James Sherman Archives - Chicago Reader

A white man in a cream-colored shirt and dark jacket and trousers holds a painted canvas up at an angle at left. On the right is another white man in dark clothing, examining the canvas

Revolutionary abstractions

by Irene Hsiao September 8, 2022September 8, 2022

“Not that it matters, but most of what follows is true,” reads the supertitle projected over a stage sparsely set with stools. Enter a small conference of artists tasked with establishing a school to nurture and transmit their craft. Amid the heady debate over whether history and technique are still relevant in a new world […]

Two photos. On the left a young white man in a gray sweater sits on the floor. A white woman in a burgundy dress kneels behind him, embracing him. The photo on the left is of playwright James Sherman, an older white man in a blue suit, shirt, and tie. He has graying darker hair.

Arts & Culture

Chagall’s Camelot

by Jack Helbig August 31, 2022August 31, 2022

James Sherman began his career as an actor; he joined the Second City in the 70s, while he was still a student at Illinois State, appearing in the shows Once More With Fooling and East of Edens with the likes of George Wendt, Tim Kazurinsky, and Miriam Flynn. But starting with his 1982 backstage play, […]