American Blues Theater

American Blues Theater is a nonprofit, professional Equity theater company in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The ensemble currently has 30 members.

American Blues Theater
Formation1985
TypeTheatre group
Location
  • Chicago
Artistic director(s)
Gwendolyn Whiteside
Websitehttp://www.americanbluestheater.com/

History

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American Blues Theater was founded in 1985 by Ed Blatchford, Rick Cleveland, Bill Payne and Jim Leaming as a company dedicated to new and classic American plays. Richard Christiansen of the Chicago Tribune cited the theater as one of three companies in his editorial "Chicago Theater Forges New Standards of Glory."[1]

From 1997 to 2009, the company was led by artistic directors from outside of the ensemble. Under this leadership from 1997 to 2007, the theater's name changed to the American Theater Company (ATC),[2] the mission statement was revised, and the business expanded significantly. In 2008, under new management, the ensemble theater practice was dismantled. After 18 months of talks with new management, all four founders and every ensemble member before 2008 left the ATC in March 2009 citing "major administrative and artistic differences."[3]

The ensemble immediately reformed under its original name of the American Blues Theater. The founding board members reconstituted the board, and ensemble member Gwendolyn Whiteside became the artistic director. Under her leadership, American Blues has expanded the ensemble and diversified its base of artists. Whiteside established the annual Blue Ink Award for playwriting, incorporated community service into the company's mission, and developed arts education programming for Chicago Public Schools, which serves just under 4,000 students annually.

After more than three decades as an itinerant theater, in 2022 American Blues Theater purchased a 17,965 sq ft property at 5627 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago to transform into its first permanent home. The venue will include a 148-seat proscenium and a 40-seat flexible studio. The venue will be designed by John Morris of Morris Architects Planners with theater systems supported by Schuler Shook. The company anticipates opening the venue in November 2023.[4]

Community service

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American Blues Theater provides community service for not-for-profit organizations such as The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Chicago Public Schools, American Indian Center, HANA Center, Chicago Latina Moms, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and the United Service Organizations. Since 2009, the theater has held food and book drives, distributed promotional tickets, and raised awareness for children's surgeries and health needs. It also donate proceeds from "Pediatric Previews" to Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.

Awards

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The theater is a previous winner of American Theatre Wing's National Theatre Company Award.[5]

As of 2020, the theater and artists have 221 Jeff Awards and nominations, marking distinction in Chicago theater, and 40 Black Theater Alliance Awards.

Production history

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More than half of the mainstage productions are world and Chicago premieres. The theater's new play development consists of a variety of programs, including world and Chicago premieres, the Blue Ink Award for playwriting, Blueprint play development, and the annual festival of short plays, The Ripped Festival.[6]

+ indicates World Premiere production

Season 1 (1985)

Season 2 (1986)

Season 3 (1987)

Season 4 (1988)

Season 5 (1989–1990)

Season 6 (1991)

  • Monsters: Glimpses of Urban Lunacy +

Season 7 (1992)

  • Monsters II: Visiting Hours +

Season 8 (1993)

  • Food From Trash by Gary Leon Hill[14]

Season 9 (1994)

Season 10 (1995–1996)

Season 11 (1996–1997)

Season 12 (1997–1998)[23]

Season 13 (1998–1999)[24]

  • The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill
  • One Day Only by Edward Mast +
  • Pledge of Allegiance by Mark R. Giesser
  • Below the Belt by Richard Dresser
  • La Tectonica de las Nubes/Cloud Tectonics by Jose Rivera (co-production with Centro Cultural Helenico, Mexico City) +

Season 14 (1999–2000)[25]

Season 15 (2000–2001)

Season 16 (2001–2002)

Season 17 (2002–2003)

Season 18 (2003–2004)[33]

Season 19 (2004–2005)

Season 20 (2005–2006)

  • Orpheus Descending by Tennessee Williams[37]
  • It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play by the American Blues Theater Ensemble
  • St. Scarlet by Julia Jordan[38]
  • Heritage by Brett Neveu[39] +

Season 21 (2006–2007)

Season 22 (2007–2008)[43]

Season 23 (2008–2009)

Season 24 (2009–2010)[48]

  • It's a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph! by the American Blues Theater Ensemble +
  • Tobacco Road by Jack Kirkland

Season 25 (2010–2011)[49]

  • It's a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph! by the American Blues Theater Ensemble
  • Rantoul and Die by Mark Roberts

Season 26 (2011–2012)[50]

Season 27 (2012–2013)[51]

  • Illegal Use of Hands by James Still +
  • It's a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph! by the American Blues Theater Ensemble
  • Collected Stories by Donald Margulies

Season 28 (2013–2014)[52]

  • Hank Williams: Lost Highway by Randal Myler and Mark Harelik
  • It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! by the American Blues Theater Ensemble +
  • American Myth by Christina Gorman
  • Grounded by George Brant

Season 29 (2014–15)[53]

  • Hank Williams: Lost Highway by Randal Myler and Mark Harelik
  • Native Son adapted by Nambi E. Kelley (co-production with Court Theatre) +
  • It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago by the American Blues Theater Ensemble
  • Yankee Tavern by Steven Dietz
  • Side Man by Warren Leight

Season 30 (2015–16)[54]

Season 31 (2016–17)[55]

  • Dutchman by Amiri Baraka & TRANSit by Darren Canady +
  • It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago by the American Blues Theater Ensemble
  • The Columnist by David Auburn

Season 32 (2017–18)[56]

  • Beauty's Daughter by Dael Orlandersmith
  • It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago by the American Blues Theater Ensemble
  • Six Corners by Keith Huff +
  • Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story by Alan James

Season 33 (2018–19)[57]

  • Flyin' West by Pearl Cleage
  • It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago by the American Blues Theater Ensemble
  • On Clover Road by Steven Dietz
  • The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey by Celeste Lecesne
  • The Spitfire Grill by James Valeq & Fred Alley

Season 34 (2019–20)[58]

  • Five Presidents by Rick Cleveland
  • It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago by the American Blues Theater Ensemble
  • Roan @ The Gates by Christina Telesca

Season 35 (2020–21)

  • It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago by the American Blues Theater Ensemble (live interactive show on Zoom)[59]

Season 36 (2021–22)

  • It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago by the American Blues Theater Ensemble[60]
  • Stand Up If You're Here Tonight by John Kolvenbach[61]

Season 37 (2022–23)

  • Fences by August Wilson[62]
  • Alma by Benjamin Benne +[63]
  • It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago by the American Blues Theater Ensemble

[64]

Blue Ink Award for playwriting

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American Blues Theater's nationally renowned Blue Ink Award for playwriting was created in 2010 to support new work. Each year the theater accepts worldwide submissions of original, unpublished full-length plays. The winning play is selected by the artistic director and the theater's Ensemble.

Since inception, 12 Award winners, 112 finalists, and 171 semi-finalists have been named. Recent winners include:

  • 2022The Reapers on Woodbrook Avenue by Mardee Bennett[65]
  • 2021Refugee Rhapsody by Yussef El Guindi[66]
  • 2020Recent Unsettling Events by Andrea Stolowitz[67]
  • 2019Alma by Benjamin Benne[68] | world premiere American Blues Theater, Chicago, 2022; Center Theater Group, L.A., 2022
  • 2018Welcome to Matteson! by Inda Craig-Galván[69]
  • 2017Hype Man by Idris Goodwin[70] | world premiere Company One, Boston, 2018
  • 2016The Wind and the Breeze by Nathan Alan Davis[71] | world premiere Cygnet Theatre, San Diego, 2018
  • 2015Other Than Honorable by Jamie Pachino[72] | world premiere Geva Theatre Center, NY, 2017
  • 2014Comden Mall Community Activists by Douglas Post[73]
  • 2013Graveyard of Empires by Elaine Romero[74] | world premiere 16th Street Theater, Chicago, 2015
  • 2012American Myth by Christina Telesca | world premiere American Blues Theater, Chicago, 2014[75]
  • 2011 – American Home by Stephanie Walker | world premiere, Pasadena, CA, 2017[76]

References

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As of this edit, this article uses content from "Ensemble History", which is licensed in a way that permits reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, but not under the GFDL. All relevant terms must be followed.

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  4. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Chicago Tribune.
  5. ^ "American Theatre Wing".
  6. ^ "Our Mission & History – American Blues Theater".
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  14. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Archived from the original on April 14, 2015.
  15. ^ "On the Waterfront – Chicago Reader". 24 November 1994.
  16. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Archived from the original on April 14, 2015.
  17. ^ "Tom and Jerry, American Blues Theatre – Chicago Reader". 2 November 1995.
  18. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Archived from the original on April 14, 2015.
  19. ^ "Phoenix Rises at Chicago's American Blues Theatre - Playbill.com". Archived from the original on 2015-04-15. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  20. ^ "Don't Disappoint Captain January – Chicago Reader". 14 November 1996.
  21. ^ "Stalag 17 – Chicago Reader". 6 February 1997.
  22. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Archived from the original on April 14, 2015.
  23. ^ "Losing the Blues/ The Last Impressionist? – Chicago Reader". 16 July 1998.
  24. ^ "Life | qconline.com".
  25. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Archived from the original on August 18, 2014.
  26. ^ "Endgame – Chicago Reader". 21 September 2000.
  27. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Archived from the original on April 16, 2015.
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  29. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Archived from the original on April 16, 2015.
  30. ^ "Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times.[dead link]
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  32. ^ "The Trip to Bountiful – Chicago Reader". 25 April 2002.
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  34. ^ "Reference at newcitystage.com". 21 October 2004.
  35. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Archived from the original on April 16, 2015.
  36. ^ "An American culture clash". 27 April 2005.
  37. ^ "Orpheus Descending – American Theater Company – Chicago".
  38. ^ "St. Scarlet (Closed March 26, 2006) | Chicago | reviews, cast and info | TheaterMania".
  39. ^ "Heritage – American Theater Company – Chicago".
  40. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Archived from the original on April 16, 2015.
  41. ^ "Oklahoma! – American Theater Company – Chicago".
  42. ^ "Half of Plenty – American Theater Company – Chicago".
  43. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Archived from the original on April 16, 2015.
  44. ^ "Event Alert: Shorty Clothing and Gen Art – Chicago Reader". 23 September 2009.
  45. ^ "Celebrity Row – American Theater Company – Chicago".
  46. ^ "topdog/underdog – American Theater Company – Chicago".
  47. ^ "True West – American Theater Company – Chicago".
  48. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Archived from the original on April 17, 2015.
  49. ^ "American Blues Theater Announces 2010–2011 Season – Chicago Theatre News".
  50. ^ "American Blues Theater Announces 2011–12 Season".
  51. ^ "James Still, Gwendolyn Whiteside, Dennis Zacek Set for American Blues Theater's 2012–2013 Season | TheaterMania".
  52. ^ "American Blues Theater Announces 2013-2014 Season | Voices". Archived from the original on 2015-04-16. Retrieved 2015-04-16.
  53. ^ "American Blues Theater to Feature Side Man, Yankee Tavern and It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! In 2014-15 Season". 27 February 2014.
  54. ^ "American Blues Theater announces 30th anniversary season". Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
  55. ^ "American Blues Theater announces 2016–17 season". Chicago Tribune.
  56. ^ "American Blues 2017–18 season will include a new Keith Huff play". Chicago Tribune.
  57. ^ "American Blues Theater Announces 2018–19 Season". 23 April 2018.
  58. ^ "Announcing Season 34 "then & now" (2019/20)". 6 March 2019.
  59. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Chicago Tribune.
  60. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment". Chicago Tribune.
  61. ^ "WTTW".
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  64. ^ "Production History | American Blues Theater". Archived from the original on 2015-02-27. Retrieved 2015-02-26.
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  66. ^ "American Theatre". 23 March 2021.
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  70. ^ "American Theatre". 18 January 2017.
  71. ^ "American Blues Theater". 29 February 2016.
  72. ^ "Broadway World".
  73. ^ "American Blues Theater". 25 February 2014.
  74. ^ "American Blues Theater". 28 February 2013.
  75. ^ "TCG".
  76. ^ "Broadway World".