Download Theatre Director Credits Accompishments in theatre direction

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JIM HEATHERLY
AEA Equity Membership Candidate (EMC)
255 Fremont Court
Bloomingdale, Illinois 60108-1817
Cell: 630-202-5182
e-mail: [email protected]
Theatre
TWELVE ANGRY MEN
Producer/Director, production concept, casting, set design and dressing, properties
(Actor Factor Theatre at Madison Street Theatre, May, 2013)
This was a remount production and a faithful adaptation of the original Reginald Rose stage play and Sidney Lumet
film production – right down to the entire production being done in black & white. The entire set (including the
American flag) and the costumes were all done in black and white and the actors wore no make-up and were washed
out with white light to give a complete black and white look and feel of a film noir feature. The production got rave
reviews and was well-attended. People came in from out-of-state to see the show (due to the word-of-mouth publicity
the show received). A difficult show to perform, with all actors on-stage all the time, this was a stellar show, thanks to
an incredible cast of twelve strong male actors.
THE MIRACLE WORKER (Drama)
Producer/Director
(Actor Factor Theatre at Steel Beam Theatre, June 2011)
This was a regional premiere of this outstanding work by William Gibson, the 50th Anniversary revival of which (with
an all-star cast) closed in 2010 on Broadway. The play is based on Helen Keller's autobiography The Story of My
Life. After an illness renders infant Helen Keller blind, deaf, and consequently mute, she is pitied and badly spoiled
by her parents. Having learned no discipline, she grows into a wild, raging creature by the age of six. Desperate, the
Kellers hire Annie Sullivan to serve as a governess and teacher for their young daughter. After several fierce battles
with the little blind girl, Annie convinces her parents she needs two weeks alone with the child if she is to achieve
any progress in her education. In that time, she teaches Helen discipline and language through the use of her fingers,
a breakthrough that has a direct effect on everyone's life and the way they live it. The production opened June 10,
2011 for a four week run at Steel Beam Theatre (91 seat venue) to very substantial (often sold-out) audiences.
CALIBAN, DANCING (Drama)
(n.u.f.a.n. Ensemble, May, 2009)
Director
This was a world premiere production of a new work by playwright Evan Guilford-Blake. It is a tale of a family,
grieving over the recent death of their 10 year-old daughter, and the devastation that loss and failing relationships can
wreak on a family when they see no hope or promise in the future. As a new work, this was a daunting task for a
director, i.e., to make sure that the words the writer has labored over are presented to an audience in such a way as to
touch their hearts and make them think – about this family and, possibly their own lives. This play opened May 8,
2009 and ran for four weeks at the Chicago Actors’ Studio.
WEST SIDE STORY (Musical)
(Marmion Academy, March, 2009)
Vocal Director
This production was a faithful adaptation of the Broadway musical by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. The
classic tale of Romeo & Juliet adapted to the West Side of New York in the 60s. A period before the civil rights
movement when prejudice and gang violence was the way scores were settled. This was the most ambitious production
Marmion Academy has undertaken in ten years and, with a cast of 40 high school students (from both Marmion
Academy and Rosary High School), this production was a challenge. But, the end-result proved very rewarding and
has resulted in a request for similar services next year.
JIM HEATHERLY
JEKYLL & HYDE – The Musical
(Summer Place Theater, Aug., 2005)
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Director, Co-Producer, casting, set concept and dressing, properties,
vocal coach (male), costume design
This production was a full-scale recreation of the Broadway musical by Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse. This was
the largest production Summer Place has ever undertaken with a cast of more than fifty (50) singers and dancers, eight
elaborate sets pieces (wagons and flown pieces), costumes and wigs brought in from New York and major East Coast
costume shops, and a full 24-piece orchestra. This is the musical version of the tragic Robert Louis Stevenson tale of
“The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll& and Mr. Hyde.” Blessed with a remarkable Dr. Jekyll and two remarkable women as
Lucy and Emma, and backed by an amazing cast and crew this show was a huge success.
ANNIE – The Musical
(Wood Dale Jr. H.S., April, 2005)
Director, Stage Mgr., casting, set design and dressing, properties,
choreography
This production was a faithful adaptation of the Broadway musical that ran for years. An orphan, Annie, and her dog
Sandy are placed in the lap of luxury for a week as a part of a publicity campaign for the rich and sometimes
heartless Oliver Warbucks. However, Annie's stay turns out to be much more than anyone had bargained for as she
works her way into everyone's heart and learns a few things for herself. With a cast of 40 junior high school students
(many in their first play of any kind), this production was a challenge. But, the end-result was very rewarding and an
extremely gratifying experience.
TWELVE ANGRY MEN
(Alchemy Theatre, Feb., 2005)
Director, production concept, casting, set design and dressing,
properties
This production was a faithful adaptation of the original Reginald Rose stage play and Sidney Lumet film production –
right down to the entire production being done in black & white. The entire set (including the American flag) and the
costumes were all done in black and white and the actors wore no make-up and were washed out with white light to
give a complete black and white look and feel of a film noir feature. The production got rave reviews and was wellattended. People drove in from as far away as Joliet and Rockford to see the show (due to the publicity the show
received). A difficult show to perform, with all actors on-stage all the time, this was a stellar show, thanks to an
incredible cast of twelve strong male actors.
TO GILLIAN ON HER 37th BIRTHDAY Director, casting, set design and dressing, properties
(Alchemy Theatre, Sept. 2004)
This production of Michael Brady's "To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday" is the story of David, a former college
professor, who has been hard-hit by the accidental death of his wife, an event that took place some two years earlier.
His subsequent withdrawal from life worries his teen daughter Rachel, and angers his sister-in-law Esther, who
threatens to use the legal system to take Rachel from him. Esther and husband, Paul, come to visit David and Rachel
and bring with them a woman named Kevin for David to meet. Brady's play is simply a good basic examination of
human reactions to loss. This show presented some interesting challenges - not the least of which was a main
character, Gillian, who, while dead for two years, is on stage a lot. I was faced again with the idea of ghosts that can
be seen and heard by some, but not others. It created interesting lighting challenges and presented a play that had to
work on different levels. Another challenge was presenting the audience with a beach house setting on stage
(complete with beach – thanks to a truckload of sand) and a full-scale lighthouse ruin. The cast consisted of seven
strong actors, who were emotionally vulnerable and yet strong of character. It was a remarkably touching show.
JIM HEATHERLY
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BIG – The Musical
(Summer Place Theater, June, 2004)
Technical Director and Stage Manager
This production with a book by John Weidman, music by David Shire, lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. was a musical
version of the 1988 film Big, starring Tom Hanks as Josh Baskin, a boy on the brink of turning 13. The day after
Josh confesses to a wish-granting machine at a carnival that he wants to be big, he wakes up in an adult body.
Suddenly he’s dealing with grown-up concerns, including employment. He gets a job at a toy company and launches
into a charmingly tentative romance with Susan, one of the company’s female executives. As written it’s easy to see
Big as a bittersweet meditation on innocence and maturation. Stepping in the last week of production to “fix the
production” which was running long and had many scenic problems and set-change difficulties, it was an interesting
challenge to “rework” the show to flow smoothly and get it in under two hours. The show turned out to be one of the
bigger hits for Summer Place in recent years.
MOON OVER BUFFALO
(Summer Place Theater, July, 2003)
Director, casting, set design and dressing, properties
This production was a heartfelt homage to theater veterans who, even when they are beyond their prime, find life and
love from their devotion to the theatrical arts. A farcical comedy by Ken Ludwig, this is the story of George and
Charlotte Hay, who now spend their twilight years in the B-Circuit of the theater. Their current stop is Buffalo, NY
where they are doing “Cyrano” and Private Lives” in repertory. George and Charlotte are struggling in their marriage,
George is having an affair with a dim-witted ingénue, Charlotte is tempted to run off with their attorney, their stage
manager is secretly in love with their daughter, who has left to pursue a “real life” and George’s mother-in-law is a deaf
(maybe) wise-cracker who has everyone’s number. The challenge here was to keep the pace constantly accelerating
with just enough restraint to save the biggest laughs until the very end. With a cast not-unlike one you would find in a
Marx Brothers movie, this show was hysterical and completely satisfying for the audiences.
THE UNINVITED
(Limelight Theatre, Nov., 2000)
Stage & Tech. Director, set design and construction,
lighting and sound design
This production was a dramatization (by Tim Kelley) in three acts of the classic ghost story by Dorothy Macardle.
Although the play is a true ghost story, there was a good deal of comedy throughout, which was used to offset the
spooky side of the show. (It also sets up the final scene, unbeknownst to the audience). The cast was made up of four
men, five women and one ghost. The production contained a number of special effects (including a ghost passing
through a real door on-stage) and, despite it being three acts, moved along at a brisk pace. It was very well-received.
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING… Stage Manager, properties
(Buffalo Grove Fine Arts , Aug. 2000)
This was a full scale production of the Andrew Lloyd-Weber musical, which was performed at Stevenson High School
in Lincolnshire (an 880 seat venue). The cast had more than 35 actors and the Stage Manager role was to call the show;
getting actors, scene changes (with a number of major set pieces), and special effects all on and off stage on time and in
the proper order. In addition, I was responsible for the creation and/or acquisition of more than 150 hand props and
major set pieces (including a chariot, pheasant feather fans, and cast-iron bathtub). The show was sold out for the
entire nine performance run and the show ran smoothly during the entire run.
YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU Producer, casting, set design, construction and dressing, properties
(North Shore Theater of Wilmette, January, 2000)
This was a production of the Kaufman & Hart two act play. There were more than sixteen speaking roles in this show.
As producer, I was involved in every aspect of this show, including design and construction of an elaborate set with a
functional staircase to the upstairs rooms, kitchen viewable from the audience, downstairs to a cellar, outside door with
a screen and railed landing, and two functional trap-doors. The show also required a number of special effects,
including one large explosion at the end of Act One. I also was responsible for creation and/or acquisition of more than
sixty props. Despite the fact this show was not a musical and ran in the dead of winter, we sold out the last weekend
and had audiences that averaged about 100-125 persons per show, including a visit by famed actor Ed Harris.
JIM HEATHERLY
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A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Lead stage hand, flying team (Flying by Foy)
Holiday Productions (Equity, Nov./Dec., 1999)
This was an Equity production of the Charles Dickens classic Christmas story of Ebeneezer Scrooge. The production
was mounted at New Trier High School and was well-received. The show sold out the more than 700 seat venue a
number of times during the run and had audiences that averaged about 175-200 persons per show. I was responsible
for “flying” Scrooge and two goblins (trained by Flying-by-Foy). I also was the lead stage hand, responsible for all
properties and moving/rotating the two large set pieces on stage. This show ran for a month (Wednesday matinees,
Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday matinees).
OLIVER!
Co-Director, set dressing and properties
(North Shore Theater of Wilmette, Oct., 1999)
This musical production was a much-watered-down and more upbeat version of the grim Charles Dickens' tale of an
orphan boy who runs away from the orphanage and tries to pick a pocket or two for Fagin, and the adventures that
ensue. As a member of the cast (Mr. Bumble), I was offered the position of co-director when the original director
resigned and the choreographer (Deb Goldman) became the newly appointed director. Only my second effort at
directing, this was quite a challenge, since I was both in the cast and co-directing at the same time. In retrospect it
gave me a new respect for the role of director.
OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY
Director, casting, set concept and dressing, sound, properties, programs
(JPAC Morton College, Aug., 1999)
This production was a dramatization of the two-act play by Jerry Sterner about a Wall Street shark who comes to a
small New England town to take over (and then close) a wire and cable manufacturing company, which has been moreor-less a family business since its founding. The trick in this play is to make the Wall Street shark, known as “Larry the
Liquidator,” who is over-weight, obnoxious, and lecherous, end up as the protagonist in the piece and not have the
audience see him as the villain. I was lucky to have a great cast and a wonderful Larry the Liquidator! It all worked.
This was a production with three sets on-stage all the time, each of which came into view as stage lighting changed. It
was incredibly functional and aided in keeping the action of the play moving along at a good pace. The cast was made
up of three women and three men (with two additional non-speaking roles added).