The Trap Door Theatre

Specialties

Artistic Director Beata Pilch founded Trap Door with a commitment to seeking out challenging yet obscure works and bringing them to life. Whether it is a European classic rarely seen in the United States, an untarnished piece of American literature, or the playwright living next door, Trap Door will find these voices and present them to the public through innovative expression. We utilize old traditions mixed with the new to illustrate the absurdities of living in today’s society. Founded in 1990, Trap Door began as a nomadic troupe, thrilling the European theaters of Stockholm, Berlin, Zakopane and Paris with its grass roots, avant-​garde expressionism. It was on these stages that our trademark style of myth, ritual and revolution first crystallized. In March of 1994, Trap Door brought the stagecoach home to America, along with the exotic sensibilities that it had developed on its low budget, international tours.

History

Established in 1994.

Incorporated in March of 1994, Trap Door Theatre took their three-​year tradition of touring European Theatres and Festivals and transferred it to Chicago’s world-​renowned Off-​Loop Theatre scene. Residing in its permanent home, a 60-​seat, 900 square foot converted performance space in Bucktown, Trap Door has presented over seventy productions. Now on the cusp of their 15^th season, this groundbreaking group continues to win the praise of critics and patrons catapulting a whirlwind of activity, keeping the doors open year round.