Theater News

Burning Bluebeard Returns to Chicago

The Ruffians’ holiday hit begins tonight.

Jay Torrence, Anthony Courser, Pam Chermansky, Ryan Walters, Leah Urzendowski, and Molly Plunk in the Ruffians' 2014-15 production of Jay Torrence Burning Bluebeard, directed by Halena Kays.
Jay Torrence, Anthony Courser, Pam Chermansky, Ryan Walters, Leah Urzendowski, and Molly Plunk in the Ruffians’ 2014-15 production of Burning Bluebeard, directed by Halena Kays.
(© Evan Hanover)

The Hypocrites production of Burning Bluebeard starts tonight at The Den Theatre.

Based on the true story of Chicago’s 1903 Iroquois Theatre Fire, the story follows six of the clown performers who escaped, singed but alive from the burning building. In the aftermath, they attempt to perform their spectacular Christmas Pantomime through to the happy ending of the second act. Yet the performance still resonates as a joyful eulogy for the 600 audience members who died in the fateful fire. Each vaudevillian performance has feats of clowning, tumbling, dancing, and acrobatics as well as music and irreverent wit as it pays respect to a piece of Chicago history.

The production reunites last season’s full cast including Pam Chermansky, Anthony Courser, Molly Plunk, Jay Torrence, Leah Urzendowski, and Ryan Walters. It was written by Jay Torrence and directed by Halena Kays.

The creative team includes Lizzie Bracken (set design), Jessica Kuehnau Wardell (costume design), Maggie Fullilove-Nugent (lighting design), Mike Tutaj (sound design), Krista Mickelson (production manager), and Justine Palmisano (stage manager).

Performances will run through January 10.

For tickets and more information, click here.

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Burning Bluebeard

Closed: January 10, 2016