What a year 2013 was!
TimeLine was involved in five productions in three venues during the year, a diverse selection of plays that included Naomi Iizuka’s Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West, J.T. Rogers’ Blood and Gifts and Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun at TimeLine’s home space on Wellington Avenue, Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart at Stage 773, and the remount of our 2010 hit To Master the Art by William Brown and Doug Frew at the Broadway Playhouse, presented by the Chicago Commercial Collective and Broadway in Chicago.
But our offerings were just a small part of the incredible array of great theatre produced in Chicago last year! So it was particularly gratifying to see TimeLine productions named on several 2013 “Best of the Year” lists. Here’s a compilation, plus a couple of other fun items you may have missed:
The Wall Street Journal
In an article about how theatres must highlight their intimacy to combat the “stay-at-home” and “on-demand” mindsets of today’s society, Terry Teachout included TimeLine among a short list of “first-rank U.S. theater companies.” Read the article >>
American Theatre magazine
In a major feature for the January issue of this national publication, writer Kerry Reid followed production manager John Kearns as he worked on load-in of The Normal Heart, illuminating what it takes to be “figure-outer-in-chief” for TimeLine! Read the article >>
Chicago Sun-Times
Hedy Weiss named both Blood and Gifts and The Normal Heart to her Top 10 for the year, and included A Raisin in the Sun and To Master the Art as close runners-up. Read the article >>
Chicago Tribune
Chris Jones named A Raisin in the Sun #2 on his list of the 10 best Chicago theater shows. Read the article >>
Chicago magazine
Catey Sullivan named both A Raisin in the Sun and The Normal Heart to her top 10 best Chicago theater shows of 2013. Read the article >>
Time Out Chicago
Time Out Chicago named The Normal Heart #3 on its list of “Best Plays in Chicago theater” and the cast of A Raisin in the Sun as among the top 10 “Outstanding Ensembles.” Read the article >>
Chicago Reader (also printed in the Chicago Sun-Times)
Tony Adler recounted his favorites of 2013, including the remount of To Master the Art. Read the article >>
Broadway World
The website named A Raisin in the Sun among Chicago’s Ten Best of the year. Read the article >>
Ada Grey Reviews
9-year-old Ada named To Master the Art to her top 10 of 2013, reminding us that “people who would like this show are people who like food, France, and fun!” Read the article >>
And for some fun:
TimeLine staff and The Normal Heart cast and crew videotaped “happy holidays” messages for a compilation video from the entire theater community put together by the Chicago Tribune. Watch the video >>
We are grateful for all of this recognition and want to thank all the artists, subscribers, donors and supporters who made 2013 so special. Here’s to a wonderful 2014!