BoHo Theatre (incorporated as Bohemian Theatre Ensemble) was a non-profit Chicago-based theatre company. Founded in 2003, their productions garnered praise (including Top Ten production assignations from the Chicago Tribune, and Time Out Chicago), were favored with Joseph Jefferson Award (Jeff Award) recommendations and citations for several productions. The company was founded by artistic director Stephen Genovese until 2010, when he was succeeded by artistic director Peter Marston Sullivan. The final artistic director for Boho was the Jeff Award winning director, and Paramount Theatre lead actor, Stephen Schellhardt.
BoHo Theatre's mission was "to create bold theatre that challenges convention through innovative storytelling and unites artist and audience in the examination of Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Love through the lens of human relationships."[1] The Company presented plays and musicals in a variety of genres and considers itself an incubator for up-and-coming Chicago talent.[2] Over its lifetime, the company's productions were nominated for 82 non-Equity Jeff Awards (winning 19), including 5 Jeff Award for the Stephen Schellhardt directed Big Fish in 2019. Boho also won five After Dark Awards, and a Black Theatre Alliance Award. In 2013, BoHo Theatre received a Business Leadership Award from the Rogers Park Business Alliance, along with neighborhood theatres Lifeline Theatre, Theo Ubique, and the side project.[3]
Noted productions of critical acclaim include Next To Normal, Parade, Veronica's Room, Hauptmann, Floyd Collins, The Glorious Ones, The Wild Party, Side Show, Dogfight, Bright Star, Big Fish, and Tik, Tik....Boom!
Due to changing theatre models in Chicago and the Pandemic shutdowns, Boho Theatre closed its doors in May of 2023 after 19 years of creative, innovative and challenging productions.