PRODUCTION HISTORY
As of December 2023, the American Blues Ensemble presented 160+ theatrical productions and events with 65% representing world and Chicago premieres.
SEASON 38 (2023-2024): It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, The Reclamation of Madison Hemings, The Last Wide Open, The Commons, @Home, The Ripped Festival.
SEASON 37 (2022-2023): August Wilson’s Fences, Alma, It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, The Room readings, The Garage concerts, The Ripped Festival.
SEASON 36 (2021-2022): It’s a Wonderful Live: Live in Chicago!, Stand Up If You’re Here Tonight, August Wilson’s Fences, The Room readings, The Garage concerts, The Ripped Festival.
SEASON 35 (2020-2021): It’s a Wonderful Live: Live in Chicago!, The Room readings, The Garage concerts, The Ripped Festival.
SEASON 34 (2019-2020): Five Presidents, It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, Roan @ the Gates, Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival.
SEASON 33 (2018-2019): Flyin’ West, It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, On Clover Road, The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey, The Spitfire Grill – a musical, Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival.
SEASON 32 (2017-2018): Beauty’s Daughter, This Wonderful Life, It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, Six Corners, BUDDY-The Buddy Holly Story, Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival.
SEASON 31 (2016-2017): Dutchman / TRANSit, It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, The Columnist, Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival.
SEASON 30 (2015-2016): Rainmaker, It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, Looking Over the President’s Shoulder, Little Shop of Horrors, Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival.
SEASON 29 (2014-2015): Hank Williams: Lost Highway, Native Son (co-production with Court Theatre), It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, Yankee Tavern, Side Man, Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival.
SEASON 28 (2013-2014): Hank Williams: Lost Highway, It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, American Myth, Grounded, Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival.
SEASON 27 (2012-2013): Illegal Use of Hands, It’s a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph!, Collected Stories, Ripped: the Living Newspaper Festival, Ripped: The Living Newspaper Project.
SEASON 26 (2011-2012): Waiting for Lefty, It’s a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph!, Ripped: The Living Newspaper Project, Shinsai.
SEASON 25 (2010-2011): It’s a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph!, Rantoul and Die, American Blues-One Acts, Ripped: The Living Newspaper Project.
SEASON 24 (2009-2010): It’s a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph!, Tobacco Road, Ripped: The Living Newspaper Project.
SEASON 23 (2008-2009): People’s Temple, Celebrity Row, It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play, Top Dog/Underdog (in rep), True West (in rep).
SEASON 22 (2007-2008): I Do! I Do!, It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play, Augusta, Speech & Debate, Big Shoulders Festival.
SEASON 21 (2006-2007): The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, 365 Days/365 Plays, Oklahoma!, Half of Plenty, Big Shoulders Festival.
SEASON 20 (2005-2006): Orpheus Descending, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, St. Scarlet, Heritage, Big Shoulders Festival.
SEASON 19 (2004-2005): A View from the Bridge, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Kid Simple, Living Out (co-production with Teatro Vista), Big Shoulders Festival.
SEASON 18 (2003-2004): Tintypes, Angel City, American Dead, Strictly Dishonorable, Big Shoulders Festival, It’s a Wonderful Life (staged-readings).
SEASON 17 (2002-2003): Quake, Where Have You Gone, Jimmy Stewart?, Two Rooms, The Hairy Ape, Big Shoulders Festival, It’s a Wonderful Life (staged-reading).
SEASON 16 (2001-2002): A Lie of the Mind, Flung, The Trip to Bountiful.
SEASON 15 (2000-2001): Endgame, Working, Vick’s Boy, Catch 22.
SEASON 14 (1999-2000): The Skin of Our Teeth, American Buffalo, Medea, The Mineola Twins.
SEASON 13 (1998-1999): The Threepenny Opera, One Day Only, Pledge of Allegiance, Below the Belt, La Tectonica de las Nubes/Cloud Tectonics (co-production with Centro Cultural Helenico, Mexico City).
SEASON 12 (1997-1998): A Stone Carver, Scapin, Bus Stop, The Million Bells of Ocean.
SEASON 11 (1996-1997): The Flight of the Phoenix, Don’t Disappoint Captain January, Stalag 17 (co-production with Harvest Productions), Train of Thought, Toys in the Attic.
SEASON 10 (1995-1996): Keely and Du, Tom and Jerry, The Homage That Follows.
SEASON 9 (1994): Monsters III: The El Ride, On the Waterfront.
SEASON 8 (1993): Food From Trash.
SEASON 7 (1992): Monsters II: Visiting Hours.
SEASON 6 (1991): Monsters: Glimpses of Urban Lunacy.
SEASON 5 (1989-1990): Desire Under the Elms, Peacekeeper.
SEASON 4 (1988): Bad Moon.
SEASON 3 (1987): Summer Brave, The Hairy Ape.
SEASON 2 (1986): Geography of a Horse Dreamer, Hawk Moon.
SEASON 1 (1985): Dogman’s Last Stand (the inaugural production ran Nov. 14, 1985 – Jan 5. 1986).