Otherworld Theatre Company teleports Doug Jones into its show

Otherworld Theatre Company is a non-profit theater organization that was founded in June of 2021 and celebrates the unusual and unique aspects of people in a world full of science fiction and fantasy. 

One of the most decorated theater companies in Chicago, Otherworld Theatre, located at 3914 N. Clark Street, seems to have the motto "more is more" with enough eye-popping knick-knacks in their space to put Santa Claus at Christmastime to shame! Upon entering the storefront space, patrons are greeted with a lounge area and bar perfect for unwinding before, during intermission or after the show. If someone is feeling overwhelmed with all the wild memorabilia, this group offers a special room to relax the senses if needed. 

The cast and crew have done their homework to make a safe space that is all-inclusive and friendly to everyone, especially marginalized communities and anyone that may feel like an outsider. I think of my brother who may never fit into social norms or what people deem as acceptable. Otherworld is made for people like my brother and makes me wish he lived closer where he could be around like-minded individuals. 

On April 10, Otherworld brought in a big talent to save the world and raise some funds to keep their programming alive. Performer Doug Jones was in town for the Star Trek: Mission Chicago convention and that certainly paid off for this theater troupe by luring him away for an appearance that night. 

Jones is known for playing a variety of roles and being filmmaker Guillermo del Toro's muse after appearing in The Mimic, Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth and The Shape of Water, among others. Since 2017, he's played Captain Saru in Star Trek: Discovery. 

Jones joined the Portal-Prov! improv team to stage a sold-out show for lucky ticketholders in a rare setting. Beforehand, Jones's openly gay manager gave out souvenirs by playing a trivia contest to warm up the crowd of enthusiastic fans. Competitors took home a variety of buttons and autographed items.

For approximately an hour Jones and the gang had fun with suggestions shouted from the audience. Sometimes the actors were unfamiliar with Star Trek mythology even referring to it as "Star Wars" at one point, but that was all part of the unpredictable experience of live comedy and added to the humor. 

Jones's facial expressions and body formations had many laughing and cheering for more. The professionals at Portal-Prov! kept things moving thanks to well-trained improvisational skills and spontaneous energy. Dancing aliens and hilarious Star Trek references had spectators on the edge of their seats until the very end. 

After an intermission, Jones spoke on The Nerd Therapy Podcast for a live taping hosted by Eric Koll and Natalie Jeung about mental health. The episode tied in Jones with his Captain Saru character on Star Trek Discovery who has experienced loss and family trauma to the poignant podcast. 

Otherworld Theatre's future looks bright and now has them presenting Murder on Horizon, an eight-person limited experience where the audience solves a crime while interacting with the stage actors. To purchase tickets, fly over to OtherworldTheatre.org.