A SHADOW BRIGHT AND BURNING CAST
Annemarie Andaleon (Henrietta) (she/her)
Annemarie is thrilled to work with Black Button Eyes Productions for the first time! She is a proud Filipino-American actor, singer, musician, and writer. Previous credits include Sapphic Showcase, Shakespeare’s R&J (PrideArts), The Duchess of Malfi (Babes with Blades), The Old Man & The Old Moon, Somewhere, and Polaroid Stories (LUC). She is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago with a BA in Theatre. She sends thanks to all of her loved ones for their support. Instagram: @annemarie_andaleon
Sierra Buffum (Cellini) (they/them)
Sierra Bryn is thrilled to be making magic onstage with Black Button Eyes! Previous performance credits include work with the Athenaeum Center, Yellow Rose Theatre, Neilshow Productions, Shakespeare’s Motley Crew, MPAACT, Theatre Y, Against the Grain, and more. Sierra’s magical rituals include guiding yoga practices, dance and movement exploration, and communing with their familiar, Peaches.
Kat Evans (Gwen / Lily) (she/her)
Kat is thrilled to be back with Black Button Eyes. She loves being a part of new plays, whether readings & workshops, or premieres, such as this show, Nightmares and Nightcaps (BBE), Waiting For Tina Meyer, Text Me, The Safe House, and Thirteen Days (City Lit), Fanatical! (American Gods), and The Nutcracker Sings! (Jedlicka). Her full length play Perseverance of the Saints had public readings at The Chicago Temple in May of 2024; you can find it and her other plays on New Play Exchange and keep up with her projects at katevansllc.com.
Alex George (Rook) (they/any)
Alex is thrilled to be making magic with Black Button Eyes. They are a recent Chicago transplant after graduating with their BFA in Acting from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2023. Most recently, they’ve appeared as Jo (u/s) in Little Women at Milwaukee Rep, as well as Father Virgil in Commedia Divina: It’s Worse Than That with The Conspirators. George proudly hails from Somerset, Kentucky, aka “the hub of the universe”. mxalexgeorge.com | @mx.alexgeorge
Jessica Goforth (Colegrind / Palehook) (she/her)
Jessica is delighted to work with Black Button Eyes for the first time. Recent credits include The Importance of Being Earnest (Strawdog Theatre), Anne of Green Gables (The Morton Arboretum), Cymbeline (Midsommer Flight), Jeeves Intervenes (First Folio Theatre) and Antigone (Redtwist Theatre). Television credits include Chicago Fire (NBC). Thank you to Black Button Eyes and to Dennis for their support.
Timothy Griffin (Agrippa) (he/him)
Tim is thrilled to play with Black Button Eyes for the first time. An Honors Graduate of Illinois State University, he has performed in Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Dublin, Moscow, and various points between. Favorite work includes the titular roles in Hamlet and Richard III, Dial M for Murder (Tony), Romeo and Juliet (Tybalt), Booth (Junius Booth), The Book of Will (Burbage), and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Satan). He is also an accomplished playwright, musician, voice-over artist, and fight choreographer. He is of indeterminate age and is currently at large.
Jamie Dillon Grossman (Sarah / Charlie / The Queen) (she/her)
Jamie made her Off-Broadway debut in NYC in Assistants: The Musical at The Players Theatre. Select past credits include: 25th Annual...Spelling Bee (Music Theatre Works, Logannie), Blackademics (MPAACT, Georgia), Phantom Folktales (PigPen Theatre on Virgin Voyages, Olive), Rock of Ages (Regina), Titanic (Bellboy), and West Side Story (Anybodys) at Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre. Huge shout out and thank yous to the cast and crew, friends and family, and Vince. Instagram: @jamiegmoney Representation: Gray Talent Group
North Homewood (Blackwood) (he/him)
North is excited to be back at Black Button Eyes after having a blast in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog! North lives on fantasy stories, and is so thrilled to have a rare opportunity to bring the genre to the stage. Some of North's other recent theatre credits include: Skunk and Badger (Lifeline), London Road (Shattered Globe - Equity Jeff Award nominee, Best Ensemble),Twelfth Night (Midsommer Flight), The Winter's Tale (Oak Park Festival Theatre), Mamma Mia! (Music Theater Works), Veronica's Room (Madkap Productions), Working (Theo Ubique), and Southern Comfort (Pride Films and Plays). He has also been seen on television in Work In Progress (Showtime), and in the short film Eat it! (Evil Strawberry Productions). North dedicates his work on this production to Echo - you burned in the heart of a black forest; your fire lit the path.
Darren Jones (Hargrove) (he/him)
Darren won the 2023 Outstanding Actor Award, presented by the Black Arts and Cultural Alliance of Chicago (baca), for his role as Baba in the MPAACT production of ZEKIEL’S WHEEL. Recent Chicago credits incude THE TRIAL IN THE DELTA: THE MURDER OF EMMETT TILL (NBC/Collaboraction)-which is a double Emmy Award winning production for 2022 & 2023; AMERICAN SON (Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre); RICHARD III (Promethean Theatre): WELLESLEY GIRL (Compass Theatre); HAMLET (Invictus Theatre); AMERICAN SON (Beverley Arts Center); LABYRINTH (Broken Nose Theatre); KING LEAR (Redtwist Theatre); TAD IN 5TH CITY, EZEKIEL’S WHEEL, ONE 4 THE ROAD, NEVER THE MILK AND HONEY (MPAACT); CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, THE HEAVENS ARE HUNG IN BLACK (Shattered Globe Theatre Company), where he is an Artistic Associate. Television credits include CHICAGO PD (NBC), CHICAGO FIRE (NBC). Movie credits include HYDE PARK, CHI-RAQ, HOOD, MO' MONEY. He's done commercials for WALGREEN’S, BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD, ANHEUSER BUSCH, STATE FARM, NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE, RIVERS CASINO and METLIFE along with training and industrial films for CAREERBUILDER, ACCENTURE AND SEARS AUTO CENTER. Darren is represented by Lily's Talent Agency
Jason LaCombe (Ensemble, u/s Agrippa, u/s Colegrind/Palehook) (he/him)
Jason is overjoyed to be a part of this amazing project. Jason is a Chicago-based actor. He was mostly recently seen in Bump In the Nights Medea. Other credits include, Snout/Egeus (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Big Noise Theater), Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet, Citadel and Center Stage), Lodovico (Othello, Hoosier Shakespeare Festival), Rick (Midwest Players). and various roles at Three Brothers Theatre. Warm and heartfelt thanks go out to his family for always being supportive.
David Lipschutz (Magnus) (he/him)
Previous BBE productions: Evil Dead the Musical and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Other Chicago credits include productions with Hell in a Handbag (proud company member), Kokandy, Broken Nose, Factory, and Victory Gardens. Thanks to Ed, Erin, and BC/KJOC. davidlipschutz.com
Mia Marks (u/s Sarah/Charlie/The Queen, u/s Ensemble) (she/her)
Mia is so excited to make her Black Button Eyes debut with A Shadow Bright and Burning! Since graduating with a Bachelor's in Acting from Illinois State University, she has pursued stage and film opportunities all throughout the city of Chicago. Her most recent acting credits include Kayleen in Gruesome Playground Injuries, Hershel in Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, Isabella in Swordswoman of San Gimignano, and Ruby in Alphabet Soup, a DePaul University short film. When she is not acting, you can find her exploring every corner of the city and all of its' great places to eat! She hopes you enjoy the show!
Cheterra McCray (u/s Henrietta, u/s Ensemble) (she/her)
Cheterra McCray is a budding actress and filmmaker based in Chicago, IL. She took on the role of Mags Taylor and is listed as a writer, producer, editor, and director of Common Ground which is now streaming on Amazon Prime and Tubi. She’s had lead roles in short films such as Whatever It Takes and Innocent Looks. She had a supporting role in the feature film Hyde Out. She has starred in Web series such as Runnin 21 and Nell’s Way as well as the theater production of Be a Buddy Not a Bully, playing the role of Billie. She has trained with Emmy-winning Casting Director AJ Links at Actors Training Center and Jack Bronis from Acting Studio Chicago. Cheterra gives back to her community by working with children in several programs such as YEMBA and Free Lunch Academy, introducing the art of film and acting to students who may not have access to it otherwise. She hopes to one day write, direct, and star in academy acclaimed films in the future.
Jennifer L. Mickelson (Ensemble, u/s Cellini, u/s Gwen/Lily) (she/her)
Jennifer L. Mickelson is an actor, intimacy designer, and occasional playwright. She is also a member of Babes With Blades Theatre Company, an alum of Illinois State University, and an SAFD Actor-Combatant. Jen was most recently seen onstage in BWBTC’s Richard III; other favorite credits include Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde with Promethean Theatre Ensemble and Bo Thomas and the Case of the Sky Pirates at BWBTC. She has designed intimacy for BWBTC, Promethean, Idle Muse Theatre Company, The Factory Theater, Broken Nose Theatre, and Citadel Theatre. Thanks to Brendan for all that extra cooking.
Peter Ruger (Lambe, u/s Hargrove) (he/him)
Peter Ruger is thrilled to be returning to the stage with Black Button Eyes! Peter graduated from the Chicago College of Performing Arts with a Masters Degree in Music in 2012 has since been performing in Chicago with many wonderful companies including Music Theater Works, Theo Ubique, Porchlight Music Theater, and Black Button Eyes Theater. Love to his endlessly supportive family and friends!
Troy Schaeflein (Ensemble, u/s Rook, u/s Blackwood) (he/him)
Troy is a Chicago based Actor, Improvisor, and Professional Game Master, and he couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the team for A Shadow Bright and Burning. Troy studied acting at Illinois State University. His recent credits include What the Weird Sisters Saw, Jane: Abortion and the Underground, The Last Queen of Camelot, The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyl & Mr. Hyde (Idle Muse Theatre Company), As You Like It, Caesar, Pride and Prejudice (Illinois Shakespeare Festival). Troy can also be seen performing with the improv team Ghost Rats (@ghost.rats.comedy).
Quinton Walker (u/s Lambe, u/s Magnus, u/s Ensemble) (he/they)
Quinton is an actor, combatant, and violence designer originally from Central Texas. He is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago where he received a BFA in Acting and a minor in Stage Combat. Quinton has a lifelong love for fantasy, science fiction, and period media and hopes to build a career in performing works of fiction on both stage and screen. He was last seen on stage in the world debut of Garters by Natalie Zutter at the Otherworld Theatre and is thrilled to take part in his first project with Black Button Eyes Productions! @quintonjwalker