Profiles from Tartuffe_________

Merrick Anton Hughes (Organ) Merrick caught the acting bug after getting a small role in his high school production of Philadelphia Here I Come! He has been acting ever since. His most recent appearances on stage include Cupid Misfires His Eros and Journey to the Center of the Journey as a member of the Sha-na-na Musical sketch comedy team.
 Back     Top
Tim Carroll (Tartuffe) returns to the Stage Center having appeared in the 2000 production of Triumph of Love. Since then, he has graduated from Northeastern, finally ending a college career that began during the Reagan administration. With that accomplishment behind him, he looks forward to this current challenge of appearing in a Moliere classic.
Back      Top
Hamid Chaudry (Cleante) Happily this is Hamid's second show at NEIU; last semester he made his debut in Water and Wine An economics major and Sociology minor, Hamid looks forward to graduation. He teaches martial arts at University of Illinois at Chicago.
Back      Top
Manuel Valle (Damis) At 18 years old Manuel already boasts an impressive resume. A singer as well as an actor, he has performed at Navy Pier, DePaul University, senior citizens' homes and McDonalds. Currently he is working at the L 'Opera Piccolo in La Bohemme. "Thanks to Ms. Pauley for building up my hopes to achieve anything impossible. Like I always say, this is not the last of me you 're going to see! This is just a start!"
Back      Top
Ben Fishbein (Valere) is a Northeastern senior majoring in Eng-lish. He will graduate in May and will begin working toward an MFA in creative writing this fall. Last spring he performed in Northeastern's production of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.
Back      Top
Carolyn Elizabeth (Flipote) Carolyn is pleased to be back on stage after assistant directing two previous Stage Center productions.  She would like to thank all of the brave men and women working to prevent war.
Back      Top
Michelle-Marie Merrick (Pernelle) is delighted to be returning to the Stage Center as Madame Pemelle in Tartuffe and working with this wonderful cast and crew. She has previously been seen here in Scaramouche, The Curate Shakespeare As You Like It, Ramshackle Inn, and The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940. Currently you may also see her during the day at the Stage Center's A Child's Garden. Michelle Marie is a theatre major here at Northeastern. She 'd like to give thanks to the family, friends and all the people that help her along the way. Peace and Love to all.
Back      Top
Angela Walsh (Elmire) A Chicago native, Angela has just recently re-turned to the stage after a five year hiatus. Prior to Tartuffe, she took part in children's theatre as the Grasshopper in Aesop's The Ant and the Grasshopper. An admirer of classical theatre, she has also appeared in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Angela is thrilled to be back onstage fulfilling her passion and lifelong dream.
Back      Top
Bernadette McHugh (Dorine) has recently finished a national tour with the Repertory Theatre of America. Her roles included Eve in The Diaries of Adam and Eve, Gus in Cooking with Gus, Muriel in Plow Suite, and Irene in Murder.com. Originally from New York City, Tartuffe marks Bernadette 's Chicago theatre debut.
Back      Top
Angela DeMarco (Mariane) Last seen as Helsa in Musical Comedy Murders and Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest, Angela is delighted to play Marianne with this extremely talented cast. Favorite past roles include Ado Annie in Oklahoma and Jan in Grease at Pheasant Run Dinner Theatre. Thanks to all my friends, who are therefore me and to my husband-Hove you too much!
Back      Top
Will Aragon (Loyale/Officer/Laurent) a student at NEIU, is honored to work with such a talented cast and crew. "You 're all so wonderful." You may have seen Will in NE/U's children's theatre productions of Scaramouche, Beauty and The Beast and in the Studio Series production of The Cuban Swimmer. Tartuffe is Will's first main stage production and he 'd like to give thanks to Jen for this wonderful opportunity. He hopes to continue on the road to success one step at a time.
Back      Top

Jen Goode (Director) J. Kingsford Goode teaches history of the theatre at DePaul University where she is an adjunct faculty member and where she attended the graduate directing program. In New York. among many other things, she directed an incarnation of the Thirteenth Street Rep's I-Land, Tissue, at The Work House Theatre, and Seeking Superheros at the Harold Clurman. An actor as well. Jen attended and was a company member of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, also in New York. In Chicago she has appeared in Romeo & Juliet, Whale Music, Equus, Flood, Dancing at Lughnasa and The Grapes of Wrath directed by Michael Maggio at the Merle Reskin Theatre. She looks forward to appearing in NElU's production of The Good Doctor on this stage in April.   Director's Notes
Back      Top

Sonja Thrush (Asst. Director/Stage Mgr.)
Sonja Thrush is thrilled to say
    That she will graduate this May
And though her time at NElU's been fun,
    She'll be very glad once it's over and done!
Thanks to Jen, the cast and the crew-
    "It's been a pleasure working with you."
Back      Top

Moliere (1622-1673)
...Although the king came to his rescue in 1664 by standing as godfather to Moliere's first child, the playwright embroiled himself more deeply in controversy with Tartuffe, a play about religious hypocrisy. So vicious was the reaction to the play (one church-man called Moliere "a demon") that the play was withdrawn. Despite the obvious public interest in the play and repeated efforts by Moliere to secure the King's permission to restage the play , it was not performed again until 1669.

...Finally in 1673, he performed for the last time in his own last play. Moliere died hours after performing the lead in The Imaginary Invalid. The company had known of his illness and tried to prevent his performance, but he insisted that their financial security was dependent on him. Moliere was denied a church burial because actors were not allowed the sacraments, and only a special request by the king allowed his friends to bury him at night on February 21st. The people whom he had supported and to whom he had quite literally given his life were with him at the last.

from A Cultural History of Theater By: Jack Watson & Grant McKernie Chapter 8 (p 183)

Back      Top