ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar
Artemis Books & the Well-Meaning Man
by Paul Michael Thomson
Directed by Clara Zucker
Poster design by Andi Muriel
The Village Theater's inaugural production is playing
July 17th Through August 2nd at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Regina (Reggie) runs a femme-centric feminist bookstore in Tucson, AZ. Artemis Books is a safe space for queer people, free expression, and womxn of all kinds. When her boss unexpectedly jumps ship, Reggie is stuck with a new hire: straight, white, cis-male JJ. Workplace romances, existential anxieties, and some questionable spell-casting abound as Reggie tries to reclaim her safe space. Does identity have to influence ideology? Does colonialism ever stop? And what in the actual hell is a “good guy”?
The production will run from July 17-August 2 at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Tickets can be purchased via the-village-theater.com/artemisbooks.
"Artemis Books and the Well-Meaning Man" will run from July 18 to August 3 at the Rivendell Theatre 5779 N. Ridge Ave. Please join us for our post-show dialogues following select matinee performances on July 19, July 20, and August 2-- beverages will be provided!
*PREVIEW IS THURSDAY, JULY 17. Discounted tickets available.*
*UNDERSTUDY PERFORMANCE IS WEDNESDAY, JULY 23.*
*INDUSTRY NIGHT IS MONDAY, JULY 28. Use code INDUSTRY for $10 tickets*
Seating is GA for Access and Standard Ticket levels. For Donor level tickets, seats will be reserved. The house will open 30 minutes before the performance's scheduled start time. If you have any questions or need accommodations, please email us at villagetheaterchi@gmail.com.
Performance Schedule
July 17th – August 2nd
7:30pm Thursday, July 17th, Preview Performance
8:00pm Friday, July 18th, Opening
8:00pm Thursdays and Fridays
3:00pm and 8:00pm Saturdays
3:00pm Sunday, July 20th
8:00pm Saturday, August 2nd Closing
Additional Performances
8:00pm Wednesday, July 23rd Understudy Performance
8:00pm Monday, July 28th Industry Night Performance
ARTEMIS BOOKS & THE WELL-MEANING MAN will be performed at:
Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
5779 N. Ridge Avenue
Chicago, IL 60660
Tickets:the-village-theater.com/artemisbooks
Phone: (872) 529-6792
Email: villagetheaterchi@gmail.com
Tickets follow a pay-as-you-are model:
● Access tickets (limited quantity): $12
● Standard tickets: $25
● Donor tickets (includes a reserved seat): $50
ARTEMIS BOOKS & THE WELL-MEANING MAN is a topical and comedic examination of morality, identity, and community in a capitalist and patriarchal society. Set in a feminist bookstore in Tucson, AZ, the show follows the chaos that ensues when JJ, a straight, white, cis man, joins the staff. For The Village Theater’s debut performance, director Clara Zucker, also the co-artistic director of The Village, has selected a show that reflects The Village Theater’s values of amplifying marginalized voices, championing local organizations, and allowing the audience to engage with difficult questions.
Creative Team
Playwright: Paul Michael Tomson
Director: Clara Zucker*
Assistant Director: Carmia Imani
Stage Manager: Amanda Tancioco Rokosz
Scenic Designer: Katelyn Montgomery
Sound Designer: Satya Chávez
Lighting Designer: Joseph Nelson
Props Master: Averly Sheltraw
Costume Designer: Maggie McGlenn
Dramaturg: Naomi Kalter*
Intimacy Coordinator: Bailey McWilliams-Woods*
Producers: Lena Romano and Emily Newmark*
*denotes Village Team Member
Cast
Regina - Daniela Martinez (u/s Teri Talo)
Asha - Tierra Matthews (u/s Aysia Slade)
Emerson - Phoebe Jacobs (u/s Janey Elliott)
JJ - Kyle Roth (u/s Bryce Miller)
Paul Michael Thomson is a playwright, performer, producer, and PhD candidate based in Chicago. Nationally produced plays include: brother sister cyborg space (Raven Theatre); Fremont Junior High Is NOT Doing Oklahoma! (Good Company Theatre, Live Theatre Workshop); What a Time to Be Alive (You Say That Every Time) (Definition Theatre, Great Plains Theatre Commons); Leave Me Alone! (The Story Theatre); The G.O.A.T., or Who Is Ximone? (Theatre L'Acadie, O'Neill Center NPC Finalist); and more.
As an actor, Paul Michael has worked onstage at Steppenwolf, Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, and Drury Lane, and his on-camera work includes: All Happy Families, Drawn Back Home, Chicago Med, and Chicago Justice. Paul Michael is a proud co-founder and Governing Ensemble member of The Story Theatre, where his producing credits include: At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen, the love object, Marie Antoinette & the Magical Negroes, and The (W)rites of Summer new play festivals. He is a PhD candidate in Afro-American Studies through the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and his scholarly work has been published in Theatre History Studies, the Black Theatre Review, and Theatre Annual. He is represented by Gray Talent Group. Paul Michael's play Pot Girls will premiere with The Story Theatre in February 2026, in collaborative conversation with Raven Theatre's production of Top Girls by Caryl Churchill. He is honored to be a part of The Village Theater's inaugural production and stands in awe of this brilliant team and the village they're creating.
paulmichaelthomson.com @paulmichaelt
Clara Zucker*- Director (Co-Artistic Director of The Village Theater)
Clara Zucker is a Chicago-based director, playwright, and dramaturg. She is passionate about utilizing theater as a tool for social change and firmly believes in theater’s ability to uplift and unify diverse voices.
Directing credits include the Midwest premiere of The Lacy Project (The Understudy), Sophie Sucks Face (Edinburgh Fringe Festival, shortlisted for best show for Edinburgh Comedian's Choice Awards), Doom Tank (Under St. Mark’s Theatre), Shayna Punim, The Aliens, Athena, Mr. Marmalade (Oberlin College). Past playwriting credits include Fishing for Whales (2024 Cherry Picking, New York, NY), and Shayna Punim (Oberlin College, Oberlin Ohio). Clara currently serves as the literary and dramaturgy apprentice at Goodman Theatre and is the dramaturg for the upcoming world premiere of Ashland Avenue (Dir. Susan Booth, Goodman Theatre). Clara holds a B.A. in Theater and American Studies from Oberlin College and is the recipient of the Nash Drama Award for exceptional achievement in Oberlin Theater. She would like to thank her family for making the trek from NYC and her community here in Chicago. It takes a village!
ARTEMIS BOOKS & THE WELL-MEANING MAN is the first production of The Village Theater’s inaugural season.
The production will run from July 18-August 2 at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Tickets can be purchased via the-village-theater.com/artemisbooks.
The Village Theater of Chicago is a director-driven collective that harnesses theater as an instrument for cultivating community. Through intimate storytelling, community partnerships, and post-show dialogues, we reveal the profound magic of human connection. Transformative art emerges from collaboration. After all, it takes a village.
Stay updated with The Village at our website https://www.the-village-theater.com/ and follow us on Instagram @the.village.theater
