--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I feel there's a really raw quality in…" description: "\"I feel there's a really raw quality in the Chicago theater community that's really special.\" — KiKi Layne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/kiki-layne-6343_actor_i-feel-there-s-a-really-raw-quality-in-t_13354.jpg" --- # I feel there's a really raw quality in the Chicago theater… ![“I feel there's a really raw quality in the Chicago theater community that's really special.” quote by KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/kiki-layne-6343_actor_i-feel-there-s-a-really-raw-quality-in-t_13354.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/kiki-layne-6343_actor_i-feel-there-s-a-really-raw-quality-in-t_13354.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/kiki-layne-6343_actor_i-feel-there-s-a-really-raw-quality-in-t_13354.jpg) > “I feel there's a really raw quality in the Chicago theater community that's really special.” [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker highlights an unpolished, authentic energy in Chicago's theater scene that distinguishes it from more commercialized venues. **In simple terms:** Chicago theater feels uniquely authentic. Key Takeaway Raw community energy fuels artistic originality. Themes authenticity community regional culture artistic integrity grassroots creativity Mood inspired proud reflective Type observation culture critique When to use this quote - local productions - actor collaborations - festival programming - community workshops - independent theater marketing Key Concepts theater city identity artistic ecosystems Practical Applications - curating authentic local content - building regional arts branding Questions to Reflect On - What makes a theater community feel 'raw' to you? - How does authenticity impact audience engagement? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Chicago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chicago/) [Chicago Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chicago-theater-374184/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Community Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community-really-262874/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Quality Chicago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality-chicago-374183/) [Really Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-special/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Theater Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater-community-374182/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I've never seen a theater community to rival that of Chicago. Neither New York nor L.A. has the raw talent or integrity that Chicago…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-ve-never-seen-a-theater-community-to-rival-that-of-chicago-neither/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) > [I was a Chicago theater actress until my early 30s, so I got to do a lot of meaty stuff in theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/i-was-a-chicago-theater-actress-until-my-early-30s-so-i-got-to-do-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [Chicago actors and Chicago theater is some of the most authentic stuff that you will ever encounter, and I'm so proud to have come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-dandridge/chicago-actors-and-chicago-theater-is-some-of-the-most-authentic/) [Merle Dandridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-dandridge/) > [I started with Chicago theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-thatcher/i-started-with-chicago-theater/) [Sophie Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-thatcher/) > [They have a desire to put on plays and to fulfill that traditional role of a theater in a community: to be the place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/they-have-a-desire-to-put-on-plays-and-to-fulfill-that-traditional/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [I spend a part of the year in New York when based in L.A. and vice versa. It's the only way I feel balanced.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hale-appleman/i-spend-a-part-of-the-year-in-new-york-when-based-in-l-a-and-vice/) [Hale Appleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hale-appleman/) > [I really wanted to go to a city and get involved in a theater scene and a theater community. I had some friends who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-simons/i-really-wanted-to-go-to-a-city-and-get-involved-in-a-theater-scene/) [Timothy Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-simons/) > [I did as much theater as I could. I worked at a theme park and a Bible theater and a community theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cailee-spaeny/i-did-as-much-theater-as-i-could-i-worked-at-a-theme-park-and-a-bible/) [Cailee Spaeny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cailee-spaeny/) > ['Yosemite' opened doors for me in the New York theater community in amazing ways. There's a whole world of fearless young theater makers here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-erbe/yosemite-opened-doors-for-me-in-the-new-york-theater-community-in/) [Kathryn Erbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-erbe/) > [The love, support, and respect the members of the theater community have for one another is unparalleled. Say what you want about us wacky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-raymund/the-love-support-and-respect-the-members-of-the-theater-community/) [Monica Raymund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-raymund/) > [The New York theater community didn't like being invaded by reality stars - they still don't - but I got in there and auditioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-degarmo/the-new-york-theater-community-didn-t-like-being-invaded-by-reality/) [Diana DeGarmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-degarmo/) > [There's a social element of me that's pretty reserved. High school was when I was starting to come out of my shell because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-slater/there-s-a-social-element-of-me-that-s-pretty-reserved-high-school-was/) [Ethan Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-slater/) > [I was interning at a children's theater group in Kentucky - that was my first job out of college. I had jumped around a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-simons/i-was-interning-at-a-children-s-theater-group-in-kentucky-that-was-my/) [Timothy Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-simons/) > [I spent a lot of my time, growing up, at the Beck Center. I'd be in plays there, and I'd get there an hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-o-malley/i-spent-a-lot-of-my-time-growing-up-at-the-beck-center-i-d-be-in/) [Rory O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-o-malley/) > [The theater community at large, I have to say, has just been so warm and so welcoming, and that's not something I'm as used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/the-theater-community-at-large-i-have-to-say-has-just-been-so-warm/) [Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/) ## More by KiKi Layne > [Instead of asking for permission, we're seeing more artists and creatives taking control over the stories we tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/instead-of-asking-for-permission-we-re-seeing-more-artists-and/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [Most Sagittariuses start off really reserved. You gotta check people out, see what they're about, and then once we decide you're cool, then that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/most-sagittariuses-start-off-really-reserved-you-gotta-check-people/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [Seeing all of these beautiful brown faces and having that patience for them to live in whatever it was that they were living in;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/seeing-all-of-these-beautiful-brown-faces-and-having-that-patience/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [Like, no, I can really be queen of the universe. I can be president. I can be, I don't know, an alien from Venus.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/like-no-i-can-really-be-queen-of-the-universe-i-can-be-president-i/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [I'm very grateful that 'Beale Street' was that opportunity for me to be introduced to the industry in that way and have some doors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/i-m-very-grateful-that-beale-street-was-that-opportunity-for-me-to-be/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [When you hear these stories about different cases of police brutality, don't even just make that person just another hashtag, another statistic. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/when-you-hear-these-stories-about-different-cases-of-police-brutality/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [To see a young black woman being loved for just who she is - her hair, her skin, her clothes - is powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/to-see-a-young-black-woman-being-loved-for-just-who-she-is-her-hair/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [The only thing I'm sure of is that I want to keep doing work that speaks to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/the-only-thing-i-m-sure-of-is-that-i-want-to-keep-doing-work-that/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [I'm not going to sit around and wait for some old studio executive to decide my career path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/i-m-not-going-to-sit-around-and-wait-for-some-old-studio-executive-to/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [Making films is such a large, collaborative effort and there's so many people who are a part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/making-films-is-such-a-large-collaborative-effort-and-there-s-so-many/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [I remember growing up and feeling like I didn't really see much of myself represented. Or if I did, there were only a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/i-remember-growing-up-and-feeling-like-i-didn-t-really-see-much-of/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [It means so much to be a part of bringing James Baldwin's words to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/it-means-so-much-to-be-a-part-of-bringing-james-baldwin-s-words-to/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [We all have those moments when you're sitting in your feelings and you're sitting in your thoughts and you're taking in what your current…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/we-all-have-those-moments-when-you-re-sitting-in-your-feelings-and/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [I don't want to be put into a box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/i-don-t-want-to-be-put-into-a-box/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) > [When men are put into these types of circumstances like Bigger in 'Native Son,' or Fonny in 'Beale Street,' it destroys relationships, their love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/when-men-are-put-into-these-types-of-circumstances-like-bigger-in/) [KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) [Explore all 99 KiKi Layne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I feel there's a really raw quality in the Chicago theater community that's really special.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "KiKi Layne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/i-feel-there-s-a-really-raw-quality-in-the-chicago-theater-community/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/i-feel-there-s-a-really-raw-quality-in-the-chicago-theater-community/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/kiki-layne-6343_actor_i-feel-there-s-a-really-raw-quality-in-t_13354.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/kiki-layne-6343_actor_i-feel-there-s-a-really-raw-quality-in-t_13354.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/kiki-layne-6343_actor_i-feel-there-s-a-really-raw-quality-in-t_13354.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I feel there's a really raw quality in the Chicago theater community that's really special.” — KiKi Layne", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "KiKi Layne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I feel there's a really raw...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/i-feel-there-s-a-really-raw-quality-in-the-chicago-theater-community/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/i-feel-there-s-a-really-raw-quality-in-the-chicago-theater-community/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```