n.u.f.a.n. shows - come here to get the latest

Cold weather comfort

Mon, 2 Feb 2009 14:02:37 -0600

n.u.f.a.n. ensemble is proud to announce the cast of the upcoming mainstage world-premiere of “Cold Weather Comfort.”

Buddy - Jeff McLane
Sharon - Sarah Sapperstein
Alex - Jesse Stegner
William - Ben Muller
Earl - Carl Zeitler

7 PLAYS IN 7 DAYS - FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Mon, 1 Dec 2008 17:55:01 -0600

The plays have been chosen, the directors are ready. On Monday, December 1, n.u.f.a.n. ensemble will audition dozens of anxious actors and cast them that night into a world-premiere holiday one-act.

Over the course of the next 6 days, the actors and directors bang out their production, and we see the results on Monday December 8. It’s an exciting night of theatre, and you won’t want to miss the range of plays from the heartwarming to the horrific to the downright weird.

8pm, Monday December 8 at City Lit Theater MAP
1020 West Bryn Mawr, Chicago (in the Edgewater Presbyterian Church)

Tickets are $7 each (plus .77 handling fee).

Table & Chairs - Birthdays

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:59:06 -0500

Mary Steelsmith
My 18th birthday - a brand new Olympia manual PORTABLE (only 20 pounds) typewriter! Not a hand-me-down. Brand new. All of the words typed on it would belong to me. It spelled out my parents' acceptance of me as a writer and the decline of my pretty cursive handwriting.  That "new typewriter" smell of metal, plastic and red/black ink ribbon lingers on in my heart.

Sarah R. Sapperstein
Favorite birthday present ever- fireflies. long story :-)

Jason A. Fleece
Favorite gift: The brown and white leather jacket I coveted that my then-fiancée bought me for my 28th birthday.

Brian K. Morris    :)
My fave gift was reassurance my mother hadn't lost her mind. She phoned me to sing "Happy Birthday" and I thought she'd gone insane until she reminded me that it really was my birthday. I'd forgotten! 
Megan E. Brown The best gift ever - Travis the masseur who my tour partner got for me for a day on tour in Rapid City South Dakota. Best massage ever!

Gina Stewart Several notebooks and a few packages of pens - I love to write!
 Tira Palmquist The mix CD from my daughter with songs she knew I’d love.

Maureen Brady Johnson My favorite birthday present was a ring and a proposal which changed my reasons for living and gave me the love of my life, my husband, Mark, and my family, Erin, Allison, Juliet and Sean.

Cindy Savage the theatre gods gave me the gift of NOT being in tech on my (September) birthday for the first time in nearly a decade 
John C. Davenport,
Surprise party that my wife threw for my 30th birthday ... nearly 23 years ago.
 Maureen A. Martin
A wooden doll cradle with a built-in music box that played Brahm's Lullabye

David Kravitz A temporary tradition... several years of Big Dave's Birthday Bowling Bash given by my wife at the Southport Lanes and other area bowling establishments which allowed me to both get in my annual 2 lines of drunken bowling, and an opportunity to know that most of my friends were as bad at bowling as I was.
 Marc Castle A big decorative “M” just like the one Mary Richards had on her wall in the “Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

William Campbell
All her love

Mike Whyte
A round of golf at Pebble Beach.

Camille Kuthrell My favorite Birthday gift was my hamster, Walnut. It was my tenth Birthday:)

Joel F. Rosal
Favorite Birthday Present I Ever Received: It'd have to be my ”Big Wheel" - It was my best good friend. I kept it long after I was too big to ride it. I even tried to ride it when I was too big for it. That's probably why it broke (sniff, tear)...that's all I have to say about that.

Rachel Foszcz                       For my 21st birthday, my parents gave me a bottle of wine that my aunt and uncle had given me for my 1st birthday. The idea was that the wine would mature just as I would mature over the years! 
Susan Wingerter
Brand Spankin' New, Bright Blue Sparkled HUFFY BIKE...for Girls!!  Zach Zalauf
A Sony Walkman with tape deck and AM/FM receiver in 1987.

Thrisa Hodits,
A trolley party

Patricia Tinsley
Reproduction of a 1911 Ballet Russe poster artwork by Jean Cocteau.

Julie Mitre
Just getting there!

Jordan Kohl
Life

James Whittington
Taken to a grave yard in the trunk of a car where all my personal belongings had been hid. Then off to a strip bar in my PJs.

Zach Johnson-Dunlop a rusted out 1989 Nissan half ton pick up

Katy Colloton
I enjoy chocolate

Kinga Schirott
My car?

Nathan Chetty
Beer drinking armadillo

Paul Barile
1976 – That’s really all I have to say about that.

Josh Bonifas
He remembers fondly the large, plastic, wind-up nose he received on his eighth birthday. Given to him by his father, it was supposed to be a replica of the large nose found on his second grade face. He wonders where that nose is now, and what One-Act festival it is currently in.

Jessie Stegner
My parents gave me the gift of life one year. That was pretty cool.

Andrew Carl
2 wrestlemania 3 pay per view

Nick Hussong
My favorite birthday present was a "Thank you for the C-Section Scar" card from my mom.

Josh Patton  A pool party...while it was snowing in November

Josh Leigh
The love of good woman and a bottle of bad vodka – or is it the other way around?

Zach Murray My gift is the talent and the performance I offer you tonight, good people.

Josh Waller
My favorite birthday present is banana splits.

Table & Chairs

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 22:04:50 -0500

The show may be gone, but the DVD lives on! Order your copy TODAY with the Paypal link over there on the right!

Look at this list of actors…
David Kravitz, Carol Townsend, Sue Wingerter, Josh Leigh, Zach Dunlop-Johnson, Megan Brown, Kinga Schirott, Katy Colloton, Mike Whyte, Rachel Foszcz, Julie Mitre, Pat Tinsley, Camille Kuthrell, Jason Ober, Barile, Jordan Kohl, Josh Bonifas, Jessie Stegner, Josh Patten, Sarah Sapperstein, and Zach Murray!

How about these directors?
Andrew Carl, Thrisa Hodits, Nick Hussong, Dav Yendler, James Whittington, Cindy Savage, Jason Fleece, Zach Zulauf, Alex Gagne-Hawes, and Nathan Chetty.

And who can forget the writers?
Mary Steelsmith, Tira Palmquist, Gina Stewart, Maureen A. Martin, Maureen Brady Johnson, William Campbell, Marc Castle, John C. Davenport, Brian Morris, and Paul Barile.

“Table and Chairs: Duets”
8 p.m., Monday October 20
Tuesday, October 21
Bailiwick Repertory Theater
1229 W. Belmont. Chicago. MAP

Order today before they’re all gone!

"Seven Plays in Seven Days"

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:23:03 -0500

n.u.f.a.n. ensemble presents the third annual “Seven Plays in Seven Days” festival.

On Monday, July 14, actors audition for roles in seven world-premiere short plays. By midnight, they are cast and put in touch with their directors. Over the next six nights, the groups rehearse, and on Monday July 21 at 8pm - one night only - the plays are presented in a fast-and-furious festival of innovative, original theatre.

In keeping with tradition, tickets are still only $7 (plus .77 service fee). SEATS SELL OUT FAST! Please make your reservations now (print receipt and bring with you to the theatre)!

SOLD OUT
Tickets are sold out for the 2008 Seven in Seven. You can come to the box office for the wait list on the night of the show.

MAP to Live Bait Theatre

2008 Playwrights:
William Campbell
Michael Burgan
John Wilson
Paul Barile
Mary Czerwinski
Brian K. Morris

2008 Directors:
Lavina Jadhwani
Zach Johnson-Dunlop
Jamie DesRocher
Nick Hussong
Chris Churchill
Josh Johnson
Andrew Carl

"Italian Lights; Not Stars"

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Keep up with the latest at the “Italian Lights...” production blog.

April 11 - 27 at Keyhole Theatre at the Josepheneum Academy
1500 North Bell (North and Damen)
Click for a map

"Moscow, Utah"

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 14:00:26 -0500

An afternoon of free theater
in the popular (and delicious) Celtic Crown

If you have spent anytime around n.u.f.a.n. people lately - you have undoubtedly heard them singing the praises of Celtic Crown. The place is cool - the food is awesome - the basement is a cross between Bruce Wayne’s stately manor and Elvis Presley’s jungle room.

The Celtic Crown is going to host n.u.f.a.n.’s next staged reading “Moscow, Utah” by Krista Knight at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 22. They are located at 4301 N. Western Avenue, Chicago.

Three sisters trapped in Basmanny, Utah get more than they expect as two of them vie for a promotion and a transfer to the company’s headquarters in Moscow, Utah.

The sisters will be played by Keely M. Brennan, Jordan Kohl, and Megan E. Brown. Andrew Coffill will play a variety of characters. Lavina Jadhwani directs.

Come on out and sample the new (awesome) menu and enjoy the reading. There is no cost for the reading.

"Tell Me Why"

Fri, 1 Feb 2008 14:46:50 -0600

Thanks to everyone who supported our winter show!

When God whips up creation in only a few days, he creates Adam to tend to the garden. Adam’s bored until he meets Eve, but when Lucy shows up, all Hell breaks loose.

In this sharply funny and thoughtful new play from Chuck Puckett, the familiar creation story is given new twists.

February 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2:30pm

Buy very cool “Tell Me Why” merchandise at our CafePress shop!

Keyhole Theatre at the Josepheneum Academy
1500 North Bell (North and Damen)
Click for a map

Directed by Bryan Pray

Featuring:
Jen Buhrow
Bill Busca
Mary Czerwinski
Sherman T. Edwards, Jr.
Kevin Owen

Visit writer Chuck Puckett’s web site.