Metropolis Arts Names New ED
After a four-month, nationwide search, Arlington Heights' Metropolis Performing Arts Centre has named Matt O'Brien of Libertyville as its new executive director and producer.
O'Brien, who founded the Irish Repertory Theatre of Chicago and headed that organization for seven years, joined Metropolis Dec. 1. Among other things, O'Brien is also the founder and producer of GreatWorks Theatre, a company that produces educational entertainment for schools K-9, and was the creator and artistic director for the Buckets O' Beckett Festival held at Chicago's Mercury Theater. A graduate of Columbia College of Chicago, he also attended the Goodman/DePaul School of Drama—now known as The Theatre School at DePaul University.
O'Brien will oversee the day-to-day operations of the $2.5 million organization—which includes its School of the Performing Arts—as well as help to guide MPAC's artistic/programming future.
Patinkin at Chicago Theatre
Broadway virtuoso Mandy Patinkin, accompanied by Paul Ford on piano, will bring his theatre concert to the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State, for one performance only on Sat., March 29.
Patinkin won a Tony Award for his 1980 Broadway debut as Che in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita and was again nominated in 1984 for his starring role in the Pulitzer Prize winning musical Sunday in the Park With George. In addition, he won an Emmy in 1995 for his work on the TV series Chicago Hope, and was most recently in the show Criminal Minds.
Tickets are $38-$78. Contact the Chicago Theatre box office and Ticketmaster outlets ( 312-902-1500 ) .
Rep. Harris Announces Grants
State Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago, announced that over 30 local arts organizations and programs have been awarded with Illinois Arts Council Major Funding Grants. The recipients include such groups as Pegasus Players, Scrap Mettle Soul, The Black Ensemble Theater and Sones de Mexico Ensemble. The selected arts organizations will receive over $138,000 in state grants.
'These grants are critical sources of funding for our neighborhood's worthy recipients whose work enriches the lives of community members and all residents of Illinois,' said Harris.