The Rite of Spring highlights this year’s Spring Dance Concert

Apr 25, 2023 | Theatre and Dance, Theatre and Dance News, xCVPA, xFeatured

The spring semester programming in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance ends, fittingly, with Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” as part of the annual Spring Dance Concert, which opens, Thursday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Stevens Building’s O’Connell Theatre on the NIU main campus.

Feel transported into a colorful world of fresh new beginnings. Experience a wide variety of classical and modern dance pieces. Your senses will come alive during this one weekend only opportunity.

Dancers from the School of Theatre and Dance will perform three selections from “The Rite of Spring” and three more dances are featured in the dance concert with choreography created by faculty members Sarita Smith Childs, Marc Macaranas and Michel Rodriguez Cintra.

In addition to Thursday’s opening night, performances will be held, Friday, April 28 and Saturday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m., with matinee performances Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are available online at $17 for adults, $15 for seniors, $9 non-NIU students and NIU students are admitted free of charge.

As an exciting bonus, on Wednesday, April 26, the dancers will perform selections from “The Rite of Spring” in a special performance during the NIU Philharmonic Orchestra’s concert. This exciting opportunity to see the dancers with a live orchestra will be held at 7 p.m. in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the NIU Music Building. Tickets are available online.

2023 Spring Dance Concert
April 27-29, 7:30 p.m.
April 29 and 30, 2 p.m.
O’Connell Theatre
Stevens Building

Choreographers: Marc Macaranas, Michel Rodriguez Cintra, Sarita Smith Childs
Scenic Designers: Eric Brockmeier, Alicia Margerum
Costume Designer: Christina Leinicke
Lighting Designers: Kev Kollmann, Brandon Wardell
Technical Director: Tyler Sikorski
Projection Designers: Eric Brockmeier, Alicia Margerum
Projection Coordinator: Tyler Sikorski
Stage Manager: Jordan Clifton
Assistant Stage Manager: Lizzie Ciszczon

The show runs approximately one hour with a short pause after “The Rite of Spring.”

Show Order

The Rite of Spring
1. Spring Rounds, Ritual of the Rival Tribes, Procession of the Sage
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreographer: Sarita Smith Childs
Lighting Designer: Brandon Wardell
Assistant Lighting Designer: Kev Kollmann
Ensemble: Alyssa Altadonna, Taneya Ball, Athei Chagai, Millicent Collins, Darya Ellickson, Anna Lindstrom, Darius Murray, Ra’Shiah Wright

2. Le Sacrifice, Introduction
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreographer: Marc Macaranas
Lighting Designer: Brandon Wardell
Assistant Lighting Designer: Kev Kollmann
Ensemble: Athei Chagai, Millicent Collins, Gwen Jones, Abigail Kresno, Ra’Shiah Wright, Talia Sigismondi

3. Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One)
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreographer: Michel Rodriguez Cintra
Lighting Designer: Brandon Wardell
Assistant Lighting Designer: Kev Kollmann
Ensemble: Gwen Jones, Anna Lindstrom, Darius Murray

Creature Cooperation
Choreographer: Michel Rodriguez Cintra
Lighting Designer: Kev Kollmann
Music: Mexican Institute of Sound, Sotomayor and Mariel Mariel
Ensemble: Alyssa Altadonna, Taneya Ball, Celia Carpenter, Antonio Houston, Talia Sigismondi, Tianna Stubbs

GLiTCH
Choreographer: Marc Macaranas
Lighting Designer: Kev Kollmann
Music: Dali Muru & The Polyphonic Swarm, Abel Korzeniowski, Datassete
Ensemble: Celia Carpenter, Darya Ellickson, Gwen Jones, Abigail Kresno, Toby Thomas, Kyia White, Kendall Woodberry

Telling Our Stories
Choreographer: Sarita Smith Childs
Lighting Designer: Brandon Wardell
Music: Johann Johannsson, Air Lyndhurst String Orchestra and Anthony Weeden; Max Richter, Louisa Fuller, Natalia Bonner, Ian Burdge and Chris Worsey; and Black Violin
Ensemble: Alyssa Altadonna, Taneya Ball, Kemarion Bryant, Athei Chagai, Millicent Collins, Darya Ellickson, Antonio Houston, Abigail Kresno, Anna Lindstrom, Darius Murray, Tianna Stubbs, Kendall Woodberry, Ra’Shiah Wright

Choregraphers’ Notes

The Rite of Spring Part I: Sarita Smith Childs
Spring Rounds, Ritual of the Rival Tribes, Procession of the Sage.
Inspired by the technique of Martha Graham, this section reimagines the story of Rite as to have no central sacrifice for the arrival of spring. Members of a community are announcing that spring may not arrive if nothing is done to make changes in order to save our Earth.
Performed by Dancers of Modern IV Graham Technique.

Part II: Marc Macaranas
Le Sacrifice, Introduction
Music: Igor Stravinsky

Part III: Michel Rodriguez Cintra
Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One)
Music: Igor Stravinsky

Creature Cooperation is a piece which explores relationships within a workplace. In the rehearsal process, we focused on the highs and lows of a mundane existence within our society. The piece asks questions about how we work together, how we get through the days, and how we collaborate and cooperate on our work when we see each other every day.

GLiTCH
Choreography: Marc Macaranas
Dancers: Abigail Kresno, Gwen Jones, Kendall Woodberry, Toby Thomas, Celia Carpenter, Ky White, Darya Ellickson
Music: Dali Muru & The Polyphonic Swarm, Abel Korzeniowski, Datassete

Telling Our Stories:
• “Alone and Resilient*”
• “Growing Together”
• “In Community”
Explorations of grief, trauma and community.

For Bea.

* April is the month of the military child. “Alone and Resilient” is dedicated to our military children who often find themselves alone due to moves every two to three years, which creates loss of friendships; yearlong separations from parents due to deployments; and trauma due to the fear of or actual loss of a family member. Their resilience is unequivocal.

Cast Bios

Alyssa Altadonna is a B.F.A. major in dance performing arts. She has been dancing for about 16 years and is a sophomore at NIU. Prior to NIU she lived in England where she trained at Cygnets and Hazelwood dance studios. Before moving to England she lived in Germany where she trained in the Netherlands with Danzaira. She recently in the past year has training with Stephanie Saland. Altadonna hopes to move back to Europe and join a company; she particularly hopes to gain a place at The Dutch National Ballet.

Taneya Ball is a junior dance performance major at Northern Illinois University. She started dancing at the age of three, and continued to dance her way through life by taking a few dance classes and training at the Chicago High School For The Arts. So far, Ball has enjoyed her time at NIU. She feels like she’s learning how to be more comfortable as a dancer and also learning how to become a choreographer. Ball loves how she is comfortable being a part of the dance conservatory here at NIU. Lastly, she would like to give a special thank you to God, her family, friends and her teachers for pushing her to come this far in life.

 Kemarion Bryant is a freshman dance B.F.A. student major with a business minor. He danced and put on productions with Global Girls Incorporated for three years and went by the motto: “Courageous Talented Girls (and guys) Changing Our World.” The fall “Carmina Burana” show was his fi rst production show at NIU. Bryant plans to graduate in spring 2016 and hopes to be a well-known background dancer for celebrities and/or in movies. He then hopes to grow into a choreographer, open his own studio and break off into other business adventures later down the line.

Celia Carpenter is a junior B.F.A dance major. Her dance training includes Emergence, Beth Fowler School of Dance, State Street Dance in Geneva, Illinois with Guillermo Leyva and Vilma Machin, Dimensions Dance Academy and Sycamore Performing Arts Academy. Her most memorable performances include partnering in the Candy Cane piece in BFSD’s “Nutcracker” and as a demi-soloist en pointe as a Willi in “Giselle” with DDA. Carpenter is excited to have the opportunity to be performing again for her third semester here at NIU.

Athei Chagai is a sophomore at NIU from Clinton, Iowa. Chagai is a B.F.A. dance major and has been dancing for the past 17 years. Before NIU, Chagai received most of her dance training at the Carousel School of Dance in Clinton, Iowa where she was also a member of the Gateway Contemporary Ballet Company. She has also attended summer dance programs such as Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, Ballet Quad Cities School of Dance and Faubourg Theater. Chagai is very excited to be back performing this school year.

Millicent Collins is a sophomore B.F.A. dance major and plans to earn a minor in nonprofit and nongovernmental studies. Before attending NIU, Collins trained with Turning Pointe Academy of Dance in Maryville, Illinois, and was a member of TourDance preprofessional dance company. She performed in the Student Elevate Project with The Big Muddy Dance Company in Saint Louis, Missouri from 2018 to 2021. Collins participated in summer intensives with The Big Muddy Dance Company, COCA Saint Louis, Nashville Ballet and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. In 2018 and 2019, she performed in Dance For Food, an outreach performance to benefit the Saint Louis Area Food Bank. Postgraduation from NIU, Collins hopes to combine her love of social justice, community outreach and the performing arts to help others and inspire them through dance.

Darya Ellickson is a junior B.F.A. dance major with an English minor from DeForest, Wisconsin. She danced at Ultimate Leap Dance Center for nine years and also performed with DeFortes, a show choir, for four years. In summer 2021, Ellickson attended the Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre Summer Intensive program in Chicago and in December 2021 and 2022 Ellickson performed for the Spirit of the Horse equestrian show in Lake City, Florida. In addition, Ellickson held the role of Northern Dance Theatre secretary for three semesters and now holds the role of president. Ellickson plans to graduate in spring 2024 and hopes to work on Broadway or dance with Disney.

Antonio Houston is a 20-year-old second-year B.F.A. student in the dance program at Northern Illinois University. He is also a photographer and takes art classes at NIU to hone his abilities. His passion is for tap but he enjoys doing many different styles of mainstream dance. Previously, Houston has been an understudy at MADD Rhythms, a tap company based in Chicago and had the opportunity to travel overseas with the company for a tap festival that some of the members were teaching at.

Gwen Jones is a senior B.F.A. dance major at Northern Illinois University with a minor in special education. A Victoria Young Scholarship recipient, she has had the opportunity to appear in pieces such as “Can-Can,” “Carmina Burana,” “Pas de Quatre” as Fanny Cerrito, as well as Spirit of the Horse in Ocala, Florida with the Pas de Cheval dancers. In addition to performing, Jones is also choreographer for Penguin Players, a musical theatre organization starring a cast of adults with disabilities. She is co-directing her second show, “Art For Life.” After graduation and a professional performance career, she plans to teach classes for individuals with disabilities.

Abigail Kresno is a senior dance major at Northern Illinois University. She received the Talent Scholarship granted by NIU for the past three years. She has been classically trained in ballet and modern by Rich Grund, Judy Chitwood and Marc Macaranas. She has had the opportunity to perform as Lucile Grahn in “Pas De Quatre” and was Luna in Paula Frasz’ interpretation of “Carmina Burana.” Kresno was in “Mode or Motor” choreographed by Marc Macaranas, his first piece of work at NIU. Kresno is currently vice president of Northern Dance Theatre. She is excited for her last performance at NIU and cannot wait to see where the world takes her.

Anna Lindstrom is a junior B.F.A. dance major from Morrison, Illinois. She danced at Jennifer’s Dance Center for 14 years and continues to help and teach students there. Lindstrom trained in multiple styles with special interest in contemporary modern with a background in clogging. During high school she was involved with the dance team where she choreographed many routines and competed in high kick. She was also involved with summer stock theatre at Timberlake Playhouse which included many dance ensemble roles. Post graduation, Lindstrom plans to teach and choreograph for younger dancers and try out for NFL cheerleading to continue her love of fi eld performing.

Darius Murray is from Chicago, Illinois and is a 20-year-old dance major that currently attends Northern Illinois University. Murray began his journey to dance at the age of three, performing at various functions as well as church with praise and worship dance. Murray began his professional dance career at ETA Creative Arts, located in Chicago, where he studied hip hop, modern, West African and majorette dance. He recently graduated from the Chicago High School For the Arts where he studied various dance styles such as ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz, African, Spanish and hip-hop dance. He received many rewards such as the honor roll in 2018 as well as the scholar artist of the year from 2019 to 2020. Murray’s dream in life is to open up his own dance studio and be a choreographer as well.

Talia Sigismondi is a freshman B.F.A. dance major at NIU. Sigismondi started dancing at the age of three and trained at the Academy of Movement and Music in Oak Park, Illinois. She was also a part of Momenta Dance Company where she had the opportunity to perform in ballet, contemporary Graham technique and Humphrey technique. She traveled to Cuba in 2019 and trained at the Pro Danza dance school and performed at Teatro Nacional De Cuba. Sigismondi enjoyed dancing in “Carmina Burana” in the fall and is excited to dance in the spring dance concert.

Tianna Stubbs was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She is now wrapping up her junior year here at NIU, pursuing her dance career as a dance major. Stubbs started dancing at the age of four, starting out at Mayfair Dance Academy. She then attended Walter H. Dyett High School For The Arts and trained under Stephaine Kawesch, where she got a lot of exposure. She was also a majorette captain for three years. Due to her training, experience and exposure, Stubbs was more than prepared to start her college career. This is her third year and she has grown tremendously as a dancer, choreographer and person. She is excited to showcase her skills in pieces she is cast in.

Toby Thomas is a junior at NIU. He is a double major, pursuing his B.F.A. degree in dance and a B.S. degree in studio art. Thomas is from Normal, Illinois, and moved to Rockford, Illinois in 2014, where he found his love for dance. Prior to attending NIU, Thomas danced for 12 years and was a Rockford Dance Company member from 2014 until 2018 with a background in ballet with artistic director Penna Brown, while also attending Rock Valley College working on his associate in arts degree before transferring to NIU. Thomas has performed in productions of “The Nutcracker,” as a gargoyle in “Snow White” and danced the lead role of Prince Lemon in “Cipollino” with Rockford Dance Company. He has also danced in the production of “Dracula” in the lead role of Doctor Van Helsing. He has performed with Dimensions Dance Academy in DeKalb in a production of “Coppelia” as one of the princes. Thomas danced in “Dance of the Decades” with Beth Fowler Dance Company in St. Charles, Illinois in the lead role of Michael Jackson in “Thriller,” and a production of “The Nutcracker Ballet” dancing in “Spanish Couples” “Waltz of the Flowers” and as “Spanish Chocolate Couples.” Thomas recently was nominated for a performing arts award from the Rockford Area Arts Awards. After graduating, his dream is to dance with the Alvin Ailey Dance Company in New York or at Disney World.

Kyia White is a freshman B.F.A. dance major at Northern Illinois University. She has been dancing since she was fi ve years old and singing and acting came along years after. She has performed all of her life and continues to show people what she can do. After graduation, White will go on to pursue her career as a professional performer and making hip-hop/R&B music that people will enjoy.

Kendall Woodberry is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a graduate of Walter Payton College Prep who has been studying dance since the
age of five. Matriculating at the Ruth Page Center of Performing Arts, her training included classical ballet, modern, jazz, tap and Afro-Cuban. Woodberry has performed in many productions throughout her years in dance and is looking forward to being involved in more in her time at NIU.

Ra’Shiah Wright has studied dance at Dream Academy of Dance Arts for more than nine years. She was a member of The Dream Contemporary Dance Co. where she was a soloist and principal dancer. Wright was accepted into the Alvin Ailey Training Program in New York City and the Alonzo King Summer Program in San Francisco, California for three consecutive years. Wright is a dynamic performer, demonstrating technique, emotional quality, unmatched work ethic and integrity. She is currently a student at Northern Illinois University where she is pursuing a B.A. degree in early childhood education with a minor in dance performance. Wright is a member of The Final Warning Dance Team, The Good Girl Movement Inc. and Liberated Minds Organization. She is the studio manager, instructor and choreographer for DCDC and The Dream Academy of Dance Arts.

Production Team Bios

Eric Brockmeier (Scenic Designer, Projections Designer) is a second-year M.F.A. scenic design graduate student. His previous credits include scenic designer for “Melancholy Play” (NIU 2022), scenic designer for “Hecuba” (Beloit College 2022), assistant scenic designer for “She Kills Monsters” (NIU 2022), scenic designer for the Fall Dance Concert (NIU 2021), scenic designer for “The Games Afoot” (Elgin Community College 2022), assistant scenic designer for the “Conference of the Birds” (NIU 2022), charge artist for “Twelfth Night” (NIU 2021), scenic designer for the University of Northern Colorado’s production of “The Heiress” (2020), assistant scenic designer for “The Cherry Orchard” (2019 UNCO), and assistant charge artist for “The Imaginary Invalid” (2018 UNCO). He would like to thank his friends, family, and professors for their support in getting to this point. Enjoy the show! Joshua 1:9

Lizzie Ciszczon (Assistant Stage Manager) is a second-year B.F.A. technical theater and design major. Her previous work at NIU was doing costumes on “Carmina Burana” and assistant stage manager on “She Kills Monsters.” She is very excited to be working on the Spring Dance Concert as the ASM. She also hopes you enjoy the show as much as she does!

Jordan Clifton (Stage Manager) is an alumna from the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. She is currently a full-time EMT, which was definitely not something she thought she’d be doing, but now cannot imagine doing anything else, so much so that she’s working on going back to school to get a degree in nursing. She does still stage manage some when she has the opportunity, and will always come back for the dance program as they hold a special place in her heart. Some of her past show credits at NIU include stage manager for “Carmina Burana” (’22), the Spring Dance Concert (‘22), Fall Dance Concert (’21), “Wonderfully Alice” (’19), the Spring 2018 Dance Concert, “The Glass Menagerie” (’18), “The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek” (’17), Spring 2016 Dance Concert, “Out of the Blue” (’16), and “The Balcony Scene” (’16). She’s thankful for all the support she has received being back in the SoTD, and hopes you enjoy the show!

Kev Kollmann (Assistant Lighting Designer) is in his first year as an M.F.A. student in lighting design. Kollmann has recently received his B.A. degree in theater from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh focusing on directing and stage management. This is Kollmann’s second show at NIU. He was the assistant lighting designer on “She Kills Monsters” earlier this year. He hopes you enjoy the show.

Christina Leinicke (Costume Designer) Off Broadway: “Othello: the Remix,” (Westside Theater). Regional Credits: “Bayard,” “Freedom Riders,” “Legendary,” “Walt & Roy” (Allen & Gray Musical Festival), “Dressing the Part” (Shakespeare Festival St. Louis), “Big Fish,” “A Little Night Music,” “Cyrano (BoHo Theatre),” “Notes & Letters,” “Proxy,” “Haymarket,” “Wife Material (Underscore),” “Birds of a Feather,” “Machinal” (Greenhouse Theatre Center), “Long Way Home” (CCC), “Shakespeare in Love,” “I Heart Juliet,” “Q-Gents” (ISF),” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Deathtrap” (Palace Theatre), “The Importance of Being Earnest” (ASC), “Star Girl” (FSM). Educational Tours: “Taming of the Shrew,” “Macbeth,” “Romeo and Juliet” (USF). Costume shop and design associate, Paramount Theatre, Aurora. M.F.A. University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. www.christinaleinicke.com

Marc Macaranas (Choreographer) is a choreographer, media designer and dance futurist. His creative practice includes choreography for proscenium stages and digital screens, projection and installation design, augmented and virtual reality performances, and Spotify canvases. His choreography has been staged for DanceWorks Chicago, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Big Muddy Dance Company and has been seen in Chicago, St. Louis, Iowa City and the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. He is an assistant professor at Northern Illinois University and an ensemble member of Lucky Plush Productions.

Alicia Margerum (Scenic Designer, Projections Designer) is a first-year M.F.A. student studying scenic design. Credits include “Red,” “Once on this Island” and “All American Boys” at Mississippi State University as well as “Big Love” at Northern Illinois University. She is grateful for the opportunity to have worked on this show with such a wonderful team and cannot wait to design for more shows in the future at NIU.

Michel Rodriguez Cintra (Choreographer) is a Cuban-born dancer, actor, acrobat, teacher and choreographer. He graduated from Escuela Nacional de Arte (National School of Arts) in Havana, Cuba. Upon graduation he was chosen to join Danza Contemporanea de Cuba where he became principal dancer and toured internationally. After moving to Chicago in 2008, Rodriguez danced with Hedwig Dances, where he performed in addition to choreographing his own works on the company. In 2013 Rodriguez became an ensemble member with Lucky Plush Productions, generating multiple roles in various works in their signature devised dance-theater style, and touring nationally and internationally. He has been seen as a guest artist with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Concert Dance Inc. Khecari and Chicago Moving Company. Rodriguez performed in “Atalanta,” a play in the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival in April 2019. In 2022, Rodriguez appeared in the role of White Rabbit in Lookingglass Theater’s “Alice Through the Looking Glass” for which he was nominated with the ensemble for a Jeff Award. At The Dance Center of Columbia College Rodriguez was an adjunct faculty member teaching modern dance technique. Rodriguez was a founding member of The Cambrians where he performed and
co-choreographed “The Nexus Project and Clover.” Other choreographic credits include “Solus” for Visceral Dance Company, Dancing in the Parks, Lit & Luz Festival, LatinX Chicago Arts Festival, The Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival, and at the Latino Artist Festival at Northwestern University. In 2023 Rodriguez debuted in the title role in “Don Quixote” in The Actor’s Gymnasium’s Quixotic Winter Circus. In 2010 Rodriguez was a finalist of the A.W.A.R.D. Show Chicago with his work “Moi Aussi” and was named one of The Men of 2010 in dance by Timeout Chicago. In October 2013, he was the recipient of the prestigious 3Arts Award and was featured in Dance Magazine’s 25 to watch 2014. Rodriguez Cintra continues to teach dance and gymnastics at The Actor’s Gymnasium, Common Conservatory and as a new faculty member at Northern Illinois University.

Tyler Sikorski (Technical Director, Projections Coordinator) is in his last semester at NIU, and he is looking forward to working on the dance concert for his last show. He has been involved with many productions and is thankful for all the opportunities and support from faculty and friends.

Sarita Smith Childs (Choreographer) is a School of Theatre and Dance visiting assistant professor for 2022-2023, teaching ballet, Graham-based modern, jazz technique, analysis of dance, kinesiology and tutorial of dance, entrepreneurship
and innovation in the arts. She is a Chicago-based choreographer, teaching artist, entrepreneur and nonprofit executive consultant. She began her professional dance career with the Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theatre, Chicago Repertory Dance Ensemble-New Dances; Robin Lakes Rough Dance; Momenta; Thodos Dance Chicago; Momenta; and the Cerqua Rivera Arts Experience. She was a soloist, ensemble member and rehearsal director for 11 seasons with Randy Duncan Choreography, where she was cast as a principal ballet dancer/stunt artist in the film “Save the Last Dance.” She continues to serve as a repetiteur for Mr. Duncan’s work. Additional theatre credits include choreography for Congo Square Theatre production of “King of Coons” directed by Harry Lennix.

In between performance and artistic careers, she spent 20 years in the capital markets as an institutional sales/trader and financial advisor advising municipalities, banks, insurance companies, nonprofits, community developers, private wealth clients, small businesses and universities on liquidity and investment strategies. A proud military spouse of a United States Marine (Ret.) and mom of two incredible kids, she is a passionate advocate for military families and veterans and their journey to business ownership. She is currently the president of the board of directors for the Oak Park Area Arts Council, board member and chair of the DEI Advisory Council for Chicago Dancers United, chair of the advisory board of Blue Star Families Chicago Chapter and a volunteer ambassador for the Lupus Research Alliance.

In 2022, Smith Childs was honored to receive the 3Arts Chicago Grant Award for her work as a teaching artist and choreographer and the South Chicago Dance Theatre’s Cultural Hero Award. She is a past recipient of the Ruth Page Award for Dance Achievement and the Black Theater Alliance Award for Best Performance in a Music/Dance Program. Previous commissions include works for: Visceral Dance Chicago; Grammy-nominated blues harpist Billy Branch for Chicago Blues Fest; Grayscale Dance Los Angeles with original music by blues/folk fiddler Anne Harris; Voice of the City Vaudeville Underground; and Dance in the Parks – Chicago. Audience members can see new choreography in spring 2023 for Winifred Haun & Dancers and Inaside Dance Chicago at Links Hall in Chicago.

Brandon Wardell (Lighting Designer) is a lighting and scenic designer based in Chicago. He is an ensemble member at Steep Theatre Company, an artistic associate with Griffin Theatre Company and associate professor of lighting design at Northern Illinois University. Recent designs include “Light Falls,” “Birdland,” “Lela & Co.,” and “Earthquakes in London” (Steep Theatre Co.), “Two Trains Running” (Court Theatre); “Blues in the Night” (Porchlight Music Theatre); “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” (Steppenwolf Theatre Co.); “A Number” (Writers Theatre); “Cardboard Piano” and “The Vibrator Play” (TimeLine Theatre Co.); “Men On Boats”
(American Theatre Co.); “Solaris,” “Titanic,” “London Wall” and “Men Should Weep” (Griffin); “The Game of Love and Chance” (American Players Theatre); and “Million Dollar Quartet” (Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival). Wardell earned his M.F.A. degree from Northwestern University. Brandonwardelldesign.com

Production Staff

SCENERY
Scenic Coordinator – Sahin Sahinoglu
Scene Shop Supervisor – Adam Rager
Scene Shop Graduate Assistants – Elizabeth Ahles, Eric Brockmeier, Alicia Margerum
Scene Shop Employees – Jordyn Crooks, Sunshine Despeines, Mike Kozel, Karirin Rozenfeld-Mayberg, Tyler Sikorski
Run Crew – Taylor Maurchie Banks, Skye Corey, Gino Hernadoz, Antonio Horn

COSTUMES
Costume Design Advisor – Jeremy W. Floyd
Costume Director – Lori Hartenhoff
Costume Shop Supervisor – Clare Richey-Kaplan
Wardrobe Crew – Ryan Aston, Tony Kasa, Jaylin Turner, Kyia White, Jerrode Wright

LIGHTING
Lighting Design Advisor – Brandon Wardell
Resident Head Electrician – Chris Kurszewski
Assistant Head Electrician – Elizabeth Ahles
Lighting Shop Graduate Assistant – Kev Kollmann
Lighting Shop Employees – Logan Bryant, Conall Doherty, Timothy Peters
Student Electricians – THEA 210 students, THEA 295 students, THEA 395 students
Sound Board Operator – Jordan Clifton

PROPERTIES 
Properties Director – Dave Doherty
Properties Graduate Assistants – Eric Brockmeier, Ski Sciaraffa
Properties Shop Staff – Sarah Blickem, Rebecca Formeller, Mike Kozel, Xavier Thomas, Alexander Thomas

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
Technical Direction Advisor – Tracy Nunnally
Production Assistant – Jordan Clifton
House Management Supervisor – Cornelia Hayes
Production Graduate Assistants – Gina Cioffi, Kev Kollmann, Ariel Mozes