Bruce Ludwig and Julie Hatfield, fresh from Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association’s musical “Chicago,” in June, have struck out on their own to form a new theatrical production company called Big Britches Productions. Ludwig directed “Chicago,” and Hatfield was its producer and primary publicist. “Audience members kept asking what we were going to do next, and we realized we wanted to take a chance and attempt something ambitious,” said Ludwig. Hatfield added, “We knew full well that we may be too big for our britches, but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”