A Red Orchid Theatre is an Equity theatre company located in the Old Town district of Chicago, founded in 1993 by Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen IV, and Lawrence Grimm.[1] Kirsten Fitzgerald, a long-time ensemble member, has helmed the company as Artistic Director since 2008.[2]
| Formation | 1993 |
|---|---|
| Type | Theatre group |
| Purpose | Storefront Theatre |
| Location | |
Artistic director(s) | Kirsten Fitzgerald |
Notable members | Michael Shannon Natalie West |
| Website | aredorchidtheatre |
Notable productions include a revival of Sam Shepard's Simpatico,[3] Eugène Ionesco's The Killer,[4] and John Ford's 'Tis Pity She's a Whore. Notable world premieres include Tracy Letts' Bug and Craig Wright's Mistakes Were Made. A Red Orchid is also known for an experimental 1996 production of Arthur Kopit's The Questioning of Nick starring Nick Offerman, Michael Shannon, and Guy Van Swearingen that was performed three times in succession with the actors switching roles each time.[5][6]
In the summer of 2014, the company took its premiere production of The Opponent by ensemble member Brett Neveu to New York's 59E59 Theaters with the original cast (ensemble members Guy Van Swearingen and Kamal Angelo Bolden), director (ensemble member Karen Kessler) and designers (Joey Wade, Myron Elliott, Joe Court, John Tovar and ensemble member Mike Durst).[7]
In Fall 2017, McCarter Theatre Center presented A Red Orchid's 2013 production of Simpatico. This production featured much of the original cast and crew including Michael Shannon.
A Red Orchid Theatre's artistic ensemble is composed of actors, designers, directors, and playwrights.
In 2016, A Red Orchid Theatre became the recipient of the MacArthur Foundation's MacArthur Award for Creative & Effective Institutions. This MacArthur Award included a $200,000 grant to be used to "establish a cash reserve and implement its audience development plan that includes new marketing and audience engagement strategies."[8]
The company has received many Joseph Jefferson Awards, the highest awards honoring Chicago theatre.[9]
| Year | Work | Category | Artist | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Canus Lunis Baloonis | Ensemble | Nominated | |
| New Work | Christian Stolte | Won | ||
| Year | Work | Category | Artist | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | The Cut | Scenic Design | Stephanie Nelson | Won |
| Sound Design | Joseph Fosco | Nominated | ||
| 2000 | Mr. Bundy | Actress in a Supporting Role | Kirsten Fitzgerald | Nominated |
| 2002 | Bug | Actor in a Principal Role | Michael Shannon | Nominated |
| Actress in a Principal Role | Kate Buddeke | Nominated | ||
| Sound Design | Joseph Fosco | Nominated | ||
| 2006 | The Sea Horse | Actor in a Principal Role - Play | Guy Van Swearingen | Nominated |
| Actress in a Principal Role - Play | Kirsten Fitzgerald | Won | ||
| Scenic Design | Grant Sabin | Nominated | ||
| Kimberly Akimbo | Actor in a Supporting Role - Play | Steve Haggard | Nominated | |
| 2008 | Fatboy | Costume Design - Midsize | Karen Kawa | Nominated |
| 2009 | Pumpgirl | Actress in a Principal Role - Play | Kirsten Fitzgerald | Nominated |
| The Unseen | Lighting Design - Midsize | Matthew Gawryk | Nominated | |
| Sound Design - Midsize | Joe Court | Nominated | ||
| 2010 | Abigail's Party | Production Play - Midsize | Nominated | |
| Ensemble | Nominated | |||
| Director - Play | Shade Murray | Nominated | ||
| Actress in a Principal Role - Play | Kirsten Fitzgerald | Nominated | ||
| Actress in a Supporting Role - Play | Natalie West | Won | ||
| Mistakes Were Made | New Work | Craig Wright | Nominated | |
| Actor in a Principal Role | Michael Shannon | Nominated | ||
| 2011 | The New Electric Ballroom | Sound Design - Midsize | Joseph Fosco | Nominated |
| 2012 | The Butcher of Baraboo | Actress in a Supporting Role - Play | Natalie West | Won |
| Megacosm | Projections/ Media Design | Seth Henrikson & Oddmachine | Nominated | |
| 2013 | In A Garden | Actor in a Principal Role - Play | Rom Barkhordar | Nominated |
| Simpatico | Production Play - Midsize | Nominated | ||
| Actor in a Principal Role - Play | Michael Shannon | Won | ||
| Actor in a Principal Role - Play | Guy Van Swearingen | Nominated | ||
| The Opponent | Actor in a Principal Role - Play | Kamal Angelo Bolden | Nominated | |
| Fight / Movement Direction | John Tovar | Won | ||
| 2014 | Trevor | Actor in a Principal Role - Play | Lawrence Grimm | Nominated |
| 2015 | Accidentally Like A Martyr | Scenic Design - Midsize | John Holt | Won |
| 2016 | Pilgrim's Progress | Production Play - Midsize | Nominated | |
| The Mutilated | Production Play - Midsize | Nominated | ||
| Actress in a Principal Role - Play | Jennifer Engstrom | Nominated | ||
| Original Music in a Play | Brando Triantafillou | Nominated | ||
| 2017 | The Room | Sound Design - Midsize | Heath Hays | Nominated |
| 2018 | Traitor | Production Play - Midsize | Won | |
| Ensemble - Play | Nominated | |||
| New Adaptation | Brett Neveu | Won | ||
| Director - Play - Midsize | Michael Shannon | Won | ||
| 2019 | Small Mouth Sounds | Ensemble - Play | Nominated | |
| Sound Design - Midsize | Jeffrey Levin | Nominated | ||
| 2020 | Grey House | Production - Play - Midsize | Nominated | |
| Ensemble - Play | Nominated | |||
| New Work | Levi Holloway | Won | ||
| Director - Play - Midsize | Shade Murray | Nominated | ||
| Scenic Design - Midsize | Kurtis Boetcher | Nominated | ||
| Sound Design - Midsize | Jeffrey Levin | Won | ||
| Lighting Design - Midsize | Mike Durst | Won | ||
| Do You Feel Anger? | Performer in a Supporting Role - Play | Sadieh Rifai | Nominated | |
| 2022 | The Moors | Production - Play - Midsize | Won | |
| Ensemble - Play | Nominated | |||
| Director - Play - Midsize | Kirsten Fitzgerald | Won | ||
| Performer in a Supporting Role - Play | Jennifer Engstrom | Nominated | ||
| Costume Design - Midsize | Myron Elliott-Cisneros | Won | ||
| Sound Design - Midsize | Jeffrey Levin | Won | ||
| Lighting Design - Midsize | K Story | Won | ||
| Last Hermanos | Fight Choreography | Dave Gonzalez | Nominated | |
| 2023 | Is God Is | Production - Play - Midsize | Nominated | |
| Director - Play - Midsize | Marti Gobel | Nominated | ||
| Performer in a Supporting Role - Play | Karen Aldridge | Won | ||
| Lighting Design - Midsize | Levi Wilkins | Nominated | ||
| Fight Choreography | Jyreika Guest | Nominated | ||
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