2012 Shows

Previews: January, 27th - February 4th

Opening: Monday, February 6th @ 7pm

Closes: Sunday, March 11th

Showing every Thursday, Friday and Saturday @ 8pm, Sundays @ 3pm

The Greenhouse Theater Center 2257 N. Lincoln Ave

Written By: Keith Josef Adkins*  Directed By: Kimberly Crutcher*

Strange things are happening in Sweet Home. A once thriving black town, it is now an urban wasteland with a peculiar problem: all the black boys are missing. When Demus, a quirky young genetic engineer, stumbles into Sweet Home seeking refuge, he quickly finds himself tangled in the bizarre mystery. He also must make a choice—become the next missing black boy, or engineer the perfect indestructible black boy and save Sweet Home forever.

*Denotes Resident Artist

CLICK HERE to read the latest 'We Are MPAACT' blog!!!

A late night foray into the world of one-person performance.

Opening: Wednesday, February 8th @ 8pm

Closes: Saturday March 10th

Showing every Friday and Saturday @ 11pm

The Greenhouse Theater Center 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.

Tickets Only $12!!!

Wednesday February 8th @ 8pm- Opening Performance and Panel Discussion

Performances by Tim'm T. West and Jonathan Kitt. Panel with Chuck Smith (Resident Director MPPACT, The Goodman), Timothy Douglas (Artistic Director Remy Bumppo) Jocelyn Prince (Artistic Dir. Sankofa Theatre Co., Artistic Assoc. Victory Gardens).

FREE TO THE PUBLIC!!!!

Friday, February 10 @ 11pm

Tim'm T. West

Ready, Set, Grow: A Coming of Age Story

Critically acclaimed rapper and Spoken Word Artist Tim'm T. West speaks to the question: What becomes of little black boys who've considered suicide robbed of any rites of passage? Inspired by the works of James Baldwin, Hélène Cixous, and his mentors Ntozake Shange and Carl Hancock Rux, Tim'm offers a coming of age story, through spoken word, rap, movement, and song, that suggests an inalienable right to these rites. Moving through the complex maze of American poverty, racism, sexism, and sexuality, "Ready, Set, Grow" suggests that "waiting for superman" may not be as empowering as becoming a super man. How do we save ourselves? How do we respect the diversity and complexity of black male experience when so many young men, objectified and stigmatized at birth, are sucked into a system recycling defeatist and hopeless futures. One man, through his own transparent, vulnerable, and redemptive experiences offers one way he strives in spite of racism, poverty, homophobia, HIV/AIDS. Surely there are other ways: Ready. Set. Let's Grow!

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Saturday, February 11th @ 11pm

Kristiana Rae Colon

Cry Wolf

Poet, actress, and playwright Kristiana Colón weaves a tapestry of poem, lyric, metaphor, and monologue to excavate the wolves of our imagination. Gliding between naturalism and surrealism, ethnographic persona and autobiographical voice, this collage of portraits explores questions of gender, mental health, and politics.

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Friday, February 17th @ 11pm

Mateo Smith

Life: According to Thelma Dale

The piece tracks the unusual going's-on of the elderly but spicy Matriarch Thelma Dale Johnson. The audience has somehow "shown-up" on her doorstep and she invites the group on a journey through the ups and down's of the life she's known...Her life, as she see's it. Unaware, Thelma Dale is upstaged by her hip and fresh grandson, Jerome who shows up to "set all accounts straight." The voice of reason and blatant truth, Jerome serves as the antithesis to Thelma Dale's ideologies of everyday southern life. The audience then is left to answer, on their own, whether or not what Thelma divulges as "life" is actually myth, fact or on a blurred line in-between.

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Saturday, February 18th @ 11pm

Nicole Mithcell

Nowever 

Creative Flutist Nicole Mitchell will present her first solo performance featuring an interweaving of her prose with her music in NOWEVER. Nicole Mitchell is known for her work in jazz, but this event will premiere a window into her personal story – hardships, dreams, love and otherworld adventures illustrated through her words and original music.

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Friday, February 24th @ 11pm

 Osiris Khepera

The Fag-tionary

Exploring acceptance (& the lack thereof) of different sexualities from around the globe, particularly as it affects those of us from the African Diaspora. The Fag-tionary is an evening of poetry, drag, and cultural celebration.

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Saturday, February 25th @ 11pm

Jonathan Kitt

Superman, Black Man, Me! A Stage Essay

All Black men are supermen, some just haven’t tapped into it yet.” Jonathan Kitt chronicles the supermen and the situations that helped to shape his character. Expressed through thoughts, questions, opinions, rants, and drama, this performance piece juxtaposes the mythology of two things: the great white superhero that dons a red and blue suit to save the day and the challenges of being a classic Black man fighting for truth, justice, and the American way.

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Friday March 2nd @ 11pm

Wardell Clark

The Ground on Which He Stood: A Tribute to August Wilson 

Combining his Legendary Theatre Communications Group (TCG) address, his Final Interview with Suzan Lori-Parks from American Theatre Magazine, while showcasing his specific writing style with select Aria's from his Cycle for a night of Insight, Celebration and Homage.

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Saturday, March 3rd @ 11pm

Coco Elysses

You Can't Hide

You Can't Hide explores the shock, realization, gifts and fears surrounding the impact mother’s have on their daughters. Y'vette, takes us on comical journey through short stories and song on the things that make her smile and squint inherited from her mother.

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Friday, March 9th @ 11pm

Elana Elyce

Acceptable Plagiarism

A product of total collaboration, Acceptable Plagiarism, is created (not stolen!) entirely with the work of other writers (and some folks who've never written at all). Invited to write anything they'd like for this project, contributors submitted monologues, poems, stories-and even a few one-liners, for Elana to share in performance. Some of it explores their personal relationship with the performer, some of it contains words that have been lying on the shelf waiting for a voice, and some of it is just plain imagination. All of it is original, inspiring and fun.

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Saturday March 10th @ 11pm

William Kurk*

Sector 9

Original compositions by William Kurk, written in the pseudo-broadway spirit.

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*Denotes resident artist

CLICK HERE to read the latest 'We Are MPAACT' blog!!!

Previews: May 11th - 20th

Opening: Monday, May 21st @ 7pm

Closes: Sunday, June 24th

Showing every Thursday, Friday and Saturday @ 8pm, Sundays @ 3pm

The Greenhouse Theater Center 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.

Written By: Carla Stillwell**  Directed By: Chuck Smith*

The church is a place of faith and refuge, salvation and hope, support and nurturing. The religion oils the machine, but it's the people—the Reverend, his wife, the deacons and the sisters--who makes sure that it runs. But, the New Light Missionary Baptist Church with church heads the Rev. Joseph Black and his wife Corena Black are different. When it comes to dealing with family, well it's a bit more complicated. The reverend's brother Calvin has encountered a few troubles. Ten Years ago his marriage ended abruptly leaving him to raise his young daughter alone. As questions of his sexuality begin to surface, Rev. Joseph thinks the answer is for his brother to marry a woman from the church, but Corena, begins to think there are other questions to be asked and she finds herself confronting the lengths she'll go to maintain her niece's well-being.

**Denotes Company Member  *Denotes Resident Artist

CLICK HERE to read the latest 'We Are MPAACT' blog!!!

SOLO JAMS – Spring 2012
A late-nite foray into the world of one person performance.

Opening: Wednesday, May 23 at 7:30pm

Continuing:
Fridays / Saturdays at 11:00*pm
May 25- June 23, 2012
at the Greenhouse Theater Center
2257 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago

Wednesday May 23rd 7:30pm
Opening Event and Panel Discussion featuring ... Ilesa Duncan, Chuck Smith* and Phillip Edward Van Lear discussing 'Arts Entrepreneurship and Creative Control - crossing the bridge from talent/commodity to rain maker/producer'. Featuring performances from Nikki Brown, Sati Word**, Tyla Abercrombie, Orron Kenyata and The Cast of 'Bodies', FREE ADMISSION!!!!

RESERVE A SEAT NOW!!!

Friday May 25th 11pm
Nikki Brown - Lost & Found

In this powerful solo show, writer/performer Nikki Brown takes you on an emotional and compelling journey into the heart, soul and mind of a young woman as she finds her hidden truth through channeling the assistance of her inner voices.

Lost & Found is an exposition of the people we become when grappling with issues such as domestic violence, tumultuous love affairs, suicidal tendencies, and red tutu skirts.

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Saturday May 26th 11pm
Ruby Yo!' - The Rubyx Cube EP Release Live Set

Ruby Yo! will take you on a musical journey with songs from her new EP, "The Rubyx Cube", also some old school & new school hip-hop classics, and a Moombahton jam session with her deejay, DJ P. Roq.

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Friday June 1st 11pm
Orron Kenyatta- Dave in the Glaze

Orron Kenyatta is a Chicago treasure. His revelatory "Tad poems" where adapted for the stage in the runaway hit Tad in 5th City. With Dave in the Glaze Orron explores the life and works of a slave potter and poet who wrote openly and rebelliously in antebellum South Carolina. Selections of poetry from his upcoming book, published as a scholarly work by Chipstone Foundation and the Milwaukee Art Museum will be performed. This collection has received critical acclaim and is sought after worldwide.

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Saturday June 2nd 11pm
Martin Morrow- Southern (Dis)Comfort
When most people think of Alabama the thoughts and images that come to mind are reminders of the 1960s and the Civil Rights Movement but where has that brought race relations in 2012? Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama Morrow has managed to see an insider's perspective of how Blacks and Whites get along in Dixieland- learning that some of the stereotypes of the south aren't too far off.

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Friday June 8 11pm
Andrew Malone - The Call Back Guy

The Callback Guy gives us the inside track on an actor's life through the eyes of Tristan Jacobs. We get to see the journey of a young actor trying to "make it" and find his purpose in life. We actually audition with him. This performance will be filled with music, dance calls, monologues, and callbacks. This piece is inspired by true stories, but ultimately by Meryl Streep. "It took me 20years to hone the technique. Now I have it." Jeffrey Wright "Auditioning is another monster within itself." And also the Tony award-winning musical A Chorus Line.

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Saturday June 9 11pm
Carla Stillwell**- Your Love is Like Hot Fried Chicken

After years of watching other people attempt to make art that they are not skilled in, Carla has decided that she might well do something that she can't do either...Be an R&B recording artist. She is inviting you to the release of her 1st album - Carla Stillwell: Your Love is Like Hot Fried Chicken.

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Friday June 15 11pm
Koku Gonza- Confessions of A Songwriter

Expect to hear elements of Neo-Soul/, Blues, Pop and the global vibes of East Africa from Koku Gonza.

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Saturday June 16 11pm
Jamie Black- It's My Penis and I'll Cry If I Want To

How does society affect the way we express ourselves to each other? Are men and women really that different or do we exaggerate the differences to make ourselves comfortable? It’s My Penis and I’ll Cry If I Want To explores the differences and similarities between men and women and how society influences our perceptions of people which in turn affects our relationships with each other.

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Friday June 22 11pm
Dawn Bless- Jazz: Root, Spirit, and Beyond

A Musical One-Act. A journey and tribute of Jazz, addressing its birth, social implications, and the consequences of its influence in today’s music. Highlighting numerous legends such as the blues of Bessie Smith, the yearning of Billie Holiday, the sassiness of Sarah Vaughn, and the bold Bebop of Ella Fitzgerald, and many more.

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Saturday June 23 11pm
Olivia D. Dawson - ...In the Rough

30 days. That’s all Dailina V. Woods has got left. That, several chocolate donuts and a dream. For one black actress, is fame, fortune, success and a blender too much to ask? Join Lina on auditions gone awry, love lost, and the horror of being stalked by…you’ll see.

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CLICK HERE to read the latest 'We Are Mpaact' blog.

**Denotes Company Member
 

Opening: Sunday, May 27th @ 6pm

Closes: Sunday, June 17th @6pm

Showing Every Sunday @ 6pm

The Greenhouse Theater Center 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.

Written By Sati Word** Directed By Chuck Smith*

Buck O’Neil was a true ambassador of baseball. An athletic, soft handed first baseman and longtime manager of the Kansas City Monarchs, a talented scout eying young stars from Billy Williams, Oscar Gamble and Ernie Banks for the Chicago Cubs to Bo Jackson for the Kansas City Royals and the Major League’s first black coach. As the driving force behind the Negro League Hall of Fame on the corner of 18th and Vine in Kansas City, Buck O’Neil was the last to tell the stories of the great ballplayers that had long passed before him, a responsibility he never took lightly. In 'Baseball Music: The Sweetest Sound' Buck takes us through the glorious victories and the heartbreaking defeats of a life dedicated to the game of baseball and the tales of those who left us too soon for their voices to be heard.

THE READER SAYS...

About Sati:

Mr. Word joined MPAACT officially in 2004 but began his work here in 2000. He has been featured in Shepsu Aakhu's Fascia, Kiwi Black, Trouble The Water, Beneath A Dark Sky, Radical Hearsay and Ten Square. At MPAACT he also performed in Sweet Home, Notes From The Bottletree, Stage Black by Lydia Diamond, Carla Stillwell's Tad in 5th City and The Last Saint On Sugar Hill. Sati has worked as a stage manager on She Calls Up The Sun, and assistant director under Chuck Smith in Nambi Kelly's MiLK and debuted with the MPAACT band Red Clay playing the keyboards in Ghosts of Atwood. Outside of MPAACT he has performed in Trojan Candidate as Barack Obama (Theater Oobleck), Don't Shed A Tear: The Billie Holiday Story (Black Ensemble), What You Don't Know Can Kill You (Purposed One), Willy's Cut N' Shine (ETA), Stage Directions (CTC), The Bluest Eye (Steppenwolf) and King Of Coons directed by Harry J. Lennix (Congo Square) among many others. Sati had his directing debut at ETA working on the play The Legend of Annie Christmas. Film Credits include Separated At Birth (Hour Story), How I Killed Mumblecore (Hello Kid) and Chicken Head Bound (Mark Armstrong Prod.). Television credits include the pilots Chicago and Breathing Room.

**Denotes Company Member

CLICK HERE to read the latest 'We Are MPAACT Blog'!!!

Opening: May 30th @ 7:30pm

Closing: June 20th @ 7:30pm

Showing Every Wednesday @ 7:30pm

The Greenhouse Theatre Center 2257 N. Lincoln Ave

Written By: Tyla Abercrumbie  Directed By: Ron O.J. Parson

Naked & Raw, a play told through poetry and music with a little comedy, a little drama and a lot of soul is a real rollercoaster ride and this Superwoman, as any good superwoman would do, is going to layer by layer peel it all off till she's raw and exposed but just in time to find the Guru inside.

Excerpts, of NAKED & RAW was performed as part of the Congo Square Theatre Festival Theatre on the Square 2011.

About Tyla:

An accomplished actor, based out of Chicago, she has performed in regional theatres around the country. Regional theatre credits: King Hedley(AWCCT), , In Darfur (Timeline) ,Magnolia (Goodman), Piano Lesson & Flyin West (Court), Short Shakespeare; Romeo and Juliet, (Chicago Shakespeare), Piano Lesson (Portland Theatre Co.) Radio Golf (Pittsburgh Public), Gem of the Ocean (Actors Theatre of Louisville), Jitney (St. Louis Black Rep) A Raisin in the Sun (Studio Arena), Ariadne's Thread (Victory Gardens), Four Queens no Trump and Asylum "aka" life, (Onyx) written and performed by Tyla. Film &Television Credits; The Beast, ER, The Tracey Morgan Show, Solomon's Song, Family Practice, Mary and Jo, Stay with me, Detroit 187 and FOX’s Chicago Code.

The success of her book Red Wine and the Bles’sed Monkey, a collection of prose and poetry established her as a respected poet invited to perform across the country, at invents hosted by Taste of Chicago, WVON Radio, Aruba Festival 2005, World Folk Music, McDonalds Corporation, DePaul University, Columbia College, University of West Florida, Ebonyenergy.com, Blackvoices.com, Blackflim.com LA, Green Mill Jazz club, Winds Café, and opening for Key Note speakers the likes of Reverend Jesse Jackson Jr., Founder of Rainbow/Push Coalition and Cathy Hughes, Founder of Radio One & TV One.
A graduate of Columbia College with a BA in Theatre, she’s currently adding the finishing touches on her second book “A Sip of Wine”.

CLICK HERE to read the latest We Are MPAACT blog!!!