Lookingglass’ next act: Pioneering Chicago theater reemerges with renewed purpose

Reimagine. Revitalize. Recommit.

That’s the charge for Lookingglass Theatre Company ensemble members as they work to rebuild the pioneering Chicago theater, whose pandemic-related struggles forced layoffs and suspended production from July 2023 to February 2025.

Among the veterans leading those efforts are artistic director Kasey Foster and “Friends” alum David Schwimmer, who co-founded Lookingglass with fellow Northwestern University graduates in 1988.

Innovative storytelling animated the company, whose signature shows — “Lookingglass Alice,” “Metamorphoses,” “The Arabian Nights,” “The Odyssey” — delighted audiences and earned national acclaim, including a 2011 regional Tony Award.

But the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard, sparking concern among ensemble members that the theater might not survive, Foster recalled.

“We felt how important it was to remain, for this city especially,” she said.

Their home, the historic Water Tower Pumping Station, survived the Great Chicago Fire. Lookingglass artists are similarly resilient, Foster said.

“We emerged (from a 19-month hiatus) transformed and with a renewed purpose,” she said.

“I want people to know they can come into this building, have a shared experience and it will change them somehow,” she said.

“We had so much more in us,” Schwimmer added. “It would be one thing if we had no more stories to tell, or if we ran out of ideas for good theater.”

But to close when they still had more to offer was unthinkable.

“Forget that. We’re not going out that way,” said Schwimmer, who has directed more than 20 Lookingglass productions.

Like other Chicago-area theaters, Lookingglass struggled financially in recent years as production costs rose, audiences shrank and donations declined.

“The landscape post-COVID has changed in terms of fundraising, in terms of audience turnout,” Schwimmer said. “Everyone is trying to figure out how to survive and everyone is doing it slightly differently.”

With only 190 seats, capacity is limited. Producing original works also poses a challenge in terms of attracting audiences.

“It’s harder to sell shows that are completely unknown,” he said.

Still, ensemble members remain committed to premiering new works, including Lookingglass’ current production “White Rooster,” written and directed by ensemble member Matthew C. Yee and inspired by Chinese folklore.

Schwimmer’s decision to take on a larger role in the company was prompted by the departure of several veteran ensemble members for personal reasons. In 2024, the longtime donor joined the board of directors. He serves on the finance committee and will co-host and co-produce the May 2 fundraising gala “Come As You Aren’t” at The Wellsley in Chicago.

“I’m cultivating more board members and cultivating more donors,” he said, modestly adding, “I’m able to open some doors sometimes.”

Schwimmer said he is excited to begin Lookingglass’ next chapter.

“We’ve got so many exciting and original stories to tell,” he said. “We’re chomping at the bit to get them all on stage.”