We tell our stories so you’ll tell yours.

Like many theater companies in Chicago, Serendipity was started by a group of friends who wanted to change the world. Founded in 1999 by a group of Miami of Ohio alums, their focus was on the creation of new plays, and the mission statement illustrated their commitment to providing a forum for social dialogue through the work they created. Over the years, Serendipity has grown and evolved, members have moved away, had children, changed jobs—about half of the founding members are still around, but the community has changed. Our focus is still on the creation of new work, though we’ve expanded that definition to include personal narrative and storytelling through the creation of our successful 2nd Story series; the mission remains the same, and we use it as a constant touchstone with which to measure our growth; and Serendipity continues to be home to a group of friends, though it is now a much larger community of artists coming from different backgrounds and disciplines, all informing each other’s work within the collaborative community we’ve created.

Mission:
Serendipity Theatre Collective uses stories to spark conversation and to fuel creative collaboration.

Serendipity Theatre Company is dedicated…

…first and foremost to the creation of an artistic collective that produces original work and mines the depths of storytelling—whatever form it may take, in whatever medium.

…to creating a thought-provoking environment for our artists and audience members alike.

…to providing space for the development of new work by providing workshop and production opportunities to collective members and guest artists.

History (1999-2009)

Season 10 (2008/2009)

7th Annual 2nd Story Festival—Dates TBD. April/May, 2009
2nd Story Monthly Series—Webster’s Wine Bar; Red Kiva; The Spot
MiniFest—A Mini version of our popular annual festival. Coming in October, 2008

Season 9 (2007/2008)

Launch 2D, Stories from 2nd Story—June, 2008
6th Annual 2nd Story Festival—April-May, 2008
2nd Story Monthly Series—Webster’s Wine Bar; Red Kiva; The Spot
Launch of 2nd Story Podcast—January 2008
Launch of 2nd Story Radio, a collaboration with Chicago Public Radio—December, 2007
Girl, 20—In Los Angeles, CA. A co-production with White Horse Productions—September-October 2007. Nominated for two LA Weekly Theater Awards! (Best Director and Best Ensemble) Ceremony on April 7th, 2008!
Launch of Storyteller Cycle—August, 2007

Season 8 (2006/2007)

Voices Underwater—National Pastime Theater—October/November 2006
365 Plays in 365 Days (Week 6) December 18, 2006—Webster’s Wine Bar
The Exonerated—Staged Reading (The Theatre Building) February 9 & 10, 2007
5th Annual 2nd Story Festival—April 26, 2007-May 13, 2007
2nd Story Monthly Series—Webster’s Wine Bar
Launch of 2nd Story Monthly Series—Red Kiva; The Spot

Season 7 (2005/2006)

Delores Dogan—Strawdog Theatre—October 2005
Girl, 20—The Athenaeum Studio Theatre—January 2006
4th Annual 2nd Story Festival
Vegas, baby—Staged Reading—Brad Nelson Winters Workshop, Webster’s Wine Bar
Launch of 2nd Story Monthly Series—Webster’s Wine Bar
Serendipity Theatre Company Merges with Terrapin Theatre Company to form the new Serendipity Theatre Collective

Season 6 (2004/2005)

The Outfit—The Raven Theatre—September/October 2004
Being 11—The Athenaeum Theatre—December 2004
3rd Annual 2nd Story Festival

Season 5 (2003/2004)

Alcatraz—The Athenaeum Studio Theatre August—October 2003
2nd Annual 2nd Story Festival

Season 4 (2002/2003)

Being 11—Victory Gardens Theatre
1st Annual 2nd Story Series—Webster’s Wine Bar

Season 3 (2001/2002)

Mr. Smartypants—Victory Gardens Studio Theatre June/July 2002

Season 2 (2000/2001)

Chordless—Staged Reading—Owen Bruner Theatre at The Goodman Theatre—December 7, 2000
Chordless—NYC Fringe Festival Summer 2001
The Day Maggie Blew Off Her Head—Victory Gardens Studio Theatre—July 2001

Season 1 (1999/2000)

Romeo and Juliet—Darwin Elementary
A.D.D. – Another Day of Distraction—Chopin Theatre