2-16-07
Throughlines for February 16, 2007
Appointments
The big news is the appointment of Kathryn M. Lipuma as executive director of Writers’ Theatre, in Glencoe. She succeeds Jennifer Bielstein, who left in October to become managing director of the Actors Theatre of Louisville. You’ll find more detailed coverage in a separate story on page 1. Lipuma returns to Chicago after nine years with the Signature Theatre Company in New York.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago has welcomed several new dancers and staff members. Shannon Alvis returns to the main company, of which she was a member from 2000-2005. Hubbard Street 2 (HS2) ensemble members Kellie Epperheimer and Jessica Tong have been promoted to main company apprentice dancers. Larry Trice, an apprentice since 2005, has been named a full company member. The four are direct replacements for artists who have left the main company for various reasons. Hubbard Street artistic director Jim Vincent also has chosen four new dancers for HS2: Kira Blazek, James E. Johnson V, Hogan McLaughlin and Donna Michelle Vaughn, plus Ghrai D. Harrison as a new HS2 apprentice dancer. In addition, the troupe has named dancer Helen Lee as studio coordinator for the affiliated Lou Conte Dance Studio, and has appointed Tracy K. Shepherd as CFO/director of finance and administration. Shepherd also is a concert/studio percussionist.
It’s musical chairs at the unions as John P. Connolly steps down in March as national president of AFTRA to become executive director of Actors Equity Association. AFTRA first national vice president Bob Edwards will assume the AFTRA presidency until the next national board meeting. The catalyst for this unexpected realignment of union officialdom was the untimely death last September of Patrick Quinn, who died of massive heart attack days before he was to become Equity executive director. Quinn, and now Connolly, are successors to long-serving Equity executive Alan Eisenberg, who retired.
The Playwright’s the Thing
DePaul Theatre School faculty member Carlos Murillo, a playwright and director of accomplishment, has a new work being staged at this year’s the Humana Festival of New American Plays, at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. Murillo’s dark play or stories for boys is one of only six full-length works selected for mainstage production in the Festival. The run is Feb. 25-March 7, with theatre notables from around the country and the world gathering in Louisville for Theatre Professionals Weekend, March 23-25, and Special Visitors Weekend, March 30-April 1. Among the other featured authors are Craig Wright (author of Lady, in its world premiere at Northlight), Naomi Izuka, Sherry Kramer and Ken Weitzman.
Honors and Awards
The Chicago-based Joyce Foundation handed out its 4th annual Joyce Awards on Jan. 22 at the Arts Club of Chicago. While the Joyce Foundation has made arts-related grants for many years, the Joyce Awards were established just four years ago to support commissions from institutions to artists of color. Unusual among Foundation grant programs, the Joyce Awards are competitive. This year’s $50,000 recipients include the Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis for a commission to Jerome Hairston; the Detroit Institute of Art, commission to Julie Mehretu; Indianapolis Symphony, commission to Gabriela Lena Frank; Wayne State University, College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts commission to visual artist Tyree Guyton; and the Joffrey Ballet in partnership with Luna Negra Dance Theater, commission to Luna Negra’s Pedro Ruiz.
Producer and director Anthony Moseley, leader of Collaboraction since 1999, has been named by the Goodman Theatre as the 2007 Michael Maggio Directing Fellow. As such, Moseley will assist a Goodman resident director on a production, beginning with early research and design meetings and continuing through casting, rehearsals and opening. Moseley is the first male to be named a Maggio Fellow.