Proudly Presents...
THE GRAPES
OF WRATH
Based on the Novel by
John Steinbeck
Adapted by
Frank Galati
Directed by Gift Ensemble Member
Erica Weiss
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Kristen Johnson
SCENIC DESIGNER
**Courtney O’Neill
LIGHTING DESIGNER
**Charles Cooper
COSTUME DESIGNER
Alarie Hammock
SCENIC ARTIST
Elyse Balogh
ORIGINAL MUSIC
& MUSIC DIRECTION
Diego Colόn
**Christopher Kriz
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER
John Tovar, SAFD
DIALECT COACH
Sammi Grant
PROPERTIES MASTER
Alec Long
DRAMATURG
Patrick Runfeldt
SOUND DESIGNERS
**Christopher Kriz
Daniel Carlyon
MASTER ELECTRICIAN
Stephanie Chavez
PRODUCTION MANAGER
*Sarah Luse
STAGE MANAGER
*Corinne James
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
*Angela M. Adams
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
David Preis
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers
** Member of United Scenic Artists • Local USA 829 • IATSE
June 16 – August 14, 2016
The Gift Theatre Company
4802 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL 60630
(773) 283-7071 | www.thegifttheatre.org
“Come Closer.”
The Gift Theatre Company’s 2016 season is made possible, in part, by generous contributions from The Alphawood Foundation, The Rabb
Family Foundation, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Gaylord and Dorothy, and The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC).
The Grapes Of Wrath
1
F E AT U R I N G ( i n
alphabetical order)
Ma Joad...................................................................................................................................... Kona N. Burks
Balladeer.......................................................................................................................................Diego Colón
Pa Joad................................................................................................................................ *+Paul D’Addario
Jim Casy.............................................................................................................................................. Jerre Dye
Al Joad............................................................................................................................................. Lane Flores
Grampa Joad/Mayor of Hooverville............................................................................................. Art Fox
Granma Joad/Mrs. Wainwright/Elizabeth Sandry.............................................. *+Alexandra Main
Rose of Sharon Joad................................................................................................................. Emily Marso
Connie Rivers/Ensemble............................................................................................................Tim Martin
Proprietor/Ensemble........................................................................................................... Chris Mathews
Young Man/Ensemble............................................................................................................ Casey Morris
Floyd Knowles/Ensemble.......................................................................................................Jose Nateras
Winfield Joad...................................................................................... Mesiyah Rudezz Oduro-Kwarten
Ruthie Joad........................................................................................................................... Amaris Sanchez
Tom Joad.........................................................................................................................*Namir Smallwood
Muley/Ensemble.................................................................................................................... Charlie Strater
Noah Joad....................................................................................................................... Michael Turrentine
John Joad........................................................................................................................*+Jay Worthington
Man Going Back/Ensemble..................................................................................................+Kyle Zornes
UNDERSTUDIES
Connie/Ensemble.........................................................................................................................Sam Boeck
Al Joad/Noah Joad............................................................................................................. Nico Fernandez
Pa Joad/Uncle John/Muley/Grampa Joad............................................................................Rory Jobst
Tom Joad...............................................................................................................................Martel Manning
Casy........................................................................................................................................... Chris Mathews
Ma Joad................................................................................................................................... Monette McLin
Rose of Sharon Joad/Ruthie Joad/Winfield Joad.......................................................... Netta Walker
Granma Joad/Ms. Wainwright/Elizabeth Sandry................................................Sarah Beth Tanner
Understudies do not substitute for listed players unless an announcement is made at the
time of the performance.
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union
of professional actors and stage managers
+Indicates Gift Ensemble Member
“Acting is a particularly thankless art. It dies with the actor. Nothing survives
him but the reviews, which do not usually do him justice anyway, whether he
is good or bad.
So the only source of satisfaction left to him is the audience’s reactions... The
actor, in this special process of discipline and self-sacrifice, self-penetration
and molding, is not afraid to go beyond all normally acceptable limits...
The actor makes a total gift of himself.”
-Jerzy Grotowski, Towards A Poor Theatre
2
The Gift Theatre Company
S H OW I N F O R M AT I O N
TIME & PLACE
The Dust Bowl Migration of the 1930s
Oklahoma to California
The play runs approximately 2 Hours 30 Minutes.
There will be one 15 minute intermission.
As a courtesy to the actors and fellow audience members, please turn off your cell phone!
Please do not text during the performance.
The use of recording devices is strictly prohibited.
EXTR A SPECIAL THANKS !
The Grapes of Wrath is made possible with the support, enthusiasm and more than
generous contributions of the following individuals and organizations:
Gannon Graphics, Inc.
Betsy Kohart-Morgan
Greg Preis
The Grapes Of Wrath
3
P R O D U C T I O N , A R T I S T I C , & A D M I N I S T R AT I V E S TA F F
Artistic Director................................................................................................. Michael Patrick Thornton
Associate Artistic Director..................................................................................................Paul D’Addario
Managing Director / House Manager..............................................................................Rita Thornton
Administrative Director............................................................................................................John Gawlik
Technical Director........................................................................................................................ David Preis
Production Manager....................................................................................................................Sarah Luse
Casting Director.......................................................................................................................Emjoy Gavino
Publicist............................................................................................................... The Silverman Group, Inc.
Box Office Assistant..............................................................................................................Samson Sando
Box Office Staffers..........................................................................................................The Gift Ensemble
Graphic Designer............................................................................................................................Paul Koob
Photographer............................................................................................................................Claire Demos
Program Coordinator.........................................................................................................Alexandra Main
Production Assistant ..........................................................................................................Frank Thornton
giftED. Director................................................................................................... Lindsey Barlag Thornton
giftFILM Co-Directors............................................................................ Ed Flynn, Benjamin Montague
Natural Gas Artistic Director....................................................................................................Kyle Zornes
giftLIT. Director.......................................................................................................................Maggie Gawlik
New Play Development Co-Directors................................. Maggie Gawlik, Jenny Connell Davis
THE GIF T ENSEMBLE
Daniel Ahlfeld, Cyd Blakewell, Maggie Gawlik, Brittany Burch, Hillary Clemens,
Jenny Connell Davis, John Kelly Connolly, Paul D’Addario, Brendan Donaldson,
Will Eno, James D. Farruggio, Ed Flynn, Gabriel Franken, John Gawlik,
Andrew Hinderaker, Marti Lyons, Alexandra Main, Laura Marks, Kenny Mihlfried,
Benjamin Montague, William Nedved, Darci Nalepa, Keith Neagle, Lynda Newton,
Sheldon Patinkin (in memoriam), Maureen Payne-Hahner, Mary Ann Thebus,
Michael Patrick Thornton, Erica Weiss, Jay Worthington and Kyle Zornes
N AT U R A L G A S E N S E M B L E
Kieran Fitzgerald, Ed Flynn, James Kozyra, Joey Lesiak, Kirby Longbrake, Eric Muller,
Carly Olson, John Pantlind, Aemilia Scott, Amy Speckien, Michael Patrick Thornton and
Kyle Zornes
T H E g i f t E D. E N S E M B L E
Jacopo De Marinis, Owen O’Malley, Declan Schliesmann and Symone Rodriguez
T H E g i f t E D. A L U M N I
Corbett Baratta, Francesca Plantz and Pat Weber
T H E G I F T ’ S B OA R D O F D I R E C TO R S
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Laura Gale (Chair), Paul Botts, John Brahm, Nancy Bowyer, Brittany Burch, Lori Dimun,
Bryan Dowling, Shanna Karamaniolas, George Karzas, Sharon Martwick, Naveed Moosa,
William Patrick Nedved, Steve O’Brien, Jeff Perry, Quay Tao, Michael Patrick Thornton,
Rita Thornton, Michael Valenti and Shannon Wallace
The Gift Theatre Company
BIOGR APHIES
Kona N. Burks (Ma
Joad) is excited to work
at The Gift Theatre for
the first time. Other
Chicago credits include:
Domesticated, How
Long Will I Cry
(Steppenwolf Theatre), Heaven, How I Got
Here (Provision Theatre), Good People
(Redtwist Theatre), Saturday Night, Sunday
Morning (Prologue Theatre, at
Steppenwolf’s Garage Rep), Small (Open
Door Repertory), Intimate Apparel, Crumbs
From The Table of Joy (Illinois Theatre
Center), Levi James, The Trip , A Fool Such As
I (ETA). Kona is also a member of SAGAFTRA. She attended The School at
Steppenwolf, 2012. She holds a bachelor’s
degree from the University of Illinois at
UrbanaChampaign, and her master’s
degree from the University of Illinois at
Chicago.
Diego Colón (Balladeer
/ Original Music and
Music Direction) is
incredibly excited to be
making his debut with
The Gift Theatre as not
only a cast member,
but also as the Co-Music Director. Diego
has been working in the Chicago theatre
and music scene for many years. Previous
credits include Heathers: The Musical
(Kokandy Productions); Balm and Gilead
(The Griffin Theatre); Once More With
Feeling (Smile Time Productions); Three
Sisters, House on Mango Street and The Last
of the Boys (Steppenwolf Theatre). He
graduated with a B.F.A. from The Chicago
College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt
University. Diego would like to thank the
cast and crew for their hard work and fun
times playing music, His family for being
his biggest fans, and Christina for her
unending love and support. This one is for
Kevin.
Paul D’Addario (Pa
Joad) is Associate
Artistic Director of The
Gift. He has appeared
in over twenty
productions as a Gift
member. Favorite roles
include Eddie in Hurlyburly (Jeff AwardActor in a Leading Role), Terry in Dirty and
Satan in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. At
Steppenwolf, he was George in Of Mice and
Men and Tommy in Ironbound. Most
recently he was seen in David Rabe’s World
Premiere, Good For Otto and will be in
Melissa Ross’ A Life Extraordinary both at
The Gift. He is a graduate of The School at
Steppenwolf 2001.
Jerre Dye (Jim Casy) is
a writer, director, and
actor making his
Chicago acting debut.
He has appeared
regionally in Compleat
Female Stage Beauty
(Kynaston), Cyrano (Cyrano), William
Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying (Darl), and Present
Laughter (Gary Essendine), Angels In
America Parts 1 and 2 (Pryor), and Rocky
Horror (Frank N. Furter). His play, Cicada, for
which Dye is the recipient of the Award for
Dramatic Literature from the Fellowship of
Southern Writers, premiered in 2014 with
Route 66 Theatre Company. His latest play,
Distance will premiere through Strawdog
Theatre Company this summer. His other
works for the stage include: Short/Stories,
Threads, The New Adventures of Hansel and
Gretel, Wild Swans, Sid and the Magic Box,
Sister Myotis, and adaptation of Stravinsky’s
A Soldier’s Tale with Iris Orchestra. He
recently completed the libretto for Ghosts
of Crosstown, a new short opera cycle in
collaboration with Opera Memphis and
multiple composers from across the US. He
is currently completing his latest play, Live
Studio Audience and working on new opera
commissions for Opera Memphis,
The Grapes Of Wrath
5
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
Chautauqua Opera, The US Army Field
Band, and a filmed, virtual reality opera
with composer Kamala Sankaram for Opera
On Tap New York.
Lane Flores (Al Joad) is
so excited to make his
debut with The Gift!
Chicago credits include:
Lord of the Flies
(Steppenwolf Theatre
Company), Abraham
Lincoln Was A F*gg*t (About Face Theatre),
A Loss of Roses and Vieux Carré (Raven
Theatre), Our Bad Magnet (Mary-Arrchie
Theatre) and Merchant of Venice (First Folio
Theatre). Regional: Macbeth (Montana
Shakespeare in the Parks), Midsummer,
Taming of the Shrew and Misalliance
(Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park). Lane
is also a founding member of Adapt
Theatre Productions. He received his BFA in
Acting from Oklahoma City University.
Art Fox (Grampa Joad/
Mayor of Hooverville)
first performed on
stage in the chorus of
“Camelot” at the Civic
Light Opera in
Albuquerque, NM.
After moving to Chicago in 1979, he
performed in a few plays but got
sidetracked from stage work by
opportunities to work in industrial films, TV
commercials, TV shows and feature films.
His most recent film role was as the Mayor
of Naperville in the supernatural suspense
thriller, “Munger Road”. However, he hasn’t
been on stage in 35 years and is
approaching his experience at The Gift
with equal parts delight and terror. He is
honored to be working with such a great
theater and cast on an American classic
play with such profound relevance to
today’s political and social climates.
6
The Gift Theatre Company
Alexandra Main
(Granma Joad/Elizabeth
Sandry /Mrs.
Wainwright) has been a
proud ensemble
member of The Gift
Theatre since 2002. She
was last seen in the critically acclaimed
long running world premiere of David
Rabe’s Good for Otto. Other productions at
The Gift include Mine, Absolute Hell, Cloud
9, Northwest Highway, One Flew Over the
Cuckoo’s Nest, The Ruby Sunrise, Stop Kiss,
W;t (Jeff nomination), Blithe Spirit, Long
Day’s Journey Into Night, The Clearing, A
Young Man in Pieces, “6”, County Fair, The
Countess. She holds an MA in performance
studies from Northwestern University.
Special thanks to my fellow Gifters, to Rita
and Frank, to best friends and always to
dwp. For Elbee. For Sheldon.
Emily Marso (Rose of
Sharon Joad) returns to
The Gift, having
previously
understudied Good for
Otto. An actor and
teaching artist, she
toured nationally as a company member
with Child’s Play Touring Theatre and is an
ensemble member with Barrel of Monkeys.
Chicago credits include work with
Jackalope Theatre, Prologue Theatre
Company, Buzz22 Chicago, and InGen
Productions, among others. Film credits
include Message Received and The
Mortician. Emily graduated with a B.A.
degree in Theatre, Political Science, and
Chinese from Northwestern University.
Tim Martin (Connie
Rivers/Ensemble) is
ecstatic to be making
his debut at The Gift
with such a spectacular
group of artists. Most
recent Chicago credits
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
include Two Gentlemen of Verona at Oak
Park Festival Theatre, Dividing the Estate at
Raven Theatre, Men Should Weep at Griffin
Theatre (Jeff Award for Best Play), The
Peacock at Jackalope Theatre, and Much
Ado About Nothing at Rasaka Theatre. Tim
has also acted with Writers Theatre,
Lookingglass Theatre, The Goodman
Theatre, Adventure Stage Chicago, Signal
Ensemble, Caffeine Theatre, and A New
Leaf. A graduate of Illinois Wesleyan
University and The School at Steppenwolf,
Tim would like to thank his endlessly
supportive family and friends, the wp10,
and his best gal. Tim is represented by
Grossman and Jack talent.
Theatre), Homo Andronicus (The Antidote),
Post Apocalypto (Collaboraction,
Sketchbook ‘15), In a Little World of Our Own
(Irish Theatre of Chicago). Casey received
his MFA from The Theatre School at DePaul
and is represented by Grossman & Jack
Talent.
Jose Nateras (Floyd
Knowles/Ensemble) is a
Chicago based actor
and writer. Some recent
credits include: Othello
(u/s) and Since I Suppose
(Chicago Shakespeare
Theatre); My Soul’s Shadow (Manual
Cinema); Skippyjon Jones & The Cirque de
Chris Mathews
Ole (Emerald City Theatre); Balm in Gilead
(Proprietor/Ensemble) is (u/s Griffin Theatre); Romeo and Juliet
a company member
(Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival; Teatro
with The House Theatre Vista); Hit the Wall (The Inconvenience);
of Chicago, where he
among others. He’s toured with Montana
regularly writes and
Shakespeare in the Parks (Hamlet, Twelfth
Night) and appeared on NBC’s Chicago Fire,
performs. He was last
as well as in spots for Onion Labs. He’s
seen onstage flopping around as a sock
monkey in The House’s The Nutcracker. With trained at Second City, The British
American Drama Academy (Midsummer at
Nathan Allen and Jake Minton, he has
co-written Dave DaVinci Saves the Universe, Oxford ‘09), and is a graduate of Loyola
The Sparrow, and Rose and the Rime. With
University Chicago. As a playwright, his
Allen, he co-wrote The Hammer Trinity (The work has been performed in various
staged readings, new works festivals, in
Iron Stag King, The Crownless King, The
L.U.C.’s Studio Theatre, and as a part of The
Excelsior King). As an actor he has
Arc Theatre’s arciText Festivals in 2015 and
performed with Lookingglass Theatre,
2016. He’s a resident playwright with ALTA
Barrel of Monkeys and the Actors
Chicago’s El Semillero (Alliance of Latino
Gymnasium, among others. Chris also
Theater Artists of Chicago residing at
provides motion capture performance for
Chicago-based video game maker
Victory Gardens). Jose will be pursuing his
Netherrealm Studios, featured in the Mortal MFA in Writing at The School of the Art
Kombat franchise titles (Johnny Cage) and
Institute of Chicago (SAIC) as of Fall 2016.
Injustice: Gods Among Us (Batman).
Mesiyah Rudezz
Oduro-Kwarten
Casey Morris (Young
Man/Ensemble) is
(Winfield Joad) is a
thrilled to make his Gift
singer, actor and
Theatre debut. Chicago
dancer. Mesiyah is best
credits include Voyage
known for his role in
(Cock and Bull), The
the television series,
Revel (The House
The First Family. He recently landed a
The Grapes Of Wrath
7
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
principal role in the movie Not A Stranger
with James Russo produced by Dennis
Foley. Other film/TV credits include, to
name a few, Jump In: The Movie, Ishmael,
Liquid Feet, and Love Triangle and he
appeared as a guest star on Craft Wars
produced by Tori Spelling. He has been
flying back and forth to Los Angeles to sing
My Girl, his signature song by The
Temptations, at the Kierra Old Skool New
Skool Foundation where he has been
encouraged him to pursue singing as a
profession. In addition, Mesiyah has had
starring roles in several videos, appeared in
several college films, and has done his
share of print ads and commercials.
Amaris Sanchez
(Ruthie Joad) was born
in Naperville, Illinois
and raised in
Bolingbrook, Illinois.
She is currently in the
6th grade. Some of her
hobbies include soccer, basketball, softball,
bike riding and doing make up for her
friends. She has been a Girl Scout since first
grade and is currently a Junior. At the
young age of 5 she was featured as a
runway model for Latino Fashion Week in
Chicago. She has participated in other
runway and fashion shows including
Chicago Fashion Fest. Amaris trains at the
Allegro Music Academy and has been the
lead singer for two church bands at
Westbrook Community Church in
Bolingbrook. On numerous occasions she
has been requested to sing at wedding
events. Most recently she played the role of
Emily Crachet in the play A Christmas Carol
at the Goodman Theatre downtown
Chicago. She also did a voice over for the
McGraw Company as Chef Safron. She has
been featured in commercials for AT&T and
Kohler. She had the privilege to sing the
American and Canadian National Anthem
at a Chicago Fire Soccer match April 2016.
8
The Gift Theatre Company
Namir Smallwood
(Tom Joad) is thrilled to
be making his debut at
The Gift Theatre! In
Chicago, he has worked
at Victory Gardens,
Northlight Theatre,
Goodman and Steppenwolf. Other
regional theatre credits include roles at
Pillsbury House Theatre, Guthrie, Mixed
Blood, Penumbra Theatre, Ten Thousand
Things and Marin Theatre Company.
Television credits include Chicago Fire and
Betrayal.
Charlie Strater (Muley/
Ensemble) is a graduate
of Northwestern
University’s theater
program. Charlie has
worked with many of
Chicago’s finest
commercial and storefront theaters
including Jackalope Theatre, Rivendell
Theatre, Broadway in Chicago,
Lookingglass and Steppenwolf. This
September he will be appearing in the
premiere of Mat Smart’s Naperville at
Theater Wit.
Michael Turrentine
(Noah Joad) This is
Michael’s first show
with The Gift and he
couldn’t be more
excited. Some of
Michael’s past credits
include Miss Evers’ Boys (National Arts
Festival in South Africa), King John
(Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park), Henry
V (Reduxion Theatre Company), In Love and
Warcraft (Halcyon Theatre Company),
Cinderella, The Merry Widow (Lyric Opera of
Chicago), and The Hairy Ape (Oracle
Productions). He would like to thank his
family, especially his mom, for all of the
love and support.
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
Jay Worthington
(Uncle John Joad) is a
proud ensemble
member of The Gift
Theatre, previous
credits at The Gift
include: Richard III, the
world premiere of David Rabe’s Good for
Otto, the world premiere of Mat Smart’s
The Royal Society of Antarctica, Othello,
Thinner Than Water, War of the Worlds,
Vigils, Absolute Hell, Cloud 9, Night and Her
Stars, the world premiere of Andrew
Hinderaker’s Suicide, Incorporated, and One
Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Recent work
outside The Gift includes shooting a public
service announcement for Perkins School
for the Blind (as part of the first ever blind
awareness social change campaign:
BlindNewWorld), shooting a short film:
Soup du Jour with Recursive Pictures, and a
number of workshop readings at The John
F. Kennedy Center for their VSA Program
(Very Special Arts) which focuses on the
disabled experience. Jay was recently the
subject of a documentary: Beyond Sight by
TouchVision, which focused on his life and
experience as a visually disabled actor. Jay
is also a teaching artist for GiftED. (Gift
Education), The Gift Theatre’s two year
acting sequence for Chicago based high
school students, and a teaching artist for
Actors Training Center in Wilmette, where
he created and runs his own unique three
course adult acting sequence. Jay can next
be seen in The Gift’s upcoming world
premiere production of A Life Extra
Ordinary by Melissa Ross. Jay is a proud
member of Actors Equity Association, and
a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf.
All the thanks and love in the world to Erica
and this stunningly incandescent
ensemble, I’m humbled to be a part of this
family. To those in attendance: God Bless
You. You are The Gift. Without you, none
of this would be possible. Stay in your love.
We will make it to California. It’s strictly by
faith that we’ve made it this far.
Kyle Zornes (Man
Going Back/Ensemble) A
graduate of the
University of Kentucky
and The Second City
Conservatory Program,
Kyle is an ensemble
member of The Gift Theatre, as well as the
Artistic Director of Natural Gas, the house
improv ensemble at The Gift. He has
appeared in Stop/Kiss; Talk Radio; Almost,
Maine; Vigils; and The Royal Society of
Antarctica… all at 4802 N. Milwaukee and
in The Gift’s production of Richard III at
Steppenwolf Garage.
Sam Boeck (Connie/
Ensemble-Understudy),
a recent transplant
from Oklahoma/LA,
previously worked with
The Gift as an assistant
stage manager for
Richard III and is excited to work with these
lovely people again as an understudy.
Regional Theatre: Gus’s Fashions and Shoes
(VS. Theatre); Enemy of the People (LA
Theatre Works); Not Since Adam (Grex
Group Theatre); Doubting Thomason (Avery
Schreiber Theatre); The Pillowman (2x4
Theatre Company); Colossal (The Kennedy
Center); By the Bog of Cats, Is He Dead? and
Dracula (Weitzenhoffer Theatre). Film/TV
credits include: August: Osage County,
Unusual Suspects, Big History, The Veil, and
Yellow. Sam would like to thank Michael
and The Gift Theatre for another job and
welcoming me to Chicago with open arms.
Nico Fernandez (Al
Joad/ Noah JoadUnderstudy) recently
graduated from
Northern Illinois
University with his BFA
in Acting in May. His
professional theatre credits include playing
the role of Simple in First Folio Theatre’s
The Grapes Of Wrath
9
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
production of The Merry Wives of Windsor
and Laurent in Organic Theatre’s
production of Tartuffe. Nico will also be
performing and directing Penny, an
original play written by Nico, at the
Chicago Fringe Festival in September.
Penny is a love story inspired by the silent
movie era and is told entirely without
words.
Rory Jobst (Muley/
Ensemble-Understudy)
is very excited to be
working with The Gift.
He was a company
member at Oracle
Productions for four
years where he served as the Film Producer
and appeared in such productions as
Accidental Death of an Anarchist, The Return
of Radio Goggles, Romulus, The America
Play, and This House Believes the American
Dream is at the Expense of the American
Negro. Other favorite productions include
Drumming in the Night (Prop Thtr), Quick/
Go Fuck Yourself (Curious Theater Branch),
In the Jungle of Cities (Ka-Tet), and Hunger
and Thirst (A Red Orchid Theater). He also
utilizes his dramatic “talents” as an adjunct
instructor of English at Truman College and
as a group leader for Weight Watchers.
Education: BA in Theatre Arts, Marymount
Manhattan College; MFA in Writing, School
of the Art Institute of Chicago. Thank you
to Erica and Emjoy for the opportunity, and
mom for everything else.
Martel Manning (Tom
Joad-Understudy) is
excited to be working
with The Gift again!
Most recently he
appeared in The Gift’s
Richard III at the
Steppenwolf Garage. Previous Chicago
credits include: Lifeline Theatre’s Miss
Buncle’s Book, Midsummer Night’s Dream
with Two Pence Theatre Co., and
10
The Gift Theatre Company
performances in Remy Bummpo’s Fallen
Angels. Martel is also a vocal coach and
holds an MFA from the University of
Houston’s PATP.
Monette McLin (Ma
Joad-Understudy)
appeared as Mutha
Gbadu in the world
premiere of Nambi
Kelley’s For Her as a
Piano with Pegasus
Theatre Co. Other stage credits include:
understudy in Mai Dang Lao with Side
Show Theatre Co., Liberty Tree in the
staged reading of Bonnie Metzgar’s Liberty
Tree with Side Show Theatre Co. She has
performed live on ACREtv.org at Chicago’s
Museum of Contemporary Art. She
received SAG membership by appearing in
two episodes of Chicago Fire and is
represented by Johnson McKay Talent.
Sarah Beth Tanner
(Granma Joad/
Ensemble-Understudy)
This is Sarah Beth’s first
time working with The
Gift, and she couldn’t
be happier to be a part
of this incredible team. Although a native
of Alabama, Sarah Beth has lived in
Chicago since 2013. She holds a degree in
Musical Theatre from BirminghamSouthern College and has worked for
theaters from New York to Alaska. Last year,
she originated the role of Ellie Chapman in
Underscore Theatre Company’s
Borderlands: Three Chords and the Truth.
Sarah Beth is currently helping to found
Plateful Company - a new venture
exploring the connections between the
culinary and performing arts with a new
dinner-party-musical format. Look for
Plateful Company events popping up
locally and beyond! When she’s not on
stage, you can find SBT working as the
Operations Manager for the mission-based
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
First Slice Pie Cafe. Big thanks to Emjoy for
the call and Lanny for all the love!
Netta Walker (Rosa of
Sharon/EnsembleUnderstudy) is so
excited to join The Gift
for her first professional
production! Going into
her junior year as a
Musical Theater Major at the Chicago
College of Performing Arts (CCPA) at
Roosevelt University, Netta was last seen in
If Seasons Change (Theater Wit). At CCPA,
credits include Hair: The Rock Musical;
Something Shaw: a George Bernard Shaw
Showcase; and Color Me. So thankful to be
working with this incredible ensemble of
wonderful and kind people. Thank you all
for allowing me to learn from your
touching work everyday. Thanks to mom,
dad, her three insane brothers, her
beautiful roommates, and all of her
supportive classmates and friends. Let’s do
this!
John Steinbeck (Novelist) was born
in Salinas, CA in 1902 and died in New
York City in 1968. He attended Stanford
University on and off for six years without
receiving a degree, was married three
times and had two children by his second
wife. Early in his career, he worked as a
journalist and investigative report, and
during World War II, wrote propaganda
for the war effort, having been denied a
commission in the armed forces because
of his suspected communist leanings. Mr.
Steinbeck travelled and corresponded
with his close friend, Ed Ricketts, a marine
biologist, who was a major influence on
Steinbeck’s writing and thinking from
The Grapes Of Wrath
11
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
1930 until Rickett’s death in 1948. He was
awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in
1962 for his body of work which by that
time included The Red Pony, Tortilla Flat,
Of Mice and Men, Cannery Row, The Pearl,
Viva Zapata, East of Eden and The Winter
of Our Discontent among others. The New
York Times listed The Grapes of Wrath as
the best-selling book of 1939, and by
February 1940, 430,000 copies had been
printed. That same month, the novel won
The National Book Award, and later that
year it won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
While wildly successful, The Grapes of
Wrath also proved to be Steinbeck’s most
controversial novel to date. His sympathy
for the plight of migrant workers led to a
backlash against him: in Oklahoma (the
book made the state look poverty stricken),
in California (the book made farmers and
growers seem greedy and selfish) and in
many other parts of the country (the gritty
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The Gift Theatre Company
language of the Joads was shocking for
many). In August of 1939 the Kern County
Board of Supervisors banned the book
from schools and libraries in 1939, a ban
that lasted until 1941. – Extracted from the
National Steinbeck Center’s website
Frank Galati (Adaptor) has been a
member of the Steppenwolf ensemble
since 1985. Frank won two Tony Awards
for his adaptation and direction of
Steppenwolf’s production of The Grapes of
Wrath on Broadway and was nominated
for a Tony Award in 1998 for directing the
musical Ragtime. Although he is known
primarily as a director of epic plays and
musicals (Steppenwolf’s Homebody/Kabul,
Broadway’s Ragtime), he is an equally
adept actor (Steppenwolf’s The Drawer
Boy, The Tempest) and adaptor (Academy
Award nomination for Best Screenplay for
The Accidental Tourist). Mr. Galati directed
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
his adaptation of Murakami’s Kafka on
the Shore at Steppenwolf in 2008. His
productions at the Goodman Theatre,
where he was an associate director from
1986-2008, include She Always Said
Pablo, The Winter’s Tale, The Good Person
of Setzuan and Cry the Beloved Country.
Mr. Galati is a professor emeritus in the
department of performance studies at
Northwestern University. He now makes
his home in Sarasota Florida. – Extracted
from Steppenwolf Theatre’s website
Erica Weiss (Director) is a theatre director
and filmmaker, and an ensemble member
at The Gift Theatre. She was the recipient
of The Goodman Theatre’s Michael Maggio
Directing Fellowship, and is the former
Associate Artistic Director of Route 66
Theatre Company. Her primary passions
lie in the development of new work and
bringing female voices to the stage and
screen. Weiss is a longtime and frequent
collaborator with writer Caitlin Parrish,
directing their world premiere productions
of The Downpour (Joseph Jefferson
Nominee for Best Production, Best Director,
Best New Work, and Best Lead Actress),
and A Twist of Water with Route 66 Theatre
Company and off-Broadway at 59E59. In
the fall, she will make her Steppenwolf
directing debut with Caitlin Parrish’s
The Burials, the first show of the 16-17
Steppenwolf for Young Adults season.
Other upcoming projects include the world
premiere of Distance by Jerre Dye with
Strawdog Theatre. Her first feature film, The
View From Tall, co-directed with Parrish and
starring The Gift Artistic Director Michael
Patrick Thornton, will premiere this year at
The Los Angeles Film Festival.
Kristen Johnson (Assistant Director) is
overjoyed to be working with The Gift
Theatre again. Most recently she directed A
Long Arduous Journey for The Gift’s TEN (+5)
2016 festival. Previously, she assisted Anna
Bahow for Rasaka Theatre’s A Nice Indian
Boy, directed Christmas Armaments for Step
Up Production’s Holidaze Festival, assisted
Erica Weiss on The Downpour for Route
66 Theatre and Jonathan Berry on Look
Back in Anger at Redtwist Theatre. She has
also directed readings of Dana Formby’s
American Beauty Shop and David Auburn’s
Fifth Planet for Sankofa Theatre and Caridad
Svich’s Archipelago for No Passport’s 30/30
Festival. Kristen is a graduate of Carleton
College, School at Steppenwolf, NTI, and
BADA. When she is not directing, Kristen
is working as an actor in Chicago. You can
next see her work at Steep Theatre’s world
premiere of Bobbie Clearly, assisting Josh
Sobel. Gratitude to friends, family, and The
Gift for all their love and support.
Courtney O’Neill (Scenic Designer) returns
to The Gift having previously designed
Good for Otto, Dirty and Talk Radio (Jeff
Award Nomination). Recent Chicago
credits include Moby Dick and The Little
Prince (Lookingglass Theatre Company);
Waiting for Godot (Court Theatre); You Can’t
Take It With You (Northlight Theatre); The
Compass (Steppenwolf Theatre). Regional
credits include Milwaukee Repertory, Marin
Theatre Company, Round House, Kansas
City Repertory, Virginia Stage and Theatre
Squared. She was the associate designer
for Fish in the Dark and This Is Our Youth on
Broadway. Courtney received a Jeff Award
for Mud (The Hypocrites). She holds an
MFA from Northwestern and a BFA from
DePaul University, where she currently
teaches. courtneyoneill.com
Elyse Balogh (Scenic Artist) is a recent
graduate from DePaul University’s Theatre
School, with a BFA in Scenic Design. Elyse
has been designing and painting scenery
around Chicago. Recently, she designed
Christina, The Girl King with Cor Theatre.
Recent paint charges include American
Beauty Shop (Chicago Dramatists), The
Seagull (Artistic Home), Rolling (Jackalope),
and London Wall (Griffin Theatre).
The Grapes Of Wrath
13
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
Upcoming designs: The Seedbed (Redtwist)
and Eroica (Azusa Productions).
www.elysebalogh.com
Christopher Kriz (Original Music, Music
Direction and Sound Designer) Previously
at The Gift, Kriz designed Good For Otto,
Bethany, Mine, Vigils and many others.
Upcoming and recent credits include
The Magic Play (Goodman Theatre),
Constellations (Steppenwolf Theatre),
Carlyle (Goodman Theatre), The House
That Will Not Stand (Victory Gardens),
Sucker Punch (Victory Gardens), The Life Of
Galileo (Remy Bumppo), Gem Of The Ocean
(Court Theatre), Sunset Baby (Timeline
Theatre) and Mothers and Sons (Northlight
Theatre). For his work in theatre, Kriz has
been honored with 11 Joseph Jefferson
Nominations and 2 Jeff Awards. Recently,
Lifeline Theatre produced Kriz’s new
musical, Soon I Will Be Invincible. Kriz is a
proud member of United Scenic Artists
829. To hear more of his work, please visit
www.christopherkriz.com.
Daniel Carlyon (Sound Designer) is a sound
designer and writer from Chicago, thrilled
to be making his premiere with The Gift
Theatre. Chicago credits include She Kills
Monsters (Buzz22 Chicago, Steppenwolf
Garage Rep), Ghost Bike (Buzz22 Chicago),
Hoodoo Love (Collective Theater Company,
BTAA nomination), Henry V (Promethean
Theatre Ensemble, also original music).
As live foley artist: It’s a Wonderful Life
(Williams Street Rep), Our Town (Dominican
University). As assistant designer:
Disgraced (Broadway, Lincoln Center
Theatre), The Hammer Trinity (The House
Theatre), The Who and the What (Lincoln
Center Theatre), Murder for Two (Chicago
Shakespeare Theatre, Jeff nomination).
Daniel is an artistic associate with Buzz22
Chicago; he graduated from Northwestern
University with a B.A. in Theatre. See more
at www.danielcarlyon.com, and watch
14
The Gift Theatre Company
Daniel’s original superhero web series at
adventuresofjacketman.com.
Alarie Hammock (Costume Designer) has
had the pleasure of working with so many
wonderful people in the Chicago theater
community! Some of her design credits
include Route 66’s The Downpour, Cicada
and A Twist of Water, The Gift Theatre’s
Royal Society of Antarctica as well as Steep’s
Making Noise Quietly. Other design credits
include Emerald City’s Fancy Nancy, Hansel
and Gretel, and Charlotte’s Web as well as
Emerald City’s Little Theater productions
of Bingo’s Birthday and Teddy Bear Picnic.
She works as a first hand stitcher at the
Steppenwolf costume shop where; in
addition to Steppenwolf productions, she
has worked on projects for Court Theatre,
Lookingglass and the Lyric Opera.
Charles Cooper (Lighting Designer) returns
to The Gift where he designed this season’s
hit production of Good for Otto. Recent
work includes Woody Sez and Gutenberg!
The Musical (Milwaukee Rep); A Wrinkle
in Time (First Stage Children’s Theatre);
Dry Land (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble);
Slowgirl (Milwaukee Chamber); Old Jews
Telling Jokes (Chicago Company); Bye Bye
Birdie, Hairspray, Curtains, and Sleeping
Beauty (Drury Lane), The Clean House and
Creditors (Remy Bumppo); The Rose Tattoo,
Mill Fire (Jeff Nomination) and Orpheus
Descending (Shattered Globe); Love, Loss,
and What I Wore (Asolo Rep, Philadelphia
Theatre Co, San Jose Rep, Broadway in
Chicago: 1st national tour, 2nd national
tour); Do the Hustle and Old Glory (Writers’
Theatre); Of Mice and Men and First Look
Repertory of New Work (Steppenwolf
Theatre); Around the World in 80 Days
(Indiana Repertory Theatre); Eclipsed
and She Stoops to Conquer (Northlight
Theatre); 16 productions for TimeLine
Theatre (Associate Artist) and 6 seasons for
Peninsula Players in Door County. Charles
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
has received 7 Jeff nominations. He Lives
in Oak Park, IL with his wife Angela and
children, Ethan and Gavin. Member: United
Scenic Artists. Cooperportfolio.com.
Stephanie Chavez (Master Electrician) is a
recent graduate from SIU (Southern Illinois
University) with a Bachelor’s in Technical
Theatre. Some of her recent credits include
lighting designer for Hansel and Gretel and
master electrician for The Addams Family at
SIU. She has also spent her summers with
Great River Shakespeare in Winona, MN
and PCPA (Pacific Conservatory Theatre) in
Santa Maria, CA.
Alec Long (Properties Master) is a freelance
scenic and props designer. He is very
excited to be working with The Gift Theatre
for the first time. His past credits include
Even Longer and Farther Away with the New
Colony, Mosque Alert with Silk Road Rising,
Dreams of the Penny Gods with Halcyon
Theatre, The Things We Keep with the Arc
Theatre, The Mystery of Irma Vep with
Temple Civic Theatre and A Midsummers
Night’s Dream with Master of Revels. In
addition to being an artist he is something
of a foodie and a craft beer enthusiast.
Sammi Grant (Dialect Coach) is thrilled to
be returning to The Gift Theatre where she
previously coached Broadsword in 2013.
Other favorite Chicago credits include:
Jerusalem and Cock (Profiles Theatre),
Caught (Sideshow Theatre), Men on the
Verge of a His-panic Breakdown and Angry
Fags (Pride Films and Plays), assistant
coach for Inana (Timeline Theatre), Mahal
(Bailiwick Chicago), Savage in Limbo (The
Poor Theatre), Barefoot in the Park (Step Up
Productions), and many more. Currently,
Sammi is coaching Our Lady of 121st Street
with Eclipse Theatre. Later this summer,
she will be coaching Distance at Strawdog
Theatre, also directed by Erica Weiss, and
The Village Bike at Profiles Theatre. Sammi
also works in voiceover and is represented
by Big Mouth Talent and Meredith Model
and Talent Agency. She would like to thank
Megan, Colin, and her mom for all their
support.
John Tovar, SAFD (Fight Choreographer) is
thrilled to be working with The Gift and the
amazing team of actors and designers on
this production. Other productions John
has choreographed for The Gift include
Richard III, Othello, Bethany, Broadsword,
Vigils, Absolute Hell, Cloud 9, The Lonesome
West, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,
Summer People and Streamers. To date,
John has choreographed violence and
movement for over 175 productions and
has won a Joseph Jefferson Award for
his Fight Direction in The Opponent at A
Red Orchid Theatre in Chicago. Other
companies John has choreographed
for include Steppenwolf, Route 66,
Lookingglass, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Irish
Theater of Chicago, About Face, Buffalo
Theatre Ensemble and Actors Theatre of
Indiana, among many others. He is one
of only 46 ranked Fight Directors in the
world with the Society of American Fight
Directors (SAFD), and has taught stage
combat workshops and certification
courses around the country.
Patrick Runfeldt (Dramaturg) is delighted
to be making his Gift debut with such
an outstanding team! He is a freelance
dramaturg and playwright whose previous
work includes Midnight Cowboy (Lifeline
Theatre) and preproduction research
for the Goodman Theatre (2666, Another
Word for Beauty). He is a former ensemble
member of Shakespeare in the Park
(University of Florida) and the Signs of Life
hip hop theatre troupe (Gainesville, FL).
In 2015, he graduated with his MA in the
Humanities from the University of Chicago
with a focus in everyday performance
languages and psychoanalysis.
The Grapes Of Wrath
15
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
Corinne James (Stage Manager) is thrilled
to work with The Gift Theatre again to
stage manage Grapes of Wrath. A proud
member of the Actors’ Equity Union, Cori
has stage managed a number of Chicago
productions, most recently The Bachelors
(Cole Theatre), Good for Otto (The Gift
Theatre), The Royal Society of Antarctica
(The Gift Theatre), The Downpour (Route
66 Theatre), Cicada (Route 66 Theatre), and
Broadsword (The Gift Theatre). Cori spent
four years working as the assistant stage
manager at Northlight Theatre, and has
also previously worked for Ravinia Theater
Festival. Cori thanks Erica for often being
the other half of the stage management/
director dream team, and she also thanks
her family, friends, and her husband Rob
for their love and support.
Angela M. Adams (Assistant Stage
Manager) is pleased to make her Gift
Theatre debut. Other Chicago credits
include: Spring Awakening, Seussical,
October Sky, Wizard of Oz, The Nutcracker,
and Cinderella (Marriott Theatre); A
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Julius Caesar,
Taming of the Shrew, Othello: the Remix,
The Feast: an intimate Tempest, Funk It Up
About Nothin’, Edward II, and How Can You
Run with a Shell on Your Back? (Chicago
Shakespeare Theater); The Etiquette of
Vigilance (Steppenwolf Theatre Company);
and Million Dollar Quartet (at the Apollo
Theater). Regional Theater credits include:
Inherit the Wind (Bristol Riverside Theater);
Daddy’s Dying Who’s Got the Will, Clue! The
Musical, and A Funny Thing Happened on the
Way to the Forum (Ozark Actors Theatre).
Off Broadway credits include: The Asphalt
Kiss (Lord Strange Company); Kings (Verse
Theater Manhattan); and Second Summer
(Colleagues Theatre Company). Proud
member of Actor’s Equity Association.
David Preis (Technical Director) has
contributed his woodworking, general
handyman, and all around technical
16
The Gift Theatre Company
expertise to The Gift since 2002, becoming
Technical Director in 2006. He has worked
as a luthier for over 35 years – making
cellos and basses for Englehardt-Link
based in Elk Grove Village. David studied
theatre and design at Illinois Wesleyan and
has worked as the sound engineer for “The
Night Crawlers,” a Chicago area blues band.
Throughout the years, he has designed,
built, and/or coordinated lighting, set,
and sound for a number of Chicago area
productions including critically acclaimed
productions of Tango and Josephine, The
Mouse Singer both at Chicago Actors
Ensemble, Brick/Walls Open Spaces for
Shakti Dance Company, Crying Woolf at
Zebra Crossing Theatre, and Light Up the
Sky at Gurnee Theatre Company.
Emjoy Gavino (Casting Director) Chicago
acting credits include Court, Northlight,
Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Remy
Bumppo, Paramount, Broadway Playhouse,
Lookingglass, The Neo-Futurists, The
Goodman and Second City Theatricals.
Regional credits: Repertory Actors Theatre,
Village Theatre and 5th Avenue Theater.
Film/TV: Chicago Med, Empire, Chicago
Fire, Mob Doctor, Boss, and Freudian
Slip. Emjoy is a company member and
teaching artist with Barrel of Monkeys,
an ensemble member of Remy Bumppo
and is the founder and producer of The
Chicago Inclusion Project. She has been a
consultant for casting several projects in
the Chicago area since 2012.
Sarah Luse (Production Manager) is
extremely excited to be apart of The Gift
team as production manager for the
2016 season. Some previous production
management credits include The Dead
Prince, The Spirit Play, and Good-bye Cruel
World (Strange Tree Group), A Doll’s House,
Fifth of July, Escape From Happiness, and
The Crucible (Infamous Commonwealth)
and Women At War (Rivendell Theatre).
Along with production management Sarah
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
is also a stage manager. Some favorite
stage management credits include Richard
III, Thinner Than Water, W;t, Lonesome
West, War of the Worlds and TEN (The Gift
Theatre); Bad Jews, Thom Pain (based on
nothing), and Completeness (Theatre Wit);
Hamlet, Cymbeline, and The Importance
of Being Ernest (Michigan Shakespeare
Festival); and Bonhoeffer’s Cost (Provision
Theatre).
Michael Patrick Thornton (Artistic
Director and Co-Founder of The Gift) was
most recently seen as Richard in The Gift’s
production of Richard III at Steppenwolf’s
Garage and prior to that in fellow Gift
ensemble member Will Eno’s one-man
show Title And Deed (Lookingglass,
directed by Gift ensemble member Marti
Lyons); the nationally-acclaimed rolling
premiere of fellow Gift ensemble member
Andrew Hinderaker’s Colossal (Kennedy
Center/UT-Austin/Olney Theatre); as Iago
in Othello (The Gift, directed by Jonathan
Berry); and Our Town (Actors Theatre of
Louisville, directed by Les Waters). As a
director, Michael recently directed the
world premiere of David Rabe’s Good For
Otto (The Gift). At Steppenwolf, Michael
directed Of Mice And Men, was a very
grateful assistant director on the Pulitzer
Prize and Tony Award-winning August:
Osage County, is a former student of (class
of 2001) and current instructor at The
School at Steppenwolf, played the title
role in The Elephant Man, and the role
of Mechanic in the Midwest Premiere of
Will Eno’s Middletown, directed by Les
Waters. Awards: Joseph Jefferson Award
(Solo Performance: The Good Thief, The
Gift) Time Out Magazine “Best Actor”
Award (Title And Deed); Tree of Life Award:
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago; Chicago
Finalist: National Shakespeare Contest
(Mitzi-Newhouse Theatre; Lincoln Center)
3Arts Artist Award; Northlight Theatre’s
Jack Springer Award for Outstanding
Performance; The Tim Meier & Helen
Coburn Meier Foundation Achievement
Award, The Second City Foundation’s Jim
Zulevic Chicago Arts Award, and induction
into The University of Iowa and St. Patrick
High School Halls of Fame. Film/TV: ABC’s
Private Practice, FOX’s The Chicago Code,
Ron Howard’s The Dilemma, THE JAMZ,
and the films The View From Tall, Liquors,
and Soup du Jour. He lives blissfully in the
Jefferson Park neighborhood of Chicago
with his wife, the performance artist
Lindsey Barlag Thornton. We miss you,
Sheldon.
To our beloved friend &
fellow ensemble member...
Sheldon Patinkin
WE MISS YOU...
The Grapes Of Wrath
17
T H A N K S F O R G I V I N G U S A H A N D I N M O R E WA Y S T H A N O N E !
The Gift Theatre is tremendously appreciative of all the support we need and receive. We
humbly thank the benefactors below for their generous gifts. This list reflects gifts made
from January 1, 2012 thru May 26, 2016. A special thanks goes out to our 2016 Season
Subscribers – both new and renewing - we couldn’t do it without you!
Every effort is made to ensure that the information included in our program is correct. If
you have a question or wish to revise your listing in any way, please call 773-283-7071.
¾ “Almost There”
Sponsors:
The Mile ($1,500+)
Suzy Blakewell
Joe Brady III
Chairman’s Cup 2013
George Karzas - Gift
Chairman
Rabb Family Foundation
Douglas Brown
Demetrios Kozonis
Coyle Family Foundation
Scott George
Roger & Rita Manka
$75,000 - $200,000
Anonymous
$10,000 - $74,999
The Alphawood Foundation
Douglas Brown & Rachel
Kraft
Dan & Carol Cyganowski
The Gaylord & Dorothy
Donnelley Foundation
The Richard H. Driehaus
Foundation
George Karzas
William Petersen & Gina
Cirone
Rabb Family Foundation
Rehabilitation Institute of
Chicago (RIC)
Tamblernerd Foundation
Greg & Anne Taubeneck
Family Fund at The
Chicago Community
Trust
Frank & Rita Thornton
$5,000 - $9,999
The Gale Street Inn
Sol R. Kaufman Family
Foundation
Robin Tennant-Colburn
18
The Gift Theatre Company
Tracy Letts
The Saints
Mike & Tina Valenti
Shannon & Marc Wallace
$3,000 - $4,999
John & Gina Brahm
Ryan J. Christoi
Ed & Laura Gale
Maureen Gawlik
Paul Botts & Heather
McCowen
Ronald A. Greene Memorial
Fund
Carla Scott
$1,000 - $2,999
Mike & Mary Bezanson
Brian & Geraldine
Donaldson
Ed Flynn
Mark Hudson
Ursula & R. Stanley Johnson
Shanna Karamaniolas
Robert & Sharon Martwick
Michael McGuire
Morris & Helen Messing
Foundation
Naveed & Ellen Moosa
Michael & Kay O’Halleran
Jeff Perry
The Portage Restaurant
Gary & Elizabeth Potts
Carrie Schloss
TCF Bank
Quay Tao
Patrick & Kim Weber
Terry & Kathy Xaverius
$100 - $999
Fischman Liquors & Tavern
– Natural Gas Sponsor
Fred & Diane Atwill
Dr. Geraldine Balut Coleman
Peggy Bagley
Kimberly Baratta
Robert & Delores Barber
Roland Batten
Gary & Judy Becker
Susan Bowen
John & Jennifer Boylan
Alan Brody
Susan Brown
Brian Buchanan
Jan Burroway
Tracey Burke
Heinz & Marian Busta
Karen Callaway
Marc & Cheryl Carl
Thomas Carroll
Mike & Diane Christoi
John Claxton
Mark & Mary Conley-Teresi
Catherine Cooper
Bruce Davidson
Patricia Donegan
Catherine Dunlap
Will Dunne
Henry & Helen Dwyer
Anne Egan
George & Lucia Economos
Stephen Edfors
Tim & Mary Erdmann
Jennifer & Donald Faliszek
Kim Fazzini
Beth Finke & Michael
Knezovich
Larry Fisher
& Steve Weiland
Mark & Lyn Fitzgerald
Timothy Fox
Nancy Franken
Paul & Kathy Galvin
Charles Grant
Larry & Pearl Greenstein
Greg George
Gerald & Colleen
Greenwood
Marj Halperin & Alan
Robinson
Sean Harder
Steve & Lucretia Hardy
Larry & Judy Hicks
T H A N K S F O R G I V I N G U S A H A N D I N M O R E WA Y S T H A N O N E !
Paul & Kathy Hinderaker
Gregory & Janna Holmes
Mary Ittelson
Matthew & Sharon
Johnston
BJ & Candace Jones
Jeffrey Jones
Nancy Kaiser
Marissa Kalman
Tom & Maryann Keifer
Vera Kelly
Keith & Katherine Kemp
Molly King
Mitchelle Kmiec
Jeff & Linda Kroll
Brian & Kathleen Laffey
Claire Simon Lasser
Bruce & Mary Leep
Linda Legner
Horace Lottero
Judith Lucas
Ted & Maureen Lucore
Kathy Makuh
Eric Markowitz & Kara
Zimmerman
Guy Massey
Natasha Matza
Bob & Maria McCabe
Nancy McDaniel
Dan & Cathy McHugh
Dan McKearnan
Eric & Jennifer Meyers
Laura Michelini
Laura Miller
Karen Moloney
Rev. Thomas Mulcrone
Patrick & Marietta Mullane
Helen Murray
Catherine Murphy
Michael Muryn
Quintin Nadig
Mike & Nance Nalepa
William Nedved
Roy & Janis Olausson
Steve & Nicole O’Brien
Kevin & Carmel O’Malley
Mickie Paskal
Norman Patinkin
Pavement Group Legacy
Gift
Ronald & Karen Payne
Paul & Gayle Plantz
Patrick Quinn
Alexander Ramos
William Reeder
Robert Rizzo
Justin Roberts
Neal & Denise Robinson
Joshua Rollins
Bill and Maryann Rowe
Tom & Gerrie Ryan
Nathan Schloss
Rosa M. Schloss
Frank & Karen Schneider
Phil Schwartz
Randy & Vicki Sellers
William Shiffman
Signature Bank
Christa-Marie Singleton
Joe & Connal Small
Dr. Joanne & Rory Smith
Donald Sprague & Ray
Grant to honor Julie Lyons
for 30+ years of teaching
Wendy Stetson
Susan Suchy
Mark Teresi & Mary ConleyTeresi
Mary Ann Thebus
Randolph & Barbara
Thomas
Phillip Thompson
Donna Thorman
Timothy Thurlow
Mark Tinker
Fran Tuite
Hollis Turner
Cecilia Tynus
Mike Villannueva
Anne Volz
Edgar Waenke & William
Walker
Al & Lorraine Weber
David Westby
Jodi Wickersheimer
Jan Willer
Carol Williams
Jeffrey Winter
Mary Winter
David Worthington
James Yost
James & Ellen Zornes
$1 - $99
Elynne Chaplik Aleskow
David Alex
Maxinne Arctander
Joakim Backstrom
Cynthia Baker
Patricia Barrow
Rollie Batten
Barbara Berndt
Elizabeth Birnkrant
Judith Bishop
Mary Jo Brown
Suzanne Brown
Robert Brueler & Susan Petri
William & Catherine Burke
John Cahill
Maggie Cantrell
Lonnie Carter
Victor Cassidy
Lois Cichowski
Kathleen Conneely
Thomas Cox
Paul D’Addario
Leigh Daeuble
Phillip Dawkins
Maureen Eisenberg
Douglas Faulds
Kirsten Fitzgerald
Eric Forsythe
Robert Franchini
Angela Franco
Sara Gammage
Deborah Garber
Lindsey Gasior
Cindy Gold
Jesse Gomez
JoAnn Goodwin
Tom & Bonnie Graham
Mary Grimm
Norma Gulyas
Ashley Hardgrave
Boyd Harris
Steve & Anne Hasselbeck
Patrick Hayes
Laure Heffernan
George Hendrix
Timothy Hughes
Tom & Suzy Jackson
Larry Janovsky
Mary Kazarian
Michael Knezovich
Allen Kodish
Robert Koon
Wayne Kozikowski
Brian & Kathleen Laffey
Barbara Lanctot
Richard Landgraff
Jennifer Landis
Ron & Jane Larsen
The Grapes Of Wrath
19
T H A N K S F O R G I V I N G U S A H A N D I N M O R E WA Y S T H A N O N E !
Judy Levin
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Licht
Robert Lichtenbert
Kyle & Jamie Liebich
Scott Allen Luke
Kathy Makuh
Dorothy McCabe
Barbara McDonagh
Bill & Donna McGough
Kelly Morgan
George Motto
Darci Nalepa
Keith Neagle
Henrettia Means-Nelson
Marc & Paula O’Brien
Sheila O’Connor
Edward & Margaret O’Farrell
Elizabeth Okayama
Gay Olk
Colleen O’Malley
Patti Paul
Lindsey Pearlman
Michael Pesoli
Michael Petersen
Edward Pierson
Jonathan Pitts
Joann Poplar
Joan Porat
Merril Praeger
Jody Preston
Beth Quigley
Betty Quigley
Marianne Quinn
Pat & Ann Riordan
Kenyatta Rogers
Cindy Schacher
Hedwig Schellbach
Helen Schmit
Justine Serino
Christine Simokaitis
Eva Skowronski
Mary Smyth
Doug Soat
Stephen Spencer
Donna & Allan Sutow
Meg Thalken
Matthew Tiegler
Robert Weinstock
Art & Rosemary Whiteside
Maria Winter
Denise Wojcik
Elizabeth Wooton
Teresa Zhu
Alan Zunamon
In-Kind
A. Saccone & Sons
Thomas C. Brennan, CPA
& Diane Brennan
Donald Elmi
Gannon Graphics, Inc.
The Gift Ensemble
Rick Izzi
Phil & Jenny Schwartz
Shannon Walker
Gale Street Inn
A Proud Sponsor of The Gift Theatre Company
4914 North Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL 60630
773-725-1300
Dinner-Theatre Subscriptions are Available!
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The Gift Theatre Company