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: 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: 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: 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: 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. 

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.

Scripts, directors announced for Loopshop 8

Loopshop 8 kicks off Strangeloop's eighth season this July with an array of bite-sized plays on topics ranging from Swedish furniture to time travel. Scripts and directors have been selected and casting is underway.

The annual series, which showcases short plays or scenes from full-length scripts in development, is set for 8 p.m. on Monday, July 27, and Tuesday, July 28, at the Charnel House in Logan Square.

The selected pieces are:

• All the World's An Ikea written by Maria Burnham and directed by John Morrison
• Birthday written by Jeff Bouthiette and directed by Emmi Hilger 
• Get Back written by Keith Gatchel and directed by Spenser Davis 
• Here's My Card written by Paul Tinsley and directed by Breahan Pautsch 
• Pity & Guilt written by L.M. Frank and directed by Maria Burnham

Tickets for Loopshop 8 are $10 and on sale now at Brown Paper Tickets. Check back here soon for casts and summaries of each piece!

Save the date! Loopshop 2015 in Logan Square

Loopshop 8 is coming up this summer with a whole slate of new works in bite-sized portions.

The annual series, set for 8 p.m. on Monday, July 27, and Tuesday, July 28, at the Charnel House, showcases short plays or scenes from full-length scripts in development.

Strangeloop is committed to producing new or newly adapted work, and Loopshop gives Chicago audiences the chance to see a number of new works by emerging playwrights in one sitting.

Our development process focuses on production-oriented collaboration between writers and artists, as well as readings and performances of scenes that allow audiences to experience and react to the work.

The Charnel House is located at 3421 W Fullerton Ave, in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. More information on the plays involved in this year's Loopshop will be available soon. 

DeSitter contorts her way onto the stage and into the virtual world

Thinking Caps actress Ellen DeSitter was featured in this story on The Chicago Tribune.com.

 Get to know Ellen and then come see her work, May 8-31 at the Charnel House.

For a girl who can stilt walk, make small talk in Russian, draw, paint and contort herself into pretzel-like poses, bringing a dragon to life is all in a day's work. 

Actress Ellen DeSitter, a Lisle native, pulls from all her various skills to craft honest portrayals of multiple characters - from the personification of a what a four-month old would imagine her adult self to be, to a television host, to a dragon - in her latest production, Strangeloop Theatre's Thinking Caps.

Read the full article here, including her thoughts on what she loves about playing Emma Cusick.

Thinking Caps: Cast and Crew Bios

Cast

Maggie Cusick:                  Laura Stratford

Charles Cusick:                  Drew Wancket
Moderator/Becky/
Emma Cusick:                    Ellen DeSitter
Kim Ayers:                         Jaclyn Jensen*
David Scrab:                       Casey Kells

The Headnet

Headnet Voice:                   Letitia Guillaud

Crystal Freema:                  Kyla Norton  

The Forum for the Integration of Sensible Technology: Caitlin Jackson, Kirk Jackson, Miona Lee+, Tim Lee+, Allison McCorkle+, Paul Tinsley, Patricia Tinsley and Chad Wise

Headnet Friends: Julia Beck, Maria Burnham*, Jean E. Burr, Gabrielle Cauchon, Grace DeSant, Elana Elyce, Stefanie Johnsen, Carolyn Minor, John Morrison, Mark Penzien and Denise A. Stein

Production Team

Playwright:                                                      Keith Gatchel*

Director:                                                          Maria Burnham*
Assistant Director:                                          John Morrison
Production Manager:                                      Holly Robison*
Stage Manager:                                               Jennifer Roseman
Assistant Stage Manager:                                Miona Lee+
Projections/Video Designer:                           Chris Owens
Sound Designer/Original Composition:          Antonio Bruno
Scenic/Thinking Cap Designer:                      Archer Curry
Light Designer:                                               Brad Gunter*
Costume Designer:                                          Molly Mason
Props Designer:                                               Holly Robison*
Violence Designer:                                          Robert Tobin
Fight Captain:                                                  Casey Kells
Movement Designer:                                       Miona Lee+
Graphic Design:                                              Mike Wozniak
Marketing:                                                      Maria Burnham*

 
*Denotes a Strangeloop Company Member
+Denotes a Strangeloop Associate Company Member

Thinking Caps Bio: Maria Burnham

Maria Burnham (Director, Marketing) is a director, writer, sometimes stage manager,   full-time theater monkey and all around jack-of-all-trades. Storefront theater, ho! She studied creative writing and theater at Louisiana State University and has worked in Chicago with such companies as Appetite Theatre Co., New Millennium Theatre Co., Red Theater, Stockyards Theatre Project and TUTA. Maria is thrilled to be a member of Strangeloop. She loves pursuing the undiscovered, though mostly she’s just in it for the chicken.

Thinking Caps Bio: John Morrison

John Morrison (Assistant Director)is a proud member of the Bruised Orange Theater Company. Favorite directing credits include Autumn Leaves, Wyrd Sisters, The Bugaboo Room, Daddy Long Legs, Determination, The Nebraska Project, Geeks Vs. Zombies, and Heft. More about John is available at jmorrisondirect.com.

Thinking Cap Bios: Archer Curry

Archer Curry (Scenic/Thinking Cap Designer) is a Chicago-based theatre artist. They are a company member with InGen Productions and a recent graduate of North Park University. Along with set and prop design, Archer builds puppets and enjoys the challenge of bringing strange creatures to life. They are very excited to be involved with this show.

Jensen brings her love of scary stories to latest production

Strangeloop Company Member and Thinking Caps actress Jaclyn Jensen was featured in this story on Patch.com. Get to know Jaclyn and then come see her work, May 8-31 at the Charnel House.

Jaclyn Jensen loves a good scary story.

The Lakeview resident and actress also loves to TELL a good scary story, which is what she’s doing on her latest project,Strangeloop Theatre’s production of Thinking Caps.

Read the full article here, including Jaclyn's thoughts on her character, Kim Ayers.

Telepathy, social media and a dragon! Tech week for Thinking Caps begins

As regular rehearsals wrap up and technical rehearsal begin, Strangeloop Theatre is preparing to mount its most technically ambitious show to day, Thinking Caps, which features a physical cast of five, but a virtual cast of more than 20.

Join us opening weekend, May 8-10, as these actors, real and imaginary, bring to life a production that presents an examination of the perils of social media in a telepathic-based virtual reality future. Also, there be dragons.

Thinking Caps takes place about 25 years into the future when websites and the internet are dead, and telepathy and Headsites are the new reality. Everyone has a Thinking Cap and they live in a semi-virtual, semi-real world where imagination is the key to success.

The production takes audiences on a journey through the lives – real and virtual – of the Cusick family, as they grapple with the predominance of the technology that brought them together and now threatens to tear them apart.

Thinking Caps runs May 8-31, at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays at The Charnel House, 3421 W Fullerton Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are $18 for general admission and are on sale now at Brown Paper Tickets. Discounts are available for students and seniors.

Strangeloop featured on DNAInfo

Strangeloop was recently featured in an article on DNAInfo about a surge in theater productions in Logan Square, which is a strangely underserved area when it comes to theater.

Our spring show, Thinking Caps, opens May 8 at the Charnel House in Logan Square.

Is a Theater Revival Brewing in Logan Square? Lonely Stage Troupes Hope So

By Darryl Holliday

While dozens of theaters stretch from downtown Chicago north along the coast of Lake Michigan, performers and theater lovers in Logan Square say the Northwest Side neighborhood is due for a revival. Theater Y and Charnel House, 3421 W. Fullerton Ave., are both hosting new shows in March and April but a search for options in the neighborhood yields little results.

Read the entire article on the DNAInfo Chicago website.

'Thinking Caps' Examines The Future Of Social Media In A Telepathic World

Playwright Keith Gatchel said he was inspired to write Thinking Caps after realizing technology increasingly has become what defines who we are and how we relate to previous and future generations.

Find out more about Gatchel's inspiration for writing Thinking Caps in our release here.

Thinking Caps runs May 8 through May 31 at The Charnel House (3421 W Fullerton Ave.) in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays.

Tickets are $18 for general admission and available online at Brown Paper Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1347699.

Check us out on Logansquarist

Strangeloop was recently featured in an article on Logansquarist.

Our move to The Charnel House in Logan Square equals a sort of homecoming for the company, which has been headquartered in the neighborhood since our inception. Now we're finally performing there as well!

 Learn a little more about our company, as well as our most recent French With Me, in the article.

Announcing the cast of Thinking Caps

A scene from the opening of Thinking Caps,
which was part of our Loopshop short play
series in 2012.

We are officially cast for Thinking Caps!

Though the show is still several months away, work has already begun on this production and we're getting excited to build this new world within a brand new play just for you.

And we start by announcing our cast. The cast for "Thinking Caps" is:

• Charles Cusick: Drew Wancket
• Maggie Cusick : Laura Stratford
• Kim Ayers: Jaclyn Jensen
• David Scrab: Casey Kells
• Emma Cusick: Ellen DeSitter

Written by Strangeloop Company Member Keith Gatchel and directed by Maria Burnham, Thinking Caps runs May 8-31, at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays at The Charnel House, 3421 W Fullerton Ave. in Chicago.

What is Thinking Caps, you ask?

The near future. Websites and the internet are dead. Telepathy and Headsites are the new reality. Everyone who is anyone has a Thinking Cap and they live in a semi-virtual, semi-real world where imagination is the key to success. But how far is too far when it comes to technology? Thinking Caps explores the upsides and downsides of virtual reality technology in the near future.

Tickets are $18 for general admission and are available in advance on Brown Paper Tickets or at the door. Discounts are available for students and seniors.