THE ARROW TAKES A LEAP, THE? UNICORN? HOUR? Extends and More at The Neo-Futurists This Spring
By: BWW News Desk May. 09, 2017
The Neo-Futurists announce spring happenings at The Neo-Futurarium with added Sunday performances from Kurt Chiang and Lily Mooney's The Arrow, an extension of the critically acclaimed Prime Time production of Leah Urzendowski and Anthony Courser's The? Unicorn? Hour? and special presentations of the ongoing The Infinite Wrench at Steppenwolf's Summer LookOut Series and during Pride Week. All performances are at The Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. (at Foster) in Andersonville, unless otherwise noted.
THE ARROW TAKES A LEAP OPENS IN MAY
The Neo-Futurists announce the spring edition of The Neo-Futurist's storytelling show, The Arrow, created by Kurt Chiang and Lily Mooney with The Arrow Takes a Leap, every Sunday in May at 3 p.m. Directed by Lily Mooney, with writing and performances by Kurt Chiang, Jasmine Jordan, Jorge Silva, Meghann Wilkinson and Rachel Wilson, The Arrow is a Neo-Futurist storytelling show that subjects written true stories to spontaneous interruptions.
The Arrow Takes A Leap
Created by Kurt Chiang* and Lily Mooney*
Sundays at 3 p.m., May 7 - May 28
Tickets are $15 and available at neofuturists.org or 773.275.5255.
THE? UNICORN? HOUR? EXTENDS TO MAY 20
The Neo-Futurists announce the world premiere, created and performed by Leah Urzendowski* and Anthony Courser, The? Unicorn? Hour?, directed by Adrian Danzig*, has been extended through Saturday, May 20.
In The? Unicorn? Hour? audiences are invited into a space to discover and grow joy in an atmosphere where joy can float freely. Inspired by childhood favorites "MR. Rogers Neighborhood" and "Peewee's Playhouse," this new show aims to help one remember that we can find the core fantastical world of joy and adventure within ourselves. Joy is an active choice, and it simply requires a shift of perception of the world around you.
"We became really obsessed and excited with the politics of joy; joy being an activism; that feeling joy, being joy, creating joy is a way to fight against the world and your oppressor. Joy is a part of the resistance," said Leah Urzendowski. "The? Unicorn? Hour? refers to the unicorn that lives within all of us - the mythical magical organ in your soul that can be tapped into at any moment you choose. You can "unicorn" at anytime! Seeking joy is refusing woe and accepting the beauty of an unbridled lifting of the spirit."
"We want to give people the gift of saying yes and delighting in absurd choices; help people tap back into a time before the word 'no' was forced on them. We want to be a looking glass of what a world could look like when we choose to eliminate self-doubt and say yes to a sincere playfulness," added Anthony Courser.
The? Unicorn? Hour?
Created by Leah Urzendowski* and Anthony Courser
Directed by Adrian Danzig**
Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., through May 20
Tickets are $10-25 and available at neofuturists.org or 773.275.5255.
THE INFINITE WRENCH ANNOUNCES STEPPENWOLF ACCESSIBLE AND PRIDE WEEKEND PERFORMANCES
The Infinite Wrench is a mechanism that unleashes a barrage of two-minute plays for a live audience. Each play offers something different-some are funny, others profound. Some are elegant, disgusting, topical, irrelevant, terrifying, or put to song. All of the plays are truthful and tackle the here-and-now, inspired by the lived experiences of the performers. The Infinite Wrench is The Neo-Futurists' ongoing and ever-changing attempt to shift the conventions of live performance and speak to the present audience, including those unreached or unmoved by other types of theater.
Steppenwolf's LookOut Series Presents Physically Accessible Performances of The Infinite Wrench at Their 1700 Theatre
The Neo-Futurists are proud to present two accessible performances of The Infinite Wrench, Friday, June 2 at 7 p.m. for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. This performance features open captioning and ASL interpretation and Saturday, June 3 at 7 p.m. is catered to individuals who are blind or have low vision features. The Saturday performance includes an audio description and a pre-performance touch tour beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre is wheelchair accessible and is equipped with an induction hearing loop for people who use personal hearing devices that have a T-coil. The Front Bar, directly in front of the 1700 Theatre, has a push-button entrance, wheelchair accessible seating and multi-stall all-gender restrooms.
Steppenwolf's LookOut Series presents The Infinite Wrench
Accessible Performances Friday, June 2 and Saturday, June 3 at 7 p.m.
Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre, 1700 N Halsted St.
Tickets are $15 and available at steppenwolf.org/lookout and 312-335-1650.
The Infinite Wrench presents 30 Queer Plays in 60 Straight Minutes
The Neo-Futurists present their annual Pride Weekend benefit: 30 Queer Plays in 60 Straight Minutes, a special edition of The Infinite Wrench that corrals the queerest plays into one show that slays gender roles, celebrates deviance and sends all proceeds to benefit a local LGBTQ organization.
Special Benefit Performance: Thursday, June 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25 with no cash rollback
Regularly Scheduled Pride-Themed Performances: Friday, June 23 and Saturday, June 24 at 11:30 p.m. And Sunday, June 25 at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $15 and available at neofuturists.org or 773.275.5255.
* denotes an active member of The Neo-Futurist Ensemble
**denotes a Neo-Futurist Alum
The Neo-Futurists are a collective of writer-director-performers creating theater that is fusion of sport, poetry and living-newspaper. Originating nearly 10,000 plays within the newly launched The Infinite Wrench, 28 years of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, and over 65 full-length productions within their immediate, non-illusory aesthetic, The Neo-Futurists have grown to become one of the most highly regarded experimental theater companies in the United States. From humble beginnings as the first late-night theater production in Chicago, they launched what became Chicago's longest running show and today sustain multifaceted programs such as Neo-Access, The Kitchen (a micro-festival on art and performance), Prime Time, Neo-Lab and The Infinite Wrench, the ongoing late night show running 50 weekends every year. For more information visit www.neofuturists.org.
Pictured: Anthony Courser, Leah Urzendowski in The Neo-Futurists' The? Unicorn? Hour?. Photo by Joe Mazza.
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