Link to The Daily Herald Article (05/21/2019)

“A Taylor-Made Triple Feature,” a three-day theater gala, will be presented at the Elgin Art Showcase over Memorial Day weekend.

It will pay tribute to Elginite Dennis Taylor who served as a dancer, choreographer, costumer, makeup artist, set dresser and wig designer at dozens of suburban theaters for more than 50 years.

All proceeds will be donated to the Dennis Taylor Scholarship Foundation for the Performing Arts. In 2018, the scholarship awarded grants to five high school seniors majoring in the performing arts at the college or university level.

The foundation has recently announced eight new scholarship recipients for the upcoming school year.

On Friday, May 24, Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” will be presented. This award-winning drama offers a wildly divergent gathering of female voices and explores consensual and nonconsensual sexual experiences, body image, reproduction, and related topics. Under the direction of Diane McFarlin, this production will feature Mary Kirkman, Shannon Mayhall, Maria Dripps-Paulson and Sarafina Vecchio.

“A Very Dennie Cabaret” will be performed on Saturday, May 25. Acclaimed Chicagoland musician Doug Orlyk will direct Dennie’s Divas: Karen Bronson, Allison Kurtz, Barb Rieger and Lori Skubich. Also, 2018 scholarship recipient Payton Kaye and 2019 winner Caitlin Preuss will perform. The evening also will feature appearances by Teresa Arnold, Vanessa Aronson & Marisa Boynton, Julie Bayer, Tony Calzaretta and Terry Christianson, Joan Curto, Andrea Behegan Gough, Dawn Harkins, Bridget Kancler, Diane McFarlin and Richard Pahl, Christine Pfenninger, Beverly Preuss and Amy Wolski.

On Sunday, May 26, A.R. Gurney’s “Love Letters” will be performed by Diane McFarlin and Richard Pahl with direction by Justin Schaller. This play is composed of letters exchanged over a lifetime between two people who grew up together, went their separate ways, but continued to share confidences. The actors read the letters aloud to create an evocative, touching, and frequently funny theater experience.

Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday matinee starts at 3 p.m.

The Elgin Art Showcase is at 164 Division St., eighth floor. The doors will open one hour before showtime for fellowship and fundraising. A cash wine bar will be available as well as raffle prizes and a merchandise/memento table.

Tickets are $15 per person and $10 for each additional event.

Reservations can be made by messaging [email protected] or calling (847) 697-4005.

To learn more about the foundation, visit dennistaylorsf.org or on Facebook.

Individual Grant Artist Richard Pahl gratefully acknowledges the city of Elgin and the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission for their generous support of this project.