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 2007-2008 season are due by May 1, 2008. Grants will be awarded on May 31, 2008.

Each year in February 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 in Cape May, New Jersey. Two to three solo artists and a collaborator or mentor will attend along with a program representative each season.

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 technical support. They will be housed with other resident artists in Cape May and will receive a travel and food stipend. At the end of the week, there will be an informal presentation in Cape May of the solo works in progress for all residency attendees, and a critical response session.

Couple Extra Bucks Fund grants will be awarded in spring of 2008 for eligibility and guidelines, please see above.

This year, as Cape May Stage is under construction in February, the Cape May residencies will be held at the 1812 Productions studio June 23-29, 2008. If you are interested in receiving more information on these residencies, please send an inquiry e-mail to Jennifer Childs at jen@1812productions.org by April 1, 2008.

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.

The first Couple Extra Bucks Fund Grants were awarded to Martha McDonald and Brian Osborne in July 2007.