Piccolo Theatre Accepting Script Submissions

Piccolo Theatre announces a call for 10 minute plays to be produced in a short works festival at the Evanston Arts Depot in August. Through this process they are looking to meet and produce new playwrights whose work correlates with that of their own aesthetic style: physical comedy, eloquence and humor. Piccolo's next season is composed of specifically comedic classics, and would like to select shorts that have some sort of classic theme; that relate to or play upon any classic story. For more information about Piccolo's style, please visit www.piccolotheatre.com. The play selection process will continue throughout the spring but please submit your 10 minute plays no later than March 1 to Sarah Grant at scripts@piccolotheatre.com.

Industry Ticket Offer

Precious Little - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble at the DCA Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph, is offering $10 industry tickets to the following performances: March 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 11 at 7:30 p.m. and March 5 at 3 p.m.

Chicago Fringe announces 2011 Lottery Results Party

Chicago Fringe will be announcing the lineup for its 2011 festival on February 27, 2011. Fringe’s lottery—where shows are selected to perform at the arts festival randomly from a pool of applicants—will officially kick off the pre-festival events for the city’s second annual Fringe Festival.

Applications from all over the world will continue to be accepted through February 15th. At the lottery, 50 shows will be chosen at random to perform in this year’s festival, September 1-11 in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. The Fringe Lottery is open to the public and admission is free. The lottery will take place on February 27th at TEMPLE Gallery (1749 S. Halsted St.). Doors open at 3:30 p.m. and the lottery will begin at 4:00 p.m.

A full list of this year’s lottery winners and the festival’s waiting list will be available following the February 27th lottery event at http://www.chicagofringe.org/.

Chicago Fringe announced it is expanding the number of shows from 45 to 50 for the 2011 festival. The addition of 5 more shows in its sophomore year, in addition to the adding of a second weekend, speaks to the success of Chicago Fringe’s first festival in 2010.

Of the 50 shows that will perform at 2011 Fringe, four were drawn from a special Midwest Fringe tour circuit lottery in January. These four pieces, including local dance group The Space/Movement Project, will tour to the Kansas City, Minnesota, and Indianapolis Fringe Festivals, ending the tour in Chicago. In addition, 25% of the slots in the festival are reserved for a sub-lottery to ensure artists of color, youth, disabled and senior theater applicants are well represented.

The Chicago Fringe Festival invites emerging and established performing artists from Chicago, the U.S. and beyond to showcase their work and add to the dialogue of theatrical art. The Festival also seeks to enhance the perception of Chicago as a major hub for theatre. Chicago Fringe encourages performers to take bold risks by providing an avenue for affordable productions. It also seeks to bring in non-traditional theater-goers through a commitment to low ticket prices and outreach into communities not commonly represented. In this fashion, The Chicago Fringe Festival provides an avenue for diverse artists and audience members to connect in a singular and immediate way.

Chicago Fringe is celebrating its second annual festival in 2011. To find out more about the Chicago Fringe Festival, visit http://www.chicagofringe.org/.

TCG Town Hall Meeting

Bonnie Metzgar and Ruth Margraff invite you to a casual TCG Town Hall Conversation:

Wednesday, February 16th at 7:00 p.m.
Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, Il 60622

They would love to have you in the room and to hear your thoughts and to dream up lots of grand ideas for the future of theater...

Please RSVP to info@ruthmargraff.com to attend.

Visitation/Funeral Information on Dr. Bella Itkin-Konrath

The Theatre School at DePaul University is sad to announce the passing of Dr. Bella Itkin-Konrath, who died at St. Joseph's Hospital in Chicago, Wednesday, February 9, 2011, at age 90. Dr. Itkin was Professor Emeritus at The Theatre School at DePaul University, formerly the Goodman School of Drama, where she taught for 47 years, and directed over 200 productions.

Visitation for Bella will be, Friday, 2/11/11, 3-8PM at:
Rago Brothers Funeral Home
624 N. Western Avenue (corner of Erie St. and Western)
Chicago, IL 60612

The funeral mass will be Saturday, 2/12/11, at 10AM (gathering at 9:30AM) at:
St. Vincent de Paul Church
1010 W. Webster (corner of Webster & Sheffield)
Chicago, IL 60614

The Reverend Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., President of DePaul University, will preside at the mass, Monsignor Kenneth Velo, Office of Catholic Collaboration, DePaul University, will deliver the Homily.

This will be followed by the internment and a luncheon

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Bella Itkin Scholarship Fund at The Theatre School at DePaul University, 2135 N. Kenmore, Chicago, IL 60614.

The Theatre School will be holding a Memorial Service for Bella later this year.

An Unexpected Outcome

I had the pleasure of attending an aldermanic forum in my ward (46th) on Tuesday night. There are 11 candidates in my ward. That was not really fun, listening to them all, but I went with a friend who also lives in the 46th and it just felt so American and neighborly and kind of great. It was at a bar and there was food and drinks and everyone talking to each other. I didn’t hate any of the candidates, but one far and away impressed me more than the others. This candidate was so great, I wish I could say who it was, but I can’t here, not allowed to endorse a candidate. I went into that meeting having looked at the websites of the candidates and knowing a tiny bit about a few of them. I came out completely jazzed about the possibility of this person being my alderman. A totally unexpected outcome.

I had never been to one of these before, and I strongly encourage all of you to go to one if you can. It was fun, and guess what? It was theatre! I think we all get a little jaded listening to candidates give stump speeches and never vary from a script. These were real people with real passion and real thoughts about real issues sitting in a circle on folding chairs at a local bar with a mic that only worked sometimes. I know it’s hard to get info on Aldermanic candidates but I truly think if you go to one of these you will come out with a much better idea of who you want representing you – it was only a little more than an hour for 11 candidates and you’d spend that much time googling them anyway.

Deb

Informational Session on DeVos Institute of Arts Management Fellowship Program

You are invited to an Informational Session on the DeVos Institute of Arts Management Fellowship Program

Tuesday, February 15
5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 East Randolph

Please RSVP to Roger Weitz at RWeitz@ChicagoOperaTheater.org by February 13.

The DeVos Institute of Arts Management Fellowship Program began in 2001, and provides comprehensive study to ten arts managers at the Kennedy Center with coursework in strategic planning, marketing, development and financial management; three practical work rotations in Kennedy Center departments; and a series of professional development seminars with senior staff. These paid fellowships are full-time and last nine months from September through May.

**Fellowship Applications must be postmarked by April 1, 2011**

More information available: http://www.kennedy-center.org/education/artsmanagement/fellowships.cfm

Hobo Junction Productions Is Now Accepting Script Submissions

HOBO JUNCTION PRODUCTIONS IS NOW ACCEPTING SCRIPT SUBMISSIONS FOR THEIR HOBO-ROBO NEW COMEDIC WORKS FESTIVAL: HOBOS IN SPACE!

WHAT: Hobo Junction, the company who brought you Bad Guys in Suits and The Regulars: the Epic War Rock Musical about Waiters, is currently accepting script submissions from playwrights for their 3RD ANNUAL HOBO-ROBO NEW COMEDIC WORKS FESTIVAL: HOBOS IN SPACE! All script submissions are due by Monday MARCH 7th!

They are looking for 10-minute comedic works. They must be original, creative, fresh and above all, ridiculous. Hobo Junction celebrate snew comedy so all submissions must be works that make you laugh. HELP SUPPORT NEW COMEDY! SUBMIT!

All information and questions should be sent to: HoboJunction@sbcglobal.net
(Please put “PLAYWRIGHT” in the Subject)

Pieces should be 7-10 page original COMEDIC works WITH A SCIENCE FICTION THEME. Any play over 15 pages will not be considered! All submissions are due by March 7. A committee will review all submissions and narrow it down to 9 to 10 plays and on March 11, the selected plays will be given to 8 directors to decide the 8 works to be performed in the festival.

PLAYS MUST BE 7-10 PAGES, ORIGINAL COMEDIC WORKS WITH A SCI-FI THEME!

ABOUT HOBO JUNCTION: Hobo Junction has been called "A solid hour of laughs" by Chicagoist.com, "Genius" by the Chicago Reader and "Wacky" by FOX News Chicago. Hobo Junction, the dark pirates of the Chicago scene, was founded by Josh Zagoren and a robot named ZBOT in 2004 and has since gone on to become a darling of theater goers and comedians all over the city. Hobo Junction has grown into a company made up of talented artists with experience in all aspects of theatre, and with their solid blend of silly and smart, they have produced a celebrated six original shows in their time here, two of them with three extensions, and they don't want to slow down any time soon.

INFO: http://www.HoboJunctionProductions.com

Industry Ticket Offer

Church/Pullman, WA - Red Tape Theatre, 621 W. Belmont is hosting an industry only performance on Monday, February 14 at 8 p.m. $10 Tickets are available at the door and online at www.redtapetheatre.org, code: mermaid. Join the cast and crew at Wilde following the performance.

With Rigor and Joy

I'm taking a break from blogging about the upcoming elections, because I've got something on my mind. Uh-oh, she's got something on her mind...Ever since I've had this job (a little more than 2 years now), I've listened to people say what's wrong with the way theatres work and frankly, I don't want to hear it anymore. I'm not saying we should stick our heads in the sand and not pay attention to the world around us, particularly when it comes to elections, people! And I'm not saying there's not some really smart people doing the talking, but jeez louise, this latest thing from Rocco really has my knickers in a twist for so many reasons. First off, I have worked in this industry for a long time, at seven different theatre companies ranging from very small to very large and I can say unequivocally that NOT ONE of them was overstaffed. Please. And I can only speak for myself but I have never been overpaid. Second, fewer arts organizations mean fewer opportunities for artists and audiences. Period. In the past two weeks I have sat in the audience for seven plays, with thousands of other people, yup, thousands and I have seen some extraordinary work and in each of those audiences at least a few (but usually all) of the audience members were moved to stand and show their appreciation. I and my fellow audience members were moved and inspired and educated and awed and entertained. Just like we have been for the last 5000 years! I kind of think theatre is here to stay as an art form. So, the idea that we MUST change or we will go away just doesn't fly.

I'm not kidding myself that everything is peachy and I'm not saying that we should look away from new ideas, especially good ones, or that we should look away from what the numbers are telling us, or that we should look away from what our audiences (or lack thereof) are telling us. So, what are we going to do you say, what about these problems we have - our declining audience and our structural deficits and our artists not getting paid enough. Well, I once had an artistic director who said, during a time of great turbulence, that we must "approach the work with rigor and joy," beautifully put. We must work rigorously toward bringing in new audiences, we must work rigorously toward balancing our budgets, we must work rigorously toward educating decision makers and funders about the importance of our work and we must approach every part of this work with the joy we have in the creation of it. That’s not an answer, and I don’t have one, but neither does anyone else, we can only keep doing the work and keep adapting this ancient art form to the modern world and doing it with joy, don’t forget the joy.

Deb

Industry Ticket Offers

Church/Pullman, WA - Red Tape Theatre, 621 W. Belmont, is offering $10 industry tickets to all performances through March 5, 2011. Purchase online with code YJL010 and click "Show More Prices." Visit our website for performance schedule, purchasing and additional show info http://www.redtapetheatre.org/.

Radio Golf - Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark St. is offering $10 industry tickets to Thursday performances beginning February 22 through April 9, 2011. Proof of industry required.

Playwriting Competition - 2011 Met Life Nuestras Voces

GUIDELINES FOR THE 2011 MET LIFE NUESTRAS VOCES NATIONAL PLAYWRITING COMPETITION

MISSION:
In 2000 MetLife Foundation and Repertorio Español joined forces to establish The MetLife Nuestras Voces National Playwriting Competition in the hopes of discovering new American plays by established and emerging playwrights writing about the many themes and topics relevant to the Latino communities across the United States—plays that may be under the radar in other venues. It has been our privilege to promote and develop new plays, encourage bright new talent to continue writing plays by providing this forum.

REQUIREMENTS:
*Please read carefully. Plays that do not meet the requirements will not be read.
-Playwrights may be Latino or of any other ethnic or racial background as long as the play’s subject matter and characters resonate with Latino audiences and accurately depict the Hispanic experience.
-No screenplays, one act plays, musicals, adaptations or translations will be accepted.
-New and un-produced plays preferred. Plays that have had readings or a workshop production are acceptable.
-All plays must be original and full-length (minimum running time: 1 hr., 30 min) and can be written in Spanish and/or English.
-Playwrights must be at least 18 years of age and residents of the United States or Puerto Rico.
-Previously submitted scripts are accepted unless they have already placed in the top 10.

SELECTION PROCESS:
-Each script will be read by two independent judges selected by Repertorio Español, on a blind submission.
-Winners will be announced six to seven months after the deadline.
-Each participant will be notified of the results by e - mail. We request that participants do not contact the office to inquire about the competition’s results.

PRIZES:
Round 1:
Finalists will receive a staged reading at Repertorio to further develop the script.

Round 2:
-Grand Prize Winner: $3,000 and a full production at Repertorio Español
-2nd Place: $2,000
-3rd Place: $1,000
-Two runners-up will receive $500 each

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
All applicants must complete the online application form.
Deadline: June 1, 2011 (timestamped)
In addition, applicants must submitt:
-One ELECTRONIC COPY of your script (PDF, Microsoft Word, Plain or Rich Text Formats Accepted) to nuestrasvoces@repertorio.org immediately after completing the online application.
-The ELECTRONIC COPY of the script must have numbered pages and a title page that lists the title and year the play was written ONLY.
-Please OMIT your name from the script
-DO NOT send other biographical information or reviews

Click here for the online application form

WINNING SCRIPT:
By submitting your play to the competition, Repertorio Español shall have a right to produce the play for a period of two years. Such production shall be done in accordance with an agreement mutually acceptable to the playwright and Repertorio Español. If the playwright receives an offer within the two year period from a third party to produce the play, the company has the right to decide to produce the play on terms no less favorable than offered.

Please direct any questions regarding this competition/application to nuestrasvoces@repertorio.org.