Admission is free.
This show is free and “sold out“, but seats may open up the day of the performance due to no-shows or last-minute returns. If you would like to try attending using standby tickets, we recommend arriving at 1700 N. Halsted at 6:00PM. Steppenwolf’s standby protocol is as follows: one hour before the show they release a limited number of standby tickets on a first-come-first served basis. At show time they get as many standby audience members in as they can accommodate.
Reading Two: A Solo Show & A Full Length Play
“Breaking Rules, Broken Hearts: Loving across Borders” by Ada Cheng, directed by Jonald Jude Reyes
This solo show tackles issues about gender, culture, and feminism. It asks the question of how one learns about womanhood, love, and abuse in different cultural contexts. This is a story about domestic violence and its effect on mother-daughter relationship through the lens of a child as well as an adult
This solo show tackles issues about gender, culture, and feminism. It asks the question of how one learns about womanhood, love, and abuse in different cultural contexts. This is a story about domestic violence and its effect on mother-daughter relationship through the lens of a child as well as an adult
“The Fixer” by Susan H. Pak, directed by Helen Young
A bitter, despondent, Asian American expat is thrilled when her best friend, a beautiful and brilliant attorney, joins her in the sparkling city of Dubai. The two enjoy a luxurious and decadent existence at their dream jobs, until one of them is unceremoniously fired. Can the two keep their friendship intact, as they attempt to navigate the shark infested waters of overseas office politics? The Fixer hilariously examines the ways in which lifelong best friends confront issues of allyship, intersectional feminism, and American exceptionalism, as they attempt to protect themselves and each other from an increasingly hostile and intolerant world.
A bitter, despondent, Asian American expat is thrilled when her best friend, a beautiful and brilliant attorney, joins her in the sparkling city of Dubai. The two enjoy a luxurious and decadent existence at their dream jobs, until one of them is unceremoniously fired. Can the two keep their friendship intact, as they attempt to navigate the shark infested waters of overseas office politics? The Fixer hilariously examines the ways in which lifelong best friends confront issues of allyship, intersectional feminism, and American exceptionalism, as they attempt to protect themselves and each other from an increasingly hostile and intolerant world.
Playwrights
Ada Cheng is a professor-turned storyteller and performing artist. She debuted her second solo show, Breaking Rules, Broken Hearts: Loving across Borders, with Fillet of Solo Storytelling Festival in January 2018. She produces and hosts Am I Man Enough: A Storytelling/Podcasting Show, where people tell personal stories to critically examine the culture of toxic masculinity and the construction of masculinity and manhood, as well as Talk Stories: An Asian American/Asian Diaspora Storytelling Show (along with Archy Jamjun). Website Ada Cheng is a professor-turned storyteller and performing artist. She debuted her second solo show, Breaking Rules, Broken Hearts: Loving across Borders, with Fillet of Solo Storytelling Festival in January 2018. She produces and hosts Am I Man Enough: A Storytelling/Podcasting Show, where people tell personal stories to critically examine the culture of toxic masculinity and the construction of masculinity and manhood, as well as Talk Stories: An Asian American/Asian Diaspora Storytelling Show (along with Archy Jamjun).
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Susan H. Pak is a Chicago Dramatists Resident Playwright and Assistant Professor in Residence at Northwestern University in Qatar. She received an MFA in writing for the screen and stage at Northwestern University; she received both a BA in English and a JD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her plays have been produced in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles and include: Marabar at Chicago Dramatists, Ghost Girl at the Workshop Theater, T.A.B. at New York’s Downtown Urban Theater Festival, and the Manhattan Repertory Theater Festival; Haters at New York’s Midtown International Theater Festival; Baby Shower at New York’s Network One Act Festival; Incredible Invisible at Chicago’s Bailiwick Director’s Fest; Ladies’ Man at Chicago Dramatists; and The Writers at Theater Unleashed in Los Angeles. Her full-length play Boys enjoyed a 12-week run at the Tinfish Theater in Chicago.
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Cast of "The Fixer"
Deveon Bromby is thrilled to be a part of “our perspective”. Recently, she was seen as the understudy for Prix in “Breath, Boom” at Eclipse Theatre. Other recent projects include: Silk Road Rising’s “EPIC” program, reading of “The Hot Wing Special” with Three Cat Productions, Black Ensemble Theatre’s Black Playwrights summer series, at Stage 773 with the Women’s Theatre Alliance Showcase, for Peacebook with Collaboraction, and touring the country performing with Bright Star Touring Theatre. Her recent film credits include a commercial for General Tire and industrial for Comcast/Xfinity. She would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work in bringing this important work to life.
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Martin Hanna is an Iraqi actor who has called Chicago home for the past 15 years. Chicago credits include: Mary Stuart (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Yasmina’s Necklace (Goodman Theatre); The Hard Problem (Court Theatre); Human Terrain (Broken Nose Theatre). Regional credits: The Invisible Hand, A Christmas Carol, Dreamgirls (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre); and The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth, Failure: A Love Story, The Magical Mind of Billy Shakespeare (Illinois Shakespeare Festival). Martin received a BA in Acting from the Arts University Bournemouth in Bournemouth, England.
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Helen Joo Lee was last seen in Sideshow Theatre’s You For Me For You, Second City’s 41st revue Fantastic Super Great Nation Numero Uno, and A-Squared/Halcyon’s American Hwangap. She enjoys performing with the Comedy Dance Collective (yes, it’s a thing!) and the all-Asian comedy group Stir Friday Night. Television credits include Chicago Med and Empire. You can find her in the upcoming films Teacher and Canal Street. Many thanks to the team at Stewart Talent!
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Matthew J. Lipman is a Chicago based actor – writer – storyteller – philosopher (with the degree to prove the last one). He has studied at the Audition Center, Center Theater, the Acting Studio and iOS. He is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild. He believes that all times are times to be questioned and is happy to be living in a time where people have the courage to question. To this end, he is very excited to be a part of something as timely and thought provoking as the “perspective” series.
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Maeghan Looney is an Indiana transplant. A graduate of Ball State University, she was most recently seen in the hit farce Boeing Boeing (Gloria) at Metropolis Performing Arts Center. She originated the role of Hannah in the world premiere folk-thriller musical My Name is Annie King with Underscore Theatre. Prior, she could often be found donning a corset in such classics as The Importance of Being Earnest (Gwendolen Fairfax) and Jane Austen’s Emma (Augusta Elton) to name a few. She is grateful for the opportunity to be involved in the creation of important new work.
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Gloria Imseih Petrelli is honored to be a part of Our Perspective. Recent credits include Pegasus Theatre’s Young Playwright Festival and Silk Road Rising’s Crescent and Star series. Gloria is a graduate of the Illinois State University School of Theatre and Dance and would like to thank her friends an family for the infinite sweetness.
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Directors
Jonald Jude Reyes is a Writer, Performer, and Director based in Chicago, IL. He graduated from Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ) with an English degree, concentrating on Cinema Studies. Continuing an interest in the performing arts, he has completed programs at the Second City, iO Theater, the Annoyance, and the Chicago Dramatists Theater. His Directing resume includes “The Shrimpshack Redemption” (The Second City, 2017), “Not Quite: Asian American by Law, Asian Woman by Desire” (Capital Fringe Festival 2017, Washington DC), “Splatter Theater” (Annoyance Theater, 2017 & 2016), “Love in the Time of Cholesterol” (Out of Bounds Festival 2015, Austin, TX), and “Six Characters In Search of an Author” (Stage 773, 2014). Reyes has been honored to be voted as Chicago Reader’s Best of Stage Director (2012, 2013, 2014 & 2016). He is a member of the 2017 Lincoln Center Theater (NYC) Directors Lab and DirectorsLabChicago 2016. Jonald is also the Artistic Director of the 22-year old Asian American comedy troupe, Stir Friday Night!
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Helen Young is an actor and director. As director, recent projects include: Wild Boar (Silk Road Rising), American Hwangap (A-Squared and Halcyon, Jeff Recommended), Tea (Prologue, Jeff Recommended), and Tiny Dynamite (Halcyon). Other projects include: The Audience (TimeLine, Associate Dir.), Great Expectations (Silk Road Rising and Remy Bummpo, Asst Dir.), The Hundred Flowers Project (Silk Road Rising, Asst Dir), Beaten (Artistic Home, Asst Dir.), The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin, Fort Nightly (TimeLine, Reading Dir.), Chimerica (TimeLine, Asst Dramaturg), Red Flamboyant (Silk Road Rising, Reading Dir.) Additional directing credits include work with Indie Boots (festival winner), Polarity Ensemble (festival winner), Broken Nose, Artemesia and Artistic Home. And, Helen actively maintains her acting work in theatre, film and television as well as her full time tech job with Amazon. Helen is passionate about continuing a multi-disciplinary artist’s path and encourages women to do the same. She believes that curiosity, knowledge and skill in multiple disciplines and viewpoints is the best way to affect change through a lifetime of story-telling.
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Marie Tredway is thrilled to be part of such an exciting and creative project. Marie is an actor/director/choreographer/blogger. Upcoming directing projects include Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and Love and Information with Three Brothers Theatre in Waukegan, IL. Acting credits include Silk Road Rising’s Wild Boar (Tricia u/s), Artistic Conspiracy’s world premiere Chicago Afterdark, Poetic Forum Collective’s all-femme St. Joan and Muse of Fire’s Pericles. She holds a B.A in Theatre Performance from Carthage College. You can see her next in Nothing Without a Company’s Not One Ba’tu.
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The Our Perspective team includes executive producer Mia Park and producers Karissa Murrell Myers, Sydney Mercado, and Stephen George. Karissa Murrell Myers also serves as casting director.
Special thanks to our media partner ENERI Communications.