Based on true events, the musical transports the audience to England in the 1920s, where children say they have seen fairies dancing by a stream.
The case comes to the attention of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes) and the fairy photographs become a sensation. But what will happen when the truth about the fairies comes out?
Fairystories is billed as a musical about loss and grief and "the magical power of the inner life to let us grow and love."
Elizabeth Margolius directs, with music direction by Andra Velis Simon. The cast includes Glen Feinstein, Kevin M. Grubb, Jackie Jasperson, Eric Labanauskas, Teresa Scalise, Jenni Sumerak and Jeffery A. Ward.
The creative team also includes Julian Pike (lighting designer), Rebekah T. Johnson (stage manager) and Dan Tucci (assistant stage manager). TBC recently offered this studio presentation of Fairystories in Stages 2006, its annual festival of new musicals, Aug. 11-13
. The musical program at Theatre Building Chicago "is committed to nurturing the writers of new works of musical theatre," according to TBC notes. "At the heart of TBC's program is a musical theatre writers workshop, which explores the special disciplines of lyrics, book and music."
New works may be seen in a concert reading in the Monday Night Musicals series; in a studio presentation, where TBC focuses on the material and the performances rather than on the physical production; or in the Stages festival of new musicals, which takes place every summer.
Theatre Building Chicago presents new works by its musical theatre workshop writers but also by writers from across the country and around the world. Paul Graham Brown, the author of Fairystories, is British but currently based in Berlin. Theatre Building Chicago found Fairystories through the National Alliance for Musical Theatre in New York and the Global Search for Musicals in Cardiff.
"We are helping to develop this new piece with the Academy of New Musical Theatre in Los Angeles and the Village Theatre in Issaquah Washington," according to TBC.
Theatre Building Chicago is at 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Performances are Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 3 PM & 8 PM, and Sundays at 3 PM, through August 27. Tickets are $15-$30.
Reservations are strongly encouraged. For additional information about Theatre Building Chicago, call (773) 327-5252 or visit www.theatrebuildingchicago.org.
