The History of Profiles Theatre
Profiles Theatre is a not-for-profit professional theatre company and has been producing plays in Chicago for over 18 years. Founded in 1988 by five Eastern Illinois University alumni, the company was originally called Profiles Performance Ensemble.
Profiles was in residence at the Wright College Theatre Building until 1990, when Artisitic Director Joe Jahraus directed Profiles' first play at the theatre's current home (4147 N. Broadway) - a hit production of David Mamet's Sexual Perversity in Chicago. The following year, Associate Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox joined the ensemble. Darrell has a B.F.A. in Theatre from Sam Houston State University in Texas and first performed with Profiles in their long-running production of Sam Shepard's True West. Profiles shortly thereafter became the resident company at the Broadway address, formerly known as Red Bones Theatre, and took over all management responsibilities for the 50-seat theatre.
The ensemble officially changed the name of the company and of the theatre space to Profiles Theatre in 1995. Today, Profiles still maintains a small, tightly knit ensemble whose other members include Eric Burgher (2003), Julie Zarlenga (2005), Paul Jaquith (2007), Greg Yaeger (1994), Sal V. Armano (1993), Wayne Karl (1990), and Cindi Jahraus (1988).
Profiles Theatre's primary goal is to bring new works to Chicago that illuminate the determination and resiliency of the human spirit. They produce World, US and Midwest Premieres by promising new playwrights, as well as established writers whose work has been seen across the country and around the world. They take pride in carefully selecting scripts that combine integrity with risk and are particularly drawn to playwrights with a unique narrative style and use of language. Profiles Theatre is committed to producing plays that tell a story in a captivating way, ones that will complement the ensemble and speak to their audience.
Click here to read the Chicago Tribune article" Profiles Theatre Not Afraid to Push the Envelope"
Click here to read the PerformInk article on Profiles Theatre
Profiles Theatre est. 1988 | Design by Digital Ephemera