directed by Richard Shavzin
Gene Janson, AEA (Balzak)
Celebrating 40 years as a Chicago actor, Gene Janson has performed in theatre and on film, radio and television. He has appeared onstage in Chicago at Remy Bumppo, Red Hen, The Artistic Home, The New City Theatre and Apple Tree, where he serves on the artistic board.
Productions include That Championship Season, Some Americans Abroad, 110 in the Shade, Memories of Viola, Twigs, All I Really Know I Learned in Kindergarten, The Last Yankee and The Baker’s Wife. Gene’s film work includes roles in The Blues Brothers, While You Were Sleeping, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Normal, The Road to Perdition and Oceans 12.
He has appeared on television in Early Edition, The Untouchables, Lady Blue, Against the Mob and Unsolved Mysteries.
Gene Janson has also worked as a program host, fundraiser and off-camera announcer on WTTW, Channel 11, as well as a radio disc jockey on WJJD, Chicago, and is the voice of countless local and national commercials.
Josette Di Carlo, AEA (Jane Lucek)
is a theatre, film and television actress who last appeared in her native Chicago at Strawdog Theatre under Richard Shavzin’s direction in A Mother, a Daughter and a Gun. Other theatre credits include Jar the Floor (Northlight), Twelfth Night (The Goodman), Einsteins (Victory Gardens), A Girl’s Guide to Chaos (Royal George), and E.R. (Organic.)
Josette has also worked at the Guthrie in Minneapolis and is the recipient of a Jeff citation for Connie in Amidst the Gladiolas, as well as two Los Angeles awards for her portrayal of Maria Callas in Terrence McNally’s Master Class.
Her film credits include Normal, Prelude to A Kiss and the recently completed Wish, an independent feature from director Brian Jude Leahy.
Josette has co-starred on Six Feet Under and ER, guest-starred on Without a Trace, Chicago Hope, Leaving LA and Murder One, and can be seen currently as an alien on UPN’s Star Trek: Enterprise.
Philip Dawkins, AEA (Flood)
has originated roles in new plays at Chicago Dramatists, Emerald City and Pegasus Players, where he played Bobby in the U.S. premiere of Stephen Sondheim’s Saturday Night. Other notable credits include Snug/Lion in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Chicago Shakespeare, Artful Dodger in Oliver! and Jay in Lost in Yonkers for Theatre Works, Greg in the Actor’s Theatre production of Spinning into Butter, and Charlie in Scott McPherson’s Marvin’s Room at The Phoenix Little Theatre.
He can been seen in the films Bored Silly and Children on Their Birthdays and has appeared on Fox in Party of Five and on CBS in Early Edition.
Philip Dawkins is also a playwright and the recent recipient of a fellowship from the Hawthorden Castle International Retreat for Writers in Scotland. He is currently working on a commission from Ethington Theatre in Arizona to be performed in August of 2004.
Christopher Cordon (Danny Lucek)
grew up in Champaign, Illinois and studied acting at the North Carolina School of Arts.
After graduation, Christopher moved to New York where he performed at Todo Con Nada, The Town Hall Theatre and The Producer’s Club. He moved to Chicago three years ago and has been active in local theatre ever since.
His most notable appearance to date was in the Jeff Award-winning production of James Joyce’s The Dead, in which he played the part of Freddie Malins, in both 2002 and 2003.
Chris Cordon has also been a favorite on the stage at Chicago Dramatists, appearing often in the theatre’s Saturday Reading Series, including the original reading of Beat the Jester.