Meet the cast of Beautiful Thing
|
|
 | |
Charlie, Kiah, and Robert |
Please meet the fine cast of Beautiful Thing. Michelle and Patrick are Pride Films and Plays Artistic Ensemble Members. Robert has worked with us in various capacities in the past two years, and Charlie and Kiah are with us for the first time. In addition to sharing their bios, I asked them to give their personal reason why you should see Beautiful Thing now!
Remember, the show stars next week at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport! |
|
 Michelle McKenzie-Voigt (Sandra) With professional credits ranging from Shakespeare to camp, she has worked with such theaters as Profiles, Provision, Organic, Cornservatory, Ludicrous, BrightSide, Handbag, and ITC, among many others. Favorite roles include Rose (Gypsy), Joanne (Company), Fraulein Schneider (Cabaret), Hannah (The Spitfire Grill), Donna Christian (Jesus Camp: The Musical) and Sissie (Sordid Lives), for which she won a 2012 Broadway World Chicago award as Best Actress in a Play (Resident Non-Equity). In addition to being an ensemble member of PFP, she is also a company member of Glitterati Productions and a four-time Chicago Emmy Award-nominee.
Michelle says "I think people will relate to Beautiful Thing because all of us, regardless of age, remember those heady days of falling in love for the very first time. And the play, which also deals with how our families accept who we really are, is surprisingly full of humor and hope! Can't beat that combination!" |
 |
 Patrick Rybarczyk (Tony) Chicago stage credits include work with Ulysses Theatre, Bailiwick, and Timeline Theatre. Favorite roles include Mitchell Garabedian in Sin: A Cardinal Deposed (original Chicago and Boston casts); Judas in Corpus Christi (Jeff Citation & After Dark Award: Ensemble); Frank O'Hara in the premiere of To Live As Variously As Possible; and Felix Turner in The Normal Heart (After Dark Award: Performance). He appeared in the short film Telling Dad and directed the premiere of Katrina: State of Emergency. Patrick was a co-founding member of Ulysses Theatre Company and is the Managing Director of Strawdog Theatre Company.Patrick says "People should come and see Beautiful Thing because it's a great reminder of what it's like to fall in love for the first time. In addition to this, it's a story about people striving to make life better and how you can make a family of those you choose to surround yourself with in life." |
|
 Robert Hilliard (Jamie) is an actor, stage manager, and wig/makeup designer from Chicago. Regional: Poseidon: An Upside-Down Musical, Greetings!, Children of Eden, and Into the Woods.
Robert says "Filled with humor and raw emotion, Beautiful Thing is a journey of 5 people with real-life ambitions, hopes, and desires. I think anyone who sees this show will be given a glimpse of hope in a world that is still struggling with how to love LGBT youth." |
|
 Charlie Wein (Ste) recently moved to Chicago after completing his BA in Acting at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, and is delighted to be making his Chicago debut as Ste in Beautiful Thing. Previous stage credits include Peter in The Diary of Anne Frank, Randy Anderson in The Outsiders, Lonnie in A Dead Man's Apartment, Wendel P. Bloyd in Spoon River, and Dante in the Pittsburgh premiere of Off-Color Remarks, for which he won an award for best supporting actor. Film credits include Warrior, All in a Night's Work, The Dark Knight Rises.
Charlie says, "People should see Beautiful Thing to see a group of dedicated and incredibly talented actors put on an amazing show." |
|
Kiah McKirnan (Leah) is a sophomore drama major at Lincoln Park High school, and is ecstatic about being able to be a part of Beautiful Thing. Her previous stage work includes Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, Dorothy in The Wiz, Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie. Most recent film credits: Yellow Snow Cones and Blink.
Kiah says, "People should come see Beautiful Thing because it is the true definition of what a modern fairy tale is! It has the characters that make you laugh, cry, and, best of all, the ones that you want to see find happiness. And what does a fairy tale always have? A good ending."
|
|
|
January 17 to February 17
at the
2936 N. Southport, Chicago. Tickets run $15 to $25.
| |
|
|
|
|
Beautiful Thing
is a lovely show that deserves your support no matter which part of the country you are in. Please learn more and make a donation here.
|
|
|
|
|
Take a behind-the-scenes trip to the rehearsal process of Beautiful Thing
|
|
|
|
|
Pride Films and Plays is now accepting submissions for our 2013 Women's Work Fest - plays and screenplays written by women with lesbian characters or themes. Find more information here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
