Making Your Gratitude Real

The impact of the coronavirus continues to reach deep into our lives and remind us of our common vulnerability.  Gov. Pritzker’s recent declaration of a “bending” of the curve stands as the first faint ray of hope the city and state have seen in its month-long battle with the covid 19 virus. The news bolsters our confidence that we may be beginning to rise from the withering blow this threat has dealt to our spirits and the way we are accustomed to living our lives.  

City Pleasures covers the arts community.  Like so many others; actors, dancers, musicians and the venues that showcase their talent are being devastated by their inability to either practice their craft before a live audience or host artistic events.  Because they need our help, City Pleasures is sharing avenues that allow Chicagoans to offer support.  Some of these channels, by design, extend beyond the arts and entertainment community and provide opportunities to contribute relief to the city’s more vulnerable neighborhoods.

There are several ways to support the theater community.  Individual theater companies as well as all non-profit arts organization accept support through direct donations.  The purchase of a ticket, gift card or a subscription also helps tremendously to relieve financial pressures.  The homepage of your favorite theater(s) will show you how to offer direct support.

If you prefer your contributions to be broad based, the City of Chicago and the United Way of Metro Chicago have launched the Chicago Community Covid-19 Response Fund “to unite the funds raised by Chicago’s philanthropies, corporations and individuals to be disbursed to nonprofit organizations across the region”, including those in the arts. 

Click here to donate:  https://www.chicagocovid19responsefund.org/

One Chicago entertainment institution took comedy to the clouds several days ago by offering classes online. To learn more about or enroll in Second City’s “comedy at home” lessons, visit:  https://www.secondcity.com/comedyfromyourcouch.   Tantalizing areas of concentration include Creating and Pitching Your TV Series, Teen Standup and Voiceover 101.

The migration to the web as a means to remain viable extends to other prominent names in Chicago’s theatrical universe as well.  Victory Gardens recently announced cancellation of Right to be Forgotten by Sharyn Rothstein originally scheduled to play between May 29 through June 28, 2020.  Instead, it will be streaming a 2-week run of the theater’s hit 2017 production, Fun House.  Details are expected soon at https://victorygardens.org/.

Lookingglass Theatre Company just unveiled Keeping Curious, a roster of free digital programming that includes a weekly podcast, virtual yoga classes and an assortment of performances presented by ensemble members and artistic associates.  The podcast’s first episode centers on the theater’s most recent live performance of Her Honor Jane Byrne and listens in as the story’s playwright and director, J. Nicole Brooks, talks with a social activist and a non-profit executive about how “radical imagination” can bring about tangible change. You can tune in at:  https://lookingglasstheatre.org/the-infinite-room-podcast/

Efforts like those at Victory Gardens, Steppenwolf and Second City allow arts organizations to have a presence in the lives of arts lovers and possibly sustain a semblance of a revenue stream.  Through an expression of proactive corporate largesse, the Chicago-based Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation is rushing “$2 million in general operating funds to its current roster of 175 arts grantees in Chicago and 40 in the Lowcountry of South Carolina”.  Dollars initially scheduled for disbursement in July have been pushed to May and those that were to be allocated in November will be received in July.  Smaller in size with more limited reserves, many of the organizations receiving the funds like 6018 North and eta Creative Arts Foundation will use the money to pay creatives, staff and more fully develop their virtual offerings.