2019 Year of Chicago Theatre Is Underway!

I absolutely love Chicago theatre! I have early childhood memories of experiencing the wonder and excitement of “The Nutcracker” on stage. I looked forward to it every year. I have been in love with theatre ever since, and I have gained first-hand knowledge of the positive impact that it can have on the life of a child.

This past Monday marked the kickoff of the Year of Chicago Theatre, as designated by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He referred to the theatre community as the “fearless soul” of Chicago. The event, titled “It’s Showtime, Chicago!, took place at the Chicago Cultural Center. Chicago has a rich, diverse history when it comes to live theater. Having a year-long celebration is a great way to honor this distinction.

The evening’s festivities began with a reception in Preston Bradley Hall, where guests enjoyed a variety of delicious, passed hors d’oeuvres and a generous assortment of drinks. Aeriel Williams of Black Ensemble Theater got the crowd going with her rendition of Diana Ross’s song “I’m Coming Out.” Also, Walkabout Theater Company wowed the guests with an amazing presentation on stilts. During this time, the mayor acknowledged the importance of theatre to the overall fabric of the city. He officially announced a plan to earmark $1 million to support the year-long initiative. There will be an emphasis placed on further developing and promoting storefront theaters in various neighborhoods, strengthening their ability to offer quality productions to wider audiences. The generous support received from a number of foundations will make it possible for theatre to be accessible to all by allowing the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs (DCASE) to partner with the League of Chicago Theatres to provide a wide variety of free performances, including theatre in the parks, a summer film series in Millennium Park, and other theatre-themed events all over town. The funding will also enable Choose Chicago to collaborate with Broadway in Chicago to launch a robust marketing campaign that will significantly improve local visibility and appeal to national and international audiences. The goal is to make Chicago a global leader in the world of theatre

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After the reception, I stopped by the Claudia Cassidy Theater, where the spotlight was on the youth. The audience enjoyed a skit performed by the Albany Park Theater Project. Afterwards, a young lady from the urban arts organization Kuumba Lynx presented spoken word pieces. The poetry and preceding video presentation paid tribute to ex-political prisoner Assata Shakur; Sandra Bland, who lost her life after being arrested and detained in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas; and other Black women. I ended the evening with an interactive exercise conducted by Free Street Theater. Participants addressed the following questions: (1) What is a place in your old neighborhood that you are surprised is still there? (2) What used to be in your new neighborhood that you are surprised is no longer in existence? Then we were broken into small groups, each creating a manifesto on what is necessary for our neighborhoods to survive.

The Year of Chicago Theatre is not just about seeing a show. It is about coming together to strengthen our communities, create opportunities, and change lives for the better through theatre and all that goes along with it. I’m looking forward to a great year of theatre, and I’ll see you there!

@goldnladywrites #GoldenLadyWrites #yearofchicagotheatre