TUTA was established in 1995 in Washington, DC by co-founders Zeljko and Natasha Djukic, who brought a unique sense of artistic expression from their European homeland. In 2002, they relocated the company to Chicago. In 2013, longtime company member Jacqueline Stone was named the Artistic Director of the organization. In the ensuing decades, TUTA has presented numerous U.S. premieres of foreign plays from France, Russia, Austria, and Serbia. TUTA has produced 6 world premieres, 5 U.S. premieres, 5 Midwest premieres and a number of modern re-imagining of classics (such as The Birds, Uncle Vanya, Romeo and Juliet and The Dumb Waiter). TUTA’s productions have been listed on Chicago critics’ ‘best of the year’ list 7 times in the past 10 years, and have been produced nationally (in NYC and LA) and internationally (in Serbia with the National Theatre in Belgrade). In the 2015-16 season TUTA presented the U.S. premiere of Music Hall by French playwright Jean-Luc Lagarce in both Chicago and Off-Broadway in NYC, and the Midwest premiere of The Edge of Our Bodies by Pulitzer Prize finalist Adam Rapp in their Ravenswood home space. Most recently, TUTA produced the World Premiere of Gentle.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
TUTA prides itself on producing lesser known works, which has created challenges with marketing. We work hard to give audiences background information on the playwrights we premiere, and new work that is often unheard of in Chicago to grow our audiences.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about TUTA Theatre Chicago – what should we know?
TUTA’s mission is to excite the American audience with theatre that is both relevant and challenging in both form and/or content. TUTA continually searches for the unique and exceptional in the language of theatre, be it verbal, physical, or visual, to express ideas and expose questions vital to contemporary American society. TUTA is committed to producing theatrical and educational events that bridge all forms of cultural and geographical divides.
TUTA produces theater with two major goals in mind: achieving excellence in theater as an art form, and fostering dialogue with the audience by offering new perspectives about present-day issues. By producing foreign, lesser-known, contemporary and classical plays, TUTA brings to Chicago audiences extraordinary works that probe themes and issues of contemporary American life, examined through a broader, international context. TUTA’s approach to foreign works fills the gap for true “foreign” voices in Chicago’s theater community. Up to 40% of our audience speak a language other than English as their first language. TUTA is proud to be an artistic “gateway” for this audience, with a physical, musical theatrical style that translates across cultures. Over the years, the primary way TUTA reaches its audiences are through selection of material, advertising in culturally relevant publications and websites, and partnerships with consulates, cultural centers, and community based organizations.
TUTA’s year-round educational programs open to the public have been in existence since 2004 and serve to teach professional actors and the company’s unique approach to exploring well known classics and rarely produced plays. Classes and workshops are facilitated by TUTA’s artistic leadership team and range from one day to 8 weeks. Program curriculums use exercises and improvisations that focus on TUTA’s approach to the actor’s body, use of space, and establishing a physical vocabulary that allows a foundation for scene work.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
TUTA has a diverse set of gifted company members and guest artists that make it uniquely qualified to create premiere theatre events. TUTA has a longer development and incubation period where all involved artists can freely create, collaborate with each other, and then make final adjustments before a show’s opening. TUTA’s process is experimental, thorough and co-created in rehearsal under the careful guidance of the director.
Pricing:
- Tickets for productions range from $25-$35
Contact Info:
- Address: Mailing Address:
5315 N. Clark St, Ste #171
Chicago, IL 60640 - Website: www.tutatheatre.org
- Email: info@tuta-theatre.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tutatheatrechicago/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tutatheatre?lang=en
Image Credit:
Dani Tucker
Carolyn Molloy
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