Let your imagination take flight...
The dragonfly is associated with change and transformation.
It carries joy and hope in flight, and is a symbol of luck in many cultures.
At Dragonfly Theater Company, we aspire to offer a supportive environment that helps
artists and emerging playwrights achieve their full potential
Dragonfly Theatre Company promotes a life-long appreciation of theatre
using the lessons of past classics and the bold visions within new scripts.
We do this to help every generation understand and nurture the complexity and diversity of our world.
Dragonfly Theatre Company stands with those who call for change, inclusivity, equity and equality.
We do not tolerate any form of discrimination on the basis of race, complexion, religion, creed, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of our endeavors or from
any of our participants.
We recognize that art institutions, including ours, need to work relentlessly to be
inclusive and welcoming to artists from diverse backgrounds.
Our new company welcomes and continues to encourage these artists to
join in our creative efforts.
This statement of solidarity will influence our daily practices in administration, in rehearsals and productions, and will guide our actions in all the activities of our theatre. This is an ongoing, continual movement toward a more equitable society, and
we pledge wholeheartedly to support inclusivity.
July 22 - 31, 2021
Hard Candy
by Jean Gottlieb
Hard Candy is a laugh out loud, adult themed comedy that takes a revealing look at the human side of the phone sex industry.
A consultant for the phone sex industry signs on to help a small company and finds a group of women struggling with more than slow business growth.
At once old-fashioned and forward looking, this funny, heartwarming and quirky play explores the idea of family, friendship and finding your tribe.
A virtual world premiere presentation at the BorderLight International Theatre
and Fringe Festival
July 22 - 31, 2021
Thanks to everyone who supported BorderLight Festival
and
Dragonfly Theatre!
Coming APRIL 2022
TAKE FLIGHT
New Plays Festival
An inspiring, interactive weekend of new plays that address the ideas of growth, change and transformation.
Our team of readers select the shows but the festival audience votes for the one script that will 'take flight' with a possible full production
(either virtual or live)
in our next season.
See below for updates!
October 15 - 31, 2021
GHOSTS OF WHITECHAPEL
A full-length digital play in one act
by Kate Black-Spence
(An adaptation of the stage play “Ghosts of Whitechapel” by Kate Black-Spence
and Chris Brickhouse)
Directed by Alison Henderson
Featuring:
Michelle Ho
Jessica Maynard
Carolyn Minor
Michaela Voit
Wanda B. Jin
Tickets available October 15 - 31, 2021
$10 per person
Thanks to everyone who supported
the creation and performances of
this new adaptation!
TAKE FLIGHT FESTIVAL 2022
Here are the finalists!
Lauren Bone Noble
Sheila Duane
Majkin Holmquist
Chandler Hubbard
James Kenna
Jessica Puller
Louise Schwarz
Congratulations to these playwrights who faced stiff competition from more than 400 submissions! Next, we will choose the final 2-3 plays to be read onstage at the Take Flight Festival in the spring. Stay Tuned!
A special and heartfelt THANK YOU
to all the playwrights who submitted their work!
Do you have a great new adaptation
you've been sitting on,
waiting for the right opportunity?
We are accepting submissions for adaptations of classic texts
When submitting an adaptation, please include a brief
synopsis or theme explanation (150 words or less),
a cast list with brief character descriptions,
a production or reading history,
and an author bio and contact information.
Preference will go to scripts by female/diverse authors
that incorporate modern/current ideas and themes.
The full script should be sent as a pdf attachment to DragonflyAdaptations@gmail.com.
Please allow twelve weeks before inquiring as to the status of your play.
Donate
Here are a few ideas:
-
Monetary gifts are tax exempt and any amount is deeply appreciated. Businesses will often match donations, so ask your company to give too!
-
Sponsor a show: Your name or company will be featured as the show sponsor on all related materials.
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Donate stock, IRA's or real estate, or include Dragonfly Theatre in your will. You will secure the future of our Theatre and all the artists it serves.
In Kind donations
Donate your expertise!
-
We are looking for volunteers for IT help, Web Design, Set Building, Costume Construction, to name a few.
-
Donate goods: before you throw it out, consider donating it! We need furniture for sets, clothing for costumes, assorted stuff for props.
-
Have another idea? Send us an email!
See A Show
Attend a performance!
Right now, like many other theatre companies, our productions are
limited to online shows.
We hope to be back on the boards soon, entertaining you live, but we also believe that online theatre is here to stay.
You will always find a show to watch, a story to listen to, a class to enjoy, right here on our website.
So enjoy a performance, and tell your friends about us!
Word of mouth is our best advertisement
(Please do not use this button
for ticket purchases)
AUDITION NOTICES
Wow. A whole lot of....empty...
BUT
We will soon be collecting headshots for our live spring showcase of
TAKE FLIGHT FESTIVAL play readings. Check back in
February 2022 for updates!
Mugshots and Humblebrags
Stephanie Murphy
Artistic Director
Stephanie has been working as an actor, director, playwright, and arts educator for over 15 years. Chicago credits include work with Eclectic Full Contact, HartLife Productions, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, Corn Productions, and New World Rep. She has an MFA in Performance from the University of Georgia.
Mike Speller
Artistic Director
Mike Speller began his professional acting career educating kids for CLIMB Theatre, acting with Fanny Hill Dinner Theatre, then opening Walt Disney World’s Adventurers Club. His Chicagoland credits include Timeline, City Lit, Lifeline, New World Rep, Spartan, Gallery Theater, and Mary-Arrchie companies.
As an independent artist, Mike is an accomplished writer as well. He's adapted literary classics for Fringe Festivals all over the country. He has also created original shows exploring topics from Dreams to divas, Medieval knights to men-in-crisis, not to mention rock stars and were-dogs. His shows have been staged throughout the Midwest courtesy of Strawdog Theatre, the Great Plains Theatre Conference, Bethany College, Prologue Theater, and The Mystery Shop, among others.
Jean Gottlieb
Associate Artist
Jean is the former Artistic Director of Footsteps Theatre in Chicago (1991-1999) and New World Repertory Theatre in Downers Grove (2003-2009). She graduated with honors from DePaul University’s Theatre School (formerly the Goodman School of Drama) with an MFA in Directing, and is a certified Montessori Teacher.
Jean has directed over thirty productions in her career, ranging from Shakespeare to children’s theatre to contemporary original works. She has appeared on various Chicago stages as an actress over the years, most recently appearing as Prospero in The Tempest for Hong Kong Live Play Readings. She is also a published playwright (NextStagePress.net), with three of her plays reaching full production, one receiving an After Dark Award from Gay Chicago Magazine.
Here'sWhat We Are Working On
Eavesdrop
Our unique video/podcast is a combination of interview and master class, designed to improve your game as a performer. We'll talk about the tricks of the trade and the
ins and outs of
the business.
And we'll entertain you too.
Score.
Storytime
Stories for children ages 2 - 6
We'll read original stories created just for your little ones; and we'll include a follow-up
lesson on vocabulary and comprehension.
Great for playtime, bedtime, or quiet time for mommy and daddy. We promise to make learning fun!
Storytelling
for Adults
Survival tales, romantic interludes, coming-of-age adventures, or a "normal" night out? Everyone has a story to tell. Our creative staff will help you recall, create, and share the memories and messages that connect us all.
Classes for ages 18 & older.
Let your imagination take flight...
We're new!
Although all three of us have been active in theatre for decades with other companies, Dragonfly Theatre is a brand new venture!
Interested in getting involved?
Email us to find out how!
DragonflyTheatreChicago@gmail.com
Patience please! Our website is under construction so some of the buttons may not work.
PRIVACY POLICY:
Cookies are small pieces of data stored on a site visitor's browser. They are typically used to keep track of the settings users have selected and actions they have taken on a site. We receive, collect and store any information you enter on our website or provide us in any other way (ie your email address). We may contact you to send updates about our company. For these purposes we may contact you via email. Our company is hosted on the Wix.com platform. Wix.com provides us with the online platform that allows us to sell our services to you. Your data may be stored through Wix.com’s data storage, databases and the general Wix.com applications. They store your data on secure servers behind a firewall. All direct payment gateways offered by Wix.com and others used by our company adhere to the standards set by PCI-DSS as managed by the PCI Security Standards Council, which is a joint effort of brands like Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. PCI-DSS requirements help ensure the secure handling of credit card information by our store and its service providers. We reserve the right to modify this privacy policy at any time, so please review it frequently. Changes and clarifications will take effect immediately upon their posting on the website. If we make material changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated, so that you are aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it. Wow. You even read the boring stuff. You are awesome. Want even more sleep inducing text? Visit AllAboutCookies.org