Don’t Give That Beast a Name

Frank and Marie, a couple of almost famous country western singers, attempt to forsake the past when they fall in love one night. But their fortunes take a dark turn when they get involved in snake handling at an Appalachian church. A Gothic tale inspired by George Buchner’s Woyzeck, Shaped Note Hymnals, Classic Country and Insurgent Americana Murder Ballads. (6M, 6W)

Co-written with Bob Fisher

Photo credit: Bob Fisher

The Improv Play

A truly Chicago tale, The Improv Play follows three aspiring improvisers as they seek success and validation on local comedy stages after a fellow colleague leaves to join the cast of Saturday Night Live. Incorporating improvisation, stand-up and sketch comedy with scripted material to create a raucous, cutting and honest exploration of performance, talent and ambition, The Improv Play shines a light on the thousands of performers filling out the fringe of the comedy scene. (5W, 9M.)

Photo credit: John W. Sisson

Hesperia

When Claudia left Ian and her old life in adult entertainment to return to her small-town roots, she found more than just a new start — she met her soon-to-be husband Trick, the local youth minister and a man of God. But when Ian shows up on her doorstep just weeks before her wedding, their past together comes roaring back to life bringing doubts to Claudia’s now moral and well-ordered existence. (3M, 2W.)

Photo credit: Michael Brosilow

Verse Chorus Verse

Taking place twenty years after the death of Kurt Cobain, Verse Chorus Verse follows Polly, the haunted subject of Nirvana’s song of the same name, as she seeks out the young rock star who wants to prove Kurt’s death was a murder. (4M, 2W.)

Photo credit: Paul Martinez

Pretty Penny

Pretty Penny tells the story of Victoria who is trying to make a little extra money by working as a phone sex operator, using the name Penny as her alter-ego when on a call. The pictures of Penny that clients see are actually old photos of Crystal, taken by her former boyfriend who now runs the sex service. Victoria, Crystal and the men in their lives get caught up in a whirlwind of self-discovery in this unflinching exploration of perception and perversion. (4M, 2W.)

Photo credit: Tom McGrath

Ghostbox

A woman and a man, separated by a radio, speaking through static. They may or may not be dead. And there is something in the darkness. (1M, 1W.)

Photo credit: Kevin Viol

And He Flew Over the Forest

During what could be her family’s last trip together, a young girl returns to a world of her own creation. While her family crumbles around her, Leah seeks solace in her imaginary universe only to discover that it too is collapsing. Creatures are leaving the forest, old friends are changing, and she doesn’t know who to trust anymore. The Great Nothing is coming and Leah must face it alone. Divided between two worlds, she must decide where she belongs. (3M, 4W.)

Co-written with Gwen Tulin and Justin Adrien Vidovic

Photo credit: Ryan Ward Thompson

Halfshut

Utilizing an ensemble-based development process and personal stories from the cast, Halfshut blurs the line between character, actor, and audience member as it navigates the anticlimax that is your twenties. Seven actors, playing slightly fictional versions of themselves, collectively create and sabotage their relationships with God and each other through sex, online dating, and pagan storytelling rituals, all infused with the inarticulation, awkwardness, and nostalgia that coat our daily lives. (4M, 3W.)

Photo credit: Tom McGrath