Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre (Theo) Co-Founder and Artistic Director Fred Anzevino died April 28 in his Evanston home after a brief illness. He was 67.
Out gay artist Anzevino was open about his longtime HIV-positive status. He was born Sept. 3, 1957 in Providence, Rhode Island. During his youth, he displayed potential as a baseball player but instead decided to study theater at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and Rhode Island College. Anzevino went on to receive his MFA from George Washington University.
In Anzevino’s twenties, he performed in the national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical Big River. He performed in other stage productions over the years before he became a director. Anzevino’s first time in Chicago was through an AIDS-centered theater production called Dance Against Darkness which was staged at the now defunct Reflections Theatre. His time in Chicago during that production contributed to him later deciding to make it his permanent home.
Anzevino co-founded the Theo Ubique Theatre, a non-equity itinerant storefront theater, in 1997 because he was tired of how commercialized musical theater had become. The Theo Ubique name, a Greek-Latin hybrid that means “God present in everything,” was Anzevino’s idea. Anzevino and his team made the Theo into a very unique, sought-after and successful locale. His last stage production was Diana, which he wanted to do because he always admired the late Princess Diana’s visits to AIDS patients in the 1980s and 1990s and wanted to honor her with this work. Diana will go on in his stead with a premiere at the end of this month.
Under Anzevino’s leadership, Theo staged productions at the Rogers Park Chicago neighborhood Heartland Studio Theatre and then at the No Exit Café’s 60-seat venue. Due to supporters and Evanston officials’ assistance, Anzevino was able to raise the necessary funds to move the Theo to a 75-seat custom-designed theater space on Howard Street on the border of Chicago and Evanston in 2018. He reflected about Theo’s journey to inclusivity in a New City Stage piece last year.
Throughout Anzevino’s time as an artistic director, he developed relationships with award-winning musical directors Austin Cook and Jeremy Ramey (who also served as resident music director for the Theo for 12 years, where they collaborated on 42 shows).
Anzevino had a knack for spotting new young talent and then nurturing them into greatness. He sought out and cast these performers for his stage productions at Chicago’s foremost musical-theater training programs.
Among Anzevino’s accolades were his five non-equity Jeff Awards as a director for the Bridges of Madison County, Cabaret, Chess, Evita and Light in the Piazza productions at the Theo.
Anzevino is survived by his sister Joann Benedetti and countless chosen family members and friends.
Theo Ubique Cabaret Company’s Board of Directors and Staff of Theo said in a statement, “We know that many of you knew Fred, and we all share a mutual respect and admiration for Fred’s outstanding artistic contributions to the musical theatre community in Chicago, and for his devotion to making a tiny storefront theatre into a giant in this community. Fred had a tremendous impact, and we will miss him greatly. The community has lost a director, a colleague, a mentor, an advocate and a friend. Fred had a deep and never-ending passion for theater, artists, and, of course, Theo. For the past 27 years, he sat at the helm of Theo championing its place in the Chicago store front community and beyond.
“While this news has devastated us, we also know that Fred believed ‘the show must go on.’ He was thrilled, eager and excited to direct Diana alongside his longtime friend and collaborator Brenda Didier and we wish to honor his passion for this project. Guided by Fred’s already imparted wisdom about the show, the company will move forward with the production, as planned from May 23-July 6 this year.”
Longtime friend and theater colleague Christopher Pazdernik said, “Fred’s style of cabaret musicals not only inspired me personally as a college student but really paved the way for all the storefront musical productions we know and love today. It was an honor to work alongside him producing at Theo and I know his legacy will continue for years to come. He will be greatly missed.”
Theo’s Marketing Consultant, Arts ink, Whitney Rhodes said, “I began working with Fred in 2021 when Arts ink came on as Theo’s marketing partner. I was always so sparked by how Fred believed so strongly in the value of the exchange between artist and audience in an up-close, personal, intimate theater. He thought a lot about how the audience would experience the show and how the artists would experience delivering it. That is such a special part of theater-making at Theo and will certainly be a longstanding piece of Fred’s legacy.”
Chicago drag sensation Coco Sho-Nell said, “Coco Sho-Nell was born, there was a theater kid by the name of Raymond. He worked in many facets of theater but found community and chosen mentors/family in Beverle Bloch and Fred Anzevino. The year was 2007 and I was looking for more theatre work and while surfing the web I discovered Theo Ubique. It just so happened that I ran across my former Professor at Lewis University, Beverle Bloch. She introduced me to Fred Anzevino, her producing partner, as they were getting ready to produce the musical Cabaret. The very first day I met Fred, he was smoking a cigarette and his first words to me was, ‘My you’re a tall one.’ And that was the beginning of an almost two-decade mentorship and true friendship.
“At the Theo I worked on many shows as either a stage manager, choreographer, wig stylist or actor: Cabaret, Evita, Chess, Belle Barthe, Man of La Mancha and Some Enchanted Evening. My time with Theo was truly magical. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I feel it gave me the knowledge and experience to be the drag queen and artist that I am today. Through the years, I could always count on Fred to be direct and frank with me. Something I truly value to this day. Fred was truly one of a kind. I affectionately called him Pappa Bear, and he would call me his gentle giant. In 2020, when the world was on fire, we lost Beverle Bloch, his producing partner for years. Fred asked me to speak at her funeral. At the time, it was the hardest thing I had to do. After my speech, Fred said, ‘Beverle would be so proud of how you have grown into the artist she and I saw in you so many years ago.’ I will always cherish those words. As my star began to rise as Coco Sho-Nell, I always checked in with Fred. He was very proud of my success and for every milestone I always shared what happened, good and bad. I’ll miss our monthly check-ins, our talks and just making sure he was okay. Fred, to me, was the last of an era that I was fortunate to be part of. Rest well dear until we see each other again.”
Chicago Tribune theater critic Chris Jones said, “Fred was a real inspiration to a lot of young musical theater actors in Chicago. His work was extraordinary over several decades. No one was better at small stagings of very big musicals than him.”
Longtime friend Lori Cannon said, “Honestly, I’m still in disbelief that my dear friend of over 35 years is gone. Met him when he first arrived in Chicago, late 80’s to present his sensitive and beautiful play: A Dance Against Darkness: Living with AIDS. Fred quickly became a giant in Chicago theater. He also became an Open Hand volunteer delivering meals to homebound PWA’s in their final days. Fred will be remembered as a brilliant director of young talent, then developing these actors into superstars. He’ll be sorely missed by all, including me. Thanks for the memories ol’ pal….”
Anzevino also received tributes from Music Theater Works and Porchlight Music Theatre via their Facebook pages.
A public memorial will take place at a date and location TBA.