Claudia Cassidy (1899–1996)

Claudia Cassidy was born in Shawneetown, Illinois, on the Ohio River, where she saw her first theatrical performances on showboats. At age 12, she moved with her family to Champaign. She graduated from the University of Illinois there in 1921 with a degree in journalism. She was first a secretary and then rose to be music and drama critic for the Chicago Journal of Commerce. In 1941, she wrote for the Chicago Sun, before being hired by the Chicago Tribune, where she worked from 1942 to 1965. There she became one of the most highly influential performing arts critics of the 20th century with her column "On the Aisle." Although she had a reputation for the sharpest criticism (for which she was sometimes called "Acidy Cassidy"), her enthusiasms may have been even more powerful. For example, her praise for The Glass Menagerie (1944) by Tennessee Williams over several columns was credited with rescuing the show from closing in tryouts. According to theatrical producer Philip Rose, A Raisin in the Sun (1959) by Lorraine Hansberry became a hit after a positive review from Cassidy as well as good reviews in other papers. After she left the Tribune, she wrote for Chicago magazine and the Chicagoan. From 1968 to 1983, she hosted a half-hour radio program of arts commentary on Chicago's classical and folk radio station WFMT-FM.

The columns she wrote on her annual tours of the European arts festivals were collected in the book Europe on the Aisle, published in 1954. Her last published writing was for the 1990-1991 Lyric Opera program book. The Claudia Cassidy Theater of the Chicago Cultural Center is named in her honor.