With its impressive 61st season in full swing and numerous SOLD-OUT houses this year, Chicago Street Theatre is excited to announce its 2016-2017 Season, The award-winning theatre group, which performs at 154 W. Chicago Street, has selected a season that they believe will continue CST's mission of giving the community quality theatre experiences with something for everyone. The 62nd season features: family presentations, dramas, musicals, comedies, new works and classics to suit a variety of tastes and audiences. Tickets and Viewer's Choice subscription packages will go on sale in July during the theatre's 5th Annual Shakespeare in Central Park Plaza production of The Tempest. Updates to the 2016-2017 season will be listed on the theatre's website www.ChicagoStreet.org as they are available. The company is thrilled with this ambitious new season that will feature a new drama by one their own members and a continued relationship with Ensemble Theatre Company to co-produce three of the season's musicals.
CHICAGO STREET THEATRE SEASON 62:
Family Feature:HARRIET THE SPY by Leslie Brody Based on the novel by Louise Fitzhugh
directed by Kelley Weisenbacher August 19-September 3, 2016
A favorite children' books comes to life on stage to tell the story of an 11 year-old aspiring writer named Harriet M. Welsch, whose journal of mean observations about her peers falls into the wrong hands and mayhem ensues. Can Harriet survive 6th grade and her classmates' all out attack to catch the young writer that they've dubbed a "spy?"
Studio Project:GUTENBERG THE MUSICAL by Anthony King & Scott Brown
Ensemble Theatre Company Co-production directed by Zachary Gipson
September 16-25, 2016
After last season's blockbuster production of Young Frankenstein, Ensemble Theatre Company is teaming up with Chicago Street again for this small scale spoof about two dreamers pitching their idea for a musical about the inventor of the printing press. Bud and Doug perform all the parts and sing their way for a shot of going to Broadway.
Halloween Feature:THE NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD by Lori Allen Ohm
Based on the original 1968 film by George Romero and John Russo
directed by Mike Glorioso October 14-29, 2016
CST has thrilled audiences with Dracula, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, and Frankenstein over the past five years. This season experience the cult classic about a disparate group of individuals attempting to survive a mishap that reanimates the bodies of the deceased that must feed on the flesh of the living.
Holiday Double Feature in Rotating Rep: November 18- December 18, 2016
Family Musical:A WINNIE THE POOH CHRISTMAS TAIL by James W. Rodgers
Based on the books of A.A. Milne Co-produced with Ensemble Theatre Company and directed by Zachary Gipson.
Bring the whole family to celebrate Christmas with all their friends in the Hundred Acre Woods as Christopher Robin is told about the holiday (not so long ago) when Eeyore lost his tail. Full of enchanting songs and beloved characters, A Winnie the Pooh Christmas Tail is the perfect holiday treat to share with your little ones.
Grown-Up Comedy:THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK CHRISTMAS MUSICAL
by Music & Lyrics by David Nehls Book by Betsy Kelso Co-produced with ETC and directed by Zachary Gipson.
Holiday time at North Florida's Armadillo Acres Trailer Park means that everyone's filled with warmth and beer. However when a freak bout of amnesia strikes the trailer park's resident Scrooge, neighborly love is put to the test, It's a festive fracas just as much cat-fightin', sun-worshipin', chair-throwing fun as the original
New Drama:PALE DREAM by Matt Pera directed by Traci Brant
January 27- February 11, 2017
Two brothers, once united by their love of film and the desire to make movies together, have become estranged as their paths diverged toward lives neither of them imagined. When their father becomes sick, they must face each other and take stock on who it is they've become, and who they could have been. Chicago Street Theatre is proud to present this edgy new work penned by one of our own members.
Studio Project:BETRAYAL by Harold Pinter guest directed by IUN's Mark Baer
February 23-26, 2017
Taking place in the intimacy of Chicago Street Theatre's upstairs Edith B. Wood Studio is Harold Pinter's contemporary masterpiece about three individuals and the affair that shattered them all. Ingeniously told in reverse time, casting a harsh light on the lies and deceptions of Emma and Robert's best friend Jerry that led to it all.
Family Musical Presentation:A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD
by Willie and Robert Reale Based on the books by Arnold Loeb directed by Dona Henry March 3-17, 2017
This family musical follows the woodland adventures of two friends-a worry-wart toad and his perky frog friend. Based on the storybook favorite, A Year with Frog and Toad broke new ground in bringing professional children's theatre to acclaim on Broadway. Children of all ages will be delighted with the play's whimsical score and colorful cast of characters.
SPRING TEEN FESTIVAL - TBA
Classic Drama:THE ROSE TATTOO by Tennessee Williams
directed by Justin Treasure and Mary Bird April 7-22, 2017
This season we are proud to present the drama that served as the basis for the Oscar-winning film staring Burt Lancaster and Anna Magnani. In the play an Itallian/American neighborhood in Louisiana is rocked when a local truck driver is killed by police, leaving his wife devastated. Serafina's grieving comes to an end when she learns of her husband's infidelities and lured by the desire for a handsome drifter who has come into town.
Comedy:INCORRUPTIBLE by Michael Hollinger directed by Jason Utesch
May 19- June 3, 2017
Welcome to the Dark Ages- Priseaux, France, c.1250 A.D. where everything is really, really bad and the monastery's patron saint hasn't worked a miracle in thirteen years. Threatened by the success of a rival church and a pending visit from the Pope, a group of desperate monks look to a shady one-eyed minstrel, to teach them outrageous ways to make their own miracles.
Shakespeare in the Park:THE TAMING OF THE SHREW by William Shakespeare
directed by Kari-Anne Innes July 7&8 at Central Park Plaza July 14-22 at CST
Join us under the stars for a classic romp about the love/hate courtship of Petruchio and the headstrong Katherina. Until the shrewish elder daughter of Batista Minola is wed, the two suitors fighting for the attentions of his younger daughter, Bianca will just have to wait. The game changes when a third suited, Lucentio arrives in Padua and hatches a plan to win the younger's affections in a tale that is filled with mistaken identities, humor and wit.
In addition to Chicago Street's full line-up of shows, the group will also continue to offer the community their Sunday night concert series One Night Jam and various events such as their upcoming Let's Misbehave: Roaring 20's Speakeasy Gala on April 2 at the Spa in Porter. Tickets are still available for the remainder of the theatre's 2015-2016 Season which include: Orson's Shadow- April 8-23; Wash, Dry, Fold- May 20-June 4; and Shakespeare's The Tempest- July 8&9 at Central Park Plaza and July 15-23 at Chicago Street Theatre.