Partner With Us?
We'd love to speak with you about putting up a show at Solo Sunday!
Please read the following and feel free to inquire by filling out this form or emailing Lauren at lauren.kee22ATgmailDOTcom
Please read the following and feel free to inquire by filling out this form or emailing Lauren at lauren.kee22ATgmailDOTcom
WHAT AND HOW WE BOOK
We are open to all sorts of performances from all sorts of performers. Over the years, we have had traditional solo shows, comedians, folk musicians, essayists, magic, poetry, and more. We are interested in performers of all experience levels and backgrounds.
We are an artist-forward space. There is no rental fee and proceeds are split evenly between us. It's a partnership.
We are completely comfortable with both first-time solo performers debuting a new piece and seasoned pros touring an established show or new work. We just ask that this piece is ready for public performance in front of a paying audience. This is not a workshop series or a place to rehearse a half-formed piece in the earliest stages of development.
We do not heavily vet shows or demand in-depth explorations of your material. Yes, we will want to know about the show and will make sure it is a good fit for the series, but we're not here to critique or judge the quality of your content.
We don't have a limit on language or content, except for an obvious one: we will not tolerate any hate speech, misogyny, racism, homophobia, etc.
Shows typically run 45-80 minutes.
We work out of an operational pub, so the availability of dates will vary according to their schedule. The upstairs at Murphy's is a popular space for performances, private events, and gatherings. Once we agree to put up the show with you, we'll look at availability and see what works for you, us, and the venue. Typically, shows take place on Sunday afternoons or evenings, and occasionally a Saturday afternoon. Typically, we'd book your performance anywhere from 2-4 months out.
We do not book first come first served. We strive to get everyone who is interested on our stage eventually, but we often schedule for variety and take into account things like what makes sense seasonally, the stage of development your show is currently in, themes emerging for a given month, and more. It is completely fine if you have performed this show in town before. In that case, we'll time it out with you to ensure the best chance of having a nice, full house for your performance with us.
Although we have "solo" in our name, we have occasionally had duos or trios on our stage. We are open to this, but would want to make sure it fits our stage space. Any more than three people on stage at one time would be too crowded, and you will not have much room to move around with even three.
THE SPACE: LOGISTICS AND MEASUREMENTS
The Jekot Theater is a 44-seat, pop-up theater space upstairs at Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro in North Center (3905 N Lincoln) The space is fully accessible, with an elevator to the second floor. The upstairs bar will not be staffed for the event, but attendees can dine downstairs before/after the show, or bring drinks up with them.
There is free parking in a small lot just south of the venue, in a metered (but inactive) lot a block south on the opposite side of Lincoln, and Lincoln and surrounding streets are free on Sunday.
The seating cannot be rearranged, and consists of 3 seats to a row on either side of the aisle. The last row in the theater seats four. The front row is only a few feet from the edge of the stage, making those 6 seats a very intimate experience.
The stage space is 12 feet wide, about 6 feet deep, and six inches tall. The backdrop is a red, ceiling-to-floor curtain. This cannot be switched out, or have anything hung from it. There is no backstage space, and you cannot fit behind the curtain. There is a single power outlet center stage behind the curtain.
There is room for some props or scenery on stage, but please keep the available space in mind to avoid crowding or clutter. We have chairs, stools, small tables, and a music stand available for you to use. The room itself is approximately 35 feet long and 14 feet wide.
Lighting from two barn doored cans is great, but static. Other than bringing them all up or all down, there isn't much we can do as far as effects go. With the house lights down, it is difficult to see much of the audience, but we can bring them up a little to make it more possible if you'd like.
The acoustics in the room are great. We use the integrated house system, with speakers in the ceiling, and it has only one XLR input. Many performers have gone without amplification because the room is really small, but the choice is yours. We have one Shure wireless pack with either lavalier or headset available, or a cabled mic and stand. For performers needing more, such as musicians, you'd need to bring your own small system.
We have an auxiliary input into the house system for a phone that can be used for pre- or post-show music. We're happy to take care of this if you'd prefer not to bother with it. It might be possible for us to take care of a simple sound cue or two for you from this phone, but anything more would be difficult. We'd need details far in advance.
We do not have a projection system. Several performers have brought a television and stand to set up, which has worked fine. A projector and screen could work, but it may be a little washed out with the stage lighting, and would remove a few seats. There is a projection screen at Murphy's available for use.
Please - no fire, liquids, smoke effects, weapons, acrobatics, climbing, chainsaw juggling, etc.
The room has its own thermostat and HVAC system to control the climate.
The doors to the space will be closed during the performance, and there is nothing else scheduled upstairs during our shows.
If you would like to film your show, there is space for a small tripod in the back of the room. You could also station a still photographer in this spot, as long as their camera shutter is silent. We do not allow filming or photography from anywhere else in the room, as the light can cause a distraction for audience members or affect sightlines.
There will be a secluded space for you to use as a green room on the evening of your performance.
We generally do not have the space for rehearsals of any type in the days before the show, but feel free to ask. You are welcome to come early on the day of the performance to get a feel for the space.
FINANCES AND PROMOTION
There is no rental fee or financial buy-in for using the space. Whatever we make on tickets, we split 50/50.
This series was designed by artists to be a resource for artists. It's a straightforward partnership: We take care of all of the production elements, box office, staffing, ticket sales, etc., and you bring the show.
We will both need to promote the performance. We can get the word out, but no one can reach your family, friends, and following like you can! The shows that do well are always a joint effort. Out-of-town performers: we can draw some audience from the storytelling community here, but for a nice house, the performer will need to put in some work promoting. We know this can be more difficult when visiting, but getting word out to the general public, drawing upon any Chicago connections, etc. can help a great deal.
The money is generally available from our ticketing platform the day after the event wraps, at which point we will digitally transfer your half to you.
We generally do not offer comps, and we won't use up any of your seats for comps of our own. If a photographer or videographer is coming, they will not need a ticket for that standing space. Anyone else will need a ticket for a seat.
We will work with you to set a reasonable ticket price. We like to keep the price affordable and the shows accessible. Ticket prices have generally ranged from $12-15, plus fees.
We are open to all sorts of performances from all sorts of performers. Over the years, we have had traditional solo shows, comedians, folk musicians, essayists, magic, poetry, and more. We are interested in performers of all experience levels and backgrounds.
We are an artist-forward space. There is no rental fee and proceeds are split evenly between us. It's a partnership.
We are completely comfortable with both first-time solo performers debuting a new piece and seasoned pros touring an established show or new work. We just ask that this piece is ready for public performance in front of a paying audience. This is not a workshop series or a place to rehearse a half-formed piece in the earliest stages of development.
We do not heavily vet shows or demand in-depth explorations of your material. Yes, we will want to know about the show and will make sure it is a good fit for the series, but we're not here to critique or judge the quality of your content.
We don't have a limit on language or content, except for an obvious one: we will not tolerate any hate speech, misogyny, racism, homophobia, etc.
Shows typically run 45-80 minutes.
We work out of an operational pub, so the availability of dates will vary according to their schedule. The upstairs at Murphy's is a popular space for performances, private events, and gatherings. Once we agree to put up the show with you, we'll look at availability and see what works for you, us, and the venue. Typically, shows take place on Sunday afternoons or evenings, and occasionally a Saturday afternoon. Typically, we'd book your performance anywhere from 2-4 months out.
We do not book first come first served. We strive to get everyone who is interested on our stage eventually, but we often schedule for variety and take into account things like what makes sense seasonally, the stage of development your show is currently in, themes emerging for a given month, and more. It is completely fine if you have performed this show in town before. In that case, we'll time it out with you to ensure the best chance of having a nice, full house for your performance with us.
Although we have "solo" in our name, we have occasionally had duos or trios on our stage. We are open to this, but would want to make sure it fits our stage space. Any more than three people on stage at one time would be too crowded, and you will not have much room to move around with even three.
THE SPACE: LOGISTICS AND MEASUREMENTS
The Jekot Theater is a 44-seat, pop-up theater space upstairs at Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro in North Center (3905 N Lincoln) The space is fully accessible, with an elevator to the second floor. The upstairs bar will not be staffed for the event, but attendees can dine downstairs before/after the show, or bring drinks up with them.
There is free parking in a small lot just south of the venue, in a metered (but inactive) lot a block south on the opposite side of Lincoln, and Lincoln and surrounding streets are free on Sunday.
The seating cannot be rearranged, and consists of 3 seats to a row on either side of the aisle. The last row in the theater seats four. The front row is only a few feet from the edge of the stage, making those 6 seats a very intimate experience.
The stage space is 12 feet wide, about 6 feet deep, and six inches tall. The backdrop is a red, ceiling-to-floor curtain. This cannot be switched out, or have anything hung from it. There is no backstage space, and you cannot fit behind the curtain. There is a single power outlet center stage behind the curtain.
There is room for some props or scenery on stage, but please keep the available space in mind to avoid crowding or clutter. We have chairs, stools, small tables, and a music stand available for you to use. The room itself is approximately 35 feet long and 14 feet wide.
Lighting from two barn doored cans is great, but static. Other than bringing them all up or all down, there isn't much we can do as far as effects go. With the house lights down, it is difficult to see much of the audience, but we can bring them up a little to make it more possible if you'd like.
The acoustics in the room are great. We use the integrated house system, with speakers in the ceiling, and it has only one XLR input. Many performers have gone without amplification because the room is really small, but the choice is yours. We have one Shure wireless pack with either lavalier or headset available, or a cabled mic and stand. For performers needing more, such as musicians, you'd need to bring your own small system.
We have an auxiliary input into the house system for a phone that can be used for pre- or post-show music. We're happy to take care of this if you'd prefer not to bother with it. It might be possible for us to take care of a simple sound cue or two for you from this phone, but anything more would be difficult. We'd need details far in advance.
We do not have a projection system. Several performers have brought a television and stand to set up, which has worked fine. A projector and screen could work, but it may be a little washed out with the stage lighting, and would remove a few seats. There is a projection screen at Murphy's available for use.
Please - no fire, liquids, smoke effects, weapons, acrobatics, climbing, chainsaw juggling, etc.
The room has its own thermostat and HVAC system to control the climate.
The doors to the space will be closed during the performance, and there is nothing else scheduled upstairs during our shows.
If you would like to film your show, there is space for a small tripod in the back of the room. You could also station a still photographer in this spot, as long as their camera shutter is silent. We do not allow filming or photography from anywhere else in the room, as the light can cause a distraction for audience members or affect sightlines.
There will be a secluded space for you to use as a green room on the evening of your performance.
We generally do not have the space for rehearsals of any type in the days before the show, but feel free to ask. You are welcome to come early on the day of the performance to get a feel for the space.
FINANCES AND PROMOTION
There is no rental fee or financial buy-in for using the space. Whatever we make on tickets, we split 50/50.
This series was designed by artists to be a resource for artists. It's a straightforward partnership: We take care of all of the production elements, box office, staffing, ticket sales, etc., and you bring the show.
We will both need to promote the performance. We can get the word out, but no one can reach your family, friends, and following like you can! The shows that do well are always a joint effort. Out-of-town performers: we can draw some audience from the storytelling community here, but for a nice house, the performer will need to put in some work promoting. We know this can be more difficult when visiting, but getting word out to the general public, drawing upon any Chicago connections, etc. can help a great deal.
The money is generally available from our ticketing platform the day after the event wraps, at which point we will digitally transfer your half to you.
We generally do not offer comps, and we won't use up any of your seats for comps of our own. If a photographer or videographer is coming, they will not need a ticket for that standing space. Anyone else will need a ticket for a seat.
We will work with you to set a reasonable ticket price. We like to keep the price affordable and the shows accessible. Ticket prices have generally ranged from $12-15, plus fees.