Albany Park Theater Project (APTP) and Third Rail Projects is now presenting performances of the immersive production Port of Entry for its fall run. Following a successful sold-out premiere in July and August that garnered rave reviews from Chicago critics, Port of Entry, which is currently sold out through Dec. 16, is an “astonishing piece of work” (Chicago Tribune) in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood.
Port of Entry invites guests on a journey into the lives of immigrants who have made Albany Park their first home in the United States over the past century. Set within a meticulously crafted three-story immersive performance space at 3547 West Montrose Avenue, this production transforms a 1929 warehouse building into a living canvas that vividly portrays the challenges, triumphs, and emotions of forging new lives on Chicago's northwest side.
Each performance of Port of Entry takes an intimate group of 28 audience members through the three floors of the reconstructed apartment building, entering recreated homes from a century of immigrants. Dozens of interviews with Albany Park residents and the lived experiences of APTP ensemble members inspire the production’s multiple storylines. The emotional and engaging stories are portrayed by the renowned APTP youth ensemble, which No Proscenium’s Patrick McLean described as “ the most captivating, compelling element of Port of Entry.” The ensemble take the audiences through an immersive production including sound installations, digital projections and choreographed movements.
“Since opening the doors of Port of Entry to the world, we’ve seen the stories resonate with the audience in countless ways. The audience’s positive response to the world we’ve created, and the talent of our APTP youth ensemble is powerful," said Miguel Angel Rodriguez, Co-Executive Director of Albany Park Theater Project and Co-Director of Port of Entry. “The way that Port of Entry embodies immigrant journeys of the last century within Albany Park and shares these stories in an immersive setting, from many points of view, is incredibly powerful. In the authentic exchanges that immersive theater affords, genuine and heartfelt emotion flows between the cast and the audience,” added Jennine Willett, Co-Artistic Director of Third Rail Projects and Co-Director of Port of Entry.
Selling out nearly immediately after tickets launched this spring, Port of Entry premiered to critical acclaim. Chris Jones from the Chicago Tribune awarded the production a four-star rating and hailed Port of Entry as “an astonishing piece of work” where “you…leave thinking about and still feeling the pulse of this physical environment.” Chicago Reader’s Kerry Reid described the show as “an exhilarating journey” where we “see that we’re not bystanders, but fellow pilgrims.” Patrick McLean spoke to the production design and performances, saying, “It was when the realism faded away, slowly replaced by intense elements of theatrically that left me breathless.” Catey Sullivan reviewing for the Chicago Sun-Times said “the humanity, wit and open-hearted hope instilled in the immigrant stories within this production shine through” and Emily McClanathan of American Theatre noted the production showcases the “intricate craftsmanship of the physical spaces” with “the actors bringing these homes to life…with empathy and poise.”
Port of Entry offers a pay-what-you-choose ticketing model, ranging from free to $140, with ticketholders at every price level enjoying the same experience. To sign up for ticket updates or learn more about Port of Entry, visit portofentrychicago.com. Additional performance dates for 2024 will be announced soon.
About Albany Park Theater Project
Albany Park Theater Project devises world-class theater that amplifies and illuminates the voices and experiences of immigrant and first-generation Americans. On stage and off, APTP creates transformative experiences that forge an inclusive community of youth artists, adult artists and audiences united in making the world more just, equitable and joyful. Since 1997, APTP has premiered two dozen original theater productions inspired by real-life stories of hundreds of people in Albany Park, the Chicago neighborhood where the company makes its home, and other immigrant communities in Chicago. APTP’s teen ensemble has performed for more than 80,000 people, opened the Albany Park neighborhood’s first performing arts space, and filmed two of its original performances for broadcast on Chicago’s PBS affiliate. APTP has received numerous awards, including the MacArthur Foundation Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, the inaugural Luis Valdez Award for Arts Activism from the Alliance of Latinx Theatre Artists, the Midwest Human Rights Award from National Immigrant Justice Center, and the Coming Up Taller Award from the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. APTP is also known for its youth development and college access and persistence programs, through which its youth ensemble members prepare to lead civically engaged and choice-filled lives.
About Third Rail Projects
Third Rail Projects has been hailed as one of the foremost companies creating site-specific, immersive, and experiential performance. The company is led by Artistic Directors Zach Morris, Tom Pearson, and Jennine Willett and is dedicated to re-envisioning ways in which audiences engage with contemporary performance. Their award-winning immersive hit Then She Fell, named one of the “Top Ten Shows of 2012” by Ben Brantley of The New York Times, enjoyed a sold-out run for seven years until the pandemic closed its doors in 2020. The company has created large-scale immersive works in New York and nationally with projects including Ghost Light at Lincoln Center Theater, The Grand Paradise in Brooklyn, and Sweet & Lucky with Denver Center for the Performing Arts, as well as internationally through the Global Performance Studio (GPS). Third Rail Projects has been the recipient of several prestigious awards, including two New York Dance and Performance (Bessie) Awards; a Chita Rivera Award for Choreography; several fellowship awards including two CEC Artslink Back Apartment Residencies (Russia); a Theater Fellowship from the Bogliaco Foundation (Italy); and more. Third Rail Projects has also been recognized as part of the creative team of the Emmy Award-winning virtual reality adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Wolves in the Walls. In 2016, the artistic directors were named among the 100 most influential people in Brooklyn Culture by Brooklyn Magazine.