Auditorium Theatre 2018-19 Issue 2 Hubbard Street Dance

January 19 - March 3, 2019 | AUDITORIUM THEATRE 2018-19 | 23 Auditorium Theatre: All of you have such unique first encounters with the Auditorium Theatre. What are your first memories of the theatre? Pamela Crutchfield: I think it was in the 70s when I attended a performance of Swan Lake by American Ballet Theatre. Then I saw Joni Mitchell and Elton John a few years later. I was awestruck by the beauty of the building. I don’t think I had ever been in a more beautiful building. It felt like church. Patti Eylar: When I first moved to Chicago, I wanted to see Ballet Fólklorico de México, and by a combination of frugality and seat availability, I ended up in the last row at the very top of the amazing Auditorium Theatre. After that, I paid for better seats! Charlie Gardner: I remember seeing Cinderella performed by Chicago City Ballet in the early 80s. I have always loved the theatre and became involved at first in efforts to maintain and preserve it. Bill Mahoney: Amalia and I attended rock concerts in the 1970s and saw Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, and Miss Saigon in the 90s. We also love The Joffrey Ballet. The architecture is splendid and the history of the Auditorium is inspiring and intimidating. AT:What interestedyou in supporting the commission of this new work? PC: The major reason is that I’m a Robyn Mineko Williams fan. I watched her dance many years at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and before that at River North. I’ve seen her choreography and watched her grow as an artist. I also went to Cuba a few years ago and saw Malpaso, and I became a fan of theirs as well. How could I not support two loves that have come together for two exciting evenings of dance? PE: I was in the audience for one of the very first performances of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago — when it was just four women. Later, I met Robyn when she was a dancer in the company, though I didn't know her well. I'm also a fan of collaborations, and Charlie and I were happy to help. CG: I am a dance enthusiast, immediate past chairman of the Auditorium Theatre, a Life Trustee at Hubbard Street, and a fan of Robyn Mineko Williams. I also wanted to support the Auditorium’s past CEO, who was born in Cuba, in her desire to bring Malpaso to Chicago. Amalia Mahoney: I am a member of the Board of Trustees at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, and Malpaso was a featured performer at our Cuban Arts Festival in May of 2018. Bill and I visited Havana in 2017, saw Malpaso in action, and were instrumental in bringing them to the Kennedy Center. They are independent, energetic, and gifted. BM: Artistic collaboration with Cuba is growing, but it is not easy. I believe Robyn is a brilliant choreographer and has the ability and temperament to navigate an artistic project with these unique logistical challenges. AT: What do you think the importance of a cross- cultural artistic exchange such as this one is? AM & BM: The arts are a unifier — a way to build bridges, not walls. CG & PE: Cross-cultural exchanges are more important than ever. They can only help improve our current cultural climate. PC: One of the things I love about the Auditorium Theatre is that it continually encourages cross-cultural artistic exchange, which promotes respect and understanding between cultures. It makes one more open to new ideas. AT: What do you envision the outcomes of this project will be? CG: I hope the commissioning of a new work for an international company such as Malpaso enhances the Auditorium’s stature as a national treasure for the presentation of artists from around the world. PC: I am hoping that a number of patrons who love dance, but don’t necessarily know [Hubbard Street or Malpaso] or Robyn, will see the program, love it, and come back for more. It is also a really positive sign that the arts are leading the way in our community to help bridge understanding between different cultures. PE: Hubbard Street has always brought important choreographers to Chicago audiences. I’m thinking Twyla Tharp, Ohad Naharin, and Nacho Duato. For this project, we not only get to experience a choreographer we haven't seen — with Osnel Delgado setting a work on Hubbard Street — but we also get to see the dancers of Malpaso performing work by a Chicago choreographer. AM: The partnership between Hubbard Street and Malpaso will be a wonderful addition to the pantheon of world- class performers who have appeared at the Auditorium. BM: Seeing both of these companies share the stage will be breathtaking. HubbardStreet DanceChicago andMalpaso Dance Company perform at the Auditorium Theatre on March 2 and 3, 2019. The Auditorium Theatre thanks Pamela Crutchfield, Patti Eylar & Charlie Gardner, and Amalia & Bill Mahoney for their generosity. This project could not happen without their support.