THE AMERICAN DREAM SONGBOOK
Cast and Crew
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Jason Bayle* is very happy to be appearing for the first time at Next Theatre in The American Dream Songbook. An Evans Scholars Alumnus of Northern Illinois University, his other Chicago credits include: The Full Monty at Drury Lane Water Tower Place (Malcolm), Joe! The Musical at Chicago Dramatists (Joe), Anyone Can Whistle at Ravinia Festival Theatre, The Water Coolers: An Office Musical at Lakeshore Theatre (Glen), Once Upon a Mattress (Minstrel), Forever Plaid (Sparky), It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman! (Jim Morgan), and The Pirates of Penzance at Drury Lane Oak Brook. Nationally, he could be seen in the first national tour of Scrooge, The Musical starring Richard Chamberlain. Jason also spent several years as a featured production singer for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruise Lines. Jason is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association. www.jasonbayle.com.
Brandon Dahlquist is thrilled to make his Next Theatre debut with The American Dream Songbook. Brandon most recently appeared as Warren Sheffield in Meet Me In St. Louis at Drury Lane Oakbrook and Long Island’s Gateway Playhouse. Other favorite credits include Leon Czolgocz in Assassins and Warren Harding in The Teapot Scandals at Porchlight Theatre; Miles Gloriousus in A Funny Thing…Forum at Noble Fool; Grand Hotel at Drury Lane Watertower; King of Coons at Congo Square; and with Bohemian Theatre Ensemble, The Wild Party, The Life and Terry Connor in Side Show (Jeff Citation-Best Musical). Special thanks to Jason, Jeremy, the cast and all the creative individuals that have shaped this show. Brandon would also like to thank his faithful parents and amazing partner Erin who have made his American dream possible. Enjoy the show!
Karen Doerr is proud to be making her Next Theatre debut in this exciting and thought-provoking production. Chicago opera credits include Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte and Flora Bervoix in La Traviata at Intimate Opera; Suzuki in Madama Butterfly at American Opera Group; Ida in Die Fledermaus at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Karen has also sung with the Lyric Opera of Chicago chorus in their productions of Turnadot and Dialouge of the Carmelites. Chicago theatre credits include Gussie Carnegie in Merrily We Roll Along and the Witch in Into the Woods with Porchlight Theatre. Karen has also performed at the Ravinia Festival in Sweeney Todd, Bernstein’s
Bernadette Garza is honored to be making her debut performance with Next Theatre. Previous
James Rank* makes his Next Theater debut with The American Dream Songbook. Chicago credits include: Grand Hotel at Drury Lane Water Tower (Jeff Nomination, Best Actor in a Principal Role); Carousel and Phantom at the Candlelight Theater; South Pacific and It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane…It’s Superman at Drury Lane Oakbrook. The Boys Are Coming Home with the American Musical Theater Project. A Little Night Music and Passion at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Candide, The Fantasticks and 110 in the Shade with Light Opera Works. She Loves Me and Baby at Theater at the Center; The Face on the Barroom Floor at Chicago Opera Theater; La Bohème at L’Opera Piccola; Boris Gudonov and Götterdämmerung at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Regional credits: The Beggar’s Opera at Santa Fe Opera; The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado at Central City Opera in Denver; Carmen, L’Italiana in Algeri, Hansel and Gretel and La Traviata at Pamiro Opera, Green Bay. Concerts: Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Ravinia Festival, The Chicago Sinfonietta, and numerous ensembles from Northwestern University, where he received his Master’s Degree.
Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990) was an American composer and conductor. He is best known for his conducting of the New York Philharmonic as their Music Director (1958 – 1969) and for his compositions for the musical theatre, including West Side Story, Candide and On the Town. Among his many honors, he was the recipient of numerous Grammy Awards for his classical, choral and opera recordings and received the Tony Award for Best Musical (Wonderful Town) as well as the Special Tony Award in 1969, honoring his tremendous and progressive contributions to the American Musical Theatre.
Michael Friedman (Composer) is a founding Associate Artist of The Civilians, and has been the Composer/lyricist for the company’s productions [I Am] Nobody’s Lunch, Gone Missing, Canard, Canard, Goose? and This Beautiful City. He also wrote music and lyrics for The Brand New Kid, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, God’s Ear, and the upcoming Alice in Wonderland and Saved. His music has also been heard at the New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater, New York Theatre Workshop, Playwrights Horizons, The Roundabout Theatre Co., Second Stage, Soho Rep, Theater for a New Audience, Signature, and The Acting Company, regionally at The Kennedy Center, The Huntington Theatre Co., La Jolla Playhouse, Hartford Stage, Humana Festival, ART, Berkeley Rep, Dallas Theatre Center, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Portland Center Stage, and internationally at London’s Soho and Gate Theatres, and the Edinburgh Festival. Film work includes On Common Ground and Affair Game. He was also the dramaturg for the recent Broadway revival of A Raisin in the Sun, directed by Kenny Leon. He is an Artistic Associate at New York Theatre Workshop, a Princeton University Hodder Fellow, and a recipient of a MacDowell fellowship. He received a 2007 Obie award for sustained excellence.
Michael John LaChiusa (Composer) recently premiered Send (who are you? I love you), written for Audra McDonald and commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera. Also, this past season, Bernarda Alba at Lincoln Center Theatre and See What I Wanna See at Joseph Papp Public Theatre premiered. The Highest Yellow premiered in 2004, and received two Helen Hayes Awards. Mr. LaChiusa was represented on Broadway during the 1999-2000 season by The Wild Party and Marie Christine, receiving Tony nominations for Best Score and Best Book. He was the 1998-1999 Brena and Lee Freeman Composer-in-Residence at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Other works include Little Fish, Hello Again, First Lady Suite, Break/Agnes/Eulogy for Mister Hamm, and Chronicle for a Death Foretold for which he received a Tony nomination for Best Book. Mr. LaChiusa is an Obie-award winner and the recipient of the Gilman-Gonzalez-Falla Musical Theatre Award. He is currently on the faculty of New York University and has been a guest lecturer on musical theatre at several other universities in the US, including NYU’s Tisch School for the Arts.
Michael Mahler (Composer) has contributed music, lyrics, and/or book to: How Can You Run with a Shell on your Back (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); The Waa-Mu Show (Northwestern University); The Adams Conglomerate High School Presents…Tales of the 8th Grade (NY Fringe Festival); Will and Bill (Lakeshore Theatre, CCPA); A Christmas Carol (Provision Theater Company); Barenaked Lads (Bailiwick Theatre); Cinder Edna (Stages Theatre Company); and others. His original musical reviews, 5 to 9 and Moving Forward, Looking Back have been performed at Northwestern,
Kevin O'Donnell (composer) is making his debut with The Next. In Chicago he has composed extensively for the House Theatre (The Sparrow, The Nutcracker, Valentine Victorious, Boy Detective Fails, others), The Hypocrites (Miss Julie, Glass Menagerie, Equus, Machinal, others), Redmoon (Once Upon a Time, Salao, others); in addition, Kevin has been commissioned by Lookingglass, Steppenwolf, ATC, Collaboraction, and The Building Stage, amongst others; his work has earned 10 Jeff Nominations; 3 Jeff Citations; 2 After Dark Awards (both for Outstanding Season). Off-Broadway credits : The 4th Graders Present... at 59E59; MacBeth with The Mirror Rep. He has also composed extensively for dance; his scores for the choreographer Molly Shanahan have twice been nominated by the Chicago Music and Dance Alliance (Outstanding Achievement), and been performed in New York, Montreal, and Miami, as well as throughout the midwest. As a musician, Kevin has recorded and/or toured with Andrew Bird, Jon Rauhouse, Kelly Hogan, Nickel Creek, Roger Eno, and the electronic musician Will Thomas (aka Plumbline, Dive Index).
Josh Schmidt (Composer/Lyricist) is a Milwaukee-based composer/sound designer. He was the composer and co-librettist on The Adding Machine: A Chamber Musical, which had its world premiere with Next in 2007 and is now enjoying an Off-Broadway run. His work has been featured at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Writers’ Theatre In Glencoe, Next Theatre, Northlight Theatre, and Seanachai Theatre Company (Chicago); Alley Theatre (Houston) Kennedy Center and Ford’s Theatre (Washington DC); Public Theatre (associate design), Builders Association (associate design), Jean Cocteau Rep, and Genesius Theatre Guild (NYC); Bard College (NY); South Coast Repertory (CA); American Players Theatre (Spring Green); Madison Rep and UW-Madison (Madison) Milwaukee Rep, Milwaukee Ballet, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Milwaukee Shakespeare, Renaissance Theaterworks, Bialystock and Bloom, Next Act Theatre, Theatre X, In Tandem, Wild Space Dance Company, and UW-Milwaukee Theatre and Dance (Milwaukee). He is a recipient of the 2003-2005 NEA/TCG Career Development Program Award and was named one of nine emerging designers in Entertainment/Design Magazine in 2004. He has received 4 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and two Awards for his composition/sound design work in Chicago.
Jason Loewith (Director/Artistic Director) directed the Jeff-Nominated Midwest premieres of Omnium Gatherum and Moliere’s The Misanthrope in a version by Martin Crimp, as well as Defiance, Miss Witherspoon, Fabulation, The Long Christmas Ride Home, Measure for Measure, and Entertaining Mr. Sloane for the Next, and the Midwest premiere of Moira Buffini's Silence for Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. In addition to awards for his own work, two of his first four years at Next were honored with After Dark Awards for Outstanding Season. He also co-wrote the libretto for The Adding Machine: A Chamber Musical with composer Joshua Schmidt, which had its world premiere at Next in March 2007. A frequent contributor to American Theatre Magazine, his book The Director's Voice, a series of interviews with legendary American directors, is due out in January 2008. Jason holds an MA in Theater Arts from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and an AB from Brown University. He was appointed Artistic Director of the Next in July 2002 after spending two seasons at Court Theatre under the mentorship of Charles Newell. Prior to joining the staff at Court, Jason spent five years with New York's off-Broadway Classic Stage Company as General Manager and Dramaturg under the leadership of David Esbjornson, and later Barry Edelstein.
Jeremy Ramey (Music Director, pianist) has been working as a music director, concert pianist, and conductor in Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia for the last fifteen years. A member of the American Federation of Musicians with performance degrees from Rhodes College, Northwestern University and The Juilliard School of Music, Jeremy has performed in some of the nation’s top venues, both as a solo recitalist and as featured soloist with several orchestras. He serves as the Director of Music for Unity Church in Evanston and has held faculty positions at Loyola University and University of Memphis. Credits include Music Director/Pianist: Disney ASCAP reading of Breathe with Stephen Schwartz; Singing in the Rain and A Christmas Carol (Wagon Wheel Theatre) The Water Coolers (Lakeshore Theater). Conductor/pianist: Bark! The Musical (Chicago) and Forever Plaid Drury Lane Oak Brook). Most recently, he is the pianist for Alter Boys at Drury Lane Water Tower. Jeremy is excited to be joining the outstanding team at Next Theater and sends his kindest regards to everyone involved with this production.
Tommy Rapley (Choreographer) Tommy is very excited to be working with Next Theatre for the first time on American Dream Songbook. He is a Company Member with and Choreographer for The House Theatre of Chicago, where he also serves as Director of Artistic Development. He has Choreographed 13 world-premiere productions for The House, earning him 3 Jeff Nominations, and 2 Jeff Citations for Outstanding Choreography (Cave With Man, The Sparrow). Tommy’s directorial work for The House includes The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz, Hope Springs Infernal, Ellen Under Glass, and most recently The Nutcracker, which premiered at The Steppenwolf Upstairs Theatre this fall. Tommy Received an After Dark award for Outstanding Choreography for his dance-opera DORIAN, which he also co-wrote and directed at The Bailiwick. Much love to Scott, Mom, and Jane.
Collette Pollard (Scenic Designer) is thrilled to make her debut here at The Next Theatre. Collette recently designed a number of shows for The House Theatre of Chicago including The Sparrow, Nutcracker and The Magnificents. She also designed Tesla's Letters at TimeLine Theatre, and currently designed Harriet Jacobs for Steppenwolf Theatre. She recently received her MFA in scenic design from Northwestern University. Collette enjoys teaching design at Columbia College and has displayed her work at the USITT Young Designer's Forum in Phoenix Arizona and at Ming Cho Lee’s Clambake in NYC. She would like to thank Next Theatre for their warm welcome, Jason Loewith for the opportunity and Mark for his constant support.
Janice Pytel (Costume Designer) has previously worked at Next on A Number and Yellowman. Recent design credits include: The Goodbye Girl at Drury Lance Oakbrook; The Little Dog Laughed with About Face Theatre; Lombardi: The Only Thing with Madison Repertory Theatre; Wedding Play with About Face Theatre; The Savannah Disputation with Writer's Theatre, and 33 Variations with Arena Stage in Washington DC. Janice designed the costumes for the Tony Award Winning production of I am my Own Wife, which also traveled to London, Krakow, Caracas, and Australia. In Chicago, she has worked with Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Court Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Famous Door Theatre Company, Remy Bumppo, and Northlight Theatre, among others. In addition to her theatre work, Janice recently designed for Hubbard Street Dance and collaborated with artist, Catherine Sullivan on her project, Triangle of Need, which premiered at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.
Jason Fassl (Lighting Designer) Jason is excited to be designing for the first time at Next. Based in Milwaukee, his work has been seen at; The Milwaukee Rep., The Milwaukee Ballet, Skylight Opera, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Renaissance Theatreworks, Next Act Theatre, First Stage Children’s Theatre, Milwaukee Shakespeare Company, and others. Designs this season include, Seascape and Life Could Be a Dream (The Milwaukee Rep.) Woman in Black (Renaissance Theaterworks) White Christmas (The Skylight) The Quiltmakers Gift and A Year With Frog And Toad (First Stage Children’s Theatre) Crime and Punishment and Talley’s Folly (Milwaukee Chamber Theatre) and Faith Healer and An Interview With Paul Robeson (Next Act Theatre). Jason is the resident Lighting Designer for The Fireside Dinner Theatre, having designed the lighting for the last 14 productions there. Jason supports his theatre habit by lighting events for the corporate world, including productions for The Pampered Chef, Caterpillar, Northwestern Mutual Life and The Boys & Girls Clubs of Milwaukee. Thank you to Josh and Jason for this opportunity. www.AntiShadows.com
Jeffrey Robert Dublinske (Sound Designer) is happy to be working with Next Theatre Company again, having previously worked on The Adding Machine. Past designs include: The Price at Shattered Globe, Fellow Travelers at Stage Left, Lifex3 at the Redhouse in Syracuse, NY, as well as assisting Lindsey Jones at Lookingglass on Sita Ram and Andre Pluess on the new Mary Zimmerman show Argonautika. Jeff would like to thank Josh, David and all the next family for this opportunity. It has been a joy. Love to Mom, Dad, Sis, Ry and Schmoo. xoxo
Joanie Schultz (Associate Director) is thrilled to be working for the first time with Next Theatre company. Upcoming, she is directing the Midwest premiere of Faster by Adam Rapp at the Side Project. Most recently in Chicago she directed good to you for the Collaboraction Sketchbook, Stone Cold Dead Serious at Circle Theatre, and Betty’s Summer Vacation with Infamous Commonwealth. She also recently made her New York Off-Broadway debut directing Sean Graney’s Autophagy as part of the Drama League Directorfest. She holds her MFA in directing from Northwestern University, her BA in directing from Columbia College Chicago and was a Drama League Directing Fellow.
Richard Lundy* (Resident Stage Manager) is back for the 2007-08 season, having worked with Next since 2005. After a decade off from the theatre, he returned in 2004 managing at Victory Gardens and Famous Door Theatres. A non-graduate of Kent State University, Richard managed for several years at the Cleveland Playhouse in the 1980's. He has been Production Stage Manager at Shakespeare Theatre At The Folger in Washington D.C., Shakespeare & Company in Lennox, Ma., and The Sterling Renaissance Faire in upstate N.Y. In Chicago he stage managed for Wisdom Bridge, Halstead Theatre Center, Northlight, Chicago Dramatists Workshop, Organic, and Remains Theatres. He was also with the first national tour of Miss Saigon. Richard is proud to celebrate his 21st year as a member of Actor's Equity. He is married to Carmel Carroll, and together they travel extensively.