Emmitt Socey | Chicago Director & Lighting Designer

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Socey

CONTACT:

@emmsocey

emmsocey@gmail.com

Photo: Joe Mazza for Orange Julius
at Loyola University Chicago

Hi, I'm Emmitt Socey
(friends call me Emm!)

they/them

I am a Chicago-based theatre maker with artistic and personal roots in Indianapolis

I'm one of those multi-hyphenates

you hear so much about. Directing, Lighting Design, and New Play Development are my loves.

+ I have a real soft spot for puppets

NEW HAPPENINGS

Underlined Text = info links

Lighting Design for Wayfinding w/ Here's the Exit & The Sporting Life w/ The Factory
Developing Ongoing Body Project w/ Grey Smith

Instagram Feed (aka the thing I update most frequently)
@emmsocey

“I change my hair every week and a half dude, get used to it”

“I change my hair every week and a half dude, get used to it”

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A lot of fake blood, real sweat, and more fake blood went into this one. The Sorting Life runs through November 22nd at The Factory Theater.
I did the lights and took these photos :)

The Sporting Life by Marjorie Muller

PRODUCTION TEAM
Director • Kayla Menz
Production Manager • Eric Frederickson
Stage Manager• Shane Hogan
Asst. Director • Sonia Goldberg
Asst. Stage Manager • Jimena Ramirez
Fight Director • Becca Schwartz
Asst. Fight Director • Kate Booth
Intimacy Director • Emily Antoff
Technical Director Anthony Doyle
Scenic Designer • Ramona Rotten
Costume SFX Designer • Anna Rogers
Asst. SFX Designer • Spencer Korcz
Props Designer • Evy Burch
Lighting Designer • Emmitt Socey
Master Electrician • Morgan Watkinson
Sound Designer • Gina Montalvo

CAST
Dot • Ziare Paul-Emile
Sherry • Elizabeth MacDougald
Mikayla • Tyara Whitted
Joe • Bryan Breau
Younger Man • Ian Mason
Older Man • Bill Daniel

Dot & Mikayla U/S • Amanda Elena de la Fuente
Sherry U/S • Kelsey Cally
Joe & Older Man U/S • Zach Kunde
Younger Man U/S • George Petermeier

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A lot of fake blood, real sweat, and more fake blood went into this one. The Sorting Life runs through November 22nd at The Factory Theater.
I did the lights and took these photos :)

The Sporting Life by Marjorie Muller

PRODUCTION TEAM
Director • Kayla Menz
Production Manager • Eric Frederickson
Stage Manager• Shane Hogan
Asst. Director • Sonia Goldberg
Asst. Stage Manager • Jimena Ramirez
Fight Director • Becca Schwartz
Asst. Fight Director • Kate Booth
Intimacy Director • Emily Antoff
Technical Director Anthony Doyle
Scenic Designer • Ramona Rotten
Costume SFX Designer • Anna Rogers
Asst. SFX Designer • Spencer Korcz
Props Designer • Evy Burch
Lighting Designer • Emmitt Socey
Master Electrician • Morgan Watkinson
Sound Designer • Gina Montalvo

CAST
Dot • Ziare Paul-Emile
Sherry • Elizabeth MacDougald
Mikayla • Tyara Whitted
Joe • Bryan Breau
Younger Man • Ian Mason
Older Man • Bill Daniel

Dot & Mikayla U/S • Amanda Elena de la Fuente
Sherry U/S • Kelsey Cally
Joe & Older Man U/S • Zach Kunde
Younger Man U/S • George Petermeier

Too short a run for this one ✈️

photos by me :)

WAYFINDING by Whitney Roland
produced by Here’s the Exit
directed by Hudson Therriault

PRODUCTION TEAM
producer Riley Vance
stage manager Miguel Salgado Jr.
fight & intimacy Madison Smith
sound Hudson Therriault
lights Emmitt Socey

CAST
Jane — Kady Nordstrom
Harrison — Levi Welch
Les — Dylan C Wack
Doctor, Reporter — Ellen Campbell
Matthew, Flight Attendant — Curen Feliciani
Representative, Officer — Emily Fernandez

Too short a run for this one ✈️

photos by me :)

WAYFINDING by Whitney Roland
produced by Here’s the Exit
directed by Hudson Therriault

PRODUCTION TEAM
producer Riley Vance
stage manager Miguel Salgado Jr.
fight & intimacy Madison Smith
sound Hudson Therriault
lights Emmitt Socey

CAST
Jane — Kady Nordstrom
Harrison — Levi Welch
Les — Dylan C Wack
Doctor, Reporter — Ellen Campbell
Matthew, Flight Attendant — Curen Feliciani
Representative, Officer — Emily Fernandez

Summer’s gentle end

Summer’s gentle end

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Always playing catch-up. There's some more summer for ya!

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Always playing catch-up. There's some more summer for ya!

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This summer’s four-letter word:
𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞

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This summer’s four-letter word:
𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞

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Yellow Post

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Yellow Post

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Brought to you in 𝘉𝘓𝘜𝘌

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Brought to you in 𝘉𝘓𝘜𝘌

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This post brought to you by the color RED

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This post brought to you by the color RED

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Happy New Year

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Happy New Year

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Charles Dickins Begrudgingly Performs a Christmas Carol Again
Created and Performed by Blake Montgomery

Scenic Design — Pamela Maurer
Costume Design — Izumi Inaba
Wig Design — Megan E. Pirtle
Lighting Design — Emmitt Socey
Sound Design — Oskar Westbridge
Ghost of Rehearsals Present — George Keating
Stage Management — Jake Snell

Production photos my Joe Mazza and Michael Brosilow (shots tagged accordingly)

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Charles Dickins Begrudgingly Performs a Christmas Carol Again
Created and Performed by Blake Montgomery

Scenic Design — Pamela Maurer
Costume Design — Izumi Inaba
Wig Design — Megan E. Pirtle
Lighting Design — Emmitt Socey
Sound Design — Oskar Westbridge
Ghost of Rehearsals Present — George Keating
Stage Management — Jake Snell

Production photos my Joe Mazza and Michael Brosilow (shots tagged accordingly)

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It’s cold out. Go warm up the ones you love.

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It’s cold out. Go warm up the ones you love.

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Another post about this lovely experience. (and then of course there will be another when I edit the production photos)
You Will Speak Again Kapemba’tona was my first time being a dramaturg on a new work. One the one hand, it was incredibly scary to think that I could have such and impact on and potentially fuck up this other person’s play, but it was so exciting to get to use my skills to support someone else in trying to articulate and share their own story.
With both Helena and me each playing two or more roles in this process, we became real collaborators. I was so freeing to get to make decisions together that we felt served the piece and for those decisions to be entirely ours.
This production is just the beginning, there are future drafts of this script for different time constraints and different storytelling priorities. Knowing that to be true lifted the weight of having to get it all perfect on the first go. Instead we were able to decide what it would be this time and commit to making the best version of that.

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Another post about this lovely experience. (and then of course there will be another when I edit the production photos)
You Will Speak Again Kapemba’tona was my first time being a dramaturg on a new work. One the one hand, it was incredibly scary to think that I could have such and impact on and potentially fuck up this other person’s play, but it was so exciting to get to use my skills to support someone else in trying to articulate and share their own story.
With both Helena and me each playing two or more roles in this process, we became real collaborators. I was so freeing to get to make decisions together that we felt served the piece and for those decisions to be entirely ours.
This production is just the beginning, there are future drafts of this script for different time constraints and different storytelling priorities. Knowing that to be true lifted the weight of having to get it all perfect on the first go. Instead we were able to decide what it would be this time and commit to making the best version of that.

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What a real gift it is to have two shows opening at once.
Through the last month and a half, I directed and also served as dramaturg (and a lighting mentor) for @_helena_jose_ ‘s original one-woman play, 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘒𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘢’𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘢. As her senior capstone it will play two performances at Earlham and we hope to give it a longer life touring it to Fringe festivals and elsewhere. (And don’t worry, more photos are on their way)
This week I came home to Chicago to hop right into tech fast assistant lighting designer on 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 by @ajaggedlittlephil at The Raven. Assisting Lee is an absolute pleasure and I’ve been incredibly grateful to be folded into this process with so many lovely people.

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What a real gift it is to have two shows opening at once.
Through the last month and a half, I directed and also served as dramaturg (and a lighting mentor) for @_helena_jose_ ‘s original one-woman play, 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘒𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘢’𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘢. As her senior capstone it will play two performances at Earlham and we hope to give it a longer life touring it to Fringe festivals and elsewhere. (And don’t worry, more photos are on their way)
This week I came home to Chicago to hop right into tech fast assistant lighting designer on 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 by @ajaggedlittlephil at The Raven. Assisting Lee is an absolute pleasure and I’ve been incredibly grateful to be folded into this process with so many lovely people.

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Blood to Drink by Maggie Lou Rader
—photos by Emm Socey —
Directed by Lynne Perkins Socey
Scenic and Costume Design by Mia Slayton
Lighting Design by Emm Socey
Sound Design by Gannon Murray
Stage Manager Haley Baugues
— Primary Cast —
Elizabeth Proctor — Austi Jenkins
Sarah Good — Winnie Kratz
Bridget Bishop — Delilah Rains
Ann Foster — Erica Pearson
George Burroughs — John Ozai
John Hathorne — Duncan Pickering-Polstra

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Blood to Drink by Maggie Lou Rader
—photos by Emm Socey —
Directed by Lynne Perkins Socey
Scenic and Costume Design by Mia Slayton
Lighting Design by Emm Socey
Sound Design by Gannon Murray
Stage Manager Haley Baugues
— Primary Cast —
Elizabeth Proctor — Austi Jenkins
Sarah Good — Winnie Kratz
Bridget Bishop — Delilah Rains
Ann Foster — Erica Pearson
George Burroughs — John Ozai
John Hathorne — Duncan Pickering-Polstra

Playing catch-up on documenting the projects I did at Earlham in October+November. The start of it was lighting design for Blood to Drink by @maggielouwho7
Here’s a little peak at the production through some sketches

Playing catch-up on documenting the projects I did at Earlham in October+November. The start of it was lighting design for Blood to Drink by @maggielouwho7
Here’s a little peak at the production through some sketches

Happy 23 to me and here’s to spending it with the folks who brought me here

Happy 23 to me and here’s to spending it with the folks who brought me here

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Remember that time we went on a boat?

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Remember that time we went on a boat?

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September 🦎

(b&w of Mary, Alex and Emm by Joe Mazza)

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September 🦎

(b&w of Mary, Alex and Emm by Joe Mazza)

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An Orange Julius, that’s what I want when I get home

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An Orange Julius, that’s what I want when I get home

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Orange Julius opened last night and I am incredibly proud of all the work and care from everyone that has gone into it. I hope you’ll join us.

Photos: Joe Mazza https://bravelux.com

Orange Julius
By Basil Kreimendahl
Directed by Kelly Howe and Emm Socey

Cast
Nut | M. Moody
Ol Boy | Angel Hampton
Julius | Robert Ernst
France | Erin Chin
Crimp | Trania Perryman

Understudies
Nut | Helen Schomacker
Ol Boy | Eve Owens
Julius | Cristian Arocho
France | Jessie Chessier
Crimp | Corin Friese

Creative/Production Staff
Directors | Kelly Howe and Emm Socey
Lighting, Scenic & Projection Designer | Lee Keenan
Costume Designer | Erinn Grendahl
Sound Designer | Noah Tibbetts
Props Artisan | Jillian Gryzlak
Technical Director | Becca Venable
Dramaturg | Kameron Ruth
Costume Shop Supervisor | Theresa Ham
Lighting & Sound Supervisor | Clare Roche
Stage Manager | Charlotte Froiland
Producer | April Browning
Production Management Coordinator | Sara Segneri
Assistant Director | Fern Browne
Intimacy Choreographer | Timothy Edward Kane
Dramaturg | Kameron Ruth
Assistant Dramaturg | Mia Luparello
Dramaturgy Mentor | DeRon S. Williams
Assistant Stage Managers | Riley Bulson, Morgan Watkinson
Costume Design Mentor | Rachel Healy
Head Electrician | Clare Roche
Light Board Operator | Alex Snell
Sound Board Operator | Ava Berios
Captions Operator | Rosie Griffith
Wardrobe Crew | Jane Ford, Maddie Williams, Erin Jasperson
Deck Crew | Juliana Logli, Frank Niecikowski

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Orange Julius opened last night and I am incredibly proud of all the work and care from everyone that has gone into it. I hope you’ll join us.

Photos: Joe Mazza https://bravelux.com

Orange Julius
By Basil Kreimendahl
Directed by Kelly Howe and Emm Socey

Cast
Nut | M. Moody
Ol Boy | Angel Hampton
Julius | Robert Ernst
France | Erin Chin
Crimp | Trania Perryman

Understudies
Nut | Helen Schomacker
Ol Boy | Eve Owens
Julius | Cristian Arocho
France | Jessie Chessier
Crimp | Corin Friese

Creative/Production Staff
Directors | Kelly Howe and Emm Socey
Lighting, Scenic & Projection Designer | Lee Keenan
Costume Designer | Erinn Grendahl
Sound Designer | Noah Tibbetts
Props Artisan | Jillian Gryzlak
Technical Director | Becca Venable
Dramaturg | Kameron Ruth
Costume Shop Supervisor | Theresa Ham
Lighting & Sound Supervisor | Clare Roche
Stage Manager | Charlotte Froiland
Producer | April Browning
Production Management Coordinator | Sara Segneri
Assistant Director | Fern Browne
Intimacy Choreographer | Timothy Edward Kane
Dramaturg | Kameron Ruth
Assistant Dramaturg | Mia Luparello
Dramaturgy Mentor | DeRon S. Williams
Assistant Stage Managers | Riley Bulson, Morgan Watkinson
Costume Design Mentor | Rachel Healy
Head Electrician | Clare Roche
Light Board Operator | Alex Snell
Sound Board Operator | Ava Berios
Captions Operator | Rosie Griffith
Wardrobe Crew | Jane Ford, Maddie Williams, Erin Jasperson
Deck Crew | Juliana Logli, Frank Niecikowski

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This is a love story

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This is a love story

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Updating the scrapbook

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Updating the scrapbook

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We Play (and work) All Night

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We Play (and work) All Night

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We Work (and play) All Day

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We Work (and play) All Day

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😘🔨

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😘🔨

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Happy Gay :)

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Happy Gay :)

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Only that long?

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Only that long?

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something something graduation

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something something graduation

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wrapped up

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wrapped up

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Some photos that got lost in the scramble

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Some photos that got lost in the scramble

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Good company

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Good company

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Assistant directing this show was an absolute dream
Miluji tebe.

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Assistant directing this show was an absolute dream
Miluji tebe.

ONCE opens April 4th and runs for two weekends.
There’s been a lot of literal and metaphorical sketching on this show, all of it incredibly exciting. I so look forward to sharing this full piece full of wonderful people with an equally wonderful audience.
Tickets are linked in my bio. I hope you’ll join us.

ONCE opens April 4th and runs for two weekends.
There’s been a lot of literal and metaphorical sketching on this show, all of it incredibly exciting. I so look forward to sharing this full piece full of wonderful people with an equally wonderful audience.
Tickets are linked in my bio. I hope you’ll join us.

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Merry Christmas time, happy holidays 🎵

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Merry Christmas time, happy holidays 🎵

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This little life :)

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This little life :)

This fall, with the mentorship of Lee Keenan, I had the immense pleasure of designing lights for two pieces in Loyola’s main stage dance concert. “Chimera” by Amy Wilkinson and “The Tale of Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Sandra Kaufmann. Both pieces were so incredibly conceived and performed and gave me so much to chew on. I can’t accurately express my enthusiasm for the experience and the wonderful collaborators. I am very proud of the work I got to do.

Shout out @duncan_corbin for the stellar production stills!

This fall, with the mentorship of Lee Keenan, I had the immense pleasure of designing lights for two pieces in Loyola’s main stage dance concert. “Chimera” by Amy Wilkinson and “The Tale of Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Sandra Kaufmann. Both pieces were so incredibly conceived and performed and gave me so much to chew on. I can’t accurately express my enthusiasm for the experience and the wonderful collaborators. I am very proud of the work I got to do.

Shout out @duncan_corbin for the stellar production stills!

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planting the seeds for an artist commune

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planting the seeds for an artist commune

Going through cycles
#gardenofdecay #typecastpoetry

Going through cycles
#gardenofdecay #typecastpoetry

happy halloweener

happy halloweener

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One more weekend of As You Like It!
Tickets linked in my bio

Production Stills by Joe Mazza @brave.lux

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One more weekend of As You Like It!
Tickets linked in my bio

Production Stills by Joe Mazza @brave.lux

The first fully produced workshop of my play-in-progress, 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘋𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭 ran in Loyola’s Underground Theatre in September of 2024.
Putting together this condensed one-act version was such an incredibly encouraging and enlightening experience. I cannot thank the performers, directors, designers, production team, and producers enough for putting so much care into realizing the world I’m creating.

If you missed it and would be interested in seeing a recording, please reach out. If you are interested in reading/being a part of future drafts, reach out. And if you have anything you want to say about it, reach out. The thesis is – reach out.

Much love

Production Stills by the wonderful @duncan_corbin

The first fully produced workshop of my play-in-progress, 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘋𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭 ran in Loyola’s Underground Theatre in September of 2024.
Putting together this condensed one-act version was such an incredibly encouraging and enlightening experience. I cannot thank the performers, directors, designers, production team, and producers enough for putting so much care into realizing the world I’m creating.

If you missed it and would be interested in seeing a recording, please reach out. If you are interested in reading/being a part of future drafts, reach out. And if you have anything you want to say about it, reach out. The thesis is – reach out.

Much love

Production Stills by the wonderful @duncan_corbin

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It’s been a special and spectacular 12 months with you @makennavanraalte

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It’s been a special and spectacular 12 months with you @makennavanraalte

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we touched grass

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we touched grass

We Open Tonight

I can’t thank everyone enough for their Work. We will not let it go to waste.

We Open Tonight

I can’t thank everyone enough for their Work. We will not let it go to waste.

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the stranger the better

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the stranger the better

This show presented by @collective_summ
It was such a great time and I hope you get to see it!
#theatreinchicago #puppetry #theatrefordogs #theatreforyoungaudiences #dogenrichment

This show presented by @collective_summ
It was such a great time and I hope you get to see it!
#theatreinchicago #puppetry #theatrefordogs #theatreforyoungaudiences #dogenrichment

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A love letter to my first apartment and the people that filled it and my life.
Here’s to the next one ��💕

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A love letter to my first apartment and the people that filled it and my life.
Here’s to the next one 💕

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I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future

What a privilege and a pleasure to be able to work with so many new and familiar faces in a place that has felt like home as long as I’ve needed one. I learned so much about my field, my future, my community, and myself. And I am so ready to jump into the next thing, fueled by this one.
I love and thank you all very much.

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I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future

What a privilege and a pleasure to be able to work with so many new and familiar faces in a place that has felt like home as long as I’ve needed one. I learned so much about my field, my future, my community, and myself. And I am so ready to jump into the next thing, fueled by this one.
I love and thank you all very much.

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but you have got to make an effort

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but you have got to make an effort

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