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About
the Performance Lab of Piven Theatre
Dedicated
to nurturing emerging artists and new works, the Performance Lab
was created out of the Piven Theatre Workshop training center
to provide mentorship opportunities to theatre artists. The Lab
offers directors, adapters and performers the opportunity to create
and present new work in a workshop setting.
Beginning
with our acclaimed youth ensembles the Performance Project and
The Young People’s Company, the Performance Lab has expanded
to include multi-artist performance salons, staged readings, new
works festivals, as well as presenting seven world-premiere short
plays by Pulitzer-winner Suzan-Lori Parks in the 365 Days/365
Plays Festival.
Past
works include: THE SNOW QUEEN by Hans Christian Andersen, conceived,
adapted and directed by Sarah Bendix and Mikalina Rabinsky, IN
THIS BODY created and directed by Kira Silverstein, PLUNDER and
THE HUMAN CAPACITY by Jennifer Barclay, THE METHOD by Jeff McLane,
SACRED by Scott Shallenbarger, BETTER LAND by Sean Cooper, TRAVELER
TO UNIMAGINABLE LANDS by Emilie Beck, MCMILLAN AND SHAPIRO and
DUET IN THE BUSHES OR LAURA: AN ALLEGORY by Shira Piven, BACK
OFF, BARKMAN by Dick Cusack, CLEAN HOUSE and EURYDICE by Sarah
Ruhl, BLINDNESS adapted by Jodi Kanter and the 14th week of 365
DAYS/365 PLAYS by Suzan-Lori Parks which included the Chicago
premieres of: The Birth Of Abraham Lincoln, We Were Civilized
Once, Revolver Lover, Pig Meat Farming Man, You Wouldn’t
Want To Take It With You Even If You Could, The President’s
Day Sale, and The Day After President’s Day Sale.
The
Performance Project (7-9th Grades) and The Young People’s
Company (10th-12th Grades) both contribute annual performance
festivals showcasing the works of young artists. The Young People's
Company was founded over 30 years ago by Byrne & Joyce Piven
and still thrives as the most advanced level class that high school
students strive for when studying at the Piven Theatre Workshop.
The Young People's Company specializes in improvisation and the
Story Theatre form - a process of working as an ensemble to adapt
literature, myths and folk tales to the stage. Every year, this
group culminates their experience by presenting a showcase of
improvisation and stories that they have adapted as an ensemble.
Alumni of the Young People's Company include Emmy Award Winner
Jeremy Piven, John, Joan & Ann Cusack, Directors Jessica Thebus,
Shira Piven & Robin Chaplik, award-winning playwright Sarah
Ruhl, and many members of the faculty at the Piven Theatre Workshop
including Sarah Bendix, Mikalina Rabinsky, Susan O'Brien, Rebecca
Kling, Beth Voitik, Jessie Mills, Catherine Lynch, Marc Wilson
& Ethan Ucker.
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