Dedicated to supporting the creation, development and production of work by solo artists across a variety of disciplines - theater, performance art and cabaret.

Jilline Ringle, the self-proclaimed “Six Foot Redhead Amazon From Hell Whom All Men Desire”, was a Philadelphia actress, singer, teacher, cabaret artist and force of nature. A dynamic performer, she was an inspiration to those who had the great fortune to work with her or watch her on stage.

Jilline became active in the Philadelphia theater community after graduating from Bryn Mawr College in 1986. While she was featured in many area productions, she was best known for her original solo shows – La Dolce Vita: Movie Songs of the 1960s, For Me – Formidable: French Made Easy, Shut Up and Kiss Me, Come Fly With Me, and the very popular, Mondo Mangia. Jilline combined traditional cabaret with a theatrical and comedic flair all her own, to create solo events full of intelligence, laughter and heart. It was through her solo work that she was able to fully develop her own unique artistic voice. Jilline was beloved by many communities and had several artistic homes – City Theatre in Pittsburgh where Mondo Mangia ran for many seasons, the Chalfonte Hotel in Cape May, New Jersey where she premiered all of her cabarets and, fortunately for us, Philadelphia. She worked often at the Arden Theatre Company and 1812 Productions. She was nominated for four Barrymore Awards for her work – as Mary in the Arden’s Merrily We Roll Along, and for Mondo Mangia, Box Office of the Damned and Always A Lady at 1812. Before her passing, Jilline approached 1812 Artistic Director Jennifer Childs and expressed her wish that a fund for solo performers be started in her name at 1812. She wanted to assist other artists who were trying to do what she was doing. Jilline passed away from complications due to breast cancer in 2005 at the age of forty.

Jilline was generous with her money, her time, her energy and her talent. It is in this spirit that the Jilline Ringle Solo Performance Program is established. We celebrate her life and honor her gift to this community by giving the gift of development time and production support to other artists looking to develop their own unique voices through the medium of solo performance.

The Couple Extra Bucks Fund provides small individual artist grants to professional artists whose solo work is scheduled for production.

Requested funds must be for an element related to the production of the show including but not limited to set, costume, lighting and sound elements, space rental, designer/technician fees, piano rental and tuning, composition fees, and design and duplication of marketing pieces. The Couple Extra Bucks fund does not support artists’ salaries or expenses related to the research, rehearsal and development process. If the solo work is being produced by a host organization, the Program will only fund elements of the physical production that the artist can keep as his/her own for future productions of the piece.

Applications for the 2010-2011 season are due by June 1, 2010. Grants will be awarded on June 30, 2010.

Each year in July the Jilline Ringle Solo Performance Program

Always a Lady

Jilline Ringle and Jen Childs as Pearl Williams and Belle Barth Photo: j.j. tiziou/jjtiziou.net

will host a week-long residency for solo artists at the 1812 Studio in Philadelphia. Two to three solo artists and a collaborator or mentor of their choice will be in residence, as well as program representatives from the Jilline Ringle Solo Performance Program Advisory Board.

The focus of the residency is the development of a solo piece already in progress. Solo pieces in any stage of development will be considered.

Artists will be provided with rehearsal space, rehearsal time and lunch each day. Each artist will receive a stipend for themselves and for a collaborator or mentor of their choice. At the end of the week there will be an informal sharing of work for an invited audience.

Couple Extra Bucks Fund grants will be awarded in June 30, 2010 for eligibility and guidelines, please see above. If you are interested in being considered for one of the Summer Residencies, please send an inquiry e-mail to Jennifer Childs at jen@1812productions.org.

If you are interested in making a contribution to the Jilline Ringle Solo Performance Program, you can do so online at www.1812productions.org or mail a check to:

1812 Productions
421 North 7th Street
Suite 218
Philadelphia, PA 19123

Please make checks payable to 1812 Productions and write “Jilline Ringle Solo Performance Program” on the memo line. All donations are tax-deductible.

2007	Martha McDonald for The Evergreen Project Brian Osborne for The Word
2008	Domenick Scudera for Festus the Three-Legged Wonder Dog Martha Kemper for Me, Miss Krause and Joan
2009	Jen Fellman for A Singer’s Circus Jackie Jacobson for American Mud

2008	Mary Carpenter Tony Braithwaite
2009	Mary Martello Tracie Higgins Sara Felder