Ayah Sol Masai Hall is an 8-year-old child wonder. She is currently a fourth grade student at National Teachers Academy. When asked to describe the most important parts of her identity, Ayah Sol says that she’s empathetic, unapologetically black, creative, and that she loves reading, math and science. She is a budding actress and is excited for her first professional theater production. For the past two summers Ayah Sol Hall has attended Lookingglass Theater Company's Summer Camp on the Lake at Logan Center for the Arts. She also has performed in various school plays and performances at Village Leadership Academy. Ayah is a star-gazer who loves space, nature, learning about her ancestors and creative expression. She also loves to travel. This year she had the opportunity to participate in the World Scholars Program and travel to Costa Rica, she looks forward to more travel adventures, more theater adventures, and more... She wants to thank her Mama Sona, Baba Elisha, little brothers Ajani and Ameen and the entire village who loves, supports, and encourages her to follow her dreams. She has a IG page dedicated to her love of reading and exploration. Follow her IG account: @readingwith_sol

David Hamilton feels very fortunate to be a part of this impactful story and is appreciative to Sideshow Theatre and Dr. Slick for this opportunity. As always he thanks Lawrence, Gloria and Aaron Hamilton for their love and support.

Nicole Michelle Haskins is beyond excited to be lending their heart to this amazing story with Sideshow Theatre. Chicago credits include Caroline, or Change (Firebrand Theatre), Father Comes Home from the Wars Parts 1, 2 and 3 (Goodman Theatre), Spitfire Grill (Refuge Theatre Project - Jeff Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical), Marie Christine (Boho Theatre), The Wiz (Kokandy Productions; Black Theatre Alliance Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, Jeff Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, Chicago Theatre Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical and Time Out Chicago Award nomination for Best Featured Performance in a Musical), Parade (Writers Theatre), RENT (Theo Ubique Caberet Theatre, Jeff Award nomination for Best Ensemble), Mutt (Stage Left Theatre with Red Tape Theatre) and For Her as a Piano (Pegasus Theatre). She was the 2014 School at Steppenwolf Acting Fellow and is an associate artist with Black Lives, Black Words International Theater collective and a MOSAIC Youth Theatre of Detroit alumnus. She is a Detroit native and proudly represented by the fierce ladies of Shirley Hamilton Talent. "...just keep swimming."

Ann James is a Sideshow ensemble member and has appeared in its productions of truth and reconciliation, Caught, Antigonick, Maria/Stuart and Idomeneus. Among other companies with which she has worked are 16th Street, Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman, Jackalope, Raven, Shattered Globe, and Stage Left. She is also the narrator for The Lakeview Orchestra’s performance of How The Grinch Stole Christmas December 18. She is represented by Shirley Hamilton Talent.

Carolyn Nelson is pleased and proud to be returning to Sideshow Theatre as a part of HeLa. Additional Chicago credits include Man of the People, (3 Cats Productions), Brothers Paranormal, (Consortium Asian American Theatres and Artists), Joan of Arc (the all femme St. Joan Team), truth and reconciliation (Sideshow Theatre, Jeff Award-nominated best ensemble), The Dowager Daughters of Transcendence (ETA Performing Arts Center), Zooman and the Sign (Harlem Theatre Company), The Little Foxes (Shattered Globe Theatre) Katrina: The Girl Who Wanted Her Name Back (Adventure Stage Theatre) Good Black, The Trial…, When the Ancestors Call, Every Night When the Sun Goes Down, Whispers Want to Holler and many children’s shows (ETA Creative Arts Foundation), Flyin’ West (Thymly Theatre). Regional credits include The Housekeeper (Muse Theatre, La Crosse, WI), Junie B. Jones ( Des Moines Playhouse Theatre), A Scent of Magnolias (Rat Pac Theatre Co, Aransas Pass, TX), The House Keeper (Rialto Theatre Co., A.P. TX). Film credits include The Suitcase, Overpass and many training films.

Deanna Reed-Foster is an Emmy Award- and Jeff Award-winning actress who is thrilled to be making her Sideshow Theatre debut.  She was last seen in Chicago with Strawdog Theatre's Barbecue at Steppenwolf 1700.  She has worked with many theaters in the Chicago area including but not limited to; Black Ensemble Theatre, Pulse Theatre, Court Theatre, Shattered Globe Theatre (artistic associate) and The New Colony (ensemble member).  Deanna can be seen in a recurring role on NBC's Chicago Fire and she can also be seen in several films like Last Flag Flying, Southside with You, and Roll Bounce. Deanna is represented by Big Mouth Talent.

Jonathan L. Green

director

Jonathan has been the artistic director of Sideshow Theatre since its founding in 2007. He has directed and assisted for Sideshow, Greenhouse Theater Center, Lookingglass, Steppenwolf, Goodman, Diversionary Theatre, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Chicago Dramatists, Theatre Seven of Chicago, Pavement Group and the Earl Hamner, Jr. Theatre. Recent projects include truth and reconciliation (Jeff Award nomination for direction), The Happiest Place on Earth, Antigonick, Stupid Fucking Bird, Idomeneus (Jeff Award for ensemble), and others. Recent dramaturgy credits include Blind Date, Objects in the Mirror, Gloria, War Paint, The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window, and Disgraced, all at Goodman Theatre. Jonathan is a graduate of the University of Virginia and is the literary manager for Goodman Theatre.

jonathanlgreen.com

Yu Shibagaki

scenic designer

Yu Shibagaki is returning after designing truth and reconciliation and Antigonick. Her designs have been seen in Chicago at Writers Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, Haven Theatre, Remy Bumppo Theatre, American Theater Company, and Steppenwolf Garage Theatre; and regionally at American Players Theatre, Children’s Theatre Company (Minneapolis), and First Stage (Milwaukee). Upcoming productions include The Father (Remy Bumppo Theatre) and Cambodian Rock Band (Victory Gardens Theater).

yushibagaki.com

Noël Huntzinger

costume designer

Noël is an artistic associate at Sideshow Theatre Company, where her credits include: truth and reconciliation, Antigonick, and the remount of Stupid Fucking Bird. Noël is a resident artist at Filament Theatre and has worked extensively with Interrobang Theatre Ensemble. Other favorite spots she has designed include: Goodman Theatre, Boise Contemporary Theatre, Chicago Lyric Opera Unlimited, About Face Theatre, Pride Arts Theatre, A-Squared, Muse of Fire, Shattered Globe Theatre and Collective Theatre Ensemble. In addition to theater, she has designed pieces for choreographers Ginny Sykes, Wendy Clinard, the George Balanchine Trust and the Antony Tudor Trust. Film design credits include Olympia and Cliff. Noël is a graduate of Oklahoma University.

noelhuntzinger.com

Simean "Sim" Carpenter

lighting designer

Simean “Sim” Carpenter is a young African American designer originally from Baltimore, MD. He has been designing theater/stages since the age of 13. He is currently a freelance teaching artist, lighting, projection and set designer in Chicago, IL. As a designer and assistant designer, his credits include: Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas, Native Son, Cat in the Hat, Eurydice, CRAZY, Christina the Girl King, Legally Blonde, DePaul Dance Company, After Miss Julie, and Eye for an Eye.

Michael Huey

sound designer / composer

Michael is a sound designer and composer for film and theatre. In the Chicago area, he has had the pleasure of working with Steppenwolf, Lookingglass, Chicago Shakespeare, Chicago Dramatists, Sideshow, and many more. Music and more can be found at: officialmichaelhuey.com.

Jonathan Berg-Einhorn

properties designer

Jonathan Berg-Einhorn is a Chicago based designer and artisan. Jonathan has previously worked with companies such as Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Paramount Theater, Hope Summer Repertory Theater, Underscore Theatre, Something Marvelous, Rivendell Theatre, and Mudlark Theatre. Favorite design credits include Haymarket, Scientific Method, Johnny 10 Beers’ Daughter, Bomber’s Moon, Curious George: The Golden Meatball, Alice in Wonderland, Ghosts, The Seven Deadly Sins, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Endgame, and Prometheus Bound. Jonathan holds a BFA in scenic and costume design from Boston University.

jonathanbergeinhorn.com

Emily Ioppolo

stage manager

Emily Ioppolo is so excited to return to Sideshow after previously working on truth and reconciliation. Her other recent credits include Natural Affection (Eclipse), Franklinland (Jackalope), and The Night Season (Strawdog). The Oak Park native can't wait for whatever's next! Special thanks to Chris and her parents.

Catherine Allen

production manager

Catherine Allen is thrilled to be working with Sideshow Theatre for the first time. Other production management credits include work with Steep Theatre, where she is an artistic associate, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, About Face Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Route 66, Congo Square, Oak Park Festival Theatre, Pegasus Theatre Chicago, Haven Theatre, Chimera Ensemble, and many circuses with Actors Gymnasium where she is the staff production manager. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where she received a BFA in Acting.

Justin J. Sacramone

dramaturg

Justin J. Sacramone is a director, dramaturg, and producer originally from Boston, Massachusetts. His directing credits include an entry into the 9th Annual Chicago One Minute Play Festival, I Like You So Much by Maria Wesler at Eclectic Full Contact Theatre, and Addressing the Nation by Cassandra Rose at Headline Theatre Project. Recent assistant directing credits include the world premiere of Blind Date, directed by Robert Falls at Goodman Theatre, The Wolf at the End of the Block, directed by Lili-Anne Brown at 16th Street Theatre, Homos, or Everyone in America (also dramaturg), directed by Derek Van Barham at Pride Films and Plays, and Bus Stop, directed by Steve Scott at Eclipse Theatre Company. Justin was a nominator for the 2017 Kilroy's List and the 2017 fall literary management and dramaturgy intern at Goodman Theatre where he helped develop plays with Paula Vogel and Ike Holter. He was an associate artist with The New Colony, attended the Tennessee Williams Institute and holds a BFA in theatre from Salem State University. Prior to Chicago, Justin lived in Central Florida where he directed/produced for the Orlando International Fringe Festival and developed live entertainment with Walt Disney Imagineering.

justin-sacramone.squarespace.com

Brian Sprague

technical director

Brian Sprague is a Chicago-based freelance theatre artist. He received his MFA in acting from Northern Illinois University and has studied/performed internationally at the Moscow Art Theatre and Adana State Theatre in Adana, Turkey. Past technical direction credits include: Fun Harmless Warmachine (The New Colony), Warrior Class (Comrades), The Harvest (Griffin Theatre Company), Akeelah and the Bee (Adventure Stage Chicago), JB, Arms and the Man (City Lit Theatre Company), Invisible Hand, Birdland, Earthquakes in London (Steep Theatre), You Can't Take It with You, Fair Maid of the West, Macbeth, African Company Presents Richard III (Oak Park Festival Theatre), Grace, The Goat: or Who is Sylvia (Interrobang Theatre Project), The Happiest Place on Earth, Give It All Back and truth and reconciliation (Sideshow Theatre Company), Twelfth Night, and Much Ado About Nothing (Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival).