About Face Theatre is set to celebrate 30 years of advancing LGBTQ+ equity Nov. 7 as the company continues heralding its mission and looking to expand beyond the theater’s physical boundaries.
Founded in 1995 as About Face Collective, the organization has strived to tell queer stories through the art of theater, evolving into the digital age and through the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s a “dedicated space where LGBTQ+ folks can let their guard down and be fully themselves, bring the fullness of their visions and talents and ideas into the space to push the form and push what theater can be,” according to artistic director Megan Carney, who has served in her role since 2017.
“We spend so much time creating a space where people can say, ‘Okay, I can relax here,” Carney added. “And when you can relax and settle into your full self, you get to make amazing things.”
About Face just wrapped its latest show, We Could Be, an interactive production that gives the audience a role in the drivers’ seat. The show, emulating choose-your-own-adventure games, allowed audiences to vote on which paths the story will take, allowing the cast to practice in front of numerous audiences at the Rivendell Theatre before going on tour.
The show’s ethos has been rooted at the core of the theater collective’s mission since Day One, Carney shared.
“Heading into the 30th anniversary year and returning to our roots, and having a strong, fun program that can hit the road, has provided a full return for us,” she said.
Archivists with Gerber/Hart Library & Archives have organized a collection of the theater’s 30-year history that will be on display at the party at Venue West, 221 N. Paulina St., allowing both former and current participants to get a glimpse of the organization’s rich story.
But About Face “has never been a company that’s rooted in nostalgia,” Carney said, looking to the future. Having learned from the pandemic, Carney said they want to lean more into hybrid shows to connect to audiences outside of Chicago.
“We’re in Chicago. We’re in Illinois, which is a sanctuary state, but we’re just one theater,” Carney added. “Some of the exciting ideas that we’re working on are, how do we blend what’s happening live on stage in Chicago with this broader reach around the region, and let there be more of a mutual exchange in the Midwest?”
The theater recently partnered with the Long Wharf Theater in New Haven, Connecticut for the fifth annual presentation of Black Trans Women at the Center, and About Face will host a free virtual event from Nov. 18-20 so audiences can watch, also partnering with Brave Space Alliance for a watch party.
About Face intends to continue offering full union productions year-round alongside “robust” education work, going full steam ahead as the organization looks forward to its next 30 years.
“I hope we will keep changing as the industry changes and culture changes,” Carney continued.