CHLOE JOHNSTON
Associate Professor of Theater, Lake Forest College
555 N. Sheridan Road, Lake Forest, IL 60045
Tel: (773) 203-0807, johnston@lakeforest.edu
www.chloejohnston.org
EDUCATION:
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL PhD, Performance Studies, 2011
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL M.A., Performance Studies, 2006
The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL B.A., Art History (with honors), 1999
AWARDS, HONORS, FELLOWSHIPS:
Humanities 2020 Mellon Faculty Fellow (working to enhance and advance humanities education through engagement with issues of racism in Chicago) Lake Forest College, 2019-present
Mojekwu Award, (Recognizing dedication and work in cultural understanding, awarded to Lake Forest College Department of Theater), May 2020
Links Hall Co-MISSION Fellowship Residency, Links Hall, Chicago 2020
Summer Research Grants, Lake Forest College, 2013-14, 2018-19
The Willian L. Dunn Award for Outstanding Teaching and Scholarly Promise, Lake Forest College, 2016
DAAD Summer Seminar, The University of Chicago, 2011
Graduate Affiliate, The Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities, Northwestern University, 2009-2010
Lilla A. Heston Memorial Scholarship, Northwestern University, May 2009
Robert S. Breen Memorial Award, Northwestern University, May 2008
Research grant, The Center for Interdisciplinary Research in the Arts, Northwestern University, 2008-2009
Summer Inc. Residency, The University of Chicago, 2008
Listed with The Neo-Futurists as one of the “50 Most Important Players in Chicago Theatre,” New City Chicago, September 2004
TEACHING:
Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, IL
Associate Professor Theater and Performance Studies (2018-present)
Assistant Professor Theater and Performance Studies (2011-2017)
Adjunct Professor (2010)
Courses taught: Introduction to Performance Studies, Acting I, Acting II, Women on Stage, Performance Art, The Mind Onstage (Theater and Neuroscience), Playwriting, First-Year Studies, Senior Tuturials, Self-designed major
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Graduate student instructor (2007-11)
Courses taught: The Analysis and Performance of Literature, Performance From/In Everyday Life (creted the course), True Love and Marriage (co-created the course)
The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Adjunct faculty; director of outreach and development, theater (2003-2005)
Courses taught: Drama: Embodiment and Transformation, Senior Seminar
Teaching assistant: Arts in Education
Invited performance workshops/master classes: Dad’s Garage Theatre (Atlanta, GA), Woolly Mammoth Theatre (Washington, D.C.), The University of Arizona, Arcosanti, Franklin and Marshall College, The Associated Colleges of the Midwest, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Northwestern University, The University at Buffalo, Washington University, Seattle University, in addition to creating and teaching 8-week performance intensives with the Neo-Futurists Theatre Company.
PUBLICATIONS:
Books
Ensemble-Made Chicago: A Guide to Devised Theater, co-authored with Coya Paz Brownrigg, Northwestern University Press, November 2018
Reviewed in Theatre Topics (March 2020)
Bare-Knuckled Lit: The Best of Write Club (Hope and Nonthings, 2014), contributor
Scripts
45 Plays for 45 Presidents (Playscripts Inc., 2017), co-author
200 More Plays from Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (Hope and Nonthings, 2004), contributor
Neo-Solo: 131 Neo-Futurist Solo Plays from Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (Hope and Nonthings, 2002), contributor
Journal Articles
"Beautiful Tangles: The Extra-Ordinary Mind Onstage."
Theatre Topics 30.1 (2020): 41-50.
"Open Carry: Radical Stillness."
TDR/The Drama Review 59.4 (2015): 176-183.
"On not falling: Philippe Petit and his walk between the twin towers."
Performance Research 18.4 (2013): 30-35.
"‘The Lovers’: On the Great Wall and beyond."
Performance Research 17.5 (2012): 19-23.
“Orlando by the Lake.”
The Center for Classic Theatre Review Issue #1 (2011): 32-35.
“Wandering Through Time: Francis Alÿs’s Paseos and the Circulation of Performance.”
Liminalities 6.2 (2010)
“The Built Environment and the Architecture of a Performance: Arcosanti, Chicago, and the Making of Theoretical Isolation: A Post-Atomic Experiment.” co-authored with Ira S. Murfin
Theatre Topics 20.2 (2010): 133-146.
Performance Reviews
“Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! by Cheryl L. West.”
Theatre Journal 73.2 (2021): 238-240.
“Hit the Wall by Ike Holter.”
Theatre Journal 67.1 (2015): 100-102.
INVITED ACADEMIC TALKS
“Ensemble-Made Chicago,” Seattle University, February 2020
“Order and Beauty: Ensemble-Made Chicago,” Washington University, October 2019
“Beautiful Tangles: Neo-Futurism, Truth, and the Brain,” The University at Buffalo, October 2018
“ ‘I Hope to Tell Ya’: Voice and Travel in E. Patrick Johnson’s Sweet Tea,” Northwestern University, October 2018
“Performing Theory, Theorizing Performance: Conceptualization, Execution, and Documentation,” Keynote Address, Graduate Student Conference, Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison, March 2013
PUBLIC PANELS AND PROGRAMS:
“Chicago Theater in the Time of Pandemics,” Dance, Theater, Performance Studies Working Group, University of Illinois, Chicago, November 2020
“Ensemble-Made Chicago,” a series of free workshops, curated in partnership with the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, October 2020
"Humanities Summit 2020: Crisis and Action," University of Illinois, Chicago Humanities Institute, August 2020
“The State of Arts and Culture in Chicago,” Chicago Humanities Festival, September 2019
PAPER PRESENTATIONS:
“Care, maintenance, and mutual aid,” Workgroup paper, American Society for Theatre Research, San Diego, CA (upcoming October 2021)
“Co-performative witnessing as care,” Performance Studies International, Rijeka, Croatia, Co-organizer and presenter (scheduled for July 2020—cancelled)
“ ‘When they go low…’ OR The Activism of Height,” Workgroup paper, American Society for Theatre Research, Arlington, Virginia, November 2019
“From Class to Ensemble: Games for Transformation,” Workshop, Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Orlando, Florida, August 2019
“Ensemble-Made Chicago,” Workshop, Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas Conference, Chicago, June 2019
"Pedagogy Fails and Student Revolt in the Performance Studies Classroom," roundtable discussion. Co-organizer and presenter, Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Boston, August 2018
“Beautiful Tangles: The Extra-Ordinary Mind Onstage,” workgroup paper, The American Society for Theatre Research Conference, Atlanta, Georgia November 2017
“Ensemble-Made Chicago: The Politics of Creating Collaborative Performance,” panel presentation, Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Chicago, August 2016
“Embracing Opportunities, Embracing the City,” panel presentation, National Communication Association Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, November 2015
“Radical Stillness,” workgroup paper, The American Society for Theatre Research Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, November 2014
“Open Carry: Experimental Guns,” panel presentation, Performance Studies International Conference, Shanghai Theatre Academy, July 2014
“Neo-Futurist Performance Workshop,” praxis session, Performance Studies International Conference, Shanghai Theatre Academy, July 2014
“Operation RAW, Operation First Casualty, and the Repetition of Risk,” workgroup paper, The American Society for Theatre Research Conference, Dallas, Texas, November 2013
“Too Many Conference Papers Make the Baby Go Blind: When Is Neo-Futurism?” panel presentation, Performance Studies International Conference, Stanford University, June 2013
“ ‘I Hope to Tell Ya’: Voice and Travel in Sweet Tea,” workgroup paper, The American Society for Theatre Research Conference, Nashville, Tennessee, November 2012
“ ‘The Best Black Talent’ ”: Rhetoric and history of the UniverSoul Circus,” panel presentation, Association for Theatre in Higher Education Conference, Washington D.C., August 2012
“Veterans and Citizens: The Performances of Iraq Veterans Against the War,” Association for Theatre in Higher Education Conference, Washington D.C., August 2012
“Still at Work: Curious Theatre Branch and the Labor of Play,” panel presentation, Mid-America Theatre Conference, Chicago, Illinois, March 2012
“A Voice and A Story: Multi-vocal Performances in Neo-Futurism,” panel presentation, organized for the National Communications Association Conference, San Francisco, California, November 2010
“Enduring Bodies: Abamovic and Ulay’s The Lovers,” panel presentation, Performance Studies International conference, Toronto, Canada, June 2010
“Theoretical Isolation: Actual Collaborations,” workgroup paper, The American Society for Theatre Research, Puerto Rico, November 2009
"Risk and Surprise: Operation First Casualty and The Risk of Re-enactment," a panel paper for the Performance Studies International conference, Centre for Drama Arts, Zagreb, Croatia, June 2009
“Catching Philippe Petit,” a panel paper for Performance Studies International conference, The University of Copenhagen, Denmark, August 2008
Respondent, “Theatre: Crossroads of the Humanities” Conference, Northwestern University, April 2008
“The Ethics of Performing the Other in a Neo-Futurist Performance,” a panel paper for the Oral History and Performance Conference, Columbia University, March 2008
“ ‘When I See Two Oranges, I Juggle. When I See Two Towers, I Walk’: Performance Becomes Folktale for Philippe Petit,” a panel paper for the Midwest Interdisciplinary
Graduate Conference, University of Wisconsin-Madison, February 2007
“The Mayor’s Mouth: Harold Washington’s Desserts,” a performative paper presented at the 2006 American Studies Association National Conference, Oakland, CA, October 2006
SELECTED PERFORMANCE WORK:
A few graces in the second pandemic spring, Lucky Plush, Chicago, June 2021 (creator/performer)
The Egg Wrench, the Neo-Futurists, Chicago, May 2021 (writer/performer)
45 Plays for America’s First Ladies, the Neo-Futurists, Chicago, October 2020
*Critics Pick in the New York Times (co-writer)
Subsequent productions: Forward Theater, Madison, WI (May 2021); Theater Pro Rata, MN (October 2022)
Grace, an original solo performance, produced by Pivot Arts, Chicago, November 2019 (creator/performer)
45 Plays for America's First Ladies, Ground Floor Workshop at Berkeley Rep, California, June 2018 (co-writer)
Remember the Ladies: A few short plays about our First Ladies, Rhinoceros Theatre Festival, Chicago, January 2018 (co-writer/performer)
Marginalia: An Evening of Performance, Links Hall, Chicago October 2017 (creator/performer)
Table Life, Rhinoceros Theatre Festival, Chicago, February 2017; Pivot Arts Fest, Chicago, June 2017 (co-creator, director)
Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, The Neo-Futurists, 2001-2016 (writer, performer)
Structural Remains, The Laboratory for the Development of Substitute Materials, Pivot Arts Incubator at Loyola University, Chicago, February 2015 (co-creator and performer)
The Loneliness Project About Face Theatre, January 2015 (artistic consultant)
As You Like It, Lake Forest College, November 2014 (director)
7 of 101: Zen Stories, Free Street Theater, Chicago, June 2014 (creator and curator)
Never a City So Real, Northwestern University, June 2013 (co-director)
The Carter Family Family Show, Rhinoceros Theatre Festival, January 2013 (creator, writer, performer)
Crowns: A Gospel Musical, The Goodman Theatre, July 2012 (assistant director)
44 Plays for 44 Presidents, Lake Forest College, April 2012 (inaugural production of the national Plays for Presidents Festival) (co-writer, director)
The Last Act of Lilka Kadison, Lookingglass Theatre, June 2011(assistant director)
Mirror City: A Phantom Experiment, The Laboratory for the Development of Substitute Materials, January 2011(co-creator, performer)
Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South, About Face Theatre, May 2010 (production dramaturg for world premiere)
Theoretical Isolation: A Post-Atomic Experiment, The Laboratory for the Development of Substitute Materials, Arcosanti, Arizona, March 2009; Chicago, April 2009 (creator and performer)
Mirror of the Invisible World, adapted and directed by Mary Zimmerman, The Goodman Theatre, June 2007 (assistant director)
Patriots, The Neo-Futurists, April 2005 (creator and director)
43 Plays for 43 Presidents, The Neo-Futurists, February 2002 (co-writer, performer)
Subsequent productions: Over 150 since 2004.
SERVICE TO LAKE FOREST COLLEGE
Allocation Resources Committee, 2013-15, 2020-present (Chair)
Sexual Violence Prevention Advisory Group, 2019
College Council, 2017-2019
First-Year Studies Committee, 2017-2019
Artistic Producer, Theater Department, 2015-16, 2018-19
Chair, Theater Department, 2012, 2015-16
Artist-in-Residence Committee, 2013-14
SERVICE AS A PEER REVIEWER
Peer reviewer, Theatre Topics, 2019
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:
Member, Performance Studies International
Member, American Society of Theatre Research, Chair of sub-committee for selected research awards (2021)
Member, Association of Theater in Higher Education
Ensemble member, The Neo-Futurists Theatre Company, Chicago
Founding ensemble member, The Laboratory for the Development of Substitute Materials, Chicago
Vice president, Board of Directors, Playmakers Lab, an arts-education company sponsoring literacy projects in the Chicago Public Schools (2005-2011)