Background
Christiansen, Richard Dean was born on August 1, 1931 in Berwyn, Illinois, United States. Son of William Edward and Louise Christine (Dethlefs) Christiansen.
( Winner of the Illinois State Historical Society Book Aw...)
Winner of the Illinois State Historical Society Book Award for Superior Achievement Who produced the first stage adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" in 1902-nearly forty years before the movie classic? What entertainment juggernaut began in a converted Chinese laundry on Wells Street in 1959? Where did Louis (Studs) Terkel make his stage debut? When did the original production of "Grease" open at Kingston Mines Theater? Richard Christiansen, former chief critic for the Chicago Tribune, answers these and many more questions about the rich role of the theater in Chicago, from its earliest days in 1837 to its present state as a diverse community of artists with international stature. In A Theater of Our Own, he draws upon his exclusive interviews, insights, and memories gathered over a period of more than forty years of reviewing the arts. This history and memoir traces the evolution of the Chicago theater scene from small theaters to major institutions such as the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the Goodman Theater, and The Second City. Along the way, Richard Christiansen relates his behind-the-scenes conversations with some of Chicago's most acclaimed writers, directors, and actors--David Mamet, Frank Galati, Mary Zimmerman, John Malkovich, Laurie Metcalf, Harold Ramis, Gary Sinise, and Joe Mantegna--all a part of Chicago's theater renaissance from the 1970s onward. To this day, Chicago remains a city known for its imaginative, innovative, and influential theaters and artists. A Theater of Our Own, a valuable contribution to the history of theater, is a book written for anyone who enjoys the theater and its people.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0810120410/?tag=2022091-20
Christiansen, Richard Dean was born on August 1, 1931 in Berwyn, Illinois, United States. Son of William Edward and Louise Christine (Dethlefs) Christiansen.
Bachelor, Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota, 1953; postgraduate, Harvard University, 1954; Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), DePaul University, 1988.
Reporter, critic, editor, Chicago Daily News, 1957-1973, 74-78; editor, Chicagoan magazine, 1973-1974; critic-at-large, Chicago Tribune, 1978-1983; entertainment editor, Chicago Tribune, 1983-1991; chief critic, senior writer, Chicago Tribune, since 1991.
( Winner of the Illinois State Historical Society Book Aw...)
Served to corporal United States Army, 1954-1956. Member American Theatre Critics Association, Society Midland Authors, Headline Club Chicago (Peter Lisagor award 2002), Arts Club Chicago (director), Phi Beta Kappa (Living Treasure award, 2003), Sigma Delta Chi.