CHICAGO ( September 14, 2014 ) — New American Folk Theatre ( NAFT ) announced that it will present the world premiere of "Witches Among Us", a musical by Chicagoans Rick Karlin ( book ) and Scott Free ( music and lyrics ), on October 3, at The Call, 1547 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. It will run on Friday evenings at 7:30 for six weeks, closing on November 7. Ticket prices are $15 for general seating, $20 for VIP, and are available at witchesamongus.brownpapertickets.com or visit newamericanfolktheatre.org for more information. All audience members must be 21 years old or older.
"Witches Among Us" is a satirical musical theatre look at the mid-1960s, when witchcraft became a code word for all of the things that Joseph McCarthy didn't like. Drawing inspiration from such classics as "I Married a Witch", "Bell, Book and Candle" and, of course, "Bewitched" ( which debuted in 1964 ), Karlin's story is an allegory for the Stonewall Riots which kicked off the modern GLBT movement. The songs, by local musician Scott Free, are written in the style of the lounge music of the era. The play is the second in New American Folk Theatre's "Season of the Witch", following the critically acclaimed "Dark of the Moon."
NAFT, in its second season, ends up riding the crest of a new fascination with witches, exemplified by "American Horror Story: Coven" and "The Witches of East End" among others. NAFT Artistic Director, Anthony Whitaker explains, "Witch-lore, has occupied the more fantastical parts of our mind throughout history. The fact that this is all converging at a time when television shows about witches are popular is a wonderful coincidence. "Witches Among Us" has been in development for more than five years and we're excited to present the world debut of this exciting musical."
"Since most of "Witches Among Us" is set in a nightclub, we decided to stage the play in a club, making it more of an environmental piece," explains Caitlin Jackson, founding company member of NAFT. "The audience for the play will also be the audience in the Mambo Voodoo Lounge, the fictional nightclub in the play."
Scott Free ( 2010 inductee into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame and two-time winner of the OUTMusic "Out Musician of the Year" award ) has written a magical, loungey jazz score to accompany the hilarious new script by Rick Karlin ( 1999 inductee into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, and playwright of "Spin Cycle" the first gay-themed musical to be reviewed by the mainstream press when it debuted in 1981. ) This is the pair's first collaboration. Karlin says, "When I first came up with the idea for this play my husband suggested Scott as a collaborator. I had seen him perform and was a fan of his music, but had no idea he'd be so good at recreating the sound of lounge music from the early to mid-'60s."
"Witches Among Us" runs Fridays October 3- November 7 with a 7:30 start time. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $20 for VIP seating and are available through witchesamongus.brownpapertickets.com . For more information go to: www.newamericanfolktheatre.org/ or mail newamericanfolktheatre@gmail.com . "Witches Among Us" will run approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes including one intermission.
The Cast for "Witches Among Us" features Caitlin Jackson* ( Serena ), Matt Huston* ( Tristan ), Sarah Blevins ( Althea ), Kirk Jackson* ( Lee ), Christopher Selefski ( Allan ), Julia Chereson ( Katherine ), Max Hinders ( Paul ), Joshua Wheeler ( Mayor Wagner ), Jamal Howard* ( Waiter ), Jordan Grzybowski ( Waiter ), Steve Cox ( Waiter ), Mario Mazzati ( Waiter, lead u/s ), Taryn Wood ( Ensemble, lead u/s ), Katy Fattaleh ( Ensemble ), and Anthony Powell ( Ensemble ). The Production Team for "Witches Among Us" includes Anthony Whitaker* ( Director ), Jamal Howard* ( Choreographer ), Scott Free ( Musical Director ), Taryn Wood ( Assistant Musical Director ), Sara Carranza* ( Stage Manager ), Caitlin Jackson* ( Costume Designer ), Grant Drager* ( Social Media Director ), and Amber Lee Olivier* ( Fight Choreographer ).
*denotes NAFT Company Member
Buying Tickets
Tickets are $15 for general admission and $20 for VIP seating. Group rates for groups of 10 or more are also available. Tickets are available at the door or online. To purchase tickets visit Brown Paper Tickets at witchesamongus.brownpapertickets.com or visit newamericanfolktheatre.org for more information. Audience must be 21 years old or older to see the show.
Location/Transportation/Parking/Accessibility
The Call is located at 1547 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. ( near the corner of Clark and Bryn Mawr, Andersonville ), Chicago. CTA El stops nearby at Bryn Mawr ( Red Line ). CTA busses #22-Clark and #50-Damen also stop nearby. There is metered street parking on Clark Street as well as neighborhood parking.
About New American Folk Theatre
NAFT was founded in October 2011 by collaborators Anthony Whitaker and Jamal Howard. The company is dedicated to folk theatre, music, and the stories that shine new light on today's pop culture. "Witches Among Us" is NAFT's fourth full production. Their first production was the world premiere of "Two from the Trailer Court" in the fall of 2012. The company continued its first season with the original musical "The Marvelous Land of Oz," based on the second novel in the popular Oz book series; both productions written by Anthony Whitaker. Earlier this year, NAFT presented the tragic "Dark of the Moon" by a cast of actor/musicians accompanied by a powerful collection of American folk music. New American Folk Theatre is fiscally sponsored by Three Crazy Ladies LLC.
