Chicago's Court Theatre has been named the recipient of the 2022 Regional Theatre Tony Award. Decided following a recommendation by the American Theatre Critics Association, the honor includes a $25,000 grant made possible by support from City National Bank.
The Court is housed on the campus of the University of Chicago and functions as the school's center for classic theatre. The theatre was founded in 1955 as an outdoor summer theatre, shifting its mission towards translating and adapting classic texts for contemporary audiences beginning in 1971 under the leadership of UC professor Nicholas Rudall. The theatre's current home, seen above, was constructed in 1981. The theatre is now led by Artistic Director Charles Newell, alongside Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre.
“We are thrilled to present the 2022 Regional Theatre Tony Award to Court Theatre,” says American Theatre Wing President and CEO Heather Hitchens and Broadway League President Charlotte St. Martin in a joint statement. “Their dedication to fostering local talent, artistry, and theatre within their community and their impact on a national scale makes it a true honor to highlight their work.”
“Since my start at Court in 1993, it has been my life’s joy to be a member of this vibrant, fertile community," shares Newell. "This award belongs to them. It belongs to the Court community, the South Side community, and the University of Chicago community. It belongs to everyone who has fought to see themselves onstage and belongs to everyone who has been moved by the power of storytelling. That is why we do what we do. Any recognition for that—let alone recognition of this caliber—is a delightful and thrilling gift. My feelings of gratitude mirror Cymbeline’s Imogen, ‘for mine’s beyond beyond.’"
“An award of this caliber comes after decades of work," adds Ysaguirre. "While I have only been at Court a short number of years—and have therefore only played a part in this recognition—the time I have spent at Court has been uniquely powerful. I am consistently moved by the quality of the art, the steadfast commitment of both our artists and audiences, and an ever-deepening commitment to engaging community. This monumental recognition is a celebration of those decades of fulfilling and rewarding work, and I could not be more proud."
The 75th Annual Tony Awards will be held June 12 at Radio City Music Hall. Following last year's two-part broadcast shared by CBS and Paramount+, the 2022 Tony Awards will include an hour of exclusive programming streaming on Paramount+ from 7 PM ET, hosted by Darren Criss and Julianne Hough, and followed by the three-hour awards ceremony, hosted by Ariana DeBose, airing live on CBS and streaming simultaneously on Paramount+ (for premium-level subscribers only) from 8 PM ET, making this year's ceremony the first in Tony Awards history to be available live nationwide. The broadcast will also be available to stream on demand on Paramount+ for all membership tiers following the live stream.
For more Tony Awards coverage, visit Playbill.com/Tonys.
