Community Arts Foundation and Body Politic Theatre Records

Abstract

The Body Politic Theatre began in 1969 as a division of the Community Arts Foundation (CAF) of Chicago, a grassroots community renewal organization that combined creative outreach programs with social action. The organization was also a pioneer of Northside off-Loop theater with the Chicago City Players, the Paul Sills group The Theatre, Body Politics’ own company and numerous resident and visiting groups.

Biographical/Historical

The Body Politic Theatre began in 1969 as a division of the Community Arts Foundation (CAF) of Chicago. The Foundation was created as a grassroots community renewal organization sponsored by the Presbytery of Chicago and combined creative outreach programs with social action. CAF was involved with settlement houses, ethnic and juvenile groups, schools and hospitals, as well as serving as a pioneer of Northside off-Loop theatre with the Chicago City Players and Paul Sills group The Theatre. CAF also sponsored an annual street festival of music and arts. With the 1969 purchase of a former bowling alley and meat-slicing plant at the 2200 block of N. Lincoln Avenue, the CAF was able to expand their community and arts programs.

Under the supervision of Rev Jim Shiflett, the Body Politic was a home for a myriad of companies, including Paul Sill’s Story Theatre, the Alice Liddell Children’s Theatre, and Dinglefest Theatre Company, Organic Theatre, Godzilla Rainbow and Magic Circle Theatre also began their Chicago residencies at the Body Politic. Important regional theatres such as Theater X, Broom Street Theatre and the Omaha Magic Theater included the Body Politic on their mid-1970s tours. Body Politic also developed its own resident alternative theater group, the Dream Theater, under the direction of Jim Shiflett and Sharon Philips. The theater companies shared the physical space with the Yellow Press Poets, the Chicago Mural Group, and the Chicago Contemporary Dance Theatre, headed by Maggie Kast.

In 1976, Body Politic began to produce its own shows, forming a resident company, the Body Politic Theatre Laboratory, that also offered workshops and classes in the theater arts. By the 1978-1979 season, the Laboratory had developed into a center stage subscription series, with several satellite programs such as the Mixed Events and the New Playwright series. In addition, there was a guest series that featured performances by national touring companies.

In 1981, James O’Reilly and Pauline Brailsford spearheaded the development of a performance ensemble of top Equity performers, directors, and designers. The company focused on Irish and English drama, producing plays by Alan Ayckbourn, Brian Friel and Hugh Leonard.

In the mid-1980s, Body Politic went through several major staff changes, starting with the departure of manager Sharon Phillips in 1988 and the death of James O’Reilly in 1990.

After several years of financial and operational difficulties, the 25-year-old Body Politic Theatre closed its doors in 1995. The shared building at 2257 N. Lincoln Avenue was taken over by joint owner, Victory Gardens Theater.

Scope and Contents

The Body Politic Theatre began in 1969 as a division of the Community Arts Foundation (CAF) of Chicago, a grassroots community renewal organization that combined creative outreach programs with social action. The organization was also a pioneer of Northside off-Loop theater. with the Chicago City Players, the Paul Sills group The Theatre, Body Politics’ own company and numerous resident and visiting groups.

The collection documents Community Arts Foundation operations, programs and theatrical productions from the mid-1960s to 1991, including the Chicago Mural Group, Story Workshop and the Body Politic Arts and Theater Festival. The theatrical works by Body Politic along with resident and visiting companies begins in 1965 and spans the entire collection.

Materials include awards, booklets, box office reports, calendars, company histories, contact sheets, contracts, correspondence, financial documents, meeting minutes, news clippings, newsletters, photographs, posters, press releases, programs, proposals, reports, research material and slides.

Arrangement

The Community Arts Foundation and Body Politic Theatre Records is divided into two series:

• Series 1: Community Arts Foundation, 1960-1991, undated
• Series 2: Body Politic Theatre Files, 1975-1993, undated

Subject Headings

• Chicago Mural Group
• Chicago Public Art Group
• Community Arts Foundation
• McCabe, Terry
• Merritt, Michael, 1945-1992
• Nussbaum, Mike
• O’Reilly, James
• Phillips, Sharon
• Shiflett, Jim
• Sills, Paul, 1927-2008
• Theater -- Illinois -- Chicago -- 20th century – Photographs
• Theater -- History -- Photographs

Related Materials

• Godzilla Rainbow Troupe Records
• Goodman Theatre Archive. Production History Files
• Michael Merritt Set Designs
• Organic Theater Company Records
• Theatre Building Records
• Victory Gardens Theater Records
• John Pitman Weber Papers

Collection Inventory

Series 1: Community Arts Foundation, 1960-1991, undated

Scope and Contents

Series 1 is comprised of the records of the Community Arts Foundation (CAF). These records cover the Foundation’s general organization and history, including seminal reports and proposals. There are also files on the Foundation’s affiliates, from religious and social service agencies to educational programs. In addition, the CAF records document a variety of non-theatrical programs, such as the Chicago Mural Group; Parents School; the Story Workshop, which served as the basis for the writing program at Columbia College; the Broken Jar Center and the New City Film Group. Materials include booklets, budgets, contracts, correspondence, histories, leases, news clippings, newsletters, photographs, programs, proposals, promotional materials and reports.

Arrangement

Series 1 is arranged into 3 subseries:

• Subseries A: Operational Files, 1960-1982, undated
• Subseries B: Programs, 1965-1991, undated
• Subseries C: Theatrical Productions, 1965-1979, undated

Subseries A: Operational Files, 1960-1982, undated

Scope and Contents

Subseries A is arranged alphabetically by subject, then chronologically by topic. The number of images by format with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Only persons named on the back of photographs are included in the description.

Subseries B: Programs and Groups, 1965-1991, undated

Scope and Contents

Subseries B contains a range of groups who worked under the Community Arts Foundation umbrella to develop programs and other community projects (summarized chronologically):

• 1965 - Broken Jar Center, an experimental ministry of the Presbytery of Chicago, that explored new forms of communication of value to the church and a forerunner of the Community Arts Foundation.
• 1966 - Chicago City Players. This drama experiment of the Community Renewal Society was turned over to the Community Arts Foundation.
• 1966 - Operation Encouragement. The arts component of a YMCA summer work program financed by the Labor Department that included workshops such as Theatre Games, Story Workshop, music and journalism.
• 1967 - Game Theater, directed by Viola Spolin
• 1967 - National Council of Churches, an ecumenical conference with consciousness for the housing of artists and their work
• 1967 - New City Film Group, workshops in film production and weekly film
• 1967 - Parents School, a grant-funded program with curriculum based on Theatre Games, Story Workshop and music
• 1968 - Artist-in-Resident program with Waller High School
• 1968 - Free Theatre. Illinois Arts Council grant program.
• 1968 - New Town University. Community Arts Foundation initiative to pull together several arts disciplines and the establish the Body Politic.
• 1968-1969 - Jim Shiflett became involved with the establishing of the District 7 School Planning (EDU-C7) as a result of the Waller artist-in-residence program.
• 1969 - Teen Theater. Workshop partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council.
• 1969 - Body Politic is established as a multi-theatre, multi-media, visual arts center. The New Town in Town was a proposal that shaped the direction of the Body Politic. Rising Up Angry, a civic organization, was a building tenant.
• 1970-1975 - Theater Game. Workshop with teachers under the auspices of the Gifted Children Department of the Board of Education.
• 1970 - Chicago Mural Group. Program that painted around 150 outside wall murals in Chicago.
• 1970-1973 - Theatrical Community Center. Amendment to the city code that enabled small theater and the Body Politic stay open.
• 1973 - Body Politic Arts and Theater Festival. First annual event that united businesses with the arts organizations of the Body Politic entities.
• 1975-1976 - Theater. Senior Citizen Project funded by Illinois Arts Council that resulted in Dream Theater performance workshops at over 30 senior centers across Chicago and culminated in the show Heritage.

Contents of Subseries B include booklets, budgets, contact sheets, contracts, correspondence, flyers, histories, maps, meeting minutes, memos, negatives, news clippings, photographs, posters, press releases, programs, promotional materials, proposals, reports and slides.

Arrangement

Subseries B is arranged alphabetically by program and then chronologically by topic. The number of images by format with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Only persons named on the back of photographs are included in the description.

Subseries C: Theatrical Programs, 1965-1979, undated

Scope and Contents

Subseries C is arranged alphabetically by company, then chronologically by program. The number of images by format with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Only persons named on the back of photographs are included in the description.

Series 2: Body Politic Theatre Files, 1935-1993, undated

Scope and Contents

The Body Politic Theatre was home to many different theater companies. From the years 1969 through 1976 the performance groups can be broken down into the following categories: resident companies that formed to do one show and continued, companies that formed to do one show, visiting companies and productions sponsored by Community Arts Foundation. Body Politic began as a producing theater with the 1976-1977 season. The Body Politic ensemble formed in 1981 with James O’Reilly as Artistic Director, Sharon Phillips as Managing Director and Pauline Brailsford. Contents include box office reports, brochures, calendars, contact sheets, flyers, ledgers, memos, news clippings, newsletters, photographs, posters, press releases, programs, promotional materials, schedules and touring logs.

Arrangement

Series 2 is arranged into 3 subseries:

• Subseries A: Administrative and Planning Files, 1970-1993
• Subseries B: Resident Companies, 1960-1980
• Subseries C: Community Arts Foundation Sponsored Shows, 1935-1993

Subseries A: Administrative and Planning Files, 1970-1993, undated

Arrangement

Subseries A is arranged alphabetically by subject, then chronologically by topic. The number of images by format with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Only persons named on the back of photographs are included in the description.

Subseries B: Resident and Visiting Companies, 1960-1980, undated

Scope and Contents

Subseries B contains planning and production files from the resident and visiting companies that utilized the various performance spaces of Body Politic, including the Alice Liddell Theater Company, the Chicago Contemporary Dance Theatre, Chicago Theatre Strategy, Dinglefest Theatre Company, Dream Theater, Free Theatre, Game Theater/Theater Games Center, Organic Theater and Peripatetic Task Force. Contents include box office reports, contact sheets, contracts, correspondence, flyers, news clippings, photographs, posters, production designs, programs, promotional materials, proposals, reports, research material and workshop evaluation sheets.

When the finding aid was reformatted in 2025, many theater groups were found in both the resident and visiting sections and in some cases parts of the same production were split. Since it was not always clear how these performing organizations should be listed, they were combined.

Productions include:

• After Magritte and The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard, directed by Ned Schmidtke, 1975 July 30-August 10
• And They Used to Star in Movies by Campbell Black and The Interview by Peter Swet, directed by Kenneth Green, sets and lights by Paul Basten, costumes by Pat Hart, with Larry Hart, 1977 March 23-May 8
• Apple Glove by Michael McClure and Mysteries based on a script by Julian Beck and Judith Malina, directed by Mel Gragido, 1976
• April Song compiled and directed by Dorothy Keyser, The Tridget of Greva by Ring Lardner, and Code Poem: Romeo and Juliet by Hannah Weiner, directed by John Hindinan, 1976 June 4-26
• Babes in the Big House by Megan Terry and Temporary Insanity by Judith Katz, news clippings, 1976 June 16-17
• The Beard by Michael McClure, directed by Kristine Camercon, sets by Ray Nelson, lights by Gene Wojcik, costumes by Pat Hart, 1975 January-February
• Boxes by Susan Yankowitz, directed by Mel Gragido, 1976 November 19-December 18
• Brecht on Brecht by George Tabori, directed by Joseph Bell, lights by Gene Wojcik, costumes by Becky Brisben, sets by David Einmons, 1975 September
• Cat Streeter, directed by Byron Schaffer Jr., 1976 July-August
• Chautauqua, directed by Byron Schaffer Jr., costumes by Tim Stevenson, lights by Jack O’ Conner, 1976 February-May
• Cold Shoulder written and directed by June Pyskacek, music and lyrics by Tony Zito, sets by Stephen Packard, lights by Gene Wojcik, costumes by Nell Wade, 1978 March 31-May 5
• Don Juan in Hell by George Bernard Shaw, lights by John Hogan, costumes by Elyse Hasler, 1976 April-May
• The Donner Party: It’s Crossing, directed by Herbert Blau, 1974 August 2-9
• Don’t Get Married by Norman Temple, directed by Jim Shiflett, 1976 August 13-29
• Duck Variations by David Mamet, directed by Fritzie Sahlins, 1972 October
• Fabulous Fables, directed by John Ostrander, 1976 November 14-December 19
• A Fierce Longing by John Schneider, directed by Sharon Ott, 1978 September 28-October 8
• Goosebumps, directed by Byron Schaffer, Jr., costumes by Karen Elise Swanson, 1975 September-November
• The Great Nebula in Orion by Lanford Wilson, directed by Linda Rodgers, sets and costumes by Martha Ferrara, lights by Jim Lichtenstein, 1977 February 15-March 13
• Guessworks, directed by Byron Schaffer, Jr., lights by Gary Kongisfeld, costumes by George Solomon, 1974 July-October
• In Da’ Begin’ng written, directed and designed by Oscar Brown Jr. costumes by Jean Pace, 1977 August 3-October 16
• The Influence Show by June Pyskacek and Tony Zito, directed by June Pyskacek, 1973 October
• Justine adapted and directed by Craig Kinzer, 1977 January 14
• Letters from the Earth adapted from the book by Mark Twain, produced and directed by Ray Nelson, undated
• The Little Humpback Horse by Virgina Smith, directed by Viacheslav V. Dolgachov, sets by Brian Traynor, costume by Claudia Bobby, choreography by April L. Lewis. Lighting by Ken Moore, 1990 December 8-28
• Loose Tongues: Bleach by Lonnie Carter, Night Mail by Ted Tally, and The Oueen of Greece by Rochelle Owens, directed by Jonathan Abarbanel, sets by Michael Merritt, 1977 April 8-May 14
• Love Spirit written and directed by Ernest McCarty, sets by Display Associates, costumes by Wendy Barnes, lights by Marshall Warren, with Sue Conway, 1976 August
• Ludlow Fair by Lanford Wilson and The Last Million Miles by John Blades, directed by Ken Green, 1974 March-April
• Madame Hortense written and directed by Eugene Mccarty, [1977-1978]
• Mark Twain in Person, adapted by Richard Henzel, directed by James Thornton, costumes by Julie Nagel, 1977 December 2-1978 January 29
• Money by Arthur Giron, directed by Anthony Petito, sets by James Maronek, lights by Robert Shook, costumes by Collette Polinski, with James O’Reilly, 1978 February 19-April 30
• The Night They Shot Harry Lindd, directed by Del Close, sets by Ralph Hall, lights by David Moore, with Mike Nussbaum, Nina Koib, Byrne Piven, Etel Billig, and David Mamet, 1973 October
• Orpheus Descending by Tennessee Williams, directed by June Pyskacek, 1975 July 16-27
• Philosophers in Skirts by Moliere, adapted and directed by Kirk Denmark, costumes by Mary Dale, 1975 July 2-13
• The Point by Harry Nilsson, directed by Doris Salisbury, 1977 March 5-April 24
• The Queen Bee is in the Tiger’s Eye and the Yellow is Stained Red by Shabazz, directed by Joseph Ehrenberg, lights by John Hogan, costumes and sets by Max Fran Smith and Joel Hall, with Joel Hall, 1974 September-October
• Side by Side and The Reader and the Writer by Bill Lederer, directed by Richard Tyler, 1975 September-November
• Sketcher in the Wry, by Gary Slezak, directed by Paul H. Thompson, 1978 February 3-26
• Story Machine, directed by Doris Salisbury, 1977 November 20-January 2
• Sunday Dinner by Joyce Carol Oates, directed by Gary Houston, sets by Burt Cohen, costumes by Pat Hart, with Larry Hart, 1976 April-June
• Three Plays by Arthur Kopit, directed by June Pyskacek, 1974 May
• Tom Swift and His..., directed by Byron Schaffer Jr., 1973 May 16
• The Trip and the Landing by Bill Lederer, directed by Bob Curry, with Tim Kazurinsky, 1974 October
• Vacuum Pact, directed by Byron Schaffer Jr., 1975 December
• Vanaver Caravan, 1978 April 16
• Warp I, II, and III by Bury St. Edmund and Stuart Gordon, 1973 February
• The Wicked Cooks by Gunter Grass, directed by Larry Hart, sets and lights by Paul Basten, costumes by Pat Hart, with Larry Hart, Gary Houston, Hedda Lubin, 1976 October-November
• Wiley and the Hairy Man, directed by Alice Molter, 1977 January 23-February 27
• Your Own Thing by Donald Driver, directed by Derek Evans, 1975

Arrangement

Subseries B is arranged alphabetically by company name, and then chronologically by production following materials related to the company’s promotional and other operations. The number of images by format with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Only persons named on the back of photographs are included in the description.

 Subseries C: Body Politic Theatre, 1975-1993, undated

Scope and Contents

Subseries C contains productions created by Body Politic. Created in 1976, Body Politic formed a resident company, the Body Politic Theatre Laboratory that offered workshops and classes in the theater arts began to produce its own shows. By the 1978-1979 season, the Laboratory developed into a center stage subscription series, with several satellite programs such as the Mixed Events and the New Playwright series. In addition, there was a guest series that featured performances by national touring companies. Contents include box office reports, budgets, contact sheets, contracts, correspondence, flyers, news clippings, newsletters, photographs, posters, press releases, production designs, production notes, programs, promotional materials, proposals, rehearsal schedules, research material, scripts, slides, tour logs and videocassettes.

Body Politic began as a producing theater with the 1976-1977 season.

Productions include:

• After Magritte and The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard, directed by Ned Schmidtke, costumes by Julie Nagel, sets by Gerry Stephens, lights by Robert Gold, 1976 June 24-August 1
• All My Sons by Arthur Miller, directed by Pauline Brailsford, sets by Jeff Bauer, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, 1985 April
• Angel City by Sam Shepard, directed by Dale McFadden, sets by Thomas Beall, costumes by Nanalee Raphael, lights by Robert S. Gold, music by Jim Christopher, 1978 December 13-1979 January 21
• Ants in the Attic by Ric Gusczynski, 1977 September 22-October 9
• Artist Descending a Staircase by Tom Stoppard, directed by Joseph Sadowski, sets by Kent Goetz, costumes by Andrew Vincent, lights by Mark Radziejeski, 1990 September 18-October 21
• Banjo Dancing by Stephen Wade, directed by Sharon Phillips, sets and lights by Chip Gore, 1979 May 15-September 16
• The Baron Must Die by Frank Shiras, directed by Sharon Phillips, sets and lights by Nels Anderson, 1978 April 4-May 13
• The Belle of Amherst by William Luce, directed by Albert Pertalion, sets and costumes by Arthur Ridley, lights by Kenneth Moore, 1991 January 22-March 4
• Blood Wedding by Garcia Lorca, directed by James O’Reilly, A Second Series production, 1987 March 2-4
• Buried Child by Sam Shepard, A North Light Repertory, directed by Gregory Kandel, sets and lights by Maher Ahmad, costumes by Marsha Kowal, 1980 June 12
• Cinque by Leonard Melfi, directed by Gail Shirley, with William Petersen, 1977 February 25-March 26
• Class Enemy by Nigel Williams, directed by Harriet Spizziri, sets by Karl Kochvar, costumes by Dale Wibben, 1981 November 27-December 30
• Clever Dick by Charles Marowtiz, 1990 April
• The Club by Eve Merriam, A North Light Repertory production, directed by Michael Maggio, sets and lights by Maher Ahmad, costumes by Christa Scholtz, 1980 May
• Coastal Disturbances by Tina Howe, directed by Pauline Brailsford, sets by Jeff Bauer, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, 1988 October
• Coming Attractions by Jerry Haislmaier and Shelly Goldstein, directed by Kate Benton, sets and lights by Sara Berg, 1980 October 2-November 9
• Confusions by Alan Ayckbourn, directed by Pauline Brailsford, sets by James O’Reilly, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Lynn Ziehe, with Jayne Atkinson, 1982 July 14-August 15
• Corpse! by Gerald Moon, directed by Joseph Sadowski, sets by Thom Ryan, costumes by Kerry Fleming, fight choreography by David Wooley, 1986 November-1987 January 4
• Cowardly Custard: A Noel Coward Encore devised by Gerlad Frow, Alan Strachan and Wendy Toye, directed by Peter Amster at the Royal George Theatre’s Ruggles Cabaret, 1989 November 17-December 31
• Dead of Night by John Ostrander, directed by Mary Ellen McGarry, 1979 February-March
• The Decline and Fall of the Entire World as Seen Through the Eyes of Cole Porter by Ben Bagley, directed by Dean Button, sets and lights by Thomas Beall, costumes by Julie Nagel, 1979 December 6-1980 April 14
• The Dresser by Ronald Harwood, directed by B.J. Jones and Pauline Brailsford, sets by Lynn Ziehe, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, with Frank Galati, 1983 September 21-October 23
• Eve by Larry Fineberg, directed by Susan Dafoe, sets by Jeff Bauer, costumes by Elizabeth Passman, lights by Rita Pietraszek, 1982 May 5-June 6
• An Evening of Sholem Aleichem, directed by Richard Naltby, costumes by Pegi Goodman, sets and lights by Luis Ramirez, 1979 September 13-30, November 30-December 16
• Falstaff and Hal: William Shakespeare’s Henry IV 1 and 2 and Henry V adapted by Arthur Money, directed by Pauline Brailsford, sets by Jeff Bauer, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, fight choreography by David Wooley, 1986 February
• Frankie and Johnnie in the Clair de Lune by Terrance McNally, A Cullen, Henaghan and Platt production, with Kathy Bates, 1989 June-October
• The Good Times Are Killing Me by Lynda Barry, 1989 September-1990 January 7
• The Hamburger Twins by John Greene, directed by Michael Leavitt, sets by James Dardenne, costumes by Cookie Gluck, lights by Paul Miller, 1986 September 24-October 19
• Hello and Goodbye by Athol Fugard and September in the Rain by John Goodbar, Hello and Goodbye directed by Albert Pentalion, sets and costumes by Arthur Ridley; September in the Rain directed by Pauline Brailsford, sets by Kristofer Eitrheim, costumes by Lynn Sandburg, lights for both shows by David Gipson, 1990 May 7-27
• Hi-Hi Hattie by Larry Parr, directed by Albert Pertalion, sets by Kris Eitrheim, costumes by Claudia Boddy, lights by Kenneth Moore, with Sue (Sulanya) Conway, 1991 May 14-June 6
• Hide and Seek, by Frank Shiras, 1978 December-1979 January 6
• The Hitch-Hiker, by Eudora Welty, adapted by Larry Ketron. Directed by Pauline Brailsford, sets by Jeff Bauer, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, 1986
• Holding Patterns by Jeff Sweet in collaboration with Sandra Hastie, Stephen Johnson, Christine Kellogg, directed by Tom Mula, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Gary Heitz, sets by Nels Anderson, with Audrie Neenan, A World Premiere, 1981 July 8-August 23
• The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, directed by Pauline Brailsford, sets by Kent Goetz, costumes by Andrew Vincent, lights by Michael Rourke, with Harry Aithus, Kate Goerhing, 1990 February 8-March 4
• I Can’t Eat Goat Head by Sylvia Gonzalez S., directed by Albert Pertalion at the Kennedy Center, 1993 May 15
• Johnnie Will by Victor Power, directed by Ned Schmidtke, sets by Nels Anderson, costumes by Julie Nagel, 1977 March 9-June 5
• King Lear by William Shakespeare, directed by Terry McCabe, sets by Jeff Bauer, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, fights by Michael Sokoloff with Denis O’Hare, Tom Mula, William J. Norris, Ernest Perry, Jr., Paul Edwards, 1989 February 10-March 19
• The King’s Clown by David Vando, directed by Dale McFadden, sets and lights by Luis Ramirez, costumes by Sherry Ravitz, 1979 November 18-December 15
• Knock Knock by Jules Feiffer, directed by Anthony Petito, sets by Dean Taucher, lights by Eric Strand, costumes by Kaye Nottbusch, 1977 January 21-March 27
• Ladies in Retirement by Edward Percy and Reginald Denham, directed by James O’Reilly, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, 1984 July-­August
• Let It Play by James Barry, John Green, Eric McGill and Dale McFadden, directed by Dale McFadden, [1978]
• A Life by Hugh Leonard, directed by Tom Mula, sets by Gary Baugh, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, 1984 September 20-November 21
• The Lion in Winter by James Goldman, directed by Richard Kordos, sets by Katherine Ross, costumes by Nancy Missimi, 1990 November 27-December 31
• Lunching by Alan Gross, directed by Mike Nussbaum, sets and lights by Michael Merritt, costumes by Julie Nagel, 1977 December 7-1978 March 12
• Macbeth by Shakespeare, directed by Dale McFadden, sets and lights by John Rodriguez, costumes by Sherry Ravtiz, 1980 March 27-April 27
• The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giradoux, directed by James O’Reilly and Sheldon Patinkin, sets by Michael Merritt, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Mary Badger, music by Alaric (Rokko) Jans, 1985 February 19-March 24
• Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw, directed by Pauline Brailsford, sets by Jeff Bauer, costumes by John Hancock Brooks, lights by Michael Rourke, 1987 April
• Mark Twain in Person with Richard Henzel, Orion Theatre Co., adapted from The Works of Samuel L. Clemens by Richard Henzel, directed by James Thornton, costumes by Julie Nagel, 1992 January 28-February 16
• Martin Luther: Apostle of Defiance by John Kirk, directed by Dennis Zacek, sets by J. William Ruyle, costumes by Douglas Koertge, 1980 September 4-October 5
• Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, directed by A.J. Morey and Rod Ceballos, sets by James Dardenne, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by J. Michael McBride, masks by Bill Henderson, 1984 February
• Moonlight Daring Us To Go Insane, directed by Pailine Brailsford, sets by Linda Lane, costumes by Susan Bonde, lights by Michael Rourke, 1987 September 17-October 18
• Mother Jones by Victor Power, directed by Dale McFadden, sets by Thomas Beall, costumes by Nanalee Raphael, lights by Robert S. Gold, 1978 November 19-December 31
• On the Verge by Eric Overmeyer, directed by Tom Mula, sets by Jeff Bauer, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Rita Petraszek, 1986 July
• One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich adapted by Richard France, directed by Anthony Petito, 1977 January 6-February 27
• Pam and Jan: A Comedy Review (Peripatetic Task Force), 1976 October 13-November 13
• The Petrified Forest by Robert Sherwood, directed by James O’Reilly, with Clay Martin’s Puppet Theatre, sets by Tony Nowenbrook, costumes by Virgil Johnson, lights by Rita Pietraszek, 1981 September 17-October 25
• Playboy of the Western World by John Synge, directed by James O ‘Reilly, sets by John Rodriguez, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Robert James, 1983 February 23-March 27
• Playing with Fire: After Frankenstein by Barbara Field, directed by Tom Mula, sets by Kris Eitrheim, lights by Michael Rourke, costumes by Shifra Werch, 1991 October 8-November 10
• Red Rover, Red Rover by Oliver Hailey, directed by June Pyskacek, sets by Rick Paul, costumes by Cookie Gluck, lights by Gene Wojcik, 1978 October 18-November 26
• Remembrance by Graham Reid, directed by Pauline Brailsford, sets by Jeff Bauer, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke. An American Premiere, 1987 February 5-March 8
• Rhyming Couplets by Kevin Grattan, directed by Bruce Burgun, sets by Frances Maggio, costumes by Carl Forsberg, lights by Gerri Kelly, 1980 April 24-May 24
• Rough Crossing by Tom Stoppard, with music by Andre Previn, directed by Pauline Brailsford, sets by Jeff Bauer, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, choreography by Peter Ainster, 1987 November 12-1988 January 3
• The Royal Family by Edna Ferber and George Kaufman, directed by Joseph Sadowski, sets by Thom Ryan, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, music by Donald Brearly, fights by David Wooley, with Linda Kimbrough, 1988 February 25-March 27
• The Ruffian on the Stair and Funeral Games by Joe Orton, directed by Dale McFadden, sets by Thomas Beall, costumes by Maggie Bodwell, lights by John Rodriguez, 1979 October 11
• Samuel: The First Book of Kings, directed by James Shiflett and David Moore, sets by Chip Gore and David Moore, lights by Fill Cadkin, costumes by Sharon Phillips, 1978 March 3-26
• The Sea Horse by Edward Moore, directed by James O’Reilly, costumes by Elizabeth Passman, sets by Nels Anderson, lights by Gary Heitz, 1981 May 6-June 7
• Season’s Greetings by Alan Ayckbourn, directed by Pauline Brailsford, sets by Jeff Bauer, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, 1985 September-November 24
• Sherlock’s Last Case by Charles Marowitz, directed by Roger Mueller, 1989 December 1-31
• Slapstick and Sawdust, 1978 June 9-July 2
• Snow Children developed and directed by Mary Ellen McGarry, 1978 December 9-1979 January 7
• Spokesong by Jimmy Kennedy and Stewart Parker, directed by James O’Reilly, sets by Jeff Bauer, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, 1985 July 11-August 18
• Spring’s Awakening by Frank Wedekind, directed by Joseph Slowik, sets and lights by Nels Anderson, costumes by Janet Messmer, 1979 February 14-April 1
• Statements from an Arrest Under the Immorality Act by Athol Fugard and Scenes from Soweto by Steve Wilmer, directed by James O’Reilly, sets by James Boley, costumes by Bobbie Highes, lights by John Rodriguez, 1979 May 2-June 10
• Station J by Richard France, directed by Dale McFadden, 1979 May-June
• Sylvia Plath: A Dramatic Portrait adapted by Barry Kyle, directed by June Pyskacek, sets by Rick Paul, lights by Harold Hayes, costumes by Joyce Epstein, 1976 September 13-November 14
• Taking Steps by Alan Ayckbourn, directed by Pauline Brailsford, sets by John D. Story II, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, with John Mahoney, 1983 July-August
• Talley’s Folly by Lanford Wilson, directed by Albert Pertalion, sets by Kris Eitrheim, light by Ken Moore, 1991 March 26-April 28
• Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare, directed by James O’Reilly, sets and lights by Chris Phillips, costumes by Nan Zabriskie, 1982 February 24-March 14
• Translations by Brian Friel, directed by James O’Reilly, sets by Michael Merritt, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Mary Badger, 1982 September-1983 January
• Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, directed by Pauline Brailsford and Susan Dafoe, sets by Lynn Ziehe, costumes by Nan Zabriskie, lights by Gary Heitz, music by Dan Tucker, with William J. Norris, Tom Mula, 1981 February 19-April 12
• Visions of Sugarplums, 1977 December 17-23
• Volunteers by Brian Friel, directed by Pauline Brailsford, sets by Jeff Bauer, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, An American Premiere, 1984 April
• Wenceslas Square by Larry Shue, directed by Tom Mula, sets by Brian Traynor, costumes by Kerry Fleming, lights by Michael Rourke, 1989 April 27-May 21
• A Whistle in the Dark written and directed by Tom Murphy, A Midwest Premiere. Sets by Jeff Bauer, lights by Michael Rourke, costumes by Renee S. Liepins, fight choreography by Michael Sokoloff, 1988 April 28-May 29
• Who’s Happy Now by Oliver Hailey, directed by Joseph Slowick, costumes by Susan T. Gayford, lights by Robert Gold, sets by Dean Taucher, with Jack Wallace, 1976 September 9-1977 February 27
• Zastrozzi by George F. Walker, directed by James O’Reilly, sets and lights by Chris Phillips, costumes by Elizabeth Bailey, [1983] May

Arrangement

Subseries D is arranged chronologically before the 1976-1977 Season and chronologically within production category such as Mixed Events or New Playwrights Series. Starting in 1981 and ending in 1987, seasons were organized by calendar year. The number of images by format with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Only persons named on the back of photographs are included in the description.