Writers Theatre

Writers TheatreAddress| 325 Tudor Court
Glencoe, Illinois
United States

|

Owner| Michael W. Halberstam
Type| Non-profit
Construction
Opened| 1992
Rebuilt| 2016
Architect| Studio Gang Architects
Website
writerstheatre.org

Writers Theatre is a non-profit theatre company founded in 1992 and located in Glencoe, Illinois. Michael W. Halberstam, the founder of the company, was an artistic director from its inception until 2021; he resigned after decades of complaints about his inappropriate workplace comments and conduct. [1] Braden Abraham is the current artistic director. Kathryn M. Lipuma has been an executive director since 2007.

## History

[edit]

Writers Theatre opened its first venue in the anteroom of a newly opened bookstore in 1992 in Glencoe, IL. A second 108-seat performance space was opened in 2003 in The Women Library Club of Glencoe on Tudor Court. The company has produced more than 100 productions, including more than 20 world premieres.

In 2007, Writers Theatre debuted nationally with a New York premiere of Crime and Punishment, adapted by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus.[2][3]

In 2011, Lincoln Center Theater produced another work that began at Writers Theatre: A Minister's Wife, a musical adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's Candida, conceived and directed by Halberstam, with music by Joshua Schmidt, lyrics by Jan Trannen and book by Austin Pendleton.[4][5][6][7]

In November 2013, Writers Theatre announced the launch of the On To a New Stage Campaign, a fundraising campaign with a $34 million capital project goal,[8] which includes a cash reserve, to establish the company's first permanent home in a new theatre center in downtown Glencoe, designed by the award-winning Studio Gang Architects and Jeanne Gang, FAIA, in collaboration with Theatre Consultant Auerbach Pollock Friedlander.[9][10] The new building was completed and opened to the public in February 2016. The inaugural production in the new building was Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, which opened in March 2016 to critical acclaim.[11][12]

In 2017, Writers Theatre artistic director Michael Halberstam was accused of sexual harassment on Twitter. After an investigation by the outside consultant hired by the Writers Theatre board of directors, the board reported that Halberstam “has made inappropriate and insensitive comments in the workplace but the investigation did not support a finding of other inappropriate sexual behavior.” The board recommended compliance training for Michael Halberstam.[13] After the training, Halberstam's misconduct continued.

In 2021, cast members of Into the Woods (which Halberstam performed in) published an open letter describing Halberstam's inappropriate offstage behavior, stating, "We couldn't feel safe backstage, we couldn't feel safe in the dressing rooms, we couldn't feel safe with our friends at the bar in the lobby -- where could we feel safe?"[14] Halberstam resigned from the theater in July 2021.[15]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Writers Theatre was called "America's No. 1 theatre company" by The Wall Street Journal's drama critic, Terry Teachout, in 2008.[16]

In 2016, Teachout named Writers Theatre "Company of the Year," adding "The best regional drama company in America now has a home worthy of its shows."[17]

Its 2010 production of A Streetcar Named Desire directed by David Cromer was reviewed as "The most uniformly well-acted production yet seen" by The New York Times.[18]

As of the 2024/25 season, the theater had garnered 172 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 33 awards.

Artistic Director, Michael Halberstam, was named the Chicago Tribune's 2013 "Chicagoan of the Year" for Theater, received The 2010 Zelda Fichandler Award,[19] and in 2016 was honored for outstanding theatrical accomplishments and contributions to Chicago theatre by the Joseph Jefferson Awards,[20] and received an Award of Honor from the Illinois Theatre Association.[21]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Statement from Writers Theatre".
2. ^ Simmons, Paulanne. "A CurtainUp Review: Crime and Punishment". CurtainUp.com. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
3. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (9 November 2007). "Dostoyevsky's Homicidal Student, the 90-Minute Version". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
4. ^ Isherwood, Charles (8 May 2011). "'A Minister's Wife,' at Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater - Review". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
5. ^ Jones, Kenneth. "Shaw's Candida Is Now Musical Minister's Wife by Pendleton, Schmidt and Tranen". Playbill. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
6. ^ Fragassi, Selena. "Review: 'A Minister's Wife' at the Glencoe Writers' Theatre". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
7. ^ "Weekend: 'A Minister's Wife' comes to Findlay". The Courier. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
8. ^ Cullotta, Karen Ann. "New, architecturally-significant Glencoe theater should fit in downtown". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
9. ^ Kamin, Blair. "New Writers Theatre building in Glencoe has a flair for drama". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
10. ^ Connors, Thomas (19 July 2016). "Rooms of Their Own: A New Era for Writers Theatre". American Theatre. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
11. ^ Jones, Chris. "'Arcadia' brims with intelligence in Writers' bright new house". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
12. ^ Teachout, Terry (7 April 2016). "'Arcadia' Review: Highbrow Whodunit". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
13. ^ Jones, Chris. "Writers Theatre concludes Michael Halberstam investigation, recommends 'compliance training'". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
14. ^ "Lucy Godínez on Instagram: "TW: Sexual harassment, mention of suicide . . . On July 8th, I sent this email to @writers_theatre . Immense thank you to Ben Barker, @simonewithanx , @karenolivo76 , @michellelauto , @lavinajadhwani and each one of my peers who chose to speak truth to power with me. Let this be the beginning of a new age."".
15. ^ "A tsunami of news and a new path for Actors' Equity membership". Chicago Reader. 2021-07-30. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
16. ^ Teachout, Terry (27 December 2008). "Peripatetic Critic's Picks". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
17. ^ Teachout, Terry (14 December 2016). "The Best Theater of 2016: Away From the Great White Way". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
18. ^ Isherwood, Charles (18 June 2010). "Small Space, Big Egos: Something Will Explode". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
19. ^ "Zelda Fichandler Award Past Recipients". Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
20. ^ "Writers Theatre's Michael Halberstam to Receive Special Honor at 2016 Jeff Awards". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
21. ^ "Awards of Excellence". Illinois Theatre Association. Retrieved 4 June 2017.

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