BY LUCIA MAURO
The word "ensemble" in the title of cobalt ensemble theatre (c.e.t., lowercase lettering is used as the company’s style choice) should not be taken lightly. In fact, this two-year-old company– with a flair for contemporary relationship plays–so staunchly promotes artistic collaboration that anyone with egocentric motives most likely would not get past their detailed interviewing/audition process.
Cultivating an "ensemble spirit" has been the troupe’s mission since artistic director Katherine Condit-Ladd, managing director Eric Danson and director of education Nicole Pitman decided to form their own company after they met during a run of David Ives’ All in the Timing at the Organic Greenhouse. Unlike the traditional model of recent theatre college grads establishing a group to put on a show, c.e.t. consists of experienced artists with diverse backgrounds.
Condit-Ladd has 20 years of national acting/directing experience as well as having majored in art history and geology at Northwestern University. Danson practiced law before enrolling in classes at the Actors’ Center and performing in various off-Loop venues six years ago. Marketing director Susan Blazer, a former commercial copywriter, creates highly professional press materials. The ensemble is rounded out by actor/dramaturg Laura Bailey, production manager Robyn Okrant, who studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and 15-year theatre/film veteran David Lowenthal.
"We look for individuals," says Condit-Ladd, "who are committed to a higher vision than their own personal advancement. Longevity and collaboration are important goals. Ensemble members must be willing to take artistic risks and trust their fellow artists."
The three founders put together a business plan and established a board before they mounted their first show, Significants and Others, a series of relationship vignettes at the previous Tinfish Theatre space in 1998. The production, which lacked polish, did not cancel out the group’s sincere dedication and willingness to improve. Significants and Others, originally intended as a one-night benefit, grew into an extended run that rotated between Tinfish and Highland Park’s Apple Tree Theatre.
Danson notes that he, Condit-Ladd and Pitman each contributed $850 to mount Significants and Others. Between ticket sales and two benefits, the show brought in over $10,000. With individual/corporate donations and grants helping to defray production costs, c.e.t.’s budget has nearly doubled from last year’s $35,000 to this year’s $60,000.
"We have our timeline scroll that stretches into the year 2010," says Condit-Ladd.
Continues Danson, "And we set continuous goals for ourselves–like how many new board members we want to have by a certain year, when we plan to offer a three-show subscription season and when we would like to have a guest Equity contract."
Another important facet of c.e.t. is its dedication to fostering premieres. Heather McDonald’s Dream of a Common Language, about a woman painter’s struggles to be accepted in a male-dominated profession, debuted at Chicago Dramatists–where c.e.t. has staged its subsequent productions. Tying in with their desire to involve the community, members coordinated a four-week series of post-show panels featuring women from the arts and medical fields.
An artistic turning point for c.e.t. arrived last year with a balanced staging of Nicky Silver’s wry and wacky Raised in Captivity. Through June 10, the ensemble is presenting the U.S. premiere of Scottish playwright David Greig’s drama, The Architect. Despite some uneven performances and, at times, a polarized script, c.e.t. unites an earnest group of artists in a relevant play about one self-absorbed architect and the crumbling housing project he designed. The company invited a representative from the Chicago Housing Authority, an architect and a tenants’ representative from Cabrini Green to serve on a post-show panel. Chicago Dramatists’ location near Cabrini Green also localized the play in a provocative way.
"We want to spark dialogue and involve the community," says Condit-Ladd.
Material, which must be socially relevant, is chosen via an open forum. And all will band together to devise strategies for gaining rights to difficult works.
"We advise other theatre companies to be persistent when going for rights to plays," says Danson. "We were initially turned down for Dream of a Common Language and The Architect. But we refused to take no for an answer. We came up with a plan to show the playwright or agent how professional we were and that we would do justice to the work."
Currently, c.e.t. is in the process of establishing an outreach program. Pitman, director of education, teaches drama full-time at Lake Forest Country Day School, where the company offers scholarships to aspiring artists, grades 4-12, for a one-week summer theatre camp–with an emphasis on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.
Condit-Ladd reiterates, "Professionalism is one of our main goals. We have to go back to our passion for our art–it’s when we feel most alive and connected to the world."