The Tony Awards Administration Committee has announced that based on the recommendation by the American Theatre Critics Association, Court Theatre of Chicago will be the recipient of the 2022 Regional Theatre Tony Award. The honor is accompanied by a grant of $25,000, made possible by City National Bank’s generous support.
Court Theatre is the professional theatre of the University of Chicago, dedicated to innovation, inquiry, intellectual engagement, and community service. Functioning as the University’s Center for Classic Theatre, Court and its artists mount theatrical productions and audience enrichment programs in collaboration with faculty. These collaborations enable a re-examination of classic texts that pose the enduring and provocative questions that define the human experience. Now in its 67th Season, Court Theatre was founded in 1955 as an outdoor summer theatre at the University of Chicago. In 1971, classics professor Nicholas Rudall assumed the role of director and conceived Court’s tradition of translating and adapting classic texts for contemporary audiences. In 1981, Court built its current home, the intimate, 251-seat Abelson Auditorium. Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, has led Court since 1994, alongside Angel Ysaguirre who has been the Executive Director since 2018.
“We are thrilled to present the 2022 Regional Theatre Tony Award to Court Theatre,” said Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing and Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League. “Their dedication to fostering local talent, artistry and theatre within their community and their impact on a national scale, makes it a true honor to highlight their work.”
“Since my start at Court in 1993, it has been my life’s joy to be a member of this vibrant, fertile community. This award belongs to them. It belongs to the Court community, the South Side community, and the University of Chicago community. It belongs to everyone who has fought to see themselves onstage and belongs to everyone who has been moved by the power of storytelling. That is why we do what we do. Any recognition for that—let alone recognition of this caliber—is a delightful and thrilling gift. My feelings of gratitude mirror Cymbeline’s Imogen, ‘for mine’s beyond beyond,’ said Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director of Court Theatre.
“An award of this caliber comes after decades of work. While I have only been at Court a short number of years - and have therefore only played a part in this recognition - the time I have spent at Court has been uniquely powerful. I am consistently moved by the quality of the art, the steadfast commitment of both our artists and audiences, and an ever-deepening commitment to engaging community. This monumental recognition is a celebration of those decades of fulfilling and rewarding work, and I could not be more proud,” stated Angel Ysaguirre, Executive Director, Court Theatre.
Court Theatre endeavors to make a lasting contribution to classic American theatre by expanding the canon of translations, adaptations, and classic texts. The theatre revives lost masterpieces; illuminates familiar texts; explores the African American theatrical canon; and discovers fresh, modern classics. Court is dedicated to the curation of large-scale, interdisciplinary theatrical experiences that fully access the intellectual resources that surround the theatre at the University of Chicago. Court engages and inspires its audience by providing artistically distinguished productions, audience enrichment activities, and student educational experiences. In all of this work, we are committed to recognizing, addressing, and eradicating racism, as we strive to better serve our South Side community. https://www.courttheatre.org
Academy Award winner and Tony nominee Ariana DeBose will host The 75th Annual Tony Awards, airing live coast-to-coast, on Sunday, June 12th (8:00-11:00 PM, LIVE ET/5:00-8:00 PM, LIVE PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming live and on demand on Paramount+. Julianne Hough and Darren Criss will host “The Tony Awards: Act One,” one hour of exclusive content streaming live, only on Paramount+ (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/4:00-5:00 PM, PT.)