Court Theatre

Established in 1955, Court Theatre is the professional theatre on campus at the University of Chicago. We are guided by our mission to create innovative productions of classic plays that are thought provoking, character-driven, and thematically enduring. Through main stage productions, audience enrichment programs, and collaborations with the University of Chicago, we re-examine, re-envision, and renew classic texts that pose enduring and provocative questions that define the human experience. In 2010, Court's artistic leadership and Board of Trustees defined a new vision for Court Theatre: to create a Center at the University of Chicago dedicated to the curation of large-scale, interdisciplinary theatrical experiences. Court's Moliere Festival of The Misanthrope and Tartuffe in 2013 and M. Butterfly in 2014 were the first productions to fully realize this vision. The Center for Classic Theatre is a new way of approaching what it means for a professional theatre to be in residence at a major university. It is an approach to producing that fully accesses the amazing intellectual resources that surround the theatre. This vision influences how Court Theatre builds seasons and serves its audience and community. What does the Center for Classic Theatre mean for Court Theatre audiences? It means great productions that are informed by the richness of a great university; it means more world premiere translations and adaptations like Invisible Man, Native Son, and The Good Book; it means having a theatre vigorously embedded in the fabric of the community; and above all, it means ambitious, exciting theatrical events. In the 60th anniversary season, we are able to demonstrate all that we hope Court Theatre can be: a home for producing works that make classics come to life, for exploring and contributing to the African American theatrical canon, and for reimagining the American musical. We are proud that all five productions of this landmark season exemplify the spirit of the Center for Classic Theatre. We are extremely grateful that we have a collection of patrons and a dedicated Board of Trustees whose support has made this work possible. We look forward to growing and flourishing in the years to come.