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Would You Partner with Us?

June 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Provision Theater Company was started more than five years ago by Tim Gregory, a 10-year veteran of Chicago Shakespeare, to be a theater that performs high-quality, equity-affiliated works of “hope, reconciliation and redemption; works that challenge us to explore a life of meaning and purpose”.  He gathered a group of people who believed in that vision and set off on a journey, hoping one day to land a permanent home.  Along the way, Provision Theater has worked hard to develop a legacy of excellence and has been acclaimed by the Chicago Theater community with six Joseph Jefferson Award nominations in just its first five years!  This is some of the finest Chicago theater productions you will see.

Now, we have leased the former Chernin Center for Performing Arts theater at the former Duncan YMCA at 1001. N. Roosevelt and are beginning the process of getting it back into performance shape with paint, new lights, sound, carpet, curtains, etc and frankly, we need your help to build out the space and begin our sixth season in September.

We have a new home and we are looking for adventurous partners who love theatre and believe in our mission of “…producing works of hope, reconciliation, and redemption.”

Why Should You Partner With Provision through a Tax-Free Donation?

Many organizations just ask you to contribute your money.  We want your passion and ideas.  We want people who believe in our mission, who believe in good theater who want to be a part of what we are doing here in Chicago.  Click here to make an on-line donation– $25, $50, $100, or more , whatever the amount, we are looking for people to partner with us!

Talkback Sessions

Have you always wondered how theater gets put together?  Join as a Provision Associate Partners and you can watch a technical rehearsal and talk with the director.   Wanna show off the great new theater you’ve found to your friends?  Sponsoring Partners can bring friends to any of our final dress rehearsals.

Open House Benefit

Please join us for “Embracing a Future of Hope” our Open House Celebration, Friday, June 12, starting at 6:00 pm with appetizers and refreshments. The Celebration will be held at our new performance space, located at

1001 W Roosevelt Rd
Chicago, IL 60608

The evening will include a lively performance at 7:30 pm, tours of the facility, and a reception. In addition, you will hear news about our upcoming 2009-10 season as well as our new Embracing a Future of Hope Partners Program.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Filed Under: Breaking News, Chicago, Non-Profits, Provision Theater

Provision Theater’s Open House Fundraiser – June 12

June 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Provision Theater Company will be hosting an Open House Celebration benefit on June 12 to showcase their new facility, a 200-seat theater complex at 1001 W. Roosevelt.  Doors will open at 6:00 pm for refreshments and tours with a special performance at 7:30 pm.  The evening will end with a live auction and full reception at 8:30 pm.  The fundraiser event is open to the public and tickets are $50.  There is free parking at the facility. (yoo hoo! — a rarity in Chicago).

Please think about attending or buying tickets as a donation– this is the kind of theater that needs to be supported in Chicago.

provision-open-house

Anyone interested in tickets can buy them right online at www.provisiontheater.org or by calling 800-838-3006. “This Open House benefit will be very lively and fun.” said Gregory, “The show will include pieces from our previous shows along with performances from some of the top talent in Chicago, including Provision Company Members Susan Moniz, Brad Armacost and Alaric (Rokko) Jans.”

Provision Theater Company recently signed a four year lease for the theater complex, includes a 200 seat theater, scene shop, dressing rooms, box office, and administrative offices.  “We are very excited about this important step for Provision Theater.” said Tim Gregory, Provision’s founder and Artistic Director, “Having a long term lease with this incredible facility will provide us with a solid base of operations from which to grow our organization.  We are also looking forward to becoming an integral part of our new South Loop neighborhood.”

Provision Theater is a professional, Equity-affiliated theater that has produced  10 shows since 2005 at various venues around Chicago.  In that time they have received numerous Joseph Jefferson Award Nominations for Best Actor in a Musical (COTTON PATCH GOSPEL and A CHRISTMAS CAROL), Best Actress in a Principle Role (BEAST ON THE MOON), Best Supporting Actress in a Musical (THE SPITFIRE GRILL), Best Solo Performance (C.S.LEWIS ON STAGE), Best New Adaptation (A CHRISTMAS CAROL) . The theater’s mission is to “…produce works of hope, reconciliation, and redemption; works that challenge us to explore a life of meaning and purpose.”

Filed Under: Breaking News, Chicago, Culture and Faith, Non-Profits, Provision Theater, The Arts in the City, The City, The Cultural Conversation Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Are You Ready to Be a “Bridger”?

February 17, 2009 By 1 Comment

Occasionally, I like to highlight folks who have had great success in the marketplace but then move into the non-profit sector to use their skills and abilities to make a more significant impact on people.  They are sometimes called Bridgers—individuals whose professional experience comes wholly or primarily from for-profit companies prior to entering the nonprofit sector—and they make the switch for reasons both personal and professional.  I came across this story on Patty Stonesifer, the founding chief executive officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Stonesifer, a former senior executive at Microsoft Corp., recently stepped down as the foundation’s chief executive in August 2008.

As CEO of the foundation from its inception in 1997 until August 2008, Stonesifer led its mission to promote equity for all people around the world, setting strategic priorities, monitoring results and facilitating relationships with key partners. Stonesifer is now a senior advisor to the foundation’s trustees, Bill and Melinda Gates, and Warren Buffett. In addition to her continuing work with the foundation, Stonesifer recently became the chair of the Board of Regents for the Smithsonian Institution. Prior to joining the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Stonesifer had a two-decade career in technology, including eight years in senior executive roles at Microsoft Corp.

The article explores Stonesifer’s transition into the nonprofit sector as well as her subsequent role as leader of a fast-growing foundation.  Like many bridgers, Stonesifer found the no-frills, collaborative culture in the nonprofit sector a challenge at first. But she quickly saw that her new role allowed her to rediscover what she liked about being a manager: the ability to build relationships with people within and outside the organization. Her “rediscovery” also helped her tackle one of the biggest challenges in managing the fast-growing foundation: balancing the foundation’s desire to accomplish important initiatives quickly with the need to first reach consensus with all the key players affected by each initiative.

Read the Whole Article

Filed Under: Breaking News, DifferenceMakers, Methods & Strategies, Non-Profits, Volunteers