The first time the four co-founders of Eos Theatre Company were in a room together was February 2025; it was the first rehearsal for a production of The Trojan Women by Caroline Bird after Euripides. This was the third Loop Players production Rachel was directing with Ashway in a lead role, and by then the two were close collaborators and friends.

Prior to this night, a friendship and close artistic collaboration was forged at the School at Steppenwolf between Ashway, Morgan B. and Morgan L. After working successfully with Rachel as her director, Ashway knew she wanted to introduce the Morgans to her. As theatre magic would have it, the four co-founders subsequently found themselves at the first table read of The Trojan Women. The energy that night in 2025 was heightened. An immediate sense of warmth and camaraderie was sparked. The cast of nine extremely talented actors were bringing their A-game to a riveting, brutal, funny and tragic script. This was clearly the beginning of a powerful artistic journey…

The Loop Players production of The Trojan Women had a profound effect on its audience and artists alike. Experiencing these fictional women face a genocide, the collapse of their empire, and enslavement felt shocking and disturbingly relevant.

Yet with only 8 performances, and without any press due to its educational ties (The Loop players is an educational theatre company at Harold Washington College in which theatre professionals work alongside students), there was a sense of disappointment that the work had not been more widely received.

Discussions about a possible remount began, and over the summer, the four women co-founders of Eos decided to explore not only remounting The Trojan Women but building a new Chicago theatre company as well! Eos found its mission through a collaborative artistic process and a shared commitment to shining light into the darkness of the human condition by telling transformational stories.

We chose the name ‘Eos’ in honor of the ancient Greeks from whose rich culture the group was gifted an enduring anti-war play by Euripides and our theatrical point of meeting. Eos is the Greek Goddess of the dawn, who, with her chariot flying across the sky, pulls back the curtain of night to usher in the light of the sun. The light of truth, new beginnings, and warmth.

Eos Theatre Company will not only bring light to dark human experiences; we also seek to be part of a new dawn in the Chicago Theatre landscape, which has suffered greatly in the wake of the Covid pandemic. We have lost theatre spaces, audiences, and, to a degree, the vibrancy of our community. Eos is founded by four artists bringing new energy and proven talent to the scene. We are excited to create a company that fosters an inclusive, warm, and inspired place in which theatre artists from all walks of life can collaborate in the creation of gripping, expertly crafted theatrical experiences.