The Cuckoo’s Theater Project To Renovate Rogers Park Space

The building at the corner of Ashland and Estes, called “The Nest” by TCTP company members, will be a full performing arts center in the next two years. Photo credit: The Cuckoo’s Theater Project.)

Chicago’s, The Cuckoo’s Theater Project (TCTP) has received zoning permissions from the city of Chicago to turn a 100-year-old building into a performing arts space. The building, which is at the corner of Ashland and Estes streets in Rogers Park, has a long history. Initially built in 1916 as a Women’s Social Club, its most recent tenants were the Unification Church, who used it as their home until 2012. In early 2016, TCTP Managing Director Bart O’Toole purchased it to be used by the theatre company.

The space, affectionately called “The Nest” by Cuckoo’s Company Members, has only been used for rehearsals, auditions, and storage until now. O’Toole has big plans for the future of the space. He says “I would like it to become a performing arts center for not only us but for the neighborhood. Logistically, we’re looking at a 100 seat main theater, a 36 seat black box theater, and rehearsal/meeting spaces.”

The Cuckoo’s Theater Project itself is a theatre company that puts a focus on diversity and underrepresented voices and stories.  They are currently in the middle of their fourth season and are in residence at the Prop Theatre in the Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood until renovations are complete, hopefully by the 2019-2020 season.

TCTP Artistic Director Marc James hopes that The Nest “becomes a place that welcomes everyone regardless of age, race, gender, religion. And that it can become an artistic home for artists in Chicago.”