Max Lewendel ( our CEO ) created an 80-page guidebook that detailed his dreams for his future, including the plan to start his own theatre company.
As for his long-term goal, Lewendel dreams of constructing his own theatre, the next step in his business plan. “I still have all the blueprints, the whole design of the theatre, the structure, the way it works, everything. Granted it was written by someone in their early 20’s, but it’s a template, a place to start.”
Max Lewendel, Founder of Icarus Theatre Collective
The aftermath developed into what is now Icarus Theatre Collective.
The Icarus Theatre Collective chose blue to represent theatre becoming visible.
Icarus
Definition
The son of Daedalus, who escaped from Crete using wings made by his father but was killed when he flew too near the sun and the wax attaching his wings melted.
Five more critics lauded the production and we were on our way to creating a solid repertoire of theatrical work.
“Max Lewendel's fine production imaginatively turns the Etcetera's black-box space into a giant blackboard - this is '50s absurdism made over as '90s 'in-yer-face' apocalypticism. It's a clever, entertaining show.
Robert Shore, Time Out
Robert Shore, Time Out
Five more critics lauded the production and we were on our way to creating a solid repertoire of theatrical work.
The show starred Tony Award winner Victor Spinetti. The show received glowing reviews from over a dozen publications including The Stage (Aleks Sierz) and The Sunday Times. The author won the esteemed Pearson Playwright Award for the show, and the same year the Finborough Theatre won the Peter Brook Empty Space Award.
The Lesson transferred to Assembly Rooms at Hill Street Theatre for the duration of the Edinburgh Festival, and finally across the seas to Romania where we scooped up awards for Best Actress and the Special Jury's Prize from Fest Co 2008.
The theatres were Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Devonshire Park Theatre, and Theatre Royal Windsor
Both these projects marked the beginning of our collaboration with Original Theatre Company.
Later that year both companies produced a show that year which toured called Journey’s End (Runner-Up, The Guide Awards, four stars in The Times, Manchester Evening News, and The Scotsman).
"The Icarus Theatre Collective choose to relish what others shy away from"
Icarus succeeds by following its namesake too close to the sun, always picking plays which seem just out of their reach, soaring most elegantly and creating a beautiful organised chaos when they are stretching beyond their grasp.
Max Lewendel - CEO
In June 2012 the production was taken abroad to the Shakespeare Festival at the Globe in Neuss, Germany, which marked the end of the tour.
We also produced Franz Wedekind's sexually controversial Spring Awakening and Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler.
Emmy Award winning writer Nic Young re-joins Tim Hardy, faculty at RADA who has worked with The Royal Shakespeare Company, in the West End, and starred in major European tours.
Giles Roberts of Icarus Theatre Collective gave a poignant performance as the grief stricken Hamlet
Sharing the loss of his father in both his madness and his melancholy. The tragic hero was supported by a strong cast, highlighted by a stark contrast in the brooding Laertes (Nick Holbek) and a powerful performance by John Eastman as Polonius and as the ghost of his dead father.
Prija Gulraj, Hertford Mercury
How to Be a Bad Girl was by far the best free show I’ve seen in Fringe. Sabrina Chap is charming, funny, and a very sexy singer.
Queer daughter of Bulgarian immigrants brings the spirit of Burlesque to her cabaret act at the Free Fringe. This love-child of Tom Waits and a whisky-soaked angel has an intoxicating stage presence you can't miss!
As restrictions eased, we received further funding from the CultureRecovery Fund and also Arts Council funding to develop a brand new type ofCreative Captioning with Video Designer Ben Glover. This will be touring aspart of The Lesson in 2022.
The pandemic presented a unique opportunity to save theatres from closure.
While we are planning our production of The Lesson for 2022, we are in discussion with a well-known fringe theatre in London to take on operations of both theatre and the pub to which it is attached.
Lewendel was captivated by British culture during an impromptu visit to England in the summer of his junior year at Illinois Wesleyan School of Drama. Accompanied by two suitcases, a laptop, and his portfolio, he ventured to London. Once he arrived, Lewendel found a job doing freelance technical crew work that included providing theatrical light and sound for groups and businesses.
As for his long-term goal, Lewendel dreams of constructing his own theatre, the next step in his business plan. “I still have all the blueprints, the whole design of the theatre, the structure, the way it works, everything. Granted it was written by someone in their early 20’s, but it’s a template, a place to start.”
Max Lewendel, Founder of Icarus Theatre Collective
The aftermath developed into what is now Icarus Theatre Collective.
The Icarus Theatre Collective chose blue to represent theatre becoming visible.
Five more critics lauded the production and we were on our way to creating a solid repertoire of theatrical work.
“Max Lewendel's fine production imaginatively turns the Etcetera's black-box space into a giant blackboard - this is '50s absurdism made over as '90s 'in-yer-face' apocalypticism. It's a clever, entertaining show.
Robert Shore, Time Out
The show starred Tony Award winner Victor Spinetti. The show received glowing reviews from over a dozen publications including The Stage (Aleks Sierz) and The Sunday Times. The author won the esteemed Pearson Playwright Award for the show, and the same year the Finborough Theatre won the Peter Brook Empty Space Award.
The Lesson transferred to Assembly Rooms at Hill Street Theatre for the duration of the Edinburgh Festival, and finally across the seas to Romania where we scooped up awards for Best Actress and the Special Jury's Prize from Fest Co 2008.
The theatres were Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Devonshire Park Theatre, and Theatre Royal Windsor.
Both these projects marked the beginning of our collaboration with Original Theatre Company
Later that year both companies produced a show that year which toured called Journey’s End (Runner-Up, The Guide Awards, four stars in The Times, Manchester Evening News, and The Scotsman).
"The Icarus Theatre Collective choose to relish what others shy away from"
Icarus succeeds by following its namesake too close to the sun, always picking plays which seem just out of their reach, soaring most elegantly and creating a beautiful organised chaos when they are stretching beyond their grasp.
Max Lewendel - CEO
In June 2012 the production was taken abroad to the Shakespeare Festival at the Globe in Neuss, Germany, which marked the end of the tour.
We also produced Franz Wedekind's sexually controversial Spring Awakening and Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler.
