Take Me Out to the Ballgame...

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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