TimeLine Theatre Announces FAREWELLINGTON Events On Path To New Home In Uptown

For 25 years, TimeLine Theatre Company has been making history in a quirky, intimate, and transformative space known as Baird Hall at 615 W. Wellington Avenue—a remarkable chapter that concluded on June 29 with the final performance of Black Sunday, the company's world premiere, 2023-24 season finale.

This summer, an exciting new era begins for TimeLine Theatre as it accelerates on its path toward establishing its own, new home at 5035 N. Broadway.

Already, the company has relocated its staff and offices to a temporary administrative base a few blocks north of its new home in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, where it will begin managing construction, continue fundraising efforts, and deepen its connections in the community.

Naturally, after 25 years of producing live theater, plenty of props, costumes, scenic elements, furniture, books, office supplies, posters, one-of-a-kind theater memorabilia, and other backstage surprises are stacked in TimeLine's third floor rehearsal hall (originally a basketball court) and labyrinth of office and storage spaces at 615 W. Wellington.

Enough, in fact, to warrant a moving sale! 

Chicago theater lovers, neighborhood historians, and yard sale enthusiasts are invited to save these dates and stay tuned for further details about three events forthcoming this summer:

TimeLine Treasures Yard Sale

Sunday, July 21, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Peruse TimeLine's collection of housewares, suitcases and props, clothing and costumes, office supplies, and more. Find some treasures to make your very own!

 

“FareWellington” Open House Celebration

Sunday, August 4, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Everyone's invited! Join anytime to enjoy refreshments and building tours, peruse more items for sale, share memories with members of the TimeLine community, and more!

 

TimeLine Treasures Yard Sale

Sunday, August 18, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Your final chance to help TimeLine clear out the building. Everything must go!

All events take place at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., and are free and open to the public.

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ï»żCALL FOR MEMORIES

In addition to the events listed above, part of TimeLine's celebration of its 25-year residency at Baird Hall is a reflection on not just the countless memories gathered during its time there, but on what the space has meant to Off-Loop Chicago theatre since at least the mid-1960s, and as a community hub for more than 100 years.

 

TimeLine invites anyone who has a memory about working in or visiting this historic space at any time—whether connected to TimeLine or not—to share their memory via this form accessible on the company's website.

 

Submissions may be shared publicly at the Open House event on August 4 as well as via social media, on the company website, and in TimeLine's permanent archive.

 

For the latest information about TimeLine's “FareWellington” events and the link to contribute memories, visit timelinetheatre.com/farewellington.

 

ï»żABOUT BAIRD HALL

 

Built in 1910, the Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ created its now-hallowed, second-floor Baird Hall space specifically to provide a home for cultural events. Reportedly, the theme of the inaugural sermon was “church as community center.” In 1999, TimeLine lucked into making the space its home, signing a three-day lease to throw its second Step Into Time fundraiser. They were soon invited to move in permanently as the new resident theater company, carrying forth a legacy that preceded it by decades, as Baird Hall helped usher in the Off-Loop theatre movement in the 1960s, ‘70s (and beyond), providing a home to such companies as Chicago City Players, Magic Circle, Phoenix Productions, Classic Theatre Company, Lionheart Gay Theatre, Prologue Theater Productions, Foxworx Theatre Company, Halcyon Repertory Company, Journeymen, Two Planks and a Passion, European Repertory Company, and probably dozens more. 

 

In addition to departing Wellington Avenue and establishing new interim offices at 5539 N. Broadway near the site of its future new home in Uptown, TimeLine is busy preparing for its upcoming 2024-25 season, which boasts producing partnerships with Court Theatre, The Theatre School at DePaul University, and Writers Theatre—plus the internationally acclaimed company the american vicarious:

 

• The groundbreaking musical about family, faith, and love, Falsettos, with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by William Finn and James Lapine, produced in partnership with Court Theatre and directed by TimeLine Associate Artistic Director Nick Bowling. Runs November 8 – December 8, 2024 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis St. in Hyde Park.

 

• The Chicago premiere of Debate: Baldwin vs. Buckley, adapted and directed by Christopher McElroen. Following critically acclaimed runs in New York City and London, TimeLine premieres in Chicago the american vicarious' radically staged imagining of the historic debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley Jr., for the event's 60th anniversary, in partnership with The Theatre School at DePaul University. Runs January 29 – March 2, 2025 at DePaul's Cortelyou Commons, 2324 N. Fremont St., Chicago.

 

• The world premiere of a searing Chicago-set story rich with culinary tradition and dramatic twists about family, legacy, and survival at all costs, Dhaba on Devon Avenue, by Madhuri Shekar, directed Chay Yew, produced in partnership with Writers Theatre. Runs June 19-July 27, 2025 at Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor Ct., in Glencoe. 

 

Join TimeLine's 2024-25 season with a TimeLine FlexPass to save up to 35% on regular ticket prices and enjoy priority access to tickets alongside incredible flexibility, special perks, and VIP customer service. Four options, priced from $103 to $232, are now on sale. For more information and to purchase, call (773) 281-8463 x6 or visit timelinetheatre.com.

 

Stay tuned for news of more exciting developments regarding TimeLine's new home in Uptown. In the near term, TimeLine's general contractor, Bulley & Andrews, is beginning the initial phase of site preparation for demolition and foundation work this summer. The company anticipates being ready to open its new home in early 2026.

 

ABOUT TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY

 

TimeLine Theatre Company, recipient of the prestigious 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, was founded in April 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues. Recently concluding its 27th season, TimeLine has presented 92 productions (77 of them on Wellington Avenue), including 13 world premieres and 41 Chicago premieres, and launched the Living History Education Program and TimeLine South summer arts program, which bring the company's mission to life for students in Chicago Public Schools and beyond. Recipient of the Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence and the Richard Goodman Strategic Planning Award from the Association for Strategic Planning, TimeLine has received 60 Jeff Awards, including an award for Outstanding Production 11 times.

 

The company has long been bursting at the seams of its leased home located at 615 W. Wellington Avenue in Chicago's Lakeview East neighborhood, where the theatre has been in residence since 1999. The company is currently working to develop its new home, located at 5035 North Broadway in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. Plans feature an intimate black box theater seating up to 250 audience members, expanded area for the immersive lobby experiences that are a TimeLine hallmark, new opportunities for education and engagement, room to allow audience members to arrive early and stay late for theatergoing experiences that extend far beyond the stage, and more.

 

TimeLine is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers, Executive Director Mica Cole, and Board President Thaddeus J. Malik. TimeLine Company members are Tyla Abercrumbie, Will Allan, Nick Bowling, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Behzad Dabu, Charles Andrew Gardner, Lara Goetsch, Juliet Hart, Anish Jethmalani, Mildred Marie Langford, Mechelle Moe, David Parkes, Ron OJ Parson, PJ Powers, and Maren Robinson.

 

Major corporate, government and foundation donors providing season support via TimeLine's Annual Fund include Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation, Bayless Family Foundation, CIBC U.S., Crown Family Philanthropies, Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation, Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Polk Bros. Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and Van Dam Charitable Foundation. TimeLine also acknowledges the support of a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events and a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

 

For more information, visit timelinetheatre.com.

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