Behind the ‘Line

View Articles:

To Catch a Fish: Behind-the-scenes with AnJi White

AnJi White With performances of To Catch A Fish heading in to their final weeks, we wanted to take some time to talk to the actors and give them a chance to share about their experience with the show. So we’ll be releasing features on some of the cast members as they share about themselves and what makes this play an important part of Chicago’s summer theatre scene. To Catch A Fish is inspired by ...
Read More >

“We had to let our characters shine through”

“To Catch a Fish” director Ron OJ Parson (from left) and playwright Brett Neveu, with investigative journalist John Diedrich in Milwaukee. In a recent conversation with co-dramaturg Tanya Palmer (TP), playwright Brett Neveu (BN) describes the writing and research process for To Catch a Fish, ...
Read More >

You can take a class on this

As a Company Member and Resident Dramaturg at TimeLine, I have often left a post-show discussion with audience members saying to me, “I could take a whole class on that.” Dramaturg Maren Robinson (wearing the red hat) and Beyond the ‘Line class participants during a ...
Read More >

An interview with playwright Anna Ziegler

Playwright Anna Ziegler Enjoy this “Backstory Bonus” interview between TimeLine Artistic Director PJ Powers (PJP) and playwright Anna Ziegler (AZ): (PJP) Can you share how this play began for you? (AZ) I was interested in writing about gender, and I discovered a Rolling Stone article ...
Read More >

Exploring the roots of a revolution

Something profound is happening around gender, whether we choose to see it or not. – National Geographic Earlier this year National Geographic declared us to be in the midst of a “gender revolution.” It’s no secret that issues affecting transgender and intersex people have recently pushed to the forefront of news cycles and legislative agendas alike. Much of the discussion, of course, is sensationalized. And as a result, art that sheds light on these stories ...
Read More >

“She knows Greek!”

Warning: the following blog post contains spoilers for In The Next Room or the vibrator play.  Melissa Canciller as Mrs. Sabrina Daldry (left) and Dana Tretta as Annie in TimeLine’s production of “In the Next Room or the vibrator play.” So many of the most ...
Read More >

A second chance with Sarah Ruhl

Tonight we open the second production of TimeLine’s 21st Season, Sarah Ruhl’s funny and beautiful In the Next Room or the vibrator play. We couldn’t be happier to have Sarah’s work on our stage, at long last, after years admiring her artistry. I admit, however, ...
Read More >

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

TimeLine’s mission is to learn from the past to better understand where we are today and to inform what we do tomorrow. With widening divides in our country, it seems harder and harder to identify what lessons have truly been learned from history. What progress ...
Read More >

A work of art inspired by PARADISE

True Jazz is a living, breathing thing. Melodies dance about, changing and shifting as different instruments take the forefront. A smooth piano solo flows into a trumpet riff that inspires a bouncing bass take over, which creates a new foundation—leading the whole lot to start all ...
Read More >