 | Matthew Zaradich
Artistic Director A graduate of Indiana University, Matthew has been seen in many productions including Sideways/Capt. Collins in Our Country's Good, Dr. Miklos Nyiszli in The Grey Zone, Peter in The Garden Party, T. Stedman Harder in A Moon for the Misbegotten, Julian Marsh in 42nd Street, and Robert Matthews in God's Country, among many other roles. Matthew was also Artistic Director of University Players for the 2003 - 2004 season, a role in which he produced a season that included Charles Busch's Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Rebecca Gilman's Boy Gets Girl, and Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show. He was most recently seen in Chicago as Larry in Burn This (Windy City Times Critics' Pick) and as Sorin in The Seagull, both with GroundUp Theatre. As Executive Director of Purple Bench, Matthew is a founding member and produced their debut production of The Big Funk. Matthew directed PBP's production of Phyllis Nagy's Disappeared, as well as assistant directed the PBP's Chicago premiere of My Name is Rachel Corrie. Matthew also recently completed directing Letters/X: 6 with GroundUp Theatre. Matthew also serves on the board of Join the Impact - Chicago, a group focusing on GLBT rights in the wake of California's Prop 8 vote in 2008. Matthew is currently directing Romeo & Juliet. Training
Indiana University - B.A. Theatre and Drama - 2004
Folio Technique - Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (Susan Hart) |
 | Stephanie Dodge
Communications Director After arriving in Chicago in 2005, Stephanie is proud to join the Chicago theater scene with Purple Bench Productions.Choosing to forego a career in the respectable and fully impartial world of American media, she hopes to speak out through a more artistic medium, the theatre. In this strange world we live in, she believes in the honesty and power of the theatrical arts. Stephanie also served as Media Relations Coordinator on PBP's productions, Phyllis Nagy's Disappeared and My Name is Rachel Corrie. Stephanie also appeared in Left Field the Movie, a documentary about kickball in Chicago (www.leftfieldthemovie.com). Training
Indiana University - B.A. Journalism; B.A. Theatre and Drama - 2004 |
 | Kyla Thomas
Associate Producer Originally from Colorado, Kyla received her B.F.A. in Theatre from Roosevelt University in 2004. In the years following she's had the pleasure of working as an actor, director and producer. She was a founder and managing director of Sassafrass Productions and later served as an associate with MOB Productions. Favorite credits include Sylvia in Sylvia (Oil Lamp), Stephanie in the original work That Much Mentioned Brilliance (Disciples of Clyde) & Hope in Evolution (MOB Productions). Most recently she had the pleasure of directing Equal Opportunity Offender, a production benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Kyla is currently playing Juliet in Romeo & Juliet. Training
Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University - B.F.A. Theatre Performance – 2004 |
