The Ruckus presents Escape from the Haltsburg Boys Choir

Dec 27, 2010
Escape from the Haltsburg Boys Choir

The Ruckus Theater is making some noise by producing a world-premiere musical during its second season in Chicago: Escape from the Haltsburg Boys Choir, book by Aaron Dean, lyrics by Aaron Dean and Jason Rico, music by Jason Rico, directed by Tympanic Theatre Company Artistic Director Daniel Caffrey. Kate Black makes her Ruckus debut as the boy-hero Johanne, and leads a cast of Chicago theater favorites and Ruckus regulars. Escape from the Haltsburg Boys Choir-workshopped by The Ruckus in June 2010-is performed at The Side Project Theatre (1439 W Jarvis Ave) January 6 - 30, 2010 (opening night is January 7). Performances are Thursday - Sunday at 7:30pm. Tickets are $15 and are available at RuckusTheater.org or by phone at 773.769.RCKS (7257).

"I am thrilled to be directing such a challenging, funny and inventive coming of age story," said Director Daniel Caffrey. "Escape from the Haltsburg Boys Choir is the kind of American musical that reminds you why you fell in love with theater in the first place, and it has been a privilege to work alongside such a gifted team of actors and designers."

The Ruckus' first musical, Escape from the Haltsburg Boys Choir, sends you tumbling through the Austrian woods with four desperate boys on the cusp of adulthood (Black, Heather Moats, Liz Goodson, Alyse Kittner). Theirs is a world of witches, wolves, vindictive worms and malevolent Choirmasters (Jeffrey Fauver), but the most terrifying creatures of all may be the boy with the squeak in his voice (Megan Gotz) and the girl with the golden hair (Sarah Bockel). To get out, my friends, you'll need to use 'em...or lose 'em.