The Silence That Follows

Featuring: Peter DeFaria, Shawna Franks, Maria Stephens, Stephen Walker, John Corkill, and Alex Monroe

July 15 -29, 2016 - Friday and Saturday nights at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm
A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells, Chicago

Artistic Director | Kirk Anderson
Managing Director | Shawna Franks

Media

Uploaded by Facility on 2017-09-22.

Biographies

facility

Our goal is simple: Whether developing a new work or providing support and a home for the extension of another, our wish is to become a diverse arts hub. We wish to provide the most fertile ground possible to create. To give to the bravest among the artist of our time and place.

If the fates allow there will be a physical Facility down the road for everyone to share, play, sketch, and grow in. Until then, we humbly thank our more established siblings at A Red Orchid Theatre for giving us a corner of the world to mark as our own for a few weeks and do what we enjoy best.

Cast

Peter DeFaria (Ross) is very happy to be working with such talented wonderful artists. Many thanks to Tom, Kirk, Shawna; Facility, for making that happen.

Shawna Franks (Vivien) is very excited to be performing at AROT with c a K e, in the first production of Facility Theatre! She most recently performed in Grand Concourse at Steppenwolf Theatre where she was honored to cover performances for the incomparable Mariann Mayberry. Shawna originated the role of Dottie in Killer Joe at The Next Lab in Evanston. She performed this role at The Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, The Bush Theatre in London, and The Vaudeville Theatre on London’s West End. She has also appeared in various productions in Dublin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and New York City. Shawna is the founding Artistic Director of Space 55 Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. She is also a founding member and Managing Director of the newly hatched Facility Theatre where she will get to create opportunities for Chicago’s performing artists, and make theatre with people she loves. Shawna is represented by Paonessa Talent. Much gratitude goes to her two sons, Jackson and Samson. Thank you Elliot.

Stephen Walker (Joe) previously performed at A Red Orchid Theatre in Celebration and The Hothouse. Recent credits include American Buffalo and Ibsen's Ghosts at Mary Arrchie, Black River Falls at Curious Theatre Branch, The White Road at IRC, and The Coward at Stage Left. He has also worked at Goodman, Steppenwolf, Mark Taper Forum, Oobleck, NeoFuturists, Viaduct, Hypocrites and many more. He is a former Artistic Director and Ensemble Member of the Factory Theater. Film/TV credits include Chicago Fire and Stir of Echoes. Many thanks to Dado, Shawna Franks and everyone at Facility.

beyond this point (music) is an exploratory collaboration seeking to investigate resonances and intersections across several practices including theater, movement, media/film, non-traditional musical forms, sculpture, text, and installations both static and performative. The collaboration aims to engage diverse audiences on multiple levels through its exploration of resonances between artistic mediums with a goal of developing a platform in which to create works that are intrinsically coalesced along these resonances from their point of inception. beyond this point was founded in 2014 by Chicago percussionists John Corkill and Alex Monroe. The collaboration has presented hybrid works for percussion, vocals, visual art, and theatre at a wide range of venues including the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the University of Chicago’s Gray Center for Arts & Inquiry, Chicago Transit Authority Platforms, A Red Orchid Theatre, The Artistic Home, Constellation, and Kamehachi Sushi Bar. beyond this point’s endeavors have resulted in original works by composers Samuel Adams, John Elmquist, Pierce Gradone, Igor Santos, and David Skidmore. On August 19 and 20 at 8pm, beyond this point will present ?Corporal, and evening of percussion theatre at the Humility Gallery in Pilsen. More info at beyondthispoint.org.

dado (Director) is an ensemble member at A Red Orchid, where she has directed in and acted in a lot of plays including last years The Mutilated, Simpatico, The Hothouse, and Megacosm. This is her 3rd Incubator, her first with Facility. She is the founder of c a K e which is an experimental theatre producing organization with a terrible Facebook page. Past Incubators are A Night Out, and Celebration, both by Harold Pinter. She is a frequent collaborator with Beyond This Point. After this project, she will direct Harold Pinter's first play, The Room for AROT. She is currently teaching at DePaul and has an MFA from the University of Chicago in visual art. This work is for Renata Horowitz.

Laura Reitsma (Assistant Director) is a producer, director and performer around town. Laura played Betty in A Red Orchid's first incubator, A Night Out by Harold Pinter and is super stoked to be assistant directing Dado on this production that is NOT by Harold Pinter. Laura is the producing Artistic Director of The LIVINGroom, a a solo performance series that brings together solo artists who devise and perform autobiographical stories based on a theme every second Sunday of the month at Stage 773.

Lauren Lassus (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be working on this wonderfully weird show! Recent credits include: The Orchestra at Akvavit and The Few at Steep Theatre Co. where she is and artistic associate. She has previously worked with Lookingglass, Writers Theatre, Jackalope, WildClaw, Theatre Seven, Two Pence, The Inconvenience, and American Blues Theatre. She is also currently stage managing theatre for the wee ones at Emerald City Theatre Company. Thanks to Dado and the entire cast and crew!

Sam Hurwitz ( Assistant Stage Manager) recently graduated from Columbia College of Chicago with a degree in Comedy Writing and Performance. Is this show a comedy? Maybe, I guess we’ll find out. (Hint: no, it’s not.) A HUGE thank you to Lauren Lassus for generously passing down her coveted stage management wisdom. (I still owe you a drink.) Finally, thank you to everyone involved for keeping the spirit of play alive!

Kotryna Hilko (Costume and Props) is thrilled to be working with Facility! Past credits include Byhalia, Mississippi (Definition Theatre Company and The New Colony), Waiting for Godot (UIC Theatre) and Angry Brigade (Chicago Circle Players). Associate designer credits include A Doll's House (Definition Theatre Company) and Stickfly (Windy City Playhouse). She is a recent graduate from University of Illinois at Chicago where she is pursued her BA in Costume Design and BFA in Performance. Special thanks to my beautiful family, Dado, and Kristy Hall, for all the opportunities and support. I couldn’t have gotten this far without you!

J Van Ort (Props) is excited to assist with The Silence That Follows and it’s amazing crew. J is a writer, critic, performer, and semi-professional helper. They are a graduate from University of Illinois at Chicago.

Elliot Baker (Playwright) is a playwright and actor who travels between London and Chicago. He has been a member of c a K e for two years and was seen in their recent productions of A Night Out (as Kedge) and Celebration (as Lambert). His last play, Only Human was produced at the short-play night, “8Squared” in Swiss Cottage, London. He is currently under commission by Adam Line and his “Solos” night at The Star Of Kings in King’s Cross. He is currently a student at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and is projected to graduate in 2017.

c a K e is a conglomeration of art/performance situations. the idea behind c a K e is to explore the matrix of complications that ensue when ideas and form imbricate empathic epistemologies. c a K e has employed various objects and humans to make work that questions corporeality and the human condition. Is human nature? Are aliens nature? Is everybody in? The ceremony is about to begin. Wake up.

Kirk Anderson (Facility Artistic Director) is a long time theatre artist in Chicago. He has been a member of both European Repertory Theatre and TUTA. His play The Jewels, was produced by TUTA under his direction. He has worked with many of Chicago's theatre companies. Most currently he is working at Steppenwolf on Between Riverside And Crazy. Other Steppenwolf credits include The Diary Of Anne Frank, Huck Finn, Lady Madeline, Uncle Vanya, Penelope (Fight choreographer). Other Chicago credits include Ghosts (Mary Archie). The Woman Before, John Doe, Overweight, unimportant: Mishape (Trapdoor Theatre). There Is A Happiness That Morning Is (Theatre Oobleck). The Wedding, Fulton Street Sessions, Mozart And Saliari, The Jewels (TUTA). The Ballad Of Emmet Till (Goodman Theatre). Dandelion Wine (Chicago Children’s Theatre). Teibele and Her Demon, Go Away-Go Away, Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead, Slavs!, Zoyka's Apartment and Ivanov. (European RepertoryCompany).