PRODUCTION TEAM BIOGRAPHIES

KRISTOFFER DIAZ (Playwright) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. Kristoffer is a playwright, screenwriter, musical librettist, and educator. His musical Hell’s Kitchen (created with Alicia Keys) was nominated for 13 Tony Awards, including Best Book, and is currently running on Broadway. His play The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama, and has gone on to more than forty productions nationwide. Other full-length titles include Hercules (adapted from the Disney film for the Joseph Papp Public Theater’s Public Works program), Reggie Hoops, Welcome to Arroyo’s, #therevolution, Rebecca Oaxaca (Lays Down A Bunt), Expect Victory, and The Unfortunates. His work has been produced, commissioned, and developed at The Public Theater, Dallas Theater Center, Geffen Playhouse, Center Theatre Group, The Goodman, Second Stage, Victory Gardens, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Chelsea Factory, American Theater Company, The Atlantic, InterAct, Mixed Blood, The Orchard Project, Hip-Hop Theater Festival, The Lark, Summer Play Festival, Donmar Warehouse, and South Coast Repertory, among many others. Awards include the Guggenheim, Jerome, Van Lier, NYFA, and Gail Merrifield Papp Fellowships; New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award; Lucille Lortel, Equity Jeff, and OBIE Awards; and the Future Aesthetics Artist Regrant, among others. As a screenwriter, Kristoffer adapted the musical Rent for the Fox network, wrote on the Netflix series GLOW, and has developed original television pilots for HBO and FX. Kristoffer holds a BA from New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, an MFA from NYU’s Department of Dramatic Writing, and an MFA from Brooklyn College’s Performing Arts Management program. He teaches in both Gallatin and the Department of Dramatic Writing at the Tisch School of the Arts. Kristoffer sits on the board of New Dramatists (where he is an alumni playwright) and serves as an officer on the council of the Dramatists Guild.

DEXTER BULLARD (Director) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. Dexter has directed throughout Chicago since at theaters such as Steppenwolf, Goodman, Northlight, Victory Gardens, HOUSE, A Red Orchid, Next, Famous Door, and of course, American Blues: Tom & Jerry.  He directed Tracy Letts’ Linda Vista at Steppenwolf, Center Theater Group LA, Mies Julie and Sucker Punch at Victory Gardens, Christmas with Elvis at Chopin, and The Flick also at Steppenwolf.  On Broadway, he directed Linda Vista with Second Stage and Craig Wright’s Grace; Bug, Lady, and Mistakes Were Made Off-Broadway. Dexter is alumni director for the Second City developing original revues for Detroit, ETC and Second City Theatricals. Dexter founded and led Plasticene “a pioneer physical theater company” (Chicago Reader) and with the ensemble developed over fourteen critically-acclaimed experimental works appearing at venues including The Edinburgh Fringe, Soho Theater NYC, Viaduct, Links Hall, the MCA and the Storefront. He has received a Jeff Citation, a Lucille Lortel Award, several Jeff Nominations, a Drama Desk Nomination, and was named “Best of Chicago” by Chicago Magazine. Dexter studied acting at Northwestern and received his MFA in Performance from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Dexter is a Professor of Acting at The Theatre School at DePaul and hosts ongoing classes for all levels with his own Studio. dexterbullard.com

GRANT SABIN (Scenic design) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. A native of rural Illinois, Grant blends his rural roots with urban art. He’s a recipient of the 2015 Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award. He is known throughout Chicago for his keen eye in capturing atmospheric detail and his ability to design “impressively executed sets” on a storefront-theater budget. His designs have been seen at Northlight, Victory Gardens, Steppenwolf, Next, The Royal George, McCarter Theater NJ, Overture Center WI, Theatre Wit, Gallagher Bluedorn IA, American Blues, ATC, The House, The Hypocrites, Christina Isabelle Dance, The Seldoms Dance, and A Red Orchid. Awards for design include – Joseph Jefferson award for Turret (A Red Orchid Theatre);  Jeff Award nominations for Yankee Tavern (American Blues Theater); The Sea Horse (A Red Orchid); and Mr. Marmalade (Dog & Pony Roadshow). He was named one of the Top 50 Players in Chicago Theatre by New City Magazine. Grant is currently a full-time faculty member at Columbia College Chicago.

LEVI J. WILKINS (Lighting design) – born and raised on the southwest side of Chicago, a member of the Chicago Theater community since age 6. Currently the lighting director at The Faith Community of St. Sabina. 2024 Resident Lighting Designer at The Arkansas Rep Theater. Previous Theaters: Lookingglass Theater Company, The Goodman Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, Theater Squared, Quintessence Theater, Flint Rep, Indiana University NW, Northwestern University Theater, Constellation Stage & Screen, Congo Square Theater, Raven Theater, Invictus Theater, A Red Orchid Theater, Pulse Theater, Shattered Globe Theater, Metropolis Performing Arts Center and Musical Theater Works, just to name a few. Levi is a 4-time Jeff Award Nominee and the recipient of the 2024 3Arts Award for theater. For more info about Levi visit www.fresherlight.com

LILY WALLS (Costume design & Wardrobe Supervisor) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. American Blues Theater credits include 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.

RICK SIMS (Sound design) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. He has composed and designed sound for numerous Chicago-area theaters, including Steppenwolf Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company, American Blues Theater, Congo Square Theatre, Writers Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Hypocrites, House Theatre of Chicago, Court Theatre, American Theater Company, Victory Gardens Theater, Raven Theatre, Steep Theatre, Northlight Theatre, and About Face Theatre. His additional credits include The Getty, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, Playwrights Horizons, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and Portland Playhouse. Rick won Jeff Awards for Sound Design for Moby Dick and Hepheastus (Lookingglass Theatre Company), a Black Theatre Alliance Award for Brothers in the Dust (Congo Square Theatre), and has received several nominations for both awards. Rick also wrote the book, music, and lyrics for Hillbilly Antigone at Lookingglass Theatre Company, where he is an Artistic Associate.

AMY PETER (Properties design) – coming soon

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 sizzling with excitement to be working with American Blues for the first time in a very long time!  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.  

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, Miserym Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues. 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: 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. 37-year member of Actors Equity. 31-year husband of the remarkable Carmel Carroll.

MICHAEL TRUDEAU (Facilities Manager) is a proud Ensemble member of American Blues Theater. Past Blues credits include Lighting Design for Misery, Scenic/Lighting design for Stand Up If You’re Here Tonight and Technical Director for It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! (2015-2017, 2021-2024), 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.

NATE WALCZYK (Production Manager & ME) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. Past shows include Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues, Misery, It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, & The Last Wide Open (American Blues Theater), Photograph 51 (Webster University), Angels in America Pt. I & II (Repertory Theater of St. Louis), and The Steadfast Tin Soldier (Lookingglass Theatre Company). Nate is also the Lighting & Sound Technician for Northwestern University’s Wirtz Center. He is a graduate of The Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts in St. Louis, Missouri and is extremely proud of his two perfect cats, Calvin and Ponyo.

TOM DANIEL (Technical Director) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. He recently served as technical director for Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues and Misery at American Blues Theater. For Tom, there is no greater joy than to transform a two dimensional set design into a three dimension world for artists to create on. Most recent projects include Zac Efron (Token Theatre), The Cave and Road Signs at A Red Orchid. Other set builds include Attempts on Her Life (TUTA Theatre) Turret, In Quietness, Revolution, Is God Is (A Red Orchid) and Right Now (Facility Theatre) which were all Jeff Recommended/Nominated.

CHRIS WALLS (Audio Supervisor) – coming soon

GWENDOLYN WHITESIDE (Exec Artistic Director) is a proud Ensemble member of American Blues Theater and has served as Executive Artistic Director since 2010. In her tenure as Exec Artistic Director, she created the nationally-recognized Blue Ink Award for playwriting and new work development program; implemented community service into the company’s mission in 2010; and adapted the arts education programs. She led American Blues through its reorganization in 2009 and built the operational budget from zero to $1 million. She secured the company’s first-ever operating reserve, endowment, and permanent home. Whiteside served on the National Endowment for the Arts panels; Board member for Network of Ensemble Theaters and League of Chicago Theatres. Outside of American Blues Theater, she’s performed with Northlight Theatre, Defiant Theater, About Face Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theater, and Lankershim Arts Center in association with HBO. Awards include – 16 Jeff Awards and nominations as a producer and 5 Jeff Awards and nominations as an actor. She was named by American Theatre as a “Chicago Theater Worker You Should Know” and named in Newcity’s Players List – Hall of Fame. She’s a graduate of Northwestern University (BS), The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (MFA), and a Kellogg Executive Scholar in Nonprofit management (Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University).

Coming soon!

Coming soon!