in a prepared statement. "We remain committed to making American theater accessible and relevant to all people, igniting civic dialogue on issues of social justice and equality and creating meaningful society change in these especially challenging times." Performances take place at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Related programs and exhibitions take place at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center at 9603 Wood Drive, Skokie. See victorygardens.org or ilholocaustmuseum.org.

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