Chicago Theatre Review
The curtain rises on Bramble Arts Loft
On Saturday, April 6, 2024, the new Bramble Arts Loft officially opened, on the second floor of the old Capital Garage building on Clark Street. Their stated mission is: “to create powerful new theatre that both nourishes and challenges our community to explore the question of what it is to be Human. By fostering an Artist-first culture that inspires hope and innovation, we strive to be a leading voice in this emerging era of American Theatre.”
The space is versatile, welcoming, and filled with light. It boasts 3 stages, private green rooms, a conference room, a spacious lobby, and fully functional bar.
The conference room sits above the space, with glass walls on all sides, engendering a feeling of space and light. The theme of brambles is reflected in chalk drawings across the walls, adding color and life the otherwise slick and modern feel of the interior design. From it, you can see almost every other space available in the loft.
The Beatrice seats 101, with a theater in the round set up and a modern, clean look. The Berry is designed to be as versatile as possible, and no detail went unnoticed, for example, the floors are Gerflor Taraflex, a Mylar-like material that provides shock absorption as well as a perfect surface for movement and dancing. The sound insulation keeps it from being too echoey and the lighting is built-in and controlled from a panel in the wall, bringing the classic black box into the modern age. The Cabaret space is a warm little corner, tucked under the conference room and in full view of the bar. Rugs and instruments are strewn about, welcoming all who walk by to stay a while and hear a song.
The Bar is called George’s Place, after the late George Stotis, a fixture of the Andersonville neighborhood and the father of the current landlord, Bill Stotis. He was a great auteur of Chicago Theatre and ran a prop house on Clark not far from the theater. Co-Founder Matthew Lunt told me: “It made sense to honor those that came before us and we’re humbled that he watches over us now.”
I was fortunate to meet Creative Producer and Co-Founder Matthew Lunt while attending the Open House. He stressed how important it was to them to enrich the local community and artists. In fact, all the art in the Loft came from local artists, the excellent hors d’oeuvres from a neighborhood chef, and upcoming productions and classes are all taught, written and produced by local artists.
I asked him a bit more about the Bramble Theatre Company’s mission and what brought them to the space. He said, “We had been blessed from the beginning by these hugely talented artists, so the formation of the Bramble Ensemble was a no brainer. What was less clear was where we were going to create together, especially after enduring a pandemic and having to start a company in the peak of social distancing. Once things calmed down, it made sense to make an investment in not just the company, but in the Chicago Arts community at large. We took our chance and hope that the Arts Loft fosters creatives and their work for years to come.”
As Mr. Lunt gave me a tour, he often pointed out the contributions made from local artists and other residents. “We want to be an open door for those that need an elevated space to host their creative efforts. We make a point to offer discounts to nonprofits and hope to facilitate the work they already do. We also offer classes in an effort to renumerate artists as well as expand the skills of the neighborhood. We also will take time to listen and see what the actual needs are. We don’t need to influence or guide, we hope to walk alongside.”
There are already several productions mounting and the theater company is producing their third annual Festival of Unfinished Works on June 26. Classes in various aspects of playwriting have already begun. I can’t wait to see what this beautiful, welcoming space and its passionate organizers, have in store.
Highly Recommend!
Alina C. Hevia
The Bramble Arts Loft is at 5545 N. Clark St. 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60640
Information on upcoming shows and classes can be found at brambletheatre.org
Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.
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