A NEW MUSICAL EMMA CHECK out OUR NEWEST NAVY PIER DINING PARTNER! Contents
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#CSTEMMA A NEW MUSICAL EMMA CHECK OUT OUR NEWEST NAVY PIER DINING PARTNER! Contents OPEN AT 4:00 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY OPEN AT 11:00 AM FOR BRUNCH SATURDAY & SUNDAY SMALL & SHARABLE PLATES, Chicago Shakespeare Theater GLOBALLY INSPIRED. DRINKOFFSHORE.COM 800 E. Grand on Navy Pier On the Boards 6 CLASSIC COCKTAILS WITH A TWIST. 312.535.6660 Chicago, Illinois 60611 A selection of notable CST events, plays, and players 312.595.5600 www.chicagoshakes.com Notes from the 10 ©2020 Chicago Shakespeare Theater Composer & Lyricist “BEST OF THE YEAR!” All rights reserved. –Chicago Tribune ARTISTIC DIRECTOR CARL AND MARILYNN THOMA CHAIR: Cast Barbara Gaines 15 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Criss Henderson Playgoer’s Guide 17 PICTURED ON COVER: Lora Lee Gayer PHOTO BY: Jeff Sciortino Profiles 18 PICTURED ABOVE: Devin DeSantis and Lora Lee Gayer PHOTO BY: joe mazza - bravelux A Scholar’s Perspective 30 Part of the John W. and Jeanne M. Rowe Inquiry and Exploration Series A Play by Heidi Schreck Directed by Oliver Butler Starring Maria Dizzia Photo: Joan Marcus Photo: www.chicagoshakes.com 3 CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER EMMA About CST Welcome Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, Chicago Shakespeare has redefined what a great American Shakespeare theater can be—a company that defies theatrical category. This Regional Tony Award-winning theater’s year-round season features as many as twenty productions and 650 performances—including plays, musicals, world premieres, family programming, and presentations from around the globe. The work is enjoyed by 225,000 audience members annually, with one in four under the age of eighteen. Chicago Shakespeare is the city’s leading presenter of international work, and in touring its own productions across five continents has garnered multiple accolades, including the prestigious Laurence Olivier DEAR FRIENDS, Award. Emblematic of its role as a global theater, the company spearheaded Shakespeare 400 Chicago, celebrating Shakespeare’s legacy in a citywide, We have long wanted to introduce Chicago audiences to Paul Gordon’s delicious yearlong international arts and culture festival, which engaged more than romantic comedy Emma, a musical based on the beloved Jane Austen classic. one million people. The Theater’s nationally acclaimed arts in literacy programs Paul’s work was last seen on our stage in 2015 with the world premiere musical support the work of English and drama teachers, and bring Shakespeare to of Austen’s Sense and Sensibility—also directed by Barbara Gaines. Each of these life on stage for tens of thousands of their students each school year. Over stories explores the evolution of strong female protagonists, whose complicated the summer, the company tours a professional production of Shakespeare’s navigation of a world where roles are prescribed by gender and class, leads work, free for all, to neighborhood parks across the city. In 2017 the Theater to self-reflection, growth, and the embrace of authentic love. Austen’s final unveiled The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare—with its innovative design that has work published during her lifetime, Emma has been translated into many film changed the shape of theater architecture. Together with the Jentes Family adaptations; we hope you’ll find this musical adaptation equally provocative Courtyard Theater and the Thoma Theater Upstairs, The Yard positions and entertaining. Chicago Shakespeare as the city’s most versatile performing arts center. n All of us at Chicago Shakespeare are honored to provide an artistic home to generative artists of our time, like Emma’s award-winning composer and lyricist BOARD OF DIRECTORS Paul Gordon. Our new work development program is helmed by Creative Producer Steven J. Solomon* Kathryn J. Hayley Lance Richards Rick Boynton and has commissioned, developed, and premiered a broad range of Chair Criss Henderson* Sheli Z. Rosenbergw* new plays and musicals since its inception. 2020 marks an important milestone for Paulita A. Pike* Stewart S. Hudnut Robert Ryan this work, as we celebrate the March Broadway opening of the new musical SIX, William R. Jentes* Carole Segal Treasurer penned by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, which had its North American premiere John P. Kellerw Eric Q. Strickland* Frank D. Ballantine Christie B. Kelly Harvey J. Struthers, Jr. at Chicago Shakespeare in 2019. Patrick S. Barrett Richard A. Kent Sheila G. Talton John Blazey Barbara Malott Kizziah Marilynn J. Thoma* Your patronage supports this work—our ability to reimagine Shakespeare, Stephen A. Brodsky Chase Collins Levey Gayle R. Tilles premiere new plays and musicals, and serve as a global ambassador for Chicago Thomas L. Brown Anna Livingston William J. Tomazin, Jr. by importing international artists to Chicago and touring our work across the Allan E. Bulley III Judy Loseff Donna Van Eekeren world. In the months ahead, whether you join us in New York to celebrate Clive Christison Renetta McCann Pallavi Verma Patrick R. Daley Raymond F. McCaskeyw* Priscilla A. (Pam) Walterw* the Queens of SIX on Broadway, here in Chicago for the return of the Brian W. Duwe Robert G. McLennan Ray Whitacre Royal Shakespeare Company with The Taming of the Shrew, or a new Beatles- Philip L. Engelw Jess E. Merten Elizabeth Yntema infused As You Like It closing out our season, please know how grateful we are Kevin R. Evanich Linda Myers Sonja Fischer Christopher O’Brien In Memoriam for your belief in our mission and trust in our artistic collective. n Richard J. Franke Dennis Olis* Harve A. Ferrill Barbara Gaines* Mark S. Ouweleen* Madhavan K. Nayar C. Gary Gerstw* Judith Pierpont Marguerite H. Griffin Richard W. Porter* * Denotes Executive Committee M. Hill Hammockw* John Rau Members Tim Hannahs Nazneen Razi* w Denotes Former Board Chairs Barbara Gaines Criss Henderson Steve Solomon Artistic Director Executive Director Chair, Board of Directors Carl and Marilynn Thoma Chair www.chicagoshakes.com 5 EMMA CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER On the Boards ON STAGE IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE WORLD BEHIND THE SCENES Love blooms in the forest for many Meet Kassandra Lozoya, a first-year When the Royal Shakespeare Company’s American Theatre Magazine has named of the characters in Shakespeare’s teacher at Collins Academy High School, cast of The Taming of the Shrew takes Associate Producer Aislinn Frantz to As You Like It, but never before quite on the city’s southwest side. Kassandra the stage in The Yard at Chicago the list of “Chicago Theatre Workers like this. Fueled by the “all you need is is part of this year’s Sheldon and Bobbi Shakespeare this spring, they will be You Should Know.” Prior to joining love” energy of 1960s counterculture, Zabel Bard Core program—a yearlong dressed in lavish costumes of lush Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2018, adapter/director Daryl Cloran’s high- professional development seminar for fabrics and elaborate ruffs. And from Frantz was associate producer at spirited production infuses Shakespeare’s high school English teachers in Chicago the start, you will notice something the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, romantic comedy with the hit songs Public Schools. This widely acclaimed different—there are more women than junior agent in the literary division of of The Beatles. Cloran—renowned adolescent literacy program focuses men on stage. Director Justin Audibert Bret Adams, Ltd., and has presented across Canada for his work at Citadel on innovative ways to approach some has set this production in a world where at Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Theatre, Shaw Festival, National Arts of the curriculum’s most challenging women hold the power. “We’ve flipped renowned Humana Festival. Now, Centre, and beyond—lifts Shakespeare's texts through drama-based strategies. the rules of Shakespeare’s contemporary alongside Creative Producer Rick timeless verse in beautiful harmony with When Kassandra was a CPS student at world,” says Audibert. By reversing the Boynton and the entire CST artistic the immortal music of the “Fab Four,” Foreman High School on the city’s north traditional gender of each role, the RSC team, she serves a pivotal role in guiding seamlessly weaving in over 20 songs, side, she vividly recalls her own teacher, company creates a new environment in the creative work onstage, from concept performed live, including “She Loves Nicky Shoffer, returning from Bard Core which the power structures of today can to closing. Dramaturg Ramona Rose You,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Let to practice new strategies with her be explored through a 400-year-old text. King shared, “Aislinn is first and foremost It Be,” and “Here Comes the Sun.” This students. Kassandra is now one of a Audibert's take resonated deeply with invested in the story being told and the joy-filled production begins performances growing number of “second-generation” UK audiences, and London’s The Times people telling it… The care she brings April 30 in the Courtyard Theater, setting Bard Core teachers—a program that over declares it “deftly provocative and to relationships with artists and the stage for a crowd-pleasing summer the past sixteen years has served more exuberantly entertaining.” The RSC’s colleagues makes her special.” of love in Chicago. than 350 teachers in classrooms across limited, three-week engagement our city. begins April 15. From left: As You Like It set rendering by designer Pam Johnson; Kassandra Lozoya; Amelia Donkor and James Cooney in Royal Shakespeare Company's The Taming of the Shew; Aislinn Frantz. photos by Jenn Geiger and Ikin Yum. 6 Winter 2020 | Emma www.chicagoshakes.com 7 UP & COMING For the first time in 25 years, the RSC returns to Chicago with a fresh look at this fierce Jane Austen’s beloved classic Enjoy hijinks and hilarity in comedy—set in a world where is filled with wit, romance— a cleverly abridged, and now, glorious song 75-minute production women hold all the power.