Defiant Theatre

Production history

1993/1994 Season

''[Hamlet]''

"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern may be dead; Defiant Theatre's Hamlet most certainly is not." - Chicago Reader

''Landscape of the Body''

"A smoother, more consistent presentation might not have been able to reach the emotional heights of Defiant Theatre's Landscape of the Body." - Newcity

''The Quarantine''

"Defiant Theatre has come up with some splendidly gruesome, darkly comic stage images... Defiant Theatre is clearly a company to keep an eye on." - Chicago Reader

"Do you have good taste? Check it at the door." - Gay Chicago Magazine

1994/1995 Season

''[The Dumb Waiter]/Victoria Station''

"Kindles with riveting slowness to a small but triumphant climax." - Chicago Reader

''Women and Water''

"What is most thrilling about this production is how well it reveals the subtleties of Guare's play." - Chicago Reader

''[Apt Pupil]''

"It's given me vivid nightmares for the past two nights." - Chicago Reader

1996 Season

''The Ugly Man''

"The Defiant production has just the right tone." - Chicago Tribune

"It just becomes disgustingly irresistible." - Gay Chicago Magazine

''Ubu Raw''

"The most sensational off-Loop show to hit the stage in a very long time... The production is truly remarkable." - Chicago Tribune

"Breathtaking disregard for their own safety." - Chicago Reader

"Simultaneously assaulting and seductive, and violently metaphoric." - Newcity

''Red Dragon">Red Dragon (novel)">Red Dragon''

"Defiant Theatre pulls no punches in this production that could have easily tumbled over into camp." - Windy City Times

1997 Season

''[The Mystery of Irma Vep]''

"Blisteringly intelligent comedy." - Chicago Sun-Times

"A nonstop laugh riot." - Newcity

"She's way fun!" - Nightlines

''Caligula">Caligula (play)">Caligula''

"Defiant presents plenty of philosophy with fornication." - Nightlines

''[The Skriker]''

"An ensemble work in every aspect... They've put on one hell of a show." - Chicago Tribune

"Defiant Theatre has essentially created a dark puppet extravaganza." - Chicago Sun-Times

"***1⁄2 The eerie tale is wrapped in a keen and often inspired visual design." - Gay Chicago Magazine

1998 Season

''[Phaedra's Love]''

"It's punk, pulp fiction classicism, whipped into a frenzy in a tight, stylish production." - Chicago Tribune

"**** We're appalled by this heinous clan — but, boy, I loved going to their party." - Gay Chicago Magazine

''Action Movie: The Play''

"Unforgettable theatrical thrills." - Chicago Tribune

"Action Movie charms its audience with sly nods to its predictability." - Chicago Sun-Times

"A visceral, confrontational theatergoing experience... The company has managed to put all the blockbuster films this summer to shame." - Chicago Reader

''[Dracula]''

"Defiant gives the script's malevolent camp a pointed recklessness." - Chicago Reader

"A healthy dose of both heaving bosoms and good-old fashioned shtick." - Newcity

1999 Season

''[Bluebeard]''

"Gleefully indulges Ludlam's cheese-ball side... Gloriously awful." - Chicago Reader

"A shared culture of B-movie proportions while being lovingly, and skillfully, over-the-top theatrical." - Newcity

"A colorful diversion. Or is that perversion?... Full of wit and energy, it's well worth checking out." - Windy City Times

''Action Movie: The Play: The Director's Cut''

"A veritable feast of outstanding stage combat, fantastic puppets, inventive directorial ideas... It's more fun than most any summer film." - Chicago Tribune

"The play's endless stunts are just as brilliantly executed and breathtaking as they were before." - Chicago Reader

"Defiant has set themselves up for a nice franchise." - Newcity

''Burning Desires''

"A very interesting play with serious intellectual heft... There's no doubting this troupe's stellar theatrical chops." - Chicago Tribune

"The Defiant folks prove once again why they are among the most creative companies currently working in Chicago." - Windy City Times

2000 Season

''The Love Talker''

"Rich with storytelling make-believe." - Citysearch

''Godbaby''

"A manic production by one local company that lives up to its name--Defiant Theatre." - Chicago Sun-Times

"Godbaby's scholarship alone would be an accomplishment worthy of commendation. That the Defiant company makes it so much fun is an additional blessing." - Windy City Times

''[Macbeth]''

"The whole production has the rough, raw air of a medieval mystery play, charged with violence and spiritualism." - Chicago Tribune

"If Shakespeare were this exciting in school, he'd be bigger than Harry Potter." - Chicago Free Press

"If there's one word to describe Defiant Theatre's Macbeth, it's "Wow!" - Lerner Booster

2001 Season

''[Cleansed]''

"A contemporary night of the living dead." - Chicago Sun-Times

"Everyone in this production, from the light designer to each of the actors, takes big risks. But the risks pay off in poetry." - Newcity

''Fortinbras">Fortinbras (play)">Fortinbras''

"Defiant's well-crafted production is exceptionally well-acted." - Chicago Tribune

''Sci-fi Action Movie in Space Prison''

"Its comic-strip overkill is amusing and invigorating." - Chicago Tribune

"The Defiant ones have clearly worked their asses off to produce a mind-blowing show." - Chicago Free Press

2002 Season

''Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage''

"Defiant does gothic redneck pulp far better than most... It's great tacky fun." - Chicago Tribune

"**** Defiant hits the bulls-eye." - Gay Chicago Magazine

"An evening of good, clean, slam-bang messy fun." - Windy City Times

''Dope''

"A wild ride on a crazily off-kilter roller coaster." - Chicago Sun-Times

''Nicholas DeBeaubien's The Hunchback of Notre Dame''

"The well-versed actors fully commit to the material." - Gay Chicago Magazine

2003 Season

''[Titus Andronicus]''

"A mixed-up contemporary shebang, full of unruly life... Some of the violence is just plain fabulous." - Chicago Tribune

''Defiant Fabulon''

"It was a gas... Defiant has built its reputation on excess and outrage." - Chicago Tribune

''Dracula''

"Defiant Theatre, not a troupe to shy away from the eek, the ook or even the odd "uck," has a spirited blood-sucker now on display, just in time for Halloween." - Chicago Tribune

2004 Season

''Action Movie: The Play''

"Its replication of and commentary on the clichés of its testosterone-fueled genre is as timely as the product it mocks." - Windy City Times

''[The Pyrates]''

"A textbook example of Chicago pop-fusion theater." - Chicago Sun-Times

''A Clockwork Orange">A Clockwork Orange (novel)">A Clockwork Orange''

"There's more than enough here to remind us of why we'll miss this historically important theater company." - Chicago Tribune

Awards

1996

• Overall Technical Achievement

  1997

• Original Adaptation - Christopher Johnson
• Actor in a Principal Role - Christopher Thometz
• Sound Design - Brian & Matthew Callahan
• Original Music - Sean Sinitski

  1998

• Costume Design - Carol Cox, Jennifer Keller, Sarah Laleman, Beth Nowak, Christine Pascual
• Puppetry and Masks - B. Emil Boulos, Joe Foust, Andrew Leman, Nick Offerman, Sean Sinitski, Christopher Thometz

• Overall Technical Achievement

• Sound Design - Gregor Mortis, Greg Nishimura, Prank, Sean Sinitski
• Direction - Joe Foust

  2001

• Direction - Lisa Rothschiller
• Outstanding Ensemble

  2002

• Actor in a Supporting Role - Jim Slonina

• Outstanding Production

  2005

• Outstanding Ensemble
• Sound Design - Gregor Mortis
• Fight Choreography - Joe Foust & Geoff Coates