Changes

===Later Decades===

===Later Decades===

The 1990s began some difficult years for OPFT. During this time the number of Chicago area theaters quadrupled and other theaters, inspired by Festival Theatre's success, began to produce Shakespeare on a regular basis.  The resulting decrease in  attendance compounded by some questionable management decisions which were discovered by actor [[Les Golden]] in 2001 when he was cast as Gremio in Taming of the Shrew, and which he then shared with the local press and influential board member Joyce Porter, combined with the elimination of arts funding from the Village of Oak Park<ref>http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-111233DC4EBFD160.html</ref> necessitated a decrease in the number of Actors' Equity contracts that could be offered.   

The 1990s began some difficult years for OPFT. During this time the number of Chicago area theaters quadrupled and other theaters, inspired by Festival Theatre's success, began to produce Shakespeare on a regular basis.  The resulting decrease in  attendance compounded by some questionable management decisions which were discovered by actor [[Les Golden]] in 2001 when he was cast as Gremio in Taming of the Shrew, and which he then shared with the local press, combined with the elimination of arts funding from the Village of Oak Park<ref>http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-111233DC4EBFD160.html</ref> necessitated a decrease in the number of Actors' Equity contracts that could be offered.   

In 2002 Joyce Porter,<ref>http://www.imdb.me/joyceporter</ref> an actress, director, Professor of Theatre at Moraine Valley Community College, and member of the Board of Directors since 1989, averted a vote by the board to cease production and was, shortly after, elected President of the Board.  The change of leadership was greeted enthusiastically, with suggestions in the local press for additional strategies.<ref>http://www.geocities.ws/goldenforstaterepresentative/theater/index.html</ref>

In 2002 Joyce Porter,<ref>http://www.imdb.me/joyceporter</ref> an actress, director, Professor of Theatre at Moraine Valley Community College, and member of the Board of Directors since 1989, averted a vote by the board to cease production and was, shortly after, elected President of the Board.  The change of leadership was greeted enthusiastically, with suggestions in the local press for additional strategies.<ref>http://www.geocities.ws/goldenforstaterepresentative/theater/index.html</ref>

Porter envisioned broadening the focus of  the theater to performing classics of all eras year-round indoors as well as outdoors.  The new artistic director, Jack Hickey, who had been appointed by the previous board president, worked with Porter to effect this expansion in phases.  They attracted new board members and began financial reforms that led to solvency within a few years.  Additional innovations under Porter’s leadership included educational programs, including a college intern program, the creation of a touring show, later revised and directed by Kevin Theis, and a summer workshop for teens.  The theater, in a very real sense, owes its continued existence to the discovery of wrongdoings by Golden and the dedication of Porter.

Porter envisioned broadening the focus of  the theater to performing classics of all eras year-round indoors as well as outdoors.  The new artistic director, Jack Hickey, who had been appointed by the previous board president, worked with Porter to effect this expansion in phases.  They attracted new board members and began financial reforms that led to solvency within a few years.  Additional innovations under Porter’s leadership included educational programs, including a college intern program, the creation of a touring show, later revised and directed by Kevin Theis, and a summer workshop for teens.  The theater, in a very real sense, owes its continued existence to the discovery of wrongdoings by Golden and the dedication of Porter.

In 2010, Kevin Theis and Belinda Bremner were elected co-presidents of the board and began the expanded four-production season with stable theatre finances.  A discouraging trend toward self-casting among Theis, Bremner, and Hickey caused concern among theater veterans that the problems of the 1990's and early 2000's were going to reappear despite Porter's reforms and expansion of theatre activities.

In 2010, Kevin Theis and Belinda Bremner were elected co-presidents of the board and began the expanded four-production season with stable theatre finances.   

===Productions/Actors===

===Productions/Actors===