Mission & History
Mission
Raven Theatre is dedicated to performing arts that illuminate the American experience and work that provides reflection on our identity in a global context. Through its ensemble produced plays, collaborations with outside artists and organizations and its educational programming, Raven is committed to serving our community's needs through the arts.
History
Founded in 1983, Raven Theatre is a professional, regional theatre company, serving the far north communities of Chicago, including Edgewater, Rogers Park and Andersonville. The company also receives a broad base of support from throughout the Chicagoland area. From 1985 to 2000 Raven Theatre was housed in an intimate 70-seat space in Rogers Park. This award-winning company closed its final season in its old home with five Joseph Jefferson Awards for Arthur Miller's classic drama A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, including outstanding production. In 2002, Raven moved in to its new state-of the art-facility on Clark and Granville. The first production in our new space was the award winning production of MARVIN’S ROOM.
Production History
1983- “Welcome to the USA” - The Pushcart Peddlers, 27 Wagons Full of Cotton
1984- The American Dream, Small Craft Warnings
1985- Talley’s Folly, I Never Sang for my Father
1986- The Last Meting of the Knights of the White Magnolia, Baba Goya
1987- Harvey, Getting Out, Everything in the Garden
1988-Seaviews, Thymus Vulgaris & Chocolate Cake, A Texas Trilogy
1989- Once in a Lifetime, The Two Character Play, American Notes
1990-All My Sons, Italian American Reconciliation, Beyond Therapy
1991- The Matchmaker, A Memory of Two Mondays, Vampires in Chicago, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains it all for You
1992- The Artificial Jungle, The Crucible
1993- Cobb, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf,
1994- The Elvis, The Time of Your Life
1995- Hot L Baltimore, Death of a Salesman, Awake and Sing
1996- The Glass Menagerie, An Enemy of the People
1997- You Can’t Take it With You, The Road to Mecca
1998-Six Degrees of Separation
1999- Glengarry Glen Ross, Loyd Byron’s Love Letter & The Long Goodbye, A View From the Bridge
2002-2003: Marvin’s Room, The Man Who Had all the Luck
2003-2004: Golden Boy, Social Security
2004-2005: A Streetcar Named Desire, Dancing at Lughnasa, Talk to Me Like the Rain, The Interview
2005-2006: A Few Good Men, Book of Days, The Exonerated
2006-2007: American Buffalo, The Seagull
2007-2008: The Night of the Iguana, columbinus, Laughter on the 23rd Floor
2008-2009: Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train, Misamerica, Hedda Gabler
2009-2010: Death of a Salesman, Twelve Angry Men, The Odd Couple
2010-2011: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Radio Golf, The Cherry Orchard
2011-2012: Bus Stop, Dating Walter Dante, The Price, Bang the Drum Slowly
2012-2013: The Big Knife, Boy Gets Girl, A Soldier's Play, Brighton Beach Memoirs
