In Celebration of Sheldon Patinkin
Chicago luminaries and notable national stage and screen artists will celebrate the life and legacy of longtime Theatre chair and Chicago theatre director Sheldon Patinkin at A Celebration of the Life of Sheldon Patinkin Jan. 26, 2015. The event is being organized by the Theatre Department, Second City, and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Emcee of the event will be 30 Rock actor and Columbia College Chicago alumnus Scott Adsit. Other speakers for the event include Scandal actor and Steppenwolf Theatre co-founder and ensemble member Jeff Perry; Tony and Jeff Award-winning director, Steppenwolf ensemble member and Columbia College Chicago alumna Anna D. Shapiro; Obie and Jeff Award-winning director/actor and alumnus David Cromer; Steppenwolf Theatre artistic director Martha Lavey; Second City CEO and Columbia College Chicago Trustee Andrew Alexander; Second City director of Comedy Studies Anne Libera; Jeff Award-winning actor and Gift Theatre artistic director Michael PatrickThornton; Jeff Award-winning actor-director-playwright Tom Mula; actress Meg Thalken; and actress and director Caroline Latta. Also speaking will be president of Columbia College Chicago Dr. Kwang-Wu Kim and Patinkin family members Lynn Patinkin and Simon Landon.
There will also be musical numbers in addition to the speakers from productions that were directed by Patinkin. The performers include Jeff Award-winning singer-actress and Columbia College Chicago alumna Callie Johnson, and Columbia College Chicago Theatre students Ren Griffith, Courtney Mack, Cole McMillan, and David Stobbe.
Sheldon Patinkin was Chair of the Theatre Department from 1980 to 2009 and then assumed the title of Chair Emeritus. He was an Artistic Consultant at Steppenwolf Theatre, co-founder of The School at Steppenwolf, and taught at The School for 17 years. He was also an original member of Second City when it was founded in 1959 by Bernard Sahlins, Paul Sills, and Howard Alk. He served as Sills' assistant director and then succeeded Sills as artistic director of the groundbreaking comedy theatre, eventually becoming an Artistic Consultant there.
Shortly before his death, he established the Sheldon Patinkin Endowed Award at Columbia College Chicago, which will give cash stipends to outstanding graduating Theatre students to aid in their journeys toward professional careers. For more information or to make a donation, visit www.colum.edu/sheldonpatinkin.