Photo Flash: Sneak Peek at CLLAW XVII: THE DAY OF THE DEAD at Sideshow Theatre

The Chicago League of Lady Arm Wrestlers (CLLAW) are resurrecting past champions (and a few new souls) in celebration of The Day of The Dead on Saturday, November 2, 2013 at the historic (and possibly haunted) Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 N. Kedzie Ave. in Chicago. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the competition!

Anything can happen on The Day of The Dead, the historical time when spirits stirred up during All Hallows Eve are remembered and laid back to rest. Brought to you by Sideshow Theatre Company, CLLAW's 17th bout will feature the biggest, baddest, and most belligerent lady arm wrestlers decked out in over-the-top outfits, fast-talking managers, ebullient entourages and shady referees. The ladies of CLLAW are determined to put the "fun" in Día de los Difuntos!

All proceeds from CLLAW XVII will benefit Sideshow Theatre and this match's partner charity, Barrel of Monkeys. Tickets for CLLAW XVII are $10 with a cash bar available. Doors open at 10 pm with the first match beginning at 10:30 pm. Tickets are currently on sale at www.cllaw.org.

The Main Event: Lumberjack Jill. Killer Bee. Anne Hackaway. Bust Your Tooth Bluth. Their names echo through the ages. They come from all corners of Chicago, united only by One Dream: to elbow their way through the competition and wrestle their way to the top. With Master of Ceremonies Rokke L. Squelch, and a couple of questionable referees to control them, twelve ladies in outrageous costumes volunteer their time to vie for that most cherished prize: the bedazzled CLLAW gloves. Who will leverage their way up the bracket? Or bribe their way to the top? All these questions and more will be answered, and all of Chicago is invited to bear witness.

CLLAWdience Participation and Prizes: Not content to leave the fun in the arms of its competitors, CLLAW XVII gets everyone in on the action. Audience members have the opportunity to purchase CLLAWBUX, the official currency of CLLAW, throughout the night. With their CLLAWBUX, onlookers can bet on their favorite wrestlers to prevail, and maybe slip a few to the referees to even the score. All CLLAWBUX purchased also go towards fantastic raffle prizes.

All for a good CLLAWSE: A portion of the CLLAW XVII proceeds will benefit Barrel of Monkeys, a Chicago-based arts education theater ensemble that conducts creative writing workshops with 3rd through 5th grade students in underserved Chicago Public Schools. The ensemble of actor-educators then turns their stories and words into professionally-performed theater, presented both in-school and for the general public through its revues. Since Barrel of Monkeys' inception in 1997 it has worked in 57 Chicago Public Schools. More than 7,000 lower-income elementary school students have participated in the Barrel of Monkeys programs that provide a rare opportunity for creative expression and build literacy skills, self-esteem and confidence in student ideas and abilities.

Proceeds will also benefit CLLAW's creator and producer, Sideshow Theatre Company. Since its first match in 2009, Sideshow's CLLAW events have helped fund raise for numerous Chicago based non-profits including C4 - Community Counseling Centers of Chicago, Girls Rock! Chicago, Marwen, Chicago Arts Partnership in Education, Rock for Kids, About Face Youth Theater and others.

CLLAW XVII - THE DAY OF THE DEAD is set for Saturday, November 2, 2013. Doors open at 10 pm, first match at 10:30 pm at the Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 N. Kedzie Ave., Chicago. Tickets: $10. Cash bar available. Advance tickets available at www.cllaw.org. For more information, brave the intensity of the CLLAW blog, at www.cllaw.wordpress.com or Sideshow Theatre company's website at www.cllaw.org.

Photo Credit: James Rand

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