The Factory Theater is a

Chicago theatre The Chicago Theatre, originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a landmark Theater (structure), theater located on North State Street (Chicago), State Street in the Loop, Chicago, Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Built in 19 ...

company founded in 1992. Originally working out of a 50-seat storefront theater in the

Rogers Park Rogers Park is a neighborhood on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, and one of the city's 77 municipally recognized community areas. Located north of the Loop along the shore of Lake Michigan, it features green spaces, early 20th-century ...

neighborhood in the northern part of

Chicago 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 ...

, the company has produced over 100 shows during its existence (all original scripts written by ensemble members). The typical schedule during the first five seasons of the Factory Theater was a Thursday evening show, a Friday/Saturday mainstage show, and a Friday/Saturday late-night show. In 1997, after years of ongoing improvements and renovations to the theater in an unsuccessful attempt to satisfy building-code requirements, the company moved out of its Rogers Park storefront and into the Footsteps Theater's space on Clark Street in the Andersonville neighborhood. They were itinerant from 2000-2003 then took residence at the Prop Thtr in Chicago. As of 2015, they have moved into their new 70-seat space right back in Rogers Park on Howard Street right by the CTA Red Line."Factory Theater to Move to Howard Street"
, DNAInfo, 20 January 2015.

Artistic leadership

The original Co-Artistic Directors were Sean Abley and Amy Seeley (1992-97), with Michael Beyer as Board President. Abley departed for Los Angeles in 1997 (the day after Battleaxe Betty opening night). Nick Digilio took over as Artistic Director from 1998-2007, with Molly Brennan as Board President / Managing Director beginning in 1998. Scott OKen would replace Digilio as Artistic Director in 2007, a position he'd hold until 2017. In 2017, the Factory announced the election of their new artistic leadership team, Co-Artistic Directors Stacie Barra and Manny Tamayo, replacing OKen. In the resurgence of live theater at the tail end of the pandemic, the Factory announced new Co-Artistic Directors--long-time ensemble members Timothy C Amos and Shannon O'Neill.

The Factory Theater West

The Factory Theater West, composed of Factory Theater ensemble members who had relocated to

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, produced five productions from 1999-2001. All productions were either remounts of past Factory Theater shows or original works.

Members

Founding

*Sean Abley *Bo Blackburn *Michael Meredith *Tom Purcell *Jeff Rogers *Amy Seeley

Current ensemble

Past and emeritus ensemble

Production history

1992

*''Snafu:'' sketch comedy *''Reefer Madness'' by Sean Abley *''Spin Doctors'' by Jeff Rogers

1993

*''Attack of the Killer B's'' by Sean Abley *''Tribe:''

improv Improv may refer to: *Improvisation, an act of spontaneous invention **Improvisational theatre (includes improvisational comedy) **Musical improvisation Musical improvisation (also known as musical extemporization) is the creative activity of im ...

with Bo Blackburn, Joe Dempsey, Marssie Mencotti and Kent Sterling *''The Angry Show'' by Nick Digilio and Mike Meredith *''Lovely Letters'' by George Brant *''Bucket of Blood'' by Marssie Mencotti and Dave Springer (based on the film) *''Bitches'' by Sean Abley *''Santa Claus Conquers the Martians'' by Sean Abley

1994

*''Hooray!'' conceived by Amy Seeley, written by Sean Abley, Mike Beyer, Bo Blackburn, Heather Delker, Jenny Kirkland-Laffey, Joey Meyer, Mike Meredith, Amy Seeley and Wendy Tregay *''Alive'' by Nick Digilio and Mike Meredith *''Kong!'' by George Brant *''Free Pizza:'' by Mike Beyer *''Man Card'' by Kirk Pynchon and Jesse Dienstag *''Disco Bob:'' improv with Sean Abley, Bo Blackburn, Mike Meredith, Amy Seeley and Eric Frankie *''Beaverhunt'' by Amy Seeley and Jenny Kirkland-Laffey

1995

*''Sabotage'' by Nick Digilio and Mike Beyer *''Jailbait'' by Amy Seeley *''P'' by Sean Abley, Bo Blackburn, Heather Delker, Jenny Kirkland-Laffey, Amy Seeley *''Pet-Scare Theater'' by Jill Rothamer *''Sit' Com'' by George Brant *''White Trash Wedding and a Funeral'' by Mike Beyer and Bill Havle *''The Christmas Show'' by Joey Meyer

1996

*''Preying Manthis'' by Wendy Tregay *''ABBArama'' by Amy Seeley *''My Period'' by Jenny Kirkland-Laffey *''Urban Legends'' by Bo Blackburn *''Being at Choice:'' by Mike Meredith *''Win, Place or Show'' by Nick Digilio and Ernie Deak *''529 S. Something'' by Molly Brennan *''Rapid Fire'' by Molly Brennan *''Utterly, Completely Bored Out of My Friggin' Mind'' by Jill Rothamer *''Escape from The North Pole'' by Nick Digilio and Mike Meredith *''Second City Didn't Want Us, or, Is There a Spot in the Touring Company for My Girlfriend?'' sketch comedy conceived by Sean Abley and written by Sean Abley, Bo Blackburn, Brooke Dillman, Eric Frankie, Jenny Kirkland-Laffey, Mike Meredith and Amy Seeley

1997

*''Nuclear Family'' by Sean Abley *''Battleaxe Betty'' by Molly Brennan *''The Surreal World'' by Jill Rothamer *''Clean'' by Michael Meredith *''Fat!'' by Michelle Suffredin *''The Repair Guys'' by Scott OKen *''The Factory Theater's Shut Up and Laugh Comedy Festival''

1998

*''The Barbara Walters Interviews'' by Jenny Kirkland-Laffey *''The Factory All-Star Late Night Fiasco'' *''Vinyl Shop'' by Nick Digilio and Mike Vieau *''Amy Seeley and the Moline Madman'' by Amy Seeley *''The Factory Theater's Shut Up and Laugh Comedy Festival II''

1999

*''Herb Stabler, Wandering Spirit'' by Mike Beyer *''Surface Dwellers'' by Scott OKen and Ernest Deak *''Dancing With the Past'' by Patricia Sutherland *''Factory Match Game '99'' *''Dragontales'' by Molly Brennan *''Endzone'' by Michael Mazzara *''The Factory Theater's Shut Up and Laugh Comedy Festival III''

2000

*''Gooooooo Speech Team!'' by Jenny Kirkland-Laffey

2001

*''Variations on Death'' by Kevin Rich *''Captain Raspberry'' by Matthew O'Neill *''The Death and Life of Barb Budonovich'' by Kevin Rich

2002

*''Poppin and Lockdown'' by Kirk Pynchon and Michael Meredith *''Lab Rats'' by Various Artists (incl. Brett Neveu, Ryan Oliver, Jennifer Pompa) *''Eagle Hills, Eagle Ridge, Eagle Landing'' by Brett Neveu *''Among the Dead'' by Ryan Oliver

2003

*''Dick Danger: DJ Crime Solver'' by George Brant *''Factory Theater Presents.....CHICAGOSTYLE'' by Various Artists *''Here Comes a Regular'' by Nick Digilio and Mike Vieau

2004

*''Being at Choice'' (remount) by Mike Meredith *''Poppin and Lockdown 2: Dance the Right Thing'' by Kirk Pynchon and Mike Meredith *''Ménage À Trailer'' by Laura McKenzie and Mark Sam Rosenthal

2005

*''Toast of the Town'' by Scott OKen and Ernie Deak *''Lonesome Hoboes'' by George Brant *''Top Shelf...'' by Scott OKen

2006

*''The Willing Participant'' by Matthew O'Neill *''GIs in Europe'' by Scott OKen and Ernie Deak *''Operation Infiltration: An Experiment in Terror'' by Manny Tamayo

2007

*''Janice Dutts Goes to Life Camp'' by Laura McKenzie *''Siskel & Ebert Save Chicago'' by Eric Roach *''Dirty Diamonds'' by Mike Beyer

2008

*''Ceres'' by Heather Tyler *''Ren Faire! A Fistfull of Ducats'' by Matt Engle *''Shameless Shamuses'' by Ernie Deak *''Bustin' Out of the Hell'' by Scott OKen

2009

*''Mop Top Festival'' by Scott OKen *''Dead Wrong'' by Manny Tamayo *''1985'' by Chas Vrba *''Hunky Dory'' by Joe Gehr

2010

*''Hey! Dancin!'' by Kirk Pynchon and Mike Beyer *''The League of Awesome'' by Corrbette Pasko and Sara Sevigny *''Jenny and Jenni'' by Shannon O'Neill *''1985'' (remount at the DCA Storefront Theatre) by Chas Vrba *''The New Adventures of Popeye'' by Sarah Rose Graber

2011

*''Easy Six'' by Scott OKen and Ernie Deak *''Black and Blue'' by Anthony Tournis and Nick Digilio *''The Gray Girl'' by Colin Milroy

2012

*''White Trash Wedding and a Funeral'' (20th Season Remount) by Mike Beyer and Bill Halve *''Renfaire! A Fistful of Ducats!'' (20th Season Remount) by Matt Engle *''Toast of the Town'' (20th Season Remount) by Scott OKen and Ernie Deak

2013

*''Incident on Run 1217'' by Manny Tamayo: Winner, Joseph Jefferson Award, Best New Play (Non-Equity Wing) *''Namosaur!'' by Scott OKen *''Street Justice: Condition Red'' by Anthony Tournis and Colin Milroy

2014

*''Hey! Dancin'! Hey! Musical!'' by Kirk Pynchon and Mike Beyer, music & lyrics by Laura McKenzie *''Take the Cake'' by Stacie Barra *''Hotel Aphrodite'' by Angelina Martinez, story by Allison Cain

2016

*''The Last Big Mistake'' by Ernie Deak *''Dating and Dragons'' by Mike Ooi

2016–17

*''Zombie Broads'' by Corrbette Pasko and Sara Sevigny *''Born Ready'' by Stacie Barra *''Fight City'' by Scott OKen

2017–18

*''Captain Steve's Caring Kingdom'' by Mike Ooi *''The Next Big Thing'' by Carrie Sullivan *''The Adventures of Spirit Force Five'' by Jill Oliver *''The Xmas War'' by Scott OKen

2018–19

*''The Darkness After Dawn'' by Manny Tamayo *''May the Road Rise Up'' by Shannon O'Neill *''Prophet$'' by Anthony Tournis *''The Xmas Endgame'' by Scott OKen

2019 through 2022 (pandemic)

*''Oh Sh#t! It's Haunted!'' by Scott OKen *''Last Night in Karaoke Town'' by Mike Beyer and Kirk Pynchon

2022-2023

*''The HOA'' by Angelina Martinez *''The Kelly Girls'' by Shannon O’Neill *''Lane Call A Night of Closing'' by Len Foote and Scott OKen

2023-2024

*''Wise Guys: The First Christmas Story'' by Chase Wheaton-Werle *''Party At The Pantheon: A Modern Greek Stoner Comedy'' by Michael Jones *''Die Hard 4 Your Luv'' by Kirk Pynchon & Mike Beyer

2024-2025

*''Stabbed in the Heart'' by Nate Hall and Cody Lindley *''Inheritance or Brothers from the Deep'' by Michael Jones *''Kitty James and Destiny’s Trail to Oregon'' by Phil Claudnic *''The Curious Circumstances of Louis Le Prince'' by Chase Wheaton-Werle

Production history at Factory Theater West

1999

*''White Trash Wedding and a Funeral'' by Mike Beyer and Bill Havle *''Attack of the Killer B's'' by Sean Abley: Winner, Backstage West Garland Award for Best Adaptation

2000

*''Being at Choice'' by Michael Meredith *''Kirk du Soleil'' by Kirk Pynchon

2001

*''Poppin' and Lockdown'' by Kirk Pynchon and Mike Meredith

References

External links

Factory Theater's Official WebsiteFactory Theater's Myspace PageFactory Theater's Official Facebook Page
{{Chicago mtp 1992 establishments in Illinois Theatre companies in Chicago