A wine tasting and light appetizer reception is being held to support the Illinois Theatre Center. (Photo: ITC)
Park Forest, IL–(ENEWSPF)– The Illinois Theatre Center in Park Forest is facing some hard times. Because of serious cutbacks in funding for the arts, Etel Billig has had a hard time keeping the ITC afloat. Last year, when the Village of Park Forest received a $7.3 million settlement from the Canadian National railway system, the Village made a $10,000 grant available to ITC if it could match that amount with donations from other sources; Etel was able to do so.
This year, however, it’s been an even more difficult time for the theatre.
To help fill the gap, the Rotary of Park Forest is sponsoring a wine tasting and light appetizer reception prior to a production at the theatre on Saturday, April 30, at a price of $30 per individual or $50 per couple. The event will be hosted at the Tall Grass Arts Association Gallery, 367 Artists Walk, in DownTown Park Forest, from 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
The fundraiser is expected to generate funds to help keep the theatre operating.
ITC is a professional Equity (union) theatre, one of the very few in our area outside of downtown Chicago. The productions always are top-notch, albeit the audiences usually are smaller than they should be.
It is hoped that this fundraiser will increase awareness of the quality of ITC at the same time that it raises some needed funds.
