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Blog

Gigi Pritzker Shares Stories, Insights and Industry Advice with MSLCE Students


by Thomas Wall

As graduate students, we are constantly seeking advice on how to advance our careers. But when that advice comes from an Emmy-winning film producer and CEO/Founder of her own media company, it carries a special weight. Thanks to the MSLCE program, we were granted the opportunity to meet, hear from, and most importantly learn from acclaimed filmmaker, businesswoman, and all-around trailblazer, Gigi Pritzker, on January 17th. (more…)

MSLCE Students Gain Insight Into Non-Profit Theatre World, “Experience Economy” at Goodman Theatre


By ALYSSA HOLCOMB

A select group of MSLCE students, accompanied by EPICS staff Mandi Glowen and Jonah Zeiger, recently took a site visit of the Goodman Theatre, Chicago’s largest (and oldest) non-profit theatre.

The cohort met with John Collins, General Manager, and Kate Welham, Senior Director of Institutional Giving and Development Operations, in a two-hour session and tour of the iconic locale. Both Collins and Welham were very open during the session, answering questions with insight and candor while simultaneously maintaining a positive outlook on the future of the industry. (more…)

Where Are They Now? 5 Questions with MSLCE Alum Adrian Alea

Adrian Alea, Class of 2018

Adrian graduated from MSLCE in Fall of 2018. While in the program, he had had a Community Impact Fellowship with the Public Theatre in New York, participated in Northwestern School of Communications’ CommFest, and aspired to start his own creative management company. MSLCE recently had a chance to connect with MSLCE Alum Adrian Alea and ask him a couple questions about what he’s up to now, and what he values most about his time in the program.

 

What is your current role(s)/project(s) and what are your responsibilities?

 

I recently formed my own LLC (The Alea Company) which focuses on creative direction and production for theater, live events, and music videos in both commercial and non-profit industries. I concentrate on developing, directing, and producing content and stories that elevate the social consciousness of humanity and analyze the human spirit. Currently, I am associate directing Disney’s new musical in development and directing a musical adaptation of the award-winning novel Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina Garcia, featuring music & lyrics by IBEYI (Beyoncé’s Lemonade). I am finishing up post-production for my second music video “Nena Nena Nena” for singer-songwriter MICHA and will be directing Fucking A by Suzan-Lori Parks at Yale University come January 2019. Other projects currently in development include a TV mini-series based on the novel Monkey Hunting that centers around the 1800’s sugar-cane slave trade and migration of Chinese immigrants to Cuba, a theater adaption of Chekhov’s Three Sisters set in 1980’s Miami during the Drug Wars, and a new play by Obie Award-winning playwright Caridad Svich entitled STAND.

Tell us about any interesting or unique projects you worked on during your time in the MSLCE program.

In Understanding Creative Enterprises and Organizational Processes, we had a final project where we had to develop a transmedia story based on existing intellectual property and pitch how we would create it by forming an organizational body. I pitched using Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth as our source text. With a truly dedicated and inventive team, we formed an organization that would expand the story through graphic novels, a sequel film, a theme-park installation, and a special ballet based on the original film. Coming into the program, my foundation was mostly in theater and artist management; however, this experience inspired me to continue to pursue developing and producing transmedia stories and experiences.  (more…)

MSLCE Students Learn About Art Interpretation, Education in Exclusive Visit to The Art Institute of Chicago


By Hannah Arata

“We have built an institution for the public, not for the few,” said founder and first president of the Art Institute of Chicago, Charles Hutchinson in 1887.

 The Art Institute of Chicago was built for the people of Chicago and the staff of the world-renowned museum wants the public to know the Institute is still for them. Recently, the MSLCE cohort had the opportunity to visit the Art Institute and hear from Sarah Alvarez, Director of School Programs, and Emily Fry, Director of Interpretation, about how the museum continues to welcome the public after 139 years. (more…)

Producers Share Insights, Advice at MSLCE’s Greenlight: Idea to Script to Screen


By Brenna C. Cronin

A significant theme in our Master of Science in Leadership for Creative Enterprises (MSLCE) coursework this fall is the power of pathways and networks. On Thursday, October 18, our cohort, along with a number of others, attended a Speaker Series event with three titans of the film industry. Each accomplished in their own right, they spoke to the unique and varied paths they took that brought them all to a similar place—leading with influence, creativity, and passion.
(more…)

MSLCE Students Measure Public Engagement at The Block Museum of Art

By Nick Roman

In preparing for the professional world of creative enterprises, MSLCE students constantly take into account the challenges that creative organizations face-such as low attendance figures and box office sales. To develop keen awareness to these trends and strategize ways to increase engagement, Dr. Jennifer Novak-Leonard’s engagement with Public Culture course gave students hands-on experience in measuring impact through Northwestern’s own Block Museum of Art.

(more…)

MSLCE Explores the Edge of Fringe with Shona McCarthy


By Charlie Wein

By its nature, the world of art is abstract. There’s no right or wrong form of artistic style and everyone has the right to express their work in whichever way they like. For a performing artist, the hardest part is finding a means of getting their work out for the public to see, and it’s a difficult task. Presenting art can be incredibly time consuming, very expensive, and all comes without knowing if anyone will actually come to see it. As a performing artist today, it’s easy to become disheartened by the lack of support provided to the arts, so it’s always nice to be reminded that there are those who understand the importance of the arts and culture. And not just as a means of expression, but as one of the most valuable tools for connecting people and making a real impact on the world.
(more…)

A Reflection on CommFest: A Starry Night


By Danny Bittker

What started as a phone call for me turned into an incredible experience culminating in a cast of more than 25 talented alumni taking a bow on stage in the Ryan Fieldhouse. CommFest: A Starry Night was a years-long effort by Northwestern University’s School of Communication to bring together students, alumni, staff, donors and friends for one night to celebrate. The production was hosted by Stephen Colbert and helmed behind the scenes by alumni Don Weiner, the Executive Producer and Dave Harding, the Co-Executive Producer who both became mentors of mine as I worked with them for over 8 months as their assistant.
(more…)

Place Lab Tour Teaches Students the Impact of Community Building Through the Arts


By Tate Glover

For our final winter quarter Arts, Public Purpose, and Policy class meeting, Dr. Jennifer Novak-Leonard set up a visit to Washington Park to see the work being done by Place Lab and Theaster Gates. Place Lab is an initiative developed by collaboration within the University of Chicago and led by professor and renowned artist Theaster Gates. We started out our trip by meeting up at the Currency Exchange Cafe, a business started by Theaster Gates and operated in partnership with a nonprofit he founded, Rebuild Foundation, which is located on the developing Arts Block and run and staffed entirely by south side locals. Although serving coffee and food is central to operations, it is not the primary purpose of the cafe. The mission of the cafe is twofold: provide a place for creatives and innovators to meet and to support the local community. These goals were interlaced not only with the cafe’s purpose, but also with the mission of Place Lab.
(more…)

World Business Chicago Creative Director Jake Trussell Talks Side Hustles, Brands, and Job Creation


By: Nick Roman

Picture a DJ, part-time web designer, musician, and record label owner in your mind.  You probably did not picture a clean-shaven businessman suited up to create jobs in Chicago’s global landscape.  However, Creative Director Jake Trussell is a comprehensive leader in today’s sector through his vast background with side hustles, which ultimately led him to his role with World Business Chicago.  Trussell recently sat down with the Northwestern community to discuss career trajectories, initiatives of World Business Chicago, and how to navigate the professional waters of creative enterprises.
(more…)