Second to None: Chicago's Theater Scene Reaches New Heights

If you've become disillusioned with the commercialism of New York theater ("Rocky," "Newsies" and "Bullets Over Broadway" are the latest Broadway shows to close) or the rehashing of old-school musicals at your local community theater, pack your bags and head to the Windy City for a smorgasbord of theatrical invention that unassumingly rivals its East Coast counterpart.

The League of Chicago Theatres proudly represents more than 250 membership organizations, ranging from storefront companies on the verge of a breakthrough to major cultural centers with multimillion-dollar shows. The city has garnered five Tony Awards for regional theater, and cumulatively the theater scene has had more than a $1 billion impact on the city. Here are three companies that represent the city's cultural diversity.

Steppenwolf

In 1974 co-founders Gary Sinise and Jeff Perry staged Steppenwolf's first production in a church basement. Incorporated as a nonprofit in 1975 with additional company members that included John Malkovich and Laurie Metcalf, among others, the actor-driven ensemble has earned a reputation for muscular, unapologetic work, ranging from the Pulitzer Prize-winning "August: Osage County" and "The Song of Jacob Zulu" to revivals of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

Artistic Director Martha Lavey says, "The original idea around the formation of the company was to deliberately invert the traditional hierarchy of the theater, where the actor may feel disempowered in the rehearsal room. The founders of the theater felt that the actors were the carriers of authenticity, and that's represented in our process. There's a drive for excellence when actors feel ownership for what is happening."

The upcoming season will feature an array of heartache, laughter and emotional torrent for which the theater is known, including "The Night Alive" (September 18-November 16), a new play by Conor McPherson, as well as "The Herd" (April 2-June 7, 2015), starring John Mahoney. In the spirit of creative mentorship, Steppenwolf will once again launch Garage Rep, whereby the company helps the city's storefront theaters develop new work and make their mark by inviting three companies to perform in repertory under their guidance. Past participants have included Prologue Theatre Company, which produces new and forgotten works, focusing on the experiences of women, people of color and LGBTQ populations.

About Face Theatre

Diversity is well known to be a touchy subject in Chicago, where space allows communities to insulate themselves from one another. While the city has spun this as a neighborhood-centric appeal, the theater community is making strides to tell stories that appeal and perhaps challenge audiences in new ways.

"A lot of people, I think, when they talk about diversity, think only about race, which is interesting because when you're talking to an LGBT theater, it means so much more: sexual identity, gender, race, class, age, etc.," says About Face Theatre Artistic Director Andrew Volkoff.

The theater's mission is to "create exceptional, innovative and adventurous plays to advance the national dialogue on gender and sexual identity." Volkoff prefers the word inclusion to diversity and aims to reach audiences with works that represent what's going on in the world right now, as well as what's next.

"Though there have been many advances in LGBT communities, there are many more stories to tell," says Volkoff. "Right now is an interesting time to be involved and taking stock in what we want to say and where we're going."

This winter the company will present the Chicago premiere of Daniel Pearle's "A Kid Like Jake," a contemporary look at gender seen through the lens of parents shepherding their Cinderella-loving son through the rigors of NYC kindergarten admissions.

Red Moon

The origin of Chicago's nickname as the Second City has several roots, one of them being its phoenix-like resurrection after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. This is the inspiration for Redmoon's Great Chicago Fire Festival (October 4). Founded in 1990, Redmoon transforms urban environments into theatrical happenings - not only for entertainment, but also to build communities and instill the possibility of change.

Equal parts pageantry, gadgetry, puppetry and physical performance, the company's foray into a citywide festival carries a hefty responsibility and $2 million price tag. But they're up for the challenge. "Redmoon Theatre doesn't design sets," says Producing Artistic Director Frank Maugeri. "We create universes."

The festival's grand procession and fire spectacle will occur on the main branch of the Chicago River, featuring acrobatics, live music, mechanical structures that will erect from floating pontoons and, of course, fire. But beyond the river, Redmoon is fulfilling its mission by reaching out to neighborhoods throughout the city, fulfilling the organization's mission to create civic art that changes the landscape of our city. "Our profit is the engagement of citizens on this project," says producer Rebecca Rugg.