Industry Ticket Offers

Brigadoon - Light Opera Works at Cahn Auditorium, 600 Emerson in Evanston, is offering half-price industry tickets on June 4 and 10 at 8 p.m. and June 8 at 2 p.m. For tickets call 847-869-6300 or visit http://www.lightoperaworks.com/ and use code heather (all lower case). Tickets must be purchased in advance. No door sales.

Big Love - Chicago Fusion Theatre at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted, Chicago, is offering a limited number of $15 industry tickets with code word "league" on Thursdays June 2 - 23. Mad Lab Productions in collaboration with CFT will also present Gran Amor, a radio play about the other characters in Big Love who are not seen. Both shows will run on Thursdays starting at 7:45 pm, with a 5 minute break followed by Big Love starting at 8 pm. For more show info, please visit: http://www.chicagofusiontheatre.org/. For tickets, call The Royal George box office at 312-988-9000 or visit http://www.ticketmaster.com/Big-Love-tickets/artist/835586.

Last Day

Tomorrow will mark the last day at the League for “Hot Tix Andy.” Andy has been the face of Hot Tix for thousands of patrons and the voice of Hot Tix for all of our theatres, calling each of you with your Hot Tix wrap for the day and working with you to get your tickets on sale. Andy has been with the League since before my time and has been incredibly valuable to us since I have been here. We will miss him terribly but we are very fortunate that Joe Wescott will be taking over his position, Joe has been with us at Hot Tix for three years and is very knowledgeable and he is the famously funny voice of our popular Twitter feed.

Please welcome Joe to his new post and join the League staff as we send Andy off with our best wishes and hopes for continued success in all he does.

Deb

Plasticene 15th Annual Physical Theater Intensive

June 11 - 16, 2011
UIC Studio Theater
1044 W Harrison Street in Chicago

24 hours of physical theater training, improvisation, and creation for anyone who wants to move, innovate, develop, and play...

Plasticene offers one of the best and most challenging workshops of the summer! The Plasticene's Intensive is a great way to get physical with one of Chicago's most critically-acclaimed experimental theatre companies. This exciting and challenging workshop emphasizes acting and theater founded in the body, space, and objects. Plasticene's work has gained city-wide recognition as one of the most innovative opportunities to gain heightened awareness of themselves and the use of space and the body in theater.

Click here for more information.

Industry Ticket Offers

Sleeping With Straight Men - Ludicrous Theatre Company - at the BoHo Theatre @ Heartland, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave., just off the Morse Red line Stop. is offering $5 industry tickets with resume/headshot or tech resume for Thursdays at 8pm and Saturdays at 2pm through June 4th.

Calderon de la Barca's Life is a Dream - Vitalist Theatre in association with Premiere Theatre & Performance at Stage773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. is offering $10 Thursday night industry tickets through June 11 when you present a business card or headshot.

Next Up: Three Productions from Chicago’s Next Generation of Artists Presented in Repertory at the Steppenwolf Garage Theatre, 1624 N. Halsted St. is offering $10 tickets now available for performances Tuesday, May 31st through Sunday, June 5th. To redeem call Audience Services directly at 312.335.1650 or visit http://www.steppenwolf.org/ and use code “8574.” Tickets must be reserved at least one hour before performance. Subject to availability.

Space Available for Rent at Gorilla Tango

Gorilla Tango Theatre in Chicago (Bucktown) - easily accessible by “L” or bus, ample street parking available – has space available in August and September going forward! Basic marketing, box-office services (online and phone), and rehearsal space is included (FREE) for all weekday and weekend timeslots. GTT runs shows 7 days per week, multiple shows per day; greatest potential for profit and greatest protection from loss for any self-producing company or individual. Theatre has 80-seat capacity – for pictures and more information visit http://www.gorillatango.com and click on “Producers Wanted” page, or contact Dan Abbate at 773-598-4549 or dan@gorillatango.com.

Thank You

We had our annual gala on Monday night and it went very well. The gala raises a significant amount of money for the operations of the League. But, more than that, the event, like no other I can think of, brings together so many different pieces of what makes up our community. We give some awards (this year to Boeing, Teatro Vista and The New Colony) and this year the speeches all touched on what this community means to all of these companies. As I looked around the room I saw people from companies large and small, some of them are on the board of the League, some were volunteers for the event and still others were guests of those who bought tables. There were representatives from foundations and corporations and from the universities. There were corporate and foundation folks and some just plain folks who support the League and Chicago theatre. 250 people were there in all and it was a fantastic room. As I looked around and listened to the speeches I was filled with pride for the League and for this community. It was an honor to be responsible for bringing those people together and it is an honor to lead this organization. I thank all of you who support the League in so many ways and bring so much joy and vitality to our city.

Deb

Industry Ticket Offers

Tragedy: A Tragedy - Red Tape Theatre, 621 W. Belmont, is hosting an industry only performance on Monday, May 23 at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $10 and available online or at the door. Join the cast and crew at nearby Zad Restaurant. Visit http://www.redtapetheatre.org/ for info and tickets. Use code: ENO! when purchasing online. Contact Myah Shein at myahshein@gmail.com with questions.

The Hot L Baltimore - Steppenwolf Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. is offering $10 tickets for performances Thursday, May 19th through Sunday, May 29th. To redeem $10 tickets call Audience Services directly at 312.335.1650 and use code “8435.” Tickets must be reserved at least one hour before performance. Subject to availability.

Industry Ticket Offers

TROGG! A Musical - Hell in a Handbag Productions at the Chopin Studio Space, 1543 W. Division St. is offering $10 industry tickets for Thursday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m. Use code word ‘industry’. Available online http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/165898, at the box office or call 1-800-838-3006. See www.handbagproductions.org for show details.

Three Days of Rain by Richard Greenberg - BackStage Theatre Company at The Viaduct Theatre, 3111 N Western Ave is offering $13 tickets for all May performances and a special Industry performance on Tuesday, June 7th at 7pm. Order tickets online with code: INDUSTRY or email reservations@backstagetheatrecompany.org to reserve and pay at the door.

Alan Cumming - Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E Randolph. Scottish-born Tony Award-winning Broadway thespian and star of CBS’ The Good Wife, the immensely talented Alan Cumming presents the Chicago premiere of his hit one-man cabaret show, I Bought a Blue Car Today, cheekily titled after an expression Cumming was asked to recite when applying to become a U.S. citizen in Fall 2008. League members can use code “ACLEAGUE” to receive $10 off tickets to the May 28, 7:30 p.m. performance at http://www.harristheaterchicago.org/.

Henry the Fourth - Oak Park Festival Theatre in Austin Gardens, 100 block of North Forest Ave., north of Lake St. in downtown Oak Park, is offering $10 industry tickets every Thursday, plus the two Wednesday shows on July 6. Tickets are available at the door or reservations may be made by calling 708-445-4440 or by e-mailing Tickets@OakParkFestival.com at least 48 hours in advance. Industry tickets are not available for purchase on the website. Show runs June 9 through July 9, with $15 previews on June 9 & 10. Must present proof of industry membership (union card, headshot, resume, business card, multiple stopwatches, etc.) One ticket per piece of proof.

Henry V - Oak Park Festival Theatre in Austin Gardens, 100 block of North Forest Ave., north of Lake St. in downtown Oak Park, is offering $10 industry tickets every Thursday, plus the two Wednesday shows on August 17. Tickets are available at the door or reservations may be made by calling 708-445-4440 or by e-mailing Tickets@OakParkFestival.com at least 48 hours in advance. Industry tickets are not available for purchase on the website. Show runs July 14 through August 20, with $15 previews on July 14 and 15. Must present proof of industry membership (union card, headshot, resume, business card, multiple stopwatches, etc.) One ticket per piece of proof.

Redtwist Seeking Playwright Submissions

Redtwist Theatre would like to invite new playwrights to submit their unproduced plays. The Redtwist Reading Series will consist of 12-15 new plays that will be read at the Redtwist Theatre throughout the 2011-2012 season. Plays will be reviewed and chosen by a select group of Redtwist company members and affiliates based on the play’s merits. All plays in the series will be considered for a final project taking place at the end of the 2011-2012 season. Details on the event will be released soon.

GUIDELINES
Playwrights may submit no more than 2 scripts.
Children's shows and musicals are discouraged. However, if you wish to submit a musical, please include a sample recording.
Works may be as short as 70 minutes with a maximum length of 120 minutes
Work in its present form must not have had a previous production.
All submissions must be postmarked by July 31, 2011
If considered as a finalist for selection in the Redtwist Reading Series, Redtwist may request an interview.
If selected, your season slot will be scheduled by October 1, 2011

HOW TO SUBMIT
Only professionally formatted submissions will be accepted. Although hard copy submissions are preferred, e-submissions will be accepted in either .doc/.docx or .pdf format. Email to Andrew@redtwist.org with play title and Reading Series in the headline.
Both hard copy and e-submissions must include the following:
(a) brief cover letter with contact information and email address
(b) one copy of a brief synopsis with cast breakdown
(c) one copy of script
*Note: No hardcopy scripts will be returned.

Please send all material to the following address:
Attn: Reading Series
Redtwist Theatre
1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Chicago, IL 60660

WHAT WE PROVIDE
Performance space for the reading.
Director and casting for the reading. (Special requirements for director and casting must be made known to Redtwist in your submission.)
Marketing to promote the entire series.
Talkback following the reading.

The End of an Era

This will be my last blog post of the Richard M. Daley administration. I've said it here before and I'll say it again. I love the guy. I like his style and I like how he loves Chicago. He has been mayor for as long as I've lived in Chicago, he's been mayor for as long as some of you reading this have been alive.

It's not sad, I'm glad to see him go before he's dead. I'm glad he'll see more of his grandchildren and be able to spend more time with Maggie. I hate it when people die in office - the guy hasn't had a day off in 22 years so he deserves some down time. It sounds like I know him right? Like I'm a personal friend or something? I'm not but I guess I feel like he was watching out for me. He worked hard for the arts and for that I'm very appreciative - I love this city and I think he has a lot to do with creating and nurturing what's great about it.

It's also not sad because I'm glad to see Rahm take over. He'll do a fine job and our city will flourish. Still, it's the end of an era and I feel compelled to take note. I'm a sap like that, I kind of want to go and hang out around city hall tomorrow, you know, watch him leave for the last time. Sappy.

Deb

All About Eve Season of Concern Benefit Reading May 23

Award-winning actress Hollis Resnik is Margo Channing in Season of Concern’s benefit reading of “All About Eve” May 23 at the Mayne Stage.

The reading of Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s iconic 1950 screenplay is directed by longtime Goodman Theatre associate producer Steve Scott. Show time is 7:00 PM.

Resnik will be joined onstage by other Chicago favorites including Larry Yando as Addison DeWitt, Heidi Kettenring as Karen, Steppenwolf ensemble member James Vincent Meredith as Bill, Peggy Roeder as Birdie, Northlight Theatre Artistic Director BJ Jones as Llyod, Ross Lehman as Max Fabian, Maura Kidwell as Ms. Caswell, and Sandra Delgado as Eve. Longtime Chicago musician John Steinhagen is the Pianist. Additional casting will be announced shortly.

The 1950 film "All About Eve" starred Bette Davis as Channing, the prominent yet aging Broadway star, and Anne Baxter as Eve Harrington, a willingly helpful young fan who insinuates herself into Channing's life. The film was written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, based on the short story "The Wisdom of Eve" by Mary Orr.

The film was nominated for 14 Academy Awards and won six, including Best Picture.

Season of Concern is the Chicago theatre community’s fundraising effort, providing compassionate care to artists who are experiencing life-threatening illnesses. Each year, Season of Concern raises funds that provide direct care and address critical healthcare needs for Chicago theatre community members.

At the benefit, Season of Concern will present its 4th Annual Larry Sloan Awards to the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, former SoC board president Barry Taylor, and longtime SoC fundraiser Karen Bronson.

“All About Eve” is presented by special arrangement with Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation and Sonia Friedman Productions. Windy City Media Group is a media sponsor.

The Mayne Stage is located at 1328 W. Morse Avenue. Valet parking is available for $5.00 at the door. Tickets for the reading go on sale on Wednesday, April 20 and are $45, or two for $80. For more information and to purchase tickets visit http://www.seasonofconcern.org/.

Not for Profit Incorporation and Tax Exemption Workshop

Lawyers for the Creative Arts

Thursday, July 7, 2011, 5:30-9 p.m.
213 W. Institute Place, Ste. 403
The cost is $100 for one person, and $125 for two people.
This workshop will discuss whether to start a NFP, how to establish a NFP, as well as certain recurring operating problems. It will also cover in detail how to obtain a 501(c) (3) tax exemption and discuss several legal issues regarding maintaining tax exempt status. A full package of documents is included. Although this workshop is intended for artists of all types, it has been very popular with lawyers as well as it provides comprehensive coverage of the subject.

Please call LCA at 312-649-4111 to register

Stage Left Seeking Play Submissions for DrekFest 2011

DREKFEST 2011
Don't miss your chance to be part of Stage Left Theatre's annual laugh riot!
Presented in association with The ComedySportz Theatre.

Stage Left's Fifth Annual National Contest for the WORST Ten-Minute Play. From all submissions, four finalists will be chosen to compete for cash prizes on

TUESDAY, JULY 19, 2011
At The ComedySportz Theatre
929 W. Belmont

The submission deadline for DrekFest 2011 is Friday, June 3rd, 2011.

All entries must be RECEIVED (not postmarked) by the entry deadline.

For clarity's sake, we are not out to make fun of writers or those who love them! What we are doing is asking good writers to intentionally write awful plays that make us laugh on the inside (especially if that's noted in the stage directions) - and out loud.
******************************************************
Submission Guidelines
If it's not already painfully clear, we want the funny! Preference will be given to scripts that make us laugh. Here are the submission guidelines:

DEADLINE: Submissions must be received by Friday, June 3rd, 2011 (note, this is not postmark date, it is a "received by" date).

Plays must perform at ten minutes or less (remember that stage directions will be read aloud). Maximum of 5 actors per script (however, write as many characters as you please). The 10 minute time limit will be STRICTLY ENFORCED this year!! There are no limitations on genre or subject matter.

We will be using a Blind Submission process. Please include the following materials with your submission:
• A cover letter on a separate sheet of paper, included in the envelope with your play (or as a separate attachment, if emailing). Envelopes and emails will not be opened by judges, only by non-judge staff members. List your contact info, including name, phone, email & street address on your cover letter. Cover letter should include your availability to be in Chicago on July 19, 2011. You do not need to be able to travel to Chicago in order to send a submission to DrekFest; however, most of the fun is in being there!
• Your resume.
• Your play(s). Do NOT include your name, by-line or contact info on the play itself. If mailed, plays must be clipped or bound in such a way that the pages can be easily separated for copying - no spiral bindings.
• Your submission fee of $10.00 per play (e.g., $20.00 if you submit two plays). All submission fees will go towards the cash prizes awarded to the winners - we won't make a dime off your dimes. If mailing, include a check made out to "Stage Left Theatre." If emailing, call us at 773-883-8830 by Friday, June 3rd to charge your fee to a Visa or MasterCard. Credit card payments will have an additional $1 added.

A Note About Cash Prizes:
One hundred percent of the submission fees received are paid out as cash prizes. Therefore, the amount of the prizes will depend on the number of submissions we get. All 4 of the plays chosen will receive something and the winner will receive the BIG check. In past years, the Grand Prize has ranged from $300.00 to $400.00, and may be less or more as submissions warrant.

Please mail your submissions to:
Stage Left Theatre
Attn: DrekFest
3408 N. Sheffield Ave.
Chicago, IL 60657

-- OR --

Email your submissions to: drekfest@stagelefttheatre.com

One State Together in the Arts Conference May 23, 24

One State Together in the Arts Conference
May 23, 24, 2011
Bloomington-Normal, IL

REGISTER NOW

Rather than lots of plenaries and concurrent sessions, this year One State has a total of ten presenters. Their talks will explore breakthrough ideas, breakthrough people, and breakthrough connections. Most of them will have 20 minutes (no more, no less) to share a big idea or big inspiration with the entire audience. There will also be breakouts where participants can interact with the presenters and share their own stories and breakthroughs.

Conference Presenters Include:
Bruce Mau (Keynote) -- visionary designer and author.
Frank Maugeri -- co-artistic director of Redmoon Theater
James Goggin -- director of design, print, and digital media for the Museum of Contemporary Art
Albany Park Theater Project (APTP) -- a multiethnic community of teen artists that has created more than 50 world-premiere original plays and performed for 30,000 audience members
Kevin Coval -- co-founder of Louder Than A Bomb: The Chicago Teen Poetry Festival
Dr. Carrie Sandahl -- head of the new Program on Disability Art, Culture, and Humanities
The Honorable Sheila Simon -- Illinois' Lieutenant Governor
Daniel Sinker -- assistant professor at Columbia College Chicago, founder and past editor-in-chief of Punk Planet
Tanya Saracho -- playwright, co-founder and former artistic director of Teatro Luna, and more...
Orbert Davis -- Acclaimed trumpeter/composer and co-founder, artistic director, and conductor of the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic

Read more about the presenters.

The Art of Science Learning Conferences 2011

THE ART OF SCIENCE LEARNING CONFERENCES 2011
www.artofsciencelearning.org
Chicago - May 16-17
Illinois Institute of Technology
Sponsored by Illinois Institute of Technology

In Partnership with:
The Arts & Business Council of Chicago
Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education
Chicago Public Schools
Museum of Science and Industry
The Field Museum
Urban Gateways.

Conference Agenda:
http://www.artofsciencelearning.org/conferences/chicago/chicago-agenda.html

The Art of Science Learning: Shaping the 21st-Century Workforce is an NSF-funded project convening educators, scientists, artists, business leaders, researchers and policymakers in three conferences this Spring (Washington DC, Chicago and San Diego) to explore how the arts can be engaged to strengthen STEM skills and spark creativity in the 21st-Century American workforce.

The 1½-day conferences are hands-on, workshop-based forums organized around three interactive tracks that will: showcase interdisciplinary methods using arts-based learning to develop creativity, critical thinking and communication skills in the future STEM workforce (Educational Practice); share current research into the impact of arts-based approaches on science education (Research); and explore the connection between the arts, innovation and American economic competitiveness (Workforce Development).

For more information on the Chicago Conference and the NSF-funded project as a whole, please see: www.artofsciencelearning.org.

Artspeaks presents David Henry Hwang + Oskar Eustis

The University of Chicago's 7th annual Artspeaks Series Presents
David Henry Hwang & Oskar Eustis
May 16, 2011, 7:30 pm
International House, 1414 E. 59th Street (Assembly Hall)
Tickets: $20/$5 students with valid ID
Call 773.702.8080 for reservations

Writer/producer David Henry Hwang and Oskar Eustis, artistic director of the Public Theater in New York, engage in a conversation about their craft, including the creative development of Hwang's upcoming production of Chinglish at the Goodman Theatre.

Throughout his career, playwright David Henry Hwang has explored the complexities of forging Eastern and Western cultures in a contemporary America. He is best known as the author of M. Butterfly, which ran for two years on Broadway, won the 1988 Tony, Drama Desk, John Gassner, and Outer Critics Circle Awards, and was also a finalist for the 1989 Pulitzer Prize. Golden Child premiered Off-Broadway at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre, received a 1997 OBIE Award for playwriting and subsequently moved to Broadway, where it received three 1998 Tony Nominations, including Best New Play. Yellow Face, which premiered at Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum and New York's Public Theater, won a 2008 OBIE Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

Oskar Eustis has worked as a director, dramaturg, and artistic director for theaters around the country. In 2005 he took the helm at New York's Public Theater. Throughout his career, Eustis has been dedicated to the development of new plays as both a director and a producer. He commissioned Tony Kushner's Angels in America at the Eureka Theatre Company in San Francisco and directed its world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum. He was a professor of Theatre, Speech and Dance at Brown University, where he founded and chaired the Trinity Rep/Brown University Consortium for professional theater training. He currently serves as Professor of Dramatic Writing and Arts and Public Policy at New York University.

Click here for more information.

Industry Ticket Offers

Rantoul and Die -American Blues Theater at Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., is offering a limited number of $10 industry tickets for this week's performances through May 15. Call 773-871-3000 for more information and mention this offer.

Innocent Thoughts by William Missouri Downs - the side project, 1439 W. Jarvis, is offering free tickets on Saturday, May 14, at 8pm for the fourth event in the side project's 10th Anniversary Season Staged Reading Series. General admission is free and open to the public to each of those series, but donations to our “$10 for 10” are welcome in-person or online. Email tickets@thesideproject.net for reservations; visit http://www.thesideproject.net/ for information.

The Maid of Orleans - Strangeloop Theatre at Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland St, is offering $10 industry tickets for all 8 pm Thursday and 2 pm Sunday performances through May 29. The offer is available at the door, by calling the box office (773-757-6689) or by selecting the Industry option when purchasing online. Bring materials to box office. For more information or tickets, visit http://www.strangelooptheatre.org/.

Roadkill Confidential - Dog and Pony Theatre Company at The Building Stage, 412 N. Carpenter, is offering pay-what-you-can performances on Thursday and Sunday performances through June 4, 2011. For tickets, call The Building Stage box office at 312-491-1369 or visit http://www.dogandponychicago.org/.

Tragedy: A Tragedy - Red Tape Theatre, 621 W. Belmont, is offering $15 industry tickets to all performances through June 4. Tickets are available online at www.redtapetheatre.org, Code: 1S3T0U6 (Click "Show Additional Prices"), or at the door. Please bring h/r. For more information, please visit www.redtapetheatre.org. Questions? Contact Myah Shein at myahshein@gmail.com.

The Chicago Community Trust Announces Annual Fellowship Program

Emerging and Experienced leaders invited to apply

The Chicago Community Trust, metropolitan Chicago’s community foundation, is pleased to announce the fourth Chicago Community Trust Fellowship Program for 2012. The Trust’s fellowship program is designed to elevate the careers of Chicago leaders and increase their future impact on the Chicago metropolitan area by investing in their professional development.

The Trust Fellowship offers professional development opportunities for both emerging and experienced leaders in the nonprofit and public sectors. Successful fellows must be open to new learning, have a track record of accomplishments, have potential for significant community impact and possess a strong commitment to building organizations in the nonprofit and public sectors.

The Chicago Community Trust fellows have the choice of taking a leave from work or continuing to work while engaging in professional development activities. The Chicago Community Trust Fellowship provides financial resources which can cover current salary and benefits for time off, costs related to academic courses, coaching, learning from other practitioners and other associated expenses. Emerging leaders are eligible to apply for up to $30,000 and experienced leaders are eligible to apply for up to $60,000. The Trust anticipates awarding up to ten fellowships — up to seven for emerging leaders and three for experienced leaders. The Fellowship must be completed within 12 months from the selection date.

The Trust will hold a Q & A session on Thursday, May 12, 2011 from 9:00– 11:00am at the following location: The Claudia Cassidy Theatre at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington, Chicago.

The application deadline for the fellowship is June 13, 2011.

For more information and to apply online go to http://www.cctfellowship.org/

About The Chicago Community Trust
For 95 years, The Chicago Community Trust, our region’s community foundation, has connected the generosity of donors with community needs by making grants to organizations working to improve metropolitan Chicago. In 2010, the Trust, together with its donors, granted more than $100 million to nonprofit organizations. From strengthening community schools to assisting local art programs, from building health centers to helping lives affected by violence, the Trust continues to enhance our region. To learn more, please visit the Trust online at http://www.cct.org/.

Chicago Theatre Symposium Announces Programming

In a first-of-its-kind event, an international congress of theater scholars and practitioners are set to chronicle the history and chart the future of Chicago theater in “Chicago – Theatre Capital of America: Past. Present. Future.” Programming has now been announced for this May 18-22. 2011 event, presented by the Theatre Department of Columbia College Chicago.

The symposium’s historical view dates to the World's Columbian Exposition, but the programming primarily focuses on Off-Loop theatre, the self-renewing movement that began in the 1950s with Compass, Second City and Playwrights Theatre Club, then gathered steam in the '60s until the local theater scene exploded in the 1970s and continues to thrive today.

A full schedule of the symposium programming and events can be found at www.colum.edu/theatresymposium. Online registration for the symposium remains open at the site. Registration is $95 for the four-day event, with a student discounted price of $60. Registration and events are open to the public.

A Great Week

I feel like saying it’s been a great week here in my hometown. But that would be stealing. But it has been a great week here in Chicago where the women are strong and the men are good looking and all the theatres are above average. Lookingglass Theatre has brought home our 5th!! Tony award for best regional theatre. When we had four, that was extraordinary and unprecedented, but now we have five, I don’t even know what to say except we are most definitely above average.

Our friend Michelle Boone has been named the new Commissioner of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and I can’t think of a better person for the job. Michelle has been a great friend to all of us and will do the job admirably. And, I’d like to thank all of you for your advocacy. The Mayor elect did not have to name a cultural transition committee and in fact, he did not have to name a new commissioner. He clearly cares about arts and culture, but you can all be sure that by letting him know that you and your constituents care deeply about what happens in the arts in Chicago, you helped further the agenda.

But back to the Tony, not only is it great for Chicago and for Lookingglass and for our cause, but it is incredibly inspirational. If you don’t know how these companies got started, go look at their histories, one performed above a bar, one in a church basement, one a group of recent Northwestern grads, another had $1000 and a lightboard (there has to be a song there) and one started as a school and theatre to memorialize a playwright. We are amazing.

Deb

Ensemble and Board Leadership Workshop May 21

ENSEMBLE & BOARD LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP: CHICAGO
Offered by the Network of Ensemble Theaters, and co-hosted by American Blues Theater
May 21, 2011 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 North Lincoln Avenue

Collaboration and group leadership are at the heart of ensemble artmaking. These strategies can also help boards and ensembles work together, better.

Co-led by a pair of ensemble-based peer experts—a board leader (Gigi Bolt of New York’s SITI Company) and an artistic leader (Ryan Hill, Artistic Director and Founding Member of Sandbox Theatre in Minneapolis)—the workshop:

• explores individual and organizational leadership styles;
• shares a toolkit for lateral/group leadership structures and practice;
• and covers the basic roles and requirements of boards.

Through participatory exercises, hands-on “what would you do” scenarios, and facilitated discussion, we will unpack our assumptions and explore together some tools and strategies to use in strengthening collaborative leadership among your board, staff, and ensemble.

This four-hour session requires both board and ensemble participation (at least one board and one ensemble member from your organization must attend together as a team). It will be most useful for companies with existing active boards that are now looking to bring their collaborative practice to the next level.

Fee/Registration:
Offered free of charge; register at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/175302.
Companies must send a team of two or more (a board member and an ensemble leader) who register and attend together. Class size is limited. Workshop attendance in Chicago has been subsidized through the generous support of The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.

Questions?
Contact Mark Valdez, NET National Coordinator, at mvaldez@ensembletheaters.net or 323.255.2124.

Industry Ticket Offers

Rock the Dress - Chicago Fusion Theatre at Studio A, 2941 W. Belmont, is offering $12 industry tickets at the door with code word "league" on Saturday, May 7 from 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. In benefit of CFT's upcoming spring production of Charles L. Mee's Big Love, you are invited to attend this alternative bridal expo and see a preview of the show. Meet artists in the fields of floral, planning and photography, as well as participate in the main event...a Trash the Dress contest. For more info, please visit: www.chicagofusiontheatre.org.

Off Off Broadzway presents We Changed our Pannies – Stage773, 1225 W. Belmont, is offering a limited number of $8 industry tickets for the 8 p.m. show Thursday, May 5. Visit www.stage773.com and enter code word industry or call 773-327-5252 and mention this offer.

Pony - About Face Theatre at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., is offering $5 industry tickets on Saturday, May 7 at 9:30 p.m. For $5 tickets use code word INDUSTRY or click here.

Summer Space Availability at A Red Orchid

Rent A Red Orchid! PRIME-TIME AVAILABILITY JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER 2011
A Red Orchid Theatre boasts an intimate 70-seat auditorium in Chicago's bustling Old Town neighborhood. Our air-conditioned space comes equipped with both sound equipment and lighting instruments. Full box office support can be negitiated. Our location on nightlife-oriented Wells Street guarantees heavy foot traffic, and easy access from CTA buses and rail stations. Simply call (312) 943-8722 or email kirsten@aredorchidtheatre.org for inquiries.

July Rental Availability at the side project

the side project, located at 1439 W. Jarvis Ave., has rental availability June 27-August 7. Rates/Dates negotiable. Contact Adam at adam@thesideproject.net or 773-973-2150.