Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Chicago's only professional theater that seeks to advance women through the power of storytelling, announces the cast for the world premiere of Do Something Pretty by Melissa Ross (The Luckiest, Thinner Than Water, Nice Girl, A Life Extra Ordinary), directed by Rivendell favorite, Jessica Fisch (The Firebirds Take the Field, I Wanna F**king Tear You Apart). Do Something Pretty runs May 2 – June 7, 2026, as part of Rivendell’s 30th Anniversary Season of new plays. The press opening is Monday, May 11, 2026, at 7pm.
The 30th Anniversary Season takes place at Rivendell’s home, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago. Tickets are priced at $28 for previews and $38 for regular performances. Angel and Sponsor tickets are priced $58 and $88 and include a donation. Discounts are available for seniors, students, and military. Tickets go on sale March 23 at rivendelltheatre.org/dosomethingpretty and (773) 334-7728.
Summer of 1992. The United States is in a recession. Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton is about to run for president. Kurt is married to Courtney. Yo MTV Raps is on the TV. And Zach Morris is the only kid with a cell phone.
On a hot August night in a small Massachusetts town the last few weeks before school starts. Three teens try to navigate their way through the murky path to adulthood. Phoebe wants to grow up. Jason wants Evie. And Evie just wants to get as far away from everyone as she possibly can.
Artistic Director Tara Mallen comments, “A few years ago, I was inducted into to the world of Melissa Ross when I was cast in one of her (stunning) plays The Luckiest at Raven Theatre. What struck me most was these complicated, messy, outrageously human women that Melissa centers in all her plays are all portrayed as subjects rather than objects. In 2026, it shouldn’t be the case that this is a rarity—but I promise you that it is. So, when Melissa reached out asking if Rivendell might be interested in her brand-new play depicting two sisters—one on the brink of teendom and the other on the edge of adulthood—I jumped at the chance. I am so delighted to welcome Chicago audiences to hearken back to 1992 and bring Do Something Pretty to our stage at Rivendell.”
This world premiere production of Do Something Pretty marks ensemble member Katherine Mallen Kupferer’s (Phoebe) Rivendell debut. The cast also features Jasper Johnson (Matt), Reilly Oh (Jason) and Jocelyn Zamudio (Evie).
The creative team includes Daira Rodriguez (Assistant Director), Lindsay Mummert (Scenic Design), Saawan Tiwari (Costume Design), Sierra Walker (Lighting Design), Eric Backus (Sound Design), and RTE Ensemble Members Sarah Slight (Dramaturg), and Caroline Michele Uy (Associate Dramaturg). The Production Stage Manager is Rita Vreeland and the Artistic Producer is RTE Member Pat Fries (Artistic Producer).
Rivendell is offering a special mid-season RivPass good for the remainder of its 30th Anniversary Season. The $65 subscription includes a ticket to the 2nd and 3rd mainstage shows. Purchase this offer at rivendelltheatre.org/tickets or by emailing General Manager Trisha Hooper at Trisha@rivendelltheatre.org.
The Do Something Pretty lead production sponsors are Maureen and Anna Miller. Rivendell’s 30th Anniversary Season is sponsored by Sharon I. Furiya.
FACTS / Do Something Pretty
Do Something Pretty
A world premiere by Melissa Ross
Directed by Jessica Fisch
May 2 – June 7, 2026
Cast: RTE member Katherine Mallen Kupferer (Phoebe) with Jasper Johnson (Matt), Reilly Oh (Jason) and Jocelyn Zamudio (Evie).
Creative Team: Daira Rodriguez (Assistant Director), Lindsay Mummert (Scenic Design), Saawan Tiwari (Costume Design), Sierra Walker (Lighting Design), Eric Backus (Sound Design), and RTE Ensemble Members Sarah Slight (Co-Dramaturg), and Caroline Michele Uy (Co-Dramaturg). The Production Stage Manager is Rita Vreeland and the Artistic Producer is RTE Member Pat Fries.
Dates:
Previews: May 2-8, 2026
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Saturday, May 2 at 8pm
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Sunday, May 3 at 3 pm
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Tuesday, May 5 at 8pm
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Wednesday, May 6 at 8pm
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Thursday, May 7 at 8pm
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Friday, May 8, at 8pm
Gala Opening: Sunday, May 10 at 6pm
Press Opening: Monday, May 11 at 7pm
Regular Run: May 15 – June 7, 2026
Thursday-Saturday at 8pm; Saturday at 4pm
Added Performances: Sundays, May 24 and May 31 at 3pm
Open Caption: Thurs May 21 at 8pm; Saturday May 30 at 4pm
Town Halls: Friday May 8, Young Industry Professionals; Saturday May 23 after 4pm performance
About the Artists
Melissa Ross’s (Playwright) plays include Thinner Than Water, A Life Extra Ordinary, Nice Girl, An Entomologist’s Love Story, Of Good Stock and The Luckiest. Her work has been produced around the country at theaters including LAByrinth Theater Company, Manhattan Theater Club, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, The Gift Theater, Raven Theater Company, Kitchen Dog Theater, and San Francisco Playhouse. She is twice commissioned by both South Coast Repertory and Manhattan Theater Club and is currently commissioned by Atlantic Theater Company, Raven Theatre and San Francisco Playhouse. Melissa is a graduate of Bennington College and the Lila Acheson Wallace Playwriting Program at The Juilliard School and is a proud member of LAByrinth Theater Company.
Jessica Fisch (Director) is thrilled to be returning to Rivendell where she previously directed I Wanna F**king Tear You Apart and The Firebirds Take The Field. Recent credits: Dear Evan Hansen (Paramount Theatre), Catch Me If You Can (Marriott Theatre), The Audience (Drury Lane Theatre, Jeff Nomination Best Production), Beautiful (Marriott Theatre, Jeff Winner Best Director and Best Production), Athena (Writers Theatre), Murder on the Orient Express (Drury Lane Theatre, Jeff Nomination Best Production), Dear Jack Dear Louise (Northlight Theatre, Jeff Nomination Best Director and Best Production), And Then There Were None (Drury Lane Theatre), Every Brilliant Thing (Windy City Playhouse), Cry It Out (Northlight Theatre). Jessica is a proud member of SDC and a mom to two awesome kids. MFA: Northwestern University. jessicafisch.com
Katherine Mallen Kupferer (Rivendell Ensemble, Phoebe) Born to Rivendell Theatre Ensemble founding members, Katherine made her professional debut at age five in Chicago Shakespeare Theater's acclaimed production of Gypsy, followed by a featured role in Steve McQueen's film Widows. At 11, she was the youngest ensemble member in A Red Orchid Theatre’s timely production of The Killing Game. In 2024, Katherine appeared alongside her real-life parents in Alex Thompson and Kelly O'Sullivan's film Ghostlight which premiered at Sundance to rave reviews and was subsequently released by IFC Films nationwide. Katherine stars in O’Sullivan and Thompson’s most recent feature Mouse which premiered to critical acclaim at the 2026 Berlinale and will soon be seen in theaters around the globe. She played "Gretchen" in the long-anticipated film adaptation of Judy Blume's beloved classic Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Katherine is a senior at Evanston Township High School.
Jasper Johnson (Matt) is making his Rivendell debut. Chicago credits include: Veal, In Quietness (A Red Orchid Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Drury Lane), Letters Home (Griffin Theatre). TV: Chicago Med, Dark Matter. Film: Young Men, Love Language, The Eden Theory. Commercial: International Delights, Gumout, UWCU. He is a graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University, and moonlights as an EMT in Chicago.
Reilly Oh (Jason) is a Chicago-based actor and is very excited to work with Rivendell for the first time. Some favorite Chicago credits include: Trevor! The Musical (Writers Theatre), Macbeth (Chicago Shakespeare), Baked! (Theo Ubique), The Ninth Hour (Den). TV/Film: Power: Book IV (Starz), Chicago Med (NBC), Soundtrack (Netflix), Dark Matter (Apple), Roommates (Netflix).
Jocelyn Zamudio (Evie) is making her Rivendell debut. Chicago credits include: Sanctuary City, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Billie Jean (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Happy Days Are Here (Again) (Steep Theatre); Anna in the Tropics (Remy Bumppo Theatre); Rust (Goodman Theatre: New Stages); Rightlynd (Victory Gardens Theater). Regional: Bull: a love story (Paramount Theatre). Television: Chicago P.D (NBC), The Chi (Showtime). Jocelyn holds a BA in Theater from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is a 2025 3Arts Make a Wave awardee
About the 30th Season
Rivendell is celebrating three decades of groundbreaking, women-centered storytelling with new works that embody its legacy of centering women's voices, sparking crucial dialogues and advocating for women. This season is both a celebration of Rivendell’s award-winning past and an invitation to experience the bold narratives shaping the future. The 30th season of new plays continues with:
Bonnie’s Last Flight
A World premiere written by Eliza Bent
Directed by RTE Member Devon de Mayo
September 11 - October 18, 2026
Bonnie’s Last Flight is written by Eliza Bent, former New York playwright produced throughout the country, now a Northwestern University faculty member, and is directed by longtime RTE member Devon de Mayo (Scientific Method, Laura and the Sea, The Tasters), Director of Performance in Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Chicago.
It’s Jan’s retirement flight. Everyone knows, except for Greig, Jan’s best friend and coworker of many years. As Greig waxes nostalgic, Jan worries about life post- retirement. LeeAnne, a klutzy newbie flight attendant with a dark past, must avoid her ex on the plane while Captain, a waggish pilot with a weakness for Bloody Marys, is caught in a love triangle. Erik, the co-pilot with a heart of gold, can’t get a word in edgewise. Presiding over the flight is the OG of travel: Mark Twain.
In a comedy set on everyone’s least favorite mode of transit, we must reckon with our crew’s dreams and regrets and ask ourselves: What does it take to really start living?
The Folded Map Project (In Development)
Rivendell's immersive and collaborative devising process continues with the The Folded Map Project, a groundbreaking play created in collaboration with artist, activist and 2026 MacArthur fellow Tonika Lewis Johnson.
Led by a dynamic team of writers, performers, designers and community advocates, to engage with real-life stories from Tonika’s transformative Folded Map Project, highlighting the divides in Chicago's neighborhoods. This past summer, the artist team convened in partnership with University of Chicago's Performance Lab for a session that culminated in a public sharing of the work-in-progress script.
Rivendell’s aim for the Folded Map is to share a fully realized theatrical production in 2027, inspired by the Folded Map Project, creating a pathway to social justice for all who experience it.
About Rivendell Theatre Ensemble’s 30th Anniversary Campaign:
It’s Women’s Work. And for 30 years, it has been our work.
The 30th anniversary marks a pivotal moment for Rivendell — a time to celebrate all we’ve built and invest in what’s next. This campaign fuels the next chapter of our work as a leader in new play development for women playwrights and a vital platform for emerging and established artists. As Chicago’s only women-focused Equity storefront theatre, Rivendell has produced 57 acclaimed works, earned 16 Joseph Jefferson Awards and over forty nominations, and serves more than 200 artists and 3,500 audience members each year through partnerships, performances, and community engagement. With your support, we can continue to deliver groundbreaking new work and champion the next generation of women’s voices.
To learn more about our 30th Anniversary Season Campaign and how you can play a part, email Artistic Director Tara Mallen at Tara@RivendellTheatre.org
For more information about Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, visit http://rivendelltheatre.org. Follow Rivendell on Facebook at Facebook.com/rivendelltheatre and on Instagram at @rivendelltheatre.
Rivendell Theatre Ensemble is supported by generous grants from: SIF Fund at The Chicago Community Trust; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Shubert Foundation; Bayless Family Foundation; Driehaus Foundation; Illinois Arts Council Agency; and The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Wintrust and Sara and the 2 C Dogs. Community support by: Amazing Edibles, Revolution Brewing and Tablescapes.