Kate Walsh & Billy Dec recipients of this year's piven workshop arts, theatre & community awards

if you follow kate walsh, jeremy piven & i on twitter (if not, click here to follow!), you probably have seen us talk about the event above! now I get why private practice’s kate walsh deserves an artistic excellence award, but I was as shocked (as you probably are) to see my name in that title when it was first delivered to me! I mean, I love the arts, theatre and anything cultural, especially when it’s locally grown, and have supported the community & its fundraisers as much as I can, but this is just too much! and to top it all off, you can come to the brunch ceremony w/kate and I if you want, and celebrate with us!

this all came about because my buddy jeremy piven who you probably know from “entourage” comes from a dynamic set of parents well known in the national acting community as outstanding acting teachers at their well known piven theatre workshop in evanston, il. they have taught celebrated actors like jeremy, joan cusack, john cusack, aidan quinn, kate walsh… and many others! I have co-hosted fundraisers w/each of those actors, along with jeremy, soon after we became friends about 12 years ago, and over time we have raised a lot of money for children’s scholarships in art & theatre in chicago- which I am very proud of.

I guess through this contribution, his mom Joyce Piven, and the Piven Theatre Workshop, decided to honor me with the Byrne Piven (Jeremy’s dad who has passed away) Community Leadership Award. I am so incredibly honored! my lovely buddy Kate Walsh btw is being honored with the Joyce Piven Artistic Excellence Award which I know she is thrilled about as well.

I highly recommend you check out www.piventheatre.org to read more about Joyce and Byrne Piven’s rich theatrical experience and history; it’s a great success story that I am thrilled to be a part of. if you would like to join us at the celebratory award ceremony brunch, which is now at sunda on October 17 at 12p, just click here or call (847) 866-8049. there is a $100 donation that will go to benefit Piven Theatre Workshop & help train more children & adults in theatre arts!

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Tags: aiden quinn, arts, billy dec, chicago, gossip girl, jeremy piven, jessica szohr, joyce piven, kate walsh, piven theatre workshop, private practice, scholarship, sunda, theatre

Backstage exclusive w/ Gossip Girl Leighton Meester

What a way to kick off the new year!  Last night crowds of crazed gossip girl, underground & www.achicagothing.com fans got treated to a live performance by Leighton meester who plays blair waldorf on “gossip girl!” and it was definitely a raging time!  (most of the free tickets came through twitter as they always do so if not following me click here so don’t miss out anymore!)

My partners Arturo Gomez, brad young & I like to thank our supporters a couple times a year with surprise celebrity performances, and I have to say, even though we have had john mayer, ashlee simpson, kanye west,… and dozens of other high profile stars perform live at our places for all, this group of fans got just as crazy for their girl Leighton!

Check out this video of me & Leighton chilling backstage at the underground before her show thanking you all for all your support… on behalf of www.achicagothing.com& rockit ranch productions… we appreciate you!  Oh, and much more to come in 2010… stay tuned!

updated : January 4th – 10am :: here’s some press from leighton’s performance….

Page Six - http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/we_hear_c7zIsfKYIVv8HAsX3yMrBK

NBC - http://tr.im/JpCv

Chicago Tribune - http://tr.im/JpOK

Tags: ashlee simpson, gossip girl, john mayor, kanye west, leighton meester, the underground, twitter

Gossip Girl Leighton Meester tickets for Live Chicago Performance!

Ok- I haven’t had a chance to watch “gossip girl” but sure seems like everyone loves it! And since it’s such a hit, i have to say I am pretty interested in meeting one of the main characters leighton meester who plays “blair waldorf” on the show this Friday night when she performs live for her chicago fans at the underground!! (I especially got excited when watched her “best of” video mix above, it’s pretty good/funny)

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Tags: gossip girl, leighton meester, rockit bar and grill, rockit wrigley, the underground