American Blues Theater


American Blues Theater is an American theater.
Winner of American Theatre Wing's prestigious National Theatre Company Award, American Blues Theater is a premier arts organization with an intimate environment that patrons, artists, and all Chicagoans call home. American Blues Theater explores the American identity through the plays it produces and communities it serves.
American Blues provides community service for many not-for-profits, such as the Lynn Sage Foundation, Chicago Public Schools, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Illinois Farm Bureau, Misericordia, PAWS Chicago, and the USO. Since 2009, they've held food & book drives, distributed promotional tickets, and raised awareness for children's surgeries and health needs. American Blues also donate proceeds from "Pediatric Previews" to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
American Blues Theater's diverse and multi-generational 31-member Ensemble has nearly 600 combined years of collaboration on stage. As of 2020, the theater and artists have 221 Joseph Jefferson Awards and nominations that celebrate excellence in Chicago theater and 38 Black Theater Alliance Awards.
More than half of the mainstage productions are world and Chicago premieres. Their new play development consists of a variety of programs – including world and Chicago premieres, the nationally recognized Blue Ink Playwriting Award, Blueprint play development, and annual Ripped: the Living Newspaper Festival of new short-plays.

History

1985 - 1997

American Blues Theater was founded in July 1985 by William Payne, Rick Cleveland, Edward Blatchford, and James Leaming. The company dedicated itself to new and classic American plays. Richard Christiansen of the Chicago Tribune cited American Blues as one of three companies in his editorial "Chicago Theater Forges New Standards of Glory." In August 1993, the company leased a warehouse on Byron and Lincoln. In 38 days, James Leaming led a community-based 90+ volunteer crew to transform the space into an intimate 134-seat theater.
1997 - 2009

From 1997-2009, the company was led by Artistic Directors from outside of the Ensemble. Under the leadership of Brian Russell and Damon Kiely, the theater's name changed to American Theater Company, the mission statement was revised, and the business expanded greatly. In 2008, under new management, the Ensemble theater practice was dismantled. After 18 months of talks with new management, all four Founders and every Ensemble member prior to 2008 chose to leave the ATC organization in March 2009 citing "major administrative and artistic differences."
2009 - Present

The Ensemble immediately reformed under its original name American Blues Theater. Founding Board members reconstituted the Board, giving tremendous support and guidance. Ensemble member Gwendolyn Whiteside became the Artistic Director. Under her leadership, American Blues has expanded the Ensemble and diversified its base of artists. She created the nationally recognized annual Blue Ink Playwriting Award, implemented community service into the company's mission, and adapted the arts education program The Lincoln Project for Chicago Public Schools serving nearly 3,000 students annually.

Current season

Season 35 : Breaking Boundaries
+ indicates World Premiere production
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Season 8
Season 9
Season 10
Season 11
Season 12
Season 13
Season 14
Season 15
Season 16
Season 17
Season 18
Season 19
Season 20
Season 21
Season 22
Season 23
Season 24
Season 25
Season 26
Season 27
Season 28
Season 29
Season 30
Season 31
Season 32
Season 33
Season 34