In Their Nature to Nuture
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“As a theater town, Chicago has opened up and become more enlightened about new plays,” says Tutterow. Yet even he admits that few newcomers can make a decent living writing for the stage alone; theater companies beset by deficits and declining attendance can seldom afford to stage an untested work, so even the most talented authors must be creative in forging a career. Rebecca Gilman, a Chicago Dramatists resident whose play Spinning Into Butter ended a successful run at the Goodman Studio Theatre last week, was recently asked to pen a new work for London’s prestigious Royal Court Theatre (her play about the Richard Speck murders, The Crime of the Century, will open this fall at the Circle Theatre in Forest Park). But most writers supplement their income with TV and film work. Rick Cleveland, another alumnus, headed to the west coast several years ago but continues to write for the stage as well.
Tutterow would like to earn a national reputation for Chicago Dramatists, pull in more playwrights from outside the city, and add a second full production starting next year, but the group may not be able to grow much without a significant increase in revenue. Tutterow and producing director Robin Stanton are the only full-time employees, and the group operates on an annual budget of only $160,000. About 60 percent of this is charitable contributions; the rest comes from ticket sales, class enrollment, theater rentals, and a $95 membership fee that permits writers to participate in readings and receive written critiques. Yet growth is less of a priority to Tutterow than adhering to the group’s original purpose. “We’re really the only theater company in Chicago devoted solely to developing new plays and nurturing playwrights,” he says, “and in 20 years our mission hasn’t changed.”
