2025
January – In response to the new presidential administration, FTP co-hosted Jane: Abortion and the Underground – a staged reading fundraiser on Inauguration Day. Along with co-producers Violet Surprise, FTP helped curate a sold-out event that raised over $3,000 for Planned Parenthood and Chicago Abortion Fund. January also saw the first Fat Jokes – a night of fat comics and comedians, hosted at Theo Ubique as part of their WinterFest.
Feburary – Rehearsals began for the March production of Funny, Like An Abortion, a co-production with Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble. This Chicago premiere, directed by Eileen Tull and written by Rachel Bublitz imagines a world where even the word abortion is illegal. This dark comedy stars Saniafaith and Bianca Thompson and includes production team members Ellyzabeth Adler, shellie., Taylor Owen, Mary Aurora Moore, Davor Suttles, TessaMarie Beard, Gail Gallagher, and Christine Marie. Our Fat Tuesdays series returned, running February 18th – March 4th at Ridman’s Coffee. This series was curated by Josie Moore and Melody DeRogatis.
March – Funny, Like An Abortion ran March 10th – 30th
April – Too Fat To Run traveled to Madison, Wisconsin to participate in a wellness coference in association with Rotate Theatre Company.
June – We held our first Big, Fat Fabulous – a drag show with a beautiful, big-bodied lineup curated by Femme De Violette.
August – At Yippie Fest, we held a variety show to introduce the Collective, as well as formally announced our roster!
Annie A.
Joél Cordova
Melody DeRogatis
Shellie DiSalvo
Brittany Ellis
Caitlin Jackson
Rory Jobst
Kit Kelly
Lou McNaughton
Josie Moore
Mary Aurora Moore
Taylor Pasche
Dina Perez
Kristin Schmitz
Bianca Thompson
Eileen Tull
Femme De Violette
September – We held two workshop productions i/a/w Chicago Danztheatre of Scott C. Sickles’s cycle of short plays: Destination Wedding. Directed by Eileen Tull and assistant directed by Taria Abram, this piece featured actors: JENNY: Kristin Schmitz; GRANDMA: Jean Marie Koon; GRANDPA: Bill Chamberlain; DORA: Saniafaith; PARIS: Amanda Greenwood; BASCOM: Jack Gordon; REESE: Will Colley; OLAFUR: Taylor Mercado Owen; FRED: Peter Young; JULIE: Ellen Adalaide; UNDERSTUDY: Kit Kelly
October: We held two events, the first being Fall Into Love Poetry Night at Nabala Cafe, curated by Lou McNaughton and featuring the talents of Estefania Unzueta, Hill Gu, Bianca Thompson, elle, Lexie Vogel, shellie, Ember, Gina Saglimbeni, and Rory Jobst. Our second event was another Big, Fat Fabulous lineup curated by Femme De Violette and including the talents of: Santi Kristo, Cunt Fuckula, Arson Crafts, Aspen Peak, Georgia Rising, and Miz Thang! Thank you to Clean Air Club for providing an air purifier for this masked show!
2024
January – Fat Theatre Project is founded in Chicago, IL by Eileen Tull
February – March – Fat Tuesdays, a reading series, launches. FTP produces 6 readings by new and established playwrights including Morgan Gould, Zach Barr, Scott C. Sickles, and C. Meaker, among others. Directors of the readings include: Melody DeRogatis, Becca Holloway, Taylor Pasche, and Eileen Tull. This series is able to pay artists and offer free admission to the public.
March – American Theatre publishes an article about artists and organizations pushing for more fat representation, featuring Fat Theatre Project.
April – Fat Poetry Night at Ridman’s Coffee is rousing success. From April to October, FTP hosted a monthly Joyful Fat Walk – a casual community stroll to spend some time outside.
May – Two workshop performances of a new solo show by Eileen Tull are held. “Too Fat To Run” details the experience of training for a marathon in a fat body. These performances were free and open to the public. Jessica Landis served as Director with Jules Dreitzer as Assistant Director. Additionally FTP hosts a virtual class – Storytelling Through a Fat Lens.
July – The first Fat Cabaret Night raised enough money to cover the production budget for our upcoming show and featured some of the coolest and most talented performers in Chicago. FTP hosts another virtual class – Intro to Solo Performance.
August – Our first full production, “The InterPlays,” conceived by director Melody DeRogatis ran for 10 performances. Contributing playwrights are DeRogatis, Sarah Katherine Bowden, Allison Fradkin, and Eileen Tull. Cast: Joel Cordova, Mandie Greenwood, Kit Kelly, and Lenci Davis, with Dina Perez as understudy. Additional production team: Madi Wohlfeil, Mary Aurora Moore, Josie Moore, and Savana Nix. This production was able to offer pay-what-you-can tickets. Artists received a small stipend and a percentage of the ticket sales.
September – “Too Fat To Run” features in the Elgin Fringe Festival with a short Chicago run afterwards.
November – Too Fat To Run is featured in the 2025 Fillet of Solo Festival in Chicago and in the Inverse Performance Art Festival in Bentonville, Arkansas.
December – The first annual Curvy Con! The brainchild of Taylor Pasche, this was a daylong maker’s market featuring fat creatives, fat performers, and customers of all sizes. This event served as a fundraiser for the 2025 productiong of Funny, Like An Abortion. FTP also contributed to Fight Night at The Factory – an evening of plays involving fight choreography.
Fat Theatre Project 