Penelopiad Creative Team
Written by Margaret Atwood
Directed by Erica Barnes
Assistant Director Lexi Saunders
Original Music by Joshua Dumas
Environment and Object Design by Sarah Coleman
Costume Design by Carla Hamilton
Dramaturgy by Sarah Sapperstein
Stage Manager Emily Hitmar
Directed by Erica Barnes
Assistant Director Lexi Saunders
Original Music by Joshua Dumas
Environment and Object Design by Sarah Coleman
Costume Design by Carla Hamilton
Dramaturgy by Sarah Sapperstein
Stage Manager Emily Hitmar
Margaret Atwood//Author and Playwright
Margaret Atwood is the author of more than forty volumes of poetry, children’s literature, fiction, and non-fiction, but is best known for her novels, which include The Edible Woman (1969), The Handmaid’s Tale (1985), The Robber Bride (1994), Alias Grace (1996), and The Blind Assassin, which won the prestigious Booker Prize in 2000. Her newest novel, MaddAddam (2013), is the final volume in a three-book series that began with the Man-Booker prize-nominated Oryx and Crake (2003) and continued with The Year of the Flood (2009). The Tent (mini-fictions) and Moral Disorder (short fiction) both appeared in 2006. Her most recent volume of poetry, The Door, was published in 2007. In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination, a collection of non-fiction essays appeared in 2011. Her non-fiction book, Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth was adapted for the screen in 2012. Ms. Atwood’s work has been published in more than forty languages, including Farsi, Japanese, Turkish, Finnish, Korean, Icelandic and Estonian.
Margaret Atwood is the author of more than forty volumes of poetry, children’s literature, fiction, and non-fiction, but is best known for her novels, which include The Edible Woman (1969), The Handmaid’s Tale (1985), The Robber Bride (1994), Alias Grace (1996), and The Blind Assassin, which won the prestigious Booker Prize in 2000. Her newest novel, MaddAddam (2013), is the final volume in a three-book series that began with the Man-Booker prize-nominated Oryx and Crake (2003) and continued with The Year of the Flood (2009). The Tent (mini-fictions) and Moral Disorder (short fiction) both appeared in 2006. Her most recent volume of poetry, The Door, was published in 2007. In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination, a collection of non-fiction essays appeared in 2011. Her non-fiction book, Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth was adapted for the screen in 2012. Ms. Atwood’s work has been published in more than forty languages, including Farsi, Japanese, Turkish, Finnish, Korean, Icelandic and Estonian.
Erica Barnes//Director
Erica Barnes is a director, producer, and collaborative artist. She is the Founder of Lost Geneva Project. Past directing and devised creations include: Disgrace, Likes/Dislikes, The New Tenant, Heloise and Abelard, The Helpless Doorknob, and The Fete with Blank Line Collective. In 2012, Erica independently produced and directed an adaptation of David Lehman’s Mythologies at Hamlin Park Fieldhouse. Erica spent fall and spring of last school year directing No Exit and Dramaticule: An Evening of Beckett's Short Plays at Shimer College. Erica is also co-founder of Knife & Fork, a Chicago-based theatre company committed to transforming the way stories are told about food & body politics. With Knife & Fork she has devised and co-directed, Kitchen, Last Meal Man, Diets Are a Girls Best Friend, Bitte(r), and Shut Your Vermouth.
Erica Barnes is a director, producer, and collaborative artist. She is the Founder of Lost Geneva Project. Past directing and devised creations include: Disgrace, Likes/Dislikes, The New Tenant, Heloise and Abelard, The Helpless Doorknob, and The Fete with Blank Line Collective. In 2012, Erica independently produced and directed an adaptation of David Lehman’s Mythologies at Hamlin Park Fieldhouse. Erica spent fall and spring of last school year directing No Exit and Dramaticule: An Evening of Beckett's Short Plays at Shimer College. Erica is also co-founder of Knife & Fork, a Chicago-based theatre company committed to transforming the way stories are told about food & body politics. With Knife & Fork she has devised and co-directed, Kitchen, Last Meal Man, Diets Are a Girls Best Friend, Bitte(r), and Shut Your Vermouth.
Lexi Saunders//Assistant Director
Lexi Saunders is a director and actor from Los Angeles who recently relocated to Chicago. Her directing credits include Hello.Goodbye (Company 157), But a Walking Shadow (Underground New Play Festival), Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You (Fullerton Theatre Festival), Spooky (AD - Steppenwolf West), and Little Children Dream of God (AD - Baldwin New Play Festival). Some of her acting credits include Medea (Theatre Y), The Pillowman (Company 157), Wintertime (UCSD), and Noises Off! (El Segundo Players). Lexi received her B.A. in Theatre & B.S. in Behavioral Psychology from the University of California, San Diego.
Lexi Saunders is a director and actor from Los Angeles who recently relocated to Chicago. Her directing credits include Hello.Goodbye (Company 157), But a Walking Shadow (Underground New Play Festival), Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You (Fullerton Theatre Festival), Spooky (AD - Steppenwolf West), and Little Children Dream of God (AD - Baldwin New Play Festival). Some of her acting credits include Medea (Theatre Y), The Pillowman (Company 157), Wintertime (UCSD), and Noises Off! (El Segundo Players). Lexi received her B.A. in Theatre & B.S. in Behavioral Psychology from the University of California, San Diego.
Joshua Dumas//Original Music Director
Joshua Dumas is an artist, composer, and filmmaker. He’s written for Rasaka, Oak Park, Vintage, New Beast, the Plagiarists. He performs with Quarter Mile Thunder, Eiren Caffall, Soundings, and recently released the generative music app Chicago Avenue Moon. He is wildly grateful for the chance to work with all these brilliant folks on the Penelopiad.
Joshua Dumas is an artist, composer, and filmmaker. He’s written for Rasaka, Oak Park, Vintage, New Beast, the Plagiarists. He performs with Quarter Mile Thunder, Eiren Caffall, Soundings, and recently released the generative music app Chicago Avenue Moon. He is wildly grateful for the chance to work with all these brilliant folks on the Penelopiad.
Sarah Coleman//Environment and Object Design
Sarah Coleman is an artist, printmaker, and art historian. Since receiving her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Sarah has had the chance to build puppets, parades and spectacles, live and work in the National Parks of the American Southwest, and learn and teach in some of Italy’s most beautiful palaces and churches. Sarah believes that adventure is the best fuel for creation, and is excited to be on this particular escapade with a lot of talented folks. She’d like to thank her canine co-pilot, Martin.
Sarah Coleman is an artist, printmaker, and art historian. Since receiving her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Sarah has had the chance to build puppets, parades and spectacles, live and work in the National Parks of the American Southwest, and learn and teach in some of Italy’s most beautiful palaces and churches. Sarah believes that adventure is the best fuel for creation, and is excited to be on this particular escapade with a lot of talented folks. She’d like to thank her canine co-pilot, Martin.
Carla Hamilton//Costume Designer
Carla Hamilton is absolutely ecstatic to be working on this project with such creative and talented cohorts! A graduate of Knox College and a native of the ‘burbs, Carla has spent the better part of the last four years dotting the Chicago theatre scene with her costumes. Some of her very favorite designs and experiences include Plainsong and Princes of Waco with Signal Ensemble, Eiffel Tower Wedding Party and The Gas Heart with the Nine, Folkbound with Duplicity Ensemble, Black and Blue with Factory Theatre and Iphigenia with the Chicago Waldorf School. Love to the usual suspects: Friends, family, fella.
Carla Hamilton is absolutely ecstatic to be working on this project with such creative and talented cohorts! A graduate of Knox College and a native of the ‘burbs, Carla has spent the better part of the last four years dotting the Chicago theatre scene with her costumes. Some of her very favorite designs and experiences include Plainsong and Princes of Waco with Signal Ensemble, Eiffel Tower Wedding Party and The Gas Heart with the Nine, Folkbound with Duplicity Ensemble, Black and Blue with Factory Theatre and Iphigenia with the Chicago Waldorf School. Love to the usual suspects: Friends, family, fella.
Sarah Sapperstein//Dramaturgy
Sarah Sapperstein holds a dual degree in musical theatre and Classical and Near Eastern language, literature, and archaeology from the Univ. of Redlands in southern California, and a Masters in Liberal Arts from the University of Chicago. Since 2005, she has been a part of over 40 theatre, musical theatre, and opera projects and premieres throughout Chicagoland, including a number of classical tellings, retellings, and adaptations.
Sarah Sapperstein holds a dual degree in musical theatre and Classical and Near Eastern language, literature, and archaeology from the Univ. of Redlands in southern California, and a Masters in Liberal Arts from the University of Chicago. Since 2005, she has been a part of over 40 theatre, musical theatre, and opera projects and premieres throughout Chicagoland, including a number of classical tellings, retellings, and adaptations.
Emily Hitmar//Stage Manager
Emily Hitmar is a stage manager and completely psyched to be rejoining this wonderful team after working with The Penelopiad at the Chicago Fringe Festival this past summer. A recent graduate from DePaul University with a B.F.A. in Stage Management, Emily is currently a stage management apprentice at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. This is really exciting!! I can’t wait to get started.
Emily Hitmar is a stage manager and completely psyched to be rejoining this wonderful team after working with The Penelopiad at the Chicago Fringe Festival this past summer. A recent graduate from DePaul University with a B.F.A. in Stage Management, Emily is currently a stage management apprentice at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. This is really exciting!! I can’t wait to get started.