2020 ANNUAL REPORTTheir stories. Their transformation.

storycatcherstheatre.org

WHEN OBSTACLES BLOCK MY DREAMS

I HAVE A WAY TO BUILD MY SELF-ESTEEM

I TAKE PEN AND PAPER OFF THE SHELF

AND WRITE A LOVE LETTER TO MYSELF

I WRITE A LOVE LETTER TO MYSELF

I TELL MYSELF WHO I AM

EVERYTHING I’VE DONE AND WHAT I CAN

DEAR WORLD, PLEASE EMBRACE ME

I WRITE SO NO ONE WILL EVER ERASE ME

I WRITE A LOVE LETTER TO MYSELF

DEAR ME, DEAR ME, DEAR ME,

YOU ARE ENERGETIC, WHOLESOME, FUNNY

YOUR RANDOM AWKWARD STARES SO SUNNY

YOU SAY YOU HAVE A HEART OF STONE

BUT YOUR TEDDY BEAR HEART IS WHAT I OWN

We began 2020 with optimism and excitement. We were working with the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice to build a robust juvenile prison-to-employment transition. In January, our jobs program held its first graduation ceremony. In February, we began hiring our next post-release ensemble.

Then, in March, everything changed.

A global pandemic stopped everything in its tracks. Civil unrest surged. And both these crises disproportionately affect the already marginalized young people that we serve.

Our teaching artists met this unprecedented moment with creativity and compassion. We are proud to say that all our programs continued throughout the shutdown, producing dynamic, powerful youth-created material expressing their perspectives and reflecting their voices.

Now, we look forward with hope and – once again – optimism. Governor Pritzker has announced a bold plan to transform our juvenile justice system by eliminating large facilities in favor of small group homes that will provide children and teens with restorative justice practices and a nurturing environment. Storycatchers was described by juvenile justice leadership as a catalyst for this reform. We are honored to play a role in this new direction that recognizes the power and potential in remarkable young people who will blossom if we offer them a just and equitable world in which to grow.

Thank you,

OUR VISION

Priya Shah, Executive Director Meade Palidofsky, Artistic Director

COMMUNITY NEEDStorycatchers is dedicated to meeting the needs of youth in the juvenile justice system, whose lives have been shaped by this country’s long history of racial inequity.

In Illinois, the population of incarcerated youth is 71% African-American, 10% Hispanic, and 4% Biracial. Most have grown up in neighborhoods suffering from generations of disinvestment and then come of age in prisons and detention centers. Following release, they face overwhelming obstacles.

COVID-19 is exposing racial disparities like few events in recent U.S. history, infecting and killing disproportionately high numbers of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other people of color. Youth in prison, unable to receive family visits, agonize over whether their loved ones will survive the pandemic before they can see them again. Those navigating reentry are returning to communities with limited access to the resources needed to stay safe and healthy.

These young people have never needed our support more than during this terrible year. Storycatchers has responded by maintaining all our programs, remotely when necessary, in person where possible. We will stand with the youth we serve as we always have and help them to shape a better tomorrow.

IMPACT ON INCARCERATED YOUTHThe Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice and the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center worked diligently with us throughout the shutdown to continue our programs through video calls, Google Hangouts, and other forms of digital interaction. We continue to explore alternatives to live performances, such as livestream release of recordings of youth-created work; podcasts of youth sharing their original scenes and songs; and Zoom presentations.

138YOUTH

PARTICIPANTS

269PROGRAM SESSIONS

17LIVE

PERFORMANCES

3DIGITAL

PERFORMANCES55FACILITY RESIDENTS

787FAMILY AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS

337DIGITAL AUDIENCE MEMBERS

Audiences:

IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITYOur Changing Voices program employs young people recently released from the justice system in a performing arts development, job readiness curriculum for 30 hours per week. In the fall of 2019, we prepared the program’s first official graduation ceremony and hired a new ensemble in February 2020. We froze recruitment in March and created artistic and case management curriculum that could be conducted remotely. All 15 young people hired in 2020 remained employed through August 31, the end of the Storycatchers fiscal year.

36YOUNG PEOPLE

EMPLOYED

14GRADUATED

TO NEXT-STEP OPPORTUNITIES IN

JANUARY 2020

103CHICAGO POLICE

DEPARTMENT RECRUITS

Two workshops for:

10 performances and workshops for:

73AT-RISK YOUTH

195FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS

TOTAL ENGAGEMENT

TOTALEXPENSES$1,599,791

Foundations: $651,858 Government: $128,839Corporations: $23,027 Special Events: $6,954 Individual Giving: $588,405 Earned Income: $467,855

Programs: $1,071,349 Development: $163,909Administration: $364,533

TOTALREVENUE

$1,866,938 2020 FISCAL YEAR

174PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

32COMMUNITY PERFORMANCES

1550AUDIENCE MEMBERS

We have sustained our healing-centered programs throughout the shutdown. In large part, this is thanks to our remarkable partners. It’s hard to convey just how much the flexibility and cooperation demonstrated by the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice and the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center meant during this unpredictable and confusing time. They worked with us to make sure that the youth never felt abandoned.

In the meanwhile, the endlessly inventive Changing Voices team made sure that 15 young people had what

they needed in order to stay on track while navigating extraordinary challenges at home.

All of this placed exceptional demands upon the staff of Storycatchers. We recognized that we were living through an historically stressful time, dealing with our own stress and fear while also absorbing the traumatic stories of the young people we serve. We have a climate of support, working to care for one another as well as the youth, and experiencing unprecedented trauma – together.

A CULTURE OF HEALING AND PARTNERSHIP

INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONSThis list recognizes gifts made by individual donors from 9/1/19-8/31/20.

If you see any omissions or errors, please contact Rachel Combs at rhcombs@storycatcherstheatre.org

$100,000 +Lael Johnson*

Iris Witkowsky*

$20,000 - $30,000

Stan Barrish*

W. Keren Vishny

$10,000 - $19,999

Andrew and Amy Bluhm

Leslie Buchbinder

Stephen Henderson and James LaForce

$5,000 - $9,999

Jason and Andi Ingram

Yvonne Lange* and Ted Steck

Jan Petry

Walter Stearns and Eugene Dizon

$1,000 - $4,999

Anonymous (2)

Marty Behn* and Diane Paserba

Ron and Barbara* Blumenthal

David Brackett

Eric Celauro*

Mary Kay Conley

Phillip and Marsha Dowd

Zachary and Stephanie Duloc

Kendra J. Freeman*

Carla Goldstein*

Dean Grosshandler and Susan Weiss

Lee Hamilton

Eugenie Johnson

Linda Kenny

Melissa Kronthal and Aaron Salsbury

Andrew Markey

William and Penny Obenshain

Jim Pellegrino and Susan Goldman

John and Myrna Petlicki

Rhoda Reeling*

Nancy Robinson

Carol S. Sadow

Pamela Sheffield

David Sowinski*

$500 - $999

Michael Ahern and Karen Coppa

Paul and Mary Anderson

Michael and Helen Arkes

Katherine Ballinger

Norman and Virginia Bobins

Bette Cerf-Hill

Debra Connolly

Susan Ettelson

Sylvia Fergus

Robert and Micki Friedman

Stephen and Deidra Gold

Cara Beth Heath

Natalie Hoffman

Anne Kern

Roger and Alvina Kiley

Jay and Robin Lewis

Bruce McInnes and Christiana Dittmann

John A. McLees

Mary A. Mills

Kyle Nelson

Michael Bruce and Sally Odland

Leonard and Eileen Palevsky

Chuck and Beth Palid

Elisabeth Payne

Paul Rich

Jon Samuels

Eugene and Jean Stark

Alex Stompoly and the Actors Commons

Michael and Jane Strauss

Casey and Sara Thiel

$250 - $499

Anonymous (1)

Ronald and Queta Bauer

Carol Brook

Justice Anne M. Burke

Megan Cawley

Patricia Cleveland

Judy Cottle

Julie Danis

Jessica Doyle

Clifton L. and Judith Wallis Fenton

Marjorie Freed

Harvey and Cathy Friedman

Nancy Gidwitz

Richard and Mary L. Gray

Kelly Hallberg

Katie Hill

Dawn Irwin

Carol Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Chris and Linda Marder

David and Sandra Matteson

Jossy Nebenzahl

Robert and Caryle Perlman

Paulette Petretti

Steve Robinson

Pia Sawhney

Swati Saxena

Tamara Schiller and Charles Hoffman

Robert Schneider

Alice Schreyer

Jennifer Seals

Myron and Bev Shapiro

Barry and Andrea Sidorow

Robert and Mary Sowinski

Houston and Diana A. Stokes

Jonathan Stutz and Jean Clarkson

Julia Wheeler

Karen Zupko

$100 - $249

Anonymous (3)

Michele Cleary Allen

Alliance Bernstein

Mim Ari

Susan and Stephen Baird

Steve Baron

Ed Barrish

Stephen and Sherry Barrish

Tim and Eloise Barron

Nancy Bentley

Bruce and Susan Berger

Erin Blair

Henry and Joan Bliss

James Block and Ruth Fuerst

Richard Block and Marcia Horan

Debbie Block Temin

Michael and Nancy Braun

Joseph and Cathy Bremer

Ann Brody

Barry Bursak and Maria Sigman

Virginia Chang

Paul Chapman

David Cohen

Michael and Mary Combs

Natalie Cone

Sally Dempsey

Feiman Ding

Roberta Dionello

Lynn Donaldson

Lilly Eng

Susan Fisher

Adrian Foster

Charlotte Frei

Freda Friedman

Anne Frost

Neal and Deborah Gaebler-Spira

Michael Gelder

Andrew and Amy Gelman

Melvin and Patti Gerbie

Mark Gewirtz

Becky Gould

Susan Gourley

Anthony and Susan Grosch

Bonnie S. Hawkins

Kara Henry

Mrs. James Herst

John Hirsch

James and Lois Hobart

Kevin and Jan Holland

Cliff and Sharon Hollander

John and Molly Hope

Stuart and Marcia Hruska

Abisola Jegede

James Jensen

Kathryn Johnson

Michael and Marion Johnson

Scott and Susan Johnson

Pamela Kaul Gresty

Neil and Diana Hunt King

Carl Kutsmode

Katy Laforge

Ladonna Lane

Isabel Langas

Max D Leifer

Ken and Jean Lesser

Marliss Levin

Eva Liu

Richard and Joan Mandel

Jennifer Markell

Nancy McDaniel

Jim and Mary McShane

Allan and Linda Mellis

Tim and Katie Mulcahy

Luigi Mumford

Melinda Tippet Munson

Thomas and Ann Nash

Susan Bass Noel

Katherine Ortega

Hallie Palladino

Susie Peck-Stone

Allison Perkins

Diane Pezanoski

Marina C. Phelps

Matthew and Sarah Aucutt Pickering

Peggy Porter

Charlene Posner

Merrill Prager

Linda Randall

Joy Rasin

Badonna Reingold

Kristen Rinaker

Kent and Deborah Rinehart

Barbara Rocah

Mary Kathleen Rundell

Jay Safier

Virginia Saft Mond

Karen Schneider

David and Judith Sensibar

Donald and Barbara Sered-Zabelin

Ajit and Vasudha Shah

Ashwin Shah

Michael and Karen Siemer

David Silver

Daniel Sobel

Mel and Maxine Solomon

Adlai and Nancy Stevenson

Lucy Sullivan

Stephanie Sweitzer*

Joann Tall

Michael and Dorothea Tobin

Stan and Anne Trecker

Beth Vinkler

Peggy Wagener

Steve and Helene Walsey

Nancy Watrous

Robin Wold

Gregg Wolper

Larry and Sue Yellen

Bobbi Zabel

Patricia Zeglen

$1 - $99

Barbara A. Bankoff

Molly Billion

Joni Block

Judith Bohn

Sarah Breiter

Cynthia Bridges

Amanda Cage

Allan and Gina Carter

Anna Ceraso

Nancy Chalifour

Nancy W. Cook

Emily Daigle

Jane Dewey

Howard Ellison

Dany Fields

Julie Foreman

James Freund

Madalyn Frigo and Chris Pope

Lou Gatti

Sharon Gilmore

Philip and Christine Grant

Brooke Guthrie

Mary E. Hafertepe

Nora Handler

Kristin Herndon

Nicole Hill

Greg Block and Karen Hoffman

Lynne V. Hoyer

Mary Hungerford

Carol Johnson

Robert Kemins

Carol Kim

Danielle Lazar

Jay Leonard

Harvey and Gail Levinson

Daisy Lindas

John Luisi

Linda Maraldo

Shannon Metts

Nancy Metzger

Stephanie G Morgan

Heidi Joanne Nast

Cliff and Diane Niersbach

Elizabeth Nystedt

Everett and Lillian Petlicki

Jerry Peven

Marian Premer

Briony Price

Prayuj Pushkarna

Claudia Howard Queen

Leslie Rosen

McKinley and Barbara Ross

Matthew Roth

Roberta Salas

Rebecca Schwartz

Howard and Roberta Siegel

Kyle Silliman

Aja Singletary

James and Laurel Anne Skomer

Donald Sprague and Ray Grant

Steven and Cheri Springer

Mary Clare Starshak

Katherine M. Stelletello

Elaine Waxman

Ahadi J. White

Alan Wolf and Margot Weinberg

TRIBUTE LISTINGIn Honor of Stan BarrishJohn and Molly HopeStuart and Marcia HruskaStan and Anne Trecker

In Honor of Ron and Barbara BlumenthalHarvey and Cathy Friedman

In Honor of Cydney ClevelandBette Cerf-Hill

In Honor of Cheri CoonsStephen Henderson and James LaForce

In Honor of Tamara DrewElisabeth Payne

In Honor of Stephanie DulocMelissa Kronthal

In Memory of George FloydGreg Block and Karen Hoffman

In Honor of the Honorable Daniel J. GallagherDon Sprague and Ray Grant

In Memory of Max GassmanJoni BlockDebbie Block TeminRichard Block and Marcia HoranMegan Cawley and Terry Straker

In Honor of Susan GoldmanRon and Barbara Blumenthal

In Honor of Carla GoldsteinMichael Gelder

In Memory of Paul J. HaubenRoberta Salas

In Honor of Lael JohnsonEugenie Johnson

In Memory of Arthur KohrmanBarbara A. Bankoff

Nancy ChalifourJane DeweyJessica DoyleRichard and Joan MandelJennifer SealsHoward and Roberta Siegel

In Honor of LaDonna LaneKara Henry

In Honor Of Yvonne LangeRobert and Caryle Perlman

In Honor of Baby Magoto Kristin Herndon

In Honor of the Chris and Linda Marder FamilyChris and Linda Marder

In Memory of Daniel MarkeyAndrew Markey and his colleagues at Barings LLC

In Memory of Brandon McGhee LaDonna Lane

In Honor of Meade PalidofskyMerrill Prager

In Honor of John and Myrna PetlickiFeiman DingJulie ForemanLynne V. HoyerEverett and Lillian PetlickiStephen and Cheri Springer

In Honor of Rhoda ReelingMary Kay ConleyFreda Friedman

In Honor of Leica WildeAlex Stompoly and the Actors Commons

In Memory of Melvin WilliamsRhoda Reeling

In Honor of Iris WitkowskySusan FisherAndrew and Amy GelmanKathryn JohnsonAnne KernVirginia Saft Mond Larry and Sue Yellen

INSTITUTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS This list recognizes gifts made by institutional donors from 9/1/19-8/31/20.

If you see any omissions or errors, please contact Rachel Combs at rhcombs@storycatcherstheatre.org

$200,000 +Anonymous (1)

$50,000 - $100,000 Anonymous (1)Caerus FoundationReva and David Logan FoundationThe Crown FamilyThe MacArthur Fund for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at Prince

$25,000 - $49,999 Chicago Community FoundationIllinois Arts CouncilJoseph and Bessie Feinberg FoundationNational Endowment for the Arts

Richard H. Driehaus FoundationWalter E. Heller Foundation

$10,000 - $24,999Anonymous (1)Allstate Insurance CompanyAlphawood FoundationBright Promises FoundationChicago Office of Cultural Affairs & Special EventsLeo S Guthman FundLuther I. Replogle FoundationPritzker Pucker Family FoundationRobert and Isabelle Bass Foundation, Inc

$5,000 - $9,999Arbonne Charitable FoundationBenevity Community Impact FundRobert W. Galvin Foundation

$1,000 - $4,999Antares Capital LPartEquity Artist + Activist Community FundBenevolence Committee of Christ ChurchChurch Women United in IllinoisGofen and Glossberg, LLCShook, Hardy & BaconRichard Homer Wagner Foundation

$500 - $999First Congregational ChurchJudy Family FoundationPierce Family Charitable Foundation

$100 - $499Goozner Family FoundationHip Kids MarketMagid Glove & Safety

$1 - $99Amazon.SmileIBM Employee Services Center

Marty Behn, Chair

Kendra J. Freeman, Vice Chair

Cathy Williams, Treasurer

Yvonne Lange, Secretary

Barbara Blumenthal

Edmund Buck

Eric A. Celauro

Carla Goldstein

Lael Johnson

Gerald E. Lewis

Meade Palidofsky

Rhoda Reeling

Dave Sowinski

Stephanie Sweitzer

Emeritus Board

Members:

Stan Barrish

Iris Witkowsky

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR REMARKABLE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THEIR UNFLAGGING SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY.