Firecat Projects Presents Tony Fitzpatrick's THE MIDNIGHT CITY, Now thru 10/19

Firecat Projects, in conjunction with Steppenwolf Theatre, presents The Midnight City, written and performed by Tony Fitzpatrick with Stan Klein, today, Sept. 6-Oct. 19 in Steppenwolf's Garage Theatre, 1624 N. Halsted. Adapted and directed by 16th Street artistic director Ann Filmer, The Midnight City features video art by Kristin Reeves, music by John Rice and Anna Fermin.

Tony is moving to New Orleans to study and draw birds. Stan is going by "Leo" and working for the Cubs. Both men will come to know . . . The Midnight City.

The Midnight City is another theater piece inspired by Tony Fitzpatrick and Stan Klein's friendship. A trilogy featuring the duo began with This Train (2010), Stations Lost (2011) and concluded with Nickel History: The Nation of Heat (2012). Chicago Sun-Times critic Hedy Weiss called This Train an "ideal weave of storytelling, video and music." Writing about Stations Lost, Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones said, "Fitzpatrick delivers the news, both local and international, from the point of view of an artist, poet and urban provocateur." And of Nickel History, Jones noted: "director, Ann Filmer, has wrangled something shrewdly structured and even, to dangle a very dangerous term in the Fitzpatrick aesthetic, bordering on the polished."

The Midnight City runs September 6-October 19 in The Steppenwolf Garage, 1624 N. Halsted. (Previews Sept. 6, 8 pm; Sept. 7, 6 pm.) The press opening is Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. Regular run: Thursday-Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 5 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 ($20 seniors; $15 students ) and available through the Steppenwolf box office (1650 N. Halsted), by phone at 312-335-1650, or online at steppenwolf.org.

Tony Fitzpatrick is an artist, poet, and actor whose artwork can be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the National Museum of American Art in Washington D.C., the Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

His recent exhibitions include solo shows in New York City's P.S.1 - MoMA and Pierogi Gallery in 2007 and in the Sidney Yates Gallery of the Chicago Cultural Center in 2008. In the same year his work was also shown at the First Biennial in New Orleans at Prospect One. In 2009 he had one-person exhibitions in New York City at Dieu Donne, in New Orleans at Ammo Gallery, in Illinois at the Rockford College Museum, in Austin at Slugfest Gallery, and in Los Angeles at Billy Shire Gallery.

His work has also appeared on album covers including the Neville Brothers' Yellow Moon and Steve Earle's El Corazon and The Revolution Starts Now.

Tony has made a living as a radio personality, construction worker, and as a film, stage and television actor. He has appeared in 15 major motion pictures including The Fugitive, Married to the Mob, Mad Dog and Glory, and Philadelphia. Recently he appeared in The Promotion directed by Steven Conrad. In 1991, Tony earned the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor in Prop Thtr's production of Mass Murder. In the summer of 2003, Tony starred in Lookingglass Theatre's production of Race, an adaptation of a Studs Terkel novel directed by David Schwimmer. In 2010 Tony wrote and starred in This Train (16th Street Theater, The Steppenwolf Garage) followed by Firecat Projects' Stations Lost in 2011 at The Steppenwolf Garage before moving to the Boiler Room in Brooklyn. The trilogy concluded in 2012 with Nickel History:

Tony has published eight books including collections of art and poetry The Hard Angels (1988), Dirty Boulevard (1998), and Bum Town (2001); a collection of etchings entitled Tony Fitzpatrick: Max and Gaby's Alphabet (2001); and three collections of drawing-collages entitled, The Wonder: Portraits of a Remembered City, Volume 1 (2005), The Wonder: Portraits of a Remembered City, Volume 2 - The Dream City (2006), and The Wonder: Portraits of a Remembered City, Volume 3 - City of Monsters, City of Ghosts (2008); and This Train (2010).

Tony Fitzpatrick was born in Chicago in 1958. At the end of 2104, he will begin a new adventure in New Orleans.

ANN FILMER (Director, Adaptor) 16th Street Theater founder/artistic director Ann Filmer developed and directed the premiere of Tony Fitzpatrick's This Train for 16th Street Theater in Berwyn before bringing it to The Steppenwolf Garage. She also adapted and directed Stations Lost, the second in Tony's trilogy, at The Steppenwolf Garage before moving it to Brooklyn. And she did the same for the final piece in the trilogy, Nickel History: The Nation of Heat which also debuted at The Steppenwolf Garage. Ann has directed for Goodman Theatre, Victory Gardens, A Red Orchid, Shattered Globe, Live Bait Theater, Stage Left, Chicago Dramatists, Circle, and The Aardvark. For 16th Street ("Best Emerging Theatre 2013" Chicago Magazine), she has recently directed Andrea Thome's Pinkolandia, Laura Jacqmin's Do-Gooder and co-directed (with Ilesa Duncan) Steven Simoncic's Broken Fences. Ann won an After Dark Award for her direction of John Green's The Liquid Moon at Chicago Dramatists. Next up she will direct Sarah Ruhl's The Clean House for Remy Bumppo Theatre.

STAN KLEIN has strived to be a smart traveler in the world of the arts for nearly 40 years. He has held various positions including owner of a custom frame shop in Chicago, working for Betsy and Andy Wyeth, studio assistant for Ken Noland, business partner for Tony Fitzpatrick and everything in between. He lives in Chicago with his Uncle Leo, along with fellow artist, Vito Desalvo, and dog, Ella. Nothing is ever taken for granted and the road is his home. Please do visit Firecat Projects on their website and Facebook page.

KRISTIN REEVES has shown her still and moving work internationally in museums, galleries, theaters, art events, and festivals such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, The Chicago Underground Film Festival, Microscope Gallery (Brooklyn), and the European Media Art's 2013 Best of the Festival program (Osnabruck). She has also collaborated in over 20 multimedia performances including This Train, Stations Lost, and Nickel History at the Steppenwolf Garage Theater. When she's not in Chicago, she can be found laser cutting 16mm film and building art installations in Muncie, Ind., where she is an Assistant Professor of Art at Ball State University.

JOHN RICE (Musical Director, Guitar, Arrangements) returns after being a part of This Train, Stations Lost and Nickel History: The Nation of Heat. A 30 year veteran of the Chicago music scene, John has appeared on recordings by Mavis Staples, Steve Earle, Jon Langford, Blind Boys of Alabama, Wilco, Rosie Flores, and John Martyn. His multi-instrumental skills have been prominently displayed in a long list of Midwestern bands including Jump 'N the Saddle, The Rattlers, Special Consensus, and The Sundowners. John has also worked as "gun for hire" for the likes of Roger Miller, Marianne Faithful, Billy Corgan, Ken Nordine, Vassar Clements, and Jim Lauderdale. He has contributed music to the films The Guardian, Uncle Nino, Secondhand Lions, and The Slaughter Rule. John has also played on more than 2000 television and radio jingles. Theater credits include The Remembered City (Steppenwolf Theatre Company) Floyd and Clea Under the Western Sky (Goodman Theatre) and Pump Boys and Dinettes (Forum Theatre Company).

ANNA FERMIN (Singer) previously performed in Nickel History: The Nation of Heat. She is an award-winning singer/songwriter and the front woman for the Chicago alt-country band Trigger Gospel. The band has released five albums, including the Jay Bennett produced Oh, the Stories We Hold. Her first solo album The Contender was released in 2009. Anna has opened for many notable artists including the late great Johnny Cash, David Crosby, Neko Case, and Steve Earle, the artist who inspired her career.

To post a comment, you must register and login.