Celebrating its nineteenth season, the Griffin Theatre Company
established in 1988, is a not-for-profit, professional theatre company located
in Chicago. Headed by Artistic Directors Richard A. Barletta and
William J. Massolia, the mission of the Griffin Theatre Company is to create
extraordinary and meaningful theatrical experiences for both children
and adults by building bridges of understanding between generations that
instill in its audience an appreciation of the performing arts.
Through artistic collaboration the Griffin Theatre Company produces literary
adaptations, original work and classic plays that challenge and
inspire, with wit, style and compassion for the audience. The Griffin is
supported by an ensemble of Artist in Residence with a range of disciplines
include acting, designing, directing and production.

The Griffin Theatre Company originated in Chicago's Logan Square
neighborhood in a factory loft the company renovated. In July 1992, the
Griffin relocated to Andersonville and renovated the historic Calo
Theater. Two years ago the Griffin vacated its space in Andersonville after
thirteen years and is in the final negotiations with the city of
Chicago to purchase an abandon police station in the Edgewater neighborhood
of Chicago. The Griffin has been working closely with Alderman Patrick
J. O'Connor of the 40th ward and the city of Chicago to finalize the
project.

Over the last nineteen years the Griffin has provided a wide range of
work including world and mid-west premieres of acclaimed scripts,
critically lauded productions of Shakespeare and original adaptations of
novels. Thirteen of the Griffin's 70 plus productions have appeared on
Chicago area critics "Best of the Year" lists. These productions
included, Time and the Conway, Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging,
Ash Can Alley, Shakespeare's Dog, Much Ado About Nothing, The Art of
Success, Women and Wallace, The Downside, Romeo and Juliet, Loving Little
Egypt, and Independence. The following productions been awarded the
theatre communities, mark of excellence, Jeff Citations for Independence,
Time and the Conways, The Wild Swans, Riding the Dolphin and Angus,
Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging. The Griffin also produced the west
coast premiere of Riding the Dolphin in Los Angeles in 1996 and its world
premiere production of Henry and the Second Gunman was optioned by
Miramax Films.

Children's programming at the Griffin brings young people original
productions of award-winning children's literature. Productions over
the last eighteen years have included the world premieres of Sleeping
Ugly, Frindle, Catherine Called Birdy, Romeo and Juliet are Alive and Well
and Living in Maple Bend, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly
Stupid Tales and The Flying Trunk. Additionally, the Griffin's national
touring company has brought it's children's productions of Catherine
Called Birdy, Frindle, and The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly
Stupid Tales to a national audience performing it's children's plays to
over 40,000 children in the United States each year. Tours have
included such prestigious venues as Cleveland Playhouse Square, Kravis Center
for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida, and the Van Wezel
Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota, Florida.

This year the Griffin added it's hit production of Letters Home to it's
national touring roster bringing that production to both young people
and adults.