Abbie Hoffman Died for Our Sins XI
The Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company’s annual marathon showcase of emerging talent, which features a slew of local fringe theater and performance companies and solo artists, was founded in 1989 to honor the spirit of the late anarchist author of Woodstock Nation and to commemorate the anniversary of the 1969 Woodstock music festival; one hopes this year’s event, which marks Woodstock’s 30th anniversary, won’t end up in a spree of looting and vandalism the way New York state’s “Woodstock ’99” did last month. Seeking to stimulate an atmosphere of euphoric creativity, “Abbie Hoffman Died for Our Sins XI” offers an almost constant flow of entertainment while seeking to foster a communal spirit among performers and audience (which may be enhanced by sleep deprivation). A sliding admission scale allows audiences to attend a specific show or to come and go throughout the weekend; there are convenience stores nearby for those in need of a middle-of-the-night snack, the theater is air-conditioned, and there’s indoor plumbing–so you don’t need to use a porta pottie. Participants include A Red Orchid Theatre, the Hypocrites, Drew Richardson, Chris Metzger, and Theatre Wyrzuc as well as Mary-Arrchie, whose own entries include Gas Mask 101, a nostalgic look at Vietnam War-era college life, and a revival of its 1992 production of Imagining Brad. At press time, several slots in the schedule (provided at the beginning of the week and subject to change) were assigned to that ever-popular item “To be announced”; check with the theater for updated information. Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company, Angel Island, 731 W. Sheridan, 773-871-0442. August 20 through 22: Friday-Sunday, according to the schedule below. Tickets: $5 for a single admission (allows you to come in once and stay as long as you can take it (“no leaving for cigarette breaks or beer,” a press release warns); $10 for a one-day pass (allows you to come and go at will on a single day); $25 for a weekend pass (with in-out privileges) to the full festival.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 20
Opening Procession
Celebrants will gather at 2 PM at Richard J. Daley Civic Center Plaza, 50 W. Washington, for a 3 PM march to Mary-Arrchie’s home base at Angel Island.
Opening Ceremonies
Actor and festival organizer Richard Cotovsky adopts the persona of Abbie Hoffman to welcome the audience. 7 PM.
A Life With No Joy in It
David Mamet’s portrait of a man and woman trying “to talk their way around the false lives they fear they live” is performed by the Dramatist Revolutionary Army. 7:15 PM.
Hard Boiled Egg
The Hypocrites perform Eugene Ionesco’s short satire of “the wholesomeness portrayed in the media.” 7:30 PM.
Star Y2K Bug
In previous years’ Abbie Hoffman festivals, Chris Metzger has presented his sci-fi serial Starbug, about an interstellar insect and his fight against evil. He’s revamped it for the millennium, but, as before, each performance will feature a different episode. 7:55 PM.
The Fantod Four
The Fantod Theatre performs a program of monologues and performance art by Guy Jackson and Ron Kelly. 8 PM.
Willie Laszlo’s New Shit
My Shins presents a series of comic videos. 9 PM.
Milk Milk Lemonade
Iguana Productions presents Karen Keenan’s comedy, about two women who form a bond through television. 9:10 PM.
To be announced
9:35 PM.
Sometimes I Hear My Voice
Actor Maura Manning and dancer Jutta Spanke draw on the music of Tori Amos in this performance piece about overcoming abuse. It’s presented by the Phoenix Rising theater. 9:45 PM.
Gas Mask 101
Arlene Cook’s weirdly wistful portrait of college guys fretting over the draft in 1970–the era of campus protests, guilt-free dope, and sexually segregated dorms–is presented by the Mary-Arrchie Theatre. 10 PM.
To be announced
10:50 PM.
The Great Egress
G. Riley Mills’s drama, performed by the Theatre of the Invisible Guests, concerns two clowns in a seedy hotel who are approached by a stranger offering them a mysterious job. 11 PM.
Slant
Theatre Wyrzuc presents Brian Gary Kirst’s poetic performance piece, which deals with “scream queens, HOMO-sexuality and bathhouse revelations.” 11:45 PM.
Galphmin
Chongo’s Bongo Village examines a blind man’s consciousness in the face of a degenerative eye disease. Midnight.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 21
Adapting to It
Sense of Urgency Productions presents a showcase of original short plays and adaptations by Robert Dorjath. 1 AM.
Star Y2K Bug
See listing for 7:55 PM Friday. 1:40 AM.
Wild Dogs
Matt Borczon’s play concerns “two males [who] turn their hostility toward women on each other,” said Reader critic Tom Valeo when he reviewed this Mary-Arrchie Theatre production in 1991; the play is still trotted out for this yearly festival. 1:50 AM.
Lost in Motherworld
Errattica presents Sean Ewert and Charles Hall’s play about a man coming to terms with his mother’s involvement with a New Age cult when he was a child. 2:20 AM.
Your Minute of Fame
Throughout the weekend, Ow Myeye will operate a booth in which festival patrons may record their own personal one-minute videos. But be warned: at various times during the festival, the tapes will be shown. This is one of those times. 3:20 AM.
Hard Boiled Egg
See listing for 7:30 PM Friday. 3:40 AM.
To be announced
4 AM.
Health Talk
A Red Orchid Theatre presents a talk show featuring pointers on health and fitness. 5 AM.
To be announced
6 AM.
Lost in Motherworld
See listing for 2:20 AM Saturday. 10 AM.
The Interview
Theatre of the Invisible Guests presents G. Riley Mills’s play about a man forced to face his past in order to save his future. 11 AM.
To be announced
11:30 AM.
Sandy & the Circus
Cathleen Schandelmeier’s puppet show for kids puts a feminist and multiracial twist on the story of Cinderella. Noon.
The Great Egress
See listing for 11 PM Friday. 1 PM.
Sometimes I Hear My Voice
See listing for 9:45 PM Friday. 1:45 PM.
Woyzeck
Theatre Volution performs its original adaptation of Georg Büchner’s unfinished 1837 tragedy, about a poor soldier who murders his lover after discovering she’s having an affair with a drum major. 2 PM.
Click
The Iron Muse Theater Company performs Paul Moulton’s drama about a psychiatric resident at Cook County Jail who faces his own psychosexual dilemma. 3 PM.
Beached
Cathleen and Peter Bartels (she’s also known as Cathleen Schandelmeier) penned this “lighthearted love story . . . with original calypso music.” 3:30 PM.
Your Minute of Fame
See listing for 3:20 AM Saturday. 3:50 PM.
The Misanthropy Club
Jeff Mash convenes this grouchy group, whose agenda includes old business (“why we hate people”) and new business (“why we hate people”). 4:10 PM.
Twelve Angry Corn
Famous in the Future performs a program of comic sketches and songs. 4:40 PM.
Group Therapy With Dr. Myra Kopin
Claire Kaplan plays the tortured therapist with a special secret topic for discussion. 5:15 PM.
Blind-man’s Bluff
The Keyhole Players present Matthew David’s drama about a couple whose relationship threatens to crumble under the weight of unfolding secrets. “David’s cautionary tale about the dangers of secrets in a relationship lands plenty of short jabs and the occasional uppercut but fails to deliver a true knockout punch. . . . Still, Blind-man’s Bluff gets to the heart of sexual tension as well as any John Cassavetes film or Don DeLillo novel. . . . Ultimately there’s a lot to admire about this production, especially the cast’s raw, off-kilter energy and the script’s beautifully frayed edges,” says Reader critic Nick Green. 5:45 PM.
Star Y2K Bug
See listing for 7:55 PM Friday. 6:45 PM.
Help! Help! I Know This Title Is Long But Somebody’s Trying to Kill Me!!
A stagehand tries to perform a variety show while eluding an invisible killer, in this clown show by “dramatic fool” Drew Richardson. 6:55 PM.
Imagining Brad
Mary-Arrchie previews its upcoming revival of Peter Hedges’s dark comedy, about two women sharing their very different notions of the “perfect marriage.” 7:55 PM.
Letters From a Nut
The Wax Lips Theatre Company performs excerpts from Ted Nancy’s crazed correspondence with corporations. 8:45 PM.
Trophy Wife
Camille Larrea performs excerpts from her one-woman show, in which she portrays multiple characters. 9:30 PM.
Your Minute of Fame
See listing for 3:20 AM Saturday. 9:50 PM.
The Interview
See listing for 11 AM Saturday. 10 PM.
Milk Milk Lemonade
See listing for 9:10 PM Friday. 10:30 PM.
Star Y2K Bug
See listing for 7:55 PM Friday. 10:55 PM.
Visit to a Small Planet
The Aardvark theater company presents Gore Vidal’s cold-war-era satire, about a mad and mischievous alien who threatens to destroy our world before we do it ourselves. 11 PM.
The Investigation: An Improvisation
The Conspiracy Theatre Company’s improvised show is based on audience suggestions. Midnight.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 22
Russian Roulette
The all-female comedy group Sirens performs sketches and long-form improv. 12:45 AM.
Your Minute of Fame
See listing for 3:20 AM Saturday. 1:30 AM.
The Mamet Women
The Aardvark theater company performs Frederick Stroppel’s satire on the works of David Mamet. 1:50 AM.
A Life With No Joy in It
See listing for 7:15 PM Friday. 2 AM.
To be announced
2:15 AM.
Bitch With Rich
This late-night kvetch session is hosted by talk-show terrorist “Skid Mark” (aka Richard Cotovsky); a regular ensemble, guest artists, and video segments are featured, and audience participation is de rigueur in this Mary-Arrchie effort. 3 AM.
The Fantod Four
See listing for 8 PM Friday. 4 AM.
Health Talk
See listing for 5 AM Saturday. 5 AM.
To be announced
6 AM.
Lost in Motherworld
See listing for 2:20 AM Saturday. 7 AM.
To be announced
8 AM.
Wormwood
Lid Productions presents a set of short plays by Walter Rhodes. 11 AM.
Wild Dogs
See listing for 1:50 AM Saturday. 11:30 AM.
Readings From Revolution for the Hell of It
Don’t steal this book, just listen to it: actors perform passages from Abbie Hoffman’s manifesto. Noon.
Slant
See listing for 11:45 PM Friday. 12:30 PM.
Sometimes I Hear My Voice
See listing for 9:45 PM Friday. 1 PM.
To be announced
1:15 PM.
Galphmin
See listing for midnight Friday. 2 PM.
Imagining Brad
See listing for 7:55 PM Saturday. 3 PM.
Your Minute of Fame
See listing for 3:20 AM Saturday. 4 PM.
Trophy Wife
See listing for 9:30 PM Saturday. 4:20 PM.
To be announced
4:40 PM.
Visit to a Small Planet
See listing for 11 PM Saturday. 5 PM.
Star Y2K Bug
See listing for 7:55 PM Friday. 5:50 PM.
Group Therapy With Dr. Myra Kopin
See listing for 5:15 PM Saturday. 6 PM.
Wild Dogs
See listing for 1:50 AM Saturday. 6:30 PM.
The Mamet Women
See listing for 1:50 AM Sunday. 7 PM.
The Misanthropy Club
See listing for 4:10 PM Saturday. 7:10 PM.
Click
See listing for 3 PM Saturday. 7:40 PM.
Woyzeck
See listing for 2 PM Saturday. 8:10 PM.
Wormwood
See listing for 11 AM Sunday. 9:10 PM.
Blizzard
Zeljko Djkic directs this “exploration through movement and sound [of] a young woman sorting out her life.” It’s presented by the T.U.T.A. Theatre Company. 9:45 PM.
Twelve Angry Corn
See listing for 4:40 PM Saturday. 10:15 PM.
Hard Boiled Egg
See listing for 7:30 PM Friday. 11 PM.
Star Y2K Bug
See listing for 7:55 PM Friday. 11:25 PM.
Gas Mask 101
See listing for 10 PM Friday. 11:35 PM.
Closing Ceremonies
Richard Cotovsky as Abbie Hoffman pronounces a farewell benediction. Survivors of the weekend may find themselves echoing the words of the real-life Hoffman: “I emerged exhausted, broke and bleeding from the Woodstock Nation.” 12:25 AM.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photo/Danile Guidara.