About this project

The Bricklayers and Collectif Masque Present Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht
In a new translation by Tony Kushner
Starring Barbra Berlovitz as Mother Courage
with Meredith Barry, Taylor Bibat, Kyle Cadotte, Colin Christie, Patrick Goulding, Matt Peterson, and Matt Trucano

Directed by Mariana Araoz
Set Design by Marta Cicionesi
Costume Design by Sonya Berlovitz
Light Design by John Horan
Masks by Etienne Champion
Score by Jeanine Tesori
Mask Acting Coach: Christophe Patty
Artistic Advisor: Gary Gisselman
Production Stage Manager: Betsy Beams

Perhaps unwisely, The Bricklayers have made huge commitments to bring artists from all over the world to produce our mask version of Mother Courage and Her Children.

But...

We're confident that this is going to be an incredible process culminating in a production that will remain in our repertoire for years to come.

The money raised through Kickstarter will fund many of the "tangibles" of the production:

-The Masks

Etienne Champion will travel to Chicago to create four new masks for the characters of Mother Courage, The Chaplain, The Cook, and The Swedish Commander. Each of these masks are custom carved for the actor's face from aged White Oak. See photographs from his process at www.collectifmasque.com

-The Costumes

Sonya Berlovitz's costumes are inspired by Oriental Nomads. Director Mariana Araoz describes the costumes as "the link between East and West, but with a touch of kitch; like a Broadway Musical, like a Bollywood film." Sonya designed more than 50 productions for Theatre de la Jeune Lune and has worked nationally with companies such as The Guthrie Theatre, Berkeley Rep, and Actors Theatre of Louisville. Check out her website: www.sonyaberlovitz.com

-The Set

Swedish Designer, Marta Cicionesi, Mariana's collaborator on many productions including The Bricklayers' Twelfth Night: Galaxy 4.2, has re-thought what Mother Courage looks like. The set is dominated by gigantic panels of fabric and a completely new idea of the famous wagon. Mariana writes: "Like a huge tent, like nomads, the world is Mother Courage's wagon. We are in permanent movement. Everything moves, everything changes , everything’s so fragile...." Marta's designs can be seen at www.scenograf.nu

We have received grants of space to develop the production from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and a major Chicago university. Take a look at the time line:

• June 5th-17th
-Create masks and characters with Christophe Patty and Etienne Champion at Evanston Arts Depot.

• July 7th -29th
-Rehearsal with Mariana Aroaz at the Chicago Cultural Center DCA Studio Theatre.

• July 26th
-Workshop Performance, and talk back as part of DCA Incubator Series.

• August 1st-15th
-Tech and premiere at Chicago university

• September 7th-9th
-Performance in Minnesota

• January 1st, 2011
-Mariana Aroaz returns for rehearsal.

• January 2011
-Mother Courage opens in Chicago.

• Spring 2011
-Mother Courage opens in Minneapolis.

• Summer 2011
-Midwest Tour

• Fall 2011
-Mother Courage travels to France

We hope you can help us begin this exciting process.

Bricklayers Theatre Company is a registered Illinois 501-c3 Not-for-profit corporation.

Mother Courage and Her Children is produced in collaboration with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs Incubator Series