annual report 2015/2016 - american blues theater

2015/2016 ANNUAL REPORT AMERICAN BLUES THEATER

ANNUAL REPORT

2015/2016

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SEASON 30 — CELEBRATING 30 YEARS!

While our Ensemble has made theater together since 1985, our business began anew in 2009. We believe the soul of Blues lives in our art. We experienced a phenomenal 30th anniversary season “Seeing is Believing”! Working in Ensemble theater demands collaboration, self-awareness, and an unwavering belief that the collective is stronger than its individual members. It also requires unconditional love and trust from both its artists and supporters. After three decades, our legacy in Chicago’s theater history is just starting. We began the season with our Joseph Jefferson Award-nominated play The Rainmaker. In addition to receiving accolades from the Joseph Jefferson committee for scenic design and director too, our production received a rave review by The Wall Street Journal. Ensemble members Ed Blatchford, Sarah E. Ross, Christopher J. Neville, Lauri Dahl, Steve Key, Artistic Affiliates Kathryn Lochert and Elyse Dolan were involved with this beautiful show. Next, we broke box-office records with It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!. This marked the first year I directed our holiday classic and hired Ensemble member Michael Mahler as the music director. We revamped the pre-show music, added another scene from Frank Capra’s film, and included a quiz show with prizes. Fourteen Ensemble members and Artistic Affiliates worked on this annual favorite. We were proud to host a dedicated performance for the residents of Misericordia. We proudly produced the Chicago premiere of the solo show Looking Over the President’s Shoulder written by Artistic Affiliate James Still. Mr. Still spoke at a special audience engagement event, and Alonzo Fields’s family attended a performance. Ensemble member Manny Buckley was nominated for a Joseph Jefferson Award for Solo Performance and won the 2016 Black Excellence Award from the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago. We closed our mainstage season with the Chicago revival of Little Shop of Horrors. This Jeff Award-nominated musical is the longest-running show of our thirty-year history. The Joseph Jefferson committee also recognized Ensemble members Austin Cook for music direction and Sarah E. Ross for artistic specialization of puppetry. Twelve Ensemble members and Artistic Affiliates were involved in this spectacular production. Our auxiliary programming grew and strengthened our impact in Chicago. The Lincoln Project, our free arts education program to Chicago Public Schools, doubled in service and recognition of student playwrights. We produced 10 world-premiere 10-minute plays in our annual Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival; produced an additional Ripped event to benefit Anixter Center; developed the world-premiere play TRANSit through Blueprint Development; and named The Wind and the Breeze as the winner of the 2016 Blue Ink Playwriting Award. We also instituted industry nights, college nights, touch tours, and audio described performances to build our audiences. Support of our art increased through individual donations, foundations, and corporate giving. Some of our new contributors include The Chicago Community Trust’s coveted SMART Growth grant, Prince Charitable Trusts, Northern Trust Bank, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Finally, we moved our administrative office and rehearsal space to the Ravenswood corridor to improve efficacy and best practices. This welcome change is just another example of prudent growth. Since our rebirth in 2009, we’ve never run a deficit. We look forward to the next thirty years!

—Gwendolyn (Wendy) Whiteside

Photos by Johnny Knight. On the cover: Ensemble member Michael Mahler in Little Shop of Horrors.

Above: Gwendolyn Whiteside at 2016 Blue Bash.

PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR LETTER

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Contents

Our Family 6

About American Blues Theater 8

Honors & Significant Achievements 9

Season 30 Productions 10

Arts Education 15

New Work Development 16

Financial Balance Sheet 17

Fiscal Snapshot 18

Corporate & Foundation Sponsors 19

Donors 20

“Low Down Dirty Blues” 23

Photo by Johnny Knight. Ensemble member Steve Key and Linsey Page Morton in The Rainmaker.

ANNUAL REPORT

2015/2016

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Our diverse and multi-generational artists are the second-oldest professional Equity Ensemble theater in Chicago. Our 37-member Ensemble has over 530 combined years of collaboration on stage. As of 2016, our theater and artists received over 186 Joseph Jefferson Awards and nominations that celebrate excellence in Chicago theater and over 31 Black Theatre Alliance Awards. Our artists are honored with Pulitzer Prize nominations, Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Emmy Awards, and numerous other accolades.

OUR FAMILY

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2015/2016 term, as of June 30, 2016)

Matthew Hafter, President Burton X. Rosenberg, Vice-President Phil Calian, Vice-President Lawrence Schulman, Treasurer Keith A. Karlson, Secretary Heather Barnfield Manny Buckley Brian Carothers Jill DeVaney Joan Esposito Douglas Gourley Ross C. Hemphill Andrea McNaughton Gerald Pauling Matthew Tassone Glenn Weiss Gwendolyn Whiteside, ex-officio Chip Pringle, in memoriam

OUR FAMILY

“Exceptional!”

The Wall Street Journal

A R T I S T I C A F F I L I A T E S Dana Black Christina Gorman Kathryn Lochert Rick Sims Kristin DeiTos Shawn J. Goudie Eric Lynch Nathan Singh Joe Dempsey Sarah Hughey Rohina Malik Chuck Smith Paul Deziel Izumi Inaba Camille Robinson James Still Elyse Dolan Samantha C. Jones Grant Sabin Michael Trudeau Olympia Dukakis James Joseph Richard Shavzin Wandachristine Tom Geraty Zach Kenney Sandy Shinner Dennis Zacek

Photo credit by Johnny Knight. (l to r): Andrea McNaughton, Brian Carothers, Larry Schulman, Heather Barnfield, Matt Hafter, Phil Calian,

Glenn Weiss, Matthew Tassone, & Lorenzo Rush Jr.

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VISION American Blues theater is a premier arts organization with an intimate environment that patrons, artists, and all Chicagoans call home.

MISSION American Blues Theater explores the American identity through the plays it produces and communities it serves.

COMMUNITY SERVICE We believe it is an honor and duty to serve our community. We raise awareness of other non-profit organizations’ great causes through creative collaborations. Using the theme of each script we produce, we choose community partners for every production during our season. This season we distributed promotional materials (CommunityHealth Chicago, Chicago Park District’s Community Garden, & IL Farm Bureau) and provided complimentary tickets (USO, Misericordia, Anixter Center, Adler University, Girl Scouts of IL, & DuSable Museum). We continued to provide accessibility services such as touch tours and audio described performances. We donated proceeds from our “Pink Previews” to The Lynn Sage Foundation for breast cancer research. In addition, all proceeds from RIPPED: The Living Newspaper Festival were used to fund our arts education program The Lincoln Project that serves 1,500+ Chicago Public School students annually.

ABOUT AMERICAN BLUES THEATER

Top photo by Elyse Dolan. Misericordia at It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!. Bottom photo by Johnny Knight. Winners of The Lincoln Project high school script award at the 2016 RIPPED: The Living Newspaper Festival.

“Everything that is so remarkable,

so rich and treasurable about Chicago’s

storefront theater scene is embodied

in American Blues Theater.”

Lawrence B. Johnson

Chicago on the Aisle

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HONORS & SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED The Wall Street Journal

BEST ACTRESS 2015 The Wall Street Journal

NOMINATIONS Production—midsize

Director (Ed Blatchford*)

AWARD Scenic design-midsize

(Sarah E. Ross*)

TOP HOLIDAY SHOW OF 2015

Chicago Tribune Chicago Sun-Times

Newcity Chicago Reader

Time Out Chicago Windy City Times

Chicago Magazine WGN, ABC, NBC, CBS

WXRT, WBEZ and many more…

BROKE BOX-OFFICE

RECORD FOR HOLIDAYS (sales and patrons)

NOMINATION Solo Performer (Manny Buckley*)

2016 BLACK EXCELLENCE AWARD

FOR ACTING African American

Arts Alliance of Chicago

(Manny Buckley*)

NOMINATIONS Musical—midsize

Music Director (Austin Cook*)

Artistic Specialization (Sarah E. Ross*)

BROKE BOX-OFFICE

RECORD FOR MUSICAL (SALES AND PATRONS)

LONGEST RUNNING

PRODUCTION IN BLUES’ HISTORY

ADDITIONAL HONORS FOR ENSEMBLE & ARTISTIC AFFILIATES

Ensemble member AUSTIN COOK named in Chicago Tribune’s Top 10 Performances of 2015 for work at Porchlight Music Theatre.

He also made Newcity’s Players List for 2016.

Ensemble member MICHAEL MAHLER won a Jeff Award—New Work for The Man Who Murdered Sherlock Holmes (Mercury Theatre).

Ensemble member NAMBI E. KELLEY was a finalist

for the 2015 Primus Prize in playwriting.

Ensemble member LINDSAY JONES was nominated for a Jeff Award—Sound Design for work at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Artistic Affiliate ROHINA MALIK was nominated for a

Jeff Award—New Work for Yasmina’s Necklace (16th St Theater).

Artistic Affiliate RICK SIMS was nominated for a Black Theater Alliance Award in Sound Design for work at Congo Square Theatre.

SIGNIFICANT ACHEIVEMENTS FOR WORK DEVELOPED AT AMERICAN BLUES

The adaptation of NATIVE SON, originally commissioned by American Blues to Ensemble member Nambi E. Kelley, was published by Samuel French , Inc. The script received

numerous productions across the United States.

TRANSit, commissioned by American Blues to Ensemble member Darren Canady, had a developmental

workshop and will receive a full production at Blues in fall 2016.

Winner of the 2015 Blue Ink Playwriting Award, OTHER THAN HONORABLE by Jamie Pachino,

will receive a full production at Geva Theater in New York.

Winner of the 2012 Blue Ink Playwriting Award, AMERICAN MYTH by Artistic Affiliate Christina Gorman,

received a full production in Arizona.

Three new commissions were awarded between 2015-2016.

* Ensemble member of Blues.

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Highly recommended—The Wall Street Journal THE RAINMAKER August 28 — September 27, 2015 by N. Richard Nash Directed by Ensemble member Edward Blatchford Plain and hardworking Lizzie Curry finds herself falling, against her better judgment, for a traveler who promises to bring rain to her family's dry Midwest town.

SEASON 30 PRODUCTIONS

“Blues has done it right as rain!”


“Transformative magic”

Chicago Sun-Times

Photo by Johnny Knight. (l to r): Matt Pratt, Danny Goldring, & Linsey Page Morton.

Best Actress of 2015


WINNER OF THE

JEFF AWARD FOR

SCENIC DESIGN!

2 ADDITIONAL

JEFF AWARD

NOMINATIONS

INCLUDING PLAY &

DIRECTOR.

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Chicago’s Annual Tradition since 2002 IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: LIVE IN CHICAGO! November 20 — December 27, 2015 from Frank Capra’s film Directed by Producing A.D. Gwendolyn Whiteside Music direction by Ensemble member Michael Mahler From the moment you walked through the doors, you were transported back to the Golden Age of Radio and experienced the Frank Capra holiday classic as a 1940s radio broadcast with live Foley sound effects, an original score, and a stellar cast of eight that brought the entire town of Bedford Falls to life.

Dean Richards’ list! Recommended

by WGN, CBS Chicago, NBC, ABC,

WXRT, WBEZ, Chicago Tribune, Sun-

Times, Chicago Magazine, Newcity’s

“Best of Chicago”, & the Reader.

Over the years, our production

entertained 40,000 patrons in Chicago.

Photo by Johnny Knight. (l to r): Artistic Affiliates James Joseph, Zach Kenney, & Ensemble member John Mohrlein.

BROKE ALL BOX OFFICE RECORDS!

Celebrated

our 300th

performance

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Chicago Premiere LOOKING OVER THE PRESIDENT’S SHOULDER February 5 — March 6, 2016 by Artistic Affiliate James Still Directed by Timothy Douglas Alonzo Fields, the grandson of a freed slave, was forced by the Depression to give up his dreams of becoming an opera singer. Fields accepted the job at the White House and served 21 years. The tour-de-force solo play tells the unique perspective of serving four U.S. presidents and their families: Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Dwight Eisenhower.

“For history buffs!”

Chicago Tribune

“Played to perfection!”

Around the Town

Photo by Johnny Knight. Ensemble member Manny Buckley.

WINNER OF 2016

BLACK EXCELLENCE

AWARD FOR ACTING FROM

AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTS

ALLIANCE OF CHICAGO.

James Still

spoke at a

Town Hall!

JEFF AWARD

NOMINATION

FOR

SOLO

PERFORMANCE.

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Chicago Revival LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS April 29 — July 31, 2016 Book & lyrics by Howard Ashman; Music by Alan Menken Directed by Jonathan Berry Music direction by Ensemble member Austin Cook For years, Little Shop of Horrors has made audiences scream with laughter. In the gleefully gruesome musical, Seymour, a poor florist’s assistant, allows his craving for fame and fortune to seduce him into playing nursemaid to a man-eating plant.

“Dream collaboration”

Chicago Tribune

“Broadway worthy!”

Showbiz Chicago

Photo by Johnny Knight. (l to r): Ensemble members Ian Paul Custer, Michael Mahler, & Dara Cameron.


3 JEFF AWARD NOMINATIONS!

LONGEST RUNNING

SHOW IN OUR HISTORY

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C O M M U N I T Y P A R T N E R

Photo by Johnny Knight. Martha Razo.

Benefit

for

Playwrights included: CPS students,

Darren Canady, Larissa FastHorse, Keith Huff,

Cecilie Keenan, Rohina Malik, Martha Razo,

Elaine Romero, Ron West, Gwendolyn

Whiteside, & Li-ning Yeh.

The Original. Est 2009 RIPPED: The Living Newspaper Festival May 12, 2016 by various artists Since 2009, we’ve produced 15 events and utilized 430+ incredible artists from across the United States. Based on the 1930s WPA era program that brought Orson Welles, Arthur Miller, Richard Wright, and Clifford Odets into public attention, we present 10-minute scripts and performances inspired and ripped from today’s headlines.

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ARTS EDUCATION

Arts Education in CPS THE LINCOLN PROJECT September 2015 — June 2016 Conceived & adapted by Gwendolyn Whiteside from Artistic Affiliate James Still’s play The Heavens Are Hung in Black Our innovative program aligns with Illinois Learning Standards to engage 5th – 10th graders of the circumstances leading to the Emancipation Proclamation. Students watch scenes performed by professional actors, participate in discussions, and most importantly, write their own plays.

Photo by Elyse Dolan. (l to r): Professional actors/teaching artists during The Lincoln Project.

OVER 40+

NEIGHBORHOODS

FREE PROGRAM

Serving

1,500+ CPS

students

annually

“Wonderful opportunity

to see history in action!”

Nathalia Washington, CPS teacher

“I learned it’s okay to

say your feelings!”

Miguel, CPS student

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NEW WORK DEVELOPMENT

Nationally Renowned NEW WORK DEVELOPMENT

Blueprint Development (commissions, workshops, & readings)

Annual Blue Ink Playwriting Award Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival

American Blues Theater is committed to developing the classic plays and musicals of tomorrow. More than 60% of our theatrical events are world and Chicago premieres.

Winning scripts of the Blue Ink Playwriting Award receive world premieres and second premieres across the country.

A B O U T T H E D E V E L O P M E N T P R O C E S S

“Wendy Whiteside’s ability to suggest cuts, revisions, and rewrites that streamlined and strengthened

the play’s dramatic arc was uncanny; her mastery of dramatic form and technique, and her instincts for

what would strengthen the play without compromising either its power or its poetry are a wonderment.”

- Steve Scott, director, Goodman Theater Artistic Associate

One of the nation’s

largest playwriting

competition with prizes.

Photo by Johnny Knight. (Front l to r): the cast of The Wind and the Breeze, winner of the 2016 Blue Ink Playwriting Award.

Commissions,

workshops,

& staged-readings.

2 workshops held

between 2015-2016.

We received over

350 submissions for the

Blue Ink Playwriting Award

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C O N S O L I DAT E D B A L A N C E S H E E T A N D S TAT E M E N T O F A C T I V I T Y

Total Earned Income $327,135 — $327,135 $327,628

Total Public Support 356,517 100,000 456,517 367,090

Other Income 5,520 — 5,520 4,304

Released from Restriction 92,000 (92,000) — —

TOTAL INCOME 781,172 8,000 789,172 699,022

TOTAL EXPENSES 708,822 — 708,822 592,046

CHANGE IN NET ASSETS 72,350 8,000 80,350 106,976

NET ASSETS—BEGINNING OF YEAR 386,371 52,019 438,390 331,414

NET ASSETS—END OF YEAR 458,721 60,019 518,740 438,390

FINANCIAL BALANCE SHEET

UNRESTRICTED TEMPORARILY 2016 TOTAL 2015 TOTAL RESTRICTED

Audited statement—August 2016.

American Blues Theater is carefully managed and has never run a deficit. In addition, we have always passed our audits, named as a Top-Rated Non-Profit for the fourth consecutive year by Great Non-Profits, and maintain the Gold Level for fiscal transparency by Guidestar. Our current fiscal year closed on June 30, 2016 with $80,350 in assets. Our contributed income is $456,517 (39% individuals; 50% foundations; 10% corporations) with earned revenue of $327,135 (79% program services; 21% merchandise & events) against $708,822 in expenses. Since our first operating year FY10, we’ve grown our net assets to $518,740. See our consolidated balance sheet below, last audited by Mann Weitz & Associates LLC. in August 2016.

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FISCAL SNAPSHOT

EXPENSES BY FUNCTIONAL GROUPING

REVENUE BY SOURCE

FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016

Earned

Investment*

Contributed

52% 62% 58%

38% 48% 42%

*Across three fiscal years, no investments have been made.

0%

0% 0%

Program

Administrative

Fundraising FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016

89%

6%

5%

9%

81% 83%

10% 8%

9%

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CORPORATE & FOUNDATION SPONSORS

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN PART BY

Actors’ Equity Foundation, Anixter Foundation, Benjamin Rosenthal Foundation, Carlson Law Offices, SMART Growth Grant, Aquitaine Restaurant, Bacino’s of Lincoln Park, Bunches, & Goose Island Brewing.

CORPORATE SPONSORS

FOUNDATION SPONSORS

THE DAVEE

FOUNDATION

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DONORS

$25,000 and above Anonymous The Chicago Community Trust The Davee Foundation John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Prince Charitable Trusts Burt and Sheli Rosenberg $10,000—$24,999 Anonymous Phil and Jill Calian ComEd Eurex Brenda and James Grusecki Kimberlee Herold The Shubert Foundation $5,000—$9,999 Anixter Foundation Marcy and Greg Carlin Hayford Family Foundation Anne Kaplan Northern Trust Leonard X and Arlene Rosenberg Gwendolyn Whiteside and Ian Van Handel $2,500—$4,999 Anonymous Robyn and Jordan Allen Melanie Bishop Blue Cross Blue Shield Brian Carothers Jill DeVaney Matt and Beth Hafter Joel Kaplan Mike and Trudy Kelly Andrea McNaughton Larry Schulman and Chris Poggianti Matthew and Sharon Tassone $1,000—$2,499 Heather Barnfield Benjamin Rosenthal Foundation David and Sissy Coffin J.A. Friedman

Scott Gordon and Chris Johnson Gordon Craig and Linda Grannon Will and Julie Hobert Matt and Jenn Kueker Mitch Marinello and Dr. Nancy Young Libby and David Savner Seyfarth Shaw LLP Carol and David Stone Howard Walker Glenn and Lynn Weiss Darrel and Shirley Whiteside $500—$999 Actors’ Equity Foundation Richard and Jo Ann Beck Katherine Berry Richard Blass Ed and Laura Blatchford Keith Carlson Craig and Karen Carothers Tyson Carter and Sarah Nowak Matt and Hillary Ebach Joan Esposito Elizabeth Foster Anne and Keith Moffat The Philip J. & Carol J. Lyons Foundation Ben and Nancy Randall Vince and Kerry Teninty Barbara and Randy Thomas Tyler and Sarah Welch $250—$499 Dawn Bach and Rawl Thurman Larry Brandenburg Kate Buddeke Thomas and Meg Claggett Cary Goldberg and Lisa Grant Shepard Gould Keith Karlson and Erica Bankowski John and Judith Keller John and Jackie Mohrlein Mira Mrcela David Murdoch Suzy Petri and Robert Breuler

We are honored to recognize the following contributors who enable American Blues Theater’s artistic programming and educational initiatives. This list includes donations from our True Blue Annual Fund, GutterBall, Blue Bash, production sponsors, and other contributions given July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.

Highest donation

$25,000

Lowest donation

$1

# of gifts

462

Average donation

$345

Highest donation

$25,000

Lowest donation

$25

# of donors

46

Average donation

$2,352

INDIVIDUAL

GIVING

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DONORS

$250—$499 cont’d Erin Quigley Xerox $100—$249 Anonymous Roz Alexander and Sam Grozdin Mark Barnfield Dana Black Manny Buckley and Steve Wroten Rosie Burke Michael Cainkar Karen Callaway Carlson Law Offices Rick Cleveland Neil Cohen Jeannette Cole Mike Colky Ted Cornell Laura Dahl James Dobrovolny Timothy Douglas Rita Dragonette Deanna Dunagan Kyle and Sadie Finke Chris and Lisa Foley Gina Foley Ray Garza James Goodridge Kathy and John Goudie Heather and Roger Grum Lois and Jim Hobart Michelle and Glenn Holland Mary and David Hood Kirk and Kim Hoopingarner Katherine Johnson Lindsay Jones and Jamie Pachino Nicholas Kalm Katey Key and Philip Desforges Steve Key Holly Kohli Maria Kolb Ed Kross Linda Kuehn Jim Leaming and Carmen Roman Howard Levinson Michael Mahler and Dara Cameron Kelli Marino Megan McCann Marcie McVay and Dennis Zacek April Meyers

Heath Mitts Michael N. Moore Cynthia Neville Office Depot Julie Paradise Bill and Rachel Payne Roxanne Perillo Marge Punter Shelly and Irene Reitman Roche Schulfer Steve Scott Joel and Shelley Siegel Jennifer and Scott Stephen Tracy Sullivan Lori Swalla Jill Swartzmiller Kevin Tottis Anthony Urbik Timothy Vigue Juan Villa Nell and Jim Walenda Jennifer and John Washington Clay Wolff Amanda and Jarrod Zimmerman

Blues is grateful for every contribution.

We regret that due to space limitations

we’re unable to list donations under $99.

Please accept our deepest appreciation

as every donation makes a difference!

Photos by Johnny Knight. (L): Board member Matthew Tassone. (Above): Ensemble member John Mohrlein and Jeanne Martineau.

Blue Bash attendees

119

# of gifts

133

Highest auction item price

$4,500

Live Auction total

$17,200

Pledge of Allegiance Fund Drive

$36,743.91

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DONORS

Aquitaine Restaurant A Red Orchid Theatre Dawn Bach Bacino’s of Lincoln Park Heather Barnfield Barrow Street Theatre Sammie Becker Natalie Bontumasi Bunches—a flower shop Greg Carlin Brian Carothers Tyson Carter Chicago Bears Chicago Bulls Chicago Cubs Chicago Shakespeare Theater Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chicago White Sox Chicago Wolves Paula Conrad Austin Cook Court Theatre Days Inn Chicago Jill DeVaney Joan Esposito Eurest Eye to Eye Interiors

Gibson Restaurant Group Goodman Theater Goose Island Brewing Doug Gourley Greenhouse Theater Center Matt and Beth Hafter iO Theater Joffrey Ballet Lindsay Jones Keith A. Karlson Steve Key Johnny Knight Jim Leaming Lettuce Entertain You Deborah Liverett Lookingglass Theatre Lyric Opera Michael Mahler Anne and Keith Moffat John Mohrlein Montage Laguna Beach Namaskar Yoga Christopher J. Neville Northlight Theater NPR Paramount Theater Petterino’s

Porchlight Music Theater Raven Theater Ray’s Bucktown B&B Rivers Casino Burt and Sheli Rosenberg Lorenzo Rush Jr. Seyfarth Shaw LLP Shaw’s Crab House Shedd Aquarium Shepard, Schwartz, & Harris Amy Slyfield Steep Theatre Steppenwolf Theater Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc. Joe Streeto Matthew Tassone Nia Tavoularis TimeLine Theatre Two Brothers Brewing Company Veronique’s Floral “Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me” WBEZ Glenn Weiss Gwendolyn Whiteside and Ian Van Handel Whole Foods Windy City Playhouse Writers’ Theater

In-Kind Contributions

Photos by Johnny Knight. (Top): Artistic Affiliate Kathryn Lochert.

(Bottom): Mark Olen.

Photos by Johnny Knight. 1) Brian Carothers. 2) Ian Van Handel, Andrea McNaughton & Burt Rosenberg. 3) Julia Grum. 4) Sissy Coffin & Manny Buckley. 5) Tyson Carter & Keith Karlson. 6) Craig Grannon & Kirk Hoopingarner from The Davee Foundation. 7) Britt

& Jill DeVaney. 8) Ray Garza & Joan Esposito. 9) Lorenzo Rush Jr. sings for the crowd. 10) Kimberlee Herold & Kate Buddeke.

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2

3

10

5

8

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6

4

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“LOW DOWN DIRTY BLUES”

N O T H I N G D I R T Y A B O U T

T H I S B L U E S I N F O R M A T I O N .

O V E R H E A R D I N T H E A D M I N I S T R A T I V E O F F I C E D U R I N G 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6 : “How do you know where the lake is? We’re not seagulls!” ~ “Who do you think counted things before you?” ~ “My face stopped the boxes!”

“Teamwork to make the dream work!” ~ “I love a chevron.” ~ “Hair is basically thread.” ~ “My physics beat your physics.” ~ Q. “Do you prefer big spoon or little spoon?” A. “For cuddling or for eating?”

Low-income students who are highly engaged

in the arts are more than

twice as likely to graduate

college as their peers with no arts education. Americans for the Arts, 2013

Every student who participated in

The Lincoln Project

received personal school supplies and a certificate

of achievement from American Blues Theater.

Photo by Johnny Knight. (l to r): Eunice Woods, Artistic Affiliate Camille Robinson,

& Jasondra Johnson in Little Shop of Horrors.

of the schools we taught

The Lincoln Project are considered

economically disadvantaged

by the City of Chicago.

86%

military personnel

honored though a 2015

“Soldier Spotlight” .

33 Actors, designers, directors, playwrights, & teachers

RECEIVE EQUAL PAY regardless of union affiliation.

(No gender pay gap either!)

For the 5,000+ cookies we bake for It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, we use:

25 lbs of sugar ~ 14 lbs of brown sugar ~ 6 lbs of butter ~ 30 lbs of flour 8 lbs of chocolate chips ~ 5 lbs of oatmeal ~ 2 lbs of raisins ~ 90 eggs.

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A D M I N I S T R A T I V E O F F I C E 4809 N. Ravenswood Ave., Suite 221

Chicago, IL 60640

AmericanBluesTheater.com (312) 725-4228 voicemail

American Blues Theater is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent of the law.

Photo by Johnny Knight. Ensemble member Manny Buckley

in Looking Over the President’s Shoulder by Artistic Affiliate James Still.

annual report 2015/2016 - american blues theater

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