Up Next: The return of Must Eat TV!

It’s Turkey Time again! As per Ghostlight Ensemble’s nearly yearly tradition (Thanks COVID), we present Must Eat TV: A Live Reading of Your Favorite Thanksgiving Television Episodes. This is the Thanksgiving-themed installment of the company’s ongoing live reading series.

Thanksgiving is that strangest of American traditions involving stuffing ourselves silly with turkey, pie and whatever weird food that only your family serves at Thanksgiving (20 different kinds of Jello molds, anyone?), as well as ignoring that one cousin nobody likes and tiptoeing around politics while giving thanks and watching television. So join your Ghostlight family (including our weird cousin) for a celebration of the Great American Eating Holiday.

The lineup features “Giblets for Murray” from Mad About You, “Thanksgiving” from Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist and “The Last Temptation of Mac” from Night Court. at 7 p.m. at at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), in North Center.

The live reading is directed by Christine Marie.

There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door, which will help Ghostlight fund its upcoming season, AND a non-perishable good or additional cash donation to benefit North Center’s Common Pantry, which provides emergency food and social services to those in need.

Up Next: A Live Reading of Twilight

Ghostlight Ensemble presents the next installment of its live movie readings with The Skin of a Killer: A live reading of Twilight on Wednesday, October 23, 2024.

Join us at 7 p.m. at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), as we once again turn our attention to a vampire movie…what can we say, they’re our own personal heroin.

Twilight is a 2008 romantic fantasy film based on a novel of the same name that follows the very original plot line of a normal teenage girl who falls in love with a mysterious classmate who reveals himself to be a 108-year-old vampire. But this time set in the Pacific Northwest and with 100 percent more shiny skin.

The reading is directed by Jean E. Mueller-Burr.

There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door, which will help Ghostlight fund its current season.

Announcing our newest museum partnership

Ghostlight is excited to be teaming up with the Chicago History Museum for their Spooky Sunday event!

The museum will celebrate the Spooky Season with a screening of the Chicago-based horror film Child’s Play (1988, dir. Tom Holland) on Sunday, October 13, 2024.

Following the film, Ghostlight will host a spooky-themed trivia game about other horror movies set in Chicago. And in between each round, actors will perform live reenactments of scenes from these movies on stage. Prizes will be awarded to trivia winners.

The fun begins at 2 p.m.

This event is included with general admission to the museum. Tickets are available on the Chicago History Museum website.

Look for even more fun events with the Chicago History Museum in the new year!

Up Next: Been There, Done That: A Live Reading of She’s All That

Ghostlight Ensemble presents the next installment of its live movie readings with Been There, Done That: A Live Reading of She’s All That on Thursday, August 29, 2024.

Join us at 7 p.m. at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), as we raise a glass of that classic margarita — rum, orange juice, cranberry juice, and limeade, with a dash of cola — to celebrate this 90s teen rom-com!

She’s All That is a 1999 American film following that classic teen plot of turning an ugly duckling into a swan. When Zack's popular girlfriend cheats on him with another boy and breaks up with him, he makes a bet with his friends to turn a school “nerd” into their high school's prom queen.

The cast is:
Laney Boggs: Skylar Frishman
Zack Siler: Sam Campos
Ensemble: Lilly Apostolou, Maria Burnham, Nick Conrad, Allison Horvatin, Issa Polstein and Hope Prybylski.

The reading is directed by Olivia Sieck.

There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door, which will help Ghostlight fund its upcoming season. Food and drink is available for purchase at Black Eagle.

Up Next: Khaaaaaaaaan: A Live Reading of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Ghostlight Ensemble presents the next installment of its live movie readings with Khaaaaaaaaan: A Live Reading of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on Thursday, May 23, 2024.

Join us at 7 p.m. at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), as we raise a Romulan Ale to what is arguably the best Star Trek movie ever made!

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a 1982 American science fiction film based on the television series Star Trek. It is the second film in the series following Star Trek: The Motion Picture and serves as  a sequel to the television episode “Space Seed” (1967). In The Wrath of Khan, Admiral James T. Kirk and the crew of the starship Enterprise facing off against the genetically engineered tyrant Khan Noonien Singh (played with unforgettable élan by Ricardo Montalbán) who has escaped from a 15-year exile to exact revenge on Kirk.

The reading is directed by Nick Conrad.

Food and drink are available for purchase at Black Eagle Club.

There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door, which will help Ghostlight fund its upcoming season.

Up Next: Cinema Chaos and The 'Burbs

In May, Ghostlight returns to the mayhem of live, unrehearsed theatrical interpretations of movies known as Cinema Chaos with that Tom Hanks cinematic masterpiece The ‘Burbs!

Cinema Chaos is a monthly unrehearsed movie reading series that joins our ongoing staged movie reading series bringing audiences two movies a month — one rehearsed and well-acted and the other…complete and utter chaos.

A group of actors who have never seen the movie in question show up unrehearsed and uncast to perform the script with only 5 minutes to prepare. Roles will be assigned at the start of the reading.

What’s The ‘Burbs about? An overstressed suburbanite struggles to prove his theory that the new family in town is a front for a cannibalistic cult. It’s a comedy!

Join us at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613) on Wednesday, May 15, for this experiment gone horribly…right? Performance begins at 7 p.m. but come early if you want a good seat and to watch the character selection process (which will happen around 6:45 p.m.) Food and drink available for purchase at Black Eagle as well.

Up Next: Dancing About Architecture: A Live Reading of Playing By Heart

Ghostlight Ensemble presents the next installment of its live movie readings with Dancing About Architecture: A Live Reading of Playing By Heart on Thursday, April 24, 2024.

Join us at 7 p.m. at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), as we take a martini in each hand and toast to the new us!

Playing By Heart is a 1998 American comedy-drama film which tells the story of several seemingly unconnected characters in Los Angeles. Among the characters are an older couple, who are about to renew their wedding vows; a theatre director and architect navigating a new beginning; a young woman looking for a good time; a gay man dying of AIDS and his mother who had not been close; a couple having an affair and her husband who is exploring ways to break through the staleness of their marriage. It has an all-star cast of Gillian Anderson, Ellen Burstyn, Sean Connery, Anthony Edwards, Angelina Jolie, Ryan Phillippe, Dennis Quaid, Gena Rowlands, Jon Stewart and Madeleine Stowe.

The live reading is directed by Christine Marie.

There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door, which will help Ghostlight fund its upcoming season.

Up Next: Cinema Chaos and The Room

March brings a new addition to the Ghostlight Live Movie Reading experience: Cinema Chaos.

Cinema Chaos is a monthly unrehearsed movie reading series that joins our ongoing staged movie reading series bringing audiences two movies a month — one rehearsed and well-acted and the other…complete and utter chaos.

A group of actors who have never seen the movie in question show up unrehearsed and uncast to perform the script with only 5 minutes to prepare. Roles will be cast at the start of the reading. To kick off the series on Thursday, March 14, Ghostlight will present our live, unseen and unrehearsed version of The Room — the greatest worst movie our actors have never seen.

Join us at Black Eagle Club, 1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613, for this experiment gone horribly…right? Performance begins at 7 p.m. but come early if you want a good seat and to watch the character selection process (which will happen around 6:45 p.m.) Food and drink available for purchase at Black Eagle as well.

Actors for The Room are: Lilly Apostolou, Bee Argento, Nick Conrad, Marianna Gallegos, Steffen Garcia, Allison McCorkle, Holly Robison, Olivia Sieck and Chad Wise.

Cinema Chaos coming in June

Announcing the newest addition to our live movie reading series: Cinema Chaos! What is Cinema Chaos, you ask?

Eight actors who have never seen the movie in question show up unrehearsed and uncast to perform the script with only 5 minutes to prepare. Roles will be cast at the start of the reading.

Readings take place on Thursdays beginning March 2024 at the Black Eagle Club in Chicago. It joins our rehearsed live reading series to bring you two movies a month. For Cinema Chaos, donations of any amount will be accepted at the door. Seating is first come, first serve. Drinks and food will be available for purchase at Black Eagle.  

First up: The Room on Thursday, March 14. Which The Room? Show up and see. (Or join our mailing list, if you haven’t already, by sending your name, email address and zip code to info@ghostlightensemble.com)

Up Next: A Live Reading of The Big Sleep

Ghostlight Ensemble continues its monthly movie reading series in 2024 with Such a Lot of Guns and So Few Brains: A Live Reading of The Big Sleep on Thursday, February 15.

Join us at 7 p.m. at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), as we raise our glass of brandy with champagne to this headscratcher of a detective story and try to figure out whodunnit.

The Big Sleep is a 1946 American film noir starring Humphrey Bogart as wisecracking private detective Philip Marlowe and Lauren Bacall as Vivian Rutledge in a story that begins with blackmail and through a series of complicated plot twists leads to multiple murders.

More information is available on the show page.

Up Next: A live reading of The Breakfast Club

Ghostlight Ensemble kicks off a new year of live movie readings with Does Barry Manilow Know That You Raid His Wardrobe?" A Live Reading of The Breakfast Club on Thursday, January 25, 2024.

Join us at 7 p.m. at Black Eagle Club (1938 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago, IL 60613), as we sneak some cigs in the supply closet and agree that Ally Sheedy looked much better before her “makeover”.

The Breakfast Club is the era-defining, classic 1985 American teen coming-of-age film written, produced and directed by John Hughes. Five strangers, with seemingly nothing in common, end up together in Saturday detention and throughout the course of the day shed their personae and emerge into unlikely friendships.

The live reading is directed by Chad Wise.

There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door, which will help Ghostlight fund its upcoming season.

Up Next: A live reading of two episodes of Star Trek

Ghostlight Ensemble presents the next installment of its ongoing live reading series: Q the Tribbles: A live reading of episodes of Star Trek & Star Trek the Next Generation.

Join us at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 14, at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), as make a slight departure from our usual movie reading to bring you some out of this world television.

The reading will feature the episodes The Trouble with Tribbles from the original Star Trek series and Deja Q from Star Trek the Next Generation.

Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. Both series feature a mixed alien and human crew traveling through space aboard the starship Enterprise with the mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before. The original series, created in the 1960s, is set in the 23rd century. The Next Generation, which began in the late 1980s, is set in the 24th century.

The reading is directed by Nick Conrad.

Food and drink are available for purchase at Black Eagle Club.

There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door, which will help Ghostlight fund its upcoming season.

Up Next: A live reading of My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Ghostlight Ensemble presents the next installment of its ongoing live movie reading series: That’s OK, I Make Lamb: A live reading of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Join us at 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 24, at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), as stuff ourselves with roasted meats and ouzo to celebrate the cinematic union of Greek and Xenos! (In advance of the September release of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3!)

My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a 2002 romantic comedy about a 30-something Greek woman who yearns for something more than her family and culture’s prescribed notions that Greek girls are supposed to do three things in life: “Marry Greek boys, make Greek babies, and feed everyone...until the day we die.” When she falls in love with a non-Greek, she struggles to get her family to accept him while coming to terms with her heritage and cultural identity.

The reading is directed by Maria Burnham.

Food and drink are available for purchase at Black Eagle Club.

There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door, which will help Ghostlight fund its upcoming season.

Up Next: A live reading of Drop Dead Gorgeous

Ghostlight Ensemble presents the next installment of its ongoing live movie reading series: The Most Smartest: A live reading of Drop Dead Gorgeous.

Join us at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 27, at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), as we toast the most beautiful woman in Mount Rose, Minnesota, who definitely, probably will not die. Maybe.

Drop Dead Gorgeous is a 1999 mockumentary that follows a small town beauty pageant and the fierce, deadly lengths the contestants will take to secure the crown. The film stars Kirsten Dunst, Ellen Barkin, Brittany Murphy, Allison Janney, Denise Richards, Kirstie Alley, and Amy Adams in her film debut.

The reading is directed by Christopher Paul Mueller.

Food and drink are available for purchase at Black Eagle Club.

There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door, which will help Ghostlight fund its upcoming season.

Up Next: A live reading of But I'm a Cheerleader

Ghostlight Ensemble presents the next installment of its ongoing live movie reading series in celebration of Pride Month: I Like Girls. A Lot.: A live reading of But I'm a Cheerleader.

Join us at 7 p.m. this Thursday — June 15 — at the Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), and we’ll raise a glass of something pink and fruity and not at all gay to this 1999 American satire/ teen romantic comedy/ cult classic.

But I'm a Cheerleader stars Natasha Lyonne as Megan Bloomfield, a high school cheerleader whose parents send her to a residential in-patient conversion therapy camp to "cure" her lesbianism. At camp, Megan realizes that she is indeed a lesbian and embraces her sexuality.

The cast is: Jean E. Mueller-Burr (Megan), Rachel Warnick (Graham), Justin Broom (Mike), Hannah Compton (Mary), Maria White (Hilary) with Skye Corey, Franki Levenson-Campanale, Lotus Lindez and Sebastian Summers. The reading is directed by Kayla V. White and Justin Broom.

Food and drink are available for purchase at Black Eagle Club.  

There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door, which will help Ghostlight fund its upcoming season. We’ll also be collecting donations for The Center on Halsted’s Senior Pantry & Youth Services. The full list of needed items can be found here. Bring an item or $$$ is always welcome.

Up Next: A live reading of The Lost Boys

Ghostlight Ensemble presents the next installment of its ongoing live movie reading series: All The Damn Vampires: A Live Reading of The Lost Boys.

Join us at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), and we’ll raise a Bloody Mary (heavy on the bloody) to this vamp-filled teen horror classic! You may also be forced to eat maggots — remains to be seen.

The Lost Boys is a 1987 American supernatural black comedy horror film directed by Joel Schumacher about a divorced mom and her two sons who move to a California beach town only to discover the local teenage gang is a pack of vampires.

There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door, which will help Ghostlight fund its upcoming season.

More details, including cast, are available on the show page.

Up Next: A live reading of Zoolander

Ghostlight Ensemble presents the next installment of its ongoing live movie reading series: Really, Really, Ridiculously Good Looking: A Live Reading of Zoolander.

Join us at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 6, at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), and we’ll raise a orange mocha frappuccino to this eugoogly classic!

Zoolander is a 2001 American comedy film directed by and starring Ben Stiller. Clueless fashion model Derek Zoolander is brainwashed to kill the Prime Minister of Malaysia, who wants to stop the fashion industry from using cheap labor in his country.

For those willing to participate, “celebrity” roles and accompanying lines will be assigned to audiences members upon arrival. Come take part in the reading with us!

There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door, which will help Ghostlight fund its upcoming season.

More details are available on the Zoolander show page.

Up Next: A live reading of The Big Lebowski

Ghostlight Ensemble presents the next installment of its ongoing live movie reading series: The Dude Abides: A Live Reading of The Big Lebowski.

Join us at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 23, at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), and we’ll raise a White Russian to this Coen Brothers classic!

The Big Lebowski is a 1998 crime comedy film written, produced and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. All Jeff ‘the Dude’ Lebowski wants to do is go bowling, but when he’s mistaken for L.A. millionaire — the titular Big Lebowski — and a pair of thugs pee on his rug, he’s forced to take action. And so the laziest man in Los Angeles County takes on nihilists, ferrets and empire tycoons, guzzling White Russians all the while.

Cast:

Jeff ‘the Dude’ Lebowski: Nick Conrad
Walter Sobchak: Chad Wise
Maude Lebowski: Jill Meyer
Theodore Donald 'Donny' Kerabatsos: Johnny Moran
The Big Lebowski: Kiel Walker
Ensemble: Christopher Paul Mueller, Jean E. Mueller-Burr, Shantelle Rose Robbel and Naomi Waxman

The reading is directed by John Gleason Teske.

There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door, which will help Ghostlight fund its upcoming season.

Popular movie reading series returns with Clue: The Movie

After a forced hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghostlight Ensemble is bringing back its popular live movie reading series. First up in February is Flames on the Side of My Face: A Live Reading of Clue.

Ghostlight’s movie reading series combines our love of theater and movies into one night of fun. The staged readings of our favorite films goes to support our mission and other non-profits around the city. We’ve been doing this since 2017 and we’re excited to G.E.T. back to adding a little Ghostlight flare to the films you think you know so well.

Join us at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 9, 2023, at Black Eagle Club (1938 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613), and make sure you bring your fedora and magnifying glass!

Clue: The Movie is a 1985 murder mystery/dark comedy film based on the board game of the same name. Six blackmail victims are invited to an isolated mansion by a man who knows a dark secret from each of their pasts. Each has a pseudonym and is handed a weapon, at which point the lights are switched off and the person believed to be their blackmailer is killed. Can the guests uncover the murderer before they all become victims? Note: Since this performance is only one night, we will feature all three theatrical endings à la the video release.

Cast:
Wadsworth: Ethan Carlson
Mrs. White: Jean E. Mueller-Burr
Miss Scarlet: Miona Lee
Mrs. Peacock: Katharine Jordan
Col. Mustard: Reid Henry
Prof. Plum: Sean Harklerode
Mr. Green: Nick Conrad
Mr. Boddy/Cop/Motorist: John Rohr
Yvette/Cook/Singing Telegram: Marianna Gallegos
Evangelist/Chief: Chad Wise

Learn more on the show page.

Auditions Announced for Live Movie Reading Series

Ghostlight Ensemble announces auditions for the second quarter of its Live Movie Reading Series. Please state which movie reading you wish to audition for in your submission. Actors may be considered for multiple readings.

The Live Movie Reading Series is a low-key and fun, staged reading of some of our favorite movies. These readings are fundraisers for local nonprofits. Past recipients have included Common Pantry, Girl Forward and New Leash on Life, among others.

There is no pay for any of these readings.

Character Descriptions
Seeking a strong ethnically diverse cast of all genders, ages, shapes and sizes that is representative of the city in which we live.

We're looking for actors who love these movies, love having fun and who can also read. Those are literally the only requirements. Please note that we prefer a greater diversity in our casts for these movies than the original directors did and that the genders of our actors do not always match those of the actors in the films.

Time Commitment
In general, the live movie reading series involves an initial gathering to watch the movie that is being performed and two rehearsals. There is no tech. All performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on Mondays at Carbon Arc Bar and Board (located at the Davis movie theater in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago).

Performance dates and movies are as follows:

• April 27, 2020: Drop Dead Gorgeous

• May 18, 2020: Legally Blonde

• June 29, 2020: The Big Lebowski (Please note, the role of Walter has been cast.)

Materials To Prepare
Actors are asked to prepare a comedic monologue from their favorite movie, no longer than 1 minute. These monologues do not need to be memorized (as the performances are read and not memorized), but must be acted and staged to the best of your ability.

The audition date is March 21 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mayfair branch of the Chicago Public Library.

Please submit your headshot and resume to Jean at casting@ghostlightensemble.com, and she will be in touch. Please indicate any time restrictions you have for the audition period in your email.