Friday-Sunday, November 14-16, 3pm

Tickets $40, MCA members $32
Buy Tickets Online
or call the MCA Box Office, 312.397.4010

Boxed Dinners, $12, are available through Puck's Café (menu details), and can be purchased in advance through the MCA Box Office or online.


Gatz brings together the literary virtuosity of an American masterpiece and the mischievous creativity of one of New York's most celebrated experimental companies, Elevator Repair Service. Gatz is a bold staging of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, verbatim and unabridged. It starts with a man sitting alone one morning in a dilapidated office reading out loud from a ragged paperback, and develops out of this simple beginning into a unique and transporting 6-hour theatrical event. This ambitious, hilarious, strangely insightful work is a memorable experience not to be missed.

About the Artist
Elevator Repair Service, a theater ensemble directed by John Collins, combines elements of slapstick comedy, hi-tech and lo-tech design, both literary and found text, found objects and discarded furniture, and the group's own highly developed style of choreography. Their inspired and transformative experimentation has been widely applauded in the New York experimental theater world, with engagements across the U.S. and Europe. MCA is proud to present ERS in their Chicago debut.

Gatz ought be mandatory for all people of the theater.
- Klassekampen, Oslo

Breathtakingly good theater. . . leaves the audience with that melancholy emptiness that comes with the end of something great.
- Het Parool, Amsterdam

Thrillingly theatrical and moving... the company's infectious love for Fitzgerald's poetry makes you realize the shortcomings of almost every other staged adaptation.
- New York Times

Running time: 7.5 hours, including two short intermissions and a dinner break

Gatz is presented in partnership with the Chicago Humanities Festival. The 19th annual Chicago Humanities Festival features 120 events at 30 venues citywide and runs October 3 to November 16. Programs include concerts, theater performances, exhibits, discussions, lectures, and films. For information, visit www.chfestival.org or call 312.494.9509.

Boxed Dinner options
Sandwich Boxed Dinner, $12
Includes a side of macaroni and cheese or fruit salad, and a beverage.
-  Roast beef sandwich with horseradish aioli on focaccia
-  Roasted turkey with smoked gouda cheese, lettuce and tomato on country
    Italian bread
-  Grilled vegetables with mozzarella on garden herb focaccia
Hot Entrée Boxed Dinner, $12
Includes chef's choice hot pasta and a beverage.

* Patrons who reserve a boxed dinner by November 8, receive a coupon for a free cookie or dessert, available at intermission or during the dinner break.
** Boxed dinner sales end Tuesday, November 11, at 8 pm. Boxed dinners can be purchased through the MCA Box Office, 312.397.4010, or online.

A la carte options:
Sandwiches
Mixed greens salad
Soup of the day
Assorted desserts
Assorted beverages
Beer and wine
* A la Carte offerings are not available for advance purchase.

Artists Up Close
All events take place at the Museum of Contemporary Art unless otherwise noted.

Great Books Discussion: The Great Gatsby
Saturday, November 1, noon
Free, reservations required, call CHF at 312.494.9509
Reading material is provided by the Great Books Foundation for this stimulating discussion of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel. Organized by the Chicago Humanities Festival.

Great American Novel, Revisited
Saturday, November 1, 1:30 pm
Tickets $5, available by calling CHF at 312.494.9509
This panel discussion focuses on the idea and pursuit of the "Great American Novel," and features John Collins, founder and artistic director of Elevator Repair Service; Wendy Steiner, Penn literary scholar; Nicholas Delbanco, author and University of Michigan professor of English; Morris Dickstein, CUNY professor of English; Kenneth Warren, University of Chicago professor of American and African American literature; and moderator Bill Savage, Northwestern University senior lecturer and literary culturist. When and how did this notion enter into our national cultural life? Is it a uniquely American preoccupation, and/or a distinctly male one? What impact have diverse voices had on the discussion's course? Alternatively, is the pursuit of this white whale a silly and meaningless exercise? Organized by the Chicago Humanities Festival.

Professional Workshop: Starting Your Own ...
Tuesday, November 11, 6 pm
Free
With 17 years of practical experience leading a non-profit organization, ERS co-founder John Collins leads a dialogue with members from Chicago's independent theater movement on the experience of flipping the conventional business model into a unique, process-led model that can provide ensembles crucial independence to create original work.

Special Offers

Students
Single tickets are just $10 with valid student ID (subject to availability).

Subscribers
Save up to 20% and receive flexible exchange privileges* when you purchase tickets to three or more shows.
*Tickets may be exchanged up to 48 hours prior to the performance (subject to availability).

Groups
Save 20% when you buy 10 or more tickets for a performance.

Our flexible payment plan makes reservations easy and risk-free. Call 312.397.4010 to make a reservation for your group. Ask about private meet-the-artist and reception opportunities.

MCA members
Only MCA members enjoy discounts on performance tickets, at Puck's, and in the MCA Store, plus unlimited free access to the museum and so much more! Join today and become a part of the art.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 312.397.4010 or visit www.mcachicago.org.

MCA Stage ushers
See the show for free! MCA Stage ushers take tickets, direct theater patrons to their seats, escort disabled patrons, and provide other assistance as directed by the house manager. For more information, call 312.397.4072 or e-mail mcaperformances@hotmail.com.


MORE SAVINGS
$10 Parking
MCA Stage patrons receive $10 discounted parking at the MCA garage (220 E Chicago Ave) and Olympia garage (161 E Chicago Ave), located within two blocks east of Michigan Avenue and operated by InterParking. To receive $10 parking, MCA Stage patrons are asked to show their garage ticket to theater coat check staff who will issue a discount validation voucher. The $10 parking voucher is limited to six hours on date of performance.

The MCA garage is automated and may be without an attendant. Garage parking is limited. Please allow half an hour for parking before curtain time.

Museum admission
Redeem your performance ticket stub to receive free museum admission, valid during regular museum hours up to seven days from the performance date.