#scottmerchant

1.       What makes Collaboraction so great, anyway? 

Collaboraction is a magical eclectic mass of organized chaos. In one room you can have a rental company installing a set for a musical, next door artists devise an experience design performance piece inspired by surrealist painters while in the room next to that there are company members cooking up the next docu-drama meant to inspire real social change in our city.

    2.       What is another local storefront you wish you were besties with and why? 

I have a crush on the House Theatre and I'm not going to keep it quiet any longer!! Please let me make sweet sweet theatre-magic with you.

    3.       What is your favorite thing about the Chicago theatre community?

Outside of the obvious things (best theatre in the world blah blah, artistic incubator, blah blah, Risk blah, danger blah blah) The community supports each other. If a show isn't selling well you can bet that the butts in the seats will be of other artists who you have paid the same respect to.

    4.       If we were to rummage through your storage space today, what might we find?

Astronaut helmets, things that glow, police tape, severed arms, shopping carts, pinatas, hospital beds and all the pieces of the dome of dance. 

    5.       If you could remount one show from the last 10(ish) years, what would it be?

The first show I saw in Chicago that blew my mind was "Argonautica," Lookingglass' story of Jason and the Argo by Mary Zimmerman. I would love to see Collaboraction's audience-immersive take on that mythical beast.

    6.       Have you ever stolen anything? Explain yourself.

I used to be a bit of a kleptomaniac, but only in places that could afford to lose it: major chain stores, etc. (I once managed to walk out of a Super Target with a dozen two-sided picture frames for Christmas presents)

    7.     What piece of advice would you like to share with the internet?

Dear internet: Choose to be the sail instead of the anchor, the generator instead of the drain, the light in the dark. Also take a soapbox when it's given to you, it's awesome up here!

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