This episode we chat with Artistic Director of the Oak Park Festival Theatre, Peter G. Andersen.
Mr. Andersen is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s MFA directing program and a graduate of Emerson College where he obtained his BFA in Acting. Formerly, he was the education manager at Writers Theatre in Glencoe. He has also worked at Steppenwolf Theatre Company as an Education Apprentice and Multicultural Fellow.
Select directing projects throughout Chicago include Romeo & Juliet (OPFT); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (OPFT); The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (The Gift Theatre); At Your Own Risk (University of Chicago) and Our Town (Roosevelt University).
Projects throughout the US include Pericles (Catskill Mountain Shakespeare); Macbeth (NIU); Measure for Measure (Montana Shakespeare in the Parks); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Catskill Mountain Shakespeare); The Kennedy Plays (CMU); 21 (CMU); As You Like It (CMU) and The American Myth (Shakespeare and Company).
He has also worked for Chicago Shakespeare, TimeLine Theatre, Writers Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company, Huntington Theatre Company, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Yale Repertory Theatre, and American Players Theatre as an assistant and associate director.
The Oak Park Festival Theatre celebrates its 50th season this year as the Midwest’s oldest, professional, outdoor classical theatre. Known for producing classic works, many are created as multi-generational experiences. Not only do they produce high quality theater, they are also stewards in the Oak Park community.
In addition to an attendance of 7,000 patrons annually, their ‘Community Appreciation Night’ program offers free tickets to EVERYONE for the first preview performance every season, removing financial barriers to those who might not otherwise have the means to attend.
Because of their strong partnership with the Village of Oak Park, they have endured recessions, climate calamities and a pandemic and their commitment to community, high quality art and the wellbeing of their artists, has them well on their way to celebrating another 50 years.
