"In its best moments, Richard Vetere's Caravaggio recalls the work of Tom Stoppard in its lucid and complex dissection of such issues as religion, realism, art and romanticism.... this is quite the fascinating little drama, especially for anyone interested in the life and work of one Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, a maverick genius active in Italy between 1593 and 1610."
Read MoreCaravaggio is a tightly written work filled with accurate references to the times and events in 1600 Italy. The power of the Church and the evil of The Inquisition are depicted. We see Caravaggio’s (Mike Simmer) temper in several well staged sword fights, his love of boys and his contempt for the money-grabbing artists who paint to please not to create their internal visions.
Read MoreOn the occasion of the world premiere of Silk Road Theatre Project's Caravaggio, the Istituto Italiano di Cultura hosted a panel discussion addressing how theatrical invention helps us understand history.
Read MoreA series of lunchtime concerts series featuring The Baroque Band, performing music from the time of Caravaggio. Based in Chicago, The Baroque Band specializes in performing music from the 17th and 18th centuries on instruments appropriate to the period.
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Set in 17th century Rome, Malta, and Naples, Caravaggio is the story of the great Italian painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, the father of the Baroque, whose daring art and volatile personality attracted the favor and wrath of the church he both loved and reviled.
Whether undertaking commissions from the Vatican or confronting the cruelties of the Inquisition, Caravaggio's short life was charged with artistry, violence and passion.
Read MoreThroughout the run of Caravaggio, Silk Road Theatre Project hosted an exhibit of Lucia Mauro's exquisite Caravaggio-inspired photographs of Italy -- evocative of the mystical light and shadows favored by the early-Baroque artist.
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The play — set in 17th century Rome, Malta and Naples — tells the story of Caravaggio, the father of the Baroque style of art, whose daring creativity and volatile personality attracted the favor and wrath of the Church he both loved and reviled. Whether undertaking commissions from the Vatican or confronting the cruelties of the Inquisition, Caravaggio’s short life was charged with artistry, violence and passion.
Read MoreAccording to playwright Vetere, “After hundreds of years of not being appreciated there is now a major interest in Caravaggio. His work deals with humanity’s suffering and his realism is relevant for us today.”
Read MoreThe production of Caravaggio marks a homecoming-of-sorts for director Heinen, who started her career in Chicago and now resides and primarily works in London. Heinen’s most notable Chicago theatre credit was as co-Artistic Director of Footsteps Theatre, which was Chicago’s premiere women’s theatre for over a decade.
Read MoreMyths to Drama is an arts integrated education program based on State of Illinois’ Board of Education descriptors including standards for fine arts, drama, reading, writing, and social studies. Myths and stories are a catalyst for creative exploration. They are a vehicle for creating drama. They are also a wonderful way to make lasting connections with classroom learning. Our education team collaborates with classroom teachers to create a unique, year long, curriculum that aligns “Myths to Drama” with classroom content. Pulling myths from Early Islamic World, Classical India, Ancient China, Hellenic Greece, Imperial Rome, and Pharaonic Egypt, Myths to Drama impacted over one thousand elementary students in the Chicagoland area.
Read More“Race has nothing to do with being attracted to someone,” says Travis Park, the protagonist of Cowboy vs. Samurai. But that statement is tested constantly in this savage comedy about love and friendship, a 21st century update of Cyrano De Bergerac, in which the nose is replaced by race. Travis loves Veronica Lee, the only Korean American woman living in the tiny town of Breakneck, Wyoming. Veronica only dates white men; the crucial detail that sets Travis on a journey of composing love letters that test our perceptions of race and romance.
Performed as part of Silk Road Chicago: Summer 2006
Read MoreBalacarita: The Adventures of Young Krishna is a classical Indian play adapted for the American stage by Christopher Johnson. Amidst a host of divine portents, Vasudeva and his wife have given birth to their seventh son, the human embodiment of the divine Krishna. Fearing their divine prodigy will be slain by the evil King Kansa, they hide the enfant with another family where he grows to manhood. Upon reaching maturity, Krishna reveals himself and embarks upon a series of trials to secure his place as master of both men and gods. Aided by the Bird-King Garuda and an arsenal of supernatural weapons, he slays the demon-bull Arista, subdues the great serpent Kaliya and finally confronts the murderous Kansa and his warrior-assassins in a spectacular and action-packed climax. Seeming to draw equal inspiration from the Hindu religious epics and Hellenic heroic drama, Balacarita represents a unique gem in the canon of Sanskrit drama and in the history of world theatre.
Performed as part of Silk Road Chicago: Summer 2006
Read MoreChristopher Johnson is best known as one of the founders of the late, lamented Defiant Theatre (1993-2004), popular for its full-throttle, all-American, action-filled productions.
Read MoreThe Looks Like Chicago project is an initiative of Silk Road Rising. Propelled in part by an on-going conversation between Time Out Chicago journalist Novid Parsi and Silk Road co-founders Malik Gillani and Jamil Khoury, Time Out Chicago devoted its cover story on July 27, 2006 to a compelling article written by Parsi and Christopher Piatt entitled "Why is Chicago Theatre so White, and how can we fix it?" The article posited that in a city with no ethnic or racial majority, Chicago's theatre scene does not reflect Chicago's diversity; it does not, in effect, look like Chicago.
Read MoreChicago theater is risk-taking, energetic and so, so white. We take a hard look at why this community lacks diversity, and find out what it will take to change.
In the beginning, there was a church. And in that church was a basement. And out of that church basement rose a scrappy group of wildly talented punks who were determined to do plays their own way. And thus was born Steppenwolf, and it was good.
Read MoreA daughter’s love. A mother’s final blessing. Jessica’s homecoming forces past and present to collide as she learns to understand intolerance and tolerate her mother’s lack of understanding. Sun Sisters is a play about unspoken desires and how even silence cannot prevent their realization.
Performed as part of The Many Voices Project
Read MoreSet against the backdrop of a small, wind-swept, midwestern college, Double Happiness is a loss-of-innocence story about three friends who tread unawares the wide open spaces of the heart. Anisha, recently arrived from India, starts school with her traditional beliefs in love, sex and friendship intact. Savitri, her American-born cousin and roommate, doubts love and prefers the anonymity of the casual encounter. Together they meet Kevin, susceptible to the allure of both women. Friendship turns into longing and longing into heartache. The triangle collapses, throwing all three into free fall with no obvious place to land.
Read MoreThe Details of Silence is a new play by Nathalie Handal. This sensual, political and daring new play explores the internal and external landscapes of Arab women. Set in present-day New York, Details gives voice to eleven Arab women of different ages and religions coming from different parts of the world. Azza interviews each woman for a story she is writing. As she unveils the details of their lives, sexuality, and silences, she also unveils the details of her own personal tragedy.
Performed as part of Silk Road Chicago: Summer 2006
Read MorePublish or Perish is a comedy about the intricacies of blasphemy and the lengths to which people will go to gain literary immortality. Two hopelessly failed writers, Michael Jordan and Mohammed Ali, share none of the glory of their famous namesakes and, now in old age, seem destined to die in obscurity. In a last ditch effort, Mr. Jordan writes a blasphemous book in hopes of attracting a Muslim fatwa (or edict) demanding his death. Sadly, no such fatwa materializes, and the book goes unnoticed in the Islamic world. Ever more determined to attract fame, or at least notoriety, a disgruntled Mr. Jordan convinces Mr. Ali to stage a “deadly act” before a video camera. Mr. Ali’s sole qualification for performing the act? He happens to “look” Middle Eastern.
Performed as part of Silk Road Chicago: Summer 2006
Read MoreSilk Road Chicago was the brainchild of Chicago’s late Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, Lois Weisberg, and internationally acclaimed cellist and Silk Road Ensemble founder, Yo-Yo Ma. Encompassing 200+ events and activities all across the city, more than 70 cultural and educational organizations participated in this season-long exploration of artistic traditions and cross-cultural interchange. Silk Road Rising’s contribution included public staged readings of four full length plays under the collective banner of Silk Road Summer of Staged Readings Series.
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