How Do We Pay People More? Walk Away from the Kitchen Sink
In her plenary address at the TCG conference last month, Anna Deveare Smith talked about the ways in which theaters can walk the walk in their anti-discriminatory initiatives. Among the many ways she cited, she encouraged theaters to “no longer assume that people are willing to starve to work in the theater,”
Spiel Chicago Episode Two: Adia Alli
Spiel Chicago logo designed by Jon Kurtycz This week I spoke with actress and stage manager Adia Alli about working in Chicago, representation in the theater and the kinds of shows she loves to see. Adia recently stage managed The Hairy Ape at Oracle Theatre and is currently understudying for Kristiana Rae...
Overcoming Performance Anxiety
Some folks combat their social anxiety by avoiding the kinds of situations that provoke these responses. But if you’re a performer, avoiding is not an option; you’ve chosen an endeavor that requires you to put yourself in emotional harm’s way every time you take the stage.
Spiel Chicago Episode 1: Meridith Friedman
Spiel Chicago logo designed by Jon Kurtycz Welcome to the first episode of Spiel Chicago, bringing you stories from behind the scenes of storefront theatre in Chicago. This week, I’m sharing some of my interview with playwright Meridith Friedman.Meridith’s play, THE FIRESTORM, was produced by Stage Left Theater in the Fall...
BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL
BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL now playing at Griffin Theatre through July 24th at The Den
10 Things We Learned Buying HAMILTON Chicago Tickets
We, like many others, stood by our computers at 10am today, prepared for the rush to buy tickets for HAMILTON in its Chicago incarnation. Lessons were learned.
The Trauma of Vulnerability Betrayed
Here’s what may seem like a stupid question: Why are so many members of the Chicago theater community feeling so overwhelmed by the publication of the Reader piece about alleged abuses at Profiles Theater?
Getting Out of Our Own Way: Embracing Vulnerability
In order to use our gifts we have to be both willing and able to allow ourselves to be seen. For most of us, showing the world what we consider to be our least attractive traits is damn hard.