Education & Enrichment

Audience Engagement

Court Theatre engages audiences in classic theatre by providing numerous opportunities for audiences of all ages to interact with artists, scholars, and one another.  We partner with University of Chicago scholars to regularly produce symposia exploring how the themes of our plays intersect with the hot issues in scholarship and current events.  We integrate the audience in the artistic process by facilitating interaction with artists in rehearsals and regular dialogue on the evolution of our productions and the themes of the work.  We collaborate with community partners to strategically expand and hone our in-depth Student Education Program, serving students at South Side public high schools.  For more information on these engagement opportunities, please contact Court Theatre at (773) 702-7005.

 

Invisible Man: Events

The Making of Invisible Man Exhibit

January 11 - February 19, 2012
The Dusable Museum of African American History
740 East 56th Place, Chicago
Hours: Tuesday—Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Sunday, Noon–5:00 p.m. (Closed Mondays)

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One of the few works of literature to be deemed a “great American novel,” Invisible Man boasts haunting imagery, including the scene of its nameless narrator speaking from a basement filled with 1,369 light bulbs. Visit the Dusable Museum of African American History to explore the process of bringing this iconic story from the page to the stage with a behind-the-scenes look at the scenic design, costumes, props, music, and script.

University of Chicago Student Night

Friday, January 13 @ 8 pm

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University of Chicago students are invited to enjoy FREE food and soda after the performance! U of C Student tickets are always just $10 with valid U of C ID.

David Bevington Discussion

Wednesday, February 1 following the 7:30 Performance of Invisible Man

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Join world-renowned University of Chicago theater scholar David Bevington in a lively post-show conversation with Resident Dramaturg Drew Dir. Your comments and questions are part of the discourse as Professor Bevington and the artistic staff provide context and probe the deeper issues of each play in Court Theatre’s season. One Wednesday performance of each play features this popular in-depth discussion. These conversations begin immediately after the performance, last approximately 30 minutes, and are free and open to all—even if you saw the show on another night, come back and join us!

Invisible Man: In its Time and Ours

Friday, February 3, 2012
10 am - 12 pm
Dusable Museum of African American History
740 East 56th Place, Chicago

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Symposium featuring:

Adam F. Bradley, a scholar of African American literature and a writer on black popular culture; author of Ralph Ellison-In-Progress, Yale University Press, 2010.

John Wright, professor of English and African American Studies at University of Minnesota; author of Shadowing Ralph Ellison, University Press of Mississippi, 2006.

Lawrence Jackson, professor of English and African American Studies at Emory University; author of Ralph Ellison: Emergence of Genius, University of Georgia Press, 2007.

Hortense Spillers, Gertude Conway Vanderbilt Professor of English at Vanderbilt University, author of Black, White, and in Color: Essays on American Literature and Culture, University of Chicago Press, 2003.

Invisible Man Post-Play Discussion

Thursday, February 9 at Court Theatre
Following the 7:30 pm performance
of Invisible Man

University of Chicago Professor Kenneth Warren moderates a discussion with Invisible Man director Christopher McElroen and Lena Hill, Assistant Professor of English and African American Studies at the University of Iowa.

Invisible Man: Articles and Interviews

2011/2012 Season