named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Blood, Sweat, and Queers
U.S. production of a contemporary Czech play about athlete Zdenek Koubek, who transitioned from female to male, set against the rise of 1930s fascism and exploring transphobia and gender norms.
Cabaret in Captivity
Annual performance of songs and sketches written in Terezín/Theresienstadt during the Holocaust, drawn from Lisa Peschel's anthology and other sources, highlighting art as a survival mechanism under oppression.
Exagoge
Immersive opera/play/Passover seder based on the 2nd century BCE Jewish play by Ezekiel the Tragedian, blending ancient text with modern interfaith dialogue.
Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival
Annual festival presenting contemporary Central and Eastern European plays that explore political dissent, historical trauma, and human rights, in collaboration with the Václav Havel Center.
The Left Hand of Darkness
Puppet theater adaptation of Ursula K. Le Guin’s novel, exploring gender and identity through innovative puppetry, presented at the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival.
The Shylock and the Shakespeareans
Darkly humorous reimagining of Shakespeare’s "The Merchant of Venice," exploring antisemitism, identity, and authorship.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Professional Theatrical Production 3 activities
- Producing new and adapted theatrical worksCreates and stages new or adapted theatrical productions, including a puppet adaptation of Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness, a darkly humorous retelling of The Merchant of Venice (2023), and the first dramatic adaptation of Norman Manea’s The Hooligan's Return. Also produced a theatrical work based on the life of Zdenek Koubek, titled Blood, Sweat, and Queers.
- Producing themed theatrical festivalsOrganizes and produces themed festivals of theatrical work, such as dedicated festivals for Václav Havel and Eugène Ionesco, and participates in international festivals like the Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival and the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival.
- Staging non-commercial theatrical productionsProduces and stages theatrical works that are not commercially viable, including contemporary, classic, and experimental plays, often with themes of historical and social significance. The company has produced works over a 25+ year period, some of which have been restaged multiple times.
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Experimental Circus and Immersive Theater Production 1 activity
- Hosting public performances and eventsHosts scheduled public performances and events at various venues, including Torn Page Salon and the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, as well as international appearances such as the Edinburgh Fringe (2025). Events include post-performance discussions with guest speakers on topics like translation and trans athletes in history.
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Post-Performance Audience Engagement 1 activity
- Staging readings and public discussions on dissident literatureCo-organizes and presents free public staged readings of contemporary plays by European playwrights, particularly from Estonia, Lithuania, and Ukraine, as part of the Rehearsal for Truth Spring Readings. Also hosts public events such as "Dissident Power in Havel’s Vanek," featuring author talks and dramatic excerpts from works by Václav Havel and other dissident playwrights.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Presenting performances from Terezín/TheresienstadtStages songs and sketches written by inmates in the Terezín/Theresienstadt concentration camp during the Holocaust, sourced from Lisa Peschel's anthology Performing Captivity, Performing Escape and other materials, to demonstrate how art served as a survival technique. These performances have been presented under titles such as Cabaret in Captivity at multiple venues in the U.S. and internationally.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$115K
Contributions & grants$112K98%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$3K3%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$107K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$83K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$80K
5 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -0.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berit Johnson | Director | 1 | $4K |
| Alyssa Simon | Director | 1 | $4K |
| Ramona Ponce | Director | 1 | $2K |
| Craig Anderson | Director | 1 | $1K |
| Patrice Miller | Secretary | 1 | $700 |
board members · 4
- Edward Einhorn — President/Artistic Director
- Ian W Hill — Director
- Rebecca Silbert — Director
- Yvonne Roen — Director
relationships · 22
Who they work with
- Chicago DCASE Government — Received support from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
- Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival Partner — Hosts the production of "The Left Hand of Darkness" as part of its festival programming
- Chicago Puppet Festival Partner — Presented a production as part of the festival programming.
- Gilded Balloon Partner — Venue partner hosting the production at the Edinburgh Fringe.
- Jim Henson Foundation Funder — Received financial or artistic support for a puppetry-based theatrical production.
- National Jewish Theater Foundation Partner — Collaborates with the National Jewish Theater Foundation as part of its Remembrance Readings program and Holocaust Theater International Initiative
- National Jewish Theater Foundation Partner — Collaborates with the National Jewish Theater Foundation as part of its Remembrance Readings program and Holocaust Theater International Initiative.
- National Jewish Theater Foundation—Holocaust Theater International Initiative Partner — Collaborates with the National Jewish Theater Foundation’s Holocaust Theater International Initiative as part of its Remembrance Readings program.
- National Jewish Theater Foundation—Holocaust Theater International Initiative Partner — Includes "Cabaret in Captivity" performances as part of its Remembrance Readings program
- New Ohio Theater Partner — Hosted the performance of The Shylock and the Shakespeareans.
- Northwestern University School of Communication Government — Provided support through the Astere E. Claeyssens Artist-in-Residence program for a company member.
- Northwestern University School of Communication Government — Provides support through the Astere E. Claeyssens Artist-in-Residence program for the production of "The Left Hand of Darkness"
- Northwestern University School of Communication Government — Received support through the Astere E. Claeyssens Artist-in-Residence program.
- Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival Partner — Co-presents the production "Blood, Sweat, and Queers" as part of an international theater festival
- Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival Partner — Features "Blood, Sweat, and Queers" as part of its festival lineup
- Romanian Cultural Institute Partner — Hosts the workshop presentation of "The Hooligan's Return" in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day
- Ursula K. Le Guin Literary Trust Partner — Produced a theatrical adaptation with formal permission from the literary estate.
- Vladimir Morávek Partner — Collaborated on a theatrical production combining _The Pig_ with Smetana’s _The Bartered Bride_ for the 2010 Theatre World Brno festival.
- Václav Havel Center Partner — Co-produces the Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival’s Spring Readings and other festival events
- Václav Havel center Partner — Collaborates with Untitled Theater Company No. 61 on the 2025 Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival’s Spring Readings.
- Yara Arts Partner — Provided additional support for a theatrical production.
- Yara Arts Group Partner — Co-produced a theatrical production with additional support.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Absurdist Theater for Recovering Suppressed Narrativesmethodology: absurdist-theaterBy using absurdist theater—blending tragedy, comedy, music, puppetry, and technology—the company recovers and re-presents historically suppressed stories, especially of LGBTQ+ individuals, because the form’s disorienting logic enables critical reflection on ongoing social injustices.
- Art as Survival Through Historical Performancemethodology: art-as-survivalBy performing historical works created under oppression—particularly from Terezín/Theresienstadt—the company demonstrates how artistic expression functions as psychological, emotional, and cultural survival, because engaging with such art preserves memory and strengthens moral resilience in the present.
- Theater of Ideas as Transformative Engagementmethodology: theater-of-ideasBy producing theater that centers scientific, political, and philosophical inquiry, the company aims to transform audiences and artists through intellectual and moral engagement, because such art fosters deeper understanding of contemporary crises and dissident thought.