Amanda DelheimerArtistic Director // Since completing her Master’s in Theater and Spanish at the University of Chicago in 1999, Amanda Delheimer has had the pleasure of working as a freelance director, choreographer, writer, and teacher with the Steppenwolf, the Court, the Next, Pegasus Players, Red Moon, Collaboraction, Roadworks, Strawdog, Serendipity, Red Hen Productions, Teatro Vista, Rorschach Theatre, and the Vittum Theater, among others. She is a proud member of Serendipity Theatre Company, as well as its Artistic Director, and is also an Artistic Associate with both Collaboraction Theater Company and the Vittum Theater. She loves food and wine and stories and music, and is truly excited to be helming 2nd Story, surrounded by such wonderful people—welcome! |
Adam BelcuoreExecutive Producer // An original founding member of Serendipity and creator and curator of 2nd Story, Adam Belcuore currently serves as Director of Artistic Development. In 2003, he received the first SDCF Mike Ockrent Fellowship. He assisted Harold Prince on Bounce and Hollywood Arms. He also served as assistant director to Kate Whoriskey on the Goodman's production of Drowning Crow. As a casting director, Adam worked with Lookingglass, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Northlight Theater and the Goodman Theatre where he currently casts full time. |
Nick WardProducer // In addition to his duties as 2nd Story Producer, Nicholas Ward is delighted to be telling stories, as well. An artistic associate with Serendipity, he has also worked with Bohemian Theatre Ensemble, Rogue Theater, Lifeline Theatre, Provision Theater, and Pine Box Theatre. In his free time, Nicholas enjoys waiting tables, drinking wine and talking about, thinking about, and listening to music. Much love goes out to his parents, and to our audience. |
Megan StielstraDirector of Story Development // Megan Stielstra is a writer and storyteller and has performed for the Chicago Poetry Center’s No Love For Love show featuring Ira Glass, Neo Solo at the Neo Futurarium, Storyweek Festival of Writers, Undershorts Film Festival, The Dollar Store, WBEZ’s Writer’s Block Party and 2nd Story, among others; her fiction has appeared in recent issues of Other Voices, Freshyarn, Pindeldyboz, Swink, inthefray and Punk Planet. Currently, she teaches creative writing at Columbia College and the University of Chicago, and is thrilled to serve as 2nd Story’s Director of Story Development where she gets to hear so many kick-ass stories. |
Heather VogelProduction Manager // Heather is thrilled to be working with Serendipity Theatre Collective again and even thrilled-er to participate in 2nd Story. She graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in stage management and has been working in the Chicago area ever since. Most recently, Heather was the Production/Stage Manager for Strawdog Radio Theatre Six A Many Splendored Thing and also Assistant Stage Manager for Remy Bumppo's production of Mrs. Warren's Profession. She previously was the Production Stage Manager for Serendipity Theatre Collective’s premiere of Voices Underwater and has stage managed numerous other plays about town. |
Mikhail FiskelMusic Director // As a designer, musician, composer and performer, Mikhail "Misha" Fiksel is an emerging noisemaker in the Chicago theatre and music community. Originally transported from the frozen steppes of Siberia, Mikhail found his way to the great Windy City via the University of Chicago, where he received his Bachelor Degree and also began his ventures into the realm of sound design. In addition to being a member of Serendipity Theater Company, he is an ensemble member with Strawdog Theatre Company, and an Artistic Associate with Collaboraction and Teatro Vista. He has designed and composed for a variety of theatres and companies including ATC, The House, Redmoon Theater, Victory Gardens, The Goodman Theatre, The Hypocrites and many others. He also is a resident designer at the Vittum Theatre, and a part faculty member of the Loyola University Theatre Department. As a musician, he performs throughout this city, either as a solo artist (often under the moniker "dj white russian") or with his project "Seeking Wonderland", an improvisational ensemble on a quest of fusing nu-jazz, live electronic music, and visual media. He holds residencies at sushi wabi and The Morseland, and was regularly featured on Q101's Sonic Boom: Subsonic, a program dedicated to new electronic music. |
Miles PolaskiMusic Director // Miles Polaski is one of Collaboraction's newest company members. He has sound designed their production of Trueblinka by Adam Rapp as well as Sketchbook 6 & 7. Miles has been working with Serendipity Theatre for the past two years. He sound designed 2nd Story's 2006 and 2007 Festivals as well as Deloris Dogan directed by Adam Belcuore. Miles was recently nominated for two Jeff Citations for his design and composition on Actor's Workshop's production of Equus by Peter Shaffer. Before moving to Chicago, Miles worked as an actor and sound designer at The Barter Theatre, state theater of Virginia, for 3 years. |
Katie PryorAssistant Producer // Katie Pryor is ecstatic to be working with the awesomeness that is 2nd Story. Originally from Wisconsin, she loves cheese and the Packers. She is not ashamed. When not teaching her roommates how to read and write, Katie enjoys freelance casting, chocolate covered cinnamon Altoids, short stories and riding the El. Special thanks to Nick for bringing her on board and the entire 2nd Story crew for welcoming her with open arms. |
Jeremy QuinnWine Director // Living in France more than a decade ago, Jeremy developed an instinct for wine with a generous friend and his deep cellar of Burgundy and Bordeaux. While the goal which took him there, studying French literature in the original, remains a work in progress, he’s delighted to feel the vinous instinct rapidly become a passion, and no less lifelong a pursuit. He took a Bachelor’s degree in Fiction Writing from the University of Montana in 2000, and has served as the sommelier at Webster’s Wine Bar, Chicago’s oldest, since 2003, completing his sommelier certification in June 2006. By more refined wine writing and frequent travel, he hopes to convey the philosophy of small-production, often biodynamic, hand-crafted wines to a wider audience, while exploring the historical and geographic determinations which create a fine wine. |
Christopher JobsonWeb Design // Christopher Jobson is a native Texan who transplanted to the streets of Chicago nearly 7 years ago to study web design and writing at Columbia College. He has designed way too many sites for universities, radio personalities, sculptors, theaters, and restaurants in Chicago and Washington D.C. He is currently working on an MS in Human/Computer Interaction at DePaul University, and spends time working with a fantastic non-profit organization, Rebuilding Together * Metro Chicago, that helps rebuild homes for elderly, low-income, and disabled individuals. Serendipity rocks his socks. |
Byron FlitschGraphic Design // Byron Flitsch is the founder of www.fivefoldink.com, a web-based design boutique dedicated to selling quality design that also benefits a different charity each month. He also works as a graphic designer/ co-partner/ and founder of www.boysfromjupiter.com which is devoted to designing web pages and print design with a unique attention to charming aesthetic. Lastly, Byron yee-haws over the opportunity to be 2nd Story's graphic designer along with being on the story development team and having an awesome time telling his own stories at 2nd Story events. Honestly, he just likes being real busy. |
Kat PowersGuerilla Marketing // When not brainstorming new and fantastic guerilla marketing schemes for 2nd Story, Kat Powers can be seen dashing around on her bicycle, collecting props and balancing them on her handlebars. Kat worked with Serendipity Theatre on last year’s production of Voices Underwater, and has also worked as a props designer with Steep, the Vittum Theatre and Redmoon. In addition to making buttons, pins and stickers for 2nd Story, Kat also loves taking photographs and painting formal portraits of writers. She looks forward to the continuing and upcoming seasons. |