Still Life with Drumming

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Still Life with Drumming is a new dance-play that tells the story of the everyman in her/his struggle to continue dancing through life and reconciling age with artistic desire, the desire to move and be moved. I am excited to dive into the creative possibilities that this subject offers, especially because it presents a chance to fuse my two worlds of theater and contemporary dance.

I have already taken considerable steps to produce this evening-length work, including assembling an artistic team of excellent collaborators. We explored this work over two weeks this past summer in a workshop housed at the Old Town School of Folk Music. The collaboration will include theatre director Sean Kelly (Creative Director of the New Colony) and writer/musician Bruce Roper (Sons of the Never Wrong, a Chicago-based folk trio). The ensemble will be comprised of performers in the Chicago-based Visceral Dance Company, which thrives under the direction of Nick Pupillo. Still Life With Drumming is scheduled to premiere at Szold Hall at the Old Town School of Folk Music in May 2015. 

Since this piece draws on the three mediums of theater, music and dance, there are many collaborators involved and production costs to cover. I am seeking support to help me realize this vision and the completed production in May 2015. It is my hope that this project inspires and uplifts all that experience it. Life is always moving and who are we to deny ourselves the opportunity to dance in it.

Your generous support will provide critical funds for costuming, props/set design, compensation for artist/crew, rental space for rehearsals and more. Thank you for helping make this project and vision a reality!

About This Project

Regardless of medium, all artists wrestle with how to continue producing, especially in the face of advancing age.  Perhaps the best example is with dance and its often brutal effect on the body and the struggle to reconcile yesterday's fleet of foot with the erstwhile practitioner.   An endeavor not for the faint of heart, the artist must one day wonder “… will I ever dance (make art) again?”

In this piece, our heroine confronts her own demons of age and movement and takes to the night in a cloak of disguise that gives her the confidence to recapture her youth at a local dance club.  For a moment, it seems she will throw off the bonds of age—only to be pushed back by the reality of time. Yet, she is somehow triumphant in knowing that the battle was engaged.

My creative team and I believe this work will find a root in a cross-media audience, drawing together the theatre, music and dance enthusiasts for a shared experience. The production will fill the Old Town School of Folk Music with a connection across three artistic media. We will introduce a very human journey that will provide a sense of fullness and freedom. We plan to build a circular experience, where the freedom of the story is translated directly to the audience. After each performance, the audience will be invited onto the stage and be given his/her own opportunity to dance, thus drawing a full circle around the experience. Audience and artist will come together for a free-wheeling dance together.

Thank yous

Contribute any amount or choose from the levels below.

• $25
  Personal thank you in the program ($0.00 is tax deductible.)
• $50
  1 CD recording of the original score ($0.00 is tax deductible.)
• $100
  Private invitation to attend a pre-rehearsal of the work before its premiere ($0.00 is tax deductible.)
• $250
  Two Tickets to the Play & 1 CD recording of the original score ($0.00 is tax deductible.)
• $500
  Four Tickets to the Play & 1 CD recording of the original score ($0.00 is tax deductible.)
• $1000
  Four Tickets to the Play’s Opening Night, 1 CD recording of the original score, and invitation to a Pre-Show Meet-and-Greet with the Creators ($0.00 is tax deductible.)

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Monique Haley

McCormick Family Foundation Awardee

Monique Haley is a graduate of The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in performing arts, specializing in jazz dance. Monique completed nine memorable years with the prestigious River North Chicago Dance Company …

View Monique Haley's profile

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• Thank you to the following for contributing to 3Arts with the recommendation that we support this project.

  • Pamela Crutchfield

  • Angie Frank

  • Debra kelly

  • Mary McInnis Meyer

  • Monica Stevens

  • Donna Palak

  • Sean Kelly

  • Judy and Scott Pollock

  • Catherine Gallogly

  • Jacqueline M Zydeck

  • cynthia farenga

  • Anonymous Supporter

  • Janet Sayre

  • Dawn Sopron

  • Bill Flynn

  • Roberta Eaton

  • Jeanne Kim

  • John Moroney

  • Roberta Eaton

  • Stephanie Woo

  • Jasmine Ejan

  • Rhonda Cadogan

  • Jennifer Edgcomb

  • Michelle Fujioka

  • Meg Benkomeyer

  • Camille Turner

  • Daniel-Melissa McEnerney-Matarrese

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