WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST
ROBERT BREULER (Sheriff) performs in his first show at American Blues Theater where his wife Suzanne Petri is an Ensemble member. Most recently he was in Kate Walbert’s Genius at Profiles where he also did Sweet and Sad there. Last year he was in Cicada (Route 66) and Airline Highway at Steppenwolf where he has been a company member for over thirty years. At Steppenwolf, he’s done some forty-odd-plays there including: A Walk in the Woods, Three Sisters, The Cherry Orchard, The Time of Your Life, and an adaptation of Chekhov’s The Duel which was a co-production with The European Rep. Across the nation he has worked in New York on Broadway, off and off-off Broadway, in Philadelphia, University of North Carolina, The Guthrie, Dallas Theatre Center, Derby Dinner Playhouse, the Changing Scene in Denver, Great Lakes Shakespeare Theatre, Ashland Oregon Shakespeare, Milwaukee Rep, and the Hartford Stage Company. TV credits: Chicago Fire, Prison Break, Early Edition, Untouchables, Father Clements Story, and many more. Cinema credits: The Crucible, Small Assassin, Lac du Flambeau. He won a Jeff award, a grant from the William and Eva Fox Foundation, and a Lunt-Fontanne fellowship from the Ten Chimneys Foundation. He and his wife Suzanne formed their own not-for-profit company which will soon be producing new works.
DANNY GOLDRING (H.C.) Chicago credits include Trip to Bountiful, Reunion, and Dark Pony (Goodman Theatre); The Earl (A Red Orchid Theatre); Ten November (Wisdom Bridge Theatre); King of Coons (Congo Square Theatre Company); Voice of the Prairie, Under Milkwood, and A Soldier’s Play (Negro Ensemble Company); One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (11th Street Theater); and Lunching (Drury Lane Theatre). Other credits include Anna Christie (American Folklore Theatre); The Hairy Ape and Mathery Beacon (National Radio Theater of Chicago); and Ten November and Ourselves Alone in Los Angeles. Film and television roles include NYPD Blue, The Fugitive, Above the Law, The Practice, Star Trek Voyager, Star Trek Enterprise, Deep Space Nine, Normal, Always Outnumbered, Six Feet Under, The Invisible Man, and E.R. Mr. Goldring can also be seen in The Dark Knight.
HOWIE JOHNSON (File) is thrilled to be back with American Blues. He was last seen with Blues in Illegal Use of Hands. He is a native of the South Side of Chicago. He has been on stages all over town with Mary Arrchie, American Theatre Co, Illinois Theatre Co, Buffalo Theatre, Eclipse, EP, Trap Door, and as a company member of SiNNERMAN. He can be seen on the big screen in The Express, Contagion, and The Informant, as well as Consumed and Sinister 2 (coming soon). You can catch him in reruns of Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Empire, Boss, Shameless, Chicago Code, Betrayal, Prison Break, and ER. He is currently in the Netflix original series, Sense8. Thanks to Susie for bringing home the bacon and allowing him more than his share.
STEVE KEY (Starbuck) is a proud Ensemble member of American Blues Theater. He’s thrilled to join Founder Ed Blatchford and the rest of this outstanding cast. Most recently he performed in American Blues Theater’s Yankee Tavern and Goodman’s Feathers and Teeth. In Chicago he’s also worked with Steppenwolf, A Red Orchid, Remy Bumppo, Northlight, Victory Gardens, and Shattered Globe Theatre (where he’s a former Artistic Director). Beyond Chicago, Steve performed in the Broadway tour of August: Osage County and has worked at The Town Hall, in Galway IRL, The Public (NY), The Ahmanson (LA), and The Kennedy Center in DC. Steve has received 6 Jeff Awards and 4 nominations for Principal and Supporting Actor and Ensemble (Equity and non-Equity). Film credits: 1,000 Acres, At Any Price, Blackmail, Public Enemies, Salvaging, Three Days. TV credits: Chicago Fire, Law & Order – SVU, Family Practice, Chicago Code, Boss, and Mob Doctor.
LINSEY PAGE MORTON (Lizzie) is happy to be making her American Blues Theater debut. Other Chicago credits include: Northlight Theatre’s production of Lost in Yonkers (Jeff Award nomination- Actress in a Principle Role); The Iceman Cometh and Joan Dark presented at the Linz ’09 Festival in Austria (Goodman Theatre); The Dresser (Steppenwolf Theatre); A Street Car Named Desire, Another Part of the Forest, Bus Stop (Jeff Award nomination- Actress in a Supporting Role), and Spite for Spite (Writers Theatre); The Crucible and the world premiere of Hannah and Martin (Timeline Theatre). Regionally, she’s appeared in Enchanted April (Milwaukee Rep) and Our Town directed by David Cromer (Kansas City Rep). Television and film credits: Chicago Fire, Joshua, The Quiet, and Freudian Slip. Linsey is represented by Grossman and Jack Talent and is a proud member of Actor’s Equity and SAG/AFTRA.
MATT PRATT (Jim) is thrilled to work with American Blues Theater and these crazy-talented artists. Matt was recently seen in Bent with The Other Theatre Company. Matt has worked with Lookingglass Theatre, Fox Valley Repertory, Northlight Theatre, Teatro Vista, Spartan Theatre, Citadel Theatre, Pride Films & Plays, and Michigan Shakepeare Festival. Matt recently guest-starred on Chicago PD as Owen Reese on the episode “Disco Bob.” Film credits include Performances (International release), The Evolution of a Gen-X Music Purchaser (Tribeca, London Film Fest, Scruffy City, New York Shorts Fest), Forever, Hypothetical, The Dog (Mamet Adaptation), Girls Blood, and Driftwood. Matt thanks his mentors Jeff Ginsberg and Jason Beghe for their wizard-like insight and love. To his agents at Gray Talent Group, thank you so much for your hard work, constant support, and guidance. Thank you Mom and Dad, I love you! Claire Coppi, I dedicate “Jimmy” to you. Enjoy the show!
VINCENT TENINTY (Noah) is excited to be making his American Blues Theater debut! Vincent has been an actor in the city of Chicago since 1999 and has worked with several different theatre companies including: The Goodman Theatre – Sweet Bird of Youth, Talking Pictures, and The Good Negro; Steppenwolf – Mother Courage and her Children and A Lesson Before Dying; Timeline – A Cry of Players; Strawdog – Julius Caesar; Steep Theatre – The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui; The Hypocrites – Desire Under the Elms; and Pine Box Theater Company’s Life and Limb, Hot ‘N’ Throbbing and the 2011 hit A Girl with Sun in her Eyes. Regional credits include The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, where he appeared in the world premiere of Soups, Stews and Casseroles: 1976, and Cardinal Stage’s Streetcar Named Desire and Hairspray. He was nominated for a Jeff Award in 2003 for his role as “Dexter” in Trivial Pursuits (Visions & Voices) and is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf (class of 2004). He studied at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco and Western Michigan University. Vincent’s television credits include The Beast (A&E TV), BOSS (Starz Network), Chicago Fire, and most recently, Chicago PD (NBC).
WHO’S WHO IN THE CREATIVE TEAM
N. RICHARD NASH (Playwright) was born in Philadelphia in 1913 and died in 2000. Nash’s first play was The Second Best Bed, produced on Broadway in 1946. The Shakespearian-themed comedy brought Nash much acclaim and led to his writing more shows, including The Young and Fair (1948), See the Jaguar (1952, for which he won the International Drama Award in Cannes and the Prague Award), and The Rainmaker (1954). The Rainmaker became so influential that it has been translated into 40 languages, became a popular film starring Burt Lancaster and Katharine Hepburn, and was adapted into the popular Broadway musical 110 in the Shade. In the 1950s, Nash moved from Manhattan to Los Angeles to write screenplays for Hollywood, though he continued to write plays and musicals for the Broadway stage, including Wildcat (1960, starring Lucille Ball), and The Happy Time (1968, nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical). By the 1970s, Nash had begun writing novels, two of which found their way to the New York Times
Best Sellers list: East, Wind Rain and The Last Magic.
EDWARD BLATCHFORD (Director) is a proud Co-Founding Ensemble member of American Blues Theater. He’s honored to return and direct The Rainmaker. From 1985 – 1990, Ed wore many hats at Blues – producing, acting, and directing plays before relocating to Los Angeles. He was fortunate to study and work with Kim Stanley, Ben Kingsley, Patrick Stewart, and mentored by director Michael Ockrent of the national Theater of Great Britain. He’s worked with directors Michael Mann, Costa Gavras, Sam Peckinpaw, to name a few. He’s collaborated with some amazing playwrights Preston Jones, Thomas Murphy, and of course, American Blues Theater’s own Rick Cleveland. Select film credits include: Last of the Mohicans with Daniel Day Lewis, Nowhere to Run with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Roseanne Arquette, Son of the Morning Star, and Convoy starring Kris Kristofferson. Select TV credits: series regular on Malibu CA, Have a Nice Day, JAG, and many guest-roles expanding a 30-year career in the entertainment business.
SARAH E. ROSS (Scenic Design) is a proud Ensemble member of American Blues Theater. Past scenic designs with Blues include Side Man, Collected Stories (Jeff Award nom), Grounded, and Rantoul and Die. She is a freelance scenic and costume designer in Chicago and also serves as the Properties Director for the Paramount Theater in Aurora. She has worked with The Second City, Shattered Globe, 16th Street Theater, Writers’ Theatre, Theater Wit, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. During the summers, Sarah designs scenery and props for Peninsula Players Theater in Door County, WI. She received a Joseph Jefferson Award for costume design for Tobacco Road (Blues). She is a proud member of the Society of Properties Artisans and Managers.
CHRISTOPHER J. NEVILLE (Costume Design) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. Previous Blues productions include Hank Williams: Lost Highway, It’s a Wonderful Life, Yankee Tavern, and Side Man. Christopher has worked with costumes at Victory Gardens Theater, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Chicago Opera Theater, Theatre at the Center, and Signal Ensemble. He has also designed properties for Congo Square Theater, Griffin Theatre, Northlight Theatre and assisted-designed at Lookingglass Theatre Company and Paramount Theater. Christopher trained at Peninsula Players Theatre as a production intern and received his BFA in Theatre Design & Technology from Oakland University in Rochester, MI. www.cjnevilledesigns.com
SARAH HUGHEY (Lighting Design) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. Previous Blues productions include Grounded and Collected Stories. Recent Chicago credits include Last Train to Nibroc, Don’t Go Gentle (Haven Theatre); The Who and the What, Samsara (Victory Gardens); Doubt, The Diary of Anne Frank, Port Authority, Hamlet (Writers’ Theatre); Martyr, Motortown, Moment, Festen, Parlour Song (Steep Theatre); The Hundred Flowers Project, Brahman/i, Lake Effect, Yellow Face, Scorched (Silk Road Rising), Luce (Next Theatre), The Commons of Pensacola, Tom Jones, Black Pearl Sings (Northlight Theatre), Methtacular!, The Kid Thing (About Face Theatre), Othello, Suicide, Inc. (The Gift Theatre), The Mountaintop (Court Theatre). Regional credits include Oblivion (City Theatre, Pittsburgh); Waiting for You on the Corner… (Kansas City Rep); Tell Me Something Good (St. Louis Black Rep). Awards: 2011 Jeff Award-Lighting Design (Scorched, Silk Road Rising); 2013 Maggio Emerging Designer (Chicago). MFA: Northwestern University.
JOE CERQUA (Sound Design and Original Music) is a freelance composer, producer, vocalist, and sound designer. He is thrilled to be working with American Blues again after composing and designing for them some 20 years ago. Recent projects include music and sound designs for Good People (Milwaukee Rep); Vanya and Masha and Sonya and Mike and The Other Place (Forward Theatre); and Private Lives and Seascape (American Players Theatre). He has composed music and/or designed sound for over 200 productions in Chicago, nationally, and internationally. Other recent projects include original music and sound design for The Seagull and American Buffalo (American Players Theatre); Paradise Drag and Leap Year (Shakespeare and Co.); American Buffalo (Kansas City Rep); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (IRT); Tom Jones and Sense and Sensibility (Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Repertory Theatre of St Louis, and Northlight); and El Nogalar (Goodman Theatre). Steppenwolf credits include original music and sound for Homebody/Kabul, The Fall to Earth, Wedding Band, Royal Family, Uncle Vanya, David Copperfield, and Side Man. His scores and designs for Side Man, How I Learned to Drive, The Laramie Project, Broken Glass, and Master Class have all enjoyed national tours. Joe is the Producing Director/Composer in residence for the Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, a critically acclaimed 13-piece jazz orchestra and 10-member dance company. He is the Director of Production for the Music Department at Columbia College Chicago. Future projects include concerts with Cerqua Rivera, original music and sound designs for Silent Sky and The Flick (Forward Theatre); The Miracle Worker (The Clarence Brown Theatre); Of Mice and Men (Milwaukee Rep); and The Time of Our Lives (The Artistic Home).
JAMIE KARAS (Properties Design) is excited to work with American Blues Theater for the first time! She is a local to Chicago and has done props for theatres all around! Theatres include: McLeod Summer Playhouse, Next Theatre, Teatro Vista, Buzz22, Ashlawn Opera, Steep Theatre, About Face Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Steppenwolf, House Theatre, Rivendell Theatre, Bluebird Arts, Strawdog Theatre, Haven Theatre, and Peninsula Players.
KATHRYN LOCHERT (Stage Manager) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. She’s delighted to return to her home for The Rainmaker. Kathryn’s previous American Blues stage management credits include Yankee Tavern, It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, Hank Williams: Lost Highway (remount and original production), and American Myth. Other Chicago credits include The Happiest Song Plays Last, Teddy Ferrara, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre); Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks: The Taming of the Shrew (Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Kathryn received her B.F.A. in Stage Management from the University of Southern California and is a proud member of AEA. Fight on, y’all! Love to Christopher.
AARON SHAPIRO (Production Manager) is excited to work with American Blues Theater for the first time! Aaron was the founding Artistic Director for Oracle Productions, and the founding Executive Director for Studio BE/MCL Chicago. He is currently an Artistic Associate with Porchlight Music Theatre where he serves as the season Production Manager. Aaron has production-managed for such companies as About Face, Haven, Oak Park Festival, Infusion, Chicago Commercial Collective, and Sideshow Theatre amongst others. He has freelanced in various capacities for over 75 different Chicago theatre companies and educational institutions.
KATHY LOGELIN (Dialect Coach) is thrilled to work with American Blues Theater. Recent coaching credits include Persuasion with Chamber Opera Chicago (Edinburgh Fringe Festival); Moby Dick (Lookingglass Theatre); Around the World in 80 Days and One Man, Two Guvnors (TheatreSquared); Great Expectations (Strawdog Theatre Co); The Talking Cure (Idle Muse Theatre Co.); and The Last Train to Nibroc (Haven Theatre). Kathy holds a B.S. in Acting from Illinois State University and is a company member of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble.
VINCENT TENINTY (Fight Director) See cast.
ELYSE DOLAN (Assistant to the Director) is the Executive Assistant at American Blues Theater, where she has had the honor of directing pieces by Larissa FastHorse, M.E.H. Lewis, and Susan Soon He Stanton in past Ripped festivals, as well as assisting Kimberly Senior on the reading of Other Than Honorable. Since moving to Chicago two years ago, she has directed stage-readings for Pride Films & Plays, Three Cat Productions, and the Greenhouse Theater Center. She’s served as Assistant Director on productions at Oracle Theatre, 16th Street Theater, and Redtwist Theatre. In the coming months, she will assist Marti Lyons on The Play About My Dad at Raven Theatre and direct a yet-to-be-titled devised play with The New Colony’s Associate Company. Elyse earned her B.A. in Theater and English Literature from Denison University.
MORGAN LAKE (Assistant to the Sound Designer) is a Chicago-based Sound Designer and recent graduate of the Theatre School at DePaul University. Recent designs include Juicy and Delicious and The Day John Henry Came to School at The Theatre School. Morgan’s portfolio can be heard at SoundsLikeMorgan.com.
SAMMIE BECKER (Assistant Stage Manager) is so excited to be making her Chicago backstage debut! She recently received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from Otterbein University, where she also studied Management with a focus in Arts Administration. When she’s not working backstage, you can find her in the American Blues Theater office where she works as the Administrative Assistant. Sammie would like to thank her parents for always supporting her and American Blues Theater for welcoming her into the family.
ALAN WEUSTHOFF (Technical Director) builds his first show with American Blues Theater. As a freelance technical director Alan most recently built the sets for Brilliant Adventures and Martyr at Steep Theatre, and 15 Breaths with About Face Theatre. Other Chicago credits include Blue Planet and The Frozen on the Square with Akvavit Theatre, A Beautiful Dark with Redtwist Theatre, and Mnemonic with Red Tape Theater. Alan is the Technical Director for productions at North Park University and is a graduate of the Theater program at Truman State University.
GWENDOLYN WHITESIDE (Producing Artistic Director) is a proud Ensemble member at American Blues Theater and has served as Producing Artistic Director since 2010. Under her leadership, American Blues has nearly doubled the size of its Ensemble, added 27 Artistic Affiliates, and diversified its base of artists. She created the nationally-recognized annual Blue Ink Playwriting Award, Blueprint Development for new work, implemented community service into the company’s mission, and adapted the arts education program The Lincoln Project for Chicago Public Schools which serves over 1,000 students annually. She fiscally led American Blues through its 2009 rebirth and built the operational budget from zero to $700,000 in five (5) years. Whiteside served numerous panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and sat on the national Board of Directors for Network of Ensemble Theaters. She’s a graduate of Northwestern University (cum laude), The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (MFA), and a Kellogg Executive Scholar in Nonprofit management (Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University). She was nominated for “Chicagoan of the Year” in Chicago Magazine and twice named in Newcity’s annual Players list. In four years, three (3) American Blues’ shows were nominated for midsize production by the Joseph Jefferson Award committee. She’s received 10 Joseph Jefferson Awards, Citations, and nominations. She’s the recipient of two (2) After Dark Awards, and numerous Broadway World Chicago Awards and nominations.
JACLYN HOLSEY (General Manager) is a proud Ensemble member and General Manager of American Blues Theater. She’s an Equity stage manager and worked with Chicago theaters such as TimeLine, Victory Gardens Theater, Teatro Vista, Rivendell Theatre Company, Collaboraction, and here at American Blues Theater since 2001. American Blues Theater credits: Hank Williams: Lost Highway, Grounded, Collected Stories, Illegal Use of Hands, Tobacco Road, Half of Plenty, St. Scarlet, and five years of It’s a Wonderful Life. She’s worked with American Blues since 2005 as a stage manager, then an Artistic Affiliate, Ensemble member, Business Manager, and now General Manager. Before coming to American Blues, she worked as the Regional Operations and Programs Coordinator for First Nonprofit Insurance. Jaclyn also served as the Executive Assistant at Victory Gardens Theater under the leadership of Marcie McVay from 2003-2008. She graduated from Otterbein College with a BA in Theater and received her Certificate in Nonprofit Management through the University of Illinois at Chicago. She spends her spare time raising her 4-year old son and brand new baby daughter. Thankfully, she has the world’s best husband to help her out.