Chicago is an expensive city to call home. It has many food deserts.

Plus, it’s not complicated. People need food.

When I was in grad school at Northwestern, I was one of four members in my cohort to have a play selected for the 2020 Festival of New Works. My play New Dementian was workshopped with a performance.

But I bet you noticed the year of the festival—2020. Right before my final quarter of grad school, the COVID pandemic exploded. The play was still workshopped and performed, just over Zoom. Which was great, but also, not as great.

Since the world was in a bad place (to dangerously simplify) I wanted make the best out of a less than ideal situation.

I reached out on behalf of the play festival to the Greater Chicago Food Depository and in lieu of selling tickets, on the weekend of the performances, our virtual audience members were able to donate to the food bank. We raised over $1,000 in donations on top of showcasing our work.

FAQs

Q: Was this some weird, long humble brag about going to grad school and donating money during a pandemic?

A: No, you clicked on the long answer. I’m just explaining my connection to this organization.

Q: Was New Dementian a Semifinalist for the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference?

A: Yes, thanks for asking.

Also my father-in-law ran a food bank in Upstate New York for decades.

Plus, it’s not complicated. People need food.