And we’re open!!!!
“Out Here” has been an unforgettable journey —and one I will treasure. To have been able to collaborate with the brilliant artists Leslie Buxbaum Danzig, erin mckeown & David Levin was a gift!
To this incredible cast—Becca Ayers, Cliff Chamberlain, Ellie Duffey, Bethany Thomas, Z Mowry, Amanda Pulcini, and Alex Goodrich—thank you for diving in so fully, for playing, for listening, and for bringing so much heart (and humor) into this process. These characters are alive because of you.
And our understudy company is fire too!! Shout out to Lexi Alioto, Danielle Davis, Michael McCracken & Avery Moss!
And to our brilliant director Chay Yew and music director, Christie Chiles Twillie, congrats on all you did to shape and shepherd this beautiful, messy, complicated, joyful production!
So grateful to Celeste M. Cooper to be on team casting!!
Can’t wait for audiences to be “out here” with us. This is a truly special one!! 💛 Happy Opening!!!
📸Michael Brosilow
What. A Weekend. 2 sold out electrifying performances at the @lyricopera of @avery_r_young ‘s masterpiece, SAFRONIA! I am beyond humbled to have been in collaboration with the creatives to bring this cast together! So proud of this extraordinary Safronia cast—each performance was filled with emotion, truth, personal connection, and completely captivating.
Grateful to have been a part of casting this alongside Cory Lippiello & Celeste M. Cooper, helping bring together such a powerful group of artists: Avery R. Young, Meagan McNeal, Maiesha McQueen, Lorenzo Rush Jr., Jeff Parker, Zachary James, Jessica Seals, Renelle Nicole, Sydney Charles, Miciah Lathan, Kendal Marie Wilson, Eric Andrew Lewis, Maxel McLoud Schingen, and Bailey A. Champion.
Just in awe of avery r. young for this deeply moving work and huge shout out to Timothy Douglas for guiding it with such care.
What a special, unforgettable night. 💫
Beyond excited for its next chapter at @courttheatre !!
OPENING NIGHT!! 🎭
My son, James McCracken, makes his theatrical debut in Merry Wives of Windsor tonight!!!
As a lifelong Chicago theater superfan (20+ years and counting), I can’t quite wrap my head around this moment. My career has been built on championing, celebrating, studying, auditioning, and cheering for the incredible artists on this stage—and now my son, who was just a spark in my eye when this journey began, is sharing it with them.
My. Mind. Is. Blown.
Endless gratitude to @chicagoshakes ’ casting team, his team at @stewarttalentchicago , and the entire cast and crew for welcoming him and showing him the ropes.
Love you all. Happy Opening!!!
From one very Merry Mama of Chicago 💛
Photo by: Kyle Flubacker
@brothersmccracken
Honored to receive 3 Artios Award nominations for my work at @courttheatre and thrilled to celebrate outstanding casting achievements of my amazing colleagues!
#artiosawards2026 @csacasting
Welcome to the manor! Performances of MISS JULIE are underway and we officially open on Saturday! This cast is FIRE!
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Photos of Mi Kang, Kelvin Roston Jr. and Rebecca Spence by Michael Brosilow
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Grateful to our director, Gabrielle Randle-Bent for your vision and leadership. And shout out to Celeste M. Cooper for being my casting team!
@csacasting@courttheatre
Casting friends! If you need talented kids, serious scouting opportunities at @juniortheaterfestival !!! I’m here in my favorite role, Mom - and yet I can’t help but sneak back on my casting hat when surrounded by so many young artists!! What an honor to see them shine!! And added bonus… @almostfanemous is here!!! He’s the cherry on top! ❤️
And shout out to my son’s group, @ovationacademyarts for pouring their hearts into their performance, working hard, supporting each other and for being recognized for their excellence and selected to perform in the big showcase!! These kids give me hope 💜
How thrilling that @soulonfiremovie is now #2 on @netflix 🍿!! Grateful to be reminded of @johnoleary.inspires ‘s story of resilience and hope even in the darkest of circumstances; to have been a part of a film in which every person involved showed up every day with a spirit of joy, humility and love, from sound to costumes to makeup to executive producers to set teacher to director to PA to driver to actors to the entire O’Leary family and also to the friends, family, school district, casting director, agents, coaches, who were all on team James. And beyond proud of the grit, endurance, resilience, commitment, joy, care, humor & generosity that James displayed every single day. Making a film is hard work and at age 9, James stepped into his work and blew my mind. We are the luckiest to have been included on this journey and will treasure this experience always! We had a blast and are celebrating with our Soul On Fire family in spirit tonight and continuing to ask ourselves, “Why Me?” ♥️🔥🎬
I am still smiling after seeing Shrew a couple times already and can't wait to get back in the audience to see it a couple more times! This ENSEMBLE is INCREDIBLE. True masters of the craft and a brilliant company of actors. I am incredibly proud of this cast and grateful for the chance to have worked with the creative genius that is Marti Lyons. Shrew closes on Sunday, December 14 - be sure to RUN (or ski) to the theater as fast as you can! Leave a comment or emoji if you've seen it already!
Photo of the Shrew Company of Players: Ryder Dean McDaniel, Dexter Zollicoffer, Mark L. Montgomery, Monica West, Netta Walker, Nate Santana, Melisa Soledad Pereyra, Samuel Taylor, Jay Whittaker, and Alex Weisman
Photo captured by Michael Brosilow
Theater made me do it!!! Holiday spirit taking hold! Thanks to @sschellhardt ‘s extraordinary White Christmas at @paramountaurora and @courttheatre ‘s tree at @fly2ohare where we were joined by Buddy!!!
Happy opening to the magical cast & crew of White Christmas! 🎄 I’m counting my blessings! ❄️❄️❄️
Is it really Taming if the cast is this untamable?
This electrifying ensemble is getting ready to open Court’s The Taming of the Shrew! Don't miss this opportunity to see this text come to LIFE! We open Saturday!!
Photo's by @michaelbrosilowphoto
Cast: Ryder Dean McDaniel, Mark L. Montgomery, Melisa Soledad Pereyra, Nate Santana, Samuel Taylor, Netta Walker, Alex Weisman, Monica West, Jay Whittaker, Dexter Zollicoffer
Directed by Marti Lyons
#CastingDirector #CourtTheatre #Shakespeare
