We are a small group of artists, musicians, writers, and performers, collaborating to organize a unique performance event.
The Core Team:
Curatorial-production duo Good Stuff House, Kayce Bayer and Chris Lin are interdisciplinary artists and musicians.
Good Stuff House organized a show previously (in 2 weeks, with zero budget): “Mabel’s Wayback Machine,” a vaudeville-inspired variety show, loosely based around the life story of 1920s tiger trainer Mabel Stark.
Rebecca Schoenecker makes drawings, paintings, costumes, puppets, and animations. Patrick Holbrook runs Eel Space and works in a variety of mediums. Together they write, record, and perform music as Laughing Eye Weeping Eye.
Ryan B. Richey is a painter, writer, and expert storyteller. He also writes music and performs with his band Hannis Pannis. Stacey Richey is a natural connector, people-person, and promoter of the arts.
Josh Converse is a Noir Fiction writer. Young Cho is a painter, sculptor, and installation artist.
Jenn Wilson is a painter and performer.
—————————————————————————————-
Scripted Characters:
Narrators Proud Pigeon + Hobo Cat played by Kayce Bayer + Chris Lin
The Hawk, the personification of Wind, and all that we cannot control about Chicago, played by Jenn Wilson
Denim Dennis, a Ukrainian-American stone mason turned Humboldt swamp thing, played by Ryan Richey
The Traveling Salesman, selling various goods reflecting the changing streetscape and demographics of West Town, played by Joseph Arcos
The Onion played by Heather Anderson
Ignaz Schwinn, the bicycle baron and co-founder of Arnold, Schwinn, & Co., played by Patrick Holbrook
John E. Rustman, owner of the Jefferson Ice Company, played by Jefferson Godard
Rustman’s wife played by Amy Arcos
Roscoe, a ticket-taker from the Shoot-the-Chutes ride at the Riverview Amusement Park, played by Mitch Salm
The Announcer, from the Mile-a-Minute Murphy contest, played by Nelson Trautman
August Spies, Hannah Shapiro, Rudy Lozano, and other labor activists in the Pilsen area, to be played by guest audience members
—————————————————————————————-
Guest Performers:
We have some fabulous performers joining us for our tour—you won’t want to miss this match-up of music, comedy, dance, performance art, and magic from a talented bunch of locals!
Acts on the Truck Stage:
Warming up the truck-stage with pre-show entertainment, Tim the Mind Bender (Tim Casady) will wow audiences with his ESP and other trickery!
To book Tim the Mind Bender, contact him at timthemindbender@gmail.com.
Poor Elvis
Andrew Francis & Pamela Maurer, a Chicago-based duo that play hot-rockin’, ear-splittin’ original Rhythm & Revival music on guitar, washboard, mouth-harp, and ukulele
Mark Piekarz
A classical tenor, performing the works of Antoni Jax, a Polish composer who lived in Avondale circa 1905
Phaedra the Bellydancer and Quentin the Snakecharmer
Phaedra Darwish (a performer and instructor) dances while Quentin Shaw and Heather McQueen (of DrumFace Chicago) plays the Doumbeck and Ghyta, an oboe-like instrument used by snakecharmers.
You can take dance lessons with Phaedra. Learn more on her website. You can also purchase hand-made drums by Quentin and Heather.
Sid Yiddish
A semi-sweet kosher industrial poet-throat-singing radio broadcasting-Furby spy
Lydia Landor
A youthful and sincere singer-songwriter on ukulele/guitar
Soultry
The fierce and heartfelt words and vocals of Chaniel Clark
The Authentic American Indian Casey Brown
Casey Brown does indeed have Native ancestors, and he is a comedian! He runs a weekly “Cupcake Comedy Cabaret” on Thursdays at Gallery Cabaret in Bucktown.
———————————————————————————–
Sideshows and Off-stage Acts:
Man in a Bag, Nicolás Rojas
The Fierce Fire-Breather, Kathryn Palmer
Fire Poi, Tai Kojro-Badziak
Tarot Readings (from a beautiful custom-made set of cards) with the mystical Rebecca Schoenecker
The Bee-Bearded Lady Photo Booth run by Stacey Sanborn
