BoHo Welcomes Our Newest Artistic Affiliates

We at BoHo Theatre are proud and elated to introduce a wonderful new group of Artistic Affiliates into our Ensemble!

I am very impressed by the amazing artistry and knowledge that each and every new Affiliate brings to the table. Each inductee has partnered with BoHo Theatre in some capacity, working tirelessly to bring each story to life. Whether through the spark of lighting design, the precision of fight choreography, the detailed nuances of a property, or the conveying of a character, each Affiliate brings a distinct and wonderfully unique quality to the BoHo family. BoHo could not be more honored to advance our partnership with each new member, as we continue to tell stories of truth, beauty, freedom and love.

And now, a HUGE WELCOME to our NEW AFFILIATES!

Diane Fairchild

Diane acted as Lighting AND Set Designer for Floyd Collins and The Spitfire Grill for BoHo Theatre, while also designing lights for Hauptmann, The Rainmaker, and Icarus. Diane's passion for storytelling through lights and set make her an incredibly valuable member of BoHo.

Steve O'Connell

Steve has been an actor for BoHo in many productions including Pygmalion, Floyd Collins, Elephant Man, and Ghosts. While displaying a true "bohemian" spirit during rehearsals, he also has worked as fight choreographer for BoHo. Steve directs and writes projects on his own accord, and we are thrilled to have his eye for precision among the family.

Cassy Schillo

Cassy has designed and managed properties for almost every BoHo show for several years now. She has been on hand for every tech process, and (when not working tirelessly on props) she has assisted with lights, sound, set, costumes, and even stage management. Cassy has been covered in paint for this ensemble (literally), so her willingness to bring a story to life in whatever way possible goes to show her strong work ethic. She is a true renaissance woman.

Jeremy Trager

Jeremy has played a multitude of roles for us now, including Caleb in The Spitfire Grill, and, notably, the title roles in Tartuffe and Hauptmann. His passion for the work is extraordinary, and we're so excited to have him as a part of the family.

Megan Turnquist

Megan has been a lighting guru for multiple shows now, and is always willing to come in and lend a hand whenever we need her! She was most recently the Associate Lighting Designer for Hauptmann, and I know will be excited to be working on numerous shows in the future!

Again, we are ever so proud to bring in these impeccable individuals into the Ensemble. They join photographer Brandon Dahlquist, set designer Patrick Ham, costume designer Theresa Ham, founding executive director Tom Samorian, performer Danni Smith, and set designer John Zuiker as part of our BoHo Artistic Affiliate family. It is with sincere pleasure and great pride that we extend our congratulations to each of them.

WELCOME to the BoHo family!

-Peter Marston Sullivan
Artistic Director

Jeremy Trager: Tartuffe on "Tartuffe"

We don't really know what we've learned until we can look back on something that is finished.

My freshman year in college, I served on the running crew for Tartuffe. Moliere seemed much more sophisticated and rich (in both appearance and content) compared to my earlier perception of it being a brutish farce. As it turns out, Moliere (like any playwright) is subject to stylistic variations within his body of work. He's also subject to the vision of directors, actors, and designers. Like Shakespeare, Moliere's stories can be moved from century to century, setting to setting - a testament to his relevance and universality. 

Tartuffe is the antagonist, yes. He is a very tangible threat to every other character in the show. He is in some ways heartless. Certainly, he lacks morality. But he's coming from destitution; fighting to survive in an economically unfair society where the rich live like royalty and people like him eat scraps off the street. I can't really fault him for conning his way into luxury. That he uses religion as his means of manipulation speaks to his cleverness. One need only tune in to coverage of the Presidential caucuses to see that religion is still wielded as a way to gain favor. Tartuffe has too sordid a past to run for President of the United States, but his dog and pony show is quite similar to what we see in today's sociopolitical landscape. I suppose then, Tartuffe... or should I say, Moliere... was ahead of his time. . 

At this juncture I'm still uncertain of many of the design elements that will come into play during tech week when we get to Theatre Wit. But I can speak to something I've already learned in this process, which is the humanity of my character. I remember watching our college production and thinking Tartuffe was a monstrous creature. This was - and is - the type of character I am most interested in playing. At that age, I could not really put into words why I was so interested in exploring the "bad guys." Now, as a more mature student of acting, I can attest that the "bad guys" often turn out to be the most complex and surprisingly human in any given story. After all, what is more human than to be deeply flawed? 

-- Jeremy Trager, is a Jeff Award, After Dark Award, and Broadway World Chicago Award-winning actor and singer who studies vocal performance and Shakespeare in his spare time. Tartuffe will be his first collaboration with BoHo Theatre.