Chicago Sun Times June 7, 2005
A dream comes closer to reality
June 7, 2005
by Mary Houlihan
The newest addition to the Chicago theater landscape, the Chicago Children's Theatre, is a step closer to reality. Artistic director Jacqueline Russell and co-founder and board chairman Todd Leland have announced the company's debut production: Robert and Willie Reale's Tony Award-nominated "A Year With Frog and Toad." Directed by Henry Godinez, the play will open Jan. 20 at the Goodman Theatre.
"This musical is a great start for us," said Russell. "It's a terrific example of the scale and scope of the work we're looking to do. It's a wonderfully simple but sophisticated tale about friendship that is not just for children but also adults."
Chicago, despite its vast theater offerings, has long lacked a dedicated children's theater. Many area theaters offer fine children's programs (see box at right) and several smaller companies are wholly dedicated to the younger set. But Russell, who left her position as executive director at Lookingglass Theatre last November, saw a gap and decided to fill it with a theater that could compete at the top levels.
For the past six months, Russell and Leland have been talking to funders, as well as directors, writers and designers from around the country. They have forged a relationship with other companies, including Minneapolis' Children's Theatre Company, where "A Year With Frog and Toad" originated.
Russell and Leland have gathered a board of directors made up of individuals from the fields of entertainment, philanthropy and business, and an artistic council boasts talent from city theaters: set designer Geoffrey M. Curley, actor-director Cheryl Lynn Bruce, musician Ralph Covert, director-playwright Sean Graney (the Hypocrites), director-playwright Tina Landau (Steppenwolf Theatre), artistic director Jim Lasko (Redmoon Theater) and director Lisa Portes.
"We want our work to go beyond the predictable," said Leland. "We've hardly talked to a person who doesn't have an idea about this. It's a fantastic flow of views and visions of what can be done artistically."
Performances of "A Year With Frog and Toad" will include weekday and weekend matinees; evening shows will start earlier than the usual 8 p.m. Ticket prices will range from around $15 to $35; funding has been procured to subsidize a matinee series on Sundays and weekday student matinees.
"We respect and fully believe that ticket prices need to be appropriately accessible to the community," said Leland. "We're very focused on making this happen." Russell says a three-play season is in the planning stages for 2006-2007 at Chicago Children's Theatre. The hope is to continue to produce in a downtown venue.
"Everyone feels that downtown belongs to them," said Russell. "So it's a great spot to draw audiences from all the different neighborhoods of Chicago."
Curtains for kids
Many Chicago theaters have a long history of providing entertainment for children. They range from the pre-teen crowd at Griffin Theatre to the grade school set at Lifeline Theatre and high school students at the Steppenwolf Arts Exchange.
"It's a rich and varied scene," said Lifeline artistic director Dorothy Milne. "One of the joys of theater in Chicago is that we have dozens and dozens of neighborhood theaters that cover many interests and that meet the needs of the theatergoing community."
© 2005 Chicago Sun Times