During the pandemic shutdown, A Theater in the Dark was one of the most reliable sources for online radio drama—no surprise, since even when they produced live and in person, the company’s aesthetic (as the name tells you) was to leave audiences in the, well, dark and let aural storytelling and soundscapes create the world around them. Their original radio versions of Moby Dick and A War of the Worldswere particular highlights, but they’re still releasing original digital content. Today is the premiere of A Murder in the Court of Xanadu, written and directed by producing artistic director Corey Bradberry, with original music by Paul Sottnik. The show reimagines the 13th-century empire of Xanadu (made famous by British Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge) as a 21st-century megacorporation teetering on the brink of bankruptcy; Bradberry also uses verse to tell his tale of murder and revenge. For $12.99, you can get both a digital download and online streaming access; season passes to all the company’s content go for $30, or $3.25 a month on Patreon. Information and reservations at theatreinthedark.com. (KR)
In Above the Water, making its world premiere tonight at 8 PM at the Den Theatre (1331 N. Milwaukee), Dawn Theatre Project offers a “poetic physical theatre piece” about the nature of grief and loneliness. Conceived by choreographer Chih-Jou Cheng, it uses movement, puppetry, and text to explore the five stages of grief. After each performance, there will be a “debriefing” session with a licensed therapist. It’s recommended for ages ten and over; performances continue Fri-Sat 8 PM and Sun 3 PM, and tickets are $5-$40 at thedentheatre.com. (KR)
Milwaukee EDM outfit Choke Chain is a familiar name in the Windy City industrial music scene, and tonight they open for one of the most exciting acts coming from LA’s spooky underground: Patriarchy. In the spring, Patriarchy played a handful of dates with Chicago’s Pixel Grip, and now they’re touring to support their late summer release, The Unself. While visual and lyrical themes of bondage, dominance, and submission are central to the genre, Patriarchy actively blurs the line between music, performance art, and sex work in a way that calls attention to the relationship between audiences and performers and how women in music are consumed. Patriarchy is for fans of camp, misery, Americana, and rock ’n’ roll. If you’re 21 or older, you can catch them at the Empty Bottle (1035 N. Western) for $15. The show starts at 8:30 PM. (MC)
Pride Film Festival, which became an independent presenter this year after previously being a part of PrideArts, features six slates of LGBTQ+ films from all over the world streaming online through December 11. Reader contributor Wanjiku Kairu previewed some festival highlights for us earlier in October, including Cut Short, a short film by Charlie Andelman about a young nonbinary person facing thoughts of their father’s mortality as they give their father a haircut after he received cancer treatments. Cut Short and nine other films are available to screen through Mon 11/7; check out Pride Film Festival’s website for film descriptions, and to buy tickets (weekly passes are $10; full festival passes are $50, with discounts available for students and seniors). (SCJ)
