Cat Gleason

Originally from Chicago, Gleason pursued a PhD in theatre research at UW-Madison. Her dissertation, “Mapping the Lincoln Park Nexus: Chicago Theatre Historiography and the Origin of the Off-Loop Theatre Movement,” offers a contextual exploration of Chicago’s Off Loop Theatre movement through a performance studies lens. Her chapter “Lincoln Avenue and the Off-Loop Scene: Urban Renewal and the Early Years of the Chicago Storefront Movement,” in Makeshift Chicago Stages: A Century of Theatre and Performance, forthcoming from Northwestern University Press reflects some of her work on the urban setting and theatre. Alongside her work on Chicago Theatre history she has published and delivered papers about theatre pedagogy, dramaturgy and the nature of collaboration. Gleason holds an MFA in directing from Southern Illinois University and her artistic practice focuses on new play direction and work with a social justice message. Her award-winning MFA thesis production, the Open Theatre’s Serpent was the result of an advanced course in ensemble movement, which she designed and taught. Trained by Chicago companies such as Plasticene, Goat Island and the Actors’ Gymnasium in physical and devised theatre, her directing projects often reflect this focus on movement and the actor. Her directing credits include Another Woman’s Baby at the Ryan Repertory Theatre in Brooklyn, NY, The Green Cricket in Chicago’s Rhinoceros Fringe Festival, The Rape of Nanking according to Minnie, for the Stockyards Theatre Project as well as serving as the Artistic Director of Summerset Theatre in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Her practice also includes new play and production dramaturgy as well as the occasional scenic design. Gleason’s teaching at institutions such as University of Missouri, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Northeastern Illinois University including introductory survey courses, movement and voice for the actor, theatre criticism, dramaturgy and public speaking had been recognized as excellent and innovative.