Wounds to the Face by Howard Barker
Directed by Andrew Root
April 14th  - May 14th 2017
The Royal George

In a series of comic and tragic narratives, Wounds To The Face examines the many faces we present to each other and the pain and humour we experience in finding these features can be changed, obliterated, switched for another or simply accepted as indelibly our own. With powerful poetic language and flexible use of time and space, Barker avoids simplistic stereotypes to create a work which reaches far beyond the standard notions of disfigurement, human beauty and public image to explore the elusive quality we call identity.


​The Artists

Cast

Philena Gilmer (Prisoner, Wife, Prostitute) is excited to be working with Runcible Theatre Company. Other Chicago credits include: The Sundial (City Lit Theatre); Savage in Limbo (Poor Theatre); The Gilded Age (City Lit Theatre); Picasso at the Lapin Agile, The Diviners, Rhinoceros, and Theophilus North (Organic Theatre); Cinderella (Windy City Players); Ethan Claymore (Attic Playhouse); Butterflies are Free (Big Noise Theatre); and Hellcab (Profiles Theatre). Regional credits include The Who’s Tommy, Dracula, Evita, Appalachian Reality (The Barter Theatre); Edgar Allan Poe, Where the Red Fern Grows, Little Red Riding Hood (Barter Players - tour) and Crimes of the Heart (Stone Fire Station). Philena has a theatre degree from the University of Richmond in Virginia and is a proud alumnus of The Barter Players. www.philenagilmer.com
Robert Bouwman (Dictator, Emperor, Roue) is excited to make his Runcible Theater debut.  He is co-founder and former Artistic Director of Corn Productions.  Highlights at Corn include Rhonda in the The Bad Seed – the Musical, which he also co-wrote and co-directed, Fessor Von Bebo in the long-running Floss!, which he also directed and co-wrote, and Tiffani Ta-anya Tiffelmeyer in the comedy duo, Tiff and Mom.   He also performed in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in The Madness of Lady Bright as Lady Bright.
Morgan McCabe (Surgeon, Empress) This is Morgan's first appearance with Runcible Theater. She was recently seen in The Sundial at City Lit Theatre.  She’s performed at other Chicago theatres, such as American Theatre Company, Body Politic, Chicago Dramatists, Commons Theatre, Collaboraction, Court Theatre, The Gift, The Goodman, Lifeline, Lookingglass, Next, Prop Theatre, Stage Left, Steppenwolf, and Victory Gardens.  An Associate Artist with Chicago Dramatists, she’s played roles in numerous world premieres in Chicago: Grace in The Mecca Tales, Diane in Since Africa and Lila in Ten Cent Night, (Chicago Dramatists); Irene in Chagrin Falls, Mary in Empty (Stage Left) and Moms in I Sailed With Magellan (Victory Gardens). Appearances at regional theatres include: Hamlet with SITI Company Associates and The Credeaux Canvas (Madison Repertory). She’s performed in Spain, England, and Austria, where she appeared in A Moon for the Misbegotten at the Vienna English Theatre.
Bethany Arrington (Youth/A Patriot/Woman With A Parasol) is appearing with Runcible Theatre Company for the first time. Other Chicago credits include: Savage in Limbo (The Poor Theatre); Cat In Heat (Nothing Special Productions); The Royal Society of Antarctica (The Gift Theatre); and Waiting for Godot (BA Productions). Ms. Arrington received her BFA in Theatre Performance from the University of Illinois at Chicago's School of Theatre and Music. 
Kalika Rose (Bride, Visitor, 2nd Prostitute, Youth) is delighted to be making her debut with Runcible Theatre Company as well as her debut on the Chicago theater scene. This will be her first role in the city since moving from Salt Lake City in October, where her credits include Hamlet (Flying Bobcat Theatrical Laboratory), Blackberry Winter (Salt Lake Acting Company), An Inspector Calls ( Pioneer Theater Company), La Cage Aux Folles (The Grand Theater) The Owl Girl (Studio 115). Kalika can also be seen in the upcoming Coached Ensembles this April at The Second City. A recent graduate of the University of Utah, Ms. Rose received her BFA from their Actor Training Program in the Spring of 2016.
Ian Maryfield (Soldier) is excited to be making his Runcible Theatre Company debut.  Other Chicago credits: The Nutcracker (The House Theatre); Macbeth (All-Star Theatre Company); The Woman in Black (St. Sebastian Players); and Pride and Prejudice (Adapt Theatre Company).  Regional credits include work with Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, William Inge Theatre Festival, and Oklahoma Children’s Theatre.  Television credits include Chicago Fire (NBC).  Ian received his BFA in acting from Oklahoma City University.
Christina Hughes (Woman at the Mirror) is delighted to make her debut with Runcible Theatre Company. Other Chicago credits include Star Spangled Sitcoms (City Lit Theatre), The Hot Dog Stand (The Den Theatre), Jello & Other Remedies (Theatre Wit), and The Crown (Public House Theatre). Ms. Hughes holds a BA in Spanish language and literature from Lawrence University. She is a graduate of the Shattered Globe Protégé Program, and she has trained at Black Box Acting Studio, the Second City Training Center, and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, where she will return this fall to begin an MA in classical acting.
Marcus D. Moore (Man/Greek/Monsieur) comes to Runcible Theatre Company for the first time. He is currently the male understudy for The Snowy Day and Other Stories (Emerald City Theatre) but Wounds To The Face will be his stage debut. Television credits include co-starring roles on Chicago Fire (NBC Universal) and APB (Fox Networks). He has trained at institutions such as The Second City Training Center, Vagabond School of the Arts,  and Green Room Studio. 
Lucy Pearce (Mother) recently relocated to Chicago from Seattle. Recent Seattle credits include: Short shorts (12th Avenue Arts), Gemini Season (West of Lenin), Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (Ballard Underground). Regional Credits include work with: Island Shakespeare Festival, Whidbey Island Center for the Arts(WICA). Director credits include: 4000 Miles (WICA), Proof (Teen Blackbox at WCT), Hinterland (Teen Blackbox at WCT).
Lucy received a BA in Acting from Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts and is a graduate of the Second City conservatory program. 
Grant Niezgodski (Lover, Double, Narcissus) Makes his first appearance at Runcible Theater. Other Chicago credits include "King Charles III" (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); "This" (u/s Windy City Playhouse); "Father of the Bride" and "The Odd Couple" (Oil Lamp Theater). Regional credits include "Richard III" and "Cyrano de Bergerac" (Cincinnati Shakespeare Company); "Much Ado About Nothing" and "The Matchmaker" (Indiana Festival Theater). Grant received a BA in Theater from Indiana University.
Nathaniel Andrew (Second Youth, Terrorist, Second Double, Painter, Greek) is new to Runcible Theatre Company. His most recent credits include: Ohio State Murders (Dandelion Theatre); Beautiful Autistic (Chicago Dramatist); Holidaze (StepUp Production). Film credits include Claire Carre’s Embers.  Nathaniel graduated from The Academy at Black Box Acting. 
Brian Gore (Understudy for Dictator, Emperor, Roue, Man, Monsieur, Greek, Youth)
This is Brian’s  first production with Runcible Theatre Company. He has previously performed with The Waltzing Mechanics, 20% Theater Company, Annoyance Theater, iO Chicago, Corn Productions, Twisted Shakes Productions and various indie improv and sketch comedy groups. He is the Late Night Producer for the Pride Arts Center and is currently directing their production of “26”.

Creatives

Andrew Root, Director
Andrew is Executive Director of Runcible Theatre Company. This is his fourth production for Runcible, For more information click here
Georgia Gove, Assistant Director 
Georgia Gove is delighted to be working with Runcible Theatre again! This is her first time assistant directing. She was last seen with Runcible Theatre as Supporta in Scenes from an Execution. She is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago and is currently going through the improv program at the iO Theatre!
Amber Dettmers, Production Manager
Amber returns to Runcible Theatre where her credits include: After the Dance (PM), A Number (PSM) and Scenes From an Execution (SM). Other Chicago credits include: A Walk in the Woods, Spartan Theatre Workshops, Jake's Women, and A Bright Room Called Day (SM, Spartan Theatre); Savage in Limbo and Take Me Back (PM, The Poor Theatre); Vices & Virtues (PSM, Profiles Theatre); and Ghost Gardens (PSM, Pegasus Theatre Chicago). Amber received her B.A. in Theatre from Loyola University Chicago.
Nate Dion, Stage Manager
Nate returns to Runcible Theatre, where he stage managed their inaugural production, Sweet Phoebe, and also appeared in Scenes from an Execution. Other stage management credits in Chicago include All Shook Up (The Casting Auction), The Library (Level 11 Theatre), Dying City (The Comrades), Jerusalem and Hellcab (Profiles Theatre), and Brothers Keeper (Subtext Theatre). Nate received his bachelor's degree in theater performance from Central Michigan University.
Uriel Gomez, Costume Design
Uriel is ecstatic to be working on his first production with Runcible Theatre.  Recent design credits include the Chicago premieres of The Wolf At The End Of The Block, Parachute Men, In the Time of the Butterflies, My Mañana Comes (Teatro Vista); The Black Slot, The Women of Lockerbie, The Lyons (Aston Rep); Mary Kate Olsen is in Love (The Comrades);  and For the Love of (Or the Roller Derby Play), Men on the Verge of a Hispanic Breakdown (Pride Films & Plays). For more information and designs please visit ugomez.com
Kailee Tomasic, Set Design
Becca Veneble, Technical & Lighting Design
Becca is a Texas native now living in Chicago where she is the assistant technical director at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  Becca also works as a technical director, lighting designer, and sound designer with various theatre companies including Oil Lamp Theater, Collaboraction, and The Comrades.  Previously Becca has worked with such companies as Ballet Lubbock, Lubbock Moonlight Musicals, Eastern New Mexico University, Texas Tech University, and Flatlands Dance Theatre.  Some of Becca’s credits include The Nutcracker, Beauty and the Beast, Weekend Comedy, Oklahoma, Dying City, The Boys Next Door, Reckless, The Country Wife, Gender Breakdown, and Rent.
Joe Palermo, Sound Design