A Near West Side firehouse that has been converted into an arts center is hosting its first full stage production, an experimental and interactive play about a series of arson fires. Firehouse Art Studio, located at 1123 W. Roosevelt Road, premiered “Fire House” by the theater company Chicago Shpatz earlier this month. The sold-out production runs through Saturday.
The play takes place largely on the second floor of the former firehouse, which is considered the city’s oldest. “Fire House” offers an immersive theatrical experience and makes use of much of the building’s architecture as part of its performance space. The storyline follows a rookie firefighter dealing with tragedy during a string of arsons in Chicago, leading both characters and audience members through a spiritual journey throughout the historic building.
Jay Nowak and Jessica Beauchemin opened Firehouse Art Studio in 2012 after purchasing the then-138-year-old structure originally built for Chicago Fire Department Engine 18 just after the Great Chicago Fire. Nowak said they wanted to keep the theme of the firehouse alive by offering art forms like glassblowing and pottery within a youth-focused educational framework: “For our space, our hope was that it would be open and accessible to everyone. It’s a low-cost program or free in many cases. We work with community groups and with schools that typically don’t have access to the type of mediums that we work with.”
Several original features such as staircases, telegraph stand, and fire poles remain preserved in the studio, according to its website. The immersive show invites audience participation; attendees are asked to write down their sacrifices as part of exploring themes like risk for a better world.
Sivan Spector, director and co-founder of Chicago Shpatz, said in a note to attendees, “The show is an experimental attempt to create a true exchange of energy between the audience and performers… Rather than breaking the fourth wall, we want to pull you through it.”
Chicago Shpatz specializes in site-specific theater productions as well as historical walking tours.