Behind the ‘Line

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Increasing by 50%

50% has been a big number for us this year. Earlier in the season we achieved a 50% increase in subscriptions over our 2008-09 year. We’ve had at least 50% more audience members see a TimeLine show this year compared to last. And today TimeLine announced that as we launch our 2010-11 season, we are increasing our full-time staff by 50% as well!   Nick Bowling — well-known to TimeLine audiences as the director of 15 ...
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Farnsworth Photos

Tonight was the production photo call for The Farnsworth Invention. This is the night when after a performance, the cast and stage management team work their way through the show a second time so that I can grab still photographs of specific moments. It can ...
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Better Than Broadway

On his recent trip through Chicago, the Wall Street Journal‘s drama critic Terry Teachout came to see The Farnsworth Invention. Today we got to see what he thought about the show, and well, it was great moment. This is how any theatre company hopes a ...
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TBA no longer

TimeLine announced weeks ago that Frost/Nixon, Mastering the Art and The Front Page would be part of our 2010-11 season. But as sometimes happens, when we announced those three we also had to announce that one of our productions was still “TBA.”  Well, today we ...
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Art and History

** Note: A few spoilers ahead if you have not yet seen The Farnsworth Invention ** Philo T. Farnsworth examines an image dissector Frequently at TimeLine we grapple with the issues surrounding the intersection of art and history. The act of dramatizing some part of ...
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Digging deeper

Often when I do post-show discussions, audience members ask me about books that will allow them to dig deeper into the historical events that inspire a play. For The Farnsworth Invention, this is particularly important since there are many vital differences between Aaron Sorkin’s play and the history. Later this week I’ll post more about those differences. In the meantime, below is a list of books and films the cast and crew read or watched ...
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Share your thoughts

TimeLine’s Chicago premiere of The Farnsworth Invention starts performances this week! The professional reviewers will weigh in soon but we want to give you a chance to share your own review, comments or questions about the production below. Pictured (from left): Zach Kenney, Bridgette Pechman, ...
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My Step Into Time speech

On Friday night I had the honor of speaking to guests at our Step Into Time benefit. Here’s what I said: Most of you have been to our intimate space on Wellington Ave. and know that we normally can accommodate an audience of about 85 ...
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10 days left. 29 to go.

I know you are sitting there saying to yourself, “There are only 10 days until TimeLine’s annual Step Into Time benefit. I wonder what is going on over at 615 W. Wellington Ave.” For those who know me, it should be no surprise that today I’m talking ...
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Another beginning

“The Farnsworth Invention” by Aaron Sorkin Every few months, we get to start again. A new show. Another first rehearsal. A new group of people coming together at TimeLine to make new magic on stage. For The Farnsworth Invention, the group is really a crowd! ...
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