Definition Theatre

Modern building with a yellow sign reading 'definition', located at a street corner with pedestrians walking past, traffic lights, and trees.
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Illustration of three raised hands in red, purple, and blue on an orange background.
Three colorful stars with a burst effect on a red background.
Cartoon of three diverse faces inside a triangle on a purple background.
Four connected circles with symbols: heart, triangle, question mark, and light bulb on a red background.
Illustration of five cartoon faces in colorful circles on a green background.
Cartoon character with a speech bubble
Icon of a blue house with three abstract people inside on a polka dot background.

Project Context

Location: 6400 S Cottage Grove Ave. Chicago, IL, - WoodLawn
Construction Type: New Construction

Definition Theatre is looking to build their new home in the Woodlawn neighborhood, creating a space that serves as a theater, community center, and entrepreneurship hub. The space will serve as a multi-purpose venue that supports theatremaking, one-off performances, professional development opportunities for emerging theatre artists, and serve as a business incubator for entrepreneurs of color from the South and West sides.

Colorful circular geometric pattern with radial symmetry on a black background.

In.Practice

In.Practice

!

Grounding
with intention

Community Engagement Aspiration

Definition Theatre saw community engagement as a natural part of their project to ensure that the design of their new building would meet the needs of the communities they were hoping to serve. To that effort, the team spent hundreds of hours on the ground engaging existing and new members of their community getting input that would inform the design of the new Southside theater.

Cartoon illustration of three people connected in a triangle with a purple background.

How In.Field facilitated community engagement

In this case, In.Field came in after a lot of community engagement activities had already taken place. So, it helped the team to recognize and organize all the work that they had already completed to date, what they had learned, and it helped them identify the questions that still needed to be answered, avoiding analysis paralysis.

With In.Field, Definition Theatre was able to refine their collective aspiration, document the engagement efforts of the past, and identify future engagement efforts needed as they create a new neighborhood amenity that is welcoming for everyone.

A set of black folders with colorful headers labeled with different study topics, fanned out on a gray textured surface.

1

Planning
Placemat

Community Engagement Principles

The team reflected on the principles that were already guiding the team’s work and they identified principles that they would like to incorporate more moving forward.

Planning Placemat

The team created online slides with the placemat’s prompts and aligned on an aspiration statement to move their work forward.

The fieldwork plan and participation spectrum helped the team identify the groups of people who still needed to be engaged and the best way to do so.

Aspiration statement text on a dark background with yellow highlights, describing creating an inclusive, community space for South Siders to enhance quality of life through cultural expression, collaboration, and wellness advancements.
Abstract layout with columns and horizontal lines

2

Methods
and Tactics

The Methods and tactics below are a combination of the engagement tactics that Definition Theatre had already completed and the ones that they plan to do

Field Observations

->Observations of the environment, people, and their interactions.

->Intercepts with audiences before and after shows.

->Intercepts through canvassing over 100 people around the future theater.

Illustration of a brown field guidebook with glasses and a pencil resting on it, set against a blue background, with the text 'Field Observations' and 'In. Field' on the cover.

Surveys

Online Surveys of people who attended their shows and programming

Illustration of a clipboard with checkboxes and lines, labeled 'Surveys' at the bottom, on an orange background.

Public Meetings

Present their project at the Alderman’s community meeting

Illustration of three people at a public meeting on a green background, with one person shaking hands with another and a third person standing nearby. Text reads 'Public Meetings' and 'Method & Tactic.'

Focus Groups

Group Discussions with the identified cohorts they want to learn more from

A red card with the number 3 in the top left corner, the text '1m. Field' written vertically on the right side, a black and white target with a yellow lightning bolt hitting the center, and the words 'Focus Groups' in the bottom left corner.

Accessibility & Delight Cards

A green-themed informational card titled 'Public Meetings Delight' with advice on facilitating memorable experiences, including sections labeled A to D about making meetings interactive, engaging the senses, showing appreciation, and fostering connection. Each section contains tips and methods to improve public meetings.
Guide on making public meetings accessible, including tips on venue selection, communication, seating, materials, and accommodations.
A virtual meeting with eight diverse participants, each in their own video window, smiling and engaged. The background includes home offices and living spaces, with a chat window visible on the right.

Knowing that the team’s strengths are in storytelling, they considered the idea of making an entertaining and engaging presentation for their meeting that resembled more a play than a project presentation to delight the audience and build excitement for the theater.

3

Synthesis Methods

Engagement Synthesis Cards

The Observations, Insights, and Implications card would help the team reflect on the meaning of all the engagement and how to take actionable next steps in the development of the theater

The Telling the Story card, to lean into the team’s expertise as a theater company and share the project’s story in a meaningful way

Infographic titled "Observations, Insights, Implications" with visuals of an eye, brain, and arrow. Describes the structured flow of synthesizing findings for decision-making. Objectives and uses include outlining project implications and problem-solving.
Illustration of a glowing laboratory flask with a pink liquid, surrounded by abstract document-like graphics on a dark blue background.

Definition Theatre

Cross-section architectural drawing of a multi-story building showing people inside and outside, with various rooms and open areas.
Illustration of a yellow light bulb with red beams on a purple background.
Illustration of three raised hands in red, purple, and blue on an orange background.
Three colorful stars with a burst effect on a red background.
Cartoon of three diverse faces inside a triangle on a purple background.
Four connected circles with symbols: heart, triangle, question mark, and light bulb on a red background.
Illustration of five cartoon faces in colorful circles on a green background.
Cartoon character with a speech bubble
Icon of a blue house with three abstract people inside on a polka dot background.

Get In.Field

Get In.Field

Hand holding In.Field kit for public engagement in a room with people in the background.
Open box of kit displaying instructions, folded planning placemat, and 6 decks of cards for methods and synthesis
A set of colorful cards laid out on a table, each representing different research methods: Public Meetings, Focus Groups, Interviews, Surveys, Field Observations, and Synthesis Methods. In the background is a printed document with detailed information and an open case.
A collection of educational cards arranged on a surface. The cards are divided into categories like "Interviews" and "Surveys," each with different topics such as "Online Survey," "Survey Design 101," "Question Types," "Street Surveying," "Discussion Guides," and "In-Depth Interview." Each card contains an objective and use case.
"In Field" text on dark background

The Kit 

$85.00

  • 1 In.Field Kit (carrying case 8.5”x12”x1”, instructions, 1 planning placemat, 25 tactics cards, 5 accessibility and delight cards, 5 synthesis cards)

  • Digital kit files

  • Invitation to special events from Duo and Elevated Chicago!

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In.Field   

group trainings

Pricing varies, please contact us to learn more

The value of our training:

  • Tailored half-day interactive workshop for your teams

  • Learn to use the Kit through real-life scenarios and case studies

  • In-depth overview on what went into the design of the kit

  • One kit for each participant

  • Digital kit files

  • Invitation to special events from Duo and Elevated Chicago!

Need Accommodations?
Let us know!

Discounted options are available if resources are a constraint for you and/or your organization. Please contact us so we can discuss a plan of action that best fits your needs.

Also available upon request:

  • Special group/bulk order pricing

  • Large font format

  • Translated versions (any language you want!)

Let’s
Chat!

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out and someone from the Duo Development team will be in touch.