Circle Theatre Relaunches with New Artistic Team

CIRCLE THEATRE has announced a new artistic team as it prepares to launch into its first full season in over a year. Circle Theatre began in Oak Park, IL back in 1985 by Karen Skinner, Wayne Buidens and Joseph Bass, where it produced multiple world premieres and earned over 40 Joseph Jefferson Awards in its 28-year residency. After officially transitioning to the city proper in 2013 with the remount of its Jeff Award-winning When the Rain Stops Falling (director: John Gawlik), Circle Theatre produced two more musicals (Death Takes a Holiday and Edges) before taking a break from producing to re-group as an artistic ensemble.

Circle's new leadership includes Nicholas Reinhart (Artistic Director), Zez W. Ready (Managing Director), Bobby Arnold (Producing Director), Erin Daly (Casting & Networking Director), Jessica Baker (Development & Outreach Director) and Neil Stratman (Assistant to the Development Director). "Our transition out of Oak Park really made us take a step back and look at where we were as a company. We were able to rebuild ourselves from the inside out and I'm proud to say we have reached the point where we're ready to bring some incredible projects to the vital Chicago theatre scene", says Artistic Director, Nicholas Reinhart.

Moving forward, Circle Theatre is creating a home for artists of all forms, where they can challenge and inspire each other to tell stories in a visceral and accessible way; stories that would allow audiences to experience something unique and unexpected. Circle's 2015-2016 season is formed with those exact goals in mind.

The newly-developed artistic team is ecstatic to announce two Chicago premiere musicals! TRIASSIC PARQ by Marshall Pailet, Bryce Norbitz and Steve Wargo is "a musical not-parody of Jurassic Park from the perspective of the dinosaurs." The creative team includes co-directors Nicholas Reinhart and Tommy Bullington, music director Justin Harner, and stage manager Adele Powers. This irreverent, hilarious, and ultimately inspiring production is scheduled to run for three weeks from September 18th - October 4th at the HEARTLAND STUDIO in Rogers Park.

In March of 2016, Circle Theatre will produce a brand new production of 35MM: A MUSICAL EXHIBITION by Ryan Scott Oliver. The up-and-coming composer utilizes 15 different photos by Matthew Murphy, each one inspiring a separate, unique song. Blurring the line between musical and art installation, this Chicago premiere is directed and choreographed by Cameron Turner, whose recent credits include assisting on the Bailiwick production of The Wild Party and Theo Ubique's Jesus Christ Superstar. Says Turner, "35MM is a musical exhibition that begs us to look at the big pictures of life. Pictures of our past and future. Pictures of our fantasies and realities. Pictures of our love and loss. We move so quickly that we let the present pass us by without taking time to stop, think and focus. This piece creates an immersive, visceral and powerful evening that I can't wait to excavate with the cast and submerse the audience in our exhibit."

In addition to its regular production schedule, Circle Theatre is thrilled to announce the success of Reefer Madness: REHASHED, a fundraising event in February which gathered together the highly-acclaimed cast and creative team of Circle's 2012 production of Reefer Madness. 100% of the proceeds from the evening were channeled to the non-profit organization, Fight Colorectal Cancer, in honor of the late director, Matthew Gunnels. Producing director, Bobby Arnold, states "It was incredible to have people get together to celebrate a fantastic production, but more so it was something bigger than ourselves. More important than making an impression on audiences or making money for the benefit of our theatre company, it was about education on a disease many people know very little about and raising money to find a cure to aid those currently fighting." Circle has decided that, due to its success with Reefer Madness: REHASHED, it will produce an annual event called Full Circle Series, where a staged reading of a musical will be performed and all proceeds will go to a charity cause appropriate to the show. The 2016 performance will be announced later this year.

Celebrating its 30th season, CIRCLE THEATRE is proud to continue creating artist-driven and artist-focused theatre.

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