Blithe Spirit: Production Staff

PRODUCTION STAFF

PRODUCTION STAFF PROFILES

Jeremiah Barr (Properties & Consumables Designer, Technical Director) is very happy to be joining the Blithe Spirit team with Dominican. Some of his past credits include— Dominican University: The Prom, A Midsummer Night’s Cirque; Aston Rep: Language Archive, Buried Child, Equus, When We Were Young and Unafraid (Jeff nominated for best Scenic Design 2021); City Lit Theatre: Night of the Hunter, Playboy of the Western World, Black Button Eyes: Mary Rose, Evil Dead the Musical, Shockheaded Peter, Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog, and Nightmares and Nightcaps: the Stories of John Collar (Jeff nominated for best specialized design-puppets). You might have also seen his handy work at the Chicago Botanic Gardens Lightscape where he helped setup and create the large scale installations. 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 the cast, crew, designers and Krista- thanks for making this ghost story such an enjoyable one.

Samantha K. Barr (Lighting Designer, Production Manager) is very happy to be working in the Martin again with such a fine team. Sam has been at DU for just over 10 years and has been fooling around with lights and electrics since a long time ago. She is very happy to have so many partners in crime on Blithe Spirit. Special thanks to everyone who listens to her rant about pixels while keeping her from falling off ladders. Much love always to everyone who helps light the world.

Mateo Gutierrez (Lighting Assistant, Master Electrician, Properties Assistant, Stage Crew) is a sophomore majoring in Theatre Arts. This will be his fourth production at Dominican and he is very excited to work with the wonderful cast and crew. Some other shows he has worked on are A Midsummer Night’s Cirque (Assistant Stage Manager), Retrospective Revue (Assistant Stage Manager), and Steppenwolf’s No Man’s Land (Electrics Intern). Big thanks to Sam who has taught him a lot about being an electrician in theatre!

Krista Hansen (Director, Dialect/Movement/Intimacy Coach, Sound Designer) has been with Dominican University Theatre Arts for over 20 years, serving as Artistic Director, Professor and department Chair. Krista holds a BA in Music and Theatre from Indiana University and an MFA in Acting and Directing from the University of Arizona. She has directed dozens of Dominican productions, including: The Prom, Mamma Mia!, The Addams Family, The Drowsy Chaperone, Macbeth, The Laramie Project, RENT, Noises Off and more. Krista has also appeared on the DU stage alongside her students in The Prom, Retrospective Revue and playing the title role in Mother Courage and Her Children. As a director, actor, intimacy choreographer, and voice/movement/dialect coach, Krista has worked with many theatres throughout Chicagoland, including Aston Rep, Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, Erasing the Distance, and more. She is a recipient of the Davlin Diversity Award and the Singing Hoosiers Distinguished Alumni Award, serves on the Advisory Board of The Beautiful City Project, and is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Krista sends love to Charlotte and the boys, and all the Teams of Light around us.

Bill Jenkins (Scenic Designer) has served on the faculty of Dominican University since 2003 and currently holds the rank of Associate Professor, teaching a variety of courses in Theatre Arts as well as in the First Year Experience and Critical Reading, Writing, and Speaking programs. He has worked professionally as a scenic and lighting designer, technical director, and theatre consultant for nearly four decades and remains active in community projects and shows. He has designed and created hundreds of productions including dance, opera, concerts, and theatre, and has received local theatre critics’ awards for his work on several occasions. He received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University while working in Richmond, Virginia where he taught for ten years at Virginia Union University. In the Chicago area, he taught and designed for the theatre program at Roosevelt University before coming to Dominican where the school’s strong focus on diversity and human rights resonates deeply with his own commitment to gun violence prevention, social justice, and supporting victims of crime and traumatic loss, among others.

Andrea White (Costume Designer, Costume Shop Manager) is a local freelance costumer and sewing person. She grew up in southeastern Indiana surrounded by trees and pets. She attended Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, where she fell in love with costuming and graduated with a BA in Theatre Arts. In addition to her work experience in costumes and wardrobe, Andrea has over eight years experience as a professional tailor. This is her first semester as Dominican University’s costume shop manager and she has enjoyed working with her costume shop students to bring Blithe Spirit to life! Outside of costuming, Andrea enjoys nature, spending quality time with her extremely sassy 22-toed cat, and watching movies. She is deeply grateful to everyone who has supported and encouraged her to pursue her love of theatre!

Nadine Young (Stage Manager, Light Board Operator) is proud to have Blithe Spirit be her final show at Dominican University. Nadine has been Assistant Stage Manager in past shows, such as Mamma Mia!, Silent Sky, A Midsummer Night's Cirque, Retrospective Revue, and The Prom. She is thankful for the friendships and support she has gained throughout her journey in stage management, and can't wait to watch and support her friends in Dominican’s next fall show.