New Chicago Company Polyphonic Ensemble to Launch Theatre and Opera Season
The new company is planning a first season with two plays, an opera, and vocal concerts.
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Founders and Executive Directors Justin Broom and Michael Morales met through their mutual love of new theatre and opera. Their new company, Polyphonic Ensemble, is preparing to collaborate with fellow artists and audiences throughout Chicago to make that happen.
Polyphonic Ensemble's mission seeks to create mould-breaking, thought-provoking, and evocative pieces of theatre and opera through deep collaboration with diverse artists across multiple disciplines to present works both classic and new through a unified artistic vision.
Justin Broom (L) and Michael Morales serve as Co-Founders and Executive Directors of Polyphonic Ensemble
'We want to create a space and company where all the elements of this artform are given the same level of intention and care to create productions that make audiences feel completely immersed in the world we create,' says Broom. 'That can only be achieved with deep collaboration with a group of artists unified around the same vision and forming an ensemble is a time-honored structure to achieve that.'
Justin Broom is an actor and producer based in Chicago who is passionate about fostering new works and telling stories that deconstruct societal norms, examine events that shape the world around us, and highlight Queer voices. Broom also currently serves as an Artistic Director for Ghostlight Ensemble, which was named the 'Best Storefront Theatre of 2025' by the Chicago Reader.
Michael Morales is a producer, pianist, and music director based in Chicago with a mission to bring the art of opera to new audiences, venues, and generations. When not traveling the globe immersing themselves in both new and classic works of opera, Morales has accompanied local performers in Chicago and supported various organizations in Dallas, TX and New York City.
'I've always believed that opera is for everyone. I'm so excited to be able to bring the art form to audiences in ways that get new and continuing opera goers reenergized to get out into the city and to connect with the arts in a new way,' says Morales.
To support their mission, Polyphonic Ensemble has launched their inaugural fundraising campaign with a goal of $25,000 to fund their first season of programming - which looks to include a full production of two plays, including a world premiere of a Chicago playwright, an opera, and several smaller vocal/opera concerts.
In the coming weeks, Polyphonic will introduce other members of their founding ensemble and later this year will put out separate calls for show-specific production roles as well as a general call for Chicago theatre artists who wish to join as an Ensemble Member to support Polyphonic's mission.
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