49 Shariba Rivers Actor A late starter in the acting game, Shariba Rivers has caught up with the pack, and this past year has made her move toward stardom. Anyone who saw her in TimeLine’s “Trouble in Mind,” or Rivendell’s “The Tasters,” experienced something special: a combination of intensity, depth and dignity that give Rivers’ portrayals a grounded yet larger-than-life quality. Born in Baton Rouge, Rivers came to Chicago in the 2000s to pursue her career as an educator. But there was something missing from her life. “After dropping off the kids [at after-school activities], I realized I didn’t have anything to do for me,” she says. A dancer in her youth, Rivers gravitated to the stage, appearing to good notices a dozen years ago at the now-defunct Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company. Since then, Rivers has worked with many local theaters and branched out into movie and TV work, including a couple of feature films due soon. But it’s live theater that gets her blood pumping: “I love being onstage—I can’t imagine anywhere better. I love auditions, the rehearsal process, the challenge of keeping the story fresh, the feedback afterward. If I could just get to the place where I could do it all the time.” Based on how far Rivers has come, that place is likely not far off. (Hugh Iglarsh)
Rasean Davonte Johnson/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
47 Rasean Davonte Johnson Projection Designer Although Rasean Davonte Johnson works in and out of the city, he considers himself to be a Chicago artist. Johnson took up acting in college but found the world of visual design much more intriguing. “[Projection design] has the immediacy of theater and the density of film,” says Johnson, “It allows you to create a whole landscape of ideas beyond the stage. You can take people to faraway places or give context to what is happening onstage without having to be in the theater.” After moving to Chicago in 2009, Johnson worked with the social justice-themed Collaboraction Theatre Company, and soon found work with American Theater Company, The Goodman Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company. An avid collaborator, keep an eye out for an upcoming project with South Chicago Dance Theatre and executive artistic director Kia Smith. (Tristan Bruns)
Nancy García Loza/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
46 Nancy García Loza Playwright Nancy García Loza describes herself as a pocha playwright, a Mexican American writer who draws inspiration from the wealth of stories found in Chicago’s vibrant Mexican communities. In 2022, she won the Joyce Award through the National Museum of Mexican Art, and, at nine months pregnant, flew out to New York City to accept the 2022 Lanford Wilson Award for emerging playwrights presented by the Dramatists’ Guild Council. Her first production, “Bull,” opened at the Paramount Theatre in October of last year, followed by another work, “Rust,” directed by Laura Alcalá Baker, which premiered at the New Stages Festival at the Goodman Theatre. Loza is working on “Pénjamo: A Pocha Road Trip Story” about the return migration of second-generation, Chicago-born Mexicans to their homelands. (Tristan Bruns)
Izumi Inaba/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
45 Izumi Inaba Costume Designer Originally from Tokyo, Japan, costume designer Izumi Inaba moved to Chicago in 2006 to attend graduate school at Northwestern University—she started as a dance major at the University of Buffalo, took a costume-design class to fulfill a requirement, and the rest is history. Theatergoers may be familiar with Inaba’s work through such theater companies and venues as Victory Gardens, Northlight Theatre, Court Theatre, Chicago Shakes, Timeline Theatre, Theatre Wit, The Goodman Theatre and Steppenwolf. Audiences aren’t the only ones to take notice. Inaba earned a 2017 Equity Jeff Award nomination for her work in Kara Davidson’s “The Comedical Tragedy for Mister Punch” and the 2020 Black Theatre Alliance Award for Best Costume Design for her work in James Ijames’ “Kill Move Paradise.” (Tristan Bruns)
44 Tara Mallen Actor, Director, Producer and Artistic Director, Rivendell Theatre A stalwart of the Chicago theater community, Tara Mallen is a founding member of the Rivendell Theatre Ensemble as well as the company’s artistic director, with a penchant for producing feminist work. Not only is she known for giving voice to new work, but she can be seen on stage at Rivendell or elsewhere in the city enhancing her craft. She develops work and also spends a lot of time teaching others. Whether doing workshops or holding classes, she gives back to the community. (Amanda Finn)
Terry Guest/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
41 Terry Guest Playwright and Actor Terry Guest didn’t choose to be a playwright—it chose him. “When I was acting,” says Guest, “I didn’t have roles that I could relate to, so I had to write them.” Guest’s first premiere, “At The Wake of a Dead Drag Queen,” directed by Mikael Burke and produced by The Story Theatre company in 2019, is now performed across the country. But Guest hasn’t stopped acting. He recently starred in About Face Theatre’s “Magnolia Ballet,” also directed by Burke, which won two Jeff Awards. He also directed his own “Marie Antionette and the Magical Negros” this year, which was produced by The Story Theatre. A transplant from Georgia, Guest says that he was searching for a challenge greater than the Atlanta theater scene had to offer. As the awards and accolades build up, Guest’s position in Chicago theater seems secure, he can focus on other pressing issues, like “just getting used to the winter!” (Tristan Bruns)
Georgette Verdin/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
40 Georgette Verdin Director If you ask Georgette Verdin what she does, she will answer, “I direct plays.” But she does much more than that. Originally from New Orleans, Verdin began teaching middle school after Hurricane Katrina and wanted to be part of the city’s rebuilding. That’s also where she got her first taste of directing theater. After moving to Chicago, she earned a master’s in directing from Roosevelt University in 2014 and has worked professionally ever since. Verdin is the managing artistic director of Interrobang Theatre Project, where she focuses on creating work that lifts the voices of marginalized women. In 2022, Verdin was named the Michael Maggio Directing Fellow at the Goodman Theatre and has also directed four world-premiere plays—“Spay” and “A Mile in the Dark” at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, “Chagall In School” with Grippo Stage Company and “Enough to Let The Light In” at Teatro Vista. (Tristan Bruns)
38 Willie “Prince Roc” Round Playwright and Actor Willie “Prince Roc” Round is a playwright, songwriter, hip-hop artist, actor and videographer. Growing up in the North Lawndale neighborhood, he came from a musical family, and had strong art influences and mentorships, which allowed him to find his voice. The first in his family to graduate from college, Round was introduced to theater by his longtime collaborator, G. Riley Mills, and has said that it was key to helping him out of homelessness. Round first acted at Lookingglass Theatre in the play “Her Honor Jane Byrne.” Mills and Round adapted the trial transcript of the Emmett Till murder case into the play “Trial in the Delta.” A filmed version of Collaboraction’s production (with NBC Chicago) won a Chicago/Midwest Emmy. A live adaptation will debut in February at the DuSable Black History Museum. Round also mentors inner-city youth. (Mary Wisniewski)
Kelvin Roston Jr./Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
36 Kelvin Roston Jr. Actor As a working artist, Kelvin Roston Jr. plays it cool. “People generally think that to be an actor,” he says, “you have to be on T.V. and make millions of dollars. In Chicago, you can make a comfortable living as an actor—I continue to hear about theaters that I didn’t even know existed!” Looking at his skill set—actor, singer, dancer, playwright and musician (drums, piano)—it is no wonder that he is in such high demand. Rolston Jr. has worked closely with Court Theatre, portraying kings in two recent productions: August Wilson’s “King Hedley II” and Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex.” Even after winning multiple prestigious awards (Jeff Award, four BA Awards, three Black Excellence Awards, NAMI Award), he remains rooted in integrity. “Attempting to always tell the story as truthfully as possible,” says Roston Jr. “That’s the discipline of our discipline.” (Tristan Bruns)
Mikael Burke/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
35 Mikael Burke Director For Mikael Burke, directing is not just barking out instructions. “People think of directing as telling everybody what to do and where to stand,” says Burke. “For me, directing means telling a dynamic story and making things happen on stage.” As former associate artistic director of About Face Theatre and now a freelance director, Burke concentrates on stories about people of color and marginalized identities who don’t get the spotlight. He has worked with Chicago companies Victory Gardens Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Jackalope Theatre Company and Windy City Playhouse, and is the 2017 winner of the Princess Grace Award for theater. Despite his success, he stays grounded. “The most important thing is the audience,” says Burke, “If you’re coming to a show that I’ve done, you have been thought of and considered… It’s not sit back and relax, it’s sit forward and get ready!” (Tristan Bruns)
Karissa Murrell Myers/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
34 Karissa Murrell Myers Playwright and Artistic Director, Bramble Theatre No matter what role she is stepping into, Karissa Murrell Myers claims one overarching ideology: she is here to tell stories. “Everything I do—acting, directing, writing, casting—it all comes back to this idea that theater artists are storytellers.” As the artistic director at Bramble Theatre Company, Myers has her hands full. Besides beginning their first season, Bramble is planning the construction of The Bramble Arts Loft on the second floor of the historic Capital Garage building in Andersonville, to be completed early this year. Myers is casting director at Strawdog Theatre Company, and in 2020 was chosen as American Theatre Magazine’s “Theatre Workers You Should Know,” for her work in casting. Myers is half-Filipino, and cites her multicultural background as inspiration, saying that it is “a lens through which I look at the world… It colors my approach to the work.” (Tristan Bruns)
Victor Musoni/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
33 Victor Musoni Actor, Writer and Dancer Victor Musoni describes himself as a “multi-hyphenated artist”: actor, dancer, choreographer, writer, poet, musician. Musoni cut his teeth performing with Kuumba Lynx, an urban arts youth development organization founded in 1996 by Jaquanda Villegas, Leida Garcia-Mukwacha and Jacinda Bullie. “I wouldn’t be the artist I am without their guidance,” says Musoni, “The way I think about the city and the stories I tell came from Kuumba Lynx and their social justice view.” Musoni recently closed the show “The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Martha Washington” at Steppenwolf. Upcoming projects include a production of “Toni Stone” at the Goodman and as actor and choreographer for a production of “Long Way Down” in New York City. (Tristan Bruns)
Denise Yvette Serna/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
29 Denise Yvette Serna Director Multidisciplinary theater practitioner Denise Yvette Serna grew up on the border of South Texas and, after moving to Chicago in 2015, became known for creating devised work and working in new-play development and international collaboration. “I’m really excited about spectacle,” says Serna. “I’m really about taking narratives that [historically have]put marginalized identities as victims, or as people who are innately ashamed of where they are from, twisting that, and showing the beauty and the joy in who we are.” Her approach to storytelling earned her a spot in the 2018 Windy City Times “30 Under 30,” and a Jeff Award for Best Director for “Somewhere Over The Border” presented by Teatro Vista—which received six Jeff nominations and three wins, including Serna’s. Serna, a teacher at Loyola University and DePaul University, continues to hone her craft, and is studying to be an intimacy coordinator. (Tristan Bruns)
28 Yu Shibagaki Scenic Designer Yu Shibagaki’s extraordinary and singular approach to set design—what she describes simply as a “hope to create that space where the audience’s involvement is a big part of the environment and story-sharing experience”—is no longer a Chicago secret, as she finds her center of gravity shifting to New York City, which she calls home right now. But you would not know that, based on the presence she’s had on Chicago stages these past two years, with “1919” at Steppenwolf, “School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play” at Goodman and “Her Honor, Jane Byrne” at Lookingglass, just to name a few. She says her practice did not change much during the pandemic-shutdown years, but that she “was able to learn more about what I’m drawn to and what feels more important to me.” Fortunately for us, Chicago remains important to her, meaning we’ll see her work on the Lookingglass stage a couple times in the coming year, with “Villette” and “Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon,” even while both coasts stake their claim on her talents when she designs “Madama Butterfly” at Boston Lyric Opera and a pair of shows at San Diego’s The Old Globe. (Brian Hieggelke)
Bethany Thomas/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
27 Bethany Thomas Actor and Singer Singer-actor Bethany Thomas can do anything. Full stop. Casting-director confusion abounded as she was relegated to roles such as The Friend Who Sings The Gospel Number. Meanwhile, she developed a band with a group of like-minded musicians. Chicago got wise and started handing Thomas meaty assignments worthy of her abilities. When she isn’t blowing the roof off a theater, she’s producing concerts on a platform she built herself in her backyard. Recently at Northlight Theatre, Thomas scored a huge success in “Songs For Nobodies,” where she channeled Garland, Cline, Holiday, Piaf and Callas. Next year calls for “Me and Rosetta” at Northlight, “Once” at Writers Theatre, and new music releases. No longer the leading lady’s Best Friend, Thomas is the leading lady. (Aaron Hunt)
Mary Beth Fisher/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
26 Mary Beth Fisher Actor Mary Beth Fisher has been in theater for about forty years, coming to Chicago from New York in 1997. One of the city’s busiest performers, she is a frequent player at the Goodman Theatre, appearing in over twenty shows, including “The Seagull” and “The Little Foxes.” She won a Jeff Award for “The Year of Magical Thinking” at the Court Theatre. Fisher also works in theaters around the country, and has television and film credits. While doing “Swing State” in 2022, she was thrilled to see the Goodman full of people hungry for live theater. “I feel there’s going to be a huge breakthrough, a renaissance with new work that’s been waiting in the wings through the whole pandemic period,” Fisher says. “There’s going to be an absolute blastoff of new talent and new work on stages from all corners of our Chicago neighborhoods.” (Mary Wisniewski)
Gabrielle Randle-Bent/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
24 Gabrielle Randle-Bent Director and Associate Artistic Director, Court Theatre Gabrielle Randle-Bent says that being associate artistic director of Court Theatre in Hyde Park gives her a chance to be part of something bigger than herself—and invest in something that has invested in her. She loves Court’s commitment to the idea that everyday people’s stories are classic, and the idea that in the quotidian, there’s the capacity to rise to something that is epic. Randle-Bent’s recent work includes co-directing “Othello” and directing “The Island” at Court, and co-directing the adaptation of Eve L. Ewing’s “1919,” about the Chicago race riot, for Steppenwolf. She’ll direct “Antigone” at Court in the 2023-2024 season. She is co-founder of the Civic Actor’s Studio, a program of the University of Chicago’s Office of Civic Engagement. (Mary Wisniewski)
Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
23 Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel Actor and Artistic Producer Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel came to Chicago in 2010 without knowing anybody. “It took me a long time to find out how to get started,” she says. “The artistic community in Chicago grabbed my hand and never let go. I owe my craft to Chicago.” Teatro Vista’s Wendy Mateo calls Gonzalez-Cadel “the hardest-working actor in Chicago.” Gonzalez-Cadel says she hopes her artistry challenges biases and perceptions of who belongs on stage, in the center of storytelling. She starred as Isabella in Chicago Shakespeare’s production of “Measure for Measure,” and played Emilia in “Othello” at Court Theatre. She won a Jeff Award for her star turn in “Lela & Co.” An actor and artistic producer at Teatro Vista, she appears in the upcoming independent feature film, “Single Car Crashes,” and looks forward to doing “Fen” at the Court in 2023. (Mary Wisniewski)
21 E. Faye Butler Actor, Singer and Director No stage figure radiates presence, charisma, energy and grace more than native South Sider E. Faye Butler. Although most associated with stellar performances of musicals as Butler possesses a set of pipes that can caress with charm or raise the rafters, she began singing only to enlarge the limited roles available to a Black actress. Her “Hello, Dolly!” thirty years ago was a triumph and her performances of singers Dinah Washington and Ella Fitzgerald have been memorable. But Butler had her sights set on the Lear of musical roles, Mama Rose in “Gypsy,” early on. It happened in 2018, with Butler setting a new standard for the iconic role. In an effort to get out the vote for the 2020 election, during the pandemic Butler took her mesmerizing one-woman show “Fannie (The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer),” about the right-to-vote 1960s civil rights activist, outside to the neighborhoods before it came to the Goodman Theatre after the shutdown. Butler will co-direct a production of “A Raisin in the Sun” at the Beverly Arts Center in February. (Dennis Polkow)
20 Lydia R. Diamond Playwright A Detroit native, Lydia R. Diamond spent her formative years as an artist in Chicago, starting with her education at Northwestern, through her foray as an actor and into the production of her earliest plays as a writer. But she left for Boston when her then-husband landed a job at Harvard, and while away from Chicago, her career soared, highlighted by the Broadway run of her best-known play, “Stick Fly,” which was produced by Alicia Keys in 2011. A few years later, a position on the faculty at UIC brought her back “home,” to Chicago’s good fortune. During the pandemic shutdown in 2020 she won the prestigious Horton Foote Playwriting Award, so this month’s production of her latest work, “Toni Stone,” at the Goodman might call for extra celebration. (Brian Hieggelke)
Breon Arzell/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
19 Breon Arzell Actor and Choreographer When it comes to making moves in Chicago theater, Breon Arzell has that gig on lock. Whether he is onstage performing, offstage choreographing, teaching movement classes, or even designing a new line for his clothing brand Hauz of Arzell, he pushes beyond what audiences expect. As I wrote in my Newcity review of “Head Over Heels” at Kokandy, Arzell’s choreography is “binary-smashing,” which easily applies to all of his artistic disciplines—artists like Arzell remind us that there is never just one way to create. (Amanda Finn)
Celeste M. Cooper/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
18 Celeste M. Cooper Actor and Ensemble Member, Steppenwolf Theatre Like so many Chicago artists, Celeste Cooper is always creating something. She is an actor, producer, community builder, teacher, casting associate, and Steppenwolf ensemble member. She has also directed, as well as created new programs both in Chicago and elsewhere. She founded Community Love Events, ten of which have taken place across the country. Cooper prioritizes kindness and takes the opportunity to teach others to do the same. (Amanda Finn)
Henry Godinez/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
17 Henry Godinez Director and Artistic Associate, Goodman Theatre Putting on a good show is a team effort, and few know that better than director Henry Godinez: “To me, directing is collaborating with actors, designers, intimacy coordinators, composers, musicians, to create a beautiful piece of theater.” Godinez recently closed “Measure for Measure” at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, called an “inspired production” and “a masterclass on producing Shakespeare” by Newcity’s Amanda Finn, and is working on a stage production of “Big Fish” at Marriott Theatre. Godinez is a resident artistic associate at the Goodman Theatre, serves as the chair of the department of Theatre at Northwestern University, and has received an Actor’s Equity Association’s “Spirit Award” for championing diversity and inclusion. But Godinez insists that it’s all about the team. “As a director, I have the privilege of creating an all-encompassing vision. My job is to collaborate and take all of the gifts that so many people bring and bring them together.” (Tristan Bruns)
Ericka Ratcliff/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
16 Ericka Ratcliff Actor, Director and Artistic Director, Congo Square Theatre When Ericka Ratcliff came to Chicago for college, she was struck by how much of a community the theater scene is. As artistic director of Congo Square Theatre, Ratcliff works with other theaters to extend its reach to as many community members as possible. “I’m really excited about collaboration with other theaters,” she says. The plan has three parts—radical generosity, which means making theater free or not cost-prohibitive to anyone who wants to come; radical community; and radical expansion. The latter includes getting a permanent home for Congo Square, a theater which celebrates the complexity of Black life and culture. Ratcliff joined Congo Square in 2005, serving in various roles, as well as working regionally and locally. She is also an artistic associate with Lookingglass Theatre. Ratcliff co-directed Congo Square’s “What to Send Up When It Goes Down,” which won a Jeff Award for ensemble. (Mary Wisniewski)
14 Rebecca Gilman Playwright From strength to strength—that’s the arc of Rebecca Gilman’s distinguished career as playwright, a career spangled with awards, including a Pulitzer nomination in 2002. Her most recent work, “Swing State,” is the latest of seven collaborations between Gilman and director Robert Falls at the Goodman, dating back to “Spinning into Butter” in 1999. A popular and critical success, “Swing State” crowns a remarkable partnership. “Bob Falls is the greatest director in the United States,” declares Gilman in a gentle Southern accent that bespeaks her Alabama roots. “He hears my plays—I mean, what I’m trying to say—and makes them better.” The third member of this durable creative team is actress Mary Beth Fisher, who has worked with Gilman for over two decades; Gilman wrote the lead role in “Swing State” with Fisher in mind. Gilman keeps busy in her rural Wisconsin homestead, co-developing a proposed TV pilot and working with a theater company based in Gothenburg, which she describes as “the Chicago of Sweden–the second city.” Asked about her goals at this point in her career, Gilman says, “I only want to work with the people I want to work with on things I want to do—that’s where I’m at.” (Hugh Iglarsh)
Sandra Delgado/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
11 Sandra Delgado Playwright, Actor and Producer Screenwriter. Playwright. Musician. Producer. All of these words describe Sandra Delgado, whose love of performing new work inspires her not just to perform, but to create. A performer at the Goodman Theatre for over twenty-two years, Delgado received support for her writing as part of Goodman’s Playwrights Unit, which helped her develop her passion for telling stories inspired by underreported histories of Chicago. Having so many jobs at once might be distracting for some, but Delgado relishes having a high level of control over her work. “I found a lot of satisfaction in having a say in the rooms I put together,” says Delgado, “and who those rooms are composed of.” During COVID, Delgado made a transition to another stage, forming The Sandra Delgado Experience, a music ensemble that will appear at venues across the city. (Tristan Bruns)
Kirsten Fitzgerald/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
9 Kirsten Fitzgerald Actor and Artistic Director, A Red Orchid Theatre While studying to be a musical theater artist in college, Kirsten Fitzgerald realized that her passion was acting. “The most interesting thing, to me, is the study of human behavior and generating of empathy for another character… I quickly turned my focus to acting more than music and dance.” As an actor, she has received rave reviews for her performance in Rebecca Gilman’s “Swing State” at the Goodman Theatre, and recurring roles on television shows “Sirens” and “The Exorcist.” In 2008, she stepped into the role of artistic director for A Red Orchid Theatre after being a member of the ensemble since 1997. A Red Orchid Theatre’s recent production of “The Moors” was nominated for an impressive seven Jeff Awards, taking home five, including Best Director for a midsize play going to Fitzgerald. “The most interesting thing that we do,” says Fitzgerald, “is to challenge convention and see things in a new way.” (Tristan Bruns)
Lili-Anne Brown/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
8 Lili-Anne Brown Director When asked what she does, theater director Lili-Anne Brown says, “I just make plays. I’m just a good ‘ol Chicago girl.” She certainly is a “Chicago girl,” growing up in the South Side Pill Hill neighborhood and taking dance classes at the historic Mayfair Academy dance studio. Demand for her talent often takes her out of the city limits. Notable productions include: “Once On This Island” at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, “The Gift” at The Kennedy Center, Joe Turner’s “Come and Gone” at the Huntington Theatre in Boston, and “Fela!” co-produced by the Olney Theatre and Round House Theatre in Maryland. Brown regularly works with such Chicago companies as the Goodman, Steppenwolf and Bailiwick. (Tristan Bruns)
Tyla Abercrumbie/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
7 Tyla Abercrumbie Actor, Writer and Director Last year was huge for Tyla Abercrumbie, playwright of the smash hit “Relentless,” a story of two African American sisters whose past comes to life after the discovery of their mother’s diaries, and the lasting effects of slavery on their family. Set in 1919, this drama about Black Victorians was so popular that following its premiere in January as a TimeLine production at Theatre Wit, it moved downtown to the Goodman Theatre in April. After winning both a Jeff Award and a Black Theatre Alliance Award for Best New Play, Abercrumbie is ready to take the show to the next level. You can catch Tyla on television in “The Chi” on Showtime, and on stage as an ensemble member of the TimeLine Theatre Company, appearing in such productions as “In Darfur,” “Paradise Blue,” and as assistant director under Ron OJ Parson for “A Raisin In The Sun.” (Tristan Bruns)
Sydney Charles/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
6 Sydney Charles Actor Sydney Charles’ life took an unexpected turn when she left the world of corporate banking and turned her attention to acting, then becoming a multidisciplinary artist. “I was miserable!” says Charles, “I was making a considerable amount of money, but that didn’t keep me from having anxiety attacks, feeling depressed.” Through art she found her way, and that path has led to interesting projects. Charles plays a survivor in a near-future dystopian world alongside Kristina Valada-Viars on the sci-fi serial drama podcast, “Lake Song,” presented by Tribeca Audio. She is working on an animated documentary about infertility in the Black community. “I do whatever I can to make sure that art is created through a Black femme lens,” says Charles, “and in the midst of it I do a little social justice and freedom fighting along the way.”(Tristan Bruns)
5 Tarell Alvin McCraney Playwright and Ensemble Member, Steppenwolf Theatre Although Tarell Alvin McCraney’s work takes him out of Chicago, his inroads into our theater community cannot be understated. While chair of Yale School of Drama’s Practice of Playwriting program, he continues to create stunning works as an ensemble member at Steppenwolf. This past summer in its Steppenwolf production, his “Choir Boy” met critical and public praise, after McCraney received a Tony from its Broadway rendition. We might not see him acting in the city much anymore, but his presence is still very much felt every time we settle in for a work he’s written. (Amanda Finn)
J. Nicole Brooks/Photo: Joe Mazza | brave lux
2 J. Nicole Brooks Playwright, Actor, Director and Ensemble Member, Lookingglass Theatre
Newcity Featured Theater Player Present on the page and the stage, Brooks is a Chicago arts trifecta: writer, actor and director. When it comes to their art, Brooks has made clear that their creativity knows no bounds. Their multifaceted work has been so well-received, in fact, that last year their play “Her Honor Jane Byrne” was the recipient of one of the biggest new-play awards in the country: the Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Award from the American Theatre Critics Association. In 2021 they also received a Chicago Public Library Foundation Award, specifically the organization’s 21st Century Award—a tribute to the kind of groundbreaking work Brooks creates and is a part of. Besides their theater work, they also have had success on-screen as well. Last year audiences got to see them as Dr. Collins in the Jordan Peele-produced remake of “Candyman.” Their “1919” adaptation at Steppenwolf, based on the poetry of Eve L. Ewing, was yet another stunning example of Brooks’ love of the city. Whether they are playing Buel Cannon in the Chicago-shot season of “Fargo” or lighting up the stage in a play based in the city we love, Brooks makes Chicago proud. (Amanda Finn)
The Hall of Fame *= new this year
Greg Allen Founder, Neo-Futurism
Nick Bowling Associate Artistic Director, TimeLine Theatre
David Cromer Director
* Isaac Gomez Playwright and Dramaturg
Gary Griffin Director
Francis Guinan Actor and Ensemble Member, Steppenwolf Theatre
* Ike Holter Playwright
Tracy Letts Playwright, Actor and Ensemble Member, Steppenwolf Theatre
* Marti Lyons Director, Ensemble Member, Gift Theatre and Artistic Director, Remy Bumppo
Amy Morton Director, Actor and Ensemble Member, Steppenwolf Theatre
Brett Neveu Playwright and Ensemble Member, A Red Orchid Theatre
Mike Nussbaum Actor
Beau O’Reilly and Jenny Magnus Founders, Curious Theatre Branch
Ron OJ Parson Director and Resident Artist, Court Theatre
Players 2022: The Fifty People Who Really Perform for Chicago In the return of the Players 50 list, we tried to honor those who came back, who've already been putting shows on stages, while crossing our fingers that those we've not heard from are just around the corner.
Players 2023: Who Really Performs for Chicago Right Now (Introduction)
