Tyrone Phillips
Tyrone Phillips (BFA ’12) co-founded Definition Theatre in Chicago in 2012 with fellow alum Julian Parker (BFA ’12). The culturally diverse ensemble of directors, playwrights, administrators, and actors have made it a priority to work towards and represent a more equitable theatre industry that tells stories about and created with underrepresented communities in Chicago. Definition was selected in 2019 to receive $1.6 million in direct funding from the City of Chicago’s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund and is expected to break ground on a new black-box theatre and community center in the South Side neighborhood of Woodlawn in 2023. As the co-founder and artistic director, Tyrone Phillips is dedicated to the theatre company’s mission of creating a diverse and inclusive space for all, “Our new theater will allow us to practice what we preach every day. Many of us first generation artists know well the obstacles to feeling you have a place in the theater. This is us creating a space of inclusion.”
As a first generation Jamaican-American, Tyrone is passionate about equity and inclusion in the fine arts and has completed advanced anti-racism training to lead change in the Chicago community. The new space will also serve as a community center that will provide professional development opportunities for future generations of theatre artists and serve as a business incubator for women, Black, Indigenous, and other people of color-owned businesses and entrepreneurs. As Definition Theatre celebrates its 10th anniversary, this new chapter will allow the company and its founders to fulfill their vision of providing an arts experience for every community member. While plans are still underway, Phillips is hopeful that their new building will expand the company’s work to include children’s theatre, a café, educational space, and a rehearsal room and visual art space.
Tyrone’s directing credits include the critically-acclaimed Byhalia, Mississippi at the Steppenwolf 1700 Theatre, Dontrell Who Kissed The Sea (Illinois Theatre), Dutchman (Definition Theatre) and Amuze Bash (Pavement Group). Acting credits include A Doll’s House, Genesis, The Brothers’ Size (Definition Theatre), King Charles III (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), George Orwell’s 1984 (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Stick Fly (Windy City Playhouse) and Saturday Night/Sunday Morning (Prologue Theatre Company). Tyrone has also studied abroad at Shakespeare’s Globe and was an emerging professional resident at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre where he worked on Assassins, A Christmas Carol, A Raisin in the Sun, The Mountaintop and Clybourne Park. Select theater credits on and off stage include: Definition Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Writers, Old Globe, Berkeley Rep, Milwaukee Rep, and Stage 42 (off-broadway).
Tyrone Phillips was named one of the Chicago Tribune’s “Hot New Faces of 2015” and Newcity’s Players—the 50 leaders of Chicago’s theater, dance, opera and comedy culture of 2022.