bobrauschenbergamerica
CHICAGO FUSION THEATRE PRESENTS A BOLDLY ENTERTAINING AND TIMELY COLLAGE IN THE COLORFUL BOBRAUSCHENBERGAMERICA
(Chicago, IL) – Chicago Fusion Theatre presents its second production, Charles L. Mee's bobrauschenbergamerica, at Bucktown's Gorilla Tango Theatre. This boldly entertaining performance piece chronicles the adventures of a wild collection of characters including a trucker, a homeless man, and a couple working through the difficulties of romance. Their stories are told in a variety of styles and forms, ranging from melodrama to stand-up routine, and the action is punctuated by a roller-skating Mistress of Ceremonies and plenty of dance breaks.
A fitting tribute to the profoundly influential visual artist Robert Rauschenberg (who passed away this May) bobrauschenbergamerica is a collage of characters and stories,
movement and music, lovers' spats and chicken jokes. Much like Rauschenberg's famous "combines", which incorporated everything from paint and photographs to busted tires and taxidermied animals, this play mixes the mundane and the sublime in a daring exploration of the American experience. Directed by Jack Tamburri, Chicago Fusion Theatre's production is inspired by Rauschenberg's vibrant aesthetic and boundless generosity. It is a love letter to audiences, artists, and America.
Chicago Fusion Theatre’s production of bobrauschenbergamericaca will be presented September 4 – September 28 at Gorilla Tango Theatre on 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave in Bucktown. There will be a preview performance September 4 at 7:30 for a ticket price of $10. Press Opening is September 5, 2008 at 8:00 pm. Regular performances run Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from September 5 – September 28. Tickets are $20.
Curtain times are: Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 7:00 pm. For tickets and information call the Gorilla Tango Theatre Box Office at 773-598-4549, or visit Gorilla Tango online at www.gorillatango.com. Discounted rates are available for groups, educators and students.
About the artists
Charles L. Mee (playwright) has written bobrauschenbergamerica, Wintertime, Belle Epoque,Vienna: Lusthaus, Snow in June, A Perfect Wedding, Limonade tous les Jours, and a number of other plays in addition to his work inspired by Greek plays: Big Love, True Love, Orestes 2.0, Trojan Women A Love Story and others. His plays have been performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, American Repertory Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, the Public Theatre, Lincoln Center, the Humana Festival, Steppenwolf, and other places in the United States as well as in Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, Istanbul and elsewhere. His complete works are available on the internet at www.charlesmee.org. His work is made possible by the support of Jeanne Donovan Fisher and Richard B. Fisher.
Jack Tamburri (Director) is an Artistic Associate with Court Theatre, having assisted Artistic Director Charles Newell in directing and dramaturgy on such productions as Travesties, The Glass Menagerie, Arcadia, and Carousel, as well as What the Butler Saw with Sean Graney. Jack has also assisted on productions for the Around the Coyote Arts Festival, the Neo-Futurists, and the Hypocrites. He has directed for Mary Arrchie Theater (7 Blowjobs) and the University of Chicago, where he is an alumnus. As a musician, Jack has performed with the House Theatre of Chicago, the Building Stage, the Hypocrites, and the avant garde rock ensemble the Dead Superheroes Orchestra.
Tim Borntrager (Scenic and Prop Design) has worked extensively in the art department for commercials and theater, creating and handling props. He's also served as Technical Director for Collaboraction, Teatro Luna and Chicago Fusion Theatre’s inaugural production of Hugging the Shoulder. He's an accomplished metal worker and furniture re-builder — skills he honed after years of freelance construction and carpentry work. He's an avid creative recycler, and recently got to put his creative talents to work on the set of the DIY Network show, "From Junky to Funky". He played the "on camera" roll of carpenter for the show, and was also behind many of the furniture designs built and showcased on the show. He recently rescued a Baby Grand piano from the trash that he plans to transform into a bar. His love for repairing vintage objects extends to cars and motorcycles. He has a degree in Fine Art from Indiana University.
Christopher Kriz (Sound Design) has worked in Chicago for nearly two decades as a composer, sound designer and audio engineer. Chris is especially pleased to be working with Chicago Fusion Theatre again, having designed sound for Hugging the Shoulder last season. Other recent theatre credits include A Taste of Honey at Shattered Globe Theatre, Golda’s Balcony at Pegasus Players, Glengarry Glen Ross at Redtwist Theatre, Perfect at Side Project Theatre and Jitney at Pegasus Players. Other past credits include Two Trains Running, Pantomime and Still Life at Pegasus Players. To hear more of his work, please visit www.christopherkriz.com
Nilsa Reyna (Artistic Director, Producer) recently directed CFT’s inaugural production of Hugging the Shoulder. Additional directing credits include staged readings of A Basket of Fruit, The Tortilla Trilogy and Our Family Moment, all at Teatro Luna. As an actress, select credits include: The Mark of Zorro (Lifeline Theatre), The Massacre (Halcyon Theatre), A Humechanical Nightmare (Lucid Street Theatre), Interpreting a Dream (Bailiwick Directors Festival), The Seagull (GroundUp Theatre), Operation Infiltration (Factory Theater), Escanaba in da Moonlight (Circle Theatre), And This Was Free, (Maxwell Street Foundation), Big Love (The Mill), The Maria Chronicles (Goodman Theatre Latino Festival), Anna in the Tropics (Victory Gardens Theater), Generic Latina (Teatro Luna) and The Wedding Album of Sandy Benito’s Wedding (Collaboraction Sketchbook).
Natalie DiCristofano (Associate Artistic Director, Associate Producer) recently moved to Chicago from the St. Louis area where she attended Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville and received a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Performance. SIUE Theatre credits include: La Ronde, Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage, Poona the F*ck Dog, The Shape of Things, Blur, Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, Twelfth Night, and The Altruists. St. Louis credits include: A Clockwork Orange (HotCity Theatre) and Blackbird White/A Clash of Two Swords (The Tin Ceiling). Upon moving to Chicago she performed in CFT’s inaugural production Hugging the Shoulder and with Actor’s Revolution Theatre in The Drowned World. She will be portraying the role of Phil’s girl in CFT’s upcoming production of bobrauschenbergamerica.
