There were two major theater fundraisers on May 13 in Chicago. One celebrated one of the most respected actors working in movies today, and the other a multifaceted actress returning to her roots in a city that sparked her bright career.
Kevin Spacey received the Gene Siskel Film Center Renaissance Award at the Four Seasons Chicago after a cocktail reception and a discussion led by actor Jeremy Piven covering Spacey's lengthy career.
Spacey stopped to talk with Windy City Times on the red carpet about his upcoming film Billionaire Boys Club, based on the past story and film starring Judd Nelson, although with a different take on it. He said that this is the second film he shot last year with actor Ansel Elgort.
He also mentioned that his character in House of Cards "would get firmly behind Donald Trump in order to push him in the right direction!"
Entourage actor Jeremy Piven spoke with WCT about how lucky he was to be an ensemble member of the TV series Ellen and how groundbreaking it was. "I encouraged Ellen Degeneres to come out for a while before she did publicly, because she was so funny and a self empowered woman. I knew that she would lead the way to be a great spokesperson," he said. "She did and continues to." He added that he regretted missing the 20th-anniversary celebration of the epic moment because of filming in Vancouver. He was excited to tell that CBS picked up his new TV show, Wisdom of the Crowd, for syndication the day before arriving at the gala.
A dinner was provided during the Q&A presentation that included Spacey's impressions of Johnny Carson and Bill Clinton. Piven showed his own talents by impersonating Owen Wilson to laughs from the crowd.
Meanwhile, Transparent star Alexandra Billings kicked off the Steppenwolf's annual gala with a cabaret-style act then launched into a hilarious bit on how gay the night would be: "It is a gay-la after all!" Billings reminisced about auditioning in the past for Steppenwolf and how different times were back then for the trans actress including her struggles. The transgender actress/entertainer mentioned how kind the late Martha Lavey was to her.
It was a unique format this year for the iconic theater company to have Billings emcee and perform. She finished her set with an emotional rendition of Radiohead's "Creep" that brought down the house.
A live auction offered prizes such as a barbecue in the home of a Steppenwolf ensemble member Tom Irwin, a dinner with comedian Chris Rock and Lady Gaga concert tickets. Paddles were raised to more than $10,000 for each item, totaling more than $150,000 for the experiences.
Afterward, out singer JC Brooks brought his soulful band along to many upbeat tunes that had the crowd getting their groove on. A late-night DJ played at the after party in the spacious tent located next to the theater on Halsted.
Photos and text by Jerry Nunn