Bailiwick Production Team Biographies

March 12, thru May 7, 1995

Bailiwick Cast Biographies

The play previewed March 12, 1995, with official press opening on March 19, 1995 (Feast of St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church). Its not-for-profit run ended on May 7, 1995.

Pope Joan was first produced by Bailiwick Repertory, Chicago, Illinois.

Director David Zak

Mr. Zak is enjoying his 13th season as executive director of Bailiwick Repertory, of which he was a founding member in 1982. He received Jeff Citations for direction of Animal Farm and for his adaptation (with Jeff Casazza) ofThe Count of Monte Cristo, and he has been Jeff Recommended for his direction of Incorruptible, The Count of Monte Cristo, and Lighting the Heart of the Dragon. He has accepted Bailiwick's Jeff Citations for Outstanding Production forAnimal Farm, The Lisbon Traviata, and Execution of Justice; and Recommendations for Outstanding Production for The Count of Monte Cristo, Incorruptible, Threepenny Opera, Ourselves Alone, and Son of Fire. In addition to the above credits, he has directed BR's productions of Making Noise Quietly, Life is a Dream, The Haunted Man, Wuthering Heights, An Uncertain Hour, Dirty Dreams of a Clean-Cut Kid, Son of Fire, and Saint Joan of the Stockyards. Mr. Zak takes great pleasure in the growth of growth of Bailiwick, and its unique programs- The Directors Festival and The Pride Performance Series. He is a panelist this year for the Illinois Arts Council, and has represented Bailiwick at ATHE and TCG conventions across the country. He firmly believes that theatre has the power to change how we view ourselves, our history, our community, and our world. He has been greatly enriched and empowered b y his years with the wonderful artists, volunteers, board members, donors, subscribers, and friends who are the Bailiwick family. Mr. Zak was recently named one of the 50 most influential people in Chicago theatre by Chicago magazine. Besides Pope Joan, Mr. Zak's work can be seen this summer in the long running hit In the Deep Heart's Core and in the world premiere of If the Radiance of a Thousand Suns:The Hiroshima Projec t, a testimony to those affected by the birth of the nuclear age 50 years ago this summer, co-authored by Anne McGravie, Dwight Okita, and Nicholas A. Patricca. He is also assisting in the development of a new one-woman show for Alexandra Billings, Oy, My Name is Alex, coming this fall to a theatre near you.

Musical Direction, Piano/Conductor, and Keyboard Arrangements Gene De Luca

Mr. De Luca is once again honored to be working with Christopher Moore and the Bailiwick. Deeply rooted in the Catholic faith ( a 1982 graduate of Quigley Preparatory Seminary North, in Chicago), Gene honestly admits that "Pope Joan" is his most interesting project to date. His most recent Bailiwick musical direction credit was The Holiday Spin. Past Bailiwick credits, as keyboard accompanist, include: Don Juan on Halsted, Unfinished Business; The AIDS Show and Animal Farm. Also included in Gene's musical direction history: Christopher Moore's The Prince and the Pauper, the 1991-1992 National Tour of Into the Woods and South Pacific. Gene is also currently involved in several writing projects including: a Catholic Mass (in Latin), a Jewish children's CD (a collaboration with Geniene Bushel Miller), and a musical comedy ( a collaboration with Joe Savino). On April 21, the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus will be opening the second act of their Spring concert with "At the Bar (Sidetrackin')" the first act opening of that musical. Finally, he would like to thank Joe De Luca and Jim O'Connell for their support. Gene is represented by Lersch & Hartman, Chicago.

Scenic Design Rick Paul

Mr. Paul is a 26-year survivor of Chicago's Off-Loop theatre movement. His work has been seen in Europe, Canada, Latin America, and all 50 states. He also works in film and international festivals. For 15 years he has guided Lionheart Gay Theater, an experimental company, that was recently the first gay theater to be inducted into a city sponsored Hall of Fame, and the first gay theatre troupe to go around the world.

Lighting Designer Andrew Meyers

Andrew is glad to be returning to Chicago with Pope Joan and Larry Kramer. While living in Milwaukee for five years, he lit over 150 shows for American Inside Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Milwaukee Opera, the Madison Rep., Next Act, The Organic Theater, and Theatre X, among others. He is the Resident Lighting Designer for The Fireside, First Stage Milwaukee, and Milwaukee Dance Theatre. His work has been seen in London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Mexico, the Bahamas, Florida, Hawaii, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Fargo, Johnson City, Tennessee, and, of course, Sheboygan. He wishes to thank his wife Liz, and kids Alex and Zoe.

Prop Designer Laura Cohen

Laura Cohen has recently completed her B.A. in Theatre at Columbia College. While at Columbia, she designed props for a number of shows and directed Infancy, Free Sex and Mud. Most recently she stage managed Pill directed by Terry McCabe, and was production stage manager for Lynn Book's Gorgeous Fever.

Costume Designer Margaret Morettini

Margaret Morettini most recently designed costumes for Lifeline Theatre's Vanity Fair. Also for Lifeline she designed The Little Sister (Jeff Citation),Jungle Book (Jeff Citation), Burning Bright, The Musicians of Bremmen, and The Rescuers. For the Next Theater she designed A Family Man. For Victory Gardens Theatre she has designed Still Waters, Spiele '36, Real Women Have Curves, Spinning Into Blue, and the upcoming North Star. For Steppenwolf's Outreach Program she designed Puddin' Head Wilson. Margaret is pleased to be back at Bailiwick where she has designed Wild Honey, Life is a Dream, Incorruptible (Jeff Citation), and Mademoiselle Julie.

Linda Schaeffer: Fight Choreographer

Linda marks her fifth Bailiwick appearance with Pope Joan. Other shows are the Jeff Cited Son of Fire (also by Christopher Moore), Wuthering Heights (where she met her fiance Steve, thanks to David Zak), The Harvey Milk Show and Don Juan Tenorio. Linda has also appeared in Prologue Theatre's production of Chicago. In May of 1994, Linda passed an exam to receive her certification from the Society of American Fight Directors and is hoping to break the stage combat glass ceiling with rapier and dagger in hand. Thanks to Mom, Dad, Steve, and Maxine.

Assistant Director Dawn Marie Galtieri

Dawn Marie Galtieri is thrilled to be Assistant Director for the debut production of Pope Joan. She is currently pursuing an M.F.A. in Music Theatre at Roosevelt University. Her stage management experience include Awake and Sing! and The Innocent's Crusade at the Raven Theatre, An Uncertain Hour here at Bailiwick, last summer, and Company, To Kill a Mockingbird and Madwoman of Chaillot at Roosevelt University. In the Chicagoland area, she has performed in productions of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Wind in the Willows, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and A Chorus Line. Thank you to my dearest friends and angels. Peace to all.

Production Stage Manager John Kokum

John is happy to be back for this exciting project, which is his sixth show with the Bailiwick Repertory. Some credits include An Uncertain Hour , The Christmas Brothers: A Couple of Snowflakes,The Return of the Christmas Brothers and Blue Concerto for the Bailiwick Director's Festival. John would like to thank his family for their support.

Public Relations....................Michelle Madden Public Relations


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