A Look Back: How Bastards Became The Sons of SOMEONE!
It seems like just yesterday when the Tympanic Family were huddled together in the dark, dank, corners of the 2454 basement (since remodeled into our very own, snazzy rehearsal space). Here is where what was yet to be titled Bastards of Young found its first footings. We diligently sifted through over 200 scripts, collectively selected the strongest, most cohesive eight and marched on with high hopes.
Many hours of hard labor combined with many more hours of joy have brought us all to closing weekend. There is not doubt that Tympanic has undergone many changes over the past few months and we couldn't be happier that Bastards of Young is our re-introduction to the Chicago store-front theatre scene. These eight plays represent a smorgasbord of theatre we believe in. These plays may be the sons of no one, but by god we're proud to have adopted them as our very own.
If you haven't seen the show yet, may we entreat you to follow this link right away and reserve your seat. We have four performances left and only a handful of seats to go around. We promise you it will be worth your time. Join our band of Bastards and help us celebrate our successful run with a huge bang!
THE PRESS…
RECOMMENDED – Standouts include Matsushita's "May is a Special Time of the Year," Fisher's "Personal Apocalypse" and Mikel's "The Great Black Vulture." All three pieces make sharp use of vulnerability, tension and fear… Kudos also to some fine performances: Danielle Forrester as a silky, surreal "advocate" displays killer timing; and Adam Schulmerich is teetering-on-the-edge menacing as an unhinged Paul Bunyan. – Lisa Buscani – New City Stage
Yee's "Zachary Zwillinger Eats People" balances Sarah Ruhl-esque cuteness with genuine feeling, and Bob Fisher's "Personal Apocalypse" exploits the gap between what's said and done during an interrogation led by a calmly menacing bureaucrat. – Zac Thompson – Chicago Reader
Fisher's delightful and pointed "Personal Apocalypse" feels like a Harold Pinter short by way of Monty Python… Clicking ballpoint pens have seldom been used this effectively. Yee's "Zachary Zwillinger Eats People" has a beguiling Roald Dahl quality to it, as a young man literally consumes the sweethearts he falls in love with. – Kerry Reid – Chicago Tribune
[The plays] twine around each other with a beautiful sense of paranoia and lyricism. Myburgh's taut "Elf King" produces some truly frightening images while also maintaining a strongly poetic edge. Beautifully choreographed by director Chris Acevedo, the piece also features strong performances by Kasia Januszewski, Jonathan Harden, Lyn Scott, and Megan Gotz. Josh Mikel's "The Great Black Vulture" ends things on a lyrically cannibalistic note, insuring that "Bastards Of Young" becomes a truly visionary night of theatre. – Brian Kirst – Chicago Free Press
THE PHOTOS…
Elf King (photo by Heather Moats)
Folk Fire (photo by Heather Moats)
Great Black Vulture (photo by Heather Moats)
Zachary Zwillinger Eats People (photo by Heather Moats)
A huge thank you to the writers, directors, actors, designers, crew, audience members, family, friends, mentors, donors, and Chicago community for making this such a succesful show. We are eternally greatful for your support! Without you were are merely a bunch a kids who hang out in a basement.
Thanks for reading!
Susan
….now order your FREAKING tickets before it's too late!
