The GRIND = Gossip, Rumors, Innuendos, News & DramaUrbanTheater Company (UTC) is committed to the creation and exploration of urban-inspired works that convey, illuminate and empathize with the human experience. FROM the STREETS to the STAGE.
[Now Showing] Midwest Premiere of "Beauty of the Father" by Nilo Cruz, directed by Cecilie Keenan at the Wicker Park Art Center (at St. Paul's Community Church). Runs until November 19. For tickets/info visit go to:
www.UrbanTheaterChicago.org
[PRESS RELEASE] URBANTHEATER COMPANY ANNOUNCES NEW VENUE & PRODUCTION DATES FOR SUZAN-LORI PARKS’ “FUCKING A”
DATE: February 8, 2012
CONTACT: Ivan Vega, Executive Director
ivanvega@urbantheaterchicago.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
URBANTHEATER COMPANY ANNOUNCES NEW VENUE & PRODUCTION DATES FOR SUZAN-LORI PARKS’ “FUCKING A”
Chicago, IL, February 7 — UrbanTheater Company’s (UTC) highly anticipated production of “Fucking A” by Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur Genius Award recipient, Suzan-Lori Parks, will be performed in association with Pegasus Players’ new home at 4520 N. Beacon Street (formerly the historic Hull House). Located in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, the production will run March 22nd - April 15th, 2012; preview performances from March 20th – March 21st. Tickets are $20, Students/Seniors - $10 & Previews - 2 for 1 - $20/$15 (for single ticket). Group rates available. For tickets call 312-239-8783 or visit: www.UrbanTheaterChicago.org.
“It is with great excitement that we’ve been able to secure a partnership with Pegasus Players, allowing UTC to bring Ms. Parks’ powerful play to the culturally diverse community of Uptown,” says UTC Executive Director, Ivan Vega.
“The Hull House space provides an ideal balance of intimacy and audience capacity that a show of this scope demands.”
From its inception, UrbanTheater Company has produced, promoted and performed plays of under-represented playwrights of color, allowing theatre to thrive in communities appreciative of cultural inclusion and accessibility.
“We’re proud that our audiences, playwrights and actors have been as ethnically diverse as the city we live in,” says UTC Artistic Director, Madrid St. Angelo.
Celebrating it’s 6th Season and tenth production, the Joseph Jefferson recommended and award winning company has featured a myriad of critically acclaimed Chicago directors including Ron OJ Parson, Cecilie Keenan, Joel Moorman, Marti Lyons and Richard Perez. With eight Midwest Premieres and one World Premiere, UTC has provided tremendous opportunities for actors of color to perform in professional productions.
UTC is proud to partner with Pegasus Players to produce one of the nation’s foremost living African American playwrights, Suzan-Lori Parks in the vibrant Uptown neighborhood.
The production will run March 22nd - April 15th, 2012; preview performances from March 20th – March 21st. General Admission - $20, Students/Seniors - $10 & Previews - 2 for 1 - $20/$15 (for single ticket). Group rates available. For tickets call 312-239-8783 or visit: www.UrbanTheaterChicago.org.
For additional information on UTC, visit:
www.facebook.com/UrbanTheater or www.twitter.com/UrbanTheater.
Mission: UrbanTheater Company (UTC) is committed to the creation and exploration of urban-inspired works that convey, illuminate and empathize with the human experience.
[PRESS RELEASE] URBANTHEATER COMPANY ANNOUNCES CAST FOR MIDWEST PREMIERE OF SUZAN-LORI PARKS’ CONTROVERSIAL PLAY “FUCKING A”
CONTACT: For questions, contact Ivan Vega at (708) 370-3138 or
ivanvega@urbantheaterchicago.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JANUARY 10, 2012
URBANTHEATER COMPANY ANNOUNCES CAST FOR MIDWEST PREMIERE OF PULITZER PRIZE WINNER SUZAN-LORI PARKS’ CONTROVERSIAL PLAY “FUCKING A”
Led by Kelly Owens, Best Actress Nominee (Black Theatre Alliance Awards) and Madrid St. Angelo, Best Supporting Actor Nominee (Joseph Jefferson Awards), UrbanTheater Company’s production features an ethnically diverse combination of Chicago notables and newcomers.
Sixteen actors in all, the cast includes: Owens, St. Angelo, Lyndsay Kane, Kamal Hans, Amrita Dhaliwal, Lance Newton, Robert Hope, Greg Wenz, Michael Moran, David Guiden, Joan McGrath, Bert Matias, Courtney Berne, Brandon Holmes, Warren Levon and Brian Mason. At the directing helm is Richard Perez, Theatre Communications Group (TCG) Fellow and former Associate Artistic Director for Chicago Dramatist. Prior to his Fellowship, Perez was the Producing Artistic Director for the Bloomington Playwrights Project in Bloomington, IN.
Synopsis: “Fucking A” is set in a post apocalyptic world and centers around ‘Hester’, an abortionist who must take life, in order to save the life of her imprisoned son, ‘Monster”. Inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, “The Scarlet Letter”, “Fucking A” explores societal corruption and the enduring, deep and profound love one mother has for her child.
Bonnie Metzgar, current Artistic Director for Chicago’s About Face Theatre Company (and Associate Producer for the Public Theatre’s 2003 production of “Fucking A”), has agreed to assist the production as an Artistic Adviser.
Suzan-Lori Parks received The MacArthur Foundation Genius Award in 2001 and the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for her play, “Topdog/Underdog”.
“After the critically acclaimed Midwest Premiere of Nilo Cruz’s ‘Beauty of the Father’, UrbanTheater Company remains as Chicago’s Premiere multicultural non-equity theatre company, with a history of preserving, producing, promoting and performing the works of under represented minority actor’s and playwrights”, says Artistic Director, Madrid St. Angelo.
“Fucking A” will be performed at the Wicker Park Art Center from Friday, March 2nd through Saturday, March 31st, 2012 (Thursday through Saturday) at 7:30pm, with only four previews beginning Monday, February 27th through Thursday, March 1st, 2012 at 7:30pm.
General Admission - $20, Students/Seniors - $10 & Previews - 2 for 1 - $20/$15 (for single ticket). Group rates available. For tickets call 312-239-8783 or visitwww.UrbanTheaterChicago.org
For additional information on UTC, visit:
www.UrbanTheaterChicago.org, www.facebook.com/UrbanTheater or www.twitter.com/UrbanTheater.
Mission: UrbanTheater Company (UTC) is committed to the creation and exploration of urban-inspired works that convey, illuminate and empathize with the human experience.
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[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE] URBANTHEATER COMPANY FOUNDERS HIT THE STAGE IN U.S. PREMIERE
Contact Executive Director Ivan Vega at (708 370-3138)
or email ivanvega@urbantheaterchicago.org
URBANTHEATER COMPANY FOUNDERS HIT THE STAGE IN U.S. PREMIERE
CHICAGO-IL (May 10, 2011)Two of the founders of UrbanTheater Company, one of Chicago’s leading Latino based multicultural non-equity companies, will be seen on stage in the U.S. Premiere of “Life is a Dream” presented by the Vitalist Theatre at Stage 773.Urban’s Executive Director, Ivan Vega (After Dark Award Winner, “Eulogy For A Small Time Thief”) and Artistic Director, Madrid St. Angelo (Jeff Award Nominee, “A Passage To India”) will appear in the show running May 10 to June 11, 2011. Also appearing are: Paul Dunckel,Vanessa Greenway, Lyndsay Kane, Gregory Isaac, BF Helman, Matthew Allis and Will Gillespie.
Written by Calderon de la Barca in the 16th century, this production features a new version by Helen Edmundson and direction by Elizabeth Carlin-Metz and fulfills Vitalist Theatre’s commitment to plays of compelling ideas, muscular language, visceral performances and lyrical design.
The press opening is Tuesday, May 10 at 7:30pm with regular performances Thursdays to Sundays. Stage 773 is at located at 1225 W. Belmont. The box office is 773-327-5252. For more information in Vitalist Theatre go to: http://www.vitalisttheatre.org
[PRESS RELEASE] URBANTHEATER COMPANY BEGINS THEIR 6TH YEAR WITH A NEW HOME
URBANTHEATER COMPANY BEGINS THEIR 6TH YEAR
WITH A NEW HOME
CONTACT: Elayne LeTraunik/Press & Media Relations
(CHICAGO, IL) March 22, 2011 - UrbanTheater Company (UTC), which begins its 6th year of production in May, announces that they will be going into a new home beginning in the summer of 2011.
After several years of performing at the Batey Urbano in Humboldt Park, UTC has been invited to take up their Season 6 Residence as part of El Teatro at the Center at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA) at Halsted and Chicago Avenue.
This invitation caps off a year of high points in the Latino based multicultural theater’s history, including appearing at the Latino Theatre Festival at the Goodman last summer and then being chosen as one of three emerging companies to participate in the 2nd annual Steppenwolf Garage Rep Series. Their current production of “Sonnets for an Old Century” by José Rivera has attracted not only sold out houses but also enormous community response and praise from the author himself, who stated that it was “A brilliant production” and “perfectly cast.”
UrbanTheater will continue their relationship at Batey Urbano for staged readings, outreach programming, mentorship, and the development of new works but their mainstage shows will be produced at the CCPA. The center gives the UTC access to several performing spaces as well as rehearsal space.
UrbanTheater is planning an open house for the public and the press mid to late summer to kick off their upcoming season in their new home.
UrbanTheater Company (UTC) is committed to the creation and exploration of urban-inspired works that convey, illuminate and empathize with the human experience. The multicultural company was founded in 2005 by a Latino ensemble deeply rooted in their community and culture, which through performance art bring awareness to the social issues impacting Chicago communities. As a platform for multicultural representation in the performance arena, UTC serves as a bridge between Chicago performing artistic, our respective communities and the youth we work with. Although UTC operates with an intrinsic focus on creating new works, we also engage in performing classic plays and contemporary adaptations.
For questions, contact Executive Director Ivan Vega at (708 370-3138) or email ivanvega@urbantheaterchicago.org or Elayne LeTraunik at virtualelayne.com. For additional information on UrbanTheater, visit www.UrbanTheaterChicago.org, www.facebook.com/UrbanTheater, or www.twitter.com/UrbanTheater
UrbanTheater Company Chosen to Participate at the Goodman Theatre’s 5th Biennial Latino Festival - July 25th at 5pm
UrbanTheater Company
From the Streets to the Stage
CONTACT: Ivan Vega
(708) 370 -3138
ivanvega@urbantheaterchicago.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
URBANTHEATER COMPANY CHOSEN TO PERFORM AT THE GOODMAN THEATRE’S 5th BIENNIAL LATINO THEATRE FESTIVAL, July 25, 2010 at 5pm
(CHICAGO, IL) July 9, 2010 — UrbanTheater Company is proud to announce that they have been chosen to participate in the 5th Biennial Latino Theatre Festival at The Goodman Theatre.
Now beginning their 5th year of operation, UrbanTheater Company will be performing “A Lover’s Dismantling: Fragments of a Scenic Discourse” (Desmontaje Amoroso) by Elena Guiochins. Translated by Andy Bragen and directed by Marti Lyons, the show will be presented on Sunday, July 25, 2010 at 5pm in the Owen Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn, Chicago. The show will be presented in English.
UrbanTheater’s fall production will bethe Midwest premiere of Brainpeople by Jose Rivera, which runs from November 5 – December 5, 2010. UrbanTheater Company’s most recent production was the Jeff Recommended Chicago premiere of Cuba and His Teddy Bear, which ran to sold-out houses at the Batey Urbano from November 6 – December 13, 2009.
UrbanTheater Company is a collective of ethnically diverse Chicago artists and performers created by a Latino ensemble deeply rooted in their community and was brought together with a commitment to the creation and exploration of urban inspired works.
Tickets to the Latino Festival are free. For reservations call (312) 443-3800.
For questions, contact Ivan Vega at (708 379-3138 or email ivanvega@urbantheaterchicago.org. For additional information on UrbanTheater, visit www.UrbanTheaterChicago.org, www.facebook.com/UrbanTheater, or www.twitter.com/UrbanTheater.
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