Industry Ticket Offers

Oohrah! - LiveWire Chicago at Steppenwolf Garage Rep 2012, 1624 N. Halsted, is offering industry $5 off regular ticket price with code 'LEAGUE' for our upcoming performances, March 1, 4, 7, 10 & 11. Tickets can be purchased by phone (312) 335-1650, online at http://www.steppenwolf.org/ or in person at the box office. Click here for more info.

The Gingerbread House - Red Tape Theatre, 621 W. Belmont, is offering $15 industry tickets on Saturday, March 3 for both the 2:00 and 7:30 performances. Use code STUIND when buying online or at the door. Visit http://www.redtapetheatre.org/ for info and tickets. Contact Myah Shein at myah.shein@redtapetheatre.org with questions.

Marquee Tour – The Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State Street, is offering $2 off the Marquee Tour through March 31st for industry professionals. Get tickets at Ticketmaster.com or The Chicago Theatre Box Office. Use code INDUSTRY for discount. Visit www.thechicagotheatre.com/tour for schedule and more info.

Big Doings

Uh-huh! Big doings ahead for the month of March. I wanted to give you all a heads up on some of the things coming together for March so you can get these dates on your calendars. Details will be forthcoming next week.

Please save the date of March 12, 6:00 PM. More to come, but we will be convening the community for a discussion of the cultural plan and the ideas, issues and solutions we would like to see included in the plan. The crafters of the plan have agreed that this is a great way to get more input. Location TBA. This is very important and I hope to see as many of you as possible at this meeting.

On March 27 we will be celebrating World Theatre Day in style with talks and panels and of course, a party. We will be starting at 4:00 PM at the Cultural Center. All the details of that day will be coming soon as well.

There’s much more in the broadcast including our Chicago Producing Intensive and the Intrinsic Impact talk. AND, big news for us…on April 1, the League will be moving into a new space at 17 N Wabash. More details to come on that as well.

Good Times.

Deb

2012 Chicago Producing Intensive

CHICAGO PRODUCING INTENSIVE
Friday, March 23, 2012, 10AM-5PM
Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave.
The Commercial Theater Institute returns to Chicago with a one-day intensive seminar offering insightful case studies and practical information for theatre managers and anyone interested in producing or investing in the theatre. Producing an artistic and financial success is hard enough, but what comes next? Creating an afterlife for your shows, extensions, commercial partners, and licensing co-productions are all crucial possibilities for maximizing the impact of a project. Sessions will include inspirational and experienced speakers and panelists who have successfully produced in Chicago as well as New York and around the country.
$95 for League members and CTI alums. $125 for non-members.
More Information.
Register Now.

Industry Ticket Offers

Fulton Street Sessions - TUTA Theatre Chicago at Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave, is offering $15 industry tickets to all Thursdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. through March 25th. To redeem these specially priced tickets present a headshot, resume or business card at the box office day of performance. Special Industry night on Monday, March 19 at 8 p.m., all tickets are $15. For more information http://www.tutato.com/.

Time Stands Still and Cocktails and Conversation with Playwrights Event - Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted is offering FREE tickets to their Explore event on Tuesday, March 6 from 5-7PM in the Garage Theatre (1624 N. Halsted.) Grab a drink and explore the realms of playwriting with two artists in conversation across experience – Pulitzer Prize winner, Donald Margulies and emerging Chicago writer, Philip Dawkins. Space is limited -- your RSVP is required! Call Audience Services at (312)335-1650. 2-for-1 Ticket Offer: Exclusive to EXPLORE participants, for March 6 performance of Time Stands Still. Use Code 9855 at the box office or by phone at (312) 335-1650.

God I Hope I Get It - The Sarah Siddons Society at the Marriott Theatre, is offering $10 industry tickets to a concert featuring thirteen of Chicago’s leading music theatre artists benefitting their Scholarship Fund on Monday, March 5 at 8 p.m. The company of artists will include E. Faye Butler, Mary Ernster, Heidi Kettenring, Michael Aaron Lindner, Andy Lupp, Hollis Resnik, Rod Thomas, Johanna Mc Kenzie Miller, Alene Robertson, Rob Lindley, Chelsea Packard, Geoff Packard and Bethany Thomas. Doug Peck will be the accompanist. To obtain this very special rate, visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/222858 and enter code INDUSTRY. Industry tickets must be ordered prior to March 5. Limit 2 tickets per customer.

Spring Space Availability at Collaboraction

Collaboraction has space available for up to a 6 week run from April 16 to May 27th in it's theatre in the Flat Iron Arts Building, 1579 N. Milwaukee. $1000 per week. Occupancy of 99. Please email info@collaboraction.org for more information.

Industry Ticket Offers

Chicago Symphony Orchestra - 220 S. Michigan Ave., is offering $29 tickets on the Main Floor, Upper Balcony and Gallery for their 2/24 Beyond the Score: Sounds Strange concert and the performances of Stravinsky’s The Soldiers Tale on 2/25 and 2/28. For tickets use the promotion code LCT$29 at checkout on http://www.cso.org/ or call 312-294-3000.

The Girl in the Yellow Dress -- Next Theatre Company at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes St, Evanston, is offering $10 industry tickets for Thursday, 2/16 (7:30pm); Friday, 2/24 (8pm); Saturday, 2/25 (4 & 8pm); and Sunday, 2/26 (2pm). For tickets, call 847-475-1875 or visit http://www.nexttheatre.org/ and use the code “Industry10”.

2012-13 Space Availability at Theater Wit

Theater Wit has primetime rental space available for 2012-2013 on the following dates:

Theater One, October/November 2012
Theater Three, October 2012 - March 2013
Theater Two, May/June 2013

Rental rates/information at http://www.theaterwit.org/space/rental, send inquiries to rental@theaterwit.org.

One Meeting

As I'm sure most of you have heard by now the City of Chicago is in the process of developing a new cultural plan and we'd like to encourage every one of you to attend at least one townhall meeting. The first townhall was last night at Columbia College and several more will take place in the next few days in different neighborhoods. It is so important that the voice of your organization and the collective voice of our theatre community is heard at these meetings. The last cultural plan was developed over 25 years ago, so we have a unique opportunity right now to influence what the cultural life of our city will look like for the next generation. Please make it a priority to participate in at least one meeting and pass this information along to your staff, company, board, artists and audiences. Thank you for helping to promote and support the development of the new plan.

TONIGHT, February 16, 6 - 8PM: Nicholas Senn High School, 5900 N. Glenwood
Saturday, February 18, 10AM-12PM: DuSable Museum, 740 E. 56th Place
Tuesday, February 21: 6-8PM: National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th Street
RSVP and find more information at www.chicagoculturalplan2012.com.

Counting New Beans: Intrinsic Impact and the Value of Art

We make art because we believe it makes better human beings. We make art because we believe it makes being human better. So why do we spend so much energy quantifying the economics of what we do and so little quantifying the impact?

Join noted arts researcher Alan Brown and project director Clayton Lord as they discuss Counting New Beans: Intrinsic Impact and the Value of Art, a new book that examines the ways theatre artists, administrators, patrons and funders value and evaluate the art they make and consume.

Be among the first to hear the results of a two-year, nationwide research study called “Measuring the Intrinsic Impact of Live Theatre” that looked at 18 theatre companies across the country, 58 productions, over 20,000 survey responses—all in an effort to increase the field’s understanding of what seeing a piece of theatre actually does to someone emotionally, intellectually and empathetically.

This research, a comprehensive and expansive attempt to understand and quantify the impact of a piece of art on an individual (and the impact of that individual on the art), has the potential to really change the conversation about evaluating art.

• We need a new way to measure and talk about the intrinsic impact of an arts experience on an individual.
• We need a new way to articulate our value to ourselves, our patrons, our funders and
society-at-large.
• We need to bridge anecdote and numbers.
• We need new beans to count.
Join us and find out how.

Monday, March 12, 10AM - 1PM
Steppenwolf Garage Theatre, 1624 N. Halsted
This event is free.
RSVP to ben@chicagoplays.com to attend. Space is very limited for this event, so RSVP today!

Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event, but you can also buy your book in advance by visiting www.theatrebayarea.org/intrinsicimpact. There, you can also see the executive summary of the work, read interview excerpts, and even offer up your own stories about art, audiences and the impact of what we do.

Self-Employment in the Arts Conference

Chicago Artists' Coalition is hosting a panel on teaching artist careers at the Self-Employment in the Arts (SEA) conference. The first 30 students to register for the SEA Conference a free one year student membership to the CAC. This is a $45 value! Conference activities include artist led sessions, keynote speakers, one-on-one mentoring sessions, panel discussions, workshops, round table discussions, juried college art competition and much more. All artists are welcome to attend. Click here for more information. Register Now!

When: February 24th and 25th, event starts at 1 pm on Friday and concludes at 4 PM on Saturday
Where: Hilton in Lisle, Illinois. Map.
Cost: $89 for students and for non-students $189. Scholarships are available to those in need but the free membership is only available for those paying the full student rate.

Final Deadline to Apply for 2012 Chicago Fringe Festival

What is the Chicago Fringe Festival?
The Chicago Fringe Festival is a not-for-profit organization that produces an annual festival. The festival consists of performances from individuals and groups over the course of 11 days. In 2012, we will accept 50 performance groups.

When is the Chicago Fringe Festival?
The Chicago Fringe Festival will take place from August 30 – September 9, 2012. The technical rehearsals will be scheduled in the days leading up to the festival. Where is the Chicago Fringe Festival? CFF 2012 will take place in venues and theaters centering around 18th Street and Halsted in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois.

How can I or my group perform in the Chicago Fringe Festival?
Applicants must fill out the application in its entirety and submit it according to our guidelines. The fee to apply to the Chicago Fringe Festival is $25.

The deadline to submit an application is February 15, 2012. Note: Only ONE application per company is permitted. Duplicates will result in all applications being disqualified.

Visit http://chicagofringe.org/ for complete information regarding the 2012 Chicago Fringe Festival.

Industry Ticket Offer

Orpheus Descending - Shattered Globe Theatre Company at Stage 773, 1225 W Belmont Ave, is offering $15 industry tickets for every Wednesday performance through March 7. For tickets bring headshot, resume or business card to the Stage 773 box office or call 773.327.5252 Tuesday-Sunday.

Death and Harry Houdini - The House Theatre of Chicago at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. $20 industry tickets are available for Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. for the added performances between March 15 and April 15. Use code IWORKINTHEATRE. The House always offers $10 student and industry rush tickets available at all performances pending availability one prior to curtain at the box office window through April 15, 2012. Visit http://www.thehousetheatre.com/ for more information.

The Magic Parlour - The House Theatre of Chicago at The Palmer House Hilton, 17 East Monroe Street. $10 industry rush tickets are available at all performances pending availability one hour prior to curtain at the box office desk at Potter's Lounge beginning February 24, 10:30pm. Visit http://www.thehousetheatre.com/ for more information.

Rehearsal Space available for rent at Remy Bumppo

Remy Bumppo's rehearsal space at 3717 N Ravenswood has availability late February through early May. Rates vary from $11 - $16 per hour, depending on hours scheduled per week. Approximately 800 sq ft, close to Addison Brown Line. Contact Amy Schultz at aschultz@remybumppo.org or 773-244-8119.

Industry Ticket Offer

A Catered Affair - Porchlight Music Theatre at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont, is offering a special $10 industry night tickets on Monday, February 20th at 7:30 p.m. For tickets call 773-327-5252 and mention "INDUSTRY" to receive this discount. Limit 1 per customer, subject to availability.

New Stuff

I was tickled pink the other night when I ran into not one but two artistic directors who said they read this blog. I call it my blog, but fact is sometimes Ben is pressed into service. Anyway one said he actually liked my blog, the other asked if I was going to post our conversation on my blog, I’ll just take that to mean he likes it. That got me thinking…should we be doing more for artists? The League has traditionally served theatre companies and managers, which does serve artists indirectly and of course many artists are actually working as managers and marketing directors and everything else. Every service organization is structured differently and I have known the folks at Theatre Bay Area for some time through their advocacy and research efforts so when they gave me a free membership recently I was surprised to learn that most of their public programs serve artists.

As it happens, two things have come up in the past couple of weeks that we ARE going to do, one is a workshop with a visiting theatre company and the other is a workshop with the incredible artists at Liz Lerman Dance Exchange on their critical response process (I actually think that one would be great for managers as well). Both are coming up in the Spring/early Summer so watch for them.

Any thoughts at all about things the League could do better and specifically about programs that might serve artists?

Deb

Emerging Leaders Network - Jr. Board Mega-Mixer

Tuesday, February 28, 2012, 5:30-8:00 pm
Chicago Artists Coalition Gallery, 217 N Carpenter St. Chicago, IL
Tickets: $10

Are you a member of a Junior or Auxiliary Board? Would you like to improve your group's effectiveness and communication? Or would you just like to learn more about joining a Junior Board or to network with your peers?

Please join the Emerging Leaders Network Chicago’s Junior Board Mega-Mixer in the west loop!
This event will include a panel discussion on best practices for how to create, develop, and operate a board and how other young professionals can get involved. Panelists include Junior & Auxiliary Board Members from Auditorium Theatre, Changing Worlds, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Joffrey Ballet, Links Hall, Snow City Arts, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and Urban Gateways.

After the panel, join your peers from other arts organization boards for peer-learning, networking, and refreshments.

Space Availability at Raven Theatre

Raven Theatre has West Stage (55 seat) rental openings. Available 4/15/12 through 7/22/12, 7/30/12 through 9/9/12 and after 10/21/12. Rent includes Box Office & Front of House Services, marketing support, lighting/sound systems, dressing room, backstage area. Great Edgewater location, easily accessible by public transportation, free parking in lot and ample street parking. Please contact John Weagly at john@raventheatre.com or 773.338.2177.

Multicultural Social Hour

Multicultural Social Hour
Konak, 5150 North Clark Street
Monday, February 20th, 6:30pm-8pm
RSVP to jmcclendon@steppenwolf.org

READY FOR THE NEXT SOCIAL HOUR? WE ARE!

The Multicultural Social Hour is a networking group of young professionals who are dedicated to promoting diversity within the professional world of theatre.

The Steppenwolf 2012 Fellows would like to bring awareness to everyone's innate diversity expertise. Therefore, we encourage you to bring a guest that would not normally attend a diversity event, but could offer a unique perspective.

* Konak : 20% Off Entire Menu *

Topic: New Audience Development: Reaching audiences of different cultural and economic backgrounds. The group will meet at least 3 times between December 2011 and April 2012 to casually discuss topics of diversity and how we can effect change within the theatre world.

Topics and Locations will change with each event, so sign up for the email list to stay informed.

Participate in Dining Out for Life

EdgeAlliance is putting on the event called Dining Out for Life on April 26, 2012. The event takes place in 85 restaurants across the city, many are near local theatres. EdgeAlliance is looking to work with Chicago area theatres to promote the event which raises over $100,000 to provide housing and services for low income individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. To learn more, contact Allen Hailey VP, Advancement at (773) 359-0133 or ahailey@edgealliance.org. Click here for more information and the list of participating restaurants.

Industry Ticket Offers

The Girl in the Yellow Dress -- Next Theatre Company at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes St, Evanston, is offering $15 industry tickets for Thursday, February 16. For tickets, call 847-475-1875 or visit http://www.nexttheatre.org/ and use the code “Industry.”

Disgraced - American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron, is offering $15 Industry/Student rush tickets for performances on February 9 and 16 at 8 p.m. with a headshot/resume, business card, or some other form of identification. Rush tickets will be sold starting 1 hour prior to curtain (7pm), and are subject to availability. Rush tickets cannot be reserved prior to the performance. Rush tickets can be purchased with both cash and credit cards.

The Gingerbread House - Red Tape Theatre, 621 W. Belmont, is hosting an industry only performance Monday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are only $10 and available online or at the door (cash only). Use code MARCO when buying online. Join the cast and ensemble at Wilde after the performance. For tickets and more information visit http://redtapetheatre.org/2011/11/849/. Contact Myah Shein at myah.shein@redtapetheatre.org for questions.

River North Dance Chicago Valentine's Weekend - Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park, 205 E. Randolph, Chicago, is offering $25 industry tickets for Friday, February 10 thru Sunday, February 12. For tickets, call 312-334-7777 or visit www.HarrisTheaterChicago.org and use code "RNDC_Industry".

Chicago Cultural Plan 2012

I really love the idea that there is a new cultural plan for the City of Chicago being developed and that I can have a voice in the development of that plan. The last plan was developed in 1986, so it’s about time. I know it’s always hard to make time to do this kind of thing but I think it will be very rewarding for everyone to be involved in this process so I would encourage you to go to some meetings and get involved in this process. The first meetings are coming up soon, in February, you can go here to find the dates and places. There will be further meetings in the coming months and there are also ways to interact with the plan on the website. There’s not a whole lot on the website yet because they are just starting, but please go to a town hall meeting if you can and encourage your board, audiences and friends to make their voices heard as well.

Deb