Presenting the few, the proud, the Helbigs
Uh oh. Here they are again. The Helbigs. The 11th Annual Helbigs. This annual award given to local theaters and performers. Whether they want them or not. Remember, many deserve them, few receive them, and no one ever admits to getting one. So without further ado, the 2007 Helbigs!
The "Dude, Where's my Playwriting Competition?" Award goes the city of Chicago for announcing a playwriting competition, collecting plays, getting theaters to read the plays, and then silently dropping the whole thing without a single announcement. In early spring Chicago's Dept. of Cultural Affairs announced Chicago Blueprints on Stage, a new play competition for plays about Chicago historical events. The top four panelists were supposed to receive staged readings at one of four top Chicago theaters: Chicago Dramatists, Journeymen, Lookingglass and TimeLine. Seventy plays were submitted by the June 1 deadline, judges from the participating theaters read the plays, and then the Chicago staff person in charge of the contest, Amanda Friedberg, left for another job. No one replaced her, no one continued the contest, no one bothered to tell the theaters, the playwrights or the public that that competition had been, ummmm, tabled.
The "Would the Three Theater Groups Who Haven't Produced This Show Yet Please Raise Your Hand Award" goes to "Disney's High School Musical," which was produced by no less than four local professional companies and scores of high schools, middle schools and community theaters before a touring version of the show finished its run at the LaSalle Bank Theatre. It would probably be easier to list the schools and theater groups that haven't done the show. The Helbigs committee wonders if the same thing will happen when the stage version of "High School Musical 2" becomes available.
The "Berwyn? Are You Sure? Berwyn? THE Berwyn? Yes, Berwyn. Award" goes to director Ann Filmer and her cohorts at the newly formed 16th Street Theatre for creating a new theater company in Berwyn, a community that once was a punch line. Schlock movie host Svengoolie used to get laughs just by repeating the name of this Western Suburb. OK, they were canned laughs, but a laugh is a laugh, right? The first production at the 16th Street Theatre will be Will Dunne's "The Ascension of Carlotta." This show will open in April 2008 in Berwyn. Berwyn? Yes, Berwyn.
The "Gee, I Thought That Company was Dead Award"
goes to The Bog. Last time this company was on the map was in 2003 when they announced they were folding their tents. This was just after the company had co-produced a huge-cast version of "South Pacific" at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights. The production was very good but had reportedly just about killed the folks at The Bog. Actually, supposedly, it had killed The Bog. But they're back! This time the company is producing on the main stage of the Pickwick Theatre in Park Ridge. Their first production in October 2007 was a remounting of their successful version of "To Kill a Mockingbird." Welcome back, Bog, we are happy the reports of your death -- which you circulated -- were greatly exaggerated.
Have a happy, healthy and hilarious 2008 from all us at the Helbigs.