The Gift Theatre Company

Meet the Ensemble:
Front Row L to R: Robert G. Keleghan, Alexandra Main, Michael Patrick Thornton, Maggie Andersen, Lynda Newton, Daniel J. Ahlfeld, Kenneth Mihlfried, Nikki Heverly

Back Row L to R: Brendan Donaldson, Benjamin Montague, Jenny Connell, William Nedved, Paul D'Addario, John Connolly

Not pictured: Mary Fons, Maureen Payne-Hahner, John Gawlik

The Gift Theatre Company standing in front of the Northwest Side garage in which Language of Angels, A Young Man In Pieces, and The Pavilion were rehearsed. The garage was further personified in Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown's August 2003 article: "A Greater Appreciation of Life, Less Fear of Death."

Artistic Advisors

Daniel J. Ahlfeld
Current Projects:
"Tramp" and "Tough Squad" (screenplays in progress).

Last five projects:
Dir. "365" Plays, "The Halloween Show", "The Clearing", "Young Man in Pieces", "Language of Angels" all with The Gift

Three favorite projects:
"Barefoot in The Park" with St. Gregory Church, producer, "Reservoir Dogs”, "County Fair" with The Gift, Jim Olsen.

Training:
William Esper, New York City, Mary Ann Thebus, Norm Tobin.

Favorite inspirations:
Steve McQueen in "Pappion," Robert Shaw in "Jaws" and "The Sting," Elvis Costello.

Special Thanks:
Marylyn "Ozzie" Ahlfeld, Colleen "C.C.D" Dwyer, Norm Tobin, friends, guardian angel.

Maggie Andersen
Current Projects:
Studying Playwriting with Charles Smith at Charles University (Prague), obtaining an MFA in Creative Writing from Western Michigan University

Last Five Projects:
"The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told" at the Whole Art Theatre. "A Young Man In Pieces," "Language of Angels" and "County Fair" with The Gift.

Three Favorite Projects:
Performing Edward Albee for at risk students in San Antonio, "Language of Angels" with The Gift, and "A Young Man in Pieces" with The Gift.

Favorite Playwrights:
Brian Friel, Charles Smith, William Saroyan

Special Thanks:
Michael Patrick

Jenny Connell
Upcoming Projects:
Beginning August 2006, Jenny will be pursuing an MFA in playwriting at The University of Texas at Austin. She is also working to launch her own small company, to coach high school students writing their college applications.

Recent Work:
"Fire Escape" (Author), "Contents May Be Extremely Hot" (Producer, Writer), "Emma" (Actor). None of these ring a bell? You may have seen her in "The Gift Theatre Company Box Office" (Actor).

Training:
School at Steppenwolf, Curt Columbus, Dean Corrin.

Special Thanks:
James Solomon, the ensemble.

John Kelly Connolly
Last Five Projects:
"Long Day's Journey Into Night", "Hurlyburly" both with The Gift, Forgotten Johnny (film), Brown-Hair Father, Blonde Son (film), My Gay Son (film) All films through Columbia College.

Favorite Book:
All Time: A Prayer for Own Meany recent: The Time Travlers Wife (and always; Harry Potter )

Favorite Film:
All Time: Almost Famous, recent film: Garden State (waiting for Elizabethtown)

Favorite TV Show:
All Time The West Wing / ER , favorite recent: Lost (Scrubs is good too, but where is it?)

Favorite Food:
All Time: My Mom's Baked Ham, fast food: thick crust pizza from Joe's on Higgins, and potstickers from China King

Favorite Music:
All Time: Mark Isham (he does soundtracks to movies that are just...well you know) and Yes. Recent: Badly Drawn Boy, Death Cab for Cutie

Paul D'Addario
Last five projects:
"Dead End" with The Griffin Theatre Company, "Hurlyburly" with The Gift (Jeff Citation Award-Actor in a Leading Role), "Him" with Viaduct," "The Pavilion", "A Young Man In Pieces" with The Gift

Favorite projects:
"Hurlyburly", "Language of Angels," "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," with Actor's Theatre of San Francisco, "subUrbia," with ATSF.

Favorite Movie:
"State of Grace"

Training:
Jean Shelton, Chris Phillips, School at Steppenwolf, Mary Ann Thebus.

Special Thanks:
Laurent, Dylan and Joey

Brendan Donaldson
Upcoming projects:
"The Wooden Breeks" with Lookingglass Theatre

Last five projects:
"Long Days Journey Into Night", "Hurlyburly", Dir. "The Clearing", "The Glass Menagerie", "The Pavilion" all with the Gift

Three favorite projects:
"Boy's Life" with The Gift, "Never Swim Alone" at Indiana University and "Fiorello" at Trinity High School

Training:
The School at Steppenwolf, Mary Ann Thebus, Indiana University, Trinity High School

Mary Fons
Upcoming project:
Enlightenment.

Current project:
The Liza Show.

Last five projects:
"Hurlyburly" at the Gift, Speakeasy gigs, Writer's Week at Fremd High School, National Poetry Slam 2005, Live Bait Filet of Solo Festival.

Three favorite projects:
"Hurlyburly," "Strange Attractors" at the University of Iowa's Playwright's Workshop, writing for Jellyvision.

Favorite book:
"Atlas Shrugged."

Training:
B.A. Theatre Arts, University of Iowa, 2001. (Valedictorian, even!) Classes at IO,

Special Thanks:
The family, the fellows, the Gift, the Croatian.

John Gawlik
Recent Projects:
Directed "The Good Thief" at The Gift, Directed Glen Berger's Chicago Premiere of Underneath the Lintel and Western Civilization: The Complete Musical; Abridged for Noble Fool Theatricals where he is an Artistic Associate.

Three Favorite Projects:
Directing The Pavilion and performing in Language of Angles for The Gift, and performing in A Skull in Connemara.

Special Thanks:
Family and friends

Benjamin Montague
Upcoming Projects:
Directing A Midsummer Night’s Dream with A Crew of Patches Theatre Company; a daytime Shakespeare company performing for students.

Current Projects:
Co-created, Executive Produced, and Starred in the independent feature film, “Halfway To Sandwich”. Currently in Post-Production. Submitting to Sundance Film Festival, January 2007.

Last Five Projects:
Cassius in Julius Caesar with A Crew Of Patches Theatre Company; Charles Dabernow Schmendiman in Picasso at The Lapin Agile with The Nobel Fool Theatre Company; Daniel in the Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged); Produced The Pavilion performed by The Gift Theatre Company at the Victory Gardens Studio; Eugene in "Broadway Bound" with Peagasus Players

Three Favorite Projects:
Co-Founded A Crew of Patches Theatre Company, "The Countess" with The Gift Theatre Company, Comedy Sketch Group in London, England

Inspirational Film:
"Inspiration; A Film About Inspiration"

Training:
Mountview Theatre Academy, London, England and Dr. Edward Wingler

Special Thanks:
Family, friends, and David Hasselhoff. God Bless You, Sir.

Alexandra Main
Current Projects:
Blithe Spirit

Upcoming Projects:
The Frog Prince, an arts-in-therapy show in development for the kids at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

Last Five Projects:
Dir. 365 Plays, Long Days Journey Into Night with The Gift, Hiding Hannah, Stage Left Theatre; An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf, Appetite Theatre, A Young Man in Pieces, The Gift;

Three Favorite Projects:
County Fair, The Gift; Crying Woolf, Zebra Crossing Theatre; Josephine, The Mouse Singer, Chicago's Actor's Ensemble

Favorite Book:
Orlando by Virginia Woolf

Training:
Northwestern University, MA in performance studies; Byrne Piven, Piven Theatre Workshop; Rachael Patterson, The Audition Studio; The Second City Conservatory

Special Thanks:
David Preis, my long-suffering and generous husband

Kenny Mihlfried
Upcoming Projects:
“Notes for a Film,” a film… You’ll see.

Current Projects:
“Blithe Spirit” – sound design, music.

Last Five Projects:
"365 Plays"-actor, "The Halloween Show"– actor, co-sound designer, composer “Long Day’s Journey into Night” – sound design, music. “The Good Thief” – co-sound designer, composer. “The Clearing” – actor, co-sound designer, composer.

Three Favorite Projects:
“Tiny Little Creek,” “Trolling Atlantis,” and “What the River Said,” an ambitious trilogy of independent features, produced entirely on video between 1997 and 1999, in close collaboration with Michael Patrick Thornton.

Inspirational People:
Ted Berrigan (a poet), Paul Kapetanopoulos (a psychologist), Steven Leavitt (an artist), Stewart Fischer (a mime), Ray Bradbury (a writer).

Training:
Columbia College, Bachelor of Arts, 2001.

Special Thanks:
Bob Mihlfried Jr., my brother, with whom all sound is possible. My parents, Bob Sr. and Kathy, who support the Gift and everything it stands for.

William Nedved
Upcoming Projects:
Writing

Three favorite projects:
"A Young Man in Pieces", "County Fair" and "The Countess"

Lynda Newton
Last five projects:
with the Gift: 365 Plays, Hurlyburly, The Pavilion, Language of Angels. Profiles Theatre: Glory of Living

Three favorite projects:
Everything Gift, 70 Scenes of Halloween - UMASS Amherst, being an Aunt.

Favorite Movie:
"The Big Chill"

Training:
The Gift Lab, The School at Steppenwolf, UMASS Amherst- Ed Golden & Julie Nelson, NSCC Sha Reardon, Mary Ann Thebus, Father Frank Toste CSC.

Special Thanks:
Parents, Kathleen, Aunty Jan, The Gift

Maureen Payne-Hahner
Upcoming Projects:
Moving to Germany, working in Europe

Current Project:
publishing first novella

Thre Favorite Projects:
Directing "The Countess" for The Gift, 2002. Stage: Karen in "Speed the Plow." Film debut: David William's critically acclaimed "Thirteen".

Favorite Director:
Lars Von Trier

Favorite Quotes:
Sally Johnson, New York City: coined the phrase "You are enough."
David Mamet from True and False: "Invent nothing. Deny nothing. Develop that hard habit."

Michael Patrick Thornton
Upcoming Projects:
"Three Sisters", Director

Current Project:
Teaching myself how to walk again after two spinal strokes

Last five projects:
"365 Plays, director, "The Halloween Show", actor, "Long Day's Journey Into Night", director, "The Good Thief," actor (Jeff Award Solo Performance), "Hurlyburly," director.

Three favorite Projects:
Every rehearsal with The Gift; "A Skull in Connemara," at Northlight; "Boys' Life."

Favorite Play:
"Faith Healer," by Brian Friel.

Training:
Meisner with Mary Ann Thebus, the Plasticene Physical Theatre Intensives, Viewpoints at Actor's Gymnasium, The School at Steppenwolf, Grotowski and Alternative Approaches to Acting with Eric Forsythe.

Special Thanks:
Maggie, The Ensemble, Parents, Laura Hinkes, the ER staff at Resurrection Hospital who saved my life, humble actors who know how to listen, bold playwrights who know how to write.