Archive
Lulu: a black and white silent play
“It’s a Christmas story after all”
Conceived & directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Isaiah Robinson
Dates: November-December 2005, City Lit Theater, Chicago; February-March 2006, Theatre Building, Chicago; August-December 2006 Tour, New York City, Davenport, San Francisco; December 2006, Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, Chicago
Noir: a shot and a chaser
“The choices you make are the choices that make you”
Written by: Nick DuFloth & Nell Voss
Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Josh Lava, Rob Fry & David Taylor
Video design: Krzysztof Piotrowski & Victor Holstein
Dates: June-July 2007, Strawdog Theatre, Chicago; July 2008, Marry-Arrchie Theatre, Chicago; August 2008 Tour, New York, Davenport
A Charlie Chaplin Christmas
“Nothing is permanent in this world. Not even our troubles” -Charlie Chaplin
Conceived by: Tonika Todorova & Marvin Quijada
Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Charlie Chaplin, Rob Frye, and David Taylor
Dates: December 2007-January 2008, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago
KANE
"A story of a modern American citizen"
Adapted & Directed by: Nick Dufloth
Video design: Krzysztof Piotrowski
Dates: March-April 2008, City Lit Theater, Chicago
The Thin Line: A History of Printmaking
Based on the art of Warrington Colescott
Conceived & directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Rob Fry & David Taylor
Dates: February 2009, Columbia College, Chicago
Americana
As part of the Jackalope Living Newspaper Festival
Written & directed by: Tonika Todorova
Dates: August 2009, Viaduct Theatre, Chicago
The Set-up
“No Pansies need apply”
Written by: Joseph Moncure March
Adapted & directed by: Nick DuFloth
Music by: Paul Gilvary
Dates: September-October 2009, Prop Thtr, Chicago
The Wild Party
“Some love is fire; Some love is lust; But the cleanest, most fierce love is lust.”
Written by: Joseph Moncure March
Adapted & directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Isaiah Robinson
Dates: September-October 2009, Prop Thtr, Chicago
The Wild Party Variety Hour
"The dirtiest fun to be had on the Chicago Stage" - Chicago Tribune
Created by: Marvin Quijada & Nathan Paul
Writers: Marvin Quijada & Brendan Balfe
Dates: September 2009-Present, Prop Thtr, Marry-Arrchie Theatre, STC HQ, Chopin Theater, Victory Gardens Theatre, The Den, The Front Bar @ Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago
Carnival Nocturne
“A curse that binds them all together”
Written by: Gillian Hastings
Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Rob Fry & David Taylor
Dates: November-December 2009, DCA Storefront Theater, Chicago
The Grage on Clark Street
“The St. Valentine's Day Masacre”
Written and directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Chris Jett
Dates: February 2010, Prop Thtr
A.C.M.E: a (live) action cartoon with music & entertainment
Created by: Matthew Massaro, Gillian Hastings, Chelsea Brandt, Nathan Thompson, Jenna Dalgety, Sam Zelitch
Directed by: Matthew Massaro
Dates: August 2010, Prop Thtr, Chicago
The Better Doctor
In collaboration with Bootstraps Theatre
Written & directed by: Matt Lyle
Dates: August 2010, Prop Thtr, Chicago
An Evening with Aaron Aaronson
In collaboration with Theatre Unspeakable
Written & directed by: Marc Frost
Dates: August 2010, Prop Thtr, Chicago
My Name is Gabby Rodriguez
Jackalope Living Newspaper Festival
Written & directed by: Tonika Todorova
Dates: August 2011, Viaduct Theatre, Chicago
A Christmas Carol: the silent bah-humbug
“It’s a ghost story after all”
Adapted and Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Isaiah Robinson
Dates: November-December 2011, NNWAC St. Paul’s Church, Chicago
Aliens
Jackalope Living Newspaper Festival
Written and Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Video design: Krzysztof Piotrowski
Dates: August 2012, Viaduct Theatre, Chicago
Noir: City of Big Shoulders
"Who done It?"
Written & directed by: Brendan Balfe
Dates: 2012 Prop Thtr, Chicago
A Christmas Carol: a black and white silent play
Adapted and Directed by: Matthew Massaro
Music by: Isaiah Robinson
Dates: November-December 2013; Prop Thtr, Chicago
The Seven Secret Plays of Madame Caprice
"A live-music meta-theatrical adventure"
Written and Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Gillian Hastings & David Taylor
Dates: February-November 2014, STC HQ, Chicago; May-Jun 2015, Chopin Theater, Chicago
Dueling Gentlemen
"A love letter to Vaudeville"
Written and Directed by: Marvin Quijada
Music by: Ian Custer
Dates: August-September 2014, STC Hq, Chicago; August-September 2015, Athenaeum Theatre, Chicago
Nosferatu
"A symphony of horror"
Adapted & directed by: Brendan Balfe
Music by: John Urban
Dates: October-November 2015, Prop Thtr, Chicago
Hotel Bristol
"A concept album release"
Composed by: Davor Palos & Ode
Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Dates: May 2017, Hairpin Arts Center, Chicago
Keep Your Guard Up, Smitty Harbinger!
"He'll Smitty everything up"
Written by: Tim Campos
Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Elliot Taggart
Dates: July 2018, Den Theatre, Chicago; October 2018, Marlene Ball Theatre, Detroit; August 2019, Beatniks, Indiana
Beethoven, a verbal opus
"The curse of the Ninth"
Written & directed by: Tonika Todorova
Dates: December 2018, 248th Beethoven Birthday Bash, Hairpin Arts Center, Chicago and Chopin Theater, Chicago
Incomplete Conversations
"What will you leave unsaid?"
Written & directed by: Nell Voss
Music by: Evan Sierminski
Dates: October-November 2019, Tapestry Fellowship, Chicago; March 2020, Tapestry Fellowship, Chicago
Family Funhouse Live Stream Variety Show
"LIVE from the Attic"
Written & directed by: ensemble
Dates: March-July 2020, Berteau Tripp Attic, Chicago
One State 24 Hour Virtual Theatre Festival
5 Writers. 5 Directors. 15 Actors. 24 hours to create and present 5 short plays
Written & directed by: participants
Dates: September 2020, Virtual Presentation
Corona dell'Arte
"A slice of surrealtainment featuring music, skills, and narrative movement"
Written & directed by: participants
Dates: October 2020, NEIU, The Berteau Tripper Stage, Chicago; May 2021 The Berteau Tripper Stage, Chicago; June 2021, The Waterfront Cafe, Chicago; July 2021 The Berteau Tripper Stage, Chicago; August 2021, Woodard Plaza, Chicago
Unearthed Crown
"A visually enhanced radio ghost story for the ages with all the black spice of the South Side"
Written & directed by: Phillip Lewis
Dates: November-December, 2021, Tapestry Fellowship and digitally streamed as am episodic.
Supported by The MacArthur Funds for Arts and Culture at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Illinois Humanities, Arts Work Fund, One State Grant, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Network for Good, and the generosity of our individual donors.
