Chicago Shakespeare Theater Represented on Four Continents This Summer
CST’s CADRE in Grahamstown, South Africa and Edinburgh, Scotland;
OTHELLO: THE REMIX in South Korea and London; And CST Developed Musical MURDER FOR TWO Opens in New York
Also Announced—Blind Summit Theatre Added to Chicago Shakespeare’s 2013-14 World’s Stage Line Up
Chicago—July 2, 2013— Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announced today the opening of productions developed at CST on four continents over the next several months, bringing new work from Chicago to theaters and festivals around the world. In addition to exporting its work, Chicago Shakespeare’s World’s Stage Series annually brings international artists to Chicago asserting the Theater’s global mission.
Chicago Shakespeare’s co-production with the Market Theatre of Johannesburg, and Richard Jordan Productions, Cadre by Omphile Molusi, will open in Grahamstown, South Africa this week as part of the National Arts Festival, an important event on the South African cultural calendar, and the biggest annual celebration of the arts on the African continent. Cadre, which had its world premiere in Chicago and went on to a successful extended run at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, is directed by Omphile Molusi in collaboration with CST’s Creative Producer Rick Boynton. Later this month, the production will travel to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest Arts Festival in the world, where it will be featured as one of twelve productions in the Traverse Theatre’s 50th anniversary season. The Traverse Theatre is Scotland's premiere theatre committed to new writing and has been hailed by The Observer newspaper in the U.K.as “one of the most important theatres in Britain.” From its conception in 1963, it has embraced a spirit of innovation and risk-taking that launched the careers of many of the world’s best-known playwrights.
Chicago Shakespeare’s production of Othello: The Remix will conclude its 20-week run at CST on July 27, 2013 to travel to South Korea where it will be presented as the opening performance of the Daejeon Arts and Culture Festival, just outside of Seoul, on August 17th. In September, Othello: The Remix will travel back to London where the production opens September 12th at the Unicorn Theatre on the City’s Southbank, just minutes from the Globe where it had its world premiere as part of the City’s 2012 Cultural Olympiad.
The Chicago Shakespeare Theater developed musical, Murder for Two, featuring music by Joe Kinosian, lyrics by Kellen Blair and a book by Kinosian and Blair, will have its New York premiere Off-Broadway, opening July 25 at Second Stage Theatre. CST developed Murder for Two through a series of workshops and gave the piece its world premiere followed by a successful 5-month run. The creators, Kinosian and Blair, were recognized with the 2012 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Musical. The Second Stage production will be directed by Scott Schwartz (Golda's Balcony, Jane Eyre) and features Jeff Blumenkrantz (Into the Woods, Threepenny Opera, Damn Yankees, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, A Class Act) and Brett Ryback (The History Boys at Ahmanson, The Lieutenant of Inishmore at the Mark Taper Forum.)
Chicago Shakespeare Theater also announced today a new addition to its 2013-14 World’s Stage line up—Blind Summit Theatre’s The Table in which a cantankerous puppet with a cardboard head is having an existential crisis—on a table. Blind Summit Theatre, founded by Mark Down and Nick Barnes, is reinventing puppetry for modern adult audiences and pioneering new methods of performing with puppets. Pushing the boundaries of puppetry in their own productions and in international collaborations, they have created puppetry for Anthony Minghella, Complicite, and Danny Boyle’s Olympic Opening Ceremony. Their work isinspired by Bunraku puppetry in which three puppeteers combine to operate one beautifully crafted puppet, communicating through finely detailed movement and gesture. The Table will be performed in the Upstairs Theater at Chicago Shakespeare from October 16-27th, 2013.
The announced international touring of new work developed by Chicago Shakespeare and the continuing presentation of extraordinary international artists defines the expansive scope of CST’s World’s Stage Series. Chicago Shakespeare has collaborated with more than 600 international artists representing 18 countries on six continents, engaging audiences in a dialogue with the world’s established and emerging theater artists. Strengthening its reputation as a leader in cultural diplomacy, CST partners regularly with respected international affairs organizations, including the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Chicago Consular Corps, Chicago Sister Cities and World Business Chicago.
ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a leading international theater company, known for vibrant productions that reflect Shakespeare’s genius for intricate storytelling, musicality of language and depth of feeling for the human condition.
Recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award, Chicago Shakespeare’s work has been recognized internationally with three of London’s prestigious Laurence Olivier Awards, and by the Chicago theater community with seventy Joseph Jefferson Awards for Artistic Excellence. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, CST is dedicated to producing extraordinary productions of classics, new works and family fare; to unlocking Shakespeare’s work for educators and students; and to serving as Chicago’s cultural ambassador through its World’s Stage Series.
At its permanent, state-of-the-art facility on Navy Pier, CST houses two intimate theater spaces: the 500-seat Jentes Family Courtyard Theater and the 200-seat Carl and Marilynn Thoma Theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare. Through a year-round season encompassing more than 600 performances, CST leads the community as the largest employer of Chicago actors and attracts 200,000 audience members annually—including 40,000 students and teachers through its comprehensive education programs.
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