The world of performance is precarious, unpredictable and erratic. And it encompasses many more people than just those you see on the stage. If you work in that world as an actor, dancer, stagehand, or director; your next gig is never guaranteed and your livelihood rarely secure.
Spurred by the 2015 death of local actress Molly Glynn who passed away from injuries incurred while biking with her husband, the Third Annual Chicago Theater Bike Ride: Love Hard will kick off with a ceremony at 11am on Saturday, September 9th at Foster Beach, 5200 Lake Shore Drive. Bikers roll out at noon and a community potluck BBQ begins at 1:30pm.
Funds raised by the Love Hard bike ride will help the theater community pay for funeral expenses and other costly unforeseen emergencies like apartment fires. To date, the ride has raised and distributed more than $23,000 in support of The Actors Fund of America and The Emergency Aid Fund.
Recent losses have been particularly painful for the theater community following the brutal killing of actress Andrea Urban in May and the unexpected death of Steppenwolf’s incomparable Martha Lavey who positively impacted scores in the city’s theater community. The event’s website, http://www.lovehardbikeride.org, provides images and bios of all of those lost from the community since 2015.
Organizer Carmen Roman states this year’s goal is 200 riders and $15,000 in proceeds. She also reiterates that the ceremony and bike ride on the 9th are as much about celebrating and supporting each other as it is about remembering.
Minimum ride donations are $25. All other donations, now and ongoing, can be made to http://www.lovehardbikeride.org/donate.html.