Tales of Terror
October 23, 2009

Masked Marvels & Wondertales
November 6, 2009

A Christmas Carol
December 18-20, 2009

Dave Bennett's New Orleans
January 21, 2010

Chicago City Limits:
Wikiphobia
February 20, 2010

A Legend Froze in Time: Tribute to Hank Williams
March 6, 2010

Dromedary Quartet
April 3, 2010

Attend any of the shows in our 2009-2010 Performing Arts Series
and any film in the September 09 - May 10 series with Reserved Seat privileges!
Click here to order individual show tickets and RitzPasses

Tales of Terror
Joshua Kane presents an Evening of Hilarity & Horror
Friday, October 23, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.
Advance: $10 adults, $5 students & seniors
Day of show: $15 adults, $10 students & seniors

Celebrate the bicentennial year of Edgar Allan Poe’s birth by cheering away an evening with tales of revenge, madness and despair - not to mention a healthy dose of humor - with this special season opener in conjunction with The Big Read, focusing on the spine-tingling works of the masters of the macabre. Internationally acclaimed solo performer and classically trained actor Joshua Kane takes audiences on a roller-coaster ride through a host of familiar writings, punctuated with humor and banter that conveys lively anecdotes about the creations and lives of such authors as Poe, Dickens, Yeats, and Ambrose Bierce .

The Charleston City Paper remarked, of Kane's performance at the Piccolo Spoleto Fesitval, that he was like "a very mad and quite funny uncle, who amuses you with his antics, frightens you with his intensity and charms you with his tales of the fantastic.” And Peter Straub, author of the best-selling Ghost Story, said: “Savvy, witty, and spellbinding, Joshua Kane’s performances . . . put both his remarkable voice and deep understanding of horror literature at the service of wondrous and expansive entertainment . . . He brings life, intelligence, sensitivity, and humor to everything he touches.” Don't miss this exciting performance!

More about Joshua Kane

More about Edgar Allan Poe

Watch video of Joshua Kane in performance

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Michael Cooper: Masked Marvels & Wondertales
Friday, November 6, 2009
8:00 p.m.
Advance: $15 adults, $10 students & seniors
Day of show: $20 adults, $15 students & seniors

Michael Cooper spins tales and weaves stories using an unusual and colorful cast of characters. Creating a world where dogs wear hats, wild stallions are tamed, giant noses sneeze and fish bait candy to catch children in a pond, Masked Marvels & Wondertales is an unforgettable experience. Referencing his childhood growing up on a ranch, Michael Cooper captivates his audience with tales of thrilling adventure, silly antics and outlandish possibilities. A show for all ages, Masked Marvels & Wondertales is sure to capture hearts and stimulate imaginations.

Michael Cooper is a Poet of the Stage - an eye-popping visual artist and a virtuoso mime whose exquisite performances of humor and poignancy, nimble speech and eloquent gesture have dazzled audiences of all ages for almost thirty years. Combining the mythical and the autobiographical, Michael's one-man extravaganza features his breathtaking handcrafted masks, original stories of courage and wonder, outlandish stiltdancing, and a physical repertoire that ranges from the madcap to the sublime. The result is "moving sculpture."

More about Michael Cooper

More about the history of masks in performance,
with pictures of Michael Cooper's masks

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A Christmas Carol
Friday-Saturday, December 18-19, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 20, 2009 at 3:00 p.m.
Advance: $10 adults, $5 students & seniors
Day of show: $15 adults, $10 students & seniors

A beloved holiday tradition we all look forward to year after year.  It’s Charles Dickens’ familiar tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the spirits who teach him the true meaning of Christmas, in an all-new production. Young and old alike, whether you’ve heard the story a hundred times or never before, you’ll want to share this funny, spooky and always pertinent holiday show with family and friends.

More about Charles Dickens' classic story

More about Victorian Christmas traditions

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Dave Bennett's New Orleans
Thursday, January 21, 2010
8:00 p.m.
Advance: $15 adults, $10 students & seniors
Day of show: $20 adults, $15 students & seniors

Get a taste of Mardi Gras a little early this year with this toe-tapping concert by one of the most popular performers we've had at the Ritz. Chicago clarinet prodigy Dave Bennett last performed here in 2007 with his Benny Goodman tribute. Now, Dave and his ensemble are back with an unforgettable evening dedicated to another clarinet great, New Orleans' own Pete Fountain.

This special tribute concert features arrangements inspired by Pete Fountain's hit-selling Coral Records of the 1960s, including "Do You Know What It Means (to Miss New Orleans)?", "Basin Street Blues", "Bourbon Street Parade", and many others.

And to add to the special flavor of Mardi Gras in January, this month we're also screening Always for Pleasure, the remarkable film by Les Blank about the city and its celebrations as seen through the story of the "Wild Tchoupitoulos "Indians" (see Film page on this site).

More about Dave Bennett

More about Pete Fountain

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Chicago City Limits: Wikiphobia
Saturday, February 20, 2010
8:00 p.m.
Advance: $15 adults, $10 students & seniors
Day of show: $20 adults, $15 students & seniors

The internet is slowly seeping into every corner of our lives and transforming the world as we know it: "Google" is no longer just a number; "Friend" is no longer just a noun; and virtual, user-generated facts are as good as actual, factual facts.

In Wikiphobia, the cast of Chicago City Limits surfs the web at high-speed, taking issue with the issues and finding comedic links between the biggest stories in the news and actual news. Whether it's global warming or global blogging, networking or Netflix, international affairs or interpersonal ones, Chicago City Limits delivers an evening of fast-paced, high-energy comedy!

Chicago City Limits, New York City's legendary improv comedy group (yes, that's right: Chicago City Limits is based in New York!), has thrilled audiences of all ages for nearly 30 years with its unique style of humor. The group's critically-acclaimed Off-Broadway show, award-winning national touring company and top-notch improv training center have made Chicago City Limits a New York City landmark and a high-demand act throughout the U.S.

More about Chicago City Limits

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"A Legend Froze in Time"
David Church's Tribute to Hank Williams
Saturday, March 6, 2010
3:00 & 8:00 p.m.
Advance: $15 adults, $10 students & seniors
Day of show: $20 adults, $15 students & seniors

Considered by many to be THE best Hank Williams tribute artist ever, David Church is also an accomplished singer/songwriter/entertainer in his own right. With this show, he brings the country music legend back to life with outstanding renditions of many of Hank Williams' immortal tunes, songs that not only made country music history but also crossed over to mainstream audiences with unprecedented success.

David's father and uncles were musicians, and he listened to the sound of their music, playing the banjo, guitar, and lap steel before he could walk. He was captivated by all the early songs, but the most profound influence on his life was Hank Williams, Sr. He learned to play rhythm guitar early and he started performing when he was only 8 years old. David's own buzz word for the traditional music he loves is "straight-up country," and he feels Hank's music is just as fresh and alive today as it was then. This passion for the true sounds of his musical inspiration is evident to every audience who sees this incredible show.

Video of David Church's "A Legend Froze in Time" show:

Video of Hank Williams:

More about David Church

More about Hank Williams

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Dromedary Quartet
Saturday, April 3, 2010
8:00 p.m.
Advance: $15 adults, $10 students & seniors
Day of show: $20 adults, $15 students & seniors

When Andrew Reissiger and Rob McMaken, aka Dromedary, first appeared at the Ritz Theatre several years ago, audiences leapt to their feet after practically every number, astonished and delighted by the musical virtuosity and mesmerizing fusion of global music styles of this peerless duo. Now they're back with their newest incarnation, Dromedary Quartet, adding the deep acoustic rhythm section of jazz bassist Chris Enghauser and New Orleans drummer Louis Romanos. 

Playing music from their new CD Sticks and Stones, the set they bring to the Ritz is energized and intimate, and the collection of new compositions is ambitious, floating between lands as far apart as West Africa, the Andes, Eastern Europe, New York City, and the American South.   Fans of Dromedary as a duo will note that the Quartet has a more aggressive edge, though the performances maintain the balanced and organic sound that Rob and Andrew have become known for over the years.

More about Dromedary

More about Dromedary Quartet

Listen to cuts from Dromedary Quartet's new CD "Sticks and Stones"

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