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THE RECEPTIONIST
THE RECEPTIONIST
by Adam Bock
by Adam Bock
Directed by Kyle Stoffers
Directed by Kyle Stoffers
Featuring A Red Orchid Ensemble Member dado with Jessica Ervin, Jacob Alexander, and Dano Duran.
May 15 through June 2, 2024
at A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N Wells St, Chicago, Illinois 60610
About the Play
At the start of a typical day in the Northeast Office, Beverly deals effortlessly with ringing phones and her colleague’s romantic troubles. But the appearance of a charming rep from the Central Office disrupts the friendly routine. And as the true nature of the company’s business becomes apparent, THE RECEPTIONIST raises disquieting, provocative questions about the consequences of complicity with evil.
About the Playwright ADAM BOCK
ADAM BOCK is a playwright best known for A LIFE, A SMALL FIRE, THE RECEPTIONIST, THE DRUNKEN CITY, THE THUGS, and SWIMMING IN THE SHADOWS. He writes both comedy and drama, blending whimsical surrealism with dark and painful exploration of character. Charles Isherwood described A SMALL FIRE as “a theatrical combo plate that proves unusually satisfying ... raucous, funny and unexpectedly touching.” Adam has had more than ten plays produced at prestigious theatres including Manhattan Theatre Club, Playwrights Horizons, Soho Rep., Second Stage Uptown, Rattlestick, and Yale Rep. He has received the Obie Award, BATCC Award, Clauder Prize, Glickman Award, and Guernsey Award, and been nominated for the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards. Adam has been a resident playwright at New Dramatists and an artistic associate at Shotgun Players and Encore Theater.
About the Director KYLE STOFFERS
KYLE STOFFERS (he/him) is a director of theatre based in Chicago. His A Red Orchid Theatre Credits include TRAITOR and THE MUTILATED (Assistant Director), PILGRIM'S PROGRESS and RED HANDED OTTER (Assistant Stage Manager), and for A Red Orchid's Incubator Series with THE RECEPTIONIST, TOM & ELIZA *postponed indefinitely due to COVID, and PUGET SOUND (Director), THE SILENCE THAT FOLLOWS and WHERE'S THE REST OF ME (Assistant Director), CELEBRATION (Assistant Director & Stage Manager), and ALL US GOOD GUYS (Stage Manager). He has also worked on Casting for nearly every production at A Red Orchid since 2016 and served as their Interim Managing Director in 2022 and 2023. Other Chicago Credits include: WITH OR WITHOUT WINGS (Director, Steppenwolf Look Out); ALIAS GRACE (Assistant Director, Rivendell Theatre); THE SWEETER OPTION (Assistant Stage Manager, Strawdog Theatre); and A SCENT OF FLOWERS (Assistant Stage Manager, BackStage Theatre). Kyle received his BA in Theatre Directing from Ball State University and currently serves as the Casting & Administrative Associate at A Red Orchid Theatre. For more visit kylestoffers.com.
Director's Note
Director's Note
I was in elementary school when 9/11 happened and Nationalism hit a peak and in middle school when the "Torture Memos" regarding the authorization of torture treatment of Iraq War detainees were leaked to the press in 2004. Growing up in a very rural/ suburban, apolitical Indiana environment I somehow never heard about the Memos and, even later, whenever I did learn about the torture of prisoners in the Middle East or Guantanamo Bay it was always presented as justifiable.
"We need to find out what people are going to do before they do it." -Beverly Wilkins
Adam Bock wrote this play in response to those memos and it premiered in 2007 at the end of the Bush Administration as more and more information came to light and Bush administration officials, including President George W. Bush, flocked to the television news outlets to glibly proclaim that the torture was justified "Because the lawyers said it was legal."
Fast forward to 2024 and as an American, this glibness toward torture and atrocities comes into even clearer focus in the play. We see the same level of xenophobia, paranoia, and nationalism as the genocide of the Palestinian people plays in a loop on our phones via Instagram and TikTok and Twitter.
"She sees pictures of the people over there and what we are doing to them and she cries. I keep telling her 'Don't look at those pictures.'" - Edward Raymond
So, what are we supposed to do? In the face of so many national and global crises, do we flee, feign loyalty, or become active agents in propagating these problems? How do we react when we discover the wrongs we have committed? How do we live our day to day lives in juxtaposition? What are the consequences? The play does not answer these questions for us, but I hope that they do shine a mirror at the audience for them to question their culpability in these matters and to perhaps make a decision rather than sit idly by.
In response, please consider a donation to Palestine Children's Relief Fund. Visit www.pcrf.net for more information.
Cast
Cast
Dado
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Beverly Wilkins
Dado
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Beverly Wilkins
DADO (she/ her) has been an ensemble member at A Red Orchid since 2007. She most recently was seen at A Red Orchid on stage as Moor-Hen in THE MOORS, The Ancient in GREY HOUSE, and Karla Stock in TRAITOR. At A Red Orchid, dado has directed IN QUIETNESS, ACT FIVE, THE MALIGNANT AMPERSANDS, KILLING GAME, THE ROOM, THE MUTILATED, CELEBRATION, RED HANDED OTTER, SIMPATICO (which moved to the McCarter Theatre), MEGACOSM, THE UNSEEN, THE HOTHOUSE, THE SEAHORSE, THE FASTEST CLOCK IN THE UNIVERSE, and THE GREY ZONE. She also directed Catherine Anne Toupin's RIGHT NOW at Facility Theatre which was nominated for 8 Jeff Awards. dado is the recipient of the Edes Prize from the University of Chicago and produced David Lang's chamber opera LITTLE MATCH GIRL PASSION (Facility Theatre) and the original VACUUM CLEANER OPERA, which was produced with the MCA and Prop Thtr. She holds an MFA is visual art from the University of Chicago. She has directed and acted at The Goodman, Steppenwolf, Famous Door, Shattered Globe, Mary Arrchie, TUTA, Trapdoor, Facility Theatre, among many others. Dado is also a Goodman Theatre Maggio director and has won a Jeff Award and an After Dark Award. She currently teaches privately as well as at University of Illinois Chicago.
Jessica Ervin
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LORRAINE TAYLOR
Jessica Ervin
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LORRAINE TAYLOR
JESSICA ERVIN (she/her) is a Chicago-based actor, working in theatre, film, and television. An ensemble member at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Jessica received an equity Jeff nomination for her portrayal of Ester in DRY LAND and originated the role of Annie in Tuckie White's MOTHERHOUSE (Jeff Award - Best Ensemble; Best New Work). She has also worked with Rivendell on I WANNA FUCKING TEAR YOU APART, THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD, ALIAS GRACE, THE FIREBIRDS TAKE THE FIELD, WOMEN AT WAR, and 8:46 BREATHING ROOM. Other theatre work includes roles with Minetta Lane Theatre, Goodman, A Red Orchid Theatre, American Blues Theatre, Strawdog Theatre, Prop Thtr, Walkabout Theatre, and Route 66. On screen, Jessica has appeared on CHICAGO FIRE (NBC), and in the films PRINCESS CYD, PROVO, TEACHER, NEW NORMAL, ROT, and APPETITE, among other shorts. She is proud to be represented by Actors Talent Group.
Jacob Alexander
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Martin Dart
Jacob Alexander
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Martin Dart
JACOB ALEXANDER (he/him)'s Theatre credits: PHOEBE IN WINTER (Facility Theatre Co.), TRAITOR (A Red Orchid Theatre), A NIGHT OUT (A Red Orchid Theatre Incubator Series), PONTYPOOL (Strawdog Theatre), BLOOD ON THE CAT'S NECK (Trap Door Theatre), THE BRIG (Mary Arrchie Theatre), ORPHEUS DESCENDING (Shattered Globe Theatre), MY THREE ANGELS (The Attic Playhouse), BECKY SHAW (A Red Orchid Theatre u/s), SKETCHBOOK 8 (Collaboraction).
Film/Television credits: SINGLE CAR CRASHES, ERIC LARUE, ECHO BOOMERS, EYIMOFE (THIS IS MY DESIRE), GOOSE, THE ART POLICE, CITIZEN IN THE TEMPLE, I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT, THE RETURN OF JOE RICH, BEYOND THE BASEMENT DOOR, THE SEASHELL, GIRLS (HBO), ELEMENTARY (CBS).
DaNO DURAN
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EDWARD RAYMOND
DaNO DURAN
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EDWARD RAYMOND
DANO DURAN (he/him)'s most recent Chicago credits include ANNA IN THE TROPICS (Remy Bumppo Theatre), KILLING GAME, TRAITOR, and THE ROOM (A Red Orchid Theatre); and LIVING NEWSPAPER (Jackalope Theatre). Television and Film credits include CHICAGO FIRE (NBC), CHICAGO PD (NBC), ER (NBC), THE LAST SHIFT (Sony Pictures), THE QUIET (Silva Company Productions). Dano is a proud Graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and is a member of SAG/Aftra. Thank you for supporting live theatre.
CReative team
CReative team
Associate Producer & Sound Designer | BRENT ERVIN-EICKHOFF
BRENT ERVIN-EICKHOFF is a filmmaker, stage director, and writer whose work explores questions of accountability, consequence, and how we define ourselves in relation to others. He has worked with Court Theatre, A Red Orchid Theatre, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Mariott Theatre, Silk Road Rising, Facility Theatre, BoHo Theatre, Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co., The Public House Theatre, and other companies in a variety of artistic and administrative roles. He was an Associate Artist and Resident Director with The Barrens Theatre Co., worked with Bramble Theatre as Managing Director, and was board president of The Passage Theatre from 2020 to 2023. Brent’s films have screened at the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art, and as official selections of the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, TiltShift, Silicon Beach Film Festival, San Francisco International New Concept Film Festival, Florence International Film Festival, and Indianapolis 48 Hour Film Project, among others. Brent holds degrees in Directing and Theatre Education from Ball State University. He is currently pursuing his MFA in Film & Television Directing from DePaul University’s School of Cinematic Arts. Visit www.brentasmagoria.com.
Lighting Designer & Master Electrician | Garrett Steinke
Rehearsal photos
Rehearsal photos
“The Receptionist” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
Originally produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director, Barry Grove, Executive Director, Daniel Sullivan, Acting Artistic Director 2007-08 Season, On October, 12, 2007
Development of THE RECEPTIONIST was supported by the Eugene O’Neill Center during a residency at the National Playwrights Conference of 2006
Originally developed at the Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival 2006
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