Don't miss the return of your favorite goddesses to Chicago March 27-29, when several former Chicagoans will be joined by current hot local performers for a wild Big Goddess Pow Wow Eleven: Big Goddess Nation.
Paula Killen, Lisa Buscani and Marcia Wilkie are well-known former Chicago actors and performance artists who are now making their way in the entertainment worlds of California and New York. The Big Goddess Pow Wow has entertained sold-out crowds in Chicago for more than a decade, bringing together top comics, poets, actors and musicians.
The out-of-towners will be joined by some of the best Chicago has to offer, including Cheryl Trykv (for the March 27 show), Cin Salach and C.C. Carter. Paul Killen hosts.
In addition, each of the shows will also feature special guest hosts and performers. The Thursday, March 27 show will feature the bands Stewed Tomatoes and Sweet Accord (with Amy Matheny and Elaine Dame), plus guest host Joan Jett-Blakk. The Friday, March 28 show features musician Ellen Rosner and writers Donna Rose, Lisa Alvarado and RoiAnn Phillips, along with guest host Honey West. And the Saturday, March 29 show features slam poet winner Duriel Harris, Bev Spangler and Lisa Samra doing an excerpt of the Kathy & Mo Show, plus Patty Elvis, and co-host Jessica Halem.
All three shows are at Circuit, 3641 N. Halsted, 7:30 p.m. and will be general seating and standing-room. Tickets are $25 and available through Windy City Media Group, sponsors of the event and publishers of Windy City Times newspaper. Call (773) 871-7610 to charge by phone, or e-mail WindyCityMedia@aol.com .
Co-sponsors of the event are American Airlines, W Hotels, Circuit, New City and UR.
Paula Killen: This writer and performer has spent the last two years as a consultant with Mandalay Entertainment, developing TV and promotional pitches and writing/ producing multiple projects for the Branded Entertainment division. She has contributed commentaries and essays to the popular NPR radio series, This American Life since its inception in 1997. Killen has a national reputation as a playwright and monologist—premiering works at The Goodman Theater, The Museum of Contemporary Art, The Steppenwolf Theatre, American Blues and Organic Theater in Chicago, La Mama, Dixon Place and PS122 in NYC and Zoo District Theatre, Largo, The Falcon Theatre and HBO Workspace in L.A. She has written the official biographies of hundreds of stars and directors for the 20th Century Fox archives and Web sites and is developing a full-length feature for Maverick. She has created and produced multiple spoken word events including 'Two Big for the Chorus' (Garry Marshall, executive producer), 'The Big Goddess Pow Wow,' and is directing a new works series at the Lillian Theater. Since arriving in Los Angeles in 1999, Killen has performed her original material at Bang (hosted by Jeff Garlin), The Mint, The Improv Olympic, The Tamerind Theatre, The Comedy Union and is a regular guest at Jill Solloway's hip series, 'Sit and Spin.'
Lisa Buscani got her start in Chicago's poetry slam scene and went on to become a National Poetry Slam Champion. She spent three years as a Neo-Futurist, writing and performing in Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. She co-produced and curated the Big Goddess Pow Wow series at the Metro. She authored of a book of poetry, Jangle (Tia Chucha Press), and two acclaimed solo shows, Carnivale Animale and At That Time. She has appeared on NPR, CNN, PBS, HBO, Much Music, and Voice of America, as well as in numerous spoken word anthologies and CDs. Now based in Brooklyn, Lisa is currently touring with Late Nite Catechism at the Hanna Theater in Cleveland's Playhouse Square.
Marcia Wilkie toured nationally for more than a decade with her solo shows, from the Joseph Papp Public Theatre in NYC to the historic Hahn Cosmopolitan in San Diego, Calif., as well as many major colleges and universities and numerous Pride events. Following a move to Los Angeles, she appeared in one really bad guest star spot on one really bad sitcom and decided to take up the pen in TV. First writing for game shows, she was soon brought on to Donny & Marie as the head writer. In addition to the talk show, Marcia wrote the book, Behind the Smile, for Marie Osmond, which became a New York Times, U.S.A. Today and Los Angeles Times bestseller, and also her critically acclaimed speech for the Unique Lives and Experiences tour. Marcia has worked as a writer and consulting producer on a number of pilots and shows for Columbia Tri-Star, Buena Vista television and Telepictures. She continues to perform solo works at venues in Los Angeles, including the Falcon Theater, the Tamarind Theater, The Mint and The Triangle Room. She is authoring a series of fiction books for young girls, promoting self-esteem and respect for cultural differences under the title Magic Attic and due for publication in summer 2003.