Daily Rehearsal: Second City delays opening new theater

Daily Rehearsal: Second City delays opening new theater

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1. Northlight Theatre has cast three of their productionsBlack Pearl Sings!, Ten Chimneys and [title of show]. Some familiar female faces: E. Faye Butler in Black Pearl Sings! (also in Ella at Northlight; read this great profile of her), Janet Ulrich Brooks in Ten Chimneys (currently seen in A Walk in the Woods, listen to this Worldview interview with Brooks here), and McKinley Carter (Kelly Kleiman said she rocked it her role in Putting It Together). Tickets to all three productions go on sale tomorrow.

'Al Sur del Sur' (Photo by Sandro Michael Gross and Jessica Wolfrum)
2. After a season of dancing across America and internationally in Korea, Germany and Switzerland, River North Dance Chicago has come back to Chicago after (maybe less than literally) dancing across Korea, Germany and Switzerland. They’re premiering “SUPER STRAIGHT is coming down” this weekend, “a hypnotic urban drama” by Daniel Ezralow, as well as performing Charles Moulton’s “Nine Person Precision Ball Passing.” Both performances will be at 8 this Friday and Saturday.

3. Second City has delayed the opening of UP, its new comedy club. It was set for late November, but is now going to be perhaps in January. New year, new theater, that’s what I always say. Here’s their statement, with interspersed commentary:

“Due to timeline issues with licensing (LICENSING THEIR OWN NAME?), the press opening for UP Comedy Club has been postponed. Construction continues in the new space and should be completed at the beginning of December. We plan to begin performances the weekend of December 15 with featured stand-up comedian Orny Adams as well as previews for two brand new shows – The Second City’s History of Chicago and our new kids show, The Second City’s Improv Extravaganza Explosion (SO IT JUST WON’T HAVE A FANCY PARTY UNTIL JANUARY, COOL). We will announce our Grand Opening Date as soon as we confirm details.”

4. Signal Ensemble Theatre is extending East of Berlin and The Russian Play. Originally slated to end November 13, they’ll now play through December 18. Nice. The original run scheduled to end Sunday, November 13 has now been extended through Sunday, December 18. Signal Ensemble’s production of these two acts is performed together and runs two hours with one intermission. But some of the proceeds of this Saturday’s 8 pm performance go to the charity organization Season of Concern, and there are cheaper Veterans tickets on Veterans Day, which is, if you forgot, November 11. 

5. Stars of The Lawrence Welk Show will be at Drury Lane on November 14 and 15 reminsicing about the good-ol’ days. Expect to see Jo Ann Castle, Anacani, Ken Delo, Bobby Burgess, Elaine Balden, Guy Hovis and Ralna English. More importantly, here’s a list of expected vittles: Tomato Bisque Soup, Spinach Mandarin Salad, Potato Gnocchi, Parmesan Crusted Tilapia, Chicken Asiago, Strip Loin of Beef and Roast Turkey. All meals are served with Chef’s choice of vegetable, potato and dessert.

Questions? Tips? Email kdries@wbez.org.