Spotlight On...Courtney Jones

Name: Courtney Jones

Hometown: Racine, WI

Education: BFA in Musical Theater, University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point

Select Credits: Viola in Twelfth Night (Montana Shakespeare in the Parks)

Why theater?: It's an adventure. Not only do you get to tell stories, you get to live a million lives in one lifetime. You get to do it all.

Who do you play in Another Kind Of Love: Tanya Singer

Tell us about Another Kind Of Love: For me, it's been about all the things you do for love: love of family, love of art, love of self, and finding a balance.

What is it like being a part of Another Kind Of Love?: It's like going into battle. The show hits the ground running and doesn't really stop for anyone. We are all pushed, and end the show kind of staggering and breathing heavy.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I'm always a big fan of language plays, and music in plays. But what most inspires me is innovation and creativity: things like Pigpen's Old Man in the Old Moon.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Beatrice in Much Ado, Polly in Crazy for You. Lizzy in Pride and Prejudice.

What’s your favorite showtune?: "Someone to Watch Over Me". Although the score I default to most often is Chess.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Mark Rylance.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: The title would probably be, "yes, I'm 90" and I would play the quirky woman who runs the kitchen at the rural cottage our lead ends up at where she knits and bakes bread and makes her own clothes.... yes, I am 90.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Any Shakespeare, in their original productions.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Period dramas. I watch way too many movies with corsets and pretty dresses.

What’s up next?: The Consultant at Signal Ensemble Theater. It's a comedy and I get to play the quirky one, so it will be a welcome change of pace!

Spotlight On...Amber Kelly

Name: Amber Kelly

Hometown: Born in Detroit, grew up in Texas

Education: BA in Theater from Texas Wesleyan University, studied with Austin Pendleton at HB Studios in NYC, trained at Atlantic Theater Company School

Select Credits: Nominated for Best Lead Actress this past season for the role of Cate in Sarah Kane’s Blasted (one of the least produced, most talked about plays) Wilbury Group, Providence Rhode Island. Tour the world with several projects offered by Catharsis Productions. Rosannah DeLuce in Brilliant Traces, off-off Broadway. Puck in Midsummer Night’s Dream, Garland Shakespeare in the Park. Voiced several young boys on the Cartoon Network show "DragonBallZ"

Why theater?: Theatrics preceded language.  Tribes would gather around the campfire to perform the hunt and adventures of the day.  This is storytelling.  This is how we commune.  This is what makes us human.  And sure we exaggerate, and highlight the best parts, and that is how we are happy, and sad, and all of the more complex emotions we are capable of.  When we share them, we understand that we are not alone.

Who do you play in Another Kind of Love?: Collin, the youngest sister/drummer

Tell us about Another Kind of Love: Another Kind of Love is a mash-up of band drama and family drama, as well as projecting emotion in the different art forms of theater and music.  It is largely the coming of age story of Max, the daughter.  I recall connecting all of my emotion and confusion to rock music when I was figuring out who I was.  I would play songs for my parents with hope, only to be dashed that they truly just don’t understand.  There is a connection to music, passion and family as we peek inside the home of some of the most famous rock personas of our youth.

What is it like being a part of Another Kind of Love?: This show has been one of the biggest challenges of my career.  When I played Cate in Sarah Kane’s Blasted, it was the largest challenge I could imagine.  Little did I know that this project would confront me only a year later.  Jefferey Thomas is a hero for taking us group of rag tag actresses with some experience on our respective instruments and creating a famously loved band, The Dark Hearts.  Beyond building a band, we have been building a play.  This is the world premier of Another Kind of Love, so there has been a lot of communication back and forth between the productions company, InFusion, here in Chicago and the creators, Crystal Skillman and Heidi Rodewald back in NYC.  The play, the songs, the music has been in flux as we work together to find the perfect chemistry to tell this story.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I believe that American theater today has earned a reputation as a diversion, or worse a dreaded responsibility to go see your friend, niece, fellow theater professional in a show.  I seek out theater that is different and engaging and challenges what it means to “go to a play.”  I seek to bring excitement back to the theater and seek opportunities that represent an event for the audience.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: All of the good ones!

What’s your favorite showtune?: I’m not a big fan of musicals, actually.  I have a hard time explaining that this show is not a music, but a play about musicians with music in it.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I would love to work with Michael Shannon.  I maintain it’s a possibility.  He glared at me once when I got a little close to him with my motorcycle while he was crossing the street.  It’s a start.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Kate Winslet?  I don’t know, I’d rather play Kate Winslet.  Can the movie just be called “?”  Prince could get away with that.  I still have so much life left to live I can’t imagine putting a title on it just yet.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I’ve recommended Sleep No More as something incredibly different.  Calling it a play is a little bit of a stretch, but I like that.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Bathing.  I take at least one a day.  I believe in pleasure.  No need for guilt here.

What’s up next?: I head to Alaska for some shows with Catharsis Productions directly following the closing of Another Kind of Love.  I am currently writing a “choose your own adventure” play about the Dyatlov Pass Incident called, An Unknown Compelling Force for my theater company, Theater of Thought.  There will be several branches to the story, so the show will be different every performance.  I’m looking forward to being on the other side of a world premiere as the writer. Another Kind of Love on Broadway?

Spotlight On...Alison Hixon

Name: Alison Hixon

Hometown: Storm Lake, IA

Education: Stephens College BFA

Select Credits: Lauren in Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker, Girl in Autobahn by Neil LaBute. Filmography: Jesse in "Mercy's Girl" directed by Emily Lape, Lillian in "Requiem" directed by Michael Burgner.

Why theater?: It's challenging, and it continues to build me into a better person.

Who do you play in Another Kind of Love?: I play fifteen year old Max.

Tell us about Another Kind of Love: This production is extremely intimate and raw. It deals with family relationships and finding happiness within yourself.

What is it like being a part of Another Kind of Love?: It's truly an honor. Like, I can't even believe I get to incorporate and use so many skills I've worked towards. I secretly was in love with Crystal Skillman before I even found out she was premiering this new play here in Chicago so when I saw she created this play that included punk rock music (which I love) with a female heavy cast I had to be in this. This play is really something special and everyone has been working their asses off.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I like to see theatre that makes me jealous I wasn't a part of it. My closest friends and family inspire me the most. I've got 2 kick ass sisters who have fueled my creativity my whole life. Music has also influenced every creative dynamic in myself whether it be painting, illustrating, acting, or playing music.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Don't get me started! I've got LISTS, man, LISTS. I really want to play Rose in Annie Baker's The Flick someday. I read it this past year and it's probably one of my favorite plays I've read in a long time. I'm getting more and more interested in film as well so there are tons of roles living up in my head.

What’s your favorite showtune?: Umm, "Fugazi"?

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I'm going to stick with some Chicagoans and go ahead and say Joe Swanberg,  Dexter Ballard, Profiles Theatre.... maybe Danny Devito, Jennifer Lawrence, and Debbie Harry.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Hmm, I'm going to go ahead and say Queen Latifah and it'd be called Weekend at Al's

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Another Kind of LOVEEEEE!!!!

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: I ....I keep up with the kardashians......(bows head-single tear)

What’s up next?: I'm involved with shooting for a new independent feature this summer. I've also recently just put up all of my artwork up at Dollop Coffee located on Clarendon. Go and check it out!

For more on Alison, visit amaehix.blogspot.com, http://shesaidillustrations.weebly.com and SheSaid Illustrations on Facebook.

Spotlight On...Annie Prichard

Name: Annie Prichard

Hometown: Ventura, CA. Living and working in Chicago.

Education: MFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul.

Select Credits: Another Bone (Redtwist Theatre) A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (Stage Left), Crime Scene (Collaboration),  Complicated (Three Oaks Theatre Festival), Counterfeiters (Dog & Pony), The Altruists, Pleasant Dreams (Two Lights Theatre Company)

Why theater?: Because theatre happens right in front of you.

Who do you play in Another Kind of Love?: Kit Singer.

Tell us about Another Kind of Love: To me, Another Kind of Love is a play about falling apart. And then remembering the one thing that might save you. And going to get it.

What is it like being a part of Another Kind of Love?: This cast is really incredible. And playing music with these ladies has been some of the most fun I’ve had in a long time.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: The honest kind. I’m inspired by the thing that is created in the room. I bring all of me, you bring all of you. And we’ll see what happens when we throw it all together. I think theatre at its best is really good at nurturing that creativity and using it to deepen the honesty and specificity of the work.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Romeo.

What’s your favorite showtune?: "Cabaret".

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Dexter Bullard.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I would play me and it would be called “Last Night’s Eyeliner”.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: The Hypocrites' Our Town. Chicago still hasn’t stopped talking about it.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I highly recommend The Grown-Up over at Shattered Globe, directed by Krissy Vanderwarker. Couple weeks left, don’t miss it!

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Arizona iced tea.

What’s up next?: Up next I’ll be joining Dog & Pony for their remount of The Whole World is Watching, a play with music about the Chicago ’68 DNC.