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Mission

Raven Theatre tells stories of today and the past that connect us to our cultural landscape.

Raven’s commitment to modern drama in all of its forms, as well as its first-class education programming, have helped it remain a cultural cornerstone on the north side of Chicago for 40 years and counting.

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Raven Theatre is in its 39th year of providing revivals of modern dramas and thought-provoking new works to the Northside Chicago community, as well as theatrical education to the children and schools in the surrounding neighborhoods. Founded in 1983, Raven moved into its current home in 2002 with its 85-seat Johnson Stage and its 56-seat Schwartz Stage.

Subscription Series – Raven offers three productions in its subscription series, all in the East Stage, focusing on revivals of works primarily from the late 19th century to the present and including both Chicago and World Premieres.

Educational Programming – Raven provides teaching artists to neighborhood schools for in-school theatrical residencies, a field trip program for elementary school students, and a robust children’s theatrical summer camp program.

With efforts in the community, in neighborhood schools, and on the stage, Raven plays an important part in the city’s cultural landscape.

History

Raven is proud to be a cultural cornerstone of Chicago’s north side, where its artistic excellence is known among theatergoers and artists alike. Long acclaimed for its revivals of classic plays, Raven also gives voice to emerging playwrights whose work will help to shape the theatrical canon for years to come.

The theater engages the next generation of artists and community leaders through its robust education program, “Take Flight.” Each year, teaching artists help 3,000 students unlock their creative potential through summer camps, field trip programs, and in-school workshops.

Raven works with local elected officials, businesses, and community development organizations to continually offer programs that meet the needs of its neighbors, allowing the theater to remain a destination for theatre and arts education and an artistic home for all who need one.

Land Acknowledgement

Raven Theatre Company resides on the ancestral homelands of an alliance of three Native American nations: Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi, known collectively as the Council of Three Fires.

Dozens of other tribes, including the Menominee, Miami, and Ho-Chunk nations, called this region home.

Today, thousands of native people continue to live and work in the city colonially known as Chicago.

 

Artistic Director

Headshot of Sarah Slight

Sarah Slight is a Chicago-based dramaturg, literary manager and producer. Recent dramaturgy credits include The Luckiest by Melissa Ross, dir. Cody Estle (Raven Theatre); The Gradient by Steph Del Rosso, dir. Amelia Acosta Powell (St. Louis Rep); The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon dir. Jessica Thebus (Northlight Theatre); The Burn by Philip Dawkins dir. Devon de Mayo (Steppenwolf Theatre, SYA); and Welcome to Jesus by Janine Nabers dir. Will Davis (American Theater Company). Sarah has also dramaturged new play development workshops at Victory Gardens Ignition Festival, New Harmony Project, Phoenix Theatre, The Playwrights’ Center and American Theater Company. Alongside Jess McLeod, she is the co-adapter of a condensed version of The Project(s) by PJ Paparelli and Joshua Jaeger, which toured through Chicago Public Schools and housing conferences in 2017. Sarah has served as the Associate Artistic Director at American Theater Company, Artistic Programs Manager at Northlight Theatre, Literary Associate at Williamstown Theatre Festival and Literary Manager at Red Eye Theatre. MFA Columbia University, BS University of Evansville.

Managing Director

Adrianna Desier Durantt is a multi-disciplinary arts producer and cultural strategist focusing on brand identity and business development for impact-driven organizations and projects in the creative sector. Previously, she has served as the founding partner and producing executive director of PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, a member of the production team for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and various work with Chicago-based projects and companies including 2nd Story, CURE Epilepsy, BPI Chicago, Northwestern Theater Department’s MFA Program, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and others. She holds certificates in Innovation & Entrepreneurship from both Stanford Graduate School of Business and NYU Stern, where she was a founding member of their Innovation Lab. She studied stage design at NYU Tisch’s Design for Stage and Film MFA Program and received her BFA in Theatrical Production from Ithaca College. She is from Brooklyn, NY and is raising three young boys in Chicago with her designer husband, with whom she co-founded casaboyce – a chicago-based creative and production studio bridging art, architecture, design, and storytelling for live events and performance.

 

Staff

Mechelle Moe

Director of Education

Ryan Wiechmann

Marketing & Design Manager

Ellen Campbell

Audience Engagement Manager

Assata Terrell

Development Manager

Madison Hill

Facility & Rental Manager

LUCY WHIPP

Production Manager

Front of House

Ryder Acosta

Amy Carter

Jaiku Neoj

Vonnie Mays

Ash Pierce

Lawrence Green

Georgia Dib

Board

Raven’s Board of Directors is made up of persons who support theater and who volunteer their time and talent to maintain and strengthen the organization in the fulfillment of its mission.

Nathan Taylor

President

Lauren Guydan

Vice President

Jeremy Heckman

Treasurer

Richard Rodriguez

Secretary

Judith Beaupre

Dan De La Cruz

Stuart Gold

Stephen Johnson

Justin Kulovsek

Michael McCalley

Jeanette Samo

Sally Schwartz

Noah Sobe

Mattew Toles

Susan Schaalman Youdovin

Carol Zsolnay