Best things to do at SXSW on Day 7
๐ฟ Catch " On Swift Horses" from director Daniel Minahan at the Paramount Theatre at 7pm.
๐ฑ Listen to a discussion about AI's advancements โ and possible pitfalls โ at "Our AI-Driven World: A Utopian Dream or Dystopian Nightmare?" from 11:30am-12:30pm at Hilton Austin.
๐ป Understand the future of quantum programming with Horizon Quantum's Joe Fitzsimons 1-2pm in the convention center.
๐ Hear from early adopter cities in EV charging, including Austin Energy's Cameron Freburg, from 10-11am in the Hilton Austin.
๐ถ Kick off Paste Party, three days of music from Paste Magazine, at High Noon from 12-7pm.
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Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Chicago Tribune
2025 Equity Jeff Awards: Paramount, Court and Goodman Theatres top the nominations
Paramount Theatre, which has had a difficult month after the City of Aurora cut its funding of the multi-venue organization causing layoffs and cancellations, got some good news with the arrival of the Chicago theater's long-established Joseph Jefferson Award nominations Monday morning Paramount scored 26 nominations in various categories, five more than both the Goodman and Court Theaters, which received 21 each. In terms of nominations for a single production, that honor went to 'Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812' at Writers Theatre. The production of a play with the most nominations went to Shattered Globe Theatre's revival of 'Lobby Hero' by Kenneth Lonergan. The number of Jeff Award nominations has ballooned in recent years. There are a total of 14 Actors Equity-affiliated productions nominated in the best play categories for both large and midsized theaters (19 if the 'short run' and solo performance categories are added), ranging from 'Primary Trust' at Goodman Theatre to 'A Case for the Existence of God' at Steep Theatre. Thirteen nominees were honored in the categories of musicals and revues, including 'Falsettos' by Court Theatre (with Timeline) and 'Alwaysโฆ Patsy Cline' at the Drury Lane Theatre. Other very strong shows with multiple nods included 'Translations' at Writers Theatre and 'A Raisin in the Sun' at Court. Steppenwolf did not have a strong showing, hardly atypical when it comes to the Jeffs, and several high-profile shows such as 'Betrayal' at the Goodman, 'Noises Off' at Steppenwolf and 'Sunny Afternoon' at Chicago Shakespeare were mostly overlooked. 'Cats,' staged as a circus-style attraction at Paramount, however, scored nine nominations. After a multi-year run at the Drury Lane, the Jeff Awards ceremony is moving back into Chicago this fall, with the annual celebration of work slated for Sept. 29 at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park. PRODUCTION โ PLAY โ LARGE 'The Audience' โ Drury Lane Productions 'Berlin' โ Court Theatre 'East Texas Hot Links' โ Court Theatre 'Iraq, But Funny' โ Lookingglass Theatre Company 'Jaja's African Hair Braiding' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater with Arena Stage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse 'Prayer for the French Republic' โ Northlight Theatre and Theater Wit 'Primary Trust' โ Goodman Theatre 'A Raisin in the Sun' โ Court Theatre 'Translations' โ Writers Theatre PRODUCTION โ PLAY โ MIDSIZE 'Art' โ Remy Bumppo Theatre Company 'A Case for the Existence of God' โ Steep Theatre 'Ironbound' โ Raven Theatre 'Lobby Hero' โ Shattered Globe Theatre 'A Tale of Two Cities' โ Shattered Globe Theatre PRODUCTION โ MUSICAL โ LARGE 'Cats' โ Paramount Theatre 'The Color Purple' โ Goodman Theatre 'The Little Mermaid' โ Drury Lane Productions 'Falsettos' โ Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' โ Marriott Theatre 'Million Dollar Quartet' โ Paramount Theatre 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' โ Writers Theatre 'Titanic The Musical' โ Marriott Theatre PRODUCTION โ REVUE 'Alwaysโฆ Patsy Cline' โ Drury Lane Productions 'Best Kept Secret: Tell Everyone' โ The Second City e.t.c. 'Blue Eyed Soul Sung By Brown Eyed People' โ Black Ensemble Theater 'That's What Friends Are For: Gladys, Dionne and Patti ' โ Black Ensemble Theater 'This Too Shall Slap' โ The Second City ENSEMBLE โ PLAY 'The Antiquities' โ Goodman Theatre with Playwrights Horizon and Vineyard Theatre 'Art' โ Remy Bumppo Theatre Company 'Berlin' โ Court Theatre 'East Texas Hot Links' โ Court Theatre 'Jaja's African Hair Braiding' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater with Arena Stage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse 'Noises Off' โ Steppenwolf Theatre Company with Geffen Playhouse 'Peter and the Starcatcher' โ Paramount Theatre 'Prayer for the French Republic' โ Northlight Theatre and Theater Wit 'A Tale of Two Cities' โ Shattered Globe Theatre 'Translations' โ Writers Theatre ENSEMBLE โ MUSICAL OR REVUE 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' โ Paramount Theatre '42 Balloons' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater 'Cats' โ Paramount Theatre 'The Color Purple' โ Goodman Theatre 'Falsettos' โ Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' โ Marriott Theatre 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' โ Writers Theatre 'This Too Shall Slap' โ The Second City 'Titanic The Musical' โ Marriott Theatre 'Titanique' โ Porchlight Music Theatre and Broadway in Chicago NEW WORK Ngozi Anyanwu โ 'Leroy and Lucy' โ Steppenwolf Theatre Company Atra Asdou โ 'Iraq, But Funny' โ Lookingglass Theatre Company Lisa Dillman โ 'No Such Thing' โ Rivendell Theatre Ensemble Keiko Green โ 'Gorgeous' โ Raven Theatre and Rivendell Theatre Ensemble Lauren Gunderson โ 'Louisa May Alcott's Little Women' โ Northlight Theatre Jordan Harrison โ 'The Antiquities' โ Goodman Theatre with Playwrights Horizon and Vineyard Theatre Mickle Maher โ 'Berlin' โ Court Theatre Sadieh Rifai โ 'The Cave' โ A Red Orchid Theatre DIRECTOR โ PLAY โ LARGE Braden Abraham โ 'Translations' โ Writers Theatre Charles Newell โ 'Berlin' โ Court Theatre Ron OJ Parson โ 'Hymn' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater Ron OJ Parson โ 'East Texas Hot Links' โ Court Theatre Malkia Stampley โ 'Primary Trust' โ Goodman Theatre Jeremy Wechsler โ 'Prayer for the French Republic' โ Northlight Theatre and Theater Wit DIRECTOR โ PLAY โ MIDSIZE Mikael Burke โ 'A Tale of Two Cities' โ Shattered Globe Theatre Marti Lyons โ 'Art' โ Remy Bumppo Theatre Company Nate Santana โ 'Lobby Hero' โ Shattered Globe Theatre Steve Scott โ 'Native Gardens' โ Buffalo Theatre Ensemble Georgette Verdin โ 'Ironbound' โ Raven Theatre Robin Witt โ 'A Case for the Existence of God' โ Steep Theatre DIRECTOR โ MUSICAL โ LARGE Nick Bowling โ 'Falsettos' โ Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company Lili-Anne Brown โ 'The Color Purple' โ Goodman Theatre Jim Corti and Creg Sclavi โ 'Million Dollar Quartet' โ Paramount Theatre Connor Gallagher โ 'Titanic The Musical' โ Marriott Theatre Amber Mak โ 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' โ Marriott Theatre Katie Spelman โ 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' โ Writers Theatre Trent Stork โ 'Cats' โ Paramount Theatre Trent Stork โ 'Frozen' โ Paramount Theatre Scott Weinstein โ 'The Little Mermaid' โ Drury Lane Productions DIRECTOR โ REVUE Carisa Barreca โ 'Best Kept Secret: Tell Everyone' โ The Second City e.t.c. Daryl D. Brooks โ 'That's What Friends Are For: Gladys, Dionne and Patti ' โ Black Ensemble Theater Jen Ellison โ 'This Too Shall Slap' โ The Second City Jackie Taylor โ 'Blue Eyed Soul Sung By Brown Eyed People' โ Black Ensemble Theater Scott Weinstein โ 'Alwaysโฆ Patsy Cline' โ Drury Lane Productions PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE โ PLAY Atra Asdou (Actor 5) โ 'Iraq, But Funny' โ Lookingglass Theatre Company Debo Balogun (Keith) โ 'A Case for the Existence of God' โ Steep Theatre Janet Ulrich Brooks (Queen Elizabeth II) โ 'The Audience' โ Drury Lane Productions Lucy Carapetyan (Darja) โ 'Ironbound' โ Raven Theatre Elliot Esquivel (Jeff) โ 'Lobby Hero' โ Shattered Globe Theatre Nate Faust (Ryan) โ 'A Case for the Existence of God' โ Steep Theatre Gregory Fenner (Booth) โ 'Topdog/Underdog' โ The Gift Theatre Chikรฉ Johnson (Benny) โ 'Hymn' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater James Vincent Meredith (Gil) โ 'Hymn' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater Tyler Meredith (Louisa/Jo) โ 'Louisa May Alcott's Little Women' โ Northlight Theatre Seoyoung Park (Jane) โ 'The Heart Sellers' โ Northlight Theatre Namir Smallwood (Kenneth) โ 'Primary Trust' โ Goodman Theatre PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE โ MUSICAL Devin DeSantis (Joseph) โ 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' โ Marriott Theatre Samantha Gershman (Carole King) โ 'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical' โ Drury Lane Productions J. Harrison Ghee (The Lady Chablis) โ 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' โ Goodman Theatre Danny Horn (Ray Davies) โ 'Sunny Afternoon' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater Beth Stafford Laird (Anna) โ 'Frozen' โ Paramount Theatre Michelle Lauto (Jenna) โ 'Waitress' โ Paramount Theatre Brittney Mack (Celie) โ 'The Color Purple' โ Goodman Theatre Evan Tyrone Martin (Pierre) โ 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' โ Writers Theatre Aurora Penepacker (Natasha) โ 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' โ Writers Theatre Stephen Schellhardt (Marvin) โ 'Falsettos' โ Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company SOLO PERFORMANCE Jean Claudio (Salvador) โ 'Memorabilia' โ Teatro Vista Jessie Fisher (Narrator) โ 'Every Brilliant Thing' โ Writers Theatre Vanessa Severo (Frida) โ 'Frida โฆ A Self Portrait' โ Writers Theatre PERFORMER IN A REVUE Aja Alcazar (Patsy Cline) โ 'Alwaysโฆ Patsy Cline' โ Drury Lane Productions Tamara Batiest (Mature Patti) โ 'That's What Friends Are For: Gladys, Dionne and Patti ' โ Black Ensemble Theater Britt Edwards (Passion) โ 'Blue Eyed Soul Sung By Brown Eyed People' โ Black Ensemble Theater Claudia Martinez (Performer) โ 'Best Kept Secret: Tell Everyone' โ The Second City e.t.c. Bri Sudia (Louise Seger) โ 'Alwaysโฆ Patsy Cline' โ Drury Lane Productions PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE โ PLAY Kierra Bunch (Ruth Younger) โ 'A Raisin in the Sun' โ Court Theatre John Drea (Laurie) โ 'Louisa May Alcott's Little Women' โ Northlight Theatre Rae Gray (Elodie Benhamou) โ 'Prayer for the French Republic' โ Northlight Theatre and Theater Wit Erik Hellman (Lt. Yolland) โ 'Translations' โ Writers Theatre Casey Hoekstra (Owen) โ 'Translations' โ Writers Theatre Martasia Jones (Beneatha Younger) โ 'A Raisin in the Sun' โ Court Theatre Laura Leonardo Ownby (Louise Peaks) โ 'The Outsider' โ Buffalo Theatre Ensemble Nick Sandys (Black Stache) โ 'Peter and the Starcatcher' โ Paramount Theatre Adam Schulmerich (Bill) โ 'Lobby Hero' โ Shattered Globe Theatre AnJi White (Charlesetta Simpkins) โ 'East Texas Hot Links' โ Court Theatre Fred Zimmerman (Sam/Clay/Le Pousselet Bartender) โ 'Primary Trust' โ Goodman Theatre PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE โ MUSICAL Sarah Bockel (Trina) โ 'Falsettos' โ Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company Joseph Anthony Byrd (Anatole) โ 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' โ Writers Theatre Jackson Evans (Mendel) โ 'Falsettos' โ Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company Nicole Michelle Haskins (Sofia) โ 'The Color Purple' โ Goodman Theatre Heidi Kettenring (John Dickinson) โ '1776' โ Marriott Theatre Alexandra Palkovic (Cynthia Weil) โ 'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical' โ Drury Lane Productions Lorenzo Rush, Jr. (Pharaoh) โ 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' โ Marriott Theatre Sawyer Smith (Ursula) โ 'The Little Mermaid' โ Drury Lane Productions Elizabeth Stenholt (Olive Ostrovsky) โ 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' โ Paramount Theatre Aerie Williams (Shug Avery) โ 'The Color Purple' โ Goodman Theatre SCENIC DESIGN โ LARGE Andrew Boyce โ 'Translations' โ Writers Theatre Andrew Boyce โ 'You Will Get Sick' โ Steppenwolf Theatre Company Jeffrey D. Kmiec โ 'Frozen' โ Paramount Theatre Jeffrey D. Kmiec โ 'Million Dollar Quartet' โ Paramount Theatre Jack Magaw โ 'East Texas Hot Links' โ Court Theatre Courtney O'Neill โ 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' โ Writers Theatre Christopher Oram โ 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' โ Goodman Theatre SCENIC DESIGN โ MIDSIZE Josรฉ Manuel Dรญaz-Soto โ 'Lobby Hero' โ Shattered Globe Theatre Lauren M. Nichols โ 'Memorabilia' โ Teatro Vista Shayna Patel โ 'Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues' โ American Blues Theater Grant Sabin and Marcus Klein โ 'The Last Wide Open' โ American Blues Theater Mara Ishihara Zinky โ 'Native Gardens' โ Buffalo Theatre Ensemble COSTUME DESIGN โ LARGE Raquel Adorno โ 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' โ Writers Theatre Mara Blumenfeld โ 'Frozen' โ Paramount Theatre Sally Dolembo โ 'Irving Berlin's White Christmas' โ Marriott Theatre Theresa Ham โ 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' โ Marriott Theatre Izumi Inaba โ 'Cats' โ Paramount Theatre Ryan Park and Zhang Yu โ 'The Little Mermaid' โ Drury Lane Productions Sully Ratke โ 'Titanic The Musical' โ Marriott Theatre COSTUME DESIGN โ MIDSIZE Sally Dolembo โ 'A Lie of the Mind' โ Raven Theatre Uriel Gomez โ 'Lobby Hero' โ Shattered Globe Theatre Kristy Leigh Hall โ 'Art' โ Remy Bumppo Theatre Company Kotryna Hilko โ 'A Tale of Two Cities' โ Shattered Globe Theatre Lily Walls โ 'Misery' โ American Blues Theater SOUND DESIGN โ LARGE Eric Backus โ 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' โ Writers Theatre Eric Backus โ 'Peter and the Starcatcher' โ Paramount Theatre Michael Daly โ 'Titanic The Musical' โ Marriott Theatre Emily Hayman โ 'Henry V' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater Willow James โ 'You Will Get Sick' โ Steppenwolf Theatre Company Mikaal Sulaiman โ 'Bust' โ Goodman Theatre with Alliance Theatre, Sonia Friedman Productions, Khaliah Neal and Thomas Swayne Connor Wang โ 'Leroy and Lucy' โ Steppenwolf Theatre Company SOUND DESIGN โ MIDSIZE Angela Joy Baldasare โ 'Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin' โ A Red Orchid Theatre Satya Chรกvez โ 'Memorabilia' โ Teatro Vista Joe Court โ 'Misery' โ American Blues Theater Michael Huey โ 'Cygnus' โ The Gift Theatre Michael Huey โ 'Topdog/Underdog' โ The Gift Theatre Christopher Kriz โ 'A Tale of Two Cities' โ Shattered Globe Theatre LIGHTING DESIGN โ LARGE Rory Beaton โ 'The Lord of the Rings โ A Musical Tale' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater Lee Fiskness โ 'The Da Vinci Code' โ Drury Lane Productions Greg Hofmann โ 'Cats' โ Paramount Theatre Greg Hofmann โ 'Frozen' โ Paramount Theatre Yael Lubetzky โ 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' โ Writers Theatre Ryan O'Gara โ 'The Little Mermaid' โ Drury Lane Productions LIGHTING DESIGN โ MIDSIZE Ellie Fey โ 'Lobby Hero' โ Shattered Globe Theatre G. 'Max' Maxin IV โ 'Topdog/Underdog' โ The Gift Theatre Eric Watkins โ 'Ironbound' โ Raven Theatre Eric Watkins โ 'A Tale of Two Cities' โ Shattered Globe Theatre Levi J. Wilkins โ 'Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin' โ A Red Orchid Theatre CHOREOGRAPHY Kasey Alfonso โ 'Cats' โ Paramount Theatre Breon Arzell โ 'The Color Purple' โ Goodman Theatre Linda Fortunato โ 'Irving Berlin's White Christmas' โ Marriott Theatre Amber Mak โ 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' โ Marriott Theatre Alexzandra Sarmiento โ '42 Balloons' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A PLAY Christopher Kriz โ 'A Tale of Two Cities' โ Shattered Globe Theatre Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen โ 'Betrayal' โ Goodman Theatre Kevin O'Donnell โ 'Circus Quixote' โ Lookingglass Theatre Company with The Actors Gymnasium Brandon Reed and Mike Przygoda โ 'Primary Trust' โ Goodman Theatre Richard Woodbury โ 'Inherit the Wind' โ Goodman Theatre MUSIC DIRECTION Kory Danielson โ 'Cats' โ Paramount Theatre Kory Danielson โ 'Frozen' โ Paramount Theatre Matt Deitchman โ 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' โ Writers Theatre Jermaine Hill โ 'The Color Purple' โ Goodman Theatre Mason Moss โ 'Sunny Afternoon' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater Ryan T. Nelson โ 'Titanic The Musical' โ Marriott Theatre Otto Vogel โ 'Falsettos' โ Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company PROJECTION DESIGN Anthony Churchill and Mike Tutaj โ 'The Da Vinci Code' โ Drury Lane Productions Michael Salvatore Commendatore โ 'Iraq, But Funny' โ Lookingglass Theatre Company Paul Deziel โ 'Frozen' โ Paramount Theatre Andrzej Goulding โ '42 Balloons' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater George Reeve โ 'The Lord of the Rings โ A Musical Tale' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION Jason Robert Brown โ original score โ 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' โ Goodman Theatre Chicago Puppet Studio, designers Caitlin McLeod and Zachary Sun โ puppet design โ 'The Little Mermaid' โ Drury Lane Productions Katie Cordts โ wig, hair, and makeup design โ 'Cats' โ Paramount Theatre Sylvia Hernandez-DeStasi โ circus choreography โ 'Cats' โ Paramount Theatre Sylvia Hernandez-DeStasi โ circus and movement choreographer โ 'Circus Quixote' โ Lookingglass Theatre Company with The Actors Gymnasium Jesse Mooney-Bullock โ puppet design โ 'Frozen' โ Paramount Theatre Grace Needlman โ puppet design โ 'Circus Quixote' โ Lookingglass Theatre Company with The Actors Gymnasium Charlie Tymms โ puppet design โ 'The Lord of the Rings โ A Musical Tale' โ Chicago Shakespeare Theater SHORT RUN โ DIRECTION Charles Newell โ 'An Iliad' โ Court Theatre SHORT RUN โ PERFORMER Terry Guest (Nsaku) โ 'The Comedians' โ Raven Theatre Timothy Edward Kane (The Poet) โ 'An Iliad' โ Court Theatre Bill Larkin (Chauncy) โ 'The Comedians' โ Raven Theatre The 57th anniversary Equity Jeff Awards will be presented in a ceremony Sept. 29 at the Harris Theater; more information at
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Paramount cuts should be a call to BOLD community action
No question the letter sent to Paramount Theatre subscribers on Monday was met with both surprise and disappointment. After years of momentum, news that the BOLD Series was being cancelled due to a potential significant slash in previously discussed funding from the city of Aurora also resulted in a significant amount of frustration and even anger. But can these intense emotions morph into a movement to convince newly-elected Mayor John Laesch and the City Council that slashing the budget of downtown Aurora's undisputed economic engine would be both 'short-sighted' and 'bone-headed.' Those are just a few of the descriptions I've read and heard in person about the administration possibly reducing the Paramount's previously discussed city grant for 2026 from $7 million to around $2.5 million; in essence, cutting down programs from 900 to 700, which has already led to staff layoffs, and would likely mean a reduction in other theater programming and to the Paramount School of the Arts. Like so many others in the city, Christensen, the city's poet laureate emerita and founding member of Fox Valley Music Foundation. has much invested in the arts in this community. And in her 13-year career with the city itself, first as downtown development director and then as neighborhood redevelopment manager, she's also witnessed the Paramount's significant impact on a once beleaguered downtown. 'Regardless of the time of day or day of the week that I find myself in downtown Aurora, the positive vibe is real,' she wrote, adding that she hears a similar sentiment from 'everyone who visits downtown Aurora, whether they are coming from Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles, Yorkville, Oswego, North Aurora, Naperville, or even the U.K., where my daughter lives.' 'We have seen cycles up and down, but we are clearly on the upswing now,' she insisted. 'I strenuously hope that our elected officials don't cut the ropes, pull the rug out from under us โฆ' There's no question the mayor โ no theater fan by his own admission โ is in a tight spot. He's publicly praised the Paramount as an 'important crown jewel' in Aurora but does so while painting a dire โ and some have said exaggerated โ picture of the municipal budget deficit. And he insists the city is giving the Aurora Civic Center Authority, which oversees the Paramount venues, far too much money, that it needs to do a better job of managing its funding and that its leaders must become more creative, more aggressive in fundraising efforts. Among suggestions from the city: raise ticket prices for its venues, which include Paramount, Copley and Stolp Island theaters, as well as RiverEdge Park. But Paramount leaders have held on to their belief the arts must be kept as affordable as possible, a philosophy that was referred to in Monday's letter to subscribers. 'Even as we have grown from a $3.5 million organization in 2010 to a $30 million one in 2025, we've remained committed to accessibility โ keeping ticket prices affordable and offering 'Pay what You Can' performances,' board members stated in the letter. The news has produced plenty of debate on social media, with one side insisting the Paramount needs to pay its own way, and others noting that, while budgets need to be adhered to, there are intangibles surrounding some things that go beyond a business ledger. As was pointed out in a news story by Beacon-News reporter Christian Smith, going by the most recent numbers from the national Arts & Economic Prosperity study โ that those attending nonprofit arts or culture events spend more than $38 per person per event in addition to the ticket โ ACCA would have generated around $24 million from its 2024 audiences alone. Along that same idea, 'How much money does Phillips Park generate? We put money into it because parks are good for the community,' not because they turn a profit, noted Aurora Ald. Carl Franco, who told me he's hearing from 'very disturbed, very passionate' residents of his 5th Ward about the Paramount cuts. But Franco suggests people also go straight to the mayor's office with their opinions, or better yet, show up at City Council meetings and use their three minutes to voice their concerns. All of which made me think about a grassroots movement I wrote about a few months ago that was centered around another downtown landmark: The old Aurora Hotel, once a grand destination, had fallen into disrepair and was set for demolition in the mid-1990s because the city would not help fund its restoration. But a few passionate people put together a community blitz, which included writing letters, gathering petitions, speaking to residents and civic groups and producing research showing that historic preservation is more than just saving old buildings โ it is an economic engine. The voice of the people resulted in a victory cheer. After a whole lot of back and forth and with, as one Beacon-News headline proclaimed, the hotel 'a whisper away from the wrecking ball,' the city agreed to the more than half-million-dollar loan to save the building. Today the building is known as North Island Apartments, a fully-occupied affordable senior housing venue that has added much-needed density to downtown Aurora. 'Money spent is money made,' insisted Franco, who also referred to another old adage โ making lemons out of lemonade โ in response to this week's negative news from the Paramount. While these cuts are indeed BOLD and could have been made more gradually, the announcement that one of the Paramount's highly-acclaimed programs is being cancelled at the end of this month has gotten everyone's attention. And hopefully that will push more residents, more officials, more community leaders to become engaged in efforts to restore the full luster to Aurora's crown jewel. Which brings me to a throw-back thought: Why not form another grassroots movement? Maybe call it 'Friends of the Paramount.' Take all those negative feelings and turn them into advocacy that can be seen and heard. And if you've got some ideas โ creative, practical or a combination of the two โ feel free to share them with Paramount Senior Marketing Director Hollis at HollisG@ The mission behind that grassroots effort three decades ago was to 'slow down and look at the big picture.' As Karen Christensen noted in a second email she sent to the city, 'You might say that Aurora has had a few chances to re-invent itself โ in the 1960s, in the 1980s and in the early 2000s. It's not for lack of trying. I would hate to see us make the storied prophesy come true, i.e. 'three strikes and you're out.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Paramount in Aurora cuts Bold Series as city looks at pulling back on its financial support
The Paramount Theatre is putting on hold its Bold Series as the city of Aurora looks at pulling back on discussed financial support of the organization. The Aurora Civic Center Authority, which owns and operates the Paramount Theatre, sent a letter to subscribers on Monday announcing that the hiatus of the Bold Series would begin after the final performance of its current production, 'True West,' on Aug. 31 at the Copley Theatre in downtown Aurora. According to the letter, the city's previously-communicated financial support of the organization could be reduced by up to 65%, a change made after programming and budgeting had already been committed for 2026. 'This decision was not made lightly. The Bold Series has been a vital and vibrant part of our programming, offering compelling, provocative, and important work in an intimate setting,' authority officials said in the letter. 'We are immensely proud of the stories told on the Bold stage and the artists who brought them to life.' In addition to the Paramount Theatre, the Aurora Civic Center Authority owns and operates the Copley Theatre, Paramount School of the Arts and North Island Center plus manages the city-owned RiverEdge Park and Stolp Island Theatre. The move comes amid budgetary concerns at the city of Aurora, with Mayor John Laesch saying at a recent public meeting that the city is facing a 'significant hole' between revenue and expenses in 2026, and that the city has been giving the Aurora Civic Center Authority 'way too much.' However, on Tuesday, Laesch told The Beacon-News that the Paramount is 'an important crown jewel in the city of Aurora,' and that he would 'work hard to make sure it doesn't shut down on my watch,' though it isn't close to doing that. He previously said that the Paramount is 'vital for our downtown' and, without it, many of the restaurants in downtown would likely end up closing. The newly-announced move to put the Bold Series on hold means the upcoming productions of 'Covenant' and 'Ride the Cyclone' in the series are canceled, and those with tickets will be refunded, according to the organization's letter to subscribers. The change will take the organization's overall programming from 900 to around 700 performances annually, and further reductions both in theater and school programing may be coming, the letter said. Plus, the Aurora Civic Center Authority reduced its full-time staff by around 20% early this week, President and CEO Tim Rater said. In response to the authority's announcement about the programming cuts, the Actor's Equity Association released a statement calling Laesch's proposed funding cuts a 'betrayal,' citing promises he made on his campaign Facebook page of 'more art, more community,' and to 'continue supporting the Paramount.' The Actor's Equity Association is a labor union that represents over 50,000 professional actors and stage managers. However, Laesch said he has been consistent in calling for the Aurora Civic Center Authority to find a way to become financially stable, including during his time as an alderman at-large on the Aurora City Council. 'It's very frustrating that it's reached crisis mode,' he said. 'Some changes could have been made and adjusted sooner. It could have been made under the previous administration.' Actor's Equity Association Assistant Executive Director for the Central Region, Andrea Hoeschen, called on the Aurora City Council to reverse the proposed cuts. She warned in the statement that the cuts would mean fewer jobs and would harm the city's economy, as patrons who come downtown to attend shows often also pay for things like food and parking. 'This budget is short-sighted and will only hurt the city in the long run,' Hoeschen said in the statement. According to the Aurora Civic Center Authority's 'financial facts' webpage, the organization brought out more than 630,000 people in 2024 across performances and events held at Paramount Theatre, Copley Theatre, Stolp Island Theatre and RiverEdge Park. Of those attendees, more than 80% came from outside Aurora, according to the webpage. The most recent national Arts & Economic Prosperity study, which was referenced on the authority's webpage, found that those who attend nonprofit arts or culture events spent more than $38 per person per event, not including the cost of the ticket. Based on those numbers, the Aurora Civic Center Authority likely generated around $24 million just from those who attended its performances and events in 2024. The authority's website also highlighted the growth that has taken place in downtown Aurora since the Broadway Series started at the Paramount Theatre in 2011, noting the opening of many new businesses, restaurants and residential properties along with several renovation projects. According to the city's own Downtown Revitalization Open Data Portal, the 'growth and evolution' of downtown in recent years has been 'largely anchored in the arts and supported by a vibrant small business community.' The Aurora Civic Center Authority has so far not been funded by local property taxes, according to the organization's 'financial facts' webpage. Before 2021, the authority only got money through the city as part of a redevelopment agreement with the downtown Hollywood Casino, the webpage says. Because the casino was built on land owned by the authority, it gets a portion of the head tax paid by the casino and collected by the city. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Aurora gave some of the funds it received through the federal American Rescue Plan Act to the authority, among other local organizations, according to the webpage. In total, the authority has received over $11.5 million in federal funds from the city since 2021, the webpage states. The Aurora Civic Center Authority was facing a $7 million gap in its 2026 budget, and under former Mayor Richard Irvin, the city was considering filling that gap as part of a larger plan to make the organization financially self-sufficient again, Rater said. The $7 million in planned support from the city represented roughly 20% of the organization's overall yearly budget, he said. But, just days after being elected as the city's new mayor, Laesch said that the City of Lights Center, a 4,000-seat theater and event space that would have been managed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority, was 'pretty much dead.' The proposed venue was seen by proponents as a significant piece of the three-part plan to make the Aurora Civic Center Authority financial sustainable, but Rater said that since the project is no longer happening, it makes sense that Aurora would work to reduce the amount it supports the authority as it faces larger budgetary constraints. Although Laesch has said that the center would cost too much and didn't make much sense to him or others, Rater previously said it would have helped the organization be financially stable without the city's help, which was backed by data compiled by CH Johnson Consulting, a Chicago-based real estate consulting firm. The city previously intended to take out bonds to pay for the authority's $7 million budget gap and start construction on the City of Lights Center this year as part of the second phase of the three-part plan, according to past reporting. Now, under a new mayoral administration and in the midst of the 2026 budgeting process, the city is looking to give the Aurora Civic Center Authority far less. City staff previously calculated that the city could afford to support the authority with around $2.5 million, but further along in the budget process, that number may be less, Laesch said. 'I understand that ACCA doesn't want a steep decline. Neither do I, but the math is going to drive that number,' he said. Aurora Civic Center Authority officials said in their letter to subscribers that, if the city of Aurora's 'financial outlook and willingness to support our programming' shifts in the future, they are optimistic that they will get the chance to bring back the Bold Series and other programs. Rater is hopeful that the city and the authority can work together to reach a 'common sense' number that both are comfortable with, he said. But if the city does end up funding the authority far under the $7 million mark, that would mean additional cuts beyond what have already been made, though it is unclear right now where those cuts would come from, according to Rater. He said the Paramount School of the Arts' programing and staffing could be impacted, along with other programs. Laesch said his administration has made suggestions to the Aurora Civic Center Authority on ways to become more financially stable, including by adjusting subscriptions and ticket prices. But when asked about the idea, Rater said tickets were already competitively priced with other theaters, and that the authority is committed to making its shows accessible to the community. However, the tickets can get expensive, and the prices do go up each year, he said. The Aurora Civic Center Authority could only do what's profitable, but that would mean less shows, less people and less activity downtown, according to Rater. As a municipal corporation, its mission is to bring people downtown and expose them to the arts, he said, not turn a profit. rsmith@ Solve the daily Crossword
