On March 24, 1998, when Mary Hollis Inboden was 12 years old, a boy pulled a fire alarm at her middle school, ran into the woods to meet his friend, and they both started shooting at the students and teachers as they filed outside on the playground. Ten people were injured, five were killed —… Read More ‘Warriors’ reading to benefit Newtown
A new play about a rough-and-tumble roller derby team devised by The New Colony? Sign me up! The New Colony knows how to put on a show. Of all the productions I’ve seen from the scrappy storefront group, Down and Derby had the most potential for awesome, and seemed the most in tune to this… Read More The New Colony’s ‘Down and Derby’ needs more derby, less down
One of the most pee-your-pants funny nights I’ve spent in a theatre occurred last summer in a dusty space at the Chicago Dankhaus. The New Colony’s Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche, which stole the show the prior year as part of Sketchbook X, was the pant-wetting culprit. This year, The New Colony took the play… Read More The little lesbian show that could, or the power of the almighty quiche lives on
There’s a rock revolution going on, and should you choose to attend, you’ve automatically become an unwitting member of The Numberless. Who are The Numberless, you ask? Why, they’re the forgotten children who’ve been living underground out of sight from the government for the past five decades, and now they’re gearing up to tell their… Read More HuffPo review: Get Your Repressed Rage on With ‘Rise of the Numberless’
The cast of New Colony’s “Frat,” from the 2009 production. Photo by Anne Petersen. I was in a fraternity in college. Ok, so it was a music fraternity. Still, there were rituals and secret knocks and creeds and things we had to memorize — and even a small degree of hazing for the pledges. And… Read More The New Colony’s funny, if unfocused, ‘Frat’ returns in commercial remount
I’m starting a new job next week, and took a week off between jobly obligations to head to Northern Michigan for some much-needed R&R in Alpena, Michigan — my hometown. It’s been nearly a decade since I’ve been home during the summer, and I guess I took for granted the serene beauty this port-side town… Read More While I’ve been out: an update
Since when did theatre become so serious? It’s been weeks — maybe months — since I’ve really laughed at a play. I mean, belly-achin’, nearly-wet-myself laughed. And this includes my recent visit to Second City where I saw the smart but somewhat dour South Side of Heaven. Well, The New Colony offers that much-needed release… Read More The New Colony’s ‘5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche’ hits the spot
I like lesbians. I like quiche. I like The New Colony. And I really liked The New Colony’s Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche when it premiered as a 15-minute sketch as part of Sketchbook X last year. Well, The New Colony has expanded that sketch — which won Sketchbook X‘s Best Devised Play and Best… Read More A mouth-watering preview: The New Colony’s ‘Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche’ opens tonight.
Time Out Chicago has a list of non-Equity Jeff Award winners introed with a short recap of the ceremony — which seems like it was a bit of a disaster. I mean it’s one thing to be underrehearsed, but quite another thing to read the wrong name of the winner and not notice it until after the… Read More Short thoughts on the non-Equity Jeffs, and a thank you
Mary Hollis Inboden reveals some personal truths from a painful past in “The Warriors.” “I Googled you,” says Jeff (Wes Needham) to Mary Hollis (Mary Hollis Inboden, playing herself) on their third date. Flattered that she’s being cyberstalked by this cute guy with loads of potential, she urges him to reveal what he’s found. “You’re… Read More The New Colony’s deeply inspiring ‘The Warriors’ brings a painful past front and center
As a companion piece to my last “what I’m looking forward to” post, here are some additional things — all new, original works — that have me all jazzed up: MilkMilkLemonade | March 17 – April 17: I’m drawn to the device of pairing children’s theatre to tell very adult coming-of-age tales, and buzz has… Read More (Additional) shows I’m looking forward to
A simple pancake breakfast dissolves into bickering in The New Colony’s “Pancake Breakfast” There’s one thing you can say about a New Colony show: characters in this energetic group’s plays are always full of surprises. This is due to the uniquely collaborative way they create their original works — using only a basic outline for… Read More The New Colony’s ‘Pancake Breakfast’ is a little undercooked
Pat Coakley (center) as Billy tries to find himself, while the band plays on from behind. You know how some people take a really long time to tell a fairly straightforward story? They load so much ancillary information and long-winded exposition that by the time they finally get to the point, you’ve lost interest? The… Read More The New Colony’s ‘That Sordid Little Story’: a long (long) journey to self discovery
The cast of The New Colony’s “11:11” reaches for a deeper meaning, with a little chemical help. “Come and get your Jesus swag!,” chirps a New Colony ensemble member as you enter the Victory Garden’s Studio Theatre for their new comedy, 11:11. Bracelets asking, “Got God?,” Jesus stickers, plastic crucifix necklaces, temporary tattoos – it’s all… Read More Review: ‘11:11’ @ The New Colony
From the YouTube description: “On the eve of the first day of camp, a group of young, Christian camp counselors give in to the temptations of summer’s last night of freedom, and in the process, unknowingly drug themselves. As the evening unravels, secrets are shared about life, love, sexuality and, ultimately, the doubts of young… Read More Video trailer for New Colony’s ’11:11′
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