AMERICAN THEATRE | From Chicago: A Ghost Light Through the Dark

A ghost light can have so many meanings in theatre. It can be the source of ghost stories and superstitions. It can be a simple safety tool illuminating an otherwise unoccupied theatre. In 2020, it became a symbol of resilience in the face of forced theatre closures. But in the 2024 film Ghostlight, written by Kelly O’Sullivan and starring a litany of Chicago-area theatre folk, the term becomes an ode to the power of theatre as told through the life of someone who found theatre right when he needed it the most.

Directed by O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, Ghostlight follows Dan, a construction worker who gets pulled into a small storefront theatre in Waukegan, Ill., to help out at a table read for a production of Romeo and Juliet. Dan’s life is in rough shape; he’s preparing for a deposition after the death of his son, his daughter is on the verge of being expelled from high school, and his marriage is fraying as he struggles to open up emotionally with his family. Through Romeo and Juliet—a small-time production full of folks with day jobs who are likely to lose more money than they make on the show—Dan is given the chance to step outside of himself and find the understanding and release needed to start mending the fractures within his family.

We could talk about the quality of the movie—lovely scenes like Dan smiling to himself on a drive home as he quietly mumbles a line from the show, or his construction worker pal showing up to Dan’s performance and being the most supportive friend someone could want around for their onstage debut—but it’s the Chicago love that really makes it stand out, starting with it being chock-full of local theatremakers.

Of course, it’s not unusual to see Chicago theatre folk in film and television, from shows like Chicago P.D. or The Chi to stars who have cut their teeth on the town’s stage before moving to one of the coasts. What’s so fun about Ghostlight is that it stars Tara Mallen (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble founder and artistic director) alongside her real-life theatremaker husband Keith Kupferer and daughter Katherine Mallen Kupferer as the central family. In addition to surrounding them with fellow local actors like Matthew C. Yee, Tommy Rivera-Vega, and Hanna Dworkin, among others, the movie features notable Waukegan theatre locations like Three Brothers Theatre (the storefront where they rehearse Romeo and Juliet in the film) and the marquee of the historic Genesee Theatre.

I’ll include the trailer for the movie, which releases on June 14, below, but I wanted to take a moment to shine a bit of a light on this clear love letter to finding community in theatre and the importance of so-called “small time” theatre—a place where you can bond with folks who understand both how profound the experience can be, who can also laugh with you at how utterly ridiculous it can seem even when it’s coming together. Watching the film, it was nice to be reminded that, in addition to all of its other meanings, a ghost light can mean hope and warmth, two things that can be felt so powerfully when you find a theatre community you can call home.

Speaking of finding community and home, AT Chicago’s first live panel event was held earlier this month at The Understudy. The panel featured Carla Stillwell, Shepsu Aakhu, Myesha-Tiara, and Xavier Custodio, whose range of experiences provided wonderful insights into what it means to create art and an artistic home in Chicago. The full podcast can be found here or your podcast app of choice.

Meanwhile Gabriela chatted with the folks at Bramble Theatre Company about their new arts loft, a for-profit venture that looks to support their theatremaking through rentals for their expansive, multi-use home. Sadly, we also bade farewell to Haven Theatre, a Chicago company known for its Director’s Haven program that provided emerging directors with hands-on experience supported by Haven funding. Reporter Boutayna Chokrane checked in with the company about the news, and dove into what the Chicago community is losing with this latest closure announcement.

Pivoting to some local shows, for our Spring print issue, I wrote about Court Theatre’s world premiere production of Nambi E. Kelley’s Stokely: The Unfinished Revolution (through June 16), in which Kelley and director Tasia A. Jones are seeking to show the human beneath the otherworldly accomplishments of Civil Rights leader Kwame Ture. I also had the chance to sit down with actor Michael Shannon and writer/director Levi Holloway to talk about the Grey House playwright’s eerie new work, Turret, at A Red Orchid Theatre (through June 22).

Finally, reporter Crystal Paul checked in with Second City standout Evan Mills as he prepares to leave Chicago and head for sunny L.A. On his way out, as Paul illuminates, Mills is trying to leave behind a better comedy scene for folks who look like him through his work as director of Second City’s second annual Victor Wong Fellowship.

When you get the next Chicago newsletter, we’ll be on the other side of TCG’s national conference. The conference, running June 20-22, will span multiple Chicago neighborhoods and feature a number of Chicago’s wonderful theatre spaces. We’ll have coverage leading up to and following the conference, but we hope you’ll join us either virtually or in person for some of our wonderful conference sessions. If you’re in Chicago or headed this way for the conference, we look forward to seeing you there!

Now See This

“When a construction worker unexpectedly joins a local theatre’s production of Romeo and Juliet, the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life,” goes the tagline for Ghostlight. Starting June 14 at a movie theatre near you, you can enjoy this love letter to community and storefront theatre starring Chicago theatremakers.

Around Town

Gabriela catches us up on a few items you may have missed!

Across the Midwest, spring theatre has been wonderfully busy, from plans for new spaces being unveiled to multimedia projects being recognized to sharp writing winning over audiences.

• Succeeding Andrew Hungerford, Bridget Leak has been named Know Theatre of Cincinnati’s new producing artistic director. “I want to continue Know’s long legacy of connecting our region to stories risky and beautiful, told both at the cutting edge or too close for comfort,” said Leak in a statement.
• Tonen O’Connor penned a tribute to John Dillon, artistic director of Milwaukee Rep from 1977 to 1993. “But John’s life in the theatre stretched far beyond Milwaukee Rep. His creative curiosity touched many others, and his artistic friendships lived as long as he did,” said O’Connor.
• For the Chicago Reader, Kerry Reid discussed playwright Barrie Cole, whose work is being featured in Hamburgers & Disappointment: Plays About Enoughness, a festival from Sweetback Productions that includes four Cole pieces in repertory, plus one digital offering. “Her plays often demonstrate a love of wordplay that goes beyond mere cleverness,” Reid said. Reid also shared news of Lawyers for the Creative Arts reaching an agreement to take over Arts and Business Council of Chicago programs.  
• In another roundup, Reid celebrated A&A Ballet remounting Cinderella and Collaboraction Theatre’s exciting unveiling of plans for a “House of Belonging” at Kimball Arts Center.
• Ariel Parrella-Aureli also wrote about Collaboraction’s new home for Block Club Chicago. “With the new arts space that changes up the traditional theatre model, the goal is to broaden Collaboraction’s mission of making art accessible to marginalized storytellers, work with the next generation of artists and have a positive impact on the community,” Parrella-Aureli reported. After four years of performing around the city, artistic director Anthony Moseley expressed excitement about adding a brick-and-mortar arts house to Humboldt Park.
• Third Coast Review’s Nancy S. Bishop wrote about Collaboraction’s film Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till, which was one of two finalists in the documentary category for the 2024 Silver Gavel Award (alongside Killers of the Flower Moon). 
• In the Chicago Reader’s preview of Goodman Theatre’s English, Boutayna Chokrane said Pulitzer winner Sanaz Toossi’s writing and Hamid Dehghani’s directing “challenges preconceptions and offers a nuanced yet simple window of Iranian lives beyond political narratives.”
• Another artist who’s been a standout this season, Nambi E. Kelley was profiled by WBEZ’s Mike Davis. While performing in the Goodman’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Kelley’s playwriting has also been shining, with works Stokely: The Unfinished Revolution at Court Theatre and Native Son at Lifeline Theatre.
• Chicago may be famous for nurturing local plays and writers, but Death Becomes Her joins Chicago’s national legacy as a key development stop. After premiering at the Palace Theatre, the new show starring Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, Christopher Sieber, and Michelle Williams is set for Broadway this fall. Coverage in the Chicago Sun-Times and NewCityStage, respectively, by Mary Houlihan and Dennis Polkow highlighted the show’s score and highly theatrical flair.
• Across mediums, Chicago has shown skill, growth, and tenacity time and time again. Writing for the Sun-Times, Steve Heisler said two improv comedy venues will open soon: The Revival, returning to the scene with a space in the South Loop, and the Home Comedy Theater, building out a home in Lake View “for displaced long-form improvisers.”
• In an epic homecoming to Chicago, Christine Sherrill lit up the Nederlander as Donna in the 25th anniversary national tour of Mamma Mia. Wrote Stefano Esposito for the Sun-Times, Sherill “credits former Drury Lane artistic director Bill Osetek with (as the ABBA song goes) taking a chance on her.”
• Over at Steppenwolf Theatre, Larissa FastHorse’s brilliantly provocative and humorous The Thanksgiving Play closes on June 2, but her extensive writing credits and advocacy will continue making space. “Passionate about creating opportunities for others, FastHorse said she leaves every meeting promoting two other Indigenous writers,” wrote Erica Thompson in the Sun-Times.
• From Nuvo out of Indianapolis, Rita Kohn reported on the art of storytelling and highlighted Ronan Marra, founding artistic director of Storefront Theatre of Indianapolis and former co-artistic director of Chicago’s Signal Ensemble Theatre, as he prepares to step into his new role as Storytelling Arts of Indiana’s executive director once co-founder Ellen Munds retires on June 30.
• Also in Indianapolis, Lisa Gauthier Mitchison covered Indianapolis Black Theatre Company’s Platanos y Collard Greens, one of the new troupe’s first projects, expected to kick off the development of the company’s touring network.
• CBS 58 reports on Milwaukee’s First Stage’s “truly inventive production” of Escape from Peligro Island: A Create Your Own Adventure Play, chatting with actor Matt Daniels about the show, which runs through June 2.
• More good news out of Milwaukee from Jim Higgins of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Rep’s $78 million construction and renovation project will enhance wheelchair and mobility access, create a new lobby connected to key spaces, upgrade theatres, expand its education and engagement space, and feature a new bar and lounge. 
• While Milwaukee prioritizes education and access, Detroit is “easing down the road” too with Mosaic Youth Theatre’s new production of Yellow Brick Ballads, featuring original music written by over 30 Detroit teens and inspired by themes from The Wiz. There will be 65 young people onstage and backstage, plus opportunity for audiences to engage in this high-energy celebration, writes Duante Beddingfield for Detroit Free Press.

Chicago Chisme

Every month, Jerald and Gabriela check in with Chicago/Midwest theatre artists about what’s getting them out of bed in the morning and keeping them up at night. This spring, we’re remembering why we do what we do. More below from Dolores Díaz, playwright behind TimeLine Theatre Company’s world premiere Black Sunday (through June 29), and actor/producer Alice da Cunha, co-founder and co-artistic director of the international Physical Theater Festival Chicago (July 13-21).

What’s a piece of art (theatre or otherwise) that you love that you feel doesn’t get talked about enough?

Dolores: Fiona Apple’s Idler Wheel album. It’s a masterpiece. I’d love to perform that album as a percussionist.

Alice: I feel that devised and physical theatre in general doesn’t get talked about enough in the U.S. I feel that theatre becomes so engaging, playful, and imaginative when one approaches it not only through text but also as a physical and visual art form. I love it when I see a piece that communicates a story to its audience through images, physicality, and text.

What’s a recent moment that reminded you why you choose to do theatre?

Dolores: I recently provided a script consultation as part of my work with Chicago Dramatists and the playwright sent a follow up email saying I’d provided excellent feedback, with insights and suggestions that went to the heart of their play. Moments like that make me feel like I’m in the right place.

Alice: I have two! Physical Theater Festival is bringing an award-winning play from Brazil called Macacos by Clayton Nascimento, who created and performs in the show. There is a moment in which he talks about theatre as a truly democratic arena where thoughts and perceptions are discussed and empathy is created. It gave me goosebumps watching it, and I can’t wait for local audiences to see it this summer. The other moment was watching an early rehearsal of a show called My Uncle Sam that Theater Unspeakable is devising. The actor is holding a simple paper boat that is crossing the ocean and suddenly he drops the boat, looks up, and leans back. Suddenly, through his reaction we see an immigrant looking at the New York skyline for the very first time. I love it when theatre provokes my imagination like that.

Shoot your shot. What artist or company are you dreaming of working with, or what show are you dreaming of working on?

Dolores: I want to work with Michael Shannon and sell a screen version of Black Sunday to A24 with him playing the role of Pa. I expect it would be a success.

Alice: There are so many! Chicago is full of artists that I would love to work with as an actor, assist as a director, or produce. I would jump at the possibility of working again with The Dream King team of Sandra Marquez and Marvin Quijada; directors such as Ron OJ Parson, Vanessa Stalling, Mary Zimmerman, and David Caitlin; and anything physical theatre artists Olivia Lilley, Stephanie Diaz, and Vanessa Valliere create!

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