Theatre and Dance to present world premiere of “The 30,000 Bequest” at the Egyptian Theatre
A movie more than a decade in the making will have its world premiere, Saturday, January 21 at 7 p.m. at DeKalb’s Egyptian Theatre. The NIU School of Theatre and Dance will present the original film production of Mark Twain’s “The $30,000 Bequest.”
Filmed in 2011, the production was a collaboration that included faculty, students and staff from the College of Visual and Performing Arts, School of Theatre and Dance, NIU Media Services and others from around campus, including members of the School of Music who performed on the soundtrack for the movie.
The film stars Josh Anderson, Joel Stanley Huff and Jessica Webb. All three are alumni of the School of Theatre and Dance. Anderson and Huff earned their MFAs in acting and Webb her BFA in acting.
Alexander Gelman adapted the screenplay, costume design was done by Melanie Parks, production design by Terry McClellan, and the film was edited by director of photography James S. Barker.
Rich Holly was dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts at the time and executive produced the movie.
The film was shot in the summer of 2011 on campus and in this 1880s era Sycamore home.
In a small town which boasts about 6,000 residents lives a young couple. Saladin and Electra are both practical and diligent in all their endeavors. Their lives are happy. One day, they receive news from a distant relative Tilbury Foster, from a neighboring state, who mentions that he would be leaving $30,000 bequest for them in his will, provided that they make no inquiries about him and do not attend his funeral. So begins our tale, originally told by Mark Twain now retold by DeKalb filmmakers in this full-length motion picture.
Come be the first to see this world premiere event.
Tickets are $5, and NIU students will be admitted free of charge with their ID.
Proceeds from the world premiere will benefit the Melanie Parks Memorial Scholarship in Costume Design.
The movie was filmed in the summer of 2011 with some scenes shot on the NIU campus and on location in Sycamore in a home built in the 1880s in order to reflect the setting of the film at the turn of the 20th century.
NIU Today reported on the project as it was being filmed.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at egyptiantheatre.org or at the theater the night of the performance. The world premiere of the film is supported in part by the NIU Arts and Culture Fee.
Nicholas Bishop (Rode) is a junior actor at NIU. You may have seen him in past shows such as “Everybody”, “Love and Information”, and “Macbeth.” Hobbies include; guitar, basketball, and skateboarding. He is super EXCITED to be a part of this show.
Noah Bunch (Solyony) is a fourth year BFA in acting candidate from Louisville, Kentucky. His credits at NIU include Narcissus in “Polaroid Stories”, Flake in “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui”, Blick in “Time of Your Life”, and Jay in “Something, Like Happiness.” Outside of NIU, Noah’s credits include Angelo in “Measure for Measure” (Commonwealth Theatre Center), Lysander in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Commonwealth Theatre Center), Herr Swetts in “A Bright Room Called Day” (Commonwealth Theatre Center), Conner in “Good Kids” (Commonwealth Theatre Center), and Benjamin Saar in “The Yellow Boat” (Alley Theatre).
Kaitlyn Cheng (Irina) is a third year MFA acting candidate who hails from California. Previous NIU credits include: “The Wolves” (#8), “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” (Clark), “Bike America” (Penny). It has been a joy to share this experience with a room full of generous people. It feels good to be back.
Tomás Dakan (Andrei) was born and raised in Pasadena, Calif. and received a B.A. in Theatre from Occidental College. He is thrilled to be back in a physical space to work on “Three Sisters” as his final project role, especially after the room has been so eager and hungry to find the beautiful moments in this play. His previous credits at NIU include Todd in “Bike America”, Felix in “Bird in the Hand”, and Edmund in “Summertime.” He wishes to thank all the NIU faculty and staff that have helped him up to this point and hopes you enjoy the show as much as he has enjoyed working on it.
Hannah Hammel (Olga) is a third year MFA in Acting candidate. She is the co-founder and marketing and PR mirector of Spicy Witch Productions, a feminist theater company based in New York City. Outside of NIU, she has performed with the Walnut Street Theatre, Newnan Shakespeare in the Park, Aftershock Entertainment, Truth Be Told Productions, Ritz Theatre Company, ReVamp Collective, Ignoble Shakespeare, Family Stages, Philadelphia Women’s Theatre Festival, and many others. At NIU, she’s been seen in “Angels in America: Millennium Approache”s (Hannah Pitt, Rabbi, Ethel Rosenberg), “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” (Old Dogsborough), and “A Bright New Boise” (Pauline). BA English – Haverford College. 
Zac Harness (Fedotik) is a third year BFA actor who is incredibly happy to have his first in-person appearance on a NIU stage. Previous NIU credits include “The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui“ as Gaffles/Fish/Bodyguard and “Town Hall” as B. He is so excited to be in a front of a live audience again and hopes that you enjoy the show!
James Hendley (Kulygin) is a third year MFA Acting student originally from Newnan, Ga. Previous shows at NIU include “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches”, “Love and Information”, and “Summertime.” Regional credits include the Nurse in “Romeo and Juliet” (Great River Shakespeare Festival), Haemon in “Antigone” (Barter Players), and Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet” (North Carolina Stage Company). James is also the proud co-founder and artistic director of Newnan Shakespeare in the Park, which produces free performances of the works of William Shakespeare every summer in Newnan, Ga. Much love to RJA always. Enjoy the show!
Kaz Qutab (Chebutykin) is a third-year Acting MFA candidate from central Massachusetts. “Three Sisters” is his first live production at NIU. He offers his deepest gratitude to the people who made this production, the people who came from many miles away to see it, and his person. Previous credits: Nick in “The Time of Your Life”, Givola in “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui”, and Death in “Everybody.”
James Arthel Reilly (Vershinin) is a third year MFA Acting candidate from the great state of Pennsylvania. He has previously appeared at NIU in “Summertime”, “Love and Information” and “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches.” James is a writer, actor, teacher and filmmaker. He is enormously grateful to be back to work and cannot dream of a better group of people with which to take this journey.
Andrea Shapiro (Natasha) hails from Ann Arbor, Mich. She is a fourth year BFA Acting candidate, professional singer, and working on feeling solid enough to put “dancer” in her bio. NIU credits: #14 in ”The Wolves” and Arthur/Momus in Franz Kafka’s “The Castle.” Other credits include: Ariel in “The Little Mermaid” (Stage Coach Players), cast member in “Stockwell” (Intermission: A Virtual Theatre Festival), as well as multiple productions at Chicago’s Second City.
Gavin Struempler (Tuzenbach) is an Alaskan born and raised, fourth-year BFA acting candidate at Northern Illinois University. He was last seen on the live stage as K in “The Castle” and Lysander in Goodly Creatures “Midsummer Night’s Dream.” He has performed with Convergence Theater Collective and is a founding member of NYC’s movement theater group Babel. He’s so incredibly thankful to have you here, and hopes you enjoy the show.
Rachael Yoder (Masha) is a third year MFA Acting candidate hereat NIU. Favorite credits include, NIU: “The Wolves”, “Girls and Dolls”, “Everybody.” Regional: “Sleepy Hollow” (Capital Repertory Theatre) “A Christmas Carol”, “Amadeus” (Geva Theater Center) “Richard III”, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “As You Like It”, “Othello”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “The Winter’s Tale” (MaineStage Shakespeare) “Love’s Labour’s Lost”, “Two Gentlemen of Verona” (Shakespeare in the Valley) New York: “Fifth of July, Independence” (The Stella Adler Studio of Acting) “Pretty Theft” (Jordan Bean & Co). Rachael also serves as managing mirector of The Outer Loop Theater Experience, overseeing partner projects in Tanzania with her husband Michael. She is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association. More at 
