Opened on November 8, 2003, the Joan
W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music
and Dance in Millennium Park became the
first multi-use performing arts venue built in
downtown Chicago since 1929. Today, the
nonprofit Harris Theater features the most
diverse offerings of any venue in Chicago,
hosting local, national, and internationally
renowned artists and ensembles.
The Theater’s
resident companies
are
a core component of the Harris mission.
We partner and collaborate with Chicago’s emerging and midsize performing arts
organizations to provide subsidized rental, technical expertise, and marketing support
to these companies. The Theater also offers professional development opportunities,
including the innovative Learning Lab, endorsed with grants from the National
Endowment for the Arts.
In more than a decade, the Harris Theater’s original group of 12 resident companies
has grown to include 35 diverse and exceptionally talented performing arts
organizations. Through these partnerships, the Theater has earned national recognition
as a unique model for collaboration, performance, and artistic advancement.
Through the
Harris Theater Presents
series, the Theater has achieved widespread
recognition as a vital cultural anchor in the city. Daniel Barenboim, Mikhail Baryshnikov,
Renée Fleming, the Hamburg Ballet, Lang Lang, the New York City Ballet, the Paris
Opéra Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet, Stephen Sondheim, and many others have all
graced the Harris’ Elizabeth Morse Genius Stage through this series.
Community engagement
initiatives promote the Harris Theater’s commitment to
advancing access to and appreciation of the performing arts. Chicago residents of
all ages and communities participate in the
Family Series, Eat to the Beat
series, and
engagement programs. Through the
Access Tickets Program
and
Teen Arts Project
, the
Harris Theater has provided more than 7,600 complimentary tickets to 36 schools,
community arts organizations, and health and human services partners working with
underserved constituencies. The Theater also provides opportunities for children,
teens, and families to connect with the world-class artists who appear on the Harris
stage through master classes, artist discussions, and other enrichment activities.
ABOUT
HARRIS THEATER FOR MUSIC AND DANCE
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