Across the Sand: A Passover Theatrical Experience • Northbrook Theatre

ACROSS THE SAND CAST

Storyteller 1/Batya (Pharaoh’s Daughter) Amanda Giles

Storyteller 2/Miriam Jordan Zelvin

Storyteller 3/Moses James Cullinane

Storyteller 4/Lead Vocalist/Voice in the Burning Bush . . . .Leah Shoshanah

Storyteller 5/Pharaoh

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director

Set Designer

Matthew Keeley

Shmidt Chapman

Costume Designer

Sara Morrison Lighting Designer

Carpenters

Production

NORTHBROOK PARK DISTRICT TEAM

Performing Arts Supervisor

Northbrook Theatre for Young Audiences’ production of

Concept, Book and Lyrics by Jonathan Shmidt Chapman

by Ty Citerman

Produced in association with The K’ilu Company

Music

SCENES & MUSICAL NUMBERS

Mah Nishtanah

Who You Really Are

V’hi She’amda / Build My Cities

Across the Sand

Across the Sand (Reprise #1)

Let My People Go

Plagues (Underscoring)

Dayenu

Across the Sand (Reprise #2)

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

The Passover story is brought to life each year at Seder tables across the world . Tradition says that everyone should experience the story “k’ilu” – “as if” – they themselves were there . Immersive and sensory theater provides the perfect way to transport kids and families down the Nile, through ancient Egypt, and across the Red Sea to feel a part of this epic journey . Whether you tell this story at your table every year, or this is the first time you are encountering this tale, we hope you feel transported as we take you into the pages of the Haggadah and back across time

SPECIAL THANKS

A version of this show was workshopped in New York City at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in 2019 with support from the Covenant Foundation . Thank you to CBST and Covenant for providing a home and resources for this work to grow

Special thanks to the visionary theatre artists Tim Webb and Claire de Loon, founders of Oily Cart theater company, for their inspiration in the staging of this work

CAST & PRODUCTION BIOS

Amanda Giles (she/they) is thrilled to be back at Northbrook Theatre, where she was last seen in Pinkalicious and Elephant & Piggie . Other Chicago area credits include: Haymarket (Underscore Theatre), Far From Heaven (Porchlight Theatre), The Sound of Music (HRT) and Elizabeth in If/Then and Young Gertrude in Loving Repeating, both Jeff award nominated performances When not performing, you can find her snuggling her pup Charlie, driving home to Canada or having deep conversations about all things queer liberation, love and somatic wellness . Thank you to her agents and her constellation of loved ones for the endless support and love . Big love and l’chaim! amanda-giles.com

James Cullinane is a Chicago-based actor, fightchoreographer, and improviser . He loves new, devised work and is currently in a four-week run of Coached Ensembles, an improvised performance at Chicago’s The Second City . He is a physical performer and creative problem-solver at heart . Anything that gets the blood pumping and the brain racing is right up his alley . You can learn more about him at jamescullinane.com, or on all social media @jaymowis – (@thisgoodlyframe for his photography) .

Jordan Zelvin is thrilled to make her Northbrook theatre debut . As a Jewish teaching artist, Jordan has always viewed storytelling as a collaborative experience . Some of her favorite Chicago credits include Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins (Strawdog Theatre Company), Failure: A Love Story (Oil Lamp Theater), Chicago Women’s Funny Festival (Stage 773), and performing with ComedySportz Chicago (Blackout Cabaret at Piper’s Alley) Jordan would like to thank her friends, family, and all of you for bringing this story to life .

Leah Shoshanah is a songwriter, songleader, guitarist, Jewish cantorial soloist, b’nai mitzvah tutor, yoga and holistic music teacher . Leah’s original settings of Jewish prayer are sung in synagogues across the country . Her secular music has been featured in multiple documentaries and has brought her on tour to stages from coast to coast and abroad . This production marks Leah’s return to her roots in musical theater after over a decade of absence—a momentous opportunity for which she is deeply grateful . To learn more and listen to Leah’s music, visit leahshoshanah.com .

Matt Keeley is delighted to return to performing interactive musical children’s theatre after appearing in Strawdog Theatre’s Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins (Al u/s) He’s an active actor, musician, and comedian in Chicago, with some of his favorite credits including The Onion (The Topical Podcast) and ClickHole (Towels Explained in 90 Seconds) . In addition, Matt works as a contributing writer to the satirical publication The Broadway Beat . He’d like to thank Jordan for the fun car rides to rehearsal and Mom and Dad for their endless support . Follow him on Instagram at @reallymattkeeley .

Jonathan Shmidt Chapman (Writer/Director) specializes in creating immersive, sensory performance for kids and families . He has devised and directed new work for young audiences at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Kennedy Center, and Seattle Children’s Theatre . He is also the founder of The K’ilu Company, creating projects that activate Jewish early childhood education through theater and imaginative play . Jonathan is the recipient of the 2022 Pomegranate Prize from the Covenant Foundation and the 2022 Young Pioneers Award from the Jewish Education Project, both recognizing innovation in the field of Jewish Education . He also received the 2021 Orlin Corey Medallion Award from the Children’s Theatre Foundation of America for significant national impact in theater for young people He currently serves on the theater faculty at Northwestern University, teaching coursework on Sensory Theater for Young

Audiences and Theater for the Very Young Most recently, he served as Executive Director of Theater for Young Audiences USA (TYA/USA), the national organization for professional children’s theater . His forthcoming book Playing the Bible, a guide for families and teachers to bring the bible to life with 4–7 year olds through dramatic play, will be published by Behrman House in 2024 . He and his husband Rabbi David Chapman (Northbrook’s Congregation Beth Shalom) are the proud parents of a 6 year old and a 2 month old .

Ty Citerman is a Brooklyn, NY-based guitarist and composer who writes, performs and teaches music across the spectrum of jazz, rock and contemporary classical . He is thrilled for the Chicago-area premiere of his original music and arrangements in Jonathan Shmidt Chapman’s “Across the Sands” at the Northbrook Theatre . Ty’s nineyear-old project Bop Kabbalah explores the juxtaposition of original composition, improvisation and Jewish musical traditions Its trio incarnation, Bop Kabbalah+Voices (with Sara Serpa and Judith Berkson) released two recordings of original Yiddish labor songs on Infrequent Seams in 2020 and 2022 . Bop Kabbalah’s quartet premiered on John Zorn’s Tzadik Records “Radical Jewish Culture” series in 2014 . Ty is a founding member of the irreverent jazz quartet Gutbucket, which has released six recordings of original music and toured across the US and Europe . Ty composed the original theme music for the podcast “Tradeoffs” and scored the 2019 St . Anne’s Warehouse Labapalooza! puppetry festival show “To Love What Death Has Touched” by Kevin White . He has performed on some of the world’s finest stages, including Carnegie Hall, London Jazz Festival, Paris Jazz Festival, Jazz Saalfelden and more . Ty was awarded Brooklyn Arts Council grants in 2018 and 2023 . His new ensemble with trombonist Jen Baker and percussionist Shayna Dunkelman released its live recording “Time Phase Trio” on Infrequent Seam’s K7 commissioning series in early March 2023 . Ty holds a Master in Music (M .M .) degree in music composition from Brooklyn College (CUNY) .

UPCOMING PRODUCTIONS

Wake Up, Brother Bear!

Performances: April 29–May 13

Wake Up, Brother Bear! is a unique, intimate production geared toward children ages 6 and under . Watch Brother Bear and Sister Bear experience a full year of glorious seasons complete with butterflies, fish, and bees! And who better than Brother Bear and Sister Bear to help see out the waning months of your family’s hibernation . Children are invited to join the action to help create magical moments .

Spring Youth Musical – Footloose

Performances: May 20–21

When Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small farming town, he is prepared for the inevitable adjustment period at his new high school But he’s not prepared for the rigorous local edicts, including a ban on dancing instituted by the local preacher, who is determined to exercise control over the town’s youth .

PROFESSIONAL. EXPERIENCED. PASSIONATE.

The Northbrook Park District is proud of our commitment to the Arts .

The Northbrook Theatre was created to give Northbrook residents the opportunity to enjoy and participate in quality, local productions . We appreciate your support of the production .

Thank you for watching, and we hope you enjoy the show!

Board of Park Commissioners

Lisa Chalem, President • Michael Goodman, Vice President

Mary Ann Chambers • Matthew Curin

Michael Schyman

Jeffrey Simon • Michael Ziering