New Leaf Theatre

When you sit in the theater and watch a New Leaf show, the sounds you hear are likely thanks to resident artist and sound designer Nick Keenan, the lights were probably designed by resident artist Jared Moore, and the person calling the shots in the back of the house could be either of the company's two resident artist stage managers Marni Keenan and Michelle Lilly O'Brien (who may have also designed the set). Of course, one of the people onstage could be resident artist Marsha Harman, but in a young company of seven members, a single actor is a surprising irregularity.

Artistic Director Jessica Hutchinson, who has directed four of seven productions in her two brief years at the helm, understands New Leaf as a "producing company" whose role as host to a community of Chicago's actors and artists is as much a part of its mission as serving and sharing with its audience. Moreover these two aspects of their mission contribute to the company's ultimate goal: renewal. "We want to provide and share a space as artists where we're re-energized. Where we're empowered to remember why it is we do what we do…because it's certainly not the paycheck."

The absence of a roster of actors to satisfy means New Leaf can have more flexibility in choosing plays and in casting, ensuring that their selection is always fresh and evolving. Moreover, by constantly bringing in new collaborators, New Leaf's resident artists can be enriched by new associations and share their knowledge with others. Additionally, Hutchinson speaks of an "institutional memory" available to New Leaf because the production staff is so consistent. "The fun of the New Leaf process" explains Hutchinson holding out an open palm, "both for the audience and the guest artists, is the sense of 'Here. You can have it. We're not going to throw it at you, but you can play with this. It's very important to us.'"

It's an interesting and subtle twist. Instead of bringing new designers to "decorate" an acting ensemble's work, a core of designers brings in new actors to both inspire and embody the new aesthetic world of each piece, and the effect is remarkably potent. Recently garnering a coveted non-equity Jeff award for Lighting Design for last winter's Touch , the company has also boasted nominations in Sound Design, Direction, and Ensemble and been praised in TimeOut Chicago as "one of the North Side's most trustworthy, modest and aesthetically pleasing theater collectives."

The plays they tackle tend to be rooted in realism, and their small space in the Lincoln Park Cultural Center encourages specificity, but New Leaf isn't afraid to experiment as they showed in their 20008/09 season closer The Long Count . This play, conceived collectively by the company members and curated by Marsha Harmon, interrogated the question that framed the entire season "How do we build a future from a present we didn't expect?" The answer is simple: turn over a new leaf.

To learn more about New Leaf Theatre visit their website, follow them on Twitter or on their blog, or become a fan on Facebook.

Benno Nelson

You can read more of Theatre In Chicago contributor Benno Nelson's writing at The@er (http://the-at-er.blogspot.com)

Full Storefrontal

Read the other articles in Benno Nelson's "Full Storefrontal" series that focuses on small theatre companies around Chicago on the Full Storefrontal page.