Congo Square Theatre Announces New Managing Director and Industry Training Institute

Congo Square Theatre Company, one of the nation's premier African American theatres, has announced Charlique C. Rolle as its new managing director, effective immediately. Rolle steps into the leadership role on the heels of the company's successful production of Douglas Turner Ward's satirical fantasy Day of Absence, which closed performances early due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This month, Congo Square also launches its new Industry Training Institute, designed for working and aspiring theatre artists. Congo Square's Ensemble Members and Artistic Associates will lead one- and two-day online Zoom workshops on topics including acting, auditioning, directing, design and writing. To register and for more information, visit www.congosquaretheatre.org.

Congo Square's full 2020-2021 Season of programming will be announced in the coming weeks.

"I am so excited to be a part of the Congo Square Theatre family, an organization of pure Black excellence and a needed voice in such a time as this," said Managing Director Charlique C. Rolle. "We are deeply committed to ensuring that Black stories are clearly and unapologetically heard through authentic Black lenses, that Black art continues to be created with excellence and embedded into the cultural landscape, and that Black communities are given space to heal and find freedom and unity through our work. To work with such a profound group of artists, staff and board members is truly a privilege, and I'm very excited to serve Congo Square and the entire Chicago arts community through our work."

Charlique C. Rolle is an arts administrator, performing artist and choreographer. Over the years she has filled a variety of management roles including Business Manager at Inaside Chicago Dance, Performing Arts Director at Chicago Tabernacle, and Program Director at Chicago School of Leadership. A Bahamas native, Rolle moved to Chicago in 2012 to continue her pursuit of supporting arts-based organizations administratively, teaching, and creating performance-based work professionally. Her work has been featured nationally and internationally. Rolle graduated Summa Cum Laude from Missouri Valley College with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance, with minors in Business and Theatre. She has a Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership from Moody Theological Seminary and is currently completing a Master of Business Administration at Concordia University Chicago. Rolle is passionate about seeing the arts thrive and about developing artists. Her personal mission is to build, equip, and develop artists to walk in the fullness of their crafts, to create works that catalyze healing, freedom, and transformation, and to provide resources and structure for artists and organizations that will breed creative freedom, sustainability and longevity.

Congo Square's new Industry Training Institute kicks off later this month, presenting one- and two-day online Zoom workshops led by the theatre's Ensemble Members and Artistic Associates. The monthly workshops will run through June 2021, covering topics including acting, auditioning, directing, design and writing. Upcoming courses include:

August: Master the Art of Self-Tape with Tracey N. Bonner

Date: Monday, Aug. 24 & Wednesday, Aug. 26 from 1-3:30 p.m. CST

Class Description: This workshop will equip the actor to prepare to audition from anywhere. The actor will learn the proper framing, eye-line, and delivery for a Film/TV audition. This workshop is a quick way to make your self-tapes more engaging.

Registration: $100 for the two-day course; visit www.congosquaretheatre.org

September: The Business of Acting with Javon Johnson

Date: Monday, Sept. 21 from 5-9 p.m. CST

Class Description: This class will equip the actor on how to be their own business. You will learn the things they just don't tell you once you get into the professional world like how to secure representation, how to establish a strong relationship with your agent/manager, how to maintain strong relationships with casting directors, and how to make yourself more marketable by utilizing social media.

Registration: $100; visit www.congosquaretheatre.org

October: Audition for the Stage and General Audition Technique/Shakespeare Monologues with Ann Joseph-Douglas

Date: Monday, Oct. 26 & Wednesday, Oct. 28 from 6-8 p.m. CST

Class Description: This Acting class is dedicated to artists looking to strengthen their theatre audition techniques. The actor will learn how to deepen their audition process in order to capture the eyes of Casting Directors. The general audition technique / Shakespeare monologue portion of the course is designed to help actors who are preparing to audition for an individual BFA or MFA Conservatory Program, URTA Auditions, or General theatre auditions. Using Shakespeare monologues, the actor will get coaching and preparation techniques to help them for that next-level audition.

Registration: $100 for the two-day course; visit www.congosquaretheatre.org