The Blue Bird

The Blue Bird was written by Belgian playwright and poet Maurice Maeterlinck. It premiered on September 30, 1908, at the Moscow Art Theatre, directed by the legendary theatre director and teacher Konstantin Stanislavski. It was later presented on Broadway in 1910.
The story takes place on Christmas Eve. A brother and sister who live in poverty are visited by a mysterious witch, who asks them to find the Blue Bird for her sick daughter. The Blue Bird is believed to possess the power to bring happiness to those who find it. The children embark on a journey in search of the mysterious bird, traveling through unusual places and encountering strange and magical characters along the way.
The story later became known around the world, particularly after it was adapted for children. Maeterlinck’s plays are often considered challenging, if not nearly impossible, to stage because they frequently involve supernatural characters, magical worlds, and theatrical effects.

Cast
Makoto Yamaguchi
Lauren Valice
Amelia Beaei Pardo
Ron Olech
Emily Emison
Shawn Bunch
Ed Clemons

Director: Makoto Yamaguchi
Assistant Director: Amelia Beaei Pardo
Costume: Terrion Collins

About The Jazz Theatre Group
The Jazz Theatre Group was founded by Chicago theatre artist Makoto Yamaguchi with the support of Theatre Y. Makoto has been deeply interested in the theatre practices of Polish director Jerzy Grotowski, as well as the ritual practices and performances of African and Native American cultures. He pursues a “pure form” of live theatre in which no technology is employed. His performances typically use only the house lights, with no pre-recorded sound effects or music. Instead, he uses body movement, vocal sound effects, and gibberish to “show” the story. The entire piece is improvised within a pre-established structure, much like jazz musicians improvising within a musical framework.

Date: Friday, October 23rd at 7:00 and Saturday, October 24th at 5:00
Venue: Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble (1650 W. Foster)

Tickets: All Rhino Fest tickets are offered at sliding scale prices, in an effort to make theater more accessible to more people in our communities. We say "pay what you can" and we mean it. Rhino Fest is co-produced by the Curious Theatre Branch and the performance venues. Additional donations are always welcome.

About the venue: Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble is located at 1650 W Foster Ave in Andersonville, in the same building as Ebenezer Lutheran Church. The performance space is not currently accessible by wheelchair; to enter the auditorium, there are eight steps to a landing, and then eight steps to the entrance. CDE is within walking distance of the Foster (92) and Clark (22) bus lines. Street parking is generally possible nearby, but check signs for permit zones and time-based restrictions. Soft drinks will be available for purchase before shows begin. More information can be found at https://www.danztheatre.org.

About Rhino Fest: The event that became the Rhinoceros Theater Festival began in 1988 as an offshoot of the Bucktown Arts Fest, and in its first year featured just two days of performances, including work by Jenny Magnus and Beau O'Reilly. When the event's founder moved away from Chicago in 1990, he asked a ragtag group of local artists (including Beau O'Reilly and Theatre of the Reconstruction’s Scott Turner) to keep the festival going, and the Rhino Fest was born. The Curious Theatre Branch went on to produce the Rhino across many neighborhoods and venues over the years, with events variously taking place in Wicker Park/Bucktown, Rogers Park, Andersonville and Avondale; at spaces including the Lunar Cabaret and Full Moon Café, the Neo-Futurarium, the Society for New Things, The Garage, The Firehouse, Remains Theatre, and Prop Thtr. In the mid-2000s, Rhino Fest settled at Prop Thtr in Avondale as its long-term base, and Prop and Curious co-produced the festival among a shifting group of curators for many years. Following the closure of Prop's Elston Avenue space in 2020 and a year off during the height of the pandemic, Rhino Fest is once more itinerant, currently producing more than 30 shows at The Labyrinth Club, Chicago Danztheater, and Chicago Dramatists.

https://rhinofest.com/