Archive
Lulu: a black and white silent play
“It’s a Christmas story after all”
Conceived & directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Isaiah Robinson
Dates: November-December 2005, City Lit Theater, Chicago; February-March 2006, Theatre Building, Chicago; August-December 2006 Tour, New York City, Davenport, San Francisco; December 2006, Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, Chicago
Noir: a shot and a chaser
“The choices you make are the choices that make you”
Written by: Nick DuFloth & Nell Voss
Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Josh Lava, Rob Fry & David Taylor
Video design: Krzysztof Piotrowski & Victor Holstein
Dates: June-July 2007, Strawdog Theatre, Chicago; July 2008, Marry-Arrchie Theatre, Chicago; August 2008 Tour, New York, Davenport
A Charlie Chaplin Christmas
“Nothing is permanent in this world. Not even our troubles” -Charlie Chaplin
Conceived by: Tonika Todorova & Marvin Quijada
Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Charlie Chaplin, Rob Frye, and David Taylor
Dates: December 2007-January 2008, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago
KANE
"A story of a modern American citizen"
Adapted & Directed by: Nick Dufloth
Video design: Krzysztof Piotrowski
Dates: March-April 2008, City Lit Theater, Chicago
The Thin Line: A History of Printmaking
Based on the art of Warrington Colescott
Conceived & directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Rob Fry & David Taylor
Dates: February 2009, Columbia College, Chicago
Americana
As part of the Jackalope Living Newspaper Festival
Written & directed by: Tonika Todorova
Dates: August 2009, Viaduct Theatre, Chicago
The Set-up
“No Pansies need apply”
Written by: Joseph Moncure March
Adapted & directed by: Nick DuFloth
Music by: Paul Gilvary
Dates: September-October 2009, Prop Thtr, Chicago
The Wild Party
“Some love is fire; Some love is lust; But the cleanest, most fierce love is lust.”
Written by: Joseph Moncure March
Adapted & directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Isaiah Robinson
Dates: September-October 2009, Prop Thtr, Chicago
The Wild Party Variety Hour
"The dirtiest fun to be had on the Chicago Stage" - Chicago Tribune
Created by: Marvin Quijada & Nathan Paul
Writers: Marvin Quijada & Brendan Balfe
Dates: September 2009-Present, Prop Thtr, Marry-Arrchie Theatre, STC HQ, Chopin Theater, Victory Gardens Theatre, The Den, The Front Bar @ Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago
Carnival Nocturne
“A curse that binds them all together”
Written by: Gillian Hastings
Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Rob Fry & David Taylor
Dates: November-December 2009, DCA Storefront Theater, Chicago
The Grage on Clark Street
“The St. Valentine's Day Masacre”
Written and directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Chris Jett
Dates: February 2010, Prop Thtr
A.C.M.E: a (live) action cartoon with music & entertainment
Created by: Matthew Massaro, Gillian Hastings, Chelsea Brandt, Nathan Thompson, Jenna Dalgety, Sam Zelitch
Directed by: Matthew Massaro
Dates: August 2010, Prop Thtr, Chicago
The Better Doctor
In collaboration with Bootstraps Theatre
Written & directed by: Matt Lyle
Dates: August 2010, Prop Thtr, Chicago
An Evening with Aaron Aaronson
In collaboration with Theatre Unspeakable
Written & directed by: Marc Frost
Dates: August 2010, Prop Thtr, Chicago
My Name is Gabby Rodriguez
Jackalope Living Newspaper Festival
Written & directed by: Tonika Todorova
Dates: August 2011, Viaduct Theatre, Chicago
A Christmas Carol: the silent bah-humbug
“It’s a ghost story after all”
Adapted and Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Isaiah Robinson
Dates: November-December 2011, NNWAC St. Paul’s Church, Chicago
Aliens
Jackalope Living Newspaper Festival
Written and Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Video design: Krzysztof Piotrowski
Dates: August 2012, Viaduct Theatre, Chicago
Noir: City of Big Shoulders
"Who done It?"
Written & directed by: Brendan Balfe
Dates: 2012 Prop Thtr, Chicago
A Christmas Carol: a black and white silent play
Adapted and Directed by: Matthew Massaro
Music by: Isaiah Robinson
Dates: November-December 2013; Prop Thtr, Chicago
The Seven Secret Plays of Madame Caprice
"A live-music meta-theatrical adventure"
Written and Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Gillian Hastings & David Taylor
Dates: February-November 2014, STC HQ, Chicago; May-Jun 2015, Chopin Theater, Chicago
Dueling Gentlemen
"A love letter to Vaudeville"
Written and Directed by: Marvin Quijada
Music by: Ian Custer
Dates: August-September 2014, STC Hq, Chicago; August-September 2015, Athenaeum Theatre, Chicago
Nosferatu
"A symphony of horror"
Adapted & directed by: Brendan Balfe
Music by: John Urban
Dates: October-November 2015, Prop Thtr, Chicago
Hotel Bristol
"A concept album release"
Composed by: Davor Palos & Ode
Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Dates: May 2017, Hairpin Arts Center, Chicago
Keep Your Guard Up, Smitty Harbinger!
"He'll Smitty everything up"
Written by: Tim Campos
Directed by: Tonika Todorova
Music by: Elliot Taggart
Dates: July 2018, Den Theatre, Chicago; October 2018, Marlene Ball Theatre, Detroit; August 2019, Beatniks, Indiana
Beethoven, a verbal opus
"The curse of the Ninth"
Written & directed by: Tonika Todorova
Dates: December 2018, 248th Beethoven Birthday Bash, Hairpin Arts Center, Chicago and Chopin Theater, Chicago
Incomplete Conversations
"What will you leave unsaid?"
Written & directed by: Nell Voss
Music by: Evan Sierminski
Dates: October-November 2019, Tapestry Fellowship, Chicago; March 2020, Tapestry Fellowship, Chicago
Family Funhouse Live Stream Variety Show
"LIVE from the Attic"
Written & directed by: ensemble
Dates: March-July 2020, Berteau Tripp Attic, Chicago
One State 24 Hour Virtual Theatre Festival
5 Writers. 5 Directors. 15 Actors. 24 hours to create and present 5 short plays
Written & directed by: participants
Dates: September 2020, Virtual Presentation
Corona dell'Arte
"A slice of surrealtainment featuring music, skills, and narrative movement"
Written & directed by: participants
Dates: October 2020, NEIU, The Berteau Tripper Stage, Chicago; May 2021 The Berteau Tripper Stage, Chicago; June 2021, The Waterfront Cafe, Chicago; July 2021 The Berteau Tripper Stage, Chicago; August 2021, Woodard Plaza, Chicago
Unearthed Crown
"A visually enhanced radio ghost story for the ages with all the black spice of the South Side"
Written & directed by: Phillip Lewis
Dates: November-December, 2021, Tapestry Fellowship and digitally streamed as am episodic.