There’s a singular kind of bravery that it takes to bare your heart and soul on stage, especially when that stage is solely occupied by yourself, your stories and your emotions. When I think about the bravery it took for Sentell Harper to create and perform his one-man show Seek and Ye Shall Find, I think about the famous quote from Maya Angelou, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” When us folks at Mortar read Sentell’s piece, we knew it had to be produced. We knew these stories had to be given a stage, but were unlikely to seem profitable or universal enough to attract producers.

The stories of black, gay men have been given little attention until recently. Jason Collins, the first pro-athlete to come out, has momentarily shifted media focus. But on the surface, Jason’s story is just a coming out story to the media. A question of acceptance. Will the heterosexual community accept this homosexual athlete?

The questions in Seek are a bit more complicated. It’s not about coming out, rather keeping on. The problem of acceptance goes deeper than between gay and straight. What about the racism within the gay community? The denial within an individual? The friction within a peer group? Sentell bravely tells these stories with such a riveting specificity that they do become universal. Acceptance. Community. Self-love. These are issues we all struggle with.

This fearlessness of storytelling is why we’re really proud to be able to bring this show to our audience. It also doesn’t hurt to be really pleased with the reception in the press (check out some pull quotes below). I hope that you can join us to experience Seek soon. And I’d love to hear your reaction to the work as well.

Check out the show at the Apollo Theater Studio on Mondays, Wednesday at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 3pm and Sundays at 7pm. Tickets here »

Love and stories,
Michelle Underwood
Creative Director, Mortar Theatre Company

Windy City Times

“Local actors currently in the process of creating a solo performance art piece should measure their efforts against the wowing high bar being set by Sentell Harper in his one-man show Seek and Ye Shall Find.”

“Seek and Ye Shall Find continually dazzles with Harper’s amazing all-around acting and writing abilities.”

“it’s a deluxe dramatic and comic vehicle that allows [Harper] to constantly shine.”

Read full review »

Chicago Critic

“…under Stroud’s assured direction [Harper] creates distinctive characters with whiplash precision”

Sentell Harper is a “one-man dynamo”

“‘Gussy’ finds out on a dream-like visit to the land of Gay Black Men, nothing is simple but the commandment to be good to each other.”

Read full review »

Right now, us folks at Mortar Theatre have a critically acclaimed show running. We couldn’t be happier with the reaction and we’re really proud of the show. But we’ve also got a bit of a head scratcher on our hands. Why aren’t more people coming to our show?

It’s a question a lot of storefront theatre companies struggle with in Chicago. Should we have put more into marketing? Should we pass out more postcards? Is supply just exceeding demand when it comes to theatre in Chicago? Does anyone go to shows when the weather’s nice? Why did we do a show in the middle of street festival season?!

Maybe it’s the state of theatre in Chicago. Maybe we’re a young company still building our audiences. Whatever it is, we felt like we should be honest and open up the conversation to you guys. What do you think? Does our show not interest you? Did you just not know about it? Is $20 too much for a ticket? Are you just busy watching How I Met Your Mother on Netflix Instant?

Please take this chance to share your opinions. In the form of a blog comment, a Facebook share, a Tweet…or how about you buy a ticket?

In order to fill our seats and pay our bills, we’re offering tickets to our final performances for only $10. Bombs, Babes and Bingo will only run through this Sunday, June 17th.

Final Performances:
June 12-16: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30pm. Tuesday is a special off-night performance, with live music afterwards.
June 17: Sunday at 3pm.

If you are able to support us, please use the code BLACKOUT online or at the door to get $10 tickets for any of the performances above.

P.S. And if you were one of the wonderful people that did purchase full price tickets to our show earlier in the run and you’re a little ticked about this price drop, no biggie. Just shoot us an email at tickets@mortartheatrecompany.org. We’ll give you a credit on a ticket purchase to a future performance. Because that $20 you gave us will ensure that there are future shows and we couldn’t be more grateful.

P.P.S. If you’re one of the wonderful people that doesn’t live in Chicago, but believes in what we’re trying to do, we happily accept donations of any size. We’re a non-profit. So it’s tax deductible for you and a happy day for us. If you do read this and make a donation as a result, shoot us a note at contact@mortartheatrecompany.org and we’ll credit that donation toward a future ticket purchase in case you do make it to Chicago.

What the critics are saying about Bombs, Babes and Bingo:

TIME OUT CHICAGO
“4 STAR! Critics Pick”

“It’s a clever storytelling device that’s more than just a gimmick. The random structure of Merri Biechler’s new play reflects the fragmented memory of her central character, a bomb builder recovering after being caught in an explosion.”

“The added element of chance gives the production the energy of an improv show, and the initial surprise of the bingo number propels each scene.”

CHICAGO CRITIC
“Highly Recommended”

“Impressively infused with energy, the cast does a fantastic job of adapting to the mood of the scene required seconds after it’s announced.”

CHICAGO READER
“Recommended”

“[Director Rachel Edwards] Harvith pumps it full of spontaneity and delightful, controlled chaos.”

CENTERSTAGE CHICAGO
“Highly Recommended”
“Must-See Show”

“Mortar Theatre’s wild, winning production at Luna Central is a fittingly explosive affair.”

CHI THEATRE ADDICT/HUFFINGTON POST:

“I’ve never seen anything quite like Bombs, Babes and Bingo, and the boundary-pushing Mortar continues to demonstrate why they are a force to be reckoned with in the Chicago theatre scene.”

GAPER’S BLOCK
“Highly Recommended.”

“Beyond brava”

“My friend thanked me for the gift of accompanying me to see Bombs, Babes and Bingo. Indeed, BBB is a gift. More please, and can we get an extended run?”

Mortar Theatre Company, in production with Pegasus Players, is searching for Black Males between the ages of 20-60 years old, for their upcoming world premiere production of Mr. Welfare by Wendell Etherly.

Auditions will be held Tuesday June 19th with callbacks on the 20th.  Please send headshot and resume to: stephanie@mortartheatrecompany.org for time slot.  All auditionees should prepare one contemporary monologue no more than 90 seconds long.

Character Breakdown:
Joe – Black Male, Early 40’s, Tavern Owner
Kenny – Black Male, 21, Bartender
Mr. Rainey – Black Male, 60, Regular Customer
Leon – Black Male, Early 40’s, Functioning Alcoholic, Regular Customer
Reginald – Black Male, Mid 50’s, Indigent
Thomas – Black Male, Late 30’s, Professional, Friend and Business Partner of Joe’s
Rashied – Black Male, Late 20’s, Zealous, Young Muslim
Alderman Phillips – Black Male, Early 50’s, Alderman of the Ward

Synopsis:
During one of the most volatile periods in Black America, the 1960s, a Chicago tavern owner gives in to his alderman and provides shelter to some of the local homeless. Mr. Welfare is a powerful snapshot of a turning point in our history that asks questions of accountability for yourself and your community.

Production Timing:
Mr. Welfare will premiere in the Fall at the Hull House Theatre in Uptown Chicago. Rehearsals begin late July. The production run is mid September through mid October.

Mr. Welfare received a stage reading at the 3^rd Annual Black Playwrights Festival, hosted by the Black Ensemble Theater in December 07′; Selected to the Nat’l Black Theatre Festivals Reading Series in August 09′; Finalist of the 2009 Eugene O’Neill Playwrights Conference. It was developed through Mortar Theatre’s Graphite Series play development program.

Time Out Chicago
“4 Stars! Critic’s Pick.”

“It’s a clever storytelling device that’s more than just a gimmick. The random structure of Merri Biechler’s new play reflects the fragmented memory of her central character, a bomb builder recovering after being caught in an explosion. Dennis (Richard Perez) doesn’t know which memory is going to bombard him next, an experience the actors and audience share.”

“The added element of chance gives the production the energy of an improv show, and the initial surprise of the bingo number propels each scene.”

“Stroud gives a striking performance as she transitions from sad clown to aggressive housewife. The rest of the ensemble is similarly skilled at navigating the story’s unpredictable twists.”

Full review »

Chicago Critic
“Highly Recommended”

“Impressively infused with energy, the cast does a fantastic job of adapting to the mood of the scene required seconds after it’s announced.”

“…the fun is seeing these scenes play out randomly and following Dennis in his strange, poignant and often surreal journey to figure out his work and life meaning.”

“[Stephanie] Stroud in particular stands out as a quintessential housewife deteriorating under the strain of balancing the equation of duties as a mother and wife. She also brings the most comic moments to the production with her clown-college career (and with her precision, I had to wonder if she actually ever was a clown).”

“Aided by some marvelously creepy video projections by Michelle Underwood and a toy box set design also by Michelle Underwood with Robert S. Kuhn, the tone jumps from romantic to somber to hilarious in a whirling 80 minutes that never fails to be engrossing and mentally engaging.”

Full review »

Centerstage Chicago
“Highly Recommended.”
“Must-See Show.”

“Mortar Theatre’s wild, winning production at Luna Central is a fittingly explosive affair.”

“Director Rachel Edwards Harvith walks the thin line between coherence and chaos and she walks it well.”

“Strong performances, and an intriguing, sci-fi production design bolster a daring, moving script, making a compelling case for drawing order from chaos.”

“Chaos may comprise the core of this play, but elegance is what’s at the heart of this production.”

Full review »

Gaper’s Block Chicago
“Highly Recommended.”

“Beyond brava (and I cannot put too fine a point on “beyond” in Merri Biechler’s writing and Rachel Edwards Harvith’s direction)…”

“An amazing plot device driving a stellar cast performing in a perfect storm of theatrical mathematics.”

“I was blown away (yup, I said it!) by the concept, the enactment and the performances.”

“Stephanie Stroud multiplies Lucille Ball’s physical comedy and Lady Macbeth’s survival instinct”

“My friend thanked me for the gift of accompanying me to see Bombs, Babes and Bingo. Indeed, BBB is a gift. More please, and can we get an extended run?”

Full review »

Flavorpill Chicago
“Editor’s Pick.”

Full review »

Chi Theatre Addict/Huffington Post

“Mortar Theatre’s four-person cast (Richard Perez, Stephanie Stroud, Erica Cruz Hernandez and Megan Tabaque), under the direction of Rachel Edward Harvith, commits to the challenge with gritty determination.”

“I’ve never seen anything quite like Bombs, Babes and Bingo, and the boundary-pushing Mortar continues to demonstrate why they are a force to be reckoned with in the Chicago theatre scene.”

Full review »

NewCity Chicago

“Michelle Underwood and Robert S. Kuhn’s set is delightfully haphazard. Underwood’s exquisitely designed video projections bring a whimsical austerity“

Full review »

Chicago Theater Beat
“3 Stars!”

“The aesthetic is powerful. And at the end, it’s playful. B-I-N-G-O!”

“Richard Perez (Dennis) delivers a touching and serious contemplation as a superior scientist and inferior husband/father.”

“Stephanie Stroud, Erica Cruz Hernandez, Megan Tabaque – bring the comedy with a playful style. They are a funny trio! In particular, a straight-faced Stroud utters absurdity hilariously.”

Full review »

Chicago Reader
“Recommended.”

“[Director Rachel Edwards] Harvith pumps it full of spontaneity and delightful, controlled chaos.”

“Stephanie Stroud is a stand-out as Dennis’s hapless wife.”

“With its clever bingo-ball gimmick, this frenetic Mortar Theatre show illustrates two points on the list of “25 Rules for Creating Good Theater”…”

Full review »

Join the cast and crew of Bombs, Babes and Bingo this Tuesday for a special Industry Night Performance at 7:30pm followed by a post-show party at Luna Central. All tickets are $15!

After the show, stick around for drinks and some special musical performances from Bombs team members Stephanie Stroud, Megan Tabaque, and Michelle Underwood. Also, join us in welcoming to the stage two members from Arkansas’s favorite folk band for the past 35+ years, The Greasy Greens. It’s sure to be a perfect complement to a “whirling 80 minutes that never fails to be engrossing and mentally engaging.” (Chicago Critic)

There’s over 3 million combinations of our show Bombs, Babes and Bingo, but there’s only one Opening Night Party. Join us this Thursday, May 24 at 7:30 PM at Luna Central (3914 N. Clark) for the 80 minute performance then pop down the street to the Full Shilling (3724 N. Clark) for open bar and fun with the cast and production team. It’s sure to be a singular evening. Here’s a sneak peek at what playwright Merri Biechler has to say about her play Bombs, Babes and Bingo:

It started with a story on NPR about how the American military is striving to build better bombs; smart bombs designed to be dropped on computerized targets. Bombs that burrow into the ground so people and buildings implode rather than explode, thereby destroying the bad guys with less collateral damage.

It started with the need to write about the war without writing a war play.

It started when linear storytelling began to make me itch, began to make me feel limited.

It started when my mom’s best friend quit her day job to enroll in Clown College.

It started with the idea that a puzzle could be put together in a different order each time and still produce the same compelling picture.

I want to explore the elements that bring a family together and, literally, blow it apart and what part memory and guilt and responsibility play in that equation.

Dennis has suffered traumatic brain injury. Because his brain isn’t working in a linear fashion, his thoughts and memories aren’t either.

“Each scene in the interior of the play is designated with a bingo ball number. When that ball is drawn live from the bingo cage onstage, that scene is performed. The random quality of the bingo promises that no two performances will be the same, but the whole of the story is always told.”

The various orders are, surprisingly, dramatic in their own way, because the actors are creating a unique story arc each time, in real time. The audience feels the tension of the cast and crew putting it together as bingo balls are drawn. In this electric exchange between story and audience, something singular happens:  the audience sees the play for the first time because it is the first time.

This is not improv. This is not sketch writing. This is a story told by a character who can no longer remember the context.

As playwrights we are inexplicably drawn to our subject matter. Currently, I have to write about the war, I don’t have a choice. How better to examine the war than to explore the making of the very very best bombs ever?  How better to deal with grief than to enroll in Clown College?  How better to witness the horror of a daughter watching her father and family deteriorate than to send her to count the dead?

-Merri Biechler, playwright

From now until May 23rd, when you buy your tickets for the world premiere of Bombs, Babes and Bingo by Merri Biechler from Mortar Theatre Company, get $4 off general admission with the discount code CLOWNCOLLEGE.

“Clown College Rule #1: The More the Merrier!”

Friends and supporters of Mortar Theatre Company,

Heroes have many different motivations.
Honor, Instinct, Pride, Love.

Over the past two years, Mortar Theatre has made it our mission to explore the stories of everyday heroes on our stage.

When you consider Mortar Theatre in your year-end donations, your motivation may be as simple as a tax deduction. Regardless, your actions have impact.

It is no exaggeration to say that the arts in America are funded by individuals. Grants, foundations and corporations do their part. But nearly 80% of all philanthropic dollars are contributed by individuals and bequests. However, arts organizations only receive 5% of these individual contributions. So when you make a tax-deductible donation to our non-profit arts organization, we consider you our hero.

As this calendar year comes to a close we’re asking for your help in continuing our mission. Ticket sales only cover a portion of the expense required to share these stories with you. The rest comes from people like you, our patrons in the truest sense of the word. As we celebrate the end of 2011 and look towards 2012, we hope you will consider making a financial contribution to help us continue creating and telling stories of everyday heroes.

Whether you are able to give or not, we also want to take this opportunity to thank you. Thank you for coming to our productions, thank you for telling your friends about them, thank you for your continued support of Mortar Theatre and the work that we do. We consider everyone who attends our productions a friend and collaborator, and that makes us very blessed indeed.

Have a wonderful holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you all in 2012.

Sincerely,
The Company Members and Staff of Mortar Theatre Company

source: http://www.nps.gov/partnerships/fundraising_individuals_statistics.htm

How do you like to Donate?

I’m an online kind of philanthropist
You can donate securely online through PayPal and Google Checkout.

I’d like to donate by mail
Any check dated by December 31, 2011 counts toward your deductions on your 2011 tax return. Mail to:

Mortar Theatre Company
3550 N. Lake Shore Dr. #814
Chicago, IL 60657

MOTHER BEAR is thrilling audiences.

“Fast–Moving, Semi Comedy, Big–Wheeling Thriller!”
“Trucker Pulp Fiction.”
“Playwright Jayme McGhan pens an intriguing modern day western.”
“Consider MOTHER BEAR in the no passing zone and let yourself get a ticket.”
– The Fourth Walsh

“A show rife with twists and reveals”
“MOTHER BEAR’s undeniable highlights are Elizabeth Styles’ tightly choreographed fight scenes, disturbingly genuine.”
“Dark comedy set in the lawless world of trucking”
– Centerstage Chicago

“MOTHER BEAR roars with danger.”
“MOTHER BEAR is the most entertaining [Mortar Theatre] piece I’ve seen.”
“3 stars!”
– Chicago Theater Beat

“Jayme McGhan’s tale of intrigue among outlaw truckers gets a detailed, evocative production”
“Director Boat supplies a detailed evocation of the milieu, buttressed by Farrell’s compelling, tormented-tough-guy take on Mother and the seen-it-all weariness Goode brings to the role of the kingpin’s long-suffering wife.”
– TimeOut Chicago

“Intriguing characters, life-or-death stakes, and confounding moral dilemmas”

– Chicago Reader

“Mortar Theatre Company has the appeal of a seasoned collective. This will be a company that continues to grow and outdo itself every year.”
– Windy City Writeups

And praise for the cast keeps rolling in…

“Jason Boat’s smart, committed cast provide vivid performances for this Mortar Theatre premiere.” – Chicago Reader

“[Brian] Plocharczyk [as Freely] gives a multi-dimensional, transformational performance.” – The Fourth Walsh

“Maria Enriquez [as Delia] plays it zealous and sassy.” – The Fourth Walsh

“[Jim] Farrell’s Mother is a King Lear of the open road.” – Chicago Theater Beat

“Dustin Whitehead [as Bones is] as vicious a villain as ever snarled his way across a stage.”
– Chicago Stage Style

“J. Kingsford Goode delivers one of the best performances of the evening with her portrayal of Vera, the owner of the Coyote Pass Truck Stop.”
– Windy City Writeups