Hear the 25-second report with a sample of Gail Gallagher’s “Spacesuit Days.”
Naked Angels Tuesdays@9 Chicago is successfully underway!
This week’s event featured new work from Chicago playwrights as well as writers in Maryland and New Mexico.
Tuesdays newcomer Gail Gallagher was the musical guest. She delighted the crowd with three songs that expressed her spirit, humor and grace. Gallagher recorded and released her debut album “Power of the Unnamed Passion” last year. She said it’s a concept album about those moments in life where everything falls apart and you learn to make new meaning.
“Oddly enough,” she said, “all these songs were written pre-pandemic but gained new meaning through the production process, as art is wont to do.”
The following musicians are scheduled for the remaining first half of the 2021-22 season.
Sep. 21 Aviva Jaye
Sep. 28 Heather Styka
Oct. 05 Shawn Erker
Oct. 12 Robbie Ellis
Oct. 19 Jake Dewar
Oct. 26 Ian Sutherland
Nov. 02 Aviva Jaye
Nov. 09 Joshua Fardon & Atlie Gilbert
Nov. 16 The Famous Brothers
Nov. 23 Mystery Guest
Nov. 30 Ezra Muse
Dec. 07 Gail Gallagher
Dec. 14 Joe McDaniel
Holiday Break (Dec. 15-Jan. 10)
Jan. 11 Jamie Shriner
Jan. 18 Robbie Ellis
Jan. 25 Aviva Jaye
Feb – May TBA
If you would like to perform as a musician or a comedian (or both) on a Tuesday sometime in February through May, it’s not too soon to get the ball rolling. Send me links or mp3’s of your music at connievkuntz@gmail.com. Thank you! -Connie Kuntz
Poster art by Tuesdays@9 creative director Joshua Fardon.
Naked Angels Tuesdays@9 Chicago kicked off their 2021-22 season on Tuesday to an enthusiastic audience of more than 30 writers, actors, directors, producers and musicians.
Five writers had their work read by professional actors and the intermission featured fan favorite Robbie Ellis with a delightful cameo by Eytan Raviv on cello.
Tuesdays@9 is still on Zoom for the foreseeable future because of the pandemic and the following musicians are booked to perform online:
If you would like to fill one of the available slots, email connievkuntz@gmail.com. We are also booking comedians this year! That means if you have ten minutes of original music, comedy-with-music, music-with-comedy or comedy you would like to perform, we want to see you!
Naked Angels formed in 1986 in New York City. There are also chapters in Los Angeles and Miami. Our Chicago chapter just celebrated its third anniversary.
The best way to get to know Tuesdays is to attend a Tuesdays. Our creative directors Joshua Fardon and Patricia Mario have created a supportive, inclusive environment in Chicago, but because we are online, you are welcome to join us from virtually anywhere. Let me know if you have any questions!
I started writing and testing new episodes of The Stormy, Husky, Brawling Show at Naked Angels Tuesdays@9 Chicago in April and May. When we broke for the summer, I started writing and producing fresh episodes with Tuesdays@9 talent.
The Stormy, Husky, Brawling Show aims to be informative, funny and wonderfully ridiculous. In its current stage, the audience sees the introduction, opening monologue, some behind-the-scenes panic (including a kidnapping scene), and #basementfish.
After we complete our first six episodes, we’ll start fleshing out the entire show.
Every episode is cast and staffed with professional actors and musicians. The Stormy artists include Ellen Bartlett; Suzy Brack; Edgar Clay; Michael Colby; Robbie Ellis; Vanessa Ellis; Rhiannon Frazier; Atlie Gilbert; Aviva Jaye; Ean Miles Kessler; Connie Kuntz (me); Jesse Kuntz; Carl Maronich; Julie Riffle; and Judy Lea Steele.
Aviva Jaye is our music director. She composed the Stormy theme song and Stormy Strings. She also appears in Episode 5 “One Small Step” as a seductive #basementfish. Jesse Kuntz is our technical director and video editor as well as our beloved “Minrod.” And Suzy Brack leads our cast every week with elegance and determination.
Here are links to the episodes:
Episode 1 “Did We Land The Tuna?” premiered on June 1, 2021. (Suzy Brack, Michael Colby, Edgar Clay, Rhiannon Frazier, Aviva Jaye, Connie Kuntz, Jesse Kuntz.)
Episode 2 “BB Is Watching You” aired on June 8, 2021. (Ellen Bartlett, Suzy Brack, Vanessa Ellis, Aviva Jaye, Ean Miles Kessler, Connie Kuntz, Jesse Kuntz.)
Episode 3 “Public Enemy No. 1” aired on June 22, 2021. (Suzy Brack, Edgar Clay, Michael Colby, Aviva Jaye, Connie Kuntz, Jesse Kuntz, Carl Maronich.)
Episode 4 “All In For The Win” aired on July 13, 2021. (Suzy Brack, Atlie Gilbert, Aviva Jaye, Connie Kuntz, Jesse Kuntz, Julie Riffle, Judy Lea Steele.)
Episode 5 “One Small Step” aired on July 20, 2021. (Suzy Brack, Robbie Ellis, Aviva Jaye, Connie Kuntz, Jesse Kuntz.)
Every episode features:
Jesse Kuntz as Minrod, the Production Assistant / Kidnapper for The Stormy, Husky, Brawling Show
(1) a new host (meaning a different actor) that is “kidnapped” from the street by the show’s production assistant,
(2) one to two new interrupting #basementfish characters every week. These fish-characters are the survivors of The Great Chicago Flood of 1992 and
(3) an excerpt from the poem “Chicago” by Carl Sandburg.
There are two permanent characters: Announcer (Suzy Brack) and Minrod (Jesse Kuntz).
Every episode incorporates:
(1) a historical element,
(2) a Chicago reference,
(3) a news headline from that day.
It is an honor to collaborate with so many talented, dedicated actors and artists. We hope you enjoy Stormy as much as we enjoy making it!
Please “like” or follow us on The Stormy, Husky, Brawling ShowFacebook Page and YouTube channel. Our hashtag is #basementfish.
And I invite you to friend me or follow me on my personal pages listed below. I’ll friend or follow you back!
Feel free to reach out to me at connievkuntz@gmail.com with any questions, comments or concerns. Thank you for your interest in The Stormy, Husky, Brawling Show! -Connie
Feverland is an all-girl tribute play by Connie Kuntz about the life and times of Al Capone.
Al’s story — performed by female actors — begins in Brooklyn when he falls in love with Mae, peaks in Chicago with the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, and ends in his Florida mansion when he is dying from syphilis.
Told mostly from Mae’s perspective, Feverland gives the audience an intimate look at at a seasoned — but paranoid — criminal who values loyalty over family, appearance over reality, and routine over love. Mae — instead of being a patient and blissfully unaware wife — is introverted, calculating, and strategic.
The cast is rounded out by Al’s loyal hitmen, Boy #1 and Boy #2, and Al’s soft-spoken, bed-wetting son aptly called Junior.
Feverland is a one-hour one-act drama with comedy. It’s getting a virtual reading at First Draft through Chicago Dramatists on Monday, March 8 at 7:00 p.m. and it is free and open to the public. There are violent themes along with implied nudity, some sexuality, and mild profanity.
March 30, 2021 is the Tuesdays at 9 Chicago Zoom Quarantanniversary and we are celebrating with a “Meta March Twin Tuesdays” show!
Q: What does that mean?
A: Angels are invited / encouraged to show up as their twin to Tuesdays at 9 Chicago on March 30. Remember to change the name on your Zoom box to the name of your twin and stay in the character of your twin all night long.
Q: Could you give me an example?
A: Sure. My name is Connie Kuntz. I will be busy on March 30th, but luckily, my twin sister Rhoda Ross has agreed to fill in for me. Rhoda is a hypochondriac and always thinks she is dying.
Q: Okay. Does my twin have to be a dork like your twin?
A: Your twin can be whatever you want. You’re probably familiar with the “evil” twin concept or the “sexy” twin concept. You can go that route or you can create a twin who is subtle, unique or cerebral or spiritual or whatever. There is tremendous room for creativity and interpretation.
Q: I already have a twin in real life. Now what?
A: Create a triplet. And if you are a triplet, create a quadruplet. And so on. Just remember to change the name on your Zoom box to the name of your sibling.
Q: What if I get cast that night?
A: Then your twin will read.
Q: What about stage directions? How will our twins know to applaud the people who read stage directions?
A: Tell them!
Q: What should I wear?
A: Whatever your twin would wear. Just remember to change your Zoom box name to your twin’s name.
Q: Who are the writers that night?
A: The writers and the musical act will be announced in the usual way; on social media with the Tuesdays at 9 poster art (which will be somewhat different, since it’s being designed by the artist’s twin). The creative directors, writers and the musical act will be the twins of familiar Tuesdays at 9 talent.
Q: Why are we doing this?
A: It’s important to experiment with new forms of interactive creativity during the pandemic. The layer of meta adds a unique, intriguing artistic element. Plus, we’re crazy.
Q: How long will this show run?
A: The usual two to two-and-a-half hours. Scenes will be shorter to make room for more audience interaction.
Q: Why are you so weird?
A: I don’t know. Ask Rhoda.
Tuesdays at 9 Chicago has been going strong since September of 2018. When the pandemic threatened to shutter our cold reading series, we moved to Zoom! March 30 marks our one-year quarantanniversary of virtual cold readings. Celebrate with us!
Attention Writers:Naked Angels Tuesdays at 9 Chicago has a “bottom drawer” policy. That means writers — playwrights especially, but also poetry and prose writers — are encouraged to write and share the work they keep hidden in their bottom drawers. It’s the work that terrifies or embarrasses them — the work that they don’t want their loved ones to ever see.
This “policy” is an invitation to writers to open up, create, and express in a safe, intelligent environment. I believe this is one of the most important services we can offer each other — the opportunity to be creative, no matter what. And nobody facilitates this as well as Naked Angels Tuesdays at 9 Chicago, so skillfully and professionally led by creative directors Joshua Fardon and Patricia Mario.
Attention Musicians: The bottom drawer policy extends to you. This a great place to test new, original musical material in front of an intelligent audience comprised of actors, directors, writers, producers and musicians. If you have ten minutes of original musical material you would like to share during an intermission, let me know.
To get an idea of some of the excellent Tuesdays musicians who performed in 2020, here is a list.
Below is a list of the 2021 musicians and you can click on their names to learn more about each artist. After you are done, take note of the available dates and let me know if you are interested in being a musical act for Tuesdays.
May 18 Heather Styka (National Naked Angels Crossover Event!)
May 25 Evelyn Troutman
The best way to get to know Tuesdays is to attend Tuesdays! We meet every Tuesday night at 9:00 CST. There are usually about forty artists who attend and the environment is safe, welcoming and inspiring.
Prior to the pandemic, we met at the Russ Tutterow Theater at Chicago Dramatists, but now we meet through Zoom. Click here to learn how to attend. We don’t share the Zoom link publicly, so you will have to message the Facebook page to get it.
If you want to be a musical act for Tuesdays, email me at connievkuntz@gmail.com. Thank you for reading!
-Connie Kuntz, Music Director for Naked Angels Tuesday at 9 Chicago
Just finished up instructing another fabulous radio boot camp for Chicago Dramatists. Artists wrote, edited, directed, acted and interviewed.
In a nutshell:
Prework: Each artist wrote a one-minute monologue and emailed it to me prior to the first day. I then formatted all the monos into one big class script for the Friday class. I wrote an intro, interstitial dialogue, and an outro.
Friday: Introductions. Each artist cast their monologues. We rehearsed and recorded and saved the Zoom audio. Then we added that audio to Adobe Audition. Add sound effects and music. Class learned Adobe tools, got familiar with the layout of the multitrack and discovered importance of checking and finessing levels for voice, sound effects and music.
Saturday: We finessed the Friday monologues and adjusted levels. We wrote new scene work in thirty minutes and then cast and recorded those scenes. We added sound effects and music.
Sunday: We finished editing the Saturday scenes and then we recorded interviews. Everyone answered the question, “What does 2020 mean to you and what do you expect or hope for 2021?” We cast two hosts for the interviews, recorded everyone, added music and adjusted levels in Adobe Audition.
This class was comprised of playwrights, professors, teachers, actors and directors and here are there names: Danielle Dunlap, Donna Dunlap,Stephanie Grilo, Steph Henderson, Hope Hommersand, Brenda Kiliansky, and Jennifer Nostrala.
Thank you for reading and listening! -Connie Kuntz
I am the music director for Tuesdays@9. That means I am responsible for booking musical acts. I start on November 10. For some, 10 November is a night to reflect on the anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. For me, it’s the night I get to introduce Robbie Ellis! He’s extraordinarily talented, an amazing listener, and has the rare ability to teach as he performs. Check him out!
Jenson Smith is the musical guest on Tuesday, November 17. Smith is a cellist, actor, and a filmmaker. Originally from Racine, Wisconsin, she now lives in Queens. She’s performed twice with us and we are so glad to have her back for a third time. Lovely, lovely work. Please come see her at Tuesdays!
Maeve Devitt is a frequently featured actor with Tuesdays@9 but on Tuesday, November 24, she will grace us with her new musical act! Please check out her website to learn more about this brilliant artist. Then come see her perform at Tuesdays!
If you are interested in being a musical guest at Tuesdays@9, let me know and I can tell you more about it. We are always looking for musicians who share original, new work. We especially love comedy acts with music, but we’re open to just about anything. The Naked Angels community is filled with intelligent, inspiring artists, and Tuesdays@9 is a great place to challenge yourself and try something new. -Connie
Connie Kuntz 