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.
We are thrilled to bring two highly interactive and inspiring productions for very young audiences to Imagine U with Splish Splash and Imagine That!
Empathy and courage are some of the most important things an audience can gain from participating in theater and we’ve created experiences for our youngest audience members that will do just that. These shows are all about community and how helping new friends can lead us to achieving a larger goal together. Young people are empowered to exemplify empathy by helping the different animal characters in our Lake Michigan adventure and working with the seasons to make a rainbow!
Both shows were carefully crafted with the help of our youngest collaborators: 2-5 year olds from Total Child Preschool! Through weekly workshops, the ideas of young people were incorporated into the shows and shaped every element of Splish Splash and Imagine That. This agency in the creative process is mirrored for audience members in the show they are about to see. They will play an active role in helping our characters move through the story!
We can’t wait to welcome you into a world of imagination, empathy, and play!
Grace Hall — Autumn
Megan Liu — Winter
Sarah Charles Lewis — Spring
Nora Mary Hubert, Garraway Nance, Ryan Scott Cooke — Understudies
Nora Mary Hubert — Splish
Garraway Nance — Splash
Ryan Scott Cooke — Great Blue Heron
Grace Hall, Megan Liu, Sarah Charles Lewis — Understudies
Jillian Gryzlak — Costume/Object Designer
Dylan Reyno — Lighting Coordinator
Stephan Moore — Sound Designer
Louis Donald Van Camp — Sound Operator
Becky Warner — Stage Manager
Aly Redland — Asst. Stage Manager
Lynn Kelso — Artistic Mentor
Madelyn Cantzler — Teaching Artist
Imagine That! and Splish Splash: A Day on the Lake were created in collaboration with Northwestern undergraduates and two-to-five-year-olds at Total Child Preschool.
Ryan Scott Cooke (Splish Splash – Great Blue Heron, she/her) is a junior Theatre major and is so excited to bring these shows to the youngest theatre goers. Favorite credits include “The Wong Kids In The Secret Of The Space Chupacabra, Go!” (Northwestern University), “Caligula” (British American Drama Academy), and “Richard II” (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company). Ryan has also worked with The Broadway Collective, The Carnegie Mellon PreCollege Program, and Blue Man Group Boston. Big thanks to Victor, Lace, Sarah, and her moms!
Jamal Howard (Creator/Director, he/him) is a Chicago-based director, choreographer, and producer with a focus on creating courageous and empathetic theatre. He was the 2023/24 Goodman Theatre Maggio Directing Fellow, TCG’s 2024 Rising Leaders of Color, Co-Artistic Director of New American Folk Theatre, and an Associate Company Member with TUTA Theatre. At Northwestern University, Jamal directed DOCTOR DE SOTO and THE WONG KIDS… and has worked on Goodman’s TVY productions including SPLISH SPLASH (co-creator/director), THE LIZARD Y EL SOL (co-director), and IN MY GRANNY’S GARDEN (associate director). Other Goodman credits include ENGLISH, HIGHWAY PATROL, and A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Select directing credits include 8-TRACK (Theo Ubique); JACOB MARLEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL, A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER (Breckenridge Backstage Theater); THINK FAST, JORDAN CHASE (Filament Theatre); THE WIZ, THE MOLE HILL STORIES (Children’s Theatre Madison). Jamal served as the Associate Artistic Director of Emerald City Theatre and is an alum of Loyola University Chicago. www.jamalhoward.com
Ellie Levine (Creator/Director, she/her) is a director and teaching artist with a focus on puppetry and devised theater for young audiences. She has recently led devising processes for new works and adaptations, including Splish, Splash and Imagine That! (Northwestern University); Growing Pains and Paint a Picture, Stitch a String (Columbus Children’s Theatre); The Little Prince (Improv Playhouse); and Deep Sea Melody (Arts on the Horizon). Other directing and movement credits include RAIN: for babies and their carers (Filament Theatre); Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins (Strawdog Theatre); Amelia Earhart (Columbus Children’s Theatre). Ellie is a teaching artist with Chicago Children’s Theatre, Lookingglass, and Filament Theatre. She is an adjunct professor at Northwestern University where she teaches Theater for the Very Young. Ellie received her masters from the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, where she wrote her dissertation on developing an inclusive approach to physical theater that centers curiosity and joy in the creative process.
Sarah Charles Lewis (Imagine That! – Spring, she/her) is thrilled to be playing her favorite season in “Imagine That!” NU Wirtz Center Credits include: “How to Know the Wildflowers” (Dancer & Soloist), 94th Annual Waa-Mu Show: “Arch Madness” (Cadence) and “AMTP Manic Pixie Dream Girls Aren’t Black” (Spice). Other educational credits include “Chicago” (Velma), “Anastasia” (Anastasia), “Frozen” (Elsa) Milton Theatre Company and “Newsies Jr.” (Katherine) Junior Theatre Festival. SCL thanks the creative team, cast, and crew for making this such an amazing experience!
Megan Liu (Imagine That! – Winter, she/her) is a third-year theater and legal studies undergrad at Northwestern University. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she has previously studied at British American Drama Academy, Prague Film School, and Interlochen Arts Academy. She was most recently seen in the Wirtz’s Center production of As It Is In Heaven and is incredibly grateful to be a part of this process. Megan would like to thank her family, Mrs. Petropoulos, and friends for their unconditional support. Hope y’all enjoy the show!
Garraway Nance (Splish Splash – Splash, she/her) is a senior majoring in Theatre with a Musical Theatre Certificate. His previous Northwestern theatre credits include Footloose(Rev. Shaw), The Three Sisters (Andrey), The Waa-Mu Show (Chip), Rest Stop (Paul), and The Snowy Day (Archie). He would like to thank all of his family, friends, and mentors for all of their support!
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, 2025 and January 13, 2026.
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
Jeff Brown, Associate Dean for Finance and Administration
Rayvon Fouche’, Associate Dean for Graduate Education
Tanya Palmer, Assistant Dean & Executive Artistic Director
Bharath Chandrasekaran, Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Jeremy Birnholtz, Communication Studies
Joshua Chambers-Letson, Performance Studies
Jacob Smith, Interim Chair of Radio/Television/Film
Henry Godinez, Theatre
Melissa Blanco Borelli, Director of Dance
Megan Roberts, Associate Chair of Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Courtney Lynam Scherr, Associate Chair of Communication Studies
Erin Courtney, Associate Chair of Radio/Television/Film
Tommy Rappley, Associate Chair of Theatre
Jorge Silva — Director of Business Operations & 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 Hofferth — 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
Renee Werth — Stitcher/Crafts Supervisor
Eli Hunstad — First Hand
Peter Anderson — Lighting & Sound Supervisor
Michael Trudeau — Associate Lighting & Sound Supervisor
Nate Walczyk — Lighting and Sound Technician
Sara Kurensky — Marketing Assistant
Stephen J. Lewis — OGMC Arts and Media Producer
Stephanie Kulke — OGMC Fine Arts Editor
Masi Asare — AMTP Artistic Director
Alaina Parr, Alec Westland-Hurwitz, Alex Myres, Alex Yang, Allyson Vasquez, Amanda Swickle, Amy Xu, Anah Shaikh, Arawen Alberg, Arran Kennedy Orive, Ashley Flores, Avery England, Aydn Calhoun, Ayla Richardson, Benny Wu, Cannon Elliott, Ciara Farris, Clio Siegel, Crom Amaya, Daniel Cho, Elijah Curtin-Adelman, Elle Pierre, Ellsworth Sullivan, Gavin Yi, Gemma Cohen, Ghino Lee, Haley Randall, Henry Rohrback, Isabella Mason, Jessica Guo, Jordin Amoah, Josaphina Brinkerhoff, Josefina Espino, Katherine Li, Kira Carpenter, Kris Lambert, Lucian Cruz, Mariah Waters, Maya Avery, Michael Peterson, Millie Rose Taub, Miracle Idowu, Morgan Marin, Natalie Mendoza, Noor Maghaydah, Nora Fox, Olivia Kieffer, Olivia Wise, Owen Meehan-Egan, Pranav Singh, Poseybelle Stoeffer, Roie Dahan, Rose Peters, Ryan Cooke, Sarah Charles Lewis, Sebastian Vidra, Seidy Pichardo, Sophia Mitton-Fry, Sydney Chan, Sydney Frazure, Tamyrha Dunac, Tvesha Gupta, Valentina Brander, Vicky Laguerre, Walter Todd, Will Claudius, Yehuda Zilberstein, Yooha Park, Yumi Tallud
