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Provost UChicago Arts

About the Department

Court Theatre is a Tony Award-winning professional theatre companylocated in the Hyde Park neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.Founded in 1955, Court benefits from the University of Chicago'sfinancial support and from its community of scholars and artists, whileretaining artistic independence.

Court Theatre interprets classic theatre to illuminate our currenttimes, and defines classic theatre as texts from any culture, tradition,or era that resonate throughout time and speak to our present moment.Court Theatre seeks to present an array of theatrical styles and periodsand develops new work on classic themes with different forms of classicstaging. In remaining fresh and fostering excellence, Court explores abroad range of topics. Whether through works composed several millenniain the past or works that have been adapted from contemporary graphicnovels, Court remains relevant, exciting, engaging, and ready to crossboundaries.

The University of Chicago was founded in 1890 and is one of the world'sleading research universities, celebrated for its faculty, students,graduate programs, and role in advancing Chicago communities. Home toover 3,100 faculty and with more than 18,000 students, the University isa center for educating, inspiring, and supporting academic and artisticoperating units. A variety of museums, professional performance spaces,institutes, and academic departments support the artistic endeavors ofstudents and faculty, while fostering UChicago's cultural and artisticlife on campus. Among the arts organizations hosted by the Universityare the Court Theatre, Logan Center for the Arts, University of ChicagoPresents, Smart Museum of Art, Neubauer Collegium for Culture andSociety, Renaissance Society, Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry, sixgalleries, and the nation's largest academic press, which promulgatesscholarship on the arts.

Job Summary

The Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director will shape all of CourtTheatre's artistic and arts-related programming and will collaboratewith the Executive Director to provide overall leadership to theorganization as it grows its artistic and educational vision andcontinues to expand its footprint in Chicago, nationally, andinternationally. Reporting to the University's Provost andcollaborating with the Court Board and staff, the Artistic Director isaccountable for managing all aspects of the theatre's productions andprograms, and for fundraising for arts programming in collaboration withthe Executive Director.

The Artistic Director is expected to work closely with staff to ensurethat the Theatre:

Builds on its reputation as a distinctive, exciting, thought-provokingtheatre which explores classic themes and classic staging in ways thatcontemporary audiences find relevant and exciting;

Extends its commitment to contemporary work, with diversity as a valuethat guides artistic expression and decision-making;

Grows audiences and builds constituents among a new generation ofsupporters, including theatregoers from throughout the Chicago area andbeyond; the diverse communities of the South Side; and UChicago faculty,students and alumni.

Responsibilities

Artistic Leadership: Understand all facets of Court Theatre, includingthe theatre's history, culture, staff, finances, play schedule and newplay development; education and public programs; facility andinfrastructure; operations; and annual, endowment and capital campaigninitiatives. Understand Chicago and the University of Chicago, and theirresources, other arts organizations, constituents, and diverseaudiences. Bring to Court Theatre insights into the current state oftheatre and theatr artists nationally and internationally.

Visionary Programming: Manage the artistic affairs of Court Theatre,including selection of works, directors, cast members, theatre tech, andprograms that engage different audience cohorts; function as anambassador for the Court and for University of Chicago, its artists,arts faculty, and programs.

Connecting to and Broadening Audiences: Understand the audience drawnfrom the University of Chicago and the Greater Chicago; cultivate areputation of being a place for all sorts of theatre audiences, withtopics, staging, language, audience experiences, and a vibe that isexciting to a very diverse community.

Developing Classic Theatre: Build a robust and well supported newplay development process which includes commissioning of new work,expanding collaboration with University faculty, and more intensivelyinvolving University students and community residents in theseprocesses; engage a range of guest artists who bring new vision to thestage; facilitate opportunities for Court's dramaturgy and work to bemore broadly shared with other theatres.

Theatre Education and Outreach: Review the present status of thetheatre's mainstage and education programming, and take charge ofin-process work related to current and planned productions, events, andperformances.

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