history

Urban Theater Company (UTC) was founded in 2005 by a Latino ensemble deeply rooted in their community and culture. In 2005, UTC presented its inaugural production of Miguel Piñero’s 1974 Drama Critics Circle Award and Obie Award-winning play Short Eyes, directed by Court Theatre’s Resident Artist/Director Ron OJ Parson. The theatrical community’s support of UTC’s inaugural offering and the critical success of Short Eyes led to UTC dedicating its Premiere Season to producing the Major Plays of Miguel Piñero. In 2006, UTC produced two more Piñero plays, both Midwest Premieres: The Sun Always Shines for the Cool, directed by UTC Co-Founder Madrid St. Angelo and Eulogy for A Small Time Thief, directed by Collaboraction Theater’s Joel Moormon. Both plays were critically acclaimed by Chicago’s theatrical community and garnered UTC with two awards and citations: PerformInk and Gay Chicago’s Top Ten Best of the Year, The Sun Always Shines for the Cool; After Dark Best Actor and Best Set Design, UTC Co-Founder, Ivan Vega and Jorge Félix, respectively.

As a platform for multicultural representation in the arena of performance and story-telling, UTC continues to serve as a bridge between artists of all mediums, our varying and respective communities of color and our communities’ youth. UTC engages itself in the work of community responsibility and has worked to raise awareness concerning many of the social issues facing our diverse backgrounds.

 

 

founders

Marilyn Camacho
Madrid St. Angelo
Ivan Vega

HISTORIC TIMELINE

}
2003

Incorporated

Initially incorporated as Teatro Urbano and was an in house theater at Segundo Ruiz Belviz Cultural Center when located at 1632 N. Milwaukee (Wicker Park).

}
2005

Re-Incorporated

Reincorporated as UrbanTheater Company (UTC). It was co-founded by Ivan Vega, Marilyn Camacho, Madrid St. Angelo, Ramses Jimenez, Blas Ortiz, and Remy O’Brien. The season was inaugurated with “Short Eyes” by Miguel Piñero directed by Ron OJ Parson.

}
2006-9

Plays Continue

Plays by Miguel Piñero and José Rivera with guest directors Joel Moorman and Nikkieli DeMone

\
2010

UTC Gaining Recognition

Marti Lyons directs “Brain People” and UTC gains recognition and performs and partners with the Goodman for the Latino Theater Festival.

}
2011

Steppenwolf Collaboration

Steppenwolf invites UTC to the Garage Rep, we present Midwest premier “Sonnets For an Old Century”

}
2013

Hombolt Park becomes Permanant Home

UTC makes Humboldt Park its permanent home!

}
2014

Community Involvement

The launch of Teatro Thursdays and Teatro Sunday’s Brunch and Play by partnering with Humboldt Park restaurants to give the community exposure and increase revenue for local businesses.

}
2015

Collaboration with Genesis Theatrical

Awarded $25,000 in collaboration with Genesis Theatrical from Chicago Community Trust for Culture and Diversity

}
2016

Mikey O Partnership

>Mikey O partnership and present a sold-out production of Carmen Rivera’s “La Gringa”

}
2017

Implementation of Board of Directors & More

Implementation of Board of Directors – invited to be a part of CLATA’s inaugural International Latino Festival and are awarded $12,500, Began a partnership with Pa’ Lante Theater Company “From Humboldt Park to Holyoke” with a travel production of “La Gringa” in Holyoke, MA with a 48.4% Puerto Rican population.

}
2018

Rebuild of La Esceula de Artes Plásticas y Diseños

Raised 10K with the help of community partners to rebuild La Esceula de Artes Plásticas y Diseños in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico with a performance of “La Gringa”

More Info

}
2019

Funds Awarded

Awarded $16,500 from Arts Work Fund, $30,000 from Field Foundation and $25,000 from Paul M. Angell Foundation.

Address

2620 W. Division St.
Chicago, IL 60622
312 767-UTC1

directions

BOX OFFICE Hours

Monday - Friday: 10am – 5pm
Weekends: 10am – 9pm
Holidays: Closed

Buy Tickets
Donate

Follow

Stay in the loop