Mark Your Calendars

World Theatre Day is Friday, March 27. How will you participate in the discussion and the festivities? Below is the announcement from the League of Chicago Theatres and how Chicago will be celebrating:

CHICAGO – (March 4, 2009) – On March 27, Chicago theaters will join the world in celebrating World Theatre Day. A brainchild of the International Theatre Institute, World Theatre Day was created in June of 1961 and takes place every year on March 27. The mission is to:

Promote international exchange of knowledge and practice in theatre arts (drama, dance, music theatre) in order to consolidate peace and solidarity between peoples, to deepen mutual understanding and increase creative co-operation between all people in the theatre arts.

Chicago theaters are invited and encouraged to participate in a number of ways.
On March 27, read the 2009 World Theatre Day Statement from Augusto Boal to your audience before or after your performance.
Link from their website to the World Theatre Day website.
Upload videos and photos from their theater to the World Theatre Day Tumblr website on March 27 and check site to connect with other theatre from around the world. (http://wtd09.tumblr.com/ )
Make a connection with a sister company in another country.
Promoting special ticket offers for March 27 performances to encourage theater attendance.
Include a special insert in program book on March 27 with WTD statement.
Lead a special post-show discussion to connect with their audience that evening.

The Chicago celebration will culminate with a party in association with the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division, beginning at 9 p.m. on the 27th. All Chicago theater patrons, artists and administrators are invited to attend this free event.

Visit ChicagoPlays.com for full information on World Theatre Day activities in Chicago, and all the shows that are playing on March 27.

“Chicago is a world capital of theater, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of this international celebration of the performing arts,” said League of Chicago Theatres Executive Director Deb Clapp. “With companies like Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the Goodman, Redmoon, TUTA, and the Chopin Theatre leading the charge to import and export exceptional international work we are already a hub of international activity and hope to encourage more collaboration through this day of theater.”

Every year a renowned theater artist is asked to write a message for World Theater Day. The 2009 World Theatre Day message was written by Augusto Boal, Brazilian director, writer and founder of Theatre of the Oppressed. Participating theatres are encouraged to read the statement before or after their performance that evening.

The following is an excerpt from his statement:

“We are all artists. By doing theatre, we learn to see what is obvious but what we usually can’t see because we are only used to looking at it. What is familiar to us becomes unseen: doing theatre throws light on the stage of daily life.”

The full statement can be found online at http://www.iti-worldwide.org/theatredaymessage.html

For More Information:
International Theatre Institute - http://www.iti-worldwide.org/

World Theatre Day on Facebook - http://tinyurl.com/worldtheaterday

World Theatre Day on Twitter - http://twitter.com/WTD09

World Theatre Day on Tumblr - http://wtd09.tumblr.com/

World Theatre Day Blog - http://wtd09.wordpress.com/