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Musical brings ‘Waiting for Guffman’ songs to Chicago

By  Darel Jevens
   
SHARE Musical brings ‘Waiting for Guffman’ songs to Chicago

They’re working, building, never stopping, never sleeping at iO, getting ready to bring a bit of Blaine, Mo., to Chicago’s North Side.A musical opening there next week re-enacts the revue put on by small-town thespians in the 1997 Christopher Guest film “Waiting for Guffman.”“Red, White & Blaine” celebrated the sesquicentennial of the fictional Midwestern burg in a community theater production staged by Corky St. Clair (Guest), a Blaine native with modest New York acting credentials. Like the movie, this show will include the commerce anthem “Stool Boom” and the sci-fi ditty “Nothing Ever Happens on Mars,” as well as songs from deleted “Guffman” scenes and new material by musical director Matt Herzau and director Jeff Griggs.

“Red, White & Blaine” plays at 10:30 p.m. Saturdays starting Nov. 15 at iO, 1501 N. Kingsbury. For tickets, call (312) 929-2401 or go to ioimprov.com/chicago.

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