Anthony Rapp on why he’s quit New York City for Chicago
“Chicago has exceeded our expectations,” says the theatre and TV star.
Mark
After several years living in New York City, actor and singer Anthony Rapp relocated to Chicago last year.
The reason was pretty simple: Rapp is originally from the Windy City. He is now the father of two sons, aged 2 and 3, with his husband, Ken Ithiphol. The men felt their family might enjoy a better quality of life in Illinois.
Rapp was born on October 26, 1971, in Chicago and raised in nearby Joliet. He began his career in community theater as a child, before success on Broadway in the original production of Rent. Further hits followed, as well as TV fame on Star Trek: Discovery.
Rapp now lives in Andersonville, not far from his place of birth: the Swedish Covenant Hospital.
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“I grew up in the suburbs and would come to Chicago to work as a kid,” he recently told Windy City Times. “I have come back to Chicago on tours, but it’s been very special to move back and make it my home.”
Asked why he’d decided to settle in Chicago, he said, “My husband Ken and I have two young kids. We were doing fine raising them in New York and there were challenges, but when we visited friends and family here, we started liking the vibe. We began exploring the possibility of a change of pace and scenery.
“Chicago has exceeded our expectations. I didn’t know you could live in the neighborhood in a city that has bunnies. Our kids delight in seeing the bunnies hop around, and there is a nature path a block from where we live.
“This is all in the city with accessibility to restaurants and culture.”
“The best decision we’ve made”
Last month, on Behind The Curtain with Paul Lisnek, Rapp expanded on his love for his home city. He said moving to Chicago had proved “the best decision we’ve made as parents.”
“We were making it happen in New York,” he clarified of raising his kids there. “It’s just more hectic to make it work. The logistics in New York are a little more complicated. In Chicago, the pace, the lifestyle, the cost of living, and … with my work, I do have to travel a fair amount. Traveling around from Chicago is very easy. Easier than traveling from the East Coast, in some respects.”
Rapp went on to say that nowadays, actors don’t necessarily have to be in Los Angeles or New York to audition, which is often done online. In-person auditions are then requested at the discretion of producers and directors if they like what they see.
Rapp has wasted no time finding work again in the Chicago theater world. Last month, he hosted his own Home for the Holidays show at the Lookingglass Theatre Company. The intimate show featured a mixture of holiday classics and Broadway tunes.
Coming up, he’ll next be starring in Porchlight Music Theatre’s concert production of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies, playing the role of Benjamin Stone, at the Studebaker Theater. That production runs April 25 – 26, 2026.
Chicago for theater lovers
Chicago ranks among America’s top theater cities, boasting over 50 theaters and associated theatre companies. The Chicago Theatre District downtown features the historic Goodman Theatre, known for producing Tony Award-winning work, and the James M. Nederlander Theatre, which routinely hosts blockbuster Broadway tours.
The Steppenwolf Theatre Company, founded by ensemble members including Gary Sinise and John Malkovich, pioneered raw, ensemble-driven performances that revolutionized American theater. The Second City launched comedy legends like Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert.
Smaller gems include the aforementioned Lookingglass Theatre and Victory Gardens Theater.
Given the theatrical choices on offer, not to mention a thriving LGBTQ community, is it any surprise that Anthony Rapp feels right at home?
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