Two tickets to Lookingglass Theatre Company's production of "Eastland: A New Musical"

The setting is July 24, 1915.

Moored on the Chicago River between Clark St and LaSalle, The Eastland begins boarding and thousands of Western Electric employees and their families climb the ramp, excited for their annual company outing. Overflowing with passengers about to depart, the boat leans port – and doesn’t lean back. Within minutes, cries fill the air, families are torn apart and unexpected heroes emerge to rescue dozens of Chicagoans from a watery end.

Artistic Director Andrew White (Of One Blood, 1984) resurrects the ghosts of America’s forgotten tragedy in this Lookingglass Original musical, with music by Artistic Associate Andre Pluess and Ben Sussman, the team behind the score of Lookingglass Alice, 1984, Metamorphoses, Hard Times, and The Secret in the Wings, as well as the acclaimed Winesburg, Ohio. Directed by Amanda Dehnert (Peter Pan: A Play).

Eastland is the recipient of the Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award. More information>

Lookingglass Theatre Background:

Lookingglass Theatre Company is a non-profit, ensemble-based theater company located in Chicago, Illinois. Their pieces tend to focus on the spectacular and the physical.

As of June 2011, Lookingglass has won 42 Joseph Jefferson Awards

From its inception, Lookingglass has shown an interest in image-heavy, physical theatrical pieces. An early critic noted that "[m]ost Lookingglass work has revolved around explorations of the mythic and ritual roots of theatre and the symbolism of storytelling" and their "utiliza[tion of] live music and film, ritual movement and acrobatics, heightened language (and long stretches of silence), and non-realistic visual imaging that are characteristic of its technique".^[1]

Each Lookingglass season is chosen by the ensemble members, who vote yearly on submitted proposals. According to ensemble member Andy White, their decision ultimately rests on which story most needs to be told. He emphasizes that "'need' is the operative word... [t]here has to be a real imperative for telling each story".^[2]

Lookingglass is currently in its 22nd season, and its present Artistic Director is founding ensemble member Andy White.

History

Lookingglass was founded in 1988 by David Catlin, David Schwimmer, Lawrence DiStasi, David Kersner, Eva Barr, Joy Gregory, Andy White, and Thom Cox. Their first productionThrough the Lookingglass was directed by David Kersner and took place at the Great Room in Jones Residential College on the Northwestern University campus in the fall of 1988.

They have since performed fifty-three world-premiere original works (their most recent being David Schwimmer's Trust in 2010).

Lookingglass was the recipient of the 2011 Regional Theatre Tony Award.