The Court Theatre was founded in 1955 when a small group of like-minded theater artists at the University of Chicago got together to do a few Moliere plays. Twenty years later the Court became a professional theater, but it grew quickly and soon had its home at the Abelson Auditorium in Hyde Park.
The Court Theatre has a unique relationship with the University of Chicago: It’s basically a department of the university. For many years, Moliere, Shakespeare, and Shaw served as the Court’s holy trinity, but recently the company has considerably broadened its definition of classic theater, to include classics-themed works like Radio Macbeth and Mabou Mines’sDollhouse, as well as what are arguably “new classics” like Arcadia, Fences, and the musical Caroline, or Change.
The Court Theatre is known for rejecting the stuffy formality associated with classical theater, putting on lively and attractive productions in its intimate theater. It also exposes young people to classic productions by offering special matinées on weekday mornings that are performed specifically for high school students at a cost of just $10–$12 per ticket. The performances are followed by discussions between the students, cast members, and Court staff about the play.
Court Theatre Information
- Public Transportation: Excellent
- Handicapped Accessibility: Good
- Performances/Programs: Performances Wednesday–Sunday
- Ticket Prices: $37–$57, with various student discounts offered: University of Chicago students can get $10 tickets to any performance, while other students get a 25% discount to any performance except Saturday evenings and Sunday matinées. U of C faculty, senior, and group discounts are also available
- Subscriptions: Options include Three-Play $90–$150, Four-Play $116 –$196, Five-Play $140–$240, Preview $25, Regular (not good for Saturday night and Sunday matinée) $35, and Premium $50. Flex tickets are available (minimum purchase of four). Discount student subscriptions available. Subscriber benefits include guaranteed seating, additional discounted single tickets, and free ticket exchanges.
