AT, The Understudy, & Pocket Theatrics Unveil Re:working Roundtable Series

Adam Crawford from The Understudy, Gabriela Furtado Coutinho from American Theatre magazine, and Joel Willison from Pocket Theatrics. (Photo by Brandii Champagne)

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May 4, 2026 American Theatre Editors Leave a comment

AT, The Understudy, Pocket Theatrics Announce Re:working Roundtable Series

The new roundtable series starts in July.

By American Theatre Editors

CHICAGO: American Theatre magazine , The Understudy , and Pocket Theatrics have announced Re:working Chicago Theatre, a monthly roundtable series, beginning in July and concluding in November, that will platform the diverse Chicago voices, work, and methods happening outside traditional institutional recognition, fostering genuine, lively interconnection across Chicago’s diverse theatrical landscape.

Chicago theatremakers keep working long after ghost lights flicker on; quiet questions keep them up. What is the role of theatre in an aching time? How are artists reenergizing the spaces that have transformed or disappeared? How will the industry change or survive the age of AI? Which business models are better equipped to avoid worker burnout and theatre closure? This post-pandemic community has been reshaping itself and is ready to congregate and confront the issues currently faced by professionals of each specialization.

Re:working is a new space to discuss and share perspectives to move the Chicago theatre scene forward. Each roundtable will be facilitated by Gabriela Furtado Coutinho, a Chicago actor, playwright, cultural strategist, and the digital editor of American Theatre , with four to six featured participants each month. Re:working will include both a live and virtual audience, with recordings available online through American Theatre and The Understudy channels. Each evening will include time before and after for participants and attendees to connect. The Understudy Coffee and Books in Andersonville will host the roundtables, each centering a designated topic and highlighting Chicago artists.

“Chicago is one of the largest hubs of theatre in America,” said Joel Willison, artistic director of Pocket Theatrics, in a statement. “Our hope with this roundtable series is to spotlight the artists who call Chicago home and the work they do here outside of traditional award systems. We’re excited to be in conversation with the city.”

“This ecosystem is at an interesting crossroads, still recuperating from the challenges of recent years and adjusting to meet our current, fraught moment,” said Gabriela Furtado Coutinho in a statement. “But in our hustle and bustle, there aren’t too many opportunities for thought leaders to slow down, gather across institutions and specializations, and rework our individual and collective visions for the future. We hope this series will become a mainstay in Chicago theatre, a juncture to resist siloed struggle and, instead, dream and strategize together.”

Roundtables take place on Thursdays, with doors opening at 7 p.m. and event start time at 7:30 p.m. They will be held on July 30, Aug. 13, Sept. 10, Oct. 15, and Nov. 5. The first three roundtable topics have already been selected; the last two slots remain open for suggestions from the community. Confirmed roundtable topics include “The Evolution of Chicago Storefront Theatres,” “Rethinking Reviews and Recognition,” and “Culture of Care, a Toolkit.”

Roundtable participants are nominated based on a public form (linked here) that can also be found through Pocket’s website. Self-nominating is not allowed. Archived footage of the roundtables will be available on Facebook via American Theatre magazine , and on YouTube via The Understudy and Theatre Communications Group , the publisher of American Theatre Magazine .

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Adam Crawford Gabriela Furtado Coutinho Joel Willison Pocket Theatrics Re:working Chicago Theatre roundtable Showcase The Understudy

_Originally reported by [American Theatre](https://www.americantheatre.org/2026/05/04/at-the-understudy-pocket-theatrics-announce-reworking-roundtable-series/)._