Angel Island Theater

I have a bit of a bias for small theaters. I think they’re almost as good as sliced bread. Friend and I saw «Superior Donuts» over the weekend and it was amazing. The people working there were very nice and laid back. The play itself was phenomenal and I would gladly return for another showing or a different play.
The entrance is next to the sketchy liquor place and the theater is above the stores.

While this is certainly not the fanciest or cleanest theater I’ve ever been in, it is extremely versatile. Every time I’m in the space, it is transformed. For a tiny place, it has above average lighting and sound, and it’s BYOB! There’s a liquor store downstairs that I’m fairly certain serves only actors, technical staff, patrons, and the occasional homeless person.

Yep, another Theater in a semi-​shady part of the city. For some reason they seem to be more raw and you almost always leave surprised (good or bad).
Angel Island home of Mary-​Arrchie Theater company is no exception to this. Like many others in Chicago this company has been around for awhile, like their 20 something –th season. So what sets them apart? Well, I can’t tell you how happy I am to find a theater that doesn’t do the norm or classic playwrights. They seem to go with the little more obscure or maybe plays/​literation with a more emotion or depth. It’s the kind of stuff that gets your mind racing. You may leave disgusted or you may leave intrigued, but you WILL be talking about it.
I went to see «The Homecoming» a while back– it’s an edgy and compelling tale of lust, seduction and deception, telling the story of a dysfunctional family that welcomes the homecoming of its estranged brother and competes for the attention of his dangerously alluring wife. A play written by Harold Pinter’s 1967 and Tony Award-​winning. I warn you all now this is not for most people, it’s a tough to watch. You feel like you’re invading conversations and acts that should be private. The actors give an amazing performance and even I was left, without words.
Just a warning, it’s a little hard to find. It’s on the second floor with only a small stair way to go up. It says it’s on Sheridan but it’s kind of not. Once you see the food/​liquor store on the corner just head east to the corner of that building and it should be the last door. You can see the name taped on the windows above but that’s it. Also, the seats aren’t all that great.
Oh and they get props for host a festival of play a few weekends back and our very own Jassira V was in one of them. Cheers!

Angel Island is home to the Mary-​Arrchie Theater Company.
I saw Bartleby the Scrivener here last night. The play is based on a short story by Herman Melville, one of my favorites of all time. The production itself fell somewhat short of my expectations, but it did engender some good discussion between my date and I, and I was still thinking about it the next morning.
It’s a small second-​floor room with painted cinder block walls and 4 – 5 tiers of surprisingly comfortable, if ratty, cushioned folding chairs. It holds about four dozen patrons, so the effect is quite intimate. I felt that this factor contributed to the emotional intensity of the production. The acting was very good. I was also impressed by the quality of the props, costumes, and set, given the bare-​bones space. They weren’t ostentatious, but were more than just a few sticks of furniture – just the right level for this show, truly.
The proprietor offered us to stay for a 10:30pm one-​man show but we declined. Nice of him to ask though. There weren’t any actual tickets; he just checked my name off a sheet. I like the casual vibe here. Tickets were $ 20 through Ticketweb (down with Ticketmaster!) and worth it. I would come here again for the right kind of show.
735 is three doors east of Starbucks. There is no discernable sign, and it is quite nondescript, but it’s there.