Distant Era

It may come as no surprise that the incredibly versatile and talented @plaidhatter was incredibly versatile and talented in Distant Era's GOLDEN AGE OF THE SILVER SCREEN series, channeling Hemmingway, Gleason, and Dali while blowing smoke rings like Gandalf. Photo assistance/MUA: @jacquebischoff #blackandwhite #oldhollywood #hemmingway #gleason #dali #distantera

@distant.era NEVER misses! Deep thanks to the incredible Steve Townshend for coming in to document our beautiful show, gorgeous design, and super photogenic actors. Spoilers/disembowlment included. Already missing the top of the world. Kassandra at the Top of the World written and directed by Eileen Tull Co-produced by The Terror Cottas, The Chicago Park District, and Fat Theatre Project April 2-18, 2026 Berger Park Coach House Theatre Edgewater, Chicago, IL Cast and Crew Starring Maya Moreau as Kassandra Featuring: Ethan Carlson…………….Apollo Jonathan Crabtree……..A Bird Jacque Bischoff…………A Second Bird Joél Cordova…………….Another Bird Carleigh Ray……………..US/Kassandra Grace Griego…………….US/Birds Dani Major…………………US/Apollo Stage Manager: Tricia Carver-Horner Assistant Stage Manager: Shayla Woolsey Artistic Team Fight & Intimacy Choreography: Bianca Thompson Lighting Design: Leland Culver Makeup & Wardrobe Design: Shellie DiSalvo Projections Design: Annie A Props Design: Taylor Stageberg Sound Design: Aaron Woodstein Scenic Design: Mary Aurora Moore Scenic Assistant: Justin Wojtysiak Dramaturg: Jules Dreitzer Production Manager: Taria Abram Assistant Director: Melissa Golden Casting Director: Taylor Pasche Marketing Director: Melody DeRogatis Graphic Design: Wendy Schmidt Production Team Eileen Tull, Artistic Director, Fat Theatre Project Lou McNaughton, Fat Theatre Project Liaison Morgan Manasa, Associate Producer Wendy Schmidt, Executive Director, The Terror Cottas Latham Zearfoss, Cultural Liaison for the Arts & Culture Unit of The Chicago Park District

Heauxs and Breauxs standby for an obscene amount of Gallagherian Content. This is one of my favorites from the 2/25 headshot sesh with @the_townshend for A Distant Era. Am in mid belt singing my Chicago blues cover of RATM's "No Shelter" (Brand new biceps/arms by Paloma. Not a designer or health guru. Just a 110 pound German Shepherd. LOL)

My dear friend and ren faire kindred of thirty-four years, Erin Rogers has been one of Distant Era's most steadfast supporters over the years, offering encouragement in good times and bad. This has meant the world to me. In 2025, Erin decided to book her own Distant Era session in my former home of Athens, Ohio. There, she gathered her lifelong gaming companions of fifty years, and we photographed a celebration of their friendship. It was one of those days where the work has felt the most meaningful, the most rewarding. As we made hero portraits with Erin's gaming group, it felt like we were fulfilling the purpose for which Distant Era was created. Thanks to Erin Rogers, the group (Kevin, Johnny, Christie, Mike, Doug, Geoff), and my fantastic assistants for this shoot, @john_klump and Erin's dad Chip. It was the very best of times. #portrait #fantasy #gaming #friendship #distantera

My birthday gift to myself was finishing Distant Era personal work. In this case, my Photoshop collage series GODS AND HEROES OF THE AEGEAN #2: PERSEPHONE, featuring @pixiesandpins It took over a year to complete and could not have been finished without advice from @anetherealfire , my mentor in compositing, for whose invaluable advice I am humbly grateful. Thanks to the artistic team for Gods and Heroes of the Aegean: @mohrlove316 (lead costumer), @quinn.of.pentacles (mythology consultant and photo assistance), @erinrosedesign (costume consultant), and @aelvishbard (photo assistance and MVP). I have written a too-long blog about the process on The All Worlds Traveller blog linked in my bio. #distantera #greekmyth #persephone #photoshop #composite #collage #hades

today marks my solar return, the end of a decade, the day after Lupercalia, and the day before a solar eclipse, and a new moon, with a Chinese new year. that feels classically me. a major solar return and then let’s turn all the lights off. my chart is ruled by the moon - of course I have my sun in the darkest possible part. reflected, deflected, shining a silver light. born in the part of winter when the light finally starts to return, when the thawing out begins, however subtle, and not always perceived if you aren’t paying attention. I feel it every year. and despite the chaos of the last decade of my life, I still really value my birthday. the age thing bugs me and it also doesn’t, I’ve been old since I was born. I value marking the fact that I am here. despite it all. sometimes in literal spite I have held on. I think about my muse and astrological counterpart Lord Byron, not even making it this far, so I cannot help but be grateful. I have been told as a woman my love life and hope for a career is basically over at this age, and yet I feel like I have only just gotten the slightest grip on who I am. I have a huge ego and little confidence. I am humble and grateful and I always expect more. I am a very clever idiot. I crave intimacy and demand freedom. I am emotionally honest and embarrass myself constantly as a result. and I love these parts of myself - and would do anything to change them. if the last decade has taught me anything, what I am and have is precious, if not easily understood. for better and much worse I can safely say I have always been myself. I have never changed for anyone. I have tried to become better, but I have never pretended to be interested in fitting in. I also never really tried to stand out. at least, it has never been purposeful. I just have the audacity to trust my taste above everyone else’s. I have never had much interest in competing against anyone but myself. and that should be valued. and I must learn to value it for myself, if no one else will. even if that simply means looking into the mirror and telling myself, “thank you, thank you, ever thanks. I love you, fully.” * photos by the immensely talented @distant.era

@heatherkaeacts absolutely crushing it in Distant Era's GOLDEN AGE OF THE SILVER SCREEN series, celebrating Hollywood's heyday. Photo: @distant.era Makeup: @jacquebischoff #distantera #oldhollywood #blackandwhite #chicagotheatre

February is for lovers, especially these two beautiful people on the week of their mutual birthdays. Presenting @heatherkaeacts and jared_r_dennis in Distant Era's GOLDEN AGE OF THE SILVER SCREEN series, celebrating Hollywood's heyday like Bogart and Bacall. Photos: @distant.era Makeup: @jacquebischoff #oldhollywood #distantera #blackandwhite #bogartandbacall #chicagotheatre

Game writer, performer and dear friend @pixiesandpins in Distant Era's GOLDEN AGE OF THE SILVER SCREEN series. Our dream team of artists working on the shoot included makeup by @happily.ever.crafters and photo assistance by @jacquebischoff . #distantera #blackandwhite #oldhollywood #glamor #portrait

And wrapping up our @gen_con 2025 cosplay portraits, here's @chriscancosplay 's STELLAR Astrologian from Final Fantasy! #gencon #cosplay #finalfantasy #astrologian

@docseraph warned me about a costume so big it wouldn't fit on my background at @gen_con 2025, and they didn't lie! Here's as much of that magnificent work as Instagram's crop and my background will allow on a Monday. @docseraph entered the cosplay competition with @chriscancosplay , and they won first place in their category, Best Video Game! #gencon #cosplay #finalfantasy #honeyblovely

One of my very favorite portraits of @jessheartscosplay 's outstanding Vi cosplay from Gen Con 2025. @jessheartscosplay created these incredible, fully articulated gauntlets for her costume. In the edit, I added some Arcane graffiti found on Etsy, as well as some hand-painted spatter, light, and fog. Special thanks to MVP @aelvishbard for her photo assistance. #gencon #distantera #arcane #vi #cosplay