Collaboraction

SKETCHBOOK: EVOLUTION ARTIST PROFILE MEREDITH MILLER

 

 

DIRECTOR

Name: Meredith Miller

Play Title: I Wish You Love

City of Residence: Chicago

What was the source of inspiration for this play?

A variety of things—the charming vaudevillian classic “puppet” dance partner routine, and Hans Bellmer’s unsettling photo series of “The Doll” was the inspiration for the dichotomy at the heart of this piece.

Also, framing the piece within the context of some sort of love song or torch song (an ongoing exploration within my current work) continued to shape it.

When did you complete the play?

It’s a devised piece—that will continue to develop throughout the rehearsal process.

What do you find most challenging about directing this play?

 Being decisive about what to include and what not to include to make it most effective—as a deviser, the only parameters are one’s that I myself create, and sometimes the broad range of possibilities can complicate things!

What about the play will most engage audiences?

The unusual combination of elements—it draws from cabaret, burlesque, puppetry, and music—as well as the craftsmanship of the puppet object featured.

What insight or understanding do you expect audiences to gain from the play?

 I hope that they will feel transported to an unsettling and nostalgic space and this both beautiful and grotesque—and that they will be led to think about the complex and contradictory notions that all exist within the definition of “romantic love.”

Is this your first involvement with Collaboraction or Sketchbook? No

If not, what was your previous experience with the company?

    I performed at a fundraiser party previously. Also have had extensive professional overlap with Sam Poretta over the years!

 Anything else you would like to add?

Promo info:  also being performed at The Chopin is my weekly late-night event “Madness In Miniature.”

Here’s a link to a review that describes it very well and has all the pertinent info: http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/13085667/madness-in-miniature-live-review 

 Photo credited to Greg Inda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SKETCHBOOK: EVOLUTION ARTIST PROFILE

Name: Matthew Scott

Hometown: East China, Michigan (Yes. It's a real place...)

Appearing in:

            The Ritual of The Final Exit As Presented ByThe Tribes of The 13 Colonies

Role: Ensemble

 

 Is this your first involvement with Collaboration or Sketchbook?

     Yes! this is my first time being involved with Collaboraction and, I must say, I'm very excited. I've wanted to work on SKETCHBOOK for quite a while now!

  What do you find most exciting or challenging about the role you play?

    One of the most challenging things about our piece is simply the physical stamina that we are building up. It's a lot of movement and discovering that in rehearsal with the rest of the ensemble has been a challenging, sweaty and fun experience.

  Two things come to mind that I think audiences may gain from our devised piece:

    1: Death will inevitably happen and, sometimes, unexpectedly. So, as cliche as it may sound, live it up, or down, or live it all around- whatever makes you happy!

    2. Traditional funeral ceremonies don't seem to be bring people any sort of real catharsis. Of course there's a time and a place to cry and wail over a casket... but it sure won't be in our piece...or will it?  As an ensemble, we all agree that it's better to celebrate the deceased in a way that's specific to that person. Basically, we're having a party to celebrate life and you're all cordially invited. 

  Any backstage rituals?

    Um, I warm up physically and vocally- nothing too exciting... OH! No matter what, I go over my lines before every performance... no matter how long of a run is. That's really the only thing that makes me nervous- not going over my lines.

 Anything else you would like to add?

    I occasionally write and perform with "EnSolo"; a solo performance company started by a group of Columbia College grads. Be sure to check it out on facebook!

 

 

No Joke Comedy Festival this Friday, June 10th!

Collaboraction presents the 1st Annual Midwest Regional Biennale Mega-Extravaganza!

NO JOKE COMEDY FESTIVAL 
 

The "No Joke Comedy Festival" provides a venue for performers who are exploring the "space" of stand-up comedy but adding something completely different to the ongoing dialogue. These performers are all working at the intersection of popular forms of entertainment (stand-up, spoken-word, magic, vaudeville, juggling, burlesque, etc...) and performance art, creating unique works that elicit meaningful insight opposed to gut-wrenching laughter.

Collaboraction (1575 N Milwaukee) @ 8:00p
Tickets $10

Hosted and Curated by Ross Moreno
8 pm - 5 performances
9 pm - break
9:15 pm - 5 more performers
10 pm break - The Friday Night SKETCHBOOK After Party!
10:15 pm - Lenny Zieben performing as Voluptuous Tusk
11 pm -  conceptual karaoke by DJ Carl!

For those of you attending SKETCHBOOK, join us for the last act and the after party featuring conceptual karaoke by DJ Carl!

featuring:
Benjamin Bellas
Justin Cooper
Nick Demeris
James Frank
Gretchen Holmes
Dan Kerr-Hobert
Lisa Laureta
Meg Leary
Tomas Medina
Michael Sanchez
Tamale Sepp
Dave Snyder
Matt Test

Sketchbook: Evolution Artist Profile - Nicholas Combs

Name: Nicholas Combs
Play: Confluence
Role: Nathan
Hometown: Plymouth, MA

 

Is this your first involvement with Collaboration or Sketchbook?

No, I was an actor in Sketchbook last year. (84 – Role: Dave)

 

What do you find most exciting or challenging about the role you play?

The most excited part is the journey this couple has, all in ten minutes.  Both have insecurities and together they discover true love.

 

What insight or understanding do you expect audiences to gain from your play?

I would hope the audience gains the understanding that no matter what problems or insecurities people have, there is always someone who understands or can relate to you in a positive way.

 

Do you have any backstage rituals to prepare you for a performance?

I have a little dance that I’ve been doing since college that gets me pumped up!

 

Anything else you would like to add?

 

I’m a proud member of Red Tape theatre. I believe Sketchbook is such a huge part of Chicago theatre and I’m trilled to be apart of it again!

 

Join us!

Becoming a member is the best way to take advantage of all Collaboraction has to offer.  Only members get access to our shows and events plus exclusive benefits and offers all year at a substantial savings.

Unlike many traditional arts subscription programs, our Collaborators have maximum flexibility and the choice to customize a membership program that's just right for them -- and at a monthly cost starting at not much more than a fancy coffee drink!

And our firends at Rodan in Wicker Park are providing a $25 gift certificate to the first 100 who join us as a member.

 

BASIC MEMBERSHIP > $5 monthly or $60 

4 events and 2 mainstage productions a savings of $30!

 

PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP > $10 monthly or $120

6 events and 4 mainstage productions - a savings of $77!

Plus a pair of Collaboraction cocktail glasses

 

ALL ACCESS MEMBERSHIP > $25 monthly or $300

All Events and Mainstage Productions 

Ticket to our Beggar’s Banquet Event ($150 value)

Invitations to special VIP receptions and events

Plus a pair of Collaboraction cocktail glasses

Members at all three levels also receive:

● Invitations to all readings, behind-the-scenes events and dress rehearsals

● Exclusive members-only Facebook group and email communications on everything going on at Collaboraction...

 

Puchase a membership online or call 312 226-9633 for more information.

Sketchbook: Evolution Artist Profile - Steve Wilson

 

Name: Steve Wilson
PlayTitle: I and My iPhone, Director
City of Residence: Pittsburgh, PA

 

What do you find most challenging about directing this play?

It will be a challenge in finding the right balance between the absurd humor of the piece and the moments of poignancy.

 

 

What about the play will most engage audiences?

If we do our job right, I believe the subject matter will grab the audience. I believe that are talented group of young actors will impress with their skills. I also hope that the audience laughs and has a great time with the piece but is also left with some things to think about regarding technology and evolution.

 

Is this your first involvement with Collaboraction or Sketchbook?

 

No

 

If not, what was your previous experience with the company?

I directed a devised piece for last year’s Sketchbook. The piece was called “When I Was….”

 

Anything else you would like to add?

After 15 years in Chicago as an Actor, Director and Educator, I will be moving away from Chicago in the fall to pursue an MFA in Directing at The University of Texas in Austin. I am very excited about the opportunity but very sad to be leaving Chicago. I hope to return, new and improved.

 

 

You can help Collaboraction win a grant for $50,000 to support education and theatre in Wicker Park. Here's how:

Big news: this June, Collaboraction is in the running to receive a $50,000 grant in the Pepsi Refresh campaign. Now we need your help.

VOTE HERE

If you've ever seen the SKETCHBOOK festival, you know that Collaboraction and young people are like peanut butter and jelly. We do fast-paced, multimedia theater that can keep up with the imaginative energy of kids. 

We have a plan for a new SKETCHBOOK JR program that would bring Collaboraction into local schools, work with students to create original short theater pieces, and then bring them back to Collaboraction's SKETCHBOOK stage to perform the pieces for thousands of community audience members. Half of the grant funds would go towards paying top-notch teaching artists, building kid-sized sets and costumes, and promoting and coordinating SKETCHBOOK JR with other youth leaders and community groups in the neighborhood.

In addition, Collaboraction is, as you know, a big family. We're already outgrowing our space in room 336 at Wicker Park's Flat Iron Arts Building. We would use half of the grant funds to outfit our new performance-rehearsal studio in Room 300. We have to build some walls, install lighting, sound, and video equipment and create flexible seating, and with these grant funds we can transform Collaboraction into a multipurpose community center for theater arts in Wicker Park. Part of this would be that SKETCHBOOK JR classes would then have a central space for teaching, rehearsal, and performance. 

So how can you help us create an arts education program and a space in which to rehearse and present it? 

1. VOTE. Sign up here and vote every day in June. It's free. You get a bunch of votes per day, so look around and support other programs that you think are worth funding as well. 

  

2. We're looking for 50 ambassadors. 50 people who believe in Collaboraction's mission and will work with their social networks to help us get the most daily voting power we can. Email joe at collaboraction dot org if you're interested.

3. Share your "one-liner" stories. Has Collaboraction had a positive effect on your life? Send joe at collaboraction dot org a quick, one- or two-sentence story about why you love Collaboraction, and I'll include it in the daily reminder emails that get sent out to voters.

We've been planning a youth program for a long time, and this grant would mean that we could finally get it off the ground.There is no easier way to get involved.

Thanks for your support, and please vote every day in June,

Joe Zarrow

Collaboraction, Director of Development

 

Sketchbook: Evolution Artist Profile - Danielle Littman

Name: Danielle Littman

Play Title: Dead Letters, Director

City of Residence: Evanston

 

What was the source of inspiration for this play?

This play’s spark came from a story from a friend-- his grandparents wrote letters to one another from home to the warfront. He was helping them clean out their attic and found a huge box of hundreds of these letters. His grandmother said, “Oh, you can throw those away. We don’t need them anymore.” He took them and kept them instead. I read them and began writing.

 

When did you complete the play?

A first draft was completed in Fall 2010

 

What insight or understanding do you expect audiences to gain from the play?

The importance of slowing down, of documenting life, of thinking before you speak.

 

Is this your first involvement with Collaboraction or Sketchbook?

Yes!

 

 

Sketchbook: Evolution Artist Profile - John Fenner Mays

Name: John Fenner Mays

Play Title: Dead Letters

Role: Benjamin

City of Residence: Chicago 

 

Is this your first involvement with Collaboration or Sketchbook?

No. I participated in Sketchbook 2008 in "Cowboy Birthday Party."

 

What do you find most exciting or challenging about the role you play?

For one, it's a solo piece which I've never done before. And two, it's an ode

to the written word which is near and dear to my heart. 

 

What insight or understanding do you expect audiences to gain from your play?

None, really. Some will lament the eventual obsolescence of letters and the written

word, others, probably those under forty, will barely even notice.

 

Do you have any backstage rituals to prepare you for a performance?

Nothing really unusual, just some vocal exercises and a spritz of singer's

throat spray.

 

Anything else you would like to add?

Just that I'm really excited to be involved with Collaboraction and Sketchbook

again. It's always a festive atmosphere and a fun time.

 

 

Encode Yourself into Sketchbook’s DNA: 100 Donors

Do you like what you see and experience at SKETCHBOOK?

Do you want to help make it happen?

Join our 100 Donor Program

 

We've set a goal of welcoming 100 new donors during the course of the SKETCHBOOK: EVOLUTION  festival.  With a donation anywhere between $1 and $10,000, you can be a part of the genesis of Collaboraction’s special brand of multimedia theater.

Like links in a chain, or the ladder-steps of a DNA molecule, hundreds of artists and supporters work together to make SKETCHBOOK happen.

Anybody who donates as a part of this program will be honored with inclusion in SKETCHBOOK’s genetic design. If you like, you’ll have your name inscribed on one of the hula hoops that makes up the set. 

$1.00–$19.00: small hula hoop

$20.00–$99.99: medium hula hoop

$100+: large hula hoop

All donations are fully tax-deductible. You can do the double helix donation dance at our donation page here.