French With Me 6 Bio: Orion Lay-sleeper

Orion Lay-sleeper (The Red Clown) has been clowning around this broad shouldered, bustling city for the better part of three years now. He's played many roles, as varied as a murderous Shakespearean henchman, a  patriarchal shape-note singer, a crazed ringleader and a bulldog named Herman. He can be seen this March as Banquo with Nothing Special Productions. He is currently taking advantage of the burgeoning circus scene to hone is clowning and pick up a few new tricks. He'd like to thank the creative team for bringing him in to this delightful circus and hopes you enjoy the show!

The gloves — and sometimes the shirts — come off this season for Fight Night: Fightsgiving

Strangeloop is once again stepping into the ring (stage) for Nothing Special Production's Fight Night extravaganza!

Fight Night is a one-night, late-night violent cabaret celebrating the art of stage combat through original storytelling and violence design.

Fight Night: Fightsgiving is autumnal themed — celebrating everything that makes this season wonderful — and it takes place at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 8, at The Den Theater, 1333 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622.

In addition to Strangeloop, participating companies include: Red Theater, To The Point, Nothing Special Productions, Live Action Theater, The Reutan Collective, Nothing Without A Company and Walkabout Theater Company.

Strangeloop's contender is a story that details the epic battle between Fall and Autumn to determine once and for all what the season will be called, told in the only way such a mythic story can be told — as a Greek tragedy.

Written and directed by Strangeloop Company Member Maria Burnham, Fall Our Tragic stars Strangeloop Associate Member Miona Lee as Autumn and Jean E. Burr (Cassie Hack in Hack/Slash) as Fall. Chad Wise, Grace DeSant and Vickie Eisenstein also star. Justin Martin Fill is the fight choreographer and Strangeloop Company Member Holly Robison is the assistant director.

Tickets are on sale now. You are highly encouraged to buy tickets in advance as this event always sells out to a standing room only crowd.

FNA: They Fought Like The Rest

Because if there's one thing theater goers can't get enough of it's blood, guts and glory!

Nothing Special Productions' ongoing series, Fight Night — an evening of fight-based scenes and short plays — returns Saturday, July 12, to The Den Theatre to celebrate America's Independence Day with Fight Night: America!

Strangeloop is one of eight contenders for the championship.* Going up against Abraham Werewolf, Wayward Productions, Red Theater Chicago- RTC, Walkabout Theater Company, Some Guys I Know, Rough Company and Nothing Special, Strangeloop presents They Fought Like The Rest, an original work written and directed by company member Maria Burnham.

Inspired by the very real stories of women in the Civil War, They Fought Like The Rest tells the story of two Confederate soldiers captured during the Battle of Shiloh who find they share more than a side and the desire to escape the confines of their Chicago prison.

The piece stars company members Carrie Campana, Holly Robison, Michael HoughtonWagman and Keith Gatchel and associates Miona Lee and Allison McCorkle. The fight choreographer is Beau Forbes.

The Den Theatre is located in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago at 1333 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door, but this production tends to sell out, so get your tickets in advance. Tickets are available here.

More information on Fight Night is available here. The fight begins at 10:30 p.m.



*There is no championship. We made that part up.

Goodbye to fairies, hello to fights

A Midsummer Night's Dream ended to packed houses, lots of laughs and not a few tears from the actors sorry to see it close. Thank you to everyone who came out and made this production so successful and so special.

As Strangeloop finalizes plans for next season, there are still quite a few events that we have our hands in this summer, including Nothing Special Productions' Fight Night: America! at the Den Theatre on July 12.

Fight Night, a periodic evening of fight-based scenes and short plays, returns next month with pieces from Strangeloop Theatre, Abraham Werewolf, Wayward Productions, Red Theater Chicago- RTC, Walkabout Theater Company, Some Guys I Know and Rough Company — this round with the theme of America, in celebration of our nation's Independence Day.

Strangeloop's contender is They Fought Like The Rest written by company member Maria Burnham and starring company members Carrie Campana, Holly Robison, Michael HoughtonWagman and Keith Gatchel and associates Miona Lee and Allison McCorkle.

They Fought Like The Rest tells the story of two Confederate soldiers captured during the Battle of Shiloh who find they share more than a cause and a desire to escape the confines of their Chicago prison.

More information on Fight Night is available here. Tickets are available here.

And check back here all summer long for information about other upcoming events, including a staged reading in July and the return of Loopshop — Strangeloop's annual short play and new works series.