Recent Posts by Eddie Sugarman

8/29/2024 -- Carnival/Carnivale - The Results are In!

Carnival/Carnivale was a SMASH hit! Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the event.

The TWS Carnival began at 4pm with food trucks, games across the theatre lawn, fantastic music from Peach Tea, and amazing activities like face painting, balloon art, and caricature drawings. The weather was perfect and there were over 200 people in attendance. A popular attraction was our dunk tank. TWS leaders and teachers were soaked to the skin by carnival attendees. We’re proud to announce that we raised more than $26,000 over the course of the day! From 7pm to 10pm, the air was alive with the energetic melodies and vibrant rhythms of Badass Gumbo. Guests enjoyed delicious desserts, refreshing drinks, tarot card readings, a chance to win door prizes, and a successful paddle raise that generated over $9,000 in donations! We are deeply grateful to our sponsors, donors, and attendees for their support of The Theatre of Western Springs.

Thank you to our amazing sponsors for making the day possible!

Thank you to the local food trucks that provided food for the event!

8/1/2024 -- ASL INTERPRETED PERFORMANCES FOR 2024-2025 SEASON
THE MOUSETRAP - Saturday, September 14 - 2:30 pm
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN -  Saturday, October 26 - 2:30 pm
WILLY WONKA, JR. - Saturday, December 7 - 11:00 am
MISERY - Saturday, February 22 - 2:30 pm
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS - Saturday, April 12 - 11:00 am
NOISES OFF - Saturday, June 7 - 2:30 pm

 

7/4/2024 -- Photos from Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap 1st Read-Thru

A few candid shots from the first read-thru of Agatha Christie’s iconic who-done-it “The Mousetrap” courtesy of director Jim La Pietra -- At a 1st read, the director and the cast get to hear the text begin to come to life. It’s an exciting and joyful way kick-off to the rehearsal process. To give you an idea of the time involved in rehearsing a play at TWS, these photos were taken on June 29th and The Mousetrap will open on September 5th. What a fantastic group of suspects!   #twsnews

6/14/2024 -- 1st ASL Interpreted Performance at TWS

We had our 1st ASL interpreted performance this month at TWS during a performance of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express! We were encouraged to do this by several members and we learned a lot about how to increase accessibility to the deaf community. Two interpreters attended a special rehearsal and worked with the cast and director to prepare for the interpreted performance. The effort was spearheaded by Active member Tammy O'Reilly who shared that "It has been exciting to help offer a performance that will bring new patrons to TWS and provide a beautiful art form for the audience. I appreciated the opportunity to get involved." TWS will continue ASL interpreted performances next season for our mainstage TWS and CTWS plays and musicals.   #twsnews

MISSION

The Theatre of Western Springs’ mission is to entertain, to educate, to explore, and to inspire a community of all ages through the performing arts.

VISION

The Theatre of Western Springs will create the highest quality performing arts and educational opportunities in an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment while staying current with artistic and procedural norms and celebrating works of the past, present, and future.

CORE VALUES

Artistic Excellence - We seek to create a community of committed artists both onstage and off who all use their talents (individually and collectively) to achieve our best work.

Relevance & Growth - We strive to explore and produce entertaining and thought-provoking work that inspires and challenges our audiences and artistic community. In both creative choices and functional operations, we work to create art that relates to the world as it exists today and moves toward the future.

Inclusion - We work to create a welcoming environment that embraces differences, gives a sense of belonging, connection and community, and offers acceptance for anybody and everybody through our words and actions, allowing people to share their entire, authentic selves.

Respect - We believe respect extends throughout the organization - respect for the people, for the art form, for ideas and for the facility. We accept someone as they are and for who they are. Being respectful means caring enough to think about how we impact others.

Oct. 19 - 29, 2023

Lou and Nancy Schauer Mainstage Theatre

Broadway's acclaimed musical farce! A crafty Roman slave struggles to win the hand of a courtesan for his master in exchange for freedom. Steven Sondheim’s side-splitting musical has "something for everyone, a comedy tonight!"

 

 

 

Cast

Prologus/Pseudolus –        Harry Hultgren of Indian Head Park

Sennex –                               Tim Gannon of Western Springs

Domina –                              Leslie SR Beebe of Hillside

Hero –                                   Tommy Aldis of Downers Grove

Philia –                                  Erin Blaber of Indian Head Park

Hysterium –                         Jamie Sandoval of Oak Park

Lycus –                                  Mike Levins of Downers Grove

Miles Gloriosus –                Mark MacLean of Willow Springs

Erronius –                             Tom Ochocinski of Forest Park

Proteans –                            Ann Marie Hultgren of Indian Head Park,  Karen Arnold of Westmont, Gretchen Gannon of Lombard

Courtesans –                        Ashley Masciola of Woodridge, Julie Tomek Campo of Darien, Gretchen Gannon of Lombard, Kerri Mummert of La Grange, Arlene Bibbs of St. Charles, Kat                                         Creedon of Brookfield

Ensemble -                            Ann Marie Hultgren of Indian Head Park, Maggie Opal of Glen Ellyn, Pat Politano of Brookfield

Crew

Director –                             Eddie Sugarman of Western Springs

Stage Manager –                 Cal Turner of Naperville

Assist. Stage Man.-             Debbie Vaccarella of Oak Brook

Assist. Stage Man.-             Eileen Crow of Hinsdale

Music Director -                  Tammy O’Reilly of La Grange

Choreographer -                  Chelsea Ward of Naperville

Box Office –                          Mary Ellen Schutt of Westmont

Costume Co-Chair -            Katie Hedrich of LaGrange Park

Costume Co-Chair -            Jeanine Kupec of Western Springs

Make-up Co-Chair -            Kat Creedon of Brookfield

Make up Co-Chair -             Kerri Mummert of La Grange

Make up Co-Chair -             Kat Creedon of Brookfield

Dramaturg –                         Gregory Von Dare of Lyons

Hospitality –                         Joe Mills of Westchester

House Manager –                Mike Janke of Downers Grove

Lighting Design –                Kurt Lemke of Niles

Program Editor –                Mark MacLean of Willow Springs

Props  –                                 Cassandra Johnson of Woodridge

Publicity –                            Ginny Richardson of Burr Ridge

Set Construction –              Tim Feeney of Downers Grove

Set Designer -                      Stephanie Bullwinkel of Lemont

Set Dressing Co-Chair–     Eugenia Callison of La Grange

Set Dressing Co-Chair–     Ann Marie Hultgren of Indian Head Park

Set Painting –                      Mary Kuhn of Naperville

Sound Design –                   John Mueller of Lemont

Technical Director –           Imani McDaniel of River Grove

Sept. 28 – Oct. 8, 2023

Mary Cattell Theatre

Power, money, and a new beginning are all at your fingertips; All it will cost you is absolutely everything! In this darkly comedic fable by Jen Silverman, a cunning devil meets his match in a loner who is immune to his charm. The other villagers may not be so lucky....

 

 

 

Cast
Cuddy Banks             Jim LaPietra of Berwyn
Frank Thorney          RJ Cecott of Hickory Hills
Sir Arthur Banks      Jonathan Kraft of Oak Brook
Winnifred                  Kelli Horacek of Brookfield
Elizabeth Sawyer     Kathy Racine of Bolingbrook
Scratch                      Guy Sullivan of Roselle

Crew
Director – David M. Rodriguez of Lombard
Assistant Director – Haven Marginean of Hinsdale
Stage Manager – Dave Bremer of Western Springs
Assistant Stage Manager – Stephanie Williams of Brookfield
Assistant Stage Manager – Rachel Gilbert Mistretta of LaGrange Park
Box Office – Mary Ellen Schutt of Westmont
Costume Design – Janet Venzon of Downers Grove
Dance Choreographer – Joe Savino of Chicago
Dramaturg – Jennifer Torchia of Lombard
Hair and Make-up Design – Liliana Mitchell of Chicago
Hospitality – Joe Mills of Westchester
House Management – Mike Janke of Downers Grove
House Bar – Danny Parrott of Arlington Heights
Lighting Design – Mary Ellen Schutt of Westmont
Program Production – Mark MacLean of Willow Springs
Props and Set Dressing – Patricia Huth of LaGrange Park
Publicity – Ginny Richardson of Burr Ridge
Set Construction and Tech Direction – Imani McDaniel of River Grove
Set Design – Mike Huth of LaGrange Park
Set Painting – Mary Kuhn of Naperville
Sound Design – Jack Calvert of Western Springs
Tech Director – Imani McDaniel of River Grove

 

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