Laura Wiley
Through exciting, original theater, Laura Wiley and her husband David Feiner devote their lives to teenagers from a Chicago
working-class immigrant neighborhood.
When Laura and David started Albany Park Theater Project, or APTP, in 1996, their motto was "Real teenagers, real community,
real theater, real stories." By combining their artistic and activist ambitions, the couple created a haven for teens, where
real-life stories from Chicago's Albany Park community could become critically acclaimed productions. Along with theatrical
training, Laura and David provide intensive individual college counseling to ensemble members during their senior year of
high school. More than 95% of teens who spend a year or more with APTP attend college, often as the first college students
in their family.
In 2003, Laura was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. During chemotherapy, remission and a recurrence of the illness, she continued
to lead the company with David. She co-directed
God's Work, a play drawn from one ensemble member's abusive family situation, in which religious beliefs rationalize unspeakable violence.
As she coaxes powerful performances from her cast with a combination of demanding professionalism and tenderness, Laura's
struggle with cancer forms the backdrop to her remarkable commitment to young people. Photography on this page courtesy of
Bill Richert.
Learn More About the Other Artists in
Beauty Rises:
Orbert Davis
Allison Joseph
Dessa Kirk
Address
Albany Park Theater Project, Eugene Field Cultural Center, 5100 N. Ridgeway Ave., Chicago, IL 60625
Click here for directions
Bonus Material
Laura Wiley on: WORKING WITH TEENS
GOD'S WORK
GOD'S WORK CAST
MUSIC IN
GOD'S WORK
CHICAGO
LAURA'S ILLNESS
LAURA'S MENTORS
COLLEGE PREP PROGRAM
RELIGION
WORKING WITH DAVID
Related Links
Visit the
Albany Park Theater Project's website to find out more about the company.
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