Thanks to the generosity of 42 individual donors, over the past 5 weeks, our year-end crowdfunding campaign, #giveABLE2018 has raised $7000! That’s enough to secure rehearsal space for our core teen and adult ensembles all season long. But we’re not done yet…
#giveABLE2018 will run until midnight on December 31st.
As we’ve mentioned, the funds raised so far are enough to support our teen and adult ensembles, who will spend a combined 200+ hours in rehearsal this season building shows this season. In addition to this core programming, A.B.L.E. is also busy expanding our outreach efforts.
Every additional $35 we raise will give us an hour of studio time towards the following...
Skills Workshops:
This past summer, we hosted a series of 5 specialty workshops, each focused on a different set of performing skills. Our actors learned about puppetry, improvisation, physical theatre, Shakespeare, and on-camera acting. This is a great chance for new actors to get to know us and how we work, and for veterans to hone their craft. We would love to continue our workshop series every summer, and plan to add workshops during our winter break between semesters.
Guest Artist Sessions:
This fall, A.B.L.E. welcomed guest practitioners from the internationally-acclaimed company Frantic Assembly for a series of workshops and a longer residency focused on movement and devising. Guest artist workshops introduce our ensemble to new skills and help connect them with the wider professional community. In the past, we've welcomed guest artists from The Joffrey Ballet and Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and we are planning sessions in Hunter Heartbeat Method, shadow puppetry, and more work with Frantic Assembly in the year ahead!
Outreach:
In October and November, A.B.L.E. teaching artists led a special 6-week workshop for students from The PACE program at National Louis University. These weekly sessions introduced students to the creative arts in a fun, accessible way, and helped them reflect on their college experience. Outreach opportunities like our collaboration with PACE allow A.B.L.E. to connect with our wider community and spread the word that the arts are for EVERYONE. We’re actively seeking schools and community organizations to partner with in the new year.
Professional Development:
We are lucky to have a talented, diverse team of teaching artists and facilitators. We bring in guest artists to teach new approaches, consultants to help us learn more about best practices for inclusive education and behavior management, and also run in-house training and team-building. These sessions allow our teaching team to strengthen their skills and their sense of community, ensuring everyone can support our actors to the best of their abilities. (one Professional Development Training = $105)
As you can see, $7000 is just the beginning...there is so much more we can do if you give a little, give a lot, give what you are A.B.L.E.!
