NOW PLAYING: THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT

It’s an epic battle between TRUTH, in the person of the writer, John (David A. Gingerich), and FACTS, in the person of Jim (Ian Garthwaite), the unpaid intern assigned to fact check John’s essay. Caught in the middle is the much-put-upon editor, Emily (Ricki G. Ravitts) in this smart, wickedly funny new play, running at AET Nov. 2-19. Call (815) 394-5004 or visit artistsensemble.org/tickets #AET20th

FINAL WEEK for JUMPING TO DELUSIONS

Wild and wacky, hilarious, and heartbreaking — JUMPING TO DELUSIONS veers from vaudeville shenanigans to searing anguish to sketch comedy. This play is a freewheeling look at people coping with mental illness. it shines a compassionate light on their struggles and pokes a LOT of fun at some of society’s misconceptions. Co-directed by Stephen F. Vrtol III and Richard Raether, this play closes April 2. Get tickets HERE.

Auditions for AET's 20th Season

For the first time in two years, AET is holding local in-person auditions!

WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 28 from 1-4 pm
WHERE: Cheek Theatre at Rockford University
APPOINTMENT: E-mail: rraether@artistsensemble.org

Prepare one or two monologues, no longer than two minutes OR material will be provided to read. Auditions are for roles in all productions in AET’s 2023-24 season.

Actors Equity auditions are Tuesday, Jan. 31 at the Equity Center in Chicago.

MYSTERY THEATER • Oct. 21-22

October is Mystery Month at AET, which presents two very different detectives in a faux broadcast from the Golden Age of Radio. In the first episode, Hercule Poirot exercises the little gray cells to unravel a series of deaths attributed to a curse. In the second episode, a glamorous private eye tracks a killer who strikes without making a sound.

Performances are at 7:30, Oct. 21-22 in the Cheek Theatre in the Clark Arts Center. This is a pay-what-you-can event. No tickets, just a donation jar.

JULIE & JANE plays Oct. 14-15

JULIE & JANE performs at 7:30 on Friday & Sat. Oct. 14-15 in the Cheek Theatre at Rockford University.

AET partners with the League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford to present JULIE & JANE, a staged reading of a new play by Margaret Raether about Julia Lathrop and Jane Addams, two women who met as schoolgirls and, throughout the course of nearly 60 years of friendship, changed the world.

This play celebrates these remarkable women and marks the 100th anniversary of the League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford, as well as the 175th anniversary of Rockford University, where Julie & Jane met. This is a pay-what-you-can event. No tickets, just a donation jar.