Mercury Theater Chicago - Avenue Q

Music and Lyrics by ROBERT LOPEZ and JEFF MARX

Director L. WALTER STEARNS

Scenic Design

ALAN DONAHUE, U.S.A.

Sound Design MIKE ROSS

Book by JEFF WHITTY

Based on an Original Concept by ROBERT LOPEZ and JEFF MARX

Musical Director EUGENE DIZON

Choreographer KEVIN BELLIE

Lighting Design NICK BELLEY JESS GOINGS

Costume Design RACHEL BOYLAN

Production Stage Manager KRISTI J. MARTENS, A.E.A.

Assistant Stage Manager DANIEL J. HANSON, A.E.A.

Puppets Conceived and Designed by RUSS WALKO

Puppetry Coach KEVIN C. NOONCHESTER

Originally Produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum, Robyn Goodman, Jeffrey Seller, Vineyard Theatre and The New Group AVENUE Q is presented through special arrangement with and all licensed materials are available through Music Theatre International, 451 W. 24th Street, New York, NY 10019 www.MTIShows.com Avenue Q

1

CAST Princeton.......................................................................................................................... JACKSON EVANS* Brian....................................................................................................................SEAN PATRICK FAWCETT* Kate Monster......................................................................................................................LEAH MORROW* Nicky............................................................................................................................... DANIEL SMERIGLIO Rod................................................................................................................................................ADAM FANE Christmas Eve........................................................................................................... CHRISTINE BUNUAN* Gary Coleman....................................................................................................... DONTERRIO JOHNSON Trekkie Monster........................................................................................................... THOM VAN ERMEN* The Bad Idea Bears......................................................... STEPHANIE HERMAN*, DANIEL SMERIGLIO Mrs. T.......................................................................................................................... STEPHANIE HERMAN* Lucy............................................................................................................................ STEPHANIE HERMAN* Newcomer......................................................................................................................................ADAM FANE Ricky.................................................................................................................................THOM VAN ERMEN* MUSICIANS Conductor/Keyboard 1...................................................................................................... EUGENE DIZON Keyboard 2...................................................................................................................................KEVIN REEKS Reeds................................................................................................................................... DAN MEINHARDT Guitars................................................................................................................................. SCOTT SEDLACEK Drums...............................................................................................................................LINDSAY WILLIAMS UNDERSTUDIES Understudies will not perform unless an announcement is made at time of performance.

Kate Monster, Lucy, Bad Idea Bear............................................................................... HANNAH DAWE Brian, Trekkie Monster, Nicky, Bad Idea Bear.................................................... DEREK CZAPLEWSKI Princeton, Rod...................................................................................................................... ANDREW LUND P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F Director......................................................................................................................... L. WALTER STEARNS Musical Director.................................................................................................................. EUGENE DIZON Choreographer......................................................................................................................... KEVIN BELLIE Scenic Design......................................................................................................... ALAN DONAHUE, U.S.A. Lighting Design..............................................................................................NICK BELLEY, JESS GOINGS Costume Design................................................................................................................. RACHEL BOYLAN Wig Design...........................................................................................................................KEVIN BARTHEL Puppets Designed and Created by...................................................................................... RUSS WALKO Avenue Q Videos...........................................................................................................CYCLONE STUDIOS Puppetry Coach.................................................................................................KEVIN C. NOONCHESTER Production Stage Manager............................................................................. KRISTI J. MARTENS, A.E.A. Assistant Stage Manager...............................................................................DANIEL J. HANSON, A.E.A. Assistant Director.....................................................................................................MATTHEW GUNNELS Properties Designer......................................................................................................... SOPHIA BRIONES “Moving Box” Puppets................................................................................................. JOANNA IWANICKA 2

Mercury Theater Chicago

P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F

c o n t.

Scenic Construction.........................................................................................MEANS OF PRODUCTION Dance Captain...................................................................................................... DONTERRIO JOHNSON Sound Board Operator..............................................................................................JOSEPH SCHOFIELD Wardrobe/Wig Maintenance.........................................................................................RACHEL BOYLAN Promotional Photographer........................................................ BRETT BEINER, MICHAEL BROSILOW Promotional Video Producer....................................BRIAN KAEMPEN, SPLIT FILM PRODUCTIONS Graphic Designer........................................................................................................... NADINE HEIDIGER M E R C U R Y T H E AT E R C H I C AG O S TA F F Executive Director.........................................................................................................L. WALTER STEARNS Business Manager.............................................................................................................. EUGENE DIZON Marketing Coordinator.................................................................................................... ALLISON WEBER Facilities Manager........................................................................................................JOSEPH SCHOFIELD Box Office Manager.............................................................................................................MIGUEL PEREZ House Manager................................................................................................................... MATT CONLON Box Office Staff................................................................................. KELLY GRAHAM, CAITLIN LINDEN, BRIAN MARTINEZ, SUSAN ROBINSON SPECIAL THANKS Special Thanks to Aaron Benham, Adam Thurman, Dave Jennings of the Music Box Theatre, and Cullen’s Bar and Grill Mercury Theater Chicago is a proud member of the League of Chicago Theatres, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Chicago Area Producers Organization, and the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce. *Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), founded in 1913, represents more than 45,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. www.actorsequity.org

Avenue Q

3

MUSICAL NUMBERS Act 1 “The Avenue Q Theme”..................................................................................................................Company “What Do You Do with a B.A. in English?”...............................................................................Princeton “It Sucks to Be Me”................................................................................Brian, Kate Monster, Rod, Nicky, Christmas Eve, Gary Coleman, and Princeton “If You Were Gay”.................................................................................................................. Nicky with Rod “Purpose”......................................................................Princeton and Company (via “singing boxes”) “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist”........................... Princeton, Kate, Gary, Brian, and Christmas Eve “The Internet Is for Porn”.......................................................................... Kate, Trekkie Monster, Brian, Gary Coleman, Rod, and Princeton “Mix Tape”........................................................................................................................ Kate and Princeton “I’m Not Wearing Underwear Today”.................................................................................................Brian “Special”........................................................................................................................................................Lucy “You Can Be as Loud as the Hell You Want (When You’re Makin’ Love)”...............................................Gary, The Bad Idea Bears, Princeton, Kate, and Company “Fantasies Come True”.......................................................................... Rod, Kate, Nicky and Princeton “My Girlfriend, Who Lives in Canada”.................................................................................................. Rod “There’s a Fine, Fine Line”........................................................................................................................ Kate Act 2 “It Sucks to Be Me” (Reprise)........................................................................................................Princeton “There Is Life Outside Your Apartment”............... Brian, Princeton, Christmas Eve, Gary, Nicky, Trekkie Monster, Lucy, and Company “The More You Ruv Someone”........................................................................ Christmas Eve and Kate “Schadenfreude”...................................................................................................................Gary and Nicky “I Wish I Could Go Back to College”........................................................... Kate, Nicky and Princeton “The Money Song”................................................ Nicky, Princeton, Gary, Brian and Christmas Eve “School for Monsters”...........................................................................Trekkie Monster and Company “The Money Song” (Reprise)............................. Nicky, Princeton, Gary, Brian and Christmas Eve “There’s a Fine, Fine Line” (Reprise)........................................................................ Princeton and Kate “What Do You Do With a B.A. in English?” (Reprise)......................................................... Newcomer “For Now”............................................................................................................................................Company PLEASE NOTE: AVENUE Q IS PERFORMED WITH ONE FIFTEEN MINUTE INTERMISSION Avenue Q has not been authorized or approved in any manner by The Jim Henson Company or Sesame Workshop, which have no responsibility for its content.

4

Mercury Theater Chicago

C O M I N G S O O N TO M E R C U R Y T H E AT E R C H I C AG O THE ADDAMS FAMILY – THE MUSICAL Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa, Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice August 20 to November 9, 2014 A weird and wonderful family comes to devilishly delightful life in The Addams Family. Everything will change on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents. Get ready to spend the night with a family who will raise your spirits, steal your heart and leave you in stiches. “It will entertain you to death!” (The Toronto Post).

THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER Book by John Reeger, Music and Lyrics by Julie Shannon November 26 to December 28, 2014 Returning for its annual voyage, The Christmas Schooner has become Chicago’s holiday tradition. The whole family will enjoy this heart-warming story of the first Christmas tree ship and the family who risked their lives to fill Chicago with the Christmas spirit. Chicago Tribune calls this show “A sacred part of a Chicago Christmas.” Chicago Sun-Times raved that it is “An inheritance to be treasured.” A timely and uplifting tale of love and loss, The Christmas Schooner reminds us of tradition, and our responsibility to celebrate the living while honoring our heritage.

A B O U T M E R C U R Y T H E AT E R C H I C AG O Mercury Theater Chicago 3745 N. Southport Ave Chicago IL 60613 773-325-1700 www.mercurytheaterchicago.com

The Mercury Theater

#TheMercuryChi

Mercury Theater Chicago is an intimate, jewel box of a theater seating 290 people in a continental style. It is available for commercial productions as well as local, nonprofit producers. An anchor of the Southport Corridor community, Mercury Theater Chicago beats at the heart of a sophisticated neighborhood of shopping, dining and entertainment.

The building that houses the Mercury opened in 1912 as a silent film nickelodeon called the Blaine Theater, named after former Senator and Secretary of State James G. Blaine.

Around 1928 the popularity of “talkies” was on the rise, and the Blaine had become obsolete, so the much larger movie palace, the New Blaine Theater was built, which was shortly after named the Music Box Theater, still in operation today a few doors down from the Mercury.

Avenue Q

5

A B O U T M E R C U R Y T H E AT E R C H I C AG O

c o n t.

For most of the 20th century the original Blaine building served many retail purposes, and for a while, operated as a carpet cleaning facility, using the rake of the seating area to lay rugs out and drain the water off. In 1994, veteran Chicago theater producer Michael Cullen organized the purchase and renovation of the building, re-dubbing it the Mercury Theater after Orson Welles’ famous troupe of War of the Worlds fame. The Mercury opened in 1996 with Pope Joan, and from 1996-2009 showcased many critically acclaimed productions, including The Irish and How They Got That Way, Over the Tavern, and His Way, a tribute to Frank Sinatra.

Today, Mercury Theater Chicago is led by Executive Director L. Walter Stearns, a veteran theater director, and former Artistic Director of Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago. It reopened on May 1, 2011 with the critically acclaimed production of A Twist of Water. This production, by Route 66 Theater Company, reaffirms Mercury Theater Chicago as a place where Chicago stories and local artists can find a home.

Though little of the Blaine still exists, you can see hints of what used to be inside, including decorative plaster pilaster busts flanking the house. The intimate theater now boasts warm exposed brick walls and 290 seats that were recovered and refurbished from a 1933 era Boston movie house.

PROFILES CHRISTINE BUNUAN (Christmas Eve) is thrilled to work at Mercury Theater Chicago playing opposite the real “Ruv” of her life, Sean.

Christine was in the First National Tour and played Marcy Park in the Chicago company of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (David Stone Productions). She was in the world premiere of Kafka on the Shore as Young Miss Saeke and Setsuko at Steppenwolf and Jade Heart as Jade at Chicago Dramatists. Her other credits include Ghost of Christmas Past in A Christmas Carol (Goodman), Jasmine in Aladdin (Marriott Theatre), A Year With Frog And Toad (Chicago Children’s Theatre), The Mistress Cycle (Apple Tree and Auditorium), Silk Road Cabaret (Silk Road Rising), Miss Saigon (Drury Lane Oakbrook) and Love’s Labor’s Lost (Chicago Shakespeare). Visit christinebunuan.com for more info. Much love to her family, friends and her hubby, who puts up with this little crazy Asian.

6

Mercury Theater Chicago

JACKSON EVANS (Princeton) is incredibly excited to make his debut with the Mercury. Regional credits include work with Drury Lane Oakbrook (Spamalot, Hairspray), Chicago Shakespeare (Taming of the Shrew), Marriott Theatre (Schoolhouse Rock Live, High School Musical, Cinderella), The Blank Theater Los Angeles (Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mother), McLeod Summer Playhouse (The Producers), First Stage Milwaukee (big: the musical, Seussical, The Wiz), Victory Gardens (Snow Queen), as well as work with About Face, Theater at the Center, and Light Opera Works. Proud School at Steppenwolf and Northwestern graduate, AEA member, and student at Black Box Acting Studio.

Thanks go to Walter and everyone at the Mercury for this awesome opportunity!

PROFILES

c o n t.

ADAM FANE (Rod) is thrilled to be joining the Mercury Theater Chicago family for the first time! His Chicago credits include: Gypsy & Shrek the Musical (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Rock of Ages (national tour); Alice in Wonderland (Marriott Theatre); Signs of Life-reading (Victory Gardens Theater); Aspects of Love, The Light in the Piazza, Cats (Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre); Spring Awakening (Griffin Theatre Company); Hello Again (Bohemian Ensemble Theatre); Lucky Stiff (The Music Theatre Company) and Avenue Q (Jeff Award nomination – Best Actor in a Musical, NightBlue Performing Arts).

Regional credits include work with Mason Street Warehouse, Timber Lake Playhouse and the Heartland Festival. Recently Mr. Fane received his BFA in musical theatre from Roosevelt University. Adam would like thank Walter, Eugene, Kevin, and everyone at the Mercury for this incredible opportunity!

around, he has to admit he’s pretty proud that he hasn’t done anything to make his wife strangle him. At least not yet.

SEAN PATRICK FAWCETT (Brian) is very excited to be working at Mercury Theater Chicago for the first time. He is even more thrilled that he gets to work opposite his beautiful, talented wife, Christine! Most recently Sean appeared as Sam the Snowman in the Emerald City Theatre/First Stage collaboration Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer the Musical with Broadway in Chicago. Other favorite theatre credits include working with The Hypocrites, Timeline, A Red Orchid, Provision, Sans Culottes, New Leaf, Fox Valley Rep, Syracuse Stage, Collaboraction, and the list goes on and on. Sean is a proud graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University. He’s also a proud member of Actors’ Equity. And with all this pride going

DONTERRIO JOHNSON (Gary Coleman) is excited to be back home at Mercury Theater Chicago performing in his second show with the company, after being a part of last season’s hit The Color Purple. Theatre credits include Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Andre/Man 2), Golden Boy (Lopez), Rent (Xmas Caroler/ Ensemble), Under A Rainbow Flag (Pvt. Owens - Jeff Award, Outstanding Musical), Hairspray The Musical (Seaweed – ITL Award, Best Actor), Urinetown (Bobby Strong), Aladdin The Musical, Into The Woods, Kennedy The Musical – Broadway Workshop. I dedicate these performances to my family and BD for all the support!

Find more info at: www.Facebook.com/ donterrioj

STEPHANIE HERMAN (Lucy, Bad Idea Bear) is delighted to make her Mercury Theater Chicago debut in Avenue Q! Recent credits include Time After Time, Sweet & Hot, Chess, Starting Here, Starting Now (Theo Ubique); Breaking Up Is Hard to Do and Why Do Fools Fall in Love (Fox Valley Rep); Merrily We Roll Along (The Music Theatre Company); She Loves Me (Writers’ Theatre); Sunday in the Park with George (Village Players); Forbidden Broadway and the world premiere cast of Wild Goat (Steel Beam Theatre); world premiere cast of SpeeDating the Musical (Metropolis Performing Arts); Evita (Harper Theatre Ensemble) and has studied and worked with The Second City in Chicago.

Stephanie is grateful to her friends, family their loving support.

Avenue Q

7

PROFILES

c o n t.

LEAH MORROW (Kate Monster) happily returns for her fifth production at the Mercury! Credits include The Christmas Schooner, Barnum, and A Grand Night For Singing. Regionally: Drury Lane Oakbrook (Superman, Christmas Carol), Fox Valley Repertory (They’re Playing Our Song), Noble Fool (Musical of Musicals!

The Musical!), and The Fireside Theatre (Once Upon A Mattress, 9 to 5). She has performed with Improv/Sketch Comedy groups throughout Illinois including The Roost, Thinking Out Loud, and The Cupid Players. She thanks and loves her patient and supportive family and friends.

Especially the most awesome person she knows and her partner in all, Doug Pawlik.

And she also thanks God! She cannot fully express her gratitude to Walter, Eug, and her family here at the Mercury, except to say Fantasies Come True.

DANIEL SMERIGLIO (Nicky, Bad Idea Bear) is thrilled to be making his Mercury Theater Chicago debut! Most recently he was seen playing Piggy in Lord of the Flies at Steppenwolf. He has also worked with Dog and Pony Theatre Company on the world premiere of The Whole World Is Watching (dir. Devon De Mayo). While not on stage Dan can be seen and heard in many commercial and voiceover spots or gliding through the city on his Segway tours. Graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University. Proud to be represented by the hard working Gray Talent Group. Love to B, family and friends for their continuous encouragement and support.

8

Mercury Theater Chicago

THOM VAN ERMEN (Trekkie Monster, Ricky) is thrilled to make his Mercury Theater Chicago debut with Avenue Q. Favorite roles include Bardolph (Merry Wives of Windsor, Chicago Shakespeare), Petruchio (Taming of the Shrew, Summer Shakespeare at Notre Dame), F. Carr Gomm (Elephant Man, Village Players), Angelo (Measure for Measure) and Peachey (Last Night At Ballyhoo) at Wayside Theatre and has appeared with a host of other Chicago theatre companies including, Shakespeare’s Motley Crew, Porchlight Music Theatre, Theatre Wit, Shakespeare’s Herd, Bailiwick Theatre, Zebra Crossing, and Goose Island. Being old enough to remember all the Muppets when they first came on television, it just goes to show that even things in your childhood can still help you get jobs!! Thom is always happy to lend a hand and buy you a drink at The Wild Goose which is where he will be after tonight’s performance. Love to his family that he rarely gets to see, his wife Christa, and their two favorite Muppets – Charlotte and Max. Thom would also like to dedicate this performance to Herbert Birdsfoot!!

DEREK CZAPLEWSKI (Understudy – Nicky, Bad Idea Bear, Brian, Trekkie Monster) is thrilled to be a part of Mercury Theater Chicago’s production of Avenue Q! Derek has previously worked with Lifeline Theatre, Black Ensemble Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Stage Left Theatre, Piven Workshop, Circle Theatre, TimeLine Theatre, Pegasus Players, Emerald City and Handbag Productions, among others. He is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf.

PROFILES

c o n t.

HANNAH DAWE (Understudy – Kate Monster, Lucy, Mrs. T, Bad Idea Bear) is thrilled to be working with Mercury Theater Chicago! Hannah was most recently seen in The Hypocrites’ production of Into the Woods (Little Red Ridinghood) on the Mercury stage. Other acting credits include: Shelby in Steel Magnolias (Williams Street Repertory), Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, Catherine in Pippin (Northwestern University). Hannah is also a director and writer, and has worked with The Music Theater Company, Strange Tree Group, The Side Project and Screen Door. A million thanks to the whole Avenue Q team for this wonderful opportunity, and her family and friends for all their endless love and support. Proud Northwestern University graduate.

and Eugene for the incredible experience, the entire family, and John for getting me hooked on puppets! www.andrew-lund.com

ANDREW LUND (Understudy – Princeton, Rod) makes his Mercury Theater Chicago debut!

Most recently, he has performed with Porchlight Music Theatre (Double Trouble, Anyone Can Whistle), (re)discover theatre (Lysistrata), The Brown Paper Box Co. (Godspell), and Idle Muse Theatre Co. (Shakespeare’s R&J, Jeff nomination). Andrew also regularly appears with his sketch comedy group Pretty/Windy, ANARCHY: An Improvised Rock Opera, and Storytown at Stage773.

Other favorites include Arcadia (The Cleveland Playhouse), Our Town, and Eurydice. He received a BA in Theatre/ Biology from Case Western Reserve University and is a graduate of the iO Theater. Next up, Andrew will be seen in Porchlight Music Theatre’s staged reading of Fade Out-Fade In. Many thanks to Walter

ROBERT LOPEZ (Music and Lyrics, Original Concept) is a songwriter of musicals, best known for co-creating The Book of Mormon, Avenue Q, and for penning the songs featured in the Disney film Frozen. He is one of only twelve people who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award, and the only person to win all four within a decade. In 2004 Mr. Lopez won the Tony Award for Best Score for Avenue Q, which has been produced in New York, Vegas, London, Stockholm and Helsinki and on tour! His musical version of Finding Nemo, co-written with wife Kristen AndersonLopez, is currently playing in Walt Disney World. In 2007, he co-wrote songs for a musical episode of NBC’s “Scrubs.” He and his brother Billy Lopez have written music for Nick Jr’s “The Wonder Pets!” and Disney’s “Johnny and the Sprites.” Yale graduate, 1997 (B.A. in English!).

JEFF WHITTY (Book) won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for Avenue Q. Plays include The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler, The Hiding Place, The Plank Project, Suicide Weather, and Balls. Musicals include Tales of the City: The Musical with music by Jake Shears and John Garden of the pop group Scissor Sisters and Bring It On: The Musical with music by Tom Kitt, Amanda Green, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Theaters presenting his work include the Atlantic Theater Company, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, South Coast Repertory, and the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. As an actor, Jeff has appeared OffBroadway, regionally, and in films and TV. www.Whitless.com

Avenue Q

9

PROFILES

c o n t.

JEFF MARX (Music and Lyrics, Original Concept) wants to thank the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, which completely changed his life. He joined the free class as a young lawyer, looking for clients, and ended up leaving law and becoming a songwriter. He met Bobby there, and they brought almost every song they ever wrote together into the workshop for feedback and critique. He’s forever in debt to the BMI teachers and classmates and everyone involved with Avenue Q who has helped turn this fun, dirty little musical romp into such an amazing group achievement. Thank you!

L WALTER STEARNS (Director) As Executive Director of Mercury Theater Chicago, Walter is a champion for Chicago artists and productions and has overseen the physical and cultural revival of a beautiful theatre. He has directed over 30 musicals including his Jeff-Award nominated productions of Barnum-The Circus Musical, The Christmas Schooner, Nine the Musical, Ragtime, Gypsy, The Secret Garden, Sweeney Todd, Company, A New Brain, Into the Woods, Merrily We Roll Along and Falsettos. Walter has received the Jeff Award, After Dark Awards, the Larry Sloan Advocate Award (for his support of Season of Concern), the first Guy Adkins award for his contributions to the art of musical theatre and the Franny Award as a distinguished alumnus of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Avenue Q is a special project for Walter who was a puppeteer with the National Marionette Company.

EUGENE DIZON (Musical Director) has been musical directing for over two decades earning 6 Jeff Awards (Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, Amadeus, Company, Into the Woods and Merrily We Roll Along), 14 Jeff nominations (most recently for the Mercury Theater Chicago’s production of A Grand Night For Singing) and 4 After Dark Awards (Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, 10

Mercury Theater Chicago

A New Brain, and Merrily We Roll Along).

Other favorite theatrical experiences include The Christmas Schooner, The Color Purple, Barnum-The Circus Musical (Mercury Theater Chicago); Falsettos, Candide, Pacific Overtures, Nine the Musical (Porchlight); Starting Here, Starting Now (Theo Ubique); and Songs for a New World (Columbia College). Eugene is honored to have been inducted into the Chicago Filipino Hall of Fame. Eugene has produced the annual “Season of Carols” CD which features some of the brightest talent in Chicago theater today, for which Season of Concern awarded him the Larry Sloan Advocate Award (2013). Currently the Business Manager at the Mercury, he has worked for Navteq, HFR, Jenner and Block, and Hunter Douglas, among others.

KEVIN BELLIE (Choreographer) returns to Mercury Theater Chicago after directing/ choreographing A Grand Night For Singing (Jeff nomination – Direction and Revue).

Additional direction and choreography credits include Urinetown (Jeff Award – Choreography), The Baker’s Wife, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Jeff nomination), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Jeff nomination), Can-Can (Jeff nomination), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Jeff nomination), Mack & Mabel (Jeff nomination), Sweet Smell of Success (Jeff nomination), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Jeff nomination), Nine (Jeff Award), The Life (Jeff Award), Grand Hotel (Jeff Award). Kevin has directed/ choreographed A Chorus Line (McLeod Summer Playhouse), Let’s Fall in Love, Breaking Up is Hard to Do, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Tafettas, Roasting Chestnuts and Drood (Fox Valley Rep), choreographed The Music Man (Light Opera Works), Anyone Can Whistle (Pegasus Players), A New Brain (Porchlight, Jeff nomination), Closer Than Ever, and Gypsy (Porchlight, After Dark Award).

PROFILES

c o n t.

ALAN DONAHUE, U.S.A. (Scenic Designer) is pleased to be designing for Mercury Theater Chicago for the first time. Previous to this show, he recently designed scenery for Cheaper by the Dozen at Fox Valley Rep and for KidSeries at Lifeline Theatre designed scenery for Lyle Meets His Mother and lighting for a revival of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. And in early December Remy Bumppo Theatre mounted his scenic design for An Inspector Calls at the Greenhouse Theatre Center. Alan is an ensemble member of Lifeline where his designs for The Little Sister, Jane Eyre (2001), Around the World in 80 Days, Mariette in Ecstasy, and Neverwhere have received Jeff Citations. For Lifeline, he has also adapted Donald E. Westlake’s Trust Me on This and Adam Langer’s Crossing California for the Main Stage and Daniel Pinkwater’s Bongo Larry and Two Bad Bears and Eileen Spinelli’s Sophie Masterpiece: A Spider’s Tale for the KidSeries. And on the horizon Alan will be designing a yet to be named Wild West show for Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO. NICK BELLEY (Co-Lighting Designer) Previously at the Mercury Nick designed The Color Purple. Selected Chicago design credits include: Rent (Paramount Theatre); Ain’t Misbehavin’, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill and Pal Joey (Porchlight Music Theatre); Hank Williams: Lost Highway (American Blues Theater); Good Boys and True and Brighton Beach Memoirs (Raven Theatre); Pleasant Dreams, The Altruists (Two Lights); Or, The Oxford Roof Climber’s Rebellion (Caffeine Theatre). Nick has worked as an assistant/associate at many theaters including Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, The Goodman, Paramount Theatre, The Court, Writers Theatre, Fireside Dinner Theatre, First Stage, Northlight, and Drury Lane Oakbrook. www.nickbelley.com

JESS GOINGS (Co-Lighting Designer) is excited to work on her first show with Mercury Theater Chicago. A recent resident to Chicago, she hails from Nashville, TN where she assisted Lighting Designers for companies such as Clarence Brown Theatre, Knoxville Opera, Nashville Ballet and Nashville Children’s Theatre. Jess previously co-designed Passion for Theo Ubique. Other recent credits include design for Will Power! for The Clarence Brown Theatre, assistant design for Road Show at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and 9 to 5 and School House Rock Live! at Marriott Theatre.

RACHEL BOYLAN (Costume Designer) is thrilled to be designing her first show at Mercury Theater Chicago. She is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a BA in Theater Design, and Rutgers Conservatory at Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. Rachel’s previous credits include The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing (Fury Theater), Der Kaiser Von Atlantis (New Millennium Orchestra), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (St. James Theater), Mendoza (Cacididae Productions LLC), Antigone, Henry Moore is Melting (Cold Basement Dramatics), Beautiful Broken (Broken Nose Theater). While designing, Rachel also works as Wardrobe Supervisor at Mercury Theater Chicago, and as a costume stitcher around town. Rachel would like to thank Walter and Eugene for this incredible opportunity, her parents for sending her off to art school without blinking an eye, and her loving boyfriend Brian. Thank you all for believing in me!

MIKE ROSS (Sound Designer) works as an audio consultant, designer, engineer, and system technician for a variety of clients and venues around Chicago.

Previous sound designs for Mercury Theater Chicago include The Color Purple, Barnum, A Grand Night For Singing and Avenue Q

11

PROFILES

c o n t.

The Christmas Schooner (2011 thru 2013).

Other recent Chicago productions include designs for Let’s Misbehave (Fox Valley Rep), Smokey Joe’s Café (Royal George Theatre), 50 Shades! The Musical (Chicago & National Tour), Operetta’s Greatest Hits (Light Opera Works), and Route 66 (Paramount Theatre), as well as engineering several productions at Marriott Theatre. Mike also serves as the audio head for Million Dollar Quartet at the Apollo Theatre and for a variety of corporate events for the MillerCoors Company around the country. Mike holds a BFA in Sound Design from DePaul University. For more information visit mikerossonline.net.

KRISTI J. MARTENS (Production Stage Manager) is happy to be back at Mercury Theater Chicago with Avenue Q after having the honor of being the PSM for The Color Purple. Other theaters that she has worked at include Drury Lane Oakbrook, Northlight Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Goodman Theatre, Drury Lane Evergreen Park, Drury Lane Water Tower, Fox Valley Repertory, Oak Park Festival Theater, Fulton Opera House (Lancaster, PA), Theater at the Center (Munster, IN), Carousel Dinner Playhouse (Akron, OH). A proud Equity member for over 24 years, Kristi started stage managing with children’s theater. Enjoy!

RUSS WALKO (Puppet Design and Creation) has built and performed puppets on the television shows “Community” and “The Simpsons.” His puppets were featured in the Broadway production of The Pee-Wee Herman Show Live, and is no stranger to Chicago theater, having created puppets for multiple StarKids Productions.

DANIEL J. HANSON (Assistant Stage Manager) is happy to return to Mercury Theater Chicago where he previously worked on The Color Purple. Other Chicago stage management credits include Pippin, The Pajama Game (The Music Theatre Company), It’s A Wonderful Life: The Radio Play (American Theater Company). A few favorite stage management credits include A Year with Frog and Toad, The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins (Children’s Theatre Company, Minneapolis, MN); To Kill a Mockingbird, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Park Square Theatre, St. Paul, MN); Queens of Burlesque (The History Theatre, St. Paul, MN); and Menopause the Musical (The Lab Theatre, Minneapolis, MN). Dan received his MFA in stage management from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

KEVIN NOONCHESTER (Puppet Coach) recently played the role of Marlin in Disney’s Finding Nemo: The Musical and prior to that in the Las Vegas company of Avenue Q where her performed the roles of Princeton/Rod & Nicky/Trekkie. Kevin is also a member of the Henson Company’s “Puppet Up” puppet improv troupe.

12

Mercury Theater Chicago