Cody Estle Named Raven Theatre's New Artistic Director

The Board of Directors of Raven Theatre has announced the appointment of Cody Estle as the company's Artistic Director effective immediately.

Estle, who has served for three years as Raven's Associate Artistic Director, succeeds Co-Artistic Directors Michael Menendian and JoAnn Montemurro, who have lead the company since its founding in 1983.

Raven Theatre Board President Walter Pophin said, "Folllowing a nation-wide search and interview process, we are very excited to announce the selection of Cody Estle as the new Artistic Director of Raven Theatre. Cody has faithfully served the theater over the past nine years in a variety of ways, most recently since October 2014 as the theater's Associate Artistic Director. He brings superb artistic skills, a wealth of relationships within the Chicago theater community, an intimate knowledge of the theater's long history, as well as an unmatched enthusiasm for theater's ability to tell the important stories of our times and of our communities. The Board of Directors and the staff of the theater look forward to working with Cody in his new role."

Longtime Chicago director and Artistic Director at WaterTower Theatre in Dallas Joanie Schultz added, "Cody is an inspiring emerging leader in Chicago theatre. Having known him for the last decade as a creative, smart and hardworking director, I have no doubt that he will do great things at Raven Theatre and am thrilled for Raven and the entire Chicago theatre community."

Cody Estle remarked, "I'm thrilled to take on this new leadership role at Raven Theatre. I look forward to working with the board and staff to bring artistically vital programming to Edgewater. Together we will foster dialogue with our collaborators and audience and will build and expand the Raven Theatre community."

Cody Estle has served as the Associate Artistic Director at Raven Theatre for three years and has directed a number of successful productions for the theatre including Dating Walter Dante, Boy Gets Girl, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Good Boys and True, Vieux Carré, Dividing the Estate, A Loss of Roses and The Assembled Parties, as well as the upcoming world premiere The Gentleman Caller by Philip Dawkins (spring 2018). His work includes directing for Northlight Theatre, First Floor Theatre, Redtwist Theatre, The Artistic Home, Haven Theatre, Mary-Arrchie Theatre and the upcoming Chicago premiere of Five Mile Lake with Shattered Globe Theatre. Estle was the Artistic Assistant at Northlight Theatre, a Directing Associate at Goodspeed Musicals and taught on the faculty of Cherubs at Northwestern University. He has been an assistant director at Steppenwolf Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Writers Theatre, Court Theatre and Marriott Theatre. Estle holds a B.A. in directing from Columbia College Chicago.

Raven Theatre tells stories of today and the past that connect us to our cultural landscape. Through its plays as well as its educational programming, Raven is committed to serving our communities' needs through the arts.

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