Lifeline Theatre facts for kids

Lifeline Theatre is a special theater company located in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It was started in 1983 by five friends who had just graduated from Northwestern University. Their names are Meryl Friedman, Suzanne Plunkett, Kathee Sills, Sandy Snyder Pietz, and Steve Totland.

In 1986, Lifeline Theatre found its permanent home in the Rogers Park neighborhood. This building used to be an electric power station! Now, it has a theater with 99 seats, rooms for rehearsals and offices, a workshop to build sets, and storage for costumes and props.

Awards and Recognition

Lifeline Theatre has won many awards for its plays. They are recognized for both their shows for adults and their amazing programs for children.

Chicago and Illinois Awards

Since 1986, people working at Lifeline Theatre have won 48 Joseph Jefferson Awards. These awards celebrate excellent theater in Chicago. The theater itself has been nominated for these awards 135 times! Lifeline also received After Dark awards for its great work.

In 2007, the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee gave Lifeline a special award. This was to celebrate their 25 years of contributing to Chicago's theater scene.

Lifeline is also famous for its children's shows. In 2000, New City magazine called Lifeline the Best Children's Theatre Company in Chicago. Then, in 2002, Chicago Magazine named them the Best Kids' Company.

In 1991, Lifeline received an award from the Illinois Theatre Alliance. This award was for their outstanding work in children's theater. The City of Chicago also honored Lifeline Theatre and Joyce Kilmer School in 2006. They received a special award for working together for 15 years on educational programs.

National Awards

One of Lifeline's team members, Meryl Friedman, won a national award in 1999. It was the Distinguished Play Award from the American Alliance of Theatre and Education. She won for her play Journey of the Sparrows, which was performed at Lifeline in 1996.

The American Alliance for Theater and Education also gave Lifeline a big award in 2003. It was the Sara Spencer Artistic Achievement Award. This award recognized Lifeline's long-term success in creating theater for young audiences.

Exciting Productions Over the Years

Lifeline Theatre has brought many stories to life on its MainStage. These include plays like Pride and Prejudice, Around the World in 80 Days, and Treasure Island. They also performed Neverwhere, Watership Down, and The Count of Monte Cristo.

Lifeline Theatre is also known for adapting famous books into plays. They created world premiere versions of all three books from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series. These were The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. They also adapted four mystery stories about Lord Peter Wimsey by Dorothy L. Sayers.

The theater also has a special series called Family MainStage productions. These shows are perfect for families to enjoy together. Some past productions include A Wrinkle in Time, The Phantom Tollbooth, and Journey of the Sparrows.

In 1986, Lifeline started its KidSeries program. These shows are specifically for younger children. Some popular KidSeries plays have been Mr. Popper's Penguins, James and the Giant Peach, and The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!. Other fun shows include The Velveteen Rabbit and Arnie the Doughnut.

See also

• Chicago theatre