The Niles North Theater Department opens its 2013-2014 season with the Director’s Circle production of Jean-Paul Sartre’s existentialist work “No Exit,” adapted from the French by Paul Bowles. Show times are 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, August 23 and Saturday, August 24 in the Drama Performance Center at 9800 Lawler, Skokie. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased by calling the Box Office at (847) 626-2122.

“No Exit” features three individuals who face off against each other as they face themselves for the first time. The cast includes Teresa Franks, Joanna Vaklin and Ryan Loach. Director’s Circle Designers include Nathan Selinger, Lighting Designer; Samuel Rosenfeld, Scenic Designer and Erin Rourke, Costume Designer.

Director’s Circle is an audition-only program at Niles North designed to offer an opportunity for outstanding theater students to hone their craft. The play selection is chosen to showcase the abilities of the actors and technical crew. Upon completion of this production, the students assist their teachers in the school’s theater classes, run acting clinics and work as leaders in sharing their skills with fellow drama students.

Technical Staff for “No Exit”: Timothy Ortmann, Director; Annaliisa Ahlman, Technical Director; Sabina Dzelilovic, Stage Manager; Teresa Ripley, Costume Supervisor; and Michael Rourke, Lighting Supervisor.

Come to the D219 art show tonight, Tuesday, 5/7. A reception will be held from 6:30 to 7:30pm and the show runs through May 23rd, 2013.  You won’t want to miss the drawings, paintings, photography, digital artwork and sculptures.  The artwork is located on the east side of the library in the gallery, the wall, upstairs  and in the cases at the entrance. See you there!

For the final production of the year, Niles North Theatre has selected “Punk Rock,” by Simon Stephens. The play is set in an English prep school and focuses on the intertwining lives of seven teenagers. They are appealing, appalling, pushy, posh, nerdy people one might find in any high school. But this combination is an emotional powder keg. Performances are 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4 in the Drama Performance Center at 9800 Lawler, Skokie. Tickets are $10. There is no late seating in this venue. “Punk Rock” has adult themes and language. Call the Box Office at (847) 626-2122. A free community performance will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 2.

The cast includes:  Ryan Loach as William Carlisle, Nina Roy as Lilly Cahill; Christopher Khoshaba as Bennett Francis; Emma Decker as Cissy Franks; Humza Abbasi as Nicholas Chatman; Athanasia Giannetos as Tanya Gleason; Nathan Selinger as Chadwick Meade; Camille Paskind as Lucy Francis; and Simon Gebremendhin as Dr. Richard Harvey.

The technical staff/crew:  Timothy Ortmann, Director; Annaliisa Ahlman, Technical Director; Teresa Ripley, Costume Designer; Barbara Reeder, Lighting Designer; Max Dolinko, Sound Designer; Brian Fallon, Hair Designer; Rachel Sepiashvili and Joanna Vaklin, Assistant Directors; Maddie Martin, Assistant Technical Director; Alex Hammond, Assistant Lighting Designer; Teresa Franks, Stage Manager; Sam Rosenfeld, Shop Manager; Erin Rourke, Costume Assistant; Sabina Dzelilovic, Properties Mistress; Emi Kanda, Sofia Ballicora and Julia Melnick, Promotions; and Anne Zavell and Stephanie Persaud, Production Assistants.

Stage Crew:   Deck Managers:  Maddie Martin and Sam Rosenfeld; Sound Board Operator: Madison Kartcheske; Costume Crew: Katie Bean, Eugene Hyun and Martin Wiviott; Light Board Operator: Noah Zeidman; and Master Electricians: Danielle Kropveld and Robin Wallace

This Wednesday, May 1st, Elmo Scott (from Urban Beat Dance) will be offering a 2hr hip-hop dance workshop from 4-6pm in the Dance Studio. All are encouraged to attend (no experience necessary). The cost is $5 with all profits being split between DM and Relay for Life! Wear clothes you can move in, and we will see you there!
Brought to you by Deanna Sortino, NN visual arts instructor and Auroris director.

Just 4 Kicks is an amazing, wacky and virtuoso vocal quartet that will perform at the 13th Annual Vocal Jazz Festival at Niles North High School on April 27. Tickets are $15 for general seating.

(Posted By Karmal, Community Contributor / April 23, 2013) Trib. Local, Evanston & Skokie

Never say the number 13 is unlucky. For music lovers, this year marks the 13th annual Vocal Jazz Festival at Niles North High School on Saturday, April 27. The concert begins at 8 p.m. in the Auditorium at 9800 North Lawler, Skokie. For those lucky enough to attend the concert, this will be an evening you won’t soon forget. The opening act is Take One. The guest artist is Just 4 Kicks, an amazing, wacky and virtuoso vocal quartet that recently headlined the American Choral Directors Association Annual Conference in Dallas, TX. Just 4 Kicks is an a cappella vocal jazz quartet. That’s kind of like saying the Empire State Building is a skyscraper. It’s true, but it doesn’t begin to describe the experience of seeing and hearing this group for the first time. Tickets are $15 at the door for general seating. Tickets for students with a school ID are $10. For more information, please contact Choral Director Daniel Gregerman at (847) 626-2115.

Just 4 Kicks is a group of four uniquely talented and musically successful vocalists from the West Coast who now find themselves in demand at jazz festivals and clinics throughout the United States and Canada. With all four singers creating tight harmonies and impersonations of various instruments, this is one a cappella vocal group where the audience never misses ‘the band!’ The newest endeavor of Just 4 Kicks is “Guys Got 2 Sing,” a highly energized, daylong workshop designed to encourage and foster young men becoming involved in their school vocal program. The members of Just 4 Kicks: LA-based studio singer Randy Crenshaw, composer/arranger Dr. Kirby Shaw, Central Washington University Professor Vijay Singh and Edmonds Community College Director of Choral Activities Kirk Marcy.