Theatre Seven of Chicago

T7 Credits: Boys and Girls - Never Swim Alone, Shikaakwa: In On It (Writer)

Daniel MacIvor was born in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia in 1962. He is a stalwart of the Canadian theatre scene, having written and directed numerous award-winning productions including See Bob Run, Wild Abandon, 2-2-Tango, This Is A Play, The Soldier Dreams, You Are Here, How It Works, A Beautiful View, Communion, Bingo! and his work has been translated into French, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech, German and Japanese. From 1987 to 2007 with Sherrie Johnson he ran da da kamera, a respected international touring company which brought his work to Australia, the UK and extensively throughout the US and Canada. With long time collaborator Daniel Brooks, he created the solo performances House, Here Lies Henry, Monster, Cul-de-sac and This is What Happens Next. Daniel won a GLAAD Award and a Village Voice Obie Award in 2002 for his play In On It, which was presented at PS 122 in New York. His play Marion Bridge received its off- Broadway premiere in New York in October of 2005. In 2006, Daniel received the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama for his collection of plays I Still Love You. In 2007, his play His Greatness won the Jessie Richardson Award for Best New Play in Vancouver. In 2008, he was awarded the prestigious Siminovitch prize in Theatre. Also a filmmaker, Daniel has written and directed the feature films Past Perfect, Wilby Wonderful and the short films Permission and Until I Hear From You, and he is the writer of the feature films Trigger, Marion Bridge and co-writer (with Amnon Buchbinder) of Whole New Thing. Currently, Daniel divides his time between Toronto and Avondale, Nova Scotia and he is playwright in residence at Tarragon Theatre in Toronto.

Website: www.danielmacivor.com

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: Boys & Girls- The Shallow End (Playwright)

Wendy MacLeod's play The House of Yes became an award-winning Miramax film starring Parker Posey, earning a Special Jury Award at Sundance. The play has been done at Soho Rep, The Maxim Gorki Theater in Berlin and at The Gate Theater in London, where it was published in Plays International, and most recently at The Washington Shakespeare Company. Juvenilia premiered at Playwrights Horizons, as did The Water Children, which was then done at L.A.'s Matrix Theater and cited as "the most challenging political play of 1998" by the L.A. Weekly and earned six L.A. Drama Critics Circle nominations Things Being What They Are premiered at Seattle Rep and performed at Steppenwolf in Chicago in 2003 where its sold-out run was extended twice. Most recently it was done at the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor. Her plays Sin and Schoolgirl Figure both premiered at The Goodman in Chicago, and Anvil Entertainment has optioned SSin and Schoolgirl Figure for film. Her prose has appeared in The Washington Post, The International Herald Tribune, Poetry magazine, and the Kenyon Alumni Bulletin. A New Dramatist alumna and a graduate of the Yale School of Drama, she is the James E. Michael playwright-in-residence at her alma mater, Kenyon College, and has been a guest professor at Northwestern University's film and theater departments.

updated september 2012 

T7 Credits: Killing Women (Abby), Boys & Girls (Director - Never Swim Alone), Yes, This Really Happened to Me (Co-Director), Lies and Liars (Co-Director/Co-Writer), Mimesophobia (Director), We Live Here (Co-Director/Co-Conceiver)

Margot Bordelon is a founding member of Theatre Seven of Chicago. She has worked with Lookingglass, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Collaboraction, Timeline, Pavement Group, Live Bait, Around the Coyote, Bailiwick, and Hell in a Handbag. Before moving to Chicago in 2004, Margot lived in Seattle where she worked with Seattle Repertory Theatre, Empty Space, University of Washington PATP, Live Girls! and Double Shot Productions. She's currently living in New Haven, CT pursuing her MFA in Directing at the Yale School of Drama.

Website: www.margotbordelon.com

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: Shikaakwa: Heads (Director); Boys & Girls (Director - The Shallow End)

Meghan Beals McCarthy is the Associate Artistic Director for Chicago Dramatists, and the 2012 co-curator for Theater on the Lake (with Michael Patrick Thornton).  Previously, she served as Literary Manager and Resident Dramaturg at Northlight Theatre, as Project Assistant for the First Look Repertory of New Work at Steppenwolf, and as Interim Artistic Director for Caffeine Theatre.  Before Chicago, Meghan was the Artistic Associate at the Pearl Theatre Company, a classical theatre company in New York City. As a director, she has had the pleasure of working with companies such as Goodman, Steppenwolf, Northlight, Chicago Dramatists, Stage Left, Collaboraction, Pavement Group, Caffeine Theatre, the Women’s Project, Abingdon Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre and The Pearl (New York), among others.  Meghan earned her B.A. in Theatre at the University of Southern California and her M.F.A. in Directing at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago, IL. 

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: Is Chicago, Killing Women, The Sand Castle, Diversey Harbor, Hunting and Gathering, The Water Engine: An American Fable, In the Heart of America, American Storm (Director); Yes This Really Happened to Me, We Live Here, Cooperstown (Writer), Mimesophobia (Man Who Speaks...), Boys & Girls (Frank - Never Swim Alone), The Chicago Landmark Project (Co-Coordinator; Writer - 63rd & Woodlawn: Robust Coffee Lounge; Director - 63rd & Kedzie: Arab American Community Center)

Brian Golden is the Managing Artistic Director and a founding member of Theatre Seven of Chicago. During his leadership, Theatre Seven’s work has been seen by 12,000+ patrons and the company has been nominated for three Jeff Awards, two Black Theatre Alliance Awards, been a three-time finalist and the 2012 winner of Broadway in Chicago’s Emerging Theatre Award, and paid over 200 artists for their work. Brian was the Co-Coordinator of Theatre Seven’s 2011 The Chicago Landmark Project, 12 World Premiere short plays about 12 specific Chicago landmarks. His play Cooperstown was nominated for a Joseph Jefferson Award, and he was one of eight co-authors of We Live Here, which was nominated for 2 Jeff Awards, including Best New Work. Brian works for Catharsis Productions as the company’s Literary Manager, developing new artistic programs with an emphasis on social justice and violence reduction. Brian is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, a two-time winner of the A.E. Hotchner Playwriting Contest, and recipient of the Leota Diesel Ashton Playwriting Prize and John J. Jutkowitz Award. 

updated october 2012

T7 Credits: Is Chicago (Dennis/Danny), Killing Women (Everybody Else), Boys & Girls (Bill - Never Swim Alone), Election Day (Assistant Director), Diversey Harbor (Dennis), Lies & Liars (Michael), Cooperstown (Director), Mimesophobia (Aaron), The Water Engine: An American Fable (Ensemble/Foley), The Chicago Landmark Project (Director - Ohio & The Lake: Navy Pier)

Brian Stojak is a founding company member of Theatre Seven of Chicago and spent four years as its Director of Marketing.  He has worked as an actor and director in Chicago for Theatre Seven of Chicago, Pavement Group, 2nd Story/Serendipity Theatre Collective, Briar Street Productions, the Abbie Hoffman Festival, Columbia College and The Side Project's Children's Theatre.

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: Boys & Girls (Addie - The Shallow End)

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: Boys & Girls (Marjorie - The Shallow End). 

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: Boys & Girls (The Shallow End- Theresa)

updated september 2102

T7 Credits: Boys & Girls (The Shallow End- Theresa)

Zoe began her professional career when she was cast as Teresa in the critically acclaimed production of "The Shallow End", by Theatre Seven Chicago.  Since that point she has been cast in numerous productions including the role of Brittany in the world premier of "Trust" at Lookingglass Theatre.  Zoe also will appear as Brittany in the film version of "Trust" directed by David Schwimmer. “Zoe Levin’s soul is revealed through her eyes.  Not only does she have a range and flexability as an actress, but also she understands how to use it for both camera and stage.  Her growth day by day has been amazing”- Janet Louer.  When Zoe is not on stage or behind the camera she enjoys playing lacrosse on her school team, rollerblading, ice skating and spending time with her family and friends. 

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: Boys & Girls (Becca - The Shallow End).

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: Boys & Girls: The Shallow End (Marjorie)

Ilyssa Ernsteen was recently in the Sketchbook festival at the Chopin Theatre downtown. She is currently attending the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan for her junior and senior year of high school. She attended the Interlochen  Summer Camp for three years before this. For her first semester at Interlochen she has stage-managed The Syringa Tree. When Ilyssa was younger, she was hired as a voiceover talent by Dove Inner Beauty campaign. Ilyssa plans to major in theatre in college.

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: Boys & Girls (The Shallow End- Addie).

Other Chicago credits include Great Expectations, A Festival of Jewish Stories and Encores with Piven Theatre, The Children’s Hour at TimeLine Theatre, and The Good Person of Setzuan with Big Picture Group. In the fall of 2012, Olivia will be a freshman in the theater department at Northwestern. She can next be seen as Maggie in the American premiere of Tusk Tusk at Piven Theatre. 

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: Boys & Girls (Referee - Never Swim Alone), The Sandcastle (Understudy - Joan)

Rebecca’s other Chicago credits include The Seagull and A True History of the Johnstown Flood at the Goodman Theatre, All My Sons and Dolly West's Kitchen at TimeLine Theatre Company, The Cherry Orchard at Strawdog Theatre Company and Cut to the Quick at the side project. Her regional credits include the New York International Fringe Festival, and Metamorphoses at Swine Palace in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: Is Chicago (James - Diversey Harbor; Bernie - Sexual Perversity in Chicago; Set Designer; Technical Director), Killing Women (Mike Sanders; Technical Director), Boys & Girls (Set Designer); Diversey Harbor (Set Designer, Technical Director, James)

Charlie currently lives in Maryland. His Chicago credits include working as house carpenter for Chicago Shakespeare Theater and a freelance technical director with such companies as Lifeline Theatre, CityLit Theater, A Red Orchid and Bohemian Ensemble Theater. 

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: American Storm, ls Chicago, Killing Women, Cooperstown, Boys & Girls, Diversey Harbor, Lies and Liars, The Water Engine: An American Fable, The Chicago Landmark Project (Lighting Design); Yes, This Really Happened to Me, Election Day, The Sand Castle (Lighting Design & Technical Director)

Justin Wardell is a company member at Theatre Seven and is a member of 7P, Theatre Seven's Literary Circle. Justin has been designing lighting for theatre, dance, and special events for over 10 years. He has had the opportunity to work in many Chicago Landmarks, including the Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Museum of Science and Industry, Union Station, and many more. Justin was an early addition to Theatre Seven of Chicago, and has been the resident lighting designer since its inception. In his role as an Account Executive for Intelligent Lighting Creations, Justin now has the opportunity to design lighting for trade shows, galas, corporate events, and permanent installations. In addition to design work, Justin has had the honor of guest-lecturing on lighting design and lighting technology for several colleges, universities, and professional organizations. Other theatrical credits include work at the Springfield Municipal Opera, the Building Stage, Flamenco Sin Limites, Porchlight Music Theatre, and many other talented companies.  

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: BlackTop Sky, American Storm, Killing Women, The Water Engine, Boys & Girls, The Sand Castle, Diversey Harbor, Cooperstown, Hunting & Gathering, We Live Here, In the Heart of America, Exit, Pursued by a Bear (Costume Designer), The Chicago Landmark Project (Supervising Costume Designer)

Brenda Winstead loves Theatre Seven! She is a company member with T7 and has designed numerous shows there. Other Chicago area design credits include Making God Laugh, Guys and Dolls, The Wiz, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Man of La Mancha, Crazy for You, Leading Ladies, The Producers, Hello Dolly and Fiddler on the Roof (Theatre at the Center); Ragtime (Drury Lane); It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play (Noble Fool); Kingsville (Stage Left); and The Price (Shattered Globe). Regional Credits include Born Yesterday, Rumors and Mousetrap (Peninsula Players); All Shook Up, High School Musical (Forestburgh Playhouse). Brenda holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Connecticut. 

updated october 2012

T7: Boys & Girls (Sound Designer).

Stephen Ptacek is a freelance Sound Designer and Playwright based in Chicago. Previously in Chicago he has designed sound and/or music for Apple Tree, Big Theatre, Collaboraction, Dog & Pony, Griffin, Livewire, Moving Dock, New Leaf, Pegasus, Promethean, Side Project, Steep, Vitalist Theatre, and Walkabout. A Graduate of the University of Iowa, Stephen also runs a small independent record label, VOLUNTEER RECORDS. Mr. Ptacek won a Joseph Jefferson award for his work on Faster at the Side Project.

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: Boys & Girls (Props Designer)

Jess recently began her fourth season and 18th production at Chicago Shakespeare as a dresser. She also works in the Chicago Theatre scene as a props designer and assistant costume designer. She has been the wardrobe supervisor for the Short Shakespeare! School tour for the last four years.

updated september 2012

T7 Credits: Boys & Girls (Stage Manager)

Ellen Willet's Chicago credits include: TimeLine Theater, Emerald City Theatre Company, Viaduct, StageLeft, Terrapin TheatreCompany, Irish Rep, and many more. She also serves on the board of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), a unique and vibrant music ensemble dedicated to advancing the music of our time.

updated september 2012