‘It’s About Time’: Ghostlight marks return to full productions post-pandemic with its 8th Season beginning in September

Justin Brook and Holly Robison tapped to lead Ghostlight Ensemble ahead of the company's eighth season.

Ghostlight Ensemble announces its Season 8 lineup, marking the company’s return to a full production season with two mainstage shows, as well as a Nightlight play for young audiences, staged readings and ongoing collaborations with Chicago area museums. 

The company also announces a change in leadership with Ensemble Member and Chicago actor Justin Broom promoted to co-artistic director, along with Ensemble Member Holly Robison. Broom has been with Ghostlight since 2019 and Robison, who was acting as an interim co-artistic director, is a founding member of the company and previously served as artistic director from 2016 to 2019.

“It is a very full-circle moment for me, in a way, to join a company right before we had to move inside (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) to then come out the other end as a leader to help bring Ghostlight back to in-person stages and locations,” Broom said.

 “Ghostlight’s mission has always been to ask questions that challenge the status quo through timeless stories via immersive environments and unconventional staging, which very much aligns with my values to making theater,” he continued. “As Co-Artistic Director, I'm excited to offer my perspective and experiences as a Queer theater artist to fulfill our mission in new ways, expand our ensemble and bring Ghostlight back into the Chicago scene.”

 Broom first appeared with Ghostlight in 2019 in a reading of The Thirteenth Chair and has been active in the company and the Chicago theatre scene ever since. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Radio, Television and Digital Media from Southern Illinois University.

 “I care so much about this company, having been with it from the beginning, and am so happy to continue in this leadership role as Ghostlight emerges from our scaled-back programming during COVID with one of our busiest and exciting seasons yet,” Robison said. “I’m also particularly looking forward to leading with Justin, who has come to be one of the most active and insightful voices within the company.”

 Robison is a Chicago-based director, actor and improvisor who has directed An Ideal Husband and Picasso at the Lapin Agile for Ghostlight Ensemble, as well as conceiving the For Your (Re)Consideration series. She has studied directing with various organizations, including the summer program, A Practical Approach to Directing at Yale School of Drama and is a member of Lincoln Center Directors Lab. She is also a cast member and producer with Improvised Jane Austen.

 Full bios for both artistic directors are available on our website’s The Ensemble page. 

The new management team led the selection process for the upcoming season, which celebrates a symphony of creativity that resonates across cultures and time, reminding us that art is a universal language that binds us all.

 “We have some amazing projects and collaborations this season, and I can’t wait for audiences to experience them,” Robison said.

 Ghostlight will begin its Eighth Season with Alabama Story by Kenneth Jones, a drama about censorship, book banning and Civil Rights set within the framework of 1950s racial tensions. Robison will direct.

 Inspired by true events, Alabama Story is a drama about a segregationist senator and the state librarian who clash over the content of a children’s book about bunny rabbits against the backdrop of the Civil Rights movement in Montgomery, Alabama. Political foes, childhood friends and one feisty children’s author inhabit a Deep South of the imagination that brims with humor, heartbreak and hope.

 Alabama Story will take place Sept. 27-29 and Oct. 4-6, 2024, at After-Words Bookstore (23 E. Illinois St., Chicago) and Oct. 11-13 and Oct. 18-20, 2024, at Haymarket Books at Haymarket House (800 W Buena Ave, Chicago).

 In December, the company expands on its partnership with the Richard H. Driehaus Museum to present Holiday Spirits: A Collection of Victorian Yuletide Ghost Stories, a multi-story and multi-storied immersive, site-specific adaptation of classic Victorian ghost stories at the museum.

In February, the Nightlight series returns with a full-length production for young audiences, Invaders of Mathmatica, written by Ensemble Member Nick Conrad. The original play is a celebration of the arts that argues true riches come from collaboration, not isolation.

And Ghostlight will close out the season in spring 2025 with the world premiere of Drink the Past Dry written by Ensemble Member Maria Burnham. The site-specific piece is set and will take place at a nondescript neighborhood bar in the middle of Chicago that looks like every other bar in every other neighborhood. But this bar has a secret. It can take you anywhere in time. All you have to do is take a drink.

In addition, the For Your (Re)Consideration staged reading series will return in 2025, with its ongoing mission to explore the works of historically overlooked female writers. And Ghostlight will continue its popular Live Movie Reading Series throughout the year. Plus, the company has several other surprises brewing.

To celebrate its return to full productions (and a full season) after the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghostlight is hosting a Season Kickoff event at My Buddy’s (4416 N Clark St, Chicago) on Saturday, August 10. Join us for an insider look at all our shows, exciting news of new partnerships and performance opportunities and a chance to chat with the new artistic team and Ensemble members, as well as karaoke, raffle/auction items, free drinks and more. 

Look for details about the Season Kickoff event, the entire 2024-2025 season and Ghostlight Ensemble at GhostlightEnsemble.com.

Seeking directors for 2023 short play festival for young audiences

Ghostlight Ensemble is seeking directors for its fourth annual Make/Believe festival for young audiences set for live, outdoor performances in May and June.

The festival will feature five short plays written by playwrights from Chicago and around the country. A summary of the scripts is available on the 2023 Make/Believe page.

In particular we are seeking Korean American, Greek American and Black directors, but encourage all BIPOC and LBGTQIA+ directors to apply. We welcome early career directors or actors interested in branching into directing and will provide a company mentor to help you through the process.

Rehearsals will be scheduled around cast and director availability.

A technical rehearsal is scheduled for May 25 from 5 to 10 p.m. (Pieces will be scheduled so directors will not be required to attend the entire tech.) Tech and performance will take place outside at the NorthCenter Town Square.

Performances are Saturday & Sunday May 27-28 and Saturday & Sunday June 3-4 (Tentative schedule: Set up at 12:30 p.m., Performance at 1:30 p.m. Load out by 4 p.m.).

Directors will receive a $50 stipend.

Interested directors should submit a resume and a statement of interest with any additional relevant experience to Caryn Brieschke at info@ghostlightensemble.com. Please use the following format in the email’s subject line: Nightlight Festival - [director’s name]

The deadline for submissions is April 1.

Call for scripts: Seeking short children's plays for 4nd annual Make/Believe festival

Ghostlight Ensemble is seeking short scripts (a maximum of 15 minutes) that are geared toward young audiences. Priority will be placed on scripts that are ethnically and culturally diverse, and written by writers of color and/or LGBTQ writers. This is open to playwrights in any geographic area, though writers in the greater Chicago area will receive priority. NO FEE.

Playwrights will receive $25 per selected script.

Selected plays will be produced in the late spring of 2022 as part of the fourth annual Make/Believe festival of theatre for children under our Nightlight banner. (Learn more about the 2020 festival, the 2021 festival and the 2022 festival with these links.) The performances will be held live, with a location or locations TBD.

Please pay close attention to the script requirements. Scripts that do not meet the following criteria will not be considered. 

Requirements

• A maximum of 3 actors per script. There are no restrictions, however, on the number of characters. Please note, that while some directors have chosen to use child actors in past pieces, the intent of this festival is to perform for children, not with children.

• Plays must have minimal to no technical demands, as there is a possibility these plays will be performed outside and/or in multiple locations. There may be no lighting or backstage area, although minimal sound cues will be available.

• Must fit our mission.

• Geared toward children 11 and under. Please, NO scripts about high school students.

• All props, set pieces and costumes must be easily made at home by actors (and children watching who want to stage their own productions at home).

• Pieces can be previously produced, but cannot have a production running concurrently with Make/Believe. 

Electronic submissions only, please. Submit cover letter with full contact information, a short author bio, brief synopsis of script — including development and production history (if applicable) — and the full script to Maria Burnham at scripts@ghostlightensemble.com. Please use the following format in the email’s subject line: Nightlight Script Submission: [play name] - [playwright name]. To clarify, the information in brackets should be replaced by the name of your play and your name.

The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2022.

Casting Call: Actors needed for Make/Believe festival

Ghostlight is seeking actors for its summer Make/Believe young audiences production. The production takes place the last three Saturdays of July and will be held outdoors. Actors will be expected to be in at least two short plays.

Character Descriptions
While actors of all backgrounds are welcome to apply, we are particularly seeking Filipino-American and Black women, as well as non-binary actors of all races.

Time Commitment
Performances are scheduled for the last three Saturdays in July: July 16, 23 & 30 with performances beginning at 2:30 p.m. and call about an hour before. A tech rehearsal is scheduled for July 12 from 6 to 9 p.m. Most actors will not have to be there the entire time. Performances and tech will be outside at the NorthCenter Town Square ( 4100 N. Damen Ave., Chicago).

Rehearsals will be scheduled around actor and director availability. We've asked directors to consider holding their early rehearsals virtually and to do in person rehearsals outside and masked. The average rehearsal load for this short play festival is usually 3 to 4 rehearsals.

Compensation
Actors will be paid a $100 stipend (total). The performances are free, so there are no formal comps.

How to Submit
Please email a resume and headshot to maria@ghostlightensemble.com. If we are familiar with your work, there will be no audition process. Others may be asked to do a private Zoom audition. Material will be provided and scheduled around your availability.

More info on the festival and shows can be found here.

Make/Believe theatre festival for young audiences returns this summer live, outdoors

Ghostlight Ensemble brings its popular Make/Believe festival back to the stage in 2022 with seven short plays by playwrights from around the country to be presented live, outdoors in July.

This year’s curated festival features a mix of new and previously performed plays from past Make/Believe festivals, written by both local and national playwrights. The plays, as always, have been written for audiences 10 and under, but are meant to be enjoyed by all ages.

“We are thrilled to bring this festival back to live performances after having to go digital only in 2021,” said Maria Burnham, Make/Believe curator. “Nothing replaces being in the same space with our young audience members and their families and feeling the energy and excitement they bring to Make/Believe.”

The seven stories that make up this year’s festival are filled with young people, plants, puppies and a blue balloon who must face great obstacles to discover who (or what) they’re meant to be. From the Filipino-American girl who is trying to find her way home in Sunshine and the Sea of Lost Things to the littlest fish in the ocean proving all sizes matter in Krill’s Quest, the protagonists in these plays face the types of struggles modern children will recognize from their own lives.

All seven plays will be produced on each day of the festival at the new NorthCenter Town Square – an outdoor space in the heart of the NorthCenter neighborhood. Some seating will be available, but audience members are encouraged to bring their own chairs and picnics. The show is free, but donations are always appreciated.

 Selected scripts are Asherella by Lori Taylor, Best Friends by Adam Eugene Hurst, A Blue Hydrangea by Eric Braman, Can You Hear the Mermaids Singing? by Rachel Atkins, It's Poppin' by Steven San Luis, Krill’s Quest by Angelle Whavers and Sunshine and the Sea of Lost Things by Sarah Lina Sparks.

Make/Believe is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and by support from the NorthCenter Chamber of Commerce. More information will be available on our website at www.ghostlightensemble.com/make-believe-2022.

Make/Believe takes place outdoors on the last three Saturdays in July – July 16, 23 and 30, 2022, at 2:30 p.m. at NorthCenter Town Square (4100 N. Damen Ave., Chicago).

Nightlight is Ghostlight’s young audience series with original, adapted and forgotten plays geared toward children and the adults who love them. Ghostlight believes theatre can be a beacon for children, letting them know they aren’t alone in the world, giving them a sense of security and revealing the truth that in stories they can be anything they want to be. You’re never too young – or too old – for a nightlight.

Call for scripts: Seeking short children's plays for 3nd annual Make/Believe festival

Ghostlight Ensemble is seeking short scripts (a maximum of 15 minutes) that are geared toward young audiences. Priority will be placed on scripts that are ethnically and culturally diverse, and written by writers of color and/or LGBTQ writers. This is open to playwrights in any geographic area, though writers in the greater Chicago area will receive priority. NO FEE.

Playwrights will receive $25 per selected script.

Selected plays will be produced summer of 2022 as part of the third annual Make/Believe festival of theatre for children under our Nightlight banner. (Learn more about the 2020 festival here and the 2021 festival here.) This for live, outdoor performances.

Please pay close attention to the script requirements. Scripts that do not meet the following criteria will not be considered. 

Requirements

• A maximum of 3 actors per script. There are no restrictions, however, on the number of characters. Please note, that while some directors have chosen to use child actors in past pieces, the intent of this festival is to perform for children, not with children.

• Plays must have no technical demands, as this will be outside and there is no lighting or backstage area and minimal sound cues will be available.

• Must fit our mission.

• Geared toward children 10 and under. Please, NO scripts about high school students.

• All props, set pieces and costumes must be easily made at home by actors (and children watching who want to stage their own productions at home).

• Pieces can be previously produced, but cannot have a production running concurrently with Make/Believe. 

Electronic submissions only, please. Submit cover letter with full contact information, short bio, brief synopsis of script including development and production history (if applicable) and full script to Maria Burnham at scripts@ghostlightensemble.com. Please use the following format in the email’s subject line: Nightlight Script Submission: [play name] - [playwright name]

The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2021.

Seeking directors for Make/Believe short play festival for young audiences

Ghostlight Ensemble is seeking directors for its second annual Make/Believe festival for young audiences set to broadcast virtually in early June.

The festival will feature six short plays written by playwrights from around the country. A summary of the scripts is available here.

In particular we are seeking Filipino-American, Black and Latinx directors, but encourage all BIPOC, LBGTQIA+ and non-binary directors to apply.

The pieces will be pre-recorded and presented virtually. Directors will receive a $25 stipend.

Interested directors should submit a resume and a statement of interest with any additional relevant experience to Maria Burnham at maria@ghostlightensemble.com. Please use the following format in the email’s subject line: Nightlight Festival - [director’s name]

The deadline for submissions is March 25.

Call for scripts: Seeking short children's plays for 2nd annual Make/Believe festival

Ghostlight Ensemble is seeking short scripts (a maximum of 15 minutes) that are geared toward young audiences. Priority will be placed on scripts that are ethnically and culturally diverse, and written by writers of color and/or LGBTQ writers. This is open to playwrights in any geographic area, though writers in the greater Chicago area will receive priority. NO FEE.

Playwrights will receive $25 per selected script.

Selected plays will be produced in June 2021 as part of the second annual Make/Believe festival of theatre for children under our Nightlight banner. (Learn more about the 2020 festival here.) We are planning for a virtual performance, which means the pieces will be filmed and made available to audiences in any geographic area, but only for a limited time; and tentatively for live performances. A note on virtual performances: After the performance dates, the pieces will not be shown in full again without the playwright’s permission, although Ghostlight reserves the right to use excerpts of the performances in future promotional and marketing videos.

Please pay close attention to the script requirements. Scripts that do not meet the following criteria will not be considered. 

Requirements

• A maximum of 3 actors per script. There are no restrictions, however, on the number of characters. Please note, that while some directors have chosen to use child actors in past pieces, the intent of this festival is to perform for children, not with children.

• Plays must be adaptable to virtual and live performances.

• Must fit our mission.

• Geared toward children 10 and under. Please, NO scripts about high school students.

• All props, set pieces and costumes must be easily made at home by actors (and children watching who want to stage their own productions at home).

• Pieces can be previously produced, but cannot have a production running concurrently with Make/Believe. 

Electronic submissions only, please. Submit cover letter with full contact information, short bio, brief synopsis of script including development and production history (if applicable) and full script to Maria Burnham at scripts@ghostlightensemble.com. Please use the following format in the email’s subject line: Nightlight Script Submission: [play name] - [playwright name]

The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2020.

Auditions Announced for Live Movie Reading Series

Ghostlight Ensemble announces auditions for the second quarter of its Live Movie Reading Series. Please state which movie reading you wish to audition for in your submission. Actors may be considered for multiple readings.

The Live Movie Reading Series is a low-key and fun, staged reading of some of our favorite movies. These readings are fundraisers for local nonprofits. Past recipients have included Common Pantry, Girl Forward and New Leash on Life, among others.

There is no pay for any of these readings.

Character Descriptions
Seeking a strong ethnically diverse cast of all genders, ages, shapes and sizes that is representative of the city in which we live.

We're looking for actors who love these movies, love having fun and who can also read. Those are literally the only requirements. Please note that we prefer a greater diversity in our casts for these movies than the original directors did and that the genders of our actors do not always match those of the actors in the films.

Time Commitment
In general, the live movie reading series involves an initial gathering to watch the movie that is being performed and two rehearsals. There is no tech. All performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on Mondays at Carbon Arc Bar and Board (located at the Davis movie theater in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago).

Performance dates and movies are as follows:

• April 27, 2020: Drop Dead Gorgeous

• May 18, 2020: Legally Blonde

• June 29, 2020: The Big Lebowski (Please note, the role of Walter has been cast.)

Materials To Prepare
Actors are asked to prepare a comedic monologue from their favorite movie, no longer than 1 minute. These monologues do not need to be memorized (as the performances are read and not memorized), but must be acted and staged to the best of your ability.

The audition date is March 21 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mayfair branch of the Chicago Public Library.

Please submit your headshot and resume to Jean at casting@ghostlightensemble.com, and she will be in touch. Please indicate any time restrictions you have for the audition period in your email.

The power of imagination takes center stage in Ghostlight’s festival of new works for young audiences

Cereal royalty, a monster that eats words, the source of all black girl magic, a unique bird that tastes bad. Welcome to Make/Believe, a theatre festival that challenges its young – and young at heart – audiences to throw out the way things have always been done and indulge their imagination.

The production features a mix of short plays by local and out-of-state playwrights that were written for audiences 12 and under, but which are also meant to be enjoyed by all ages.

“Make/Believe is an expansion of our Nightlight young audiences series, which has always sought to tell compelling stories for children that do not talk down to them, but help make sense of the world around them while also letting them know that it is still OK to play,” said Maria Burnham, Ghostlight’s co-artistic director.  

The eight stories that make up this year’s Make/Believe festival are filled with young women who turn convention on its head. From the young heroines in Epic Tales from the Land of Melanin who reclaim their own stories – and the power that comes along with them – to that classic victim of folklore, Little Red Riding Hood, who decides a feminist fairy tale is more her style, the heroines of these plays face the types of figurative monsters modern children will recognize from their own lives.

Selected scripts include:

• Asherella, by Chicago playwright Lori Taylor, is a take on Cinderella where the heroines are African-American females and the person rescued is a young white male. Asher lives at home with his cruel stepmother and cruel stepbrothers. With the help of The One, an African-American magical being who is the source of all black girl magic, Asher is able to escape his cruel family and live in the castle with the ruler of the queendom. Asherella is directed by Laila Rodriques.

• In Ava’s First Escape Room, by Chicago playwright Kim Z. Dale, Ava, Jack and Gus are locked together in an escape room as an optional add on to a school field trip. The strange thing about this escape room is there is nothing in it: No puzzles or clues to solve. To make matters worse, Ava and the boys are not friends. As the boys loudly and ineffectually try to bust out of the room, Ava gets tired of dealing with them, and takes matters into her own hands. Ava’s First Escape Room is directed by Jill Olson Stuck.

• Based on histories of real-life women of color and non-Eurocentric fairytales, Epic Tales from the Land of Melanin tells a hilarious, imaginative adventure tale of three girl warrior-explorers taking on the world. Along the journey, our fierce young heroes must attempt to reclaim the power that was stolen from them and their people. Epic Tales From the Land of Melanin was originally devised by Chicago artists Guadalís Del Carmen, Mariana Green, Brandi Lee, Maya Mackrandilal, Enid Muñoz, Alyssa Vera Ramos, Deanalís Resto, Ana Velazquez and Teresa Zoríc with FEMelanin; and is directed by Deanalís Resto.

• Little Red Reboot, by New York playwright Sonya Sobieski, is a modern mash-up of the Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks tales, in which two rebellious females we think we already know break the rules of storytelling and theatre to get to a happy ending. Little Red Reboot is directed by Kristin Schoenback.

• The Queen of Cocoa Puffs and the Cap’n Crunch King, by Brooklyn playwright Corey Pajka, is the story of what happens when a pair of sovereign siblings sit down for breakfast with two hearty appetites and one cereal box between them. A battle cry is heard across the kingdom of New Brunswick. There will be blood—and perhaps orange juice. The Queen of Cocoa Puffs and the Cap’n Crunch King is directed by John Gleason Teske.

• Scaredy Friends is the story of a small girl and a monster that eats her words when she screams. But it turns out the monster isn’t evil — like the little girl, it is scared. This discovery, told through words and physical theatre, changes the course of their relationship forever. Scaredy Friends is written and directed by Chicago performing artist Carolyn Minor.

• Snow White, Who Is Also Called Becky, No Rebecca...and the Frog Prince, by Oak Park-based playwrights Jack Helbig and Margaret Helbig, is the story of a father and a daughter who collaborate on the writing of an original fairy tale. Unfortunately, they have different ideas of what makes a good fairy tale. Fortunately, they keep writing. Snow White, Who Is Also Called Becky, No Rebecca...and the Frog Prince is directed by Lizzy May.

• Stinky Bird, by Los Angeles playwright Seth Freeman, is the story of a young bird who is forced to come to terms with her unique and challenging background. Stinky Bird is directed by Jackie Bowes.

All eight plays will be produced on both days of the festival. The festival is curated by Ghostlight Ensemble Co-Artistic Director Maria Burnham.

Ghostlight put out a call for scripts for young audiences that featured strong female characters and collected submissions from around the world during the fall of 2019. Over 350 short plays were submitted. Final selections were made in late November.

The festival was crafted to appeal to all ages and its weekend run is perfect for families looking for live, daytime entertainment during a time of year when family-friendly activities are not as plentiful. Make/Believe takes place Saturday, February 22 and Sunday, February 23, 2020, at 2 p.m. at Laugh Out Loud Theater Chicago in the North Center neighborhood (3851 N. Lincoln Ave.). Tickets are on sale now via Brown Paper Tickets: $15 adults, $5 children 12 and under, or $25 family of four.

Nightlight is Ghostlight’s young audience series with original, adapted and forgotten plays geared toward children and the adults who love them. Ghostlight believes theatre can be a beacon for children, letting them know they aren’t alone in the world, giving them a sense of security and revealing the truth that in stories they can be anything they want to be. You’re never too young – or too old – for a nightlight.

Auditions Announced for Live Movie Reading Series and Make/Believe short play festival

Ghostlight Ensemble announces joint auditions for the first quarter of its Live Movie Reading Series and for its young audiences play festival, Make/Believe. Actors may audition for one of both of the programs. Please state which program you wish to audition for in your submission. Actors may be considered for multiple short plays and multiple movies.

The Live Movie Reading Series is a low-key and fun, staged reading of some of our favorite movies. These readings are fundraisers for local nonprofits. Past recipients have included Common Pantry, Girl Forward and New Leash on Life, among others.

Make/Believe is part of our Nightlight young audiences series and is a curated festival of short plays by playwrights from around the country. The plays, geared towards children 12 and under, all have one unifying feature – strong female characters.

There is no pay for any of these shows.

Character Descriptions
Seeking a strong ethnically diverse cast of all genders, ages, shapes and sizes that is representative of the city in which we live.

For the Live Movie Reading series, we're looking for actors who love these movies and who can also read. Those are literally the only requirements. Please note that we prefer a greater diversity in our casts for these movies than the original directors did and that the genders of our actors do not always match those of the actors in the films.

For Make/Believe, actors with previous experience working with children will receive preference in scheduling. All actors must have a love of good stories, a sense of fun and an imagination to rival any 5-year-old. Most of the pieces in this festival involve some level of interaction with the audience, so actors must be comfortable interacting with children and their guardians.

Time Commitment
Live Movie Reading Series:
In general, the live movie reading series involves an initial gathering to watch the movie that is being performed and two rehearsals. There is no tech. All performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on Mondays at Carbon Arc Bar and Board (located at the Davis movie theater in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago).

Performance dates and movies are as follows:

• January 27, 2020: 10 Things I Hate About You

• February 17, 2020: Charlie's Angels (2000 version)

• March 23, 2020: Back To The Future

Make/Believe Festival:
Directors will set rehearsal dates and times around actor availability. These are 15-minute (or less) pieces and should require a minimal number of rehearsals.

Tech is scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, February 15, 2020. Specific time slots will be scheduled for each piece and actors are not expected to be there all day.

Performance times are:

• Saturday, February 22, 2020

• Sunday, February 23, 2020

All pieces will be performed both days. Performances start at 2 p.m. and will be held at Laugh Out Loud Theater in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago.

Materials To Prepare
Actors auditioning for the Live Movie Reading series are asked to prepare a monologue from their favorite movie, no longer than 1 minute. These monologues do not need to be memorized (as the performances are read and not memorized), but must be acted and staged to the best of your ability.

Actors auditioning for Make/Believe will be given sides to read. Please note that you will be in consideration for all the scripts in the festival, even if you are only reading sides for one particular piece.

The audition date is January 11, 2020, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago.

Please submit your headshot and resume to Jean at casting@ghostlightensemble.com, and she will be in touch with sides and an audition appointment. Please indicate any time restrictions you have for the audition period in your email.

Ghostlight seeking directors for short play festival

Ghostlight Ensemble is seeking directors for its Make/Believe festival set for February 22 and 23 in the NorthCenter neighborhood of Chicago.

The short play festival geared toward young audiences is part of our Nightlight program and will feature scripts by playwrights from around the country.

Interested directors should submit a resume and a statement of interest with any additional relevant experience to Maria Burnham at maria@ghostlightensemble.com. Please use the following format in the email’s subject line: Nightlight Festival - [director’s name]

The deadline for submissions is December 15, 2019.

Ghostlight Ensemble puts women front and center in its third season

Ghostlight Ensemble announced its Season 3 lineup, including a staged reading of a little-produced World War I-era play, a play festival with new works for young audiences and a Shakespearean comedy that takes place in a living room – quite literally.

The company also announced a change in leadership with Ensemble members Miona Lee and Maria Burnham taking over as co-artistic directors from Holly Robison, who has served as an artistic director since the company was founded in 2016. Robison remains with the Ensemble as a producing director.  

Both Burnham and Lee are founding members of the company and veterans of the Chicago theatre scene. Lee previously served as Literary Manager for the company and Burnham as the Marketing and Communications Director. The pair most recently co-directed Ghostlight’s summer show for young audiences, The Selfish Giant.

“Holly has been an incredible Artistic Director for Ghostlight’s initial seasons. Making a mark in a city full of so many magnificent theater companies is no small feat and she’s done a fantastic job guiding us,” Lee said. “I hope to continue pushing us in the direction of creating thought-provoking works.”

“I think our leadership will be a natural progression from the foundation Holly laid for this company,” added Burnham. “We will continue to push for works that challenge the status quo, that encourage new voices, and new stories and that shine light in places where darkness has allowed ignorance to grow. And we will also continue to tell great stories in unique ways.”

Full bios for both women can be found here.

Before stepping down, Robison helped guide the new season selection, which focuses on strong, female characters. 

“I am so honored to have been a Founding Member and Artistic Director for Ghostlight Ensemble,” Robison said. “It has truly been a wonderful, challenging, and rewarding few years. I’m so proud of the work Ghostlight has produced, and even more excited about the work ahead, especially in our coming season, which we like to call our year of Strong Female Leads. 

“While I look forward to staying on as Producing Director and directing our immersive spring production of Much Ado About Nothing, I’m also so thrilled to be handing the reins over to Maria Burnham and Miona Lee as Co-Artistic Directors. In the season of Strong Female Leads, what could be more fitting than these two fierce females leading our company? They are both great artists and great leaders, and I can’t wait to see where they take Ghostlight in the coming years. Thanks to all the Ghostlight Company Members, Artistic Associates, collaborators, and supporters for a great few years as Artistic Director!”

Ghostlight will begin its third season in October with a staged reading of the Bayard Veiller play, The Thirteenth Chair, a turn-of-the-century thriller set during a séance. The reading will be directed by Ghostlight Managing Director Chad Wise.  

The Thirteenth Chair, written in 1916, takes place at the home of the wealthy Crosby family. But the phony séance turns out to be the scene of a very real murder. All the doors and windows are locked and the murder weapon can’t be found. How will the real murderer be uncovered?

The reading takes place October 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and October 20 at 2:30 p.m. at Vagabond School of the Arts (4001 N. Ravenswood Ave, Suite 503B, Chicago).    

In February, the company will continue its Nightlight young audiences series with a curated festival of short plays by playwrights from around the country. The plays, geared towards children 12 and under, will all have one unifying feature – strong female characters, continuing the theme of the season. Plays are currently being solicited and script selection will be made in early November. Playwrights interested in submitting to the festival can find more details on the Ghostlight website.

Ghostlight will round out the season in the spring of 2020 with Shakespeare’s beloved romantic comedy, Much Ado About Nothing. Audiences will be invited into Leonato’s Albany Park home to witness firsthand the merry war between Benedick and Beatrice, as well as the less merry machinations of Don John, as this immersive production brings guests, not to a theater, but to a condo on Chicago’s westside. The production will be directed by Holly Robison.

“This season is all about empowerment – from the astute Madame Rosalie La Grange to the outspoken Beatrice – these ladies are not afraid to take charge of their situations,” Lee said. “Nightlight is inspiring our younger audiences as well, with our festival of short plays chock full of strong female and non-binary characters.”

In addition, the company will once again host the Holiday Cabernet – an evening of holiday classics (or not-so-classics) by favorite G.E.T. performers, emerging artists and surprise guests in a cabaret-style setting with an M.C. who overindulges in the holiday spirits. The Cabernet takes place at 8 p.m. on December 14 at Vagabond School of the Arts.

Ghostlight also will continue its popular Live Movie Reading Series throughout the year at Carbon Arc Bar & Board, located in the Davis Theater. Next up in the series is: You and Me and Five Bucks: A Live Reading of Reality Bites. The reading, celebrating the 25th anniversary of this quintessential Gen X film, takes place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, August 28, at Carbon Arc (4614 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago).

Find out more about Ghostlight Ensemble and the entire 2019-2020 Season at GhostlightEnsemble.com.

Ghostlight Ensemble is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit theatre whose mission it is to ask questions that challenge the status quo through timeless stories, immersive environments and unconventional staging.

Seeking script submission for a children's play festival

Ghostlight Ensemble is seeking short scripts (a maximum of 15 minutes) with strong female characters that are geared toward young audiences (under 12). Priority will be placed on scripts that are ethnically and culturally diverse, that do not require complicated sets or costumes and that fit our mission. This is open to playwrights in any geographic area. NO FEE.

Selected plays will be produced as part of a festival of theatre for children under our Nightlight banner in early February.

Electronic submissions only, please. Submit cover letter with full contact information, short bio, brief synopsis of script including development and production history (if applicable) and full script to Maria Burnham at scripts@ghostlightensemble.com. Please use the following format in the email’s subject line: Nightlight Script Submission: [play name] - [playwright name]

The deadline for submissions is November 1, 2019.

Final two performances of The Selfish Giant begin Saturday

The final two performance of our all ages show, The Selfish Giant, are Saturday, July 29 at 1 p.m. and Sunday, July 30 at 11 a.m. Join us for this wildly inventive show that has been captivating audience members from babies to grandparents.

Come make some paper plate gardens with us, learn why walls are a bad idea and welcome children with open arms. There are many good lessons to be learned from Oscar Wilde.

You can get your tickets in advance here or at the door.

Introduce your children to the world of The Selfish Giant

If you're looking for live entertainment that's appropriate for the entire family, The Selfish Giant, which opens this weekend, is a tale for all ages — and one of the Hot Shows to see in June.

Weaving movement and words into a highly physical form of storytelling, our intimate production tells the tale of an angry giant who builds a wall to keep children off his land, but discovers the perils of isolation and the negative  consequences of selfishness.

Curious about our physical story-making process? Watch this video to learn more.  

The show's weekend runs are perfect for families looking for live, daytime entertainment. The Selfish Giant runs June 8-30 on Saturdays at 1 p.m. and Sundays at 11 a.m. at Otherworld Theatre in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago (3914 N. Clark St., 60613). 

Tickets are on sale now: $10 adults, $5 children 12 and under, or $25 family of four.

Meet the cast of The Selfish Giant

Up next for Ghostlight is The Selfish Giant, part of our Nightlight young audiences series.

Based on Oscar Wilde's short story of the same name, The Selfish Giant is a story that illustrates the perils of isolation and the negative consequences of selfishness, but it also teaches us that it is never too late for redemption and for love.

We're excited to announce the cast for this ensemble production: Jean E. Burr, Tamsen Glaser, Molly Gloeckner, Sophia Hail, Nate Hall, Sarah-Lucy Hill, Song Marshall, Daniela Martinez, Maggie Blair Smith and Zoe Savransky.

The show is directed by Maria Burnham and Miona Lee.

This production will intrigue children and parents alike, not just with its story, but with its method of storytelling. The adaptation uses a chorus of actors to embody human characters and mythical beasts, while building the world of trees, birds, benches and beasts with their bodies. This physical theater piece relies almost completely on the ensemble of actors telling the story.

The show runs June 8-30 on Saturdays at 1 p.m. and Sundays at 11 a.m. at Otherworld Theatre, 3914 N Clark St., Chicago, IL 60613. Tickets will be on sale soon.

Auditions Announced for 'The Selfish Giant'

Ghostlight Ensemble announces auditions for our summer show The Selfish Giant, written by Maria Burnham, directed by Maria Burnham and Miona Lee and based on Oscar Wilde’s short story of the same name.

The Selfish Giant is part of our Nightlight young audiences series and illustrates the perils of isolation and the negative consequences of selfishness, but it also teaches us that it is never to late for redemption and for love.

Character Descriptions:
Seeking a strong, ethnically diverse cast of all genders, ages, shapes and sizes, who love a good story and who have an imagination to rival any 5-year-old. Additionally, actors with strong movement backgrounds are encouraged to audition. This production will use a chorus of actors to embody not just the human characters in the story, but the mythical ones, as well as inanimate objects. This is NOT a dance piece. It is physical theater that relies almost completely on the ensemble of actors telling the story with their bodies and voices.

Material To Prepare:
Please submit your headshot and resume to Jean, and she will be in touch with sides and an audition appointment. Dress for movement and bring your sense of play.

Performance Dates:
Saturdays at 1 p.m. & Sundays at 11 a.m., June 7 to June 30 at Otherworld Theatre, 3914 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613.

Auditions:
6-11 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13

***Please indicate your availability during this window in your email.***

Callbacks:
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 16

You MUST be available for callbacks. If you are not available for callbacks, do not submit to this audition. However, you do not need to be available for this entire time.

Auditions and call backs will be held at Otherworld Theatre.

Rehearsals will be scheduled around cast availability taking place 3 to 4 times a week during weeknights and weekends. However, as this is an ensemble production utilizing the entire chorus to tell the story, all actors will be called for all rehearsals. If you have extremely limited availability during April and May, we kindly ask that you do not submit.

To submit:
Send your headshot and resume to Jean at casting@ghostlightensemble.com.

Steve Martin, Oscar Wilde Part Of Ghostlight Ensemble’s Second Season

Ghostlight Ensemble will tackle the age-old debate of which is more valuable to society: art or science, and will probe the perils of building a wall to keep out unwanted children during its 2018-2019 Season.

Pablo Picasso, 1908

This fall, Artistic Director Holly Robison directs Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile – an absurdist comedy that imagines a meeting between Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso in a Parisian cafe in 1904, just before the renowned scientist transformed physics with his theory of relativity and the celebrated painter sets the art world afire with cubism.

 Ghostlight’s production will explore the struggles and similarities between science and art, but also between genius and fame, big ideas and mere notions and optimism of the new and skepticism of the familiar.

“The play imagines the absurd and mundane in the lives of two men who really did go on to impact the world and alter history,” Robison said. “With Picasso, we are asked to consider the men as much as the myth, to see their flaws, silliness, insecurities, hopes and dreams, as much as their towering legacies. The mythic men are humanized. We can see ourselves in them and understand their desires.

“Even if we are not all geniuses, we all to some degree have the same flicker of desire to create, to inspire, to change the world and leave something behind.”

Picasso at the Lapin Agile runs October 19, 2018, through November 4, 2018, at the Otherworld Theatre’s new home at 3914 N. Clark Street in Chicago. The show will have performances on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon matinees, with an industry night performance on Monday, October 22.

The company will continue its Nightlight young audiences series next summer with a new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s children’s story The Selfish Giant, written by Ensemble Member Maria Burnham.

The Selfish Giant is a tale of a giant who owns a beautiful garden, in which the village children love to play. The giant has been away for 12 years and upon returning is outraged to see the children enjoying themselves on his land. He builds a wall to keep them out and puts up a notice that reads: “TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED.” But without the children, the garden falls into perpetual winter and the Selfish Giant finds himself isolated and all alone. Despite this bleak beginning, the story ultimately has a happy ending.

Nightlight is Ghostlight’s summer young audiences series with original, adapted and forgotten plays geared toward children and the adults who love them. Ghostlight believes theatre can be a beacon for children, letting them know they aren’t alone in the world, giving them a sense of security and revealing the truth that in stories they can be anything they want to be. You’re never too young – or too old – for a nightlight.

In its second full season, the company will also host a holiday cabaret this December and continue its popular Live Movie Reading Series.

Next up in the Live Movie Reading Series batting order is: You're Killing Me, Smalls: A Live Reading of The Sandlot. The reading, celebrating the 25th anniversary of this coming-of-age story set during the summer of 1962, takes place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 16, at My Buddy's (4416 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60640) and is directed by Carolyn Minor.

Alternate poster design for The Princess Without Pots (Day 5)

We've been asking our young audience members at The Princess Without Pots to come with some alternate poster art for the show, which will be featured here and on social media.

Today's design is by Elena, 8, of Chicago.

The Princess Without Pots is an empowering fairy tale about the importance of never underestimating your opponent or the power of a delicious baked good. In it, Princess Cristina’s parents have decided it’s time for their daughter to marry, so all the princes from all the lands come hoping to marry her. But, to win this princess’s heart, a prince first needs to win a battle against the fiercest warrior the age had ever seen – Princess Cristina. Learn more on the show page.

If your budding artist has a design for us, remember you can always scan it in and email it to us at maria(at)ghostlightensemble.com.