Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Extends Its 2009-10 Season, Adds A Fourth Production

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, a Rogers Park company performing at the intimate No Exit Café, is extending its 2009-10 season from three to four productions, including William Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew," "Man of La Mancha," Jean Paul Sartre's "No Exit" and a fourth production to be announced later.

Fred Anzevino, co-founder and artistic director, who directed the company's previous plays, is working on a new adaptation of Jean Paul Sartre's "No Exit," transforming it into a light opera. He will co-direct it with Beverle Bloch. Two new directors with Theo Ubique will direct the first two plays of the 2009-10 season.

Nick Minas, a Shakespeare scholar formerly with the Shakespeare Festival of Minnesota and artistic director of Blindfaith Theatre Co., is directing "The Taming of the Shrew." Ethan Deppe is music director and writing original music, although the production is not a musical. It previews August 28 and 29 and opens August 30, running through October 4.

David Heimann, a Jeff Award Non-Equity recipient for supporting performance in Theo Ubique's production of "A Kurt Weill Revue," will direct "Man of La Mancha," the second play of the season opening October 18 and running through November 22.

Known for its intimate, cabaret style of musical theatre, Theo Ubique is building on its phenomenal success last season by venturing into some different areas this season.

"Most people associate us with performing musical theatre in the intimate space of No Exit Café," Anzevino said. "I define cabaret-theatre as any kind of theatre performed in an intimate space with a cabaret setting for serving drinks and food. Under that definition, our upcoming season makes sense when I'm asked why we're not doing 'Kiss Me Kate' instead of 'Taming of the Shrew."

Sartre's "No Exit" will be a staged reading, workshop-style, for two weekends in January with audience talk-back sessions following all performances at the No Exit Café (named after Sartre's break-through play). Anzevino is working on adapting it into a light opera with Arnold Johnston as translator, Ilya Levinson as composer and Beverle Bloch as co-director.

A fourth production to be determined will open in Spring 2010.

Theo Ubique expanded its 2008-09 season from two to three productions with "Jacques Brel: Lonesome Losers of the Night," an original translation and adaptation by Anzevino and Johnston, "Belle Barth: If I Embarrass You, Tell Your Friends," original composition by Levinson and "Evita." Its successful season garnered 13 Jeff Award Non-Equity nominations with all three productions receiving nominations. Seven Jeff Awards were received with six going to "Evita" for production, direction, actress, actor, music and choreography.

Founded in 1997 by Fred Anzevino, Artistic Director, Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre is a Rogers Park-based cabaret-theatre company. It initially began performing at the Heartland Studio, producing an array of straight drama, comedy and musicals, and in 2004 started the cabaret-theatre trend in the Chicago area when it began producing musicals and revues at Michael James' No Exit Café-its home since then. During its 12-year history, Theo Ubique produced 26 productions and received 18 Jeff Awards Non-Equity and 3 After Dark Awards. The name Theo Ubique (pronounced thee-oh oo-bah-kway) is a combination of Greek and Latin words reflecting the company's mission to engage actors and audiences in an intimate and honest conversation with great theatrical works. Visit the web site at www.theoubique.com.

 

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