The History of Pegasus Players

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

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

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

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

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

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

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