An Evening of Storytelling with Ben Kemper
Friday, May 24 at 7:00
4041 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Admission is FREE, and donations are welcome to contribute to Filament’s building fund.
Recommended for ages 12-112.

A native of Boise, Idaho and current student at Northwestern University, Ben is already making waves in the world of professional storytelling.  His unique performance style, energetic embodiment of character, and captivating imagery have taken him around the world performing for audiences of all ages.   World-renowned storyteller Jay O’Callahan said of Kemper’s work, “Because Ben is part of the future of storytelling, storytelling will soar.”

For more information about Ben, or to see a sample of his work, we invite you to read “Once Upon a Time” from North by Northwestern magazine and visit Ben’s personal website.

The event will be hosted by Tom Jackson, who has been celebrating Dylan’s birthday on Chicago’s WLUW for over fifteen years, and is the primary host of “Somebody Else’s Troubles”, a roots music show that broadcasts on WLUW on Saturday mornings at 11:00. Performers are set to include Dan Aranda, David Bragman, Bucky Halker, Luke Heiden, Tom Jackson, Laura Joy, Peter Oyloe, and more. The concert will be in the style of a folk hootenanny, with each performer taking multiple turns in a “round robin”.

The Bob Dylan Birthday Bash is part of Filament Theatre Ensemble’s ongoing special programming in its unfinished new theatre space at 4041 North Milwaukee Avenue in the Portage Park neighborhood. Admission is free of charge, donations welcome. All proceeds from donations will go to Filament to help fund the build-out of their theatre. Please join us in celebrating the life and legacy of one of popular music’s greatest artists.

QUICK FACTS:

NAME: Bob Dylan Birthday Bash

DATE: May 18, 2013 @ 7:30pm. Doors open 30 minutes before show time.

LOCATION: 4041 North Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60641.

PRICE: Free admission. Donations welcome. No reservations.

CONTACT: www.filamenttheatre.org; (773) 270-1660

If you think you don’t know Bobby Charles’ music…you are mistaken. “See You Later Alligator”, “Walking to New Orleans”, “But I Do” and many more hits. For more info on Shannon McNally and the music of Bobby Charles, check out:

www.shannonmcnally.com

* Shannon McNally will also be doing a full band concert at Martyrs on Thursday, May 30th.

With Allie’s Gift, Ryan will continue his study of the banjo, expanding his opportunities as both a busker and as a theatre performer.  “With that many lessons and 3 months of banjo playing under my belt, I could not only take the instrument to the street and add it to my one man band arsenal, but I could also add it to my resume which would help get me work, just as the guitar has in the past,” Ryan wrote.  “Being a musician has greatly increased my visibility as an actor and performer. My musical skills have enhanced my ability to be cast and increased the frequency in which I am cast. Over the past 2 years, I’ve been in 8 productions. In 5 of those productions, I played the guitar.”

As a dedicated theatre artist, musician, and multidisciplinary performer, as well as his profound dedication, Ryan Westwood exemplifies the spirit of Allison Powell.  Allie believed that artists should be paid for their work, and afforded opportunities for continued growth and development in their field, and we are delighted to honor her memory by supporting Ryan’s hard work and passionate commitment to his craft.

Filament would especially like to thank Allie’s parents, Dayle and Will Spencer, and friends Susanne Brooks, Luisa Engel, Sarah Yost, and Polly Wood, all of whom have given generous donation support Allie’s Gift, allowing us to honor her memory by supporting Chicago artists. We are grateful to their contributions, just as we are grateful for Allie Powell, who continues to inspire all of our work.

You are Invited to the

All City Elementary Art Exhibition

Chicago Public Schools, Arts Alive!45, Alderman John Arena and the Filament Theatre Ensemble are partnering to host the first All City Elementary Art Exhibition for Northwest Side elementary students.

Location: Filament Theatre

Filament Theatre Ensemble
4041 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60641

There is parking behind Filament Theatre in an alley lot.

Dates: 

• Friday, April 26th:  5 pm -8pm

• Saturday, April 27th: April 28 12pm-5pm

• Sunday, April 28th: 11AM-2pm Closing celebration party/ceremony There will be a Mother’s Day theme take away art project during the celebration.  Artwork will be available for viewing during evenings for the time period just in case students want to come and see their work. Please join us on Sunday to view the artwork and enjoy a reception, music and artmaking.

Participating Schools:

Federico Garcia Lorca Elementary
Chase Elementary
Belmont-Cragin Elementary
Prescott Elementary
Bridge Elementary
Canty Elementary
Reilly Elementary
Henry Elementary

Dever Elementary

Gray  Elementary

Scammon  Elementary

Belding Elementary

Bateman Elementary
Marvin Camras Children’s Engineering Elementary

On May 6 at 7pm, Chicago-based singer/songwriter Laura Joy will be performing a selection of mostly original material. Joy’s songs, voice and acoustic guitar style have been described as a blend of Joni Mitchell, Allison Krauss, and Ani DiFranco.
Before finding her way to Chicago in 2011, Joy worked the folk music circuit in New York City as well as her native Arizona. She released her first album, Six Flights, in 2008 and it’s follow-up, What I Know, in 2011. While in New York she was featured in the Jezebel Music Songwriter Showcase at Laila Lounge in Brooklyn and opened for Nedra Johnson and Staceyann Chin. She was also one of the organizers and performers of the Paradigm Shift Event Series, a feminist-inspired art and performance series held across venues on the Lower East Side. She continues to tour around the country, as she puts it, “taking song requests from toddlers” and “quelling dark, angry bars full of ornery old Irishmen”.

Music Mondays, created and curated by the Filament Theatre Ensemble, is an ongoing concert series held the first Monday evening of every month and featuring local musical performers. In keeping with Filament’s mission to do theatre in a folk tradition with an emphasis on community, Filament is interested in bringing musicians whose story and music illuminate and celebrate the lives of the world in which they are a part. The concerts will be free (donations accepted) and will be held in Filament’s newly-acquired theatre space at 4041 North Milwaukee Avenue. Please join us May 6 at 7pm for another evening of good songs, good friends, and good fun.

QUICK FACTS:
NAME: Music Monday, featuring Laura Joy
DATE: May 6, 2013 @ 7pm. Doors open thirty minutes before show time.
LOCATION: 4041 North Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60641.
PRICE: Free admission. Donations welcome. No reservations.
CONTACT: www.filamenttheatre.org; (773) 270-1660

A new Orleans native, Davis Rogan combines “the enthusiasm and playfulness of early New Orleans rhythm and blues, the cynical wit of Randy Newman and…the accumulated legacy of decades of New Orleans piano professors”. He was a founder of the trailblazing brass hip-hop funk band All That, which released two albums on Rounder Records. A veteran of the New Orleans club scene, Rogan has also released two solo albums, The Once And Future DJ and The Real Davis.

Fans of the HBO series Treme will recall the character Davis McAlary, a local musician, DJ, and activist with an encyclopedic knowledge of New Orleans culture. Played by actor Steve Zahn, Davis McAlary was created for the series by producer David Simon (The Wire) after discovering The Once And Future DJ, and he based the character heavily on Rogan. Rogan is also involved with the production of Treme as an actor, composer, script writer, and consultant.

Davis Rogan In Concert is part of Filament Theatre Ensemble’s ongoing special programming in its unfinished new theatre space at 4041 North Milwaukee Avenue in the Portage Park neighborhood. Admission is free of charge, donations welcome. All proceeds from donations will go to Filament to help fund the build-out of their theatre. Filament Theatre Ensemble does theatre in a folk tradition with strong musical and storytelling elements, and they are thrilled to present the songs and stories of Davis Rogan.

QUICK FACTS:
NAME: Davis Rogan in Concert
DATE: April 19, 2013 @ 8pm. Doors open 30 minutes before show time.
LOCATION: 4041 North Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60641.
PRICE: Free admission. Donations welcome. No reservations.
CONTACT: www.filamenttheatre.org; (773) 270-1660

*Photo by Aubrey Edwards

Allison Powell was the business manager of the Filament Theatre Ensemble from February of 2010 until her untimely passing in January of 2011. Like so many of us, Allie aspired to ultimately earn a living in the arts, but held day jobs in the meantime to support herself and save money for graduate school. As she wrote in her first correspondence with Filament when discussing her day job, “I love art, but I also love food.”

In celebration of Allie’s memory and her belief that artists should be supported for their work, the Filament Theatre Ensemble will award Allie’s Gift to one Chicago artist who demonstrates passion, dedication, and a love for their art in addition to a financial need. Allie’s Gift will award up to $350 towards a specific artistic project or endeavor (i.e. materials, a class, headshots, etc.).

Application requirements:
-Please write us a brief letter (no more than 3 pages) telling us a bit about yourself and your specific intended use of the Allie’s Gift funding, including a brief statement describing your current financial situation (primary source of income, etc.).
-A current resume in pdf format.
-Applicants must currently live in Chicago, pursuing a career in theatre arts.
-Any samples of your work – portfolio, video, audio, etc. – are encouraged but not required.

Applications should be emailed to gift[at]filamenttheatre[dot]org, attached as pdf documents.

Applications are due no later than 5pm on Friday, April 12. Applicants may be contacted for an interview. The recipient of Allie’s Gift will be announced on April 26 (Allie’s birthday).

For any questions about Allie’s Gift or the application process, do not hesitate to email us at info[at]filamenttheatre[dot]org.

For the inaugural Music Monday, Filament ensemble member and accomplished folk singer/songwriter Peter Oyloe will be performing, accompanied by guitarist Marc Walloch. Called a “future folk legend”, Oyloe has played extensively in Chicago and all over the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. Also a two-time Jeff Award-winning actor, he was last seen on the Filament stage in their hit production of Hank Williams: Lost Highway last summer in the title role, and recently completed an LCT Award-nominated performance of the same at the Cincinnati Playhouse. He will be performing a selection of originals and familiar standards.

Marc Walloch is lead guitarist and co-founder of acclaimed Chicago band Company of Thieves. Company of Thieves has released two albums on Wind-Up Records and won a New York Songwriters Circle contest for their single “Oscar Wilde”, which was also featured on an episode of Gossip Girl.

Music Mondays, created and curated by the Filament Theatre Ensemble, is an ongoing concert series held the first Monday evening of every month and featuring local musical performers. In keeping with Filament’s mission to do theatre in a folk tradition with an emphasis on community, Filament is interested in bringing musicians whose story and music illuminate and celebrate the lives of the world in which they are a part. The concerts will be free (donations accepted) and will be held in Filament’s newly-acquired theatre space at 4041 North Milwaukee Avenue. Please join us April 1 at 7pm for an evening of good songs, good friends, and good fun.

QUICK FACTS:
NAME: Music Monday, featuring Peter Oyloe with Marc Walloch
DATE: April 1, 2013 @ 7pm. Doors open thirty minutes before show time.
LOCATION: 4041 North Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60641.
PRICE: Free admission. Donations welcome. No reservations.

“The project has turned out to be a true collaboration between our company and the community,” says Filament’s Artistic Director Julie Ritchey. “Residents have teamed up with us to conduct interviews, gather research, share neighborhood stories, spread the word about the project – everything. We’ve been absolutely thrilled and honored to have so much involvement from the neighborhood, and to be able to put these fascinating stories on stage.”

Presented in a series of scenes, monologues, and original songs, Crossing Six Corners creates a performance mosaic of the historic Chicago district. At one time Chicago’s number one commercial district, the Six Corners and its surrounding neighborhoods are full of fascinating history, from the historic Portage Theatre to the bungalow belt, to family stories of immigration, changing economic times, and more. Filament honors the heritage of its new neighborhood, and joins with the community in their dedication to revitalize the Six Corners.

Crossing Six Corners: A Neighborhood Heritage Project is adapted and directed by Filament Artistic Director, Julie Ritchey, and features Ensemble Member Christian Libonati with guest artists Ashley Alvarez, Lina Chambers, Kevin Crowley, Danon Dastugue, Becca Drew Emmerich, Bryce Gangel, Ian Jerome, Sara Elizabeth Pavlak, Nick Polus, Gerald Richardson, and Brandon Ruiter, with material by Ensemble Members Nate Drackett, Luke Heiden, Julie Ritchey, Jack Novak, Christian Libonati, Peter Oyloe, Mary Spearen, and Omen Sade, with additional material by Lina Chambers, Ian Jerome, Sara Elizabeth Pavlak, and more.

Come celebrate, grieve, reminisce, and look to the future with Filament as they present Crossing Six Corners: A Neighborhood Heritage Project. Three Nights Only: February 22 & 23 at 7:30pm and February 24 at 5pm at Filament’s new space: 4041 North Milwaukee Ave. Tickets are free and will only be available at the theater starting 30 minutes prior to showtime. Donations are welcome and will contribute to the upcoming build-out of Filament’s performing arts venue. For more information visit: www.filamenttheatre.org or call (773) 270-1660.

QUICK FACTS:
NAME: Crossing Six Corners: A Neighborhood Heritage Project

DATE: February 22 and 23 @ 7:30pm & February 24 @ 5pm

LOCATION: 4041 North Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 60641

PRICE: Free. Donations welcome. No reservations. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime.

CONTACT: www.filamenttheatre.org; (773) 270-1660