Who we are
In 2023, Founders Josh Leeper & Nathan Dale Short met in a Scene Study class, when given a scene from Paul Rudnick’s I Hate Hamlet. Josh and Nathan found real joy in each other’s approach to the work and often found themselves thinking the same things before the other could say it.
Maintaining and building a friendship as they finished that class and began another, the thought struck them: “Why can’t we do this on our own?” From there, the first iteration of A Short Leap Study Session was launched. For eight weeks, a group of between five and twelve actors met and worked. Josh and Nathan continued to find joy in coaching and directing together, but beyond that, they discovered the joy of the community they had built. It wasn’t long before this community became A Short Leap Theatre Company.
Ten people established the Short Leap Ensemble from this initial group of “Study Sesh,” as it colloquially became known.
Since then, that group has grown to become the vibrant ensemble you see below. All of these people are dedicated to the foundation and guiding principle of A Short Leap: Fostering Community, celebrating your win; my win; our win.
A Short Leap’s Mission
A Short Leap Theatre Company is a vibrant community hub, dedicated to fostering the growth and development of Chicago performing artists, by being intentional, thoughtful, and professional in all rehearsals, productions, and performances, and in doing so, celebrating your win, my win, our win.
Our Values
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We recognize that to do the work that the Performing Artist is called to do, it may require going to a space that can be challenging, painful, and on occasion scary. We encourage Artists to go to the places they feel comfortable going to and commit to a safe space to allow for further exploration in any and every facet of rehearsal or production.
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We aim to be a force in telling stories that are beyond the experiences of any majority in our society, as well telling familiar stories using different voices than may be conventional or traditional. We seek to maintain a diverse ensemble on every side of production.
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We activate Artists to be the biggest advocates for themselves, as well as other Artists. In our work, we foster spaces that allow for Artists to communicate honestly without cruelty, offering genuine feedback with the intent to foster growth and never harm. We trust the Artists we work with to be open to giving and receiving feedback, always assuming the best on both sides.
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We commit to keeping a professional sense of fun and play at the forefront of all that we do, both on and off the stage. We commit to ensuring that during our work, we don’t lose sight of the play.
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A Short Leap was founded on a desire to connect with other people. Fostering community is what we endeavor to do first and foremost. Theatre is the vehicle we use to do so.
