Congo Square Theatre Explores Extremes of the Mind For Fifteenth Theatrical Season
August 2014 Congo Square Theatre Company celebrates its 15th year of theatrical productions with a focus on
the fragility of the mind and how extreme circumstances drive people. The award-winning ensemble company will explore the delicate state of the human mind, and how people often find solutions to extreme circumstances via extreme measures. This season is the debut for Artistic Director, Samuel G. Roberson, Jr. and promises to deliver something for established patrons and also for those newcomers to the world of theatre.
Heading up the production portion of the season is a world premiere that puts a new twist on a much-loved holiday tradition at Congo Square, A Nativity Story: More than a Miracle, written and co-directed by Ensemble member Alexis J. Rogers and Rueben Echoles. Spring 2015 brings the world premiere of Twisted Melodies, a piece that takes a look into the final day of life for music legend Donny Hathaway through the lens of paranoid schizophrenia, created by Artistic Associate, Kelvin Roston Jr. with Roberson also serving as director for the production.
The exciting 2014/2015 season also features a series of free or low-cost events presented as part of Congo Square’s signature Jambalaya Series, held at multiple venues in Chicago, like the Harold Washington Public Library and The Cultural Center. The event series was created to encourage under-served community engagement in the arts. The first Jambalaya event, Tales from the Black Side is scheduled this September at the Athenaeum Theatre in Chicago.
To conclude the season, Congo Square will conduct a nationwide conversation entitled “Owning our Worth” which will culminate in a conference during the American Arts Festival in June 2015, to discuss sustainability for theaters of color. This event includes several key players from theatre groups across the country. Dates and venues for these events will be announced later in the year.
In a step toward the future, Congo Square has created the “I AM CONGO SQUARE” membership program designed to expose Congo’s brand of theatre to new audiences. This campaign for longevity has three tiers of giving, with an array of offerings that include invites to exclusive events, ticket giveaways and more. For more information on how to join the Congo Square Membership program, visit www.congosquaretheatre.org.
2014/2015 Season Schedule
Jambalaya Jumpoff
Sketch Comedy: Tales from the Black Side
Written and directed by Ensemble member, Anthony Irons
Featuring Ensemble Members: Ronald Conner, Ann Joseph-Douglas, Ericka Ratcliff
Guest Feature: Seth Williams
Run: September 8-21 2014
Location: Athenaeum Theater Building, Studio B, 2936 N. Southport, Chicago, IL 60657
2014/2015 Productions
A Nativity Story: More Than A Miracle (World Premiere)
Written by Alexis J. Rogers
Co-directed by Alexis J. Rogers and Rueben Echoles
Run: December 13 – 28, 2014
Opening: December 18, 2014 7:00pm
Thursday, Friday, Saturday 7:30pm
Matinees: Saturday and Sunday 3:00pm (Target Two-for One discounts)
Student Matinee: December 18, 2014 10:30am
performance
Closing: December 28, 2014
Location: Ruth Page Theatre, 1016 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60610
General Admission: $40 (plus fees)
Created by Kelvin Roston, Jr.
Directed by Samuel G. Roberson Jr.
Run: April 30 – June 14, 2015
Special Performance: April 11, 2015, 8:00 pm
Governor’s State University (One Night Series)
Previews: April 30 thru May 3rd (Target Two-for-One discounts)
Opening Night: May 4th
Regular Run: April 30th thru June 14, 2015
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:30 pm
Saturdays & Sundays: 2:00pm Target Two-for-One Matinees
General Admission: $30 (plus fees)
Location: Athenaeum Theater Building, Studio B, 2936 N. Southport, Chicago, IL 60657
Individual tickets for A Nativity Story: More than a Miracle on sale September 1, 2014 with Two-for-OneSaturday Matinee tickets provided by Target.
Individual Tickets for Twisted Melodies go on sale January 1, 2015, with Two-for-One Saturday Matinee tickets provided by Target.
More information is available at www.congosquaretheatre.org. For group sales inquiries, please contact the Congo Square Theatre offices at (773) 296-1108.
Congo Square Theatre’s 2014-2015 Season is sponsored in part by Target, the Illinois Arts Council, the Joyce Foundation, Illinois Tool Works, Exelon, Southwest Airlines and The MacArthur Fund for the Arts and Culture at Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.
About Congo Square Theatre Company
Congo Square Theater Company is an ensemble-based entity that seeks to broaden the scope of the theater-going experience.
The ensemble’s effort matches education and the performances of productions that push the envelope in the telling of the diverse stories from within the African Diaspora – that ultimately resonate throughout humanity. For more on Congo Square Theatre Company – visit CongoSquareTheatre.org