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By Amanda Brown, March 30, 2011 7:04 am

Arts Education Partnerships

Many of you know that in addition to our stage work, The Mime Company reaches thousands of elementary, high school, and college students each year with our educational programming. Some of our memorable experiences from 2010-2011 have included programs with longtime partners–for example, our residency with the Bensenville School District, now in its third year, an ongoing after school program at New Field School in Rogers Park, and a special performance of our holiday show for students in Evanston SD65′s School Age Child Care program. We have also had opportunities this year to make new connections, including last month’s undergraduate workshop and public performance hosted by Lewis University in Romeoville .

Offering educational outreach is part of our mission because we have seen, in theaters and in classrooms, that mime is a powerful art form, giving a common language to people of different ages, personal backgrounds, and places of origin. We have also had success exploring how physically engaged, imaginative storytelling can be a tool for supporting writing, literature, foreign language study, and other classroom subjects.

The Mime Company still has availability for school programming in April and May. If you are an educator, parent, or simply an audience member who has been moved by this art form, then please consider how a Mime Company performance, workshop, or residency could be a fantastic learning experience for your school community this year.

Download our education brochure to learn more!

To talk to us about bringing a program to your school, call 773-989-7938 or email info@themimecompany.com.

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By Amanda Brown, December 29, 2010 9:22 am

With just one weekend left of our holiday show, I want to thank everyone who has helped make this a great year for The Mime Company. In 2010, The Mime Company has applied for 501(c)(3) status as a federally recognized tax-exempt charitable organization, created a partnership with Evanston’s Ridgeville Park District to be our rehearsal home, and revamped the website to be more in touch with our audience. We produced a new play, Orpheus and Eurydice, at City Lit’s Art of Adaptation Festival, as well as our current production, Snow Days and Plane Delays. On top of this, we’ve continued to reach thousands of students through our school-based outreach programs.

We wouldn’t have accomplished any of this without a lot of people believing in the value of this unique work and giving a lot of their time.

Please help us celebrate by checking out this fantastic review of Snow Days, posting your own review or comment to our website about how this or another of our shows has moved you, or coming to see the show if you haven’t already. If you are so inclined, you might also consider making a small tax-deductible donation to support our work, bringing a Mime Company performance, workshop, or residency to your school or event, or lending your expertise in leadership or development as a board member.

Thanks for helping us to move ahead in 2010!

Sincerely,
Eliot Monaco
Artistic Director

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By Laura, December 24, 2010 2:53 pm

Congratulations to the entire ensemble for a wonderful opening night, and thanks to everyone who came to support some mimes during the holidays! We’ve received our first review, and here it is:

“Snow Days and Plane Delays: An Evening of Holiday Mime”

Thanks for coming, Paige! For all of you who haven’t yet bought tickets, never fear–we have five more performances for you to catch. Merry Christmas Eve for those who celebrate Christmas, and we hope to see you next week so we can wish you a Happy New Year as well!

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By Laura, December 3, 2010 2:16 pm

We had a great preview of “Snow Days and Plane Delays” at the Dawes Elementary School for District 65 on Wednesday. A couple of late buses meant that the mimes got to have an in-depth workshop with the kids where they played with imaginary motors and blenders before the show. Judging from the response, we’d say the favorite pieces from the show were “Carolers,” “The Kite,” “Xmas Lights,” and “The Mall,” which has been updated to a full-ensemble holiday shopping piece. Then we drove on over to the Walt Disney Magnet school to do a workshop and performance with students while their parents learned about initiatives for literacy. The kids there went crazy for “The Chair!”

What’s more, we’ve been featured in Steadstyle Chicago–find our listing below:

The Mime Company in Steadstyle Chicago

That’s all for now, but we’re getting geared up for what is looking like a fantastic show!

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By Laura, November 28, 2010 8:33 pm

Hi everyone! Laura, the Production Manager for “Snow Days and Plane Delays,” here. We’ve officially got a Facebook event and Yelp event page now, for all of you who use those fine sites!

Here’s our Facebook event; please feel free to invite others.

And here’s our Yelp page–same thing goes.

We’ve got a show on December 1st at the Dawes Elementary School, so you can expect more news about that soon. For now, Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

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By Amanda Brown, November 24, 2010 10:39 am

Reminiscing about the holiday shows of the past, I came across this video about The Mime Company’s A Holiday Evening of  Mime in 2008 created by Matt Paolelli. Enjoy this taste of our work in anticipation of Snow Days and Plane Delays: An Evening of Holiday Mime, our holiday presentation for 2010!

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By Eliot Monaco, August 10, 2010 11:10 pm

Next weekend is City Lit Theater’s Art of Adaptation Festival, during which time you will be able to see a new piece adapted by Amanda Brown and myself and performed by The Mime Company. It is a visual retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice, and if you don’t know or remember this Greek myth, there is a WEDDING, a DEATH, and a DESCENT INTO HELL. Come witness the ancient tale of how great joy gave way to untimely loss, motivating one of the most ambitious and terrifying journeys in literature, and now one of the most ambitious and terrifying new plays in Chicago!

We would be overjoyed to see you there!

WHERE: City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. , Chicago
WHEN: 8 pm Friday, Aug. 13
3 pm Sunday, Aug. 15
TICKETS: 773-293-3682 or Online

P.S. Half of the festival selections are being performed Friday, half on Saturday, and Sunday is a marathon of all eight. Ours is playing Friday and Sunday only. And apparently Sunday is already filling up!