Catlin will resign his position to accept a teaching position with Northwestern University as a visiting assistant professor. Catlin will remain an active Lookingglass Ensemble Member with the company and will direct his adaptation of Icarus at Lookingglass in December 2009. That will be the company's 52nd world premiere production.

Lookingglass will immediately begin the process to fill the position; "the company is committed to continuing its longstanding tradition of choosing and nurturing its artistic directors from among the members of its ensemble."

Catlin will continue as artistic director and will help his successor's transition through June 2010.

Catlin, completing his sixth season as artistic director, has been part of the Lookingglass leadership team with executive director Rachel Kraft, producing artistic director Philip R. Smith and artistic director of new work Heidi Stillman. Since the company moved into its new home in June 2003, Catlin directed Lookingglass Alice and Black Diamond (co-director); wrote Lookingglass Alice and Icarus; and appeared in Manuscript Found in Saragossa, Argonautika, Our Town and The Arabian Nights.

Under his leadership, "the company continued to build its Education and Community programs, including the creation of a Young Ensemble." Lookingglass board of directors chairman Lisa Green stated, "David has always provided thoughtful and creative leadership in his role as artistic director. He has a talent for encouraging the expression of the differing artistic visions of our ensemble members while deftly balancing this creativity with the financial realities of running a not for profit arts company. Under his nurturing leadership, Lookingglass has expanded its artistic vision to include new and varied voices on our stages, with such shows as Black Diamond and Clay. Furthermore, he designed an education program with a focus on giving students the ability to find their own developing voices. Exceptional theatre artists are sure to emerge under his tutelage at Northwestern and we wish him well in his new position."

*

Lookingglass Theatre Company was founded in 1988 by eight Northwestern University students. 2008-2009 marks the company's 21st anniversary season. Lookingglass is home to "a multi-disciplined ensemble of artists who create story-centered theatrical work that is physical, aurally rich and visually metaphoric." Lookingglass has staged 50 world premieres at 23 venues across Chicago, and garnered 41 Joseph Jefferson Awards and Citations.

The Lookingglass Theatre in Chicago's landmark Water Tower Water Works opened in June 2003.

For more information, visit lookingglasstheatre.org.