The Royal NonSuch Presents: A Year In Producing Chicago Theatre: .

The Royal NonSuch Presents (RNP) was founded in April of 2013 as a writer's-based theatre operating out of Chicago. Though the company was started as a way to perform the founder's own work, it has grown through frequent performance into a large network of young practitioners working together to gain experience and insight into the modern theatre economy. This document chronicles the formation and growth of the company as well as the progress of its founder, both creatively (as an emerging playwright) and professionally (as an arts administrator). To present this work as a Master's thesis reveals a rather unconventional methodology towards the process. RNP was formulated as a project-based entity, with frequent and constant performance the key means through which the project was composed and evaluated. Those involved learned through a "trial by fire" system of constant focus on producing the next event. Any issues which arose were dealt with in an improvisational manner, with the information gleaned from one production immediately influencing how the next production would operate. With a few exceptions (referenced here through interlude essays) there was often not enough time for large-scale reflection before the next event needed to be planned. The success or failure of RNP was not determined by usual metrics such as tickets sold, company growth, or even professional review. As a group of individuals with beginning production experience and very limited financial capital, it was more useful to judge our relative success under our own terms. If the company succeeded in producing another show each month, without a major drop in audience size, we succeeded. RNP was primarily about artistic achievement, about creating connections and opportunities for the burgeoning Chicago theatre scene. By these accounts and by all means, RNP continues to be an overwhelming success.