Behind the ‘Line

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Happy Birthday, Alice Childress!

Today we’re celebrating Alice Childress’ birthday and her legacy as the only Black woman to have written, produced, and published plays across four decades. Production still from the original off-Broadway production of “Trouble in Mind,” 1955. Playwright Alice Childress. Alice Childress was born on October 12, 1916 (although this year varies depending on the source) in Charleston, S.C., and died August 14, 1994 in New York City. She grew up in Harlem, where she acted ...
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In Conversation with CAMPAIGNS, INC.

During early performances of Campaigns, Inc., director Nick Bowling (NB) took some time with playwright Will Allan (WA) to learn more about his inspirations for writing the play, what has made this process so exciting, and the all too real connections to our world today. ...
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The Limits of Humanity

A History of the American Freak Show This was a marvelous diversion. I’ve always adored carnivals and freak shows. – Atung as Andrew Jackson, The Chinese Lady While Afong Moy may have been the first Asian woman to immigrate to the United States, she was far from ...
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An interview with playwright Lloyd Suh

As rehearsals were gearing up for The Chinese Lady, dramaturg Yiwen Wu (YW) posed a few questions to New York-based playwright Lloyd Suh (LS) about the reverence he has for Afong Moy, the value of interrogating social constructs, and how he thinks about his connections ...
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Mica Cole named new Executive Director

We’re thrilled to announce that TimeLine has named Mica Cole as the company’s new Executive Director! Effective May 16, Mica will become the co-equal leader of TimeLine alongside PJ Powers as Artistic Director, guiding the company’s strategic and financial direction, Board and staff development, productions, ...
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New Executive Director search launched

TimeLine has officially launched our national search for a new Executive Director, tapping Chicago-based Arts Consulting Group (ACG) to lead the recruitment effort. TimeLine’s Board, Company and staff will participate in ACG’s search for a new executive leader, who will become the co-equal leader of the organization alongside Artistic Director PJ Powers. Together, they will guide TimeLine’s strategic and financial direction, Board and staff development, productions, and its many other organizational goals. To guide TimeLine’s ...
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A new phase for TimeLine’s new home

PLEASE NOTE: This post is one from a series of blog posts that tells the story of TimeLine’s New Home Project over several years. Therefore, some information presented below may no longer be accurate. For the most up-to-date information about the project, please visit our ...
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Leadership Transition: An interview with Elizabeth Auman

TimeLine’s Managing Director Elizabeth K. Auman. As our new home project moves into its next phases, and in recognition of the complex path ahead, today TimeLine announced that Managing Director Elizabeth K. Auman will be transitioning her responsibilities away from day-to-day management of the company ...
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TimeLine South: Spotlight on our Teaching Artists!

For the past four summers, Living History’s TimeLine South has offered an ensemble of teenagers a safe space for self-expression, creativity, and ensemble building on the south side of Chicago. Through this six-week summer arts program, students engage in advocacy and community building through art ...
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Engaging the Community

TimeLine’s Living History Teaching Artists have an icebreaker that they love to play with new groups of people. They call the game, “Where my people from” and provide a series of prompts that a single person can say to the group:  Where my people from, ...
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