Tickets are on sale now for the second show in our 2024 season, THREE SISTERS,
running June 4–July 14
Click below for a sneak peek at a recent rehearsal
(Videography courtesy Craig Duff)
We have important news to share…
For reasons outside of Invictus’s control, it is with great disappointment that we will no longer be able to perform the show AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. While we properly obtained a license to perform the play, it was subsequently brought to our attention and the attention of the licensor, that territorial restrictions existed that precluded our ability to perform the play.
We very pleased to announce that, with the unwavering support of our Company members, Board of Directors, Lawyers for the Creative Arts, and Barry Irwin and team at IRWIN IP LLP, we will be presenting Anton Chekhov’s THREE SISTERS beginning June 4, 2024, at the Windy City Playhouse. Stay tuned for our cast announcement and more details.
If you purchased tickets for AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY or are a season subscription holder, please be on the watch for an email from our box office with information about your ticket options.
The remainder of our season remains unchanged. We are proud to also feature the Chicago premiere of NETWORK, adapted for the stage by Lee Hall, based on the Paddy Chayefsky film in August, and Shakespeare’s MACBETH in October.
We thank you for your continued patronage and look forward to seeing you soon.
Director Aaron Reese Boseman discusses Invictus’s production of Suzan-Lori Parks’s TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, on stage February 13 to March 31, 2024, at The Windy City Playhouse (3014 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago, 60618).
Videography by Craig Duff
Kerry Reid, the Chicago Reader’s Theatre and Dance Editor, recently covered our move to the Windy City Playhouse. You can read her article here.
Our founder, Charles Askenaizer, recently spoke with WBBM Newsradio’s Rachel Pierson regarding the fire at our Thorndale Avenue venue and our move to the Windy City Playhouse. Listen to the audio of the interview and read about it below.
EXCITING NEWS
We are moving to the WINDY CITY PLAYHOUSE for our 2024 Season
WINDY CITY PLAYHOUSE
3014 West Irving Park Road
Chicago, Illinois 60618
As many of you know, last summer a fire displaced us from our theater home, The Reginald Vaughn Theater, in Edgewater, and forced us to pause our productions.
The show must go on…
We are more than thrilled to announce that we are moving to The Windy City Playhouse at 3014 W. Irving Park Road for our 2024 Season, which will include:
by Suzan-Lori Parks
Directed by Aaron Reese Boseman
February 13 – March 31, 2024
AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
by Tracy Letts
Directed by Charles Askenaizer
May 28 – July 14, 2024
NETWORK
adapted for the stage by Lee Hall, based on the Paddy Chayefsky film
Directed by Charles Askenaizer
August 13 – September 29, 2024
*** CHICAGO PREMIERE ***
MACBETH
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Sarafina Vecchio
October 29 – December 15, 2024
We cannot wait to welcome you into our new, larger venue which will have expanded seating for up to 100 guests AND LARGER RESTROOMS!!
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON!!!
If you are as excited as we are about our new production space and interested in supporting our 2024 Season, please click the button below. Thank you!
Invictus Artistic Director, Charles Askenaizer, was recently featured on Chicago’s WGN 9’s Spotlight Chicago where he discussed the fire that displaced us from our theater home in July, the success of our 2023 Season and how you can support us as we rebuild. You can view the interview below.
Video copyright WGN 9 and Nextstar Media Group. Inc.
First Look At Arthur Miller's THE CRUCIBLE At Invictus Theatre Company
2023 Jeff Award-winning director Charles Askenaizer to helm a cast of 19 in Arthur Miller’s landmark drama
CHICAGO – Invictus Theatre Company has released first look photos for its upcoming revival of Arthur Miller's THE CRUCIBLE.
Invictus founding Artistic Director, and winner of the Jeff Award for directing VIRGINIA WOOLF, presents expansive drama set around the Salem Witch Trials of 1692-93 in the intimate storefront space of the company's Reginald Vaughn Theater at 1106 W. Thorndale. Performance dates are May 19 - June 11, 2023.
Leading the cast as John Proctor, the farmer who maintains his integrity in the face of community pressure, will be Mark Pracht, a Jeff Award winner in 2019 as Performer in a Principal Role - Play for REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT with The Artistic Home, where he is an ensemble member. Pracht is a playwright as well as an actor and his play about the origins of the Batman comic books - THE MARK OF KANE - received its world premiere at City Lit Theater last fall. Proctor's wife, Elizabeth, will be played by fellow Artistic Home ensemble member Devon Carson, who was a member of the Jeff Award-winning cast of REFUGE at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. Michaela Voit, who played the leading role of Pegeen Mike in City Lit's 2022 THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD, will be the conniving Abigail Williams, who accuses Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft.
James Turano, a Jeff Award nominee for his George in Invictus's Edward Albee's WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, will be Deputy Governor Danforth, who comes to Salem to preside over the witch trials. Joseph Beal, whose many roles with Invictus include Shylock in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, will play the power-hungry Reverend Parris. Charlie Diaz, of Invictus's JULIUS CAESAR is Reverend Hale, the witchcraft expert who denounces the trials. Frank Nall, an Artistic Home ensemble member who earned a 2023 Jeff Award nomination for that company's MALAPERT LOVE, will play Proctor's loyal friend Giles Corey.
The cast also includes Lea Grace Biwer (Betty Parris), Zach Bloomfield (Judge Hathorne), Brandon Boler (Ezekiel Cheever, u/s John Proctor), Mike Cherry (Thomas Putnam), Laura Coleman (Ann Putnam/Sarah Good/Voice of Martha Corey), Jay Donley (George Herrick), Ellie Duffey (Mary Warren), LaTorious R. Givens (Tituba), Barbara Roeder Harris (Rebecca Nurse), Orion Silvertree (Francis Nurse), Erin Allison Stewart (Mercy Lewis), and Freya Trefonides (Susanna Walcott). Understudies are Steve Connell (Francis Nurse, Giles Corey, Judge Hathorne), George Dougherty (Reverend John Hale, Reverend Parris), Dominique Enjoli (Elizabeth, Tituba), Kelly M. Faherty (Abigail Williams, Betty Parris, Susanna Walcott), Zach Kunde (Ezekiel Cheever, George Herrick), Tony Leininger (Thomas Putnam, Judge Danforth), Jean Waller (Ann Putnam, Sarah Good, Martha Corey, Rebecca Nurse), and Lexy Hope Weixel (Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren).
LISTING INFORMATION
THE CRUCIBLE
Directed by Charles Askenaizer
May 18 – June 11, 2023
Press Opening May 19, 2023, at 7:00 p.m.
Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays 7:00 p.m.; Sundays 3:00 p.m.
1106 W. Thorndale Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60660
Ticket prices: Previews $25. Regular run: General admission $35, students (with valid student ID) and seniors $30.
Cast and creative team announced for THE CRUCIBLE, opening May 15
2023 Jeff Award-winning director Charles Askenaizer to helm a cast of 19 in Arthur Miller’s landmark drama
Cast and creative team announced for THE CRUCIBLE, opening May 15
2023 Jeff Award-winning director Charles Askenaizer to helm a cast of 19 in Arthur Miller’s landmark drama
CHICAGO – Invictus Theatre Company, coming off its recent five Joseph Jefferson Award wins for its 2022 productions of Edward Albee’s WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? and RUINED, has announced a powerhouse cast of 19 actors for its upcoming revival of Arthur Miller’s THE CRUCIBLE. Invictus founding Artistic Director, and winner of the Jeff Award for directing VIRGINIA WOOLF, will stage Miller’s expansive drama set around the Salem Witch Trials of 1692-93 in the intimate storefront space of the company’s Reginald Vaughn Theater at 1106 W. Thorndale. Performance dates are May 11 – June 11, 2023. Press opening is Monday, May 15 at 7:00 p.m., following previews May 11 – 14.
PRINCIPAL CAST
Top row (l-r): Joseph Beal, Lea Grace Biwer, Zach Bloomfield, Brandon Boler, Devon Carson
Second row (l-r): Mike Cherry, Laura Coleman, Charlie Diaz, Jay Donley, Ellie Duffey
Third row (l-r): LaTorious Givens, Barbara Roeder Harris, Frank Nall, Mark Pracht, Orion Silvertree
Bottom row (l-r): Erin Stewart, Freya Trefonides, James Turano, Michaela Voit
Leading the cast as John Proctor, the farmer who maintains his integrity in the face of community pressure, will be Mark Pracht, a Jeff Award winner in 2019 as Performer in a Principal Role – Play for REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT with The Artistic Home, where he is an ensemble member. Pracht is a playwright as well as an actor and his play about the origins of the Batman comic books – THE MARK OF KANE – received its world premiere at City Lit Theater last fall. Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth, will be played by fellow Artistic Home ensemble member Devon Carson, who was a member of the Jeff Award-winning cast of REFUGE at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. Michaela Voit, who played the leading role of Pegeen Mike in City Lit’s 2022 THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD, will be the conniving Abigail Williams, who accuses Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft.
James Turano, a Jeff Award nominee for his George in Invictus’s Edward Albee’s WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, will be Deputy Governor Danforth, who comes to Salem to preside over the witch trials. Joseph Beal, whose many roles with Invictus include Shylock in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, will play the power-hungry Reverend Parris. Charlie Diaz, of Invictus’s JULIUS CAESAR is Reverend Hale, the witchcraft expert who denounces the trials. Frank Nall, an Artistic Home ensemble member who earned a 2023 Jeff Award nomination for that company’s MALAPERT LOVE, will play Proctor’s loyal friend Giles Corey.
The cast also includes Lea Grace Biwer (Betty Parris), Zach Bloomfield (Judge Hathorne), Brandon Boler (Ezekiel Cheever, u/s John Proctor), Mike Cherry (Thomas Putnam), Laura Coleman (Ann Putnam/Sarah Good/Voice of Martha Corey), Jay Donley (George Herrick), Ellie Duffey (Mary Warren), LaTorious Givens (Tituba), Barbara Roeder Harris (Rebecca Nurse), Orion Silvertree (Francis Nurse), Erin Stewart (Mercy Lewis), and Freya Trefonides (Susanna Walcott). Understudies are George Dougherty (Reverend Hale, Reverend Parris), Kelly M. Faherty (Abigail Williams, Betty Parris, Susanna Walcott), Zach Kunde (Ezekiel Cheever, George Herrick), Tony Leininger (Thomas Putnam, Judge Danforth), Jean Waller (Ann Putnam, Sarah Good, Martha Corey, Rebecca Nurse), and Lexy Weixel (Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren).
Kevin Rolfs, a Jeff Award winner for his scenic design of Edward Albee’s WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? is Set Designer. The production team also includes Jeff Award nominee Jessie Gowens (Costume Designer, Wardrobe Supervisor), Jeff award winner (and 2023 nominee) Petter Wahlbäck (Sound Designer), Chad Lussier (Lighting Designer), Sam Paulson (Props Designer), Amber Wuttke (Fight/Intimacy Designer), Todd Henry Faulstich (Production Manager), Donica Lynn (Assistant Director), and Gabrielle Rooney (Stage Manager). Steve Nordmark is Box Office/Front of House Manager.
THE CRUCIBLE is the final production of Invictus’s 2022-23 season of plays exploring the theme “Rhetoric and Groups.” Askenaizer says of it, “while written as a response to Senator McCarthy’s persecution of suspected communists in 1950’s America, THE CRUCIBLE has parallels to today’s modern political climate. The need for critical thinking in response to rhetoric communicated through public oratory, media (mass or social), or one-to-one conversations; remains essential. We hope our production of this play will spark vigorous discussions of this challenge.”
Invictus Theatre Company has, over its six-year history, built a reputation for intimate and honest interpretations of classics with fidelity to the original texts and close attention to character development. The company’s extraordinarily successful 2021-22 season for which it was honored with five Jeff Awards, included Askenaizer’s direction of HAMLET, which Albert Williams of the CHICAGO READER called “storefront Shakespeare at its best.” The Jeff Award winning RUINED (Performance in a Leading Role – Play), was described by NEW CITY’s Ted Fishman as “a treasure to hold on to.” Kathy Hey of THIRD COAST REVIEW said Askenaizer’s direction of WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (Jeff Award winner for Production of a Play, Direction of a Play, Performer in a Supporting Role – Play, and Scenic Design) was “raw, tragic, and unforgettable.” The company continued this momentum into 2022-23 with a JULIUS CAESAR that CHICAGO STAGE AND SCREEN called “shattering, and absolutely current.” In reviewing Invictus’s recent THE MOUNTAINTOP, BUZZ CENTER STAGE said, “They constantly exceed their reach. I have to remind myself this is a storefront theatre.”
Performances of THE CRUCIBLE are Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 3 p.m.; from May 11 – June 11, 2023, in the Reginald Vaughn Theater at 1106 W. Thorndale, Chicago. Tickets are on sale now at www.invictustheatreco.com. Ticket prices for previews (May 11- 14) are $25. Ticket prices for the regular run (May 15 – June 11) are $35 for general admission, and $30 for seniors and students (with valid student ID).
LISTING INFORMATION
THE CRUCIBLE
Directed by Charles Askenaizer
May 11 – June 11, 2023
Previews May 11 – 14, 2023
Press Opening May 15, 2023, at 7:00 p.m.
Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays 7:00 p.m.; Sundays 3:00 p.m.
1106 W. Thorndale Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60660
Ticket prices: Previews $25. Regular run: General admission $35, students (with valid student ID) and seniors $30.
www.invictustheatreco.com
In Arthur Miller's drama set among the Salem witch trials of 1692, a young servant-girl maliciously accuses a farmer's wife of witchcraft. The farmer brings the girl to court to admit the lie but the community's mass hysteria overtakes reason. First produced in 1953 as a comment on McCarthyism’s communist hunting, the play continues to resonate for contemporary audiences.
BIOS
Charles Askenaizer (Artistic Director, Director) graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a degree in Theatre and communications. He has worked professionally in Chicago as an actor, director, and teacher for over 12 years. Recent directing credits include JULIUS CAESAR (Invictus Theatre), HAMLET (Invictus Theatre), Edward Albee’s WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?* (Invictus Theatre-*Jeff Award winner – Production of a Play, Direction of a Play), readings with Chicago Dramatists, 'NIGHT, MOTHER (Associate Director-Invictus Theatre), THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (Invictus Theatre), OTHELLO: THE MOOR OF VENICE (Invictus Theatre), TITUS ANDRONICUS (Bare Knuckles Theater), JULIUS CAESAR (Associate Director- Brown Paper Box), TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (Reutan Collective), and THE DIFFERENCE (Reading-Piccolo Theatre). Charles has worked with Citadel Theatre, Teatro Vista, the Artistic Home, City Lit, Raven, Brown Paper Box, Chicago Dramatists, the Side Project and many more.
Arthur Miller (Playwright) was one of the most lauded and influential playwrights of the 20th-century . His plays ALL MY SONS (1947), the Pulitzer Prize-winning DEATH OF A SALESMAN (1949), THE CRUCIBLE (1953), and A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE (1955) are all considered classics of American theater. He also wrote several screenplays and was most noted for his work on THE MISFITS (1961), the last film of both Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe.
ABOUT INVICTUS THEATRE COMPANY
At Invictus Theatre Company, our mission is to create theater that promotes a better understanding of language: its poetry, its rhythm, its resonance; through diverse works by diverse artists. We respect the power of heightened language: spoken, written, sung; to express the breadth of the human condition. We work to harness the power of language: to promote diversity, to engender respect, to foster collaboration; and to empower our communities to share their voices.
Invictus Theatre Company incorporated in January 2017 and received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in February 2017. A diverse group of Chicago actors and directors founded Invictus with the vision to empower their communities through theatrical productions of heightened language. We are committed to the idea that our productions should reflect the communities we represent, and, to that end, we are committed to non-discriminatory hiring practices. In working with local artists, designers, and production teams, Invictus Theatre Company does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, nationality, citizenship, religion, or any other status protected by law.
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It is with extreme gratitude and heartfelt thanks to The Jeff Awards Committee, the entire cast and production teams of Ruined and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, our Company and Board Members, donors, and patrons that we gleefully announce we are the recipients of FIVE 2023 Non-Equity Jeff Awards, including:
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
Production - Play
Charles Askenaizer, Director - Play
Rachel Livingston (Honey), Performer in a Supporting Role - Play
Kevin Rolfs, Scenic Design
RUINED
Tekeisha Yelton-Hunter (Mama Nadi), Performer in a Principal Role - Play
As we celebrate our sixth anniversary and reach this milestone in our journey, we share this recognition with each and everyone of you out there that has given a piece of your heart to Invictus. We are continually inspired by those that choose to call Invictus their artistic home and share their talents with us. Together, we will continue to do great things together.
Click here to read the official press release from the Jeff Committee.
We are elated to share the news that this week Invictus received 13 Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations for our productions of Lynn Nottage’s Ruined and Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? from our 2022 Season! Our Company was one of the most recognized theatre companies in this year’s awards, with seven nominations for Woolf and six nominations for Ruined.
Congratulations to our talented actors, production team and staff!
We are so proud to be associated with all of these outstanding nominees!
Production - Play
"Botticelli in the Fire" - First Floor Theater
"Malapert Love" - The Artistic Home
"Ruined" - Invictus Theatre
"Solaris" - Griffin Theatre Company
"The Pavilion" - The Artistic Home
"White" - Definition Theatre
"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre
Ensemble – Play
"Medea Material" - Trap Door Theatre
"Refuge" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
"Ride or Die" - MPAACT - Ma'at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theatre
"The Secretaries: A Parable" - First Floor Theater
"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre
Director - Play
Charles Askenaizer - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre Carraso-Prestinary - "Isaac's Eye" - Redtwist Theatre Bo Frazier - "Botticelli in the Fire" - First Floor Theater Julian Hester - "Malapert Love" - The Artistic Home Ebby Offord - "Ruined" - Invictus Theatre Ericka Ratcliff - "White" - Definition Theatre Scott Weinstein - "Solaris" - Griffin Theatre Company
Performer in a Principal Role - Play
Kim Boler (Anna) - "After the Blast" - Broken Nose Theatre
Kierra Bunch (Vanessa/St. Diana/Balkonae) - "White" - Definition Theatre
John Drea (Marc Chagall) - "Chagall in School" - Grippo Stage Company
Jacqueline Grandt (Ruth Steiner) - "Collected Stories" - Redtwist Theatre
Alex Benito Rodriguez (Sandro Botticelli) - "Botticelli in the Fire" - First Floor Theater
Ana Santos-Sánchez (Ana Morgana) - "La gran tirana (descarga dramática)" - Aguijón Theater Company
James Turano (George) - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre
Andrea Uppling (Martha) - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre
Rosario Vargas (The Painter) - "Cintas de Seda" - Aguijón Theater Company
Melanie Victoria (Isis) - "Pulled Punches" - MPAACT - Ma'at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theatre
Tekeisha Yelton-Hunter (Mama Nadi) - "Ruined" - Invictus Theatre
Performer in a Supporting Role - Play
JoAnn Birt (Mary Anne) - "When We Were Young and Unafraid" - AstonRep Theatre Company
Carley Cornelius (Jane) - "White" - Definition Theatre
Emilie Rose Danno (Esperanza) - "Malapert Love" - The Artistic Home
John Drea (Ray) - "Solaris" - Griffin Theatre Company
Courtney Gardner (Salima) - "Ruined" - Invictus Theatre
Stanley King (Christian) - "Ruined" - Invictus Theatre
Arielle Leverett (Arthur/Sam) - "After the Blast" - Broken Nose Theatre
Rachel Livingston (Honey) - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre
Marssie Mencotti (Clara) - "Hay Fever" - City Lit Theater Company
Frank Nall (Phischbreath) - "Malapert Love" - The Artistic Home
Jackie Seijo (Actor/Dying Man Named Sam) - "Isaac's Eye" - Redtwist Theatre
Todd Wojcik (Narrator) - "The Pavilion" - The Artistic Home
Scenic Design
Jeremiah Barr - "When We Were Young and Unafraid" - AstonRep Theatre Company
Jonathan Berg-Einhorn - "Isaac's Eye" - Redtwist Theatre
Kevin Rolfs - "Ruined" - Invictus Theatre
Kevin Rolfs - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre
Joe Schermoly - "Solaris" - Griffin Theatre Company
Cast (left to right):
Mikha'el Amin, Ny'ajai Ellison
Brandon Boler, Monique Marshaun, Delysa Richards
Full cast and crew have been announced for Invictus Theatre's upcoming production of Katori Hall's THE MOUNTAINTOP, a fictional play that vividly reimagines the final night of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., before his assassination in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968.
Aaron Reese Boseman (director of Invictus's 2020 production of A RAISIN IN THE SUN) will direct the two-hander. His cast will include Mikha'el Amin (previously known as Michael Lewis, and seen at Invictus as Marc Antony in JULIUS CAESAR, Laertes in HAMLET, and Walter Lee Younger in A RAISIN IN THE SUN) as Dr. King, and Ny'ajai Ellison (Ruth Younger in Invictus's A RAISIN IN THE SUN) as Camae, a mysterious and beautiful maid who delivers a room service order to him in room 306 of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
Understudies are Brandon Boler as Dr. King; and Delysa Richards and Monique Marshaun as Camae. THE MOUNTAINTOP will be performed in the company's Reginald Vaughn Theater at 1106 W. Thorndale Avenue, in Edgewater. Press opening is Monday, February 20 at 7:00 p.m., following previews from February 16-19. It will play through March 19, 2023.
In the evening after Dr. King has delivered his sermon, "I've Been to the Mountaintop," King comes into contact with Camae, who delivers his room service order and strikes King's attention immediately. The beginning interactions between the two are filled with flirtation and humor, but through the night their conversation slowly progresses to something much deeper, forming a connection and understanding between the two. The conversation focuses on the fight for civil rights and reaches the climax when Camae reveals her true intentions for walking into King's motel room that night.
THE MOUNTAINTOP premiered at Theatre503 in London in 2009, then transferred to the West End, where it won the Olivier Award for Best New Play in 2010. It later opened on Broadway in October 2011 to critical acclaim in a production starring Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett. THE MOUNTAINTOP will be produced at The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles from June 6 - July 9, 2023.
The production team for THE MOUNTAINTOP, in addition to Boseman as director, will include Kevin Rolfs (Set Designer), Ivy Treccani (Props Designer), Marquecia Jordan (Costume Designer/Wardrobe Supervisor), Warren Levon (Sound Designer), Michael N.J. Wright (Lighting Designer), Jay Donley (Fight/Intimacy Designer), Susan Gosdick (Dialect Coach), DJ Douglass (Projectionist), Todd Henry Faulstich (Production Manager), Donica Lynn (Assistant Director), Gabrielle Rooney (Stage Manager), and Charles Askenaizer (Artistic Director). Steve Nordmark is Box Office/Front of House Manager.
As the second play in Invictus's season exploring the theme "Rhetoric and Groups," Boseman is "excited to analyze the humanity and strip away the iconography of a beloved giant in an extraordinary circumstance."
Invictus Theatre Company has, over its six-year history, built a reputation for intimate and honest interpretations of classics with fidelity to the original texts and close attention to character development. Invictus opened its 2022-23 season with JULIUS CAESAR.
Tickets for THE MOUNTAINTOP are available now at www.invictustheatreco.com. The production is partially sponsored by The Michael and Mona Heath Fund, The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The Saints, the Illinois Arts Council, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) and The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.
Invictus Theatre Company is proud to offer a special ticket offer in honor of MLK Day for our production of Katori Hall’s “The Mountaintop”, a gripping reimagination of Dr. King’s last night in the Lorraine Motel after delivering one of his most memorable speeches. Ticket orders of two or more placed on or before January 16th can get one ticket free with the promo code MLKDAY. Opens February 20th.
Invictus Theatre Company is thrilled to be participating in the eleventh annual Chicago Theatre Week: February 16-26, 2023! Specially-priced tickets for a variety of productions are now on sale at ChicagoTheatreWeek.com. Don’t Miss Out – Tickets are only $15 or $30 (or less!)
Invictus Theatre Company is proud to offer $30 tickets to our production of Katori Hall’s The Moutnaintop (directed by Aaron Reese Boseman) during Chicago Theatre Week. Learn more below.
About The Mountaintop
A gripping reimagination of events the night before the assassination of the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On April 3, 1968, after delivering one of his most memorable speeches, an exhausted Dr. King retires to his room at the Lorraine Motel while a storm rages outside. When a mysterious stranger arrives with some surprising news, King is forced to confront his destiny and his legacy to his people.
Theatre Week Performances:
Monday, February 20 – 7:00PM
Tuesday, February 21 – 7:00PM
Wednesday, February 22 – 7:00PM
Thursday, February 23 – 7:00PM
Friday, February 24 – 7:00PM
Saturday, February 25 – 7:00PM
Sunday, February 26 – 3:00PM
Use promo code: CTW23
Invictus Theatre is thrilled and honored to have been nominated for several 2022 Broadway World Chicago Regional awards!
Congratulations to the cast, crew, and production teams on the following nominations:
Best Play- Ruined
Best Play- Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Best Ensemble Performance-Ruined
Best Direction of a Play- Charles Askenaizer, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Best Direction of a Play- Ebby Offord
Best Performer in a Play- Jim Turano, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Favorite Local Theater- Invictus Theatre
Voting for the award winners is now live. Please vote for our amazing artists here: https://www.broadwayworld.com/chicago/voteregion.cfm
Thank you so much for your support!
Invictus Theatre is pleased to announce auditions for The Mountaintop by Katori Hall and directed by Aaron Reese Boseman. This is a non-union production.
Audition Dates:
Saturday, December 10, 2022: 10 AM to 4 PM
Sunday, December 11, 2022: 10 AM to 2 PM
Callback Dates:
Wednesday, December 14, 2022: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Audition Location:
Invictus Theatre Company’s Reginald Vaughn Theater
1106 W. Thorndale Avenue
Chicago, IL 60660
Actor Roles:
Martin Luther King, Jr:
MLK at the time was 39. Nobel Peace Prize-winning Civil Rights Movement leader. Awe-inspiring, charming, and powerful with a brooding intelligence and almost hidden vulnerability. He can sometimes present as older than his true age. While being a brilliant orator, impassioned preacher, and a fearless leader, he is more than the hero in our history books. Brewing underneath is a human carrying all the vulnerability, fear, and weariness of an unquenchable lust for life.
Ethnicity: Black /African Descent
Age Range: Late 20s-Early 40s
Camae:
A young maid at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. She is charming, confident and MLK’s equal. And although deeply human and vulnerable, there is much more to her than is first revealed. She owns the power of her convictions and sensuality, with an “otherworldly” strength. Carries a secret.
Ethnicity: Black /African Descent
Age Range: 20s-30s
Time Commitment:
REHEARSALS – PLEASE NOTE CHANGES to the rehearsal schedule starting January 23rd - there may be flexibility to accommodate some conflicts:
Saturday, January 7, 2023 to Sunday, January 22, 2023:
Saturdays: 10 AM to 4 PM
Sundays: 10 AM to 4 PM
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Monday , January 23, 2023 to Wednesday, February 8, 2023:
Saturdays: 10 AM to 4 PM
Sundays: 10 AM to 4 PM
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Saturday, February 11, 2023 to Sunday, January 15, 2023 (Tech and Dress Rehearsals)
Saturdays: 10 AM to 6 PM
Sundays: 10 AM to 6 PM
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays: 6:30 PM to 10:00 PM
SHOW DATES:
February 16 – March 19, 2023
Previews: February 16 – 19, 2023
Press Opening: February 20, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Shows: Mondays, Thursday, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:00 p.m.; Sundays at 3:00 p.m.
Rehearsals and performances will take place at Invictus Theater, 1106 W. Thorndale Avenue, Chicago, IL 60660
Please bring proof of your COVID vaccination status to the audition, as well as a mask to wear in the lobby area. You will not be required to wear a mask during your audition or during performances. You must be fully vaccinated against COVID to participate in this audition and production if cast.
Actor stipend is $415
Invictus Theatre does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or productions.
Material to Prepare:
Auditions will consist of reading sides from the script.
To Request an Audition: please complete the application and upload your resume and headshot at https://forms.gle/3T1YvkzKSJZyH2bPA
Contact Info:
If you have questions or encounter problems with submitting your application, please email us at invictustheatrecasting@gmail.com
We are thrilled to share that our production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is Chicago Reader Recommended and is receiving rave reviews!
READ THE REVIEWS HERE:
William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
Directed by Charles Askenaizer
Associate Director: Tristan Odenkirk
About the show:
When Caesar’s military prowess and mass popularity put absolute power within his reach, political rivals conspire to assassinate him before he can become Emperor. Through demagoguery, they turn public opinion to their favor. Shakespeare’s tragedy is filled with both action and ideas and will be performed in modern dress in Invictus’s intimate storefront space, the Reginald Vaughn Theatre.
Content Advisory:
Please be advised that William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar contains violent content which includes murder and suicide. Prop weaponry, gunshot noises, and stage blood are utilized in this production.
Performance dates:
October 24 - November 20, 2022
Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:00 p.m.
Sundays at 3:00 p.m.
Running Time:
Julius Caesar is presented in two acts with one intermission. Act 1 runs about 1:45. Act 2 runs a little less than 1 hour. Total time including intermission is a little less than 3 hours.
Performance location:
Invictus Theatre Company’s Reginald Vaughn Theater
1106 W. Thorndale Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60660
Performance tickets:
General admission tickets $35.00 ($30.00 for students and seniors, ID required)
Subscription tickets $25.00 per show (season subscriptions available through 11/19/22. Learn more here.)
Friends! Humans! Theatre Lovers!
We come not to announce the end of the subscription deadline, but to extend it! Mighty Caesar has decreed that all Invictus Theatre 2022/23 Season Subscriptions be made available for additional 30 days! Subscriptions are now available until Saturday November 19th. Click here to purchase yours today!
1 ticket for each show of the season - a total of 3 tickets for $75. That's just $25 per ticket. Don't want to go alone? Subscribe to 2 tickets for each of our 3 shows and save $60. (Excludes Service Fees.)
Invictus Theatre Company extends heartfelt congratulations to all of the artists in our recent production of Lynn Nottage's Ruined, recipients of The Target Community Relations Award for BEST ENSEMBLE at the 28th Annual Black Theater Alliance/Ira Aldridge Awards.
We are especially thrilled for Invictus Theatre Company member Keisha Yelton-Hunter, recipient of The Ruby Dee Award for BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY for her role as Mama Nadi as well as our friend Jenise Sheppard, recipient of The Hattie McDaniel Award for BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY for her role as Sophie.
The Black Theatre Alliance/Ira Aldridge Awards were established in 1995 by Vincent Williams. The awards were founded to honor African Americans who achieve excellence in theatre, dance, and all areas of the performing arts in the Chicagoland area. The awards also pay homage to Ira Aldridge (1807-1867), an African American actor famed for his performances in Shakespearean roles in Europe. The 2022 awards recognized Chicago-area stage productions produced and presented between August 1, 2021, and July 31, 2022.
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Click here to download a Word doc of this release
NEWS RELEASE
Media Contact: John Olson
John Olson Communications
john@johnolsoncomm.com
773-517-6962
Cast and crew announced for Invictus Theatre Company’s season opening JULIUS CAESAR
Modern dress staging to be directed by Charles Askenaizer
CHICAGO – The cast and creative team were announced today for Invictus Theatre Company’s modern dress production of Shakespeare’s JULIUS CAESAR, to be directed by Company Artistic Director Charles Askenaizer. A cast of 15 will play the historical tragedy’s 46 roles, bringing the Bard’s sprawling work to Invictus’s storefront in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. JULIUS CAESAR will open to the press on Monday, October 24 at 7:00 p.m., at the Company’s Reginald Vaughn Theater, 1106 W. Thorndale Ave., Chicago. The production will preview from October 20 to 23 and play through November 20, 2022.
Taking the title role of the popular Roman general assassinated by his compatriots will be Chuck Munro, previously seen as Antonio in Invictus’s THE MERCHANT OF VENICE and most recently as Rev. Winemiller in Violet Sky’s SUMMER AND SMOKE. Mikha’el Amin, previously known as Michael Lewis and remembered for his powerful Invictus performances as Laertes in HAMLET and Walter Lee Younger in A RAISIN IN THE SUN, will play Marc Antony. Daniel Houle, whose credits include roles with TimeLine Theatre, Oak Park Festival, and BoHo Theatre, is the production’s Caius Cassius. Askenaizer, who played the title role in Invictus’s HAMLET, will be the duplicitous Marcus Brutus. The cast also includes Rick Yaconis, Brandon Boler, Charlie Diaz, Joe Feliciano, Joseph Beal, Colin K. Jones, John Chambers, Maria Clara Ospina, Gavin Mueller, Huy Nguyen, and Rachel Livingston. Understudies are Rick Yaconis (Julius Caesar, Caius Cassius), Ben Murphy (Marcus Brutus, others), and Michaela Voit, Ryan Cody, Sheri Reda, and Anthony Augustine.
Click here or on image below to access image of grid.
Top row left - right: Charles Askenaizer, Joseph Beal, Brandon Boler, John Chambers, Charlie Diaz
Second row left - right: Joe Feliciano, Daniel Houle, Colin K. Jones, Mikha’el Amin, Rachel Livingston
Third row left - right: Gavin Mueller, Chuck Munro, Huy Nguyen, Maria Clara Ospina, Rick Yaconis
Lower row left - right: Anthony Augustine, Ryan Cody, Ben Murphy, Sheri Reda, Michaela Voit
Click on image to download file.
The creative and production team includes Kevin Rolfs (Set and Props Designer), Emily Bloomer (Costume Designer), Beau Peterson-Quinn (Wardrobe Supervisor), Petter Wahlbäck (Sound Designer), Joe Larkin (Lighting Designer), Jay Donley (Fight/Intimacy Designer), Sarafina Vecchio (Text Coach), Todd Henry Faulstich (Production Manager), Tristan Odenkirk (Associate Director), and Julia Witty (Stage Manager). Steve Nordmark is Box Office/Front of House Manager.
As the first play in Invictus’s season exploring the theme “Rhetoric and Groups,” Askenaizer sees parallels to current events. He says, “JULIUS CAESAR and Marc Antony’s frequently quoted ‘Friends, Romans, countrymen’ speech in which he incites a crowd to violence after the assassination of Caesar has clear parallels to the January 6th rally and its oratory urging citizens to challenge the established government.”
Invictus Theatre Company has, over its six-year history, built a reputation for intimate and honest interpretations of classics with fidelity to the original texts and close attention to character development. The company’s extraordinarily successful 2021-22 season included Askenaizer’s direction of HAMLET, which Albert Williams of the CHICAGO READER called “storefront Shakespeare at its best.” The Jeff Award recommended RUINED, directed by Ebby Offord, was described by NEW CITY’s Ted Fishman as “a treasure to hold on to.” Kathy Hey of THIRD COAST REVIEW said Askenaizer’s WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (also Jeff Recommended) was “raw, tragic, and unforgettable.”
Tickets for JULIUS CAESAR and Invictus's entire season are available now at www.invictustheatreco.com.
LISTING INFORMATION
JULIUS CAESAR
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Charles Askenaizer
Associate Director: Tristan Odenkirk
October 20 – November 20, 2022
Previews October 20 – 23, 2022
Press Opening: Monday, October 24 at 7:00 p.m.
Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:00 p.m., Sundays at 3:00 p.m.
Invictus Theatre’s Reginald Vaughn Theater, 1106 W. Thorndale Ave., Chicago
Ticket prices: Previews $25. Regular run: general admission $35, students (with valid student ID) and seniors $30. Three-show season subscription: $75.
www.invictustheatreco.com
When Caesar’s military prowess and mass popularity put absolute power within his reach, political rivals conspire to assassinate him before he can become Emperor. Through demagoguery, they turn public opinion to their favor. Shakespeare’s tragedy is filled with both action and ideas and will be performed in modern dress in Invictus’s intimate storefront Reginald Vaughn Theater.
DIRECTOR BIO
Charles Askenaizer (Artistic Director, Director JULIUS CAESAR) graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Theatre and communications. He has worked professionally in Chicago as an actor, director, and teacher for over 10 years. Recent directing credits include HAMLET (Invictus Theatre), WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?* (Invictus Theatre-*JEFF RECOMMENDED), readings with Chicago Dramatists, 'NIGHT, MOTHER (Associate Director-Invictus Theatre), THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (Invictus Theatre), OTHELLO: THE MOOR OF VENICE (Invictus Theatre), TITUS ANDRONICUS (Bare Knuckles Theater), JULIUS CAESAR (Associate Director- Brown Paper Box) , TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (Reutan Collective), and THE DIFFERENCE (Reading-Piccolo Theatre). Charles has worked with Citadel Theatre, Teatro Vista, the Artistic Home, City Lit, Raven, Brown Paper Box, Chicago Dramatists, the Side Project and many more.
ABOUT INVICTUS THEATRE COMPANY
At Invictus Theatre Company, our mission is to create theater that promotes a better understanding of language: its poetry, its rhythm, its resonance; through diverse works by diverse artists. We respect the power of heightened language: spoken, written, sung; to express the breadth of the human condition. We work to harness the power of language: to promote diversity, to engender respect, to foster collaboration; and to empower our communities to share their voices.
Invictus Theatre Company incorporated in January 2017 and received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in February 2017. A diverse group of Chicago actors and directors founded Invictus with the vision to empower their communities through theatrical productions of heightened language. We are committed to the idea that our productions should reflect the communities we represent, and, to that end, we are committed to non-discriminatory hiring practices. In working with local artists, designers, and production teams, Invictus Theatre Company does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, nationality, citizenship, religion, or any other status protected by law.
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