Hi A.B.L.E. Friends & Family,

This semester, our ensembles have been focusing on PLAY. Our goal was to keep things light-hearted and low-pressure. The pandemic has taken a toll on our entire team, and we needed a chance to re-charge and re-connect. It’s been an absolute blast; if you haven’t already, you can get a behind the scenes look at all 4 of our ensembles on our blog).

We were able to make this choice to prioritize the social, mental, and emotional well-being of our actors, volunteers, and teaching artists because of YOU. Last spring, our supporters rallied around us to support our #High5 campaign. You laid a foundation that let us listen to our community, and stay flexible to their needs.

We knew it would be a different semester. But somehow, COVID has still managed to throw a wrench in our plans. Rates are spiking again across the country, and Chicago is no exception. We’ve had teaching artists, facilitators, and actors all test positive. So we’ve made the decision for our in-person ensembles to close out the semester online. This also means that we will not be live-streaming our final rehearsals as initially planned.

I won’t lie to you, this stings. I feel for our teaching artists who are scrambling to re-write lesson plans. I feel for our ensembles who won’t get a final hug or high five to close out the semester. And I feel for our audiences who will miss out on the opportunity to see our process in action. As theatre folks, we’re used to making it work and to saying “yes, and” at every turn. But it is exhausting to be flexible. Pivoting so much can make you feel dizzy. I am always proud to lead this incredible organization. Time and time again, I’m wowed by the depths of compassion, creativity, and humor of our A.B.L.E. community. I know that we will make the most of our final 2 weeks of rehearsal. But - real talk - we could really use your help to push us over the finish line.

Can you help us stay flexible with a donation to our #PlayWithABLE campaign?

Your support will help us to continue the work we’re doing, and also ensure we have the stability to plan ahead for our 2022-2023 season, the security to continue growing into the organization our community needs us to be, and the flexibility to remain nimble when new challenges arise along the way.

As a thank you for your donation, you’ll receive access to a special collection of behind the scenes videos from our semester of play. We might not be live-streaming, but you’ll still get a glimpse at some of our favorite games and activities and hear some interviews and reflections from our team. We’ll start sharing these videos June 1st.

We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but with your support, we can be there to listen to our community, meet their needs and provide a platform for them to share who they are and all they are A.B.L.E. to do.

Thank you for your support and ensuring we can connect, contribute, and create….against all odds!

-Katie