Meet the Cast of Berlin
Join us for the final production of the 2024/25 season: Berlin, based on the graphic novel by Jason Lutes, adapted by Mickle Maher, and directed by Charles Newell. Meet the Berliners below!
From top to bottom, left to right: Terry Bell, Kate Collins, Tim Decker, Jack Doherty, Ellie Duffey, Molly Hernández, Elizabeth Laidlaw, Brandon Ruiter, Mo Shipley, Guy Van Swearingen, HB Ward, and Raven Whitley.
It is 1928. Fascism is taking hold; revolutionaries are organizing; creatives are trying to capture the ineffable nature of their changing city; and – as everything falls apart – everyone is faced with a choice: abandon Berlin or fight to survive.
Charles Newell (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead) directs Mickle Maher’s propulsive adaptation, an ever-shifting kaleidoscope of everyday people trying to survive one of the most remarkable moments in history. Set almost one hundred years ago, Berlin speaks to our current moment, and our future, with undeniable urgency.
“The ambition behind Berlin is unlike any I have ever experienced,” shares Newell. “I feel so fortunate to work with this team of artists and collaborators, and I’m so optimistic about what the experience will be like for an audience sitting in Court Theatre’s intimate space. The energy behind this production is simply electrifying and the scope of this project is massive. We can’t wait to share it with you – join us on the tightrope!”
Berlin runs from April 19 – May 11. Tickets are available now, and can be purchased online or by calling the Box Office at (773) 753-4472.
Enrich Your Experience
Make the most of your time in Berlin, and join us for the public programs exploring the play, its themes, and its modern relevance. Check out the programs below, and reserve your tickets online or by calling the Box Office at (773) 753-4472.
- Tour of Chicago Puppets Up Close: A tour and interactive exploration of the exhibit, Potential Energy: Chicago Puppets Up Close, followed by a guided introduction to the Buddy Store.
- Agora: Resistance & Resilience Strategies: Intimate breakout discussions with local artivists and activists whose efforts uplift vulnerable communities and advocate for social justice initiatives in Chicago and beyond.
- Jason Lutes Conversation and Book Signing: A conversation between graphic novelist Jason Lutes and scholar Dr. Evan H. Carver as they discuss Lutes’s expansive work, Berlin.
- Post-Show Conversation with Jason Lutes, Charles Newell, and David J. Levin: A post-show discussion in which these three creatives discuss their process, inspiration, and their respective artistic mediums.
- Books & Banners of the People: Consisting of a shared meal, a bookmaking workshop, and collective reflection, this program draws on Berlin’s themes of resistance and how knowledge is cultivated and spread.
- Cabaret Film Screening: Experience the classic film! Amid ascendant fascism in Weimar Germany, fame-seeking American émigré Sally Bowles sings at a bawdy cabaret whose host and musical acts celebrate the unprecedented sexual freedom of the short-lived era.
- Notes on Masculinity: A Drag King-Centered Cabaret: Veteran performers Po’Chop and Switch the Boi Wonder host this bimonthly drag king-centered cabaret, with numbers that are equal parts entertaining, comedic, and provocative.