exploring chicago stages

organic theatre

UW Madison student Stuart Gordon, controversial peter pan, sexual perversity in chicago by david mamet,

mary zimmerman

adapts and directs stories for the stage, the odyssey, galileo that robert falls directed, works at Northwestern, goodman theatre

david mamet

playwright for St. Nicholas organic and goodman, American Buffalo, Glengarry Glen Ross, sexual perversity, therapeutic approach to acting and writing

viola spolin

pioneered improv for theatre, invented famous improv/theatre games, emphasized tradition of play

second city origins

Uchicago students in 1959, cabaret theatre, got popular after SNL debut, Alan Arkin, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon

fred kaz

played music alongside Second City performances, jazz pianist/improvisational accompanist, was able to change direction of actors by changing the music

paul sills

son of viola spolin, founded Playwrights Theatre club in 1953 — a repertory theatre, cofounded Second City in 1959

kingston mines theatre

grease musical debuted, founded by june pyskacek

the court theatre

Nicholas Rudall, University Chicago affiliated, Robert Falls directed the tempest there, Stuart Gordon also

jefferson awards

Tonys for Chicago, named after Joseph Jefferson who did a lot of work in Chicago (in like late 1860s?), created in 1968

st. nicholas theatre

founded by Steven Schachter, David Mamet, and William H. Macy, squirrels

goodman stage 2

Greg Mosher former creative director, debuted American Buffalo directed by greg mosher, Cecil O'Neal director for stage 2

wisdom bridge

founded by David Beard, Robert Falls turned it professional, one of most tech-advanced theatres,

piven theatre workshop

founded by Joyce and Byrne Piven, used improv games for traditional theatre training, develop students as human beings rather than just artists

victory gardens

playwrights ensemble, started with 8 artists who all acted as art direc., Dennis Zacek 1st creative director,

goodman theatre

director ensemble, falls creative director, frank galati associate director and michael maggio associate art director, falls first show was Galileo, Michael Maggio put on Sunday in the Park with George

steppenwolf

actors ensemble, founded by gary sinise and jeff perry, started in highland park church basement, put on the glass menagerie, john malkovich and laurie metcalf

black ensemble theatre

founded by jackie taylor, created with the purpose of eradicting racism and projecting black voices/stories

bleacher bums

put on at the organic theatre, joe mantegna and stuart gordon

Chicago’s Christmas Carol

diverse casting, all different races and genders, a classic/tradition in the city

chicago shakespeare

founded by barbara gaines, wanted a theatre dedicated to shakespeare

robert falls

famous director, worked at Wisdom bridge 1977-1985 where he did of mice and men and hamlet, then goodman theatre 1986-2025?

lookingglass theatre

known for using and integrating acrobatics/circus arts in performance