The inhabitants of The Shire are dedicated stewards of forests and nature. You can make a difference by protecting green spaces and planting trees. We are proud to amplify and uplift the sustainability work of our partner organizations.
Based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien
Book and Lyrics by Shaun McKenna
and Matthew Warchus
Music by A.R. Rahman, Värttinä, and Christopher Nightingale
Directed by Paul Hart
The Yard
The Lord of the Rings
Based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien
Book and Lyrics by Shaun McKenna
and Matthew Warchus
Music by A.R. Rahman, Värttinä, and Christopher Nightingale
Directed by Paul Hart
The Yard
Suitable for all audiences
Best enjoyed by ages 8 & up
Run Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes (not including intermission)
Audience Notice: Prop weaponry, including items handled by actors as they move through the audience; fog and haze; flashing lights and strobe effects, as well as moments when lights are directed at the audience, and loud sound effects.
Costume/Cosplay guidelines ⟶
Additional Credits
Kevin Wallace & William Bennett for Kevin Wallace Productions, Middle‑earth Enterprises, GWB Entertainment, Tim McFarlane, People Entertainment Group, The Watermill Theatre
Written and produced under license from Middle‑earth Enterprises, LLC (MEE).
The Lord of the Rings logo, The Lord of the Rings and the names of characters, events, items and places therein are trademarks or registered trademarks of MEE and are used under license.
All rights reserved. ©2024 Kevin Wallace Limited and Middle‑earth Enterprises.
“IMMENSELY TALENTED CAST of actor-musicians and a rich sense of theatricality”
–Chicago Tribune
Journey to the magical realms of Middle-earth as J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy of books are brought to the stage in a US premiere musical. As the Hobbits celebrate Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday in the Shire, he gifts his nephew Frodo his most precious belonging—a gold ring. This fateful moment launches Frodo on a legendary and perilous quest across Middle-earth to the darkest realms of Mordor, to vanquish evil with his loyal Fellowship. This theatrical event celebrates the magical world of Middle-earth, making for an unforgettable experience for longtime fans and newcomers alike. Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s US premiere production will transfer this fall to The Civic Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand, beginning November 5.
Additional Credits
Kevin Wallace & William Bennett for Kevin Wallace Productions, Middle‑earth Enterprises, GWB Entertainment, Tim McFarlane, People Entertainment Group, The Watermill Theatre
Written and produced under license from Middle‑earth Enterprises, LLC (MEE).
The Lord of the Rings logo, The Lord of the Rings and the names of characters, events, items and places therein are trademarks or registered trademarks of MEE and are used under license.
All rights reserved. ©2024 Kevin Wallace Limited and Middle‑earth Enterprises.
Associate Production Sponsor: Ruth D. and Ken M. Davee New Work and Education Outreach Fund
Provider of Physician and Physical Therapy Services: Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
AUG 21
Open Captioning
AUG 22
Projected Spanish Translation
AUG 23
ASL Interpretation
AUG 25
Audio Description
Suitable for all audiences
Best enjoyed by ages 8 & up
Run Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes (not including intermission)
Audience Notice: Prop weaponry, including items handled by actors as they move through the audience; fog and haze; flashing lights and strobe effects, as well as moments when lights are directed at the audience, and loud sound effects.
Costume/Cosplay guidelines ⟶
AUG 21
Open Captioning
AUG 22
Projected Spanish Translation
AUG 23
ASL Interpretation
AUG 25
Audio Description
AUG 21
Open Captioning
AUG 22
Projected Spanish Translation
AUG 23
ASL Interpretation
AUG 25
Audio Description
“A MUST-SEE SHOW to put on your summer list… every member of this cast is insanely talented”
–Chicago Stage & Screen
“A VISUAL MARVEL with epic, fantastical puppet design and brilliant, inventive projections”
–Broadway World
“SPELLBINDING! Inside jokes for Tolkien-heads, captivating storytelling for those craving solid entertainment”
–The Fourth Walsh
“AN AUDITORY AND VISUAL MASTERPIECE …undeniably intense, exciting, and powerful”
–Chicago On Stage
Video: Trailer
Video: Audience Response
Video: Interview with Fox32
Gallery: On Stage
Video: Gollum & Puppetry on Fox32
Video: Meet the Cast
Video: Director Paul Hart
Gallery: In Rehearsal
Video: Trailer
Video: Audience Response
Video: Interview with Fox32
Gallery: On Stage
Video: Gollum & Puppetry on Fox32
Video: Meet the Cast
Video: Director Paul Hart
Gallery: In Rehearsal
Artists
Justin Albinder
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Marriott Theatre). OFF BROADWAY: Jersey Boys (New World Stages). TOUR: Jersey Boys (2nd National Tour). REGIONAL: Phoenix Theatre Company, Mason St. Warehouse, Little Theatre on the Square, Cider Mill Playhouse, Hangar Theatre. INTERNATIONAL: Norwegian Cruise Lines, The Jersey Tenors, Uptown Boys Live. FILM: The Cathedral. EDUCATION: BFA in acting, Ithaca College. justinalbinder.com
Tom Amandes
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: At Home at the Zoo, Cynical Weathers, Working Magic (Victory Gardens Theater); Othello, The Mystery Cycle, Candida, A Chorus of Disapproval, The Beggar’s Opera, What the Butler Saw (Court Theatre); Free Advice from Prague, The Courtship of Carl Sandburg (Northlight Theatre); Falstaff and Hal, Season’s Greetings, A Life, The Playboy of the Western World, Translations (Body Politic Theatre). LOS ANGELES: Celestial Events, The Cult of Love, A Species Native to California (IAMA Theatre). FILM: Saving Lincoln, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Brokedown Palace, A Million Little Pieces, Lucky, Billboard Dad, Grounded. TELEVISION: Perry Mason, From the Earth to the Moon (HBO); Promised Land, Scandal (ABC); The Terminal List (Amazon); Unbelievable (Netflix); The Magicians (Syfy); Parenthood (NBC); Everwood (Warner Brothers); The Untouchables (Paramount). EDUCATION: Goodman School of Drama, The Theatre School at DePaul University.
Tony Bozzuto
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: The Taming of the Shrew. CHICAGO: Cat’s Cradle, Whose Body (Lifeline Theatre); The Internationalist (Steppenwolf Garage); American Journalero (Teatro Vista); Skin Tight, Late Company (COR Theatre). FILM: Man of Steel, Animator. TELEVISION: Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Boss, Crisis (NBC). EDUCATION: MFA in acting, Hillberry Theatre at Wayne State University. AWARDS: 2009 and 2024 Joseph Jefferson Award nominee. Bozzuto is Co-Owner and Head Carpenter at The Build: Chicago.
Eileen Doan
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Cambodian Rock Band (Victory Gardens Theater); Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play (Theater Wit); Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon (Lookingglass Theatre Company); Describe The Night (Steppenwolf Theatre Company). REGIONAL: TheatreSquared, Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre, Hangar Theatre, Portland Stage, City Theatre, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, George Street Playhouse. TELEVISION: Night Sky (Amazon). Doan is an independent singer-songwriter with music available on all streaming platforms.
Joey Faggion
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Henry in Next to Normal (Pop Up Productions). REGIONAL: Nick Bottom in Something Rotten, The Tempest, The Glass Menagerie (Historic Owen Theatre); D’Artagnan in The Three Musketeers (Burning Coal Theatre); Gabriel in Miracle of Christmas, Queen Esther (Sight and Sound Theatres). EDUCATION: Cert, Sight and Sound Theatre Conservatory. Faggion serves as Artistic Director for the Chicago-based theater company, Ceramic Goose.
Rick Hall
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: A Flea in Her Ear, Romeo and Juliet the Musical. CHICAGO: The Second City Mainstage, The Second City national touring company; Pigboy (Royal George Theater). REGIONAL: Pigboy (HBO Comedy Festival, Aspen, Co.). FILM: The Thing Called Love, Three Fugitives, Holiday Holdup, The Premiere. TELEVISION: Seinfeld (NBC); KC Undercover, Good Luck Charlie (Disney Channel); Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO); NCIS, Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS); 24, Arrested Development (FOX).
Suzanne Hannau
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: The Robin in The Secret Garden, Lily in James Joyce’s The Dead (Court Theatre). FLUTE/ORCHESTRA: The Matchbox, Magic Flute (Goodman Theatre); Die Kathrin (Chicago Folks Operetta); Juno (TimeLine Theatre Company); Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Porchlight Music Theatre); A Man of No Importance (Pride Films and Plays). EDUCATION: BM and MM in flute performance, DePaul University. Hannau teaches flute and early childhood music education at the Music Institute of Chicago.
Mia Hilt
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Fun Home, The Revolutionists (Madison Street Theater); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Big Noise Theatre); This Is Not A Pipe (Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble). REGIONAL: Measure for Measure, The Comedy of Errors (Hoosier Shakespeare Festival); Twelfth Night (South Dakota Shakespeare Festival); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hair (Nebraska Repertory Theatre); Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood (Black Hills Playhouse). EDUCATION: BA in acting and BA in dance, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Will James Jr.
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. OFF BROADWAY: George Washington in Hamilton workshop/reading (Public Theater); Ensemble/Charles Lee in Hamilton workshop production (Public Theater). TOURS: Simba/Mufasa/Ed understudy in Disney’s The Lion King (1st and 3rd National Tours). REGIONAL: Simba understudy in The Lion King (Mandalay Bay Theater, Las Vegas, NV); Curtis in Dreamgirls (The Phoenix Theater Company). EDUCATION: AMDA (Los Angeles, CA); Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago, IL); Bel Canto Study at Gaye Klopack Vocal Studio.
Michael Kurowski
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: As You Like It, Peter Pan. CHICAGO: Fiddler on the Roof (Drury Lane Theatre); Once, Newsies, Million Dollar Quartet (Paramount Theatre); Grease, Big Fish, The Buddy Holly Story (Marriott Theatre); Million Dollar Quartet (Theater at the Center); Posh (Steep Theater Company); American Idiot (The Hypocrites); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Elgin Theater); Four (Jackalope Theatre Company). TOUR: The Play That Goes Wrong, Once. REGIONAL: Million Dollar Quartet (Alabama Shakespeare Festival); Macbeth (Wolfbane Productions). FILM: Gran Torino, The Armed Boy. TELEVISION: Lovecraft Country (HBO); Next (FOX); Chicago Fire, Chicago Med (NBC). EDUCATION: BFA in musical theatre performance, Columbia College Chicago; Chicago Studio of Professional Singing with Janice Pantazelos.
Ian Maryfield
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Short Shakespeare! productions of Romeo and Juliet and The Comedy of Errors. CHICAGO: Indoor Cats (Red Theater); Recipe for Disaster (Windy City Playhouse); Krugozor (Theatre Evolve); All Quiet On The Western Front (Red Tape Theatre); Photograph 51, The Originalist (Court Theatre); The Nutcracker (The House Theatre of Chicago); Fear and Misery in the Third Reich (Haven Theatre). REGIONAL: As You Like It (Montana Shakespeare in the Parks). TELEVISION: Chicago Fire (NBC). EDUCATION: BFA in acting, Oklahoma City University.
Ben Mathew
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Harvey Beaver in Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (Studebaker Theatre); Bank Manager/Andrej understudy in Once (Writers Theatre); Imran understudy in Hatefuck (First Floor Theatre); Upton Sinclair understudy in Campaigns, Inc. (TimeLine Theatre Company). REGIONAL: Illinois Shakespeare Festival, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival. FILM: Apolitical. EDUCATION: BFA in theater, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Spencer Davis Milford
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Billy Elliot (Paramount Theatre); Hello, Dolly! (Marriott Theatre); A Taste of Soul (Black Ensemble Theater); Guys and Dolls (Drury Lane Theatre). BROADWAY: The Winslow Boy. TOURS: Billy Elliot, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. WORLD PREMIERES: Buzz directed by Emmy-winner Carrie Preston (Alabama Shakespeare Festival); Con College (River Rat Productions); Nibbler (Rattlestick Playwrights). REGIONAL: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Fulton Theatre); She Loves Me (The Link Theatre); Peter and the Starcatcher (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis); Newsies, 42nd Street, Camelot, Beautiful (The Muny). FILM: On Fire (Fall 2024 release) starring William H. Macy. EDUCATION: MA in acting, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
James Mueller
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: A Bronx Tale, The Drowsy Chaperone, Catch Me If You Can (Surging Films & Theatrics); Mamma Mia! (Brightside Theatre); Billy Elliot (Music Theater Works); I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (Steel Beam Theatre). REGIONAL: Crimes of the Heart, Closer Than Ever (Canterbury Summer Theatre). DANCE: When Adonis Calls (Thompson Street Opera Company). EDUCATION: BA in dance, Luther College.
Jarais Musgrove
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Zephyr in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. CHICAGO: An American in Paris (Drury Lane Theatre); Splasher in Newsies (Paramount Theater); Chicago Sings Rock & Roll (Porchlight Music Theatre); Trap Door (Steppenwolf Theatre Company). DANCE: Waiting by Priscilla Ahn Music Video, Rhythm by Vasil Garvanliev Music Video. EDUCATION: BFA in musical theater with dance concentration, Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. AWARDS: 2018 Scholarship recipient of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.
Hannah Novak
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Sinfonietta. REGIONAL: Knox-Galesburg Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. EDUCATION: Post-Graduate Certificate in double bass performance, DePaul University; MM in double bass performance, Rice University; BM in double bass performance, Wheaton College. AWARDS: Ben Heppner Prize winner, Wheaton College Concerto Competition 2017; Jan and Beattie Wood Concerto Competition Winner, Brevard Music Center 2017
Jeff Parker
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Measure for Measure, As You Like It (2021, 2011), The King’s Speech, King Charles III, Cymbeline, The Three Musketeers, Timon of Athens; understudy in Schiller’s Mary Stuart, Red Velvet. CHICAGO: Parade, Days Like Today, Isaac’s Eye (Writers Theatre); Wonderful Town, Objects in the Mirror, Camino Real, Bounce, Turn of the Century, Floyd Collins, The House of Martin Guerre (Goodman Theatre); Mamma Mia!, Young Frankenstein, Fiddler on the Roof (Drury Lane Theatre); Discord, Mothers and Sons (Northlight Theatre); The Secret Garden (Court Theatre); Samsara (Victory Gardens Theater); The Brother/Sister Plays (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Nine ( Porchlight Music Theatre, Joseph Jefferson Award nomination). REGIONAL: Candide (Huntington Theatre Company); My Fair Lady (Asolo Repertory Theatre); 1776 (American Conservatory Theater); The American in Me (Magic Theatre); Winesburg, Ohio (Kansas City Repertory Theatre). TELEVISION: Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD (NBC); Soundtrack (Netflix) The Big Leap, Empire, Next, Proven Innocent, Prison Break (FOX) The Chi (Paramount Plus-Showtime). EDUCATION: BFA in acting, University of Southern California.
@jeffparkeractor jeffparkeractor.com
Adam Qutaishat
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: The Band’s Visit (Writers Theatre); Saint Hildegarde (Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre). REGIONAL: Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, TheatreSquared, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Music Theatre of Madison, Milwaukee Opera Theatre, American Gothic Performing Arts Festival, Next Act Theatre, Skylight Music Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks.
Laura Savage
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Follies, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. CHICAGO: The Penelopiad, The Who’s Tommy, The Music Man (Goodman Theatre); West Side Story, Carousel (Lyric Opera of Chicago); Cassie in A Chorus Line, Pal Joey (Porchlight Music Theatre); Million Dollar Quartet, Cinderella…After the Ball, Something Rotten, and 25 more productions (Marriott Theatre); 42nd Street, Mary Poppins, Cats (Paramount Theatre); Crazy for You, Singin’ in the Rain, Bye Bye Birdie, Hello, Dolly! (Drury Lane Theatre); Percy in The Spitfire Grill (BoHo Theatre, Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination – Principal Actress in a Musical). TELEVISION: Empire (FOX).
@lauramsavage Laura-Savage.com
Bernadette Santos Schwegel
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Sanctuary City (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Billy Elliot (Porchlight Music Theatre); Starship Edsel: An Improvised Star Trek Satire (Otherworld Theatre); Emma: The Pop Musical (Broadway Workshop); Out Here: A New Musical (Logan Center, University of Chicago); Wastwater (Steep Theatre); The Nutcracker (The Joffrey Ballet). FILM: Adult Children; Debaters; A Ladies Almanack, Ghostlight. TELEVISION: Chicago Fire, Chicago Med (NBC); Saturdays (Disney Channel); Shameless (Showtime Network). EDUCATION: Loyola University Chicago. AWARDS: 2023 JANSA Young Filmmakers Award, SAG-AFTRA Short Film Series.
Alina Jenine Taber
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire (Paramount Theatre); Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Marriott Theatre); Rizzo in Grease (Drury Lane Theatre); Once (Writers Theater); Rivkele in God of Vengeance (Victory Gardens Theater). TELEVISION: Lexi Olinsky on Chicago PD (NBC). Taber has been seen in advertisements for the Illinois Department of Human Services, ZenB Pasta, Veet, and ACE Hardware.
Arik Vega
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Measure for Measure, Chicago Shakespeare Slam. CHICAGO: In The Heights, Gypsy (Marriott Theatre); Clyde’s (Goodman Theatre); Evita, Holiday Inn (Drury Lane Theatre). REGIONAL: Cleveland Play House, The Fireside Theatre, Studio Tenn, The Warehouse Theatre. TELEVISION: Chicago Fire (NBC). EDUCATION: BFA in musical theatre, Belmont University; SAFD Certification in unarmed and knife. AWARDS: 2019 ALTA Award.
Matthew C. Yee
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Vietgone (Writers Theatre); Antigone (Court Theatre); Cambodian Rock Band (Victory Gardens Theatre); Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon (Lookingglass Theatre Company) for which he also wrote the book and score. BROADWAY: Almost Famous The Musical. REGIONAL: The Old Globe, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Alliance Theatre. FILM: Ghostlight (2024); Consumed (2015). TELEVISION: Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Chicago Justice (NBC); 61st Street (AMC); Empire (FOX); The Bear (FX). From 2023-24 he was a writer in residence at the Goodman Theatre creating a new musical. Yee is an ensemble member at Lookingglass Theatre Company.
Lauren Zakrin
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. BROADWAY: Little Mermaid in Once Upon a One More Time, Moaning Myrtle/ Delphi understudy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Natasha understudy in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Sherrie in Rock of Ages. OFF BROADWAY: Riley in We Are the Tigers, Kathryn in Cruel Intentions, Natasha understudy in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. TOURS: Glinda understudy in Wicked, Sandy in Grease, Elle understudy in Legally Blonde. SAN FRANCISCO: Polly, Myrtle/Delphi understudy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. REGIONAL: Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors (Cape Playhouse); Natasha understudy in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (American Repertory Theater); Elle in Legally Blonde (The Muny); Elle in Legally Blonde (Music Circus). Queen of Hearts in Mad Hatter (Herberger Theater); Brooke in Surf the Musical (Planet Hollywood); TELEVISION: Jesus Christ Superstar LIVE! (NBC); Search for the Next Elle Woods (MTV). @laurenzakrin
Andrew Bosworth
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Antigone (Redtwist Theatre); Dracula (Glass Apple Theatre); Man of the People (Stage Left Theatre); Innocence of Seduction (City Lit Theatre Company); A Christmas Carol (Metropolis Performing Arts); End Days (Theatre Above the Law); Viva la Mort (the Conspirators). REGIONAL: Rhinoceros, Shakespeare in Love (Asolo Repertory Theatre). EDUCATION: MFA, FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Bosworth is a Certified Teacher at International Demidov Association and a Curator at Demidov Studio Chicago.
Luke Nowakowski
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: To Be (streaming). CHICAGO: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, The Sound Of Music, Fun Home (Paramount Theater); Billy Crocker in Anything Goes (Porchlight Music Theater); Children of Eden (Cadillac Palace); Brigadoon (Music Theater Works). EDUCATION: BA in music performance, Elmhurst University. AWARDS: Finalist in National Musical Theater Competition in NYC 2021.
Instagram: @_lukenowakowski_
Ty Shay
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Xanadu, The Legend of Georgia McBride (Metropolis Performing Arts Center); Spring Awakening, Indecent, Bright Star (Chicago College of Performing Arts). REGIONAL: Kinky Boots (Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre).
Carter Rose Sherman
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Nell Gwynn. CHICAGO: Miranda: A War-Torn Fable (Impostors Theater Company, Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination – Best Performer in a Short Run); A Christmas Carol (Metropolis Performing Arts Center); Veronica in Heathers (Surging Films and Theatrics); Pride and Prejudice (Edge of the Wood Theater). EDUCATION: BA in theater, North Central College. Sherman is an impassioned intimacy choreographer, dedicated to improving rehearsal-room safety across the industry. carterrosesherman.com
Kelan Smith
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: The Choir of Man (Apollo Theater Chicago); The Buddy Holly Story (Marriott Theatre); Ring of Fire (Drury Lane Theatre); Spring Awakening, Pump Boys and Dinettes (Porchlight Music Theatre); The Porch on Windy Hill (Northlight Theatre); Verböten (House Theatre); The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party (Chicago Children’s Theatre); Bright Star (Boho Theatre); Haymarket (Underscore Theatre); We’re Gonna Die (Haven Theatre). REGIONAL: Plaid Tidings, Lost Highway, The Buddy Holly Story (Timber Lake Playhouse); Once (Bristol Valley Theatre); Moonshine and Mistletoe (The Garden Theatre). EDUCATION: BFA in musical theatre performance, Columbia College Chicago. Smith is the co-artistic director of Streamline Theatre.
Tommy Thurston
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: James and the Giant Peach, The Sound of Music (Marriott Theatre); Cat in The Cat in The Hat (Broadway in Chicago); Pretty Rich Boy in Poor People! The Parody Musical (Hell in a Handbag Productions); Leonard Chess/Clive Davis/Phil Collins in Reasons: a Tribute to Earth, Wind, and Fire (Black Ensemble Theater); Bob Wallace in White Christmas, Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Sir Lionel in Camelot (Music Theater Works); Captain Hammer in Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (Black Button Eyes Productions); Starbuck in 110 in the Shade, Edward Bloom in Big Fish (BoHo Theatre, Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination – Leading Actor in a Musical); Robert Kincaid in The Bridges of Madison County (Theo Ubique, Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination – Leading Actor in a Musical).
Dani McCallum
Original Fight Director
Ashleigh Cheadle
Original Puppetry Director
Tuesday Thacker
Production Assistant
Dani McCallum
Original Fight Director
Ashleigh Cheadle
Original Puppetry Director
Tuesday Thacker
Production Assistant
Shaun McKenna
McKenna is an award-winning British playwright, screenwriter, librettist, and lyricist. He specializes in original and adapted theater (musical and otherwise) together with audio drama and, increasingly, original screenplays. Musical theater credits include: The Lord of the Rings (DORA Award, Olivier nomination), Maddie, Lautrec and La Cava (West End); Only You Can Save Mankind and Murder Mystery Musical (Edinburgh Festival Fringe); Last Dance and a forthcoming revival of Maddie (New York); The Heidi trilogy (Prix Walo nomination) and The Return of Peter Pan (Europe). Upcoming musical theatre projects include: Jack Cole,Trouser Bar, Bette & Joan & Baby Jane, Looking Glass Wars, and Celtic Warrior. Radio credits include: core writer on Home Front (Outstanding Achievement Award), adapted The Forsytes, The Complete Smiley, China Towns, East of Eden, Marnie, Brother Dusty Feet, and writing several original dramas, including Me And Little Boots, Meeting Jack, and three series of Eleanor Rising (BBC Radio 4). Other theater credits include: Ladies In Lavender (BroadwayWorld UK Best Regional Play), the upcoming The Forsyte Saga, Exhibitionists, Rocky Road, The Paradine Case, Ruling Passions, To Serve Them All My Days, How Green Was My Valley, the upcoming The Paradine Case and seven Peter James thrillers – The Perfect Murder, Dead Simple, The House On Cold Hill, Not Dead Enough, Looking Good Dead, Wish You Were Dead, and the upcoming Picture You Dead. TV credits include: Heartbeat (Royal Television Society Award), Like Father Like Son, The Crooked Man, The Cuckoo, and Great West End Theatres. Screenplays include: Oscar’s Boys, Agent 160, High Crimes and Draugr. Find out more on www.shaunmckenna.me.
Matthew Warchus
Theatre credits (as Director) include: The Constituent, Lungs, Present Laughter, ‘Art’, The Caretaker, The Master Builder, Future Conditional, Speed-the-Plow, OLD VIC: IN CAMERA – A Christmas Carol, Faith Healer, Three Kings and Lungs (The Old Vic); A Christmas Carol, Groundhog Day and The Norman Conquests (The Old Vic/Broadway); Matilda the Musical (RSC/ West End/Broadway/International tour); Ghost the Musical (West End/Broadway/South Korea); La Bete (West End/Broadway); God of Carnage (West End/Broadway/LA); Deathtrap, Endgame (West End); Our House, Much Ado About Nothing (West End/UK tour); Boeing-Boeing (West End/Broadway/UK tour); The Lord of the Rings (West End/Toronto); Buried Child and Volpone (National Theatre); Follies (Broadway); Life x 3 (National Theatre/The Old Vic/Broadway); True West (Donmar Warehouse/Broadway); The Unexpected Man (RSC/West End/ Broadway); ‘Art’ (Broadway/West End/Los Angeles); Hamlet and Henry V (RSC); Betrayal, Death of a Salesman, The Plough & the Stars, Fiddler on the Roof, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, True West and Peter Pan (Leeds Playhouse). Opera credits include: Falstaff and Cosi Fan Tutte (ENO); The Rake’s Progress (ROH/WNO). Film credits include: Matilda the Musical, Pride – BIFA Best British Independent Film, Simpatico. Matthew was an Associate Director at Leeds Playhouse and Artistic Associate at The Old Vic before being appointed Artistic Director of the theater in 2014.
A.R. Rahman
Rahman has redefined contemporary Indian music. Taking after his father, a Tamil film composer, Rahman started composing jingles. In 1991, Tamil director Mani Ratnam offered Rahman a movie called Roja – a run-away success bringing nationwide fame. By 2000, Rahman had come to the attention of Andrew Lloyd Webber, who brought Bombay Dreams to London’s West End and Broadway. Then, in 2008, Rahman’s music for Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire confirmed Rahman’s global presence with Academy Awards for Best Score and Best Song, 2 Grammys, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. Rahman, recently turned to writing and directing, setting up a film studio in Chennai YM Studios – releasing 99 Songs and Le Musk, the latter a VR multi-sensory project, exploring new ways of storytelling. He is noted for collaborations with Coldplay, Mick Jagger, Dave Stewart, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Sarni Yusuf, and U2 (his daughters, Khatija and Raheema adding their vocals to the U2 track “Ahimsa” written to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi). Most recently, Rahman’s time has been taken up with his new state of the art recording facility in Dubai, The Firdaus Studio, set up for producing orchestral sessions and recording high quality film soundtracks – and also establishing and mentoring the all-women orchestra comprising of musicians from over 23 nationalities called The Firdaus Orchestra.
Värttinä
is a contemporary Finnish group with a folk music/roots-based style featuring multiple female vocals and an ensemble of instrumentalists. Värttinä combines traditional Finno-Ugric vocal elements with trad and original compositions and dynamic performances. Founded in 1983 they have gone through various changes in line-up with the period from 1995-2005 being their most creative and productive as a group of nine members. Music for The Lord of the Rings stage production was composed and produced during this time as was their album Miero for the Real World records label. Today the band is a six-piece and is active with tours and concerts.
Christopher Nightingale
is a Tony Award winner for the “Best Original Score”, NY Outer Critic Circle Honouree for A Christmas Carol, and Grammy nominee for the Matilda US Album. Theatre Credits (as Composer) include: A Christmas Carol – Tony Award, Best Score (Old Vic Theatre, Broadway); The Divide and Future Conditional (The Old Vic); Orchestrator, additional music/Musical Supervisor on Groundhog Day (The Old Vic/ Broadway – Olivier Award, Best New Musical); Matilda: The Musical (RSC/West End/Broadway/International Tour). Musical supervisor, arranger & orchestrator for Ghost The Musical (West End/Broadway); Co-composer/Orchestrator on The Lord of the Rings (Toronto/West End) and Musical Supervisor/ Orchestrator on Bombay Dreams (West End). Theatre credits (for Arrangements and Musical Direction) include: Closer to Heaven, Whistle Down the Wind and Oliver! (West End); MD/Keyboards on The Plantagenets, The Tempest, The Comedy Of Errors, A Clockwork Orange, The Plain Dealer, Pericles, Much Ado About Nothing, Henry IV Part I, Singer, Some Americans Abroad, Playing With Trains, ‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore, The Changeling, Romeo & Juliet and Tamburlaine (RSC). Film credits include: Matilda The Movie (Original Score, Orchestrations, Executive Music Producer), Pride (Composer), and Evita (Conductor & Vocal Coach). Recordings include: Producer on Matilda The Movie Soundtrack Album, Groundhog Day original Broadway cast album and Matilda: The Musical original London & Broadway cast albums; Associate Producer on Ghost original London cast album; Co-Producer on The Lord of The Rings original London cast album. An organ scholar at Magdalene College, Cambridge, Christopher was Musical Director of the Cambridge Footlights for three years before graduating and working for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Paul Hart
Hart is the current Artistic Director and Joint CEO of The Watermill Theatre in the UK where he originally directed The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale in 2023. CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. BROADWAY: Red (Associate Director). WEST END: Private Peaceful, Pope Joan (National Youth Theatre); Huis Clos (Donmar Warehouse). WATERMILL THEATRE: Much Ado About Nothing, Notes from a Small Island, Othello (Co-Director); Spike (UK Tour); As You Like It, Camelot in Concert, Kiss Me, Kate, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sweet Charity, The Borrowers (UK Tour, Wilton’s Music Hall); Crazy for You (UK Tour); Romeo and Juliet (UK Tour); Journey’s End, Twelfth Night (UK Tour, Wilton’s Music Hall); The Tempest, Great Expectations, Heroes. RADIO: Existentialism in Theatre (BBC). AWARDS: 2024 The Stage Award for Theatre of the Year for The Watermill Theatre, 2024 WhatsOnStage Award for Best Regional Production for The Lord of The Rings at The Watermill Theatre, 2023 Broadway World UK Award for Best Direction of a Musical for The Lord Of The Rings, 2023 Broadway World UK Award for Best Direction of a New Production of a Play for Notes From A Small Island.
Simon Kenny
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. OFF BROADWAY: Sweeney Todd (Barrow Street Theatre, Drama Desk Award Nomination). REGIONAL: The Lion (Arizona Theatre Company). WEST END: Sweeney Todd, The Selfish Giant. INTERNATIONAL: The Lord of the Rings, Whistle Down the Wind, Assassins (Watermill Theatre); Brassed Off (Theatre by the Lake); The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man (Nottingham Playhouse); Family Tree (Actors Touring Company, UK tour); The Death of A Black Man (Hampstead Theatre); Noughts & Crosses (Pilot Theatre, UK tour); The Wiz (Hope Mill Theatre); Blue/Orange (Theatre Royal Bath); Ghost Quartet (Boulevard Theatre); Black Men Walking (Eclipse, Royal Exchange); Cabaret (English Theatre Frankfurt, Deutsches Theater Munich); Red Dust Road (National Theatre of Scotland); Babette’s Feast (Print Room); Twelfth Night, The Merchant Of Venice (Shakespeare’s Globe); Ghosts (Theatr Clwyd); Island (National Theatre). EXHIBITIONS: V&A Museum Theatre & Performance Collection, Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design 2019. AWARDS: BroadwayWorld UK Best Set Design and Best Costume Design Awards for The Lord of the Rings.
Anjali Mehra
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Queen of Spades (Lyric Opera Chicago). WEST END: Rumi the Musical (London Coliseum). OFF BROADWAY: Judgment Day (Park Avenue Armory). INTERNATIONAL: The Lord of the Rings, Spike, Othello, Brief Encounter, As You Like It (Watermill Theatre); “Daddy” A Melodrama (Almeida Theatre); The Ballad of Hattie and James (The Kiln Theatre); Dick Whittington (Watford Palace Theatre). OPERA: Handmaids Tale (English National Opera); Pierre Lunaire and Mavra (Royal Opera House); Cherry Town (Welsh National Opera); Jakob Lenz (English National Opera). FILM: little grasses crack through stone, Moving in Time (New Adventures Dance Company); Alexander, World War Z. TELEVISION: Dope Girls (BBC). EDUCATION: MA in choreography, Diploma in classical and contemporary dance, Central School of Ballet. AWARDS: Christoper Gable Choreographer Award. DANCE CREDITS: Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures Dance Company, Play without Words (Sadlers Wells Theatre); Kiss Me Kate (Theatre du Chatelet); Bombay Dreams (West End); Swan Lake, Cinderella, The Red Shoes, The Nutcracker. Mehra is a mentor for young artists who teaches lecturers on careers in the industry and creative choreography/movement workshops.
Mark Aspinall
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. MUSIC DIRECTION: Sinatra (Birmingham Rep); Anything Goes (Barbican, UK Tour); City of Angels (Garrick Theatre); & Juliet (Manchester Opera House); Perfect Show for Rachel (Barbican); West Side Story, Guys & Dolls, Sweet Charity (Royal Exchange Manchester); The Band (UK Tour); Three Phantoms (Parisian Theatre); The Wicker Husband (Workshop); Travels with my Aunt (Chichester Festival Theatre); The Smallest Show on Earth (UK Tour); Mack and Mabel, Titanic (Princess of Wales, Toronto, Southwark Playhouse); The Roles I’ll Never Play (St. James Theatre); Cinderella (Qdos, Cliffs Pavilion). MUSIC SUPERVISOR: Fiddler on the Roof (Regent’s Park Open Air); The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Ambassadors Theatre, Southwark Playhouse); Titanic, Ragtime (Charing Cross Theatre, UK and International Tour). ASSISTANT MUSICAL DIRECTOR: & Juliet (Manchester Opera House); City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse); The Pyjama Game (Shaftesbury Theatre). KEYBOARD: Stephen Ward (Aldwych Theatre); Multistory (RSC Workshop); Tick, Tick, Boom! (Duchess Theatre). FILM: The End, Cyrano, Cats.
Michael McBride
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Revolution(s) (Goodman Theatre); Grease (Drury Lane Theatre); Big Fish (Boho Theater, Joseph Jefferson Award — Best Music Direction); The Choir of Man (Apollo Theater Chicago); Rent (Porchlight Music Theatre); Passing Strange (Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre); Billy Elliot, Brigadoon, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Carousel (Music Theater Works). REGIONAL: The Scarlet Pimpernel (John W. Engeman Theater, NY); We Will Rock You, Legally Blonde, Escape to Margaritaville, Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Robber Bridegroom, Jesus Christ Superstar, Pippin, Man of La Mancha, Mamma Mia!, Into the Woods, The Little Mermaid (Timber Lake Playhouse). ACADEMIC: Yeast Nation (North Park University); The Old Man and the Old Moon, Fun Home, Violet, Cabaret, Tintypes, She Loves Me, Spring Awakening, Hot Mikado, Urinetown (Loyola University Chicago). EDUCATION: DM Composition, Northwestern University. McBride is a visiting Assistant Professor at North Park University.
Rory Beaton
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. WEST END: The Time Traveller’s Wife, For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy, The Merchant of Venice 1936, Wild About You, Death Drop: Back in the Habit, Your Lie In April, Instructions for a Teenage Armageddon, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change! INTERNATIONAL: Royal Shakespeare Company, Bristol Old Vic, Kiln Theatre, Almeida, Royal Court, Southbank Centre, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Royal & Derngate, The Watermill, Chichester Festival Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Barbican Theatre. OPERA: Danish National Opera, Scottish Opera, Wexford Festival Opera, English Touring Opera, Opera Holland Park, OTC Ireland, Blackheath Halls Community Opera, Trinity Laban, Guildhall School, Royal College of Music, Royal Academy of Music. EDUCATION: Guildhall School of Music and Drama. AWARDS: Broadway World Award for Best Lighting Design (The Lord of the Rings); WhatsOnStage Award nomination (The Time Traveller’s Wife); Knight of Illumination nomination (Cosí fan Tutte).
Adam Fisher
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. BROADWAY: Sunset Boulevard. WEST END: Pippin in Concert, Wild About You in Concert, Evita, Love Never Dies in Concert (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); Sunset Boulevard (Olivier Award, WhatsOnStage Award); The Wizard of Oz, The Last Five Years (Vaudeville Theatre, Garrick Theatre); Gillian Lynne Celebration (Gillian Lynne Theatre). LONDON: Kiss Me Kate (Barbican); Yeast Nation (Southwark Playhouse); The View Upstairs (Soho Theatre). INTERNATIONAL: Oliver! (Chichester Festival Theatre); Evita, Billy Elliot (Curve Leicester); Bhangra Nation (Birmingham Rep); Cinderella, Dick Whittington, Beauty and the Beast (Nottingham Playhouse); The Lord of the Rings, Our Man in Havana (Watermill Theatre). AWARDS: 2024 Olivier Award for Best Sound Design for Sunset Boulevard.
George Reeve
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. WEST END: Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends; My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?), Six, The Great British Bake Off Musical. INTERNATIONAL: Hercules, Tarzan (Disney Theatrical); Sunset Boulevard (Princess Theatre); In Dreams (Leeds Playhouse/Toronto); Oliver! (Chichester Festival Theatre); The Lord Of The Rings, Notes From a Small Island (Watermill Theatre); Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show (Royal Festival Hall); RENT and Cinderella (Hope Mill Theatre); Now Is Good (Storyhouse Chester); Gypsy (Alexandra Palace); A Christmas Carol (Dominion Theatre); NoiseBoys, VIVA Club (Norwegian Cruise Line); Cinderella In Concert (Cadogan Hall). TOURS: Hairspray (UK Tour); Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show (UK Tour); Dawn French Is A Huge Tw*t! (UK/Australia Tour, BBC); The Sound of Music (Netherlands Tour). Reeve won the award for Best Video Design in the 2023 Broadway World UK/West End Awards for his work on The Lord of The Rings at the Watermill Theatre.
Charlie Tymms
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. BROADWAY PUPPET FABRICATION: Life of Pi, Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, Angels in America. WEST END: Spirited Away (London Coliseum Theatre); Stranger Things (Pheonix Theatre); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Palace Theatre). INTERNATIONAL PUPPET DESIGN: The Lord of the Rings, The Wicker Husband (Watermill Theatre); The Dream Thief (National Theatre of Iceland); The Dinosaur Show (Southwark Playhouse); Zoe’s Peculiar Journey Through Time (Burg Theatre, Southbank Centre); Wizard of Oz (Leeds Playhouse Theatre); Running Wild (Chichester Festival Theatre, Regents Park Theatre); Gnomus (Kew Gardens); Beauty and the Beast, Witches, Christmas Carol, Peter Pan, Noah (Chichester Festival Theatre). TOURS: The Dinosaur Show, Book of Mormon, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Dr Dolittle, Running Wild. FILM: Isle of Dogs (Wes Anderson); Artemis Fowl (Disney); Frankenweenie (Tim Burton). EDUCATION: BA, Central School of Art and Design UK; Goldsmiths College of Art UK; Motley Theatre Design School UK.
Lindsey Noel Whiting
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Lookingglass Alice, Mr. and Mrs. Pennyworth, Cascabel, The Great Fire (Lookingglass Theatre Company); The Snow Queen (Victory Gardens Theatre); Leonardo (Manual Cinema); Sink, Sank, Sunk, The Golden Truffle, The Cabinet (Redmoon Theatre). REGIONAL: Actors Theatre of Louisville, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Syracuse Stage, Adrienne Arsht Center, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Segerstrom Center for the Arts. INTERNATIONAL: Singapore International Arts Festival, International Children’s Festival of the Arts (St. Albert, Canada). TELEVISION: Chicago Fire (NBC). EDUCATION: BS in theatre performance, Bradley University.
Rachel Flesher
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: The Lord of the Rings, Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet. CHICAGO: Twilight Bowl, Relentless (Goodman Theatre); The Burials, Constellations, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); The Displaced (Haven Theatre – Joseph Jefferson Award nomination); First Love is the Revolution (Steep Theatre – Joseph Jefferson Award nomination). LOS ANGELES: Cabaret, Destiny of Desire, Dial M for Murder (Old Globe Theatre); Cassils Human Measure (RedCat Theatre); Radical (IAMA Theatre Company). REGIONAL: There’s Always the Hudson (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company); Othello (Dallas Shakespeare Theatre); West Side Story (Lyric Theatre Oklahoma). TELEVISION: GLOW (Netflix); You (Warner Horizons); Hunters (Amazon); The Summer I Turned Pretty (Apple TV+); Gaslit (NBC). Flesher is a Certified Intimacy Director and Intimacy Coordinator on the SAG-AFTRA registry, a SAG-AFTRA stunt performer, a Certified Fight Director and Fight Instructor with the Fight Directors Canada, and the founder and CEO of Intimacy Professionals Education Collective.
Christa Harris
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. WEST END: The Time Traveler’s Wife (Associate Director); Back to the Future the Musical (Resident Director). INTERNATIONAL: Directing Credits: Summer Camp for Broken People (Pleasance Theatre, Summerhall); FAT TONGUE (Riverside Studios); Park Bench (Park Theatre); United Queendom (Kensington Palace for Les Enfants Terribles); Inside Pussy Riot (Saatchi Gallery for Les Enfants Terribles); The Hole (Old Rep); FREAK (The Space). INTERNATIONAL: Associate/Assistant Director Credits: The Game’s Afoot (Madame Tussauds for Les Enfants Terribles); Kiss Me Quickstep (New Vic Theatre, Stoke, UK Tour); The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Only on Sundays (The Birmingham REP); A Third (Finborough Theatre). TOURS: Mr. Men and Little Miss on Stage. ACADEMIC: Spring Awakening (Trinity Laban, London); Love & Information (DTA, Birmingham). EDUCATION: BA in theatre and english, University of Birmingham. AWARDS: 2015 JMK Regional Leverhulme Arts Scholarship, 2022 Olivier Award Best New Musical for Back to the Future the Musical, Winner of 4 WhatsOnStage Awards including Best New Musical for Back to the Future the Musical. Harris is the Associate Artist of the twice Olivier Award-nominated theater company Les Enfants Terribles and is the Co-founder of the arts organization WildChild.
Nicholas Pope
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: It Came From Outer Space. BROADWAY: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. OFF BROADWAY: Hundred Days (New York Theatre Workshop); In the Green (Lincoln Center); Outer Space (Public Theater); King Lear (Theater for a New Audience). REGIONAL: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, The Visit, Father Comes Home From the Wars. INTERNATIONAL: The Gift of Angels (Universal Studios, Osaka, Japan). EDUCATION: Yale School of Drama. AWARDS: 2017 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812), 2020 Lucille Lortel Award nomination, Outstanding Sound Design (In the Green). Pope currently serves as CST’s Interim Sound Supervisor.
Iain Syme
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. PROJECTION DESIGN CREDITS: Black Superhero (Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Royal Court); Fitter (Soho Theatre, London); War of the Worlds (International Tour). ASSOCIATE PROJECTION DESIGN CREDITS: Withnail and I (Birmingham Rep); Grenfell: in the words of survivors (National Theatre London, St Ann’s Warehouse); Opening Night (Gielgud Theatre), Mandela (Young Vic); Samson Et Dalila (Royal Opera House, London); The Wreckers (Glyndebourne); Our Generation (National Theatre London); An American in Paris (International Tour). PROGRAMMER CREDITS: Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks, David Hockney: Bigger & Closer [not smaller & further away] (Lightroom London, Lightroom Korea); Jack Absolute Flies Again (National Theatre, London). EDUCATION: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. AWARDS: 2015 Association of Lighting Designer’s Excellence in Video Design award.
Susan Gosdick
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Peter Pan. CHICAGO: Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story (Marriott Theatre), Sound of Music, Rock of Ages, Kinky Boots, Hand to God, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Disney’s Newsies, Once, Cabaret, Million Dollar Quartet, Sweeney Todd, The Little Mermaid (Paramount Theatre); The Mountaintop (Invictus), The Life and Deaths of Alan Turing, Albert Herring (Chicago Opera Theatre), Ironbound, Requiem for a Heavyweight (Artistic Home), The Gulf (About Face Theatre), Cabaret (Theatre at the Center), Brigadoon, Secret Garden, Cabaret (Music Theater Works), The Whaleship Essex, Mill Fire (Shattered Globe), and others. Acting credits: Paramount Theatre, Theatre at the Center, Drury Lane Theatre, Artists’ Ensemble, The Old Globe.
Bob Mason
Mason celebrates his twenty-third year at CST as Artistic Associate/Casting Director, where his credits include over 150 productions and programs and thirty-five plays in Shakespeare’s canon. In addition to numerous productions with Chicago Shakespeare founder Barbara Gaines, other productions of note include: a host of Sondheim musicals (Follies, Sunday in the Park with George, A Little Night Music, Passion, Road Show, Gypsy, directed by Gary Griffin); SIX (CST, Broadway, A.R.T., Ordway Center, the Citadel); Ride the Cyclone directed by Rachel Rockwell (CST, off Broadway at MCC Theater, Fifth Avenue Theatre/American Conservatory Theater, Alliance Theatre); Rose Rage: Henry VI, Parts 1, 2 and 3, directed by Edward Hall (CST, The Duke on 42nd Street). He also directed and co-created Shakespeare Tonight with Beckie Menzie, as part of CST’s Shakespeare 400 Festival. Prior to casting, Mason enjoyed a career as a Joseph Jefferson Award-winning actor and singer and has been a visiting educator for Northwestern University, the School at Steppenwolf, the Guthrie Theater BFA program, Acting Studio Chicago, DePaul, Columbia, Roosevelt University, and multiple university programs across the country.
David Castellanos
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Hamlet, Merry Wives of Windsor, Timon of Athens, Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, Henry IV Parts One and Two, Merchant of Venice, Comedy of Errors, Anthony and Cleopatra, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, All’s Well that Ends Well. CHICAGO: Julius Caesar, Hamlet, As You Like It, Othello. Trevor, Hunter and the Bear, Hysperia, Do The Hustle, Crime and Punishment (Writers Theater). EDUCATION: BFA in production stage management, The Theatre School, DePaul University. Castellanos was formerly the Production Stage Manager at Writers Theater and is an Assistant Professor at Columbia College Chicago.
Michael George
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Richard III, Twelfth Night. CHICAGO: Sweeney Todd (Porchlight Music Theatre); Million Dollar Quartet (Apollo Theatre). OFF BROADWAY: Twelfth Night (Classical Theatre of Harlem); The Light Princess (New Victory Theater). REGIONAL: The Light Princess (American Repertory Theater I.A.T.T.); The Wizard of Oz, 9 to 5, Guadalupe in the Guestroom (Creede Repertory Theatre). TOUR: Blippi: The Musical (RoundRoom Live); The Cat in the Hat, Rock the Presidents (Childsplay Theatre Company); Encore! (Chamber Theatre). George was the PSM for The Polar Express Train Ride (Rail Events Productions) for four seasons.
Shannon Golden
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks production of The Hero Within and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Measure for Measure I, Banquo, Short Shakespeare! The Comedy of Errors, Q Brothers Christmas Carol, Fight Night CHICAGO: Frankenstein, Act(s) of God, Plantation!, Hard Times, Moby Dick, Thaddeus and Slocuum: A Vaudeville Adventure (Lookingglass Theatre Company); The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Frederick (Chicago Children’s Theatre); The King of the Yees, Uncle Vanya, Carlyle, Soups Stews and Casseroles: 1976, Feathers and Teeth (Goodman Theatre); The Mutilated, Simpatico (A Red Orchid Theatre); This Wonderful Life (American Blues Theater). REGIONAL: Peninsula Players Theatre. EDUCATION: BS in stage management, Ball State University.
Additional Credits
Kevin Wallace & William Bennett for Kevin Wallace Productions, Middle‑earth Enterprises, GWB Entertainment, Tim McFarlane, People Entertainment Group, The Watermill Theatre
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