Adventure Stage Chicago, a program of the Northwestern University Settlement House, creates and tells heroic stories about young people. We do this to engage our community and inspire all of us to be heroes in our own lives.

We believe:

• The world needs more heroes.


• Being a hero in your own life can take many different forms: doing the dishes without being asked, standing up to a bully at school, coaching your son's baseball team, mowing a neighbor's lawn, volunteering in your community, teaching our children, greeting the world with a smile. Powerful stories can inspire all of us to live heroically.


• Young people are inherently curious, imaginative and intelligent, and it is our responsibility to ensure that these attributes are respected and cultivated.


• Featuring heroic stories with young protagonists provides our audience with an empowering, self-reflective and participatory experience that is relevant to their lives now.


• Conversation is key. Our pre-show audience questions and post-show curtain talks are structured to stimulate vital family discussions that continue long after leaving the theater.


• Artists should be valued and encouraged to take risks in a supportive environment.


• Our ensemble is our core, guiding the creation of new work and supporting the growth of the company.


• Our work must reflect the complexity and diversity of the communities in which we live.


• We must utilize our resources responsibly to ensure sustainability.


• We must engage the field of Theatre for Young Audiences on a local and national level.