Nicholas Reinhart ’11 was featured in the Windy City Times 16th annual 30 under 30.

Nicholas Reinhart , 26, is a writer and director, who was born and raised in the western suburbs of Chicago. An imaginative and energetic only child, his parents spent years trying to channel his enthusiasm, finally enrolling him in a local children’s theater production and sparking a life-long love of live theater.

Nicholas attended Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, graduating with a B.F.A. in music theater. He returned to his hometown and quickly became active in Chicago’s vital theater scene. In 2012, he was invited to join Circle Theatre as a company member and, within a year, he was promoted to producing director. He oversaw the remount production of the Jeff Award-winning When the Rain Stops Falling in the city as well as two full productions. In 2014, when Circle Theatre encountered operating troubles, he was appointed artistic director.

A proud gay man, Nicholas found a second artistic home at the LGBT theater company MidTangent Productions, where he served as associate creative director. Last year, he worked as the music director and as a cast member in the long-running production Snow White and the Seven Drag Queens. This past winter, he co-wrote and directed the 1980s-themed musical The Bitchfest Club.

As a firm believer that the arts are not a luxury but a necessity, Nicholas seeks to create art that is smart, inclusive, and ultimately, an entertaining night in the theater.

DID YOU KNOW? Nicholas has an unhealthy obsession with awards shows.