Jenifer Tyler News

Lifeline Theatre has revealed its 2024-2025 season featuring a KidSeries world premiere, and more. See full programming and learn how to purchase tickets.

Lifeline Theatre has revealed its 2023-24 season of Big Stories, Up Close. It’s an exciting year of unforgettable stories brought to life, from beloved classics to modern titles.

Lifeline Theatre will welcome Addoris Davis as Production Manager and John Craig as Operations Manager, beginning in May 2023.  Reporting to Artistic Director Ilesa Duncan and working in partnership with the Operations Manager, Davis will be responsible for managing the overall production of all of Lifeline’s programming.  

Lifeline Theatre welcomes Paige Keedy as Production Manager, Nathan Crawford as Operations Manager/Accessibility Coordinator, and Merissa Stewart as Education Director, beginning in Summer 2022.  Reporting to Artistic Director Ilesa Duncan and working in partnership with the Operations Manager, Keedy will be responsible for managing the overall production of all of Lifeline's programming. 

Lifeline Theatre announced their 2022-23 season of Big Stories, Up Close. It’s a monumental year of unforgettable stories brought to life, from beloved classics to modern titles. The 2022-23 MainStage season features the Midwest premiere sequel Miss Holmes Returns, followed by a retelling of Dr. Endesha Ida Mae Holland’s From the Mississippi Delta.

​​​​​​​Lifeline Theatre welcomes Amelia Ablan to her new staff position as Production Manager, beginning June 2021. Reporting directly to Artistic Director Ilesa Duncan and Managing Director Allison Cain, Ablan will be responsible for overseeing the production processes for the company, collaborating closely with directors and the Artistic Director to fulfill the production needs for Lifeline's future live and digital programming.  Ablan succeeds Jennifer McClendon, who served as Production Manager since 2016, now heading to Providence, Rhode Island to Trinity Repertory Company as their new Producing Director.

Lifeline Theatre welcomes ensemble member Andres Enriquez to his new staff position as casting director, beginning February 2018. Reporting directly to Artistic Director Dorothy Milne and Managing Director Allison Cain, Enriquez will be responsible for overseeing the audition processes for the company, collaborating closely with directors to fulfill the casting needs for Lifeline's three MainStage and three KidSeries productions every season.

Lifeline Theatre Artistic Director Dorothy Milne and the artistic ensemble announce their 2018-19 season of Big Stories, Up Close. It's another year of unforgettable stories brought to life, from beloved classics to modern titles.

Lifeline Theatre is proud to announce six new members of its artistic ensemble: Bilal Dardai, Andr s Enriquez, Diane D. Fairchild, Anthony Kayer, Martel Manning, and Michael McKeogh. Lifeline's ensemble determines the company's artistic programming and provides leadership, support, and counsel in the play development process.

 Pride Films and Plays will again host its annual Nominee Night cabaret showcasing many of the musical theater performers nominated in the Non-Equity Jeff Awards. The nominees were announced on April 24 and the awards will be presented June 5, 2017 at the Atheneaum Theatre. This year's cabaret will for the first time be performed in the Broadway, Pride Arts Center - the new home the company acquired in summer 2016. The theater is located at 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. Audience members will have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for a door prize drawing for $400.00 in airfare from Southwest Airlines.

The Jeff Awards announced, via a special video presentation, a total of 127 nominations in 26 categories for the 44th Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2016, and March 31, 2017.  Hosting the video presentation were Alexis Roston and Lillian Castillo, who will be this year's Mistresses of Ceremonies at the Awards event on June 5 at The Athenaeum.

To accommodate ticket demand, Lifeline Theatre announces seventeen added performances of its critically-acclaimed production of Northanger Abbey, a world premiere musical with book by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Robert Kauzlaric (Non-Equity Jeff Awards: New Adaptation, The Island of Dr. Moreau and Neverwhere), music and lyrics by George Howe (Non-Equity Jeff Award: New Work-Musical, Queen Lucia), and directed by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Elise Kauzlaric (Non-Equity Jeff nomination: Director-Play, Mariette in Ecstasy), based on the novel by Jane Austen. Catherine Morland leaves her quiet country home for the splendors of Bath, armed only with an innocent heart and the examples of her favorite literary heroines. Immersed in a new world of parties, balls, and high society, Catherine soon finds herself caught in a web of social scheming far above her skill to master. False friends, greedy lovers, and a wealth of misunderstandings lead to the revelation that bruises of the heart can be far more painful than the imagined terrors of Gothic novels. The production runs two and a half hours with one intermission. The book is on sale in the lobby.

Lifeline gives new musical life to Austen obscurity.

The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 121 nominations in 24 categories for the 43rd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016. The Non-Equity Awards honor excellence in Chicago theatres not under a union contract. Jeff judges attended opening nights of 148 productions offered by 67 Non-Equity producing organizations. The Jeff Committee recommended 65 of those shows (or 44%), making them eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations. Of the 65 Jeff Recommended productions, a record 53 (or 82%) received nominations, representing 32 theatre companies.

Lifeline Theatre presents Northanger Abbey, a world premiere musical with book by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Robert Kauzlaric (Non-Equity Jeff Awards: New Adaptation, The Island of Dr. Moreau and Neverwhere), music and lyrics by George Howe (Non-Equity Jeff Award: New Work-Musical, Queen Lucia), and directed by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Elise Kauzlaric (Non-Equity Jeff nomination: Director-Play, Mariette in Ecstasy), based on the novel by Jane Austen. Catherine Morland leaves her quiet country home for the splendors of Bath, armed only with an innocent heart and the examples of her favorite literary heroines. Immersed in a new world of parties, balls, and high society, Catherine soon finds herself caught in a web of social scheming far above her skill to master. False friends, greedy lovers, and a wealth of misunderstandings lead to the revelation that bruises of the heart can be far more painful than the imagined terrors of Gothic novels. The production runs approximately two and a half hours with one intermission. The book will be on sale in the lobby.

Lifeline Theatre presents a world premiere adaptation of D.E. Stevenson's Miss Buncle's Book, by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Christina Calvit (four-time Jeff Award winner), and directed by Lifeline Theatre Artistic Director Dorothy Milne (Jeff Award and After Dark Award winner).

Lifeline Theatre presents a world premiere adaptation of D.E. Stevenson's MISS BUNCLE'S BOOK, by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Christina Calvit (four-time Jeff Award winner), and directed by Lifeline Theatre Artistic Director Dorothy Milne (Jeff Award and After Dark Award winner).

Lifeline Theatre welcomes Jessica Wright Buha to its artistic ensemble, the body which determines the company's artistic programming and provides leadership, support and counsel in its play-development process.

Lifeline Theatre presents a world premiere adaptation of D.E. Stevenson's MISS BUNCLE'S BOOK, by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Christina Calvit (four-time Jeff Award winner), and directed by Lifeline Theatre Artistic Director Dorothy Milne (Jeff Award and After Dark Award winner).

Lifeline Theatre welcomes Josh LeVasseur as Development Director, starting April 6, 2015.