[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 106 (Thursday, September 9, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1576]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING VICTORY GARDENS THEATER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RAHM EMANUEL

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 9, 2004

  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Victory Gardens 
Theater of Chicago for their twenty-eight memorable seasons of 
excellence and artistic achievement on the occasion of the world 
premiere of The Family Gold by Annie Reiner.
  Since 1974 Victory Gardens Theater has flourished in its mission to 
support some of Chicago's most talented playwrights. In only a few 
years time, the theater became a major staple of the Illinois 
performing arts community, producing such successes as Stacy Myatt's 
The Velvet Rose.
  In 1977, Dennis Zacek was recruited as the theater's new Artistic 
Director. Nationally renowned for his 150 productions, Zacek quickly 
moved the theater in many new innovative and creative directions, 
meriting the prestigious 1997 Sidney R. Yates Arts Advocacy Award.
  Over the years, the Victory Gardens Theater has allied with several 
established production companies, most notably the Body Politic 
Theatre, as well as emerging groups including MPAACT, Roadworks 
Productions and Remy-Bumppo. These collaborations have brought to 
Chicago the finest and most imaginative on-stage productions available. 
Featured playwrights have included Steve Carter, whose drama Pecong 
went on to productions in London, Newark, Minneapolis and San 
Francisco, and James Sherman, whose Beau Jest went on to become the 
longest-running show in the history of the Lambs Theatre in New York 
and has subsequently been translated into four different languages and 
performed in eight countries.
  In 2001, the Victory Gardens Theater was globally honored with the 
Tony Award for its continuous level of artistic achievement in the 
development of playwrights and their work.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the high level of creative writing and 
acting consistently produced by the Victory Gardens Theater. I join 
with the people of Chicago in congratulating Victory Gardens Theater on 
their numerous achievements both on and off the stage, and wish them 
continued success with The Family Gold and all of their future 
productions.

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