Prologue: The Pre-Conference

Pre-conference attendees will visit Chicago's most celebrated theatres to explore different areas of the art form: acting, directing, playwriting, movement, and educational outreach in each venue.

Chicago theatre is no longer the "second city." These outstanding and nationally known theatres have four Tony awards among them and they are ready to welcome and celebrate AATE.
Pre-conference attendees will:

• Meet with actors and see a production at Steppenwolf Theatre.



• Have lunch with the staff from Team Shakespeare, the dynamic education program at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and see their Short Shakespeare production of Comedy of Errors, directed by David H. Bell.



• Experience a thrilling physical movement-based workshop with an ensemble member of Lookingglass Theatre.



• Meet with Chicago directors followed by a tour of the Goodman Theatre.



• At Victory Garden’s Theatre, see staged readings of plays by AATE award winner and Victory Garden’s playwright’s ensemble member Gloria Bond Clunie; meet Chicago director Chuck Smith, also a member of the Goodman Theatre Artistic Collective.