Editing Forest Park, Illinois (section)

===Circle Theatre===
For most of its history, Forest Park was home for the 25-year-old professional (non-equity) theater company, Circle Theatre, which now resides across Harlem Avenue in neighboring Oak Park.<ref name="Circle">"In 1985, Karen Skinner, Wayne Buidens and Joseph Bass founded Circle Theatre with the mission of making exciting theatre available to the western suburbs of Chicago. They chose the name "Circle Theatre"." {{cite web| url=http://www.circle-theatre.org/about-us/  |title=About Us-Circle Theatre|publisher=Circle Theatre|access-date=December 9, 2010}}</ref> Hedy Weiss of the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' writes: "One of the most consistently satisfying theatrical operations in the area ...everything from classics to new American plays ...theatre at its very best." Circle Theatre has produced over 175 productions and received over 80 Joseph Jefferson (JEFF) nominations and won over 30 Jeff Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.circle-theatre.org/about-us/awards.shtml|title=Awards-Circle Theatre|publisher=Circle Theatre|access-date=December 9, 2010}}</ref> Notable visits from famous playwrights have included Marvin Hamlisch, Rupert Holmes, Douglas Post, Michael John LaChiusa, Stephen Clark and Rebecca Gilman.<ref name="Circle"/> Rebecca Gilman had her first play produced at Circle Theatre before becoming one of America's leading playwrights. Notable supporters have included [[Harry Connick, Jr.]] and [[Russell Crowe]].<ref name="Circle"/> Award-winning director/choreographer [[Kevin Bellie]] was artistic director from 2003 to 2012.<ref>{{cite news|last=Jones|first=Chris|title=Kevin Bellie exits Circle, to freelance direct|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/11/05/kevin-bellie-exits-circle-to-freelance-direct/|access-date=May 16, 2014|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=November 5, 2012}}</ref>