THE REVOLUTIONISTS Via Oil Lamp Theater March 16-April 30, 2023

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

THE REVOLUTIONISTS

Written by Lauren Gunderson

Directed by Elizabeth Mazur Levin

PLOT: Imagine if four badass, very real women, who lived boldly in France during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror had met and exchanged ideas before losing their heads? What if former queen Marie Antoinette,  playwright Olympe De Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle, uncensored and full of ideas, grappled together with how to change the world? Oh…and it’s a comedy!

CAST (in order of appearance):

Olympe De Gouges: Hannah Hammel

Marianne Angelle: Noelle Klyce

Charlotte Corday: Ksa Curry

Marie Antoinette: Lisa Dawn

Olympe De Gouges (understudy): Abby Gilster

Marianne Angelle (understudy): Jasmine Robertson

Charlotte Corday (understudy): Maddie Powell

Marie Antoinette (understudy): Emma Soden

CREATIVE TEAM:

Director: Elizabeth Mazur Levin

Stage Manager: Reina McGonigle

Assistant Director: Ashley Greenwood

Costume Designer: Emily N. Brink

Lighting Designer: Trey Brazeal

Properties Designer: Ellen Markus

Technical Director: Greg Korak

Scenic Designer: Liz Hadden

Sound Designer: Jay Pastucha

Wig Stylist: Karen Procopio

DATES:

March 16 - April 30

SHOWTIMES:

Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 7:30pm

Saturday, Sunday: 3:00pm

PRICE:

Previews (March 16, 17, 18 3:00pm): $30 adults / $20 student

Run (March 18, 7:30pm - April 30): $45 adults / $28 student

Buy tickets HERE

The performance runs approximately two hours with an intermission.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:

Now serving as the Artistic Director of Oil Lamp Theater, Elizabeth Mazur Levin's Oil Lamp Theater directing credits include Now and Then, Bad Dates, Beau Jest, Love, Loss, and What I Wore, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (2017 & 2020), Motherhood Out Loud, and two seasons of On the Road—Oil Lamp’s touring series. She will also be directing this summer’s production of Collected Stories by Donald Margulies. Other credits include work with Theater D, Taslitz/Reichenbach Productions, Citadel Theatre, Ouroboros Big Noise Theatre, Bowen Park Theatre, Phoenix Ascending, Centerlight Sign and Voice Theatre, Weathervane Repertory, and Apple Tree Theatre. Proud graduate of Miami University (B.F.A and B.A.) and Loyola University Chicago (M.Ed.) Many thanks to the “E’s”.

"You may notice that there is a blend of historical and contemporary elements throughout [The Revolutionists] from themes, to language, to design choices. While these women are people from long ago, what they are saying and feeling is eerily current to the times in which we are living. They laugh, and share bonds, and live in the moment. If you listen closely, their struggles are similar to the plights we are facing today. These figures are smart, and witty, and authentic, relatable, and all too human."

-- Elizabeth Mazur Levin

Where Theater Welcomes You Home

Oil Lamp Theater is an award-winning sixty-seat storefront theater located in the heart of downtown Glenview. We produce six mainstage theatrical plays per year, and offer special events such as our Speak Easy Nights. When you arrive at the theater, you are personally welcomed by our friendly box office staff. Our lobby features warm decor and comfortable seating, reminiscent of a home. Our theater’s intimate space and ambitious productions connect the audience and performers to create a truly unique experience. To top it all off, we offer complimentary cookies at all mainstage shows.

OPENING: ALMOST, MAINE Via Oil Lamp Theater January 19 - February 26, 2023

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

ALMOST, MAINE

Written by John Cariani

Directed by Susan Gorman

PLOT: Welcome to Almost, a quaint sort of place located in northern Maine. The town is called Almost because the residents never really got around to organizing.  One cold night, as the northern lights are set to appear, many of the residents, embodied by only four actors, fall in and out of love in the most charming, hilarious, and delightful of ways. Join us, as we journey to a place that may feel like the ends of the earth, but really can be found right in your own backyard.

CAST:

Eileen Dixon as Glory/Sandrine/Gayle/Deena/Rhonda

Whitney Minarik as Ginette/Waitress/Marvalyn/Shelly/Marci/Hope

Rio Ragazzone as Pete/Jimmy/Chad/Phil/Dave

Zach Kunde as East/Steve/Lendall/Randy/Man

Dana Pepowski as Glory/Sandrine/Gayle/Deena/Rhonda (U/S)

Daniel Vaughn Manasia as Pete/Jimmy/Chad/Phil/Dave (U/S)

Andrew Kleopfer as East/Steve/Lendall/Randy/Man (U/S)

CREATIVE TEAM:

Director: Susan Gorman

Stage Manager: Reina McGonigle

Costume Designer: Janelle L. Smith

Lighting Designer: Hannah Wein

Scenic & Props Designer: Brian Seckfort

Sound Designer: Jay Pastucha

DATES:

January 19 - February 26

SHOWTIMES:

Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 7:30pm

Saturday, Sunday: 3:00pm

PRICE:

$20 student | $30 - Previews January 19, 20, 21 (3pm)

$28 student | $45 adults - Run January 21 (7:30pm) - February 26

Click here for tickets and more information

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:

A resident of Glenview, Susan Gorman's musical, choreography and non-musical credits span regional and educational theatre venues from Los Angeles, to Chicago and New York. Favorite non-musical productions include All My Sons, Heaven Can Wait, The Taming of the Shrew, The Children’s Hour and Tartuffe. In 2019, Susan directed the Illinois All-State Production of In The Heights and received the Broadway in Chicago IHSMTA for Best Direction for Crazy For You.

Susan Gorman: "I love this piece because there is a timeless nature to the writing. Almost, Maine is a layered, nuanced look into relationships and second chances. It never ceases to surprise me that the author, John Cariani, has interwoven in depth characters who never appear together in the play, yet have a unique and strong sense of community. Within nine small vignettes, the author has created full circle stories allowing the characters to have that 'ah-ha! lightbulb' moment, punctuated by the magnificence of the northern lights. I would like the audience to realize that whether a relationship is beginning, ending or evolving that the outcomes can potentially be positive."

About Oil Lamp Theater

More than Theater, It’s an Experience!

Oil Lamp Theater was originally founded in February 2005 where 20 productions were performed for up to 35 friends and guests in a unique venue, the founder’s condo. In March 2012, Oil Lamp Theater became a non-profit and established residence at another unique and intimate venue in downtown Glenview. Our venue now seats 60, providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere for over 10,000 patrons per year to enjoy professional theater and entertainment. Between our famed complimentary cookies, delicious drinks at our bar, and top-tier productions, we know you’ll enjoy your experience at our “hidden gem” of the North Shore.

 

REVIEW: Failure: A Love Story at Oil Lamp Theater in Glenview, On Stage Through September 4, 2022

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Failure: A Love Story 

at Oil Lamp Theater in Glenview

Review

By Catherine Hellmann, Guest Critic 

“Cool space!” we noted upon our arrival at the Oil Lamp Theater in Glenview. The front lobby has a nice bar, and complementary cookies are provided for patrons during every performance. Tucked away near the library and the Glenview House Restaurant, (where we had a lovely meal served by a young man with fabulous hair who reminded me of Patrick Swayze), this is the only Professional Theatre in Glenview. 

Photo Credit for all Production Shots, Gosia Photography

I was not acquainted with Failure: A Love Story, which may have detracted from my enjoyment. The script was kind of hard to follow for those of us unfamiliar with the storyline. Having one actress play the three sisters, and their mother, (Kendal Romero) was confusing. Some of the action, especially of the Snake character on the floor, (yes, there are Pet characters. Weird.) was difficult to see. The staging needs to be considered, as the sightlines were tough to overcome for the Short of Stature. 

The Fail Family “got rid of their ‘Bottoms”” at Ellis Island when their name was shortened from “Failbotton” to just “Fail.” Owning a clock company, “A ‘Fail Clock’ is a working clock,” provides for the family. (All the clocks on the walls, and the actors mimicking clocks, reminded me of my childhood home because my Mom loved clocks.) When the parents die, the sisters take over the family business downtown. 

The cast was very energetic and enthused. I liked the chorus parts played by Jasmine Robertson, Jordan Zelvin, and Philip J. Macaluso. The Chicago storyline was cool, opening with references to the Eastland disaster of 1915 which killed 844 people, including nearly two dozen entire families. The setting was all in Chicago, and the parents perish the day of the worst shipwreck on the Great Lakes. The entire show focuses on loss and death. The Mom loses a baby in 1910 and is never the same. One of the daughters dies accidentally on her wedding day. Another sister tries to swim Lake Michigan from Chicago to Indiana (wouldn’t it be Michigan?) but disappears in the process. (“Have you ever smelled Indiana?” asks one of the characters.) 

Failure: A Love Story reminds us how “it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.” (Thank you, Alfred Lord Tennyson). 

Catherine Hellmann teaches teens by day and attends theater by night. She thinks sleeping until noon on Saturday is an accomplishment. 

FAILURE: A LOVE STORY

By Philip Dawkins

Directed by Xavier Custodio

Oil Lamp Theater's 10th Anniversary season rolls on with this whimsical romp exploring life and death in the Roaring '20s. 

PLOT: The year is 1928 and we meet the Fail sisters: Nelly, Jenny June, and Gerty. Born in that order. The sisters were bubbly, determined, and brittle. Also in that order. Set in the family home and clock shop near the Chicago River, this magical, musical fable follows the Fail sisters’ triumphs and tragedies. As with so many things in life such as blunt objects, disappearances and consumption, the Fail sisters never saw death coming. Happily ever after can’t last forever. But in this upbeat look at life’s ups and downs, we learn you can either be a grump about death, or you can live, love, and sing some catchy songs along the way.

CAST:

Trevor Earley: Mortimer Mortimer

Van Ferro: John N.

Philip J. Macaluso: Chorus Member

Kendal Romero: Gertie, Jenny June, Nelly Fail

Jasmine Robertson: Chorus Member

Jordan Zelvin: Chorus Member

Esther Fishbein: Gertie, Jenny June, Nelly Fail (U/S)

Rae Hamilton-Vargo: John & Chorus (U/S)

Katie Luchtenburg: Chorus Member (U/S)

Brooks Whitlock: Mortimer Mortimer (U/S)

CREW:

Director: Xavier M. Custodio

Rochelle Hovde: Stage Manager

Philip Dawkins: Playwright

Greg Korak: Technical Director / Carpenter

Hannah Wien: Lighting Designer

Elizabeth Monti: Costume Designer

Ellen Markus - Co-Set Designer & Prop Designer

Jay Pastucha - Co-Set Designer

SHOWTIMES:

Thursday, 8pm

Friday, 8pm

Saturday, 3pm & 8pm

Sunday, 3pm

PRICE:

$35 - Previews July 21, 22, 23 (3pm)

$45 - Run July 23 (8pm) - Sept. 4

For tickets and more: https://oillamptheater.org

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Xavier M. Custodio is one of the Co-Founders and Artistic Director of Visión Latino Theatre Company. He feels honored to be directing Failure: A Love Story, and getting the opportunity to work with Oil Lamp Theater to bring this fun story to life. Xavier’s directing credits includes: Y Tu Abuela, Where is She?, Baskerville: A Sherklock Holmes Mystery, Stories of Us, Fame, In The Heights, Yellow Eyes, Revolt, and Parachute Man (Assistant Director). He has been in the following productions: The Scarecrow (Minster Dodge), Rent (Benny), Godspell (John the Baptist), Man of La Mancha (Juan), Nine Lives: A Musical Web Series (BFPS Manger), Evita, Ragtime, and The Wiz.

COVID-19 POLICY

Oil Lamp Theater recommends wearing masks when not actively eating or drinking.

Masks will be required for our Saturday 3pm matinees.

About OLT

Mission Statement

Oil Lamp Theater is a professional not-for-profit theater organization that is dedicated to the presentation of traditional theater in a unique, inviting and intimate venue. Its mission is not only to stimulate interest in the performing arts but also to promote a sense of, and provide a service to, the community.

Elizabeth Mazur Levin New Artistic Director For Oil Lamp Theater

Oil Lamp Theater is excited to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Mazur Levin as its Artistic Director. A veteran of the “North Shore’s Hidden Gem” since 2012, Mazur Levin brings a fresh yet experienced perspective to Oil Lamp’s evolving artistic mission. A staple of the Glenview community since 2012, the 60-seat Oil Lamp Theater produces six shows a season, with a strong emphasis on exploring the themes of love and relationships. 

“I am tremendously excited to be stepping into the role of Artistic Director,” said Mazur Levin. “I have worked at many theaters, and what struck me about working at Oil Lamp right from the beginning was its commitment to creating a warm and inviting theatrical experience, not only for the patrons, but the artists as well.”

Mazur Levin is no stranger to Oil Lamp. She acted in the very first production of the theater when it settled down in Glenview. Her directing credits include Now & Then, Bad Dates, Beau Jest, Love, Loss, and What I Wore, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (2017 & 2020), Motherhood Out Loud, and two seasons of On the Road—Oil Lamp’s touring series. Now she will lead the artistic team in selecting works for its six-show season, as well as strengthening and evolving the artistic identity of Oil Lamp Theater.

"It's funny, while we haven't known each other for more than a few years, it has felt like we've known each other most of our lives,” said Jay Pastucha, Oil Lamp Theater’s Executive Director. “I believe that feeling stems from the trust I have in her, the confidence I have in her artistic vision, and the passion she has for Oil Lamp Theater.”

A Chicago actor herself, Mazur Levin has performed all over the Midwest as well as the East Coast.  She holds degrees in theater from Miami University (B.F.A. and B.A.) and Loyola University Chicago (M.Ed.). 

When discussing her vision for the future, Mazur Levin was quick to reference Oil Lamp Theater’s unique aesthetic and intimate atmosphere.

“I love walking into our space and providing an excellent artistic experience for both the theater goer and the artist,” she said. “As Artistic Director, I plan to take my years of experience here to meld the past with the future. I am committed to providing a season that not only entertains, but tells stories with, about, and from a variety of viewpoints. We want our audiences to think, engage, and feel in a shared theatrical experience.”

Oil Lamp Theater was originally founded in February 2005, and in March 2012, became a non-profit and established residence at a unique and intimate venue in downtown Glenview. The venue seats 60 and provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere for over 10,000 patrons per year to enjoy professional theater and entertainment. Between its famed complimentary cookies, delicious drinks at our bar, inviting and comfortable lobby, and top-tier productions, an evening at Oil Lamp Theater proves this venue is where theater feels like home.

OPENING: Play On! at Oil Lamp Theater March 21 through May 5, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Oil Lamp Theater Announces Upcoming Production of

Play On! 

by Rick Abbot

Directed by Keith Gerth

March 21 through May 5, 2019

Executive and Artistic Director, Keith Gerth and Associate Artistic Director, Stephen Smith of the Oil Lamp Theater in Glenview announce their next production, the uproarious comedy Play On! by Rick Abbot. This production is directed by Keith Gerth and will be performed from March 21st through May 5th 2019 at 1723 Glenview Road in Glenview. 

Play On! takes audiences behind the scenes of a local amateur theater company as it prepares a production of Murder Most Foul, an original murder mystery written by a local playwright.  Abbot’s side-splitting look at the inner workings of amateur theater unfolds in three acts of cascading goofiness. First at a rehearsal less than a week before the show opens, next during the disaster-plagued dress rehearsal, and finally, the show's opening night. 

Geraldine “Gerry” Dunbar (Whitney Minarik) is the long-suffering director who struggles to breathe life into the original script. Her troupe has their work cut out for them. First, the murder mystery script is not very good. And  the set isn’t finished. And the cast is still wobbly on their lines. The good news is that the novice playwright, Phyllis Montague (Nicki Howard), has allowed the company to produce her new play for free. The bad news is that Phyllis keeps changing her script, forcing the cast of amateurs to re-learn their lines over and over again. The biggest mystery of all seems to be whether the company will possibly be able to get this ever-changing production ready in time!

Everyone involved with Murder Most Foul lacks skill and experience, and it shows. As Play On! Opens, the troupe is just four days away opening night. Despite the best efforts of Louise Peary (Jolie LeBell), the company’s omnipresent sound, light and scenic technician, the set is incomplete and technical issues abound. Stage Manager and prompter Aggie Manville (Sarah Myers) has her hands full trying to manage the show’s many sound cues while she stays busy prompting actors who keep forgetting their lines. 

The actors, unsurprisingly, are having their own crises and they are pushing their director and crew to the breaking point. The older married couple and amateur theater veterans, Henry Benish/Lord Dudley (Rob Weinstein) and Polly Benish/Lady Margaret (Suzy Krueckeberg), challenge their director at every turn. Some cast members react to the mounting backstage tension by either by hitting the bottle of getting on each other’s nerves. Saul Watson/Dr. Rex Ford (Travis Monroe Neese), the mystery’s villain, has a special dislike for Polly whom he taunts her with snarky personal insults. Polly -- a bit of a diva herself -- is having none of it and huffs her indignation to everyone within earshot.

Meanwhile, the young ingénues of Murder Most Foul, Billy Carewe/Stephen Sellars (Josh Marshall) and Violet Imbry/Diane Lassiter (Katie O’Neil) are warming to each other in “real life” just as their characters do in the mystery they are rehearsing. They regularly forget to call each other by their scripted character names during rehearsals as their on-stage romance seems increasingly real. Wait… is love blooming right there on stage?

Then of course, there’s Marla “Smitty” Smith (Emrose Seidenberg), the high school student playing Doris the maid. Like everyone else, Smitty worries about keeping her lines and cues straight in the constantly-evolving play, but she has additional concerns that are practical and immediate. Will she ever get tomorrow’s biology homework done? Will her mother be angry if she gets home late because the rehearsal ran over?

Play On!  is a fast-paced frolic that has been called “a love letter to amateur theater.” It affectionately pokes fun at the foibles of a lovable group of thespians who struggle valiantly, and hilariously, toward their big opening night. Their energy and enthusiasm crashes up against looming deadlines, warring egos, missed cues, and an ever-changing script… and the results are both heartwarming and hysterical.



This Oil Lamp Theater production of Play On! will feature Whitney Minarik (Geraldine “Gerry” Dunbar), Nicki Howard (Phyllis Montague), Sarah Myers (Stage Manager Aggie Manville) Jolie LeBell (Sound, Light and Scenic Technician Louise Peary), Rob Weinstein (Henry Benish/Lord Dudley), Suzy Krueckeberg (Polly Benish/Lady Margaret), Travis Monroe Neese (Saul Watson/Doctor Rex Forbes), Katie O’Neil (Violet Imbry/Diana Lassiter), Josh Marshall (Billy Carewe/Stephen Sellers), and Emrose Seidenberg (Marla “Smitty” Smith /Doris the Maid)

Understudies for this production are Grace Hutchings, Gina Phillips and Jared Sheldon.  

Stage Manager for this production is Helen O’Brien

Rick Abbot (Playwright) is one of several pennames used by the prolific playwright Jack Sharkey who was born in Chicago in 1931. Abbot graduated from college with a degree in English with an emphasis on Creative Writing. After serving in the army, Mr. Abbot moved to New York City and began his successful freelance writing career. In 1975 he devoted himself exclusively to writing plays. He wrote and published 83 plays, including thrillers, comedies and musicals – many of which continue to be performed around the world. One of his plays, is Par for the Corpse written under the name Jack Sharkey, has been produced twice on the Oil Lamp Theater stage. He died of cancer in 1992.

Keith Gerth (Executive and Artistic Director) founded Oil Lamp Theater in 2005. Prior to establishing the Theater, which was originally located in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, Keith held a number of positions. After high school, Keith was a carpenter for eight years with Murray Countertops in Streator, Illinois. He left that position in 1989 to obtain a degree in Financial Accounting from Illinois State University. Keith graduated with honors and began working for the global professional services firm of Deloitte in 1991 and became a Certified Public Accountant. He worked at Deloitte for fifteen years in the Audit and Assurance practice, from which he retired in 2005 at the level of Director. Keith was professionally trained in acting at Act One Studios in Chicago, Illinois. Keith has been actively involved in the community and has served on the boards of the Glenview Art League and the Glenview Chamber of Commerce. Keith is married to Carole Flamm. They live in Northbrook.

Performances of Play On! are presented Thursdays through Sundays, with evening performances at 8:00pm and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3:00pm. Tickets are $40 and include complimentary cookies and soft drinks. Student tickets are available for $25. Oil Lamp Theater is BYOB with complimentary corkage and glasses. The complete performance schedule and tickets are available at 847-834-0738 or online at oillamptheater.org. Group rates are available. 


PARKING/TRANSPORTATION

Oil Lamp Theater is located in downtown Glenview, Illinois, at 1723 Glenview Road. Free parking lots are available immediately west of the theater and across the street. Street parking is also available throughout downtown Glenview. Handicap parking is available adjacent to the theater. 

The theater may be reached by car (approximately one mile west of I-94) or by Metra (three blocks east of Milwaukee District/North – Glenview Station).  For more information on traveling to Oil Lamp Theater, visit oillamptheater.org/plan-visit. 



Dates: First performance and press opening: Thursday, March 21, 2019, 8:00pm
Closing performance: Sunday, May 5, 3:00pm
   
Schedule: Thursdays through Sundays. Evening performances at 8:00pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees
                    at 3:00pm. 

Location: Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road, Glenview
Prices: All performances $40 
Group and student rates are available

Box Office: 847-834-0738; oillamptheater.org 



ABOUT OIL LAMP THEATER

Over the past thirteen years, Oil Lamp Theater has been dedicated to the presentation of traditional theater in an immersive, intimate setting. Under the executive and artistic leadership of Keith Gerth, Oil Lamp Theater has welcomed more than 50,000 guests into its unique, inviting venues. In March, 2012, Oil Lamp Theater was incorporated at a not-for-profit theater and established its current 60-seat location in downtown Glenview. The professional company performs plays that present and appeal to core American traditional values relevant to current issues. Oil Lamp Theater welcomes patrons as family, encouraging a personal atmosphere and artist interactions to emphasize human emotional connections. 

In 2017 and 2018 Oil Lamp Theater was awarded the North Shore Choice Award in recognition as the best suburban theater in Chicago.

Find Oil Lamp Theater on Facebook or follow @OilLampTheater on Twitter. For more information, visit oillamptheater.org.