A SHADOW BRIGHT AND BURNING CREATIVE TEAM

 

Jeremiah Barr (Scenic/Props, Technical Director) (he/him)

Jeremiah is very happy to be a part of the A Shadow Bright and Burning team. Some of his past credits include Black Button Eye's Mary Rose, Evil Dead the Musical, Shockheaded Peter, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, and Nightmares and Nightcaps: the Stories of John Collier-Jeff nominated for best specialized design-puppets; Aston Rep's Language Archive, Buried Child, Equus, When We Were Young and Unafraid- Jeff nominated for best scenic design, City Lit Theatre's Night of the Hunter, Playboy of the Western World. You might have also seen his handy work at the Chicago Botanic Gardens Lightscapes where he creates and installs the large scale installations for the holiday season. When not designing or building shows Jeremiah enjoys visiting strange and interesting places in search of mystery and adventure with his amazing partner Sam. Huge shout out to Ed, all the awesome designers, and cast members.

Tricia Carver-Horner (Stage Manager) (she/her)

Tricia is thrilled to be working with BBEP for the first time! Originally from Missouri, Tricia moved to Chicago in 2023, and has been lurking backstage in theatres around the city ever since. In addition to stage management, she’s an experienced props designer, an occasional playwright, and an even more occasional comedian. Recent Chicago credits include In Quietness with A Red Orchid Theatre, Promises, Promises with Blank Theatre Company, and Mic Father, Mic Son with Subtext Theater Company.

Liz Cooper (Lighting Designer) (she/her)

Liz is excited to be designing for Black Button Eyes again! Some of her favorite designs for Black Button Eyes include Mary Rose, The Authorized Fan Production of Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, Ghost Quartet, and Shockheaded Peter. Other favorite design credits include I Promised Myself to Live Faster, The Golden Girls Lost Episodes at Golden Con 2022, The Drag Seed (The Chopin, Chicago and La Mama, NYC) and Christmas Dearest (Hell in a Handbag), Night of the Hunter, Thirteen Days and The Sundial (City Lit), and, The Winter's Tale (Oak Park Festival Theatre). She is a resident designer at City Lit. Her light plot for Christmas Dearest was included in Live Design's 31 Days of Plots in 2021.

Carrie Hardin (Voice and Dialect Coach) (she/her)

Carrie is pleased to be back with Black Button Eyes after coaching their 2022 production of Mary Rose. You might have also heard her coaching efforts around town at Babes with Blades, Kokandy, First Folio, Pegasus, CityLit, Idle Muse, (the dearly departed) Prologue Theatre Co, and Loyola University Chicago, where she also sometimes teaches. Many thanks to Ed and everyone involved, and to her family, for putting up with her near-constant quiet mumbling in different voices.

Brendan Hutt(Violence Design) (he/him)

Brendan is thrilled to be working with Black Button Eyes for the third time, having previously worked on Whisper House and Dr. Horrible’s Singalong Blog. Primarily an actor, he is a proud ensemble member with both Promethean Theatre Ensemble and Idle Muse Theatre Company. Thanks to Rick, Vic, and David of R&D Choreography as well as Libby for teaching him how to do any of this, love to his family and his amazing wife, Jennifer.

Isaac Mandel (Sound Design) (he/him)

Isaac is a Chicago based sound designer and engineer. He graduated from Illinois State University & attended Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Some of his past productions include Somewhere Over The Border (Teatro Vista), Passing Strange(Theo Ubique), Merrily We Roll Along (O'Malley Theatre). Some upcoming shows are Never Better (Theo Ubique), Stabbed in the Heart (The Factory Theatre) as well as the upcoming season at Roosevelt University.

Ed Rutherford (Director, Adapter) (he/him)

Ed's directing credits for Black Button Eyes include Mary Rose, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Ghost Quartet (Jeff Nomination: Best Director of a Musical), Evil Dead the Musical (Jeff Nomination: Best Director of a Musical), his script Nightmares & Nightcaps: The Stories of John Collier, Shockheaded Peter, Amour, Goblin Market, and Coraline. Promethean Theatre Ensemble: artistic associate, where he directed The Liar, his adaptation of Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn, The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Beyond Therapy. Book & Lyrics: the parody musical Murder, ReWrote and Mary Rose. As an actor, he's performed with Drury Lane Oakbrook, Porchlight, Theater Wit and many others. A graduate of Northwestern's theater program, he also completed his MBA at Kellogg. ed-rutherford.com

Jackson Mikkelsen (Lead Electrician) (he/him)

Jackson is the Resident Lighting Assistant for the Chicago College of Performing Arts, and for Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre in Evanston. He’s also a freelance performer with recent Chicago credits like The Snow Queen (Marriott), Fun Home (Madison Street) Ragtime & Music Man (Metropolis), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Theo). The Wild Party (Blank Theatre Company), and The Tempest (Oak Park Festival Theatre). CCPA MT ‘23. Love to Brian :) www.jacksonmikkelsen.com

Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Designer) (she/her)

Rachel is thrilled to be back collaborating with BBEP! Other companies she has worked with include Goodman, Kokandy, Music Theater Works, Theater Wit, Backstage Breckenridge Theater, Babes with Blades, Trap Door, Oak Park Festival Theater, Citadel, Midsommer Flight, Hell in a Handbag, Lifeline, Porchlight, Griffin, Strawdog, the Factory and Redtwist. She also has designed at Wheaton College, Governor's State University, North Central College, St. Patrick's High School, Indiana University Northwest, Loyola Academy, and the Chicago Academy for the Arts. She is a ten-time Non-equity Jeff nominee, having been awarded two. More info at www.rachelsyp.com

Derek Van Barham (Choreographer) (he/him)

Derek is the Producing Artistic Director of Kokandy Productions. Directing credits include Children of Eden in Concert (Broadway In Chicago), Sweeney Todd, American Psycho and Head Over Heels (Jeff Awards and Jeff nomination, Kokandy); The View Upstairs (Circle Theatre); Miracle by Dan Savage, Poseidon (Hell in a Handbag). Choreography credits include Evil Dead (Jeff nom.), Coraline the Musical, Ghost Quartet, and Shockheaded Peter (Black Button Eyes). He was named one of Newcity Magazine's 50 Players 2024. MFA: CCPA/Roosevelt University. derekvanbarham.com | IG @dvbarham

Team Acacia (Public Relations)

The roots of Acacia Consulting Group were formed in 2017 by co-founders Morgan Harris and Tom Elliott after working together in the trenches of a political campaign. United by their drive for a brighter future – in the midst of a dark and disastrous national election – the team came together, bringing their expertise from film marketing, political campaigns, and strategic communications to forge compelling narratives that engage and motivate. Acacia’s philosophy is that politics and culture, messaging and media, can no longer exist apart from one another, and it has a diverse client roster that each, in their own way, seeks to teach, inspire, and lead. Together, they embody Acacia’s commitment to impactful storytelling and progressive change. www.teamacacia.com