FORTNIGHT Begins At Barrow Street On 1/8

FORTNIGHT², the 2nd annual celebration of comedy, improv, music, and storytelling begins performances Thursday, January 8thth at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street @ 7th Ave.). The month-long event is presented by Barrow Street Theatre (Scott Morfee and Tom Wirtshafter) in association with Jean Doumanian Productions.

The artists and events scheduled to appear are as follows:
BABY WANTS CANDY
Best Visiting Comedy Show -Time Out New York
"They are an entertainment phenomenon and I am in awe of their talent." -The Scotsman

Baby Wants Candy (BWC) asks the audience for a title of a musical that has never been performed before. The first title they hear becomes the title and basis for that evening's 60 minute, completely improvised, musical, accompanied by a full band. BWC was founded in Chicago in 1997 and has performed more than 1,400 completely improvised musicals to sold-out crowds from Singapore to Edinburgh.

Thursday, January 8th at 10 p.m.
Friday, January 9th at 10 p.m.
Saturday, January 10th at 2:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m
Sunday, January 11th at 9:00 p.m.

Running Time: 60 minutes
Tickets: $20

LISA BIALES & MICHAEL G. RONSTADT
Soulful, bluesy songstress Lisa Biales is known for her hypnotic crystal pure voice. Joined by special guest Michael Gilbert Ronstadt on cello, the duo's eclectic mix ranges from "Eleanor Rigby" to "Stormy Weather."
Tuesday, January 20th at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 21st at 7:30 p.m.
Running Time: 70 minutes
Tickets $20

THE IMPROVISED SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
"STAGGERINGLY BRILLIANT" - Time Out Chicago
Based on one audience suggestion (a title for a play that has yet to be written), The Improvised Shakespeare Co. creates a fully improvised play in Elizabethan style. Each of the players has brushed up his "thee's" and "thou's" to present an evening of off-the-cuff comedy using the language and themes of William Shakespeare.
Thursday, January 22nd at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, January 23rd at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 24th at 5 p.m. & 10 p.m.
Sunday, January 25th at 9 p.m.
Running Time: 75 minutes
Tickets: $20

MOTHER
Mother has been a fixture of the UCB Theatre since their inception in 1999. They've been featured in Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink," won the Chicago Improv Festival's Super Cagematch, and had members featured on Late Night w/Conan O'Brien, VH1's "Best Week Ever," and various feature films and commercials. The group performs The Harold, the Deconstruction, and, most notably, their two signature forms The Soundtrack, and The Sleep Over.
Thursday, January 15th at 10 p.m.
Friday, January 16th at 10 p.m.
Saturday, January 17th at 10 p.m.
Running Time: 80 minutes
Tickets: $15

PUGILIST
Two boys battle eternal on the blacktop. A French thug unleashes his bloodlust in occupied France. Insult, slander and gossip lead to the most famous duel in American history. Damian Baldet, longtime member of The Civilians, gives us Pugilist - a dark, often hilarious exploration of man's search for vindication in a society with no formal code of honor.
Created by Damian Baldet & Alison Weller
Written and Performed by Damian Baldet
Directed by Alison Weller
Choreographed by John Carrafa
Costume Design by Colleen Werthmann
Percussion by Richard Huntley
Thursday, January 8th at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 10th at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, January 11th at 5 p.m.
Running Time: 80 minutes
Tickets: $20

THE EVENT
A one-man comic ritual. Armed only with his memorized words, can an actor say something else? Dealing directly, honestly and humorously with the technician, the stage manager, the critics and the audience, the actor moves into dangerous and slippery territory.
Written and directed by John Clancy; memorized and said out loud by Matt Oberg
Saturday, January 10th at 5 p.m.
Sunday, January 11th at 3 p.m.
Monday, January 12th at 8 p.m.
Running Time: 65 Minutes
Tickets: $20

THE PAJAMA MEN
"One of the most dazzling displays of comedy theatre I've ever seen. It's weird and it's wonderful. 5 STARS." -Time Out London
Known for split-second character switches, Shenoah Allen and Mark Chavez weave multiple story lines at breakneck speed. The PJ's have received uproarious audience responses all over North America and the UK.
Friday, January 16th at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 17th at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, January 18th at 9 p.m.
Running Time: 75 minutes
Tickets: $20

STEFAN GOLASZEWSKI SPEAKS ABOUT A GIRL HE ONCE LOVED
2008 Edinburgh Fringe First Award
"Beautifully written, blissfully funny. 5 STARS." -Fest
A bruised solo play about being 18, being in love and being unable to cope. In Walthamstow, London, 1999, a boy and a girl met in a pub. A day later it was over. The boy is still trying to deal with it. He has written a play about it.
Sunday, January 25th at 5 p.m.
Tuesday, January 27th at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 28th at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 29th at 2 p.m.
Saturday, January 31st at 2 p.m.
Sunday, February 1st at 2 p.m.
Running Time: 60 minutes
Tickets: $20

THE STRIKING VIKING STORY PIRATES
"Hilarious...a theatrical treasure!" -New York Times
An absurdist sketch comedy musical for kids and wanna be kids. This award-winning musical sketch comedy show features stories entirely written by kids and performed by adults who wish they still were. Story Pirates is appropriate for children of all ages. Each show features 8-10 sketches, musical numbers, short videos and a whole bunch of extremely entertaining puppets.
Saturday, January 24th at 12 p.m.
Running Time: 50 minutes
Tickets: $15 advance/$20 at door

THE WHALE
Concrete Temple Theatre makes its off-Broadway debut, following a tour this past summer in seven major cities of India and Sri Lanka. The Whale is the company's acclaimed adaptation of Moby Dick, featuring the often overlooked Sub-Sub-Librarian who plays not only Ishmael and Captain Ahab, but Moby Dick himself.
Friday, January 9th at 8 p.m.
Saturday, January 10th at 12 p.m.
Monday, January 12th at 6 p.m.
Saturday, January 17th at 2 p.m.
Monday, January 19th at 8 p.m.
Saturday, January 24th at 2 p.m.
Sunday, January 25th at 2 p.m.
Running Time: 65 minutes
Tickets: $20

TJ & DAVE
"Brilliant, heartbreaking, mind-blowing, inspiring!" --Time Out New York
Two of Chicago's most highly regarded Second City veterans, TJ Jagodowski and Dave Pasquesi create incredible, hour-long instant plays out of thin air (without audience suggestions).
Friday, January 30th at 10 p.m.
Saturday, January 31st at 10 p.m.
Sunday, February 1st at 9 p.m.
Running Time: 60 minutes
Tickets: $20

SUE GILLAN & DAVE PASQUESI IN THE THIRD COAST
The Second City alums present comedic scenes of the uncomfortably close variety in their one-act show: The Third Coast. Familial fondlings, emotional drive-bys, the waking dead, and a couple of folks who have never had the pleasure of making their own acquaintance fill 45 minutes that fly by like mere hours. Directed by T.J. Jagodowski.
Thursday, January 29 at 7:30pm
Friday, January 30 at 7:30pm
Saturday, January 31 at 7:30pm
Running Time: 45 minutes
Tickets: $20

TWO MEN TALKING
"Intensely moving." -London Times
Proving the axiom that friendship is always a work in progress, Murray Nossel and Paul Browde, leave nothing unsaid or unexplored in Two Men Talking, their frank, improvised account of their friendship. Directed by Dan Milne.
Saturday, January 31st at 5 p.m.
Sunday February 1st at 5 p.m.
Running Time: 85 minutes
Tickets: $25

BST "WORKS IN PROGRESS" (WIP) SERIES
WIP is a forum where new work can be further developed by producing staged readings of some of the most innovative theater being created today. For more information, including a schedule, visit www.barrowstreettheatre.com

All information on the Barrow Street Fortnight2 Series and other Barrow Street Theatre programming can be found at www.barrowstreettheatre.com.

You can purchase tickets to any of our shows in person at the Barrow Street Theatre box office, online at www.smarttix.com or by phone at (212) 868-4444.

The Barrow Street Theatre is located at 27 Barrow Street, on the corner of 7th Ave South
1 train to Christopher Street, 1 block south to Barrow Street. A C E B D F V trains to

West 4th Street. West on 4th Street, left on Barrow Street.