Chicago Shakespeare Theater to Premiere Q BROTHERS' CHRISTMAS CAROL, 11/19

Chicago-October 20, 2014-Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) brings audiences a fresh take on a beloved classic, A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol, developed with hip-hop sensations the Q Brothers and CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton. After a special work-in-progress presentation last season, Chicago Shakespeare is proud to premiere this hip-hop reinterpretation of the perennial holiday favorite by Charles Dickens. A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol rocks the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare for a limited engagement, November 19-December 31, 2014.

Written and performed by GQ, JQ, Jackson Doran and Postell Pringle, this new adaptation takes on the cherished holiday tale and wrestles it from its classic roots with irreverence, an array of music styles, and a lot of heart. The story is underscored with beats spun live by DJ Super Nova at the turntables, mashing up everything from reggae and dancehall music, to dubstep and epic rock ballads.

Audiences will encounter Dickens' familiar characters in new and unexpected forms-from a miserly Ebenezer Scrooge with an erotic passion for cash to a Jamaican Jacob Marley and Lil' Tim, the tiniest Cratchit with a slew of maladies. The time-traveling Ghosts take Scrooge on a voyage through the hip-hop ages-decade by decade from past to present to future-documenting the evolving musical art form. This holiday treat promises to be as cheeky, intelligent and street smart as audiences have come to expect from the Q Brothers.

A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol marks the third collaboration between Creative Producer Rick Boynton and the Q Brothers, following two Shakespearean "ad-rap-tations"-Funk It Up About Nothin' and Othello: The Remix. Premiering at Shakespeare's Globe for the London 2012 Globe to Globe Festival, Othello: The Remix has toured to festival venues around the world, playing to sold-out houses of multi-generational and culturally diverse audiences in Edinburgh, London, Australia, Germany, South Korea and-most recently-Gdansk, Poland. Its extended five-month Chicago engagement broke records for Chicago Shakespeare's longstanding CST for $20 program for patrons under 35 years of age. Early next year, Othello: The Remix is set to travel to Australia's Arts Centre Melbourne (February 18-22, 2015), Dubai and Abu Dahbi in the United Arab Emirates with Art for All (March 1-5, 2015) and to New Zealand for the Auckland Arts Festival (March 5-22, 2015).

The design team includes Scenic and Costume Designer Scott Davis, Lighting Designer Jesse Klug and Wig and Make-up Designer Melissa Veal. Developed with Rick Boynton, A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol is written by GQ, JQ, Jackson Doran and Postell Pringle with music by GQ and JQ. Directed by GQ and JQ, A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol is presented in association with Richard Jordan Productions. More at www.chicagoshakes.com/qchristmas.

A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol is presented in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, November 19-December 31, 2014. Tickets are $30-48 and may be purchased by calling Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visiting www.chicagoshakes.com.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a leading international theater company and the recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, CST is dedicated to creating extraordinary production of classics, new works and family programming; to unlocking Shakespeare's work for educators and students; and to serving as Chicago's cultural ambassador through its World's Stage Series. Through a year-round season encompassing more than 650 performances, CST attracts 225,000 audience members annually. One in four of its audience members is under eighteen years old, and today its education programs have impacted the learning of over one million students. CST is proud to take an active role in empowering the next generation of literate, engaged cultural champions and creative minds. Visit www.chicagoshakes.com.

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