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Strawdog Theatre Company

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Headquarters
  
Illinois, United States

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American Blues Theater, A Red Orchid Theatre, Remy Bumppo Theatre C, Organic Theater Company, Chicago a cappella

The hunting of the snark strawdog theatre company


Founded in 1988, Strawdog Theater Company champions core values of Community, Ensemble, Challenge, Genuine Connection. Entering its 28th Season in 2015-2016, Strawdog has presented over 100 productions, offered years of late night variety performances, and has continued to expand its programming including offsite fully accessible performances partnered with Victory Garden's Access Project. With two performance spaces (a 73-seat black box and 50-seat cabaret), this 36 member ensemble theater continues to be one of the leading storefront theaters of Chicago. Strawdog is located in North Lakeview at 3829 N. Broadway.

Contents

The hunting of the snark at strawdog theatre company


Mission

The whole wide world in a little black box.

Strawdog Theatre Company is committed to ensemble acting and an immersive design approach, offering Chicago the premiere storefront theatre experience. Strawdog develops new work, re-imagines classic plays, explores new fusions of music and theatre, asks provocative questions and delivers the unexpected to our audience. Strawdog provides a home for our celebrated ensemble to work and play with the most sought after artists in Chicago theatre along with the best new talents in the city.

2015-2016 - Season 28

  • In a Word
  • by Lauren Yee
  • directed by Jess McLeod
  • D.O.A.
  • by from the script by Russell Rouse & Clarence Greene
  • directed and adapted by Elizabeth Lovelady
  • Once in a Lifetime
  • by George S. Kauffman and Moss Hart
  • directed by Damon Kiely
  • History

    Lawrence Novikoff and Paul Engelhardt founded Strawdog Theatre Company in 1988 after performing together in a production of Euripides’s Helen. Strawdog was intended to be a home for a company of actors drawn to a gritty, realistic theater style. The group took their name from Sam Peckinpah’s movie "Straw Dogs" and was founded with the commitment to the ensemble approach, which remains the backbone of Strawdog today [1]. From its inaugural production of Five of Us by Len Jenkin to the most recent production of St. Crispin's Day, Strawdog Theatre has not only survived, it has flourished.

    In 2000, the Company went through a period of restructuring. Many ensemble members left the Company and new members were recruited. This personnel change led to a shift in leadership and focus for the ensemble. Jennifer Avery and Michael Dailey took over as Co-Artistic Directors. They added many new ensemble members of varying disciplines, restructured the administration of the Company and gradually moved its focus from gritty kitchen sink dramas to a wider range of styles that embraced a true commitment to ensemble - based productions.

    In August 2003, the Company hired Nic Dimond, a former ensemble member, to helm the Company as Artistic Director. Dimond has refined the way the Company runs and strengthened the Board of Directors. He has continued to push the ensemble in new and challenging artistic directions, including the creation of original material, the use of live music and elevating the design elements to match the acting sophistication inside the ensemble. [2]

    Strawdog first garnered national attention when Terry Teachout ("America's Theatre Critic") of The Wall Street Journal named Aristocrats one of the best shows of 2007. The next year, Teachout once again lauded Strawdog for their production of RUR, a rarely seen parable about robots and technology.

    2003-2004 - Season 16

  • Julius Caesar
  • by William Shakespeare
  • directed by Nic Dimond
  • (remount at Theatre on the Lake)
  • Detective Story
  • by Sidney Kingsley
  • directed by Shade Murray
  • Wireless: Programme One
  • by Gregor Mortis
  • directed by Gregor Mortis
  • Merchant of Venice
  • by William Shakespeare
  • directed by George Cederquist
  • Fuddy Meers
  • by David Lindsay-Abaire
  • directed by Kimberly Senior
  • 2004-2005 - Season 17

  • Wireless 2
  • directed by Gregor Mortis
  • Puntila and His Man Matti
  • by Bertold Brecht
  • directed by Nathan Allan
  • Wireless 3
  • directed by James Anthony Zoccoli
  • Impossible Marriage
  • by Beth Henley
  • directed by Eric Wegener
  • The True Ballad of Fall's Blessings
  • by Hank Boland
  • directed by Nic Dimond
  • 2005-2006 - Season 18

  • Detective Story
  • Sidney Kingsley
  • directed by Shade Murray
  • remount at Theatre on the Lake
  • Wireless 4
  • directed by Nic Dimond
  • Three Sisters
  • by Anton Chekhov
  • directed by Kimberly Senior
  • Wireless 5
  • The Tooth of Crime (2nd Dance)
  • by Sam Shepard
  • directed by Nic Dimond
  • 2006-2007 - Season 19

  • Three Sisters
  • by Anton Chekhov
  • directed by Kimberly Senior
  • remount at Theatre on the Lake
  • Marathon '33
  • by June Havoc
  • directed by Shade Murray
  • Radio Theatre 6
  • by Hank Boland
  • directed by Jennifer Avery
  • A Lie of the Mind
  • by Sam Shepard
  • directed by Nic Dimond
  • Radio Theatre 7
  • by Michael Dailey
  • directed by Amanda Delheimer
  • 2007-2008 - Season 20

  • Aristocrats
  • by Brian Friel
  • directed by Rick Snyder
  • Richard III
  • by William Shakespeare
  • directed by Nic Dimond
  • Old Town
  • by Brett Nevue
  • directed by Kyle Hamman
  • 2008-2009 - Season 21

  • RUR
  • by Karel Capek
  • directed by Shade Murray
  • Cherry Orchard
  • by Anton Chekhov
  • directed by Kimberly Senior
  • Red Noses
  • by Peter Barnes
  • directed by Matt Hawkins
  • 2009-2010 - Season 22

  • St. Crispin's Day
  • by Matt Pepper
  • directed by Kevin Christopher Scott
  • Uncle Vanya
  • by Anton Chekhov
  • directed by Kimberly Senior
  • Good Soul of Szechuan
  • by Bertold Brecht
  • directed by Shade Murray
  • 2010-2011 - Season 23

  • Red Noses (Remounted)
  • by Peter Barnes
  • directed by Matt Hawkins
  • State of the Union
  • by Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse
  • directed by Geoff Button
  • Master and Margarita
  • by Mikhail Bulgakov
  • directed by Louis Contey
  • Conquest of the Southpole
  • by Manfred Karge
  • directed by Kimberly Senior
  • 2011-2012 - Season 24

  • Old Times
  • by Harold Pinter
  • directed by Kimberly Senior
  • Petrified Forest
  • by Robert E. Sherwood
  • directed by Shade Murray
  • The Duchess of Malfi
  • by John Webster
  • directed by Brandon Bruce
  • 2012-2013 - Season 25

  • Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom
  • by Harold Pinter
  • directed by Joanie Schultz
  • Improbable Frequency
  • Book & Lyrics by Arthur Riordan
  • Music by Bell Helicopter
  • Big Love
  • by Charles Mee
  • directed by Matt Hawkins
  • 2008

    Old Town
    After Dark Awards

  • Outstanding Musical
  • Outstanding Original Song/Score
  • Misha Fiksel
  • Outstanding Performance in a Musical or Review
  • Kat McDonnell

  • Lie of the Mind
    Joseph Jefferson Awards, Non-Equity Wing

  • Incidental Music
  • Misha Fiksel & Gregor Mortis
  • 2007

    Marathon '33
    Joseph Jefferson Awards, Non-Equity Wing

  • Outstanding Ensemble
  • 2005

    Three Sisters

    Joseph Jefferson Awards, Non-Equity Wing

  • Best Adaptation
  • Curt Columbus
  • Best Scenic Design
  • Brian Sidney Bembridge
  • After Dark Awards

  • Best Overall Technical
  • Best Production
  • Board of directors

  • Meaghan Clayton
  • Thomas Linguanti
  • Camille McLeod
  • Jennifer Nelson
  • Seth Rickard
  • Chelsea Wilson
  • Patrick Zubrod
  • Artistic Associates

  • Matt Hawkins
  • Members

  • Aly Renee Amidei
  • Hank Boland
  • Nicole Bloomsmith
  • Brittany Dee Bodley
  • Mike Dailey
  • Scott Danielson
  • Anita Deely
  • Paul Fagen
  • John Ferrick
  • Kyle Gibson
  • Sarah Goeden
  • Carmine Grisola
  • Kyle Hamman
  • Heath Hays
  • Shannon Hoag
  • Sam Hubbard
  • Jordan Kardasz
  • John Kelly
  • Anderson Lawfer
  • Sean Mallary
  • Kat McDonnell
  • Mike Mroch
  • Janice O'Neill
  • Michaela Petro
  • John Henry Roberts
  • Jamie Vann
  • Justine C. Turner
  • References

    Strawdog Theatre Company Wikipedia


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