The Director’s Haven gives directors in the earliest stages of their professional careers a rare opportunity to take risks, hone their crafts and talents and share their vision through a fully staged production of a short play. Giving directors support to produce during their formative years, which includes a full design team, budget, marketing support and more, allows these artists to create quality work as well as provides a platform to further their artistic visibility through the creation of said work. 

RUN TIME IS 2.5 HOURS WITH 2 TEN-MINUTE INTERMISSIONS BETWEEN PLAYS

Content Warnings include the following: loud sounds, flashing lights, suicide, depression, death, self-harm, substance abuse, and sexual situations.

THE DIRECTORS

Leanna Oliveira (Director, she/her) is a director and theatre educator originally from South Florida. She earned her Bachelor’s in Theatre from the University of Central Florida and her Master's in Directing from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. Some of her favorite directing credits include: She Kills Monsters YA Edition, Antigone, Medea, Peter & the Starcatcher at Bak MSOA & Boynton High; A Christmas Story, Much Ado About Nothing at Lake Worth Playhouse; Not Unusual, Ellison Grants a Wish, Mycelium at PlayGround-Chicago.

Gaby Labotka (Director, she/they) is a multi-disciplinary artist who works as an actor, director, intimacy director, fight director, and choreographer across the country. She is a fierce advocate for respect, empathy, representation, inclusion, and safety in the theatre, and they are dedicated to making art that reflects those values.  Recent Direction Credits: The Wonder (Eclectic Theatre Ensemble); Revenge Song and Peter and the Starcatcher (Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Asst. Director); Groups of Ten or More People (Littlebrain Theatre, Co-Director); In an Instant (Unheard of Company); [Trans]formation (The Living Canvas); and Tilikum (Sideshow, Assistant Director). www.gabylabotka.com @theatre_warrior

Faith Hart (Director, she/her) is a Chicago-based director and writer. Recent credits include assistant directing ‘ART’  at the Guthrie Theater (dir. Kimberly Senior) and The Band's Visit at Writers Theatre (dir. Zi Alikhan). In 2023, she wrote and directed MAINTENANCE—a site-specific narrative experience centering sanitation workers—in collaboration with Pivot Arts. Other self-produced credits include Map of Virtue (Chi Yoga Shack) and Elektra, at solstice (Leone Beach). Faith is an alumnus of DePaul University and the Kennedy Center Directing Intensive. She is studying intimacy facilitation with the support of grants from Illinois Arts Council and Sarah Siddons Society.

RUN OF SHOW

KRAPP’S LAST TAPE written by Samuel Beckett

Directed by Faith Hart

Performed by Scott Westerman

THE SIREN SONG OF STEPHEN JAY GOULD written by Benjamin Bettenbender

Directed by Leanna Oliveira

Performed by Ricki Romano and Leela Watts

SKYFLINT (Part One) written by Cassandra Rose

Directed by Gaby Labotka

Performed by Jean Marie Koon, Camilla Frontain, Bradley Halverson, JJ Gatesman, Haven A.J. Crawley, Osiris Cuen and U/S Gaby Labotka

A note from playwright Cassandra Rose

Moving Upward: On Crafting the First Act of Skyflint

It started in November 2023 when Gaby asked me to write something for Director’s Haven.

No, go back. It started in June 2022 when a national play commission shortlisted me and asked what I would write if I returned to theatre for the first time in three years.

No, go back again. It started in March 2020 when I needed to pitch three pilots to my UCLA cohort. And despite– or maybe because of– the unfolding pandemic, I couldn’t shake a dream I had about a young woman being dogged by lightning.

No, go back again again. It started in April 2013 when I wrote short plays for those who helped me attend the Kenyon Playwrights Conference. And Leslie Nesbit’s random page of my dictionary featured the word “Heavenward.”

Since then, there have been too few pages, too many pages, sea shanty playlists, late-night rewrites, dining table reads, more late-night rewrites, improvised melodies, first rehearsals, second drafts, cuts, adds, new endings, and hard-earned beginnings. I hope this first act ensnares you as much as it has ensnared me over the years, and that the next two acts are not far behind the first.

THE ACTORS

KRAPP’S LAST TAPE

Scott Westerman (KRAPP)

Scott Westerman (he/him) is the founding Artistic Director of Go To Productions, a 501©3 nonprofit which develops projects that explore the nexus between live theatre and film. He created and directed the web series Hamlet & Ophelia which won Best Mobile Series at the 2022 New Media Film Festival. As an actor in Chicago, Scott has worked with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Northlight, Lookingglass, Nothing Without A Company, Filament, The Artistic Home, Chicago Dramatists, Strawdog, Lifeline, Stage Left, Apple Tree, A Crew of Patches, Mary Arrchie, and Festival Theatre of Oak Park. Outside of Chicago, he has done shows with The Shakespeare Theatre Company and Ford’s Theatre in DC, Everyman Theatre in Baltimore, The Warehouse in South Carolina, and Barter Theatre in Virginia. Film credits include Chicago Fire, Prison Break, and Machine Gun Preacher. ScottWesterman.org

The Siren Song of Stephen Jay Gould

Ricki Romano (MAN)

Ricki Romano (they/them) is a Chicago-based actor, writer, and director from Philadelphia. Chicago: Steppenwolf Theatre Company, About Face Theatre, GreatWorks Theatre. Regional: Arden Theatre Company, Walnut Street Theatre, InterAct Theatre Company, Act II Playhouse, Theatre Contra, and more. International: Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Training: MFA, The Theatre School at DePaul. Upcoming: unalived (producer/writer/actor), a horror-comedy film about a murder house of TikTok influencers. Ricki is represented by Actors Talent Group. www.ricki-romano.com @ricki_romano

Leela Watts (WOMAN)

Leela is beyond excited to be making her Haven Chicago debut! Recent credits include Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (Buffalo Theatre Ensemble), Much Ado About Nothing (Illinois Shakespeare Festival), and King Lear (Illinois Shakespeare Festival). You can catch her next in Ego Death Theatre Collective’s staged reading of Personal Library by Emma S. Rund. She is represented by Dream Team Talent. Leela would like to thank her mom and dad for their endless encouragement and support! leela-watts.com

SKYFLINT (Part One)

The role of Lindsay Palmerston will be played by GABY LABOTKA at select performances.

Jean Marie Koon (MADAME GEORGETTE)

Jean Marie Koon Jean Marie Koon (she/her) is excited to work for the first time with Haven Chicago. Other Chicago credits include: Richard III (Eclectic Full Contact Theatre); The Good Fight (Babes With Blades); The Veil (Idle Muse Theatre); and Ten Dollar House (Pride Films and Plays); three annual Bechdel Fests (Broken Nose Theatre); and Enemy of the People (Goodman Theatre). She has understudied for Shattered Globe, Factory Theater, First Folio, A Red Orchid, Lifeline, Victory Gardens, Red Twist, Interrobang, Erasing The Distance, Piven Theatre Workshop, Eclipse, The Gift, Theater Wit, Steep, and Jackalope. She also performed in two locally produced audio dramas and one audio book project. Thanks to Rob and Kelsey for their loving support and Molly for her inspiration.

Camilla Frontain (RUPERTA ZULEIKA)

Camilla Frontain (she/her/hers) is a globe-trotting artist who recently returned from a year of teaching in Bulgaria. Her fascination lies in the crossroads between acting, photography (camfrontain.com), and education. With an MFA from SMU, select and favorite roles include: Tess (Sender), Sumner (Men on Boats), Gavroche (Les Miserables), and Christina Mundy (Dancing at Lughnasa). She recently moved to Chicago and is eager to continue the work!

Bradley Halverson (DR. IVES ENOCH - “DOKKY”)

Bradley Halverson (they/them) is thrilled to be making their Haven debut and relishing this opportunity to live in such a fantastical and super queer world. Most recently Bradley was seen as Pisanio in “Cymbeline” (Midsommer Flight), and as Maxy in the world premiere of “Stardog” (Rhinofest). They are also a frequent performer with both Backroom Shakespeare Project and Trans Voices Cabaret. They have performed with other Chicago area theaters such as Raven Theatre, The Gift Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, First Folio Theatre, First Floor Theater, Drury Lane Oakbrook and many others. Bradley earned their BFA in Musical Theatre from CCPA at Roosevelt University and is represented by Shirley Hamilton Talent.

JJ Gatesman (LINDSAY PALMERSTON)

JJ Gatesman is a graduate from the MFA program at Western Illinois University. A recent transplant to Chicago, JJ has performed throughout the midwest and in Las Vegas. He is also a recent graduate of the circus professional training program at Actor's Gymnasium in clowning. His recent credits include The Last White Man (Next Act Theater), Romeo and Juliiet, Pride and Prejudice (Summerstage of Delafield), and Cry It Out (Oil Lamp Theater). JJ is also also a certified instructor of stage combat with Dueling Arts International and has directed violence for Madison Opera, Marquette University, and Concordia University, and has performed at the Lyric Opera.

Haven A.J. Crawley (BEATRIX "TRIX" ARDEN)

Haven A.J. Crawley is so delighted to be on the crew of The Good Ship Piglet. Crawley recently worked at several immersive theatre experiences—including haunts and speakeasies—and spent last summer with the Oak Park Festival Theatre. They're a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign BFA program, where they lived at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, appearing in productions including Sweat (Cynthia), Varslaren (Aslaksen), Origin Story (Margaret), along with many others. They also appeared in several shows while interning at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. In their spare time, they can be found dabbling in music-making, crafting, writing poetry, and training to join the circus.

Osiris Cuen (BERYL TRAHERN)

Osiris Cuen (ki/kin) is a Disabled, Mexican Indigenous, QT2 Spirit Artist, who goes by many names and uses Ki/Kin pronouns. You may have seen kin performing Drag as Pinky & The Brain Damage, or reading books to kids during “Hora de Cuentinflas”; a Spanish Immersive Drag Storytime. You also may have seen Ki as an extra on The Bear and Dark Matter. Osiris was the inaugural SPARK 2023 artist in residence at the Filament Theatre in Chicago; “STACKS!: An Immersive Art Experience about Libraries”. You may know ki from Kin’s Solo Show- “The Rebirth of Osiris” with Haven Chicago, “Gabby Orozco” in Arizona Theatre Company’s production of American Mariachi, or Kin’s 5 years of work with Childsplay, a professional Theatre company for Young Audiences; Alice’s Rock and Roll Adventures in Wonderland, The Yellow Boat, Smartest Girl in the World, Girls Who Wear Glasses, Super Cowgirl and Mighty Miracle. Osiris graduated from Arizona State University; !Bocon!, The Tenement, with a bachelor's degree in Theatre and Eastern Arizona College; 25th... Spelling Bee, Curse you Jack Dalton, Oklahoma. You may contact ki via email: cuenosiris@gmail.com

THE CREATIVE TEAM

Nicole LoCicero (Associate Production Manager)
Nicole LoCicero is a dynamic professional based in Chicago, Illinois, with extensive experience in VIP relations coordination, live event production, and project management. Nicole's dedication to the entertainment industry is evident through her roles as a Production Stage Manager and Live Sound Engineer. She’s worked with companies such as Mystery Street Recording Company, Touchtunes, and Old Town School of Folk Music. Notable projects include her contributions to the Women's International Music Network's She Rocks Awards, where she managed stage production, coordinated load-in/out schedules, and ensured smooth backstage operations. With over nine years in live audio production, Nicole excels in system setup, console operation, and stage management. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Audio Arts from Columbia College Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from the University of Phoenix. Nicole's commitment extends beyond work, as she volunteers with organizations like Covers for Cover and Girls Rock! Chicago, contributing to fundraising events and mentoring youth in music workshops.

Emma Brutman (Scenic Designer)

Emma Brutman (scenic designer) is incredibly excited to make her Chicagp scenic design debut! Originally from the North suburbs, Brutman spent five years in the Quad Cities as a scenic designer, scenic charge, and technical director. Brutman holds an MFA in scenic design from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and works as an artist in residence at Rantoul Township High School, where she paints murals with students. Recent projects include Coriolanus (scenic and media designer, University of Illinois) and Port of Entry (paper props artisan, Albany Park Theatre Project). Brutman would like to thank Haven for the opportunity to work on Director's Haven. She would also like to thank her wife and cats for their constant support.

Katie Novak (Props Designer)

Katie Novak is very excited to be making her debut at Haven Chicago as the Props Designer for DH7! Katie is a recent graduate of Illinois State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Theatre Production Design & Technology. When Katie is not perfecting her latte art as a barista, her recent theatrical credits include Carpenter for Illinoise (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Props Designer for The Mousetrap (Citadel Theatre), Prop Shop Manager for the 2023 season of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Lead Props Artisan for Men on Boats (Illinois State University), and Carpenter & Changeover Supervisor for the 2022 Illinois Shakespeare Festival season. Instagram: @ktnovakdesign

Andres Mota (Costume Designer)

Andrés (Andy) Mota is a Mexican costume designer now based in Chicago. Graduated from The National Institute of Fine Arts (Mexico City) B.A. degree in Theatrical design with specialization in Costume Design from The National School of Dramatic Arts and Diplomas in Costumes for TV. Film and Advertising and Costume in the Clown. Some Mexican credits includes: El Casamiento, Opción Múltiple, Aura (Opera version), Telefonemas (Hefesto Teatro; University Theater Festival Finalists). Short films: Veronica, Adiós Hamburgo (Argos Productions) Nada Cambia? (SAE Institute Mexico); Dance performances: En el Ombligo de la Luna (Contempo-Danza), Hibristofilia (National School of Classic and Contemporary Dance Mexico). Chicagoland credits “Southern Gothic” as Assistant Costume Designer/Wardrobe Coordinator, Costume Designer for Buried Child, The Language Archive (AstonRep; Jeff Award nominated Short Run), Man of the People, In The Back/On The Floor and Artistic Associate (Stage Left Theater), Costume Shop Manager at Dominican University, Aztecs Human Sacrifice (CityLit), I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Collected Stories, The Gift of the Magi (Oil Lamp Theater), Boeing Boeing (Dunes Arts Foundation), A Christmas Carol (Metropolis Performing Arts Centre and FINALLY Director’s Haven 7 with Haven Chicago. For more info follow on instagram @andres.mota.ru

Jake Sorgen (Sound Designer)

Jake Sorgen (he/him) is a Chicago-based composer, sound designer, multi-instrumentalist, and writer. Jake’s works often merge text, music, and movement and have been performed by the Invoke String Quartet, Kite Saxophone Quartet, Loadbang Ensemble, Outlet Trio, Ashley Bathgate, and other groups featuring Jake as an instrumentalist and narrator. He has composed scores and performed in Chicago at Steppenwolf Theatre, Redtwist Theatre, The Story Theatre, Trap Door Theatre, 2nd Story, Haven Theatre, A Theatre in the Dark, Oakton College, and others. Jake is a Co-Founder and member of the interdisciplinary collective The Small Giants Band (with actors Matt Bowdren and Sarah Grant). Jake was named the “Maverick Prodigy Composer” by The Maverick Concert Hall in 2018 and awarded a 2020 Composer's Fellowship and 2022 Audio Production Fellowship from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, from where he holds an MFA in Music Composition. jakesorgen.com; smallgiantsband.com

Julie Adams (Lighting Designer)

Julie Adams is a Lighting Designer from Melbourne, FL. They graduated from Florida State University (FSU) in December 2023 with a B.A. in Theatre, focusing on production and design. They’ve previously worked as a Lighting Designer for the Canterbury Summer Theatre, as a Lighting Director at the Daytona Beach Festival of Magic, served as the Lighting Designer for Imogen Says Nothing at FSU, worked as the Assistant Master Electrician for 6 varying productions at FSU, and worked as an Electrics Apprentice at the Glimmerglass Opera Festival. Julie will be attending Carnegie Mellon University to pursue an MFA in Lighting Design in the Fall of 2024. They want to thank their family and their mentor Todd Wren for all their support.

Kelsey Rich (Stage Manager for Krapp’s Last Tape)

Kelsey Rich (she/they) is a theatre maker, poet, and visual artist hailing from Western Massachusetts. She recently moved back to Chicago after completing her master's degree in Theatre Practice & Production at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Kelsey currently leads a weekly devising group called Fowl Play, and works as a teaching artist through Olive Tree Arts Network and Once Upon Our Time Capsule. Their original devised piece, Not Like Other Girls, premiered at Galway Theatre Festival in 2022 with HystERia Theatre, and subsequently completed a directing internship with Pan Pan theatre during their FREEHOUSE Exhibition. Kelsey is so grateful to Haven and the DH7 team for giving her the opportunity to participate in this lovely festival!

Hailey Piorek (Stage Manager for The Siren Song of Stephen Jay Gould)

Hailey Piorek (she/her) is excited to be a part of the Director Haven 7! She recently graduated from Trinity Christian College with a BA in Communication Arts & Theatre. Recent Stage Management credits include Deleriums’ Daughters (TCC) and original student work, On A Quiet Night In Suburbia (TCC). Recent Assistant Stage Management credits include the 37th Young Playwrights Festival with Pegasus Theatre Chicago.

Amy Allen (Stage Manager for Skyflint (Part One))

Amy Allen (Stage Manager) is happy to be joining Haven Chicago's DH7 team. Amy recently relocated to Chicago, but before that she was Associate Artistic Director of Old Town Theatre Company in SC where she worked on; Dracula, Alice in Wonderland, The Turn of the Screw, A Christmas Carol and The Mummer Plays. She received her BFA in Musical Theatre from Converse College. Amy is so excited to continue working in Chicago and is extremely grateful to Haven Chicago for the opportunity to make great art.

Cassandra Rose (Playwright for Skyflint (Part One))

Cassandra is proud to be a playwright, screenwriter, and narrative designer-- often at the same time. As a playwright, she followed up a BA in Playwriting at Columbia College Chicago with The Dictionary Project (self-produced), Chicago Dramatists' Tutterow Fellowship (The Amen Trilogy), Stage Left Theatre’s Downstage Left Residency (The Volunteer), and Broken Nose Theatre’s The Paper Trail (Billy to His Friends). As a screenwriter, she won the Scripted Digital Series award at Austin Film Festival in 2022 with Walk Into A Bar. And as a narrative designer, she shipped 3 titles for the romance video game Chapters: Interactive Stories. Cassandra is repped by Jacob Hayman at Citizen Skull. Let her know if you want more Skyflint: linktr.ee/scriptsbyrose

Allison Petrillo (Music Director for Skyflint (Part One))

Allison (she/her) is thrilled to be joining Director’s Haven 7 and sharing her knowledge and love of Sea Shanties as Music Director for Skyfint! She is a Chicago-based actor, director and music director. She sings full time with her shanty band Ship Shape. Big love to her music nerd husband Evin for all his support on this project!

Alyssa Vera Ramos (Intimacy Designer for Skyflint (Part One))

Alyssa Vera Ramos (she/her) is queer Boricua director, cultural strategist, and applied theatre artist dedicated to dreaming and practicing a liberated world -- which includes intimacy design. She served on the intimacy teams of Mothers (The Gift Theatre) and The October Storm (Raven Theatre), and next will assist on 9 to 5: The Musical (Metropolis). Directing credits include You Can’t Cover the Sky with Your Hand by Marisel Vera (Pivot Arts) and ensemble-devised Meeting Our Desires (Night Out in the Parks; also a podcast!) and Epic Tales from the Land of Melanin (Free Street Theater; Latinx Theatre Commons' International TYA Festival). Alyssa is a curator of Swarm Artist Residency and a company member and previous Artistic Director of participatory, reproductive justice-centered FYI Performance Company. She is also a dedicated student at La Escuelita Bombera de Corazón.

Alexis Walker (Casting)

Alexis Walker is currently an Associate Producer at Weigel Broadcasting Company. She brings experience from previous roles at Entertainment Lab in New York City, Jackson Agency in Los Angeles, and JPA Casting in New York City. She is also a previous mentee of the Casting Society of America's Mentorship Program and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her professional goal is to amplify diverse stories that reflect the world we live in.

Ian Damont Martin (Artistic Director)

Ian Damont Martin (he/they) is a writer/director by passion and a creative executive by trade. Ian is the artistic director of Haven Chicago, the executive director of Inclusion & Belonging at the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Founder of Hoodbutch Studios. Ian has worked with a number of other arts and cultural institutions, including Enrich Chicago, Depaul University, Columbia College Chicago, The Goodman Theatre, the National Society of Arts and Letters, and many more. Ian's portfolio includes productions like Nathan Alan Davis' "The Art of Bowing" and Amiri Baraka's "The Toilet" (Director's Haven 3) for Haven Chicago. They’ve also breathed new life into timeless classics like Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus," "Twelfth Night," and "The Tempest." Ian’s captivating adaptation of Wolfram Lotz's "The Ridiculous Darkness" for Sideshow Theatre showcased a distinct ability to adapt and reimagine narratives for contemporary impact. Selected for the prestigious Micheaux Film Festival, Ian's debut short film, "Save Face," represents the culmination of their creative journey. The film invites audiences to reflect on the intricacy of identity, the complexity of personal authenticity, and the power of shedding the mask to embrace one's true self. iandamontmartin.com

Angela Salinas (Executive Director)

Angela Salinas (she/her) moved to Chicago in 2017 for the prestigious, year-long Production Management Apprenticeship at the Goodman Theatre. Before then she had previously worked in several regional theaters including: The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, and Cal Shakes. Later that same year, Angela joined Haven Theatre serving as the Assistant Production Manager for that season's Director’s Haven. In January 2018, she was hired on as Haven’s General/Production Manager, and finally as of September 2019, Angela officially took the reigns as the full-time Executive Director of Haven. Angela graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts in Stage Management and Lighting Design from California State University, Fresno.

Julia Farrell Diefenbach (Director of Marketing and Social Media)

Julia Farrell Diefenbach (she/her) is the Associate Artistic Director of The Halogen Company, an immersive theatre company based in Los Angeles. Winners of the 2019 Audience Award at the Los Angeles Immersive Invitational, The Halogen Company has become "one to watch" in the immersive community. A graduate of Columbia College of Chicago with a degree in directing and a minor in stage combat, she has worked with many Chicago theatres including Victory Gardens, Citadel Theatre, Midsommer Flight, Firebrand Theatre, Broken Nose Theatre, and Collaboraction. She is currently certified by the ICC as an Intimacy Captain and freelances as a dramaturge. juliafarrell.net

Special Thanks to: