The CollaborAction showcase of 20 short plays (each under seven minutes long) includes world premieres by Warren Leight, Beth Henley, Wendy MacLeod, and others. The festival also features environmental design by Wesley Kimler and DJs between plays. "Summer Sketchbook" takes place nightly through June 16 at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division. Showtimes are Mondays-Thursdays, 8 PM; Fridays-Saturdays, 7 and 9 PM; Sunday, June 9, 7 PM; and Sunday, June 16, 5 PM. Each program features a different set of ten sketches, except for the "festival finale" on Sunday, June 16, which offers all 20 plays as well as a postperformance awards ceremony and closing party. Tickets are $20 per program, $35 for persons attending both programs on Fridays and Saturdays; the benefit performance on Thursday, June 6, costs $50 (which includes a party), and closing night's performance and party costs $35. For more information, call 312-226-9633 or visit www.collaboraction.org. Following is the schedule for June 6 through 13; a complete schedule is available on-line at www.chicagoreader.com.
THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 8 PM
Affair Play
Jim Dennen directs a play by Jessica Goldberg.
Concert
Jonathan Mastro's piece about "three humans and one clawfoot tub in the subterranean depths" is directed by Bob Fisher.
Cool Shoes
Robin Chapik directs a sketch by Gerald Mortensen.
A Dream of Drown
Sean Gunn directs Ray Pride's piece about a young woman "somewhere between sleep and sleeplessness."
It's 11 AM
A man charms a woman in a small-town bar in this sketch by Mara Casey; Anthony Moseley directs.
Nine Ten
Warren Leight's study of people gathering for jury duty is directed by Lynn Ann Bernatowicz.
Ties
Kiki Zapata's play about a man who needs a tie is directed by John Gawlik.
Tight Pants
A married couple take stock of their lives in Beth Henley's play; it's directed by Joseph Ravens.
The Fur Trigger
Karin Diann Williams's playlet, directed by John Cabrera, concerns "strange awakenings after a one-night stand."
The Wedding Album of Sandy Benito's Wedding
The Hypocrites' Sean Graney wrote this study of "a wedding gone tragic." Directed by Jimmy McDermott.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 7 PM
Affair Play
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
A Dream of Drown
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
It's 11 AM
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Fix
Diane Lefer penned this portrait of two men on "the late, late shift"; it's directed by Michael Osinski.
Nine Ten
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
September 11th--Parson O'Reilly--33 and Bowling
A man "navigates life, death, love, and religion" in this sketch by Jesse Weaver. Lee Papa directs.
Please No Spitting
David Parr's play about two people anticipating a blind date is performed over cell phones; Jeremy Wechsler directs.
Tell Her That
Joanie Schultz, whose staging of Michael John Garces's Acts of Mercy was well received earlier this year, directs Garces's study of a couple trying to communicate with their young daughter after
an incident.
Spoon Reader Anthology
Penny Penniston and Jeremy Wechsler's effort is described as "a modern epistolary play." Nick Bowling directs.
Tight Pants
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 9 PM
Concert
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Cool Shoes
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
The Further Adventures of Chickengirl: I Try to Help When
I Can
Nic Dimond directs a piece by Julia Edwards.
Last Night
Jack Goodstein's "experiment in role reversal" is directed by Ken Lee.
Ties
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
The Fur Trigger
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
The Optimist
Jessica Thebus directs Robert Coleman's take on "one man's best effort to
find love."
The Wedding Album of Sandy Benito's Wedding
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
They Said We Were Soldiers
A Valley Forge veteran recalls the campaign in Steve Amick's play, directed by Jen Shook.
Tornado
Eric Ziegenhagen directs Wendy McLeod's play about "missed opportunity."
SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 7 PM
Affair Play
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Concert
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Last Night
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
Fix
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
September 11th--Parson O'Reilly--33 and Bowling
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Spoon Reader Anthology
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Tight Pants
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
The Optimist
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
They Said We Were Soldiers
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
Tornado
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 9 PM
Cool Shoes
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
A Dream of Drown
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
The Further Adventures of Chickengirl: I Try to Help When
I Can
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
It's 11 AM
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Nine Ten
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Please No Spitting
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Tell Her That
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Ties
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
The Fur Trigger
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
The Wedding Album of Sandy Benito's Wedding
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 7 PM
Concert
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Cool Shoes
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
The Further Adventures of Chickengirl: I Try to Help When
I Can
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
Fix
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
September 11th--Parson O'Reilly--33 and Bowling
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Tell Her That
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Ties
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Tight Pants
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
They Said We Were Soldiers
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
Tornado
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
MONDAY, JUNE 10, 8 PM
Affair Play
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
A Dream of Drown
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
It's 11 AM
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Fix
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
September 11th--Parson O'Reilly--33 and Bowling
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Please No Spitting
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Spoon Reader Anthology
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Tell Her That
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
The Optimist
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
They Said We Were Soldiers
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 8 PM
The Further Adventures of Chickengirl: I Try to Help When
I Can
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
It's 11 AM
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Last Night
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
Nine Ten
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Tell Her That
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Ties
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
The Fur Trigger
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
The Wedding Album of Sandy Benito's Wedding
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Tornado
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
The Optimist
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 8 PM
Affair Play
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Cool Shoes
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
A Dream of Drown
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
The Further Adventures of Chickengirl: I Try to Help When
I Can
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
Last Night
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
Nine Ten
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Please No Spitting
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Spoon Reader Anthology
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Tight Pants
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
The Wedding Album of Sandy Benito's Wedding
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 8 PM
Concert
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
Last Night
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
Fix
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
September 11th--Parson O'Reilly--33 and Bowling
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Please No Spitting
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
Spoon Reader Anthology
See listing for Friday, June 7, 7 PM.
The Fur Trigger
See listing for Thursday, June 6.
The Optimist
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
They Said We Were Soldiers
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
Tornado
See listing for Friday, June 7, 9 PM.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photo/Saverio Truglia.
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