Skokie Teen to Receive TaleBlazer Award at Tellin' Tales Theatre Benefit in Chicago on May 20
Teen advocate for cancer survivors, Celia Buell, of Skokie will receive Tellin' Tales Theatre's TaleBlazer Award on Saturday, May 20 at the 21: Tellin' Tales Theatre Comes of Age Benefit at Roosevelt University. Buell, 16, is a sophomore at Niles East High School. She has participated in Tellin' Tales Theatre programs and shows since 2014 when she was able to use her story of surviving childhood brain cancer to write about the quest for the woman's vote in "Six Stories Up in Equality."
"Celia believes it is important that young people who have dealt with cancer find friendship and support from those with similar experiences," said Tekki Lomnicki, founder and artistic director of Tellin' Tales Theatre. "Celia has shared her talents and experiences by participating in Tellin' Tales Theatre's Six Stories Up in Equality, the Young Adult Writers Workshop, as an inspirational speaker at our past Gala, and as assistant maskmaker for Six Stories Up in a Snowstorm. She has embraced the mission of Tellin' Tales Theatre to shatter the barriers between the disabled and non-disabled worlds as we provide more opportunities for adults and children with and without disabilities to tell their stories in performance," Lomnicki said.
Buell has participated in Move for the Kids (for Lurie Children's Hospital), the CureSearch walk (for childhood cancer funding), and Starry Night (for pediatric brain tumor funding), when she organized a large team to walk in honor of two close friends with brain tumors who had passed away in recent months. She is also very involved in the One Step camps for childhood cancer survivors and the Cancer Wellness therapy center.
The 21: Tellin' Tales Theatre Comes of Age Benefit is being held at Roosevelt University's intimate Fainman Lounge overlooking Michigan Avenue and in the adjacent Congress Lounge. Tickets are $125 per person with special group seating packages available at www.tellintales.org.
Tickets include open bar, food stations, live and silent auctions and live entertainment by Bill Champlin, winner of two Grammy awards for song writing, and 28-year former lead singer-keyboardist-guitarist-composer for the band Chicago.
Marca Bristo, disability pioneer and President and CEO of Access Living in Chicago, will also receive the TaleBlazer Award at the Benefit on May 20.
The mission of Tellin' Tales Theatre is to shatter barriers between the disabled and non-disabled worlds through the transformative power of personal story. We bring together children and adults from both communities to share their stories in theatrically innovative productions and programs to promote awareness, understanding and acceptance.
The 2017 Season is made possible by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council and the City Arts grant from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.