Lookingglass Theatre Company is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

theater company located in

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

History

Lookingglass was founded in 1988 by

David Schwimmer David Lawrence Schwimmer (born November 2, 1966) is an American actor, director, and producer. He gained worldwide recognition for portraying Ross Geller in the sitcom '' Friends'', for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Pri ...

, David Catlin, Eva Barr, Thom Cox, Lawrence DiStasi, Joy Gregory, David Kersnar, and Andy White. The company's first production, ''Through the Lookingglass'', was directed by David Kersnar and was produced at the Great Room in Jones Residential College on the

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

campus. The company has since produced more than 60 world premiere plays, including Mary Zimmerman's ''

Metamorphoses The ''Metamorphoses'' (, , ) is a Latin Narrative poetry, narrative poem from 8 Common Era, CE by the Ancient Rome, Roman poet Ovid. It is considered his ''Masterpiece, magnum opus''. The poem chronicles the history of the world from its Cre ...

,'' as well as her adaptations of ''The Arabian Nights'' and ''The Odyssey''. The company also premiered and toured creator David Catlin's circus-driven re-imaginings of

Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet, mathematician, photographer and reluctant Anglicanism, Anglican deacon. His most notable works are ''Alice ...

's Alice in Wonderland in ''Lookingglass Alice'' and

Herman Melville Herman Melville (Name change, born Melvill; August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance (literature), American Renaissance period. Among his best-known works ar ...

's ''Moby Dick.'' Other productions have included David Schwimmer's adaptations of

Upton Sinclair Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. (September 20, 1878 – November 25, 1968) was an American author, muckraker journalist, and political activist, and the 1934 California gubernatorial election, 1934 Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

's ''The Jungle'' and Studs Terkel's ''Race: How Blacks and Whites Think and Feel About the American Obsession.'' Recent productions include

Jules Verne Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...

's ''20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,'' adapted by David Kersnar and Althos Low; ''Plantation!'', a play about reparations, written by Ensemble Member Kevin Douglas and directed by Ensemble Member David Schwimmer; ''Beyond Caring,'' created by British author and director Alexander Zeldin.

Leadership

Lookingglass is led by Artistic Director Heidi Stillman, and Executive Director, Rachel Fink. Fink was preceded by Rachel Kraft, who served as Executive Director for 12 seasons. Kraft's tenure saw the company receive the 2011 Regional Theatre Tony Award, a 2016 $1 million MacArthur Award for Creative and Effecting Institutions, and the 2017 League of Chicago Theaters Artistic Achievement Award.

Company

The Lookingglass Company is made up of cross-disciplinary artists: 24 Ensemble Members and 23 Artistic Associates. The ensemble includes

, Joey Slotnick and Mary Zimmerman. Artistic associates include Deanna Dunagan.

Awards

Lookingglass won the 2011 Regional Theatre Tony Award and has won over 45

Joseph Jefferson Awards The Joseph Jefferson Award, more commonly known informally as the Jeff Award, is given for Theater in Chicago, theatre arts produced in the Chicago area. Founded in 1968, the awards are named in tribute to actor Joseph Jefferson, a 19th-century ...

in its 30 Seasons.

New work

Glassworks is Lookingglass' New Play Development program. The company has produced 66 World Premieres.

Recent world premieres

's ''20,000 Leagues Under the Seas.'' :''Plantation!'' :''Mr. and Mrs. Pennyworth'' ( Manual Cinema, 2016) :''Thaddeus and Slocum: A Vaudeville Adventure'' :''In the Garden: a Darwinian Love Story'' :''Still Alice'' :''The North China Lover''

Other premieres

:''Metamorphoses'' :''Eastland: A New Musical'' :''Lookingglass Alice'' :''Around the World in 80 Days'' :''Black Diamond'' :''Moby Dick'' :''The Arabian Nights'' :

Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogue (literature), travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales. Andersen's fai ...

's '' The Steadfast Tin Soldier'' :''Act(s) of God'' :

Mary Shelley Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley ( , ; ; 30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel ''Frankenstein, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' (1818), which is considered an History of science fiction# ...

's ''

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a Sapience, sapient Frankenstein's monster, crea ...

Educational programming

Lookingglass, sponsors in-school residencies and student matinee programs for students in Chicago Public Schools. The company also offers classes and artistic summer camps for youth. In 2006, Lookingglass founded The Young Ensemble, where children devise and produce their own work.

Community engagement

Lookingglass participates in a ''Reflect Series'', a series of Sunday post-show panel discussions featuring local experts.

Facilities

In 2003, Lookingglass moved inside the Chicago Water Tower Water Works building in Near North Side, Chicago. The main stage is in the black-box style, meaning the seating can be rearranged for each production. Lookingglass artists can reconfigure the stage and seating arrangements to meet the design needs for specific productions. The theatre has a maximum capacity of 240 persons, including 60 possible seats on the removable balcony level. There is also a multi-purpose studio space, used for education programs, special events, and rehearsals. Designed by Morris Architects Planners, the space is a converted landmark. It houses the Lookingglass performance space, lobbies, dressing rooms, and concession areas, as well as a

Chicago Public Library The Chicago Public Library (CPL) is the public library system that serves the Chicago, City of Chicago in the U.S. state of Illinois. It consists of 81 locations, including a central library, three regional libraries, and branches distributed thr ...

. Additionally, the station continues to pump 125 million gallons of water to Chicago's north side every day. An itinerant theater company for years, Lookingglass moved into a permanent home on June 14, 2003, with a new theater in the renovated Water Tower Water Works on Chicago's Magnificent Mile. Its first production in the new space was an adaptation of Studs Terkel's ''Race'', adapted and directed by David Schwimmer.Chicago Tribune. Bommer, Lawrence 2003.
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References

External links

* {{Authority control Theatre companies in Chicago