Ghostlight welcomes three new Ensemble Members

Chicago actors Nick Conrad, Courtney Marie and Reid Henry have joined Ghostlight Ensemble Theatre Company. All three were seen in Ghostlight productions this past season.

Ghostlight is a true ensemble-driven theater company, according to Co-Artistic Director Miona Lee, which means the entire company participates in the decision-making process. It’s one of the great and unique aspects of Ghostlight, she adds. That includes programming, which is selected by the Ensemble after having open and honest discussions about the material.

“We move forward as a group and each member provides valuable perspective, Lee said. “I’m excited to see where Ghostlight will go with these new voices.

“Each one of these new members have unique backgrounds and passions that will provide us more opportunity to push our mission in new and interesting ways. What’s more exciting than that?”

Nick Conrad is an improviser, actor, karaoke DJ and founder of The Green Suite, a small company that offers hands-on classes and products made from up-cycled materials. Nick was most recently seen on the Ghostlight Stage as Jordan in Asherella and Bilbo The Blue Balloon in It’s Poppin’ – both part of Make/Believe 2022: A short play festival for young audiences. As well as acting, Nick also performs stand-up and sketch comedy at various locations around Chicago.

Courtney Marie is a Chicago native, who in addition to her artistic side, is also a dreamer, student and sometimes paralegal. She was most recently seen on the Ghostlight stage as Queen B in Asherella and Brooklyn in Best Friends – both part of Make/Believe 2022: A short play festival for young audiences. Other recent Chicago credits include: Ruined by Lynn Nottage, directed by the incomparable Ebby Offord; ‘Night, Mother by Marsha Norman and Raisin in the Sun, all with Invictus Theatre Company. In addition, Courtney is proud to have made her directorial debut with Footholds Vol. 3, produced by the Imposters Theatre Company.

Reid Henry comes to Chicago by way of Indiana and when not on stage, he can be found baking breads, fermenting various things and scouring Facebook marketplace for his next “project”. Reid was most recently seen on the Ghostlight Stage as Asher in Asherella, Peter in Sunshine and the Sea of Lost Things and George in A Blue Hydrangea – all part of Make/Believe 2022: A short play festival for young audiences. Recent credits include: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged (Revised!), L’Eliser D’Amore, Titus Andronicus and Leipzig.

Find out more about these artists and all our Ensemble members on the About Us: The Ensemble page of our website.

Auditions Announced for Live Movie Reading Series

Ghostlight Ensemble announces auditions for the second quarter of its Live Movie Reading Series. Please state which movie reading you wish to audition for in your submission. Actors may be considered for multiple readings.

The Live Movie Reading Series is a low-key and fun, staged reading of some of our favorite movies. These readings are fundraisers for local nonprofits. Past recipients have included Common Pantry, Girl Forward and New Leash on Life, among others.

There is no pay for any of these readings.

Character Descriptions
Seeking a strong ethnically diverse cast of all genders, ages, shapes and sizes that is representative of the city in which we live.

We're looking for actors who love these movies, love having fun and who can also read. Those are literally the only requirements. Please note that we prefer a greater diversity in our casts for these movies than the original directors did and that the genders of our actors do not always match those of the actors in the films.

Time Commitment
In general, the live movie reading series involves an initial gathering to watch the movie that is being performed and two rehearsals. There is no tech. All performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on Mondays at Carbon Arc Bar and Board (located at the Davis movie theater in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago).

Performance dates and movies are as follows:

• April 27, 2020: Drop Dead Gorgeous

• May 18, 2020: Legally Blonde

• June 29, 2020: The Big Lebowski (Please note, the role of Walter has been cast.)

Materials To Prepare
Actors are asked to prepare a comedic monologue from their favorite movie, no longer than 1 minute. These monologues do not need to be memorized (as the performances are read and not memorized), but must be acted and staged to the best of your ability.

The audition date is March 21 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mayfair branch of the Chicago Public Library.

Please submit your headshot and resume to Jean at casting@ghostlightensemble.com, and she will be in touch. Please indicate any time restrictions you have for the audition period in your email.

Auditions Announced for Much Ado About Nothing

We are now accepting submissions to audition for Ghostlight Ensemble’s upcoming immersive production of Much Ado About Nothing to be performed in an Albany Park home, where audience members may move amongst the action as all the drama and comedy unfolds around them. The production will be directed by Producing Director Holly Robison.

Audition Dates:
Auditions: Wednesday January 15 and and Thursday, January 16, 2020: 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Callbacks: Saturday, January 18, 2020: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Chicago’s north side.

Location will be provided when audition slot is assigned.

What to Prepare:
Sides will be forwarded with audition slot.

Tech/Performance Dates:
Performance Dates will be Friday and Saturn evenings and Sunday matinees, April 24 to May 17, 2020, with a possible extension. Tech will be April 18–23, 2020. Rehearsals will begin early-mid March on weekday evenings and weekend days. Rehearsals will be scheduled according to cast availability.

Stipend:
Small stipend.

Character Description:
Looking to cast all roles, ages ranging from early 20s to 70s. Seeking a strong ethnically diverse cast of all genders, ages, shapes and sizes. Some roles may be double cast and/or considered for gender fluid casting. Please see character breakdown below.

• BEATRICE, pleasant spirited lady

• HERO, Beatrice’s younger cousin

• LEONATO, Governor of Messina – Hero’s father and Beatrice’s uncle

• MARGARET, waiting gentlewoman to Hero

• URSULA, waiting gentlewoman to Hero

• BENEDICK, a gentleman from Padua

• DON PEDRO, Prince of Aragon

• CLAUDIO, a young lord from Florence

• BALTHASAR, servant/singer

• DON JOHN, Don Pedro’s brother

• BORACHIO, Don John’s comrade

• CONRADE, Don John’s comrade

• DOGBERRY, Master Constable in Messina

• VERGES, Dogberry’s deputy

• GEORGE SEACOAL, leader of the Watch

• FIRST WATCHMAN

• SECOND WATCHMAN

• FRIAR FRANCIS

• MESSENGER(s)

Please submit your headshot and resume to Jean at casting@ghostlightensemble.com, and she will be in touch with sides and an audition appointment if we’d like to see you. Please indicate any time restrictions you have for the audition period in your email.

Auditions Announced for Live Movie Reading Series and Make/Believe short play festival

Ghostlight Ensemble announces joint auditions for the first quarter of its Live Movie Reading Series and for its young audiences play festival, Make/Believe. Actors may audition for one of both of the programs. Please state which program you wish to audition for in your submission. Actors may be considered for multiple short plays and multiple movies.

The Live Movie Reading Series is a low-key and fun, staged reading of some of our favorite movies. These readings are fundraisers for local nonprofits. Past recipients have included Common Pantry, Girl Forward and New Leash on Life, among others.

Make/Believe is part of our Nightlight young audiences series and is a curated festival of short plays by playwrights from around the country. The plays, geared towards children 12 and under, all have one unifying feature – strong female characters.

There is no pay for any of these shows.

Character Descriptions
Seeking a strong ethnically diverse cast of all genders, ages, shapes and sizes that is representative of the city in which we live.

For the Live Movie Reading series, we're looking for actors who love these movies and who can also read. Those are literally the only requirements. Please note that we prefer a greater diversity in our casts for these movies than the original directors did and that the genders of our actors do not always match those of the actors in the films.

For Make/Believe, actors with previous experience working with children will receive preference in scheduling. All actors must have a love of good stories, a sense of fun and an imagination to rival any 5-year-old. Most of the pieces in this festival involve some level of interaction with the audience, so actors must be comfortable interacting with children and their guardians.

Time Commitment
Live Movie Reading Series:
In general, the live movie reading series involves an initial gathering to watch the movie that is being performed and two rehearsals. There is no tech. All performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on Mondays at Carbon Arc Bar and Board (located at the Davis movie theater in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago).

Performance dates and movies are as follows:

• January 27, 2020: 10 Things I Hate About You

• February 17, 2020: Charlie's Angels (2000 version)

• March 23, 2020: Back To The Future

Make/Believe Festival:
Directors will set rehearsal dates and times around actor availability. These are 15-minute (or less) pieces and should require a minimal number of rehearsals.

Tech is scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, February 15, 2020. Specific time slots will be scheduled for each piece and actors are not expected to be there all day.

Performance times are:

• Saturday, February 22, 2020

• Sunday, February 23, 2020

All pieces will be performed both days. Performances start at 2 p.m. and will be held at Laugh Out Loud Theater in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago.

Materials To Prepare
Actors auditioning for the Live Movie Reading series are asked to prepare a monologue from their favorite movie, no longer than 1 minute. These monologues do not need to be memorized (as the performances are read and not memorized), but must be acted and staged to the best of your ability.

Actors auditioning for Make/Believe will be given sides to read. Please note that you will be in consideration for all the scripts in the festival, even if you are only reading sides for one particular piece.

The audition date is January 11, 2020, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago.

Please submit your headshot and resume to Jean at casting@ghostlightensemble.com, and she will be in touch with sides and an audition appointment. Please indicate any time restrictions you have for the audition period in your email.

Ghostlight welcomes three new associate ensemble members

Actors Kayla White, Alina Taber and Justin Broom have joined Ghostlight as associate ensemble members. All three have been seen in Ghostlight productions this season.

Kayla was first seen in our Nightlight production of The Princess Without Pots in 2017 and most recently was in our live reading Must Eat TV 3.

Alina, who is also a film actress and musician, recently starred as Helen O’Neill in our staged reading of The Thirteenth Chair.

Justin was also in The Thirteenth Chair, taking on the role of Trent. In addition, he has lent his talents to our live readings of Reality Bites and Must Eat TV 3.

Full bios of all our artists can be found on the About Us: The Ensemble page of our website.

Ghostlight welcomes four new associate members

Actors Caitlin Jackson, Kirk Jackson, Sydney Ray and Emma Jo Schumacher have joined Ghostlight as associate ensemble members. All four have worked extensively with Ghostlight over the past few years.

Caitlin was most recently the host of our Holiday Cabernet and reprised her role as Ginger Spice in Girl Power!: A Spice World Live Reading.

Kirk could also be seen in the Spice World live reading, as well as appearing in Nutcracker Nightmare and The Mountain Giants as part of Ghostlight’s Six Authors in Search of a Character festival.

Sydney appeared as the Queen in last summer’s Nightlight production, The Princess Without Pots, as well as taking part in Must Eat TV 2: A Live Reading of Your Favorite Thanksgiving Episodes and the Holiday Cabernet.

Emma Jo has appeared in a number of our live readings, including most recently in Must Eat TV 2: A Live Reading of Your Favorite Thanksgiving Episodes and Oh My Godddddd!!: A Troll 2 Live Reading.

Full bios of all our artists can be found on the About Us: The Ensemble page of our website.

Auditions announced for Picasso At The Lapin Agile

Ghostlight Ensemble announces auditions for our fall show Picasso at the Lapin Agile by Steve Martin, directed by Holly Robison.

The play imagines a meeting between Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso just before the renowned scientist transformed physics with his theory of relativity and the celebrated painter sets the art world afire with cubism.

Characters Descriptions:
We are seeking a strong, ethnically diverse cast of all genders. We are casting for all roles, with ages ranging from early 20s to early 70s.

Please see character breakdown below.  Some roles will be double cast. Please note: For the characters of Sagot and A Visitor, male-identifying, female-identifying and gender non-conforming actors will be considered. 

• Freddy: owner and bartender of Lapin Agile
• Gaston: an older man
• Germaine: waitress at Lapin Agile
• Albert Einstein
• Suzanne: young woman who has fling with Picasso
• Sagot: Picasso’s art dealer
• Pablo Picasso
• Charles Dabernow Schmendiman: a young man with some interesting ideas
• The Countess: woman involved with Einstein
• A female admirer of Schmendiman
• A Visitor: mysterious man bearing a strong resemblance to Elvis

Material To Prepare:
Please submit your headshot and resume and if selected we will be in touch with sides and an audition appointment.

Time Commitment
Rehearsals will likely begin the week of September 10, with three to four rehearsals a week on weekday evenings or weekend days. Tech is scheduled for October 15-18 in the evening. 

Performance Dates:
Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees, October 19 through November 4, 2018
With one industry evening performance on Monday, October 22, 2018
at Otherworld Theatre, 3914 N. Clark Street in Chicago.

Auditions:
6:30-9:30 p.m. Monday, July 23
6:30-9:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 24

You must be available for callbacks on Thursday, July 26, which will be held 6:30-9:30 p.m.

There is no pay for this production.

For consideration, please send your headshot and resume to Jean at casting@ghostlightensemble.com.

The King calls on his tiniest subjects to show up in style

Norman J. Burt has an announcement for all the tiniest members of the Land of Contentment, where he reigns as King on the weekends:

"IF YOU DRESS IN YOU BEST ROYAL OUTFIT, OUR ROYAL COURT WILL TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU AS THE RULER OF THE LAND OF CONTENTMENT. SO BRING YOUR CROWNS, YOUR SHIELDS, YOUR HELMETS AND ARMOR, YOU ARE WELCOME!"

Burt will put on his duct tape crown only two more times, this Saturday and Sunday, as the show he is acting in – Ghostlight Ensemble's The Princess Without Pots – comes to a close. But he wants to make sure they go out with a bang…or maybe a flourish of trumpets would be more appropriate.

Read more about Norm and his work on The Princess Without Pots in the Lakeview Patch.

Actress Sydney Ray brings empathy, kindness and her own brand of queenly spunk to role

Every weekend Sydney Ray transforms herself from an average Chicago resident into the Queen of the Land of Contentment and then watches as the eyes of the children around her light up at getting to meet royalty. To the Uptown actress it's pure joy.

"I love performing shows for young audiences," she says. "I love the honesty that children bring to an audience."

Read more about Sydney and her work on The Princess Without Pots in the North Center Patch.

Ramos kicks imagination into overdrive for latest role

For Lakeview actress Isa Ramos, the best part about being in a show geared toward young audiences is having the freedom to think like a kid.

"I love that when performing for children, I have to kick my imagination into overdrive," Ramos said. "Childhood is the best stage of life because imagination rules our reality, and fills us with endless possibility and potential. Being an adult performing for children is the second best stage of life, because the kids challenge me to let my imagination roam big and free, the way it was intended to be."

Read more about Isa and her work on The Princess Without Pots in the Lakeview Patch.

Cast announced for 'An Ideal Husband'

Ghostlight Ensemble announces casting for its spring show, Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband.

The cast is: Alex Ireys as Lord Goring, Aaron Wertheim as Robert Chiltern, Maddie Pell as Lady Chiltern, Sam Bianchini as Mrs. Cheveley, Halie Merrill as Mabel Chiltern, Richard Engling as Lord Caversham, Michael Wagman as Phipps/Mason, Song Marshall as Lady Basildon, Allison McCorkle as Mrs. Marchmont, Stephanie Monday as Lady Markby and Sebastian Summers as Nanjac.

The show is directed by Ghostlight Co-Artistic Director Holly Robison. Janette Bauer is the production manager.

An Ideal Husband is Oscar Wilde's comedic masterpiece of blackmail and political corruption. Sir Robert Chiltern, a government minister who built his fortune on a single dishonest act, is blackmailed by Mrs. Cheveley, who wants his assistance in another dishonest scheme. Chiltern asks Lord Goring, the ne'er-do-well son of the Earl of Caversham, for advice, and Lord Goring, familiar (in several ways) with Mrs. Cheveley, ultimately saves Chiltern's marriage and social position. By doing so, he ironically ends up married.

The show takes place Fridays and Saturdays, April 7-28, 2018, at The North Mansion in Berger Park/ Gunder House (6205 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago, 60660).

Ghostlight welcomes two new associate ensemble members

Norman J. Burt (left) and Song Marshall (right) have joined the Ensemble.

Actors Song Marshall and Norman J. Burt have joined Ghostlight as associate ensemble members. Both have worked extensively with Ghostlight over the past year and a half.

Song was in our inaugural live movie reading, Girl Power! A Spice World Live Reading, and she will reprise her role as Mel B (aka, Scary Spice) in the January remount of that reading. She was also in our Thanksgiving-themed live reading, Must Eat TV, and in our short play series celebrating Pirandello at 150, Six Authors in Search of a Character. You can also catch her as Lady Basildon in our spring production of An Ideal Husband.

Norman was in our inaugural mainstage production of Six Characters in Search of an Author as the Father. He has been a staple in our live reading series, participating in Something Has Survived: A Jurassic Park Live Reading, You've Got READ On You: A Shaun of The Dead Live Reading and Must Eat TV: A Live Reading of Your Favorite Thanksgiving Episodes.

Full bios of both artists can be found on the About Us: The Ensemble page of our website. 

Meet the cast of your Nightmare

From left: Serina Johnston, Tatum Hunter, Jean E. Burr and Kirk Jackson rehearse for Nutcracker Nightmare. (Photo by Maria Burnham)

Ghostlight Ensemble has announced the cast of Nutcracker Nightmare, the main feature of Gingerbread Grindhouse, which takes over the Greenhouse Theater Center's downstairs studio after-hours in December.

In a nod to the lurid, violent films popular in the 1930s through 1970s, Gingerbread Grindhouse will feature a series of live “trailers” for grindhouse-style plays yet to be, before continuing on to the feature production, Nutcracker Nightmare – a holiday tale of children, the toys they love and the toys that try to kill everyone they love. It’s the perfect holiday entertainment.

Written by Ensemble Member Maria Burnham and directed by Ghostlight Managing Director Chad Wise, Nutcracker Nightmare stars Ensemble Member Jean E. Burr as Clara and Guest Artists Alexandra Alontaga as Balam, Sean Harklerode as Drosselmeier, Annie Hogan as Mother, Maura Hogan as Itzamna, Tatum Hunter as Marie, Kirk Jackson as Truncheon, Victoria Jacobson as Zipakna, Serina Johnston as Rose, Allison McCorkle as Dora and the Evil Doll Queen, P. Tyler Nielsen as the Nutcracker and Mark Pracht as Father.

Full bios of the actors and production team are available online.

Gingerbread Grindhouse will also feature grindhouse-style trailers by Babes With Blades, New Millennium Theatre Co., Improvised Twilight Zone, Improvised Jane Austen, The Stuntmen and Ghostlight Ensemble.
 
Gingerbread Grindhouse takes place at 10:30 p.m. on December 8, 9, 15 and 16, at the Greenhouse Theater Center (2257 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, 60614) in Lincoln Park. Tickets are $15 and are available now through the Greenhouse website at https://www.greenhousetheater.org/gingerbreadgrindhouse, via email at boxoffice@greenhousetheater.org or over the phone at 773-404-7336.

Probing what makes characters live on stage is the latest challenge for Pereira

Jason Pereira (rear, center), stars as The Son in Ghostlight Ensemble's production of Six Characters in Search of an Author through May 7. (Photo by by Katie Jarecki)

Exploring what makes fictitious characters come alive for audiences and readers was part of the draw and the challenge in actor Jason Pereira's latest role as The Son in Ghostlight Ensemble's production of Six Characters in Search of an Author.

"What challenged me is also the thing I love the most about the play as a whole, it really makes you think about the actual 'life' of a character," he said.

Read more about Jason and his work on Six Characters in Search of an Author in the Chicago Tribune.

Quinn plays an 'actor version' of himself in latest production

Actor Chuck Quinn IV, front center, plays the Juvenile Male Lead in Ghostlight Ensemble's Six Characters in Search of an Author through May 7. (Photo by Katie Jarecki/for Ghostlight Ensemble)

Actor Chuck Quinn IV didn't have to stretch too far out of his comfort zone for his latest role - he's playing an actor who is still in college, but has landed a role with a Chicago storefront theatre company putting on a Luigi Pirandello play.

"It's fun playing the 'actor' version of myself, as it gives me license to let all my pretension out and to poke fun at the acting world," Quinn said.

Read more about Chuck and his work on Six Characters in Search of an Author in the Chicago Tribune and the Glenbrook Patch.

Opening This Weekend: 'Six Characters in Search of an Author'

This weekend Ghostlight Ensemble opens its inaugural mainstage production, Luigi Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author, not on a stage at all, but in the rehearsal room.

Join the actors and crew of a small, but scrappy Chicago storefront theatre as they begin rehearsals for The Mountain Giants — Pirandello's final, unfinished work — only to see their work halted by six strangers who show up with a fantastic tale of their own.

Six Characters in Search of an Author opens this Friday, April 14, at Voice of the City studio in Logan Square, with additional opening weekend performances on Saturday, April 15, and Monday, April 17.  The show continues on on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. through May 7.

Reserve your tickets now for this classic metatheatrical play that finds new relevance while addressing the problems of modern theater. Ghostlight Ensemble's production examines the institutional racism and biases found in theatre and leaves the audience wondering if they were watching a show, or were they, in fact, the show.

Six Character in Search of an Author is supported by the L’Istituto Italiano di Cultura Chicago and is being produced in conjunction with Voice of the City.

Vivanco balances pain, comedy and a fancy hat in latest role

Actress Alejandra Vivanco, center, stars as the Stepdaughter in Ghostlight Ensemble's production of Six Characters in Search of an Author.

Evanston-based actress Alejandra Vivanco is ready to lead audiences on a roller coaster ride of emotions in her latest role as the Stepdaughter in Ghostlight Ensemble's production of "Six Characters in Search of an Author," which opens Friday.

"I think there is definitely comedy in all this pain that these characters portray," she said. "There is obviously a difference between how the director and her actors handle themselves on stage and how the characters behave in the space."

Read more about Alejandra and her work on Six Characters in Search of an Author in the Chicago Tribune and the Evanston Patch.

Casting Notice: Child Actor Needed for Spring Production

Ghostlight Ensemble is seeking an actor for the role of The Boy for its production of Six Characters in Search of an Author. This is an unpaid, non-speaking role.

About the role:
We are accepting submission from children ages 9 to 13, regardless of experience, to join our diverse cast.

About Six Characters:
In Luigi Pirandello’s classic metatheatrical play about the relationship between authors, characters, actors, directors and audience, six characters come looking for life and find the theatre world acutely unable to make them real. Ghostlight Ensemble's production examines the institutional racism found in modern theatre and leaves the audience wondering if they were watching a show, or were they, in fact, the show.

Material To Prepare:
Please submit your headshot and resume to Jean and she will arrange an audition.

Rehearsals:
Rehearsal dates for this role are March 25, March 31 and April 2-5 (tech week).

Performance Dates:
A preview performance is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 6. The production runs Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. & Sundays at 3 p.m. from April 7 to May 7; and 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 17. There will be no performance on Sunday, April 16.  

Performance Location:
Voice of the City studio in Logan Square (3429 W Diversey Ave, Chicago 60647)

Contact:
Send your headshot and resume to Jean at casting@ghostlightensemble.com.