searing hot drama, in a tiny black box, with a little red twist.

Our Mission

We strive to create searing hot drama, from name-brand blockbusters, to risky new works and obscure buried treasures that pack emotional force, examine moral dilemmas, and reveal greater truths…

…by transforming our tiny black box and its explosive immediacy into a thematic asset, specifically tailored for every show and intended to close the gap between actor and audience, thus blurring the line between seating and staging…

…by utilizing a little red twist in the concept and design of each production to provide a totally unique theatre experience that is simultaneously intimate, comfortable, and safe, yet intense, edgy, and thrilling, at a distance only inches away.

Redtwist Theatre is a not-for-profit organization.

Our Home

Before the Bryn Mawr district was historic, this area was the traditional homeland of the Council of the Three Fires, made up of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations. These tribes and others, including the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac, Fox, Kickapoo, and Illinois Nations, had thriving trade networks in the Great Lakes area prior to European contact. Some roadways in Chicago reflect the trade roads followed by these tribes.

Europeans' arrival in the area brought new diseases, war, and starvation to the tribes of the Great Lakes. The Indigenous tribes suffered further significant losses in the War of 1812, where they were allied with the British. After President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, tens of thousands of indigenous people still living in the area were forced to move west of the Mississippi River. Relocation was a tragic undertaking for tribes, and those who survived the trip faced new hardships. White settlers continued to contest lands allotted to the tribes, and indigenous peoples struggled for access to the limited supplies and resources on reservations.

Today, Chicagoans can learn more about the native people of this area at the American Indian Center. They can also visit the First Nations Garden, which is meant to serve as a healing space for Chicago’s Native community as well as an educational center for non-Native people.

Redtwist productions have won 7 Non-Equity Jeff Awards.

Our Beliefs

Redtwist is an artistic institution that seeks to listen, learn, and facilitate empathy on and off its stage. As an ensemble of artists, we embrace our responsibility to stand with those who call for change, inclusivity, and equity, and to stand against hate and racism. We reject white supremacy and we do not tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, complexion, religion, creed, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status.

As a predominately white institution, Redtwist is actively engaged in the work of becoming more inclusive, safe, and welcoming to artists of color. We commit to this work as an ongoing, constant process. We encourage conversations that inspire allyship, awareness, and solidarity, and we acknowledge and seek to eliminate racial inequalities in our institution. We aim to create brave spaces, where listening and learning can take place. We trust in the guidance of groups like We See You White American Theatre and strive to implement their recommendations in our work. Our Edgewater community is diverse, and we are growing and expanding our artistic ensemble to include artists that reflect that diversity.

As a member of the Chicago area theater community, we acknowledge the abusive practices of many leaders in our industry. The Not In Our House movement shed light on many of these abuses within our local community, and the #metoo movement opened all of our eyes to the systems that help keep abuse in the shadows. We seek to create nurturing spaces where artists can be courageous, authentic, and vulnerable. Redtwist follows the Chicago Theatre Standards and employs intimacy choreographers to ensure safe environments for creativity.

Redtwist performances have been Jeff Nominated & Recommended many times.

Our History

In 1994 Actors Workshop Theatre embarked upon its first production as an itinerant company with Simon Gray’s Otherwise Engaged. They produced 8 shows over the next decade, and in May 2001, they incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, adopted the name Redtwist Theatre, and named Michael Colucci as Founding Artistic Director. The next year Redtwist moved to its current home in the vibrant Bryn Mawr Historic District of the Edgewater neighborhood. The new space was christened with a production of ensemble member Clifford Morts’ Praying Small. It was designated as a Critic’s Choice by the Chicago Reader and was extended two times by popular demand.

Jan Ellen Graves joined her husband, Michael, as Managing Director of Redtwist and acted and directed many plays. She directed critically-acclaimed productions of Arthur Miller’s The American Clock and the world premieres of Geezers and Aura, by company member Tommy Lee Johnston. Michael’s direction of All My Sons, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Three Hotels, That Face, and Broken Glass were also critically-acclaimed and Jeff-recommended. The pair lead the company through a decade and a half of growth and success.

In 2017, Michael felt it was the right time for a change in leadership at Redtwist, and so Redtwist began a search for a new Artistic Director. On the advice of company member Steve Scott, the Board of Directors met with Charlie Marie McGrath, who directed our 2015 production of Red by John Logan. With the blessing of the Redtwist Board and ensemble, Charlie was invited to take over duties as Producing Artistic Director in late 2019. Unfortunately, Charlie’s first season was cut short by the COVID-19 Pandemic, which shuttered many beloved Chicago institutions. Charlie kept Redtwist moving forward, presenting top notch virtual productions for our dedicated patrons, as well as new audiences. Unfortunately, she also fell victim to the virus and had to step down from her role.

Company member Brian Parry stepped in as Interim Artistic Director, while the board of directors began the search for a worthy successor to Charlie, Michael, and Jan. After conversations with many gifted artists, the search committee found Dusty Brown, a non-binary director and producer recently arrived from Atlanta. 2023 will mark Dusty’s first season as Artistic Director.

Redtwist is generously supported by foundations and individual donors.

Our Present

Redtwist is currently lead by our co-Artistic Directors, Dusty Brown, a non-binary director and producer from Atlanta, Georgia, and Eileen Dixon, an actor and director, and she is focused on building Redtwist’s community roots in the Bryn Mawr historic district. Before moving to Chicago, Dusty worked as a free-lance director in Atlanta, a production manager at Georgia Shakespeare and Georgia Ensemble Theatre, and earned their MFA in directing from Ohio University. As artistic director, they strive to ignite their collaborator’s passions, engage the community around them, and inspire their audience’s imagination. In every process Dusty aims to create brave spaces where actors and designers can bring their authentic voices to the work.

Redtwist is partially supported by grants from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, the MacArthur Funds at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency.