James Beard Award-winning Chef Rick Bayless and Windy City Playhouse Artistic Director Amy Rubenstein today announced the cast of their upcoming immersive production, “A Recipe For Disaster,” written by Bayless, Rubenstein and Windy City Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Carl Menninger and directed by Jeff Award Winner David H. Bell.
The cast of a “A Recipe for Disaster” includes Emma Joy Boyden as Shelley, Kierra Bunch as Loreen, Carley Corelius as Kiki, Ian Maryfield as Boris, Alex Morales as Iggy, Ben Page as Jude, Ryan Reilly as Clyde and Daniel Trinidad as Felix. The creative team for the show includes director David H. Bell who received a Jeff Award for his direction of Windy City Playhouse’s smash hit “Southern Gothic,” set designer William Boles, who received a Jeff Award for his design of Windy City Playhouse’s “The Boys in the Band” and costume designer Uriel Gomez who was nominated for a Jeff Award for his work on the same production. Rounding out the creative team is lighting designer Jared Gooding, sound designer Willow James and properties designer Caitlin McCarthy.
“A Recipe for Disaster” opens on the Club Level at Petterino’s on October 6. Tickets are on sale now and press nights for the production will be October 14th and 15th.
Bayless, Rubenstein and Menninger have teamed up to create a fully scripted immersive event, with audiences enjoying tastes of cocktails, wine and food created by Bayless as the hilarity unfolds. Based on Bayless’s real-life experiences, the story is set during influencer night at The Contumacious Pig, one of the city’s hottest restaurants, when everything that could possibly go wrong occurs. From a sick head chef and unexpected health inspector to a spy from a competing restaurant and the bus boy hiding a wild pig, the evening is nothing short of hilariously chaotic.
Tickets to “A Recipe for Disaster,” which include six bite-size tastings and three cocktail and wine samplings are on sale now, with regular and VIP options available. Limited to 30 guests per performance, the VIP experience includes a pre-show charcuterie board and cocktail, premium seating and a gift bag including dessert, a party favor and a signed photo of Chef Rick Bayless and the cast.
About the artists in “A Recipe For Disaster:”
David H. Bell (Director) David returns to Windy City Playhouse after directing “Southern Gothic” and “The Explorers Club.” He is a professor and Director of the Music Theatre Certificate program and Artistic Director of the American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University. David has worked all over the world as a director, choreographer, and author. His work has received 44 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations, for which he has won 11; the Dramalogue Award (L.A.); the Helen Hayes Award (Washington, D.C.); five Carbonall Award nominations (Florida); a Laurence Olivier Award Nomination (London); seven Atlanta Journal and Constitution Awards; the Atlanta Circle of Dramatic Critics Award; and three National Endowment writing grants. He has served as Artistic Director for the historic Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., and as Associate Artistic Director for Atlanta’s Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre. He has had more than 40 new plays and musicals produced internationally, including the Laurence Olivier-nominated musical “Hot Mikado.” Recently, he collaborated with Northwestern University and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in presenting “Atlantic,” a pair of new musicals at the Edinburgh Festival last summer. He has collaborated on world premiere musicals with Craig Carnelia, Cy Coleman, Russell Baker, Jimmy Buffett, Herman Wouk, David Crane and Marta Kauffman, Bob Gaudio, Henry Marsh, Barry Mason, Jim Stafford, Eddie Seago, and Mike Leander, among many others. He directed and coauthored “Knute Rockne: All-American” at The Theatre at the Center, and his adaptation of “The Boys From Syracuse,” for which he was nominated for 3 Jefferson Awards, played at the Drury Lane Oakbrook. He directed his musical “The Bowery Boys” at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire and directed and choreographed “Once On This Island” at Marriott and “Hot Mikado” at Drury Lane. In summer 2011, David directed his own “Fanny Brice” musical at Florida’s Asolo Rep Theatre; wrote a program of musicals to accompany the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Washington D.C.; directed “Hamlet” at Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival and a World Premiere of “Hero” at the Marriott Theatre and Asolo Repertory Theatre; and wrote “The Rules of Love” in Istanbul with Turkish rock stars Sertab Erener and Demir Demirkan. David opened “Shakin’ The Rafters” for Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre in Atlanta; directed “South Pacific,” “9 To 5,” “Cabaret,” and “On The Town” for the Marriott Lincolnshire; and directed “The Comedy of Errors,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Pericles” for Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. For Northwestern University’s Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts, David has directed “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and six Waa-Mu Shows: “Another Way West,” “Beyond Belief,” “What’s Next?,” “Off The Map,” “Flying Home,” and “Gold.” David is currently writing and directing “The Museum of Broken Relationships” with composer Daniel Green.
Rick Bayless (Playwright) Most people know Rick Bayless from winning the title of Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters.” His highly rated public television series, “Mexico: One Plate at a Time,” is broadcast coast to coast and his nine cookbooks have earned multiple high-profile accolades.
Located in Chicago, Rick's Frontera Grill and Topolobampo have each received the “Outstanding Restaurant of the Year” designation from the James Beard Foundation — an unprecedented feat for side-by-side restaurants. His wildly popular fast-casual Xoco debuted in 2009 and Tortas Frontera at Chicago’s O’Hare airport has changed the face of airport dining. In 2016, he opened Frontera Cocina in Disney Springs. In 2018, Rick expanded his Clark Street restaurants by opening Bar Sótano, a Oaxacan-inspired mezcal bar with modern Mexican bar food. Tortazo, Rick's new fast-casual concept, debuted in 2020 in Chicago's iconic Willis Tower, with plans to open an outpost in New York City in fall 2021.
In 2012 and again in 2014, Rick joined forces with Lookingglass Theatre Company to create “Cascabel,” the story of food’s capacity to change lives. The audience for “Cascabel” shared a meal with the cast of actors, musicians, singers and circus performers as the tale of unrequited love resolved into magical beauty.
Always a philanthropist, Rick and his staff established the Frontera Farmer Foundation in 2003 to support small Midwestern farms. To date, the Foundation has awarded nearly 200 grants totaling nearly $3 million. He also launched the Frontera Scholarship, a culinary school scholarship for Mexican-American students in Chicago. In 2019, Rick founded Impact Culinary Training, a restaurant job readiness program on the city’s west side. And in 2017 he established the Bayless Family Foundation to support the city’s vibrant theater scene with grants to Chicago theater companies totaling $1.5 million to date.
The Government of Mexico has bestowed on Rick the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle–the highest decoration bestowed on foreigners whose work has benefitted Mexico and its people.
Amy Rubenstein (Playwright) is the Artistic Director and co-founder of Windy City Playhouse. Since the theater’s premiere in March 2015, she has overseen 17 mainstage productions, including the recent smash hit, world premiere “Southern Gothic,” of which she was also a co-creator. During her tenure, the Playhouse has been lauded for its uniquely contemporary approach that focuses on audience experience and has received numerous industry accolades, including 23** Joseph Jefferson Award nominations, 11 Chicago Theater Awards including the 2018 Trailblazer Award, and 3 International Centre for for Women Playwrights’ 50/50 Awards. Prior to her current role at the Playhouse, Ms. Rubenstein’s credits include performing with Long Beach Playhouse, Human Race Theatre, and Center Stage Theater, among others. She is a proud graduate of Brandeis University. Amy is also the partner of Windy City RE, a leading Chicago real estate investment firm.
Carl Menninger (Playwright) lived and worked in Chicago for many years. He won the 2020 Joseph Jefferson Award for his direction of The Boys in the Band. He also directed the 2016 production of “This” at Windy City Playhouse. Carl is one of the writers of our current production, “A Recipe for Disaster.” He is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at American University, in Washington, D.C., where he ran the Theatre and Musical Theatre program for eight years. Carl is one of the co-creators of the Playhouse hit “Southern Gothic.” While in Chicago, Carl worked with Victory Gardens and Chicago Dramatists. In addition to working with D.C.’s Ford’s Theatre, Studio Theatre and Adventure Theatre, his play “Everything but You: A Modern Romance” received a staged reading at Keegan Theatre in D.C. He is currently working on the play “Sons of Hollywood” about silent film stars Ramon Novarro and Billy Haines. It opens at the Playhouse in April of 2022. Carl is the co-author of “Minding the Edge: Strategies for a Fulfilling, Successful Career as an Actor.”
Deann Bayless (Writing Team) is one of the nation's foremost women restaurateurs. Together with her husband, Rick Bayless, Deann in 1987 opened Chicago's iconic Frontera Grill, followed two years later by the equally revered Topolobampo. Both restaurants have earned the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Restaurant award, unprecedented feat for neighboring restaurants. Authorities on Mexican cuisine, Deann and Rick Bayless have co-authored several acclaimed cookbooks on the subject, including “Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico,” “Mexican Everyday,” and the 2001 James Beard Foundation Award–winning “Mexico: One Plate at a Time.” In addition, the couple created and produced the long running PBS television series “Mexico One Plate at a Time.” A member of Le Dames d'Escoffier and Women Chefs & Restaurateurs, Deann served on the latter's board of directors. Together with Rick, she founded the Frontera Farmer Foundation, a non-profit organization that gives capital improvement grants to small local farmers and in 2017 they established the Bayless Family Foundation to support the city’s vibrant theater scene. She lives in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood, right next to her daughter Lanie, son-in-law Kevin Sullivan and granddaughter Charlie Belle.
Emma Jo Boyden (Shelley) Emma Jo is thrilled to be making her Windy City Playhouse debut. Most recently she was seen in “The Layover” (The Comrades) directed by Drew Shirley. Other Chicago credits include: “Cat On a Hot Tin Roof” (Drury Lane); “Hamlet” (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); “All Childish Things” (First Folio); “Don Giovanni” and “La Boheme” (Lyric Opera). Film and TV credits include “Chicago PD” (NBC) and “All or Nothin’.” Emma Jo is a graduate of the University of Michigan’s BFAActing program and is an Advanced Actor Combatant with the SAFD. She would like to send a huge thank you to her family, friends, and the awesome team at Stewart Talent. Go Blue!
Kierra Bunch (Loreen) Kierra is thrilled to be working with Windy City’s Playhouse again on this new exciting show! She was most recently seen in Court Theatre's production of “King Hedly II” (Jeff Nomination/ Performer in Supporting Role) Windy City's Playhouse production of “Southern Gothic;” Lookingglass Theatre’s “Plantation.” She had the honor to work with many other notable theater companies in Chicago including Urban Theater Company, Black Ensemble Theater and ETA Theater (Black Theater Alliance Awards Nomination for Best New Actress and Best Performance in an Ensemble). She can currently be seen in a recurring role in the new sitcom, “Southside” on HBO Max. She’s performed roles in “Shameless”, Chicago Med and FOX's “Empire”. She was a series regular on the Emmy Award winning children's television show, Green Screen Adventures. Kierra is very thankful for her family and the new addition to her tribe, Lailah, and her friends for their continuous support and encouragement. "I'm able to do this because of you." Kierra is happily represented by the wonderful team at Paonessa Talent Agency.
Carley Corelius (Kiki) returns to Windy City Playhouse after appearing in “Becky Shaw” in 2017. Other Chicago credits include collaborations with Goodman Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Writers Theatre, Chicago SketchFest, The House Theatre of Chicago, and is an ensemble member of Definition Theatre Company. Regionally, Carley has worked with TheatreSquared, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, Great River Shakespeare Festival, Door Shakespeare, Texas Shakespeare Festival, Urbanite Theatre, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, and Colorado Theatreworks. You may have caught a glimpse of Carley telling you to “read a f*@$ing book” on The Onion, searching for her son on NBC’s Chicago Fire, or drinking Maker’s Mark while streaming Hulu. Carley holds degrees from Ball State University and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and is represented by Big Mouth Talent. #stayinit
Ian Maryfield (Boris) Ian is ecstatic to be alive and well in 2021 to be making his debut at Windy City Playhouse! Some Chicago credits include: “Comedy of Errors” (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Red Tape Theatre - Jeff Winner, Best Ensemble); “Photograph 51,” “The Originalist” (understudy, Court Theatre); The Nutcracker (The House Theatre of Chicago); “Fear and Misery in the Third Reich” (understudy, Haven Theatre); “In the Blood” (Pulse Theatre). Television credits: “Chicago Fire” (NBC). Ian holds a BFA from Oklahoma City University and is proudly represented by Stewart Talent. He would like to thank his mother and brother for their love and support and Meredith Ernst for being his love, his inspiration and his partner in crime. To God be the glory.
Alex Morales (Iggy) is a Chicago-based actor, improviser and writer, originally from Charlotte NC. A former cook, he is elated to join Windy City for “A Recipe for Disaster.” He is an alumnus of The University of Chicago, The Milwaukee Rep's Emerging Professional Residency, and the School at Steppenwolf. He is a founding member of Bramble Theater company. Previous credits include Professor Ogilvy in “A War of the Worlds;” Damien in “Porch Play,” and understudying Other Uncle in “The Leopard Play.” You can find his cooking show “How to Make Food” on Youtube this year.
Ben Page (Jude) is very excited to be returning to Windy City Playhouse where he spent over 200 performances as Tucker in “Southern Gothic.” Other recent credits include “The Glass Menagerie” (Nebraska Repertory Theater); “Cal in Camo” (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble); “The Nether” (A Red Orchid); “Alone With Friends” (Prop Thtr); “Lunacy” (Jackalope Theatre); “In the Heat of the Night” (Shattered Globe); “From the Heart” (Citadel Theatre) and “Bird Girl” (Mercy Street Theatre). Originally from Utah, Ben is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and Dartmouth College. When he’s not acting, he enjoys Elvis, pancakes and the 4th of July!
Ryan Reilly (Clyde) Ryan is excited to return to Windy City Playhouse after appearing as Hank in “The Boys in the Band” and as Charles Lyon in “Southern Gothic”. National Tour: Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.” “NYC: Within the Law” (Metropolitan Playhouse); “The Short Fall” and “Woyzeck” (Toy Box Theatre Co.). Regional highlights: Sky Materson in “Guys and Dolls” (Broadway Rose Theatre, OR); Beast in “Beauty and the Beast” (Alaska Center for the Performing Arts); Tom in “The Glass Menagerie” (Theatreworks, Colorado Springs); “Cabaret” (Music Theatre of Ct); “The Boys from Syracuse” and “Mame” (Drury Lane); “A Christmas Carol,” “The Light in the Piazza” and “Hairspray” (Marriott Theatre); “It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play” (Alhambra Theatre, Fl). TV; “Chicago Med” (NBC), “Empire” (Fox), and “Sorry For Your Loss” (Facebook Watch). Ryan holds a BFA from UW- Stevens Point and is represented by Paonessa Talent. Proud member of AEA and SAG/AFTRA.
Daniel Trinidad (Felix) Daniel grew up in Skokie, Illinois. As a performer he strives to leave you with something to remember every time you see him. As an athlete, his favorite part of theatre is getting to express himself through his physicality. He started with theatre in college and eventually studied improv and stand up comedy at Second City. Later on he ran away with the circus where he found his passion for being an aerialist and an acrobat. He is currently an aerial and acrobatic instructor at MSA Circus Arts. His recent projects include; “The Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai;” “Unbridled at Untitled;” “Mysteriosa at Alhambra Palace” and “Fly by Night” at MSA Circus Arts. He credits his instructors Nourbal Meirmanov, DuoRose Trapeze, Charlene Numrych, Javen Ulumbayar, Leah Leor, and Jason Fleece. He would like to thank his family for their support and especially his little sister Cecille for constantly motivating him.
Nathaniel Allan Elfant (U/S Felix) Nathaniel is happy to be back at The Windy City Playhouse! The last time he was here he played Luigi for the last few weeks of “Explorer’s Club.” Since then, he has performed in the ensemble for “Comedy of Errors” with Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks, graduated with a BFA from the Chicago College of Performing Arts, and started his own production company BrownBag Productions where he creates new original films. He's thrilled that live theatre is returning to Chicago and can't wait to get people off their screens and back in the community of theatre!
Kirra Silver (u/s SHELLEY/KIKI) performed virtually throughout the pandemic in readings/workshops of “Smart People” (Bluebird Arts); “Miguk Saram” (Chicago Dramatists); and “American Dinner” (AstonRep). Other pre-pandemic Chicago credits: “The One and Only Ivan” (Lifeline Theater) and “Southern Gothic” (Windy City Playhouse); “Treefall” (Exit63 Productions); “Last Stop on Market Street” (Chicago Children’s Theater). Kirra got her BA in Theater from Northwestern University and is represented by Shirley Hamilton Talent.
William Boles (Scenic Design) William is a designer based in Chicago whose work bridges theatre and landscape architecture with an intention to create safe space. Recent work with Windy City includes “The Boys in the Band” (Jeff Award) REGIONAL: Kirk Douglas Theatre, Children's Theatre Company, Actors Theater of Louisville, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Huntington Theater Company, Wolftrap Opera, Minnesota Opera, Milwaukee Rep, Skylight Music Theater, Next Act, and Pig Iron Theatre Company, CHICAGO: Goodman, Steppenwolf, Second City, Lyric Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Victory Gardens Theater, Windy City Playhouse, The Hypocrites, American Theater Company, A Red Orchid, Chicago Children's Theatre, Sideshow (artistic associate), Emerald City, Steep, and First Floor Theater. NYC: Cherry Lane Theatre, LaMama, INTERNATIONAL: Stockholm Vocal Academy and Opera Siam in Bangkok. MFA, Northwestern. Represented by Abrams Artists Agency. See more of William’s work at: www.wbdesigns.carbonmade.com
Uriel Gómez (Costume Designer) is a Chicago based costume designer/stylist that has been working in the industry for over a decade. He is an 3Arts Make A Wave Award Recipient; Jeff Nominated designer, an ALTA Award Recipient, and is an Artistic Associate with Teatro Vista. Chicago: “The Boys in the Band” (Windy City Playhouse); “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” (Steppenwolf); “Head Over Heels” (Kokandy Productions); “The Madres” (ALTA Award), “The Wolf At The End Of The Block,”“Parachute Men” (Teatro Vista); “Small World,” “Punk!” (The New Colony); De Troya, The River Bride (Halcyon Theatre); “Mike Pence Sex Dream,” “Refrigerator,” “Dontrell Who Kissed the Sea” (First Floor Theater).
Jared Gooding (Lighting Designer) Jared is happy to be back working with Windy City Playhouse again. His design credits include designs for Writers Theater, Bristol Riverside Theater, DePaul University, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Victory Gardens Theater, Timeline Theater, Madison Children's Theater, University of Illinois Chicago Theatre, University of Indiana Northwest, Remy Bumpo Theater, Strawdog Theater, The Hypocrites, Definition Theater, Windy City Playhouse, Sideshow Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, First Floor Theater, About Face Theatre, MPAACT, Pegasus Theatre, Next Theatre, Congo Square, Citadel Theatre, ETA, Fleetwood Jourdain Theatre, and serving as the Lighting Assistant for “The Wiz Live” on NBC along with Associate Designing for Lookingglass Theater's touring of Lookingglass Alice in Miami and Denver. He is a company member with MPACCT and an Ensemble Member with American Blues Theatre. His work is featured at www.goodingdesigns.com
Willow James (Sound Design) Willow is an artist from Chicagoland, mainly working as an actor/director/sound designer and photographer. Passionate about work that highlights those who are forgotten, Willow is the proud resident sound designer at Artemisia Theatre, where he also co-produces their We Women Podcast. Most recently, his work has been featured at Artemisia Theatre, Perceptions Theatre, and TEDxAsbusryPark. He is thrilled to be working with Windy City Playhouse and can't wait for everyone to experience the beauty in disaster.
Caitlin McCarthy (Properties Designer) Caitlin is a multi-disciplinary theatre and film artist who works in prop, costume, and production design. She also produces for stage and screen. Chicago: prop design for Windy City’s “Every Brilliant Thing,”“The Recommendation;” costume and prop design for “The Gulf”(About Face Theatre); prop design for “The Last Pair of Earlies,” “A Doll’s House” (Raven Theatre), “Sophisticated Ladies” (Porchlight Music Theater). Film: production design for “The Care and Keeping of You;”production and costume design for “Trading Hearts with Victor Shaw,” “CLAMBAKE”(upcoming); costume design for “The Last Stand of Bobby Coe”(upcoming). Caitlin is the Director of Production at First Floor Theater in Chicago.
About Windy City Playhouse
Windy City Playhouse is a professional theater and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, located on Chicago's northwest side. Premiering in March of 2015 with a mission to present contemporary, relevant, and approach art, the Playhouse has quickly become a mainstay of the Chicago theater scene. In 2018, its runaway hit, the immersive “Southern Gothic” solidified the Playhouse as the first choice in Chicago theater for one-of-a-kind audience experience. "Experience driven. Audience first."
For more information, visit WindyCityPlayhouse.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.