Chicago Shakespeare Theater World's Stage Series Presents en route, 7/11

Chicago Shakespeare Theater's North American premiere of en route hits city streets beginning July 11, 2011. Devised specifically for the City of Chicago by Australian company, One Step at a Time Like This, artists Suzanne Kersten, Clair Korobacz, Paul Moir and Julian Rickert lead audiences through a sensory production encouraging wayfarers to stroll streetscapes and alleys, transforming and redefining everything they thought they knew about the city. Melbourne-based One Step at a Time Like This generates its work from collaborative investigations, shaped primarily by the environment of a specific place-inviting audience members to participate in the theatrical event, encouraging rich and personalized experiences. The company is the recipient of a London 2012 Festival Cultural Olympiad commission to create en route in London as part of next summer's Olympic Games. The piece has received critical acclaim in Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Australia's Melbourne and Adelaide Fringe Festivals.

The journey of en route incorporates audio tracks, cell phone communication, text messaging, downtown thoroughfares, hotel lobbies, passers-by, cafés and the occasional brush with the artists. This pedestrian-based, live art event begins with a text message which gives instructions on where to meet the artists. Each of the travelers who go on the "journey" borrow a specially programmed Motorola ATRIX^TM 4G smartphone, which serves as the navigational tool of their excursion.

Presented in association with the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture, en route is the centerpiece of Chicago's 2011 summer tourism initiative, Urban Excursions: Explore Chicago. The presentation of en route is a partnership created by Chicago Shakespeare Theater presenting the signature, interactive-pedestrian event with Richard Jordan Productions, Ltd; en route's official hotel, Kimpton Hotels; and support from the Australian Arts Council. "En route provides an innovative way to see the city while experiencing a unique form of theater," said Dorothy Coyle, Executive Director, Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture. "It is the perfect centerpiece for Urban Excursions: Explore Chicago, our 2011 summer initiative showcasing hundreds of treks and other urban adventures downtown and throughout the neighborhoods." Ron Vlasic, Regional Vice President of Operations for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants added, "Chicago's Kimpton Hotels-the Allegro, the Burnham, the Monaco and the Palomar-are pleased to be the official hotels for en route. This groundbreaking partnership will enable visitors and residents alike to explore Chicago in a unique and powerful way."

The Chicago performances of en route are presented by Chicago Shakespeare Theater, One Step at a Time Like This and Richard Jordan Productions, Ltd. Tickets for en route are $35 and will go on sale July 1, 2011.

About the World's Stage Series

Chicago Shakespeare Theater's World's Stage Series gives Chicagoans the unique opportunity to experience different cultural and artistic traditions and some of the world's finest productions without leaving home. In curating the World's Stage, CST takes its cue from Shakespeare's high mark of quality and from the eclectic diversity of Europe's touring circuit, joining an international community of creative exchange. Since the inception of the Series in 2000, CST has hosted over 20 iconic troupes such as The Abbey Theatre (Dublin), Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (London), the Chekhov InterNational Theatre Festival (Moscow) and La Comédie-Française (Paris). The works presented by these companies range from intimate one-man works like South African Omphile Molusi's Itsoseng to grand spectacles like the French troupe Ilotopie's Water Fools (Fous de Bassin), performed entirely atop the waters of Lake Michigan. Chicago Shakespeare Theater has contributed to this exciting international exchange by sending some of its best works abroad, including the Olivier Award-winning production of Stephen Sondheim's Pacific Overtures (2003), Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, which marked CST's debut at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-Upon-Avon (2006) and Funk It Up About Nothin', which garnered acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (2008) and embarks on a tour of Australia in 2011.

About Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Recipient of the 2008 Regional Theatre Tony Award, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) offers a broad spectrum of theatrical experiences year-round, engaging and entertaining audiences from all walks of life and from around the world. CST has garnered acclaim under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, including 55 Joseph Jefferson Awards and three Laurence Olivier Awards. The Theater has experienced record growth since moving to its current, state-of-the-art facility on Navy Pier in 1999, and will celebrate its 25th Anniversary next season.

The 38-play canon of William Shakespeare forms the core of CST's work and Subscription Series, complemented by other dramatic works-from traditional classical theater to new classics that resonate with Shakespeare's timeless insights into the human condition. Through a 48-week season encompassing more than 600 performances, Chicago Shakespeare leads the community as the largest employer of Chicago actors. CST also contributes to an international community of creative exchange through its World's Stage Series, which affords Chicago audiences prime opportunities to experience the cultural and artistic traditions of some of the world's iconic theater troupes as well as sending some of CST's best works abroad. Chicago Shakespeare is committed to making theater an expansive, ever-changing and lifelong relationship. For family audiences, CST Family presents abridged Shakespeare productions, timeless fables and fairy tales, interactive music concerts and world-premiere musical theater created with families in mind. CST's education outreach program, Team Shakespeare, has served over 1 million students and teachers throughout the Midwest, introducing the Bard's legacy to a new generation.

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