ABOUT US
Still Point is a dynamic community of Chicago-based artists who use theatre to uplift, inform and inspire. We serve the community through two main branches of programming: producing original professional plays, and providing arts outreach programs to marginalized communities. These communities include adults with developmental disabilities, currently and formerly incarcerated women, and senior citizens.We strongly believe that making art is a basic human right. This creative expression also yields tangible benefits. It contributes to a more progressive and connected society. It supports innovation and is a catalyst for systemic change. We have observed time and again the powerful synergy that happens when groups of people collectively engage in forging thoughts and feelings into works of art. This is why we make our plays accessible to diverse audiences. This is why we are deeply invested in our outreach programs. We all matter, and art matters for all of us.
Still Point Theatre Collective is a federally registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Funding is received from various sources including individual tax-deductible donations, foundations, religious groups, and earned income through performance and workshop fees, and ticket sales.
ABOUT US
Still Point is a dynamic community of Chicago-based artists who use theatre to uplift, inform and inspire. We serve the community through two main branches of programming: producing original professional plays, and providing arts outreach programs to marginalized communities. These communities include adults with developmental disabilities, currently and formerly incarcerated women, and senior citizens.We strongly believe that making art is a basic human right. This creative expression also yields tangible benefits. It contributes to a more progressive and connected society. It supports innovation and is a catalyst for systemic change. We have observed time and again the powerful synergy that happens when groups of people collectively engage in forging thoughts and feelings into works of art. This is why we make our plays accessible to diverse audiences. This is why we are deeply invested in our outreach programs. We all matter, and art matters for all of us.
Still Point Theatre Collective is a federally registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Funding is received from various sources including individual tax-deductible donations, foundations, religious groups, and earned income through performance and workshop fees, and ticket sales.
MISSION
Still Point Theatre Collective uses the tools of theatre-making to inspire compassion, raise important social justice issues, and reduce the stigmas associated with incarceration and disability.Still Point Theatre Collective does not discriminate in either its hiring practices or in providing services based upon all of the following criteria: age, disability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
History of Still Point Theatre Collective
Actress and singer Lisa Wagner-Carollo always had a sincere desire to serve society, and as a young woman she began to formulate a vision of combining theatre, ministry, and social justice in a nonprofit. Her vision was realized when Still Point Theatre Collective was born in August of 1993, with St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church as its umbrella organization.
Haunted by God: The Life of Dorothy Day was originally produced by Call to Action in 1990, but became Still Point’s first touring play when it took over the show’s production in 1993. Since the mid 1990’s, the Collective has produced an interesting variety of work examining the human condition and shining a spotlight on important social issues. During the 1990’s, Still Point embraced the model of being an artist-run collective, and began to engage an ever-expanding circle of talented professional artists who contributed to the collective in unique and various ways.
Still Point embraced outreach work into its vision from its inception. The Collective’s first and longest lasting outreach program is the Imagination Workshop, originally established at Esperanza Community Services, which features drama workshops for adults with developmental disabilities. Today Still Point facilitates Imagination Workshop classes at various Chicago-based agencies, and runs a program at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church which is open to the public.
Still Point delved into a new area of outreach with the Persephone Project’s pilot program at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in 1998. Today our work serving incarcerated women includes programs at Cook County Jail and Lake County Jail. As an extension of this work, in 2007 the Collective created Sisters Rising, a touring ensemble comprised of formerly incarcerated women. In 2016 Still Point partnered with Grace House to create an original performance called The Power of Grace with an ensemble of formerly incarcerated women. Supporting both currently and formerly incarcerated women continues to be a priority.
In April of 2010, Still Point became approved as a federally registered 501c3 nonprofit. Funding is received from various sources including individual tax-deductible donations, foundations, religious groups, and earned income through performance and workshop fees, and ticket sales.
Throughout Still Point’s history, members of the Collective have been invited to attend potlucks, coffee hours, inclusive rituals, and other events designed to build community. We seek to nurture one another as fellow artists and travelers on life’s journey. Our motto remains: We all matter, and art matters for all of us.
