Gift-NightAndHerStars

The Gift Theatre Company Proudly Presents

Night and Her Stars “The first in time and the first in importance of the influences upon the mind is that of nature. Every day, the sun; and after sunset, Night and her stars. Ever the winds blow, ever the grass grows. Every day, men and women, conversing – beholding and beholden. The scholar is he of all men whom this spectacle engages. He must settle its value in his mind. What is nature to him . . .”

—Ralph Waldo Emerson, from The American Scholar

WRITTEN BY Richard Greenberg DIRECTED BY Michael Patrick Thornton ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Whitney Dibo SCENIC DESIGNER Adam Lucas Veness

SOUND DESIGNER Miles Polaski

PROPERTIES MASTER Rita Thornton

LIGHTING DESIGNER Scott Pillsbury

ASSISTANT SOUND DESIGNER Claudette Perez

STAGE MANAGER Sarah Luse

COSTUME DESIGNER Branimira Ivanova TECHNICAL DIRECTOR David Preis The Gift Theatre Company’s 2011 season is made possible, in part, by generous contributions from The Alphawood Foundation, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; Ronald Greene Memorial Fund; Chicago City Arts-Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs; Mirapaul Foundation; and the Illinois Arts Council, an agency of the State of Illinois.

The Gift Theatre Company 4802 N. Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, IL 60630 (773) 283-7071 www.thegifttheatre.org “Come Closer.”

March 3 – April 24, 2011 The Gift Theatre 1

CAST

and

CHORUS (in

alphabetical order)

Dan Enright......................................................................................................... +Danny Ahlfeld Al Freedman ................................................................................................... *+Paul D’Addario Sponsor.............................................................................................................................. Ed Flynn Warren Corso......................................................................................................Gabriel Franken Doris........................................................................................................................ Katie Genualdi Mark Van Doren.................................................................................................*Richard Henzel Jack Barry............................................................................................................................Joe Mack Toby Stempel.............................................................................................................Aemilia Scott Herb Stempel........................................................................................... Raymond Shoemaker Charles Van Doren........................................................................................... Jay Worthington American Chorus: Fans, Journalists, Contestants, Congresspeople, TV Personnel, Etc. Lindsey Barlag, Gabriel Franken, Katie Genualdi, Keith Neagle, Erika Schmidt Understudies: Katie Genualdi for Lindsey Barlag (After April 14) Understudies do not substitute for listed players unless an announcement is made at the time of the performance. * Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers + Indicates Gift ensemble member

AU T H O R ’ S N O T E A counter-myth is nothing more than the myth someone else believes. Night and Her Stars is based in history, has much in common with history, must not be mistaken for history. Facts have been shifted, eliminated, recombined, and invented, according to dramatic need. And while characters of the play have far too much in common with their (well-known) real world counterparts for changing names to have been an option – it would have seemed a coy gesture – they have been freely imagined and should be considered virtually fictional. In other words, if, after encountering the play, you happen to meet one of the real people, presume nothing.

The play runs approximately 2 hours, 25 minutes.

There will be one 10-Minute Intermission.

As a courtesy to the actors and fellow audience members, please turn off your cell phone! The use of recording devices is strictly prohibited.

EXTR A SPECIAL THANKS !

4914 N. Milwaukee

2 The Gift Theatre

Belmont Barbershop, Brian Cicirello, Elaine and Dan Rivkin, Craig Steadman

P R O D U C T I O N , A R T I S T I C , A N D A D M I N I S T R AT I V E S TA F F Artistic Director............................................................................*+Michael Patrick Thornton Managing Director / Properties Master .........................................................Rita Thornton Technical Director / Set Construction.................................................................. David Preis Associate Artistic Director............................................................................*+Paul D’Addario Casting Director.............................................................................................. *+Hillary Clemens Publicist...........................................................................................................+Maggie Andersen Box Office Administration.......................................................................... *+Alexandra Main Graphic Designer.....................................................................................................Aemilia Scott Production and Box Office Assistant........................................................+Kenny Mihlfried Production Assistant ......................................................................................... Frank Thornton giftED Director..............................................................................................Lindsey Ann Barlag giftED Consultant............................................................................................... +Lynda Newton giftFILM Co-Directors.............................................Tom Blandford and +William Nedved giftLATENIGHT Director.................................................................................................. Ed Flynn New Play Development Co-Directors.........+Maggie Andersen and +Jenny Connell * Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers + Indicates Gift ensemble member

THE GIF T ENSEMBLE Danny Ahlfeld, Maggie Andersen, *Hillary Clemens, Jenny Connell, John Kelly Connolly, *Paul D’Addario, *Brendan Donaldson, Mary Fons, *John Gawlik, *Alexandra Main, Kenny Mihlfried, Benjamin Montague, William Nedved, Lynda Newton, Sheldon Patinkin, Maureen Payne-Hahner, and *Michael Patrick Thornton. * Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers

B OA R D O F D I R E C TO R S Paul Botts, John Brahm, George Karzas, William Patrick Nedved, Carrie Schloss, Michael Patrick Thornton, Rita Thornton, Michael Valenti, Shannon Wallace

A R T I S T I C A DV I S O R S Dr. Eric Forsythe, B.J. Jones, Tina Landau, Jeff Perry, Rondi Reed, Mary Ann Thebus, Norm Tobin

4914 N. Milwaukee

The Gift Theatre 3

PROFILES Danny Ahlfeld (Dan Enright) is an ensemble member at The Gift where he just completed working as assistant director to Sheldon Patinkin on The Gift’s production of The Lonesome West in which he also performed 6 shows as Coleman. Other Gift plays include the Police Officer in last season’s extension of Suicide Incorporated; Scotty in Summer People directed by Gift ensemble member Paul D’ Addario; A Young Man In Pieces (Dane), County Fair (Jim Olsen), and Orestes 2.0 (Tapemouth Man) all directed by Michael Patrick Thornton; The Last Days of Judas Iscariot; and “6”. Danny directed Streamers and The Executioner’s Daughter at The Gift and assistant directed White People. He has worked with theater companies such as Mary-Arrchie (The Job/ Cementville), Center Theater (Who Made Robert DeNiro King of America), Dark Ladder Ensemble (War Notebooks), The Elevated Theater (Barefoot in the Park, Steambath), Profiles when they were Red Bones (The Water Engine), Sideway Theater (Mr. Baseball,) Pegasus (Stage Floor Sweeper, Sound Engineer) among others that no longer exist. He has studied throughout Chicago as a Meisner actor and in N.Y.C. at Esper Studios with William Esper. He also studied at Players Workshop of The Second City and studied the Art of Slow Comedy with Jimmy

Caranen. Danny will be seen in the motion picture Return to the Hiding Place as Smit being released this summer, and will be filming Margarine Wars this spring playing the Judge.

Danny is represented by Gray Talent. “Thanks to Dawn Gray and Brooke Shoemaker and George Poulson: you changed my world. I also would like to thank Timmy Donohue for bringing me to Disney World in the 90’s.”

Lindsey Barlag (American Chorus) is a Chicago actor, director and educator. She is the Co-founder and Artistic Director of Genesis Ensemble. Her most recent projects include acting in David Cromer’s Cherrywood at MaryArrchie, devising In Love’s Bright Coils with Genesis, and directing for Almost Maine at The Gift. She has developed curriculum and led theatre workshops around the United States, Europe and Australia working with Writers’ Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Fringe Benefits. Lindsey currently serves as the Education Associate at Steppenwolf, and is very excited to begin work as Director of Education for giftED this summer. Much thanks and love to the cast, The Gift and Michael.

CUTS $17 SHAVES $33

APPOINTMENT HOURS Tuesday through Friday 8 – 7 Saturday 8 – 3 WALK IN HOURS Tuesday through Friday 9 – 6 Saturday 8 – 3

The Belmont Barbershop 2328 W. Belmont Ave. Chicago, IL 60618 773-296-0894 4 The Gift Theatre

P R O F I L E S ( c o n t .)

Paul D’Addario (Al Freedman) is a member and Associate Artistic Director of The Gift Theatre. At The Gift he has performed in twelve shows, favorite roles include Seth in Language of Angels, Eddie in Hurlyburly (Non-Equity Jeff Award for Actor in a Leading Role-Directed by Michael Patrick Thornton), Satan in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. He was most recently seen in The Gift’s production of The Lonesome West and now can check off “Being Irish” from his bucket list. He has appeared twice under the direction of Jonathan Berry in Griffin’s productions of Dead End and On the Shore of the Wide World.

He played George in Steppenwolf Young Audience’s production of Of Mice and Men. Paul was a member of The Actor’s Theatre of San Francisco where he worked on over twenty shows.

Ed Flynn (Sponsor) appeared in The Gift’s critically acclaimed Suicide, Incorporated and Mitch as a performing understudy in Writers’ Theatre’s A Streetcar Named Desire. Ed is also the Artistic Director of giftLateNight, which develops sketch comedy and improvisation at The Gift. In that capacity he directed The Gift’s Christmas revue, Get Behind Me, Santa! Ed is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and The Second City. He is not a graduate of Ohio State.

Collaboraction, Chicago Dramatists, Big Picture Group, Metropolis CPA, Tooth & Nail, The Nine, Theatre Seven, and Erasing the Distance. Thank you to her family and friends for all of their love and kindness, to Michael for the opportunity to return to this stage, and to Jay for being her favorite.

Richard Henzel (Mark Van Doren) is delighted to be making his first appearance at The Gift, and to be once again under the capable direction of Michael Patrick Thornton, for whom he played Candy in Of Mice And Men at Steppenwolf. In February, he starred opposite Frances Sternhagen in a staged reading of Beverley, a new play by Israel Horovitz, at Florida Stage. Other notable credits include Mark Twain In Person, The Action Against Sol Schumann, Affluenza, Salieri in Amadeus, Willy in Death of a Salesman, Walter in The Price, Reagan in Rap Master Ronnie, Bohr in Copenhagen, Coles in Other Peoples’ Money, The Duke in Huck Finn, Botvinnik in A Walk in the Woods, and Lord Buckley in Return of the Hip Messiah. Theatres have included Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Goodman, Second City Skybox, Lookingglass, Madison Rep, Drury Lane Water Tower, Marriott’s Lincolnshire, The Human Race, and Brooklyn Center at Brooklyn College, among many others. Among his TV and film roles, he was the voice of the morning DJ in Groundhog Day. He also publishes Mark Twain audiobooks (available at richardhenzel.com). This one’s for Sam--I love you, son.

Gabriel Franken (Warren Corso / American Chorus) is thrilled to work with The Gift. He moved from Seattle to Chicago last June to attend The School at Steppenwolf. Since graduating, he’s acted in the Nordic Spirit festival, Point of Contention’s Chaos Festival, a short film called The Red Button and he just finished understudy Griffin’s Port. Favorite Seattle credits include Oedipus, Fiction, Taproot Improv Comedy and Trofimov in The Cherry Orchard.

Thanks to Michael and the amazing ensemble.

Joe Mack (Jack Barry) was most recently seen in The Professional with Moving Stories Theatre along with Paul D’Addario. Other roles include Brilliant Traces, A Walk in the Woods, and Days to Come.

Joe has had the opportunity to work with Eclipse Theatre, Signal Ensemble Theatre, and The Artistic Home. He is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Chicago. He is thrilled to be part of his first production at The Gift Theatre. He is grateful for the support of his family and friends and for Kerry in his life.

Katie Genualdi (Doris / American Chorus) is incredibly delighted and honored to be given another opportunity to work with the inspiring artists of The Gift Theatre Company. Last year, she was grateful to be a part of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest as well as the remount of The Ruby Sunrise at Theatre on the Lake, a show she was lucky enough to experience twice! Katie graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University with a BFA in Theatre Arts. Since graduating she has worked with Signal Ensemble, Raven, New Leaf,

Keith Neagle (American Chorus) makes his Gift debut. Many thanks to Michael for the opportunity. Recent Chicago credits include: understudy for Samuel J & K (Steppenwolf ); Sweet Bird of Youth, Smilin’ Jack (The Artistic Home); The Pigeons (Walkabout Theatre), Everything Freezes (Sideshow); and Yes, This Really Happened to Me (Theatre Seven). A company member with Pavement Group, he has appeared in punkplay, fracture/mechanics, The Gift Theatre 5

P R O F I L E S ( c o n t .)

Arrangements, Lipstick Traces, and 365 Days/365 Plays. Keith is a graduate of the 2010 School at Steppenwolf. Thanks for your attendance.

Erika Schmidt (American Chorus) is ridiculously happy to be working at The Gift for the first time. She is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she studied theatre and fiction writing, and of The School at Steppenwolf. Favorite theatre projects include bobrauschenbergamerica (Susan) and The Monkey House, an original adaptation of stories from Kurt Vonnegut’s Welcome To the Monkeyhouse. Erika has worked at Northlight Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, WildClaw, and, most recently, with the Genesis Ensemble.

She offers profound thanks to Michael for an opportunity that means a whole lot, to Casey for every day, and to Chuck Saxon.

Aemilia Scott (Toby Stempel) is an actor, writer and film nerd. She performs at The Gift with its resident improv ensemble Natural Gas, and was seen last year in The Gift’s production of Almost, Maine. She can be seen performing with Ed Flynn in their two man show, Aemilia and Ed’s One Man Show. She is a founding member of The Best Church of God, and just finished a critically acclaimed run with the Church at the Victory Gardens Theater. She writes regularly for the Huffington Post. Please watch some videos on her YouTube channel entitled YourCivicTV. Stay tuned for the pilot episode of Liquors, Gift Late Night’s original web series, directed by Aemilia and starring Natural Gas. This is one of many websites: www.aemiliascott.com.

Raymond Shoemaker (Herb Stempel) is not one for hyperbole in his stage bios, but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t thrilled to be returning to The Gift stage with this production of Richard Greenberg’s Night and Her Stars. Besides being back up at Lawrence and Milwaukee with his friends and collaborators, this affords him the opportunity to finally work with Michael as a director -- something he has been wanting to do since witnessing The Gift’s searing production of White People. As for business: Raymond can currently be seen as a regular in the web-series PillowTalks, and last appeared in The Four of Us at Theater Wit, Cherrywood with Mary-Arrchie, and Streamers and The Ruby Sunrise with these guys.

6 The Gift Theatre

Jay Worthington (Charles Van Doren) is thrilled to be returning to The Gift as part of yet another fantastic ensemble and group of artists. Previous credits at The Gift include Perry in the Jeff nominated, critically acclaimed production of Andrew Hinderaker’s Suicide, Incorporated, Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and part of the TV crew for the Theatre on the Lake remount of The Ruby Sunrise. Other Chicago area credits include: The Side Project, Sinnerman Ensemble, Bentlight Theatre and Chicago Dramatists. Jay holds a B.S. in acting from The School of Theatre at Illinois State University (“B.S. get it? Always makes me laugh.”) and is a proud graduate of The School at Steppenwolf. Jay would like to thank all the Gifters, whom he considers family, and especially Michael Patrick Thornton whose friendship and belief he is truly grateful for. Thanks to all those in attendance, and lastly, to Katie: “Thank you for your infinite belief and support, my love. You are the physical manifestation of my heart.”

Richard Greenberg (Playwright) is the author of Take Me Out (Tony, New York Drama Critics, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Lortel and Drama League Awards), The Violet Hour, The Dazzle (Outer Critics Circle Award), Hurrah at Last, Three Days of Rain (L.A. Drama Critics Award; Olivier, Drama Desk, Hull- Warriner nominations), Night and Her Stars, A Naked Girl on the Appian Way and many other plays. He won the Oppenheimer Award for a debuting playwright, the first Pen/Laura Pels Award for a mid-career playwright and has twice been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. The playwright was represented on Broadway with his Tony Awardwinning Take Me Out and The Violet Hour. His play Three Days of Rain was revived on Broadway starring Julia Roberts and Paul Rudd in March, 2006.

Other works include The House in Town at Lincoln Center Theater and Bal Masque at Washington D.C.’s Theater J. He is a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre and an associate artist of South Coast Repertory. –Extracted from Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s website www.steppenwolf.org Michael Patrick Thornton (Director) Artistic director/co-founder of The Gift, Michael recently directed John Conroy’s My Kind of Town for Steppenwolf’s First Look Festival as well as Of Mice and Men at Steppenwolf. Directing credits with The Gift:Stop/Kiss; Santa’s Great American Depression Holiday Show! America; White People; Three Sisters; Long Day’s Journey Into Night; Hurlyburly; A Young Man In Pieces; Language Of Angels; County Fair; and Orestes 2.0. Other selected directing: the World Premieres of Sean Graney’s IS N UR B1UDS7REEM…and Mark Harvey Levine’s LA 8AM (Collaboraction Sketchbook) Picasso At The Lapin Agile (Noble Fool). Michael was a very grateful assistant director on Steppenwolf’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning August: Osage County. A Jeff Award-winning actor, Michael was recently honored with a Jeff-Nomination for his performance in Gift’s Suicide, Incorporated.

Other acting at The Gift: The Lonesome West, Natural Gas, The Ruby Sunrise, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, The Good Thief (Joseph Jefferson

P R O F I L E S ( c o n t .)

Award—Solo Performance), Boys’ Life. Other selected acting: the title role in Steppenwolf’s The Elephant Man; Cherry Docs (Next); A Skull in Connemara (Northlight). Michael plays Dr. Gabriel Fife on ABC’s Private Practice, appears in FOX’s The Chicago Code and will appear onstage at Steppenwolf this summer in Middletown. He lives blissfully in Jefferson Park with his wife, Lindsey, with whom he adapted and co-directed Colm Toibin’s Brooklyn for The Chicago Public Library’s “One Book, One Chicago” program.

Springs and Theatre Wit. Films: Dead in the Water, Lac Du Flambeau, Something to Eat and Tapioca.

Claudette Perez (Assistant Sound Designer) is a sound designer and sound engineer from Texas but has been working her way around Chicago for two years thanks to the wonderful Miles. She would like to thank Miles for all the wonderful opportunities.

Branimira Ivanova (Costume Designer) is a graduate of the Whitney Dibo University of Connecticut (MFA in Costume De(Assistant Director) works in the Education sign) and the International Academy of Design Department at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Technology (BFA in Fashion Design). She is through which she’s lucky enough to direct the happy to return to The Gift with Night and Her theatre’s after school program and work as a Stars. Other theaters she has designed costumes teaching artist in the Chicago Public Schools. for are Emerald City Theatre Company, Lifeline She’s also Steppenwolf’s Program Assistant Theatre Company, Steppenwolf for Young Adults, on First Look Repertory of New Work and a Noble Fool Theatricals, City Lit, Pegasus Players, former Steppenwolf apprentice in the casting Infamous Commonwealth, Bailiwick Repertory, department. Whitney is also a freelance writer and Black Sheep Productions. Out of state, she whose work has appeared in TimeOut Chicago, has worked with Connecticut Repertory Theatre, New City: Street Smart Chicago and The Blood Berkshire Theatre Festival (MA) and Miniature Orange Review. She’s also worked as a dramaTheatre of Chester (MA). Other performing art turg and assistant director for various theatres work includes local dance companies includaround town, including Steppenwolf, Chicago ing Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Luna Negra Dramatists, The Balliwick, TimeLine Theatre and Dance Theatre, River North Dance Company, Gus Urban Theatre Company. Whitney is happy to be Giordano Jazz Dance, Breakbone DanceCo and returning to The Gift after directing a few scenes Thodos Dance Company. Internationally, she for last year’s production of Almost, Maine. has worked with the National Portuguese Ballet and Introdans, The Netherlands. Branimira is a Adam Lucas Veness recipient of Certificate for Excellence in Theatre (Scenic Designer) is pleased to be designing Design by USITT in 2007. Her work was part of his second production for The Gift following the United States National Exhibit at the Prague on the heels of The Lonesome West. His work Quadrennial World Stage Expo in Prague 2007. has also been seen on stages throughout the region, including Metropolis Theater, Seanechai Sarah Luse Theater, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Writers’ The(Stage Manager) is excited to once again be workatre, and Light Opera Works. He is a founding ing with The Gift. Some previous Gift credits member and the former Director of Design for include Long Days Journey Into Night, W;t, Almost MidTangent Productions, whose unabashed Maine, The Ruby Sunrise, and The Lonesome West. manipulation of Shakespeare’s works has Other favorite stage management credits include earned them national recognition. He wishes Lady From Dubuque and Keely and Du (Infamous to thank Emily for being his foundation.

Commonwealth), Coronado (Steep), The Adventures of Captain Marbles and His Acting Squad Miles Polaski (Provision), Medea (BackStage), Hey! Mr. Spaceman!

(Sound Designer) is a Chicago sound designer, (Strange Tree), and What’s Behind Our Eyes (Erascomposer, musician and DJ. Miles won a Jeff ing the Distance). She is also a company member Award for his sound design of A Mouse in a and resident production manager with Infamous Jar with Red Tape Theatre in 2010. He is the Commonwealth Theatre (ICT). If you’d like to see resident sound designer with Collaboraction some of her upcoming work please check out and a music director/curator with SerendipICT’s summer production of The Fifth of July. ity Theatre’s 2nd Story. Working with many Chicago theatre companies, his favorite David Preis credits include Uncle Vanya (TUTA), Cadil(Technical Director) has contributed his lac (Chicago Dramatists), A Christmas Story woodworking, general handyman, and all around (Noble Fool Theatricals), Talk Radio (The Gift technical expertise to The Gift since 2002, becomTheatre Company), Winter Pageant (Redmoon ing Technical Director in 2006. He has worked Theater), The Hairy Ape (The Hypocrites/Goodas a luthier for nearly 30 years – making cellos man Theatre), Diversey Harbor (Theatre Seven), and basses for Englehardt-Link, Inc. based in Bloody Bess (BackStage Theatre Company), Elk Grove Village. David studied theatre and and Of Mice and Men (Steppenwolf Theatre). design at Illinois Wesleyan and has worked as the sound engineer for “The Night Crawlers,” a Scott Pillsbury Chicago area blues band. Throughout the years, (Lighting Designer) Since arriving in Chicago in he has designed, built, and/or coordinated light2000. He’s designed or assisted for several difing, set, and sound for a number of Chicago ferent theaters and dance companies: Albany area productions including critically acclaimed Park Theater Project, Ballet Chicago, Beverly productions of Tango and Josephine, The Mouse Theater Guild and Arts Center, Colaboraction, Singer both at Chicago Actors Ensemble, Brick/ Five Star Productions, GI Alliance, Gift Theatre, Walls Open Spaces for Shakti Dance Company, Prevail Dance Company, Pure Renditionz, Crying Woolf at Zebra Crossing Theatre, and Shapeshifters, Strange Tree, Theatre of Western Light Up the Sky at Gurnee Theatre Company.

The Gift Theatre 7

T H A N K S F O R G I V I N G U S A H A N D I N M O R E WA Y S T H A N O N E !

The Gift Theatre Company would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for “giving a gift of themselves” to us. This list reflects gifts received from January 1, 2009 through February 15, 2011.

If you have a correction or would prefer to remain anonymous, please call 773-283-7071. And a HUGE thank you to all of our loyal and generous subscribers! We gratefully rely on your continuing support.

LOCAL BUSINESS SPONSORS The Gale Street Inn A. Saccone & Sons LEADING BENEFACTORS Frank & Rita Thornton $10,000 - $25,000 The Alphawood Foundation The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation $5,000 - $9,999 The Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation Marty Gannon & Gannon Graphics $3,000 - $4,999 Ryan J. Christoi Ronald Greene Memorial Fund Mike & Tina Valenti $1,000 - $2,999 Douglas Brown Chicago City Arts Dr. Gerry & Maureen Gawlik George Karzas Illinois Arts Council Brian Wilson

$100 - $999 Frank & Sandy Barlag Paul Botts Mike & Diane Christoi Covert Creative Group Ann Dalton Mary Desler Tom & Colleen Doyle Andrew Hinderaker Molly King Guy Massey Dan & Cathy McHugh Mirapaul Foundation Patrick & Marietta Mullane Bill Mulliken William Nedved Janis Olausson Norman Patinkin Maureen & Christoph Payne-Hahner Neal Robinson Karen Schneider Carla Scott Christa-Marie Singleton Craig Steadman Arlene Tengel Jerry Thornton Terry & Kathy Xaverius Mary Ann Zgaljic & Bill Rowe

$1 - $99 Ida Goldberger Matthew Hinderaker Tom Lembo Eileen McNulty Grace Moran Kathleen O’Shea Madelyn Sergel Brendan Steadman Mike Villanueva Mark Walzak Seymour Zitomersky –

By Theresa Barker In-Kind Alexis Atwill Gabriel Franken Chelsea Gulbransen The Gift Ensemble Phil Hanes Tony V. Martin Photography David Preis

IN LOVING MEMORY OF DR. GERALD “JERRY” GAWLIK MEDICINE MAN, RENAISSANCE MAN, AND AN INSPIRATION TO THE GIFT May 18, 1942 – December 14, 2010

TO N A M E A F E W : P R O D U C T I O N S B R O U G H T TO YO U B Y T H E G I F T A Young Man In Pieces (World Premiere)

By William Nedved Dir. Michael Patrick Thornton May 20—June 27, 2004 National Pastime Theatre

White People

By J.T. Rogers Dir. Michael Patrick Thornton Jan. 3—Mar. 1, 2008 Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination— Sound Design-Midsize—Miles Polaski

Hurlyburly

By David Rabe Dir. Michael Patrick Thornton Jan. 5—Feb. 18, 2006 Joseph Jefferson Citation—Actor in a Leading Role—Paul D’Addario

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot

By Steven Adly Guirgis Dir. Kevin Christopher Fox Mar. 19—May 18, 2008 & Victory Gardens Greenhouse June 12— July 20, 2008

The Good Thief

By Conor McPherson Dir. by John Gawlik May 18—July 1, 2006 Joseph Jefferson Award—Solo Performance—Michael Patrick Thornton Blithe Spirit

By Noel Coward Dir. John Gawlik Jan. 18—Mar. 11, 2007 The Beauty Queen of Leenane

By Martin McDonagh Dir. Sheldon Patinkin June 14—Aug. 5, 2007 Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination— Actress in a Leading Role—Mary Ann Thebus

8 The Gift Theatre

W;t

By Margaret Edson Dir. by John Gawlik May 29—July 27, 2008 Joseph Jefferson Award Nominations: Production Play-Midsize; Actress in a Leading Role—Alexandra Main; Lighting Design- Midsize—John Horan Talk Radio

By Eric Bogosian Dir. M. Payne-Hahner April 2—May 31, 2009 Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination— Scene Designer-Midsize—Courtney O’Neill

The Ruby Sunrise (Chicago Premiere)

By Rinne Groff Dir. John Gawlik July 9—Sept. 27, 2009 Theatre on the Lake July 2010 Top Ten of 2009 TimeOut Chicago One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

By Dale Wasserman Dir. John Kelly Connolly Mar. 11—May 9, 2010 Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination— Sound Design—Miles Polaski Suicide, Incorporated (World Premiere)

By Andrew Hinderaker Dir. by Jonathan Berry June 10—Oct. 10, 2010 Joseph Jefferson Award Nominations: Actor in Supporting Role—Michael Patrick Thornton; New Work- Play— Andrew Hinderaker The Lonesome West

By Martin McDonagh Dir. Sheldon Patinkin Oct. 28, 2010—Jan. 30, 2011 Jeff Recommendation