Chicago-Style:
Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble and CIRCA-Pintig Benefit
A Community Fundraiser for Arts Education and Social Justice Theatre
This year's fundraiser, CHICAGO-STYLE, will directly support Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble's and The Center for Immigrant Resources and Community Arts exciting new collaborative project, "Panther In The Sky" and our arts education and production lineup. "Panther" explores the lives of four mothers grappling with the tragic loss of their teenage sons to gun violence. This discussion will inspire CDE's focus on "Creating Safer Communities" in our forthcoming production season and arts education programming.
We encourage participants to come celebrate our beautiful city, dressed in their favorite Chicago attire, and help us continue to create community through the arts "One Voice, One Story, One Person at a Time."
Date
November 11, 2023
Time
VIP hour: 6pm - 7pm
General Admission: 7pm - 11pm
Location
the Auditorium at Ebenezer Lutheran Church (CDE's performance space)
1650 W. Foster Avenue
Get your tickets before they're gone!
Price range: $25 - $400
This year's fundraiser, CHICAGO-STYLE, will directly support Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble's and The Center for Immigrant Resources and Community Arts exciting new collaborative project, "Panther In The Sky" and our arts education and production lineup. "Panther" explores the lives of four mothers grappling with the tragic loss of their teenage sons to gun violence. This discussion will inspire CDE's focus on "Creating Safer Communities" in our forthcoming production season and arts education programming.
We encourage participants to come celebrate our beautiful city, dressed in their favorite Chicago attire, and help us continue to create community through the arts "One Voice, One Story, One Person at a Time."
Date
November 11, 2023
Time
VIP hour: 6pm - 7pm
General Admission: 7pm - 11pm
Location
the Auditorium at Ebenezer Lutheran Church (CDE's performance space)
1650 W. Foster Avenue
Get your tickets before they're gone!
Price range: $25 - $400
What Will This Benefit Support?
Great question! Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble (CDE) and The Center for Immigrant Resources and Community Arts (CIRCA-Pintig) are thrilled to share an exciting project coming in May! We are partnering on an original production of a compelling play, "Panther in the Sky," written by Lani T. Montreal.
Keep reading to learn more about "Panther" and how it will inspire the rest of our arts education and production lineup this season.
Keep reading to learn more about "Panther" and how it will inspire the rest of our arts education and production lineup this season.
"Panther In The Sky"
CDE and CIRCA-Pintig are producing a new play, "Panther In The Sky" written by Lani T. Montreal about four mothers who are dealing with the murders of their teenage sons on the streets of Chicago. The sons meet each other in the afterlife and grapple with the reality of their abrupt demise, while their mothers cope with grief and struggle to understand it all.
Lani T. Montreal is an educator, writer, performer, and community activist. Her writings have been published and produced in Canada, the U.S., the Philippines, and cyberspace. She wrote this play based on news reports and stories shared by families and friends of those who have lost children and young adults to gun violence. This documentary theater style can engage people in conversations about gun violence and its toll on a community. The production will also include a curated art exhibition!
At the Performance
We will have community activism tables set up at every performance. These tables will be run by local activist groups, allowing our audience to write a letter or sign a prefilled postcard about topical social justice issues. These letters and postcards will be sent to local, state, and national politicians to encourage change. For Panther in the Sky, the activism will be centered around gun violence. Our performances create hope and inspire everyone to make the world a better place. Now, we can allow patrons to get loud and make their voices heard while feeling inspired and passionate about specific topics!
These groups will include local community members passionate about activism and Chicago Alderpeople. Their presence provides support and guidance and helps mobilize their respective districts to take action and work toward positive change.
This postcard/letter writing campaign is a proactive and effective way to engage our audience and empower them to make a difference. It utilizes the platform of the performances to create a space for dialogue, awareness, and activism, encouraging patrons to actively participate in shaping a better world.
Lani T. Montreal is an educator, writer, performer, and community activist. Her writings have been published and produced in Canada, the U.S., the Philippines, and cyberspace. She wrote this play based on news reports and stories shared by families and friends of those who have lost children and young adults to gun violence. This documentary theater style can engage people in conversations about gun violence and its toll on a community. The production will also include a curated art exhibition!
At the Performance
We will have community activism tables set up at every performance. These tables will be run by local activist groups, allowing our audience to write a letter or sign a prefilled postcard about topical social justice issues. These letters and postcards will be sent to local, state, and national politicians to encourage change. For Panther in the Sky, the activism will be centered around gun violence. Our performances create hope and inspire everyone to make the world a better place. Now, we can allow patrons to get loud and make their voices heard while feeling inspired and passionate about specific topics!
These groups will include local community members passionate about activism and Chicago Alderpeople. Their presence provides support and guidance and helps mobilize their respective districts to take action and work toward positive change.
This postcard/letter writing campaign is a proactive and effective way to engage our audience and empower them to make a difference. It utilizes the platform of the performances to create a space for dialogue, awareness, and activism, encouraging patrons to actively participate in shaping a better world.
Arts Education Programming
CDE Arts Education Programming on Safer Communities
CDE will bring these themes to our own arts education programs. Specifically, we want to open up this discussion with our teens at the Boys and Girls Club. Engaging with teens at the Boys and Girls Club is a great way to address important topics and provide a positive and inspiring event for the youth. Seeking instruction and feedback from educators and activists will help ensure the discussion is approached sensitively and productively.
In addition to the teen-focused programs, implementing child/caregiver workshops to expand safe spaces for families is our next step/planned event. By creating these safe and accessible spaces, CDE promotes the overall well-being of children and their families, ultimately creating safer communities for everyone. While the workshops may not directly discuss gun violence, the broader focus on building safer communities encompasses various aspects. We will also give the parents resources for them to make their voices heard on how to end gun violence in their communities.
By integrating arts education programming, we provide a creative and expressive outlet for young individuals to engage with these critical topics. Art can evoke emotions, promote dialogue, and foster understanding, making it an effective tool for exploring subjects related to gun violence.
Community College Workshops/Discussions of "Panther in the Sky"
Lani T. Montreal is a Chicago community college teacher. CDE works with High School students in Chicago Public Schools and partners with community organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club. CDE and CIRCA-Pintig will take monologues and scenes from "Panther in the Sky" to Chicago community colleges and high schools to workshop scenes and open up a discussion about the show's essential themes. Workshopping scenes and facilitating discussions around the show's themes allow young people to explore and express their perspectives on the subject matter. By actively listening to their experiences and insights, we can gain valuable insights into the challenges and concerns they face, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of these issues.
CDE will bring these themes to our own arts education programs. Specifically, we want to open up this discussion with our teens at the Boys and Girls Club. Engaging with teens at the Boys and Girls Club is a great way to address important topics and provide a positive and inspiring event for the youth. Seeking instruction and feedback from educators and activists will help ensure the discussion is approached sensitively and productively.
In addition to the teen-focused programs, implementing child/caregiver workshops to expand safe spaces for families is our next step/planned event. By creating these safe and accessible spaces, CDE promotes the overall well-being of children and their families, ultimately creating safer communities for everyone. While the workshops may not directly discuss gun violence, the broader focus on building safer communities encompasses various aspects. We will also give the parents resources for them to make their voices heard on how to end gun violence in their communities.
By integrating arts education programming, we provide a creative and expressive outlet for young individuals to engage with these critical topics. Art can evoke emotions, promote dialogue, and foster understanding, making it an effective tool for exploring subjects related to gun violence.
Community College Workshops/Discussions of "Panther in the Sky"
Lani T. Montreal is a Chicago community college teacher. CDE works with High School students in Chicago Public Schools and partners with community organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club. CDE and CIRCA-Pintig will take monologues and scenes from "Panther in the Sky" to Chicago community colleges and high schools to workshop scenes and open up a discussion about the show's essential themes. Workshopping scenes and facilitating discussions around the show's themes allow young people to explore and express their perspectives on the subject matter. By actively listening to their experiences and insights, we can gain valuable insights into the challenges and concerns they face, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of these issues.
Community Voices Project
CDE and CIRCA-Pintig will take the poetry, spoken word, dialogue, and visual art created in the workshops and discussions mentioned above to create a new performance and art exhibition series. We would like to have some participants perform their work alongside theater and dance community professionals.