“It’s like going to 31 Flavors and picking your favorite playwright,” says Anish Jethmalani, who became artistic director in 2002. “And it’s a game that keeps going on. Who will be the next playwright?”

But more than a clever way of attracting audiences, the theatre—founded by a group of DePaul University Theatre School graduates in 1992—aims to take its niche to a more complex level of education and exploration. As Jethmalani points out, “It gives people an opportunity to follow the journey of a particular playwright.”

He also has found that this streamlined programming will prompt, say, a Cocteau fan to discover a writer like Hellman later on. Plus, Eclipse is careful not to take a “Greatest Hits” approach.

“People refer to it as the B-sides,” quips Jethmalani, referring to the theatre’s penchant for highlighting lesser-known works, or plays that give audiences a new perspective on the writer. For instance, A Streetcar Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie were noticeably absent from the troupe’s Tennessee Williams’ season. Instead the artists chose Confessional, The Eccentricities of a Nightingale and Suddenly Last Summer.

According to Eclipse’s resident dramaturg, Katie Vandehey—who joined the company in 1994—in the early days, the largely actor-driven company often resisted doing familiar plays by Shakespeare or Williams. “We didn’t want to do what everyone else was doing,” says Vandehey, adding that Eclipse has stayed true to that notion even within the current more commercially viable season dedicated to Simon. It opened with Simon’s lesser-known Come Blow Your Horn and concludes with his rarely produced farce, Rumors.

Jethmalani acknowledges that some fans accused Eclipse of “selling out” by choosing the more popular Simon—especially when one looks at the previous choices. But he defends this decision—reached through a combination of audience suggestions and a democratic voting process on the part of the ensemble that takes into account the artists strengths and works that showcase the writer’s range.

“We’re open to a wide selection of playwrights,” he says. “And Neil Simon is an example of how we didn’t want to pigeonhole ourselves as focusing on classic American drama. So far, financially, this has been our best season.”

Eclipse Theatre essentially morphed from a troupe of actors presenting a combination of new and established plays to a more clearly defined troupe with a stronger board and theatre artists that bring diverse skills to the table. Quality and ingenuity have remained its defining characteristics.

The company began as No Bonz Theatre with an original play by founding member Tom Dwight. Casting director Jane Alderman—together with friends and DePaul University contacts—was a major early supporter of the company. Soon after, Eclipse moved into its own small but malleable storefront space in Bucktown and changed its name to Eclipse (legend has it that one of the ensemble members was inspired by an Eclipse car commercial).

In Bucktown, the company produced risky and engaging shows, like Ionesco’s Exit the King, Ferdinand Bruckner’s Pains of Youth and the world premiere of Stephan Serpas’ Green Air. But, by 1996, several original members began making the exodus to LA. The troupe also faced financial challenges and had to reassess its board structure (at the time, it consisted of the ensemble) and mission.

Since most of the artists who relocated to LA were Equity, they established Eclipse as a union company. But that became a financial drain. So, in 1996, it went non-Equity. It also held auditions for new artists who embraced the theatre’s adventurous spirit while bringing in fresh ideas. Jethmalani came on board at that time.

The company applied for and received a grant, which allowed them to hire a consultant during that crucial transitional time. Vandehey says the main objective was to create a solid identity and a mission statement. Their consultant invited them to look at other theatre models around the world. And they were most struck by the one playwright/one season idea pioneered by New York’s Signature Theatre Company.

“We looked back to see what got us excited in the past,” explains Vandehey. “Playwrights and scripts were very important. That’s what got everyone’s creative juices flowing. We felt that, by devoting one season to one playwright, it would make us stronger artistically. We could really delve into one writer’s work.”

In the summer of 1998, tragedy struck. A few days after its season finale—Cocteau’s The Infernal Machine—an electrical fire in the basement destroyed all their equipment, props and costumes, as well as significantly damaging the theatre. Vandehay says that the landlord asked them to stay if they helped rebuild the space. But, by then, Bucktown was becoming a hot area. And, despite being invited to renovate the theatre, the Eclipse artists were told that their rent would be doubled. So they became itinerant.

Eclipse is presenting its entire 2002-03 season at Victory Gardens so that subscribers/patrons can be in one central location. The theatre has restructured and expanded its board to include more business professionals; Its well-rounded ensemble numbers 14. And they are exploring outreach opportunities. Jethmalani says they are looking for a small to medium-size space in the city because “a lot of our success stems from the intimacy we have with our audiences.”

In the near future, they plan to devote a season to a Chicago playwright and even commission an original work by a local writer.

The one playwright/one season initiative has served Eclipse well. “It’s like walking into a museum and seeing works by a particular artist,” says Jethmalani.

Eclipse Theatre Company, 2000 W. Fulton Ave., Chicago, IL 60612, 312/409-1687, www.eclipsetheatre.com.