In the Works Theatre Lab Series Continues with TUTA Theatre Chicago

The new year kicks off in Millennium Park with a preview of TUTA Theatre Chicago's production of Fulton Street Sessions at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion from January 12-14, 2012. This is a part of Millennium Park's theater lab series, In the Works, where audiences have a chance to sit on the stage of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in a climate controlled environment and experience works in development by local theater artists. In the Works is supported by a grant from The Boeing Company.

Presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, in partnership with the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture, and TUTA Theatre Chicago, Fulton Street Sessions has been written and developed by the TUTA ensemble and directed by TUTA Artistic Director and co-founder Zeljko Djukic. Music and lyrics are written by Josh Schmidt and musical direction is by Wayne Parham. A discussion with the ensemble will follow the performance.

Tickets are $15 and available by calling 312.742.TIXS (8497) or by visiting www.millenniumpark.org.

Fulton Street Sessions is a cabaret-style production, complete with sketches, musical numbers and interludes that reflect current national and local news and social, cultural and political gossip. The production reunites the talents of company members Kirk Anderson, Jaimelyn Gray, Stacie Beth Green, Trey Maclin, and Jacqueline Stone (TUTA co-founder). Design and technical collaborators include: set design by Brandon Wardell, costume design by Natasha Djukic (TUTA co-founder), lighting design by Keith Parham, sound design by Chris Kritz, prop design by Joel Lambie and stage management by Shannon Reilly.

TUTA Theatre Chicago excites audiences with theater that is both relevant and challenging in both form and content. TUTA continually searches for the unique and exceptional in the language of theater, be it verbal, physical, or visual, in order to express ideas and expose questions vital to contemporary American society. TUTA is committed to producing theatrical and educational events that bridge all forms of cultural and geographical divides.

Following the three In the Works performances in Millennium Park, Fulton Street Sessions will have its world premiere at Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Avenue, from February 23 through March 25, 2012. A one-night-only work-in-progress preview can be seen at TUTA, 2032 W. Fulton Avenue on December 12, 2011. For more information, visit www.tutato.com.

One of the missions of Millennium Park's In the Works series is to develop new plays for a future production. Since its inception in October of 2009, two of its nine presentations have seen a world premiere presentation, including Arlene Malinowski's Aiming for Sainthood produced at Victory Gardens Theatre and Tanya Saracho's El Nogalar at the Goodman Theatre. In 2012, Lifeline Theatre will mount the play Hunger in a full production and Lookingglass Theatre Company will present Eastland by Andy White, both a part of In the Works in the past year.

Upcoming In the Works presentations this season include Seth Bockley, Artus Chavez and Devon de Mayo's Guerra: A Clown Play (March 22-24, 2012) and Columbia College Chicago's Playwriting Program performing three evenings of new works (April 19-21, 2012).

For more information about the In the Works theater lab series, visit www.millenniumpark.org, call 312.742.1168, visit Millennium Park on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @Millennium_Park.

Millennium Park
Millennium Park is located in the heart of downtown Chicago. It is bordered by Michigan Ave. to the west, Columbus Dr. to the east, Randolph St. to the north and Monroe St. to the south. Convenient parking is located in the Millennium Park Garage (entrance on Columbus at Monroe or Randolph) and at the Grant Park North and East Monroe Garages, all located within a short walking distance of Millennium Park.

Millennium Park, managed and programmed by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, is an award-winning center for art, music, architecture and landscape design. The result of a unique partnership between the City of Chicago and the philanthropic community, the 24.5-acre park features the work of world-renowned architects, planners, artists and designers. Among Millennium Park's prominent features are the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United States; the interactive Crown Fountain by Jaume Plensa; the contemporary Lurie Garden designed by the team of Gustafson Guthrie Nichol, Piet Oudolf and Robert Israel; and Anish Kapoor's hugely popular Cloud Gate sculpture.

Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), in partnership with the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture, presents thousands of high-quality free festivals, exhibitions, performances and holiday celebrations in venues throughout the city each year. DCASE is dedicated to promoting an ongoing celebration of the arts in Chicago, supporting the people who create and sustain them, and marketing the city's abundant cultural resources to a worldwide audience.

Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture
The Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture (COTC) is dedicated to promoting Chicago as a premier cultural destination to domestic and international leisure travelers, providing innovative visitor programs and services, and presenting free world-class public programs. COTC supports local artists through grants and other resources and creates vital opportunities for artists of all levels. For more information please visit www.ExploreChicago.org.

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