Strangeloop Season 8 Announced

For those of you who missed the announcement during this summer's Loopshop, Strangeloop has announced our 8th Season lineup. See below for details. And keep your eye out for our fall fundraiser fete.

The 2015-2016 Strangeloop Season

July

Loopshop 8: The company’s annual short play and new works series, with five pieces from up-and-coming playwrights, each performed both nights of this two-night run. This year's production features an array of bite-sized plays on topics ranging from Swedish furniture to time travel.

December

Krampus!: A holiday-themed show written by Company Member Jaclyn Jensen and resident graphic designer Mike Wozniak. It's not enough that a family has to deal with the usual drama that comes with Christmas, but the Murray family has to do it in the isolation of a cabin in the woods, during a snow storm with a holiday devil running amok and only some peppermint schnaps to get them through it.

 

 

February

French With Me: Our popular gala affair returns, revamped and refilled with love — just in time for Valentine’s Day.

 

 Spring 2016

Mήτερα (Mitera): Three, single sisters have their lives turned upside down when they find out their Greek mother is still micromanaging their lives from beyond the grave. Written by Company Member Maria Burnham, Mitera pokes and prods the boundaries of family loyalty and examines the idea that sometimes the people we’ve known our entire lives are the people we know the least.

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 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.