hand_program.pdf 1 9/13/17 7:54 PM C M Y CM MY CY CMY K STEEP THEATRE COMPANY COMPANY MEMBERS James Allen Jonathan Edwards Jim Poole Kendra Thulin Jonathan Berry Alex Gillmor Egan Reich Robin Witt Lucy Carapetyan Nick Horst Joel Reitsma Brendan Melanson George Cederquist Ashleigh LaThrop Melissa Riemer in memoriam Brad DeFabo Akin Cynthia Marker Michael Salinas Patricia Donegan Peter Moore Joanie Schultz Peter Dully Caroline Neff Julia Siple ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES Matthew Chapman Lauren Lassus Alison Siple Dan Stratton Maria DeFabo Akin Kristin Leahey Simon Stephens Brandon Wardell Thomas Dixon Emily McConnell Assoc. Playwright Chelsea M. Warren BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jessica Schrey David Bock Doug Passmore Sonya Dekhtyar President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Dave Bartusek Ian Galleher Ted Lowitz Shawn Sackett Kelly Carpenter Molly Johnson Anne Marie Mitchell Kelly Fitzgerald Stu Kiesow Elizabeth Moore STAFF Peter Moore Staci Weigum Egan Reich Stu Kiesow Artistic Director House Manager Literary Manager Graphic Designer Kate Piatt-Eckert Caroline Neff Lee Miller Julianna Jarik Executive Director Casting Director Photographer Management Intern Julia Siple Lucy Carapetyan Gregg Gilman Managing Director Casting Associate Photographer FRIENDS OF STEEP Heidi Brock Sara Foster Katie Kett Christine Rousseau Reid & Jennifer Diane Galleher Jennifer Collins Craig Steadman Quinn Broda Barry Grant Moore John C. White John Dunnigan Neil Jain Jon Putnam Steep Theatre Company is supported in part by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, the MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council Agency, the Sol R. Kaufman Family Foundation, and the Rothman Family Foundation. Steep Theatre is a member of the League of Chicago Theatres and Theatre Communications Group. STEEP THEATRE COMPANY 1115 West Berwyn, Chicago, IL 60640 www.steeptheatre.com [email protected] (773) 649-3186 Steep Theatre Company proudly presents The Invisible Hand by Ayad Akhtar CAST (in speaking order) Nick . Joel Reitsma* Dar ...................................................... Anand Bhatt Bashir................................................... Owais Ahmed Imam Saleem ...................................... Bassam Abdelfattah UNDERSTUDIES Brian Sheridan Arif Yampolsky PRODUCTION STAFF Director .................................................Audrey Francis Stage Manager ........................................Lauren Lassus** Scenic Designer .......................................Ashley Ann Woods Lighting Designer .......................................Meghan Erxleben Costume Designer .....................................Rachel Sypniewski Sound Design & Original Music ...........................Thomas Dixon** Props Designer .............................................Jamie Karas Fight Choreographer .....................................Almanya Narula Dialect Coach ............................................. Sammi Grant Dramaturg ..................................................Sonny Das Assistant Director .........................................Abhi Shrestha Assistant Stage Manager ....................................Serena Dully Production Manager ......................................Catherine Allen Technical Director ........................................ Brian Sprague Lighting & Production Intern .................................Lena Aubrey *Denotes Steep Theatre Company Member ** Denotes Steep Theatre Company Artistic Associate Steep salutes the sponsors of this production of The Invisible Hand: Julie & Roger Baskes and Ted Lowitz There will be one ten-minute intermission. The Invisible Hand is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. The Invisible Hand was originally Produced by The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Steven Woolf, Artistic Director, Mark Bernstein, Managing Director. The Invisible Hand had its New York premiere at New York Theatre Workshop, Jim Nicola, Artistic Director, Jeremy Blocker, Managing Director in 2014. The videotaping or making of electronic or other audio and/or visual recordings of this production is strictly prohibited. CAST Joel Reitsma (Nick) Joel is Bassam Abdelfattah (Imam so grateful and excited to be Saleem) Bassam is a back in his theatrical and multi-talented actor, artistic home of Steep. He musician, and martial artist has previously been seen in who also has a successful this very house in Bobbie career in finance. Upcoming Clearly and Motortown (Jeff Award projects include the Amazon show Philip K. Nomination). Other Chicago credits include By Dick’s Electric Dreams and Showtime’s The the Water (Northlight) A Loss of Roses and Chi. He appeared as an understudy in Great Vieux Carré (Raven); Lisbon Traviata (Eclipse); Expectations co-produced by Silk Road Rising Ecstasy (Cole Theatre); and The Brig (Mary and Remy Bumppo. Online, his work has been Arrchie). He is also acting in film and has just seen on The Onion, and he has also worked wrapped a feature-length indie film. To keep as a model. Bassam is proudly represented by up on Joel-related news, visit JoelReitsma. Gray Talent Group, and is excited to be com. He thanks his family for their endless involved with Steep. support and his wife, Laura, his everything. Brian Sheridan (Nick U/S) Anand Bhatt (Dar) Brian is excited for this This is Anand’s first opportunity with Steep. In production with Steep. He Chicago he has worked with has had the privilege to work The Artistic Home, American on Great Expectations (Remy Blues Theater, Citadel, Bumppo/Silk Road); A Chimera Ensemble (founding member), Silk Disappearing Number (TimeLine Theatre); Road Rising, and The Waltzing Mechanics. Multitudes (Vitalist/Rasaka); Mosque Alert Favorite film credits includeBerserker (Los (Silk Road Rising); A Widow of No Importance, Angeles Film Festival), Pastor Shepherd Washer/Dryer, A Nice Indian Boy (Rasaka). In starring Danny Trejo (The New York addition to acting Anand is also well versed in International Film Festival), and Redemption Martial Arts, Dance, Acrobatics and Parkour Way. He has studied with The Artistic Home, stunts. Anand is represented by the and is a proud graduate of The Academy at prestigious Gray Talent Group. Black Box Acting. In January Brian and his wife Abby are thrilled to welcome their first baby Owais Ahmed (Bashir) into the family. http://resumes.actorsaccess. Owais is grateful to make his com/briansheridan Steep debut. He is a proud Chicago native, where he is Arif Yampolsky (Dar U/S) an ensemble member of Arif is delighted to be Definition Theatre Co. understudying at his first Theatre credits: The Hard Problem (Court production with Steep Theatre), The Invisible Hand (Milwaukee Rep), Theater. He was last seen in Orange (Mixed Blood Theatre), The Qualms an episode of Chicago P.D. (Steppenwolf), Blood & Gifts (Timeline). Film/ (Chris Baron) and in Seven Short Farces by TV: Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice Anton Chekhov (Nyukhin) at his own company, (Dir. Zack Snyder), Age Of Ice (Dir. Emile Edwin The Little Things Theatre. Smith), & Empire (Dir. John Singleton). “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love ...” - Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations PRODUCTION STAFF Audrey Francis (Director) Audrey Francis, an playwright for the 2015/16 Season by ensemble member at Steppenwolf Theatre American Theatre magazine. As a screenwrit- and co-founder of Black Box Acting, is thrilled er, he was nominated for an Independent to be working with Steep Theatre for the first Spirit Award for Best Screenplay for The War time. Audrey has worked in Chicago as an Within. He has received fellowships from actor, director, and teacher for over ten years. MacDowell, Djerassi, the Sundance Institute, Theatre credits include: The Fundamentals, Ucross, and Yaddo, where he serves as a Between Riverside and Crazy, The Herd, Board Director. He is also a Board Trustee at Where We’re Born, Life and Limb, Drunken PEN/America and New York Theatre Work- City, Want (Steppenwolf Theatre); Kill Floor shop. Akhtar is currently the Resident (American Theatre Company); Talking Pictures, Playwright with Arena Stage at the Mead The Actor (Goodman Theatre); Othello, Center for American Theater. Another Part of the Forest (Writer’s Theatre); Awake and Sing! (Northlight Theatre). Lauren Lassus (Stage Manager) Lauren is a Television credits include: Chicago Med, proud Steep Artistic Associate. Previous Steep Chicago Fire, ER, and Written Off. Film credits credits include: Lela & Co; Hookman; Bobbie include: Signature Move, Dig Two Graves, Clearly; Brilliant Adventures; The Few; Martyr; Medal of Victory, Dustclouds, and Chicago strangers, babies; Motortown; Fallow; Luther; Overcoat. Commercial and Voice-over credits Making Noise Quietly; Love and Money; and include campaigns for: Sears, Humana, Ford, Lakeboat. She has worked throughout the city Citibank, Kenmore, Moen, Quaker, and and is currently stage managing theatre for Allstate. Directing credits include: Sexual the wee ones at Emerald City Theatre Perversity in Chicago (First Floor Theatre); The Company. Thanks to Audrey, Serena, and the Sugar Syndrome (Chicago Dramatists); The cast! Sweetest Swing in Baseball (Step Up Productions); and Life and Limb and The Most Ashley Ann Woods (Scenic Designer)