PRODUCTION TEAM BIOGRAPHIES

WILLIAM INGE (Playwright) [b. 1913 – d. 1973] was educated at the University of Kansas at Lawrence where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech and Drama in 1935. After graduation and a brief attempt at post-graduate studies, he worked a variety of jobs, including highway laborer, news announcer, and high school teacher, before returning to school and earning a Master of Arts Degree from the George Peabody College for Teachers in 1943. Upon earning his Masters, Inge moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he landed a job as the drama and music critic for the “St. Louis Times.” During the course of his duties at the “Times,” Inge was fortunate enough to come into contact with Tennessee Williams, who invited the young critic to attend with him a production of The Glass Menagerie. Inge was so inspired by Williams’ play that he decided to try his hand as a playwright. After completing his first script, Farther Off From Heaven (1947), Inge sent a copy to Williams who recommended it for production. The play was produced by Margo Jones in Dallas, Texas. Inge’s next literary effort, Come Back, Little Sheba (1950), earned him the title of “most promising playwright of the 1950 Broadway season,” but his career was only beginning to gain momentum. He followed this success with Picnic (1952), which won him a Pulitzer Prize, the Drama Critics Circle Award, the Outer Circle Award, and the Theatre Club Award. Next came Bus Stop (1955), which he would later adapt into a popular film starring Marilyn Monroe, and two years later, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1957), a reworking of his first play, premiered on Broadway. By this time, critics were hailing Inge as another Tennessee Williams. Following The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, Inge won the Academy Award for the screenplay for “Splendor in the Grass”.

ELYSE DOLAN (Director) is a proud ensemble member of American Blues Theater, where she is also the Associate Artistic Director. Favorite directing credits include the Chicago premiere of If/Then at Brown Paper Box Co. and Blackbird at Blank Theatre Company. Her work as a director and/or assistant director has been seen at American Blues Theater, Raven Theatre, Redtwist Theatre, The New Coordinates, Babes with Blades, Oracle Theatre, Broken Nose Theatre, Prop Thtr, Commission Theatre, and more. She has also led sessions of Remy Bumppo Theatre Company’s “Master Class: Scene Study” class. Elyse holds a B.A. in English Literature and Theatre from Denison University.

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SHAYNA PATEL (Scenic design) is a proud artistic affiliate of American Blues Theater. American Blues credits include Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues (Joseph Jefferson Award nomination) and Misery. She’s a scenic designer based in Chicago with additional credits: E.T.C 50, The Chaos Theory of Everything, Judy’s Beat Lounge, Oh The Places You’ll Glow and The Best Kept Secret: Tell Everyone! (The Second City), Trojan Women (EOS Theatre Company), The Kid at The Edge of Everything (COCA- St Louis), A View From The Bridge (Shattered Globe), Last Stop on Market Street, Junie B. Jones and Dory Fantasmagory (Young People’s Theatre Chicago), Las Borinqueñas, Jocey Y Las Mariachis, That Must Be The Entrance To Heaven, and Sancocho (Vision Latino Theatre Company), National Merit (Boho Theatre Company), and Subaru Forester Exhibition (Chicago Auto Show & New York International Auto Show 2024). Born in England, she later moved to Chicago for college and fell in love with the city. She holds a BA, Summa Cum Laude in Theatre Design. shaynadesigns.com

BRENDEN MARBLE he/him (Lighting design) is excited to be designing his first show with American Blues Theater! After studying theater design at Eastern Michigan University, the Detroit MI native moved to Chicago to start living their dream of becoming a lighting designer! Recent credits include House of Exquisite Corpse (Rough House Theatre)  At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen (The Story Theatre) Kid Prince & Pablo (Lifeline Theatre) We Always Bounce Black (Second City Chicago) Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea (Pegasus Theatre) Native Son (Lifeline Theatre)  An Educated Guess (Definition Theatre), Liaisons (Chicago Tap Theatre), Black By Popular Demand (Second City Chicago), A Hit Dog Will Holler (Artemisia Theatre), Fairview (Definition Theater), and Dance Like There Are Black People Watching (Second City Chicago) Even though his career is just beginning, he knows this is something he wants to do for the rest of his life. Website: www.brendenmarble.com

LILY WALLS (Costume design & Wardrobe Supervisor) is a proud artistic affiliate of American Blues Theater. American Blues Theater credits include It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago, Things With Friends, Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues, Misery, The Reclamation of Madison Hemings, Five Presidents, & The Spitfire Grill. Other Chicago companies she has worked with have included Haven (Science Fiction/Double Feature, Titus Andronicus), Midsummer Flight (Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Akvavit (Bad Girls, Rising Temperatures, Family Drama) and City Lit (Hound of the Baskervilles). She would like to thank her friends, family and community for the support and renewal they give, her husband Michael for everything, and August for being the best.

THOMAS DIXON (Sound design) is an ensemble member at Steep Theatre. Previously at American Blues: Dutchman/TRANSit, Collected Stories. Recent local credits include Wish You Were Here (Remy Bumppo), Girls & Boys (Griffin Theatre), A Lie of the Mind (Raven Theatre), Frida… A Self Portrait (Writers Theater), A Case for the Existence of God (Steep). Regional credits include productions at Portland Center Stage, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Kansas City Rep, Indy Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Geva Theatre. Upcoming: Frida… A Self Portrait (Milwaukee Rep and Union Arts Center), Mrs. Christie (Cincinnati Playhouse and Milwaukee Rep). Thomas is a member of the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association and teaches at DePaul University. thomasdixonsound.com

TYSON CARTER (Properties design) is a proud artistic affiliate of American Blues Theater. He’s excited to return to American Blues, after being a part of last season’s Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues production team. Tyson came to American Blues through the Arts and Business Council of Chicago and has lent a hand with the annual Blues Bash live auction. Tyson has also written and directed for the Ripped! Festival, and when he’s not in the theater world, he’s helping students find their voice as an Assistant Coach for the Cary-Grove Speech Team.

R&D CHOREOGRAPHY (Violence design) is a Chicago-based violence design company comprising partners Victor Bayona (he/him) and Rick Gilbert (he/him). We are filled with the joys of Spring to be back at American Blues after having fun designing Things With Friends. R&D was founded in 1997 for the purpose of improving the power and effectiveness of Chicago area theatre through the art of violence design – choreographing better fights for better shows.  We have designed violence for nearly four hundred productions and films. Our work has been seen at dozens of Chicago area theatres, including Backroom Shakespeare Project, Chicago Opera Theatre, Citadel, Factory, Goodman, Haven, Hell in a Handbag, Lifeline, Lookingglass, Metropolis, Oak Park Festival, Oil Lamp, The Paramount, Piven, Steep, Steppenwolf, TUTA, and Theo.

GABY LABOTKA they/she/anything respectful (Intimacy Director) is thrilled to return for their third production with American Blues after serving as the Fight and Intimacy Director for Alma and On Clover Road. Gaby is a Puerto Rican-American, genderfluid multi-disciplinary theatre artist who works as an actor, director, intimacy director/coordinator, fight director, and playwright across the country. They are a fierce advocate for respect, empathy, representation, inclusion, and safety in the theatre, and she is dedicated to making art that reflects those values.  In 2024, they were a Nominee for the 3Arts Arts Award in Theater for their distinctive work and contributions to the creative field.  Selected Recent Intimacy Credits: Paradise Square (Broadway); Fat Ham (Goodman); Cygnus (The Gift); A View from the Bridge (Shattered Globe); and Sanctuary City (Next Act). Gaby is a Certified Intimacy Director through Intimacy Directors & Coordinators, an Advanced Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors, and the recipient of two Alliance of Latinx Theatre Artists Awards for Outstanding Fight Choreography (La Ruta [Steppenwolf] and A Story Told in Seven Fights [Neo-Futurists]). For Lavina. www.gabylabotka.com @theatre_warrior

RICHARD LUNDY (Production Stage Manager) is a proud artistic affiliate of American Blues Theater. American Blues Theater: It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, The Reclamation of Madison Hemings, The Last Wide Open, Misery, Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues, Things With Friends. Raven Theatre: Night Watch. Theater Wit: The Whistleblower. Mercury Theater: Clue. Venus Cabaret: Lady Day at Emerson’s…, Company. Timeline Theater: Paradise Blue, The Last Wife, Sunset Baby. Levin Productions: Assassination Theater. Next Theatre: 16 productions including The Adding Machine: A Chamber Musical (World Premiere). Writers’ Theatre: Oh Coward!, The Maids. Famous Door: Suburban Motel. Porchlight: Meet John Doe. Also: Also: Hypocrites, Northlight, Remains, Victory Gardens, Organic, Halstead Theatre, Wisdom Bridge. National tours: Miss Saigon (First National Company: Cameron Mackintosh). I Love Lucy Live! (David George). Regional: Olney Theatre Center: Miss You Like Hell, Oil. Also: Trinity Rep, Cleveland Playhouse, Shakespeare & Company, Folger Shakespeare. 39-year member of Actors Equity. 33-year husband of the remarkable Carmel Carroll.

MICHAEL TRUDEAU (Lighting Supervisor / Facilities Manager) is a proud ensemble member of American Blues Theater and is thrilled to be working with Blues again.  Past Blues credits include Lighting Design for Misery, Lighting/Scenic Design for Stand Up If You’re Here Tonight and Technical Director for It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! (2015-2017, 2021-2025), Yankee Tavern, Little Shop of Horrors, and Side Man, among others. Outside of American Blues, he works full time at Northwestern University as the Associate Lighting and Sound Supervisor for the Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts.  Thank you for your support of the performing arts and enjoy the show.

TREVOR HANNAGAN (Technical Director) – Trevor’s experience in the theater stretches back over 15 years, all the way to his middle school days. Since graduating from the Sargent Conservatory at Webster University in 2020, Trevor has been busy applying his TD skills across Chicago, working mostly on preservation projects in places like the Chicago Cultural Center and the Art Institute of Chicago. Now going back to his roots, Trevor is very excited to be making his introduction to ABT and is looking forward to dedicating his skills to such a lovely company.

CHRIS WALLS (Audio Supervisor) is happy to return to the theater that gave him his job in 2013. Past Blues shows include Scenic Carpentry for It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, Yankee Tavern, and others.

EL VALET – they/them (Assistant Stage Manager) is a Chicago based stage manager and technician. They are so excited to return to American Blues after working on Things With Friends. Recent credits include Lobby Hero, Jump (Shattered Globe) Ironbound, Brother Sister Cyborg Space, Night Watch (Raven Theater), and Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oak Park Festival Theatre)

GWENDOLYN WHITESIDE (Exec Artistic Director) see actor bio

Coming soon!