REVIEW: World Premiere of Dory Fantasmagory Via The Young People’s Theatre of Chicago Now Playing Through May 28, 2023

 ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List

THE YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE OF CHICAGO 

PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF 

DORY FANTASMAGORY! 

We love this hilarious and heartfelt celebration of imagination via childhood fantasy, fears, fun, and sibling dynamics.

★★★★ Four out of four stars. 

Bonnie Kenaz-Mara, ChiILMama.com

Dory is best enjoyed by kindergarteners to 4th graders

REVIEW:

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

I've got to be one of the luckiest moms in Chi, IL. My son and daughter were raised on world class children's theatre. Now that they're 20 & 22, my son is graduating from Northwestern in June with a degree in theatre arts and a love for children's theatre, so he'll STILL join me for shows! In fact, my son, Dugan and I caught Dory Fantasmagory last Sunday and had a blast. 

We enjoyed the joyful audience participation as kids interacted with the characters and excitedly laughed and played along. Young People’s Theatre of Chicago does an excellent job of breaking down the 4th wall, with actions and words. Kids of all ages were captivated by the quirky antics on stage and the actors nailed it. Sometimes adults have a tough time playing convincing children, but Maya Lou Hlava is a joy to see, embodying the spunk and spirit of mischievous six year old, Dory. Her brother and sister are pretty fantastic at being annoyed older sibs as well. We caught understudy, Jackie Smook as Violet/Mother/Mrs. Gobble Gracker and she was fabulous too, as was the entire ensemble as siblings, adults, and imaginary friends and foes. 

ChiIL Tips: Arrive early. Seating is GA and if your littles are height challenged, closer is better for sight lines. Street parking can also be tough in the area, so leave extra time or book a lot spot in the neighborhood in advance.

We're suckers for show souvenirs, especially for children, so we're jazzed the program is a poster. Another of our favorite elements of children's theatre is that kids often go home and reenact the show and/or create their own productions. I see a lot more blanket forts and adventure play from pint sized patrons of Dory Fantasmagory. Apologies in advance for the hilarious ear worm "decka decka poop" song. Dory Fantasmagory has a finger on the pulse of what littles find funny, including potty humor. But even adults dig a good Poop Deck joke, right...?! 

We love this hilarious and heartfelt celebration of imagination via childhood fantasy, fears, fun, and sibling dynamics. Don't miss this! 

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, artist, and Mama to 2 amazing adults. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly). 

FLASH GIVEAWAY! WIN A FAMILY 4 PACK OF TICKETS TO DORY FANTASMAGORY 

($96 VALUE) 

ENTER THROUGH MIDNIGHT FRIDAY 5/12/23

Here at ChiIL Mama, we adore the World Premiere of Dory Fantasmagory Via The Young People’s Theatre of Chicago. So we're partnering up with the Young People’s Theatre of Chicago to spread the world about this fabulously fun, family friendly show. We're giving away a Family 4 Pack of Tickets ( 2 adult tickets/2 tickets for kids under 12). Winner's choice of show dates/times pending availability. As long as a show's not sold out, you're in. 

Enter at the bottom of this post through midnight Friday 5/12. Winner will be contacted by email and announced here and on our social media platforms. Don't miss this! Now Playing Through May 28 at the Greenhouse Theater Center.

based on the book by ABBY HANLON 

adapted for the stage by JOHN GLORE 

MAY 6 - MAY 28 

At The Greenhouse Theater Center 

directed by RANDY WHITE 

Following a sold-out run of Mo Willems’ Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, the Young People’s Theatre of Chicago’s inaugural 3-Play 2022-23 season concludes this May with the world premiere stage adaptation of Abby Hanlon’s popular early-reader book, Dory Fantasmagory. Adapted by John Glore, YPT’s world premiere production is directed by artistic director Randy White. 

Dory Fantasmagory runs May 6 - May 28 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. For tickets or info, visit yptchi.org or call the Greenhouse Theater Box Office at 773 404 7336. 

The Beloved Book Series – Now Onstage 

The first in a series of extraordinarily popular Dory chapter books by Abby Hanlon, Dory Fantasmagory details the adventures of 6-year-old “Rascal,” who has a big imagination and an abiding knack for getting herself in trouble! 

You see, it’s tough being the youngest. Dory’s older siblings won’t play with her and so she joins forces with best friend Mary (she’s a little monster!) and fairy godmother Mr. Nuggy to battle the oh-so-horrible Mrs. Gobble Gracker in a no-holds-barred attempt to win the thing she wants most: her family’s attention! 

● “Charming , Funny & True to Life” – Kirkus Review 

● “Beyond the silliness and the jokes–of which there are plenty–Abby Hanlon’s real talent here is how she can balance ridiculousness alongside honest-to-goodness heartwarming moments!” 

– School Library Journal
● ““Educational Value: A+ – Common Sense Media 

● Best book of the year by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, & Parent's Magazine. Golden Kite Honor for fiction and American Library Assocation Notable book. 

Young People’s Theatre of Chicago 

The Greenhouse Theater Center · 2257 N Lincoln Ave 60614 randy@yptchi.org · 773.404.7336 · 812.272.4511 (m) · www.yptchi.org 

● Best Book of the Year by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, & Parent's Magazine. It won a Golden Kite Honor for Fiction and is an American Library Association Notable Book. 

MAYA LOU JIN HLAVA PARK 

DORY FANTASMAGORY 

THE WORLD PREMIERE MAY 6 - MAY 28, 2023 

TEAGEN EARLEY 

ALEX BENITO RODRIGUEZ 

TASMAN GLASER 

Performance Schedule: Saturdays at 10am & 1pm; Sundays at 1pm 

(added performances Friday @ 7pm & Sunday @ 10am on final weekend) 

Script by John Glore
Adapted from the book by Abby Hanlon
“Dory’s Theme Song” composed by Deborah Wicks La Puma (composer of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!)
Directed by Randy White
Set Design by Shayna Patel
Lighting Design by Bridget Williams
Costume Design by Cindy Moon
Props Design by Saskia Bakker
Sound Design by Kurt Ottinger
Musical Director by Sam Shankman
Stage Managed by Jordan Large 

Tickets: $25 / $19 (under 12) Appropriate for all Ages 

@ The Greenhouse Theater Center 

Upstairs Mainstage
2257 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago 773 404 7336 

Young People’s Theatre of Chicago 

The Greenhouse Theater Center · 2257 N Lincoln Ave 60614 randy@yptchi.org · 773.404.7336 · 812.272.4511 (m) · yptchi.org 

  

CREATIVE TEAM 

JOHN GLORE (playwright) is an award-winning playwright whose work for young audiences includes Wind of a Thousand Tales, Folktales Too, Rhubarb Jam, The Day After Evermore and adaptations of A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, The Night Fairy, by Laura Amy Schlitz, Flora & Ulysses, by Kate DiCamillo and Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon. His plays for adults include The Rub, On the Jump, and The Company of Heaven, among others. With the performance trio Culture Clash he has co-authored adaptations of two plays by Aristophanes, The Birds and Peace. His work has been produced at South Coast Repertory, Arena Stage, Berkeley Rep, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Children’s Theatre Company, the Coterie, Oregon Children’s Theatre, Childsplay, and many other theatres nationwide and internationally. www.johnglorewrites.com. 

ABBY HANLON (composer and orchestrator) Abby Hanlon is the author and illustrator of Dory Fantasmagory, a series of chapter books for five to nine year olds, published by Dial/Penguin Random House. The first book in the series was named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Parent's Magazine. It won a Golden Kite Honor for Fiction and is an American Library Association Notable Book. The sequel, Dory and The Real True Friend won a 2015 Cybil award. The books have been translated in twenty-two languages and are Junior Library Guild selections. 

Abby has a bachelor's from Barnard College and a master's degree in childhood education from the City College of New York. Abby has taught creative writing and first grade in the New York City public school system. Her debut picture book, Ralph Tells a Story (2012), is widely used by elementary school teachers. Abby recently illustrated the picture book, Chester Van Chime Who Forgot How to Rhyme, written by Avery Monsen (2022). 

Abby lives in Brooklyn with her husband, her fifteen-year-old twins, and her scruffy dog Caroline. 

RANDY WHITE (director) was founding artistic director of Cardinal Stage Company in Bloomington, IN. where he inaugurated the extraordinarily successful “Cardinal for Kids” series. In NYC, Randy directed the off-Broadway/national tour of the TYA musical Max and Ruby, the 15-month run of Glen Berger’s Underneath the Lintel, assisted on Disney’s The Lion King, and was resident director at New Dramatists. Regionally, Randy has directed at Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Portland Center Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, etc. As an educator, Randy has directed and/or taught at Yale, Penn, IU, University of Minn/Guthrie, Fordham, and NYU Tisch. 

In Chicago, Randy directed The Wizard of Oz at the Children’s Theatre of Winnetka and Curious George and Knuffle Bunny at Northbrook Theatre. For the Greenhouse, Randy directed Truman and The Birth of Israel and was nominated for an Equity Jeff award for his critically acclaimed production of Midsummer (A Play with Songs). He also directed YPT’s inaugural production of Knuffle Bunny in the fall of 2021, the world premiere of Peabody, the Science Musical, in the fall of 2022, and the sold out run of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Randy holds an MFA in directing from the University of Alberta in his native Canada. 

Young People’s Theatre of Chicago 

The Greenhouse Theater Center · 2257 N Lincoln Ave 60614 randy@yptchi.org · 773.404.7336 · 812.272.4511 (m) · www.yptchi.org 

THE YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATER OF CHICAGO 

The Young People’s Theatre of Chicago is a professional children’s theatre company offering highest-quality Theater for Young Audience (TYA) productions and performance/education opportunities for children of all ages and backgrounds. 

Housed in the historic Greenhouse Theater Center in Lincoln Park, YPT launched in
the fall of 2021 with an extraordinarily successful production of Mo Willems’ Knuffle
Bunny. “Last year’s Knuffle Bunny was a hugely successful first outing for YPT,” says
YPT’s Managing Artistic Director Randy White. YPT followed up with an inaugural 3-play season, including Peabody, a world premiere S.T.E.M.-themed musical for gradeschoolers, a sold-out run of Mo Willems’ Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, and the upcoming world premiere adaptation of the wildly popular Dory Fantasmagory. 

White noted that “the company is excited to partner with community organizations, parents, impassioned educators, and local business leaders to make it possible for local children of all ages and backgrounds to experience and participate in a wide range of transformative theatrical experiences!” He added that these “include established children’s classics, commissioned new works by celebrated American playwrights, and extraordinary performance and educational opportunities.” 

ENTER HERE For your chance to win a Family 4 Pack of Tickets ( 2 adult tickets/2 tickets for kids under 12). Winner's choice of show dates/times pending availability. As long as a show's not sold out, you're in. 

Enter through midnight Friday 5/12. Winner will be contacted by email and announced here and on our social media platforms. Don't miss this! Now Playing Through May 28th, 2023 at the Greenhouse Theater Center.

ChiIL Mama is pleased to partner up with The Young People’s Theatre of Chicago on this giveaway. They have provided tickets for our winner. As always, all opinions are our own. 

World Premiere of Dory Fantasmagory Via The Young People’s Theatre of Chicago May 6 - May 28 at the Greenhouse Theater Center

 ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List

THE YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE OF CHICAGO 

PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF 

DORY FANTASMAGORY! 

based on the book by ABBY HANLON adapted for the stage by JOHN GLORE 

MAY 6 - MAY 28 

At The Greenhouse Theater Center 

directed by RANDY WHITE 

Dory is best enjoyed by kindergarteners to 4th graders

Following a sold-out run of Mo Willems’ Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, the Young People’s Theatre of Chicago’s inaugural 3-Play 2022-23 season concludes this May with the world premiere stage adaptation of Abby Hanlon’s popular early-reader book, Dory Fantasmagory. Adapted by John Glore, YPT’s world premiere production is directed by artistic director Randy White. 

Dory Fantasmagory runs May 6 - May 28 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. For tickets or info, visit yptchi.org or call the Greenhouse Theater Box Office at 773 404 7336. 

The Beloved Book Series – Now Onstage 

The first in a series of extraordinarily popular Dory chapter books by Abby Hanlon, Dory Fantasmagory details the adventures of 6-year-old “Rascal,” who has a big imagination and an abiding knack for getting herself in trouble! 

You see, it’s tough being the youngest. Dory’s older siblings won’t play with her and so she joins forces with best friend Mary (she’s a little monster!) and fairy godmother Mr. Nuggy to battle the oh-so-horrible Mrs. Gobble Gracker in a no-holds-barred attempt to win the thing she wants most: her family’s attention! 

● “Charming , Funny & True to Life” – Kirkus Review 

● “Beyond the silliness and the jokes–of which there are plenty–Abby Hanlon’s real talent here is how she can balance ridiculousness alongside honest-to-goodness heartwarming moments!” 

– School Library Journal
● ““Educational Value: A+ – Common Sense Media 

● Best book of the year by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, & Parent's Magazine. Golden Kite Honor for fiction and American Library Assocation Notable book. 

Young People’s Theatre of Chicago 

The Greenhouse Theater Center · 2257 N Lincoln Ave 60614 randy@yptchi.org · 773.404.7336 · 812.272.4511 (m) · www.yptchi.org 

● Best Book of the Year by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, & Parent's Magazine. It won a Golden Kite Honor for Fiction and is an American Library Association Notable Book. 

MAYA LOU JIN HLAVA PARK 

DORY FANTASMAGORY 

THE WORLD PREMIERE MAY 6 - MAY 28, 2023 

TEAGEN EARLEY 

ALEX BENITO RODRIGUEZ 

TASMAN GLASER 

Performance Schedule: Saturdays at 10am & 1pm; Sundays at 1pm 

(added performances Friday @ 7pm & Sunday @ 10am on final weekend) 

Script by John Glore
Adapted from the book by Abby Hanlon
“Dory’s Theme Song” composed by Deborah Wicks La Puma (composer of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!)
Directed by Randy White
Set Design by Shayna Patel
Lighting Design by Bridget Williams
Costume Design by Cindy Moon
Props Design by Saskia Bakker
Sound Design by Kurt Ottinger
Musical Director by Sam Shankman
Stage Managed by Jordan Large 

Tickets: $25 / $19 (under 12) Appropriate for all Ages 

@ The Greenhouse Theater Center 

Upstairs Mainstage
2257 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago 773 404 7336 

Young People’s Theatre of Chicago 

The Greenhouse Theater Center · 2257 N Lincoln Ave 60614 randy@yptchi.org · 773.404.7336 · 812.272.4511 (m) · yptchi.org 

  

CREATIVE TEAM 

JOHN GLORE (playwright) is an award-winning playwright whose work for young audiences includes Wind of a Thousand Tales, Folktales Too, Rhubarb Jam, The Day After Evermore and adaptations of A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, The Night Fairy, by Laura Amy Schlitz, Flora & Ulysses, by Kate DiCamillo and Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon. His plays for adults include The Rub, On the Jump, and The Company of Heaven, among others. With the performance trio Culture Clash he has co-authored adaptations of two plays by Aristophanes, The Birds and Peace. His work has been produced at South Coast Repertory, Arena Stage, Berkeley Rep, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Children’s Theatre Company, the Coterie, Oregon Children’s Theatre, Childsplay, and many other theatres nationwide and internationally. www.johnglorewrites.com. 

ABBY HANLON (composer and orchestrator) Abby Hanlon is the author and illustrator of Dory Fantasmagory, a series of chapter books for five to nine year olds, published by Dial/Penguin Random House. The first book in the series was named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Parent's Magazine. It won a Golden Kite Honor for Fiction and is an American Library Association Notable Book. The sequel, Dory and The Real True Friend won a 2015 Cybil award. The books have been translated in twenty-two languages and are Junior Library Guild selections. 

Abby has a bachelor's from Barnard College and a master's degree in childhood education from the City College of New York. Abby has taught creative writing and first grade in the New York City public school system. Her debut picture book, Ralph Tells a Story (2012), is widely used by elementary school teachers. Abby recently illustrated the picture book, Chester Van Chime Who Forgot How to Rhyme, written by Avery Monsen (2022). 

Abby lives in Brooklyn with her husband, her fifteen-year-old twins, and her scruffy dog Caroline. 

RANDY WHITE (director) was founding artistic director of Cardinal Stage Company in Bloomington, IN. where he inaugurated the extraordinarily successful “Cardinal for Kids” series. In NYC, Randy directed the off-Broadway/national tour of the TYA musical Max and Ruby, the 15-month run of Glen Berger’s Underneath the Lintel, assisted on Disney’s The Lion King, and was resident director at New Dramatists. Regionally, Randy has directed at Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Portland Center Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, etc. As an educator, Randy has directed and/or taught at Yale, Penn, IU, University of Minn/Guthrie, Fordham, and NYU Tisch. 

In Chicago, Randy directed The Wizard of Oz at the Children’s Theatre of Winnetka and Curious George and Knuffle Bunny at Northbrook Theatre. For the Greenhouse, Randy directed Truman and The Birth of Israel and was nominated for an Equity Jeff award for his critically acclaimed production of Midsummer (A Play with Songs). He also directed YPT’s inaugural production of Knuffle Bunny in the fall of 2021, the world premiere of Peabody, the Science Musical, in the fall of 2022, and the sold out run of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Randy holds an MFA in directing from the University of Alberta in his native Canada. 

Young People’s Theatre of Chicago 

The Greenhouse Theater Center · 2257 N Lincoln Ave 60614 randy@yptchi.org · 773.404.7336 · 812.272.4511 (m) · www.yptchi.org 

THE YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATER OF CHICAGO 

The Young People’s Theatre of Chicago is a professional children’s theatre company offering highest-quality Theater for Young Audience (TYA) productions and performance/education opportunities for children of all ages and backgrounds. 

Housed in the historic Greenhouse Theater Center in Lincoln Park, YPT launched in
the fall of 2021 with an extraordinarily successful production of Mo Willems’ Knuffle
Bunny. “Last year’s Knuffle Bunny was a hugely successful first outing for YPT,” says
YPT’s Managing Artistic Director Randy White. YPT followed up with an inaugural 3-play season, including Peabody, a world premiere S.T.E.M.-themed musical for gradeschoolers, a sold-out run of Mo Willems’ Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, and the upcoming world premiere adaptation of the wildly popular Dory Fantasmagory. 

White noted that “the company is excited to partner with community organizations, parents, impassioned educators, and local business leaders to make it possible for local children of all ages and backgrounds to experience and participate in a wide range of transformative theatrical experiences!” He added that these “include established children’s classics, commissioned new works by celebrated American playwrights, and extraordinary performance and educational opportunities.” 

World Premiere of MIA "Where Have All the Young Girls Gone?" Via Her Story Theater at Greenhouse Theater Center

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

World Premiere of  

MIA

"Where Have All the Young Girls Gone?"

Written and directed by Mary Bonnett

Featuring Jamise Wright with Tristin Hall

In 2020, 268,884 women were reported missing, according to the National Crime Information Center, with nearly 100,000 of those being Black women and girls. 

Mary Bonnett’s world premiere play, MIA "WHERE HAVE ALL THE YOUNG GIRLS GONE?" is taken from interviews and research on girls and women who have vanished into the world of the missing in America. The play goes beyond the statistics to portray the crisis in personal and human terms, mirroring the plight of the missing and their loved ones trying to solve the mystery of their disappearance.

Bonnett will direct this production of her script, and Jamise Wright, who earned raves for her performance of a bereaved mother in Her Story Theater’s 2018 MONGER, will perform the lead. The cast also includes Tristin Hall. The production team includes Blake Cordell (Lights and Sound Design), CCDM (Music Design), Melinda Wilson (Choreography), Sean Smyth (Stage Manager), and Genevieve Swanson (Assistant Stage Manager). MIA "WHERE HAVE ALL THE YOUNG GIRLS GONE?" will be performed at Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago. 

I'll be out for the press opening, March 12, so check back shortly for my full review. Following previews from March 9-11, 2023, this production will play through April 9, 2023. 

Through a driving sound design, MIA "WHERE HAVE ALL THE YOUNG GIRLS GONE?" tries to put the puzzle pieces together and answer the questions surrounding this crisis. How can so many young girls go missing with so little response? Where are the 6000 missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and the thousands of missing and murdered girls from the south, west and north sides of Chicago? Who took them? Why don’t we have systems in place to protect women from this form of Femicide and abuse? Why isn’t more being done to find and protect them?

The crisis is especially acute among the African American community. In 2020, 268,884 women were reported missing, according to the National Crime Information Center, with nearly 100,000 of those being Black women and girls. While Black women account for just over 13% of our U.S. female population, they made up more than one-third of all missing women reported in 2020. 

Her Story Theater was founded in 2011 and has focused primarily on raising awareness of the epidemic of sexual exploitation of minors and homelessness. The four produced plays in Her Story’s “Chicago Sex Trafficking Cycle” include SHADOW TOWN (2013), THE JOHNS (2014), MONEY MAKE'M SMILE (2016, 2017) and MONGER (2018).  As a group, the plays depict domestic sex trafficking from the perspectives of the various participants – the traffickers, youth who are trafficked, and the men who buy them. INVISIBLE (2019) is concerned with issues of bigotry, nativism and violence against minorities. Her Story Theater continues its work to raise awareness of the prevalence of domestic sex trafficking and the trauma-based victim through its touring presentations and programs.

Tickets to MIA "WHERE HAVE ALL THE YOUNG GIRLS GONE?" will be on sale soon and will be available at www.greenhousetheater.com or by phone at 773-404-7336. Fir information for group tickets or questions, email: HerStoryTheatre@gmail.com More information on MIA and Her Story Theatre is available at www.herstorytheater.org.

Her Story Theater is seeking professionals in the field for our post-show discussions of MIA. For more information or to volunteer, email: Mary Bonnett at HerStoryTheatre@gmail.com

March 9 – April 9, 2023

Previews Thursday, March 9 through Saturday, March 11, 2023

Press Opening Sunday, March 12 at 2:00 pm

Thursdays – Saturdays at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 2:00 pm

Greenhouse Theatre Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago

For information on group rates, visit www.herstorytheater.org or call 312-835-1410.

Tickets: www.greenhousetheater.org, 773-404-7336

PRICES: $20.00, Students $10.00

Info: www.herstorytheater.org

Mary Bonnett’s world premiere play, MIA "WHERE HAVE ALL THE YOUNG GIRLS GONE?" is taken from interviews and research on girls and women who have vanished into the world of the missing in America. The play goes beyond the statistics to portray the crisis in personal and human terms, mirroring the plight of the missing and their loved ones trying to solve the mystery of their disappearance.

BIOS

MARY BONNETT (Producing Artistic Director, Playwright, Director) is the cofounder and Artistic Director of Her Story Theater. As a professional playwright, Mary’s plays include her highly acclaimed series from her Chicago Sex Trafficking Cycle: SHADOW TOWN, THE JOHNS, MONEY MAKE'M SMILE and MONGER. They are based on interviews Mary conducted with hundreds of professionals, survivors, sellers and buyers involved with sex trafficking in the Chicagoland area. These interviews are ongoing and continue to contribute to her work in the SIDE SHOW series, a national program for field professionals, educators and youth on domestic sex trafficking and the impact on the trauma based survivor.

Her main stage productions and touring shows have been quoted as “life changing.” Mary’s sex trafficking plays have reached across the country. THE JOHNS was performed in Houston, Texas for Super Bowl 2017. Her SIDE SHOWS have been presented at conferences across central Pennsylvania, Southern and Northern IL., Wisconsin, Wyoming and California.

Mary has won awards for excellence and outstanding contributions in professional theater, including writing, directing and theater education which includes the prestigious Dr. Margaret Burroughs Award. She most recently received a Civic Engagement Award for Outstanding Community Cause Leadership.  Her Story Theater is the recipient of the Illinois State Senate Hero Award in Sex Trafficking Prevention and Backstage Magazine’s “Top Ten Best Theaters That Change Lives.”

With a grant from the Chicago Teachers Union and the participation of educators, Mary led the development of a 7th-12th grade curriculum on domestic sex trafficking for youth. This curriculum with accompanying study guide complimented her play MONEY MAKE’M SMILE presented to over 5000 inner city students free of charge.

Her Story received a Commonwealth Edison Educational Grant, where Mary will develop script and curriculum, teaming with professional in the field to create in-school workshops on Child Exploitation for 3rd through 6th graders. 

She speaks regularly to organizations, high schools and universities on sex trafficking and the impact the current culture has on our youth. Mary has appeared on television and radio shows, championing the need for change in laws to protect children and women. Under Mary's leadership, Her Story Theater has raised thousands of donated dollars for their partner organizations.

Mary’s other works include GLOSS OVER, based on the lives of homeless women from Deborah’s Place as well as highly proclaimed women’s history plays such as RADICAL IDEAS! WOMEN AND THE VOTE based on the struggle of women in Illinois to ratify and win the vote, THE 9TH FLOOR: Blocked Justice of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire.  INVISIBLE, an exploration and its impact in history of the 1920s Women’s KKK.

Mary is a member of SAG-AFTRA, American Dramatist Guild NYC, The Author’s Guild, SCBWI. She holds a BFA in Theater Arts, a BFA in English Literature and an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University, England.

She has worked as advisory and support for Traffick Free, The Dreamcatcher Foundation and has held workshops with Girls Forward and the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force Conferences. As a side note, during the Covid pandemic she wrote a children’s novel entitled The Adventures of Cleaver and Whizjam On The Isle of Oogle.

 

Jamise Wright (Lead). Chicago native, Jamise “Slim”  Wright has been an Artistic Associate of Her Story Theater since 2018 where she created the original role of Ruth Edwards in the world premiere of Mary Bonnett’s MONGER along with co-lead Ira Amyx. Her performances received rave reviews from both critics and audiences noting her “riveting”, “heart breaking elegance” and “brilliant” performance.  In 2019, she oversaw the management of Her Story Theater’s acclaimed INVISIBLE at Stage 773 performing multiple duties making for a smooth run. During the Covid pandemic, Jamise revised the role of Ruth Edwards into a half-hour online monologue presentation riveting audiences with the power of her performance while raising awareness on domestic sex trafficking.

She has appeared in film, theater, and television. She was seen in the CHICAG FIRE episode, “The One Hundred”, “Windy City” an Indie film directed by Gunjan Badjatya., Dearly You Come to Me, Illumination, and the theater production of JUST RANTING THE BLUES, where she played the role of Death. Jamise has showcased her improvisational skills with Second City and is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago. Jamise is currently represented by The Stewart Talent Agency.

Tristin Hall (they/them, Essence) is excited to working with Her Story Theater for the first time!  Credits include: FALLING (Interrobang Theater), SPRING FLING (Stage Left), 12 FIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS (Otherworld) CARRIE AND FRANCINE (Haven Theater), DOG ACT (Columbia College), and A SEPARATE PEACE (Point Theatre Project).Recent choreography credits include: THE GARBOLOGISTS (Northlight), PARIS (Steep), ON THE GREENBELT, THE EFFECT (Strawdog), COMEDY OF ERRORS (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), STICK FLY (Writers Theater), KRUGOZOR, HUMAN RESOURCES (Theater Evolve), SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE (Bard in the Burbs), FOOTHOLDS (Imposters Theatre), SOME LIKE IT RED, MUNSTERSPIEL (The Plagiarists), THIN MINTS a workshop production (Greenhouse Theater), AFFECTION AS A SPACE VACUUM (Rhinofest 2020), MAD GIRLS (Rhinofest 2020). Assisting credits include: Sam Hubbard-YEN, (Raven Theater), TOO HEAVY FOR YOUR POCKET (Timeline), Rachel Flesher -SICKLE (Red Theater), and John Mcfarland- MARISOL (Northeastern). 

 

HER STORY THEATER

Her Story Theater is a theater for social change. Through theater and the written word, our mission is to shine bright lights in dark places on women and children in need of social justice and community support. Since 2011, we have partnered with countless organizations to raise awareness on current issues that impact women and children.  Her Story Theater is supported by Driehaus Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Illinois Arts Council, Susan and Ted Oppenheimer Foundation, Com Ed Powering The Arts, Northern Trust, Sunlight Project, Vanguard Charitable and private donations.

REVIEW: Eleanor's Very Merry Christmas Wish Now Playing at the Greenhouse Theater Through December 29, 2019

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List

TAKE A TRIP TO THE NORTH POLE WITH IMAGINATIVE NEW FAMILY-FRIENDLY HOLIDAY PRODUCTION

ELEANOR’S VERY MERRY 

CHRISTMAS WISH - THE MUSICAL

At the Greenhouse Theater Through December 29, 2019

**ages 3 and up**

Guest Review

by kimberly robb baker

Eleanor's Very Merry Christmas Wish is a delightful Christmas cookie of a show, one that kids of all ages can enjoy. Parents of wee ones will be especially happy to have a Christmas play that engages and accommodates young children so well—from pre-show elvish entertainment to a post-show chance to meet Santa. After all, as Santa says in this play by Denise McGowan Tracy and based on her book of the same name, “All children are good at heart.”

Eleanor, played with depth and sweetness by Samantha Bonzi, is a ragdoll who’s been at the North Pole for years—apparently the only toy in permanent residence with Santa, Mrs. “Cookie” Claus, and the elves, all of whom are like family to doll. But Eleanor has a couple of problems. She doesn’t know where she came from, and she longs for a best friend.

The North Pole is full of sequins, ribbon, presents, and that naughty and nice list maintained by Santa’s cousin Clara—played by Emily Rohm who brings some spice to all the sweetness flying around.

Musical performances stand out from Bonzi, Rohm, and Sydney Swanson—who plays the lonely young Noelle, a girl in Chicago who also longs for a best friend—align with catchy lyrics and music to make the small staging feel like a much bigger production.

Best of all, Eleanor’s Very Merry Christmas Wish does not condescend to children, but helps them address the very real thoughts about origin, family, and friendship that children of all ages must grapple with.

Kimberly Robb Baker is a Chicago based writer, blogger, consultant, story teller, and mother. You can find her worky stuff here: ThisLittleBrand.com and her artsy fartsy stuff here:  DisruptiveMama.com.

Eleanor's Very Merry Christmas Wish - The Musical, a new family-friendly holiday production, is now playing at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, through December 29, 2019. Presented by Chicago-based DMT Entertainment, the 65-minute musical is an engaging tale of love, friendship, and the magic of the holiday season. Eleanor's Very Merry Christmas Wish - The Musical is recommended for all dreamers, ages 3 and up. 

Eleanor's Very Merry Christmas Wish - The Musical tells the story of a rag doll named Eleanor who lives in the magical world of The North Pole. Despite her love for her family there, including Santa, Mrs. “Cookie” Claus, Clara Claus, and the elves - Twinkle, Sprinkle, and Sparkle, Eleanor's very merry Christmas wish is for a best friend and home of her own. Realizing that wishing is not enough, she writes a letter to Santa expressing her dream. The letter opens the door to answering many questions and to the journey which leads to her wish (and others) coming true.

Eleanor’s Very Merry Christmas Wish – The Musical is based on the heartfelt book of the same name published by Chicago powerhouse Denise McGowan Tracy in 2012.

Single tickets are priced at $29.50 and “family packs” of four tickets are available for $100. Each ticket includes the opportunity for every girl and boy to take a photo with Santa immediately following the performance. Grown-ups are encouraged to have their cell phones ready to capture the moment. All tickets may be purchased by visiting https://www.eleanorswish.com or calling 773-40-GREEN.

Performance schedule: Now playing through Dec. 29. Performances take place on Wednesdays at 10 a.m., Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and Sundays at 1 and 5 p.m.

The Eleanor's Very Merry Christmas Wish - The Musical ensemble of 11 features faces both familiar from local stages and on the rise, including Rockford-based musical theater pro Samantha Bonzi in the title role of Eleanor, alongside singer/songwriter and actor Lindsey Jane Bullen; Chicago Kids Company member Cara Chumbley; Blank Theatre Company co-founder Claire Latourette; Drury Lane veteran Kim Green; local Emmy Award winner Scott Gryder; Jeff Award nominee John Marshall Jr.; Chicago singer, actor, and voice artist Erin Parker (member of Actor’s Equity); Lucille Lortel Award nominee Emily Rohm (member of Actor’s Equity); Sydney Swanson in her professional stage debut; and Chicago Shakespeare Theater regular David Turrentine (member of Actor’s Equity).

 

Denise McGowan Tracy (Creator/Playwright) A native Chicagoan, Denise McGowan Tracy has been a recognized face and force in Chicago’s entertainment community – both on-stage and behind the scenes – for 35+ years. She began her career managing and booking the talent for the storied Byfield’s nightclub, and is currently the creator and co-host, with Beckie Menzie, of the long-running impromptu musical showcase Monday Night Live at Petterino’s, which recently celebrated its 500th show.  McGowan Tracy served as Director of Entertainment for Navy Pier for a decade producing all public programming for millions of visitors and, as current founder of DMT Entertainment, her full-service entertainment production and event management company, she has produced events for clients including Landmarks Illinois, Lettuce Entertain You, The Sarah Siddons Society, and The ABA. With this production, she begins a new chapter in theater as creator, playwright, and producer.   

Kathleen Gibson (Composer/Lyricist) Kathleen Gibson works as a music director at the Second City Training Center in addition to working as an AEA actor and freelance musician in Chicago. As an actor, her favorite theaters include: Theatre at The Center, Peninsula Players, Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre, and the Royal George. She also plays guitar for toddlers with Stomp and Shout Chicago. She holds a B.M. from DePaul University and is a graduate of the Second City Conservatory.

Zachary L. Gray (Director) Zachary L. Gray recently directed Run for Your Wife at the Palace Theater (WI). Other directing credits include Footloose (Grandstreet Theatre), Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, and A Funny Thing… Forum (Timber Lake Playhouse), Shrek the Musical (Associate Director/Choreographer, Chicago Shakespeare), Fugitive Songs (BoHo), Legally Blonde (Big Noise), and Route 66 (Metropolis). Choreography credits include West Side Story, Gypsy, Hairspray (Timber Lake Playhouse), Dogfight (Associate, BoHo), Grease (The Little Theatre on the Square) with other favorites including Ride the Cyclone (ACT/5th Ave), Joseph… Dreamcoat (Ravinia), as well as several productions with The Performer’s School at Skokie Theatre. A proud AEA member, as an actor he has appeared at Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Victory Gardens, and Radio City Music Hall. He received a B.A. in Musical Theater Performance from Columbia College Chicago and an M.F.A. in Arts Leadership from Seattle University.

David Fiorello (Music Director) David Fiorello is a director, music director, performer, orchestrator, and playwright who’s had his work performed across the globe. Recently, he served as Music Director for Gypsy at Porchlight Music Theatre, starring seven-time Jeff Award Winner E. Faye Butler. He's currently Music Directing A Man of No Importance at Columbia College Chicago, where he is also on faculty. He's toured internationally with John Doyle's re-imagined Sweeney Todd and served as Music Director for the Off-Broadway hit Danny & Sylvia: The Danny Kaye Story. His musical The Language or The Kiss, which he conceived, arranged and starred in, featuring the music of The Indigo Girls, received several Off-Broadway industry readings. An in-demand vocal coach, he currently serves as Founder and CEO of Fiorello Studios and Fiorello Worldwide.  

Tatjana Radisic (Costume Design) Tatjana Radisic’s designs for theater, dance, and opera productions are marked by a synthesis of her European training and her own whimsical imagination. Her work has been seen on stages throughout the country, internationally, and on screen. Radisic holds a double B.A. from Belgrade University in Fine and Applied Arts, and an M.F.A. from Belgrade University in Costume Design. Her work includes groundbreaking experiments in costuming via collaborations with Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Court Theatre, Writers' Theatre, Redmoon Theater, Drury Lane Water Tower Place, Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace, Blair Thomas and Co., 500 Clown, Hedwig Dances, Victory Gardens Theater, Northlight Theatre, Live Bait Theatre, American Theater Company, UMA Productions, Apple Tree Theatre, The Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival South Band, and Creede Repertory Theatre Company, among others.

Aaron Shapiro (General Manager) Aaron Shapiro is the owner of Shapiro Production Mgmt, and currently works as the Production Manager for Emerald City Theatre. He recently served as lead General Manager for Miracle the Musical at the Royal George Theatre and as Production Manager at Victory Gardens for two seasons (Hand to God, Fun Home, Native Gardens). Other credits include Disenchanted and Unspeakable at the Broadway Playhouse, commercial productions of Splintered Soul and Twisted Knots with the Chicago Commercial Collective, Jeff-nominated productions of Heathers and Tomorrow Morning with Kokandy Productions, Jeff-nominated productions of The Rainmaker and the award winning Buddy - The Buddy Holly Musical with American Blues Theatre, Stupid F***ing Bird and Caught with Sideshow Theatre, Memphis, In The Heights, Far From Heaven, Sweeney Todd, Funny Thing Happened, Side Show, and Jeff Awards-winning productions of Dreamgirls, Ain’t MisBehavin’ and Sondheim on Sondheim with Porchlight Music Theatre where he is an Artistic Associate.

DMT Entertainment, founded by Denise McGowan Tracy, is a full-service event and entertainment production and management firm that produces a variety of high-profile, often private, events. More information at www.dmtentertainment.com.