Ensemble Member Sadieh Rifai’s Debut, Directed by Alex Mallory, Runs January 30 - March 16, 2025
Chicago, Illinois (January 2, 2025) – A Red Orchid Theatre today announced the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Ensemble Member Sadieh Rifai’s THE CAVE, directed by Alex Mallory, running February 9 - March 16, 2025 (previews January 30 - February 8) on the theatre’s stage at 1531 N. Wells St. Tickets ($35 - $50) are on sale now at www.aredorchidtheatre.org.
Amidst breaking news of the first Gulf War, tragedy forces a Palestinian-American family to move from Las Vegas to Columbus, Ohio, upending their lives. Jamil struggles to hold himself and his family together as the world becomes unbalanced and terror can no longer be buried behind closed doors. Sadieh Rifai’s thriller of a new play examines how a family across cultures and generations leans into love and humor in the face of global turmoil and a fracturing American dream.
The production features Ensemble Members Kirsten Fitzgerald (Bonnie), John Judd (Grandpa), Guy Van Swearingen (Mark / Neil), and Natalie West (Grandma), with H. Adoni Esho (Jamil), Milla Liss (Noor), Aaliyah Montana (Dema), Ashley Neal (Gail), and Omer Abbas Salem (Actor on TV / Omar). Understudies include Mohammad ElBsat (u/s Jamil), Iman Kamel (u/s Dema and Noor), Paul Murray (u/s Mark / Neil and Grandpa), Tatiana Pavela (u/s Bonnie), Melissa Van Kersen (u/s Grandma and Gail), and Faiz Siddique (u/s Actor on TV / Omar).
The creative team includes Sotirios Livaditis (Scenic Designer), Joe Johnson (Assistant Scenic Designer), Kotryna Hilko (Costume Designer), Mike Durst (Lighting Designer), Joe Court (Sound Designer), Julia Alvarez (Properties Designer), Victoria Nassif (Intimacy Director and Assistant Director), Dave Gonzalez (Armorer), Ronnie Malley (Dialect & Language Coach and Cultural Consultant), Hannah Andruss (Wig Designer), Tom Daniel (Technical Director), Duncan Hon (Master Electrician), JC Widman (Stage Manager), Faith Locke (Assistant Stage Manager), Casey Fort (Second Assistant Stage Manager), Patrick Starner (Production Manager), Yasmin Zacaria Mikhaiel (Dramaturg), and Peter Ruiz (Script Supervisor).
About the Artists
SADIEH RIFAI (Playwright) is an ensemble member at AROT where she has performed in Do You Feel Anger?, An Evening at The Talk House and Grey House and Assistant-Directed Turret. Other Chicago credits include the world premiere of The Humans at American Theatre Company along with The Amish Project, Support Group for Men and Christmas Carol(Goodman Theatre). Film credits include The Wise Kids and Olympia. TV credits include Chicago Med, Netflix’s Easy, CBS’s The Red Line, Amazon's Patriot, Apple TV’s Shining Girls, HBO’s third season of Somebody Somewhere, and TJ and Dave’s TV pilot Bettendorf Talks. Sadieh is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and received the Princess Grace Award in 2011.
ALEX MALLORY (Director) is a director and educator for The Theatre School at DePaul University and founder of The Metal Shop Performance Lab, with whom she is directing a touring, community-engaged workshop production of My Name is Rachel Corrie. She is also a facilitator for DE-CRUIT, a healing-centered engagement program for military veterans. Prior to arriving in Chicago, Alex directed and developed new works in New York City, serving as Co-Artistic Director of Poetic Theater Productions and Director of Culture Project’s Women Center Stage Initiative. Her award-winning production of Takeo Rivera's choreopoem GOLIATH toured for seven years throughout New York and California. She holds an MFA in Directing from Northwestern University and a BA from Stanford University, where she received the Louis Sudler Prize in Creative Arts and the Sherifa Omade Edoga Prize for work involving social issues. Associate Member, SDC.
KIRSTEN FITZGERALD (Bonnie) is a proud member of the Ensemble at A Red Orchid Theatre and has served as the Artistic Director since 2008. She was most recently onstage here last season in In Quietness and at NYC’s Minetta Lane Theatre in the Goodman Theatre’s production of Swing State. Select AROT credits include In Quietness, Grey House, Traitor, Evening at the Talk House, The Room, Pilgrim’s Progress, Mud Blue Sky, Butcher of Baraboo, The New Electric Ballroom, Abigail’s Party, Pumpgirl, Weapon of Mass Impact, andThe Sea Horse (for which she was honored to receive a Jeff Award). She also directed The Moors at AROT, which earned her a Jeff Award for Best Director of a Play (Midsize). Other onstage credits include Motherhouse (Rivendell); Swing State, I Hate It Here, ROE, Sweat (Goodman); Mary Page Marlow, The Qualms, Clybourne Park (Steppenwolf); Appropriate,Lettie (Victory Gardens), and work with Chicago Shakes, Utah Shakes, Shattered Globe, Remy Bumppo, Plasticene, Prop, Defiant, and more. TV: Shining Girls, Somebody Somewhere, The Exorcist, Sirens, Chicago Med/Fire/Justice, Underemployed, ER. Film:Widows, Working Man. Representation: Grossman & Jack Talent.
JOHN JUDD (Grandpa) has appeared at A Red Orchid in Gagarin Way, Simpatico (McCarter production) and The Malignant Ampersands. Starting in the mid 1980’s doing Improv under the tutelage of Del Close, he soon found a way into theatre with a script. He has since been seen on virtually all the stages in this great city, including some who are no longer with us, as well as Off-Broadway, regional, and international stages. His most recent screen role was in the series Emperor of Ocean Park.
GUY VAN SWEARINGEN (Mark/Neil) is the founding Artistic Director and an Ensemble Member of A Red Orchid Theatre, where he has appeared in over a dozen productions,including The Moors, The Nether, Red Handed Otter, The Sea Horse (Jeff Nomination), Simpatico (Jeff Nomination) and the World Premiere of The Opponent (which was also produced at 59E59 in NYC). Regional credits include Sweat at Huntington Theatre, Simpatico at the McCarter Theatre, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window at the Goodman Theatre, the World Premiere of Taking Care and a revival of The Time of Your Life at Steppenwolf (which transferred to Seattle Rep and A.C.T.) and Eleven Rooms of Proust (a Lookingglass/About Face/Goodman Theatre collaboration). Other local theatres he’s appeared with include Defiant, Plasticene, Famous Door and Mary Arrchie. Film credits include Captive State, The Dilemma, The Merry Gentleman, Take Shelter, Public Enemies, The Weatherman, Ali, Janie Jones and The Unborn. TV credits include Power Book 4: FORCE (STARZ), Fargo (FX), Chicago Fire (NBC), Boss (STARZ), Sirens (USA), Detroit 1-8-7(ABC), Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (TNT), The Beast (A&E), Turks and Early Edition (CBS).
NATALIE WEST (Grandma) became an A Red Orchid Ensemble member in 2010 and has appeared in many productions, including Revolution, Abigail’s Party, The Butcher of Baraboo, Strandline, Mud Blue Sky, The Mutilated, Evening at the Talk House and Fulfillment Center. Her other Chicago theatre credits include Nell Gwynn at Chicago Shakespeare; Side Man, Naked Eye’s Nickel and Dimed and The Man Who Came to Dinner at Steppenwolf Theatre (the latter was also performed at the Barbican Theatre in London); The God of Hell at Next Theatre, House and Garden at Goodman Theatre, and How I Learned to Drive and The City of Conversation at Northlight Theatre. She is a former member of Remains Theatre Ensemble. Natalie portrayed the character Crystal on the television show Roseanne. She can be seen in the independent film Nate and Margaret as Margaret. Natalie received 9 Jeff awards for her work in Abigail’s Party and The Butcher of Baraboo at A Red Orchid and for Life and Limb at Wisdom Bridge. She holds an MSW from Loyola University Chicago and a BA in Theatre at Indiana University and she attended Webber Douglas Academy in London.
H. ADONI ESHO (Jamil): Adoni is an actor, writer, director and producer. Born in Baghdad, Iraq the youngest of seven children and raised in Chicago, IL. He studied film at Chicago's Columbia College with a focus on Screenwriting. Known for Chicago PD, The Redline and Deli Boys (2025), he studied Improv at The Second City.
MILLA LISS (Noor) is thrilled to perform at A Red Orchid Theatre! Other Chicago credits include: Why are Graham Crackers Hard (Reading - About Face Theatre), Gypsy (Marriott Theatre), The Sound of Music (Paramount Theatre), Fun Home (Paramount Theatre), The Sound of Music (Marriott Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre), The Music Man(Goodman Theatre). Love to my Moms for their endless support. Represented by Gray Talent Group @MillaParkerLiss
AALIYAH MONTANA (Dema) is very excited to be making her A Red Orchid Theatre debut. Previous roles include Chip in Beauty and The Beast (Paramount Theater), Children’s Ensemble in Evita (Drury Lane), and Little Sister u/s in My Dear Dead Drug Lord (Steep Theatre). Aaliyah is a Freshman who loves music, playing the clarinet and anything Taylor Swift. Aaliyah is an ambassador for Paramount’s School of the Arts, striving to make arts accessible for all. Thank you to Gray Talent and the team at A Red Orchid Theatre for this opportunity. IG: aaliyahmontana1
ASHLEY NEAL (Gail) is thrilled to be back at A Red Orchid Theatre where she was previously seen in Killing Game, The Nether, and Red Handed Otter. She was most recently in Bramble Theatre's inaugural production, Evil Perfect. Ashley is a member of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble where she has done numerous shows including Scientific Method, Cal in Camo, Alias Grace, Wrens, These Shining Lives, and more. Other theater credits include Singularity Play with Jackalope Theater, Plano with First Floor Theatre, Eric Argyle with Steep Theatre, Men Should Weep, London Wall, and Stage Door with Griffin Theatre as well as many more. She has appeared in many films and TV episodes including The Chi, Chicago Fire, and many more. She is represented by Big Mouth talent and is a member of SAG. All my thanks to Lloyd and Ida Mae.
OMER ABBAS SALEM (Actor on TV/Omar) is a Chicago actor and playwright. Select Acting Credits- Off Broadway: The Atlantic (Eddie and Dave), Roundabout Theatre (I'm Going to Change the World); Regional: Rep.Theatre of St. Louis (House of Joy), Actors Theatre of Louisville (Angels in America I & II, You Across From Me, A Christmas Carol). Chicago: Steep Theatre (Linda, Light Falls, Earthquakes in London, Zurich), About Face Theatre (Le Switch, Mosque4Mosque), Griffin (In to America), Silk Road Rising (INVASION!, The Lake Effect, My Dear Hussein), The New Coordinates (Merge, Even Longer and Further Away, Love in the Time of Jonestown), The House Theatre (Pinocchio), and Bailiwick Chicago (Princess Mary Demands). His writing has been commissioned and produced by Audible, Steppenwolf Theatre, The Goodman Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, About Face Theatre, Steep Theatre, The New Coordinates, Jackalope Theatre, First Floor Theatre, The Theatre School of DePaul, The Story Theatre, and National Queer Theater. He is represented by Gray Talent Group. More at www.omerabbassalem.com.
FACT SHEET:
THE CAVE
Title: THE CAVE
Written By: Sadieh Rifai*
Directed By: Alex Mallory
Cast: Kirsten Fitzgerald* (Bonnie), John Judd* (Grandpa), Guy Van Swearingen* (Mark / Neil), Natalie West* (Grandma), H. Adoni Esho (Jamil), Milla Liss (Noor), Aaliyah Montana(Dema), Ashley Neal (Gail), Omer Abbas Salem (Actor on TV / Omar). Understudies include Mohammad ElBsat (u/s Jamil), Iman Kamel (u/s Dema and Noor), Paul Murray (u/s Mark / Neil and Grandpa), Tatiana Pavela (u/s Bonnie), Melissa Van Kersen (u/s Grandma and Gail), Faiz Siddique (u/s Actor on TV / Omar)
Creative Team: Sotirios Livaditis (Scenic Designer), Joe Johnson (Assistant Scenic Designer), Kotryna Hilko (Costume Designer), Mike Durst* (Lighting Designer), Joe Court (Sound Designer), Julia Alvarez (Properties Designer), Victoria Nassif (Intimacy Director and Assistant Director), Dave Gonzalez (Armorer), Ronnie Malley (Dialect & Language Coach and Cultural Consultant), Hannah Andruss (Wig Designer), Tom Daniel (Technical Director), Duncan Hon(Master Electrician), JC Widman (Stage Manager), Faith Locke (Assistant Stage Manager), Casey Fort (Second Assistant Stage Manager), Patrick Starner (Production Manager), Yasmin Zacaria Mikhaiel (Dramaturg), Peter Ruiz (Script Supervisor)
* denotes A Red Orchid Theatre Ensemble Member
Dates: January 30 - March 16, 2025
Previews: January 30 - February 7, 2025
Press Opening: Saturday February 8, 2025 at 3 and 7 p.m.
Schedule: Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m.
Location: A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells St.
Tickets: $35-$50 regular run. Student, senior, and group discounts available. A Red Orchid Theatre is participating in Chicago Theatre Week 2025. Performances February 6 - 16 will have a limited inventory of $15 tickets available online with the promotional code CTW25(excludes Opening Night on February 9).
Box Office: (312) 943-8722 or online at www.aredorchidtheatre.org
Sponsors: Production Sponsors: Heidi Graham, Jane P. Madden. Developmental Sponsor: Kate Gray. Impact Partner: Filmpact!
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Images available at the Media Center at this link
ABOUT A RED ORCHID THEATRE
A Red Orchid Theatre has served as an artistic focal point in the heart of the Old Town community of Chicago since 1993 and was honored with a 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Over the past 31 years, its Resident Ensemble has welcomed into its fold an impressive array of award-winning actors, playwrights and theatre artists with the firm belief that live theatre is the greatest sustenance for the human spirit. A Red Orchid is well known and highly acclaimed for its fearless approach to performance and design in the service of unflinchingly intimate stories.
A Red Orchid Theatre is: Karen Aldridge, Lance Baker, Kamal Angelo Bolden, Esteban Andres Cruz, Dado, Mike Durst, Sherman Edwards, Myron Elliott, Jennifer Engstrom, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Joseph Fosco, Steve Haggard, Levi Holloway, Mierka Girten, Larry Grimm, John Judd, Karen Kawa, Karen Kessler, Travis A. Knight, Danny McCarthy, Shade Murray, Brett Neveu, Sadieh Rifai, Grant Sabin, Steve Schine, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen, Doug Vickers and Natalie West.
Sponsor Information
A Red Orchid Theatre remains grateful for the support of our board, donors, and loyal audience who continue to champion our ambitious and powerful storytelling. These sponsors help to create a platform for our talented Ensemble to reach new audiences, and ensure that we remain a source for honest, compassionate, and aesthetically rigorous theatre-making.
A Red Orchid Theatre’s 32nd Season is sponsored by Kamehachi, Picnic Wine & Provisions, and Roost Roastery. The Production Sponsors for The Cave are Heidi Grahamand Jane P. Madden. The Developmental Sponsor for The Cave is Kate Gray. The Impact Partner for The Cave is Filmpact!.
Interested in sponsoring a production? By partnering with us as a sponsor, you will help to take our work to the next level of artistic excellence, while also receiving deeper access to our artists and the creative process. To learn more, please contact Development Director Stephanie Shum at stephanie@aredorchidtheatre.org or 312-943-8722.
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