We are on sacred ground. Northwestern University is on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires—the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa—as well as the Menominee, Miami, and Ho-Chunk nations. Before it was stolen from them through colonization and forced removal, this land was a site of trade, travel, gathering, and healing for more than a dozen other native tribes. The state of Illinois is still home to more than 100,000 tribal members. In the spirit of healing and making amends for the harm that was done, we acknowledge the native and indigenous peoples who called this land home. We pledge ourselves as members of the Northwestern School of Communication to turn our statements into action and build better relationships with native and indigenous communities in Evanston, in Chicago, and throughout the region.
This program is made possible in part through funding from the Astere E. Claeyssens Artist-in-Residence program.
Writer/Performer – – – Murielle Borst-Tarrant
Director – – – Mildred Ruiz-Sapp
Director – – – Steven Sapp
Murielle Borst-Tarrant (Kuna/ Rappahannock Nations) is an author, playwright, director, producer, cultural artist, educator, and human rights activist. Murielle began working as an artist early in her life with Spiderwoman Theatre. After attending Long Island University, she began combining Native American myth and creation stories to help compose a subgenre of literature referred to as Indigenous Fantasy. She is the author of the book series “The Star Medicine” and short stories published by Miami University Press. She is the Artistic Director of Safe Harbor Indigenous Collective. She has recently produced, written and directed “Don’t Feed the Indians- A Divine Comedy Pageant!” at La MaMa. She works on the deconstructing the pedagogy of the arts within Native communities in the NYC education system. Nominated for the Rockefeller grant in 2001, she won a Native Heart Award. She served as the Special Assistant to the North American Regional representative to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Global Indigenous Woman’s Caucus Chair (North America) in 2013 to May of 2014. She has spoken at the Indigenous Women’s Symposium at Trent University, at the International Conference at the Muthesius Academy of Art in Kiel Germany, and the Norwegian Theater Academy. Murielle Borst-Tarrant is the recipient of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s 2020 National Playwright Residency Program.
Mildred Ruiz-Sapp (Director) is a co-founder/core member of UNIVERSES Theater Company. Playwriting/Acting credits include: AmericUS; UNISON; PARTY PEOPLE; AMERIVILLE; The Denver Project ); One Shot in Lotus Position; BLUE SUITE; RHYTHMICITY; SLANGUAGE; THE RIDE. Acting only credits include: DJ Latinidad; The Comedy of Errors; The Unfortunates; Alfred Jarry’s UBU: Enchained. Director: Tipi Tales, Dare we defend, The Tempest. Filmmaker credit: Rising (2022_Smithsonian and Ashland Independent Film Festival). Awards/Affiliations: 2023 -2025 Astere E. Caleyssens Artist in Residence (Northwestern University); 2020 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation National Playwright Residency Program recipient; 2015 Doris Duke Performing Artist Award (Theatre); Oregon Shakespeare Festival Acting Company Member ( 2012-2017) and Ensemble in Residence; 2008 U.S. Cultural Ambassador w/ the U.S. State Dept./Jazz at Lincoln Center – Rhythm Road Tour; 2008 TCG Peter Zeisler Award; 2006 Career Advancement Fellowship from the Ford foundation through Pregones Theater; 2002-2004 and 1999-2001 TCG National Theater Artist Residency Program Award; BRIO Awards (Bronx Recognizes its own-Singing); Co-Founder of The Point CDC; Former Board Member (National Performance Network – NPN) and (Network of Ensemble Theaters-NET); New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect; BARD College, BA ’92 (Literature/Language). Publications: SLANGUAGE in The Fire This Time (TCG Books); BLUE SUITE in The Goodman Theatre’s Festival Latino – Six Plays (Northwestern University Press); PARTY PEOPLE in The Manifesto Anthology (Rain City Projects- Fall 2014); Featured on the covers of American Theater Magazine 2004 and The Source Magazine 2000. Member: Actors Equity Association (AEA)
Steven Sapp (Director) is a co-Founder/core Member of UNIVERSES Theater Company. Playwriting/Acting credits include: AmericUS; UNISON; PARTY PEOPLE; AMERIVILLE; The Denver Project; One Shot in Lotus Position; BLUE SUITE; SLANGUAGE; RHYTHMICITY ; THE RIDE. Acting only credits include: The Comedy of Errors. Directing only credits include: Tipi Tales, Titus Andronicus, Serious Money; Thanksgiving Play; Fireflies; Passover; SWOPERA; Metamorphoses; The Seven; Alfred Jarry’s UBU: Enchained. Awards/Affiliations: 2023 -2025 Astere E. Caleyssens Artist in Residence (Northwestern University); 2020 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation National Playwright Residency Program recipient; 2015 Doris Duke Performing Artist Award (Theatre); Oregon Shakespeare Festival Acting Company Member (3 Seasons:’12-‘14); 2008 U.S. Cultural Ambassador w/ the U.S. State Dept./Jazz at Lincoln Center – Rhythm Road Tour; 2008 TCG Peter Zeisler Award; 2002 TCG National Directors Award; 2002-2004 and 1999-2001 TCG National Theater Artist Residency Program Award; 1998 and 2002 BRIO Awards (Bronx Recognizes its own-Performance); Van Lier Fellowship w/ New Dramatists; Co-Founder of The Point CDC; New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect; BARD College, BA ’89 – Theater. Publications: SLANGUAGE in The Fire This Time (TCG Books); BLUE SUITE in The Goodman Theatre’s Festival Latino – Six Plays (Northwestern University Press); PARTY PEOPLE in The Manifesto Anthology (Rain City Projects- Fall 2014); Featured on the covers of American Theater Magazine 2004 and The Source Magazine 2000. Member: Actors Equity Association (AEA)
We thank our donors who make it possible to develop and sustain the quality of productions at Northwestern University. The following individuals and institutions have made gifts to one or more of the following areas: the Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts, American Music Theatre Project and the Music Theatre Funds. All gifts were made between September 1, 2022 and August 31, 2023.
Donate online at giving.northwestern.edu.
Thank you for supporting Northwestern University Theatre and Dance!
E. Patrick Johnson, Dean of the School of Communication and Annenberg University Professor
Lori Barcliff Baptista, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Advising
Roderick Hawkins, Associate Dean of External Affairs and Chief of Staff
Molly Losh, Associate Dean for Research
Bonnie Martin-Harris, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
Rick Morris, Associate Dean for Finance and Administration
Rayvon Fouche’, Associate Dean for Graduate Education
Tanya Palmer, Assistant Dean & Executive Artistic Director
Thomas Bradshaw, Radio/Television/Film
Leslie DeChurch, Communication Studies
Joshua Chambers-Letson, Performance Studies
Henry Godinez, Theatre
Bharath Chandrasekaran, Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Melissa Blanco Borelli, Head of Dance
Tracy Davis, Associate Chair of Theatre
James Schwoch, Associate Chair of Communication Studies
Jacob Smith, Associate Chair of Radio/Television/ Film
Jorge Silva – – – Managing Director
Michael Constantino – – – Associate Managing Director
Pete Brace – – -Marketing & Development Manager
Heather Basarab – – -Production Manager
Valerie Tu – – – Production Manager, Chicago
Gianna Carter – – -Production Coordinator
Aziza Macklin – – – Audience Experience Manager
Jamie L. Mayhew – – – Box Office Manager
Lynn Kelso – – – Imagine U Artistic Mentor
Ryan T. Nelson – – – Music Supervisor
Dylan Reyno – – – Technical Coordinator
Shannon Perry – – – Technical Supervisor
Emily Baker – – – Assistant Technical Supervisor
Dylan Jost – – – Scenic Carpenter
Micah Hoffert – – – Scenic Carpenter
James Weber – – – Scenic Artist
Eileen Rozycki – – – Assistant Scenic Artist
Chris Wych – – – Properties Supervisor
Kathy Beach Parsons – – – Properties Assistant
Eileen Clancy – – – Costume Shop Supervisor
Jessica Donaldson – – – Assistant Costume Shop Supervisor
Kristy White – – – Cutter/Draper
Pamela Brailey – – – Cutter/Draper
Renee Werth – – – Stitcher/Crafts Supervisor
Eli Hunstad – – – First Hand
Peter Anderson – – – Lighting & Sound Supervisor
Michael Trudeau – – – Associate Lighting & Sound Supervisor
Stephen J. Lewis – – – OGMC Arts and Media Producer
Stephanie Kulke – – – OGMC Fine Arts Editor
Alexander Gemignani– – – AMTP Artistic Director
Brannon Bowers – – – AMTP Producing Director
Denise McGillicuddy – – – AMTP Program Assistant
Crom Amaya, Maya Avery, Sarah Bock, Alex Branka, Sydney Chan, Courtney Chen, Daniel Cho, Gemma Cohen, Ryan Cooke, Olivia Czyz, Roie Dahan, Ciara Farris, Nora Fox, Yui Ginther, Zoryah Gray, Jessica Cuo, Kiara Hill, Sebastian Holifield, Nicholas Hollenbeck, Katherine Horton, Miracle Idowu, Sarah Lewis, Morgan Marin, Owen Meehan-Egan, Sophia Mitton-Fry, Mario Montes, Ezra Osburn, Yooha Park, Michael Peterson, Seidy Pichardo, Elle Pierre, Haley Randall, Ayla Richardson, Ava Romero, Anah Shaikh, Poseybelle Stoeffler, Amelia Sullivan, Amanda Swickle, Lauren Tallud, Millie Rose Taub, Walter Todd, Mariah Waters, Alex Yang, Gavin Yi
