'Play for Keeps' Stockyards Theatre Project-Sept 22

 
WHAT: Begun in 2007,  Stockyards Theatre Projects' "Play for Keeps" pairs actresses with writers (female or male) to create positive, substantial roles in plays for women performers, via three months of workshops, culminating in public readings over three nights.  This year's topics include the trials of love through three generations (a grandmother war bride, a fifties mom and a lesbian daughter); alienation in varying cultural groups in the US; and body image and women.
                       
For Play for Keeps, about 40 actresses were selected to meet every other week (starting on June 30, 2008), first to read well-known works to create a common terminology about play structure, style and character. They are then connected with up to 10 members or teams, and asked to bring eight pages of new work to subsequent meetings, where they are read aloud for group feedback. Stockyards Managing Director Francesca Peppiatt, who created the initiative, then facilitates these critique sessions, plus meets with the artists one-on-one for comments. Finally, directors join the process to supervise what will become the final public readings, which include audience talk-backs as well. Participants include actors who have never written, actors who are working on a show for themselves but need somewhere to develop, and playwrights.
                       
WHERE: Theatre Building Chicago, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60657
Belmont El stop (Red, Brown, Purple)
Handicapped accessible
 
WHEN: Developed scripts will be read from 7:30-10 p.m. on
Monday, September 22; Tuesday, September 23, and Wednesday, September 24, 2008 – different scripts presented each night
                       
TICKETS:  Suggested donation $5
Information at 773-936-7896 and www.stockyardstheatreproject.org
 
FUNDERS: This project is funded in part by Chicago's Community Arts Assistance Program (CAAP).