Additional 2010/2011 season updates include Rick Snyder to direct God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza and Jessica Thebus to direct Stage Kiss by Sarah Ruhl.  

(Chicago, IL) Goodman Theatre announces the cast for its major revival of Candide (starts rehearsals on August 10—tickets go on sale August 13*). Tony Award-winner Mary Zimmerman’s new production of the Leonard Bernstein classic musical will feature Geoff Packard in the title role of Candide; Lauren Molina as his princess love, Cunegonde; Larry Yando as the wise Pangloss, Candide’s tutor; Hollis Resnick as the Old Lady; Jonathan Weir as the Governor; Erik Lochtefeld as Maximillian; Margo Seibert as Paquette; Jesse Perez as Cacambo; and Tom Aulino as Martin. Ensemble members include Spencer Curnutt, Rebecca Finnegan, Govind Kumar, Rob Lindley, Tracy Lynn Olivera, Emma Rosenthal, Thomas Adrian Simpson, Joey Stone, Tempe Thomas and Joseph Tokarz. Goodman Theatre’s production of Candide will feature an orchestra of 12 and runs September 17 – October 24, 2010 in the Goodman’s Albert Theatre. Music by Leonard Bernstein, book adapted from Voltaire by Hugh Wheeler, lyrics by Richard Wilbur, additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John Latouche, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker and Leonard Bernstein. JP Morgan Chase & Co is the Major Corporate Sponsor; ComEd is the Official Lighting Sponsor; Abbott and Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP are the Corporate Sponsor Partners.

In addition, two Chicagoans will direct Goodman mainstage productions in the coming season. Rick Snyder will direct God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza (March 5 – April 10, 2011) and Jessica Thebus will direct Stage Kiss by Sarah Ruhl (April 30 – June 5, 2011).

Starting in September, Goodman Theatre celebrates a decade of achievement as an anchor of Chicago’s Theatre District. Two million tickets sold + 21,500 students served through Education and Community Engagement + 3,000 artists and theater professionals employed + 90 awards + nearly 30 world-premiere productions (including 25 new-work commissions) + 10 Festivals + one Pulitzer Prize = Goodman Theatre, “the leading repertory theater in the nation’s most important theater city” (Time). These achievements and more define the past 10 years (of its 85 years as Chicago’s oldest and largest not-for-profit producing theater) of the Goodman in its new home at 170 N. Dearborn in Chicago’s Theatre District—established by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Robert Falls, “Chicago’s most essential director” (Chicago Tribune), and Executive Director Roche Schulfer, the Goodman’s state-of-the-art, two-theater complex has led to record growth in all areas of the theater—generating more than $60 million in ticket revenue from hundreds of productions and programs, an 80% increase in operating budget since 2000, and the ability to serve 30% more students in Education and Community Engagement. 

* Individual tickets for Candide go on sale August 13, but Subscriptions to the 2010/2011 season are on sale now. Subscribers save up to 45% over single ticket prices: 312.443.3800 or ExploreTheGoodman.org. Five-play Albert Theatre subscriptions start at $100 and 3-play Owen Theatre subscriptions start at $57. A Platinum Subscription of all eight plays starts at $157.

Goodman Theatre’s 2010/2011 Season Schedule 

In the Albert Theatre

Candide

Music by Leonard Bernstein

Book Adapted from Voltaire by Hugh Wheeler

Lyrics by Richard Wilbur, Additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John Latouche, Lillian Hllman, Dorothy Parker and Leonard Bernstein

Directed by Mary Zimmerman

A Co-Production with Washington, D.C.’s Shakespeare Theatre Company

September 17 – October 24, 2010

Season Opening Benefit: September 26

Press/Opening Night: September 27 at 7pm

Tickets: $25-$85   Benefit info: 312.443.5564

A Christmas Carol

By Charles Dickens

Adapted by Tom Creamer

Directed by William Brown

November 19 – December 31, 2010

Press/Opening Night: November 28 at 6:30pm

Tickets: $30-$76

The Trinity River Plays

By Regina Taylor

Directed by Ethan McSweeny

January 15 – February 20, 2011

Press/Opening Night: January 24 at 7pm

Tickets: $25-$73

God of Carnage

By Yasmina Reza

Directed by Rick Snyder

March 5 – April 10, 2011

Press/Opening Night: March 14 at 7pm

Tickets: $25-$78

Stage Kiss

By Sarah Ruhl

Directed by Jessica Thebus

April 30 – June 5, 2011

Press/Opening Night: May 9 at 7pm

Tickets: $25-$78

Chinglish

By David Henry Hwang

Directed by Leigh Silverman

In the Owen Theatre

The Seagull

By Anton Chekhov

Directed by Robert Falls

October 16 – November 14, 2010

Press/Opening Night:  October 25 at 7pm

Tickets: $10-$45

Mary

By Thomas Bradshaw

Directed by May Adrales

February 5 – March 6, 2011

Press/Opening Night: February 14 at 7pm

Tickets: $10-$45

El Nogalar

By Tanya Saracho

Directed by Cecilie Keenan

March 26 – April 24, 2011

Press/Opening Night: April 4 at 7pm

Tickets: $10-$42

Special Events

Candide Season Opening Benefit

September 26, 2010

The Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago

New Stages Festival

January 13 – 16 and 20 – 23, 2011

Goodman Theatre

Fame, Fantasy, Food, Adventure Auction 

February 7, 2011

The Peninsula Chicago

Abbey Theatre of Ireland: Terminus

Written and Directed by Mark O’Rowe

March 2 – 6, 2011

Museum of Contemporary Art, MCA Global Stage Series, Presented in association with the Goodman

Tickets: 312.397.4010 or mcachicago.org

Spring Black Tie Gala

May 21, 2011

The Fairmont Hotel

 Johnson Argues that Wealth Gap Compares to “Compelling National Interest Test” Which Could Justify Race-Recognition Remedies

Bethesda, MD (BlackNews.com) — In an address to Members of Congress and participants attending a Congressional Black Caucus meeting, Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of The RLJ Companies, called for a national discussion about the growing wealth gap which he referred to as a “wealth gap Tsunami threatening African American families”. He cited the recent Institute on Assets and Social Policy at Brandeis University study, among other studies, which conclude “the wealth gap between white and African American families has more than quadrupled over the course of a generation; the racial wealth gap increased by $75,000, from $20,000 to $95,000; and, at least 25 percent of African Americans have no assets.”

 According to the U.S. Census data, “white household median net worth is 10 times that of Black households. The median net worth for African Americans was $11,800 compared to $118,000 for whites.”

In response to addressing this compelling national crisis, Johnson stated that, “We must admit the harsh reality of a history of institutionalized racism and economic discrimination against African Americans is the primary cause of wealth disparity between Black and white Americans” and “we must be willing to talk about race recognition remedies at the highest levels of government as well as between Black and white Americans.”

Johnson suggests that the wealth disparity between African Americans and whites compares to the “compelling national interest test” cited in the Supreme Court’s Adarand decision where the Court ruled ‘a racial or ethnic classification must serve a compelling interest and must be narrowly tailored to serve that interest.’

In his remarks to the Caucus, Johnson listed several race recognition policy initiatives that could be discussed. For example, allow African American families earning less than $250,000 annually to defer all federal income taxes, without interest, provided tax savings are placed into a 401(k) type savings account which can only be drawn out at retirement or upon death at which time the government would be reimbursed for the deferred taxes. He pointed out that this would allow the gain on the 401(k) investment to be available to the families at retirement or passed on to future generations.

“I wish the answers to close the wealth gap were as politically palatable and acceptable as proposals to make our public schools better for minorities, to retrain minority workers for the new jobs market, and aggressively enforce laws against racial and economic discrimination. Over the years, this Nation has been committed to all of these objectives, but this effort will not close the Black wealth gap. I recognize that public policy based on race is extremely provocative and controversial but controversy should not prevent a reasonable dialogue about a societal dilemma that is real and economically devastating in its potential to millions of African Americans,” he concluded.

Johnson’s complete remarks can be found below and at www.rljcompanies.com

REMARKS BY ROBERT L. JOHNSON: A Wealth Gap Tsunami Confronts Black America

A wave of statistics predicts that a wealth gap Tsunami is threatening African American families. Consider these facts: “The wealth gap between white and African American families has more than quadrupled over the course of a generation; the racial wealth gap increased by $75,000, from $20,000 to $95,000; and, at least 25 percent of African Americans have no assets” according to the Institute on Assets and Social Policy at Brandeis University.

A study by United for a Fair Economy stated “for every dollar of white per-capita income, in 1968, African Americans had 55 cents and only 57 cents in 2001. At this pace, it would take African Americans 581 years to get the remaining 43 cents and achieve income parity with whites.”

According to U.S. Census data, white household median net worth is 10 times that of Black households. The median net worth for African Americans was $11,800 compared with $118,000 for whites. According to a 2007 Pew Charitable Trusts study, “nearly half of African Americans born to middle-income parents in the late 1960s plunged into poverty or near-poverty as adults” and “forty-five percent of black children whose parents were solidly middle class in 1968 – a stratum with a median income of $55,600 in inflation adjusted dollars – grew up to be among the lowest fifth of the nation’s earners, with a median family income of $23,100.”

These indisputable facts point out that middle income whites have far more wealth than even some high income African Americans. Equally disturbing, educational success achieved by many Blacks has not led to racial wealth equality. The current economic crisis that we confront will only serve to exacerbate and magnify the growing wealth disparity.

How do we address this compelling national crisis? First, we must admit that a history of institutionalized racial and economic discrimination against African Americans is the primary cause of wealth disparity between Black and white Americans.

Unless this harsh reality is addressed, the wealth gap will continue unabated and we will confront a society where many black Americans are the recipient of entitlements and white Americans are faced with making transfer payments to support the economic well being of these African American families.

I wish the answers to close the wealth gap were as politically palatable and acceptable as proposals to make our public schools better for minorities, to retrain minority workers for the new jobs market, and aggressively enforce laws against racial and economic discrimination. Over the years, this Nation has been committed to all of these objectives, but these efforts have not and will not close the Black wealth gap.

I suggest that if we are serious about closing the wealth gap we must first be willing to talk about race recognition remedies and this discussion must take place at the highest levels of government as well as between Black and white Americans. I recognize that public policy based on race is extremely provocative and controversial, but controversy should not prevent a reasonable dialogue about a societal dilemma that is real and economically devastating in its potential to millions of African Americans.

Therefore, to initiate this dialogue, I submit the growing wealth gap qualifies as a “compelling national interest” permitting the government to enact “narrowly tailored” policies based on race. In the Adarand case, the Supreme Court ruled “a racial or ethnic classification must serve a compelling interest and must be narrowly tailored to serve that interest.” In my opinion, the wealth gap between Black and white Americans meets that test.

Here are my public policy suggestions to address this compelling national problem and to get the conversation started.

The Federal Government should:

1. Allow black businesses to be eligible for government set aside contracts if they own 10 percent of a business rather than the existing 51 percent due to the 10-to-1 wealth gap between Blacks and whites — the African American owner must retain control of the board of directors and voting control. Significantly increase the dollar volume of set aside contracts for Black businesses at all government agencies.

2. Encourage majority-owned businesses to invest in black-owned companies by significantly reducing or deferring the taxes on the economic gain from those investments similar to the FCC “tax certificate policy” which motivated majority-owned media companies to sell properties to minorities.

3. Allow African American families earning less than $250,000 annually to defer federal income taxes, without interest, provided tax deferrals are placed into a 401(k) type savings account which can only be drawn out at retirement or upon death at which time the government would be reimbursed for the deferred taxes. The gain on the 401(k) investment would be available to the families at retirement or passed on to future generations.

4. Create a Treasury-backed fund to securitize short-term borrowing or emergency loans made by minority banks or other lending institutions to African American families provided these loans are marketed and made in a regulated and transparent manner. The securitized loans would encourage banks and lenders to make short-term or emergency borrowing available at reasonable rates and end payday lending as we know it today.

5. Require large banks under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to fund a nationwide marketing campaign targeted to the African American community, particularly young adults that will focus on financial literacy and savings.

Many of these proposals are incorporated in some form or another in current policy and are usually based on economic disparities i.e. poor versus rich. This philosophy does not acknowledge the racial nexus of wealth disparity between Blacks and whites. With African Americans facing a wealth gap Tsunami, I believe the time to do that is now.

About The RLJ Companies
The RLJ Companies, founded by Robert L. Johnson, is an innovative business network that provides strategic investments in a diverse portfolio of companies. The RLJ Companies seeks to target undiscovered or underserved markets then exercise solid management to achieve results. Within The RLJ Companies portfolio, Johnson owns or holds majority interests in businesses operating in banking, private equity, hospitality, automobile dealerships, entertainment, and video lottery terminal (VLT) gaming. The RLJ Companies is headquartered in Bethesda, MD, with affiliate operations in Charlotte, NC; Orlando, FL; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; San Juan, PR; and Monrovia, Liberia. Prior to founding The RLJ Companies, Johnson was founder and chairman of Black Entertainment Television (BET). For more information go to www.rljcompanies.com

 Residents in Western Cook County now eligible 

 Chicago, IL – Residents and business owners in Chicago’s Western Suburbs that were hit with severe storms and flooding over the weekend are eligible for low-interest disaster recovery loans, Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias announced today.

 So far, twelve western suburban areas have been declared disaster areas by local officials after heavy storms on Saturday led to major flooding and caused property damage to many buildings and homes. The Treasurer’s Office expects more declarations this week. The local declarations make residents and business owners eligible for the Opportunity Illinois: Disaster Recover Loan Program.

 Under the loan programs, the Treasurer’s Office obtains below-market interest rates for storm victims in declared disaster areas who finance their disaster repairs through participating, local lenders. As of today, loan rates would be no more than 3.5 percent.

 “Our programs offer immediate relief to residents and business owners who are either underinsured or who need help making repairs before their insurance payments arrive,” Giannoulias said. “Access to a quick, affordable loan is often just what people need to recover from devastating property damage and to get their lives back on track.” 

The 11 western suburbs and one township include: Bellwood, Berwyn, Broadview, Cicero, Forest Park, Hillside, Main Township, Maywood, Melrose Park, Oak Park, Stone Park and Westchester. 

Residents, business owners and farmers that expect insurance to cover their damages can qualify for one-year bridge loans with interest-only payments. These loans are designed to be paid off in one lump sum when insurance or aid comes through. 

Underinsured residents, business owners and farmers can qualify for low-interest loans with repayment terms of up to five years. The underinsured storm victims must make payments on the interest and principal for loans exceeding one year. Also, loans with terms longer than two years require a compliance review. 

To participate in the Opportunity Illinois loan programs, borrowers must:

• Own damaged property in an area declared a local, state or federal disaster area
• Secure a loan up to their damage amount with a participating lender
• File the application within 90 days of the state or federal disaster declaration
• Use the money for disaster recovery

The Treasurer’s Office is currently enrolling local financial institutions in the programs, beginning with the 85 local financial institutions that are already approved to accept state depositories. They include Citizens Community Bank of Illinois in Berwyn, West Town Savings Bank in Cicero and First Suburban National Bank in Maywood. 

If you are a resident, business owner or banker who needs more information on Opportunity Illinois call the storm victim hotline at (866) 523-0641 or email opportunityillinois@treasurer.state.il.us.

Call for entries open through August 9, 2010 

Beyond Sport, the global initiative that promotes, develops and funds the use of sport to create positive social change, has launched a new opportunity for Chicago-based sport projects – the United Airlines Chicago Impact Award. 

The Award, launched in conjunction with the global Beyond Sport Summit 2010 in Chicago (September 29-30), will provide funding and business support for the sport project that has made the most impact in a Chicagoland community.

“As the Global Airline Partner for Beyond Sport, we are thrilled to be able to recognize and honour a sport initiative in our own hometown that addresses a critical societal need in an innovative way,” said Marci Kaminsky, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility for United. 

“We look forward to helping strengthen and support a deserving organization that is having a meaningful impact in the community”.

The call for entries for the United Airlines Chicago Impact Award will be open until August 9, 2010. Chicagoland organizations that are doing unique and innovative work to drive social change through sport are encouraged to apply. The nominees will be vetted by a specially selected judging panel, and the winner will be decided by public vote via the Beyond Sport website.

The winner will be announced on September 29 in a special presentation ceremony at the Mayor’s Welcome Reception for the Summit at the United Center in Chicago .

Joining Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley at the Summit to help further the mission of Beyond Sport and discuss ways to accelerate the positive impact of sport on communities will be a number of influential global figures including HRH Prince Faisal Al Hussein of Jordan; multi-Olympic gold medallists Ian Thorpe and Michael Johnson; FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke; and Care USA specialist Dr. Auma Obama. The Summit will also be attended by leaders from business, sport, social innovation, and government, with high-profile representatives from companies and organizations from around the world.

To learn more about the United Airlines Chicago Impact Award, and to enter for a chance to win funding for your project, visit www.beyondsport.org.

Beyond Sport is a global organisation that promotes, develops and funds the use of sport to create positive social change across the world.

By Juanita Bratcher

Several years ago, a writer aquaintance wrote a fictional novel about the first African-American being elected president of the United States of America. Surely, when writing this book, never in his wildest imagination did he foresee it happening so quickly – but at least he creatively concocted the idea in his mind and put it onto paper (his book).

Herman Cromwell Gilbert, author of “The Negotiations: A Novel of Tomorrow,” released the book in May 1983. Gilbert has since died, and long before Barack Obama was sworn-in as President of the United States.

So even though one can say Gilbert’s thinking was way before its time - the possibility of a Black becoming president – he was not around to see his creativeness become reality. 

For those who read his book, perhaps he took them on a “what if” fantasy ride with his thoughts. And I’m sure that some of those readers wished and dreamed along with him while others probably looked at it as pure cockermania. However, whatever images they had in mind while reading the book – whether they looked at it as fantasy or fiction – they can now look at the book as a creation in Gilbert’s mind that somehow found itself in the true annals of history.

Just a Thought 

By Juanita Bratcher

Wild allegations, senseless rhetoric, inflammatory remarks, misinformation, incendiary voices and hatemongering are see-sawing their way through our daily lives nowadays via the Internet, Blogosphere, radio and television. And many of these slanderous offenders justify their actions as “freedom of speech”, their First Amendment rights of the U.S. Constitution. 

The aforementioned statement is by no means being critical of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That legislation is rock solid. Our forefathers who wrote and signed the U.S. Constitution into law did an honorable job. And certainly, I’m in total agreement with it. My criticism is with those actions of “rabble-rousers” who cling to First Amendment rights to slander others, say hurtful and disparaging remarks, display despicable signs, and deliberately spew out misinformation they know is not true, but as a means to plant chaotic seeds of distrust in others.

                      “Congress shall make no law respecting an

                      establishment of religion, or prohibiting the

                    free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of

                  speech, or of the press; or the right of the

                 people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the

               Government for a redress of grievances” – First

              Amendment to the U.S.  Constitution.

Then there is the Second Amendment to the Constitution…the right to bear arms.

        “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security

        of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear

       Arms, shall not be infringed” – Second Amendment

      to the U.S. Constitution 

There was an awkward display of that right at some of the health reform rallies when some of the participants showed up with guns strapped to their hips.

Many of these hate mongers have no leadership qualities or skills and no credible ideas. Their goal and intentions are to keep havoc going by using scare tactics, smear their targets and create fear. They demonize and vilify their targets through false and misinformation. And they will say any and everything even though they know it to be inaccurate and not the absolute truth. They spew out hatred and “doctor” information to divide this country. They give power and life to lies. They do not disseminate constructive ideas or provide any relevant information, yet there are those who buy into their garbage because of lack of knowledge.

It is the “dumbing-down” of those who listen and accept their messages as the absolute truth. And many of these messengers spreading these false claims are making buckets full of money in the process, while at the same time, riling and building up hatred in some recipients of their messages.

As Americans and as a country (these United States of America), we are better than that!!!

Note: Amendment 1 – Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression. Ratified 12/15/1791.

Amendment 2 – Right to Bear Arms. Ratified 12/15/1791.

The first ten Amendments collectively are commonly known as the Bill of Rights 

Source: U.S. Constitution Online

  (A Message from the Better Business Bureau) 

The BBB also notes that when most people respond to an advertisement for working at home, such as stuffing envelopes, they will generally receive – for a fee – instructions as to how to place similar ads in other publications, also offering work at home opportunities. Allegedly, they will get paid for each response you receive and send back to the original company. 

Letters to the Editor                                                                                    

With regard to Solicitor General (Elena) Kagan, I would support her nomination.  Ms. Kagan appears to be modest and thoughtful not because she expected this nomination but because she is modest and thoughtful.  Under the Constitution, only the President can make this nomination and Solicitor General Kagan is one of the more careful nominees he could have picked.
 
Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist No. 76: “To what purpose then require the cooperation of the Senate?  I answer that the necessity of their concurrence would have a powerful, though in general a silent operation.  It would be an excellent check upon a spirit of favoritism in the president, would tend generally to prevent the appointment of unfit characters from family connection, from personal attachment, and from a view to popularity.”
 
Under this tradition, the Senate tempered any partisan review of the president’s choice.  Recently, justices Ginsberg (96-3), Kennedy (97-0), Stevens (98-0), Scalia (98-0), Bryer (87-9) and Roberts (78-22) were confirmed by bipartisan majorities that applied the Federalist standard.  I note Solicitor General Kagan earned support from the American Bar Association and conservative judges Estrada and McConnell. 
 
Ms. Kagan’s decision to ban military recruiters from Harvard troubled me. During her hearings, she committed to follow the unanimous Supreme Court ruling striking down that ban.  I also note she considered the death penalty settled law and successfully won her case before the Supreme Court affirming the government’s position against terrorists.

Editor’s Note: Congressman Mark Kirk, a Republican, is running for the U.S. Senate from Illinois