TUTA Theatre's THE ANYWAY CABARET Opens Tonight

TUTA Theatre Chicago opens its 14th season with The Anyway Cabaret (an animal cabaret), a world premiere with live music, written and composed by Associate Member Martin Marion. This production is presented in association with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). The Anyway Cabaret (an animal cabaret) runs Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m., from today, October 17 - November 16, 2014 at the Storefront Theatre, 66 E. Randolph Street. Preview performances are October 14-16, Tues, Wed, and Thurs at 7:30 p.m. Opening/Press night is tonight, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. All tickets are $15 for all performances. To purchase tickets go to www.tix.com or call 1-800-595-4TIX (4849). All tickets must be claimed no later than 15 minutes before a performance or they will be released. This show is recommended for children ages thirteen and up.

TUTA invites you to participate in a theatrical fantasy that celebrates the mysteries of life and the power of the imagination. The Anyway Cabaret (an animal cabaret) is a hauntingly funny, song-filled new play that follows a group of over 28 different changing characters performing in a life or death cabaret show. A mix of imaginative storytelling, spirited folk rock music, and theatrical surprises create an interactive experience that you won't want to miss. A cast of ten energetic actor/musicians bring this international world premiere to Chicago.

Marion, a revered and successful Slovenian artist overseas, will receive his world premiere in the United States, allowing both TUTA and the Storefront Theatre a unique opportunity to work together to expose a fresh, new, universal voice to the Chicago theatre scene. The script was presented as a TUTAlab project in the 13-14 season, a workshop series to help foster and develop new works for possible full productions.

The production features the talents of Company Member Sean Ewert, Associate Member Lauren Demerath, and guest artists Brando Crawford, Tanous El-Kareh, Dave Fink, Marsha Harman, Ian Knox, Thea Lux, Amber Robinson, and Isaac Samuelson, under the direction of Artistic Director Jacqueline Stone. Design and technical collaborators include: music direction by Wain Parham; movement direction by Aileen McGroddy; set design by Joanna Iwanicka, lighting design by Keith Parham; costume design by Branimira Ivanova; sound design by Jeffrey Levin; prop design by Leticia Guillard.

Artistic Director and Co-Founder Jacqueline Stone directs the The Anyway Cabaret (an animal cabaret). Most recently at TUTA, she directed the critically acclaimed US premiere of Stanisavljevic's The Silent Language, selected as "Critic's Pick" in Timeout Chicago and "Highly Recommended" by Chicago Reader. As an actress, she has appeared in numerous TUTA productions including The Wedding (1996, 2010, 2011), The Hour, Alice, Little Prince, Birds, Still Life In Color, Uncle Vanya (2008, 2009), Baal, and Fulton Street Sessions. Other Chicago Theatres she has worked with include Chicago Dramatists, The Second City, DCASE, Prop Thtr, 20% Theatre Company, Emerald City Theatre, WNEP, New Leaf, BackStage, Brown Couch, and io. Stone directed the world premiere stage and touring productions of Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus!, the Midwest premiere of Junie B. Jones, in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!, and Ramona Quimby, at Emerald City Theatre. Stone also directed the world premieres of Devour, Girl Talk, and August 8, 1974 at 20% Theatre Company, and the world premiere of Stoop Time at The Greenhouse Theater Center.

Associate Member Martin Marion writes and composes The Anyway Cabaret (an animal cabaret). Marion was born in Slovenia, lived and studied in America, and is currently living in Berlin, Germany. He spent 10 years performing as a member of the Blue Man Group, is a published poet, and a children's book and music author. Marion has performed in four TUTA productions (including assistant directing Mozart and Salieri)-The Birds by Aristophanes, Alice, and The Hour by Peter Handke. In 2011, Marion published a book and CD of Slovenian children's songs, ZMAJ?EK DRAGO IN LJUBLJENA LJUBLJANA, and played the lead role in the Slovenian feature film State of Shock, for which he received the Slovenian National film award, Vesna, at the Slovenian Film Festival. He is currently at work producing children's songs and stories in English, LUNA'S DREAMS, as an app for the iPad, and is shooting his own written and directed short film entitled Why is Life So Complicated? His collection of Slovenian sonnets S.O.N.E.T.I. is about to be published. The Anyway Cabaret is his first play written for an American theater.

The Anyway Cabaret (an animal cabaret) at the Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph Street, Chicago, October 17 - November 16, 2014, Thurs - Sat at 7:30 p.m. and Sun at 2:00 p.m. Preview performances are Tues, Oct. 14 - Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7:30pm. Opening press night is Friday, October 17 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for all performances. To purchase tickets for The Anyway Cabaret (an animal cabaret) call 1-800-595-4TIX (4849) or go on-line to www.tix.com. For more information on TUTA go to www.tutato.com. This production is presented in association with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). For more information about DCASE Theater and Dance programming, visit www.cityofchicago.org/dcase.

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