A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol

 

Remixes the Dickens classic in the theater Upstairs 

Throw your hands up, Chicago—the holiday treat set to a bangin’ beat is back! Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Chicago hip-hop sensations the Q Brothers—creators of Othello: The Remix and Funk It Up About Nothin’—turn up the volume on Charles Dickens’ classic tale in A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol. Developed with CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton, this feisty reinterpretation of the perennial holiday favorite by Charles Dickens enjoyed wildly successful runs in 2013 and 2014 to rave reviews and packed houses, garnering Joseph Jefferson Award nominations for Outstanding New Musical and Outstanding Ensemble.

Written and performed by GQ, JQ, Jackson Doran and Postell Pringle, this tour de rap wrestles the cherished tale from its classic roots with irreverence, an irresistible score and a lot of heart. The story is underscored with beats spun live at the turntables by DJ Super Nova, mashing up everything from reggae and dancehall music, to dubstep and epic rock ballads. A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol will be presented in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, now through January 3, 2016.

Production Photo 1: Ebenezer Scrooge (GQ) travels through the hip-hop ages—decade by decade from past to present to future—in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, now through January 3, 2016. Photo by Michael Brosilow