ABOUT THE ARTISTS
William Shakespeare (Playwright) was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. He rose to fame in London as a playwright, actor and partner in a company of players known as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. King James I, after ascending to the throne in 1603, would eventually patron the group, thereby changing the name to The King’s Men. During Shakespeare’s career, he wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets and several other famous epic poems. There are many apocryphal plays thought to be Shakespeare’s and he alone is
credited with contributing close to 2,000 words to the English language. He is without question the most highly regarded and studied playwright in the history of literature. In 1613, Shakespeare is said to have retired to the place of his birth. It is believe that he died there on his birthday, April 23, 1616.
Michael Halberstam (Artistic Director) is the co-founder of Writers’ Theatre. He has directed over 30 productions for the company including Not About Heroes (starring Nicholas Pennell), Private Lives, Look Back In Anger, Candida, The Father, Crime and Punishment, Benefactors, Seagull, The Duchess of Malfi, Othello, The Savannah Disputation, the world premiere musical A Minister’s Wife, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, She Loves Me and The Real Thing. Halberstam has appeared in numerous Writers’ Theatre productions including Richard II (title role), Loot and Misalliance. Previously, he spent two years at The Stratford Festival in Ontario and performed in Timon Of Athens, The Knight of the Burning Pestle (title role), Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It. Halberstam’s other Chicago acting credentials include productions with Wisdom Bridge, Court Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Elsewhere he directed The Gamester (Northlight Theatre), A Man For All Seasons (Peninsula Players Theatre), Hamlet (Illinois Shakespeare Festival), Candida (Jean Cocteau Repertory in New York), Ten Little Indians (Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace), a highly acclaimed revival of Crime and Punishment, which Writers’ Theatre produced off-Broadway at 59E59 Theatres in New York City, Enchanted April and State of the Union (Milwaukee Repertory Theater). In 2010 he directed A Minister’s Wife at Lincoln Center Theater. His forays into opera have included The Rape Of Lucretia (Chicago Opera Theater), Francesca De Ramini featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Christoph Eschenbach and Le Freyshutz, a Berlioz adaptation of the Weber opera also conducted by Christoph Eschenbach in its North American Premiere (Ravinia Festival). He spent two and a half years teaching Shakespeare at The Theatre School at DePaul University and has received awards for excellence in theater management and/or artistic achievement from The Chicago Drama League, The Arts & Business Council, Chicago Lawyers for the Creative Arts, The Chicago Associates of the Stratford Festival and most recently, the 2010 Zelda Fichandler Award.
Kareem Bandealy (Horatio) returns to Writers' Theatre where he previously appeared in The Caretaker and Heartbreak House. Chicago credits include Rock ‘N’ Roll, Gas For Less,King Lear (Goodman Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Edward II, Romeo & Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), The Illusion (Court Theatre), The Last Act of Lilka Kadison,Peter Pan (Lookingglass Theatre Company), The Real Thing (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company), It’s a Wonderful Life, Oklahoma! (American Theater Company, ensemble member),Our Enemies: Lively Scenes of Love and Combat, Back of the Throat, 10 Acrobats in an Amazing Leap of Faith (Silk Road Rising, associate artist) and Wedding Play (About Face Theatre). Regional credits include The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Three Musketeers, The Tempest (Illinois Shakespeare Festival), Love’s Labour’s Lost (Notre Dame Summer Shakespeare), Stuff Happens, Julius Caesar (Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre) and four seasons at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater. Bandealy has done several commercials, industrials and films including The Merry Gentleman (directed by Michael Keaton). In 2011, he received the 3Arts Artist Award. Next: Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo(Lookingglass Theatre Company).
Michael Canavan (Claudius) returns to Writers' Theatre where he previously appeared in The Lion in Winter and The Father. Chicago credits include Mizlansky/Zilinsky Or Schmucks (Steppenwolf Theatre Company) and The Dying Gaul (Apple Tree Theatre). Regional credits include A Moon for the Misbegotten (Merrimack Repertory Theatre),Oleanna, Prelude to a Kiss and Reckless, among others (South Coast Repertory), Mark Taper Forum, New Mexico Repertory Theatre and Pittsburgh Public Theatre. Off-Broadway credits include Bug (Barrow St. Theatre), Bang Bang Blues (Joseph Papp Public Theatre) and As You Like It (Riverside Shakespeare Company). Film credits include Flags of Our Fathers, The Island, Hidalgo, Murder by Numbers, Striking Distance and Rat Boy. Recent TV credits include Mad Men, Bones, Criminal Minds, CSI Miami and Entourage. He also had recurring roles on 7th Heaven, Hunter, General Hospital and Santa Barbara. His voice has been featured in radio dramas, commercials, video games, History Channel documentaries and audiobooks.
Shannon Cochran (Gertrude) returns to Writers’ Theatre where she previously appeared in A Little Night Music, The Lion in Winter (Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination), The Father and Private Lives (Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination). Chicago credits include Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre, Court Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater and Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. Regional credits include Long Wharf Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, South Coast Repertory, Geffen Playhouse and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Off-Broadway credits include Bug (Obie Award, The Drama League Award, Drama Desk Award Nomination). First National tour credits include August: Osage County (Helen Hayes Award Nomination). Film credits include The Ring, Star Trek: Nemesis, The Babe and The Perfect Family. TV credits include Scandal (recurring), Fringe, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Off the Map, Numbers and others. Directing credits include The Rivalry, The Real Dr. Strangelove (L.A. Theatre Works), Therese Raquin (Greasy Joan & Company) and Private Passage (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble). Audiobooks include The Unremarkable Heart and Other Stories, Fallen and Call Me Irresistible.
Billy Fenderson (Guildenstern) makes his Writers’ Theatre debut. Chicago credits include Septimus in Arcadia (New Leaf Theatre), Rudi & Kostya in East of Berlin & The Russian Play (Signal Ensemble Theatre), Ian in Hesperia (Right Brain Project) and ensemble in Caucasian Chalk Circle (Theatre Mir). Off-Broadway credits include Coffee in Goodnight Lovin’ Trail (Rising Sun Ensemble) and ensemble in Don Juan Come Back From the War (Classic Stage Company). Film credits include Johnny Boy in Sneakers and Soul and the Editor in Slate (directed by Carmen Vidal Balanzat).
Witold Huzior (Fortinbras) makes his American theatre debut at Writers’ Theatre. Huzior was born and raised in Poland where he graduated from the prestigious Ludwik Solski State Drama School in Cracow. Polish credits include Monsier de Pourceaugnac (PWST Krakow), Summerfolk (PWST Krakow), Atelier- Tailor Studio (PWST Krakow) and Paradise Garden – Sketches of Rozewicz (PWST Krakow). Television credits include an adaptation of Paradise Garden – Sketches of Rozewicz. Huzior lives in Chicago; he is an actor, pilates trainer and massage therapist. He enjoys cooking and marine aquaria.
Timothy Edward Kane (Laertes) returns to Writers' Theatre where he previously appeared in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and Arms and the Man. Chicago credits include An Iliad, The Illusion, Wild Duck, Titus Andronicus, Uncle Vanya, The Romance Cycle, Hamlet (Court Theatre), The North Plan (Steppenwolf Garage), The Miser, She Stoops to Conquer (Northlight Theatre, After Dark Award) and more than a dozen productions at Chicago Shakespeare Theater including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Comedy of Errors, A Flea in Her Ear, Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-Upon-Avon), Love’s Labors Lost, King Johnand King Lear. Regional credits include work at The Mark Taper Forum, Notre Dame Shakespeare, Peninsula Players and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. Education: BS, Ball State University; MFA, Northern Illinois University. Mr. Kane is married to actress Kate Fry.
Ross Lehman (Polonius) returns to Writers’ Theatre where he previously appeared in She Loves Me, As You Like It, Bach at Leipzig and The Uneasy Chair. Chicago credits include Kiss Me Kate, Hot Mikado, Hairspray, The Producers and Fiddler on the Roof (Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre), As You Like It, Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors, King Lear, Troilus and Cressida (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 (Chicago Shakespeare and on tour to the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon); The Man Who Came to Dinner, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Waiting for Godot, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Joseph Jefferson Award), The Rover, A Christmas Carol, Stage Kiss (Goodman Theatre), A Man of No Importance (Joseph Jefferson Award), The Dresser (After Dark Award) and Where's Charlie (Joseph Jefferson Award, Apple Tree Theatre). Broadway credits include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (St. James Theatre), The Tempest (Broadhurst Theatre) and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre). His reprise of his role as Koko in The Hot Mikado in London’s West End production earned him a Laurence Olivier Award nomination (Queen's Theatre).
Liesel Matthews (Ophelia) returns to Writers’ Theatre where she last appeared as Bertha in The Father (dir. Michael Halberstam). Chicago credits include Lily in Waving Goodbye(Naked Eye and Steppenwolf Theatre Companies), Sally in House and Garden (Goodman Theater, dir. Robert Falls) and Morse in One Flea Spare (Naked Eye). Broadway credits include Anna in Vincent in Brixton (dir. Richard Eyre). London credits include Jenn in The Distance from Here (Almeida Theatre, dir. David Leveaux). Film credits include Air Force One (dir. Wolfgang Petersen) and A Little Princess (dir. Alfonso Cuaron). Liesel is the co-founder of the Blue Haven Initiative, which is focused on impact investing, and the IDP Foundation, Inc., which focuses on international education projects.
Julian Parker (Rosencrantz) makes his Writers’ Theatre debut. He proudly represents the Chicago-based Definition Theatre Company, of which he is co-founder. Most recently under Defintion Theatre Company, he co-produced and acted in The Brothers Size (Oshoosi) under the direction of Kathleen F. Conlin at The Alley Stage. In May, he graduated from the University of Illinois-Champaign with a BFA in Acting. UIUC credits include Satan in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Jib in Hoodoo Love, Angus in Macbeth and James Hewlett/Richard III in The African Company Presents: Richard III. He studied in London at Shakespeare’s Globe the summer of 2011.
Scott Parkinson (Hamlet) returns to Writers' Theatre where he previously appeared in Crime & Punishment, The Doctor's Dilemma, Booth, Candida and The Glass Menagerie. Chicago credits include sixteen productions at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, including the title role in Richard II, the Fool in King Lear, Caesar in Antony & Cleopatra and Speed inThe Two Gentlemen of Verona. Other Chicago credits include Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Guys & Dolls (Court Theatre), Angels in America (The Journeymen), Northlight Theatre, Goodman Theatre; title roles in Hamlet and Richard III, Iago in Othello (Shakespeare on the Green). Regional credits include Cassius in Julius Caesar, The Persians (Shakespeare Theatre Company), Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet, Seagull (Old Globe Theatre), The School for Scandal (Mark Taper Forum), Hartford Stage and La Jolla Playhouse. Off-Broadway credits include Stage Manager in David Cromer’s Our Town, Orson’s Shadow, The Third Story, Rose Rage and Crime & Punishment. National Tour: The 39 Steps. Broadway: The Coast of Utopia (Lincoln Center). TV: Law & Order: SVU. Parkinson is a four-time Joseph Jefferson nominee and the recipient of 2004 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for Rose Rage.
Larry Yando (Ghost) returns to Writers’ Theatre where he has appeared in Nixon’s Nixon, As You Like It, Bach at Leipzig and Rocket to the Moon. Since returning from three years as Scar in the national tour of The Lion King, Yando has appeared in Cymbeline, The Two Noble Kinsmen, Twelfth Night, The Taming of the Shrew (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), the world premiere of Goldbrick (Collaboraction and Walkabout Theatres), four years as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre) and Pangloss in Candide(Goodman Theatre and The Huntington Theatre, Boston). Other credits include principal roles at Court Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Milwaukee Reparatory Theater, Madison Reparatory Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Apple Tree Theatre, Royal George Theatre, Defiant Theatre, Theatre at the Center, Goodman Theatre and The Shakespeare Theatre Company. Yando was most recently seen as Roy Cohn in Angels in America, parts 1 & 2 (Court Theatre). He has taught acting at DePaul University, Northwestern University, Columbia University, Act One Conservatory, Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Classical Training Program and is a text/verse coach at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Yando has received Chicago Magazine’s “Actor of the Year,” The Reader’s “Best Actor,” DePaul University’s “Excellence in the Arts” awards and was one of nine national recipients of the 2010 Lunt- Fontanne Fellowship.