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Last of the Red-Hot Dadas

by Kerry Reid

Preview article for Rhino Fest in the Chicago Sun Times by Mary Houlihan
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Rhino Fest still giving small theaters a boost

August 29, 2003

Ever wonder where the Rhinoceros Theater Festival got its name? The obvious guess is Eugene Ionesco's absurdist drama "Rhinoceros." Wrong. Think instead in the direction of surrealist painter Salvador Dali.

During his flamboyant career, Dali coined the phrase "rhinocentric" in reference to really big creations in the art world. The Rhino Fest received its now familiar name in the late '80s as an outgrowth of the Bucktown Arts Festival. At the time, a handful of small theaters existed in and around Wicker Park and Bucktown within walking distance of each other. Theater fan Henry Seale was the organizing force behind the first festival.

"It was a community, a theater district of sorts, consisting of these small theaters," said Beau O'Reilly, who has been involved with the festival since its inception. "Henry thought we should take advantage of that."

Since then these theaters have either folded or moved to other locations. O'Reilly and Curious Theater eventually inherited the festival when they moved to the Lunar Cafe on Lincoln Avenue. Earlier this year, the company moved to a new space in Rogers Park that is now its homebase.

Now in its 14th season, Rhino Fest has grown into the city's only extended fringe festival, a home for writers, directors and actors working on the untamed borders of the local theater scene. Running for nine weeks, this year's incarnation is packed with an intriguing roster of more than 50 works by fringe mainstays and up-and-comers.

"The vision is to support new work in a creative and supportive environment," said O'Reilly, who has curated the event for many years. "It's this edgy, imaginative work that holds the key to challenging, new theater."

This year the festival was set up as a sort of invitational. Instead of companies submitting works, O'Reilly asked many to create a new work for the event. He also is excited by the number of young (under 30) playwrights participating.

"We were that age when we were in Wicker Park," said O'Reilly. "And we want to continue to encourage these new writers and new ideas. That's what keeps theater alive."

The festival hits three locations this year: Curious Theater Branch, 7001 N. Glenwood; the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington, and No Exit, 6970 N. Glenwood.

"No Exit will allow us to do more cabaret-type performances, which is something we've gotten away from in recent years," says O'Reilly. "And the Cultural Center will give us a different kind of visibility. It's a different crowd than the one we attract in Rogers Park."

The Rhinoceros Festival opens this weekend with performances of Shawn Reddy's "My Name is Mudd," Matt Wilson's "Hysteria: The Wolf Hunt," Joe Meno's "With Love in Your Arms and a Knife in Your Heart," Myleesha Sargis Meraee's "Caravan," Theater Oobleck's "Dorchan & Isaacson's Medicine Show," Barrie Cole's "Jazzterpiece," Prop Thtr's "Vato Maldito," and an evening of short works--Heidi Broadhead's "Love Gandhi," Robin Cline's "Red Circle Prayers" and Teresa Weed's "Trap Door Dream Dogs."

Here's a sampling of some of the Rhinoceros Theater Festival offerings. Consult the theater listings in The Guide in WeekendPlus for a weekly listing of events, days and times. For more information on the entire schedule, call (773) 274-6660.

"Solid Decent Happy" (7 p.m Oct. 18, 25) Three mainstays of Chicago fringe theater--David Kodeski, Karen Christopher and Michael Thomas--collaborate on a new work.

"Last of the Red-Hot Dadas" (9 p.m. Oct. 4; 7 p.m. Oct. 5) Kerry Reid's piece follows the audacious exploits of Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven as she rants on her life in art, her lovers and ex-husbands.

"I Don't Drink" and "I'll Never Have Sex in This Town Again" (9 p.m. Sept. 20; 7 p.m. Sept. 21) The first is Neo-Futurist Greg Allen's solo performance piece; the second Abby Schachner's treatise on sex and the situations women find themselves in.

"Sidewalk Etiquette" (Opens Sept. 5, to Oct. 24) Idris Goodwin's humorous ensemble drama is set in a blue-collar neighborhood in a major Midwestern city.

"Riverview or the African Dip" (Opens Oct. 5, to Oct. 26) John Starrs' story of a bunch of North Side kids who sneak into the now long gone Riverview amusement park at night.

"The Eliphino Concerts" (7:30 p.m. Oct. 4-5) Inventive new music by Chicagoans, including Diane Izzo, Jeb Biship Trio, Ten Tongues, Vernon Tonges and Beau O'Reilly and Jenny Magnus, with Joe Tech.

"Chain Reaction" (7 p.m. Oct. 8-9) Lucky Plush's dance-theater piece plays out several possible outcomes of one serendipitous event.

"My Life As a Blonde" (7 p.m. Oct. 10-11) Ilana Manaster's one-woman show about a mother advising her daughter on the finer points of life.

"About Race" (9:30 p.m. Oct. 3) Storytellers Antonio Sacre and Susan O'Halloran offer original tales about forging identities in America.

"12 Songs About Death" (7:30 p.m. Oct. 11-12) A dozen folk-inspired songs make up KellyAnn Corcoran's musical exploration of death.

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