A WestBeth Entertainment and Henson Alternative
production
Comes to Chicago
at the Bank of America Theatre June 12 - 17, 2012
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS ON SALE
SATURDAY, APRIL 14
Broadway In
Chicago is thrilled to announce that individual
tickets for STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG, a live uncensored show that lets loose the perilous and
provocative elements of comedic
improvisation on stage with a bunch of puppets, go on-sale Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 10 a.m.
STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG will play the Bank of America Theatre (18 West
Monroe ) for one-week only June 12 - 17, 2012.
Produced
by WestBeth Entertainment and Henson Alternative, STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG is created by
award-winning director, producer, and
writer Brian Henson and actor and
improvisational guru Patrick Bristow and
features the Miskreant puppets and The Jim Henson Company’s renowned
puppeteers.
STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG is a wild romp in
which the skilled art of puppetry and spontaneous comedy collide. Unpredictable
and irreverent, it’s never the same show twice. Expert puppeteers create
twisted scenes and songs on the fly, as suggestions from the audience prompt
the improvised storylines unfolding on stage. This production delivers “two
shows in one” as the hilarious puppet action is projected live on large screens
flanking the stage, while the puppeteers race around below – displaying their
skills in full view of the audience. With live musical accompaniment and
Bristow as host, STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG boasts
a cast of six world-class puppeteers in an uninhibited live puppet performance,
as never seen before.
The
show drew rave reviews and overwhelming audience response. The Los
Angeles Times said, “You cannot imagine the mayhem that erupts when an uninhibited house
takes its cues from the gifted lunatics onstage. As uproariously uncensored an
adult entertainment as you could hope for without lap dancers!” Time Out
New York said, “Watching
these pros work is consistently funny and fascinating. Since the puppeteers are
visible throughout, viewers are treated to an up-close look at the mechanics of
their trade. After it’s all over, it’s doubtful that you’ll ever be able to
watch Sesame Street
the same way again…and you’ll be all the better for it.”
The
San Francisco Chronicle said the combines “the magic of first rate Henson style
puppetry and the ribald joy of comedy!” Theatermania.com notes, “A comedy improvisation show with a
twist, STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG has a
wonderful and inventive cast – who also just happen to be extremely talented
Henson puppeteers. The result is a first rate evening of comedy – with a
program that changes from show to show.” The Telegraph (UK) adds, “These brilliant American
puppeteers are seducing all they meet…the apparently effortless technical
excellence is matched only by some of the quickest and wickedest humor in
town.”
STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG evolved from
Henson’s previous production “Puppet Up! -Uncensored,” which made its debut at
the 2006 HBO Comedy Festival (Aspen, CO) and later toured the 2006 Edinburgh
Festival (Edinburgh, Scotland), The 2007 Comedy Festival (Las Vegas, NV) and
Australia’s Sydney Big Laugh Comedy Festival and the Melbourne International
Comedy Festival (both 2007). Most recently, “Puppet Up” continued as a workshop
piece in monthly performances at Avalon Hollywood. The
New York engagement of STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG
marked the debut of a completely revamped production featuring all new
technical wizardry with original music and staging. STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG appeared alongside
Cee-Lo Green and Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2011 Grammy Awards and was recently featured
on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” and a feature length film is currently in the
works.
Brian Henson (Creator, Producer)
is Chairman of The Jim Henson Company and an award-winning director, producer,
writer and puppeteer. Henson served as Executive Producer on the television
projects "Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars" (which he also directed)
and "Jim Henson's Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story" (which he
also co-wrote and directed). He directed “Battleground,” an Emmy Award-winning
episode of the “Nightmares & Dreamscapes” anthology for TBS. Previous
television projects that Henson produced include "Farscape,"
"Gulliver's Travels," "Muppets Tonight," and
"Dinosaurs." Henson's film directing credits include “The Muppet
Christmas Carol” and “Muppet Treasure Island.”
Most
recently, Henson has served as an executive producer of the Emmy-nominated
science-readiness pre-school series “Sid the Science Kid,” airing daily on PBS
KIDS®. The series features his groundbreaking work at Jim Henson's
Creature Shop, one of Hollywood 's
preeminent character building, digital and physical visual effects facilities.
Henson was part of the team that first created and utilized the Henson
Performance Control System, a powerful custom-based interface for puppeteers,
which won an Academy
of Motion Picture Arts
and Sciences Scientific and Engineering Award in 1992. He also led the Shop's
work with its revolutionary digital puppeteering technology, the 2009 Emmy®
Award-winning Henson Digital Puppetry Studio that is featured in STUFFED AND
UNSTRUNG as well as “Sid the Science Kid” and “Wilson & Ditch: Digging
America.”
STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG Co-Creator/Host Patrick Bristow is best known for his
television appearances, most notably as "Peter" on the groundbreaking
ABC series "Ellen." Other small screen appearances: "Curb
Your Enthusiasm," "Seinfeld," "Friends," "Mad
About You," "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and others. Film credits
include "The Longest Yard," "Austin Powers," "So
I Married An Ax Murderer," "Twilight of the Golds," and the
accidental comedy "Showgirls." He performed, directed and
taught at The Groundling Theatre. Directing credits include the Off Broadway
run of "Stuffed and Unstrung," "Hot Dog TV" for The Cartoon
Network, numerous theatre productions and the 2004 L.A. Weekly Theatre Awards
Show. His improv company, "Improvatorium" produces costumed and
improvised short plays in Hollywood .
And just like everyone else, he has a first draft of a screenplay somewhere in
his house.
Henson Alternative is The Jim Henson
Company’s label for content created specifically and exclusively for adult
audiences. Previous credits include “Tinseltown” for Logo, “Puppet Up! –
Uncensored” for TBS and the upcoming feature film “Happytime Murders” currently in development. producing organization that has
successfully and consistently produced critically acclaimed, financially
successful, groundbreaking entertainment for 30 years. From Billy Connolly to
Eddie Izzard, John Leguizamo to The Jim Henson Company, Lewis Black to The
Family Guy, WestBeth has been the creative catalyst, partner and producer of
some of the most innovative productions in North America .
Productions include Eddie Izzard’s Dress To
Kill, Circle, Sexie, and Stripped—a 35 city US Tour, and his 2010 US
Arena tour, Billy Connolly’s Too Old To Die
Young tour in America and Canada, Lewis Black’s Nothing Sacred show at New York’s Lincoln
Center and Carnegie Hall, as well as Lewis’ Dual
Citizenship Tour in Canada, Tommy Tiernan US dates, Dylan Moran US
dates, Christopher Titus’ NEVERLUTION, Shaun
Majumder’s Canada Tour, and Billy Connolly
Live in Seattle, Boston, Chicago and his 2010 Canada tour ‘The Man
Live’. Most recent productions include John Leguizamo’s Ghetto Klown on Broadway, Los
Angeles and London ,
Eddie Izzard’s Stripped to on the Shore
at the Shoreline Amphitheater and Stripped
to the Bowl at Hollywood Bowl and Henson Alternative’s Stuffed And Unstrung tour. www.westbethent.com
PERFORMANCE
SCHEDULE
Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Friday and
Saturday at 7 p.m. & 10 p.m.
Sunday at 7
p.m.
Please note: Ticket prices and performance
schedule are subject to change. This show is rated R and contains
language and themes that are not intended for unaccompanied children under the age
of 17.
TICKET
INFORMATION
Individual tickets for
STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG go
on sale Saturday, April 14, 2012 and range in price from $25-$60. Tickets are available at all
Broadway In Chicago Box Offices (24 W. Randolph St., 151 W. Randolph St., 18 W.
Monroe St. and 175 E. Chestnut), the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Kiosk at Water
Tower Place (845 N. Michigan Ave.), the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at
(800) 775‐2000, all Ticketmaster retail locations (including Hot Tix and select
Carson Pirie Scott, Coconuts and fye stores), and online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
A select number of premium seats are also available for many performances.
Groups of 15 or more may receive a discount on most shows by calling (312)
977‐1710.
