TUG OF WAR, Culinary Complete Works and More Set for September as Part of Shakespeare 400 Chicago

Chicago will be treated to a wealth of Shakespeare in September 2016, as the yearlong Shakespeare 400 Chicago celebration marking 400 years of the playwright's enduring legacy continues into the fall.

Illustrating the unprecedented scale and scope of the festivities, every day of the month features events and performances across disciplines and from five renowned international companies across four continents-representing China, Poland, Mexico, India and Australia.

Additional highlights include: Barbara Gaines' continued exploration of the history plays; Culinary Complete Works chefs participating in a special event at Bon Appétit presents Chicago Gourmet; an exhibition and lecture series from award-winning scholars authors at The Newberry; the launch of the Battle of the Bard high school Shakespeare slam bringing together students from Chicago Public Schools and across Chicagoland, a "Shakespeare in the Criminal Justice System" panel of social justice practitioners and more.

Spearheaded by Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST), Shakespeare 400 Chicago brings together the city's world-class institutions and leading artists from around the globe to interpret and reimagine Shakespeare's work in 850 events throughout 2016. The yearlong international cultural festival is engaging more than 500,000 Chicagoans and visitors in events spanning theater, opera, music, dance, cuisine, exhibitions, workshops and discussion series.

While the festival offers exciting performances and events throughout the year, highlights in September include:

• Chicago Shakespeare's Artistic Director Barbara Gaines' six-play history cycle Tug of War continues with Civil Strife, (encompassing Henry VI, Parts 2 and 3 and Richard III) opening September 15. Michael Billington of London's The Guardian called Tug of War: Foreign Fire, "A bold and magnificent venture... this is Shakespeare staged with a purpose, and further proof that his history plays speak to us more urgently than ever."

• Internationally renowned Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company transforms Shakespeare's Hamlet through one of China's most impressive traditional art forms-the highly stylized and ornamental Peking opera. Set in the fictitious ancient Chinese state of the Red City, The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan is co-presented by The Harris Theater for Music and Dance and Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

• Culinary Complete Works translates the 38 plays of Shakespeare through the talents of 38 chefs in restaurants across the city throughout 2016. Curated by star restaurateur and tastemaker Alpana Singh and developed with CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton, each participating chef will artfully interpret one of Shakespeare's plays through food.?
  • Bon Appétit presents Chicago Gourmet - Grand Cru (September 24 & 25, 2:00-4:00 p.m.) Chicago Shakespeare Theater is partnering with Bon Appétit presents Chicago Gourmet to design an unprecedented Grand Cru experience in which a selection of participating Culinary Complete Works chefs will present their Shakespeare-inspired dishes alongside artful representations of Shakespeare's most famous scenes. This premier "event within the event" is the ultimate in culinary indulgence, complete with tastings of elite wines from around the world.
  • Culinary Complete Works chefs interpreting plays in their restaurants in September include:
    • Paul Virant, Vie - Henry V
    • Dan Pancake and Beth Partridge, Autre Monde Café and Spirits - The Two Gentlemen of Verona
    • Jessica Oloroso, Black Dog Gelato - Hamlet
    • Luigi Garcia, RIVA Crab House - Henry VI, Part 2

• The Newberry debuts the Creating Shakespeare exhibition featuring over 100 treasures from the Library and other distinguished collections. The free exhibition displays a variety of artifacts, manuscripts, printed books, artwork and music-examining how Shakespeare's works have been reimagined and recreated throughout the centuries.

• India's Company Theatre Mumbai presents their award-winning Hindi translation of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Piya Behrupiya, at Chicago Shakespeare in partnership with the 2016 Eye On India festival.

• One of Mexico's most innovative and courageous theater companies, Foro Shakespeare, partners with acclaimed Chilean playwright Eduardo Pavez Goye to create Enamorarse de un incendio, drawing on Shakespeare's exploration of love and relationships in Romeo and Juliet.

• From Poland, Songs of the Goat presents their ensemble-driven Songs of Lear, the highest-rated performance in the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Using gestures, words and music, the company explores the rhythms of Shakespeare's King Lear at Chicago Shakespeare.

• Distinguished author and scholar James Shapiro speaks at The Newberry on the tumultuous year of 1606, which launched Shakespeare's great, late tragedies, including King Lear.

• A new personal walking theater work by Australian performance group one step at a time like this (en route, Since I Suppose) performed around Lake Michigan and Navy Pier called unpathed waters, undreamed shores (or a little water in a spoon), inspired by Shakespeare's portrayal of water throughout his writings. Anyone can download and take the journey using their own smartphones, beginning in September.

• High school students and teachers from 50 Chicago public, private and parochial schools prepare for Battle of the Bard-developed in partnership with Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Chicago Youth Shakespeare-in which students will perform scenes plus their own creative mash-ups from the canon in a slam-style arena. The finals take place at CST on November 14, 2016.

• The Shakespeare in the Criminal Justice System panel discussion featuring theater professionals conducting Shakespeare-focused programming in prisons and jails and a former participant explore the positive impact of the work on incarcerated individuals.

• Chicago Public Library's Check Out Shakespeare initiative offers free screenings of Shakespeare and Shakespeare-inspired films; a new Shakespeare Read-Aloud Book Club; special online resources that offer historical information about Shakespeare and his works; and even a chance to learn to talk like Shakespeare.

• Pritzker Military Museum & Library and Chicago Shakespeare Theater will provide new access to Shakespeare for active and retired military personnel through a new four-part video series, entitled Shakespeare and the Citizen Soldier, engaging military bases around the world through varied perspectives on the playwright's work on war.

• City Desk 400 correspondents from ten of Chicago's world-class universities respond online to the remarkable body of artistic work encompassed by Shakespeare 400 Chicago.

For the most up-to-date information about programming, tickets and venues, go to www.shakespeare400chicago.com.

Shakespeare 400 Chicago is a yearlong international arts festival in 2016 celebrating the vibrancy, relevance and reach of Shakespeare as the world commemorates the four hundred years since the playwright's death in 1616. Spearheaded by Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the festival unites 60 of the city's world-class institutions, and welcomes scores of leading artists from nations around the world including Australia, India, Mexico, the United Kingdom and beyond. Events spanning theater, opera, music, dance-even cuisine-celebrate, interpret and reimagine Shakespeare's work. Shakespeare 400 Chicago will engage more than 500,000 Chicagoans and visitors to our City through 850 events. With leading support from the Julius Frankel Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Pritzker Military Museum & Library, this quadricentennial celebration is the world's largest and most comprehensive celebration of Shakespeare's enduring legacy.

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