Kirsten Fitzgerald
Kirsten was first seen on stage at A Red Orchid in The Removalists in 1997. She was invited to join the Artistic Ensemble in 2000 and stepped in as Artistic Director in 2008. She has been seen here at home in Grey House, Traitor, Evening at the Talkhouse, The Room, Pilgrim’s Progress, Strandline, Mud Blue Sky, Butcher of Baraboo, Solstice, The New Electric Ballroom, Abigail’s Party, Pumpgirl, Weapon of Mass Impact, Mr. Bundy, Four Murders, and The Sea Horse (for which she was honored to receive a 2006 Jeff Award).
Kirsten has also been on stage recently at The Goodman Theater in ROE and Sweat, at Steppenwolf Theatre in the world premieres of Mary Page Marlow by Tracy Letts, The Qualms and Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris, and at Victory Gardens in the world premieres of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and Lettie by Boo Kelebrew. In 1999 Kirsten received an After Dark award for her performance in A Moon for the Misbegotten at Circle Theatre and was honored to understudy Cherry Jones in the same role later that year.
She has also performed with The Utah Shakespeare Festival, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Apple Tree, Next, Shattered Globe, Remy Bumppo, Plasticene, Prop, National Pastime, the much missed Defiant Theatre and more. On Television Kirsten played Maria Walters in The Exorcist (FOX) and Mac in Sirens (USA), both for two seasons. In addition, she has made appearances on Proven Innocent (FOX), Chicago Med (NBC), Chicago Justice (NBC), Chicago Fire (NBC), Underemployed (FOX) and ER (NBC). Her recent film credits include Widows (Steve McQueen), Killing Eleanor (Rich Newy & Annica Marks) and Working Man (Robert Jury).
An MFA graduate of the University of Iowa and a BA graduate of the University of Kansas, Kirsten grew up in Chicago and its north suburbs. Being the oldest of seven prepared her well for her role as Artistic Director of this passionate and wonderfully unruly ensemble.