With all the diverse opportunities Edgewater offers its residents, theater has played an important part. As the arts flourish in the neighborhood, Edgewater has become nationally known for its iconic storefront theaters.

Back in the Fall of 2015, nineteen of the community’s theaters came together to form the Edgewater Theatre District. The plan, which was inspired by the 48th Ward Office and the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce, was to expose the area’s rich artistic diversity to local residents.

In the spirit of that idea, this coalition of theaters has started The Edgewater Theatre District Passport. Passport cards, which will be available at all participating theaters and at EdgeFest on August 6-7, will give participants the ability to earn free performances.

“Edgewater has an incredibly robust, diverse, and accessible theatre scene, and audiences are traveling from all across the Chicagoland area to be a part of it,” said Kate Piatt-Eckert, Executive Director at Steep Theatre. “The theaters in Edgewater are extremely proud to be a part of this wonderful neighborhood, and we created the Edgewater Theatre Passport so that we can better share our stories and our theaters with our neighbors.”

The passport is actually a punchcard. Every time you see a performance at a participating theater, you will get your card stamped. Once you have attended five area plays and received five stamps on your card, your sixth performance is free.

Piatt-Eckert added, “I want our neighbors to be proud of the incredible theatre district they have helped to create, and I hope that seeing a play in Edgewater will become as second nature as going to the farmers market, relaxing on the beach, and enjoying great locally owned shops and restaurants. Edgewater is an incredible community, and now more than ever, Edgewater means theatre.”

With the success of Edgewater’s theaters, local performances have garnered much attention and many awards. Offering everything from intense drama to hilarious comedy, area plays are making a mark in Chicago. In fact, the 2015-16 Jeff Award for Best Ensemble was a tie between two Edgewater theatres – Raven for Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys and Steep for Posh.

“What really excites me about Edgewater’s incredible theatre scene are the diversity and quality of the programming and how completely accessible it all is,” said Piatt-Eckert. “From the price to the atmosphere, there’s nothing standing in the way of seeing a great show.”

Participating Theatres