Gabrielle Randle-Bent sits in a dark theatre and smiles.
Gabrielle Randle-Bent by Joe Mazza

Gabrielle Randle-Bent is in love.

“My love affair with Court has led to a love affair with the South Side of Chicago, and my dream is for this theatre to truly and fully—whatever that means, because I’m not the one who gets to define it—be a reflection of the communities that make this one of the most spectacularly alive places that I’ve ever been.” As Court’s new Associate Artistic Director, Gabrielle is uniquely positioned to make that dream a reality.

Randle-Bent was appointed Court’s Associate Artistic Director in July. But, for anyone who knows her, this news (while delightful) comes as no surprise. Randle-Bent has been a frequent Court collaborator for many years, having most recently co-directed Court Theatre’s production of The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice with Charles Newell, and she was the dramaturg for Court’s productions of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow is Enuf, and Oedipus Rex. She is an integral part of the Court family, and will be a tremendous asset to Court’s staff and creative team.

Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, shares, “It is my great pleasure to welcome Gabby as our Associate Artistic Director. She is an immensely talented artist, and her singular clarity of vision sets her apart in any given room. I am overjoyed that she will be a part of Court’s artistic leadership.”

Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre echoed Charlie’s sentiments. “I am thrilled that Gabby Randle-Bent will join Court Theatre as the Associate Artistic Director,” he said. “Gabby was our inaugural Research Fellow, has served as a dramaturg and a director at Court Theatre, and has taught courses in Theater and Performance Studies at UChicago. Her approach to engagement has been instrumental in the programming the theatre does, but also in the foundational ways in which we think of ourselves as a classic theatre company. We are incredibly lucky that she’s joining us as a full-time member of our team.”

Gabrielle Randle-Bent
Gabrielle Randle-Bent by Joe Mazza

For Gabrielle, this is an inflection point. A moment of change. And a moment to be a part of something bigger than herself. “It is a privilege to be able to invest in a place that has invested so much in me. Being Court’s Associate Artistic Director is preparing me to be a leader in our field, and it allows me to be part of a generation of leaders all over this country who’re interested in creating beauty from ashes and moving the thing we love forward, rather than just standing back and watching it turn into something we don’t. It’s an honor to be in this position, to have this responsibility and this challenge. The opportunity to learn from Charlie, the incredible artists and staff at Court, and the faculty collaborators at the University of Chicago is a real gift.”

In addition to her work at Court, Gabrielle recently directed The Year of Magical Thinking at Remy Bumppo, and will be directing Eve L. Ewing’s 1919 for Steppenwolf for Young Adults. She is a co-founder of the Civic Actor’s Studio, a leadership program of the University of Chicago’s Office of Civic Engagement, and was featured in American Theatre Magazine’s “Role Call: People to Watch.”

So, why make her artistic home here? What is it about Court that sparked her love affair in the first place? “Court holds onto the idea that everyday peoples’ stories are classic. The idea that, in the everyday, there is the capacity to elevate to something that is timeless, something that is mythical, something that is epic. Our stage, and the people who populate that stage, are able to make the quotidian epochal.”

As with the start of all epic love stories, we can’t wait to see how this relationship grows.

Gabrielle Randle-Bent has a BA in Drama from Stanford University, an MA in Performance as Public Practice from University of Texas at Austin, and is a PhD candidate at Northwestern University whilst being a Senior Lecturer in the Theatre and Performance Studies program at University of Chicago. She will be directing Court’s production of The Island by Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona, onstage from November 11 - December 04, 2022.

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Kelvin Roston, Jr.

Please note, for optimal listening enjoyment, please use headphones.

Having trouble viewing The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice right now? Try these six steps to fix your stream:

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Which devices can I use to stream?

The platform works on mobile phones, computers, tablets, and smart TVs (with a web browser). If you have any of those, you can watch! We also recommend viewing with headphones for the best experience.

Are subtitles available?

Yes, closed captioning is available! Simply hover your mouse over the video player. In the bottom right corner, click on "CC off", then click on "english". Your video should now display captions.  In addition, you may speed up or slow down the video playback by hovering your mouse over the video player. In the bottom right corner, click on "1x" and you will see several options to either increase or decrease playback speed.
Please note, for optimal listening enjoyment, please use headphones.

Can I watch the show on my TV, or do I have to watch it on my computer?

We’d love for you to cast the show to your big screen! The easiest option is to use Chrome Casting, AirPlay or screen mirroring to play the stream from your phone, laptop or another device to your TV. You might see a slight decrease in quality with this option. You can also use an HDMI cable to connect your computer to the TV. If your TV can access a web browser, you can open that browser and log into your email. From there, you can open the email we sent you and click on your link to stream. If you have trouble streaming on an older TV, you may have better luck switching to an alternate device. Here is a list of steps for some common casting setups. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number and variations of smart TVs and smart TV software, we aren’t able to troubleshoot individual hardware issues. This guide on casting may be useful to you, depending on your setup.

How do I view my streaming performance? (on-demand performances)

You’ll receive a confirmation email with the subject of “Link to View The Tragedy of Othello.” In that email will be your unique link to view the performance. Use your custom link to watch on your laptop, tablet, mobile device—or mirror the show to your smart TV. Can’t find your confirmation email?  Be sure to check your junk/spam folder! If you have questions, please call us at (773) 753-4472.

What’s the ideal browser to use?

We recommend using the browser that gives you the quickest speeds for your everyday use. Our top choices are Google Chrome and Safari.

How can I ensure the best streaming experience?

For showtime, if you’re experiencing issues, a first step might be to turn the wi-fi off on your other devices. Or, for the strongest connection, connect your device to your router directly with an ethernet cable.

How do I make a video full screen?

You'll find the full-screen button in the video player, depending on your device it will be in the lower right corner (on PC, for example) or the upper left (on iOS).

What should I do if I’m experiencing connection issues during the show (e.g. video is freezing or audio is not working)?

Your video may need a minute to load. If it is not playing continuously, try pausing it and stepping away for a few minutes and then continuing the show once it’s had a chance to pre-load more of the performance. If you are experiencing connection issues, it may be related to your browser settings, internet bandwidth, or it’s a device-specific issue. While we can't guarantee and may not be able to troubleshoot the performance of your specific hardware setup, we have a few recommendations that we hope will help:

Who do I contact if I'm having trouble seeing the show?

We'll have phone support available from Monday through Saturday, 12noon-5pm to get you started streaming and to answer your questions! Call us at (773) 753-4472.

Can I watch the performance again after it’s over?

No, once you've started streaming the performance, you'll have 72 hours to finish watching. On-demand performances can be watched at any time between June 14 through July 11, 2021. 

What if I want to buy more than one viewing or buy for a friend?

No problem! Simply buy as many views (tickets) on the purchase page and you’ll receive that many links in your confirmation email.   

How do I access my digital playbill for the performance?

You’ll see the playbill button on the same page as the performance at the bottom.

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Learn about famous stagings from throughout history in this blog." ["_article_description"]=> string(19) "field_5927045f742d7" ["article_byline"]=> string(58) "By Carissa Villagomez, Marketing and Communications Intern" ["_article_byline"]=> string(19) "field_592de516b020a" ["add_feed"]=> string(1) "0" ["_add_feed"]=> string(19) "field_5939a562bed44" ["_yoast_wpseo_primary_production-section"]=> string(3) "502" ["_yoast_wpseo_primary_category"]=> string(1) "1" ["_yoast_wpseo_wordproof_timestamp"]=> string(0) "" } ["___content":protected]=> NULL ["_permalink":protected]=> NULL ["_next":protected]=> array(0) { } ["_prev":protected]=> array(0) { } ["_css_class":protected]=> NULL ["id"]=> int(16345) ["ID"]=> int(16345) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "9" ["post_content"]=> string(8716) "[caption id="attachment_16346" align="alignnone" width="800"]Rendering of a world map from 1689. Rendering of a world map from 1689.[/caption] The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, like many of William Shakespeare’s plays, can be found on stages across the world. This blog is about Othello’s global presence, meaning how Othello the person can be interpreted as a character that can be found reinterpreted in performance in various countries. Highlighting moments in Othello’s long production history reveal persistent questions surrounding its staging as well as how Othello is relevant to the U.S. in 2021.  Some stagings in Othello’s global production history reveal the discussions around who can play Othello in different contexts. In 1987, the Market Theatre used the play as a vehicle to stage a protest in support of the anti-apartheid movement. In the 1980s in Pennsylvania, Kabuki Othello by Karen Sunde adapted Shakespeare’s text, setting the story in the 16th century and centering it around Othello as an Ainu—a Caucasian native—and war hero in Japan. Retelling Othello to respond to the cultural contexts in which it is staged presents questions about who in what context can play Othello. Amongst the most well-known Othello performers is Ira Aldridge, a renowned 19th-century actor who became the first Black man to act on stage as Othello. In the context of the United States at the time, Aldridge was barred from performing in many venues and so headed to Europe to make his living as an actor. Aldridge could not play Othello in the racially tense context of the U.S., and while in Europe, Aldridge created a mythology around himself, claiming to be an African prince. This declaration was a keen approach that recognized and took advantage of the audience’s and theatre managers’ interests in exoticism. The fact that this mythology that Aldridge crafted around himself became an effective method to increase his mystique and lure in audiences is a testament to expectations and “requirements” of who is deemed appropriate to play Othello in the European and British 19th-century context. An integral component to the text is that Othello can be reinterpreted so that no matter the new contexts it is placed in, its central questions remain. The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice has often been grounded in place and time, but the text can be translated to different racial relations and subtexts, such as how the Kabuki production probed similar themes of racial exclusion but in a Japanese context. The play can be, and often is, used politically, like Market Theatre’s apartheid-era production that used the production as an exploration of racial relations and love across racial divides. The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a vehicle for retelling a story interrogating global problems, such as systemic racism, and finding new layers of meaning activated by the context in which it is staged. When the play is adapted in different places, it grows to encapsulate context-specific meaning while also often preserving complex gender and race power dynamics. 
When the play is adapted in different places, it grows to encapsulate context-specific meaning while also often preserving complex gender and race power dynamics. 
Staging Othello presents an opportunity for interrogating not only the text’s themes but also the society it is produced in. As Abigail Henkin, Assistant Director and Dramaturg Associate of Court’s The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, said in a Zoom interview, “Every country’s legacy affects how this play is staged and interpreted.” In the context of the U.S. in 2020 and post-2020, Court’s production features a team of creatives whose thought process is influenced by George Floyd and recent Black Lives Matter protests. The core values of Court’s telling are molded by contemporary events as everyone involved in the production was shaped by them. Awareness of systems of violence remains at the forefront of their thinking and fuels the interpretive journey of finding and recognizing every character’s tragedy.  The post-2020 context activates layers of meaning in the play’s telling and confronts audiences with questions on how such meaning has bearing in their own existence as individuals operating in a society’s harmful cycles of violence. Henkin notes that Court’s team “always wanted to do a production that was focused on Othello as Othello, to appreciate Black experience and perspectives, and to make sure we were listening to Black production members and cast members.” The team, conscious about the depiction of violence against people of color, approached the staging with an acute awareness of what it means to show that kind of violence and constructed its visual storytelling in a way that is intended to offer some possibility for moving forward rather than portraying violence for violence’s sake.  Henkin also notes that Othello's complex theatrical history is a testament to how this play’s performance legacy tracks how white America has talked about Blackness over time and what white America has traditionally allowed for and expected of Black actors. When asked about pivotal moments in understanding how Court’s telling contributes to a global legacy of the play’s stagings, Henkin responds that it is important to recognize “how informative casting can be in this production.” She goes on to say that “part of Court’s production is bringing each actor’s background and personal history in their performance and making sure to really incorporate each actor's lived experiences as they begin to create their characters.”  While Henkin reflects on what this production of The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice means in the post-2020 U.S., for her, it is vital to approach this play in a way that “prioritizes Othello, centers the Black experience, and features a diverse cast.” She states that the “idea of systems that are violent to Black men and how Black men respond to those systems feels pertinent. This production is grounded in a place of real humanity that shows each of these people not as caricatures but as human beings starting from a place of love.” Both Othello the play and the character have a complicated history of staging in the U.S. and across the globe. As the world reckons with violent legacies of systemic racism, Court’s telling aims to present a path forward of productive reflection on tragic social structures. 
Performances of The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice begin October 8 and run through December 5, 2021. Learn more about the production and get tickets →" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2021-10-05 11:01:48" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["post_title"]=> string(24) "Othello Around the World" ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["slug"]=> string(24) "othello-around-the-world" ["__type":protected]=> NULL ["_edit_lock"]=> string(12) "1675812232:6" ["_edit_last"]=> string(1) "6" ["_thumbnail_id"]=> string(5) "16347" ["_yoast_wpseo_content_score"]=> string(2) "30" ["_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes"]=> string(1) "5" ["article_description"]=> string(162) "How do different productions of OTHELLO across the globe approach staging Shakespeare's tragedy? Learn about famous stagings from throughout history in this blog." 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["_article_description"]=> string(19) "field_5927045f742d7" ["article_byline"]=> string(0) "" ["_article_byline"]=> string(19) "field_592de516b020a" ["add_feed"]=> string(1) "0" ["_add_feed"]=> string(19) "field_5939a562bed44" ["_yoast_wpseo_primary_production-section"]=> string(3) "502" ["_wp_old_date"]=> string(10) "2021-09-20" } ["___content":protected]=> NULL ["_permalink":protected]=> NULL ["_next":protected]=> array(0) { } ["_prev":protected]=> array(0) { } ["_css_class":protected]=> NULL ["id"]=> int(16285) ["ID"]=> int(16285) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "9" ["post_content"]=> string(10753) "Gabrielle Randle-Bent and Charles Newell walking outside Court Theatre. Dramaturg Jocelyn Prince interviewed co-directors Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Gabrielle Randle-Bent, about Court’s staging of The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice prior to the start of rehearsals. To learn about how this production has evolved in-process, read on. The production’s world is an amalgam of periods and locations. Where did this choice originate? Gabrielle Randle-Bent: The more this piece came into focus as something about the text of Othello and the narrative that Shakespeare wrote but also about theatre, theatre histories, performance histories, actor experience, and everything that has to do with the world we live in from war to race to gender, it stopped making sense to land on a when and where. This production is not about why. The why never has one answer, so living in the multiplicity of that has been a challenge, but it’s the best way to be truthful in this inquiry.  Charles Newell: The production is an amalgam of our current thinking as we interrogate this text for right now.  In the wake of the reckoning around race in this country, why stage Othello now? CN: There were conversations amongst Court staff about whether we should do the play. At one point, we were at a place where we were going to choose not to. But we kept talking. I cannot remember another artistic journey in which we were invested in doing a text and then, as a result of what was going on in our world, we almost canceled it. That was a critical moment of reckoning for Court. The movement forward, the way we change the artistic process, and the way the work is represented came out of that question. But if not Court Theatre, who? If not now, when? GRB: Being a theatermaker is about facing my fears. It’s not about cow-towing to them, it’s not about knowing what’s right and wrong. It’s believing that being a storyteller helps people navigate the complicated truths of life. In a way, Othello has been a gift because it’s full of many of the things we’re afraid of at this moment in our culture, and that’s never not been true about this work. To run away isn’t reckoning with it, it’s not believing in what we do. Why center Othello’s perspective?  GRB: Centering Black identity, Black interiority, and Black tragedy makes more room for humanity. What happens when we make assumptions about who gets to tell a story is we take shortcuts about who gets access to full humanity and who is just a character in the narrative. By going in earnest pursuit of who Othello was and how he felt, it opened up avenues for how everyone else in the play could feel. We stopped calling them characters, we started calling them people, because Bianca has feelings, Cassio has dreams, Montano is conflicted, Desdemona is passionate, and Iago is just a man, he’s not good, but he’s not the personification of evil, either, and that’s a liberation for him because when Black people get free, when Black women get free, we all get free. I’m not here to center Othello because that’s what you’re supposed to do when you contend with Black stories, I’m here to center Othello because that’s what you’re supposed to do when you contend with human liberation. CN: Amen.  You’ve made significant cuts to the script, and you plan to continue. How did you decide what to take out? GRB: When you make edits, there are things you sacrifice, and some of that is the racist language, the blatant sexism, the comedy at lesser characters’ expense. We’re shooting for 90 minutes for the sake of people’s air quality and to distill the story we want to tell. It’s an artistic exercise in starting with practical needs by thinking about what is central in our mission to center Othello, to learn about these people, to go on a tragic journey with each of them, and convey ideas through speech, movement, and design. CN: The cutting reflects the multiple generations of thinking about what story we’re telling. The primary aspect now is exploring who the specific actor’s character is, who is Kelvin’s Othello? Who is Sean Fortunato’s Barbantio? The pandemic drawdown of operations at Court allowed for extra development time. What’s the result? GRB: It’s fun to talk about something that has this many pitfalls and moments of beauty. At various turns, I’ve fallen in love with Bianca and Roderigo, and I felt twelve hundred ways about Othello. You don’t get that opportunity to go through that cycle of emotional investment when you work on a show for a short time. In theatre, each production has different artists and creative impulses. Everything is new at once. Nothing is more exciting than sitting with something that you feel like you know and getting surprised. CN: We iterate during artistic processes. The quality of what we achieve depends on how often we iterate because every idea builds off the previous one. To have a production that has two to three times our normal time for iteration has been a joy. One critical moment was when we invited Kelvin Roston, Jr. to join the design team when ideas were being developed. Typically, the design team makes the decisions and the actors show up at the first rehearsal. Here, the actor playing Othello was present to tell us who he wanted to be and to create. Kelvin’s influence was significant to the project’s evolution.  What have been your influences throughout this process? CN: Simply reading the text. It was one of the few Shakespeare texts I had never worked on, but when I saw Kelvin Roston, Jr. and Tim Kane’s partnership in Oedipus Rex, I asked if they would want to do Othello. They said yes, so I read it. The play feels malleable, which was inspiring when thinking about how the team could work with a text that could mean so many different things. GRB: Professor Ayanna Thomspon’s analysis of performances of Othello as a palimpsest, meaning that there are stepped-on ideas, stepped-on experiences. That has been a driving image. Following the historical trajectory of this text has been following the trajectory of portrayals of Blackness, of understanding race, and of the ways that texts, theatre, and culture don’t just mirror who we are but help dictate it. What are your favorite design elements? GRB: We’ve been working with the designers from the beginning, and there’s something magical about abstract ideas manifesting in the texture of the lapel on Iago’s suit, the weight of the cape from Bianca’s boudoir. These manifestations are possible because we work together. So, it’s hard to tease out individual moments of design. Everything is a conversation. CN: A key moment was when the word scaffolding came out of John Culbert’s mouth. Another critical moment was when Erin Kilmurray, our movement director, talked about how we approach intimacy and violence. We know it’s not the traditional ways that you might think a stage production of Othello would use to represent violence. What are you excited about going into rehearsals? GRB: It’s magical being in the room. You plan for it, but you don’t know until you throw out the first pitch and the ball gets tossed into the air. That’s what rehearsal is—all the people there, ready. It’s the best feeling. CN: Our world has changed since the last time any of us were in a rehearsal room together. Our thinking of this play has changed. We would’ve never made this production we’re rehearsing now if we started rehearsal in April 2020. The fact we get to be in person together in a way we don’t know yet how to be feels unique to this moment.
Performances of The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice begin October 8. Learn more and get tickets→" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2021-09-27 14:09:56" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["post_title"]=> string(82) "Co-Directing a Classic: An Interview with Charles Newell and Gabrielle-Randle Bent" ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["slug"]=> string(81) "co-directing-a-classic-an-interview-with-charles-newell-and-gabrielle-randle-bent" ["__type":protected]=> NULL ["_edit_lock"]=> string(12) "1632769654:9" ["_edit_last"]=> string(1) "9" ["_thumbnail_id"]=> string(5) "16287" ["_yoast_wpseo_content_score"]=> string(2) "30" ["_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes"]=> string(1) "6" ["article_description"]=> string(122) "Learn how THE TRAGEDY OF OTHELLO has evolved in this interview with co-directors Charles Newell and Gabrielle Randle-Bent." ["_article_description"]=> string(19) "field_5927045f742d7" ["article_byline"]=> string(0) "" ["_article_byline"]=> string(19) "field_592de516b020a" ["add_feed"]=> string(1) "0" ["_add_feed"]=> string(19) "field_5939a562bed44" ["_yoast_wpseo_primary_production-section"]=> string(3) "502" ["_wp_old_date"]=> string(10) "2021-09-20" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-09-27 19:09:56" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(81) "co-directing-a-classic-an-interview-with-charles-newell-and-gabrielle-randle-bent" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2021-09-27 14:09:56" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-09-27 19:09:56" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["guid"]=> string(37) "https://www.courttheatre.org/?p=16285" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" ["status"]=> string(7) "publish" } [4]=> object(Timber\Post)#3962 (49) { ["ImageClass"]=> string(12) "Timber\Image" ["PostClass"]=> string(11) "Timber\Post" ["TermClass"]=> string(11) "Timber\Term" ["object_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["custom"]=> array(11) { ["_edit_lock"]=> string(12) "1634753963:9" ["_edit_last"]=> string(1) "6" ["_yoast_wpseo_content_score"]=> string(2) "60" ["_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes"]=> string(1) "4" ["article_description"]=> string(108) "Need help streaming TITANIC (SCENES FROM THE BRITISH WRECK COMMISSIONER'S INQUIRY, 1912)? Check out our FAQ!" ["_article_description"]=> string(19) "field_5927045f742d7" ["article_byline"]=> string(0) "" ["_article_byline"]=> string(19) "field_592de516b020a" ["add_feed"]=> string(1) "0" ["_add_feed"]=> string(19) "field_5939a562bed44" ["_thumbnail_id"]=> string(5) "15906" } ["___content":protected]=> NULL ["_permalink":protected]=> NULL ["_next":protected]=> array(0) { } ["_prev":protected]=> array(0) { } ["_css_class":protected]=> NULL ["id"]=> int(15842) ["ID"]=> int(15842) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "9" ["post_content"]=> string(8442) "

Please note, for optimal listening enjoyment, please use headphones.

Having trouble viewing Titanic right now? Try these six steps to fix your stream:

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The platform works on mobile phones, computers, tablets, and smart TVs (with a web browser). If you have any of those, you can watch! We also recommend viewing with headphones for the best experience.

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Yes, closed captioning is available! Simply hover your mouse over the video player. In the bottom right corner, click on "CC off", then click on "english". Your video should now display captions.  In addition, you may speed up or slow down the video playback by hovering your mouse over the video player. In the bottom right corner, click on "1x" and you will see several options to either increase or decrease playback speed.
Please note, for optimal listening enjoyment, please use headphones.

Can I watch the show on my TV, or do I have to watch it on my computer?

We’d love for you to cast the show to your big screen! The easiest option is to use Chrome Casting, AirPlay or screen mirroring to play the stream from your phone, laptop or another device to your TV. You might see a slight decrease in quality with this option. You can also use an HDMI cable to connect your computer to the TV. If your TV can access a web browser, you can open that browser and log into your email. From there, you can open the email we sent you and click on your link to stream. If you have trouble streaming on an older TV, you may have better luck switching to an alternate device. Here is a list of steps for some common casting setups. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number and variations of smart TVs and smart TV software, we aren’t able to troubleshoot individual hardware issues. This guide on casting may be useful to you, depending on your setup.

How do I view my streaming performance? (on-demand performances)

You’ll receive a confirmation email with the subject of “Link to View Titanic.” In that email will be your unique link to view the performance. Use your custom link to watch on your laptop, tablet, mobile device—or mirror the show to your smart TV. Can’t find your confirmation email?  Be sure to check your junk/spam folder! If you have questions, please call us at (773) 753-4472.

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We recommend using the browser that gives you the quickest speeds for your everyday use. Our top choices are Google Chrome and Safari.

How can I ensure the best streaming experience?

For showtime, if you’re experiencing issues, a first step might be to turn the wi-fi off on your other devices. Or, for the strongest connection, connect your device to your router directly with an ethernet cable.

How do I make a video full screen?

You'll find the full-screen button in the video player, depending on your device it will be in the lower right corner (on PC, for example) or the upper left (on iOS).

What should I do if I’m experiencing connection issues during the show (e.g. video is freezing or audio is not working)?

Your video may need a minute to load. If it is not playing continuously, try pausing it and stepping away for a few minutes and then continuing the show once it’s had a chance to pre-load more of the performance. If you are experiencing connection issues, it may be related to your browser settings, internet bandwidth, or it’s a device-specific issue. While we can't guarantee and may not be able to troubleshoot the performance of your specific hardware setup, we have a few recommendations that we hope will help:

Who do I contact if I'm having trouble seeing the show?

We'll have phone support available from Monday through Saturday, 12noon-5pm to get you started streaming and to answer your questions! Call us at (773) 753-4472.

Can I watch the performance again after it’s over?

No, once you've started streaming the performance, you'll have 72 hours to finish watching. On-demand performances can be watched at any time between June 14 through July 11, 2021. 

What if I want to buy more than one viewing or buy for a friend?

No problem! Simply buy as many views (tickets) on the purchase page and you’ll receive that many links in your confirmation email.   

How do I access my digital playbill for the performance?

You’ll see the playbill button on the same page as the performance at the bottom.

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Program Notes:

Theatre for One was first created in 2002 as a mobile venue where actor and audience member encounter each other as strangers and, through the course of the performance, allow the divisions and distinctions that separate us to dissolve. I could not have imagined that 18 years later our theatres would darken, computers would become our prosceniums, and our need for intimate engagement would be so profound. I invited director and activist Jenny Koons to imagine with me a digital space that could embody the qualities that have made Theatre for One unique. Our enlivening producer Mara Isaacs and the visionary artists of OpenEndedGroup have been our essential collaborators in this endeavor A stage of any size is a vessel. As we began to envision what to fill this new space, the Black Lives Matter and other movements erupted and inspired us to use it to amplify an active artistic response. The need for response has not diminished, as the recent shooting of Jacob Blake makes clear. In our streets, protests continue, and on television, conventions use words to transmit our divisions in technicolor.  Intimacy builds interrelation. We reached out to writers we believed would fearlessly excavate their interiors and share them with generosity and candor. The directors, designers, actors, all the creators in our virtual backstage, (Theatre for One is Made by Many), have blown me away with their precision and perseverance in working through all of the challenges they encountered as we built a new platform and they rehearsed remotely. It often felt like we were sending a rocket ship into space for the first time. I am deeply grateful to Elysa Marden of Arts Brookfield, Octopus Theatricals, and Tom Neff, for giving us the means and the tools to evolve into this new iteration, to boldly go where we have never gone before.  I am a White Canadian-American theatre artist who has benefited from my white privilege. The privilege in making Here We Are has been to make space for these extraordinary voices to be heard, in our homes, in these extraordinary times. At this moment in our history, the inequities and lethal acts of violence make it imperative that we as humans and as artists manifest a new narrative, with our language, with our anger, and with our love.  

- Christine Jones, Creator and Co-Artistic Director 

Early in the pandemic, I attended a gathering a friend hosted on Zoom. After we met, one of the participants emailed us, “It was just so good to talk with strangers. I hadn’t realized how much I missed it until now.” This has stayed with me for months, as we feel the loss of interaction and conversations with strangers, in the grocery line, on the subway, in a theater lobby. Those mundane conversations and tiny windows into a stranger’s heart, pain, longing, dreams, neuroses.  In this moment of heightened disconnection and national reckoning, we find ourselves processing within our own bubbles, questioning within our own bubbles, dreaming within our own bubbles. Here We Are is a window into the minds and hearts of our form’s most exciting artists, a peek into strangers’ longings and dreams and pain as we move through this extraordinary time, together. Together, we listen. Together, we witness the intimate and epic questions we grapple with. Together, we imagine a world beyond this world. A world where new planets and possibilities are discovered. A world where voter suppression is abolished. A world where white supremacy is uprooted and destroyed at its core. A world where both our heroes and childhood friends are remembered and uplifted. A world where systems are re-imagined with true justice for all.  A world where we see each other, strangers, present and breathing, individual and irreparably interconnected. We must imagine it together so we keep it in our collective dreams, so we know what we’re moving forward, so we know what we’re fighting for. Thank you for imagining with us tonight. 

- Jenny Koons, Co-Artistic Director

Credits:

CREATOR AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: CHRISTINE JONES CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR FOR HERE WE ARE: JENNY KOONS

PLATFORM PROGRAMMING AND DESIGN: OPENENDEDGROUP — MARC DOWNIE AND PAUL KAISER

ORIGINALLY PRODUCED BY OCTOPUS THEATRICALS — MARA ISAACS, EXECUTIVE/CREATIVE PRODUCER

CASTING BY BECCA MCCRACKEN, C.S.A. COSTUME DESIGN BY ERICA FRIESEN LIGHTING DESIGN BY EMILY BROWN PROPS DESIGN/ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER: LARA MUSARD PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR: JENNIFER GADDA THEATRE FOR ONE PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR: BRYAN HUNT TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR: JOSHUA MCCAMMON TECH CONSULTANT: CHERIE B. TAY ARTISTIC CONSULTANT: SRĐA VASILJEVIĆ PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER: ERIN ALBRECHT*HOUSE MANAGER/ AUDIENCE TECH SUPPORT: MATTHEW SITZ, JEN LUKE, NICOLE BOND
Here We Are was commissioned by Arts Brookfield with additional support from Thomas M. Neff. The Chicago premiere is supported by the University of Chicago Women's Board, Allstate, De and Paul Gray, and The Chicago Community Trust.
 

Plays:

Before America Was America by DeLanna Studi Directed by Chris Anthony Performed by Elizabeth Laidlaw* Here We Are by Nikkole Salter Directed by Monet Felton Performed by Xavier Edward King* What Are The Things I Need To Remember by Lynn Nottage Directed by Chris Anthony Performed by TayLar* whiterly negotiations by Lydia R. Diamond Directed by Monet Felton Performed by Deanna Reed-Foster* Vote! (the black album) Written and Directed by Regina Taylor Performed by Cheryl Lynn Bruce* Pandemic Fight by Carmelita Tropicana Directed by Miranda Gonzalez Performed by Melissa DuPrey* Thank You For Coming. Take Care. by Stacey Rose Directed by Miranda Gonzalez Performed by Sydney Charles* Thank You Letter by Jaclyn Backhaus Directed by Lavina Jadhwani Performed by Adithi Chandrashekar*

Biographies:

TayLar* (Actor, What Are The Things I Need To Remember) is excited to return to Court Theatre for Theatre For One, after her debut as Ruby in August Wilson’s King Hedley II and in Oedipus Rex. She has also worked on Goodman Theatre’s productions of Sweat, The Little Foxes, Ruined, The Convert, Mary, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, and The Cook. She is an ensemble member of Eclipse Theatre Company and performed in its productions of Ruined, Blues for An Alabama Sky, and A Song for Coretta. Other notable theatre companies TayLar has worked with include Asolo Repertory Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Writers, Steppenwolf, Black Ensemble, Erasing the Distance, and ETA. Television appearances include Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Empire, The Chi, and NeXt. Feature film credits include Southside With You, Teacher, and Ms. White Light. She can also be seen in numerous television commercials. TayLar is represented tri-coastally by the awesome team at DDO Artists Agency! Cheryl Lynn Bruce* (Actor, Vote! (the black album)) has performed on numerous regional stages, as well as in Europe and Mexico. She originated the role of Elizabeth Sandry for Steppenwolf’s Tony Award-winning The Grapes of Wrath (Broadway, National Theatre (UK), La Jolla Playhouse). Film credits include: Stranger Than Fiction; Daughters of the Dust; The Fugitive. Television credits include: Prison Break; There Are No Children Here; Separate but Equal; and To Sir, With Love II. Ms. Bruce directed Pipeline (Victory Gardens) and the recently streamed reading of The Agitators for Remy Bumppo’s current season. A proud Teatro Vista company member, Ms. Bruce directed Sandra Delgado’s La Havana Madrid, which premiered at Steppenwolf Theatre, and subsequent productions (Goodman Theatre, the Miracle Center, Navy Pier’s Lake Stage, The Den Theatre). She co-directed HOPE and assistant directed Tamer of Horses and A View From the Bridge. Awarded a 2015 Rauschenberg residency through a 3Arts fellowship, Ms. Bruce received a Yale University Art Gallery residency in 2011, and received both Jane Addams Hull House Association’s Woman of Valor Award and 3Arts Award for her work as theatre artist and educator in 2010. Named Inaugural Fellow of the Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in the Arts and Media in 2006 at Columbia College Chicago, Ms. Bruce traveled to Iida, Japan in 2007 to study Bunraku puppetry for her staging of Rythm Mastr, Kerry James Marshall’s urban comic which premiered at the Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus, Ohio. Some Ra, her poetical essay on the famed Afro-Futurist, musician and philosopher, is included in Traveling the Spaceways: Sun-Ra, the Astro Black and Other Solar Myths (2009), with editors John Corbett, Anthony Elms, and Terri Kapsalis. Adithi Chandrashekar* (Actor, Thank You Letter) is a Chicago-based actor and writer. Theater credits include: Dance Nation (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Bull in a China Shop (About Face Theatre), We're Gonna Be Okay (American Theater Company), and Wit (The Hypocrites). TV credits include: NBC's Chicago Med, FOX's Empire, and ABC's Betrayal. Adithi's solo performance piece Open Season was written and produced as part of The Gift Theatre's inaugural 4802 residency. She is a proud 2015 graduate of the School at Steppenwolf, and is represented by Stewart Talent Agency. Sydney Charles* (Actor, Thank You For Coming. Take Care.) is excited about her return to Court Theatre with Theatre for One. She was previously seen at Court as Tillie Binks in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Her other work includes Steppenwolf Theatre Company (directing): Bug (assistant director/dramaturg). Chicago (directing): His Shadow (associate director); The Shipment (associate director). Select credits (Chicago): Wally World (Steppenwolf Theatre); The Color Purple (Drury Lane); Nina Simone: Four Women (Northlight Theatre); Flyin' West (American Blues Theater); Lottery Day, Father Comes Home from the Wars (Goodman Theatre); The Wiz (Kokandy Productions); and Dessa Rose (Bailiwick Chicago). Regional: I Hate it Here (Studio Theatre). Television: The Chi, Shameless, The T, The Haven. She is the recipient of 3Arts’ "Make a Wave" award, a two-time NewCity "50 Players of the Year,'' for Chicago theatre, a BTAA recipient for Best Actress in a Musical, and a four-time Jeff Award-nominated actress. She is a member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA. Represented by Stewart Talent. Sydney is forever grateful to God for the journey. www.sydneycharlesexp.com.  Melissa DuPrey* (Actor, Pandemic Fight) is an actor, stand-up comic, activist, playwright, and musician from Humboldt Park, Chicago. She has four critically acclaimed solo shows (SEXomedy, SUSHI-frito, SEXomedy 2.0, Good Grief) and will be debuting a new piece, Rise of Thunderdome, in spring of 2021 through the Off-Broadway incubator program at Ars Nova. Her full-length play, Brujuja, was an official selection of 16th Street’s 2019 Pop Up Reading Series and is slated to premiere in 2021 with UrbanTheater Company, her artistic home, where she is an ensemble member. She was a new talent for the 2014 ABC Diversity Showcase in NYC. She is featured in the Emmy-nominated web series Brown Girls, in development with HBO. She has multiple credits in TV and film, and is currently recurring in Grey's Anatomy on ABC. She has been seen at Goodman, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, and Free Street Theater, and is honored to be returning to Court Theatre for Theater for One. Xavier Edward King* (Actor, Here We Are) is excited to make his debut with Court Theatre, albeit in a unique way! He's a Chicago-based performing artist. Previous credits include The Winter's Tale at Goodman Theatre, Dracula at Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Star at ACT (Seattle), Hamlet and Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Love's Labour's Lost and Pericles at Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, Angels in America Part 2: Perestroika and Incident at Vichy at Jones Playhouse (Seattle). Visit xavieredwardking.com.  Elizabeth Laidlaw* (Actor, Before America Was America) has worked in Chicago professionally since 1993, appearing at Chicago Shakespeare, Steppenwolf, Writers Theatre, Goodman and many, many others. Previous appearances at Court include The Adventures of Augie March, Life’s A Dream, Phèdre, and Thyestes. Regional credits include Indiana Repertory Theatre, Irish Classical Theatre Company, and American Repertory Theatre. Film: the features Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party, Into The Wake, Eastern College, Dimension, and Three Days. Television: Chicago PD and Crisis (NBC), Betrayal (ABC), Boss (Starz), and The Chicago Code (FOX). She co-produces and stars in the dramedy web-series The Haven, available on Open TV (weareotv.com). Most recently, she starred as Officer Vic Renna in The Red Line on CBS. She serves as adjunct faculty at Tribeca Flashpoint Film Academy, teaching acting and directing; she also teaches acting for the camera at Vagabond Studios. Ms. Laidlaw is the founding artistic director of Lakeside Shakespeare Theatre. She received her BFA from Illinois Wesleyan University and completed post-graduate Shakespeare studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art of London, UK.  Deanna Reed-Foster* (Actor, whiterly negotiations) is thrilled to be working with Court Theatre. She is an ensemble member of Shattered Globe Theatre (SGT) where her credits include: Be Here Now, Mill Fire, and Marvin’s Room. Other Chicago credits include: The First Deep Breath (Victory Gardens, Joseph Jefferson Award Winner), Nina Simone: Four Women (Northlight Theatre), HeLa (SideShow Theatre), The Watsons Go To Birmingham 1963 (Chicago Children’s Theatre), Barbecue (Strawdog Theatre) and Even Longer And Farther Away (The New Colony Theatre). Regional credits include: Fences (Judy Bayley Theatre/UNLV) and Nina Simone: Four Women (Merrimack Rep). Deanna can be seen in films like Last Flag Flying, Widows, and Southside With You. She is also a recurring character on NBC’s Chicago Fire. Deanna completed the Gately Poole Acting Conservatory, where she studied the Meisner technique. She is a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA, and is represented by DDO Artists Agency.  Jaclyn Backhaus (Playwright, Thank You Letter) is a playwright, educator, arts facilitator, and mother. She is one of five Creative Directors of the process-based arts facilitation group Fresh Ground Pepper, and she is one of 14 members of the current cohort of The Kilroys, a bicoastal collective that celebrates women, trans, and nonbinary presence in the American theater landscape. She is a Lincoln Center Playwright-in-Residence, and she was once a 2016 Tow Playwright Resident with Clubbed Thumb. She got a BFA from NYU, where she now teaches some skill sets of playwriting to brilliant students. She resides in Ridgewood, Queens, with her husband Andrew J. Scoville, a theater director, and their son, Ernie. www.jaclynbackhaus.com Lydia R. Diamond’s (Playwright, whiterly negotiations) plays include Toni Stone (Audelco Award nomination for Best Play), Smart People, Stick Fly(Broadway), Voyeurs de Venus (Joseph Jeff Award), The Bluest Eye, The Gift Horse, Harriet Jacobs, The Inside, and Stage Black. Theatres include: American Conservatory Theater, Arena Stage, Arden Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, Company One, Congo Square, Denver Center, Goodman, the Guthrie Theatre, Hartford Stage, three productions at Huntington Theatre Company, Jubilee Theatre, Kansas City Rep, Long Wharf, the McCarter, MPAACT, New Vic (New York), Playmakers Rep, Roundabout, Second Stage, Steppenwolf, TrueColors, two productions at Writers Theatre, and ACT. Commissions include: Arena Stage, Second Stage, four commissions for Steppenwolf, McCarter, Huntington, Victory Gardens, Writers Theatre, True Colors, and Roundabout. Diamond was a 2005-2006 W.E.B. Du Bois Institute at Harvard non-resident Fellow, a 2007 TCG/NEA Playwright in Residence at Steppenwolf, an 2006-2007 Huntington Playwright Fellow, a 2012 Sundance Institute Playwright Lab Creative Advisor, a 2012-2013 Radcliffe Institute Fellow, 2013-2014 Playwright in Residence at Arena Stage, has been a five-time Sally B. Goodman McCarter Theatre Artist in Residence, and is the 2020 recipient of the Horton Foote Playwriting Award. Diamond is a 1991 Northwestern graduate, and has an Honorary Doctorate from Pine Manor College. Diamond was a Consulting Producer for Showtime’s 4th season of The Affair, co-writing episodes 406 and 407, and was nominated for a Writer's Guild Award for Best Drama Episode. Diamond was on faculty at Boston University for nine years and is currently on faculty at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Lynn Nottage (Playwright, What Are The Things I Need To Remember) is a playwright and screenwriter, and the first woman in history to win two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama. Her plays have been produced widely in the United States and throughout the world. Her include Floyd’s; Sweat; Mlima's Tale; By the Way; Meet Vera Stark; Ruined; Intimate Apparel; Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine; Crumbs from the Table of Joy; Las Meninas; Mud, River, Stone; Por’knockers; and POOF!. Musical librettos include The Secret Life of Bees and MJ (upcoming). She has also developed This is Reading, a performance installation in Reading, Pennsylvania. Nottage is the recipient of a MacArthur "Genius Grant'' Fellowship, among other awards, and is an Associate Professor at Columbia University School of the Arts.  Stacey Rose (Playwright, Thank You for Coming. Take Care.) hails from Elizabeth, NJ and Charlotte, NC. Her work has been presented at The Fire This Time Festival, The Lark, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, National Black Theatre, Pillsbury House Theatre, Barrington Stage Company, and Kansas City Rep. Rose has held fellowships/residencies with The Dramatists Guild, The Playwrights' Center, Sundance Theatre Lab, Goodman Theatre, The Civilians, and Tofte Lake Center. She had two plays featured on the 2019 Kilroys list, with a third listed as an honorable mention. Her play Legacy Land was on the 2020 Kilroys list. She is a recipient of a 2019 Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Women’s Commissioning Grant in partnership with Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. She is currently a staff writer for 9-1-1 on FOX. Rose’s work celebrates and explores Blackness, Black identity, Black history, body politics, and the dilemma of life as the “other.” Nikkole Salter (Playwright, Here We Are & Performer, whiterly negotiations) is an award-winning actress, playwright, educator, and arts advocate. For her work, she has received an Obie, an Outer Critics Circle Award, a Global Tolerance Award from the Friends of the United Nations, a Selfdes-Kanin fellowship from the Theater Hall of Fame, and most recently a Lily Award for her contributions to the betterment of the theater field. Her writing has been produced on three continents in five countries, and been published in twelve international publications and has been featured on the WNET program Theater Close-Up. She is a graduate of Howard University and NYU. www.nikkolesalter.com. DeLanna Studi (Playwright, Before America Was America) is a proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation. She is an actor/playwright whose television credits include Dreamkeeper, Edge of America, Shameless, General Hospital, Z Nation, and the recent season of Goliath. Her theater credits include the First National Broadway Tour of August: Osage County, Off-Broadway’s Informed Consent and Gloria: A Life. She retraced her family’s footsteps along the Trail of Tears with her father and created her play And So We Walked, which has been touring for the last two years. And So We Walked was the first American play selected to perform at the Journées Théâtrales de Carthage in North Africa. DeLanna is the Chair of SAG-AFTRA’s National Native Americans Committee and the Artistic Director of Native Voices at the Autry, the only Native American Equity theater in the country devoted to developing and producing new work by Indigenous playwrights.  Regina Taylor (Playwright & Director, Vote! (the black album)) is an actress, director, playwright, educator, and activist. She is the Andrew Mellon grant playwright in residence for Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Taylor is writing new plays for Audible and SMU (the black album). She recently curated and directed Love and Kindness in the Time of Quarantine (short plays by Magaly Colin-Christopher, Migdalia Cruz, Erik Ehn, Catherine Fillioux, Lyle Kessler, Yilong Liu, Eugene Lee, Rohina Malik, Chrystal Skilman, Chesney Snow, and Jose Rivera) for Planet Connections Zoom Festival. In addition, her playwrighting credits include Bread (Edgerton Award, Water Tower Theater), Crowns (four Helen Hayes awards including Best Director), Oo-Bla-Dee (Steinberg-ATCA Award), Drowning Crow (Broadway, MTC), The Trinity River Plays (Edgerton Foundation Award), and stop.reset (Signature Theatre Residency Five). Taylor received the Denzel Washington Endowed Chair Fordham University at Lincoln Center. An Artistic Associate of Goodman Theatre, Taylor is its most produced playwright. As an actress, Taylor is featured in Netflix’s All Day and A Night starring Jeffrey Wright and Ashton Saunders, directed/written by Joe Robert Cole (writer: Black Panther). She guest stars on Council of Dads (NBC) and Lovecraft Country (Jordan Peele, J.J. Abrams, Mischa Green), Red Line (Producer Ava DuVernay, CBS), and The Good Fight. For her television role as Lily Harper in I'll Fly Away, she received a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress, three NAACP Image Awards, and two Emmy Award nominations. Her other television credits include The Unit. Taylor was the first African American lead in Masterpiece Theatre’s Cora Unashamed, starred as Anita Hill in HBO’s Strange Justice (Gracie Award), and A Good Day to Die with Sidney Poitier. She has co-starred in USA Networks’ Dig and guest-starred in Elementary and The Black List. Taylor’s film credits include Saturday Church, The Negotiator, Courage Under Fire, Clockers, and Lean on Me. Taylor was also the first Black woman to play Juliet in Romeo and Juliet on Broadway. Carmelita Tropicana (Playwright, Pandemic Fight) has been performing in New York’s downtown arts scene since the 1980s, straddling the worlds of performance art and theatre with irreverent humor, subversive fantasy, and bilingual puns. She received a Guggenheim Fellowship (2017) for her current project Live Memoir and a Creative Capital Award (2016) for Give Me Carmelita Tropicana!, a collaboration with Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Recent works include sci-fi performances Schwanze-Beast (2018) and Post Plastica (2013). Her publications include Memories of the Revolution: The First Ten Years of the WOW Café Theater (2015), edited by Holly Hughes and Jill Dolan, and Carmelita Tropicana: Performing Between Cultures (2000). Chris Anthony (Director, What Are The Things I Need To Remember and Before American was America) is a director, teacher, actor, and producer working at the intersection of art and community empowerment. Now Assistant Professor of Acting at The Theatre School at DePaul University, she has worked in educational, professional, and community spaces. Professional directing credits include the original Off the Rails for Native Voices at the Autry, Lunch Lady Courage at Cornerstone Theater, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo & Juliet, and Othello at the St. Louis Black Rep, and Romeo & Juliet at the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles. As Associate Artistic Director of the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, she oversaw the development of the company’s Youth & Education programs, including Will Power to Youth. Monet Felton (Director, Here We Are and whiterly negotiations) is a director, producer, writer, teaching artist, and company member at Jackalope Theatre. Monet earned their BFA in Acting at The University of Illinois at Chicago. They are currently studying on a scholarship to be certified in Alexander Technique. They have had the opportunity to work at theatres such as Jackalope Theatre, Writers Theatre, Steppenwolf for Young Adults, and Bluebird Arts.  Miranda Gonzalez (Director, Pandemic Fight and Thank You For Coming. Take Care) is a playwright/director/performer and was born and raised in Chicago. She is currently a Producing Artistic Director at UrbanTheater Company (UTC) in Humboldt Park. She was a founding ensemble member of Chicago’s All Latina Theater company Teatro Luna and has devised and developed plays since 2000. She is a two-time 3Arts and ALTA nominee and a recipient of the International Centre for Women Playwrights 50/50 Award. Her most recent play Back In The Day: an 80’s House Music Dancesical, World Premiered as a part of Chicago Latino Theater Festival Destinos Festival at UTC in the fall of 2019. Previous directing, writing, and script development credits include; Ashes of Light by Marco Antonio Rodriguez, La Gringa by Carmen Rivera, Of Princes and Princesas by Paola Izquierdo at the 2010 Goodman Latino Theatre Festival, Lullaby by Diane Herrera, Crossed, GL 2010, The North/South Plays a workshop at the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs; F.O.P and Crime Scene Chicago with Collaboraction; and Melissa DuPrey’s Sushi-Frito at Free Street Theater. She is also an Executive Producer for the web series 50 Blind Dates with Melissa DuPrey and has written for the web series Ruby's World Yo created by Marilyn Camacho. Lavina Jadhwani (Director, Thank You Letter) is a theatre director, adapter, and activist. Recent directing credits include As You Like It at the Guthrie Theater, Peter and the Starcatcher at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Roe and The Cake at Asolo Repertory Theatre. Her adaptations include The Sitayana (upcoming production with East West Players), Shakuntala, Uncle Vanya, The Cherry Orchard, and A Christmas Carol (currently in development with the Guthrie). Lavina lives in Chicago, where she was recently named "One of the Top Fifty People Who Really Perform for Chicago" by NewCity.  She has a BFA/MA from Carnegie Mellon University and an MFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University. www.lavinajadhwani.com / @lavinajadhwani  Erica Friesen (Costume Design) does more than shorten hems as Court Theatre's Costume Shop Manager. With 28 years of theatre-making experience, she's obsessed with how the body and what adorns it tells a story and for the last 18 years, it has been a thrill to be able to bring that obsession to Chicago and Court Theatre. Shout out to her partner, Bayrex, and her two son's August & Max for their constant support and enthusiasm.  Emily Brown (Lighting Design) has enjoyed working with Court Theatre since the fall of 2016 as the Master Electrician. She is ecstatic to be the Assistant Stage Manager, Lighting Designer, Tech Support, and Tech Kit Coordinator for this new program in digital theatre. Lara Musard (Props Design/Assistant Stage Manager) is proud to have served 13 years as Court Theatre’s Prop Manager and continues to find a creative home in Court’s virtual world as Assistant Stage Manager, Production Set and Props Designer, and Chat Room Moderator for Theatre For One: Here We Are.   Lara currently produces theater from her cozy Frankfort home where she shares pivotable space with her husband, son and doggie. Erin Albrecht* (Production Stage Manager) Previously at Court: The Lady from the Sea; The Mousetrap; Oedipus Rex; King Hedley II; The Adventures of Augie March; For Colored Girls...; Photograph 51; Frankenstein; Radio Golf; The Originalist; All My Sons; The Belle of Amherst; Five Guys Named Moe; Harvey; Blues for an Alabama Sky; Man in the Ring; One Man, Two Guvnors; Long Day’s Journey Into Night; and others. Erin has worked Off-Broadway, regionally, and toured throughout Europe. She holds a Bachelor of Music from The Catholic University of America and a MFA in Stage Management from Virginia Tech. She’s an adjunct instructor of Stage Management at The Theatre School at DePaul University. Christine Jones (Creator and Artistic Director) is a Tony and Olivier Award-winning set designer and the creator of Theatre for One along with Lot-ek Architects. She is a Tony and Olivier award-winning set designer, experience creator, and sometimes director having directed the immersive nightclub dining experience, Queen of the Night, which won a Drama Desk for Unique Theatrical Experience. Her award-winning scenography has been seen on Broadway and in the original London productions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, as well as in the Broadway musical American Idiot.  Other Broadway credits include: The Cher Show (co-designed with Brett J. Banakis); Old Times; Hands on a Hardbody; On a Clear Day; Spring Awakening (Tony Nomination); The Green Bird (Drama Desk Nomination); and Everyday Rapture. Off Bway highlights include Cyrano (The New Group); and The Book of Longing, based on the poems of Leonard Cohen, with music by Philip Glass (Lincoln Center Festival).  Opera designs includeLa Traviata and Rigoletto (Metropolitan opera). Her work was featured in the 2008 exhibition Curtain Call: Celebrating a Century of Women Designers at Lincoln Center Library. Along Brett J. Banakis, Jones redesigned The Lyric Theatre in NY, home to the production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.  In 2015, she received an Obie for Sustained Excellence in Set Design. She has lectured at Princeton and teaches at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. In addition to creating theatre, she has worked with the clothing line Rag & Bone to create a one of kind one-night event, and she is currently in collaboration with Steven Hoggett and David Byrne making a dance experience for these socially distanced times we are living in. Jenny Koons (Co-Artistic Director for Here We Are). Recent Projects: Men on Boats (Baltimore Center Stage), Speechless (New Blue Man Group North American Tour), The Tempest (Juilliard School), Between Us: The Deck of Cards (Denver Center), A Midsummer Night's Dream (The Public Theater Mobile Unit), Burn All Night (American Repertory Theater), Gimme Shelter (Why Not Theatre, 2015 Pan Am Games commission), Theatre for One: I'm Not the Stranger You Think I Am (Arts Brookfield), A Sucker Emcee (National Black Theatre, LAByrinth Theater Company), Queen of the Night (Diamond Horseshoe), The Odyssey Project 2012 (site-specific NYC). Koons was the 2017 curator of the Encores! Off-Center Lobby Project, co-curator of the 2016 ThisGen Conference, and co-founder of Artists 4 Change NYC (National Black Theatre). She has been an artist in residence at Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, SPACE on Ryder Farm, and The Invisible Dog Art Center and has developed new work at Ars Nova, Steppenwolf, Roundabout, and New Black Fest, among others. She has been a guest teaching artist at Princeton, ART Institute at Harvard, and NYU Tisch and has been a facilitator and educator in creating anti-racist spaces and engaging in conversations around race and equity for over a decade, in both non-profit and artistic spheres.  Charles Newell (Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, Court Theatre)  is the Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director of Court Theatre. He was awarded the SDCF Zelda Fichandler Award, “which recognizes an outstanding director or choreographer who is transforming the regional arts landscape through singular creativity and artistry in theatre.” Charlie has been Artistic Director at Court Theatre since 1994, where he has directed over 50 productions. He made his Chicago directorial debut in 1993 with The Triumph of Love, which won the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Production. Charlie’s productions of Man of La Mancha and Caroline, or Change have also won Best Production Jeffs. Other directorial highlights at Court include Oedipus Rex; The Adventures of Augie March; All My Sons; The Hard Problem; Man in the Ring; One Man, Two Guvnors; Satchmo at the Waldorf; Agamemnon; The Secret Garden; Iphigenia in Aulis; M. Butterfly; The Misanthrope; Tartuffe; Proof; Angels in America; An Iliad; Porgy and Bess; Three Tall Women; Titus Andronicus; Arcadia; Uncle Vanya; Raisin; The Glass Menagerie; Travesties; Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; The Invention of Love; and Hamlet. Charlie has also directed at Goodman Theatre (Rock ‘n’ Roll), Guthrie Theater (The History Cycle, Cymbeline), Arena Stage, John Houseman’s The Acting Company (Staff Repertory Director), the California and Alabama Shakespeare Festivals, Juilliard, and New York University. He has served on the Board of TCG, as well as on several panels for the NEA. Opera directing credits include Marc Blitzstein’s Regina (Lyric Opera), Rigoletto (Opera Theatre of St. Louis), Don Giovanni and The Jewel Box (Chicago Opera Theater), and Carousel (Glimmerglass). Charlie was the recipient of the 1992 TCG Alan Schneider Director Award, and has been nominated for 16 Joseph Jefferson Director Awards, winning four times. In 2012, Charlie was honored by the League of Chicago Theatres with its Artistic Achievement Award. Angel Ysaguirre (Executive Director, Court Theatre) most recently served as Executive Director of Illinois Humanities. During his tenure there, the organization established a number of new programs demonstrating the contribution that the humanities can make in addressing today’s most pressing challenges. Previously, he was the Director of Global Community Investing at The Boeing Company and a program officer at the McCormick Tribune Foundation. He has served on the boards of the Theatre Communications Group, Donors Forum of Chicago, the Illinois Center for the Book, Horizons Community Services, Blair Thomas and Company, and Next Theatre. Becca McCracken (Casting Director, Court Theatre) has worked hard to develop her casting career and is recognized for her commitment to the Chicago theater community and passion for the industry. During her tenure at Simon Casting, Becca was the director of the theater division as well as casting associate for film, television, and commercial. Her career in the industry includes work as Managing Director of Vagabond School of the Arts and a plethora of independent casting jobs. Chicago and Regional theatre credits include American Blues, Asolo Rep, Florida Studio Theatre, Infusion, Indiana Festival Theater, Indiana Rep, Lyric Opera, Madison Rep, Milwaukee Rep, New Theatre, Paramount, Provision, Silk Road Rising, Syracuse Stage, and Writers Theatre. Other credits include Spamilton, Million Dollar Quartet, Old Jews Telling Jokes, Evil Dead: The Musical Tour, Broadway In Chicago’s How To Train Your Dragon (National Tour), Peter Pan the Show (National Tour), Working, Dee Snyder’s Rock & Roll Christmas Tale, Sister Act (National Tour), and Mozart the Rock Opera. She is an Artios Award winner for her casting of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Carousel.  OpenEndedGroup (Platform Programing and Design) comprises two digital artists, Marc Downie and Paul Kaiser, whose long collaboration dates back to 2001. Their pioneering approach to digital art frequently combines two signature elements: non-photorealistic 3D rendering and the autonomy of artworks directed or assisted by artificial intelligence. Their artworks span a wide range of forms and disciplines, including dance, music, installation, 3D film, public art, text, and virtual reality. Outside collaborators have included Merce Cunningham, Bill T. Jones, Trisha Brown, Ken Jacobs, Preeti Vasudevan, the Flux Quartet, Natasha Barrett, and Jarosław Kapuściński. They have presented their work at MoMA, Lincoln Center, Pompidou Center, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the New York Film Festival, Barclay Center, Barbican Center, Sadler’s Wells, Festival d’Automne, BAM, Hayward Gallery, ICA Boston, Sundance, Detroit Institute of Art, Rome Film Festival, EMPAC, MASS MoCA, the MIT Media Lab, Jacobs Pillow, NY Live Arts, and many other venues. Octopus Theatricals (Producer). Founded by creative producer Mara Isaacs, Octopus Theatricals collaborates with artists and organizations to foster an expansive range of compelling theatrical works for local, national and international audiences. They eschew boundaries—aesthetic, geopolitical, institutional—and thrive on a nimble and rigorous practice. Current projects: Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell (Broadway, eight Tony Awards including Best Musical; Grammy Award, Best Musical Theater Album); Iphigenia, a new opera by Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding (in development); Dreaming Zenzile by Somi Kakoma (in development); An Iliad by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare (Obie Award); the Ars Nova production of Underground Railroad Game; And So We Walked by DeLanna Studi; Bill Irwin’s On Beckett; Activist Songbook by Aaron Jafferis and Byron Au Yong; and Theatre for One. We are also proud to work with Fiasco Theater, Phantom Limb Company, Ripe Time, Song of the Goat Theatre and many more. The Octopus Theatricals team includes Sophie Blumberg, Victoria Detres, Michael Francis, Bryan Hunt, Adam Hyndman, Rob Laqui and Ronee Penoi. www.octopustheatricals.com.
ABOUT COURT THEATRE Court Theatre is the professional theatre of the University of Chicago, dedicated to innovation, inquiry, intellectual engagement, and community service. Functioning as the University’s Center for Classic Theatre, Court and its artists mount theatrical productions and audience enrichment programs in collaboration with faculty. These collaborations enable a re-examination of classic texts that pose the enduring and provocative questions that define the human experience. Court Theatre endeavors to make a lasting contribution to classic American theatre by expanding the canon of translations, adaptations, and classic texts. Our theatre revives lost masterpieces; illuminates familiar texts; explores the African American theatrical canon; and discovers fresh, modern classics. Court engages and inspires its audience by providing artistically distinguished productions, audience enrichment activities, and student educational experiences. ABOUT THEATRE FOR ONE Theatre for One was originally conceived as a mobile state-of-the-art performance space for one actor and one audience member. Conceived by Artistic Director Christine Jones and designed by LOT-EK architects, Theatre for One commissions new work created specifically for each venue's one-to-one relationship. Embracing serendipity, Theatre for One is presented in public spaces in which audience members are invited to enter into an intimate theatrical exchange in which actor and audience member encounter each other as strangers and are equally dependent on each other. Theatre for One is produced by Octopus Theatricals and was originally produced by True Love Productions. Theatre for One residencies have been seen in Times Square, Brookfield Place’s Winter Garden, Zuccotti Park, Grace Plaza, Signature Theatre, Fairfield University, Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts, University of Arkansas, and the Cork Midsummer Festival. In October of 2020, a residency of Theatre for One took place at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre. Here We Are marks Theater for One’s first ever virtual residency.   www.theatreforone.com www.facebook.com/theatreforone www.instagram.com/theatreforone www.twitter.com/theatreforone www.courttheatre.org *Denotes a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States." 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Check out our FAQ!" ["_article_description"]=> string(19) "field_5927045f742d7" ["article_byline"]=> string(0) "" ["_article_byline"]=> string(19) "field_592de516b020a" ["add_feed"]=> string(1) "0" ["_add_feed"]=> string(19) "field_5939a562bed44" ["_thumbnail_id"]=> string(5) "15908" } ["___content":protected]=> NULL ["_permalink":protected]=> NULL ["_next":protected]=> array(0) { } ["_prev":protected]=> array(0) { } ["_css_class":protected]=> NULL ["id"]=> int(15625) ["ID"]=> int(15625) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "9" ["post_content"]=> string(8252) "An Iliad - Photo of Timothy Edward Kane illuminated by light in a dark gallery by Liz Lauren

Having trouble viewing An Iliad right now? Try these six steps to fix your stream:

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We’d love for you to cast the show to your big screen! The easiest option is to use Chrome Casting, AirPlay or screen mirroring to play the stream from your phone, laptop or another device to your TV. You might see a slight decrease in quality with this option. You can also use an HDMI cable to connect your computer to the TV. If your TV can access a web browser, you can open that browser and log into your email. From there, you can open the email we sent you and click on your link to stream. If you have trouble streaming on an older TV, you may have better luck switching to an alternate device. Here is a list of steps for some common casting setups. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number and variations of smart TVs and smart TV software, we aren’t able to troubleshoot individual hardware issues. This guide on casting may be useful to you, depending on your setup.

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You’ll receive a confirmation email with the subject of “Link to View An Iliad”. In that email will be your unique link to view the performance. Use your custom link to watch on your laptop, tablet, mobile device—or mirror the show to your smart TV. Can’t find your confirmation email?  Be sure to check your junk/spam folder! If you have questions, please call us at (773) 753-4472.

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Your video may need a minute to load. If it is not playing continuously, try pausing it and stepping away for a few minutes and then continuing the show once it’s had a chance to pre-load more of the performance. If you are experiencing connection issues, it may be related to your browser settings, internet bandwidth, or it’s a device-specific issue. While we can't guarantee and may not be able to troubleshoot the performance of your specific hardware setup, we have a few recommendations that we hope will help:

Who do I contact if I'm having trouble seeing the show?

We'll have phone support available from Monday through Saturday, 12noon-5pm to get you started streaming and to answer your questions! Call us at (773) 753-4472.

Can I watch the performance again after it’s over?

No, once you've started streaming the performance, you'll have 72 hours to finish watching. On-demand performances can be watched at any time between March 3 through March 31, 2021. 

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No problem! Simply buy as many views (tickets) on the purchase page and you’ll receive that many links in your confirmation email.   

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You’ll see the playbill button on the same page as the performance at the bottom.

Photo of Timothy Edward Kane by Liz Lauren.

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 Court TheatreCasting from a Computer

Connect computer directly to TV with an HDMI cable

The simplest option is to treat your computer as a traditional video player by attaching it to an HDMI port on your TV.
  1. Verify that your laptop or desktop computer has an HDMI output.
  2. Use an HDMI cable to connect that output to an available HDMI input on your TV.
  3. Turn on your TV and select the appropriate input via the menu.

Cast from Chromebook to Smart TV

  1. Open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, select More, then Cast.
  3. Select Cast to choose whether you'd like to share your current tab in Chrome (Cast tab) or your whole screen (Cast desktop).
  4. Select your compatible TV or Chromecast device.

Screen Mirror or extend your Mac display

  1. Connect your Mac to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV.
  2. On your Mac, click in the menu bar at the top of your screen. If you don't see , go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Displays, then select "Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available."
  3. Choose your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV.
  4. If an AirPlay passcode appears on your TV screen, enter the passcode on your Mac.

Cast from an Apple Device

AirPlay from your Mac

  1. Connect your Mac to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV.
  2. On your Mac, open the app or website that you want to stream video from.
  3. In the video playback controls, click .
  4. Select your Apple TV or smart TV. Need help?
To stop streaming video, click in the video playback controls, then choose Turn on AirPlay.

AirPlay from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

  1. Connect your iOS device to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV.
  2. Find the video that you want to AirPlay.
  3. Tap . In some third-party apps, you might need to tap a different icon first. *In the Photos app, tap  , then       tap.
  4. Choose your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV.
To stop streaming, tap in the app that you're streaming from, then tap your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from the list.

Screen Mirror to Apple TV

  1. Connect your iOS device to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV.
  2. Open Control Center
    1. On iPhone X or later or iPad with iOS 12 or later: Swipe down from the upper-right corner of the screen.
    2. On iPhone 8 or earlier or iOS 11 or earlier: Swipe up from the bottom edge of any screen.
  3. Tap Screen Mirroring.
  4. Select your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV from the list.
  5. If an AirPlay passcode appears on your TV screen, enter the passcode on your iOS device.

Screen Mirror on Roku

  1. First, Your Roku receiver and your iPhone must join the same network. You can verify your network settings with the Roku receiver.
  2. Next, you’ll need to make sure mirroring is allowed\setup on your Roku receiver.
  3. On your Roku, go to Settings > System > Screen Mirroring.
  4. Under Screen mirroring mode, verify that either Prompt or Always allow is selected, indicated by a checkmark.
  5. Download the Mirror for Roku app on your iPhone from the App Store. Once it’s downloaded, open the app on your phone. It will immediately prompt you to connect to your device. Find the TV you would like to connect to, select it, and hit connect.
  6. The app will then prompt you to install a channel on your Roku device. You can do so by hitting the install button from your iPhone. It will automatically bring the channel up on your TV. Select Add channel on your TV. Once the channel has been added, the app on your phone should show “Channel Installed”. Hit done.
  7. On the app, there are several options for casting. Select “Internet”. At the top of your phone is a place to type the URL. Tap in that box and type the link to access your email. Find and open your Performance Confirmation email. Click the unique link that will take you to the performance login page. Your username and password should be entered automatically, simply click the "Watch Now" button to begin.

Cast from an Android device

Screen Mirror from an Android Tablet

  1. From a Home screen (on your device), tap the Apps icon (located in the lower-right).
  2. Tap Settings.
  3. From the Wireless and networks section, tap More networks.
  4. From the Media share section, tap Screen mirroring.
  5. When connected, the device's screen is displayed on the TV.

Cast from Amazon Fire Stick or Fire TV

PC to Fire Stick

There are a few things you’ll need to check before you can stream from a PC to a Fire Stick on Windows
  1. Before getting started, make sure that the Fire Stick is set up properly and that your PC and Fire Stick are on the same Wi-Fi network.
  2. Press and hold Fire Stick the home button until a menu pops up on the screen.
  3. Select Mirroring. You will now see a message that says, “While this screen is open, guest devices can wireless mirror their display to: (name)’s Fire Stick.”
  4. On your Windows 10 PC, open the Notifications section by clicking on the text message icon at the bottom right of the screen (it could also be empty if you have no notifications).
  5. Click on Connect. You should see your Fire Stick listed if both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network.
  6. Click on the Fire Stick listed, and it should connect. You should now see your PC screen mirrored on the TV that the Fire Stick is plugged into.

iOS or Mac to Fire Stick

  1. On your Fire Stick/Fire TV device, hover over search icon and type Airscreen. Click Airscreen.
  2. Select Airscreen app.
  3. Click Download.
  4. Wait for the file to finish installing.
  5. Message will prompt when the app is installed. Click Open.
  6. This will launch Airscreen. Click Start Now.
  7. Scroll down to hover over and select Settings.
  8. Click Device Name.
  9. Here, we can enter a name for our fire tv device (i.e. “firestick4k”). Once complete, click Next, then click OK.
  10. From your iOS device, swipe down or open the control center from your main screen and tap Screen Mirroring.
  11. Select your Fire TV device.
  12. Checkmark will display once enabled.
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Having trouble viewing Five Guys Named Moe right now? Try these six steps to fix your stream:

  1. Try refreshing your browser.  Don't forget to click the play button after it reloads.
  2. Try switching to a different browser.
  3. Try using the browser under 'incognito/private' mode.
  4. Try disabling any ad-blocking software or browser plugins
  5. Try a different device.
  6. Go to speedtest.net and test your internet bandwidth.  You'll want at least 2Mbps to view the video.

Which devices can I use to stream?

The platform works on mobile phones, computers, tablets, and smart TVs (with a web browser). If you have any of those, you can watch! 

Can I watch the show on my TV, or do I have to watch it on my computer?

We’d love for you to cast the show to your big screen! The easiest option is to use Chrome Casting, AirPlay or screen mirroring to play the stream from your phone, laptop or another device to your TV. You might see a slight decrease in quality with this option. You can also use an HDMI cable to connect your computer to the TV. If your TV can access a web browser, you can open that browser and log into your email. From there, you can open the email we sent you and click on your link to stream. If you have trouble streaming on an older TV, you may have better luck switching to an alternate device. Here is a list of steps for some common casting setups. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number and variations of smart TVs and smart TV software, we aren’t able to troubleshoot individual hardware issues. This guide on casting may be useful to you, depending on your setup.

How do I view my streaming performance? (on-demand performances)

You’ll receive a confirmation email with the subject of “Link to View Five Guys Named Moe”. In that email will be your unique link to view the performance. Use your custom link to watch on your laptop, tablet, mobile device—or mirror the show to your smart TV. Can’t find your confirmation email?  Be sure to check your junk/spam folder! If you have questions, please call us at (773) 753-4472.

What’s the ideal browser to use?

We recommend using the browser that gives you the quickest speeds for your everyday use. Our top choices are Google Chrome and Safari.

How can I ensure the best streaming experience?

For showtime, if you’re experiencing issues, a first step might be to turn the wi-fi off on your other devices. Or, for the strongest connection, connect your device to your router directly with an ethernet cable.

How do I make a video full screen?

You'll find the full-screen button in the video player, depending on your device it will be in the lower right corner (on PC, for example) or the upper left (on iOS).

What should I do if I’m experiencing connection issues during the show (e.g. video is freezing or audio is not working)?

Your video may need a minute to load. If it is not playing continuously, try pausing it and stepping away for a few minutes and then continuing the show once it’s had a chance to pre-load more of the performance. If you are experiencing connection issues, it may be related to your browser settings, internet bandwidth, or it’s a device-specific issue. While we can't guarantee and may not be able to troubleshoot the performance of your specific hardware setup, we have a few recommendations that we hope will help:

Who do I contact if I'm having trouble seeing the show?

We'll have phone support available from Monday through Saturday, 12noon-5pm to get you started streaming and to answer your questions! Call us at (773) 753-4472.

Can I watch the performance again after it’s over?

No, once you've started streaming the performance, you'll have 72 hours to finish watching. On-demand performances can be watched at any time between February 4 through February 28, 2021. 

What if I want to buy more than one viewing or buy for a friend?

No problem! Simply buy as many views(tickets) on the purchase page and you’ll receive that many links in your confirmation email.   

How do I access my digital playbill for the performance?

You’ll see the playbill button on the same page as the performance at the bottom.
   

Photo of Kelvin Roston, Jr, Lorenzo Rush, Jr, Eric A. Lewis, Darrian Ford, and James Earl Jones II by Joe Mazza.

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The World of Les Blancs: A Primer

January 13, 2021 | Featuring Tina Post and Gabrielle Randle-Bent

Tina Post and Gabrielle Randle-Bent will provide an overview of Lorraine Hansberry’s body of work and Les Blancs specifically. In addition to providing an overview of the play, they will discuss Les Blancs’s portrayal of Africa, and the ways it reflects racial and political tensions in the United States. Available to watch on January 13. [button link="https://www.courttheatre.org/theatre-thought-lorraine-hansberrys-les-blancs-racial-injustice-january-13-2021/" text="Watch this session"] Password: 83071

The Woman, A Character Study

January 20, 2021 | Featuring Tina Post and Gabrielle Randle-Bent

Les Blancs has one Black female character. Remarkably, given the play’s authorship, this character does not speak, but rather appears throughout the play as an embodied presence. Tina Post and Gabrielle Randle-Bent will discuss The Woman as a figure in the play and their respective interests her. The discussion illustrates black feminist approaches to theatrical movement and choreography. Available to watch on January 20. [button link="https://www.courttheatre.org/theatre-thought-lorraine-hansberrys-les-blancs-racial-injustice-january-20-2021/" text="Watch this session"] Password: 74621

The Woman, A Movement Study

January 27, 2021 | Tina Post, Gabrielle Randle-Bent

This session will contain a performance of an original piece of dance/movement that interprets the character of The Woman from Les Blancs, choreographed by Nicole Clarke-Springer and performed in two separate interpretations by Meisha Reid and Nicole Clarke-Springer. A discussion about the choreographic work with Tina Post and Gabrielle Randle-Bent will follow.
Available to watch on January 27.
[button link="https://www.courttheatre.org/theatre-thought-lorraine-hansberrys-les-blancs-racial-injustice-january-27-2021/" text="Watch this session"] Password: 64921
Artists Involved with Choreographic Piece: Meisha Reid - Prologue / Woman 1
Nicole Clarke-Springer - Epilogue / Woman 2
John Chapman - Drums
Nadia Oussenko - Videographer
Special Thanks:
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater
Ballet Chicago
Azania Drum Core
Nkosi Ingram
Moyakhe Dubois

Process

February 3, 2021 | Tina Post, Gabrielle Randle-Bent, and choreographer Nicole Clarke-Springer

A discussion of the process of creating and staging movement, including considerations raised by dramaturgy, choreography, and direction. Audience participants will be invited to ask questions of the creative team and experiment on their own. Available to watch on February 3. [button link="https://www.courttheatre.org/theatre-thought-lorraine-hansberrys-les-blancs-racial-injustice-february-3-2021/" text="Watch this session"] Password: 21515

About the Scholars and Artists

Tina Post is an Assistant Professor of English and Theater and Performance at the University of Chicago, where she is also affiliated with the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture. Her first book project, Deadpan, examines expressionlessness and affective withholding in Black cultural production. Her scholarly work has appeared in Modern Drama, TDR: The Drama Review, International Review of African American Art (IRAAA), and the edited collection Race and Performance after Repetition (Duke University Press, 2020). Her creative work can be found in ImaginedTheatres.com, Stone Canoe, and The Appendix.
Gabrielle Randle is a scholar, director, and dramaturg. She has a dual BA degree in drama and sociology from Stanford University and an MA degree in performance as public practice at The University of Texas at Austin. Her recent collaborations include co-directing We are Proud to Present a Presentation…, by Jackie Sibblies Drury, at Steppenwolf for Young Adults. She served as the dramaturg and AD for Court Theatre’s production of Oedipus Rex and dramaturg For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow is Enuf directed by Seret Scott. In Chicago, she has dramaturged and directed for Sideshow Theatre, where she is also a company member, Victory Gardens, Chicago Dramatists, Northlight and the Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts. Gabrielle is an active member of the Black Theatre Association Focus Group for the Association for Theatre in Higher Education and has served two terms as its graduate representative. She was featured in American Theatre Magazine’s Role Call: People to Watch. She is a 5th year PhD candidate at Northwestern University. Her ongoing dissertation project is titled “On the Possibility of Blackness and the Inevitability of Revolution: How Black Feeling Changed the World.” In September 2020, she completed a fellowship year at the University of Chicago where she was the inaugural Court Theatre Research Fellow.
Nicole Clarke-Springer began formal training under the guidance of Claudette Soltis  (Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and Joliet Ballet Society) and the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre under Dace Diodonis. She received her B.S. in arts administration-dance from Butler University in Indianapolis, where she was honored as Butler Ballet’s Outstanding Performer.  Shortly after graduating from Butler, Clarke-Springer found her dance home within the Deeply  Rooted Dance Theater family as an apprentice and later a company member. As a member of DRDT, she had the opportunity to perform with Roberta Flack in Kevin Iega Jeff’s Flack, as well as Jennifer Holiday in the world-renowned Penumbra Theatre’s Black Nativity. After leaving the company she taught as an adjunct professor in  Western Kentucky University’s Dance Department. While there, she was asked to join the Clifton Brown Dance Company, performing on its tour to Istanbul. Clarke-Springer returned to the Deeply family as Dance Education director and Artistic Team member in 2007.  She has presented her choreography in Durban, South Africa, and Sophia, Bulgaria. She teaches and choreographs throughout the country and has been on faculty as an adjunct professor at Chicago State University and Western Kentucky University and is currently on staff at Northwestern University. Crediting the Deeply Rooted mission, Clarke-Springer works to create an environment where artists participate in a process that is not only spiritually affirming but requires open and honest dialogue that leads to self-reflection, constructive feedback, and accountability to the work required. Nicole was appointed Artistic Director of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater in September 2019. Lorraine Hansberry: When Lorraine Hansberry’s (1930-1965) A Raisin in the Sun appeared on Broadway in 1959, the artist became, at twenty-nine, the youngest American playwright, the fifth woman, and the only African American to date to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play of the Year. The play represented a landmark. In its authentic depiction of Black American life, and the vivid demonstration of so gifted a creator, cast, and director, it made it impossible for the American stage to ignore African American creativity and subject matter thereafter. In 1961, the film version won a special award at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for a Screen Writer’s Guild Award for Hansberry’s screenplay.  In 1965, Lorraine Hansberry died of cancer at age 34. As if prescient, in the six years she had between the triumph of her first play and her death, she was extraordinarily prolific. Her second play to be produced on Broadway, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, was in its early run, to mixed reviews, when Hansberry died; the curtain came down on that date. To Be Young, Gifted, and Black, an autobiographical portrait in her own words adapted by her former husband and literary executor Robert Nemiroff, was posthumously produced in 1969 and toured across the country. In 1970, Les Blancs, her play about the inevitability of struggle between colonizers and colonized in Africa, and the impending crisis that would surely grow out of it, ran on Broadway to critical acclaim. During her career as a playwright, Hansberry wrote many articles and essays on literary criticism, racism, sexism, homophobia, world peace, and other social and political issues. At her death, she left behind file cabinets holding her public and private correspondence, speeches and journals, and various manuscripts in several genres: plays for stage and screen, essays, poetry, and an almost complete novel.
Court’s Theatre & Thought series connects audiences to expert insights from University of Chicago faculty about the historical context, thematic relevance, and artistic possibilities surrounding classic works. Each Theatre & Thought topic will feature a different play and include virtual meetings with University scholars to discuss the ideas underpinning these classic texts.   Graham SchoolCourt’s remote, digital experiences are produced in partnership with the University of Chicago Graham School's Arts@Graham series.  

Photo of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater dancers by Michelle Reid. Photo of Gabrielle Randle-Bent in rehearsal for OEDIPUS REX by Joe Mazza.

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Othello Around the World

How do different productions of OTHELLO across the globe approach staging Shakespeare's tragedy? Learn about famous stagings from throughout history in this blog.

TITANIC Streaming FAQ

Need help streaming TITANIC (SCENES FROM THE BRITISH WRECK COMMISSIONER'S INQUIRY, 1912)? Check out our FAQ!

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