The SILVERMANifesto

Chicago, Chicago, That Toddling Town

2011-11-17T12:43:00.005-06:00

Raised as a Pure Michigander, frequent trips to the Midwest's New York City were standard. Of course, Michigan Avenue is Chicago's main tourist attraction so during the weekend visits (aka shopping sprees with mom), we never made it further south than Grand (aka Nordstrom). Embarrassingly enough, we finally discovered Rush Street in just the past three years.

So I'm sure you can imagine my excitement when I made the decision to relocate to this magical city this past summer. I was determined to experience everything Chicago had to offer, everything I had been missing out on those weekends I was busy paying 4% more for the same sweater I could purchase in Michigan -- hey, I was on vacation! I had never ridden the train -- not that it's anything to write home about -- never visited the surrounding neighborhoods, never been exposed to the Theatre District, never attended one of the festivals, never been to the museums; the list goes on.

That's why I'm grateful not only for the invaluable career-oriented experience I'm gaining from The Silverman Group, but also the crash course covering the culture of Chicago. In the past three months, they’ve provided me with opportunities I would not have been able to experience in three years on my own. I've attended Joffrey Ballet rehearsals with reporters previewing the performances. I was able to compare the choreography unfolding two feet away from me with the press-attended opening night performances viewed from the back of the breathtaking Auditorium Theater. I've also had the chance to work directly with the promotion of the hilarious A Christmas Story, The Musical! TSG invited press members to a rehearsal at the Oriental Theater where I was able to assist and interact with the amazingly talented and mature cast largely comprised of kids under ten years old. TSG even trusted me enough to let me staff an event on my own last night! The Fulcrum Point New Music Project introduced me to, you guessed it, new music at their Benefit Concert. The unique performance was held at the Chicago Cultural Center, another one of Chicago's gorgeous gems I had yet to visit, and I was able to mingle with the musicians, board members and guests at the reception afterward. And the excitement continues next week! I’m anticipating I will “find Christmas” in the words of Cindy Lou-Hoo and my holiday spirit will skyrocket when I accompany Beth and Erin to the unveiling of LIGHTSCAPE on State Street.

These are just a handful of the exciting, one of a kind experiences TSG has allowed me to be involved in, and I'm sure many more are to come with the holiday season creeping in. Who knows, they may even suck me in for another semester! Stay tuned…

The All-Important (and Sometimes Unattainable) Agency Experience

2011-11-03T11:43:00.006-05:00

Word's from TSG's awesome 2011 Fall Intern, Alina.

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I graduated in 2010 from a Big Ten school with a pile of student loans and no means to pay them back. How did I get here? I did everything I was supposed to do. I entered an accredited university, chose and excelled in a major broad enough to provide options yet focused enough to enjoy a specialized area of interest, I volunteered and completed three internships in my field, I joined a sorority, I built my network through experienced professors with connections, and I participated in my PRSSA chapter. So I’m sure you can imagine my confusion when I crossed the stage with a $40,000 piece of paper in my hand and I lacked the pool of job offers I was told a college education would guarantee.

Six months before graduation I began applying to all the big PR firms with offices in metro-Detroit. The common thread in the impersonal rejections: “no agency experience.” How could that be different than all the experience I had gained in internal PR departments? And if it is, how could I gain that experience if none of them would hire me?

Fast forward one year and a rainy relocation later: here I am, a graduate student working full-time between two internships in successful PR agencies. And guess what? The rejections were right.

Agencies provide a much deeper understanding of the practice of PR. My creativity and writing skills have been challenged as I’ve had to adapt to different clients and styles of writing. I’ve gained further insight into crisis management. I have sharpened my event planning and coordination abilities. My media relations knowledge has more than doubled in the past two months with the opportunities to accompany the executives to press events and interact with journalists one-on-one. And I have absolutely mastered the art of time management. Overall I’ve learned that PR offers a more sophisticated means of communication. My interest and faith in the industry has been restored by its unrestricted nature, and I’ve decided that publicizing the arts and entertainment fields is what I will continue to work toward.

So I want to thank The Silverman Group for taking a chance on someone with no agency experience and providing me with what truly has been a unique learning opportunity. And to all the recent graduates encountering the same problem, I encourage you to remain a current and viable asset in this industry. Enroll in graduate school and move to a more vibrant market. Join your local PRSA chapter and engage in interesting conversations with successful people. Volunteer, offer your services to local businesses, and inquire about job shadowing to get you one step closer to that hiring manager. Most importantly, don’t give up. Eventually your dream agency will recognize your potential and your increasing proficiency will transform you into the PR professional you’ve worked so hard to become.

5 Things I’ve Learned About Arts Publicity

2011-07-27T15:16:00.005-05:00

Words from one of TSG's excellent 2011 Summer Interns, Deirdre.
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I’ve been an intern with The Silverman Group for a couple of months now and I can honestly say that I’ve learned quite a bit about arts publicity. A lot goes on behind the scenes of promoting art, theater, dance, music and other entertainment clients that I didn’t expect. I came up with a list of five lessons I’ve learned about arts publicity and will dive a little bit deeper into each lesson below. Warning: this list is not meant to scare anyone away from pursuing a career in arts publicity, it’s just a heads up on what you can expect!

1. Publicists are busy; Journalists might be busier.
My point here is that it is important to not waste a journalist’s time. I’ve noticed that they tend to be overwhelmed with endless stories to cover, so their time is precious. This was never more evident than the first time I was assigned to call up the major news desks to confirm they received a media advisory from us. Within seconds, I already felt like I was wasting their time, as they rushed me off the phone. With the decline of the economy, it’s no secret that many journalists now individually cover double to triple the amount of work that they used to. Since journalists are so busy, it is important for publicists to make a client’s event super easy to cover. We can do this by creating clear, concise media alerts. Make sure that the necessary information is laid out for them to see and that the supporting facts are easy to find. The less research an editor or reporter has to conduct, the more likely they are to cover a story.

2. Just because you think an event sounds newsworthy, that doesn’t mean reporters will.
Even the catchiest media advisory can’t save some events from little coverage. I learned this lesson at the first event I helped staff, in which no reporters (with cameras) showed up to film. I thought the event sounded like the definition of newsworthy. It was a collaboration event between a live music orchestra and some award-winning filmmakers. I thought I’d see as many camera crews as I did hipsters, but I was wrong. I guess it’s not always realistic to expect a lot of media coverage, which I’m sure seasoned publicists understand. All you can do is try your best to get the word out there and hope news outlets will show an interest.

3. A Publicist must be a know-it-all, of sorts.
At least it helps. I can’t count how many times the office gets phone calls from people—whether clients, reporters, or agents, asking unexpected questions. As a publicist, it helps to know as much as possible about your clients, the city you’re working in, the relevant news outlets, social trends, etc. Seemingly pointless trivia ends up being very useful at times! The more you know, the better. It’s vital to at least know the basic history of your client’s organization—when it was formed and how its existence has transformed over the years. When you already know a lot about your client, it makes work like writing a press release a whole lot easier!

4. The hours are long.
I learned this lesson while helping with the TBS Just for Laughs comedy festival. The festival lasted one week, which I spent staffing the press room and assisting with media relations at the events. When I factor in the time spent commuting, I think my shortest work day that week was 13 hours. Don’t get me wrong, I loved working at the festival. It was a great opportunity to get to see how press functions at such large scale events. I even got to escort some comedians around to their scheduled interviews. My only point is that an arts publicist probably can’t expect to have a standard 9-5 work day schedule. They are often handling media at events later in the day and sometimes even on the weekends. Which brings me to my last lesson learned…

5. It takes a true passion for the arts.
Life as an arts publicist would be quite dreary if you weren’t completely in love with what you do. You need a true passion for the arts to dedicate yourself to this field. You have to be willing to put in the time and effort that your client deserves!

CIMMFEST 2011!

2011-04-08T12:54:00.005-05:00

Six days is all ladies and gentleman. Six days away from the cultural masterpiece that is known as the Chicago International Movies and Music Festival. I don't know about the rest of you guys, but i am giddy like a kid in a candy shop about some of the content that will be presented at this years festival. CIMMFEST, in its 3rd year, is a four day, multi-venue festival that emerges the world of film and music together and allows the creative community of Chicago to come together and celebrate the amazing world of music and film. The festival will showcase a lot of the fun and unique work created by artists, directors, producers and the creative community as a whole, and we have four days of it! (consider your weekend planned). The festival this year will feature the world premiere of "FIX: The Ministry Movie" focusing on the former Chicago industrial metal band, The Ministry. Bassist, Paul Barker as well as the films director Douglas Freel will be in attendance at the screening which takes place April 14th at 7:30 pm at the Music Box Theater. Seventy films from over 20 countries will be screened including features, documentaries, shorts, concert films, animation, and music videos, all of which have music at their center. Supplementing will be live performances by Mike Watt, stars from Chicago’s All Natural label, Tutu & the Pirates, Gurf Morlix, Tim Rutilli and Gillian Lisee (Fruitbats), plus panel discussions and numerous filmmaker appearances. There will also be plenty of free programming at the Chicago cultural Center throughout the weekend, see CIMMFEST webstie for details, www.cimmfest.org. Hope to see all your smiling faces there!

Dance Triumphs: Luna Negra and SPDW Dance Theatre

2011-03-14T16:22:00.016-05:00

Luna Negra Dance Theater...

"'Flabbergast' an unrelenting blast of entertainment" (Chicago Tribune)

"Luna Negra's showing what dance can do" (Chicago Sun-Times)

"Luna Negra Dance Theater joins the ranks of the country's finest mixed-repertory contemporary companies..." (Time Out Chicago)

All the critics agree, this past weekend's performance by Luna Negra at the Harris Theater was spot-on brilliant. A spectacular display of exquisite dancing, beautifully honed artistry and new creative horizons, Luna Negra is raising its own already high bar, and we (the Chicago audience) get to sit back and enjoy the show.

And if you don't trust their opinions, you can trust ours. The show was indeed quite wonderful. My personal favorite work was Spanish choreographer Fernando Hernando Magadan's Naked Ape. It opened with four white-clad dancers standing center stage, flanked in the corners by luminous, three-dimensionally molded articles of clothing, like shirts and pants with invisible wearers. These pieces lit up from the inside, making the scene even more surreal and ghostly. A fifth dancer, clad all in black, observed the group like a detached researcher, speaking in Hungarian as he shaped the dancers' forms when they froze in their movement. The group morphed out of and back into their own series highly original movement that was tense, relaxed, strong, weightless, graceful, forceful, complicated and subtle. Wonderfully nuanced duets and solos emerged. It's hard to describe, but believe me, it was a gorgeous work, using simple yet imaginative imagery to create truly stunning tableaux.

Book-ending Naked Ape was Luis Eduardo Sayago's Solo una Vez, a very likable romp for three men and three women about the challenges and rewards of relationships -- to which we can all relate -- and then Gustavo Ramirez Sansano's wildly hyper but still focused Flabbergast, the kind of work that puts the Latino flair into Luna Negra's repertory just where it fits the best.

Overall it was a remarkable evening of some of the best dance I've seen this season. Should you have missed it this time around, don't make the same mistake next season. Luna Negra is on fire -- muy caliente!!

SPDW Dance Theatre...

And lest you think we're being partial to our clients, another show this past weekend that I cannot rave enough about is Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre's outing at The Dance Center of Columbia College. The debut weekend for the troupe at this ideally-sized dance house, the program of three works offered a lovely and delicious array of the company's many formidable talents.

Joanna Rosenthal's Grey Noise was essentially a character study through dance, the kind of work that puts the "theater" in dance theater, rich in subtext, individuality and unexpectedness.

Carl Flink's HIT was full of just that -- uncompromising, literal and forceful hits, the kind of "take that!" smacks that made the audience visibly and audibly react. I applauded the bravery of both this choreographer, for asking his dancers to be so harsh (and yet so trusting!) with one another, and his dancers for truly going there to make the theme of violence and aggression ring true.

The evening was completed by the silky bittersweetness of Shapiro & Smith's To Have and To Hold, a gorgeous work where the dancers used three long benches to create the simplest yet most profound images. The work's transcendent themes of love, death, loss, and the emphemerality of life were never so profound in a work of dance.

Given the fact that the company sold out its three-night run, I would safely say the performances were a huge success -- commercially and artistically!

And still to come...

The crunch of the dance season came a bit early this spring, happening around late February. But it's not over yet -- this coming weekend brings one of my favorite companies back to the Harris Theater stage -- Hubbard Street Dance Chicago! (The show runs Thurs. through Sun., March 17-20.) The spring engagement brings two Israeli dance powerhouses to the Chicago audience: Ohad Naharin (yay!) and Sharon Eyal. Hubbard Street fans know who Ohad is (re: Minus 16, a HSDC staple), and Sharon is another visionary artist from Tel Aviv's Batsheva Dance Company. HSDC is presenting new works by these artists, and I simply cannot wait! It should be a powerful, beautiful, and very fun program. I hope to see you there!

Joffrey's "Merry Widow" a lighthearted, fleet-footed delight

2011-02-17T16:33:00.013-06:00

Last night the curtain rose for the opening performance of The Joffrey Ballet's latest production, Ronald Hynd's The Merry Widow. Widow is a three-act story-ballet adapted from Franz Lehar's operetta of the same title. In order to turn a dialogue-heavy opera into a wordless ballet, Hynd worked with composer John Lanchbery to adapt the original music into something more dance-friendly. Using a combination of lyrical dancing and gestural mime, Hynd tells a story of love and scandal with a glamorous Parisian setting.

But if you think you can just sit back and watch, and then completely grasp what's going on, think again. Pay close attention to those program notes, or you might be asking yourself who that old man is, where that lady in pink came from, and why everyone is constantly swigging champagne.

Allow a little crash-course on the plot: Picture It! Pontevedro, turn of the century. (No, Pontevedro isn't real, it's a made-up French principality.) Pontevedro's bureaucrats realize the country is broke. Ah, but there's a ball coming up at the French Embassy, and look who's on the guest list -- a rich widow, Hanna! And, being far younger than her late husband, she's still quite a catch. So the natural solution is to have Pontevedro's sovereign, Count Danilo, capture Hanna's heart and thus secure her wealth for their country.

Meanwhile, an affair is revealed between Valencienne, a Baron's young wife, and Camille, a young French attache. More on that shortly.

Cut to the ballroom scene, with plenty of sparkly dresses and light-as-air waltzing. Danilo and Hanna meet, but alas, the already know each other! Turns out they met when she was a penniless peasant girl and he was an up-and-coming nobleman. He broke her heart then, but now the tables are turned. Long-scene-short, Hanna and Danilo still have strong feelings for one another but are both too stubborn to admit it.

Two more scenes unfold, and when Valencienne and Camille are almost discovered, Hanna smartly steps in to replace Valencienne, coming up with the rouse that she and Camille are engaged (much to Danilo's chagrin). Still with me?

Cut to the final scene at Chez Maxim, a glitzy French cafe. Valencienne is furious at Camille, poor Camille is almost done over in a duel with the Count, and everyone is beside themselves as to whom Hanna will end up with. While I doubt this will spoil it for anyone, I'll leave out the details for now and suffice it to say that everyone lives "happily ever after."

Now The Merry Widow isn't like last season's Othello, as there's no dark, brooding drama. And it isn't quite like Cinderella, which had everyone enchanted from the first moment with the familiar tale of everyone's favorite rags-to-riches sweetheart. But nonetheless, The Merry Widow is a lighthearted, charming and rich ballet full of absolutely gorgeous dancing. Hynd constantly surprises you with his choreography, adding a creative tilt of the head, an unexpected lift, or a beguilingly supple line just when you think you know what's coming next. The evening is magical, the characters endearing, and the Joffrey shines doing what they do best -- a little of everything!

Promoting A Mayoral Debate: Exit Comfort Zone, Enter Spin Zone

2011-02-07T12:28:00.018-06:00

So vis-a-vis our relatively new client, Chicago Tribune Special Events, Laura Silverman and I had the rare opportunity to promote and staff a major political event: the recent televised Chicago Tribune/City Club of Chicago Mayoral Debate (aired live from WGN TV studios). Scheduled participants (in alpha order): Carol Moseley Braun, Gery Chico, Miguel del Valle, and Rahm Emanuel. Was a good challenge to step out of our comfort zone (which is promoting the arts to reporters with whom we've worked for years) and instead communicate with a new group of press with new types of questions (predominantly related to the technical aspects of the broadcast and the sharing of "pool" photography and video). Not to mention, with the timing of this debate in particular, Emanuel was in limbo as to whether his name was to be included on the ballot or not (based on ongoing residency challenge). He fully intended to participate in the debate - the Tribune had kept him on lineup- and the affirmative decision was actually handed down by the Illinois Supreme Court within an hour and 1/2 of the live debate airing! Given the confab of candidates and cameras all gathered at WGN TV's north side studio, that was definitely the place to be for anyone following the campaign.

But first, a quick summary of the preliminary publicity work that got us to that place.

Advance efforts were typical of other special events we're promoted, basically drafting and distributing a press release and then following up with the media to secure advance coverage and on-site attendance. However, there were two key differences: (a) We didn't have at our disposal a local "political" media list, since we don't usually dabble in that arena, so a list needed to be compiled ASAP and thanks to some good old fashioned sleuthing (Hello, Google!), it was not too laborious. (b) Among the myriad more technical rules about how to secure footage via Chicago Switch (a connector of broadcast signals so that other TV stations could pull video from WGN TV) was the disclaimer that only one reporter per media outlet would be allowed to cover the debate on site and needed to RSVP to me within 48 hours of debate. Apparently much of the technical info was written in invisible ink as I started getting requests to bring their own cameras (no), to bring a producer (um, no) and to bring a third reporter from their newspaper (NO!). That said, I did persuade client to allow the Sun Times to bring a second reporter just because it felt like right thing to do, although ultimately only one showed but I'm glad we made allowance.

Despite the tenuous situation with Emanuel's residency status hearing, from a press standpoint, it was all going smoothly - all the A-list media were accounted for and ready to attend (and get all necessary audio and visual feeds) - until the day of the debate. Suddenly, out of the woodwork popped up some of the aforementioned reporters requesting a ticket even though their media outlet was already set, not to mention one "reporter" who somehow managed not to have seen or heard anything about the Debate until within 5 hours of it taking place, when we had turned down others because of capacity, and then accused me of playing unfair and threatening "you haven't heard the last of me" (and I didn't, and will perhaps explain later).

So, off the phone and flash forward some five hours, our job was to man the "Spin Room." And yes that's what it was called.

(Outside the Spin Room was the main entrance to the actual Debate studio, and there was tight security there. It was funny seeing a very hirsute former Alderman Burt Natarus getting wanded, as though he was a threat of any sort.) So basically, we monitored the room where the press were allowed to sit and watch the Debate on a big screen TV, as it happened live in the studio next door. Most of the press that RSVP'd actually showed up, but given the breaking news about the residency issue being resolved, some reporters ended stuck at their desks it turns out. From a publicist-geek standpoint, was interesting to see the "old school media" (Carol Marin, WMAQ TV) who propped their laptops on a table (replicating a desk top computer?) and plugging in, while the younger crowd (Sam Hudzik, WBEZ FM) balanced laptops on their lap. The oldest of the old (Mike Flannery, WFLD TV) took notes on a pad of paper!

The two most contentious during Debate were, not surprisingly, Emanuel and Chico- and their constant name dropping (of the President and Mayor, respectively) got old quickly.

Then, following the Debate, the four candidates were shepherded in to take FIVE MINUTES of questions from the group, press conference-style. Really, the canned-idates answered the questions from the press with the same canned responses they'd provided in the Debate so there were no revelations but I think the press at least appreciated the perception of one-on-one time.

Glad to have "worked" only one debate... and I still don't understand the Rahm tax.

O hey, It's the new guy...

2011-01-28T11:56:00.003-06:00

Well hey everybody, this is officially my first personal blog post as a new member of The Silverman Group Chicago so I'll take a second to introduce myself. My name is Demetrius and I'm a current senior at Columbia College Chicago, in my last semester after 5 grueling years in America's higher education system. I hail from the lovely Midwest town of Kansas City, MO and this is my 3rd year in the Windy City. The arts have been my personal love attachment since i was just a runny nose kid playing Lego's and my opportunity to be a part of the artistic community here in Chicago comes at the perfect time.I came from a stint at the alternative weekly newspaper, The Chicago Reader and The Silverman Group has welcomed me with open arms and let me dive head first into some fun and unique projects that they are a part of here. I'm excited about my tenure with this hip organization, and yes, they are about as hip as it gets :). I have the opportunity to play a big part in the publicity for the Peace on Earth Film Festival which is to take place February 25-27 at the Chicago Cultural Center's Claudia Cassidy Theatre which I'm extremely excited about and invite everyone to take part in some portion of the festival. February is going to be a big month for us with The Joffrey Ballet's performance of "The Merry Widow", Avalon String Quartet, John Lequizamo@ the Royal George Theatre and many other exciting events that will keep all of you art and culture junkies foaming at the mouth. Chicago is the place to be for entertainment and all of us lovely personnel here at the Silverman Group will make sure that you know about some great events happening here in the City. Well anyway, back to work, i would love to hear some of your responses about events that you have attended and your overall feedback on the blog!

Cheers,
Demetrius

Peace on Earth Film Festival 2011 (POEFF)

2011-01-21T13:24:00.003-06:00

The 2011 Peace on Earth Film Festival (POEFF), along with the Board of Directors of Transcendence Global Media, will showcase an intriguing exploration of film in the areas of peace, nonviolence, social justice and an eco-balanced world at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater, 78 East Washington, Friday, February 25 through Sunday, February 27. All screenings are free and open to the public.

“The Peace on Earth Film Festival was designed to encourage filmmakers to craft films in the genre of peace, nonviolence, social justice and an eco-balanced world,” says POEFF Executive Director Nick Angotti. “However, we have taken the festival beyond showing films and awarding filmmakers and have helped showcase Chicago’s effort for peace and environmental protection while providing an education element to the audience".The 30 films being screened were chosen from a field of 148 international films addressing similar topics.

Admission to all screenings and events are free and open to the public on a first come, first served basis and held at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater, 78 E. Washington Street, Chicago. For more information visit www.peaceonearthfilmfestival.org.

Your MLK Day Cultural Activities

2011-01-14T15:49:00.008-06:00

So you have the day off on Monday for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, and you're wondering how to fill your day while at the same time honoring the reason you're off in the first place. Allow us two fun and culturally active suggestions:

African Dance Master Class at Joffrey Ballet

Hosted by the Academy of Dance, Official School of the Joffrey Ballet, this class will be led by Andrea Vinson accompanied by live drummers Deshon Newman and Seneke. Open to adults and kids age 10 and up, this fun and lively class is perfect for the whole family. And no dance experience is required -- it's appropriate for all skill levels. So come learn some groovy African moves while celebrating Dr. King's civil rights legacy.

12:30-1:30 pm
At Joffrey Tower, 10 E. Randolph St. (between Wabash and State)
$10 per person
Register in advance by calling 312-784-4600. Walk-up registration may be available.
More info: http://www.joffrey.org/academy/classes/martin-luther-king-jr-day-january-17

Chicago Sinfonietta presents A Dream Unfolds, Annual MLK Tribute

In this beloved musical tradition, guest conductor Leslie B. Dunner joins Sinfonietta Founder Paul Freeman in a celebration of Dr. King's pioneering steps forward, allowing listeners to reflect -- through beautiful and stirring classical music -- on his indelible mark on American history. This will be an especially moving event because it will be Maestro Freeman's final time leading this program, as he will retire at the end of the current season. The highlight of the program will be Gershwin's classic folk opera Porgy and Bess, arranged for orchestra by Robert Fussell Bennett, where the Sinfonietta will be joined by vocalists from the Chicago Community Chorus.

7:30 pm
At Orchestra Hall of Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.
Tickets range from $26 - $96
For tickets call 312-236-3681 ext. 2, or available by walk-up at the Box Office
More info: www.chicagosinfonietta.org

Even if you don't have the day off, don't let Winter keep you inside -- take this opportunity to enjoy some good ol' Chicago culture. Hopefully we'll see you there!

Care to dance?

2010-10-06T16:09:00.000-05:00

My, my, it's a busy season for dance in Chicago. It seems it happens this way every fall and every spring, all the dance events are piled around the same time. What's a dance fan to do? Why, get out and enjoy it!

We just had a couple of modern dance festivals wrap up. Weekend before last we saw the final run of The OTHER Dance Festival, a three-week showcase of some of Chicago's most adventurous modern dance companies and independent artists. We also saw the inaugural Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival, a three-night showcase with a different line-up of artists and companies each night. This is a brand new fest, so look for the roster to get steadily stronger as the producers get a few more years under their belts.

This past weekend was the fall engagement of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and what a show! Resident choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo presented two new works, Blanco and Deep Down Dos, both of which were beautiful and beautifully danced. Always a "cinematic" kind of choreographer, Cerrudo displays a masterful control of the stage image and is never short on inventive, original theatrical devices. We also saw Victor Quijada's new work, the hip-hop-infused PHYSIKAL LINGUISTIKS, which was a fun piece that allowed the dancers to explore some new movement vocabularies. And then came the delicious dessert that was Nacho Duato's Archangelo, the last section of which was worth the ticket price alone. It was truly stunning.

Coming up, one can't overlook two of my favorites (and--full disclosure--our clients), The Joffrey Ballet and Luna Negra Dance Theater. Joffrey is presenting a selection of ballet heavyweights in All Stars (maybe the title "Top Choreographer Masters" was taken), which runs October 13-24 at the Auditorium Theatre. The program includes George Balanchine's Stravinsky Violin Concerto and Tarantella, Christopher Wheeldon's After the Rain, and Jerome Robbins' The Concert (Or the Perils of Everybody). I don't know which piece I'm more excited for-- Stravinsky is devilishly difficult, with super fast tempos and hard-to-count rhythms. It will be a task for the dancers, but they're up to it. The Concert is also hilarious, with some zany, over-the-top characters. It's a beautiful example of exactly what Robbins was best at, combining physical comedy with stellar dance technique. Don't miss your chance to see the beauty and fun, get tickets here.

Luna Negra is presenting the first season under new Artistic Director Gustavo Ramirez Sansano in one performance only on Saturday, October 16 at the Harris Theater, which is followed by the annual Noche de Luna gala. The program for the performance will showcase a brand new duet by Gustavo called Toda una Vida ("All My Life") inspired by his mother and father and their endearing (and enduring) love, the kind of love that keeps people together through thick and thin. They will also present a North American Premiere by Brazilian choreographer Fernando Melo called Bate (pronounced "batche," which means "heartbeat" in Portuguese), a work for five men that balances a touch of humor with some powerhouse movement, including one section where the men, laying prone on their stomachs, literally pop off the ground like popcorn (I'm still not sure how they do it). And rounding out the program will be Luna Negra founder Eduardo Vilaro's Deshar Alhat ("Leave Sunday"), which was inspired by the Sephardic Jews in Latin America and their struggles and trials. It's a beautiful, non-linear piece for the whole company--who are looking especially strong these days--and the music, by Stefani Valadez, is poignant, bittersweet, and haunting. Get your tickets here.

A few others I'm looking forward to this season (this is by far not an exhaustive list): the all-female, Afro-Cuban-infused group Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba stops by the Auditorium Theatre, Oct. 28-29; Ballet Hispanico visits Chicago with Eduardo Vilaro now at the artistic head, at the Harris Theater, Nov. 5; SPDW Dance Theatre and Hedwig Dances co-presented Walking...Drifting, which runs at the Hamlin Park Fieldhouse, Nov. 4-5 and 11-12; and the Chicago Human Rhythm Project presents Global Rhythms IV, an extravaganza of jazz, tap, hip-hop and other rhythm-based dance companies, at the Harris Theater, Nov. 26-28. Fall is the perfect season to "fall" in love with dance, so get out there and take advantage of all the beautiful work!

Photos by Herbert Migdoll, Cheryl Mann and Jonathan Mackoff.

My Personal Fall Preview at The Silverman Group!

2010-10-04T13:24:00.003-05:00

There’s a first for everything and I’m so excited to be writing my first blog entry as TSG’s Fall 2010 intern! I’d like to introduce myself briefly, explain why I love Public Relations, and share what I’ve been up to so far this Fall.

My name is Allison, I’m a senior at Columbia College Chicago and I will graduate in December (yes, two and a half months from now, ah!) with a degree in Marketing Communications and a focus in PR. I came to Columbia after transferring from the University of Iowa, and I am so happy I made the switch to such a wonderful city school. During my first semester at Columbia I focused on Advertising, but after one Intro. to PR class I was hooked.

PR encompasses so many things I love: writing, event planning, working with people, and getting exposed to different cultural events. Practicing PR is like an ethnographic study of your city as you interact with so many different people and discover what is important to them. At The Silverman Group, I can relate to many clients thanks to my personal love (read: lack of talent) for music, theatre and the arts. It’s safe to say I’ve had the entire scores and lyrics of Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat memorized since age five.

In other internships I have been one of 15 interns, so being the only one here makes a huge difference! I am so happy to have already been allowed the opportunity to write several press releases and a media advisory, attend the Black Ensemble Theater’s groundbreaking ceremony, and tag along with Laura to an interview at the Jane Addams Hull House Museum. Outside of the office, Beth was so kind as to include me in an outing to the Bank of America Theater for a performance of Rock of Ages, a stage musical featuring tunes from 80’s rockers Poison, Styx, Journey and Foreigner. Loved the show, thanks Beth!

This month I am looking forward to working on the Loop Art Crawl, which will launch Chicago’s inaugural Art Loop Open, WBEZ’s Climb the Tower at Lake Point Tower, planning for the McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade, and much more! I am thrilled to be at The Silverman Group during my last months of college and experience great hands-on work in PR for the arts!

Say HELLO to ALO!

2010-09-30T09:55:00.002-05:00

It has been a while since our last post, so I thought I would take the time to announce an exciting new project that we have been working on over at the TSG offices. Chicago Loop Alliance - who is always thinking of innovative new ways to engage Chicagoans in our city's rich culture - has joined forces with the Chicago Artists' Coalition to present ART LOOP OPEN.

This name might seem kind of confusing as we spent the entire summer promoting ART LOOP 2010 and Tony Tasset's much talked about EYE. However, since this is another CLA public art initiative it seems sensible to keep the names similar for branding purposes. Art Loop Open (or ALO as we have taken to calling it) is a Chicago-wide art competition. This may seem simple and straightforward...but it is not. There are so many facets surrounding this project that I am still trying to wrap my mind around it. Don't get me wrong - in order for this project to be successful it must have many working components, but in order to explain myself better I'll break it down in 3 parts: VISIT, VIEW, VOTE.

VISIT - as with everything CLA does, the point is to bring visitors into the Loop area and ALO is no different. This initiative is reaching out to tourists and Chicagoans alike. If you are a Loop employee and you need a quick coffee break, you have the opportunity to step out of your drab office and into a world of culture by visiting one of the many participating venues (Macy's, theWit, Palmer House...to name a few) and check out the many installations created by artists within the Chicagoland area. OR if you are a tourist and you are picking up your annual supply of Frango Mints at Macy's you might also realize you in the middle of an art gallery featuring sculptures, paintings and video projects. I mean...how often does that happen at the Woodfield Mall?

VIEW - this part is pretty self-explanatory. CLA and the Chicago Artists' Coalition are essentially turning some of the biggest venues in the Loop into public art galleries. The participating venues will be opening their doors for the sole purpose of showcasing some of the most incredible art to the public. Each venue will contain a range of pieces and let me tell you...no two pieces are alike.

VOTE - this is the exciting part. WE, the people of Chicago, determine the winners of ALO. That means you don't have to have an art history degree, be a student at SAIC, or have curated a rave-reviewed exhibition at the MCA in order to place your vote. All you have to do is go into one of the venues (or a few or ALL!) in between Oct. 15 - 21, check out some pieces and vote for some of your favorites. Then on Oct. 22 the Top Ten pieces will be announced and you get to vote for your absolute favorite. The winners will be announced on Oct. 29.

There are many ways that you can place your vote. First you can text in your vote, or use a special Smart Phone application, OR you can visit HUB 37. No, this is not the restaurant on Dearborn and Hubbard. This is a special area in Block 37 that will be the hub of communication during ALO. HUB 37 provides many different and innovative ways for ALO participants to engage and immerse themselves into the project, but I do not want to give too much away beforehand...so go check it out!

That is all for now. There will be more updates to come...but until then GET EXCITED.

The Time Has Come to Break New Ground!

2010-09-13T13:53:00.011-05:00

I've worked on a HUGE variety of clients and events since joining The Silverman Group almost three years ago (exactly three years will be this coming Friday Sept 17)! Anyway, during my time at TSG some of the more unique clients I've had the opportunity to promote include the World's Toughest Rodeo at the United Center, the International Kennel Club of Chicago Cluster of Dog Shows, a President Obama themed Advent Calendar, Altar Boyz - a musical about a Christian Boy Band, in addition to more mainstream theatre, art, comedy, and non profit events. However, until this past week I had never worked on a ground breaking! I've helped open new buildings, but that was it... until now!

This past Friday, September 10 the Black Ensemble Theater held a ground breaking ceremony for their new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center. Originally I had a personal conflict and may have had to miss the event, but I'm so glad I didn't. It was tremendous! Albeit running a little long, the ceremony was incredibly smooth! Governor Quinn, Mayor Daley, Alderman Shiller and Schulter, Congresswoman Schakowsky, and Senator Raoul were all present at a ceremony emceed by Actor Harry Lennix. Joining them were members of the Black Ensemble Theater family including performers, donors, and members of the general public. Everyone who spoke praised Jackie Taylor and for good reason!

And from a PR standpoint, because really that's what this is about, it couldn't have gone better! Every single local TV station covered the event as did the Chicago Tribune, Sun Times, Time Out Chicago and more! What does that mean? Each outlet was represented by either a cameraman/photographer, a reporter, or both, basically equaling some great coverage!

Jackie Taylor and Harry Lennix being interviewed by WCIU-TV, respectively

For some insight into what the media thought, check out Time Out Chicago and the Chicago Tribune's post-coverage.

Getting back to where this post originated... it was my first ground breaking and it was a success! One of the reasons I still enjoy PR is because after three years I still have the chance to work on something new! Yes in the grand scheme how and what I do for each client is generally along the same lines, but the actual product is so different. A ground breaking can't be compared to a theater opening, which can't be compared to a dog show! Construction on the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center is estimated to take a year and having seen the very first moment when it stared makes it that much more exciting to see the final project! When we open the new Center in the Fall of 2011 I'll be able to say I was there when...

the ceremonial dirt pile to "break ground"

On that note of new buildings, openings, ground breakings... last week I also had the chance to re-open the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, which underwent a massive renovation this summer! More on that later...

It truly was a week of breaking new ground all around!

Season Finale

2010-09-01T10:37:00.003-05:00

I can hardly believe it, but the 2010 season of Grant Park Music Festival is over. I feel as though there was a lot of build-up as I prepared for my first GPMF season. I am still relatively new at TSG, and I was very excited to have the opportunity to work with this particular client. I spent a couple months mentally preparing, drafting press releases, assembling artist headshots and bios, and pitching the season opening...and now it is all over.

Looking back on it - the season was exceptional. I have to say - it was not what I expected. Grant Park Music Festival has a way of keeping its traditional audience while still drawing in the ever-elusive younger crowd with contemporary and innovative guest artists. Being a twenty-something myself, I was particularly impressed with the range of talent GPMF was able to bring in this season.

The Independence Celebration concert had me smiling throughout the entire performance. This concert was able to juxtapose the contemporary BAM! dancers with the traditional Trinity Irish dancers in a way that I didn't expect. And Chorus Director Christopher Bell captured the audience with his skill and his phenomenal costume that consisted of American flag pants and platform shoes! Not a bad way to spend the holiday weekend!

Another personal highlight was the Planet Earth Live concert. I am a huge fan (and owner) of Planet Earth and have been known to watch hours of the documentary series on end. However, viewing this breathtaking series in the solace of my own home does not even hold a candle to the setting I was able to experience this summer. GPMF was able to have George Fenton, the original score composer, conduct the Grant Park Orchestra as parts of the series played on a hi-def screen behind the orchestra. I just remember taking a moment to look around me. The sky almost dark, the city is illuminated by the surrounding buildings, and a small breeze swept over the audience from nearby Lake Michigan...and here I am watching one of my favorite series among hundreds of people on a beautiful Chicago summer night...and this is part of my job. How lucky am I?!

The final concert was extraordinary. Principal Conductor Carlos Kalmar brings such energy to his work that I find to be extremely impressive. I for one was shocked at his ability to truck through Mahler's Symphony No. 2 (which by the way, is a very, very long piece). Afterwards, Beth and I had a chance to attend the wrap-up party for staff and guests at the Goose Island beer garden where we listened to a few closing remarks and chatted with everyone who had helped make this season such a success. Not to mention this furthered our new obsession with everything Goose Island. For all of those who have not tried "Green Line" I suggest you get on it...it has been the topic of conversation at the TSG offices ever since our Cubs outing!

Anyways, I could go on forever about my favorite concerts but I'll try and keep this brief and sum it all up. There were so many things that I gained from the last couple months, but I am especially appreciative for two reasons.

1. GPMF season opened my eyes in many ways and allowed me to embrace a kind of music I had not truly appreciated before.

2. I had a chance to have some serious face-time with multiple members of the media. Usually our communication is limited to email or the phone, but this allowed me to build a repertoire with some of the major music critics in Chicago (which is crucial in this business!).

Ok - this post is getting a little long so that is all for now!

It's the weak end!

2010-08-27T14:56:00.005-05:00

And no that isn't a typo. This final post for the week is going to be a weak one. It's a Friday in August, one of our final weeks of "summer hours" and the crickets have returned (as has the bird that just flew perilously close to my open window).

Time to take advantage of the quiet and quit complaining about it.

So I'm off to check out a new Blackberry.

Not surprisingly, I've become somewhat addicted to the practice of blogging (aka, talking about myself). Who knew?

And PS. the new business meeting this morning went VERY well. Am providing a proposal next week. I am 100% sure we can deliver what they're looking for - and we'd enjoy working on it! Just a matter of money, and what they can afford. Hints were made about tight budgets, the need for sponsors, etc. Will keep you posted... promise!

Unfinished business

2010-08-26T10:16:00.003-05:00

So, yesterday's post touched on reasons why The Silverman Group (or any publicity firm) might take on a new client even if the fee is less than we usually accept (reasons such as: the cache, our passion for the product, the ability to maintain relations with niche media contacts, etc).

On the flip side, it is worth noting that there are also reasons why we might NOT take on a new client, even if the fees are acceptable. These are fewer and far between, and typically make for better stories.

Four actual reasons we have turned down business:

1. Potential client has unrealistic expectations. This usually becomes apparent in the first meeting, when we are asked about our contacts with Oprah! (For those unaware, just because she lives here does not make it a Chicago television show.) This has happened less over the years, as I believe the show's ratings have decreased and clients have recognized the national focus of the show (which is not to say local clients don't believe they have national appeal.) "Getting on Oprah" is an extreme example, but we frequently have potential local clients who desire (or should I say "require") us to deliver national coverage (such as a review in the New York Times or having The Today Show broadcast live from client's site) which realistically, based on our past experience, is a long shot. It's not impossible - depending on the client's national newsworthiness and the travel schedule & budget of desired medium - we just don't want to set ourselves up for failure! I tend to be more of a realist - better to under-promise and over-deliver as they say -so if national exposure is a must for the client, as a Chicago-centric firm, we might likely turn it down rather than under-deliver results.

2. Potential client would make our lives miserable. Have learned over the years, the hard way, that even a good paying client is not worth the fee if we dread their emails or calls. Clients become avoidances generally when they have false expectations (see above) and will not accept rational explanations for why we are not able to accomplish something they see as a "slam dunk." What we are able to accomplish (which usually is a great deal) is not good enough - or could have been achieved by anyone - and the expression "what else?" becomes a common retort. Life simply is too short to be spent defending one's good work.

3. Potential client in a field we're not passionate about nor familiar with. I'd like to think that The Silverman Group is successful because we take our jobs seriously and sincerely want to spread the word about our clients! We are each, in our own way, passionate about culture - be it a pop culture film festival or the more higher brow, fine arts. Being fond of, and familiar with, the clients we represent makes our jobs more enjoyable (and ultimately makes us more successful at what we do). I have in the past, accepted contracts for publicity projects outside of the entertainment or non-profit realms, with limited success. Spending your time immersed in an environment in which you are not comfortable (or excited about) will generally produce fewer results and become a frustration. We all want to produce for our clients, and when we can't, it's morale draining and generally time wasting.

4. Potential client wants to pay in cash... with $100 bills... pulled from back pocket. True story and something about that gesture read to me as unprofessional (and potentially illegal).

And so I await tomorrow's new business meeting!

Mundane, Mundane

2010-08-25T10:37:00.007-05:00

So, when people (usually job applicants) ask what a "typical day" is like at The Silverman Group, I usually respond that "no two days are alike," which I consider to be a good thing. However, the last few days have been unusually similar: slow and filled with mundane bookkeeping tasks, health insurance renewals, and scheduling meetings to discuss the (aforementioned) Fall season. All necessary evils but not exactly energizing endeavors.

I know that soon I will wistfully recall these less hectic days, when I have the luxury of focusing on one client at a time, instead of seven, but right now, I miss the drama - and the multi-tasking. The running from one client's meeting to assist at another client's interview to the office and out again.

And having a legitimate excuse why I can't hit the gym after work.

***

So, we're meeting a potential new client on Friday, for a festival which we're perfectly qualified to represent, and I look forward to selling the company's services. Hopefully the fest director can afford us, but this reminds me that new business acquisition is not always about the fee. One retains new clientele for a variety of reasons. For instance, The Silverman Group represents a diverse range of cultural organizations: theater, dance, film, comedy, music, visual arts and assorted non-profit institutions, such as WBEZ FM/NPR and the Chicago Loop Alliance. I have sometimes accepted lower fees for projects in any of those fields of expertise so as to continue utilizing the valuable media contacts we've compiled and to keep us front-of-mind with those contacts. For example, soon after we promoted the opening of the new Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies building - and had initiated some great relationships with architecture and "green" building press - I definitely wanted to take advantage of having established those contacts, and sought to secure other new building projects, which we did. Utilizing existing media contacts made it easier to produce solid coverage for the new clients, and having other relevant clients to "pitch" helped to solidify our relationship with those particular members of the media....which will make it easier to produce solid coverage for the next client!

Other reasons for accepting less-than-acceptable fees might include: the high profile nature of project/personality will add cache to our client list; I have staff who have the necessary expertise, and at the time could afford to be busier; given the familiar nature of the project, we have the ability to produce results with little effort or time; it is personally important to - or would prove especially enjoyable for - someone on staff; and/or perhaps an initial low paying project will lead to further work in the future.

I will let you know how the new business meeting goes and ideally prove to the prospective client that The Silverman Group is worth its weight in, er, gold!

The dog days of summer

2010-08-24T13:07:00.009-05:00

The dog days of summer are upon us....

And it's not just because I'm a cat lover, that I'm feeling a bit frustrated.

Typically, the last days of August are a bit, er, quiet around Ye Olde Silverman Group. (Let's just say I'm wearing jeans to work again with no fear of a meeting interrupting my casualness). Folks are out of town, I get it. Families taking vacations before school starts, others using up vacation days to attend baseball games or other summer pursuits left to the last minute.

So while phones aren't ringing and meetings are few and far between, we typically all try to use this time to work ahead: get press releases written, media lists updated, maybe even some desk straightening or blogging! One gets lulled into somewhat of a false complacency (not to mention a 5:01pm departure time).

However, the trouble is that within days (okay, 10) it will be Labor Day weekend and then.... the official START OF THE FALL SEASON. Sorry to yell, but every year it plays out the same. While now, virtually ever email sent out this week and next receives an "out of office" reply, on the Tuesday after Labor Day (September 7, this year), members of the media, clients (and presumably the public) are jolted from summer thoughts and suddenly focused on what's taking place September - December. (Let's not even discuss the holidays). It's time to get serious and we're all running around like chickens with our heads cut off because "September is nearly half over"! (There's alot of animal analogies in this blog, and you can see there's alot of drama in our world.)

And at the risk of sounding as though I'm complaining (which I'm not), this year, the abbreviated Labor Day work week includes not only a major Jewish holiday (Rosh Hashanah, Thursday Sept. 9) resulting in two days off work for many (Monday and Thursday) but also we've got two major events to promote that week- the re-opening of the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum on Wednesday afternoon and the ground breaking for the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center on Friday afternoon! That will make for one crazy "welcome to Fall" week!

And in the meantime.....crickets.

Monday, Monday

2010-08-23T12:01:00.003-05:00

So today is meeting-free, which is much appreciated, since I awoke late and in a jeans-mood. Yes, we all wear jeans to work on a somewhat regular basis, however, my fear (one of many, you'll learn) is that I'll be in full GAP regalia and a more formally-attired client will want to meet - or even worse, I will be asked last minute to meet with a potential new client! Yes, we promote entertainment organizations, many non-profit, so it's hardly a corporate climate in which we operate. However, as I always say, we Groupers (staff of The Silverman Group, myself included) are a young looking bunch and we do ourselves a disservice by dressing casually (since I tend to think that then our opinions are taken more casually). I recall a client, meeting the new Assistant Account Executive assigned to her account, who mistook the AAE for a summer intern! Not necessarily the best first impression for this AAE who expects the client to take her and her work seriously (and who has by now, of course, earned the client's respect). My two cents: The younger your appearance, the harder you have to work to be taken seriously.

Moving on, today have to tackle one of my least favorite tasks as a business 0wner - shaking down the clients for money! Some months are better than others, in that we receive our monthly fee and expense checks without having to ask - other months, like this one, checks are slow to come in so I've got to send out a few reminder emails. The mail hasn't arrived yet* - no doubt one of those checks will be in the mail - annoying the client who has just received a reminder. ah well.

(*Update: Mail arrived, let's just say there were no wasted emails.)

Enough musings for now. I must get back to doing the work for which I'll (eventually) be paid.

Do as I say AND and as I do

2010-08-23T11:05:00.003-05:00

Apparently the expression, "Do as I say, not as I do," only applies to parenting, not to leadership, as far as my staff is concerned. At the risk of a mutiny, I can no longer request that they contribute regularly to the silvermanifesto blog, without my doing same. (You'd think being a boss would have some perks. Dictatorship is not one of them.)

So with that, the Beth blogs begin. Jumping right in, I will attempt to log in daily for a week, with the intent of providing insight into my role as the head of a "small, but mighty" Chicago arts publicity firm. I hope to share some valuable tips about contemporary leadership and entertainment publicity, but above all, I hope you find his remotely entertaining.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame...

2010-08-18T15:22:00.005-05:00

The whole Silverman Group team (all 4 of us!!) went out on our summer outing on Monday. We celebrated the end of another great Chicago summer in the best way possible - the Cubs game. It is no secret that the Cubs have had yet another dismal season. However, Chicagoans do not go to game after game, summer after summer holding their breath for a World Series title...we do it because the Cubs are a Chicago institution and Wrigley Field is a destination during the summer months.

Sadly, I had not been to a game all season as I missed the game when artist, Tony Tasset, threw out the first pitch in July. So I was thrilled when Beth mentioned a possible company outing to Wrigley Field. On Monday, we had the chance to see the game from a completely different view - a rooftop! These rooftops offer never-ending food and beer, great people watching, and a great view of Wrigley...and I have to say, we had the best seat in the house!

We were all able to sample Goose Island's relatively new beer GREEN LINE (named after the L line), jalepeno/cheddar pretzels and pub chips...

(the one that got away!)

Oh and the highlight of the night: meeting a professional wrestler - what was his name again? - and securing a signed picture which will obviously hang up in TSG office in between the Cirque de Soleil posters. Not sure what the score was - I am sure we lost - but the game was an overall success! This summer has been pretty crazy over here at TSG (in a good way!) so this was a great way to close out summer together.

THANKS BETH! :)

Potential Interns – TSG Wants You!

2010-08-16T11:54:00.002-05:00

It's that time again! Are you a current college student pursuing a degree in Public Relations, Communications, or another arts related field? Do you strive for success and enjoy fine arts engagements including theatre, dance, music, art and more? Are you searching for an internship to combine your current skills, education, and personal interests? Then The Silverman Group has a great opportunity for you!

The Silverman Group is currently accepting applications for a Fall Intern position.

TSG interns have the unique opportunity to assist in all aspects and the overall success of operations at the company. Because this is a boutique firm, all members of the team pitch in wherever needed. As an intern, you have the chance to be exposed to every facet of activities at a full-service public relations agency as well as experience a variety of types of entertainment clients. Interns will have the opportunity to participate in media interaction and tracking, writing, promotional planning, event facilitation, and market research in addition to some day-to-day administrative duties.

Students pursuing a career in public relations, communications, or arts management who are willing to immerse themselves in the fast-paced work environment are encouraged to apply!

This is an unpaid internship, school credit is available. Length of internship is 3 months minimum, 6 months maximum and at least 20 hours/week.

Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and two writing samples to laura@silvermangroupchicago.com

Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

A new Chicago EYE-con

2010-08-03T15:28:00.006-05:00

It is true - the puns have been overplayed since the unveiling of Tony Tasset's "Eye" sculpture. Just to list a few:

- EYE-conic

- EYEsore
- EYE-catching

- EYE-popping

I could probably go on forever. But I won't. I would just like to state for the record that working for the Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA) on their public art initiative, Art Loop 2010, has been a true pleasure. I am not only talking about the expansive coverage it has received, but I am also proud that I got to be a party of something so monumental. I don't care how many times I take the Brown Line past Pritzker Park, I still get giddy as the train rounds the corner and the brilliant iris comes into view.

Tasset's oddly beautiful yest grotesque sculpture has garnered attention around the world from India to Wichita, Kansas. Some have marveled at its beauty while others mark its lack of subtly. To see some of the more creative interpretations visit BBC's Magazine Monitor: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2010/07/caption_competition_142.shtml.

CLA has made a commitment to develop and support artistic, cultural and public events in the Loop. Recently, many of their efforts have been toward a public art initiative. I have come to find that public art either evokes a positive or negative reaction - hardly anything in between. Personally, I am a big supporter of public art. I was fortunate enough to grow up in downtown Chicago. As a child I was fascinated by "Cows on Parade." I even had a chance to help my elementary school art teacher create her own cow that was proudly displayed on the streets of Chicago. These kinds of initiatives put our humble city on the map and continues to foster Chicago's reputation as a notable cultural destination.

Stay tuned for CLA's next project - ART LOOP OPEN!

The first time often falls short of expectations

2010-04-19T14:00:00.003-05:00

And lest you think I'm referring to anything beyond posting one's first blog entry, shame on you!

So welcome to my first missive on The Silverman Group's blog. As the self-proclaimed "Leader of the Flacks" (and a practitioner of arts PR in Chicago for some 23+ years), figured that it was finally time to put pen to paper, er, fingers to keys.

I hope my unique point-of-view running a successful public relations firm (knock on wood), and also the lessons I've learned working in the industry for so long will at least prove entertaining, if not somewhat educational.

A brief start--what more did you expect?

Chicago Underground Film Festival

2010-04-05T10:36:00.006-05:00

The Silverman Group has just been hired to help promote the 17th Chicago Underground Film Festival (CUFF) that will take over the Gene Siskel Film Center this summer, June 24 - July 1.

We couldn't be more excited as CUFF is one of Chicago's leading film events and stands out on the festival circuit for having a unique programming niche, garnering a following among avid film fanatics, media, and industry alike. Each year, CUFF presents an accessible, savvy program of film and video exploring the many definitions and interpretations of the 'underground' concept. Selected films often ignore limitations of genre, and are made with passion and drive.

CUFF is a great time for attendees, filmmakers, and industry, where great screenings are followed by great nights of parties, events and concerts! As Roger Ebert referred to the festival, "What you get for your money is not just admission to the films, but admission to a subculture."

For more information about CUFF check out http://www.cuff.org/.

Eva Marie Saint Q&A at the Music Box

2010-03-30T13:07:00.003-05:00

Emmy- and Academy Award winning actress Eva Marie Saint will be at the Music Box tonight, Tuesday March 30, for a question and answer session preceding a screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s famous film, North by Northwest. Saint grew up in Newark, New Jersey and started her television career in NBC’s famous page program and then went on to do several Broadway plays. She got her first big film break in 1954 for the film On the Waterfront where she acted with Marlon Brando and eventually won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

It is said that Hitchcock shocked everyone in his decision to cast Eva Marie Saint as Eve Kendall in the film because she had never performed in a non-dramatic role. Hitchcock persuaded Saint to cut her famous long hair to give her a more exotic and glamorous look. Hitchcock wanted her to dress like a kept woman-smart, simple, subtle, and quiet and even worked with her to make her voice lower and huskier. Saint continues to act on the big and small screen and has accumulated numerous awards, several stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and remains a well-known and loved actress among her fans.

North by Northwest ranks number forty on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 Greatest American Movies of All Time. The film is a thriller about mistaken identity and follows a Madison Avenue advertising executive as he is followed across the United States by agents of a mysterious organization who plan to stop his interference with their plans to smuggle microfilm containing top-secret government information. North by Northwest is said to be one of Hitchcock’s best films and has won several awards.

Eva Marie Saint can be seen tonight, Tuesday March 30, at the Music Box, 3733 North Southport Avenue, preceding the screening of North by Northwest at 7:30 p.m. The screening is part of Turner Classic Movie’s Classic Film Festival which is taking its love of great movies to five different cities

Nicholas Kristof Making a Rare Chicago Appearance March 15

2010-03-09T14:51:00.001-06:00

Nicholas Kristof is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times columnist and the subject of the new documentary produced by Ben Affleck and directed by Eric Daniel Metzgar called The Reporter. The film focuses not only on Kristof, but delves in to the massive transformation journalism is going through by stressing the importance of real news gathering in enabling democratic nations to function and illuminating a world in chaos.

Metzgar tracked Kristof as he and two young Americans traveled during the summer of 2007 through the Congo to report on the conflict and desperate poverty plaguing the African republic in an attempt to put the problem on an international agenda. The Congo is a country rife with humanitarian crises and in the last decade 5.4 million people have been killed due to a brutal war that has been raging since 1998.

Kristof wanted to grab his readers’ interest and compassion and went in search of individuals with stories that capture the essence of the country’s crisis by visiting ravaged villages and displacement camps. Kristof even visits Congo’s reigning rebel warlord, General Nkunda, at his jungle hideout. The film aims to immerse the viewer in a discussion of the ways this kind of journalism reaches the public, creates change, and elicits a humanitarian response.

Nicholas Kristof will be making a rare Chicago appearance at the Facing History and Ourselves program, “Community Conversations” on Monday, March 15, at 5:30 pm. The discussion will take place at the Thorne Auditorium of Northwestern University, 375 East Chicago Avenue. Facing History and Ourselves is the educational partner for The Reporter and scenes from the film will be shown during the discussion. Tickets are free, but must be reserved by calling 312-345-3203 or visiting www.facinghistory.org/allstate.

The DVD will be available to purchase on March 21. Check out The Reporter website to learn more about the documentary and Nicholas Kristof: http://www.reporterfilm.com/main.html

The Fulcrum Point New Music Project’s Upcoming Shows

2010-02-19T15:56:00.005-06:00

The Fulcrum Point New Music Project is an organization that has intrigued me since my first day at The Silverman Group. They have done so many unique performances and I wish I had known about them since I first moved to Chicago three years ago. They now have two exciting concerts coming up within a few weeks of each other that I’m sure will be huge hits that everyone should go see! Fulcrum Point New Music Project strives to be a leader in diverse new music in Chicago and has presented multi-media performances, created educational programs, and commissioned innovative works since its start in 1998. Here is what they have coming up next:

The first of the two is a free concert called Hong Kong at the Fulcrum Point Celebrates the Year of the Tiger. This will feature the North American debut of the Windpipe Chinese Ensemble, who is known throughout Hong Kong for performing new and traditional works on authentic, indigenous instruments. This performance will feature two World Premieres created specifically for this event including a piece called “Tiger Sketch” that showcases award-winning Chinese Manga artist, Lee Chi-ching, creating a unique tiger themed painting through a video presentation. Although the concert is free, tickets must be reserved and can be done so here: rsvp@fulcrumpoint.org. The concert will be held at the Thorne Auditorium of Northwestern University, 375 East Chicago Avenue, Thursday, February 25 at 7:30pm.

The second show is called Art Without Boundaries, a unique performance combining improvisational art created by a local Michigan/Dutch design team, Two Designing, famous Dutch musician Wilbert de Joode, and Fulcrum Point live music. Art Without Boundaries will be held at the Space at Evanston, 1245 Chicago Avenue, Wednesday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15.00 and can be purchased online at http://www.evanstonspace.com/buytix.html.

Cirque du Soleil’s Alegría Comes to Chicago and Champaign

2010-02-16T15:20:00.002-06:00

Cirque du Soleil is known for its elaborate sets, fantastical characters, breathtaking costumes and most of all, the mind (and body) bending stunts executed by the performers. Now, they are coming back to Illinois for a short time only to present their popular show, Alegría. However, most people don’t know that Cirque du Soleil had modest beginnings and took a fascinating path to get to where they are today.

Guy Laliberté and his friends Gilles Ste-Croix and Daniel Gauthier, came up with the idea of putting together a performance troupe while they were managing a youth hostel for performing artists in Quebec. To get the ball rolling on this idea, Ste-Croix took matters in to his own hands, and walked 56 miles on stilts to Quebec City as a publicity stunt to convince the Quebec government to help fund his production. The ploy worked, and the three men hired 20 street performers in the summer of 1980 to create the Les Echassiers performance troupe and start touring Quebec.

Three short years later, the Quebec government gave Laliberté and Ste-Croix a $1.5 million grant to fund a production the following year as part of Quebec’s 450th anniversary celebration of the French explorer Jacques Cartier’s discovery of Canada. Laliberté named this production "Le Grand Tour du Cirque du Soleil".

With its premiere in 1984, Le Grand Tour du Cirque Du Soleil became a success and began to reinvent itself as a full blown circus. Laliberté accomplished this by hiring the head of the National Circus School, Guy Caron, as their new artistic director and making some changes in the overall production. Laliberté and Caron decided to create a performance accompanied by strong emotional music that played from beginning to end by live musicians while having each individual act tell a story. Their vision also included having the performers, instead of a technical crew, move props on and off stage and to create a modern day circus without rings or animals.

Cirque du Soleil got its next big break in 1987, when they were invited to perform at the Los Angeles Arts Festival. The performance troupe was in such financial trouble at the time, that they could only afford a one-way ticket to California. If the show had not been a success at the festival, the entire group would be stuck in Los Angeles. Luckily, Cirque du Soleil was successful both critically and financially and was able to not only return home, but to continue performing.

Throughout the years, Cirque du Soleil has had its ups and downs, but they have now reached a pinnacle of success most other performance troupes can only dream of obtaining. They entertain almost 100 million people in over 300 cities on five continents and have expanded to 5,000 employees, including 1,200 artists from 50 different countries.

Cirque du Soleil is now back in Illinois to share its critically-acclaimed show, Alegría. Alegría is Spanish for jubilation and is a Cirque du Soleil classic that is sure to dazzle audiences with its breathtaking acrobatics, creatively wild costumes, and original music from Cirque’s best selling album that ranges from jazz, pop, tango, and klezmer. The performance also features characters such as clowns, nymphs, and nostalgic birds that have entertained over 10 million people worldwide since Alegría, first debuted in Montreal in 1994.

Be sure to check out this amazing performance, coming to Hoffman Estates at the Sears Centre Arena from March 3 – 7 and Champaign at the Assembly Hall from March 17 – 21. Go to Cirque du Soleil’s website to purchase tickets or for more information.
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/alegria/default.aspx

Columbia College Chicago's Media Production Center

2010-02-12T15:57:00.002-06:00

On Friday, February 5, 2010, Beth Silverman invited me to help with the ribbon cutting ceremony taking place in the new Media Production Center at Columbia College Chicago. Being a student at Columbia, I’ve heard the buzz surrounding this building for months and I was excited to see if it lived up to the hype.

Located on 1600 S. State St., the enormous building is eye-catching with its multi-colored windows and giant Columbia sign displayed proudly above the front door. The Production Center is also LEED certified and contains a 50% green roof, radiant heating and cooling in sound stage spaces, and lighting fixtures that progressively increase as natural outdoor light decreases.

Once inside, Beth gave me a quick tour while we waited for people to arrive. Every corner we turned seemed to amaze me in a new way-the building looks exactly like a professional film studio. Everything in the building was designed for a specific use; even the lobby and mezzanine provide a gathering place for students to watch films. Next we visited the spacious motion capture studio, where there were giant screens and wires where the actors would be hooked up and then converted in to a 2D or 3D computer animated character.

My favorite part was the sound stage located in the rear of the building because it’s about three times the size of the sound stages located in Columbia’s film building. The soundstage gives the building a professional air and it was exciting to see a scene being shot by Columbia students in this space. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see the open air theater or the outdoor rooftop, but that means I will just have to go back again!

When the event got rolling, I stood in the lobby to greet guests that arrived and direct them to the press table. I didn’t get to see the ribbon cutting, but I did shake Mayor Daley’s hand which was an exciting moment for me. I also got to meet Columbia’s public relations department, work with a fellow student, and see what a publicist does during events they worked on. Overall, it was a great learning experience and a neat way to get acquainted with a new addition to Columbia

New Year, New Intern

2010-02-09T14:42:00.000-06:00

Being The Silverman Group’s new intern and hearing about all the previous interns, I know I have big shoes to fill. I started with The Silverman Group a little under a month ago, and I find that I’m learning something new every time I come in to the office. I can’t believe in the last four weeks I have already created a media list, written a press release, put together clip packets, written a media advisory, helped staff an event, and am now embarking on contributing to the blog and pitching the media for Cirque du Soleil’s new show Alegria. I am so excited to be a part of The Silverman Group and all the work they do for the arts, and I can’t wait to see what I will learn in the next few months. Since everyone else shared a little about why they got in to public relations, I would like to give a little background on myself.

After high school I attended Marymount Manhattan College in New York City because I was sure I wanted to be an actress. I had performed in every play at my New Jersey high school and most of the time I could also be found in various community plays and performing in a show choir called Harmony. However, after not getting in to the theater program at Marymount the first time I auditioned, I had to reevaluate what I wanted to do- at least until I could audition again. It was during this time that I chose to take Communications classes because I knew I loved working with people. This turned out to be a great decision because I soon discovered I had a passion for this fascinating subject and I wanted to learn more. At the end of my first semester, I decided I wanted to pursue a career in radio, not theater, and that the best place to do this was Columbia College Chicago.

Much to my parent’s dismay I packed my bags and headed half way across the country to a city I’d only visited once, but felt I belonged in. I’ve been at Columbia for three years now and have since changed my major to public relations. Like most people, I feel like it took me a while to find public relations, but now that I have I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. I love that within the realm of public relations there are so many possibilities, and promoting what I’m passionate about such as theater, art, classical music, and film instills a sense of pride in my work. I will be graduating in May, and looking back on my four years of college I can’t believe how much I’ve grown and changed. I can’t wait to see what my professional career holds for me at The Silverman Group and beyond graduation.

Celebrating 10 Years of Service!

2010-01-07T13:35:00.007-06:00

This week The Silverman Group celebrated its 10th Anniversary! Over the past ten years TSG has had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of people and businesses and it has been extraordinary! Click to see the full list of clients from the past decade.

TSG could not have made it to this remarkable anniversary without the support, loyalty, and business from media, clients, friends, family, and former employees. So thank you to everyone who has been a part of the past 10 years! It really is quite an accomplishment and we are looking forward to the next 10!

Laura (no relation) Silverman, Eric Eatherly, Beth Silverman, Farrah Malik

TSG Speaks Out: Laura Silverman, vol. 2

2009-12-11T11:15:00.013-06:00

So now that you know how I came to be a PR professional, why do I enjoy what I do? Well if you didn't realize from my first entry... I love working with people! The knowledge, experience, and passion that I get from others in the industry (whether its media or clients) is amazing. Everyone in this business, as you can tell from all the previous TSG Speaks Out entries, have found their way by a completely different path and that allows for me to learn and share my work with a wide breadth of people.

Getting down to specifics... the client and media interaction. When I first started in PR I was terrified of pitching the media, but now it's one of the things I enjoy the most! It's a true accomplishment when you offer up a story idea to a feature reporter about a small non profit organization and they roll with it! Subsequently, seeing the reaction from that non profit client is thrilling! That's what makes it all worth it.
(photo - WGN Reporter, Dean Richards, interviewing Jada Pinkett Smith and Jason Clarke at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival)

I also love the event planning part of PR. Though rare in my day-to-day duties, I still get a thrill from working an event from the ground up whether it be a gala, awards benefit, or even a red carpet premiere! And to be honest they're fun!

And, the entertainment doesn't hurt. I've been fortunate to see a wide variety of entertainment including top-tier comedy shows, a live rodeo at the United Center, countless film screenings and theatre performances, a dog show, and much much more. The way entertainment can lift people's spirits (especially during these times) is truly inspiring. Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine and in PR I'm able to help more people experience that. The more coverage I secure for a client, the greater the number of people who can be exposed to it. (photo - Mayor Richard Daley with the World's Toughest Rodeo Cowboys at the United Center, February 2009)

But still, the number one reason why I am and enjoy being a PR professional is because every day I am learning more! Whether it's about a specific art form, a specific media contact, or even a type of media, my knowledge is expanding all the time. With the array of clients I have had the privilege of working with, the different media personalities I have met, and the ever changing face of the media there is always more to learn and build off of in this industry. So keep the knowledge and interesting conversation coming and I'll plan to be in the Public Relations industry for years and years to come!

TSG Speaks Out: Laura Silverman

2009-12-08T15:11:00.018-06:00

How did I come to a career in Public Relations? I guess it stemmed from my childhood dream of becoming the next Oprah. However, when I realized that this was an unlikely career path and that I much preferred to be behind the cameras while my actress sister was in front of them, I turned to journalism. Then I realized that as much as liked to write, I liked people more. Take that and couple it with the fact that I'm a planner, love events, and am thirsty for knowledge and you get my road to Public Relations!

I think it was senior year of high school when I was applying to colleges that someone mentioned public relations, I asked them to elaborate, and here I am!

I studied PR at the University of Miami (Go Canes!) with a double major in Math (just because!) and for the most part enjoyed everything I was exposed to. From the research to the writing, graphic design, and especially my campaigns class, I was hooked! What most kept my attention, however, was the opportunity to work and interact with so many different people. My professors alone were from a wide range of professional and educational backgrounds as were my classmates.

My internship experiences only reinforced what I already liked about the industry... the diversity, the tempo, the events, and above all the chance to work with others. Seeing a pattern?

My first PR job was a result of an internship, in-house PR at a large regional theatre in Coral Gables, Florida. Though I truly enjoyed the work there, I wanted to move back to the midwest and wanted to be doing more than just theatre. My personal interests are so vast (hence the PR and Math degree) that an agency seemed like a great fit! The Silverman Group has allowed me the opportunity to work on a HUGE variety of clients (everything from mainstream theatre to film premieres and even a rodeo), always keeping me on my toes!

So that's how I got here... I guess I should thank Oprah because had she not inspired me to become her, I may have never discovered my own path.

TSG Speaks Out: Farrah Malik, vol. 2

2009-12-04T13:39:00.006-06:00

Why do I enjoy Public Relations? What is it about my profession that really drives and satisfies me? After thinking long and hard about these questions, I came up with a few ideas about what really gets me going when it comes to PR…

I may not be the best dancer, painter or piano player, but I firmly believe that art, no matter what form it is packaged in, is something everyone should have access to. Chicago is such a culturally diverse city and this translates to a plethora of amazing artistic outlets. I feel that art helps us understand one another and the rest of the world as a whole. To have a musician from India, a vocalist from Greece or a dance company from Russia travel to America and collaborate with an organization here is something wonderful to see. To watch as an audience at Orchestra Hall is exposed to something other than Brahms or Beethoven is a thrilling experience. For a girl who grew up in Africa – watching this “globalization” makes me feel that I am working to promote a good cause!

Being at The Silverman Group has allowed me to experience and appreciate so many different cultures through the clients we work with. I have been able to meet the most amazing individuals and every season I am affected by these artistic geniuses that come into my life and invigorate my passion for my job. They have such a zeal for what they do and a desire to touch the world through their art forms – how could I NOT be passionate about working to bring them into the limelight?
(photo of Kiran Ahluwalia, who performed with the Chicago Sinfonietta in March 2009)

Of course, we PR folk would be nowhere without the solid group of media outlets who give us a reason to do what we do. I love working with the writers, editors, producers, on-air personalities, bloggers, and tweeters to get them all what they need, how they need it, and when they need it. It has been so interesting to watch the media world change over the last five years. That alone keeps our job interesting. New/social media has added a new and unique dimension to what we as PR experts do every day! (still of the Indian silent film "A Throw of Dice" with a new score by Nitin Sawhney, which had its U.S. Premiere as part of the Grant Park Music Festival's 74th Season)

So, I guess the long of the short is that my passion for PR really stems from what and who I am working to promote and not so much the act of writing press releases and pitching stories…. Obviously, those techniques led me to this career path (see my blog dated November 24), but I actively chose the area of PR I wanted to be in and THAT is what really satisfies me when it comes down to it.

(photo of visual artist Luis De La Torre creating the backdrop for Eduardo Vilaro's "Quinceanera")

TSG Speaks Out: Farrah Malik

2009-11-24T12:19:00.002-06:00

Someone once told me that if I made it through my first 2 years of working at a Public Relations firm, that I had chosen the right career field. January 3, 2010 will be my five-year anniversary with The Silverman Group. Phew! I made it!

If you had asked me where I would be in 10 years during my freshman year at Valparaiso University, I would have never imagined that Public Relations in Chicago would be my answer. International Relations, yes, but Public Relations, no way!

I was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya (That’s EAST Africa, not South Africa!). Both my parents worked with Non-profit organizations, many times working with refugees or in war zone areas. Growing up surrounded by talks of the United Nations, wars, refugees, 2/3 countries all inspired me to want to do the same. Freshman year at University my major was International Service and Psychology with a minor in French. I wanted to go back to Africa and help in war zone areas, just like my parents.

So how did I get from International Service to Public Relations you ask? It all began when I took Communications 101 as a general class to fulfill a social science requirement. Somewhere between learning about the history of the radio and how to write TV script, I fell in love with the concept of public/media relations and within weeks, my major was changed from International Service and Psychology to Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations. Through all my classes, I gained a great appreciation for effective communication. I already knew that I enjoyed writing (I would like to try my hand at writing a Children’s book one day!) and had always enjoyed the Arts (dance, music, theater and visual art). During my junior year of University, I chose to do a semester in Chicago through the Chicago Arts Program. For my internship during the program, I got to work at Carol Fox & Associates (admittedly, The Silverman Group’s friendly competitor). It was a wonderful internship experience and I knew that entertainment PR was the road I wanted to travel down.

After graduation I worked as an assistant community manager at a non-profit in Northwest Indiana for several months, but eventually found my way to The Silverman Group. I consider myself extremely lucky to be working in a field where I combine my love of the Arts and public/media relations. I am constantly learning and enjoy how many opportunities The Silverman Group has offered me. Of course, owner and president Beth Silverman is one of the most well-connected women in Chicago and has an amazing portfolio – there is no better place to learn!

Holiday Happenings

2009-11-23T12:00:00.015-06:00

Photo: Chicago Festival Association

Ready or not, the holiday season will officially begin this Thursday at 8 a.m. sharp. Be part of the annual tradition, whether in person or at home, as the 76th Annual McDonald's® Thanksgiving Parade marches down State Street. If you've never seen the Parade live, the sheer scale may be difficult to imagine (even with a 50" plasma). Here are some fun facts about this year's parade:

1934: The year the Parade was founded to lift people’s spirits in during the Great Depression
5,280 feet: the length of the Parade route
425,000: spectators expected to attend 76^th McDonald’s® Thanksgiving Parade
65,500 cubic feet: the amount of helium used to inflate 12 giant parade balloons
6 hours: the time it will take to inflate all 12 giant parade balloons
408: people needed to handle the balloons throughout the Parade route
Almost 1,000: people volunteer at the 76^th McDonald’s® Thanksgiving Parade
4,000: participants in the 76^th McDonald’s® Thanksgiving Parade
2,462: high school and college students marching in the Parade
8,818 miles: the minimum total distance traveled by the visiting units in the Parade
Over 1,154 miles: the distance that the Central Florida Marching Brigade will travel to be in the Parade – more than any other unit except Santa Claus who is joining us from the North Pole!
Over 150 hours: The combined travel time that all visiting units will put in to be part of the 76^th McDonald’s® Thanksgiving Parade
10: different ethnic groups participating in the Parade this year
568: horses’ legs in 76^th McDonald’s® Thanksgiving Parade
45: members on the “poo crew” who work to pick up after all the horses in the Parade

The McDonald's® Thanksgiving Parade is a larger-than-life experience, and you can be a part of it! A limited number of VIP Packages are available, which entitles you to TV zone seating, a light continental breakfast and more. Whether you line up along State Street or receive VIP treatment for a day, don't miss a second of the action! Over 100 acts, including equestrian units, inflatable balloons, ethnic performers and a special appearance from Santa Claus will help make Thanksgiving and the holidays merry. WGN will broadcast the entire Parade in high from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Not an early riser? CLTV will rebroadcast the Parade at 2 p.m. For more information and a complete list of entertainers, balloons and floats, visit chicagofestivals.org.

Photo: Chicago Sinfonietta

The holiday season begins earlier every year. If you're not in the holiday spirit by mid-December, then check out a concert that goes beyond Jingle Bells and Rudolph. The Chicago Sinfonietta blends holiday traditions from around the world into a joyful multicultural singalong for its second annual holiday concert. The Global Holiday Celebration will feature the holiday favorite Joy to the WorldAfrican Sanctus; Adolphe Adam’s O Holy Night; Chip Davis and Calvin Custer’s and arrangement of Silent Night; Donny Hathaway’s soulful holiday standard This Christmas; and George Frederic Handel’s classic “Hallelujah!” chorus from Messiah followed by the gospel arrangement from A Soulful Celebration. (featuring Nicole Mitchell on wooden flute, Vikas Deo on sarod, Tatsu Aoki on shamisen, and Steve Gibbons on Gypsy violin); David Fanshawe’s Traditional favorites Feliz Navidad and O Hannukah will round out this festive program. For tickets call 312-236-3681 ext. 2 or visit http://www.chicagosinfonietta.org/. Children's tickets are only $10, while general admission tickets are $25.

Thomas Nicholas & Megan Quiroz, photo by Herbert Migdoll

The Joffrey Ballet's The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition for a reason - it's one of the few holiday performances with near-universal appeal. Children and their parents delight in Clara's adventure to the Land of Snow. With lavish sets, costuming and choreography, The Joffrey Ballet's interpretation of The Nutcracker is much more than a show. Clara's Christmas is a prelude to your own Christmas or holiday celebration.

Robert Joffrey's The Nutcracker is a reflection of Chicago as well as the holiday spirit. The Joffrey Ballet welcomes nearly 120 young dancers from the Chicago area, Indiana and Wisconsin to participate as snow trees or soldiers, every year. In the Auditorium Theatre lobby, Providence-St. Mel School Choir, the Oak Park and River Forest Children’s Choir, Barrington Children’s Choir, and Palatine Children’s Choir will serenade the audience with selections from Tchaikovsky's Snow Scene as well as popular holiday songs. Single tickets, priced from $25 to $115, are available for purchase at The Joffrey Ballet’s official Box Office located in the lobby of Joffrey Tower, 10 E. Randolph Street, as well as the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University box office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by telephone at (800) 982-2787 or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/.

Joffrey Ballet Nutcracker 2008 from Sasha Fornari on Vimeo.

For an...unconventional holiday performance, don't miss Jackie Hoffman's premiere of Whining in the Windy City: Holiday Edition. In town for four nights only, Hoffman skewers our most beloved holiday celebrations, showbiz and (of course) children. Full of stand-up comedy and original musical numbers, Whining promises to counteract even the most saccharine sources of holiday cheer. Fed up with the holidays already? Catch Jackie Hoffman tonight at the Royal George Cabaret, in her first of four performances. Deliciously directed towards audiences 18 and older, tickets are priced at $25 and are available by phone at (312) 988-9000, online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/search?tm_link=tm_homeA_header_search&q=jackie+hoffman&search.x=0&search.y=0 or in person at the Royal George Theatre box office.

Learning the Ropes: Practicing for the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade

2009-11-17T10:32:00.015-06:00

On Saturday, November 14, volunteers gathered at the Museum of Science and Industry to get some hands-on experience with handling one of the balloons that will be a part of this year's McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade. Participants in "Parade School" practiced manuevering Bob The Builder in preparation for the parade on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, which travels along State Street from Congress Avenue to Randolph Street.

The clear skies and mild temperatures made for perfect conditions....we're hoping the actual conditions of the parade are quite so nice.

Bob is up and ready for action!

Bob goes for a stroll around the front lawn of the Museum of Science and Industry.

Bob takes a break: the balloon handlers get to practice laying Bob on his back.

Back to the ready position. Handling the balloon isn't as easy as it may look, but the volunteers are ready!

Beth gets to hang with none other than Ronald McDonald himself, the Honorary Grand Marshall of the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade.

TSG Speaks Out: Eric Eatherly, vol. 2

2009-11-13T11:25:00.011-06:00

In our efforts to allow you to get to know The Silverman Group a little better, we want to spend a little time on why we each enjoy PR, because everyone has a different reason for how and why they find PR rewarding.

As referenced in my first blog (on Nov. 10), I came to work with TSG through a love of dance and all things arts-related. After an active career as a performer and a foray into journalism, PR was a natural shift for me. So it will probably come as no surprise that the reason I enjoy working in PR and interacting with the media is because I love spreading the word about the arts. Whether it be dance or theater, music, film, comedy, or any hybrid thereof, it’s important to me that as many people as possible hear about all the wonderful, creative, inspiring work happening in Chicago. Granted, not all of our clients here at TSG are in the arts. Some are leisure-oriented while others are cultural institutions. But they all have something in common that makes them appealing: they build and enrich the community. PR is the bridge that makes possible the connection between the institutions, the media and the wider public.

(Above: Megan Quiroz and Thomas Nicholas in The Joffrey Ballet's "The Nutcracker," this year Dec. 11-27. Photo by Herbert Migdoll.)

Chicago has a plethora of knowledgeable culture aficionados, both seasoned critics as well as fresh voices eager to tout all that the city has to offer. Each media outlet brings their own insightful take to an event and they all have an uncanny knack for teasing out the most curious and fascinating aspects of a dance, play, concert, or other creation.

It’s incredibly affirming to see a show or event that we represent be highlighted in the media—whether it be in print, or on a blog, or on air. When you see or hear these highlights, you realize how many other people are seeing them, too, getting excited and thinking “I can’t wait to go see that!” It’s also stimulating to hear about the work straight from the creator’s mouth. The struggles they have gone through in the developmental process, the discoveries they have made and the enrichment they have found can be awe-inspiring. Being able to create an opportunity for them to express their ideas before they get to the final production is a gratifying endeavor. To experience the art first-hand is always a treat, but it’s equally evocative to get glimpses into the process leading up to it—the compulsions, revelations, fears and excitements. It’s like a back-stage pass into an intangible and often over-looked world.

(Above: Chicago Sinfonietta's "Global Holiday Celebration," this year Dec. 16.)

I love interacting with our clients and all the enthusiasm that the artists and their staff bring to the table. I also love the chance to promote art through the media. The relationship between arts and media can be tenuous at times, which comes with the nature of the ever-shifting media landscape. But when the synergy is there it can be magical, and the result is a chance to continually reach a new audience, one that is hungry for the invaluable world of art, culture and expression.

TSG Speaks Out: Eric Eatherly

2009-11-10T10:39:00.010-06:00

Welcome to the first installment of TSG Speaks Out!

My name is Eric and I’ve been with TSG since June, 2008, making me the most recent full-time addition to the team. I came to The Silverman Group via a not-so-traditional route. My background is in dance and sociology, both of which I studied at Northwestern University. While training with the likes of Billy Siegenfeld (Jump Rhythm Jazz Project), Brian Jeffrey (XSIGHT! Performance Group), Melissa Thodos (Thodos Dance Chicago), and many other formidable staples in Chicago’s dance community, at Northwestern I began to develop as both a performer and a burgeoning choreographer. I also developed a fascination with sociology. I loved exploring the idea of what makes people do what they do. While psychology tries to answer this question on an individual level, sociology tackles it from a group perspective, examining how our affinity for communities affects our daily life choices.

Following graduation I danced professionally for six years with Hedwig Dances and Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre, two Chicago modern dance ensembles. Both were part-time and provided a wonderful artistic counter-balance to each other. On the side, I was a freelance writer for Windy City Times, contributing to the coverage of local dance events. I loved writing and spreading the word about dance in Chicago. The gig with Windy City Times also led to the opportunity to get to know some of the city’s leading dance PR representatives, including none other than—you guessed it!—The Silverman Group.

(Above: a "vintage" dance photo of me from my work with Same Planet Different World; photo by Cheryl Mann)

Unfortunately my dance career wasn’t fated to be as lengthy as I had hoped. In October, 2007 I tore my meniscus, my first major dance injury. (If you aren’t aware, the meniscus is a spongy layer of cartilage in the knee that helps absorb impact.) I came to realize that going back to professional dance wasn’t going to be an option if I wanted to maintain my health—in other words, keep walking—so I thought about how I could use my experience and knowledge in another way.

I feel very lucky to have found The Silverman Group when I did. Not only was their reputation unsurpassed (and still is, if I may say so), but they also had a stellar client roster, not the least of which included The Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and Luna Negra Dance Theater (pictured right; photo by Cheryl Mann). Aside from dance, they also had theater, music, film, and a variety of other arts-related clientele, all of which were impressive. Granted, I was sad to permanently hang up my dance shoes, but the new endeavor in PR was a chance to learn, a new direction in which to grow. The kind of work that we represent, with so many creative people and intriguing shows to promote, is always a source of inspiration, and I’m happy to work in a capacity that is still connected to the arts community. Sometimes a whole new world can open up with just a little shift in perspective. For me that shift wasn’t planned, but in hindsight, it certainly was welcome.

Movies AND music - Fulcrum Point's Inner Torments

2009-11-09T13:07:00.009-06:00

For Fulcrum Point New Music Project, the haunting feel of the fall season extends far beyond Halloween. Last Friday, Fulcrum Point's screening and live accompaniment of the silent film The Golem! at the Chicago Cultural Center drew a standing-room-only crowd. Inner Torments follows a similar format, but explores tension and conflict in modern films indie and mainstream.

The two lesser-known films on the program are Holding Fast and Jacob TV's Grab It! Alexander Hough of Chicagoist previewed both performances in October:

Holding Fast" was a collaboration between Woolf and the filmmakers Mary Harron (director of "American Pyscho") and John C. Walsh. Harron and Walsh visited a Tibetan refugee camp near Darjeeling, India, filming and recording sounds from the village. They then gave Woolf the material, and he used the chanting, speaking, and environmental noise to create an electronic track that gets played alongside a live solo violin. Woolf then sent the music over to Harron and Walsh, who edited their video footage into a short film to accompany what Woolf had written. The piece itself features somber, simple violin lines that slide around the recorded sounds, synthesizing the two in a startlingly cohesive - and beautiful - way.

"Grab It!" is one of Jacob TV's "boombox pieces," which, like "Holding Fast," features a live instrumentalist (in this case, a saxophonist) with an electronic accompanying track (instead of a Himalayan village, they're from the documentary "Scared Straight!"). The piece, written over a decade ago, has been reworked, with new bass and drum parts and an added video component.

Whether you're a classical enthusiast or a pop culture junkie, Inner Torments will defy expectation. Use promotional code 5587 and receive Inner Torments tickets for $10 - that's $20 off the regular price. Offer not valid on previously purchased tickets. Visit the Harris Theater website or call 312-334-7777 for tickets.

The Chicago Theatre Goes Bananas for Banana Shpeel

2009-11-04T12:15:00.007-06:00

Last Tuesday, Cirque du Soleil's Banana Shpeel took over The Chicago Theatre. Fans and passersby lined the street to catch a glimpse of Schmelky and his assistants as they created mayhem on and around The Chicago Theatre marquee. All photos by Dan Rest.

Fans who brought a banana to the box office received two tickets to an exclusive preview performance. Nearly 400 fans scored free tickets.

Guests and the cast enjoyed Wow Bao's Banana Bao and Eli's Cheesecake Dippers, frozen banana cheesecake on a stick created exclusively for Cirque du Soleil.

Check out The Silverman Group on Picasa to catch a sneak peek of upcoming shows.

Even if you missed Banana Shpeel last week, you still have a chance to win free tickets or get them for 20% off. Check out The Daily Shpeel for details.

Something New Under the Sun: Cirque du Soleil

2009-10-28T11:28:00.019-05:00

You'd be hard pressed to find someone who isn't at least aware of Cirque du Soleil. The entertainment company is everywhere: Cirque du Soleil shows perform on every continent except Antarctica and Africa (until 2012, that is). They've not only reinvented the circus, but launched a women's clothing line and the Revolution Lounge at The Mirage Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Cirque du Soleil even showed up in my entrepreneurship class as an example of Blue Ocean Strategy. In fact, the company is mentioned on the first page of the first chapter of the book. Cirque du Soleil CEO Guy Laliberté's created an experience that does a traditional circus. As a result, the company was able to achieve a level of revenue (not to mention success) that it took Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey over a century to attain.

Most of the companies cited in my entrepreneurship class are technology companies who succeeded by eliminating steps from the manufacturing process. Where does an entertainment company, let alone one as diverse as Cirque du Soleil, fit into the mix?

Technological innovators such as Steve Jobs and Michael Dell saw opportunity in the market. Yet Guy Laliberté recognizes potential in people, especially Cirque du Soleil's audience:

“We're happiness merchants – giving people the opportunity to dream like
children.”

Banana Shpeel, Cirque du Soleil's latest production, is nothing if not imaginative.

True to Cirque du Soleil tradition (if there is such a thing), Banana Shpeel is an innovative production - but not in the typical fashion. The show is a new twist on vaudeville, incorporating tap, hip hop, slapstick and an engaging storyline. It's inspiring and comedic, but not in the abstract sense. If you've seen Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas or Orlando, get ready for something entirely new. Get a behind-the-scenes look with dancers Joseph and Josette Wiggan:

Get an even closer look at Banana Shpeel at an exclusive performance on Nov. 18! The first 100 guests who bring a banana to The Chicago Theatre box office on Tuesday, November 3 will win two tickets and be the very first to experience Banana Shpeel!

Banana Shpeel, presented by Cirque du Soleil and MSG Entertainment, will perform at The Chicago Theatre from Nov. 19, 2009 - Jan. 3, 2010. Tickets range in price from $23-$98 and are available by calling 1-800-745-3000 or visiting www.TheChicagoTheatre.com or www.CirqueduSoleil.com.

“...a bracing shot of youthful adrenalin” - Fulcrum Point New Music Project

2009-10-23T10:45:00.019-05:00

"Youthful" and "adrenalin" are typically associated with a roller-coaster ride rather than classically-inspired music. Yet Fulcrum Point New Music Project concerts can be as unpredictable as a roller coaster, yet still ambitious and avant-garde. "New Music" is actually a synonym for contemporary classical music, which includes subgenres ranging from New Complexity to Post-Minimalism. The abundance of individual genres, however, indicates that New Music is difficult to define:

Fulcrum Point New Music Project is entering a new era this year. For the 2009-10 season, Randall Woolf will be Fulcrum Point's Composer-in-Residence and each program in the season will include one of Woolfe's works. Woolf has collaborated with everyone from rappers to children's authors (For fans of Where the Wild Things Are: Woolf has an album based on the children's book). He deliberately combines classical with seemingly discordant musical styles and contexts, wishing for the audience to find common ground.

Rooted in technology and popular culture, Fulcrum Point New Music Project's 2009-2010 season is inspired by golems, Jerry Springer, computers and Being John Malkovich. Further extending their reach, the company will perform with Luna Negra Dance Theater, collaborating to explore Heroes and Demons: Legends of Urban, Latin and Native America.

It's not surprising, then, that Fulcrum Point New Music Project's outreach program is as innovative as its music. They bring educational programs and performances to Chicago Public Schools and Cook County Correctional Facilities. Supporting its mission to be a leader in diverse performances, Fulcrum Point New Music Project reaches out to a diverse audience, specifically the immigrant community. By linking immigrants with composers from their home countries, Fulcrum Point New Music Project proves that innovation only serves to bridge the gap between place and time.

Don't miss Fulcrum Point Plugged In, "An intimate show of rarely performed new music influenced by cosmic astrology, Tibetan tantra, and Jerry Springer!" Up to four complimentary tickets per person are available.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.
At the Evanston SPACE
1245 Chicago Avenue, Evanston

RSVP to info@fulcrumpoint.org
by noon on Tuesday, October 27 for free tickets.
Limit 4 complimentary tickets per person.

Offer includes admission only; cash bar will be available.
Offer not valid on previously purchased tickets.

See Fulcrum Point Plugged In, then stay plugged in and connected with The Silverman Group on Facebook. Join our group and receive more special offers.

TSG seeks an Intern!

2009-10-22T12:46:00.006-05:00

The Silverman Group is currently accepting applications for its Winter Intern position.

The primary function of the TSG intern is to assist in the overall success of operations at the company. Because this is a boutique firm, all members of the team pitch in wherever needed. As an intern, you have the unique opportunity to be exposed to every facet of activities at a full-service public relations agency as well as experience a variety of types of entertainment clients. Interns will have the opportunity to participate in media interaction and tracking, writing, promotional planning, event facilitation, and market research in addition to some day-to-day administrative duties.

Students pursuing a career in public relations, communications, or arts management who are willing to immerse themselves in the fast-paced work environment are encouraged to apply!

This is an unpaid internship, school credit is available. Length of internship is 3 months minimum, 6 months maximum and at least 20 hours/week.

Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and two writing samples to laura@silvermangroupchicago.com

Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

TSG Speaks Out!

2009-10-21T16:22:00.008-05:00

The SILVERMANifesto is officially running at full speed ahead (with great help from our current intern) so we thought we'd take a moment to introduce those behind the curtain. To see a run down of our qualifications and past experience check out the Staff Bios page on our website, but to really learn about who we are as Public Relations professionals and why we do what we do, stay put.

New to The SILVERMANifesto will be a series of posts where we SPEAK OUT! It's your chance to learn why each of us got into PR, why we've stayed in PR, and what are our favorite things about the ever-changing always-exciting Public Relations!

Stay tuned....

First-rate Theater in the Second City: Black Ensemble Theater

2009-10-16T10:16:00.011-05:00

Chicago theater has come into its own, and reporters at home and abroad are taking notice. The New York Times praised the diversity and unassuming attitude of the theater scene here. Charles Isherwood went so far as to call New York "the east side of Chicago." Similarly, the Guardian posted an article last month reminding Chicagoans that while rivaling New York theater shouldn't be a goal, it is an attainable one.

It's heartening that the arts scene here is gaining recognition in terms of both quality and quantity (with nearly 200 theaters in Chicagoland). Kris Vire of Time Out Chicago praised Black Ensemble Theater as representative of the city's brand of homegrown theater: "Consider also the uplifting portraits of African-American icons produced by the Uptown district's Black Ensemble Theatre, run by one-woman gale force Jackie Taylor..."

As apt as the metaphor is, it still might not convey the breadth of Taylor's achievements. After writing over 100 plays, her goal is still to use theater as a platform to bring together audiences of all races to celebrate similarities and differences. The result is the most ethnically diverse audience in the country: "BE’s audience demographics are 50 % African American, 40% Caucasian and 10% other races; and 70% female, 30% male." Demographics alone can't account for the power of her plays, however:

Her productions are not only highly educational but uplifting and spiritual. She uses her plays to cross cultural barriers bringing people of all colors and kinds into the theater to celebrate the human spirit. For 30 years she has successfully used theater as a communicator and facilitator to help eradicate the basis of racism, which is ignorance.

Just 29 years after its founding, Black Ensemble Theater was listed in the Encyclopedia Britannica Almanac 2005 as one of the top 25 theaters in the country. Seeing a Black Ensemble Theater production is a spiritual yet educational experience.

The company is The Beatles of theater: Black Ensemble Theater is somehow prolific, inspired and culturally relevant. As Black Ensemble Theater is in its 33rd season, the similarities end there. Their latest production, The Message Is In The Music (God Is A Black Man Named Ricky), does feature songs from the Fab Four. Other artists featured include Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder and The Isley Brothers, The Temptations and Paul Simon.

Don't miss The Message is in The Music, scheduled for an open run at the Black Ensemble Theater. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

The Joffrey Ballet: Engaging a Wider Audience

2009-10-12T13:19:00.021-05:00

The Joffrey Ballet and Lar Lubovitch's Othello premiered Wednesday! I blogged earlier about the rehearsal, yet still can't wait to see the full performance.

Lar Lubovitch's staging of Othello is dramatic, passionate and anything but typical. It seems like a strange ballet to perform given the current climate -which is exactly what I love about it. Instead of performing an uplifting, lightearted, escapist work, The Joffrey Ballet chose a piece that mirrors the turmoil in society and in many of our personal lives (though not too closely, I'd hope). It is artistic choices like these that truly make The Joffrey Ballet "America's Ballet Company of Firsts." Othello is the sort of ballet that, as cliche as it sounds, has something for everyone - from those who have never experienced professional ballet to those who think they know the extent of The Joffrey Ballet's artistic capabilities.

-------------------------------------------

My earliest memory concerning dance is watching a ballet at my aunt's house on the tiny TV in her bedroom. More likely than not it was The Joffrey Ballet that I was watchig on WTTW years ago. Still, it boggles my mind that Chicago did not have its own ballet company until 1995. Before then, The Joffrey Ballet split its time between New York and LA.

From the beginning, Joffrey and Arpino wanted a company that came out of their
roots, out of America.

It's fitting, then, that the company made the Midwest its permanent home. It was a defining moment for Chicago in establishingthe city's reputation as more than a wannabe New York. Despite its ties to the city, the company that began touring out of a station wagon continues to tour extensively. Making stops that other companies might pass up, the company recently performed in Des Moines, Iowa. Fabrice Calmels describes the crowd:

They were a wonderfully responsive audience, even giving us a long standing
ovation at the end of the evening.

The Hancher Theater in Des Moines, Iowa. Photo courtesy of Fabrice Calmels.

Perhaps outreach is such an integral part of the company itself because The Joffrey Ballet originally began as a touring company. They educate the next generation of dancers through school programs and through the Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet. To me, the most important aspect of the company's outreach program might not officially be considered outrech. The Joffrey Ballet literally goes where many other companies do not (artistically, emotionally and geographically). In my mind, this is what sets them apart from other companies and what makes them a true representation of a Midwestern city. From nomadic beginnings to their current state as artistic missionaries, the company has stayed true to its goal: innovation, offstage as well as on.

Othello runs through Oct. 25. Tickets are available here.

When Bad Reviews Hit...

2009-10-08T16:41:00.006-05:00

It happens in every form of entertainment - theater, film, dance, music - every now and again a performance is bound to receive a poor review and when that happens, as a publicist, what do you do? It is your job, after all, to sell said performance to the media and ultimately to the public, but when a reviewer bashes it from the get go, giving it the ill-fated "Not Recommended" label, how do you ensure that the production still receives deserved press and attendance?

For some clients reviews don't mean a thing. Yes, they like to see their product written about in the major papers, magazines, and websites, but whether or not they sell out a show has nothing to do with the reviews. Sometimes that's because the company has such strong credibility that one bad review can't come close to smudging their reputation and sometimes it's because the company has such a loyal following that, good or bad, they will be there to witness the newest form of art. However, for most companies a critic's review is important and bad reviews can sting.

Working in Entertainment PR it is imperative to look at the performance beyond the physical performance. For example, who in the cast and crew has an extraordinary tale to tell or where did those costumes come from? When bad reviews hit, it's our job to put on the research glasses and find another hook. Profiles, anniversaries, and special occasions are excellent ways of sharing the performance with the public without relying on the work its self. Just because a reviewer doesn't give a performance his praise does not mean the general public wouldn't enjoy it; however, the general public needs to be exposed to a positive story in order to catch their attention.

Despite bad reviews, clients have still received great write-ups in the Food, Business, and Metro Sections. Pitching specific people, ideas, or eating habits can help shine a light on a client as can pitching different media. For example, if a theater production has a great soundtrack why not reach out to a music writer?

Of course all this is easier said than done, but it's our job to try. Fortunately, one bad review will not ruin a company and there's always the next production! But it's always a good idea to look outside the box because one day a client may receive a bad review and hopefully you'll already be prepared with a list of other hooks!

The History of Pegasus Players

2009-10-07T12:51:00.000-05:00

So far, I've been introduced to many companies and concepts that I was familiar with before I started this internship - and many more that I have not had the privilege to see in person. One such company is Pegasus Players. I had the opportunity to conduct some informal research as their newest production, Ten Square, premiered yesterday.

Photo by Shepsu Aakhu

Pegasus Players has a unique, holistic view of theater. Part of their mission in performing as well as outreach is to inspire and train the next generation of actors. As a result, the company holds completely open auditions. Outreach goes beyond the classroom, as the company includes the elderly and middle aged among its extended audience. Pegasus Players is the only arts organization to win the James Brown IV Award of Excellence for Outstanding Community Service.

Their commitment to the continuity of the art exists onstage as well as off. They choose scripts based purely on artistic merit and contribution to social justice. As a result, Pegasus Players' performances include shows that were not originally hits on Broadway, including Assassins, Merrily We Roll Along, Pacific Overtures, Anyone Can Whistle, The Frogs, Passion, and Company. In addition, the company dedicated itself to restoring the Duke Ellington musical Jump for Joy, never previously heard by the public. Eight never-before-heard songs premiered as part of the musical in 1994.

More than 310,000 people have seen Pegasus Players perform since 1984 alone. Check out Pegasus Players' website and explore over thirty years of theater history. Then see the magic for yourself with this exclusive offer:

We'd like to offer you $10 tickets to the World Premiere of "TEN SQUARE" presented by MPAACT and Pegasus Players. (Tickets are regularly priced at $17-$25).

$10 tickets are available for:
Thursday 10/8 at 8pm
Friday 10/9 at 8pm
Saturday 10/10 at 8pm
Sunday 10/11 at 3pm
and every remaining Thursday performance (Oct. 15, 22, 29; Nov. 5, 12, 19)

To purchase tickets go to http://pegasusplayers.org/cms/ and use code word "silverman"

Pegasus Players is collaborating with MPAACT to present the world premiere of Ten Square. Ten Square will be at the O'Rourke Center at Truman College through Nov. 22. Tickets are now on sale.

Photo by Shepsu Aakhu

Befriend The Silverman Group on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for more exclusive offers.

A Day in the Life of The Silverman Group's Intern

2009-10-05T10:32:00.001-05:00

I've already seen that it's difficult to define a "typical" day in public relations, but my days are more typical than most.

On a given day, I may be conducting research, updating press materials, compiling media lists and clip packets, making recommendations to clients and of course, adding to the blog. Conducting research is my least favorite aspect of the writing process in class, but I really don't mind it in a professional setting. For two years, I've heard professors preach about the importance of research, but now I've seen firsthand the impact that it can have. During my first week, I found it much more difficult to write on behalf of clients with whom I was not familiar. Seeing or hearing a client's work and studying it beyond familiarity helps enormously. I can put myself in the place of an audience member and determine what sets an individual or a company apart.

While I've had the opportunity to work on hands-on projects, I think I've learned the most through osmosis. For a PR student today, determining whether or not you want to work for an agency is one of the hardest decisions to make (and naturally, we think we have to figure it all out now). Everyone in an agency environment seems to describe the trade off in terms of having a working knowledge of multiple clients or knowing one client very well. I'm not sure that's true any longer. As I've mentioned in other posts, working in a small agency and knowing your clients well seems to be both personally and professionally gratifying.

My time with The Silverman Group is only about a quarter of the way through and I've already experienced so many aspects of the business - more than I would have expected. My previous internship with a start-up was much different. Managing multiple clients and having existing relationships is somehow easier and more difficult than working with a small company. Bloggers were a key part of our strategy, and were a perfect fit for the brand, but it's much more satisfying to see TSG clients appear in major publications. I've enjoyed studying how to promote events and companies with mainstream appeal and a unique artistic vision.

Luna Negra Dance Theater Rehearsal

2009-09-30T15:52:00.000-05:00

This afternoon, I attended a rehearsal for Luna Negra Dance Theater's upcoming production of Eduardo Vilaro's Danzón. I'm so glad that I was able to see the company in person and truly understand its unique blend of contemporary and Latin dance. The company's performance style is difficult to describe without seeing, as it embodies both of the aforementioned styles at once, yet is something entirely different.

Vilaro's talent and enthusiasm for dance are both enviable. His company and his works show subtle reverence for the past yet are decidedly modern. While I'm not familiar with the company's past works, the above piece from the company's fall performance is definitely as retrospective as it is joyful. Luna Negra dancers are a close-knit group, in that its members are confident in their art and each others' performance. They rely on each other as much as the music (speaking of which, I can't imagine how the performance would look, feel and sound with Paquito D’Riviera and the Turtle Island Quartet this Friday and Saturday.

Don't miss Luna Negra Dance Theater's 10th Anniversary Gala, Noche de Luna, on Friday, October 9 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are include a performance of Danzón at the Harris Theater, and are available from Luna Negra Dance Theater (312-337-6882).

Luna Negra Dance Theater will also be performing Danzón at the Harris Theater Friday, October 9 at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, October 10 at 8 p.m. Tickets for Luna Negra Dance Theater's Fall Performance are on sale now.

Rehearsal at the Joffrey, with a Special Guest

2009-09-23T12:20:00.000-05:00

This afternoon, Farrah, the Account Supervisor for The Joffrey Ballet, was running down to Joffrey Tower to meet with a writer. When she asked me to come along, I agreed. She had just received a call and heard that Mikhail Baryshnikov would be attending a rehearsal for Othello, and that I could sit in.

We were seated in a small balcony overlooking the studio space. The room was dark and quiet, with all eyes focused on the activity below. After seeing so many performances over the years, and after taking dance classes myself, I saw firsthand the effort, dedication, and passion that goes into a professional performance. But what really struck me was that I had never seen so many Joffrey dancers offstage at one time: laughing, joking, practicing in between segments. Watching Lar Lubovitch interact with the dancers and bring his vision to life was eye-opening. I've always been fascinated by how the slightest change in tone, wording, etc. can profoundly impact communication. The same is true of non-verbal communication.

Photo courtesy of The Joffrey Ballet

Of course, watching Baryshnikov watch The Joffrey Ballet rehearse was like watching a tennis match. I'm not sure if I watched the dancers or him more. He has as commanding a presence offstage as he does on.

It was an amazing opportunity and an amazing afternoon, and would have been for any intern. Yet the experience reaffirmed why I'm glad to be working with a small group of people who truly know and love what they do. So many of my classmates work for large agencies. While I'm glad that Chicago affords us that luxury, I've never been able to see myself at a large, impersonal company. My father owns a small business, and I simply feel comfortable at a place where everyone knows all of their client's employees by their first name. Baryshnikov said the following about dance, but it's uncanny how well the metaphor applies to public relations:

It doesn't matter how high you lift your leg. The technique is about transparency, simplicity and making an earnest attempt.

Baryshnikov will be performing Three Solos and a Duet at the Harris Theater this Friday-Sunday, Sept. 25-27.

The Joffrey will be performing Lar Lubovitch's Othello for the first time Oct. 14-25 at the Auditorium Theatre. Tickets are on sale now.

Meet Sarah, The Silverman Group's Fall Intern

2009-09-21T10:40:00.000-05:00

The Silverman Group internship program is a 3 - 6 month committment for a current student to receive hands on public relations experience at a boutique agency. Our newest intern will be giving an "intern's point of view" on The Silverman Group clients and events and a first hand account of what is like to be a part of this team.

To be considered for future internships - send a resume, cover letter, and two writing samples to laura@silvermangroupchicago.com

Without further ado... here's Sarah!

Name: Sarah
Year in school: Senior
Hometown: New Lenox, IL
School: Loyola University Chicago

From watching The Nutcracker on Channel 11 every Christmas to attending every community theater production in the southwest suburbs, I've been interested in dance and the arts from an early age. After taking dance lessons from age 6 to age 19, with few breaks in between, I was determined that the arts would remain a part of my life. Like many undergraduates, I want what I do to truly matter, both personally and on a community level.

Initially, I planned on submitting my resume for a spring internship. In the end, impatience and a desire to prepare for a career in a field I love won out. After interning with a small vintage fashion e-tailer, I interviewed with TSG during the summer, and started in mid-September.

I'm thrilled to share my experience as an intern at The Silverman Group. Watch for future posts about events, the arts, public relations, and what it's like interning at a boutique agency.

The Joffrey Ballet at Millennium Park

2009-09-18T10:11:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos from the Joffrey's performance in Millennium Park, Thursday, September 18. The program included Gerald Arpino's Confetti; Helgi Tomasson's Valses Poeticos, Edwaard Liang's Age of Innocence and Val Caniparoli Aria.

Confetti

Valses Poeticos

Aria

The Joffrey's Exelon Strobel Step-Up Students performed a tribute to Michael Jackson.

Age of Innocence

The Joffrey will be performing Lar Lubovitch's Othello for the first time Oct. 14-25 at the Auditorium Theatre. Tickets are on sale now.

Social Media in Real Life

2009-09-16T15:45:00.000-05:00

While Web 2.0 has revolutionized the way we interact online, we can't help but wonder what Web 3.0 will bring. If Web 2.0 created online social networks, then will the next incarnation of the Internet close the gap between the online and offline worlds, or further that divide?

Perhaps no one is more qualified to answer that question than Biz Stone. He'll be appearing at Columbia College Chicago on Tuesday, October 6, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Columbia’s Film Row Cinema, 1104 S. Wabash, 8th Floor.

Interestingly enough, he worked on Blogger prior to founding Twitter.

Twitter was initially described as a microblogging platform, though the term has somewhat fallen by the wayside. In an interview with The Guardian, Stone insists that multiple networks supplement each other, rather than detract:

Do you get bored hearing stories about how 'Twitter will kill Facebook' or people wondering whether it will push somebody else out of the way?
BS: I think a lot of folks are just wired that way. It's product A or product B, like those blind taste tests. There is something healthy about friendly competition - it's like a scrimmage or a pick-up game... that's good. But the truth of it is that we're all working together.
Look at all the companies in Silicon Valley: they all have, to varying degrees, open systems that interoperate with one another. People are using these systems for different reasons. There's room for everybody, although I think people are often wired to think that way.
It's like Coke versus Pepsi - I noticed the other day that they are following each other on Twitter.

Check out The Silverman Group on Twitter for exclusive updates and offers on the arts in Chicago.

Tonight: Catch a sneak peek of Banana Shpeel, b4 it hits Chicago (Nov 19 - Jan 3), tonite on America's Got Talent, 7pmCST on NBC http://bit.ly/1UHCnV

TSG Launches The AtTENtion Project

2009-03-10T11:18:00.002-05:00

10 Non-Profits Receive Free PR to Commemorate

The Silverman Group's 10th Anniversary!

Recognizing that there are numerous worthwhile non-profit organizations operating without the benefit of publicity support - and in commemoration of its tenth anniversary in 2009 - The Silverman Group is proud to present its AtTENtion Project, a new pro bono program whereby the firm provides expert publicity counsel at no charge to ten Chicago non-profit organizations for month-long projects. The AtTENtion Project partners include: the Gerber Hart Library, Hedwig Dances, New Leash on Life, Rebecca's Dream, Resurrection Church/Wrigleyville Summerfest, Rock For Kids, ShawChicago, University of Miami Alumni Association, the Wilderness Classroom, and Youth Guidance.