TimeLine Reveals Playwrights Collective, Welcomes New Associate Artists, Board Members

TimeLine Theatre Company has announced the addition of several new artists and community leaders to its ranks with the creation of a new Playwrights Collective, plus the naming of four new Associate Artists and eight members to its Board of Directors. TIMELINE PLAYWRIGHTS COLLECTIVE Eight playwrights have been named to the inaugural year of TimeLine's Playwrights Collective: Alice Austen, Aaron Carter, John Conroy, Emily Dendinger, Wendell Etherly, Frances Limoncelli, Susan McLaughlin Karp and Brett Neveu.

Over its first 16 seasons, TimeLine Theatre Company produced nine world premiere productions, making an ongoing commitment to developing new work. The TimeLine Playwrights Collective continues that commitment, offering a supportive environment for playwrights who share an affinity for TimeLine's mission of presenting stories inspired by history that connect with the social and political issues of today. Each season, a diverse group of eight emerging and established writers will be invited to participate in the Playwrights Collective. They will meet regularly and may work on any project that fits TimeLine's mission. Meetings provide the opportunity to read and hear scenes from work under development, ask questions, discuss challenges and share progress with peers. TimeLine provides space for meetings, artistic staff to facilitate discussion, and actors and directors for readings. The season will culminate in an evening of readings of excerpts by each playwright for the TimeLine Company Members, Associate Artists and the playwrights' invited guests. Any works developed with the Playwrights Collective may be considered for future development and production at TimeLine Theatre. "We're thrilled to welcome these eight distinguished writers into our inaugural Playwrights Collective," said TimeLine Artistic Director PJ Powers. "TimeLine looks to this exciting, eclectic group of writers to help us learn how we can make our company a truly supportive place for playwrights and to improve our process for developing new work." "It's invigorating to work with this group of Chicago playwrights and to provide them with a supportive artistic home this year," said TimeLine Literary Manager Ben Thiem, who will lead the Playwrights Collective. "Each of these talented writers represents a unique voice and a shared interest in exploring stories inspired by history, and we can't wait to develop compelling and thought-provoking new work with them." TIMELINE ASSOCIATE ARTISTS

Four artists have been named Associate Artists of TimeLine Theatre Company: Behzad Dabu, Mikhail Fiksel, Ron OJ Parson and Collette Pollard. Brief biographies of these artists are included below; for more details visit timelinetheatre.com/company/associateartists.htm.

Working closely with TimeLine's Company Members, Associate Artists contribute to TimeLine's short-term and long-term artistic programming and growth. Associate Artists serve as non-voting advisers in artistic planning and are encouraged to propose and promote artistic programming ideas and to enhance the work culture and environment of TimeLine. With a collaborative spirit and active participation, Associate Artists demonstrate passionate commitment toward TimeLine's mission, vision and values.

"Each of these new Associate Artists has made enormous contributions to the work on TimeLine's stage, and they also have been leaders off stage, making TimeLine a better place to work and a more distinguished organization," said Powers. "These new additions will not only further diversify the talents and viewpoints of our artistic family, they will play an important role in shaping the next phase of TimeLine's artistic growth, as we expand programming, develop more new work and reach a broader audience. We couldn't be more proud to have these fine artists help us bring TimeLine's mission to life and serve as ambassadors in the community."

These individuals join an already distinguished group of Associate Artists that includes Will Allan, Brian Sidney Bembridge, Eva Breneman, William Brown, Aaron Carter, Andrew Carter, Louis Contey, Charles Cooper, John Culbert, Julie Eberhardt, Ana Espinosa, Terry Hamilton, Andrew Hansen, Alex Wren Meadows, Keith Parham, Mark Richard, Mike Tutaj, Ann Wakefield and Alex Weisman.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

TimeLine Theatre also is pleased to recognize eight business and community leaders who have joined its Board of Directors over the past few months:

• J. Robert Barr is a retired partner with the Chicago law firm Sidley Austin LLP and is an Emeritus Trustee of Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
• Alvin Katz is a Partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP.
• Eileen LaCario is Vice President of Broadway In Chicago, former Chair of the Board of the League of Chicago Theatres and a member of the City of Chicago Cultural Advisory Council.
• Thaddeus J. Malik is a Partner at Paul Hastings.
• Jessica Graham Nielsen serves as a community leader with several organizations.
• Susan A. Payne is Executive Vice President at Metropolitan Capital Bank.
• John M. Sirek is Director of Civic Programs at the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
• Anne Stockton serves as a community leader with several organizations.