A girl (Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel) begins a fantastical (and fatal) journey in Mortar Theatre Company’s “Corazón de Manzana.” Photo credit: John W. Sisson, Jr. Dana Lynn Formby’s highly ambitious new play, Corazón de Manzana, examines the femicide crisis in Juárez, Mexico through the lives of three mother/daughter relationships: a passionate young girl and her single working [...]
Fasten your seat belt: Mortar Theatre’s ‘Mother Bear’ is a tense ride
Mortar Theatre’s mission is to “engage community dialogue by lifting up and exploring stories of everyday heroes who shape our society.” The truckers of this world are certainly a group of everyday people whom we don’t necessarily categorize as heroes. But have you seen Ice Road Truckers? Those guys are badass! Jayme McGhan’s taut new [...]
Mortar Theatre’s ‘I Am Montana’ is a minimum-wage play with a lot to say
Derek Garza is happy to help you in “I Am Montana.” I’ve a love/hate relationship with Walmart. While I hear the arguments that it’s destroying communities, cheats workers out of basic rights and equal pay and perpetuates that dirty word, “consumerism,” they have so much cheap crap in one store, I can’t resist. I’ve an [...]
This and that.
Get ready for some random: A storefront Piazza Theo Ubique announced that it will produce The Light in the Piazza — one of my absolute favorite shows — in their 60-seat cafe setting. I’m confident this group can pull it off, as artistic director Fred Anzevino has more than enough experience staging epic musicals in [...]
Exploring the femicide crisis in Juárez, Mexico: an interview with playwright Dana Lynn Formby
Up-and-coming playwright Dana Lynn Formby is never not writing. In fact, following this interview (which traveled from an Argo Tea in the loop to a local bar in our Edgewater neighborhood) she had to rush home to put the final touches on a screenplay draft due the next day. Her brain is like a story-generating [...]
Upcoming theatre-y things
Time to get my big boy theatre pants on and strap myself in for the next five days: Theatre-y thing #1: This evening I’m speaking with up-and-coming playwright Dana Lynn Formby — whose play, Inherit the Whole, proved a powerful kick start for Mortar Theatre‘s first season — about her latest work, Corazon de Manzana, [...]
The family dirt flies in Mortar Theatre’s ‘Inherit the Whole’
Sweating while searching: Derek Gaza and Stephanie Stroud in Mortar Theatre’s “Inherit the Whole” The brand-spankin’ new Mortar Theatre Company is certainly putting its best foot forward. Everything about this group seems meticulously considered — from the mission statement right down to the spiral bound (and personalized!) press kits. But the play’s the thing, and [...]
Welcome to [CTA]
- Hi. My name's Bob Bullen and I'm a Chicago Theatre Addict [CTA]. Learn more here. Please leave comments — I'd love to hear what you think, and promise to do my best to reply.
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