To celebrate its 21st birthday, the always entertaining Lookingglass
Theatre served up “Gglassquerade 2009,” an evening of fascinating
things to watch (acrobats, members of the ensemble and a balloon drop),
a beloved honoree (Chicago Cultural Commissioner Lois Weisberg, whose
idea it was to put the theater in the Water Tower pumping station), and
a chance to mingle with “Friends” star David Schwimmer and other actors
of note.
The evening at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel began with cocktails and an
opportunity to bid on a silent auction with lots of fun stuff. Then the
350 guests segued to the ballroom, where they were welcomed by Mr.
Schwimmer and emcees Joey Slotnick and Kevin Douglas for a buffet-style
dinner of beef tenderloin, salmon Wellington, risotto and birthday
cake, plus acrobatic-style performances by ensemble members.
After the presentation of Lookingglass’ Award for Civic Engagement to
Ms. Weisberg, guests bid on the auction items and danced until the
after-party, which included games of chance and a Texas Hold ’em
showdown between Mr. Schwimmer and Pulitzer Prize-winning
playwright/actor Tracy Letts. Commentary was provided by the devilishly
amusing Richard Roeper, a Chicago Sun-Times columnist.
The evening was co-chaired by Ernie Arias, Richard Ditton and Nancy
Timmers; more than $550,000 was raised for continuing education
programs and new productions at the theater.
Crain's interview with Cultural Affiars Commissioner Lois Weisberg
Lookingglass Theatre Company was founded in 1988 by eight
Northwestern University students, including TV and movie star David
Schwimmer; its ensemble of artists creates story-centered works. It has
toured the United States, staged 50 world premieres at 23 venues in
Chicago and earned 41 Joseph Jefferson awards and citations. In
addition to its ensemble work, the theater's education and community
programs serve more than 15,000 people each year. Crain's spoke with Cultural Affairs Commissioner Lois Weisberg, who will receive the second annual Lookingglass Award for Civic Engagement on Friday for her dedication to the arts.
CRAIN'S: How did you ever think of putting Lookingglass Theatre into the pumping station on the east side of Michigan Avenue?
MS. WEISBERG: It was nine or 10 years ago, and I was in charge of the building because it was landmarked. We had a tourist attraction in there called "Here's Chicago" that didn't look too good and wasn't doing very well, so I told the mayor we had to make some changes. He gave me the go-ahead. I heard that Lookingglass Theatre was looking for a permanent home, so we met with them, later accepted their proposal, and worked with them to fix it up. They have a wonderful reputation for fun, and I loved working with them from the very beginning.
Is the unusual location an asset?
Absolutely. It's the most unique location for a theater in this country. It's unbelievable to go to a play in a pumping station, and it should inspire more people who are looking for a place for performances to think about something different. Another example is the 100-seat black box garage theater Merle Reskin gave to Steppenwolf. The audience seems to appreciate odd spaces.
Tell us about the Gglassquerade party.
We expect around 350 guests for cocktails and dinner at the Ritz-Carlton, hosted by ensemble member David Schwimmer, followed by a big 21st birthday celebration for the theater with a live auction and dancing. There will also be an after-party in the Trianon Room at the Ritz-Carlton with a Texas Hold 'Em game between Mr. Schwimmer and playwright Tracy Letts, with commentary by Chicago Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper.
What are your thoughts on philanthropy in the current economy?
It's going to be very interesting to see how individuals, corporations and foundations deal with the current situation as their assets have shrunk. Most people are very focused on helping themselves, and that's OK. But anyone who can help should try to find a little something in their budget to give to this very important part of our world.
