People Making a Difference in Chicago Theatre

Kerry Reid
Published 12/23/05

Who is making a difference in Chicago theater? Well, it's you of course. CHicago theatre is built on very one fo the actors, directors, designers, playwrights, producers, stage managers, agents, casting directors, pr people, house managers - we could go on forever. But inthe interest of brevity, PERFOMINK asked a few Chicago theater writers to give us a list of who they think stand out in terms of changing the face of Chicago theater.

Seven people got multiple nominations, butour contributors were surprisingly diverse in their opinions. Here, then, starting withthe poeple who gotmore thanone nod, is a list of people or groups making a difference, with some reasons why

Zygmunt Dyrkacz - "Chicago Shakespear gets a lot of (well deserved) praise for brinign in high-profile European troupes. But those who wish to see the best of experimental European theater (especially Eastern European) know that Wicker Park's Chopin is the place to go"

Dyrkacz and his wife, Lela Headd, have produced Poland's brilliant Teatr Cogitatur for three years running, and they also presented I-Fest, a festival of new work by solo artists from all over Europe this past fall, includingmanypieces in their original language. This is cosmopolitanism Chicago-style - the cozy Algren Cafe and lobby make Chopin oen fo teh more inviting spaces in town, even when the work is more challenging fare" - Kerry Reid