BroadwayWorld Chicago Salutes Lookingglass Theatre Ensemble Part Two

By Misha Davenport
No man is an island and no theater company gets to be a Tony Award winner itself, either. Here are our five picks for people who played a part in taking the Lookingglass Theatre Ensemble from a group of eight ambitious Northwestern graduates to one of the city's greatest theatrical assets:

1. Lois Weisberg, former commissioner of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs

Culture in Chicago would not be the same without Weisberg and so too the Lookingglass Theatre. Without her, the ensemble would probably still be an itinerant theater company. In addition to founding the Chicago Cultural Center, Gallery 37, the Taste of Chicago and countless music festivals, Chicago's grand dame of culture had the wisdom to turn an underutilized tourist space in the city's Water Tower Water Works into a performing arts space that is perhaps the finest tribute to both the city's cultural heritage and its working class roots.

2. David A. Downs, Associate Professor Emeritus, Northwestern University.
While we can't say for sure if there would be a Lookingglass with Downs, we can say that any Lookingglass ensemble would be different without him. All of the eight original founders of the company studied under Downs and he influenced the company's approach to their craft.

"His focus as a teacher was to look at the whole play and what it is asking of you as an actor," says Lookingglass artistic director Andrew White. "When you think of that approach to acting specifically with adaptation --what is the story, why does it need to be told and how can you tell that story the best way possible-that is different than the usual method acting of how do you experience the emotion of the play to the fullest extent."

3. Morris Architects Planners, Also the designers of the raw and more industrial looking Steppenwolf Theatre, the firm designed a lobby space that is hip and chic while still being homey and inviting as well as a flexible, state of the art theater space without any bad sightlines.

4. David Schwimmer (seen left presented the 2nd second annual Lookingglass Award for Civic Engagement to Lois Weisberg in 2009). One of the eight founding members of the ensemble, Schwimmer was also the first to hit it truly big. He deftly used his "Friends" fame to open doors for the ensemble, which helped the group win the bid for the Water Tower space. He also assisted in raising more than $3 million to refurbish it. And yet he was careful to ensure that his fame and celebrity never overshadowed the ensemble or its mission. Schwimmer's 1990 adaptation of "The Jungle" also helped cement the company's brand of moving and visual Theater Productions.

5. Mary Zimmerman, Along with Schwimmer, Zimmerman's 1990 adaptation of "The Odyssey" solidified the company's reputation. Her adaptation of "The Arabian Nights" is one of the company's Signature Productions. 1998's "Metamorphoses" brought the Tony spotlight on the company.. The subsequent Broadway production of the show in 2001 was nominated for a 2002 Tony award for best play and Zimmerman picked up a Tony for best direction.

Tomorrow: Five memorable productions.

 

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