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| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to | ||||||
| 3 | congratulate the Morris Theatre Guild, Inc. on the occasion of | ||||||
| 4 | its 50th anniversary; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, The Morris Theatre Guild is a not-for-profit | ||||||
| 6 | community theater formed in 1973 and organized by volunteers | ||||||
| 7 | with an interest in the production of live theater in all of | ||||||
| 8 | its aspects, both onstage and backstage; and
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| 9 | WHEREAS, The Morris Theatre Guild's first production was | ||||||
| 10 | the play January Thaw, which was presented in the auditorium | ||||||
| 11 | of the Morris Community High School; and
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| 12 | WHEREAS, After performing at various venues in Morris and | ||||||
| 13 | the surrounding areas for many years, the Morris Theatre Guild | ||||||
| 14 | purchased the site of the old Free Methodist Church at 507 | ||||||
| 15 | Liberty Street in Morris in 1987; and
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| 16 | WHEREAS, The Morris Theatre Guild, after extensive | ||||||
| 17 | building renovations, presented the play Footlight Frenzy as | ||||||
| 18 | its first performance in its new location in 1989; and
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| 19 | WHEREAS, The Morris Theatre Guild's ongoing renovations, | ||||||
| 20 | completed either by volunteers or financed by donations, | ||||||
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| 1 | continued up to October 3, 2006, when the building was | ||||||
| 2 | tragically destroyed by fire; and
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| 3 | WHEREAS, The Morris Theatre Guild purchased a condo unit | ||||||
| 4 | in the newly renovated Coleman building at the west end of | ||||||
| 5 | Illinois Avenue in Morris in February 2010, which is now known | ||||||
| 6 | as the Canalport Community Center; the guild's first show in | ||||||
| 7 | its new location was the play Hay Fever, which was presented in | ||||||
| 8 | March 2010; and
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| 9 | WHEREAS, Despite two shows being cancelled due to COVID-19 | ||||||
| 10 | in the spring and fall of 2020, the Morris Theatre Guild was | ||||||
| 11 | able to pay off its building loan during the pandemic; and
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| 12 | WHEREAS, The Morris Theatre Guild returned with a winter | ||||||
| 13 | show in 2021, performing Momologues 2: Off to School, which | ||||||
| 14 | was offered for viewing both virtually and in person; and
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| 15 | WHEREAS, The Morris Theatre Guild continues to plan for | ||||||
| 16 | the future and to upgrade its current facility; and
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| 17 | WHEREAS, For the past 50 years, the Morris Theatre Guild | ||||||
| 18 | has made the performing arts available to the Morris community | ||||||
| 19 | while proving the old adage, the show must go on; therefore, be | ||||||
| 20 | it
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| 1 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL | ||||||
| 2 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the | ||||||
| 3 | Morris Theatre Guild, Inc. on its 50th anniversary, and we | ||||||
| 4 | commend the organization's perseverance and commitment to the | ||||||
| 5 | performing arts; and be it further
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| 6 | RESOLVED, That we encourage the Morris Theatre Guild to | ||||||
| 7 | continue enriching the lives of its community and the State | ||||||
| 8 | with its dedication to the beauty and wonder that is the | ||||||
| 9 | theater; and be it further
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| 10 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 11 | presented to Morris Theatre Guild as an expression of our | ||||||
| 12 | esteem and respect.
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