Black Ensemble Theater Company

Black Ensemble Theater Company is a theater company that has performed at the Black Ensemble Theater in the Uptown community area of city-state|Chicago|Illinois. The company is known for productions related to African-American culture, especially musicals depicting notable African-American musicians and performers. [cite web|url=http://www.centerstagechicago.com/theatre/theatres/black-ensemble.html|title=Black Ensemble Theater|accessdate=2008-08-29|publisher= Centerstage Media LLC] The company is a significant contributor to Chicago's emergence as a Theater Town, [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9907E7D8123EF93AA25756C0A9659C8B63|title=Opening in Chicago, a Wave of the New; World Premieres Signal a Theater Town's Openness to Fresh Voices|accessdate=2008-08-29|date=2003-05-19|publisher=The New York Times Company|work=The New York Times|author=Kinzer, Stephen] and its theater has been selected as one of the 25 top major theaters in the country by the Encyclopedia Britannica Almanac. [cite web|url=http://www.blackensembletheater.org/about_BE.php|title=About BE|accessdate=2008-08-29|publisher=Black Ensemble Theater]

The company has performed in the Black Ensemble Theater at 4520 N. Beacon St., but it is planning to relocate at the 4440 N. Clark Street, which is also in Uptown and which is more than twice as large. The new theater will be designed by John Morris, who has previously designed the Steppenwolf and Looking Glass Theaters.cite web|url=http://www.blackensembletheater.org/capital_compaign.php|title=Capital Campaign|accessdate=2008-08-29|publisher=Black Ensemble Theater] The new convert|50000|sqft|m2|lk=on|adj=on theater is being located in a former warehouse that cost US$3.5 million to purchase and many times more than that to renovate. [cite web|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=1108F62BB0353F60&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2|title=STAGES of DEVELOPMENT - Area entertainment landmarks switch locations in hopes that the thrill will remain the same |accessdate=2008-08-29|date=2006-03-24|publisher=Newsbank|work=Chicago Tribune|author=Lara, Alison Neumer] Approximately $20 million is being raised to fund the construction of the new theater. [cite web|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CSTB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=11726F5D55C9A6E8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2|title=Jackie Taylor: Founder of the Black Ensemble Theater|accessdate=2008-08-29|date=2007-02-07|publisher=Newsbank|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Baldacci, Leslie]

Among the recent productions are musicals celebrating Billie Holiday, Dionne Warwick, Teddy Pendergrass, and Stax Records. [cite web|url=http://www.blackensembletheater.org/releases.php|title=Press Releases|accessdate=2008-08-29|publisher=Black Ensemble Theater] The current (as of September 2008) production "I Am Who I Am (The Story of Teddy Pendergrass)" that opened on March 15, 2008 has been extended through the end of 2008. [cite press release|title=DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND CHICAGO’S BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER COMPANY ANNOUNCES THE EXTENSION OF “I AM WHO I AM (THE STORY OF TEDDY PENDERGRASS)”|date=2008-07-07|author=Malik, Farrah, and Beth Silverman] The company has a history of presenting as many as a half dozen productions a year since opening in 1976. [cite web|url=http://www.blackensembletheater.org/past_productions.php|title=Past Productions|accessdate=2008-08-29|publisher=Black Ensemble Theater] The theater's productions have been critically recognized. [cite web|url=http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/weiss/1091243,CST-FTR-Hedy05web.article|title=Theater, dance masters heralded in Black Theater Allilance nominations|accessdate=2008-08-29|date=2008-08-05|publisher=Digital Chicago, Inc.|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Weiss, Hedy] Some have had lengthy multiple-year runs and national tours such as "The Jackie Wilson Story", which was the first traveling production of the Black Ensemble Touring Venture and which played for four weeks at the Apollo Theater. The theater company has also traveled nationally to perform to festivals. [cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/06/theater/newsandfeatures/06fest.html?|title=A Six-Day Bash Celebrates Black Theater|accessdate=2008-08-29|date=2005-08-06|publisher=The New York Times Company|work=The New York Times|author=Dewan, Shaila]

The group's more than one hundred performances have been produced by its founder, Jackie Taylor, since 1976.cite web|url=http://www.theatreinchicago.com/news.php?articleID=146|title=Black Ensemble Theater Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Two World Premieres|accessdate=2008-08-29|publisher=Theatre In Chicago] When producing musical biographies, Taylor uses a formula of including at least eighteen of the artist's hits, some high points and low points in the artist's career, at least one climactic moment of chaos and an uplifting ending, which is the most important element.cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B07EEDE1139F935A35757C0A9659C8B63|title=Theater; Rise, Crash, Rehab, Die: 'Behind the Music' Invades the Theater |accessdate=2008-08-29|date=2003-04-06|publisher=The New York Times Company|work=The New York Times|author=Zinoman, Jason]

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