Oracle Productions: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:10, 12 April 2011

Latest revision as of 03:27, 15 May 2025

(33 intermediate revisions by 20 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{Short description|Theatre company based in Chicago, Illinois}}

'''Oracle Productions''' in [[Chicago|Chicago]], [[Illinois|IL]], was founded in 2001 and moved into their Storefront space at 3809 N Broadway in June 2006.

{{notability|Companies|date=April 2011}}

'''Oracle Productions''' ('''Oracle Theatre Company''') was a [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]] based [[theatre|theatre company]] founded in 2001. Oracle moved into a storefront space at 3809 N Broadway in June 2006. In 2010 Oracle moved to a theater model dubbed "Public Access Theatre".<ref>{{cite web|last=Isaacs|first=Deanna|title=Thinking Outside the Black Box Oracle Productions repositions itself as "public access theater."|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/oracle-productions-public-arts-organization-free-theater/Content?oid=2223865|access-date=3 May 2011|publisher=chicagoreader.com|date=August 12, 2010}}</ref> Their "store front" style influenced the first shop front theatre of the [[United Kingdom|UK]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wwwm.coventry.ac.uk/researchnet/ice/Documents/ICE_Theatre%20Absolute%20Shop%20Front%20Theatre.pdf|title=Shop Front Theatre One year on|publisher=www.coventry.ac.uk/ice|access-date=3 May 2011}}</ref> Oracle ceased operations at the end of 2016 citing personal changes for their Executive Producer and Director.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Greene|first1=Morgan|title=Oracle Productions, home of free theater, is closing|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/news/ct-oracle-to-close-20161212-story.html|website=Chicago Tribune|publisher=Chicago Tribune|access-date=3 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Closing Oracle|url=http://publicaccesstheatre.org/projects/in-closing/|website=Oracle Productions|publisher=Oracle Productions|access-date=3 April 2017}}</ref>

Oracles Mission is to produce art and make it free. Oracle achieves this mission by a unique theater model called "Public Access Theatre," which they introduced to [[Chicago|Chicago]] in 2010.<ref name=ReaderPAT>[http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/oracle-productions-public-arts-organization-free-theater/Content?oid=2223865 Thinking Outside The Black Box]</ref>

==Company Members==

'''David Boren''' Director of Programming, Resident Evil<br />

'''Jamie Bragg''' Company Member<br />

'''Aaron DeYoung''' Company Member emeritus<br />

'''Nicole Dixon''' Event Manager<br />

'''Hale Ekinci''' Curator, Oracle Art<br />

'''Ben Fuchsen''' Artistic Director<br />

'''Colby Hanik''' Company Member emeritus, Rep of Broad Shoulders Productions<br />

'''Brad Jayhan-Little''' Executive Director<br />

'''Jackson King''' Company Member<br />

'''Chris Neil''' Company Member emeritus, Founding Member<br />

'''Stephanie Polt''' Company Member<br />

'''Joan Pritchard''' Company Member, Resident Costume Designer<br />

'''Bill Ryan''' Artistic Director, Oracle Film<br />

'''Laura K. Smith''' Company Member<br />

'''Demetrios Troy''' Company Member emeritus, Founding Member<br />

'''Max Truax''' Outreach Director<br />

'''James Ogden''' Company Member<br />

<ref name=company>[http://oracletheatre.org/Company.htm Oracle Production's Company Members]</ref>

==Past Productions==

*2011 ''[[Woyzeck]]'' (written by [[Georg Buchner]], directed by Max Truax)<ref>{{cite web|last=Kolb|first=Laura|title=Woyzeck - Centerstage Show Review|url=http://centerstagechicago.com/theatre/shows/10792.html|publisher=centerstagechicago.com|access-date=3 May 2011|date=Mar 21, 2011}}</ref>

'''The [[Woyzeck|Woyzeck]] Project'''

*2010 ''[[Blood Wedding (play)|Blood Wedding]] (written by [[Federico García Lorca]], directed by Ben Fuchsen)''<ref>{{cite web|last=Thompson|first=Zac|title=Blood Wedding|url=http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/theater/92243/blood-wedding|publisher=timeoutchicago.com|date=10 October 2010|access-date=3 May 2011}}</ref>

Film Short

*2010 ''[[The Ghost Sonata]] (written by [[August Strindberg]], directed by Max Truax,<ref>{{cite web|last=Colburn|first=Randall|title=Review: The Ghost Sonata @ Oracle Theatre|url=http://www.gapersblock.com/ac/2010/05/09/review-the-ghost-sonata-oracle-theatre/|publisher=gapersblock.com|access-date=May 3, 2011|date=May 9, 2010}}</ref> Newcity's Top 5 Shows 2010 - according to Neal Ryan Shaw,<ref>{{cite web|title=Newcity’s Top 5 of Everything 2010: Stage|url=http://newcitystage.com/2010/12/21/the-top-5-of-everything-2010-stage/|publisher=newcitystage.com|access-date=3 May 2011}}</ref> nominated for a [[Jeff Award]] in Lighting Design<ref>{{cite web|title=Non-Equity Jeff Award Recipients|url=http://www.jeffawards.org/Nominees/recipients_nonequity.cfm|publisher=jeffawards.org|access-date=3 May 2011}}</ref>)''

Released 2011

*2010 ''The Adventures of [[Philip Marlowe]]: The Hairpin Turn (adaptation of the radio play, directed by Max Truax and Lyndsay Kane)''{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}

Dir: Craig Erpelding

*2010 ''The Castle (written by [[Howard Baker]], directed by Ben Fuchsen and Justin Warren)''<ref>{{cite web|title=Review "The Castle" at Oracle Theatre: The Castle Closes March 6th|url=http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/the-fourth-walsh/2010/03/review-the-castle-at-oracle-theatre-the-castle-closes-march-6th.html|publisher=chicagonow.com|access-date=3 May 2011|date=5 March 2010}}</ref>

*2009 ''Disturbed''

[[Blood_Wedding (play)|'''Blood Wedding''']]

*2009 ''Zero (written by Chris O'Connell, directed by Ben Fuchsen)''<ref>{{cite web|last=Abarbanel|first=Jonathan|title=Theater Review: Zero|url=http://www.windycitytimes.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=21163|publisher=windycitytimes.com|access-date=3 May 2011|date=2009-05-13}}</ref>

Fall 2010

*2008 ''Disturbed III''<ref>{{cite web|last=Polkow|first=Dennis|title=Review: Disturbed III/Oracle Productions|url=http://newcitystage.com/2008/10/13/review-disturbed-iii-oracle-productions/|publisher=newcitystage.com|access-date=3 May 2011|date=13 October 2008}}</ref>

Dir: Ben Fuchsen

*2008 ''Termen Vox Machina (written by M. Deegan, directed by Max Truax,<ref>{{cite web|last=Keller|first=Craig|title=Termen Vox Machina|url=http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/theater/57586/termen-vox-machina|publisher=timeoutchicago.com|access-date=3 May 2011|date=July 6, 2008}}</ref> Newcity's Top 5 Memorable Productions by a Smaller Theatre Troupe 2008 - according to Fabrizio O. Almeida<ref>{{cite web|title=Newcity’s Top 5 of Everything 2008: Stage|url=http://newcitystage.com/2008/12/30/newcitys-top-5-of-everything-2008-stage/|publisher=newcitystage.com|access-date=3 May 2011}}</ref>)''

*2007 ''Disturbed II''

[[The_Ghost_Sonata|'''The Ghost Sonata''']]

*2007 ''Scotland Road (written by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by Ben Fuchsen)''<ref>{{cite web|last=Sullivan|first=Catey|title=Theater: Scotland Road|url=http://outlineschicago.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=14865|publisher=outlineschicago.com|access-date=3 May 2011|date=2007-05-09}}</ref>

Spring 2010

*2006 ''Show Game Live''

Dir: Max Truax

*2006 ''Disturbed''

*2006 ''[[The Actor's Nightmare]] (written by [[Christopher Durang]], directed by Aaron Shapiro)''<ref name="backstage">{{cite web|last=Valancy|first=Zev N.|title=Review: 'The Actor's Nightmare and Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You'|url=http://www.backstage.com/bso/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003054748|publisher=backstage.com|access-date=3 May 2011|date=Aug 29, 2006}}</ref>

'''The Adventures of [[Philip_Marlowe|Philip Marlowe]]: The Hairpin Turn'''

*2006 ''[[Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You]] (written by [[Christopher Durang]], directed by Aaron Shapiro)''<ref name="backstage" />

2010 Tour

*2006 ''[[Tape (play)|Tape]] (written by [[Stephen Belber]], directed by Ben Fuchsen, Newcity Chicago - Top 5 Memorable Productions by Smaller Theater Troupes 2007<ref>{{cite web|title=Newcity's Top 5 of Everything 2006|url=http://www.newcitychicago.com/chicago/6067.html|publisher=newcitychicago.com|access-date=3 May 2011|date=2007-01-02}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=April 2011}})''

Oracle Outreach

*2005 [[Line (play)|''Line'']]

Dir: Max Truax & Lyndsay Kane

*2005 ''Lakestreet Extensions''

'''The Castle'''

Winter 2010

Dir: Ben Fuchsen & Justin Warren

'''Disturbed'''

Fall 2009

Dir: Ben Fuchsen

'''Zero'''

Summer 2009

Dir: Ben Fuchsen

'''Disturbed III'''

Fall 2008

Dir: Ben Fuchsen

'''Termen Vox Machina'''

Summer 2008

Dir: Max Truax

'''Disturbed II'''

Fall 2007

Dir: Colby Hanik

'''Scotland Road'''

Spring 2007

Dir: Ben Fuchsen

'''Show Game Live'''

Fall/Winter 2006

Dir: Katie Hawkey

'''Disturbed'''

Fall 2006

Dir: Brad Jayhan-Little

'''[[The_Actor%27s_Nightmare|The Actor’s Nightmare]] & [[Sister_Mary_Explains_It_All|Sister Mary Ignatius Explains it All for You]]'''

Summer 2006

Dir: Aaron Shapiro

[[Tape_(play)|'''Tape''']]

Spring 2006

Dir: Ben Fuchsen

[[Line_(play)|'''Line''']]

Fall 2005

Dir: Aaron Shapiro

'''Lakestreet Extensions'''

Summer 2005

Dir: Aaron Shapiro

==Awards and Citations==

[[Tape_(play)|'''Tape''']] - June 2006 <br />

[[Newcity|Newcity Chicago]] Top 5 Shows of the year<ref name=Tape5>[http://www.newcitychicago.com/chicago/6067.html 2006's Top 5 Memorable Productions by Smaller Theater Troupes]</ref>

'''Termen Vox Machina''' - May/June 2010<br />

[[Newcity|Newcity Chicago]] Top 5 Shows<ref name=Termen5>[http://newcitystage.com/2008/12/30/newcitys-top-5-of-everything-2008-stage/ Top 5 Memorable Productions by a Smaller Theatre Troupe (2008)]</ref><br />

On Chicago Theatre Blog - Top of 2008<ref name=Termen51>[http://onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com/2008_12_01_archive.html On Chicago Theatre Blog - Top of 2008]</ref>

[[The_Ghost_Sonata|'''The Ghost Sonata''']] - May/June 2010 - <br />

[[Joseph_Jefferson_Awards|Jeff Awards]] - Recommended Shows<ref name=GhostJEFF>[http://www.jeffawards.org/jeffplays/detailn.cfm?production_id=5167 Jeff Awards - Recommended Shows]</ref><br />

[[Newcity|Newcity Chicago]]Top 5 Shows (2010)<ref name=Ghost5>[http://newcitystage.com/2010/12/21/the-top-5-of-everything-2010-stage/ Top 5 Shows (2010)]</ref>

==International Ties==

Oracle Productions is cited as the company that influenced the UK's first shop front Theatre.<ref name=ShopFront1>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2009/dec/11/theatre-absolute-chip-shop-drama The Guardian - Deep-fried drama: how a chip shop was transformed into a forward-thinking theatre]</ref> During the production of Zero, play writer and producer Chris O'Connell visited Oracle Productions. During that time, Oracle and Chris had many conversations about [[Chicago_Theatre|Chicago Store Front theatre]] and its viability in the [[London_theatres|London scene]]. After this trip, Chris O'Connell returned to the UK and petitioned the local government to sponsor the opening of UK's first Shop Front Theatre.<ref name=ShopFront2>[http://wwwm.coventry.ac.uk/researchnet/ice/Documents/ICE_Theatre%20Absolute%20Shop%20Front%20Theatre.pdf Conventry University Study - Year 1]</ref><ref name=ShopFront3>[http://www.midlandsbusinessnews.co.uk/2011-02/austerity-theatre-first-uk-shop-front-theatre-one-year-on.aspx Midlands Business News - First UK Shop Front Theatre one year on]</ref>

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External Linkslinks==

Oracle{{Official Productions Website[website|http://www.oracletheatre.org]]|name=Oracle Productions website}}

{{Chicago}}

{{Chicago mtp}}

[[Category:TheaterTheatre companies in Chicago]]

[[Category:Chicago Not for Profit]]

[[Category:Avant Garde Art]]