NEW PIVOT MULTI-ARTS FESTIVAL
REIGNITES SPIRIT OF VAUDEVILLE ERA IN CHICAGO’S
UPTOWN AND EDGEWATER NEIGHBORHOODS
JUNE 6 – 22, 2013
Top Chicago innovators: Manual Cinema, Mad Shak Dance Company, Mucca Pazza, Theater Oobleck and others
lead celebration of multidisciplinaryperformance in unique and historic spaces
CHICAGO (April 10, 2013) – Pivot Arts launches a new celebration of innovative theater, music and dance in unique and often historic spaces from June 6 – 22, 2013 throughout Chicago’s Uptown and Edgewater neighborhoods. The inaugural PIVOT MULTI-ARTS FESTIVAL answers
the City’s call for a reinvigorated Uptown Entertainment District by
uniting artists, businesses and local organizations around
multidisciplinary “pop-up” performances occurring in a former Vaudeville
Theater, an at-one-time Charlie Chaplin film studio and other historic
spaces throughout these communities.
Over
three weeks, audiences will have the opportunity to attend
performances, many of which blur the boundaries between theater, music
and dance or use some combination of performance disciplines in their
work. Programming includes: live music, theater, dance, puppetry, a community picnic and performances for children.
Participating Groups/Artists at time of release: 6018NORTH,
Backroom Shakespeare Project, Chicago Architectural Foundation, Molly
Shanahan/Mad Shak Dance Company, Manual Cinema, Mucca Pazza,
Neo-Futurists, Theater Oobleck, RE|Dance Group, Steep Theatre Company,
Ruth Margraff and Café Antarsia Ensemble, Jorge Ignacio Cortinas, Alice
Austen, Martin Zimmerman, Steve Moulds and Tanya Palmer.
Children’s Performances by: Alternatives
Youth Group, Crooked Door Storytelling, Dream Big Performance Workshop,
Storytown Improv, People’s Music School and more.
Venues: Berger
Park, Broadway Cellars, Burke’s Public House, Chase Park, Essanay
Studios at St. Augustine College, FLATStheatre (an historic vaudeville
space/bank building), Francesca’s Bryn Mawr, Kitchen Sink Café, Lickity
Split, Senn High School, Uncommon Ground and The Waterfront Café at
Berger Park.
or call 773-609-0782. TICKETS GO ON SALE TUESDAY, APRIL 30 WITH RANGE OF FREE EVENTS, FESTIVAL PASSES AND NO MORE THAN $15 PER EVENT.
“We
applaud Pivot Arts on this exciting new festival,” said Angel
Ysaguirre, Deputy Commissioner of Arts Programming at the Chicago
Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. “The Pivot Multi-Arts
Festival will elevate and expand the cultural assets of the Uptown
neighborhood, facilitate neighborhood planning of cultural activity and
help the City integrate culture into daily life – all of which are
priorities of the Chicago Cultural Plan.”
Julieanne
Ehre, Director of Pivot Arts adds, “We founded Pivot Arts this year as a
home for innovative performance on the far North side of Chicago. Our
inaugural festival is a celebration of some of Chicago’s most exciting
and unique companies. Our plan is to grow the festival in future years
into not only a showcase for work happening here but also as a
destination for performing artists and audiences from across the
country.”
THE FULL PIVOT MULTI-ARTS FESTIVAL LINE-UP AS OF RELEASE TIME:
THURSDAY, JUNE 6
ICE CREAM AND IMPROV
4 pm LICKITY SPLIT
6056 N. Broadway Ave.
Interactive improv and storytelling for kids ages four and up at an old-fashioned sweet shop with Second City Alum, Jen Bills.
RE|Dance Group presents THE LONELY VISITORS
Choreography by Michael Estanich
8 pm Senn High School Auditorium
5900 N. Glenwood Ave.
The Lonely Visitors collides
in a series of images to reveal both the whimsical and perfidious
nature of the heart. This moving collection of 30 short episodes,
performed by the eight members of RE|Dance Group, ponders the depths and
desires of human longing. Senn High School is celebrating its “Centennial” anniversary and is part of the festival’s tour of historic spaces.
OPENING NIGHT CELEBRATION
9:30 pm BROADWAY CELLARS
5900 N. Broadway Ave.
Enjoy drinks and delectables at Broadway Cellars with fellow Pivot Festival revelers.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
LIVE BANDS ON LAWN
7 pm Senn High School Front Lawn
5900 N. Glenwood Ave.
Meet up on the lawn for free music and a bring-your-own picnic, early summer celebration.
RE|Dance Group presents THE LONELY VISITORS
Choreography by Michael Estanich
8 pm Senn High School Auditorium
5900 N. Glenwood Ave.
(see above description)
COMEDY NIGHT hosted by MOLLIE MERKEL
11 pm Burke’s Public House
5401 N. Broadway Avenue
Funny lady Mollie Merkel brings together some of Chicago’s best comedic talent all to be enjoyed over drinks at Burke’s Pub.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
ART IN THE PARK(ING) LOT:
A WEEKEND CELEBRATION AT FLATStheatre, FORMER VAUDEVILLE THEATER/ BANK
1050 W. Wilson Ave.
Performances throughout day for all ages include food and drink vendors, Jumping Jack and fun for the whole family. At night, historic theater doors open for music entertainment. Must be over 21 years old after 8 pm. Sponsored by Goose Island Catering & Events.
10:30 am Chicago Architectural Foundation leads special Uptown Tour for Festival starting at FLATStheatre, historic vaudeville theater, 1050 W. Wilson Ave.
IN THE PARKING LOT:
12 pm Parking lot opens with events for children and food/drink vendors
1 pm Crooked Door Storytelling
1:30 pm People’s Music School
3 pm Storytown Improv
5 pm REIDance Kids
6 pm Music, Food and Drink
IN THE BANK BUILDING:
8 pm Bank Building Opens with live music and food/beer for 21 years and up
10 pm HEADLINER, MUCCA PAZZA, the 28-piece, punk marching band that thinks it’s a rock ‘n’ roll band and is known to incite mass dance outbreaks.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
ART IN THE PARK(ING) LOT:
A WEEKEND CELEBRATION AT FLATStheatre, FORMER VAUDEVILLE THEATER/BANK BUILDING
1050 W. Wilson Ave.
IN THE PARKING LOT:
12 pm Parking lot opens with events for children and food/drink vendors
1 pm Live Music
2 pm Alternatives Youth Breakdancers
3 pm Music, Food and Drink
7 pm Parking lot closes
IN THE BANK BUILDING:
7 pm THE NEO-FUTURISTS presents THE CARTER FAMILY FAMILY SHOW
Written and Directed by Chloe Johnston
The
Neo-Futurists present three solo pieces inspired by the lives of these
musical pioneers, the original Carter family of country music.
8 pm Shakespeare in the Parking Lot
BACKROOM SHAKESPEARE PROJECT presents TAMING OF THE SHREW
Some
of Chicago's brightest, young Shakespeare stars perform with no
director and only one rehearsal making for an adventurous, spontaneous
and irreverent take on the Bard.
MONDAY, JUNE 10 & TUESDAY, JUNE 11
PIVOT ARTS presents THE COFFEE HOUSE MUSIC/PLAYS
Curated by Tanya Palmer
7 pm 6/10 at Uncommon Ground
1401 W. Devon Ave.
7 pm 6/11 at venue TBA
Tour
local coffee houses throughout Edgewater and Uptown, while enjoying new
work by exciting young writers from across the country. Director
of New Plays at Goodman Theatre, Tanya Palmer, curates shorts by eight
premiere playwrights including: Jorge Ignacio Cortinas, Alice Austen,
Martin Zimmerman, Steve Moulds, Kristin Idaszak and others – all inspired by a piece of music around the theme of “home.”
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12
6018NORTH and PIVOT ARTS present FUTURE OF ARTS IN EDGEWATER/UPTOWN
7 pm 6018NORTH
6018 N. Kenmore Ave.
Former
MCA Curator and director of 6018NORTH, Trisha Van Eyk, and Pivot Arts
co-host discussion on the future of the arts in Uptown and Edgewater
with local community leaders.
THURSDAY, JUNE 13 – SATURDAY, JUNE 15 AT 7:30 PM; SUNDAY, JUNE 16 AT 3 PM
7:30 pm Manual Cinema and Theater Oobleck
ESSANAY STUDIOS at ST. AUGUSTINE COLLEGE
1333 – 45 W. Argyle St.
Essanay
Studios was an American motion picture studio founded in 1907 best
known for its production of Charlie Chaplin Films in 1915. Both Manual Cinema and Theater Oobleck’s pieces are inspired by early film.
MANUAL CINEMA presents ADA/AVA.
Bereaved
of her twin sister Ava, septuagenarian Ada solitarily marks time in the
patterns of a life built for two. However, a traveling carnival and a
trip to a mirror maze plunge her into a journey across the thresholds of
life and death. Set in a landscape of the New England gothic, ADA/AVA
uses a story of the fantastic and supernatural to explore mourning and
melancholy, self and other. Manual Cinema combines handmade shadow puppetry, cinematic motifs, and live sound manipulation to create immersive theatrical stories.
THEATER OOBLECK presents POSSESSION: BAUDELAIRE IN A BOX, EPISODE #5. Baudelaire
in a Box is a multi-year project setting the poems of Charles
Baudelaire to music and performing them in the cantastoria style with
original paintings. For Possession, Ronnie Kuller, Chris Schoen and Jeff Dorchen have each adapted five poems from Les Fleurs du mal with scrolls painted by Dave Buchen.
FRIDAY, JUNE 14
7:30 pm MANUAL CINEMA presents ADA/AVA and THEATER OOBLECK presents POSSESSION: BAUDELAIRE IN A BOX, EPISODE #5.
ESSANAY STUDIOS at ST. AUGUSTINE COLLEGE
1333 – 45 W. Argyle St.
See description above.
SATURDAY, JUNE 15
1 pm STORYTOWN IMPROV presents ICE CREAM AND IMPROV
Francesca’s Bryn Mawr
1039 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Complimentary gelato sundaes and ice cream floats combine with interactive performance for kids.
7:30 pm MANUAL CINEMA presents ADA/AVA and THEATER OOBLECK presents POSSESSION: BAUDELAIRE IN A BOX, EPISODE #5.
ESSANAY STUDIOS at ST. AUGUSTINE COLLEGE
1333 – 45 W. Argyle St.
See description above.
STEEP THEATER presents BACKYARD BBQ READING SERIES
10:30 pm at Steep Theater
1115 W. Berwyn Ave.
One of Edgewater’s most exciting young theater companies, Steep Theater presents reading of new work accompanied by BBQ.
SUNDAY, JUNE 16
3 pm MANUAL CINEMA presents ADA/AVA and THEATER OOBLECK presents POSSESSION: BAUDELAIRE IN A BOX, EPISODE #5.
ESSANAY STUDIOS at ST. AUGUSTINE COLLEGE
1333 – 45 W. Argyle St.
See description above.
MONDAY, JUNE 17 AND TUESDAY, JUNE 18
PIVOT ARTS presents THE COFFEE HOUSE MUSIC/PLAYS
Curated by Tanya Palmer
7 pm 6/17 at Kitchen Sink Café
1107 W. Berwyn Ave.
7 pm 6/11 at venue to be announced
(See above description)
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19
Jessica Thebus and Theater Oobleck present ROUGH MAGIC!
Oobleck at 25: The Then and The Now
7pm at venue to be announced
Curated by Jessica Thebus, Performed by Theater Oobleck
Theater Oobleck celebrates its 25th anniversary
with an evening of “Rough Magic!” including excerpts from shows past
and new pieces from Dave Buchen, Martha Bayne, Diana Slickman, and
Mickle Maher, with songs by Chris Schoen.
The
ROUGH MAGIC series is the Chicago Theater Community’s celebration of
creative abundance: one-night-only performances that provide an
opportunity to learn about and give to local, national and international
organizations who are practicing daring, inspired, creative innovation
for good.
THURSDAY, JUNE 20
MOLLY SHANAHAN/MAD SHAK presents THE DELICATE HOUR
Choreographed by Molly Shanahan
7:30 pm Senn High School Auditorium
5900 N. Glenwood Ave.
The Delicate Hour is
Molly Shanahan/Mad Shak's most recent ensemble work for Shanahan,
Kristina Fluty, Ben Law and Jessie Marasa. The evening-length work
premiered to critical acclaim in 2012 at The Dance Center of Columbia
College. TimeOut Chicago’s Zac Whittenburg described The Delicate Hour as "… a next step in the evolution of a singular voice in Chicago performance...”
PIVOT ARTS and VINTAGE THEATER COLLECTIVE present THREE GRACES
8:00 pm Berger Park
6205 N. Sheridan Rd.
Libretto by Ruth Margraff, music by Nikos Brisco and the Café Antarsia Ensemble band, directed by Kate Hendrickson.
THREE
GRACES blurs the boundaries between speaking and singing, concert and
play. Two blood brothers – Turk and Greek – wrestle the epic darkness
of their fates at the end of the Ottoman Empire. This panoramic Iliad
for modern Greece is inspired by the Nikos Kazantzakis’ novel Freedom or Death, as well as the raw lyric passion of Greek blues and Cretan rebel songs.
FRIDAY, JUNE 21
MOLLY SHANAHAN/MAD SHAK presents THE DELICATE HOUR
7:30 pm Senn High School Auditorium
5900 N. Glenwood Ave.
(see description above)
PIVOT ARTS and VINTAGE THEATER COLLECTIVE present THREE GRACES
8:00 pm Berger Park
6205 N. Sheridan Rd.
Libretto by Ruth Margraff, music by Nikos Brisco and the Café Antarsia Ensemble band, directed by Kate Hendrickson.
(see description above)
SATURDAY, JUNE 22
DREAM BIG PERFORMING WORKSHOP presents A TASTE OF DREAM BIG
1pm Chase Park
4701 N. Ashland Ave.
Interactive performances for kids by the popular Dream Big performers.
PIVOT ARTS and VINTAGE THEATER COLLECTIVE present THREE GRACES
7:00 pm Berger Park
6205 N. Sheridan Rd.
Libretto by Ruth Margraff, music by Nikos Brisco and the Café Antarsia Ensemble band, directed by Kate Hendrickson.
(description above)
CLOSING RECEPTION
8:30 pm at Waterfront Café, Berger Park
6205 N. Sheridan Rd.
Music by the Café Antarsia Ensemble at the beautiful, lakefront setting of the Waterfront Café.
ABOUT PIVOT ARTS: Pivot
Arts develops new work and presents performances throughout the year
culminating in a large-scale, multi-arts festival. Our vision is that of
a vibrant community where unique collaborations between artists,
businesses and organizations leads to the support and creation of
innovative performances. Pivot Arts was founded in September 2012.
"We
are thrilled to partner with Pivot Arts and contribute to making Uptown
and Edgewater a continued destination for entertainment," states Jay
Michael, Chief Creative Officer of FLATS. "The Pivot Arts Festival is
directly in line with FLATS Chicago's mission to be a true community
partner and foster an appreciation for the arts and culture."
Additional Premiere Festival Sponsors at the time of release include:
Broadway Cellars, FLATS Chicago, Goose Island Catering & Events,
Kitchen Sink, Lickity Split, Loyola University Chicago, St. Augustine
College, Senn High School and Uptown United.
Pivot Arts Staff/Associates: Katy Collins, Dan Cox, Julieanne Ehre, Tanya Palmer, Eric Reda, Temple Schultz, Emily Wall, Genevieve K. Waller.
Pivot Arts Board: Alyssa Berman-Cutler President/CEO Uptown United; Katy Collins Pivot Arts; Julieanne Ehre Pivot Arts; Dr. Mark E. Lococo Director of Theatre, Loyola University Chicago; Susan Lofton, Principal, Nicholas Senn High School; Matthew Pryor, Counsel, Shakman Compliance; Kathy Van Zwoll, Marketing Consultant.
Pivot Arts Advisory Board: April Browning, Managing Director, Loyola University Chicago; Alderman James Cappleman, 46th Ward; Sarah Gabel, Chair of Department of Fine Arts, Loyola University Chicago; Peter Kuntz, Arts Consultant; Kristin Larsen, Executive Director, Stage 773; Jay Michael, Chief Creative Officer, FLATS Chicago; Alderman Harry Osterman, 48th Ward; Michael Rohd, Artistic Director, Sojourn Theatre; Steve Scott, Associate Producer, Goodman Theatre.
Phone: 773-609-0782
https://twitter.com/PivotArts
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