2 Step Up Productions

Step Up ProductionsArtistic Director / Producer

Elizabeth AntonucciManaging Director / Producer

Greg Antonucci

presents

The Sweetest Swing in Baseball

By Rebecca GilmanDirected by Audrey Francis

John WilsonScenic Design

Matt MillerLighting Design

Joshua D. AllardCostume Design

Dorthea WalstromMake Up Design

Bridgette BaggioPainter& Graphic Design

Randy CromwellProps Design

Steve BaldwinSound Design

Stacey FieldStage Manager

The Sweetest Swing in Baseball was first presented by the Royal Court Theatre, London.

As a courtesy to your fellow patrons, please turn off all cell phones and pagers. Flash photography and recording devices are not permitted during the

performance. In accordance with the Clean Air Act of the State of Illinois, smoking is not permitted in The Athenaeum Theatre.

Produced by special arrangement with THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY of Woodstock, Illinois.

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CAST

Dana ........................................................................................................ELIZABETH ANTONUCCIGary / Roy .....................................................................................................................TODD KIECH Michael / Brian ..................................................................................................ANDREW STRENK Rhonda / Dr. Stanton ........................................................................................ EMILY GRAYSONErica / Dr. Gilbert .................................................................................................CARA OLANSKY

PROFILES

Elizabeth Antonucci (Dana) is proud to be making her Chicago stage debut. Her previous credits include; Handicap This!, Anesidora, Cupid &

Psyche, Irina in Three Sisters. She is also a proud student of Black Box Acting Studio. Elizabeth is thrilled to be taking on the role of producer, artistic director, and actor in Step Up Production’s first endeavor. She would like to thank her loving and supportive family and friends whom give her the strength and courage to pursue her dream. Finally she would like to thank the amazingly talented production team and cast who she is an awe of and Audrey for being an incredible teacher, coach, director, and friend.

Todd Michael Kiech (Roy / Gary) is very excited to be working with Step Up Productions, Audrey Francis, and this awesome

ensemble of actors. He has been seen in RedTape Theater’s Brand, Griffin Theater’s Spring Awakening (Understudy), and Chicago Fusion Theater’s Big Love. He is a proud student of Black Box Acting and is a graduate of The Steppenwolf Theater’s Acting Intensive. He co-produces Chicago Takes Off, a benefit for Test Positive Aware Network and also performs burlesque as Hot Toddy (Burlesque Hall of Fame ‘King of Burlesque’ 2009) Go Wolfpack!!!

Emily Grayson (Rhonda/Dr. Stanton) couldn’t be more delighted to be working with Audrey and this fancy cast. She was last seen

in Sweet Bird of Youth (u/s Princess) & Cut to the Chase One Act Festival both at The Artistic Home. Other credits include: Good Night Desdemona/Good Morning Juliet at The Kitchen Theater Company, The Boston Rivals at the Wings Theater

PRODUCTION STAFF

Director ...................................................................................................................Audrey FrancisStage Manager ........................................................................................................... Stacey FieldProduction Coordinator .........................................................................Daniel J. CunninghamTechnical Director ..................................................................................................... Robert GrothSet Design ..................................................................................................................... John WilsonLighting Design ............................................................................................................ Matt MillerCostume Design ..................................................................................................Joshua D. AllardPainter & Graphic Design ............................................................................... Bridgette BaggioMakeup Design ..............................................................................................Dorthea WalstromProps Design.........................................................................................................Randy CromwellSound Design ........................................................................................................... Steve BaldwinArtistic Director / Producer ...................................................................... Elizabeth AntonucciManaging Director / Producer ........................................................................Greg Antonucci

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PROFILES (c o n t.)

Company, Yours, Anne at the Killington Playhouse and she toured the country playing Maud Dunlap in the The Music Man.

Andrew Strenk (Michael/Brian) is thrilled to be working with Step Up Productions and Audrey on The Sweetest Swing In Baseball. Living and

acting in Chicago for a few years, Andrew has had the opportunity to work with many great companies including Blackbird, Hubris, Lifeline, Chicago Dramatists, and PJ Paparelli at ATC. In addition, he has produced and stared in his own production of Dying City by Chris Shinn with Lindsay Nance and Stacey Kirk. The performance incorporated live music, an art gallery and open bar. Plans are in the works for something similar this summer. While not acting, Andrew can be found slinging wine as a wine broker around town, and a bartender at Quartino. He loves to travel, but doesn’t get to do enough of it. Andrew’s dream is to win the lottery and travel until money runs out. He rows crew and will compete this summer. Andrew is a proud member/student of Black Box Acting Studio. Finally, Andrew would like to thank his family for supporting him, Dan and Johnny for being awesome, and Angie for being so understanding. Andrew would like to dedicate this show to his wonderful Aunt Maureen!

Cara Olansky (Erica/Dr. Gilbert) A Massachusetts native, Cara has been in Chicago since 2006. Before making her official transfer from the

North East, she received her BA in Theatre Performance from Butler University. While enrolled at Butler, she spent a semester in London studying Comedy, and Playwriting at Middlesex University. There she wrote her original

script “Rhythms of the Underground”, which made its Chicago debut with Dramatis Personae in 2008. To further her theater practices, Cara has trained with Black Box Acting Studios, The Actors Studio, 2nd Story, Bread and Puppet Theatre, Claire Simon Casting, Profiles Theater, and Will Powers’ Hip Hop Theater. Some of her favorite credits include “Josie” in The Skryker (Butler University), “Erzulie” in The Voodoo Chalk Circle (The State), “Harriet” in Ozma and Harriet (Tympanic Theater Company), “Mayella” in To Kill a Mockingbird (Theater in the Open), “Katherine” in The Taming of the Shrew (Theater in the Open), and “Marcia Marie” in Where’s My Money? (Dramatis Personae). Cara spends her days loving her job as the Drama and Visual Arts Program Coordinator and lead teacher of a Bucktown Preschool. Cara sends Love to her family and ’05.

Audrey Francis (Director) is incredibly proud and honored to be working on this project with Step Up Productions. Audrey has acted, directed and taught in Chicago for over 7 years. She is a graduate from the School at Steppenwolf, where she now teaches both the Meisner Technique and Text Analysis. Audrey is a Jeff Nominated actor who has worked at Steppenwolf, The Goodman, Victory Gardens, Writer’s Theatre, Northlight and she is a company member of Pine Box Theater. Audrey has appeared in multiple independent films, commercials, and television shows including: The Promotion, Dustclouds, Donnie Brasco- The Documentary and the NBC series ER. Directing credits include: Life & Limb and The Most Liquid Currency in the World (Pine Box Theater); The Sugar Syndrome (Chicago Dramatists); Master Harold and the Boys (a.d. Steppenwolf ) and Sexual Perversity in Chicago (University of Chicago). Upcoming projects include: Doina in Life & Limb (Steppenwolf ) and directing Proof (University of Chicago). Audrey graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Journalism and is one of the very proud founders/owners of Black Box Acting.

7The Sweetest Swing In Baseball

PROFILES (c o n t.)

Stacey Field (Stage Manager) is thrilled for her debut with Step Up Productions. She holds a B.A. in theatre from Monmouth College and while following her theatre dreams is also receiving her Second B.A. in American Sign Language- English Interpretation. Her most recent credits include assistant stage managing Urinetown the Musical at Oakton Community College. In the past, she has stage managed: A Streetcar Named Desire, Proof, A Baltimore Waltz, Urinetown the Musical, & Lysistrata. Although she has directed Post It’s (Notes on Marriage), acted in A Night at the Mercury Theatre & Woycezk, or even done numerous designs from lighting, sound, and down to programs, stage managing seems to be the call. Yet, without constant love and support from her families and Liz, she wouldnt be where she is today. Thanks to the cast, crew, production team, step up, dan c- for getting me here, the audience, and the rest that made this production possible.

John Wilson (Scenic Design) is thrilled to be working with Step Up for the first time and returning to collaborate with Audrey Francis. He has been scenic designing in Chicago for over ten years. His next designs are Girl You Know It’s True (Pavement Group), Exit, Pursued by a Bear (Theatre Seven) and Sketchbook 12 (Collaboraction). John is a company member with Collaboraction and The Mammals, a storyteller with Second Story, a teacher with Lifeline, Steppenwolf, American Theater Company and a graduate of the school at Steppenwolf.

Matt Miller is a Chicago-based Lighting Designer whose work has taken him to such organizations as the Chicago Dancing Festival, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Dance for Life, Chicago Takes Off, The Plagiarists Theatre Co., and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago where he currently serves as the Lighting Director and resident designer for the second company. Matt’s Design work includes Danc(e)volve (HSDC) Harold and the Purple Crayon: A Dance Adventure (HS2) The Fantastic Escape of the Little

Buffalo (HS2) Nessuno (HS2) and The Promiscuous Stories (Plagiarists.) Matt holds a BFA in Lighting Design from the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film in the Hixon-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts at the University of Nebraska Lincoln.

Joshua D. Allard (Costume Design) has designed over 75 productions with over 20 companies in Chicago since 2003, including Piccolo Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Pine Box Theatre, Eclipse Theatre, Chicago Tap Theatre, and Chicago Opera Vanguard. He has also served as a choreographer and movement consultant. Joshua toured for five months in 2008 as the Wardrobe/Props ATD for an Equity TYA production from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Joshua is an artistic associate and resident costume designer with Piccolo Theatre in Evanston, IL.

Bridgette Baggio (Painter& Graphic Design) is a graduate from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota where she majored in studio art but studied graphic design as well. She has always had a passion for art, especially drawing and painting. Throughout college she was able to explore and work with many art forms and found that what she loves to do most is depict real life through painting and drawing. Thus far her subject matter has consisted mostly of people and still life but she is currently exploring with landscape and scenery as well. She enjoys doing portraits because it is a great way to capture personality, feeling, and emotion as well as precise detail to the extreme. Her work has been inspired greatly by traveling to Florence, Italy, in the spring of 2007, where she studied under artist, Severio Cologero Vinciguerra. But, her earliest inspirations came from her artistic roots. She wouldn’t be where she is today without the help and leadership of her talented artistic family. She has them to thank for truly showing her what it is to be passionate about being an artist.

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PROFILES (c o n t.)

Dorthea Walstrom (Makeup Design) is a Chicago based Makeup Artist. In 2007 she moved to LA to attend makeup school at MakeUp Designory. For 40 hours a week she worked on technique, skill, and creativity, learning from some of the leading makeup artists and photographers in the industry. After completing school she returned to Chicago. For the last 5 years she has been freelancing, working with over 100 brides, local filmmakers, and photographers. Dori has also reached both MAC, and Smashbox Cosmetics Professional Status. She is a published makeup artist in, “Passion International Hair Magazine - Hair+ Volume2”. She is incredibly honored and excited to be designing for her first theatrical production with Step Up Productions.

Randy Cromwell (Props Design) As a day-care teacher, oil rig worker, pizza driver, librarian and ranch hand, Randy has a résumé more suited to writing than to propping. On the other hand, he has also designed props for Northlight Theatre, Roosevelt University, Light Opera Works, Pegasus Players, and a whole bunch of other cool theaters in Chicago. He is honored and proud to be working with Step Up Productions on their debut project, and hopes to work on many more with them. For other fun, Randy likes to dance, sing, write, collect and wear

funny hats, and, surprisingly, juggle. Oh, and he donates blood... LOTS of blood. Donate, people, if there is any way you possibly can. Save a life, and be a hero — you’ll feel great, and so will the people you save!

Steve Baldwin (Sound Design) has been a recording engineer/sound designer for 15 years, give or take. His sound design credits include Halcyon Theatre’s The Runner Stumbles, Steep Theatre’s Coronado and Speaking Ring’s The Diviners. Recently he has been working on the final sound mix of the short film “Fate Accompli” by Sigsaly Entertainment. His production company, Toxic Bag Productions, has also created sound designs and scores for animated shorts, independent films, and the gaming industry. Thanks to Mike Pryzgoda for his amazing musical skill and abilities.

Daniel J. Cunningham (Production Manager) received a B.F.A. in Drama from Illinois Wesleyan University and an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts from Columbia College of Chicago. As a production manager, he has worked with European Repertory Company, Lookingglass Theatre Company and Oakton Community College. He would like to thank Christine, Alice and Aveen for all their love and support.