Victory Gardens Theater
Encyclopedia
Victory Gardens Theater is a theater in Chicago
, Illinois
dedicated to the development and production of new plays and playwrights. The theater was founded in 1974 when seven Chicago artists, Warren Casey
, Cordis Heard, Roberta Maguire, Mac McGuinnes, Cecil O'Neal, June Pyskaček, and David Rasche
each fronted $1,000 to start a company outside the Chicago Loop
. The theater's first production, The Velvet Rose, by Stacy Myatt premiered on October 9, 1974.
The company’s initial home was on the top floor of the Northside Auditorium Building, 3730 N. Clark Street
. Its second production -- a country-western musical co-produced with commercial producers called The Magnolia Club by Jeff Berkson, John Karraker and David Karraker -- was the company’s first hit.
In 1975, director Dennis Začek staged The Caretaker by Harold Pinter
, beginning a relationship that led to Zacek being named artistic director in 1977.
Key on-going collaborators worked with the company for the first time in the Clark Street space, including actor William L. Petersen, Marcelle McVay, director Sandy Shinner, and playwrights Steve Carter
and Jeffrey Sweet
. All of these people continue relationships with the company today. McVay, who is married to Dennis Zacek, subsequently became managing director and Sandy Shinner later became associate artistic director.
In 1981, the success of Sweet’s third play with the company, Ties, led to it being transferred to an extended run in the larger space downstairs at the Body Politic Theater at 2257 N. Lincoln. When Ties closed, downstairs became Victory Gardens’ new home. Upon the demise of the Body Politic company some years later, Victory Gardens acquired the whole building, housing four stages.
In 1989, Začek’s staging of James Sherman
’s Beau Jest was such a hit that it moved for a long run off-Broadway and was subsequently staged in hundreds of productions around the world. In 2008, Sherman released a film version of the play starring Lanie Kazan and Seymour Cassel.
In 1997, resident playwrights Steve Carter
and James Sherman
were joined by Claudia Allen, Dean Corrin, Lonnie Carter, Gloria Bond Clunie, John Logan
, Nicholas Patricca, Douglas Post, Charles Smith, Jeffrey Sweet
and Kristine Thatcher
as the founding members of the company’s Playwrights Ensemble.
In 2001, Victory Gardens received the Tony Award
for Regional Theatre, one of four Chicago companies to be so honored the other three being the Steppenwolf Theatre Company
, Goodman Theatre
, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater
.
In 2006, Victory Gardens opened a re-designed Biograph Theater
at 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue
as its new home. The Biograph, the notorious location of the ambush of gangster John Dillinger
, opened with a party hosted by William L. Petersen, who played Dillinger at Victory Gardens at the beginning of his career. The space at 2257 N. Lincoln has been redubbed the Victory Gardens Greenhouse and is mostly rented to a variety of non-profit companies including Shattered Globe and Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
. In 2008 the Victory Gardens Greenhouse was sold to the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation. It is now the Greenhouse Theater Center.
In 2010, Victory Gardens named the studio space at the Biograph Theater
the Richard Christiansen Theatre in honor of longtime Chicago Tribune
theatre critic Richard Christiansen, author of the book A Theatre of Our Own.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
dedicated to the development and production of new plays and playwrights. The theater was founded in 1974 when seven Chicago artists, Warren Casey
Warren Casey
Warren Casey was an American theatre composer, lyricist, writer, and actor. He is best known for being the writer and composer, with Jim Jacobs of the stage and film musical Grease.-Career:...
, Cordis Heard, Roberta Maguire, Mac McGuinnes, Cecil O'Neal, June Pyskaček, and David Rasche
David Rasche
-Early life and career:Rasche was born in St. Louis, Missouri. His father was a minister and farmer. Rasche started in theatre, but also has appeared on numerous movies and television series. He became a member of the Chicago Second City, after John Belushi moved on to Saturday Night Live...
each fronted $1,000 to start a company outside the Chicago Loop
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
. The theater's first production, The Velvet Rose, by Stacy Myatt premiered on October 9, 1974.
The company’s initial home was on the top floor of the Northside Auditorium Building, 3730 N. Clark Street
Clark Street (Chicago)
Clark Street is a north-south street in Chicago, Illinois that runs close to the shore of Lake Michigan from the northern city boundary with Evanston, to 2200 South in the city street numbering system...
. Its second production -- a country-western musical co-produced with commercial producers called The Magnolia Club by Jeff Berkson, John Karraker and David Karraker -- was the company’s first hit.
In 1975, director Dennis Začek staged The Caretaker by Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter, CH, CBE was a Nobel Prize–winning English playwright and screenwriter. One of the most influential modern British dramatists, his writing career spanned more than 50 years. His best-known plays include The Birthday Party , The Homecoming , and Betrayal , each of which he adapted to...
, beginning a relationship that led to Zacek being named artistic director in 1977.
Key on-going collaborators worked with the company for the first time in the Clark Street space, including actor William L. Petersen, Marcelle McVay, director Sandy Shinner, and playwrights Steve Carter
Steve Carter
Steve or Steven Carter may refer to:*Steve Carter , Attorney General of Indiana, U.S.A.*Steve Carter , English footballer who played for Notts County, Derby County, Torquay United and Minnesota Kicks...
and Jeffrey Sweet
Jeffrey Sweet
Jeffrey Sweet is an American writer, journalist, songwriter and theatre historian. Sweet's father was the late James Sweet, a science writer for the University of Chicago who aided Supreme Court chief justice Earl Warren in drafting two anti-McCarthy speeches; his mother is violinist Vivian...
. All of these people continue relationships with the company today. McVay, who is married to Dennis Zacek, subsequently became managing director and Sandy Shinner later became associate artistic director.
In 1981, the success of Sweet’s third play with the company, Ties, led to it being transferred to an extended run in the larger space downstairs at the Body Politic Theater at 2257 N. Lincoln. When Ties closed, downstairs became Victory Gardens’ new home. Upon the demise of the Body Politic company some years later, Victory Gardens acquired the whole building, housing four stages.
In 1989, Začek’s staging of James Sherman
James Sherman
James Sherman may refer to:*James S. Sherman, Vice President of the United States under President William Howard Taft, 1909–1912*James Sherman , comic book artist*James Sherman , American playwright from Chicago...
’s Beau Jest was such a hit that it moved for a long run off-Broadway and was subsequently staged in hundreds of productions around the world. In 2008, Sherman released a film version of the play starring Lanie Kazan and Seymour Cassel.
In 1997, resident playwrights Steve Carter
Steve Carter
Steve or Steven Carter may refer to:*Steve Carter , Attorney General of Indiana, U.S.A.*Steve Carter , English footballer who played for Notts County, Derby County, Torquay United and Minnesota Kicks...
and James Sherman
James Sherman
James Sherman may refer to:*James S. Sherman, Vice President of the United States under President William Howard Taft, 1909–1912*James Sherman , comic book artist*James Sherman , American playwright from Chicago...
were joined by Claudia Allen, Dean Corrin, Lonnie Carter, Gloria Bond Clunie, John Logan
John Logan
-Politicians and judges:* John Alexander Logan , Australian judge* John Logan , Australian judge of the Federal Court of Australia* John William Logan , civil engineering contractor and British Member of Parliament...
, Nicholas Patricca, Douglas Post, Charles Smith, Jeffrey Sweet
Jeffrey Sweet
Jeffrey Sweet is an American writer, journalist, songwriter and theatre historian. Sweet's father was the late James Sweet, a science writer for the University of Chicago who aided Supreme Court chief justice Earl Warren in drafting two anti-McCarthy speeches; his mother is violinist Vivian...
and Kristine Thatcher
Kristine Thatcher
-Life:Thatcher, born Margaret Schneider, began acting at 16 with a small professional company in her hometown, Lansing, Michigan. She went on to work at regional theaters across the country. Her first husband was actor Tim Thatcher...
as the founding members of the company’s Playwrights Ensemble.
In 2001, Victory Gardens received the Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for Regional Theatre, one of four Chicago companies to be so honored the other three being the Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is a Tony Award-winning Chicago theatre company founded in 1974 by Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry in the basement of a church in Highland Park, Illinois. It has since relocated to Chicago's Halsted Street, in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Its name comes from...
, Goodman Theatre
Goodman Theatre
The Goodman Theatre is a professional theater company located in Chicago's Loop. A major part of Chicago theatre, it is the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization...
, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Chicago Shakespeare Theater is a non-profit, professional theater company located at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. Its more than six hundred annual performances performed 48 weeks of the year include its critically acclaimed Shakespeare series, its World's Stage touring productions, and youth...
.
In 2006, Victory Gardens opened a re-designed Biograph Theater
Biograph Theater
The Biograph Theater, at 2433 North Lincoln Avenue, Lincoln Park in Chicago, Illinois, was originally a movie theater but now presents live productions. It is notable as the location where bank robber John Dillinger was shot by FBI agents after watching a gangster movie on July 22, 1934...
at 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue
Lincoln Avenue (Chicago)
Lincoln Avenue is a major diagonal thoroughfare of the north side of city of Chicago. It runs from Clark Street on the western border of Lincoln Park largely to the northwest, ending in Morton Grove, Illinois...
as its new home. The Biograph, the notorious location of the ambush of gangster John Dillinger
John Dillinger
John Herbert Dillinger, Jr. was an American bank robber in Depression-era United States. He was charged with, but never convicted of, the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana police officer during a shoot-out. This was his only alleged homicide. His gang robbed two dozen banks and four police stations...
, opened with a party hosted by William L. Petersen, who played Dillinger at Victory Gardens at the beginning of his career. The space at 2257 N. Lincoln has been redubbed the Victory Gardens Greenhouse and is mostly rented to a variety of non-profit companies including Shattered Globe and Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Remy Bumppo Theatre Company is an award-winning theater in Chicago known for literary-minded productions from playwrights such as George Bernard Shaw and Tom Stoppard...
. In 2008 the Victory Gardens Greenhouse was sold to the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation. It is now the Greenhouse Theater Center.
In 2010, Victory Gardens named the studio space at the Biograph Theater
Biograph Theater
The Biograph Theater, at 2433 North Lincoln Avenue, Lincoln Park in Chicago, Illinois, was originally a movie theater but now presents live productions. It is notable as the location where bank robber John Dillinger was shot by FBI agents after watching a gangster movie on July 22, 1934...
the Richard Christiansen Theatre in honor of longtime Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
theatre critic Richard Christiansen, author of the book A Theatre of Our Own.