Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Dream Theatre 2014 season

We shuffled things around a little, thanks to our move, and we are so happy to share with you the shows you will be seeing in our new Laboratory space in Lincoln Square! 

First up, audience and critic favorite ANNA, IN THE DARKNESS will be running every week between mainstage shows. 

The first mainstage will be ALLIGATOR: Not monsters from the past, drug addiction, mental collapse nor well-intentioned Olympic gymnasts can prevent a young woman from falling in love and rediscovering hope.

Next is the third installment of Dream Theatre's 15-minute horror play / haunted house experiences: where one to four audience members play the lead role: AUDIENCE ANNIHILATED: CHERRY BOMB


Then it's THE UNCHOSEN, where a guilt-ridden factory worker whose parents chose to keep him marries one of the countless, expendable “unchosen” orphans of their dystopian society. The realities revealed threaten to ignite a revolution.


Then in December we have the lovely A CHRISTMAS CAROL, ABRIDGED. It has been called " a fantastic three-person production of the essential A Christmas Carol ... This is how to be entertained. It's classy. It's well performed. It's a perfect capstone to Christmas." 

We will publish dates soon!















Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Megan - DTC and community partnerships

I think most everyone has a cause that's close to their heart. Dream Theatre has dedicated several past performances to raising money for the Tree House Humane Society, a wonderful no-kill cat shelter in Andersonville that specializes in caring for sick cats. The heroine of our Season 12 opener, RiO, was a victim of domestic violence and so we linked that show to North Side Community Resources' Victim Advocacy and Support Program, which does life-saving work for domestic violence survivors. 

There are so many organizations out there, like Tree House and NSCR, that provide services that improve the quality of life, and even save lives, and these organizations deserve our recognition and support. Long ago I worked briefly in social services myself, and it was brutal. It was good and necessary service but I burned out after a year. I have nothing but the utmost respect for people who dedicate their careers to helping others, day after day, week after week, because it takes a huge emotional and psychological toll on the provider.

So going forward, for each of our shows DTC would like to partner with one of the many Chicago-based organizations that do this kind of work: work that is hard but work that some depend on to eat, to work, to live. We want to know what community services organizations have made a difference for you or someone you love, so that we can recognize and possibly even help raise funds for them. You can link to these organizations in the comments or privately at megankmerrill at gmail dot com.

Below is what we printed in the program for RiO. We would like to identify our partners early in the season, so that together with each organization we can figure out how best to help them. And thank them.

photo by Megan Merrill

"My name is Mary Graves, and I am a victim of spousal abuse."
-opening line from RiO 
There are lots of people like Mary Graves, including some who are a part of Dream Theatre Company. We wanted to take a moment to talk about domestic violence outside of the play. The way the state of Illinois sees it, if anyone you've lived with or had a relationship with hurts, threatens or abuses you -- physically, emotionally or sexually -- then that is domestic violence and help is available to you. No one should have to do what Mary Graves does: walk for miles and ask strangers for change.
One resource available is North Side Community Resources' Victim Advocacy and Support Program. They will loan you a free phone, so you can contact people without being monitored. They will help you get an Order of Protection to keep your abuser away from you. They will connect you with places to stay, legal representation, medical help and counseling. They will literally hold your hand through a court process that can be confusing and frightening. If you are in an abusive situation but are not yet ready to leave, they will give you a phone, provide you with options and help you create a safety plan to prepare yourself and your loved ones for future unsafe situations. No one will pressure you or judge you; they will support you both before you leave the abuse and after.
If you live with domestic violence -- whether you are male or female, no matter what the relationship to the abuser -- or know someone who needs this help, call them. If you don't, please consider donating to them. They do life-saving work. 
North Side Community Resources
Jennifer Caruso
773-338-7722 x15
jennifer@northsidecr.org
Other resources:
Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network: 312-527-0730 batteredwomensnetwork.org
Between Friends: 800-603-HELP (24-hour crisis line) betweenfriendschicago.org
City of Chicago Domestic Violence hotline: 877-863-6338

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

We are moving!!

We are SO EXCITED YOU GUYS. Today we got confirmation that we will be moving into our new home in Lincoln Square! The storefront at 5026 N. Lincoln will be converted into a 30-odd-seat laboratory space for Dream Theatre, -- close to the el! -- and we hope to have it ready and running some shows in July. We can't wait to meet our neighbors and join the community there!

Monday, May 5, 2014

Best of Chicago 2014: Anna in the Darkness and Megan Merrill

Voting for the Chicago Reader's Best of Chicago 2014 Poll is now open, and we think Dream Theatre has some of the most outstanding artists in the city. The play that has come to be our signature piece, ANNA, IN THE DARKNESS, is now in its 12th year and nominated for BEST LONG RUNNING PLAY. Megan Merrill, nominated for BEST ACTRESS, has been playing Anna for over four of them.
Megan Merrill in the 2012 production of Anna, in the Darkness
All most people know when they see Anna, in the Darkness for the first time is that Anna is a schoolteacher trapped in her house in small-town Texas, and tonight is the night the people of her town finally come to kill her. Playing Anna once was a rite of passage for actresses hoping to become Dream Theatre Company members; the role has been played by at least a dozen actresses, sometimes two in the same show. Before the show was extended into an open run, many of our Audience would come back Halloween after Halloween to see Anna, and some even would make sure they saw each actress playing Anna in a given year. Anna has been played in a tent, in abstract darkness, in a basement, with different endings for different actresses ... after 12 years our Audience still loves Anna, still wants to experience terror along with her. 

And so does Megan. Megan Merrill has been a company member with Dream Theatre since 2008. Her performance as Anna has been called "flawless" (Chicago Reader) and a "tour de force" (NewCity Chicago). She has this to say about her tenure as Anna: 
"After four years, I still discover new things about Anna in every performance, and it's because every performance has a new Audience. I see what parts of Anna's story they respond to, what parts scare them, what parts upset them. Anna's story is reflected back to me in the Audience's faces. Anna speaks directly to the Audience -- there is no fourth wall -- and she needs them to know her story, she needs them to understand. Some Audience are there with her right away and some need Anna to bring them in. Anna's experience changes based on what the Audience feels along with her, and so playing Anna is just as intense, and just as terrifying, as the first time I stepped on stage with my candle." 
Megan in the 2013-2014 Anna, in the Darkness

These are the other votes we cast in the poll. We'll be posting more about the artists we think deserve recognition as the week goes on. Click here to vote!
Best Long-Running Play: Anna, in the Darkness
Best New Play: Amleth, Princess of Denmark
Best Off-Loop Theatre Company: Dream Theatre Company
Best Stage Director: Anna & Jeremy Menekseoglu
Best Actor: Jeremy Menekseoglu
Best Actress: Megan Merrill (for Anna, in the Darkness)
Best Performing Arts Festival: Chicago Fringe
Best Burlesque Troupe: Vaudezilla 

Friday, May 2, 2014

Best of Chicago 2014: Jeremy Menekseoglu

Voting for the Chicago Reader's Best of Chicago 2014 Poll is now open, and we think Dream Theatre has some of the most outstanding artists in the city. Here's a little bit about Jeremy Menekseoglu, who we voted as Best Playwright, Best Actor and one of the Best Directors:

Jeremy Menekseoglu as the title character in Agamemnon

One of the four founders of Dream Theatre Company, Jeremy has written more than 40 full-length plays, most of which have been produced as world premieres here at Dream Theatre, where he has been the Artistic Director since 2003.

Some of his plays include: The Tragedy of Amleth, Princess of Denmark; Anna, in the Darkness; the trilogy Peter Pan’s Shadow (named Best New Work 2012 by the Chicago Reader); The Agon Trilogy (named Best of Chicago 2010 by the Chicago Reader); Somewhere in Texas (Critic's Choice, Chicago Reader, 2009); The Black Duckling (Jeff Recommended 2009); and Ismene, which opened simultaneously in five countries for The Ismene Project in 2011.

Jeremy as Cruel Paul in Devilish Children and the Civilizing Process
These are the other votes we cast in the poll. We'll be posting more about the artists we think deserve recognition as the week goes on. Click here to vote!
Best Long-Running Play: Anna, in the Darkness
Best New Play: Amleth, Princess of Denmark
Best Off-Loop Theatre Company: Dream Theatre Company
Best Stage Director: Anna & Jeremy Menekseoglu
Best Actor: Jeremy Menekseoglu
Best Actress: Megan Merrill (for Anna, in the Darkness)
Best Performing Arts Festival: Chicago Fringe
Best Burlesque Troupe: Vaudezilla