Allison Cain Joins Lifeline Theater As New Managing Director

Lifeline Theatre welcomed Allison Cain as their new Managing Director starting March 24, 2009. In this fulltime, on-site position, Cain will be responsible for all the theatre's non-artistic functions, including operations, finance, marketing and strategic planning, and have oversight of all development and fundraising.

Together with Artistic Director Dorothy Milne, Cain will continue to work on the ensemble's 26th anniversary, 2008-2009 season, which will feature the "Mystery3" (or "Mystery Cubed") benefit with Sara Paretsky on April 16 at the Chicago Cultural Center, and concludes with the world premiere adaptation of Dorothy L. Sayers' "Busman's Honeymoon," running May 1-June 21, 2009. Lifeline Theatre is also a member of the community partnership that will present this summer's Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest (August 22-23, GlenwoodAve.org). The non-profit's 2009-2010 season begins with two world premiere stage adaptations - the MainStage production "Treasure Island" (running September 11-November 1, 2009) , and the KidSeries musical "Dooby Dooby Moo" (running October 17-December 6, 2009).

From 2001-2008, Cain was Factory Theater's Executive Director (where she remains an ensemble member), and was Artistic Director of Studio 108 from 1991-1998. She received her training at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, and at Chicago's Columbia College, and, since 1990, has worked almost exclusively on new work in Los Angeles, Connecticut, and Scotland, in addition to Chicago. Lifeline audiences will recognize Cain from her work as an actor in the MainStage productions of "Johnny Tremain," "Crossing California," "The Mark of Zorro," and "Mariette in Ecstasy," as well as in numerous productions over the past 17 years with Factory and other Chicagoland theaters. Cain had been concurrently working in the corporate world for the past 25 years, and for 13 of them as a Human Resources professional. She said, "I am thrilled to make the full-time transition to the not-for-profit theater world, and remain committed to the development and production of new works."

Lifeline's single and season tickets, including group discounts and Rogers Park Theatre Flex Passes (for multi-theatre and restaurant discounts), are available at 773-761-4477 (special event details at LifelineTheatre.com). Lifeline's previous managing director Angelo Barone recently departed the theatre to join the Howard Brown Health Center's senior finance and accounting team, leaving the organization in a strong position of cash flow and profitability.

In addition to Cain and Milne, Lifeline Theatre is led by an active group of 20 artistic ensemble members, including Patrick Blashill, Christina Calvit, Victoria DeIorio, Alan Donahue, Kevin D. Gawley, Peter Greenberg, James E. Grote, John Hildreth, Paul S. Holmquist, Elise Kauzlaric, Robert Kauzlaric, Frances Limoncelli, Katie McLean, Shole Milos, SAndy Snyder Pietz, Suzanne Plunkett, Phil Timberlake, Jenifer Tyler, and Elizabeth Powell Wislar.

Now in its 26th season, Lifeline Theatre is known for specializing in original literary adaptations. Its ensemble of artists uses imaginative, unconventional staging to portray sprawling stories in an intimate space. Lifeline is committed to promoting the arts in its Rogers Park neighborhood and is an anchor of the Glenwood Avenue Arts District. We aspire to create art that is relevant to our culturally diverse, increasingly youthful neighborhood. Lifeline Theatre - Big Stories, Up Close.

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