1993/1994 season ====
Hamlet==== by William Shakespeare directed by Christopher Johnson Opened Friday, November 19, 1993 at The Greenview Arts Center "
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern may be dead; Defiant Theatre's
Hamlet most certainly is not." -
Chicago Reader Landscape of the Body by
John Guare directed by Darren Critz Opened Friday, February 11, 1994 at American Theater Company "A smoother, more consistent presentation might not have been able to reach the emotional heights of Defiant Theatre's
Landscape of the Body." -
Newcity The Quarantine by Darren Critz directed by Joe Foust CHICAGO PREMIERE at
Strawdog Theatre Company "Defiant Theatre has come up with some splendidly gruesome, darkly comic stage images... Defiant Theatre is clearly a company to keep an eye on." - Chicago Reader "Do you have good taste? Check it at the door." -
Gay Chicago Magazine 1994/1995 season ====
The Dumb Waiter/Victoria Station==== by
Harold Pinter The Dumb Waiter directed by Joe Foust
Victoria Station directed by Rob Kimmel at Angel Island "Kindles with riveting slowness to a small but triumphant climax." - Chicago Reader
Women and Water by John Guare directed by Darren Critz at American Theater Company "What is most thrilling about this production is how well it reveals the subtleties of Guare's play." - Chicago Reader ====
Apt Pupil==== based on the
novella by
Stephen King adapted and directed by Christopher Johnson WORLD PREMIERE Opened Thursday, May 4, 1995 at The Preston Bradley Center "It's given me vivid nightmares for the past two nights (and counting)." - Chicago Reader
1996 season The Ugly Man by
Brad Fraser directed by Linda Gillum & Barb Wruck Thometz CHICAGO PREMIERE Opened Saturday, January 13, 1996 at Strawdog Theatre Company "The Defiant production has just the right tone." -
Chicago Tribune "It just becomes disgustingly irresistible." - Gay Chicago Magazine
Ubu Raw based upon
Alfred Jarry's
Ubu Roi adapted by Joe Foust & Richard Ragsdale directed by Joe Foust WORLD PREMIERE Opened Saturday, June 1, 1996 at American Theater Company "The most sensational off-Loop show to hit the stage in a very long time... The production is truly remarkable." - Chicago Tribune "Breathtaking disregard for their own safety." - Chicago Reader "Simultaneously assaulting and seductive, and violently metaphoric." - Newcity ====
Red Dragon==== based upon the
novel by
Thomas Harris adapted and directed by Christopher Johnson WORLD PREMIERE Opened Wednesday, October 23, 1996 at The Firehouse "Defiant Theatre pulls no punches in this production that could have easily tumbled over into
camp." -
Windy City Times 1997 season ====
The Mystery of Irma Vep==== by
Charles Ludlam directed by Jim Slonina Opened Monday, May 5, 1997 at National Pastime Theater "Blisteringly intelligent comedy." -
Chicago Sun-Times "A nonstop laugh riot." - Newcity "She's way fun!" - Nightlines ====
Caligula==== by
Albert Camus directed by Richard Ragsdale Opened Monday, July 21, 1997 at The Griffin Theatre "Defiant presents plenty of philosophy with fornication." - Nightlines ====
The Skriker==== by Caryl Churchill directed by Linda Gillum CHICAGO PREMIERE Opened Monday, October 13, 1997 at American Theater Company "An
ensemble work in every aspect... They've put on one hell of a show." - Chicago Tribune "Defiant Theatre has essentially created a dark puppet extravaganza." - Chicago Sun-Times "***1⁄2 The eerie tale is wrapped in a keen and often inspired visual design." - Gay Chicago Magazine
1998 season ====''
Phaedra's Love''==== by Sarah Kane directed by Lisa Rothschiller AMERICAN PREMIERE Opened Wednesday, June 10, 1998 at American Theater Company "It's punk, pulp fiction
classicism, whipped into a frenzy in a tight, stylish production." - Chicago Reader "**** We're appalled by this heinous clan — but, boy, I loved going to their party." - Gay Chicago Magazine
Action Movie: The Play by Joe Foust & Richard Ragsdale directed by Joe Foust WORLD PREMIERE Opened Wednesday, July 22, 1998 at American Theater Company "Unforgettable theatrical thrills." - Chicago Tribune "
Action Movie charms its audience with sly nods to its predictability." - Chicago Sun-Times "A visceral, confrontational theatergoing experience... The company has managed to put all the blockbuster films this summer to shame." - Chicago Reader ====
Dracula==== by
Mac Wellman directed by Richard Ragsdale CHICAGO PREMIERE Opened Monday, October 5, 1998 at Charybdis Multi-Arts Complex "Defiant gives the script's malevolent camp a pointed recklessness." - Chicago Reader "A healthy dose of both heaving bosoms and good-old fashioned
shtick." - Newcity
1999 season ====
Bluebeard==== by Charles Ludlam directed by Jim Slonina Opened Thursday, March 11, 1999 at
Victory Gardens Theater Downstairs Studio "Gleefully indulges Ludlam's cheese-ball side... Gloriously awful." - Chicago Reader "A shared culture of
B-movie proportions while being lovingly, and skillfully, over-the-top theatrical." - Newcity "A colorful diversion. Or is that perversion?... Full of wit and energy, it's well worth checking out." - Windy City Times
''Action Movie: The Play: The Director's Cut'' by Joe Foust & Richard Ragsdale directed by Joe Foust Opened Wednesday, June 16, 1999 at American Theater Company "A veritable feast of outstanding stage combat, fantastic puppets, inventive directorial ideas... It's more fun than most any summer film." - Chicago Tribune "The play's endless stunts are just as brilliantly executed and breathtaking as they were before." - Chicago Reader "Defiant has set themselves up for a nice franchise." - Newcity
Burning Desires by Joan Schenkar directed by Linda Gillum MIDWEST PREMIERE Opened Wednesday, November 3, 1999 at National Pastime Theater "A very interesting play with serious intellectual heft... There's no doubting this troupe's stellar theatrical chops." - Chicago Tribune "The Defiant folks prove once again why they are among the most creative companies currently working in Chicago." - Windy City Times
2000 season The Love Talker by Deborah Pryor directed by Richard Ragsdale at Victory Gardens Theater Downstairs Studio "Rich with storytelling make-believe." -
Citysearch Godbaby by Christopher Johnson directed by Jim Slonina WORLD PREMIERE Opened Friday, June 16, 2000 at American Theater Company "A manic production by one local company that lives up to its name--Defiant Theatre." - Chicago Sun-Times "
Godbaby's scholarship alone would be an accomplishment worthy of commendation. That the Defiant company makes it so much fun is an additional blessing." - Windy City Times ====
Macbeth==== by William Shakespeare directed by Christopher Johnson Opened Friday, October 27, 2000 at The Viaduct "The whole production has the rough, raw air of a medieval
mystery play, charged with violence and spiritualism." - Chicago Tribune "If Shakespeare were this exciting in school, he'd be bigger than
Harry Potter." - Chicago Free Press "If there's one word to describe Defiant Theatre's
Macbeth, it's "Wow!" - Lerner Booster
2001 season ====
Cleansed==== by Sarah Kane directed by Lisa Rothschiller AMERICAN PREMIERE Opened Friday, March 16, 2001 at The Viaduct "A contemporary night of the living dead." - Chicago Sun-Times "Everyone in this production, from the light designer to each of the actors, takes big risks. But the risks pay off in poetry." - Newcity ====
Fortinbras==== by
Lee Blessing directed by Justin Fletcher Opened Friday, September 14, 2001 at The Viaduct "Defiant's well-crafted production is exceptionally well-acted." - Chicago Tribune
Sci-fi Action Movie in Space Prison written and directed by Joe Foust WORLD PREMIERE Opened Saturday, December 8, 2001 at American Theater Company "Its comic-strip overkill is amusing and invigorating." - Chicago Tribune "The Defiant ones have clearly worked their asses off to produce a mind-blowing show." - Chicago Free Press
2002 season Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage by
Jane Martin directed by Linda Gillum CHICAGO PREMIERE Opened Friday, March 29, 2002 at The Viaduct "Defiant does gothic redneck pulp far better than most... It's great tacky fun." - Chicago Tribune "**** Defiant hits the bulls-eye." - Gay Chicago Magazine "An evening of good, clean, slam-bang messy fun." - Windy City Times
Dope by Christopher Johnson directed by Christopher Johnson & Jim Slonina WORLD PREMIERE Opened Friday, July 5, 2002 at American Theater Company "A wild ride on a crazily off-kilter roller coaster." - Chicago Sun-Times
''Nicholas DeBeaubien's The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' by John Kohler,
Larry Larson, Levi Lee and Rebecca Wackler directed by Jim Slonina MIDWEST PREMIERE Opened Thursday, September 12, 2002 at A Red Orchid Theatre "The well-versed actors fully commit to the material." - Gay Chicago Magazine
2003 season ====
Titus Andronicus==== by William Shakespeare directed by Christopher Johnson Opened Friday, January 17, 2003 at The Viaduct "A mixed-up contemporary shebang, full of unruly life... Some of the violence is just plain fabulous." - Chicago Tribune
Defiant Fabulon featuring
Fabulon Historifarcicon by Christopher Johnson directed by Jim Slonina Opened Friday, August 8, 2003 at The Viaduct "It was a gas... Defiant has built its reputation on excess and outrage." - Chicago Tribune
Dracula by
Steven Dietz adapted from the novel by
Bram Stoker directed by Richard Ragsdale Opened Sunday, October 12, 2003 at The Vittum Theatre "Defiant Theatre, not a troupe to shy away from the eek, the ook or even the odd "uck," has a spirited blood-sucker now on display, just in time for Halloween." -
Chicago Tribune 2004 season Action Movie: The Play by Joe Foust & Richard Ragsdale directed by Joe Foust Opened Sunday, April 18, 2004 at The
Chopin Theatre "Its replication of and commentary on the clichés of its testosterone-fueled genre is as timely as the product it mocks." - Windy City Times ====
The Pyrates==== based on the novel by
George MacDonald Fraser adapted by Justin Fletcher & Richard Ragsdale directed by Justin Fletcher Opened Sunday, June 27, 2004 at The Chopin Theatre "A textbook example of Chicago pop-fusion theater." - Chicago Sun-Times ====
A Clockwork Orange==== by
Anthony Burgess adapted from his novel directed by Christopher Johnson Opened Thursday, September 9, 2004 at
Gallery 37's Storefront Theater "There's more than enough here to remind us of why we'll miss this historically important theater company." - Chicago Tribune ==Awards==