Dear Friends,

I am sitting at the final showing of Swan Lake at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra— 4 nights, 5000 audience members— many who have only heard of Redmoon- now introduced to one of the many achievements of Redmoon, and many of our fans— who choose to follow us most anywhere. We could not have had a better experience here— the staff, the union, and all of the artistic team— Martha Gilmore, CSO Artistic Director, especially— have been remarkably pleased with our professionalism and our shadow creation.

Redmoon’s team: Jim, Alex, Lee, Mike and Gabe have done wonderful work as makers and representatives of the theater. We have been introduced to many fascinating people. And we worked alongside Maestro Polianichko— who earlier this week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev recognized his distinguished service to his nation’s music by awarding him the title ‘Honored Artist of Russia’— one of the most distinguished awards for an artist in Russia. What an honor to perform on the same stage as such a amazing and important artist. He has been consistently impressed with our work this week— watching us shape, change and develop the work, to its wonderful conclusion. 

Martha Gilmore requested a picture of our September Spectacle at Belmont Harbor, “Last of my Species”, to give to Yo Yo Ma, who just this week was named Creative Consultant for the CSO. Ma’s three-year appointment was announced by CSO music director designate Riccardo Muti at an appearance at New York’s Lincoln Center, where Muti was being named Musician of the Year by Musical America. Martha thinks Redmoon and Yo Yo Ma would enjoy each other greatly. And she hopes the team meets him soon.

So, with only a couple weekends of an oversold Winter Pageant left (Redmoon Central is packed to the brim with joy and chaos), an aesthetically arresting event at the CSO, and a great 2009— of which we can and should all recall: our successful March 2009 Lunatique, our excellently consistent and community impactful Neighborhood Arts Programming, “The Momentary Opera” throughout Chicago, our most successful spectacle event to date— “Last of my Species”, a historic trip to the White House, Jim’s appointment by the City of Chicago as Artist in Residence (the first ever of its kind), “Once Upon a Time” to France, “Hunchback” in Rockefeller Chapel, and a critically acclaimed “Winter Pageant”— we are simply grateful and confident about our work, mission and community that is Redmoon. Grateful and confident for the support of our board of directors, for a great artistic team of unwavering artisans with boundless creativity, for a tireless and committed administrative team, for a devoted and meticulous production team, the hundreds of artists who labored over Redmoons art, for the many, many young emerging performers and artists who trained with us this year, and for all our fans who continue to locate us, celebrate our work, and appreciate the Redmoon vision of a New Public Art committed to and reflective of the muscle and poetry of the most beautiful city in the country, Chicago.

I thank all of you for your commitment to this team, this work, and this vision.

To a glorious and powerful 2010— 20 years of hard work will pay off in ways we cannot even imagine.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Bombastic Behavior to all…

Many thanks and much respect,

Frank Maugeri
Artistic Director, Redmoon Theater
Chicago