OUR TEAM
Welcome to the American Blues family. Learn more about our Staff, Ensemble, Artistic Affiliates, and Board of Directors – extra credit for the mascot. We are the second oldest professional AEA Ensemble theater in Chicago. Our 33-member Ensemble has nearly 600 combined years of collaboration on stage.
Leadership
click for staff directory
GWENDOLYN (WENDY) WHITESIDE
Artistic Director
Wendy joined the Ensemble of American Blues Theater in 1998 and has served as Artistic Director since 2010. Under her leadership, American Blues has nearly doubled the size of its Ensemble, added 28 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 serving nearly 3,000 students annually. She led American Blues through its 2009 rebirth and built the operational budget from zero to $1 million in seven 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 named in Newcity’s annual Players list numerous times. In seven years, eight American Blues Theater shows were nominated for production by the Joseph Jefferson Award committee. She’s received 13 Joseph Jefferson Awards, Citations, and nominations as an actress and Artistic Director. Her favorite performances include Jeff Award for Solo Performance (Grounded), Jeff Award for Solo Performance (The K of D), Mary’s Wedding (Top 5 Performances in Indianapolis), Collected Stories (Best Actress Broadway World Chicago Award), and six years as “Mary Bailey” (It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!). She’s the recipient of two (2) After Dark Awards, and numerous Broadway World Chicago Awards and nominations. She directs the Chicago holiday tradition It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!
the Ensemble
Our 33 members have 600+ combined years of collaboration on stage.
DAWN BACH
Chicago, 1993
Currently she runs her award-winning interior decorating firm, Eye to Eye Interiors.
ED BLATCHFORD
Los Angeles, 1985
Recently he directed The Rainmaker, here at American Blues Theater.
MATTHEW BRUMLOW
Los Angeles, 2001
Currently he’s receiving his MFA from University of Idaho.
MANNY BUCKLEY
Chicago, 2012
Recently he performed in the world-premiere of TRANSit, here at American Blues Theater. Currently he appears in Love’s Labor’s Lost at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
KATE BUDDEKE
Chicago, 1988
Currently she appears in commercials and episodic television.
SARAH BURNHAM
Chicago, 2011
Currently she is the production manager at Lookingglass Theater.
DARA CAMERON
Chicago, 2013
Recently she played “Audrey” in Little Shop of Horrors and “Violet” in It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! here at American Blues Theater.
CASEY CAMPBELL
Los Angeles, 2008
Currently he recurs on Disney’s “Bunk’d”. He is also the spokesperson for the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas.
DARREN CANADY
Lawrence, 2016
Recently his world-premiere play TRANSit opened to critical acclaim at American Blues Theater.
RICK CLEVELAND
Los Angeles, 1985
Recently he wrote and produced the second season of Amazon’s “Man in the High Castle”.
AUSTIN COOK
New York, 2013
Recently he was the music director for Little Shop of Horrors, here at American Blues Theater. Currently he plays for War Paint at the Nederlander Theater on Broadway.
IAN PAUL CUSTER
Chicago, 2016
Currently he appears in The Columnist, here at American Blues Theater.
LAURI DAHL
Chicago, 1995
Recently she was the dramaturg for The Rainmaker, here at American Blues Theater.
JOE FOUST
Chicago, 2011
Recently he worked at First Stage Milwaukee on Robin Hood. He will spend his fall and summer acting at Peninsula Players.
CHERYL GRAEFF
Chicago, 2002
Currently she wrote, produced, and stars in a web-series “It’s You” on YouTube. She also appears in Monster at Steppenwolf Theater.
MARTY HIGGINBOTHAM
Birmingham, 1991
Currently he runs his national company StageChannel.
JACLYN HOLSEY
Chicago, 2011
Currently she is pursuing a Masters in Nonprofit Administration at North Park University.
LINDSAY JONES
Los Angeles, 1998
Currently his sound designs are heard at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Old Globe, Northlight, IRT, Geva Theater, Geffen Playhouse, and Playwrights Horizon.
NAMBI E. KELLEY
New York, 2011
Currently her adaptation of Richard Wright’s “Native Son” will be produced at several theaters across the United States.
KEVIN KELLY
Los Angeles, 1993
Recently he made a special one-day only appearance as “George Bailey” in It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, here at American Blues Theater.
STEVE KEY
Chicago, 2011
Recently he appeared on CBS’s “Elementary”. Currently he is understudying in the Broadway production of Sweat.
ED KROSS
Chicago, 1998
Recently he appeared on “Chicago Fire”, episodes of the Amazon series “Patriot”, and national commercial for Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats.
JAMES LEAMING
Chicago, 1985
Recently he reprised his role in Botanic Garden with wife Carmen Roman.
WARREN LEVON
Chicago, 2012
Recently he appeared in Dutchman / TRANSit, here at American Blues Theater.
MICHAEL MAHLER
Chicago, 2013
Recently he appeared in Little Shop and It’s a Wonderful Life, here at American Blues Theater. Currently he’s working on additional lyrics for the Broadway revival of Miss Saigon.
HEATHER MEYERS
Chicago, 1996
Artistic Programming Support for American Blues Theater. Recently she directed selections for Something Wicked This Way Comes at Bradbury Carnegie Center.
JOHN MOHRLEIN
Chicago, 1997
Recently he performed “Mr. Potter” & “Clarence” in It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, here at American Blues Theater.
CHRISTOPHER J. NEVILLE
Chicago, 2016
Recently he designed costumes for Dutchman / TRANSit, It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, and The Columnist, here at American Blues Theater.
SUZANNE PETRI
Chicago, 1999
Audio Describer for American Blues Theater. Recently she performed her cabaret show Torch, Sass, & Swing at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre and appeared on CBS’s “Kevin Can Wait”.
CARMEN ROMAN
Chicago, 1991
Recently she reprised her role in Botanic Gardens with her husband Jim Leaming.
EDITHA ROSARIO
Chicago, 2001
Currently she works as an appellate public defender in the Chicagoland area.
SARAH E. ROSS
Chicago, 2011
Recently she production managed Season 31, here at American Blues Theater.
GWENDOLYN WHITESIDE
Chicago, 1998
Artistic Director for American Blues Theater. Currently she’s a playwright for Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival, here at American Blues Theater.
EMERITUS MEMBERS
Dennis Cockrum
William Payne
Artistic Affiliates
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- Eric Backus
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- Dana Black
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- Laura Coover
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- Kristin DeiTos
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- Joe Dempsey
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- Paul Deziel
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- Elyse Dolan
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- Olympia Dukakis
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- Tom Geraty
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- Jared Gooding
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- Christina Gorman
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- Shawn J. Goudie
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- Sarah Hughey
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- Izumi Inaba
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- Philip Earl Johnson
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- Samantha C. Jones
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- James Joseph
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- Zach Kenney
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- Kathryn Lochert
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- Eric Lynch
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- Rohina Malik
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- Cara Parrish
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- Camille Robinson
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- Grant Sabin
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- Richard Shavzin
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- Sandy Shinner
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- Rick Sims
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- Chuck Smith
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- James Still
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- Michael Trudeau
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- Shandee Vaughan
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- Wandachristine
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- Dennis Zacek
Board of Directors
July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018 term-
- Lee Ayers
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- Heather Barnfield
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- Manny Buckley
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- Christopher Burrichter
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- Phil Calian
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- Brian Carothers
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- David Coffin
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- Joan Esposito
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- Matt Hafter
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- Ross C. Hemphill
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- Kimberlee Herold
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- James Hock
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- Gitta K. Jacobs
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- Keith A. Karlson
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- Gerald Pauling
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- Burton X. Rosenberg
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- Lawrence Schulman
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- Kerry Straub
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- Matthew Tassone
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- Gwendolyn Whiteside
If you are interested in joining our Board of Directors, please contact Gwendolyn Whiteside, Artistic Director at WendyW@AmericanBluesTheater.com or call (773) 654-3103.
the Mascot
Ben joined American Blues Theater in 2011 on a dare – it was theater or Chicago politics. (He’s scared of jail; we won.) Ben appeared in our production of Rantoul and Die and sat patiently inside a wrapped present beneath the It’s a Wonderful Life Christmas tree. Like every artist, he’s had disappointments throughout his career: rejected from the union meeting during Waiting for Lefty; no call-back for Hank Williams: Lost Highway because he was too stiff; couldn’t audition for the Pilot in Grounded because of the height requirement. He also suffered a showmance heartbreak with Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors. He currently resides in the American Blues office.
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