Columbia College
Theater Department
72 E. 11th Street
Chicago, IL 60605
Office: (312) 344-6100
Box Office: (312) 344-6126
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Other Productions

Student Directed Projects

Student directors select a play (length dependent on what level of directing class the student is in), cast the play from the Theater Department student body, work with design and technical students on production aspects, direct the play and mount four performances in either the Classic Studio or the New Studio. Play selections reflect the diverse interests and backgrounds of the student directors.

Freshman Projects

The Freshman Performance Project produces three short, unique, individual stage productions utilizing solely freshman actors. Each of the productions (under an hour) has a large cast and is ensemble-driven (all roles are about the same size), require a short rehearsal period and incorporate music, movement, poetry, and visual art. The objective of the Freshman Performance Project is to energize and incorporate into the Columbia theatre community, freshman theater majors by providing a public performance opportunity specifically targeted to their experience level.

Faculty Workshops

Faculty workshops are opportunities for faculty members of Columbia College to direct theater productions of their choice. Choices in the past span from classical pieces such as Dianera directed by Kathleen Perkins to contemporary pieces such as Proof directed by Stephanie Shaw to pieces written and directed by faculty members, such as Two Fool's Gold written and directed by Paul Amandes.

The 24 Hour Playwriting Festival

Selected student playwrights write a 10-minute play within a night and the following day is spent staging and rehearsing these new plays with selected student and faculty directors and student actors. The culmination of the 24 Hour New Plays Festival is an evening performance of the new plays showcasing several of the facets (Playwriting, Directing and Acting) of the Theater Department. This year's dates are January 14 and May 6, 2005.

Staged Readings

Staged readings provide a venue for new work performed in Columbia College's theater spaces. An annual staged reading of the 2nd place winner of the Theodore Ward Contest for African-American playwrights as well as new work written by student playwriting majors and Theater Department faculty are presented throughout the fall and spring semesters.

Concert Readings

Concert readings of popular musicals with minimal staging offer a broad range of casting possibilities to all students and serve as workshops for musical theater majors. Past musicals have ranged from traditional classics like She Loves Me and Company to contemporary fare such as City of Angels and Les Miserables.

Engaging with the Community

The Theater Department has been active in working through the Office of Community Arts Partnerships (OCAP) to develop programming and partnerships with community-based organizations. Through OCAP's Urban Mission program, we have placed students and faculty in creative collaborations, productions, teaching and service learning initiatives that directly engage the Theater Department in the cultural life of the City of Chicago.