Artist Spotlight: Randy Steinmeyer

At Still Point Theatre Collective, we aim to work with top-notch professionals when producing our original plays. No one could argue that we have found such an artist in Actor Randy Steinmeyer, who recently took over the role of Fr. Doug Doussan in our play Living Water: The Story of St. Gabriel the Archangel Church.

Randy’s background reveals that he is a quintessential Chicago actor – and happy to have made a good living in his chosen field.  After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts from Blackburn College in Carlinville, IL in 1981, he later received his Professional Certificate from the prestigious Goodman School of Drama in 1983. Randy muses that he never left the neighborhood – as his current north side Chicago home is blocks away from the school.

Randy’s resume is full of impressive roles from stage, TV, and film – before 1990 he had earned membership in SAG, AFTRA, and Equity professional actors’ unions.  Just a few highlights of his career include originating the role of Denny Lombardo in the world premiere of the play A Steady Rain, for which he won a Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor in a Principal Role; TV appearances in Chicago PD, Chicago Code, and The Untouchables; and film roles in Game Day, The Babe, and Public Enemies. He cited the latter as one of his most treasured movie experiences, having learned a great deal from working with the likes of Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and Director Michael Mann. Randy chuckled as he recalled Mann’s persistent direction for him: “Don’t do anything.”  He would repeat his line, and Mann would repeat: “No. Don’t do anything.” It seems that Mann’s direction took the familiar counsel “less is more” and went one better. In addition to his work on stage and screen, Randy has traveled the world working as a spokesperson for various corporations - appearing at numerous conferences and conventions.

Randy’s connection to Still Point can be traced back to 1989 when he met Still Point Founder and Artistic Director Lisa Wagner-Carollo. Randy and Lisa both performed in Catholic activist group Call to Action’s productions Between the Times and Peaceworks. It had been a while since the two had spoken when Lisa approached him a couple of years ago about playing the role of Msgr. John O’Grady in a one person play that Still Point created for Catholic Charities USA. Randy had too many conflicts to take on that project, but when Lisa later asked him about playing Fr. Doug in Living Water, he was happy to have enough room in his schedule to take the role.

I asked Randy about the man he portrays in Living Water: Fr. Doug Doussan, the (now retired) pastor of St. Gabriel Church. The play tells the story of how the church rebuilt after the post- Katrina floods devastated New Orleans, and Fr. Doug is a pivotal character in the story. A charming Southern gentleman, this priest’s sincere dedication to his parishioners was always evident when he was being interviewed for the play. After listening to the tapes, Randy remarked that he noticed the surprisingly dry wit that one can almost miss under Fr. Doug’s smooth southern drawl. Randy also noticed the comfortable and at times comical rapport between Fr. Doug and his fellow Pastoral Leader Sr. Kathleen Pittman. He is enjoying exploring this relationship in performing the play with Lisa in the role of Sr. Kathleen.  “We’re having fun,” he remarked, “I think it’s important to have fun when we perform, even when there is a lot of important and serious information to convey. If we’re having fun, the audience will enjoy themselves as well.” Randy also remarked that he often gets cast as blue-collar characters simply due to his physical type, so he’s enjoying the change of pace in playing a gentle-mannered priest.

In speaking of the play’s importance and relevance, he connected the stories told in Spike Lee’s When the Levies Broke to the sentiments conveyed by the character of Michael in Living Water. Michael has a speech that expresses shock, heartbreak, and anger at the lack of response from government officials and agencies during and after the disaster. Randy used the term “criminal negligence” to describe this lack of response, and it’s hard to disagree with that characterization. Randy travels a great deal, and noted that in visiting New Orleans several times since Katrina, he has seen that there are still stretches around the city and along the Gulf Coast that have never recovered. Living Water is telling an important American story that deserves to be told - and remembered. Randy’s exceptional talent and energy are a great boon to this production, and we are thrilled to have him on board.

Please monitor our social media and website calendar for upcoming performances of Living Water: The Story of St. Gabriel the Archangel Church, for a chance to see Randy perform the role of Fr. Doug Doussan. Information about booking a performance can be found at our website: http://www.stillpointtheatrecollective.org/touring-show/living-water

Actor Randy Steinmeyer, pictured above in a recent headshot, and below with Lisa Wagner-Carollo in Living Water: The Story of St. Gabriel the Archangel Church.

Mary Dean: Leading the Fight Against Solitary Confinement in Illinois

Mary Dean, if you speak to her, will strike you as an exceptionally gentle and soft-spoken woman. One should be aware, however, that her quiet aspect houses a formidable, lion-hearted warrior in the struggle for justice. 

I began my recent conversation with Mary by asking her how and why she was drawn into a life of activism. She traced that history back to childhood and her experiences growing up on the South Side of Chicago. The effects of extreme poverty were visible everywhere, and in grade school she was volunteering in soup kitchens. Mary has been combating social injustice ever since. While a student at St. Louis University, she became involved in the Catholic Worker Movement, deepening her awareness and commitment to alleviating the burdens of poverty. She is also engaged in numerous efforts to correct policies that promulgate social and economic injustice – locally, nationally and globally. 

Mary’s activism has on occasion resulted in her arrest. As a result of her participation in a peaceful action to call for the closing of the School of the Americas, a U.S. run training facility for Latin American military personnel, Mary was arrested and sentenced to 6 months in Federal prison for trespassing on Federal land. In 1995 she engaged in a nonviolent protest against nuclear weapons, for which she was also arrested. In this incident, she was placed in solitary confinement for a couple of days in Ashland County Jail in Wisconsin.

These experiences gave Mary some first-hand insight into the practices inside the U.S. criminal justice system. She said that she witnessed the degree to which “the focus was not on rehabilitation – not at all.” Two years ago Mary became a paralegal, and then began working for the nonprofit legal organization Uptown People’s Law Center. She utilized her experience and skills to craft a bill setting limits on the use of solitary confinement in Illinois. She researched legislation that other states had put in place to restrict the use of solitary confinement, and collaborated with a coalition of activists to craft the final wording of HB 5417, the “Isolated Confinement Restriction Act.” This group then met with IL House Representative La Shawn Ford to seek his support, and he agreed to sponsor the bill.

Mary and her colleagues celebrated a milestone on Wednesday, April 20, when HB 5417 passed through a hearing in front of the Restorative Justice Committee, of which Rep. Ford is the Chair. The next step will be for the bill to be considered before the Illinois House.

In my conversation with Mary, I realized that there was much I did not know about the use of solitary confinement in U.S. prisons. To focus on Illinois: as of 2013, approximately 2,300 prisoners in the state were being kept in solitary confinement. One of the most harrowing aspects of this statistic is the length of time that many prisoners are spending in this type of confinement. Over 60% are in for less than 1 year, 30% for more than 1 year, and 10% for more than 10 years. To put those statistics in perspective, the U.N. considers anything over 15 days in solitary to be torture. There is widespread agreement on the destructive nature of this type of confinement among courts, prison authorities, and bar associations. That isolated confinement causes extreme emotional, physical and psychological trauma is well known – these facts aren’t even up for debate. How then, can we possibly justify the unrestricted use of such confinement?

In brief, HB 5417 would:

- Limit the use of solitary to no more than 5 days in any 150 day period. 

- Use solitary only when absolutely necessary: when there is reasonable cause to believe that an individual poses a serious threat to himself or others, and less restrictive measures would be insufficient. (Right now, prisoners can be sent to solitary for very minor infractions.)

- Ban the use of solitary confinement against people with disabilities, serious medical conditions, pregnancy; people who are LGBT; or anyone under 21 or over 55 years of age. 

Other stipulations in the bill would require a medical and mental evaluation within 24 hours for any person placed in solitary, and documentation - including reviews every two days by prison personnel - explaining why less restrictive confinement would be insufficient. 

Since the 1998 creation of the Persephone Project, Still Point Theatre Collective has been engaged in arts outreach programs to women incarcerated in Illinois correctional facilities. Our Facilitators have encountered hundreds of individuals who, in our program, expressed a sincere need and desire to grow and heal. A criminal justice system, by definition, should provide justice. Rehabilitation should be the ultimate goal - but as Mary observed, it is so often not the case. When it comes to the rights of people in prison, we would be errant to remain silent. 

Mary Dean represents the true meaning of the word activist: one who is actively engaged in the responsibilities of citizenship. Here she has joined with others to painstakingly work within the system to bring about a legal change that would represent a step toward greater humanity and decency – that could save a significant number of human lives from experiencing severe damage. We should extend gratitude to her, to UPLC Executive Director Alan Mills, to Rep. Ford, and to all others involved in bringing this legislation before the Illinois House of Representatives. 

This brings us to YOU – and the role that you can play to support the Isolated Confinement Restriction Act. If you agree that the current unrestricted use of solitary confinement in Illinois correctional facilities is inhumane and unjust, and if you are an Illinois resident – please call or write your state representative to voice your support for HB 5417. 

Use this link to send a letter to your representative:

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/end-the-torture-of-solitary-confinement?clear_id=true&source=email

Additional information/resources:

http://solitarywatch.com/facts/faq/

http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/illinois-seeks-to-limit-use-of-solitary-confinement/

Mary Dean, of Uptown People's Law Center

Participant Spotlight: Ellen Stenson

Still Point’s Sage Theatre Workshop celebrates the wisdom, creativity, and perspective of older citizens. The Sage Theatre group at Bethany Retirement Center reached a milestone recently when they presented their first performance on February 6^{th, 2016}. Their original production was entitled Mixin’ It Up, Volume 1.

When Ellen Stenson signed up for the class at Bethany, she really didn’t know what to expect. When I asked if she had had any performance experience prior to taking the class, she chuckled, “Absolutely NOT!  Well, maybe I did a skit in fourth grade in Girl Scouts or something. I never thought I had any kind of talent at all. I signed up just to get involved. I went to the first class, and I was hooked!”

Ellen clearly jumped right into the improvisational process without hesitation, and was surprised at how much she fun she had taking an idea and running with it. Facilitator Lisa Wagner-Carollo used prompts about the class members’ favorite actors to initiate improvs, and Ellen created a Robert De Niro character that became central in the performance.  A flirtation with Barbara Streisand and an ensuing love triangle with James Brolin were part of the comical material that the players created in the weekly classes. 

Ellen had some serious stage fright that manifested itself right before the show. She was working through a monologue with Lisa, and she recalls that her performance seemed to be falling apart. She was stumbling over words, forgetting things – she said that she was having a hard time just getting through it. Lisa talked with her about her performance anxiety, and Ellen recalls her advice,”Lisa said to let go and have fun. She said to talk to the audience, really look people in the eye and make a connection.” Ellen remarked that this approach helped her to work past her fears. “I was able to confront some demons,” she confided. Her connection with the audience was so successful that she had interplay with them in the performance, as she tossed out classic De Niro quotes from some of his biggest films and the audience members would shout out the names of the appropriate movie.

I asked Ellen what her biggest take-away was from the entire experience of being in the class and doing her first live performance. She responded, “I found something that I love to do, and I’m good at it! This has brought up my self-esteem and confidence like you wouldn’t believe. I never thought I could do anything like this – and I had so much fun!” She reiterated that she has never missed a class and doesn’t intend to. “I’ll never stop this!” she exclaimed. In our conversation, it was impossible not to grin along with Ellen's infectious enthusiasm. This budding actress has clearly been bitten by the theatre bug, and it is immensely gratifying to see the joy that has been inspired by her participation in Still Point’s Sage Theatre Workshop. 

In Ellen’s story of overcoming her performance fears, we hear that connection is key. The aspect of theatre that urges us to connect – with our own stories, with fellow performers, and with the audience - is powerful and transformative.

Photo of Ellen, taken by Facilitator Steve Grossman

Wild and Precious: Update on Persephone Project at Lake County Jail

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?” 
- from “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver

Three weeks ago, Still Point Facilitator Lindsay Porter resumed conducting weekly Persephone Project classes with women at Lake County Jail. Lindsay said that the concept of “identity” has been a theme for reflection and writing in these early sessions. The above quote from Mary Oliver’s poem was used as a springboard for discussion: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

Lindsay remarked that this group is particularly supportive of one another, and that the Persephone Project environment makes honest sharing and imagining possible. I have heard repeatedly from Persephone Project facilitators, and have heard it confirmed in the testimonials of participants, that the supportive community created in this programming is vital. An environment which facilitates reflection, imagination, connection, hope and personal growth supports the women in reclaiming and rebuilding their lives. 

In contemplating identity, the women have an opportunity to be honest about their worst moments and worst decisions, but to also realize that their entire identity need not be defined by these mistakes. That is part of who they are and part of their experience, but their being also contains many other facets that deserve to be acknowledged. The Persephone Project encourages them to explore these facets.

Lindsay shared that the group has also had discussions about how to look for precious and life-affirming moments even in the midst of the most difficult days of their lives. One participant shared that she likes to get up earlier than needed because she has a view of the sunrise from her cell, and the sight of the sun over Lake Michigan is something she looks forward to each morning. 

The purpose of this work is not frivolous. The classes are focused on building skills and providing opportunities for growth that can have a meaningful impact. Lindsay recalls one comment from a participant in a past facilitation: upon completing their performance at the jail, the woman remarked, “This is the first time I’ve ever finished anything.” Her comment describes an event of serious personal significance for this individual: the performance was an opportunity for her to prove to herself that she could commit to a project and see it through to completion.

Lindsay stated that the jail administration at Lake County is very supportive of the Persephone Project, particularly Chief Jennifer Witherspoon, who is diligently focused on providing programs and services for inmates that give them the best chance at a successful life after release.  We are grateful for the opportunity to have a positive contribution to women at Lake County Jail through conducting Persephone Project classes there.

The current Lake County Jail group is planning an original performance, tentatively scheduled for March 4. Honest creative expression takes tremendous courage. We applaud these women, and their willingness to share about their wild and precious lives.

Still Point Facilitator Lindsay Porter

Still Point’s 2015 in Review

2015 was an exciting year for Still Point. For a small nonprofit founded in 1993, we continue to fulfill our mission and expand the scope of our work. Here’s a recap of Still Point happenings in 2015!

OUTREACH

Regular performances are an integral part of Still Point’s Imagination Workshop for adults with developmental disabilities, and we are focusing more attention on this aspect as our programming expands. We are proud that our Imagination Workshop facilitation at Orchard Village has featured performances at the Skokie Theater and the Skokie Public Library this year. The group that meets at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church is open to public enrollment, and has had three well-attended performances at the church this year, most recently on December 15.  Groups at L’Arche Chicago, Esperanza, Search, Inc. and El Valor also presented original performances in 2015. Through exposing community audiences to the unique gifts of these remarkable men and women, Still Point cultivates greater community integration and breaks stereotypes. Staff member Steve Grossman has begun working on boosting the technical aspects of our outreach performances, such as sound and lighting, in order to further enhance the experience for both audiences and performers.

While Persephone Project programs continued at Cook County Jail and Lake County Jail, we were also thrilled to receive a grant from the Seabury Foundation in 2015 to support our work with formerly incarcerated women. The ultimate goal of this branch of programming is to prevent recidivism, so continuing services during the critical time following release is a vital key to success, and high on our priority list for 2016. 

Still Point delved into a new branch of programming this year with Sage Theatre Works, which seeks to develop and highlight the gifts of senior citizens. Ongoing weekly classes at the Benedictine Monastery and Bethany Retirement Center, facilitated by Lisa Wagner-Carollo, provide seniors with meaningful challenges and an opportunity to have their gifts acknowledged and appreciated. Participants also enjoy guest speakers from the arts community.

PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIONS

Founder/Artistic Director Lisa Wagner-Carollo continued to perform Haunted by God: The Life of Dorothy Day for audiences across the country in 2015. It seems that Pope Francis, who recently praised Dorothy Day for her tireless service to the poor, is joined by many others who admire Day’s stalwart commitment to living her faith.

Still Point also continues to tour Living Water:  The Story of St. Gabriel the Archangel Church, our production about the modern day resurrection story of St. Gabriel Church in New Orleans, and how the parish banded together to rebuild after the Katrina floods of 2005. We were pleased to present donor-sponsored performances of this production for community nonprofits like Breakthrough Urban Ministries, SisterHouse and St. Martin de Porres House of Hope in 2015 - offering this inspiring play to audiences who might not otherwise have access to theater, such as people in recovery and the homeless. We are currently recasting this play for 2016.

NEW PROJECT – HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Still Point’s new project on human trafficking, Stealing Souls, is in the early stages of development. We are partnering with activist Ivan Velasco to create a new play raising awareness on the plight of human trafficking victims. Our vision for this particular project is the creation of a two part presentation: The play, with the working title Stealing Souls, will underscore the nature and severity of the problem, featuring real stories of human trafficking. The second part of the presentation will feature a panel discussion with activists from the city in which we are presenting, in order to provide information outlining actions which audience members can take to start to transform the conditions and practices that allow human trafficking to occur. We are currently fundraising for this project.

OTHER NEWS

On November 30 we hosted a reading of Maggie Kast’s new work of historical fiction, A Free, Unsullied Land. This was a great event supporting a long-time friend of Still Point, and encouraging meaningful dialogue about social justice in the U.S.A.

We recently held our Christmas Tea for the Martha Cooper Fund, which raised money for our Imagination Workshop programs. We are very grateful to Lisa Russ of the Chicago Rotary Club for her support in organizing this event. 

At our most recent Board meeting, there was a changing of the guard as Sharilyn Lacy stepped down from her position as Secretary of Still Point’s Board of Directors. Shari served on our Board for six years, first as President and then as Secretary, and we are very grateful for her many years of service. Meanwhile, we welcomed KellyAnn Corcoran to the Board. A talented writer and performer, KellyAnn has worked with Still Point in various artistic capacities, and is an enthusiastic supporter of our mission. We are thrilled to have her step into this position!

THANK YOU AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO OUR FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS!

As the year winds down, we wish to extend a warm “thank you” to all of our friends and supporters. Whether you give a little or a lot of your time and/or money to Still Point, we know that we could not exist without you. We wish you a very Happy Holiday, full of creativity, community, and connection!

Making Connections with Lein Scott, Former Persephone Project Participant

by Anita Dacanay

According to the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency:  “Since 2010, the female jail population has been the fastest growing correctional population, increasing by an average annual rate of 3.4 percent.” There is a long list of disturbing statistics regarding various characteristics of the female prison population: Nearly 6 in 10 women in state prisons have experienced physical or sexual abuse in the past. 69 percent reported that the assault occurred before age 18. In 2004, 73% of women in state prisons reported symptoms of mental illness. Women are far more likely to have minor children living with them when arrested than male prisoners.  Considering all of these factors, one begins to appreciate how difficult it is for these women to build a healthy life for themselves upon re-entry. Still Point Managing Director Ben Gray, when asked why so many people are reluctant to give incarcerated women a second chance, recently commented, “Let’s be honest about the fact that many of these women never had a first chance.”

The ultimate goal of Still Point’s Persephone Project for currently and formerly incarcerated women, is to prevent recidivism. As lofty a goal as it might be, we believe that many of these women can recover and learn to thrive with appropriate support services.

Former program participant Lein Scott spoke to me on the phone recently about her life during and after incarceration, and how programs like the Persephone Project can make a difference.  Lein recalls her life on the streets when she was chemically dependent and involved in prostitution. She is very clear about what has helped her recovery. “Connection,” she said. “You have to seek connection, or you end up alone.” But connection is not easy to come by in jail, and perhaps even harder when emerging from incarceration.

Lein remarks, “There’s such a stigma with incarceration. There’s a perception that you will never change.”

I asked Lein what theatre programs could do for women in prison, and she responded by saying, “You have to always be aware that your story can repeat itself, so you have to keep it in front of you.”  She continued by analyzing how improvisation “breaks it down, and can bring about an understanding. It puts a light on your story.”

Theatre demands many kinds of connections, but Lein’s comments underscore the fact that connection with one’s own truth is paramount. Many Persephone Project participants have affirmed that the program carved a safe space in which the women could be truthful with themselves and each other. Knowing that they would not be judged or attacked, they embarked on a process of honest self-discovery.  Having an avenue for self-reflection, as well as for imagining a different path for themselves in the future, is crucial if participants want to develop a real road map to a better life. Lein affirms the value of having an outlet for individual expression, and the hopefulness of the creative process, “When you perform something, you bring it to life.”

Still Point Founder/Artistic Director Lisa Wagner-Carollo recalls what Lein brought to the Persephone Project at Cook County when she participated. “Lein offered a lot of leadership for the group. She was very committed. She had a great attitude and was very enthusiastic.” Each four month session of workshops that Still Point leads in detention centers ends in an on-site performance. Lein had described herself to me as “kind of dramatic” – and Lisa confirmed this when she recalled Lein’s talent, “She is a great actress! She’s so good on stage.”

The leadership that Lein showed when she participated in our program has continued now that she is released. Lein is working with the Dreamcatcher Foundation, which fights to end human trafficking in Chicago. Their website states: “Our not-for-profit organization works to prevent the sexual exploitation of at-risk youth and helps current prostitutes find confidence and stability beyond the limitations of their current lifestyle.”  Lein acknowledges the challenges involved in making connections with these young people, but the Dreamcatcher Foundation has had success with person to person outreach on the streets, and this is what Lein does. She knows that mentorship made a huge difference in her own life, and now she works to pay that forward.

She also acknowledges the importance of a spiritual focus in her own recovery, “It’s easy to lose initiative… you’ve got to get out of that box, you can’t go back to doing the same things.” She spoke of the importance of being humble, and understanding of other people’s circumstances.

After our conversation, I reflected more deeply on the significance of Lein’s words: “You have to seek connection, or you end up alone.” That is a profound truth of the human experience.

For more information on the Dreamcatcher Foundation, please visit:

http://thedreamcatcherfoundation.org/

Statistics on women and incarceration:

http://www.sentencingproject.org/doc/publications/cc_incarcerated_women_factsheet_sep24sp.pdf

http://www.csosa.gov/reentry/news/statistics-on-women-offenders-2015.pdf

Lein Scott, former Persephone Project participant

Artist Spotlight: Director Virginia Smith

by Anita Dacanay

I was happy to have a chance to talk to the effervescent and accomplished Virginia Smith recently about her history with Still Point Theatre Collective. It was not a short conversation. Virginia first connected with Lisa Wagner-Carollo when Haunted By God: The Life of Dorothy Day was still being produced by Catholic Activist group Call To Action. Former Call to Action Executive Director Ray Wohl asked Virginia to re-work the original production of Haunted By God.

“There were three writers: Lisa, Bob McClory, and Paul Amandes. I immediately got rid of two of them,” Virginia quipped. “I said, ‘Lisa, you’re the actor. You’re too close to the material to make decisions about it.’ Bob was a journalist, and he had already contributed all of the factual information to make sure the play was historically accurate – so we didn’t need him anymore. That left Paul, and I worked with him. I told him where I thought the storyline needed more development, and he would write it… and I would cut it to shreds… (chuckles) I also decided that the show needed music. So I asked Paul to write all of the music that is in the play now.” Now, Virginia has a gentle, musical voice, and a ready smile and giggle – so when she recounts this story it doesn’t come across with any hard edges. This is part of Virginia’s gift – to be relentlessly staunch in communicating her interpretations of scripts and characters, in a style that is simultaneously supportive and convincing for her fellow artists. One always has the sense that she is absolutely clear about what choices will best serve the work.

I have heard several versions of this reworking of Haunted By God, and no matter who tells the story, the happy ending is the same. Under Virginia’s leadership and discerning eyes and ears, what was once a somewhat cumbersome play was honed into a beautifully written, acted, and staged one woman show. Lisa founded Still Point in 1993, and at that point the company took over the show’s production. This powerful portrait of beloved Catholic Activist Dorothy Day is still touring in 2015 - to enthusiastic audiences across North America.

For a number of reasons which include Lisa’s long-standing relationship with her, Virginia has been the first choice to direct Still Point plays throughout the years. Virginia directed Deep Listening and Living Water: The Story of St. Gabriel the Archangel Church. She also directed SPTC’s recent collaboration with Catholic Charities USA, Visionary at the Helm: The Bold Leadership of Monsignor John O’Grady, which enjoyed a successful debut at the Catholic Charities Annual Gathering in Omaha on September 11, 2015. These plays were all produced after Virginia had moved from Chicago to Nebraska to teach at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln – meaning that Virginia traveled to Chicago to work on  the plays. 

I asked Virginia what has driven her to continue working with Still Point over the years, given the distance and her full schedule. She explained that even while she was serving as the Artistic Director of Nebraska Repertory Theatre from 2005 to 2014 in addition to teaching at UNL – she liked having side jobs. A lot of theater work would have demanded more of a time commitment than she had to give with her standing professional obligations; but because Lisa has been willing and able to work around her schedule, Virginia was able to accept the projects.

“We also condense the process.  We often do in a matter of weeks or months what might usually take years to accomplish, in terms of developing new work.” She credits some of that to the fact that there is a creative team that has been established for many years – Lisa, Virginia, and Designer Holly Windingstad have worked together for the past three shows, and I was a co-writer for the past two. I know what Virginia means when she points out the value of trust in the creative team. 

Virginia also appreciates the opportunity to support Still Point’s mission in producing plays that are centered on topics of social justice and spirituality. To elaborate on her motivations, Virginia said, “I find Lisa and her work inspirational. There is always this blessed way that things come together for these plays – lots of lucky breaks and little blessings along the way.” 

Virginia’s extensive background as a theater professional – not only as a Director, but also as a writer, an instructor, and an actor - gives her the perfect skill set to nurture and shape new work. Earlier this year, Virginia was recognized with a Mayor’s Choice Award for her work as AD of Nebraska Repertory Theatre, for acting and directing in numerous roles and productions in Lincoln, and for her contribution as an educator – reminding us that Virginia’s longstanding professional relationship with Still Point is a lucky break and, in fact, a rather big blessing for the company.

Virginia enjoying a walk with husband Doug and their poodles, India Ink and Lola.

Introducing Sage Theatre Works!

by Anita Dacanay

The Administration and Board of Still Point are thrilled to announce the creation of a NEW branch of our outreach programming! This program, Sage Theatre Works, provides theatre programs for senior citizens in the Chicago area.

In the fall of 2014, Still Point Founding Artistic Director Lisa Wagner-Carollo received a call from Gina Jung, who is a former Still Point volunteer. Gina is with the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago, and approached Lisa about leading a theater program for some of the older women at the Infirmary of the Benedictine Monastery on Ridge Road. The class began as a small group of six retired sisters, supported by two aides. From the beginning, members of the group delighted in the unique opportunity for creative expression. Dubbing themselves The North Wind Players, the troupe put on their first performance in March of 2015. Musician Veronica Garza contributed her talents by adding guitar and vocals to the performance, and she is scheduled to do the same for the next North Wind Players presentation, which will occur on July 15. After the success of this pilot program, an additional ongoing workshop for seniors began in June of 2015 at the Bethany Retirement Center in Ravenswood.

Lisa recalls that she grew up watching seniors perform in a Community Theater Group in Kansas City called the Senior Barn Players. Lisa’s parents, Richard and Shirley Wagner, are also talented performers and used to direct Senior Barn Players performances. Now, they are members of the troupe. For Lisa, it only seemed natural that Still Point should extend its outreach programming to include this under-valued segment of the population.

As with other Still Point outreach work, Lisa encourages the women to bring their own ideas, interests, and talents to the class. She notes that improvisation works particularly well. Improv creates an opportunity for participants to draw from their rich life experience to create interesting characters and scenarios.  The women in the North Wind Players have come up with a variety of original ideas, and they have a penchant for comedic sketches. One such scene was based on the premise of one woman’s ill-fated trip to a cosmetics counter at a department store; another revolved around two passengers on an airplane with conflicting desires: one wants to read her book in peace, and the other wants to chat endlessly! The women also enjoy portraying historical characters. The oldest member of the North Wind Players, Sr. Mercedes Moore, who has passed her 100^th birthday, likes to recite poetry - some of which she recalls from when she was 12!

At least one member of the group has confessed that she always wanted to be an actress, but never before had the chance to explore that interest. Why shouldn’t she explore it now? All of the participants in this particular group are retired Benedictine Sisters. They worked hard and served their communities for many years. Many of them have serious health issues. The chance to interact with others in a new way, have some fun, express their thoughts and feelings, and take their minds off of the inevitable stresses of aging is something that participants appreciate, and most certainly deserve.

Our senior citizens offer us a wealth of experience, perspective, and wisdom – yet our youth-focused culture often fails to acknowledge, let alone celebrate, these gifts. Sage Theatre Works takes a step toward correcting this imbalance.

We are still putting together materials for a new page on the Still Point website devoted to Sage Theatre Works. In the meantime, interested parties can receive more information by contacting Managing Director Ben Gray at the Still Point Office: 773-868-1700; benbgray@gmail.com

Lisa with the North Wind Players

Showtime at L’arche!

Well, I asked Facilitator Stephanie Browning to send me a couple of lines about what’s going on in our program with L’Arche Chicago. Her response outlined so many cool, creative happenings that I couldn’t choose just one thing to share, so I decided to put it all into a blog post!

L'Arche is an International Federation dedicated to the creation and growth of homes, programs, and support networks for people with intellectual disabilities. L’Arche Chicago welcomed its first core member in 2000, and has been growing ever since. Still Point began a program for the members there in late February of this year.

Stephanie is working with the group developing both musical and dramatic presentations. 
Here’s Stephanie’s report on the participants’ musical pursuits:

“Christianne leads the singing to get us warmed up by choosing which song out of our L'Arche Songbook we'll sing first. She's partial to “Lean on Me “& “Ring of Fire”.

Elisha plays the drum and sometimes adds a piano solo on the Elvis tunes, especially “Love Me Tender”.

Mike brought in a Tim McGraw song that is working out great.  He also introduced the Taylor Swift song "Shake it Off" which is a huge hit. It sounds fantastic when we all sing together - Jessica, Monica, and Hannah, and now we are so happy to welcome Nelson to the group - he's a guitar player!

We have talked about maybe adding some dance moves to the Taylor Swift song. I also suggested we could make up our own lyrics about L'Arche and life at the houses, the challenges we all face and how we respond to them. Shake it off!”

The group is developing an improvised play about a very special royal family. The family includes Christianne as the Princess, Hannah as her mother - the Imperious Queen, Mike as the King, and Elisha as their beautiful horse. (He's almost like a member of the family!)

In addition, Tim has been hard at work writing a delightful short play about the search for an extremely beloved red ‘69 BMW that goes missing.

Our program at L’Arche is one of five Still Point workshops focused on the needs and gifts of adults with developmental disabilities. All of Still Point’s Imagination Workshop ensembles operate in a spirit of nurturing and celebrating each individual’s unique creative voice. According to Stephanie’s report, it sounds as though there is never a dull moment in their sessions! 

For more information about L'Arche Chicago, you may visit them at:
http://www.larchechicago.org/come-and-see#identity

Facilitator Spotlight: Maria Vorhis

By Anita Dacanay

Still Point Program Facilitator Maria Vorhis graduated from the University of Iowa in 2012 with a B.A. in Theater Arts. She has accumulated a fascinating and impressive gumbo of artistic experience as an actor of both stage and screen; also as a producer, storyteller, writer, and facilitator. Maria is a committed and passionate artist who values the gift that playmaking can grant to both performers and audiences: the gift of truly being present in the moment, and enjoying it fully.

A key element that has formed her artistic life is her background in Clowning, which she first encountered in a college class taught by Paola Coletto. Through exploring Clown and Mask work, Maria found freedom in a physical approach to developing characters. In essence, the process was one of stripping down rather than putting on: removing the safety of physical habits to reveal a more raw and vulnerable self on stage.

This work informs her approach as a facilitator. Maria frequently uses the word “innocence” to refer to the state she seeks for herself and her students when developing work. In an age rife with cynicism, we are all perhaps a bit starved for innocence. Interestingly, the quality of innocence is one of the many gifts that adults with developmental disabilities have to share with the larger community.

When speaking of her current group of participants at El Valor, Maria recounted a story of one class member’s blossoming when randomly assigned the role of a cheerleader in a scene. Formerly silent and reserved, the young woman suddenly lit up like a light bulb, accessed her inner ham, and started dancing gleefully. Maria asserts that these unexpected moments of pure joy are exactly the ones she wants to recreate for audiences.

With unabashed gusto, it does appear that Maria seems to revel in the unexpected. Immediately after graduating from college, the young actress found herself completely uninterested in auditioning for roles.  She developed material while engaged in a group dubbed “Lady Comedy Circle and Terrorist Society” – and would later turn this writing into her one-woman show, Are You There, George?  The idea of touring living rooms started as a joke with friends, but became a reality when her close friend and artistic partner Kaitlyn Busbee directed the piece, and they did indeed take it on an Iowa living room tour! The play was also performed in a more traditional venue when it appeared in the Minnesota Fringe Festival, but Maria asserts that it was better served in the intimate space of private homes. Considering that the set is a bunk bed, and that the story is about a 12-year-old girl longing for breasts and a sense of belonging, one can see how this might be true – although the play’s appearance in that festival did land Maria the title of #1 Newbie of the Fringe.  A 2015 tour of this show is in the works.

Former Still Point intern and Facilitator Tory Flack, who also attended the University of Iowa, introduced Maria to Still Point, and we are very pleased that she did. Clearly, Maria brings many unique gifts to the table, and we are most fortunate to have this talented and innovative artist on the Still Point team. We look forward to witnessing the unexpected moments of delight that she and her participants at El Valor will discover and share with all of us. For more information on Maria’s work, please visit her website: http://www.mariavorhis.com/

 (Above) Maria as Natalie in her one woman play Are You There, George?

As Petunia in short film: Where Are You?

Facilitator Spotlight: Stephanie Browning

by Anita Dacanay

Interviewing new Still Point Facilitator Stephanie Browning for this blog was truly a joy. Of course, that is only fitting, as Stephanie’s approach to her work was summed up in her first conversation with Still Point Founder, Lisa Wagner-Carollo, when she proclaimed to Lisa, “My agenda is joy.”

Stephanie cheerfully explained her unique background in the arts, which started when she was a young girl in Boulder, Colorado who threw herself into piano lessons, singing, acting, and all manner of performance. Shortly after she graduated from high school, Stephanie entered a modeling contest – and won. This started her on a modeling career. Eventually, she shifted into several years working as a photo stylist and studio manager, which she felt better suited her creative identity. “I had a lot of ideas,” she quipped, “And nobody wants a model with ideas.”

This lifestyle too wore thin after a few years, and Stephanie began to do some soul-searching regarding what her true path should be, and what would bring her the greatest fulfillment. A phone call from a friend in Chicago helped set her course, as her friend regaled her with stories of the rich music and performance scene in Chicago. “You’d love it here!” her friend insisted.

Stephanie decided that the answer to her soul-searching would be found in becoming a jazz singer in Chicago. So, in 1991, that is precisely what she did. Her friend’s instincts were right on target: Stephanie fell in love with Chicago immediately, and carved a niche for herself as a professional jazz singer.

About three years ago, Stephanie began volunteering at Garden Center Services, a Chicago area service provider for people with developmental disabilities. She later began to teach music classes there. Veteran Imagination Workshop member Andy Torres lives at one of Garden Center’s homes, and was the glue that brought Still Point and Stephanie together! Andy and Lisa have been collaborating on doing workshops together at Garden Center, and one day when Lisa was meeting with him, they attended one of the sing-alongs that Stephanie has been leading there. Stephanie and Lisa talked at length that day, and Stephanie was eventually asked to Facilitate Still Point’s new program with L’Arche Chicago. She had her first session with the class on Monday, February 23.

Stephanie’s philosophy on Facilitating for people with developmental disabilities is clearly and emphatically in line with Still Point’s mission and vision, starting with her assertion that people with disabilities are “100% people.” This sounds painfully obvious, yet those who work with this population know how truly marginalized persons with D.D. are in our society. Stephanie asserts that this segmenting of the population results in a huge loss for the community at large.  She appreciates the great capacity for joy and the ability to slow down and live in the present moment which she observes in her students at Garden Center. Her approach is to discover - and celebrate - what each individual can do, because everyone has some unique skill or quality to share. Engaging in the process of getting to know each participant on his or her own terms, and giving each person a chance to shine, has been tremendously rewarding for Stephanie.

She reflects on the “deep kind of joy” she experiences when a client does something that no one knew he or she could do. When discussing the new group at L’Arche, she expressed anticipation and excitement: “I can’t wait to see what we put together!”

It is with deep appreciation and great joy that we welcome Stephanie Browning to Still Point Theatre Collective.

Jazz vocalist and Still Point Program Facilitator Stephanie Browning, performing at the Green Mill

New Project Gives Voice to the Stories of Human Trafficking Victims

By Anita Dacanay

The artists of Still Point are thrilled to announce that we will be partnering with Ivan Velasco, pastor of Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, to create a new play raising awareness on the plight of human trafficking victims. Ivan has been engaged in activist work on this issue for three years, and one year ago adopted a young man who had become entrapped in a trafficking scheme.

I spoke with Ivan recently about his involvement with this issue. He said that it began in a roundabout way with research that he was conducting while working on his Master’s Degree.  The plight of a therapy client who was unhappily working as a stripper caused him to wonder about what happens in the brain development of youth who are recruited into the sex industry at an early age. His research led him to uncover information about human trafficking, and to see a disturbing correlation between the activities of certain corporations and areas of the world, like St. Petersburg in Russia and Medellin in Colombia, that were hotbeds of human trafficking.

The more he learned, the more alarming he found the situation. Ivan’s interest shifted from that of researcher to that of a man whose faith called him to help the needy. Clearly, there were few needier than the young people being targeted to be coerced into sexual slavery. Ivan started communicating online with victims in South America. He went to Medellin and stayed with family of members of Ravenswood Presbyterian Church. These congregants also had a grandson in Medellin who had become involved in human trafficking. Ivan communicated with and eventually met with the young man, Santiago, and began to develop a relationship with him as a father figure. He also began to consider the possibility of bringing Santiago to the United States.

There were many hurdles and challenges. Ivan made about 20 visits to Medellin. He had begun meeting Americans involved in trafficking, and was under threat. In Ivan’s mind, it would have been unconscionable as a Christian to not do what he could to help people suffering such obvious abuse. Yet, he found that many in his church were not supportive, and felt that he should stop his activity in Medellin.

In a moment of crisis, with his own life being threatened, Ivan questioned his commitment, and considered not returning to Medellin to retrieve Santiago. His oldest biological son, Alex, encouraged him, saying, “I believe in Christ because of what you are doing! Santiago is my brother.” With the blessing of his wife and children, and also the blessing of Santiago’s biological father who was homeless and suffering chemical dependency, Ivan returned to Medellin.  He used the fortunate coincidence that the young man bore a physical resemblance to him, and claimed to be Santiago’s biological father. The story was plausible; Ivan is from Peru, and had been pastor of a church in South America at the time of Santiago’s conception. The traffickers ultimately wished to avoid attracting any limelight with an American citizen, and they eventually released Santiago.

The artists of Still Point are thrilled at this opportunity to use our talents to educate the public regarding the scope and severity of this global crisis. According to the website of the Global Freedom Center, there are approximately 27 million victims of human trafficking worldwide, and only 1% identified.  Trafficking victims fall prey to a large variety of forced labor schemes and targeted coercion.  You can read more examples of real stories here: http://globalfreedomcenter.org/GFC/humantraffickingstories

We wish to humanize the victims of trafficking through sharing real stories in a live performance. Still Point will create a script based on interviews with Ivan’s adopted son, Santiago, and some of the other individuals that Ivan has helped. We feel called to speak out loud stories that have been previously silenced. Many would rather turn a blind eye to this issue than confront the ugly reality of it. It is our goal with this project to make the issue harder to ignore, and also to assert that we can take actions both individually and collectively to address modern slavery, so that we can start to transform the conditions and practices that allow human trafficking to occur.

Ivan and Santiago’s story is one of hope. Ivan, even though he is a pastor, has never insisted that any of his children attend church, as he feels that this should be a personal choice. Santiago is regularly attending services at his father’s church, insisting to Ivan that he wishes to do so. He told Ivan, “Now I understand my faith. You left comfort, you risked your life, you called me son: you gave me your life. This is Christ’s story.”

Ivan asserts that his own interpretation of living a Christian life is summed up in the Golden Rule: “Love thy neighbor as thyself. That is the basis of what I believe.”

No matter what one’s personal spiritual or religious beliefs may be, enslaving other human beings, especially children, is a practice that no ethical person can condone.  Ivan and all of us at Still Point hope to bring this issue into the light so that we may take steps toward creating a global community in which each life is valued and treated with respect.

The Velasco family: (standing) Ivan and his wife, Alison; 

(seated, left to right) Santiago, Eric, Anika, and Alex

The Creative Process and Personal Liberation: Why Art Matters For All Of Us

by Anita Dacanay

“Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.” 
― Paulo Friere, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

The above quote from famed Brazilian educator and philosopher Paulo Friere speaks to the reasons that those of us who engage in arts education and outreach programming can never think of this work as tangential or trivial. We see evidence that it is not. We see evidence that, in fact, just one experience in quality arts programming can change the trajectory of an individual’s life.  Engaging at-risk populations in the critical thinking and community building which is inherent to creating and producing theater heaps multiple benefits upon the minds and hearts of those who are ripe for the experience.

If we contemplate the quote further, we see how Friere associates the “practice of freedom” with “the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.”  This description accurately outlines the approach taken with many successful theater arts outreach programs, including Still Point’s Imagination Workshop and Persephone Project.

Stanford University Professor Shirley Brice Heath has conducted extensive research on the effects of after school programs for youth. One important study discovered that arts programs are more effective than any other type of programming at positively altering the course of children’s lives. They were more effective than sports programs, community service programs, or academic programs. The reasons given for these findings, in my opinion, support my belief that arts programming can be enormously beneficial for any and all populations, particularly at-risk populations. One of the reasons cited in the study involves the benefits of healthy risk-taking. Youth, it was shown, benefitted from putting their hearts and minds on the line in their artistic endeavors. Rather than simply following pre-ordained rules, the artists had to create their own structures; they had to analyze how to best express their thoughts and feelings, and then imagine how the audience would perceive them.  Read more about this study here: http://shirleybriceheath.net/pdfs/SBHYouthDevArtsNonschoolHours.pdf

When Lead Facilitator Laura Callahan-Hazard asks a group of adults with developmental disabilities to imagine a scenario in which a person with a disability is treated poorly, and then to re-imagine and act out a scene in which the situation is corrected to show the same individual being treated with respect, there is much more going on than a simple recreational activity.  When Laura or another Facilitator provides a structure through which critical thinking arrives at the imagining and acting out of a more just world, a powerful chemistry is at play. It is truly a kind of alchemy – the turning of lead into gold.

The widespread underestimating of adults with developmental disabilities often results in a lack of meaningful challenge and risk in the opportunities presented to them. At Still Point, we start with the assumption that people with D.D. are whole, valuable human beings with completely unique gifts to share.  This should go without saying - but unfortunately, in our society, it often does not. I have seen Imagination Workshop programs become a safe space for many individuals to engage in meaningful personal growth. The benchmarks vary greatly. For some participants, just learning to speak up in a group and offer original ideas and opinions is a huge landmark. For others, they have absolutely run with the opportunity to develop and express true artistic talent that might otherwise have remained undiscovered or undeveloped.  These individuals have fostered talents not only in performing, but also in developing and directing original work.  The effects of such achievements on an individual’s self-esteem are often profound. When Andy T. says, confidently, “I am the Director” – he is claiming an identity as an artist and a leader. This is not only beneficial to him, but to all of us, as the breaking of stereotypes allows for greater freedom of expression all around.

Likewise, the Persephone Project offers important opportunities for growth to women in jail. Writing exercises are utilized throughout the 12 week process that we use when working with women who are incarcerated. From the beginning, participants are asked to examine themselves and their inner and outer lives. The safe container that is forged by the Facilitator supports that process.  The healthy risk-taking begins as soon as a participant puts pen to paper to express real thoughts and feelings that are intended to be shared. The risk-taking continues in the actual sharing of those thoughts and feelings within the group. Critical thinking fosters the process of analyzing and assessing those thoughts and feelings, and how to best express them.  Emotional bravery is required in the final step of performing their original work for other inmates, jail staff, and guests. The entire process encourages the women to “deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.”

The Still Point motto that I am referencing in the title of this blog is this:”We all matter, and art matters for all of us.” In closing, let me expand on the importance of the “all of us” part. This means that those of us who perform administrative work for the company need to have our souls fed through developing our own creative lives and our own artistic work, as the vast majority of us are artists also. This means that the service performed when we tour our work across the country, and occasionally beyond, is as important as the outreach work we do. We are all “special” populations. We are all vital parts of a whole. It is my belief that widespread creative expression is an integral part of any healthy society and an inherent human need.  Art, at its best, paves a road to liberation.

Imagination Workshop: photo by Chris Carollo

Facilitator Spotlight: Laura Callahan-Hazard

By Anita Dacanay

Founded in 1964 by Jean Vanier, L'Arche is an International Federation dedicated to the creation and growth of homes, programs, and support networks with people who have intellectual disabilities. L’Arche is an interesting point of connection between Still Point Facilitator Laura Callahan-Hazard and our Founder, Lisa Wagner-Carollo. Lisa was living in a L’Arche community in Kansas City, KS in 1986, when young Laura was growing up in Nebraska with her parents. Laura's parents are devoted L'Arche supporters, so her family visited the Kansas City L'Arche home for fellowship and events, and this is how Lisa and Laura met - when Laura was only 4 years old!

Fast forward through the years: Laura attended Barat College of DuPaul in Lake Forrest, IL. She served as an intern for a young Still Point Theatre Collective, and then later as a volunteer.  After Laura graduated in 2004 with a degree in Directing, she became involved with various theatrical projects.  She also began working with adults with developmental disabilities. Through Search, Inc., a Chicago nonprofit that provides services for adults with developmental disabilities, her job intersected yet again with Still Point when she began escorting individuals from Search to Imagination Workshop programs. Eventually this led to Laura facilitating the Ravenswood Players workshop series at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church. This program is unique in that it is open to members of the public. Laura also ran a pilot program at Orchard Village in Skokie this past spring, for which Still Point is being awarded the Jeannie Johnson Hirsch Award for Outstanding Community Service.  As our Lead Facilitator for Imagination Workshop programming, she is also currently conducting a workshop series with core members from L’Arche Chicago. 

On September 14 L’arche Chicago will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of L’Arche international, and the 14th year of L’Arche Chicago with a special benefit event.  Laura’s group will be presenting an original performance as part of that benefit.  The theme of the performance is “what community means to me.” The scenes presented will explore the lessons that the actors have learned from community, and that they would like to teach to others.  The participants will also talk about the gifts that they bring to community. 

As I spoke with Laura in detail about how she approaches working with groups of adults with developmental disabilities, it became apparent that her training in directing and her life experience arm her with a unique set of skills that she brings to Still Point’s outreach work.  She facilitates a variety of creative, practical lessons about stage acting – like the “No Butts Lesson” on stage movement.  This playfully-named class session teaches the actors to remain turned toward the audience during a performance, and to learn how to follow directions to move around the playing area. 

In addition to teaching acting skills, many of the exercises also emphasize building social skills and self-esteem.  Having new acting students work together to “build a story” – with each person adding an element as they take turns storytelling – provides important information to Laura about each person’s personality and skill set.  The exercise is also a way to boost confidence by demonstrating to new participants that they truly can tell a story, as doing so may be completely uncharted territory for them.  Another exercise that builds self-esteem is to end each session with the giving of compliments to other group members. Laura coaches participants in how to be specific in their compliments. After they receive a compliment, it is their turn to give one. 

Laura has become very adept at providing a supportive structure so that each performer can have his or her moment to shine on stage. She describes the shows as being “highly structured improv.” The actors know their characters and the basics of what happens in the story, but are free to change the exact wording of their lines. Laura is often on stage with the actors, with her main role being to prompt the actors to talk in more detail.  

When I spoke to Laura, she was bubbling over with enthusiasm, information, and ideas regarding her teaching methodology. One significant gift she brings is her understanding, respect, and support for an often-marginalized segment of our society.  Still Point has always focused on self-expression and empowerment in our Imagination Workshop programming. Laura’s experience and unique perspective allow her to explore that aspect of our outreach work with both great knowledge and great conviction. L’Arche’s philosophy is one of total inclusivity. People with intellectual differences who live in L’Arche communities are referred to as “core members” rather than “clients” or the currently used “consumers.” Laura explores the significance of that language with her actors in their upcoming show. She encourages them to express their thoughts and feelings on a variety of subjects, and helps give them tools with which to do so.

Laura and her husband have a shared living arrangement with two women with developmental disabilities. These women are going to be in the L’Arche performance as well. In short, Laura Callahan-Hazard exhibits total consistency regarding the inclusion, celebration, and support of adults with intellectual disabilities. Laura brings her great heart and integrity, along with her exceptional facilitation skills and artistry, to every Imagination Workshop group that she leads.  For all of these reasons, Laura has quickly become an integral and highly valued member of Still Point Theatre Collective.

L’Arche Chicago’s Jubilee Anniversary Banquet, at which Laura’s Imagination Workshop group will perform,  will take place on Sunday, September 14th,  from 4-8:30 p.m.  at the Carleton Hotel, 1110 Pleasant St. in Oak Park.  For more info please visit the L’Arche Chicago website: http://www.larchechicago.org/events/

Photo: Laura Callahan-Hazard on stage with the Ravenswood Players.