Who we are
In 2023, founders Josh Leeper and Nathan Dale Short met in a Scene Study class, assigned a scene from Paul Rudnick’s I Hate Hamlet. What started as a standard classroom exercise quickly became something else entirely. They found themselves approaching the work from the same angle—asking the same questions, tracking the same emotional beats, and, more often than not, articulating the same instinct before the other could get there first.
As the class wrapped and another began, their collaboration continued. So did a growing sense of frustration with the limits of the room they were in. The work felt alive, rigorous, and deeply human, but fleeting. Temporary. And so the question arose, half-joking at first, then more serious each time it returned:
Why can’t we do this on our own?
That question became action with the launch of the first A Short Leap Study Session. Over eight weeks, a small but committed group—sometimes five actors, sometimes twelve—met regularly to work, stretch, fail, recalibrate, and try again. What Josh and Nathan expected was to enjoy coaching and directing together. What they didn’t expect was the depth of trust, generosity, and care that formed in the room.
The work mattered, but so did the people.
That early group began showing up not just for the scenes, but for each other. Wins were shared. Risks were encouraged. Growth was celebrated collectively, not competitively. It became clear that this wasn’t just a class or a side project. It was a community asking to be taken seriously.
From that original “Study Sesh” (as it came to be known), ten artists formally established what would become the Short Leap Ensemble, and with it, A Short Leap Theatre Company was born.
Since then, the ensemble has grown, welcoming new voices, perspectives, and disciplines, while staying rooted in the same guiding principle that shaped that first room:
Fostering community that helps artists leap forward by celebrating your win, my win, our win.
That belief continues to guide the work we make, the artists we support, and the way we move through this industry together.
A Short Leap’s Mission
A Short Leap Theatre Company is a vibrant community hub dedicated to fostering the growth and development of Chicago performing artists by being intentional, thoughtful, and professional in all rehearsals, productions, and performances, and in doing so, celebrating your win, my win, our win.
Our Values
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We recognize that to do the work that the Performing Artist is called to do, it may require going to a space that can be challenging, painful, and on occasion scary. We encourage Artists to go to the places they feel comfortable going to and commit to a safe space to allow for further exploration in any and every facet of rehearsal or production.
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We aim to be a force in telling stories that are beyond the experiences of any majority in our society, as well telling familiar stories using different voices than may be conventional or traditional. We seek to maintain a diverse ensemble on every side of production.
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We activate Artists to be the biggest advocates for themselves, as well as other Artists. In our work, we foster spaces that allow for Artists to communicate honestly without cruelty, offering genuine feedback with the intent to foster growth and never harm. We trust the Artists we work with to be open to giving and receiving feedback, always assuming the best on both sides.
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We commit to keeping a professional sense of fun and play at the forefront of all that we do, both on and off the stage. We commit to ensuring that during our work, we don’t lose sight of the play.
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A Short Leap was founded on a desire to connect with other people. Fostering community is what we endeavor to do first and foremost. Theatre is the vehicle we use to do so.
