Theatre Northwest & Arts On Broadway

Cast  

Ruth Younger Rose Simmons 
Travis Younger Ellis Gorham 
Walter Lee Younger Dannon Gorham 
Beneatha Younger Courtney Nicole 
Lena Younger (Mama) Denina White 
Joseph Asagai Anthony Richardson Jr. 
George Murchison Jordan Holmes
Karl Lindner Dexter Pritchard 
Bobo Larry Jenkins  
moving men Jordan Holmes, Larry Jenkins, Anthony Richardson Jr. 

Production Team 

playwright Lorraine Hansberry 
director Sydney Chatman*
dramaturg Annaliese McSweeney*
producer/scenic design Katherine Arfken
costume design Brenda Winstead* 
lighting design Levi J. Wilkins*
sound design Brian Thomas-Chopps* 
associate producer/company manager Mark Baer 
stage manager Mia Godfrey
assistant stage manager Jasmine Jaramillo
assistant sound designer/sound board operator Nana Asabere 
run crew Isaiah Rayburn  
production manager/technical director Tim O'Donnell 
assistant technical director Brian Thomas-Chopps 
assistant lighting designer/master electrician Laquita Williams 
prop managers Michael Litke Adams and Espi Flores 
scenic artists Katherine Arfken, Kelley Feeman 
scene shop/electrics crew Nana Asbere, Joshua Kime, Jay-Lan Halliburton, Brandon Hearne, Eric Munoz, Kaitlin Nichols, Jacob Rodriguez, Nicole Ruiz + T225 Stagecraft class: Eric Diaz, Espi Flores, Mia Godfrey, Jordan Holmes, Sidney Holmes, Jasmine Jaramillo, Cheyanne Johnson, Angel Mix, Isaiah Rayburn, De'Djreanna Thames 
photos Jeff Nicholls

Sydney Chatman (director) is a native of Gary, Indiana and an alumni of West Side High School. She is a director, educator, mentor, producer, writer, and founding director of The Tofu Chitlin’ Circuit (2008) featuring the self-pinned and directed award-winning play, Black Girls (Can) Fly!  Ms. Chatman is the current Goodman Theatre Maggio Directing Fellow (2019), an African-American Arts Alliance Award and 3Arts Make a Wave winner. Her credits include: New York: Tony Nominated-The Trip to Bountiful and a directing fellow with the Lincoln Center Director’s Lab. The Goodman Theatre: Associate Director for the World Premiere of How to Catch Creation, Assistant Director for Father Comes Home from the Wars Parts 1, 2, and 3, and Stage Management intern for Gem of the Ocean. She has worked for TimeLine Theatre Company, Court Theatre, Congo Square Theatre Company, and eta Creative Arts. She’s written and directed theatrical performances and collaborations with The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Prop THTR, Adler Planetarium, Hyde Park Jazz Festival/Back Alley Jazz, The Reva and David Logan Center, Court Theatre and Victory Gardens Theatre. She is a community partner with the Green Line Performing Arts Center in the Washington Park neighborhood in Chicago. Sydney is a committee member for the Gary International Black Film Festival and a theater teacher for sixteen years, at the University of Chicago Charter School.

Annaliese McSweeney (dramaturg) is a freelance dramaturg in Chicago and northern Indiana. She previously worked with IUN on Failure: A Love Story. She has also worked with Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame on 9 to 5.  Her professional work includes Detour Guide by Karim Nagi (Silk Road/Stage Left), Her Majesty’s Will by Rob Kauzlaric (Lifeline Theatre), The Bottle Tree by Beth Kander (Stage Left Theatre), Mosque Alert by Jamil Khoury (Silk Road Rising), Miss Buncle’s Book by Christina Calvit(Lifeline), The White Road by Karen Tarjan (Irish Theatre of Chicago) and numerous development projects with Stage Left Theatre where she was the literary manager from 2016-18. She has also worked on research with Irish Theatre of Chicago, Lifeline Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, and American Theater Company.  Annaliese has a BA in Theatre and Psychology as well as an M.Phil in Theatre and Performance from Trinity College, Ireland. (bio 10/2019) 

Brenda Winstead (costume design) is excited to be returning to Theatre Northwest where she most recently designed costumes for Well and Vanya. Her Chicago area design credits include a Jeff Nominated design for Nice Work if You Can Get It at Theatre at the Center where she has designed over 50 shows. She has also designed at Light Opera Works, Stage Left Theatre, Shattered Globe, Chicago Folks Operetta, Theatre Seven and Chicago Opera Theatre. Regional design credits include Peninsula Players, Forestburgh Playhouse, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Black Hills Playhouse and Sierra Repertory Theatre. Brenda is an ensemble member with Stage Left Theatre and is a proud member of United Scenic Artists Local 829. (bio 10/2019) 

Levi J. Wilkins (lighting design) is a Chicago southwest side-based lighting designer and has been a member of the Chicago theater community since the age of 6.  After high school, Levi attended Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois.  Since college, Levi has had the privilege of being the resident lighting designer for multiple churches in Chicago; currently residing at The Faith Community of St. Sabina. In addition, Levi is the go-to for many of Chicago’s gospel music artist for stage lighting and stage design. His past theater credits include The Book of Mormon (Flying Elephant Productions), Not for Sale and Back in the Day (Urban Theater Company), The Real Life Adventures Of Jimmy De Las Rosas (Free Street Theater), The Encounter Festival (2018, 2019 & coming 2020) and Peacebook Festival (2018 & 2019) with Collaboraction Social Justice Theater, along with many concerts and dance performance design credits.

Brian Thomas-Chopps (sound design/asst. technical director) is excited to be returning to IU Northwest where his credits in sound design include A Doll House, Well,and Failure: A Love Story. Additional Northwest Indiana and Chicago credits include sound design for Othello (Gary Shakespeare Company) and assistant technical director for Insurrection (Stage Left Theatre) Brian received his BA in Theatre from Indiana University Northwest.

Cast

Walter Younger Julian Parker 
Lena Younger Mercedes White 
Yolanda Johnson Deandria Green
Tiffany Mia Godfrey 
Red Brandon Hearne
stage directions Kelly Horton

Production Team

producer Katherine Arfken 
director Mark Baer
dramaturgy Annaliese McSweeney 

Mercedes White (playwright/Lena Younger) was born and raised in Chicago’s best neighborhood Pilsen, she went on to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign where she achieved her BFA. Past productions include;  One Googol and One (BATCO), Lines (Theatre Lila), The Brother's Size, Dutchman, Genesis (Definition Theatre) A Raisin in the Sun (U/S), Clybourne Park (U/S), A Christmas Carol and Assassins (Milwaukee Rep Theatre). TV credits include Empire on FOX and Southside on Comedy Central. GENESIS is her first full-length play to be produced. Her other plays include The River Jordan, which had a public reading at Steppenwolf Theatre, and The Space In Between which won an award for Best New Play at the 2018 Modern Works Festival at Urbanite Theatre in Sarasota Florida.  Also Gentrification sucks.

Annaliese McSweeney (dramaturg) is a freelance dramaturg in Chicago and northern Indiana. She previously worked with IUN on Failure: A Love Story. She has also worked with Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame on 9 to 5.  Her professional work includes Detour Guide by Karim Nagi (Silk Road/Stage Left), Her Majesty’s Will by Rob Kauzlaric (Lifeline Theatre), The Bottle Tree by Beth Kander (Stage Left Theatre), Mosque Alert by Jamil Khoury (Silk Road Rising), Miss Buncle’s Book by Christina Calvit(Lifeline), The White Road by Karen Tarjan (Irish Theatre of Chicago) and numerous development projects with Stage Left Theatre where she was the literary manager from 2016-18. She has also worked on research with Irish Theatre of Chicago, Lifeline Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, and American Theater Company.  Annaliese has a BA in Theatre and Psychology as well as an M.Phil in Theatre and Performance from Trinity College, Ireland. (bio 10/2019) 

Julian Parker (Walter Younger) is a co-founding member of Definition Theatre Company. He received his BFA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Steppenwolf Theatre Company credits include: Pass Over, Gospel of Franklin, Head of Passes (u/s) (First Look Series) and BlackTop Sky (Garage Repertory). Other credits include: Genesis, Dutchman, The Brothers’ Size (Definition Theatre Company), Prowess (Jackalope Theatre), The Hairy Ape (Jeff Award Recipient for Actor in Principal Role, Oracle Productions), Charm (Northlight Theatre) and The Royale (American Theatre Company). TV/Film credits include: Pass Over (Presented at Sundance Film Festival; Directed by Spike Lee), The Chi (Showtime), Chicago PD and Chicago Fire (NBC). Represented by Grossman & Jack Talent. Managed by Authentic Talent.  He is currently playing Paris in Chicago Shakespeare’s production of Romeo and Juliet.

Deandria Green (Yolanda Johnson)  is a Chicago based actress with a BFA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Deandria is very excited to be participating in her second staged reading of Genesis! It is always an honor to help bring life to such a wonderful story and watch the exceptional growth of the playwright.  Some of Deandria’s credits include: Genesis -Jackalope Theatre, An Octoroon (Victory Gardens Theatre), War Brides (The Future is Female Festival), Gunpowder (Spartan Theatre Company) and numerous tours with The Windy City Players.  Alongside the role of a professional actress, she is also a full-time special education teacher, owner of Dede’s Cleaning and a full time graduate student. Deandria wears many hats, and assumes many roles, but none compare to her role as a wife and mother! 

Cast

Nora Helmer Sydney Hale
Anne-Marie Melissa Downs
Porter Eric Muñoz
Torvald Helmer Elijah Sabourin
Kristine Linde Mia Godfrey
Nils Krogstad Brandon Hearne
Bobby Brandon Holley
Dr. Rank Joshua Kime

Production Team

director  Amber Holley
set designer Eric Muñoz 
costume designer Sydney Hale
lighting designer Amber Holley 
sound designer Brian Thomas-Chopps
choreographer  Mia Godfrey
photos Jeff Nicholls

Cast

Lisa Amber Holley
Ann Stephanie Naumoff*
Ensemble A Valerie Plinovich
Ensemble B Mia Godfrey
Ensemble C Jay-Lan Halliburton
Ensemble D Elijah Sabourin
Lisa (understudy) Sydney Hale

Production Team

director Mark Baer
set designer Katherine Arfken
costume designer Brenda Winstead*
lighting designer Michelle Benda*
sound designer Brian Thomas Chopps 
photos Jeff Nicholls

Stephanie Naumoff (Ann) is an IUN Alumna and has enjoyed performing, directing, and designing for multiple area theatres as well as various Chicago venues. Previously for IUN's Theatre Northwest, Stephanie was delighted to costume design Hedda Gabler, Little Shop of Horrors, and Failure: A Love Story. Some other favorite design projects include Forever Plaid, Cabaret, and most recently the Gary Shakespeare's production of As You Like It. When not waist-deep in theatre or being bossed around by her Jack Russell Terrier, Stephanie is a social worker in Lake County. (bio 10/2017)

Brenda Winstead (costume design) is excited to be returning to Theatre Northwest where she most recently designed costumes for Well and Vanya. Her Chicago area design credits include a Jeff Nominated design for Nice Work if You Can Get It at Theatre at the Center where she has designed over 50 shows. She has also designed at Light Opera Works, Stage Left Theatre, Shattered Globe, Chicago Folks Operetta, Theatre Seven, and Chicago Opera Theatre. Regional design credits include Peninsula Players, Forestburgh Playhouse, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Black Hills Playhouse and Sierra Repertory Theatre. Brenda is an ensemble member with Stage Left Theatre and is a proud member of United Scenic Artists Local 829. (bio 10/2019) 

Michelle Benda (lighting design) is a freelance lighting designer and assistant based in Chicago. Lighting design credits include Everybody (Brown Paper Box Co.), Hamlet (The Gift Theatre), The Gentleman Caller (Raven Theatre), Collage of a Dystopian Midwest, Frankenstein, (Bower Theatre Ensemble), Ohio State Murders (Dandelion Theatre), Failure: A Love Story (Illinois Theatre), and Cabaret (No Stakes Theater Project). She has assisted lighting designers at Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and TimeLine Theatre Company. Michelle holds an MFA in Lighting Design and Technology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (bio 10/2019)