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Showing posts with label jeff recommended. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jeff recommended. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

THE JEFF AWARDS ANNOUNCES 2023 NON-EQUITY THEATER AWARD NOMINATIONS


Kicking off the new year, the Joseph Jefferson Awards announces its nominations for theater excellence among Non-Equity theater. The Non-Equity awards presented in 2023 spotlight 167 theater artists across 28 categories of excellence in theater production among shows from 30 companies. During the most recent season extended due to the pandemic, which ran from July 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022, Jeff Awards members attended 106 Non-Equity productions. From these, 49 productions became “Jeff Recommended” and, therefore, eligible for award nominations.                                                           

Four theater companies were recognized for the upcoming Non-Equity awards with more than 10 nominations each. Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre garnered the most honors, with 19 from five productions. Kokandy Productions received 16 nominations, followed by Blank Theatre Company (14) and Invictus Theatre (13). “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” at Kokandy Productions drew the largest nominations for a single production (9).

Among New Work, seven world premiere plays and one new musical are in award consideration. In addition, the Jeff Awards expanded award categories this past season to include a new classification recognizing Short Run Productions (nine to 17 performances). Within this new category, the Jeff Awards recognize nominees for Best Production, Ensemble, Director, Performer – Principal Role, Performer – Supporting Role, Solo Performance, New Work, and Artistic Specialization.

 

2023 NON-EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES

Production - Play

"Botticelli in the Fire" - First Floor Theater

"Malapert Love" - The Artistic Home

"Ruined" - Invictus Theatre

"Solaris" - Griffin Theatre Company

"The Pavilion" - The Artistic Home

"White" - Definition Theatre

"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre

 

Production - Musical or Revue

"8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

"Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical" - Kokandy Productions

"She Loves Me" - Blank Theatre Company

"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" - Kokandy Productions

"The Wild Party" - Blank Theatre Company

 

Production – Short Run

"Buried Child" - AstonRep Theatre Company

"Hertha Nova" - The Impostors Theatre Company

"Marie Antoinette & the Magical Negroes" - The Story Theatre

"Tebas Land" - Chicago Latino Theater Alliance in partnership with the National Museum of Mexican Art

"WILDCATS" - The Neo-Futurists

 

Ensemble - Play

"Medea Material" - Trap Door Theatre

"Refuge" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

"Ride or Die" - MPAACT - Ma'at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theatre

"The Secretaries: A Parable" - First Floor Theater

"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre

 

Ensemble - Musical or Revue

"8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

"Godspell" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

"She Loves Me" - Blank Theatre Company

"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" - Kokandy Productions

"The Wild Party" - Blank Theatre Company

  

Ensemble -Short Run

"Boeing-Boeing" - Saint Sebastian Players

"Hertha Nova" - The Impostors Theatre Company

"Marie Antoinette & the Magical Negroes" - The Story Theatre

"Urinetown: The Musical" - Surging Films & Theatrics

 

New Work

Shepsu Aakhu - "Ride or Die" - MPAACT - Ma'at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theatre

Siah Berlatsky - "Malapert Love" - The Artistic Home

Tina Fakhrid-Deen - "Pulled Punches" - MPAACT - Ma'at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theatre

Karissa Murrell Myers - "On the Greenbelt" - Strawdog Theatre Company

Ed Rutherford & Jeff Bouthiette - "Mary Rose" - Black Button Eyes Productions

 

New Work - Short Run

Rachel Borgo - “Hertha Nova” – The Impostors Theatre Company

Ida Cuttler & Nick Hart - “WILDCATS” – The Neo-Futurists

Terry Guest - “Marie Antoinette & the Magical Negroes” – The Story Theatre

 

Director - Play

Charles Askenaizer - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre

Rinska Carraso-Prestinary - "Isaac's Eye" - Redtwist Theatre

Bo Frazier - "Botticelli in the Fire" - First Floor Theater

Julian Hester - "Malapert Love" - The Artistic Home

Ebby Offord - "Ruined" - Invictus Theatre

Ericka Ratcliff - "White" - Definition Theatre

Scott Weinstein - "Solaris" - Griffin Theatre Company

 

Director - Musical or Revue 

Adrian Abel Azevedo - "Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical" - Kokandy Productions

Jason A. Fleece - "The Wild Party" - Blank Theatre Company

Landree Fleming - "Once Upon a Mattress" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Danny Kapinos - "She Loves Me" - Blank Theatre Company

Derek Van Barham - "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" - Kokandy Productions

 

Director - Short Run

Sean Michael Barrett - "Boeing-Boeing" - Saint Sebastian Players

Terry Guest - "Marie Antoinette & the Magical Negroes" - The Story Theatre

Halena Kays - "WILDCATS" - The Neo-Futurists

Juan Parodi - "Tebas Land" - Chicago Latino Theater Alliance in partnership with the National Museum of Mexican Art

Stefan Roseen - "Hertha Nova" - The Impostors Theatre Company

 

Performer in a Principal Role - Play 

Kim Boler (Anna) - "After the Blast" - Broken Nose Theatre

Kierra Bunch (Vanessa/St. Diana/Balkonae) - "White" - Definition Theatre

John Drea (Marc Chagall) - "Chagall in School" - Grippo Stage Company

Jacqueline Grandt (Ruth Steiner) - "Collected Stories" - Redtwist Theatre

Alex Benito Rodriguez (Sandro Botticelli) - "Botticelli in the Fire" - First Floor Theater

Ana Santos-Sánchez (Ana Morgana) - "La gran tirana (descarga dramática)" - Aguijón Theater Company

James Turano (George) - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre

Andrea Uppling (Martha) - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre

Rosario Vargas (The Painter) - "Cintas de Seda" - Aguijón Theater Company

Melanie Victoria (Isis) - "Pulled Punches" - MPAACT - Ma'at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theatre

Tekeisha Yelton-Hunter (Mama Nadi) - "Ruined" - Invictus Theatre

 

Performer in a Principal Role - Musical or Revue 

Maddison Denault (Kathryn Merteuil) - "Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical" - Kokandy Productions

Sonia Goldberg (Princess Winnifred) - "Once Upon a Mattress" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Caitlin Jackson (Mrs. Lovett) - "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" - Kokandy Productions

Joe Lewis (Will) - "Girlfriend" - PrideArts

Nikki Lynette (Nikki Lynette) - "Get Out Alive" - Haven Chicago

Brandy Miller (Amalia Balash) - "She Loves Me" - Blank Theatre Company

David Moreland (Sebastian Valmont) - "Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical" - Kokandy Productions

Anne Sheridan Smith (Miss Mona) - "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Peter Stielstra (Mike) - "Girlfriend" - PrideArts

Stephanie Stockstill (Mary Rose) - "Mary Rose" - Black Button Eyes Productions

Karylin Veres (Queenie) - "The Wild Party" - Blank Theatre Company

Kevin Webb (Sweeney Todd) - "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" - Kokandy Productions

 

Performer in a Principal Role - Short Run 

Ida Cuttler (Ida Cuttler) - "WILDCATS" - The Neo-Futurists

Jim Morley (Dodge) - "Buried Child" - AstonRep Theatre Company

Tommy Rivera-Vega (Martín) - "Tebas Land" - Chicago Latino Theater Alliance in partnership with the National Museum of Mexican Art

Esteban Schemberg (S) - "Tebas Land" - Chicago Latino Theater Alliance in partnership with the National Museum of Mexican Art

Keaton Stewart (Eve) - "Hertha Nova" - The Impostors Theatre Company

Joshua Paul Wright (Robert) - "Boeing-Boeing" - Saint Sebastian Players

 

Performer in a Supporting Role - Play 

JoAnn Birt (Mary Anne) - "When We Were Young and Unafraid" - AstonRep Theatre Company

Carley Cornelius (Jane) - "White" - Definition Theatre

Emilie Rose Danno (Esperanza) - "Malapert Love" - The Artistic Home

John Drea (Ray) - "Solaris" - Griffin Theatre Company

Courtney Gardner (Salima) - "Ruined" - Invictus Theatre

Stanley King (Christian) - "Ruined" - Invictus Theatre

Arielle Leverett (Arthur/Sam) - "After the Blast" - Broken Nose Theatre

Rachel Livingston (Honey) - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre

marssie Mencotti (Clara) - "Hay Fever" - City Lit Theater Company

Frank Nall (Phischbreath) - "Malapert Love" - The Artistic Home

Jackie Seijo (Actor/Dying Man Named Sam) - "Isaac's Eye" - Redtwist Theatre

Todd Wojcik (Narrator) - "The Pavilion" - The Artistic Home

 

Performer in a Supporting Role - Musical or Revue 

Bryce Ancil (Arpad Laszlo) - "She Loves Me" - Blank Theatre Company

LJ Bullen (Kate) - "The Wild Party" - Blank Theatre Company

August Forman (Prince Dauntless) - "Once Upon a Mattress" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Andrew Fortman (King Sextimus) - "Once Upon a Mattress" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Rachel Guth (Ilona Ritter) - "She Loves Me" - Blank Theatre Company

Mia Nevarez (Lead Vocalist) - "8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Anabella Oddo (Cecile Caldwell) - "Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical" - Kokandy Productions

Patrick O'Keefe (Tobias Ragg) - "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" - Kokandy Productions

Anne Sheridan Smith (Queen Aggravain) - "Once Upon a Mattress" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Kevin Webb (Chaplain) - "Mary Rose" - Black Button Eyes Productions

 

Performer in a Supporting Role - Short Run 

Valerie Gerlock (Gretchen) - "Boeing-Boeing" - Saint Sebastian Players

Samm Hilger (Guide/Professor Simpkins/Head Waiter/Objector) - "Hertha Nova" - The Impostors Theatre Company

Dakota Hughes (Hunchback) - "Frankenstreisand" - Hell in a Handbag Productions

Nolan Robinson (Reuben) - "St. Sebastian" - Refracted Theatre Company

Korinne Yonan (Little Sally) - "Urinetown: The Musical" - Surging Films & Theatrics

 

Solo Performance - Short Run 

Flaco Navaja (Flaco Navaja) - "Evolution of a Sonero" - UrbanTheater Company

 

Scenic Design 

Jeremiah Barr - "When We Were Young and Unafraid" - AstonRep Theatre Company

Jonathan Berg-Einhorn - "Isaac’s Eye" - Redtwist Theatre

Kevin Rolfs - "Ruined" - Invictus Theatre

Kevin Rolfs - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Invictus Theatre

Joe Schermoly - "Solaris" - Griffin Theatre Company

 

Costume Design 

Uriel Gómez - "Once Upon a Mattress" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Jessie Gowens - "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" - Idle Muse Theatre Company

Beth Laske-Miller & Bill Morey - "A Fine Feathered Murder" - Hell in a Handbag Productions

Cindy Moon - "She Loves Me" - Blank Theatre Company

Hilary Rubio - "Botticelli in the Fire" - First Floor Theater

Rachel Sypniewski - "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" - Kokandy Productions

 

Sound Design  

Eric Backus - "Solaris" - Griffin Theatre Company

Danny Rockett - "Medea Material" - Trap Door Theatre

Willow James - "Botticelli in the Fire" - First Floor Theater

L.J. Luthringer - "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" - Idle Muse Theatre Company

Petter Wahlbäck - "The Pavilion" - The Artistic Home

 

Lighting Design  

Benjamin Carne - "Botticelli in the Fire" - First Floor Theater

G. "Max" Maxin IV - "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" - Kokandy Productions

Brandon Wardell - "Solaris" - Griffin Theatre Company

Hannah Wein - "Medea Material" – Trap Door Theatre

Levi J. Wilkins - "The Pavilion" - The Artistic Home

Marcela Muñoz & Augusto Yanacopulos - "Cintas de Seda" - Aguijón Theater Company

 

Choreography

Keeley B. Morris & Jacinda Ratcliffe - "Get Out Alive" - Haven Chicago

Laura Savage - "Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical" - Kokandy Productions

Lauryn Schmelzer - "The Wild Party" - Blank Theatre Company

Jenna Schoppe - "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Jenna Schoppe - "Godspell" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

 

Original Music in a Play  

Eric Backus - "Solaris" - Griffin Theatre Company

Satya Jnani Chávez & Andrew Rosendorf - "Refuge" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Jonathan Guillen - "Medea Material" - Trap Door Theatre

L.J. Luthringer - "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" - Idle Muse Theatre Company

Danny Rockett - "The Martyrdom of Peter Ohey" - Trap Door Theatre

 

Music Direction 

Satya Jnani Chávez - "Refuge" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Isabella Isherwood - "Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical" - Kokandy Productions

Aaron Kaplan - "The Wild Party" - Blank Theatre Company

Jeremy Ramey - "8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Jeremy Ramey - "Godspell" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Nick Sula - "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" - Kokandy Productions

 

Projection Design  

Yeaji Kim - "Solaris" - Griffin Theatre Company

Abboyé Lawrence - "Pulled Punches" - MPAACT - Ma'at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theatre

G. "Max" Maxin IV - "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" - Black Button Eyes Productions

Chris Owens - "Get Out Alive" - Haven Chicago

Erin Pleake - "Chagall in School" - Grippo Stage Company

  

Artistic Specialization 

The Ensemble (Movement) - "Medea Material" - Trap Door Theatre

Jabberwocky Marionettes (Puppet Design) - "After the Blast" - Broken Nose Theatre

Jabberwocky Marionettes (Puppet Design) - "A Fine Feathered Murder" - Hell in a Handbag Productions

Royen Kent (Wig Design) - "The Secretaries: A Parable" - First Floor Theater

Adolfo Romero (Puppet Design) - "Refuge" - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Augusto Yanacopulos (Properties Design) - "La gran tirana (descarga dramática)" - Aguijón Theater Company

 

Artistic Specialization - Short Run  

Daphne Agosin (Lighting Design) - "Tebas Land" - Chicago Latino Theater Alliance in partnership with the National Museum of Mexican Art

Dominick Vincent Alesia (Original Music in a Play) - "Hertha Nova" - The Impostors Theatre Company

Tim Huggenberger (Choreography) - "Urinetown: The Musical" - Surging Films & Theatrics

Darwin Noguera (Music Direction) - "Evolution of a Sonero" - UrbanTheater Company

Emil Zbella (Set Design) - "Boeing-Boeing" - Saint Sebastian Players

 


MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS  

By Company  

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre 19

Kokandy Productions 16

Blank Theatre Company 14

Invictus Theatre 13

The Artistic Home 8

Griffin Theatre Company 8

First Floor Theater 7

The Impostors Theatre Company 7

AstonRep Theatre Company 5

Chicago Latino Theatre Alliance in partnership with the National Museum of Mexican Art 5

MPAACT - Ma'at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theatre 5

Redtwist Theatre 5

Saint Sebastian Players 5

Trap Door Theatre 5

Aguijón Theater Company 4

Black Button Eyes Productions 4

Definition Theatre 4

The Neo-Futurists 4

The Story Theatre 4

Broken Nose Theatre 3

Haven Chicago 3

Hell in a Handbag Productions 3

Surging Films & Theatrics 3

Grippo Stage Company 2

Idle Muse Theatre Company 2

PrideArts 2

UrbanTheater Company 2

   

By Production  

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” 9

“Solaris” 8

“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” 8

“Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical” 7

“Hertha Nova” 7

“Ruined” 7

“She Loves Me” 7

“The Wild Party” 7

“Once Upon a Mattress” 6

“Boeing-Boeing” 5

“Botticelli in the Fire” 5

“Malapert Love” 5

“Tebas Land” 5

“8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s” 4

“Isaac's Eye” 4

“Madea Material” 4

“Marie Antoinette & the Magical Negroes” 4

“The Pavilion" 4

"Refuge" 4

“White” 4

“WILDCATS” 4

“After the Blast” 3

"Get Out Alive” 3

"Godspell" 3

"Mary Rose" 3

“Pulled Punches” 3

“Urinetown: The Musical” 3

“When We Were Young and Unafraid” 3

“The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” 2

“Buried Child” 2

“Chagall in School” 2

“Cintas de Seda” 2

“Evolution of a Sonero” 2

“A Fine Feathered Murder” 2

“Girlfriend” 2

“La gran tirana (descarga dramática)" 2

“Ride or Die” 2

“The Secretaries: A Parable” 2

“The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” 2

   

   

By Individual  

Eric Backus 2

Satya Jnani Chávez 2

Ida Cuttler 2

John Drea 2

Terry Guest 2

L.J. Luthringer 2

Jabberwocky Marionettes 2

G. “Max” Maxin IV 2

Jeremy Ramey 2

Danny Rockett 2

Kevin Rolfs 2

Jenna Schoppe 2

Anne Sheridan Smith 2

Kevin Webb 2

Augusto Yanacopulous 2

 

ABOUT THE JEFF AWARDS

The Jeff Awards is one of the most active and engaged theater awards organizations in the country evaluating hundreds of theatrical productions annually and holding two awards ceremonies highlighting work over the past Equity and Non-Equity seasons. Through our recommendations, awards, and honors we help foster the growth of companies, encourage artists, bring new appreciation for diverse storytelling, and cultivate civic pride in the achievements of the Chicago theater community. Originally chartered in 1968 to recognize Equity productions, the Jeff Awards Non-Equity Wing was established in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union theatre. For more information, visit www.jeffawards.org.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON NOMINATIONS AND THE AWARDS PROGRAM 

The Jeff Awards website lists all current nominees, previous recipients and nominations, and other Jeff Awards information and news. Visit www.jeffawards.org.

The 2023 Jeff Awards for Non-Equity Theater will be held Monday, March 27, 2023, at Park West in Chicago, IL.  Doors will open at 6:00pm with light food and a cash bar available, and the awards program will begin at 7:30pm. General Admission tickets are $65 (includes $50 ticket + required fees) and available now at www.jeffawards.org. A group rate of $54 (includes $40 ticket + required fees) is available for parties of 10. Festive cocktail attire is suggested, and the public is cordially invited. For more information, contact AJ Wright, Non-Equity Wing Chair, at nonequitywing@jeffawards.org.

Names of award recipients will be released immediately following the program on March 27th by e-mail and on our website under Non-Equity Awards at www.jeffawards.org


Thursday, April 14, 2022

REVIEW: World Premiere of Spay Via Rivendell Theatre Ensemble Now Extended Through May 1, 2022

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble's 

World Premiere of

SPAY

by Madison Fiedler

directed by Georgette Verdin

featuring RTE members Rae Gray, Artistic Director Tara Mallen

and Krystel McNeil with Spencer Huffman

                                                     



Guest Review 

by Cath Hellmann

If you’re thinking, “Oh, I'd love to see a play about a drug addict who wreaks havoc on her family!” Yes, good times…Here is your chance! Even though it sounds like a Debbie Downer kind of evening, Rivendell’s new play called “SPAY” is actually an interesting, thought-provoking night at the theater with great acting. 

Krystel McNeil, Rae Gray
Photo credit for all: Michael Brosilow

The play occurs in 2019 in West Virginia. We see kindergarten teacher Harper (Krystel McNeil) in her house (an impressive set by Lindsay Mummert), who must come to the rescue of her addict half-sister Noah (Rae Gray) once again. Harper is always picking up the pieces left broken and scattered by Noah and her heroin problem; Harper even has custody of her young nephew, Benny, Noah’s child. Harper insists that Benny is a blessing and not a burden; Noah and her drug-dealing boyfriend, Jackson (Spencer Huffman, who is a very likable drug dealer!), are the real sources of aggravation and heartache for her.   

Rae Gray, Spencer Huffman

Noah’s latest overdose was a biggie---she almost died this time in front of a bunch of kids and traumatized the young children in the process. One hopes that maybe this incident will be the One that gets Noah back on track and sticking to her latest round of promises to truly clean up For Real for real this time. Harper insists that Noah has a disease. Noah admits,”I don’t know if I’d rather be a junkie or diseased.” 

Entering the tense scene is an out-of-towner claiming to arrive in order to “help” the struggling family. Aubrey, played by Artistic Director Tara Mallen, insists that her presence is to guide Noah into making better choices. Aubrey is actually from an organization called “Project Prevention” whose mission is to provide sterilization to addicts to prevent more children from being raised in unstable homes. (I assumed this was an invention by the playwright for drama, but it’s truly a Thing. I had to look it up. The group is based in North Carolina and really does offer cash to addicts for using long-term birth control or agreeing to undergo surgery to stop having babies. The website lists a case study of an addict who just had her 17th baby in 24 years!) 

Tara Mallen, Rae Gray

Playwright Madison Fiedler is a Northwestern graduate from North Carolina. She wrote the play to draw attention to the opioid epidemic happening in her native Appalachia. According to the program notes, there are 130 fatal opioid overdoses every day in the U.S. There were 96,700 deaths from overdoses this last year alone. Choosing to reopen the Rivendell Theater with this world premiere shows us the power of theater and sharing important, if uncomfortable, stories. You may not agree with the characters, but it’s sure to start a conversation. 

What happens to Noah, Harper, and ultimately, Benny won’t be revealed here. But this is a very satisfying play filled with strong performances, especially from the two sisters.

Catherine Hellmann: teacher, mom, theater lover 

Krystel McNeil

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago’s only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core, presents the world premiere of SPAY by Madison Fiedler, directed by RTE member Hallie Gordon. SPAY runs March 12 - May 1, 2022 at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago. 

Williamson, West Virginia has been aptly nicknamed “Pilliamson” for as long as anyone can remember, certainly since the Attridge family’s been around. The now-grown sisters have taken very different paths in the wake of their mother’s overdose. As Harper raises her sister’s child vowing to tread new ground, Noah opts for the old ways and finds herself in all-too-familiar territory.

Penned by recent Northwestern graduate Madison Fiedler, SPAY is a provoking new drama about the effect of America's opioid epidemic in one small West Virginia town. SPAY is an unflinching look at addiction, Appalachia, and the families our system has failed.

Playwright Madison Fiedler comments, “I started this play because I’m from Appalachia, where the opioid epidemic has taken its highest tolls; specifically, I’m from North Carolina, where Project Prevention has made its dubious home. In a country where the opioid crisis has been declared a national public health emergency and every day brings another 130 fatal opioid overdoses, the idea that addicts shouldn’t be able to have children makes sense to a lot of people. In a comparison of addicts to dogs in need of spaying, I saw a microcosm of American society wanting to move a problem out of sight without fixing it; dehumanizing victims of a crisis to justify complacency. I wrote Spay to deanonymize the opioid epidemic and re-sensitize audiences to it in a way that no news headline can, by doing what live theatre does best: inviting a room full of people to empathize, humanize, and do something about it.”

Artistic Director Tara Mallen offers: "With SPAY, the story serves to humanize people who are suffering with opioid addiction. This is an epidemic that is literally sweeping across the country, and it's imperative that we recognize it, begin to understand it, and find a way to support people who are dealing with it."

The cast includes RTE members Rae Gray (Noah), Artistic Director Tara Mallen (Aubrey), and Krystel McNeil (Harper), with Spencer Jackson (Jackson).

The creative team is Lindsay Mummert (scenic design), Mike Mahlum (lighting design), Becca Duff (costume design), Rowan Doe (props design), Hannah Foerschler (sound design), Catherine Yu (dramaturg), Grant (dialect coach). The production manager is Erik Strebig and the stage manager is Deya Friedman.       

Rivendell’s Town Hall Series

During the run of each production, Rivendell hosts Town Hall Discussions after select Saturday matinees. These are an essential touchstone for our organization to extend the conversation from the stage to the community. Panelists help field questions, present observations, and participate in supporting a thoughtful, in-depth dialogue for all involved. Audience participants need not be present for the Saturday matinee and are welcome to join the conversation following the performance. 

Rae Gray

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Madison Fiedler (Playwright) Madison Fiedler is a Brooklyn-based, Asheville-raised playwright. Plays include Spay (2020 Kilroys List, 2022 world premiere at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 2021 Princess Grace Playwriting Fellowship runner-up, 2019 National Showcase of New Plays, Florida Repertory Theatre’s 2020 PlayLab, 2021 FAU Theatre Lab, 2018-2019 BoHo Theatre commission), Screech Owl (2021 finalist: Playwrights Realm Writing Fellowship, Leah Ryan Fund for Emerging Women Writers), If God Came a Callin (Barter Theatre Appalachian Festival of Plays & Playwrights), The Incubators (semi-finalist: Athena Project Plays in Process), and I Talk to the Flowers (Skidmore College, University of Kentucky). She is a National New Play Network Affiliated Artist and is represented by A3 Artists Agency. BA: Northwestern University (2019).

Georgette Verdin (Director) is a Cuban-American director and arts educator. Since 2015, she's served as the Managing Artistic Director of Interrobang Theatre Project, an award-winning storefront theater known for its gutsy productions that tackle socially-relevant topics. Select directing credits include This Wide Night by Chloë Moss (Shattered Globe Theatre/Interrobang Theatre Project), Tribes by Nina Raine (Western Michigan University), the U.S. Premiere of Out of Love by Elinor Cook, Grace and Recent Tragic Events by Craig Wright, as well as the 2013 & 2016 Yale Drama Series winners, Still by Jen Silverman and Utility by Emily Schwend (Interrobang Theatre Project). Georgette has also worked with Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Facility Theatre, and Chicago Dramatists, among others. Georgette holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA and a Master in Directing from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. She's a 2021 recipient of a 3Arts Make-A-Wave grant and an associate member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. For more, visit georgetteverdin.com

Rae Gray (Noah) is a Rivendell Theatre Ensemble member, and last appeared on the RTE stage in Crooked. She recently wrapped season one of Amazon Prime’s reboot series A League of Their Own, and is currently working as a series regular on a Nick Jr. animated show. Other Chicago theater credits include: Graveyard Shift, The Little Foxes, A Christmas Carol (Goodman); Domesticated, Slowgirl, The Book Thief, Wedding Band (Steppenwolf); King Charles III (Chicago Shakespeare); The North China Lover (Lookingglass); Circle Mirror Transformation (Victory Gardens); The Real Thing (Writers); Sunday in the Park with George (Ravinia); Inherit the Wind (Northlight); The Crucible, Cry of Players (TimeLine); Oliver, State Fair (Marriott); Meet Me in St. Louis (Drury Lane). Broadway: The Real Thing (Roundabout). International: The Beacon (Druid/Gate Theatre, IRL). Regional: Queens (La Jolla Playhouse); Slowgirl (Geffen Playhouse). TV: Fear the Walking Dead, Grace and Frankie, For the People, Sea Oak, Boardwalk Empire, Shameless, The Resident, Bull, Adventure Time, Chicago Fire, PD and Med. Film: Slice, I Do…Until I Don’t, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, The Robbery (Sundance Selection), Dismissed, Invitation to a Murder. Rae graduated with honors from the University of Chicago.

Tara Mallen (Aubrey / RTE Artistic Director) is an actor, director, and the Producing Artistic Director at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. She was a 2017 3Arts William Franklin Grisham Awardee and the 2014 Volunteers of America Silver Star Awardee. Most recently Mallen was seen onstage in the title role in the world premiere of Kate Tarker’s Laura and The Sea. Before that she starred in The Cake for which she won the 2018 Jeff Award for Performer in a Principal Role. In 2016, she performed in the world premiere production of Lynn Nottage’s Sweat at Arena Stage. Prior to that she was in Rivendell’s Jeff-nominated world premiere productions of Look, we are breathing and Rasheeda Speaking. Tara appeared in Steppenwolf’s How Long Will I Cry: Stories of Youth Violence written by Chicago Journalist Miles Harvey. She was part of the ensemble in Rivendell’s world premiere, Jeff nominated production of The Walls and played Jolene Palmer (inspired by the true-life story of Aileen Wuornos) in Rivendell’s award winning production of Self Defense, or the Death of Some Salesmen—both productions part of Steppenwolf’s Visiting Theater Initiative.

For Rivendell, Tara has produced and acted in over 25 productions. She received a Joseph Jefferson Award for Supporting Actress in WRENS as part of that production’s Jeff-winning ensemble. She was nominated the following year for Actress in a Principal Role for her work in My Simple City. Her screen credits include Steven Soderbergh’s film Contagion, Boss (Starz), the pilot of Chicago Fire (NBC), the pilot of Doubt (CBS/Sony Pictures), Chicago P.D. and Sense8 (Netflix) directed by Lana and Andy Wachowski. With Rivendell, Tara conceived and directed the world premiere of WOMEN AT WAR, directed the Jeff nominated Midwest premieres of The Electric Baby, 26 Miles (co-production with Teatro Vista); Fighting Words; Psalms of a Questionable Nature; the co-production of Elliot, a Soldier’s Fugue with Stageworks/Hudson in Hudson, NY; and the brief and brilliant Shady Meadows by Lisa Dillman as part of the 2007 Chicago Humanities Festival.

Krystel McNeil (Harper) is excited to be working on Spay at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (Laura and the Sea and The Cake, Women at War), where she is an ensemble member. Other credits include: Gem of The Ocean, Objects in The Mirror, and Carlyle (Goodman Theatre); In The Next Room or The Vibrator Play; Spill (Timeline Theatre Company); The Compass (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Bootycandy (Windy City Playhouse). Tours include Defamation The Play (Canamac Productions).

Film and television credits include Chiraq (Amazon Films); Gossamer; The Chi (Showtime); Chicago P.D. (NBC) Next (Fox) Soundtrack (Netflix), Proven Innocent (FOX).

Spencer Huffman (Jackson) is a playwright, actor, and director based in Chicago. He is thrilled to be making his Chicago acting debut with Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. As a playwright, his work includes: Evil Perfect, The Baseball Gods, When We Were Little, Shine Down On Us, The Swamp Play, Like Some Deep Booming, The Vastness of the North, and If Only We Were Ghosts. His plays have earned recognition from theatres and festivals across the U.S., including The National Playwrights Conference, American Stage’s 21st Century Voices New Play Festival, Landing Theatre Co. New American Voices Festival, and Southwest Theatre Production’s Rising Artists Playwriting Competition, among others. His plays have received productions and staged readings from Bramble Theatre Co. (Chicago), The Landing Theatre Co. (Houston, TX), Broken Bell Reads (Chicago), Three Cat Productions (Chicago), and Relative Theatrics (Laramie, WY). He has been a writing fellow at Millay Arts, The Marble House Project, and the Kerouac Project of Orlando. Spencer graduated from the School at Steppenwolf in 2019 and is an ensemble member and literary manager at Bramble Theatre Company. BA: Kenyon College. www.jspencerhuffman.com

Krystel McNeil, Rae Gray


Dates: 

Previews: March 12 – March 19, 2022

Saturday, March 12 at 8pm

Sunday, March 13 at 3pm

Thursday, March 17 at 8pm

Friday, March 18 at 8pm

Saturday, March 19 at 8pm

 

Regular run: March 23 – April 17, 2022

Wednesdays at 8pm (April 6 and 13 only)

Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm (except no Saturday 8pm performances on April 9 and 16, 2022)

Saturdays 4pm

Sundays at 3pm (April 3 and 17 only)

 

Jeffs/VIP opening: March 20, 2022 at 6pm

Press opening: March 23, 2022 at 7pm

Mama’s Night: April 8 at 8pm

Post-show Town Halls: April 9 and April 16, 2022 at 4pm

 

Tickets:

Previews: $25 General Admission

$5 Student, Educators, Military/Veterans, Industry (Limited quantity, first-come, first-served)

$15 Seniors and Neighbors

 

Regular run: $35 General Admission

$15 Student, Educators, Military/Veterans, Industry (Limited quantity, first-come, first-served)

$25 Seniors and Neighbors

$45 Sponsor Admission (to help us pay artists fair wages by covering the full cost of a seat at the performance)

$90 Angel Admission (1 Basic Admission, plus helping to cover discounted or free tickets to people who need them)

RIV Pass: $95 (see the production plays as often as desired)

Box Office:     (773) 334-7728 or http://rivendelltheatre.org

Parking and Transportation: Free parking is available in the Senn High School parking lot (located a block and a half from the theatre behind the school off Thorndale Avenue). There is limited paid and free street parking in the area. The theatre is easily accessible via the Clark (#22) or Broadway (#36) bus, and is a short walk from the Bryn Mawr Red Line el station.

About Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

Founded in 1994, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble advances the lives of women through theatre. Rivendell cultivates the talents of women artists—writers, actors, directors, designers and technicians—by seeking out innovative plays that explore unique female experiences and producing them in an intimate salon environment.

Rivendell fills an important role in the Chicago region as the only Equity theatre dedicated to producing artistically challenging and original plays created by and about women. After years of being an itinerant company, Rivendell moved into its own theater space in 2011 in Edgewater. The company is focused on becoming an integral community partner and serving as a catalyst to engage audiences in a discussion of local social issues.


For more information about Rivendell Theater Ensemble, visit http://rivendelltheatre.org. Follow Rivendell on Facebook at Facebook.com/rivendelltheatre, on Twitter @RivendellThtr, and on Instagram at @rivendelltheatre.





COVID Safety

All visitors to Rivendell Theatre must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and face masks are required at all times. Please be prepared to show a physical or digital copy of your vaccine card along with your photo ID. Thank you!


Anti-Racism statement

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble is in alignment with the accountability efforts being led by We See You White American Theatre. Read our pledge Here.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble is supported by generous grants from: Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity and the Arts at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust; Shubert Foundation; Illinois Arts Council Agency; The Alphawood Foundation; The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; Sarah and the 2 C Dogs; A.L. Luria and Jennie Luria Foundation; SIF Fund at The Chicago Community Trust; The Saints Volunteers for the Performing Arts; Arts Midwest; City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events; National Endowment for the Arts; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation

Rae Gray, Krystel McNeil

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

EXTENDED: The Martyrdom of Peter Ohey Via Trap Door Theatre and the Polish Cultural Institute New York February 3rd – March 26th, 2022

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 
Trap Door is back on stage!
With
The Martyrdom of Peter Ohey
Written by Sławomir Mrożek
Directed and Adapted by Nicole Wiesner
Associate Directed and Choreographed by Miguel Long

**The Martyrdom of Peter Ohey

Now Extended 2 Weeks Through March 26th**



One of Poland’s most celebrated playwrights, Sławomir Mrożek wrote this absurdist piece about a family, who's home life turns upside down when a tiger suddenly appears in their bathroom. As more and more absurd characters invade their home (a Scientist, a Government Official, a Circus Manager, and more), the family must decide whether or not to give in and join the circus.

Pictured: Venice Averyheart and Dennis Bisto. Photos by J. Michael Griggs


Experience sensational spectacle and twisted terrors as director Nicole Wiesner brings her signature Trap Door style to adapt and direct this obscure Mrożek farce!

Cast: Venice Averyheart, Dennis Bisto, Natara Easter, Matty Robinson, Keith Surney, Bob Wilson, and Carl Wisneiwski.

 

Pictured: Dennis Bisto, Carl Wisniewski, and Matty Robinson. Photos by J. Michael Griggs


The Martyrdom of Peter Ohey is Co-Presented with the Polish Cultural Institute New York




Playwright

Sɫawomir Mrożek (Playwright) was a Polish playwright born in 1930 in a small town near Kraków.  He started his professional career as a cartoonist and journalist, and later on wrote many grotesque stories.  His first play, The Police (1958) is a Kafkaesque parable, and was followed by a series of political, critical allegories cloaked in absurdist comedy such as Out at Sea (1961), Striptease (1961) and The Party (1963).  His most famous play from this period is Tango which had its world premiere in Belgrade, Yugoslavia in January 1965. That same year a famous Polish critic Jan Kott observed that while Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz and Witold Gombrowicz, Mrożek’s dramatic predecessors, were ahead of their time, Mrożek has arrived right on time both in Poland and in the West. Some perceived Mrożek as a kind of “Polish Ionesco” as his plays poke absurdist fun at contemporary mores and life in the 20th century communist-dominated Poland. Mrożek emigrated to France in 1963 and lived in Italy and Mexico before returning to Poland after the fall of communism. While his plays were periodically banned in Poland, they were performed in the cities around the world including New York City where they were produced several times off Broadway and at La MaMa Theatre Club. Among other plays written by Mrożek are Vatzlav (1972—produced at Trap Door Theatre in 2014), The Emigrés (1974), The Ambassador (1981), Alpha (1984) and Love in the Crimea (1994). Mrożek died in France in 2013.

Lighting Designer: Richard Norwood / Set Designer: Michael Griggs / Costume Designer: Rachel Sypniewski / Original Music and Sound Design: Danny Rockett / Make-up Designer: Zsofia Otvos / Graphic Designer: Michal Janicki / Understudy/Swing: David Lovejoy / Stage Manager: Anna Klos




The Martyrdom of Peter Ohey

February 3 @ 8:00 pm - March 12 @ 8:00 pm

Runs: 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Admission: $25 on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, with two for one admission on Thursdays.

Where: Trap Door Theatre is located at 1655 W. Cortland St.

TICKETS


Saturday, February 8, 2020

REVIEW: Jeeves Saves the Day at First Folio Theatre at the Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oakbrook Through March 1, 2020

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar
FIRST FOLIO THEATRE PRESENTS 
JEEVES SAVES THE DAY 
FEBRUARY 1 – MARCH 1

All photos by Tom McGrath

Guest Review 
By Catherine Hellmann


(Setting: A walk in Rogers Park on a chilly, slushy day.)


Me: Want to see a play with me next weekend?
Emily, my oldest, who is often a theater skeptic: Hmmm...what is it? 
Me: It’s British humor. 
Emily: Okaaayy…
Me: It’s in the ‘burbs. Free parking! (Emily has transitioned to the suburbs and often praises the ample no-cost parking to me.) 
Emily: Hmmm…
Me: It’s in a mansion. 
Emily: All right. 


And so my daughter agreed to join me for Jeeves Saves the Day by First Folio Theatre at the Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oakbrook. It’s a delightful show with great characters, a beautiful set, and fun costumes. 

Dan Klarer (Egbert), Lucinda Johnston (Aunt Agatha)

There is a funny script by Margaret Raether based on the characters by P.G. Wodehouse. The play opens with Bertie in the dining room, his head down despondently on the table. He has managed to get engaged to a wealthy woman whom he doesn’t love, and now he worries how he will get himself out of this entanglement.  Christian Gray and Jim McCance have these roles down pat from having portrayed Bertie Wooster and Jeeves, respectively, in five productions now. When Bertie hears that his awful Aunt Agatha will be visiting, he wonders aloud why he dreads seeing her. “Experience,” Jeeves explains drily. 


Jim McCance (Jeeves), Sean Sinitski (Sir Roderick), Lucinda Johnston (Aunt Agatha),
Christian Gray (Bertie)

Lucinda Johnston as over-the-top annoying Aunt Agatha is perfectly irritating. She is thrilled about her nephew’s social-climbing engagement. He wants to weasel out of his situation. She tells Bertie that in order for his “spine to hurt, he must possess one.” In a word association game, Bertie refers to his aunt as “my nemesis.” (For “alcohol,”  he promptly answers, ”Always,”)

Jim McCance (Jeeves), Christian Gray (Bertie)

Dan Klarer deserves special recognition as hilarious Cousin Egbert who is on a drawn-out scavenger hunt, continually bringing home odd items. (The best one is a large birdcage with straps that he wears like a backpack.) His physicality and odd movements are very funny and really add to the character’s goofiness.    

The wordplay is clever, as when a character thinks they see “an apprehension” instead of an “apparition,” and someone else refers to the “banana peels of life.” The language is a treat, as is the entire play.


And you get to see a show in a mansion...with free parking! 


Cath Hellmann is an educator and theater junkie living in Chicago. 

Opening Night
From left to right: Natalie Rae, Sean Sinitski, Lydia Hiller, Dan Klarer, Jim McCance, Joe Foust, Almanya Narula, Christian Gray, Lucinda Johnston


To begin the new year with laughs a-plenty, First Folio Theatre (Mayslake Peabody Estate, 31st St & Rt. 83) presents the World Premiere production of JEEVES SAVES THE DAY, by Margaret Raether, to continue its 2019-2020 season. Based on stories by P.G. Wodehouse and directed by Artistic Associate Joe Foust, JEEVES SAVES THE DAY previews January 29-31, opens February 1, and runs through March 1, 2020.

Lucinda Johnston (Aunt Agatha), Jim McCance (Jeeves)

Jim McCance (Jeeves), Christian Gray (Bertie)

The indefatigable Jeeves and his balmy employer Bertie Wooster are back. Once again, Bertie finds himself suffering the slings and arrows of misfortune at the hands of his relatives, caught between the magisterial machinations of his fierce Aunt Agatha and the plaintive pleadings of his cousin Egbert. Throw in the imperious Sir Roderick Glossop and the sexy chanteuse Red Hot Maisie Dawson, and you’ve got another precarious predicament that cannot be overcome…unless one calls upon the redoubtable Jeeves to save the day.


Almanya Narula (Maisie), Jim McCance (Jeeves), Dan Klarer (Egbert), Christian Gray (Bertie)

“We are thrilled to present this humor-filled production of JEEVES SAVES THE DAY to First Folio Theatre audiences this winter,” said Director Joe Foust. “We’ve followed Jeeves and his many adventures since First Folio Theatre began telling the Jeeves tales in 2008, and this new tale is filled with more energy and comedy than ever! Our two leads are reprising their roles of Bertie and Jeeves for the fifth time and their characters will experience a predicament unlike any they have faced before. We know audiences will relish the hilarity, hoping that once again Jeeves can save the day.”

In their fifth foray into the roles of Bertie and Jeeves, JEEVES SAVES THE DAY stars Christian Gray as Bertie Wooster and Jim McCance as Jeeves. The production also features Lucinda Johnston (Aunt Agatha), Dan Klarer (Egbert Bakewell), Sean Sinitski (Sir Roderick Glossop) and Almanya Narula (Red Hot Maisie Dawson). 

Almanya Narula (Red Hot Maisie Dawson)

The production and design crew includes Lydia Hiller (Assistant Director), Angela Weber Miller (Scenic Design), Rachel Lambert (Costume Design), Richard Norwood (Lighting Design), Christopher Kriz (Original Music and Sound Design), Wendy Huber and Margaret Garofalo (Properties Design), Dean Gnadinger (Technical Director), Joe Foust (Movement Designer) and Sarah West (Stage Manager) with Wallace Craig (Production Valet).

Performances take place at the Mayslake Peabody Estate, located at 1717 31st St., off Rt. 83, in Oak Brook. First Folio is easy to get to via the East-West Tollway (I-88) or the Stevenson Expressway (I-55). Free parking is available on the grounds. Preview tickets are $25. Regular priced tickets are $34 Wednesdays and Thursdays (seniors and students are $29), and $44 on Fridays through Sundays (seniors and students are $39). Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased by calling the box office at 630.986.8067 or online at www.firstfolio.org.


Sean Sinitski (Sir Roderick), Jim McCance (Jeeves), Lucinda Johnston (Aunt Agatha),
Christian Gray (Bertie)

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