BJ Jones
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Timothy J. Evans presents
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BY
Amanda Peet
DIRECTED BY
Scenic Design Costume Design Lighting Design Sound Design Production Stage Manager
Robin Witt Jeffrey D. Kmiec Emily McConnell Sarah Hughey, USA Nick Keenan Rita Vreeland, AEA
OPENING NIGHT: SEPTEMBER 19, 2014
At the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie
Originally produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director, Barry Grove, Executive Producer with funds provided by Andrew Martin-Weber, with additional support from The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation on October 22, 2013. The Commons of Pensacola is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York
PRODUCTION SPONSOR
CAST & PRODUCTION CAST (IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)
CORPORATE PRODUCTION SPONSOR
Linda Kimbrough*...................................................................................................... Judith Lusia Strus*....................................................................................................................Becca Lily Mojekwu*............................................................................................................. Lorena Erik Hellman*................................................................................................................. Gabe Leah Karpel.....................................................................................................................Lizzy Lori Myers*............................................................................................................................Ali Understudies: Diana Coates (Lorena), Benjamin Cormalleth (Gabe), Heidi Katz (Judith), Carol Ludwick (Ali/Becca), Becca Savoy (Lizzy)
NORTHLIGHT SEASON SPONSORS
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.
NORTHLIGHT THEATRE IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY:
Setting Present day – Pensacola, Florida.
40TH ANNIVERSARY SPONSORS
SEASON SPONSOR
The Commons of Pensacola will be performed with no intermission.
LIGHTING SPONSOR
ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION STAFF
EDGERTON FOUNDATION FOR NEW AMERICAN PLAYS AWARD
KIRKLAND & ELLIS FOUNDATION
THE DANIEL F. AND ADA L. RICE FOUNDATION
THE OFFIELD FAMILY FOUNDATION
Assistant Director............................................................................................ Kara Foster Properties Master............................................................................. Christopher Neville Production Assistant..................................................................................... Kelli Kovach Costume Supervisor............................................................................ Shannon Higgins Production Dramaturg................................................................Kristin Leahey, Ph. D. Assistant Dramaturg................................................................................Sean Douglass Fight Consultant.................................................................................. Christina Gorman
THE SULLIVAN FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation || Cramer-Krasselt || Evanston Community Foundation || First Bank & Trust of Evanston || John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation International Connections Fund || Melvoin Award for Playwriting || Modestus Bauer Foundation || The Pauls Foundation || The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation || Room & Board || Sanborn Family Foundation || The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust || Tom Stringer Design Partners || The Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation
The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited.
SPECIAL THANKS
OPENING NIGHT SPONSORS
ARTISTIC CIRCLE RECEPTION SPONSOR
Partial support for open captioning provided by Theatre Development Fund. 2
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
3
PRODUCTION SPONSOR
CAST & PRODUCTION CAST (IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)
CORPORATE PRODUCTION SPONSOR
Linda Kimbrough*...................................................................................................... Judith Lusia Strus*....................................................................................................................Becca Lily Mojekwu*............................................................................................................. Lorena Erik Hellman*................................................................................................................. Gabe Leah Karpel.....................................................................................................................Lizzy Lori Myers*............................................................................................................................Ali Understudies: Diana Coates (Lorena), Benjamin Cormalleth (Gabe), Heidi Katz (Judith), Carol Ludwick (Ali/Becca), Becca Savoy (Lizzy)
NORTHLIGHT SEASON SPONSORS
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.
NORTHLIGHT THEATRE IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY:
Setting Present day – Pensacola, Florida.
40TH ANNIVERSARY SPONSORS
SEASON SPONSOR
The Commons of Pensacola will be performed with no intermission.
LIGHTING SPONSOR
ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION STAFF
EDGERTON FOUNDATION FOR NEW AMERICAN PLAYS AWARD
KIRKLAND & ELLIS FOUNDATION
THE DANIEL F. AND ADA L. RICE FOUNDATION
THE OFFIELD FAMILY FOUNDATION
Assistant Director............................................................................................ Kara Foster Properties Master............................................................................. Christopher Neville Production Assistant..................................................................................... Kelli Kovach Costume Supervisor............................................................................ Shannon Higgins Production Dramaturg................................................................Kristin Leahey, Ph. D. Assistant Dramaturg................................................................................Sean Douglass Fight Consultant.................................................................................. Christina Gorman
THE SULLIVAN FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation || Cramer-Krasselt || Evanston Community Foundation || First Bank & Trust of Evanston || John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation International Connections Fund || Melvoin Award for Playwriting || Modestus Bauer Foundation || The Pauls Foundation || The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation || Room & Board || Sanborn Family Foundation || The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust || Tom Stringer Design Partners || The Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation
The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited.
SPECIAL THANKS
OPENING NIGHT SPONSORS
ARTISTIC CIRCLE RECEPTION SPONSOR
Partial support for open captioning provided by Theatre Development Fund. 2
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
3
PROGRAM NOTES
PROGRAM NOTES
FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
that woman,” or even the sensational Lance Armstrong doping scandal as revealed to Oprah? It seems everywhere we turn a public figure is confessing, denying, explaining, illustrating, re-imagining, or regurgitating some intimate, criminal, or deeply personal aspect of her or his life.
In the scorched earth left by the crash of 2008, the rubble included not just businesses, portfolios, pensions, and savings, but the roots of all of these: the lives of millions of simple people. Their financial futures were imperiled, their homes were lost, even their marriages crumbled. The aftershock will be felt for decades and the fear will shape decisions for generations to come. Even though we blame big banks, financial behemoths, or politicians, we must all look deeply at ourselves and at the deadly sin of greed. Seductive and pervasive, the lure of acquisition in a capitalistic society is clear. We need scapegoats, of course— it can’t be us, can it? In The Commons of Pensacola, Amanda Peet focuses her lens on the collateral damage done to the families of the “perpetrators” who enabled and facilitated this greed. Directed by Robin Witt, whose taut and dark vision has electrified Chicago’s storefront theatre scene for years, Commons casts a beam on the shadows of shame in which these families hide. We are pleased to introduce Robin’s work here at Northlight, and to present Amanda Peet’s fascinating debut play.
BJ Jones, Artistic Director
FROM THE DIRECTOR Epigraph from The Commons of Pensacola: The big sudden blows that come, or seem to come, from outside – the ones you remember and blame things on … don’t show their effect all at once. There is another sort of blow that comes from within – that you don’t feel until it’s too late to do anything about it, until you realize with finality that in some regard you will never be as good a man again. From “The Crack Up” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
In 1936, after suffering bouts of alcoholism, his wife’s madness, and the tepid reception of his latest work - as well as the degradation of a string of sordid, unsatisfying affairs - F. Scott Fitzgerald did what few public figures had done before him: he wrote a tell-all serial that outlined a psychological breakdown that had “cracked him like an old plate.” Published in Esquire magazine, this personal exposé drew much public criticism of the author but even more sympathy and support. Although Fitzgerald’s pal Ernest Hemingway was mortified by what he deemed Fitzgerald’s too-public airing of a “miserable ... shameless defeat,” Fitzgerald noted that an enormous number of readers from “Sing-Sing & Joliet” responded to the Esquire essays with deep empathy, born from a shared pain. Of course, in 2014 we are all too familiar with the celebrity/public figure confessional. Who doesn’t remember the rather embarrassing but effective “Checkers Speech” by Richard Nixon, or Bill Clinton’s “I did not have sex with 4
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
Why? What is gained by the revelation of personal misery? And should confession alone lead to public absolution? In The Commons of Pensacola, after a family member perpetrates a terrible crime against many innocent victims, the other family members confront the idea of “revelation as rehabilitation.” But first they must confront the festering wounds within their own battered psyches. No amount of serial exposés, tearful TV confessions, or Daily Mail interviews can mend that place that no one can see, or “the blow that comes from within.” Robin Witt, Director
RESIDENT DRAMATURG KRISTIN LEAHEY INTERVIEWS THE COMMONS OF PENSACOLA PLAYWRIGHT AMANDA PEET KL: What was the development process for The Commons of Pensacola? In interviews, you’ve spoken about the importance of the editing process for plays. Did you revise a lot prior to rehearsals and previews or did the play change more when hearing it with actors and an audience? AP: It took me about two years to write it, and I revised quite a lot before I went out to producers. I had a few actor and writer friends who were willing to give their time and read it out loud, and give notes at different points in the process. My husband warned me not to give it out to a lot of people in the early stages of re-writing, but rather just to a few people on whom I could rely to be brutally honest; there were about four people (he was one of them) who read between five and ten drafts over the course of two years. There was a time when I thought I was ready to go out with it and they said, “no you’re not.” It’s crushing to hear that, but later you realize it’s a huge gift to be held back. All the actors in the NY production were very brave and allowed me to revise until we got very close to critics’ week. I know what it’s like to have to perform brand new pages in front of an audience and it killed me to have to do it to them. But hopefully it improved the play. KL: What drew you to the subject matter of the play? With the play’s connections to Ruth Madoff, what was some of your research for the piece? AP: After I saw her on 60 Minutes I couldn’t stop thinking about her. That’s how it started. Eventually I had the idea to write about a mother in similar circumstances, whose unemployed, adult daughter would propose that they try to clear their name. I read a lot of articles about the Madoff scandal and read about people whose siblings or parents were criminals. I read about families whose ancestors committed war crimes, or colluded with the Nazis. KL: Besides the examining of family in moral, economical, and philosophical crisis, there’s a tension between the generations. Why did you want to represent each of the generations you do and also make the family characters all women? NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
5
PROGRAM NOTES
PROGRAM NOTES
FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
that woman,” or even the sensational Lance Armstrong doping scandal as revealed to Oprah? It seems everywhere we turn a public figure is confessing, denying, explaining, illustrating, re-imagining, or regurgitating some intimate, criminal, or deeply personal aspect of her or his life.
In the scorched earth left by the crash of 2008, the rubble included not just businesses, portfolios, pensions, and savings, but the roots of all of these: the lives of millions of simple people. Their financial futures were imperiled, their homes were lost, even their marriages crumbled. The aftershock will be felt for decades and the fear will shape decisions for generations to come. Even though we blame big banks, financial behemoths, or politicians, we must all look deeply at ourselves and at the deadly sin of greed. Seductive and pervasive, the lure of acquisition in a capitalistic society is clear. We need scapegoats, of course— it can’t be us, can it? In The Commons of Pensacola, Amanda Peet focuses her lens on the collateral damage done to the families of the “perpetrators” who enabled and facilitated this greed. Directed by Robin Witt, whose taut and dark vision has electrified Chicago’s storefront theatre scene for years, Commons casts a beam on the shadows of shame in which these families hide. We are pleased to introduce Robin’s work here at Northlight, and to present Amanda Peet’s fascinating debut play.
BJ Jones, Artistic Director
FROM THE DIRECTOR Epigraph from The Commons of Pensacola: The big sudden blows that come, or seem to come, from outside – the ones you remember and blame things on … don’t show their effect all at once. There is another sort of blow that comes from within – that you don’t feel until it’s too late to do anything about it, until you realize with finality that in some regard you will never be as good a man again. From “The Crack Up” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
In 1936, after suffering bouts of alcoholism, his wife’s madness, and the tepid reception of his latest work - as well as the degradation of a string of sordid, unsatisfying affairs - F. Scott Fitzgerald did what few public figures had done before him: he wrote a tell-all serial that outlined a psychological breakdown that had “cracked him like an old plate.” Published in Esquire magazine, this personal exposé drew much public criticism of the author but even more sympathy and support. Although Fitzgerald’s pal Ernest Hemingway was mortified by what he deemed Fitzgerald’s too-public airing of a “miserable ... shameless defeat,” Fitzgerald noted that an enormous number of readers from “Sing-Sing & Joliet” responded to the Esquire essays with deep empathy, born from a shared pain. Of course, in 2014 we are all too familiar with the celebrity/public figure confessional. Who doesn’t remember the rather embarrassing but effective “Checkers Speech” by Richard Nixon, or Bill Clinton’s “I did not have sex with 4
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
Why? What is gained by the revelation of personal misery? And should confession alone lead to public absolution? In The Commons of Pensacola, after a family member perpetrates a terrible crime against many innocent victims, the other family members confront the idea of “revelation as rehabilitation.” But first they must confront the festering wounds within their own battered psyches. No amount of serial exposés, tearful TV confessions, or Daily Mail interviews can mend that place that no one can see, or “the blow that comes from within.” Robin Witt, Director
RESIDENT DRAMATURG KRISTIN LEAHEY INTERVIEWS THE COMMONS OF PENSACOLA PLAYWRIGHT AMANDA PEET KL: What was the development process for The Commons of Pensacola? In interviews, you’ve spoken about the importance of the editing process for plays. Did you revise a lot prior to rehearsals and previews or did the play change more when hearing it with actors and an audience? AP: It took me about two years to write it, and I revised quite a lot before I went out to producers. I had a few actor and writer friends who were willing to give their time and read it out loud, and give notes at different points in the process. My husband warned me not to give it out to a lot of people in the early stages of re-writing, but rather just to a few people on whom I could rely to be brutally honest; there were about four people (he was one of them) who read between five and ten drafts over the course of two years. There was a time when I thought I was ready to go out with it and they said, “no you’re not.” It’s crushing to hear that, but later you realize it’s a huge gift to be held back. All the actors in the NY production were very brave and allowed me to revise until we got very close to critics’ week. I know what it’s like to have to perform brand new pages in front of an audience and it killed me to have to do it to them. But hopefully it improved the play. KL: What drew you to the subject matter of the play? With the play’s connections to Ruth Madoff, what was some of your research for the piece? AP: After I saw her on 60 Minutes I couldn’t stop thinking about her. That’s how it started. Eventually I had the idea to write about a mother in similar circumstances, whose unemployed, adult daughter would propose that they try to clear their name. I read a lot of articles about the Madoff scandal and read about people whose siblings or parents were criminals. I read about families whose ancestors committed war crimes, or colluded with the Nazis. KL: Besides the examining of family in moral, economical, and philosophical crisis, there’s a tension between the generations. Why did you want to represent each of the generations you do and also make the family characters all women? NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
5
PROGRAM NOTES AP: I didn’t set out to write a mother-daughter play or to write about women. I liked the idea of gathering different family members who were, in varying degrees, holding on to a fake narrative about themselves after a tragedy. I liked the idea of being at the point in the fallout where you ask yourself: did I participate, unconsciously or not, in letting this happen?
The Perfect Fit! For the Entertainment Lover
KL: Although the play addresses very challenging circumstances, there’s such levity and humor to it. As a writer, how conscious are you of incorporating this sense of humor? Are there times you feel you have to hold yourself back or do you more often find yourself saying, “I need to lighten this?”
Luther Village has an ideal location in the heart of Arlington Heights, a short distance to many theaters, symphonies and performing arts centers. Go on your own or leave the planning to us—no worries about tickets, driving or parking. Join us, sit back, relax and enjoy!
AP: Uta Hagen always used to tell us you play a comedy the same way you play a drama. (Easy for her to say.) I try not to think about being funny when I’m acting or writing. If I try to convey some over-arching feeling, or if I try to be funny, the result is always dreck. KL: What drew you to playwriting, perhaps before screenwriting? How does writing for those arenas differ? AP: I’ve tried to write screenplays and I can’t do it. There are too many choices. I like to write plays because I love actors. And I think of my teenage improv acting class where it was always just: two people in a room, here’s the conflict. Go.
• Low monthly fees & no second person fee • Activities, enrichment classes and entertainment
KL: What are some of your thoughts on production and consumption of reality TV? AP: There’s an insane, communal craving - fomented by our media culture - to have access to the private matters of famous people; the more deeply personal, the better. When I look at a movie star’s cellulite in a magazine, I’m essentially rubber necking, and while it appalls me, I also want to look. And reality TV is just the serialized version of that. It made sense to me that Bex [in Commons] would think a public confessional is her only option. And it made sense to me that she would try to make it classy. KL: What are some of your favorite plays and productions? Who are some of your favorite writers or writer mentors? AP: While writing this play I was really inspired by reading Jon Robin Baitz, Tracy Letts, and Yasmina Reza. One of my favorite productions of all time was Lanford Wilson’s Moonshot and Cosmos with Judith Ivey. Nicole Holofcener is a huge influence, as is Neil LaBute. My husband is my mentor. But I did also have two very good writing teachers at Columbia who encouraged me. And Uta Hagen was very influential because her approach to scene work lends itself really well to story-telling. KL: Are you working on any upcoming writing projects you can share about? I’m writing a new play but it’s slow-going. In January I’ll be in a new HBO show by the Duplass Brothers called Togetherness.
• Theater and symphony trips • Transportation services • Convenient location Stunning Studios start at $65,000 Spacious One Bedrooms start at $127,000 Villa and Courtyard Homes start at $343,000
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
Live it at Luther Village!
TAKE A TOUR of Luther Village and receive a Complimentary Market Analysis of your current home. MUST BE QUALIFIED TO PURCHASE FOR OFFER. LISTINGS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR PRIOR SALE.
FL0914
6
Unlock your Lifestyle
Luther Village is a nondenominational development of The Shaw Company managed and offered by Shaw Realty Services.
offered by Shaw Realty Services
www.luthervillage.com
847-506-1919 1220 VILLAGE DRIVE, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
7
PROGRAM NOTES RUTH MADOFF: CARRYING ON By Sean Douglass, Assistant Dramaturg many lives had been destroyed by his greed and heartlessness. After her husband was convicted and she entered a series of negotiations to desperately hold onto her fortune, her image plummeted further. She received the vitriol of those who recognized her on the street and was hounded in the press, in supermarkets, on the bus, and on television.
Ruth and Bernie Madoff, 1980
After her husband was arrested for running a $65 billion scheme through his business Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, the primary question the media had for Ruth Madoff was: did she know? Bernie Madoff’s history of fraud went back at least two decades, and Ruth had managed his books in the early days of the business. Ruth claimed innocence but remained mostly silent on the subject as her life gradually fell apart. Her assets were frozen as she and Bernie awaited his trial, cooped up in their Manhattan apartment while paparazzi swarmed below. Her children were no longer speaking to her, nor she to them, and Bernie’s clients, including family and former friends, had started to come forward with their devastating losses, informing the public of just how horrible Bernie’s crimes were, and just how 8
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
On The View, Whoopi Goldberg advised the (not present) Ruth: “I don’t care how dumb you are. There is no way that you can … think that they’re not going to take this money from you. Ruth, you might as well just give it up, honey!” As Ruth lived off a debit card and a diet of chili and chicken, scrambling to pay bills and the upkeep on her multiple homes (to prepare them for their inevitable resale), the public saw greed piled onto more greed. Ruth eventually cut a deal to surrender $80 million in exchange for $2.5 million tied to previous assets, but this was still far, far too much in most people’s eyes. As the years have gone on, Ruth remains free of any charges, and evidence suggests that she was, in fact, unaware of her husband’s crimes. Her sons and daughter-inlaw, despite lingering animosities, all agree she didn’t know, and Ruth’s sister, her husband, and even Ruth herself lost money in the scandal. Ruth went to live with her sister in Boca Raton, Florida for several years after her apartment in New York was lost, where she performed charity work, kept a low
PROGRAM NOTES profile, and privately mourned the suicide of her oldest son Mark in 2010. In 2012 she moved to Old Greenwich, Connecticut, where she could live closer to her son Andrew and grandchildren, finally trying to make amends. While to this day the accounts of Ruth’s character and possible motives are diverse and often contradictory, the picture that emerges is one not of a woman who directly participated in her husband’s crimes, but one who was too slow to distance herself from them. Faced with a life that was impossible to save, she initially attempted suicide, and when that failed, chose to quietly live at the side of the man she had loved for fifty years, privately, unsympathetically. If Ruth, and her counterpart Judith from The Commons of Pensacola (who, it should be noted, is an original creation and quite distinct from Ruth herself) share a vice, it would probably not be greed but a loyalty to the wrong things. It was a selfishness not for monetary gain, but deeper, and arguably more invaluable assets – love, family, stability – even when it meant ignoring the fact that others were losing far, far more. The characters in Commons are skilled
Ruth Madoff on 60 Minutes, 2011
at lying to each other, but their ability to hurt one another by lying to themselves, or through their own opportunistic selfishness, is what makes them so fascinating and impressively human. These are intelligent people who purport to love one another and care about their world, but their reserves, much like Bernie’s accounts, frequently fail to live up to what they project. As Stephanie Madoff Mack, wife of Ruth’s deceased son Mark, remarked, Ruth loves her family and feels for her husband’s victims. But ultimately, she loves Bernie most of all. Did Ruth know? Probably not. But as her loyalties, like Judith’s, still seem to favor self-preservation over any public advocacy on the victims’ behalf, no wonder so many people still find it difficult to take her side.
NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
9
PROGRAM NOTES RUTH MADOFF: CARRYING ON By Sean Douglass, Assistant Dramaturg many lives had been destroyed by his greed and heartlessness. After her husband was convicted and she entered a series of negotiations to desperately hold onto her fortune, her image plummeted further. She received the vitriol of those who recognized her on the street and was hounded in the press, in supermarkets, on the bus, and on television.
Ruth and Bernie Madoff, 1980
After her husband was arrested for running a $65 billion scheme through his business Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, the primary question the media had for Ruth Madoff was: did she know? Bernie Madoff’s history of fraud went back at least two decades, and Ruth had managed his books in the early days of the business. Ruth claimed innocence but remained mostly silent on the subject as her life gradually fell apart. Her assets were frozen as she and Bernie awaited his trial, cooped up in their Manhattan apartment while paparazzi swarmed below. Her children were no longer speaking to her, nor she to them, and Bernie’s clients, including family and former friends, had started to come forward with their devastating losses, informing the public of just how horrible Bernie’s crimes were, and just how 8
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
On The View, Whoopi Goldberg advised the (not present) Ruth: “I don’t care how dumb you are. There is no way that you can … think that they’re not going to take this money from you. Ruth, you might as well just give it up, honey!” As Ruth lived off a debit card and a diet of chili and chicken, scrambling to pay bills and the upkeep on her multiple homes (to prepare them for their inevitable resale), the public saw greed piled onto more greed. Ruth eventually cut a deal to surrender $80 million in exchange for $2.5 million tied to previous assets, but this was still far, far too much in most people’s eyes. As the years have gone on, Ruth remains free of any charges, and evidence suggests that she was, in fact, unaware of her husband’s crimes. Her sons and daughter-inlaw, despite lingering animosities, all agree she didn’t know, and Ruth’s sister, her husband, and even Ruth herself lost money in the scandal. Ruth went to live with her sister in Boca Raton, Florida for several years after her apartment in New York was lost, where she performed charity work, kept a low
PROGRAM NOTES profile, and privately mourned the suicide of her oldest son Mark in 2010. In 2012 she moved to Old Greenwich, Connecticut, where she could live closer to her son Andrew and grandchildren, finally trying to make amends. While to this day the accounts of Ruth’s character and possible motives are diverse and often contradictory, the picture that emerges is one not of a woman who directly participated in her husband’s crimes, but one who was too slow to distance herself from them. Faced with a life that was impossible to save, she initially attempted suicide, and when that failed, chose to quietly live at the side of the man she had loved for fifty years, privately, unsympathetically. If Ruth, and her counterpart Judith from The Commons of Pensacola (who, it should be noted, is an original creation and quite distinct from Ruth herself) share a vice, it would probably not be greed but a loyalty to the wrong things. It was a selfishness not for monetary gain, but deeper, and arguably more invaluable assets – love, family, stability – even when it meant ignoring the fact that others were losing far, far more. The characters in Commons are skilled
Ruth Madoff on 60 Minutes, 2011
at lying to each other, but their ability to hurt one another by lying to themselves, or through their own opportunistic selfishness, is what makes them so fascinating and impressively human. These are intelligent people who purport to love one another and care about their world, but their reserves, much like Bernie’s accounts, frequently fail to live up to what they project. As Stephanie Madoff Mack, wife of Ruth’s deceased son Mark, remarked, Ruth loves her family and feels for her husband’s victims. But ultimately, she loves Bernie most of all. Did Ruth know? Probably not. But as her loyalties, like Judith’s, still seem to favor self-preservation over any public advocacy on the victims’ behalf, no wonder so many people still find it difficult to take her side.
NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
9
PROGRAM NOTES FOR PATTI BLAGOJEVICH, ‘THIS YEAR IS ESPECIALLY HEARTBREAKING” Reprinted from Chicago Tribune, by Michael Sneed, April 4, 2014 Bernie Madoff, though possibly the most prominent, is not the only white collar criminal to attract media attention. Here in Chicago, the criminal exploits of former governor Rod Blagojevich made national headlines and changed his family’s life. The good wife . . . About two weeks ago, Patti Blagojevich marked an anniversary without a celebration; the completion of her husband’s second year in a federal prison outside of Denver. Since former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s incarceration on corruption charges in 2012, his wife has done everything she can to keep her family together by packing up their two daughters and heading to Colorado every few months. “But this year is especially heartbreaking,” according to a family friend. “He will miss the high school graduation of his eldest daughter, Amy, who graduates May 24 from Loyola Academy,” the source said. “It’s a real family benchmark. It may sound trite, but he also missed Amy passing her driver’s test.” “The family is doing fine,” said Blagojevich’s longtime friend and attorney Sheldon Sorosky. “But, what can you say, they miss him terribly and do everything they can to visit him every few months.”
Annie; that he may miss the birth of a grandchild,” another family source added. Sneed is told Patti is not only working hard to keep the family close and intact, despite the distance imposed by geography, but “working her heart out on her real estate business to help support the family financially.”
Still to come this season:
NOV 7 - DEC 14
Former Ald. Dick Mell, Patti’s father, still continues to be the family’s prime financial mainstay. “Patti is one tough gal and will do anything to keep their family together,” said a political source who asked not to be identified. “Rod is a very loving husband and father; there are a lot of people who feel his 14-year prison sentence was way too harsh; and Patti is buoyed by hope his federal appeal works.”
JAN 23 - FEB 28
Last year, Patti posted a message to the former governor’s supporters on her Facebook page on the first anniversary of her husband’s incarceration.
MAR 13 - APR 19
“A year ago today, Rod left for Denver. I cannot call it the one year anniversary as the word anniversary implies celebration and all that we have been left with is an aching hole in our lives,” she wrote.
MAY 8 - JUN 14
Sources tell Sneed, Patti, who talks to her husband via phone daily, is hopeful his stiff 14-year prison sentence will be overturned on appeal. “It’s hard knowing he may have 12 more years to serve and that Amy could be 30 when he gets out of prison; that he may not be able to attend the marriages of Amy and 10
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
Rod and Patti Blagojevich, 2012
4-Play Packages start at only $94 NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
11
PROFILES ERIK HELLMAN (Gabe) is happy to be returning to Northlight after appearing as Uncle Louie in Lost in Yonkers. Chicago credits include Luna Gale (Goodman); Tartuffe, The Misanthrope, Proof (Jeff Award Nomination - Supporting Actor), The Comedy of Errors, The Mystery of Irma Vep (Jeff Award Nomination - Lead Actor), Titus Andronicus, and Arcadia (Court); Eastland (Lookingglass); Hesperia (Writers); The Madness of King George III, The Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, and Edward II (Chicago Shakespeare); Honest, The Elephant Man, and Huck Finn (Steppenwolf); All My Sons (TimeLine); as well as shows at Next, Chicago Dramatists, Remy Bumppo, The House Theatre of Chicago, and as a company member of Strawdog. Outside of Chicago, Erik has appeared at Milwaukee Repertory, Geva, Syracuse Stage, Indianapolis Repertory, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Houston’s Stages Repertory, and Off-Broadway at The Mirror Repertory. Film/TV work includes The Dark Knight, The Chicago Code, Boss, Betrayal, and as Dr. Alec Willhite on Chicago Fire and Chicago PD. LEAH KARPEL (Lizzy) is making her Northlight debut. Chicago credits include: Buena Vista, The Glass Menagerie, and The Hot L Baltimore (Steppenwolf); Appropriate, The Whale, and We Are Proud to Present... (Victory Gardens); 12
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
PROFILES
Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom (Strawdog); and Punk Rock (Griffin). Regional credits include: 4000 Miles (Long Wharf),Ten Chimneys (Milwaukee Rep), Half And Half (Penguin Rep), The Play About My Dad (CollaborationTown), and Evanston: A Rare Comedy (HERE Arts/PS 122). Leah received her BFA from Boston University and is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf. Next up: the world premiere of Sam Hunter’s Pocatello at Playwrights Horizons. LINDA KIMBROUGH (Judith) has appeared at Northlight in Ten Chimneys, A Life and Better Late (both opposite John Mahoney), She Stoops to Conquer, Red Herring, The Gamester, Hearts, and The Old Neighborhood. Most recently she played Feste in Twelfth Night (Baltimore Center Stage), Silda in Other Desert Cities (Goodman), and the Mother in GNIT as part of the Humana New Plays Festival (Actors’ Theatre of Louisville). She is proud to have originated roles in four of David Mamet’s plays: Edmond, Reunion, The Water Engine, and Squirrels, and in his adaptation of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. Movies include State & Main, Spartan, Red Belt, Homicide, and The Phil Spector Story (with Al Pacino) for HBO. LILY MOJEKWU (Lorena) is tickled to be working with Northlight for the first time. This summer, she performed in King
Richard III and Twelfth Night (Lakeside Shakespeare). Some favorite Chicago credits include Welcome Home Jenny Sutter, The Overwhelming (Jeff Nomination – Best Production), and Well (Next – where she is an Artistic Associate); fml: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life, The Elephant Man, and The Brother Sister Plays (Steppenwolf); Romeo and Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare); A Twist of Water (Route 66); and Greensboro: A Requiem (NonEquity Jeff Nomination – Best Supporting Actress) and In Arabia We’d All Be Kings (Non-Equity Jeff Award – Best Ensemble) at Steep. MANY thanks to the loves of her life: husband Jim, stepdaughter Sophia, and their adopted pound pup Hudson. Lily would also like to thank Robin and Lynn for making this possible. She dedicates this performance to her dear sister Angela, who passed away in May. LORI MYERS (Ali) was last seen as Maggie in Robin Witt’s critically acclaimed Men Should Weep (Griffin). Favorite roles include Julia Gibbs in David Cromer’s Obie & Lucille Lortel Award-winning Our Town (Hypocrites) in a record-breaking run in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles; Theresa in Annie Baker’s Circle Mirror Transformation (Victory Gardens); Mother Courage in Mother Courage and Her Children (Vitalist); and Paula in Mrs. Klein (London, UK). Mrs. Myers has worked with Steppenwolf, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, The Building Stage, Bailiwick Rep, Theatre Wit, Shattered Globe, Vitalist, Redmoon,
Next, and countless other vibrant storefronts in Chicago, New York, and London. For Geoffrey. LUSIA STRUS (Becca) is so happy to be at Northlight where she earned her Actor’s Equity Card in their inaugural production at the North Shore Center, Atomic Bombers. Select Chicago credits include Ironbound, Good People (Jeff Award nomination), her own solo show It Ain’t No Fairy Tale (LA Weekly Award - Solo Performance), Hysteria, Our Town, and Whispering City (Steppenwolf); Love’s Labours Lost, Merry Wives of Windsor, and Henry IV (Chicago Shakespeare Theater/Royal Shakespeare Company); Go Away Go Away (Jeff Award - Principal Actress) and Slavs! (European Rep); and many years of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (Chicago and New York City) as a Neo-Futurist. Other recent credits include Enron and Elling (Broadway); The Retributions (Playwrights Horizons); Travesties and Are You There, McPhee? (McCarter). Film and television credits include Gus Van Sant’s Restless, Kelly and Cal, 50 First Dates, Cotton, The Mend, Modern Family, Blue Bloods, and Wayward Pines (Fall 2015). Lusia lives in New York City but Chicago is home. ROBIN WITT (Director) is an artistic associate at Steep where she has directed Motortown, Love and Money, Pornography, Harper Regan, Parlour Song, and Breathing Corpses. She is also an ensemble member at Griffin where she directed Men Should Weep, NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
13
PROFILES ERIK HELLMAN (Gabe) is happy to be returning to Northlight after appearing as Uncle Louie in Lost in Yonkers. Chicago credits include Luna Gale (Goodman); Tartuffe, The Misanthrope, Proof (Jeff Award Nomination - Supporting Actor), The Comedy of Errors, The Mystery of Irma Vep (Jeff Award Nomination - Lead Actor), Titus Andronicus, and Arcadia (Court); Eastland (Lookingglass); Hesperia (Writers); The Madness of King George III, The Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, and Edward II (Chicago Shakespeare); Honest, The Elephant Man, and Huck Finn (Steppenwolf); All My Sons (TimeLine); as well as shows at Next, Chicago Dramatists, Remy Bumppo, The House Theatre of Chicago, and as a company member of Strawdog. Outside of Chicago, Erik has appeared at Milwaukee Repertory, Geva, Syracuse Stage, Indianapolis Repertory, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Houston’s Stages Repertory, and Off-Broadway at The Mirror Repertory. Film/TV work includes The Dark Knight, The Chicago Code, Boss, Betrayal, and as Dr. Alec Willhite on Chicago Fire and Chicago PD. LEAH KARPEL (Lizzy) is making her Northlight debut. Chicago credits include: Buena Vista, The Glass Menagerie, and The Hot L Baltimore (Steppenwolf); Appropriate, The Whale, and We Are Proud to Present... (Victory Gardens); 12
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
PROFILES
Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom (Strawdog); and Punk Rock (Griffin). Regional credits include: 4000 Miles (Long Wharf),Ten Chimneys (Milwaukee Rep), Half And Half (Penguin Rep), The Play About My Dad (CollaborationTown), and Evanston: A Rare Comedy (HERE Arts/PS 122). Leah received her BFA from Boston University and is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf. Next up: the world premiere of Sam Hunter’s Pocatello at Playwrights Horizons. LINDA KIMBROUGH (Judith) has appeared at Northlight in Ten Chimneys, A Life and Better Late (both opposite John Mahoney), She Stoops to Conquer, Red Herring, The Gamester, Hearts, and The Old Neighborhood. Most recently she played Feste in Twelfth Night (Baltimore Center Stage), Silda in Other Desert Cities (Goodman), and the Mother in GNIT as part of the Humana New Plays Festival (Actors’ Theatre of Louisville). She is proud to have originated roles in four of David Mamet’s plays: Edmond, Reunion, The Water Engine, and Squirrels, and in his adaptation of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. Movies include State & Main, Spartan, Red Belt, Homicide, and The Phil Spector Story (with Al Pacino) for HBO. LILY MOJEKWU (Lorena) is tickled to be working with Northlight for the first time. This summer, she performed in King
Richard III and Twelfth Night (Lakeside Shakespeare). Some favorite Chicago credits include Welcome Home Jenny Sutter, The Overwhelming (Jeff Nomination – Best Production), and Well (Next – where she is an Artistic Associate); fml: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life, The Elephant Man, and The Brother Sister Plays (Steppenwolf); Romeo and Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare); A Twist of Water (Route 66); and Greensboro: A Requiem (NonEquity Jeff Nomination – Best Supporting Actress) and In Arabia We’d All Be Kings (Non-Equity Jeff Award – Best Ensemble) at Steep. MANY thanks to the loves of her life: husband Jim, stepdaughter Sophia, and their adopted pound pup Hudson. Lily would also like to thank Robin and Lynn for making this possible. She dedicates this performance to her dear sister Angela, who passed away in May. LORI MYERS (Ali) was last seen as Maggie in Robin Witt’s critically acclaimed Men Should Weep (Griffin). Favorite roles include Julia Gibbs in David Cromer’s Obie & Lucille Lortel Award-winning Our Town (Hypocrites) in a record-breaking run in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles; Theresa in Annie Baker’s Circle Mirror Transformation (Victory Gardens); Mother Courage in Mother Courage and Her Children (Vitalist); and Paula in Mrs. Klein (London, UK). Mrs. Myers has worked with Steppenwolf, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, The Building Stage, Bailiwick Rep, Theatre Wit, Shattered Globe, Vitalist, Redmoon,
Next, and countless other vibrant storefronts in Chicago, New York, and London. For Geoffrey. LUSIA STRUS (Becca) is so happy to be at Northlight where she earned her Actor’s Equity Card in their inaugural production at the North Shore Center, Atomic Bombers. Select Chicago credits include Ironbound, Good People (Jeff Award nomination), her own solo show It Ain’t No Fairy Tale (LA Weekly Award - Solo Performance), Hysteria, Our Town, and Whispering City (Steppenwolf); Love’s Labours Lost, Merry Wives of Windsor, and Henry IV (Chicago Shakespeare Theater/Royal Shakespeare Company); Go Away Go Away (Jeff Award - Principal Actress) and Slavs! (European Rep); and many years of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (Chicago and New York City) as a Neo-Futurist. Other recent credits include Enron and Elling (Broadway); The Retributions (Playwrights Horizons); Travesties and Are You There, McPhee? (McCarter). Film and television credits include Gus Van Sant’s Restless, Kelly and Cal, 50 First Dates, Cotton, The Mend, Modern Family, Blue Bloods, and Wayward Pines (Fall 2015). Lusia lives in New York City but Chicago is home. ROBIN WITT (Director) is an artistic associate at Steep where she has directed Motortown, Love and Money, Pornography, Harper Regan, Parlour Song, and Breathing Corpses. She is also an ensemble member at Griffin where she directed Men Should Weep, NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
13
PROFILES THE MIDWEST PREMIERE OF
Flare Path, and Stage Door. Other theaters Robin has worked for include Steppenwolf, Lookingglass, A Red Orchid, The Artistic Home, and Everyman (Baltimore). Last year she directed Juliet: A Dialogue About Love for ‘sacred playground theatre’ at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Robin is an Assistant Professor of Directing at UNC Charlotte, and she is a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts (BFA) and Northwestern University (MFA). She will be directing Alistair McDowall’s Brilliant Adventures for Steep in July 2015.
ISAAC’S EYE BY LUCAS HNATH DIRECTED BY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MICHAEL HALBERSTAM
BEGINS SEPTEMBER 2 Performed at 664 Vernon Ave, Glencoe Minutes from Chicago on the Edens or Metra
“[Playwright Lucas] Hnath is quickly emerging as one of the brightest new voices of his generation.”
PICTURED: JÜRGEN HOOPER AND MARC GRAPEY. PHOTO BY SAVERIO TRUGLIA.
– The New York Times
FOR TICKETS: WRITERSTHEATRE.ORG | 847-242-6000 2014/15 SEASON SPONSOR
14
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSOR
CORPORATE SPONSOR
AMANDA PEET (Playwright) has starred in numerous films including Something’s Gotta Give, Igby Goes Down, Syriana, The Whole Nine Yards, and Nicole Holofcener’s Please Give. On television she starred in the WB drama Jack and Jill, as well as Aaron Sorkin’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Her theatre credits include the Broadway revival of Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park (opposite Patrick Wilson) and Off-Broadway productions of Break of Noon and This Is How It Goes, both by Neil LaBute. Peet will next be seen in the HBO comedy Togetherness, created by the Duplass brothers. Her play The Commons of Pensacola premiered at the Manthattan Theatre Club with Blythe Danner and Sarah Jessica Parker. A native New Yorker, Peet resides in Los Angeles with her husband, the writer David Benioff, and their two daughters. JEFFREY D. KMIEC (Scenic Design) Chicago Credits: Tom Jones (Northlight); Spelling Bee (Drury Lane); Les Miserables (ParamountAurora); Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Double Trouble, Ain’t
Misbehavin’, How to Succeed, Sweeney Todd, Sondheim on Sondheim (Porchlight); Good Boys and True, Dividing the Estate (Raven Theatre); Watch on the Rhine (Artistic Home). Regional: Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, Heritage Theatre Festival, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte. Awards: Southeastern Theatre Conference 2012 “Ready to Work” Award, 2011 KCACTF O’Neill Festival Fellowship. Education: MFA, University of Virginia. EMILY MCCONNELL (Costume Design) is thrilled to be working with the Northlight team for the second time after making her Northlight debut with Black Pearl Sings!. In addition to being the Resident Costume Designer for Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of the Performing Arts, she also freelances for such companies as Lifeline Theatre (Monstrous Regiment, True Story of 3 Little Pigs), Oak Park Festival Theatre (Amadeus, Twelfth Night, Inherit the Wind, Richard III), Redtwist (Reverb), Artistic Home (American Plan), Dog & Pony (Roadkill Confidential), and Gift Theatre (Suicide Incorporated), among others. She is a proud Artistic Associate of Steep Theatre, and has her MFA in Costume and Set Design from Northwestern University. SARAH HUGHEY (Lighting Design) is pleased to be working on her third design with Northlight after Tom Jones and Black Pearl Sings!. Chicago credits include work with Court, Writers, House, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, About Face, Fox Valley Rep, Steep, Lifeline, Provision, A NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
15
PROFILES Red Orchid, Lookingglass, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Sarah is the resident lighting designer for Silk Road Rising (Jeff Award – Lighting, Scorched). She is the 2013 recipient of Chicago’s Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award. Sarah earned her MFA from Northwestern University and teaches lighting design at Northwestern and Columbia College. NICK KEENAN (Sound Design) is thrilled to be working with Northlight for the third time after Lost in Yonkers and Detroit ‘67 last season. Nick has designed over 125 shows in the Chicago area, including shows at Court (Sizwe Banzi is Dead, The Illusion, The Piano Lesson), Next (Everything is Illuminated, End Days), Millennium Park (Guerra: A Clown Play), Neo-Futurists (The Sovereign Statement), Rivendell (These Shining Lives), A Red Orchid (The Iliad, Not a Game for Boys), and New Leaf (Arcadia, The Man Who Was Thursday, Touch, The Dining Room). He recently served as associate sound designer for Smokefall at Goodman. Nick teaches sound design at DePaul University and serves as a digital and web experience designer for a number of Chicago theatres, including the Neo-Futurists and the Paramount in Aurora. RITA VREELAND (Production Stage Manager) starts her 8th season at Northlight with The Commons of Pensacola. Most recent Northlight credits: Chapatti (Galway Arts Festival, Ireland), Lost in Yonkers, Tom Jones, 4000 Miles, Stella & Lou (including its run at the Galway Arts Festival), and Woody 16
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
Sez. Recent credits elsewhere in the Chicagoland area include Little Shop of Horrors and many other productions at Theatre at the Center; the annual Christmas Schooner (Mercury); and the world premieres of A Twist of Water (Route 66), El Nogalar (Goodman), and We Are Proud to Present... (Victory Gardens). In addition to stage management, Rita was the set designer at Harold Washington College from 2001-2012, and is a member of the Route 66 Theatre Company in Chicago. She is the proud wife of actor Tom Hickey and mom to one-year-old Charlie. BJ JONES (Artistic Director) is in his 17th season as Artistic Director of Northlight, where he commissioned and directed the world premieres of Chapatti, Stella & Lou, The Outgoing Tide (Jeff Nomination – Best Director), Better Late, and Rounding Third. Notably he has directed productions of Grey Gardens, The Price (Jeff Nomination- Best Director), A Skull in Connemara, The Cripple of Inishmaan, and The Lieutenant of Inishmore. As a producer he has guided the world premieres of The Last Five Years, The Gamester, and Studs Terkel’s ‘The Good War’. From Second City to Shakespeare, BJ has directed Pitmen Painters (Jeff Nomination – Best Director, TimeLine), A Number (Next), 100 Saints You Should Know (Steppenwolf), and The Dresser (Body Politic). Regional: Glengarry Glen Ross (Suzie Bass Nominee – Best Director, Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre), Enchanted April (Asolo Theatre), and productions at Cherry Lane Theatre NY, Galway Arts Festival, Baltimore Center Stage, and Utah Shakespeare Festival. As a performer, Mr. Jones is a two-time
PROFILES Joseph Jefferson Award winner and 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) Prior to his arrival at Northlight Theatre, 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 produced the feature films Diminished Capacity with Matthew Broderick (premiered 2008 Sundance Film Festival) and The Last Rites of Joe May with Dennis Farina (premiered 2011 Tribeca Film Festival). Recently, Tim co-founded the Three Oaks Theater Festival in Three Oaks, Michigan, which had its second season this past summer. He currently serves on the board of the League of Chicago Theatres and on the theater selection panel for the Princess Grace Foundation Awards. 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.
NOW OPEN and newly renovated
Alden Estates of Evanston Post-acute services • Transitional care • Short-term rehabilitation •
847-328-6000 2520 Gross Point Road, Evanston NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
17
PROFILES Red Orchid, Lookingglass, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Sarah is the resident lighting designer for Silk Road Rising (Jeff Award – Lighting, Scorched). She is the 2013 recipient of Chicago’s Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award. Sarah earned her MFA from Northwestern University and teaches lighting design at Northwestern and Columbia College. NICK KEENAN (Sound Design) is thrilled to be working with Northlight for the third time after Lost in Yonkers and Detroit ‘67 last season. Nick has designed over 125 shows in the Chicago area, including shows at Court (Sizwe Banzi is Dead, The Illusion, The Piano Lesson), Next (Everything is Illuminated, End Days), Millennium Park (Guerra: A Clown Play), Neo-Futurists (The Sovereign Statement), Rivendell (These Shining Lives), A Red Orchid (The Iliad, Not a Game for Boys), and New Leaf (Arcadia, The Man Who Was Thursday, Touch, The Dining Room). He recently served as associate sound designer for Smokefall at Goodman. Nick teaches sound design at DePaul University and serves as a digital and web experience designer for a number of Chicago theatres, including the Neo-Futurists and the Paramount in Aurora. RITA VREELAND (Production Stage Manager) starts her 8th season at Northlight with The Commons of Pensacola. Most recent Northlight credits: Chapatti (Galway Arts Festival, Ireland), Lost in Yonkers, Tom Jones, 4000 Miles, Stella & Lou (including its run at the Galway Arts Festival), and Woody 16
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
Sez. Recent credits elsewhere in the Chicagoland area include Little Shop of Horrors and many other productions at Theatre at the Center; the annual Christmas Schooner (Mercury); and the world premieres of A Twist of Water (Route 66), El Nogalar (Goodman), and We Are Proud to Present... (Victory Gardens). In addition to stage management, Rita was the set designer at Harold Washington College from 2001-2012, and is a member of the Route 66 Theatre Company in Chicago. She is the proud wife of actor Tom Hickey and mom to one-year-old Charlie. BJ JONES (Artistic Director) is in his 17th season as Artistic Director of Northlight, where he commissioned and directed the world premieres of Chapatti, Stella & Lou, The Outgoing Tide (Jeff Nomination – Best Director), Better Late, and Rounding Third. Notably he has directed productions of Grey Gardens, The Price (Jeff Nomination- Best Director), A Skull in Connemara, The Cripple of Inishmaan, and The Lieutenant of Inishmore. As a producer he has guided the world premieres of The Last Five Years, The Gamester, and Studs Terkel’s ‘The Good War’. From Second City to Shakespeare, BJ has directed Pitmen Painters (Jeff Nomination – Best Director, TimeLine), A Number (Next), 100 Saints You Should Know (Steppenwolf), and The Dresser (Body Politic). Regional: Glengarry Glen Ross (Suzie Bass Nominee – Best Director, Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre), Enchanted April (Asolo Theatre), and productions at Cherry Lane Theatre NY, Galway Arts Festival, Baltimore Center Stage, and Utah Shakespeare Festival. As a performer, Mr. Jones is a two-time
PROFILES Joseph Jefferson Award winner and 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) Prior to his arrival at Northlight Theatre, 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 produced the feature films Diminished Capacity with Matthew Broderick (premiered 2008 Sundance Film Festival) and The Last Rites of Joe May with Dennis Farina (premiered 2011 Tribeca Film Festival). Recently, Tim co-founded the Three Oaks Theater Festival in Three Oaks, Michigan, which had its second season this past summer. He currently serves on the board of the League of Chicago Theatres and on the theater selection panel for the Princess Grace Foundation Awards. 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.
NOW OPEN and newly renovated
Alden Estates of Evanston Post-acute services • Transitional care • Short-term rehabilitation •
847-328-6000 2520 Gross Point Road, Evanston NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
17
NORTHLIGHT STAFF
YOUR GIVING INSPIRES NORTHLIGHT! The enthusiasm and commitment of our donors allows Northlight Theatre to guarantee the artistic excellence we promise each season. Without you, our continued growth and success would simply not be possible.
Artistic Director BJ Jones
Executive Director
Timothy J. Evans ARTISTIC Artistic Administrator/ Casting Director/ Internship Coordinator Lynn Baber Resident Dramaturg Kristin Leahey, Ph.D.
More than
40
premieres launched in our
More than
50,000
40 year history
In July 2014, Chapatti traveled to Ireland
patrons attend performances
for Northlight’s fourth appearance at
at Northlight each season
the Galway International Arts Festival
More than
50 audience
engagement events
hosted in the community each season
Education programs serve more than
2,100 students each season
Northlight’s Veterans Access Program has shared the theatrical world with thousands of local Veterans
Ways to give:
• Visit the Box Office • Online at Northlight.org • Call Northlight at 847.324.1613
Interns Sean Douglass, Erin Holiday, Melanie Xanttopoulos EDUCATION Director of Education Amanda Dunne Acevedo Education Associate/ Performing Arts Camp Director Sindy Isabel Castro Teaching Artists: Lisa Adams Jessica Alldredge Julia Beck Joanne Dubach Matt Farabee Sarah Rose Graber Will Quam Ashley Roberson Mara Stern
ADMINISTRATION General Manager Janet Mullet
PRODUCTION Production Manager Christopher J. Fitzgerald
Associate Director of Development Andria Venezia
Company Manager/ Assistant Production Manager Victoria Martini-Rosowicz
Development Manager Carrie Cole
Technical Director Malcolm S. Brown
Director of Marketing & Communications Mara Mihlfried
Master Electrician/ Light Board Operator Cory Drewry
Marketing Manager Milan Pejnovich
Sound Engineer/ Sound Board Operator Lauren Walker
Director of Finance Lisa Stern Group Sales Coordinator/ Administrative Assistant Michelle Blendermann
Wardrobe Mistress Shannon Higgins Floor Manager Katie McBee
Public Relations Cathy Taylor PR, INC.
Scenic Charge Christine Bolles
Usher Coordinator Vicki Weisberg, The Saints
Scenic Artist Kassie Davis
Insurance Robert Nichols
Carpenters Jeremiah Barr Nic Belanger Bekki Lambrecht Kevin Lynch
The scenic, costume, lighting and sound designers in LORT Theatres are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE.
• Mail: Northlight Theatre 9501 Skokie Blvd. Skokie, IL 60077
The Interplay Reading Series gives audiences a rare glimpse
Please consider joining the Northlight
into the critical stages of early
Theatre family of supporters today.
play development 18
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
Thank you! NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
19
NORTHLIGHT STAFF
YOUR GIVING INSPIRES NORTHLIGHT! The enthusiasm and commitment of our donors allows Northlight Theatre to guarantee the artistic excellence we promise each season. Without you, our continued growth and success would simply not be possible.
Artistic Director BJ Jones
Executive Director
Timothy J. Evans ARTISTIC Artistic Administrator/ Casting Director/ Internship Coordinator Lynn Baber Resident Dramaturg Kristin Leahey, Ph.D.
More than
40
premieres launched in our
More than
50,000
40 year history
In July 2014, Chapatti traveled to Ireland
patrons attend performances
for Northlight’s fourth appearance at
at Northlight each season
the Galway International Arts Festival
More than
50 audience
engagement events
hosted in the community each season
Education programs serve more than
2,100 students each season
Northlight’s Veterans Access Program has shared the theatrical world with thousands of local Veterans
Ways to give:
• Visit the Box Office • Online at Northlight.org • Call Northlight at 847.324.1613
Interns Sean Douglass, Erin Holiday, Melanie Xanttopoulos EDUCATION Director of Education Amanda Dunne Acevedo Education Associate/ Performing Arts Camp Director Sindy Isabel Castro Teaching Artists: Lisa Adams Jessica Alldredge Julia Beck Joanne Dubach Matt Farabee Sarah Rose Graber Will Quam Ashley Roberson Mara Stern
ADMINISTRATION General Manager Janet Mullet
PRODUCTION Production Manager Christopher J. Fitzgerald
Associate Director of Development Andria Venezia
Company Manager/ Assistant Production Manager Victoria Martini-Rosowicz
Development Manager Carrie Cole
Technical Director Malcolm S. Brown
Director of Marketing & Communications Mara Mihlfried
Master Electrician/ Light Board Operator Cory Drewry
Marketing Manager Milan Pejnovich
Sound Engineer/ Sound Board Operator Lauren Walker
Director of Finance Lisa Stern Group Sales Coordinator/ Administrative Assistant Michelle Blendermann
Wardrobe Mistress Shannon Higgins Floor Manager Katie McBee
Public Relations Cathy Taylor PR, INC.
Scenic Charge Christine Bolles
Usher Coordinator Vicki Weisberg, The Saints
Scenic Artist Kassie Davis
Insurance Robert Nichols
Carpenters Jeremiah Barr Nic Belanger Bekki Lambrecht Kevin Lynch
The scenic, costume, lighting and sound designers in LORT Theatres are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE.
• Mail: Northlight Theatre 9501 Skokie Blvd. Skokie, IL 60077
The Interplay Reading Series gives audiences a rare glimpse
Please consider joining the Northlight
into the critical stages of early
Theatre family of supporters today.
play development 18
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
Thank you! NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
19
NORTHLIGHT SUPPORTERS
NORTHLIGHT SUPPORTERS
LEADERSHIP
DONORS
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dan Peterson, President Rahul Roy, Vice President Bob Silverman, Secretary Eileen Frank, Treasurer Michael R. Callahan* Timothy J. Evans Michael Guerra Freddi Greenberg BJ Jones Susan Karol* Evelyn Salk* Robert S. Silver Jill Soderberg Thomas D. Stringer Timothy P. Sullivan Greg Taubeneck Matthew Udoni Michael Pauken, ex officio Norman Rosen, ex officio
ADVISORY BOARD Joan Barr Smith*, Chair Steven J. Bernstein Karl Berolzheimer Gerhard Bette H. Woods Bowman Margo Brown Joe Cappo Jack Crocker Stephen Engelman Paul Finnegan* Craig Golden Eleanor Hall Lynn Hiestand Paul Lehman* Harry J. Lennix James Lytle Max McGee Steve Mullins* Mike Nussbaum
Sheldon Patinkin Merril Prager Sandra Rosenbloom Esther Saks* David Seidman* Trimmy Stamell* Susan Van Dusen Bernice Weissbourd George Wendt *Past President/Chairperson
Northlight Theatre is deeply grateful to the following contributors for their generous support. This list reflects gifts received June 1, 2013 through August 1, 2014. If you would like your name to appear differently or prefer to remain anonymous, please contact Carrie Cole at 847.324.1616 or ccole@northlight.org. CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES Principal Sponsors $50,000 and Above
The John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation The Offield Family Foundation The Shubert Foundation, Inc. The Sullivan Family Foundation Premiere Sponsors $20,000 - $49,999
BMO Harris Bank ComEd Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award Illinois Arts Council Executive Sponsors $10,000-$19,999
PAST BOARD PRESIDENTS 1976-79 Esther Saks 1979-84 Evelyn Salk 1984-87 Lloyd Morgan 1987-89 Diana King 1989-93 David Seidman 1993-96 Stephen Mullins 1996-98 Roland Lieber 1998-2001 Paul Finnegan 2001-03 Joan Barr Smith 2003-05 Paul Lehman 2005-08 Trimmy Stamell 2008-10 Michael Callahan 2010-13 Susan Karol 2013-present Dan Peterson This production is dedicated to longtime board member Howard Feinstein. 20
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
Kirkland & Ellis Foundation NorthShore University HealthSystem The Daniel F. & Ada L. Rice Foundation Presenting Sponsors $5,000-$9,999
The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation Evanston Community Foundation Modestus Bauer Foundation The Pauls Foundation Sanborn Family Foundation The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust Tom Stringer Design Partners Lead Sponsors $2,500-$4,999
Cramer-Krasselt Feldco First Bank & Trust of Evanston Room & Board The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation The Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation
Sponsors $1,000 - $2,499
The Allyn Foundation Bloomingdale’s Fund of the Macy’s Foundation Consulate General of Ireland Massachusetts Association of Medical Staff Services North Shore Community Bank & Trust Plante Moran Roka Akor The Saints Skokie Fine Arts Commission Vi at the Glen Under $1,000
Francis Beidler III and Prudence R. Beidler Foundation Clarity Group, Inc IBM Illinois Tool Works Foundation NAMSS New York State Association of Medical Staff Services Polk Bros Foundation Professional Facilities Management, Inc. Matching Gift Companies
IBM Illinois Tool Works Foundation Polk Bros Foundation NORTHLIGHT ARTISTIC CIRCLE Executive Producers $25,000 and above
Anonymous Hugo & Lois Melvoin Evelyn Salk The Sullivan Family Foundation Producers $10,000 - $24,999
Carol & Steve Mullins M.J. O’Brien Family Foundation Sam & Marianne Oliva Melanie & Dan Peterson Greg & Anne Taubeneck Family Fund Matt & Christine Udoni
Playwrights $5,000 - $9,999
Mr. & Mrs. Nick Alexos Michael & Joan Callahan The Friedland Family in honor of Waldo & Lucille Friedland Freddi Greenberg & Daniel Pinkert BJ Jones & Candy Corr Susan Karol & Glenn Warning Paul Lehman & Ronna Stamm Carole & Joseph Levy Robert S. & Sandra G. Silver Jill & Leif Soderberg Thomas D. Stringer & Scott E. Waller Directors $2,500 - $4,999
Joyce Chelberg Bernard Dowling Michael Guerra Rahul & Anuradhika Roy Bob & Lisa Silverman Designers $1,000 - $2,499
Anonymous (2) Ellen & Richard Anderson Sandra Barnett-White & Jim White Sandya Dandamudi Kathy & Stuart Edwards Timothy & Jane Evans Eileen & Peter Frank Abel & Judy Friedman in honor of BJ Jones & Tim Evans Emily & Kevin Hansen John Mahoney Jordan & Jean Nerenberg Jennifer Newton Norma Olsen Eric & Patty Perrin David & Christine Seidman Francis Sheahen Alexander & Robin Stuart John W. Taylor Bernice Weissbourd
NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
21
NORTHLIGHT SUPPORTERS
NORTHLIGHT SUPPORTERS
LEADERSHIP
DONORS
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dan Peterson, President Rahul Roy, Vice President Bob Silverman, Secretary Eileen Frank, Treasurer Michael R. Callahan* Timothy J. Evans Michael Guerra Freddi Greenberg BJ Jones Susan Karol* Evelyn Salk* Robert S. Silver Jill Soderberg Thomas D. Stringer Timothy P. Sullivan Greg Taubeneck Matthew Udoni Michael Pauken, ex officio Norman Rosen, ex officio
ADVISORY BOARD Joan Barr Smith*, Chair Steven J. Bernstein Karl Berolzheimer Gerhard Bette H. Woods Bowman Margo Brown Joe Cappo Jack Crocker Stephen Engelman Paul Finnegan* Craig Golden Eleanor Hall Lynn Hiestand Paul Lehman* Harry J. Lennix James Lytle Max McGee Steve Mullins* Mike Nussbaum
Sheldon Patinkin Merril Prager Sandra Rosenbloom Esther Saks* David Seidman* Trimmy Stamell* Susan Van Dusen Bernice Weissbourd George Wendt *Past President/Chairperson
Northlight Theatre is deeply grateful to the following contributors for their generous support. This list reflects gifts received June 1, 2013 through August 1, 2014. If you would like your name to appear differently or prefer to remain anonymous, please contact Carrie Cole at 847.324.1616 or ccole@northlight.org. CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES Principal Sponsors $50,000 and Above
The John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation The Offield Family Foundation The Shubert Foundation, Inc. The Sullivan Family Foundation Premiere Sponsors $20,000 - $49,999
BMO Harris Bank ComEd Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award Illinois Arts Council Executive Sponsors $10,000-$19,999
PAST BOARD PRESIDENTS 1976-79 Esther Saks 1979-84 Evelyn Salk 1984-87 Lloyd Morgan 1987-89 Diana King 1989-93 David Seidman 1993-96 Stephen Mullins 1996-98 Roland Lieber 1998-2001 Paul Finnegan 2001-03 Joan Barr Smith 2003-05 Paul Lehman 2005-08 Trimmy Stamell 2008-10 Michael Callahan 2010-13 Susan Karol 2013-present Dan Peterson This production is dedicated to longtime board member Howard Feinstein. 20
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
Kirkland & Ellis Foundation NorthShore University HealthSystem The Daniel F. & Ada L. Rice Foundation Presenting Sponsors $5,000-$9,999
The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation Evanston Community Foundation Modestus Bauer Foundation The Pauls Foundation Sanborn Family Foundation The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust Tom Stringer Design Partners Lead Sponsors $2,500-$4,999
Cramer-Krasselt Feldco First Bank & Trust of Evanston Room & Board The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation The Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation
Sponsors $1,000 - $2,499
The Allyn Foundation Bloomingdale’s Fund of the Macy’s Foundation Consulate General of Ireland Massachusetts Association of Medical Staff Services North Shore Community Bank & Trust Plante Moran Roka Akor The Saints Skokie Fine Arts Commission Vi at the Glen Under $1,000
Francis Beidler III and Prudence R. Beidler Foundation Clarity Group, Inc IBM Illinois Tool Works Foundation NAMSS New York State Association of Medical Staff Services Polk Bros Foundation Professional Facilities Management, Inc. Matching Gift Companies
IBM Illinois Tool Works Foundation Polk Bros Foundation NORTHLIGHT ARTISTIC CIRCLE Executive Producers $25,000 and above
Anonymous Hugo & Lois Melvoin Evelyn Salk The Sullivan Family Foundation Producers $10,000 - $24,999
Carol & Steve Mullins M.J. O’Brien Family Foundation Sam & Marianne Oliva Melanie & Dan Peterson Greg & Anne Taubeneck Family Fund Matt & Christine Udoni
Playwrights $5,000 - $9,999
Mr. & Mrs. Nick Alexos Michael & Joan Callahan The Friedland Family in honor of Waldo & Lucille Friedland Freddi Greenberg & Daniel Pinkert BJ Jones & Candy Corr Susan Karol & Glenn Warning Paul Lehman & Ronna Stamm Carole & Joseph Levy Robert S. & Sandra G. Silver Jill & Leif Soderberg Thomas D. Stringer & Scott E. Waller Directors $2,500 - $4,999
Joyce Chelberg Bernard Dowling Michael Guerra Rahul & Anuradhika Roy Bob & Lisa Silverman Designers $1,000 - $2,499
Anonymous (2) Ellen & Richard Anderson Sandra Barnett-White & Jim White Sandya Dandamudi Kathy & Stuart Edwards Timothy & Jane Evans Eileen & Peter Frank Abel & Judy Friedman in honor of BJ Jones & Tim Evans Emily & Kevin Hansen John Mahoney Jordan & Jean Nerenberg Jennifer Newton Norma Olsen Eric & Patty Perrin David & Christine Seidman Francis Sheahen Alexander & Robin Stuart John W. Taylor Bernice Weissbourd
NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
21
NORTHLIGHT SUPPORTERS INDIVIDUAL ANNUAL FUND DONORS Partners $500 - $999
Anonymous (3) Moreen Alexander Mr. & Mrs. Ronald R. Baade Peggy Bagley & Rabbi Douglas Goldhamer Wayne & Joan Barr Smith Diane & Karl Berolzheimer Barbara & Frank Brady Vicki & Tim Burke Bill Casey Howard Feinstein & Brenda Hansen Susan Mabrey Gaud Mary Ann & David Grumman Eleanor Northrop Hall Donna & Steven Horwitz Mel & Annie Kahn Dr. Herb & Ms. Adrienne Kamin Ms. Ethel Liten in honor of Evelyn Salk Sherry & Mel Lopata Libby Adler Mages Neal Moglin & Mark Tendam Rich Naponelli Hon. Sheila O’Brien & Hon. Wayne Andersen in honor of Lenny & Audrey Rubin Merril Prager & John Levine Roberta & Howard Rosell Lisa & Jeff Rosenkranz Ira Rosenthal Piper & Jono Rothschild Bruce Sagan & Bette Cerf Hill Stan & Kay Schlozman in honor of Paul Lehman & Ronna Stamm Dr. G. Stephen & Ellen Scholly Anita & Prabha Sinha Maol Sloan Neal & Trimmy Stamell George & Susan Van Dusen Gloria Yuen Seymour Zitomersky & Barbara LaSpesa Advocates $250 - $499
Anonymous (7) Judith & Trent Anderson Debbie Bisno Robert & Sara Brenner Douglas R. Brown Rev. Daniel Buck Barbara & Ted Buenger Richard Campbell Mary Anne & Joe Cappo 22
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
Dominic & Jennifer Casey Julie & Josh Chernoff Lynn & Robert Clark Terry Clerkin Marvin R. Cohen & Jane Richman in honor of Paul Lehman & Ronna Stamm Michael & Brenda Corr Mary Alice & Peter Costello David & Kathy Cudnowski Barbara & Peter DeBerge Jean & Dick Doub Mr. & Mrs. Eldred DuSold Roz & Seth Eisner Bruce Ettelson P.C. & Missy Bundy Roy & Marta Evans Malcolm D. Ewen William & Lynda Frillman Barbara Gaines Denise Michelle Gamble Ethel & Bill Gofen Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Goldstick Joan & Guy Gunzberg in honor of BJ Jones & Tim Evans Tim & Trude Harrington Becky Harris Joe Hasman Joyce & Rich Hirsch Don Honchell & Susan Horn Anne & Mike Houghton Dr. Claudia Katz Dennis & Barb Kessler Jacki & Shelly Kimel Dr. & Mrs. Barry Kirschenbaum Dalia Kleinmuntz Martin J. & Susan B. Kozak Fund Karen Kuehner Tom & Joan Lindsey Toby & Seymour Lipton Edward & Helen Magid Charlie & Nancy McPike Sheila & Harvey Medvin Alice Merrick Robert & Linda Meyers Barbara & Ed Mills in honor of John Mahoney Audrey Morris Ellen K. Munro Michael & Diane Paley Sanford & Jody Perl Genevieve Phelps Robin & Jonathan Plotkin in honor of Merril Prager Don & Martha Pollak Frank Quinn Jeffrey Richards Marilyn Melvoin Richman Ed & Susan Ritts Valerie M. Rothschild
Sue & Mike Rubnitz Jagriti Ruparel Sue & Tim Salisbury Keith & Ann Sarpolis Bruce & Sarane Siewerth Margaret & Alan Silberman Lisa & Paul Stern J. R. Stewart Abby L. Strauss Alice & Stephen Vile William & Barbara Welke Nancy Williams Karen Zupko Supporters $150 - $249
Anonymous (6) Patricia Anderson Kay & Fred Bosselman Rhona Bresler Steven & Phyllis Brody Margo & Paul Brown in honor of BJ Jones Joseph & Mary Calandra J. Morgan Chism-Diebold John Dainauskas Joseph E. & Ruth B. Doninger John Dyble Noah & Gillian Eisner Mark Fennell Cate Fox & Jon Sutton Sidney & Jackie Freedman Sono Fujii & Claudio Katz Gilbert & Carolyn Gavlin in honor of Suzy Medak Anneliese & Howard Glick Sally & Ralph Goren Michael Grossman Charlie Haddad John & Suzanne Hales Tom & Jan Hazlett Judy & Jay Heyman Allen & Nancy Hirschfield Alice Jones in memory of Robert J. Jones and in honor of BJ Jones Vivian S. Kaplan Melvin Klein Sandy & Saul Klibanow Jean Klingenstein Dr. & Mrs. Jules H. Last Marianne & Michael Lembeck Cassandra Lems Sue & Jim Lerner Elaine & Steve Lev Richard & Betsy Leyerle Charles MacKelvie James & Barbara Marran David & Karen Mattenson Margaret F. May
NORTHLIGHT SUPPORTERS Linnea & John Mead Mara & Bob Mihlfried Ed Mills Mr. & Mrs. Tony Mockus Martin W. Morris Adele & Seymour Neems Michael Pauken Van Perrine Richard Porter Retirement Solution Group Sandi Riggs Al Rigoni Mr. & Mrs. George C. Rimnac Mary Rooney Norman & Sally Rosen Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Rosenbloom The Scherer Family Jan & Art Sherman Pamela & Charles Smith Joanna Stein Ann B. Stevens Thomas & Beverly Tabern Gail & Bernard Talbert Neil Tesser & Jeanne Fujimoto Andria Venezia Joseph Weisenberger Ann & Arnie Wolff Sylvia Wolfson & Seymour Nordenberg Michael Wright IN KIND
Anonymous The Backyard BBQ Store
Ina Begoun Benefit Cosmetics BMO Harris Bank Michael & Joan Callahan Campagnola Chicago Fire Soccer Club Melvin & Meryl Cohen ComEd Copper Fiddle Distillery Farmhouse Evanston Howard Feinstein & Brenda Hansen Feldco Farmhouse Evanston Frontera Grill The Gage Galway International Arts Festival Connor Gillen Goodman Theatre Rachel Anne Healy Henri Hertz Corporation Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center Justin’s Bar The Langham Chicago Lyric Opera of Chicago Val McCume National Award Service, Inc.
Ragdale Foundation Room & Board SkinnyPop Popcorn, LLC Jill & Leif Soderberg Timothy & Sue Sullivan Wheel and Sprocket COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Charcoal Oven Restaurant The DoubleTree Hotel Father & Son Italian Kitchen The Homestead Kaufman’s Deli Koi Fine Asian Cuisine & Lounge McCormick & Schmick’s Oceanique Quince at The Homestead Rodeway Inn Schaefer’s Fine Wines & Spirits Sweety Pies Bakery Vinic Wine Co. Whole Foods Market Downtown Evanston
Northwestern University Athletics Oceanique Orangetheory Fitness Melanie & Dan Peterson
To Make Your Gift Today Contact Carrie at 847.324.1616 or ccole@northlight.org, or donate online at northlight.org.
NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
23
NORTHLIGHT SUPPORTERS INDIVIDUAL ANNUAL FUND DONORS Partners $500 - $999
Anonymous (3) Moreen Alexander Mr. & Mrs. Ronald R. Baade Peggy Bagley & Rabbi Douglas Goldhamer Wayne & Joan Barr Smith Diane & Karl Berolzheimer Barbara & Frank Brady Vicki & Tim Burke Bill Casey Howard Feinstein & Brenda Hansen Susan Mabrey Gaud Mary Ann & David Grumman Eleanor Northrop Hall Donna & Steven Horwitz Mel & Annie Kahn Dr. Herb & Ms. Adrienne Kamin Ms. Ethel Liten in honor of Evelyn Salk Sherry & Mel Lopata Libby Adler Mages Neal Moglin & Mark Tendam Rich Naponelli Hon. Sheila O’Brien & Hon. Wayne Andersen in honor of Lenny & Audrey Rubin Merril Prager & John Levine Roberta & Howard Rosell Lisa & Jeff Rosenkranz Ira Rosenthal Piper & Jono Rothschild Bruce Sagan & Bette Cerf Hill Stan & Kay Schlozman in honor of Paul Lehman & Ronna Stamm Dr. G. Stephen & Ellen Scholly Anita & Prabha Sinha Maol Sloan Neal & Trimmy Stamell George & Susan Van Dusen Gloria Yuen Seymour Zitomersky & Barbara LaSpesa Advocates $250 - $499
Anonymous (7) Judith & Trent Anderson Debbie Bisno Robert & Sara Brenner Douglas R. Brown Rev. Daniel Buck Barbara & Ted Buenger Richard Campbell Mary Anne & Joe Cappo 22
| NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
Dominic & Jennifer Casey Julie & Josh Chernoff Lynn & Robert Clark Terry Clerkin Marvin R. Cohen & Jane Richman in honor of Paul Lehman & Ronna Stamm Michael & Brenda Corr Mary Alice & Peter Costello David & Kathy Cudnowski Barbara & Peter DeBerge Jean & Dick Doub Mr. & Mrs. Eldred DuSold Roz & Seth Eisner Bruce Ettelson P.C. & Missy Bundy Roy & Marta Evans Malcolm D. Ewen William & Lynda Frillman Barbara Gaines Denise Michelle Gamble Ethel & Bill Gofen Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Goldstick Joan & Guy Gunzberg in honor of BJ Jones & Tim Evans Tim & Trude Harrington Becky Harris Joe Hasman Joyce & Rich Hirsch Don Honchell & Susan Horn Anne & Mike Houghton Dr. Claudia Katz Dennis & Barb Kessler Jacki & Shelly Kimel Dr. & Mrs. Barry Kirschenbaum Dalia Kleinmuntz Martin J. & Susan B. Kozak Fund Karen Kuehner Tom & Joan Lindsey Toby & Seymour Lipton Edward & Helen Magid Charlie & Nancy McPike Sheila & Harvey Medvin Alice Merrick Robert & Linda Meyers Barbara & Ed Mills in honor of John Mahoney Audrey Morris Ellen K. Munro Michael & Diane Paley Sanford & Jody Perl Genevieve Phelps Robin & Jonathan Plotkin in honor of Merril Prager Don & Martha Pollak Frank Quinn Jeffrey Richards Marilyn Melvoin Richman Ed & Susan Ritts Valerie M. Rothschild
Sue & Mike Rubnitz Jagriti Ruparel Sue & Tim Salisbury Keith & Ann Sarpolis Bruce & Sarane Siewerth Margaret & Alan Silberman Lisa & Paul Stern J. R. Stewart Abby L. Strauss Alice & Stephen Vile William & Barbara Welke Nancy Williams Karen Zupko Supporters $150 - $249
Anonymous (6) Patricia Anderson Kay & Fred Bosselman Rhona Bresler Steven & Phyllis Brody Margo & Paul Brown in honor of BJ Jones Joseph & Mary Calandra J. Morgan Chism-Diebold John Dainauskas Joseph E. & Ruth B. Doninger John Dyble Noah & Gillian Eisner Mark Fennell Cate Fox & Jon Sutton Sidney & Jackie Freedman Sono Fujii & Claudio Katz Gilbert & Carolyn Gavlin in honor of Suzy Medak Anneliese & Howard Glick Sally & Ralph Goren Michael Grossman Charlie Haddad John & Suzanne Hales Tom & Jan Hazlett Judy & Jay Heyman Allen & Nancy Hirschfield Alice Jones in memory of Robert J. Jones and in honor of BJ Jones Vivian S. Kaplan Melvin Klein Sandy & Saul Klibanow Jean Klingenstein Dr. & Mrs. Jules H. Last Marianne & Michael Lembeck Cassandra Lems Sue & Jim Lerner Elaine & Steve Lev Richard & Betsy Leyerle Charles MacKelvie James & Barbara Marran David & Karen Mattenson Margaret F. May
NORTHLIGHT SUPPORTERS Linnea & John Mead Mara & Bob Mihlfried Ed Mills Mr. & Mrs. Tony Mockus Martin W. Morris Adele & Seymour Neems Michael Pauken Van Perrine Richard Porter Retirement Solution Group Sandi Riggs Al Rigoni Mr. & Mrs. George C. Rimnac Mary Rooney Norman & Sally Rosen Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Rosenbloom The Scherer Family Jan & Art Sherman Pamela & Charles Smith Joanna Stein Ann B. Stevens Thomas & Beverly Tabern Gail & Bernard Talbert Neil Tesser & Jeanne Fujimoto Andria Venezia Joseph Weisenberger Ann & Arnie Wolff Sylvia Wolfson & Seymour Nordenberg Michael Wright IN KIND
Anonymous The Backyard BBQ Store
Ina Begoun Benefit Cosmetics BMO Harris Bank Michael & Joan Callahan Campagnola Chicago Fire Soccer Club Melvin & Meryl Cohen ComEd Copper Fiddle Distillery Farmhouse Evanston Howard Feinstein & Brenda Hansen Feldco Farmhouse Evanston Frontera Grill The Gage Galway International Arts Festival Connor Gillen Goodman Theatre Rachel Anne Healy Henri Hertz Corporation Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center Justin’s Bar The Langham Chicago Lyric Opera of Chicago Val McCume National Award Service, Inc.
Ragdale Foundation Room & Board SkinnyPop Popcorn, LLC Jill & Leif Soderberg Timothy & Sue Sullivan Wheel and Sprocket COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Charcoal Oven Restaurant The DoubleTree Hotel Father & Son Italian Kitchen The Homestead Kaufman’s Deli Koi Fine Asian Cuisine & Lounge McCormick & Schmick’s Oceanique Quince at The Homestead Rodeway Inn Schaefer’s Fine Wines & Spirits Sweety Pies Bakery Vinic Wine Co. Whole Foods Market Downtown Evanston
Northwestern University Athletics Oceanique Orangetheory Fitness Melanie & Dan Peterson
To Make Your Gift Today Contact Carrie at 847.324.1616 or ccole@northlight.org, or donate online at northlight.org.
NORTHLIGHT THEATRE |
23