Art Stripped Down for Naked July at The National Pastime Theater
The National Pastime Theater, Chicago's premier theatrical provocateurs, presents their third annual fine arts festival Naked July: Art Stripped Down. At The National Pastime Theater the entire month of July will be filled with lovely, provoking and aggressive bodies. NPT's festival aims to reveal the human body as beautiful in every shape, size and color (including Technicolor). By exposing these physical differences, audiences discover the innate similarities in all human bodies - we are all made of the same material both natural and beautiful.
Purity is the theme of this year's festival, which celebrates the unadulterated nature of nakedness. NPT uses the theme of Purity to thread together the elements of live theater, painting, music, parties and film. The National Pastime Theater presents Oscar Wilde's darkly erotic and decadent Salome. The Living Canvas returns to the festival bringing new spectacle and an abundance of energy in The Living Canvas: Rain. At least two new guest companies join the festival as well as a late night cabaret. The competition for the additional festival slots is fierce and range from aggressive combat/dance to naked Shakespeare and Moliere. This year is sure to be full of the spectacular and the unexpected. The official schedule will be posted on May 24th and tickets will go on sale on May 25th.
Naked July: Art Stripped Down opens one week earlier this year to celebrate Pride Festival. June 24th marks the start of the festival, which runs through August 6th. Live theatrical performances take the stage Thursday through Sunday. Weeknights are filled with classic and original films that explore the purity of nakedness. Monday is dark.
Throughout the festival, The National Pastime Theater transforms its lobby into an art gallery. Naked art will appear as paintings, photographs and sculpture from around the world to adorn our velvet walls. The Curator for this year's exhibition is returning artist Gary Shirmer. Weekly auctions are open to the general public.
The National Pastime Theater is located at 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. Enter through the historic storefront, past the years of smoky haze into the authentic speakeasy turned theater where the debaucherous scandals of the past give life to the art of today. No other theater in Chicago can offer such libidinous exploitation of your senses. Where else but the National Pastime Theater lives the promise of the impossible?
The curious and bold can discover The National Pastime Theater via the #36 Broadway bus, the Sheridan El and several other bus lines. Parking is available for $10 one block south-east at the corner of Belle Plaine and Clarendon.
Tickets to each show are $20 per adventurous patron. Individual tickets will be available for purchase at nakedjuly.com. Discounted festival passes are available as well. Tickets may also be purchased by calling the box office at 773-327-7077, group rates are also available.