HOW A BOY FALLS
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VOLUME 30 | ISSUE #3
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FOOTNOTES By Jonathan Abarbanel
New Windy City Hall of Famers Each autumn, members of the American Theatre Critics Association elect eight individuals to the Theater Hall of Fame. Those elected are inducted in a swank ceremony at Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre, where members’ names are inscribed on the lobby walls. The Class of 2019, inducted last November, has two newbies with special Chicago connections: Andre De Shields and Michael Feingold. Andre De Shields, who won a Tony Award in June for his featured role in the musical Hadestown, was born and raised in Baltimore but launched his professional career in 1969 in the Chicago company of Hair. Soon after he joined the original Organic Theater Company (an early Off-Loop force) playing The Raven in Poe and the cosmic arch-villain, Xander the Inextinguishable, in the three-part sci-fi trilogy, Warp! This is the show that brought him to New York in 1973 and led to a continuing string of Broadway credits, among them the title role inThe Wiz (1975), Ain’t Misbehavin’, Play On! (1997, his first Tony Award nomination) and The Full Monty (2000, second Tony nomination). De Shields also has written several works, occasionally directed and choreographed (he’s an amazing self-taught dancer) and also established a reputation as a theater educator and activist. He still has close friends in Chicago and has returned here to perform at Victory Gardens Theater and the Goodman. Michael Feingold was raised in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, moving with his family to Highland Park during his high school years (where he and I became lifelong friends). After attending Columbia and Yale universities, Feingold launched an extraordinary career as a dramaturge, critic, translator and occasional playwright or lyricist. His translations of The Threepenny Opera and Happy End, both by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, were produced on Broadway (and throughout the English-speaking world). But Feingold is best known as Chief Theater Critic for The Village Voice newspaper for 40 years and as Chairperson for the annual Obie Awards for several decades. Back in Chicago (where he still has family) his work has been seen at the Goodman Theatre and Lyric Opera, among other venues. Many other Theater Hall of Famers have Chicago connections, among them playwrights Lorraine Hansberry (A Raisin in the Sun) and David Mamet, director Robert Falls (Goodman Theatre Artistic Director for over 30 years), choreographer Bob Fosse (born and raised here) and producer Florenz Ziegfeld of Follies fame (local boy whose father founded Chicago Musical College, the precursor to Roosevelt University).
Michael Feingold Photo by Genevieve Rafter Keddy
Andre de Shields Photo by Lia Chang
Throw this Dog a Bone!
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FOOTNOTES
The 32 year-old Strawdog Theatre Company has been thrown out of the house again. In 2016 the award-winning Off-Loop troupe lost its Lakeview home of 25 years when the building was sold and razed for gentrification. Strawdog found comfortable digs at 1802 West Berenice (just off Ravenswood), which had been home previously to Signal Ensemble Theatre and Breadline Theatre going back to 2003. Now its déjà vu as the Berenice building (on a spacious lot with parking) has been sold for re-development. Strawdog must vacate by March 31. The company has decided not to find a third proprietary space to operate, but to seek a suitable rental theater instead; somewhere Strawdog can produce for at least three years without necessarily being the sole tenant, and without management responsibilities. Strawdog’s upcoming production of Thirst (Jan. 9-Feb. 15) will be staged at 1802 W. Berenice, but the season’s final show, Welcome to Keene, New Hampshire (April 16May 30) will be presented at the Filament Theatre, 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave.
City Increases Arts Funding Our September-October Footnotes reported that Chicago’s CityArts (sic) cultural grants for 2019 were more generous than usual, totaling $1.3 million vs. the usual $1 million, a small farewell gift from exiting mayor Rahm Emmanuel. The grants are administered by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), which last year provided $1.7 million (CityArts plus several other programs) in direct support to artists and cultural organizations. Now new mayor Lori E. Lightfoot has upped the ante again, adding $1 million to Chicago’s 2020 cultural grants for individual artists, organizations and arts corridors throughout Chicago, especially in communities of need. Cultural grants will total $2.7 this year, with at least $500,000 restricted for projects on the South and West sides, and in wards that have traditionally been least served by cultural programs. Funding increases include (1) $300,000 more for the Neighborhood Access Program offering grants to increase arts-related diversity, access and inclusion in under-resourced neighborhoods; (2) $110,000 more for grants distributed through the Individual Artists Program: (3) $140,000 in increased general operating support for arts and cultural organizations, distributed through the CityArts Program; (4) $350,000 for additional sector-building project grants in alignment with DCASE themes (2019 was Chicago Theatre Year, 2020 is Chicago Music Year), also distributed through CityArts; and (5) $100,000 more for DCASE’s ArtsSpace (sic) public programming grants. FYI, no one gets rich from the City’s cultural investment: grants to individual artists are $500$5,000, while those to other large programs and non-profit organizations are $5,000-$50,000.
A Big Heap from Little Grains Just as we were going to press, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation— which makes a point of supporting non-profit theaters with budgets less than $1 million (mostly much less)—announced findings from a survey of 41 of its grant recipients, all Off-Loop companies in neighborhoods from Chatham to Edgewater to Evanston . . . perhaps the theater where you are reading this is among them. Many of the participating troupes perform in true storefront theaters with 50 or fewer seats, and often perform only four shows a week. The survey found the 41 troupes produced 170 shows (nearly 70 of them world premieres) last season (2018-2019) which played to 267,400 patrons. One-fourth of the troupes charged $25 or less for a full-price adult ticket and one out of seven offered free or pay-what-you-can tickets. Despite the limited budgets and capacity, 56% of the theatres have dedicated educational programs or initiatives in their communities, with more than12,800 students served annually, and all 41 companies are dedicated to addressing issues of accessibility, diversity and inclusion. Jonathan Abarbanel reviews theater for the Windy City Times and is one of “The Dueling Critics,” along with Kerry Reid, heard every Sunday morning on “The Arts Section” on WDCB public radio 90.9FM. He’s a past Chairperson of the American Theatre Critics Association.
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Heroes Hit the Stage with Valiant Theatre By Amanda Finn If Nich Radcliffe were a superhero he would be Batman, because he is just a man.
pieces will run in repertoire in two sections. The Andrew of Capernaum, O’Connor and Richards shows together and the Murray, Moore and Lozano pieces together.
That’s the perfect simile for a man starting a theater company hyper focused on heroes, changemakers and valiant figures. Like Batman, who takes things into his own hands, Radcliffe wants the theater to make the world better. His company is his Batcave, his artists his Justice League and the craft is his Batmobile.
In the age of multi-million dollar superhero films and biopics, what use are hero stories to the general public? Do we still need heroes?
When asked what inspired Valiant Theatre, Radcliffe said, “Real people. Real stories. Valiant had always been the name - it comes from an old one act play from the 1920’s. [The 1921 Holworthy Hall and Robert Middlemass] But if you look up the word Valiant, the definition is ‘marked by courage, valor, and determination.’ So that was it - Tell the stories of the valiant to inspire others to live life more valiantly.” When Radcliffe was fifteen he was first introduced to theater and dreamt up the initial branchild of Valiant. It didn’t take him long to witness the power of the theater and the folks who create it. Collectively a group of artists, including the folks behind the scenes like playwrights, directors and designers tell stories that change people. They can “pluck a string” in someone’s heart that will stay with them long after the show is over. That “resonance” can, in turn, encourage action which inspires change. In highlighting valiant acts, Radcliffe hopes that audience members can embrace their own valiance. Launching in 2020, the mission of Valiant is to empower audiences with true stories embodying courage, valor and determination. Valiant’s first production is their New Works Festival running January 29 - February 15 at Otherworld Theatre, 3914 N. Clark. The original six works will focus on Andrew of Capernaum, Mary Tyler Moore, Pauli Murray, Renée Richards, Rudy Lozano and Sandra Day O’Connor. The
“Has there been a time in history we didn’t?” Radcliffe retorts. “I don’t mean to be flip, but the birth of our art form [theater] is based on the idea of heroes. We gathered around fires and told stories about our triumphs - we made ourselves the heroes of our own stories. Then the playwrights came and they wrote the tragic heroes [and] the evolution continued. I think now we’re back to a place in time that we need to make ourselves the heroes of our own stories again. But we need to be reminded how to do that - that’s where the stories of those who have already done it, come into play. That’s where Valiant’s mission finds its space.” So, in a city with over 250 theaters, what makes Valiant stand out? The young company is already seeing early successes and friends of his have asked about his “secret.” There is no secret, it all comes down to being dedicated to the mission. Radcliffe says Valiant is wholly driven by their mission and, although he is the artistic director, he will not constantly be directing productions. The company wants the artists telling the stories to be as varied as the stories being told. “This mission is inherently diverse, which means our story tellers - directors, actors, playwrights, designers, dramaturgs, stage managers, technicians - must be equally diverse. If they’re not - we’re failing,” he says.
Footlights on Chicago: Just in Time for Chicago Theatre Week By Amanda Finn Every year in February Chicago theater lovers of all ages can celebrate the art they love at a discount. Although there are often discounts available year round, Chicago Theatre Week (CTW) offers its own variety of discount opportunities. From the big equity houses to storefronts, Chicago theaters show up in droves for this event. In 2020 CTW takes place February 13-23 with tickets going on sale on January 14 at 10 a.m. Hosted by the League of Chicago Theatres and Choose Chicago, this 10 day event encompasses much of what the Windy City theater community has to offer. “Each year, Chicago Theatre Week introduces audiences to incredible shows at great prices. It presents an opportunity for every visitor and every resident to experience new work, fresh talent, musicals, improv, and more,” comments Deb Clapp, Executive Director of the League of Chicago Theatres in a statement. “Theatre is something that sets Chicago apart from other cities and Chicago Theatre Week celebrates that distinction and welcomes everyone in.” In 2019, 139 productions participated with over 593 individual performances for CTW.
Every year the ticket initiative grows with over 12,700 CTW tickets sold in 2019. CTW brings new audiences into the city and also allows Chicagoans to experience some companies that they love already or are introduced to because of the value initiative. In fact, 63% of attendees visit the theater of their choice for the first time! To help celebrate the annual event Footlights is launching its Chicago focused social media presence! In the past, Footlights social media accounts have been consolidated between three main cities, Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison. Now, to better serve our audiences, we’re splitting our accounts into Wisconsin and Chicago. This way we can better cover what’s going on in Chicago for the folks who live for the arts in the Windy City. Footlights Chicago will offer what we’ve already been offering on a much more focused basis. Casting announcements, new seasons, Footlights editorial and much more will be in store! We’ll see you at the theater!
BJ Jones
Timothy J. Evans
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
presents the World Premiere of
BY
STEVEN DIETZ DIRECTED BY
HALENA KAYS
Scenic Design Costume Design Lighting Design Sound Design Dramaturg Production Stage Manager
Lizzie Bracken Izumi Inaba, USA Jason Lynch Rick Sims, USA Tanya Palmer Rita Vreeland, AEA
Casting by Paskal Rudnicke Casting
OPENING NIGHT: JANUARY 31, 2020 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie
How A Boy Falls was developed with the support of PlayPenn, Paul Meshejian, Artistic Director.
SPONSORSHIP INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTION SPONSORS
OPENING NIGHT SPONSORS
NORTHLIGHT'S NEW SOUND QUALITY INITIATIVE SPONSORS
MARGARET & PAUL LURIE SEASON SPONSORS
NORTHLIGHT THEATRE IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY: THE DAVEE FOUNDATION THE OFFIELD FAMILY FOUNDATION
MODESTUS BAUER FOUNDATION
THE SULLIVAN FAMILY FOUNDATION
THE HAROLD AND MIMI STEINBERG CHARITABLE TRUST
RALLA KLEPAK TRUST FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Kirkland & Ellis Foundation | Polsinelli | Niles Township Corporate Fund | Jackie Mack and More | Dr. Scholl Foundation | Full Circle Foundation | Lloyd A. Fry Foundation | Mammel Family Foundation | Northwestern University | Sanborn Family Foundation | Colonel Stanley R. McNeil Foundation | John R. Halligan Charitable Fund 2 | NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
CAST & PRODUCTION CAST (IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE) Cassidy Slaughter-Mason.......................................................................................Chelle Sean Parris*..................................................................................................................... Sam Travis A. Knight*.......................................................................................................... Mitch Tim Decker*......................................................................................................................Paul Michelle Duffy*........................................................................................................ Miranda Understudies: Lewon Johns (Sam/Mitch), Emily Marso (Chelle), John Miraglia (Paul), Mary Nigohosian (Miranda) Understudies will not substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the performance. *Member of the Actors Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.
How A Boy Falls will be performed without intermission.
ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION STAFF Assistant Director...........................................................................................Ben Raanan Properties Designer........................................................................................Jared Davis Production Assistant...........................................................................Sapier Weinglass Additional Dramaturgy............................................... Kristen Osborn, Sarah Slight
Video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited.
SPECIAL THANKS
NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
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PROGRAM NOTES FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR If you're like me, you saw a movie or two over the holidays. There is something reassuring in the tradition of getting a gang together to see a film and going out after to talk about the themes or the plot, or just to laugh at the jokes all over again. One of the films we saw was Knives Out. Hearkening back to the style of Agatha Christie, Knives Out offered a murder mystery that felt both familiar and fresh. It reaffirmed my faith in mysteries and thrillers as a genre that is evergreen. But oddly, there aren't a tremendous number of them in the theatrical canon. When we did The Mousetrap, I thought many of our subscribers would have already experienced it, but that turned out not to be the case, and it surprised many of you. And many of you expressed a desire to have us produce another mystery. Why do audiences enjoy mysteries and thrillers so much? I suppose the intellectual exercise of working on the puzzle is satisfying. There is a kind of validation of values when the guilty party is exposed and justice is done. Our moral compass reassuringly points towards true north. Figuring out the solution, and whispering it in a too loud voice to the people around you is always a satisfyingly smug "I told you so" moment. (Though we don’t recommend doing so during this play!) As my artistic team and I read through as many thrillers as we could find, it occurred to me that perhaps a new one would be an opportunity too ripe to pass up. So I reached out to Steven Dietz who had several shows produced in Chicago last year and who has written many enjoyable mysteries and thrillers. It just so happened that he had one under construction and was excited to let us take a look. Moreover, he was amenable to working on it with us along with one of his foremost students and interpreters, director Halena Kays. The partnership felt right, and the opportunity to work with Steven, whose last play at Northlight was Lonely Planet in 1993, felt long overdue. Steven is one of America's most prolific playwrights and it is an honor to have him with us. I hope you enjoy the journey and the thrill of discovery in Steven's work.
BJ Jones, Artistic Director
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PROGRAM NOTES A CONVERSATION WITH STEVEN DIETZ Steven Dietz has built a remarkable career as one of the country’s most prolific and produced playwrights – his 30 plus plays and adaptations have received over 100 productions at regional theatres and offBroadway, and have been translated into over a dozen languages. One thing that is evident from Dietz’s Playwright Steven Dietz. Photo by John Ulman impressive body of work is his versatility as a writer – in the last five years alone, he has written plays for young audiences, contemporary adaptations of 19th century classics, and an intimate drama about literature and romance. With his latest new play, How A Boy Falls, Dietz tackles a genre that he has revisited throughout his career – the thriller. In a recent conversation with dramaturg Tanya Palmer, Steven Dietz talks about why he is drawn to this form, his writing process, and what sets the Chicago theatre community apart. TP: You’ve described How A Boy Falls as a thriller, which is a genre that you’ve tackled before, most recently with your play On Clover Road. What draws you to this genre, and what are the particular challenges of creating a thriller for the stage? SD: First of all, I believe that every play is a mystery. A thriller for the stage, then, seeks to ratchet up this mystery - making it urgent and dangerous, keeping the core facts in dispute, and generating suspicion of the character’s true motives. A thriller is really an exercise in active, ongoing distrust. This is a tall order within the confines of the theatre, but I find the pursuit of it endlessly delicious and gratifyingly maddening. I also think the theatre is particularly well-suited to this genre, though we sometimes (regrettably) cede our stories of this kind to other media. Film and television can manipulate my emotions and disrupt my expectations with ease. But the very nature of those mediums means the effect is inherently synthetic, rather than proximate. On the other hand, the theatre’s greatest “special effect” is the actor. And nothing is more dynamic to me than being taken on an unexpected journey into the heart and mind of a character in crisis – someone who is standing in the same room as me. TP: You’ve recently stepped away from teaching full-time, but you spent many years heading up one of the country’s most prestigious graduate playwriting programs. Has your time teaching changed your writing process at all or even what you write about? NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
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PROGRAM NOTES SD: Teaching forces you to cultivate active language for your own individual process. I think a large part of knowing something is naming it, and teaching makes you name what you know (or need to know). This has impacted my own writing in many ways. My mistakes have names! … but they also have tangible strategies that I can employ, things I learned while working on my students’ plays that I can apply to my own work. Teaching taught me that a play is made of both music and machinery. The music of my students’ plays (the mysterious effervescence of creation) is really none of my business. My job is to give them ways (machinery) to get those mysteries on the stage in a tangible way. I tried to model this for them in my own work. I’m wildly fortunate to make my living writing plays, but I don’t romanticize what I do. (I don’t know a serious writer who does.) I work at the machinery of the play and trust that the music will follow. TP: In the play’s introductory pages, before we dive into the dialogue, you include a wonderful quote from the existentialist author and philosopher Albert Camus: “He discovered the cruel paradox by which we always deceive ourselves twice about the people we love: first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage.” How does this quote connect to the story of the characters in the play for you? Was this a jumping off point for you when you started the play or did it come to you later in the process? SD: What a great quote, right? In typical Camus fashion he cuts right to the heart of the greatest human mystery: other people. How we perceive, invent, mythologize and judge them … and how our own self is formed (fulfilled? destroyed?) by this process. I found that quote in Camus’ first novel, A Happy Death, while I was writing the first draft of the play. His notion that “selfdiscovery” can be a “cruel paradox” turned out to be a great beacon for a play that was turning into a psychological thriller. TP: One thing that connects all the characters in the play – who are all coming from very different backgrounds– is that they are all hiding something central about themselves and their past from the people around them. Do you think that’s a natural result of the genre that you’re working in, or is that kind of deception something you were specifically interested in tackling in this play? SD: Gabriel Garcia Marquez noted that everyone has a public life, a private life, and a secret life. I take this notion as an article of faith in my plays. I used to ask this question of actors right before they made their very first entrance: “Okay, how many people are about to step onstage?” At first the actor would laugh and say: “Um, one.” And then we would dig down into how many people that character needed to be to navigate their day, their interactions, their life, and - by extension - this play. I don’t even think of the word “character” as a singular noun. I think of it as a plural. I want to make characters who are nimble and restless in the world. I want them to be defined by their situations – not their characteristics. This is heightened in a play like How a Boy Falls because a big part of the thriller genre is the gradual unraveling of characters’ motives and secrets. As you know, much of our work 6
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PROGRAM NOTES on various drafts of this play has been to sharpen these secrets - and also to find the most impactful ways and times to reveal them. Both suspense and surprise depend on the same thing: secrets. Hitchcock said: “It is the audience’s job to say ‘I know what is coming next.’ It is my job to say ‘Do you?’” TP: You’ve had a very successful career working in regional theatres all over the country – and really embedding yourself in a lot of different theatre communities, from Minneapolis, to Seattle, Austin, and of course Chicago. What, if anything, do you think is distinct and unique about the Chicago theatre community that sets it apart from some of the other theatre scenes you’ve been and continue to be a part of? SD: I’ve likely said this before, but the Chicago theatre scene is a marvel of fierce dedication to its actors, fearless appetites for new work, and exactly enough “second city” syndrome to fuel a vital sense of competition. I’ve had my best theatre arguments in Chicago. I’ve had my most unforgettable theatre experiences in Chicago. It’s always an honor, a thrill, and a true challenge to bring a new play to this city that has been so instrumental to my work. It also means the world to me to return to Northlight for the first time since the world premiere of my play, Lonely Planet, way back in 1993. I am grateful to this city and its theatres for not only taking in an “outsider” like me – but for taking the long view of my career.
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PROGRAM NOTES THRILLING HITS While it’s rare to spot a thriller on the Broadway stage today, this genre has a long and illustrious history in the commercial theater. Plays like Angel Street by Patrick Hamilton, Dial M for Murder by Frederick Knott, and Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie still count amongst the longest running straight plays on Broadway. But while these plays were all penned by British authors who tended to dominate the mystery/thriller genre, it was American playwright and novelist Ira Levin who ultimately claimed the prize for the longest running thriller in Broadway history with 1978’s Deathtrap. Better known for his novels like Rosemary’s Baby and The Stepford Wives, which were both subsequently turned into successful films, Levin was nonetheless a student of Broadway thrillers, Deathtrap, the longest running thriller in Broadway history and managed with Deathtrap to simultaneously capture and send up the form. The play introduces us to Sidney Bruhl, a once successful writer of thrillers who has had a series of box office flops. He has just received a script from a former student – titled Deathtrap in one of the play’s many metatheatrical gestures – that Bruhl is certain will be a surefire hit, so he plots to kill the student and claim the work as his own. When the former student arrives at Bruhl’s remote Connecticut home, carnage, plot twists, suspense – and hilarity – ensues. Lauded by critic Walter Kerr as “an absolute knockout of suspense melodrama” the play was nominated for four Tony awards and ran for 1,793 performances. It went on to receive productions on London’s West End, was adapted into a film starring Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve, and according to one critic has been produced by “virtually every theater company in the Englishspeaking world.” The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie is one of Northlight’s best-selling productions.
Article Excerpted From: In The Long Run: A Cultural History of Broadway’s Hit Plays by Jordan Schildcrout. New York: Routledge, 2020
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Pictured: Eric Gerard, Jennifer Latimore, David Alan Anderson, Kayla Raelle Holder, DiMonte Henning and Ayanna Bria Bakari. Photo by Frank Ishman.
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PROFILES TIM DECKER (Paul) returns to Northlight after appearing in City of Conversation. Other notable work includes Hamlet, Mary Stuart, Romeo and Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare); Spill (Timeline); Stop. Reset (Goodman); Million Dollar Quartet (Apollo Theatre); Peoples Temple, Dark at the Top of the Stairs (ATC); Complete History of America Abridged (Noble Fool); All My Sons (Milwaukee Rep); Toys in the Attic (Lead Actor-Jeff Award, American Blues). Film: Slice, Later Days, Thrill Ride, Bad City, Uncle John, and Ash. TV: Chicago Justice, Empire, Chicago Fire, Boss, Detroit 187, Turks, Cupid and online work with The Onion. MICHELLE DUFFY (Miranda) Northlight: Blues in the Night, Quilters, and Hedda Gabler. Other Chicago credits include First Wives Club (Oriental); Cry, The Beloved Country, Riverview, Vivisections from the Blown Mind (Goodman). Broadway: Leap of Faith. Off-Broadway: Heathers, The Musical (New World Stages). Regional: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (Guthrie); Sweat (Pittsburgh Public); Other Desert Cities (Rubicon Theater); Getting the Band Back Together (George Street Playhouse); Next to Normal (Farmers Alley Theatre); Legacy of Light (Cleveland Playhouse); Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Milwaukee Rep); A Streetcar Named Desire (American Conservatory Theater); Suddenly Last Summer (Berkeley Rep); MASK, Can-Can (Pasadena Playhouse); The Boswell Sisters, Some Lovers (Old Globe); among others. Select TV/Film: Succession, The Night of, Blue Bloods, The Good Wife, Elementary, The Closer, The Hudson Tribes, The Haunting Hours, and Pitching Tents. Proud member of Actors’ Equity. TRAVIS A. KNIGHT (Mitch) is happy to be making his Northlight Theatre debut. He is a proud member of the artistic ensemble at A Red Orchid Theatre where he has appeared in Small Mouth Sounds and Grey House. Other credits include: The Crucible (Steppenwolf); Ah, Wilderness!, Christmas Carol, The Sign in Sidney
Brustein’s Window, Measure for Measure, and Camino Real (Goodman); Camelot (Drury Lane); The Brothers Size (Milwaukee Chamber Theatre); and A Streetcar Named Desire (Uprooted Theatre). He also spent five seasons at American Players Theatre appearing in The Tempest, Glass Menagerie, Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Richard III. TV and web series: Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Chicago Med, Mind Games, and Dad Man Walking. Film: Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party and Runner. SEAN PARRIS (Sam) returns to Northlight where he was previously seen in Curve of Departure and The Whipping Man. Other Chicago credits include a two man show entitled Space Age with real life intimate partner Ricardo Gamboa (Free Street Theatre); Blues for an Alabama Sky (Court); The Magic Play (Goodman, Portland Center Stage at the Armory, Syracuse Stage); Compass, Animal Farm, The Drunken City (Steppenwolf); and A Girl With Sun in Her Eyes (Pinebox Theatre). TV: Chicago PD (NBC), The Chi (Showtime), and Brujos (OpenTV’s original web series). Sean was born in L.A., raised in Miami and Georgia by his amazing mom, and currently lives in Chicago. Sean received his MFA from Depaul University’s Theatre School, is a graduate of Black Box Acting Academy and is represented by Paonessa Talent Agency. CASSIDY SLAUGHTERMASON (Chelle) is a Chicago based artist by way of Portland, OR. Recent regional acting credits include Kiss (Haven Theatre), Killed a Man (Joking) (The Sound Theatre/First Floor), Natural Affection (Eclipse Theater), Significant Other (Theatre Wit/About Face Theatre), Scapegoat (New Colony), Rapture Blister Burn (Goodman, Jeff nominated for supporting actress), Animal Farm (u/s for Steppenwolf for Young Adults). Film and TV credits include: Later Days, Mixtape, Chicago Fire, APB, Easy, Mom and Dad. Cassidy is a co-creator of the OTV web series The Exquisite Corpse, a founding ensemble member of One Year Chekhov, and a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf. She is represented by Paonessa Talent. NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
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PROFILES STEVEN DIETZ (Playwright) Northlight: Lonely Planet (world premiere). Recent Chicago: Bloomsday (Remy Bumppo), On Clover Road (American Blues), Mad Beat Hip & Gone (Promethean). Recent Premieres: This Random World, Dracula: Mina’s Quest, The Great Beyond and The Ghost of Splinter Cove. Off-Broadway: Fiction (Roundabout Theatre Company). Regional: Thirty-plus plays and adaptations produced at America’s most prominent resident theatres. International: Productions in over twenty foreign countries. Translated into a dozen languages. Awards: Steinberg New Play Citation (Bloomsday); Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays Award (Fiction, Still Life with Iris); PEN USA West Award in Drama (Lonely Planet); Edgar Award® for Best Mystery Play (Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure). Other: In 2019, Dietz was once again named one of the 20 most-produced playwrights in America. He currently serves as a Dramatists Guild “Traveling Master” – teaching workshops in playwriting, story-making and collaboration around the country. He and his wife, playwright Allison Gregory, divide their time between Seattle and Austin. HALENA KAYS (Director) Select Chicago credits include: Endgame, Ivywild, Six Characters in Search of an Author (The Hypocrites); The Magic Play, Feast as part of a collaborative directing effort with The Albany Park Theatre Project (Goodman); Lord of the Flies (Steppenwolf); On Clover Road (American Blues Theater). Halena is an Artistic Associate with the Neo-Futurists where she directed Comfortable Shoes, Pop/Waits, 44 Plays for 44 Presidents, Burning Bluebeard, Daredevils, Daredevils Hamlet and Fake Lake. Regional: The Magic Play (The Olney Theater Center, Actor’s Theater of Louisville, Portland Center Stage and Syracuse Stage), Love Song (Nashville Story Garden), and Secretary (Nashville Rep’s Ingram New Works Festival). Halena has been nominated for Jefferson awards for Best Supporting Actress, Best Direction, and Best Production and is a recipient of the prestigious 3Arts award. She is an assistant professor at Northwestern University and proud member of SDC. LIZZIE BRACKEN (Scenic Design) is delighted to be designing at Northlight for the first time. Chicago credits include The Magic Play (Goodman); Lord of the Flies, The Book Thief, Blacktop Sky, and See What I Wanna See (Steppenwolf); Burning Bluebeard (The Ruffians); On 12
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Clover Road (American Blues); Endgame, Ivywild and Six Characters in Search of an Author (The Hypocrites); PopWaits and 44 plays for 44 Presidents (The Neo-Futurists). Regional Credits include Breath of Life (Portland Center Stage); The Magic Play (Actors Theatre of Louisville, Portland Center Stage, and Olney Theatre Center). Lizzie received her Bachelors of Architecture from the University of Notre Dame, and MFA in Theatrical Design from The University of Texas at Austin. IZUMI INABA (Costume Design) is thrilled to be at Northlight again after designing The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, Mother of the Maid, Mansfield Park, Faceless, The Mousetrap, Charm, and You Can’t Take It With You. Her recent design credits include A Doll’s House (Writers), Pride and Prejudice (Long Wharf, CT), and Verboten (House). Izumi is a resident artist at Albany Park Theater Project. She received the Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award, and her MFA in Stage Design from Northwestern University. JASON LYNCH (Lighting Design) is a Chicago-based lighting designer and makes his Northlight Theatre debut with this production. Other Chicago credits include: Lottery Day, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (upcoming) (Goodman); The First Deep Breath (Victory Gardens); Kill Move Paradise (TimeLine); and The Total Bent (Haven Theatre). Regional credits include: Hairspray (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); A Doll’s House, A Doll’s House, Part 2, The Wild Party, Drag On (Denver Center for the Performing Arts); and Feeding Beatrice (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis). He is also the recipient of the 2019 Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award which recognizes emerging theatrical designers within the Chicago area. Jason is a proud member of The Association of Lighting Designers and alumnus of The Santa Fe Opera. www.jasondlynch.com RICK SIMS (Sound Design) has composed and designed sound for numerous Chicagoarea theaters, including Steppenwolf, Lookingglass, Congo Square theatre, Writers, Lifeline, Griffin, Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Hypocrites, House, Court, ATC, Victory Gardens, Raven, Steep, Northlight and About Face. Regional credits include Arena Stage, McCarter Theatre, and Roundhouse Theatre in Washington D.C., Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, South Coast Rep in Southern California, The Getty, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, Arden Theatre Company in
PROFILES Philadelphia, Playwrights Horizons in New York City, Actors Theatre of Louisville and Portland Playhouse. Sims won a Jeff Award for sound design for Moby Dick, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Hepheastus (Lookingglass), and a BTA award for Brothers In the Dust (Congo Square). He is an artistic associate of Lookingglass, and artistic affiliate with American Blues. Sims also wrote the book, music and lyrics for Hillbilly Antigone (Lookingglass). TANYA PALMER (Dramaturg) is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Theatre, Drama and Contemporary Dance at Indiana University. Prior to joining the faculty at IU, she was the Director of New Play Development at Goodman Theatre where she curated and produced New Stages, the theatre’s annual new play festival, and served as the production dramaturg on a number of world premieres including Dana H. by Lucas Hnath, an original adaptation of Roberto Bolaño’s 2666 written and directed by Seth Bockley and Robert Falls, and the Pulitzer Prizewinning Ruined by Lynn Nottage. Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, she holds an MFA in Playwriting from York University in Toronto. RITA VREELAND (Production Stage Manager) is proud to be in her 13th season at Northlight, where she has been the stage manager for 35 productions. Other recent projects: The Polar Express train ride, seven seasons of The Christmas Schooner at Mercury Theater, and productions at Victory Gardens, Route 66 Theatre Company, Theatre at the Center, and Northlight’s productions of Chapatti and Stella & Lou in Galway, Ireland. She is the proud wife of actor Tom Hickey and mom to seven-year-old Charlie, and is celebrating her 20th year as a member of Actors' Equity Association. Thank you for supporting live theatre! BJ JONES (Artistic Director) is in his 22nd season as Artistic Director of Northlight. Mr. Jones is a two-time Joseph Jefferson Award Winning actor and a three-time nominated director. He has directed the world premieres of Relativity, Charm,
Faceless, White Guy on the Bus, Chapatti, The Outgoing Tide (Jeff Nomination,) Better Late, and Rounding Third. Notably he has directed productions of Outside Mullingar, Grey Gardens, The Price, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Curve of Departure, and The Beauty Queen of Leenane. As a producer he has guided the world premieres of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, Shining Lives, The Last Five Years, and Studs Terkel’s ‘The Good War.’ Additional directorial credits include Pitmen Painters (Jeff Nomination, Timeline); 100 Saints You Should Know (Steppenwolf); Glengarry Glen Ross (Susie Bass Nomination, Alliance Theatre, Atlanta); The Lady with All the Answers (Cherry Lane, New York); Animal Crackers (Baltimore Center Stage); Three Musketeers, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing (Utah Shakespeare Festival), and four productions at the Galway International Arts Festival. As a performer, he has appeared at Northlight, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Court and other theatres throughout Chicago. Film/TV credits include The Fugitive, Body Double, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Early Edition, Cupid, and Turks, among others. TIMOTHY J. EVANS (Executive Director) leads Northlight Theatre's overall strategic, management and long-range initiatives. Prior to his arrival at Northlight, Tim spent over 20 years at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in management and producing positions. He created, curated and produced Steppenwolf's acclaimed TRAFFIC Series including a partnership with Chicago Public Radio for subsequent broadcasts. Tim founded Steppenwolf Films, of which he is still a partner with Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry, to develop film and television projects. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the League of Chicago Theatres and on the theater selection panel for the Princess Grace Foundation Awards. He also serves on the USA selection committee for The Eisenhower Fellows, Philadelphia, PA. Previously, Tim served on the board of the Independent Film Project (IFP) and was a charter member of the Governor's Task Force for Media Development.
The scenic, costume, lighting and sound designers in LORT Theatres are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE. This Theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
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NORTHLIGHT STAFF & LEADERSHIP BJ Jones Artistic Director Timothy J. Evans Executive Director ADMINISTRATION General Manager Janet Mullet Director of Advancement Kim Hoopingarner Events Manager Kelly Cosgrove Campaign/Advancement Administrator Christina Ward Director of Marketing & Communications Mara Mihlfried
Jeremy Ohringer Jenn Oswald Will Quam Wilfredo Ramos Jr Christopher Salveter Vanessa Strahan Gus Thomas
PRODUCTION Production Manager Emily Kneer Technical Director Bek Lambrecht Assistant Technical Director/Assistant to the Production Manager Colleen Schuldeis Master Electrician/Light Board Operator Cory Drewry
Marketing Coordinator Francisco Lopez
Audio Visual Engineer/ Sound Board Operator Jennifer Udoni-Sharp
Director of Finance Lisa Stern
Costume Coordinator Darcy Hofer
Associate General Manager/Company Manager Victoria Martini-Rosowicz
Wardrobe Jenn Thompson
Finance Administrator/Group Sales Coordinator Michelle Blendermann ARTISTIC Literary Manager & Casting Associate Kristen Osborn Artistic Programs Manager Sarah Slight Artistic Fellow Tasia A. Jones EDUCATION Director of Education & Community Engagement Mara Stern Education Assistant Alexi Siegel Teaching Artists Kaiser Ahmed Jessica Alldredge Kat Bramley Sheldon Brown Mikael Burke Kaylyn Carter Jazmin Corona Matt Farabee Tiffany Fuison Jasmine Henri Jordan Kate Leslie Edmund O’Brien
Floor Manager Victoria Fox Scenic Charge Eileen Rozycki Scenic Artist Dominique Zaragoza Carpenters Jeramiah Barr Barbie Brown Jared Davis Gerry Reynolds Carolyn Voss Miles Zable SERVICE PROVIDERS Public Relations Cathy Taylor PR, INC. Graphic Design Bridget Schultz Usher Coordinator Vicki Weisberg, The Saints Insurance Robert Nichols BOARD OF TRUSTEES J. Douglas Gray, Chair Mark McCarville, President Julie Chernoff, Vice President Donna Frett, Vice President Craig Smith, Vice President
James West, Treasurer Paul Lehner, Secretary Carole Cahill Christy Callahan Timothy Evans, Executive Director Freddi Greenberg Walter C. Greenough BJ Jones, Artistic Director Matthew Magnuson Susie McMonagle Katy Okrent Atlee Valentine Pope Robert J. Regan Rahul Roy Evelyn Salk, Trustee Emeritus Robert S. Silver Bob Silverman Thomas D. Stringer Mark Tendam
ADVISORY COUNCIL Trish Barr Anne Berkeley Steven J. Bernstein Karl Berolzheimer Gerhard Bette Edward Bradley Margo Brown Michael R. Callahan* Joe Cappo Marcia Caulkins Josh Chernoff Dennis Clarkson Beth Davis Paul Finnegan* Gene Frett Susan Gaud Craig Golden Eleanor Hall Tom Hazlett Karen Hunt Ann Jennett Susan Karol* Diana King Paul Lehman* James Lytle Michelle Marvin Marcia Mead Stillerman Carol Mullins Phil Palmer Nicki Pearson Merril Prager Roberta Rubin Toby Sachs Esther Saks* Sara Schastok Ralph Segall David Seidman* Jill Soderberg Ingrid Stafford Trimmy Stamell* Claire Sucsy Timothy P. Sullivan John Syverstsen Greg Taubeneck Bernice Weissbourd
*Past President/Chairperson
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Bethany Thomas
COMING SOON at NORTHLIGHT THEATRE:
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NORTHLIGHT SUPPORTERS DONORS Northlight Theatre is deeply grateful to the following contributors for their generous support. If you would like your name to appear differently or prefer to remain anonymous, please contact Christina Ward at 847.324.1611 or cward@northlight.org. This list reflects gifts received January 2, 2019 through January 2, 2020 CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS and GOVERNMENT AGENCIES Principal Sponsors $50,000 and Above The Davee Foundation Illinois Arts Council MacArthur Foundation Ralla Klepak Performing Arts Foundation/Trust The Shubert Foundation, Inc. Premiere Sponsors $20,000 - $49,999 Allstate Insurance Company BMO Harris Bank ComEd Lloyd A. Fry Foundation Paul M. Angell Family Foundation Executive Sponsors $10,000-$19,999 Bulley & Andrews Byline Bank Mammel Family Foundation Modestus Bauer Foundation National Endowment for the Arts Skokie Community Foundation The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust The Pauls Foundation Presenting Sponsors $5,000-$9,999 Col. Stanley R. McNeil Foundation Dr. Scholl Foundation Eckenhoff Saunders Architects, Inc. Evanston Community Foundation Full Circle Foundation Grumman Butkus Associates John R Halligan Charitable Fund Kirkland & Ellis Foundation Lewis-Sebring Family Foundation Niles Township Corporate Fund Sanborn Family Foundation The Rice Young People's Endowment Lead Sponsors $2,500-$4,999 CoBank Evanston Community Bank & Trust Graber Family Foundation Hagerty Consulting Network for Good NorthShore University HealthSystem Northwestern University PNC Bank Room & Board
Sponsors $1,000 - $2,499 CMFTO Edward Jones Evanston Arts Council Fifth Third Bank Friedman Family Foundation Gigio's Pizzeria John J. Cahill Inc. Katten Muchin Rosenman Mabadi Realty Midwest Community Bank North End Mothers' Club Plante Moran Quarles & Brady LLP Romano Wealth Management Seed Wealth Management Skokie Fine Arts Commission Vi at the Glen Weinstein Foundation Under $1,000 Dempster Auto Rebuilders Ed and Candace Kuczmarski Evanston Awning Co., Inc. Forge Projects LLC Jackie Mack & More Polk Bros Foundation Stephens Dentistry Setting the Stage GALA SPONSORS Blueleaf Lending Bulley & Andrews Byline Bank CMFTO CoBank Dempster Auto Rebuilders Eckenhoff Saunders Architects, Inc. Evanston Awning Co., Inc. Evanston Community Bank & Trust Gigio's Pizzeria Grumman Butkus Associates Hagerty Consulting Mabadi Realty Northwestern University PNC Bank Quarles & Brady LLP Polsinelli Romano Wealth Management Seed Wealth Management Stephens Dentistry Tom Stringer Design Partners Legacy Society Members Diane and Karl Berolzheimer Margo and Paul Brown Josh and Julie Chernoff Ralla Klepak Freddi Greenberg and Dan Pinkert Lloyd Morgan Carol and Steve Mullins Janet Mullet Marcia Mead Stillerman Neal and Trimmy Stamell
Northlight’s Next Act Donors Anonymous Anne Berkeley Diane and Karl Berolzheimer Patricia and Edward Blumen Max and Beth Boosalis Davis Betty A. and William J. Boyd Margo and Paul Brown Christy Callahan and Drew Pfeifer Marcia Caulkins Mary Jane and Edward Chainski Julie and Josh Chernoff Diana Cohen and David Spitulnik The Davee Foundation Jane & David Doyle Ann Dwyer Donna and Gene Frett Susan Mabrey Gaud J. Douglas Gray Freddi Greenberg and Dan Pinkert Nan and Wally Greenough Guy and Joan Gunzberg Steve Hagerty and Lisa Altenbernd Hagerty Consulting Mike and Cindy Herrington Lynn Hughitt and James Shaeffer BJ Jones and Candy Corr Susan Karol and Glenn Warning Diana and Neil King Paul Lehman and Ronna Stamm Leslie and Paul Lehner Michelle and Jim Marvin Mark and Kathy McCarville Joanell and Jim McKenna Susie McMonagle Carol and Steve Mullins Kathleen Okrent and Peter Haleas Sam and Marianne Oliva Merril Prager and John Levine Barbara Putta William & Eleanor Revelle Catherine and Bart Rocca Penelope and Toby Sachs Will Sanders and Reetu Gowdar Sanders Horst and Sara Schastok Robert S. and Sandra G. Silver William and Ingrid Stafford Neal and Trimmy Stamell Fredric and Nikki Will Stein Greg and Anne Taubeneck Family Fund Tawani Foundation Andrew Thomas Joan Waggoner Cheryl Wollin Margie and Mark Zivin
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NORTHLIGHT SUPPORTERS NORTHLIGHT VISIONARIES CIRCLE Producers $25,000 and Above Anonymous Carol Mullins Playwrights $10,000 - $24,999 Anonymous Cindy Clark and Bob Regan J. Douglas Gray Freddi Greenberg and Dan Pinkert Nan and Wally Greenough Carol and Jim Hansen Mark and Kathy McCarville Susie McMonagle Atlee Valentine Pope and Rick Pope Thomas D. Stringer and Scott E. Waller Mark Tendam and Neal Moglin The Zunamon-Cunniff Family
Ann and Bernie Jennett BJ Jones and Candy Corr Keely Jones and Angie Frank Diana and Neil King Michelle and Jim Marvin Marcia Mead Stillerman Lloyd Morgan Rahul and Anuradhika Roy Bruce Sagan and Bette Cerf Hill Keith and Ann Sarpolis Marybeth Schroeder and Charlie Vernon
Company $1,000 - $2,499 Anonymous(5) Cleopatra B. and James Alexander Bob and Trish Barr Virginia Beatty Diane and Karl Berolzheimer Larry and Mary Boeder Max and Beth Boosalis Davis Edward J Bradley Robert and Sara Brenner Douglas Brown and Directors Rachel Kraft $5,000 - $9,999 Mary Anne and Joe Cappo Carole Cahill Joyce Chelberg Michael and Joan Callahan James and Patricia Corirossi Marcia Caulkins Alicia and Jim Crawford Julie and Josh Chernoff R Bert Crossland Timothy and Jane Evans Howard Dubin Donna and Gene Frett Marci Eisenstein and Craig Golden and Michal John Treece Heifitz-Golden Jerry and Liz Ettinger Dorothy Harza Joan and Kevin Evanich Susan Karol and Glenn Warning Willard A Fry, M.D. Leslie and Paul Lehner Steve Hagerty and Carole and Joseph Levy Lisa Altenbernd Jordan and Jean Nerenberg Tom and Jan Hazlett Jim and Sujo Offield Marilyn Heath Kathleen Okrent and Thomas and Gail Hodges Peter Haleas Cameron and Emily Jones Pat Price Renee Katten Rubens Family Foundation Hope and Barry Kellman Robert S. and Sandra G. Silver Robert and Judy Kemp Greg and Anne Taubeneck Steve Krug and Lori Darling Family Fund Paul Lehman and Tom Stringer Design Partners Ronna Stamm Hugh and Connie Williams Dorene and John Lynch Adele and Roland Martel Designers Linnea and John Mead $2,500-$4,999 Lois Melvoin Anonymous (2) Brian Montgomery and Laura John and Linda Baker Armstrong Montgomery Vickie and Tim Burke Margaret Moses Christy Callahan and Drew Michelle and Scott Nelson Pfeifer Judy Newton Melanie and Robert Cody M. J. O'Brien Family Foundation L. Klug and B. Farrelly Barbara and Daniel O'Keefe Abel and Judy Friedman Robert Kohl and Clark Pellett Neil and Marge Gambow Laurie and Michael Petersen Susan Mabrey Gaud Merril Prager and John Levine Emily and Kevin Hansen Monte Roach Catherine Hayden and Tom Catherine and Bart Rocca Carmichael Colleen Hughes and Kim and Kirk Hoopingarner Donald Rothschild Mitch and Mary Lou Horwat Piper and Jono Rothschild Gerta Janss Anthony Burt and Karin Reutzel 20
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Sue and Tim Salisbury Evelyn Salk Horst and Sara Schastok Craig Smith Janet Carl Smith and Mel Smith Jill and Leif Soderberg William and Ingrid Stafford Dr. Rhonda Stein and Dr. Ed Smolevitz Claire Sucsy Louise A. Sunderland Will and Jenni Suvari Mr. & Mrs. Kent Swanson Ginny and Steven Towbin Mr. and Mrs. Charles Vogl Joyce Anne Wainio and John Fulcher Mary and James West Don Wiener and Mike Thallmer Lawrence and Nancy Wojcik Robert Yonanan
INDIVIDUAL ANNUAL FUND DONORS Partners $500 - $999 Anonymous(6) Rob and Carrie Andalman Elbrey Harrell and Mary Badger Patricia and Edward Blumen Mary and Jim Bowman Bill and Marea Brichta Margo and Paul Brown Nick Canellis Ron and Mary Charles L. Corwin Christie Fay Clayton and Lowell Sachnoff David and Kate Cudnowski John R. Dainauskas, MD Linda and Alexander Darragh Kimberly and Richard Dsida Charles and Brigid Duffy Gerace Ross Erlebacher and Susan Silver Mark and Donna Falcone Susan Ford and Scott McDonald Bonnie S. Forkosh and Dick Cohen William and Lynda Frillman Thomas and Patricia Gahlon Yvette Gideon and Rodger Sonneborn Steve and Anne Gilford Sandra Goldberg Guy and Joan Gunzberg Eleanor Northrop Hall Bill Hartgering Joyce and Rich Hirsch Janet & Brian Hoffman Sarah Krepp and Carter Howard John and Martha Idler Jackie & Bill Ieuter Kathleen and Hal Jenkins Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jones
NORTHLIGHT SUPPORTERS Howard and Carol Kain Dr. Herb and Mrs. Adrienne Kamin Martin and Susanne Kanter Suzanne and Dan Kanter Gilbert and Carolyn Krulee Robert and Sherry Labate Carolyn and Michael Laughlin Judy and Stephen Levin Sherry and Mel Lopata Bonnie and Jay Lytle Carol Majka Wade Marshall and Eric Wagner Robert and Linda Meyers Carolyn Michel and Howard Millman Jonathan Moberly Janet Mullet Ellen K. Munro Michael and Kathleen Nash Jeanne Oelerich Mark Onuscheck and Juliet Hart Kathy O'Shaughnessy and Dan Geocaris Justin Patwin Greg and Nicki Pearson Paula and John Pelissero Andrew Porte Judy and Ed Provost Polly and Ken Rattner David and Elizabeth Richards Pam and Paul Rolfes Penelope and Toby Sachs Judy and David Schiffman Michael Schnur and Janice Liten Dr. G. Stephen and Ellen Scholly David and Christine Seidman Eugene L. Shepp Robert and Leslie Shook Joan Siavelis Bob and Lisa Silverman Scott and Stacy Simpson Don Huff and Jeanne Smith Chuck and Sandy Sonneborn Neal and Trimmy Stamell JWT Family Foundation David & Carolyn Utech Patti and Brian Van Cleave Lewis Wagner Advocates $250 - $499 Anonymous(5) Mareon R. Arnold Carole Bass Judith Batzel Kathleen M Bell Jon & Shelley Benson John and Vicki Bitner Heidi Bloom Donald Bouseman Betty A. and William J. Boyd Nancy Bradt and Laury Lewis Frank and Barbara Brady Mike Brody and Libby Ester Brenda and Walter Bushala
Pat and Sandy Cantor Stephen and Meagan Carmichael John and Jane Chapman Mary and Dick Clark Wade and Linda Clarke Diana Cohen and David Spitulnik Jeff and Liz Coney Judy and Bill Cottle Arlene and Harvey Coustan Joan Criswell Susan and David Curry Tom and Carol Dammrich Jeff and Paula Danoff Bruce Davidson Betsy and Steve Engelman Roy and Marta Evans Sarah and Brian Flax Karen and John Flood Elza and John Garnett William and Anne Goldstein Helen Graessley Larry Green Becky Harris Joe Hasman Louise A Holland Karen and David Hughes Karen and Andy Jacobs Larry Jones and Susan Knight Michaela Jones Dr. Claudia Katz Nancy Kellman Dennis and Barbara Kessler Richard Kreutzfeldt Grace and Richard Lehner Cathy and Barry Levine Julie and David Levine Edward and Holly Mann Joanell and Jim McKenna Linda and Andy Mendelson Robert and Linda Meyers Jessica and Michael Miro Kendra Morril and Brett Johnson Stephanie Mullins-Wine and Jonah Wine David and Agnes Murdoch Dennis and Linda Myers P.C Ron and Mary Nahser Stuart and Carol Oken Lori Osborne John Parker Sanford and Jody Perl Beverly and Mitchell Petersen Barbara Putta Norman and Helene Raidl Ann Rainey Ira Rosenthal Sally and Dave Rutherford Kathleen and Philip Ryan The Scherer Family Debby and Tim Schmid Roslyn and Alan Schwartz Joan D Sears Ralph and Nancy Segall David and Kimberly Shaw Margaret and Alan Silberman Bob and Debbie Silverstein George Tedesche Simon
Donald and Lupe Simpson John Smyth Kim and Aaron Stanton Fredric and Nikki Will Stein Paula Steiner and David Hellman Lisa and Les Stern Ann B. Stevens Chuck and Judy Swisher Ann and John Syvertsen Ann Taylor and Gil Sharon Virginia Tolford Lois and Dennis Trautvetter Dr. Cathy Tschannen Daniel and Lisa Tyler Debbie and Randy Usen Michael & Sarah Wagner Frances Wiechart Robert Willey Cynthia and Eric Witherspoon Dan and Linnette Wolfberg Mel Marino Wolff Supporters $100 - $249 Anonymous(10) Judith Aiello-Fantus Kenneth Alexander Judith and Trent Anderson Yvonne Anderson Katherine Anthony Linda and Randy Balla Steve and Maria Ballantyne Cindy Barbera-Brelle Lou and Louise Barnett Nancy and Ken Behles Michael Belsley John Berg Susan Berkowitz Marty and Fran Blendermann Bob Blitzke Arlene & Hugh Block Kathy and Bob Braasch Merry Brayman Jim & Susan Breece Steven Brown Nancy Brussat Rev. Daniel P. Buck Ann and Dick Burnstine John and Ellen Callahan Elizabeth P. Campbell Richard Campbell Linda Camras Rachel Cantor Scott Carter Beth Casey and Michael Franzese Frank Cella and Trev Minnaert Mary Jane and Edward Chainski William and Alexandra Cole Aileen Cornbleet Peter M. Christie and Joan Corwin Suzy and Ron Crawford John Culbert Robert and Chie Curley Ray and Mary Dash Barbara and Peter DeBerge Chris deBrauw and Tracy Tewels NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
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NORTHLIGHT SUPPORTERS Jill Deheeger Mary Anne Diehl and James Kauffman Brian and Maureen Dixon Joseph E. and Ruth B. Doninger Elaine and Stuart Duhl Judy and Michael Duhl Noreen Edwards & Mark Metz Irene Elkin Jerry and Ellen Esrick Jerry Esrig and Deborah Thorne Bruce Ettelson P.C. and Missy Bundy Maurice and Ruth Ettleson Fran Faller Jessica T. Feldman John Fenlon Mark Fennell Diane Filbin Jamie Fisher Missy Fleming Lori Fradin-Polster and David Polster Merle Friedman Kathleen Gaffney Dawn and Todd Gale Bryna and Edward P. Gamson Elizabeth Ganitopoulos Kent and Leslie Geibel Elisabeth and Robert Geraghty Jean Gershuny Robyn Gilliom Joel Gingiss Carol and Jeff Glassroth Ethel and Bill Gofen Phyllis Goldenberg Joan Golder Jerome Goldstein Marcia Goldstick Sharon Gonsky Tom Gosline and Bill Fritz John & Patsy Grady Dale and Erica Granchalek Roz and David Greenstein Marsha Gregory Robyn and David Grossberg Charles & Randi Gurian Cathy Berlinger-Gustafson Katherine and Ray Haase Charlie Haddad Kelly Harbaugh Tim and Trude Harrington Jeff & Jennifer Harris Jan Hartwell Pete and Jean Henderson Elizabeth Holding Cheryl Holm Don Honchell and Susan Horn Carol Anne and Robert Huff Susan & Bruce Huvard Alysa and Barry Isaacson Anne Jacobson and Rick Kolsky Thomas Jester Doris J. Johnson Stephen Johnson Alice Jones Dan and Michelle Jordan Laurie Kabb Chris and Pamela Kallos 22
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Barry J Kaplan Fran Kapp Dr. Michael Kaufman Larry and Kelli Kaul Brendan and Karmen Keane John Kennedy and Carol Hammerman Tracy Kidd Carolyn Michelle and Ryan S. Kilkenney Dorothy King Allan and Tanya Klasser Dalia Kleinmuntz John and Sue Klemmer Bianca Jerry Kohlenbrener Valerie Krejcie Bob & Marian Kurz Mary S. Kurz William Lampkin Caryl and Burt Lasko Nancy and Alan Lasser Michael Lazarus Anne Leidner Elaine and Steve Lev Susan Levitt Thomas and Joan Lindsey David and Carol Liner Bill and Wendy Lipsman Marge Livingston Bob and Dale Lubotsky Elizabeth Luby Ted and Judy Lucas Linda Lucas Tammy Lytle Ilaria John Madden, Jr Allan & Missy Malmed Charlene Marcus Eleanor Marsolais Nancy Mayer John McCarthy Becky and David McClay Claudia McLaughlin Meredith Mendes and Michael Levitin Bobbi Meyers Lois Milburn J. Michael and Susan Miller Marianne Moberly Niki Moe Thomas and Elizabeth Monahan David Mordini and Jerome Fitzgerald Robert and Sandra Morgan Martin W. Morris Kevin Mott John and Martha Muno Kathryn Murphy Carol Napoli Kaki Newgard Edward Newman Marsha and Richard Newman Jennifer Newton Nichols Insurance Agency, Inc. Marcus Nunes Matthew O'Brien Tom and Cathy Omundson Jim Ossyra and Carol Remen Jerry Oswald and Kathy Fredricks Oswald Michael and Diane Paley
Jan and Tom Pavlovic Heidi and Greg Peterson Genevieve Phelps Terry and Nancy Phillips Don and Martha Pollak Sally Prager Beverly Preiser and Selwyn Zun Carol Prieto V Pristera Jr. Judy Pusch Lynn and Jim Rainwaters Sandra Rau Cindy Rawlings Bonnie J Ray Bob and Patty Reece Neal J. Reenan Charles and Colleen Remsberg RME/Farhad Rezai Jeffrey Richards Sandi Riggs Barbara Rittenhouse and Frank Putrino Eleanor Robien Ed and Lavada Robinson Renee Rosenberg Lisa and Jeff Rosenkranz Ruth Sadkin David and Nancy Sarne Meg Sauer Anne Schaefer Joyce and John Schladweiler Jill and Paul Schoenwetter Lynn Schornick Scott and Jill Seltzer Margot Sersen Mr. & Mrs. Richard Sevcik Bruce and Sarane Siewerth Scott Silberstein Jeff Simon Geri Sizemore Sarah Skilton Charles and Pamela Smith Alvin and Kate Spector Abby L. Strauss Thomas & Anne Sultan Michelle Sweeney Lauren and Joseph Szwiec Gail and Bernard Talbert Martin Till Betsy E. Tolstedt Christine Tremper Mary Ellen Van Ness Andria Venezia Mary Ward Tamara Waskin Carolynne and Bruce Weisenthal Wertheimer Box Corp Catherine Westphal Al White and Terre Tuzzolino Diane & Sandy Whiteley Kay Whitman William & Kathleen Widmer Linda and Payson Wild Robin Witt Ann and Arnie Wolff John Wright Marty Wright Michael Wright Robert Zeller
NORTHLIGHT SUPPORTERS
IN KIND
Actors Gymnasium Amy Morton Ann and Bernie Jennett Anonymous Art & Science Salon Bagel Art Cafe Ballroom Dance Chicago Barb Meyer, Independent Cabi Stylist Beam Suntory Chicago Belgian Chocolatier Piron Benefit Cosmetics Boutique BJ Jones and Candy Corr Broadway in Chicago Catherine Hayden and Tom Carmichael Chicago Public Media - WBEZ Chicago Shakespeare Theater Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield Zoo Christy Callahan and Drew Pfeifer Court Theatre Cross-Rhodes Restaurant Cupitol Coffee and Eatery Debra and Brian Behles Dennis and Franny Clarkson DMK Restaurants Don and Betsy Hohman Donna and Gene Frett Dynamic Colors Egea Spa Escape Artistry Evanston Art Center Evanston Car Wash & Detail Center Evie Forstadt Farmhouse Evanston Frontera Grill Grant Park Orchestral Association Great Harvest Bread Hewn Honey Butter Fried Chicken Jameson's Original Charhouse
Jill Norton Photography Jilly's Cafe Jodi Mullet and Ken Clark Julie and Josh Chernoff Kansaku Sushi Katten Muchin Rosenman Kim and Kirk Hoopingarner L. Woods Tap & Pine Lounge La Macchina Cafe La Principal Leslie and Paul Lehner Lincoln Park Boat Club Lois & Company Lou Malnati's Pizzeria/ Malnati Organization, Inc. Lucky Platter Lulu's, Taco Diablo, Five & Dime Malcolm S. Brown Marcia Mead Stillerman Marianne Moberly Mark and Kathy McCarville Mark Tendam and Neal Moglin Mary and James West Minasian Rug Company Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Music Theater Works NaKorn - Urban Thai (Evanston) New York Bagel and Bialy Northwestern University Athletics Nothing Bundt Cakes Piece Brewery & Pizzeria Pilates Connection Prairie Grass Pro Skin By Afsan Raven Theatre Remy Bumppo Theatre Company Rep. Jan Schakowsky Revolution Brewing Rex's Place Richard Driehaus Museum Richard Small Room & Board
Soul & Smoke SPACE State Rep. Robyn Gabel Steep Theatre Stella Evanston Steppenwolf Theatre Company Steve Hagerty and Lisa Altenbernd Stuart-Rodgers Photography Stumble & Relish Susie McMonagle Tapas Barcelona Temperance Beer Company The Cellar The Contained Garden The Joffrey Ballet The Music Institute of Chicago The Noodle and Depot Nuevo The Rice Young People's Endowment The Spice House Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Timeline Theatre Timothy and Jane Evans Tratorria D.O.C. Victory Gardens Theater Vinic Wine Company Wine Goddess Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts, Northwestern University
HOSPITALITY PARTNERS
The DoubleTree Hotel Hecky’s Barbecue The Homestead Koi Fine Asian Cuisine and Lounge Nothing Bundt Cakes Room and Board Sweet Ali’s Gluten Free Bakery Union Squared
To Make Your Gift Today Contact Christina Ward at 847.324.1611 or cward@northlight.org, or donate online at northlight.org.
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NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
23
Dinner Show
AND A
a r n u t a s t s e r l a c o l h Arts calendar paired wit
Dinner
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Show
BIBLE BINGO & LATE NITE CATECHISM
Ongoing
RUTHERFORD AND SON
Through January 12
Laugh your sins off with these two interactive comedies! Late Nite Catechism is “gloriously funny” and Bible Bingo is “a side-splitter.” Perfect for all ages.
TimeLine Theatre Company
Written in 1912, this family drama about class, gender, and generational warfare was named one of the “100 plays of the century.”
THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER Lookingglass Theatre Company
Hans Christian Andersen’s story about a little tin soldier who never gives up comes back to Lookingglass for a winter-time curtain call.
WORKING
Royal George Theatre (312) 988-9000
615 W. Wellington Ave. (773) 281-8463 x6
Through January 26
Lookingglass Theatre (312) 337-0665
Theo Ubique Theatre Company
Through January 26
TURN HERE – SWEET CORN
January 3 – 26
Based on Studs Terkel’s best-selling book of interviews, Working paints a vivid portrait of the men and women that the world so often takes for granted.
Saltbox Theatre Collective
The play focuses on Turn Here Sweet Corn: Organic Farming Works, a memoir based on Atina Diffley’s life running the Gardens of Eagan organic vegetable farm.
33RD YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL Pegasus Theatre
The festival celebrates the 33rd year of inspiring Chicago students to explore their histories, research their communities and mine their personal journeys.
Since 1950 Dine before or after the show See our collection of original theatre posters 3107 N. Broadway Chicago • 773-477-0300
www.bagelrestaurant.com
Howard Street Theatre (773) 347-1109
The Edge Theater Saltboxtheatre.org
January 8 – 25
Courtyard Theatre Pegasustheatrechicago.org
Dinner
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Show
THIRST
Strawdog Theatre Company
Set in a tense segregated society, Thirst is a complex look at family and love in wartime that explores the politics of race and redefines community.
JAKE’S WOMEN Oil Lamp Theater
Jake, a novelist who is more successful with fiction than with life, faces a marital crisis by daydreaming about the women in his life.
THE MOUSETRAP Court Theatre
The Ralstons’ house becomes lethal when four guests are snowed in amidst reports of a woman’s murder.
BROOKLYN BRIDGE
Theatre School at DePaul University
Follow Sasha as she ventures outside the boundaries her immigrant mother has set for her and into the maze of her Brooklyn apartment building.
TOP GIRLS
Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Whip-smart, funny, and ultimately very moving, Caryl Churchill’s groundbreaker brilliantly debates questions about female empowerment, career, and family.
SHEEPDOG
January 9 – February 15
Strawdog Theatre (773) 644-1380
January 15 – March 1
Oil Lamp Theater (847) 834-0738
January 16 – February 16 Court Theatre (773) 753-4472
January 16 – February 22
Merle Reskin Theater (312) 922-1999
January 16 – February 22 Theater Wit (773) 975-8150
Shattered Globe Theatre
January 16 – February 29
THE CAPITOL STEPS
January 22 – 26
When an officer-involved shooting roils the department where they work, the cracks in Ryan and Amina’s relationship widen into confusion and self-doubt.
North Shore Center for the Performing Arts If news and politics are eating away at you like a pride of lions feasting on a wildebeest on the African savannah, it’s time to just say, “Hakuna Matata!”
HOW A BOY FALLS Northlight Theatre
A newly hired au pair is thrust into the midst of a mystery when the loss of a young boy casts suspicion on her and the boy’s wealthy parents.
Theater Wit (773) 770-0333
North Shore CPA (847) 673-6300
January 23 – March 1
Northlight Theatre (847) 673-6300
Dinner
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BUG
Steppenwolf Theatre
January 23 – March 8
THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE
January 24 – February 8
Steppenwolf Theatre presents Tracy Letts’s mindbending cult classic, Bug.
Overshadowed Theatrical Productions
Based on the first book in C.S. Lewis’ series, The Chronicles of Narnia.
HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF
(312) 335-1650
Jubilee Bible Church 900 Foster Ave, Medinah (630) 634-2100
Victory Gardens Theater
January 24 – February 23
DUKE ELLINGTON’S SOPHISTICATED LADIES
January 24 – March 6
NEIGHBORHOOD 3: REQUISITION OF DOOM
January 29 – February 9
How to Defend Yourself circles around seven college students who gather for a DIY self-defense workshop after a sorority sister is raped.
Zacek McVay Theatre (773) 871-3000
Ruth Page Center for This celebration of “the most important composer in the the Arts (773) 777-9884 history of jazz” will transport audiences.
Porchlight Music Theatre
Theatre School at DePaul University
When teenagers become addicted to an online horror game, the lines between virtual and reality are blurred.
NEW WORKS FESTIVAL 2020 Valiant Theatre
Six original works based on Andrew of Capernaum, Sandra Day O’Connor, Renée Richards, Rudy Lozano, Mary Tyler Moore, and Pauli Murray.
JEEVES SAVES THE DAY First Folio Theatre
Jeeves and Bertie are back! Once again, Bertie finds himself suffering the slings and arrows of misfortune at the hands of his relatives.
ALABASTER
16th Street Theater
A healing love story by Audrey Cefaly.
Healy Theater (312) 922-1999
January 29 – February 15
Otherworld Theatre Valianttheatre.org
January 29 – March 1
Mayslake Peabody Estate (630) 986-8067
January 30 – March 1
16th Street Theater (708) 795-6704
Dinner
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Show
JULIUS CAESAR
Northwestern University
Shakespeare’s tragedy of a group of people who will go to extremes to remove a leader with devastating consequences.
ROAN @ THE GATES
American Blues Theater
A long-time couple confronts questions about their marriage they never thought to ask as their personal relationship collides with national security.
THE FANTASTICKS Citadel Theatre
Citadel Theatre presents The Fantasticks, the longest running musical in the world!
STICK FLY
January 31 – February 9 Josephine Louis Theater (847) 491-7282
January 31 – February 29 Stage 773 (773) 654-3103
February 5 – March 8 Citadel Theatre (847) 735-8554
Writers Theatre
February 5 – March 15
FUN HOME
February 6 – 16
A relaxing weekend on Martha’s Vineyard escalates when the LeVay brothers bring their new girlfriends home to meet their affluent and imposing parents.
Loyola University
Based on the autobiographical graphic novel by Alison Bechdel, Fun Home is a musical coming-of age story.
MADAMA BUTTERFLY Lyric Opera of Chicago
Puccini’s tragic heroine sacrifices everything for love.
A DOLL’S HOUSE
Nichols Theatre (847) 242-6000
Newhart Family Theater (773) 508-7510
February 6 – March 8
Lyric Opera of Chicago Lyricopera.org
Raven Theatre Company
February 6 – March 22
FREEDOM RIDE
February 8 – 16
Nora, a spirited young housewife, is a radical thinker. But when an old acquaintance reappears, threatening to bring Nora’s secrets to light, everything changes.
Chicago Opera Theater
A gospel-infused world premiere opera about the Riders who banded together to change the course of history.
Raven Theatre East Stage (773) 338-2177
The Studebaker Theater (312) 704-8414
Dinner
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Show
WEST SIDE STORY
Northshore Concert Band
This concert will take you on an introspective journey, featuring music of the theater that explores human nature.
FIESTA CORAL MEXICANA Chicago a cappella
February 9
Pick-Staiger Concert Hall (847) 432-2263
February 9 – 23 Various Locations
Celebrate the colorful and dynamic music of Mexico at (773) 281-7820 this vibrant concert! This dazzling concert will shine a light on a spectacularly varied and brilliant musical world.
THE ROVER
Theatre School at DePaul University
Hellena and Florinda break all the rules as they endeavor to escape the trap of a man’s world in 17th century Naples.
KILL MOVE PARADISE
TimeLine Theatre Company
Inspired by the growing list of slain unarmed black men and women, this powerful reflection illustrates the possibilities of collective transformation.
TITUS ANDRONICUS Haven Theatre
February 12 – 23 Watts Stage (312) 922-1999
February 12 – April 5
615 W. Wellington Ave. (773) 281-8463 x6
February 13 – March 22
When Titus returns home from a 10-year war against the The Den Theatre Goths with their Queen as his prisoner, a bloody cycle of Havenchi.org violence ensues across familial and political lines.
ALMOST HEAVEN
Theatre at the Center
February 13 – March 22
BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO
February 14 – 29
LEGALLY BLONDE
February 14 – March 1
This musical tribute is an intimate celebration of John Denver’s life and career featuring more than 20 of his hit songs. Chicagoland Premiere!
Theatre at the Center (219) 836-3255
Jedlicka PAC The lives of two American Marines and an Iraqi translator Jpactheatre.com are forever changed by an encounter with a quick-witted tiger who haunts the streets of war-torn Baghdad.
Jedlicka Performing Arts Center
Northwestern University
Based on the popular movie, Elle Woods takes on Harvard and aims to impress the love of her life.
Ethel M. Barber Theater (847) 491-7282
Dinner
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Show
MIDDLE PASSAGE Lifeline Theatre
A newly freed Illinois slave stows away aboard The Republic, an outbound rigger, to evade debtors enforcing marriage.
THE QUEEN OF SPADES Lyric Opera of Chicago
Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, a thrilling tale of deceit, passion, and obsession.
THE LAYOVER The Comrades
Ever wonder who that stranger is sitting next to you? Shellie and Dex dare to answer this question after their flight is delayed on a snowy Thanksgiving night.
THE RIMERS OF ELDRITCH
Skokie Park – Devonshire Playhouse
In the small town of Eldritch, a man has been murdered. Who is he? Who murdered him? And what were the circumstances?
AN ILIAD
Court Theatre
An Iliad, the one-man adaptation of Homer’s Iliad, is a groundbreaking site-specific performance not to be missed.
HER HONOR JANE BYRNE
Lookingglass Theatre Company
February 14 – April 5
Lifelinetheatre.com
February 15 – March 1
Lyric Opera of Chicago Lyricopera.org
February 20 – March 22 (773) 404-7336
February 22 – March 1
Devonshire Cultural Center (847) 674-1500
February 26 – March 22 Court Theatre (773) 753-4472
February 26 – April 12
It’s 1981, the city’s simmering pot of neglected problems Lookingglass Theatre (312) 337-0665 boils over, and Chicago’s first woman mayor is moving into Cabrini-Green. Will it bring the city together?
DAY OF ABSENCE
Congo Square Theatre
February 27 – March 22
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
March 13 – 15
Uproarious emergencies occur when a Southern town is faced with the sudden and inexplicable disappearance of all its black and brown citizens.
Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company
The Pirates of Penzance unleashes its rollicking band of inept pirates and bumbling policemen in the bestknown and best-loved of all Gilbert and Sullivan.
Victory Gardens Theater (773) 871-3000
Mandel Hall, University of Chicago (773) 702-ARTS