kids

Power of believing in one’s self takes center stage for theatre festival for young audiences

An ant who wishes to explore the world beyond her family’s territory, a grandmother and granddaughter superhero duo and a helpful house spirit are among the cast of characters found in the fourth installment of Ghostlight Ensemble’s Make/Believe short play festival for young audiences this year.

 Ghostlight is excited to feature five new plays for young audience members to enjoy this summer with their family and friends, said festival producer Caryn Brieschke. For the first time more than half the plays are by local playwrights.

 “These stories are fun for children to watch, but are also crucial to helping them understand the increasingly complex feelings they develop as they grow older and providing them with tools to deal with complicated situations they may find themselves in,” Brieschke added.

 Filled with the power of believing in yourself, new adventures and family bonds, the five stories that make up this year’s festival are filled with characters who face the types of struggles modern children will recognize from their own lives. 

 This year’s plays include:

 ·                The Thing That Comes to the Basement is written by Chicago playwright Lori Taylor and directed by Lo Williams. In The Thing That Comes to the Basement, Camilla Antie, an 8-year-old ant, discovers that just because someone looks different than you, does not mean they are frightening or that they cannot become your friend. Starring: Sydney Ray, Toma Lynn Smith and Hannah Strauss.

·                Hannah and Halmoni Save the World! is written by Chicago playwright Juliet Kang Huneke and is directed by Karina Patel. By day, Hannah is a 7-year-old girl who lives with her Korean American grandma. But by night, grandma transforms into a SUPERHERO named Halmoni (that’s the Korean word for grandma, if you were wondering)! But when it’s Hannah’s turn to be the hero, not the sidekick, can she step up and save the day? Hannah and Halmoni Save the World champions asking for help, self-forgiveness and super awesome theme songs for the young AND old among us. Starring: Rick Hilscher, Kristen Lin Waagner and Emily Zhang.

·                The Edge of Play is written by Utah playwright Janine Sobeck Knighton and directed by Eileen Tull. The Edge of Play tells the story of Ada, an imaginative 8-year-old girl who loves slides but gets really nervous around other kids. With help from her unique friend Mo, she learns that it’s OK to need a little extra help and support to do the things that scare you the most. Starring: Christine Marie and Kaela Rosenbaum.

·                Finding Belief is written by Portland playwright Kwik Jones and directed by Kate Sullivan Coombs. Even with encouragement from her father, Ivy, a young girl discouraged by her tennis match losses, lives in a world of doubt – that is until Dunlop, her tennis racket, comes to life and ushers her on a short journey to rescue her Belief from the evil tennis ball, Doubt. Ivy must find courage to save Belief. With the help of the audience will Ivy find and save Belief? Starring: Alexis Aranda, Josh Bomba, Nick Conrad and Rissa Montañez.

·                Guardian of the House (Τόπακας) is written by Chicago playwright and Ghostlight Ensemble Member Maria Burnham and directed by Whitney Minarik. A young girl, tired of all the new chores she has to do since her little sister arrived, learns the value of family and sticking together from the genii of her house. Steeped in Greek folklore, Guardian of the House will feature traditional Hellenic storytelling and puppetry. Starring Rose Leisner and Gina Sanfillipo.

Make/Believe is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 27; Sunday, May 28; Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4, at 1:30 p.m. at NorthCenter Town Square (4100 N. Damen Ave., Chicago).

All five plays will be produced on each day of the festival at the NorthCenter Town Square – an outdoor space in the heart of the NorthCenter neighborhood. Audience members are encouraged to bring their own chairs and picnics. The show is free, but donations are always appreciated. However, some limited reserve seating is available via Eventbrite.

Make/Believe is produced by Caryn Brieschke and is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and by support from the NorthCenter Chamber of Commerce. More information will be available on our website at www.ghostlightensemble.com/make-believe-2023.

Make/Believe is part of Ghostlight’s Nightlight young audience series, which features original, adapted and forgotten plays geared toward children and the adults who love them. Ghostlight believes theatre can be a beacon for children, letting them know they aren’t alone in the world, giving them a sense of security and revealing the truth that in stories they can be anything they want to be. You’re never too young – or too old – for a nightlight.

Ghostlight Ensemble is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit theatre whose mission it is to ask questions that challenge the status quo through timeless stories, immersive environments and unconventional staging. As an ensemble-based theatre, Ghostlight is made up of individual artists who are dedicated to collaborative creation and committed to working together consistently over years to develop a distinctive body of work. We welcome you to learn more about us at GhostlightEnsemble.com.

G.E.T. ready to Make/Believe this weekend!

Sophie Hernando Kofman (left) and Joselle Reyes star in Krill’s Quest, written by Angelle Whavers and directed by Joel Willison, as part of Make/Believe.

Gwyneth Clare (left) and Adeera Harris star in Can You Hear the Mermaids Singing?, written by Rachel Atkins and directed by Rebecca Rose Schilsky.

Make/Believe 2022 takes the stage beginning this weekend! The outdoor show features seven short plays geared toward audiences 10 and under, but meant to be enjoyed by all ages.

The show will take place (light) rain or shine at the NorthCenter Town Square, starting at 2:30 p.m.. on Saturday, July 16, and continues the following two Saturdays. Come early to enjoy the NorthCenter Farmers Market and then stay for our show.

The seven stories that make up this year’s festival are filled with young people, plants, puppies and a blue balloon who must face great obstacles to discover who (or what) they’re meant to be. From the Filipino-American girl who is trying to find her way home in Sunshine and the Sea of Lost Things to the littlest fish in the ocean proving all sizes matter in Krill’s Quest, the protagonists in these plays face the types of struggles modern children will recognize from their own lives.

All seven plays will be produced on each day of the festival at the new NorthCenter Town Square – an outdoor space in the heart of the NorthCenter neighborhood. Some seating is available, but audience members are encouraged to bring their own chairs and picnics. The show is free, but donations are always appreciated.

Selected scripts are Asherella by Lori Taylor, Best Friends by Adam Eugene Hurst, A Blue Hydrangea by Eric Braman, Can You Hear the Mermaids Singing? by Rachel Atkins, It's Poppin' by Steven San Luis, Krill’s Quest by Angelle Whavers and Sunshine and the Sea of Lost Things by Sarah Lina Sparks. Information on the plays, along with cast and crew biographies are available on the Make/Believe webpage.

Make/Believe is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and by support from the NorthCenter Chamber of Commerce.

Make/Believe takes place outdoors on the last three Saturdays in July – July 16, 23 and 30, 2022, at 2:30 p.m. at NorthCenter Town Square (4100 N. Damen Ave., Chicago).

Nightlight is Ghostlight’s young audience series with original, adapted and forgotten plays geared toward children and the adults who love them. Ghostlight believes theatre can be a beacon for children, letting them know they aren’t alone in the world, giving them a sense of security and revealing the truth that in stories they can be anything they want to be. You’re never too young – or too old – for a nightlight.

Make/Believe theatre festival for young audiences returns this summer live, outdoors

Ghostlight Ensemble brings its popular Make/Believe festival back to the stage in 2022 with seven short plays by playwrights from around the country to be presented live, outdoors in July.

This year’s curated festival features a mix of new and previously performed plays from past Make/Believe festivals, written by both local and national playwrights. The plays, as always, have been written for audiences 10 and under, but are meant to be enjoyed by all ages.

“We are thrilled to bring this festival back to live performances after having to go digital only in 2021,” said Maria Burnham, Make/Believe curator. “Nothing replaces being in the same space with our young audience members and their families and feeling the energy and excitement they bring to Make/Believe.”

The seven stories that make up this year’s festival are filled with young people, plants, puppies and a blue balloon who must face great obstacles to discover who (or what) they’re meant to be. From the Filipino-American girl who is trying to find her way home in Sunshine and the Sea of Lost Things to the littlest fish in the ocean proving all sizes matter in Krill’s Quest, the protagonists in these plays face the types of struggles modern children will recognize from their own lives.

All seven plays will be produced on each day of the festival at the new NorthCenter Town Square – an outdoor space in the heart of the NorthCenter neighborhood. Some seating will be available, but audience members are encouraged to bring their own chairs and picnics. The show is free, but donations are always appreciated.

 Selected scripts are Asherella by Lori Taylor, Best Friends by Adam Eugene Hurst, A Blue Hydrangea by Eric Braman, Can You Hear the Mermaids Singing? by Rachel Atkins, It's Poppin' by Steven San Luis, Krill’s Quest by Angelle Whavers and Sunshine and the Sea of Lost Things by Sarah Lina Sparks.

Make/Believe is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and by support from the NorthCenter Chamber of Commerce. More information will be available on our website at www.ghostlightensemble.com/make-believe-2022.

Make/Believe takes place outdoors on the last three Saturdays in July – July 16, 23 and 30, 2022, at 2:30 p.m. at NorthCenter Town Square (4100 N. Damen Ave., Chicago).

Nightlight is Ghostlight’s young audience series with original, adapted and forgotten plays geared toward children and the adults who love them. Ghostlight believes theatre can be a beacon for children, letting them know they aren’t alone in the world, giving them a sense of security and revealing the truth that in stories they can be anything they want to be. You’re never too young – or too old – for a nightlight.

Sign up for theatre classes, part of the Make/Believe festival!

This year we’re offering two days of theatre classes as part of our Make/Believe festival for young audiences. Choose from Building the Character — Literally, Building the Story or Building the World.

This year an emphasis was placed on producing pieces for Make/Believe in a way that children watching at home would be able to replicate – so they could “play” Make/Believe at home. These three stage craft classes are mean to do just that - help this next generation of theatre artists craft their own stories and shows at home.

Please note these classes are currently scheduled to run concurrently, so students will only be able to choose one per day. Classes are scheduled for June 5 & 6 only. Details on the classes are available here.

Final two performances of The Selfish Giant begin Saturday

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The final two performance of our all ages show, The Selfish Giant, are Saturday, July 29 at 1 p.m. and Sunday, July 30 at 11 a.m. Join us for this wildly inventive show that has been captivating audience members from babies to grandparents.

Come make some paper plate gardens with us, learn why walls are a bad idea and welcome children with open arms. There are many good lessons to be learned from Oscar Wilde.

You can get your tickets in advance here or at the door.

Ghostlight celebrates Girl Power and the power of Spanish pastries in its latest production

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Ghostlight Ensemble will launch its young audience series, Nightlight, in June with the world-premiere production of The Princess Without Pots, a new tale of a warrior princess and her parents’ frustrating quest to compel her into a storybook romance.

“This is a play that celebrates just that, the wonderful capacity that children have for make-believe and play that we lose as we get older,” said Maria Burnham, the playwright and director. “With The Princess Without Pots, and with Nightlight in general, we hope to encourage future generations to keep a little bit of that with them as they grow.”

The Princess Without Pots is an empowering fairy tale about the importance of never underestimating your opponent or the power of a delicious baked good. In it, Princess Cristina’s parents have decided it’s time for their daughter to marry, so all the princes from all the lands come hoping to marry her. But, to win this princess’s heart, a prince first needs to win a battle against the fiercest warrior the age had ever seen – Princess Cristina.

“We hope we’ve built a world that encourages children of all genders to choose the path best suited to them without any of the limitations society wants to place on them,” Burnham said. “We wanted to create a world in which fighting like a girl is something everyone aspires to do.

“But we also wanted to create a production that is just a lot of fun to watch – one that inspires kids to go home and play Princess Without Pots.”

The Princess Without Pots stars: Brian Barber (Prince Brax), Norman J. Burt (The King), Jessica Casillas (Carl the Hapless Knight, Prince Harry of Strathbane, Camila the Squire, Montage Princes) Pearl Paramadilok (Princess “Sweet Pea” Cristina), Isa Ramos (Prince Miguel), Sydney Ray (The Queen), Josh Razavi (King Brawn, Prince Vlek of Ice Moutain, Phil the Long-Suffering Squire, Montage Princes), Kayla White (Advisors 1-3) and Emilio Williams as the voice of the narrator. Understudies include Sean Hendrickson (Prince Brax), Jessica Casillas (Princess “Sweet Pea” Cristina) and Jean E. Burr (Ensemble roles).

The production team is: Maria Burnham (Playwright, Director), Jean E. Burr (Assistant Director), Carrie Campana (Costume Designer), Jessie Cole (Stage Manager), Dave Gonzales (Fight Designer), Carolyn Minor (Production Manager, Set Painter) and Chad Wise (Props Designer). The poster design for The Princess Without Pots is by Addison Wise, age 8, of Aurora, IL.

 Tickets are now available for The Princess Without Pots, which runs on Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. from June 9 to July 1 at Laugh Out Loud Theater in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago (3851 N. Lincoln Ave.) Tickets are: $10 adults, $5 children 12 and under or $25 family of four.

The cast will also be performing an abridged version of the show at the North Center Ribfest at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 9 in the Kids Square. A complete scheduled of Kids Square activities and entertainment can be found on the Ribfest website at ribfest-chicago.com.