CHICAGO – Dustin Rothbart and Danny Kapinos, Co-Artistic Directors, are excited to announce the formation of BLANK THEATRE COMPANY. Blank Theatre Company aims to present our audiences with work that is both timely & timeless. Through thematically accessible plays & musicals, we hope to stimulate powerful thought and emotion by carrying on the rich tradition of artistic empowerment and camaraderie in the Chicago theatre community.
Chicago’s newest non-equity storefront theatre company will present its first production in summer 2018, with a full season to be announced later. In the coming months, BLANK will focus on fundraising with The First Page: a cabaret to benefit Blank Theatre Company on Monday, September 25th at Mary’s Attic, featuring live musical performances by some of Chicago’s best musical theatre performers. There will be an Indiegogo campaign to coincide with the cabaret. For additional information on BLANK, visit blanktheatrecompany.com
The First Page will feature performances from BLANK founders Dustin Rothbart, Claire Latourette and Aaron Mann. Joining them will be Jeff Award Winner Henry McGinnis (Bat Boy at Griffin Theatre), Jeff Award Nominee Max DeTogne (High Fidelity at Refuge Theatre Project), Off-Broadway’s Tiffany Tatreau (Ride the Cyclone at MCC Theatre, Rock of Ages at Drury Lane), Molly Coleman (Bare at Refuge Theatre Project, The Wild Party at Bailiwick Chicago), Tessa Dettman (Bonnie and Clyde at Kokandy Productions), Ryan Dooley (Blood Brothers at Theo Ubique) Kayla Kennedy (Mamma Mia at the Marriott Theatre, Little Mermaid at the Paramount Theatre), Tommy Malouf (Great Expectations at Remy Bumppo/Silk Road Rising) Natalie Rae (Standby at Towle Theatre), Sara Reinecke (Mamma Mia at The Paramount Theatre), Chris Selefski (Zanna, Don’t! at Cult Camp Productions), Sam Shankman (Big River at Theatre at the Center) and Chicago newcomer Jennifer Coren. The cabaret was conceived by Dustin Rothbart and will have music direction by Danny Kapinos.
The First Page: a cabaret to benefit Blank Theatre Company
Date/Time: Monday, September 25th at 8:00pm
Location: Mary’s Attic, 5400 N. Clark St, Chicago IL 60640
Featuring: Molly Coleman, Jennifer Coren, Max DeTogne, Tessa Dettman, Ryan Dooley, Kayla Kennedy, Claire Latourette, Tommy Malouf, Aaron Mann, Henry McGinnis, Natalie Rae, Sara Reinecke, Dustin Rothbart, Chris Selefski, Sam Shankman and Tiffany Tatreau.
Musicians: Danny Kapinos and Aaron Kaplan
Tickets: $15 General, $10 Student (with Valid ID). Available in advance and at the door.
About the Founders
Dustin Rothbart (Co-Artistic Director) is a native Chicagoan hailing from Northbrook, IL. His favorite acting credits include: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Funny Girl (Madkap Productions); The History Boys (Eclectic Full Contact Theatre); Buffy: Once More with Feeling (Original Cast – Jason Fleece/Mary’s Attic); Hair, Ragtime (Big Noise Theatre); Cabaret (Brightside Theatre); The Wedding (Red Theatre); Parade (Harper Ensemble Theatre); The Rocky Horror Show (Underscore Theatre Company). Additionally, Dustin has worked with Lifeline Theatre, Pride Films & Plays, Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co., Citadel Theatre, Benevolent Theatre, and Jedlicka Performing Arts Center. Dustin is a graduate of the acting program at Illinois State University.
Danny Kapinos (Co-Artistic Director) is a director, music director, and accompanist in his senior year at Northwestern University, where he is pursuing a BA in Theatre. Credits as a director include productions of My Fair Lady and Tony Kushner’s Only We Who Guard the Mystery Shall Be Unhappy. Credits as a music director include The Secret Garden, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Songs for a New World, and Elephant & Piggie’s We Are In a Play. He also works as an accompanist for the NU musical theatre certificate program.
Aaron Mann (Managing Director) is an Ohioan that has traveled quite a few places before ending up in what he feels to be his true home, Chicago. Some of his favorite credits include Slide (Chicago Music Theater Festival), Oliver! (Citadel Theater), Spamalot playing Sir Robin (WTC), and Little Shop of Horrors playing Mr. Mushnik (WTC). Additionally, he’s also done multiple national recordings for Music Theatre International (MTI) in New York including Sweeney Todd, The Sound of Plaid, and Miss Saigon. Aaron is a graduate from Nebraska Wesleyan University with his BFA in Theatre Studies.
Claire Latourette (Artistic Associate) is currently in her senior year of The Chicago College of Performing Arts receiving her B.F.A in Musical Theatre. Favorite CCPA credits include Legally Blonde (Elle Woods) and Hair (The Tribe). Other credits include Next To Normal (Natalie Goodman), Parade (Mary Phagan), and The Diary of Anne Frank (Anne Frank). A Chicago native, she is thrilled to be a part of creating a company in her favorite city.
Mission Statement
Blank Theatre Company aims to present our audiences with work that is both timely & timeless. Through thematically accessible plays & musicals, we hope to stimulate powerful thought and emotion by carrying on the rich tradition of artistic empowerment and camaraderie in the Chicago theatre community.
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