Founded in 1988, Strawdog Theater Company is located in North Center at 1802 W Berenice Avenue.

2015–2016 - Season 28

*''In a Word'' **by Lauren Yee **directed by Jess McLeod *''D.O.A.'' **by from the script by Russell Rouse & Clarence Greene **directed and adapted by Elizabeth Lovelady *''Once in a Lifetime'' **by George S. Kauffman and Moss Hart **directed by Damon Kiely

History

Lawrence Novikoff and Paul Engelhardt founded Strawdog Theatre Company in 1988 after performing together in a production of Euripides's ''Helen''. Strawdog was intended to be a home for a company of actors drawn to a gritty, realistic theater style. The group took their name from Sam Peckinpah's movie "Straw Dogs" and was founded with the commitment to the ensemble approach, which remains the backbone of Strawdog toda

In 2000, the Company went through a period of restructuring. Many ensemble members left the Company and new members were recruited. This personnel change led to a shift in leadership and focus for the ensemble. Jennifer Avery and Michael Dailey took over as Co-Artistic Directors. They added many new ensemble members of varying disciplines, restructured the administration of the Company and gradually moved its focus from gritty kitchen sink dramas to a wider range of styles. In August 2003, the Company hired Nic Dimond, a former ensemble member, to helm the Company as Artistic Director. Strawdog first garnered national attention when

Terry Teachout Terrance Alan Teachout (February 6, 1956 – January 13, 2022) was an American author, critic, biographer, playwright, stage director, and librettist. He was the drama critic of ''The Wall Street Journal'', the critic-at-large of ''Commentary'' ...

("America's Theatre Critic") of

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

named ''Aristocrats'' one of the best shows of 2007. The next year, Teachout once again lauded Strawdog for their production of ''RUR'', a rarely seen parable about robots and technology.

Production history

2003–2004 - Season 16

*''

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

'' **by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

**directed by Nic Dimond **(remount at Theatre on the Lake) *''Detective Story'' **by

Sidney Kingsley Sidney Kingsley (22 October 1906 – 20 March 1995) was an American dramatist. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play '' Men in White'' in 1934. Life and career Kingsley was born Sidney Kirschner in New York. He studied at ...

**directed by Shade Murray *''Wireless: Programme One'' **by Gregor Mortis **directed by Gregor Mortis *''

Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as a ...

'' **by

**directed by George Cederquist *''

Fuddy Meers ''Fuddy Meers'' is an American play by David Lindsay-Abaire. It tells the story of an amnesiac, Claire, who awakens each morning as a blank slate on which her husband and teenage son must imprint the facts of her life. One morning Claire is abduc ...

'' **by

David Lindsay-Abaire David Lindsay-Abaire ( Abaire; born November 14, 1969) is an American playwright, lyricist and screenwriter. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2007 for his play '' Rabbit Hole'', which also earned several Tony Award nominations. Early ...

**directed by Kimberly Senior

2004–2005 - Season 17

*''Wireless 2'' **directed by Gregor Mortis *'' Puntila and His Man Matti'' **by

Bertold Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a pl ...

**directed by Nathan Allan *''Wireless 3'' **directed by James Anthony Zoccoli *''Impossible Marriage'' **by

Beth Henley Elizabeth Becker Henley (born May 8, 1952) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and actress. Her play ''Crimes of the Heart'' won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the 1981 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best American Play, and a ...

**directed by Eric Wegener *''The True Ballad of Fall's Blessings'' **by Hank Boland **directed by Nic Dimond

2005–2006 - Season 18

*''Detective Story'' **

**directed by Shade Murray **remount at Theatre on the Lake *''Wireless 4'' **directed by Nic Dimond *'' Three Sisters'' **by

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

**directed by Kimberly Senior *''Wireless 5'' *''

The Tooth of Crime ''The Tooth of Crime'' is a musical play written by Sam Shepard which made its premiere in London, London's Open Space Theatre on July 17, 1972. It tells the story of aging rock music, rock singer Hoss, doing battle with rival Crow. Plot The play ...

(2nd Dance)'' **by

Sam Shepard Samuel Shepard Rogers III (November 5, 1943 – July 27, 2017) was an American actor, playwright, author, screenwriter, and director whose career spanned half a century. He won 10 Obie Awards for writing and directing, the most by any write ...

**directed by Nic Dimond

2006-2007 - Season 19

*'' Three Sisters'' **by

**directed by Kimberly Senior **remount at Theatre on the Lake *''Marathon '33'' **by

June Havoc June Havoc (born Ellen Evangeline Hovick; November 8, 1912 – March 28, 2010) was a Canadian American actress, dancer, stage director and memoirist. Havoc was a child vaudeville performer under the tutelage of her mother Rose Thompson Hovick, ...

**directed by Shade Murray *''Radio Theatre 6'' **by Hank Boland **directed by Jennifer Avery *''

A Lie of the Mind ''A Lie of the Mind'' is a play written by Sam Shepard, first staged at the off-Broadway Promenade Theater on 5 December 1985. The play was directed by Shepard himself with stars Harvey Keitel as Jake, Amanda Plummer as Beth, Aidan Quinn as Franki ...

'' **by

**directed by Nic Dimond *''Radio Theatre 7'' **by Michael Dailey **directed by Amanda Delheimer

2007–2008 - Season 20

*''Aristocrats'' **by

Brian Friel Brian Patrick Friel (c. 9 January 1929 – 2 October 2015) was an Irish dramatist, short story writer and founder of the Field Day Theatre Company. He had been considered one of the greatest living English-language dramatists. (subscription req ...

**directed by Rick Snyder *''

Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...

'' **by

**directed by Nic Dimond *''Old Town'' **by Brett Nevue **directed by Kyle Hamman

2008–2009 - Season 21

*''RUR'' **by

Karel Čapek Karel Čapek (; 9 January 1890 – 25 December 1938) was a Czech writer, playwright and critic. He has become best known for his science fiction, including his novel ''War with the Newts'' (1936) and play ''R.U.R.'' (''Rossum's Universal Ro ...

**directed by Shade Murray *''Cherry Orchard'' **by

**directed by Kimberly Senior *''Red Noses'' **by Peter Barnes **directed by Matt Hawkins

2009–2010 - Season 22

*''St. Crispin's Day'' **by

Matt Pepper Matt may refer to: *Matt (name), people with the given name ''Matt'' or Matthew, meaning "gift from God", or the surname Matt *In British English, of a surface: having a non-glossy finish, see gloss (material appearance) *Matt, Switzerland, a mu ...

**directed by Kevin Christopher Scott *''Uncle Vanya'' **by

**directed by Kimberly Senior *''Good Soul of Szechuan'' **by Bertold Brecht **directed by Shade Murray

2010–2011 - Season 23

*''Red Noses (Remounted)'' **by Peter Barnes **directed by Matt Hawkins *''State of the Union'' **by

Howard Lindsay Howard Lindsay, born Herman Nelke, (March 29, 1889 – February 11, 1968) was an American playwright, librettist, director, actor and theatrical producer. He is best known for his writing work as part of the collaboration of Lindsay and Crouse ...

Russel Crouse Russel Crouse (20 February 1893 – 3 April 1966) was an American playwright and librettist, best known for his work in the Broadway theatre, Broadway writing partnership of Lindsay and Crouse. Life and career Born in Findlay, Ohio, Crouse was th ...

**directed by Geoff Button *''Master and Margarita'' **by

Mikhail Bulgakov Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov ( rus, links=no, Михаил Афанасьевич Булгаков, p=mʲɪxɐˈil ɐfɐˈnasʲjɪvʲɪtɕ bʊlˈɡakəf; – 10 March 1940) was a Soviet writer, medical doctor, and playwright active in the fir ...

**directed by Louis Contey *''Conquest of the Southpole'' **by Manfred Karge **directed by Kimberly Senior

2011–2012 - Season 24

*''Old Times'' **by Harold Pinter **directed by Kimberly Senior *''Petrified Forest'' **by

Robert E. Sherwood Robert Emmet Sherwood (April 4, 1896 – November 14, 1955) was an American playwright and screenwriter. He is the author of '' Waterloo Bridge, Idiot's Delight, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, Rebecca, There Shall Be No Night, The Best Years of Our ...

**directed by Shade Murray *''The Duchess of Malfi'' **by

John Webster John Webster (c. 1580 – c. 1632) was an English Jacobean dramatist best known for his tragedies '' The White Devil'' and ''The Duchess of Malfi'', which are often seen as masterpieces of the early 17th-century English stage. His life and car ...

**directed by Brandon Bruce

2012–2013 - Season 25

*''Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom'' **by Harold Pinter **directed by Joanie Schultz *''Improbable Frequency'' **Book & Lyrics by Arthur Riordan **Music by Bell Helicopter *''Big Love'' **by Charles Mee **directed by Matt Hawkins

Awards

2008

''Old Town''
After Dark Awards * Outstanding Musical * Outstanding Original Song/Score ** Misha Fiksel *Outstanding Performance in a Musical or Review ** Kat McDonnell
''Lie of the Mind''
Joseph Jefferson Awards, Non-Equity Wing * Incidental Music ** Misha Fiksel & Gregor Mortis

2007

''Marathon '33''
Joseph Jefferson Awards, Non-Equity Wing * Outstanding Ensemble

2005

''Three Sisters'' Joseph Jefferson Awards, Non-Equity Wing *Best Adaptation **Curt Columbus *Best Scenic Design **Brian Sidney Bembridge After Dark Awards *Best Overall Technical *Best Production

Board of directors

*Meaghan Clayton *Thomas Linguanti *Camille McLeod *Jennifer Nelson *Seth Rickard *Chelsea Wilson *Patrick Zubrod

Artistic Associates

*Matt Hawkins

Members

*Aly Renee Amidei *Hank Boland *Nicole Bloomsmith *Brittany Dee Bodley *Mike Dailey *Scott Danielson *Anita Deely *Paul Fagen *John Ferrick *Kyle Gibson *Sarah Goeden *Carmine J. Grisolia *Kyle Hamman *Heath Hays *Shannon Hoag *Sam Hubbard *Jordan Kardasz *John Kelly *Anderson Lawfer *Sean Mallary *Kat McDonnell *Mike Mroch *Janice O'Neill *Michaela Petro *John Henry Roberts *Jamie Vann *Justine C. Turner

References

Strawdog Theatre Company website

New City Stage

TimeOut Chicago
{{Chicago Theaters Theatre companies in Chicago