2008-2009 Season

Sleepy Hollow: A Folk Musical

Adapted from Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Tyler Beattie*
February – March 2009 at the Theatre Building Chicago

Production Team
Director and Music Director: Tyler Beattie*
Original Music & Lyrics: Tyler Beattie*
Stage Manager: Tricia Bobeda
Costume Design: Mieka van der Ploeg
Set Design: Andre LaSalle
Lighting Design: Tamar Geist

Cast/Orchestra
Nathan Drackett* (Ichabod Crane), Mary Spearen* (Katrina van Tassel), Nick Freed (Brom Bones), Jason Adams, Creighton Hofeditz, Laura Huizenga, Carla Kessler, Laura Mahler*, and Omen Sade*.

Six Impossible Things

Adapted from J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, and Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Julie Ritchey* & the Filament Theatre Ensemble
February- March 2009 at the Theatre Building Chicago

Production Team
Associate Directors: Christian Libonati* and Omen Sade*
Costume Design: Mieka Van der Ploeg
Set Design: Omen Sade* and Mary Spearen*
Original Music: Omen Sade*, Laura Mahler*, and Julie Ritchey*
Lighting Design: Tamar Geist

Cast
Mrs. Darling, The Dormouse, and Others: Carolyn Faye Kramer*
Peter Pan, the March Hare, and Others: Nathan Drackett*
The Mad Hatter, the Tin Man, and Others: Omen Sade*
Alice, Wendy, and Dorothy: Madeline Scheffler*
Understudy: Christian Libonati*

Cast of the Urban Gateways Tour of Six Impossible Things, 2008-2009: Brandon Cloyd, Nicole Ripley, Omen Sade*, Dori Scallet, and Madeline Scheffler*.

Clown Orpheus (Workshop)

Adapted from Ovid’s The Metamorphoses by Omen Sade*
March 2009

Production Team
Conceived and Directed by Omen Sade*
Music Original: Elizabeth Bagby, Tyler Beattie*, Nathan Drackett*, and Pamela Maurer
Stage Manager: Shayna Kamilar*
Costume Design: Mieka Van der Ploeg
Set Design: Omen Sade*

Cast
Orpheus: Elizabeth Bagby
Eurydice: Pamela Maurer
Bouffons: Nathan Drackett*, Jason Adams, Amy Gorelow

Pinocchio

Adapted from Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio by Tyler Beattie*
Produced in association with the Summer Theatre of New Canaan
June – July 2009

Production Team
Director and Music Director: Tyler Beattie*
Original Music and Lyrics: Tyler Beattie*
Stage Manager: Jessica McKenna
Costume Design: Mieka van der Ploeg
Set Design: Eli Kaplan-Wildmann

Cast
The Fox and Others: Andi Alhadeff
Geppetto: Eric Garrison
The Blue Fairy and Others: Kristin Magee
The Cricket and Others: Jessica McKenna
Pinocchio: Omen Sade*
Lamp-Wick and Others: Nate Trinrud

2007-2008 Season

Six Impossible Things

Conceived by Julie Ritchey*
Adapted from J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, and Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Julie Ritchey* & the Filament Theatre Ensemble
November – December 2007 at the North Lakeside Cultural Center

Production Team
Director: Julie Ritchey*
Stage Manager: Rebecca Kling
Costume Design: Mieka van der Ploeg and Kathleen Arcovio
Set Design: Julie Ritchey* and Christian Libonati*
Original Music and Lyrics: Laura Mahler*, Omen Sade*, and Julie Ritchey*
Lighting and Mobile Design: Peter Mitchell
Assistant Director: Madeline Duffy-Feins

Cast
The Cowardly Lion, the March Hare, and Others: Reggie Gowland*
Jane, Dormouse, Toto, and Others: Carolyn Faye Kramer*
Peter Pan, the Wizard, and Others: Christian Libonati*
The Good Witch, the Scarecrow, and Others: Laura Mahler*
The Tin Man, the Mad Hatter, and Others: Omen Sade*
Alice, Wendy, and Dorothy: Madeline Scheffler*

Martin Pebble (Staged Reading)

Adapted from Jean-Jacques Sempé’s Marcellin Caillou by Reggie Gowland* & Julie Ritchey*
April 2008

Production Team
Director: Josh Lesser

Cast
Martin Pebble: Christian Libonati*
Roddy Rackett: Andrew Keltz
Narrator: James Butler
Mme. Pelletier and Others: Madeline Duffy-Feins
Mme. Pebble and Others: Nicole Keating
Forest Fairy and Others: Allison Sanchez
Fred and Others: Sean Wesslund

Six Impossible Things

Adapted from J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, and Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Julie Ritchey* & the Filament Theatre Ensemble
Produced in association with the Summer Theatre of New Canaan
June – July 2008

Production Team
Director: Julie Ritchey*
Stage Manager: Nikki Colado
Costume Design: Mieka van der Ploeg
Set Design: Ali McKegney
Original Music: Omen Sade*, Laura Mahler*, Julie Ritchey*
Associate Director: Allegra Libonati

Cast
Peter Pan, the Red Queen, and Others: Christian Libonati*
Captain Hook, the Scarecrow, and Others: Jack Novak*
Alice, the Cowardly Lion, and Others: Nicole Ripley
Dorothy, the Dormouse, and Others: Allison Sanchez
Wendy, the Good Witch, and Others: Madeline Scheffler*
The Mad Hatter, the Wizard of Oz, and Others: Omen Sade*

2006-2007 Season

A Muse in Love

Adapted from William Shakespeare by Allegra Libonati
September-October 2006 on the Lakefill at Northwestern University

Production Team
Director: Julie Ritchey*
Executive Producer: Mark Barna*
Stage Manager: Lauren Robinson
Costumes: Kristy Leigh Hall
Set: Ali McKegney
Music Director: Kirby Hall

Cast
Puck: Brandon Cloyd
Benedick/Orlando/Orsino/Demetrius: Reggie Gowland*
Claudio/Silvius/Lysander/Romeo: Christian Libonati*
Hero/Phebe/Olivia/Hermia/Juliet: Sarah Mayhan
Beatrice/Rosalind/Viola/Helena: Maureen Rohn
Madrigal Singers: Kirby Hall (Soprano), Emily “Nemmils” Smith (Alto), Phil Curtis (Tenor), Bryan Young (Bass)
Understudy: Julie Ritchey*

Our fall run of A Muse in Love was followed by a four month tour to Northshore Retirement Communities.  The entire cast and production team remained the same for this tour.


Filament Season Auditions

Now accepting submissions for Filament’s 2010/2011 season generals. Please send a headshot and resume to casting@filamenttheatre.org. Or send us a message through My Theatre Club (*check out information below). Please indicate role and/or production you are interested in and whether or not you have specific day and/or time requests (we cannot guarantee but will try to accommodate all requests). You will be notified via e-mail with date, time, and location the week of Aug 22nd. Submission deadline 8/21!! Non-Union. Stipend.

CHOOSE THINE OWN ADVENTURE by William Shakespeare, adapted by Allison Powell directed by Julie Ritchey. Fri and Sat nights Oct 22nd -Dec 11th.

A comedy based on Shakespeare’s most famous works. Instead of stumbling into the fated and most tragic deaths, duels, and mistaken identities of the Bard, the protagonists look to the audience for guidance and otherwise familiar plot lines twist and turn into hilarity and surprise “To be or not to be?” You decide!

Note: This show is taking place in a bar. All actors must be 21+.

Seeking: 4 actors 1M, 1F, 2-non gender specific. All actors will play several characters, genders, ages, etc. Experience with Shakespeare and Improve a plus.

Preparation: Please prepare a 1-2 minute Shakespeare piece you love. Don’t worry about gender, age, race, comic vs. dramatic, etc. Your love for the lines you choose is most important.

Note: Callbacks for this production will take place Monday evening 8/30.

EURYDICE by Sarah Ruhl directed by Julie Ritchey.

Taking place spring of 2011. Specific dates TBD.

Eurydice is an adaptation of the Greek myth Orpheus told from Eurydice’s point of view. This play is full of whimsy, magic, direct audience address, and vivid imagery. Both Heartbreaking and Beautiful. Seeking actors for the following roles:

Eurydice (Female, 20s – 30s): Eurydice is naïve, curious – sometimes to a fault – petulant, intelligent, practical, and sincere. Loves language, words and ideas.

Orpheus (Male, 20s – 30s): Orpheus is a dreamer, an artist, a composer of music so beautiful that it opens the gates of the Underworld. He is capable of profound joy and profound sorrow. Musical ability, singer and/or instrumentalist a plus.

Eurydice’s Father (Male, 40s – 60s): Dignified without being unapproachable, like Gregory Peck or Michael Caine. Patient and resourceful, with a twinkle in his eye. He swing dances and reads King Lear with equal joy and vigor. He loves reading, writing, and Eurydice.

Nasty Interesting Man/Lord of the Underworld (Male, 20s-30s): Double cast. Both are slimy and even a bit dangerous, but still wholly magnetic and alluring. One might be drawn to them the way that Sleeping Beauty was drawn to the spindle. The Nasty Interesting Man is perhaps a bit like an unethical salesman. The Lord of the Underworld is like a megalomaniac child who fries ants with a magnifying glass and tries to kiss all the girls on the playground.

A Chorus of Stones (M or F, any age): As a group, they are three strange creatures living in the Underworld. Individually, they are Big Stone, Little Stone, and Loud Stone, and although their names need not be taken literally, they certainly can be. Ruhl describes them behaving like “nasty children at a birthday party.” They are the protectors of order in the Underworld, and find Eurydice and her Father’s failure to comply with the rules extremely maddening. Not always kind or rational, but certainly sincere and well-meaning in their own way.

Preparation: Please prepare a brief poem (2 min max). Margaret Atwood or e.e. cummings are good examples of poets to look at in terms of style. Using this poem as a base, create a fully realized world for it. Through the language and physicality we should have a strong sense of what is happening. What kind of character are you? To whom are you speaking? What is the situation and where is this moment taking place? This specificity is not meant to intimidate but to allow absolute freedom, creativity, and artistry. Your Imagination is appreciated and celebrated by the Filament artistic team!!

ORPHEUS created and directed by Omen Sade.

Taking place Spring 2011. Specific dates TBD.

Based on the Greek myth Opheus. This play was workshopped last season and will ultimately be created and revised by and with the actors cast.  Seeking actors with a strong sense of play and improvisation, both physical and musical, and a willingness to tap into the divine and grotesque.

Note: Strong background in clown, commedia, physical theater, mime, pantomime and or acrobatics/circus skills is highly recommended for all roles. Seeking actors for the following:

Orpheus: A young man who has seen a little bit of the world and thinks he knows his place in it. The best musician in the world and the wandering priest of Dionysius, god of wine, etc. Must posses strong musical ability, does not matter much in what style or instrument. Possibly interested in beatboxers/rappers for this role.

Eurydice: A young woman who has seen a little bit of the world and knows what she likes.  A true optimist. Must posses some musical ability, does not matter much in what style or instrument. Possibly interested in dancers for this role.

The Bouffons: The dark chorus of our play.  A trio of grotesque, transformative, bouffant (in the modern tradition of Jacques Lecoq) who take on the roles of every other character in the story.  There is a clear hierarchy within the trio.  These roles will be extremely physical.  Strong musical ability is a big plus for these roles, especially percussion/rhythm.

Fate: That ageless, relentless power that spins, measures, and cuts the golden threads of human lives. We are looking for one extraordinary musician/DJ to provide the live sound-scape for our show as well as create a party atmosphere for our audience. Must have strong improvisational skills. The ideal candidate will be someone who can truly play with music and sound, mixing unexpected sounds and musical styles. Must have own instruments/equipment.

Preparation: Please prepare a short (two min max) physically based piece, with or without speaking.  The physical piece should tell a story or convey meaning in some way, it shouldn’t be perfomance art or dance. A CD player, computer speakers, and IPOD dock will be available if the use of recorded sound is required for your piece. *Separate interview dates will take place in Sep. for the role of Fate. Please send an e-mail stating interest and experience to arrange an interview.

*My Theatre Club is a FREE service that allows Performing Arts Members to manage a personal profile where they can post all of their performance videos, photos, headshots, and resume. Everything is hosted on the My Theatre Club site. This will allow casting authorities to easily view performers information and do casting without having to wade through pages and pages of emailed headshot and resume attachments.

Register today to create your personal profile. Don’t forget to upload your headshot and resume to the site at the very least. Then send a message from your account to the Filament Theatre Ensemble page stating your interest in the audition. You can register at www.mytheatreclub.com. Make sure you sign up as a Performing Arts Member and also feel free to view other profiles to get some ideas!

Sleepy Hollow

The promotional video from our February 2009 production of Sleepy Hollow at the Theatre Building Chicago.

Sleepy Hollow takes to the streets!  Omen Sade, Andrew Mueller, Don Denton, and Mary Spearen perform selections from the new musical at the Evanston Farmers’ Market.

The cast of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in music rehearsing, singing through “Looks Good,” “A Woman’s Heart,” and “Katrina.”

More music rehearsal! The men of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow rehearse “A Woman’s Heart,” a new song written for the October production at the Viaduct Theatre.

Stuff Nathan Likes

Konnichiwa! Thanks for coming to see my page. I’ve posted a few things I thought would interest almost anyone, but a few of them may be of Japanese flavor as I’m currently living in Japan. I hope you have a chance to check them out! In addition to acoustic folk/bluegrass/alternative music, character driven novels, and mind-bending movies, I love anything and everything that scares me, challenges me, or makes me feel like a child again. I hope you enjoy!
Shopgirl by Steve Martin– If you’re looking for a short and sweet novella (literally 1-day-read), and you liked any of Wes Anderson’s films, I think you’ll love this book. It’s like a shorter, tighter version of Tom Wolfe’s “I Am Charlotte Simmons” (144 vs. 688 pages). It was made into a film which I didn’t see, but as an author Steve Martin has an uncanny way of portraying characters with all humor and no judgement so that you have no choice but to fall in love with each of them. If you’re looking to laugh out loud, though, this is not the book for you. Don’t let the Steve Martin authorship fool you. There are definitely comedic moments, but the majority of this book definitely has a melancholic twinge that keeps the pages turning.

Stuff Allison Likes

Bird and Butterfly Sanctuary on Montrose Point – A tiny Eden in the city. I discovered this protected area on a meandering run one afternoon and now it’s my destination every time I hit the Lake Shore Path. Dense trees and plants line a maze of well-kept trails and the wildlife (bunnies! wild flowers! dragonflies! butterflies! all sorts of birds!) are a needed reminder of life beyond the pavement. Once you step into the mini-forest (or maxi-garden), it’s easy to imagine you’re in another world entirely. If you head towards the lake, the paths end at an open field of chest-high wildflowers with an incredible view of Chicago’s skyline. But be forewarned: there are rumors of untoward activities taking place in the brush, so perhaps not the best night spot.

The Underdog by Spoon – This song makes me really happy so it’s my go-to first song on just about every CD I burn. Foremost for the opening drums, but that’s followed up with horns, a great melody and some brilliant lyrics. It reminds me to keep going when the odds are stacked against, which in the world of the performing arts, feels like a lot of the time. It can’t all be wedding cake and beware the underdog.

Bar on Buena – This cozy beer bar/restaurant feels like a hidden gem. There’s over 50 beers to choose from, booths, couches, stools and other sitting accoutrements to keep you comfortable, outdoor seating when the weather cooperates, and absolutely delicious burgers that come off of what they boats is the “World’s smallest grill” (size doesn’t matter here). It also happens to be just a hop, skip and jump from my apartment, so the week-night specials are particularly appreciated.