William Scott

It’s pilot season at that sexy little think tank of imagination called the Neo-Futurarium. Having just completed a journey through the concept of invention with "Contraption," The Neo-Futurists are setting their aim on the stalwart torchbearer of popular culture that pervades America’s homes, offices and iPods—the television sitcom.

"Because we create pieces for ‘Too Much Light’ in a very specific way, we were interested in pursuing a project that would require us to write through a completely new process," says Jay Torrence, Neo artistic director and co-creator of the six-week string of live sitcom ideas, pitched not to television executives but to the paying audience. Together with fellow creators Dean Evans and Ryan Walters, they have assembled a writing team including Ian Belknap, Sean Benjamin, Laura McKenzie and Lauren Sharpe. These scribes represent a multitude of disciplines including standup, solo performance, dance and clowning. With the Neo-Futurists’ rebellious aesthetic, you can bet there will be no single girls in the city working at magazines. These concepts are far more delightfully off-kilter.

"Unitards" (April 10-12)

Ronnie Wexler’s dream is to wrestle. But when the high-school wrestling team doesn’t want his extra chromosome anywhere near their mats, special hopes and special dreams are confronted with even special-er challenges.

"The Colony" (April 17-19)

Six misfit teens ditch out on high school and start a colony on Mars. This red planet’s about to get a whole lot of awkward horny.

"Office Prison Break" (April 24-26)

If you think your nine-to-five job is bad, try doing nine-to-life. At Solutions Inc. you can clock in but you can’t clock out!

"No Place Like Home" (May 1-3)

From failed dreams to nighttime riddles, Emily Kane just can’t seem to get it right. Will she decipher her premonitions in time to save her dead friend Chris? Tune in and find out!

"Too Much" (May 8-10)

Six pretentious artists, one house and an awful lot of miscommunication equals "Too Much"… comedy. When these performance artists leave the stage, the real drama begins. Find out what happens when people stop being Neo-Futurists and start being roommates.

"The Mime" (May 15-17)

"Don’t do the crime if you can’t face the mime." A reluctant superhero mime artist takes on the mafia by thinking outside of the box.

"Picked Up" runs at the Neo-Futurarium, 5153 North Ashland, (773)275-5255, through May 18.

(2008-04-08)

Also by William Scott

Curtain Call
Let’s say you like to dance. What style of dance or your skill level does not matter, just that you like to dance. Where do you look for places to show your stuff? TakeChicagoDance.com just launched, and the team behind it is eager to create a hub for anyone looking to take advantage of Chicago’s dance offerings
(2008-04-01)

Movement Vocabulary
"We’ve had the opportunity to work with a very diverse group of distinguished voices," Artistic Director Jim Vincent says of the highly contrasting choreographers his company has showcased over its thirty years. What sets Hubbard Street Dance Chicago apart from its industry peers is their athletic, innovated repertoire, a collection of pieces by some of the world’s most renowned dance makers set on a company of exuberant dancers
(2008-03-18)

The Dean of Dance
She was a cornerstone in establishing the importance of contemporary and modern genres in Chicago’s dance consciousness and encouraging decades of young dancers when she helped found The Dance Center of Columbia College. Her thirsty intellect gives her an excitement for fresh young perspectives and as an artist and mentor she shows no sign of slowing down. She is Shirley Mordine and this month she will premiere her newest dance, "Quest," in celebration of forty years with Mordine & Company Dance Theater, the Midwest’s longest-running contemporary dance company
(2008-03-11)

Tip of the Week
Steep Theater's "Breathing Corpses" belongs to the women of the tight ensemble this company has created. Be sure that the men involved are unfailingly spot on, but I am taken with the women
(2008-02-26)

Tip of the Week
(2008-02-12)

Tip of the Week
(2008-02-06)

Noh Way
(2008-01-29)

Playing Around
(2008-01-08)

Tip of the Week
(2008-01-08)

Tip of the Week
(2007-11-13)

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