American Blues Hosts Staged Reading for the 2014 Blue Ink Winner Douglas Post, 6/29

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside of American Blues Theater is proud to announce American Blues Theater is hosting a staged reading of the 2014 Blue Ink Playwriting Award-winning play Comden Mall Community Activists, by Chicagoan Douglas Post, Sunday, June 29 at 4:30 p.m. at Greenhouse Theater Center, Upstairs Studio, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., directed by American Blues Theater Ensemble member Heather Meyers. Admission is a suggested donation of $5 payable at the door. For more information go to americanbluestheater.com.

On Chicago's coldest night of the year, a group of concerned neighbors gather in the back room of a library to discuss a shooting that has left a local young man dead. The meeting grows longer, tempers grow shorter and accusations begin to fly as the group faces the realities of the recent death, crime, gangs, graffiti and their own prejudices and perceptions.

Comden Mall Community Activists featured performers include Steve Pickering, Celeste Williams, Jim Leaming*, Ian Paul Custer*, Dara Cameron* and Kate Buddeke*.

*denotes American Blues Theater Ensemble member or Artistic Affiliate

The Blue Ink Playwriting Award was created in 2010 to support new work. American Blues Theater's Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and the award-winning Ensemble select the year's winning entry. The winner of this annual competition is awarded the Blue Ink Playwriting Award of $1,000, receives a staged-reading at American Blues Theater in Chicago and the opportunity to develop the script with the Ensemble. For information on submission policy and more details, please go americanbluestheater.com.

Previous winners include Elaine Romero's Graveyard of Empires (2013) ,Christina Gorman's American Myth (2012) and Stephanie Walker's American Home (2011).

ABOUT AMERICAN BLUES THEATER

American Blues Theater is the premier American theater producing visceral theatrical works while engaging its audience in worthwhile missions of local service agencies. American Blues Theater illuminates the American ideas of freedom, equality, and opportunity in the plays we produce and communities we serve.

The multi-generational and interdisciplined artists have established the second-oldest professional Equity Ensemble theater in Chicago. The 39-member Ensemble has nearly 500 combined years of collaboration on stage. As of 2014, they've individually received over 126 Joseph Jefferson Awards and nominations that celebrate excellence in Chicago theater and over 20 Black Theatre Alliance Awards. The artists are honored with Pulitzer Prize nominations, Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Emmy Awards, and numerous other accolades.

The American Blues Theater Ensemble includes all four Founders Ed Blatchford, Rick Cleveland, James Leaming, and William Payne with Dawn Bach, Matthew Brumlow, Manny Buckley, Kate Buddeke, Sarah Burnham, Dara Cameron, Casey Campbell, Brian Claggett, Dennis Cockrum, Austin Cook, Laura Coover, Lauri Dahl, Kristin DeiTos, Joe Foust, Tom Geraty, Cheryl Graeff, Marty Higginbotham, Jaclyn Holsey, Lindsay Jones, Samantha Jones, Nambi E. Kelley, Kevin R. Kelly, Steve Key, Ed Kross, Warren Levon, Michael Mahler, Kelli Marino, Heather Meyers, John Mohrlein, Jim Ortlieb, Suzanne Petri, Carmen Roman, Editha Rosario, Sarah E. Ross and Gwendolyn Whiteside.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside of American Blues Theater is proud to announce that American Blues Theater is hosting a staged reading of the 2014 Blue Ink Playwriting Award-winning play Comden Mall Community Activists, by Chicagoan Douglas Post, Sunday, June 29 at 4:30 p.m. at Greenhouse Theater Center, Upstairs Studio, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., directed by American Blues Theater Ensemble member Heather Meyers. Admission is a suggested donation of $5 payable at the door. For more information go to americanbluestheater.com.

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