Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Menendian.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
In 1982 I auditioned a young actress, JoAnn Montemurro, for the lead in a play I was directing in a tiny storefront in the Lakeview community of Chicago. She was cast. The show was a hit. We won all 5 of our Jeff nominations, including Outstanding Production, Director, Leading Actress and Ensemble, along with a handful of other actors we formed our own company in 1983 – Raven Theatre. Two years later we established a home base in Rogers Park where we produced many award-winning productions of great American theatre for 15 years. JoAnn and I are the co-founders and co-artistic directors of Raven Theatre
In the spring of 1999 we found out that the City of Chicago and the Board of Education, through Eminent Domain, were buying out the entire block of buildings including the one we were in, to build a new elementary school. After much hand-wringing and scrambling we were able to purchase the old Granville Certified Grocery Store, in Edgewater, in 2000. After nearly two years of development, fundraising and construction we opened our two-theatre complex in August 2002.
This is our current home where we produce modern drama, provide quality theatre education in partnership with five local Chicago Public Schools, and have established ourselves as THE cultural anchor in this corner of the city.
Has it been a smooth road?
Anything but. In the early years, we struggled to find and establish our identity. That began to crystallize after about five years of operating in our storefront home in Rogers Park, when we started producing American classics, such as ALL MY SONS and DEATH OF A SALESMAN and A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, by Arthur Miller, We also produced plays by Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee, David Mamet, and other masters of the American Theatre. Several times in our old space we came close to shutting our doors, because of typical cash-flow issues. But each time we said that if the next show did not sell we would have to shut down, it sold!
The next greatest challenge was when we lost our home in Rogers Park. We had some money in the bank but certainly nowhere near enough to shop for another space and build it out from scratch. We approached several key politicians and community leaders for assistance both financially and real estate wise. When Alderman Patrick O’Connor got wind of our challenges he stepped forward and was instrumental in assisting us with the process of acquiring TIFF support from the city, as well as support from the State of Illinois. He also facilitated communications between Raven Theatre and the bank that financed the acquisition and build-out of the old grocery story into a comfortable two-theatre complex.
The challenges are never-ending in terms of financial stability and organizational growth. In recent years, we have doubled our staff to 10 members, which means that our budget has grown considerably as well. We continue to seek ways of growing our subscription base while attracting new board members and individual donors.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Our mission is: Raven Theatre explores the human experience with dynamic and accessible productions of modern drama; conducts a vibrant education program in its diverse community; and creates a nurturing environment for patrons, students, and artists.
To this extent we are most proud of the quality of our productions, which, over the years, have garnered dozens of nominations and many awards by the Joseph Jefferson Committee, which is the equivalent of New York’s Tony and Obie Awards organizations. We have also committed to finding those plays that truly affect and reflect our own diverse community with multi-cultural themes that make a profound impact on our patrons.
Raven Theatre has a strong reputation for respecting our artists and treating them with the utmost dignity and concern for their comfort. We believe it is essential for us to create as nurturing of an environment as possible so that our artists are free to explore their talents and push the creative envelope without fear.
Raven’s theatre education program is second to none among Chicago theatres. We are extremely proud of the in depth work we do in our collaborations with area public schools. We also provide comprehensive classes at Raven and an outstanding summer camp program that orients young students (ages 6-13) on the fundamental tools of acting. Our education program not only provides local parents an outlet for their children’s creative juices, but it also enlightens young people about the beauty of live theatre. It serves as a sort of “Farm System” for Raven. Several times we have auditioned and cast some of our own students in Raven productions which required a young boy or girl in the show.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Chicago has the reputation of being a destination for many theatre artists, young and old. No other city in America has the storefront theatre scene that Chicago offers. When Raven first started in 1983, we were one of the earlier storefront theatres. There were roughly maybe 40 theatres in the city. Now there are over 200! The word was getting out nationally that Chicago was where the gritty, edgy theatre was being produced.
In many ways, the challenges of starting and operating a storefront theatre on a shoe string budget are greater than ever. The competition is fierce and there isn’t enough foundation/corporate support to go around. And never mind about government support, because that has pretty much faded away.
I would say that Chicago is still the place to be if you want to start a theatre because the energy is so strong, with so many theatre artists living here. This allows for greater risks in choosing plays and seasons, given that if you are creative enough to imagine the technical and performance challenges of a particular play you will find those artists who will be able to make it happen on a very limited budget!
The real question is can you make a living as a theatre artist in Chicago. The vast majority of us cannot. We can subsidize our income with our work in theatre but need to work in other ways to make ends meet. Many theatre artists also teach theatre and do some commercial work. The various Chicago-based tv shows have also provided a nice boost in work that pays pretty well.
The city can put more emphasis on arts education in the schools as well as arts funding through its own department of cultural affairs. The reality is that there just doesn’t seem to be the commitment nor the funds to improve in these areas. Perhaps the pendulum will swing in favor of the arts in Chicago via government support, but who knows?
Contact Info:
- Address: 6157 N. Clark St.,
Chicago, IL - Website: raventheatre.com
- Phone: 773-338-2177
- Email: info@raventheatre.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/RavenTheatre
- Twitter: Twitter.com/raventheatre
Image Credit:
All photos except early black and white are by Dean La Prairie
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