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Shattered Globe Theatre’s 34th season continues with
Lobby Hero
January 24-March 1
at Theater Wit
Expect fireworks when Shattered Globe Artistic Producer Nate Santana directs Lonergan’s “masterpiece…the best drama, the best comedy and the best romance of the year, all rolled into one” (TimeOut New York).
Shattered Globe Theatre’s 34th season continues with the comic masterpiece Lobby Hero by (top, from left) Kenneth Lonergan, directed by Nate Santana, January 24-March 1, 2025 at Theater Wit. The cast features (bottom, from left) Shattered Globe Ensemble Member Adam Schulmerich as Bill, Emma Jo Boyden as Dawn, Elliot Esquivel as Jeff and Terence Sims as William.
Charm, romance and humor abound in the 2001 comedic masterpiece Lobby Hero by Kenneth Lonergan, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Manchester by the Sea.
Shattered Globe Theatre’s first production of 2025, Lobby Hero runs January 24-March 1 at Theater Wit. Shattered Globe Artistic Producer Nate Santana directs Lonergan’s “masterpiece…the best drama, the best comedy and the best romance of the year, all rolled into one” (TimeOut New York).
It’s the graveyard shift at a mid-rise apartment lobby in Manhattan. A rudderless security guard, his demanding supervisor, a rookie cop, and her self-centered partner are forced to navigate the question of whether doing the wrong thing for the right reason can ever be justified. Confronting complex moral dilemmas, their choices reveal the blurred lines between right and wrong.
"Motives come in every shade but black and white," wrote Ben Brantley of the New York Times, calling Lobby Hero a "combustible brew of impulses.”
“These characters all live in a world of light and shadow as they chase their dreams,” said director Nate Santana. “Filled with irreverence and sincerity, charm and ugliness, heart and animosity, two opposing ideas often show up at the same time, in the same place, with the same person, asking each to wrestle with the idea that both could possibly be true. When they look in the mirror what will they see? And what will they accept about themselves as they figure out what kind of person they want to be?”
The cast features (from left) Emma Jo Boyden as Dawn, Elliot Esquivel as Jeff, Shattered Globe Ensemble Member Adam Schulmerich as Bill, and Terence Sims as William. Credit: Jeff Kuryscz
Lobby Hero features (from left) Shattered Globe Ensemble Member Adam Schulmerich as Bill, Terence Sims as William, Elliot Esquivel as Jeff and Emma Jo Boyden as Dawn. Credit: Jeff Kuryscz
Shattered Globe’s new take on Lonergan’s dark comedy features SGT Ensemble Member Adam Schulmerich as Bill, and three Chicago actors all making their Shattered Globe debuts: Emma Jo Boyden as Dawn, Elliot Esquivel as Jeff and Terence Sims as William. The production team includes José Manuel Díaz-Soto (set designer), Uriel Gomez (costume designer), Ellie Fey (lighting designer) Mariah Bennett (props designer) Chris Kriz (sound designer) Sammi Grant (dialect coach) Julia Farrell Diefenbach (dramaturgy) Isabelle Valet (assistant stage manager) Lucy Whipp (production manager) Ronald Hale (technical director) and Tina Jach (production stage manager).
The first preview of Lobby Hero, Friday, January 24 at 7:30 p.m., is Pay-What-You-Can. Previews continue Saturday, January 25 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, January 26 at 3 p.m, and Wednesday, January 29 at 7:30 p.m. Previews are $10-$25. No show Friday, January 31. Performances run through March 1: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m. There’s an added 3 p.m. matinee on closing day, Saturday, March 1. Performances are $15-$52. For group discounts, email groupsales@shatteredglobe.org or call (773) 770-0333.
Theater Wit is located at 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. Tickets are $10-$52. Purchase tickets online at SGTheatre.org, call the Theater Wit box office, (773) 975-8150, or purchase in person at Theater Wit.
Access:
Theater Wit is wheelchair accessible, and all patrons with disability needs are invited to purchase $20 access tickets with the code “ACCESS20” at Theater Wit’s checkout page. Please email boxoffice@theaterwit.org to ensure we can reserve the right seat for your access needs. Please do not use this code if you do not require these services. Go to SGTheatre.org and see the Accessible Ticketing info to find out about our Waived Ticket Program.
Assisted Listening Devices are available for all performances.
Audio Description and a Touch Tour will be offered on Friday, February 21. The Touch Tour begins at 6:15 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m.
Open Captions will be provided at the 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday, January 23.
Visit SGTheatre.org for more information, including content warnings, news of special events, accessible and waived ticket programs. Find and follow the company on social media @shatteredglobe on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Shattered Globe’s Lobby Hero features (from left) Elliot Esquivel as Jeff and Terence Sims as William. Credit Jeff Kuryscz
Shattered Globe’s Lobby Hero features (top, from left) Shattered Globe Ensemble Member Adam Schulmerich as Bill, Emma Jo Boyden as Dawn, (bottom) Elliot Esquivel as Jeff and Terence Sims as William.
Company biographies
Kenneth Lonergan (playwright, Lobby Hero) is an acclaimed American playwright, screenwriter and director known for his character-driven dramas that capture the intricacies of everyday life. Born and raised in Manhattan, Lonergan was encouraged to write from a young age, eventually pursuing dramatic writing at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. His breakthrough play, This Is Our Youth (1996), explores the disillusionment of young people in the 1980s and marked the start of his successful theater career. Other notable plays include The Waverly Gallery (2000) and Lobby Hero (2001), both of which later had successful Broadway revivals. Lonergan's film career includes the Oscar-nominated You Can Count on Me (2000) and Manchester by the Sea (2016), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. His work, whether on stage or screen, is celebrated for its deep empathy and nuanced portrayal of complex human experiences.
Nate Santana (director, Lobby Hero, Artistic Producer, Shattered Globe Theatre, he/him) joined the company as an Ensemble Member in 2018. For three years, he taught and directed the Protege Program at SGT as well as produced and oversaw the inaugural Global Playwriting Series (GPS), which received over 150 submissions in its first year. Theatre credits include Marvin’s Room (Shattered Globe); Ironbound (Raven Theatre); The Thanksgiving Play (Steppenwolf); Legend of Georgia McBride, Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley (Northlight); Frankenstein, Sense and Sensibility (Indiana Repertory Theatre); SS! Romeo and Juliet, SS! Twelfth Night (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Balm in Gilead, Golden Boy (Griffin Theatre); The Abuelas, White Tie Ball, Momma’s Boyz (Teatro Vista); The Rainmaker (BoHo Theatre); References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot (Phoenix Theatre Indianapolis) and What Happened When, Slipping (the side project). Television credits include Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Suits and The Exorcist. Santana is also an Ensemble Member with Teatro Vista. He studied at the School at Steppenwolf, The Moscow Art Theatre, and received his BA from Valparaiso University.
Adam Schulmerich (Bill, he/him) has been a Shattered Globe ensemble member since 2023. His SGT credits include Becky Nurse of Salem, A View From the Bridge, Rasheeda Speaking and Five Mile Lake. Other Chicago credits include The Spirit of ’76 (The Agency); Scissortail (Adapt Theatre); Inventing Van Gogh (Strange Bedfollows Theatre); Wild (Kid Brooklyn); and Ponypool (Strawdog Theatre).
Emma Jo Boyden (Dawn, she/her) is making her Shattered Globe Theatre debut. Chicago credits include Arsenic and Old Lace (Court Theatre); Henry V and Hamlet (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Drury Lane Theatre); Georgiana & Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley (Northlight Theatre); A Recipe for Disaster (Windy City Playhouse); Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man (Greenhouse Theater Center); La Boheme and Don Giovanni (Lyric Opera of Chicago).
Elliot Esquivel (Jeff, he/him), born and raised in Austin, Texas, is making his SGT debut. Chicago credits include Manic Monologues (WaterTower Theatre) and Alice by Heart (Chicago's Kokandy Productions).
Terence Sims (William, he/him) is also working with Shattered Globe for the first time. Chicago credits include Toni Stone (Goodman Theatre); Paris (Steep Theatre); Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Writers Theatre); Crumbs From the Table of Joy (Raven Theatre); Damascus (Strawdog Theatre); Barbecue (Strawdog Theatre); and Monster (Steppenwolf Theatre). Regional credits include Broke-o-logy (B Street Theatre) and To Kill A Mockingbird (Children’s Theatre Madison).
Up next: A bold new adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities directed by Mikael Burke
It’s the best of times, and it’s the worst of times. Still today. So what better time to take a new look at A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens? Shattered Globe will present the Midwest premiere of Brendan Pelsue’s bold new adaptation of Dickens’ classic tale of revolution. Acclaimed Chicago director Mikael Burke will make his Shattered Globe debut staging this new riff on Dickens’ classic, chillingly timely novel about privilege, poverty and political adaptation.
A Tale of Two Cities may be 165 years old, but with Burke at the helm, Shattered Globe’s new production will remind us that some things never change. Or, can they? In a society where the gap between the rich and poor widens, and the cries for revolution grow louder, one can hope. Performances of A Tale of Two Cities are April 18 – May 31, 2025.
About Shattered Globe Theatre
Shattered Globe Theatre seeks to redefine what it means to be an ensemble theatre, discover new connections between story, artist and audience, and explore drama from bold, challenging perspectives.
Shattered Globe Theatre was born in a storefront space on Halsted Street in 1991. Since then, SGT has produced more than 80 plays, including nine American and world premieres, and garnered an impressive 44 Jeff Awards and 118 Jeff Award nominations, as well as the acclaim of critics and audiences alike.
Guided by Producing Artistic Director Sandy Shinner, Shattered Globe’s values are rooted in a commitment to racial equity, respect for all artists and support for the ensemble, while creating new opportunities to amplify traditionally marginalized voices and collaborate in all aspects of its work. Through initiatives such as the Protégé Program, Shattered Globe creates a space which allows emerging artists to grow and share in the ensemble experience.
Shattered Globe Theatre’s Ensemble has 29 members: Judy Anderson, Louis Contey, David Dastmalchian, Demetra Dee, Joe Forbrich, Christina Gorman, Daria Harper, Tina M. Jach, Rebecca Jordan, Steve Kleinedler, Vivian Knouse, AmBer Montgomery, Tina Muñoz Pandya, Eileen Niccolai, Jazzma Pryor, Hailey Rakowiecki, Deanna Reed-Foster, Linda Reiter, Nate Santana, Drew Schad, Adam Schulmerich, Leslie Ann Sheppard, Sandy Shinner, Joe Sikora, Shelley Strasser, Devonte E. Washington, Sarah Jo White, Joseph Wiens and Brad Woodard.
SGT’s Artistic Associates now number 20 including Daniela Colucci, Mikey Gray, Lawrence Grimm, Darren Jones, Christopher Kriz, Jason Lynch, Elizabeth Margolius, Kelsey Melvin, Tim Newell, Jane Nix, Aila Peck, Steve Peebles, David Antonio Reed, Jasmine Cheri Rush, Angie Shriner, Abbey Smith, Becca Smith, Michael Trudeau, Ayanna Wimberley and Austin Winter.
Shattered Globe Theatre is partially supported and funded by generous grants from The Bayless Family Foundation, The Shulman-Rochambeau Charitable Foundation, Brenda and James Grusecki, Carol P. Eastin, The Shubert Foundation, a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation and the Illinois Arts Council.
Visit SGTheatre.org for subscriptions, tickets and information, and follow the company @shatteredglobe on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
