18th Annual FILLET OF SOLO Celebrates Live Lit Storytelling at Lifeline Theatre, Now thru 1/25

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Lifeline Theatre Artistic Director Dorothy Milne and former Live Bait Theater Artistic Director Sharon Evans are pleased to announce the 18th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival, running today, January 9-25, 2015. Celebrating the breadth of Chicago's enduring storytelling and live lit scene, Lifeline brings 16 storytelling collectives and numerous solo performers together for a three-week, multi-venue selection of powerful personal stories.

The 2015 Fillet of Solo festival will perform January 9-25, 2015, in Chicago''s Rogers Park neighborhood at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. and Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave. (Free parking and shuttle; see below). Performance times are Fridays at 7, 8:30 (Lifeline and Heartland), and 10 p.m. (Heartland only); Saturdays at 4, 5:30, 7, 8:30, and 10 p.m. (Lifeline and Heartland); and Sundays at 4 and 5:30 p.m. (Lifeline and Heartland). Ticket prices are $10 for regular single tickets, and $50 for a Festival Pass (allows admission to any performance or panel, January 9-25). Tickets may be purchased at the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, or by visiting www.lifelinetheatre.com.

FREE KICK-OFF NIGHT

The 18th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival offers easy access to 16 established Live Lit groups that perform regularly throughout Chicago. On Wednesday, January 7, 2015 at 7 p.m., come to Mayne Stage (1328 W. Morse Ave.) learn more about this old/new art movement and get a taste of things to come in the 18th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival.

Live Lit (n): A fast-growing genre of live performance that involves a microphone, a story and an audience, typically performed in a bar or bookstore.

Chicago's Live Lit scene is a rapidly-growing community of people who gather to tell and listen to stories. While storytelling as an art form dates back to ancient times, the current evolution of the form has recently exploded in popularity. On any given night in Chicago, you can find a place to listen to stories as an audience member or to test out your work as a writer-performer.

At the Fillet of Solo Kick-Off Night, join host Don Hall and producers/storytellers from The Moth, Write Club, The Stoop, Chicago Slam Works, Tellin' Tales, Sweat Girls, Write Club and Guts & Glory for an evening of performance and conversation. Learn about the form, the history of the Fillet of Solo Festival, and details on Chicago's many storytelling nights from the people who make them happen, and hear stories of different styles interspersed throughout.

Discounted Passes: Fillet of Solo Festival Passes will be offered at a special discounted rate of $30 at the event (regularly $50).

Admission is free, no reservations required. Contact the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477 for more information.

FEATURED PERFORMERS:

The 18th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival will feature the work of:

· The BYOB Story Hour (byobstoryhour.com): An intimate night of storytelling and live music. Once a month, six of Chicago''s best storytellers take the stage to share personal narratives based on that month''s theme. In addition to hearing some incredible stories, they also feature a live musical performance by local Chicago musicians.

· Chicago Slam Works (chicagoslamworks.com): Chicago Slam Works seeks to advance performance poetry, both in Chicago and around the world through live performances, education and outreach. The Chicago Slam Works'' staff and founding members are pillars of the international poetry slam movement and the organizational force behind dozens of major poetry events all over the world.

· enSOLO (facebook.com/EnSoloPerformance): An ensemble of solo performers who write together and perform alone. A little bit of non-fiction, story telling, and performance art with no 4th wall. Everything biographical. enSOLO strives to find universal truth through specificity and brutal honesty.

· GayCo (gayco.com) Chicago''s longest-lasting LGBTQ sketch comedy organization turns 18 years old this year. They''ve performed for massive, enthusiastic, sexy gay & straight audiences in Chicago and around the country.

· The God, SEX & Death Variety Hour (facebook.com/TheGodSexDeathVarietyHourWDannyBlack) Stories, comedy, sketch, games, interviews, music & more... themed in GOD, SEX & DEATH.

· the kates (thekates.org): An all-female comedy group that encompasses the distinct voices of up and coming Chicago performers. The kates provide an intimate night of comedy with pieces ranging from darkly amusing musical numbers, the awkward art of clowning, absurd solo performances, and uproarious stand up comedy.

· The Lifeline Storytelling Project (lifelinestorytellingproject.com): The Lifeline Storytelling Project produces monthly live music & storytelling events designed to develop and showcase young artists affiliated with Lifeline Theatre.

· OUTspoken (outspokenchicago.com): Chicago''s monthly LGBTQ storytelling event featuring self-identified and out LGBTQ performers.

· The Seven Deadly Sins Show (sevendeadlysinsshow.wordpress.com): The Seven Deadly Sins Show features seven storytellers, readers, and comedians performing pieces along the theme of one of the seven sins: envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride, sloth, wrath.

· Stir-Friday Night! (stirfridaynight.org): "We are Asian. We do comedy." Based in Chicago and one of the nation''s premier Asian-American sketch comedy troupes. Having worked with The Second City and iO, Stir-Friday Night! has become a fixture in Chicago''s illustrious comedy scene.

· The Stoop (facebook.com/StoopStyleStories): The Stoop is an off book (no notes/reading) storytelling show. Featured storytellers are given a theme. They take that theme and share a 7-10 minute story related to that theme. Hosted by Moth GrandSLAM champion Lily Be and Badass Clarence Browley.

· Story Club (storyclubchicago.com): Story Club is a non-fiction storytelling show. Story Club mixes the spontaneity of an open mic with the experience of live theatre. Each show has both featured performers and open mic performers.

· Story Sessions (storysessionschicago.com): Story Sessions is a collection of performers sharing true personal stories that tug at your heart strings, tickle your funny bone and take your mind on a wild adventure.

· Sweat Girls (sweatgirls.org): The Sweat Girls speak with honesty, authenticity and humor about the human condition as they''ve experienced it. They have been writing and performing storytelling shows in Chicago for over 20 years.

· Tellin'' Tales Theatre, featuring Tekki Lomnicki (tellintalestheatre.org): Tellin' Tales Theatre builds community through story - adult solo performances as well as "Six Stories Up," a mentoring program and show featuring kids and adults, with and without disabilities. Tekki Lomnicki is a solo performer, playwright, director and educator.

· You''re Being Ridiculous (yourebeingridiculous.com): A group of real people telling real funny stories about their lives with a theme as their guide. They laugh at themselves and with each other. Everyone has a story to tell - what''s yours?

· With solo performances by Rose Abdoo, Stephen Bastien, and Kim Morris; plus stories by new groups West Side Stories (curated/directed by Sharon Evans), 5 from Rogers Park (curated by Dorothy Milne), and the Off-Campus Writers Workshop; and a storytelling panel discussion led by Story Sessions alums.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

WEEK ONE (January 9-11):

Friday, January 9

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

7:00 p.m. Story Club

8:30 p.m. Stir-Friday Night!

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

7:00 p.m. GayCo

8:30 p.m. Lifeline Storytelling Project

10:00 p.m. enSolo

Saturday, January 10

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Sweat Girls

5:30 p.m. Tellin'' Tales Theatre/Tekki Lomnicki

7:00 p.m. the kates

8:30 p.m. Story Sessions

10:00 p.m. You''re Being Ridiculous

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Stephen Bastien

5:30 p.m. BYOB Story Hour

7:00 p.m. The Stoop

8:30 p.m. Chicago Slam Works

10:00 p.m. The God, SEX & Death Variety Hour

Sunday, January 11

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. OUTspoken

5:30 p.m. 5 from Rogers Park

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. West Side Stories

5:30 p.m. Kim Morris

WEEK TWO (January 16-18):

Friday, January 16

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

7:00 p.m. the kates

8:30 p.m. Stir-Friday Night!

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

7:00 p.m. GayCo

8:30 p.m. Lifeline Storytelling Project

10:00 p.m. enSolo

Saturday, January 17

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Sweat Girls

5:30 p.m. Tellin'' Tales Theatre/Tekki Lomnicki

7:00 p.m. Story Club

8:30 p.m. Story Sessions

10:00 p.m. You''re Being Ridiculous

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Stephen Bastien

5:30 p.m. BYOB Story Hour

7:00 p.m. The Stoop

8:30 p.m. Chicago Slam Works

10:00 p.m. The God, SEX & Death Variety Hour

Sunday, January 18

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. OUTspoken

5:30 p.m. Rose Abdoo

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Off Campus Writers Workshop

5:30 p.m. Kim Morris

WEEK THREE (January 23-25):

Friday, January 23

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

7:00 p.m. Rose Abdoo

8:30 p.m. Stir-Friday Night!

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

7:00 p.m. GayCo

8:30 p.m. Lifeline Storytelling Project

10:00 p.m. enSolo

Saturday, January 24

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Story Sessions Panel

5:30 p.m. Sweat Girls

7:00 p.m. Story Club

8:30 p.m. Story Sessions

10:00 p.m. You''re Being Ridiculous

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Stephen Bastien

5:30 p.m. BYOB Story Hour

7:00 p.m. The Stoop

8:30 p.m. Chicago Slam Works

10:00 p.m. The God, SEX & Death Variety Hour

Sunday, January 25

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. OUTspoken

5:30 p.m. the kates

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. The Seven Deadly Sins Show

5:30 p.m. Kim Morris

Lifeline Theatre presents the 18th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival, running January 9-25, 2015. Performance times are Fridays at 7, 8:30 (Lifeline and Heartland), and 10 p.m. (Heartland only); Saturdays at 4, 5:30, 7, 8:30, and 10 p.m. (Lifeline and Heartland); and Sundays at 4 and 5:30 p.m. (Lifeline and Heartland). Ticket prices are $10 for regular single tickets, and $50 for a Festival Pass (allows admission to any performance or panel, January 9-25). Tickets may be purchased at the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, or by visiting www.lifelinetheatre.com.