Actress and Chicago native, Jennifer Beals is helping get the word out about the Dalai Lama's visit because she is passionate about His Holiness' message of strengthening partnerships between religious and secular organizations to achieve common social, economic, and environmental goals. Tim Boyd of the Theosophical Society in America is instrumental in bringing the Dalai Lama to Chicago. Tickets for this event go on sale Wednesday, May 4th. This appearance will make His Holiness' fifth visit to the Chicago (the last having been in May 2007).
Prior to visiting Chicago, the Dalai Lama will participate in a 10-day Kalachakra for World Peace in Washington, DC. The Dalai Lama, who describes himself as "a simple Buddhist monk," is recognized world-wide for his lifelong advocacy for non-violence, even in the face of extreme aggression. With the Communist Chinese invasion of his country, he fled Tibet in 1959 for India, where he established a Tibetan government in exile, and has since devoted himself to advocating for the welfare of the Tibetan people and world peace. Now 76, he announced in 2010 that he would retire from the position of head of the Tibetan government. In 2006, the United States honored him with its highest civilian award, the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, "in recognition of his many outstanding contributions to peace, non-violence, human rights and religious understanding." All proceeds in excess of the cost of the program will be given to the Tibet Fund, a United States based nonprofit providing humanitarian and educational support for Tibetan refugees around the world.
For more information, visit www.dalailamachicago.com.
Dalai Lama Chicago Visit
July 17- UIC Pavillion
July 18- Harris Theatre
Tickets on sale May 4th
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Nobel Peace Prize laureate, internationally respected leader, author and speaker Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama of Tibet returns to Chicago for two public events July 17 and 18. Presented by the Theosophical Society in America, a membership organization dedicated to promoting the unity of humanity and encouraging the study of religion, philosophy and science, the events offer a rare opportunity to hear one of the world's most respected and influential figures in person. Tickets for both events will go on sale Wednesday, May 4 at 9 a.m.
On Sunday, July 17 at 1:30 p.m. the Dalai Lama will present a public talk entitled "Bridging the Faith Divide" at the University of Illinois, Chicago Pavilion, 525 S. Racine. In the talk, His
Holiness will expand upon the ideas put forth in his recent book "Toward a True Kinship of Faiths." The event will also feature an array of cultural programming featuring representatives of various faiths from the Chicago area, the children of the Tibetan Alliance of Chicago and the Chicago Children's Choir under the direction of its President and Artistic Director Josephine Lee. Buddhist singer Ani Choying will present a special invocation. The stage setting, featuring artwork devised from an interfaith collaboration, will be directed and produced by Jim Lasko of Redmoon Theater in conjunction with the Theosophical Society in America.
On Monday, July 18 at 9:30 a.m., the Dalai Lama will join Rabbi Michael Lerner, founding editor of the progressive Jewish interfaith magazine Tikkun, which is dedicated to building bridges between religious and secular organizations; Dr. Ingrid Mattson, former president of The Islamic Society of North America and Rev. Peg Chemberlin, executive director of the Minnesota Council of Churches in a panel discussion entitled "Building Bridges: Religious Leaders in Conversation with the Dalai Lama." The panel will be moderated by Eboo Patel, the founder and executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core, a Chicago-based international nonprofit that aims to promote interfaith cooperation. The event will be presented at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive.
Ticket Information
Tickets are required for both events. Tickets to each event are $125, $75 or $25 based on seating location, and will go on sale Wednesday, May 4 at 9 a.m.
Tickets for the July 17 UIC Pavilion public talk can be obtained via Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.com, at any Ticketmaster outlet, via phone at 800-745-3000 or at the UIC box office, 525 S. Racine Ave.
Tickets to the July 18 Harris Theater panel discussion can be purchased at the Harris Theatre box office, 205 E. Randolph Drive, harristheaterchicago.org or 312.334.7777.
Ticketholders are encouraged to arrive early to get through security entrances. For security purposes, no backpacks, large purses, briefcases, cameras, or recording equipment or bags will be admitted.
Official Bio for Jennifer Beals
An accomplished actress known for taking risks in a myriad of different roles, and winner of the 1999 San Jose Film Festival's Maverick Award, JENNIFER BEALS continues to remain a successful and hardworking actress. She was named one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People for 2004 and just recently, for 2011.
Beals' currently stars in the critically acclaimed, "The Chicago Code," on Fox.. She stars as Chicago's first female superintendent in charge of a 10,000-member police force in this fast-paced series by critically acclaimed creator Shawn Ryan. The show airs Monday nights.
She was last seen in Warner Bros. "The Book of Eli," a post-apocalyptic western about a man fighting to protect a sacred book that can save mankind. She starred alongside Denzel Washington (reuniting them on the big screen) and Gary Oldman. She also just wrapped a recurring role on Fox's "Lie to Me" and was seen in the French film "Joueuse," about a maid who becomes fascinated with chess through a vacationing couple in the Mediterranean.
Beals was nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series by the NAACP two years in a row for her role in the critically acclaimed Showtime Original Series, "The L Word." The story centered on a group of lesbian friends in Los Angeles, including Pam Grier and Mia Kirschner and wrapped its sixth and final season last year. Throughout the series, Beals captured life behind the scenes in a photographic series, now available as a collection at lwordbook.com. The book includes over 400 never-before-seen photos, cast commentary, bits of scripts, callsheets and production memos that give fans a deeper look into the daily life of the show.
Her hard work and dedication on "The L Word" has earned her accolades, nominations and enormous appreciation from numerous groups including, the Power Up Award, the GLAAD Golden Gate Award and the Golden Satellite Award for Outstanding Actress.
Beals starred opposite Campbell Scott in Artisan Entertainment's critically acclaimed "Rodger Dodger," winner of the 2002 Best Feature Narrative from the Tribeca Film Festival, and Best First Film at the Venice Film Festival. She starred in VH-1's "They Shoot Divas, Don't They?" where her role as a has-been rock star on the verge of a breakdown earned her rave reviews. Beals was also seen in the critically acclaimed "The Anniversary Party," written and directed by Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cummings. Earlier in the year she co-starred in two Showtime features: the adaptation of Anne Rice's praised "A Feast of All Saints," and the original film "A House Divided" starring as Amanda Dickson, opposite Sam Waterston and Lisa Gay Hamilton. "A House Divided" received a Writers Guild nomination in the original long-form project/movie and mini-series category, as well as nabbing Beals a Golden Satellite nomination as Best Actress in a movie/mini-series. She also did extensive research for the film in Sparta, Georgia, where the story is based and received an honorary 'key to the city.' Originally from Chicago, Beals began her career after graduating from high school when she auditioned for "Flashdance," resulting in a role which earned her a Golden Globe nomination and an NAACP Image Award for "Best Actress." Understanding the importance of an education, she entered Yale University to study American Literature, where she graduated with honors.
She went on to make an indelible impression in Carl Franklin's critically acclaimed "Devil in a Blue Dress" opposite Denzel Washington, as well as in Alan Rudolph's "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle" opposite Jennifer Jason Leigh and Matthew Broderick. Her performance in "Blue Dress" earned her another NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture.
In recent years, Beals has had starring roles in a myriad of films, including the lead in "Twilight of The Golds" opposite Garry Marshall, Faye Dunaway, Brendan Fraser and Jon Tenney. Beals portrayed a strong-minded woman who has the difficult decision of whether to give birth to a male child who has the possible genetic makeup for homosexuality, a controversial role for which she won a Golden Satellite Award for Best Actress.
Additional film credits include "The Grudge 2, " "My Name is Sarah," "Runaway Jury," "Catch That Kid," Whit Stillman's "Last Days of Disco," Alexandre Rockwell's "In the Soup," which won the 1992 Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Deauville Film Festival, "Four Rooms," "Vampire's Kiss" with Nicolas Cage, Claude Chabrol's "Doctor M.," Nanni Moretti's "Caro Diario" which won the Director's Prize at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, and Samuel Fuller's "The Madonna and the Dragon."
On the small screen, Beals appeared on the critically-acclaimed television series for ABC, "Nothing Sacred," playing opposite Kevin Anderson.
About The Theosophical Society
The Theosophical Society in America was founded in 1875 to advance the spiritual principles related to the search for Truth. The Theosophical Society has a long and close relationship with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama. His Holiness visited the Theosophical Society in Adyar, India in 1956, prior to his exile from Tibet in 1959. He returned to Tibet "a changed man" and committed himself to the understanding of and engagement with the world's faith traditions. In 1975, the Dalai Lama again visited Adyar to celebrate the 100th International Convention of the Theosophists. The Society was host to the Dalai Lama on his second trip to the United States in 1981 to speak at their center outside of Chicago. The Dalai Lama accepted the 2011 invitation from the Theosophical Society in America to discuss themes of his 2010 book, Toward a True Kinship of Faiths as a way to support the Society's commitment to action for "bridging the faith divide."
