Up Next: Striking 12

 This weekend, BoHo Theatre will say a teary good-bye to Pippin. It's been an absolute privilege to share this journey with you, our audience members and we hope you enjoyed watching the production as much as we enjoy producing it. If you haven't yet had the chance to see this Jeff Recommended musical, there's still time!

Next Up: BoHo Theatre's hit holiday musical Striking 12 returns to the Heartland Studio in Rogers Park for another year of toe-tapping cheer. From the funk-rock trio GrooveLily and Rachel Sheinkin, the Tony-awarding winning writer of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Striking 12 is an inventive concert/musical that is the perfect way to spend a cold winter night in Chicago this holiday season.

This musical experience is an uplifting combination of art, performance, and celebration that embodies the four BoHo pillars of Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Love in equal parts. Thanks to overwhelming response from our audiences at last year's production of Striking 12, BoHo is bringing the show back as an annual non-mainstage holiday production. Last year Chicago Tribune theater critic Chris Jones called BoHo's Striking 12 "a match for those who hate holiday musicals... this is a score with tunes that float around the room and lyrics that are able to get inside your head."

Tickets are on sale now and we look forward to ringing in the holiday season with an un-holiday celebration!

There's still time....

Good Morning -

Can you believe it is November already? It seems like only yesterday we were gearing up for the opening of Pippin, and now we are watching Macy's put up their holiday display.

While many are already ramping up for the holidays, there is still time to enjoy the magic of Pippin.  Check out this interview with Chicago Theatre Review, featuring our own Shaun Nathan Baer (it even includes a live performance of Corner of the Sky!)

And if that doesn't convince you just see what our critics are saying:

Don't miss your chance to see the BoHo's Jeff Recommended production of Pippin, now playing at Theater Wit.

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who attended the Second Sunday Reception at Cooper's Chicago!

On Sunday, October 23rd, BoHo celebrated its first "Second Sunday" promotion and celebrated the success of Pippin. We were sponsored by Cooper's Chicago, who was able to offer our patrons free food and cash bar. Patrons were able to connect and network with members of the cast and creative team of the show - and learn more about the fun activities BoHo has planned for the remainder of our season.

It's not too late to see Pippin - playing at Theater Wit through November 13th. Get your tickets today and share in the magic of BoHo.

Specials, Specials, Specials

It’s almost time for Week 2 of Pippin and we wanted to make sure you knew about BoHo’s special offers and savings:

- On Sunday, October 23rd, BoHo is celebrating its Second Sunday. Enter the codeword MAGIC when ordering your tickets and you will receive $5 off your ticket price.

- Also on Sunday, October 23rd, BoHo is hosting a reception at Cooper’s Chicago, located at 1232 W Belmont, across the street from Theater Wit. Patrons will enjoy complimentary food and cash bar. We encourage all our patrons from the Sunday matinee to come, eat and celebrate BoHo!

- Lastly, did you know that your ticket stub and program get you a 10% discount at Cooper’s Chicago? It’s our way of saying thanks for supporting local theater in Lakeview.

Tickets are available through BoHo’s website - we hope to see you soon!

Thank you for Supporting BoHo!

Thank you to everyone who came out to support the opening weekend of Pippin. This weekend, we had the pleasure of sharing our opening with a sold out house. Friends and family gathered to enjoy food and drinks at Cooper's - Chicago. Tickets are going fast! So don't forget to order yours today and come share the magic of Pippin.

Peter Blair, Executive Director of BoHo with
Pippin cast member, Gabriel Stern.

BoHo Company Member, Rebecca Mauldin
with Opening Night Audience Member.

Travis Porchia with
BoHo Board Member, Robert Turner.

Members of the cast of Pippin,Tyler Sawyer Smith and Gabriel Stern.

Break a Leg, Cast and Crew!

The Bohemian Theatre Ensemble would like to wish the Cast and Crew a happy opening weekend! If you missed your chance to secure a ticket for this weekend, you can still  reserve one for next weekend and join the fun.

    As a reminder, you are invited to join us at Cooper’s Chicago on Saturday, October 15th to celebrate the opening weekend of Pippin. Patrons will enjoy a 10% discount on food with cash bar and the opportunity to connect and celebrate our opening with the cast and creative team. We look forward to seeing you there!

My Corner of the Sky: From Assistant Director, Anna Hammonds

I have lately become fascinated with how process works when an actor is fighting for the life a character during rehearsals.  With the great opportunity to assist for Boho's up-coming production of Pippin, I have a front row seat to the actors working through their process.  They are doing a fantastic job of staying focused and professional, and I am delighted to see them really fight for the character's journey.  

Perhaps the most intriguing part of this rehearsal process is seeing actors Shaun Nathan Baer and Travis Porchia define the dynamic between their two characters.  Playing Pippin and Leading Player, respectively, they carry the weight of the show on their shoulders.  And they are doing so with grace, concern and the utmost care.  There is a sort of protectiveness that happens when an actor truly cares for his or her character.  I believe all the actors in Pippin are doing an amazing job of protecting the integrity of the playwright's intention, while crafting a unique and different take that is all their own.  

The journey has been amazing thus far, and everyone's process has been so enlightening to watch.  Director Peter Marston Sullivan's vision for the show has been inspiring to watch unfold, and Brenda Didier's choreography has made me squeal in rehearsal.  And I'm not kidding.  A couple of times she has asked what was wrong when such outbursts occur, to which I can only reply, "It just looks so good. I can't wait."  And that is the truth.  I can't wait for our audience to join us.

For more information on BoHo's production of Pippin, please visit our website and don't forget to buy your tickets. We look forward to seeing you there.

My Corner of the Sky: Pippin

When I used to think of Pippin, I always thought of Ben Vereen, Fosse, and all these great songs that were fun, engaging but overall presentational. After reading the script, however, I saw the music and the character of Pippin very differently. Instead of a young man bouncing from experience to experience, as I expected, I found a man who is so desperate to achieve something “more” that he is nearly consumed by it. I found a real character who keeps trying new ways to achieve “success” and running head-first into a brick wall. 

This process is really fascinating for me because, as I explore Pippin through memorization, staging, and choreography, I’m finding that Pippin is teaching me a thing or two about Shaun. One of Pippin’s biggest challenges is his inability to savor a particular moment. His focus on achieving an “amazing future” blocks him from the reality of his present until it’s too late and the moment has passed him by. 

When juggling performances, rehearsals, part-time jobs, a relationship, a budget, laundry, etc…it can be really easy to miss a moment in lieu of trying to get it all done. Acting teachers talk about the concept of using personal experiences to inform your performance. But I’m finding that as I think along these lines, the lessons Pippin learns are informing my day-to-day experiences as well. 

Additionally, the chemistry between every member of this cast is just astonishing. Everyone is so present and is able to give so much in each scene, which makes slipping into this role and this world so wonderful. Pippin is trying to find the answers to questions that we all have about our lives, which are, “Does my life have meaning? What is that meaning? How do I find it?” Everyone he meets has a different answer and everyone I’m working with gives so much to fuel his journey. There is an energy that’s building from rehearsal to rehearsal and it just keeps getting stronger and brighter. I can’t wait to see what happens tonight.

-- Shaun Nathan Baer, originally from Oak Park, IL, returned to Chicago in 2008 after performing in Minnesota for several years. Member and co-founder of Catalyst Cabaret and dedicated Star Trek fanatic for twenty-four years.

My Corner of the Sky: How to Build an Ensemble

My process of finding my character in Pippin has been very exciting for me. As one of the three ensemble women, I’ve had a lot of freedom thanks to our wonderful director, to play and explore who my Player will become. I initially thought about where my character encounters Pippin in the scenes and what I was trying to do. Once I figured out what my relationship to Pippin was, I moved onto to what I was doing physically. This was a great way for me to “key in” to my character. As a dancer, physicality always helps me find who a character is and helps me inform the way they think, react, and speak.

I played around in rehearsals with how my character stands, walks, and sits and ended finding this dim, whimsical, yet charming character within that physicality. I toyed around with how she would stand and react around the leading characters, which certainly helped me find a base of who she was and how she could shift when she was around certain people. Through finding my character’s physicality, I was able to discover how my character spoke and interacted with the other players. She has a ditzy, quirky, yet alluring quality about her, which is so fun to play. I discovered that she’s not just a dumb character, but she has qualities about her that are a little scatterbrained, yet she is smart in her own way as well. She’s definitely a type of woman I thought Pippin would encounter on his journey to find himself.

The style of the character also ended up being just right for the style of show, constantly enticing, magical, and fun!

--Kelsey Andres loves Fosse, and also loves reading her horoscope way too much. She enjoys spending time with her devious puppy, Elroy.

You Are Cordially Invited...

to an Opening Night Event with the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble

Where: Cooper's, located just across the street from Theater Wit
1232 W Belmont Avenue

When: Saturday, October 15th

 Join us, as we celebrate the opening of Pippin! Show your ticket stub and enjoy at 10% discount on food while enjoying the convenience of a cash bar. Come play with us and learn more about everything Boho has planned for this season!

Tickets for Pippin are on sale now ... we hope you will join us at Theater Wit on the 15th!

My Corner of the Sky: Finding Myself in the Leading Player

This has always been my dream role, not just because of how it showcases the performer playing the role, but the work he gets to do, the journey he gets to take to get to "Leading Player".  It's been amazing.  Leading Player, is the alter ego I always wish I was brave enough to let come to light.  How he moves, how he speaks, the ease with which he exists in time. It's so not me.  

I thank Peter Marston Sullivan for introducing me to what "control" means in the context of this show and to the spirit of Leading Player.  This journey to finding moments of control is very exciting for me because I've found I'm applying what I learn in rehearsal into my everyday life.  We are all are trying to find what and how we control the events in our lives.  Physical control is very powerful; moving in space on purpose, with purpose is a tactic you will see with Leading Player and I am interested to see each night how he wins or looses control.  

Everybody in this cast is so talented, and so much fun to be around.  It's a sexy cast.  It's a sexy show.  Thinking about them makes me want to put down this slice of pie and go run on the treadmill for an hour.  Enough said.  

I can't say enough about how humbled I am by this experience. It's athletic, it's sensual, sexy, scary, thought provoking and most of all - FUN! 

Come see it. 

Trust me, you want to!

Travis Michael Porchia is a native of Detroit, active list maker, current cat owner, and lover of Marvel Comics. He currently lives in Hyde Park.

My Corner of the Sky: An Extraordinary Definition

I've never seen Pippin.  My only exposure to this show was in high school (so very long ago).  I saw a musical review where "Corner of the Sky" was performed.  The song had quite an effect on me, especially at that time in my life.  "The world is my oyster, and my young life is filled with optimistic possibilities!  I think I'm meant to search for 'extraordinary', and goddamn it, I'm gonna find it!"  And...here I am now - older, cynical and downtrodden.  No, I kid...but I know what it feels like to wake up with doubt and lay my head down at night feeling beaten.  When cast as Catherine, I was filled with immediate anxiety, remembering the hope I felt when the play first made its impact on me, and now getting the chance to take a stab at it as the woman I've become.  Do I still feel like there's something special out there waiting for me?  How do I approach this adventure with the scars I've gained?  

I think what's so beautiful about this play is that every single character has a different definition of "extraordinary".  This isn't just of story of a boy finding his purpose.  Anyone could do that with a little determination.  But in this world of ours, and Pippin's, we come in contact with different folks everyday that shape, change and define who we are.  Even if our dreams remain intact, we never know who is going to turn the corner and possibly alter our outlook.  And what I love about our director's approach to this Pippin is that we aren't presenting one-dimensional musical theatre caricatures that dance some Fosse and sing some Schwartz.  Peter urges us to fill this world with complicated, confused, multi-faceted and imperfect human beings each searching for their own definition of "extraordinary", all the while effecting one another and navigating/educating/seducing/accompanying Pippin along his way.   The more complex our characters are, the more marvelous, passionate, and entertaining the journey will hopefully be to our corners of the sky.  That's our ambition, anyway...  

So far, my road as Catherine has been paved with a combination of frustration and surprising realizations.  I'm trying to embrace her/my flaws and always be aware of her/my wounds while I continue the search.  And I'm thrilled this is my first full experience with this play.  I wouldn't want to have created Catherine as the hopeful, young, optimist I used to be.  Where the heck is the fun in that?

-- Dana Tretta has been an actress in Chicago for the past 8 years.  She loves to pet and hug as many dogs as possible and attempt cooking with her friend, Bethany Thomas.

My Corner of the Sky: My Artistic Transition

It's funny, because the corner of the sky I have discovered is different then where I thought it would be. That transition happened in college when I met my mentor - Linde Herman who was my professor.  I had always wanted to act, but it was through her that I gained a love and respect for the craft, and the art of being a teacher.  She directed the children's shows at our college and that’s where my love for that began - because whatever Linde did was gold in my eyes!    I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would have my very own theatre company- Li'l Buds, never mind a children's theatre company at that! And to have a performance career as well as having the privilege to pass on the craft (and love of the arts) to children and possibly future performers?  Well, that's a corner of the sky that was way higher than I was reaching for.

All actors have their dream roles and Pippin is a show I have always wanted to do. I never thought I would be Fastrada, though. I had only dreamed of being in the ensemble because I loved the music - and the Fosse!  It's such a challenge to take on roles were created by iconic performers like Chita Rivera.  However, the same story can be told in different ways by different people, and the process of finding my Fastrada has been influenced by the storytellers: Director, Peter Marston Sullivan and Choreographer, Brenda Didier. My sense of discovery continues to be influenced by the creative themes as well as my scene partners.  I still have a long way to go, but I can see my Fastrada in that corner of the sky.

Jenny Lamb (@ripskintinkle ) is a Chicago actress  co-founder and Artistic Director of Li'l Buds Theatre Company and a Teaching Artist at Second City. She will be playing the role of Fastrada in Pippin.

My Corner of the Sky: A Part Worth Waiting For...

In 1981, The Grand Blanc High School escorted Theatre Department to a little road trip to the University of Detroit.  We were going to see a musical I had heard about but knew little about – Pippin .  And boy, did I like it.  I bought the LP (which I still have), the book of musical selections from the show (now completely tattered), and put it on my list of shows I simply had to do one day.

Thirty years later, the opportunity has finally arrived. Back then, I wanted to play the Leading Player or Pippin but I figured when the time came, I would probably play Charlemagne (Charles The Great).  Once a character actor, always a character actor I guess…

It is very interesting to play a character with such an illustrious and expansive history.  As an actor, I must carry that knowledge into rehearsals and see how the real history affects my work and the actors portraying my characters' family, the soldiers, and subjects.  Then, I must embrace the characters' good side (demanding excellent education for his children) and his bad side (the man liked war and all its spoils).  And finally, throw in some singing and dancing and make it all work - absolutely no pressure.

Of course, this production will give me the extra bonus of exploring the feminine side of Charles – I’d tell you more, but it’s a surprise.  This is a challenging prospect that you probably should not miss.

So my long wait is over to do this show.
I’m singing glorious music and playing a character bigger than life.
And I couldn’t be happier!
 
Won't you join us?
-- Michael Kingston has been in Chicago for 20+ years and is pleased to be making his third appearance with Boho. Turn ons include: novels by Augusten Burroughs, total schlock on the SyFy Channel, and a good Maker's Mark Manhattan.

Welcome to Our 2011-2012 Season

Summer has officially come to an end in Chicago - and as everyone pulls out their sweaters in preparation for the change in season, the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble is anxiously awaiting the kick-off of their 2011-2012 Production Season at Theater Wit. The summer was an amazing assortment of activity for our company and board. After enjoying a wonderful run of Icarus, BoHo welcomed new friends along with some familiar faces to our Annual Benefit, the Skyview Soiree. Our attendees were able to enjoy good food, silent raffle items which were donated by local artists and a beautiful entertainment series from past shows. We also were invited to revive Big River for our friends at Theater on the Lake which played five performances to a spectacular group of Theater Lovers.  

And now, it’s time to focus on what’s next. On behalf of the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble, I want to say thank you for your constant support of Chicago’s theater community. We look forward to seeing you at the theater!

Pippin 
By Stephen Schwartz
Directed by Peter Marston Sullivan
October 14 - November 13, 2011

What does it mean to live an extraordinary life? This is the question that drives Pippin through the adventures of war, sex, politics and love -- all the while guided by the malicious hand of the Leading Player. While the Players strive to steer Pippin towards the perfect, theatrically tragic end of his story, Pippin begins to discover what it truly means to be extraordinary in our world.

Tartuffe
By Moliere, Adapted by Ranjit Bolt
Directed by Peter Robel
January 13 – February 12, 2012

Moliere’s scandalous farce crackles with humor and wit in Ranjit Bolt’s modern-language adaptation. When the patriarch of a wealthy falls under the spell of Tartuffe, a con-man masquerading as a man of God, his family goes to hilarious lengths to show him the error of his ways. But it seems the cunning Tartuffe is always one step ahead of the game…   

The Rainmaker
By N. Richard Nash
Directed by Stephen Genovese
April 6 – May 6, 2012

Saddled to a failing cattle ranch in the Dust Bowl with a family of menfolk, Lizzy Curry has just about given up hope of finding love and escape. But when a charming trickster named Starbuck breezes into town promising to bring rain for $100, Lizzy’s father gives the man the last of the family’s savings, knowing that what he has to offer them, and Lizzy, is more than just rain. The Rainmaker is a classic American stale of the power of hope during hard times.

Floyd Collins
A musical by Tina Landau and Adam Guettel
Directed by Peter Marston Sullivan
June 15 – July 15, 2012

In January of 1925, celebrated Kentucky explorer Floyd Collins was searching for a cave system whose tourist draw would make his family rich. Instead, he became trapped in a narrow crawl-way 55 feet below ground. His family’s rescue attempts quickly create a national media circus, and rescue begins to take a backseat to profit. This true story features a musical style drawn from authentic bluegrass, folk, and Americana.