Polish Bar – Now Available VOD!

A brilliant team of filmmakers and actors, including a great deal of Chicago’s best talent, join writer/director Ben Berkowitz for his powerful feature film Polish Bar. Set and filmed exclusively in Chicago, this hometown hit is now available on demand through several outlets such as AMAZON, XBOX, PLAYSTATION and VUDU.

Check out the Chicago Stage Review here: Polish Bar – FILM REVIEW – Chicago Stage Review

If you missed Polish Bar at the Chicago International Film Festival, here’s your chance to see this Windy City gem that INDIEWIRE has named to its TOP-10 MUST SEE list!

For more info and links to watch On Demand go to … 

Polish Bar 

Art, Music, Life – The Scott Menzel Project Volume 1

Thurs 3/21/13 is going to be a great night of music & art for a terrific cause!

Bands on the bill:
Fly Phoenix
Anti-crew
Scotty Dangerfield & Crash Country
Rob Tonsic
In The AM
The Locals

Art, Music, Life is an amazing collaboration of music that includes an American Idol contender (Scott Dangerfield), a Making of the Band finalist (Jre Riley), an Olympic Gold Medalist turned singer (Carly Patterson), an Australian Worldwide Top 3 Indie artist (Anna Weatherup) and Chicago’s brilliant The Locals.

There is an even more compelling back story…one of selflessness, respect, compassion, and unadulterated generosity.

All participating musicians agreed to donate their royalties to the project with the hope that enough funds might be generated to secure a handicap van for contemporary fine artist Scott Menzel. This will allow him to tour…something that has been a challenge for Scott who was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Check out this video, to find out more about Scott Menzel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CxmuBvVub4

ONE NIGHT ONY! – Thursday, March 21 at 7:30pm

@ House of Blues Chicago 

329 N. Dearborn, Chicago

TICKETS: House of Blues Chicago Tickets – Art, Music Life – Thu, March 21

Art, Music, Life – The Scott Menzel Project Volume 1

Warmest Wishes for a Wonderful New Year from Chicago Stage Review!

Image by Venus Zarris.

Sandy Hook Elementary School Benefit

Join artists from around Chicago, and the U.S., as we raise money for those who have lost so much. Live Performances, Silent Art Auction and Raffle Prizes will be featured in this extraordinary evening!

Performer, DJ, Volunteer and Host Line-up:
Thomas Hill
Red Rum
Sanjula
Dj Zebo
Ammunition
GiGi DeLuxe
Peter Propaganda
Ruby Dee
Po’ Chop
Wicked Vicki
Ninja
ChiTown Ronnie
David Jeselski
Flow Entertainment
Highwire
Franki Markstone
SpyderDupre
Candy Cadaver
L-Stop
ShotGlass Sally
Rosemary Maybe
Daddy Sky
Ray Gunn
Candy-Triple-Exe
Sophia Asphyxia
Miss Toxic Angel
Nina Doll House
Viva La Muerte
Shannara Bathory
Meghan Sane
Jackie SuperGurl Weinburg
Jaimee Rosko
Kenzie Ki
Joseph Budka
Joseph Cr Vourteque
Brian Bearden
Bella Bathory
and many more!!!

“At Peace” 11×14 framed photograph by Venus Zarris available through the silent auction.

Silent Art Auction Donations by:
BJ Formento
T. Pleman
Bryan Wendorf
Anna Repp
Steven Holliday
Carrie McGath
Karen Gagich
Sabrina Maruszewski
Kamila Gornia
Fiona Bibzak
NINADNGR
Tadeusz Torzecki
Venus Zarris
and more to be announced!!!

You will be able to bid at the bar or online (some artists, due to limited edition prints, have a reserved starting bid)

Annette Sollars, of the ‘Eyeporium Gallery’ (inside Eye Want), has so graciously donated her space to display/house all art for previewing.

Eyeporium Gallery
1431 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622

We will have an opening coinciding with 1st. Friday Wicker Park Art Walk!! Opening the silent auction to the public, as well as to those who are not able to attend the Benefit.

January 9, 2013 ~ Starting time 8:00pm!

* Suggested $5 donation at door
and tip buckets will be going around all night!

* Drawing (Raffle) prizes: $2/ticket, or 3 for $5

* $20 drink bands from 9:30-1:30. ~ Includes: Miller lite & Bud Light bottles, Goose Island Drafts, Well Drinks and Wine! ~The Lincoln Tap Room will give $10 from every band to the cause!

* All proceeds go to: https://newtown.uwwesternct.org/

@ Lincoln Tap Room
3010 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago

For More info go to …

Sandy Hook Elementary School Benefit

Best Wishes for the Happiest of Holidays from Chicago Stage Review!

Art Institute of Chicago image by Venus Zarris.

PLAY “GO GO SANTA” – HELP CHICAGO ARTS!

Just a portly North Poler surging around the Chi. Help me support some local Chicago charities by playing the Go Go Santa game! The game launched November 27! Play at GogoSanta.com and help support some great charities!

Go Go Santa is a mobile and online game created by Vertical Incorporated. The game allows players to donate their high-scores to one of five charities supported by Vertical Incorporated.

It’s fun. And it promotes the spirit of giving. Vertical has made it a mission to support non-profit arts and education programs. We believe the creative spirit is a key to success in many aspects of life.

This year, we are joined by other companies. The superior accounting firm DiGiovine Hnilo Jordan + Johnson Ltd, and the leaders of Chicago’s dynamic music at The Double Door and Metro/Smart Bar are providing support through Go Go Santa. Please consider making your own contribution directly to the following organizations:

• Arts of Life
• Chicago Dramatists
• Girls Rock! Chicago
• 16th Street Theatre
• Snow City Arts

Vertical sends special thanks to the partners and owners of Digiovine Hnilo Jordan + Johnson Ltd., The Double Door and Metro/Smart Bar.

GogoSanta.com

Happy Thanksgiving from Chicago Stage Review!

Best Wishes for a happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful holiday season!

Image by Venus Zarris.

ROCK IT TO ROMANIA @ MARIE’S RIP TIDE LOUNGE!!!

Trap Door Theatre is going to Romania and they need your help to get us there!!!!!!!!!

Last season’s critically acclaimed hit “the word Progress on my mother’s lips doesn’t ring true,” directed by Istvan Szabo K., has been invited to perform in Romania in the Spring of 2013!

Trap Door Theatre has the great honor of being invited to perform for the third time at the prestitious International Festival of Sibiu. Three new destinations on the Trap’s itinerary include Teatrul National in Timisoara, the Arad Underground Theatre Festival, Szigligeti Hungarian Theatre in Oradea, Suceava, and the Culture House in Radauti, the town where playwright Matei Visniec was born. All expenses will be accounted for by our host venues, Trap Door is only responsible for providing airfare for 10 company members to travel to Romania for this culturally enriching experience and incredible artistic exchange.

In the past, it has always been Trap Door Theatre’s patrons and supporters that have helped them grow and create global exposure for their little theatre company in Bucktown. They’ve come a long way, thanks to you,  and Trap Door needs your help again.

Come check out the Bands, DJ, Food & Raffle Prizes!

All proceeds from the event will go to support Trap Door’s Spring Tour of last season’s critically-acclaimed production of…

the word Progress on my mother’s lips doesn’t ring true

* Read the 4 STAR review here: The Word Progress on My Mother’s Lips Doesn’t Ring True – REVIEW – Chicago Stage Review *

ROCK IT TO ROMANIA @ MARIE’S RIP TIDE LOUNGE!!!

Please join Trap Door Theatre for this Special Benefit Event! Only $10 for so much fun!

Sunday, December 2, 2012 – 6:30pm

@ MARIE’S RIP TIDE LOUNGE

“A CLOCKWORK NIGHTMARE” ~ WildClaw Theatre’s Masque of the Red Death Gala

“When the Ebony clock chimes… Darkness, Decay, and the Red Death will hold dominion over all.”

The Daemons of WildClaw Theatre, Chicago’s premier horror theatricals cordially invites those of imagination grand and dark to an evening of engineered and alchemical horror diversions. Come revel with the scholars and scientists of Chicago’s horror theatre as we celebrate the dark minds of Edgar Allen Poe, Mary Shelley, H.G. Wells, H. P. Lovecraft, Neil Gaiman, and Clive Barker.

Wonder at our ghoulish grotesquerie and demented delights!

September 15, 2012 – Saturday 7pm – Midnight

MORE IF YOU’VE GOT IT: FIVE PLAYS FROM THEATER OOBLECK ~ Book Release Party

Please join Theater Oobleck and special guests to celebrate the release of their new collection, MORE IF YOU’VE GOT IT: FIVE PLAYS FROM THEATER OOBLECK.

Entertainment includes but is not limited to:
• Scenes from classic Oobleck plays
• Music from Jeff Dorchen, Danny Thompson, and elusive folk-rockers the Ring of Promised Wonder
• Sneak preview of the next installment of Oobleck’s Baudelaire in a Box project, coming to Links Hall Nov. 14-18
• and a very special reunion set from Shloinke, Chicago’s hardest drinking klezmer band

All this plus snacks! DJ Mike Bulington! And, of course, many copies of MORE IF YOU’VE GOT IT for sale, hot off the Hope and Nothings Publishing presses and featuring:
• Dave Buchen’s “Innocence and Other Vices“,
• Jeff Dorchen’s “Ugly’s First World”
• David Isaacson’s “Letter Purloined”
• Mickle Maher’s “There Is a Happiness That Morning Is”
• Danny Thompson’s “Necessity.”
With a preface by Tony-award winning playwright Greg Kotis and introduction by Oobleck founding member Terri Kapsalis.

Tues. Sept. 4, 7-10pm — the day after Labor Day

@ The Hideout

1354 W. Wabansia, Chicago

FREE!

Theater Oobleck: “More If You’ve Got It” Book Release Party