WBEZ radio brings The Alternative History of Chicago Theater to the Chopin for one night only

Stories from behind the curtains of Chicago Theater by the people who experienced them is what will be in front of the curtain in The Alternative History of Chicago Theater at Chopin Theatre, 1543 W Division, Wed. Mar. 2, beginning at 7 p.m.

The brain child of Don Hall, as in Wait Wait... don't tell me!, the evening will be hosted by WBEZ's dueling critics Kelly Kleiman and Jonathan Arbarbanel and sounds almost as unpredictable as Wait Wait...

Telling their favorite moments watching or being part of a production over the last sixty years will be panelists that include theater critic Albert Williams, Broadway actress Kate Buddeke and Victory Gardens' founder Dennis Zacek. Then there will be original pieces created and performed by five different groups, each presenting about five minutes of material.

From the History Makers, Jackie Taylor (back row second from right) and others from the Goodman production circa 1979-81

Tofu Chitlin' Circuit will be presenting "Baba Wole," which is based on an event in the 80's that occurred during a Goodman Theater production of Death and the Kings Horsemen. According to Sydney Chatman , the founder and Director of Tofu, there is a chicken and a sacrifice involved.

According to Joe Janes from Robot vs. Dinosaur (a sketch comedy group), they will be focusing on a little known comedy group called The Practical Theatre Company. They celebrated their "50th Anniversary" in 1982 in a space that became Second City's etc Theater.

From BoyGirlBoyGirl, a solo-monologue performance ensemble, Rachel Claff said, "My group will be doing pieces about fame, jealousy, and hierarchy in Chicago theater. We each wrote our own takes on that topic and then wove them together."

The other two performing groups will be the fringe theater companies The Plagiarists and RoShamBo Theater.

The Plagiarists will present "Even the Naysayers had a good time: Stuff about Richard Cotovsky." Based on interviews with Richard Cotovsky, the founder of the now twenty-four-year-old Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company. While a senior in college studying to be a pharmacist, Cotovsky's interest in theatre was sparked by the original production of David Mamet's American Buffalo with W.H. Macy, Mike Nussbaum and J.J. Johnston. While studying and working alongside many well-known Chicago companies and artists, he maintained his day job as a pharmacist..

A reception will follow the event. Tickets: $15, $12 (WBEZ members), $10 (Students).  More info call 312.948.4600