Sharon Phillips
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Sharon Phillips was a theater artist and educator, who was on the front lines of Chicago’s emergence as a powerhouse theater city during the 70's and 80s'. She worked at Chicago’s famed Body Politic Theatre from 1973-1988, taking on the role of Managing Director from 1979-1988. She also served as General Manager of Wisdom Bridge Theater. She acted as President of The League of Chicago Theatres in the mid 80's.
Sharon was an essential part of Saint Paul’s United Church of Christ for decades, and helped introduce generations of children to her Bible Story Theater starting in 1980, ultimately acting as their Director of Youth and Family Education from 1991-2012. A member of the congregation remembers her: "Sharon was a creative, loving, funny, and intense person." Sharon was from Tulsa OK, but grew up in Chicago’s Jefferson Park area, studied Speech and Dramatic Arts at Beloit College, eventually working with the university’s Court Theater. During the 1986 Chicago International Theatre Festival, Sharon offered her thoughts on the Chicago theater community as a whole: 'What’s special about Chicago theater during this festival is what’s special about it all the time. Theater here is composed of companies, most of whom are in for the long run and have a stated commitment to Chicago and the development of artists in the city.'' |