1-21-05
BY JENN Q. GODDU
In all the excitement of Albany Park Theatre Project (APTP) winning a national Coming Up Taller Award, and being invited to Washington, D.C. to accept a $10,000 check from Laura Bush, Laura Wiley did notice something about the first lady: "She has a very firm handshake, in case you're wondering. She's clearly an experienced hand shaker."
APTP, which Wiley co-founded and co-directs with David Feiner, was one of 17 recipients of the 2004 award. APTP is an ensemble of approximately 35 youth from one of America's most ethnically diverse neighborhoods. They collectively create stage performances based on the raw material of their lives and of those around them in the city's largely immigrant, working-class neighborhood of Albany Park.
"It was exciting for our work to be recognized by the federal government," Wiley said. "While we have wonderful, generous donors who are very loyal, $10,000 is a significant percentage of our budget." The award money will help the small grassroots organization to support its core mission of creating new work.
The national recognition should also help the company to leverage support from new funding sources and help build awareness for APTP and its mission, she said. "It's recognition not only for our company, but also for all the folks in Chicago, and across the country, who are devoted to telling important stories that do not often get heard and that are devoted to helping a truly diverse group of young people dream and achieve their futures."
Love sports and always wondered why theatre doesn't have more clearly defined winners and losers? Well, look no further than Another Chicago Theater Company (A.C.T. Company) and its The Last Play Standing competition. David Alex and Tim Burns have made it to Round 3-The Play-Off with their plays Onto Infinity and The Safety Date. Both plays will be performed in a staged reading series Jan. 22-30 at The Cornservatory, 4210 N. Lincoln. Audiences are invited to vote on their favorite and that show will be staged in a full production by A.C.T. Company later this year.
A.C.T. Company is helmed by new artistic director Keith Beck, executive producer and founding member Courtney Ann Melzer, and managing director Lori Howard. Together this trio has been overseeing this original play selection series that began with a first round workshop and a second round table reading.
For more information on the play-slam visit www.anotherchicago.org.
Another item to put on your calendar is Richard Christiansen reading from his new book A Theater of Our Own: A History and a Memoir of 1,001 Nights in Chicago. The former chief critic at the Chicago Tribune will read from his chronicle of the city's theatre and sign copies of the hardcover release at Victory Gardens, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., from 5 to 7 pm on Jan. 31. Call 847/491-7420 for more information.
Victory Gardens is also making an effort to be neighborly by co-sponsoring a Robbie Burns night event with the Lincoln Park Young Professionals. VG artistic director Dennis Zacek will perform a theatrical reading from the cannon of Scotland's great poet and the bagpipes will play as the booze flows at the Scottish Alehouse Happy Hour, Jan. 28, 6 to 10 pm at the Red Lion, 2446 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets are required, $35 for non-LPYP-members. Call 312-642-5097 to find out more.
If the cold wind and falling snow have you thinking of a warm weather escape, consider the National Society of Arts and Letters' 2005 conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. Since 1951, the non-profit organization focused on creating opportunities for young artists, has been making awards in art, dance, drama, literature and music categories. This year the drama award is being given in acting for comedy. Contestants will perform scenes from a classical and contemporary comedy. To compete in Hawaii, contestants must first win their chapter's competition. To find out more and locate your local chapter visit www.arts-nsal.org.
Choreographers won't get a lei out of this next contest but a competition they may want to consider is Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's National Choreographic Competition. The contest, now in its seventh year, aims to identify three emerging choreographers. Finalists will create original works for the group's young professional company Hubbard Street 2 while participating in a one-week residency in 2005. Instead of Hawaii, winners get to stay in Hyde Park. HS2 will premiere each new work during the 2005-06 season. For more information about applying visit hubbardstreetdance2.com.
Performing in Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Rose Rage, an adaptation of the Henry VI trilogy, has netted Carman Lacivita the Actors' Equity Association's St. Clair Bayfield award. Since 1973 the award has recognized the best performance by an actor in a Shakespeare play in the New York metropolitan area. Lacivita portrayed multiple characters, including the titular King Henry VI, in the show's Chicago run in 2003 and the subsequent NYC production.
In other Equity-related news, best wishes go out to Carol Black who has retired from the Actors Equity Association Central Region after 16 years working with members throughout the region's 15 states in the Midwest and Great Lake regions.
Over at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Will Nedved has become the new public relations manager. He joined Steppenwolf in July 2004 as the company's copywriter and publications manager. He replaces Cathy Taylor who moved over to The Silverman Group, Inc.
A trio of local playwrights is to be published in upcoming Smith & Kraus books. Monologues by Aline Lathrop, Jennifer Miller, and Lisa Rosenthal will be included in new monologues for actors collections.
Congratulations also to Silk Road Theatre Project which was featured in American Theatre Magazine last month as one of "A Dozen Young American Companies You Need to Know." Described as "hot, hip, and on the verge," Silk Road was the only Illinois representative featured. The Chicago-based company showcases playwrights of Asian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean backgrounds.
Are you eager to see your name in bold print? Looking to share your latest industry news? E-mail Jenn at [JQGODDU@SBCGLOBAL.NET] if you have announcements for Behind the Curtain.