Cast
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Liz Hoffman: (Josie/ Costume Designer) Liz is an actor and writer with a BA in theater and a BA in English from Loyola University. Liz has worked with various Chicago theater companies over the last few years, including Tire Swing, Player’s Ring, Speaking Ring, A Reasonable Facsimile Theatre Co, Ground Up, Rubicon, Loop Players, and the Bailiwick Directors’ Fest. In addition, Liz has written short pieces for all of ARFTCo’s Christmas Spectaculars and was the winner of the Women’s Theater Alliance’s short play-off competition in 2007. Though she mainly calls Project 891Theatre home, Liz is also an ensemble member of A Reasonable Facsimile Theatre Co. And she makes kick-ass chocolate chip cookies.
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Michael Mejia (Alex) Michael is so excited to be making his debut with Project 891. Some past credits include Noah in The Rainmaker, Ensemble in The Wedding Singer, Mike Costa in A Chorus Line and Lion in The Wiz. Michael attended Indiana University with a major in Musical Theatre. He is so glad to be apart of this amazing cast and production. He would like to thank Michael Rashid for the opportunity to perform in this production as well as friends and family for their ongoing support.
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Jason Nykiel (Jeremy) Jason Nykiel is so happy to be working with Project 891 again after appearing in their production of Our Leading Lady last year. Jason graduated from Roosevelt University in 2010 with a BFA in theatre. He's also worked with Pride Films and Plays, Kid Brooklyn Productions, New Rock Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Navy Pier, and Point of Contention Theatre among others. Jason would like to thank Sam for driving him crazy and keeping him sane all at the same time
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Ron Popp (Eric) has been seen as Nathan Leopold in Never the Sinner: The Leopold and Loeb Story, Virgin Mary/James in the mid-western premiere of Terrence McNally's Corpus Christi, Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Guildenstern in Hamlet, Much in Robin Hood, Bud Frump in H2$ and Swift in All in the Timing and various roles in ARFTCO's Christmas Spectacular. Directing credits include. the mid-west premeire of Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead for Rubicon Theatre Project, The Laramie Project and The Heidi Chronicles, Ron obtained his BA in Theatre with a focus on playwrighting from the University of Indianapolis and is the recipient of a Certificate of Merit in playwriting from the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival for his full length play Coming Home.
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Rocco Renda (Will) Being an actor, costume designer, director and playwright, Rocco considers himself a theatre-geek. Rocco has recently finished Arcas Production's Beowulf where he performed as King Hrothgar. At the end of the summer he will be directing Werewolf's Curse and designing Streeterville for Theatre-Hikes Productions. He would like to thanks Jeff for allowing him to join the cast and Newton, Mongo and the rest of his family for always giving him support and love.
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RJ Silva (Max) a Manila native and a current junior in Loyola Chicago's theatre department, is excited to be in his first Project 891 production! He was previously seen in Emerald City's Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, A-Squared Theatre's My Asian Mom, and various Loyola productions. Thanks to Michael Rashid for this wonderful opportunity, my mentors and peers in Loyola, and for my family for letting me act and not go to nursing school. Bleep!
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Jake Szczepaniak (Kevin) is a proud graduate of the acting program at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. At school some of his favorite parts were Frump in H2$, Romeo in Shakespeare’s R $J , Rudy in Bent, and Cyclops in Anon(ymous). In Chicago he was in the Jeff award winning Urinetown at Circle Theatre, Pavement Group's Girl, You Know it’s True; he lip-sung in Remy Bumppo's Changes of Heart and understudied for the role of Billy in their production of The Goat or Who is Sylvia? He was also in Black Elephant's Gross Indecency:The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde. He is incredibly thankful to work with such a great group on such brave play. Many thanks to all who deserve it, especially Bob, Paige, Bros, and Jackson.
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Michael Woods (Jeff) Michael has worked professionally all over the nation in film, television and theater. His most recent theater credits include, The Complete History of America Abridged with Metropolis Theatre, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde with Black Elephant Theater, and Wait Until Dark with Citadel Theatre. Michael has appeared in Showtimes' SHAMELESS as well as several commercials and films. Michael has his MFA in Acting from Regent University and he is an active member of the Society of American Fight Directors.
Crew
Joshua Dlouhy (Technical Director/Set Design/Master Carpenter) is delighted to be back with Project 891 working on another great production after building their set for Our Leading Lady. He has produced, teched and assistant directed numerous productions in Chicagoland, including The Last Night of Ballyhoo, Little Women, Abelard & Heloise, Godspell, The Laramie Project, Forever Plaid, Gross Indecency, A Majority of One, The Fantasticks, The Sunshine Boys, The Rainmaker and See How They Run. He also directed Arsenic & Old Lace for The James Downing Theatre in Edison Park. An accountant by day, Josh is thrilled to be involved in Chicago Theatre. A sincere thanks to Michael, Ron and Liz for inviting me back to Project 891 and special thanks to Beth, Floyd, Mark and Stefan for keeping me sane! Break a leg everyone!
Richard Fields (Lighting Designer) is a freelance lighting designer based out of Chicago, IL. He really enjoys working on projects such as this, which allow him to explore his creativity and put his heart and soul in the production. Recent credits include the Philadelphia Young Playwrights New Voices festival that featured eight new plays written by Philadelphia area high school students, as well as Forever Midnight, written and directed by famed director Lee Kenneth Richardson. Richard received his Bachelor of Fine Arts at Baylor University in 2010 and is currently working on his Master of Fine Arts degree at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. In 2011 he was fortunate enough to complete the prestigious apprenticeship program at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where he fell in love with the culture of creativity in Chicago. He looks forward to a continued relationship with Project 891 and all of the wonderful people they work with.
Connor Murray (Assistant Lighting Designer) Going into his second year at Columbia College Chicago, Connor Murray is a Theater Design major with a particular taste for jazz vocal standards and ballroom dance.
Kiri Palm (Stage Manager) is delighted to be working with Project 891 yet again! Previous stage managing credits include Our Leading Lady, The Last Night of Ballyhoo (both with Project 891), Orpheus (Filament Theatre), and Picasso at the Lapin Agile (McLeod Summer Playhouse). Kiri would like to thank Michael, the awesome cast, and fantastic design team for all of their effort and for keeping her smiling. She’d also like to thank Hal for being Hal.
Michael Rashid (Director) is a company member of Project 891, and directed its first production, Never the Sinner. He has acted, written, and/or directed for many Chicago companies, including Emerald City, NewTown Writers, Breadline, Imagination Theater, and is co-founder and former artistic director of Black Elephant Theatre, where he directed Terre Haute and Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde. Michael holds a BA from Western Michigan University and MFA from West Virginia University. Thanks to the cast and crew for tackling this difficult subject with such grace and humor, and to NWJ.
Richard Fields (Lighting Designer) is a freelance lighting designer based out of Chicago, IL. He really enjoys working on projects such as this, which allow him to explore his creativity and put his heart and soul in the production. Recent credits include the Philadelphia Young Playwrights New Voices festival that featured eight new plays written by Philadelphia area high school students, as well as Forever Midnight, written and directed by famed director Lee Kenneth Richardson. Richard received his Bachelor of Fine Arts at Baylor University in 2010 and is currently working on his Master of Fine Arts degree at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. In 2011 he was fortunate enough to complete the prestigious apprenticeship program at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where he fell in love with the culture of creativity in Chicago. He looks forward to a continued relationship with Project 891 and all of the wonderful people they work with.
Connor Murray (Assistant Lighting Designer) Going into his second year at Columbia College Chicago, Connor Murray is a Theater Design major with a particular taste for jazz vocal standards and ballroom dance.
Kiri Palm (Stage Manager) is delighted to be working with Project 891 yet again! Previous stage managing credits include Our Leading Lady, The Last Night of Ballyhoo (both with Project 891), Orpheus (Filament Theatre), and Picasso at the Lapin Agile (McLeod Summer Playhouse). Kiri would like to thank Michael, the awesome cast, and fantastic design team for all of their effort and for keeping her smiling. She’d also like to thank Hal for being Hal.
Michael Rashid (Director) is a company member of Project 891, and directed its first production, Never the Sinner. He has acted, written, and/or directed for many Chicago companies, including Emerald City, NewTown Writers, Breadline, Imagination Theater, and is co-founder and former artistic director of Black Elephant Theatre, where he directed Terre Haute and Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde. Michael holds a BA from Western Michigan University and MFA from West Virginia University. Thanks to the cast and crew for tackling this difficult subject with such grace and humor, and to NWJ.
