RIPPED: The Living Newspaper Festival Set for Today at Greenhouse Theater Center

American Blues Theater and Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside are proud to announce their annual fundraiser RIPPED: The Living Newspaper Festival takes place today, June 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets are a suggesting donation of $10 at the door. In addition to performances, there is a performance from The Lincoln Squares, complimentary hors d'oeuvres and drinks. For more information go to americanbluestheater.com or call 312.725.4228.

American Blues Theater's RIPPED: The Living Newspaper Festival began in 2009 and is based on the 1930s Works Progress Administration (WPA) program, the Living Newspaper, which brought Orson Welles, Arthur Miller and Clifford Odets into public attention. The Federal Theatre Project wrote and presented a number of Living Newspapers on social issues of the day during the 1930s. At RIPPED, new works are ripped from today's headlines.

Playwrights contributing short works to the night's festivities include Catherine Butterfield, Darren Canady, Tony Fitzpatrick, Christina Gorman, Ike Holter, Joel Drake Johnson, Rohina Malik, Joe Meno, Jamie Pachino, Rocky Russo, Jeremy Sosenko, Charles West and Gwendolyn Whiteside. Will Clinger, Ann Filmer, Hans Fleischmann, Adam Goldstein, Rachel Edward Harvith, Gus Menary, Heather Meyers, Richard Shavzin, Sandy Shinner and Charles West are directing the pieces with following actors scheduled to perform at the benefit: Manny Buckley, Kate Buddeke, Dara Cameron, Ian Paul Custer, Joe Dempsey, Tony Fitzpatrick, Mark Dannenberg Hines, Susaan Jamshidi, Steve Key, Michael Mahler, Janice O'Neil, Suzanne Petri, Gail Rastorfer, Carmen Roman, Madrid St. Angelo, Meg Thalken, Mick Weber, Patrick Whalen, Miranda Zola and others to be added.

Supporting ABT's mission of partnering with social and service organizations, the following organizations have been supported by RIPPED events: AgrAbility, Chicago Public Schools, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Illinois Farm Bureau, Lincoln Park Community Shelter, University of Chicago's Urban Education Teachers Program, and Open Books.

The RIPPED: The Living Newspaper Festival takes place tonight, June 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets are a suggesting donation of $10 at the door. In addition to performances, there is a performance from The Lincoln Squares, complimentary hors d'oeuvres and drinks. For more information go to americanbluestheater.com or call 312.725.4228.