Newcity Celebrates SAIC Faculty and Alum Contributions to Chicago Theater

Newcity magazine celebrated its 2019 Players Hall of Fame, showcasing the 50 people who most influence the Chicago theater scene. It includes artists of every background, artistic directors, founders, and some SAIC faculty and alums. Those featured include Angelique Power (BFA 1998) president of the Field Foundation of Illinois, which awards grant funding to artists who have yet to make a name for themselves. Arts Administration and Policy Lecturer Steven Wang who is the executive director of High Concept Labs was also included on the list. High Concept Labs sponsors emerging and established artists each year during four month and yearlong residency programs. Also making the list was Adjunct Associate Professor of Performance Blair Thomas who is the founder and artistic director of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival. The fest has grown into a 12-day event that includes productions by master puppeteers from around the world. Joseph Ravens (MFA 1998) was also included on the list as the celebrated founder and director of Defibrillator, a performance art space known for nurturing emerging performance artists, musicians, actors, and dancers. Newcity magazine says of the 50 players who made the list, “Thanks to their vision, it’s a future that looks more like our diverse city; a future more politically engaged, more richly nuanced and humane than ever before.”