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The House Theatre of Chicago
Rating Details »
Category: Performing Arts [Edit]
Neighborhood: Noble SquareChopin Theatre
1543 W Division St
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 251-2195
- Nearest Transit:
-
Division (Blue)
- Hours:
Tue-Wed. 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thu-Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- No
12 reviews for The House Theatre of Chicago
Update time!
Went to the Yelp free show of Rose and the Rime. It was a cute play, and I thought they did some really creative things with their staging. They created rope bridges, blizzards, and mountains on a tiny flat stage...well done! The writing in this play wasn't as good as Dave DiVinci though. There was definitely a disjointed feel in the middle that involved a very long dance sequence (I can't say more without giving things away.)
But it was still really fun and enjoyable and I encourage people to go out and support House.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/2/2008
Oh my. Dave DiVinci was my first theater experience in Chicago. See, I love theater. I love Chicago.… Read more »
Rose and the Rime, is nothing short of an audio and visual masterpiece. It tickles your emotions and rouses your senses, filled with acrobatics, song and dance, a sock puppet and a whole lot of energy... makes this play a must see. Seriously welcome to my kind of play, it's full of passion, adventure, and action!! A creativeness that can only come from a unique mind... the depth, the detail and sometimes down right silliness that has been put on stage for everyone to see.
It's a story about Rose a happy energetic young girl living with her uncle in a town that is trapped by an endless winter (No not Chicago). The town called Radio Falls was cursed by an evil witch (as opposed to a wicked or a mean witch). Without giving too much away, Rose, is Radio Falls only hope but at what cost will she pay for her warm generous heart.
The actors work a stunning array of visual fetes making you feel as though you're a part of the town itself. They portrayed a wide arrange of facial expressions, so much so that it's hard not to be moved or drawn in (plus it doesn't hurt that they go into the crowd for some reactions). The lead who played Rose was memorizing, she is extremely talented and a career to follow. The play was written by Nathan Allen, Chris Matthews, and Jake Minton. Directed by Nathan Alan. All I have to say is Nathan we need to talk!!! The sound effects of the rope and bag flying through the air was wonderful, thank you for making me feel like I'm not the only one who envisions that sort of thing!
The House theatre group now in there 8th season has made a name for them selves with plays like The Sparrow and their newest Dave DaVinci Saves the Universe. I having a feeling that they will be around for awhile and can't wait to see more. Check out their website for cool gear and their blog for sneak previews of up coming shows. http://www.thehousethe.../
People thought this was:
- Useful (8)
- Funny (7)
- Cool (9)
OK, last night I went with a ton of other yelpers to check out Rose and the Rime...
Thought it was pretty much adorable...solid story, great crown interaction, quality sound effects (minus random bunny sneezes), and a really friendly appeal overall...
(wanna hear a kinda messed up story? minor league spoiler alert so don't read on if it's gonna bother you to get a plot tease...)
OK, so I'd had a long day by the time i reached the theater, so while sitting in the comfy seats and hearing the "white noise" of the snow, at one point (just after the snow started to die) I must have closed my eyes for a moment...The next thing I know I'm opening them again and the ENTIRE CAST is staring DEAD AT ME! Well the sun had come up and I was sitting just under the light...but for the first second, before i realized what was going on I almost felt like I should apologize to all of them before I got lynched! ;p
(thanks for not hitting me in the head with a root beer or hot dog guys)
Needless to say I was at full attention for the rest of the play and am fully willing to give them my stamp of approval...I'll definitely be around for future performances...
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I was downright smitten with Rose and the Rime, now playing at the Chopin Theatre. The whimsical transformation of winter to spring is particularly resonant to a Chicago denizen in March. I'm not a regular theater goer by any means but I think anyone can appreciate the creativity that goes into a production like this, which in addition to fine acting and an intriguing story line also displayed innovative approaches to dance, music/sound, lighting, costuming and set design. Looking forward to checking out more shows in the future!
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As the House Theatre Concierge, I cannot give an unbiased review of The House Theatre or its most recent production "Dave DaVinci Saves The Universe" (Now Playing @ the Chopin-1543 W Division) so I'll just pass my laptop onto my friend...uh....Palberto:
Hi, Palberto here. Is it possible to marry a theater company? If it is, I will trade cattle and land for the House's hand. The House Theater makes me feel love I've never felt in a dimly lit room before. It's current show "Dave DaVinci Saves The Universe" (Now Playing @ the Chopin-1543 W Division) is so fantastic, I honestly get jealous other patrons get to see it when I'm not around, but those are my own insecurities I need to deal with.
Say "Hi" to Alberto when you go and tell him you found this on Yelp!
People thought this was:
- Funny (1)
One of my co-workers is a founding member of The House Theatre, so we always get the scoop on new shows. Before I actually saw a show here, I assumed he was just tooting his own horn and trying to sell tickets. Either way, I went to "Hatfields and McCoys" to support him.
How fun! The Viaduct Theatre is so intimate that you feel as though you are part of the play instead of merely watching it. During the emotional parts, you could almost feel the characters' pain.
The shows are usually written by cast members and viewer submissions, so you will only see original works here. No remakes of "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean" or "Our Town" here! Expect to see a show that is completely unexpected, refreshing, and worth much more than the $20 ticket price.
Tip: Get your tickets ahead because word is getting out about their greatness. Don't miss out!
People thought this was:
- Useful (4)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (3)
The House Theatre is far and away the best theatre company I've ever seen. There is nothing I can really say that will accurately describe how awesome they are. Their plays are ineffable. The first one I went to was Valentine Victorious, and I've had seasons tickets ever since. They make plays about superheroes, time travel, rock bands, magic etc. And when I say that you're probably thinking that the plays sound juvenile or nerdy, but they're really not. It's not Dungeons & Dragons and Star Trek, it's more like Harry Potter and Lost. The topics and themes might be niche, but the House does them in a way that appeals to everyone. If you generally find typical theatre pretty boring, repetitive and stuffy (as I do), then you'll think the House's play are a breath of fresh air.
I love live theatre, I love that real people get dressed up to perform just for me, I love the excitement, the quiet parts, the noisy parts, the playful parts. All of it. And they act out an entire story right in this room in real time. And they can even interact with you. Amazing.
I first saw this company at Theatre on the Lake where they performed San Valentino and the Melancholy Kid. It was a western, as you can tell by the title and done with so much energy and love that I was totally charmed. In fact I was dying to run home and write a western myself, it just looked like they were all having such a rootin' tootin' good time. Plus, Nathan Allen, the guy who seems to be the heart of the operation, warned about dire consequences if anyone did not turn off their cell phone. Then sure enough one went off. Quick as a flash he strode over to the mortified audience member, answered his phone, said 'We're in the middle of a performance' and lobbed the phone back a few rows. Priceless.
The western play was part of a trilogy. The other was gangster themed and the third was set in Japan, (mainly, i think, so they could do some nifty fight techniques with wires). All three plays were good. I also liked that I could take a couple who never go to the theatre and a friend who goes all the time and they all enjoyed themselves.
Everything the House does is good. You really can't go wrong seeing anything here. And the tickets are very reasonable. And if it's bad, there's a bar.
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Your Netflix movies haven't arrived, you can't stomach another night at the bars, and the best new option in the theatres is The Santa Clause 3. Wallow in your misery or pull your ass off the couch, call these guys and pray to your God that they have two tickets for you and your best buddy.
I describe the typical House production as populist theatre often with Saturday matinee topics: spacemen, cowboys, ninjas, superheros, etc. Ever once in a while they'll throw a curveball and get more serious, but you can always expect visual magic, good music, and a great time for about the cost of going to the movies.
Oh, and there's a bar.
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I've seen two shows by this group and subscribed for the 2008 season. The level of creativity that these guys have, and the ability to execute it well, is pretty impressive. I'm looking forward to catching all of their future shows.
So far, I've only seen The Sparrow when it had its run at Steppenwolf's Garage Theater, but I am amazed at the levels of creativity and energy these guys bring to the stage. It truly was a comic book put on stage. I'm looking forward to getting to know these guys better and maybe buy some of their past performances on DVD which they seem to have available for purchase (great idea that, by the way).
