Students in the Columbia College Chicago Theatre Department‘s MFA Program in European Devised Performance Practice present MANIFEST (O), a site-specific project devised under the guidance of visiting artist Firenza Guidi, on Monday and Tuesday, November 19 and 20, at the historic Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division, Chicago. There are two performances each evening at 7 and 9 PM. Performances are free, but audience capacity is limited, so reservations are required. To reserve a space, email mfaedpp@gmail.com.

Firenza Guidi

Firenza Guidi is a writer-director and performance creator whose experience spans the globe. Born in Milan, she currently is based in Cardiff, Wales, where she is artistic director of the European Live Arts Network (ELAN) Wales and a guest teacher/director at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Her working method involves the creation of a performance/montage, a challenging and exhilarating experience leading to a performance constructed in front of an audience, who become eye-witness to a “product” which is never fixed.

The performance/montage MANIFEST (O) is the result of a two-week intense practical investigation on the theme of migration, and will be staged as a journey with the audience throughout the Chopin Theatre. Each performance is limited to a total of 40 spectators.

The Columbia College Theatre Department’s MFA Program in European Devised Performance Practice, launched in partnership with the London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA) in 2017 as the Theatre Department’s first graduate-level program, is the only degree program of its kind in America, offering a practice-based international theatre experience in the fields of physical theatre and devised performance.