Free Street Theater

Free Street Theater On streets and on stages since 1969. We also do community residencies and workshops on how to use theatre as a strategy for grassroots organizing.

Free Street’s programs are designed to provide opportunities for artistic engagement to people who are commonly excluded from mainstream programming. Our work includes a variety of programs: two school-year ensembles where youth ages 13-19 create original performances; a multi-generational ensemble where people ages 19 and up create original performances; and an Incubator series called In/House wh

ere we facilitate the development of new work by a variety of critically engaged artists. All of our programs are free or sliding scale.

Hot off the press! Our Year in Review 2025 Report is out on our website! We are proud to share our latest collection of ...
06/03/2026

Hot off the press! Our Year in Review 2025 Report is out on our website!
We are proud to share our latest collection of people, projects and partnerships in the N4EJ 2025 Year in Review. As we roll out some highlights check a preview from our Executive DIrector’s letter.

Tonight, we celebrate our seniors at spark: Leo, Jade, Jordan, Makiyah and Destiny! Come join us tonight for a special c...
05/21/2026

Tonight, we celebrate our seniors at spark: Leo, Jade, Jordan, Makiyah and Destiny! Come join us tonight for a special celebration of these young geniuses, or hype them up in the comments as they prepare for their next chapter! Tickets still available at spark26.eventbrite.com for tonight and tomorrow, but act fast!

📸

us checking to see if you got your tickets for spark yet 👀Thursday and Friday are your last two chances to see this Read...
05/20/2026

us checking to see if you got your tickets for spark yet 👀

Thursday and Friday are your last two chances to see this Reader and audience recommended show! tickets at our link in bio, or head to spark26.eventbrite.com

SIGN UP ALERT!!!We are continuing our 3rd year of our bilingual storytelling workshop class!!! Free Street is collaborat...
05/15/2026

SIGN UP ALERT!!!
We are continuing our 3rd year of our bilingual storytelling workshop class!!! Free Street is collaborating with Peace and Education and Innovation 80 for an 8 week storytelling project that invites Southside residents to document community histories via their own lived experience. We are looking for up to 16 participants for an intergenerational storytelling program and welcome people of all writing experiences. (No writing background needed)

 With 10-16 participants engaging (five to eight over 55 year-olds, and five to eight under 25 year olds), the participants will learn the art of storytelling, while sharing their lived experiences in Back of the Yards.
Participants will be paid a 500.00 stipends for completing the program. 

The program starts on Monday June 8th from 6-8pm and culminates in a storytelling performance on Monday August 10th.
All sessions are Mondays June 8th -August 8th and one Tuesday (June 16th)  from 6-8 pm at the Free Street Storefront, 4625 S Ashland Ave

Interested? Check out the link in bio
Deadline is June 1st
Schedule is as follows: Monday 6/8, Tues. 6/16, Mondays: 6/22, 6/29, 7/6, 7/20  8/3 with a performance on August 10th.

spark is READER RECOMMENDED!! thank you for this review at “The performers/activists here embrace their multilayered i...
05/13/2026

spark is READER RECOMMENDED!! thank you for this review at

“The performers/activists here embrace their multilayered identities with joy, music and dance without sugarcoating the realties of the world they’re inheriting, including the rise of policing/surveillance of public spaces locally and across the nation.”

🔗 link in bio to read the whole review

Thank you to our food sponsors who supported our youth with meals throughout spark tech week! ✨ Piece Paulie Gees   Mire...
05/12/2026

Thank you to our food sponsors who supported our youth with meals throughout spark tech week! ✨

Piece
Paulie Gees   
Mirellas Tavern 
Professor Pizza  
Phodega  

We’ve extended! Now you get the chance to see spark again or for the first time. Shows now running through May 22nd!Tick...
05/07/2026

We’ve extended! Now you get the chance to see spark again or for the first time. Shows now running through May 22nd!

Ticket link in bio

Photos by

Poster design by .vasquez

SEMILLAS 📚Launching in May a collaboration between Free Street and the Back of the Yards Library (2111 w 47th st) An int...
05/07/2026

SEMILLAS
📚Launching in May a collaboration between Free Street and the Back of the Yards Library (2111 w 47th st)
An interactive reading hour for 4-9 year olds using play to learn about the environment!
Join us May 9, 16 and 23rd starting at 12pm

📚En mayo vamos lanzar una colaboración entre Free Street y la biblioteca de Back of the Yards (2111 W 47th st )
Una hora interactiva de lectura para niños 4-9 años de edad usando actividades de teatro para aprender sobre el medio ambiente!
Acompáñanos el 9, 16 y 23 de mayo empezando a las 12pm

Don’t miss your chance to join the archive Chicago! Tickets available on Eventbrite link in bio and are free-pay-what-yo...
05/05/2026

Don’t miss your chance to join the archive Chicago! Tickets available on Eventbrite link in bio and are free-pay-what-you-can for walk ups at box office

Happy May Day Chicago! And happy opening of 📸spark 📸 A little party, a little protest, a lot of punk all that’s missing ...
05/01/2026

Happy May Day Chicago! And happy opening of 📸spark 📸 A little party, a little protest, a lot of punk all that’s missing is you!

Walk ups are free-pay-what-you-can at Pulaski Park. Get your tickets ahead on eventbrite through our link in bio.

“The creative power of the oppressed will always exceed that of the oppressor” -from Let This Radicalize You by Kelly Hayes & Mariame Kaba

Address

1419 West Blackhawk Street, 3rd Floor Of The Pulaski Park Field House
Chicago, IL
60642

Telephone

+17737727248

Website

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