Theatre Department Staff

Artistic Director of Theater
Alison Dornheggen
p: 847-256-9694
Email: adornheggen@wilpark.org

Wendy Avon
Kate Black
Becca Jeffords
Chris Kostuchowski

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Announcements:

Starting April 4: Theater Tech! Click here for more information.

Coming up: Family Theatre Improv Night, April 13.

Spring theater students and our own Wilmette Improv Troupes will close the year with a presentation in the auditorium of the Community Recreation Center on Tuesday, May 23 at 6pm. Join us for this fun and free show!

  • Theater Department Staff

    Wendy Avon has been teaching performing arts to children for more than 15 years. She is a graduate of Columbia College, where she studied theater and dance. She has acted in Chicago theatrical productions, professional films and commercials.

    Kate Black is a freelance stage manager living in Chicago Illinois. She stage manages for Wilmette Children's Theater and co-teaches the Technical Theater class. She holds a BFA in Stage Management from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Before moving to Chicago, Kate lived in and worked in New York City.

    Alison Dornheggen has been working in the Chicago theatre community as an actor, director, fight choreographer and administrator for the past 15 years. She is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago, where she majored in Acting and Directing. In 2008, she took a hiatus from Chicago to become the Graduate Theatre Fellow for the Arts Management program at American University in Washington, DC. She has worked with the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Oak Park Festival Theater, Caffeine Theatre, Steep Theatre Company, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, Women's Theatre Alliance, 20% Theatre Company, The Factory Theater and greasy joan & co. She currently is an ensemble member, as well as marketing and development coordinator, for Babes With Blades Theatre Company, a female based theatre company which specializes in the art of stage combat.

    Becca Jeffords is a lighting designer for theatre, dance, concerts and other live events. She is based out of Chicago, but works nationally. Some credits include designs at Cherry Lane Theatre (NYC), The New York Fringe Festival, Chicago Children's Theatre, Raven Theatre, About Face Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, Redmoon and Steppenwolf. In addition to designing Becca has taught at universities across the country, including Northwestern University, Wheaton College, Grinnell College, and Georgia State University. For more information on her work please visit www.beccajeffords.com.

    Christine Kostuchowski received her bachelor's degree in Speech and Performing Arts from Northeastern Illinois University. She has appeared in local community theater productions and has an extensive background in technical theater as a director, costumer, stage manager, and make-up consultant.

  • Children's Theater

    Children's Theater is designed to provide a live theater experience for participants and the audience.

    There are no auditions scheduled at this time. Check back in August for audition information for the 2018-2019 Wilmette Children's Theater new season!

  • Wilmette Improv Troupes

    The Wilmette Improv Troupes are designed for students ages 9 and up, and are directed by acclaimed Wilmette Children's Theater Director, Wendy Avon. Students will master the craft of improvisation and show off their skills with a variety of performing opportunities both in house and in the community. Troupe members will have the pleasure of performing improv games designed to build self-confidence, as well as improve their audition and acting skills. Ten performances are scheduled for the season. For more information, contact Director Wendy Avon at wavon@wilpark.org.

  • Click Here for the full lineup of Sounds of Summer 2018!

    The Center for the Arts proudly presents Footloose this summer

    Stage Adaptation by DEAN PITCHFORD and WALTER BOBBIE
    Music by TOM SNOW
    Lyrics by DEAN PITCHFORD

    Directed by Geoffrey Bleeker Mudd
    Musical Direction by Michael McBride
    Choreographed by Jenilee Houghton

    General auditions: Saturday, 4/14 from 10am - 6pm
    Callbacks April 16 and 17 (evenings)

    Please email auditions@wilpark.org to schedule an audition appointment or for more information. You will need to prepare 32 bars / 30 second cut of an up-tempo or pop selection and be prepared to dance. (No character shoes necessary, please wear sneakers or other similar footwear.)

    Rehearsals will begin mid May.
    Tech: July 7 - 11
    Performances: July 12 - 14, 19 - 21 and 26 - 28 (Thursday - Saturday evenings)