City of Evanston Blog
Jeremy Piven Loves Evanston
Last night my wife Patrice and I attended a fundraiser in Chicago for the Piven Theater Workshop. The Workshop has been based at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center for many years and we thought we would attend the fundraiser to support the program. Also in attendance at the event was Downtown Evanston Executive Director Carolyn Dellutri and Bridget Calendo, NU's sustainability program director.
Carolyn and I had talked about attending the event over the last few weeks and she shared with me one of her great visions: get Jeremy Piven and his mom Joyce to film a tv commercial for Downtown Evanston. Mr. Piven, one of Evanston's favorite sons, has gone on to stage and screen fame and his mother Joyce, remains in Evanston as the Artistic Director Emeritus of the Piven Workshop.
The four of us sat together at the event and watched as all the young beautiful people arrived. We enjoyed the complementary beverages and talked about getting to the Pivens to discuss the Downtown Evanston commercial.
Jeremy and Joyce arrived soon after and were surrounded by well wishers and the press. Carolyn saw her chance and tried to make her way to see them. No luck. Carolyn was not deterred. She came back to our table and kept an eagle eye on Jeremy.
Soon she saw another chance when Mr. Piven headed to the Men's Room. Carolyn headed in that direction with Bridget with a camera not far behind. Patrice and I had a good view of all of the action outside the Men's Room and stayed put. Before too long, Jeremy emerged from the Men's Room and there was Carolyn. She began talking to him, introduced herself, and Piven expressed his love for Evanston. She then pitched the commercial idea. He said he liked it, but would need a donation to the Workshop in order to participate. As he walked away, he told Carolyn to talk more with Joyce.
Carolyn and Bridget returned to our table and shared their successful meeting. Soon the live auction started and Patrice and I headed back to Evanston.
This morning I received this photo from Carolyn with the following update:
"Jeremy had told me to talk to his mother so after the live auction I went up to her and reintroduced myself. I told her that I was talking to Jeremy earlier in the night about doing an ad campaign and told her Jeremy said to run it by her. So I did and she loved it. Then Jeremy came over by her (see all three together above) and asked her what she thought and she told him they need to do it. He did whisper to her that he told me he thought a donation to Piven Theatre workshop would be appropriate. I reiterated that Mayor Tisdahl sent me there tonight to tell them that she appreciates having them in Evanston and wants to keep them there and that Piven Theatre workshop programs are important to our community."
No commitments from the Pivens for a Downtown Evanston commercial as of today, but Carolyn got a great start last night.
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