Chicago Theater Works Announces WE GOTTA BINGO Holiday Schedule

The hilarious, interactive dinner theater experience WE GOTTA BINGO at the new Chicago Theater Works (1113 W. Belmont), is happy to announce Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's performance schedules. Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as "interactive fun," the company is thrilled to share the holidays with all of Chicagoland.

"This is the perfect celebratory show to enjoy with family and out-of- town guests during the holiday season," says show creator and producer Bill Collins. "And it makes for a great setting for both work and family holiday parties."

For all performances from Dec. 3 - 27, the venue will feature holiday decor, Christmas polka music, special holiday-patterned Bingo games, holiday menus and specialty Christmas drinks for purchase at the bar. There will also be the chance to purchase some great stocking stuffers including gift certificates to WE GOTTA BINGO.

The regular schedule of performances for WE GOTTA BINGO is Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 5 p.m. Holiday schedules are as follows:

Thanksgiving Week

Wednesday, Nov. 25, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 26, Thanksgiving, no show
Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov 28, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 29, 5 p.m.

Special menu items for these performances: Turkey Lasagna and Pumpkin Bars.

Christmas Week

Thursday, Dec. 24, no show
Friday, Dec. 25, Christmas, no show
Saturday, Dec. 26, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 27, 5 p.m.

Special menu items for these performances: Egg Nog, Hot Cocoa and Hot Cider.

New Year's Week

Thursday, Dec. 31, New Year's Eve. 7:30 p.m.
(includes free Champagne toast at Midnight Newfoundland Time -10 p.m.)
Friday, Jan 1, New Year's Day, 5 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 2, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 3, no show.

Tickets for WE GOTTA BINGO are priced beginning at $49 and include a meal and select non-alcoholic beverages. Other beverages are available for purchase. Tickets can be obtained by visiting wegottabingo.com or by calling 312.391.0404. Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more are currently available at GroupTix by calling 773.327.3778 or visiting grouptix.net.

Visit wegottabingo.com for more information.

In the spirit of "Tony n' Tina's Wedding," WE GOTTA BINGO treats guests to a night of raucous, interactive, theatrical fun. Directed by Ross Young, the production allows guests to mix and mingle with a lively cast of characters while eating, dancing and playing bingo all night long. The Oak Park Journal gives WE GOTTA BINGO, "4 stars...Highly Recommended...Start warming up your vocal chords and get ready to shout "Bingo!"

The ensemble cast for WE GOTTA BINGO includes Jane Allyson (Rosa), Mitch Conti (Jeremy), Jerome R. Marzullo (Rudy), Riley McIlveen (Stephen), Sheila O'Connor (Franny), Jennifer Pompa (Mary), Mollie Rehner (Mollie Voekel), Merrick Robison (Bucky), Ty Rood (Tyler), Jessica Scott (Darla), Gary Smiley (Father Duncan), Michael Tatar (Helmut), Tamara White (Moira) and Susan Wingerter (Sister Gigi).

The creative team includes Matthew Murray, set design; Raquel Madorno, costume design, Allen Weeks, lighting design, and Kevin Dutcher, music direction. The band includes Sami Scott or Mazurka Wojciechowska (accordion), Michael Levin or Robert Fletcher (drums) and Frank Kondorf (bass).

The fun, interactive premise of WE GOTTA BINGO immerses audience members in a dynamic, theater experience filled with music, comedy and of course, bingo! As guests enter into the German beer hall known as "Der Brew-Ha-Ha," they are greeted by the lively house polka band as well as the rousing, colorful cast of characters that soon become their dinner dates and bingo partners for the evening. Guests soon learn that they are amongst two rival Chicago parishes, one Italian and one Irish, who are set to merge with one another -- against their wishes -- and are participating in this bingo bonanza in order to raise money for the imminent union. In between exhilarating games of bingo, all in attendance are treated to an Italian dinner, drinks, dancing, music, mayhem and more.

WE GOTTA BINGO was first presented by the Actors Theater of Minnesota in 2004. Since then, the show has played in various venues throughout the Midwest including PlayhouseSquare in Cleveland and has delighted more than 100,000 theatergoers of every age.

Bill Collins, Creator/Producer/Writer - Bill Collins is the Chief Manager of N-42 Productions, Sole Member and Chief Manager of WGB Creative, LLC. Collins co-founded Actors Theater of Minnesota in 1999 and serves as its Managing Director and Board Chair. Since then he has produced or co-produced over 50 professional stage productions. He has numerous theatrical, commercial and corporate industrial credits to his name and has also worked as a consultant to NBC television where he took shows from pitch to pilot. He founded and currently is the majority shareholder in a very successful night club and cabaret in Saint Paul, Minnesota; Camp Bar & Cabaret.

Michael Dunne, Consultant - Michael Dunne's introduction to the theater industry came in 1991. After spending more than 15 years in hospitality management and consulting, Dunne was contracted to develop an upscale urban bistro as part of a live theater/restaurant complex in Minneapolis called Hey City Stage and Café. Upon completion, Dunne stayed on at Hey City Stage Company as the Director of Business Operations. Over the course of 11 years with Hey City, Dunne held the positions of vice president and executive director for all Hey Companies and was responsible for the production of numerous theatrical presentations in several US cities, most notably, the runaway interactive hit, "Tony n' Tina's Wedding," which, under Dunne's leadership enjoyed multi-year runs in Minneapolis, Portland, Oregon and Cleveland. Among Dunne's other theatrical credits are "Forever Plaid," "Beehive," "The '60s Rock-n-Roll Musical," "Smokey Joe's Café," "Nunsense A-Men" and "Triple Espresso." After leaving Hey City in 2002, Dunne formed Amuse-Bouche, LLC, a highly specialized management company to the entertainment and hospitality industry. In 2005, Dunne came to the Actors Theater of Minnesota to assist in the development of "We Gotta Bingo." He continues to operate Amuse-Bouche, LLC for a variety of hospitality and entertainment clients.

About Chicago Theater Works - The new Chicago Theater Works makes its home in the heart of the Belmont Theater District at 1113 W. Belmont. Designed by Obora and Associates with interior design by Matthew Murray, this versatile space has been transformed into a 200-seat German beer hall known as "Der Brew-Ha-Ha." The space is a new staple in the Chicago theater scene run by Bill Collins and Michael Dunne.

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