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Who:

We are seeking Chicago-area teens and recent high school graduates who are passionate about theatre and social justice to participate as collaborators in the cast, crew, and overall production process. The goal is for teens to have as much ownership over this project as possible, filling both lead and supporting roles in all the many aspects that go into putting on a show. All adult volunteers seeking to make this possible are more than welcome to contact Em at emiliasheff@gmail.com!

What:

For our inaugural production, we will present the dark comedy musical We Are the Tigers by trans playwright and composer Preston Max Allen, with all profits going towards the charity Trans Lifeline. Please familiarize yourself with the material, as it does include mature themes that some may find triggering.

This highly collaborative, process-driven endeavor will be based in various theories and praxes of theatre and pedogogy, including humanism, co-constructivism, Discipline-Based Theatre Education (DBTE), Mary Ouverlie’sViewpoints as developed by Ann Bogart, and the teachings of Augusto Boal. Goal-setting will take place during the first rehearsals with personal growth emphasized throughout.

Where:

We are currently still inquiring after a few potential venues to house a weekend of performances and one technical rehearsal. Rehearsals will largely be held at Em's house, which is walking distance from the Devonshire Cultural Center in Skokie, IL. Please contact if you would like to volunteer your space for either purpose.

When:

Summer of 2025! Sign up starts now, and will continue through the first week of July. Rehearsals will take place throughout July and August. Rehearsal times and dates are highly flexible and the schedule will be based on participant availability. Don’t worry if you have conflicts or preexisting commitments; just let us know in advance and we’ll do our best to work around them! Performances will be held either the weekend of August 16th or the following weekend of August 23rd. These dates will be confirmed when the venue is official.

Why:

When Em started planning their Master’s thesis project, they quickly realized that they wanted to use it as an opportunity to do something good. The hard won rights of the LGBTQ+ community are under fire, and the Trans community is particularly vulnerable. Theatre brings people together; by developing an ensemble, we develop community, build self-confidence, and nurture empathy. When we think critically and feel deeply, our communities can do amazing things!

Okay, but why is there a production fee?

Even when staging a production for charity, certain costs are unavoidable. For example: rights need to be purchased to legally produce the material, and venues are rarely available for free. Em is putting in a significant amount of their own money, but that won’t be enough to cover all the associated costs. However, the more participants involved, the further these costs can be divided, resulting in a lower production fee per person. We commit to full transparency in sharing how the money from production fees is used.