WIN A Family Pass ($75 Value/2 Winners) To The 35th Annual Chicago International Children's Film Festival November 1st-9th, 2018

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List: 

35th Annual Chicago International 

Children's Film Festival 

November 1st-9th, 2018

Get your tickets to watch the best films for kids and teens! Here at ChiIL Mama, we're elated to partner up with Facets and the Chicago International 

Children's Film Festival on an excellent ticket giveaway for our readers. I volunteered at Facets from 1990 to 2016, and my teens grew up enjoying award winning family friendly films from around the world at the annual Chicago International Children's Film Festival (CICFF). We highly recommend CICFF for tots through teens, and even adults. 

Enter Below for your chance to WIN

A Family Pass ($75 Value/2 Winners) To The 35th Annual Chicago International Children's Film Festival through midnight October 30th, 2018

Pass contains 20 tickets

Each ticket admits one to any public Festival screening

Pass must be presented at the box office

No refunds on individual tickets

ChiIL Flicks On Our Radar

The Festival is a legendary Chicago cultural institution for
globally-minded, creative families, educators, and media
professionals.

Their mission is to seek out and champion films that
represent the best of their kind and can adequately speak
to the experience of contemporary kids and teens.

The Festival is run by Facets, a pioneering nonprofit
that connects over 30,000 people annually to independent

ideas through transformative film experiences.

Get the ultimate Festival experience. 

With a Festival pass, you can watch the best films from around the world for kids and teens right here in Chicago.

Family Pass - $75
Get a 20 ticket pass for your family to use at any Festival screening.

Pass contains 20 tickets
Each ticket admits one to any public Festival screening
Pass must be presented at the box office
No refunds on individual tickets




Lineup:
Get tickets or family passes in advance and check out the full lineup right here.

Enter for your chance to WIN

A 20 Ticket Family Pass ($75 Value/2 Winners) To The 35th Annual 
Chicago International Children's Film Festival  through midnight October 30th, 2018

Pass contains 20 tickets

Each ticket admits one to any public Festival screening

Pass must be presented at the box office

No refunds on individual tickets

ENTER HERE

Disclosure: Here at ChiIL Mama, we're elated to partner up with Facets and the Chicago International Children's Film Festival on an excellent ticket giveaway for our readers. We have been compensated and/or given complimentary tickets for our giveaway and review purposes. As always, all opinions are my own. 

WIN 4 Tickets To Monster Jam® Triple Threat Opening Night Friday, Nov. 2, 2018

Monster Jam® Triple Threat Returns to Rosemont with First-Ever November Dates

The most family-friendly, action-packed motorsport in the world races into Allstate Arena, Nov. 2-4

Enter Below:

One of ChiIL Mama's lucky readers will win 4 FREE Tickets 

To Monster Jam® Triple Threat

7:00 p.m., Friday, Nov. 2, 2018

Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Rd., Rosemont, Ill.

It's our great pleasure to partner up with Monster Jam once again, to offer a great ticket giveaway for our readers. My family's been enjoying Monster Jam for years, and I love photographing these flying giants in action! Whether you're a long time fan too, or your family's never checked it out before, now's your chance. Unexpected, unscripted and unforgettable, Monster Jam is the most approachable, fan-friendly sport in the world today, with loyal lifelong fans who crave bigger, faster and louder experiences.

Monster Jam is one of the only sports where male and female world-class drivers, some generational rivals, are equals competing for the same championship on the same track.

Featuring the eight most intense athletes of Monster Jam, Allstate Arena fans will witness a fierce battle for the championship with each competitor using customized high-powered vehicles: Monster Jam Speedsters, Monster Jam ATVs and the famous Monster Jam trucks. 

Watch your favorite Monster Jam trucks and drivers go head-to-head in a competitive format that is sure to keep fans on the edge of their seat.

Grave Digger®: Brandon Vinson 
Max-D: Jared Eichelberger 
El Toro Loco®: Armanda Castro
Zombie: Ami Houde 
Pirate's Curse: Camden Murphy
Wonder Woman: Collete Davis
Megalodon: driver TBA 
Monster Mutt Rottweiler: Jack Brown  

Too big to contain to once a year, Monster Jam® Triple Threat will make its second annual appearance at Rosemont’s Allstate Arena, Nov. 2-4, marking the first time the wildly popular Monster Jam tour will make a Chicagoland pit-stop in November. Playing to sold-out crowds here each February/March, this new season of Monster Jam Triple Threat promises to bring motorsport fans to the edge of their seats with adrenaline-charged, high-flying, four-wheel excitement that is fun for the entire family.

Featuring the eight most intense athletes of Monster Jam, Chicago-area fans will witness a fierce battle for the championship with each competitor using customized high-powered vehicles: Monster Jam Speedsters, Monster Jam ATVs and the famous Monster Jam trucks. Vying to be the Chicago-area champion will be:

Grave Digger® – Brandon Vinson
Max D® – Jared Eichelberger 
El Toro Loco® – Armando Castro
ZombieSM – Ami Houde
Pirate’s Curse – Camden Murphy
Wonder Woman – Collete Davis
Megalodon – driver-athlete to be announced
Monster Mutt® Rottweiler – Jack Brown

Unexpected, unscripted and unforgettable, Monster Jam takes center stage in the world’s most iconic venues, sporting meticulously manicured dirt tracks created with the sole purpose of pushing these perfectly engineered, larger-than-life trucks to the limit.

Following racing, new this season across all Monster Jam events, fans in every city will have the chance to vote for the truck winner in the donut, wheelie and freestyle competitions by real-time, in-arena fan voting on their smartphones.

Show Times & Ticket Information
Friday, Nov. 2 – 7 pm
Saturday, Nov. 3 – 1 pm & 7 pm (Pit Party, 10 am - Noon)
Sunday, Nov. 4 – 1 pm & 6:30 pm (Pit Party, 10 am - Noon)

Monster Jam events are affordably priced for the whole family with seats starting at $20. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster retail locations, the Allstate Arena box office, and by phone at (800) 745-3000.

Pit Parties give fans the opportunity to meet the Monster Jam athletes and get up close to the Monster Jam trucks. Pit passes are priced at $10 on Saturday, and $15 on Sunday, and can only be purchased in conjunction with tickets to the same-day Saturday or Sunday 1 pm show.

For more information on a Monster Jam near you, please log onto MonsterJam.com or follow us via our social channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About Feld Entertainment, Inc.
Feld Entertainment® is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that uplift the human spirit and bring people together. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMSOIL Arenacross, Disney On Ice, Disney Live!, Sesame Street Live! and Marvel Universe LIVE! Across the brand portfolio, Feld Entertainment has entertained millions of families in more than 75 countries and on six continents. Visit feldentertainment.com for more information.

Enter HERE:

One of ChiIL Mama's lucky readers will win 4 FREE Tickets 

To Monster Jam® Triple Threat

7:00 p.m., Friday, Nov. 2, 2018

Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Rd., Rosemont, Ill.
Enter through midnight Tuesday, October 30th, 2018.

 ENTER HERE

Disclosure: Thanks to Feld Entertainment® and Monster Jam® Triple Threat for partnering up with ChiIL Mama once again. We have been compensated and/or given complimentary tickets for our giveaway and review purposes. As always, all opinions are my own.

OPENING: Almost Wonderland, Actors Gymnasium's Fall Youth Circus November 3rd -11th for 6 Shows Only

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List:

Almost Wonderland

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, we've been huge fans of the excellent circus arts productions and classes at Actors Gymnasium for years. My own teens were in their youth circus shows the past 4 years, and only stopped this fall because they were cast in school shows and cheer that conflicted. They're hoping to audition for the spring youth circus. 

These fun, high energy productions are a joy to see, and partner kids with top talent in the industry. As I review professional shows all over town, my kids often come as my +1, and it's been great to discover how many names they recognize in shows as people they've worked with at Actors Gymnasium. Quite a few actors, directors, costumers and more, are familiar names and faces to my teens now. Come on out and see the next generation of Chicago's circus artists in a whimsical all ages show. Two weekends, six shows only!

About Almost Wonderland:

Be immersed in multiple worlds in this new spin on beloved children’s classic tales created by Sammy Zeisel and Jason Clark, Almost Wonderland.

Dalice (they/them) doesn’t quite fit in, especially at school. Dropped into a fantasy world reminiscent of Wonderland, Oz and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with the aid of a magical book, they discover that they’re not the only ones that are struggling.

This show is for all kids, even the kids at heart! 

PERFORMANCES NOV. 3 - NOV. 11

Saturdays at 4:30p and 7:30p

Sundays at 3p

Click here to order your tickets. Shows do sell out, so we highly recommend booking in advance.

OPENING: Bros do Prose Hip Hop Peter Pan at Mercury Theater Through December 23, 2018

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Bros do Prose

PETER PAN

Inspired by the novel ‘Peter & Wendy’ by J.M. Barrie

Created by Bros do Prose - Directed by Christian Libonati

At Mercury Theater Chicago

November 3 to December 23, 2018

Bros do Prose puts a fresh new spin on J.M. Barrie’s beloved PETER PAN featuring a cast of two actors at Mercury Theater Chicago (3745 N. Southport Avenue) from November 3 to December 23, 2018. I'll be out for the press opening November 5th, so check back shortly after for my full review. 

This new play created by Bros do Prose is directed by Christian Libonati and features original music by Michael Huey and Ella Raymont with lyrics by Bros do Prose. PETER PAN comes to Mercury Theater Chicago direct from its acclaimed world premiere at The Summer Theatre of New Canaan, Connecticut. Information and tickets are available at www.MercuryTheaterChicago.com.

In a whirlwind of creativity, sick beats and physical feats, a cast of two actors brings new life to the beloved story of Peter Pan.  In this play, Wendy Darling dreams of a magical island where she never has to grow-up. When Peter Pan flies out of her dreams and in through her window, Wendy convinces him to lead her to Neverland. And so begins the adventure of a lifetime! Through mischievous antics with Peter Pan, cunning confrontations with Captain Hook, and Saturday night dance parties with the Lost Boys, Wendy uncovers the strength and joy that will keep her young long after she leaves Neverland. Whether this is your first or hundredth journey to Neverland, Bros do Prose PETER PAN will have you flying!

Bros do Prose PETER PAN features Breon Arzell as Peter Pan, Captain Hook, et. al. and Ella Raymont as Wendy, Smee, Tinkerbell, et. al. and is directed by Christian Libonati. The production team includes Brad Caleb Lee (scenic designer), Michael Huey (composer/sound designer), Ilana Breitman (costume designer), Corinne Curtis Broadbent (dance choreographer), and Dan Renkin (fight choreographer). Bros do Prose PETER PAN was originally produced and premiered at The Summer Theatre of New Canaan June 2018.


Music: Michael Huey & Ella Raymont
Lyrics: Bros do Prose
Cast: Breon Arzell (Peter Pan, Captain Hook, and more) and Ella Raymont (Wendy, Smee, Tinkerbell, and more)

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago.

Previews: Saturday, November 3 @ 11am and Sunday, November 4 @ 11am.
Performances continue November 10 to December 23, 2018.  Saturday & Sunday at 11am.

Tickets are $20.00 and are available online at www.MercuryTheaterChicago.com, over the phone at (773) 325-1700, or in person at Mercury Theater Chicago box office (3745 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago). 

Second star to the right and straight on to 

Mercury Theater Chicago!

Grab three tickets, get the fourth free with a Family Fun Pack!

Join us for a limited engagement of Bros do Prose PETER PAN, presented from November 3 to December 23. The cast of Bros do Prose PETER PAN includes Ella Raymont (Wendy Darling) and Breon Arzell (Peter Pan). Bros do Prose is a theater organization which strives to create timely, impactful, and endlessly creative theater for children, in addition to theater workshops taught in Chicago, New York and Connecticut.

Ask for the Family Fun Pack offer by phone at 773-325-1700 or in-person at the box office at 3745 North Southport Avenue. Subject to availability. Subject to availability. Offer cannot be combined with any other discounts. Offer is not applicable to any previously purchased tickets. 

About Bros do Prose:
Bros do Prose adapts epic stories into two-person immersive and physically electric theater. Bros do Prose was started by Christian Libonati, Ella Raymont and Omen Sade in 2017 to create timely, impactful, and endlessly creative theater for production on any scale. With training ranging from the International Lecoq School in Paris to Mary Zimmerman and Improv Olympics in Chicago, the “Bros” bring a unique formula creating intelligent, action-packed performances that have all ages laughing, dancing and playing together.

Bros do Prose received three 2017 Broadway World Connecticut nominations including Best Children’s/Family Production for their co-production of THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD by Oliver Emanuel at The Summer Theatre of New Canaan, Connecticut. Bros do Prose is currently touring their acclaimed productions of THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD & PETER PAN to Connecticut schools. For additional information on Bros do Prose visit www.BrosDoProse.com




About Mercury Theater Chicago:
The beautifully renovated Mercury Theater Chicago is an intimate jewel box of a theater in the heart of the Southport Corridor, a sophisticated neighborhood of restaurants and boutiques just steps from Wrigley Field. Under the Direction of Executive Director L. Walter Stearns, Mercury Theater Chicago is currently running their hit production of AVENUE Q thru November 4, 2018 with a production of PIPPIN in Venus Cabaret Theater set to run from October 11 to December 16, 2018.


For additional information visit www.MercuryTheaterChicago.com.

Holiday Favorite THE HOUSE THEATRE BALLET-FREE ADAPTATION OF THE HOLIDAY CLASSIC THE NUTCRACKER Returns NOVEMBER 8 – DECEMBER 30, 2018

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar: 

THE HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO 

CONTINUES ITS HOLIDAY TRADITION AND ANNOUNCES CASTING FOR THE ANNUAL FAMILY-FRIENDLY, BALLET-FREE ADAPTATION OF THE HOLIDAY CLASSIC 

THE NUTCRACKER, 

NOVEMBER 8 – DECEMBER 30, 

AT THE CHOPIN THEATRE

Tommy Rapley Returns to Direct The House Theatre of Chicago’s 

Annual Performance of The Nutcracker

The House Theatre of Chicago brings back the hit holiday production with its annual engagement of The Nutcracker, an all-original, ballet-free and family-friendly production playing at The Chopin Theatre upstairs theatre, 1543 W. Division, November 8 – December 30. Company Members Jake Minton, Phillip Klapperich, Kevin O’Donnell and Tommy Rapley created the adaptation based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story with original direction and choreography by Tommy Rapley. Previews take place Thursdays, November 8 and 15, Friday, Nov. 10 and Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. The press opening is Friday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. The regular performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. with an added Sunday 6 p.m. performance on December 9, 16 and 23. Note: There are no performances on Nov. 9 or 17 and there are additional added performances on Friday, Nov. 23 at 3 p.m., and Wednesday, Dec. 19.

Preview tickets are $20 with regular run tickets $30 – $50. Student and industry same-day discounted tickets are available for $20 for all dates, based on availability. Tickets may be purchased by calling 773.769.3832 or by visiting www.thehousetheatre.com.

The House’s unique take on this classic story has become an annual tradition for many offering something for everyone during the holiday season. The show is fast-paced, beautifully choreographed, family-friendly and moving for even those who might be on the Grinch’s side from time to time.

This fantastical expansion of the holiday classic centers on Clara’s journey to save Christmas in the face of grief. With the help of a magical nutcracker, the brave girl risks the darkness, fights the Rat King and saves her family. A modern holiday tradition weaving together riveting dialogue, astonishing puppetry, original songs and spellbinding spectacle to tell a heartwarming, darkly moving story of magic and hope — a meaningful outing fit for the whole family.

The House’s production of The Nutcracker is adapted from “The Nutcracker and the Mouse,” a story by E.T.A. Hoffmann by Jake Minton, Phillip Klapperich, Kevin O’Donnell, and Tommy Rapley. The production premiered at the Steppenwolf Theatre in 2007 under the Visiting Company Initiative and has enjoyed highly acclaimed runs with The House since 2010, as well as productions in Miami. In 2016, The House revamped the show during a workshop at the Chicago Performance Lab. Repeat fans will notice the addition of new musical pieces and new audience members continued to delight in the production’s creativity and heart 

The 2018 ensemble features many returning faces including Company Members Ben Hertel as Hugo, the Robot, and Johnny Arena as Monkey. Also returning are Desmond Gray as Fritz, the Nutcracker, Rachel Shapiro as Phoebe, the doll, Nicholas Bailey as David and Quite Scary Rat, and Amanda de la Guardia as Martha and Really Scary Rat. New to the cast are Rom Barkhordar as Uncle Drosslemeyer and Really Quite Scary Rat, and in the leading role, actress Hailey Bolithon (recently starring in Hatfield & McCoy) plays Clara. 

ABOUT THE HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO 

The House is Chicago's premier home for intimate, original works of epic story and stagecraft. Founded and led by Artistic Director Nathan Allen and driven by an interdisciplinary ensemble of Chicago’s next generation of great storytellers, The House aims to become a laboratory and platform for the evolution of the American theatre as an inclusive and popular artform.

The House was founded in 2001 by a group of friends to explore connections between Community and Storytelling through a unique theatrical experience. Since becoming eligible in 2004, The House has won 22 Joseph Jefferson Awards, became the first recipient of Broadway in Chicago’s Emerging Theater Award in 2007, and was awarded a 2014 National Theatre Company Grant by the American Theatre Wing, founder of the Tony Awards. The 17th season of original work is underway and The House will continue its mission to unite Chicago in the spirit of Community through amazing feats of Storytelling.  

REVIEW: Theater Unspeakable's The American Revolution, History in 50 Minutes

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar:

THEATER UNSPEAKABLE

PRESENTS

“THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION”

OCTOBER 17 – NOVEMBER 11, 2018

AT THE GREENHOUSE THEATER CENTER

**If all portrayals of History had been more fun like this, I would have paid more attention in Social Studies at school.**

Review: 

By Catherine Hellmann, Guest Critic

“Well, that was unique!” was the reaction of my theater novice brother about the unusual but very fun production of The American Revolution by Theater Unspeakable.

Difficult to explain, but a hoot to experience, Theater Unspeakable is a very physical theater company based in Chicago but tours extensively to share their creative works around the U.S. The American Revolution is an original production, a wild summary of the American fight for independence. Currently playing at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N Lincoln Avenue, Theater Unspeakable has a limited engagement October 17 through November 11. Following its Chicago run, The American Revolution will soon play in Washington and California.



Combining tongue-in-cheek humor and quick pacing with amazing body language, The American Revolution brings to life George and Martha Washington, King George III, Sam Adams, Paul Revere, John and Abigail Adams, Thomas Paine, and Thomas Jefferson. The seven performers create a theatrical game like Twister with impressive acrobatics. One of my favorite bits was whenever King George III was portrayed, one of the actresses was placed behind him as his legs, creating a hilarious visual effect as he childishly waved “his” legs in the air. “I liked their retreat,” observed my sister after the show. When ascending a hill to battle, the actors had their fingers act as small legs rushing the hill, then “retreating” upon command. Funny stuff.   

“In this 50-minute play, seven actors, all performing two feet off the ground, share 21 square feet of space to recreate the entire American fight for independence from Lexington to Yorktown. Using only the actors’ bodies and voices, the show evokes an epic time-period in American history,” according to their press release. (“How did they not fall off that platform?” asked my mesmerized brother.) We asked how long they rehearsed and were amazed it was only three weeks. Just the variety of sound effects alone would be a challenge to coordinate.



This production was originally devised by the following members of Theater Unspeakable: Brittany Anderson, Parker Arnold, Zachary Baker-Salmon, Marc Frost, Patrice Foster, Jeffery Freelon, Kyle Geissler, Jason Hammond, Trey Hobbs, Kathleen Hoil, Quenna Lené, Katie Mancuso, Aaron Rustebakke, Lyn Scott, Vanessa Valliere, Ryan Westwood and Thomas Wynne.

The production stars Devin Sanclemente who is great as King George, Sonja Lynn Mata (Sam Adams), Alex Small (John Adams), Caroline M. Watson (Governor Dinwiddie), Lexi DeSollar (Abigail Adams), Jeffery Owen Freelon, Jr. as an awesome George Washington, Carolyn Moore (Martha Washington), Jamia Taylor, and Renata Camara Loader.



Highlights include the Boston Tea Party, the re-enactment of Washington crossing the Delaware, and the rendition of “My Country, Tis of Thee” while mimicking an American flag.  

If all portrayals of History had been more fun like this, I would have paid more attention in Social Studies at school.

The American Revolution is a perfect family show, so we want families to enjoy it together! Theater Unspeakable is now offering a family discount. Get 4 tickets for only $50. Have more than 4 people in the family? No worries! It's only $12.50 for each additional family member.

Catch Theater Unspeakable's American Revolution now until 11/11/18.

The crazy physical comedy that results from Theater Unspeakable's unique platform performances has long been a favorite of ours here at ChiIL Mama. You have to see it to believe it, and with their acclaimed version of THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, you just might learn a bit of contorted history too. Check it out!

Theater Unspeakable, a devised, physical theater company based in Chicago that has received tremendous critical acclaim across the U.S., presents THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, a whirlwind re-telling of the American fight for independence at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N Lincoln Avenue, for a limited engagement October 17 through November 11, with a press opening at 2 p.m. on October 20. Prior to its Chicago run, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION will play in Washington D.C at the Kennedy Center, and following Chicago in Washington at the Edmonds Center for the Arts and California at the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo.



Combining tongue-in-cheek humor with a dash of derring-do, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION brings to life George and Martha Washington, King George III, Sam Adams, Paul Revere, John and Abigail Adams, Thomas Paine, and Thomas Jefferson, amongst others, to bring the audience the original story of the greatest democratic experiment in world history. 

The physical theater practiced by the company draws upon the heavy influence of Theater Unspeakable Founder and Director Marc Frost’s, time at the London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA). This two-year theater program based on the teachings of Jacques Lecoq exposed him to many different styles of theater. Since returning and founding the company, Marc has set a goal for himself and his collaborators to continue experimenting with these styles until they have broken ground on new forms of their own.

"Theater Unspeakable loves to create big stories in small spaces. The story of the American Revolution appealed to us because of its epic scale. We were excited by the challenge of bringing it to life in less than an hour all upon a tiny stage,” said Marc Frost, founder and director of Theater Unspeakable. “I am originally from Chicago, and we founded Theater Unspeakable and THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION here in the city, so it is an honor to be able to bring the production back to our hometown.”


From October 17 – November 11, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION will run Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and Sundays at 11 a.m. The running time is 50 minutes with no intermission. There will be a Q&A with the artists immediately following each performance. Ticket prices are $30 or $20 for students, industry, seniors, and military and can be purchased at https://www.greenhousetheater.org/theamericanrevolution-tickets.



About Theater Unspeakable
Founded by Marc Frost in 2010, the Chicago-based Theater Unspeakable draws upon the heavy influence of Jacques Lecoq and Marc’s two years spent at the London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA). The American Revolution is Theater Unspeakable’s third production, following Superman 2050 and Murder on the Midwest Express. Their work has been presented at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, The Chicago Humanities Festival, and at Lincoln Center Education in New York. They continue to tour nationally.

Adventure Stage Chicago and Theater Unspeakable; a fantastic duo. We’re joining forces to make bringing your family to the theater easier. Use the code: Revolution to get $5 off tickets to any Adventure Stage or Theater Unspeakable production. Check out what ASC is offering this season!

WIN 4 Tickets ($24 value) to Mr. Singer & the Sharp Cookies Happy Haunted Halloween Show

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List: Jammin' LIVE Family Friendly Concerts

Ready for rockin' Halloween fun? Bring your Rock Tots, Punk Kin and Banger Babies out to ChiIL Mama's favorite weekly series this Sunday 10/28/18 at noon! Mr. Singer & the Sharp Cookies are some of Chicago's best kindie musicians and a ton of fun LIVE. Don't miss this. They've been favorites of ours here at ChiIL Mama for years.

Enter below to WIN 4 tickets on us.

($24 value) to Mr. Singer & the Sharp Cookies 

Happy Haunted Halloween Show

 via ChiIL Mama.

Doors open at 11:30. Brunch menu available, full bar for over 21! This show is all-ages, so bring the whole family and tell your friends!

CHIIL MAMA'S THE PROUD PRESS SPONSOR FOR BEAT KITCHEN'S CONCERTS FOR KIDS SINCE 2010!

There's a chill in the fall air and that means it's time to jam at Concerts for Kids at Beat Kitchen every Sunday at noon (doors at 11:30am)! Food and drinks available and some of the best of Chicago's kindie (kids' indie) musicians.

ChiIL Mama's back as press sponsor and we'll be giving away a FREE family 4 pack of tickets ($24 value) for every show! Pre walkers under age 1 are free. Other kids and adults all need tickets, available in advance or at the door. Concerts are geared toward birth through 8 year olds with an adult along. 

Winners will be announced this Friday on site and on our social media. Upcoming weeks, our concert ticket giveaways will go live on Fridays and run through midnight the following Thursday, so check back with  ChiILMama.com like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often. 

Click HERE to purchase in advance and check Ticket Availability

Enter for your chance to WIN 4 Tickets ($24 value) to Mr. Singer & the Sharp Cookies 

Happy Haunted Halloween Show

 via ChiIL Mama.

Enter through midnight Thursday 10/25/18. Winners will be announced this Friday on site and on our social media. Upcoming weeks, our concert ticket giveaways will go live on Mondays and run through midnight the following Thursday, so check back with ChiILMama.com like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often. 

*Please check your dates and be sure you can make it to the show before entering. We know kids get sick and last minute things happen, so if you win and can't make it, let us know ASAP so we can choose another winner. No shows who don't let us know will be banned from winning Concerts for Kids tickets for a month.

ENTER HERE

Betty Buckley To Accept the Sarah Siddons Society “Actor of the Year” Award November 12th, 2018

THE SARAH SIDDONS SOCIETY HONORS BETTY BUCKLEY AT ITS ANNUAL AWARDS GALA

Sarah Siddons Society Gala to be held Monday, November 12

at the University Club of Chicago

Betty Buckley, star of stage, screen and television will accept the “Actor of the Year” Award at this year’s Sarah Siddons gala fundraiser. Ms. Buckley, who has been called "The Voice of Broadway," is one of theater's most respected and legendary leading ladies. 2018 also finds her leading the first national tour of Hello, Dolly!, as Dolly Levi, which will play Broadway In Chicago’s Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph) for a limited four-week engagement October 23 through November 17, 2018. She is also currently co-starring in AMC’s hit series “Preacher”. Among her many illustrious credits, Betty Buckley is a Tony Award winner, Olivier Award nominee and American Theater Hall of Fame inductee.

“The Sarah Siddons Society is honored to name Betty Buckley as our 2018 Actor of Year awardee.  With this well-deserved recognition, Ms. Buckley joins an illustrious group of stage legends recognized by the Sarah Siddons Society during the past 66 years. We couldn’t be more excited than to honor her remarkable contributions to the American stage with this year’s award”, said Marty Balogh, President of the Society.

Theatre lovers and their guests will mingle during a cocktail reception, dinner and awards ceremony, and will have the chance to bid on luxury items in a silent auction. Honorary Chair of the Event is Broadway in Chicago Vice President, Eileen LaCario. Bill Zwecker of Fox TV will act as Master of Ceremonies. Entertainment will be provided by some of Chicago’s most talented luminaries TBA. All proceeds of the event benefit the Sarah Siddons Scholarship Fund. 

Event Details

The event will begin with cocktails at 6:30 pm, followed by dinner and the awards presentation at the University Club of Chicago, 76 East Monroe, on Monday, November 12, 2018. Tickets are $265 each. For more information, please visit the Sarah Siddons website at sarahsiddonssociety.org.

About The Sarah Siddons Society
Since its inception over 65 years ago, the Sarah Siddons Society has granted scholarships to outstanding theatre students from the city’s top theatre programs at Northwestern University, DePaul University, Columbia College Chicago and Roosevelt University.  The mission of the Society is to assist the next generation of rising stars fulfill their dreams.

About Betty Buckley
Betty Buckley (Dolly Gallagher Levi) called “The Voice of Broadway” by New York Magazine, is known as a legendary, multi-award-winning performer, and is a 2012 Theatre Hall of Fame inductee and 2017 recipient of the Julie Harris Award for Artistic Achievement, given by The Actors Fund. 

Her Broadway credits include Triumph of Love (Tony Award nomination), Sunset Boulevard, Carrie (Outer Critics Circle Award nomination), Song and Dance, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Cats (Tony Award), Pippin, and 1776.  Ms. Buckley’s London stage credits include Dear World; Sunset Boulevard (Olivier Award nomination); and Promises, Promises (Evening Standard Award nomination). 

Off Broadway, her credits include Old Friends (Drama Desk Award nomination), White’s Lies, Elegies, The Eros Trilogy, Juno’s Swans, I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road. 

Regional: Grey Gardens (Ovation Award nomination), Old Friends, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Threepenny Opera, Buffalo Gal, Camino Real, Gypsy. Film: Split (Saturn Award nomination), The Happening, Wyatt Earp, Another Woman, Frantic, Tender Mercies, Carrie.  

Television: “Preacher,” “Supergirl,” “Getting On,” “The Leftovers,” “Chicago Med,” “Pretty Little Liars,” “The Pacific,” “OZ,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Without a Trace,” “Eight Is Enough.” 

Recordings: 18 solo albums (two Grammy Nominations), most recently Hope released on Palmetto Records in June 2018. She has been a teacher of Scene Study and Song Interpretation for over 45 years. She has received two Honorary Doctorates for her contribution to the Musical Theater from The Boston Conservatory and Marymount Manhattan College. www.bettybuckley.com 

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO Hello, Dolly! Digital Lottery For $25 Tickets To Every Performance

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO ANNOUNCES DIGITAL LOTTERY

FOR 26 TICKETS FOR $25 EACH

TO BEGIN OCT. 22

ORIENTAL THEATRE

OCT. 23 – NOV. 17, 2018

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiILLiveShows.com we're eager to catch this extravaganza starring Broadway legend Betty Buckley. I'll be out for the press opening November 24th, so check back soon for my full review.

Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce that a digital lottery will begin Oct. 22 at 9AM for the National Tour of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Revival HELLO, DOLLY! This production will play Broadway In Chicago’s historic Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph) for a limited four-week engagement October 23 through November 17, 2018.



Twenty-six tickets will be sold for every performance at $25 each.  The lottery will happen online only the day before each performance.  Seat locations vary per performance.



HOW TO ENTER
· Visit http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/show/hello-dolly/
· Follow the link “Click here for details and to enter the lottery”
· Click the “Enter Now” button for the performance you want to attend.
· Fill out the entry form including the number of tickets you would like (1 or 2). Patrons will receive a  confirmation email once they have validated their email (one time only) and successfully entered the lottery.
·After the lottery closes, patrons will be notified via email within minutes as to whether they have won or not.
· Winners have 60 minutes from the time the lottery closes to pay online with a credit card.
·After payment has been received, patrons can pick up tickets at the Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph) no sooner than 30 minutes before show time with a valid photo ID.

ADDITIONAL RULES
Limit 1 entry per person, per performance. Multiple entries will not be accepted. Patrons must be 18 years old and have a valid, non-expired photo ID that matches the names used to enter. Tickets are non-transferable. All lottery prices include a $3.00 facility fee. Ticket limits and prices displayed are at the sole discretion of the show and are subject to change without notice. Lottery prices are not valid on prior purchases. Lottery ticket offer cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. All sales final - no refunds or exchanges.  Lottery may be revoked or modified at any time without notice. No purchase necessary to enter or win.  A purchase will not improve your chances of winning.

ABOUT HELLO, DOLLY!
Tony Award®-winning Broadway legend Betty Buckley stars in HELLO, DOLLY! – the universally acclaimed smash that NPR calls “the best show of the year!” and the Los Angeles Times says “distills the mood-elevating properties of the American musical at its giddy best.” Winner of four Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, director Jerry Zaks’ “gorgeous” new production (Vogue) is “making people crazy happy!” (The Washington Post). Breaking box office records week after week and receiving unanimous raves on Broadway, this HELLO, DOLLY! pays tribute to the original work of legendary director/choreographer Gower Champion – hailed both then and now as one of the greatest stagings in musical theater history. Rolling Stone calls it “a must-see event. A musical comedy dream. If you’re lucky enough to score a ticket, you’ll be seeing something historic. Wow, wow, wow, indeed!”

Led by four-time Tony Award-winning director Jerry Zaks and choreographed by Tony Award winner Warren Carlyle, the entire creative team of the Broadway production will reprise their roles for the National Tour of HELLO, DOLLY!, including four-time Tony Award winner Santo Loquasto (Scenic & Costume Design), six-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (Lighting Design), Tony Award winner Scott Lehrer (Sound Design), Andy Einhorn (Music Direction), Tony Award winner Larry Hochman (Orchestrations), Tony Award winner Don Pippin (Vocal Arrangements), David Chase (Dance Arrangements), and Telsey + Company (Casting).

HELLO, DOLLY!  began performances on Broadway on March 15, 2017, and officially opened on April 20, 2017. Having broken the record for best first day of ticket sales in Broadway history, the box office record at the Shubert Theatre twelve times, and shattering The Shubert Organization’s all-time record ten times, the production ended its historic Broadway run on August 25, 2018.

Cities and dates for the national tour of HELLO, DOLLY! are available at www.hellodollyonbroadway.com

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesdays at 7:30PM
Wednesdays at 2PM & 7:30PM (no matinee performance on 10/24)
Thursdays at 7:30PM
Fridays at 7:30PM
Saturdays at 2PM & 8PM
Sunday, Oct. 28 at 7:30PM & Sunday, Nov. 4 & Nov. 11 at 2PM

TICKET INFORMATION
Individual tickets for HELLO, DOLLY! at the Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph) are on-sale now with a select number of premium seats available. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710.  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 Line at (800) 775-2000 and online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com.  

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 18 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country.  A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining more than 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, Oriental Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

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