Dear Mr. Tunney,

My name is Dan Telfer. I have been performing in various theater and comedy companies in Chicago for 12 years. During much of that time I have produced my own plays, sketch revues, and stand-up showcases. I have lived here my entire life.

The promoter's ordinance on the table would completely destroy 90% of the live performance in this city. It is easy for those outside our community to believe that the bigger the audience, the more important the work. However, almost all of the music and performance here is done without any sort of insurance on the producer's part, usually because the venue has their own insurance. We rely on venues to allow us rentals based on appreciation for what we do.

More importantly, there is no budget in any promoter's spreadsheet for this. It's not just that we have never had to shell out money to the city for this sort of thing, it's that there simply isn't revenue to balance it out. Many shows make just enough to pay rent, and the performers work for free. And again, I cannot possibly state this enough, when I say many I mean MANY shows. I mean that I have actively been involved in the community for a long time, and I know being incorporated or a non-profit allows for sponsors and grants. Those production companies are already asked by their renters to get insurance if they hope to perform in a space long-term. But the fight for those grants and sponsors, particularly in this desperate economy, is more work than any start-up company (comprised of a handful of people with full-time day jobs that barely pay their residential rent) can bear. This ordinance would destroy the gap between an up and coming young group of performers and a professional one with years of experience and money to spend.

We must not only stop this from being passed, we must never allow one like it again. For every $500 - $2000 bill the city earns from this, dozens of people will leave the city in frustration because their artistic outlet is banished. To do this to venues only under 500 in capacity is even more insulting. It's the sort of looking-out-for-the-rich logic that makes me fear the direction this country is going.

Please join the rest of your community on this,