Albany Park

Ghostlight is a finalists for Best of Chicago 2020!

Ghostlight is honored and excited to once again be nominated in two categories for the Reader's Best of Chicago 2020: Best established theater company and Best off-Loop theater company.

In addition, our children’s short play festival Make/Believe is nominated for Best Performing Arts Festival and our Holiday Cabernet is nominated for Best Digital Content (theatre).

We'd love if our supporters would follow this link to vote for us. Our categories are under the Arts & Culture tab. And you can ask your friends and family to do so as well, as there are no restrictions on voting.

Please note: You don’t have to fill out all the categories if you’re only interested in voting for a few of them. The deadline to vote is noon on Monday, February 8.

While you're voting for us, please also consider these Ghostlight affiliated folks:

  • Ensemble Member Norman J. Burt is nominated for Best Stage Performer.

  • Ensemble Member Maria Burnham is nominated again this year for Best Playwright.

  • Ensemble Member Holly Robison is nominated for Best Director.

  • Our friend and frequent collaborator Coco Sho-Nell is nominated for Best Drag Performer. (Coco recently hosted our Holiday Cabernet.)

We appreciate the continued support of the community and we’re so thrilled to be a finalist for Best of Chicago.

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Up Next: Holiday Cabernet 3

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Ghostlight will begin its fourth season in December with a perennial winter favorite, the Holiday Cabernet – an evening of holiday classics (or not-so-classics) by favorite G.E.T. performers, emerging artists and surprise guests in a virtual setting with a host filled with holiday spirits! Taking the emcee mic this year is the glamorous Coco Sho-Nell, a Chicago-based drag performer with roots in musical theatre.

Acts range from comedians and clowns to musicians, dancers and more. Artists include:  Comedy Dance Collective, Daija Nealy, Danielle Levsky, Improvised Jane Austen, Nate Perez & Anneliese Ayers, Nitty Gritty, Plucky Rosenthal and Tyler Ross. 

In addition, last year’s vendor area proved so popular, that we’re bringing it back in virtual form this year. Peruse the online offerings before, during and after the show and support independent artists while scoring unique gifts that everyone will be buzzed about. 

The live, but virtual, Holiday Cabernet takes place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, December 12. Additional details, include artist bios, vendor wares and how to reserve tickets are available on our website.

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Read more: Ghostlight 'Aims To Bring Voices Of Black Women, People Of Color To The Forefront'

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Block Club Chicago recently covered our leadership change and plans for the upcoming season.

Learn more about our new Co-Artistic Director Kayla V. White and the company’s plans for the future in that piece.

“I’m really excited about centering newer Black and Brown playwrights, particularly Chicago-based ones, for the upcoming season and helping them shape their piece and create something new,” White said. “That’s so exciting to me.”

White said the company also will have a reading series highlighting “lost plays” from female writers of color, with an emphasis on works from Black women.

“A lot of people tend to do the same shows. Chicago does mix it up but often it’s a retelling the same types of stories,” White said. “So this series will have a special emphasis on people of color to go back and explore a lot of different plays that are available to us. They exist, but people just aren’t really using them.”

Auditions Announced for Much Ado About Nothing

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We are now accepting submissions to audition for Ghostlight Ensemble’s upcoming immersive production of Much Ado About Nothing to be performed in an Albany Park home, where audience members may move amongst the action as all the drama and comedy unfolds around them. The production will be directed by Producing Director Holly Robison.

Audition Dates:
Auditions: Wednesday January 15 and and Thursday, January 16, 2020: 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Callbacks: Saturday, January 18, 2020: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Chicago’s north side.

Location will be provided when audition slot is assigned.

What to Prepare:
Sides will be forwarded with audition slot.

Tech/Performance Dates:
Performance Dates will be Friday and Saturn evenings and Sunday matinees, April 24 to May 17, 2020, with a possible extension. Tech will be April 18–23, 2020. Rehearsals will begin early-mid March on weekday evenings and weekend days. Rehearsals will be scheduled according to cast availability.

Stipend:
Small stipend.

Character Description:
Looking to cast all roles, ages ranging from early 20s to 70s. Seeking a strong ethnically diverse cast of all genders, ages, shapes and sizes. Some roles may be double cast and/or considered for gender fluid casting. Please see character breakdown below.

  • BEATRICE, pleasant spirited lady

  • HERO, Beatrice’s younger cousin

  • LEONATO, Governor of Messina – Hero’s father and Beatrice’s uncle

  • MARGARET, waiting gentlewoman to Hero

  • URSULA, waiting gentlewoman to Hero

  • BENEDICK, a gentleman from Padua

  • DON PEDRO, Prince of Aragon

  • CLAUDIO, a young lord from Florence

  • BALTHASAR, servant/singer

  • DON JOHN, Don Pedro’s brother

  • BORACHIO, Don John’s comrade

  • CONRADE, Don John’s comrade

  • DOGBERRY, Master Constable in Messina

  • VERGES, Dogberry’s deputy

  • GEORGE SEACOAL, leader of the Watch

  • FIRST WATCHMAN

  • SECOND WATCHMAN

  • FRIAR FRANCIS

  • MESSENGER(s)

Please submit your headshot and resume to Jean at casting@ghostlightensemble.com, and she will be in touch with sides and an audition appointment if we’d like to see you. Please indicate any time restrictions you have for the audition period in your email.