Russ Tutterow Artistic Director
Brian Loevner Managing Director
32 years developing playwrights and new plays
presents The World Premiere of
Hickorydickory by Marisa Wegrzyn Directed by Russ Tutterow Scenic Design Simon Lashford
Sound Design Barry Bennett +
Lighting Design Jeff Pines +
Props Design Jenniffer J. Thusing*
Costume Design Samantha Jones
Special Effects Design Ryan Oliver
Stage Management Jenniffer J. Thusing*
May 5, 2011 – June 12, 2011 Hickorydickory was developed in part through the readings and workshops at Chicago Dramatists. Hickordickory is funded in part through a generous grant from the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation. Chicago Dramatists 1
Chicago Dramatists Presents A World Premiere Production
Hickorydickory by Resident Playwright Marisa Wegrzyn Directed by Artistic Director Russ Tutterow CAST Jimmy/Richard....................................................................................................Thomas Gebbia* Kate/Helen................................................................................................................Gail Rastorfer* Dale/Young Kate.................................................................................................... Cathlyn Melvin Rowan/Young Jimmy..................................................................................................... Tyler Ross Cari Lee....................................................................................................................Joanne Dubach Hickorydickory runs approximately two hours and thirty minutes, with a ten minute intermission after Acts One and Two. Please turn off all cell phones and electronic pagers. The use of cameras, video recorders, and audio recorders is forbidden. P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F Stage Manager......................................................................................... Jenniffer J. Thusing* Production Manager............................................................................................... Emily Duffin House/Bar Manager.................................................................................................. Stacey High Assistant Director.................................................................................................... Emmi Hilger Public Relations..........................................................................Noreen Heron & Associates Technical Director.......................................................................................... Caleb McAndrew Master Electrician .............................................................................................Andrew Iverson Graphic Design and Photographer .................................................................Paul Grigonis Interns ........................................................................ Allison Bodnar-Jaros, Sally LaRowe, Elissa Newcorn, Louis Schermerhorn, Kevin Sheehan, Joy Young * Member of Actor’s Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States. + Denotes Chicago Dramatists Associate Artist SPECIAL THANKS Gene Bertram, Bertram Clock Repair, Good Samaritan Hospital Facilities Dept, Bob and Sue Duffin, Nancy and Jim Duffin, Swiss Service Center, Trina Kakacek, David Barr, Madelyn Sergel, Christine Pascual
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A B O U T C H I C AG O D R A M AT I S T S Welcome to Chicago Dramatists. Since 1979, our mission has stayed true and fast: to discover and nurture the playwrights of the future. The productions in the 2010-2011 were developed in part through Chicago Dramatists programs and represent the wide spectrum of material that Chicago Dramatists fosters. Working with over 500 playwrights annually, Chicago Dramatists’ most important sign of achievement is its nurturing of compelling, challenging and diverse plays that move on to productions, earn awards, and define the American theatre. In 2007/2008, our plays earned 9 Jeff Nominations and won 4 Jeff Awards including Best Production, one of which was Keith Huff’s A Steady Rain, which went on to a Broadway run last fall. Moreover, in the past year our plays have seen over 800 productions, awards, readings or festival presentations, helping enrich the lives of thousands of theatre patrons across the country, exporting Chicago voices to the nation and boosting Chicago Dramatists’ status as one of the nation’s foremost new play development theatres. Chicago Dramatists boasts 40 Chicago Resident Playwrights, while our associate membership – The Playwrights Network – serves nearly 200 writers, nationwide. Chicago Dramatists also nurtures playwrights and new plays through our Playwrights Studio Classes, the popular 10-Minute Workshop, educational programs at challenged high schools, and The Saturday Series. The Saturday Series is our foremost development program. Since 1979 over 1,400 plays have been presented in this weekly staged reading series. Saturdays at 2:00 pm, year-round, audiences can see and discuss some of the best new work in development in Chicago. Please join us! For more information on our many programs, please visit our web site at www.chicagodramatists.org. Chicago Dramatists is a professional theatre producing in accordance with Actor’s Equity Association, Chicago Area Theatres Contract, and is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the League of Chicago Theatres, the Producers Association of Chicago Theater (PACT), Bucktown/Wicker Park Chamber of Commerce, Oak Park Chamber of Commerce and the West Town Chamber of Commerce
BIOGR APHIES Barry Bennett (original music/sound design) Since coming to Chicagoland in 1993, Barry has had his music heard as far away as Salzburg and as near as the seat in which you are sitting. This group of folks would include 16th Street Theater (resident artist), Chicago Dramatists (associate artist), The Aardvark, Steppenwolf, The Goodman, The Art Institute, Emerald City, National Pastime, Cindy Brandle Dance Company, PROP THTR, Chicago Moving Company (composer in residence), Estrogen Fest, Writers’Theatre, Asimina Chremos and Breakbone Dance. By day Barry is a modern dance accompanist. He released 5 albums between 1997 and 2008 with his group MiLkBabY and just released his first solo album,“Death to Death!
and Other Tales of Uneasy Harmony” on the Madison based imprint of Uvulittle Records. Currently Bennett is Artistic Director of THE IMPENDING BEHAVIOR ORCHESTRA, a modular sound / movement / light performance group. visit barrybennettsounds.com Joanne Dubach (Cari Lee) is very excited to be returning to Chicago Dramatist’s stage after recently portraying Kitten in Bordello. Previous Chicago credits include A Life at Northlight Theatre and Moby Dick... Chicago Dramatists 3
B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) Rehearsed with The State Theatre of Chicago. She has also worked with The Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis, Theatre Hikes and Bloomington Playwrights Project. Joanne would like to give special thanks to Russ, Brian, Jenniffer, and everyone at the Dramatist for making the last six months so special! Emily Duffin (Production Manager). This is Emily’s sixth production working with the Chicago Dramatists Most recently she stage managed Dental Society Midwinter Meeting at 16th Street Theatre. Emily was the production assistant for TimeLine Theatre Company’s To Master the Art. She did properties design for Sinnerman Ensemble’s Too Much Memory and Co-designed for Seanachai Theatre Company’s That Was Then. She stage managed The Gimmick at Pegasus Players. She also traveled to Novafeltria, Italy as a stage manager she has worked on The Gimmick at Pegasus Players as well as La Traviata for the La Musica Lirica program in Novafeltria, Italy, where she also worked as a Production Assistant for Don Giovanni and II Mundo Della Luna. Special thanks to Mom and Dad. Thomas Gebbia (Jimmy/Richard) is very happy to be making his debut at Chicago Dramatists. Theatre credits include: Twelve Angry Men (Roundabout Tour), Living Out (ATC), Final Curtin (MFC), Lobby Hero (Madison Rep), Wait Until Dark (Meadow Brook), Bleacher Bums (Royal George), The Steward of Christendom (Organic Touchstone), Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Steppenwolf ), Racing Demon (Organic Touchstone), Hitting for the Cycle (Famous Door), Pocket Change (Organic), Cigarettes and Moby Dick (Latino Chicago), Birdsend (Victory Gardens), Astounding Science Fiction (Griffin), A Fewer Good Men (Lifeline) and others. Thomas can be seen in the upcoming film Contagion. Love to D. Emmi Hilger (Assistant Director) is absolutely thrilled to be working with Chicago Dramatists again after Assistant 4 Chicago Dramatists
Directing The Invasion of Skokie this past fall. She grew up in Michigan and graduated from Northwestern University in 2008 with majors in theatre and mathematics. Directing credits include Not About Heroes at Northwestern University, Get Comfortable and Internal at Gorilla Tango Theatre. In Chicago she has performed with Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, The Library Theatre at Feltre, Stage Left Theatre and A Lighted Match Theatre Co. Samantha C. Jones (Costume Designer) is happy to be back at Chicago Dramatists, where she previously designed costumes for Jade Heart. Around town her work has been seen at American Blues Theatre (Rantoul or Die, It’s a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph!) 16th Street Theatre (Menorca, Fires in the Mirror, Unveiled and The End of the Tour), Remy Bumppo Theatre Co. (American Ethnic, Heroes, Night and Day), Peninsula Players Theatre (A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, Wait Until Dark, Around the World in 80 Days, Heroes, Over the Tavern), Congo Square Theatre (A Colored Museum BTAA nominated for Best Costume Design) and Florida Studio Theatre (Playmakers). Next she will be working on Brothers of the Dust with Congo Square Theatre. She is also a proud ensemble member of American Blues Theatre Simon Lashford (Scenic Designer) is delighted to work again with Chicago Dramatists after designing the scenery for Voyeurs de Venus in 2006. Simon is currently the Lead Designer for RedBox Workshop in Chicago where he designs theatre, children’s environments and museum exhibits. He also runs his own design and drafting company. Past Chicago Theatre credits include set, puppet and mask design for TriArt’s Offending Shadows, Seashore and Freedomland as well as set design for Fortinbras with Defiant Theater and Great Society with Famous Door. Past company credits include San Francisco and Santa Fe Opera. Simon received his B.A. with honors in Theatrical Design from Virginia Tech. Love to Allison and Wyatt for their support.
B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) Cathlyn Melvin (Dale/Young Kate) Cathlyn Melvin recently relocated to Chicago from Milwaukee, where she worked with companies such as the Milwaukee Rep, Youngblood Theatre Company and Milwaukee Shakespeare. Chicago credits include Spores of Eden (Two Weeks Productions at Rhino Fest), Make Me Love You (The Verge), Venus, The Capture (Prologue Theatre’s Landmark Festival) and I’m Gonna Go With Happy (TUTA Reading Series). www.cathlynmelvin.weebly.com Ryan Oliver (Special Effects Designer) has been helping actors bleed on stage for over ten years. Previous theatre fx work includes: Cleansed and Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage with Defiant Theatre; Among the Dead and Captain Raspberry with Factory Theatre; and lately The Great God Pan and The Revenants with Wildclaw Theatre. Ryan is happy to be working with the Chicago Dramatists. Ryan is the founder of Deathblow Productions where he is finishing his first horror film, Air Conditions. Learn more at www.deathblowproductions.com Jeff Pines (Lighting Designer) is an Associate Artist and the resident lighting designer at Chicago Dramatists, as well as resident lighting designer for Loop Players at Harold Washington College. He has designed a wide range of shows for Chicago Dramatists from the Playwrights for the 90’s through more recent productions including A Steady Rain, 10 Virgins, and this past winter’s production of Bordello. Jeff has worked with a variety of other Chicago theatre companies in the past including Famous Door, Noble Fool, Victory Gardens, City Lit, Rivendell, Powertap and Prop Thtr. Gail Rastorfer (Kate/ Helen) is pleased to be working with Chicago Dramatists. She has made Chicago her creative home for over 14 years working with
many area theatres including Northlight, Drury Lane E.P, The Griffin Theatre, The Chicago Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, First Folio Theatre and The Goodman. She performed regionally with Indiana Rep, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, Hope Summer Rep & The Hangar Theatre in upstate New York. Gail performs free staged readings with The Shakespeare Project of Chicago. You may have seen her in commercials selling vacuums, popcorn or cars. She is a proud member of AEA, SAG and is on the Chicago board of AFTRA. When she’s not acting, Gail shares a healthy appreciation for Star Trek and Andy Griffith with actor and husband Dan Rodden. Many thanks to Russ for his love of the process and to Marisa for her amazing words. Tyler Ross (Rowan/ Young Jimmy) is making his Chicago Dramatists debut with Hickorydickory. A native of Jacksonville, FL, Tyler moved to Chicago in late 2009. He last appeared in the critically acclaimed world premiere of Jackie and Me with Chicago Children’s Theatre and just before that, the world premiere of McMeekin Finds Out (Jeff ecommended) with Route 66 Theatre Company at Victory Gardens. Tyler can next be seen as Henry in Redtwist Theatre’s production and the Midwest premiere of That Face. Other stage credits include Adam in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), Homer in Anatomy of Gray, and Eddie in Over the Tavern. Film and television credits include the independent features The Wise Kids and Little Men, ABC Family’s Searching For David’s Heart, and national commercials for Snickers Ice Cream and Cricket Wireless. Tyler is currently represented by Paonessa Talent Agency, LLC. Jenniffer J. Thusing (Stage Manager, Props Designer) is always happy to be working with Chicago Dramatists. This is her second season serving as Stage Manager and third season as props designer for Dramatists. Last summer, she Chicago Dramatists 5
B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) and Robert Groth designed the set for Chicago Dramatists’ Aiming for Sainthood at the Pritzger Pavilion. Her work as a set designer with Robert can be seen on Seanachai Theater’s production of That Was Then. Jenniffer is a proud member of Actors’ Equity. Please visit her website www.jennifferjthusing.com. Marisa Wegrzyn (Playwright) received the 2009 Wendy Wasserstein Playwriting Prize for Hickorydickory. Her plays include: Killing Women, Psalms of a Questionable Nature, Ten Cent Night, The Butcher of Baraboo and Diversey Harbor. The Butcher of Baraboo was produced in Steppenwolf Theatre’s First Look Repertory in 2006, premiered Off Broadway at Second Stage in 2007 and was published in the Smith & Kraus anthology New Playwrights: The Best Plays of 2008. She is currently working on commissions from Steppenwolf and Yale Rep. Marisa is a Chicago Dramatists resident playwright and a founding member of Theatre Seven of Chicago. Her play State & Madison: The Chicago Grid can be seen this summer in Theatre Seven’s The Chicago Landmark Project. Thanks to Russ, the cast and the production team. Thanks also to Brian Golden, Erica Nagel, Bill Whitaker, Marge Betley and Carter W. Lewis for the early encouragement.
has worked as a business consultant, assisting sole proprietors and small companies in setting up accounting and office systems. He attended Virginia Tech and George Mason University where he majored in Theatre Arts with a focus on Arts Management. As an arts educator he taught circus arts, clowning, and general theatre for three years at Louisa Mae Alcott School in Lincoln Park. He lives in Humboldt Park with his two daughters, Carlisle and Lucy.
Russ Tutterow (Artistic Director): has nurtured the art and careers of countless playwrights at Chicago Dramatists, where he has been Artistic Director since 1986. In 2005, he received the Artistic Leadership Award from the League of Chicago Theatres for his “outstanding achievement in developing new plays and his long time contribution to Chicago theatre.” Most recently, he directed Chicago Dramatists’ productions of Jade Heart by Will Cooper, A Steady Rain by Keith Huff (Jeff Award for Production and New Work, Jeff Award nomination for Direction), How I Became an Interesting Person by Will Dunne, 10 Virgins by Laura Jacqmin, Water by Alice Austen (Jeff Award nomination for New Work), and Voyeurs de Venus by Lydia R. Diamond (Jeff Award for New Work). Mr. Tutterow has been involved in not-forprofit, commercial and educational theBrian Loevner (Managing Director): atre for over twenty-five years. He has is a theatre manager producer, production manager, and arts educator. He was directed, managed or taught for such Chicago theatres as Goodman, Victory a founder and the Managing Director Gardens, Royal George, Mercury, Briar of Theatre Conspiracy in Washington Street, Prop, Zebra Crossing, Igloo and D.C. In 1998, he co-founded TriArts, Inc., where he created programming partner- Cullen, Henaghan & Platt Productions, as well as Café LaMama Hollywood, and ships with the Chicago Park District, Gallery 37 and the Department of Aging. served on the 2005 First Look Council at Steppenwolf Theatre. Mr. Tutterow holds Over five years, Mr. Loevner grew TriArts an M.A. in Theatre from Northwestern into a Jeff nominated theatre with University and a B.A. in Theatre from strong support from the theatre community. Brian Loevner has also produced Ball State University. He was recently and production managed over 80 shows honored with the 2010 Spirit Award by the Equal Employment Committee of with companies such as Famous Door Theatre, Timeline Theatre, Collaboraction, The Actors Equity Association. and The Actor’s Gymnasium. Further, he
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FOR INFORMATION ON CHICAGO DRAMATISTS’ PLAYWRITING PROGRAMS CONTACT Chicago Dramatists • 1105 W. Chicago Avenue • Chicago, IL 60642 Office & Box Office: (312) 633-0630 E-mail: newplays@chicagodramatists.org Or visit our web site at www.chicagodramatists.org
Over 32 Years Developing Playwrights and New Plays RUSS TUTTEROW • Artistic Director BRIAN LOEVNER • Managing Director CYNTHIA FRAHM • Development Director RICHARD PEREZ • Associate Artistic Director ILESA DUNCAN • Director of Youth and Community Programming ROBERT KOON • Dramaturg RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHTS: Alice Austen, David Barr III, Scott T. Barsotti, Derrell Capes, Mary Ruth Clarke, Randall Colburn, Cheryl Coons, Christopher DePaola, Lydia R. Diamond, Will Dunne, Marsha Estell, Joseph Fedorko, Dana Lynn Formby, John Green, Sarah Gubbins, David Scott Hay, Jim Henry, Andrew Hinderaker, Ron Hirsen, Laura Jacqmin, Nambi E. Kelley, Robert Koon, Aline Lathrop, M.E.H. Lewis, Susan Lieberman, Arlene Malinowski, Ruth Margraff, Mia McCullough, David Alan Moore, Carlos Murillo, Tania Richard, Roger Rueff, Emily Schwartz, Steve Simoncic, Jon Steinhagen, Marisa Wegrzyn and Mark Young BOARD OF DIRECTORS: President Neill Shanahan, Vice President Patrice Fletcher, Treasurer Steven Shapiro, Secretary Brian Loevner, Maaike Almeida, Cheryl Coons, Mary Rownd, Roger Rueff, Carla Salvo, Lisa Shives, Arthur Sussman and Russ Tutterow DISTINGUISHED EMERITUS BOARD: Sandra Blau, Michael J. Keating, Ellen Krasnow and Dianne S. Rossell ADVISORY BOARD: Susan V. Booth, Dean Corrin, Michael Cullen, Ann Filmer, Gary Garrison, Arthur Kopit, Rondi Reed, Bruce Sagan, Steve Scott, Dana Singer, Chuck Smith, Edward Sobel and Michele Volansky RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHT EMERITI: Carson Grace Becker, Evan Guilford-Blake, Rebecca Gilman, Evan Guilford-Blake, Joel Drake, Keith Huff, Johnson Brett Neveu ASSOCIATE ARTISTS: Roslyn Alexander, Abu Ansari, Anna C. Bahow, Barry Bennett, Kristie Berger, Judy Blue, Daniel Bryant, Suellen Burton, Anna Carini, Justin Cholewa, Aaron Christensen, Wendye Clarendon, Victor Cole, Michelle Courvais, Kirsten D’Aurelio, Philip Dawkins, Cat Dean, Peter DeFaria, Sandra Delgado, Diane Dorsey, Ilesa Duncan, Cameron Feagin, Ann Filmer, Christine Gatto, Gregory Gerhard, Danny Goldring, Cheryl Graeff, Marguerite Hammersley, Kevin Heckman, Richard Henzel, Michael Kessler, Doug MacKechnie, Richard Marlatt, Morgan McCabe, Meghan McCarthy, Walt McGough, Michael Joseph Mitchell, Anthony Moseley, Ron O. J. Parson, Coya Paz, Jeff Pines, Joe Plummer, Tania Richard, John Sanders, Steve Scott, Kimberly Senior, Richard Shavzin, Aaron Snook, Edward Sobel, Stephen Spencer, Craig Spidle, Randy Steinmeyer, Don Stroup, Mark Ulrich, Penelope Walker, Andrea Washburn, Wendi Weber, Alice Wedoff, Ron Wells and Kerith Wolf Chicago Dramatists 7
CHICAGO DR AMATISTS RESIDENT PLAY WRIGHT NEWS SPRING 2011 Alice Austen – After a hiatus to finish her novel “The Geometry of Chance,” Alice Austen joined the writing team of Steve Pickering, David Blixt and Kevin Theis at Shanghai Low Theatricals. Alice’s play Destruction of Curves was produced at the Cave Theatre this fall and her play Best of All Possible Worlds will be seen in Milwaukee and Chicago this year. Her newest play Cherry Orchard Massacre will be read at Chicago Dramatists in March.
Will Dunne recently had a staged reading at Chicago Dramatists of his new play The Roper. Meanwhile his book “The Dramatic Writer’s Companion” is in its second printing and continuing to top the Amazon bestseller list in “Playwriting” and “Scriptwriting” categories. He also continues to teach sold-out playwriting workshops weekly at Chicago Dramatists and monthly at the Phoenix Theatre in San Francisco.
David Barr III – In 2010, David staged a workshop production of Mamie’s Angels at Rainbow PUSH to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the death of Emmett Till. In March David premiered The Moment (based on the The HistoryMakers archive and in cooperation with the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign) at the Krannert Center in Champaign. His biopical/musical I Gotcha! The Story of Joe Tex & The Soul Clan premiered at New Horizons in Pittsburgh and received eight Black Theater Awards.
Marsha Estell was honored with the 3Arts 2010 Fellowship and will spend two weeks of uninterrupted time writing her new play Water/Memory at Ragdale.
Scott T. Barsotti recently got married! Scott’s plays McMeekin Finds Out and Jet Black Chevrolet were produced in the fall of 2010 by The Route 66 Theatre Company and Curious Theatre Branch, respectively. Early in 2011 his play The Revenants will be produced by horror theatre companies in Los Angeles and Boston. Mary Ruth Clarke is working on a commissioned TV pilot about the dawning days of the unisex health club, and is happy to be learning the new discipline of writing for television. She is teaching Screenwriting 1.0 at Chicago Dramatists, and will teach 2.0 in the spring. She is also thrilled to be leading a Story Workshop for Google, through Chicago Dramatists. Randall Colburn just closed his horror play Ghostbox with InFusion Theatre and is opening Halfshut with The Right Brain Project on November 4 and And He Flew Over The Forest with Brain Surgeon Theater on Nov 19. He is workshopping his play Verse Chorus Verse at the DCA Storefront Theatre in January 2012 and is also working on a commission from Writers’ Theatre. Cheryl Coons’ musical River’s End will be presented at The Spirit of Broadway Theatre in Connecticut in March 2011. She’ll be creating and performing a New Year’s Eve show at Davenport’s in Chicago with composers Chuck Larkin and Beckie Menzie. In January 2011 she’ll also receive a 2010 ASCAP Plus Award for original work she created in 2010.
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Joseph Fedorko completed the fifth season of his political cabaret/variety show Democracy Burlesque at Mary’s Attic in Chicago, where he also serves as Executive Producer and contributing writer. Democracy Burlesque was featured in stories appearing in New City, Northwestern University, and WCPT radio in Chicago. Dana Lynn Formby’s play The Small of her Back had a workshop production at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. Her plays have been read at New York Theatre Workshop, PICT and Victory Gardens Theater. Her play Armed with Peanut Butter is being translated into Russian for the Playwright and Director Center of Moscow. John S. Green’s The Liquid Moon (Jeff Award) most recently had a reading at The Geffen Playhouse in L.A. His play, Twilight Serenade was published by Dramatic Publishing. He is developing a project Dare To Dream with L.A. director/producer, Nick Celozzi. Jim Henry’s new play Brother of All had a staged Saturday Series reading in November at Chicago Dramatists. His newest play Bury Me will have a staged reading at Chicago Street Theatre in February. Jim’s play The Seventh Monarch will be produced at Missouri Valley College in April 2011 and is entered into the American College Theatre Festival. Jim will also conduct playwriting workshops at the college during the run of the show. Andrew Hinderaker’s play, Suicide, Incorporated, premiered at Chicago’s Gift Theatre in June 2010, to rave reviews. The sold-out production was extended twice and was nominated for multiple Jeff Awards, including Best New Work. Andrew’s follow-up play, Kingsville, premieres at Chicago’s Stage Left Theatre in October. The production was named one of 11 shows not to miss by Chicago Magazine.
CHICAGO DRAMATISTS RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHT NEWS SPRING 2011 (cont.) Keith Huff’s upcoming theatrical productions include The Detective’s Wife at Writers Theater (Glencoe, IL), Pursued By Happiness at The Road Theater (Los Angeles), The Bird and Mr. Banks in London and productions of A Steady Rain in Barcelona, Budapest, and Paris. In film, he recently completed the screenplay for the film version of A Steady Rain (EON, Inc.) and is currently writing Kill Switch (EMJAG, Inc.) For television, he is developing The Brothers Buczakowski for HBO and Why We Fight for Steven Spielberg/DreamWorks TV. Laura Jacqmin will be in residence at the Royal Court Theatre in London this summer, as well as participating in workshops with the Goodman Theatre, Cape Cod Theatre Project and TFA’s First Light Festival. Her play “Dental Society Midwinter Meeting” (a NewCity Stage Top 5 New Plays of 2010) will be remounted at Chicago’s Theater on the Lake, June 29-July 3, 2011. She is currently working on commissions for the Goodman, South Coast Rep, Arden Theatre Company, EST/Sloan Project and InterAct Theatre. Aline Lathrop’s Bordello was produced by Chicago Dramatists this season, from January 27 - March 7. The play was a recent semi-finalist for the Trustus Playwrights Festival. Susan Lieberman’s musical Crazy Mary (lyrics by Jan Trannen, composer, Jay Schwandt) was presented as a reading in the Saturday Series this January, directed by Michael Halberstam. Her play Praire Lights was recently produced by SDITC Theatre Company in Butte, Montana. A scene from The Pink Parlor will be included in the International Center for Women Playwrights’ Diversity Scenes Anthology. Arlene Malinowski’s solo show Aiming For Sainthood was produced by Victory Gardens Biograph last fall. She was nominated for a 3Arts award and will be Visiting Artist in Residence at the Quad Cities Arts Program. Mia McCullough most recently developed her play Impenetrable through Stage Left’s Down Stage Left program and The Anatomy Of Pain through Chicago Dramatists’ Saturday Series. She is currently working on two new plays and a screenplay, and will be teaching at Northwestern University once again this winter. Carlos Murillo is writing commissions for Steppenwolf, Playwrights Horizons, and The Theatre School - the last of which is written
for the graduating MFA actors and will be produced at the Merle Reskin Theatre in May. A Human Interest Story (or The Gory Details and All), which premiered in Chicago at Walkabout Theatre in 2004, will have its German premiere at Theatre der Stadt Aalen in February 2011. Diagram of a Paper Airplane will be produced at Zoetic Stage in Miami in May 2011. Christopher de Paola now resides in Miami, FL. He is Founder of the South Florida Playwrights’ Initiative, a development workshop aimed at thrusting South Florida onto the national stage as a premiere incubator of new work for the American Theatre. He is currently writing the book for a musical with 2-time Grammy nominated musician Elsten Torres. The musical will be developed and promoted through SFPI. Tania Richard’s play Selecting Memory will be produced at Northeastern Illinois University in February. Emily Schwartz’s The War Plays will be produced by The Strange Tree Group this fall, running October 28th-November 20th at the Athanaeum Theater in Chicago. The Strange Tree Group will also produce her The Three Faces of Doctor Crippen as a part of Steppenwolf’s Second Annual GARAGE REP opening in February 2011. Mr. Spacky The Man Who Was Continuously Followed by Wolves will be produced in March 2011 by The Catamounts in Boulder, Colorado. Jon Steinhagen is appearing as Big Daddy in Raven Theatre’s production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof through January 22nd. His play Aces will open at Signal Ensemble Theatre in May 2011. His film essays will be published in the book “Playbills to Photoplays”, due out this holiday season. Steven Simoncic’s play, Toxic Donut, recently won the NAAA (North American Actors Association) Playwriting Contest and received a staged reading in London. His play Broken Fences, will be produced in New York with Stageplays Theatre Company in February 2011 He has been published in the most recent edition of Conclave, a literary journal based in Chicago. Mark Young completed a film version of his play The Rocks over the summer. The Rocks was originally produced by the Side Project Theatre Company in Chicago. He is currently at work on a new play, A Short History of Chicago.
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F O U N DAT I O N A N D G OV E R N M E N T S U P P O R T Chicago Dramatists is honored to announce it received an Arts Engagement Exchange Grant from the Chicago Community Trust to partner with Harrington College of Design on a lobby redesign competition to enhance our patrons’ experience. The top three designs by Harrington Alumni/Student teams are on display in the lobby and the construction on the lobby and theatre façade will be completed this spring. Congratulations to the winning team: Student Matt McGrane and Alumna Sarah Kuchar of Perkins & Will. Chicago Dramatists thanks the following foundations for their generous support of our mission in developing new plays and playwrights for the American theatre. $25,000 + $10,000 - $14,999 The Elizabeth F. Cheney Chicago Community Trust Alphawood Foundation Foundation Polk Bros. Foundation The Arts Work Fund The Dramatists Guild The Gaylord & Dorothy The Illinois Arts Council, A $15,000 - $20,000 Donnelley Foundation State Agency James S. Kemper Foundation Northern Trust Charitable National Arts Strategies The MacArthur Fund for Arts Trust funded by Boeing and Culture at the Richard Prince Charitable Trust Company & The Joyce H. Driehaus Foundation Seabury Foundation Foundation National Endowment for The Ronald A. Green the Arts $2,500 - $9,999 Memorial Fund (a donorThe Shubert Foundation City Arts Program 3 Grant advised fund of the from the City of Chicago Chicago Community Department of Cultural Trust) Affairs
I N D I V I D UA L S U P P O R T M A K E S O U R WO R K P O S S I B L E ! You allow us to be the national leader in new play development! The following are gifts made between January 1, 2010 and April 1, 2011 THE GREEN ROOM CLUB MAJOR GIVING PROGRAM Donors of $250 or more annually are welcomed to the Green Room Club and take part in its exclusive events with the theatre artists whose work they make possible. We would be honored to welcome you to the Club!b! ANGELS $15,000 Jimmy John and Leslie Liautaud PRODUCERS $2,500 - $10,000 Gene and Jianhua Cordon Daniel R. & Carol K. Cyganowski Patrice Fletcher Cynthia & Tracy Gessele Steven & Betsy Peterson Jan & Bruce Tranen Neill & Janet Shananhan Lisa Shives & Shane Meegan Art & Rita Sussman SHOW STOPPERS $1,500 - $2,499 Anonymous Michael Keating Zoa Norman Janice V. Nowak Carla Salvo Thomas D. Patton 10 Chicago Dramatists
PRINICAL PLAYER $1,000 - $1,499 Maaike and Almeida Anonymous Antonio Baeza Derrell Capes Paul & Mary Lillios John Mahoney David Mair & Matt McGrane Tom Patton Eva & T. Powell Heather Rucci & Dave Diletti Richard & Susan Sanders Steven & Frances Shapiro TROUPERS $500 - $999 Anonymous Mia & Scott Bass Dr. Marvin & Joyce Berman Janet Burroway & Peter Ruppert Daniel Castellaneta & Debora Lacusta Steven Cohen & Mary Mikva Cheryl Coons
Will & Lynn Cooper Pat Curtis Dale Danner Louis & Harriet DiCerbo Will Dunne Rebecca Gilman Rob & Jean Marie Koon Paul & Nancy Knapp James LaForce & Stephen Henderson Susan Lieberman & Jim Stoller Michael Loevner & Elizabeth Sharp Douglas MacKechnie Arlene Malinowski & Dan Clark Tom & Becky McGough Michael & Christine Pope Dianne Rossell Mary Rownd Walter Sterns Beth Urech & Mark Gillingham SCENE-MAKERS
I N D I V I D UA L S U P P O R T M A K E S O U R WO R K P O S S I B L E ! ( c o n t .) $250 - $499 Anonymous (4) Alice Austen & Daniel Lawton Diane Baia Sandra Blau & Norton H. Kay Richard & Barbara Bull Kathryn Burkhardt & Steve Phelps Pamela & Scott Daly John Darey & George Gibson Marti DeGraaf & Toby Mack Susan & Marvin Dickman Neel French Ray & Bridgit Gaspard Rachel Goodstein
Victoria Granacki & Lee Wesley Patricia Heimann Jim & Dona Henry John Hern & Ed Jeske Beverly Ann Holmes Corinne Kawecki & Maureen Sweeney Robert & Jean Marie Koon Diana Lampsa Susan & Philip Larson Jonna Mogab George & Laura Nelson Janice Nowak Mary Parisoe Martha Reeves Robert & Barbara Richards Jennifer & Roger Rueff
Bill & Sandy Rumbler Richard & Martha Sabol James M. Schipp Roy Schreiber & Linda Chen James Schipp Steven & Karen Simoncic Patrick & Rebecca Spence Avy & Marcie Stein Catherine & Robert Wegrzyn John Westby Ann & Bill Whitney John Williams Mark & Jean Young
G I F T S TO T H E A N N UA L F U N D Chicago Dramatists appreciates all its donors. Please let us know if your name was omitted from this list. Visit www.chicagodramatists.org to donate securely on-line. Gifts of $100-$249 William Alcorn Mark & Deann Alleman Anonymous (2) Roland & Helen Baker Carol Ann Black Carla Canuso Sharon & Richard Carlson Christopher Cerimele Joyce Chelberg Deborah Dodge Gloria Donohue Rick Drell Deanna Dunagan Lori Dunn Nancy Ewing Katherine Fairley David Finney Judith Freed Robert A. Freedman Dramatic Agency Donald J. Gecewicz Greg Gerhard Cynthia & Tracy Gessele Evan & Roxanna GiuilfordBlake Chris Hallenstein Jane Harmon Associates Jim & Joane Hedegard Todd & Elizabeth Hensley Jane Heron Charlotte Jones-Carroll Lynn-Steven Johanson Philip R. Johnson Therese Jones Trina Kakacek Phyllis Kashuba
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G I F T S TO T H E A N N UA L F U N D ( c o n t .) John & Katherine Culbert James Cunningham Claudia J. Cyganowski Judith & Stewart Dan S.L. Daniels Mark Daskin & Babette Levy Eliabeth Deschryver Jill Devaney Major George & Mary Dempsey Mark Donahue Angela Dorner Diane Dorsey & Danny Goldring Cathy Earnest Linda Evans Madeleine Fallon Ingrid Fassbender Joe Fedorko Grace Fishman Rebecca Fletcher Ann Forsaith Joesph Foronda Jim Forsell Cynthia Frahm Marilyn Dodds Frank Beverly Friend Niles Frantz Judy Freed Mary Ann Galanti Donald Gecewicz Barbara Georgans Gregory Gerhard Glynn Gervais Jerry & Carol Ginsburg Martha Glynn Robert S. Goodman Gary Gordon Ann Graham Patricia Gregoline Chrisiane Gruettner Scott Hammond Mariette & Vahe Haroutunian
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12 Chicago Dramatists