Things To Do in Chicago Today: Loopshop 8

Loopshop 8 is one of the Red Eye's Things To Do in Chicago Today. And let's be honest, you really DO want to see a play about a potato-powered time machine, don't you?

This is your last chance to catch these five plays! Loopshop 8 begins at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at The Charnel House, 3421 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. Tickets for the show are $10 at the door or online at Brown Paper Tickets.

Loopshop 8: All The World's An IKEA

To get you in the mood for Loopshop 8 — which happens next week at The Charnel House in Logan Square — we've been sharing some short teasers about all five of our featured plays here and on Facebook. (Like us if you haven't already.)

Our last play is All The World's An IKEA by Strangeloop Company Member Maria Burnham.

The intricate comedy and drama of a relationship unfolds in the unintentionally theatrical setting that is a "living in" display at an IKEA, fueled by cinnamon rolls and environmentally sustainable wood.

Directed by Strangeloop Associate Member John Morrison, All The World's An IKEA stars Strangeloop's Jean E. Burr as Liyah and Mark Lancaster as Andy.

Loopshop is Chicago-based Strangeloop Theatre's annual short play and new works series. This year's production features original short plays on topics ranging from Swedish furniture to time travel. 

Performances for Loopshop 8 will be at 8 p.m. on Monday, July 27, and Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at The Charnel House, 3421 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. Tickets for the show are $10 and are available at the door or online at Brown Paper Tickets. 

Loopshop 8 Bio: Jean E. Burr

Jean E. Burr (Liyah) is originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, but moved to Chicago in the midst of the 2013 polar vortex. Although always in pursuit of theatrical endeavors, she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a major in Film Studies and a minor in Japanese. She is an actress, singer and dancer, but she also enjoys costuming and set design/construction. You can find her under the alias Harley Darling, performing with burlesque companies like Gorilla Tango, Vaudezilla! and Plan 9. When not performing or solving problems at her muggle job (customer service), Jean loves superheroes, her cat, mozzarella sticks and trying to live every day like she's Furiosa from Mad Max: Fury Road.

Loopshop 8 Bio: Mark Lancaster

Mark Lancaster (Andy) grew up in Texas, but he hopes you won't hold that against him. Having finished his M.F.A. in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University in 2012, he has since devoted his time to Chicago stages as an actor, a burlesque performer/host, a stage combatant/choreographer and frequently gets to wear prosthetic foreheads on his real head. Everybody wants prosthetic foreheads on their real head.

Loopshop 8 Bio: John Morrison

John Morrison (Director, All The World's An IKEA) has worked as a director in Chicago for close to ten years. He is a proud member of the Bruised Orange Theater Company. He is an associate artist of Strangeloop where he assisted on Thinking Caps and directed last year's Loopshop play Spake. Favorite directing credits include Shuttle To Home, Autumn Leaves, Wyrd Sisters, The Bugaboo Room, Daddy Long Legs, Determination, The Nebraska Project, Geeks Vs. Zombies and Heft. jmorrisondirect.com

Loopshop 8: Birthday

To get you in the mood for Loopshop 8 — which happens next week at The Charnel House in Logan Square — we'll be sharing some short teasers about all five of our featured plays here and on Facebook. (Like us if you haven't already.)

Today we take a look at Birthday, written by Chicago playwright, songwriter and actor Jeff Bouthiette.

A same sex couple gets word they've been approved to adopt a child, but as they prepare to bring home the baby a new issue of familial identification arises that takes one partner by surprise.

Directed by Emmi Hilger, Birthday stars Alison Dornheggen as Ellen and Taylor Raye as Delia.

Loopshop is Chicago-based Strangeloop Theatre's annual short play and new works series. This year's production features original short plays on topics ranging from Swedish furniture to time travel. 

Performances for Loopshop 8 will be at 8 p.m. on Monday, July 27, and Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at The Charnel House, 3421 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. Tickets for the show are $10 and are available at the door or online at Brown Paper Tickets. 

Loopshop 8 Bio: Jeff Bouthiette

Jeff Bouthiette (Playwright, Birthday) is a Chicago-based playwright, songwriter and actor, and is currently the Head of the Training Center Music Program at the Second City. His evening-length one act, Wake, was selected for a Trellis reading at the Greenhouse on August 4, at 7 p.m. His original musical Janus was a finalist in Fine Print Theatre's 2013 Citizens Play Festival, and won in the Overall Entertainment category. His musical Miami Nice: A Golden Girls Musical was commissioned by Gorilla Tango Theatre, and was extended twice. Jeff began as a staff writer on The Ville, Bare Boned Theatre's LGBT soap opera, where he contributed to nineteen episodes.

Loopshop 8 Bio: Emmi Hilger

Emmi Hilger (Director, Birthday) is thrilled to be working with Strangeloop for the first time. She is currently also directing Love in the Time of Bumblehive by Jeff Tabnick with Stage Left. Emmi is the Artistic Director of Something Marvelous, a festival of magical realism, and she will soon join the staff of The Fine Print Theatre Company as Associate Artistic Director. With Something Marvelous, Emmi has produced and directed The Clean House by Sarah Ruhl and References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot by José Rivera. Directing credits also include Sand Castles by John Green (RhinoFest), 10 Things by Scott Tobin (Collaboraction), The Lover by Harold Pinter (Walkabout Theater Company) and Punk Grandpa, a one-woman show by Laura Scruggs that has performed across the country. She has worked extensively on new plays with Chicago Dramatists, The Fine Print Theatre Company, Piccolo Theatre, 20% Theatre Company, Women's Theatre Alliance, The Arc Theatre and Pegasus Players. Emmi is a proud graduate of Northwestern University. www.emmihilger.com

Loopshop 8 Bio: Alison Dornheggen

Alison Dornheggen (Ellen) is an actor, director, fight choreographer and administrator here in Chicago. Want to know more? You can certainly ask, or check out www.AlisonDornheggen.com. Thanks to Emmi for the opportunity, and all of you for supporting live theater.

Loopshop 8 Bio: Taylor Raye

Taylor Raye (Delia) is excited to be working on such an emotional piece with such talented people! She was last seen in Polarity's staged reading festival in Leavings and Girl Found, and at The Public House in Sleeping Around. The Colorado native is privileged to have the opportunity to take part in great new works around Chicago. And, as always, is forever grateful to her family and friends for their continued support!

Loopshop 8: Pity & Guilt

To get you in the mood for Loopshop 8 — which happens next week at The Charnel House in Logan Square — we'll be sharing some short teasers about all five of our featured plays here and on Facebook. (Like us if you haven't already.)

 Pity & Guilt, written by Los Angeles-based writer L.M. Frank.

Set in London during the 1970s, Pity & Guilt tells the story of a couple with a tumultuous relationship still haunted by their previous marriages. Their lives are further complicated by the arrival of a letter.

Directed by Maria Burnham, Pity & Guilt stars Justin Fill as Harry and Caitlin Jackson as Viviana.

Loopshop is Chicago-based Strangeloop Theatre's annual short play and new works series. This year's production features original short plays on topics ranging from Swedish furniture to time travel. 

Performances for Loopshop 8 will be at 8 p.m. on Monday, July 27, and Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at The Charnel House, 3421 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. Tickets for the show are $10 and are available at the door or online at Brown Paper Tickets. 

Loopshop 8 Bio: Caitlin Jackson

Caitlin Jackson (Viviana) can't say no when Strangeloop asks her to do something. They can pretty much boss her around as much as they want. Previously, she played Queen of the Fairies in last summer's Midsummer and then a homeless ukulele playing bartender in Christmas Clue-seau with them. Her voice may or may not have been heard in the last Loopshop and you might have seen her for a split second during Thinking Caps. She's a founding member of New American Folk Theatre, an artistic associate with Wayward Productions and an ensemble member with Hell in a Handbag where she can currently be seen playing Bette Midler in Bette, LIVE at the Continental Baths until August 21st. Thanks to Maria. You know what you did. Love to MDKS.

Loopshop 8 Bio: Maria Burnham

Maria Burnham (Playwright, All The World’s An IKEA; Director, Pity & Guilt) loves running around in the adult playland known as IKEA, forcing actors to act like normal people in plays — which goes against all their instincts — and eating cinnamon rolls. All of which she got to do in the course of Loopshop 8. Maria hates paperwork and writing bios, which she, unfortunately, also had to do during the course of Loopshop 8. Maria studied creative writing and theater at Louisiana State University, has been knocking around Chicago for a few years and is a proud company member of Strangeloop Theatre. Thanks to John, Jean, Mark, everyone who immediately said yes when I asked them to do Loopshop and especially to Justin and Caitlin and Robot Caitlin.

Loopshop 8 Bio: L.M. Frank

L.M. Frank (Playwright, Pity & Guilt) is a writer and musician from Los Angeles, CA. She holds a B.A. in philosophy from George Mason University and is currently a law student at the University of Southern California, where she works as a Senior Editor for the Interdisciplinary Law Journal.

Loopshop 8 Bio: Justin Fill

Justin Fill (Harry) is extremely excited to be a part of Loopshop 8. Justin studied acting and digital storytelling at Ball State University, and is a member of the Society of American Fight Directors. Chicago credits include Theatre-Hikes and Forget Me Not Theatre. Justin's focuses are theatrical violence, music and integrating and interpreting technology into stage and film. When not immersed in the world of Theatre, Justin is a part of the pet-care industry, a courier and yogi in training. If you have time for an epic story, ask him about his WVO-powered RV.

Loopshop 8: Here's My Card

To get you in the mood for Loopshop 8 — which happens next week at The Charnel House in Logan Square — we'll be sharing some short teasers about all five of our featured plays here and on Facebook. (Like us if you haven't already.)

Here's My Card, written by Chicago playwright, actor and director Paul Tinsley.

A naive antiques dealer, who is new to town, meets a less-than-reputable stranger at a bus stop who advises him on how best to keep his condo and all its valuables safe from robbers.

Directed by Breahan Pautsch, Here's My Card stars Linsey Falls as Mr. Loozer and Joe Giovannetti as Bart.

Loopshop is Chicago-based Strangeloop Theatre's annual short play and new works series. This year's production features original short plays on topics ranging from Swedish furniture to adoption. 

Performances for Loopshop 8 will be at 8 p.m. on Monday, July 27, and Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at The Charnel House, 3421 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. Tickets for the show are $10 and are available at the door or online at Brown Paper Tickets. 

Loopshop 8 Bio: Breahan Pautsch

Breahan Pautsch (Director, Here's My Card) is pleased to be working with Strangeloop again after directing a staged reading of Mitera earlier this year. She earned her B.A. in Theatre and English at University of Wisconsin-Madison, and has been working in Chicago as a director, literary manager and actor since 2003. As a director, she has worked with Akvavit, Raven Theatre, The International Voices Project, Hobo Junction Productions, Full Voice Productions, Mudgeonsoul Productions and Stockyards Theatre Project. She is the Literary Manager and Director of Development for Akvavit Theatre and is a proud ensemble member with Mudgeonsoul Productions.

Loopshop 8 Bio: Paul Tinsley

Paul Tinsley (Playwright, Here's My Card) is excited to have his short play in Loopshop 8. Usually, he is more accustomed to acting on stage than providing scripts for on stage. At least this way he doesn’t have to memorize as much. Some of the groups where Paul has performed include Rebekah Theatre Project, Strangeloop, Remy Bumppo, Northlight, Piven Theatre and Steppenwolf. This play tonight is dedicated to bail-bondsmen everywhere.

Loopshop 8 Bio: Linsey Falls

Linsey Falls (Mr. Loozer) is thrilled to pieces to be participating in this festival. His past work includes Chicago productions such as Factory Theater’s Namosaur (TigerAss/Cohort Doctor) and Hotel Aphrodite (Councilman Alton), Prop Thtr’s Slaughter City (Sausage Man), Drumming in the Night (Glub) and Debris of the Prophet (Athiest Gunman), Akvavit Theatre’s A Summer’s Day (Man) and Blue Planet (Bjarki), CityLit Theatre’s The Sign of the Four (Abdullah Kahn/Jameson) and Frankenstein (Karl, Constable, Judge), Adventure Stages Chicago’s Ghosts of Treasure Island (Tom Morgan), Commedia Beauregard's She Sings for You (Patron 1) and See You Soon (Man) and Lifeline Theatre's Lyle Finds his Mother (Mr. Primm/Hector P. Valenti) and The One and Only Ivan. Linsey wishes to thank everyone involved for the opportunity to play!

Loopshop 8 Bio: Joe Giovannetti

Joe Giovannetti (Bart) is an actor, writer, and director. He is a company member with InGen Productions and MPAACT. Recent credits include InGen's Die Young, MPAACT's Without Trace and Akvavit Theatre's Mishap! Love to Sarah.

Loopshop 8: Get Back

To get you in the mood for Loopshop 8 — which happens next week at The Charnel House in Logan Square — we'll be sharing some short teasers about all five of our featured plays here and on Facebook. (Like us if you haven't already.)

First up is Get Back, written by Strangeloop Company Member Keith Gatchel.

A boy tries to build a potato-powered time machine so he can go back in time and avenge a playground wrong ... sort of ... but before anything happens he receives an ominous warning from a strange man.

Directed by Spenser Davis, Get Back stars Gage Wallace as Jimmy and Christopher Paul Mueller as Billy.

Loopshop is Chicago-based Strangeloop Theatre's annual short play and new works series. This year's production features original short plays on topics ranging from Swedish furniture to adoption. 

Performances for Loopshop 8 will be at 8 p.m. on Monday, July 27, and Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at The Charnel House, 3421 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. Tickets for the show are $10 and are available at the door or online at Brown Paper Tickets. 

Loopshop 8 Bio: Spenser Davis

Spenser Davis (Director, Get Back) is really tired of his actors' shenanigans. Previous directing credits include The Picklebot & Lawfer Comedy Festival (Strawdog), Today We Escape (Tympanic), One Minute Play Festival (The Den), All in the Timing (Stage 773), arciTEXT (Arc Theatre), The Ella Plays (Indie Boots) and the Midwest Premiere of From White Plains for Broken Nose Theatre, where he is the Director of Programming. Spenser is also an actor and playwright, and has worked with companies that include American Theater Company, Chicago Dramatists, Stage Left Theatre, Promethean, Red Theater, Waltzing Mechanics and Mary-Arrchie. He is a regular and staff writer on Under Covers, a new SAG-AFTRA web series, and is developing his full-length play Merge as part of The New Colony's Writers Room. He is also the current Artistic Director of Hobo Junction.

Loopshop 8 Bio: Gage Wallace

Gage Wallace (Jimmy) is thrilled to be back onstage with his arch-nemesis. Gage is a proud Founding and Company Member with Red Theater (Chicago, Lincoln and Omaha), as well as a member of the Associate Ensemble with Trap Door Theatre. Chicago Credits: Irish Theatre of Chicago (The White Road, Blackborrow), Trap Door Theatre (Cookie Play, Tommy), Red Theater-Chicago (Red Hamlet, Hamlet; Dylan, Dylan Thomas), Red Tape Theatre (Mnemonic, Ensemble). Regional: Nebraska Shakes (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Peter Quince; Romeo and Juliet, Romeo), Flatwater Shakes (Two Gentlemen of Verona, Proteus) and Haymarket Theatre (Orphans, Phillip). As a performance poet, Gage has been seen on regional and national stages. He is represented by Paonessa Talent.

Loopshop 8 Bio: Christopher Paul Mueller

Christopher Paul Mueller (Billy) is excited to be working with Strangeloop for the first time. He graduated from Roosevelt's Theater Conservatory and has been seen all over town working with companies like Red Theater, Collaboraction, Red Tape, Scooty and JoJo and many more. Chris also co-founded the former clown troupe Les Enfants Terribles. Thanks to everyone!

Loopshop 8 Bio: Keith Gatchel

Keith Gatchel (Playwright, Get Back) comes to us from Rockford, IL, by way of Southern Illinois University (with a few stops in Florida). Since 2005, Keith has worked tech at a number of theatres, including The Goodman Theatre, Collaboraction, Teatro Vista, Victory Gardens, Pegasus Players and — most recently — Blue Man Group. He was also a writer for Big News at IO and Second City, and contributor to several Loopshop productions, as well as Strangeloop's Our Perfect Holiday 2012 with the cast, and just recently, Thinking Caps. Along with being the co-literary manager for Strangeloop, he is a stage manager for The Kiss Kiss Cabaret, Brass Chuckles Comedy, Uptown Live with James VanOsdol and other shows at the Uptown Underground.

Casting announced for Loopshop 8

Casting is complete for Loopshop 8 and we've packed a lot of amazing talent into these bit-sized plays.

Check back next week for a more detailed look at each piece, but in the meantime let this wet your appetite.

• All the World’s An Ikea, written by Maria Burnham and directed by John Morrison,  crams massive relationship issues into a tiny "Living In 377 Sq. Ft." display space.  
• Birthday, written by Jeff Bouthiette and directed by Emmi Hilger, shows us the unexpected struggles of a lesbian couple trying to adopt. 
• Get Back, written by Keith Gatchel and directed by Spenser Davis, tells the story of two boys determined to make a potato-powered time machine that will let them right a playground wrong.
• Here’s My Card, written by Paul Tinsley and directed by Breahan Pautsch, warns us not to talk to strangers at bus stops.
• Pity & Guilt, written by L.M. Frank and directed by Maria Burnham, follows a married couple struggling to leave their past marriages behind.

Actors for these pieces include: Jean E. Burr, Alison Dornheggen, Linsey Falls, Justin Fill, Joe Giovannetti, Caitlin Jackson, Mark Lancaster, Christopher Paul Mueller, Taylor Raye and Gage Wallace.

Performances for Loopshop 8 will be at 8 p.m. on Monday, July 27, and Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at The Charnel House, 3421 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. Tickets for the show are $10 at the door or online at Brown Paper Tickets.

Strangeloop welcomes three new Artistic Associates

Strangeloop Theatre is thrilled to announce the addition of three new Artistic Associates to our company. All three are veterans of past Strangeloop productions.

The new members are:

Jean E. Burr is originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, but moved to Chicago in the midst of the 2013 polar vortex. Although always in pursuit of theatrical endeavors, she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a major in Film Studies and a minor in Japanese. She is an actress, singer, and dancer, but she also enjoys costuming and set design/construction. You can find her under the alias Harley Darling, performing with burlesque companies like Gorilla Tango, Vaudezilla! and Plan 9. When not performing or solving problems at her muggle job (customer service), Jean loves superheroes, her cat, mozzarella sticks and trying to live every day like she's Furiosa from Mad Max: Fury Road.

Justin Fill is extremely excited to be joining Strangeloop Theatre Company. Justin studied acting and digital storytelling at Ball State University, and is a member of the Society of American Fight Directors. Chicago credits include Theatre-Hikes and Forget Me Not Theatre. Justin's focuses are theatrical violence, music and integrating and interpreting technology into stage and film. When not immersed in the world of Theatre, Justin is a part of the pet-care industry, a courier and yogi in training. If you have time for an epic story, ask him about his WVO-powered RV.

John Morrison has worked as a director in Chicago for close to ten years. He is a proud member of the Bruised Orange Theater Company. He is an associate artist of Strangeloop where he assisted on Thinking Caps and directed last year's Loopshop play Spake. Favorite directing credits include Shuttle To Home, Autumn Leaves, Wyrd Sisters, The Bugaboo Room, Daddy Long Legs, Determination, The Nebraska Project, Geeks Vs. Zombies and Heft. jmorrisondirect.com


Currently, there are nine Company Members and three Associate Company Members in Strangeloop.