The Hypocrites Frankenstein October 21–November 1, 2009

Photo by Paul Metreyeon

mcachicago.org The Hypocrites

Sean Graney* Amy Eingold, Assistant stage manager Artistic Director Nick Sieben, Assistant stage manager Chris Howell, Assistant production manager Evelyn Dehais, Assistant scenic designer Megan Wildebour* Jordan Kardasz, Assistant lighting designer Managing Director Lauren Williams, Special e¤ects assistant

Frankenstein *Denotes company member Adapted and directed by Sean Graney* +Denotes artistic associate Adapted from the novel by Mary Shelley This performance is approximately 1 hour and 11 min- With original music by Kevin O’Donnell+ utes in length and has no intermission. and lyrics by Sean Graney cast John Byrnes*, Victor Frankenstein marks the inauguration of The Stacy Stoltz*, Elizabeth Hypocrites' 13th season, which also includes No Exit Matt Kahler, Daemon and Cabaret. We hope you enjoy the show and join us Jessie Fisher, Strange Girl again soon.

Miranda Anderson, Stage manager For complete information about The Hypocrites' Maggie Fullilove-Nugent*, Production manager season, visit the-hypocrites.com. To reach The Thomas Weitz, Assistant director Hypocrites or to learn about ways to become involved, Jim Moore*, Technical director e-mail them at [email protected].

Tom Burch, Scenic design The Hypocrites are partially supported by the Illinois Arts Council, Kevin O’Donnell+, Composer a state agency, and a CityArts Program III grant from the City of Meghan Raham, Costume design Chicago’s Department of Cultural A=airs. Mikhail Fiksel, Sound design The Hypocrites are also funded in part by The Richard H. Driehaus Jared Moore+, Lighting design Foundation, The Mayer & Morris Kaplan Family Foundation, The Matt Hawkins, Violence design Alphawood Foundation, The Boeing Company, The Jean & Jordan Maria DeFabo, Properties design Nerenberg Fund for the Future, The Chicago Community Trust, Mike Tutaj, Projection design The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, and The Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation.

4 From the director Photo by Sandro

Thank you for spending your time and money on live theatre. I understand how valuable both are to you. I truly appreciate your will- ingness to engage with this play. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].

—Sean Graney

Artists Up Close To increase appreciation for Frankenstein, the MCA and The Hypocrites organized these opportunities for audience members to engage with the artists.

First Night Wednesday, October 21, and Thursday, October 22 Following the performance, audience members are invited to stay for a discussion with members of the cast and creative team.

Season of Concern The MCA and The Hypocrites are pleased to welcome Season of Concern focuses primarily on fundraising Season of Concern (SOC) to our theater during per- by redistributing donations to local care organiza- formances of the Hypocrites’ Frankenstein. tions. Season of Concern is the Chicagoland theater com- The MCA and The Hypocrites invite audience mem- munity’s fundraising e=ort, providing compassionate bers to consider making a donation to Season of care to those in our community who are experiencing Concern. Please see the SOC representative available the e=ects of catastrophic illness. in the lobby today. This e=ort supports the fight against HIV and AIDS Checks and money orders payable to Season of by contributing to programs that provide direct Concern can also be mailed to its o;ces at 203 N. care (personal financial support, housing care, meals, Wabash, Ste. 2104, Chicago, Illinois 60601, or by medications, legal assistance, and other services) calling during regular business hours at 312.332.0518 to members of the Chicago and Midwestern theater to make secure credit card donations. community and by addressing emergency needs expressed by theater community members in their Thank you. struggles against other life-threatening illnesses.

5 Young Jean Lee The Shipment Friday–Sunday, March 26–28 The long-awaited Chicago debut by this cele- brated New York playwright and an all-star cast.

The strongest indication that the avant-garde isn’t dead, and has never been funnier. —new york magazine

For tickets, call 312.397.4010 O;cial Airline of or visit mcachicago.org. the Museum of Contemporary Art

Unlike many gothic tales, which find their foundations in ancient lore and classic fables, Frankenstein has few direct sources in mythology or literature. The charac- ters and plot were invented by Mary Shelley in 1818 for her novel Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus, which provides the groundwork, structure, and some dialogue for this contemporary production. Despite its originality, Shelley’s story draws influ- ences from the literature of several eras and the politics of her time, many of which Director Sean Graney has utilized as well. The novel’s subtitle al- ludes to Prometheus, a Greek deity who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to humankind, forging a closer but more dubious relationship between man and the gods. Shelley’s work also pays frequent homage to Renaissance works, most notably Christopher Marlowe’s The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus, the tale of an ambitious doctor who sells his soul to the devil to gain scientific knowledge, and John Milton’s Paradise Lost, which questions the act of creation by asking why God would create a man who lives in sin. Graney expands on Shelley’s content by also draw- ing from more recent adaptations of the novel. Alongside phrases of dialogue from Shelley, Marlowe, and Aeschylus, Graney has included dialogue from Richard Brinsley Peake’s 1823 stage play Presumption, or the Fate of Frankenstein. The 1931 film version of Frankenstein, starring Boris Karlo=, plays amid the ac- tion as the iconic landmark to which the audience can compare the world on stage. The cast of Frankenstein developed their understand- ing of the story primarily by absorbing Graney’s text and Shelley’s novel. All of the actors read the novel and several of its adaptations early in the process. The Hypocrites members and collaborators discov- ered most of the final product in the rehearsal room; the cast made their own contributions to the work you are seeing today.

Photo by Paul Metreyeon —Christopher Shea, University of Chicago Metcalf Fellow 7 About the artists

The Hypocrites Goodman Theatre. His recent and upcoming work in was founded in Chicago in 1997 by director and play Chicago includes Mistakes Were Made (A Red Orchid wright Sean Graney. The company has created Theatre), Souvenir (Northlight Theatre), Almost, forty mainstage productions and eight festival pieces, Maine (Apple Tree Theatre), and productions at the receiving thirteen Joseph Je=erson (“Je=”) Citations Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and two After Dark Awards. Dedicated to a “Theater About Face Theatre, The House Theatre of Chicago, of Honesty” more viscerally provocative than purely Lifeline Theatre, Strawdog Theatre Company, and academic, The Hypocrites have earned particular Pegasus Theatre. Burch teaches at The University of notoriety for their insistent eschewal of naturalism in Chicago. For more information about the artist, visit all aspects of production. www.tomburch.com. Graney often cites a particular debt to famed theater John Byrnes critic Antoine Artaud’s belief that theater should most recently appeared in All My Sons at Timeline captivate its audience through jarring images that Theatre. He has performed in The Overwhelming at disturb or entrance at a preconscious level. This Next Theatre, and in The Hypocrites’ productions philosophy shines through in productions that use The Hairy Ape and Our Town. His appearance in promenade staging and breaches of the fourth wall Frankenstein is the first time he has dressed up for to draw the audience closer, only to confront them Halloween in a long, long time. with surreal or unsettling visuals. Maria DeFabo The Hypocrites’ canon ranges from contemporary was the properties master for The Hypocrites’ pro- American works to classical Greek tragedies. In addi duction of Oedipus, and has created properties for tion to directing, Graney adapts many of the texts. Eclipse Theatre Company, Theo Ubique Theatre Most recently, he transformed Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex Company, Appetite Theatre Company, and Lyric into a contemporary one-act for three actors. In 2008, Theatre of Oklahoma City. She has much appreciation The Hypocrites’ production of Our Town, directed for her family and friends for their love and support. by David Cromer, earned wide accolades in Chicago Amy Eingold before moving to the Barrow Street Theatre in New is a bachelor of fine arts degree candidate in the- York, where it is currently running. atre arts at the Theatre School at DePaul University, —Christopher Shea, University of Chicago where she has performed in Alice in Wonderland Metcalf Fellow directed by Sean Graney, Flow My Tears . . . directed by Anthony Moseley, and 1001 directed by Carlos Miranda Anderson Murillo. Frankenstein marks her debut with is happy to be back with The Hypocrites after assis- The Hypocrites. tant managing their production Oedipus this summer. She is a senior at Loyola University studying theater. Mikhail Fiksel Her favorite line of this play is on page 51. Five dollars has designed sound for The Hypocrites’ productions will be awarded to the person who can guess what of Oedipus and Angels in America, Part 1 & 2, for which it is at the end of the show. he received 2005 and 2006 Je= Citations. He is an ensemble member of Strawdog Theatre Company, Tom Burch earning the 2008 After Dark Award for Original Score is thrilled to work with The Hypocrites again following for Old Town and the 2008 Non-Equity Je= Award their production last season of The Hairy Ape at the for Original Incidental Music for A Lie of the Mind.

8 He is an ensemble member of Serendipity Theatre and The University of Chicago. He directed A Hundred Collective, where he is resident musical director for Dresses for Chicago Children’s Theatre this fall, and 2ndStory, and an artistic associate with Teatro Vista this winter/spring will direct The Mystery of Irma Vep and Collaboraction. He is a resident designer with for Court Theatre, Yankee Tavern with Milwaukee Rep, Adventure Stage Chicago and Loyola University, and No Exit as part of The Hypocrites’ 13th season. where he also teaches sound design. If you care to, please send him an e-mail at sean- [email protected]. Jessie Fisher has appeared in Of Mice and Men with Steppenwolf Matt Hawkins Theatre Company, These Shining Lives with Rivendell has worked with The Hypocrites, The Royal Ensemble, The Wonderful World of Dissocia at Profiles Shakespeare Company, The John F. Kennedy Center Theatre, and My Name is Rachel Corrie with Purple for the Performing Arts, Stratford Shakespeare Bench Productions. She attended the University of Festival, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Lookingglass Colorado and the School at Steppenwolf. Love to RPD. Theatre Company, 500 Clown, Court Theatre, Writer’s Theatre, and Redmoon Theater. He is a founding Maggie Fullilove-Nugent member of The House Theatre of Chicago, an artistic has worked for The Hypocrites for three seasons. She associate and resident director with Strawdog Theatre, teaches technical theater at North Park University, and the recipient of two Non-Equity Je= Awards. This where she is the resident lighting designer and pro- spring, he will direct Cabaret for The Hypocrites. duction manager. She is company manager for Barrel of Monkeys and teaches creative writing and perfor- Chris Howell mance for the Barrel of Monkeys children’s program works on the crew at the Goodman Theatre, where his in Chicago Public Schools. As a freelance designer credits include Turn of the Century, A Christmas Carol, and technician she has worked with 500 Clown, The Magnolia, and Rock ‘n’ Roll. He has worked in regional House Theatre of Chicago, and The Building Stage, theaters from Michigan to Texas as a stage manager, among others. She thanks the Frankenstein team and designer, and technical director. her family and friends for their constant support. Matt Kahler Sean Graney is marking his debut with The Hypocrites in the role is artistic director and founder of The Hypocrites, of Daemon. He has appeared in Ren-Faire! A Fistful for which he has directed more than 30 produc- of Ducats (The Factory), Les Liasons Dangereuses (St. tions since 1997. He was a participant in the Louis Shakespeare), Cyrano De Bergerac (Baltimore National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)/Theatre Shakespeare Festival), The Homecoming (Hot City) Communications Group (TCG) Career Development and other productions all over this land which is Program for Directors. He has received Joseph yours and mine, according to Woody Guthrie. Love to Je=erson Citation awards for direction of Equus and the ones who know who they are. Machinal. He directed The Hairy Ape (Eugene O’Neill Jordan Kardasz Festival at the Goodman Theatre), Edward II (Chicago is a native of Chicago and first worked with The Shakespeare Theatre), Alice in Wonderland (Chicago Hypocrites as the assistant lighting designer Playworks at the Theatre School at DePaul University), for Oedipus. She has designed for Matter Dance What the Butler Saw (Court Theatre), The Elephant (Revolving Doors) and Provision Theater (Thanksgiving Man (Steppenwolf for Young Audiences), Hana’s Visitor/Christmas Memory and The Cotton Patch Suitcase and Honus and Me (Chicago Children’s Gospel), and has assisted the Strawdog Theatre Theatre). He teaches at Lake Forest College Chicago 9 Company (Cherry Orchard and St. Crispin’s Day) and duction designed Noir. She holds a master of fine arts Adventure Stage (Gossamer). degree from Northwestern University and received a 2009 Princess Grace Honoraria. Jared Moore is an associate company member of The Hypocrites, Nick Sieben having provided the lighting for their recent staging of is a graduate of the Department of Fine and Oedipus as well as The Hairy Ape (Goodman Theatre), Performing Arts at Loyola University. Special thanks Miss Julie, The 4th Graders Present an Unnamed Love to Miranda. Suicide (59E59), Desire Under the Elms, The Bald Stacy Stoltz Soprano, Mud, Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, Angels in is a company member of The Hypocrites and The America, and True West. His work in Chicago has gar- House Theatre of Chicago. Favorite roles include nered him five Non-Equity Je= Awards and two After The Blind Seer/Jocasta in Oedipus, Mrs. Gibbs in Dark Awards. Our Town, Miss Julie in Miss Julie, the Woman in 4.48 Jim Moore Psychosis, Nora DaVinci in Dave Davinci Saves the has worked on the majority of The Hypocrites’ pro- Universe, and Sarah McCoy in Hatfield and McCoy. She ductions since becoming a company member in 2003. has appeared at the Goodman Theatre in The Hairy He received a bachelor of arts degree in classical Ape, and O=-Broadway in The 4th Graders Present an languages and literature from New College of Florida Unnamed Love Suicide. (where he translated and produced the Roman com- Mike Tutaj edy Mostellaria of Titus Maccius Plautus). has designed multimedia for theater in Chicago Kevin O'Donnell since 2002. He has contributed video design for The has worked on numerous projects with Sean Graney, Hypocrites’ productions of Camille/La Traviata, The beginning with The Hypocrites' Machinal, which was Glass Menagerie, and Angels in America Part 1 & 2. His the first time he was nominated for a Je= Award for recent projects include History Boys with Timeline Original Music. He has since received five awards Theatre Company, Love Person with Victory Gardens, and fourteen nominations, including two consecutive Hedwig and the Angry Inch with American Theatre After Dark Awards for Outstanding Season. An Artistic Company, Jon with Collaboraction, and MacBeth with Associate with The Hypocrites, he is also a member Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Tutaj is a proud com- of The House Theatre. He has composed for many pany member of Barrel of Monkeys, with whom he theaters in Chicago and had music featured by the- performs and designs. aters in New York, Montreal, Los Angeles, Houston, Thomas Weitz and Miami. He recently completed a film score with has assistant directed at TimeLine Theatre for longtime collaborator Andrew Bird. Kimberly Senior in All My Sons. At the Goodman Meghan Raham Theatre he has assistant directed for Lisa Portes in is a set and costume designer with a strong interest in the world premiere of Ghostwritten by Naomi Iizuka, the development of new work. Her recent design work and for Kate Whoriskey in Ruined by Lynn Nottage, for includes Clay (Lincoln Center Theater's LCT3 and which she won the Pulitzer Prize. Weitz attended the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, 2008), and set design Theatre School at DePaul University. for J. Nicole Brooks’ Fedra at Lookingglass. She is a company member at The Building Stage, where she has designed costumes for Moby Dick and co-pro-

10 Megan Wildebour Iowa and Boston University with semesters abroad is the newest addition to The Hypocrites. She recently in Costa Rica and London. Feel free to contact her at relocated from New York, where she worked with [email protected]. Lincoln Center Theater, Stuart Thompson Production, Lauren Williams Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, The 24 Hour Plays is a senior at North Park University and has worked as on Broadway, and LAByrinth Theater Company. In a prop designer, electrician, and make-up artist. This London, she worked at the Royal Court and the Old production marks her first “big-time” show. Vic. She has served as producer on several indepen- dent artistic endeavors and is a proud member of the Old Vic New Voices. She studied at the University of

artistic associates donors Michael Griggs The Hypocrites rely on the contributions of institutions and individuals like you. Jared Moore Your support is vital for the continued Sean Graney, Artistic Director Kevin O’Donnell growth of The Hypocrites. Please contact Megan Wildebour, Alison Siple Megan Wildebour at 773.989.7352 or visit Managing Director www.the-hypocrites.com to learn how to Maggie Fullilove-Nugent, board of directors join this list! Production Manager Bob Webb, President $10,000+ Tim Speicher, Intern Lawrence Perea, Vice President The Alphawood Foundation Alexander Gail Sherman, Treasurer The Boeing Company company members John Bracken, Secretary The Chicago Community Trust Ryan Bollettino Mark Grazman The Mayer & Morris Kaplan Devin Brain Family Foundation Daniel Nack The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Geo= Button Mona Pearl John Byrnes Nyran Rose Pearson $1,000–9,999 Kurt Ehrmann Erik Schroeder Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation Samantha Gleisten Donald Yeh Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation Jennifer Grace Mansquito Frankenfish The Illinois Arts Council Gregory Hardigan chairman of the David and Bonnie Kays Halena Kays honorary board Leo Burnett Company Donna McGough Mayor Richard M. Daley Charitable Foundation Robert McLean Zbigniew Malecki Mechelle Moe special thanks William Myers Daniel Nack Jim Moore Advantage O;ce Products, The Jordan & Jean Nerenberg Fund Stacy Stoltz Design Lab Chicago, North Park for the Future Steve Wilson University Theatre, University of Nyran Rose Pearson & Pablo Pena Chicago, Mike Smallwood, David UGL Equis Candace Jae and Alexander Gail Schmitz, Christy Uchida, Gillian Shermansong Downey, and the alleys of Chicago. Bob Webb 11 $101–999 $1–100 Jonathan Lewis 42/40 Architecture Laura Allen Kathryn Lipuma Elisa Batista Nathan Allen Sarah Lisy Frank Battle David Altman Todd E. Magazine Fund John Bierbusse Brett & Carey August Patrick McGann Kathleen Boege Nancy Bishop Barbara Melcher Michael and Christine Bollettino Christine Blonn Matt Miller John Bracken Gloria Bowman Dorothy Milne Laurie Brady Emily Boyd Marvin Mirsky John Burcher Jennifer Boylan Michelle Montroy Richard Cohn Georgia Bozeday Biill & Elaine Moor Katherine Corcoran Jean Marie Broawnson Amy Munice Joe Della Monica Michael Brosilow Josephine Chris Napolitano David Egeland Archibald Bryant Janet O’Brien Jan Feldman Je=rey R. Busby Patricia O’Brien Martin Graney & Kristine Graney Foye Nina and Leonid Buzyna Laura Patterson James Green Mary Byrnes Celina Pavon Robbin Gross Karen Callaway James Pellegrino Neil Ross & Lynn Hauser Kurt Chiang Jean Perkins Charles Hocevar Patricia Cohen Lauralyn Persson Danuta Hoyer Arnold and Geraldine Cohn Robert Piercy Scott Hunter Kate Collinson Brian Posen James Jacobs Nancy Conison David Prindable Gabriel Labovitz James Cunningham V Pristera Jr Franco LaMarca Barbar Czerkawski Geri Richmond Robin and Jay Lewis Peter Debreceny Dave Rigg Anissa Listak Lawrence DelPilar Joan Sa=ord The Long Room John Dixon Lisa May Simpson The John D. and Catherine T. Lawrence Dunn Jim Sims MacArthur Foundation Adrian Eaton Vanessa Stalling Dorothy and Peter Marks Brian Fabes Dixie U=elman Joseph Martinez Anthony Fata Barbara Ullman John Morse Elizabeth Fukawa Kristina Valaitis Christopher Nugent Howard & Jacqueline Gilbert James Valek Sheldon Patinkin Eileen Gill Victoria Karen Van Meter Yaga Olszewski Andrea Ginsburg Justin Verstraete Elizabeth Quinlan David Gitomer Victor Walchirk Brian Sanderson Avram Gray Family Fund Kathy Wilhoite Karen and Frank Schneider Carolyn Green Charles Wilde Dianne Shorter Je= Grinspoon Matt Williams David Spielfogel Ellen Hamilton D. Terry and Sharon Williams Judith and Richard Stalling Greg Hardigan Susan Wishnick Craig Steadman Angeline Heisler Steven Wollack Marnie Thompson Holly Hirst Gary Zabinski Heidi Thompson Sanders Chris Hodak Philip Zawa Ameri Christy Uchida Nancy Holst James Zvanut & Lynn Wilde Silvia Vettese Scott Hughes Gloria Webb Jennifer Je=ris Elliot Weisenberg Russell Johnson Lisa and Randy White Bette Kalichman Richard Wilberg and Suzan McVicker Grant Kaufman and Earl Perlow Dori Wilson Halena Kays Michelle Wiznitzer Michael Kominiarek Angel Ysaguirre Lilli Langer James Zagel & Margaret Maxwell Ed and Nancy Lee 12