Skip to main content
Home
Spotlight on Lake
  • Login

Full cast announced for American premiere of GANGSTA BABY

  1. Home

Mon, 07/07/2025 - 11:57pm by laughingcat

The three Chicago actors who will join UK-based Cameron Raasdal-Munro in the American premiere of his semi-autobiographical drama GANGSTA BABY were announced today. Open Space Arts is producing the LGBTQ+ drama in association with Emmy-winning Chicago producer G. Riley Mills and Kate Garassino. The drama, which premiered at London’s Hope Theatre in January 2024, will again be directed by Rikki Beadle-Blair, who was appointed an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for his services to drama. GANGSTA BABY follows the story of the young gay sex worker “Junior” in the working-class city of Hastings, southeast of London; and his relationships with his violent and homophobic gangster father “Senior,” his transgender street artist half-brother Pete, and a client whose session with Junior is interrupted when Senior unexpectedly returns. GANGSTA BABY will play September 19 through October 5 in Open Space Arts, 1411 W. Wilson Avenue.
 
As previously announced, Cameron Raasdal-Munro, the play’s author, will repeat his London role as Junior. Veteran Chicago actor Josh Odor will play Senior. Odor was seen most recently in Chicago in NO SUCH THING at Rivendell, in Facility Theatre's Jeff winning RIGHT NOW, and went on for Steppenwolf's NO MAN'S LAND, which starred Austin Pendleton, Jeff Perry and Mark Ulrich. Bryan Nicholas Carter, an alumnus of the School at Steppenwolf seen earlier this year in KID PRINCE AND PABLO with Lifeline Theatre, will play Mitch, the client of sex worker Junior. Jensen Knudson, a student at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts who has understudied with Oak Park Festival Theatre, has been cast as Pete – Junior’s transgender half-brother who is a street artist going by the name “Gangsta Baby.”

Left to right: Cameron Raasdal-Munro, Bryan Nicholas Carter, Jensen Knudson, Josh Odor.

GANGSTA BABY explores themes that represent often forgotten communities; the realities of growing up working class, sex work, of having incarcerated family members, the cruelness of internalized homophobia, classism and the truth of addiction. How growing up in a criminal class affects your perception of self, and what it is like to be raised in that environment as someone queer. After an exceptional stage reading at the Kings Head Theatre, GANGSTA BABY had a three-week run at The Hope Theatre in January 2024. It won the London Theatre website Pink Prince Theatre’s “Best creative of the year,” and “Best male actor of the year” for Cameron’s portrayal of JUNIOR.  Pink Prince Theatre rated it a five-star production, calling it “…a hard-hitting whirlwind of a show which doesn’t shy away from brutal honesty… a truly socially important piece of theatre.” The site www.oughttobeclowns.com praised it for its “kaleidoscopic look at what life on the other side of the tracks can look like, especially for queer kids, and how difficult it can be to chase away the shadow of violence once it has entered your world.”
 
The Chicago staging in Open Space Arts’ intimate 25-seat theatre will follow the tradition of London Pub Theatre, where GANGSTA BABY began. Co-producer Mills says “Chicago’s stages have long been home to fearless storytelling, making it the ideal home for a narrative that pushes boundaries and challenges societal norms. It’s an honor to share our story in a city that values bravery and creativity as deeply as we do, and we couldn’t imagine a more fitting home for GANGSTA BABY."
 
Tickets for GANGSTA BABY will be $30.00 general admission and $25.00 for students and seniors. Tickets will be on sale soon at www.openspacearts.org.
 
LISTING INFORMATION

GANGSTA BABY
US Premiere
By Cameron Raasdal-Munro
Directed by Rikki Beadle-Blair
September 19 – October 5, 2025
Co-produced by Emmy-winning Producer G. Riley Mills.and Kate Garassino 
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3:00 pm
Open Space Arts, 1411 W. Wilson Ave., Chicago

Tickets $30.00 general admission, $25.00 students and seniors. On sale soon at www.openspacearts.org

Junior is a queer sex worker in Hastings suffering from PTSD. His life is plunged into further turmoil during a booking with a new client when his homophobic gangster father “Senior” returns home. Why has his father returned? What does he want from his son? And why now? From writer and performer Cameron Raasdal-Munro, and director Rikki Beadle-Blair MBE, GANGSTA BABY explores themes of class, environmental issues, and how being shunned by a parent for being LGBTQIA+ can develop into internalized homophobia.
 
BIOS

Rikki Beadle-Blair MBE (Director) is a writer, director, composer, choreographer, designer, producer and performer, working in film, theatre, television and radio. Having written and directed 40 plays over the last 20 years, along with several feature films, shorts and tv series, he has won several awards including the Sony Award, the Los Angeles Outfest Screenwriting and Outstanding Achievement awards. His plays include GUTTED, BASHMENT, SHALOM BABY and the recent groundbreaking SUMMER IN LONDON, written for an all-trans cast of performers. He is also known for his work on several feature films and TV series, including the American feature BLACKBIRD starring Oscar-winning actress, Mo’nique, STONEWALL for the Killer Films New York and BBC Films, METROSEXUALITY For Channel 4, NOAH’S ARC for MTV LOGO as well as FIT, KICK OFF and BASHMENT for his own company Team Angelica.

Cameron Raasdal-Munro (Author, Performer), a native of Hastings, UK, made his playwriting and professional performing debut with GANGSTA BABY. For his portrayal of Junior, he was named “Fringe Performer of the Year” by PinkPrinceTheatre.com.

Cameron Raasdal-Munro (Playwright, Junior), a native of Hastings, UK, made his playwriting and professional performing debut with GANGSTA BABY. For his portrayal of Junior, he was named “Fringe Performer of the Year” by PinkPrinceTheatre.com.
 
Bryan Nicholas Carter, he/they (Mitch). THEATRE: KID PRINCE & PABLO and MIDDLE PASSAGE (Lifeline Theatre); THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS (Chicago International Puppet Theatre/La MaMa Experimental Theatre New York); CHAMPION (Lyric Opera of Chicago); THE SALON (Black Ensemble Theatre); DONTRELL WHO KISSED THE SEA (Pegasus Theatre Chicago); BOB MARLEY'S THREE LITTLE BIRDS (Young People's Theatre of Chicago); THE LONG CHRISTMAS DINNER (TUTA Theatre), TIME IS A COLOR AND THE COLOR IS BLUE (Avalanche Theatre); Carter is an alumnus of The School at Steppenwolf.
 
Jensen Knudson (Pete). Originally from Kentucky, Jensen is an Acting BFA major at CCPA @ Roosevelt University. Recent credits include Feste u/s in TWELFTH NIGHT at Oak Park Festival Theatre, Silvius  in AS YOU LIKE IT, Sarah Hollis  in THE WELKIN, and May in SEQUENTIAL CHAOS at Roosevelt. Jensen thanks everyone that has supported them in their journey.
 
Josh Odor (Senior) was recently seen in Lisa Dillman's NO SUCH THING at Rivendell, Facility Theatre's Jeff winning RIGHT NOW, went on for Steppenwolf's NO MAN'S LAND and the world premiere of Nathan Allen Davis' ORIGIN STORY at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Josh has been acting in Chicago for over 20yrs.

G. Riley Mills (Co-Producer) Gary is a playwright, screenwriter and producer. He’s won three Emmys for his work with NBC on THE LOST STORY OF EMMETT TILL: TRIAL IN THE DELTA.
 
Kate Garassino (Co-Producer), previous Executive Director of Bailiwick Chicago and Jeff Award-winning actress, is delighted to join G. Riley Mills, Cameron Munro, and Rikki-Beadle Blair in bringing GANGSTA BABY to Chicago audiences.

David G. Zak (Co-Producer) Zak’s award-winning work of over 40 years as a theater director ranges from the musical, ANIMAL FARM to JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA to THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER. He recently directed THE KRAMER PROJECT at Center on Halsted and MR. PARKER, MASSAGE THERAPY and SUNSETS For OSA. David produced Dan Pal's award-winning short film, COUNTING for Pride Films and Plays. Zak has received six Joseph Jefferson Awards for his work as a writer and director and was elected to the City of Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.
 
OPEN SPACE ARTS, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is dedicated to combating homophobia and transphobia through the transformative power of creativity and cultural expression. Our mission is to foster inclusivity, promote understanding, and empower marginalized communities by utilizing various artistic mediums to challenge discriminatory beliefs and attitudes. OSA won some of the top honors in the Joseph Jefferson Awards for work produced in 2024, including Production of a Play – Short Run (COCK), Direction of a Play – Short Run (Michael D. Graham - LIGHT SWITCH), Performer in a Principal Role – Short Run  (Philip Andrew Monnett – LIGHT SWITCH), and Performer in a Supporting Role – Short Run (Sonya Robinson – COCK) . Additionally, Open Space Arts has produced SUNSETS: TWO ACTS ON A BEACH, ROSENBERG, MASSAGE THERAPY, MERCY KILLING, MR. PARKER, “it’s been ten years since everyone died. a play about final girls” and THE KRAMER PROJECT in live performances. OSA also produces the Queer Expressions Film Fest, a hybrid fest of streaming and in-person events, which runs from November 1 to July 1 annually. Open Space Arts is led by David Zak.
 

Theater Spotlight
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Shore News
    • Arts, Dance, Music Spotlight
    • Entertainment Spotlight
    • Event Spotlight
    • Family & School Spotlight
    • Food Spotlight
    • News Spotlight
    • Sports News
    • Spotlight on Reviews
      • Reviews by Carol Moore
      • Opera and Dance Reviews
      • Other Professional Theater Reviews
      • Community Theater Reviews
      • Interviews, Non-Theater Reviews, Stories, Whatever
    • Theater Spotlight
  • Theater This Week
  • Entertainment This Week
  • Theater Openings This Month
  • What's Happening Online
  • Meetings & Stuff This Week
  • Search

Upcoming Events

July 6 - July 12 * This Week in Indiana History

Indiana State Library Summer Lecture Series: The Life and Times of Madge Oberholtzer

Kalapriya Center for Indian Performing Arts announces 3rd Annual Summer Mela with South Asian Art, Culture & Cuisine

The King Returns to TATC! | Tyler Christopher's Authentic Tribute to Elvis July 12th!

TATC presents A Tribute to Elvis Presley

more

© 2005-2035 Spotlight on Lake - All rights reserved. facebook Laughing Cat Production