In September 2007, The Ruth Page Foundation filmed “Billy Sunday”, a re-envisioned production of Ruth Page’s 1947 ground breaking dance show featuring the talents of Concert Dance, Inc. and dancer Harrison McEldowney in the title role at Northeastern Illinois University’s Salme Harju Steinberg Fine Arts building.
It aired on PBS on Sept. 17, 2007 and it was nominated for two Emmy awards for outstanding achievement for an entertainment program and outstanding achievement for excellence on camera. This was the first Emmy nomination for the Ruth Page foundation.
Producer Scott Silberstien chose to film “Billy Sunday” at NEIU because of executive director Venetia Stifler’s association with the university; she is head of the dance program at NEIU. He also mentioned that it was going to be performed there anyway and that the auditorium was able to work with the staging and camera. He said he was thrilled and gratified to be nominated for an Emmy.
Venetia Stifler said the reason she chose to re-envision “Billy Sunday” is because of the strength of its ideas. She also said “it was a wonderful challenge for me as the choreographer and director on the project to blend the steps that Ruth had created with new material that would propel the dance into the 21st century and be seen by an entirely new audience.”
She mentioned that she is thrilled that all of their efforts have resulted in this honor, and she is a little overwhelmed by it all. Silberstien said he is especially moved that this show represents a lot of dreams come true. The Emmys were hosted on Oct. 18, 2008; they did not take home any awards that night.