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{
| Formation | November 2002 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | March 2016 |
| Type | Theatre group |
| Location | |
| Website | signalensemble |
Signal Ensemble Theatre was a professional nonprofit ensemble theatre company in Chicago. Founded in 2002, the company produced thirteen seasons of works ranging from English Renaissance tragedies, to mid-20th century American masterworks, to world-premiere plays and musicals from around the world.
History
editA semi-itinerant life
editSignal was founded in 2002 by Ronan Marra, Christopher Prentice, and Joseph Stearns. The inaugural season included an off-night world-premiere production of Marra's Learning to Fly, the final presentation at Wing & Groove Theatre in the Flatiron Building, and Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing in a studio at the Athenaeum Theatre.
The company first gained critical acclaim for its productions of mid-20th century masterpieces alongside new works.
In its second season, the company staged critically acclaimed productions of Joseph Heller's Catch-22 and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot at the Chopin Theatre, which would be Signal's home for the next several years, as well as the premiere of Marra's Landslide at the Breadline Arts Center, the theatre that would eventually become Signal's permanent home.[1]
Signal earned its first Jeff nominations for the world premiere of Marra's Landslide in 2005 (Actress in a Supporting Role - Play, New Work). Waiting for Godot was remounted later in the year. The company gained notoriety for its mid-20th-century plays ... It also made its debut in Chopin's mainstage space with a classic farce, Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer.
2006
2007 Hamlet with Prentice tanked netted the company Jeffs - Jon Marans's Old Wicked Songs
Transition
edit2008 saw an operational change, with co-founder Prentice stepping aside to pursue other opportunities, and Marra and Stearns becoming co-artistic directors and Stephanie Ingram becoming managing director. The company redefined its mission, focusing on new works.
A home in River North
editIn 2010, Signal moved into a permanent home in the North Center, Chicago neighborhood, in a space it had rented that was at the time the Breadline Arts Center. A remount of Marra's Aftermath was a hit.
In September 2015, the company announced it would close its doors at the conclusion of its current season, that would not include a planned production of The Southern Women.[2]
Production history
edit2003
- Learning to Fly by Ronan Marra (world premiere)
- Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
2004–05
- Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
- Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett
- Landslide by Ronan Marra (world premiere)
2005–06
- Waiting for Godot (remount0
- Seascape by Edward Albee
- She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith
2006–07
- The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter and The Zoo Story by Edward Albee
- Closer by Patrick Marber
- The Weir by Conor McPherson
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare
2007–08
- Fool for Love by Sam Shepard
- Old Wicked Songs by Jon Marans
- 1776 by Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone
2008–09
- The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter
- Six Degrees of Separation by John Guare
- The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie adapted from the novel by Muriel Spark
2009–10
- The Ballad of Sad Cafe by Edward Albee after Carson McCullers's novel
- Aftermath by Ronan Marra (world premiere)
2010–11
- The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard
- Aftermath by Ronan Marra (remount)
- Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo
- Aces by Jon Steinhagen (world premiere)
- Krapp's Last Tape by Samuel Beckett (an Ensemble Project)
2011–12
- East of Berlin & The Russian Play by Hannah Moscovitch (Chicago premiere)
- Motion by Ronan Marra (world premiere)
- Hostage Song – book by Clay McLeod Chapman, music and lyrics by Kyle Jarrow, arrangements by Nathan Leigh (Chicago premiere)
2012–13
- Princes of Waco by Robert Askins (Chicago premiere)
- Successors by Jon Steinhagen (world premiere)
- Lascivious Something by Sheila Callaghan (Chicago premiere)
2013–14
- This Is War by Hannah Moscovitch (U.S. premiere)
- Plainsong by Eric Schmield, adapted from the novel by Kent Haruf (Chicago premiere)
- The Next Thing – book by Ronan Marra, music and lyrics by Jon Steinhagen (world premiere)
2014–15
- Devil's Day Off by Jon Steinhagen (world premiere)
- Red Bud by Brett Neveu (U.S. premiere)
- The Drowning Girls by Beth Graham, Daniela Vlaskalic and Charle Tomlinson (Chicago premiere)
2015–16
- Butcher by Nicolas Billon (U.S. premiere)
- The Consultant by Heidi Schreck (Chicago premiere)
| Date | Title | Writer(s) | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Learning to Fly | Ronan Marra | Wing & Groove Theatre | world premiere |
| Much Ado About Nothing | William Shakespeare | Athenaeum Studio | ||
| 2004 | Catch-22 | Joseph Heller | Chopin Studio Theatre | |
| 2005 | Waiting for Godot | Samuel Beckett | Chopin Studio Theatre | |
| 2005 | Landslide | Ronan Marra | Breadline Arts Center | world premiere; nominated for three Jeff Citations: New Work (Ronan Marra), Actress in a Supporting Role - Play (Georgann Charuhas)[3] |
| 2005 | Waiting for Godot | Samuel Beckett | Chopin Studio Theatre | remount |
| 2006 | Seascape | Edward Albee | Chopin Studio Theatre | Jeff Citation award for Costume Design (Laura M. Dana) |
| 2006 | She Stoops to Conquer | Oliver Goldsmith | Chopin Theatre | |
| 2006 | The Dumb Waiter & The Zoo Story | Harold Pinter and Edward Albee | Chopin Studio Theatre | |
| 2006 | Closer | Patrick Marber | Chopin Studio Theatre | |
| 2007 | The Weir | Conor McPherson | Chopin Studio Theatre | Jeff Citations nominations: Ensemble, Actress in a Supporting Role - Play (Melanie Keller), Scenic Design (Melania Lancy)[4] |
| 2007 | Hamlet | William Shakespeare | Chopin Theatre | |
| 2007 | Fool for Love | Sam Shepard | Chopin Studio Theatre | |
| 2007 | Old Wicked Songs | Jon Marans | Chopin Studio Theatre | Jeff Award nominations: Actor in a Principal Role - Play (two, for Vincent L. Lonergan and Shawn Pfautsch)[5] |
| 2008 | 1776 | Chopin Theatre | Jeff Award: Production - Musical; nominations: Director - Musical (Ronan Marra), Actor in a Principal Role - Musical (Philip Winston), Actor in a Supporting Role - Musical (Vincent L. Lonergan), Costume Design (Laura M. Dana)[5] | |
| The Birthday Party | Harold Pinter | Chopin Studio Theatre | ||
| Six Degrees of Separation | John Guare | Chopin Studio Theatre | ||
| The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie | Jay Presson Allen, adapted from the novel by Muriel Spark | Chopin Studio Theatre | ||
| The Ballad of Sad Café | adapted to the stage by Edward Albee, from the novella by Carson McCullers | Chopin Studio Theatre | ||
| Aftermath | Ronan Marra | Raven Theatre | world premiere | |
| The Real Inspector Hound | Tom Stoppard | Signal Ensemble Theatre | ||
| Aftermath | Ronan Marra | Signal Ensemble Theatre | remount | |
| Accidental Death of an Anarchist | Dario Fo | Signal Ensemble Theatre | ||
| Aces | Jon Steinhagen | Signal Ensemble Theatre | world premiere | |
| Krapp's Last Tape | Samuel Beckett | Signal Ensemble Theatre | ||
| East of Berlin & The Russian Play' | Hannah Moscovitch | Signal Ensemble Theatre | Chicago premiere; Jeff Award: Actress in a Principal Role - Play (Melanie Keller) | |
| Motion | Ronan Marra | Signal Ensemble Theatre | world premiere | |
| Hostage Song | book by Clay McLeod Chapman, music and lyrics by Kyle Jarrow, arrangements by Nathan Leigh | Signal Ensemble Theatre | Chicago premiere | |
| Princes of Waco | Robert Askins | Signal Ensemble Theatre | Chicago premiere | |
| Successors | Jon Steinhagen | Signal Ensemble Theatre | world premiere | |
| Lascivious Something | Sheila Callaghan | Signal Ensemble Theatre | Chicago premiere | |
| This Is War | Hannah Moscovitch | Signal Ensemble Theatre | U.S. premiere | |
| Plainsong | Eric Schmield, adapted from the novel by Kent Haruf | Signal Ensemble Theatre | Chicago premiere | |
| The Next Thing | book by Ronan Marra, music and lyrics by Jon Steinhagen | Signal Ensemble Theatre | world premiere; Jeff Award nominations: Actress in a Principal Role – Musical or Revue (Courtney Jones), New Work (Ronan Marra and Jon Steinhagen) | |
| Devil's Day Off | Jon Steinhagen | Signal Ensemble Theatre | world premiere | |
| Red Bud | Brett Neveu | Signal Ensemble Theatre | U.S. premiere | |
| The Drowning Girls | Beth Graham, Daniela Vlaskalic and Charle Tomlinson | Signal Ensemble Theatre | Chicago premiere | |
| Butcher | Nicolas Billon | Signal Ensemble Theatre | U.S. premiere | |
| 2016 | The Consultant | Heidi Schreck | Signal Ensemble Theatre | Chicago premiere |
Awards and accolades
editSignal was nominated for twenty-one Jeff Awards and won three, for Production – Musical (1776), Actress in a Leading Role – Play (Melanie Keller for East of Berlin and The Russian Play), and Costume Design (Laura M. Dana for Seascape).[4][5]
| Year | Production | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Landslide | Actress in a Supporting Role – Play | Georgann Charuhas | Nominated |
| New Work | Ronan Marra | Nominated | ||
| 2006 | Seascape | Actor in a Supporting Role – Play | Aaron Snook | Nominated |
| Actress in a Supporting Role – Play | Georgann Charuhas | Nominated | ||
| Costume Design | Laura M. Dana | Won | ||
| 2007 | The Weir | Ensemble | Nominated | |
| Actress in a Supporting Role – Play | Melanie Keller | Nominated | ||
| Scenic Design | Melania Lancy | Nominated | ||
| 2008 | Old Wicked Songs | Actor in a Principal Role – Play | Vincent L. Lonergan | Nominated |
| Actor in a Principal Role – Play | Shawn Pfautsch | Nominated | ||
| 1776 | Production – Musical | Example | Won | |
| Director – Musical | Ronan Marra | Nominated | ||
| Actor in a Principal Role – Musical | Philip Winston | Nominated | ||
| Actor in a Supporting Role – Musical | Vincent L. Lonergan | Nominated | ||
| Costume Design | Laura M. Dana | Nominated | ||
| 2012 | East of Berlin & The Russian Play | Actress in a Principal Role – Play | Melanie Keller | Won |
| 2014 | Lascivious Something | Scenic Design | Buck Blue | Nominated |
| 2015 | The Next Thing | Actress in a Principal Role – Musical or Revue | Courtney Jones | Nominated |
| New Work | Ronan Marra and Jon Steinhagen | Nominated | ||
| 2016 | The Drowning Girls | Ensemble | Nominated | |
| Lighting Design | Michael C. Smith | Nominated | ||
References
edit- ^ Jones, Chris (2015-09-16). "Signal Ensemble will close at end of 13th season". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ Vire, Kris (2015-09-16). "Signal Ensemble Theatre to close up shop in 2016". Time Out Chicago.
- ^ Jones, Chris (21 April 2005). "Small troupes hit it big with Jeffs". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ a b Jones, Kenneth (2007-06-12). "House Theatre's The Sparrow Among 2007 Jeff Citations Recipients in Windy City". Playbill.
- ^ a b c Jones, Kenneth (2008-06-10). "Dr. Moreau, Jerry Springer, Machos Are Among Jeff Award Winners in Chicago". Playbill.
External links
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