Defiant Theatre was a Chicago-based theatre company founded in 1993 by a group of students from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which included Nick Offerman. The eclectic troupe specialized in productions that emphasized inventive stagecraft, perverse and controversial topics, and skillful stage combat. While the company is highly regarded for original plays such as Action Movie: The Play and Godbaby, Defiant Theatre received notable attention for productions of plays by Caryl Churchill, Alfred Jarry, Sarah Kane, and William Shakespeare. Chicago Magazine named Defiant the "Best Experimental Theatre" in their August 1999 Best of Chicago issue. The company disbanded in 2004.
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[This quote needs a citation]
"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 [2]
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 [5]
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
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 [7]
"Breathtaking disregard for their own safety." - Chicago Reader [8]
"Simultaneously assaulting and seductive, and violently metaphoric." - Newcity [This quote needs a citation]
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 [10]
"**** We're appalled by this heinous clan — but, boy, I loved going to their party." - Gay Chicago Magazine [This quote needs a citation]
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 [11]
"Action Movie charms its audience with sly nods to its predictability." - Chicago Sun-Times [This quote needs a citation]
"A visceral, confrontational theatergoing experience... The company has managed to put all the blockbuster films this summer to shame." - Chicago Reader [12]
"A shared culture of B-movie proportions while being lovingly, and skillfully, over-the-top theatrical." - Newcity [This quote needs a citation]
"A colorful diversion. Or is that perversion?... Full of wit and energy, it's well worth checking out." - Windy City Times [This quote needs a citation]
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 [This quote needs a citation]
"The play's endless stunts are just as brilliantly executed and breathtaking as they were before." - Chicago Reader [15]
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 [This quote needs a citation]
"The Defiant folks prove once again why they are among the most creative companies currently working in Chicago." - Windy City Times [This quote needs a citation]
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
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
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[16]
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
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
