20% THEATRE COMPANY CHICAGO is dedicated to strengthening the presence and raising public awareness of women artists in theatre. It is estimated that only 20% of theatre professionals are women. By providing educational opportunities for women directors, producers, designers, and playwrights, 20% Theatre Company Chicago strives to increase the number of women in theatre. We are committed to engaging new audiences by making our work accessible to the community.
Laura Oleska (Company Member) attended Jacksonville State University in Alabama, where she received her BA in Music and discovered her love for theatre from an orchestra pit. Shortly after graduating, she ventured to Chicago to explore the artistic scene. Along with designing sound for 20%, she has worked behind the scenes with TimeLine Theatre, Adventure Stage Chicago at Vittum Theater, and The Lakeshore Theater. Laura is gleeful to be working closer with such a wonderful company like 20%.
Lindsay A. Bartlett (incoming Artistic Director) is jazzed to be a part of such an amazing theatre company like 20%. Her 20% Theatre credits include dialect coach for New Anatomies and Trestle at Pope Lick Creek as well as performing in Snapshots 2009 and The Darkroom: Whole World Watching. Lindsay graduated with a BA in Theatre from DePauw University in May of 2007. After graduating, Lindsay moved to Chicago to pursue a career in professional theatre. In Chicago, she has worked with such theatres as Redtwist Theatre, New Leaf Theatre, Timeline Theatre, St. Sebastian Players, and Rubicon Theatre Project as a dialect coach. Lindsay has also acted for N.U.F.A.N. Ensemble, WNEP Theatre, and Corn Productions.
Melissa (Company Member) is delighted to be a part of 20% and their exciting work. She recently directed Me and Louis Armstrong for 20%'s 2009 Snapshots Festival and Little Shop of Horrors for Wright College of Chicago. Other directing credits include: Wasp (Unicorn Theatre, London), These Words: Poems by Bukowski (Studio MDX, London), Lysistrata (Garrick Players/Lake Forest College) and Prometheus Bound (Around the Coyote Festival, Chicago). A Deerfield native, Melissa received her MFA in Directing from the University of Essex in London and her BA in Theatre from Southern Illinois University. She has also studied at the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS) in Moscow. Melissa is also a writer and is passionate about creating devised and verbatim theatre. She is currently in development of her own theatre company and plans to be producing shortly – in partnership with 20%, of course!
Lucinda Z. Alipio (Company Member) received her BA of Liberal Arts from the University of Nevada Reno with a major in Theatre and a minor in Dance. After graduation, Lucinda made the journey over to the Windy City of Chicago to pursue directing children's theatre. Upon working with so many artists in different aspects of the theatre she also found producing theatre and events as well as experimental theatre work to be enjoyable and has turned into a passion. Since moving to town in March of 2006 she has been blessed to work with such wonderful theatre companies including: TimeLine Theatre, 16th Street Theatre, Adventure Stage Chicago, The Chicago Improv Festival, The Side Project, Theatre Seven and USA Artists. Her credits with 20% include directing in Snapshots festival 2008, 2009, and producing Snapshots 2009.
Liz (Company Member) is very excited to be a part of 20% Theatre Company. Her previous credits with 20% include assistant lighting design for Snapshots 2007, lighting design for Top Girls, Snapshots 2008, and 2010. She is looking forward to being a part of future 20% productions. When not working on shows, Liz busies herself with several part time jobs, and sitting in traffic.
Elizabeth Schwan-Rosenwald (out-going Artistic Director) co-founded 20% Theatre Company Chicago in 2003 and has led the company as its Artistic Director through seven seasons. She has directed Women and War: Stories created with co-founder Abigail Boucher, David’s RedHaired Death by Sherry Kramer, I Don’t Know Where You’re Coming From at All by Shirley Lauro as part of Re-focused, an evening of one-acts, How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel, Jane: Abortion and the Underground by Paula Kamen, Top Girls by Caryl Churchill, and New Anatomies by Timberlake Wertenbaker. and The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek by Naomi Wallace. Elizabeth has worked in fund-raising for Steppenwolf Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, the Chicago Chamber Musicians and most recently at the Taproot Foundation. She has been a guest lecturer at Roosevelt University in their Women and Gender Studies Department and Wellesley College in their English Department. She has a BA from Smith College, MA. A special thank you to everyone — especially Abi — who has dreamed this company into its existence with her.
Katy (Company Member Alumna) is a very happy member of 20% Theatre Company, where past credits include the dramaturgy of Top Girls, sound designs for David’s Redhaired Death, How I Learned to Drive, Jane: Abortion and the Underground, all three Snapshots festivals, a co-sound design for 'Night Mother, and stage managing Refocused. Other fun activities include selling tickets, playing with sound boards, and learning the Dewey Decimal system, as she is currently studying for a Masters in Library and Information Sciences. Katy’s past affiliations lie with Ensemble Actors Theatre and Skywhire Theatre, both in Columbus, OH. Thanks to everyone with 20% Theatre Company for all their hard work and dedication, and thanks to my family and friends (who are feeling more like family every day!).
Abigail (Company Member Alumna) In the fall of 2003, inspired by Julie Baber’s work in New York, Abigail and Elizabeth decided to found 20% Chicago. Since then, Abigail has been involved, in one way, shape or form, in every single 20% production. She performed in Women and War: Stories, played Jean in David’s Redhaired Death, Laura in Pumpkins for Smallpox, “She” in Here We Are for Re-Focused, and Jesse in 'Night, Mother opposite Kay Schmitt. She co-wrote and performed The Day I Fell In Love With My Ukulele with Chloe Johnston, and acted in Here Comes The Brides for 20%'s festival of short pieces Snapshots. Abigail co-produced Jane: Abortion and the Underground, and is currently co-producing Snapshots 2007.
Abigail is also a company member at Strawdog Theatre Company. Aside from 20% and Strawdog, she has played with The House, Collaboraction and Naked Eye Theatre Co.
Abigail graduated, with honors, from Smith College, MA in 2002 with a dual degree in theatre and political science. She currently resides in Paris, France. Abigail would like to thank all the ladies of 20% for making the company a reality, especially Elizabeth, for her passion, her vision and her dedication to 20%.
Mel Ruder (Company Member) absolutely loves the work the women of 20% do, and is very pleased and proud to find an artistic home with them. Previous credits with 20% Theatre include assistant directing New Anatomies, 2008, directing for 2009 Snapshots Festival and co-sound designing the 2009 and 2010 Snapshots Festival, and assistant directing The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek. When not working with 20%, Mel is found sound designing, playing with component cables, and is a part-time computer ninja and DJ.
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Only one in five working theatre professionals is a woman, according to findings by American Theatre magazine. 20% Theatre Company works to increase that number by producing thought-provoking classics and fresh original works — all of them written, directed and designed by women.
