The Artists of Vitalist Theatre
Don Bender
(Patrick Kennedy) is happy to return to Vitalist Theatre, having played King Lear for Vitalist five years ago. He was most recently seen as Elyot in Private Lives and Deeley in Old Times (City Lit, 2009 Jeff Nomination for the Best Lead Performance – Male). Other recent credits include Our Enemies (Silk Road Theatre Project), The Mark Of Zorro and The Picture Of Dorian Gray (Lifeline Theatre), and The Little Foxes (Shattered Globe Theatre). He has also worked with Writers’ Theatre, Next Theatre, Seanachai, Circle Theatre, Raven Theatre, Signal Ensemble, Eclipse, Stage Left, The Hypocrites, The Journeymen, and Shakespeare’s Motley Crew, to name a few.
Paul Dunckel
(Gary Malone) Originally from Detroit, Paul is a member of the Piven Theatre, ensemble where he has appeared in many productions including King Lear, Book of Days, Mad Forest, Our Country’s Good, Great Expectations, American Voices and last fall’s critically acclaimed, Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me. He has also performed with Raven Theatre, Serendipity Theatre Co., Stage Left, Sinnerman Ensemble, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater, among other Chicago companies. Favorite roles include the Reverend Shannon in The Night of the Iguana, Orsino in Twelfth Night, Trigorin in The Seagull, and Einstein in Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Paul is thrilled to be making his Vitalist debut.
Jared Fernley
(John Eastman) is thrilled to be making his debut with Vitalist Theatre. Originally from Philadelphia, Jared studied theatre at UNC-Chapel Hill, and was seen most recently onstage in Frank Galati’s The Grapes of Wrath (Infamous Commonwealth) in which he also played the violin and provided vocals. He appeared in the recent world premiere of Frat (New Colony), Old Town (Strawdog Theatre), and 13 Dead Husbands with Sansculottes Theatre Company, where he is an Artistic Associate. Jared also performs regularly at I.O. Chicago with his long-form improvisational team FireCup. He would like to thank Mikie, Leese, Liz, and the entire cast and crew of this wonderful production.
Vanessa Greenway
(Judith Kennedy) is pleased to make her Vitalist debut with The Night Season. Vanessa grew up in Eugene, Oregon and attended The Theatre School at DePaul University, where she received her BFA in Acting. Recent Chicago credits include playing Jenny in The Threepenny Opera (The Hypocrites), Lady of the Spa in Nine (Porchlight Music Theatre), Olivia in Twelfth Night (City Lit), and Constance in The Constant Wife (Griffin Theatre, 2007-2008 Joseph Jefferson Non-Equity Award for principal actress). Other notable productions include Talley and Son (Eclipse Theatre), Vikings! A Musical in Two Axe (Noble Fool), and Stardust with Griffin Theatre, where she is an artistic associate.
Kelly Lynn Hogan
(Rose Kennedy) is an inaugural member of Vitalist Theatre, having performed Kattrin in Mother Courage and Her Children, the title role in Anna Karenina, Second Maggie in The Mill on the Floss (also associate producer), Storm in Floating Rhoda and the Glue Man, and Goneril in King Lear. Other Chicago acting credits include Court, Chicago Dramatists, Body Politic, Piven, American Theater Company, Oak Park Festival, Piccolo, Raven, and Miranda in Blind Tasting (Live Bait, 2003 Jeff Citation for Best Original Work). Directing credits include Intimate Apparel and Cloud 9 (Harbach Theatre, Knox College), assisting Michael Haney for The Heidi Chronicles (St. Louis Repertory), and In Perpetuity Throughout the Universe and The Conduct of Life (Frump Tucker Theatre Company, where she also served as resident dramaturg). She holds an M.A. in Performance Studies (Tisch/NYU), a B.A. with Honors in Creative Writing/Theatre (Knox College), and is Visiting Instructor in the Dept. of Theatre at Knox College.
Eden Newmark
(Maud Kennedy) is thrilled to be returning for her second production with Vitalist Theatre Company. Since moving to Chicago after her graduation from Knox College in 2008, she has appeared as Anung in Vitalist Theatre’s Anung's First American Christmas and has performed with Moving Dock Theatre Company, including its developmental workshop and full production of Unsung Stars. She has also performed with the Ohio Repertory Theatre Company, Trumpet in the Land, and at Knox College was seen as The Skriker in The Skriker, The Mouth in Not I, Phoebe in As You Like It, Emily in Our Town, and Blanca in the American premiere of Rosa and Blanca.
Mary O’Dowd
(Lily O’Hanlon) was seen as Mrs. Moore in Vitalist's A Passage to India. Other favorite roles include Meg in The Birthday Party (Signal Ensemble), in which she was honored to work with Will Schutz, Ariel in The Tempest (Theatre of Western Springs), and the Frauen in All Through the Night (Chicago Jewish Theatre), for which she received a Jeff Citation nomination. Mary graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY and is developing a cable series about classic cars.
Elizabeth Carlin-Metz
(Co-Founder/Artistic Director/Director) served as an assistant director at the Mark Taper Forum (Los Angeles) and Directing Associate at California Shakespeare Festival where she directed As You Like It. Other directing credits include Mother Courage and Her Children (3 After Dark Awards including Direction), A Passage to India (Jeff Recommended), Anung’s First American Christmas, The Three Lives of Lucie Cabrol, The Mill on the Floss, King Lear, and Anna Karenina for Vitalist Theatre, The Skriker, The Love of the Nightingale, Romeo and Juliet, Pygmalion, Macbeth, Woman In Mind, Two Rooms, On The Verge, The Laramie Project, Tartuffe, and her own adaptations of Henry IV Parts 1& 2. As a voice director, Liz has worked at Seattle Repertory Theatre, Tacoma Actor's Guild, Steppenwolf (Chicago and Off-Broadway), and Williamstown Theatre Festival (MA), where she also administered the Apprentice Program and directed Shakespeare and Moliere with the Act One Company. Liz has served on the Illinois Arts Council Theatre Panel, holds an MFA from Temple University, and is Professor of Theatre at Knox College.
Robin Metz
(Co-Founder/Producer/Contributing Artist) has received the Rainer Maria Rilke International Poetry Prize for his book Unbidden Angel, and 16 additional international literary awards. His play Anung’s First American Christmas (based on Ojibway legend) premiered at Theatre Building Chicago, 2008. His poetry, fiction, and nonfiction have appeared in numerous national/international journals, including Paris Review, Epoch, International Poetry Review, Rosebud, Fourth River, Oberon, Writers’ Forum, Abiko Quarterly (Japan), New Welsh Review (Wales), The Wolf (UK), Van Gogh’s Ear (France), NewFront (Nepal), Seventh Quarry (Wales), Convorbiri Literare (Romania), and in various anthologies. He has presented his work in 70 US cities and 23 nations (most recently Kosovo, Cuba, India, Wales, Nepal). His 3D Art Installations for previous Vitalist productions include: “Harrowing Love” (Anna Karenina), “Securing the Peace” (Mother Courage and Her Children), “Ganga Passes” (A Passage to India), “Weeds, Seeds, Skulls, and Trees” (Anung’s First American Christmas). The recipient of awards/fellowships from PEN International, NEA, Illinois Arts Council, Best American Stories, he is editor of the forthcoming anthology Chicagoland Poets and Director of Creative Writing at Knox College.
Patrizia Acerra
(Producer: Premiere Theatre and Performance) is a stage director, adapter, arts instructor, and producer with over 45 productions in the past 15 years. She worked with The English Theatre of Rome (Italy, 2000-01) creating an ensemble of actors for the then newly formed International Theatre of Chicago (now Premiere Theatre & Performance). Ms. Acerra holds Masters degrees in Theology, Communications and Directing, and is an instructor of Theatre, Communications and English as a Second Language. Local work includes Bailiwick Repertory Theatre, Silk Road Theatre, Azusa Productions, Scott Dray Productions, Clock Productions, and as an Artistic Associate with Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago and Bailiwick Repertory Theatre. Favorite projects include Iphegenia In Kingman (world premiere), Immaginalo (English Theatre of Rome), Right! (original translation of Pirandello’s Cosi e’ (se vi pare!) ), Ocean Sea and Einstein’s Dreams, (artistic partnerships with Dawn Arnold and Moving Dock Theatre Company). Ms. Acerra is a Professional Advisor and Instructor for De Paul University, founder of PLAcerra Consultants, specializing in non-profit consulting, and a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. www.patriziaacerra.com.
Charlie Alves
Video/Projection Design) is pleased to be making his Vitalist debut. He has recently video designed Little Brother (Griffin Theatre Company) and Hope VI (Chicago Dramatists). He is a graduate of Lake Forest College where his past technical and design credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Video Design), Electra (Video/Sound Design), They’re Playing Our Song (Set/Video/Sound Design), and Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show (Video/Sound Design). He would like to thank all of his friends and family for their love and support.
Craig Choma
(Scenic Designer) is an inaugural member of Vitalist Theatre whose designs include the award winning productions of A Passage To India and Mother Courage and Her Children, Anna Karenina, Floating Rhoda and the Glue Man (sets), King Lear (lighting), The Mill On The Floss (set and lighting), and the world premiere of Anung's First American Christmas (set). Other Chicago designs include the sets for Death And The Maiden (Timeline), Pippin, Night Sky, A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Museum. Craig is Associate Professor of Theatre at Knox College (resident designer and technical director). Favorite Knox designs include Intimate Apparel, Tartuffe, Rosa & Blanca, The Skriker, Noises Off, A Moon for the Misbegotten, As You Like It, The Grapes of Wrath, War and Peace, Arcadia, and Macbeth. Craig holds a BA (Knox College) and MFA's in both scenic design and lighting design (Carnegie Mellon University). Craig thanks his lovely wife and two beautiful daughters for their unconditional love.
Kathleen Dickinson
(Assistant Stage Manager/Intern) is excited to be working on her first Vitalist production. She is originally from Fairway, Kansas. While in Kansas, Kathleen participated in two internships at Theatre for Young America and American Heartland Theatre. She is a 2009 graduate of Knox College with a BA in Theatre, where she stage managed extensively and served as the Technical Director for the Studio Theatre.
Helen Drysdale
(Director of Marketing & Public Relations) is a freelance marketing consultant for small theatres in Chicago, and has worked with Vitalist Theatre for the past four years. A graduate of Knox College, her directing experience includes her self-directed senior capstone experience, The Belle of Amherst, Proof, and assistant directing The Laramie Project with Elizabeth Carlin Metz. Special thanks to her family, Jax, and John for their continued support.
Ryn Flynn
(Master Electrician Intern) is honored to be working with Vitalist theatre. Originally from Connecticut, she is currently a senior at Knox College working toward her BA in Theatre. Ryn has worked as a stage technician in the Knox scene shop under the supervision of Craig Choma for two years. She has designed lights for numerous student directed shows, as well as worked as master electrician on both student and faculty designed shows, and will serve as lighting designer on a forthcoming Knox production of Angels of America. Ryn plans to pursue an MFA in lighting design.
Elise Kauzlaric
(Dialect Coach) is a member of the artistic ensemble of Lifeline Theatre where she recently directed Mariette in Ecstasy (Non-Equity Jeff Nomination–Direction) and has coached Busman’s Honeymoon, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Mark of Zorro, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Piano Tuner, Johnny Tremain, The Killer Angels, The Shadow and Trust Me on This. Other dialect coaching projects include The Birthday Party and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Signal Ensemble); Golda’s Balcony (Pegasus Players); The Great God Pan (Wild Claw Theatre); Angels in America, Equus and Henry V (The Hypocrites); Wintertime (Reverie); and A Christmas Carol, To Kill a Mocking Bird, and Cabaret (Metropolis Theatre). As an actor, Elise has worked with The Goodman, Lifeline, Griffin, City Lit, Circle Theatre, First Folio Shakespeare, and Apple Tree among others.
Adam McDowell
(Directing Intern) is pleased to be working with Vitalist Theatre Company for the first time. Originally from Iowa, he came to Chicago after graduating from Knox College in 2008. Previous Chicago experience includes an internship with The House Theatre of Chicago. While at Knox, Adam served as an assistant to the faculty director for Cloud 9 in the Harbach Theatre and directed Marisol and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, as well as a number of improv and original devised productions, in Knox's Studio Theatre.
Gregor Mortis
(Sound Design) is proud to again be a part of Vitalist’s design team. Previous Vitalist credits are Anung's First American Christmas, A Passage To India, Mother Courage and Her Children, and Anna Karenina. Gregor is a full-time audio engineer for Steppenwolf Theatre Company where he designed: When the Messenger Is Hot, Gary, Tranquility Woods, and Creative Disobedience And Why The World Can’t Wait. His design for When The Messenger is Hot was also heard at the 59E59th Street Theatre in New York. Gregor is an ensemble member of Strawdog Theatre Company where his credits include: Aristocrats, The Proper Papers, A Lie Of The Mind (2007 Jeff Award for Original Incidental Music), Julius Caesar, Wireless: Radio Theatre, Return To The Howard Bowl, and Disco Pigs. As a founding member of the Defiant Theatre Company, Gregor's designs include: Action Movie: The Play (2005 Jeff Award for Original Music and Design, 1998 After Dark Award) and Ubu Raw (1996 After Dark Award). Gregor is currently composing music for the independent film SheBang!
Samantha Newport
(Production Assistant Intern) is preparing to start her senior year at Knox College where she is majoring in Theatre. This is her third Vitalist production having previously worked on the set construction crew and she is very grateful for this opportunity to closely observe the creative process. She hopes you enjoy the production and that you continue to support your local theatres.
Richard Norwood
(Lighting Designer) Richard has designed numerous shows for Vitalist including A Passage to India, Mother Courage and Her Children, and Anna Karenina. Other recent designs include Bus Stop (Madison Repertory Theatre), Beethoven As I Knew Him at The Geffen, L.A. and The Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, staring Hershey Felder and directed by Joel Zwick. Other Chicago credits include Stupid Kids (About Face Theatre), The Voysey Inheritance (Remy Bumppo), and A Couple of Poor, Polish Speaking Romanians, (Trap Door Theatre). Richard is the Performance Coordinator at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Nick Perry
(Assistant Director) is delighted to return to Vitalist after working as Directing Intern on Anung's First American Christmas. He is a 2008 graduate of Knox College with a B.A. in Theatre, where his directing credits include Leonardo's Last Supper and The Bacchae (Knox Studio Theatre). He appeared as Silvius in As You Like It, Horatio/Guildenstern in Hamlet, an ensemble member in Working (for which he was also co-costume designer), The Sergeant in The Madwoman of Chaillot, Dr. Gibbs in Our Town, Torvald Helmer in Nora, Michael Evans in Dancing at Lughnasa (Knox Harbach Theatre), and The Lover in Through the Eyes of a Raven, The Beggar and Executioner in The Balcony, and Gus in The Dumbwaiter (Knox Studio Theater).
Meghan Reardon
(Marketing and Publicity Associate) is happy to be working on her second Vitalist Production as Marketing and Publicity Associate. Meghan has been an active theatre artist in the Chicago area since her arrival last summer, performing in Dracula (The Building Stage), Frugal Love (The Moving Dock), Objects in Motion (The Building Stage), The Diary of Anne Frank (American Eagle Productions), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Signal Ensemble), The Conduct of Life (Tooth and Nail Ensemble) and A Hampstead Hooligan in King Arthur's Court (Chicago Dell'Arte). Offstage, she works for Premiere Theatre and Performance and serves on the board of directors for the newly formed Goat Song Theatre Company – she will perform in their debut production of The Play About the Baby this spring. She is a proud 2008 graduate of Knox College with her BA in Theatre.
Kat Reiser
(Production Assistant Intern) is very excited to be involved with Vitalist Theatre for the first time. She is currently majoring in Creative Writing at Knox College, where she served as the stage manager on Vinegar Tom (Knox Studio Theatre) and Tartuffe (Knox Harbach Theatre). She also served as the assistant stage manager for the USA premiere of Rosa and Blanca (Knox Harbach Theatre).
Jacqueline Dehne Scafidi
(Production Stage Manager) is pleased to be making her Vitalist managerial debut. She has previously stage managed for Liz at Knox College and worked on numerous Vitalist load-in crews. Prior Chicago credits include 2 years as Stage Manager, Run Crew, and Sound Op (American Girl Theatre), SM/Light Op for Corpus Delicti and Just Dessert (Local Infinities), Production Intern for Peter Pan and Measure for Measure (Chicago Shakespeare) and Red Moon’s 11th Annual Winter Pageant, and lighting designer/op for Annie The Musical (Improv Playhouse). She would like to thank her husband Matt, friend Helen, and family for their love and support.
Mike Smith
(Technical Director) is thrilled to be working with Vitalist on his first production in Chicago. He is a 2008 Knox College graduate with expertise in lighting design, scenic design, and technical direction. He recently completed a Post Baccalaureate year at Knox in which he served as the Assistant Technical Director and Shop Foreman for the Department of Theatre. Mike recently designed lights for The Hecubae (Bare Boned Theatre) and is particularly excited to add experience working with projections on this production.
Rachel M. Sypniewski
(Costume Designer) has proudly designed Vitalist productions of Anung's First American Christmas, A Passage to India, Mother Courage and Her Children, and served as Production Stage Manager for Anna Karenina. She has designed over 60 shows in Chicago, most memorably including Frank Galati’s The Grapes of Wrath and The Kentucky Cycle (Infamous Commonwealth Theatre), Siskel and Ebert Save Chicago and RenFaire: A Fist Full of Ducats (The Factory), Solid Gold Cadillac and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Open Eye), Touch and The Long Count (New Leaf Theatre), and West Side Story and Man of La Mancha (St. Patrick's HS). She is a company member of Infamous Commonwealth, an artistic associate with New Leaf Theatre, a stage manager for Quade Productions, and was on the faculty at the Chicago School for the Performing Arts. Rachel is also a proud alumna of Knox College.
