The American Dream, Oct 5 - 29

Subtext Studio Theatre Company (SSTC) announces the inaugural, 2023 season featuring the world premiere play The American Dream by Juan Ramirez, Jr., as part of Destinos: 6th Chicago International Latino Theater, plus free staged new play readings by this season's featured emerging playwright, Alaric Hinchcliffe. The play is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Under the direction of SSTC's Artistic Director Omar Fernandez, The American Dream examines the price of freedom. Guatemalan immigrant Corina (Kairis Rivera) has made her way across the border guided by Efren (Jorge Aguilar), a human smuggler, aka coyote. Efren imprisons her while awaiting the final payment from her husband. Lies and truth get tangled as each desperately battles for their own definitions of freedom. Run time is about 90 minutes with no intermission. Designers include Harrison Ornelas (set), Irma Gualpa (sound), and Zuzel Garcia (lights).

Attendee masks are required for the two October 22nd performances, and strongly encouraged for all shows throughout the run. The American Dream runs October 5-29, 2023, at Madison Street Theater, 1010 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL, 60302. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Performances on Sunday evenings on October 8, 15 and 22 will be in Spanish with English subtitles. Spanish subtitles will be available at the October 7-14 shows. Post show discussions will be held after the October 7, 7:30 p.m. show for the Destinos Festival opening (including a cast Q&A), and following the October 29, 3:30 p.m. performance. Tickets are $22 (for students, seniors and military with ID), $25 (general admission), $30 (reserved seating), and are available at SubtextStudioTC.org. Free and paid street parking is available, and the theater is near the Green Harlem/Lake CTA stop.

Free staged readings by Alaric Hinchcliffe (he/him), a trans Filipino poet, will explore his cultural and trans/queer experiences: Friday, August 18, 7 p.m. what earth does when you're sleeping. This devised theater piece uses poetry, movement and music (run time around one hour). Friendly Community Room, 6729 Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn. Free tickets at SubtextStudioTC.org, with reservations required as seating is limited. Cash bar and street parking. Friday, November 17, 7 p.m., Falling Into Grey. A biracial transgender poet struggles with the feeling that he's always in the grey area of life. He doesn't feel integrated in Caucasian, Filipino or queer culture. He loves and loses, then realizes he'll do it all a thousand times again, because life is a beautiful chaos that's worth living. Venue TBA.