Greenhouse Theater Center Announces RESIDENT THEATER COMPANY INITIATIVE

The Greenhouse Theater Center announced today it is seeking applicants for its new Resident Theater Company Program set to launch in 2017. The newly-created initiative aims to foster the growth of itinerant Chicago theatre companies by providing affordable performance spaces and resources to expand audiences.

Resident companies will enjoy sharply reduced rental costs for the venue's two 190-seat mainstages, expanded marketing support including dedicated subscription management with access to the Greenhouse's patron database and access to the building's many amenities including a full-service box office and bar. Located at 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., the Greenhouse Theater Center is one of Chicago's premier off-loop performance spaces, with an esteemed history dating back to the late 1960s.

The Resident Theater Company Program features a low weekly rental rate of $1500, in contrast to the Greenhouse's standard rental fees ranging from $3000 - $4000/week. The program also includes a 90%/10% profit sharing agreement, giving The Greenhouse and residents shared incentives to succeed while keeping the rental rate low. Companies interested in applying for the Resident Theater Company Program should contact General Manager Maia Reed at gm@greenhousetheater.org or (773) 404-7336.

"The Greenhouse Theater center has been the birthplace of dozens of influential companies during its 47-year history," said Greenhouse Artistic Director Jacob Harvey, "but these days, the dream of the storefront company that evolves into a larger-scale, permanent institution has become nearly unattainable. For companies today, the barrier to growth is just too high. Theater space becomes exponentially more expensive as the seating increases, and increasing in size goes hand-in-hand with an increase in audience expectations. Our hope is that by lowering the barrier to entry, providing services above and beyond what any rental house in the city can offer, and by having a stake in the success of these companies, we can make a lasting contribution to the future of Chicago theatre."

Additionally, The Greenhouse will continue to make investments into the building's infrastructure to update the lobby and performance spaces, making them even more conducive to the work of all tenant companies. The Greenhouse recently enhanced the audience experience in their mainstage theaters by replacing the audience seating and flooring to provide patrons with a more comfortable theater-going environment. Additional lighting and audio equipment is currently enhancing both the patron and renter experience with further infrastructure improvements on the way. Most immediately, addressing soundproofing is underway to improve the performance spaces and greatly decrease the sound bleed between the individual stages and their respective lobbies, which is a perennial concern for multi-venue spaces. Long-term goals include further expanding the technical capabilities of the spaces and improved dressing rooms and lobby amenities.

About the Greenhouse Theater Center

The Greenhouse Theater Center is a nonprofit performance venue located at 2257 N. Lincoln Ave, in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. Our complex offers two newly remodeled 190-seat main stage spaces, two 60-seat studio theaters, an in-house rehearsal room, and Chicago's only dedicated used theatre bookstore.

Our mission at the Greenhouse is first and foremost to grow local theatre. We strive to cultivate a fertile environment for local artists, from individual renters to our bevy of resident companies, to develop and produce their work. In 2014 alone, The Greenhouse Theater Center provided space for almost 1,000 ticketed performances, serving more than 54,000 patrons. Among these events were at least 30 productions by our resident companies, including the celebrated Remy Bumpo Theatre Company. Through our Trellis Program, we offer the community affordable access to our work by housing Chicago's only dedicated used theatre bookstore, located on the second floor of our complex, as well as offering a free reading series each Tuesday night where local artists workshop their latest scripts. Additionally, we also continue to play an active role in cultivating and nurturing our community through continued partnerships with the League of Chicago Theaters and local Chambers of Commerce.

As of 2016, the Greenhouse Theater Center embraced the true spirit of growth and launched its producing entity. With the announcement of our 8 month long Solo Celebration Series, helmed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey, we will produce 12 solo plays from June 2016 to February 2017. Through this inaugural effort, we hope to expand the solo play cannon while also cultivating a larger conversation about the possibilities of the one-person play.

With new ideas always incubating, the Greenhouse Theater Center is flourishing.

Come grow with us!