In a theater community as saturated as Chicago's, culture vultures can be forgiven for missing the boat on Redtwist Theatre (formerly Actors Workshop Theatre). A company performing important contemporary American drama in an intimate storefront space to frequent critical acclaim isn't exactly unusual in this town. But Redtwist tries to be many things at once. Situated in a gentrifying stretch of historic Edgewater, in the heart of a dynamic and bustling Far North Side neighborhood miles from the Loop and off-Loop scenes, this Equity company draws from decades of professional stage experience but hasn't lost its community focus.

Michael Colucci founded the company as a training center in 1991 and began mounting shows three years later. In 2001, it incorporated as a non-profit and expanded its season to five shows, which it would bring to Edgewater the following year. On the workshop side, classes introduce students to acting as both a technique and profession. The company's collective experience and frequent critical acclaim speak volumes, even if it could use a little more buzz.

Centerstage Reviewer: Justin Sondak