The Neo-Futurists' Annual Fundraiser Returns in December

Closing out its 30th anniversary season, The Neo-Futurist Theater announces the return of its annual fundraising campaign, TIW24: A Fundraiser for The Neo-Futurist. The six-week campaign, which launches November 3rd, has a $30,000 goal to raise funds for the theater to continue its three-decade dedication of bringing innovative, personal narrative-driven theater to its stages. Its flagship show, The Infinite Wrench has generated more than 10,800 plays since its 2016 inception and is The Neo-Futurists ongoing and ever-changing attempt to shift the conventions of live performance and speak to those unreached or unmoved by traditional theater. During the campaign, the theater will produce different iterations of The Infinite Wrench, including a special one-night-only performance written, curated, rehearsed and performed by ensemble members in a 24-hour period.

"The Infinite Wrench continues to provide opportunities to address timely socio-political topics while engaging audiences as an active participant in the competition that is the basis for the show," said Managing Director Jorge Silva, a native South Sider, who sees relevance and service as fundamental to a theater's role in the community. "The Neos have been committed for 30 years to creating new, exciting, original work that has become a Chicago experience for generations. Our community is largely made up of young artists and supporters of the arts that see the experimental, socially conscientious nature of the theater as an answer to the exclusivity of conventional theaters in the city."

TIW24 premieres on December 8 at 7:00 pm with an accompanying reception as the fundraising campaign reaches its end goal. This year's fundraiser aims to expand on the elements that have set the Neo-Futurists apart in these past 30 years. By contributing to the campaign, supporters will see an expansion on scholarships for artists of color, providing greater space and opportunity for writers to perform their own stories and vice versa. Contributions will also provide additional personnel so that all audiences including deaf, hard of hearing, blind, and low vision patrons, can participate in this longstanding Chicago tradition.

The campaign is also in the midst of the company's "birthday weeks," when the annual Best of The Infinite Wrench 2019 appears during the first two weeks of December, showcasing the ensemble's favorite short original plays of the past year. In addition to TIW24 and the Best of The Infinite Wrench 2019, the signature late-night show will continue premiering between 2-12 "world premiere" two-minute plays every weekend, in an ever-changing menu of 30 plays in which the audience chooses the order in the company's energetic, participatory and signature event. While The Neos pass three decades, Wrench in comparison is only at the beginning, entering its 3rd year after the dissolving of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind in 2016. The recurring Wrench is also highlighted in special event performances, including Halloween (Night of the Living Wrench on 10/31 @ 7:30pm), and Valentine's Day. In Prime Time, the company introduces its 5th production under the in-house residency program Neo-Lab with 45 Plays For America's First Ladies, by esteemed Neo-Futurist Alums Andy Bayiates, Bilal Dardai, Genevra Gallo-Bayiates, Sharon Greene and Chloe Johnston.

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