OPENING: Midwest Premiere of TIME IS ON OUR SIDE Via About Face Theatre at Theater Wit

About Face Theatre Presents the Midwest Premiere of

TIME IS ON OUR SIDE

By R. Eric Thomas

Directed by Artistic Director Megan Carney

March 1 – April 7, 2018 at Theater Wit

Following its sell-out hit Significant Other, About Face Theatre is pleased to continue its 2017-18 season with the Midwest premiere of R. Eric Thomas’ gleeful mystery TIME IS ON OUR SIDE, directed by Artistic Director Megan Carney, playing March 1 – April 7, 2018 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at aboutfacetheatre.com by calling (773) 975-8150 or in person at the Theater Wit Box Office. 

I'll be out for the press opening March 7th, so check back soon for my full review.

(left to right) Maggie Scrantom and Rashaad Hall in a publicity image for About Face Theatre’s Midwest premiere of TIME IS ON OUR SIDE. Photo by Anna Gelman.

TIME IS ON OUR SIDE features Esteban Andres Cruz, Rashaad Hall, Riley Mondragon and Maggie Scrantom.

Besties Annie and Curtis struggle to produce a podcast that “queers history” until the discovery of a mysterious family journal launches them into a high stakes and hilarious investigation of the early LGBTQ rights movement. Hopping from the Underground Railroad to Rosa Parks, from the AIDS Quilt to Celebrity Jeopardy, the political gets personal.

“This is a hilarious and deeply personal story,” comments Director Megan Carney. “It brings together rich characters of different generations who share a longing to connect, which makes it such a perfect play for us at About Face Theatre. The play weaves a range of stories in which younger folks uncover their roots and elders pass on what they know. All together, a powerful story emerges revealing acts of resistance and queer magic through the decades.” 

The production team for TIME IS ON OUR SIDE includes José Manuel Diaz (scenic design), Robert Kuhn (costume design), Christopher Kriz (sound design), Claire Sangster (lighting design) Blake Burke (properties design) Catherine Allen (production manager) and Dana Nestrick (stage manager).

Dates: 
Previews: Thursday, March 1 at 7:30 pm, Friday, March 2 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, March 2 at 7:30 pm, Sunday, March 4 at 3 pm and Tuesday, March 6 at 7:30 pm

Regular run: Thursday, March 8 – Saturday, April 7, 2018
Curtain Times: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will not be a performance on Friday, March 9.

Tickets: Previews: $15. Regular run: $20-$38. Discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Tickets are currently available at aboutfacetheatre.com, by calling (773) 975-8150 or in person at Theater Wit Box Office.



Artist Biographies
R. Eric Thomas (Playwright) is an award-winning playwright, humorist and the long-running host of The Moth in Philadelphia. His play Time is on Our Side was the recipient of two Barrymore Awards including Best New Play and was named a finalist for the Harold and Mimi Steinberg American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award. Forthcoming productions include Mrs. Harrison at Azuka Theatre. He writes a daily humor column for Elle.com in which he “reads” the news. In addition to Elle.com and ELLE magazine, his writing has appeared in the New York Times, W Magazine, Man Repeller, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Magazine and more. www.rericthomas.com

Megan Carney (Director) is a director, playwright, educator and the Artistic Director of About Face Theatre. Recent Chicago directing credits include Julie Jenson’s Winter, George Brandt’s Grizzly Mama, Danielle Pinnock’s Body/Courage and Lisa Dillman’s American Wee Pie and The Walls with Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. She was lead interviewer and playwright for Women at War, a multi-year performance and civic dialogue project about women in the military that continues to tour. Megan was a founding director of About Face Youth Theatre and served as Associate Artistic Director for several years while she created original ensemble plays. Carney’s work has been recognized with multiple After Dark Awards, the GLSEN Pathfinder Award, an APA Presidential Citation, induction in Chicago’s Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, a Rockefeller Foundation MAP Grant and a GLAAD Media Award nomination. Megan served as the Director of the Gender and Sexuality Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago from 2011-2017 where she created arts based educational programs for and about diverse LGBTQIA+ people and communities. She has a MFA in Theatre Arts from Virginia Tech with a focus on Directing and Public Dialogue.



About Face Theatre creates exceptional, innovative, and adventurous theatre and educational programming that advances the national dialogue on sexual and gender identity, and challenges and entertains audiences in Chicago and beyond.

OPENING: Chicago Premiere of Boy at Timeline Theatre Through March 18th

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES 

CHICAGO PREMIERE OF ANNA ZIEGLER'S 

BOY, 

DIRECTED BY DAMON KIELY, 

JANUARY 10 – MARCH 18

Growing up with a gender identity that doesn’t fit: BOY—inspired by a true story—helps illuminate what it’s like

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we love covering a wide range of stories, especially those about groups underrepresented in theatrical productions, and those that foster greater understanding in audiences. 

BOY is about the beauty of finding love, the complexity of gender identity, and the consequences of the choices we make for those we love. In the 1960s, an accident during a routine medical procedure causes a well-intentioned doctor to convince the parents of infant twin boys to raise one as a girl. Although Adam transitions back to a male identity at age 14, the repercussions of his parents’ choice continue to reverberate. Everyone involved struggles to connect, stuck between hope for the future and uncertainty about the past. BOY picks up Adam’s story as a young adult in the 1980s discovering true love for the first time, while memories of his childhood open a window into what it’s like to grow up in an identity that doesn’t fit.

In January 2017, National Geographic declared society to be in the midst of a “gender revolution,” with issues affecting transgender and intersex people pushing to the forefront of news cycles and legislative agendas alike. Inspired by true events, BOY takes audiences to the center of this revolution by telling one of the stories at its roots—the story of Dr. John Money, who co-founded America’s first gender identity clinic 50 years ago, and his signature patient, David Reimer.

"David would most likely have identified himself as neither transgender nor intersex. But his story strikes at the heart of the issues facing both of these populations today,” said Josephine Kearns, dramaturg and gender identity consultant for BOY and a TimeLine Associate Artist. “Like many transgender people, he was raised in a gender that didn’t fit him; like many intersex people, that gender assignment was surgically foisted upon him in infancy. And so his story illuminates the innate sense of gender we all possess, and shows us one example of what can happen when the world around us doesn’t reflect it back to us.”

TimeLine brings Chicago its first view of Anna Ziegler’s BOY, an “insightful, gut-wrenching, and beautiful play” (Talkin’ Broadway) that “has both the white hot issue of gender identity and the simple fact that it’s very, very good in its favor” (Huffington Post).

Ziegler is an award-winning playwright whose credits include PHOTOGRAPH 51 (produced in the West End starring Nicole Kidman), ACTUALLY (produced most recently Off Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club), and THE LAST MATCH (now playing Off Broadway at Roundabout Theatre). The Outer Critics Circle nominated BOY for the 2016 John Gassner Memorial Playwriting Award.

TimeLine Theatre’s Chicago premiere of BOY by Anna Ziegler (from left), directed by Damon Kiely, will feature Stef Tovar, Theo Germaine, Emily Marso, Mechelle Moe, and David Parkes.

The cast of BOY (listed with the pronouns each uses) features Stef Tovar (he/him) as Doug; Theo Germaine (they/them) as Adam Turner; Emily Marso (she/her) as Jenny; TimeLine Company Member Mechelle Moe (she/her) as Trudy; and TimeLine Company Member David Parkes (he/him) as Dr. Wendell Barnes.

The production team for BOY includes Arnel Sancianco (Scenic Designer, he/him); Samantha Jones (Costume Designer, she/her); Jared Gooding (Lighting Designer, he/him); Karli Blalock (Sound Designer, she/her), Archer Curry (Properties Designer, he/him); Charlie Baker (Intimacy Designer, he/him/they/them); Avi Roque (Assistant Director, they/them); Molly Weaver (Production Assistant, they/them); Kara Rodriguez (Lobby Artist, they/them); and Jireh Drake (Lobby Artist, they/them); with TimeLine Associate Artist Josephine Kearns (Dramaturg and Gender Identity Consultant, she/her) and Luci Kersting (Stage Manager, she/her).

SPONSORS
TimeLine’s Chicago premiere of BOY is supported in part by The Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science & Technology Project and The Chicago Community Trust.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE / EVENTS 
PREVIEWS: Wednesday 1/10 through Saturday 1/13 at 8 p.m.; Sunday 1/14 at 2 p.m.; Tuesday 1/16 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday 1/17 at 7:30 p.m.

OPENING NIGHT: Thursday 1/18 at 7:30 p.m.
REGULAR RUN, through March 18: Tuesday (3/13 only), Wednesday, and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (except Wednesday 2/14 at 8:30 p.m.); Friday at 8 p.m. (except no performance 3/16); Saturday at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. (except no performance 1/20 at 4 p.m.); and Sunday at 2 p.m. 

DISCUSSION & ACCESSIBILITY EVENTS:
— Post-Show Discussion: A brief, informal post-show discussion hosted by a TimeLine Company Member and featuring the production dramaturg and members of the cast on Wednesday 1/24, Sunday 1/28, Thursday 2/1, Thursday 2/15, Wednesday 2/21 and Sunday 3/4.

— Pre-Show Discussions: Starting one hour before these performances, a 30-minute introductory conversation hosted by a TimeLine Company Member and the production dramaturg with members of the production team on Wednesday 2/7 and Sunday 2/18.

— Captioned Performance: An open-captioned performance with a text display of words and sounds heard during the performance on Saturday 2/10 at 4 p.m. Partial support of open captioning is provided by Theatre Development Fund.

— Company Member Discussion: A post-show discussion with the collaborative team of artists who choose TimeLine’s programming and guide the company’s mission on Sunday 2/11.

— Sunday Scholars Panel Discussion: A one-hour post-show discussion featuring experts on the themes and issues of the play on Sunday 2/25.
All discussions are free and open to the public. For further details about all planned discussions and events, visit timelinetheatre.com.

BUYING TICKETS   
Single ticket prices are $40 (Wednesday through Friday), $49 (Saturday evenings) and $54 (Saturday and Sunday matinees). Preview tickets are $25. Student discount is 35% off regular price with valid ID. TimeLine is also a member of TCG’s Blue Star Theatre Program and is offering $25 tickets to U.S. military personnel, veterans, first responders, and their spouses and family. 
Discounted rates for groups of 10 or more are available. 

Ticket buyers age 18-35 may join TimeLine’s free MyLine program to obtain access to discounted tickets, special events and more. Visit timelinetheatre.com/discounts for more about Blue Star, MyLine and other available discounts.

Advance purchase is recommended as performances may sell out. For tickets and information, visit timelinetheatre.com or call the Box Office at (773) 281-8463 x6.

LOCATION / TRANSPORTATION / PARKING
BOY will take place at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. TimeLine Theatre is located near the corner of Wellington and Broadway, inside the Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ building, in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood.

The location is served by multiple CTA trains and buses. TimeLine offers discounted parking at the Standard Parking garages at Broadway Center ($8 with validation; 2846 N. Broadway, at Surf) or the Century Mall ($9 with validation; 2836 N. Clark), with other paid parking options nearby, plus limited free and metered street parking.

ACCESSIBILITY
TimeLine Theatre is accessible to people with disabilities. Two wheelchair lifts provide access from street level to the theatre space and to lower-level restrooms. Audience members using wheelchairs or who need to avoid stairs, and others with special seating or accessibility needs should contact the TimeLine Box Office in advance to confirm arrangements. See DISCUSSION & ACCESSIBILITY EVENTS above for information about the open-captioned performance for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing.

BIOGRAPHIES
Anna Ziegler (Playwright) is an award-winning playwright whose play PHOTOGRAPH 51 won London’s 2016 WhatsOnStage award for Best New Play. It has also been selected as a “Best of the Year” play by The Washington Post (twice) and The Telegraph. Her play BOY was nominated for the 2016 John Gassner Award by the Outer Critics Circle. In 2017, the Williamstown Theatre Festival and The Geffen Playhouse presented co-world-premieres of her latest play, ACTUALLY, and The Roundabout Theatre Company produced the New York premiere of THE LAST MATCH. Her work has been produced on the West End (PHOTOGRAPH 51, starring Nicole Kidman) and at The Old Globe, Seattle Repertory Theatre, The Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Magic Theatre, Playwrights Realm, City Theatre, and many more, and developed at the Sundance Theatre Lab, The O’Neill Playwrights Conference, Soho Rep and the Cape Cod Theatre Project, among others. She is currently writing a television pilot for AMC/Sundance and a screenplay for Scott Free Productions. Oberon Books has published a collection of her work entitled Anna Ziegler: Plays One.

Damon Kiely (Director) is the Chair of Performance at DePaul’s Theatre School and the author of How to Read a Play: Text Analysis for Directors (Routledge 2016). His production of HANK WILLIAMS: LOST HIGHWAY won the Jeff Award for Musical Production, Midsized. He previously directed WEEKEND by Gore Vidal for TimeLine Theatre. Kiely served as Artistic Director for American Theatre Company and has directed for American Blues, American Theatre Company, Route 66, A Red Orchid, Next and many others. His original plays THIEVES LIKE US and THE REVEL were produced by The House Theatre of Chicago. Prior to moving back to Chicago, he taught, produced, and directed in New York City. He is a winner of the 2000-02 NEA/TCG Career Directing Program, the 2000 Drama League Fall Directing Program, and the 1997 Princess Grace Award.

Still to come in TimeLine’s 2017-18 season: World premiere of TO CATCH A FISH by Chicagoan Brett Neveu, the first play to be produced that was written and developed through TimeLine’s inaugural Playwrights Collective, about a family and a community torn apart by a flawed search for justice, directed by TimeLine Company Member Ron OJ Parson, April 25 – July 1, 2018 at TimeLine Theatre

ABOUT TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY
TimeLine Theatre Company, recipient of the prestigious 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, was founded in April 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues. To date over 20 seasons, TimeLine has presented 71 productions, including nine world premieres and 31 Chicago premieres, and launched the Living History Education Program, now in its 11th year of bringing the company's mission to life for students in Chicago Public Schools. Recipient of the Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence and the Richard Goodman Strategic Planning Award from the Association for Strategic Planning, TimeLine has received 54 Jeff Awards, including an award for Outstanding Production 11 times. 

TimeLine is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers, Managing Director Elizabeth K. Auman and Board President Eileen LaCario. Company members are Nick Bowling, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Behzad Dabu, Lara Goetsch, Juliet Hart, Mildred Marie Langford, Mechelle Moe, David Parkes, Ron OJ Parson, PJ Powers, Maren Robinson and Benjamin Thiem.

Major corporate, government and foundation supporters of TimeLine Theatre include Alphawood Foundation, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, The Crown Family, The Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science & Technology Project, Forum Fund, The Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Laughing Acres Family Foundation, A.L. and Jennie L. Luria Foundation, MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, The Pauls Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, and The Shubert Foundation.

TimeLine is a member of the League of Chicago Theatres, Theatre Communications Group, Choose Chicago, Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce, Chicago Green Theatre Alliance, and Chicago’s Belmont Theater District.

REVIEW: Don Your Gay Apparel and Catch Other Theatre's Hilarious Barney the Elf at Greenhouse Theater Through December 30th

The Smash Hit Returns!

Other Theatre Presents the Adult Holiday Musical

BARNEY THE ELF

By Bryan Renaud

Lyrics by Bryan Renaud and Emily Schmidt

Directed and Choreographed by Tommy Rivera-Vega

Music Direction by Nik Kmiecik

Music Arrangements by Jermaine Hill

Through December 30, 2017 at Greenhouse Theater Center

Review:

I was expecting parodies of show tunes and holiday classics, a bit of naughty adult humor and an LGBTQ twist on Elf the Musical, but Barney the Elf goes above and beyond. Sure it's creatively campy, but there's a sweet undercurrent of depth here that celebrates the gay community, embraces those who have been kicked out of their homes just for being themselves, and condemns bullies, even while acknowledging that sometimes the bullies win.  

Santa is dead, but Christmas doesn't have to be, with a bit more cheer and holiday enthusiasm from Barney the Elf, the epitome of misfit elves, banished by a decidedly Trump-like Santa Junior on suspicion of being gay. Like the movie and musical this parodies most closely, this elf is given a snow globe and sets off for the big city (Chicago this time) on a quest to find himself (not his dad). He gets robbed, finds a job mopping floors at a drag bar, and ultimately saves Christmas when Junior's sleigh crashes from a lack of Christmas spirit (from it's driver this time).

The Chicago touches are too much fun, like Mrs. Claus' gifting Barney with mace and a warning to watch out for the Wrigleyville Bros, and giving him a wad of cash to buy her HAMILTON tickets. Public transportation construction and gun violence jokes hit the mark with this home town audience too.

This parody is political without being heavy handed, (note the Trump bumper sticker on Junior's sleigh) and the "Make Christmas Great Again" and "War on Christmas" references. It's cathartic and spot on about the culture wars and the current climate toward LGBTQ people, and anyone not mainstream, rich, and capitalistic enough. 

(left to right) Dixie Lynn Cartwright and Roy Samra

All Photos by Carin Silkaitis

Particular standouts are the adorable, Roy Samra (also amazing in The CiviliTy of Albert Cashier) as Barney, Chicago drag sensation Dixie Lynn Cartwright (perfect mix of diva and true friend) returning as Zooey, Maggie Cain as (fierce, foulmouthed, badass mom & advocate) Mrs. Claus, and finally (the blonde Trumpster in training you love to hate) Jaron Bellar as Junior. I was especially impressed Dixie Lynn doesn't just lip synch, but actually sings, and her banter was fabulous.

In the end, love trumps hate. The bullies don't win for long. Barney gets the sleigh and the top spot in the north pole, his soul mate, and the love and respect of legions of elves, all while being true to himself. 

Obviously, leave the kids at home for this one. It's definitely "R" for content and language, but make for a great adult night out, with an enduring message of hope for the weird, quirky and different. And isn't acceptance and love what the Christmas spirit is truly about? 

(center) Maggie Cain with (left to right) Courtney Dane Mize, Cody Talkie, Colleen DeRosa, Lance Spencer, LiSean McElrath and Emilie Rose Danno

(left to right) Lance Spencer, Dixie Lynn Cartwright and Cody Talkie

Other Theatre is pleased to continue its 4th season with the third revival of its holiday hit BARNEY THE ELF, a campy and irreverent musical comedy, written by Bryan Renaud with lyrics by Renaud and Emily Schmidt. After helming the 2016 production, Tommy Rivera-Vega returns to direct and choreograph, with music direction by Nik Kmiecik and arrangements by Jermaine Hill. BARNEY THE ELF will play November 17 – December 30, 2017 at Other Theatre’s resident home, The Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.  

Tickets are available at www.theothertheatrecompany.com, in person at the Greenhouse Theater box office or by calling (773) 404-7336. Season subscriptions are currently available. 

BARNEY THE ELF will feature Roy Samra as Barney, Chicago drag sensation Dixie Lynn Cartwright returning as Zooey, Maggie Cain as Mrs. Claus, Jaron Bellar as Junior and Courtney Dane Mize as Cookie/Ensemble with Emilie Rose Danno, Colleen DeRosa, LiSean McElrath, Lance Spencer and Cody Talkie.


(pictured) Dixie Lynn Cartwright in Other Theatre’s production of BARNEY THE ELF

After Santa Claus retires, his wicked son begins a not-so-jolly reign as the new head of Christmas. The North Pole begins to crumble under his bigoted rule, and Barney the Elf is forced to leave his home for being different from the others. Soon he embarks on a fabulous journey of self-discovery (or is it elf-discovery?) that lands him in one of Chicago's hottest drag bars. But can he truly leave Christmas behind for a new life in the big city? BARNEY THE ELF brings pop-infused musical numbers galore and plenty of queer holiday cheer to Lincoln Park for the third year in a row! 

"Rather endearing [with] surprising emotional payoffs... Renaud and his collaborators may well have a fringe holiday repeat hit to call home for the holidays."  –The Chicago Tribune

The production team for BARNEY THE ELF includes Michael Johannsen (scenic design), Olivia Crary (costume design), Matthew Carney (lighting design), Ashley Pettit (sound design, production manager), Bobby Taves (asst. music director) and Meghan Erxleben (asst. lighting designer).

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Location: The Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago
Dates: Preview: Friday, November 17 at 8 pm, Saturday, November 18 at 7 pm, Sunday, November 19 at 3 pm and Sunday, November 26 at 3 pm.
Press opening: Tuesday, November 28 at 8 pm
Regular run: Thursday, November 30 – Sunday, December 30, 2017
Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will not be a performance on Sunday, December 24 (Christmas Eve).

Tickets: Previews: $20 with code “PREVIEW.” Regular run: $25. Students $15 with code “STUDENT.” Industry $15 with code “INDUSTRY.” Tickets are available at www.theothertheatrecompany.com, in person at the Greenhouse Theater Center box office or by calling (773) 404-7336. Season subscription are currently available.


(center) Roy Samra with (l to r) Lance Spencer, Colleen DeRosa, Cody Talkie, LiSean McElrath, Emilie Rose Danno and Courtney Dane Mize

Creative Team Bios
Bryan Renaud (Book and Lyrics) is the Associate Artistic Director of Other Theatre, where he has premiered his plays Barney the Elf and Other Letters, the latter co-written with Carin Silkaitis. He is also a founding member of Random Acts, where he premiered Strangest Things! The Musical, All Our Twilight and Ladies Night of the Living Dead. As a performer, Bryan has worked with American Theater Co., Pride Films & Plays, Provision Theater, Music Theatre Co., GreatWorks, Prologue Theatre, Shakespeare at the Centre, Oak Park Festival Theatre, NWaC and Two Pigs Productions. www.BryanRenaud.com

Emily Schmidt (Lyrics) is a freelance playwright and grant writer based in Chicago. She earned her Masters in English from Loyola University. Other works include writing for Acid Reflux Comedy as well as the plays All Our Twilight, Awkward Family Gatherings and Strangest Things! The Musical. 

Tommy Rivera-Vega (Director) returns after directing the 2016 remount of Barney the Elf. He also directed the smash-hit world premiere Strangest Things! The Musical. Chicago Acting credits: Parachute Men, Between You Me and the Lampshade, A View From the Bridge, Momma’s Boyz – Teatro Vista; La Havana Madrid – Steppenwolf and Teatro Vista; Mother Road – Goodman Theatre; West Side Story – Drury Lane; In the Heights – Skylight Music Theatre; In the Heights, My Fair Lady – Paramount Theatre; Three Sisters – Steppenwolf Theatre; Kiss of the Spiderwoman – BoHo Theatre; Augusta & Noble – Adventure Stage; Pippin – Music Theatre Company; CATS – Theo Ubique; Puerto Rico credits: Spring Awakening, Footloose – Black Box Theatre. Episodic: Chicago PD (Ep 411). He is a proud Teatro Vista, Other Theatre Ensemble member and an Artistic Associate of Random Acts. Tommy is represented by Paonessa Talent Agency.

Nik Kmiecik (Music Director) is thrilled to be back with Barney the Elf in his new role of music director. He has music directed youth productions with SELF theatre and musical productions at his alma mater, North Central College in Naperville. Nik was an elf/ensemble member for Barney last year and has performed with numerous theatres in Chicago including Chicago Shakespeare, Chicago Children's Theatre, Filament Theatre, Haven Theatre, Silk Road Rising and Porchlight Theatre. Nik is an artistic associate of Other Theatre and is proudly represented by Stewart Talent.



About Other Theatre:

Other Theatre is dedicated to telling the stories of persons or groups who are othered by systems of oppression. Othering individuals or groups sustains power and privilege. Othering inherently implies hierarchy. Othering keeps the power in the hands of those who already have it.  Othering is an "us" vs. "them" mentality often centered around race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, identity, class, religion and ability. Other Theatre is committed to telling these stories in the hope that we can lessen the amount of discrimination and oppression in our world. 

We are a collective of artist-activists who believe in the power of theatre to enact social change. We believe in equality for all human beings and we will fight for it. We believe theatre is an excellent conversation starter, and we hope you will come talk with us after the show. We believe radical social change is possible and we will continue to stand up, fight, and resist until it happens.

Other Theatre Artistic Staff: 

Carin Silkaitis, Founder and Artistic Director; Maddie DePorter, Managing Director; Bryan Renaud, Associate Artistic Director; Ashley Pettit, Production Manager; Savanna Rae, Company Manager; Stephen Kossak, Casting Director; Becca Sheehan, Audience Development/Intern Coordinator; Tommy Varela, Social Media Coordinator; Kelly Howe, Resident Dramaturg; Tommy Rivera-Vega, Artistic Associate; Hannah Toriumi, Artistic Associate; Gay Glenn, Artistic Associate; Nik Kmiecik , Artitic Associate.

Other Theatre Board of Directors:

Michele Thornton, President; Kelly Soprych, Vice President; Jermaine Hill, Secretary; Stephen Silkaitis, Treasurer; Lisa Wolfe, Diane Sheehan and Michael Johannsen.

Other Theatre’s 4th Season is presented by generous grants from MacArthur Funds for Arts and Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and The Saints.

OPENING: World Premiere of PUNK Via The New Colony at The Den Theatre

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

The New Colony Presents the World Premiere of

PUNK

Written by Michael Allen Harris

Co-Directed by Diana Raiselis and Katrina Dion

October 4 – November 5, 2017 at The Den Theatre

(left to right) Kyle Encinas, Aaron Sanchez, Evie Riojas and Daniel Shtivelberg 

Photo by Evan Hanover. 

Tonight, ChiIL Live Shows will be ChiILin' at The Den with The New Colony for the press opening of prison drama, PUNK. We're looking forward to this world premiere and the thought provoking premise. Check back soon for our full review. 

The New Colony concludes its 2017 Season with the world premiere of Michael Allen Harris’ prison drama PUNK, co-directed by Diana Raiselis and Katrina Dion, playing October 4 – November 5, 2017 at The New Colony’s resident home, The Den Theatre’s Upstairs Main Stage, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. Click HERE for tickets.

Regular run: Thursday, October 12 – Sunday, November 5, 2017 

Curtain times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm

Industry Night: Monday, October 23 at 7:30 pm

Tickets: Regular run: $20. Students/seniors: 25% off. 

PUNK features Kyle Encinas, Keyanna Khatiblou, Monette McLin, Evie Riojas, Aaron Sanchez and Daniel Shtivelberg.

Set in a maximum-security prison in present day America, Punk is the story of a group of inmates who are protected and housed in a special unit for gay, bisexual and transgender inmates. Tensions rise when Travis, a young man sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a gay man, requests to transfer into the unit. Fear and suspicion hover over the inmates who call this unit home. 

The production team for PUNK includes: Eleanor Kahn (scenic design), Uriel Gomez, (costumes design), Eric Watkins (lighting design), Jeffery Levin (sound design), Sydney Achler (props design), Kyle Encinas (choreography), Ryan Oliviera (dramaturg), Uriel Gomez (technical director), Ali Drumm (production manager) and Rose Hamill (stage manager). 

(left to right) Evie Riojas and Daniel Shtivelberg in The New Colony’s world premiere of PUNK by Michael Allen Harris, co-directed by Diana Raiselis and Katrina Dion. Photo by Evan Hanover.  

About the Creative Team

Michael Allen Harris (Playwright) As a playwright, Michael has collaborated with Chicago theatre companies such as Broken Nose Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, Arc Theatre, Stage 773, Fine Print Theatre, Chicago Home Theater Festival and The New Colony. His play, Rocky Road, received its world premiere at the New Studio Theatre of Columbia College Chicago in March of 2013. It was the first production featured in the Main Stage season that was authored by an alumnus. His play, The Velvet Tabernacle, was featured in a development series on behalf of Fine Print Theatre. His most recent play, Kingdom, is currently involved in a season-long development on behalf of Broken Nose Theatre and received its first stage reading at Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater. In February 2016, he was part of The New Colony’s Writer’s Room and completed the first draft of his full-length play Ascension. His short plays include: House of Samurai, They Let Him Bleed, Project Agatha and The Woman Who Stared into the Eyes of The Red Horseman. As an actor, Michael worked with Adventure Stage, Eclipse Theatre, Gift Theatre, Teatro Vista, The-Massive, Stone Soup Theatre Project, Infusion Theatre, Broken Nose Theatre and Cold Basement Dramatics. He was nominated for a BTAA for his performance as Fortune in Eclipse Theatre’s Jeff-nominated production of Ruined. He is a proud ensemble member of Eclipse Theatre Company and proudly represented by Lily’s Talent. 

Diana Raiselis (Co-Director) is a Chicago-based director and community event producer.  Recent directing projects include Resolution (Pride Films & Plays), Punk (workshop production, The New Colony), THIRST: a climate change theater action (Jackalope) and festival premieres with Collaboraction, Jackalope, Prologue and Buzz22 Chicago. As a producer, she co-curates Slaymaker Loft's occasional new-work series party/theater/party, and has served on producing teams for events at Pritzker Pavilion, the Steppenwolf Garage and site-specific locations around Chicago. Proud alumna of Northwestern University and the Steppenwolf Professional Leadership Program. www.dianaraiselis.com

Katrina Dion (Co-Director) works as a director and teaching artist in Chicago. At Free Street Theater (FST), Katrina acts as the Operations and Youth Program Manager. In this position, she leads the high school ensemble in a conservatory level year long critical thinking and creation process focusing on issues affecting Chicago youth while managing the companies grants and financials. Katrina is also on staff with Albany Park Theater Project (APTP) as their lead academic tutor. Last year, Katrina had the pleasure of working with APTP on Learning Curve as a Production Assistant. Most recently, she directed Los Milagros/The Miracles Project, Checkmate and The Americans at FST; co-directed Cycle 3 of Every 28 Hours at The Goodman Theater along with Coya Paz; Zipped and Pelted at the Chicago Fringe Festival; and Convention or The Winos with The Wulfden. She has had the pleasure of assisting directors such as Bonnie Metzgar, Coya Paz and Krissy Vanderwarker. Katrina received her BFA in Theatre Arts with a concentration in directing with a minor in Mathematics from DePaul University. 

About The New Colony

The New Colony develops NEW ART and NEW ARTISTS in order to educate and build NEW AUDIENCES. Founded in 2008, The New Colony has established itself as “one of Chicago’s essential off-Loop companies” (Chicago Tribune) having developed and produced over 25 world-premiere plays and musicals garnering four Joseph Jefferson Awards, the 2011 Broadway in Chicago Emerging Theatre Award, and Best Overall Production at the 2012 New York International Fringe Festival. The New Colony is a resident company of The Den Theatre located in Wicker Park.

OPENING: WORLD PREMIERE of THE CIVILITY OF ALBERT CASHIER STARRING DANI SHAY of THE GLEE PROJECT and AMERICA’S GOT TALENT at STAGE 773 8/31-10/15

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

PERMOVEO PRODUCTIONS, IN ASSOCIATION WITH PRIDE FILMS & PLAYS, PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF 

CIVIL WAR ERA MUSICAL 

THE CIVILITY OF ALBERT CASHIER STARRING DANI SHAY 

OF THE GLEE PROJECT AND AMERICA’S GOT TALENT, AUGUST 31 – OCTOBER 15 AT STAGE 773

Photo of Dani Shay - courtesy of Dani Shay. 

Set During the Civil War, this Incredibly Timely New Musical Features a Book by 

GLAAD-Nominated Writer Jay Paul Deratany, 

Music and Lyrics by 

Acclaimed Folk Musician Joe Stevens and Emmy-Nominated Writer / Director Keaton Wooden

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we can't wait to check out this world premiere. Just today, I got an e-mail that the House of Representatives will vote on an anti-transgender Hartzler Amendment that would prohibit transition-related care for service members and their families. It's astounding to me that the military still has a huge issue with treating gay, trans, and even women soldiers in any kind of equitable way. That's all the more reason to revisit, recount and remember the heroic stories of brave individuals like THE CIVILITY OF ALBERT CASHIER. 

Permoveo Productions, in association with Pride Films & Plays, presents the world premiere production of The CiviliTy of Albert Cashier playing at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., August 31 – October 15, starring former Glee Project star and America’s Got Talent Contestant Dani Shay. The production is co-composed and directed by Keaton Wooden, co-composed by Joe Stevens, written by Jay Paul Deratany and is music directed by Jon Schneidman. 

Opening night is Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. and preview performances are August 31 – September 3. The regular performance schedule, running through October 15, is Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. 

Preview tickets are $30 and regular run tickets are $40. You may purchase tickets at http://www.stage773.com and get more information at www.albertcashierthemusical.com.

This true story, set between 1862 and 1915, tells the astonishing, “timely, essential, insightful” and true story of “an amazing figure from [our] history” (The Windy City Times). In The CiviliTy of Albert Cashier, Albert Cashier is a Civil War soldier with a secret that resonates with today’s modern world. Detailing the soldier’s life fighting in more than 40 engagements during the Civil War, the musical follows Cashier through retirement and the onset of dementia, when a life-long secret was discovered: That Albert was born Jennifer Hodgers. Causing an uproar in the small southern Illinois community where Cashier lived, Cashier was prosecuted for impersonating a soldier, requiring fellow soldiers to return once again after 60 years to detail Albert’s heroism and life.

In a joint statement, Director Keaton Wooden and cast member Delia Kropp said "in so many ways, Albert's story is a true American one -- a soldier who served their country and wanted nothing more than personal liberty to live life as they wished to. We don't know how Albert identified. All we know is they were born female, and lived as Albert. So, in a time where all of America was fighting to define what it would become, Albert fought to define themselves on their own terms. Male? Female? Soldier? Farmer? In Albert's time (and possibly in ours) there may have been no words to describe who Albert wanted to be. So we took the story to a place beyond words: a musical. This is a story about self-determination. While American society drew attention to Albert's gender, this story asks us to look through the eyes of a person who lived simply, authentically, and at peace with themselves until the outside world interfered. In the end, Albert became an outlaw for simply existing."

Jay Paul Deratany and Director Keaton Wooden worked together with acclaimed musician and trans composer Joe Stevens to translate Albert's story to music. The CiviliTy of Albert Cashier has been workshopped at The Chicago Musical Theater Festival at Victory Gardens, and The Los Angeles LGBT Arts Center. The show will make its world premiere in the same state that Albert Cashier lived: Illinois.

Photo of Cast headshot block courtesy of Permoveo Production: (L to R) Charlie Baker, Delia Kropp, Katherine Condit, Chuck Quinn, Josiah Robinson, Billy Rude, Roy Samra, Gabriel Fries, Jonathan Stombres and Jordan Harris. 

Cast for The CiviliTy of Albert Cashier includes: Dani Shay (Young Albert), Katherine Condit (Old Albert), Delia Kropp (Nurse), Billy Rude (Jeffrey), Chuck Quinn IV (Billy), Gabe Fries (Collins/Kirby), Jordan Harris (Joe/U/S Jeffrey), Jonathan Stombres (John/Confederate Soldier), Roy Samra (Bugle Boy/Ensemble/U/S Billy and John), Josiah Robinson (Hearing Officer/Ensemble/U/S Joe, Collins and Kirby) and Charlie Baker (U/S Young Baker). Additional cast will be announced at a later date.

The production and creative team for The CiviliTy of Albert Cashier includes: Jay Paul Deratany (writer/lead producer), Keaton Wooden (director/co-composer/creative producer), Joe Stevens (co-composer), Jon Schneidman (music director), Derek Van Barham (choreography), Robert Ulrich (casting director/producer), Tim Smith (marketing and sales manager), Christopher Pazdernik (associate producer) and David Zak (creative consulting producer). Additional production and creative team members to be announce at a later date.

ABOUT DANI SHAY, Playing Young Albert Cashier
Dani Shay is a non-binary trans singer/songwriter, actor, and activist is honored to portray Albert D.J. Cashier in this poignant piece. After experiencing big waves of internet attention, then appearing on America's Got Talent and The Glee Project 2, Shay co-founded Be More Heroic, a non-profit organization geared toward helping young people cultivate more compassion and confidence. Shay has also worked with the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding, Epic Leaders, PeaceLove, and ASTEP: artsINSIDEOUT.  Most recently, Shay started an artist commune in Los Angeles, where seven creatives, a goofy dog, and a lazy cat happily coexist. Shay's original music can be found in all the usual online places.

ABOUT JAY PAUL DERATANY, Book, Additional Lyrics and Lead Producer
A graduate of Michigan State University and then DePaul Law School, Jay Paul Deratany built a career in Chicago as one of the top 100 lawyers in the country and became a well-known human rights advocate, writing op-eds and multiple advocacy articles for legal and political journals. He then decided to pursue his passion for creative writing as a playwright and screenwriter and graduated as valedictorian with a Masters of Fine Arts from the University of California.  Two of Deratany’s earlier plays include Veronica, performed at Victory Gardens, and a comedy Two Grooms and A Mohel, at Bailiwick Theater.

When Deratany saw the abuses committed against the LGBTQ community worldwide, and specifically the murder of alleged gay youth he was inspired to write Haram Iran, for which he received a London Arts counsel grant, and a nomination for a GLAAD award for best theatrical writing in California. Haram Iran initially played in Chicago and went on to the Celebration Theater in LA, London’s Above the Stag Theater and, most recently, at TADA in New York.

In 2012, Deratany wrote his first feature film, Saugatuck Cures, a comedy which follows the struggles between a gay brother and his right wing Christian sister, which earned acclaims:  Official Selection and Audience Choice Award from the Cinema Diverse film festival inPalm Springs, Official Selection from the QFlix film festival in Philadephia and the REELING 32 film festival in Chicago. His recent screenplay, Foster Boy, is currently in production, and is backed by Double Dutch Entertainment and Executive Produced Antoine Fuqua and directed by Youssef Delara.  

Deratany’s recent stage play, The CiviliTy of Albert Cashier, is a musical that has been received with standing ovations for staged readings at the LGBT Center for the Arts in Los Angeles and will be fully produced in Chicago at Stage 773 this September.  Deratany continues to be an advocate for global LGBT youth rights.

ABOUT KEATON WOODEN, Co-Composer and Director
Keaton Wooden is an Emmy and Rhodes nominated writer, producer and director. Wooden's early work gained him an Emmy nomination for "Vibrations," following the Indiana School for the Deaf as they create a performing arts troupe. His next project was the feature film NightLights, at the Lifetime Movie Network. Wooden is a proud member of theatrical producing firm Chicago Commercial Collective, who remounted Chicago's biggest plays, including Ike Holter's Hit the Wall and The New Colony's 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, and was producer Irvine Welsh's world premiere theatrical adaptation of his novel/film Trainspotting USA. A Rhodes scholar nominee, Wooden studied Modern Literature and Critical Theory at the University of Oxford England as part of the Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford program, and has travelled the world on humanitarian missions. He has presented research on his experience in the entertainment industry and the humanities at the University of Oxford England, Kingston University, IFP Chicago, Wheatstone Academy, and the Screen Actors Guild.

ABOUT JOE STEVENS, Co-Composer
Originally from Sacramento, CA, Joe Stevens received a Bachelor of Music from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA, and has been touring and wandering the U.S.A. for the last ten years. Stevens’ music rides the edge of the first wave of transgender performers to break through into the public consciousness. The social media explosion combined with shifting public opinion created the conditions that enabled trans and queer artists, a highly marginalized and isolated subculture, to connect and gain visibility. There is now a thriving community of trans and queer musicians, with new comers and folks who have been playing music all along, that is visible and growing in every corner of the world.

Between 2006 and 2012 Stevens’ first band, Coyote Grace, released five well-loved albums and toured with the Indigo Girls, Melissa Ferrick, and Girlyman; sharing stages with Chris Pureka, Greensky Bluegrass, Reverend Payton's Big Damn Band, and legends such as Cris Williamson and Lowen and Navarro. They quickly gained a strong cult following in the Folk/Americana world, taught workshops at many colleges and universities around the country and drove many a mile touring with their contemporaries and heroes.

Stevens released his first solo album “Last Man Standing” in 2014, recorded in Seattle at Empty Sea Studios and co-produced with everything-man Michael Connolly. The album has a strong focus on word craft, with folk roots and old time sensibilities, yet with subtly altered meters, progressions and content, a work that is both alternative and traditional.

“Songs of the People” was birthed in 2014; a project where Stevens writes songs based on interviews with willing folks. Creating a cohesive narrative of one’s life is a way to come to terms with the past, reintegrating an often times broken sense of self and honoring the conditions that give rise to who we are is one of the gifts of art and songwriting.

ABOUT JON SCHNEIDMAN, Music Director
Jon Schneidman is a Jeff-nominated music director, composer and musician. He has worked on various projects theaters all around the Chicagoland area, including Lookingglass Theater, Mercury Theater, Chicago Children's Theatre, as well as Refuge Theatre Project's award winning production of High Fidelity. Schneidman has also been seen on stages around the country with Close to You: The Music Of The Carpenters. He is a proud Barrel of Monkeys company member. 

ABOUT PERMOVEO PRODUCTIONS
Permoveo was created by Jay Paul Deratany to shed light on his professional and personal experiences with social injustices and bring awareness to the changes needed in society. Permoveo is Latin for “I move, shake up, agitate, or stir up.” Figuratively meaning “I move deeply, stir or rouse up, excite or influence.” Permoveo Productions is about bringing together people that are passionate for change and a greater good in society.  This company is about believing in all that have a voice and telling their story through creating productions that stir up thoughts or ideas.

ABOUT PRIDE FILMS & PLAYS
Pride Films and Plays (PFP) changes lives through the generation of diverse new work (or work that is new to Chicago) with LGBTQ positive characters or themes that is essential viewing for all audiences. The company produces a four-play season of full productions, shoots one short film each year, and continues our famed play developmental projects. PFP is the principal tenant in Pride Arts Center. 

Pride Arts Center, in its own right, produces events complimenting the PFP vision, including dance, cabaret, film, and more. Events can be one-night or limited run productions, or feature national treasures like Charles Busch.  PAC occupies The Broadway at 4139 N. Broadway, which has 85 seats, and The Buena, which has 50 seats at 4147 N Broadway. PAC is also the home of Red Tape Theater. 

OPENING: Writers Theatre presents the World Premiere of TREVOR THE MUSICAL 8/9-9/17

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Writers Theatre presents the World Premiere of

TREVOR

THE MUSICAL

Book and Lyrics by Dan Collins

Music by Julianne Wick Davis

Based on the Academy Award-winning film Trevor

Orchestrations by Greg Pliska

Music Direction by Matt Deitchman

Choreography by Josh Prince

Directed by Marc Bruni

August 9 – September 17, 2017

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, opens its 2017/18 season with the World Premiere of TREVOR the musical. The production is directed by Marc Bruni (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical on Broadway), with book and lyrics by Dan Collins, music by Julianne Wick Davis, music direction by Matt Deitchman, orchestrations by Greg Pliska and choreography by Josh Prince, by special arrangement with U Rock Theatricals. TREVOR the musical runs August 9 – September 17, 2017 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Wednesday, August 16, 2017 at 7:30 pm

Tickets for TREVOR the musical are currently on sale. Subscriptions and individual tickets, priced $35-$80, may be purchased online at www.writerstheatre.org, by phone at 847-242-6000, or in person at the box office, 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe.

Meet Trevor, a 13-year-old boy in 1981 whose vibrant imagination drives a turbulent journey of self-discovery. As he deals with adolescence and all that goes with it, Trevor begins to explore what it means to be himself, influenced by his friends, parents . . . and Diana Ross.

Writers is partnering with U Rock Theatricals, a group of young producers, who aim to create a new generation of intelligent and relevant musicals, ultimately for Broadway audiences. 

Based on the story that inspired the Academy Award-winning film, the charity and the national movement, TREVOR the musical is a coming-of-age story about identity, emerging sexuality and the struggles of growing up in a world that may not be ready for you. This world premiere musical is directed by Marc Bruni, who helmed the Tony Award-winning production of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical on Broadway.

TREVOR the musical is based on the Academy Award-winning short film. The film can be seen HERE:

Find Writers Theatre on Facebook at Facebook.com/WritersTheatre or follow @WritersTheatre on Twitter. For more information, visit www.writerstheatre.org.

Schedule: Tuesdays – Fridays: 7:30pm
(with select 3:00pm Wednesday matinees)
Saturdays: 3:00pm and 7:30pm
Sundays: 2:00pm and 6:00pm

Location: The Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

Prices:Prices for all performances range from $35 - $80. Purchase early for best prices                                 
             
Box Office: The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe;
847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

The Trevor Project was created as a result of the Academy Award-winning film that also inspired TREVOR the musical. The Trevor Project is the nation’s only accredited crisis intervention and suicide prevention organization focused on saving young LGBTQ lives. www.TheTrevorProject.org.


According to The Trevor Project "suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24; the rate of suicide attempts is 4 times greater for LGB youth and 2 times greater for questioning youth than that of straight youth. Suicide attempts by LGB youth and questioning youth are 4 to 6 times more likely to result in injury, poisoning, or overdose that requires treatment from a doctor or nurse, compared to their straight peers.”

"TREVOR the musical represents an important step in the evolution of Writers Theatre," said Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. "This ambitious new musical, which we are producing in association with U Rock Theatricals, takes our literary development initiative into a whole new arena. Director Marc Bruni has assembled a superb team of local and national artists. He brings his sophisticated ability to develop new work to the table, along with his trademark gifts for precision in dramaturgy and creating a nurturing and joyous process. Based on Peggy Rajski's Oscar-winning film, book writer Dan Collins and composer Julianne Wick Davis will transport us all back to our adolescence, and into a world of heartache, hilarity and humanism. This is an important story to share and an important time to tell it.

Director Marc Bruni and choreographer Josh Prince are fresh from the Tony Award-winning production of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical on Broadway, which has subsequently toured North America, London and an upcoming tour launching this fall in Australia.

The cast includes: Nathaniel Braga (Ensemble), Ariana Burks (Ensemble), Declan Desmond (Pinky), Timothy Eidman (Ensemble), Sophie Grimm (Mom/Mrs. Kerr), Maya Lou Hlava (Frannie), Isabel Kaegi (Ensemble), Eloise Lushina (Mary), Carly Meyer (Ensemble), Jhardon DiShon Milton (Jack), Justin O’Brien (Ensemble), Reilly Oh (Jason), Jerome Riley, Jr. (Ensemble), Salisha Thomas (Diana Ross), Eli Tokash (Trevor), Matthew Uzarraga (Walter), Tori Whaples (Cathy), Graydon Peter Yosowitz (Trevor) and Jarrod Zimmerman (Dad/Father Joe/Others).

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Dan Collins (Book and Lyrics) wrote book and lyrics with composer Julianne Wick Davis for Southern Comfort, which was produced by the Public Theater in Spring 2016 following productions at Barrington Stage and Cap21 (NY Times and Time Out Critics Pick), and development support at the NAMT Festival of New Musicals and Playwrights Horizons. For his work on Southern Comfort, Dan received the Jonathan Larson Award and GLADD Media award. Other projects include Wood (starring Tony Award © Winner Cady Huffman), TREVOR the musical (currently in development with U Rock Theatricals and director Marc Bruni), based on the Academy Award winning film of the same name, and When We Met (The Eugene O’Neill National Musical Theater Conference; CAP 21 Theatre Company). Dan was selected along with Wick Davis as a Dramatist Guild Fellow as well as for TheatreWorks Palo Alto's Writer's Retreat. He received his M.F.A in Musical Theater Writing at Tisch School of the Arts, NYU and his B.F.A. in Playwriting at The Theatre School of DePaul University.

Julianne Wick Davis (Music) is a composer/lyricist who wrote music for Southern Comfort (book & lyrics by Dan Collins), which was produced by the Public Theater in Spring 2016 following productions at Barrington Stage and Cap21 (NY Times and Time Out Critics Pick), and development support at the NAMT Festival of New Musicals and Playwrights Horizons. For her work on Southern Comfort, Julianne received the Jonathan Larson Award and GLADD Media award. Julianne wrote music and lyrics for When We Met with Dan Collins (book), which was developed at the O’Neill Musical Theatre Conference, the York NEO Development Series and had a developmental production at CAP21 in 2014. She is currently writing music for TREVOR the musical (Collins, book & lyrics) based on the Oscar-winning film short for U Rock Theatricals, as well as writing music and lyrics for a song cycle based on Jon Crispin’s photographs of the Willard Asylum Suitcases. She is a York Theatre’s NEO 9 emerging writer, a Dramatist Guild Fellow, and a 2015 Sundance Fellow at UCross. Julianne has an MFA from NYU’s Tisch Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program.

Greg Pliska (Orchestrations) is a composer, conductor and orchestrator who diverse career includes award-winning work in theater, film, television and other media. His recent orchestration work includes new themes for CBS Evening News, IMAX, HBO Feature Presentation and Hulu, along with the films The Infiltrator (featuring Bryan Cranston), Manhattan Nocturne (featuring Adrien Brody), Beethoven’s Treasure Tail, The Little Rascals Save the Day, The Wildest Dream and the BAFTA-winning documentary Flying Monsters 3D. He previously co-orchestrated (with Michael Starobin) Julianne Wick Davis' musical When We Met. Greg’s compositions include music for the Broadway play Sylvia and Shakespeare in the Park productions of Twelfth Night, Comedy of Errors, and As You Like It (co-composed with Steve Martin, Drama Desk nomination). He contributed music and orchestration to the BAFTA-winning TV series Life, along with other Discovery Channel and National Geographic programs and several short films. His off-Broadway scores include The Government Inspector, School for Scandal, Vigil, The Window Man, Ice Island, Oy!, and Pericles. He is composer of the theme music for Audible’s podcasts Presidents are People Too and Authorized. He wrote an opera with David Ives, The Secret Garden, and is currently developing a new piece on the life of labor leader Walter Reuther. Greg was the music director for the Tony-winning play War Horse (as well as the Toronto and North American tour productions), for which he also won a web award for Best Musical Direction of a Play. He has conducted off-Broadway and regionally, including the national tour of Jekyll and Hyde, and acclaimed New York productions of Tintypes, The Portable Pioneer and Prairie Show, and Michael Gordon’s Chaos.

As an educator, Greg is a frequent festival artistic director and workshop leader for the International Schools Theater Association, which has brought him to more than 35 countries to date. He is a former faculty member of the Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program at New York University, and a teaching artist for the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera, Manhattan School of Music and the national school reform initiative Different Ways of Knowing. He helped developed the highly acclaimed Creating Original Opera program for the Met, as well as curriculum for schools in New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Chicago and Washington, DC, through the organization Arts for Anyone. Greg was a recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Grants for Young Composers and a Fellow at the Sundance Documentary Composers Lab. He has served on the Board of the Society of Composers and Lyricists for two years, and is the chair of the organization’s New York chapter.

In his other life, Greg creates puzzle hunts for corporate and private clients, including two events per year at New York resort Mohonk Mountain House. He is a contributor and puzzle guru for NPR’s Ask Me Another, and a commentator and competitor for Will Shortz’s annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Greg grew up in California and lives in Manhattan with his wife, Jessica, and two children, Margot and Nicholas.

Marc Bruni (Director) is currently represented on Broadway and the West End by Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, winner of two 2014 Tony Awards and currently on National Tour. Upcoming: Roman Holiday (Golden Gate Theatre), TREVOR the musical (Writers Theatre). Off Broadway: The Explorers Club (MTC), Old Jews Telling Jokes (NY and Chicago, Jeff Award Nomination). Other directing credits include Other People’s Money (Long Wharf), Presto Change-O (Barrington Stage), Paint Your Wagon (Encores!), The Sound of Music (Chicago Lyric Opera), Pipe Dream (Encores!), Fanny (Encores!), Ordinary Days (Roundabout), In the Mood (Berkshire Theatre Festival), 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Paper Mill/Philadelphia Theatre Company), Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Paper Mill), Such Good Friends (NYMF Directing Award), High Spirits (York Mufti), Glimpses of the Moon (Oak Room) and 7 shows for the St. Louis MUNY: My Fair Lady, The Music Man, Sound of Music (Kevin Kline Nominations), Legally Blonde, My One and Only, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Thoroughly Modern Millie. He has been associated with Walter Bobbie, Kathleen Marshall, Jerry Mitchell, Casey Nicholaw, and Jerry Zaks on 15 Broadway shows including The Book of Mormon, Nice Work if You Can Get It, Anything Goes, Legally Blonde, The Pajama Game, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Sweet Charity, High Fidelity.

Matt Deitchman (Music Director) returns to Writers Theatre where he previously served as the conductor for Parade, and understudied for The Hunter and The Bear. Deitchman is a Chicago based actor, composer, and music director whose work can also be seen in She Loves Me (Marriott Theater) and Ragtime (Griffin Theater). Other recent Chicago music/acting credits include Tug of War, Road Show, Murder For Two (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Spring Awakening, October Sky (Marriott Theater), Sweeney Todd, The Who’s Tommy (Paramount Theater), Adding Machine, Into The Woods (The Hypocrites), Spelling Bee (Drury Lane Oakbrook), The Man Who Murdered Sherlock Holmes (Mercury Theater) and Wonderland (Chicago Children’s Theatre). He is a graduate of Northwestern University’s musical theater department. mattdeitchman.com

Josh Prince (Choreographer) most recently finished choreographing the new hit Broadway show, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, which was nominated for a Tony in 2013. For his work on Beautiful, he was nominated for the Fred and Adele Astaire Award and played in London’s West End and on a National US Tour. Josh was part of the creative team of the Tony nominated Shrek, The Musical, which opened on Broadway at the Broadway Theater in 2009 and went on to tour the US and play in London’s West End at the Theater Royal Drury Lane. For his choreography in Shrek, The Musical he received an Outer Critics Circle Nomination. Since then, he has had the pleasure of working at Carnegie Hall (The Jerry Springer Opera, starring Harvey Keitel), Lincoln Center (Camelot, starring Gabriel Byrne – PBS), The Kennedy Center (Spring Gala, hosted by Liza Minelli; Latino Inaugural Celebration in 2013 with Chita Rivera and Rita Moreno), Town Hall (All Singing All Dancing, co-director), The Brooklyn Academy of Music (The Bridge Project 2009/10, directed by Sam Mendes), and The New Group (The Kid; Bunty Berman Presents). In London, he has worked at The Old Vic (The Bridge Project), The Royal Festival Hall (Singin’ In The Rain) and The Royal Albert Hall (My Fair Lady, Chor.; BBC Prom 59 starring Family Guy creator, Seth MacFarlane. Dir./chor.)

Ariana Burks (Ensemble) makes her Writers Theatre debut. Film credits include Chicago Med, Chicago Fire (NBC), The Jr. Cuisine Cooking Show (2011 Emmy nomination) and PrankStars (Disney). Theatre credits include Clara in The Nutcracker (The House Theatre of Chicago), Marjan in The Compass (Steppenwolf Theatre), Little Inez in Hairspray (Paramount Theatre), Alice in Wonderland: Alice's Rock and Roll Adventure (Chicago Children's Theatre), Emma in The Black & White Ball (FWD Theatre Project), Elf in Rudolph (Broadway Playhouse), Belinda/Fan in A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre) and Little Inez in Hairspray (Drury Lane Oakbrook).

Nathaniel Braga (Ensemble) Chicago credits include Shakespeare in Love (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Wonderful Town (Goodman Theatre), M. Butterfly (Court Theatre), Sweet Charity, The King and I (Drury Lane Oakbrook), Mamma Mia and The Producers (Marriott Theatre). New York credits include Turandot (The Metropolitan Opera), New York Spring Spectacular (Radio City Music Hall), It's a Bird...It’s a Plane…It’s Superman (City Center Encores!) and the dance lab of The SpongeBob Musical. Regional Theaters include Guthrie Theater, Theater Under The Stars, North Shore Music Theater, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Maltz Jupiter Theater (Carbonell Award nominee), The Wells-Metz at IU, Asolo Theater, as well as two seasons at The Muny in St. Louis. He appeared in HMS Pinafore as part of PBS’ Fall Arts Festival. He is a Minnesota State Gymnastics Champion, and plays the violin professionally.

Declan Desmond (Pinky) makes his Writers Theatre debut. Declan has had the honor of working with The Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company and The Gift Theatre. He has also had the good fortune to study voice at Northwestern University and the Merit School of Music. In his free time, he studies violin and piano.

Timothy Eidman (Ensemble, Dance Captain) makes his Writers Theatre debut. Chicago credits include Mary Poppins, The Bardy Bunch and The Producers (Mercury Theater Chicago). Other credits include Joseph… Dreamcoat, Disney’s Aladdin, Dreamgirls, Pirates! or Gilbert and Sullivan Plunder’d (The Muny), Oklahoma! and The Addams Family (Tibbits Opera House). Timothy holds a B.A. in Dance and Theatre from Loyola University Chicago, and is a recent alum of The School at Jacob’s Pillow where he studied under the direction of Chet Walker.

Sophie Grimm (Mom/Mrs. Kerr) makes her Writers Theatre debut. Originally a Twin Cities performer (Ellsworth, WI) alongside her family, Colleen Raye, Trey, Jennifer and Reed Grimm, Sophie is now a Chicago-based vocalist and actor, with credits including Desdemona in the critically acclaimed Othello: The Remix (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Les Miserables (Paramount Theatre), Frederick (Chicago Children's Theatre), The Sound of Music (Drury Lane Oakbrook) and I Love Lucy: Live! (Broadway Playhouse), as well as across the country in jazz, cabaret and concert settings. Teaching and assisting are also passions of Sophie and she enjoys making them a part of daily life.

Maya Lou Hlava (Frannie) makes her Writers Theatre debut. Other Chicago credits include The Nether (A Red Orchid Theatre), White Christmas and Bye Bye Birdie (Drury Lane Theater), Jake's Women (Spartan Theatre Company), The Secret Garden (Court Theatre), The Talking Cure (Idle Muse Theatre Company), Jane Eyre (Lifeline Theatre), and The Wheel (Steppenwolf Theatre). Maya is also a principal voice over artist for Disney’s World of English and was seen in the film The Life of Penny Cyclone within the US Premiere of Ride the Cyclone (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre). Maya studies voice with Roberta Duchak, dance with Matt Crowle, and on camera at Vagabond School of the Arts. 

Isabel Kaegi (Ensemble) makes her Writers Theatre debut. Isabel was recently seen as The Narrator in Winnie the Pooh (Ravinia Festival) and Debbie in Billy Elliot (Highland Park Players). Additional credits include Wednesday in The Addams Family (Palatine High School), Cinderella in Into the Woods Jr. and Ugly Duckling in Shrek The Musical (The Performer's School), Annie in Annie, Chip in Beauty and the Beast, Little Fiona in Shrek The Musical and Ladybug in James and the Giant Peach. She trained with The Performer’s School and is a member of the International Thespian Society. 

Eloise Lushina (Mary) makes her Writers Theatre debut. Chicago credits include Mary Beth in A Christmas Story, Jane Banks in Mary Poppins (Paramount Theatre), Carrie Nawlins in Bedknobs and Broomsticks workshop (Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Other stage credits include Young Bonnie in Bonnie & Clyde , Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, (Wilmette Theater/Actor’s Training Center), Children’s Chorus in Dead Man Walking (Cahn Auditorium, Northwestern University), Alice in Through the Looking Glass and Young Elizabeth Lavenza in Frankenstein (Mudlark Theater). Film credits include lead roles in Addicted, Break My Bones, Happy Snow Day Franny, Graybeard and Free Man. Eloise is a freshman at Evanston Township High School.

Carly Meyer (Ensemble) makes her Writers Theatre debut. A sophomore at Glenbrook North High School, Carly was recently named best actress by Broadway in Chicago at the Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards for her role as Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof. This earned her the honor of performing at the Jimmy Awards in New York. Some of her other favorite roles include Crystal in Little Shop of Horrors (Glenbrook North High School) Fiona in Shrek The Musical (The Performer's School), Joanne in Godspell (Actor's Training Center), Mary in Secret Garden (Lake Forest Theatre) and Bare: A Pop Opera (Another Door Theatre Project). Carly was a featured vocal performer for KIDZ ROC at the Clay Cooper Theater in Branson, Missouri and fan favorite winner of Suburban Chicago's Got Talent. In addition, she received the top honor in Sinfonietta Bel Canto Voice. Carly has been privately studying musical theatre, classical repertoire, and dance since the age of seven.

Jhardon DiShon Milton (Jack) makes his Writers Theatre debut. Credits include Bye Bye Birdie and Monty in Saturday Night Fever at (Drury Lane Oakbrook), La Cage aux Folles and Madagascar (Marriott Theatre) and Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors (Tantrum Theatre Ohio). He’s also been seen in various productions at Black Ensemble Theatre and Theatre at the Center.

Justin O'Brien (Ensemble) makes his Writers Theatre debut. Previous credits include Tom Sawyer in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Rapunzel's Prince in Into the Woods (Encore Music Academy), Ensemble in Anything Goes, Cinderella, Evita (CGHS), 42nd Street (Fremont St. Theater Co.) and Guys and Dolls (Music On Stage). He has also been seen with Judith Svalander Dance Theatre performing leading roles in the ballets The Nutcracker and Cinderella and Centennial Dances. Justin is currently a Senior at Cary Grove High School and studies dance at Judith Svalander School of Ballet.

Reilly Oh (Jason/Ensemble) makes his Writers Theatre debut. A rising sophomore at New Trier High School, some of Reilly's favorite roles include Danny in Grease (New Trier High School), Josh in Big: The Musical, Judas in Godspell (Actors Training Center) and Donkey in Shrek The Musical (Children's Theatre of Winnetka).

Jerome Riley, Jr. (Ensemble) is a queer artist originally from St. Louis, where he found his passion for… thrifting! He is a recent graduate of Columbia College Chicago, where he received his B.F.A. in Musical Theatre with a Minor in Women & Gender Studies. Jerome was recently seen as Roy Wright in The Scottsboro Boys (Porchlight Music Theatre). He is also a part of a queer performance group: The Chanel’s, who can be seen every second Wednesday of the month at DURO, at Berlin Nightclub.

Eli Tokash (Trevor) makes his Writers Theatre debut. He has performed on Broadway as Peter Llewelyn Davies in Finding Neverland and Theo in Pippin. He was also seen across the country in the national tours of Finding Neverland as Peter Llewelyn Davies, in A Christmas Story as Ralphie Parker and in Mary Poppins as Michael Banks. Television credits include Limitless (CBS), I Love You... But I Lied (Lifetime) and Forever (ABC). He can be seen in the feature films Blood Ties, and the upcoming Benji the Dove. One of his proudest moments was performing for First Lady Michelle Obama in Broadway at the White House.

Salisha Thomas (Diana Ross) makes her Writers Theatre debut. California native and Miss California World 2016. Credits include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, principal vocalist for Disney. Regional credits include Deena Jones in Dreamgirls, TiMoune in Once On This Island, Martha in Spring Awakening, Dynamite in Hairspray, to name a few. BA Theatre from Cal State Fullerton.

Matthew Uzarraga (Walter) makes his Writers Theatre debut. Chicago area credits include John Webster in Shakespeare in Love, Flounder in The Little Mermaid, Young Shrek/Baby Bear in Shrek the Musical (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Prince Chulalongkorn in The King and I (Lyric Opera of Chicago and Marriott Theatre), Gavroche in Les Misérables, Workhouse Boy/Pick Pocket in Oliver! (Drury Lane Oakbrook), Schwartz in A Christmas Story the Musical and Children’s Chorus in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Paramount Theatre). Commercial and industrial credits include Wisconsin Dells Tourism, Chrysler, Kyle Dine & Friends allergy awareness DVD, Accenture, Pearson Education, Toys R Us, Shout, Incredible Islands and Cap Gun Collective. His voiceover work is featured in the animated short film Moose. He has trained at Vagabond School of the Arts, The Performer’s School, Kaneland Arts Initiative, Xplore Tumbling and Gymnastics and tap with Matt Crowle.

Tori Whaples (Cathy) makes her Writers Theatre debut. Regional theatre credits include Into the Woods (Woodstock Opera House), Annie (Steps P.A.C), Far from Heaven (Porchlight Music Theatre) and The Secret Garden (Court Theatre). Tori is a recent 8th grade graduate and is ready to start her exciting journey as high school freshman at Grayslake Central High School. She is a student at the Steps Performing Arts Center and would like to thank Mr. Phil, her voice teacher who challenges her to always be her best. She also loves to perform with her friends at the RLAPD Performing Arts Center. Thanks to all of her family and friends who make time to come see her perform and to Paonessa Talent.

Graydon Peter Yosowitz (Trevor) makes his Writers Theatre debut. Off-Broadway credits include The Light Years (The Debate Society/Playwrights Horizons), You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (York Theatre), The Gold (Pearl Theatre), The Odyssey (The Public/Delacorte Theatre). Concert series performances include Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (NY Pops/Carnegie Hall), Wall to Wall Stephen Schwartz (Symphony Space NYC). Television credits include Nightcap (POP TV), Kevin Can Wait (CBS), The Jim Gaffigan Show (TV Land).

Jarrod Zimmerman (Dad/Father Joe/Others) returns to Writers Theatre, where he previously appeared in Days Like Today and Sweet Charity. Chicago credits include A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre), Shakespeare in the Parks: The Taming of the Shrew, The Emperor’s New Clothes (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Gypsy (Drury Lane Oakbrook), Merrily We Roll Along (The Music Theatre Company), The Music Man, Little Women, Into the Woods (Marriott Theatre), The Boys Are Coming Home (AMTP) and The Spitfire Grill (Provision Theater). Regional credits include A Minister's Wife (San Jose Repertory Theatre), 1776 (American Conservatory Theatre and Asolo Repertory Theatre), A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine (Peninsula Players), I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Totem Pole Playhouse), Big! the musical, Proof, The Mousetrap, Little Women and Arsenic and Old Lace (Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre). Television credits include Boss (Starz). Zimmerman is a graduate of Northwestern University.

Dan Collins (book and lyrics) and Julianne Wick Davis (music) worked together on Southern Comfort, which was produced by the Public Theater in Spring 2016 following productions at Barrington Stage and Cap21 (NY Times and Time Out Critics Pick), and development support at the NAMT Festival of New Musicals and Playwrights Horizons. Southern Comfort received the Jonathan Larson Award and GLAAD Media award. They wrote music and lyrics for When We Met, which was developed at the O’Neill Musical Theatre Conference, the York NEO Development Series and had a developmental production at CAP21 in 2014.


AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
Accessible Performances
ASL-Interpreted performance: Saturday, September 16, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Open-Captioned performance: Friday, September 15, 2017 at 7:30 pm

Sunday Spotlight—Sunday, September 3, 2017
Are you curious about the world that surrounds your favorite plays? Sunday Spotlight offers access to the finest speakers, scholars and cultural leaders. This one-hour event extends the conversation on our stages by featuring an expert in an area connected to the play. Seating is limited. RSVP is required. Save the date!

The Making of… Series—Monday, September 11, 2017 at 6:30 pm
Writers Theatre will once again host its popular The Making of… Series, providing insight into a different aspect of creating the productions seen on our stages. Enjoy a short and lively presentation by our actors, designers or other experts who will walk you through the process of preparing for and executing a production. The Making of… events are FREE and open to the public. Seating is limited. RSVP is required.

Post Show Conversation: The Word
Join us after every Tuesday evening performance (excluding previews and extensions) for a 15-minute discussion of the play, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

Post Show Conversation: The Artist
Join us after every Wednesday evening performance (excluding previews and extensions) for a 15-minute talk-back featuring actors from the production, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

Pre-Show Conversation: Up Close
Join us at 6:45pm before every Thursday evening performance (excluding previews and extensions) for a 15-minute primer on the context and content of the play, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

For more information about Writers Theatre Audience Enrichment programs visit writerstheatre.org/events.

RIDE METRA TO WRITERS THEATRE
In an effort to promote taking public transit to the Theatre, Writers Theatre launched a new promotion in 2013. Any audience member who purchases a ticket to a Writers Theatre production and rides Metra’s Union Pacific North Line to the Theatre may snap a photo of themselves on the train and post it to their Facebook or Instagram page or their Twitter feed with a tag of @WritersTheatre and #[the title of the show], and upon showing the post at the Writers Theatre Box Office, receive $5 in cash to put toward the cost of your fare as a thank you for going green.

This promotion is available for a limited time only, and may end without warning. Ticket must have been paid for in advance. Not valid on comp tickets. More information available at writerstheatre.org/metra

WRITERS THEATRE PARTNERS
Writers Theatre is pleased to welcome back BMO Harris Bank as the 2017/18 Season Sponsor, and ComEd as the Official Lighting Sponsor of the 2017/18 Season. The Major Corporate Sponsor for TREVOR the musical is Northern Trust. The Major Production Sponsor is Mary Pat Studdert. Additional support for TREVOR the musical is provided by the Director’s Society Sponsors.

ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE
For 25 years, Writers Theatre has captivated Chicagoland audiences with inventive interpretations of classic work, a bold approach to contemporary theatre and a dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible.

Under the artistic leadership of Michael Halberstam and the executive leadership of Kathryn M. Lipuma, Writers Theatre has grown to become a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called “America’s No. 1 theatre company” by The Wall Street Journal. The company, which plays to a sold-out and discerning audience of more than 60,000 patrons each season, has garnered critical praise for the consistent high quality and intimacy of its artistry—providing the finest interpretations of both classic and contemporary theatre in its two intensely intimate venues. 

In February 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility. This established the company's first permanent home—a new theatre center in downtown Glencoe, designed by the award-winning, internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects, led by Founder and Design Principal Jeanne Gang, FAIA, in collaboration with Theatre Consultant Auerbach Pollock Friedlander. The new facility has allowed the Theatre to continue to grow to accommodate its audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy. The new facility resonates with and complements the Theatre’s neighboring Glencoe community, adding tremendous value to Chicagoland and helping to establish the North Shore as a premier cultural destination.