Chicago Dramatists Open House

Sunday, January 13th, 2013
12.00 noon- 5.00pm

Join Chicago Dramatists for a chance to learn about our classes, our instructors, and our playwriting community!

Featuring:
Sample Classes
Backstage Tours
Meet and Greet
Baked Goods
Raffle Prizes
Panel Discussions with Resident Playwrights
Bring your notepad, your friends, or just your enthusiasm.

RSVP @ newplays@chicagodramatists.org 
Phone: 312-633-0630 x17 Or feel free to just drop in!
Chicago Dramatists
1105 W. Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60642

For more information,please call 312.633.0630 or visit our website at www.chicagodramatists.org

Happy New Year

We hope that everyone had a safe and happy New Years. Thanks for making 2012 another successful year in Chicago theatre. Its an honor to support this community and the excellent work that you consistently bring to stages in Chicago and around the world. We look forward to many great things to come in 2013.

Gorilla Tango Seeking Shows

Gorilla Tango has one weekend primetime slot left in March - Fridays 7:30pm! GTT provides the infrastructure (audition and rehearsal space, performance space, box-office, basic marketing), and you produce your show/project! If you are interested in these dates, please email Suzanne@gorillatango.com ASAP while it’s still available!

Industry Ticket Offers

Jeeves Takes a Bow - First Folio Theatre at Mayslake Hall, Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W 31st St, Oak Brook, is offering $10 industry tickets on Weds. evenings at 8 PM on Jan. 30th, Feb. 6th and 13th. Tickets are on an "as available" basis and may be purchased no sooner than 48 hours in advance. Professionals must bring a union card, a headshot/resume, tech resume, or business card indicating employment in the theater business. Tickets may be purchased by calling 630-986-8067.

Other Desert Cities - Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn, is offering $39 tickets on Thursday, January 17 at 7:30pm including a special reception in Club Mezz from 6-7pm with light hors d’oeuvres, wine and a discussion with director Henry Wishcamper, as he shares insights into his work and process. Enter promo code THURSDAY to buy tickets online.

Space Availability at City Lit Theater

City Lit Theater has available rental space for a prime-time run in their 99-seat theater beginning May 20 or later. Please contact Brian at bpastor@citylit.org or by phone at 773-293-3682. The regular rate is $900/week, but contact us in the next week or two for potential discounts.

Industry Ticket Offers

Over My Dead Body – Waltzing Mechanics at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln, are offering $10 industry tickets for all performances, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. through January 6. Call 773-404-7336 and request industry tickets. Visit www.waltzingmechanics.org for more information.

EL Stories: Holiday Train – Waltzing Mechanics at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln, are offering $10 industry tickets for all performances, Saturday nights at 11 p.m. through January 5. Call 773-404-7336 and request industry tickets. Visit www.waltzingmechanics.org for more information.

Winding Down

As we wind down the year I want to say how grateful I am for all of you and for everything you do. All the “top” lists are funny – aren’t they – if you are like me, every time you see one you are like – oh yeah – that person or that production totally deserves to be on that list. But there are so many more who didn’t make the list, so they are in fact meaningless but they mean so much and are so well deserved. I wish we had more ways to recognize more people for their tireless contributions to this field and this artform.

On another note – meeting our playwrights working on the Storefront playwright project has been a joy. The project comes to an end this weekend and I will very much miss having them there. So many mentioned that they were getting so much work done, I thought they wouldn’t get anything done there, but it’s just the opposite. And people are learning more about the process and that just makes my heart all glad. I have to shout out to Lynn Baber, who is the best of many things, and who saw the article about this project in New York and said “hey, we should do this.” And so we did.

Deb

Space Availability at the Greenhouse Theater Center

Greenhouse Theater Center is currently renting last minute Mainstage Space for Studio Rates! Two winter performance slots are available in the Upstairs Mainstage – February 11-March 17 and March 18-April 21. Each slot is 5 weeks and will rent for $5,000. Rental applications are being accepted for both availabilities. 195 seat theater (or option of smaller 77 seat house) with full house staff and box office provided; sound and light package included. Rental includes theater space, back stage area, equipped dressing room and light booth. For more information, including rental rates, tech specs, and contract details please contact Jenn Kincaid at jennifer@greenhousetheater.org.

Industry Ticket Offer

Wasteland - TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave. is offering $15 industry tickets to any performance through December 30. Buy online or call 773.281.8463 and use code INDUSTRY. Visit www.timelinetheatre.com for more information.

Failure: A Love Story - Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave, is offering $20 industry tickets to both performances on December 22nd (4:00pm and 7:30). Tickets are available at www.victorygardens.org. Use code MOONPIE when checking out.

Chicago Dramatists Winter 2012 Classes

As the national leader in playwright training, Chicago Dramatists offers a variety of professional playwriting classes designed for both beginning and experienced playwrights. Classes are focused on building practical skills and stage worthy scripts, and are conducted in a supportive, positive manner. Most classes include a mix of lecture, discussion, writing assignments (both in and out of class), and reading and critiquing participants' work. beginning playwrights enroll in classes to learn the basics and write their first plays. Working playwrights enroll in classes to review basic skills, attack a specific problem, and explore new or specialized techniques.

Have questions about a particular class or which would be best for you? Read the full class descriptions on our website at www.chicagodramatists.org/classes or call (312) 633-0630

Buzz

We've been thrilled with all of the buzz generated from the Storefront Playwright Project this last week. There have been so many great articles, tweets, posts and comments, but this blog post from someone who stumbled upon the project is my favorite. The playwrights have been having a good time with it as well and many of them have commented on how productive they've been during their time in the window.  I hope that you'll all stop by 72 E. Randolph before December 22 and check out these talented writers at work. It's an amazing line-up. You can also follow the project and get updates on our Tumblr page.

Rehearsal Space Available for Rent

Pride Films and Plays has a small rehearsal space available for rent. Located on Wilson, just east of Clark and a few blocks west of the Wilson Red Line Stop, the space is 400 square feet on the first floor. It is great for small shows or musicals, coaching or classes. Street parking is readily available. Evening and weekend rehearsals are $10/hour with a three hour minimum. Weekday rehearsals can also be arranged. For more information email pridefilmsandplays@gmail.com with Rehearsal Space in the subject line.