Twenty years ago, when Artistic Director Michael Halberstam first founded Writers Theatre in Glencoe, their plays were produced in the back of Books on Vernon, hardly an auspicious start.
But with persistence, charm, and riveting, must-see productions, Halberstam won over Glencoe, the North Shore and Chicago, expanding into a larger space at the Woman’s Library Club of Glencoe.
This year, he’s dreaming even bigger, and with the help of some North Shore families that believe in his mission to bring world-class theater to their town, that dream is becoming a reality.
Writers Theatre launched the $31 million On To A New Stage Campaign to build a state-of-the-art theater center designed by the uber-renowned architecture firm Studio Gang, led by MacArthur Fellow Jeanne Gang. The new building, with its nod toward the Tudor style favored by Glencoe, will feature two intimate performance spaces under one roof, along with production and rehearsal spaces and many amenities for patrons and artists alike, including rooftop terraces and a grand gallery walk.
At the kickoff event held this past November, Halberstam was able to announce that more than $22 million in campaign commitments had already been raised. “I think it is vital to take this moment to acknowledge the passion and commitment of our foundational donors who have simply taken my breath away with the scope of their generosity and vision in bringing this project to such a confident and significant launch,” Halberstam said.
Lead donors include: Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols ($5 million), Alec and Jennifer Litowitz ($3 million), Gillian and Ellis Goodman ($3 million), Mary Winton Green and the Green family ($2 million), and Stephanie and Bill Sick ($1 million).
“An amazing group has come together…with a desire to ensure the company’s future,” says Board President and Campaign Co-Chair Elaine Tinberg. The project has already earned a National Endowment for the Arts “Our Town” grant, recognizing civic collaborations that enhance communities by engaging in “creative place-making.”
Without question, this labor of love has been a group effort. “Writers Theatre’s new center has been developed in partnership with the Woman’s Library Club and the Village of Glencoe to build a strong sense of place and community and attract visitors to performances, restaurants, shops and open spaces,” says Executive Director Kathryn Lipuma. “Along with the Ravinia Festival, the Chicago Botanic Garden and Kohl Children’s Museum, our new home will help strengthen Chicago’s North Shore as a national destination for culture.”
Pictured: (Top) Ellis Goodman and Trustee Gillian Goodman (Glencoe), Alexandra and John Nichols (Winnetka), Trustee Stephanie Sick and Bill Sick (Winnetka). (Bottom) Trustee Jennifer Litowitz (Glencoe), architect Jeanne Gang, Executive Director Kathryn Lipuma, Artistic Director Michael Halberstam, Mary Winton Green (Winnetka), Trustee Sara Green Cohan (Wilmette) and Board Chair Elaine Tinberg (Winnetka).
