Mitera Bio: Keith Gatchel

Keith Gatchel (Production Manager) 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 various theatres, including The Goodman, Collaboraction, Teatro Vista, Victory Gardens, Pegasus Players, Blue Man Group and most recently, the Kiss Kiss Cabaret at the newly opened Uptown Underground. 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.

Strangeloop announces production team for Mitera

Rehearsals are underway and the production team is in place for Mitera, Strangeloop's spring show, which opens in April.

The team includes: Letitia Guillaud (director), Lisa Uhlig (stage manager), Molly Mason, (costume design), Kate Jordan (dialect coach), Keith Gatchel (production manager) and Brad Gunter (production designer).

Set amongst a small Greek community in the American Deep South during the months preceding the Supreme Court's landmark decision in the gay marriage case Obergefell v. Hodges, Mitera tells the story of the Sheridan sisters who discover their mother, upon her death, has left their entire inheritance contingent on the youngest sister marrying within a year. If she fails to do so everything goes to their oldest male cousin in Greece. But the youngest sister is an unattached romantic who believes in marrying for love.

Mitera runs Thursdays through Saturdays April 7 through May 14 at 7:30 p.m. The site-specific production takes place at The North Mansion in Berger Park (6219 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60660).

Tickets are $5 for previews and $18 for the regular run and are available in advance through Brown Paper Tickets.

French With Me 6: An Open Letter of Rejection

This week, leading up to French With Me 6: Le Salon on Saturday, February 13, we'll be spotlighting the original performance pieces that have been created for this event.

A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine the taste and increase the knowledge of the participants through conversation. To that end, Strangeloop Company Member Keith Gatchel will be working to increase your knowledge through his discussion of how Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young still applies to those who are single when you consider it on a quantum level, which or may not involve drinking a Pepsi.


French With Me 6: Le Salon takes place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, February 13, at Vagabond School of the Arts (4001 N Ravenswood Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60613). Tickets are $25 in advance or at the door, and are available now through Brown Paper Tickets.

Krampus! Bio: Keith Gatchel

Keith Gatchel (Stage Manager) 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.

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: 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.

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!

Playwright's Note: Thinking Caps

This play is not trying to predict the future. It's about how amazing the present is right now and how used to it we all are.

My nieces and nephews don't know a world before cell phones and the Internet. I've never lived in a world without cable or home video. My parents remember when TV was only black and white, and my grandma was 22 when the atomic bomb changed the world. There's no way to fully convey how absolutely revolutionary these concepts are when, to you and I, they've always been around. But, every day we hold better technology in our hands than what sent man to the moon, and we use it to play games.

The moment Martin Cooper at Motorola called his rival, Joel S. Engal, at Bell Labs in 1973 from outside of a New York Hilton practically divides human history into “before cell phones” and “after cell phones.” My nieces and nephews are starting to reach 10 years old as of this production. Someday, they'll tell their kids about a world before 3-D printing, self-driving cars, nano-surgery and possibly even electronic telepathy.

And, we can only imagine how they might tell them.

– Keith Gatchel

Thinking Caps Bio: Keith Gatchel

Keith Gatchel (Playwright) 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 The Goodman Theatre, Collaboraction, Teatro Vista, Victory Gardens, Pegasus Players, Blue Man Group and more. He was also a writer for Big News at IO and Second City, and contributor to several productions of Loopshop and French With Me, as well as Strangeloop's Our Perfect Holiday 2012 with the cast. Along with being the co-literary manager for Strangeloop, he also is the stage manager for The Kiss Kiss Cabaret at Uptown Underground. He would like to thank his family, the cast, designers and especially everyone in Strangeloop for all of their contributions to this script and production. If this were a jewel heist, I'd want you all on my crew.

Strangeloop has an immediate need for a lighting designer

We have an immediate need for a Lighting Designer for our spring production, Thinking Caps by Keith Gatchel.

About the production: Thinking Caps is set in the near future and flows seamlessly between virtual reality and the real world. The play explores the upsides and downsides social media based in virtual reality technology. We need a lighting designer who can work with our projections designer to create these virtual reality worlds on stage and make the transitions from real life to the virtual one clear for the audience.

The production will be at the Charnel House in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago.

Pay is $100 flat fee.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: Duties include:

• Creating design research to share with the team. 
• Designing and programing lighting. 
• Loading in lights. 
• Attending production meetings, tech rehearsals (as needed), and strike. 

PRODUCTION DATES:

• Load-in begins April 27 
• Possible previews May 6 & 7 
• Opening: May 8 
• Closing/Strike Set: May 31

TO APPLY: Please send resume and statement of interest to production manager Holly Robison at loop@strangelooptheatre.org.

'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.

Get your Thinking Caps now!

Thinking Caps are now on sale online at Brown Paper Tickets!

Everyone who is anyone already has one. Don't get left behind in the boring old real world! Join us in the virtual one!

(Poster design by Mike Wozniak)

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.

French With Me: Purple Girl Faces Reality

Relationships make people forget about friendships all the time. But what if that friendship is the only thing that makes you visible in the real world? Literally. Lenna has one person who can see her and now she's seeing someone else...

Purple Girl Faces Reality stars Kara Charlton as Lenna and Renee Lynn Jackson as Julie. The play was written by Strangeloop Company Member Keith Gatchel and is directed by Dante Charlton.

The piece is part of French With Me: A Classic Affaire. The gala event begins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the The Charnel House in Logan Square, 3421 W Fullerton Ave., with a reception and silent auction. The performances begin at 8 p.m. with live music from Hollywood's golden age and dessert to follow.

Tickets are $25 and available at the door or in advance at Brown Paper Tickets.

Hack/Slash Bio: Keith Gatchel

Keith Gatchel (Sound Design) comes to us from Rockford, Ill., by way of Southern Illinois University (with a few stops in Florida). Since 2005, Keith has worked tech at The Goodman Theatre, Collaboraction, Teatro Vista, Victory Gardens, Pegasus Players, and more. 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. Along with being the co-literary manager for Strangeloop, he works at Blue Man Group and is the stage manager for The Kiss Kiss Cabaret.

Thinking Caps Recap

We had a great reception for Thinking Caps at the Greenhouse Theater Center on Tuesday evening. Thank you to everyone who came out and gave their feedback. We're looking forward to the next step in the development process for this script by Company Member Keith Gatchel.

Thinking Caps explores the upsides and downsides of virtual reality technology in the near future as seen through the lives of Charles and Maggie Cusick. The play is set in the near future in places both real and imaginary, in a time when the internet is all but dead and people communicate via telepathy and interact socially in a type of virtual reality known as the Headnet.

The staged reading was directed by Co-Artistic Director Letitia Guillaud. The cast was as follows:

• Charles                   Michael Houghton Wagman
• Maggie                    Maria Burnham
• Kim Ayers               Holly Robison
• David Scrab            Justin Cornwell
• Actor                       Nick Vidal
• Actress                    Patricia Tinsley
• Headnet Voice        Letitia Guillaud

The staged reading was produced as part of the Trellis reading series, Greenhouse's artist development program that showcases plays from playwrights who aren’t otherwise able to find a space for their work to be seen.

Put on your Thinking Caps and join us at the Greenhouse Theater Center

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, an original play by Strangeloop Company Member Keith Gatchel, explores the upsides and downsides of virtual reality technology in the near future.

The play will be presented tonight, September 2, as part of the Greenhouse Theater Center's Trellis staged reading series. The reading is free and open to the public. Thinking Caps starts at 7 p.m. at the Greenhouse Theater Complex, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. The theater is located near the Fullerton red line el stop and the #8 bus stop at the Halsted Street, Lincoln Avenue and Fullerton Avenue intersection. Free parking is available in the garage at 2316 N. Lincoln Ave.

The play was originally part of Strangeloop Theatre's short play and development series Loopshop.

The staged reading is directed by Strangeloop Co-Artistic Director Letitia Guillaud. The cast includes Michael Houghton Wagman, Maria Burnham, Justin Cornwell, Holly Robison, Nick Vidal and Patricia Tinsley.

The Trellis reading series is Greenhouse's artist development program that showcases plays from playwrights that aren’t otherwise able to find a space for their work to be seen.

Come enjoy half price drinks at the Greenhouse bar, and help support new works by coming to the readings and giving your feedback!

Get ready for Loopshop 2014!

Strangeloop Theatre kicks off its 7th Season with Loopshop 2014, the company's annual workshop series, featuring six new works from up-and-coming playwrights, each performed both nights of this two-night-only run.

Enjoy a great mix of performances blended from short plays and scenes from full scripts in development. Loopshop highlights new works ranging from the ridiculous to the deadly serious. Join us as we delve into these pieces and become a part of the play development process!

Featured plays:

• "iLove" by Maria Burnham (Directed by Jessica Kent)
• "Kidney Katie" by Keith Gatchel (Directed by Holly Robison)
• "The Safety of Lies" by Kyle Martin (Directed by Tim Lee)
• "Aqua Woman" by Megan Mackie (Directed by Chad Wise)
• "Higher Up" by B. Walker Sampson (Directed by Zack Florent)
• "Spake" by David L. Williams (Directed by John Morrison)

Performances for Loopshop will be at 8 p.m. on Monday, July 28 & Tuesday, July 29, 2014 at Chemically Imbalanced Comedy Theatre, 1422 West Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL. Tickets for the show are $10 and are available at the door or at Brown Paper Tickets.