We are art makers who provide a home that fosters great performers and inspired audiences.

History

Lukaba Productions was formed in 2002 as the parent company to oversee a number of long-running theatrical productions including The Cupid Players and the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival. Launched in 1999, The Cupid Players now perform the longest-running musical sketch comedy in Chicago, Cupid Has a Heart On. In January 2002, Creative Director, Brian Posen, launched the first Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival, which now annually hosts over 1,000 artists performing close to 200 shows. In 2007 Lukaba Productions staff members Brian Posen, Brian Peterlin, Jill Valentine along with founding Board members Chuck Jesser, Alex Meyer and Laura Michaud, began searching for a home for their productions and to create an artistic utopia by hosting many of the city's itinerant theater companies. In May 2010, Lukaba Productions took over the management of the Theatre Building Chicago with the aim of growing and supporting Chicago's artistic community. In the fall of 2011, the building completed an extensive renovation and Lukaba Productions began doing business as Stage 773. Today, the complex houses two 148-seat theaters - (one proscenium style, the other a thrust); an 80-seat black box; and a 70-seat cabaret. Our four theaters host over 70,000 guests and 5,300 artists each year. We launched the Chicago Women’s Funny Festival in 2012 and the Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival in 2013.  
As of 2017, the complex has been operating for 40 continuous years as a performance facility. In June 2022 Stage 773 opened phase one of WHIM, the newest groundbreaking piece of experiential, immersive, and interactive theater in Chicagoland.