The Ghost Is Here: Ensemble
Yadira Correa
(Toshie) Yadira Correa is a
native of Puerto Rico, but has been living in Illinois for the majority
of her life. Most of her work was cultivated with Teatro Luna
(Chicago's All Latina Theater Company). Some of that work includes Lunatica(s), JARRED and MACHO'S. In addition, she has
worked with an array of Chicago Theaters such as Collaboraction,
Halcyon Theater, About Face Theater, Ignition Fest 2010 at Victory
Gardens, Urban Theater Company y eso sigue. She attended summer
school at The School at Steppenwolf 2010 and is blessed to be working
and playing with such talented people.
Hank Hilbert
(Muratake) Hank received his
MFA from Northern Illinois University and his BA from
UW-Parkside. Hank is honored and excited to make his debut with
Vitalist Theatre in this production of The Ghost is Here. Hank was last
seen in Chicago in Seven Doors
(Premiere Theatre and Performance). Hank was also at the Steppenwolf
Garage in Sonnets For an Old Century
(Urban Theatre). Hank is an Artistic associate with Premiere, Urban,
and Bruised Orange theatre companies. Hank would like to thank the cast
and crew and all the designers for all the hard work. And to Jaclynn
Jutting and Vitalist Theatre Company for giving him this wonderful
opportunity to play and tell a story that transcends all cultures.
Mildred Marie Langford
(Misako) Mildred is excited to be making her Vitalist Theatre debut.
Chicago credits include: Five Flights
(Immediate Theatre), 13 Clocks
(Lifeline Theatre), VENUS
(Steppenwolf Theatre, 2011 Black Theatre Alliance Award Nomination for
Best Leading Actress), In Darfur
(Associate Artist: Timeline Theatre, 2011 Black Excellence Award
Nomination for Best Actress), A Civil War Christmas (Northlight),
Zulu Fits (MPAACT), the world
premiere of War with the Newts,
The Overwhelming (Next
Theatre), The Twins Would Like to Say
(Dog & Pony), 12 Ophelias
(Trap Door), The Crucible
(Steppenwolf), SINBAD: The Untold
Story, The Ghost of Treasure
Island, and The Blue House
(Adventure Stage), and Professions
for Women (Bailick Director's Festival). Mildred is a graduate
of George Mason University and The School at Steppenwolf. Thank you,
God, for continued blessings. Let your light shine!
John B. Leen
(The Mayor/Citizen A) John is
excited to be a part of this incredible production. This past year,
John was seen in Violet
(Bailiwick Chicago), The Student
Prince (Light Opera Works), understudied The Outgoing Tide (Northlight
Theatre) with John Mahoney and Rondi Reed, and floated on the
award-winning Big River
(BoHo). In 2010 John won a Jeff Citation for Best Supporting Actor in a
Musical for Chess with Theo
Ubique. Other credits include Wings
(Apple Tree), the Jeff Citation-winning American premiere of Jerry Springer: The Opera
(Bailiwick Repertory), Jekyll &
Hyde (BoHo), and the premiere of Main-Travelled Roads (American
Folklore Theater). Thanks to Sam and my parents, Jackie, and Ethan for
the opportunity, and thank you for supporting live theater!
Darrelyn Marx
(Old Woman/Ensemble) Darrelyn
is thrilled to be working with Vitalist Theatre. Chicago credits
include Grease and The Big Meal (The American Theatre
Company's Mosiac Series), The Last
Night of Ballyhoo (Project 891), The Tallest Man and Juno and the Paycock (The Artistic
Home), The Flu Season (Black
Sheep Productions), The Robber
Bridegroom (Griffin Theatre),
A Man of No Importance and Number
the Stars (Apple Tree Theatre), 110 In The Shade and Bittersweet (Light Opera Works), Jane Eyre (Jeff Citation for Best
Supporting Actress in a Musical, Circle Theatre), Barefoot in the Park and Steel Magnolias (Metropolis), Grease (Theatre at the Center), The Christmas Carol (Provision
Theatre), and in an episode of The
Chicago Code. Special thanks to Ken for all the love and
support.
Miguel Nunez
(Hakoyama) Miguel is thrilled
to be making his debut with Vitalist Theatre. He majored in acting at
the National Theater University in Caracas, Venezuela. Some of his work
in Venezuela includes The Bourgeois
Gentleman, Bufonerias
(Teatro Septimo Piso) and Apocalipse
1,11 (with Brazilian company Teatro da Vertigem) as part of the
Caracas International Theater Festival. Chicago credits include Seven Snakes (The Mammals), The Blue Shadow (Lifeline Theatre),
Lorca In a Green Dress, Heads
(Halcyon Theatre). He has also worked with The Gift Theatre, Redmoon
Theatre, Teatro Luna, Salsation!, Chicago Fusion Theatre, and Bailiwick
Chicago. He has extensively trained at Black Box Acting Studio, where
he was also a teacher during the spring of 2011.
Edgar Miguel Sanchez
(Fukayama) Edgar's Chicago credits include: This Is Our Youth (Sankofa Theatre
Company), Fever Chart
(Eclipse Theatre Company), 1001
Remount (Collaboraction), Brothers
of the Dust (Congo Square Theater Company), Sinbad: The Untold Story (Adventure
Stage), 1001
(Collaboraction), Red Noses
Remount (Strawdog), Welcome to
Arroyo's (ATC), Wilson Wants
It All (The House), How to
Act Around Cops (The Artistic Home) and Twelfth Night (Chicago Shakespeare
Theater). Regional Credits include: Midsummer
Night's Dream, Othello,
and Comedy of Errors all at
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Scott Shimizu
(The Man) Scott
Shimizu
is overwhelmed with excitement to be making his Chicago debut with
Vitalist Theatre. Hailing from Orange County, California, Scott is
finishing his final year at Northwestern University, where he is
majoring in Theatre with a certificate in Musical Theatre. Favorite
roles at Northwestern include Sherakhan in Jungalbook and Valentin in Kiss of the Spider Woman. Infinite
love to Mom, Dad, Natalie, and Alex for supporting my crazy dream. A
special thanks to Jackie for giving me this opportunity, and to the
entire cast and crew for making this such an unforgettable experience.
Eliza Shin
(Model/Citizen D) Eliza played
Hannah in Family Devotions
(Halcyon Theatre)
last year as part of the "Summer of David Henry Hwang." Other
Chicago theater credits include MuChang/China Mom in Jade Heart (Chicago Dramatists) and
William Wordsworth/Ensemble in The
Patriots (Neo-Futurists). Her soprano skills were featured in Sketchbook 2008 (Collaboraction)
and Voyaging (Walkabout
Theatre/Lucky Plush Dance). Voted an All-Star for WTTW's Check, Please!, she guested twice
for the restaurants Silver Seafood and Pops For Champagne. She also
strums the guitar at Potbelly's and rocks the keys with the children's
music band Super Stolie and the
Rockstars. Many thanks to all the artists and audience members
who feed and energize Chicago's vibrant artistic playground.
Dwight Sora
(Torii/Announcer) Dwight is
excited to return to Japan (albeit theatrically). Recent credits
include Family Devotions
(Halcyon Theatre) and 12 Angry Men
(Raven, 2010 Non-Equity Jeff Award for Best Ensemble). He has also
worked with Silk Road, Theatre-Hikes, Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago
Dance Crash, and Adventure Stage Chicago. A 2nd degree black belt in
aikido, he has served as fight choreographer for Peter Pan (Theatre-Hikes) and Pacific Overtures (Porchlight), and
onstage combatant in Romeo et Juliet
(Lyric Opera).
Jamie Vann
(Oba) Jamie is happy to
return to Vitalist where he previously played Kent in King Lear and Marius in The Three Lives of Lucie Cabrol. As
an ensemble member at Strawdog Theatre, he has appeared in Conquest of the South Pole, Cherry Orchard, Three Sisters, A Lie of the Mind, True Ballad of Fall's Blessings,
and Detective Story. He
previously appeared in The
Farnsworth Invention (TimeLine Theatre), The Overwhelming (Next Theatre), Bus Stop (Writer's Theatre), Lettice and Lovage (Court Theatre),
Requiem for a Heavyweight
(Shattered Globe) and Revenge of the
Space Pandas (Goodman). He has also worked with Collaboraction,
Raven, Lookingglass, Second City, greasy joan & co., Serendipity,
AboutFace, Live Bait, and many other Chicago theatres. Jamie appears
through a generous grant from his wife Kate and his daughters, Delia
and Molly.
The Ghost Is Here: Production Team
Jaclynn Jutting
(Associate Artistic Director) is a freelance director finishing her MFA in Directing from Northwestern University where she has directed Artist Descending a Staircase, Orlando, and two short plays in the Regina Taylor: States of America Project. For Vitalist, she has directed The Bay at Nice, the company's participation in the national Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Plays/365 Days Festival, and was the Associate Director of A Passage to India, Mother Courage and Her Children (2007 After Dark Award for Best Direction), Anna Karenina, King Lear (Assistant Director), and stage managed The Three Lives of Lucie Cabrol. Other Chicago directing credits include Professions for Women (Bailiwick Repertory Director's Festival), Helen (Greasy Joan & Co.) and King of the Road (Around the Coyote). Assistant directing credits include: Sex with Strangers (Jessica Thebus) and Up (Anna D. Shapiro) at Steppenwolf Theatre and Candide (Mary Zimmerman) and Sins of Sor Juana (Henry Godinez) at Goodman Theatre. Jaclynn looks forward to directing Rajiv Joseph's Animals Out of Paper this June at the Steppenwolf Garage.
Elizabeth Carlin-Metz
(Co-Founder/Artistic Director/Director) For Vitalist Theatre: Life is a Dream (Jeff recommended) The Night Season
(Jeff Award: Best Supporting Actress), Mother Courage and Her Children (3 After Dark Awards including Best Direction),
A Passage to India (Jeff Nominated; After Dark Award for All Around Technical Direction), Anung’s First American Christmas
(world premiere), The Three Lives of Lucie Cabrol, The Mill on the Floss, King Lear, and Anna Karenina. She also 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 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 (Chair) at Knox College.
Robin Metz
(Co-Founder/Executive 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 Anungs 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 Goghs 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 (Anungs 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. He is a graduate of Princeton University and the Iowa Writers Workshop.
Craig Choma
(Scenic Designer) For Vitalist Theatre (1997 inaugural member): The Night Season (Jeff Nominated), A Passage To India (Jeff Nominated; After Dark Award for All Around Technical Achievement); Mother Courage, Anna Karenina, Floating Rhoda and the Glue Man, King Lear (lighting), The Mill On The Floss (set and lighting), and the world premiere of Anung's First American Christmas. Other Chicago designs include Death And The Maiden (Timeline), Pippin, Night Sky, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Museum. Craig is Associate Professor of Theatre at Knox College where favorite designs include Medea, A Lie of the Mind, Angels in America, Intimate Apparel, The Skriker, As You Like It, The Grapes of Wrath, and War and Peace. Craig holds a BA (Knox College) and MFAs in both scenic and lighting design (Carnegie Mellon University). Craig thanks his wife and daughters for love, support, and inspiration.
Ethan Deppe
(Music Director) Composer: Good Morning America, The Nate Berkus Show, 20/20, Primetime ABC, What Would You Do?, Keep Ishmael (White Horse Theatre Company), Short Shakespeare! The Taming of the Shrew and Short Shakespeare! Macbeth (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Jungle Book (American Eagle Theatre). Music Director: Million Dollar Quartet (Musical Coordinator, Apollo Theatre), The Original Grease (Assoc. Music Director, American Theatre Company), Cats (Theo Ubique - Jeff Nomination, music direction), I Sing! (White Horse Theatre Company - Jeff Nomination, music direction), Assassins (Boxer Rebellion),The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Cortland Repertory Theatre). Percussionist: Follies and The Adventures of Pinocchio (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Altar Boyz (Drury Lane), The Adding Machine (Next Theatre), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Crazy for You (Theatre at the Center), Parade (Bailiwick Repertory).
Kathleen Dickinson
(Stage Manager) Kathleen is excited to return to Vitalist Theatre. Previous Vitalist productions include Stage Managing Life is a Dream and Assistant Stage Managing The Night Season. Kathleen is originally from Fairway, Kansas and is a graduate of Knox College where she received a BA in Theatre. Since moving to Chicago, she has Stage Managed Beauty of the Father (Urban Theatre Company), Girls vs. Boys (The House Theatre of Chicago), The Balcony (Goat Song Theatre), Church and Pullman, WA (Red Tape Theatre), The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek, A Memory of Two Mondays and Democracy (Eclipse Theatre). Thanks to Vitalist for inviting her back, to a talented cast and crew, and to her family, especially her parents, for always supporting her.
Helen H. Drysdale
(Director of Marketing & Public Relations) For Vitalist Theatre: Life is a Dream, The Night Season, Anung’s First American Christmas, A Passage to India, Mother Courage and Her Children, Anna Karenina. Helen is a freelance marketing consultant for small theatres in Chicago. A graduate of Knox College, her directing (and acting) experience includes her self-directed senior capstone experience, The Belle of Amherst, Proof, and assistant directing The Laramie Project with Elizabeth Carlin-Metz. Helen is an E-Communications Associate with Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
Lee Fiskness
(Lighting Designer) Lee is thrilled to be working with Vitalist Theatre. Based in Chicago he has designed companies including Lookingglass, American Music Theatre Project, Northwestern University, Griffin Theatre, Remy Bumppo, American Blues Theatre, Northlight, About Face, The Hypocrites, Milwaukee Repertory, and Two River Theatre in New Jersey. Lee was nominated for a Jeff Award with End Days (Next Theatre), and received the Michael Merritt Student Scholarship Award. He has also works for companies including The Guthrie, Park Square, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Opera Colorado, Portland Opera, Harpo Studios and he has worked at The Santa Fe Opera for 10 Seasons as a Lighting Supervisor. He received a Master of Fine Arts in Lighting Design from Northwestern University.
Abigail Harms
(Marketing and PR Associate, Housemanager) Abigail is honored to be working with Vitalist Theatre as marketing associate for the second year in a row. Originally from Kansas and an alumna of Knox College, she is on her way into the theatre scene in Chicago where she has been involved with Goat Song Theatre's productions of The Balcony, Goat Songs: Saints and Sinners, and Macbeth. She has studied acting at Profiles Theatre and is a company member of the newly formed Gorilla Tango Burlesque (Provocative Comedy for the Discerning Nerd).
Jaclynn Jutting
(Director and Associate Artistic Director) For Vitalist, she directed The Bay at Nice, and their contribution to the Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Plays/365 Days Festival, was the Associate Director of A Passage to India, Mother Courage and Her Children (2007 After Dark Award for Best Direction), Anna Karenina, King Lear (Assistant Director), and stage managed The Three Lives of Lucie Cabrol. Other Chicago credits include Animals Out of Paper (Next Up: Steppenwolf Garage), Artist Descending a Staircase, Orlando and two short plays in the Regina Taylor: States of America Project (Northwestern University), Professions for Women (Bailiwick Repertory Director's Festival), Helen (Greasy Joan & Co.), and King of the Road (Around the Coyote). Assistant directing credits include Sex with Strangers (Jessica Thebus) & Up (Anna D. Shapiro) at Steppenwolf Theatre, Candide (Mary Zimmerman) and Sins of Sor Juana (Henry Godinez) at Goodman Theatre. She recently finished her studies for the MFA in Directing (Northwestern University) and is a graduate of Knox College. Jaclynn is an adjunct faculty member at Dominican University and looks forward to directing for Roosevelt University, the side project, and Steep Theatre.
Eli King
(Assistant Technical Director) Eli attended Knox College where he majored in theatre, and participated in many plays, both on and off stage. Most memorably, Eli played the Tailor in Intimate Apparel. He also worked in the scene shop building sets and hanging and focusing lights. He now lives in Chicago where he works as a carpenter and technical director for many theaters in the greater Chicago area. Recent credits include on Watership Down (Lifeline), The King and I (Porchlight), Life is a Dream (Vitalist Theatre), Four Seasons (Quest Theater), Count of Monte Cristo (Lifeline), Technical Director for Spirit Play (Strange Tree), and Putting it Together (Porchlight). He is excited to be working with Vitalist for the second time.
Adam McDowell
(Assistant Director) Adam is happy to return to Vitalist Theatre for another great production following serving as assistant director for Liz Carlin Metz on Life is a Dream and The Night Season. Previous work in Chicago includes director of Farmhouse (Gorilla Tango Theatre), assistant director for Premiere Theatre and Performance's remount of Seven Doors and for Goatsong Theatre's The Balcony. Additional directing credits include Marisol and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, as well as a number of improvised and devised works. Adam is a graduate of Knox College.
Gregor Mortis
(Sound Designer) Gregor is proud to again be a part of Vitalist's design team. For Vitalist: Life Is A Dream, The Night Season, Anung's First American Christmas, A Passage To India, Mother Courage and Her Children, and Anna Karenina. He recently designed Overweight, unimportant: Misshape--A European Supper (Trapdoor: Jeff Recommended). An Audio Engineer for Steppenwolf Theatre Co., he designed: When the Messenger Is Hot (59E59th Street Theatre, NYC), Gary, Tranquility Woods, and Creative Disobedience And Why The World Can't Wait. An ensemble member of Strawdog Theatre Co., credits include: Aristocrats, The Proper Papers, A Lie Of The Mind (Jeff Award: Original Incidental Music), Julius Caesar, Wireless: Radio Theatre, Return To The Howard Bowl, and Disco Pigs. A founding member of the Defiant Theatre Company, designs include: Action Movie: The Play (Jeff Award: Original Music/Design, After Dark Award) and Ubu Raw (After Dark Award). Gregor currently is composing music and designing sound for the independent film Air Conditions.
Samantha Newport
(Strike Manager, Set Crew) Sam is a free-lance stage technician and technical director, having worked with The American Theatre Company and Oracle. This is her fifth Vitalist production having previously worked as the assistant production manager, on the set construction crew, and as a production intern. She includes welding, electrics, and scenic art among her repertoire of stage skills. She holds a BA from Knox College where during her senior year she designed and built a medieval pageant wagon and directed on the wagon The Reduced Shakespeare Company’s The Complete Works of Shakespeare, Abridged and where she currently serves as the Assistant Technical Director.
Kevin O'Donnell
(Composer) Kevin is happy to be working again with Jaclynn and Vitalist, where he previously worked on songs for Mother Courage. As a composer, sound designer, and music director he has been nominated for 16 Jeff Awards, and received 6; additionally he has received 2 consecutive After Dark Awards for Outstanding Season. He is a company member with The House Theatre, and an artistic associate with The Hypocrites. He is an adjunct faculty member for the Northwestern MFA Theater Design program, and also a drummer. For theater, film, and music info: www.kevinodonnellmusic.com
Liz Picurro
(Properties Mistress) Originally from Tucson, Liz is currently a senior theatre major at Knox College in Galesburg, IL. While her primary focus is in Stage Management, she is thrilled to be working as props mistress with Vitalist Theatre after assisting on the build of many of their sets. Recent productions she stage managed include Cleansed, Exit the King, Woyzeck, and Euripides' Medea and looks forward to working on Under Construction. Liz also is the season Production Manager for the Knox College Studio Theatre. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Kat Reiser
(Assistant Stage Manager) A native of Chicago, Kat Reiser recently graduated from Knox College with a degree in Creative Writing. She has recently Assistant Stage Managed Beauty of the Father (Urban Theatre Company) and The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek (Eclipse Theatre). She has also worked with Gorilla Tango Theatre and the Chicago Fringe Festival. In 2009, she made her Chicago theatre debut as a Production Assistant Intern on Vitalist's production of The Night Season. She is very excited to be working with Vitalist again.
J. Keegan Siebken
(Webmaster) Keegan is a Chicago actor, freelance web designer, and barista at Morgan Street Café. His work in Chicago has included performing as Rocky in The Rocky Horror Show (Ludicrous Theatre Company) and as Josh in Bang, Bang, You're Dead (Passion Theatre). He is a recent graduate of Knox College, where he developed a love for performance. Favorite Knox credits include the eponymous role in Tartuffe, Mike in A Lie of the Mind, and serving as the Webmaster for Rep Term XV. He is happy to be working with Vitalist Theatre, and would like to thank his girlfriend, Lauren, and his family for all their love, support, and patience.
Michael C. Smith
(Master Electrician) Michael is a Chicago free-lance lighting designer and master electrician. Chicago designs include The Balcony (Goat Song Theatre) and The Hecubae (Bare Boned Theatre). He is an artistic associate with Brain Surgeon Theatre where he is their resident lighting designer. He has worked with several professional theater companies in the Chicago area including Right Brain Project and Point of Contention. He is a 2008 Knox College graduate with expertise in lighting design, scenic design, and technical direction and where he served for one year the Assistant Technical Director and Shop Foreman for the Department of Theatre.
Rachel M. Sypniewski
(Costume Designer) Rachel is thankful to be a part of this talented production team and amazing cast. She has designed over 90 shows in the Chicago storefront theatre community. Some favorites include Frankenstein in Love (Will Act For Food), Hey! Dancin'! (Factory), The Starving Class (New Leaf), Resort 76 (Infamous Commonwealth), and Life is a Dream (Vitalist). She is an artistic associate with New Leaf Theatre, a stage manager for Quade Productions, and a proud alumna of Knox College. Her recent and upcoming designs include Phantom of the Opera (St. Patrick's High School), The Improv Play (Infusion), Arcadia (New Leaf), Jack's Precious Moment (Will Act for Food) and Wiley and the Hairy Man (Indiana University Northwest). Thank you for supporting theatre and the arts in Chicago. Much love to Robb and the cats.
