20% Theatre Company Chicago

HAPPENING NOW: The Darkroom!

2009-11-20T01:44:20-06:00

Trestle Audition Update

2009-11-05T12:31:56-06:00

Auditions for The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek scheduled for this week-end are now FULLY BOOKED.

If you were unable to get at time-slot but would still like to audition, please note walk-ins will be welcomed, time permitting.

Please bring your headshot/resume and prepare a 2 to 4 minute monologue.

Auditions will be held at Links Hall (Saturday and Sunday from 2-5PM)

Not There Yet What will it take to achieve equality for women in the theatre? By Marsha Norman

2009-11-03T15:39:36-06:00

I'd like to encourage all of you to read the below article by Marsha Norman. Marsha Norman is the author of 'night, Mother a show we produced at 20% four years ago. More then that however, she is one of the few "well-known" female playwrights as her plays have been produced both on and off Broadway for more then 20 years.

It is an article that gets to the heart of what we, as part of 20% do, and why we do it.

Elizabeth Schwan-Rosenwald
Artistic Director

Not There Yet

What will it take to achieve equality for women in the theatre?

By Marsha Norman

Discussing the status of women in the theatre feels a little like debating global warming. I mean, why are we still having this discussion? According to a report issued seven years ago by the New York State Council on the Arts, 83 percent of produced plays are written by men—a statistic that, by all indications, remains unchanged. Nobody doubts that the North Pole is melting, either—we see it on the news. These are both looming disasters produced by lazy behavior that nobody bothered to stop. End of discussion. What we have to do in both cases is commit to change before it is too late.

But, you ask, why is it a disaster that women writers are wildly underrepresented on the American stage? Actually, it's awful all over the arts world for women. My painter pals tell me that at one big museum in New York City, the new acquisitions by men are on the walls, while the new work by women is all in crates in the basement. Only in the orchestra world are the gender numbers equal, and that's because they started holding blind auditions a few years ago.

The U.S. Department of Labor considers any profession with less than 25 percent female employment, like being a machinist or firefighter, to be "untraditional" for women. Using the 2008 numbers, that makes playwriting, directing, set design, lighting design, sound design, choreography, composing and lyric writing all untraditional occupations for women.

Auditions!

2009-10-16T08:35:17-05:00

Trestle at Pope Lick Creek

By Naomi Wallace, directed by Elizabeth Schwan-Rosenwald

Auditions will be held

Saturday November 7^th & Sunday, November 8^th from 2:00-5:00PM

at Links Hall, 3435 N. Sheffield, Suite 207, Chicago, IL 60657

Callbacks will be held: Tuesday, November 10^th from 7:00-10:00 pm at Adventure Stage Chicago, (formerly Vittum Theatre) 1012 N Noble St in Burnside Hall 2nd Floor Chicago IL, 60642.

There are roles for 3 Actors and 2 Actresses

Contact Info: Please email twentypercentchicago@yahoo.com to schedule a time slot.

Walk-ins welcome time permitting

Material to Prepare: Please prepare a two to four minute contemporary monologue, and bring your headshot/resume.

Synopsis: High atop a railroad trestle that spans a bone dry creek and the small town where they live, two teenagers plan to race across the bridge against an oncoming locomotive moving towards something, anything new. A beautiful and haunting play, Trestle at Pope Lick Creek reaches into the depths of a nation during the Great Depression and asks what lies beneath when the world that a town has always known changes and its people struggle to live with the changes bearing down upon them.

Roles

Pace Creagan (Female, Ages 17-25) fearless and feared. She is irresistible.

Dalton Chance: (Male, Ages 15-25) an open book ready for the world to reach out and touch his heart.

Chas: (Male Ages 40-60) A narrator of life, unwilling to engage until tragedy touches him so personally that all his defenses are destroyed and he is forced to engage the world.

Gin Chance: (Female, Ages 35-50) forced from her home into the role of family breadwinner, is seeing the world outside her husband and family for the first time.

Dray Chance: (Male, Ages 35-60) A man defined by his work. Without it, fear has overwhelmed him and he can no longer leave the house, as he is no longer a real person to himself anymore.

Time Commitment: Rehearsals will begin January 18, 2010, Monday-Thursday evenings, with some weekend rehearsals. Shows: April 8^th-May 8^th Thursday-Sunday evenings.

SNAPSHOTS 2009!

2009-07-23T07:13:48-05:00

An evening of short pieces presented by 20% Theatre Company to celebrate the women of Chicago theatre.

Thursday, Friday & Saturday August 6th, 7th and 8th @ 8PM.

Sunday, August 9th @ 7PM.

Strawdog Theatre, 3829 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL.

Tickets: $15

To reserve your ticket call 312.326.3429

or email twentypercentchicago@yahoo.com

SEEKING CHICAGO FEMALE WRITERS

2009-04-18T08:25:53-05:00

SEEKING CHICAGO FEMALE WRITERS

20% Theatre Company is proud to announce SNAPSHOTS 2009!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:
20% Theatre Company Chicago, a company dedicated to producing plays by women, is now accepting submissions of original pieces for SNAPSHOTS 2009! We
are seeking short (5-10 minute) pieces written by local women with interesting female characters. This is an exciting summer event -- so we are looking for pieces that are well written, comedic, light and fun in nature. We are only accepting pieces from Chicago-area writers.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: May 21st

Please send your submissions to: twentypercentchicago@yahoo.com

The last three summers, we have gathered over 60 actors, writers, directors, designers and presented "SNAPSHOTS: an evening of short pieces" to sold out houses. We are delighted to continue this annual tradition!

SNAPSHOTS will be performed Thursday August 6th through Sunday August 9th at Strawdog Theatre.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact twentypercentchicago@yahoo.com

We look forward to reading your submissions!

Lucinda Z Alipio

2009-05-12T11:25:58-05:00

Lucinda Z Alipio (Company member) received her BA of Liberal Arts from the University of Nevada Reno with a major in Theatre and a minor in Dance. After graduation Lucinda made the journey over to the Windy City of Chicago to pursure directing children's theatre. Upon working with so many artists in different aspects of the theatre she also found producing theatre and events as well as experimental theatre work to be
enjoyable and has turned into a passion. Since moving to town in March of 2006 she has been blessed to work with such wonderful theatre
companies including: TimeLine Theatre, 16th Street Theatre, Adventure Stage Chicago, The Chicago Improv Festival, The Side Project, Theatre
Seven and USA Artists. Lucinda's most recent adventure includes joining 20% Chicago Theatre as their newest member. She will be directing and producing 20%'s Snapshots festival 2009 this summer.