“Love and Information” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
www.concordtheatricals.com
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.
Imagine looking up at the night sky and seeing thousands and thousands of stars and maybe even planets twinkling above you. Each entity is a world unto itself. There may even be a form of life out there. It’s an extraordinary, beautiful, chaotic mess. Yet people before us have also looked up at the night sky and given labels to these pinpricks of light and even organized them into constellations or pictures, so we can tell stories about how this beautiful chaos can guide us.
Reading Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information is like trying to organize the stars in the night sky. In the script, there are seven numbered sections and the scenes within each one are titled, but there is no list of characters, no note requiring a particular number of actors to perform the play, and no indication of who reads what line. The play is an extraordinary, beautiful, chaotic mess of scenes that capture fragments and snippets of the lives happening all around us. And yet, I also found that many of these scenes capture very real, relatable, and mundane moments. I recognized the nostalgia of watching a home video, the ravenous devotion of a celebrity-obsessed teenager, and the guilt of forgetting about a loved one’s plans, again. I recognized that some of these moments make me feel wonderful, loved, and connected to others. And other moments make me feel overwhelmed, isolated, and frustrated.
So, what can make these moments overwhelming in one instance and wonder-ful in the next? What makes each moment in life ordinary or extraordinary, mundane or fantastic? Together, this talented, generous cast, design team, and I have explored the myriad answers to these questions in each of Churchill’s expertly crafted scenes. And while there may be infinite answers to these questions, we do know that play, curiosity, and wonder help us find them, no matter how overwhelming and mysterious it may feel to make our way through the extraordinary, beautiful, chaotic mess of an individual life. We are excited to explore these potential answers with you today. And then, I hope you can look up at the night sky soon and find yourself among the glittering vastness of those stars.
“Playwrights don’t give answers, they ask questions.”
“[I want] a society in which people can be in touch with their feelings, and in control of their lives.”
-Caryl Churchill (born 1938 in London), 1960/1982
When Love and Information premiered in London in 2012, the world was a different place. Twitter was only 6 years old, “fake news” wasn’t a political slogan yet, and generative AI’s ability to fabricate images in the blink of an eye was a dream (or nightmare) of the distant future. But the feelings that Caryl Churchill’s play captures – things like overwhelm and powerlessness in the face of war, genocide, and climate catastrophe; searching for meaning among piles of infinitely available data; and yearning for deep connections with others – have only intensified over the last 15 years. As such, our version takes place here and now, in Evanston, 2026. In fact, our setting is the Barber Theater, where we encounter a group of energetic performers who playfully lead us through over 50 different scenarios from daily life.
As with many of Churchill’s plays, daily life is never just daily life in Love and Information. Its “facts” aren’t always so solid, but its characters find their footing within its contradictions. Each scene zeroes in on a different aspect of what it means to be a person in today’s fragmented reality, and asks us to take a second glance at the circumstances, relationships, or “small things” we might normally dismiss as ordinary. In this way, this is also a play about history, exploring what it is like to long for a purposeful life under the specifically isolating conditions we live in today. What’s more, Churchill’s irreverence for dramatic conventions – which some might recognize from her classic feminist, postmodern plays Cloud Nine (1979) and Top Girls (1982) – is alive and well in this show. This is Churchill at her most formally experimental, and the play demands a different kind of attention than we are accustomed to as theatre audiences.
So, how to watch this play? Instead of searching for a plot, listen carefully and let the scenes wash over you. What feelings accumulate as the actors lead you through these many worlds? What meanings emerge in the cracks between their lines? Everyone in the room will be working together to create this experience, and everyone will be drawn to something else along the way. What is the story that only you can see?
Special thanks to: Alex O’Shea, Ze Alexander, Capri Gehred-O’Connell, Ali Foley, Kyle Ringley, Diane Li, Sasha Durta, Dylan Mak, Nora Fox, Hannah Gill, Ash Aranha, Mia Van De Mark, TaLea Carter, Annika Raj, Sopheen Lee, Sarah Villamil, Harrison Whitfill, Gaby Gutierrez, Gavin Yi, Louise Sims, Patrick Howard, Jessica Thebus, and Mark H.
Bryson Shaub, Julia Polster, Anah Shaikh, Maddi Anderson, Patrick Howard, Oscar Giles, Megan Liu, Alec Westland-Hurwitz, Sterling Powell, Casey Bond, Eva Burkholder, Alex Lopez, Celeste Shuman, Ellsworth Sullivan
Rachel Calderazzo, Haley Wong, Bridget Brown, Elia Silbey, Oscar Giles, Julia Polster
Ryan Samii, Kiki Keith — Asst. Directors
Ethan Korvne — Composer and Sound Designer
Grace Needlman — Scenic Designer
Ryan Burkle — Lighting Designer
Alvin Wang — Asst. Lighting Designer
Gregory Graham — Costume Designer
Sydney Dufka — Asst. Costume Designer
Claire Bauman, Alex Rodriguez — Co-Movement Directors
Courtney Abbott — Intimacy/Fight Director
Maddi Anderson — Movement Captain
Hannah Probst — Dramaturg
Emma Nelsen — Asst. Dramaturg
Sara Segneri — Production Stage Manager
Emma Smith — Asst. Stage Manager
Aidan Passaro — Stage Management Support
Rachel Alvarez, Clio Maya Siegel, Asher Leopold, Mehret Marsh, Kaleb Morgan, Annanya Karthik, Skye Papa, Theo Rickert, Tyler Fargason, Alice Chilton — Run Crew
MadisonElizabeth (Maddi) Anderson (Ensemble, Movement Captain, she/her) is honored to be in Love and Information! She is a junior from Stamford, Connecticut, studying Theatre and Psychology. Maddi is passionate about acting, directing, and producing, and serves on Vertigo Productions. Selected credits: The Winter Guard Play (Caroline), Urinetown (Hope Cladwell), Crave (Producer), and Sunday on the Rocks (Assistant Director). Upcoming: If They’ll Never Hear You (Director). She thanks her parents, friends, and the Love and Information team for their support.
Claire Bauman (Director, Co-Movement Director, she/her) is a 3rd-year MFA director and choreographer who creates theatre, dance theatre, and performance art. Previous Northwestern credits include Wink, No Exit, and Elephant. Claire has worked with companies across Chicago including Steppenwolf, Steep Theatre, [producing body], Trap Door Theatre, Interrobang Theatre Project, and Wender Collective. Thank you to Mark for loving and supporting all of me, my cohort for growing alongside me, and my friends and family for always being there!
Casey Bond (Ensemble, he/him) was born and raised in Evanston and is currently a Junior studying Theatre and Psychology. Stage credits include: Fuente Ojejuna (British American Drama Academy), Mancub (Wirtz Center), Pity The Woman Who Never Spills (Vertigo Productions), Fun Home (Victory Gardens), Pillars of the Community (Strawdog Theatre), Dead Man Walking (Piven Theatre), Waiting for Godot (u/s, Druid Theatre at Chicago Shakespeare). He would like to thank his family, his friends, and his roommates for washing his dishes while he was in rehearsal.
Bridget Brown (Understudy, she/her) is so excited to make her Wirtz Center debut as an understudy for Love and Information! Originally from Denver, Colorado, she’s been performing seriously since she was 11. She is currently a freshman, pursuing dual degrees in Theatre and in Computer Science. She would like to thank her friends and her family for their continued support as she works through the joys and challenges of the theatre world.
Eva Burkholder (Ensemble, she/her) is a junior Dance, International Studies, and Theatre student from Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Northwestern show credits: Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse (Director), Something Rotten (Choreographer), The 94th Annual Waa-Mu Show: Arch Madness (Assistant Director/Choreographer), Carrie the Musical (Co-Producer), How To Know The Wildflowers: A Map (Prairie), Danceworks 2024: Emergence (Performer). On campus, she is the Co-Company Manager of Arts Alliance and the producer of Steam Heat Dance Company.
Rachel Calderazzo (Understudy, she/her) is a junior from Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, studying Theatre, Economics, and World Literature. She is thrilled to be making her second appearance at the Wirtz Center as an understudy. Past stage credits include A Tale of Peter Rabbit (Wirtz Center), Cinderella (Mattie Kelly Arts Center), and The Addams Family (Emerald Coast Theatre Company). Rachel would like to thank her friends and family for their endless love and support. Soli Deo gloria!
Patrick B. Howard (Ensemble, he/him) Patrick B. Howard, previously in Man of La Mancha (2025) and The Tempest (2024) at the Wirtz Center, is excited to be a part of this amazing ensemble. Thank you to my family for loving and pouring into me. Thank you to my friends for bringing me more love and information. “The truth is: y’all are loved, beautiful, and y’all are powerful…” (Ryan Coogler).
Ethan Korvne (Composer & Sound Designer, he/him) is a composer and sound designer based in Chicago. Recent credits include: GOODNIGHT MOON at Chicago Children’s Theatre, MODERN GENTLEMAN at About Face Theatre, BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA at A Red Orchid Theatre, TAMING OF THE SHREW at Court Theatre (composer), SHORT SHAKES! ROMEO AND JULIET at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and TAMBO & BONES at Refracted Theatre Company (2 Joseph Jefferson Awards – Original Music in a Play and Best Sound Design). ethankorvne.com
Megan Liu (Ensemble, 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 Center production of As It Is In Heaven (Phebe) and Hecuba (Hecuba) directed by Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu. Megan would like to thank her family, Mrs. Petropoulos, and friends for their unconditional support. Hope y’all enjoy the show!
Alex Lopez (Ensemble, he/him) Alex Lopez is ecstatic to be in Love and Information! A junior from Cincinnati, Ohio studying Theatre, Political Science, and Integrated Marketing Communications, Alex wishes to thank his friends and family for their support. Selected Credits: Shrek The Musical (Director), Grease (Assistant Director, The Carnegie), The Waa-Mu Show: Arch Madness (Toby, Ensemble), Cinderella (Ensemble), and Bonnie & Clyde (Director). Upcoming: Theatre Aspen Writing/Direction Summer Apprentice and Director for The 84th Annual Dolphin Show! alexanderlopez.org
Julia Polster (Ensemble, she/her) is a senior from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida studying Theatre, Psychology, and Philosophy. She is so excited to be in her first Wirtz show! She would like to thank her parents and sister for their constant love and support, as well as Detra Payne for her dedication and mentorship over the last couple years.
Sterling Powell (Ensemble, he/him) is a first-year Theatre major and is grateful to be participating in this production! Previously at Northwestern, he was a part of Hand to God as U/S Timothy. During his senior year at Berkeley Prep, he played Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Pepper in Mamma Mia. He’d like to thank his parents for their support during his theatre journey and the people who have aided him in his growth as an actor.
Hannah Probst (Dramaturg) is a student in the Interdisciplinary PhD in Theatre and Drama at Northwestern University. As a researcher, they study theatre and performance history, with special emphases on modern German theatre and the politics of gender and sexuality. Last year, they served as the dramaturg for the Wirtz Center‘s production of Kallan Dana‘s Lobster, directed by dado. Before coming to Chicago, Hannah lived in Leipzig, Germany and Seattle, Washington, where they gained their first experiences as a dramaturg with Washington Ensemble Theater and the University or Washington.
Anah Shaikh (Ensemble, she/her) is a junior Theatre and English major. She has previously been in Wirtz’s production on Man of La Mancha and new student work such as Rest Stop by Lena Moore and Hometown by Sarah Talbert, with the latter performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She recently studied at the British American Drama Academy where she was in a production of Fuente Ovejuna. She wants to thank her parents for their endless support.
Bryson Shaub (Ensemble, he/him) is thrilled to perform in Love and Information. A Long Island native, he studies Theatre and Data Science. Favorite credits include Haimon in Antigone (Wirtz Center), Grendel in Beowulf (WAVE), and Elijah in How to Rob the Art Institute of Chicago (Agnes Nixon Festival). He studied at Prague Film School and wrapped his first feature as a lead in Big Glasses, debuting at AMC in June. He thanks his family for their support.
Celeste Shuman (Ensemble, she/her) is a senior theatre major at Northwestern, graduating this June! Celeste plans to stay in the Chicago area post-grad and would like to thank her parents and instructors for all of their continued support! Go ‘Cats, and enjoy the show!
Elia Silbey (Understudy, they/she/he) is a second-year Theatre major who is so excited to be working on Love and Information, understudying tracks 1, 5, and 11. Previous credits include Shauva/others in the Wirtz Center’s Caucasian Chalk Circle directed by Kathryn Walsh, Emerson in the Wirtz Student Performance Project Amicus directed by Max Outcalt, and Yertle the Turtle in the Purple Crayon Player’s Seussical directed by Owen Polley. As always, thanks to their parents, for everything.
Ellsworth Sullivan (Ensemble, she/her) is a third year Theatre Major studying French from Asheville, North Carolina. Her most recent credits include Constanza in The House of Bernarda Alba at the British American Drama Academy, Polly in Wirtz’s production of As It Is In Heaven, and all 17 characters in The K of D. Ellsworth is passionate about film, writing, and the outdoors, and would love to thank everyone who has supported her along the way!
Alvin Wang (Assistant Lighting Designer, he/him) is a freshman undergrad double majoring in theatre and computer science. He is a little tired of stage management and therefore is taking a break. This is his first time assisting lights for Wirtz and he’s super excited!
Alec Westland-Hurwitz (Ensemble, he/him) Alec is so excited to share this zany and unique play with you all! Originally from Berkeley, California, Alec is a junior in the Music Theatre Certificate Program, studying theatre and creative writing. Favorite recent credits include King Richard in Richard II (British American Drama Academy), and Grandma Addams in The Addams Family (Wirtz Center). Thanks to his friends and family for their love and support! Instagram: alec.wh TikTok: alecwh_
Haley Wong (Understudy, she/her) is a first-year English student making her theatrical debut at Northwestern! Previously, she’s taken to the stage in shows like Cinderella, It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Anastasia, Love/Sick, and Much Ado About Nothing. At Northwestern, she is a stand-up comic with The Set Up. Haley is grateful for the support of this team, her family, and her friends!
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 March 31, 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
