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Northlight Theatre is an award-winning, non-profit theatre based in the Chicago-area of Illinois. Northlight Theatre's mission is to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences; Northlight is committed to champion new work, and to provide a nurturing and creative home for artists.

History
Northlight Theatre began in 1974 as part of the Master’s Thesis of Gregory Kandel, who was also a founder of the League of Chicago Theatres. Together with Mike Nussbaum and Frank Galati, the three established Evanston Theatre Company, which set up residence in the then decommissioned Kingsley Elementary School Theater on Green Bay Road in Evanston. Nussbaum, despite leaving the company after the first year, and Galati were credited by Kandel as the force behind the company’s early success because of their standing in the Chicago community. Other original ensemble members included Judith Ivey, BJ Jones, and Barry Cullison, who were relative “nobodies” at the time, but who quickly rose to prominence in the theater community.

The first season was composed of Jumpers by Tom Stoppard (starring Nussbaum and directed by Galati), The Au Pair Man by Hugh Leonard, and Nourish the Beast by Steve Tesich. The then nascent Northlight struggled in their second season, running out of money after the third play of a five play season, but an emergency fund drive raised almost $20,000 more than was needed to stay afloat, and the theater company began its road to success.

On May 1, 1978, Evanston Theatre Company was officially renamed North Light Repertory, Inc. The change came from the result of a marketing survey which determined that the Evanston name led to confusion about the professional status of the theatre, associating the company with amateur community theater groups, many of which were also located in the North Shore area. The new Repertory name was used to communicate the regional professional status of the theater, and to communicate the artistic passion of the company. Kandel, then the producing director, said of the new name: “The north light is traditionally the artist’s light; the purest light in which to create a work of art. Furthermore, our artistic thrust has always been toward contemporary plays which in some way enlighten”.

By 1980, as Northlight was to begin its sixth season, the subscriber list had reached nearly 6,000 – meaning North Light had added nearly 1000 subscribers each year since its founding. The company had already received a handful of Joseph Jefferson awards, with numerous nominations, and was already known for staging Chicago premieres. That year, however, Greg Kandel announced his resignation, due to personal reasons, which took place the following year once the season was over.

In the next few years, North Light would undergo numerous changes, including changing its name to the current Northlight Theatre. Eric Steiner and Jeff Bentley replaced Kandel as artistic director and managing director, respectively, and a few years later the roles were succeeded by Michael Maggio and Susan Medak. Maggio left in 1986 to pursue a free lance directing career and a national search turned up Russell Vandenbroucke for artistic director. Jeffrey Woodward replaced Medak in 1990.

That same year, the Evanston School Board decided to reopen Kingsley School, forcing Northlight to relocate from the theater space there. Northlight finally settled on the Coronet Theater, a former movie house that had been renovated for live productions in the 1980s. Evanston City Council was very committed to having Northlight stay in Evanston, and helped fund the renovations of the theater and a nearby parking lot. However, Northlight only stayed in the Coronet for four years, entering a nomadic phase in 1994 that ended when it became the resident theater company at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie in 1997.

This long-term home permitted Northlight to enter a new era of growth - in size and quality - which was galvanized by a new artistic director, BJ Jones, who took over in 1998. Joined by Executive Director Timothy J. Evans in 2007, under their leadership Northlight has produced the largest hits in its history (The Outgoing Tide, Better Late, The Mousetrap), as well as its first international co-production (Chapatti) with the Galway International Arts Festival.

Now, after celebrating 41 years of theater and over 200 incredible productions, Northlight Theatre has an annual budget of $3 million and over 6,000 subscribers. Northlight is one of the largest nonprofit theatres in the Chicago area. It serves audiences of 50,000 per year, with approximately 40% from the North Shore (including Evanston and Skokie), 20% from Chicago, and 20% from the Northwest suburbs. Northlight produces five mainstage productions each year, workshops and readings of new works, audience outreach to Veterans and many other groups, and a comprehensive arts education program for underserved public school students.

Facilities
After producing theater in various spaces in Chicago and on the North Shore from 1974 to 1997, Northlight Theatre is currently located at 9501 Skokie Blvd inside the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, across from Old Orchard shopping center. Northlight is fully wheelchair accessible and offers select wheelchair seating in the theatre. The theatre also offers a Radio Frequency (RF) headset system for the hearing impaired and select show dates feature open captioning.

Interplay Reading Series
The Interplay Reading Series was started in 2006 as a way to workshop and present provocative new works by emerging American playwrights. The series provides the audience the opportunity to witness a part of the evolutionary process of theatre making, from initial idea to full theatrical production.

World Premieres (partial list)

 * Charm (2015) by Philip Dawkins
 * Funnyman (2015) by Bruce Graham
 * Shining Lives: A Musical (2015) book & lyrics by Jessica Thebus, music by Andre Pluess & Amanda Dehnert, based on the play by Melanie Marnich
 * White Guy On the Bus (2015) by Bruce Graham
 * Chapatti (2014) by Christian O'Reilly
 * Stella & Lou (2013) by Bruce Graham
 * The Outgoing Tide (2011) by Bruce Graham
 * Low Down Dirty Blues (2010) by Randal Myler & Dan Wheetman
 * Po Boy Tango (2009) by Kenneth Lin
 * Better Late (2008) by Larry Gelbart and Craig Wright
 * Lady (2007) by Craig Wright
 * Stilettos, Circus & Soul! (2006) by Jeff Jenkins & Julie Greenberg
 * Cat Feet (2004) by Monte Merrick
 * Sky Girls (2003) by Jenny Laird
 * Rounding Third (2003) by Richard Dresser
 * Studs Terkel's 'The Good War' (2004) by David H. Bell & Craig Carnelia
 * The Last Five Years (2001) by Jason Robert Brown
 * The Gamester (2001) by Freyda Thomas from Jean-Francois Regnard
 * Unmerciful Good Fortune (1996) by Edwin Sanchez

Educational Outreach
Northlight seeks to connect with its audiences through engagement events throughout the community as well as events at Northlight like Backstage with BJ, post-show discussions, and online audience guides.

The theatre’s education programming is built on the belief that self-expression, creative thought and confidence are the keys to well-being. Programs include Season Access and Artist Engagement, Northlight on Campus, Speak Up!, and Master Classes.