Michael Halberstam, Former Artistic Director at Writers Theatre Inc | Chicago Sun Times
Michael Halberstam, Former Artistic Director at Writers Theatre Inc | Chicago Sun Times
This appropriation represents state-level funding authorized by lawmakers, reflecting what was approved in the budget, not necessarily disbursed. The funds cover only State of Illinois support and exclude federal, local, or other public sources.
Founded in 1922 by Michael Halberstam and Marilyn Campbell-Lowe, Writers Theater states that its mission is: “Create intimate connections through astonishing performances and innovative programs; by activating relationships between artists and community; and by inviting people to gather in our spaces for transformative experiences.”
You can learn more about the organization at its website.
In its most recent IRS Form 990 filing filing for tax year 2024, the organization reported $4,762,380 in total revenue. Of that, $894,990 came from government grants including federal, state, or local sources, making up 18.8% of total revenue.
The nonprofit listed $3,191,220 in contributions overall. It also reported $1,752,330 categorized under other contributions, which may include restricted donations, pledges, or bequests.
At the beginning of 2024, Writers Theater had $32,763,100 in assets. By the end of 2024, that figure had changed to $31,442,300, indicating a 4% decline in overall holdings.
According to its filing, public funding to Writers Theater declined in the last year, falling from $2,094,230 in 2023 to $894,990 in 2024—a decrease of 57.3% year-over-year.
However, a Chicago City Wire analysis found that IRS filings frequently contain discrepancies when compared with publicly disclosed government grant reports and budgets.
Writers Theater is one of hundreds of nonprofits across Illinois that receive substantial support from state taxpayers while also fundraising privately.
In 2025, Illinois lawmakers introduced House Bill 1266, also known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Act. The proposal would create a new oversight body within the Office of the Auditor General tasked with identifying cost-saving measures, reviewing agency performance, and advising on audit priorities. If passed, DOGE could bring additional scrutiny and performance evaluation to taxpayer-funded organizations.
According to ProPublica, Illinois has more than 78,000 active tax-exempt organizations, including nearly 60,000 classified as charitable nonprofits. In their most recent IRS filings, these groups reported a combined revenue exceeding $156 billion.
| Term | Name | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2024 | Braden Abraham | Artistic Director As Of 11/22 |
| 2024-2024 | Bruce Grieve | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Carly Magill | Managing Director, Advancement |
| 2024-2024 | Christopher N Knight | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Christopher S Pfaff | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Donna K Tropp | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Elaine Tinberg | Vice Chair |
| 2024-2024 | Gillian Goodman | Vice Chair |
| 2024-2024 | Jaime Freeman | Treasurer |
| 2024-2024 | Judy Rauh | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Kathryn M Lipuma | Executive Director |
| 2024-2024 | Katie Florig | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Kendra Wallace | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Linda Umans | Vice Chair |
| 2024-2024 | Lloyd Morgan | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Mary Pat Studdert | Chair |
| 2024-2024 | Michael Petersen | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Michael Halberstam | Former Artistic Director |
| 2024-2024 | Nicole Elipas Doherty | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Russ Mayerfeld | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Sara Cohan | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Savi Pai | Secretary |
| 2024-2024 | Sonia Smith | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Stephanie Sick | Trustee |
| 2024-2024 | Tom Hodges | Vice Chair |
| Year | Name | Title | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Adam Lee Friedland | Production Manager | - |
| 2024 | Eduardo X Curley-Carrillo | Actor | - |
| 2024 | Erik S Kaiko | Director Of Marketing And Communications | - |
| 2024 | Marilyn Campbell | Co-Founder | - |
| 2024 | Mckenzie Jordan Wilkes | Marketing Assistant | - |
| 2024 | Peter G Andersen | Education Manager | - |
| 2024 | Phillip Leung | Advancement Coordinator | - |
| 2024 | Robert Kennedy | Director Of New Work And Dramaturgy | - |
| 2024 | Stanton N Long | Design And Communications Manager | - |
| 2019 | Delaney Kerry Sterling | Box Office Lead | - |
| 2019 | Lauren P Gardier | Director Of Major Gifts And Corporate Relations | - |
| 2019 | Sapier S Weinglass | Production Assistant | - |
| 2019 | Scott T Dickens | Properties Master | - |
| 2019 | Taylor Mikulski | Box Office Associate | - |
| 2018 | Arti Ishak | Actor | - |
| 2018 | David Joseph Rumishek | A2 Sound Engineer | - |
| 2018 | Grace Carolyn Bobber | Artistic And Educational Intern | - |
| 2018 | Jack Joseph Horwitch | Lighting Technician | - |
| 2018 | Justin Thomas Shannin | Run Crew | - |
| 2018 | Michal Slomba | Sound Technician | - |
| 2018 | Shannon Marie Sotomayor | Box Office Associate | - |
| 2018 | Sophia I Sinsheimer | Audience Engagement Team Member | - |
| 2018 | Ty Garrett Fanning | Actor | - |
| 2017 | Alexandrea D Davis | Marketing Intern | - |
| 2017 | Amy C Bischoff | Box Office Lead | - |
| 2017 | Leryn Rene Turlington | Actor | - |
| 2017 | Mary I Loncto | Box Office Associate | - |
| 2017 | Quinn F Hegarty | Manager On Duty | - |
| 2017 | Sindy Isabel Castro | Teaching Artist | - |
| 2017 | Wilfredo Ramos Jr | Teaching Artist | - |
| 2016 | Andrea Michele Rubens | Development Apprentice | - |
| 2016 | Andrew Michael Porter | Associate Production Manager | - |
| 2016 | Breanna Marie Lind | Artistic And Education Intern | - |
| 2016 | Gail Reed | Scenic Artist | - |
| 2016 | Madeline L Bunke | Box Office Associate | - |
| 2016 | Maya A Ohcana | Box Office Associate | - |
| 2016 | Stacey Nicole Rockwell | Box Office Lead | - |
| 2016 | Stephanie J Niro | Teaching Artist | - |
| 2016 | Thomas Madaras | Development Intern | - |
| 2015 | Elizabeth E Cohan | Development Intern | - |
| 2015 | Kaitlyn E Mikitin | Box Office Associate | - |
| 2014 | Dana Parker | Actor | - |
| 2014 | Mallory Jane Bass | Assistant Stage Manager | - |
| 2014 | Noor M Qasim | Education Apprentice | - |
| 2014 | Sally Hansen | Development Intern | - |
| 2013 | Brian C Brown | Ticket Sales Representative | - |
| 2013 | CHRISTINE GRACE THOREN | Assistant Director | - |
| 2013 | David Hyman | Costume Designer | - |
| 2013 | David Corlew | Actor And Understudy | - |
| 2013 | Jennifer Lea Schaff | Marketing Manager | - |
| 2013 | John L Gedeon | Technical Director | - |
| 2013 | Laura A Rook | Actor | - |
| 2013 | Tiffany Renee Johnson | Actress | - |
| 2012 | Jill Brown Smith | Development Apprentice | - |
| 2012 | Rachel Elise Huvard | Artistic Intern | - |
| 2012 | Robert L Hunt | Actor - Carl Magnus - In 'A Little Night Music' | - |
| 2012 | Tyler A Haberman | Marketing And Communications Intern | - |
| 2011 | Adrienne R Bader | Production Assistant | - |
| 2011 | Brian S Bembridge | Scenic And Lighting Designer | - |
| 2011 | Christine Ann Cooksy | Production Assistant | - |
| 2011 | Julia Marie Davidson | Artistic And Literary And Education Intern | - |
| 2011 | Rachel Gray | Actor | - |
| 2010 | Carolyn Nelson | Actor | - |
| 2010 | Stephen Anthony Ricker | Assistant Scenic Designer | - |
| 2009 | Jacqueline Michelle Boratyn | Intern | - |
| 2009 | Kalena Victoria Chevalier | Development Manager - Corporate, Foundation And Government Support | - |
| 2009 | Kevin Thomas | Development Intern | - |
| 2009 | Micah A Cole | Director Of Education | - |
| 2009 | Terrence Wesley Hamilton | Actor | - |
| 2008 | Aaron M Henrickson | Assitant Director | - |
| 2008 | Kellie L De Leon | Associate Director Of Development | - |
| 2008 | Nichole Margaret Cooper | Director Of Audience Services | - |
| 2008 | Sharyon A Culberson | Actor | - |
| 2008 | Tracy Michelle Arnold | Actress | - |
| 2007 | Christopher Cantelmi | Actor | - |
| 2006 | Jennifer Bielstein | Executive Director | - |
| 2006 | Nicole Maria Solecki | Customer Relations Coordinator | - |
| 2005 | Jeff Brown | Business Manager | - |
| 2005 | Jennifer L Amling | Ticket Services Manager | - |
| 2005 | Jonathan A Faris | Managing Director | - |
| 2004 | Lisa Schneider | Wardrobe Supervisor | - |
| 2003 | Christy Uchida | Business Manager | - |
| - | Arthur Anderson Jr. | Member | - |
| - | Avril Klaff | Member | - |
| - | Beth L. Kronfeld | Vice President | - |
| - | Christine Pompizzi | Member | - |
| - | Christopher S. Pfaff | President | - |
| - | Christopher D. Gould | Member | - |
| - | Christopher N. Knight | Penultimate Past President | - |
| - | David N. Knapp | Member At Large | - |
| - | David A Mc Granahan | Member | - |
| - | Elaine Tinberg | Immediate Past President | - |
| - | Gillian Goodman | Vice President | - |
| - | Howard Rosset Conant | Member | - |
| - | Janice Beck | Member | - |
| - | Jennifer Litowitz | Member | - |
| - | Jeremy Farmer | Member | - |
| - | Joseph G. Dillon | Member | - |
| - | Julie Bernstein | Member | - |
| - | Kathryn M. Lipuma | Member | - |
| - | Lizzy Scheinfeld | Member | - |
| - | Lorel Mcmillan | Member | - |
| - | Mary Pat Studdert | Vice President | - |
| - | Michael Petersen | Vice President | - |
| - | Michael Halberstam | Member | - |
| - | Nelson L. Levy | Member | - |
| - | Pamela Weston | Member | - |
| - | Richard M Lipton | Secretary | - |
| - | Roberta Olshansky | Member | - |
| - | Sara Cohan | Member | - |
| - | Seth D Traxler | Member | - |
| - | Stephanie A Sick | Member | - |
| - | Susan Belgrad | Member | - |
| - | Terry Franke | Member | - |
| - | Thomas Mann | Member | - |
| - | Thomas Hodges | Treasurer | - |
| - | William F. Mahoney | Member | - |
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