
Ensemble
An Oral History of Chicago Theater
Mark Larson(Author)
Surrey Books,U.S. (Publisher)
Published on 26. September 2019
Book
Hardback
704 pages
978-1-57284-234-2 (ISBN)
Description
Chicago is a bona fide theater town, bursting with an explosive, innovative vitality that's fed every sector of the entertainment industry-from Hollywood to Broadway to Studio 8H-for as long as it's delighted adoring local fans.
Ensemble is an in-depth, first-of-its-kind history of Chicago's internationally celebrated theater scene, spanning 65 years and told through first-person accounts from the people who made it happen.
Among many other topics, this book explores the early days of the fabled Compass Players and the legendary Second City in the '50s and '60s; the rise of internationally acclaimed ensembles like Steppenwolf in the '70s; the explosion of storefront and neighborhood companies that began in earnest in the '80s; and the enduring global influence of the city as the center of improv training and performance.
Drawing from more than 300 interviews, author Mark Larson has woven a narrative that expresses the spirit of Chicago's ensemble ethos: the voices of celebrities such as Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Asner, George Wendt, Michael Shannon, and Tracy Letts comingle with stories from designers, composers, and others who have played a crucial role in making Chicago theater so powerful, influential, and unique.
Ensemble is an in-depth, first-of-its-kind history of Chicago's internationally celebrated theater scene, spanning 65 years and told through first-person accounts from the people who made it happen.
Among many other topics, this book explores the early days of the fabled Compass Players and the legendary Second City in the '50s and '60s; the rise of internationally acclaimed ensembles like Steppenwolf in the '70s; the explosion of storefront and neighborhood companies that began in earnest in the '80s; and the enduring global influence of the city as the center of improv training and performance.
Drawing from more than 300 interviews, author Mark Larson has woven a narrative that expresses the spirit of Chicago's ensemble ethos: the voices of celebrities such as Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Asner, George Wendt, Michael Shannon, and Tracy Letts comingle with stories from designers, composers, and others who have played a crucial role in making Chicago theater so powerful, influential, and unique.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Chicago, IL
United States
Product notice
With printed dust jacket
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 241 mm
Width: 164 mm
Thickness: 58 mm
Weight
1031 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-57284-234-2 (9781572842342)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
08/2021
Agate Midway
€18.18
Available for download
Person
Mark Larson is a teacher and academic turned oral historian. He curates the website American Stories Continuum.