Annual Fillet of Solo Festival Set for Lifeline Theatre in January

Lifeline Theatre Artistic Director Dorothy Milne and former Live Bait Theater Artistic Director Sharon Evans are pleased to announce the 19th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival, running January 15-31, 2016. Celebrating the breadth of Chicago's enduring storytelling and live lit scene, Lifeline brings 14 storytelling collectives and numerous solo performers together for a three-week, multi-venue selection of powerful personal stories.

The 2016 Fillet of Solo festival will perform January 15-31, 2016, in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. (January 15-31) and Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave. (January 15-24). Free parking and shuttle; see below. Performance times are Fridays at 7 and 8:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 4, 5:30, 7, 8:30, and 10 p.m.; and Sundays at 4 and 5:30 p.m. (plus 7 p.m. on January 17 & 24). Ticket prices are $10 for regular single tickets, and $50 for a Festival Pass (allows admission to any performance). Tickets may be purchased at the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, or by visiting www.lifelinetheatre.com.

FREE KICK-OFF NIGHT

The 19th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival offers easy access to 13 established Live Lit groups and numerous soloists that perform regularly throughout Chicago. On Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016 at 7 p.m., at Mayne Stage,1328 W. Morse Ave. the audience is invited to learn more about this old/new art movement and get a taste of things to come in the 19th 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 for an evening of performance and conversation with numerous storytellers participating in Fillet of Solo, including Minita Gandhi, Julie Ganey, Nestor Gomez, Tyler Greene, David Kodeski, Jeremy Owens, and Amy Sumpter. 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 $25 at the free kick-off event (regularly $50). The Kick-Off Night is free, no reservations required. Contact the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, for more information.

FEATURED PERFORMERS:

The 19th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival will feature the work of:

· The BYOB Story Hour: 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.

· GeNarrations (goodmantheatre.org/Engage-Learn/education-programs/GeNarrations/): A personal narrative story performance workshop hosted at Goodman and in senior centers around Chicago.

· 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.

· The LIVINGROOM (stage773.com/Show?id=273): Some of the most intimate, truthful and exciting moments happen in living rooms around the world. Join The LIVINGroom while they share living, breathing, highly theatrical stories about events that really happened.

· The Lyrical Sublime with Reggie Eldridge: A themed open mic and showcase set at Donna's Cafe in the South Loop, hosted monthly by Reggie Eldridge.

· OUTspoken (outspokenchicago.com): OUTspoken! is comprised of storytellers who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, or queer recalling true personal events. Stories are often funny, heartfelt, and sometimes historically significant.

· 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 and solo performances by Anu Bhatt, Jasmin Cardenas, Minita Gandhi, Nicole Hollander, June Huitt, David Kodeski, Kim Morris, Cathy Schenkelberg, Betsy Vandercook, and more!

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

WEEK ONE (January 15-17):

Friday, January 15

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

7:00 p.m. the kates

8:30 p.m. Friday Night Sampler (Jasmin Cardenas, Nicole Hollander, June Huitt, and Betsy Vandercook)

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

7:00 p.m. Stir-Friday Night!

8:30 p.m. The LIVINGroom

Saturday, January 16

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Cathy Schenkelberg

5:30 p.m. The Stoop

7:00 p.m. Story Sessions

8:30 p.m. Story Club

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

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Anu Bhatt

5:30 p.m. Kim Morris

7:00 p.m. OUTspoken

8:30 p.m. The Lifeline Storytelling Project

10:00 p.m. BYOB Story Hour

Sunday, January 17

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Tellin' Tales Theatre/Tekki Lomnicki

5:30 p.m. Sweat Girls

7:00 p.m. David Kodeski

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. GeNarrations

5:30 p.m. The Lyrical Sublime with Reggie Eldridge

7:00 p.m. Minita Gandhi

WEEK TWO (January 22-24):

Friday, January 22

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

7:00 p.m. the kates

8:30 p.m. Friday Night Sampler (Jasmin Cardenas, Nicole Hollander, June Huitt, and Betsy Vandercook)

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

7:00 p.m. Stir-Friday Night!

8:30 p.m. The LIVINGroom

Saturday, January 23

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Cathy Schenkelberg

5:30 p.m. The Stoop

7:00 p.m. Story Sessions

8:30 p.m. Story Club

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

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Anu Bhatt

5:30 p.m. Kim Morris

7:00 p.m. OUTspoken

8:30 p.m. The Lifeline Storytelling Project

10:00 p.m. BYOB Story Hour

Sunday, January 24

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Tellin' Tales Theatre/Tekki Lomnicki

5:30 p.m. Sweat Girls

7:00 p.m. David Kodeski

Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. GeNarrations

5:30 p.m. The Lyrical Sublime with Reggie Eldridge

7:00 p.m. Minita Gandhi

WEEK THREE (January 29-31):

Friday, January 29

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

7:00 p.m. the kates

8:30 p.m. Friday Night Sampler (Jasmin Cardenas, Nicole Hollander, June Huitt, and Betsy Vandercook)

Saturday, January 30

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Cathy Schenkelberg

5:30 p.m. The Stoop

7:00 p.m. Story Sessions

8:30 p.m. Story Club

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

Sunday, January 31

Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

4:00 p.m. Tellin' Tales Theatre/Tekki Lomnicki

5:30 p.m. Sweat Girls

Lifeline Theatre presents the 19th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival, running January 15-31, 2016, in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. (January 15-31) and Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave. (January 15-24). Free parking and shuttle; see below. Performance times are Fridays at 7 and 8:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 4, 5:30, 7, 8:30, and 10 p.m.; and Sundays at 4 and 5:30 p.m. (plus 7 p.m. on January 17 & 24). Ticket prices are $10 for regular single tickets, and $50 for a Festival Pass (allows admission to any performance). Tickets may be purchased at the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, or by visiting www.lifelinetheatre.com.

There is a Free Kick-Off Night Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016 at 7 p.m. at Mayne Stage, 1328 W. Morse Ave. No reservations required; for more information call the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, or visit www.lifelinetheatre.com.

Free parking is available at the designated lot west of the theatres (NE corner of Morse and Ravenswood) with free shuttle service before and after the shows. Street parking is also available. Lifeline Theatre and Heartland Studio Theatre are CTA accessible (Red Line Morse stop/busses).

Now in its 33rd season, Lifeline Theatre is driven by a passion for story. Our ensemble process supports writers in the development of literary adaptations and new work, and our theatrical and educational programs foster a lifelong engagement with literature and the arts. A cultural anchor of Rogers Park, we are committed to deepening our connection to an ever-growing family of artists and audiences, both near and far. Lifeline Theatre - Big Stories, Up Close.

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