John W. Rowe Chairs Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s

CORPORATE NIGHT – TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2009

Chicago’s Top Corporate Leaders Step Up to

Support Leading Arts-in-Education Program

Chicago—January 16, 2009—Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) on Navy Pier presents Corporate Night, an annual celebration of CST’s acclaimed arts-in-education program, Team Shakespeare, on Tuesday, March 3, 2009.

John W. Rowe, Chairman and CEO of Exelon Corporation, serves as event chair and reports that with 56 commitments—including 12 new contributors—the event is nearing its record goal of $850,000. The annual event is a fundraising cornerstone for the Theater’s commitment to students and their teachers, and the Theater’s Board of Directors is committed to securing the remaining $150,000 in the weeks prior to the event.

"We invite Chicago's corporate community to join Exelon and other committed organizations in supporting Team Shakespeare,” says Event Chair John W. Rowe. “Bringing the timeless works of Shakespeare to our high school students is more important now than ever. As we confront today's challenges, we must think innovatively, but we must also reflect on history and the wisdom of the great thinkers who preceded us. William Shakespeare was a visionary whose themes are as relevant today as they were when they were written."

Joining Lead Sponsor Exelon this year with some of the most significant contributions are AON, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Duchossois Industries, Inc., Illinois Tool Works, Jenner & Block, Land O'Frost, Inc., Northern Trust, Reed Smith LLP, Trench-It and Winston & Strawn.

“John Rowe has been a remarkable asset to our community outreach efforts over the years,” says CST Artistic Director Barbara Gaines, “and his dedication to Chicago Shakespeare has helped catapult us to a leading position in arts education. In these challenging times, community support is crucial to keeping these programs alive, and along with the continuing dedication of Honorary Chair Maggie Daley, John will help ensure CST a strong future bringing the timeless works of William Shakespeare to students.”

Team Shakespeare serves students and their teachers with world-class theater productions, both at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier and on tour to communities throughout the region. One of the country’s largest arts-in-education programs offered by a professional theater, Team Shakespeare annually reaches 50,000 students and 1,500 educators from diverse backgrounds through affordable performances, free teaching materials and teacher workshops and this year, will reach its one-millionth student.

Returning contributors this year are Ancora Associates, AON, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas C. Babson, Mr. Edgar H. Bachrach, Baker & McKenzie LLP, Bartlit, Beck, Herman, Palenchar & Scott LLP, Blue Cross Blue Shield of IL, Bulley & Andrews, CDW, Chicago Title & Trust Company, Crate & Barrel, Delaware Place Bank, Deloitte, Exelon, Mr. Harve A. Ferrill, Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery, C. Gary Gerst, Illinois Tool Works, Jenner & Block, Jones Lang LaSalle, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Karp, Keller Group, Inc., Nancy and Don Kempf, Kirkland & Ellis, KPMG LLP, Kraft Foods, Land O'Frost, Inc., McCaffery Interests, Inc., Nicor, Northern Trust, Nuveen Investments, Charles and Susan Patten, Sheila Penrose and Ernie Mahaffey, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Reed Smith LLP, Robinson Steel Co., Inc., Scott Byron & Company, Inc., Sidley Austin LLP, Stuart Scott, Carl and Marilynn Thoma, Virchow Krause & Company, LLP and Winston & Strawn.

First time contributors this year include Abbott Laboratories, Ariel Investments, CharterOne Bank, Duchossois Industries, Inc., Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon I. Fink, General Dynamics, Chase and Mark Levey, Prime Therapeutics, Private Bank, S&C Electric, The Pritzker Group, Trench-It and Wells Fargo.

The annual Team Shakespeare Corporate Night showcases Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s magnificent home on Navy Pier. An elegant three-course dinner, sponsored by Food For Thought Catering, will be served throughout the Theater’s multi-level lobbies, each offering stunning views of Chicago’s skyline. Following dinner, guests gather in the Courtyard Theater for a special, command performance of Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream (adapted and directed by Amanda Dehnert) and the presentation of the Team Shakespeare MVP Award to a dedicated Chicago Public School teacher—aiming the spotlight on educators in our public school system who are making the difference in our students’ lives, day after day in their classrooms. The evening concludes with a dessert and champagne reception where guests mingle with the Short Shakespeare! acting company.

Exelon Corporation is Lead Sponsor of the 2009 Team Shakespeare Corporate Night.

Kraft Foods is Principal Sponsor of the Team Shakespeare program for students and teachers.

Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream is sponsored by the Polk Bros. Foundation and Bank of America.

American Airlines is the Official Airline of Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Anna Marie Wilharm
Public Relations Assistant
awilharm@chicagoshakes.com
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
312.595.5633

Cathy Taylor
cathy@cathytaylorpr.com
Cathy Taylor Public Relations
773.564.9564

Chicago Shakespeare Theater
on Navy Pier
800 East Grand Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611