Sent to me from a reader: Actual email poof from Dan Cray.
Dear Friends,
I hope you'll join us Wednesday for what could be our final performance at the beautiful Morse Theatre. Due to problems with investors, it's quite possible the Theatre will close at the end of the month.
This is yet another setback for the Chicago jazz scene and arts community in general, which are getting pummeled from all sides. Someone actually went out of their way to add an ammendment to the stimulus bill to ensure that funds would not be used for "wasteful" things like theatres, arts centers and museums. We're not "real" workers apparently. True work in America is moving money around on a computer screen while creating nothing. And when you crash the system and ruin the country in the process you simply print more money and give it to the same people so they can do it all over again. Brilliant.
We plan to go out with a bang regardless and I hope you'll join us.
The Dan Cray Trio featuring Vocalist Sarah Marie Young
Wednesday February 18, 8-11 PM
with Clark Sommers and Greg Wyser-Pratte
Thanks for your support,
Dan
24 comments:
so does this mean that the juana molina show on sunday is definetly a no go. that would be really sad. :(
I think he's saying it's Dan Cray's last show at the Morse, not that it's THE LAST show at the Morse.
Did you read this line?
"Due to problems with investors, it's quite possible the Theatre will close at the end of the month...."
It was in the first paragraph.
Sure, and correct me if I'm wrong here, but I believe Sunday happens before the end of the month.
This sucks. Like I said, no matter how you feel about the owners, about the bigwigs that supported it, about the alderman, etc., having this theater there was a plus. I only made it to one show so I guess I could be a little bit to blame for not supporting it more, but i did drink at the bar a few times. Hope they work this out. Like I said before, hug it out, you bitches. (AG)
Although the investor troubles are unfortunate and I hope the theater continues to add value to the comunity, I'm glad that someone did go out of their way to add an amendment to the stimulus bill to ensure that funds would not be used for "wasteful" things like theatres. If the tax payer wants to help you they can buy a ticket. A theater in Rogers Park is a nice to have but not the governments responsibility especially in these economic times. If you would like to take advantage of jobs plan I would suggest you pick up a shovel.
Jim, are people who make a living working in theaters and other arts institutions less deserving of stimulus than everyone else? They're somehow less important than "real" workers? Arts institutions create jobs, aside from enriching our lives, and that's what we need right now.
They'll close the restaurant first, then the theater. Ropa and Gruppo will also close this year.
craig
thank you for that passive/aggressive response. i did read the first line but the whole note kinda contradicted itself. unlike RPKelly i read it not as Dans last show but as the venues last show. I have also read of shows even this month that are being cancelled so i was just checking.
its very sad that this place didnt have a chance to start making a name for itself before problems started happening. maybe with the press here and at the reader some other investors will step forward and help this place out. unless the problems go deeper then that. which no one is really talking about or delving into.
No doubt that the arts enrich our lives everyday. Yes, the purpose of the economic stimulus plan is to put money in the hands of everyday individuals (via tax breaks & job creation) so they can fuel the economy via their purchases. However, these new jobs have the purpose of rebuilding our nations deteriorating infrastructure (Roads, Bridges, Schools) not supporting failing businesses. Even a Keynesian would tell you that a government can build theaters for the community to enrich social welfare but it is not their job to fill the empty seats. Who know maybe some of those individuals who answer this call to arms and rebuild our infrastructure may just buy a ticket to your show.
I have no special insight into whether the theatre will remain open or close at the end of the month. All I know is that tonight is OUR last gig there currently in the books, and I've heard and read the rumors like everyone else. These days, I always expect the worst with stuff like this. But this was a message sent to people on my mailing list and not meant to be a source of speculation on the fate of the theatre. The words "could be our" are there for a reason. It's by far the best venue I've played in Chicago--it has the best piano in the city, the best sound in the city, and the people there are first rate. I'll be crushed if it closes.
Dan Cray
Would hate to see the Morse close, but what makes these institutions so deserving of the government cheese they've been receiving all these years? Let the consumers determine what they are worth.
I guess using TARP and stimulus funds to give underwater mortgage holders who borrowed over their heads a payment of $1000 a month to "reward" them for making mortgage payments on loans steeply modified and reduced in interest AND principal, for houses they never had any goddammed business buying to begin with, is a good way to use our tax money?
Come ON, we've turned the whole country into a Corporate Welfare State. Taxpayers money has not only been used to build an incredible redundancy of shopping malls and big box power centers that are rapidly going empty and shuttered, but is being used to fund spa junkets for overpaid insurance execs, and house payments for upper-middle-class home buyers who somehow thought they could pull $700K out of houses they originally paid $300K for in order to fund boob jobs and riding lessons for little Bratleigh and $100K SUVs, and somehow figured they could afford to do this on incomes of $150K a year.
My taxes are funding every manner of insanity that not only does not benefit me, but is inimical to my interests, such as suburban sprawl building.
Ordinarily, I don't believe in arts funding, but it is no more wasteful that the highway building and bailouts for obsolete, badly run companies and thier overpaid execs and employees, or to enable people to stay in houses they should never have bought to begin with.
So let's be fair- if we fund all this crap, there should be something for the arts.
And, while were at it, helping homedebtors, then let's help middle income, non-subsidized renters.
I'm sick of being one of only about 100,000 net taxpayers left in the whole country who doesn't get subsidized in some way. The small business I work for is falling through the floor, while the taxes it pays subsidizes all this crap. I do not get the benefit of ANY of these government programs- I only help pay for them.
Where's MINE?
You get what you vote for. The voting public is too dumb, stubborn and/or lazy to vote responsibly. The Democrats and Republicans fool you into jumping on one bandwagon or the other--usually inspite of the other party--than rob you of your tax money.
Walk no further than the corner of Jarvis & Greenview if you need to see the elected results of the dumb/stubborn/lazy majority.
The writing seems to be on the wall with the Morse Theater and this time it ain't no gang graffiti.
Dan, Clark and their band are gifted, talented musicians. Haven't seen them in ages and wish I could make the show. They play The play the Rhythm Room in Evanston Feb 20 and 21, so if you can't make it to the Morse I suggest checking them out there.
It sure would be a sad commentary on the economy in Rogers Park if the SSA #24 janitors office lasted longer at this address than the Morse theatre.
Northcoast said, "And, while were at it, helping homedebtors, then let's help middle income, non-subsidized renters."
The only thing I'm getting out of this stimulus package is $500. Period. Bottom Line. Top line too, for that matter. My husband works and I've been freelance for three years now so the extension in unemployment insurance won't affect us. We're both life long renters so we don't qualify for a mortgage stimulus of any kind. We use public transportation so we don't even have drivers licenses so neither of us will purchase a car - electric or otherwise. In the meantime, even if the stimulus package does include something for public transportation, the fare is still going up simply because there was such a deficit in the 2008 budget and now there's an even larger one for the 2009 - no amount of "emergency" stimulus is going to help the CTA as long as we continue to employ the same caliber of financial goofs as the ones there now. We don't have kids so a children's health package doesn't apply and I have yet to hear anything about a health package for middle income adults.
With regards to that whopping $500 ($100 for filing jointly), I just read the following on another blog (the address follows). I think it's highly appropriate right now:
"Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the US economy by spending your stimulus check wisely:
If you spend that money at Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China.
If you spend it on gasoline it will go to Hugo Chavez, the Arabs and Al Queda
If you purchase a computer it will go to Taiwan.
If you purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala (unless you buy organic).
If you buy a car it will go to Japan and Korea.
If you purchase prescription drugs it will go to India
If you purchase heroin it will go to the Taliban in Afghanistan"
http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/02/stimulus-package-explained-qa/
- PEACE -
The $100 was a typo, it was supposed to be $1,000 for filing jointly. Still, it's just not enough to do much with when you think about it. If it comes in time, maybe I'll buy a ticket to a show at the Morse Theater.
- PEACE -
Does this mean DevCorp North won't be attaching tax payer funded security cameras on the building anytime soon?
Since Joe Moore and Betsy Vandercook and DevCorp worked overtime to claim credit for helping to creating The Morse Theatre, will they be willing to accept blaim if the theatre closes? Will Joe Moore, specifically, admit to a failed mediation effort?
One upside to the possible closing of The Morse Theatre: Joe Moore and DevCorp can use it as an excuse to (once again) put off the imaginary, mythical Morse Avenue Streetscape. (And, by the way, where are those promised DevCorp shuttle buses for Morse Avenue?)
The latest news. And not from that lyin' Joe Moore.
Century Public House will be open 5pm - 12am only on nights when The Morse Theatre has performances.
Sundays from 10am - 3pm surrounding the WFMT Live from The Morse broadcasts. Thank you for your continued support.
I've never heard of a business opening and closing so soon- I thought it took something like 5 years for a small business to become profitable. Initial loss should be expected. Something doesn't add up to me. I'm not an entrepreneur or business owner but I have worked for a few.
North Coast - I own a small business and I continue to wonder where mine is too! I don't fall into any of these categories and get nothing in return. I'm thinking a Link card might be a pretty good idea these days! LOL If you take a look at www.stimuluswatch.org you will see all the crazy idiotic stuff that went into Obama's bill - they certainly should have been able to put the arts in there.
Morse - We definitely are missing a big piece of information here - there had to be ramp up time in the business plan to get the place going!
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