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| Formation | 1985 |
|---|---|
| Type | Theatre group |
| Location |
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Artistic director(s) | Gwendolyn Whiteside |
| Website | http://www.americanbluestheater.com/ |
American Blues Theater is a nonprofit, professional Equity theater company in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The ensemble currently has 30 members.
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]
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.
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.
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)
Season 7 (1992)
Season 8 (1993)
Season 9 (1994)
Season 10 (1995–1996)
Season 11 (1996–1997)
Season 12 (1997–1998) [23]
Season 13 (1998–1999) [24]
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)
Season 21 (2006–2007)
Season 22 (2007–2008) [43]
Season 23 (2008–2009)
Season 24 (2009–2010) [48]
Season 25 (2010–2011) [49]
Season 26 (2011–2012) [50]
Season 27 (2012–2013) [51]
Season 28 (2013–2014) [52]
Season 29 (2014–15) [53]
Season 30 (2015–16) [54]
Season 31 (2016–17) [55]
Season 32 (2017–18) [56]
Season 33 (2018–19) [57]
Season 34 (2019–20) [58]
Season 35 (2020–21)
Season 36 (2021–22)
Season 37 (2022–23)
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:
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